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Notes on Pachypasa otus and the description of a new Iranian Pachypasa species (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae, Lasiocampini) /
No full textThe synonymy between Pachypasa otus (Drury, 1777) and P. otus fulvescens Kotzsch, 1932 is supported by the lack of any stable morphologic characters and average distance of 0.3% in the cytochrome C oxidase (COI) gene between the Balkan (n = 4) and the Levantine (n = 2) populations. The Iranian population is described as a new species, Pachypasa hausmanni sp. n., based on morphologic difference, geographic isolation, and an average genetic distance of 6.1%
Interactions of semiconductor Cd-based quantum dots and Cd2+ with gut bacteria isolated from wild Salmo trutta fry /
No full textWith the rapid development of nanotechnology, more and more nanoproducts are being released into the environment where they may both pose ecological risks and be toxic to living organisms. The ecotoxicological impact of quantum dots (QDs), a class of nanoparticles (NPs), on aquatic organisms is becoming an emerging issue, this due to their nano-specific properties, to the physico-chemical transformation in the environment and to the possible release of toxic metals from their structure such as Cd. Methods In this work, (i) spectroscopic measurements of commercially available Cd-based QDs (CdSe/ZnS-COOH) were made at various pH values (5.0 and 7.0) to study their interactions (at a concentration of 4 nm) with various strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative gut bacteria after short-term exposure and (ii) the antibacterial efficacy of QDs and Cd2+ (at a concentration 0.09–3.56 mM) against gut bacteria isolated from wild freshwater Salmo trutta fry was studied at different temperatures (15 °C and 25 °C) and pH values (5.0 and 7.0) by applying a well-established disc diffusion assay
Citizen science helps predictions of climate change impact on flowering phenology: A study on Anemone nemorosa /
No full textRapidly increasing resources of citizen science databases (CS) collecting information on species occurrence are increasingly useful as a data source for global biodiversity research. The photos attached to records allow to verify the species identification and identify its phenological phase. We assessed CS data's usefulness in large-scale phenological research on temperate forest understory species, using a common and widely distributed in Europe: Anemone nemorosa. We analyzed 9804 photos from CS databases. We found 177 15’ grid cells with ≥10 observations of flowering plants for bootstrap estimation of flowering onset and offset. We predicted flowering dates for the present and future climate according to Shared Socioeconomic Pathways averaged over four global circulation models for 2040–60 and 2060–80 across A. nemorosa natural range. The estimated magnitude of change in the flowering phenology for both future periods is comparable. The estimated flowering onset median was 24–41 days earlier while flowering offset median was 19–34 days earlier than predicted for the current climate. We estimated a flowering length median of up to 7 days longer than for current climatic conditions. The predicted changes in the phenology of flowering will not significantly change the duration of flowering but will accelerate onset of this phenophase by about one month. Our study showed that CS might provide a valuable dataset that allows for developing reliable models of plant phenology. It was possible due to a large sample size, resulting from species characteristics: flowering when wider audience is interested in searching spring indicators, easy identification and abundant occurrence. We demonstrated that using dataset of such spatiotemporal extent can cautiously be used for development of future predictions. Such approach allows for evaluating flowering phenology in the understory and to improve understanding the consequences of climate change for biodiversity and functioning of temperate ecosystems
Indication of the impact of environmental stress on the responses of the bivalve mollusk Unio tumidus to ibuprofen and microplastics based on biomarkers of reductive stress and apoptosis /
No full textThe vulnerability of bivalve mollusks to micropollutants is estimated mainly in single model exposures. However, chronic environmental stress and complex exposures can modulate their responses. To evaluate the impact of population-dependent adaptations on the ability to react to common micropollutants, we compared freshwater bivalves Unio tumidus from two distinct populations, pure (Pr) and contaminated (Ct), in their exposures to microplastics (MP, 1 mg L−1, size 0.1–0.5 mm), pharmaceutical ibuprofen (IBU, 0.8 μg L−1), or their combination (Mix) for 14 days. Control groups from both sites showed remarkable differences, with lower levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), metallothionein protein (MTSH), NADH and NAD+, cytochrome P450-related EROD, glutathione-S transferase (GST), and citrate synthase (CS) but higher levels of GSH, GSSG, caspase-3 and cathepsin D (CTD) in the Ct-control group. These data indicate a chronic stress impact in the Ct population. Under exposures, we found an almost common strategy in both populations for NAD+/NADH and MTSH suppression and CTD induction. Additionally, Mix exposure caused an increase in CS, and IBU did not change GSH in both populations. However, the expected response to IBU – the suppression of caspase-3 – was indicated only in PrIBU- and PrMix-mollusks. CTD efflux increased dramatically only in PrMP- and PrMix- groups, and suppression of EROD and GST was detected in the PrMix-group. According to discriminant analysis, exposed Pr-groups were highly differentiated from control, whereas Ct-control and exposed groups had common localization demonstrating high resistance to environmental stress. Thus, the same exposures resulted in different adverse outcome pathways depending on the population
Lotus maritimus L. (Fabaceae), alien species new to Lithuania /
No full textInformation about the first record of alien species Lotus maritimus L. (Fabaceae) in Lithuania is provided. This species was found in disturbed grassland along the railway line in Panevėžys district (northern part of Central Lithuania), Berčiūnai village in June 2021. It is supposed that seeds of this species have been accidentally in-troduced with rock material used to maintain railway embankment. Species composition of the habitat in Lotus maritimus locality is presented. The recorded population consists of a large number of generative individuals. This species could also grow in other parts of Lithuania, as the plants produce viable seeds and might spread to new areas. Currently, Lotus maritimus is considered as a casual species in Lithuania; however, it may naturalise locally in the future
Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo, nest site selection pattern in relation to stands and their location factors in Central Lithuania, Central Eastern Europe /
No full textEnvironmental changes are expected in Europe due to ongoing timber harvesting in forests and changes in agriculture practices in cultivated areas. This study aimed to determine whether the nest site characteristics of the Common Buzzard Buteo buteo – a generalist raptor – have changed over time due to ongoing changes in forests and agricultural areas that are highly important for its breeding. A comparison of Common Buzzard nest sites occupied in 2002–2004 with nest sites occupied in 2017–2018 in commercially managed forests indicated certain changes. Common Buzzards preferred to nest in more mature stands with the higher proportion of deciduous trees in composition of the first tree layer. The location of stands in regard to agricultural areas did not shape habitat choice. The oak was most important nests tree. The nest sites of the Common Buzzard remained similar in terms of location within the landscape, however, age of stands used for nest significantly increased. In summary, these results suggest that Common Buzzard nest site selection pattern was driven by stand level decisions, but were not shaped by the landscape features. These findings indicate that behavioural plasticity typically assumed for this ubiquitous raptor may not necessarily act at the all levels of nest site selection process, which may further indicate species potential sensitivity to the changes in forest utilisation intensity. Keywords: habitat selection, raptor, forestry impact
Parasetodes respersellus (Rambur, 1842) – nauja apsiuvų (Trichoptera, Leptoceridae) rūšis Lietuvos ir Latvijos faunai.
No full textAnti-microbiota vaccine reduces avian malaria infection within mosquito vectors /
No full textAnimal and human pathogens that are transmitted by arthropods are a global concern, particularly those vectored by mosquitoes (e.g., Plasmodium spp. and dengue virus). Vector microbiota may hold the key to vector-borne pathogen control, as mounting evidence suggests that the contributions of the vector microbiota to vector physiology and pathogen life cycle are so relevant that vectorial capacity cannot be understood without considering microbial communities within the vectors. Anti-tick microbiota vaccines targeting commensal bacteria of the vector microbiota alter vector feeding and modulate the taxonomic and functional profiles of vector microbiome, but their impact on vector-borne pathogen development within the vector has not been tested. In this study, we tested whether anti-microbiota vaccination in birds targeting Enterobacteriaceae within mosquito midguts modulates the mosquito microbiota and disrupt Plasmodium relictum development in its natural vector Culex quinquefasciatus. Domestic canaries (Serinus canaria domestica) were experimentally infected with P. relictum and/or immunized with live vaccines containing different strains of Escherichia coli. Immunization of birds induced E. coli-specific antibodies. The midgut microbial communities of mosquitoes fed on Plasmodium-infected and/or E. coli-immunized birds were different from those of mosquitoes fed on control birds. Notably, mosquito midgut microbiota modulation was associated with a significant decrease in the occurrence of P. relictum oocysts and sporozoites in the midguts and salivary glands of C. quinquefasciatus, respectively. A significant reduction in the number of oocysts was also observed. These findings suggest that anti-microbiota vaccines can be used as a novel tool to control malaria transmission and potentially other vector-borne pathogens
Archigetes Leuckart, 1878 (Cestoda, Caryophyllidea): diversity of enigmatic fish tapeworms with monoxenic life cycles /
No full textLe genre Archigetes Leuckart, 1878 (Caryophyllidea) est unique parmi les cestodes en ce sens que ses espèces peuvent atteindre la maturité chez des hôtes invertébrés (Oligochaeta), c’est-à-dire avoir un cycle de vie monoxénique (direct). Les cinq espèces ont été décrites à partir de plérocercoïdes progénétiques chez des oligochètes et deux d’entre elles aussi à partir d’adultes chez des poissons cypriniformes. Deux espèces, A. sieboldi Leuckart, 1878 et A. iowensis Calentine, 1962, ont été trouvées en Amérique du Nord chez des carpes communes ( Cyprinus carpio ), non indigènes. Une étude moléculaire des caryophyllidés du sud des États-Unis a révélé la présence de trois nouvelles espèces chez les poissons d’eau douce indigènes (Catostomidae, Ictiobinae). Archigetes loculotruncatus n. sp. d’ Ictiobus bubalus , I. niger et Carpiodes cyprinus est le plus grand représentant du genre et est caractérisé par un scolex loculotronqué. Archigetes megacephalus n. sp. d’ Ictiobus niger , I. bubalus et I. cyprinellus est caractérisé par un scolex proéminent et bothrioloculodisqué. Archigetes vadosus n. sp. d’ I. bubalus est caractérisé par un scolex globulaire avec des loges très peu profondes, et diffère d’ A. sieboldi , étroitement apparenté, par la forme du corps, avec une région du cou distincte et un scolex plus large que le reste du corps. Archigetes iowensis Calentine, 1962 devient un synonyme plus récent de Paraglaridacris limnodrili (Yamaguti, 1934). Le diagnostic générique d’ Archigetes est modifié et une clé d’identification des taxons nord-américains est fournie. Les espèces d’ Archigetes et de Paraglaridacris diffèrent de la manière la plus visible les unes des autres par la structure de l’ovaire, qui est folliculaire chez Archigetes par opposition à compact chez Paraglaridacris