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Research
Melody Walker
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6421-3772
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases that significantly impact the human population such as dengue, malaria and La Crosse virus. When multiple mosquito species are present, the competition between species may alter population dynamics as well as disease spread. Two mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus, both inhabit areas where La Crosse virus is found. Infection of Aedes albopictus by the parasite Ascogregarina taiwanensis and Aedes triseriatus by the parasite Ascogregarina barretti can decrease a mosquito’s fitness, respectively. In particular, the decrease in fitness of Aedes albopictus occurs through the impact of Ascogregarina taiwanensis on female fecundity, larval development rate, and larval mortality and may impact its initial competitive advantage over Aedes triseriatus during invasion.
Methods: We examine the effects of parasitism of gregarine parasites on Aedes albopictus and triseriatus population dynamics and competition with a focus on when Aedes albopictus is new to an area. We build a compartmental model including competition between Aedes albopictus and triseriatus while under parasitism of the gregarine parasites. Using parameters based on literature, we simulate the dynamics and analyze the equilibrium population proportion of the two species. We consider the presence of both parasites and potential dilution effects.
Results: We show that increased levels of parasitism in Aedes albopictus will decrease the initial competitive advantage of the species over Aedes triseriatus and increase the survivorship of Aedes triseriatus. We find Aedes albopictus is better able to invade when there is more extreme parasitism of Aedes triseriatus. Furthermore, although the transient dynamics differ, dilution of the parasite density through uptake by both species does not alter the equilibrium population sizes of either species.
Conclusions: Mosquito population dynamics are affected by many factors, such as abiotic factors (e.g. temperature and humidity) and competition between mosquito species. This is especially true when multiple mosquito species are vying to live in the same area. Knowledge of how population dynamics are affected by gregarine parasites among competing species can inform future mosquito control efforts and help prevent the spread of vector-borne disease.
Keywords
mosquito population dynamics, competition, Aedes albopictus, Aedes triseriatus, parasitism, Ascogregarina taiwanensis, Ascogregarina barretti
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
The full text of this article is available to read as a PDF.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- Additionalfile1.pdf
Additional file 1 | Equilibrium and Supplementary Figure. This contains the equilibria values.
- Additionalfile2.m
Additional file 2 | Code. This is all the code used to run and analyze the model.
- Additionalfile3.mat
Additional file 3| Generated data. This is the all generated samples.
- graphicalabstract.png
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at Parasites & Vectors.
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Posted 18 Jan, 2021
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Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 26 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 26 Dec, 2020
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On 26 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 23 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 29 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 29 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 17 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 07 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 31 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 30 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Jul, 2020
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Subject Areas
Parasitology
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A new preprint design is coming!
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See the published version of this preprint at Parasites & Vectors.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Melody Walker
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6421-3772
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at Parasites & Vectors.
Version 3
Posted 18 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 26 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 26 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 23 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 29 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 29 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 17 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 07 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 31 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 30 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 30 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Parasitology
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at Parasites & Vectors.
Background: Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases that significantly impact the human population such as dengue, malaria and La Crosse virus. When multiple mosquito species are present, the competition between species may alter population dynamics as well as disease spread. Two mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus, both inhabit areas where La Crosse virus is found. Infection of Aedes albopictus by the parasite Ascogregarina taiwanensis and Aedes triseriatus by the parasite Ascogregarina barretti can decrease a mosquito’s fitness, respectively. In particular, the decrease in fitness of Aedes albopictus occurs through the impact of Ascogregarina taiwanensis on female fecundity, larval development rate, and larval mortality and may impact its initial competitive advantage over Aedes triseriatus during invasion.
Methods: We examine the effects of parasitism of gregarine parasites on Aedes albopictus and triseriatus population dynamics and competition with a focus on when Aedes albopictus is new to an area. We build a compartmental model including competition between Aedes albopictus and triseriatus while under parasitism of the gregarine parasites. Using parameters based on literature, we simulate the dynamics and analyze the equilibrium population proportion of the two species. We consider the presence of both parasites and potential dilution effects.
Results: We show that increased levels of parasitism in Aedes albopictus will decrease the initial competitive advantage of the species over Aedes triseriatus and increase the survivorship of Aedes triseriatus. We find Aedes albopictus is better able to invade when there is more extreme parasitism of Aedes triseriatus. Furthermore, although the transient dynamics differ, dilution of the parasite density through uptake by both species does not alter the equilibrium population sizes of either species.
Conclusions: Mosquito population dynamics are affected by many factors, such as abiotic factors (e.g. temperature and humidity) and competition between mosquito species. This is especially true when multiple mosquito species are vying to live in the same area. Knowledge of how population dynamics are affected by gregarine parasites among competing species can inform future mosquito control efforts and help prevent the spread of vector-borne disease.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
The full text of this article is available to read as a PDF.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- Additionalfile1.pdf
Additional file 1 | Equilibrium and Supplementary Figure. This contains the equilibria values.
- Additionalfile2.m
Additional file 2 | Code. This is all the code used to run and analyze the model.
- Additionalfile3.mat
Additional file 3| Generated data. This is the all generated samples.
- graphicalabstract.png
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