Journal of Medical Entomology (2013) 50, 1240-1249

Barry W. Alto, Richard L. Lampman, Banugopan Kesavaraju and Ephantus J. Muturi (2013)
Pesticide-induced release from competition among competing Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Journal of Medical Entomology 50 (6), 1240-1249
Abstract: Competitive interactions between mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) may depend on environmental conditions. Pesticides may alleviate density-dependent competition for limited food, and a differential species response to sublethal concentrations may modify interspecific competition. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to malathion alters interspecific resource competition between these two species. In the absence of malathion, Ae. aegypti survivorship and per capita rate of population change were negatively affected by increasing densities of Ae. albopictus. However, the asymmetrical negative effect of Ae. albopictus on Ae. aegypti was eliminated in the presence of malathion. In addition, the presence of malathion resulted in shorter development time compared with the controls. The relative importance of pesticide-mediated coexistence in nature has not been evaluated, so its role in mediating coexistence is unclear; however, these findings underscore the potential of environmental concentrations of malathion, and perhaps other pesticides to facilitate coexistence between species.
(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): Barry W. Alto, Ephantus J. Muturi, Banugopan Kesavaraju

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aedes albopictus
	Aedes aegypti