University of Florida, IFAS
Mid-Florida Research & Education Center
2725 Binion Road, Apopka, FL 32703-8504

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• B.Sc., University of Panjab, Pakistan, 1963
• M.Sc., University of Panjab, Pakistan, 1965
• M.Sc., University of Salford, England, 1969
• Ph.D., University of Salford, England, 1972

Fields of Specialization

• Aquatic Entomology and Ecology
• Aquatic Ecotoxicology
• Medical Entomology
• Limnology

Research Responsibilities

• Investigate bionomics and integrated control of nuisance Chironomidae and vector arthropods (specifically mosquitoes) inhabiting inland freshwater/saltwater environments; relationship of biotic and abiotic factors influencing insect populations in lentic systems; modeling spatial distributions of chironomid larvae in large lakes; pesticide nontarget faunal relationships.

Accomplishments

• Population dynamics of larval and adult pestiferous Chironomidae, short-term and long-term daily patterns of adult abundance, dispersal, phototactic behavior, diel periodicity of eclosion, oviposition, fecundity, body size, immature developmental rates (laboratory), etc., were elucidated. Midge larval food and feeding behavior were studied. The biological and physico-chemical larval environment of midges in many lakes were analyzed for qualitative and quantitative characterization of sediment and water parameters, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, micronutrients, and others, conducive to midge productivity and understand chironomid larval ecology. A spatial distribution model of midge larvae in large lakes was assembled.

• Numerous larvicides, insect growth regulators and biological control materials, such as Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. israelensis were evaluated for efficacy against midges and mosquitoes in the laboratory and field, and the adverse effects of these materials on nontarget biota associated with chironomids and mosquitoes in field habitats were documented. Several new insect repellents were tested in the laboratory and field for efficacy against mosquitoes, for their oviposition deterrence, larvicidal effects, and impact on selected non-target aquatic organisms.

• Book chapters: 5
• Refereed papers: 127
• Miscellaneous papers: 23

Selected publications:

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1976. Substrate type as a factor influencing spatial distribution of chironomid midges in an urban flood control channel system. Environ. Entomol. 5:631-636.

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1977. Chemical control of nuisance midges in the Santa Ana River Basin, southern California. J. Econ. Entomol. 70:191-195.

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1978. Effects of chironomid larvicides and diflubenzuron on nontarget invertebrates in residential-recretional lakes. Environ. Entomol. 7:21-27.

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1978. Impact of the IGR diflubenzuron on invertebrates in a residential-recreational lake. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 7:483-491.

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1979. Diel periodicity of chironomid larval and pupal drift in an urban flood control channel system. Environ. Entomol. 8:902-907.

Ali, A. 1980. Diel adult eclosion periodicity of nuisance chironomid midges of central Florida. Environ. Entomol. 9:365-370.

Ali, A. 1981. Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. israelensis (ABG-6108) against chironomids and some nontarget aquatic invertebrates. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 38:264-272.

Ali, A., and R. D. Baggs. 1982. Seasonal changes of chironomid populations in a shallow natural lake and in a man-made water cooling reservoir in central Florida. Mosq. News 42:76-85.

Ali, A., B. H. Stanley, and S. R. Stafford. 1983. Short-term daily emergence of adult Chironomidae from a natural lake and a man-made reservoir. Environ. Entomol. 12:765-767.

Ali, A., and M. S. Mulla. 1983. Evaluation of the planarian, Dugesia dorotocephala, as a predator of chironomid midges and mosquitoes in experimental ponds. Mosq. News 43:46-49.

Ali, A. 1984. A simple and efficient sediment corer for shallow lakes. J. Environ. Qual. 13:63-66.

Ali, A., B. H. Stanley, and G. Majori. 1985. Daily abundance patterns of pestiferous Chironomidae (Diptera) in an urban lake front in central Florida. Environ. Entomol. 14(4):780-784.

Ali, A., and J. K. Nayar. 1986. Efficacy of Bacillus sphaericus Neide against larval mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in the laboratory. Fla. Entomol. 69:685-690.

Ali, A., P. K. Chaudhuri, and D. K. Guha. 1987. Description of Stictochironomus affinis (Johannsen) (Diptera: Chironomidae) with notes on its behavior. Fla. Entomol. 70:259-267.

Ali, A., K. R. Reddy, and W. F. DeBusk. 1988. Seasonal changes in sediment and water chemistry of a subtropical shallow eutrophic lake. Hydrobiologia 159:159-167.

Ali, A. 1989. Chironomids, algae, and chemical nutrients in a lentic system in central Florida, USA. Acta Biol. Debr. Oecol. Hung. 3:15-27.

Ali, A. 1990. Seasonal changes of larval food and feeding of Chironomus crassicaudatus Malloch (Diptera: Chironomidae) in a subtropical lake. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 6:84-88.

Ali, A. 1991. Perspectives on management of pestiferous Chironomidae (Diptera), an emerging Global problem. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 7:260-281.

Ali, A., L. Barbato, G. Ceretti, G. Marchese, and F. D'Andrea. 1992. Efficacy of two temephos formulations against Chironomus salinarius (Diptera: Chironomidae) in the saltwater lagoon of Venice, Italy. J. Am. Mosq. control Assoc. 8:353-356.

Ali, A., R.D. Xue, and R. Lobinske. 1993. Efficacy of two formulations of the insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen (Nylar or Sumilarv ) against nuisance midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in man-made ponds. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 9:302-307.

Ali, A., G. Ceretti, L. Barbato, G. Marchese, F. D'Andrea, and B. Stanley. 1994. Attraction of Chironomus salinarius (Diptera: Chironomidae) to artificial light on an island in the saltwater lagoon of Venice, Italy. J. Am Mosq. Control Assoc. 10:35-41.

Ali, A. 1995. Nuisance, economic impact and possibilities for control, pp.339-364. In: P. D. Armitage, P. S. Cranston and L. C. V. Pinder [eds.]. The Chironomidae: The biology and ecology of non-biting midges. Chapman and Hall, London.

Ali, A. 1996. Pestiferous Chironomidae (Diptera) and their management, pp. 487-513. In: D. Rosen, F. D. Bennett and J. L. Capinera [eds.]. Pest management in the subtropics: Integrated pest management - A Florida perspective. Intercept, UK.

Ali, A., Rui-De Xue and S. K. Alam. 1997. Ecotoxicological effects of abamectin (MK-936) on natural populations of selected invertebrates in man-made ponds. Med. Entomol. Zool. 49(3): 233-241.

Ali, A., W. D. Gu and R. J. Lobinske. 1998. Spatial distribution of chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) in two central Florida lakes. Environ. Entomol. 27(4): 941-948.

Ali, A., M. A. Chowdhury, M. I. Hossain, M. Ameen, D. B. Habiba and A. F. M. Aslam. 1999. Laboratory evaluation of selected larvicides and insect growth regulators against field-collected Culex quinquefasciatus larvae from urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. J. Am. Mosq. Control Assoc. 15:43-47.

Ali, A. 2000. Evaluation of Agnique MMF in man-made ponds for the control of pestiferous chironomid midges (Chronomidae: Diptera). J. Am. Mosq. Control. Assoc. 16: 313-320.

Xue, Rui-De, D. R. Barnard and A. Ali. 2001. Laboratory and field evaluation of insect repellents as oviposition deterrents against the mosquito Aedes albopictus. Med. Vet. Entomol. 15: 126-131

Ali, A., J. Frouz and R. J. Lobinske. 2002. Spatio-temporal effects of selected physico-chemical variables of water, algae, and sediment chemistry on the larval community of nuisance Chironomidae (Diptera) in a natural and a man-made lake in central Florida. Hydrobiol. 470: 181-193.

Ali, A. and R. J. Lobinske. 2003. Laboratory evaluation and field use of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. israelensis against pestiferous Chironomidae (Diptera): An assessment, pp. 71-79. In: M. S. Mulla (ed.), Biopesticides: Positioning Biopesticides in Pest Management Systems. Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. Biopesticides, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, April 2002.