1
|
Vujić A, Djan M, Radenković S, Likov L, Ačanski J, Vujanović D, Veličković N, Pérez-Bañón C, Rojo S, Aracil A, Jordaens K, Ståhls G. A window on remarkable cryptic diversity of the Merodon planifacies subgroup (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Afrotropical Region. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2024; 24:4. [PMID: 39382173 PMCID: PMC11462455 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
The genus Merodon Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) is one of the most species-rich hoverfly genera distributed across the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. In the Palaearctic, the genus Merodon boasts 195 described species, while its Afrotropical region pales in comparison, with a mere 17 species documented thus far. As a result of 8 years of fieldwork conducted in the Republic of South Africa, in this paper, we present the description of 11 new species for science with a description of immature stages for 2 species, which increases the diversity of this genus in the Afrotropical region by remarkable 39%. These revelations are based on integrating morphology, molecular analysis (COI gene and 28S rRNA) and geometric morphometry. All described species belong to the Merodon planifacies subgroup, the Merodon desuturinus lineage and, within that, to the Afrotropical Merodon melanocerus group. Additionally, we provide an illustrated key to 15 species belonging to the subgroup, a detailed discussion on relevant taxonomic characters, a morphological diagnosis, a distribution map and clarification of the association between M. capi complex and host plants from the genus Merwilla.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ante Vujić
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Mihajla Djan
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | - Laura Likov
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jelena Ačanski
- University of Novi Sad, BioSense Institute, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | | | - Celeste Pérez-Bañón
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences III, Campus of San Vicente, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Santos Rojo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences III, Campus of San Vicente, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Andrea Aracil
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences III, Campus of San Vicente, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Kurt Jordaens
- Department of Biology, Invertebrates Unit, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Gunilla Ståhls
- Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rahimi E, Jung C. Spatial Modeling of Insect Pollination Services in Fragmented Landscapes. INSECTS 2024; 15:662. [PMID: 39336630 PMCID: PMC11432557 DOI: 10.3390/insects15090662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Pollination mapping and modeling have opened new avenues for comprehending the intricate interactions between pollinators, their habitats, and the plants they pollinate. While the Lonsdorf model has been extensively employed in pollination mapping within previous studies, its conceptualization of bee movement in agricultural landscapes presents notable limitations. Consequently, a gap exists in exploring the effects of forest fragmentation on pollination once these constraints are addressed. In this study, our objective is to model pollination dynamics in fragmented forest landscapes using a modified version of the Lonsdorf model, which operates as a distance-based model. Initially, we generated several simulated agricultural landscapes, incorporating forested and agricultural habitats with varying forest proportions ranging from 10% to 50%, along with a range of fragmentation degrees from low to high. Subsequently, employing the modified Lonsdorf model, we evaluated the nesting suitability and consequent pollination supply capacity across these diverse scenarios. We found that as the degree of forest fragmentation increases, resulting in smaller and more isolated patches with less aggregation, the pollination services within landscapes tend to become enhanced. In conclusion, our research suggests that landscapes exhibiting fragmented forest patch patterns generally display greater nesting suitability due to increased floral resources in their vicinity. These findings highlight the importance of employing varied models for pollination mapping, as modifications to the Lonsdorf model yield distinct outcomes compared to studies using the original version.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Rahimi
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chuleui Jung
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Plant Medical, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Requier F, Abdelli M, Baude M, Genoud D, Gens H, Geslin B, Henry M, Ropars L. Neglecting non-bee pollinators may lead to substantial underestimation of competition risk among pollinators. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 6:100093. [PMID: 39220234 PMCID: PMC11364274 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100093] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Due to the increasing pressures on bees, many beekeepers currently wish to move their managed livestock of Apis mellifera into little disturbed ecosystems such as protected natural areas. This may, however, exert detrimental competitive effects upon local wild pollinators. While it appears critical for land managers to get an adequate knowledge of this issue for effective wildlife conservation schemes, the frequency of this competition is not clear to date. Based on a systematic literature review of 96 studies, we assessed the frequency of exploitative competition between honey bees and wild pollinators. We found that 78% of the studies highlighted exploitative competition from honey bees to wild pollinators. Importantly, these studies have mostly explored competition with wild bees, while only 18% of them considered other pollinator taxa such as ants, beetles, bugs, butterflies, flies, moths, and wasps. The integration of non-bee pollinators into scientific studies and conservation plans is urgently required as they are critical for the pollination of many wild plants and crops. Interestingly, we found that a majority (88%) of these studies considering also non-bee pollinators report evidence of competition. Thus, neglecting non-bee pollinators could imply an underestimation of competition risks from honey bees. More inclusive work is needed to estimate the risks of competition in its entirety, but also to apprehend the context-dependency of competition so as to properly inform wildlife conservation schemes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Myriam Abdelli
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mathilde Baude
- Université d′Orléans, Chateau de la Source, BP 6749, Cedex2, 45067, Orléans, France
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC,Université Paris Cité, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement (iEESParis), Paris, France
| | | | - Hadrien Gens
- Amis de la réserve naturelle du lac de Remoray, 25320, Labergement-Sainte-Marie, France
| | - Benoît Geslin
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
- Université de Rennes (UNIR), UMR 6553 ECOBIO, CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Mickaël Henry
- INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Lise Ropars
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kofler XV, Grossniklaus U, Schiestl FP, Frachon L. Uncovering genes involved in pollinator-driven mating system shifts and selfing syndrome evolution in Brassica rapa. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:1220-1230. [PMID: 38853408 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Shifts in pollinator occurrence and their pollen transport effectiveness drive the evolution of mating systems in flowering plants. Understanding the genomic basis of these changes is essential for predicting the persistence of a species under environmental changes. We investigated the genomic changes in Brassica rapa over nine generations of pollination by hoverflies associated with rapid morphological evolution toward the selfing syndrome. We combined a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach with a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify candidate genes, and assessed their functional role in the observed morphological changes by studying mutations of orthologous genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We found 31 candidate genes involved in a wide range of functions from DNA/RNA binding to transport. Our functional assessment of orthologous genes in A. thaliana revealed that two of the identified genes in B. rapa are involved in regulating the size of floral organs. We found a protein kinase superfamily protein involved in petal width, an important trait in plant attractiveness to pollinators. Moreover, we found a histone lysine methyltransferase (HKMT) associated with stamen length. Altogether, our study shows that hoverfly pollination leads to rapid evolution toward the selfing syndrome mediated by polygenic changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xeniya V Kofler
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
- Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Basel, Tannenstrasse 1, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ueli Grossniklaus
- Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Basel, Tannenstrasse 1, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Florian P Schiestl
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
- Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Basel, Tannenstrasse 1, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Léa Frachon
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
- Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Basel, Tannenstrasse 1, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Oliveira N, Cañellas I, Fuertes A, Pascual S, González I, Montes F, Sixto H. Beyond biomass production: Enhancing biodiversity while capturing carbon in short rotation coppice poplar plantations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 933:172932. [PMID: 38703860 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172932] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Biodiversity is essential for the functioning of ecosystems and the provision of services. In recent years, the role of plantations in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration has been highlighted. In the Mediterranean area, high-density poplar plantations in short-rotation with resprouting management (SRC) have been established for biomass purposes on mostly irrigated agricultural land, coexisting with rainfed and irrigated agricultural crops. This study aims to assess the contribution of these plantations to this type of agroforest ecosystem in terms of biodiversity. For this purpose, both flora and fauna diversity were evaluated both within and outside of the plantation. Additionally, the accumulated carbon in the biomass, as well as in the accompanying vegetation within the plantation, was assessed. Different indices were used to evaluate both the intrinsic diversity of the forest plantation and the degree of substitution and complementarity between the different communities of the landscape. Our findings reveal distinct biodiversity patterns in the land-use scenarios sampled. Specifically, we observed significantly higher flora-species richness in SRC plantations than in the adjacent agricultural land, whereas fauna richness showed a similar but slightly higher level in the forested area. A moderate level of complementarity between land uses was found for insects and mammals (around 45 %), contrasting with high complementarity for birds (87 %) and flora (90 %). This suggests substantial turnover and replacement among these ecological environments. Our results indicate that a second rotation (4 year) plantation could accumulate a total of 61.6 Mg C ha-1, and even though adventitious flora represents <2 % of the total carbon accumulated, its importance in providing ecosystem services is considerable. Hence, these findings evidence the fact that SRC poplar plantations can enhance biodiversity in Mediterranean agroforest ecosystems and actively contribute to various provisioning ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, reflecting a multi-objective approach that extends beyond biomass production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Oliveira
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - I Cañellas
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Fuertes
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - S Pascual
- Entomology Group, Plant Protection Department, INIA, CSIC, Ctra. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - I González
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - F Montes
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - H Sixto
- Institute of Forest Sciences (INIA, CSIC), Crta. de A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li X, Li S, Qin Z, Cui L, Yang D, Chen S, Yan X, Yuan H. Structural and functional impacts of neonicotinoids analogues on Apis mellifera's chemosensory protein: Insights from spectroscopic and molecular modeling investigations. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 273:133080. [PMID: 38866284 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
In the intricate web of ecological relationships, pollinators such as the Italian honeybee (Apis mellifera) play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and agricultural productivity. This study focuses on the interactions between three neonicotinoid compounds and the honeybee's chemosensory protein 3 (CSP3), a key player in their olfactory system. Employing advanced spectroscopic techniques and molecular modeling, we explore the binding dynamics and conformational changes in CSP3 upon exposure to these pesticides. The research reveals that all three neonicotinoids considerably quench CSP3's fluorescence through a dynamic and static mixing mechanism, indicating a strong binding affinity, predominantly driven by hydrophobic interactions. UV-visible absorption, synchronous fluorescence, and 3D fluorescence spectra support slight changes in the microenvironment around the aromatic amino acids of CSP3. Circular dichroism spectra indicate a reduction in CSP3's α-helix content, suggesting structural alterations. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations further elucidate the binding modes and stability of these interactions, highlighting the role of specific amino acids in CSP3's binding cavity. Findings provide critical insights into molecular mechanisms by which neonicotinoids may impair honeybee chemosensory function, offering implications for designing safer pesticides and understanding the broader ecological impact of these chemicals on pollinator health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangshuai Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaohai Qin
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Daibin Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shuning Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaojing Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Huizhu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Birkenbach M, Straub F, Kiesel A, Ayasse M, Wilfert L, Kuppler J. Land-use affects pollinator-specific resource availability and pollinator foraging behaviour. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11061. [PMID: 38455145 PMCID: PMC10918743 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11061] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Land-use management is a key factor causing pollinator declines in agricultural grasslands. This decline can not only be directly driven by land-use (e.g., habitat loss) but also be indirectly mediated through a reduction in floral resource abundance and diversity, which might in turn affect pollinator health and foraging. We conducted surveys of the abundance of flowering plant species and behavioural observations of two common generalist pollinator species, namely the bumblebee Bombus lapidarius and the syrphid fly Episyrphus balteatus, in managed grasslands of variable land-use intensity (LUI) to investigate whether land-use affects (1) resource availability of the pollinators, (2) their host plant selection and (3) pollinator foraging behaviour. We have found that the floral composition of plant species that were used as resource by the investigated pollinator species depends on land-use intensity and practices such as mowing or grazing. We have also found that bumblebees, but not syrphid flies, visit different plants depending on LUI or management type. Furthermore, LUI indirectly changed pollinator behaviour via a reduction in plot-level flower diversity and abundance. For example, bumblebees show longer flight durations with decreasing flower cover indicating higher energy expenditure when foraging on land-use intensive plots. Syrphid flies were generally less affected by local land use, showing how different pollinator groups can differently react to land-use change. Overall, we show that land-use can change resource composition, abundance and diversity for pollinators, which can in turn affect pollinator foraging behaviour and potentially contribute to pollinator decline in agricultural grasslands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Birkenbach
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Florian Straub
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Anna Kiesel
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Jonas Kuppler
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUlm UniversityUlmGermany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rahimi E, Jung C. Global Trends in Climate Suitability of Bees: Ups and Downs in a Warming World. INSECTS 2024; 15:127. [PMID: 38392546 PMCID: PMC10889774 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Bees represent vital natural assets contributing significantly to global food production and the maintenance of ecosystems. While studies on climate change effects impacting major pollinators like honeybees and bumblebees raise concerns about global diversity and crop productivity, comprehensive global-scale analyses remain limited. This study explores the repercussions of global warming on 1365 bees across seven families of bees worldwide. To compile a robust global bee occurrence dataset, we utilized the innovative 'BeeBDC' R package that amalgamated over 18.3 million bee occurrence records sourced from various repositories. Through species distribution models under the SSP585 scenario in the year 2070, we assessed how climate change influences the climate suitability of bees on a global scale, examining the impacts across continents. Our findings suggested that approximately 65% of bees are likely to witness a decrease in their distribution, with reductions averaging between 28% in Australia and 56% in Europe. Moreover, our analysis indicated that climate change's impact on bees is projected to be more severe in Africa and Europe, while North America is expected to witness a higher number (336) of bees expanding their distribution. Climate change's anticipated effects on bee distributions could potentially disrupt existing pollinator-plant networks, posing ecological challenges that emphasize the importance of pollinator diversity, synchrony between plants and bees, and the necessity for focused conservation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Rahimi
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
| | - Chuleui Jung
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rweyemamu EW, Mwatawala MW, Tryphone GM, De Meyer M, Kabota S, Bwire PM. Impact of cucurbit crop management techniques on the foraging behavior of honeybees and hoverflies in Morogoro, Tanzania. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:9. [PMID: 38233768 PMCID: PMC10795283 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02202-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poor agricultural practices have drastically threatened insect pollinators' biodiversity. Little is known in Tanzania about how different agricultural practices affect pollinators' foraging behavior. This study investigated the effects of the agroecological zone, season, cucurbit species and management practices on visitation frequency, visitation rate and time spent on cucurbit flowers by five pollinator species viz. Apis mellifera, Eristalinus megacephalus, Mesembrius caffer, Paragus borbonicus and Toxomerus floralis. The experiment was designed as a 5 × 3 × 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. GAMOUR-Agroecology was tested against conventional practices and untreated control. RESULTS This study revealed significant effects of agroecological zone × season × cucurbit species × management practice on pollinators' visitation frequency (p = 0.007) and time spent on flowers (p = 0.005). Also, agroecological zone × season × cucurbit species × pollinator species significantly (p < 0.0001) affected pollinators' visitation frequency. Agroecological zones × season × cucurbit species × cucurbits management practices × pollinators significantly (p = 0.001) affected pollinators' visitation rate. Apis mellifera was the most frequent visitor in Cucurbita moschata plots treated with GAMOUR- Agroecology in the plateau zone, also, visited higher number of Cucumis sativus plots under GAMOUR-Agroecology practices in the mountainous zone during the October-November season. Furthermore, it has been found that pollinators spent much in cucurbit flowers on plots with GAMOUR-Agroecology practices and control. CONCLUSIONS Pollinators' foraging behavior were enhanced by GAMOUR-Agroecology practices. Therefore, this study recommended that cucurbit growers should consider management practices that positively influence pollinator foraging activities for sustainable cucurbit production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elvillah William Rweyemamu
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
| | - Maulid Walad Mwatawala
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - George Muhamba Tryphone
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Marc De Meyer
- Royal Museum for Central Africa, Invertebrates Section and JEMU, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Sija Kabota
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Research, Consultancy and Publication Unit, National Sugar Institute (NSI), P.O. Box 97, Kidatu-, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Patroba Masatu Bwire
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
- Tanzania Tobacco Board, P.O. Box 227, Morogoro, Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chen R, Ai D, Wang G, Wang B. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the antenna and proboscis reveals feeding state-dependent chemosensory genes in Eupeodes corollae. Open Biol 2024; 14:230208. [PMID: 38195061 PMCID: PMC10776234 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The physiological state of an insect can affect its olfactory system. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of nutrition-dependent states on odour-guided behaviours in hoverflies remains unclear. In this study, comparative transcriptome analysis of the antenna and proboscis from Eupeodes corollae under different feeding states was conducted. Compared with the previously published antennal transcriptome, a total of 32 novel chemosensory genes were identified, including 4 ionotropic receptors, 17 gustatory receptors, 9 odorant binding proteins and 2 chemosensory proteins. Analysis of differences in gene expression between different feeding states in male and female antennae and proboscises revealed that the expression levels of chemosensory genes were impacted by feeding state. For instance, the expression levels of EcorOBP19 in female antennae, EcorOBP6 in female proboscis, and EcorOR6, EcorOR14, EcorIR5 and EcorIR84a in male antennae were significantly upregulated after feeding. On the other hand, the expression levels of EcorCSP7 in male proboscis and EcorOR40 in male antennae were significantly downregulated. These findings suggest that nutritional state plays a role in the adaptation of hoverflies' olfactory system to food availability. Overall, our study provides important insights into the plasticity and adaptation of chemosensory systems in hoverflies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Ai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Guirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Barnes CM, Power AL, Barber DG, Tennant RK, Jones RT, Lee GR, Hatton J, Elliott A, Zaragoza-Castells J, Haley SM, Summers HD, Doan M, Carpenter AE, Rees P, Love J. Deductive automated pollen classification in environmental samples via exploratory deep learning and imaging flow cytometry. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1305-1326. [PMID: 37678361 PMCID: PMC10594409 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Pollen and tracheophyte spores are ubiquitous environmental indicators at local and global scales. Palynology is typically performed manually by microscopic analysis; a specialised and time-consuming task limited in taxonomical precision and sampling frequency, therefore restricting data quality used to inform climate change and pollen forecasting models. We build on the growing work using AI (artificial intelligence) for automated pollen classification to design a flexible network that can deal with the uncertainty of broad-scale environmental applications. We combined imaging flow cytometry with Guided Deep Learning to identify and accurately categorise pollen in environmental samples; here, pollen grains captured within c. 5500 Cal yr BP old lake sediments. Our network discriminates not only pollen included in training libraries to the species level but, depending on the sample, can classify previously unseen pollen to the likely phylogenetic order, family and even genus. Our approach offers valuable insights into the development of a widely transferable, rapid and accurate exploratory tool for pollen classification in 'real-world' environmental samples with improved accuracy over pure deep learning techniques. This work has the potential to revolutionise many aspects of palynology, allowing a more detailed spatial and temporal understanding of pollen in the environment with improved taxonomical resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire M. Barnes
- College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
| | - Ann L. Power
- Biosciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Daniel G. Barber
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Richard K. Tennant
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | | | - G. Rob Lee
- Biosciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Jackie Hatton
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Angela Elliott
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Joana Zaragoza-Castells
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Stephen M. Haley
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Huw D. Summers
- College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
| | - Minh Doan
- Bioimaging Analytics, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Upper Providence, PA 19426, United States
| | - Anne E. Carpenter
- Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts MA 02142, United States
| | - Paul Rees
- College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
- Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts MA 02142, United States
| | - John Love
- Biosciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hawkes WL, Wotton KR. The genome sequence of the slender grass hoverfly, Melanostoma scalare (Fabricius, 1794). Wellcome Open Res 2023; 8:489. [PMID: 38798992 PMCID: PMC11128046 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.20171.1] [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] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual male Melanostoma scalare (the slender grass hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 738.2 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 5 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X and Y sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.08 kilobases in length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William L.S. Hawkes
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempech, Switzerland
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, England, UK
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, England, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hawkes WL, Wotton KR. The genome sequence of the Common Spotted Hoverfly, Eupeodes luniger (Meigen, 1822). Wellcome Open Res 2023; 8:472. [PMID: 38798994 PMCID: PMC11128045 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.20144.1] [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] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Eupeodes luniger (the Common Spotted Hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 616.9 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 4 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.45 kilobases in length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William L.S. Hawkes
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, England, UK
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, England, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Clem CS, Hart LV, McElrath TC. A century of Illinois hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae): museum and citizen science data reveal recent range expansions, contractions, and species of potential conservation significance. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:13. [PMID: 37536371 PMCID: PMC10400275 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Hover flies of the family Syrphidae are a highly diverse group of insects that exhibit varied life histories and provide numerous ecosystem services. Despite their importance, they are highly understudied, and many biological and distributional patterns remain unknown in regions like the midwestern United States. Data from specimens exist in regional insect collections but is largely undigitized and thus inaccessible to much of the scientific community. Here, we report our efforts to identify, recurate, and digitize thousands of specimens from the Illinois Natural History Survey Insect Collection. We then combine these data with existing datasets to compile a comprehensive checklist of Illinois hover fly fauna, assess for temporal range expansion/contraction trends, and identify species of potential conservation significance. All total, the over 20,000 specimens/records we examined revealed 209 species within 71 genera and all 4 subfamilies of Syrphidae to have ever occurred in Illinois. Based on previously published data, 68 of these species are new Illinois state records and 36 expand the previously known range significantly. Numerous species found in Illinois historically have only recently been reported further north, while others of historically southern distribution appear to be extending their range northward, possibly due to anthropogenic factors like climate change. Furthermore, 73 species have not been reported in Illinois since at least 1995, and 27 are deemed to be of potential conservation significance with few to no recent records in the Midwest or elsewhere. Our findings illustrate the importance of routine expansion, curation, and digitization of natural history collections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Scott Clem
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, 413 Biological Sciences Building, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 320 Morrill Hall, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Lily V Hart
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1816 South Oak Street, MC 652, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Thomas C McElrath
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 320 Morrill Hall, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1816 South Oak Street, MC 652, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pascacio-Villafán C, Cohen AC. How Rearing Systems for Various Species of Flies Benefit Humanity. INSECTS 2023; 14:553. [PMID: 37367369 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Flies (Diptera) have played a prominent role in human history, and several fly species are reared at different scales and for different beneficial purposes worldwide. Here, we review the historical importance of fly rearing as a foundation for insect rearing science and technology and synthesize information on the uses and rearing diets of more than 50 fly species in the families Asilidae, Calliphoridae, Coelopidae, Drosophilidae, Ephydridae, Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, Stratiomyidae, Syrphidae, Tachinidae, Tephritidae, and Tipulidae. We report more than 10 uses and applications of reared flies to the well-being and progress of humanity. We focus on the fields of animal feed and human food products, pest control and pollination services, medical wound therapy treatments, criminal investigations, and on the development of several branches of biology using flies as model organisms. We highlight the relevance of laboratory-reared Drosophila melanogaster Meigen as a vehicle of great scientific discoveries that have shaped our understanding of many biological systems, including the genetic basis of heredity and of terrible diseases such as cancer. We point out key areas of fly-rearing research such as nutrition, physiology, anatomy/morphology, genetics, genetic pest management, cryopreservation, and ecology. We conclude that fly rearing is an activity with great benefits for human well-being and should be promoted for future advancement in diverse and innovative methods of improving existing and emerging problems to humanity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Pascacio-Villafán
- Red de Manejo Biorracional de Plagas y Vectores, Clúster Científico y Tecnológico BioMimic®, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa 91073, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Allen Carson Cohen
- Insect Rearing Education and Research, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Browning A, Smitley D, Studyvin J, Runkle ES, Huang ZY, Hotchkiss E. Variation in pollinator visitation among garden cultivars of marigold, portulaca, and bidens. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 116:872-881. [PMID: 37116900 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Due to declines in pollinator populations, many people are now interested in learning about which annual flowers they can plant in their garden to better support pollinators. However, reports of experimental evaluation of cultivars of annual flowers for attraction to pollinators are scarce. We sampled pollinators visiting six cultivars of marigold (Tagetes erecta and T. patula), ten cultivars of bidens (Bidens ferulifolia and B. aurea), and eight cultivars of portulaca (Portulaca oleracea and P. grandiflora) for two years to compare pollinator visitation rates among cultivars within each flower type. Pollinators collected on flowers in research plots were categorized into four groups, honey bees (Apis mellifera), common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens), wild bees, and syrphids, to show the proportion of different pollinator visitors to each cultivar. Pollinator visitation rates varied significantly among cultivars of marigold, bidens, and portulaca, with some cultivars having as much as 10-fold the visitation rate of other cultivars of the same flower type. In the second year we also evaluated nectar production and nectar quality of the most and least visited cultivars of portulaca and bidens. Our results show that pollinators have a strong preference for cultivars that produce the most nectar or nectar with the highest sugar content. This research will better inform entomologists, growers, educators, and plant breeders, about which cultivars of marigold, portulaca, and bidens are visited the most by pollinators, and how to accurately determine this at the cultivar level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Browning
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - D Smitley
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - J Studyvin
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071-303, USA
| | - E S Runkle
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue St, Room A288, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Z Y Huang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - E Hotchkiss
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kočić A, Vujić A, Tot T, Milosavljević MJ, Groot MDE. An updated checklist of the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Slovenia. Zootaxa 2023; 5297:189-227. [PMID: 37518800 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.2.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper is an updated checklist of the hoverflies of Slovenia. Since the last checklist of 274 species published by de Groot & Govedič in 2008, a large number of additional specimens have been collected and studied. In the present study, 42 species are reported for the first time for the Slovenian hoverfly fauna. Sphegina sublatifrons Vujić, 1990 is deleted from the Slovenian list. In total, 362 species from 77 genera are reported. According to the IUCN European Red List of Hoverflies, 29 species are classified as Endangered, 9 as Vulnerable, 19 as Near Threatened, 302 as Least Concern and 3 as Data Deficient. The distribution of species per region in Slovenia is presented. With 243 species, Upper Carniola hosts the largest number of registered species, followed by Central Slovenia (233 spp.), Gorizia (230 spp.), Savinja and Littoral Inner-Carniola (both with 173 spp.), Coastal-Karst (133 spp.), Southeast Slovenia (71 spp.), Drava (60 spp.), Carinthia (56 spp.), Lower Sava (52 spp.), Mura (47 spp.) and Central Sava (8 spp.). A significant increase in the number of new records has been noted in recent decades, and the possible reasons for this trend are also discussed here.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Kočić
- University of Novi Sad; Faculty of Sciences; Department of Biology and Ecology; Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2; 21000 Novi Sad; Serbia.
| | - Ante Vujić
- University of Novi Sad; Faculty of Sciences; Department of Biology and Ecology; Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2; 21000 Novi Sad; Serbia.
| | - Tamara Tot
- University of Novi Sad; Faculty of Sciences; Department of Biology and Ecology; Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2; 21000 Novi Sad; Serbia.
| | - Marina Janković Milosavljević
- University of Novi Sad; Faculty of Sciences; Department of Biology and Ecology; Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2; 21000 Novi Sad; Serbia.
| | - Maarten DE Groot
- Slovenian Forestry Institute; Department of Forest Protection; Večna pot 2; 1000 Ljubljana; Slovenia.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tsz Long Wong D, Norman H, Creedy TJ, Jordaens K, Moran KM, Young A, Mengual X, Skevington JH, Vogler AP. The phylogeny and evolutionary ecology of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) inferred from mitochondrial genomes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 184:107759. [PMID: 36921697 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a diverse group of pollinators and a major research focus in ecology, but their phylogenetic relationships remain incompletely known. Using a genome skimming approach we generated mitochondrial genomes for 91 species, capturing a wide taxonomic diversity of the family. To reduce the required amount of input DNA and overall cost of the library construction, sequencing and assembly was conducted on mixtures of specimens, which raises the problem of chimera formation of mitogenomes. We present a novel chimera detection test based on gene tree incongruence, but identified only a single mitogenome of chimeric origin. Together with existing data for a final set of 127 taxa, phylogenetic analysis on nucleotide and amino acid sequences using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference revealed a basal split of Microdontinae from all other syrphids. The remainder consists of several deep clades assigned to the subfamily Eristalinae in the current classification, including a clade comprising the subfamily Syrphinae (plus Pipizinae). These findings call for a re-definition of subfamilies, but basal nodes had insufficient support to allow such action. Molecular-clock dating placed the origin of the Syrphidae crown group in the mid-Cretaceous while the Eristalinae-Syrphinae clade likely originated near the K/Pg boundary. Transformation of larval life history characters on the tree suggests that Syrphidae initially had sap feeding larvae, which diversified greatly in diet and habitat association during the Eocene and Oligocene, coinciding with the diversification of angiosperms and the evolution of various insect groups used as larval host, prey, or mimicry models. Mitogenomes proved to be a powerful phylogenetic marker for studies of Syrphidae at subfamily and tribe levels, allowing dense taxon sampling that provided insight into the great ecological diversity and rapid evolution of larval life history traits of the hoverflies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tsz Long Wong
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX, U.K; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, U.K.
| | - Hannah Norman
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX, U.K; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, U.K.
| | - Thomas J Creedy
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX, U.K; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, U.K.
| | - Kurt Jordaens
- Department of Biology-Invertebrates Unit, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Joint Experimental Molecular Unit Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium.
| | - Kevin M Moran
- Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, ON K1A 0C6, Canada; Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Andrew Young
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Ximo Mengual
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Jeffrey H Skevington
- Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, ON K1A 0C6, Canada; Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Alfried P Vogler
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2BX, U.K; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hawkes WL, Sivell O, Wotton KR. The genome sequence of the Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776). Wellcome Open Res 2023. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19073.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Episyrphus balteatus (the Marmalade Hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 535 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into five chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.8 kilobases in length.
Collapse
|
20
|
Hawkes W, Sivell O, Sivell D, Massy R, Wotton KR. The genome sequence of the pied hoverfly, Scaeva pyrastri (Linnaeus, 1758). Wellcome Open Res 2023. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18892.1] [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
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Scaeva pyrastri (the pied hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 320 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into four chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 17.3 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 11,352 protein coding genes.
Collapse
|
21
|
Herrmann J, Buchholz S, Theodorou P. The degree of urbanisation reduces wild bee and butterfly diversity and alters the patterns of flower-visitation in urban dry grasslands. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2702. [PMID: 36792660 PMCID: PMC9932066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect-provided pollination services are increasingly threatened due to alarming declines in insect pollinator populations. One of the main threats to insect pollinators and consequently pollination is urbanisation. Here, we investigate the effects of local habitat quality (patch size, flowering plant richness, bare soil cover, vegetation structure), degree of urbanisation (impervious surfaces) and 3D connectivity on bee, hoverfly and butterfly flower visitors and plant-flower visitor networks in flower-rich urban dry grasslands. Overall, the degree of urbanisation and the quality of the local habitat influenced the flowering plant and pollinator communities. Although flowering plant abundance increased with urbanisation, bee species richness and butterfly species richness decreased with increasing impervious surfaces. Flowering plant richness and ground nesting resource availability were positively related to bee richness and local vegetation structure boosted hoverfly and butterfly visitation rates. In terms of plant-pollinator interactions, insect pollinators visited a lower proportion of the available flowering plants in more urbanised areas and network modularity and specialisation increased with patch size. Our findings show that urban dry grasslands are valuable habitats for species-rich pollinator communities and further highlight the importance of minimizing the intensity of urbanisation and the potential of local management practices to support insect biodiversity in cities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johann Herrmann
- Department of Ecology, TU Berlin, Rothenburgstraße 12, 12165, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Messeweg 11/12, 38104, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Sascha Buchholz
- Department of Ecology, TU Berlin, Rothenburgstraße 12, 12165, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Panagiotis Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Crowley LM, Mitchell R, Weston ST, Wotton KR. The genome sequence of the Lesser Hornet Hoverfly, Volucella inanis (Linnaeus, 1758). Wellcome Open Res 2023; 8:69. [PMID: 37928210 PMCID: PMC10620480 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18897.1] [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] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Volucella inanis (the Lesser Hornet Hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 961 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into six chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.0 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 11,616 protein coding genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Tree of Life Core Informatics collective
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Scarlett T. Weston
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Nakas G, Kantsa A, Vujić A, Mescher MC, De Moraes CΜ, Petanidou T. Recent fire in a Mediterranean ecosystem strengthens hoverfly populations and their interaction networks with plants. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9803. [PMID: 36789333 PMCID: PMC9905663 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9803] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Fire affects many critical ecological processes, including pollination, and effects of climate change on fire regimes may have profound consequences that are difficult to predict. Considerable work has examined effects of fire on pollinator diversity, but relatively few studies have examined these effects on interaction networks including those of pollinators other than bees. We examined the effects of a severe wildfire on hoverfly pollinators in a Mediterranean island system. Using data collected over 3 consecutive years at burnt and unburnt sites, we documented differences in species diversity, abundance, and functional traits, as well as hoverfly interactions with flowering plants. Hoverfly abundance and species richness peaked during the first post-fire flowering season (year 1), which coincided with the presence of many opportunistic species. Also in year 1, hoverfly pollination networks were larger, less specialized, more nested, and less modular at burnt (vs. unburnt) sites; furthermore, these networks exhibited higher phylogenetic host-plant diversity. These effects declined over the next 2 years, with burnt and unburnt sites converging in similarity to hoverfly communities and interaction networks. While data obtained over 3 years provide a clear timeline of initial post-fire recovery, we emphasize the importance of longer-term monitoring for understanding the responses of natural communities to wildfires, which are projected to become more frequent and more destructive in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Nakas
- Department of GeographyUniversity of the AegeanMytileneGreece
| | - Aphrodite Kantsa
- Department of Environmental System SciencesETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Ante Vujić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of SciencesUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Mark C. Mescher
- Department of Environmental System SciencesETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Orengo-Green JJ, Quinto J, Ricarte A, Marcos-García MÁ. Combined stereomicroscope and SEM disentangle the fine morphology of the undescribed larva and puparium of the hoverfly Milesia crabroniformis (Fabricius, 1775) (Diptera: Syrphidae). Micron 2023; 165:103397. [PMID: 36543057 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2022.103397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
With over 80 species, Milesia Latreille, 1804 is a hoverfly genus (Diptera: Syrphidae) found in all continents except for Australia and the Antarctica. However, little is known about its life cycle and biology. The three Milesia species for which early stages are known have saproxylic larvae, suggesting that the larvae of all other Milesia species are also saproxylic. The early stages of the three Milesia species occurring in Europe are undescribed. Milesia crabroniformis (Fabricius, 1775), a mimic of the hornet Vespa crabro Linnaeus, 1758, is the largest hoverfly in Europe and is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN European Red List of Hoverflies. We here report the first early stages of Milesia ever found in Europe, describing them and their breeding sites. Larvae of M. crabroniformis were collected in water-filled tree holes of live chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.) in Málaga, Southern Spain in 2020-2021. Various studies based on stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques have proven useful in diagnosing hoverfly early stages by observation of their fine morphology. Thus, these techniques were also used here to characterize the second (L2) and third (L3) stage larvae of M. crabroniformis, as well as the puparium. A Leica M205C binocular stereomicroscope and a Jeol JSM-ITH500HR SEM were used. The head skeleton and chaetotaxy of the L3 larva were described and illustrated. Adjustments to the diagnosis of the larvae of Milesia are proposed based on the number of hooks from the primary row of the main group of hooks. The new early stages are compared with those of other Milesia hoverflies, as well as with those of the sister group Spilomyia Meigen, 1803. The knowledge of the larval biology and breeding sites of saproxylic insects is useful for implementing forest management measures and species' conservation programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José J Orengo-Green
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad). University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Javier Quinto
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad). University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain; Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica, Centro IFAPA de Málaga, Laboratorio de Entomología Agrícola, 29140 Málaga, Spain.
| | - Antonio Ricarte
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad). University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
| | - M Ángeles Marcos-García
- Research Institute CIBIO (Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad). University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Green roofs and pollinators, useful green spots for some wild bee species (Hymenoptera: Anthophila), but not so much for hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Sci Rep 2023; 13:1449. [PMID: 36702922 PMCID: PMC9879974 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28698-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation has become one of the major anthropogenic drivers behind insect decline in abundance, biomass and species richness over the past decades. As a result, bees and other pollinators' natural habitats are reduced and degraded. Green roofs are frequently recommended as ways to counter the negative impacts of urbanisation on nature and enhance the amount of green space in cities. In this study we evaluated the pollinator (more specifically wild bees and hoverflies) diversity, abundance and species richness on twenty green roofs in Antwerp, Belgium. We analysed the influence of roof characteristics (age, surface area, height, percent cover of green space surrounding each site) on species richness or abundance of pollinators. In total we found 40 different wild bee species on the green roofs. None of the physical roof characteristics appear to explain differences in wild bees species richness and abundance. Neither could we attribute the difference in roof vegetation cover, i.e. roofs build-up with only Sedum species and roofs with a combined cover of Sedum, herbs and grasses, to differences in diversity, abundance, or species richness. We found a positive trend, although not significant, in community weighted mean body size for wild bees with an increase in green roof surface area. Roof wild bee communities were identified as social polylectic individuals, with a preference for ground nesting. Only eleven individuals from eight different hoverfly species were found. Our results show that green roofs can be a suitable habitat for wild bee species living in urban areas regardless of the roofs' characteristics, but hoverflies have more difficulties conquering these urban green spaces.
Collapse
|
26
|
Zoller L, Bennett J, Knight TM. Plant-pollinator network change across a century in the subarctic. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:102-112. [PMID: 36593294 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01928-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Animal-mediated pollination is a vital ecosystem service to crops and wild plants, and long-term stability of plant-pollinator interactions is therefore crucial for maintaining plant biodiversity and food security. However, it is unknown how the composition of pollinators and the structure of pollinator interactions have changed across longer time spans relevant to examining responses to human activities such as climate change. We resampled an historical dataset of plant-pollinator interactions across several orders of pollinating insects in a subarctic location in Finland that has already experienced substantial climate warming but little land use change. Our results reveal a dramatic turnover in pollinator species and rewiring of plant-pollinator interactions, with only 7% of the interactions shared across time points. The relative abundance of moth and hoverfly pollinators declined between time points, whereas muscoid flies, a group for which little is known regarding conservation status and responses to climate, became more common. Specialist pollinators disproportionately declined, leading to a decrease in network-level specialization, which could have harmful consequences for pollination services. Our results exemplify the changes in plant-pollinator networks that might be expected in other regions as climate change progresses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leana Zoller
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany. .,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Joanne Bennett
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.,Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Tiffany M Knight
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Escobedo-Kenefic N, Casiá-Ajché QB, Cardona E, Escobar-González D, Mejía-Coroy A, Enríquez E, Landaverde-González P. Landscape or local? Distinct responses of flower visitor diversity and interaction networks to different land use scales in agricultural tropical highlands. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.974215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Land use change has been identified as a cause for biodiversity loss and has significant effects on pollinators and their interactions with plants. Interaction network analyses complement diversity estimators by providing information on the stability and functionality of the plant-pollinator community in an ecosystem. However, how land use changes affect insect diversity, and the structure of their plant-insect interaction networks, could depend on the intensity of the disturbance but also may be a matter of scale. Our study was carried out in a tropical highland landscape dominated by intense, yet diverse, small-scale agriculture. We studied the effects of land use, at a landscape scale, and local cover and plant ecological descriptors, at a local scale; on diversity descriptors of insect pollinator communities, the abundance of the most frequent flower visitors, and their interaction networks. Seminatural vegetation favored insect flower visitors at both scales. At the landscape scale, human settlements positively influenced bee diversity, and seminatural areas favored the abundance of frequent hoverfly and bumblebee species. At the local scale, bare soil cover negatively influenced honeybee abundance while flower-rich covers positively related to bumblebee abundance. Only local scale variables had influence on network metrics. Bare soil cover was related to higher network specialization, probably due to a low rate of honeybee interactions. Flower-rich covers negatively influenced network connectance but favored modularity. These results suggest that flower resources, provided by weed areas and flowering crops, promote a high rate of interactions between trophic levels and a non-random structure in the interaction networks that may be helping to sustain network stability. Our results highlight the role of seminatural vegetation, at both scales, in maintaining stable insect pollinator communities and interactions in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes of the tropics.
Collapse
|
28
|
Hawkes WL, Weston ST, Cook H, Doyle T, Massy R, Guri EJ, Wotton Jimenez RE, Wotton KR. Migratory hoverflies orientate north during spring migration. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220318. [PMID: 36196552 PMCID: PMC9533008 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory hoverflies are long-range migrants that, in the Northern Hemisphere, move seasonally to higher latitudes in the spring and lower latitudes in the autumn. The preferred migratory direction of hoverflies in the autumn has been the subject of radar and flight simulator studies, while spring migration has proved to be more difficult to characterize owing to a lack of ground observations. Consequently, the preferred migratory direction during spring has only been inferred from entomological radar studies and patterns of local abundance, and currently lacks ground confirmation. Here, during a springtime arrival of migratory insects onto the Isles of Scilly and mainland Cornwall, UK, we provide ground proof that spring hoverfly migrants have an innate northward preference. Captured migratory hoverflies displayed northward vanishing bearings when released under sunny conditions under both favourable wind and zero-wind conditions. In addition, and unlike autumn migrants, spring individuals were also able to orientate when the sun was obscured. Analysis of winds suggests an origin for insects arriving on the Isles of Scilly as being in western France. These findings of spring migration routes and preferred migration directions are likely to extend to the diverse set of insects found within the western European migratory assemblage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Will L. Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Scarlett T. Weston
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Holly Cook
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Richard Massy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Eva Jimenez Guri
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Rex E. Wotton Jimenez
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Molecular tools for resolving Merodon ruficornis group (Diptera, Syrphidae) taxonomy. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-022-00571-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
|
30
|
Doyle T, Jimenez‐Guri E, Hawkes WLS, Massy R, Mantica F, Permanyer J, Cozzuto L, Hermoso Pulido T, Baril T, Hayward A, Irimia M, Chapman JW, Bass C, Wotton KR. Genome-wide transcriptomic changes reveal the genetic pathways involved in insect migration. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4332-4350. [PMID: 35801824 PMCID: PMC9546057 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Insects are capable of extraordinary feats of long-distance movement that have profound impacts on the function of terrestrial ecosystems. The ability to undertake these movements arose multiple times through the evolution of a suite of traits that make up the migratory syndrome, however the underlying genetic pathways involved remain poorly understood. Migratory hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are an emerging model group for studies of migration. They undertake seasonal movements in huge numbers across large parts of the globe and are important pollinators, biological control agents and decomposers. Here, we assembled a high-quality draft genome of the marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus). We leveraged this genomic resource to undertake a genome-wide transcriptomic comparison of actively migrating Episyrphus, captured from a high mountain pass as they flew south to overwinter, with the transcriptomes of summer forms which were non-migratory. We identified 1543 genes with very strong evidence for differential expression. Interrogation of this gene set reveals a remarkable range of roles in metabolism, muscle structure and function, hormonal regulation, immunity, stress resistance, flight and feeding behaviour, longevity, reproductive diapause and sensory perception. These features of the migrant phenotype have arisen by the integration and modification of pathways such as insulin signalling for diapause and longevity, JAK/SAT for immunity, and those leading to octopamine production and fuelling to boost flight capabilities. Our results provide a powerful genomic resource for future research, and paint a comprehensive picture of global expression changes in an actively migrating insect, identifying key genomic components involved in this important life-history strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Eva Jimenez‐Guri
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Will L. S. Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Richard Massy
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Federica Mantica
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Jon Permanyer
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luca Cozzuto
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Toni Hermoso Pulido
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Tobias Baril
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Alex Hayward
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu FabraBarcelonaSpain
- ICREABarcelonaSpain
| | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
- Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant ProtectionNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingPeople's Republic of China
| | - Chris Bass
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Exeter, Cornwall CampusPenrynUK
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Clem CS, Hobson KA, Harmon‐Threatt AN. Do Nearctic hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) engage in long‐distance migration? An assessment of evidence and mechanisms. ECOL MONOGR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Scott Clem
- Department of Entomology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
- Department of Entomology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Environment and Climate Change Canada Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
- Department of Biology University of Western Ontario London Ontario Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Yuan H, Gao B, Wu C, Zhang L, Li H, Xiao Y, Wu K. Genome of the hoverfly Eupeodes corollae provides insights into the evolution of predation and pollination in insects. BMC Biol 2022; 20:157. [PMID: 35794591 PMCID: PMC9261035 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01356-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) including Eupeodes corollae are important insects worldwide that provide dual ecosystem services including pest control and pollination. The larvae are dominant predators of aphids and can be used as biological control agents, and the adults are efficient pollinators. The different feeding habits of larvae and adults make hoverflies a valuable genetic resource for understanding the mechanisms underlying the evolution and adaptation to predation and pollination in insects. Results Here, we present a 595-Mb high-quality reference genome of the hoverfly E. corollae, which is typical of an aphid predator and a pollinator. Comparative genomic analyses of E. corollae and Coccinellidae (ladybugs, aphid predators) shed light on takeout genes (3), which are involved in circadian rhythms and feeding behavior and might regulate the feeding behavior of E. corollae in a circadian manner. Genes for sugar symporter (12) and lipid transport (7) related to energy production in E. corollae had homologs in pollinator honeybees and were absent in predatory ladybugs. A number of classical cytochrome P450 detoxification genes, mainly CYP6 subfamily members, were greatly expanded in E. corollae. Notably, comparative genomic analyses of E. corollae and other aphidophagous hoverflies highlighted three homologous trypsins (Ecor12299, Ecor12301, Ecor2966). Transcriptome analysis showed that nine trypsins, including Ecor12299, Ecor12301, and Ecor2966, are strongly expressed at the larval stage, and 10 opsin genes, which are involved in visual perception, are significantly upregulated at the adult stage of E. corollae. Conclusions The high-quality genome assembly provided new insights into the genetic basis of predation and pollination by E. corollae and is a valuable resource for advancing studies on genetic adaptations and evolution of hoverflies and other natural enemies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01356-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- He Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bojia Gao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chao Wu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yutao Xiao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Van Oystaeyen A, Tuyttens E, Boonen S, De Smedt L, Bellinkx S, Wäckers F, Pekas A. Dual purpose: Predatory hoverflies pollinate strawberry crops and protect them against the strawberry aphid, Chaetospihon fragaefolii. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:3051-3060. [PMID: 35437904 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predatory syrphids are an important functional group due to their potential for providing multiple ecosystem services. Adults feed on nectar and pollen, and can be effective pollinators, while larvae are voracious predators that can reduce aphid pressure. Still, little research has addressed their potential dual function in agroecosystems. In this study, we assessed the potential of two predatory hoverflies, Eupeodes corollae and Sphaerophoria rueppellii, for delivering concurrent pollination and biological control of Chaetospihon fragaefolii in greenhouse strawberries. RESULTS Both hoverfly species effectively pollinated strawberry flowers of two different varieties ('Elsanta' and 'Sonsation'), resulting in an increase in high-quality marketable fruits, a reduction of fruit deformities, and higher number of seeds per fruit compared to pollinator-excluded fruits. S. ruepellii had a significantly longer flower handling time than E. corollae, which translated to a more efficient pollination expressed as higher seed numbers per fruit after a single flower visit. By contrast, flowers that were open to multiple visits were more effectively pollinated by E. corollae, suggesting that E. corollae is potentially a better cross-pollinator than S. rueppellii. In addition, both hoverfly species suppressed aphid populations in strawberry (var. 'Sonata'), with S. rueppellii and E. corollae reducing aphid populations by 49% and 62%, respectively. CONCLUSION Predatory syrphids can concurrently contribute to pollination and biological control in strawberry in a greenhouse setting. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ella Tuyttens
- Research & Development, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | - Sten Boonen
- Research & Development, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | - Lien De Smedt
- Research & Development, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | - Stijn Bellinkx
- Research & Development, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | - Felix Wäckers
- Research & Development, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Orengo-Green JJ, Casas JL, Marcos-García MÁ. Effect of Abiotic Climatic Factors on the Gonadal Maturation of the Biocontrol Agent Sphaerophoria rueppellii (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Syrphidae). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070573. [PMID: 35886749 PMCID: PMC9320043 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Knowledge about the morphology and functioning of the male and female reproductive system in insects is key to understanding their reproductive biology, and to assessing the effects that environmental factors, such as temperature or photoperiod, can have on oviposition, fecundity, and lifespan. This knowledge is particularly interesting in those species that are mass-reared, as in the case of the predatory syrphid Sphaerophoria rueppellii. Given the lack of published information regarding sexual maturation in syrphids, this type of study, applied to beneficial insects used as biological control agents, offers, firstly, the chance to improve their mass breeding under controlled conditions and, secondly, to know their capability for pest control response under field conditions. Our results show that photoperiod and temperature affect development and gonad maturation in S. rueppellii males and females. Abstract The hoverfly Sphaerophoria rueppellii is currently one of the most effective predators commercially available for aphid pest control. However, knowledge of the reproductive system of males and females of this syrphid is limited. The present article aims to report how changes in the temperature and photoperiod may affect development of the gonads (ovaries and testes), oviposition, and fecundity during the lifespan of S. rueppellii. Four environmental conditions (14L:10D, T: 20 ± 1 °C; 12L:12D, T: 20 ± 1 °C; 14L:10D, T: 25 ± 1 °C; and 12L:12D, T: 25 ± 1 °C) were used to determine oviposition, hatching percentage, and lifespan during a period of 30 days after the adult emergence. The maturation of the ovaries was done under three treatments (barley leaves with aphids always available; barley leaves two days per week with aphids available; no barley leaves available), and in the same environmental conditions noted above. Males at 14L:10D, 20 ± 1 °C; and 14L:10D, 25 ± 1 °C; were used to analyze and study the maturation of the testes. Females at 14L:10D; T: 25 ± 1 °C showed a significant difference in oviposition, percentage of hatching, and rate of eggs. A detailed description of the male and female gonads was undertaken, and it was determined that the conditions in which males sexually mature early are at 14L:10D, 25 ± 1 °C. These results will improve the application of S. rueppellii in crops, for the control of aphid pests.
Collapse
|
35
|
Kohl PL, Steffan‐Dewenter I. Nectar robbing rather than pollinator availability constrains reproduction of a bee‐flowered plant at high elevations. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick L. Kohl
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hall MA, Stavert JR, Saunders ME, Barr S, Haberle SG, Rader R. Pollen-insect interaction meta-networks identify key relationships for conservation in mosaic agricultural landscapes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2537. [PMID: 35038208 PMCID: PMC9285751 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Flower visitors use different parts of the landscape through the plants they visit, however these connections vary within and among land uses. Identifying which flower-visiting insects are carrying pollen, and from where in the landscape, can elucidate key pollen-insect interactions and identify the most important sites for maintaining community-level interactions across land uses. We developed a bipartite meta-network, linking pollen-insect interactions with the sites they occur in. We used this to identify which land-use types at the site- and landscape-scale (within 500 m of a site) are most important for conserving pollen-insect interactions. We compared pollen-insect interactions across four different land uses (remnant native forest, avocado orchard, dairy farm, rotational potato crop) within a mosaic agricultural landscape. We sampled insects using flight intercept traps, identified pollen carried on their bodies and quantified distinct pollen-insect interactions that were highly specialized to both natural and modified land uses. We found that sites in crops and dairy farms had higher richness of pollen-insect interactions and higher interaction strength than small forest patches and orchards. Further, many interactions involved pollinator groups such as flies, wasps, and beetles that are often under-represented in pollen-insect network studies, but were often connector species in our networks. These insect groups require greater attention to enable wholistic pollinator community conservation. Pollen samples were dominated by grass (Poaceae) pollen, indicating anemophilous plant species may provide important food resources for pollinators, particularly in modified land uses. Field-scale land use (within 100 m of a site) better predicted pollen-insect interaction richness, uniqueness, and strength than landscape-scale. Thus, management focused at smaller scales may provide more tractable outcomes for conserving or restoring pollen-insect interactions in modified landscapes. For instance, actions aimed at linking high-richness sites with those containing unique (i.e., rare) interactions by enhancing floral corridors along field boundaries and between different land uses may best aid interaction diversity and connectance. The ability to map interactions across sites using a meta-network approach is practical and can inform land-use planning, whereby conservation efforts can be targeted toward areas that host key interactions between plant and pollinator species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Hall
- School of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
- Hawksbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jamie R. Stavert
- School of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Conservation – Te Papa AtawhaiAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Manu E. Saunders
- School of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Shannon Barr
- School of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Simon G. Haberle
- School of Culture, History and Language, ANU College of Asia and the PacificAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, ANU College of Asia and the PacificAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Romina Rader
- School of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNew South WalesAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Gathof AK, Grossmann AJ, Herrmann J, Buchholz S. Who can pass the urban filter? A multi-taxon approach to disentangle pollinator trait-environmental relationships. Oecologia 2022; 199:165-179. [PMID: 35505250 PMCID: PMC9120122 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05174-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cities are considered important refuges for insect pollinators. This has been shown repeatedly for wild bees, but may also be true for other diverse taxa such as hoverflies. However, our understanding of how urban environmental filters shape pollinator species communities and their traits is still limited. Here, we used wild bee and hoverfly species, communities and their functional traits to illustrate how environmental filters on the landscape and local scale shape urban species pools. The multi-taxon approach revealed that environmental filtering predominantly occurred at the landscape scale as urbanisation and 3D connectivity significantly structured the taxonomic and functional composition of wild bee (sociality, nesting, diet, body size) and hoverfly (larval food type, migratory status) communities. We identified urban winners and losers attributed to taxon-specific responses to urban filters. Our results suggest that insect pollinator conservation needs to take place primarily at the landscape level while considering species traits, especially by increasing habitat connectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sascha Buchholz
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Jia H, Liu Y, Li X, Li H, Pan Y, Hu C, Zhou X, Wyckhuys KAG, Wu K. Windborne migration amplifies insect-mediated pollination services. eLife 2022; 11:76230. [PMID: 35416148 PMCID: PMC9042232 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, hoverflies (Syrphidae: Diptera) provide crucial ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control. Although many hoverfly species exhibit migratory behavior, the spatiotemporal facets of these movement dynamics, and their ecosystem services implications are poorly understood. In this study, we use long-term (16-year) trapping records, trajectory analysis, and intrinsic (i.e., isotope, genetic, pollen) markers to describe migration patterns of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus in northern China. Our work reveals how E. balteatus migrate northward during spring–summer and exhibits return (long-range) migration during autumn. The extensive genetic mixing and high genetic diversity of E. balteatus populations underscore its adaptive capacity to environmental disturbances, for example, climate change. Pollen markers and molecular gut analysis further illuminate how E. balteatus visits min. 1012 flowering plant species (39 orders) over space and time. By thus delineating E. balteatus transregional movements and pollination networks, we advance our understanding of its migration ecology and facilitate the design of targeted strategies to conserve and enhance its ecosystem services.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiru Jia
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqiang Liu
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xaiokang Li
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Li
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunfei Pan
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Xainyong Zhou
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Kongming Wu
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Rego C, Smit J, Aguiar AF, Cravo D, Penado A, Boieiro M. A pictorial key for identification of the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the Madeira Archipelago. Biodivers Data J 2022; 10:e78518. [PMID: 36761657 PMCID: PMC9848622 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.10.e78518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Syrphid flies are important ecological indicators and provide crucial ecosystem services, being important pollinators and biological control agents of insect pests. These charismatic insects are conspicuous and, due to their size and colourful patterns, are relatively easy to identify. However, the lack of user-friendly literature (e.g. photographic guides) for most areas may hamper its wider selection as a study group in biodiversity and ecological studies. The syrphid fauna of Madeira Archipelago comprises 26 species, including four endemics (Eumerushispidus Smit, Aguiar & Wakeham-Dawson, 2004; Melanostomawollastoni Wakeham-Dawson, Aguiar, Smit, McCullough & Wyatt, 2004; Myathropausta, Wollaston, 1858 and Xanthandrusbabyssa, Walker, 1849), but, despite the current good taxonomic knowledge on this group, information on species distribution, ecology and conservation is still lacking. Here, we provide a pictorial key to the adult hoverflies of Madeira Archipelago highlighting diagnostic characteristics and present photographs of both males and females (in dorsal and lateral views) in colour plates. The key and plates will help researchers to differentiate these species, thus encouraging the use of this insect group in future bioindication studies. In addition, this study also aims to engage a broader audience of non-experts in improving the knowledge on the distribution and ecology of Madeira syrphids. New information We provide a checklist for the hoverflies of Madeira Archipelago and a pictorial key to help on species identification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Rego
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Sciences, University of LisbonLisboaPortugal
| | - John Smit
- European Invertebrate Survey - the Netherlands / Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, NetherlandsEuropean Invertebrate Survey - the Netherlands / Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenNetherlands
| | - António Franquinho Aguiar
- Laboratório de Qualidade Agrícola, Secretaria Regional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural, Camacha, Madeira, PortugalLaboratório de Qualidade Agrícola, Secretaria Regional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento RuralCamacha, MadeiraPortugal
| | - Délia Cravo
- Laboratório de Qualidade Agrícola, Secretaria Regional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural, Camacha, Madeira, PortugalLaboratório de Qualidade Agrícola, Secretaria Regional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento RuralCamacha, MadeiraPortugal
| | - Andreia Penado
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Sciences, University of LisbonLisboaPortugal
| | - Mário Boieiro
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of AzoresAngra do HeroísmoPortugal
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Brom P, Underhill LG, Winter K. A review of the opportunities to support pollinator populations in South African cities. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12788. [PMID: 35295555 PMCID: PMC8919850 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally insects are declining, but some guilds of pollinators are finding refuge in urban landscapes. The body of knowledge on urban pollinators is relatively mature, which means it is now possible to begin to make generalization. Unfortunately, studies do not represent climatic regions evenly and there is a gap in research from the African continent. This study aimed to address some of the gaps on urban pollination knowledge in South Africa and to identify opportunities to improve urban habitats for pollinators. We reviewed the international literature on urban pollinators and the South African literature on pollinators with a landscape ecology focus, drawing on literature with an emphasis on agricultural and ecosystem services. The findings show that some taxa (e.g. large-bodied, cavity nesting bees) will exploit urban environments increasing in abundance with urban intensity. Moderately sensitive taxa (such as small-bodied, ground-nesting bees) take advantage of urban environments only if local habitats are supportive of their needs for resource provision and habitat connectivity. The South African urban poor rely on pollination services for subsistence agriculture and the reproduction of wild-foraged medicines and food. Potential interventions to improve habitat quality include strategic mowing practices, conversion of turf-grass to floral rich habitats, scientific confirmation of lists of highly attractive flowers, and inclusion of small-scale flower patches throughout the urban matrix. Further research is needed to fill the Africa gap for both specialized and generalized pollinators (Diptera, Halictids, Lepidoptera and Hopliini) in urban areas where ornamental and indigenous flowering plants are valued.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peta Brom
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Les G. Underhill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Kevin Winter
- Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Hawkes W, Wotton K. The genome sequence of the plain-faced dronefly, Eristalis arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758). Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:61. [PMID: 38779419 PMCID: PMC11109569 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17580.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Eristalis arbustorum (the plain-faced dronefly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syriphidae). The genome sequence is 451 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (94.71%) is scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X sex chromosome assembled. The complete mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 16.0 kilobases in length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Hawkes
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Karl Wotton
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
The Honey Bee Apis mellifera: An Insect at the Interface between Human and Ecosystem Health. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020233. [PMID: 35205099 PMCID: PMC8869587 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Apis mellifera Linnaeus (1758), a honey bee, is a eusocial insect widely known for its role in pollination, an essential ecosystem service for plant biodiversity, and quality of vegetables and fruit products. In addition, honey bees and bee products are valuable bioindicators of pollutants, such as airborne particulate matter, heavy metals, and pesticides. In this review, we explore the provisioning, regulating, and cultural services provided by the honey bee, an insect at the interface between human and ecosystem health. Abstract The concept of ecosystem services is widely understood as the services and benefits thatecosystems provide to humans, and they have been categorised into provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services. This article aims to provide an updated overview of the benefits that the honey bee Apis mellifera provides to humans as well as ecosystems. We revised the role of honey bees as pollinators in natural ecosystems to preserve and restore the local biodiversity of wild plants; in agro-ecosystems, this species is widely used to enhance crop yield and quality, meeting the increasing food demand. Beekeeping activity provides humans not only with high-quality food but also with substances used as raw materials and in pharmaceuticals, and in polluted areas, bees convey valuable information on the environmental presence of pollutants and their impact on human and ecosystem health. Finally, the role of the honey bee in symbolic tradition, mysticism, and the cultural values of the bee habitats are also presented. Overall, we suggest that the symbolic value of the honey bee is the most important role played by this insect species, as it may help revitalise and strengthen the intimate and reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world, avoiding the inaccuracy of considering the ecosystems as mere providers of services to humans.
Collapse
|
43
|
Campoy A, Lutsyk M, Pérez-Bañón C, Rojo S. Age-stage two-sex life table analysis of Eristalinus aeneus (Diptera, Syrphidae) reared with two different larval media. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022; 112:13-20. [PMID: 34736544 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485321000328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Eristalinus aeneus (Scopoli, 1763) is a suitable candidate for artificial rearing due to its pollination efficiency and subcosmopolitan distribution. However, the high mortality found at the larval stage of this species needs to be overcome. In this research, two different larval media were used to study the life cycle of E. aeneus: brewery spent grain (BSG) from a local craft-beer factory and soaked oat grains (SOG). The age-stage, two-sex life table method was used to analyze the results, which were compared using the paired bootstrap test. The greatest mortality was found at the larval stage with both media. Individuals fed on SOG presented a shorter preadult developmental time (22.05 days) than those reared with BSG (26.97 days). This fact had a direct impact on the total preoviposition period, it being shorter with SOG (34.36 days) than BSG (38.29 days), although the second provided a larger total number of eggs (19,242 eggs) and a faster adult maturation (10.67 days). The population parameters indicated that both populations will display a positive growth under the studied conditions, being the mean generation time (T) significantly shorter when using SOG (38.71 days) than BSG (45.95 days). Despite the preadult results pointing to SOG being a more efficient medium, the promising fecundity values provided by BSG, as well as it's lower cost and ecological benefits, suggest that this second medium could be improved and used as an alternative to SOG in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Campoy
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, E-03080Alicante, Spain
| | - Mariya Lutsyk
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, E-03080Alicante, Spain
| | - Celeste Pérez-Bañón
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, E-03080Alicante, Spain
| | - Santos Rojo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, PO Box 99, E-03080Alicante, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Ng WH, Myers CR, McArt SH, Ellner SP. Pathogen transport amplifies or dilutes disease transmission depending on the host dose-response relationship. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:453-465. [PMID: 34881492 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pathogen transport by biotic or abiotic processes (e.g. mechanical vectors, wind, rain) can increase disease transmission by creating more opportunities for host exposure. But transport without replication has an inherent trade-off, that creating new venues for exposure decreases the average pathogen abundance at each venue. The host dose-response relationship is therefore required to correctly assess infection risk. We model and analyse two examples-biotic mechanical vectors in plant-pollinator networks, and abiotic-facilitated long-distance pathogen dispersal-to illustrate how oversimplifying the dose-response relationship can lead to incorrect epidemiological predictions. When the minimum infective dose is high, mechanical vectors amplify disease transmission less than suggested by simple compartment models, and may even dilute transmission. When long-distance dispersal leads to infrequent large exposures, models that assume a linear force of infection can substantially under-predict the speed of epidemic spread. Our work highlights an important general interplay between dose-response relationships and pathogen transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wee Hao Ng
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Christopher R Myers
- Center for Advanced Computing & Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Scott H McArt
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Stephen P Ellner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Eristalis tenax (the drone fly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syriphidae). The genome sequence is 487 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (96.50%) is scaffolded into six chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X sex chromosome assembled.
Collapse
|
46
|
Ricarte A, Nedeljković Z, Marcos-García MÁ. An exploratory survey and assessment of the hoverfly diversity (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Pyrenees of Girona, Spain. REV SUISSE ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.35929/rsz.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
47
|
Towards Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management in Intensive Pear Cultivation: A Case Study from Belgium. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12100901. [PMID: 34680669 PMCID: PMC8539969 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Over the past decades, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies have been widely adopted in commercial fruit production in Europe, supporting natural pest control as an ecosystem service. At the same time, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of pollinating insects, leading to the concept of Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM). Here we present the outcomes of a 4-year case study as a valuable illustration of an IPPM strategy in a commercial intensive pear orchard. We show how the added-value of local biodiversity measures can be visualized in front of growers, linking ecological measures to economic benefits. This scientifically-based as well as practice-oriented demonstrative case study supports the acceptance and adoption of IPPM principles in commercial intensive pear production cultivation. Abstract Recently, the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was further extended into Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM). Implementation of IPPM strategies entails the combination of actions for pest and pollinator management providing complementary or synergistic benefits for yield and/or quality of the harvest. The aim of this study was to examine IPPM elements (i.e., mixed hedgerow, nesting boxes for mason bees, Osmia spp.) and demonstrate their impact in the practical context of modern commercial fruit cultivation in a 4-year case study in an intensive ‘Conference’ pear orchard. The outcomes of visual observations during transect walks and molecular analysis of pollen collected by mason bees, showed the importance of additional floral resources for the presence of mason bees and other pollinating insects in the orchard environment. Pear quality assessments indicated that insect-mediated pollination had a significant positive impact, with a tendency for higher quality pears in the close vicinity of Osmia nesting boxes. However, despite the fact that pear pollen was also detected in Osmia spp. nest cells, the amount and frequency of pear pollen collection for their nest built-up turned out to be rather low. In the same intensive pear orchard studied for pollination effects, we simultaneously demonstrate the impact of a mixed hedgerow to enhance integrated pest control.
Collapse
|
48
|
Massy R, Hawkes WLS, Doyle T, Troscianko J, Menz MHM, Roberts NW, Chapman JW, Wotton KR. Hoverflies use a time-compensated sun compass to orientate during autumn migration. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211805. [PMID: 34547904 PMCID: PMC8456149 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The sun is the most reliable celestial cue for orientation available to daytime migrants. It is widely assumed that diurnal migratory insects use a 'time-compensated sun compass' to adjust for the changing position of the sun throughout the day, as demonstrated in some butterfly species. The mechanisms used by other groups of diurnal insect migrants remain to be elucidated. Migratory species of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are one of the most abundant and beneficial groups of diurnal migrants, providing multiple ecosystem services and undergoing directed seasonal movements throughout much of the temperate zone. To identify the hoverfly navigational strategy, a flight simulator was used to measure orientation responses of the hoverflies Scaeva pyrastri and Scaeva selenitica to celestial cues during their autumn migration. Hoverflies oriented southwards when they could see the sun and shifted this orientation westward following a 6 h advance of their circadian clocks. Our results demonstrate the use of a time-compensated sun compass as the primary navigational mechanism, consistent with field observations that hoverfly migration occurs predominately under clear and sunny conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Massy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Will L. S. Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Jolyon Troscianko
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Myles H. M. Menz
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | | | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Azo'o Ela M, Bissou Wangbara B, Jordaens K. Diversity of flower‐visiting hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) on ground cover vegetation from the market‐gardening area of Meskine (Far‐North Region, Cameroon). Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelson Azo'o Ela
- Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Maroua Maroua Cameroon
| | - Bernard Bissou Wangbara
- Department of Agriculture, Livestock and By‐Products National Advanced School of Engineering of Maroua University of Maroua Maroua Cameroon
| | - Kurt Jordaens
- Department of Biology–Invertebrates Unit Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Davis AE, Deutsch KR, Torres AM, Mata Loya MJ, Cody LV, Harte E, Sossa D, Muñiz PA, Ng WH, McArt SH. Eristalis flower flies can be mechanical vectors of the common trypanosome bee parasite, Crithidia bombi. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15852. [PMID: 34349198 PMCID: PMC8338921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95323-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Flowers can be transmission platforms for parasites that impact bee health, yet bees share floral resources with other pollinator taxa, such as flies, that may be hosts or non-host vectors (i.e., mechanical vectors) of parasites. Here, we assessed whether the fecal-orally transmitted gut parasite of bees, Crithidia bombi, can infect Eristalis tenax flower flies. We also investigated the potential for two confirmed solitary bee hosts of C. bombi, Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata, as well as two flower fly species, Eristalis arbustorum and E. tenax, to transmit the parasite at flowers. We found that C. bombi did not replicate (i.e., cause an active infection) in E. tenax flies. However, 93% of inoculated flies defecated live C. bombi in their first fecal event, and all contaminated fecal events contained C. bombi at concentrations sufficient to infect bumble bees. Flies and bees defecated inside the corolla (flower) more frequently than other plant locations, and flies defecated at volumes comparable to or greater than bees. Our results demonstrate that Eristalis flower flies are not hosts of C. bombi, but they may be mechanical vectors of this parasite at flowers. Thus, flower flies may amplify or dilute C. bombi in bee communities, though current theoretical work suggests that unless present in large populations, the effects of mechanical vectors will be smaller than hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abby E Davis
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
- Department of Environmental and Rural Science, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
| | - Kaitlin R Deutsch
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Alondra M Torres
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Mesly J Mata Loya
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lauren V Cody
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Emma Harte
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - David Sossa
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Paige A Muñiz
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Wee Hao Ng
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Scott H McArt
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|