Parasitism,host feeding and immature development of Encarsia formosa reared from Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci on Trialeurodes ricini

Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a thelytokous parasitoid, is an important biological control agent of whiteflies because of its outstanding reproduction and host‐feeding ability. In this study, we evaluated the parasitism, host feeding and developmental time of E. formosa populations reared on Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (EFT) or on Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (EFB) when different nymphal instars of the castor whitefly, Trialeurodes ricini (Misra), were offered as hosts, with an aim to understand the preference of the parasitoid on nymphal instars of T. ricini. Experiments were conducted on castor bean plants at 26 ± 2°C, 50–60% RH and 16 : 8 (L : D) photoperiod. The results showed that E. formosa successfully oviposited and fed on all nymphal instars of T. ricini. However, numbers of the first instars fed on by the E. formosa populations reared on T. vaporariorum (EFT) and B. tabaci (EFB) were significantly greater (45.9 and 31.3, respectively) than those of the second (EFT: 30.4 and EFB: 15.8), the third (EFT: 22.4 and EFB: 13.2) and the fourth nymphal instars (EFT: 6.0 and EFB: 3.8). The number of T. ricini nymphs parasitized by E. formosa varied significantly among different instars, and the parasitism rates on the first instar (EFT: 15.2; EFB: 7.7) and fourth instar (EFT: 19.3; EFB: 4.9) were greater than those on the second and third instars. Encarsia formosa reared on T. vaporariorum had a significantly higher host feeding and ovipositing potential on T. ricini than EFB. When parasitizing the fourth instar nymphs, E. formosa completed development in a significantly shorter time (12.9 day) than when ovipositing in other instars (17.8–19.1 day). These results showed that EFT had a better host adaption than EFB. The information from this study should be useful for us to better understand the performance and nymphal preference of E. formosa from T. vaporariorum and B. tabaci when they parasitized and fed on T. ricini, and the interactions of parasitoids with different host whitefly species.     

Role of olfaction in host plant selection and local adaptation of a polyphagous herbivore,Eucolaspis Sharp

Host plant cues are known to shape insect–host plant association in many insect groups. More pronounced associations are generally manifested in specialist herbivores, but little is known in generalist herbivores. We used a polyphagous native beetle from New Zealand, bronze beetle, Eucolaspis sp. ‘Hawkes Bay’ (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) to explore the role of olfaction in locating host plants and local adaptation. We also tested the role of other cues in the degree of acceptance or rejection of hosts. Adult Eucolaspis beetles were attracted to fresh leaf volatiles from apple and blackberry (Rosaceae). Male and female beetles responded similarly to olfactory cues of host plants. An indication of evolutionary affiliation was observed in olfactory preferences of geographically isolated conspecific populations. We found that geographically isolated populations of the beetles differ in their olfactory responses and exhibit some degree of local adaptation. However, irrespective of geographical and ecological associations, blackberry was preferred over apple as a feeding plant, and another novel plant, bush lawyer (Rubus australis), was readily accepted by 53.25% of the tested beetles. We show that plant volatiles play an important role in host location by Eucolaspis, but the acceptance or rejection of a particular host could also involve visual and contact cues.     

Differential herbivory of the specialist beetle Stolas punicea on chemical phenotypes of its host Mikania micrantha

We assessed the preference of two populations of the specialist beetle Stolas punicea, on plants from three phytochemically differentiated geographical mosaics of the American weed Mikania micrantha. Our results show a significant geographic variation in host preference in S. punicea that could affect its success as a biocontrol agent.     

Skeletochronological estimation of age and growth of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the western South Atlantic Ocean

Age and growth are important parameters for better understanding of life history and population dynamics of animal species, as well as for formulating management strategies. However, these data are difficult to obtain for sea turtles because of overall slow growth, delayed maturation and highly migratory behaviour. The loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, is a widely distributed species, globally listed as endangered. Although the species has been well‐studied in some regions, little is known about various aspects of its biology in other populations, such as those in the waters of the western South Atlantic Ocean, especially outside nesting areas. To address age and growth, loggerhead turtles found dead stranded on the northern coast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul during a period of 16 years (1994–2010) were utilized for estimation of age and growth rates using skeletochronology. The individuals analyzed were predominantly neritic juveniles, ranging from 53 to 101 cm curved carapace length (CCL; mean = 71 cm), with estimated ages between 10 and 29 years (mean = 15 years). Mean estimated annual growth rate was 2.1 cm CCL year^?1 (1.9 cm SCL yr^?1), showing large variation among individuals and between successive years in the same individual. Generalized additive mixed models analysis indicated that growth response was influenced by age, CCL and year. The results demonstrated that the southern coast of Brazil is an important area for the development of neritic juveniles of this species, which appear to recruit to this region beginning at about 12 years of age and sizes greater than 55 cm CCL.     

Vertical stratification of beetles in tropical rainforests as sampled by light traps in North Queensland,Australia

How arthropods are distributed within the vertical structure of tropical rainforests is of considerable interest to ecologists. Here, we examine how light trapped beetles are distributed in tropical rainforest in North Queensland, Australia. In January and July 2012, traps were suspended 0 m, 10 m, 20 m and 30 m above the ground in five locations with no more than one trap at any single location on any night. Maximum canopy height at the sites was 35 m. A total of 7299 individuals of 492 morphospecies and 66 families were collected. The species abundance‐based coverage estimator predicted a total species richness of 765. Sample completeness decreases with increasing height from the ground suggesting higher strata were less well sampled. Distance‐based redundancy analysis showed species richness was significantly different between 30 m and all other levels but not between other paired strata. In contrast, both species composition and family composition were significantly distinct for all strata pairs except 10 m with 20 m, and 20 m with 30 m, suggesting that the most distinct strata were 0 m and 30 m. The first two axes of ordination and hierarchical clustering accounted for 46.5% and 17.4% of species composition variation corresponding with season and stratum, respectively. Family level analyses gave similar results to those at the species level. We found stratification of different feeding guilds with herbivores comprising a larger percentage of species in higher strata, whereas saprophages were restricted to the lower strata, reflecting the availability of key resources for these guilds. Fewer species or families were found to be indicators of strata, as measured using IndVal, than for Malaise and flight interception traps (FIT). Dytiscidae and Hydraenidae were abundant but had not been collected using Malaise and FIT. Which species or families are indicators of strata depends on sampling method suggesting multiple sampling methods should be used to establish indicators.     

桃蚜取食行为对大气CO_2浓度升高的响应

【目的】近年来随着人类活动的增加,温室气体尤其是大气CO_2浓度升高造成的虫害爆发已成为国际上关注的焦点,因此,研究拟南芥Arabidopsis thaliana上桃蚜取食行为的变化对大气CO_2浓度升高的响应意义重大。【方法】本研究以拟南芥和绿色桃蚜Myzus persicae为研究对象,利用野生型拟南芥Col-0,茉莉酸途径信号传导缺失突变体(jar1)、水杨酸途径信号传导缺失突变体(npr1)、乙烯途径信号传导缺失突变体(ein2-5)为材料,以大气CO_2浓度升高为影响因子,利用刺吸式电位仪(EPG)记录了桃蚜在不同处理的拟南芥上的取食波形。【结果】研究结果发现:CO_2浓度升高缩短了Col-0和jar1植株上蚜虫首次刺探时间和首次到达韧皮部的时间,却延长了npr1和ein2-5上蚜虫首次到达韧皮部的时间,降低了jar1植株上蚜虫总的刺探时间且增加了其总的取食韧皮部时间,但没有改变其它基因型植株上蚜虫总的刺探和取食时间;同时增加了野生型植株上蚜虫的刺探频率,却没有影响其它基因型植株上的刺探频率。【结论】CO_2浓度升高降低了野生型植株和jar1植株抗性,有利于蚜虫到达韧皮部;却增加了npr1和ein2-5上的植物抗性,从而不利于蚜虫到达韧皮部。     

不同寄主上桃粉大尾蚜的取食偏好及形态变异研究

【目的】桃粉大尾蚜Hyalopterus pruni Geoffroy是一种常见的农业害虫,分布广泛。本文对采自上海地区粘核毛桃Amygdalus persica L.var.scleropersica(Reich.)Yüet Lu、紫叶李Prunus cerasifera Ehrhar f.atropurpurea(Jacq.)Rehd.和芦苇Phragmites australis(Cav.)Trin.ex Steud.3种植物上桃粉大尾蚜的取食偏好和形态变异进行了研究。【方法】通过叶碟法观测桃粉大尾蚜对3种寄主叶片的取食偏好,同时测量体长、体宽、触角各节长、喙末端长和宽、各足节长等30个形态指标,基于对形态数据的统计分析,包括主成分分析、聚类分析和判别分析,研究不同寄主植物上桃粉大尾蚜的形态变异。【结果】饲以3种寄主植物叶片时,来自粘核毛桃和芦苇上的桃粉大尾蚜对各寄主叶片的总体喜食程度依次为芦苇>粘核毛桃>紫叶李,来源于紫叶李上的个体对3种叶片的喜食程度为芦苇>粘核毛桃=紫叶李;形态数据分析发现粘核毛桃和紫叶李上的桃粉大尾蚜各指标间均无显著差异(P>0.05),但二者与芦苇上的个体在触角节Ⅱ、触角末节鞭部长、喙末端长和中足胫节的长度间差异显著(P<0.05),紫叶李与芦苇上的个体前足跗节Ⅰ长这一指标差异显著(P<0.05),此外,主成分分析筛选的体长、头宽、触角各节和各足长度等特征构成的前四个主成分对总体方差的累计贡献率达到66.206%,其中贡献率较高的特征为触角和各足节长度,系统聚类和典型判别分析的结果显示采自芦苇上的桃粉大尾蚜区别于粘核毛桃和紫叶李上的,归为一类,同为蔷薇科植物的紫叶李和粘核毛桃上的桃粉大尾蚜克隆有小部分重叠。【结论】禾本科植物上的桃粉大尾蚜种群形态特征与蔷薇科植物上的相比,触角节Ⅱ和末节鞭部、喙末端长、中足胫节的长度存在一定的分化,初步推测造成桃粉大尾蚜形态分化的原因主要为寄主植物营养成分及其表面特征,其种内变异的具体机制仍需进一步探索。     

应用碳氮稳定同位素技术研究江豚(Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp. sunameri)食性

稳定同位素技术已广泛地用于分析生态系统中食物网的食物来源和营养级关系,但在海洋哺乳动物食性方面应用较少。通过分析2012年4—6月在辽东湾沿岸海域搁浅而死亡的江豚样本和同时期(6月)取自辽东湾海域主要渔获物的碳氮稳定同位素比值,研究了江豚(Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp.sunameri)及其可能摄食饵料的碳氮稳定同位素组成。结果表明:江豚δ13C值为(-18.4±0.3)‰,δ15N值为(13.8±0.4)‰。28种可能生物饵料的δ13C值的范围为-19.5‰—-17.0‰,δ~(15)N值的范围为11.4‰—14.0‰。江豚的营养级为4.5,高于传统胃含物分析法的研究结果。28种测试生物的营养级位于3.8—4.6之间。江豚的食物来源主要以鱼类为主,对食物种类的喜食顺序为中上层鱼类中下层鱼类底层鱼类头足类虾类蟹类,其平均贡献率分别为43.9%、18.2%、13.1%、10.0%、8.8%、6.0%。江豚碳氮稳定同位素比值与体长无明显的线性关系,碳营养源较为稳定,氮营养源复杂多变。     

不同耕作方式下草甸栗钙土燕麦田土壤微生物特征

河北坝上地区高寒半干旱的独特生态环境,土地沙化风蚀严重,作物产量低,土壤微生物的活动尚未有深入研究,尤其是人为干扰下的土壤微生物在作物生长季的动态变化。为了明确耕作方式对草甸栗钙土土壤微生物性状的影响特征,依托定位12a的免耕、深松、常规耕作田间试验基础,通过辅助设置12a免耕、深松后的翻耕处理,监测了燕麦田土壤微生物量碳、活跃微生物量和土壤呼吸速率等性状。结果表明,土壤微生物量碳与活跃微生物量围绕燕麦抽穗期为"W型"时序变化,长期免耕与深松下呈现0—10 cm表层土壤富集微生物量碳的空间分布特征。免耕与深松有利于提高0—10 cm土层土壤微生物量,多年免耕和深松后翻耕能使土层间土壤活跃微生物量差异减小。燕麦田土壤呼吸速率呈现"U型"时序变化,免耕0—10 cm土层呼吸速率具有较其他耕作方式更高的趋势。在燕麦生育期内,土壤呼吸商一直处于较低而平稳的水平,燕麦收获后进入土壤微生物的高活性期;0—10 cm土层翻耕与多年免耕与深松后的翻耕处理土壤呼吸商有高于免耕处理的趋势。翻耕对于促进冷凉区土壤库存养分的活化与适时供应具有重要作用。     

Biological mechanisms related to differences in residual feed intake in dairy cows

Residual feed intake (RFI), defined as the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake and expected feed intake over a specific period, is an inheritable character of feed conversion efficiency in dairy cows. Research has shown that a lower RFI could improve the profitability of milk production. This study explored variation in RFI by comparing the differences in body size, milk performance, feeding behavior, and serum metabolites in 29 Holstein cows in mid lactation. The cows were selected from a total of 84 animals based on their RFI following feedlot tests. Selected cows were ranked into high RFI (RFI >1 SD above the mean, n=14) and low RFI (RFI<1 SD below the mean, n=15). The low RFI cows (more efficient) consumed 1.59 kg/day less dry matter than the high RFI group (P<0.01), while they produced nearly equal 4% fat-corrected milk. The milk : feed ratio was higher for the low RFI group than for the high RFI group (P<0.05). The levels of milk protein (P<0.01), total solids (P<0.05), and nonfat solids (P<0.05) were also higher for the low RFI group, whereas milk urea nitrogen was lower (P<0.01). The daily feeding duration was shorter for the low RFI group than for the high RFI group (P<0.01). No significant differences were found in levels of glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate, prolactin, insulin, IGF-1, growth hormone or ghrelin, but the level of neuropeptide Y was higher (P<0.01) and levels of leptin and non-esterified fatty acid (P<0.05) were lower for the low RFI group than for the high RFI group. There were substantial differences between cows with different RFI, which might affect the efficiency of milk protein metabolism and fat mobilization.