@article{walsh_facchinelli_ramsey_bond_gould_2011, title={Assessing the impact of density dependence in field populations of Aedes aegypti}, volume={36}, ISSN={["1948-7134"]}, DOI={10.1111/j.1948-7134.2011.00170.x}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT: 
 Although many laboratory studies of intra-specific competition have been conducted with Ae. aegypti, there have been few studies in natural environments and none that examined density dependence in natural containers at normal field densities. Additionally, current mathematical models that predict Ae. aegypti population dynamics lack empirically-based functions for density-dependence. We performed field experiments in Tapachula, Mexico, where dengue is a significant public health concern. Twenty-one containers with natural food and water that already contained larvae were collected from local houses. Each container was divided in half and the naturally occurring larvae were apportioned in a manner that resulted in one side of the container (high density) having four times the density of the second side (low density). Larvae were counted and pupae were removed daily. Once adults emerged, wing span was measured to estimate body size. Density had a significant impact on larval survival, adult body size, and the time taken to transition from 4th instar to pupation. Increased density decreased larval survival by 20% and decreased wing length by an average of 0.19 mm. These results provide a starting point for a better understanding of density dependence in field populations of Ae. aegypti.}, number={2}, journal={JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY}, author={Walsh, R. K. and Facchinelli, L. and Ramsey, J. M. and Bond, J. G. and Gould, F.}, year={2011}, month={Dec}, pages={300–307} }
 @article{allan_langerhans_ryberg_landesman_griffin_katz_oberle_schutzenhofer_smyth_de st. maurice_et al._2008, title={Ecological correlates of risk and incidence of West Nile virus in the United States}, volume={158}, ISSN={0029-8549 1432-1939}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/S00442-008-1169-9}, DOI={10.1007/s00442-008-1169-9}, abstractNote={West Nile virus, which was recently introduced to North America, is a mosquito-borne pathogen that infects a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans. Several species of birds appear to be the primary reservoir hosts, whereas other bird species, as well as other vertebrate species, can be infected but are less competent reservoirs. One hypothesis regarding the transmission dynamics of West Nile virus suggests that high bird diversity reduces West Nile virus transmission because mosquito blood-meals are distributed across a wide range of bird species, many of which have low reservoir competence. One mechanism by which this hypothesis can operate is that high-diversity bird communities might have lower community-competence, defined as the sum of the product of each species’ abundance and its reservoir competence index value. Additional hypotheses posit that West Nile virus transmission will be reduced when either: (1) abundance of mosquito vectors is low; or (2) human population density is low. We assessed these hypotheses at two spatial scales: a regional scale near Saint Louis, MO, and a national scale (continental USA). We found that prevalence of West Nile virus infection in mosquito vectors and in humans increased with decreasing bird diversity and with increasing reservoir competence of the bird community. Our results suggest that conservation of avian diversity might help ameliorate the current West Nile virus epidemic in the USA}, number={4}, journal={Oecologia}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Allan, Brian F. and Langerhans, R. Brian and Ryberg, Wade A. and Landesman, William J. and Griffin, Nicholas W. and Katz, Rachael S. and Oberle, Brad J. and Schutzenhofer, Michele R. and Smyth, Kristina N. and de St. Maurice, Annabelle and et al.}, year={2008}, month={Oct}, pages={699–708} }