Journal of Mosquito Research 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 100-110 http://emtoscipublisher.com/index.php/jmr 100 Research Insight Open Access Role of Agricultural Practices in Shaping Mosquito Habitats Sibin Wang , Xian He, Jia Xing Tropical Animal Resources Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572000, Hainan, China Corresponding author: sibin.wang@hitar.org Journal of Mosquito Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.2 doi: 10.5376/jmr.2024.14.0011 Received: 27 Feb., 2024 Accepted: 07 Apr., 2024 Published: 27 Apr., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Wang et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang S.B., He X., and Xing J., 2024, Role of agricultural practices in shaping mosquito habitats, Journal of Mosquito Research, 14(2): 100-110 (doi: 10.5376/jmr.2024.14.0011) Abstract Agricultural practices play a crucial role in shaping mosquito habitats. As global agricultural activities continue to expand changes in mosquito habitats have profound implications for public health. This study aims to systematically explore how agricultural practices influence the formation and alteration of mosquito habitats. The research covers various aspects including mosquito ecological needs water management and irrigation practices crop cultivation and landscape changes pesticide use and agricultural waste management. Through case studies of rice cultivation in Southeast Asia irrigation systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and pesticide use in South America this study reveals the specific impacts of different agricultural practices on mosquito populations and disease transmission. The study also proposes mitigation strategies such as integrated pest management sustainable water management habitat modification and biological control. This study is expected to provide scientific evidence for formulating more effective agricultural policies and public health strategies promoting the coordinated development of agriculture and public health. Keywords Agricultural practices; Mosquito habitats; Vector control; Integrated pest management; Sustainable development 1 Introduction Mosquitoes are vectors for significant human diseases such as malaria dengue Zika chikungunya and West Nile virus posing a serious threat to global health (Benelli and Mehlhorn 2016; Burkett-Cadena and Vittor 2017; Jones et al., 2019), The distribution and dynamics of mosquito populations are influenced by environmental factors such as temperature humidity and the availability of breeding sites (Jones et al., 2019; Brugueras et al., 2020), Understanding mosquito habitats is crucial for developing effective vector control strategies and mitigating the spread of mosquito-borne diseases (Benelli and Mehlhorn 2016; Brugueras et al., 2020). Agricultural practices such as deforestation irrigation and pesticide use can significantly alter mosquito habitats and influence the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases (Burkett-Cadena and Vittor 2017; Priya et al., 2023), Deforestation favors certain mosquito species that transmit human pathogens increasing the risk of disease transmission (Burkett-Cadena and Vittor 2017), Irrigation practices create standing water providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes (Priya et al., 2023), While chemical pesticides effectively control mosquito populations they can adversely affect non-target species and the environment necessitating more sustainable and eco-friendly control measures (Benelli and Mehlhorn 2016; Priya et al., 2023). This study synthesizes findings from multiple studies to explore the role of various agricultural practices in shaping mosquito habitats and their impact on mosquito-borne disease transmission. It identifies key agricultural practices affecting mosquito populations and evaluates the effectiveness of different control strategies. This study examines the impact of deforestation irrigation and pesticide use on mosquito habitats and assesses alternative sustainable mosquito control methods. The aim is to provide insights for future research and guide the development of integrated vector management strategies. 2 Mosquito Ecology and Habitat Requirements 2.1 General mosquito life cycle and habitat needs Mosquitoes undergo a complex life cycle that includes four stages: egg larva pupa and adult. The first three stages are aquatic making the availability and quality of water bodies crucial for their development. Mosquitoes lay their
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