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Molecular taxonomy reveals an overlooked cryptic species of the tiger moth genus Murzinowatsonia Dubatolov (Lepidoptera, Arctiinae) from Sichuan, China /
No full textOne new Murzinowatsonia species, (Murzinowatsonia amelija sp. nov.), is described from Sichuan, China. Morphological characteristics, DNA sequence data (barcode region and four nuclear protein-coding genes), divergence time estimation, and habitat preferences are provided for the new species along with a morphological comparison with Murzinowatsonia x-album (Oberthur, 1911) and genetic distances between the species. Our estimated divergence time showed that divergence of M. amelija and M. x-album from a common ancestor started during the Early Pleistocene (similar to 1.45 Mya). The relatively low divergences among haplotypes of two Murzinowatsonia species may suggest that these species originated recently during the Mid-Pleistocene (i.e. 0.126-0.781 Mya). The current number of valid species in the genus is two
Laukinių gyvūnų susidūrimų su transportu dėsningumai ir susidūrimų mažinimo priemonių vertinimas.
No full textThe aim of research was to evaluate long-term wildlife–vehicle collision (WVC) patterns and assess mitigation measures in Lithuania. Roadkill data was evaluated, habitat suitability based wildlife movement models were developed, WVC hotspot locations and temporal roadkill patterns were identified, effectiveness of mitigation measures was assessed, roadkill-data-based habitats were identified and ranked by attractiveness to wildlife and risk severity to the drivers. Road traffic accident database underestimates the impact of WVC on wild mammal diversity and smaller species roadkills. The wildlife movement models, accurately represented the most probable pathways and road crossings. Large part of wildlife pathways and WVC hotspots are not permanent. Highest risk of WVC are during twilight hours within the WVC hotspots and in vicinity of habitat patches that are most attractive to wildlife and pose highest risk for the drivers. Increased amounts of wildlife fencing reduce the number of WVC on main roads characterised with highest traffic and shift WVC towards the lower category roads. Efforts to reduce WVC on higher category roads shall focus on fencing with permanent crossing structures. Efforts to reduce WVC on lower category roads should focus on driver trainings and dynamic warning systems. Ex-Post mitigating WVC without Ex-Ante analysis of WVC, the habitat isolation and roadkill mitigation costs may be amplified without any positive effect to the drivers and wildlife
Density-dependent behavioural interactions influence coexistence between a native and a non-native mesopredator /
No full textThe invasion of non-native species into an ecosystem can markedly alter the structure and functioning of the system. Yet, we have limited knowledge of the factors that determine invasion success. Behavioural interactions have been suggested as critical determinants of invasion success in animals, but the exact mechanisms are less well known. We investigated if density-dependent behavioural interactions could have facilitated the invasion of the shrimp Palaemon elegans into the spawning habitat of the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus in the Baltic Sea. This was done by manipulating the densities of the two species in mesocosms. We found the stickleback to dominate behaviourally over the shrimp through higher aggression, but that the impact on the shrimp was density-dependent; a high density of sticklebacks increased aggressive interactions, which caused the shrimps to decrease their activity and restrict their habitat use to dense vegetation, while a low density of sticklebacks had no impact on the distribution and activity of the shrimps. The density of the shrimps had no impact on stickleback behaviour. These results suggest that the present density of the stickleback has allowed the invasion of the shrimp into the habitat. However, a current increase in stickleback abundance caused by human-induced ecological disturbances could limit the further expansion of the shrimp. Thus, our results indicate that a behavioural mechanism–density-dependent aggression–can influence invasion success and subsequent population expansion. At a broader level, our results stress the importance of considering density-dependent behavioural interactions when investigating the mechanisms behind invasion success
Tipula (Vestiplex) from yunnan and tibet, china: One new species and redescriptions of five known species (diptera: Tipulidae) /
No full textA new crane fly species Tipula (Vestiplex) lushuiensis Men & Starkevich, sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on materials collected in Yunnan and Tibet, China. Tipula (V.) alyxis Alexander, 1963, T. (V.) guibifida Yang & Yang, 1992, T. (V.) himalayensis Brunetti, 1911, T. (V.) quasimarmoratipennis Brunetti, 1912 and T. (V.) reposita Walker, 1848 are redescribed and illustrated based on additional morphological characters. Tipula (V.) quasimarmoratipennis and T. (V.) reposita are listed as new records for the Chinese fauna. Male of T. (V.) quasimarmoratipennis and females of T. (V.) alyxis, T. (V.) guibifida and T. (V.) himalayensis are illustrated for the first time
Understanding recreational targets and ecological consequences: increased northern pike stocking reflected in top avian predator diet /
No full textFish stocking is commonly used to enhance recreational fisheries; however, the side effects of stocking at the ecosystem scale have rarely been tested. Avian predators, because of their high position in food webs, can serve as indicators of environmental change, including prey-species abundance. The scope of this study was to understand whether recent changes in northern pike (Esox lucius) stocking on a national scale could cascade through food webs and significantly shape the diet of a predator––the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). The stocking of pike in state-owned waters in Lithuania has increased two- to threefold since 2005. A significant increase in the proportion of pike in the breeding-season diet of the white-tailed eagle has also been observed. We explain the increase in pike in the predator’s diet as being a causal consequence of pike stocking. We encourage consideration of the entire food web when launching/terminating recreational fish stocking programmes
A survey of potential insect vectors of mountain pine proliferation decline phytoplasma in Curonian Spit, Lithuania /
No full textMountain pine (Pinus mugo Turra) is a coniferous native to the highlands of central Europe. Our previous study revealed that mountain pine proliferation decline (MPPD) disease in the Curonian Spit of Lithuania is caused by a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pini’-related strain (16SrXXI-A). However, the insect vector of MPPD has not been identified. In this study, we conducted a survey to determine potential insect vectors of MPPD phytoplasma for three consecutive years (2016–2019). More than 1000 insect samples were collected from four locations in the Curonian Spit. These insects were identified as belonging to six families and ten genera. The presence of phytoplasma in insect samples was examined by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using phytoplasma-specific primers (P1A/16S-SR and R16F2n/R16R2n). Phytoplasmas were detected in Cinara (Cinara) pini (Scots pine aphid), Cinara (Cinara) piniphila and Cinara (Schizolachnus) pineti (waxy grey pine needle aphid) insect samples. Subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis showed that the PCR-RFLP profile of these positive insect samples was consistent with that of the MPPD of diseased pine trees. These results suggest that C. (C.) pini, C. (C.) piniphila and C. (S.) pineti may be potential insect vectors of MPPD phytoplasma. The findings from this survey will provide useful information for the management of MPPD disease
A bilateral gynandromorph of Discoelius dufourii (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Zethinae): morphology and mating behaviour /
No full textA gynandromorph is an organism combining both female- and male-type tissues. While the vast majority of studies have described the morphology of gynandromorphs, their sexual behaviours remain under-explored. We studied a predominantly bilateral gynandromorph specimen of the predatory wasp Discoelius dufourii (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Zethinae) reared from a trap-nest. In addition to describing the morphology, we explored the gynandromorph's response to a conspecific female, comparing it with the behavioural interactions between normal males and females of D. dufourii and the phylogenetically related D. zonalis. For most specific behavioural elements, males of both Discoelius species exhibited a greater frequency and a higher probability of occurrences of the behaviour than did females. However, aggression and plopping behaviours were prevalent in females. The gynandromorphic specimen demonstrated behavioural activities similar to those of a male, including a relatively frequent mate body antennation and an attempt to mount a female. However, it approached the female less frequently in comparison to conspecific normal males, and it did not demonstrate substrate antennation and jumping, typical of Discoelius male mating behaviour. Based on the parameters of the nest cell, the probability of the development of the gynandromorphic specimen from an unfertilized (male) egg was higher than the probability of development from a fertilized (female) egg
Endophytic community composition and genetic-enzymatic features of cultivable bacteria in Vaccinium myrtillus L. in forests of the Baltic-Nordic region /
No full textRegardless of their growth locations and species diversity, plants have endophytic bacterial communities. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) is valuable for human health because of its antioxidant properties, and the plant has adapted to stressful growing conditions in forests. Here, we aimed to describe the composition of the community of endophytic microorganisms in bilberry leaves and to determine whether the diversity of endophytic bacteria varies depending on the geographical location of the plants. In this study, we evaluated the significance of endophytes in the host plant and the potential use of such bacteria. Twenty-five culturable bacterial isolates were identified in V. myrtillus leaves based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. For the first time, we report upon the diversity of endophytic communities coexisting in bilberry leaves in different geographical locations of the Nordic-Baltic region. Under harsh conditions, the bilberry plants had a greater diversity of bacteria. The bacterial families Bacillaceae, Paenibacillaceae and Micrococcaceae were the most common endophytes in leaves of bilberry. Strains of Staphylococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Pseudomonaceae, Corynebacteriaceae and Planococcaceae were identified in samples from Finland and Norway. Plant growth-promoting genes (acdS and AcPho) and/or enzymatic activity were identified in many isolates.v
Archeological Monuments: Evidence of Strong Earthquakes in the Past (Using the Example of the Southwestern Part of the Issyk-Kul Lake Region, the Tien Shan) /
No full textThis paper presents new materials and summarizes existing ones on archeoseismology studies of stony walls conducted in the Alabash-Konurolyong intramountain depression (southwestern Issyk-Kul Lake region, the northern Tien Shan). The remnants of a sublatitudinal stone wall north of the village of Kyoksay, the remnants of buildings on the Duvana pass, the "long" submeridional wall north of the village of Alabash, and ruins of the fortress of the same name located on the Alabash pass have been studied. The deformations allow us to proceed to quantitative characteristics of two seismic events that occurred in the 15th and 18th centuries. The significant PGV values (on average, 1-3 m/s) are in good agreement with results of an analysis of data on the strong ground motions and correspond to the nearest near-fault zone. These values, in accordance with the morphostructural and other paleoseismologic data, point to the vicinity (within the limits of a few kilometers) of the corresponding seismogenic fault generating them and to the development of thrust deformations of compression. Paleoseismologic data, in particular, the results of PGV value assessments, indicate the significantly larger seismic hazard of the southern shore of the Issyk-Kul Lake depression than is shown in the modern map of seismic hazards of Kyrgyzstan. We assess seismic intensity values for our investigated localities as I = 9.0 +/- 0.5. Thus, according to preliminary paleoseismology data, the seismicity level of the southern part of the Issyk-Kul Lake basin is analogous to the seismicity of its northern part. These data can be used in reevaluating the seismic hazard of the investigated territory
Inactivation of bacteria using bioactive nanoparticles and alternating magnetic fields /
No full textFoodborne pathogens are frequently associated with risks and outbreaks of many diseases; therefore, food safety and processing remain a priority to control and minimize these risks. In this work, nisin-loaded magnetic nanoparticles were used and activated by alternating 10 and 125 mT (peak to peak) magnetic fields (AMFs) for biocontrol of bacteria Listeria innocua, a suitable model to study the inactivation of common foodborne pathogen L. monocytogenes. It was shown that L. innocua features high resistance to nisin-based bioactive nanoparticles, however, application of AMFs (15 and 30 min exposure) significantly potentiates the treatment resulting in considerable log reduction of viable cells. The morphological changes and the resulting cellular damage, which was induced by the synergistic treatment, was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy. The thermal effects were also estimated in the study. The results are useful for the development of new methods for treatment of the drug-resistant foodborne pathogens to minimize the risks of invasive infections. The proposed methodology is a contactless alternative to the currently established pulsed-electric field-based treatment in food processing