Episode 2: Mosquito Eradication & Their Role in the Environment

An overview of the ecological importance of mosquitoes, the pros and cons of their eradication along with an example of how they change the number of birds in France.

Articles used for the podcast are:

Red flag for green spray: adverse trophic effects of Bti on breeding birds by Brigitte Poulin, Gaetan Lefebvre and Leire Paz

A WORLD WITHOUT MOSQUITOES: Eradicating any organism would have serious consequences for ecosystems — wouldn’t it? Not when it comes to mosquitoes, finds Janet Fang by Janet Fang

Mosquitoes: schemes to render them extinct are impracticable by Stephen M. Smith

Mosquitoes: first evaluate impacts of eradicating them by Jon D. Hoekstra

Mosquitoes: retain an ex situ population for ecological insurance by Ben Phalan

Mosquitoes: just how much biodiversity does humanity need? by Fern Wickson

Here's Why It's a Very Bad Idea to Wipe Mosquitoes Off the Face of the Earth by Michael Casey

Note: the mosquito pictured in the Vice article is a male elephant mosquito, which is of both the species and the sex which do not take blood.

The idea of eradicating mosquitoes is a very old one, but even if we could do it, should we? Vector biologists and ecologists struggle with the data that we have and look for more but the decision is ultimately in the hands of our political leaders who decide whether or not to give the go ahead to eradication campaigns like the one in Florida.

The music for this podcast is by http://www.bensound.com/badass

 

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