Vegetation, temperature, and human population density influence mosquito biodiversity in Haiti

Mosquito-borne diseases remain a significant public health challenge in Haiti, where Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Anopheles albimanus, and Culex quinquefasciatus act as key vectors for arboviruses, malaria, and lymphatic filariasis, respectively. Understanding the dynamics of mosquito biodiversity can provide insights into species co-occurrence patterns and which species favor specific environmental conditions. This study examines mosquito biodiversity and species co-occurrence in a highly urbanized area of Haiti. Mosquitoes were collected between August 2018 and September 2019 using Biogents Sentinel, CDC Gravid, and CDC Light Traps at 19 study locations in the Ouest Department. Species were identified morphologically, and biodiversity was assessed using alpha diversity, Shannon’s index, and Simpson’s index. Boosted regression trees (BRTs) were used to evaluate environmental correlates of diversity, incorporating static and temporally varying covariates, such as temperature, precipitation, vegetation indices, and human population density. Species co-occurrence networks were generated to describe inter-species relationships, using both a cross-product and a probabilistic network. A total of 22,504 mosquitoes were captured, with Culex quinquefasciatus (53.4%) and Aedes aegypti (16.9%) being the most abundant species. Biodiversity metrics varied significantly by both trap type and by month. The BRTs identified human population density, temperature, and vegetation indices as key predictors of mosquito diversity. Co-occurrence networks revealed significant positive associations between Aedes species and Cx. quinquefasciatus , while Psorophora columbiae exhibited negative associations with multiple species. This study describes the ecological correlates of mosquito biodiversity in Haiti, emphasizing the role of human population and environmental factors in shaping mosquito communities. The findings underscore the need for diversified trapping methods, multi-species control measures, and further research on inter-species dynamics to provide more unified understandings of vector ecology.