Search results for "RPA"
showing 10 items of 609 documents
The invasive Asparagopsis taxiformis hosts a low diverse and less trophic structured molluscan assemblage compared with the native Ericaria brachycar…
2021
Abstract Invasive seaweeds threaten biodiversity and socio-economics values of worldwide marine ecosystems. Understanding to what extent invasive seaweeds can modify local biodiversity is one of the main priorities in conservation ecology. We compared the molluscan assemblage of the invasive Asparagopsis taxiformis with that of the native Ericaria brachycarpa and explore if variation in the molluscan assemblage diversity was related to the substrate attributes (biomass, and thallus, canopy, and interstitial volumes) of the algae. Results showed that A. taxiformis harboured lower diversity and trophic structure of the molluscan assemblage compared to E. brachycarpa. Biomass was the variable …
To Swim or Not to Swim: Potential Transmission of Balaenophilus manatorum (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in Marine Turtles
2017
Species of Balaenophilus are the only harpacticoid copepods that exhibit a widespread, obligate association with vertebrates, i.e., B. unisetus with whales and B. manatorum with marine turtles and manatees. In the western Mediterranean, juveniles of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta are the only available hosts for B. manatorum, which has been found occurring at high prevalence (>80%) on them. A key question is how these epibionts are transmitted from host to host. We investigated this issue based on experiments with live specimens of B. manatorum that were cultured with turtle skin. Specimens were obtained from head-started hatchlings of C. caretta from the western Mediterranean. …
Standardization proposal for the mapping of Caulerpa taxifolia expansion in the Mediterranean sea
1999
Fourteen years after the first observation of Caulerpa taxifolia (Valh) C. Agardh in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, this green alga of tropical origin is now present in five countries (Spain, France, Monaco, Italy and Croatia). By the end of 1997, more than 46 km(2), at depths of between 0 and 50 m, were found to be affected by this expansion. A standardization of the cartographic procedure is proposed here. Such a standardization is necessary to compare maps produced by various organizations from different countries. For a given independent station, it is based on the definition of three levels of colonization:Level I refers to a station where one or several colonies less than 100 m a…
Binding Site Alteration Is Responsible for Field-Isolated Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2A Insecticidal Proteins in Two Helicoverpa Species
2010
Background Evolution of resistance by target pests is the main threat to the long-term efficacy of crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal proteins. Cry2 proteins play a pivotal role in current Bt spray formulations and transgenic crops and they complement Cry1A proteins because of their different mode of action. Their presence is critical in the control of those lepidopteran species, such as Helicoverpa spp., which are not highly susceptible to Cry1A proteins. In Australia, a transgenic variety of cotton expressing Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab (Bollgard II) comprises at least 80% of the total cotton area. Prior to the widespread adoption of Bollgard II, the frequency of alleles conf…
Technical Solutions to Mitigate Shifting Fish Fauna Zones Impacted by Long Term Habitat Degradation in the Bistra Mărui River – Study Case
2018
Abstract The Bistra Mărului River fish fauna has been severely impacted by man-made activities, especially through longitudinal fragmentation, over the past 40 years. Fish fauna monitoring revealed structural changes and technical methods have been proposed, in order to restore the natural connectivity and the conservation of fish species. Benefits should accrue for key species: Salmo trutta fario, Cottus gobio, Thymallus thymallus, Eudontomyzon danfordi, Eudontomyzon vladykovi, Gobio uranoscopus, Barbus meridionalis, and Condrostoma nasus.
Hyperparasitoids exploit herbivore-induced plant volatiles during host location to assess host quality and non-host identity
2019
Although consumers often rely on chemical information to optimize their foraging strategies, it is poorly understood how top carnivores above the third trophic level find resources in heterogeneous environments. Hyperparasitoids are a common group of organisms in the fourth trophic level that lay their eggs in or on the body of other parasitoid hosts. Such top carnivores use herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) to find caterpillars containing parasitoid host larvae. Hyperparasitoids forage in complex environments where hosts of different quality may be present alongside non-host parasitoid species, each of which can develop in multiple herbivore species. Because both the identity of th…
Citizen science: a successful tool for monitoring invasive alien species (IAS) in Marine Protected Areas. The case study of the Egadi Islands MPA (Ty…
2018
The chief purpose of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is biodiversity conservation. The effects that invasive alien species (IAS) have on MPAs, and vice versa, are not yet fully known, even though assessing them is crucial for MPA planning. Management plans require sound knowledge of the pathways of introduction, the impact and current distribution of IAS. Monitoring plans are essential for preventing and reducing the risk of IAS introduction. In this respect, the involvement of citizen scientists in gathering data (validated by taxonomic experts) on the occurrence of IAS, that would otherwise be impossible to collect, may be crucial. We report on our experience of citizen science in the Egadi …
An annotated checklist of freshwater Copepoda (Crustacea, Hexanauplia) from continental Ecuador and the Galapagos Archipelago.
2019
An annotated checklist of the free-living freshwater Copepoda recorded in different regions in Ecuador (including the Amazon, the Andes, the coastal region, and the Galapagos Islands) is here provided. We revised all published records, critically evaluated the validity of each taxon and provided short taxonomic and biogeographical remarks for each one. A total of 27 taxa have been reported, including species and records at the generic level only. The species and taxa identified only up to the generic level belong to five families and 14 genera. The Cyclopoida is the most diverse group with 16 records belonging to species (or identified to the generic level only) and eight genera, followed b…
Does air pollution influence the success of species translocation? Trace elements, ultrastructure and photosynthetic performances in transplants of a…
2020
Abstract Species translocation can be considered as a primary conservation strategy with reference to in situ conservation. In the case of lichens, translocations often risk to fail due stress factors associated with unsuitable receptor sites. Considering the bioecological characteristics of lichens, air pollution is among the most limiting stress factors. In this study, the forest macrolichen Lobaria pulmonaria was used as a model to test the hypothesis that the translocation of sensitive lichens is effective only in unpolluted environments. At purpose, 500 fragments or whole thalli were translocated in selected beech forests of Central Europe (the Western Carpathians, Slovakia) where the …
Exploiting chemical ecology to manage hyperparasitoids in biological control of arthropod pests
2020
Abstract Insect hyperparasitoids are fourth trophic level organisms that commonly occur in terrestrial food webs, yet they are relatively understudied. These top‐carnivores can disrupt biological pest control by suppressing the populations of their parasitoid hosts, leading to pest outbreaks, especially in confined environments such as greenhouses where augmentative biological control is used. There is no effective eco‐friendly strategy that can be used to control hyperparasitoids. Recent advances in the chemical ecology of hyperparasitoid foraging behavior have opened opportunities for manipulating these top‐carnivores in such a way that biological pest control becomes more efficient. We p…