Abstract
Anopheles coluzzii is an important vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa particularly of the most dangerous malaria parasite. It completes its life cycle in water and a change in physicochemical properties particularly that of salinity of water may affect egg laying and perhaps the development of eggs to maturity. Studies have shown that climate change may alter the transmission of many vector-borne diseases in different parts of the world and global warming will also raise sea levels which will lead to an increase in saline and brackish water body in coastal areas. This study investigated the salinity tolerance level of An. coluzzii. It involved creation of artificial environments of different salinity gradients using rainwater and sea water and the subsequent exposure of the media to An. coluzzii for laying of eggs and development of larvae to adult. Anopheles coluzzii showed ovipositional preference for less saline media as there was significant negative correlation between number of eggs laid and salinity of oviposition media. Effect of salinity was evident in egg development and larval survival, as no egg hatched in >30% sea water, all L3 larvae died in >40% seawater, and the maximum seawater concentration for L4 survival was 30%. An LC50 of 17.51% (95% CI: 9.31–24.56)% and 23.4% (95% CI: 16.76–22.30)% were calculated for L3 and L4 larvae respectively. Adults emerging from fresh and low saline water of 10% seawater had greater energy reserve than those emerging from 20% and 30% seawater. Increasing salinity did not affect wing length of the emerging adult. Despite the increased stress on larval development, some individuals survived and went on to emerge as adults in conditions that seem to be representative of brackish water. This may imply that an increase in brackish water sites caused by rising sea levels might create more suitable breeding sites for this species.
Highlights
IntroductionAnopheles coluzzii like every other organism has a minimum and maximum level of salinity stress which they can tolerate, but its larvae are generally considered to inhabit sunlit, shallow, temporary bodies of freshwater [3]
Malaria is the most devastating vector-borne disease worldwide and is transmitted by anophelines of which Anopheles coluzzii is one of the main vectors of malaria in Ghana
Climate change has an adverse e ect on this proportion with the prominent e ect being the continuous melting of glaciers in the Polar Regions into the sea [10]. us, as expected, the availability of freshwater may decrease because increased ocean volume will cause sea levels to rise, contaminating freshwater sources
Summary
Anopheles coluzzii like every other organism has a minimum and maximum level of salinity stress which they can tolerate, but its larvae are generally considered to inhabit sunlit, shallow, temporary bodies of freshwater [3]. There is evidence this species is becoming adapted to habitats such as polluted water pools, which hitherto were not associated with, due to ecological changes [4, 5]. Climate change is resulting in ecological changes with consequent changes in the range of species. Ere is ample evidence that the habitat range of most mosquito species is changing as a result of climate change [6,7,8]. Climate seems to be the most important natural cause of salinization of inland freshwater bodies with consequence impact on the availability and distribution of freshwater [9]. Climate change has an adverse e ect on this proportion with the prominent e ect being the continuous melting of glaciers in the Polar Regions into the sea [10]. us, as expected, the availability of freshwater may decrease because increased ocean volume will cause sea levels to rise, contaminating freshwater sources
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