Invasive plant-induced shifts in water chemistry and microeukaryotes enhance mosquito development

Cano-Rocabayera, Oriol, Bonilla, Ydsell Y., Salvadó, Humbert, Garcia-Bargalló, Marc, Sobhy, Islam S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4984-1823, Berry, Colin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9943-548X, Vilà, Montserrat, Sabater, Francesc, Aranda, Carles and Maceda-Veiga, Alberto 2026. Invasive plant-induced shifts in water chemistry and microeukaryotes enhance mosquito development. NeoBiota 106 , pp. 265-286. 10.3897/neobiota.106.167149

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Invasive non-native plants can cause ecological, economic, and health impacts worldwide, yet how these impacts cascade from a primary producer to multiple consumers remains poorly understood. Using aquatic microcosms, we examined how replacing the native reed Phragmites australis with the morphologically similar invader Arundo donax (0–100% leaf litter biomass gradient) alters water physicochemistry, microeukaryote assemblages, and the development of Culex pipiens mosquito larvae in northeastern Spain. Microeukaryotes are key players in microbial food webs, and mosquito larvae are microbial consumers. Increased A. donax leaf litter % disrupted microeukaryote taxonomic composition and functional guild structure, mainly due to changes in the density of flagellates, planktonic ciliates, and micrometazoa. Mosquito larval development was mainly driven by changes in water physicochemistry, flagellates, and amoebae. Microcosms with A. donax produced more mosquito pupae of greater weight and shorter development times. Effects emerged even when only 25% of P. australis biomass was replaced by A. donax , suggesting potentially strong nutrient limitations from P. australis leaf litter and posing challenges for defining a management “safe threshold” for A. donax when eradication is unfeasible. This study highlights A. donax leaf litter as a potential promoter of mosquito development and underscores the role of water chemistry and microeukaryotes in mediating its effects.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Biosciences
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Start Date: 2026-03-26
Publisher:	Pensoft Publishers
ISSN:	1619-0033
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 April 2026
Date of Acceptance:	13 February 2026
Last Modified:	09 Apr 2026 09:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186284

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item