Article
Entomology
Angelica M. Reddy, Paul D. Pratt, Brenda J. Grewell, Nathan E. Harms, Ximena Cibils-Stewart, Guillermo Cabrera Walsh, Ana Faltlhauser
Summary: Exotic water primroses (Ludwigia spp.) are aggressive invaders in aquatic ecosystems worldwide, with limited management options. Despite the potential of biological control, little is known about their natural enemies. Studying the biology and host range of the flea beetle Lysathia flavipes showed it lacks sufficient host-specificity for consideration as a biocontrol agent of exotic Ludwigia spp. in the USA.
Article
Entomology
Dmitry Kutcherov, Elena. B. B. Lopatina
Summary: The interaction between genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity is important in understanding geographic variation in insects. Temperature and photoperiod are key factors in shaping insect life histories. This study investigates the survival, development, and body mass of three populations of Cassida vibex beetles from different geographic locations, revealing subtle but significant differences in these traits and their plasticity to temperature and photoperiod.
Article
Entomology
Nicolai Olenici, Mihai-Leonard Duduman, Ionel Popa, Gabriela Isaia, Marius Paraschiv
Summary: Biological invasions in European forests are increasing, with bark- and wood-boring insects being significant pests. Global trade intensification and climate change contribute to their introduction and spread. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of three invasive beetle species in Romania using different traps. Ips duplicatus was found to be established in most parts of Norway spruce's range, Xylosandrus germanus is spreading with high populations in certain areas, while Neoclytus acuminatus is only present in warmer regions.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Chen Xiao-ling, Ning Dong-dong, Xiao Qian, Jiang Qiu-ying, Lu Yong-yue, Xu Yi-juan
Summary: This study analyzed the distributional trends of invasive species in China and identified the drivers for such trends. The results showed that the abundance of invasive species gradually decreased from south to north and from southeast coast to inland. The value of imports was found to be a strong predictor of the number of invasive species in China.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Billy Joel M. Almarinez, Divina M. Amalin, Kathleen B. Aviso, Heriberto Cabezas, Angelyn R. Lao, Raymond R. Tan
Summary: Crop switching is an important strategy to address climate change, but it is necessary to consider pest management when introducing new crops. Potato farming in the Philippines is being scaled up to meet the needs of a growing population. In this paper, a graph theoretic model is developed to assess pest management options for the potential entry of the Colorado potato beetle in potato farms in the Philippines. The use of biological control agents outperforms chemical pesticides, but the concurrent use of both agents may be less effective.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brenton von Takach, Collin W. Ahrens, David B. Lindenmayer, Sam C. Banks
Summary: Understanding local adaptation is crucial for conservation, and this study on mountain ash trees shows that the identification of putatively adaptive loci can vary significantly depending on the spatial scale of analysis. Strong environmental selection was observed, with different genomic patterns of local adaptation at different spatial scales.
Article
Biology
Bethany A. Bradley, Evelyn M. Beaury, Emily J. Fusco, Bianca E. Lopez
Summary: As the impacts of climate change continue to increase, it is urgent to incorporate climate change into future environmental policy to avoid missed opportunities. The rise of invasive species threats, exacerbated by climate change, further highlights the need for proactive measures. Recommendations include information sharing, screening and regulation of high-risk species, and incentivizing individual actions. Considering invasive species risk in climate mitigation and adaptation policy is also crucial.
Article
Biology
Brendan H. Cornwell, Luis Hernandez
Summary: The study indicates that temperate anemones and their endosymbionts exhibit different genetic patterns in adapting to climate change, with symbionts more likely than host species to adaptively mitigate the impact of increasing temperatures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Muhammad Ali Abid, Qi Zhou, Mubashir Abbas, Haiyan He, Zhigang Meng, Yuan Wang, Yunxiao Wei, Sandui Guo, Rui Zhang, Chengzhen Liang
Summary: This study identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) responsible for color variations in cotton. The study also found phenotypes related to beauty marks and UV floral patterns, which are associated with the geographic distribution of cotton species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marcio R. Pie, Fernanda S. Caron
Summary: This study examines the evolution of range overlap among species and its implications using a simple model based on log-normal distribution of species range sizes. The results reveal a linear relationship between range overlap and species distributions, but the expected number of non-zero range overlaps varies depending on the variance in geographical range distribution. The topology of range overlap networks is also influenced by the mean and variance in geographical distributions. The findings diverge from the model's expectations, potentially due to phylogenetic niche conservatism or asymmetric colonization of mountains by lowland species. The study discusses the potential applications of range overlap networks in ecological and evolutionary phenomena.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Noelia Guzman, Petri Kemppainen, Daniela Monti, Elio R. D. Castillo, Marcela S. Rodriguero, Andres F. Sanchez-Restrepo, Maria Marta Cigliano, Viviana A. Confalonieri
Summary: Chromosomal inversions play a role in adaptation and differentiation in the grasshopper species complex Trimerotropis pallidipennis. Populations of Trimerotropis sp. in Argentina exhibit clinal variation of putative inversions, with inversion karyotypes explaining a significant portion of the genetic variation. Outlier loci associated with environmental variables are found in correlated loci clusters, suggesting a potential coupling between extrinsic postzygotic barriers and spatially varying selection.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Xue Qin, Hao Wang, Chao Miao, Xinyan Yang, Yanming Zhang, Jing Feng, Stephen J. Forsythe, Chaoxin Man, Yujun Jiang
Summary: The genus Cronobacter is an opportunistic food-borne pathogen with considerable genetic diversity and adaptability to diverse environments. Genomic analysis revealed the variation in terms of virulence, drug resistance, and factors involved in horizontal gene transfer. The study identified core genes for substrate transport and metabolism, as well as antibiotic resistance genetic determinants classified into various AROs, while also uncovering genomic islands likely acquired through horizontal gene transfer.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alexandra A. Mushegian, Naresh Neupane, Zachary Batz, Motoyoshi Mogi, Nobuko Tuno, Takako Toma, Ichiro Miyagi, Leslie Ries, Peter A. Armbruster
Summary: Recurring seasonal changes can lead to the evolution of phenological cues. For example, many arthropods undergo photoperiodic diapause when the days get shorter in autumn. This study shows that latitudinal clines in diapause timing of an invasive mosquito can be explained by a novel application of a growing degree day model.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peng Zhang, Gael Grenouillet, Xianghong Dong, Yichen Zheng, Sovan Lek, Jianbo Chang
Summary: Our study reveals that future changes in human population density will have the most significant impact on the distribution of the Chinese giant salamander in different river basins. Under high-emission scenarios, the species range loss could be most severe in 2050 and 2070. Different basins show distinct responses to population density and climate factors, highlighting the importance of considering local adaptation in conservation and management strategies.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yanglei Jia, Xiao Liu
Summary: The comprehensive analysis of the AQP family in three geographically isolated oyster species revealed that the expansion of the AQP family in oysters was mainly due to tandem duplication, and independent duplication events contributed to the diversification of the AQP family in different oysters. The functionally differentiated AQP family members in oysters may play critical roles in maintaining the balance between stationary homeostasis and dynamic environments.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ossi Nokelainen, Francisko de Moraes Rezende, Janne K. Valkonen, Johanna Mappes
Summary: This article investigates the effects of environmental conditions on prey color signals and predator behavior. The results show that light environments can influence the foraging decisions of predators and potentially contribute to the diversity of prey phenotypes.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Katja Pulkkinen, Tarmo Ketola, Jouni Laakso, Johanna Mappes, Lotta-Riina Sundberg
Summary: This study found that the intensive farming environment induces higher phenotypic variation in fish pathogens compared to the natural environment. The study also observed that phenotypic variation is driven by the exploitation of increased outside-host resources at farms. Furthermore, the study suggests that environmental conditions at fish farms could select isolates with high phenotypic variation in bacterial population and thus affect the evolution of F. columnare at fish farms.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Liisa Hamalainen, Hannah M. Rowland, Johanna Mappes, Rose Thorogood
Summary: Social information transmission plays a crucial role in predator-prey interactions and may alter selection pressures for prey defenses at each stage of predation. Research suggests that social transmission among predators influences the outcome of different predation stages and plays a significant role in species coevolution.
Article
Ecology
David W. Kikuchi, Michael Barfield, Marie E. Herberstein, Johanna Mappes, Robert D. Holt
Summary: Understanding the population dynamics of predators and alternative prey is crucial in determining the prevalence and abundance of model-mimic systems in Batesian mimicry. This study reveals that the population dynamics of predators and alternative prey can reverse traditional theoretical predictions, leading to apparent competition and potentially affecting the relative abundances of mimic and model populations. It suggests that the availability of alternative prey and numerical responses by predators may play a significant role in the scarcity of warning signals in nature.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Livia Pinzoni, Federica Poli, Alessandro Grapputo, Maria Berica Rasotto, Clelia Gasparini
Summary: Female reproductive fluid plays an important role in fertilization and postmating sexual selection, but its effects on the eggs have been understudied. This study shows that female reproductive fluid can extend the egg fertilization window, thereby increasing the opportunities for multiple paternity.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cristina Ottocento, Anne E. Winters, Bibiana Rojas, Johanna Mappes, Emily Burdfield-Steel
Summary: The chemical defence of the wood tiger moth varies within and between populations, which is contradictory to the assumption that prey survival relies on the strength of defence. It was found that populations facing higher predation pressure have stronger chemical defences, suggesting that local predator selection plays a role. Additionally, the efficacy of chemical defence is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Riccardo Trentin, Emanuela Moschin, Alessandro Grapputo, Fabio Rindi, Stefano Schiaparelli, Isabella Moro
Summary: During the XXVIII Italian Expedition to Antarctica in 2013, non-geniculate coralline algal specimens were collected in Adelie Cove and deposited in the collections of the Italian National Antarctic Museum. Through a combination of DNA sequence data and morpho-anatomical observations, the specimens were characterized and identified as a new species, which belongs to the order Hapalidiales but is distinct from any known genus in this order. A new genus, Thalassolithon gen. nov., is proposed for this newly discovered species, named T. adeliense sp. nov.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. P. Lawrence, Bibiana Rojas, Annelise Blanchette, Ralph A. A. Saporito, Johanna Mappes, Antoine Fouquet, Brice P. P. Noonan
Summary: Chemically-defended/aposematic species rely on diet for sequestering toxins and the community composition of chemical sources can vary across the range of species. We studied alkaloid content and predator response in two populations of the Dyeing Poison Frog in French Guiana. Our findings show distinct alkaloid profiles and different predator responses between the populations.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Miia J. Rainio, Aigi Margus, Santtu Tikka, Marjo Helander, Leena Lindstrom
Summary: This study investigated the effects of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) on the survival and detoxification gene expression of Colorado potato beetles. The results showed that environmentally relevant levels of pure glyphosate and GBHs increased the mortality rate of the beetle larvae, but did not affect the expression profiles of detoxification genes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alejandro Corregidor-Castro, Jennifer Morinay, Susan E. McKinlay, Samuele Ramellini, Giacomo Assandri, Gaia Bazzi, Alexandra Glavaschi, Enrico L. De Capua, Alessandro Grapputo, Andrea Romano, Michelangelo Morganti, Jacopo G. Cecere, Andrea Pilastro, Diego Rubolini
Summary: Future climatic scenarios predict increases in temperature and extreme events, such as heatwaves, which can have detrimental effects on avian reproduction. A nest cooling experiment on a Mediterranean bird of prey, the lesser kestrel, showed that high nest temperatures during heatwaves led to increased hatching failure, mortality, and impaired growth in nestlings. These findings highlight the potential threats posed by rising temperatures and heatwave frequency to even warm-adapted species in the Mediterranean region and elsewhere in temperate areas.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Irene Varponi, Stefania Ferro, Luca Menilli, Alessandro Grapputo, Francesca Moret, Francesca Mastrotto, Oriano Marin, Federica Sandrelli
Summary: This study reports the biological properties of D-Q53 CecB, which is an all-D enantiomer of the silkworm natural peptide Q53 CecB. Compared to the L-variant, D-Q53 CecB shows enhanced bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa planktonic bacteria and resistance to in vitro degradation by humans and P. aeruginosa elastases. It is thermostable and maintains its antimicrobial activity at high salt concentrations and in the presence of divalent cations or fetal-bovine serum. In addition, D-Q53 CecB shows cytotoxic phenomena at higher concentrations against different types of human cells. It is also effective in inhibiting and degrading biofilms, making it a favorable candidate for anti-Pseudomonas therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisa Morbiato, Silvia Cattelan, Andrea Pilastro, Alessandro Grapputo
Summary: Life-history theory suggests that ageing is one of the costs of reproduction. This study found that reproductive investment in male guppies is strongly associated with telomere length, indicating a trade-off between reproduction and maintenance at each stage of males' life in this species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aigi Margus, Shahed Saifullah, Maaria Kankare, Leena Lindstrom
Summary: This study investigated the effects of the commonly used fungicide fluazinam on the life history traits of the Colorado potato beetle and found that fungicide exposure can have both negative and positive, long-lasting effects on the beetles, but the impact may vary depending on the genetic background and population.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Liisa Hamalainen, Georgina E. Binns, Nathan S. Hart, Johanna Mappes, Paul G. McDonald, Louis G. O'Neill, Hannah M. Rowland, Kate D. L. Umbers, Marie E. Herberstein
Summary: Our study found that generalist bird predators did not pay attention to wing spots when abdominal stripes were present in the aposematic moth, Amata nigriceps. This suggests that bird predators primarily focus on the abdominal stripes of the moth, which could relax selection on consistent wing coloration.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Heli Juottonen, Neda N. Moghadam, Liam Murphy, Johanna Mappes, Juan A. Galarza
Summary: This study demonstrates that reciprocal frass transplantation can reverse some genotype-specific life-history traits in a lepidopteran host. The results indicate that genotype-specific selective filtering can fine-tune the bacterial community at specific life stages and tissues, such as the larval frass, even against a background of a highly variable community with stochastic assembly. Overall, our findings suggest that the host's genotype can influence its susceptibility to being colonized by microbiota, impacting key life-history traits.