• MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Prednisolone administration & dosage   MeSH
• Multiple Sclerosis drug therapy   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH

BACKGROUND: Individuals that band together create new ecological opportunities for microorganisms. In vertical transmission, theory predicts a conserved microbiota within lineages, especially social bees. Bees exhibit solitary to social behavior among and/or within species, while life cycles can be annual or perennial. Bee nests may be used over generations or only once, and foraging ecology varies widely. To assess which traits are associated with bee microbiomes, we analyzed microbial diversity within solitary and social bees of Apidae, Colletidae, and Halictidae, three bee families in Panama's tropical forests. Our analysis considered the microbiome of adult gut contents replicated through time, localities, and seasons (wet and dry) and included bee morphology and comparison to abdominal (dissected) microbiota. Diversity and distribution of tropical bee microbes (TBM) within the corbiculate bee clade were emphasized. RESULTS: We found the eusocial corbiculate bees tended to possess a more conserved gut microbiome, attributable to vertical transmission, but microbial composition varied among closely related species. Euglossine bees (or orchid bees), corbiculates with mainly solitary behavior, had more variable gut microbiomes. Their shorter-tongued and highly seasonal species displayed greater diversity, attributable to flower-visiting habits. Surprisingly, many stingless bees, the oldest corbiculate clade, lacked bacterial genera thought to predate eusociality, while several facultatively social, and solitary bee species possessed those bacterial taxa. Indeed, nearly all bee species displayed a range of affinities for single or multiple variants of the "socially associated" bacterial taxa, which unexpectedly demonstrated high sequence variation. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results call into question whether specific bacterial associates facilitate eusocial behavior, or are subsequently adopted, or indicate frequent horizontal transmission between perennial eusocial colonies and other social, facultatively social, and solitary bees. Video Abstract.

• MeSH
• Forests MeSH
• Microbiota * genetics   MeSH
• Social Behavior MeSH
• Gastrointestinal Microbiome * genetics   MeSH
• Bees MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Video-Audio Media MeSH
• Journal Article MeSH

Since typically there are many predators feeding on most herbivores in natural communities, understanding multiple predator effects is critical for both community and applied ecology. Experiments of multiple predator effects on prey populations are extremely demanding, as the number of treatments and the amount of labour associated with these experiments increases exponentially with the number of species in question. Therefore, researchers tend to vary only presence/absence of the species and use only one (supposedly realistic) combination of their numbers in experiments. However, nonlinearities in density dependence, functional responses, interactions between natural enemies etc. are typical for such systems, and nonlinear models of population dynamics generally predict qualitatively different results, if initial absolute densities of the species studied differ, even if their relative densities are maintained. Therefore, testing combinations of natural enemies without varying their densities may not be sufficient. Here we test this prediction experimentally. We show that the population dynamics of a system consisting of 2 natural enemies (aphid predator Adalia bipunctata (L.), and aphid parasitoid, Aphidius colemani Viereck) and their shared prey (peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer) are strongly affected by the absolute initial densities of the species in question. Even if their relative densities are kept constant, the natural enemy species or combination thereof that most effectively suppresses the prey may depend on the absolute initial densities used in the experiment. Future empirical studies of multiple predator - one prey interactions should therefore use a two-dimensional array of initial densities of the studied species. Varying only combinations of natural enemies without varying their densities is not sufficient and can lead to misleading results.

• MeSH
• Analysis of Variance MeSH
• Aphids physiology   MeSH
• Nonlinear Dynamics * MeSH
• Piper parasitology   MeSH
• Population Dynamics MeSH
• Predatory Behavior * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH

Understanding the dependence of species interaction strengths on environmental factors and species diversity is crucial to predict community dynamics and persistence in a rapidly changing world. Nontrophic (e.g. predator interference) and trophic components together determine species interaction strengths, but the effects of environmental factors on these two components remain largely unknown. This impedes our ability to fully understand the links between environmental drivers and species interactions. Here, we used a dynamical modelling framework based on measured predator functional responses to investigate the effects of predator diversity, prey density, and temperature on trophic and nontrophic interaction strengths within a freshwater food web. We found that (i) species interaction strengths cannot be predicted from trophic interactions alone, (ii) nontrophic interaction strengths vary strongly among predator assemblages, (iii) temperature has opposite effects on trophic and nontrophic interaction strengths, and (iv) trophic interaction strengths decrease with prey density, whereas the dependence of nontrophic interaction strengths on prey density is concave up. Interestingly, the qualitative impacts of temperature and prey density on the strengths of trophic and nontrophic interactions were independent of predator identity, suggesting a general pattern. Our results indicate that taking multiple environmental factors and the nonlinearity of density-dependent species interactions into account is an important step towards a better understanding of the effects of environmental variations on complex ecological communities. The functional response approach used in this study opens new avenues for (i) the quantification of the relative importance of the trophic and nontrophic components in species interactions and (ii) a better understanding how environmental factors affect these interactions and the dynamics of ecological communities.

• MeSH
• Biodiversity * MeSH
• Food Chain * MeSH
• Predatory Behavior MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

Apex predators play a key role in ecosystem stability across environments but their numbers in general are decreasing. By contrast, European catfish (Silurus glanis), the European freshwater apex predator, is on the increase. However, studies concerning apex predators in freshwaters are scarce in comparison to those in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The present study combines stomach content and stable isotope analyses with diet preferences of catfish to reveal its impact on the ecosystem since stocking. Catfish niche width is extremely wide in comparison to the typical model predator, Northern pike (Esox lucius). Catfish and pike have different individual dietary specialization that results in different functional roles in coupling or compartmentalizing distinct food webs. The role of both species in the ecosystem is irreplaceable due to multiple predator effects. The impact of catfish is apparent across the entire aquatic ecosystem, but herbivores are the most affected ecological group. The key feature of catfish, and probably a common feature of apex predators in general, is utilization of several dietary strategies by individuals within a population: long-term generalism or specialization and also short-term specialization. Catfish, similar to other large-bodied apex predators, have two typical features: enormous generalism and adaptability to new prey sources.

• MeSH
• Biomass MeSH
• Diet * MeSH
• Ecosystem * MeSH
• Esocidae physiology   MeSH
• Adaptation, Physiological * MeSH
• Nitrogen Isotopes MeSH
• Carbon Isotopes MeSH
• Lakes MeSH
• Food Chain MeSH
• Predatory Behavior physiology   MeSH
• Food Preferences MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Fresh Water * MeSH
• Catfishes physiology   MeSH
• Stomach physiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

Drilus beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are specialized predators of land snails. Here, we describe various aspects of the predator-prey interactions between multiple Drilus species attacking multiple Albinaria (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae) species in Greece. We observe that Drilus species may be facultative or obligate Albinaria-specialists. We map geographically varying predation rates in Crete, where on average 24% of empty shells carry fatal Drilus bore holes. We also provide first-hand observations and video-footage of prey entry and exit strategies of the Drilus larvae, and evaluate the potential mutual evolutionary impacts. We find limited evidence for an effect of shell features and snail behavioral traits on inter- and intra-specifically differing predation rates. We also find that Drilus predators adjust their predation behavior based on specific shell traits of the prey. In conclusion, we suggest that, with these baseline data, this interesting predator-prey system will be available for further, detailed more evolutionary ecology studies.

• MeSH
• Biodiversity MeSH
• Coleoptera * MeSH
• Snails * MeSH
• Larva MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Predatory Behavior * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Greece MeSH

• MeSH
• Biology MeSH
• Mathematics MeSH

• Conspectus
• Biologické vědy
• NML Fields
• biologie
• přírodní vědy

• MeSH
• Patient Compliance MeSH
• Conjunctivitis, Allergic drug therapy   MeSH
• Chalazion therapy   MeSH
• Iritis therapy   MeSH
• Cataract drug therapy   therapy   MeSH
• Clinical Trials as Topic MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Macular Edema therapy   MeSH
• Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions MeSH
• Eye Diseases * drug therapy   MeSH
• Ophthalmic Solutions * administration & dosage   pharmacokinetics   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Prednisolone therapeutic use   MeSH
• Statistics as Topic MeSH
• Uveitis therapy   MeSH
• Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care MeSH
• Inflammation * drug therapy   therapy   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH

The role of generalist predators in biological control remains controversial as they may not only reduce pest populations but also disrupt biocontrol exerted by other natural enemies. Here, we focus on spiders as a model group of generalist predators. They are among the most abundant and most diverse natural enemies in agroecosystems. We review their functional traits that influence food-web dynamics and pest suppression at organisational levels ranging from individuals to communities. At the individual and population levels, we focus on hunting strategy, body size, life stage, nutritional target, and personality (i.e., consistent inter-individual differences in behaviour). These functional traits determine the spider trophic niches. We also focus on the functional and numerical response to pest densities and on non-consumptive effects of spiders on pests. At the community level, we review multiple-predator effects and effect of alternative prey on pest suppression. Evidence for a key role of spiders in pest suppression is accumulating. Importantly, recent research has highlighted widespread non-consumptive effects and complex intraguild interactions of spiders. A better understanding of these effects is needed to optimize biocontrol services by spiders in agroecosystems.

• MeSH
• Spiders * MeSH
• Food Chain MeSH
• Predatory Behavior MeSH
• Body Size MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Genetically engineered (GE) crops with stacked insecticidal traits expose arthropods to multiple Cry proteins fromBacillus thuringiensis(Bt). One concern is that the different Cry proteins may interact and lead to unexpected adverse effects on non-target species. Bi- and tri-trophic experiments with SmartStax maize, herbivorous spider mites (Tetranychus urticae), aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi), predatory spiders (Phylloneta impressa), ladybeetles (Harmonia axyridis) and lacewings (Chrysoperla carnea) were conducted. Cry1A.105, Cry1F, Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1 moved in a similar pattern through the arthropod food chain. By contrast, Cry2Ab2 had highest concentrations in maize leaves, but lowest in pollen, and lowest acquisition rates by herbivores and predators. While spider mites contained Cry protein concentrations exceeding the values in leaves (except Cry2Ab2), aphids contained only traces of some Cry protein. Predators contained lower concentrations than their food. Among the different predators, ladybeetle larvae showed higher concentrations than lacewing larvae and juvenile spiders. Acute effects of SmartStax maize on predator survival, development and weight were not observed. The study thus provides evidence that the different Cry proteins do not interact in a way that poses a risk to the investigated non-target species under controlled laboratory conditions.

• MeSH
• Bacillus thuringiensis MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Arthropods * MeSH
• Endotoxins genetics   MeSH
• Plants, Genetically Modified genetics   MeSH
• Hemolysin Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Zea mays genetics   MeSH
• Larva MeSH
• Food Chain * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH