Bottom-up regulation and competition of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae along an urbanization gradient in Puerto Rico: Effects on population performance and vector competence

埃及伊蚊幼虫的自下而上调节与竞争 波多黎各的城市化梯度：对人口绩效和媒介能力的影响 埃及伊蚊是导致严重人类疾病的新出现的虫媒病毒的主要媒介，包括 黄热病、登革热、寨卡病毒和基孔肯雅热。物种种群动态与城市化和 作为幼虫的人类密度在人造栖息地发展，并以人类为食。之前的研究已经 独立相关的城市化参数、碎屑输入和幼虫竞争与Ae的某些方面。 埃及伊蚊生活史(如发育时间、生物量、繁殖力)和媒介能力。然而，没有一项研究 已经决定了城市化如何影响幼虫栖息地的这些生态相互作用，这种影响 这可能会对爱产生影响。埃及伊蚊在生命阶段、世代和媒介能力上的表现，也没有 使用营养化学计量学的方法来做到这一点。城市化的变化可能转化为碎屑的变化 沿城市化梯度的幼虫栖息地的可用性和物种竞争，这反过来可能， 影响Ae的易感性。埃及伊蚊到登革热感染。这项提案的第一个目标是确定 城市化对农业可持续发展的影响。波多黎各埃及伊蚊幼虫自下而上的影响和竞争。这个 第二和第三个目标是评估城市化相关碎屑投入和伊蚊的影响。 世代间物种生活史的竞争和媒介能力的竞争。初步 数据表明，植物碎屑的生物量和组成对Ae有显著影响。埃及伊蚊幼虫和 成体生物量。此外，随着城市化进程，容器水氮(%N)显著增加，即水 C：N(C：N)在郊区集装箱中显著偏高，且C：N表现出显著的相关性 和Ae.埃及伊蚊幼虫生物量。这一建议的总体假设是，城市化影响 碎屑投入和Ae的竞争。埃及伊蚊幼虫的栖息地，这种变异将影响物种 表现(存活率、发育率和生物量)和登革热媒介能力。一种组合 将使用现场采样和实验室实验来回答这些目标。六十个幼虫容器将 按照分层随机抽样，在波多黎各圣胡安的城市化梯度上进行抽样 方法采用三层(城市密度)：低、中、高。孵化容器将模拟幼虫 碎屑输入和种内种间组合的每一层的条件 竞争。埃及伊蚊雌性将感染登革热血粉以确定病毒传播 和传输率。营养分析(即%C%N，C：N)将对容器水、碎屑、 幼虫，以及田间和实验室实验的成虫。这项研究的结果与向量有关 生态学、病媒控制战略、虫媒病毒疾病和公共卫生。

Bottom-up regulation and competition of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae along an urbanization gradient in Puerto Rico: Effects on population performance and vector competence Aedes aegypti, is the primary vector of emerging arboviruses causing serious human illnesses including yellow fever, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Species population dynamics are related to urbanization and human density as larvae develop in man-made habitats and bloodfeed on humans. Previous studies have independently related urbanization parameters, detrital inputs, and larval competition to some aspects of Ae. aegypti life history (e.g., development time, biomass, fecundity) and vector competence. However, no study has determined how urbanization can influence these ecological interactions in larval habitats, the effect that this can have on Ae. aegypti performance across life stages, generations, and vector competence, nor have used a nutrient stoichiometry approach to do so. Urbanization changes could translate to changes in detritus availability and species competition in larval habitats along a gradient of urbanization which could in turn, influence the susceptibility of Ae. aegypti to dengue infection. The first objective of this proposal is to determine the influence of urbanization on Ae. aegypti larval bottom-up effects and competition in Puerto Rico. The second and third objectives are to assess the influence of urbanization related-detrital inputs and Aedes sp. competition on the species life history across generations and vector competence, respectively. Preliminary data suggests that plant detritus biomass and composition have a significant effect on Ae. aegypti larval and adult biomass. In addition, container water nitrogen (%N) significantly increases with urbanization, that water Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) is significantly higher in suburban containers, and C:N exhibits a significant relationship with Ae. aegypti larval biomass. The overall hypothesis of this proposal is that urbanization influences detrital inputs and competition in Ae. aegypti larval habitats and that this variation will affect species performance (survival, development rate, and biomass) and dengue vector competence. A combination of field sampling and laboratory experiments will be used to answer the objectives. Sixty larval containers will be sampled across a gradient of urbanization in San Juan, Puerto Rico following a stratified random sampling method with three strata (urban density): low, medium, and high. Incubated containers will simulate larval conditions of each strata with combinations of detrital inputs and species intraspecific and interspecific competition. Aedes aegypti females will be infected with a dengue blood meal to determine virus dissemination and transmission rates. Nutrient analysis (i.e., %C %N, C:N) will be performed on container water, detritus, larvae, and adults from field and laboratory experiments. The results of this research have relevance to vector ecology, vector control strategies, arbovirus diseases, and public health.