Biocomplexity -- Incubation Activity: Anopheline Mosquito Adaptation to Urban Environments

非洲的城市正在经历人口的快速增长，却没有相应的经济发展，这造成了各种各样的生态问题。在许多非洲城市，大多数居民生活在没有足够的水、卫生设施和电力的定居点里。这种情况会促进疟疾等由昆虫传播的危险疾病的传播。该项目将在肯尼亚两个生态不同的城市研究按蚊。其目标是开发一个模型，以便更好地了解和预测与城市化相关的关键因素如何影响按蚊种群。活动将包括：1)规划会议以开发评估按蚊种群的模型；2)对肯尼亚的按蚊种群进行实地和实验室研究。该项目将与肯尼亚一个久负盛名的昆虫科学计划相协调，将致力于蚊子生态和行为的科学家与专门从事生态建模和空间统计、地理信息技术、社会和行为科学、水文学、人口学和城市规划的科学家团队联合起来。这一关于非洲生物复杂性和城市化的项目将为按蚊制作一个计算模型，该模型可实际用于指导与非洲城市规划和环境政策有关的活动。该项目以培训非洲科学家和学生为重点，将加强昆虫科学领域的国际教育计划，并将有助于促进在非洲使用生态技术解决问题。

Cities in Africa are experiencing rapid human population growth without comparable economic development, and this is creating diverse ecological problems. In many African cities, the majority of residents live impoverished in settlements without adequate water, sanitation, and electricity. Such conditions promote the transmission of dangerous insect-borne diseases like malaria. This project will study Anopheles mosquitoes in two ecologically different Kenyan cities. The goal is to develop a model for better understanding and predicting how Anopheles mosquito populations are affected by key factors associated with urbanization. Activities will include: 1) planning meetings to develop the model for assessing Anopheles mosquito populations and 2) field and laboratory studies of Anopheles mosquito populations in Kenya. This project will be coordinated with a well-established insect science program in Kenya to unite scientists working on mosquito ecology and behavior with teams of scientists specializing in ecological modeling and spatial statistics, geographic information technology, social and behavioral sciences, hydrology, demography, and urban planning. This project on biocomplexity and urbanization in Africa will produce a computational model for Anopheles mosquitoes that can be used practically to help guide activities relating to urban planning and environmental policy in Africa. With a strong focus on training African scientists and student, the project will strengthen international educational programs in the area of insect science and will help promote the use of ecological techniques for problem-solving in Africa.