The overall research objectives of this project are to increase our understanding of the effects of anthropogenic environmental change on malaria vectors and malaria rates, to provide mechanistic explanations of changes in vector species, to develop tools for predicting consequences of man-induced environmental changes and to suggest management options. This research will be conducted in Belize, C.A. as a consortium effort combining ecological, entomological, public health, remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) expertise. The research questions will be solved through correlative and experimental approaches at both habitat and landscape scales. Two significant environmental impacts relevant to malaria transmission have been identified in Belize: a) increase in sugar-cane cultivation in northern Belize resulting in nutrient enrichment of natural wetland ecosystems, and b) increasing deforestation and clearing of river banks in Central and South Belize. We will test the following hypotheses: HI: Phosphorus (P) enriched runoff from agricultural lands (pasture, sugar cane, and other crops) and human settlements causes an expansion of tall dense macrophyte (TDM) vegetation in wetlands of northern Belize; H2: TDM marshes provide more productive habitat for An. vestitipennis than for An. albimanus; H3: Clearing of river bank gallery forest in Central and South Belize causes the expansion of secondary vegetation that provides more habitats for An. darlingi. Since both An. vestitipennis, and An. darlingi are more efficient malaria vectors than An. albimanus, this change will result in higher malaria risk in human settlements in proximity to the impacted marshes and river/stream habitats. The importance of proximity of impacted environments to peridomestic environment will be evaluated. We will also explore management options such as selective burning that will prevent establishment of TDM and formation of An. vestitipennis habitats.
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