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Kolenda K, Kuśmierek N, Kujawa K, Smolis A, Wiśniewski K, Salata S, Maltz TK, Stachowiak M, Kadej M. Bottled & canned - Anthropogenic debris as an understudied ecological trap for small animals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155616. [PMID: 35504387 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155616] [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: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, littering is one of the biggest challenges that environmental conservation is facing. Although beverage containers, such as bottles and cans, belong to the most common threats in this context, their effect on animals has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to assess the diversity and mortality level of the animal taxa entering discarded containers and to investigate which container features influence the number and functional composition of the trapped animals. The study was conducted in 10 urban woodlands in the city of Wrocław, Poland. In total, 939 open containers were collected. In 56% of them, a total number of 10,162 dead individuals (10,139 invertebrates and 23 vertebrates) was found. The most common amongst them were insects (orders: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera), malacostracans (Isopoda), arachnids (Opiliones, Sarcoptiformes) and gastropods (Stylommatophora). The number of dead animals was affected positively by the container capacity and was significantly higher in glass and plastic bottles when compared to aluminium cans. At the same time, the presence of a neck negatively affected the number of dead animals. Container capacity was also positively correlated with the abundance of the most common functional groups: predators, phytophages and saprophages. Moreover, colourless and green, but not brown, containers were a significant predictor for the abundance of the latter two groups. Our study revealed that discarded containers constitute an ecological trap for many groups of animals. There is an urgent need to reduce the amount of rubbish in the environment by, for example, the implementation of regional and international regulations addressing the problem of littering, or organising repeated clean-up and educational activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Kolenda
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Vertebrates, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, PL-50-335 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Natalia Kuśmierek
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63, PL-51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kujawa
- Statistical Analysis Centre, Wrocław Medical University, Marcinkowskiego 2-6, PL-50-368 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Adrian Smolis
- Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 65, PL-51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Konrad Wiśniewski
- Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Arciszewskiego 22a, PL-76-200 Słupsk, Poland
| | - Sebastian Salata
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 65, PL-51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Tomasz K Maltz
- Museum of Natural History, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, PL-50-335 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Marcin Kadej
- Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 65, PL-51-148 Wrocław, Poland
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Stašiov S, Čiliak M, Wiezik M, Svitok M, Wieziková A, Diviaková A. Pitfall trap design affects the capture efficiency of harvestmen (Opiliones) and millipedes (Diplopoda). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9864-9875. [PMID: 34306669 PMCID: PMC8293776 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitfall trapping is one of the standard methods used for the capture of ground-active arthropod groups. Despite being frequently used, the standardization of this method is problematic due to the large range of combinations of the individual parameters of pitfall traps with varying efficacy under different environmental conditions. We evaluated the effects of the trap diameter, the fixing fluid, and their combination on the capture efficacy for harvestmen (Opiliones) and millipedes (Diplopoda). We used pitfall traps with three different diameters: 3 cm, 5 cm, and 12 cm, filled with three types of fixing fluids (saturated fluid of NaCl, 10:1 mixture of 70% ethanol and glycerol and 4% formaldehyde). Altogether, 90 traps representing nine combinations of trap diameters and fixing fluid were placed on a mown meadow in spring and autumn intervals for a total of 45 days. We sampled 1,488 individuals representing 11 harvestmen species and 881 individuals representing 11 millipede species. Large (d = 12 cm) and medium (5 cm) traps captured significantly more millipede species and individuals than the small-sized traps (3 cm). The same effect was observed for harvestmen species richness, whereas the medium traps (d = 5 cm) captured the highest mean activity of harvestmen. By analyzing the differences in the body sizes of the studied arthropods in relation to the trap diameter and fluid, we found that larger traps, as well as traps filled with NaCl solution, captured larger harvestmen more frequently than the other trap types. Our results revealed that the combination of larger traps (d = 5 and 12 cm) and formaldehyde was most effective in the capture of both studied groups. However, the disadvantage of formaldehyde is its toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slavomír Stašiov
- Department of Biology and General EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
| | - Marek Čiliak
- Department of Applied EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
| | - Michal Wiezik
- Department of Applied EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
- Parlement européenBrusselBelgium
| | - Marek Svitok
- Department of Biology and General EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
- Department of Ecosystem BiologyFaculty of ScienceUniversity of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceČeské BudějoviceCzechia
| | - Adela Wieziková
- Department of Biology and General EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
| | - Andrea Diviaková
- Department of Biology and General EcologyFaculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
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Maas B, Brandl M, Hussain RI, Frank T, Zulka KP, Rabl D, Walcher R, Moser D. Functional traits driving pollinator and predator responses to newly established grassland strips in agricultural landscapes. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bea Maas
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | - Manuela Brandl
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | - Raja Imran Hussain
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | - Thomas Frank
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | - Klaus Peter Zulka
- Team Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Environment Agency Austria Vienna Austria
- Unit for Integrative Zoology Department of Evolutionary Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Dominik Rabl
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
- Biocenter Field Station Fabrikschleichach University of Würzburg Rauhenebrach Germany
| | - Ronnie Walcher
- Institute of Zoology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | - Dietmar Moser
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna Austria
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Gardarin A, Valantin-Morison M. Which Pitfall Traps and Sampling Effort to Choose to Evaluate Cropping System Effects on Spider and Carabid Assemblages? ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:256-266. [PMID: 33219662 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In arable agroecosystems, arthropod communities often have a reduced abundance and diversity, which represents a challenge for sampling techniques needed to detect small differences among these simplified communities. We evaluated the suitability of pitfall traps for comparing the effects of cropping systems on arthropod communities. In a field experiment, we compared the effects of two pitfall trap diameters, the type of preserving fluid and the sampling effort on three metrics (activity density, taxonomic richness, and community weighted mean [CWM] of body size) for carabids and spiders. Trap size affected the observed composition of communities, with large traps yielding a higher proportion of spiders, and a higher richness and CWM body size for both taxa. The type of preserving fluid had a weaker effect. Simulations with various sampling efforts showed that only very different communities could be distinguished with less than 10 traps per field or less than 30 field replicates. Fewer traps were required to find differences between cropping systems for body size than for other metrics. Carabid activity density and body size, and spider genus richness, were the variables better distinguishing between cropping systems with the smallest sampling effort. A high sampling effort was required for comparing activity density and richness across cropping systems. Selection of the most appropriate trap design, metrics, and crops are the main factors for optimizing the trade-off between sampling effort and the ability to detect arthropod community responses to habitat management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gardarin
- UMR Agronomie, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Thiverval-Grignon, France
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Scaccini D, Panini M, Chiesa O, Nicoli Aldini R, Tabaglio V, Mazzoni E. Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11060380. [PMID: 32570919 PMCID: PMC7349495 DOI: 10.3390/insects11060380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of slug and ground beetle monitoring strategies, this work compared their presence in conventional and conservation agricultural plots. The invasive Deroceras invadens was the dominant slug species to occur in all sampling periods. Among Carabidae, Poecilus cupreus and Pterostichus melas were the most abundant species, and Bembidion spp., Brachinus spp., and Harpalus spp. were also common. Beer-baited pitfall traps, whatever their alcoholic content, caught more slugs and ground beetles than wooden boards used as shelters. Slugs were more abundant in conventional plots than in conservation plots, possibly due to the lower presence of natural enemies such as ground beetles. Despite possible impacts on Carabidae, beer-baited pitfall traps should be considered a useful tool for slug monitoring and for the planning of molluscicide applications. Soil management such as minimum- or no-tillage and the presence of cover crops are important elements influencing both slug and ground beetle presence, possibly playing a key role in the maintenance of natural enemy populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Scaccini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (E.M.)
| | - Michela Panini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Olga Chiesa
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Vincenzo Tabaglio
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Emanuele Mazzoni
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (E.M.)
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von Hoermann C, Weithmann S, Deißler M, Ayasse M, Steiger S. Forest habitat parameters influence abundance and diversity of cadaver-visiting dung beetles in Central Europe. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191722. [PMID: 32269801 PMCID: PMC7137943 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Dung beetles provide crucial ecosystem services and serve as model organisms for various behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies. However, dung beetles have received little attention as consumers of large cadavers. In this study, we trapped copronecrophagous dung beetles on above-ground exposed piglet cadavers in 61 forest plots distributed over three geographically distinct regions in Germany, Central Europe. We examined the effects of land use intensity, forest stand, soil characteristics, vascular plant diversity and climatic conditions on dung beetle abundance, species richness and diversity. In all three regions, dung beetles, represented mainly by the geotrupid species Anoplotrupes stercorosus and Trypocopris vernalis, were attracted to the cadavers. High beetle abundance was associated with higher mean ambient temperature. Furthermore, A. stercorosus and T. vernalis were more abundant in areas where soil contained higher proportions of fine sand. Additionally, an increased proportion of forest understorey vegetation and vascular plant diversity positively affected the species richness and diversity of dung beetles. Thus, even in warm dry monocultured forest stands exploited for timber, we found thriving dung beetle populations when a diverse understorey was present. Therefore, forestry practices that preserve the understorey can sustain stable dung beetle populations and ensure their important contribution to nutrient cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian von Hoermann
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Str. 2, 94481 Grafenau, Germany
| | - Sandra Weithmann
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Deißler
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Steiger
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
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Baranovská E, Tajovský K, Knapp M. Changes in the Body Size of Carabid Beetles Along Elevational Gradients: A Multispecies Study of Between- and Within-Population Variation. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:583-591. [PMID: 30986299 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Geographic variation in body size has fascinated biologists since the 19th century as it can provide insight into the evolution of the body size of various organisms. In this study, we investigated body size variation in eight carabid species/subspecies (Coleoptera: Carabidae) along elevational gradients in six Central European mountain ranges. First, we examined elevational variation in body size and whether female and male body sizes differed in their responses to elevation. Second, we examined intrapopulation variation in body size along an elevational gradient, and we compared the degrees of intrapopulation variation between males and females. The investigated species either followed a converse Bergmann's cline (Carabus auronitens auronitens Fabricius 1792; Carabus linnei Panzer 1810; Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger, 1798); Pterostichus pilosus (Host, 1789)) or their size was unaffected by elevation (Carabus auronitens escheri Palliardi, 1825; Carabus sylvestris sylvestris Panzer, 1796; Carabus sylvestris transsylvanicus Dejean, 1826; Pterostichus burmeisteri Heer, 1838). Females were the larger sex in all the investigated species, but the degree of sexual size dimorphism differed between species. In general, the degree of sexual size dimorphism showed no change with elevation. The degree of intrapopulation variation in body size slightly increased with elevation in C. sylvestris sylvestris and P. pilosus. Overall, the intrapopulation variation in body size significantly differed among the investigated carabid species. The existing literature on intrapopulation variation in the body size of insects is limited, but further investigation of this issue could provide a better understanding of the mechanisms that generate geographical clines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliška Baranovská
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Kamýcká, Praha - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Tajovský
- Department of Soil Zoology, Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Knapp
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Kamýcká, Praha - Suchdol, Czech Republic
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von Hoermann C, Jauch D, Kubotsch C, Reichel-Jung K, Steiger S, Ayasse M. Effects of abiotic environmental factors and land use on the diversity of carrion-visiting silphid beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae): A large scale carrion study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196839. [PMID: 29847551 PMCID: PMC5976144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic land use causes global declines in biodiversity. Despite the knowledge that animal carrion is the most nutrient-rich form of dead organic matter, studies on landscape and local scales determining whether and the means by which land use intensity influences the diversity of the carrion-associated insect fauna are globally scarce. We investigated the effects of land use intensity and abiotic and biotic environmental factors on the abundance, species richness, and diversity of the important ecosystem-service-providing silphid beetle taxon (carrion beetles) in three regions of Germany. In 61 forest stands distributed over three geographically distinct regions in Central Europe, we trapped silphid beetles on exposed piglet cadavers during late summer. In all three regions, higher ambient temperatures and higher fine sand contents were associated with the abundance of the silphid beetle taxa. The carrion community silphid diversity was negatively affected by an increase in mean ambient temperature in all three regions. Although management intensity in forests did not affect the overall abundance of Silphidae, the abundance of Nicrophorus humator decreased significantly with higher forest management intensity across all three regions. Unmanaged and age-class forests showed a higher abundance of N. humator compared with extensively managed forest stands. These findings indicate that N. humator has potential as an indicator species for anthropogenic disturbances in forests. Overall, the direct responses of the silphid beetle community to diverse soil characteristics underline soil as an important factor determining the abundance and diversity of necrophagous carrion beetles in Central Europe. To protect these valuable ecosystem-service providers, forest-management-induced soil modifications need to be paid close attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian von Hoermann
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Dennis Jauch
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Carolin Kubotsch
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kirsten Reichel-Jung
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Steiger
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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Baranovská E, Knapp M. Steep converse Bergmann's cline in a carrion beetle: between- and within-population variation in body size along an elevational gradient. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Baranovská
- Department of Ecology; Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Praha Czech Republic
| | - M. Knapp
- Department of Ecology; Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Praha Czech Republic
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