Brazil nut fruit capsules as phytotelmata: interactions among anuran and insect larvae

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 1193-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janalee P. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Priority Effects ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Lowland Tropical Forest ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Structured Systems ◽  
Species Survival ◽  
Fallen Fruit ◽  
Amazonian Brazil

Under experimental conditions, body size, and thus indirectly priority effects, determines the outcome of predator–prey interactions among the aquatic larvae of a small assemblage of anuran and insect species using a patchily distributed microcosm. This assemblage occurs naturally in fallen fruit capsules of the Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excelsa (family Lecythidaceae), in lowland tropical forest in Amazonian Brazil. Three of the species (the tadpole of a poison frog and the larvae of a giant damselfly and a culicid mosquito) are predators in the system and form a guild in which all are capable of feeding mutually on smaller individuals of the other two species. The larvae of the two insects are also cannibalistic, although the tadpole is not. Predator–prey experiments among certain pairs of these three species revealed size-related intra-guild predation. The results of these experiments and observations on naturally occurring capsules indicate that only one individual of any species per fruit capsule will survive to adulthood. Field-sampled capsules revealed low densities of guild members, with few co-occurrences among them. Whether this is due to the timing of the study in the early part of the rainy season or some other factor limiting accessibility to the fruit capsules is unknown. Although priority effects are well known among assemblages of competitors, this study reveals that potentially they can significantly affect predator-structured systems. The larva of a fourth species in the assemblage, a small bufonid toad, is detritivorous and palatable to the three predaceous species. In the presence of one of the three predaceous species, survival of the bufonid larvae depends on a rapid time to metamorphosis and on saturation of the microcosm with enough individuals in a clutch that some will survive to metamorphosis.

scholarly journals Coleoborers (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in native and homogeneous systems of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa bonpl.) in the Southern Amazon, Brazil

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0234287
Author(s):  
Marcus Henrique Martins e Silva ◽  
Juliana Garlet ◽  
Fernando Luiz Silva ◽  
Carla da Silva Paula
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Homogeneous Systems ◽  
And Cluster Analysis ◽  
Amazonian Brazil ◽  
Wood Boring

Brazil nut is one of the most important species of the Amazon due to its socioeconomic importance. Especially in homogeneous production systems, it may be susceptible to damage by wood-boring insects, as by the subfamily Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); thus, inadequate management conditions can cause economic damage. Therefore, the objective of the present work is to evaluate the occurrence of wood-boring insects (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in native and homogeneous systems of Brazil nut in the Meridional Amazonian, Brazil. The study was conducted in three environments: Brazil Nut Native Anthropized, Homogeneous Brazil Nut and Brazil Nut Native Preserved. Twelve ethanol (96° GL) traps were installed in each environment during four sampling periods. The data were submitted to entomofaunistic analysis, Pearson´s correlation analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2,243 individuals from 31 species were sampled, of which 23 were from the Brazil Nut Native Anthropized nut, 24 from the Homogeneous Brazil Nut and 26 from the Brazil Nut Native Preserved. Some species are restricted to a specific environment, such as Corthylocurus vernaculus Wood & Bright, 1992 and Xyleborus biconicus Eggers, 1928, in relation to Brazil Nut Native Anthropized, Xyleborus tolimanus Eggers, 1928 that occurred only in Homogeneous Brazil Nut and Corthylus antennarius Schedl and Hypothenus bolivianus Wood & Bright, 1992 verified only in Brazil Nut Native Preserved. In the faunistic analysis, we highlight the species Xyleborus affinis (Eichhoff, 1868), which was the most representative one in the three environments and a super-dominant species in all four sampling periods. Among the species considered indicator due to their high representativeness in the sampling, only Premnobius cavipennis Eichhoff, 1878 showed a significant negative correlation between its abundance and the minimum temperature for environments Homogeneous Brazil Nut and Brazil Nut Native Preserved. There was a greater similarity between the Brazil Nut Native Anthropized and the Brazil Nut Native Preserved; these two environments showed dissimilarity with the Homogeneous Brazil Nut. Monitoring wood-boring insects in Brazil nut agroecosystems is fundamental for the establishment of integrated pest management strategies.

scholarly journals Nonconsumptive predator effects on prey demography: Dogwhelk cues decrease benthic mussel recruitment

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja M. Ehlers ◽  
Ricardo A. Scrosati ◽  
Julius A. Ellrich
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Prey Item ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Nonconsumptive Effects ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey System ◽  
Intertidal Habitats ◽  
Basic Features ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Predator Effects

AbstractPredators have often been shown to have nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) on prey behaviour, but the demographic consequences for prey remain poorly known. This is important to understand because demography influences the impact of a species in its community. We used an intertidal predator–prey system to investigate predator NCEs on prey recruitment, a key demographic process for population persistence. Pelagic mussel larvae are known to avoid waterborne cues from dogwhelks, which prey on intertidal mussels. Through a field experiment done in Atlantic Canada, we manipulated the presence of dogwhelks in intertidal habitats during the mussel recruitment season. We measured mussel recruitment in collectors that could be reached by waterborne dogwhelk cues but not by dogwhelks themselves. We found that the nearby presence of dogwhelks significantly decreased mussel recruit density. A previous study done in the same habitats under the same experimental conditions showed that dogwhelk cues also limit the recruitment of barnacles, another prey item for dogwhelks. However, such NCEs were four times stronger than those observed for mussel recruitment. This difference relates well to the higher ability of mussels to escape predation, as mussels can relocate while barnacles cannot. Therefore, basic features of natural history may be useful to predict predator NCEs on prey recruitment.

The effect of preservation on diversity in a Triassic reef basin assemblage

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Julie Roden ◽  
Alexander Nützel ◽  
Wolfgang Kiessling
Keyword(s):  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Late Triassic ◽  
Strong Increase ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Cassian Formation ◽  
Tropical Reef ◽  
Fossil Assemblages ◽  
Benthic Ecosystems ◽  
High Beta

<p>Taphonomic effects complicate the assessment of variations in biodiversity over time. Most pre-Cenozoic fossil assemblages have been altered through taphonomic effects, such as lithification and aragonite dissolution. Several studies have found alpha (local) and gamma (global) diversity in marine ecosystems to be low in the early Mesozoic and then increase throughout the Mesozoic, reaching a maximum in the Cenozoic.</p><p>The Middle to Late Triassic Cassian Formation, exposed in the Dolomites, Southern Alps, northern Italy, comprises tropical reef basin and transported platform assemblages characterized by high diversity and commonly excellent preservation of fossils. The Cassian Formation yields high alpha (mean species richness per locality: 96), beta (mean Jaccard dissimilarity: 0.95), and gamma (1421 invertebrate species) diversity. The high primary diversity is probably due to the tropical reef-associated setting, and its reduced taphonomic alteration caused 4.5 times higher biodiversity to be preserved than in comparable pre-Cenozoic settings. High beta diversity can be explained by the presence of various habitat types and may also have been driven by priority effects. The Cassian fauna, like most comparable modern ecosystems, features a large number of gastropods (39% of all invertebrates, 58% of mollusks are gastropods). Especially small species in the millimeter size range contribute to the large number of gastropod species in the Cassian Formation. Our results support the assumption that the Modern Evolutionary Fauna was already established early in the Mesozoic and that the scarcity of small gastropods in many fossil assemblages is a taphonomic phenomenon. This contradicts the view that the major radiation of gastropods and the generally very strong increase in biodiversity largely took place in the Cenozoic. We suggest that highly complex, gastropod-dominant marine benthic ecosystems are as old as Middle/Late Triassic, pointing to an earlier establishment of the Modern Evolutionary Fauna than previously assumed. An improved eco-space utilization by infaunalization and increased biotic interactions such as a predator/prey escalation may have contributed to the high biodiversity and may reflect early aspects of the Marine Mesozoic Revolution.</p>

Predator–prey relationship between insect larvae: growth of Sphaeridium larvae (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) under time constraints through predation on Musca autumnalis maggots (Diptera: Muscidae)

1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 2069-2076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Sowig ◽  
Rolf Himmelsbach ◽  
Waltraud Himmelsbach
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Cow Dung ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Feeding Experiments ◽  
Musca Autumnalis

Beetles in the genus Sphaeridium (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) and face flies, Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae), oviposit in freshly deposited cow dung. The carnivorous Sphaeridium larvae prey on M. autumnalis maggots. Most larvae reach their third instar within 4 days, before M. autumnalis maggots emigrate and food becomes scarce. The results of field studies indicate that Sphaeridium larvae prey heavily on M. autumnalis maggots: predator and prey densities are negatively correlated. In feeding experiments carried out in small plastic boxes, growth rate, measured as the relative increase in mass of a Sphaeridium larva at 24-h intervals, was correlated with the biomass of the fly maggot ingested. The results of predation experiments with one Sphaeridium larva in a 100-g portion of dung containing maggots at various densities showed that a predator searching for prey in a dung pat requires energy, so in most cases the growth rates measured in the predation experiments were lower than those predicted from the feeding experiments.

scholarly journals Mortality of Cutworm Larvae Is Not Enhanced by Agrotis segetum Granulovirus and Agrotis segetum Nucleopolyhedrovirus B Coinfection Relative to Single Infection by Either Virus

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
pp. 2893-2899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg T. Wennmann ◽  
Tim Köhler ◽  
Gianpiero Gueli Alletti ◽  
Johannes A. Jehle
Keyword(s):  
Larval Mortality ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Agrotis Segetum ◽  
Single Infection ◽  
Mixed Infections ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Common Cutworm ◽  
Neonate Larvae

ABSTRACTMixed infections of insect larvae with different baculoviruses are occasionally found. They are of interest from an evolutionary as well as from a practical point of view when baculoviruses are applied as biocontrol agents. Here, we report mixed-infection studies of neonate larvae of the common cutworm,Agrotis segetum, with two baculoviruses, Agrotis segetum nucleopolyhedrovirus B (AgseNPV-B) and Agrotis segetum granulovirus (AgseGV). By applying quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis, coinfections of individual larvae were demonstrated, and occlusion body (OB) production within singly infected and coinfected larvae was determined in individual larvae. Mixtures of viruses did not lead to changes in mortality rates compared with rates of single-virus treatments, indicating an independent action within host larvae under our experimental conditions. AgseNPV-B-infected larvae showed an increase in OB production during 2 weeks of infection, whereas the number of AgseGV OBs did not change from the first week to the second week. Fewer OBs of both viruses were produced in coinfections than in singly infected larvae, suggesting a competition of the two viruses for larval resources. Hence, no functional or economic advantage could be inferred from larval mortality and OB production from mixed infections ofA. segetumlarvae with AgseNPV-B and AgseGV.

scholarly journals Dependency on planktons of the small indigenous fish species Esomus danricus (Ham) in different habitats

1970 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-161
Author(s):  
Fatema Kahtun ◽  
Nousheen Parven ◽  
MA Bashar
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Rice Straw ◽  
Wheat Bran ◽  
Pond Water ◽  
Phytoplankton Production ◽  
Fish Production ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Small Water ◽  
Indigenous Fish Species

The food of Esomus danricus (Ham) in experimental conditions (earthen pots and ponds) was studied from June, 2000 to October, 2000. Pond water was supplied in the experimental tanks and ponds to inoculate plankton. Different kinds of organic matters (duck dropping, poultry dropping, rice straw, wheat bran) were used as nutrients for the culture of plankton. Total numerical abundances of phytoplankton production were 5669 and 3905 in the earthen pots and ponds, respectively. The phytoplanktons belonged to Diatomaceae, Myxophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Mesotaeniaceae, Oocystaceae, Desmidiceae and Characiaceae. Total numerical abundances of zooplankton were 3146 and 3785 in earthen pots and ponds, respectively. The zooplankton belonged to Rotifera, Cladocera, Ostracoda and Copepoda. Insect larvae and annelids were also found in considerable numbers. Digestive tracts of the reared fishes were examined. Total numerical abundances of phytoplankton were greater in number (4224) than those of zooplankton (460). It was observed that dependency of Esomus danricus on phytoplankton was greater than zooplankton . Key words: Esomus danricus; Fish production; Plankton; Dependency; Small water reservoirs DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dujbs.v20i2.8976 DUJBS 2011; 20(2): 155-161

scholarly journals Solar drying of residue from Brazil nut processing

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceila Juvino do Nascimento ◽  
Maria Helena da Silva Oliveira ◽  
Dyego da Costa Santos ◽  
Thalis Leandro Bezerra de Lima ◽  
Daniela Dantas de Farias Leite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Soluble ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Soluble Extract ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Expanded Polystyrene Foam ◽  
Solar Dryer ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Drying Rates ◽  
Water Soluble Extract

Abstract Brazil nuts are often used for direct consumption or in the preparation process of water-soluble extract. After obtaining the water-soluble extract, a large amount of Brazil nut residues with good sensory characteristics are generated. Thus, this study aimed to dry Brazil nut processing residues in layers with different thicknesses in a direct solar dryer as well as by direct exposure to the sun, in order to fit different mathematical models to the experimental data of drying kinetics, and calculate the drying rates and effective diffusivity. The drying procedures began at 9 a.m. on a concrete base, for samples dried by direct exposure to the sun, and in a solar dryer constructed with expanded polystyrene foam zinc plated and a glass cover. The mass loss of the samples was monitored by weighing at regular times until the hygroscopic equilibrium was obtained. The direct solar dryer had temperatures about 80% higher than those recorded in the open environmental air temperature. Drying rates were higher in dehydrations performed in the solar dryer compared to the drying by exposure to the sun. The Midilli model was selected as the most adequate for predicting the drying of the samples under all experimental conditions, showing coefficients of determination above 0.99. The effective diffusion coefficients of moisture were higher in samples dehydrated in the solar dryer when compared to those dried by exposure to the sun. Regarding the research conducted under the experimental conditions of this study, the performance of the solar dryer to dry Brazil nut processing residues was satisfactory.

scholarly journals Coleoborers (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in native and homogeneous systems of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa bonpl.) in the Southern Amazon, Brazil

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Henrique Martins e Silva ◽  
Juliana Garlet ◽  
Fernando Luis Silva ◽  
Carla da Silva Paula
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Homogeneous Systems ◽  
Homogeneous Production ◽  
And Cluster Analysis ◽  
Amazonian Brazil ◽  
Wood Boring

AbstractBrazil nut is one of the most important species of the Amazon due to its socioeconomic importance. Especially in homogeneous production systems, it may be susceptible to damage by wood-boring insects, as by the subfamily Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); thus, inadequate management conditions can cause economic damage. Therefore, the objective of the present work is to evaluate the occurrence of wood-boring insects (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in native and homogeneous systems of Brazil nut in the Meridional Amazonian, Brazil. The study was conducted in three environments: Conserved Native Planting nut, Anthropized Native Planting nut and Homogeneous Planting nut. Twelve ethanol traps were installed in each environment during four sampling periods. The data were submitted to entomofaunistic analysis, Pearson’s correlation analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2,243 individuals from 31 species were sampled, of which 23 were from the Anthropized Native Planting nut, 24 from the Homogeneous Planting nut and 26 from the Conserved Native Planting nut. In the faunistic analysis, we highlight the species Xyleborus affinis (Eichhoff, 1868), which was the most representative one in the three environments and a super-dominant species in all four sampling periods. There was a greater similarity between the Anthropized Native Planting nut and the Conserved Native Planting nut; these two environments showed dissimilarity with the Homogeneous Planting nut. Monitoring coleoborers in Brazil nut agroecosystems is fundamental for the establishment of integrated pest management strategies.

scholarly journals One man’s trash is another man’s treasure - the effect of bacteria on phytoplankton-zooplankton interactions in chemostat systems

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Raatz ◽  
S Schälicke ◽  
M Sieber ◽  
A Wacker ◽  
U Gaedke
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Carbon Sources ◽  
Evolutionary Processes ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Complex Population ◽  
Dynamic Simulation Model ◽  
Flux Model ◽  
Aquatic Food ◽  
The Impact

AbstractChemostat experiments are employed to study predator-prey and other trophic interactions, frequently using phytoplankton-zooplankton systems. These experiments often use population dynamics as fingerprints of ecological and evolutionary processes, assuming that the contributions of all major actors to these dynamics are known. However, bacteria are often neglected although they are frequently present. We argue that even without external carbon sources bacteria may affect the experimental outcomes depending on experimental conditions and the physiological traits of bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Using a static carbon flux model and a dynamic simulation model we predict the minimum and maximum impact of bacteria on phytoplankton-zooplankton population dynamics. Under bacteria-suppressing conditions, we find that the effect of bacteria is indeed negligible and their omission justified. Under bacteria-favouring conditions, however, bacteria may strongly affect average biomasses. Furthermore, the population dynamics may become highly complex resulting in wrong conclusions if bacteria are not considered. Our model results provide suggestions to reduce the bacterial impact experimentally. Next to optimizing experimental conditions (e.g. the dilution rate) the appropriate choice of the zooplankton predator is decisive. Counterintuitively, bacteria have a larger impact if they are not ingested by the predator as high bacterial biomasses and complex population dynamics arise via competition for nutrients with the phytoplankton. Only if the predator is at least partly bacterivorous the impact of bacteria is minimized. Our results help to improve both the design of chemostat experiments and their interpretation and thus advance the study of ecological and evolutionary processes in aquatic food webs.

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