Article
Biology
Fan Yang, Bing Liu, Yulin Zhu, Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Wopke van der Werf, Yanhui Lu
Summary: This study analyzed a 3-year dataset of quantitative parasitoid-hyperparasitoid trophic networks from 25 different agro-landscapes to evaluate the impacts of landscape composition, species diversity, and trophic network structure on ecosystem functionality. The research found that functionality is primarily dictated by (hyper)parasitoid diversity, with its effects modulated by the generality and vulnerability of the food web. The study underscores the importance of considering on-farm biodiversity and trophic interactions when investigating ecosystem services within dynamic agro-landscapes.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Hideto Yoshimura, Ken Tabuchi, Kazuhiko Konishi
Summary: The potential of Diadegma hiraii as a biological control agent for the soybean pod borer was evaluated, and its effectiveness was found to be influenced by land-use types. Environmental factors such as temperature and photoperiod had no significant effect on the development of the soybean pod borer and the parasitoid's oviposition. The parasitoid emerged approximately 3 months before the occurrence of the host and may lay eggs in alternate hosts.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Moo-Sung Kim, Jong-Kook Jung, Ki-Jeong Hong, Chang-Jun Kim, Bong-Woo Lee, Il-Kwon Kim
Summary: This study investigated the parasitism of the parasitoid wasp Spathius verustus on Monochamus alternatus and Monochamus saltuarius, the vectors of pine wilt disease. The study found that the parasitism rates were influenced by region and time, and S. verustus showed a preference for M. alternatus as a host.
Article
Entomology
Vivian Flinte, Diego G. Padua, Emily M. Durand, Caitlin Hodgin, Gabriel Khattar, Luiz Felipe L. da Silveira, Daniell R. R. Fernandes, Ilari E. Saaksjarvi, Ricardo F. Monteiro, Margarete V. Macedo, Peter J. Mayhew
Summary: This study explores the diversity of Darwin wasps in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and finds high species richness with variation in altitudes. Low to medium elevations in tropical regions conserve the greatest number of species locally, but a wider range of elevations should be targeted for conserving maximal biodiversity.
Article
Agronomy
Armando Alfaro-Tapia, Jeniffer K. Alvarez-Baca, Eduardo Fuentes-Contreras, Christian C. Figueroa
Summary: The use of synthetic insecticides can have undesirable effects on natural enemies and insecticide resistance, with neurotoxic insecticide residues interfering with the chemical cues used by natural enemies. This study found that sub-lethal concentrations of pyrethroid insecticides significantly disturb the foraging behavior of aphid parasitoid wasps, potentially leading to failures in biological control, especially with insecticide-resistant pest populations.
Article
Entomology
Kamil Karut, Mahmut Mete Karaca, Ismail Doker, Cengiz Kazak
Summary: This study identified two larval parasitoids, Bracon didemie and Dolichogenidea appellator, as potential biological control agents against Tuta absoluta in tomato fields. B. didemie had higher prevalence and density, reaching 28 individuals per 100 leaves. These findings suggest that B. didemie is a promising candidate for integrated pest management programs targeting T. absoluta.
EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Margaret A. Mamantov, Daniel K. Gibson-Reinemer, Ethan B. Linck, Kimberly S. Sheldon
Summary: Species are shifting their ranges towards higher elevations in response to warming, with low-elevation species moving further upslope than high-elevation species on the same transect. The rate of range shifts negatively correlates with elevation, and there is also some unexpected downslope movement in 28% of species, with no relationship between elevation and downslope range shifts.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Maria-Jose Yanez-Diaz, Marcela Rodriguez, Selim Musleh, Luis Devotto, Gonzalo Silva, Eric Lucas
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of different colored photo-selective nets on the host localization ability of the parasitoid Mastrus ridens, finding that pearl and red PSN enabled faster localization compared to black standard nets. However, parasitism levels were not affected by the net color, indicating the need for further field studies to verify the results.
Article
Ecology
Joseph A. LaManna, F. Andrew Jones, David M. Bell, Robert J. Pabst, David C. Shaw
Summary: The diversity of species varies with elevation and latitude, which is related to biotic interactions. This study found that the effects of conspecific density dependence vary with elevation, which may have important implications for the relationships between species diversity, elevation, and climate.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Luciano N. Santos, Ana Clara S. Franco, Joice S. de Souza, Igor C. Miyahira, Antonio Jailson S. Rodrigues, Isabela Cristina B. Goncalves, Natascha Krepsky, Helga A. B. Monte, Clarissa Naveira, Tatiana M. B. Cabrini, Rayane R. S. Abude, Matheus Augusto, Nathalia Rodrigues, Tamara B. Guimaraes, Raquel A. F. Neves
Summary: The study confirmed the influence of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) on native and total species richness in Neotropical aquatic ecosystems, but found that the distribution of non-native species is complex and influenced by various factors. Further research is needed to better understand the role of IDH in the distribution of non-native species.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Liangming Chen, Zhiyong Sun
Summary: This paper introduces a formation control method for multi-agent systems based on elevation angle rigidity theory, which attaches a rod or ball to each agent in 2D and 3D spaces to develop elevation angle rigidity. The control is achieved using only inter-agent bearing/direction measurements in agents' local coordinate frames.
Article
Agronomy
Fan Yang, Bing Liu, Yulin Zhu, Nicolas Desneux, Lituo Liu, Caihong Li, Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Yanhui Lu
Summary: The study found that transgenic Cry1Ac + CpTI cotton did not have significant effects on aphid and parasitoid abundance, in-field parasitism rates, or food web structure. This work not only provides new insights into the ecological risk assessment of transgenic insecticidal crops, but also offers important data on the impact of nontarget arthropods in agro-ecosystems.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pierre Courtois, Cesar Martinez, Alban Thomas
Summary: In this study, a cost-benefit optimization framework for the management of invasive alien species (IASs) is proposed. The framework takes into account the spatially explicit costs and benefits of invasion control and incorporates the spatial invasion dynamics. The study applies the framework to the control of primrose willow invasion in a protected area in France and provides recommendations for targeted control on heavily invaded areas that are highly valued by users.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Entomology
Marc Kenis
Summary: The fall armyworm, a polyphagous agricultural pest, is threatening global food security. The potential of classical biological control (CBC) using larval parasitoids against this pest is reviewed, with a focus on the most suitable candidates from its native range. The ichneumonid Eiphosoma laphygmae is considered a potential candidate due to its specificity and importance as a parasitoid in the native range, while the braconid Chelonus insularis could contribute to control but may also parasitize non-target species.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Subzar Ahmad Nanda, Manzoor-ul Haq, S. P. Singh, Zafar A. Reshi, Ranbeer S. Rawal, Devendra Kumar, Kapil Bisht, Shashi Upadhyay, D. K. Upreti, Aseesh Pandey
Summary: The study analyzed macrolichen richness and beta-diversity along elevation gradients at three sites in the Indian Himalayan Arc area and found variations in species composition, dominant functional groups, and patterns of species richness along elevation. The research highlights the importance of considering elevational gradients in conservation strategies and emphasizes the contribution of turnover to beta-diversity across different transects in the Himalaya.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)