Effects of soil on development, survival, and oviposition on Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes

Abstract

Abstract Background Water quality is known to influence the development and survival of larval mosquitoes, which affects mosquito-borne pathogen transmission as a function of the number of mosquitoes that reach adulthood and can blood feed. Although water properties are known to affect mosquito development, few studies have investigated the link between soil properties, water quality, and mosquito development. Due to the large number of ground breeding mosquito species, this linkage is an important factor to consider in mosquito ecology. In this study, we explored the effects of different soils on multiple life history parameters of the ground breeding mosquito species Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae). Methods Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae were reared in water combined with different soil substrates (sandy, silt, or clay loam textures) at increasing soil to water volume ratios, with and without the addition of organic material (fish food). Gravid mosquitoes were offered soil-water cups to investigate soil effects on oviposition preference. Results Without added food, larval survival and development differed significantly among waters with different soils and volumes of substrate. Mosquitoes in clay loam soil water survived longer and developed further than mosquitoes in other soil waters. Adding food significantly reduced the soil effects on larval survival time, development, and pupation. Adult female mosquitoes preferentially chose soil waters with higher clay content for oviposition, and the addition of food significantly reduced the soil effects on oviposition preference. Conclusions This study suggests soil composition plays an important role in larval mosquito survival and development, as well as the oviposition preference of gravid females. Future studies may separate abiotic and biotic soil features that affect mosquitoes and link soil variation at the landscape scale to predictions of mosquito population dynamics and mosquito-borne pathogen transmission.