Contrasting effects of an extended fall period and winter heatwaves on the overwintering fitness of diapausing disease vector, Aedes albopictus.

ABSTRACT: Climate change is expected to dramatically alter autumnal and winter conditions in many temperate regions. However, limited data is available to accurately predict how these changes will impact species' overwinter survival and post-winter fitness. Here, we determine how a longer, warmer fall period and winter heatwaves affect overwintering fitness and post-winter performance of the invasive mosquito vector, Aedes albopictus. We found that a longer, warmer fall period representative of early entry into diapause did not affect overwinter survival but did lead to reduced post-winter performance for multiple traits. Specifically, larvae that experienced longer, warmer fall conditions as diapause embryos exhibited reduced post-diapause larval starvation tolerance, increased post-diapause

SUBMITTER: Sturiale SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10757285 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature