The ecological niche and reciprocal prediction of the disjunct distribution of an invasive species: the example of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ailanthus altissima</Emphasis>

Knowledge of the ecological niches of invasive species in native and introduced ranges can inform management as well as ecological and evolutionary theory. Here, we identified and compared factors associated with the distribution of an invasive tree, Ailanthus altissima, in both its native Chinese and introduced US ranges and predicted potential US distribution. For both ranges separately, we selected suites of the most parsimonious logistic regression models of occurrence based on environmental variables and evaluated these against independent data. We then incorporated information from both ranges in a simple Bayesian model to predict the potential US distribution. Occurrence of A. altissima in both ranges exhibited a unimodal response to temperature variables. In China, occurrence had negative relationships with topographic wetness and forest cover and positive relationships with precipitation and agricultural and urban land use. In the US, A. altissima was associated with intermediate levels of forest cover and precipitation. The Bayesian model identified 58–80% of 10-arc minute grid cells in the conterminous US as containing suitable areas for A. altissima. The best model developed from Chinese data applied to the US matched most areas of observed occurrence but under-predicted occurrence in lower probability areas. This discrepancy is suggestive of a broadening of the ecological niche of A. altissima and may be due to such factors as less intense competition, increased potency of allelopathy, and novel genotypes formed from multiple introductions. The Bayesian model suggests that A. altissima has the potential to substantially expand its distribution in the US.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pycnoscelus surinamensis</Emphasis> (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blaberoidea: Blaberidae), a cockroach with a possible association with the ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachymyrmex cordemoyi</Emphasis> Forel, 1895 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and which may be exhibiting a domiciliation trend.

In the present paper, we report on the occurrence of the cockroach Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758) in Brachymyrmex cordemoyi Forel, 1895 nests, indicating a possible symbiosis between these two species. Also, the finding of intradomicile P. surinamensis nymphs may indicate this species is extending its habitat to human habitations, i.e. changing its ecological category from peridomestic to domestic.     

A GIS-based Model of the Distribution of the Rare Liverwort Aneura maxima at the Landscape Scale for an Improved Assessment of Its Conservation Status

Testing whether rare species are limited by narrow habitat conditions from correlations between species occurrence and measured environmental factors is usually hampered by the lack of statistical power associated to the low number of observations. Aneura maxima is an exceedingly rare liverwort in Europe whose recent discovery precluded the inclusion within the Red Data Book of European bryophytes. A series of new observations resulting from intensive bryophyte grid-mapping at the border between France and Belgium allowed the statistical investigation of the factors accounting for its distribution at the landscape scale. The species was systematically observed in deep ravines on damp, loamy soils under light tree cover within broadleaf woodlands. These conditions differ from those of other European localities, suggesting that A. maxima is not limited by a narrow ecological range. Attempting to predict the occurrence of A. maxima at the landscape scale from data on land use and soil conditions resulted in a model where the species was actually observed in only a half of the squares where its probability of occurrence was the highest. The species thus does not seem to have colonized all its potential habitats, which may be explained by the poor dispersal ability of this dioecious, rarely fertile species. Given the relative frequency of A. maxima in the Semois river basin, but taking into account its seemingly low dispersal ability and its preference for swampy habitats that are threatened by draining and spruce plantations, a status as 'conservation dependent' to 'near threatened' within the category 'lower risk' is proposed.     

Ecological niche and geographic distribution of human monkeypox in Africa

Monkeypox virus, a zoonotic member of the genus Orthopoxviridae, can cause a severe, smallpox-like illness in humans. Monkeypox virus is thought to be endemic to forested areas of western and Central Africa. Considerably more is known about human monkeypox disease occurrence than about natural sylvatic cycles of this virus in non-human animal hosts. We use human monkeypox case data from Africa for 1970-2003 in an ecological niche modeling framework to construct predictive models of the ecological requirements and geographic distribution of monkeypox virus across West and Central Africa. Tests of internal predictive ability using different subsets of input data show the model to be highly robust and suggest that the distinct phylogenetic lineages of monkeypox in West Africa and Central Africa occupy similar ecological niches. High mean annual precipitation and low elevations were shown to be highly correlated with human monkeypox disease occurrence. The synthetic picture of the potential geographic distribution of human monkeypox in Africa resulting from this study should support ongoing epidemiologic and ecological studies, as well as help to guide public health intervention strategies to areas at highest risk for human monkeypox.     

世界毁灭性检疫害虫番茄潜叶蛾的生物生态学及危害与控制

番茄潜叶蛾原产于南美洲的秘鲁,严重危害多种茄科作物,是最具毁灭性的世界检疫性害虫,严重发生地块番茄减产80%~100%。该虫主要借助农产品的贸易活动进行远距离传播扩散。截至2017年,番茄潜叶蛾已在全世界的85个国家和地区发生(以及在22个国家和地区疑似发生)。目前,我国尚没有该虫分布,然而其一旦入侵,将对我国的番茄和马铃薯产业构成巨大威胁。从番茄潜叶蛾寄主范围、危害特点及造成的经济损失、生物生态学习性、地理分布和传播扩散途径、防控措施等方面进行概述,以期为该虫的有效防范提供参考。     

Seasonal dynamics and co‐occurrence patterns of honey bee pathogens revealed by high‐throughput RT‐qPCR analysis

The health of the honey bee Apis mellifera is challenged by introduced parasites that interact with its inherent pathogens and cause elevated rates of colony losses. To elucidate co‐occurrence, population dynamics, and synergistic interactions of honey bee pathogens, we established an array of diagnostic assays for a high‐throughput qPCR platform. Assuming that interaction of pathogens requires co‐occurrence within the same individual, single worker bees were analyzed instead of collective samples. Eleven viruses, four parasites, and three pathogenic bacteria were quantified in more than one thousand single bees sampled from sixteen disease‐free apiaries in Southwest Germany. The most abundant viruses were black queen cell virus (84%), Lake Sinai virus 1 (42%), and deformed wing virus B (35%). Forager bees from asymptomatic colonies were infected with two different viruses in average, and simultaneous infection with four to six viruses was common (14%). Also, the intestinal parasites Nosema ceranae (96%) and Crithidia mellificae/Lotmaria passim (52%) occurred very frequently. These results indicate that low‐level infections in honey bees are more common than previously assumed. All viruses showed seasonal variation, while N. ceranae did not. The foulbrood bacteria Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius were regionally distributed. Spearman's correlations and multiple regression analysis indicated possible synergistic interactions between the common pathogens, particularly for black queen cell virus. Beyond its suitability for further studies on honeybees, this targeted approach may be, due to its precision, capacity, and flexibility, a viable alternative to more expensive, sequencing‐based approaches in nonmodel systems.     

加拿大一枝黄花在安徽合肥的入侵生态因子分析

【目的】研究加拿大一枝黄花入侵区域的入侵格局,分析其入侵性与当地生态环境之间的关系。【方法】通过随机布设样地方法量化了该植物入侵区域的海拔、坡度、植物群落等22个生境因子,并进行主成分分析。【结果】(1)加拿大一枝黄花生境的22个生态因子所含的生态信息可用6个综合因子表征:土壤肥力因子、土壤理化因子、植被因子、复合因子、干扰因子和光源因子;(2)加拿大一枝黄花的发生频率与速效钾、样地中植物总株数、杂草盖度、有机质、植物种数、海拔、坡度、乔木高度、乔木大小、土壤含水率等生态因子呈正相关,但是与水源距、土壤有效磷、土壤全磷、土壤pH呈负相关。【结论】加拿大一枝黄花入侵可能与当地自然环境中的某些生态因子密切相关,生态因子可能对其入侵成功产生抑制或促进作用。本研究有助于明确加拿大一枝黄花入侵的生态因子,为该入侵植物的有效防治提供一定的理论依据。     

Effects of virus genotype and temperature on seed transmission of nepoviruses

Transmission of different nepoviruses through chickweed (Stellaria media) seed was differently affected by ambient temperature during seed production. Raspberry ringspot and tomato black ring (Scottish isolate) viruses were similarly and frequently transmitted at 14 , 18 and 22 ^oC, whereas arabis mosaic virus was transmitted most frequently at 14 ^oC, and strawberry latent ringspot and tomato black ring (German isolate) viruses at 22 ^oC. When infected by seed-borne nepoviruses, seedlings of S. media and other species were symptomless at 15–25 ^oC, and the viruses were therefore detected by inoculating sap to Chenopodium quinoa indicator plants. However, typical symptoms of arabis mosaic and tomato black ring viruses were induced by growing Nicotiana tabacum, N. clevelandii and C. quinoa seedlings infected with seed-borne virus at 33–37 ^oC during the third and fourth weeks after sowing, preceded and followed by periods at 15–25 ^oC. The proportion of N. tabacum seedlings developing symptoms was the same as that of untreated seedlings yielding sap-transmissible virus. Seed transmissibility of pseudo-recombinant isolates of raspberry ringspot and tomato black ring viruses, containing RNA-i from one virus strain and RNA-2 from another strain, depended greatly on the transmissibility of the strain contributing RNA-i. The source of RNA-2 had an additional but smaller influence. The satellite RNA (RNA-3) of tomato black ring virus was seed-transmitted in S. media and its occurrence in cultures did not affect the frequency of transmission of the virus. Results of testing the infectivity of extracts of seed from infected mother plants suggested that failure of seed transmission reflected failure to become established in the seed, not subsequent inactivation. Whereas seed transmissibility of raspberry ringspot virus is primarily dependent on information carried in RNA-i, transmissibility by nematode vectors, another property of major ecological importance, is determined by RNA-2. In the field, selection pressures presumably can act independently on the two parts of the genome but evidence was also obtained of selection for mutual compatibility of RNA-i and RNA-2.     

An Ecological Assessment of the Pandemic Threat of Zika Virus

The current outbreak of Zika virus poses a severe threat to human health. While the range of the virus has been cataloged growing slowly over the last 50 years, the recent explosive expansion in the Americas indicates that the full potential distribution of Zika remains uncertain. Moreover, many studies rely on its similarity to dengue fever, a phylogenetically closely related disease of unknown ecological comparability. Here we compile a comprehensive spatially-explicit occurrence dataset from Zika viral surveillance and serological surveys based in its native range, and construct ecological niche models to test basic hypotheses about its spread and potential establishment. The hypothesis that the outbreak of cases in Mexico and North America are anomalous and outside the native ecological niche of the disease, and may be linked to either genetic shifts between strains, or El Nino or similar climatic events, remains plausible at this time. Comparison of the Zika niche against the known distribution of dengue fever suggests that Zika is more constrained by the seasonality of precipitation and diurnal temperature fluctuations, likely confining autochthonous non-sexual transmission to the tropics without significant evolutionary change. Projecting the range of the diseases in conjunction with three major vector species (Aedes africanus, Ae. aegypti, and Ae. albopictus) that transmit the pathogens, under climate change, suggests that Zika has potential for northward expansion; but, based on current knowledge, our models indicate Zika is unlikely to fill the full range its vectors occupy, and public fear of a vector-borne Zika epidemic in the mainland United States is potentially informed by biased or limited scientific knowledge. With recent sexual transmission of the virus globally, we caution that our results only apply to the vector-borne transmission route of the pathogen, and while the threat of a mosquito-carried Zika pandemic may be overstated in the media, other transmission modes of the virus may emerge and facilitate naturalization worldwide.     

Observations on the seasonal and yearly occurrence and the distribution ofAtyaephyra desmaresti (Millet, 1831) (Crustacea,Decapoda, Natantia) in The Netherlands

Summary The seasonal occurrence ofAtyaephyra desmaresti in The Netherlands has been studied by sampling the cooling-water filtering screens of power stations situated along the rivers Rhine and Meuse. The shrimps were only found in large numbers at the two power stations with vegetation in the cooling-water intake areas. Fluctuations in the seasonal occurrence showed great similarity for these two localities. Highest numbers of shrimps were impinged in November. High numbers also occurred in September, while a lower peak in numbers was found in May.Changes in the numbers of records during the last 30 years in The Netherlands were compared with climatological fluctuations (severe or mild winters), indicating that this mainly southern-European species is living here at the limits of its ecological and geographical range.The distribution in The Netherlands reveals thatAtyaephyra desmaresti mainly occurs in freshwater habitats, although it tolerates higher chlorinities.     

Genome evolution and host‐microbiome shifts correspond with intraspecific niche divergence within harmful algal bloom‐forming Microcystis aeruginosa

Intraspecific niche divergence is an important driver of species range, population abundance and impacts on ecosystem functions. Genetic changes are the primary focus when studying intraspecific divergence; however, the role of ecological interactions, particularly host‐microbiome symbioses, is receiving increased attention. The relative importance of these evolutionary and ecological mechanisms has seen only limited evaluation. To address this question, we used Microcystis aeruginosa, the globally distributed cyanobacterium that dominates freshwater harmful algal blooms. These blooms have been increasing in occurrence and intensity worldwide, causing major economic and ecological damages. We evaluated 46 isolates of M. aeruginosa and their microbiomes, collected from 14 lakes in Michigan, USA, that vary over 20‐fold in phosphorus levels, the primary limiting nutrient in freshwater systems. Genomes of M. aeruginosa diverged along this phosphorus gradient in genomic architecture and protein functions. Fitness in low‐phosphorus lakes corresponded with additional shifts within M. aeruginosa including genome‐wide reductions in nitrogen use, an expansion of phosphorus assimilation genes and an alternative life history strategy of nonclonal colony formation. In addition to host shifts, despite culturing in common‐garden conditions, host‐microbiomes diverged along the gradient in taxonomy, but converged in function with evidence of metabolic interdependence between the host and its microbiome. Divergence corresponded with a physiological trade‐off between fitness in low‐phosphorus environments and growth rate in phosphorus‐rich conditions. Co‐occurrence of genotypes adapted to different nutrient environments in phosphorus‐rich lakes may have critical implications for understanding how M. aeruginosa blooms persist after initial nutrient depletion. Ultimately, we demonstrate that the intertwined effects of genome evolution, host life history strategy and ecological interactions between a host and its microbiome correspond with an intraspecific niche shift with important implications for whole ecosystem function.     

Occurrence, Distribution and Relative Importance of Viruses Infecting Hot Pepper and Tomato in the Major Growing Areas of Ethiopia

Hot pepper and tomato fields in the main growing areas in the Rift Valley and the west of Ethiopia were surveyed for virus infections in 1994. A total of 286 samples from hot pepper and 222 samples from tomato plants and associated Datura stramonium L. and Nicandra physalodes Gaertn. weeds with symptoms suggestive of virus infections were collected and analysed using electron microscopy, serology and test plant reactions. Potato virus Y (PVY), Ethiopian pepper mottle virus (EPMV), pepper veinal mottle virus (PVMV) and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) were detected in hot pepper samples while tomato samples were shown to be infected with tomato mild mottle virus (TMMV), PVY and ToMV. The most widespread and predominant viruses which also occurred frequently in mixed infections were PVY and EPMV in hot pepper and PVY and TMMV in tomato. TMMV was also found in many samples of D. stramonium and N. physalodes. ToMV was identified in only few samples from both crops in the Rift Valley by its characteristic particle morphology, serological properties and symptomatology. PVMV was found in hot pepper samples only from western Ethiopia, but no natural infection of tomato with this virus was revealed. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of TMMV in tomato, D. stramonium and N. physalodes, as well as of ToMV in hot pepper and tomato in Ethiopia.     

Ecological comparison between duckweeds in central Italy: The invasive Lemna minuta vs the native L. minor

The American duckweed Lemna minuta shows an invasive behaviour in Europe, causing weed problems in aquatic habitats there. Few studies addressed this species’ ecological requirements for a suitable establishment in a site. In this paper, L. minuta populations were analysed through field surveys so as (1) to define the autoecology of this duckweed as regards the main environmental factors characterizing invaded habitats, and (2) to identify possible overlaps/differences in ecological requirements between the alien L. minuta and the common native L. minor, with which it is often associated and in direct competition. The occurrence/abundance of the two species and environmental data were collected from 41 wetlands in central Italy. Currently, L. minuta is more common and abundant than L. minor in the study-area, despite its recent arrival there (2007). The two species have a partially overlapped autoecology. However, L. minuta differs from L. minor since it occurs in waters which are less alkaline, slightly less warm, and richer in nitrates. It shows tolerance for environmental conditions which are limiting for most of macrophytes, including L. minor, such as high shading and low water oxygenation. This enables L. minuta to increase its invasion potentiality and thus to enlarge its distribution area.     

A granulosis virus,possible biological agent for control ofAdoxophyes orana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple orchards

Based on the results of ecological surveys of Adoxophyes orana and its natural enemies in apple orchards sprayed with the granulosis virus and control plots, we constructed working models to simulate the population dynamics in three different experimental plots; those treated with chemical insecticides, those with granulosis virus, and controls. The number of individuals killed by predators, parasitoids and by miscellaneous mortality factors could be calculated on the assumption of imperfect density relations; that is, relation of the number killed by each factor with the initial number of larvae was represented by a curve with an upper asymptote. We could estimate the proportion of virus infection using curves with upper asymptotes. Rate of increase from pupa to middle instar larvae of the next generation was subject to strong density-effect. Simulation we proposed in this paper suggests a possibility that a single spray of the virus at 1st generation can reduce not only the number of A. orana larvae in the 2nd and 3rd generations but also the degree of fruits injured by this insect. Spray of chemical insecticide is considered to be ineffective in reducing the pest density and the degree of injury to low levels in subsequent generations, as compared with untreated plot, where the density of the 1st generation larvae is low.     

Seasonal occurrence of freshwater medusa Limnocnida indica annandale (Cnidaria: Limnomedusae) in a lake associated with the river Yamuna, India

A freshwater medusa, Limnocnida indica Annandale, 1912 was observed in the month of April and May of two consecutive years 1994, 1995 in a lake having free connection with the river Yamuna in Delhi. Medusae in the lake were abundant in those areas where the vegetation of Hydrilla sp. was moderately dense, whereas it was absent in areas with Potamogeton sp. The composition of planktonic community in the lake was different before and during the occurrence of medusae and after their disappearance. Moina sp. and Keratella sp. were totally absent and Mesocyclops sp. and nauplii were reduced in number during the occurrence of medusae which were either present or more in number before the occurrence of the latter. Dinophyceae was maximum in number during this period. These zooplankters reappeared after the disappearance of medusae. It is likely that ecological conditions which prevailed during April and May favour the seasonal occurrence of freshwater medusae.     

A strange family,or how a new pleolipovirus reveals its friends and relatives

A new virus of halophilic Archaea is reported by Liu et al., and is remarkable in many ways. SNJ2 is the first temperate, pleomorphic virus (pleolipovirus) that integrates into the genome of its host. Analyses of the virus structure and its genome have provided an unexpected puzzle while at the same time solving another. On the one hand, the study shows a curious relationship exists between SNJ2 and an unrelated provirus (SNJ1) found as a plasmid in the same cell. The presence of SNJ1 appears to allow much higher levels of SNJ2 virus to be produced, although the mechanism involved remains unclear. On the other hand, the curious occurrence of a conserved cluster of pleolipovirus‐related genes found widely distributed among haloarchaeal genomes and known for almost 10 years, now appears to correspond to SNJ2‐related proviruses.     

Host‐associated differentiation in a pecan and water hickory Aphidomorpha community

Host‐associated differentiation (HAD) is the formation of genetically distinct, host‐associated populations created and maintained by ecologically mediated reproductive isolation. HAD potentially accounts for species origins in parasites, including herbivorous insects. Although case studies testing the occurrence of HAD are accumulating, it is still unclear how common HAD is and which specific ecological traits explain its occurrence. To address these issues, studies are needed that include negative results (i.e., instances in which parasite populations do not exhibit HAD) and test for HAD across communities (i.e., several parasite species on the same set of host species). In this study, HAD was tested in a community of six species of Aphidomorpha (Hemiptera) that share a host‐plant pair: pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K.Koch] and water hickory [Carya aquatica (F.Michx) Nutt., both Juglandaceae] trees. All six species are parthenogenetic and three species are endophagous, traits that can exacerbate host‐specific selection. AFLP markers were employed to detect the presence of genetically distinct, host‐associated populations for each insect species. Strict HAD (i.e., the occurrence of genetically distinct pecan‐associated and water hickory‐associated genotypes) was found in Phylloxera notabilis Pergande (Phylloxeridae), Phylloxera devastatrix Pergande, and Monelliopsis pecanis Bissel (Aphididae). Monellia caryella Fitch (Aphididae) displayed a pattern of partial HAD (i.e., the occurrence of only a genetically distinct pecan‐associated genotype). No HAD was found in Melanocallis caryaefoliae Davis (Aphididae) or Phylloxera texana Stoetzel. The pattern of HAD occurrence in the pecan and water hickory Aphidomorpha community indicated that neither parthenogenesis nor endophagy sufficiently explain the occurrence of HAD in this system.     

Predictive model of distribution of Atta robusta Borgmeier 1939 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): subsidies for conservation of a Brazilian leaf-cutting ant endangered species

The aim of this work was to create a predictive model of the potential geographical distribution of the leaf-cutting ant Atta robusta Borgmeier 1939 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) using ecological niche modeling. We used previous collection records available in the literature together with our database. This is the first study in Brazil using ecological niche modeling as a tool for predicting ant species distribution. Besides the already known distribution, the model generated results showing a medium to low probability of occurrence in the coastal regions of Paraná and São Paulo states, and a very high probability of occurrence in southern Bahia State, in environments popularly known as muçunungas. These environments are characterized by a lower density of trees and the dominance of herbaceous-shrub vegetation. Moreover, we discuss how geographic barriers and anthropogenic pressure in restinga environments may be the determining factors in the current distribution of this species. According to the predictive model used in this study, there is strong evidence that this species occurs only in these states and deserves special attention from government conservation agencies in the restingas where it is located.     

Ecosystem size predicts the probability of speciation in migratory freshwater fish

Predicting speciation is a fundamental goal of research in evolutionary ecology. The probability of speciation is often positively correlated with ecosystem size. Although the mechanisms driving this correlation are generally difficult to identify, a shared geographical and ecological context provides a suitable condition to study the mechanisms that promote speciation in large ecosystems by reducing the number of factors to be considered. Here, we determined the correlation between speciation and ecosystem size, and discuss the underlying mechanisms of this relationship, using a probable parallel ecotype formation for freshwater fish. Our population genetic analysis revealed that speciation of the landlocked goby, Rhinogobius sp. YB, of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, from its migratory ancestor, R. brunneus, occurred in parallel across five islands. Logistic regression analysis showed that speciation probability could be predicted using island size. The results suggest that ecosystem size predicts the occurrence of adaptation and reproductive isolation, probably through its association with three possible factors: divergent selection strength, population persistence, and occurrence probability of habitat separation.     

Ultrastructural evidence for trans-ovum transmission of the DNA virus of tsetse,Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae)

The occurrence of vertical transmission of the DNA virus of tsetse was studied in virus-infected, femaleGlossina pallidipes with hypertrophied salivary glands (HSG). Ultrastructural examination of tissue components of ovaries of these females revealed virus particles within both germ cell cystocyte clusters and in the follicles, sparsely distributed within nurse cells and in the oocyte cytoplasm. The presence of the virus particles within the ooplasm demonstrates the ovum as a vehicle through which theG. pallidipes virus is disseminated in nature.