Temporal variation in diversity and community structure of preimaginal blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in a tropical forest reserve in Malaysia

Pavitra, Soosai Peranathan and Low, Van Lun and Tan, Tiong Kai and Lim, Yvonne Ai Lian and Ya'cob, Zubaidah (2020) Temporal variation in diversity and community structure of preimaginal blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in a tropical forest reserve in Malaysia. Acta Tropica, 202. p. 105275. ISSN 0001-706X, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105275.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105275

Abstract

Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are ecologically and medically important insects but they have been understudied in Malaysia. Accordingly, a study on the temporal variation in diversity and community structure of preimaginal blackflies was conducted for the first time in Malaysia. A total of 865 preimaginal blackflies were collected in 120 samplings from five streams across three monsoon seasons from February 2018 until January 2019. Ten species were recorded and most frequently collected species were Simulium cheongi, Simulium vanluni and Simulium jeffreyi. Relatively common species were Simulium roslihashimi, Simulium tani complex and Simulium trangense. No significant changes of rainfall was observed between three monsoon seasons as well as the seasons with species and physiochemical parameters except acidity (pH) (P < 0.01). Species relative abundance was varied between seasons, as high value of Shannon index (H) was found in northeast monsoon and lowest in the southwest monsoon. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of all stream variables revealed two PCs that accounted for 61.4% of the total variance of physicochemical characteristics. Regression analysis revealed that species richness was positively and significantly associated with wider, deeper, faster, low conductivity and larger streambed particle with less canopy cover. Forward logistic regression analysis on three frequently collected species (>20%) indicated that S. vanluni and S. jeffreyi were commonly associated with wider, deeper and fast-flowing streams with low conductivity and larger streambed particle. In contrast, S. cheongi was associated with smaller, slower and small streambed particle. This first extensive bimonthly study has uncovered the species community structure as well as the changes of stream physicochemical parameters over time although they were not greatly and significantly influenced by the monsoon seasons. Species distribution, richness and abundance, however, were highly determined by the stream width, depth and velocity, therefore, were vital in shaping diversity and community structure of preimaginal blackflies. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Item Type: Article
Funders: University of Malaya (Project no. BKP009-2018), Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (Project no. FP024-2019A), Ministry of Education, Malaysia for niche area research under the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) program (Project no. MO002-2019)
Uncontrolled Keywords: Blackflies; Simulium; Vector; Temporal variation; Diversity; Community structure
Subjects: Q Science > QR Microbiology
R Medicine
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Office > Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre
Depositing User: Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim
Date Deposited: 18 Aug 2020 07:28
Last Modified: 18 Aug 2020 07:28
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/25405

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