PREDICTING OUTCOMES OF THE AEDES ALBOPICTUS INVASION

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Support is requested to investigate interactions between native North American mosquitoes that inhabit treeholes in the eastern United States (Aedes triseriatus, Anopheles barberi and Toxorhynchites rutilus) and a container-breeding mosquito that has recently invaded this continent from Asia (Aedes albopictus). The main objective is to obtain information that will permit an assessment of the future success of the invading species in becoming ans established resident of natural and artificial habitats (principally treeholes and tires). The invading species is capable of transmitting several exotic viral diseases, and may be capable of extending the range or incidence of diseases that are presently by American mosquitoes. Interactions with resident species that involve competition and predation are likely to influence the future success of A. albopictus as it invades the United States, and will be investigated in this project. Competition for resources between A. triseriatus and A. albopictus larvae will be examined in laboratory containers designed to simulate the tire and treehole habitats by observing the sensitivity of each species to the abundance of the other. Vulnerabilities of A. triseriatus and A. albopictus to predation will be compared using T. rutilus and A. barberias predators. Coefficients that permit the mathematical description of these relationships will be calculated, and models will be constructed to generate prediction about the eventual success of A. albopictusin the presence or absence of predation, and in tire or treehole habitats.