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First Report of ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’-Related Strain Associated with Vaccinium Reddish Witches’ Broom Disease of European Blueberry in Lithuania /
No full textInvestigating the use of diagnostic genes in integrated monitoring with a laboratory and field study on flounder (Platichthys flesus) /
No full textFor many years, there has been increasing concern about the effects of the presence of hazardous substances in the environment. The chemical and biological effect (BE) monitoring of these pollutants has proven difficult due to low environmental concentrations, variable bioavailability, and the generalised nature of ecological responses to these substances. The over- or under-expression of key genes has proven to be useful in understanding the molecular mechanisms of the toxicity of contaminants. This study uses a quantitative PCR array to detect the changes in gene expression in flounder livers after exposure to both laboratory- and field-based contaminants. The model contaminants included 17β-estradiol (E2), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), a commercial mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB, Arochlor), perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA), and lindane. Multivariate analysis was used to investigate relationships between higher-organisational-level biomarkers, supporting parameters, and genes. A scoring system enabled the visualisation of biological effect responses and contaminants in field samples. Although gene expression was useful for inferring the pathways of toxicity in this organism, we recommend that this array be used in combination with existing and recommended higher-level biomarkers and should not be used as a replacement for traditional biomarkers currently used in monitoring
Population genetic structure: Where, what, and why? /
No full textBiodiversity is crucial for humankind. It encompasses three main levels: ecosystem, species, and intraspecific genetic diversity. Species consist of populations that exhibit deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) variability, which is a key component of intraspecific genetic diversity. In turn, intraspecific genetic diversity is directly linked with the term population genetic structure (PGS). There is a great deal of uncertainty and confusion surrounding the concept of the PGS of species in the scientific literature, yet the term PGS is central to population genetics, and future research is expected to focus on the evolutionary continuum from populations to species. Therefore, it is necessary for current biologists and the next generation of scientists to acquire a better understanding of a PGS, both as a term and a concept, as well as the various roles PGSs play within a biodiversity context. This knowledge can then be applied to the expansion of both practical and theoretical science. Finding answers and reaching a consensus among the scientific community on certain questions regarding PGSs could expand the horizons of population genetics and related research disciplines. The major areas of interest and research are PGSs’ roles in the processes of microevolution and speciation, the sustainable use of natural resources, and the conservation of genetic diversity. Other important aspects of this perspective review include proposals for scientific definitions of some terms and concepts, as well as new perspectives and explanations that could be used as a basis for future theoretical models and applied research on PGSs. In conclusion, a PGS should be viewed as a fragile genetic mosaic encompassing at least three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension
Holobiont-holobiont interactions across host-ectoparasite systems /
No full textHolobionts – hosts together with their resident microorganisms – provide a framework for studying life as a network of interdependent partners. Within host–ectoparasite holobionts, the dialogue between the two microbiomes offers powerful clues to ecological balance, disease dynamics and evolution. Because each holobiont is structurally and functionally compartmentalised, microbes exchanged at the interface can elicit highly local, niche-specific effects that ripple through the system. This review synthesises evidence for microbiota-to-microbiota interactions in four models: Varroa mite–honeybee, tick–vertebrate, bat fly–bat and mosquito–vertebrate pairs. In all cases, microbes move passively during feeding or contact, then colonise, replicate and modulate physiology and immunity, exerting a longer-lasting influence than transient biochemical cues. We further introduce the idea of indirect modulation, whereby abiotic or biotic factors act on a recipient holobiont through the intermediary of transferred microbes, underscoring the adaptive plasticity of holobiont networks. Bidirectional cross-talk forms self-reinforcing feedback loops that can redefine a microbe as pathogen, symbiont or immunomodulator, and tune its virulence according to context. These mechanisms shape disease transmission, resistance traits and the overall health of both partners. A deeper grasp of such cross-holobiont dynamics will pave the way for microbiota-based vaccines, targeted microbiome engineering and other innovative tools for human, veterinary and environmental health. (Figure presented.)
Changes in Acipenser ruthenus liver structure during domestication: Preliminary data /
No full textWild sturgeon populations have declined dramatically worldwide due to habitat degradation, such as river fragmentation, caused by anthropogenic pressures including legal and illegal overfishing and pollution. Rearing and releasing juvenile fish into natural water bodies is one method to restore biological resources. This study aimed to: (1) examine the spectrum of conditionally pathogenic bacteria causing pathological processes in domesticated sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758); (2) investigate the effects of pathogenic bacteria on fish internal organs using combined histological techniques for tissue treatment; (3) identify tissues as biomarkers for assessing the impact of bacterial co-infection in sturgeon; and (4)evaluate the role of these infections in fish domestication. Liver damage was the primary clinical manifestation during co-bacterial infection in all tested fish. Additionally, shifts in liver cell functions and cytological characteristics were observed
Learning the syntax of plant assemblages /
No full textTo address the urgent biodiversity crisis, it is crucial to understand the nature of plant assemblages. The distribution of plant species is shaped not only by their broad environmental requirements but also by micro-environmental conditions, dispersal limitations, and direct and indirect species interactions. While predicting species composition and habitat type is essential for conservation and restoration purposes, it remains challenging. In this study, we propose an approach inspired by advances in large language models to learn the ‘syntax’ of abundance-ordered plant species sequences in communities. Our method, which captures latent associations between species across diverse ecosystems, can be fine-tuned for diverse tasks. In particular, we show that our methodology is able to outperform other approaches to (1) predict species that might occur in an assemblage given the other listed species, despite being originally missing in the species list (16.53% higher accuracy in retrieving a plant species removed from an assemblage than co-occurrence matrices and 6.56% higher than neural networks), and (2) classify habitat types from species assemblages (5.54% higher accuracy in assigning a habitat type to an assemblage than expert system classifiers and 1.14% higher than tabular deep learning). The proposed application has a vocabulary that covers over 10,000 plant species from Europe and adjacent countries and provides a powerful methodology for improving biodiversity mapping, restoration and conservation biology. As ecologists begin to explore the use of artificial intelligence, such approaches open opportunities for rethinking how we model, monitor and understand nature
Stream baseline conditions shape functional responses to wastewater: evidence from insect-dominated sites /
No full textWastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are a crucial part of modern day infrastructure, cleaning about half of our global wastewater. However, the emergence of micropollutants and higher frequencies of extreme weather events pose unprecedented challenges for society and biodiversity. Conventionally treated wastewater and altered flow regimes create environmental boundaries in rivers, impacting aquatic communities. Previous studies revealed pronounced taxonomic changes in freshwater invertebrate communities in response to WWTP effluents. To explore whether these shifts extend to functional diversity, we studied 338 communities upstream and downstream of 169 WWTPs using commonly applied functional diversity metrics. Surprisingly, we found no clear changes in functional alpha and beta diversity metrics, or community weighted means (CWM), suggesting that trait redundancy offsets the functional impact of the previously observed species turnover. However, in streams dominated by Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), we found more pronounced shifts in CWMs, indicating that the extent of functional changes depends on the baseline condition of the streams. EPT-dominated site-pairs showed significant shifts in traits related to reproduction, dispersal, and feeding, including increased occurrences of ovoviviparity and interstitial locomotion potentially as an avoidance mechanism of high flow and low oxygen saturation. Further, shifts in shredding and absorbing feeding types, aquatic passive dispersal, and hololimnic life cycles might be forms of adaptation to increased nutrient concentrations and reduced intermittency induced by WWTPs. These findings demonstrate that functional responses to wastewater inputs can remain undetected due to the noise inherent in large datasets and are often absent as a result of functional redundancy. In contrast, significant changes emerge in communities dominated by sensitive species, underscoring the value of trait-based approaches for detecting context-dependent ecological impacts
New discoveries supporting the exceptional species diversity of Opostegidae in Central America and the Caribbean, alerting on misidentified barcodes /
No full textThe aim of this study was to supplement current knowledge on the species diversity of Opostegidae in Central America and the Caribbean and to compare this diversity with that of other regions. We examined historical material and conducted fieldwork in Honduras during 2023–2025, a true tabula rasa in terms of Opostegidae diversity. Collected specimens were dissected, with genitalia photographed and analyzed. Molecular divergence was assessed using Neighbor-Joining and Maximum Likelihood methods, as well as Bayesian inference; creation of a mitotype network (TCS algorithm) and species delimitation (bPTP method) were also performed. The study of historical material revealed that Pseudopostega saltatrix (Walsingham) is not conspecific with taxa previously published under the same name, resulting in the description of one new Pseudopostega species. Fieldwork in Honduras yielded 11 additional Pseudopostega species—all new national records, six of which are new to science. The paper introduces 33 new molecular sequences, bringing the total to 114 mtDNA COI-5′ sequences currently deposited in the National Genomics Data Center (China). With these discoveries, the number of Opostegidae in Central America and the Caribbean rises to 63 species, representing 30.9% of the global fauna. The Neotropical realm (103 spp.) exhibits markedly higher Opostegidae diversity than other biogeographical regions, underscoring its importance as a center of diversification. Our analysis also revealed an alarmingly high proportion of doubtful molecular barcodes—nearly one-third (27%) appear erroneous due to species misidentification in Neotropical Opostegidae
Diversity and functional potential of yeasts inhabiting honey bee drones /
No full textThe honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) is a eusocial insect widely known for its role in pollination and plant biodiversity. Diverse microorganisms, including both beneficial and pathogenic, colonize bees and play important roles in the overall hive health. Microorganisms with biocontrol properties are natural modulators of honey bee microflora. Since most studies have focused on the characterization of worker bee-associated microbes, there is a lack of information about the drones’ microbial environment. In this study, we identified cultivable yeasts from different stages of honey bee drones collected in Lithuania. Sealed larvae hosted the widest variety of yeasts. Metschnikowia species were detected across all developmental stages of drones. The assessment of functionality revealed that M. pulcherrima and M. fructicola exhibited the most pronounced biocontrol properties, accompanied by high levels of autoaggregation and hydrophobicity. Starmerella apis and M. reukaufii were distinguished by the highest autoaggregation capacity, exceeding 60%, and strong adherence to hydrocarbons. Starmerella genus yeasts demonstrated strong biofilm-forming ability. The novel information on the functionality of honey bee drone-inhabiting yeasts suggests their importance in maintaining the healthy microbiological environment of the hive. The isolated yeasts with beneficial traits may serve as candidates for future studies aimed at supporting honey bee health
Descriptions of three new Hypotrabala from the H. neavei species group (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae) /
No full textHypotrabala neavei (Aurivillius, 1915) is recorded for the first time for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), whereas H. lunda Takano & László, 2024 is recorded for the first time for Zimbabwe and DRC. The adult female, its genitalia and legs, as well as the male’s head and legs, are described for the first time for H. lunda. Additionally, three new species morphologically close to H. neavei and H. lunda are described: H. liviae sp. n. from Malawi and Zimbabwe, H. pearlae from Malawi, and H. maryannae from Zimbabwe. Adults, their genitalia, and the map with the collection localities are illustrated