Ecological niche modeling of potential West Nile virus vector mosquito species in Iowa

Authors

Scott R. Larson, University of Northern Iowa
John P. DeGroote, University of Northern IowaFollow
Lyric C. Bartholomay, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Ramanathan Sugumaran, University of Northern Iowa

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Aedes vexans, Culex pipiens, Culex tarsalis, GARP, Maxent, predictive maps

Journal/Book/Conference Title Title

Journal of Insect Science

Volume

10

Issue

110

Abstract

Ecological niche modeling (ENM) algorithms, Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling (Maxent) and Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP), were used to develop models in Iowa for three species of mosquito – two significant, extant West Nile virus (WNV) vectors (Culex pipiens L and Culex tarsalis Coquillett (Diptera: Culicidae)), and the nuisance mosquito, Aedes vexans Meigen (Diptera: Culicidae), a potential WNV bridge vector. Occurrence data for the three mosquito species from a state-wide arbovirus surveillance program were used in combination with climatic and landscape layers. Maxent successfully created more appropriate niche models with greater accuracy than GARP. The three Maxent species’ models were combined and the average values were statistically compared to human WNV incidence at the census block group level. The results showed that the Maxent-modeled species’ niches averaged together were a useful indicator of WNV human incidence in the state of Iowa. This simple method for creating probability distribution maps proved useful for understanding WNV dynamics and could be applied to the study of other vector-borne diseases.

Department

Department of Geography

Department

GeoTree Center

Comments

First published in Journal of Insect Science, v. 10 n.110 (2010), published by Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1673/031.010.11001

Original Publication Date

2010

DOI of published version

10.1673/031.010.11001

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, University of Northern Iowa, Rod Library

Copyright

© 2010 Scott R. Larson, John P. DeGroote, Lyric C. Bartholomay, and Ramanathan Sugumaran

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Date Digital

2010

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Larson SR, DeGroote JP, Bartholomay LC, Sugumaran R. 2010. Ecological niche modeling of potential West Nile virus vector mosquito species in Iowa. Journal of Insect Science 10:110 available online: insectscience.org/10.110