scholarly journals Landscape Characteristics Affecting Small Mammal Occurrence in Heterogeneous Olive Grove Agro-Ecosystems

Conservation ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Isabel Barão ◽  
João Queirós ◽  
Hélia Vale-Gonçalves ◽  
Joana Paupério ◽  
Ricardo Pita
Keyword(s):  
Complex Structure ◽  
High Density ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Olive Grove ◽  
Agricultural Field ◽  
Occupancy Modelling ◽  
Landscape Characteristics ◽  
Species Of Conservation Concern ◽  
Olive Groves ◽  
Potential Pest

Understanding how small mammals (SM) are associated with environmental characteristics in olive groves is important to identify potential threats to agriculture and assess the overall conservation value and functioning of agro-ecosystems. Here, we provide first insights on this topic applied to traditional olive groves in northeast (NE) Portugal by assessing the landscape attributes that determine SM occurrence, focusing on one species of conservation concern (Microtus cabrerae Thomas 1906) and one species often perceived as a potential pest of olives (Microtus lusitanicus Gerbe 1879). Based on SM genetic non-invasive sampling in 51 olive groves and surrounding habitats, we identified seven rodent species and one insectivore. Occupancy modelling indicated that SM were generally less detected within olive groves than in surrounding habitats. The vulnerable M. cabrerae reached a mean occupancy (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.61–0.87), while M. lusitanicus stood at 0.37 (0.24–0.52). M. cabrerae was more likely to occur in land mosaics with high density of agricultural field edges, while M. lusitanicus was more associated with high density of pastureland patches. Overall, our study suggests that the complex structure and spatial heterogeneity of traditionally managed olive grove agro-ecosystems may favor the occurrence of species-rich SM communities, possibly including well-established populations of species of conservation importance, while keeping potential pest species at relatively low occupancy rates.

Environmental challenges of the intensive woody crops: The case of super high-density olive groves

2021 ◽  
pp. 149212
Author(s):  
José Guerrero-Casado ◽  
Antonio J. Carpio ◽  
Francisco S. Tortosa ◽  
Anastasio J. Villanueva
Keyword(s):  
High Density ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
Woody Crops ◽  
Olive Groves

Over-the-row harvester damage evaluation in super-high-density olive orchard by on-board sensing techniques

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Martinez-Guanter ◽  
M. Garrido-Izard ◽  
J. Agüera ◽  
C. Valero ◽  
M. Pérez-Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Structural Damage ◽  
Image Data ◽  
High Density ◽  
Tree Structure ◽  
Light Detection And Ranging ◽  
Olive Grove ◽  
Damage Evaluation ◽  
Olive Fruit ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Extra Stress

New Super-High-Density (SHD) olive orchards designed for mechanical harvesting are increasing very rapidly in Spain. Most studies have focused in effectively removing the olive fruit, however the machine needs to put significant amount of energy on the canopy that could result in structural damage or extra stress on the trees. During harvest, a series of 3-axis accelerometers were installed on the tree structure in order to register vibration patterns. A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and a camera sensing device were also mounted on a tractor. Before and after harvest measurements showed significant differences in the LiDAR and image data. A fast estimate of the damage produced by an over-the-row harvester with contactless sensing could be useful information for adjusting the machine parameters in each olive grove automatically in the future.

Feltia submontana (Noctuidae, Noctuinae): Redescription, Taxonomy, Life Cycle, and Spatial Distribution of a Neglected South American Potential Pest Species

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
F M S Dias ◽  
A Specht ◽  
V F Roque-Specht ◽  
G San Blas ◽  
M M Casagrande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
South American ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Potential Pest

Population biology of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the mid-Murray River and Barmah Forest Wetlands, Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Brown ◽  
K. P. Sivakumaran ◽  
Daniel Stoessel ◽  
Annie Giles
Keyword(s):  
Cyprinus Carpio ◽  
Population Biology ◽  
Stock Assessment ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Average Growth ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Carp Cyprinus Carpio ◽  
Potential Pest

The present study quantitatively describes a significant stock of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), an exotic pest species, in a temperate riverine floodplain wetland. Intensity and duration of flooding influenced relative abundance, distribution and recruitment. Average growth (mm) in length was described with the von Bertalanffy growth model for males (L∞ = 489, k = 0.249, t0 = –0.519), and females (L∞ = 594, k = 0.177, t0 = –0.609) to age 28. Variation in growth was described with a lognormal distribution of k. Total mortality (Z year–1) was 0.268–0.407 for males, 0.311–0.422 for females, 3.24 for age-0 juveniles and 1.80 for age-1 juveniles. Natural mortality (M year–1) was 0.199 for males and 0.262 for females. Fishing mortality (F year–1) was <0.05 for males and 0.11–0.30 for females. Gonadal changes indicated extended spawning seasons peaking in September 1999 and October 2000. Median sizes and ages at initial maturation were 307 mm, 584 g and 1.1 years for males and 328 mm, 688 g and 2.7 years for females. Sex ratio varied significantly with age from equal as juveniles to a significant male-bias as adults. This description will enable better stock assessment and development of simulations that evaluate potential pest management strategies.

scholarly journals Olive Landscape Affects Bactrocera Oleae Abundance, Movement and Damage

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Quero Ortega ◽  
Natalia Moreno ◽  
Cristina E. Fernández ◽  
Susana Pascual
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Structure ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Bactrocera Oleae ◽  
Olive Fruit Fly ◽  
Olive Grove ◽  
Olive Fruit ◽  
Distance Analysis ◽  
Cost Distance ◽  
Olive Groves ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a key pest of olive groves. Because of its economic importance and problems associated with chemical control, new approaches to reduce the damage caused by this pest and a deeper knowledge of the biology of the insect and the relationship of landscape structure to different biological parameters are needed. B. oleae can fly long distances and its ability to move within the landscape can determine the damage caused to olive groves. This work evaluates the effect of landscape structure on olive fruit fly abundance, movements and damage at three times of year—spring, early autumn and late autumn—in central Spain. This area is less dominated by olive groves than southern Spain, where the relationship between olive grove area and B. oleae abundance is already known. A cost-distance analysis is used to evaluate the landscape effect on the movement of the fly along the crop cycle. The olive grove area is the landscape composition factor with the greatest effect on the parameters studied, with a decrease in B. oleae abundance in a more complex landscape during spring and early autumn. The cost-distance analysis shows that the olive fruit fly moves mainly in spring, and amongst olive groves. There is no evidence that land uses other than olive groves serve as a summer refuge for B.oleae in the studied landscape context. Olive grove area and land use diversity index had significant effects on olive damage in more than one year.

scholarly journals Estimating Productivity, Detecting Biotic Disturbances and Assessing the Health State of Traditional Olive Groves, Using Nondestructive Phenotypic Techniques

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 391
Author(s):  
Yiannis G. Zevgolis ◽  
Efstratios Kamatsos ◽  
Triantaphyllos Akriotis ◽  
Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos ◽  
Andreas Y. Troumbis
Keyword(s):  
Population Level ◽  
Olive Tree ◽  
Leaf Spot Disease ◽  
Health State ◽  
Olive Grove ◽  
Thermal Indices ◽  
Health States ◽  
Significant Information ◽  
Olive Groves ◽  
Olive Trees

Conservation of traditional olive groves through effective monitoring of their health state is crucial both at a tree and at a population level. In this study, we introduce a comprehensive methodological framework for estimating the traditional olive grove health state, by considering the fundamental phenotypic, spectral, and thermal traits of the olive trees. We obtained phenotypic information from olive trees on the Greek island of Lesvos by combining this with in situ measurement of spectral reflectance and thermal indices to investigate the effect of the olive tree traits on productivity, the presence of the olive leaf spot disease (OLS), and olive tree classification based on their health state. In this context, we identified a suite of important features, derived from linear and logistic regression models, which can explain productivity and accurately evaluate infected and noninfected trees. The results indicated that either specific traits or combinations of them are statistically significant predictors of productivity, while the occurrence of OLS symptoms can be identified by both the olives’ vitality traits and by the thermal variables. Finally, the classification of olive trees into different health states possibly offers significant information to explain traditional olive grove dynamics for their sustainable management.

scholarly journals Molecular interaction mechanism of a 14-3-3 protein with a phosphorylated peptide elucidated by enhanced conformational sampling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junichi Higo ◽  
Takeshi Kawabata ◽  
Ayumi Kusaka ◽  
Kota Kasahara ◽  
Narutoshi Kamiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Interaction Mechanism ◽  
Salt Bridge ◽  
High Density ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Stable Complex ◽  
Conformational Sampling ◽  
Stable Clusters ◽  
Phosphorylated Peptide

ABSTRACTEnhanced conformational sampling, a genetic-algorithm-guided multi-dimensional virtual-system coupled molecular dynamics, can provide equilibrated conformational distributions of a receptor protein and a flexible ligand at room temperature. The distributions provide not only the most stable but also semi-stable complex structures, and propose a ligand–receptor binding process. This method was applied to a system consisting of a receptor protein, 14-3-3ε, and a flexible peptide, phosphorylated Myeloid leukemia factor 1 (pMLF1). The results present comprehensive binding pathways of pMLF1 to 14-3-3ε. We identified four thermodynamically stable clusters of MLF1 on the 14-3-3ε surface, and free-energy barriers among some clusters. The most stable cluster includes two high-density spots connected by a narrow corridor. When pMLF1 passes the corridor, a salt-bridge relay (switching) related to the phosphorylated residue of pMLF1 occurs. Conformations in one high-density spots are similar to the experimentally determined complex structure. Three-dimensional distributions of residues in the intermolecular interface rationally explain the binding-constant changes resultant from alanine–mutation experiment for the residues. We performed a simulation of non-phosphorylated peptide and 14-3-3ε, which demonstrated that the complex structure was unstable, suggesting that phosphorylation of the peptide is crucially important for binding to 14-3-3ε.

scholarly journals A food web approach reveals the vulnerability of biocontrol services by birds and bats to landscape modification at regional scale

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
José M. Herrera ◽  
Bruno Silva ◽  
Gerardo Jiménez-Navarro ◽  
Silvia Barreiro ◽  
Nereida Melguizo-Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insect Pests ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Spatially Explicit ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Landscape Modification ◽  
Olive Groves ◽  
Biocontrol Potential

AbstractPest control services provided by naturally occurring species (the so-called biocontrol services) are widely recognized to provide key incentives for biodiversity conservation. This is particularly relevant for vertebrate-mediated biocontrol services as many vertebrate species are of conservation concern, with most of their decline associated to landscape modification for agricultural purposes. Yet, we still lack rigorous approaches evaluating landscape-level correlates of biocontrol potential by vertebrates over broad spatial extents to better inform land-use and management decisions. We performed a spatially-explicit interaction-based assessment of potential biocontrol services in Portugal, using 1853 pairwise trophic interactions between 78 flying vertebrate species (birds and bats) and 53 insect pests associated to two widespread and economically valuable crops in the Euro-Mediterranean region, olive groves (Olea europaea subsp. europaea) and vineyards (Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera). The study area was framed using 1004 square cells, each 10 × 10 km in size. Potential biocontrol services were determined at all those 10 × 10 km grid-cells in which each crop was present as the proportion of the realized out of all potential pairwise interactions between vertebrates and pests. Landscape correlates of biocontrol potential were also explored. Our work suggests that both birds and bats can effectively provide biocontrol services in olive groves and vineyards as they prey many insect pest species associated to both crops. Moreover, it demonstrates that these potential services are impacted by landscape-scale features and that this impact is consistent when evaluated over broad spatial extents. Thus, biocontrol potential by vertebrates significantly increases with increasing amount of natural area, while decreases with increasing area devoted to target crops, particularly olive groves. Overall, our study highlights the suitability of our interaction-based approach to perform spatially-explicit assessments of potential biocontrol services by vertebrates at local spatial scales and suggest its utility for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in conservation planning over broad spatial extents.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document