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Zhang H, Zhang S, Zhang C, Xiao Z, Yan P, Aurangzeib M. Stable gullies provide a suitable habitat for functional insects and reduce the threat of pests on crops in farmland of Northeast China. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11686. [PMID: 38975262 PMCID: PMC11227938 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Gullies with lower altitudes compared to the surrounding environment are widely distributed in farmland of the watershed and their numbers are still expanding. However, it is still unclear how these gullies regulate the functional insects in farmland. In this study, land use types combined with the herbaceous plant, herbicide application, soil moisture, topography and climatic factors during crop growth were considered to understand how gullies influence the dynamics of functional insects in farmland from a watershed (240 ha) of Northeast China. The primary findings demonstrate that the richness and abundance of functional insects are generally greatest in gullies, particularly in stable gullies, and decrease in the following order: forest belts, grasslands, and farmlands within the watershed. Notably, the ratios of beneficial insects to pests (BI/Pest) in terms of richness and abundance were lower in gullies before July but reversed after July, in comparison to farmland. Stable gullies exhibited higher BI/Pest abundance and diversity ratios than developing gullies. The richness and abundance of functional insects were higher in the middle sections of gullies compared to their heads and tails. Furthermore, the ratios of BI/Pest were generally lower in farmlands than in any gully position. Functional insect dynamics were mainly determined by season, followed by plant abundance and biomass in the gullies, and rarely by soil moisture in the both watershed and single gullies scales. Generally, the richness and abundance of functional insects in farmland were mainly influenced by gullies, especially influenced by the gully middle position. Insect composition in farmland influenced by stable gullies was stronger than by developing gullies, and stable gullies were more beneficial in reducing the threat of pests to crops in the farmland of the watershed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pengke Yan
- Northeast Agricultural UniversityHarbinChina
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2
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Rouabah A, Rabolin-Meinrad C, Gay C, Therond O. Models of bee responses to land use and land cover changes in agricultural landscapes - a review and research agenda. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38940343 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Predictive modelling tools can be used to support the design of agricultural landscapes to promote pollinator biodiversity and pollination services. Despite the proliferation of such modelling tools in recent decades, there remains a gap in synthesising their main characteristics and representation capacities. Here, we reviewed 42 studies that developed non-correlative models to explore the impact of land use and land cover changes on bee populations, and synthesised information about the modelled systems, modelling approaches, and key model characteristics like spatiotemporal extent and resolution. Various modelling approaches are employed to predict the biodiversity of bees and the pollination services they provide, with a prevalence of models focusing on wild populations compared to managed ones. Of these models, landscape indicators and distance decay models are relatively simple, with few parameters. They allow mapping bee visitation probabilities using basic land cover data and considering bee foraging ranges. Conversely, mechanistic or agent-based models delineate, with varying degrees of complexity, a multitude of processes that characterise, among others, the foraging behaviour and population dynamics of bees. The reviewed models collectively encompass 38 ecological, agronomic, and economic processes, producing various outputs including bee abundance, habitat visitation rate, and crop yield. To advance the development of predictive modelling tools aimed at fostering pollinator biodiversity and pollination services in agricultural landscapes, we highlight future avenues for increasing biophysical realism in models predicting the impact of land use and land cover changes on bees. Additionally, we address the challenges associated with balancing model complexity and practical usability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhak Rouabah
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, Colmar, 68000, France
| | | | - Camille Gay
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 2 Avenue de la forêt de Haye, BP 20163, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, 54500, France
| | - Olivier Therond
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, Colmar, 68000, France
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3
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Upcott EV, Henrys PA, Redhead JW, Jarvis SG, Pywell RF. A new approach to characterising and predicting crop rotations using national-scale annual crop maps. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160471. [PMID: 36435258 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cropping decisions affect the nature, timing and intensity of agricultural management strategies. Specific crop rotations are associated with different environmental impacts, which can be beneficial or detrimental. The ability to map, characterise and accurately predict rotations enables targeting of mitigation measures where most needed and forecasting of potential environmental risks. Using six years of the national UKCEH Land Cover® plus: Crops maps (2015-2020), we extracted crop sequences for every agricultural field parcel in Great Britain (GB). Our aims were to first characterise spatial patterns in rotation properties over a national scale based on their length, type and structural diversity values, second, to test an approach to predicting the next crop in a rotation, using transition probability matrices, and third, to test these predictions at a range of spatial scales. Strict cyclical rotations only occupy 16 % of all agricultural land, whereas long-term grassland and complex-rotational agriculture each occupy over 40 %. Our rotation classifications display a variety of distinctive spatial patterns among rotation lengths, types and diversity values. Rotations are mostly 5 years in length, short mixed crops are the most abundant rotation type, and high structural diversity is concentrated in east Scotland. Predictions were most accurate when using the most local spatial approach (spatial scaling), 5-year rotations, and including long-term grassland. The prediction framework we built demonstrates that our crop predictions have an accuracy of 36-89 %, equivalent to classification accuracy of national crop and land cover mapping using earth observation, and we suggest this could be improved with additional contextual data. Our results emphasise that rotation complexity is multi-faceted, yet it can be mapped in different ways and forms the basis for further exploration in and beyond agronomy, ecology, and other disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Upcott
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - Peter A Henrys
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - John W Redhead
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Susan G Jarvis
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Richard F Pywell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
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4
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Stuchi ALPB, Moreira DR, Sinópolis-Gigliolli AA, Galhardo D, Falco JRP, Toledo VDAAD, Ruvolo-Takasusuki MCC. Toxicological evaluation of different pesticides in Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera, Apidae). ACTA SCIENTIARUM: ANIMAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v45i1.58412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula is an important pollinator of different agricultural and native crops. This study evaluated changes in the relative activity of esterases and critical electrolyte concentration in brain cells after exposure to pesticides malathion and thiamethoxam. Lethal concentration 50% showed greater toxicity of thiamethoxam in relation to malathion. Esterases EST-3 and EST-4 (carboxylesterase) were partially inhibited after contamination by contact and ingestion of malathion and contamination by contact with thiamethoxam, suggesting participation of these esterases in the metabolization of these compounds. The lowest critical electrolyte concentration (CEC) was found after contamination by malathion ingestion (0.15 M), indicating changes in gene expression. The alterations observed in the intensity of EST-3 and EST-4 and the chromatin structure indicate that pesticides can act in gene expression and be used as biomarkers of contaminant residues. Furthermore, knowing the susceptibility of T. angustula bees to pesticides, it would be possible to use this species for biomonitoring environmental quality in preserved areas and agroecosystems.
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5
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Smith AC, Harrison PA, Leach NJ, Godfray HCJ, Hall JW, Jones SM, Gall SS, Obersteiner M. Sustainable pathways towards climate and biodiversity goals in the UK: the importance of managing land-use synergies and trade-offs. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2022; 18:521-538. [PMID: 36405346 PMCID: PMC9640857 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-022-01242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Agricultural and environmental policies are being fundamentally reviewed and redesigned in the UK following its exit from the European Union. The UK government and the Devolved Administrations recognise that current land use is not sustainable and that there is now an unprecedented opportunity to define a better land strategy that responds fully to the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development. This paper presents evidence from three pathways (current trends, sustainable medium ambition, and sustainable high ambition) to mid-century that were co-created with UK policymakers. The pathways were applied to a national integrated food and land-use model (the FABLE calculator) to explore potential synergies and trade-offs between achieving multiple sustainability targets under limited land availability and constraints to balance food supply and demand at national and global levels. Results show that under the Current Trends pathway all unprotected open natural land would be converted to urban, agriculture and afforested land, with the consequence that from 2030 onwards tree planting targets could not be met. In contrast, the two sustainable pathways illustrate how dietary change, agricultural productivity improvements and waste reduction can free up land for nature recovery and carbon sequestration. This enables a transition to a sustainable food and land-use system that provides a net carbon sink with up to 44% of land able to support biodiversity conservation. We highlight key trade-offs and synergies, which are important to consider for designing and implementing emerging national policies. These include the strong dependence of climate, food and biodiversity targets on dietary shifts, sustainable improvements in agricultural productivity, improved land-use design for protecting and restoring nature, and rapid reductions in food loss and waste. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11625-022-01242-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison C. Smith
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | - Paula A. Harrison
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP UK
| | - Nicholas J. Leach
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | | | - Jim W. Hall
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
- Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD UK
| | - Sarah M. Jones
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP UK
- Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YW UK
| | - Sarah S. Gall
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | - Michael Obersteiner
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
- Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD UK
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Martínez‐Núñez C, Kleijn D, Ganuza C, Heupink D, Raemakers I, Vertommen W, Fijen TPM. Temporal and spatial heterogeneity of semi‐natural habitat, but not crop diversity, is correlated with landscape pollinator richness. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Martínez‐Núñez
- Department of Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Jaén Jaén Spain
| | - David Kleijn
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Cristina Ganuza
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter University of Würzburg Am Hubland Würzburg Germany
| | - Dennis Heupink
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
- Louis Bolk Institute Kosterijland 3‐5, 39781 AJ Bunnik The Netherlands
| | - Ivo Raemakers
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Winfried Vertommen
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Thijs P. M. Fijen
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group Wageningen University Droevendaalsesteeg 3a PB Wageningen The Netherlands
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Kleiman BM, Koptur S, Jayachandran K. Weeds Enhance Pollinator Diversity and Fruit Yield in Mango. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121114. [PMID: 34940201 PMCID: PMC8704218 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary There is an urgent pollinator decline crisis across the globe, with fewer pollinators and yet increasing agricultural reliance on them to produce food and fiber crops for growing populations. Habitat loss and chemical eradication of unwanted plants has limited the floral resources for pollinators, and in farms with only one crop, there are limited resources solely during the flowering season. Weeds, or unwanted vegetation, are often the only remaining floral resource for pollinators, yet they are compulsively removed using chemicals. This article examines how weedy floral resources affect pollinators in a mango farm, Mangifera indica, a pollinator-dependent crop in South Florida, and how fruit yield is affected by either leaving weeds or removing them. Abstract Agriculture is dependent on insect pollination, yet in areas of intensive production agriculture, there is often a decline in plant and insect diversity. As native habitats and plants are replaced, often only the weeds or unwanted vegetation persist. This study compared insect diversity on mango, Mangifera indica, a tropical fruit tree dependent on insect pollination, when weeds were present in cultivation versus when they were removed mechanically. The pollinating insects on both weeds and mango trees were examined as well as fruit set and yield in both the weed-free and weedy treatment in South Florida. There were significantly more pollinators and key pollinator families on the weedy mango trees, as well as significantly greater fruit yield in the weedy treatment compared to the weed-free treatment. Utilizing weeds, especially native species, as insectary plants can help ensure sufficient pollination of mango and increase biodiversity across crop monocropping systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaire M. Kleiman
- Department of Earth and Environment, Agroecology Program, Institute of Environment, International Center for Tropical Botany, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA;
| | - Suzanne Koptur
- Department of Biology, Plant Ecology Lab, Institute of Environment, International Center for Tropical Botany, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-305-984-0539
| | - Krishnaswamy Jayachandran
- Department of Earth and Environment, Agroecology Program, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA;
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Schmidt JM, Whitehouse TS, Neupane S, Miranda Rezende S, Sial A, Gariepy TD. Parasitoid Communities in the Variable Agricultural Environments of Blueberry Production in the Southeastern United States. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 114:1480-1488. [PMID: 34260688 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toab134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In blueberry crops, there are multiple pest species, and some of those can be suppressed by natural enemies including parasitoid wasps and predators. Parasitoid wasps occur within the environment often tracking pest species for food resources to complete their lifecycle. These small wasps are also sensitive to agricultural environments including agrichemicals, habitat availability, and climate. We investigated how the structure of parasitoid communities varied between organic and conventional blueberry systems, and how the communities of these parasitoids varied within field spatial scales (forested border vs edge vs interior). With the lower intensity of agricultural interventions occurring in organic systems and forested borders, we predicted more stable parasitoid numbers that would be insulated from predicted climate variability. In our study, parasitoids were observed in low abundance in each cropping system, with community structure dependent on both management practice and field position. Unmanaged blueberry fields and forested field borders contained more parasitoid families, and in conventional systems, we saw fewer families present in the field interior as compared to field borders. In this first study to characterize Southern parasitoid communities in blueberry production systems, we observed over 50 genera of parasitoids, with a few dominant families (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) that would contribute to biological control in blueberry systems. Overall, we captured few parasitoids, which indicates a potential vulnerability in biological control, and the need for further research using other sampling techniques to better understand these parasitoid communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Schmidt
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, USA
| | - Tyler S Whitehouse
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, USA
- University of Tennessee Extension, Anderson County, SC, USA
| | - Subin Neupane
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Ashfaq Sial
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Tara D Gariepy
- Agri-Food Canada, London Research and Development Center, London, Ontario, Canada
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Wang CJ, Wang R, Yu CM, Dang XP, Sun WG, Li QF, Wang XT, Wan JZ. Risk assessment of insect pest expansion in alpine ecosystems under climate change. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3165-3178. [PMID: 33656253 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growth in insect pest populations poses a significant threat to ecosystem functions and services, societal development, and food security in alpine regions under climate change. Risk assessments are important prioritization tools for pest management, which must be used to study insect pest expansion in alpine ecosystems under global warming. We used species distribution modeling to simulate the current and future distribution probabilities of 58 insect pest species in the Qinghai Province, China, based on a comprehensive field investigation. Subsequently, general linear modeling was used to explore the relationship between the distribution probability of these species and the damage caused by them. Finally, we assessed the ecological risk of insect pest expansion across different alpine ecosystems under climate change. RESULTS Climate change could increase the distribution probabilities of insect pest species across different alpine ecosystems. However, the presence of insect pest species may not correspond to the damage occurrence in alpine ecosystems based on percent leaf loss, amount of stunting, and seedling death of their host species. Significant positive relationships between distribution probability and damage occurrence were found for several of the examined insect pest species. Insect pest expansion is likely to increase extensively in alpine ecosystems under increasing carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emission scenarios. CONCLUSION The relationships between distribution probability and damage occurrence should be considered in species distribution modeling for risk assessment of insect pest expansion under climate change. Our study could improve the effectiveness of risk assessment of insect pest expansion under changing climate conditions. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China
- College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Forestry and Grassland Planning Institute of Qinghai Province, Forestry and Grassland Administration of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Chun-Mei Yu
- Forest Pest Control and Quarantine Station of Qinghai Province, Forestry and Grassland Administration of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Xiao-Peng Dang
- Forestry and Grassland Planning Institute of Qinghai Province, Forestry and Grassland Administration of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Wan-Gui Sun
- Forest Pest Control and Quarantine Station of Qinghai Province, Forestry and Grassland Administration of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Qiang-Feng Li
- College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Xiao-Ting Wang
- Forest Pest Control and Quarantine Station of Qinghai Province, Forestry and Grassland Administration of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Ji-Zhong Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China
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Beneficial Insects Deliver Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterial Endophytes between Tomato Plants. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061294. [PMID: 34198479 PMCID: PMC8231829 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Beneficial insects and mites, including generalist predators of the family Miridae, are widely used in biocontrol programs against many crop pests, such as whiteflies, aphids, lepidopterans and mites. Mirid predators frequently complement their carnivore diet by feeding plant sap with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. This implies that mirids may act as vectors of phytopathogenic and beneficial microorganisms, such as plant growth-promoting bacterial endophytes. This work aimed at understanding the role of two beneficial mirids (Macrolophus pygmaeus and Nesidiocoris tenuis) in the acquisition and transmission of two plant growth-promoting bacteria, Paraburkholderia phytofirmans strain PsJN (PsJN) and Enterobacter sp. strain 32A (32A). Both bacterial strains were detected on the epicuticle and internal body of both mirids at the end of the mirid-mediated transmission. Moreover, both mirids were able to transmit PsJN and 32A between tomato plants and these bacterial strains could be re-isolated from tomato shoots after mirid-mediated transmission. In particular, PsJN and 32A endophytically colonised tomato plants and moved from the shoots to roots after mirid-mediated transmission. In conclusion, this study provided novel evidence for the acquisition and transmission of plant growth-promoting bacterial endophytes by beneficial mirids.
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Butterfly Conservation in China: From Science to Action. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11100661. [PMID: 32992975 PMCID: PMC7600441 DOI: 10.3390/insects11100661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
About 10% of the Earth's butterfly species inhabit the highly diverse ecosystems of China. Important for the ecological, economic, and cultural services they provide, many butterfly species experience threats from land use shifts and climate change. China has recently adopted policies to protect the nation's biodiversity resources. This essay examines the current management of butterflies in China and suggests various easily implementable actions that could improve these conservation efforts. Our recommendations are based on the observations of a transdisciplinary group of entomologists and environmental policy specialists. Our analysis draws on other successful examples around the world that China may wish to consider. China needs to modify its scientific methodologies behind butterfly conservation management: revising the criteria for listing protected species, focusing on umbrella species for broader protection, identifying high priority areas and refugia for conservation, among others. Rural and urban land uses that provide heterogeneous habitats, as well as butterfly host and nectar plants, must be promoted. Butterfly ranching and farming may also provide opportunities for sustainable community development. Many possibilities exist for incorporating observations of citizen scientists into butterfly data collection at broad spatial and temporal scales. Our recommendations further the ten Priority Areas of China's National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030).
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