Sampling scarab beetles in tropical forests: the effect of light source and night sampling periods

Light traps have been used widely to sample insect abundance and diversity, but their performance for sampling scarab beetles in tropical forests based on light source type and sampling hours throughout the night has not been evaluated. The efficiency of mercury-vapour lamps, cool white light and ultraviolet light sources in attracting Dynastinae, Melolonthinae and Rutelinae scarab beetles, and the most adequate period of the night to carry out the sampling was tested in different forest areas of Costa Rica. Our results showed that light source wavelengths and hours of sampling influenced scarab beetle catches. No significant differences were observed in trap performance between the ultraviolet light and mercury-vapour traps, whereas these two methods caught significantly more species richness and abundance than cool white light traps. Species composition also varied between methods. Large differences appear between catches in the sampling period, with the first five hours of the night being more effective than the last five hours. Because of their high efficiency and logistic advantages, we recommend ultraviolet light traps deployed during the first hours of the night as the best sampling method for biodiversity studies of those scarab beetles in tropical forests.

Beta diversity at multiple hierarchical levels: explaining the high diversity of scarab beetles in tropical montane forests

Aim: High gamma diversity in tropical montane forests may be ascribed to high geographical turnover of community composition, resulting from population isolation that leads to speciation. We studied the evolutionary processes responsible for diversity and turnover in assemblages of tropical scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) by assessing DNA sequence variation at multiple hierarchical levels. Location: A 300-km transect across six montane forests (900–1100 m) in Costa Rica. Methods: Assemblages of Scarabaeidae (subfamilies Dynastinae, Rutelinae, Melolonthinae) including 118 morphospecies and > 500 individuals were sequenced for the cox1 gene to establish species limits with a mixed Yule–coalescent method. A species-level phylogenetic tree was constructed from cox1 and rrnL genes. Total diversity and turnover among assemblages were then assessed at three hierarchical levels: haplotypes, species and higher clades. Results: DNA-based analyses showed high turnover among communities at all hierarchical levels. Turnover was highest at the haplotype level (community similarity 0.02–0.12) and decreased with each step of the hierarchy (species: 0.21–0.46; clades: 0.41–0.43). Both compositional and phylogenetic similarities of communities were geographically structured, but turnover was not correlated with distance among forests. When three major clades were investigated separately, communities of Dynastinae showed consistently higher alpha diversity, larger species ranges and lower turnover than Rutelinae and Melolonthinae. Main conclusions: Scarab communities of montane forests show evidence of evolutionary persistence of communities in relative isolation, presumably tracking suitable habitats elevationally to accommodate climatic changes. Patterns of diversity on all hierarchical levels seem to be determined by restricted dispersal, and differences in Dynastinae could be explained by their greater dispersal ability. Community-wide DNA sequencing across multiple lineages and hierarchical levels reveals the evolutionary processes that led to high beta diversity in tropical montane forests through time.

Low doses of ivermectin cause sensory and locomotor disorders in dung beetles

Ivermectin is a veterinary pharmaceutical generally used to control the ecto- and endoparasites of livestock, but its use has resulted in adverse effects on coprophilous insects, causing population decline and biodiversity loss. There is currently no information regarding the direct effects of ivermectin on dung beetle physiology and behaviour. Here, based on electroantennography and spontaneous muscle force tests, we show sub-lethal disorders caused by ivermectin in sensory and locomotor systems of Scarabaeus cicatricosus, a key dung beetle species in Mediterranean ecosystems. Our findings show that ivermectin decreases the olfactory and locomotor capacity of dung beetles, preventing them from performing basic biological activities. These effects are observed at concentrations lower than those usually measured in the dung of treated livestock. Taking into account that ivermectin acts on both glutamate-gated and GABA-gated chloride ion channels of nerve and muscle cells, we predict that ivermectin’s effects at the physiological level could influence many members of the dung pat community. The results indicate that the decline of dung beetle populations could be related to the harmful effects of chemical contamination in the dung.

Chemical diversity and potential biological functions of the pygidial gland secretions in two species of Neotropical dung roller beetles

Dung roller beetles of the genus Canthon (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) emit an odorous secretion from a pair of pygidial glands. To investigate the chemical composition of these secretions, we used stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for analysis of extracts of pygidial gland secretions secreted by the dung roller beetles Canthon femoralis femoralis and Canthon cyanellus cyanellus. Chemical analyses of volatiles collected from pygidial gland secretions comprise a great diversity of the functional groups. Chemical profile comparisons showed high intra- and interspecific variability. The pygidial gland secretion of Canthon f. femoralis was dominated by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, whereas the profile of Canthon c. cyanellus was dominated by carboxylic acids. The different pygidial secretions have a high diversity of chemical compounds suggesting a multifunctional nature involving some key functions in the biology. We discuss the biological potential of these compounds found in the pygidial glands of each species with respect to their ecological and behavioral relevance.

Multimodal analysis of a sample of political posters in Ireland during and after the Celtic Tiger

The aim of this research paper is to analyse the key political posters made for the campaigns of Irish political party Fianna Fáil framed in the Celtic Tiger (1997-2008) and post-Celtic Tiger years (2009-2012). I will then focus on the four posters of the candidate in the elections that took place in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2011 with the intention of observing first how the leader is represented, and later on pinpointing the similarities and possible differences between each. This is important in order to observe the main linguistic and visual strategies used to persuade the audience to vote that party and to highlight the power of the politician. Critical discourse analysis tools will be helpful to identify the main discursive strategies employed to persuade the Irish population to vote in a certain direction. Van Leeuwen’s (2008) social actor theory will facilitate the understanding of how participants are represented in the corpus under analysis. Finally, the main tools of Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar (2006) will be applied for the analysis of the images. The study reveals that politicians are represented in a consistently positive way, with status and formal appearance so that people are persuaded to vote for the party they represent because they trust them as political leaders. The study, thus, points out that the poster is a powerful tool used in election campaigns to highlight the power of political parties.

Paper Tiger or Game-Changer? Challenges of and Opportunities for EU Engagement with the Eurasian Economic Union. Bruges Regional Integration & Global Governance Papers (BRIGG) 1/2015.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) started work on 1 January 2015. Considered as Russia’s response to the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP), it has been almost ignored in Brussels. However, with the Ukraine crisis and the deteriorating relations with Moscow, some European leaders have begun to reconsider Putin’s proposal for a region-to-region engagement. This paper tries to analyse under which conditions this could represent a long-term solution for a new European order. First, it is argued that the EEU is still far from being a credible international interlocutor. Second, Russia’s commitment to international trade rules and liberalization is questioned, whereas its geopolitical objectives seem predominant. EU engagement with the EEU in Ukraine would mean, in the short term, legitimizing Russia’s vision of a ‘bipolar Europe’ divided in spheres of influence. In the long run, prospects for inter-regional cooperation remain open, but the way to go is long and full of obstacles.

Will the Single Resolution Fund be a ‘baby tiger’ during the transition? CEPS Commentary, 17 December 2015

The short answer to this question is no! According to the authors’ calculations, even during its early years, the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) should be sufficient to deal with almost any crisis scenario imaginable. They caution, however, that its funding will be built up only gradually over the coming decade and there is thus a legitimate concern that the SRF will not be sufficient to deal with a major crisis.

Quo vadis Aethina tumida? Biology and control of small hive beetles

Small hive beetles (SHBs) are generalists native to sub-Saharan Africa and reproduce in association with honeybees, bumblebees, stingless bees, fruits and meat. The SHB has recently become an invasive species, and introductions have been recorded from America, Australia, Europe and Asia since 1996. hile SHBs are usually considered a minor pest in Africa, they can cause significant damage to social bee colonies in their new ranges. Potential reasons for differential impact include differences in bee behaviour, climate and release from natural enemies. Here, we provide an overview on biology, distribution, pest status, diagnosis, control and prevention to foster adequate mitigation and stimulate future research. SHBs have become a global threat to both apiculture and wild bee populations, but our knowledge of this pest is still limited, reating demand for more research in all areas of its biology.

The insect book : a popular account of the bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, flies and other North American insects exclusive of the butterflies, moths and beetles, with full life histories, tables and bibliographies /

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