Elevated atmospheric CO2 promoted speciation in mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae). (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tang, Chufei; Davis, Katie; Delmer, Cyrille; Yang, Ding; Wills, Matthew
• Is Part Of: Communications biology. Volume 1:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Systems biology -- Periodicals; 570.113
• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0191-7
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-3642

Abstract

Abstract Mosquitoes are of great medical significance as vectors of deadly diseases. Despite this, little is known about their evolutionary history or how their present day diversity has been shaped. Within a phylogenetic framework, here we show a strong correlation between climate change and mosquito speciation rates: the first time to our knowledge such an effect has been demonstrated for insects. Information theory reveals that although climate change is correlated with mosquito evolution there are other important factors at play. We identify one such driver to be the rise of mammals, which are predominant hosts of Culicidae. Regardless of the precise mechanism, we demonstrate a strong historical association. This finding, taken in combination with projected rises in atmospheric CO2 from anthropogenic activity, has important implications for culicid vector distributions and abundance, and consequently for human health. Chufei Tang and Katie E. Davis et al. show that an elevated atmospheric CO2 promotes the speciation rates of mosquitoes. They demonstrate that climate change can expedite the evolution of mammalian disease vectors, potentially increasing vector−pathogen interactions and affecting human health.