@article{fdi:010049230,
  title = {{H}abitat suitability and ecological niche profile of major malaria vectors in {C}ameroon},
  author = {{A}yala, {D}iego and {C}ostantini, {C}arlo and {O}se, {K}enji and {K}amdem, {G}. {C}. and {A}ntonio-{N}kondjio, {C}. and {A}gbor, {J}. {P}. and {A}wono-{A}mbene, {P}. and {F}ontenille, {D}idier and {S}imard, {F}r{\'e}d{\'e}ric},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {S}uitability of environmental conditions determines a species distribution in space and time. {U}nderstanding and modelling the ecological niche of mosquito disease vectors can, therefore, be a powerful predictor of the risk of exposure to the pathogens they transmit. {I}n {A}frica, five anophelines are responsible for over 95% of total malaria transmission. {H}owever, detailed knowledge of the geographic distribution and ecological requirements of these species is to date still inadequate. {M}ethods: {I}ndoor-resting mosquitoes were sampled from 386 villages covering the full range of ecological settings available in {C}ameroon, {C}entral {A}frica. {U}sing a predictive species distribution modeling approach based only on presence records, habitat suitability maps were constructed for the five major malaria vectors {A}nopheles gambiae, {A}nopheles funestus, {A}nopheles arabiensis, {A}nopheles nili and {A}nopheles moucheti. {T}he influence of 17 climatic, topographic, and land use variables on mosquito geographic distribution was assessed by multivariate regression and ordination techniques. {R}esults: {T}wenty-four anopheline species were collected, of which 17 are known to transmit malaria in {A}frica. {E}cological {N}iche {F}actor {A}nalysis, {H}abitat {S}uitability modeling and {C}anonical {C}orrespondence {A}nalysis revealed marked differences among the five major malaria vector species, both in terms of ecological requirements and niche breadth. {E}co-geographical variables ({EGV}s) related to human activity had the highest impact on habitat suitability for the five major malaria vectors, with areas of low population density being of marginal or unsuitable habitat quality. {S}unlight exposure, rainfall, evapo-transpiration, relative humidity, and wind speed were among the most discriminative {EGV}s separating "forest" from "savanna" species. {C}onclusions: {T}he distribution of major malaria vectors in {C}ameroon is strongly affected by the impact of humans on the environment, with variables related to proximity to human settings being among the best predictors of habitat suitability. {T}he ecologically more tolerant species {A}n. gambiae and {A}n. funestus were recorded in a wide range of eco-climatic settings. {T}he other three major vectors, {A}n. arabiensis, {A}n. moucheti, and {A}n. nili, were more specialized. {E}cological niche and species distribution modelling should help improve malaria vector control interventions by targeting places and times where the impact on vector populations and disease transmission can be optimized.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{M}alaria {J}ournal},
  volume = {8},
  numero = {},
  pages = {307 [15]},
  ISSN = {1475-2875},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.1186/1475-2875-8-307},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010049230},
}