Should Mosquitoes Be Wiwiped Out?
WouterHundreds of thousands of people die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. These diseases include malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, chikungunya and Zika. Aedes aegypti is the primary carrier of these diseases.
Some scientists believe that genetic modification of Aedes aegypti would help to eliminate these diseases. This process is a costly and uncertain endeavor. It is also likely to create new varieties of mosquitoes that may not be properly accounted for.
Another approach to eradicating disease-carrying mosquitoes involves releasing mass amounts of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. This approach would wipe out the entire mosquito population. However, it will not work in the wild.
The question of whether or not to eliminate all mosquitoes is a complicated one. Mosquitoes are an important food source for many animals, including birds. They also serve a vital role in many ecosystems.
While removing them from the food chain would have little effect, removing them from the ecosystem would be more troubling. Some species are dependent on mosquitoes for survival, such as bats. If they were eliminated, these animals may have to switch to other sources of protein.
Similarly, removing mosquitoes from the food chain would leave plants without pollinators. This could lead to problems for a variety of plant species. In addition, there is a chance that genetically modified mosquitoes could transfer genetic mutations to other organisms.
While it is possible to eliminate all mosquitoes, the process would take a lot of effort and require a global approach.
