Museum specimens reveal loss of pollen host plants as key factor driving wild bee decline in The Netherlands

Abstract A relatively small root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne minor n. sp., is described and illustrated from tomato from the Netherlands. This new species is characterised by the following features: female with dorsally curved stylet, 14 μm long, with transversely ovoid knobs slightly sloping backwards from the shaft; perineal pattern rounded; male stylet 18 μm long, large transversely ovoid knobs slightly sloping backwards from the shaft; head region not set off, labial disc elevated, lateral lips prominent; and secondstage juvenile 377 μm long, with hemizonid posterior adjacent to excretory pore; tail 54 μm long; and a distinct hyaline tail terminus 16 μm long. Additionally, distinguishing information on isozymes, DNA, cytogenetics and host plants is presented. Meloidogyne minor n. sp. has so far been found on potato in the Netherlands and has been detected in the British Isles on several golf courses, associated with yellow patches, often together with M. naasi.

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Defining Pollinator Health: A Holistic Approach Based on Ecological, Genetic, and Physiological Factors

Annual Review of Animal Biosciences ◽

10.1146/annurev-animal-020518-115045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 269-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Margarita M. López-Uribe ◽

Vincent A. Ricigliano ◽

Michael Simone-Finstrom

Keyword(s):

Holistic Approach ◽

Population Declines ◽

Colony Losses ◽

Physiological Factors ◽

Wild Bee ◽

Bee Conservation ◽

Bee Health ◽

The Status ◽

The Individual ◽

Bee Decline

Evidence for global bee population declines has catalyzed a rapidly evolving area of research that aims to identify the causal factors and to effectively assess the status of pollinator populations. The term pollinator health emerged through efforts to understand causes of bee decline and colony losses, but it lacks a formal definition. In this review, we propose a definition for pollinator health and synthesize the available literature on the application of standardized biomarkers to assess health at the individual, colony, and population levels. We focus on biomarkers in honey bees, a model species, but extrapolate the potential application of these approaches to monitor the health status of wild bee populations. Biomarker-guided health measures can inform beekeeper management decisions, wild bee conservation efforts, and environmental policies. We conclude by addressing challenges to pollinator health from a One Health perspective that emphasizes the interplay between environmental quality and human, animal, and bee health.

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Melanconis stilbostoma. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

IMI Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria ◽

10.1079/dfb/20093355592 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

P. F. Cannon

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Geographical Distribution ◽

Host Plants ◽

Forest Trees

Abstract A description is provided for Melanconis stilbostoma. Information on the host plants (mainly forest trees), geographical distribution (Canada, USA, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eire, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and UK), and dispersal and transmission of the pathogen is presented.

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A DNA barcode-based survey of wild urban bees in the Loire Valley, France

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83631-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Irene Villalta ◽

Romain Ledet ◽

Mathilde Baude ◽

David Genoud ◽

Christophe Bouget ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcode ◽

Morphological Differentiation ◽

Mass Trapping ◽

Dna Barcodes ◽

Wild Bees ◽

Wild Bee ◽

Species Pairs ◽

Trapping Methods ◽

Bee Decline ◽

Loire Valley

AbstractThe current decline of wild bees puts important ecosystem services such as pollination at risk. Both inventory and monitoring programs are needed to understand the causes of wild bee decline. Effective insect monitoring relies on both mass-trapping methods coupled with rapid and accurate identifications. Identifying wild bees using only morphology can be challenging, in particular, specimens from mass-trapped samples which are often in poor condition. We generated DNA barcodes for 2931 specimens representing 157 species (156 named and one unnamed species) and 28 genera. Automated cluster delineation reveals 172 BINs (Barcodes Index Numbers). A total of 36 species (22.93%) were found in highly urbanized areas. The majority of specimens, representing 96.17% of the species barcoded form reciprocally exclusive groups, allowing their unambiguous identification. This includes several closely related species notoriously difficult to identify. A total of 137 species (87.26%) show a “one-to-one” match between a named species and the BIN assignment. Fourteen species (8.92%) show deep conspecific lineages with no apparent morphological differentiation. Only two species pairs shared the same BIN making their identification with DNA barcodes alone uncertain. Therefore, our DNA barcoding reference library allows reliable identification by non-experts for the vast majority of wild bee species in the Loire Valley.

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Nectar-living yeasts of a tropical host plant community: diversity and effects on community-wide floral nectar traits

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3517 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3517 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Azucena Canto ◽

Carlos M. Herrera ◽

Rosalina Rodriguez

Keyword(s):

Yeast Cell ◽

Host Plant ◽

Cell Density ◽

Plant Community ◽

Host Plants ◽

Common Species ◽

Life Forms ◽

Community Diversity ◽

Floral Nectar ◽

Key Factor

We characterize the diversity of nectar-living yeasts of a tropical host plant community at different hierarchical sampling levels, measure the associations between yeasts and nectariferous plants, and measure the effect of yeasts on nectar traits. Using a series of hierarchically nested sampling units, we extracted nectar from an assemblage of host plants that were representative of the diversity of life forms, flower shapes, and pollinator types in the tropical area of Yucatan, Mexico. Yeasts were isolated from single nectar samples; their DNA was identified, the yeast cell density was estimated, and the sugar composition and concentration of nectar were quantified using HPLC. In contrast to previous studies from temperate regions, the diversity of nectar-living yeasts in the plant community was characterized by a relatively high number of equally common species with low dominance. Analyses predict highly diverse nectar yeast communities in a relatively narrow range of tropical vegetation, suggesting that the diversity of yeasts will increase as the number of sampling units increases at the level of the species, genera, and botanical families of the hosts. Significant associations between specific yeast species and host plants were also detected; the interaction between yeasts and host plants impacted the effect of yeast cell density on nectar sugars. This study provides an overall picture of the diversity of nectar-living yeasts in tropical host plants and suggests that the key factor that affects the community-wide patterns of nectar traits is not nectar chemistry, but rather the type of yeasts interacting with host plants.

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From Pilot Projects to Transformative Infrastructures, Exploring Market Receptivity for Permeable Pavement in The Netherlands

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094925 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4925

Author(s):

Rutger de Graaf-van Dinther ◽

Anne Leskens ◽

Ted Veldkamp ◽

Jeroen Kluck ◽

Floris Boogaard

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

End Users ◽

Decision Makers ◽

System Level ◽

Key Factors ◽

Permeable Pavement ◽

Permeable Pavements ◽

Sewer Systems ◽

Key Factor ◽

Technology Level

Climate change and changing land use challenge the livability and flood safety of Dutch cities. One option cities have to become more climate-proof is to increase infiltration of stormwater into soil through permeable pavement and thus reduce discharge of stormwater into sewer systems. To analyze the market receptivity for permeable pavements in the Netherlands, this article focuses on the perception of end-users towards key transition factors in the infrastructure transformation processes. Market receptivity was studied on two levels: (1) on the system level, by analyzing 20 key factors in the Dutch urban water sector that enable wider application of permeable pavements; and (2) on the technology level, by analyzing 12 key factors that explain why decision makers select permeable pavements or not. Results show that trust between cooperating partners was perceived as the system level key factor that needs to be improved most to facilitate the wider uptake of permeable pavements. Additionally, the association of end-users with permeable pavement, particularly their willingness to apply these technologies and their understanding of what kinds of benefits these technologies could bring, was regarded the most important receptivity attribute. On the technology level, the reliability of permeable pavement was regarded as the most important end-user consideration for selecting this technology.

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Are Bumblebees Relevant Models for Understanding Wild Bee Decline?

Frontiers in Conservation Science ◽

10.3389/fcosc.2021.752213 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Guillaume Ghisbain

Keyword(s):

Environmental Changes ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Diet Breadth ◽

Activity Period ◽

Population Declines ◽

Wild Bees ◽

Wild Bee ◽

Conservation Actions ◽

Level Of Understanding ◽

Bee Decline

The unsustainable use of ecosystems by human societies has put global biodiversity in peril. Bees are, in this context, a popular example of a highly diversified group of pollinators whose collapse is a major concern given the invaluable ecosystem services they provide. Amongst them, bumblebees (Bombus) have increasingly drawn the attention of scientists due to their dramatic population declines globally. This regression has converted them into popular conservation entities, making them the second most studied group of bees worldwide. However, in addition to have become relevant models in the fields of ecology, evolution and biogeography, bumblebees have also been used as models for studying wild bee decline and conservation worldwide. Integrating evidence from the comparative ecology and resilience of bumblebees and wild bees, I discuss the relevance of using Bombus as radars for wild bee decline worldwide. Responses of bumblebees to environmental changes are generally not comparable with those of wild bees because of their relatively long activity period, their inherent sensitivity to high temperatures, their relatively generalist diet breadth and many aspects arising from their eusocial behavior. Moreover, important differences in the available historical data between bumblebees and other bees make comparisons of conservation status even more arduous. Overall, these results reinforce the need for conservation actions that consider a higher level of understanding of ecological diversity in wild bees, highlight the need for an updated and more extensive sampling of these organisms, and emphasize that more caution is required when extrapolating trends from model species.

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Morphological and molecular identification of the Iranian bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4852.3.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4852 (3) ◽

pp. 251-284

Author(s):

SUDABE AMINI ◽

JAMASB NOZARI ◽

SARAH M SMITH ◽

ISABEL MARTINEZ ◽

REZA HOSSEINI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Identification ◽

Host Plants ◽

Dna Barcode ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Taxonomic Study ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

Cytochrome C Oxidase I ◽

Region Gene ◽

Palearctic Region ◽

Bark And Ambrosia Beetles

A faunal and molecular taxonomic study of Iranian bark and ambrosia beetle species based on field collections, museum specimens and literature data was carried out from in the period 2011−2016. A total of 29 genera and 84 species were found for Iran. A morphological key for species identification is provided. Molecular identification based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) barcoding region gene was also performed for the collected specimens to confirm morphological identification, and an exclusive DNA barcode was provided and registered for the samples collected in this study. Host plants and distribution of each species in the Palearctic region and in Iran are reported in the key.

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Contamination as the Cause of Erroneous Records of Brochosomes

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2011/767963 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Roman Rakitov

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Malpighian Tubules ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

In Captivity

Brochosomes are ultramicroscopic particles produced in large quantities by the Malpighian tubules of leafhoppers (Insecta, Hemiptera, and Cicadellidae) and applied by leafhoppers as a coat to their integuments. A recent study has described brochosomes on museum specimens of Heteroptera and Psylloidea, suggesting a wider distribution of brochosomes among Hemiptera. Here, I report that the majority of adultSthenarus rotermundi(Scholtz) (Miridae) andKleidocerys resedae(Panzer) (Lygaeidae) reared in captivity and handled with clean tools had no brochosomes on them, suggesting that the earlier records of brochosomes in these and perhaps other species outside of the Cicadellidae were due to contamination. Additionally, simple experiments demonstrated that insects can become contaminated with brochosomes via entomological tools that had been in contact with leafhoppers and via preservation in ethanol together with leafhoppers. Contamination of host plants, predators, and parasites of leafhoppers with brochosomes is also expected but remains to be demonstrated.

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