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The studies results influence of the growth regulator Vermiyodis and sowing norms on wintering of winter oilseed rape plants and Mercedes hybrid on sod podzolic soils of the experimental field of Prykarpattia of the State Agricultural Experimental Station of the NASG region are presented. Studies have shown that the variants with the pre-sowing treatment off the winter variety Cheremosh seeds was carried out, on average over the years of research, at the sowing rate of 0600000 / ha plant death during overwintering was 4.7-5.7 pcs / m2 or 9, 5-10 , 8%, at a sowing rate of 0800000 / ha of germinating seeds - 5.7- 6.2 pieces / m2 or 8.5-9.3%, at a sowing rate of 1.0 million / ha of similar seeds - 8.7-9 , 3 pcs / m2 or 10.1- 10.9%. In the variants where the pre-sowing treatment of seeds was carried out with the Vermiyodis regulator at a dose of 5 l / t at a sowing rate of 08mln / ha, the plant death was 4.6-5.6%, which is 2.8-3.0% less than the norm sowing 1.0 million / ha of germinating seeds. In the variants where the pre-sowing treatment of seeds of the winter hybrid Mercedes was carried out with the growth regulator "Vermiodis" 5 l / t, the percentage of dead plants was 4.8-5.6% at the sowing rate of 0600000 / ha of germinating seeds, at the sowing rate of 0.8 million / ha - 6.1-7.3%, with a sowing rate of 1.0 million / ha of germinating seeds 8.1-8.6%, which is significantly less than the control and options, where presowing seed treatment was carried out with the growth regulator "Vermijodis". Studies have shown that the best overwintering, on average over the years of research, was in the rapeseed variety of winter hybrid Mercedes at a sowing rate of 0600000 / ha of germinating seeds, in the variety Cheremosh at a sowing rate of 0800000 / ha of germinating seeds for pre-sowing seed treatment.

application/pdf, Polia nebulosa and Hyboma adaucta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were collected from nest boxes of the Siberian flying squirrel Pteromys volans orii (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. This is the first record of moths collected from nests of flying squirrels (tribe Pteromyini). These two species probably used the nests of P. volans orii as overwintering sites since all the moths found were in an overwintering state when collected, both moth species do not feed on detritus, and the temperature in the nests is assumed to be higher than that of the outside.

Winter is the season that poses the greatest challenges for honey bee colonies. Therefore, the main approach in beekeeping practice is aimed mainly at providing sufficient quality food supplies for bee colonies in early autumn. We conducted the present study to test the influence of the natural plant extract IMМUNOSTART HERB on population strength, stored pollen area, capped worker brood area, and honey yield. The experimental groups were supplied with IMМUNOSTART HERB 4 times at 7-day intervals, whereas sugar syrup was given to the control groups. The obtained results showed that the applied supplemental diet affected all investigated biological parameters, with the most noticeable effect after the second application. In all measurements, the honey bee colony parameters in the treated groups showed higher values in comparison to the control groups. These results highlight the potential of herbal supplements to effectively improve bee colonies’ development during the period of scarce bee forage, as well as to provide suitable conditions for successful overwintering.

The physiological state of overwintering tea leaves is crucial for the growth and quality formation of spring tea shoots. Low temperatures in winter can easily cause damage to overwintering tea plants, leading to leaf chlorosis and abnormal physiological functions. Many pieces of research have shown that shading could promote chlorophyll (Chl) accumulation in tea leaves, but the impact on overwintering tea plants is not yet known. In this study, different shading rates (no-shading, S0%; 30% shading, S30%; 75% shading, S75%) were used to treat overwintering tea plants, which explored the effect of shading on the color and physiological functions of tea leaves. The results showed that Chl, carotenoid, and soluble sugar (SS) contents were S75% > S30% > S0%, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was S75% > S30% > S0%. Transcriptome analysis showed that the genes involved in chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism (such as protochlorophyllide reductase POR and zeaxanthin epoxidase ZEP) and photosynthesis (such as photosystem II P680 reaction center D2 protein PsbA and photosystem II CP47 chlorophyll apoprotein PsbB) were significantly up-regulated under shading. In addition, many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in “starch and sucrose metabolism (ko00500)” and “anthocyanin biosynthesis (ko00942)” pathways. In summary, this study provided a theoretical basis and technical support for maintaining green leaves and normal physiological functions of overwintering tea plants.

Straw strip mulching (SM) is a new mulching technology. From 2012 to 2018, SM’s effects on soil moisture and temperature and production performances were compared with other mulching practices, using three treatments: full-cover plastic mulch (PM), no mulch with wheat sown in rows as the control (CK), and SM with 50% to 59% of the field area mulched. Compared with CK, on average over six growing seasons, SM and PM increased grain yield by 27.0% and 21.7%, straw yield by 21.6% and 22.6%, kernels ha−1 by 26.6% and 19.0%, net income by 29.8% and −25.0%, soil temperature at 5 cm by −1.5 °C and 0.2 °C from overwintering to maturity, and soil water storage at 0 to 200 cm by 25 and 22 mm, respectively. The increase in soil moisture in SM and PM was greater in the early period (overwintering to jointing) than in the later period (booting to maturity) and at 0 to 120 cm than at 120 to 200 cm in the early period. Although the mean evapotranspiration of whole growth period across six seasons was similar among treatments, SM and PM increased water consumption during the key formation period of yield components after overwintering by 16 and 32 mm, respectively, while reducing it before overwintering. Compared with CK, SM and PM had the effects of warming during overwintering and cooling after jointing. By increasing water consumption after overwintering and ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration and providing favorable soil temperature for multiple growth stages and more sufficient soil moisture, SM and PM promoted vegetative growth and increased kernels ha−1, the main mechanisms by which SM and PM increased grain yield relative to CK. Relative to PM, SM is a more economically beneficial and environment-friendly technology for dryland wheat production.

Winter oilseed cash cover crops are gaining popularity in integrated weed management programs for suppressing weeds. A study was conducted at two field sites (Fargo, North Dakota, and Morris, Minnesota) to determine the freezing tolerance and weed-suppressing traits of winter canola/rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and winter camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] in the Upper Midwestern USA. The top 10 freezing tolerant accessions from a phenotyped population of winter canola/rapeseed were bulked and planted at both locations along with winter camelina (cv. Joelle) as a check. To phenotype our entire winter B. napus population (621 accessions) for freezing tolerance, seeds were also bulked and planted at both locations. All B. napus and camelina were no-till seeded at Fargo and Morris at two planting dates, late August (PD1) and mid-September (PD2) 2019. Data for winter survival of oilseed crops (plants m−2) and their corresponding weed suppression (plants m−2 and dry matter m−2) were collected on two sampling dates (SD) in May and June 2020. Crop and SD were significant (p < 0.05) for crop plant density at both locations, and PD in Fargo and crop x PD interaction in Morris were significant for weed dry matter. At Morris and Fargo, PD1 produced greater winter B. napus survival (28% and 5%, respectively) and PD2 produced higher camelina survival (79% and 72%, respectively). Based on coefficient of determination (r2), ~50% of weed density was explained by camelina density, whereas ≤20% was explained by B. napus density at both locations. Camelina from PD2 suppressed weed dry matter by >90% of fallow at both locations, whereas weed dry matter in B. napus was not significantly different from fallow at either PD. Genotyping of overwintering canola/rapeseed under field conditions identified nine accessions that survived at both locations, which also had excellent freezing tolerance under controlled conditions. These accessions are good candidates for improving freezing tolerance in commercial canola cultivars.

1.Biological pest control is known to depend on landscape heterogeneity. However, such relationship shows irregular pattern and seems influenced by local farming practices and natural enemies that overwinter within crop fields. The objective of this study was to assess the contribution of emerging natural enemies in spring to biological control, and their response to the interaction between landscape heterogeneity and farming intensity. 2.We monitored the overwintering insect community using emergence traps and measured the local potential pest predation using prey cards in 30 cereal fields, in spring in France. Study fields were selected along a landscape heterogeneity gradient and farming practices were recorded. 3.None of the ten emerging taxa influenced predation of lepidopteran eggs or weed seeds. On the ground, aphid predation was positively correlated with emerging carabid beetles. In foliage, aphid predation was negatively correlated with emerging parasitoids. Overall, the community of natural enemies that overwinter within crop fields seemed to benefit from lower crop diversity and higher edge density in combination with higher farming intensities. This suggest that they represent a subset of species adapted to. This study highlights a large broad taxonomic panel of emerging natural enemies and their potential local pest predation. peerReviewed

A unique opportunity to study the sexual reproduction of Chlamydomonas proboscigera was presented when this species reached high densities in the Vaal River, South Africa during 2019. A peculiar and unique way of sexual reproduction in C. proboscigera was revealed for the first time and differs from earlier knowledge on the sexual reproduction of this species. Evidence of copulating gametes obtained during the study proved that C. proboscigera can also reproduce sexually by oogoniogamy and not only through isogamy, as previously believed. Gametes of different sizes copulated with each other and in addition to previously described copulation sites, results of this study indicated that gametes may attach to each other at different sites on the cell surface, including at their posterior ends, the posterior end of one gamete can attach to the side of the other gamete (laterally) or the posterior end of one gamete may attach sub-apically to the other gamete. Data on environmental variables at the time of sexual reproduction showed that oogoniogamy occurred under clear water conditions with low temperatures, sufficient nutrient concentrations, and slightly alkaline pH levels. Low temperatures may have played a role in inducing sexual reproduction to form resistant overwintering stages in the form of zygospores.

Sunn pests, which can cause significant yield losses on wheat and barley, are one of the pests whose population levels should be followed. Overwintering areas, which have an important place in the biology of the insect, provide an advantage in the development of biological or integrated control with entomopathogenic fungi. Entomopathogenic fungi are one of the most important control agents in reducing the population in overwintering areas. In this study, one Lecanicillium psalliotae (KK8) isolate and one Akanthomyces muscarium (DIKA11/1) isolate were identified according to morphologic and molecular data. Pathogenicity test was carried out with DIKA11/1 A. muscarium isolate. Adult insects were inoculated with a 1×107 conidia/ml suspension. With this current study, A. muscarium was reported for the first time on sunn pests with 87.7% mortality rate. The L. psalliotae species, which is a pathogen on other insects and sunn pests, was isolated from the sunn pests and identified from Turkey. It is thought that DIKA11/1 A. muscarium isolate can be used in the biological control of this insect and commercial formulation development studies.

As human activities alter winter climates and disturbance regimes in grassland and rangeland ecosystems, the temperatures that plants experience during spring are changing. Litter can help buffer overwintering herbaceous plants from temperature fluctuations, and management practices dictate whether litter is present during the winter. Here, we investigate how disturbance type (burning, mowing) and timing (spring, fall) affect leaf characteristics related to growth and stress tolerance and how these traits change over time for five common tallgrass prairie species including four forb (Monarda fistulosa, Ratibida pinnata, Silphium integrifolium, Symphiotrichum laeve) and one grass species (Bromus inermis). To do this, we established a field experiment in Wisconsin, where plots were annually burned in the fall, mowed in the fall, burned in the spring, or left undisturbed (control) for 3 yr. We sampled leaves of target species seven times from spring emergence through early summer to measure specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf cold tolerance in each treatment. Leaves from fall-burned plots had lower SLAs, while leaves in spring-burned plots had higher SLAs early in the growing season. Leaf cold tolerance was similar across most treatments except in spring-burn plots, where leaves became more cold-hardy through time. We found weak evidence of a tradeoff between leaf growth and both cold tolerance and SLA. These results suggest that management decisions like litter removal before winter (e.g., fall burn or mow) prompted different plant responses compared with plots where litter was present during winter (e.g., spring burn). As species respond to winter climate change, management decisions have implications for mitigating climate change impacts and maintaining diversity in grasslands by affecting early-season plant growth strategies. For example, removing litter in the fall by burning promotes stress-tolerant responses, which may better equip plants to tolerate changing spring conditions.

Although most species of ants overwinter underground to avoid low temperatures, the acorn ants of the genus Temnothorax remain in nests situated at ground level. During a field experiment, I studied the winter mortality of acorn ants in nest sites situated aboveground, as well as in sites experimentally buried in the soil. Despite the low air temperatures (even reaching –19°C, recorded 1.5 m above the ground), the survivorship was very high: all of the 18 queens used in the experiment survived, while the survival rate of workers was 61.9-100%, and for most colonies it exceeded 95%. The rate of survival in the nest sites aboveground and those experimentally buried in the soil was similar. Such a high survival rate in the nests situated at ground level could have resulted from the presence of snow cover during the strongest frost. The artificial nest sites used in the study provided safety for the ants; however, the real mortality during winter, e.g. connected also with predation or destruction of the nest sites, is a subject that needs further study., Fragmenta entomologica, Vol. 54 No. 2 (2022)

Bitter rot is a disease of apple caused by fungi in the genus Colletotrichum. Management begins with removal of infected twigs and fruit from tree canopies to reduce overwintering inoculum. Infected apple fruit are usually tossed to the orchard floor, which is generally managed as herbicide-treated weed-free tree rows, separated by grass drive rows. We monitored decay rates and succession of fungi of apple fruit with bitter rot in tree canopies, and on the soil surface in tree rows, grass drive rows, and nearby diverse plant communities. We hypothesized that decay would occur most rapidly within diverse plant communities, which would provide a more diverse array of potential fungal decomposers. Apple fruit in tree canopies became dry and mummified and had more Colletotrichum gene marker copies the following growing season than did fruit on the soil surface. Of the soil-surface samples, those in grass drive rows and diverse plant communities had higher moisture, faster decay rates, and sharper decreases in Colletotrichum gene marker copies than apple fruit in tree rows. Fungal composition across all decaying apple fruit was dominated by yeasts, with higher genus-level richness, diversity, and evenness in fruit from tree canopies than those on the soil surface. In soil-surface apple fruit, we observed clear successional waves of Pichia, Kregervanrija, and [Candida] yeasts, with similar but distinctly diverging fungal composition. Our results show that orchard floor management can influence fungal succession in apple fruit with bitter rot but suggests that bitter rot management should primarily focus on removing infected apple fruit from tree canopies.

The capability of a non-native species to withstand adverse weather is indicative of its establishment in a novel area. An unusually cold winter of 2016/2017 that occurred in the West Carpathians of Slovakia and other regions within Europe provided an opportunity to indirectly assess survival of the invasive ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). We compared trap captures of this species in the year preceding and succeeding the respective cold winter. Ethanol-baited traps were deployed in 24 oak dominated forest stands within the southern and central area from April to August 2016, and again from April to August 2017 to encompass the seasonal flight activity of X. germanus and to get acquainted with temporal changes in the abundance of this species in these two distant areas. Dispersing X. germanus were recorded in all surveyed stands before and after the aforementioned cold winter. Their total seasonal trap captures were lower in the southern area following low winter temperatures, but remained similar in the central area. Our results suggest that X. germanus can withstand adverse winter weather in oak dominated forests of the West Carpathians within altitudes of 171 and 450 m asl. It is likely that minimum winter temperatures will not reduce the establishment or further spread of this successful invader in forests in Central Europe.

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária, na área científica de Sanidade Animal A globalização e as alterações climáticas influenciam o aparecimento e ressurgimento de doenças transmitidas por mosquitos. Na Europa, seis espécies de mosquitos foram demonstradas como vetores competentes para o vírus do Nilo Ocidental (VNO), nomeadamente Culex pipiens, Cx. modestus, Cx. perexiguus, Cx. torrentium, Aedes albopictus, e Ae. detritus. Culex pipiens é considerado o principal vetor de transmissão do VNO no nosso país. Em Portugal, bem como se verifica noutros países, parecem estar presentes as condições ecológicas essenciais à circulação e manutenção do VNO no ecossistema. No período de outubro de 2021 a fevereiro de 2022, no Centro de Estudos e Recuperação de Animais Selvagens de Castelo Branco (CERAS), foram instaladas duas armadilhas luminosas miniatura CDC, utilizando dióxido de carbono (CO2) como atrativo, para a captura de mosquitos. Utilizou-se também um aspirador de insetos portátil, para captura de mosquitos em instalações de animais selvagens e em contacto direto com o corpo dos animais. Complementarmente, foram obtidos dados acerca da temperatura do ar, humidade relativa e quantidade de precipitação, através do Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), para posterior interpretação juntamente com os resultados obtidos. No presente estudo foram capturados, através das armadilhas, 70 mosquitos, não tendo sido capturado nenhum mosquito utilizando o aspirador. Capturaram-se, pelo menos, cinco espécies diferentes incluindo Anopheles maculipennis s.l., Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Culiseta annulata e Culiseta longiareolata, dois mosquitos identificados como Aedes spp. e dois identificados como Anopheles spp.. Na totalidade da amostra verificou-se em maior quantidade a espécie Culex pipiens e observaram-se 53% (37/70) de machos e 47% (33/70) de fêmeas. Capturaram-se três fêmeas com abdómen engorgitado em outubro, novembro e mesmo no inverno, em janeiro. A realização do estudo neste período permitiu englobar os meses de outubro e novembro, em que ainda se verifica atividade de mosquitos, e os meses de dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro, permitindo realizar um estudo preliminar da atividade dos mosquitos no período de overwintering ABSTRACT - STUDY OF POTENTIAL INSECT VECTORS OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS IN THE ACTIVITY AREA OF THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER OF CASTELO BRANCO - Globalization and climate change influence the emergence and resurgence of mosquito-borne diseases. In Europe, six mosquito species have been shown to be competent vectors for West Nile vírus (WNV), namely Culex pipiens, Cx. modestus, Cx. perexiguus, Cx. torrentium, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. detritus. Culex pipiens is considered to be the main vector for WNV transmission in this country. In Portugal, as well as in some other countries, the ecological conditions essential for the circulation and maintenance of the WNV in the ecosystem seem to be present. During the period from October 2021 to February 2022, at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Castelo Branco, two miniature CDC light traps were placed, using carbon dioxide (CO2) as an attractant, to capture mosquitoes. A portable insect vacuum was also used to capture mosquitoes in wild animal enclosures and on direct contact with the animals. In addition, data on air temperature, relative humidity and rainfall amount were obtained from the Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), for further interpretation along with the results obtained. During the study, 70 mosquitoes were captured by the traps, and no mosquitoes were captured using the vacuum. At least five different species were captured including Anopheles maculipennis s.l., Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, Culiseta annulata and Culiseta longiareolata, two mosquitoes identified as Aedes spp. and two identified as Anopheles spp. In the entire sample, the species Culex pipiens was found in higher quantities and were detected 53% (37/70) of males and 47% (33/70) of females. Three females with engorged abdomens were captured in October, November and even in winter, in January. This study enabled us to comprise the months of October and November, when mosquitoes are still active, and the months of December, January and February, allowing a preliminary study of overwintering mosquitoes N/A

The expression of genes that induce the transformation of meristems into the reproductive stage in oilseed rape is realized in conditions of low positive temperatures for a certain period of time. Such a flowering process is called the vernalization pathway. A four-factor field trial with 6 genotypes of head cabbage was set up at the Institute of Vegetable Crops in Smederevska Palanka, of which three parental genotypes were divergent by geographical origin: Scc, B and N, and three more F1 hybrids were selected by diallel crossing: Scc x B, Scc x N and B x N. In order to achieve a different vegetative stage, seedlings were sown at three sowing dates: August 15th, September 1st and September 15th. Transplanting was done on October 20th. The results of sowing head cabbage within the sowing period for oilseed rape were the induction of the flower mechanism, the absence of the head formation phenophase, and the realization of a stable seed yield. The experiment was performed in vivo in the control version and in the treatment with gibberellic acid – GA3. The influence of all four factors: season, genotype, sowing date and GA3 treatment showed statistical significance for the yield components as well as for the yield itself and seed quality. The three seasons in which the experiment was evaluated differed in temperature during overwintering: 2010/2011 was moderately cold, 2011/2012 was extremely cold, while 2012/2013 was warm. In the cold season, the seed yield was low, and reduced to the biological maintenance of the species, while the highest seed yield was achieved in the third – warm (2012/2013) season in the first sowing period. The experiment also confirmed the existence of an identical flower mechanism in the species Brassica napus L. and Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. Експресија гена који индукују трансформацију меристема у репродуктивни стадијум код уљане репице остварује се у условима ниских позитивних температура у извесном трајању. Такав процес цветања назива се вернализациони пут. У Институту за повртарство из Смедеревске Паланке постављен је четворофакторски пољски оглед са 6 генотипова купуса главичара, од којих су три родитељска генотипа дивергентна по географском пореклу: Scc, B и N, а од њих је диалелним укрштањем селекционисано још три F1 хибрида: Scc x B, Scc x N, и B x N. У циљу постизања различитог вегетативног стадијума расада, сетва је вршена у три рока сетве: 15. август, 1. септембар и 15. септембар. Расађивање је вршено 20. октобра. Резултат сетве купуса главичара у року сетве за уљану репицу била је индукција цветног механизма, изостанак фенофазе формирања главице и реализација стабилног приноса семена. Оглед је постављен in vivo у контролној верзији и у третману гиберелинском киселином – GA3. Утицај сва четири фактора: сезоне, генотипа, рока сетве и третмана GA3 показао је статистичку значајност на особине компоненте приноса, као и сам принос и квалитет семена. Три сезоне у којима је оглед евалуиран биле су температурно различите у периоду презимљавања: 2010/2011 је била умерено хладна, 2011/2012 је била изразито хладна, док је 2012/2013 била топла. У температурно хладној сезони принос семена био је низак, сведен на биолошко одржавање врсте, док је највећи принос семена остварен у трећој – топлој (2012/2013) сезони истраживања у првом року сетве. Оглед је потврдио и постојање идентичног цветног механизма код врста Brassica napus L. и Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. Кључне речи: купус главичар, уљана репица, вернализација

Diapause is a common adaptation for overwintering in insects that is characterized by arrested development and increased tolerance to stress and cold. While the expression of specific candidate genes during diapause have been investigated, there is no general understanding of the dynamics of the transcriptional landscape as a whole during the extended diapause phenotype. Such a detailed temporal insight is important, as diapause is a vital aspect of life cycle timing. Here we performed a time-course experiment using RNA-Seq on the head and abdomen in the butterfly Pieris napi. In both body parts, comparing diapausing and non-diapausing siblings, differentially expressed genes are detected from the first day of pupal development and onwards, varying dramatically across these formative stages. During diapause there are strong gene expression dynamics present, revealing a pre-programmed transcriptional landscape that is active during the winter. Different biological processes appear to be active in the two body parts. Finally, adults emerging from either the direct or diapause pathways do not show large transcriptomic differences, suggesting the adult phenotype is strongly canalized.

We conducted a citizen science survey on the winter honey bee colony losses in Poland from 2017/18 to 2019/20 to determine the influence of the use of screened bottom boards on the winter colony losses due to various causes. A total of 1035 beekeepers with 40,003 colonies reported valid data. The overall winter colony loss rate ranged from 10.7% to 13.9%, and in every year, the overall winter colony loss rate was higher than 10% (which is considered as acceptable in Poland). The study reveals that the use of screened bottom boards was associated with reduced overall loss rate. However, the nature of this relationship was not the same in terms of all types of colony losses: while the use of screened bottom boards was associated with a reduced mortality rate (management-related colony loss rate due to dead colonies) in which the empty hives were observed (colony depopulation syndrome, CDS), it was associated with an increased mortality rate in which the lack of food was observed (starvation). Given that in our study the role of CDS in the overall colony loss rate was 2.5-fold higher than the role of starvation, the final influence of the use of screened bottom boards on the overall colony loss rate turned out to be beneficial. Given the well-known beneficial role of screened bottom boards in varroosis control, they are highly recommended in beekeeping practices in Poland.

Germany has been operating permanently crewed research stations in Antarctica for more than 45 years. The opening of the Georg Forster Station (1976) and Georg von Neumayer Station (1981) initiated a period of continuous environmental monitoring that allowed both the former East Germany and West Germany to become contracting parties in, and achieve consultative status with, the framework of the Antarctic Treaty. This marked a milestone in German polar research. Continuous research at the Neumayer Station III, its two predecessors, and the now-dismantled former German Democratic Republic (GDR) Georg Forster Station is undertaken by teams of so-called “overwinterers”, presently with nine members, who stay at the base for longer than an entire Antarctic winter. Their long-term stay in Antarctica is defined by isolation, separation from civilization, routine work to sustain long-term scientific observations, and unique personal experiences. This article is dedicated to them and outlines their part and role in the German Antarctic research landscape. Germany has been operating permanently crewed research stations in Antarctica for more than 45 years. The opening of the Georg Forster Station (1976) and Georg von Neumayer Station (1981) initiated a period of continuous environmental monitoring that allowed both the former East Germany and West Germany to become contracting parties in, and achieve consultative status with, the framework of the Antarctic Treaty. This marked a milestone in German polar research. Continuous research at the Neumayer Station III, its two predecessors, and the now-dismantled former German Democratic Republic (GDR) Georg Forster Station is undertaken by teams of so-called "overwinterers", presently with nine members, who stay at the base for longer than an entire Antarctic winter. Their long-Term stay in Antarctica is defined by isolation, separation from civilization, routine work to sustain long-Term scientific observations, and unique personal experiences. This article is dedicated to them and outlines their part and role in the German Antarctic research landscape.

Eastern North American monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) embark on a yearly migration between summer breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada and overwintering sites in central Mexico, traveling up to 4300 km. This annual multi-generational migration cycle, like many seasonal natural phenomena, may be impacted by recent changes in climate and habitat. We investigated long-term trends in monarch abundance and fall migration timing over a 29-year period in Cape May, New Jersey, using data collected from daily population surveys designed to track patterns of occurrence during the fall migration period through Cape May (1 Sept-31 Oct). Between 1992 and 2020, the migration midpoint, average peak migration day and first peak migration day shifted between 16 and 19 days later in the season, an average of approximately six days per decade. This observed shift in migration timing is correlated with increasing temperatures in September and October in northeastern monarch breeding grounds over the study period. Our data do not demonstrate a significant directional trend in monarch abundance over the study period, yet population data collected at overwintering sites in Mexico indicate a substantial decline over the same period. Further postponement of fall migration may lead to lower migration success and exacerbate the overall decline of this iconic species.

Amilenus aurantiacus overwinter in diapause, a natural starvation period, in hypogean habitats. The structure of spherites in the midgut diverticula (MD) and Malpighian tubules (MT) has been studied comparatively by light microscopy and TEM to detect eventual differences in mineral consumption in the beginning and at the end of the starvation period in these organs (MD and MT) associated with digestive processes. The chemical composition of spherites was examined by combining energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM). The structure of the spherites changed during overwintering in both organs. At the beginning of overwintering, the spherites were composed of densely packed concentric layers of electron-dense and electron-lucent material. In the middle and at the end of overwintering, the electron-lucent layers between the layers of material indicated the loss of some material. The chemical composition of the spherites changed only in the MD; at the beginning of overwintering, these contained Si, O, C and Fe, while later there was no more Fe. In contrast, spherites in the MT were composed of Si, O, C and Ca throughout overwintering. A less intensive exploitation of the MD spherites was probably due to complete cessation of digestive and other cell activity in this organ during the winter diapause; activity of the MT slowed, but continued removing the cell metabolites.

Relevance. The article is devoted to the actual problem of the spring-summer seeding of winter rye on drained lands.Methods and results. The studies were carried out in 2017–2020 at the experimental site of VNIIMZ (Tver region), drained by a closed drain. The soil of the experimental site is sod-podzolic light loamy gleyic slightly acidic, the content of humus is 1.8–2.4%, exchangeable potassium and available phosphorus content is increased and high. In field experiments, the effectiveness of spring-summer sowing dates for winter rye in a fallow field of crop rotation was studied with a ridge belt-spread cultivation method. It has been established that under the conditions of the north-west of the Non-Chernozem zone winter rye with its spring-summer sowing can form practically the same yields as with the standard cultivation technology. On average over 4 years the biological yield of rye grain when grown after spring rape was 3.69 t/ha, and with spring-summer sowing in a fallow field and harvesting the next year — 3.70 t/ha. The leveling of the variants in terms of yield with a significant difference between them in the plant density occurred due to productive tillering. The coefficient of productive bushiness in the control was 1.4, and with spring-summer sowing — 2.3. Differences between the variants in the number of productive stems, the number of grains per ear, and the weight of 1000 grains on average over 4 years were insignificant. High efficiency of harrowing of spring-summer crops of rye was noted both in the sowing year (late August — early September) and in spring after overwintering. The preservation of plants improved, the number of productive stems increased by 14.3%, and the biological productivity of rye increased by 18.4%. The technology of cultivation of winter rye with spring-summer sowing can significantly reduce the amount of field work in the fallow field, eliminate the costs of plowing, cultivation, sowing, rapeseed, and reduce the total production costs for maintaining 1 hectare of a fallow field by 7–10 thousand rubles.

Honey bee colonies can be afflicted by serious conditions beyond infectious etiologies. Noninfectious conditions, such as starvation, laying worker colonies, and environmental dysregulation, can be as devastating as any disease. Improper hive monitoring and care often are the underlying causes of noninfectious conditions and each condition may be prevented by instituting best management practices.

Hop powdery mildew, caused by the ascomycete fungus Podosphaera macularis, is a consistent threat to sustainable hop production. The pathogen utilizes two reproductive strategies for overwintering and perennation: (i) asexual vegetative hyphae on dormant buds that emerge the following season as infected shoots; and (ii) sexual ascocarps (chasmothecia), which are discharged during spring rain events. We demonstrate that P. macularis chasmothecia, in the absence of any asexual P. macularis growth forms, are a viable overwintering source capable of causing early season infection two to three orders of magnitude greater than that reported for perennation via asexual growth. Two epidemiological models were defined that describe (i) temperature-driven maturation of P. macularis chasmothecia; and (ii) ascosporic discharge in response to duration of leaf wetness and prevailing temperatures. P. macularis ascospores were confirmed to be infectious at temperatures ranging from 5 to 20°C. The organism’s chasmothecia were also found to adhere tightly to the host tissue on which they formed, suggesting that these structures likely overwinter wherever hop tissue senesces within a hop yard. These observations suggest that existing early season disease management practices are especially crucial to controlling hop powdery mildew in the presence of P. macularis chasmothecia. Furthermore, these insights provide a baseline for the validation of weather-driven models describing maturation and release of P. macularis ascospores, models that can eventually be incorporated into hop disease management programs.

Quantifying the responses of forest disturbances to climate warming is critical to our understanding of carbon cycles and energy balances of the Earth system. The impact of warming on bark beetle outbreaks is complex as multiple drivers of these events may respond differently to warming. Using a novel model of bark beetle biology and host tree interactions, we assessed how contemporary warming affected western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis) populations and mortality of its host, ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), during an extreme drought in the Sierra Nevada, California, United States. When compared with the field data, our model captured the western pine beetle flight timing and rates of ponderosa pine mortality observed during the drought. In assessing the influence of temperature on western pine beetles, we found that contemporary warming increased the development rate of the western pine beetle and decreased the overwinter mortality rate of western pine beetle larvae leading to increased population growth during periods of lowered tree defense. We attribute a 29.9% (95% CI: 29.4%-30.2%) increase in ponderosa pine mortality during drought directly to increases in western pine beetle voltinism (i.e., associated with increased development rates of western pine beetle) and, to a much lesser extent, reductions in overwintering mortality. These findings, along with other studies, suggest each degree (°C) increase in temperature may have increased the number of ponderosa pine killed by upwards of 35%-40% °C-1 if the effects of compromised tree defenses (15%-20%) and increased western pine beetle populations (20%) are additive. Due to the warming ability to considerably increase mortality through the mechanism of bark beetle populations, models need to consider climate's influence on both host tree stress and the bark beetle population dynamics when determining future levels of tree mortality.

Winter rapeseed seedlings are susceptible to low temperature during overwintering in Northwest China, leading to reduced crops production. Freezing stress is one of the utmost environmental stresses in Northwest China from late autumn to early spring, which are eventful for overwinter survival rate of winter rapeseed. However, the molecular mechanism of freezing tolerance formation is still very backward in winter rapeseed. In this study, using a pair of freezing-sensitive and freezing-resistant cultivars NQF24 and NTS57, the exhaustive effects of freezing stress on freezing tolerance formation were evaluated by analyzing leaf at the levels of transcriptome, proteome, physiology and ultrastructure. There were 8497 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 418 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) specifically identified in leaf of NQF24 under freezing stress, while 7358 DEGs and 573 DAPs were specifically identified in leaf of NTS57. Function enrichment analysis showed that most of the enriched DEGs and DAPs were associated with plant hormones signal transduction, fatty acid metabolism, ribosome, plant-pathogen interaction and secondary metabolites biosynthesis. Freezing tolerance is formed by enhanced signals transduction, increased the biosynthesis of protein and secondary metabolites, higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, more osmolytes, lower lipid peroxidation, and stronger ultrastructure. These results can be taken as selection indicators in freezing tolerance breeding program in rapeseed.

Avocado cultivation has reduced the extent of forest ecosystems in central Mexico, even in natural protected areas such as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) where information on the extent and expansion dynamics of avocado cover is scant. This study aimed to identify avocado plantations within the MBBR through photo interpretation for the 2006–2018 period. Change rates of the avocado cover extent were calculated for the northern, central, and southern zones of the MBBR, and topographic attributes such as elevation, soil type, slope, and slope aspect were identified. A total extent of 958 ha is covered by avocado plantations within the MBBR. The southern zone hosted the largest area under avocado cultivation (570 ha), but the northern zone had the highest change rate between 2006 and 2018 (422%). Most avocado orchards have been established mainly in Acrisol soils, south-facing slopes, on steep hillsides, and in elevations between 2050 and 2800 m. The conversion from traditional agricultural lands has been the main mechanism for the establishment of avocado orchards. However, 40 ha under avocado cultivation derived from deforestation, mainly in the central zone. The expansion of avocado plantations could trigger environmental impacts, even threatening the overwintering habitat and the migratory phenomenon of the monarch butterflies.

BACKGROUND In eastern Canada, surveys of overwintering 2nd instar spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) larvae ('L2s') are carried out each fall to guide insecticide application decisions in the following spring. These surveys involve the collection of fir and spruce branches in selected stands, followed by the mechanical/chemical removal of larvae. The latter then are counted manually on filter papers, using a stereomicroscope. Considering the significant effort and difficulties which this manual counting entails, we developed a quantitative (q)PCR-based 'molecular counting' approach designed to make this step less tedious. RESULTS Using the C. fumiferana mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) gene as a target for qPCR DNA quantification, we show that the amount of DNA in a larval extract is strongly correlated with the number of larvae used to generate that extract, and that molecular estimates of L2 counts are comparable to those generated using the manual approach. In addition, we used the same DNA extracts to monitor the microsporidian pathogen Nosema fumiferanae, and the hymenopteran parasitoids Glypta fumiferanae and Apanteles fumiferanae in overwintering L2s employing a subset of a TaqMan assay developed by Nisole et al. (2020) for the identification of budworm natural enemies. We show that the proportion of individuals affected by each natural enemy in samples containing a known number of larvae can be estimated from presence/absence data through the binomial probability distribution. CONCLUSION The present proof-of-principle study shows that a molecular approach for counting L2s and assessing their natural enemy load is clearly possible and is expected to generate reliable results.

Aprostocetus fukutai (Miwa & Sonan) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is the only known egg parasitoid of the citrus longhorned beetle Anoplophora chinensis Forster (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a high-risk invasive pest of hardwood trees. Native to East Asia, A. fukutai has been accidentally introduced in northern Italy, where it has 1–2 generations per year, overwinters as diapausing mature larvae within host eggs, and adults emerge in early summer in synchrony with the egg deposition of its host. As part of the efforts to develop a biological control program using this specialist parasitoid, this study investigated some of its key reproductive traits, including egg maturation dynamics, host egg age preference, clutch size, and lifetime fecundity under quarantine laboratory conditions. Newly emerged adult females after winter diapause had a substantial proportion (43.7%) of their lifetime complement of mature eggs and matured additional eggs rapidly, reaching a peak 4–8 days post-emergence. The parasitoid preferred to attack 1–3 day old over 4–7 or 7–10 day old host eggs. Adults of the first (overwintering) generation were more fecund than those of the second (summer) generation. Females of the first and second generations parasitized 3.6 and 2.8 hosts, produced 11.2 and 9.6 offspring per parasitized host for a total of 37.5 and 24.7 offspring with sex ratio of 85.3 and 82.8% females over their lifetime, respectively. These results provide novel information that may help improve protocols for future rearing, study, or field-release of this parasitoid against A. chinensis.

Snow insulates the soil from air temperature, decreasing winter cold stress and altering energy use for organisms that overwinter in the soil. As climate change alters snowpack and air temperatures, it is critical to account for the role of snow in modulating vulnerability to winter climate change. Along elevational gradients in snowy mountains, snow cover increases but air temperature decreases, and it is unknown how these opposing gradients impact performance and fitness of organisms overwintering in the soil. We developed experimentally validated ecophysiological models of cold and energy stress over the past decade for the montane leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis, along five replicated elevational transects in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Cold stress peaks at mid-elevations, while high elevations are buffered by persistent snow cover, even in dry years. While protective against cold, snow increases energy stress for overwintering beetles, particularly at low elevations, potentially leading to mortality or energetic tradeoffs. Declining snowpack will predominantly impact mid-elevation populations by increasing cold exposure, while high elevation habitats may provide refugia as drier winters become more common.

The selection of grass mixtures with appropriate visual and functional parameters for sowing football fields is a key element in shaping the sports infrastructure, ensuring the spectacularity of a match and comfort for players. The aim of the research was to investigate the properties of lawn grass mixtures and their suitability for football pitches. The experiment was conducted at the Toya Golf & Country Club (51° 20′ E, 17° 07′ N), Wrocław, Poland, between 2007 and 2009. 12 grass mixtures were selected, mainly based on red fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. The assessment was carried out using a nine-point scale, according to the Plant Variety Office methodology for crops and turf grass. Six features of sports turf were studied: appearance, density, colour, leaf fineness, overwintering, and susceptibility to disease and they significantly varied, depending on the grass mixture and the year of research. Our study showed that mixtures based on the dominance of meadow grass were characterized by higher values of the general visual aspect, colour and slenderness of the leaf blade and these based on the dominance of perennial ryegrass and co-dominance of perennial ryegrass and meadow grass were the most useful in terms of wintering, resistance to diseases and sodding.

Low temperature in winter depresses rates of photosynthesis, which, in evergreen plants, can exacerbate imbalances between light absorption and photochemical light use. Damage that could result from increased excess light absorption is minimized by the conversion of excitation energy to heat in a process known as energy dissipation, which involves the de-epoxidized carotenoids of the xanthophyll cycle. Overwintering evergreens employ sustained forms of energy dissipation observable even after lengthy periods of dark acclimation. Whereas most studies of photoprotective energy dissipation examine one or a small number of species; here, we measured the levels of sustained thermal energy dissipation of seventy conifer taxa growing outdoors under common-garden conditions at the Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. (forty nine taxa were also sampled for needle pigment content). We observed an extremely wide range of wintertime engagement of sustained energy dissipation; the percentage decrease in dark-acclimated photosystem II quantum efficiency from summer to winter ranged from 6 to 95%. Of the many pigment-based parameters measured, the magnitude of the seasonal decrease in quantum efficiency was most closely associated with the seasonal increase in zeaxanthin content expressed on a total chlorophyll basis, which explained only slightly more than one-third of the variation. We did not find evidence for a consistent wintertime decrease in needle chlorophyll content. Thus, the prevailing mechanism for winter decreases in solar-induced fluorescence emitted by evergreen forests may be decreases in fluorescence quantum yield, and wintertime deployment of sustained energy dissipation likely underlies this effect.

During overwintering of black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis), the composition and function of the gut microbiota changes are of considerable interest for understanding its environmental adaption mechanism. In this study, we characterized the structure of the gut microbiota from the black-necked crane in the Dashanbao wintering area, and compared the early-winter (November) microbiota to the late-winter (March of the next year) microbiota. The results showed that the gut microbiota diversity of black-necked crane in the early-overwintering stage was higher than that in the late-overwintering stage, but it did not reach a significant level. Gut microbiota taxonomic composition analysis showed that relative abundance of Bacteroidota increased significantly, and showed decreased Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio at the phylum level, meanwhile, the abundance of Lactobacillus decreased significantly at the genus level. Explain gut microbiota between the early- and late-wintering showed some differences in microbiota richness but maintained a relatively conservative microbiota structure. PICRUSt2 method was used to predict and analyze the KEGG functional abundance of 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria, it was found that the changes in gut microbiota composition increased the abundance of bacteria associated with amino acid biosynthesis and acid metabolism in the late stage of overwintering. This work provides basic data for black-necked crane gut microbiota study, which might further contribute to their protection.

New data on the distribution of the bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus, 1758) and red-throated diver Gavia stellata (Pontoppidan, 1763) on the Crimean Peninsula are presented. Against the backdrop of aquatic and coastal ecosystems’ transformation under natural and anthropogenic impact, even single finds of hydrophilic avifauna representatives in atypical spatiotemporal conditions are of interest for the analysis of emerging trends in migration phenology and abundance of both separate species and taxonomic and ecological groups of birds. The aim of the study was to clarify the distribution boundaries and terms of stay on the Crimean Peninsula of two hydrophilic bird species: semiaquatic species, bar-tailed godwit, and true water bird, red-throated diver. Bird observations were carried out during scheduled accountings on the Isthmus of Ak-Monay (March 2012) and in the Kruglaya Bay (Sevastopol) (July 2019). The bar-tailed godwit is registered in Crimea during spring and autumn migration periods. For the first time, it was found in the north of the Crimean Peninsula in 1972; later, there were an increase in its abundance and expansion of a distribution area. Recent records of this species in southern Crimea significantly expanded the known boundaries of its distribution on the peninsula during the migration period. The observation of the bar-tailed godwit in eastern Crimea on 14 March, 2012, specified the date its spring migration begins; the observation in Sevastopol (western foothill) on 27 July, 2019, was the first one in Mountain Crimea. Off the Crimean coast, the red-throated diver is a rare overwintering and migratory bird. The find of the red-throated diver individual in the Kruglaya Bay on 19 January, 2020, was the third reliable record of this species overwintering in Crimea and the first one in Sevastopol area. The registration of the red-throated diver at a considerable distance from its usual overwintering areas (off the southwestern coast of the Black Sea), along with numerous facts of the expansion of nesting or winter ranges of different bird species northward, confirms the ongoing climatic and ecological changes. Particular attention should be focused on the problem, associated with low ecological culture of the use and disposal of fishing tackles, which have a detrimental effect on hydrophilic birds. Measures have to be developed to regulate fishing with nets, hooks, and line tackles in the areas of bird mass overwintering and seasonal migrations.

Risk-spreading behaviour is often exhibited by animals as a response to unpredictably variable environments. Using field and laboratory studies, we tested the hypothesis that Sympetrum vicinum dragonflies spread the risks of winter environments by laying eggs across a terrestrial–aquatic gradient. Sympetrum vicinum eggs that overwintered in terrestrial and benthic-limnetic habitats had significantly higher hatching success compared with eggs that overwintered in littoral sites. Low success may have been caused by hypoxia due to excess sediment in the littoral samples in the lab. While hypoxia experienced under winter conditions (4°C) had no negative effect on hatching success, hatching in hypoxic and anoxic water significantly decreased hatching success. Opportunistic egg predation by a winter-active caddisfly significantly decreased egg hatching success. Because S. vicinum eggs have a relatively low supercooling point (− 26.25°C), freezing may not be a significant source of mortality in terrestrial or aquatic sites. By ovipositing in both terrestrial and aquatic environments, female dragonflies may be balancing the unpredictable risks of both the failure to inundate the eggs and egg predation. Our research highlights the potential for biotic interactions during winter to shape the behaviour and life-history of aquatic invertebrates.

The dust mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) on date palm trees is one of the main pests affecting palm trees in Iraq. Its severity has increased its damage to the crop in recent years. A study of some environmental aspects of the pest such as alternative hosts, spread and distribution of the pest after harvesting and overwintering are important factors to identify pest's vulnerable periods, which can be utilized in the control process. The results revealed that the pest had activity during the spring on alternative hosts Sorghum bicolor, S. halepense, and Cynodon dactynlon. Surveying vegetables that are inter-planted with palm groves, the pest was found present in the field on the Fragaria ananassa, Cucurbita pepo, Solanum melongena, and Citrullus lanatus. At the "rutab" and "tamar" stages, higher numbers of O. afrasiaticus began to leave the dates fruit bunches to pinnae of frond trees and offshoot to feed and reproduce until the onset of winter and remain there as fertile females to resume their activities during the following spring. The highest density of mobile instars and eggs reached 0.9 individual/pinna and 1.4 egg/pinna, respectively, in October, and then the numbers began to decline to reach 0.3 individual/pinna during the winter period, when no eggs were observed. Furthermore, some plant species provided food and shelter for the pest during the winter period such as C. dactylon, S. halepense, Imperata cylindrica and Phragmites australis. Results obtained also showed that date palm seedlings grown randomly in the orchard under study acted as a refuge for the dust mite, as it fed and multiplied continuously on them for several generations and throughout the year. Keywords: Oligonychus afrasiaticus, overwintering, alternative hosts

Detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) has become a commonly used surveillance method for threatened or invasive vertebrates in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. However, most studies in this field favor vertebrate target species. Environmental DNA protocols can be especially useful for endangered invertebrates such as the Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) where conservation efforts have been greatly hindered by training, time, overall costs, and environmental impacts associated with conducting surveys in the calcareous fens occupied by this species. An essential step in developing such a protocol is to evaluate the dynamics of eDNA concentration under controlled conditions. We used the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to examine seasonal shifts in the persistence and net-accumulation of eDNA from captive S. hineana larvae in experimental mesocosms at temperatures corresponding with their overwintering (5.0 °C) and active (16.0 °C) seasons. Environmental DNA persisted longer at 5.0 °C but accumulated more readily at 16.0 °C. Differences in the accumulation and persistence of eDNA reflect differences in the longevity of eDNA at different temperatures and seasonal differences in larval S. hineana behavior. This study highlights the importance of considering how seasonal changes in temperature influence not only the speed of eDNA degradation but also the target species’ eDNA shedding rates.

Bees are the main pollinators of most cultivated and wild plant species. Unfortunately, due to the pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change, they are declining worldwide. A machine learning model to anticipate temperature drops in honeybee colonies. The long short-term memory (LSTM) algorithm was applied to five real datasets with the following input factors: (i) internal temperature, (ii) internal humidity, (iii) mean fanning, (iv) mean noise, (v) mass, and (vi) external temperature. The results showed that the proposed machine learning model could predict the temperature 24 h in advance with an RMSE error of only 0.5%.

Molt is critical for birds as it replaces damaged feathers and worn plumage, enhancing flight performance, thermoregulation, and communication. In passerines, molt generally occurs on the breeding grounds during the postbreeding period once a year. However, some species of migrant passerines that breed in the Nearctic and Western Palearctic regions have evolved different molting strategies that involve molting on the overwintering grounds. Some species forego molt on the breeding grounds and instead complete their prebasic molt on the overwintering grounds. Other species molt some or all feathers a second time (prealternate molt) during the overwintering period. Using phylogenetic analyses, we explored the potential drivers of the evolution of winter molts in Nearctic and Western Palearctic breeding passerines. Our results indicate an association between longer photoperiods and the presence of prebasic and prealternate molts on the overwintering grounds for both Nearctic and Western Palearctic species. We also found a relationship between prealternate molt and generalist and water habitats for Western Palearctic species. Finally, the complete prealternate molt in Western Palearctic passerines was linked to longer days on the overwintering grounds and longer migration distance. Longer days may favor the evolution of winter prebasic molt by increasing the time window when birds can absorb essential nutrients for molt. Alternatively, for birds undertaking a prealternate molt at the end of the overwintering period, longer days may increase exposure to feather‐degrading ultra‐violet radiation, necessitating the replacement of feathers. Our study underlines the importance of the overwintering grounds in the critical process of molt for many passerines that breed in the Nearctic and Western Palearctic regions., Our study explored the potential drivers of the evolution of winter molts in Nearctic and Western Palearctic breeding passerines. Using phylogenic analysis, we tested whether photoperiod, migration distance, NDVI of the breeding and overwintering grounds, habitat, and diet were associated with species undergoing a winter prebasic molt or a prealternate molt. Our study suggests that the evolution of winter molt strategies in Nearctic and Western Palearctic migratory passerines was likely driven by multiple factors, but photoperiod, migration distance, and overwintering ground conditions are particularly important.

Stigmaeopsis mites are voracious feeders of bamboo plants, Pleioblastus spp., Miscanthus spp., and Sasa spp. Fifteen species of the genus Stigmaeopsis have been reported worldwide. Their life histo...

Dormancy is important for overwintering insects to resist and adapt to adverse conditions. Dormancy generally contains quiescence and diapause. Eucryptorrhynchus brandti Harold (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), tree-of-heaven trunk weevil (TTW), is a destructive pest and highly host-specific to Ailanthus altissima in China. TTW has one generation per year and overwinters as both larvae and adults. In this study, to examined dormancy type of adults and find a method to store overwintering adults, we collected adults from 20 October 2018 to 13 March 2019. We studied the behavior and reproductive development of adults under field cold conditions for 0 and 10 d and laboratory warm conditions for 5 and 10 d. We recorded developing eggs in females, and the clarity of the testis edge, the yellow point in the testis lobe, the ratio of the inner content in the accessory gland, and the accessory gland color in males. Adults transferred from the field to the laboratory had resumed reproductive development directly. Results indicated that the dormancy type of TTW adults was quiescence. Adults stored in the field were still in a dormant state and the field-storage method was effective. Current study provided basic data for controlling overwintering TTW adults and solve the storage of insect sources during the winter.

Some species of psyllid (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) are known to make high-altitude windborne migrations, but compared with their sister superfamily, the Aphidoidea, our knowledge of these movements is rudimentary and unsystematised. Here we have extracted psyllid capture data from day and night aerial sampling carried out at a height of 200 m above ground at Cardington, Bedfordshire, UK, during summers between 1999 and 2007. These records were consolidated with high-altitude psyllid catches made over England during the 1930s and with some other trapping results from northwest Europe which were indicative of migration. Information on aerial densities, diel flight periodicity, and the sex-ratio of the aerial psyllid populations is presented. We also compared our results with those of a recent study which used the Rothamsted Insect Survey network of suction traps (sampling at a height of 12.2 m); this provided confirmative evidence that the suction-traps were indeed detecting migrating psyllids. Finally, both aerial netting and suction trap data were used to tentatively interpret the seasonal timing of migrations in terms of the breeding/overwintering cycles of some common psyllid species.

Liriomyza sativae Blanchard and Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) are two highly polyphagous pests that successively invaded China in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively, threatening vegetable and horticultural plants. Competitive displacement of L. sativae by L. trifolii occurred during the expansion process of the latter in southern China, while whether L. trifolii can expand their range to northern China remains unclear. Overwintering and cold tolerance capacity largely determine the species distribution range and can affect species displacement through overwintering and phenology. In this study, we compared the overwintering potential, cold tolerance and supercooling point (SCP) between these two leafminer species. Our results showed that L. trifolii can overwinter at higher altitudes than L. sativae. In addition, we found that they can both successfully overwinter in greenhouses in northern China, and the overwintering capacity of L. trifolii was higher than that of L. sativae. Moreover, the extreme low-temperature survival of L. trifolii was significantly higher than that of L. sativae, and the SCP of the former was lower than that of the latter. We thus conclude that the overwintering and cold tolerance capacity of L. trifolii is much better than that of L. sativae. Our findings indicate that L. trifolii has the potential to displace L. sativae and expand its range to northern China. Moreover, our results have important implications for predicting overwinter ranges and developing management strategies for invasive leafminers in China.

Knowing the distribution of migratory species at different stages of their life cycle is necessary for their effective conservation. For the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), although its overwintering distribution is well known, the available information on premigration distribution is limited to the studies estimating the natal origins of overwintering Monarchs in Mexico (i.e., postmigration data). However, the premigration distribution and the natal origins of overwintering Monarchs can be equivalent only if we assume that migrating Monarchs have the same mortality rate irrespective of their origins. To estimate Monarchs’ premigration distribution, we used data reported by community scientists before Monarchs start their fall migration, that is, before migration mortality, and controlled for sampling bias. Our premigration distribution map indicated that Minnesota, Texas, and Ontario are the states/provinces with the highest abundance of Monarch in North America. Although this higher estimated abundance can be related to the large sizes of these states/provinces, this information is still important because it identifies the management jurisdictions with the largest responsibility for the conservation of the premigration population of Monarchs. Our premigration distribution map will be useful in future studies estimating the rates, distribution, and causes of mortality in migrating Monarchs., Our paper provides the first quantitative estimate of the premigration distribution of Monarch butterflies across North America. Our results showed that Minnesota, Texas, and Ontario are the states/provinces with the highest abundance of Monarchs before they start their fall migration. This information is important because it identifies the management jurisdictions with the largest responsibility for the conservation of the premigration population of Monarchs. Our premigration distribution map will be useful in future studies estimating the rates, distribution, and causes of mortality in migrating Monarchs.

The continuous expansion of invasive Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, combined to its ability to transmit arboviruses (e.g. dengue, chikungunya) is raising major public health concern in Europe. In Switzerland, the mosquito is firmly established in most urban areas of the Canton of Ticino, south of the Alps, and there is a real risk that it will colonize also urban areas north of the Alps in the next years. The spatial distribution and colonization of new areas by Ae. albopictus depends on several environmental parameters, such as winter and summer temperatures, and precipitation patterns. A key factor for Ae. albopictus to establish at higher latitudes is the capability to develop cold-tolerant overwintering diapausing eggs under specific environmental conditions. Weather-driven abundance models are used to map the areas of potential distribution and to predict temporal dynamics of Ae. albopictus and the transmission potential of arboviruses. This contribution presents the designed system that integrates low-cost and on-line IoT sensors to monitor temperature, humidity and light with istSOS an OGC Sensor Observation Service server implementation with a user friendly interface and rich feature collection to easily manage this sensor network and distribute data in a standard way (www.istsos.org).

In the present study, we evaluated the effect of management practices, fruit season, host habitats (young and old fronds, date fruits and grasses), and temperature on the phenology and abundance of the date palm mite (DPM). The study was conducted in two date palm orchards (two plots each): a managed and an unmanaged plot. The phenology of DPM was assessed based on adult cumulative mite days (ACMDs), while mean mite density was used to assess the mite abundance on different host habitats. The ACMDs and mean mite density were significantly different between managed and unmanaged plots on different host habitats in both fruiting and off-seasons. The date fruits had highest ACMDs during fruiting season. While young fronds had significantly higher ACMDs than on old fronds an grasses during both seasons in both plots.. The temperature and season type significantly affected the mean density of DPM eggs and adults. There was a significant effect of host habitats mean density of DPM eggs and immatures. Based on the adult phenology and abundance of DPM, the mite overwinters in young fronds and aerial offshoots of infested date palm trees. These overwintering DPM caused the seasonal date fruit infestation, each year. Additionally, different phytophagous and predatory mites, which co-occur with DPM, and were found on different host habitats affected the phenology and abundance of DPM. Moreover, the change in DPM body color was related to the host habitat that they fed in. Exceptionally, the brown color of females collected during the winter season could be due to physiological changes due to low temperature. In DPM males collected from different host habitats throughout the study, some morphological variations in the width of the knob, height of the hook, and the angle between the knob axis and dorsal margin of the shaft were also recorded. The results of this study suggest that young fronds and grasses are the suitable sites for DPM survival and overwintering. Hence, the management practices, early in the fruit season and/or during off fruit winter months, should be directed towards these habitats. These could provide efficient reduction in seasonal infestation of DPM.

Taoyuan County is a large grain and rapeseed production county. Taking advantage of the resource advantage of soil rich in selenium in Taoyuan County, it promotes high-yield cultivation and assembly technology of selenium-rich rice and rapeseed rotation in one-season rice area, optimizing the aggregate structure of the soil, improving the soil ecology and reducing the content of heavy metals in the soil, laying the foundation for the continuous increase in agricultural efficiency and farmers’ income. Through rice and rapeseed rotation, the overwintering base of rice field borers are reduced, and the incidence of pests and diseases in the coming year is effectively reduced. The popularization of assembling and supporting technologies for rice-rapeseed rotation cropping and the promotion of high-quality varieties and planting techniques can increase the farmers' income significantly. This paper will describe the methods and technologies in detail from three aspects: the assembling and supporting methods of selenium-enriched rice and rapeseed rotation high-yield cultivation, main points of the supporting technology for the rice selenium-enriched cultivation and main points of supporting technology for the rapeseed selenium-enriched cultivation.

Underground fires are a smoldering combustion with a slow spread rate, low temperatures and no flame. They can last from days to several months, and can even become overwintering fires. They are difficult to find, leading to considerable damage to the forests. The moisture content of combustible fuels is an important factor in the occurrence and persistence of underground forest fires. The Daxing’an Mountains are a hot spot for underground fires in China. This paper looks at the influence of different moisture contents on underground fire characteristics using simulation combustion experiments in the laboratory. The study showed that peak temperature and spread rate fluctuation of humus at different moisture levels increased with humus depth. Peak temperature and spread rate fluctuation of humus at different depths decreased with increased moisture; moisture content and depth of humus had a significant effect on peak temperature and spread rate fluctuation; peak temperature at different depths decreased with increased moisture; the spread rate in upper layers increased with moisture content, while the spread rate in the lower layers decreased with increased moisture content.

Declines in the abundance and diversity of insects pose a substantial threat to terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Yet, identifying the causes of these declines has proved difficult, even for well-studied species like monarch butterflies, whose eastern North American population has decreased markedly over the last three decades. Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain the changes observed in the eastern monarch population: loss of milkweed host plants from increased herbicide use, mortality during autumn migration and/or early-winter resettlement and changes in breeding-season climate. Here, we use a hierarchical modelling approach, combining data from >18,000 systematic surveys to evaluate support for each of these hypotheses over a 25-yr period. Between 2004 and 2018, breeding-season weather was nearly seven times more important than other factors in explaining variation in summer population size, which was positively associated with the size of the subsequent overwintering population. Although data limitations prevent definitive evaluation of the factors governing population size between 1994 and 2003 (the period of the steepest monarch decline coinciding with a widespread increase in herbicide use), breeding-season weather was similarly identified as an important driver of monarch population size. If observed changes in spring and summer climate continue, portions of the current breeding range may become inhospitable for monarchs. Our results highlight the increasingly important contribution of a changing climate to insect declines.