Biological cost of tolerance to heavy metals in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

dc.contributor.authorMireji, PO
dc.contributor.authorKeating, J
dc.contributor.authorHassanal, A
dc.contributor.authorMbogo, CM
dc.contributor.authorMuturi, MN
dc.contributor.authorGithure, JI
dc.contributor.authorBeier, JC
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-28T14:25:05Z
dc.date.available2015-05-28T14:25:05Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractThe global rate of heavy metal pollution is rapidly increasing in various habitats. Anopheles malaria vector species (Diptera: Culicidae) appear to tolerate many aquatic habitats with metal pollutants, despite their normal proclivity for ‘clean’ water (i.e. low levels of organic matter). Investigations were conducted to establish whether there are biological costs for tolerance to heavy metals in Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto and to assess the potential impact of heavy metal pollution on mosquito ecology. Anopheles gambiae s.s. were selected for cadmium, copper or lead tolerance through chronic exposure of immature stages to solutions of the metals for three successive generations. Biological costs were assessed in the fourth generation by horizontal life table analysis. Tolerance in larvae to cadmium (as cadmium chloride, CdCl2), copper [as copper II nitrate hydrate, Cu(NO3)2 2.5 H2O] and lead [as lead II nitrate, Pb(NO3)2], monitored by changes in LC50 concentrations of the metals, changed from 6.07 µg/L, 12.42 µg/L and 493.32 µg/L to 4.45 µg/L, 25.02 µg/L and 516.69 µg/L, respectively, after three generations of exposure. The metal-selected strains had a significantly lower magnitude of egg viability, larval and pupal survivorship, adult emergence, fecundity and net reproductive rate than the control strain. The population doubling times were significantly longer and the instantaneous birth rates lower in most metal-selected strains relative to the control strain. Our results suggest that although An. gambiae s.s. displays the potential to develop tolerance to heavy metals, particularly copper, this may occur at a significant biological cost, which can adversely affect its ecological fitness.en_US
dc.identifier.citationMedical and Veterinary Entomology Volume 24, Issue 2, pages 101–107, June 2010en_US
dc.identifier.issnhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2010.00863.x/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1144
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.subjectAnopheles gambiaeen_US
dc.subjectBiological costen_US
dc.subjectCadmiumen_US
dc.subjectCopperen_US
dc.subjectHeavy metalsen_US
dc.subjectLeaden_US
dc.subjectToleranceen_US
dc.titleBiological cost of tolerance to heavy metals in the mosquito Anopheles gambiaeen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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