The application of IUCN Red List criteria to assess the conservation status of moths at the regional level: a case of provisional Red List of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) in Serbia

Using a network of c.200 sample sites during the period 2000–2011, together with data from earlier sporadic studies and museum records, the status of noctuid moths in Serbia was assessed according to IUCN criteria. The noctuid Red List of Serbia comprises 223 species, of which almost 40 % are under threat. Two species (Acontia titania and Helivictoria victorina) are considered regionally extinct (RE), 28 are critically endangered (CR), 49 are endangered (EN), and 58 are vulnerable (VU). Additionally, 64 species are considered to be near threatened (NT), i.e., close to qualifying as threatened species in the near future, and 22 fall under the data deficient category (DD; inadequate information), with the likelihood of being included in one of the threatened Red List categories in the future. Apart from the threatened species, 342 species of noctuids are widespread and abundant in the area and belong to the category of least concern (LC). The geographical position and climate of Serbia facilitates high noctuid richness but the existence of a great number of threatened species indicates the need for further conservation of the group.     

Beauty will save the world,but will the world save beauty? The case of the highly endangered Vavilovia formosa (Stev.) Fed.

Main conclusion

Vavilovia formosa (Stev.) Fed. is a scientifically valuable common ancestor of the plant tribe Fabeae and also important in breeding and agronomy studies of the cultivated Fabeae, but it is close to extinction. A concerted academic and geovernmental effort is needed to save it.

Abstract

Since 2007, an informal international group of researchers on legumes has been working to increase awareness of Vavilovia formosa (Stev.) Fed., a relict and endangered wild-land relative to crop plant species. A majority of the modern botanical classifications place it within the tribe Fabeae, together with the genera vetchling (Lathyrus L.), lentil (Lens Mill.), pea (Pisum L.) and vetch (Vicia L.). V. formosa is encountered at altitudes from 1,500 m up to 3,500 m in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Russia, Syria and Turkey. This species may be of extraordinary importance for broadening current scientific knowledge on legume evolution and taxonomy because of its proximity to the hypothetical common ancestor of the tribe Fabeae, as well as for breeding and agronomy of the cultivated Fabeae species due to its perenniality and stress resistance. All this may be feasible only if a concerted and long-term conservation strategy is established and carried out by both academic and geovernmental authorities. The existing populations of V. formosa are in serious danger of extinction. The main threats are domestic and wild animal grazing, foraging, and early frosts in late summer. A long-term strategy to save V. formosa from extinction and to sustain its use in both basic and applied research comprises much improved in situ preservation, greater efforts for an ex situ conservation, and novel approaches of in vitro propagation.     

Lipids of higher fungi. V: The occurrence of long-chain erythro-2,3-dihydroxy fatty acids in Polyporus officinalis

erythro-2,3-Dihydroxytetracosanoic, -pentacosanoic, and -hexacosanoic acids in a 5.4 : 2.6 : 1 ratio, were found in the most polar ceramide fractions of Polyporus officinalis. The structure was deduced from gas chromatographic data, mobility on chromatoplates impregnated with boric acid, and from data obtained by periodate-permanganate oxidation.     

Relationship between water-soluble Ca and other elements and bitter pit occurrence in 'Idared' apples: a multivariate approach

The mineral composition of sound fruits of Idared apple and those with symptoms of bitter pit was investigated at two sites on M9 rootstock (Sites 1 and 2) and two sites on MM 106 rootstock (Sites 3 and 4). Concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were measured. Mg and Ca concentration were determined in water soluble (WS) and water-insoluble (WI) fractions. The sum of these fractions was regarded as the total concentration (T). At all four sites, Ca (WS) was significantly higher in sound fruit. Principal component analysis (PCA) of data from individual locations showed that the first PCA component accounted for a high proportion of total variance (85% and 70% for Sites 1 and 2 and 70% and 69% for Sites 3 and 4, respectively). Projections of the samples into the planes of the first two PCA components revealed exact classification of the bitter pit status for all samples. The projections revealed that the first PCA component was essential for classification of the status. Determination of the distribution of components of the first PCA indicated that deficiency of water soluble Ca was the most significant factor related to development of bitter pit in ‘Idared’ apples.     

Northwestward range expansion of the bumblebee Bombus haematurus into Central Europe is associated with warmer winters and niche conservatism

Species range expansions are crucial for understanding niche formation and the interaction with the environment. Here, we studied the bumblebee Bombus haematurus Kriechbaumer, 1870, a species historically distributed from northern Serbia through northern Iran which has very recently started expanding northwestward into Central Europe without human-mediated dispersal (i.e., it is a natural spread). After updating the global distribution of this species, we investigated if niche shifts took place during this range expansion between newly colonized and historical areas. In addition, we have explored which climatic factors may have favored the natural range expansion of the species. Our results indicated that Bombus haematurus has colonized large territories in 7 European countries outside the historical area in the period from the 1980s to 2018, a natural expansion over an area that equals 20% of the historical distribution. In addition, this bumblebee performs generalism in flower visitation and it occurs in different habitats, although a preference for forested areas clearly emerges. The land-use associated with the species in the colonized areas is similar to the historical distribution, indicating that no major niche shifts occurred during the spread. Furthermore, in recently colonized localities, the range expansion was associated with warming temperatures during the winter and also during both queen overwintering and emergence phases. These findings document a case of natural range expansion due to environmental change rather than due to niche shifts, and specifically they suggest that warmer winters could be linked to the process of natural colonization of new areas.     

The bicentenary of the research on ‘beautiful’ vavilovia (Vavilovia formosa), a legume crop wild relative with taxonomic and agronomic potential

Vavilovia formosa is a relict, endangered species from the highlands of the Caucasus and the Near East. Described in 1812, it has had an uncertain status and was finally recognized as a separate genus of tribe Fabeae (Fabaceae). Our informal international group was established in 2007 to revive the interest in this species as it had been seriously neglected for decades. Here, we provide an overview of the accumulated knowledge on V. formosa and present the results of the most recent multidisciplinary research. Three expeditions were made to two locations in Armenia in 2009, providing the material for anatomical, morphological, chemical and molecular analysis. Unlike previous attempts, ex situ conservation in Yerevan and in vitro propagation, important for potential interspecific hybridization, were successful. Molecular tools were used to clarify the taxonomic position of V. formosa, often considered the closest to the extinct ancestor of the whole tribe. The analysis of four informative regions of plastid and nuclear DNA showed that V. formosa belongs to the same clade as Lathyrus and Pisum, with a distinct status. Preservation and maintenance of V. formosa remains the only basis for further development of all other scientific aspects, especially breeding and uses in agronomy. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 172 , 524–531.     

Analysis of pathogen co-occurrence in host-seeking adult hard ticks from Serbia

Past studies in Serbia have reported concurrent infections of Ixodes ricinus ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis. As a step forward, this investigation included a broader range of microorganisms and five most common and abundant tick species in Serbia. Five tick species were identified (Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis punctata, H. concinna and I. ricinus) and analyzed for the presence of seven pathogens. Anaplasma ovis, A. phagocytophilum, Babesia canis, B. burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis were detected. Sequencing of samples positive for F. tularensis revealed the presence of Francisella-like endosymbionts. No Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified. Concurrent infections were present in three tick species (D. reticulatus, H. concinna and I. ricinus). The rate of co-infections was highest in I. ricinus (20/27), while this tick species harbored the broadest range of co-infection combinations, with dual, triple and a quadruple infection(s) being detected.     

Homosexual behaviour and its longevity cost in females and males of the seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus

The level of homosexual behaviour is evaluated in one laboratory population of seed beetle and derived lines selected to reproduce early (E) or late in life (L), where inadvertent selection for either low or high heterosexual activity has been detected. The magnitudes of homosexual interaction, measured as chasing and mounting individuals of the same sex, are estimated over different age classes. These magnitudes are correlated with previously observed levels and patterns of age‐specific variation of heterosexual activity of both sexes in the E and L experimental lines. The results obtained support the perception error hypothesis proposing that a low degree of sexual discrimination is genetically correlated with high sexual activity. The fitness costs of the same‐sex interactions are tested by assessing their effects on longevity. In both sexes, the longevities of homosexual pairs are reduced relative to individually‐housed virgin beetles in both the E and L lines, although homosexual interactions have a more pronounced effect on male survival than on female survival. Although the results obtained suggest that the longevity cost of homosexual interactions can be substantial, this cost is much smaller than the cost of heterosexual interactions.     

A new cave-dwelling and endemic species of the genus Pholeuonopsis (Coleoptera, Leiodidae) from Serbia

In the present study, a new species of a cavernicolous beetle is described from Serbia: Pholeuonopsis (Pholeuonopsis) zlatiborensis sp. n. (Leptodirini, Cholevinae, Leiodidae). All important taxonomic features have been thoroughly analyzed and illustrated. The new species probably belongs to an old phyletic lineage of mesogeid origin, like other known Pholeuonopsis species inhabiting cave and endogean habitats in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Therefore, the species is both relict and endemic inhabitant of cave habitats in Serbia.     

Sesquiterpene Lactones from Centaurea zuccariniana and Their Antimicrobial Activity

Twenty‐nine compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of the Greek plant C. zuccariniana DC. The structures of the isolated compounds were established by means of NMR‐ (¹H,¹H‐COSY, ¹H,¹³C‐HSQC, HMBC, NOESY, and ROESY) and mass‐spectral analyses. These compounds comprise 13 sesquiterpene lactones, 14 flavonoids, two lignans, and one simple lactone. Among the isolated sesquiterpene lactones, three are new, namely one heliangolide, (1E,4Z)‐15‐hydroxy‐8α‐O‐(4′‐acetoxy‐3′‐hydroxy‐2′‐methylidenebutanoyl)‐6βH,7αH‐germacra‐1,4,11(13)‐trien‐6,12‐olide; and two eudesmanolides, 8α‐(4′,5′‐diacetoxyangeloyl)sonchucarpolide and one unusual eudesmanolide with an oxygenated bridge linking C(1) and C(4), named zuccarinin. The main sesquiterpene lactones were malacitenolide, cnicin, and 4′‐O‐acetylcnicin. These results are in agreement with those obtained from the previously studied Greek Centaurea sp. belonging to the section Acrolophus (Cass .) DC.; this finding could be of chemotaxonomic significance for the genus Centaurea. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the isolated new sesquiterpene lactones were against eight bacteria and eight fungal species. A 96‐well microbioassay procedure for fast and easy evaluation of antibacterial and antifungal activities was applied to compare these compounds with commercial antibiotic and fungicide standards, and with previously isolated analogous sesquiterpene lactones tested by the same bioassay. All of the compounds tested showed moderate antibacterial, but significant antifungal activities; the present results corroborate with previous data, indicating that these types of compounds exhibit low or moderate antibacterial, but potent antifungal activities. The unusual eudesmanolide zuccarinin proved to be the most potent among the present tested sesquiterpene lactones, as well as among all previously tested eudesmanolides isolated from Greek Centaurea sp.