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Module: Mosquito diversity in Space and Time in Alaska

Aedes communis insect model (60:1 scale) by Julia Stoess

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Audience

College, non-majors
Or high school, AP Biology
40 students

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Curriculum Connections

Core Concepts (BioCore Guide 2014):

Evolution

Physiology

Structure and function
Information flow
Systems

Ecology
Ecosystems

BioCore Guide: A Tool for Interpreting the Core Concepts of Vision and Change for Biology Majors. 2014. DOI: 10.1187/cbe.13-12-0233

Evolution: Most organisms have anatomical and physiological traits that tend to increase their fitness for a particular environment (Physiology). Fitness is an individual's ability to survive and reproduce. It is

environment-specific and depends on both abiotic and biotic factors.

Structure and Function: The size, shape, and physical properties of organs and organisms all affect function. Competition, mutualism, and other interactions are mediated by each species' morphological, physiological, and behavioral traits.

Information flow: Individuals transmit genetic information to their offspring; some alleles confer higher fitness than others in a particular environment.

Systems: Organisms have complex systems that integrate internal and external information, incorporate feedback

control, and allow them to respond to changes in the environment.

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Objectives

describe the mosquito life cycle including aquatic and terrestrial developmental stages
compare and contrast seasonal changes in mosquito biomass of local species with different life history strategies
explore data of abiotic variables to help explain seasonal changes in mosquito biomass
evaluate how a changing climate might affect Alaska mosquito populations in the future

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Materials

Computer, laptop or iPad
Internet access
Notepad
Writing utensil
Projector to show introductory powerpoint slides

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Pre-test

The students should complete a pre-test that tests specific knowledge about mosquitoes.

The pre-test can be found on the class website.

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/resources

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Mosquito Diversity in Space and Time in AK

Team Mosquito - AKDatUM

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About mosquitoes

Arthropods

Order: Diptera - true flies

Feathery antennae

Long piercing

proboscis

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About mosquitoes

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Mosquito diversity

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Mosquito diversity in Alaska - 4 common genera

Aedes Anopheles Culex

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Mosquito diversity in Alaska - 4 common genera

Aedes Anopheles Culex

Culiseta

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Mosquito diversity in Alaska - UA Museum of the North specimens (ARCTOS)

Search for University of Alaska museum specimens of mosquitoes (Culicidae) in Alaska in ARCTOS (https://arctos.database.museum/SpecimenResults.cfm?taxon_name=Culicidae&any_geog=Alaska).

Aedes diantaeus Howard, Dyar and Knab. Pinned specimen collected at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge 23-Jun-09. Kenai Wildlife Refuge, Entomology Collection.

Culiseta impatiens Walker. Pinned specimen collected at Rosie

Creek, Fairbanks, AK 26-Jun-08. University of Alaska Museum of

the North Insect collection.

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Mosquito life cycle

For more info: https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-life-cycle

Egg - hatches when exposed to water.
Larva - (plural: larvae) "wriggler" lives in water; molts several times; most species surface to breathe air.
Pupa - (plural: pupae) "tumbler" does not feed; stage just before emerging as adult.
Adult - flies short time after emerging and after its body parts have hardened.

All mosquito species go through four distinct stages during their life cycle: The first three stages occur in water, but the adult is an active flying insect. Only the female mosquito bites and feeds on the blood of humans or other animals.

After she obtains a blood meal, the female mosquito lays the eggs directly on or near water, soil and at the base of some plants in places that may fill with water. The eggs can survive dry conditions for a few months.
The eggs hatch in water and a mosquito larva or "wriggler" emerges. The length of time to hatch depends on water temperature, food and type of mosquito.
The larva lives in the water, feeds and develops into the third stage of the life cycle called, a pupa or "tumbler." The pupa also lives in the water but no longer feeds.
Finally, the mosquito emerges from the pupal case after two days to a week in the pupal stage.
The life cycle typically takes up two weeks, but depending on conditions, it can range from 4 days to as long as a month.

The adult mosquito emerges onto the water's surface and flies away, ready to begin its lifecycle.

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What factors influence mosquito abundance

Climatic factors
Soil moisture

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10 mins

Read the background information under ‘about mosquitoes’

10 mins

Get familiar with the mosquito life cycle

30 mins

Data exploration on the shiny app

30 mins

Answer questions on the following pages

15 mins

Enter your answer in the google form

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Background information - resources

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/resources

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Background information - resources

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/resources

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Data Sources

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/data-exploration

5 NEON sites displayed in this module include:

BARR

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Field and Lab Methods

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/data-exploration

CO₂ sampler

Museum collections

NEON sites in AK

Video on sampling at Toolik

by Amanda Young

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Data Exploration

https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/data-exploration

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Answer the following questions - life histories and emergence of mosquitoes

Emergence of different mosquito genera/life histories

1) Across all the study sites, compare the date of appearance of the Aedes and Culiseta genera. Which genus (Aedes or Culiseta) appears first across all NEON sites? Select only one study site at a time and both Aedes and Culiseta genera. Note the dates of first appearance. Please note that no Culiseta specimens were found at Utqiagvik, which might represent a sampling error.
2) Read over the life histories summarized under the About Mosquitoes tab and use this information to explain the difference in the dates of first appearance: How are the overwintering strategies related to first appearance?

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Answer the following questions - weather effects

Weather effects

3) Can average daily temperatures help explain the presence of mosquitoes?
4) Is average soil moisture related to the presence of mosquitoes?
5) What additional climate variables can you think of that might be important in explaining the differences in mosquito occurrence?

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Answer the following questions - latitudinal effects

Latitudinal effects

6) Read over the site information presented under the Methods tab. Note that the sites are ordered from north to south, with Healy, Delta Junction and Caribou Poker Creek representing a similar latitude at the southern end of the gradient. How does the date of first mosquito appearance correlate along this latitudinal gradient? Select Aedes and one NEON site at a time. Note the date of first appearance and compare these dates among the different sites.
7) Under a changing climate, Utqiagvik will likely experience warmer temperatures, which might affect mosquito biology. Using the southern sites as an analog for warmer temperatures, how might a changing climate affect mosquito emergence at Utqiagvik?

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POST Test - https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/mosquito-diversity-in-ak/post-test

Please complete

the post-test after

you complete the

module.

The post-test

can be found

on the class

website