Student Research Reports

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In order to further understand the way mosquitoes affect our daily activities, we attempted to investigate how urban development in metropolitan areas affects both mosquito hotspots and awareness of citizen science. Previously, the correlation between mosquitoes and factors such as their breeding grounds has been the basis for several studies. However, we wanted to take a closer look at how inhabitants and environmental occurrences affect mosquito counts. Therefore, this study analyzed specific variables such as population and rainfall data and locally collected larvae data in three cities (Los Angeles, Charlotte, Atlanta). Using regression analysis, analyses of climate data, a python program, and results from surveying the three locations, we determined the extent of correlation between urbanization and mosquitos. The results show that more mosquito hotspots occur in areas with high precipitation, and more awareness of citizen science exists in places with a higher population. With these results, the conclusion of an existing relationship between urbanization and mosquito hotspots and citizen science can be drawn; however, this varies on the area's population density, climate, and urban activity. To improve the validity of these findings, we can use more cities, use different variables like building density, and branch out to foreign nations.