Ecology Letters, (2005) 8: 558–574 doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00755.x REVIEWS AND SYNTHESES Ecology of invasive mosquitoes: effects on resident species and on human health Abstract Steven A. Juliano1* and Investigations of biological invasions focus on patterns and processes that are related to L. Philip Lounibos2 introduction, establishment, spread and impacts of introduced species. This review 1Department of Biological focuses on the ecological interactions operating during invasions by the most prominent Sciences, Behavior, Ecology, group of insect vectors of disease, mosquitoes. First, we review characteristics of non- Evolution and Systematics native mosquito species that have established viable populations, and those invasive Section, Illinois State University, species that have spread widely and had major impacts, testing whether biotic Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA characteristics are associated with the transition from established non-native to invasive. 2Florida Medical Entomology Second, we review the roles of interspecific competition, apparent competition, Laboratory, University of Florida, 200 9th St, SE, Vero predation, intraguild predation and climatic limitation as causes of impacts on residents Beach, FL 32962, USA or as barriers to invasion. We concentrate on the best-studied invasive mosquito, Aedes *Correspondence: E-mail: albopictus, evaluating the application of basic ecological theory to invasions by Aedes
[email protected] albopictus. We develop a model based on observations of Aedes albopictus for effects of resource competition and predation as barriers to invasion, evaluating which community and ecosystem characteristics favour invasion. Third, we evaluate the ways in which invasive mosquitoes have contributed to outbreaks of human and animal disease, considering specifically whether invasive mosquitoes create novel health threats, or modify disease transmission for existing pathogen–host systems.