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Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) have become popular study organisms for insect-based climate studies, due to the taxon's strong sensitivity to environmental conditions, and an enthusiastic following by community scientists due to their charismatic appearance and size. Where formal records of this taxon can be limited, public efforts have provided nearly 1,500,000 open-sourced odonate records through online databases, making real-time spatio-temporal monitoring more feasible. While these databases can be extensive, concerns regarding these public endeavors have arisen from a variety of sources: records may be biased by human factors (ex: density, technological access) which may cause erroneous interpretations. Indeed, records of odonates in the east-central US documented in the popular database iNaturalist bear striking patterns corresponding to political boundaries and other human activities. We conducted a 'ground-truthing' study using a structured sampling method to examine these patterns in an area where community science reports indicated variable abundance, richness, and diversity which appeared to be linked to observation biases. Our observations were largely consistent with patterns recorded by community scientists, suggesting these databases were indeed capturing representative biological trends and raising further questions about environmental drivers in the observed data gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cali is the third most prominent, and one of the most crowed, Colombian cities. It still harbours some tropical dry forest patches that can mitigate the impacts of the urban transformation; however, there is an almost total absence of information on the biological importance of these sites and their potential for future ecological restoration processes. To assess if they serve as important refuges for insect bioindicator species, we sampled five urban patches of tropical dry forest in the city, plus one nearby rural patch, using specific trapping procedures for ants and carabid beetles. Patch areas were variable, from 1 to 50 ha. We found that the smallest patch presented the highest ant richness, with a tendency towards generalists and a few unique species. Meanwhile, some specialist species were found in the rural patch. A total of 109 ant and 13 carabid species were recorded, including four new records of ants for Colombia. Results suggest that environmental variables favour the presence of generalist and opportunistic ants. Despite this, the high ant richness demonstrates that. Urban forest patches are important refuges for biodiversity. The low richness observed for carabids could be a sign of the challenges that urban forests face considering the ecological importance of beetles. The possible dangers of intensive internal use of these forests is discussed to prevent local extinctions, since the biggest forests are not necessarily conserving a higher richness. This work represents an important contribution to urban ecology in the region, with possibilities of further restoration in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) have become popular study organisms for insect-based climate studies, due to the taxon’s strong sensitivity to environmental conditions, and an enthusiastic following by community scientists due to their charismatic appearance and size. Where formal records of this taxon can be limited, public efforts have provided nearly 1,500,000 open-sourced odonate records through online databases, making real-time spatio-temporal monitoring more feasible. While these databases can be extensive, concerns regarding these public endeavors have arisen from a variety of sources: records may be biased by human factors (ex: density, technological access) which may cause erroneous interpretations. Indeed, records of odonates in the east-central US documented in the popular database iNaturalist bear striking patterns corresponding to political boundaries and other human activities. We conducted a ‘ground-truthing’ study using a structured sampling method to examine these patterns in an area where community science reports indicated variable abundance, richness, and diversity which appeared to be linked to observation biases. Our observations were largely consistent with patterns recorded by community scientists, suggesting these databases were indeed capturing representative biological trends and raising further questions about environmental drivers in the observed data gaps.

Megachile (Chalicodoma) parietina (Geoffroy, 1785) is a Palearctic solitary bee included in the Red List of some central European Countries. Females build durable nests, reused year after year, by mixing soil with a salivary secretion. Like for most solitary bees, the resources contained within M. parietina nests attract several other insects which exploit pollen supplies or feed on the immature brood. These associated insects have mainly been studied for mantained bees and considered for their effect on the host reproductive success. A very large nesting aggregation of M. parietina in Central Tuscany has been studied for three consecutive years. We have identified 32 associated insect species, which certainly are an underestimate of the species present. Among the identified species, only eight had been previously reported for M. parietina. All the species were classified both according to the specificity for the host taxon (Chalicodoma, Megachilidae, Anthophila, Hymenoptera, Others) and to the ecological relationship (cleptoparasites, parasitoids, predators of larvae, food commensal, scavengers, and occasional nest users). This highlighted both the richness of the ecological network within the nesting aggregation and the value of studying these nesting sites to fill Eltonian shortfalls, i.e. the deficiency in ecology knowledge, of bees and their associated fauna. Implications for insect conservation. We suggest that, besides their role in pollination, large and stable bee nesting sites increase the local insect biodiversity, and that attention should be paid to their conservation within actions aimed to support populations of wild pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood dynamics are important drivers of wetland biodiversity. With current climate and land-use changes affecting overall water cycling, many wetland ecosystems are at risk of degradation, affecting biodiversity support negatively. This emphasizes a need for understanding possible correlations between specific hydrological conditions and biodiversity support in wetlands, at least in terms of species composition. In this study, we used high resolution hydrological monitoring of water levels and insect sampling in a depressional wetland to investigate possible correlations between inundation patterns and insect abundance. Our results show that there is a high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in wetland inundation patterns and that this heterogeneity explains variation in insect abundance. This creates episodes of downstream wet and upstream dry conditions. In addition, the spatial variability was high between grid cells of 2 meter’s resolution. There were also indications that distance to stream affected insect community structure. The findings from this work show that that the local hydrological conditions can create heterogeneity in habitat conditions, which in turn lead to refuge habitats for species vulnerable to changes in inundation condition. This study also highlights the importance of acknowledging quantitative hydrological methods when assessing the relation to insect communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An additional threat to sustainable food production, besides climate change, is declining biodiversity, especially in insects. To mitigate this threat, we need to determine the drivers of biodiversity decline. Insect biodiversity decline can be mainly attributed to the intensification of agriculture with the main drivers being habitat loss and use of agro-chemicals. We must view changes to more sustainable practices in agricultural management critically to determine whether these changes will sustain insect biodiversity. The first consideration for farmers is to make a profit and the priority in choosing a certain farming practice will be based on agronomic and economic gains. Damage to crops by insects, pathogens and weeds has always been a major limitation to crop yield and the management of pests, pathogens and weeds is therefore an important consideration. To reach the goal of sustaining biodiversity farmers will have to find a tradeoff between economic gain and protecting biodiversity. They will have to decide how much land they can spare for natural areas and still make a profit. Farmers will also need incentives to consider this. We will have to concentrate more on the restoration of habitats in agricultural lands and find interventions to limit the expansion of land use for agricultural development. This will enable us to reach the goal of the half-earth theory,proposed by Prof E.O. Wilson, where half of the land is conserved to safeguard biodiversity,

Insects are the richest and most diverse group of animals and yet there remains a lack, not only of systematic research into their distribution across some key regions of the planet, but of standardized sampling strategies for their study. The Yanshan Mountains, being the boundary range between the Inner Mongolian Plateau and the North China Plain, present an indispensable piece of the insect biodiversity puzzle: both requiring systematic study and offering opportunities for the development of standardized methodologies. This is the first use of DNA metabarcoding to survey the insect biodiversity of the Yanshan Mountains. The study focuses on differences of community composition among samples collected via different methods and from different habitat types. In total, 74 bulk samples were collected from five habitat types (scrubland, woodland, wetland, farmland and grassland) using three collection methods (sweep netting, Malaise traps and light traps). After DNA extraction, PCR amplification, sequencing and diversity analysis were performed, a total of 7427 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at ≥97% sequence similarity level were delimited, of which 7083 OTUs were identified as belonging to Insecta. Orthoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were found to be the dominant orders according to community composition analysis. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis based on Bray–Curtis distances revealed highly divergent estimates of insect community composition among samples differentiated by the collection method (R =.524802, p =.001), but nonsignificant difference among samples differentiated according to habitat (R =.051102, p =.078). The study therefore appears to indicate that the concurrent use of varied collection methods is essential to the accurate monitoring of insect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomology is key to understanding terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems at a time of unprecedented anthropogenic environmental change and offers substantial untapped potential to benefit humanity in a variety of ways, from improving agricultural practices to managing vector‐borne diseases and inspiring technological advances.We identified high priority challenges for entomology using an inclusive, open, and democratic four‐stage prioritisation approach, conducted among the membership and affiliates (hereafter 'members') of the UK‐based Royal Entomological Society (RES).A list of 710 challenges was gathered from 189 RES members. Thematic analysis was used to group suggestions, followed by an online vote to determine initial priorities, which were subsequently ranked during an online workshop involving 37 participants.The outcome was a set of 61 priority challenges within four groupings of related themes: (i) 'Fundamental Research' (themes: Taxonomy, 'Blue Skies' [defined as research ideas without immediate practical application], Methods and Techniques); (ii) 'Anthropogenic Impacts and Conservation' (themes: Anthropogenic Impacts, Conservation Options); (iii) 'Uses, Ecosystem Services and Disservices' (themes: Ecosystem Benefits, Technology and Resources [use of insects as a resource, or as inspiration], Pests); (iv) 'Collaboration, Engagement and Training' (themes: Knowledge Access, Training and Collaboration, Societal Engagement).Priority challenges encompass research questions, funding objectives, new technologies, and priorities for outreach and engagement. Examples include training taxonomists, establishing a global network of insect monitoring sites, understanding the extent of insect declines, exploring roles of cultivated insects in food supply chains, and connecting professional with amateur entomologists. Responses to different challenges could be led by amateur and professional entomologists, at all career stages.Overall, the challenges provide a diverse array of options to inspire and initiate entomological activities and reveal the potential of entomology to contribute to addressing global challenges related to human health and well‐being, and environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Ecosystem Survey of South Korea aims to understand the nationwide distributional status of various species of flora and fauna. This study aimed to determine the optimal number of pitfall traps needed to survey insects as part of the National Ecosystem Survey and the suitability of using baits in these traps. Twenty (the current number of pitfall traps used in the National Ecosystem Survey) nonbaited traps (NBTs) and five additional baited traps (BTs) (commonly used by researchers) were installed to analyze and compare capture efficiency between methods. Analysis showed that when using NBTs alone, at least 100 traps are needed to capture all species of a survey site. However, the same capture rates can be achieved by installing 15 NBTs and 5 BTs. Therefore, the results of this study confirm that the most effective survey method using pitfall traps requires a combination of NBTs and BTs rather than the current method of installing 20 NBTs alone.

Abstract Background The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also have a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across a freshwater swamp and six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, freshwater swamp, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging to ca. 8500 species. Results We find that the globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for insect diversity. Our study reveals a species-rich mangrove insect fauna (>3000 species in Singapore alone) that is distinct (>50% of species are mangrove-specific) and has high species turnover across Southeast and East Asia. For most habitats, plant diversity is a good predictor of insect diversity, but mangroves are an exception and compensate for a comparatively low number of phytophagous and fungivorous insect species by supporting an unusually rich community of predators whose larvae feed in the productive mudflats. For the remaining tropical habitats, the insect communities have diversity patterns that are largely congruent across guilds. Conclusions The discovery of such a sizeable and distinct insect fauna in a globally threatened habitat underlines how little is known about global insect biodiversity. We here show how such knowledge gaps can be closed quickly with new cost-effective NGS barcoding techniques.

Agricultural intensification is debated as one of the major drivers for the decline of insect biodiversity. Agri-environmental schemes (AES) are a common measure to promote biodiversity in agriculture by granting compensational payments to farmers for environmentally friendly practices. In this study we examined the effect of buffer strips of at least 5 m width, adjacent to small watercourses and drainage ditches, on insect biomass and insect species richness in agricultural landscapes. We selected ten arable fields in each of four regions in lower and upper Bavaria, Southern Germany. 25 out of 40 sites had a buffer strip between arable crops and watercourse. Insects were sampled at three time periods (May/June, June/July and August/September) for two weeks each. In each period two samples were collected (one per week). On each site Malaise traps were set up in 5 and 80 m distance to the embankment of the watercourse. Half of the samples was then subjected to metabarcoding and the other half was classified into different insect groups by morphological identification and the number of the individuals for each group was counted. For hoverflies (Syrphidae), individuals were identified at species-level. Data on vegetation structure (cover of grasses and herbs) in the studied riparian buffer strips was collected and correlated with number of species, abundances and biomass of flying insects. The five taxonomic orders with the highest species richness and individual numbers were: Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera. Diptera dominated hereby with 34% of all species and 81% of all individuals. On average, mixed models indicated 31% higher insect biomass, 15% higher species richness and 29% higher individual numbers of flying insects in buffer strips at 5 m distance to the watercourse compared to sites with no buffer strip. The effect was even stronger for butterflies (32% higher species species richness, 70% more individuals) and hoverflies (24% higher species richness, 51% more individuals). In the presence of a buffer strip significantly higher numbers were found for total individuals, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. In 80 m distance to the watercourse, the samples of flying insects were not significantly influenced by a riparian buffer strip. This study highlights the importance of buffer strips in agricultural regions and their multifunctional potential in fostering biodiversity additionally to their acknowledged use for water protection. Ideally, buffer strips are rich in herbs and inflorescences and are therefore beneficial for the insect fauna by serving as valuable habitat with high potential connectivity at landscape level. • 31% higher biomass on average of flying insects in riparian buffer strips compared to agriculturally used fields. • 15% higher species richness on average of flying insects in riparian buffer strips compared to agriculturally used fields. • 29% higher individual numbers on average of flying insects in riparian buffer strips compared to agriculturally used fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cacao (Theobroma cacao) and copoazú (T. grandiflorum) agroecosystems represent a common source of income or many small-scale farmers in the Colombian Amazon basin. Most of these systems are set in low disturbance environments; they are considered biodiversity-friendly ecosystems inhabited by several groups of insects. In this study, we carried out a preliminary taxonomic inventory of the microhymenopteran parasitoids present in these agroforestry systems. Twenty-six localities of the Amazonian basin of Colombia were sampled using several insect collecting methods (Malaise trap, sweep net, pitfall, and rearing boxes). Collected specimens were curated and cataloged, establishing the first taxonomic voucher collection of parasitoids from the Colombian Amazon basin. We identified 767 specimens representing 64 species, 274 morphospecies, 143 genera and 20 families, 34 genera and 16 species of these being recorded for the first time in the country. The genus Gbelcia is reported for the first time from the Neotropical region. A new parasitoid-host relationship was found for Horismenus cupreus (Eulophidae) attacking larvae of Phyllocnistis sp. (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae), which feeds on Annona montana (Annonaceae) leaves.

In this research, insect populations in citrus orchards of Hadishahr, Babolsar, Mazandaran Province, Iran, under different pest managements for two seasons (summer and autumn) from late June to late December 2017 were evaluated by installation of sticky yellow cards and investigation of branches and leaves of trees and then biodiversity indices in different orchards were estimated. Analysis of data of foliage samples showed that in summer, the amount of Brillouin diversity index, species richness and frequency in free pesticides protocol orchard were more than the other two orchards, but the average of Simpson diversity index in low input orchard was the most. In autumn, the mean of Simpson and Shannon-Weiner diversity indices and all of the evenness indices in low input orchard were higher than the two conventional and free pesticides protocol orchards; however, the frequency in free pesticides protocol orchard showed higher amount than low input and conventional orchards.Diversity of natural enemies and pests in foliage and sticky yellow card samples, in free pesticides protocol orchard was more than other two orchards.

The increasing densification of urban spaces can negatively impact biodiversity in the city, but the diversity of green spaces also offers new opportunities to implement biodiversity conservation interventions. Urban community gardens are social-ecological systems that support biodiversity, ecosystem services, and positive human-nature interactions. In turn, community gardens can provide ideal "real-world labs" to co-create, test, and collectively implement biodiversity conservation strategies with gardeners that can be transferred to and mainstreamed across other urban ecosystems. This is important because the impact of biodiversity-friendly gardening strategies is not yet systematically researched, nor how this knowledge can be transferred to other urban ecosystems. In our transdisciplinary research, we are developing, implementing, and testing biodiversity conservation interventions focused on promoting insect diversity with gardeners and neighborhood residents from Berlin and Munich, Germany. Our aim is to engage with and support city residents in biodiversity-based urban greening. To do so, we work at the nexus between civil society (gardeners, neighborhood residents, ecologically oriented organizations) and relevant city actors (city council, district committees, city administration) to anchor the participation of civil society in the ecological transformation of the city. In this communication article, we present our transdisciplinary research concept, participatory methods, and experience thus far in translating research to practice, and supporting the role of city residents to implement biodiversity interventions in their gardens and in their neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are an important component of the ecosystem and fast dwindling of its diversity is reported globally. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed a total of 77,435 species of insects between 1996 and 2020, of which 18,180 (23.47%) species are reported to be threatened and the majority of threatened species was reported in Odonata followed by Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. Out of 1843 species listed as critically endangered, endangered, extinct, extinct in wild and vulnerable, from the literature it was found that 596 are predators, 40 are pollinators, 164 are saprophagous, 620 are herbivores, 272 are omnivores, 137 are parasites and 14 are unknown. This study provides concise information on insect diversity, global threat status and major driving factors for population decline, which will be helpful in determining the priority insect groups that require conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Automated species identification based on data produced with metabarcoding offers an alternative for assessing biodiversity of bulk insect samples obtained with traps. We used a standard two‐step PCR approach to amplify a 313 bp fragment of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. The PCR products were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform, and the OTUs production and taxonomic identifications were performed with a customized pipeline and database. The DNA used in the PCR procedures was extracted directly from the preservative ethanol of bulk insect samples obtained with automatic light traps in 12 sampling areas located in different biomes of Brazil, during wet and dry seasons. Agricultural field and forest edge habitats were collected for all sampling areas. A total of 119 insect OTUs and nine additional OTUs assigned to other arthropod taxa were obtained at a ≥97% sequence similarity level. The alpha and beta diversity analyses comparing biomes, habitats, and seasons were mostly inconclusive, except for a significant difference in beta diversity between biomes. In this study, we were able to metabarcode and HTS adult insects from their preservative medium. Notwithstanding, our results underrepresent the true magnitude of insect diversity expected from samples obtained with automatic light traps in Brazil. Although biological and technical factors might have impacted our results, measures to optimize and standardize eDNA HTS should be in place to improve taxonomic coverage of samples of unknown diversity and stored in suboptimal conditions, which is the case of most eDNA samples.

Background: The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also have a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across a freshwater swamp and six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, freshwater swamp, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging to ca. 8500 species. Results: We find that the globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for insect diversity. Our study reveals a species-rich mangrove insect fauna (>3000 species in Singapore alone) that is distinct (>50% of species are mangrove-specific) and has high species turnover across Southeast and East Asia. For most habitats, plant diversity is a good predictor of insect diversity, but mangroves are an exception and compensate for a comparatively low number of phytophagous and fungivorous insect species by supporting an unusually rich community of predators whose larvae feed in the productive mudflats. For the remaining tropical habitats, the insect communities have diversity patterns that are largely congruent across guilds. Conclusions: The discovery of such a sizeable and distinct insect fauna in a globally threatened habitat underlines how little is known about global insect biodiversity. We here show how such knowledge gaps can be closed quickly with new cost-effective NGS barcoding techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigaeic beetle assemblages were surveyed using continuous pitfall trapping during the summers of 1992 and 1993 in six widely geographically distributed locations in Alberta's aspen-mixedwood forests prior to initial forest harvest. Species composition and turnover (β-diversity) were evaluated on several spatial scales ranging from Natural Regions (distance between samples 120-420 km) to pitfall traps (40-60 m). A total of 19,885 ground beetles (Carabidae) representing 40 species and 12,669 rove beetles (non-Aleocharinae Staphylinidae) representing 78 species was collected. Beetle catch, species richness, and diversity differed significantly among the six locations, as did the identity of dominant species. Beetle species composition differed significantly between the Boreal Forest and Foothills Natural Regions for both taxa. Staphylinidae β-diversity differed significantly between Natural Regions, whereas Carabidae β-diversity differed among locations. Climate variables such as number of frost-free days, dry periods, and mean summer temperatures were identified as significant factors influencing beetle assemblages at coarse spatial scales, whereas over- and understory vegetation cover, litter depth, shade, slope, and stand age influenced beetle assemblages at finer spatial scales. Significant interannual variation in assemblage structure was noted for both taxa. Because composition of epigaeic beetle assemblages differed across spatial scales, forest management strategies based only on generalized understanding of a single location will be ineffective as conservation measures. In addition, site history and geographic variation significantly affect species distributions of these two beetle families across the landscape. Thus, we underscore Terry Erwin's suggestion that biodiversity assessments focused on species assemblages at different spatial scales provide a sound approach for understanding biodiversity change and enhancing conservation of arthropod biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Automated species identification based on data produced with metabarcoding offers an alternative for assessing biodiversity of bulk insect samples obtained with traps. We used a standard two‐step PCR approach to amplify a 313 bp fragment of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. The PCR products were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform, and the OTUs production and taxonomic identifications were performed with a customized pipeline and database. The DNA used in the PCR procedures was extracted directly from the preservative ethanol of bulk insect samples obtained with automatic light traps in 12 sampling areas located in different biomes of Brazil, during wet and dry seasons. Agricultural field and forest edge habitats were collected for all sampling areas. A total of 119 insect OTUs and nine additional OTUs assigned to other arthropod taxa were obtained at a ≥97% sequence similarity level. The alpha and beta diversity analyses comparing biomes, habitats, and seasons were mostly inconclusive, except for a significant difference in beta diversity between biomes. In this study, we were able to metabarcode and HTS adult insects from their preservative medium. Notwithstanding, our results underrepresent the true magnitude of insect diversity expected from samples obtained with automatic light traps in Brazil. Although biological and technical factors might have impacted our results, measures to optimize and standardize eDNA HTS should be in place to improve taxonomic coverage of samples of unknown diversity and stored in suboptimal conditions, which is the case of most eDNA samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vast numbers of insects annually engage in trans-latitudinal migration and thereby impact structure and functioning of natural and man-made ecosystems. In eastern Asia, long-distance migration has historically been studied for single insect species rather than diverse species complexes. Here, we assessed migration dynamics of multiple economically important migratory species on an island in the Bohai Strait, China. Drawing upon 15-year trapping records of > 2.5 million specimens, we unveil inter- and intra-annual shifts in the species composition and abundance of migrant individuals. Migrants belonged to 9 orders and 36 families, primarily consisting of Lepidoptera (79% individuals), Odonata (8%), and Coleoptera (4%). Seven crop-feeding noctuids, e.g., Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Mythimna separata (Walker), represented 54% of the total trapping records. Trap catches exhibited marked seasonal variation, with the highest capture rate during early fall. Yearly abundance of migratory noctuids was coupled with that of their associated natural enemies. Although overall trap catches did not decrease over the monitoring period, the entire order of Odonata experienced a 14.1% annual rate of decline. Furthermore, 19 out of 108 species exhibited a progressively declining abundance over time, including the cosmopolitan cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) and the insectivorous dragonfly Pantala flavescens Fabricius. Our work provides unprecedented insights into insect migration dynamics in eastern Asia, helps fine-tune forecasting and early-warning systems of crop pests, and thereby guides integrated pest management within local agro-landscapes. Also, a long-term tracking of migrant insect populations can shine light on the fate of (insect-mediated) ecosystem services and trophic dynamic processes at a macroscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment on insect biodiversity in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) agro-ecosystem was conducted at village Mushtaque Kaleri near Tandojam, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan during winter season 2015-2016. For this purpose 1/2 acre of brinjal crop was cultivated. Collection was done once a week through sweep net method. Data was collected by examining 30 plants and analyzed by using Shannon diversity index. The results showed that in brinjal agro-ecosystem 27 species of insects were recorded from 10th of December 2015 to 5th of March 2016. Among them 19 species were pests and 8 species were predators and pollinators. The highest diversity (H' =3.33) was recorded on 23 February, 2016 while the minimum (H'=2.15) was recorded on 01 December, 2015. The highest diversity (Hmax) 3.29 was recorded on 29 December, 2015 and 16 February, 2016 however, the lowest diversity (Hmax) 3.09 was recorded on 01 December, 2015 and 08 December, 2015. The maximum evenness (J'=1.02) was recorded on 26 January, 2016 and 23 February, 2016, respectively. Whereas minimum evenness (J' =0.69) was recorded on 01 December, 2015. The maximum richness (D=0.27) was recorded in two observations on 29 December, 2015 and 16 February, 2016. However, minimum richness (D=0.22) was recorded on 01 December, 2015 and 08 December, 2015 in brinjal agro-ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary succession in protected oak-rich temperate forests reduces variation in habitats and leads to denser, shadier sites. Long-term experimental studies of the effects of conservation management alternatives are needed for such forests. Here we present a rare follow-up study of the response of beetles (a highly diverse taxon with many red listed species) to conservation thinning, an action that could favour biodiversity. We previously harvested about 25% of the tree and shrub basal area in a treatment plot, and no trees and shrubs in a nearby matched minimal intervention plot, in each of eight oak-rich (Quercus robur and/or petrea) forest reserves. After two seasons, thinning had led to an increased number of species of both herbivorous and saproxylic beetles. In the present study, we examined the 10-year response of the beetle groups at the same sites. For herbivorous beetles, the initial positive effect of thinning on the number of species had disappeared after 10 years, presumably because of regrowth. In contrast, saproxylic beetles showed a further positive response after 10 years, increasing in the number of species by a third compared to before thinning. We found no change in species composition of either group due to the thinning, but many saproxylics were unique to thinning plots. Overall, our results suggest that in mixed oak-rich forests, saproxylic beetles seem to benefit from conservation-oriented thinning for at least 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many centuries, coppice-with-standards management was applied in the mixed oak stands of Meerdaal forest (Belgium). Over the last century, these stands were gradually converted to high forest. On an area of 20 ha, the coppice-with-standards management is being restored, with specific adaptations for biodiversity (conservation of dead wood and veteran trees). A survey of saproxylic beetles was performed at 8 locations in the forest, including one site within the coppice-with-standards restoration. This survey not only allowed an evaluation of the saproxylic beetle richness of the forest complex, but also made exploratory observations on the effect of this type of management, as compared to non-intervention, on species richness and composition of saproxylic beetles. The results show that the overall species richness in the forest complex was quite high and comparable to forest reserves in Germany. Both coppice-with-standards and high forest options appear to be equally species-rich, but consist of different communities, both containing specific, rare and notable species, with more thermophilous and light-demanding species in the coppice-with-standards plot. Based on these observations we suggest that a diversified management approach may be the most suitable to conserve and enhance diverse saproxylic beetle communities in formerly intensively managed semi-natural woodlands. This could include areas of active conservation management aimed at producing open-canopy stands with considerable amounts of sun-exposed deadwood, combined with areas of non-intervention in a matrix of multifunctional forests, where conservation of dead wood and veteran trees is fully incorporated in the management.

Trogidae beetles are important for the decomposition of organic material in ecosystems. In the Neotropical region, little is known about this family, except for their taxonomy. In this study, we report the presence of Omorgus suberosus (Fabricius, 1775) and Polynoncus bifurcatus (Vaurie, 1962) in exotic and native environments of Brazil, sampled with different baits. The beetles were captured in pastures with introduced grass (Brachiaria spp.) and in patches of native forest (Brazilian savanna). We used pitfall traps baited with carrion and human feces every two weeks, from January to December 2011, and with carrion, cow dung, human feces and pig manure at the beginning of the rainy season (October 2011). Over the course of one year, 24 individuals of O. suberosus were captured, 16 in the exotic and eight in the native environment, respectively. In the sampling performed at the beginning of the rainy season, 32 individuals of O. suberosus and seven of P. bifurcatus were obtained. Omorgus suberosus specimens were sampled in both environments, suggesting a possible tolerance to anthropogenic environments, as in the case of introduced grasses. Polynoncus bifurcatus individuals were captured only in native environments, which may indicate a strong relationship with more heterogeneous and/or relatively preserved habitats. We discuss such relationships in light of published data and new information provided here.

In this paper we analyze the relationship between forest fires and insect diversity in the Mediterranean environment. Using “distance from the ignition point” as explanatory variable, we developed a number of regression models predicting insect abundance and family richness, as well as some of the most common measures of biodiversity (e.g., Shannon index, Simpson index, Margalef index). We report a case study in a forest area (Bosco “Il Quarto” - 600 ha) located in the National Park of Alta Murgia, Apulia Region (southern Italy). Results show a significant influence of forest fire on insect abundance and family richness and a positive linear relationship between biodiversity and distance from the point of ignition for Coleoptera. Simpson’s index, in particular, appears the most suitable indicator for measuring the effects of fires on insect biodiversity in the short term.

The effects of both umbrell-shaped and crew-cut pruning on ecosystem of tea orchard. In the tea plant rhizosphere soil, the harmful microbes (red colored) in crew-cut canopy tea has a upstrend in proportion, and the beneficial microbes (yellow colored) in umbrella-shaped canopy tea has a upstrend in proportion. In tea canopy layer, appropriate insect sytem in umbrella-shaped tea orchard has a rational distribution of both natural enemy insects and pests, including relative amounts, and species. Long-term umbrella-shaped pruning can maintain the stability of ecosystem, however, long-term crew-cut pruning can accelerate the degradation of ecosystem. [Display omitted] • Tea pruning in umbrella-shaped canopy can effectively balance the tea rhizosphere microorganism. • The pest outbreak risk could be more easily controlled in umbrella-canopy tea orchards. • Tea crew-cut pruning can loss the microecological health of phyllosphere and rhizosphere. • A optimal strategy of tea pruning is also important for tea quality. Leaf and branch pruning is essential for improving the productivity of continuously cropped leaf-harvested crops, such as tea, which is conductive to stabilize the production, delay the aging, and subsequently improve economic benefits. Generally, farmers adopt crew-cut pruning to get more yield in tea orchard pruning management. However, the long-term effects of crew-cut pruning on ecosystem of tea orchard are unclear. The present study investigated the environmental differences of ecosystem between crew-cut tea (CT) pruning and umbrella-shaped tea (UT) pruning treatments in the Tieguanyin tea orchards of China. We analyzed the soil enzymes activities, the rhizosphere and phyllosphere's microbial communities, the secondary metabolites of fresh tea shoots, and the insect abundance and its diversity in the two types of tea orchards. The results showed that both saccharase and urease were improved at different soil layers by UT. Fresh tea shoots analysis revealed 22.91% and 16.59% higher epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate levels, respectively under UT regime than those in CT, but a 9.42% lower ratio of polyphenol to the amino acid in comparision with that in CT. The total volatiles, especially (E)-geraniol and furanoid linalool oxides, in the fresh shoots of UT were also significantly higher than those in CT. Further analysis showed that UT had more beneficial insects than CT. In contrast, tea gardens in CT were at a higher risk of pest attack than that in UT. Prolonged umbrella pruning of tea plantations significantly improved the bacterial diversity and the beneficial fungi in the leaf surface. Moreover, the relative abundances of rhizobia and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere were higher in UT than that in CT. The findings suggest that tea pruning in umbrella-shaped can reduce rhizosphere soil degradation and improve the ecosystem functioning, suggesting that proper pruning pattern is needed to improve tea quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Basic & Applied Ecology is the property of Urban & Fischer Verlag and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)