How Do Mosquitoes Affect the Ecosystem?
WouterWhether mosquitoes affect the ecosystem depends on the amount of their population and how they interact with other creatures. Mosquitoes are responsible for carrying pathogens and spreading diseases, but they are also important for plant pollination.
In the Arctic, mosquitoes swarm and form dense clouds that choke caribou and other animals. They also serve as food for migratory birds. Without mosquitoes, birds may be forced to eat other insects instead. This could have serious implications for the ecosystem.
In the subarctic climate, mosquitoes play a major role in plant pollination. They carry pollen from blossom to blossom. Some species of flowering plants rely on mosquitoes for pollination, such as cacao and northern orchids.
Mosquitoes feed on decaying leaves and microorganisms. They also feed on detritus floating in the water. They serve as food for other water-dwelling creatures such as ants.
There are no clear records on autogeny. This means that it is unclear how many mosquito species can be removed from the ecosystem.
If mosquitoes go extinct, hundreds of species of fish would have to change their diets. They would rely on other organisms for their food, such as midges, which are native to the Arctic. Without mosquitoes, these creatures would starve.
Many species of fish have their feeding behavior deeply imprinted into their genetic code. This means they would have a difficult time switching to another diet if mosquitoes disappeared.
Mosquitoes have been on Earth for 100 million years. They have a wide range of functions, and they live on every continent. While they may not be the most important creature in nature, they are a vital part of several ecosystems.
