The type of environment has a greater impact on the larval microbiota of Anopheles arabiensis than on the microbiota of their breeding water

Assentato, Lorenzo; Nilsson, Louise K. J.; Brunius, Carl; Feltelius, Vilhelm; Elleby, Rasmus; Hopkins, Richard J.; Terenius, Olle

doi:10.1093/femsec/fiae161

Research article2025Peer reviewedOpen access

The type of environment has a greater impact on the larval microbiota of Anopheles arabiensis than on the microbiota of their breeding water

Assentato, Lorenzo; Nilsson, Louise K. J.; Brunius, Carl; Feltelius, Vilhelm; Elleby, Rasmus; Hopkins, Richard J.; Terenius, Olle

Abstract

Mosquito larvae of the genus Anopheles develop entirely in water, frequently visiting the surface for air. The aquatic environment plays a key role in shaping their microbiota, but the connection between environmental characteristics of breeding sites and larval microbiota remains underexplored. This study focuses on Anopheles arabiensis, which inhabits the surface microlayer (SML) of breeding sites, a zone with high particle density. We hypothesized that the SML could allow us to capture the diversity of the surrounding environment, and in turn its influence on the larval microbial communities. To test this, we collected A. arabiensis larvae and SML samples from various breeding sites categorized by environmental features. Our results confirm that breeding site characteristics are significant drivers of the bacterial species present in mosquito larvae. Additionally, we found that the larval micro-environment selectively shapes its microbiota, highlighting a dynamic interplay between environmental and internal factors. Interestingly, specific bacterial families were associated with the presence or absence of larvae in breeding sites, suggesting potential ecological roles. These findings expand our understanding of vector-mosquito microbiota, emphasizing the importance of breeding site features in shaping larval microbial communities and providing a foundation for future research on mosquito ecology and control strategies.Environmental characteristics of the breeding site are an important factor in shaping the microbiota of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles.

Keywords

SML; microbiota; Anopheles; breeding site; random forest; ASV

Published in

FEMS Microbiology Ecology
2025, volume: 101, number: 1, article number: fiae161
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

Nilsson, Louise
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Uppsala University

UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology
Ecology

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiae161

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/140303