Elevationally biased avian predation as a contributor to the spatial distribution of geometrid moth outbreaks in sub‐arctic mountain birch forest

1. Population dynamics and interactions that vary over a species' range are of particular importance in the context of latitudinal clines in biological diversity. Winter moth (Operophtera brumata) and autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata) are two species of eruptive geometrids that vary widely in outbreak tendency over their range, which generally increases from south to north and with elevation. 2. The predation pressure on geometrid larvae and pupae over an elevational gradient was tested. The effects of background larval density and bird occupancy of monitoring nest boxes on predation rates were also tested. Predation on larvae was tested through exclusion treatments at 20 replicate stations over four elevations at one site, while pupae were set out to measure predation at two elevations at three sites. 3. Larval densities were reduced by bird predation at three lower elevations, but not at the highest elevation, and predation rates were 1.9 times higher at the lowest elevation than at the highest elevation. The rate of predation on larvae was not related to background larval density or nest box occupancy, although there were more eggs and chicks at the lowest elevation. There were no consistent differences in predation on pupae by elevation. 4. These results suggest that elevational variation in avian predation pressure on larvae may help to drive elevational differences in outbreak tendency, and that birds may play a more important role in geometrid population dynamics than the focus on invertebrate and soil predators of previous work would suggest.     

Role of input self-sufficiency in the economic and environmental sustainability of specialised dairy farms

Increasing input self-sufficiency is often viewed as a target to improve sustainability of dairy farms. However, few studies have specifically analysed input self-sufficiency, by including several technical inputs and without only focussing on animal feeding, in order to explore its impact on farm sustainability. To address this gap, our work has three objectives as follows: (1) identifying the structural characteristics required by specialised dairy farms located in the grassland area to be self-sufficient; (2) analysing the relationships between input self-sufficiency, environmental and economic sustainability; and (3) studying how the farms react to a decrease in milk price according to their self-sufficiency degree. Based on farm accounting databases, we categorised 335 Walloon specialised conventional dairy farms into four classes according to their level of input self-sufficiency. To this end, we used as proxy the indicator of economic autonomy – that is, the ratio between costs of inputs related to animal production, crop production and energy use and the total gross product. Classes were then compared using multiple comparison tests and canonical discriminant analysis. A total of 30 organic farms – among which 63% had a high level of economic autonomy – were considered separately and compared with the most autonomous class. We showed that a high degree of economic autonomy is associated, in conventional farms, with a high proportion of permanent grassland in the agricultural area. The most autonomous farms used less input – especially animal feeding – for a same output level, and therefore combined good environmental and economic performances. Our results also underlined that, in a situation of decrease in milk price, the least autonomous farms had more latitude to decrease their input-related costs without decreasing milk production. Their incomes per work unit were, therefore, less impacted by falling prices, but remained lower than those of more autonomous farms. In such a situation, organic farms kept stable incomes, because of a slighter decrease in organic milk price. Our results pave the way to study the role of increasing input self-sufficiency in the transition of dairy farming systems towards sustainability. Further research is required to study a wide range of systems and agro-ecological contexts, as well as to consider the evolution of farm sustainability in the long term.     

WFS1 and non-syndromic low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss: A novel mutation in a Portuguese case

Low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (LFSNHL) is an unusual type of HL in which frequencies at 2000 Hz and below are predominantly affected. Most of the families with LFSNHL carry missense mutations in WFS1 gene, coding for wolframin.     

Efficient resolution of parentage in dogs by amplification of microsatellites

Parentage control has been performed for 15 litters from 12 different dog breeds by amplification of microsatellites. As it was possible to include all putative parents in all cases, they were solved by exclusion. Discrimination between parents/non-parents was made after genotyping of 6–9 microsatellite loci. In 12 of the cases all but one of the alleged fathers were excluded while in three cases it was unambiguously shown that superfecundation had taken place. Furthermore, one inclusion case concerning disputed maternity has been investigated. Maternity indices were calculated for 12 loci and probability of maternity was estimated to be 99-99%. These results testify that microsatellites can be applied very efficiently for resolution of parentage in dogs.     

Lasioseius Fimetorum: a soil-dwelling predator of glasshouse pests?

Female lifespan and reproduction, in terms of numberof larvae produced, of the soil-dwelling predatorymite Lasioseius fimetorum Karg (Acari:Podocinidae) fed on mould mites (Tyrophagusputrescentiae [Schrank] [Acarina: Acaridae]) wereinvestigated by laboratory experiments at 20 °C,as were the mite's consumption rates of various prey.After a preoviposition period of 10.7 days, L.fimetorum produced progeny at a daily rate of 0.7.The oviposition period lasted 23.6 days and a total of19.4 progeny were produced per female. Females livedfor 38.6 days. Eggs of the Collembola Isotomurusspp. (Collembola: Isotomidae) were consumed in thelargest amount by L. fimetorum followed by mouldmite nymphs, larvae and pupae of thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis [Pergande] [Thysanoptera:Thripidae]), eggs of the Collembola Micrisotomaspp. (Collembola: Isotomidae), Isotomurus spp.nymphs and sciarid larvae (Bradysia pauperaTuomikoski and B. tritici (Coquillet) [Diptera:Sciaridae]). Immature drain flies (Psychoda spp.[Diptera: Psychodidae]) were not consumed by L.fimetorum. The suitability of L. fimetorum forbiological control of glasshouse pests withsoil-dwelling stages is discussed in comparison withanother predatory mite Hypoaspis miles Berlese(Acarina: Hypoaspididae).     

Implications of transgenic, insecticidal plants for insect and plant biodiversity

Genetically modified plants are widely grown predominantly in North America and to a lesser extent in Australia, Argentina and China but their regions of production are expected to spread soon beyond these limited areas also reaching Europe where great controversy over the application of gene technology in agriculture persists. Currently, several cultivars of eight major crop plants are commercially available including canola, corn, cotton, potato, soybean, sugar beet, tobacco and tomato, but many more plants with new and combined multiple traits are close to registration. While currently agronomic traits (herbicide resistance, insect resistance) dominate, traits conferring “quality” traits (altered oil compositions, protein and starch contents) will begin to dominate within the next years. However, economically the most promising future lies in the development and marketing of crop plants expressing pharmaceutical or “nutraceuticals” (functional foods), and plants that express a number of different genes. From this it is clear that future agricultural and, ultimately, also natural ecosystems will be challenged by the large-scale introduction of entirely novel genes and gene products in new combinations at high frequencies all of which will have unknown impacts on their associated complex of non-target organisms, i.e. all organisms that are not targeted by the insecticidal protein. In times of severe global decline of biodiversity, pro-active precaution is necessary and careful consideration of the likely expected effects of transgenic plants on biodiversity of plants and insects is mandatory.In this paper possible implications of non-target effects for insect and plant biodiversity are discussed and a case example of such non-target effects is presented. In a multiple year research project, tritrophic and bitrophic effects of transgenic corn, expressing the gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-corn) that codes for the high expression of an insecticidal toxin (Cry1Ab), on the natural enemy species, Chrysoperla carnea (the green lacewing), was investigated. In these laboratory trials, we found prey-mediated effects of transgenic Bt-corn causing significantly higher mortality of C. carnea larvae. In further laboratory trials, we confirmed that the route of exposure (fed directly or via a herbivorous prey) and the origin of the Bt (from transgenic plants or incorporated into artificial diet) strongly influenced the degree of mortality. In choice feeding trials where C. carnea could choose between Spodoptera littoralis fed transgenic Bt-corn and S. littoralis fed non-transgenic corn, larger instars showed a significant preference for S. littoralis fed non-transgenic corn while this was not the case when the choice was between Bt- and isogenic corn fed aphids. Field implications of these findings could be multifold but will be difficult to assess because they interfere in very intricate ways with complex ecosystem processes that we still know only very little about. The future challenge in pest management will be to explore how transgenic plants can be incorporated as safe and effective components of IPM systems and what gene technology can contribute to the needs of a modern sustainable agriculture that avoids or reduces adverse impacts on biodiversity? For mainly economically motivated resistance management purposes, constitutive high expression of Bt-toxins in transgenic plants is promoted seeking to kill almost 100% of all susceptible (and if possible heterozygote resistant) target pest insects. However, for pest management this is usually not necessary. Control at or below an established economic injury level is sufficient for most pests and cropping systems. It is proposed that partially or moderately resistant plants expressing quantitative rather than single gene traits and affecting the target pest sub-lethally may provide a more meaningful contribution of agricultural biotechnology to modern sustainable agriculture. Some examples of such plants produced through conventional breeding are presented. Non-target effects may be less severe allowing for better incorporation of these plants into IPM or biological control programs using multiple control strategies, thereby, also reducing selection pressure for pest resistance development.     

Predictors of Weight Change in Middle‐aged and Old Men

Objective: Studies on weight change and mortality have yielded inconclusive results. This 10‐year prospective study was undertaken to improve understanding of factors affecting weight change. Research Methods and Procedures: The subjects were 1143 men, aged 36 to 88 years (mean, 53.3 years) at entry. A questionnaire was filled in at entry and at the end of the follow‐up with queries on weight, height, weight at the age of 20, physician‐diagnosed diseases, smoking, alcohol use, dietary habits, leisure physical activity, occupation, present occupational activity, living conditions (living alone or cohabiting), and former athletic status. Further information on morbidity was obtained from selected national registers. Factors predicting weight change during the study were identified by stepwise linear multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean 10‐year weight change was 0.8 (range, ?29 to +24) kg. Age at entry (β‐coefficient, ?0.17, SE 0.02), weight at entry (β, ?0.03, SE 0.01), diabetes at entry (β, ?3.55, SE 1.02), diabetes diagnosed after entry (β, ?3.94, SE 0.96), malignant cancer (β, ?1.60, SE 0.70), being a smoker (β, ?1.59, SE 0.48), and increased physical activity (β, ?1.27, SE 0.54) were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with weight loss in the final model. The model explained 13% of the variance of weight change. Discussion: The results emphasize the complexity of weight change. Some factors associated with weight change are apparently negatively, and some positively, associated with health. This could explain the equivocal findings on weight change and mortality in the literature.     

Differential susceptibility to hydrogen sulfide-induced apoptosis between PHLDA1-overexpressing oral cancer cell lines and oral keratinocytes: Role of PHLDA1 as an apoptosis suppressor

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a novel gasotransmitter that plays multiple biological roles in various body systems. In addition to its endogenous production, H₂S is produced by bacteria colonizing digestive organs, including the oral cavity. H₂S was previously shown to enhance pro-apoptotic effects in cancer cell lines, although the mechanisms involved remain unclear. To properly assess the anti-cancer effects of H₂S, however, investigations of apoptotic effects in normal cells are also necessary. The aims of this study were (1) to compare the susceptibility to H₂S-induced apoptosis between the oral cancer cell line Ca9-22 and oral keratinocytes that were derived from healthy gingiva, and (2) to identify candidate genes involved in the induction of apoptosis by H₂S. The susceptibility to H₂S-induced apoptosis in Ca9-22 cells was significantly higher than that in keratinocytes. H₂S exposure in Ca9-22 cells, but not keratinocytes, enhanced the expression of pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1 (PHLDA1), which was identified through a differential display method. In addition, PHLDA1 expression increased during actinomycin D-induced apoptosis in Ca9-22 cells. Knockdown of PHLDA1 expression by small interfering RNA in Ca9-22 cells led to expression of active caspase 3, thus indicating apoptosis induction. The tongue cancer cell line SCC-25, which expresses PHLDA1 at a high level, showed similar effects. Our data indicate that H₂S is an anti-cancer compound that may contribute to the low incidence of oral cancer. Furthermore, we demonstrated the role of PHLDA1 as an apoptosis suppressor.     

Effect of temperature on woodwasp (Sirex noctilio F.) development and parasitism by the entomopathogenic nematode,Deladenus siricidicola

The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, is a significant global pest of exotic pine plantations in the Southern Hemisphere and now threatens native pine forests in North America. Management in Australia relies on biocontrol using the nematode, Deladenus (= Beddingia) siricidicola (Bedding), which infects and sterilises females who then further disperse the nematode. This pest is spreading into warmer regions in Australia and South America and coupled with the threat of global climate change, there is uncertainty as to how increasing temperatures will affect the biocontrol program. S. noctilio within nematode-inoculated wood were reared at four temperatures (24, 25.3, 26.6 and 28 °C) to investigate the effects of elevated temperatures on wasp development (emergence time, sex ratio and size), development of eggs (number, size, and maturation) and infection by the nematode. At 24 °C, which reflects current field temperature, S. noctilio were bigger in size and all the eggs were normal and all were infected with nematodes. Modest rises in temperature reflecting climate change scenarios resulted in smaller sized S. noctilio, disrupted egg development and maturation, and lowered the nematode sterilisation rate in females. Reduced S. noctilio female body size and egg infection will likely compromise biocontrol by D. siricidicola in its current distribution, but disrupted egg development may act directly on the pest, limiting dispersal of S. noctilio into subtropical pine plantations and adaptation to climate change.