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Title: Water mite diversity and diets. Ecological interactions with midges, mosquitoes, and oligochaetes
Principal Investigators: Dr. Jeffrey Ram and Dr Adrian Vasquez
Mosquitoes are considered one of the deadliest animals on Earth due to their ability of carrying several diseases such as the West Nile Virus and malaria (Vasquez & Kablan et al, 2020). There are several methods to address the mosquitoes problem (chemical, mechanical, electrical,..etc). A biological solution is certainly more cost-effective, for cities affected by mosquitoes, and reduces the number of chemical pollutants currently used to combat mosquitoes (Vasquez & Kablan et al, 2020).
One of these biological solutions uses water mites. Water mites are a diverse group of organisms whose predatory and parasitic behaviors allow them to be used a bio control agent on mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the interactions between the diversity of water mites and mosquitoes remains relatively unknown.
This aim of this research is to find solutions in reducing the population of mosquitoes by identifying water mite species that eat mosquito larvae using high throughput sequencing of dietary DNA in mites. The research will involve an analysis of dietary DNA sequences of Lebertia quinquemaculosa, L. davidcooki, and other mites species. through the use of GenBank. In this research a diverse set of water mite genera will be collected and the DNA of their gut contents will be analyzed to determine which genus consumes more mosquito larvae. A recently published study using high throughput sequencing has identified chironomids, mosquitoes, and worms as part of the diets of Lebertia. An investigation of the diets of various other water mite species may reveal other species of mites that specialize in mosquito larvae predation.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Jeffrey Ram and Dr Adrian Vasquez
Mosquitoes are considered one of the deadliest animals on Earth due to their ability of carrying several diseases such as the West Nile Virus and malaria (Vasquez & Kablan et al, 2020). There are several methods to address the mosquitoes problem (chemical, mechanical, electrical,..etc). A biological solution is certainly more cost-effective, for cities affected by mosquitoes, and reduces the number of chemical pollutants currently used to combat mosquitoes (Vasquez & Kablan et al, 2020).
One of these biological solutions uses water mites. Water mites are a diverse group of organisms whose predatory and parasitic behaviors allow them to be used a bio control agent on mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the interactions between the diversity of water mites and mosquitoes remains relatively unknown.
This aim of this research is to find solutions in reducing the population of mosquitoes by identifying water mite species that eat mosquito larvae using high throughput sequencing of dietary DNA in mites. The research will involve an analysis of dietary DNA sequences of Lebertia quinquemaculosa, L. davidcooki, and other mites species. through the use of GenBank. In this research a diverse set of water mite genera will be collected and the DNA of their gut contents will be analyzed to determine which genus consumes more mosquito larvae. A recently published study using high throughput sequencing has identified chironomids, mosquitoes, and worms as part of the diets of Lebertia. An investigation of the diets of various other water mite species may reveal other species of mites that specialize in mosquito larvae predation.
Title: Mapping the Biodiversity of Urban Vernal Pools in Palmer Park, Detroit, MI
Authors: Jeffrey L. Ram, Mohammed Khan, and Adrian A. Vasquez
Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, 48201
Vernal pools are ephemeral depressional wetlands comprising pools of freshwater that are seasonal, are not inhabited by fish, and do contain a diverse set of inhabitants, usually including salamanders. We have mapped out several vernal pools in Witherell Woods, 90 acres of virgin forest in Palmer Park, a Detroit, MI urban park located in the center of Metro Detroit. Here we report the location of the vernal ponds and the results of our initial survey of invertebrate organisms located in the vernal pool habitats. The initial survey focused on the presence and molecular barcodes (cytochrome oxidase I sequences obtained with Folmer universal primers) of water mites and midge and mosquito larvae in the pools. The study also conducted microscopic observations of a variety of other macroinvertebrates that appeared in the pools over the several months duration of the pools. Hydryphantes is among the several genera of water mites found in the pools during 2021 and identified by barcode. This baseline survey of vernal pools in Palmer Park provides data for future educational and preservation activities to be conducted at Palmer Park’s Detroit Exploration and Nature (DEN) Center where the Ram Lab has established a laboratory for future field studies (supported by a grant from the Sharon L Ram Aquatic Sciences Fund and by agreement with Detroit Parks and Rec; assisted by undergraduate Yousra Zouani and a WSU UROP grant).
Authors: Jeffrey L. Ram, Mohammed Khan, and Adrian A. Vasquez
Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, 48201
Vernal pools are ephemeral depressional wetlands comprising pools of freshwater that are seasonal, are not inhabited by fish, and do contain a diverse set of inhabitants, usually including salamanders. We have mapped out several vernal pools in Witherell Woods, 90 acres of virgin forest in Palmer Park, a Detroit, MI urban park located in the center of Metro Detroit. Here we report the location of the vernal ponds and the results of our initial survey of invertebrate organisms located in the vernal pool habitats. The initial survey focused on the presence and molecular barcodes (cytochrome oxidase I sequences obtained with Folmer universal primers) of water mites and midge and mosquito larvae in the pools. The study also conducted microscopic observations of a variety of other macroinvertebrates that appeared in the pools over the several months duration of the pools. Hydryphantes is among the several genera of water mites found in the pools during 2021 and identified by barcode. This baseline survey of vernal pools in Palmer Park provides data for future educational and preservation activities to be conducted at Palmer Park’s Detroit Exploration and Nature (DEN) Center where the Ram Lab has established a laboratory for future field studies (supported by a grant from the Sharon L Ram Aquatic Sciences Fund and by agreement with Detroit Parks and Rec; assisted by undergraduate Yousra Zouani and a WSU UROP grant).