How widespread is Parthenium hysterophorus and its biological control agent Zygogramma bicolorata in South Asia?

Parthenium hysterophorus is a weed of global significance causing severe economic, environmental, human and animal health problems in Asia, Africa, Australia and the Pacific. In South Asia, P. hysterophorus occurs in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. A host-specific leaf-feeding beetle Zygogramma bicolorata from México was introduced into India in 1984, as a biological control agent for P. hysterophorus . In this study, a GIS-based distribution map of P. hysterophorus and its biological control agent Z. bicolorata in South Asia based on meta-analysis is presented. The map highlights the limited published information on P. hysterophorus incidence in many of the states and territories in India, as well as in neighbouring Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. Incidence of Z. bicolorata was recorded as three distinct clusters, covering many states in India. In Pakistan, Z. bicolorata was recorded in the Punjab region bordering India. A CLIMEX model based on the current distribution of Z. bicolorata in India suggests that the geographic range of this agent in India and Pakistan can extend to other P. hysterophorus -infested areas in the region. The CLIMEX model also suggests that all of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and parts of Nepal are climatically suitable for Z. bicolorata.     

秦岭华山松3种小蠹虫的消化酶研究

【目的】华山松大小蠹、松六齿小蠹和油松四眼小蠹,是秦岭森林生态系统内危害华山松的重要小蠹种类,通过对上述3种小蠹虫虫体主要消化酶活性的分析,揭示其营养利用差异的原因。【方法】采用福林-酚试剂法、羧甲基纤维素钠盐法、碱溶液滴定法和碘-淀粉比色法,测定并比较华山松大小蠹、松六齿小蠹和油松四眼小蠹3种小蠹虫的蛋白酶、纤维素酶、脂肪酶和淀粉酶活性,同时探讨不同温度对华山松大小蠹成虫与幼虫虫体的蛋白酶、纤维素酶、淀粉酶和脂肪酶活性的影响。【结果】华山松大小蠹、松六齿小蠹和油松四眼小蠹成虫虫体蛋白酶活性大小依次为:华山松大小蠹>油松四眼小蠹>松六齿小蠹;纤维素酶活性大小依次为:松六齿小蠹>油松四眼小蠹>华山松大小蠹;脂肪酶活性大小依次为:华山松大小蠹>油松四眼小蠹>松六齿小蠹;淀粉酶活性大小依次为:油松四眼小蠹>松六齿小蠹>华山松大小蠹。华山松大小蠹幼虫蛋白酶的最适温度为25℃,成虫为20℃;幼虫与成虫的纤维素酶、脂肪酶、淀粉酶的最适温度均一致,分别为25,25和40℃。【结论】3种小蠹虫的蛋白酶、纤维素酶、淀粉酶活性差异显著,脂肪酶活性差异不显著;华山松大小蠹成虫与幼虫的4种消化酶活性随温度的改变而变化。     

长白山北坡水甲虫多样性与环境因子的关系

为了解水甲虫多样性与环境的关系,于2004—2006年每年6—10月在长白山北坡采集不同环境条件下水甲虫标本,共发现水甲虫8科38属70种。研究发现不同的环境,水甲虫的种类、数量、个体大小明显不同。通过多元回归分析发现:水甲虫Shannon-Wiener多样性指数与海拔（r=0.507）、底泥有机质含量（r=0.638）和全磷含量（r=0.668）成明显正相关,与水电导率（r=－0.470）、水深度（r=－0.461）和水pH值（r=－0.470）负相关显著;均匀度指数与底泥有机质含量（r=0.542）和全磷含量（r=0.489）正相关显著;物种数与海拔（r=0.590）、底泥有机质含量（r=0.593）和全磷含量（r=0.618）成正相关,与水深度（r=－0.636）、水电导率（r=－0.558）、水pH值（r=－0.535）成显著负相关。环境因子影响水甲虫的分布,但人类是最终决定因素,了解水甲虫多样性与环境的关系,有助于揭示生物-环境-人类三者之间的关系,为生态系统和生物多样性的修复和保护提供服务。      

阿维菌素防治地黄跳甲试验研究

研究了阿维菌素对地黄跳甲的田间防治效果和对天敌的影响,以及在地黄中的残留动态。结果表明,1.8%阿维菌素乳油5 000倍液药后10 d对地黄跳甲防效好,与对照药剂40%辛硫磷乳油1 000倍液和10%吡虫啉可湿性粉剂5 000倍液的防效相当,而且对天敌影响小。药后15 d在地黄叶片和根茎中的残留量分别为0.013 4 mg/kg和0.016 4 mg/kg,降解率分别为95.69%和92.42%,满足在食品中最高残留限量国家标准的要求。可作为控制地黄跳甲危害的有效药剂,建议与辛硫磷混配使用。     

Integrating climate change into forest management in South-Central British Columbia: An assessment of landscape vulnerability and development of a climate-smart framework

The achievement of sustainable forest management requires the incorporation of risk and uncertainty into long-term planning. Climatic change will have significant impacts on natural disturbances, species and ecosystems, particularly on landscapes influenced by forest management. Understanding where vulnerabilities lie is important in managing the risks associated directly or indirectly with climatic change. The vulnerability of landscapes to natural disturbances, the resilience of ecosystems and distribution of species are all important components that need to be considered when undertaking forest planning, but climatic change is rarely factored into such planning. In this study, the vulnerability of fire potential, fire regimes, ecosystems and species to climatic change was modelled for a 145,000 ha landscape in the south-central interior of British Columbia, Canada. The results from these analyses were used to guide forest zoning, using the triad zoning framework, and for the development of a “climate-smart” management framework. The use of climate-smart management is advocated as a decision-making framework for managing forested landscapes based on an understanding of landscape vulnerability to future climatic change. From this understanding, the maintenance of ecosystem health and vitality could be achieved.     

Protection of spruce from colonization by the bark beetle, Ips perturbatus, in Alaska

Field bioassays were conducted in south-central Alaska in a stand of Lutz spruce, Picea × lutzii, to determine whether a semiochemical interruptant (verbenone and trans-conophthorin) and/or a defense-inducing plant hormone (methyl jasmonate, MJ) could be used to protect individual standing trees from bark beetle attack. During two experiments (initiated in May 2004 and 2005, respectively), attacks by Ips perturbatus on standing trees were induced by using a three-component aggregation pheromone (ipsenol, cis-verbenol, and ipsdienol) and prevented by using the interruptant. In 2005, treatments from 2004 were repeated and additional treatments were evaluated by using MJ spray or injection with and without the interruptant. Aggregation began before 3 or 7 June, and attack density was monitored through 3 or 16 August. During both years, tree mortality caused by I. perturbatus was recorded twice (in August, and in May of the following year). In both experiments, attack density was greatest on trees baited with the three-component attractive pheromone, but was significantly reduced by addition of the semiochemical interruptant to trees baited with the attractant. There were no significant differences in attack density between attractant + interruptant-treated trees and unbaited trees. In 2004, mortality was highest among attractant-baited trees, whereas addition of the interruptant significantly reduced the level of initial (10 week post-treatment) and final (54 week post-treatment) mortality. In 2005, no significant reduction in attack density occurred on trees baited with the attractant when MJ was sprayed or injected. The highest initial (10.6 week post-treatment) and final (49.4 week post-treatment) mortality was observed among trees that had been injected with MJ and baited with the attractant. Mortality at the final assessment was significantly lower in all other treatment groups. As in 2004, addition of the interruptant to attractant-baited trees significantly reduced the level of final mortality compared to attractant-baited trees. MJ was not attractive or interruptive to I. perturbatus or associated bark beetles in a flight trapping study. However, MJ-treated trees (sprayed or injected) exuded copious amounts of resin on the bark surface. Anatomical analyses of felled trees from four treatment groups [Tween (solvent)-sprayed, MJ-sprayed, Tween-injected, and MJ-injected + attractant baited] showed that treatment with MJ increased the number and size of resin ducts produced following treatment. These analyses also revealed a reduction in radial growth in MJ-treated trees. Our results show that during both years, treatment with a simple, two-component interruptant system of verbenone and trans-conophthorin significantly reduced I. perturbatus attack density and tree mortality on attractant-baited trees and provided a full year of protection from bark beetle attack.     

Decomposition of stumps in a chronosequence after clear-felling vs. clear-felling with prescribed burning in a southern boreal forest in Finland

The wood bulk density, bark mass and decomposition rate constants of cut stumps of the main European boreal tree species were assessed along a 40-year chronosequence of clear-felled sites with and without prescribed burning. Using the single exponential model, the annual decomposition rate constants k of above-ground stumps were calculated as 0.048, 0.052 and 0.068 year⁻¹ for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and birch (Betula sp.), respectively. Bark decomposed faster than wood and bark fragmentation increased the rate of decomposition. There was a significant negative effect of burning on decomposition rate for pine wood, and for pine and spruce bark but not for spruce and birch wood or for birch bark. The decomposition of bark of all species was slower with larger diameter stumps but only slightly slower in the case of birch wood. Our results suggest (i) using different decomposition rate constants for wood and bark, (ii) taking into account fragmentation as it greatly increases the volume loss, and (iii) adjusting of k in carbon dynamics studies on burned sites. Such refinements to estimates of coarse woody debris decomposition constants could aid in identification of ecosystems and management scenarios necessary to maximize carbon storage and conserve biodiversity. Prescribed burning for restoration purposes decreases decomposition rates and consequently ensures longer persistence of stumps for maintaining biodiversity in intensively managed forests.     

Risk rating for mountain pine beetle infestation of lodgepole pine forests over large areas with ordinal regression modelling

The mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins is endemic to lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelmann, forests in western Canada. However, the current beetle epidemic in this area highlights the challenges faced by forest managers tasked with prioritizing stands for mitigation activities such as salvage harvesting and direct control methods. In western Canada, the operational risk rating system for mountain pine beetle is based on biological knowledge gained from a rich legacy of stand-scale field studies. Due to the large spatial (millions of hectares affected) and temporal (over 10 years) extents of the current epidemic, new research into large-area mountain pine beetle processes has revealed further insights into the landscape-scale characteristics of beetle infested forests. In this paper, we evaluated the potential for this new knowledge to augment an established system for rating the short-term risk of tree mortality in a stand due to mountain pine beetle. New variables explored for utility in risk rating include direct shortwave radiation, site index, diameter at breast height, the temporal trends in local beetle populations, Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification and beetle–host interaction variables. Proportional odds ordinal regression was used to develop a model for the Vanderhoof Forest District in west-central British Columbia. Prediction on independent data was assessed with the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC), indicating good discriminatory power (AUC = 0.84) for predicting levels of mountain pine beetle-caused pine mortality.     

Insecticidal activity of thiamethoxam against the bamboo powder post beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dinoderus minutus</Emphasis> Fabr. (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

Thiamethoxam (ACTARA^® 25WG) was evaluated for its insecticidal activities against the bamboo powder post beetle Dinoderus minutus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). The study showed that thiamethoxam had contact toxicity against D. minutus. Based on dose-mortality responses, LC₅₀ values for thiamethoxam against D. minutus ranged from 1.74 to 7.94 μg ml^?1. Laboratory and field exposure tests showed that thiamethoxam at concentration of atleast 10 μg ml^?1 may have anti-oviposition or anti-feeding effects on D. minutus and can protect post harvest Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. culms against the infestation of this bamboo boring beetle.