Speaker
Description
Urban areas are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particularly through altered microclimatic conditions. As part of the Climate Future Labs initiative at the Lower Saxony Centre for Climate Research (ZKfN), the UMEX-HOPE project investigates the links between urban microclimates, ecosystem dynamics, and human health within a One Health framework. It aims to identify how climate adaptation strategies and landscape changes impact health risks such as heat exposure, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases along urban–rural gradients.
As part of the project, we investigate how landscape structure and climate change influence the ecology and transmission risk of mosquito-borne diseases. In the Hanover region and the rural Wedemark area, spatial analyses of fragmentation, habitat connectivity, land use, and land cover are used to identify breeding habitats of Culex and Aedes mosquitoes. Field collections and genetic analyses assess species composition and population structure. Laboratory experiments simulate varying climatic and ecological conditions to study mosquito development and vector competence for West Nile and Chikungunya viruses. Indoor sampling informs household-level risk assessment.
By integrating ecological, spatial, and epidemiological data, we identify high-risk areas and support adaptive public health strategies.
Keywords
One Health, vector-borne diseases, urban microclimate, landscape structure, mosquito ecology, climate change, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, habitat fragmentation, risk modeling
| Registration ID | #75 |
|---|---|
| Professional Status of the Speaker | Postdoc |
| Junior Scientist Status | Yes, I am a Junior Scientist. |
Author
Co-authors
External references
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