Institutional Repository of Nature Research Centre
Not a member yet
1487 research outputs found
Sort by
Evolution of population-specific migration routes in the great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus – evidence of a novel spring migration strategy /
No full textThe migration patterns of birds breeding at high latitudes have undergone major changes during the Holocene, as species expanded from small refugia following the last glaciation. Unique features of genetic migration programs and species-specific dispersal patterns have resulted in various levels of migratory connectivity. High migratory connectivity can occur when populations expanding from different refugia maintain historically distinct wintering sites, or when species expanding their breeding ranges maintain a constant migratory vector. Alternatively, species may develop novel routes to nearby wintering sites during range expansion, also leading to high migratory connectivity. Here, we analyse light-level geolocator and multisensor data logger tracks of great reed warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus from a population at its eastern range limit in Kazakhstan. We compare their migration routes with published data from five Western Palearctic populations to understand how migration patterns have evolved as the breeding range expanded. Mitochondrial DNA data suggest that Kazakhstan was colonised from the western part of the range, but the logger data show that Kazakh great reed warblers winter in East Africa together with conspecifics from Turkey. This indicates that their migration route did not arise as a simple parallel shift of an unchanged vector-based programme, but required drastic modifications of the migratory directions to maintain African wintering quarters. A remarkable finding in our study was the detection of a novel spring migration strategy. We found that birds leave the African wintering quarters already in February to spend up to two months at an intermediate staging area in southern Iraq, half-way to their breeding grounds in Kazakhstan. We call this a two-step spring migration strategy and discuss the conditions that may promote the evolution of such a behaviour
Decoding microbial community assembly: Insights on vectors of infectious diseases /
No full textVector-borne diseases (VBDs), which are caused by pathogens transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, account for more than 17% of infectious diseases and more than 700,000 deaths annually. The complexity of VBDs arises from ecological interactions among hosts, vectors, pathogens, and the environment, with vector microbiota playing a pivotal role in the modulation of vector competence. Advances in sequencing and in microbiome analysis have deepened our understanding of microbial community assembly within vectors and revealed opportunities for novel control strategies. Network analysis has become essential for uncovering microbial interactions and identifying keystone species that affect community stability and pathogen transmission. Despite progress, key challenges remain in deciphering the drivers of vector microbiota assembly. This review highlights factors shaping microbiota assembly, the potential of network analysis, and promising interventions such as antimicrobiota vaccines and paratransgenesis to reduce pathogen transmission. Future research should focus on standardizing methodologies and leveraging emerging technologies for effective and sustainable VBD control
The central-periphery hypothesis revisited: implications for long-term genetic conservation /
No full textThe aim of the present study was to test the central-periphery hypothesis (CPH) of evolutionary genetics in terms of genetic diversity and differentiation in Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., 1790 and Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. populations. A total of 18 nuclear SSR loci were used to evaluate genetic diversity and differentiation of two rear-edge populations of each tree species from the south-eastern edges of their distribution ranges in Greece, and two populations of each species from the core distribution area in Lithuania. Peripheral populations of A. glutinosa exhibited high genetic diversity (mean Ar = 7.99, mean He = 0.72) and low genetic differentiation (peripheral and core population FST were 0.031 and 0.008, respectively). The genetic diversity values were even higher in the peripheral populations of P. abies (mean Ar = 12.27, mean He = 0.78), while genetic differentiation was also low (peripheral and core population FST was 0.013 and 0.011, respectively). Genetic differentiation between the peripheral and core regions was also low (FST = 0.038 and G″ST = 0.262 for A. glutinosa and FST = 0.023 and G″ST = 0.172 for P. abies). Observed heterozygosity was found to be higher in peripheral populations (0.80 on average for alder and 0.84 for spruce) than in core ones (0.72 and 0.83 on average for A. glutinosa and P. abies, respectively). On the other hand, expected heterozygosity was higher in A. glutinosa core populations than in its peripheral ones (0.73 vs. 0.72 on average for core and peripheral alder populations), while spruce populations were less heterozygous in the core area (0.78 vs. 0.75 on average for peripheral and core spruce populations, respectively). These results indicate only partial agreement with CPH. Rear-edge populations showed higher genetic differentiation, while their lower genetic diversity was not significantly different from that of core populations. The investigated rear-edge populations of A. glutinosa and P. abies present valuable genetic reserves of European importance. They show local adaptation and present ample genetic variation, and their effective population size will likely be sufficient for adaptive evolution in the future. Their long-term conservation status should be prioritized
Fish blood flukes (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) from marine fishes of South Africa, including proposal of a new genus /
No full textNovel records of marine fish-infecting blood flukes (Aporocotylidae Odhner, 1912) were obtained from several locations across the South African coastline. These constitute the first records of aporocotylid flukes from the region. A new genus, Paraskoulekia, is proposed for two new species of aporocotylids found in the hearts of Hottentot seabream, Pachymetopon blochii (Valenciennes) and bronze seabream, Pachymetopon grande Günther (Sparidae). The two species show close morphological affinities to the sparid-infecting genus Skoulekia Alama-Bermejo, Montero, Raga & Holzer, 2011 and are phylogenetically sister to species of that genus, but are genetically distant from them and differ in key aspects of morphology, namely in having a medially-positioned ovary, the uterine coils not lateral or anterior to the ovary and the cirrus-sac being posterior or at least lateral to the rest of the genitalia. Cardicola mediterraneus Palacios-Abella, Montero, Merella, Mele, Raga & Repullés-Albelda, 2021 is reported from the heart of zebra seabream, Diplodus hottentotus (Smith) (Sparidae), and Skoulekia meningialis Alama-Bermejo, Montero, Raga & Holzer, 2011 from the eyes of musselcracker seabream, Sparodon durbanensis (Castelnau) (Sparidae), marking the first time these species have been reported outside the western Mediterranean Sea. In addition, a species of Deontacylix Linton, 1910) is recorded from blue seachub, Kyphosus cinerascens (Forsskål) (Kyphosidae) and is contextualised within the global understanding of species of that genus
Current protected areas provide limited benefits for European river biodiversity /
No full textProtected areas are a principal conservation tool for addressing biodiversity loss. Such protection is especially needed in freshwaters, given their greater biodiversity losses compared to terrestrial and marine ecosystems. However, broad-scale evaluations of protected area effectiveness for freshwater biodiversity are lacking. Here, we provide a continental-scale analysis of the relationship between protected areas and freshwater biodiversity using 1,754 river invertebrate community time series sampled between 1986 and 2022 across ten European countries. Protected areas primarily benefited poor-quality communities (indicative of higher human impacts) that were protected, or that gained protection, across a substantial proportion of their upstream catchment. Protection had little to no influence on moderate- and high-quality communities, although high-quality communities potentially provide less scope for effect. Our results reveal the overall limited effectiveness of current protected areas for freshwater biodiversity, likely because they are typically designed and managed to achieve terrestrial conservation goals. Broadly improving effectiveness for freshwater biodiversity requires catchment-scale management approaches involving larger and more continuous upstream protection, and efforts to address remaining stressors. These approaches would also benefit connected terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, thus generally helping bend the curve of global biodiversity loss
Insect pollination enhances yield and physicochemical quality traits in three jujube cultivars /
No full textJujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.) is a nutritionally rich tropical fruit which is native to South Asia. In Pakistan, there are 50 varieties of jujube, and approximately 24,000 tons of jujube is harvested annually from a growing area of nearly 5000 hectares. The current study was conducted to investigate whether insect pollination affects fruit yield, and whether it influences the physical and biochemical properties of the fruit. We selected fifty inflorescences from each of the three jujube cultivars (Kheri, Desi, Ayuba) and covered them with muslin cloth to promote self-pollination. The same number was tagged to observe the impact of open pollination. Fruits from both treatments were counted on each panicle, harvested, and then subjected to lab investigation for measuring physical (fruit length, fruit width, fruit weight, and pulp weight) and biochemical (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C, and pH) parameters. A diverse range of floral visitors, including bees, flies, wasps, moths, and butterflies, were observed on jujube, with bees being the most abundant functional group. Open pollination increased fruit set (fruits per inflorescence) by 2.3–2.5 times compared to self-pollination. Similar trends were observed in physical parameters: fruit length (1.15 to 1.30 times increase), fruit width (1.15 to 1.21 times), total weight (1.60 to 1.74 times), and pulp weight (1.55 to 1.62 times). Changes in physiological parameters, including pH, vitamin C, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids, were also observed in pollination treatments of all three varieties. Open-pollinated fruit also exhibited greater length and width, but lower firmness. These findings show the vital role of insect-mediated pollination in enhancing both the yield and quality of jujube fruit, with consistent benefits observed across multiple varieties
Geothermal potential and energy use, country update for Lithuania /
No full textLithuania has a large unutilized geothermal heat production potential due to enhanced geothermal gradient (up to 42°C/km) in the SW of the country. The geothermal anomaly follows the geometry of the Middle Proterozoic “hot” granitoid intrusions rich in radiogenic heat producing elements. Additional increase in heat flow is also associated with thermal blanketing effect, where the heat is preserved in the rocks at depth due to 2 km thick sedimentary cover above the intrusions. Since the abandonment of the Klaipeda Geothermal Demonstration Plant (KGDP) in 2017 due to prevailing injection degradation issues, no new geothermal installations have been achieved in Lithuania. However, in the past 3 years research has been renewed on geothermal potential evaluations for Devonian hydrothermal complexes as well as abandoned or close to depletion Cambrian and Silurian oil fields using existing infrastructure
Seed fatty acids modify oviposition of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) /
No full textPlant–insect interactions mediated by chemical compounds are well documented in roots and above-ground plant parts except seeds. The latter chemoecological interactions remain poorly studied. The chemical composition of seeds, including attractive, repellent, or inhibitory compounds, likely influences oviposition behavior, yet specific studies on this subject are scarce. This study evaluated the oviposition behavior of the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)) on substrates of common oat (Avena sativa L. (Poales: Poaceae)), common wheat (Triticum aestivum L. (Poales: Poaceae)), rapeseed (Brassica napus L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae)), and pure sand. Females laid the most eggs on oat and wheat substrates, while oviposition on sand was reduced by 22%. The chemoreceptors located in the antennae of T. molitor were found not to influence oviposition. Hexane extracts of oat flour were found to contain oviposition-inhibiting compounds, identified as fatty acids. Behavioral tests showed that oleic, palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids inhibited oviposition at concentrations ranging from 5% to 0.5%. A lower concentration (0.05%) did not have this effect. Additionally, linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids exhibited repellent properties, whereas stearic acid did not. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing substrate composition to enhance T. molitor reproduction. This has applications for small-scale laboratory research and large-scale industrial production, supporting the use of T. molitor as an alternative protein source for feed and food
First record of non-native woody species Amelanchier ×lamarckii (Rosaceae), in Lithuania /
No full textAmelanchier ×lamarckii F. G. Schroed., a shrub or small tree native to North America, has escaped from cultivation in Lithuania and is recorded as a new casual alien plant in Lithuanian flora. Most of the recorded young individuals have grown from seeds and spread locally through saplings. The population consists of about 50 individuals, of which approximately 10 have grown to a height of 0.5–2.5 m and are fruiting. Amelanchier ×lamarckii is recorded from the Kelmė district, between Panūdžiai and Palendriai villages, in a dry grassland habitat along the roadside. Amelanchier ×lamarckii has already been reported to have escaped to several European countries. This hybrid shares similar growth traits as its invasive congener Amelanchier spicata (Lam.) Koch. The naturalization and spread to natural habitats in Lithuania are highly probable. Amelanchier ×lamarckii has been reported from northern latitudes; therefore, the spread of this plant in Lithuania should be monitored. Planting of A. ×lamarckii close to dry grassland habitats as well as forest edges should be avoided, considering the possible spread by birds into these habitats
Morphological variation in the striped field mouse across three countries /
No full textWe assessed the variation in morphological traits in the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) across Slovakia, Lithuania, and Estonia, aiming to understand how geographic gradients influence body size. The body mass, body length, tail length, hind foot length, and ear length were analyzed from nearly 12,000 specimens collected in several decades. Findings suggest that body size increases toward the north, following Bergmann’s rule, which links larger size to better heat conservation in colder climates. Conversely, appendage sizes (e.g., tail, ear) decrease, aligning with Allen’s rule to minimize heat loss. Longitudinal gradients revealed reductions in body length and appendages toward the east, potentially reflecting climatic and habitat variability. Temporal analysis revealed fluctuating body size trends, possibly due to changing environmental pressures. Therefore, our study underscores the importance of geographic and temporal factors in shaping morphological traits and provides valuable insights into the adaptability of A. agrarius to varying climatic conditions