An Ecological Impact Assessment Framework and Integrated Management Pathway for Large-Scale Chemical Mosquito Control in Urban Areas.

Global warming and rapid urbanization are intensifying the threat of mosquito-borne diseases, prompting many cities to default to large-scale chemical spraying as an emergency response. However, this quick-fix approach may conceal profound ecological collateral damage that has long been overlooked. Here, we systematically map the impacts of mass larviciding and adulticiding on urban ecosystems and present a novel ecological risk indicator framework that tracks acute nontarget effects, the environmental fate and transport of active ingredients, impairment of ecosystem functions, and human health exposure. Building on this diagnostic toolkit, we propose a tiered, climate-smart, and city-tailored governance model that integrates environmental management, biological regulation, intelligent sensing, and civic engagement. By shifting mosquito control from reactive chemical dependence to an ecologically informed paradigm, this approach offers both a conceptual architecture and a practical roadmap for ensuring public health safety without compromising urban ecological sustainability.