Aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity in mosquito larval habitats in São Tomé and Príncipe
Our latest publication looks at the aquatic environments where malaria mosquito vectors develop on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. Instead of focusing only on mosquitoes, this study explored the wider community of small animals living in the same water bodies. We sampled these waters during both the wet and dry seasons and found that these habitats support a rich and stable diversity of aquatic life, especially in water bodies that retain water for longer periods of time. Importantly, some of these organisms are natural predators of mosquito larvae, highlighting direct interactions between other species and malaria mosquito vectors in these environments. By understanding what else lives in these waters, we can better appreciate how mosquito habitats are part of a complex and interconnected natural system, helping inform discussions about the environmental impacts of new mosquito control strategies.
Read the full research paper here.
