Costs and Benefits of Iridoid Glycosides in Multitrophic Systems
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The Glanville Fritillary on Sand Point: a History and Appraisal [Online]
28 January 2015 © Matthew Oates Citation: Oates, M. (2015). The Glanville Fritillary on Sand Point: a History and Appraisal [Online]. Available from http://www.dispar.org/reference.php?id=95 [Accessed January 28, 2015]. The Glanville Fritillary on Sand Point: a History and Appraisal Matthew Oates Abstract: This article examines the nature conservation lessons learnt from unofficial attempts made over a thirty year period to establish the Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia, at Sand Point, a small limestone promontory on the north Somerset coast. Two colonies were established there in different eras. The first persisted from 1983 to 2000, the second from 2006 to 2013. These releases were conducted by persons unknown, who chose not to liaise with the National Trust, which owns the land, or with Butterfly Conservation or Natural England and its forerunners. Consequently, the details of these establishment attempts are not known. The two populations were, though, crudely monitored by the National Trust and Butterfly Conservation Somerset Branch, and details of habitat conditions, food plant availability and management events were recorded. Some conclusions can be derived, which may assist our understanding of the ecological requirements of this rare butterfly elsewhere, perhaps especially with regard to climate change. The ethics of clandestine butterfly introduction attempts are not discussed here. National Trust Heelis Kemble Drive Swindon SN2 2NA [email protected] Figure 1 - A male Glanville Fritillary, Melitaea cinxia Photo © Matthew Oates Sand Point is not sandy. It is a Carboniferous Limestone headland which juts out into the Bristol Channel just north of Weston Super Mare, where the Mendip Hills run into the Severn estuary. -
Insights from the Genome of Melitaea Cinxia
Ann. Zool. Fennici 54: 275–291 ISSN 0003-455X (print), ISSN 1797-2450 (online) Helsinki 15 May 2017 © Finnish Zoological and Botanical Publishing Board 2017 Ilkka Hanski: The legacy of a multifaceted ecologist Butterfly genomics: insights from the genome of Melitaea cinxia Virpi Ahola1, Niklas Wahlberg2 & Mikko J. Frilander3,* 1) Department of Biosciences, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 2) Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden 3) Institute of Biotechnology, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland (*corresponding author’s e-mail: [email protected]) Received 2 Dec. 2016, final version received 9 Feb. 2017, accepted 9 Feb. 2017 Ahola, V., Wahlberg, N. & Frilander, M. J. 2017: Butterfly genomics: insights from the genome of Melitaea cinxia. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 54: 275–291. The first lepidopteran genome (Bombyx mori) was published in 2004. Ten years later the genome of Melitaea cinxia came out as the third butterfly genome published, and the first eukaryotic genome sequenced in Finland. Owing to Ilkka Hanski, theM. cinxia system in the Åland Islands has become a famous model for metapopulation biology. More than 20 years of research on this system provides a strong ecological basis upon which a genetic framework could be built. Genetic knowledge is an essential addition for understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics and the genetic basis of variability in life history traits. Here we review the process of the M. cinxia genome project, its implica- tions for lepidopteran genome evolution, and describe how the genome has been used for gene expression studies to identify genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation. -
Appendix A: Common and Scientific Names for Fish and Wildlife Species Found in Idaho
APPENDIX A: COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SPECIES FOUND IN IDAHO. How to Read the Lists. Within these lists, species are listed phylogenetically by class. In cases where phylogeny is incompletely understood, taxonomic units are arranged alphabetically. Listed below are definitions for interpreting NatureServe conservation status ranks (GRanks and SRanks). These ranks reflect an assessment of the condition of the species rangewide (GRank) and statewide (SRank). Rangewide ranks are assigned by NatureServe and statewide ranks are assigned by the Idaho Conservation Data Center. GX or SX Presumed extinct or extirpated: not located despite intensive searches and virtually no likelihood of rediscovery. GH or SH Possibly extinct or extirpated (historical): historically occurred, but may be rediscovered. Its presence may not have been verified in the past 20–40 years. A species could become SH without such a 20–40 year delay if the only known occurrences in the state were destroyed or if it had been extensively and unsuccessfully looked for. The SH rank is reserved for species for which some effort has been made to relocate occurrences, rather than simply using this status for all elements not known from verified extant occurrences. G1 or S1 Critically imperiled: at high risk because of extreme rarity (often 5 or fewer occurrences), rapidly declining numbers, or other factors that make it particularly vulnerable to rangewide extinction or extirpation. G2 or S2 Imperiled: at risk because of restricted range, few populations (often 20 or fewer), rapidly declining numbers, or other factors that make it vulnerable to rangewide extinction or extirpation. G3 or S3 Vulnerable: at moderate risk because of restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors that make it vulnerable to rangewide extinction or extirpation. -
Langus Unr 0139M 12136.Pdf
University of Nevada, Reno The Causes and Consequences of Variation in the Insect Immune Response A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology by Tara Chenielle Langus Dr. Angela M. Smilanich/Thesis Advisor August, 2016 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by TARA CHENIELLE LANGUS Entitled The Causes And Consequences Of Variation In The Insect Immune Response be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Angela Smilanich, Advisor Matt Forister, Committee Member Lora Richards, Committee Member Chris Feldman, Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph. D., Dean, Graduate School August, 2016 i ABSTRACT Plants produce an array of secondary metabolites that play an important ecological role in defense against herbivores in addition to having varied effects on herbivore natural enemies. Here, I investigate the complex interactions between diet, the immune response, and microbiota. In my first experiment, I asked whether plant chemistry and the presence of egg microbes affect the immune response of a specialist herbivore and its resistance to viral attack. Common buckeye larvae (Junonia coenia) were inoculated with a densovirus (JcDNV) and reared on two host plant species (Plantago lanceolata and Plantago major) that differ in their composition and concentration of iridoid glycosides. In addition, a subset of eggs were surface sterilized to investigate whether microbes on the egg’s surface contribute to viral resistance. Survivorship, development time, pupal weight, hemocyte counts, and a colormetric assay of phenoloxidase (PO) enzyme activity were measured to identify what role plant chemistry and microbes play on the outcome of infection by a pathogen, Junonia coenia densovirus. -
Butterflies & Flowers of the Kackars
Butterflies and Botany of the Kackars in Turkey Greenwings holiday report 14-22 July 2018 Led by Martin Warren, Yiannis Christofides and Yasemin Konuralp White-bordered Grayling © Alan Woodward Greenwings Wildlife Holidays Tel: 01473 254658 Web: www.greenwings.co.uk Email: [email protected] ©Greenwings 2018 Introduction This was the second year of a tour to see the wonderful array of butterflies and plants in the Kaçkar mountains of north-east Turkey. These rugged mountains rise steeply from Turkey’s Black Sea coast and are an extension of the Caucasus mountains which are considered by the World Wide Fund for Nature to be a global biodiversity hotspot. The Kaçkars are thought to be the richest area for butterflies in this range, a hotspot in a hotspot with over 160 resident species. The valley of the River Çoruh lies at the heart of the Kaçkar and the centre of the trip explored its upper reaches at altitudes of 1,300—2,300m. The area consists of steep-sided valleys with dry Mediterranean vegetation, typically with dense woodland and trees in the valley bottoms interspersed with small hay-meadows. In the upper reaches these merge into alpine meadows with wet flushes and few trees. The highest mountain in the range is Kaçkar Dağı with an elevation of 3,937 metres The tour was centred around the two charming little villages of Barhal and Olgunlar, the latter being at the fur- thest end of the valley that you can reach by car. The area is very remote and only accessed by a narrow road that winds its way up the valley providing extraordinary views that change with every turn. -
Ecological and Genetic Basis of Metapopulation Persistence of the Glanville Fritillary Butterfly in Fragmented Landscapes
ARTICLE Received 19 Dec 2015 | Accepted 27 Dec 2016 | Published 17 Feb 2017 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14504 OPEN Ecological and genetic basis of metapopulation persistence of the Glanville fritillary butterfly in fragmented landscapes Ilkka Hanski1,z, Torsti Schulz1, Swee Chong Wong1, Virpi Ahola1, Annukka Ruokolainen1 & Sami P. Ojanen1 Ecologists are challenged to construct models of the biological consequences of habitat loss and fragmentation. Here, we use a metapopulation model to predict the distribution of the Glanville fritillary butterfly during 22 years across a large heterogeneous landscape with 4,415 small dry meadows. The majority (74%) of the 125 networks into which the meadows were clustered are below the extinction threshold for long-term persistence. Among the 33 networks above the threshold, spatial configuration and habitat quality rather than the pooled habitat area predict metapopulation size and persistence, but additionally allelic variation in a SNP in the gene Phosphoglucose isomerase (Pgi) explains 30% of variation in metapopulation size. The Pgi genotypes are associated with dispersal rate and hence with colonizations and extinctions. Associations between Pgi genotypes, population turnover and metapopulation size reflect eco-evolutionary dynamics, which may be a common feature in species inhabiting patch networks with unstable local dynamics. 1 Metapopulation Research Centre, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to S.P.O. (email: sami.ojanen@helsinki.fi). zDeceased. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | 8:14504 | DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14504 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications 1 ARTICLE NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14504 abitat loss and fragmentation are the main drivers of threshold can be predicted by spatial configuration, habitat ongoing loss of biodiversity1–3, but ecologists have made quality and Pgi genotypes. -
1 1 Variation in Melitaea Cinxia Gut Microbiota Is Phylogenetically
bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/510446; this version posted January 3, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. 1 2 Variation in Melitaea cinxia gut microbiota is phylogenetically highly structured but 3 only mildly driven by host plant microbiota, sex or parasitism. 4 Minard G.1,2 †, Tikhonov G1†, Ovaskainen O.1,3, Saastamoinen M.1 5 6 1Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, 7 Helsinki, Finland. 8 2Université de Lyon, Lyon, France ; Ecologie microbienne, UMR CNRS 5557, UMR INRA 9 1418, VetAgro Sup, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France 10 3Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of 11 Science and Technology. N-7491 Trondheim, Norway. 12 13 †The authors contributed equally 14 15 Running title: Microbiota assembly in a specialist herbivore 16 17 18 19 Correspondence: Guillaume Minard, Laboratoire d’Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 20 1, 10 rue Raphael Dubois, 69100 Villeurbanne, [email protected], 21 +33.472.431.143. 22 23 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/510446; this version posted January 3, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. 24 Originality-Significance Statement 25 The factors contributing to the assembly of microbiota in animals are extremely complex, 26 and thus a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms shaping host-associated 27 microbial communities in natural ecosystems requires extensive ecological studies and 28 appropriate statistical methods. -
The Butterflies & Birds of Macedonia
The Butterflies & Birds of Macedonia Naturetrek Tour Report 23 - 30 June 2015 Southern White Admiral Balkan Fritillary Little Tiger Blue Purple-shot Copper Report and images by Gerald Broddelez Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Butterflies & Birds of Macedonia Tour participants: Gerald Broddelez (leader) & Martin Hrouzek (local) with seven Naturetrek clients Summary Although Macedonia is largely unknown to those of us in Western Europe with an interest in natural history, it is an extremely rich and exciting wildlife destination. The most southerly of the six republics that were previously a part of Yugoslavia, Macedonia boasts an impressive variety of habitats and scenery, from the high, forested peaks of the Baba Mountains to the hot, rolling plains of Pelagonia. This hidden jewel of the Balkans is also one of Europe’s very best destinations for butterflies. This was our pioneering tour, still we found over 110 species of Butterflies, including many Balkan specialities and Macedonian only endemic, the Macedonian Grayling. We also found an exciting diversity of birds like Dalmatian Pelican, Syrian Woodpecker, Sombre Tit, Roller, Long-legged Buzzard and Masked Shrike! Other wildlife did not disappoint with a good selection of Reptiles and Amphibians seen, many endemic to the Balkan! Day 1 Tuesday 23rd June Fly Thessaloniki & transfer to Kavadarci We departed London on a Jet Air flight to Thessaloniki, Greece. On arrival we met our local guides and transferred north to the border with Macedonia. -
The Butterfly Handbook General Advice Note on Mitigating the Impacts of Roads on Butterfly Populations
The butterfly handbook General advice note on mitigating the impacts of roads on butterfly populations working towards Natural England for people, places and nature The butterfly handbook General advice note on mitigating the impacts of roads on butterfly populations including a case study on mitigation for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly along the A30 Bodmin to Indian Queens road improvement scheme Adrian Spalding Spalding Associates (Environmental) Ltd Norfolk House 16-17 Lemon Street Truro TR1 2LS www.spaldingassociates.co.uk ISBN: 1 903798 25 6 This publication was jointly funded by English Nature and the Highways Agency Forward The second half of the last century saw dramatic changes in the countryside of Britain. Our native wildlife continues to be threatened as habitats are damaged or destroyed. Butterflies have probably never been as endangered as they are today following decades of loss of key semi-natural habitats such as flower-rich grasslands. This report is extremely valuable and timely as it concerns an increasingly important habitat for butterflies and other insects. Road verges can help conserve butterflies and other wildlife as they are an opportunity to provide suitable breeding habitats for many species, and provide crucial links between the patches of habitat that remain. Butterflies are highly sensitive indicators of the environment and we know that conservation measures for this group will help many other less well-known components of our biodiversity. Road verges already provide valuable habitats for a wide range of species but this report shows how they can be made even better and contribute an ever more important role in the future. -
Multidimensional Plasticity in the Glanville Fritillary Butterfly: Larval Performance Curves Are
bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.05.065698; this version posted May 7, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 GENERAL INFORMATION 2 3 Article Type: 4 Research Article 5 6 Title: 7 Multidimensional plasticity in the Glanville fritillary butterfly: larval performance curves are 8 temperature, host and family specific. 9 10 Authors: 11 Nadja Verspagen 1,2,3 *, Suvi Ikonen 3, Marjo Saastamoinen 1,2 and Erik van Bergen 1,2 12 13 Affiliations: 14 1 Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland 15 2 Research Centre of Ecological Change, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, 16 University of Helsinki, Finland. 17 3 Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Finland. 18 Corresponding author: 19 * Correspondence to Nadja Verspagen ([email protected]) 20 21 Abstract word count: 200 22 Total word count: 4207 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.05.065698; this version posted May 7, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 23 ABSTRACT 24 Variation in environmental conditions during development can lead to changes in life-history traits 25 with long-lasting effects. Here, we study environmentally induced variation, i.e. -
Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
VOLUME 66, N UMBER 4 185 J OURNAL OF T HE L EPIDOPTERISTS ’ S OCIETY Volume 66 2012 Number 4 Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 66(4), 2012, 185 –198 DNA BARCODES AND INSIGHTS INTO THE RELATIONSHIPS AND SYSTEMATICS OF BUCKEYE BUTTERFLIES (NYMPHALIDAE: NYMPHALINAE: JUNONIA ) FROM THE AMERICAS EDWARD PFEILER , Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Unidad Guaymas, Apartado Postal 284, Guaymas, Sonora C.P. 85480, México; email: [email protected] SARAH JOHNSON , Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 AND THERESE A. M ARKOW Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 ABSTRACT. Nucleotide sequence data from a segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, known as the barcode segment, were used to examine phylogenetic relationships and systematics of buckeye butterflies (Nymphalidae: Nymphalinae: Junonia ) from the New World, with emphasis on taxa from western North America . Three nominal species have been recognized for North America, J. evarete (Cramer), J. genoveva (Cramer), and J. coenia Hübner, with additional species recently pro - posed for the West Indies and northern South America . The distinctive Andean buckeye, J. vestina C. Felder & R. Felder, along with J. evarete and J. genoveva , are also components of the South American fauna . With the exception of J. vestina , butterflies comprising the New World Junonia have had a confused taxonomic history, and species assignments are often problematic . Our results show that the barcode segment resolves the two major clades of New World Junonia , referred to here as clades A and B, with similar high sup - port seen in an earlier phylogenetic study using both mitochondrial and nuclear genes . -
Armenia - Butterflies of the Caucasus
Armenia - Butterflies of the Caucasus Naturetrek Tour Report 25 June - 2 July 2016 Khosrov National Park from Garni Cardinal Mount Ararat from Vedi Puple-edged Copper Report and images by Tom Brereton Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Armenia - Butterflies of the Caucasus Tour participants: Tom Brereton (leader) and Hasmik Ter Voskanyan (local guide) Together with three Naturetrek clients Day 1 Saturday 25th June Outbound from the UK Our small and friendly group met at Heathrow Airport for an Aeroflot morning flight from London to Moscow that departed and arrived on time. We then took an early evening flight to the Armenian capital, Yerevan. After meeting our driver and ornithologist guide for the trip Hasmik, we took a short drive to the superb Hotel Aviatrans, centrally located in vibrant Yerevan city. We arrived mid-evening in time for an excellent supper at the hotel. Day 2 Sunday 26th June Hatsavan, Gaghadir and Gharni After a really good buffet breakfast, we headed south-east, driving for just under an hour to steppe and semi- desert habitat west of Garni. The weather was glorious – hot and sunny. At a road intersection we transferred from our air conditioned minibus to jeeps for the bumpy road ahead which ran west towards Lanjazat. Birds seen in prime habitat along the road included Roller, Lesser Grey Shrike, Bee-eater and Isabelline Wheatear. Our first scheduled stop for butterflies was in a beautiful semi-desert area, several kilometres down this dusty road.