Bulletin of Entomological Research (2007) 97, 607-612

R.M. Gleiser and D.E. Gorla (2007)
Predicting the spatial distribution of Ochlerotatus albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) abundance with NOAA imagery
Bulletin of Entomological Research 97 (6), 607-612
Abstract: Ochlerotatus albifasciatus is a vector of western equine encephalomyelitis in Argentina and a nuisance mosquito affecting beef and dairy production. The objective of this study was to analyze whether environmental proxy data derived from 1 km resolution NOAA-AVHRR images could be useful as a rapid tool for locating areas with higher potential for Oc. albifasciatus activity at a regional scale. Training sites for mosquito abundance categories were 3.3×3.3 km polygons over sampling sites. Abundance was classified into two categories according to a proposed threshold for economic losses. Data of channels 1, 2, 4 and 5 were used to calculate five biophysical variables: normalized differences vegetation index (NDVI), land surface temperature, total precipitable water, dew point and vapour saturation deficit. A discriminant analysis correctly classified 100% of the areas predicted to be above or below the economic threshold of 2500 mosquitoes per night of capture, respectively. Components of the NDVI, the total precipitable water and the dew point temperature contributed most to the function value. The results suggest that environmental data derived from AVHRR-NOAA could be useful for rapidly identifying adequate areas for mosquito development or activity.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Raquel Miranda Gleiser, David Eladio Gorla

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes albifasciatus		Argentina