Effect of expanding farmlands with domestication of animals in the vicinity of disturbed swamps and built-up farmland ponds on population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia vectors (Diptera: Culicidae)

Research (Published online: 08-03-2024)

8. Effect of expanding farmlands with domestication of animals in the vicinity of disturbed swamps and built-up farmland ponds on population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia vectors (Diptera: Culicidae)

Suntorn Pimnon, Adisak Bhumiratana, Apiradee Intarapuk, and Wanapa Ritthison

Veterinary World, 17(3): 564-576

Suntorn Pimnon: Faculty of Public Health, Bangkokthonburi University, Bangkok 10170, Thailand.

Adisak Bhumiratana: Thammasat University Research Unit in One Health and EcoHealth, Pathum Thani, Thailand; Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani 12121, Thailand.

Apiradee Intarapuk: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mahanakorn University of Technology, Bangkok 10530, Thailand.

Wanapa Ritthison: Office of Disease Prevention and Control 6 Chonburi, Thailand.

Background and Objectives: The adaptive processes and resilience of Mansonia vectors responsible for bioindicators can change in response to climate, land use, and environmental changes. This study evaluated the effects of expanding farmlands with the domestication of animals in the vicinity of either disturbed swamps or built-up farmland ponds on the population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia faunas as a result of expanding farmlands in Thailand.

Materials and Methods: Based on environmental surveys, four different geographically defined study sites were selected: I - the expanding farmlands with domestication of livestock and pet animals in the vicinity of low-lying swamp with habitat fragmentation and aquatic vegetation; II - the expanding farmlands with domestication of pet animals in the vicinity of elevated swamp with habitat destruction and aquatic vegetation; III - the expanding farmlands with domestication of livestock and pet animals in the vicinity of low-lying farmland ponds with restoration and aquatic vegetation; and IV - the expanding farmlands with domestication of pet animals in the vicinity of elevated farmland ponds with restoration and aquatic vegetation. Human landing catch collection method was used to periodically assess the species composition and abundance of Mansonia vectors.

Results: Aggregated distributions and seasonal abundances of Mansonia faunas (Mansonia uniformis, Mansonia indiana, Mansonia annulifera, Mansonia annulata, Mansonia bonneae, and Mansonia dives) with variable proportions were observed at all the study sites. A decline in the population of Mansonia faunas, except for Ma. uniformis, was observed at study sites I and II.

Conclusion: The anticipated effects of expanding farmlands affected the population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia faunas, thus representing a diverse assemblage of Mansonia species with different adaptations, ecological tolerances, and host exploitation strategies in life. These effects depended either on the function of disturbed swamps or on the development of farmland ponds, whether they provided a wide range of freshwater habitats, or on the domestication of animals, whether they provided animal blood meal sources.

Keywords: built-up farmland ponds, disturbed swamps, expanding farmland, freshwater habitats, and animal blood meal sources, Mansonia fauna.

The document is a research article that discusses the effect of expanding farmlands with the domestication of animals on the population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia vectors, which are mosquitoes responsible for transmitting diseases.

The study evaluated the effects of expanding farmlands with the domestication of animals on the population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia vectors in Thailand.

Four different study sites were selected based on environmental surveys, each with different characteristics such as the presence of disturbed swamps or built-up farmland ponds with restoration and aquatic vegetation.

The expanding farmlands had anticipated effects on the population dispersion and decline of locally adapted Mansonia faunas, with different species compositions and abundances observed at each study site.

The dominant species of Mansonia faunas varied between study sites, with Ma. uniformis being the most common species observed in all study sites.

Mansonia mosquitoes are potential vectors for various diseases and have specific habitat preferences, such as peat swamp forests and wetlands, and are associated with certain aquatic vegetation. Control measures for Mansonia mosquitoes have been implemented in different regions.