The multicoloured Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis is an invasive insect that can negatively influence biodiversity and human economy in invaded areas. According to the enemy release hypothesis, invasive alien species are often little affected by parasites and other enemies. We studied the prevalence of common parasites of insects infesting and infecting H. axyridis in NW Poland. A large sample of 2351 individuals was collected and divided into two groups: 1180 beetles were dissected and examined for the presence of eugregarines, nematodes and Laboulbeniales fungi, and 751 were checked for phoretic mites. Our results show that H. axyridis is indeed parasitized infrequently. The prevalence of eugregarines and nematodes was very low (1.5% and 0.4%, respectively). No specimens of Laboulbeniales or phoretic mites were found. Our study indicates that in NW Poland H. axyridis is rarely infested or infected by parasites. This paper reports for the first time the infection of H. axyridis by the eugregarine Gregarina barbarara., Kryzstof Dudek, Paweł Sienkiewicz, Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz, Piotr Tryjanowski., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Accurate survey methods are required for any wildlife research to yield reliable population data. This constraint finds significance in amphibian research that involves a highly threatened group of animals with a large proportion of cryptic species not easily detected by conventional survey methods. Across a growing spectrum of zoology research, survey outcomes are benefitting from the efficacy of scent detection dogs in assisting with species detection. We investigated the ability of a scent detection dog to locate and identify traces of giant bullfrog, Pyxicephalus adspersus scent and investigate methods of preserving frog scent for use in subsequent conditioning training of dogs. The scent detection dog was able to detect 100,000 times diluted scent with 87% sensitivity and 84% efficacy. High specificity (98,6%) was also achieved while presented with the challenge of detecting P. adspersus scent amid that of other frog species. Detection sensitivity was negatively correlated with scent preservation time but yielded the highest sensitivity for samples that were preserved as skin swabs stored at 4 °C and diluted shortly before use. Conservationists, scientists, and customs officials alike can benefit from scent detection dog detection of amphibians through enhanced sample acquisition rates with reduced collection biases.
Twenty eight species of winter-active Heleomyzidae were collected during a long-term study in Poland. More than 130 samples of insects, including Heleomyzidae, were collected from the surface of snow in lowland and mountain areas using a semi-quantitative method. Lowland and mountain assemblages of Heleomyzidae recorded on snow were quite different. Heleomyza modesta (Meigen, 1835) and Scoliocentra (Leriola) brachypterna (Loew, 1873) dominated in the mountains, Tephrochlamys rufiventris (Meigen, 1830) mainly in the lowlands and Heteromyza rotundicornis (Zetterstedt, 1846) was common in both habitats. Heleomyzidae were found on snow during the whole period of snow cover, but the catches peaked from late November to the beginning of February. In late winter and early spring the occurrence of heleomyzids on snow decreased. Most individuals were active on snow at air temperatures between -2 and +2.5°C. A checklist of 78 winter active European Heleomyzidae is presented. Helomyza nivalis Wahlgren, 1918 is herein considered as a new junior synonym of Helomyza caesia Meigen, 1830, syn. n., Agnieszka Soszyńska-Maj, Andrzej J. Woźnica., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Representatives of Ligophorus Euzet et Suriano, 1977 were found on the gills of Mugil liza Valenciennes caught in southern Brazil. They were identified as Ligophorus uruguayense Failla Siquier et Ostrowski de Núñez, 2009 and Ligophorus saladensis Marcotegui et Martorelli, 2009, even though specific identification proved to be difficult due to inconsistencies in some diagnostic features reported for these two species. Therefore, a combined morphological and molecular approach was used to critically review the validity of these species, by means of phase contrast and confocal fluorescence microscopical examination of sclerotised hard parts, and assessing the genetic divergence between L. saladensis, L. uruguayense and their congeners using rDNA sequences. The main morphological differences between the two species relate to the shape of the accessory piece of the penis and the median process of the ventral bar. The accessory piece in L. uruguayense is shorter than in L. saladensis, has a cylindrical, convex upper lobe and straight lower lobe (vs with the distal tip of the lower lobe turning away from the upper lobe in the latter species). The ventral bar has a V-shaped anterior median part in L. uruguayense (vs U-shaped in L. saladensis). The two species are suggested to be part of a species complex together with L. mediterraneus Sarabeev, Balbuena et Euzet, 2005. We recommend to generalise such comparative assessment of species of Ligophorus for a reliable picture of the diversity and diversification mechanisms within the genus, and to make full use of its potential as an additional marker for mullet taxonomy and systematics., Natalia C. Marchiori, Antoine Pariselle, Joaber Pereira Jr., Jean-François Agnèse, Jean-Dominique Durand, Maarten P.M. Vanhove., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Obtaining reliable estimates of population abundance is of utmost importance for wildlife research and management. To this aim, camera-traps are increasingly used, as this method has the advantage of being noninvasive and allows for continuous monitoring. Camera traps can be used to estimate abundance in combination with traditional capture-recapture techniques, as well as with estimators that do not require marked individuals. Here, we investigated the use of camera-based mark-recapture methods applied to an Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) population in the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park (eastern Italian Alps). We compared abundance estimates derived from a traditional capture-mark-recapture (CMR) framework and camera trap mark-resight (CTMR) over three consecutive years. CMR models estimated a population size of n = 19 individuals (95% CI = 18-27), n = 15 (14-22) and n = 24 (22-32) in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively. CTMR returned an estimated population size of n = 24 (95% CI = 18-30), n = 20 (17-24) and n = 22 (21-24) for the same years. The difference between the estimate of these two methods was significant only in 2020, with CMR returning a lower estimate than CTMR (95% CI = –9.4-–0.6). This difference was not significant for 2019 (95% CI = –10.9-0.9) and 2021 (95% CI = –1.8-5.9). Based on our results, the use of CTMR techniques is promising in the estimation of absolute population size of marmots, and the estimator was slightly more precise than CMR. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of CTMR with reduced capture effort.
We provide here a general introduction on chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence, then we present our measurements on fast (< 1 s) induction curves (the so-called OJIP transients) on dark-adapted intact leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana, under five different light intensities [in the range of ~ 500 to ~ 3,000 µmol(photons) m‒2 s‒1] using two different instruments: Handy PEA (Hansatech Instruments, UK; excitation light, 650 nm) and FluorPen (model FP-110; Photon Systems Instruments, The Czech Republic; excitation light, 470 nm). We then discuss the observed differences in the OJIP curves, as well as in Fo (F20μs, F50μs, or the extrapolated Ft→0), FP (the peak), and the ratios FP/Fo, and Fv (= FP ‒ Fo)/FP in terms of differences in excitation light intensity and absorptance (or absorbance) of the excitation light by the leaves, and other factors, as well as the data available in the literature. We suggest that such measurements be accompanied, in the future, by parallel measurements on Chl a fluorescence imaging, an area pioneered by Hartmut K. Lichtenthaler., B. Padhi, G. Chauhan, D. Kandoi, A. Stirbet, B. C. Tripathy, G. Govindjee., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Variable rate technology (VRT) in nutrient management has been developed in order to apply crop inputs according to the required amount of fertilizers. Meteorological conditions rarely differ within one field; however, differences in soil conditions responding to precipitation or evaporation results within field variations. These variations in soil properties such as moisture content, evapotranspiration ability, etc. requires site-specific treatments for the produced crops. There is an ongoing debate among experts on how to define management zones as well as how to define the required amount of fertilizers for phosphorus and nitrogen replenishment for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. For management zone delineation, vegetation based or soil based data collection is applied, where various sensor technology or remote sensing is in help for the farmers. and The objective of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the effect of soil moisture data derived from Sentinel-2 satellite images moisture index and variable rate phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer by means of variable rate application (VRA) in winter wheat in Mezőföld, Hungary. Satellite based moisture index variance at the time of sowing has been derived, calculated and later used for data comparison. Data for selected points showed strong correlation (R2 = 0.8056; n = 6) between moisture index and yield, however generally for the whole field correlation does not appear. Vegetation monitoring has been carried out by means of NDVI data calculation. On the field level, as indicated earlier neither moisture index values at sowing nor vegetation index data was sufficient to determine yield. Winter wheat production based on VRA treatment resulted significant increase in harvested crop: 5.07 t/h in 2013 compared to 8.9 t/ha in 2018. Uniformly managed (control) areas provided similar yield as VRA treated areas (8.82 and 8.9 t/ha, respectively); however, the input fertilizer was reduced by 108 kg/ha N and increased by 37 kg/ha P.
A key to genera of South American Deltocephalini Dallas, 1870 based on adult males is presented. Two new genera, each based on a single new species from Argentina are described and illustrated: Corrientesia gen. n. based on type species C. ochrescens sp. n. and Salnogia gen. n. based on type species S. fletcheri sp. n. A new species of Graminella DeLong, 1936, G. schrocki sp. n. from Argentina is also described and illustrated. Graminella stelliger (Berg, 1884) equals Fusanus acristylus Cheng, 1980, syn. n. A new combination, Limpica pallida (Linnavuori & DeLong, 1979) comb. n., transferred from Reventazonia Linnavuori, 1959, is also proposed. Quaziptus Kramer, 1965, is returned from Paralimnini Distant, 1908 to Deltocephalini Dallas, 1870., Yani Duan, Christopher H. Dietrich., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Northern pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pinivora (Treitschke, 1834) shows a highly scattered distribution with fragmented populations across Europe. A previous study exploring the postglacial history of T. pinivora defined it as a cold-tolerant relict species and concluded that a progressive reduction of suitable habitats after the postglacial expansion from refugia in the southern Iberian peninsula best explained the distribution and genetic structure of populations of this species. However, recent records, both by us and others, challenge this view. Surprisingly, some of the newly found populations from southern Spain use black pine, Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold as a host plant despite the fact that the typical host of the species, Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L. occurs in the area. We provide genetic data for one of these recently found southern populations where the larvae feed on P. nigra, and compare this with previously published data on individuals collected on P. sylvestris. This data reveals that populations from different host trees are no more genetically differentiated than populations sharing the same host plant. The findings of a wider diet breadth open the way to widen the search for the still unidentified glacial refugium of T. pinivora, and as such may contribute to a better understanding about how the species has spread across Europe., José A. Hódar, Anna Cassel-Lundhagen, Andrea Battisti, Stig Larsson., and Obsahuje bibliografii
People spend a large part of their awake time at work, which can have a huge impact on their life satisfaction. Scholars have found that job satisfaction influences life satisfaction, but the role of work alienation is little studied. While work alienation reportedly diminishes life satisfaction, just how job satisfaction relates with these two constructs has not yet been clarified. Currently, the role of labor union membership is an underestimated aspect of this relationship. Although the relationship between union membership and job satisfaction has been variously studied, its relationship with other variables (e.g., work alienation and life satisfaction) remains less investigated. To fill this gap, the authors examined the influence of work alienation on job and life satisfaction in relation to belonging or not to a public administration workers’ union. Self-report questionnaire responses (N=479) indicated a negative relationship between work alienation and job satisfaction and a negative influence on overall quality of life. The relationship between work alienation and life satisfaction, however, was moderated by union membership. Union memberships mitigated the negative relationship between work alienation and life satisfaction and may be considered a protective factor for workers’ quality of life. and Lidé tráví hodně svého času v práci, což může mít velký dopad na jejich životní spokojenost. Bylo zjištěno, že spokojenost s prací ovlivňuje spokojenost se životem, ale role práce byla málo zkoumána. Zatímco bylo zjištěno, že odcizení snižuje životní spokojenost, musí být ještě zkoumáno, jak spokojenost s prací souvisí s těmito dvěma konstrukty. V současné době je role členství v odborech podceňovaným aspektem tohoto vztahu. Ačkoli byl vztah mezi členstvím v odborech a spokojeností s prací zkoumán mnohokrát, vztah s jinými proměnnými (např. pracovní odcizení a spokojenost se životem) byl studován méně. Proto autoři zkoumali dopad pracovního odcizení na spokojenost s prací a životní spokojenost ve vztahu k členství v odborech pracovníků veřejné správy. Odpovědi na sebehodnotící dotazník (N = 479) naznačily negativní vztah mezi pracovním odcizením a spokojeností s prací a negativní vliv na celkovou kvalitu života. Vztah mezi pracovním odcizením a životní spokojeností byl však zmírněn členstvím v odborech. Členství v odborech zmírnilo negativní vztah mezi mezi pracovním odcizením a životní spokojeností a lze je považovat za ochranný faktor pro kvalitu života zaměstnanců.