The structure of forests is an important stabilizing factor regarding ongoing global climate and land use change. Biodiverse mountain forests with natural structure are one of the ecosystems most endangered by these problems. We focused on the mountain forest islands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and their role in the natural distribution of organisms. The study area was situated in the oldest Czech national park, Krkonoše (385 km2), which is the highest mountain ridge in the country. We studied multi-taxa (lichens, beetles and hymenopterans) responses to three hierarchical spatial levels of the environment: the topography was described by the elevation gradient; the patch structure was described by canopy openness, dead wood amounts, and Norway spruce (Picea abies) cover; and the tree level was described by species of the sampled tree and its diameter. Lichens preferred higher elevations, while insect groups responded conversely. Furthermore, insect groups were mainly influenced by the inner patch structure of beech islands. Lichens may be jeopardized due to the predicted future increase in temperatures, since they would need to shift toward higher altitudes. Insects may be mainly threatened in the future by land use changes (i.e., forest management) - as indicated by an interconnection of canopy openness and the amount of dead wood.
- MeSH
- Biodiversity * MeSH
- Coleoptera classification MeSH
- Hymenoptera classification MeSH
- Forests * MeSH
- Lichens classification MeSH
- Spatial Analysis MeSH
- Conservation of Natural Resources MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Monotypic stands of common reed and the reed-gall-associated insect assemblages are distributed worldwide. However, fungi associated with these assemblages have not been characterized in detail. Here we examined 5200 individuals (12 species) of immature aculeate hymenopterans or their parasitoids collected at 34 sampling sites in Central Europe. We noticed fungal outgrowth on exoskeletons of 83 (1.60%) larvae and pupae. The most common host was eudominant Pemphredon fabricii. However, the less abundant aculeate hymenopteran reed gall inquilines were infected at higher prevalence, these included Trypoxylon deceptorium, Trypoxylon minus, Hoplitis leucomelana and Hylaeus moricei (all considered new host records). We identified three fungal species, Penicillium buchwaldii (72% of cases), Aspergillus pseudoglaucus (22%) and Penicillium quebecense (6%). When multibrooded nests were affected, only a part of individuals was infected in 62% of cases. The sampling site-specific infection rate reached up to 13%, thus fungal infections should be considered an important variable driving the abundance of gall inquilines. Infections of generalist host species were more frequent than those of reed gall specialists, suggesting that suboptimal conditions decreased the immunocompetence of non-specialized species, which only occasionally nest in reed galls and feed in reed beds.
- MeSH
- Aspergillus cytology genetics physiology MeSH
- DNA, Fungal chemistry MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Hymenoptera classification microbiology MeSH
- Host-Pathogen Interactions MeSH
- Pupa microbiology MeSH
- Larva microbiology MeSH
- Plant Tumors microbiology MeSH
- Penicillium cytology genetics physiology MeSH
- Likelihood Functions MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Specialization is a central concept in ecology and one of the fundamental properties of parasitoids. Highly specialized parasitoids tend to be more efficient in host-use compared to generalized parasitoids, presumably owing to the trade-off between host range and host-use efficiency. However, it remains unknown how parasitoid host specificity and host-use depends on host traits related to susceptibility to parasitoid attack. To address this question, we used data from a 13-year survey of interactions among 142 aphid and 75 parasitoid species in nine European countries. We found that only aphid traits related to local resource characteristics seem to influence the trade-off between host-range and efficiency: more specialized parasitoids had an apparent advantage (higher abundance on shared hosts) on aphids with sparse colonies, ant-attendance and without concealment, and this was more evident when host relatedness was included in calculation of parasitoid specificity. More traits influenced average assemblage specialization, which was highest in aphids that are monophagous, monoecious, large, highly mobile (easily drop from a plant), without myrmecophily, habitat specialists, inhabit non-agricultural habitats and have sparse colonies. Differences in aphid wax production did not influence parasitoid host specificity and host-use. Our study is the first step in identifying host traits important for aphid parasitoid host specificity and host-use and improves our understanding of bottom-up effects of aphid traits on aphid-parasitoid food web structure.
- MeSH
- Species Specificity MeSH
- Ecosystem MeSH
- Host Specificity MeSH
- Hymenoptera classification physiology MeSH
- Host-Parasite Interactions * MeSH
- Quantitative Trait, Heritable * MeSH
- Aphids classification physiology MeSH
- Population Dynamics MeSH
- Food Chain MeSH
- Plants parasitology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
Aphid parasitoids have good potential for crop protection. However, they have been poorly studied in Belgium, especially in terms of species diversity. Therefore, the aim of this work was to establish the first checklist for the country. To complete the list, aphid parasitoids were sampled in wheat and pea fields near Gembloux (Belgium), in 2013 and 2014. Among the identified species, Aphelinus asychis Walker, Aphelinus daucicola Kurdjumov, Aphelinus fusciscapus (Förster), Aphidius asteris Haliday, Aphidius eadyi Starý, Gonzalez & Hall, Praon barbatum Mackauer, and Trioxys auctus (Haliday) were recorded for the first time in Belgium. Thirty-two Aphidiinae and seven Aphelinus species were included in the checklist. It is hoped this study will stimulate further research, as species diversity is still low compared with neighbouring countries.
- MeSH
- Species Specificity MeSH
- Hymenoptera anatomy & histology classification physiology MeSH
- Animal Distribution MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Belgium MeSH
Two species of the Empria candidata species complex, E. candidata (Fallén, 1808) and E. magnicornis (Eversmann, 1864) spec. rev., comb. nov., are revised and redescribed. The males and larvae of both species are identified, described and the males are associated with the corresponding females. The species are redefined based on the revision of the available types. Lectotypes are designated for Tenthredo (Allantus) repanda Klug, 1816 and Tenthredo (Macrophya) magnicornis Eversmann, 1864.
Chileana Janšta & Křížková gen. nov. and four new species, C. cyanea Janšta & Křížková sp. nov., C. maculata Janšta & Křížková sp. nov., C. tricarinata Janšta & Křížková sp. nov. and C. penai Janšta & Křížková sp. nov., all from Chile, are described. The placement of this new genus within the tribe Monodontomerini is discussed and several characters suggest a close relationship to Zaglyptonotus.
- MeSH
- Animal Structures anatomy & histology MeSH
- Ecosystem MeSH
- Hymenoptera anatomy & histology classification MeSH
- Animal Distribution MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Chile MeSH
Pacienti se systémovou hypersenzitivní reakcí na jed blanokřídlého hmyzu mají být doporučeni ke specialistovi oboru alergologie a imunologie pro zkoumání alergie (anamnéza, kožní testy a laboratorní testy) a alergenovou imunoterapii jedem, pokud je indikována. Pacienti mají být vybaveni soupravou první pomoci (adrenalin v autoinjektoru, antihistaminikum a kortikosteroid). Alergenová imunoterapie je vysoce účinná, po léčbě trvající 3–5 let je většina pacientů s mírnými a středně závažnými příznaky ochráněna.
Patients suffering from systemic hypersensitive reactions should be referred to a specialist in the field of allergology and immunology for evaluation of their allergy (case history, skin tests and laboratory tests) and, if appropriate, for venom allergen immunotherapy. An emergency medical kit should be supplied to the patient (epinephrine in an autoinjector, antihistamines and corticosteroids). Venom immunotherapy is a highly effective mode of treatment, after 3-5 years of immunotherapy, most patients with mild to moderate anaphylactic symptoms are fully protected.
- Keywords
- alergenová imunoterapie jedem, jed vosy, jed včely,
- MeSH
- Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists therapeutic use MeSH
- Hypersensitivity etiology drug therapy prevention & control MeSH
- Anaphylaxis drug therapy complications prevention & control MeSH
- Histamine Antagonists therapeutic use MeSH
- Desensitization, Immunologic methods utilization MeSH
- Diagnosis, Differential MeSH
- Financing, Organized MeSH
- Adrenal Cortex Hormones therapeutic use MeSH
- Hymenoptera classification drug effects MeSH
- Insect Bites and Stings immunology prevention & control therapy MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- First Aid MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Statistics as Topic MeSH
- Sympathomimetics therapeutic use MeSH
- Bee Venoms toxicity MeSH
- Wasp Venoms adverse effects MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- MeSH
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- History, 21st Century MeSH
- Entomology history MeSH
- Hymenoptera classification MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- History, 20th Century MeSH
- History, 21st Century MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Biography MeSH
- Journal Article MeSH
- Historical Article MeSH
- Portrait MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
- London MeSH
