Swiss study finds amphibians help reduce mosquitoes
In a study of ponds in the Swiss canton of Vaud, scientists have shown that there are fewer mosquito larvae where there are many frogs and toads.
Measures to encourage amphibians in residential areas can therefore help to combat mosquitoes. The latter are often also potential vectors of disease, according to the Swiss Biodiversity Forum of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) in a press release.
For this study, published in the journal Ecosphere, researchers from the University of Lausanne (UNIL) examined the quantity of mosquito and amphibian larvae in 77 ponds. They found that mosquito larvae are more common in landscapes that have been heavily modified by humans than in areas left in their natural state.
The researchers identified the fact that these areas are home to fewer amphibians as the cause. The more the amphibians, the fewer mosquitoes there are, they point out. They were also able to show that deep, large and old ponds host more amphibians and therefore fewer mosquito larvae.
Helping hand
The researchers called for measures to encourage amphibians in residential areas. These areas often lack links with the surrounding countryside, passageways for small animals and sufficient watercourses suitable for egg-laying.
In addition, these densely populated areas contain many death traps for amphibians, such as unsecured basement window wells and drainage facilities.
The scientists now intend to determine what effect which amphibians have on which species of mosquito. This information could help to identify the most interesting species for mosquito control.
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