Effect of Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala on prey consumption of free-ranging cane toads (Rhinella marina) during Australian tropical wet seasons

The development of biological control measures to reduce the impact of invasive species is a desired goal. Rhabdias species have recently been advocated as biological control agents for invasive anurans. This study describes a field-based approach to support laboratory results on the potential impact of the lung nematode Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala on the prey consumption of its host, the invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina, Bufonidae). Toads were sampled from various populations in the Wet Tropics of Australia during the wet seasons of 2010 and 2012. Consumed prey items were counted in 212 cane toads and identified to class and order levels and the number of lung nematodes was counted for each toad. The number of R. pseudosphaerocephala in free-ranging cane toads affected negatively the diversity of prey items consumed, but was not related to the number of prey items or the number of ants consumed. The results suggest that infection of free-ranging cane toads by the lung nematode reduces their range of prey items. Possible reasons could be a reduced locomotor activity resulting in changes of foraging modes of infected toads which was reported from some laboratory trials. Infection of cane toads by R. pseudosphaerocephala may therefore have the potential to alter the impact of cane toads on invertebrate communities and their competition for food resources with native Australian anurans.     

Sex,light, and sound: location and combination of multiple attractants affect probability of cane toad (Rhinella marina) capture

Invasive species management is a critical issue worldwide, but mitigation strategies are slow to develop, and invader populations often expand too rapidly for eradication to be feasible. Thus, reduction in numbers of individuals is the most heavily used management strategy for invasive pests. While long-term biocontrol agents may take years or decades to develop, simple trap modifications can increase capture of targeted demographic groups, such as ovigerous females. The present study identifies the effectiveness of trap modification and use of multiple attractants to capture the invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina). Cane toad traps typically use lights to attract insect prey. Studies suggest that adding a male cane toad advertisement call to attract toads by phonotaxis may be effective. The aims of this study were to determine whether (i) female capture efficiency was influenced by attractants in the same manner as male and juvenile captures, (ii) an acoustic attractant alone (without a light attractant) was sufficient to attract toads, and (iii) the location of an acoustic attractant (inside or on top of the trap) influenced trap success. Male toads were captured more frequently than females and juveniles; combining light and acoustic attractants increased toad capture; and placing the acoustic attractant inside the trap increased the capture of female cane toads. Removal of adult, ovigerous females is a promising strategy to slow population growth of invasive species. Our results suggest that using a sound attractant inside the trap with a UV light is most effective in targeting that particular cane toad cohort.     

An evaluation of methods used to cull invasive cane toads in tropical Australia

To identify cost-effective ways to control invasive species, we need to evaluate alternative methods. The invasion of tropical Australia by cane toads (Rhinella marina) has killed many native predators, prompting efforts to cull adult toads. We analyzed a dataset on >?17,500 toads killed by government-employed teams from 2005 to 2008, using a range of methods (incidental captures, targeted searches, traps) as well as records of toads found as road kills. The culling occurred in the northwestern part of the Northern Territory, moving west as the toad front expanded into Western Australia. Both season and method affected rates of capture and demographic attributes (sex ratio, proportion of adults) of the culled anurans, with a strong interaction between these factors. Most methods were more effective during and after the seasonal monsoons (when moist conditions facilitated anuran activity), but that seasonal variation was greater for numbers of toads found on the roads than captured in other ways. Juvenile toads and adult female toads constituted higher proportions of total captures in the Early Dry than in other times of year, reflecting seasonal breeding. Traps caught a higher proportion of adult female toads than did other methods, but overall had low capture rates. Rates of range expansion by toads were similar before, during and after the culling effort, suggesting that removing adult toads did not affect the speed of the invasion. Nonetheless, culling adult cane toads may be effective in some situations (“island” populations, extralimital translocations), and results from this program may be valuable for future toad-control efforts.     

如何防治山兔(鼠)啃噬危害幼树基干

多种树种的新植林或幼树基干部位常遭山兔(鼠)啃噬,造成危害,造林后通过覆土和涂抹忌物,既可有效防治山兔(鼠)啃噬,又可避兔伤害野生动物。     

Secondary dispersal of Dioscorea japonica (Dioscoreaceae) bulbils by rodents

We examined rodent dispersal of Dioscorea japonica bulbils. Bulbils dispersed by rodents may travel farther from their parent plants than those dispersed by gravity alone. To confirm the presence of secondary dispersal and the types of vector, we used an automatic camera to photograph animals that approached bulbils. To clarify secondary dispersal distance, we set marked bulbils at eight sites and searched for the bulbils once they were removed from their original locations by a disperser. We took photographs of mice (Apodemus speciosus) approaching the bulbils. In June, 10 of 333 bulbils that were moved germinated. We also measured the primary dispersal distance at four sites by dropping bulbils from heights of 0.5, 3.0, and 12.0 m. We then compared primary and secondary dispersal distances. The mean secondary dispersal distance was significantly greater than the primary dispersal distance for dispersal heights of 0.5 and 3.0 m, but less than that for a 12.0-m dispersal height. This indicates that rodents may disperse bulbils farther than gravity alone when bulbils drop from lower heights but they contribute little to dispersal for bulbils that drop from greater heights (e.g., from the top of the canopy). Thus, we confirmed the occurrence of rodent dispersal of bulbils and rodents might to some extent contribute to the dispersal and establishment of bulbils.     

疑山郭公虫对纵坑切梢小蠹捕食作用研究

研究了疑山郭公虫对纵坑切梢小蠹成虫捕食量及对纵坑切梢小蠹繁殖过程和繁殖率的影响.在室温为22～24 ℃条件下,繁殖期疑山郭公虫平均每天可捕食纵坑切梢小蠹成虫0.61±0.043头.在实验室内,先将纵坑切梢小蠹引入云南松新鲜木段,7 d后再引入疑山郭公虫成虫.结果表明:疑山郭公虫成虫对纵坑切梢小蠹成虫的产卵过程形成干扰,从而导致后者繁殖率下降.疑山郭公虫幼虫可以捕食木段内纵坑切梢小蠹幼期各虫态,捕食率为8.3%.在野外,将疑山郭公虫成虫放到受到纵坑切梢小蠹危害的树干上,再用尼龙网将其包裹起来.研究结果表明,疑山郭公虫对树干内纵坑切梢小蠹幼期(幼虫和蛹)的捕食率大体为10.6%.疑山郭公虫对繁殖期纵坑切梢小蠹的影响主要包括捕食繁殖期纵坑切梢小蠹成虫、干扰纵坑切梢小蠹繁殖过程以及捕食纵坑切梢小蠹幼虫等.研究初步认为,疑山郭公虫对纵坑切梢小蠹种群增长具有明显控制作用.     

Predation of lowbush blueberry insect pests by ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the laboratory

Agriculture relies on ecosystem services, such as biological control of pests, for economic success and sustainability. Commercially managed lowbush blueberries are an important crop in eastern North America, but pest control by natural enemies has not been well studied. In this paper we address questions about consumption of two blueberry pests by ground beetles (Carabidae) that are common in blueberry fields. In the first experiment, a Poecilus l. lucublandus, Carabus nemoralis, or Pterostichus mutus beetle was placed with two blueberry spanworm larvae, Itame argillacearia, in a simple (cup only or cup + soil) or more complex (cup + soil + blueberry sprigs) treatment arena. In most cases, probability of spanworm consumption reached 100 % in simple arenas by the end of the experiment (48 h) but was 25–50 % lower in more complex arenas. In a second experiment, a male or female Pterostichus melanarius or Harpalus rufipes beetle was placed in a plastic container with saturated or dry soil into which mature blueberry maggots, Rhagoletis mendax, dropped from blueberries to pupate. Approximately 40–80 and 35 % fewer pupae were recovered when a P. melanarius and H. rufipes beetle was present, respectively, but soil moisture and beetle sex were not significant factors. Our results demonstrate that ground beetles can prey upon important blueberry pests, but suggest that consumption may be influenced by microhabitat structure.     

Use of non-timber forest products from invasive alien Prosopis species(mesquite) and native trees in South Africa: implications for management

Background: Prosopis species have been introduced to many areas outside their native range to provide benefits to local communities. Several Prosopis species and their hybrids(hereafter "mesquite") have, however, become naturalised and invasive and now generate substantial costs. Management options are limited because of the complex conflicts of interest regarding benefits and costs. Management policies and strategies must take account of such conflicts, but further insights are needed on the dimensions of uses and impacts before such information can be usefully applied. Current policy in South Africa allows for the growth and use of mesquite in one province,but not in others where its control is mandatory. We report on a study to quantify the direct use and perceptions of non-timber forest products(NTFPs) from mesquite and native trees in South Africa.Methods: Semi-structures household interviews were conducted with various stakeholder groups to identify what tree products are used, to ascertain amounts used as well as to gauge perceptions of natural resource use between different tree species and use over time.Results: The direct household use value of native trees was higher than that of mesquite, and local stakeholders attached greater value to products from native trees than from mesquite. Therefore, native trees are and will still be preferentially harvested, and mesquite is unlikely to offer protection to native species by providing an alternative source of products. Mesquite pods do, however, provide valuable additional resources(fodder and medicinal products). The use of both native trees and mesquite is decreasing as the incomes of poorer households rise and as alternative energy sources become available. The benefits and reliance on mesquite are not as high as previously assumed and the impacts from mesquite invasions create large problems for local communities.Conclusion: This study provides further evidence that the impacts of mesquite exceed the benefits, lending support for a policy to reduce negative impacts.     

Fire intensity effects on seed germination of native and invasive Eastern deciduous forest understory plants

Low-intensity fires were important for maintaining the structure of Eastern deciduous forests (EDFs) for thousands of years before European settlement of North America, though fire suppression became a standard management practice in the 1930s. More recently, prescribed fires have been reintroduced to EDF habitats to aid in the restoration of native plant diversity, but invasions of non-native species such as Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass) may increase prescribed fire intensity and suppress colonization of native species. As fire becomes a more common management tool in these habitats, it is vital to predict fire temperature effects on the native and non-native species present in the system. In this study, we found that prescribed fires in areas invaded by Microstegium can be 250-300 °C hotter than fires in nearby native-dominated areas. We then compared the effects of fire on germination rates of six native and three non-native EDF understory species representing the range of functional groups common in this habitat. We manipulated both fire intensity (temperature and length of exposure) and type of fire effect (direct flame and indirect furnace heat) to generate germination curves and make predictions about potential prescribed fire effects on populations of these species. There were very different responses among species to both direct (flame) and indirect (furnace) heating. Germination of three native species, Lycopus americana (American water horehound), Verbesina alternifolia (wingstem), and Vernonia gigantea (tall ironweed), showed signs of being stimulated by heating at low temperatures, while germination of all non-native species (M. vimineum, Elaeagnus umbellata, and Schedonorus phoenix) were inhibited at these lower intensities. High fire intensity (temperatures above 300 °C) effectively killed most species, though one native species, Senna hebacarpa (American senna) and one non-native species, E. umbellata (autumn olive), were capable of tolerating 500 °C temperatures. We conclude that high-intensity prescribed fires in habitats invaded by Microstegium may reduce seed germination of some non-native species, but may also inhibit the regeneration of native understory species.     

Shrinkage of cane (Arundo donax) II. Effect of drying condition on the intensity of cell collapse

To improve the drying method in the manufacture of woodwind reeds, green canes (Arundo donax L.) were dried under various humidity–temperature conditions and the intensity of cell collapse was evaluated from the swelling due to steaming during the recovery of collapse. At 30°C, the intensity of collapse was increased by slower drying. It was considered that: (1) slower drying resulted in higher sample temperature in the early stage of drying and acted to increase the collapse; (2) rapid drying stiffened the surface of the sample and such a shell prohibited the following collapse; (3) slower drying i.e., longer loading of liquid tension caused more remarkable and/or frequent viscoelastic yields of cells. Consequently, the intensity of collapse increased when the cane was dried from its waxy outer surface or in the presence of node: both of them retarded drying. On the other hand, higher drying temperature caused greater intensity of collapse in spite of faster drying. It was suggested that the thermal softening of cane cells leads to easier yielding of the cell wall, and at the same time the rapid drying does not allow the recovery of collapse after the disappearance of free water. These results indicated that faster drying at lower temperature is preferable for drying cane with less collapse.     

啮齿动物对模拟昆虫侵染种子的取食和扩散

以粘土和花生粉为主原料制作人工种子,添加不同含量的蚕沙(5%、10%、20%、40%,分别记为SE5、SE10、SE20、SE40)模拟不同程度被昆虫取食损坏的种子,研究啮齿动物对昆虫取食损坏种子的取食和搬运行为策略。结果表明:1种子投放2 d后,纯粘土(NC)种子的留存率最高(92.9%),其次为蚕沙含量较低(SE5)的种子(47.1%),不含蚕沙种子(SE0)的留存率最低(36.1%);种子投放4 d后,NC种子和SE40种子留存率仍分别高达76.4%和60.8%;NC种子在投放10 d和17 d后仍分别有6.8%和5.6%留存,但其他类型种子留存率均为0。2NC种子被啮齿动物的就地取食率最高(63.2%),SE40种子次之(59.2%),且随种子蚕沙含量的减少呈波动性降低趋势;种子被搬运后的取食率以SE20种子最高(45.0%),SE0种子略低(33.7%),NC种子仅有4.1%;SE0和SE5种子被动物搬运后的贮藏率分别高达34.1%和22.9%,NC、SE20和SE40种子均低于1.5%;3SE0种子被动物搬运后取食和贮藏的平均距离最大(5.9 m),且随蚕沙含量的增大而逐渐减小,NC种子被动物搬运后取食和贮藏的距离均最小(分别为1.2 m和0.1 m)。     

Colonisation of native and exotic conifers by indigenous bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) in France

Planting exotic conifers offers indigenous forest insects an opportunity to extend their host range and eventually to become significant pests. Knowing the ecological and evolutionary modalities driving the colonisation of exotic tree species by indigenous insects is thus of primary importance. We compared the bark beetle communities (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) associated with both native and introduced conifers in France. The aim of our study was to estimate the influence of both host- and insect-related factors on the beetles’ likelihood to shift onto new hosts. We considered the influence of host origin (i.e. native vs. exotic), host tree species identity, tree bark thickness and tree taxonomic proximity, as well as insects’ host specificity. A field inventory using trap trees was carried out in two regions in France (Limousin and Jura) during two consecutive years (2006 and 2007) on three European native conifer species [Norway spruce (Picea abies); Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and European Silver-fir (Abies alba)] and five North American [Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis); Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus); Grand fir (Abies grandis); Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)]. A total of 18 indigenous and 2 exotic bark beetle species were collected. All exotic conifer species were colonised by indigenous bark beetle species and no significant difference was observed of the cumulated species richness of the latter between native and exotic tree species (13 vs. 14, P < 0.05). The ability of indigenous bark beetles to shift onto exotic conifers appeared to strongly depend on host species (significantly structuring bark beetle assemblages), the presence of phylogenetically related native conifer species and that of similar resources, in combination with insect host specificity. Host tree species status (native or exotic) also seemed to be involved, but its effect did not seem as essential as that of the previous factors. These findings are discussed in terms of adaptation, plasticity and practical aspects of forest management.     

Effects of some ecological variables on carabid communities in native and non native forests in the Ibaizabal basin (Basque Country: Spain)

? Carabid beetles were investigated at five different forest types in the Ibaizabal basin (northern Spain). The landscape is characterized by the presence of remnants of native forest surrounded by conifer plantations.

? Carabids were trapped in 52 stands of mixed forest, beech forest, holm oak forest, mixed pine and Monterey pine plantations in 2005 and 2006. The main objectives of the study were: compare carabid diversity, recognise the characteristic species, and study the effects of ecological variables on carabid assemblages in the different forest types.

? No significative differences in species abundance, richness and diversity were found among the studied forests. Most of the trapped beetles were identified as forest generalists, nevertheless some native and non-native forest specialist species were also found. Distribution of carabid communities overlapped and, except for beech forest, no specific communities were distinguished. Altitude, percentage of grass coverage and temperature were the main variables influencing species distribution.

? The results suggest high habitat homogeneity, caused by regeneration in pine plantations of the indigenous understorey, and by poor habitat quality in native forest (patchy remnants enclosed in conifer plantations). This situation could explain the similar carabid diversity.

     

宁杞一号、血杞一号的形态特征及优良特征

枸杞,系茄科枸杞属。我国两千年前就有采集、利用枸杞果实的记载。我市早在20世纪70年代初期就已从河北等地引进、栽培枸杞,由于品种杂、经营管理粗放、树体老化、产量低,特别是受到枸杞价格一度低糜的影响,到20世纪80年代中期,大面积的枸杞逐渐被砍光,只有零散的枸杞树(包     

Population-level variation of Fraxinus americana (white ash) is influenced by precipitation differences across the native range

We investigated the potential of Fraxinus americana L. to adapt to climate change by comparing diameter growth, survival and physiological status of 44 populations of 30-year-old trees originating from throughout the species range and grown in a common garden. Populations originating closest to the latitude of the common garden had the most rapid diameter growth and the highest survival. Among populations originating within a narrow latitudinal band along an east-west gradient of decreasing precipitation, those from the drier western end were best adapted to the dry climate of the common garden site, as judged by survival, stem circumference, leaf and wood carbon isotope ratios, leaf mass per area and leaf nitrogen concentration. These findings suggest that eastern populations may not perform well under the hotter and drier conditions predicted by climate change scenarios. Moreover, in the event of significant climate change, the short-term acclimation responses (within a generation) of F. americana may be insufficient to ensure the continued vigor or survival of this species throughout much of its present range.     

Predicting climate change impacts on native and invasive tree species using radial growth and twenty-first century climate scenarios

The climatic conditions predicted for the twenty-first century may aggravate the extent and impacts of plant invasions, by favouring those invaders more adapted to altered conditions or by hampering the native flora. We aim to predict the fate of native and invasive tree species in the oak forests of Northwest Spain, where the exotic invaders Acacia dealbata and Eucalyptus globulus co-occur with the natives Quercus robur and Quercus pyrenaica and the naturalized Pinus pinaster. We selected adult, dominant trees of each species, collected increment cores, measured the ring width and estimated the basal area increment (BAI, cm² year^?1). Climate/growth models were built by using linear mixed-effect models, where the previous-year BAI and seasonal temperature and precipitation were the fixed factors and the individual the random factor. These models were run to project the fate of studied species in the A2 and B2 CO₂ emission scenarios until 2100. The models explained over 50 % of BAI variance in all species but E. globulus, where growth probably occurs whenever a minimum environmental requirement is met. Warm autumns favoured BAI of both natives, probably due to an extension of leaf lifespan, but hampered A. dealbata and P. pinaster BAI, maybe because of water imbalance and/or the depletion of carbon reserves. The projections yielded a positive BAI trend for both Quercus along the twenty-first century, but negative for the invader A. dealbata and clearly declining for the naturalized P. pinaster. Our results disagree with previous literature pointing at climate change as a driver of invasive species’ success and call for further studies regarding the effect of climate change on co-occurring natives and invaders.     

松褐天牛肿腿蜂对松褐天牛低龄幼虫控制作用的研究

研究测定了松褐天牛肿腿蜂对松褐天牛1～3龄幼虫的控制作用,采用林间和室内罩网相结合的方法研究了2组松褐天牛肿腿蜂对松褐天牛幼虫的寄生情况.结果显示:在室内试验条件下,松褐天牛肿腿蜂产卵之前的刺蛰、补充营养取食能直接造成松褐天牛1～3龄幼虫死亡,对1、2及3龄幼虫的平均致死率分别为95.66％、85.91％、57.88％,并可产卵寄生2、3龄幼虫;林间释放2组松褐天牛肿腿蜂后,在刺蛰和补充营养取食后能有效寄生寄主的肿腿蜂雌蜂数量比例变化较大,有效肿腿蜂率最高为14.9％,最低为2.3％.松褐天牛肿腿蜂寄生行为不受寄主聚集程度的影响,但刚羽化出茧肿腿蜂雌蜂的寄生效率比经饲喂后的雌蜂高近5倍.从肿腿蜂单一个体来看,每头雌蜂补充营养取食和产卵寄生致死的松褐天牛幼虫数为2.1～7.7头.松褐天牛肿腿蜂雌蜂的补充营养习性及刺蛰、取食致死寄主行为在防治中有很重要的作用,表明该种肿腿蜂是防治松褐天牛的重要天敌,在生物防治松褐天牛幼龄幼虫上具有良好的应用前景.     

Early growth of six native Australian tree species in windbreaks and their effect on potato growth in tropical northern Australia

A study to examine the early growth of a number of tree species planted in windbreaks and to quantify the benefit of two 30-month-old windbreaks (one with two rows of trees and one with three rows of trees) to the production of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was conducted on a farm land in tropical north-eastern Australia. Three Eucalyptus (E. microcorys F. Muell, E. tessellaris F. Muell and E. torelliana F. Muell), two Callistemon (C. salignus Smith and C. viminallis Smith) and two Melaleuca species (M. armillaris Smith and M. linariifolia Smith) were used to form the windbreaks. Tree performance in the windbreaks was evaluated based on the measurements of height, height to the lowest branch, crown length along the row, and number of branches per plant. Potato vegetative growth including plant height, crown size, and leaf length, width (measured at the widest part of the leaf), and number per plant, was measured at ages 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks.E. microcorys and E. torelliana, showed rapid height and branch growth while retaining low branches and are considered highly suitable for windbreaks. The porosity of the three row and two row windbreaks were 37.2% and 60% respectively at age 30 months. The windbreaks increased potato plant growth in height and leaf number with vegetative plants being tallest at 3 h from the windbreaks. However, the windbreaks had limited effects on leaf length and width. It was found that potato plants grown close to windbreaks yielded more potatoes than those grown at the furthest positions, with the highest production at 3 h. Overall, the windbreaks studied increased potato yield by up to 7.7%.     

白骨壤酸性多糖的分离纯化及抗补体活性研究

采用热水浸提,乙醇沉淀,超滤,三氯乙酸脱蛋白,DEAE-纤维素柱层析脱色,再经DE-AE-Sepharosefastflow和SephacrylS-400层析,从白骨壤树枝分离纯化得到多糖化合物HAM-3-Ⅱb-Ⅱ,经高效凝胶过滤色谱法和比旋光度测定法鉴定为均一性组分,其重均相对分子质量(Mw)为105200,比旋光度为 27.54°。糖组成分析表明它为酸性杂多糖,主要由半乳糖醛酸、阿拉伯糖、半乳糖和鼠李糖组成。紫外光谱表明其不含核酸和蛋白质等杂质成分;红外光谱证实它是一种酸性果胶类多糖,以α型差向异构为主;补体结合实验表明,该多糖通过经典途径和替代途径共同作用产生显著的抗补体活性,并呈一定的剂量效应关系。