Managing leaf‐cutting ants: peculiarities,trends and challenges

Leaf‐cutting ants are generally recognized as important pest species in Neotropical America. They are eusocial insects that exhibit social organization, foraging, fungus‐cultivation, hygiene and a complex nest structure, which render their management notoriously difficult. A lack of economic thresholds and sampling plans focused on the main pest species preclude the management of leaf‐cutting ants; such management would facilitate their control and lessen insecticide overuse, particularly the use of insecticidal baits. Recent restrictions on the use of synthetic compounds for such purposes impose additional challenges for the management of leaf‐cutting ants. Considerable effort has been exerted regarding these challenges, which are addressed herein, but which also remain challenges that are yet to be conquered. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Pesticides and reduced‐risk insecticides,native bees and pantropical stingless bees: pitfalls and perspectives

Although invertebrates generally have a low public profile, the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a flagship species whose popularity likely derives from the products it provides and its perceived ecological services. Therefore, the raging debate regarding honey bee decline has surpassed the realm of beekeepers, academia, industry and regulatory agencies and now also encompasses non‐governmental agencies, media, fiction writers and the general public. The early interest and concern about honey bee colony collapse disorder (CCD) soon shifted to the bigger issue of pollinator decline, with a focus on the potential involvement of pesticides in such a phenomenon. Pesticides were previously recognised as the potential culprits of the reported declines, particularly the neonicotinoid insecticides owing to their widespread and peculiar use in agriculture. However, the evidence for the potential pivotal role of these neonicotinoids in honey bee decline remains a matter of debate, with an increased recognition of the multifactorial nature of the problem and the lack of a direct association between the noted decline and neonicotinoid use. The focus on the decline of honey bee populations subsequently spread to other species, and bumblebees became another matter of concern, particularly in Europe and the United States. Other bee species, ones that are particularly important in other regions of the world, remain the object of little concern (unjustifiably so). Furthermore, the continuous focus on neonicotinoids is also in need of revision, as the current evidence suggests that a broad spectrum of compounds deserve attention. Here we address both shortcomings. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of some carotenoids in grapes by reversed- and normal-phase liquid chromatography: a qualitative analysis

Carotenoids in grapes of three Port winemaking cultivars were investigated. Extracts were obtained with n-hexane/diethyl ether mixtures (0/100; 20/80; 50/50; 100/0) and analyzed by normal and reversed phase HPLC-DAD. Selection and identification of peaks were based on spectroscopic characteristics - lambda(max), (%III/II) and k' values, leading to 28 probable carotenoids. Using pure standards, it was possible to identify seven compounds previously described (neochrome, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, flavoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene), one more type of neochrome reported here, for the first time, and in addition, two geometrical isomers of lutein and beta-carotene were tentatively described. The remaining 17 need to be further identified. High polarity solvent mixtures lead to qualitatively richer chromatograms. Reversed-phase separations allowed the detection of flavoxanthin and the possible geometrical isomer(s) of beta-carotene. Under normal phase, zeaxanthin was detected, and neochromes were better separated from neoxanthin. Extraction with 50/50 n-hexane/diethyl ether mixtures and reversed-phase conditions was the best combination for analysis of the carotenoids, known as precursors of compounds with high aroma impact in wines.     

Determination of carotenoid profiles in grapes, musts, and fortified wines from Douro varieties of Vitis vinifera.

beta-Carotene and six xanthophylls (lutein, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, luteoxanthin, cryptoxanthin, and echinenone) have been identified and semiquantitatively or quantitatively determined in musts and port wines for the first time. An HPLC method was developed and compared with that of one based on thin layer cromatography with scanning densitometry. The most abundant carotenoids present in red grape varieties are beta-carotene and lutein. In wines, significant quantities of violaxanthin, luteoxanthin, and neoxanthin were found. This study was done with berries (skin and pulp), musts, and fortified wines. Some experiments were performed to follow carotenoid content from grapes to wines. Although the levels of beta-carotene and lutein found in fortified wines were lower than those found in musts, other xanthophylls, such as neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and luteoxanthin, exist in appreciable amounts in young ports.     

Kinetics of oxidative degradation of white wines and how they are affected by selected technological parameters

The negative effects of oxygen on white wine quality and the various factors which influence it (including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and free SO(2)) are well documented both at the sensory and compositional levels. What is less defined is the quantitative relationship between these parameters and the kinetics of the development of the negative effects of oxidation. The experiment presented here attempts to generate data which can be used to predictively model the oxidative degradation of white wines. Bottled wines were submitted to extreme conditions (45 degrees C temperature, O(2) saturation) during 3 months witth samples taken every 15 days for both sensorial and chemical analysis (GC-O/FPD/MS, 420 nm). The synergistic effects of increasing temperature and O(2) at lower pH are evident, both on the decrease in levels of terpene alcohols and norisoprenoids (which impart floral aromas), and on the development of off-flavors such as "honey-like", "boiled-potato", and "farm-feed" associated with the presence of phenylacetaldehyde, methional, and 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene.     

Influence of a massive aquaculture escape event on artisanal fisheries

Spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, and sea bream, Sparus aurata, and their influence on artisanal fisheries are explored before and after an escape event that released 1.5 million fish into the wild off La Palma (Canary Islands). Data were collected by in situ visual census and first sale data as a proxy of artisanal fisheries landings. Permutational anova of escapee abundances in shallow coastal habitats revealed consistent spatial patterns that linked densities of these fish to distance from escape point, whereas temporal patterns were related to a higher biomass released during winter. A nearby marine protected area did not show different densities of escaped fish. Local artisanal fleet catches accurately reflected the massive escape event and offer the main contingency force to mitigate the potential negative effects of massive escape events over shallow coastal habitats.     

Larval cannibalism and fitness in the stored grain weevils <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitophilus granarius</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitophilus zeamais</Emphasis>

Resource limitation is an important determinant of life history and behavior while mediating competition and reproduction among organisms. Discreet and closed systems such as grain kernels and seeds impose drastic restrictions to grain beetles that spend their immature stages within a single kernel selected by their mother. This is the case of internally feeding stored grain beetles, such as the grain weevils. Female egg-laying decisions and larval competition largely determine resource limitation for such insects where clustered egg distribution and contest competition with larval interference and cannibalism take place. As the clustered eggs within a grain lead to larval competition and conspecific weevil larvae face each other off during development allowing the emergence of one or two larvae per kernel, we hypothesized that such competition and consequent cannibalism will have fitness consequences for the competing individuals and their offspring. Thus, larvae of the granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius L.) and the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motsch.) were subjected to larval competition with cannibalism, and lack of it, to assess the potential fitness consequence of cannibalism on these non-carnivorous pest species of stored grains. Larval cannibalism reduced developmental time of maize weevil, but not of granary weevil. However, such condition led to heavier adult weevils of both species exhibiting higher reproductive output generating more and better quality progeny than non-cannibal weevils. These findings indicate direct nutritional benefits of cannibalism to grain weevils favoring their status of key pest species of stored cereal grains.