Effects of microcosm scaling and food resources on growth and survival of larval Culex pipiens |
| |
| Authors: | Gregory Wynn Christopher J Paradise |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711, USA;(2) Department of Biology, Davidson College, PO Box 1719, Davidson, NC 28036, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | Background We used a simple experimental design to test for the effects of microcosm scaling on the growth and survival of the mosquito, Culex pipiens. Microcosm and mesocosm studies are commonly used in ecology, and there is often an assumption that scaling doesn't affect experimental outcomes. The assumption is implicit in the design; choice of mesocosms may be arbitrary or based on convenience or cost. We tested the hypothesis that scale would influence larvae due to depth and surface area effects. Larvae were predicted to perform poorly in microcosms that were both deep and had small openings, due to buildup of waste products, less exchange with the environment, and increased competition. To determine if the choice of scale affected responses to other factors, we independently varied leaf litter quantity, whose effects on mosquitoes are well known. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
