Altitudinal ecological gradient of Ae. albopictus in Albania
Clément Tisseuil3, P. Kadriaj1, E. Velo1, K. Mersini2, A. Shukullari1, A. Simaku1, E. Rogozi1, E. Ducheyne4, M. Gilbert3, S. Bino1 & P. Reiter5
1-Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania ;2-Institute of Food Safety and Veterinary; 3-Université Libre de Bruxelles; 4-EURO-AEGIS; 5-Institut Pasteur (IP), Paris, France.
INTRODUCTION
RESULTS
The first record of Aedes albopictus in Europe was in
Albania in 1979 (Adhami & Reiter, 1998), since then it
has been adapted and spread throughout the
country. Here is presented a three-year study of Ae.
albopictus eggs abundance at different altitudes on
Dajti mountain. The objective of the study was to
understand and model the effects of environmental
drivers on mosquito spawning.
Daily mean variability in
Albopictus spawning for each
transect, averaged over the three
periods of year.
METHODS
Fourteen stations were established to monitor
oviposition activity, ten along a vertical gradient from
253 to 1200 meters, and four at approximately 158m
to compare different habitats (fig.1). Five ovitraps,
lined with heavy-weight seed germination paper
were operated at each site. Monitoring began in April
2011 and continued at weekly intervals until
December 2013. Eggs were counted and identified to
species level based on their color, size, shape and
surface sculpting.
Relationships between weekly
density of eggs and explanatory
predictors fitted by BRT model.
Fig.1 – Deployment of monitoring stations
Modeling approach to forecast eggs
abundance over Albania:
1. Define initial conditions:
- Select sampling data over the April-May
period
- Model the relationship between eggs
abundance and altitude using linear
model.
2. Extrapolate the initial conditions of
eggs abundance over Albania
3. Run the BRT model over time
sequentially from the starting date until
the ending date of sampling.
Fig.2 – Predictive model setup
References
DISCUSSIONS
1- Adhami, J. & Reiter, P. (1998) Introduction and establishment of
Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) in Albania.
Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 14, 340–343.
2 - Robert J. Hijmans, Steven Phillips, John Leathwick and Jane Elith
(2014). dismo: Species distribution modeling. R package version
1.0-5. http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=dismo.
Aedes albopictus is widespread in the country, even in tiny isolated villages at altitudes up to 1200
meters. Although it is particularly pervasive in gardens in urban and suburban areas up to 550 meters.
At the lowest altitudes (158m), oviposition continued from May to early December but the period of
activity declined with altitude, so that at the altitude of 762 meters the species appeared to be
univoltine. The species seems well established with an abundant population up to 550 meters a.s.l.
Prepared for: