Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
12-1-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Christopher Vitek
Second Advisor
Kathryn E. Perez
Third Advisor
Frank Dirrigl
Abstract
Mosquitoes are detrimental to animals and threaten humans. More information is needed on how farm animal presence may impact mosquito abundance and diversity at farms. My goal in this study is to determine if there is any correlation between animal abundance or diversity on a farm and the abundance and diversity of mosquitoes collected. Hidalgo County, Texas, has a subtropical desert climate, ideal for mosquitoes. I hypothesized that the mosquito abundance and diversity indices would increase as the livestock abundance or diversity increases. Adult mosquitoes were collected using two CO2-baited light traps per farm from Spring 2022 to Fall 2022. This study may provide details on what types of farms attract which species of mosquitoes, potentially allowing for the development of more effective risk management strategies. A higher animal diversity resulted in a higher mosquito diversity when considering animal diversity alone, possibly due to olfactory cues from different hosts.
Recommended Citation
Moya, Taylor Nicole, "The Effects of Livestock on Mosquito Diversity and Abundance in Hidalgo County" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 1622.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/etd/1622
Comments
Copyright 2024 Taylor Nicole Moya. https://proquest.com/docview/3153443003