Stellenbosch University Research Report 2015

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Stellenbosch University Research Report 2015 STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REPORT 2015 Editor: Senior Director (Research and Innovation) Dr Therina Theron Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch 7602 i CONTENTS CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................... i FACULTY OF AGRISCIENCES ..................................................................................................... 1 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS ............................................................................................... 1 AGRONOMY ............................................................................................................................... 2 ANIMAL SCIENCES .................................................................................................................. 3 CONSERVATION ECOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY ............................................................ 6 FOOD SCIENCE ......................................................................................................................... 12 FOREST AND WOOD SCIENCE .............................................................................................. 15 GENETICS .................................................................................................................................. 17 HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE ................................................................................................... 19 PLANT PATHOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 22 SOIL SCIENCE ........................................................................................................................... 24 VITICULTURE AND OENOLOGY ........................................................................................... 25 INSTITUTE FOR PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY ....................................................................... 27 INSTITUTE FOR WINE BIOTECHNOLOGY .......................................................................... 27 FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ........................................................................... 30 AFRICAN LANGUAGES ........................................................................................................... 30 AFRIKAANS AND DUTCH ....................................................................................................... 30 ANCIENT STUDIES ................................................................................................................... 33 DRAMA........................................................................................................................................ 35 ENGLISH ..................................................................................................................................... 35 GENERAL LINGUISTICS ......................................................................................................... 37 GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES .............................................................. 38 HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................... 41 INFORMATION SCIENCE ........................................................................................................ 43 JOURNALISM ............................................................................................................................ 45 MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES ......................................................................................... 46 MUSIC .......................................................................................................................................... 49 PHILOSOPHY ............................................................................................................................. 49 POLITICAL SCIENCE ............................................................................................................... 50 PSYCHOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 52 SOCIAL WORK ........................................................................................................................... 57 SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY ..................................................................... 58 VISUAL ARTS ............................................................................................................................ 61 CENTRE FOR CHINESE STUDIES .......................................................................................... 61 CENTRE FOR KNOWLEDGE DYNAMICS AND DECISION-MAKING .............................. 62 CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON EVALUATION, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (CREST) .. 62 FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES ................................................ 65 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................... 65 ECONOMICS ............................................................................................................................... 66 ii INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY ................................................................................................... 70 LOGISTICS .................................................................................................................................. 70 SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC LEADERSHIP .................................................................................... 73 SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY ................................................................................................. 76 STATISTICS AND ACTUARIAL SCIENCE ............................................................................ 79 UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH BUSINESS SCHOOL (USB) ........................................ 82 BUREAU FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH ................................................................................. 86 FACULTY OF EDUCATION .......................................................................................................... 87 CURRICULUM STUDIES ........................................................................................................... 87 EDUCATION POLICY STUDIES .............................................................................................. 89 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY .............................................................................................. 91 SPORT SCIENCE ........................................................................................................................ 92 SUNCEP (STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY) .......................... 93 FACULTY OF ENGINEERING ...................................................................................................... 94 CIVIL ENGINEERING ............................................................................................................... 94 ELECTRIC AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING .................................................................. 98 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING ................................................................................................. 108 MECHANICAL AND MECHATRONIC ENGINEERING ...................................................... 115 PROCESS ENGINEERING ........................................................................................................ 121 FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES ............................................................... 126 ANAESTHESIOLOGY AND CRITICAL CARE ....................................................................... 126 ANATOMICAL PATHOLOGY .................................................................................................. 126 ANATOMY AND HISTOLOGY ................................................................................................. 128 CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY ............................................................................................... 128 CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 128 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ................................................................................................. 130 COMMUNITY HEALTH ............................................................................................................ 130 DERMATOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 134 EMERGENCY MEDICINE ........................................................................................................ 134 FAMILY MEDICINE AND PRIMARY CARE .......................................................................... 134 FORENSIC MEDICINE .............................................................................................................. 141 HAEMATOLOGICAL PATHOLOGY ....................................................................................... 141 HUMAN NUTRITION ................................................................................................................ 142 INTERNAL MEDICINE ............................................................................................................. 143 MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY .................................................................................................... 148 MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY .........................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Metamorphosis Vol 12(3) Complete.Pdf
    ELECTED COUNCILLORS Hermann Staude Chairman (2 years) [email protected] Alf Curle Treasurer (2 years) [email protected] Alan Heath Secretary/ membership (2 years) [email protected] Bennie Coetzer Data processing (2 years) [email protected] Doug Kroon Journal Editor (5 years) [email protected] Graham Henning Conservation (2 years) [email protected] Mark Williams Scientific Editor (2 years) [email protected] Jonathan Ball Western Cape Branch (2 years) [email protected] Steve Woodhall Gauteng Branch (2 years) [email protected] CO-OPTED MEMBERS Martin Krüger Transvaal Museum Representative [email protected] Peter Roos Webmaster [email protected] Reinier Terblanche Youth I Education [email protected] AREA REPRESENTATIVES Steve Collins East Africa Branch [email protected] Alan Gardiner Zimbabwe Branch [email protected] Haydon Warren-Gash West Africa [email protected] EDITORIAL Editor: Doug Kroon. Scientific advisers: Martin Krüger. Rolf Oberprieler, Stephen Henning, Malcolm Scoble, Henk Geertsema, Alan Gardiner, Dick Vane-Wright, Axel Hausmann. MEMBERSHIP The aims of the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa are to promote the scientific study and the conservation of Lepidoptera in Africa, and to provide a communication forum for all people who are interested in African Lepidoptera. Metamorphosis, which is the official journal of the Society, publishes original scientific papers as well as articles of a less technical nature. Fees indicated below refer to surface postage, but if airmail is required, notify the Treasurer and - per issue – add R32.00 for Africa or US $6.00 if Overseas. Membership of the Society is open to all persons who are interested in the study of Lepidoptera.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity and Ecology of Critically Endangered, Rûens Silcrete Renosterveld in the Buffeljagsrivier Area, Swellendam
    Biodiversity and Ecology of Critically Endangered, Rûens Silcrete Renosterveld in the Buffeljagsrivier area, Swellendam by Johannes Philippus Groenewald Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Science in Conservation Ecology in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Michael J. Samways Co-supervisor: Dr. Ruan Veldtman December 2014 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration I hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis, for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Ecology, is my own work that have not been previously published in full or in part at any other University. All work that are not my own, are acknowledge in the thesis. ___________________ Date: ____________ Groenewald J.P. Copyright © 2014 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgements Firstly I want to thank my supervisor Prof. M. J. Samways for his guidance and patience through the years and my co-supervisor Dr. R. Veldtman for his help the past few years. This project would not have been possible without the help of Prof. H. Geertsema, who helped me with the identification of the Lepidoptera and other insect caught in the study area. Also want to thank Dr. K. Oberlander for the help with the identification of the Oxalis species found in the study area and Flora Cameron from CREW with the identification of some of the special plants growing in the area. I further express my gratitude to Dr. Odette Curtis from the Overberg Renosterveld Project, who helped with the identification of the rare species found in the study area as well as information about grazing and burning of Renosterveld.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny of the Aphnaeinae: Myrmecophilous African Butterflies
    Systematic Entomology (2015), 40, 169–182 DOI: 10.1111/syen.12098 Phylogeny of the Aphnaeinae: myrmecophilous African butterflies with carnivorous and herbivorous life histories JOHN H. BOYLE1,2, ZOFIA A. KALISZEWSKA1,2, MARIANNE ESPELAND1,2,3, TAMARA R. SUDERMAN1,2, JAKE FLEMING2,4, ALAN HEATH5 andNAOMI E. PIERCE1,2 1Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A., 2Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A., 3Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, 4Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A. and 5Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa Abstract. The Aphnaeinae (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) are a largely African subfamily of 278 described species that exhibit extraordinary life-history variation. The larvae of these butterflies typically form mutualistic associations with ants, and feed on awide variety of plants, including 23 families in 19 orders. However, at least one species in each of 9 of the 17 genera is aphytophagous, parasitically feeding on the eggs, brood or regurgitations of ants. This diversity in diet and type of symbiotic association makes the phylogenetic relations of the Aphnaeinae of particular interest. A phylogenetic hypothesis for the Aphnaeinae was inferred from 4.4 kb covering the mitochondrial marker COI and five nuclear markers (wg, H3, CAD, GAPDH and EF1) for each of 79 ingroup taxa representing 15 of the 17 currently recognized genera, as well as three outgroup taxa. Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses all support Heath’s systematic revision of the clade based on morphological characters.
    [Show full text]
  • Use of Gis and Microhabitat Predictors for Possible Site Occupancy of the Heidelberg Opal Butterfly (Chrysoritis Aureus) Within Gauteng Province, South Africa
    The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 29(3): 2019, Page: 894-898 Faria et al., ISSN: 1018-7081 The J. Anim. Plant Sci. 29(3):2019 Short Communication USE OF GIS AND MICROHABITAT PREDICTORS FOR POSSIBLE SITE OCCUPANCY OF THE HEIDELBERG OPAL BUTTERFLY (CHRYSORITIS AUREUS) WITHIN GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA N.P. Faria1*, M.D. Panagos1, W.J. Myburgh1 and R. Deysel2 1Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa 2Department of Nature Conservation, GDARD, PO Box 8769, Johannesburg, 2000. *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The Heidelberg Opal butterfly (Chrysoritis aureus) is currently classified as endangered with a total of nine known localities in Gauteng. Recent work on the fine scale habitat requirements of C. aureus provided the opportunity to expand the search for additional suitable habitats for this species in the Gauteng Province, using GIS and current distribution databases. A topographical base map and overlays of food plant (Clutia pulchella), host cocktail ant (Crematogaster liengmei) distributions and geology (Ventersdorp Supergroup) were used to determine possible additional sites suitable for C. aureus. Eight potentially suitable sites were identified. Four of these sites where transformed by mining activities and thus excluded. One of the four remaining sites was deemed suitable for C. aureus as both the food plant (C. pulchella) and the host ant (C. liengmei) were present. C. aureus was not recorded at any of the other sites surveyed probably due to season of site visits (winter). Key words: Chrysoritis aureus, habitat, Clutia pulchella, Crematogaster liengmei. INTRODUCTION systems in Gauteng (Henning et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Download This PDF File
    terblance 2.qxd 2005/12/09 10:31 Page 73 The vegetation of three localities of the threatened butterfly species Chrysoritis aureus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) R.F. TERBLANCHE, T.L. MORGENTHAL and S.S. CILLIERS Terblanche, R.F., T.L. Morgenthal and S.S. Cilliers. 2003. The vegetation of three local- ities of the threatened butterfly species Chrysoritis aureus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Koedoe 46(1): 73–90. Pretoria. ISSN 0075-6458. The vegetation and habitat characteristics of three localities of Chrysoritis aureus at the Alice Glockner Nature Reserve, Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve and Malanskraal farm near Heidelberg in South Africa, were compared. A numerical classification technique, TWINSPAN, was used and refined by using Braun Blanquet procedures to classify the vegetation at the different localities. A DCA ordination was applied to confirm the results of the classification. Although the general vegetation structure at the three habi- tats of Chrysoritis aureus were found to be similar, marked differences in the floristic composition were evidenced. A different sub-community, compared to the vegetation at Suikerbosrand and Alice Glockner Nature Reserve, was recorded at the Malanskraal habitat of Chrysoritis aureus. These differences in floristic composition, but with simi- larities in vegetation structure, indicate the possible importance of fire for the ultimate survival of these butterflies in the Rocky Highveld Grassland. The host plant of Chrysoritis aureus, Clutia pulchella, collected at Malanskraal differed markedly and consistently in their morphology, compared to the individuals from the habitats at Suikerbosrand and Alice Glockner Nature Reserve. These differences in the floristic composition of one of the habitats compared to the others, raise research questions con- cerning the butterfly metapopulation structure, since the subpopulations seem to be adapted to slightly different habitat conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Diversification of Chrysoritis Butterflies in the South African Cape
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 148 (2020) 106817 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Recent diversification of Chrysoritis butterflies in the South African Cape (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) T ⁎ ⁎ Gerard Talaveraa,b, ,Zofia A. Kaliszewskab,c, Alan Heathb,d, Naomi E. Pierceb, a Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain b Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States c Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States d Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Although best known for its extraordinary radiations of endemic plant species, the South African fynbos is home Butterflies to a great diversity of phytophagous insects, including butterflies in the genus Chrysoritis (Lepidoptera: Chrysoritis Lycaenidae). These butterflies are remarkably uniform morphologically; nevertheless, they comprise 43 cur- Fynbos rently accepted species and 68 currently valid taxonomic names. While many species have highly restricted, dot- Phylogeny like distributions, others are widespread. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic and biogeographic history un- Radiation derlying their diversification by analyzing molecular markers from 406 representatives of all described species Speciation Taxonomy throughout their respective ranges. We recover monophyletic clades for both C. chrysaor and C. thysbe species- groups, and identify a set of lineages that fall between them. The estimated age of divergence for the genus is 32 Mya, and we document significantly rapid diversification of the thysbe species-group in the Pleistocene (~2 Mya).
    [Show full text]
  • Faculty of Science Annual Report 2015 Faculty of Science Annual Report
    2015 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ANNUAL REPORT From the Dean The Faculty of Science seeks to establish itself as a respected thought leader and knowledge partner in Africa and the international academic arena. During 2015, it made great strides in its pursuit of this vision and Stellenbosch University’s strategic priorities, with its staff and students excelling in numerous ways. Research excellence The year under review saw two new research chairs being added to the Faculty’s existing nine chairs. They are the SARChI chair in Integrated Skeletal Muscle Physiology, Biology and Biotechnology, while collaborative efforts with the CSIR resulted in the implementation of a joint research chair in Quantum, Optical and Atomic Physics. Several researchers managed to secure competitive grants from South Africa’s National Research Foundation, the Volkswagen Foundation and the European Union. The Faculty realises that excellence also requires collaboration in order to enhance its international visibility and publication quality and deepen research in areas where it lacks skills or infrastructure. In the reporting year, the Faculty collaborated with more than 700 institutions worldwide. Two of these collaborations, with bioinformaticians from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and the University of London, resulted in two workshops for staff and students on next generation sequence analyses and statistics and methods in bioinformatics. During 2015 a record number of 50 PhD and 150 Honours students graduated – the highest number of postgraduate students since 2011. Several of our researchers received recognition for research excellence, with awards being made to Prof. Bert Klumperman (2015 SASOL Chemistry Innovator of the Year medal), Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • 361 Genus Chloroselas Butler
    AFROTROPICAL BUTTERFLIES 17th edition (2018). MARK C. WILLIAMS. http://www.lepsocafrica.org/?p=publications&s=atb Genus Chloroselas Butler, 1886 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1885 [1886]: 765 (756-776). Type-species: Chloroselas esmeralda Butler, 1886, by original designation. = Desmolycaena Trimen, 1898. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1898: 7 (1-16). Type-species Desmolycaena mazoensis Trimen, 1898, by original designation. Treated as a good genus in Ackery et al., 1995: 562 but regarded as a synonym of Chloroselas Butler by Heath, 1997 (Metamorphosis Occasional Supplement No. 2: 12 (1-60)). The genus Chloroselas belongs to the Family Lycaenidae Leach, 1815; Subfamily Aphnaeinae Distant, 1884. The other genera in the Subfamily Aphnaeinae in the Afrotropical Region are Phasis, Tylopaedia, Argyraspodes, Aloeides, Erikssonia, Trimenia, Aphnaeus, Axiocerses, Zeritis, Crudaria, Cigaritis, Cesa, Vansomerenia, Lipaphnaeus, Chrysoritis and Pseudaletis. Chloroselas (Gems) is a purely Afrotropical genus containing 14 species. *Chloroselas arabica (Riley, 1932) Desmolycaena arabica Riley, 1932. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (10) 10: 148 (137-152). Chloroselas arabica (Riley, 1932). Heath, 1997: 13 comb. nov. Desmolycaena arabica Riley, 1932. d’Abrera, 2009: 710. [invalid new combination – ignores Heath, 1997]. Type locality: Yemen: “Hadramault”. Distribution: Yemen, Somalia (north). Specific localities: Yemen – Wadi Hadhramaut (TL; Larsen, 1991c: 188). Early stages: Nothing published. Larval food: Nothing published. Associated ant: Nothing published. *Chloroselas argentea Riley, 1932 Silver Gem Chloroselas argentea Riley, 1932. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (10) 10: 145 (137-152). Chloroselas argentea Riley, 1932. Dickson & Kroon, 1978. Chloroselas argentea Riley, 1932. Pringle et al., 1994: 174. Chloroselas argentea Riley, 1932. d’Abrera, 2009: 709.
    [Show full text]
  • Male Secondary Sexual Characters in Aphnaeinae Wings (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
    Opusc. Zool. Budapest, 2017, 48(1): 27–34 Male secondary sexual characters in Aphnaeinae wings (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) 1 2 3 4 5 ZS. BÁLINT , A. HEATH , G. KATONA , K. KERTÉSZ & SZ. SÁFIÁN 1Zsolt Bálint, Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Baross u. 13, H-1088, Hungary. E-mail: [email protected] 2Alan Heath, Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] 3Katona Gergely, Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Baross u. 13, -1088, Hungary. E-mail: [email protected] 4Krisztián Kertész, Nanostructures Department, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Sciences, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, POB 49, H-1515 Hungary. E-mail: [email protected] 5Szabolcs Sáfián, Faculty of Forestry, University of West Hungary, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky u. 4, Sopron H-9400, Hungary. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Male secondary sexual characters have been discovered on the hindwing verso of genera Aphnaeus Hübner, [1819], Cigaritis Donzel, 1847, Lipaphnaeus Aurivillius, 1916 and Pseudaletis Druce, 1888 representing the Palaeotropical subfamily Aphnaeinae (Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera). Relevant wing parts are illustrated, described, and some observations on the organs are briefly annotated. With an appendix and 14 figures. Keywords. Androconia, hair tuft, classification, Palaeotropics, scaling. INTRODUCTION and Eliot 1990). However, Eliot did not indicate any male secondary sexual characters in this ne of the most characteristic features of Lepi- subfamily, nor did any of the previous or sub- O doptera is the scaled membranous wing sur- sequent workers (eg. Stempffer 1954, Heath 1997, face of the imagines. The scales covering the Libert 2013).
    [Show full text]
  • MYRMECOPHILIE CHEZ DEUX LEPIDOPTERES LYCAENIDAE AU MAROC: Clgaritis ZOHRA ET Clgaritis ALLARDI
    151 Actes Coll. Insectes Sociaux, 8: 151-160 (1993) MYRMECOPHILIE CHEZ DEUX LEPIDOPTERES LYCAENIDAE AU MAROC: ClGARITIS ZOHRA ET ClGARITIS ALLARDI Alain ROJO DE LA PAZ Laboratoire de Biosystématique des Insectes, Faculté des Sciences, Université du Maine, Avenue Olivier Messiaen, B.P. 535, F- 72017 Le Mans Cedex (France) Résumé: Des études menées durant plusieurs années sur le terrain au Maroc ont montré que Cigaritis zohra et Cigaritis allardi sont associés à des fourmis du genre Crematogaster: C. laestrygon pour le premier, C. auberti, C. antaris et probablement C. scutellaris pour le second. Les larves des deux espèces demeurent phytophages tout au long de leur développement. Les sécrétions de la glande de Newcomer et des glandes en coupelle, ainsi que la fente située sur le dixième segment de la nymphe, sont léchées par les fourmis et semblent posséder un caractère attractif pour ces dernières. Par contre, l'évagination des organes éversibles latéraux a un effet répulsif envers les fournis qui lèchent les sécrétions de la glande de Newcomer à ce moment là. Ces organes sont également mis en action lorsque l'on dérange la chenille. Bien que C. zohra et C. allardi soient accompagnés tous deux par des fourmis tout au long de leur vie larvaire et nymphale, seul le premier pénètre à l'intérieur des foumilières. Ceci suggère que ces deux espèces représentent deux étapes dans l'évolution de la myrmécophilie chez les Lycaenidae, C. zohra présentant la forme la plus avancée. Mots-clés: Myrmécophilie, Lycaenidae, Cigaritis, fourmis, Crematogaster, organes myrmécophiliques, Maroc. Abstract: Myrmecophily among two Lycaenid butterflies in Morocco: Ci- garitis zohra and Cigaritis allardi.
    [Show full text]
  • Use of Sugar Dispensers to Disrupt Ant Attendance and Improve Biological Control of Mealybugs in Vineyard
    insects Article Use of Sugar Dispensers to Disrupt Ant Attendance and Improve Biological Control of Mealybugs in Vineyard Martina Parrilli 1,*, Marco Profeta 2, Luca Casoli 2, Fabio Gambirasio 2, Antonio Masetti 1 and Giovanni Burgio 1 1 Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari (DISTAL), Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna (UNIBO), Viale G. Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy; [email protected] (A.M.); [email protected] (G.B.) 2 Consorzio Fitosanitario Provinciale di Reggio Emilia, via F. Gualerzi 32, 42124 Reggio Emilia, Italy; [email protected] (M.P.); [email protected] (L.C.); [email protected] (F.G.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Simple Summary: Management methods for mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) alternative to insecticides have been explored in vineyards. Biological control by either wild or released natural enemies can be disrupted by tending ants, which create a strong association with mealybugs. In this paper, sugar dispensers were investigated as an ant management method to enhance parasitization and predation and eventually to reduce mealybug infestations. Field trials showed a reduction of ant activity, an enhancement of the ecosystem services provided by both parasitoids and predators and a decrease of mealybug infestation on grapes. The use of sugar dispensers provided promising results, highlighting its potential to be integrated with inoculative releases for a more sustainable management of mealybugs. Citation: Parrilli, M.; Profeta, M.; Abstract: Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Pseudococ- Casoli, L.; Gambirasio, F.; Masetti, A.; cidae) are economically important pests occurring in vineyards, causing severe economic losses Burgio, G.
    [Show full text]
  • Title Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet, Consectetur
    Volume 25: 5–10 METAMORPHOSIS ISSN 1018–6490 (PRINT) LEPIDOPTERISTS’ SOCIETY OF AFRICA ISSN 2307–5031 (ONLINE) Uncovering secrets of the ‘cuckoo’ butterfly species Chrysoritis dicksoni (Gabriel, 1947), a social parasite of Crematogaster ants: A summary to the end of the 20th century with current conclusions Published online: 31 May 2014 Alan Heath IZIKO South African Museum, Cape Town E-mail: [email protected] Copyright © Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa Abstract: Current evidence suggests that juvenile stages of Chrysoritis dicksoni may rely on acoustic as well as chemical signals to survive as a parasite within the Crematogaster peringueyi ant nest. It is hypothesized that the sounds produced by the C. dicksoni larva may be mimicking those of a queen ant in order to enhance its hierarchical status and trophic priority within the nest. Interactions between C. dicksoni larvae and their host ants observed in captivity are summarized and illustrated. There is no evidence of ant brood being the larva’s diet as proposed by Clark & Dickson (1971), indeed the larvae repeatedly refused to feed on brood. In view of the strictly sedentary nature of all three larval instars studied and the trophallaxis observed, parsimony would suggest that trophallaxis is the main or sole source of food for all larval instars of this butterfly. No explanation could be found for the demise of the population of C. dicksoni near Mamre in the 1990s but it is suggested that excessive veld fires may have contributed. It is postulated that the species of scale insect associated with the host ant might delimit the range of C.
    [Show full text]