Taryn Waite, a student at Colby College, collaborated with REU student Courtney Schreiner, Nicole Solano, Dr. Craig Osenberg, and Dr. Courtney Murdock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abstract:\nConspecific density in larval habitats is an important factor affecting adult\nfitness in Aedes albopictus<\/em> mosquitoes, as it drives competition for\nfood and space. We conducted a larval density experiment wherein mason jars\ncontaining leaf infusion and varying numbers of larvae were placed in a field\nenclosure, developmental stage was recorded daily, and emerged adults were\ncollected. Nonlinear regressions were performed on the data for survival to\nadulthood, sex ratio of adults, and wing length of females, and fecundity was\ninferred from wing length. Using these regressions, an equation was created to\npredict short-term population dynamics in habitats with varying conspecific\ndensities. What determines the densities that will actually occur in various\nlarval habitats is where females choose to lay their eggs. Female mosquitoes\nhave the ability to skip-oviposit, which entails spreading their eggs out among\nmultiple habitats instead of dumping them all in one habitat. The population\ndynamics equation was used to evaluate the theoretical consequences of skip-\nversus non-skip- oviposition, using scenarios with varying numbers of\negg-laying females and a fixed number of available larval habitats. We found\nthat at low densities of ovipositing females, skip-oviposition produces more\nshort-term population growth than non-skip-oviposition. At higher densities,\nnon-skipping becomes more productive than skipping, though there is less\ndivergence between the outcomes. This simulation demonstrates a way in which\npatterns of density-dependence could act as a link between oviposition behavior\nand population dynamics. Due to the effects that we found of density dependence\nin larval habitats, individual females\u2019 oviposition behavior could have\nconsequences for short-term population dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\nWaite<\/a>\n Taryn Waite, a student at Colby College, collaborated with REU student Courtney Schreiner, Nicole Solano, Dr. Craig Osenberg, and Dr. Courtney Murdock. Abstract: Conspecific density in larval habitats is an important factor affecting adult fitness in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, as it drives competition for food and space. We conducted a larval density experiment wherein mason<\/p>\n