Amphibians in ponds help control mosquitoes
Published: Thursday, Dec 14th 2023, 15:20
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Amphibians help against mosquitoes. In a study on ponds in the canton of Vaud, researchers have shown that there are fewer mosquito larvae in bodies of water with lots of frogs and toads.
Measures to promote amphibians in urban areas can therefore help to combat pesky mosquitoes, which are often also potential vectors of disease, as the Swiss Academy of Sciences' Swiss Biodiversity Forum (SCNAT) announced on Thursday.
For the study published in the journal "Ecosphere", researchers from the University of Lausanne (Unil) examined mosquito larvae and amphibians in 77 ponds. The results showed that mosquito larvae are more common in landscapes that have been heavily modified by humans than in natural areas.
One reason identified by the researchers was that fewer amphibians live in these areas. The more amphibians, the fewer mosquitoes, as they discovered. They were also able to show that there are more amphibians and therefore fewer mosquito larvae in deep, large and old ponds.
Promoting amphibians in urban areas
In the study, the researchers argue that measures should be taken to promote amphibians in urban areas. According to the Biodiversity Forum, these areas lack connectivity with the surrounding countryside, small animal passages and sufficient suitable spawning waters. There are also many amphibian traps in urban areas, such as unsecured light wells and drainage systems.
In further studies, the researchers now want to find out what effect which amphibians have on which mosquito species. This information could help to decide which amphibian species is most important and interesting for mosquito control, as the researchers wrote in the study.
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