Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation01:26

Microbial Interactions: Cooperation

Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
Microbial Interactions: Predation01:28

Microbial Interactions: Predation

Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...
Microbial Interactions: Competition01:26

Microbial Interactions: Competition

Microbial competition is an ecological interaction in which microorganisms vie for limited resources within shared environments. These resources may include nutrients, space, or light, depending on the system. The intensity and outcome of competition are influenced by the environmental context, such as nutrient availability, spatial constraints, and the diversity of microbial species present. These competitive interactions significantly influence the structure, function, and resilience of...
Marine Microbial Ecology01:30

Marine Microbial Ecology

Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
Freshwater Microbial Ecology01:24

Freshwater Microbial Ecology

Freshwater systems such as streams, rivers, and lakes exhibit distinct physical and biological characteristics that influence their microbial communities. These environments are broadly categorized into lotic systems—those with flowing waters like streams and most rivers—and lentic systems, which include still or slow-moving waters such as lakes, ponds, and marshes.In lentic systems, phytoplankton drive primary production, generating autochthonous organic carbon. In contrast, lotic systems...
Microbial Wastewater Treatment01:30

Microbial Wastewater Treatment

Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Detritus and larval competition influence phenotypic traits, nutrient stoichiometry, and vector competence for dengue virus in Aedes aegypti.

Parasites & vectors·2026
Same author

Correction: Evans et al. Survival-Larval Density Relationships in the Field and Their Implications for Control of Container-Dwelling <i>Aedes</i> Mosquitoes. <i>Insects</i> 2023, <i>14</i>, 17.

Insects·2025
Same author

Successful suppression of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with the sterile insect technique also results in larger female mosquitoes.

Journal of medical entomology·2025
Same author

Discovery and description of a novel mode of oviposition in the mosquito genus Culex.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

How Hurricanes Irma and Maria affected population dynamics and nutrient content of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> in San Juan Puerto Rico, U.S.A; socioeconomic and temporal factors.

Journal of urban ecology·2025
Same author

Environmental heterogeneity across an urban gradient influences detritus and nutrients within artificial containers and their associated vector Aedes sp. larvae in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Journal of medical entomology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

The significance of ratios of detritus types and micro-organism productivity to competitive interactions between

Donald A Yee1, Michael G Kaufman, Steven A Juliano

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W. Calgary, AB, T2N 1 N4, Canada. dyee@ucalgary.ca

The Journal of Animal Ecology
|October 10, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Detritus ratios influence mosquito competition. Invasive Aedes albopictus outcompetes native Ochlerotatus triseriatus, but specific detritus mixtures may allow coexistence, impacting food web dynamics.

More Related Videos

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates
08:56

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Published on: January 13, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates
08:56

Automatic Image Processing to Determine the Community Size Structure of Riverine Macroinvertebrates

Published on: January 13, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Environmental Science
  • Invasive Species Biology

Background:

  • Detritus is a crucial food web component, yet competitive interaction studies often overlook it.
  • Consumers encounter diverse resource mixtures, influencing species exclusion or coexistence outcomes.
  • The invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus can exclude Ochlerotatus triseriatus using single detritus types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how varying ratios of two detritus types (leaf and animal) affect interspecific competition between Aedes albopictus and Ochlerotatus triseriatus.
  • To determine if detritus ratios can alter competitive outcomes, potentially leading to coexistence.
  • To understand the direct and indirect effects of detritus composition on mosquito population growth.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental design using nine different ratios of leaf:animal detritus.
  • Assessment of survival and population growth rates under intraspecific and interspecific competition.
  • Path analysis to identify key factors influencing population dynamics, including larval density and detritus types.
  • Field sampling to compare experimental detritus ratios with those found in natural tree holes.

Main Results:

  • Aedes albopictus consistently showed higher survival and population growth rates than Ochlerotatus triseriatus across most detritus ratios.
  • A specific ratio (10:1 leaf:animal detritus) facilitated positive growth and high adult survival for both species, suggesting potential coexistence.
  • Larval density negatively impacted Ochlerotatus triseriatus growth but not Aedes albopictus, confirming the invasive species' competitive superiority.
  • Detritus composition significantly affected population growth, with animal detritus being positive and leaf detritus negative, modulated by bacterial production.

Conclusions:

  • Detritus ratios are critical in determining the outcome of competition between invasive and native mosquitoes.
  • Specific environmental conditions, like a high leaf-to-animal detritus ratio, can create opportunities for coexistence.
  • Natural variations in detritus availability, both spatially and temporally, may play a significant role in the local dynamics and coexistence of these mosquito species.