Parasitoid Wasp Community Dynamics in Vineyards Following Insecticide Application

In order to integrate parasitoid wasps in agroecosystems as biological control agents, we need to understand how insecticides affect the parasitoids in the crops and their surroundings. We investigated the non-target effect of Indoxacarb, an insecticide commonly used against European grapevine moth, on parasitoid wasp communities in vineyards. We focused on characterizing: 1. The dynamics of common wasp species, and 2. Wasp abundance and species richness in the vineyard center, edge, and nearby natural area. Seven vineyards, with neighboring natural areas, were sampled before, and up to 2 weeks after, Indoxacarb applications over 2 years. We expected initial negative effects of spraying in the vineyard with some effect of Indoxacarb drift into the natural habitat, followed by wasp recovery, first in natural areas, then at the vineyard edge and finally in the center. Sticky traps were hung at the vineyard edge and center to evaluate migration into and out of the vineyard. Vacuum sampling was used to obtain parasitoid total abundance and species richness, and the abundances of four common species (43% of the wasps collected). From the vacuum samples we found that total wasp abundance and richness declined after spraying in the vineyards’ margins and center but rose over time in the natural area. Vineyard wasp abundance was restored to pre-spraying levels within 2 weeks. Among the abundant species, Trichogramma sp. and Telenomus sp., which parasitize lepidopteran hosts, declined after spraying, and Trichogramma sp. recovered more quickly than Telenomus sp. Two other abundant species, Lymaenon litoralis and Oligosita sp., did not decline after spraying. In the sticky traps, wasp abundance increased at the vineyard edge but not center after spraying, suggesting that there was migration of wasps at the vineyard edge, into or out of the crop. The results indicate an effect of Indoxacarb on the parasitoid wasp community, particularly on parasitoids of lepidopterans, the target group of Indoxacarb. The results also indicate a potential for recovery of the parasitoid community through migration from neighboring natural vegetation.

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Extrapolations from field studies and known faunas converge on dramatically increased estimates of global microgastrine parasitoid wasp species richness (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Insect Conservation and Diversity ◽

10.1111/icad.12003 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 530-536 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Josephine J. Rodriguez ◽

Jose L. Fernández-Triana ◽

M. Alex Smith ◽

Daniel H. Janzen ◽

Winnie Hallwachs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Field Studies ◽

Wasp Species

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Variation in the diversity and richness of parasitoid wasps based on sampling effort

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.4642 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e4642 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thomas E. Saunders ◽

Darren F. Ward

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Austral Summer ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Parasitoid Wasps ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Summer Period ◽

Wasp Species ◽

The Cost ◽

Number Of Individuals ◽

The Relationship

Parasitoid wasps are a mega-diverse, ecologically dominant, but poorly studied component of global biodiversity. In order to maximise the efficiency and reduce the cost of their collection, the application of optimal sampling techniques is necessary. Two sites in Auckland, New Zealand were sampled intensively to determine the relationship between sampling effort and observed species richness of parasitoid wasps from the family Ichneumonidae. Twenty traps were deployed at each site at three different times over the austral summer period, resulting in a total sampling effort of 840 Malaise-trap-days. Rarefaction techniques and non-parametric estimators were used to predict species richness and to evaluate the variation and completeness of sampling. Despite an intensive Malaise-trapping regime over the summer period, no asymptote of species richness was reached. At best, sampling captured two-thirds of parasitoid wasp species present. The estimated total number of species present depended on the month of sampling and the statistical estimator used. Consequently, the use of fewer traps would have caught only a small proportion of all species (one trap 7–21%; two traps 13–32%), and many traps contributed little to the overall number of individuals caught. However, variation in the catch of individual Malaise traps was not explained by seasonal turnover of species, vegetation or environmental conditions surrounding the trap, or distance of traps to one another. Overall the results demonstrate that even with an intense sampling effort the community is incompletely sampled. The use of only a few traps and/or for very short periods severely limits the estimates of richness because (i) fewer individuals are caught leading to a greater number of singletons; and (ii) the considerable variation of individual traps means some traps will contribute few or no individuals. Understanding how sampling effort affects the richness and diversity of parasitoid wasps is a useful foundation for future studies.

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Comparing composition and diversity of parasitoid wasps and plants in an Amazonian rain-forest mosaic

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467405002993 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 167-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Ilari E. Sääksjärvi ◽

Kalle Ruokolainen ◽

Hanna Tuomisto ◽

Samuli Haataja ◽

Paul V. A. Fine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Composition ◽

Plant Species ◽

Rain Forest ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Parasitoid Wasps ◽

Lowland Rain Forest ◽

Wasp Species ◽

Weak Support ◽

Forest Mosaic

Local species richness and between-site similarity in species composition of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae and Rhyssinae) were correlated with those of four plant groups (pteridophytes, Melastomataceae, Burseraceae and Arecaceae) in a western Amazonian lowland rain forest mosaic. The mosaic structure of the forest was related to variation in soils within the non-inundated terrain. Significant matrix correlation between patterns in parasitoid wasp species composition and plant species composition was found. Most of the overall correlation was due to idiobiont parasitoids of weakly concealed hosts, which attack host larvae and pupae in exposed situations, with two of the four ecologically defined parasitoid groups showing no correlation at all. A positive correlation between the number of plant species and the number of Pimplinae and Rhyssinae species at a site was found when the latter was corrected for collecting effort. Consequently, the degree of floristic difference between sites may be indicative of the difference in species composition of ichneumonids, and the species richness of plants may serve as a predictor of the species richness of parasitoid wasps. Although these results were obtained in a mosaic including structurally and floristically clearly different types of rain forest, the correlation coefficients were relatively low, and the present results lend only weak support to the idea of using plant distributions as indicators of animal distributions.

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Optimising Capture Methods for the Evaluation of Parasitoid Wasp Diversity

10.31237/osf.io/gqpyf ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Edward Saunders

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

New Species ◽

New Zealand ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Parasitoid Wasps ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Optimal Sampling ◽

Wasp Species ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

The Relationship

Parasitoid wasps are mega-diverse, ecologically dominant, but poorly studied components of global biodiversity. Despite their intensive application within pest management as biocontrol agents, little is known about native species. To understand their basic biology they must be collected in sampling programs. However, invertebrate surveys are increasingly subject to funding and time constraints that often preclude complete faunal inventories. In order to maximise the efficiency and reduce the cost of their collection, the application of optimal sampling techniques within a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment framework is proposed. Two sites in the Waitakere Ranges were sampled three times over the summer. An intensive sampling effort of 840 Malaise-trap-days over a three month period was used to determine the relationship between sampling effort and observed species richness. Rarefaction techniques and non-parametric estimators were used to predict true species richness and to evaluate the completeness of sampling. Results show that an intensive Malaise-trapping regime over the summer can capture two-thirds of parasitoid wasp species present. Sampling recommendations are provided to guide optimal usage of Malaise traps for both ecological studies and faunal inventories. Modern taxonomic methods are reviewed and a new species of parasitoid wasp is described, representing the first New Zealand species from the genus Lusius (Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae). Morphological measurements confirm the new species represents a significant range expansion for the genus. Greater collaboration between ecologists and taxonomists is encouraged, in order to make more efficient use of resources, data, and expertise unique to each discipline. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between sampling effort and parasitoid wasp diversity in New Zealand. It shows that very high sampling effort fails to catch all species present. Parasitoid wasps are known to be keystone species that show promise as indicators of environmental quality and as surrogates for the diversity of other taxa. The development of optimal sampling strategies will therefore provide an important foundation for their future study.

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The social wasp community (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) in an area of Atlantic Forest, Ubatuba, Brazil

Check List ◽

10.15560/10.1.10 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Olga Coutinho Togni ◽

Gabriela De Almeida Locher ◽

Edilberto Giannotti ◽

Orlando Tobias Silveira

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Social Wasp ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Wasp Species ◽

The Social ◽

High Species Richness ◽

Great Relevance ◽

Very High

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is of great relevance to biological conservation, and is among the areas in South America with the highest levels of diversity and endemism. The aim of this study was to survey the social wasp species in the subfamily Polistinae in Ubatuba, São Paulo state, in southwestern Brazil. Collecting work was conducted from May 2007 to May 2008 using attractive PET bottle traps and active searching. Twenty-one species belonging to eight genera were found, among which some may be considered rare in southeastern Brazil such as Mischocyttarus parallelogrammus and Polybia catillifex. The most abundant species were Agelaia angulata (64.31%), Agelaia nr. centralis (10.08%) and Angiopolybia pallens (8.49%). A correlation between species richness and relative humidity (r = 0.6435; p = 0.0176) was observed. Values of species richness were a little higher in the super humid (Sm = 11) than in the less humid (Sm = 9) season. This suggests that this season may have more favorable environmental conditions for a greater richness of species to found colonies. Despite not having a very high species richness compared with other surveys, the collected species in this study can be considered rare in southeastern Brazil, emphasizing the complexity of the Atlantic Forest biome and its relation to the diversity of wasps.

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Mammal species richness and new records in protected natural areas of the northern part of the metropolitan area of the Valley of México

Therya ◽

10.12933/therya-21-1074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 537-551

Author(s):

Yolanda Hortelano-Moncada ◽

Asela Samari Barragán-Saldaña ◽

Jesús Fernández-Reyes ◽

Fernando Alfredo Cervantes-Reza ◽

Leonardo Barragán Guerrero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Metropolitan Area ◽

Species Accumulation Curve ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Natural Area ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Accumulation Curve ◽

Species Accumulation ◽

Protected Natural Areas ◽

Leptonycteris Yerbabuenae

Sierra de Guadalupe is the only mountain range in the northern part of the Valley of Mexico metropolitan area. The accelerated urban expansion over the past decades has turned Sierra de Guadalupe into an isolated natural area immersed within the urban matrix. This study aimed to gather a documented inventory of the mammals of Sierra de Guadalupe as such information is useful to improve the management, restoration, and conservation of this important natural area of the basin of Mexico. Mammal collection records were extensively surveyed in the literature, collection databases, web pages, and scientific collections; field surveys were also conducted. A taxonomic list of the mammal species and their conservation status in the four Protected Natural Areas of Sierra de Guadalupe was compiled. A species-accumulation curve was constructed using the Chao 1 model and a map showing the distribution of collection records was produced. This work reveals that the mammals of Sierra de Guadalupe include 29 species, 23 genera, 15 families, and six orders. Six species are endemic to Mexico; two of them, Choeronycteris mexicana and Cratogeomys fumosus, are listed as threatened and one, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, as under special protection. Collection records were gathered from 62 different localities. The largest number of species records and collections were made between 2009 and 2020. The species-accumulation curve projects a total of 36 mammal species. This is the first documented inventory ever compiled of the wild mammals of Sierra de Guadalupe. The species richness observed in this area is remarkable, considering its extension and environmental stressors; in addition, it harbors species endemic to Mexico, some of which are threatened. This is the first time that the species Sorex saussurei, Choeronycteris mexicana, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, Cratogeomys merriami, Neotomodon alstoni, and Peromyscus melanophryshave been recorded in this area. The species-accumulation curve indicates that our inventory provides a good representation of the local species assemblage. This information can support the formulation of action plans for the conservation and restoration of the biological diversity of these important Protected Natural Areas and the last significant natural area remaining in the northern part of the Valley of Mexico Metropolitan Area.

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A simple standardized protocol to evaluate the reliability of seed rain estimates

Seed Science Research ◽

10.1017/s0960258520000392 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

André J. Arruda ◽

Fernando A.O. Silveira ◽

Elise Buisson

Keyword(s):

Restoration Ecology ◽

Community Dynamics ◽

Size Dependence ◽

Seed Rain ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Sticky Traps ◽

Standardized Protocol ◽

Funnel Trap ◽

Seed Trap ◽

Cross Site

Abstract Seed dispersal has key implications for community dynamics and restoration ecology. However, estimating seed rain (the number and diversity of seeds arriving in a given area) is challenging, and the lack of standardization in measurement prevents cross-site comparisons. Seed trap effectiveness and accuracy of seed sorting methods are key components of seed rain estimates in need of standardization. We propose and describe a standardized protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of two seed trap types (sticky and funnel traps) and the accuracy of a seed sorting method. We used widely available seeds (arugula, quinoa, sesame and sunflower) to produce a gradient of seed size, weight and colour. Proof-of-concept was tested in a tropical grassland, where traps were set for 30 days. Our results suggest that we underestimate dispersal of seeds with less than 2 mm width that can be easily mistaken for debris and soil particles or that fail to adhere to sticky traps. Seeds on sticky traps may be more vulnerable to removal by wind and rain, whereas seeds in funnel traps are more susceptible to decay. We found no evidence of observer bias on seed sorting for funnel trap samples. However, accuracy on seed sorting for funnel trap samples tended to decline for seeds with less than 2 mm width, suggesting a size-dependence in seed retrieval success. Our standardized protocol addressing trap effectiveness and seed sorting methods will increase the reliability of data obtained in seed rain studies and allow more reliable comparisons between datasets.

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Family graveyards form underappreciated local plant diversity hotspots in China's agricultural landscapes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80362-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cheng Gong ◽

Liangtao Li ◽

Jan C. Axmarcher ◽

Zhenrong Yu ◽

Yunhui Liu

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Plant Species ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Plant Species Richness ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Landscape Features ◽

Habitat Islands ◽

Local Plant ◽

Ecological Functioning

AbstractIn the intensively farmed, homogenous agricultural landscape of the North China Plain, family graveyards form distinct cultural landscape features. In addition to their cultural value, these graveyards represent semi-natural habitat islands whose potential roles in biodiversity conservation and ecological functioning has remained poorly understood. In this study, we investigated plant species richness on 199 family graveyards of different ages and sizes. In accordance with biogeography theory, both overall and insect-pollinated plant species richness increased with area and age of graveyards. Even small graveyards show a strong potential for conserving local plant richness, and a mosaic of both large and small family graveyards could play an important role in the conservation of farmland biodiversity and related ecosystem functions. The launch of agri-environmental measures that conserve and create semi-natural habitats, in turn benefitting agricultural biodiversity and ecological functioning, has proven difficult in China due to the shortage of dispensable arable land. Given the great value of family graveyards as semi-natural habitats reflected in our study, we propose to focus preliminary efforts on conserving these landscape features as existing, widespread and culturally important semi-natural habitat islands. This would represent an effective, complementary policy to a subsequent re-establishment of other semi-natural habitats for the conservation of biodiversity and ecological functioning in agricultural landscapes.

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Sight of parasitoid wasps accelerates sexual behavior and upregulates a micropeptide gene in Drosophila

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-22712-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shimaa A. M. Ebrahim ◽

Gaëlle J. S. Talross ◽

John R. Carlson

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Nervous System ◽

Sexual Behavior ◽

Behavioral Response ◽

Mutational Analysis ◽

Parasitoid Wasp ◽

Parasitoid Wasps ◽

Wasp Species ◽

Defensive Responses ◽

Vast Range

AbstractParasitoid wasps inflict widespread death upon the insect world. Hundreds of thousands of parasitoid wasp species kill a vast range of insect species. Insects have evolved defensive responses to the threat of wasps, some cellular and some behavioral. Here we find an unexpected response of adult Drosophila to the presence of certain parasitoid wasps: accelerated mating behavior. Flies exposed to certain wasp species begin mating more quickly. The effect is mediated via changes in the behavior of the female fly and depends on visual perception. The sight of wasps induces the dramatic upregulation in the fly nervous system of a gene that encodes a 41-amino acid micropeptide. Mutational analysis reveals that the gene is essential to the behavioral response of the fly. Our work provides a foundation for further exploration of how the activation of visual circuits by the sight of a wasp alters both sexual behavior and gene expression.

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Sheep nemabiome diversity and its response to anthelmintic treatment in Swedish sheep herds

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-021-04602-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Peter Halvarsson ◽

Johan Höglund

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Anthelmintic Treatment ◽

Host Age ◽

Larval Culture ◽

Nematode Parasites ◽

South Central ◽

Nematode Diversity

Abstract Background A novel way to study the species composition and diversity of nematode parasites in livestock is to perform deep sequencing on composite samples containing a mixture of different species. Herein we describe for the first time the nematode community structures (nemabiomes) inhabiting Swedish sheep and how these are/were affected by host age and recent anthelmintic treatments. Methods A total of 158 fecal samples were collected (n = 35 in 2007 and n = 123 in 2013–2016) and cultured from groups of sheep on 61 commercial farms in the south-central part of the country where most animals are grazed. Among the samples, 2 × 44 (56%) were paired collections from the same groups pre- and post-treatment with anthelmintics such as macrocyclic lactones, benzimidazoles or levamisole. Samples were analyzed for their nemabiome using the PacBio platform followed by bioinformatic sequence analysis with SCATA. Species richness and diversity were calculated and analyzed in R. Results Nematode ITS2 sequences were found in all larval culture samples except two, even though the fecal egg counts were below the McMaster threshold in 20 samples. Sequencing yielded, on average, 1008 sequences per sample. In total, 16 operational taxonomical units (OTU), all with ≥ 98 % identity to sequences in the NCBI database, were recognized. The OTUs found represented nematode species of which ten are commonly associated with sheep. Multiple species were identified in all pre-anthelmintic treatment larval culture samples. No effects on nematode diversity were found in relation to host age. On the other hand, recent anthelmintic treatment lowered species richness, especially after use of ivermectin and albendazole. Interestingly, despite zero egg counts after use of levamisole, these samples still contained nematode DNA and especially H. contortus. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that nemabiome analysis combined with diversity index analysis provides an objective methodology in the study of the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment as both high and low abundant species were detected.

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