scholarly journals Temperature sensitive effects of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) foraging behaviour

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 138-152
Author(s):  
Pawel Jan Kolano ◽  
Malin Røyset Aarønes ◽  
Katrine Borgå ◽  
Anders Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Bout Duration ◽  
Custom Made

Pollinating insects are an inherent part of most terrestrial ecosystems as they provide a crucial service for most angiosperms, including numerous important crops. A decrease in pollinator populations can therefore have severe consequences for both natural ecosystems and agricultural yields. Pesticide usage has been pointed out as one of the drivers behind pollinator declines. Globally, neonicotinoids are one of the most commonly used insecticides and studies have shown that exposure at sub-lethal levels can alter foraging behaviour, ultimately negatively affecting survival.Using a custom-made bumblebee colony monitoring system, we examined how the number and duration of foraging bouts of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) on an individual level, and hive growth rate, was affected by exposure to low (6.5 µg/L) and high (10.6 µg/L) sub-lethal concentrations of the neonicotinoid clothianidin via nectar. We also examined possible interaction between clothianidin exposure and abiotic factors (temperature and precipitation), and its impact on foraging bout number and duration.Exposure to sublethal concentrations of clothianidin increased foraging bout duration in bumblebees. Furthermore, the foraging bout duration decreased with increasing temperature at both exposure concentrations, whereas the unexposed control group was not affected by temperature. Neither number of foraging bouts nor the daily rhythm of foraging bout duration was affected by clothianidin exposure or temperature. The foraging bout duration decreased with increasing precipitation in both exposed and non-exposed groups. However, we did not find any interaction between precipitation and exposure, suggesting that precipitation does not affect toxicity.Our study shows the importance of semi-natural experiments and accounting for ambient factors when assessing the risk that pesticide exposure may present to pollinators. We conclude that the effect of clothianidin exposure on bumblebee foraging behaviour is temperature sensitive and that local climatic conditions and future climate change scenarios should be considered in risk assessments of clothianidin and other insecticides. 

Changes in fine-scale movement and foraging patterns of common wombats along a snow-depth gradient

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Snow Depth ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Depth Gradient ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Foraging Patterns ◽  
Feeding Sites

Context. Feeding strategies of large herbivores in snow-covered environments can be influenced by snow depth and snow quality. Common wombats, Vombatus ursinus, are large marsupial herbivores that occur in subalpine areas of Australia where they must dig through the snow to reach low vegetation. Deeper snow at higher elevations is considered to limit foraging and constrain their range, although there have been no quantitative studies investigating the influence of snow on their foraging behaviour. Aims. The present study examined how snow influenced the foraging behaviour of common wombats along a snow-depth gradient. Methods. During the 2008 winter season, snow tracks of 17 wombats were located within the subalpine zone, in a study area ranging from 1520 to 1850 m asl, and followed to record attributes of the snow cover and environment in relation to wombat activity. Key results. Wombats selected sites to feed where the snow was shallower, and deeper snow at feeding sites caused changes in foraging behaviour. Foraging occurred along fairly direct routes between burrows; however, as snow depth increased, wombats deviated more from their path to seek out suitable foraging sites. Most foraging occurred in shallow snow in open areas or where the snow had melted around the bases of trees, shrubs or boulders. About half (52%) of the feeding sites necessitated the wombats digging through the snow to reach low vegetation, predominantly the grasses of Poa spp. Digging craters for feeding occurred in snow depths up to 100 cm, although depths less than 35 cm were preferred. Some shrub species, such as dusty daisy bush, Olearia phlogopappa, that protruded from the snow, were also eaten where the snow was deeper. Dietary analysis confirmed that monocots made up the majority of the diet (93.3%), although some individuals consumed up to 26% dicots. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that wombats can adjust to a snow-covered environment by altering both their foraging patterns and diet as snow depth increases. However, they will be limited where snow depths are consistently greater than 100 cm. Implications. Under future climate-change scenarios of declining snow cover, wombats may be able to forage and inhabit higher altitudes than where they currently occur, and this has implications for the grazing-sensitive alpine ecosystem. Predicting shifts in the range of other herbivores to higher altitudes will require knowledge of their species-specific foraging thresholds in snow, such as presented in this study.

scholarly journals Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxins in a Climate Change Scenario: Ecology, Genomics, Distribution, Prediction and Prevention of the Risk

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Perrone ◽  
Massimo Ferrara ◽  
Angel Medina ◽  
Michelangelo Pascale ◽  
Naresh Magan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination ◽  
Toxigenic Fungi ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Prediction And Prevention ◽  
The Impact

Toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins are very common in food crops, with noticeable differences in their host specificity in terms of pathogenicity and toxin contamination. In addition, such crops may be infected with mixtures of mycotoxigenic fungi, resulting in multi-mycotoxin contamination. Climate represents the key factor in driving the fungal community structure and mycotoxin contamination levels pre- and post-harvest. Thus, there is significant interest in understanding the impact of interacting climate change-related abiotic factors (especially increased temperature, elevated CO2 and extremes in water availability) on the relative risks of mycotoxin contamination and impacts on food safety and security. We have thus examined the available information from the last decade on relative risks of mycotoxin contamination under future climate change scenarios and identified the gaps in knowledge. This has included the available scientific information on the ecology, genomics, distribution of toxigenic fungi and intervention strategies for mycotoxin control worldwide. In addition, some suggestions for prediction and prevention of mycotoxin risks are summarized together with future perspectives and research needs for a better understanding of the impacts of climate change scenarios.

scholarly journals Mapping current and potential future distributions of the oak tree (Quercus aegilops) in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabaz R. Khwarahm
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Kurdistan Region ◽  
Oak Tree

Abstract Background The oak tree (Quercus aegilops) comprises ~ 70% of the oak forests in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Besides its ecological importance as the residence for various endemic and migratory species, Q. aegilops forest also has socio-economic values—for example, as fodder for livestock, building material, medicine, charcoal, and firewood. In the KRI, Q. aegilops has been degrading due to anthropogenic threats (e.g., shifting cultivation, land use/land cover changes, civil war, and inadequate forest management policy) and these threats could increase as climate changes. In the KRI and Iraq as a whole, information on current and potential future geographical distributions of Q. aegilops is minimal or not existent. The objectives of this study were to (i) predict the current and future habitat suitability distributions of the species in relation to environmental variables and future climate change scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6 2070 and RCP8.5 2070); and (ii) determine the most important environmental variables controlling the distribution of the species in the KRI. The objectives were achieved by using the MaxEnt (maximum entropy) algorithm, available records of Q. aegilops, and environmental variables. Results The model demonstrated that, under the RCP2.6 2070 and RCP8.5 2070 climate change scenarios, the distribution ranges of Q. aegilops would be reduced by 3.6% (1849.7 km2) and 3.16% (1627.1 km2), respectively. By contrast, the species ranges would expand by 1.5% (777.0 km2) and 1.7% (848.0 km2), respectively. The distribution of the species was mainly controlled by annual precipitation. Under future climate change scenarios, the centroid of the distribution would shift toward higher altitudes. Conclusions The results suggest (i) a significant suitable habitat range of the species will be lost in the KRI due to climate change by 2070 and (ii) the preference of the species for cooler areas (high altitude) with high annual precipitation. Conservation actions should focus on the mountainous areas (e.g., by establishment of national parks and protected areas) of the KRI as climate changes. These findings provide useful benchmarking guidance for the future investigation of the ecology of the oak forest, and the categorical current and potential habitat suitability maps can effectively be used to improve biodiversity conservation plans and management actions in the KRI and Iraq as a whole.

scholarly journals Trends in Molecular Diagnosis and Diversity Studies for Phytosanitary Regulated Xanthomonas

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 862
Author(s):  
Vittoria Catara ◽  
Jaime Cubero ◽  
Joël F. Pothier ◽  
Eran Bosis ◽  
Claude Bragard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Diagnosis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Plant Diseases ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Diversity Studies

Bacteria in the genus Xanthomonas infect a wide range of crops and wild plants, with most species responsible for plant diseases that have a global economic and environmental impact on the seed, plant, and food trade. Infections by Xanthomonas spp. cause a wide variety of non-specific symptoms, making their identification difficult. The coexistence of phylogenetically close strains, but drastically different in their phenotype, poses an added challenge to diagnosis. Data on future climate change scenarios predict an increase in the severity of epidemics and a geographical expansion of pathogens, increasing pressure on plant health services. In this context, the effectiveness of integrated disease management strategies strongly depends on the availability of rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic methods. The accumulation of genomic information in recent years has facilitated the identification of new DNA markers, a cornerstone for the development of more sensitive and specific methods. Nevertheless, the challenges that the taxonomic complexity of this genus represents in terms of diagnosis together with the fact that within the same bacterial species, groups of strains may interact with distinct host species demonstrate that there is still a long way to go. In this review, we describe and discuss the current molecular-based methods for the diagnosis and detection of regulated Xanthomonas, taxonomic and diversity studies in Xanthomonas and genomic approaches for molecular diagnosis.

scholarly journals Potential of different fluoride gels to prevent erosive tooth wear caused by gastroesophageal reflux

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Körner ◽  
Luca Georgis ◽  
Daniel B. Wiedemeier ◽  
Thomas Attin ◽  
Florian J. Wegehaupt
Keyword(s):  
Gastroesophageal Reflux ◽  
Artificial Saliva ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Tooth Wear ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Erosive Tooth Wear ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Bovine Enamel

Abstract Background This in-vitro-study aimed to evaluate the potential of different fluoride gels to prevent gastroesophageal reflux induced erosive tooth wear. Methods Surface baseline profiles of a total of 50 bovine enamel specimens [randomly assigned to five groups (G1–5)] were recorded. All specimens were positioned in a custom made artificial oral cavity and perfused with artificial saliva (0.5 ml/min). Reflux was simulated 11 times a day during 12 h by adding HCl (pH 3.0) for 30 s (flow rate 2 ml/min). During the remaining 12 h (overnight), specimens were stored in artificial saliva and brushed twice a day (morning and evening) with a toothbrush and toothpaste slurry (15 brushing strokes). While specimens in the control group (G1) did not receive any further treatment, specimens in G2–5 were coated with different fluoride gels [Elmex Gelée (G2); Paro Amin Fluor Gelée (G3); Paro Fluor Gelée Natriumfluorid (G4); Sensodyne ProSchmelz Fluorid Gelée (G5)] in the evening for 30 s. After 20 days, surface profiles were recorded again and enamel loss was determined by comparing them with the baseline profiles. The results were statistically analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey`s HSD post-hoc test. Results The overall highest mean wear of enamel (9.88 ± 1.73 µm) was observed in the control group (G1), where no fluoride gel was applied. It was significantly higher (p < 0.001) compared to all other groups. G2 (5.03 ± 1.43 µm), G3 (5.47 ± 0.63 µm, p = 0.918) and G4 (5.14 ± 0.82 µm, p > 0.999) showed the overall best protection from hydrochloric acid induced erosion. Enamel wear in G5 (6.64 ± 0.86 µm) was significantly higher compared to G2 (p = 0.028) and G4 (p = 0.047). Conclusions After 20 days of daily application, all investigated fluoride gels are able to significantly reduce gastroesophageal reflux induced loss of enamel.

scholarly journals Water Temperature and Hydrological Modelling in the Context of Environmental Flows and Future Climate Change: Case Study of the Wilmot River (Canada)

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 2101
Author(s):  
Christian Charron ◽  
André St-Hilaire ◽  
Taha B.M.J. Ouarda ◽  
Michael R. van den Heuvel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Water Abstraction ◽  
Surface Water Flow ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
Rcp 8.5

Simulation of surface water flow and temperature under a non-stationary, anthropogenically impacted climate is critical for water resource decision makers, especially in the context of environmental flow determination. Two climate change scenarios were employed to predict streamflow and temperature: RCP 8.5, the most pessimistic with regards to climate change, and RCP 4.5, a more optimistic scenario where greenhouse gas emissions peak in 2040. Two periods, 2018–2050 and 2051–2100, were also evaluated. In Canada, a number of modelling studies have shown that many regions will likely be faced with higher winter flow and lower summer flows. The CEQUEAU hydrological and water temperature model was calibrated and validated for the Wilmot River, Canada, using historic data for flow and temperature. Total annual precipitation in the region was found to remain stable under RCP 4.5 and increase over time under RCP 8.5. Median stream flow was expected to increase over present levels in the low flow months of August and September. However, increased climate variability led to higher numbers of periodic extreme low flow events and little change to the frequency of extreme high flow events. The effective increase in water temperature was four-fold greater in winter with an approximate mean difference of 4 °C, while the change was only 1 °C in summer. Overall implications for native coldwater fishes and water abstraction are not severe, except for the potential for more variability, and hence periodic extreme low flow/high temperature events.

scholarly journals Potential Impacts of Future Climate Change Scenarios on Ground Subsidence

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio-Juan Collados-Lara ◽  
David Pulido-Velazquez ◽  
Rosa María Mateos ◽  
Pablo Ezquerro
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Subsidence ◽  
Ground Subsidence ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Fine Grained Material ◽  
The Impact

In this work, we developed a new method to assess the impact of climate change (CC) scenarios on land subsidence related to groundwater level depletion in detrital aquifers. The main goal of this work was to propose a parsimonious approach that could be applied for any case study. We also evaluated the methodology in a case study, the Vega de Granada aquifer (southern Spain). Historical subsidence rates were estimated using remote sensing techniques (differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar, DInSAR). Local CC scenarios were generated by applying a bias correction approach. An equifeasible ensemble of the generated projections from different climatic models was also proposed. A simple water balance approach was applied to assess CC impacts on lumped global drawdowns due to future potential rainfall recharge and pumping. CC impacts were propagated to drawdowns within piezometers by applying the global delta change observed with the lumped assessment. Regression models were employed to estimate the impacts of these drawdowns in terms of land subsidence, as well as to analyze the influence of the fine-grained material in the aquifer. The results showed that a more linear behavior was observed for the cases with lower percentage of fine-grained material. The mean increase of the maximum subsidence rates in the considered wells for the future horizon (2016–2045) and the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenario 8.5 was 54%. The main advantage of the proposed method is its applicability in cases with limited information. It is also appropriate for the study of wide areas to identify potential hot spots where more exhaustive analyses should be performed. The method will allow sustainable adaptation strategies in vulnerable areas during drought-critical periods to be assessed.

scholarly journals Impact of an accelerated melting of Greenland on malaria distribution over Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alizée Chemison ◽  
Gilles Ramstein ◽  
Adrian M. Tompkins ◽  
Dimitri Defrance ◽  
Guigone Camus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Malaria Transmission ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Climate Change Risk ◽  
System A ◽  
Climate Simulations ◽  
The Impact

AbstractStudies about the impact of future climate change on diseases have mostly focused on standard Representative Concentration Pathway climate change scenarios. These scenarios do not account for the non-linear dynamics of the climate system. A rapid ice-sheet melting could occur, impacting climate and consequently societies. Here, we investigate the additional impact of a rapid ice-sheet melting of Greenland on climate and malaria transmission in Africa using several malaria models driven by Institute Pierre Simon Laplace climate simulations. Results reveal that our melting scenario could moderate the simulated increase in malaria risk over East Africa, due to cooling and drying effects, cause a largest decrease in malaria transmission risk over West Africa and drive malaria emergence in southern Africa associated with a significant southward shift of the African rain-belt. We argue that the effect of such ice-sheet melting should be investigated further in future public health and agriculture climate change risk assessments.

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