Effect of stable and fluctuating temperatures on the life history traits of Anopheles arabiensis and An. quadriannulatus under conditions of inter- and intra-specific competition

BACKGROUND: Constant and fluctuating temperatures influence important life-history parameters of malaria vectors which has implications for community organization and the malaria disease burden. The effects of environmental temperature on the hatch rate, survivorship and development rate of Anopheles arabiensis and An. quadriannulatus under conditions of inter- and intra-specific competition are studied. METHODS: The eggs and larvae of laboratory established colonies were reared under controlled conditions at one constant (25 °C) and two fluctuating (20–30 °C and 18–35 °C) temperature treatments at a ratio of 1:0 or 1:1 (An. arabiensis: An. quadriannulatus). Monitoring of hatch rate, development rate and survival was done at three intervals, 6 to 8 h apart depending on developmental stage. Parametric ANOVAs were used where assumptions of equal variances and normality were met, and a Welch ANOVA where equal variance was violated (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Temperature significantly influenced the measured life-history traits and importantly, this was evident when these species co-occurred. A constant temperature resulted in a higher hatch rate in single species, larval treatments (P < 0.05). The treatment 18–35 °C generally reduced survivorship except for An. arabiensis in mixed, larval species treatments where it was similar to values reported for 25 °C. Survivorship of both species at 20–30 °C was not significantly impacted and the adult production was high across species treatments. The development rates at 25 °C and 20–30 °C were significantly different between species when reared alone and in mixed species from larvae and from eggs. The effect of temperature was more pronounced at 18–35 °C with An. arabiensis developing faster under both competitive scenarios and An. quadriannulatus slower, notably when in the presence of its competitor (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The influence of temperature treatment on the development rate and survival from egg/larvae to adult differed across species treatments. Fluctuating temperatures incorporating the extremes influence the key life-history parameters measured here with An. arabiensis outcompeting An. quadriannulatus under these conditions. The quantification of the response variables measured here improve our knowledge of the link between temperature and species interactions and provide valuable information for modelling of vector population dynamics.