Stay out (almost) all night: contrasting responses in flight activity among tropical moth assemblages

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparative abundance and diversity of Dryininae (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) in three savannah phytophysiognomies in southeastern Brazil, under three sampling methods

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

UV Radiation as an Attractor for Insects

Light pollution due to exterior lighting is a rising concern. While glare, light trespass and general light pollution have been well described, there are few reported studies on the impact of light pollution on insects. By studying insect behavior in relation to artificial lighting, we suggest that control of the UV component of artificial lighting can significantly reduce its attractiveness, offering a strong ability to control the impact on insects. Traditionally, the attractiveness of a lamp to insects is calculated using the luminous efficiency spectrum of insect rhodopsin. This has enabled the development of lamps that emit radiation with wavelengths that are less visible to insects (that is, yellow lamps). We tested the assumption that the degree of visibility of a lamp to insects can predict its attractiveness by means of experimental collections. We found that the expected lamp's visibility is indeed related to the extent to which it attracts insects. However, the number of insects attracted to a lamp is disproportionally affected by the emission of ultraviolet radiation. UV triggers the behavior of approaching lights more or less independently of the amount of UV radiation emitted. Thus, even small amounts of UV should be controlled in order to develop bug-free lamps.

Einfluss der 6 1 S - 6 3 P-Resonanz auf die Lyman-alpha-Erzeugung in Quecksilber

In dieser Arbeit wird eine kontinuierliche, kohärente Strahlungsquelle bei 121,56nm, der Lyman-alpha Linie in Wasserstoff, vorgestellt. Diese Lyman-alpha Quelle soll zur zukünftigen Laserkühlung von Antiwasserstoff dienen. Die Strahlung wird durch Vier-Wellen-Mischen in Quecksilberdampf produziert. Dabei wird ein Festkörperlasersystem zur Erzeugung der Fundamentalstrahlen eingesetzt. Zur Erhöhung der nichtlinearen Suszeptibilität wird die 6^1S-7^1S Zwei-Photonen-Resonanz ausgenutzt. Zusätzlich wird mit Hilfe eines durchstimmbaren ultravioletten Lasersystems die 6^1S-6^3P Ein-Photon-Resonanz genutzt, was es erlaubt, die nichtlineare Suszeptibilität des Mischprozesses um Größenordnungen zu erhöhen. Um den Einfluss der 6^1S-6^3P Ein-Photon-Resonanz zu untersuchen, wurden zunächst die Phasenanpassungstemperaturen bei verschiedenen Verstimmungen der ultravioletten Strahlung zur 6^3P Resonanz vermessen und festgestellt, dass kleinere Verstimmungen zu niedrigeren Phasenanpassungstemperaturen führen. Es konnte sowohl theoretisch wie auch experimentell gezeigt werden, dass diese niedrigeren Phasenanpassungstemperaturen bei kleinen Verstimmungen der Erhöhung der Lyman-alpha Erzeugung durch die größere nichtlineare Suszeptibilität bei kleinen Verstimmungen entgegenwirken. Bei immer kleineren Verstimmungen zur 6^3P Resonanz limitiert die Absorption der ultravioletten Strahlung die Lyman-alpha Erzeugung. Ein positiver Effekt der niedrigeren Phasenanpassungstemperaturen ist, dass es möglich wird, auf das bisher nötige Puffergas in der Quecksilber-Dampfzelle zu verzichten, was die Lyman-alpha Erzeugung um einen Faktor 1,7 erhöht. Damit war es möglich, die bisherige Effizienz der Lyman-alpha Erzeugung zu verbessern. Es wurde eine Lyman-alpha Leistung von 0,3nW erreicht. Zusätzlich zum Einfluss der 6^3P Resonanz auf die Lyman-alpha Erzeugung wurde ein weiterer Effekt beobachtet. Durch die Nähe der 6^1S-6^3P Ein-Photon-Resonanz wird auch mehr Besetzung in das obere 7^1S Niveau der Zwei-Photonen-Resonanz gepumpt. Dadurch konnte erstmals eine kontinuierliche Lasertätigkeit auf der 6^1P-7^1S Linie in Quecksilber bei 1014nm beobachtet werden.

Multipartite entanglement and quantum state exchange

We investigate multipartite entanglement in relation to the process of quantum state exchange. In particular, we consider such entanglement for a certain pure state involving two groups of N trapped atoms. The state, which can be produced via quantum state exchange, is analogous to the steady-state intracavity state of the subthreshold optical nondegenerate parametric amplifier. We show that, first, it possesses some 2N-way entanglement. Second, we place a lower bound on the amount of such entanglement in the state using a measure called the entanglement of minimum bipartite entropy.

Forecasting Helicoverpa populations in Australia: A comparison of regression based models and a bio-climatic based modeling approach

Long-term forecasts of pest pressure are central to the effective management of many agricultural insect pests. In the eastern cropping regions of Australia, serious infestations of Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) and H. armigera (Hübner)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are experienced annually. Regression analyses of a long series of light-trap catches of adult moths were used to describe the seasonal dynamics of both species. The size of the spring generation in eastern cropping zones could be related to rainfall in putative source areas in inland Australia. Subsequent generations could be related to the abundance of various crops in agricultural areas, rainfall and the magnitude of the spring population peak. As rainfall figured prominently as a predictor variable, and can itself be predicted using the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), trap catches were also related to this variable. The geographic distribution of each species was modelled in relation to climate and CLIMEX was used to predict temporal variation in abundance at given putative source sites in inland Australia using historical meteorological data. These predictions were then correlated with subsequent pest abundance data in a major cropping region. The regression-based and bioclimatic-based approaches to predicting pest abundance are compared and their utility in predicting and interpreting pest dynamics are discussed.

Comparative analysis of the relationship between phenological phenomena and meteorological indicators based on insect and plant monitoring

Climate change is one of the biggest environmental problems of the 21st century. The most sensitive indicators of the effects of the climatic changes are phenological processes of the biota. The effects of climate change which were observed the earliest are the remarkable changes in the phenology (i.e. the timing of the phenophases) of the plants and animals, which have been systematically monitored later. In our research we searched for the answer: which meteorological factors show the strongest statistical relationships with phenological phenomena based on some chosen plant and insect species (in case of which large phenological databases are available). Our study was based on two large databases: one of them is the Lepidoptera database of the Hungarian Plant Protection and Forestry Light Trap Network, the other one is the Geophytes Phenology Database of the Botanical Garden of Eötvös Loránd University. In the case of butterflies, statistically defined phenological dates were determined based on the daily collection data, while in the case of plants, observation data on blooming were available. The same meteorological indicators were applied for both groups in our study. On the basis of the data series, analyses of correlation were carried out and a new indicator, the so-called G index was introduced, summing up the number of correlations which were found to be significant on the different levels of significance. In our present study we compare the significant meteorological factors and analyse the differences based on the correlation data on plants and butterflies. Data on butterflies are much more varied regarding the effectiveness of the meteorological factors.

A population dynamical model of Operophtera brumata, L. extended by climatic factors

Setting out from the database of Operophtera brumata, L. in between 1973 and 2000 due to the Light Trap Network in Hungary, we introduce a simple theta-logistic population dynamical model based on endogenous and exogenous factors, only. We create an indicator set from which we can choose some elements with which we can improve the fitting results the most effectively. Than we extend the basic simple model with additive climatic factors. The parameter optimization is based on the minimized root mean square error. The best model is chosen according to the Akaike Information Criterion. Finally we run the calibrated extended model with daily outputs of the regional climate model RegCM3.1, regarding 1961-1990 as reference period and 2021-2050 with 2071-2100 as future predictions. The results of the three time intervals are fitted with Beta distributions and compared statistically. The expected changes are discussed.

Microlepidoptera of Illinois hill prairies

Among insects, which are the most diverse eukaryotic group on earth, Lepidoptera is one of four enormously diverse orders, with approximately 10,000 described species in North America. Within the order, Nearctic “microlepidoptera,” which represent an overwhelmingly large percentage of diversity within the order, remain poorly known despite their ecological importance in many plant communities. In this thesis, I undertook several studies of microlepidoptera diversity in a natural community type (hill prairie) and a managed community type (biofuel feedstock). In two Illinois hill prairies differing in size, latitude, and plant composition, alpha diversity of Pyraloidea and Tortricidae was similar, but the prairies were found to support different sets of species of these moth groups. It is concluded that the similarity in alpha diversity occurs because the larger prairie supports primarily a complement of moth species that feed as larvae on prairie plants (especially species of Asteraceae and Fabaceae), whereas the moths collected in the small prairie represent relatively few prairie-associated species, plus a large component of species that feed as larvae on deciduous trees that surround the prairie. This agrees with the finding of high beta diversity of moths between the sites, which reflects a high level of larval hostplant specificity in most species of Pyraloidea and Tortricidae. Based on published information plus observations made on microlepidoptera collected during the course of this study, 31 families of basal microlepidoptera were reviewed with an aim toward evaluating the likelihood of their including species that are dependent on tallgrass prairie. Of these families, 12 were evaluated as possible, and two as likely or certain, to include prairie-dependent species. In a comparison of moth diversity in light-trap samples from corn, miscanthus, switchgrass, and native prairie, alpha diversity was highest in prairie and was higher in switchgrass than in the other two biofuel crops. Moth species complements generally were similar among the biofuel crops, and prairie shared higher species complementarity with switchgrass than with corn or miscanthus. These findings suggest that large-scale conversion of land to biofuel crops may, to a substantial degree, detrimentally affect arthropod biodiversity, with a resulting loss of valuable arthropod-derived ecosystem services both within the cropping systems and in the surrounding landscape. During the course of this study, rearing efforts yielded two species of moths of the family Gelechiidae, both of which are monophagous leaf feeders on leadplant, Amorpha canescens (Fabaceae). Because these moths are restricted to tallgrass prairie, they are likely to be of interest to conservation biologists. In the interest of naming the moths to facilitate communication regarding them, and to augment our taxonomic knowledge of their respective genera, the moths are described, and diagnoses are provided to differentiate them from similar, related species.

Total and inorganic mercury determination in fish tissue by flow injection cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A simple and reliable method for Hg determination in fish samples has been developed. Lyophilised fish tissue samples were extracted in a 25% (w/v) tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution; the extracts were then analysed by FI-CVAFS. This method can be used to determine total and inorganic Hg, using the same FI manifold. For total Hg determination, a 0.1% (w/v) KMnO(4) solution was added to the FI manifold at the sample zone, followed by the addition of a 0.5% (w/v) SnCl(2) solution, whereas inorganic Hg was determined by adding a 0.1% (w/v) L-cysteine solution followed by a 1.0% (w/v) SnCl(2) solution to the FI system. The organic fraction was determined as the difference between total and inorganic Hg. Sample preparation, reagent consumption and parameters that can influence the FI-CVAFS performance were also evaluated. The limit of detection for this method is 3.7 ng g(-1) for total Hg and 4.3 ng g(-1) for inorganic Hg. The relative standard deviation for a 1.0 mu gL(-1) CH(3)Hg standard solution (n = 20) was 1.1%, and 1.3% for a 1.0 mu gL(-1) Hg(2+) standard solution (n = 20). Accuracy was assessed by the analysis of Certified Reference Material (dogfish: DORM-2, NRCC). Recoveries of 99.1% for total Hg and 93.9% inorganic Hg were obtained. Mercury losses were not observed when sample solutions were re-analysed after a seven day period of storage at 4 degrees C.

Determination of the force constant of a single-beam gradient trap by measurement of backscattered light

A single-beam gradient trap could potentially be used to hold a stylus for scanning force microscopy. With a view to development of this technique, we modeled the optical trap as a harmonic oscillator and therefore characterized it by its force constant. We measured force constants and resonant frequencies for 1-4-mu m-diameter polystyrene spheres in a single-beam gradient trap using measurements of back-scattered light. Force constants were determined with both Gaussian and doughnut laser modes, with powers of 3 and 1 mW, respectively. Typical values for spring constants were measured to be between 10(-6) and 4 x 10(-6) N/m. The resonant frequencies of trapped particles were measured to be between 1 and 10 kHz, and the rms amplitudes of oscillations were estimated to be around 40 nm. Our results confirm that the use of the doughnut mode for single-beam trapping is more efficient in the axial direction. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.

Mercury Redox Chemistry in the Negro River Basin, Amazon: The Role of Organic Matter and Solar Light

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic levels in three pelagic fish species from the Atlantic Ocean: intra- and inter-specific variability and human health risks for consumption

Three commonly consumed and commercially valuable fish species (sardine, chub and horse mackerel) were collected from the Northeast and Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean in Portuguese waters during one year. Mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic amounts were determined in muscles using graphite furnace and cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. Maximum mean levels of mercury (0.1715 ± 0.0857 mg/kg, ww) and arsenic (1.139 ± 0.350 mg/kg, ww) were detected in horse mackerel. The higher mean amounts of cadmium (0.0084 ± 0.0036 mg/kg, ww) and lead (0.0379 ± 0.0303 mg/kg, ww) were determined in chub mackerel and in sardine, respectively. Intra- and inter-specific variability of metals bioaccumulation was statistically assessed and species and length revealed to be the major influencing biometric factors, in particular for mercury and arsenic. Muscles present metal concentrations below the tolerable limits considered by European Commission Regulation and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO). However, estimation of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks by the target hazard quotient and target carcinogenic risk, established by the US Environmental Protection Agency, suggests that these species must be eaten in moderation due to possible hazard and carcinogenic risks derived from arsenic (in all analyzed species) and mercury ingestion (in horse and chub mackerel species).

Development of the BG-Malaria trap as an alternative to human-landing catches for the capture of Anopheles darlingi

Although the human-landing catch (HLC) method is the most effective for collecting anthropophilic anophelines, it has been increasingly abandoned, primarily for ethical considerations. The objective of the present study was to develop a new trap for the collection of Anopheles darlingi . The initial trials were conducted using the BG-Sentinel trap as a standard for further trap development based on colour, airflow direction and illumination. The performance of the trap was then compared with those of the CDC, Fay-Prince, counterflow geometry trap (CFG) and HLC. All trials were conducted outdoors between 06:00 pm-08:00 pm. Female specimens of An. darlingi were dissected to determine their parity. A total of 8,334 anophelines were captured, of which 4,945 were identified as An. darlingi . The best trap configuration was an all-white version, with an upward airflow and no required light source. This configuration was subsequently named BG-Malaria (BGM). The BGM captured significantly more anophelines than any of the other traps tested and was similar to HLC with respect to the number and parity of anophelines. The BGM trap can be used as an alternative to HLC for collecting anophelines.

Evaluation of light-emitting diodes as attractant for sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in northeastern Brazil

Hoover Pugedo light traps were modified for use with green and blue-light-emitting diodes to trap phlebotomine sandflies in northeastern Brazil. A total of 2,267 specimens belonging to eight genera and 15 species were sampled. The predominant species were Nyssomyia whitmani(34.41%) and Micropygomyia echinatopharynx(17.25%).The green LED trap prevailed over the blue and control lights; however, no statistically significant difference could be detected among the three light sources. Even without statistical significance, we suggest using LEDs as an attractant for the capture of sandflies because of several advantages over the conventional method with incandescent lamps.