Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gothandapani Sellamuthu, Jan Bily, Mallikarjuna Reddy Joga, Jiri Synek, Amit Roy
Summary: This study evaluated the stability of reference genes in Ips typographus under different experimental conditions and identified ribosomal protein 3a (RPS3-a) as the best reference gene. The findings contribute to future genomic and functional genomic research.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Muhammad Zubair Ashraf, Kanakachari Mogilicherla, Gothandapani Sellamuthu, Valentina Siino, Fredrik Levander, Amit Roy
Summary: This study used comparative proteomics to investigate the digestion and detoxification processes in male and female I. typographus during their callow and sclerotized stages. The differential abundance proteins identified were mainly involved in binding, catalytic activity, anatomical activity, hydrolase activity, metabolic process, and carbohydrate metabolism, which are crucial for growth, digestion, detoxification, and signalling in the beetles. Furthermore, different protein regulation patterns were observed in metabolic and functional processes between the developmental stages of I. typographus.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Wei Lin, Sangwook Park, Zi-Ru Jiang, Ying-Chao Ji, Andris Simon Ernstsons, Jun-Jun Li, You Li, Jiri Hulcr
Summary: The red-haired pine bark beetle, Hylurgus ligniperda, is a rapidly spreading invasive species in East Asia, initially invading Japan and then South Korea, before successfully colonizing Shandong province in China. It has now widely distributed in South Korea and Japan.
Article
Entomology
Quan-Cheng Zhang, Jun-Gang Wang, Yong-Hui Lei
Summary: This study incorporates two important natural enemies of the invasive Asian longhorned beetle into the prediction model and finds that climate change has led to the northward migration of suitable areas for the beetle and its natural enemies. Only certain regions in China are suitable for the beetle's occurrence, but other regions have potential control models involving the natural enemies. Fortunately, some areas in Xinjiang, Xizang, and Qinghai are potentially suitable for these natural enemies under future climatic conditions, providing a potential strategy for the management of the beetle.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matilda Lindmark, Suresh Ganji, Erika Wallin, Fredrik Schlyter, C. Rikard Unelius
Summary: Bark beetles introduce symbiotic fungal species into their host trees during mass attacks, helping overcome tree defense and degrade toxic resins. This study evaluated volatile emissions from an insect-associated blue stain fungus over time and tested the insect response in a field trapping experiment.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andreas Sommerfeld, Werner Rammer, Marco Heurich, Torben Hilmers, Joerg Mueller, Rupert Seidl
Summary: Bark beetle outbreaks have intensified in forests globally, with uncertain impacts on future forest development. Research suggests that bark beetle outbreaks, influenced by climate change, alter forest structure and composition, but increased diversity can mitigate future disturbance activities.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Mathias Just Justesen, Aslak Kappel Hansen, Milos Knizek, Ake Lindelow, Alexey Solodovnikov, Hans Peter Ravn
Summary: Species in the genus Cryphalus are often difficult to identify in Europe, with frequent misidentifications due to their small size, similar appearance, and lack of diagnostic characters. This study provides robust morphological and molecular evidence supporting the recognized native species of Cryphalus in Europe, based on the examination of over 1000 specimens and a thorough literature review. A key for reliable identification, including new diagnostic characters, has been constructed. The study also highlights the need for taxonomic revision of the genus Cryphalus in the entire Palearctic region.
Article
Ecology
Andrey L. D. Augustynczik, Laura Dobor, Tomas Hlasny
Summary: The study proposed a novel management framework aiming at salvaging a limited number of windfelled stands with the highest leverage for outbreak risk in a spatially optimized way, which can better balance multiple management objectives than the broadly applied uniform treatment, including the reduction of secondary disturbance from bark beetles, deadwood retention, and economic goals.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Stephanie A. Dole, Jiri Hulcr, Anthony Cognato
Summary: Canopy fogging was used to sample the diversity of bark and ambrosia beetles in two western Amazonian rainforest sites in Ecuador. A subset of the data analyzed in this study found high diversity of these beetles, with a total species richness estimated between 260 and 323. However, undersampling was identified as a limitation affecting the accuracy of beta diversity estimates.
Article
Entomology
Samuel F. Ward, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Rebecca M. Turner, Takehiko Yamanaka, Lorenzo Marini, Songlin Fei, Andrew M. Liebhold
Summary: The unintentional transport of insects beyond their native ranges has increased with globalization, leading to higher propagule pressure in non-native ranges. This study investigated the interceptions of European spruce bark beetle in the USA from 1914 to 2008 and found that interceptions were not related to outbreak levels in the native range, but were inversely related to annual import volume. The abundance of this beetle in invasion pathways has recently decreased, possibly due to strengthened phytosanitary protocols.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Anna Jirosova, Blanka Kalinova, Roman Modlinger, Rastislav Jakus, C. Rikard Unelius, Miroslav Blazenec, Fredrik Schlyter
Summary: Norway spruce volatile (+)-trans-4-thujanol is a novel I. typographus anti-attractant with potency comparable to the known anti-attractants 1,8-cineole and verbenone, and is more effective for females than for males. Incorporating (+)-trans-4-thujanol into anti-attractant lures could improve protection of trees from mass attack by I. typographus.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
L. Viridiana Soto-Robles, Maria Fernanda Lopez, Veronica Torres-Banda, Claudia Cano-Ramirez, Gabriel Obregon-Molina, Gerardo Zuniga
Summary: Dendroctonus-bark beetles play important roles in forest ecosystems by colonizing and killing damaged pine trees. Research found that these beetles have an alpha-amylase capable of hydrolyzing starch, primarily active in the gut.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Brian T. Sullivan, Cavell Brownie
Summary: The semiochemical background in the environment can affect insect orientation towards different release points of semiochemicals. Manipulating the background levels of endo-brevicomin has been shown to significantly impact the responses of bark beetles to aggregation attractants in the field. This study highlights the complexity of density-dependent effects of biphasic pheromone components on bark beetle behavior and colonization.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Bjarte H. Jordal
Summary: The Malagasy bark beetle genus Pseudomicracis has been revised based on molecular and morphological studies. Six new species have been described from Madagascar. The diagnosis of the type species was fixed using an auxiliary species. New distributional and host records are given for some species, and a molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted. A key and photographs of all Malagasy species are provided.
Article
Zoology
Ling Zhang, You Li, Sarah M. Smith, Jianguo Wang
Summary: A new species of bark beetle, Scolytus jiulianshanensis, from Jiangxi, China, is distinguished from other Asian Scolytus species by the presence of a broad median tubercle on the apical margins of ventrites 3 and 4 of the male, along with the absence of ventral spines. This new species was collected from dead elm trees and a DNA barcoding sequence is provided for further identification.
Article
Entomology
Martin Schebeck, Nina Dobart, Gregory J. Ragland, Axel Schopf, Christian Stauffer
Summary: The bark beetle Ips typographus is a destructive insect pest in Norway spruce forests, capable of establishing multiple generations per year. Research has found varied responses to photoperiod in different populations of the beetle, with obligate diapausing individuals in Northern Europe and both facultative and obligate diapausing individuals in Central Europe. The presence of different diapause phenotypes within the species is an adaptation to match life cycles with seasonal environmental conditions, influencing the potential number of generations per season and affecting the risk of outbreaks of this destructive bark beetle.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Florian Kunz, Peter Klinga, Marcia Sittenthaler, Martin Schebeck, Christian Stauffer, Veronika Gruenschachner-Berger, Klaus Hacklaender, Ursula Nopp-Mayr
Summary: The study investigated whether the genetic pattern of the easternmost Alpine black grouse metapopulation system is driven by isolation by distance or isolation by resistance. Spatial genetic variation could be attributed to effects of isolation by distance among individuals and isolation by resistance among subpopulations, yet unknown effects might factor in.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sigrid Netherer, Martin Schebeck, Giuseppe Morgante, Verena Rentsch, Thomas Kirisits
Summary: The study found that drought stress and fungal infection affected the attractiveness and preference of male I. typographus. Stressed trees were more attractive to males, with their bark samples being more appealing and resulting in stronger hypersensitive wound reactions.
Review
Entomology
Martin Schebeck, Axel Schopf, Gregory J. Ragland, Christian Stauffer, Peter H. W. Biedermann
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive and comparative summary of selected life-history traits of Ips typographus and Pityogenes chalcographus, two common bark beetle species on Norway spruce in Eurasia. The study highlights the similarities and differences in biotic and abiotic factors that shape the ecology and evolution of these beetles. The article also discusses future research directions to deepen our understanding of their ecological and evolutionary pathways.
BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joerg Mueller, Oliver Mitesser, Marc W. Cadotte, Fons van der Plas, Akira S. Mori, Christian Ammer, Anne Chao, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Petr Baldrian, Claus Baessler, Peter Biedermann, Simone Cesarz, Alice Classen, Benjamin M. Delory, Heike Feldhaar, Andreas Fichtner, Torsten Hothorn, Claudia Kuenzer, Marcell K. Peters, Kerstin Pierick, Thomas Schmitt, Bernhard Schuldt, Dominik Seidel, Diana Six, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Simon Thorn, Goddert von Oheimb, Martin Wegmann, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: Intensification of land use by humans has led to a homogenization of landscapes and decreasing resilience of ecosystems globally due to a loss of biodiversity, including the majority of forests. Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) research has provided compelling evidence for a positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functions and services at the local (alpha-diversity) scale, but we largely lack empirical evidence on how the loss of between-patch beta-diversity affects biodiversity and multifunctionality at the landscape scale (gamma-diversity).
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Marton J. Paulin, Csaba B. Eoetvoes, Petr Zabransky, Gyoergy Csoka, Martin Schebeck
Summary: The North American oak lace bug is an invasive species in Europe and poses a serious threat to oak-dominated forests. This study examined the cold-tolerance strategy, supercooling points, and chilling-related mortality of overwintering adults to assess their ability to survive harsh winters. The results showed that C. arcuata is a freeze-avoidant species with moderate risk of mortality from chilling injuries.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Janina M. C. Diehl, Denicia Kassie, Peter H. W. Biedermann
Summary: In this study, we investigated the ability of ambrosia beetles and their larvae to detect antagonistic or entomopathogenic fungi. Our results showed that both larvae and adult beetles exhibited behavioral repellence towards certain fungal volatiles. However, the response varied depending on the specific combinations of fungal symbionts and ambient fungi. This suggests that the decision of whether to confront or avoid a potential threat is influenced by a more complex context.
Article
Microbiology
Antonio Gugliuzzo, Juergen Kreuzwieser, Christopher M. Ranger, Giovanna Tropea Garzia, Antonio Biondi, Peter H. W. Biedermann
Summary: Many wood-boring insects, such as bark beetles and ambrosia beetles, use aggregation pheromones during colonization of host trees. This study focused on the exotic ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus and discovered that it is attracted to its primary nutritional mutualist Ambrosiella grosmanniae and other fungal isolates. It was also found that X. germanus preferentially selects branch sections that are pre-colonized by conspecifics or pre-inoculated with A. grosmanniae. Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) were identified as potential aggregation pheromones for X. germanus. This research provides the first evidence of fungal volatiles as attractive cues during host selection by X. germanus.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Janina M. C. Diehl, Alexander Keller, Peter H. W. Biedermann
Summary: Some fungus-farming ambrosia beetles rely on multiple nutritional cultivars that change in abundance over time. The succession of these fungi can benefit beetle hosts by consuming the substrate optimally and extending the nest's longevity. However, the abundances of fungal cultivars and other symbionts are poorly understood, and their quantification over development has only been studied in a single species. This study compared the diversity and succession of both fungal and bacterial communities in fungus gardens of the fruit-tree pinhole borer, Xyleborinus saxesenii, from field and laboratory nests. The results showed a reduction in diversity in both bacterial and fungal symbionts in laboratory nests, and a shift from nutritional to non-beneficial fungal symbionts during beetle development.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Elisabeth Ritzer, Martin Schebeck, Thomas Kirisits
Summary: Climate change poses severe pressures to European conifer forests, and using non-native tree species like Douglas fir is a proposed strategy for forest management. However, the cultivation of non-native trees can be impaired by novel forest health risks. This study discovered that the opportunistic pathogen Diplodia sapinea, which can infect both Douglas fir and Scots pine, contributed to the death of large Douglas fir trees in Eastern Austria, indicating a potential severe threat to the cultivation of Douglas fir in European forestry.
Article
Ecology
Diana L. L. Six, Peter H. W. Biedermann
Summary: By-product mutualisms, where benefits arise as a part of normal life processes, have been overlooked in models of mutualism. Unlike conditional models, these interactions do not have alternate antagonistic states and allow for tradeoffs among factors that influence environmental quality. The tradeoffs in tree defense and nutritional quality play a crucial role in determining the mutualism pathway for bark and ambrosia beetles.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)