Search results for "11"
showing 10 items of 17291 documents
Bridging Ecology and Evolution
2017
Already by the early dawn of evolutionary biology, it was appreciated that ecological differences among species’ habitats, resources, and environments were key drivers of evolution and speciation. Thus, research on interactions between ecology and evolution is not a novel endeavor. It has, however, become increasingly popular to provide these interactions with ‘a new wrapping’, that is, the study of eco-evolutionary dynamics [1]. Consequently, eco-evolutionary dynamics is not a newly developed theory but rather a novel framework within which to study the interplay of ecology and evolution.
High within- and between-trunk variation in the nematoceran (Diptera) community and its physical environment in decaying aspen trunks
2012
Dead wood is a primary habitat for a large number of insects, including species from many nematoceran (Diptera) groups. The species living in dead wood must be adapted to the ephemeral and ever-changing nature of their substrate. There is a growing body of knowledge about the effects of dead wood quality and the surrounding landscape on the saproxylic beetle community, but we know very little about the other saproxylic insects. Moreover, we know only very little about the variation in the insect community between different parts of decaying wood pieces. Using emergence traps, we studied the saproxylic nematoceran communities occupying different parts of decaying fallen aspen trunks in a bor…
Divergence is not speciation, or why we need females : a comment on Tinghitella et al
2018
Postprint Peer reviewed
A review on introduced alien insect pests and their associated parasitoids on eucalyptus trees in Sicily
2018
A review is reported in the present paper on invasive alien insects introduced in Sicily on Eucalyptus trees, together with unpublished results from recent surveys. As to the latter ones, observations were conducted especially on Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Carpintero & Dellapé) (Hemiptera, Thaumastocoridae), the most recently introduced species. Overall, eight alien insect pests have been accidentally introduced in the island on Eucalyptus, belonging to the orders Hemiptera (Aphalaridae, 2 spp.; Thaumastocoridae, 1 sp.), Coleoptera (Cerambycidae, 2 spp.; Curculionidae, 1 sp.) and Hymenoptera (Eulophidae, 2 spp.). Two encyrtid parasitoids, Avetianella longoi Siscaro and Psyllaephagus bliteus…
Fine-scale spatial genetic structure and gene dispersal in Silene latifolia
2010
Plants are sessile organisms, often characterized by limited dispersal. Seeds and pollen are the critical stages for gene flow. Here we investigate spatial genetic structure, gene dispersal and the relative contribution of pollen vs seed in the movement of genes in a stable metapopulation of the white campion Silene latifolia within its native range. This short-lived perennial plant is dioecious, has gravity-dispersed seeds and moth-mediated pollination. Direct measures of pollen dispersal suggested that large populations receive more pollen than small isolated populations and that most gene flow occurs within tens of meters. However, these studies were performed in the newly colonized rang…
Interspecific interactions influence contrasting spatial genetic structures in two closely related damselfly species
2014
Spatial genetic structure (SGS) is largely determined by colonization history, landscape and ecological characteristics of the species. Therefore, sympatric and ecologically similar species are expected to exhibit similar SGSs, potentially enabling prediction of the SGS of one species from that of another. On the other hand, due to interspecific interactions, ecologically similar species could have different SGSs. We explored the SGSs of the closely related Calopteryx splendens and Calopteryx virgo within Finland and related the genetic patterns to characteristics of the sampling localities. We observed different SGSs for the two species. Genetic differentiation even within short distances …
Virus epidemics can lead to a population-wide spread of intragenomic parasites in a previously parasite-free asexual population
2014
Sexual reproduction is problematic to explain due to its costs, most notably the twofold cost of sex. Yet, sex has been suggested to be favourable in the presence of proliferating intragenomic parasites given that sexual recombination provides a mechanism to confine the accumulation of deleterious mutations. Kraaijeveld et al. compared recently the accumulation of transposons in sexually and asexually reproducing lines of the same species, the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina clavipes. They discovered that within asexually reproducing wasps, the number of gypsy-like retrotransposons was increased fourfold, whereas other retrotransposons were not. Interestingly, gypsy-like retrotransposons are cl…
Vertical sediment migrations of dominant midge species in subtropical lakes with implications for bioassessment
2018
Abstract Propsilocerus akamusi (Diptera: Chironomidae) is a dominant species in numerous eutrophic lakes and they could burrow into deep sediments (>30 cm) during summer months. However, common-used grab samplers are efficient in collecting surface-dwelling species (
Male house mice that have evolved with sperm competition have increased mating duration and paternity success
2013
Sperm competition imposes strong selection on males to gain fertilizations and maximize paternity. Males have been shown to adapt to sperm competition by modifying their behaviour and/or reproductive physiology. We investigated the fitness effects of male responses to sperm competition in house mice, Mus domesticus. Males that had been evolving with (polygamy) and without (monogamy) sperm competition for 18 generations were subject to different frequencies of social encounters with conspecific males to generate a sperm competition ‘risk’ treatment and a ‘no risk’ treatment. After manipulation of their social environment for 15–22 days, males were forced to compete for fertilizations against…
On personality, energy metabolism and mtDNA introgression in bank voles
2014
Consistent interindividual differences in behaviour, or animal personality, are emerging as an important determinant of a wide range of life history traits and fitness. Individual behaviour, however, may be constrained by between-individual variability in energy metabolism and may become unstable owing to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors. Here we tested the relationship between personality and physiology using wild-caught bank voles, Myodes glareolus, that varied according to mtDNA type (original or introgressed from Myodes rutilus). Personality traits and their within-individual consistency were assessed using an open field test and basal metabolic rate (BMR) was measured in an open-flow …