Efeitos da identidade e diversidade taxonômica da serapilheira sobre os padrões de seleção habitat para oviposição em mosquitos

Abstract

The trophic dynamics of organisms based on leaf litter are widely recognized and identified in ecosystem ecology studies. However, little is known about how detritus diversity impacts the reproductive conditions of organisms, particularly in aquatic communities, which largely depend on biomass inputs primarily derived from dead organic matter. The objective of this study is to investigate how the identity and taxonomic diversity of leaf detritus affect the reproductive behavior of medically relevant mosquito females. Our hypotheses are that oviposition sites containing higher detritus diversity, as well as detritus of higher nutritional quality, will stimulate mosquito oviposition. To test these hypotheses, we conducted a field experiment where we manipulated, in microcosms, the diversity of leaf detritus leachates from six tree species commonly found in the region, in all possible combinations along a richness gradient from one to five species. A total of 1,748 eggs were counted, most of which were distributed across the first three richness levels (1 to 3 species). Contrary to our first hypothesis, treatments with more species significantly reduced the magnitude of oviposition. However, consistent with our second hypothesis, there was a clear pattern showing that higher-quality detritus (i.e., lower C:P ratio) positively influenced mosquito oviposition. Our findings suggest that the importance of vegetational diversity may be a factor in making mosquito oviposition habitats less attractive, complementing other studies that highlight the contribution of biodiversity preservation to minimizing disease risks, particularly in tropical regions.