Abstract
Tidal wetlands are valuable and threatened ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services such as flood mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration. However, these environments also often create ideal breeding grounds for biting midges (Culicoides spp.). Their feeding behavior, combined with their tendency to form swarms during the summer, can make them a significant nuisance to humans residing near their breeding sites. Detailed knowledge particularly in relation to specific stages and manifestations of tidal wetland successional evolution, remains scarce. This knowledge is especially critical in the newly created Nature-based Solutions projects in the Scheldt valley, where a rare and ecologically important estuarine habitat exists. This study investigates how wetland restoration and successional dynamics influence Culicoides populations to inform better management strategies. By analyzing soil moisture, sediment characteristics, vegetation cover, and flooding dynamics, I will identify the key ecological drivers of Culicoides population dispersion. Using a lab-reconstructed tidal wetland, I will develop a two-stage hurdle model. By tracking density and dispersion of Culicoides from colonizing mudflat to stable tidal wetland, this research will provide a framework for balancing ecological restoration with the management of biting midge populations, ultimately supporting the development of functional, biodiverse, and socially accepted tidal ecosystems.
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