Chewing insects, pollinators, and predators on Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Beth (Fabales: Fabaceae) plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge

Fertilization with dehydrated sewage sludge can speed up the recovery process of degraded areas due to nutrients concentration, favoring the development of pioneer plants such as Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Beth (Fabales: Fabaceae) and the emergence of insects. This study aimed the evaluation of chewing, pollinating insects, predators, their ecological indices and relationships on A. auriculiformis plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge. The experimental design was completely randomized with two treatments (with and without dehydrated sewage sludge) and 24 repetitions. The prevalence of chewing insects Parasyphraea sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Nasutitermes sp. (Blattodea: Termitidae), and Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813) (Orthoptera: Romaleidae), defoliation, and ecological indices of abundance of Coleoptera and Orthoptera were observed on fertilized A. auriculiformis. Acacia auriculiformis plants, with a superior number of branches/tree, revealed greater abundance of Coleoptera and Orthoptera, species richness of pollinating insects, defoliation, numbers of Parasyphraea sp. and T. collaris. The ones with larger leaves/branches displayed greater abundance of species richness of Coleoptera and Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Therefore, the use of A. auriculiformis plants, fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge, is promising in the recovery of degraded areas due to the ecological indices increase of chewing and pollinators insects and spiders in the analyzed area.

Distribution pattern of arthropods on the leaf surfaces of Acacia auriculiformis saplings

Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. Ex Benth. (Fabaceae), a non-native pioneer species in Brazil with fast growth and rusticity, is used in restoration programs. Our goal was to assess during a 24-month survey the pattern of arthropods (phytophagous insects, bees, spiders, and predator insects) on the leaf surfaces of A. auriculiformis saplings. Fourteen species of phytophagous, two of bees and eleven of predators were most abundant on the adaxial surface. The values of the ecological indexes (abundance, diversity, and species richness) and the rarefaction, and k-dominance curves of phytophagous, bees and arthropod predators were highest on the adaxial leaf surface of A. auriculiformis. The k-dominance and abundance of Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera) (both leaf surfaces), the native stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) (both leaf surfaces) and the ant Brachymyrmex sp. (adaxial surface) and Pheidole sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (abaxial surface) were the highest between the taxonomic groups of phytophagous, bees, and predators, respectively on A. auriculiformis saplings. The ecological indexes and rarefaction, abundance, and k-dominance curves of phytophagous insects, bees, and predators were highest on the adaxial leaf surface. The preference of phytophagous insects for the adaxial leaf surface is probably due to the lower effort required to move on this surface. Understanding the arthropod preferences between leaf surfaces may help to develop sampling and pest management plans for the most abundant phytophagous insects on A. auriculiformis saplings. Also, knowledge on the preference pattern of bees and predators may be used to favour their conservation.

Percentage of importance indice-production unknown: loss and solution sources identification on system

Indices are used to help on decision-making. This study aims to develop and test an index, which can determine the loss (e.g., herbivorous insects) and solution (e.g., natural enemies) sources. They will be classified according to their importance regarding the ability to damage or to reduce the source of damage to the system when the final production is unknown. Acacia auriculiformis (Fabales: Fabaceae), a non-native pioneer species in Brazil with fast growth and rusticity, is used in restoration programs, and it is adequate to evaluate a new index. The formula was: Percentage of the Importance Indice-Production Unknown (% I.I.-PU) = [(ks1 x c1 x ds1)/Σ (ks1 x c1 x ds1) + (ks2 x c2 x ds2) + (ksn x cn x dsn)] x 100. The loss sources Aethalion reticulatum L., 1767 (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae), Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera), Stereoma anchoralis Lacordaire, 1848 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and Tettigoniidae, and solution sources Uspachus sp. (Araneae: Salticidae), Salticidae (Araneae), and Pseudomyrmex termitarius (Smith, 1877) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) showed the highest % I.I.-PU on leaves of A. auriculiformis saplings. The number of Diabrotica speciosa Germar, 1824 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was reduced per number of Salticidae; that of A. reticulatum that of Uspachus sp.; and that of Cephalocoema sp. (Orthoptera: Proscopiidae) that of P. termitarius on A. auriculiformis saplings. However, the number of Aleyrodidae was increased per number of Cephalotes sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and that of A. reticulatum that of Brachymyrmex sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on A. auriculiformis saplings. The A. reticulatum damage was reduced per number of Uspachus sp., but the Aleyrodidae damage was increased per number of Cephalotes sp., totaling 23.81% of increase by insect damages on A. auriculiformis saplings. Here I show and test the % I.I.-PU. It is an new index that can detect the loss or solution sources on a system when production is unknown. It can be applied in some knowledge areas.

Evaluation of in vitro digestibility and pH of Acacia seed pods (Acacia sp.)

This study aimed to determine the rumen fluid’s in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in-vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), and pH of different species Acacia seed pods as a single feed ingredient. The Acacia species in this study were Acacia mangium, Acacia auriculiformis, and Acacia crassicarpa. The method used was in vitro two-stages with the first 48 hours of incubation (the rumen) and the second 48 hours of incubation (post-rumen), and analyses of pH. The research design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments and 5 replications based on the Acacia species. The data were analysed with oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT). The results showed that IVDMD stage one was 34.59-37.59%; IVOMD stage one was 38.66-43.06%. Stage two of IVDMD was 58.02-59.23%; stage two of IVOMD was 51.67-55.01% and rumen fluid pH were 6.58-7.02. Different Acacia seed pods had significant differences in IVDMD and IVOMD stage one in the rumen and stage two in the post-rumen (P<0.05), but not in the pH value (P>0.05). We concluded that different acacia seed pods had different digestibility values in the rumen and post-rumen. However, it does not affect the rumen acidity.

Review: Utilization of interspecific Acacia hybrid for pulp/paper industry and increasing of forest biodiversity

Wood-based forestry industries are one of the strategic sectors in the development for providing a good impact in ecological and socio-economic in a country. Such an industry should have high productivity in order to ensure sustainable resources and an efficient manufacturing process. Based on this fact, tree breeding program is one of the good practices which could be done through the hybridization method to increase the uses from forest genetic resources. This paper presents a review on the basis of the utilization of inter-specific Acacia hybrids resulted from hybridization between two species of Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis for supporting the pulp/paper industry and increasing the forest biodiversity in Indonesia. Improving some traits relevant to the industrial requirements is the main target in the development of Acacia hybrid. This involves fast growth, good wood properties, and tolerance to pests and diseases. The Acacia hybrids could provide some advantages in overcoming the current problems of the forest plantation and industry in which some of them could not be resolved by planting the pure species. In addition, the varies of the Acacia hybrid progenies could be used to increase forest biodiversity, which is important as a genetic base for further breeding purposes and challenges.

Acacia auriculiformis–Derived Bimodal Porous Nanocarbons via Self-Activation for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Carbon nanomaterials derived from Acacia auriculiformis pods as electrodes for the electrochemical double-layer capacitors were explored. Four pyrolysis temperatures were set (400, 600, 800, and 1,000°C) to understand the role of temperature in biomass pyrolysis via a possible “self-activation” mechanism for the synthesis of carbon materials. The carbon materials synthesized at 800°C (AAC800) were found to exhibit a well-organized hierarchical porous structure, quantified further from N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms with a maximum specific surface area of 736.6 m2/g. Micropores were found to be contributing toward enhancing the specific surface area. AAC800 exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 176.7 F/g at 0.5 A/g in 6.0 M KOH electrolyte in a three-electrode setup. A symmetric supercapacitor was fabricated using AAC800 as an active material in an organic electrolyte composed of 1.0 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4) as a conducting salt in the acetonitrile (ACN) solvent. The self-discharge of the cell/device was analyzed from fitting two different mathematical models; the cell also exhibited a remarkable coulombic efficiency of 100% over 10,000 charge/discharge cycles, retaining ∼93% capacitance at 2.3 V.

Reforestation of Degraded Landscapes in Micronesia

Wildfires on degraded grasslands cause extensive soil erosion and cause environmental and economic damage worldwide. We conducted fertilizer, lime, and mulch trials to improve growth of trees planted in acid soils in degraded grasslands on the Micronesian islands of Guam, Rota, and Yap. Fertilizer application had no effect on height growth of Acacia auriculiformis seedlings on a Mollisol on Guam while lime application had a small but significant positive effect on height growth. Fertilizer application had a significant positive effect on height growth of Acacia confusa seedlings planted on an Oxisol on Rota but lime had no effect. Mulch application increased height growth of Swietenia macrophylla seedlings planted on an Oxisol on Yap but lime application had no effect. Collaboration between university researchers and local forestry agencies can improve reforestation success, but researchers need to consider local capabilities and local knowledge.