General and species-specific impacts of a neonicotinoid insecticide on the ovary development and feeding of wild bumblebee queens

Bumblebees are essential pollinators of crops and wild plants, but are in decline across the globe. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been implicated as a potential driver of these declines, but most of our evidence base comes from studies of a single species. There is an urgent need to understand whether such results can be generalized across a range of species. Here, we present results of a laboratory experiment testing the impacts of field-relevant doses (1.87–5.32 ppb) of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam on spring-caught wild queens of four bumblebee species: Bombus terrestris , B. lucorum , B. pratorum and B. pascuorum. Two weeks of exposure to the higher concentration of thiamethoxam caused a reduction in feeding in two out of four species, suggesting species-specific anti-feedant, repellency or toxicity effects. The higher level of thiamethoxam exposure resulted in a reduction in the average length of terminal oocytes in queens of all four species. In addition to providing the first evidence for general effects of neonicotinoids on ovary development in multiple species of wild bumblebee queens, the discovery of species-specific effects on feeding has significant implications for current practices and policy for pesticide risk assessment and use.

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Associations among multiple geohelminth species infections in schoolchildren from Pemba Island

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s003118209700190x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 116 (1) ◽

pp. 85-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

M. BOOTH ◽

D. A. P. BUNDY ◽

M. ALBONICO ◽

H. M. CHWAYA ◽

K. S. ALAWI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Detailed Analysis ◽

Ascaris Lumbricoides ◽

Population Biology ◽

Single Species ◽

Multiple Infections ◽

Pemba Island ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Species Specific ◽

Hookworm Infections

In order to estimate the potential benefits of interventions against multiple geohelminth species in endemic areas, an improved understanding of the population biology of multiple infections is required. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the associations among Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections in 1539 schoolchildren on Pemba Island, Tanzania, where 58% of the sampled children carried infections of all 3 parasites at the time of the study. Infection intensities of different species were positively correlated, and individuals with single-species infections had generally lower species-specific egg counts than individuals with multiple-species infections. There was no age- or sex-related clustering of infections. A weak clustering of intense infections among individuals with multiple-species infections was observed, which became more pronounced as the threshold defining an intense infection increased for each species. The results suggest that individuals with multiple species infections are likely to be at highest risk of geohelminth-related morbidity, not only because of the number of infections they harbour, but also because they generally carry heavier infections of each species.

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The species-specificity of energy landscapes for soaring birds, and its consequences for transferring suitability models across species

10.1101/2021.03.24.436775 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Martina Scacco ◽

Eneko Arrondo ◽

J. Antonio Donázar ◽

Andrea Flack ◽

J. Antonio Sánchez-Zapata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wind Farms ◽

Single Species ◽

List Type ◽

Atmospheric Conditions ◽

Energy Landscapes ◽

Flight Behaviour ◽

Soaring Birds ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Species Specific ◽

The Impact

AbstractSoaring birds use the energy available in the environment in the form of atmospheric uplifts, to subsidize their flight. Their dependence on soaring opportunities makes them extremely sensitive to anthropogenic wind energy development. Predictive modelling is now considered instrumental to forecast the impact of wind farms on single species of concern. However, as multiple species often coexist in the same area, there is clear need to overcome the limitations of single species approaches.We looked for converging patterns in the way two obligate soaring species use the energy available in the landscape to soar, using movement data from 57 white storks, Ciconia ciconia, and 27 griffon vultures, Gyps fulvus. We first compared the soaring efficiency of the two species. We then tested the accuracy of topographic features, important correlates of collision risk in soaring birds, in predicting their soaring behaviour. We finally tested the transferability of soaring suitability models across species.Topography alone can predict and map the soaring opportunities available to storks across Europe, but not as efficiently in vultures. Only 20.5% of the study area was suitable to both species to soar, suggesting the existence of species-specific requirements in the use of the landscape for soaring. Storks relied on uplift occurrence while vultures on uplift quality, needing stronger uplifts to support their higher body mass and wing loading.Synthesis and applications: Our results indicate that the flight of highly specialized soaring species is more dependent on atmospheric conditions than on static features, and that more knowledge is required to accurately predict their behaviour. Despite the superficially similar soaring behaviour, the two species have different environmental requirements, suggesting that energy landscapes are species-specific. Our models provide a base to explore the effects that changes in the landscape have on the flight behaviour of different soaring species and suggest that there is no reliable and responsible way to shortcut risk assessment in areas where multiple species might be at risk by anthropogenic structures.

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Multiple species‐specific molecular markers using nanofluidic array as a tool to detect prey DNA from carnivore scats

Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.1002/ece3.7918 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cecilia Di Bernardi ◽

Camilla Wikenros ◽

Eva Hedmark ◽

Luigi Boitani ◽

Paolo Ciucci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Species Specific

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Best practices on the differential expression analysis of multi-species RNA-seq

Genome Biology ◽

10.1186/s13059-021-02337-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Chung ◽

Vincent M. Bruno ◽

David A. Rasko ◽

Christina A. Cuomo ◽

José F. Muñoz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Best Practices ◽

Differential Expression ◽

Expression Analysis ◽

Differential Expression Analysis ◽

Single Species ◽

Rna Seq ◽

Species Analysis ◽

Differential Gene ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Downstream Analysis

AbstractAdvances in transcriptome sequencing allow for simultaneous interrogation of differentially expressed genes from multiple species originating from a single RNA sample, termed dual or multi-species transcriptomics. Compared to single-species differential expression analysis, the design of multi-species differential expression experiments must account for the relative abundances of each organism of interest within the sample, often requiring enrichment methods and yielding differences in total read counts across samples. The analysis of multi-species transcriptomics datasets requires modifications to the alignment, quantification, and downstream analysis steps compared to the single-species analysis pipelines. We describe best practices for multi-species transcriptomics and differential gene expression.

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Interacting effects of insect and ungulate herbivory on Scots pine growth

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79346-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Michelle Nordkvist ◽

Maartje J. Klapwijk ◽

La rs Edenius ◽

Christer Björkman

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Growth Response ◽

Insect Herbivory ◽

Additive Effects ◽

Significant Interaction Effect ◽

Ungulate Herbivory ◽

Pine Trees ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Species Specific

AbstractMost plants are subjected to damage from multiple species of herbivores, and the combined impact on plant growth can be non-additive. Since plant response to herbivores tends to be species specific, and change with repeated damage, the outcome likely depend on the sequence and number of attacks. There is a high likelihood of non-additive effects on plant growth by damage from mammals and insects, as mammalian herbivory can alter insect herbivore damage levels, yet few studies have explored this. We report the growth response of young Scots pine trees to sequential mammal and insect herbivory, varying the sequence and number of damage events, using an ungulate-pine-sawfly system. Combined sawfly and ungulate herbivory had both additive and non-additive effects on pine growth—the growth response depended on the combination of ungulate browsing and sawfly defoliation (significant interaction effect). Repeated sawfly herbivory reduced growth (compared to single defoliation) on un-browsed trees. However, on browsed trees, depending on when sawfly defoliation was combined with browsing, trees exposed to repeated sawfly herbivory had both higher, lower and the same growth as trees exposed to a single defoliation event. We conclude that the sequence of attacks by multiple herbivores determine plant growth response.

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Bark traits, decomposition and flammability of Australian forest trees

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt16258 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 65 (4) ◽

pp. 327 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Saskia Grootemaat ◽

Ian J. Wright ◽

Peter M. van Bodegom ◽

Johannes H. C. Cornelissen ◽

Veronica Shaw

Keyword(s):

Forest Tree ◽

Remarkable Feature ◽

Interspecific Differences ◽

Eucalypt Plantations ◽

Physical Traits ◽

Key Driver ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Species Specific ◽

First Time ◽

Different Tissues

Bark shedding is a remarkable feature of Australian trees, yet relatively little is known about interspecific differences in bark decomposability and flammability, or what chemical or physical traits drive variation in these properties. We measured the decomposition rate and flammability (ignitibility, sustainability and combustibility) of bark from 10 common forest tree species, and quantified correlations with potentially important traits. We compared our findings to those for leaf litter, asking whether the same traits drive flammability and decomposition in different tissues, and whether process rates are correlated across tissue types. Considerable variation in bark decomposability and flammability was found both within and across species. Bark decomposed more slowly than leaves, but in both tissues lignin concentration was a key driver. Bark took longer to ignite than leaves, and had longer mass-specific flame durations. Variation in flammability parameters was driven by different traits in the different tissues. Decomposability and flammability were each unrelated, when comparing between the different tissue types. For example, species with fast-decomposing leaves did not necessarily have fast-decomposing bark. For the first time, we show how patterns of variation in decomposability and flammability of bark diverge across multiple species. By taking species-specific bark traits into consideration there is potential to make better estimates of wildfire risks and carbon loss dynamics. This can lead to better informed management decisions for Australian forests, and eucalypt plantations, worldwide.

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Evaluating Coexistence of Fish Species with Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Low Order Streams of Western Oregon and Washington, USA

Fishes ◽

10.3390/fishes6010004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Kyle D. Martens ◽

Jason Dunham

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Species Interactions ◽

Coho Salmon ◽

Cutthroat Trout ◽

Single Species ◽

The Pacific ◽

Small Streams ◽

Coastal Cutthroat Trout ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Low Order

When multiple species of fish coexist there are a host of potential ways through which they may interact, yet there is often a strong focus on studies of single species without considering these interactions. For example, many studies of forestry–stream interactions in the Pacific Northwest have focused solely on the most prevalent species: Coastal cutthroat trout. To examine the potential for interactions of other fishes with coastal cutthroat trout, we conducted an analysis of 281 sites in low order streams located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and along the central Oregon coast. Coastal cutthroat trout and juvenile coho salmon were the most commonly found salmonid species within these streams and exhibited positive associations with each other for both presence and density. Steelhead were negatively associated with the presence of coastal cutthroat trout as well as with coho salmon and sculpins (Cottidae). Coastal cutthroat trout most frequently shared streams with juvenile coho salmon. For densities of these co-occurring species, associations between these two species were relatively weak compared to the strong influences of physical stream conditions (size and gradient), suggesting that physical conditions may have more of an influence on density than species interactions. Collectively, our analysis, along with a review of findings from prior field and laboratory studies, suggests that the net effect of interactions between coastal cutthroat trout and coho salmon do not appear to inhibit their presence or densities in small streams along the Pacific Northwest.

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Quantitative Detection of Species-Specific DNA in Feedstuffs and Fish Meals

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-68.6.1217 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 68 (6) ◽

pp. 1217-1221 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

PAVEL KRCMAR ◽

EVA RENCOVA

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

Real Time ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Single Species ◽

Absolute Quantification ◽

Quantitative Detection ◽

Vertebrate Species ◽

Target Species ◽

Species Specific

A sensitive and rapid method for the quantitative detection of bovine-, ovine-, swine-, and chicken-specific mitochondrial DNA sequences based on real-time PCR has been developed. The specificity of the primers and probes for real-time PCR has been tested using DNA samples of other vertebrate species that may also be present in rendered products. The quantitative detection was performed with dual-labeled probes (TaqMan) using absolute quantification with external standards of single species meat-and-bone meals. This method facilitates the detection of 0.01% of the target species–derived material in concentrate feed mixtures and fish meals.

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Labour sharing promotes coexistence in atrazine degrading bacterial communities

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-54978-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Loren Billet ◽

Marion Devers ◽

Nadine Rouard ◽

Fabrice Martin-Laurent ◽

Aymé Spor

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Communities ◽

Gene Loss ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Single Species ◽

Microbial Consortia ◽

The Public ◽

Herbicide Atrazine ◽

Set Up ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Isolated Species

AbstractMicrobial communities are pivotal in the biodegradation of xenobiotics including pesticides. In the case of atrazine, multiple studies have shown that its degradation involved a consortia rather than a single species, but little is known about how interdependency between the species composing the consortium is set up. The Black Queen Hypothesis (BQH) formalized theoretically the conditions leading to the evolution of dependency between species: members of the community called ‘helpers’ provide publicly common goods obtained from the costly degradation of a compound, while others called ‘beneficiaries’ take advantage of the public goods, but lose access to the primary resource through adaptive degrading gene loss. Here, we test whether liquid media supplemented with the herbicide atrazine could support coexistence of bacterial species through BQH mechanisms. We observed the establishment of dependencies between species through atrazine degrading gene loss. Labour sharing between members of the consortium led to coexistence of multiple species on a single resource and improved atrazine degradation potential. Until now, pesticide degradation has not been approached from an evolutionary perspective under the BQH framework. We provide here an evolutionary explanation that might invite researchers to consider microbial consortia, rather than single isolated species, as an optimal strategy for isolation of xenobiotics degraders.

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Two new frog species (Microhylidae: Cophixalus) from the Australian Wet Tropics region, and redescription of Cophixalus ornatus

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3271.1.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3271 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

CONRAD J. HOSKIN

Keyword(s):

Single Species ◽

Biological Species ◽

Tropical Rainforests ◽

Genetic Lineages ◽

North East ◽

The North ◽

Mating Call ◽

The Family ◽

Wet Tropics ◽

Multiple Species

In Australia the frog family Microhylidae is largely restricted to tropical rainforests of the Wet Tropics region in the north-east of the country, but in that region the family is diverse. Only one species, Cophixalus ornatus, is widespread in the WetTropics but there has been suspicion that it may comprise multiple species. A recent study (Hoskin et al. 2011) assessedgenetic and phenotypic variation across the range of C. ornatus, finding three deeply divergent genetic lineages that differin mating call and some aspects of morphology. Two of these lineages abutt in the central Wet Tropics and in that areahybridization was found to be very limited despite sympatry at high densities. Based on multiple lines of data, Hoskin etal. (2011) concluded that the three genetic lineages represent biological species. The taxonomy of these three lineages isresolved here. I describe two new species, Cophixalus australis sp. nov. and Cophixalus hinchinbrookensis sp. nov., andredescribe C. ornatus. The three species are not distinguishable based on any single morphological or call trait and arebest identified by genetics or locality. The distributions of the three species are largely allopatric. Cophixalus ornatus isfound in rainforest in the northern Wet Tropics, C. australis sp. nov. occurs in rainforest and adjacent wet sclerophyllforests in the central and southern Wet Tropics, and C. hinchinbrookensis sp. nov. inhabits rainforest and montane heathon Hinchinbrook Island. All three species are common. Cophixalus australis sp. nov. contains three genetic subgroupsthat are considered a single species based on phenotypic similarity and high levels of hybridization at contact zones. Thedescription of Cophixalus australis sp. nov. and Cophixalus hinchinbrookensis sp. nov. brings the number of Australian Cophixalus species to 18, 15 of which are restricted to the Wet Tropics region.

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