Strategic 3-hydroxy-2-butanone release in the dominant male lobster cockroach, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nauphoeta cinerea</Emphasis>

In the lobster cockroach Nauphoete cinerea, the dominant–subordinate hierarchy formed via the agonistic interactions is unstable, and changes in rank order are common. Our previous results showed that in the first encounter fight during initial rank formation, microgram levels of 3H-2B are released by the aggressive posture (AP)-adopting dominant male. In the present study, the pattern of daily pheromone (3H-2B) release during the domination period and on the day of rank switch, rank duration, and rank switch frequency were investigated in three-male groups and six-male groups to examine the effect of higher frequency of agonistic encounters. The results showed that, in the three-male groups (50-day observation period), daily 3H-2B release rate was not constant, but fluctuated, the average duration of dominant rank was 16.6 ± 2.0 days, rank switch occurred in 58.8% of groups, and the frequency of rank switching (average number of rank switches/group/50 days) was 1.4 ± 0.2. For the six-male groups (30-day observation period), the daily 3H-2B release rate also fluctuated, but the duration of dominant rank was significantly shorter at 4.2 ± 0.6 days, rank switch occurred in 100% of groups, and the frequency of rank switching (average number of rank switches/group/30 days) was significantly higher at 6.9 ± 0.6. The results for both sets of male groups showed that as a new rank formed (either on the first encounter day or on the day of rank switching), the dominant status was significantly associated with a higher 3H-2B release rate. In the animal kingdom, fighting usually involves communication or the exchange of signals, and the results of this study indicated that the fluctuating daily 3H-2B release rate adopted by the dominants is a kind of strategic release and the 3H-2B release rate is a signal used to determine dominance.     

3-Hydroxy-2-butanone and the first encounter fight in the male lobster cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea

Although agonistic behavior in the male lobster cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea, has been known for more than 40 years, this is the first study to directly collect and quantify the emitted pheromones. In the present study, emitted volatile pheromones were collected from each male pair for 60 min during the first encounter fight and identified and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major compound collected was 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (3H-2B). The strength of the attack by the dominant male was classified into three categories from weakest (C) to strongest (A). Of the 92 pairs, eight (8.7%) showed no agonistic interactions, and the amount of 3H-2B collected was 121.8±37.7 ng/male pair. In the five pairs (5.4%) displaying attack strength C, the amount of 3H-2B collected was 689.6±273.7 ng/male pair, and the attack duration was 9.6±2.4 min. In the 53 pairs (57.6%) showing attack strength B, the corresponding values were 5396.2±449.0 ng/male pair and 22.7±1.6 min, while those for the 26 pairs (28.3%) showing attack strength A were 7910.4±1120.6 ng/male pair and 24.9±2.9 min. For both attack strengths A and B, a linear relationship was found between the amount of 3H-2B collected and attack duration, suggesting that the longer the duration of the attack, the more 3H-2B was emitted. In addition, the rate of 3H-2B emission for attack strength A was significantly higher than that for attack strength B. Using Vaseline-coating, we demonstrated that, in the first encounter fight, the 3H-2B was emitted by the dominant male.     

Temperature limits trail following behaviour through pheromone decay in ants

In Mediterranean habitats, temperature affects both ant foraging behaviour and community structure. Many studies have shown that dominant species often forage at lower temperature than subordinates. Yet, the factors that constrain dominant species foraging activity in hot environments are still elusive. We used the dominant ant Tapinoma nigerrimum as a model species to test the hypothesis that high temperatures hinder trail following behaviour by accelerating pheromone degradation. First, field observations showed that high temperatures (> 30°C) reduce the foraging activity of T. nigerrimum independently of the daily and seasonal rhythms of this species. Second, we isolated the effect of high temperatures on pheromone trail efficacy from its effect on worker physiology. A marked substrate was heated during 10 min (five temperature treatments from 25°C to 60°C), cooled down to 25°C, and offered in a test choice to workers. At hot temperature treatments (>40°C), workers did not discriminate the previously marked substrate. High temperatures appeared therefore to accelerate pheromone degradation. Third, we assessed the pheromone decay dynamics by a mechanistic model fitted with Bayesian inference. The model predicted ant choice through the evolution of pheromone concentration on trails as a function of both temperature and time since pheromone deposition. Overall, our results highlighted that the effect of high temperatures on recruitment intensity was partly due to pheromone evaporation. In the Mediterranean ant communities, this might affect dominant species relying on chemical recruitment, more than subordinate ant species, less dependent on chemical communication and less sensitive to high temperatures.     

Costs and benefits of subordinate queens in colonies of the ant,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Leptothorax gredleri</Emphasis>

Queens of some species of social insects form dominance hierarchies in which only the top-ranking individual reproduces. Such unequal partitioning of reproduction can be stable when subordinate queens increase their inclusive fitness indirectly by helping to rear a related dominant queen's offspring. We investigated whether subordinate queens of the ant, Leptothorax gredleri, affect the reproductive success of the dominant queen. In laboratory colonies with two queens, first eggs were laid approximately 20 days later than in colonies with a single queen, presumably due to aggressive competition among nestmate queens. Nevertheless, two-queen colonies produced on average more brood than one-queen colonies, although egg laying was completely or almost completely monopolized by one single queen. The presence of a subordinate queen therefore appears to increase the productivity of the dominant.     

The energetic costs of stereotyped behavior in the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus

Polistes wasps engage in many behavioral interactions. Although there has been debate over the meaning of these interactions, these stereotypical behaviors can be used to determine a colony’s linear dominance hierarchy. Due to the implicit relationship between behavioral and reproductive dominance, behavioral interactions are commonly used to distinguish the reproductively dominant alpha foundress from the beta foundress. It has been suggested that in order to maintain reproductive control, the alpha foundress is forced to remain at a physiologically constrained activity limit. This, in turn, may allow aggressive interactions to be used as determinants influencing reproductive partitioning between cooperating individuals. Energetic costs can place important limitations on behavior, but the energetic cost of the interactions has not previously been measured. To address this, we measured the CO₂ production of 19 non-nestmate pairs displaying interactive and noninteractive behavior. The rate of energy used during interaction behavior was positively associated with published rankings of aggression. However, our results indicate that interactions are not very energetically costly in Polistes, particularly when compared to the likely cost of foraging. These data suggest that maintaining reproductive dominance is not very energetically expensive for the dominant and that the dominant foundress expends energy at a lower rate than the subordinate foundress. Electronic Supplementary Material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Female sex pheromone and male behavioral responses of the bombycid moth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trilocha varians</Emphasis>: comparison with those of the domesticated silkmoth <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis>

Analysis of female sex pheromone components and subsequent field trap experiments demonstrated that the bombycid moth Trilocha varians uses a mixture of (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienal (bombykal) and (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienyl acetate (bombykyl acetate) as a sex pheromone. Both of these components are derivatives of (E,Z)-10,12-hexadecadienol (bombykol), the sex pheromone of the domesticated silkmoth Bombyx mori. This finding prompted us to compare the antennal and behavioral responses of T. varians and B. mori to bombykol, bombykal, and bombykyl acetate in detail. The antennae of T. varians males responded to bombykal and bombykyl acetate but not to bombykol, and males were attracted only when lures contained both bombykal and bombykyl acetate. In contrast, the antennae of B. mori males responded to all the three components. Behavioral analysis showed that B. mori males responded to neither bombykal nor bombykyl acetate. Meanwhile, the wing fluttering response of B. mori males to bombykol was strongly inhibited by bombykal and bombykyl acetate, thereby indicating that bombykal and bombykyl acetate act as behavioral antagonists for B. mori males. T. varians would serve as a reference species for B. mori in future investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of sex pheromone communication systems in bombycid moths.     

(<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>)-9-tricosene identified in rectal gland extracts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera oleae</Emphasis> males: first evidence of a male-produced female attractant in olive fruit fly

It is well-known that Bactrocera oleae (olive fruit fly) females attract conspecific males by using 1,7-dioxaspiro[5,5]undecane (1) as the main component of their sex pheromone, and that 1 is produced in the female rectal gland. Although some authors have claimed that B. oleae males also attract females, to date no male-produced female attractants have been found in this species. In this paper, we report the first identification of a substance unique to males and able to attract females. The findings of the study include the following: (1) females responded in a bioassay to hexane extracts obtained from rectal glands of 15-day-old B. oleae males, (2) the presence of (Z)-9-tricosene (2) was consistently and unambiguously identified in these extracts using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry methods, (3) in preliminary bioactivity tests, low doses (equivalent to a few males) of chemically and stereoisomerically pure synthetic (Z)-9-tricosene (2) attracted olive fruit fly females. Interestingly, compound 2, commonly called muscalure, is also a well-known component of the house fly (Musca domestica) sex pheromone.     

Anatomical localization and stereoisomeric composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tribolium castaneum</Emphasis> aggregation pheromones

We report that the abdominal epidermis and associated tissues are the predominant sources of male-produced pheromones in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum and, for the first time, describe the stereoisomeric composition of the natural blend of isomers of the aggregation pheromone 4,8-dimethyldecanal (DMD) in this important pest species. Quantitative analyses via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that the average amount of DMD released daily by single feeding males of T. castaneum was 878 ± 72 ng (SE). Analysis of different body parts identified the abdominal epidermis as the major source of aggregation pheromone; the thorax was a minor source, while no DMD was detectable in the head. No internal organs or obvious male-specific glands were associated with pheromone deposition. Complete separation of all four stereoisomers of DMD was achieved following oxidation to the corresponding acid, derivatization with (1R, 2R)- and (1S, 2S)-2-(anthracene-2,3-dicarboximido)cyclohexanol to diastereomeric esters, and their separation on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography at −54°C. Analysis of the hexane eluate from Porapak-Q-collected volatiles from feeding males revealed the presence of all four isomers (4R,8R)/(4R,8S)/(4S,8R)/(4S,8S) at a ratio of approximately 4:4:1:1. A walking orientation bioassay in a wind tunnel with various blends of the four synthetic isomers further indicated that the attractive potency of the reconstituted natural blend of 4:4:1:1 was equivalent to that of the natural pheromone and greater than that of the 1:1 blend of (4R,8R)/(4R,8S) used in commercial lures.     

Sex Pheromone of the Pine Sawfly Macrodiprion nemoralis (Hymenoptera : Diprionidae): Identification of (2S,3R,7R,9S)-3,7,9-Trimethyl-2-tridecanol as the Precursor for the Active Pheromone Acetate

 The main component of the sex pheromone precursor in females of Macrodiprion nemoralis was identified as a threo-3,7,9-trimethyl-2-tridecanol isomer, approximately 800 pg per female, by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Comparison of mass spectrometric ion chromatograms showed that the natural compound in the female extract has the same retention time and mass spectrum as one of the two synthetic threo peaks. The acetate of the synthetic 16-isomer mixture caught a large number of males in the field, confirming the structure of the active pheromone. Comparison of gas chromatograms of the natural female extract with the eight synthetic threo stereoisomers showed that the pheromone is the (2S,3R,7R,9S)-stereoisomer of 3,7,9-trimethyl-2-tridecyl acetate. Received: 12 May 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 16 September 1999     

Effects of Serotonergic and Opioidergic Drugs on Escape Behaviors and Social Status of Male Crickets

 We examined the effects of selective serotonin depletion and opioid ligands on social rank and related escape behavior of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. Establishment of social rank in a pair of males affected their escape reactions. Losers showed a lower and dominants a higher percentage of jumps in response to tactile cercal stimulation than before a fight. The serotonin-depleting drug α-methyltryptophan (AMTP) caused an activation of the escape reactivity in socially naive crickets. AMTP-treated animals also showed a lower ability to become dominants. With an initial 51.6±3.6% of wins in the AMTP group, the percentage decreased to 26±1.6% on day 5 after injection. The opiate receptor antagonist naloxone affected fight and escape similarly as AMTP. In contrast to naloxone, the opioid agonist [d-Ala², N-Me-Phe⁴, Gly⁵-ol]-enkephalin decreased escape responsiveness to cercal stimulation in naive and subordinate crickets. We suggest that serotonergic and opioid systems are involved in the dominance induced depression of escape behavior. Received: 27 July 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 31 March 1999     

A cost of alarm pheromone production in cotton aphids, Aphis gossypii

The sesquiterpene, (E)--farnesene, is used by many aphid species as an alarm pheromone to warn related individuals of predation. Disturbed cotton aphids, Aphis gossypii Glover, released (E)--farnesene into the air as detected by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Solvent extracts of cotton aphids of various life stages and weights also were analyzed by GC–MS for sums of ions 69 and 93, which discriminated (E)--farnesene from coeluting compounds. Aphids of all life stages and sizes reared on cotton plants in both an environmental chamber and glasshouse contained (E)--farnesene in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 1.5 ng per individual. The quantities of (E)--farnesene in aphids increased in relation to increasing body weight, and variation in individual weights explained about 82% of the variation in alarm pheromone. However, the concentrations (ng/mg fresh weight) declined exponentially with increasing body weight. These findings indicate that aphid nymphs try to compensate for their smaller size by producing relatively more pheromone per weight than adults but still cannot approach an evolutionary optimal load, as assumed in adults with the greatest total amounts. This suggests that young aphids need to balance costs of growth and maturation with costs of producing the alarm pheromone.     

Reversed sex change by widowed males in polygynous and protogynous fishes: female removal experiments in the field

Sex change, either protogyny (female to male) or protandry (male to female), is well known among fishes, but evidence of bidirectional sex change or reversed sex change in natural populations is still very limited. This is the first report on female removal experiments for polygnous and protogynous fish species to induce reversed sex change in the widowed males in the field. We removed all of the females and juveniles from the territories of dominant males in the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus (Labridae) and the rusty angelfish Centropyge ferrugata (Pomacanthidae) on the coral reefs of Okinawa. In both species, if new females or juveniles did not immigrate into the territories of the widowed males, some of them emigrated to form male–male pairs. When a male–male pair formed, the smaller, subordinate partner began to perform female sexual behaviours (n = 4 in L. dimidiatus; n = 2 in C. ferrugata) and, finally, released eggs (n = 1, respectively). Thus, the reversed sex change occurred in the widowed males according to the change of their social status. These results suggest that such female removal experiments will contribute to the discovery of reversed sex change in the field also in other polygnous and protogynous species.     

Sex pheromone chemistry and field trapping studies of the elm spanworm Ennomos subsignaria (Hübner) (Lepidoptera:Geometridae)

The elm spanworm, Ennomos subsignaria (Hübner), occurs throughout Canada and the eastern United States and can be a destructive forest pest on a wide range of deciduous trees. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and coupled gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GC/EAD) analysis of pheromone gland extracts, in combination with chemical synthesis and field trapping studies have identified (2S, 3R)-2-((Z)-oct-2′-enyl)-3-nonyl oxirane (hereafter Z6-9S, 10R-epoxy-19:H) as the female-produced sex pheromone. Significantly more male moths were captured between 1–100 μg loadings of this compound on red rubber septa in sticky traps compared to blank (unbaited) traps; catches then declined at higher dosages (500–1000 μg). The other isomeric enantiomer, (2R, 3S)-2-[(Z)-oct-2′-enyl]-3-nonyl oxirane (Z6-9R, 10S-epoxy-19:H), at a 10-μg dosage did not elicit trap capture. The likely precursor to the active epoxide, (Z, Z)-6, 9-nonadecadiene ((Z, Z)-6, 9-19:H), identified in virgin female sex pheromone glands, did not elicit trap capture either, and inhibited trap capture when combined with the active epoxide. Racemic 2-((Z)-oct-2′-enyl)-3-nonyl oxirane showed no significant difference in trap capture compared with Z6-9S, 10R-epoxy-19:H, indicating that the opposite enantiomer was not antagonistic. The addition of the EAD-active diene epoxide enantiomers (2S, 3R)-2-[(Z, Z)-octa-2′, 5′-dienyl]-3-nonyl oxirane or (2R, 3S)-2-[(Z, Z)-octa-2′, 5′-dienyl]-3-nonyl oxirane in admixture with Z6-9S, 10R-epoxy-19:H (at 10% of the latter) did not enhance or decrease trap capture compared to Z6-9S, 10R-epoxy-19:H oxirane alone, so they are not likely pheromone components. This pheromone, impregnated in rubber septa at less than 100-μg dosage, can now be used as a trap bait to develop detection and monitoring strategies for this insect.     

Strategies of a bark beetle, Pityogenes bidentatus, in an olfactory landscape

 Volatiles from leaves or bark of nonhost birch (Betula pendula) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) dramatically reduced the attraction of the bark beetle, Pityogenes bidentatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), to their aggregation pheromone components (cis-verbenol and grandisol) in the field. In addition, odors from both the needles and bark of the host Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) similarly inhibited attraction. Monoterpenes of pine and spruce (α-pinene, β-pinene, terpinolene, and 3-carene) as well as ethanol, chalcogran and some nonhost green leaf alcohols [(Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, and 1-hexanol], also reduced catches. Collections of volatiles from the field-tested plant tissues indicated they released monoterpenes in amounts similar to the synthetics that inhibited responses. The various plant and insect sources of these inhibitory compounds indicate that P. bidentatus bark beetles have evolved several strategies to increase their fitness by avoiding nonhost and unsuitable host trees in a complex olfactory landscape. Received: 6 June 2000 / Accepted in revised form: 25 September 2000     

微咸水灌溉下微生物菌肥对盐渍土理化性质和细菌群落的影响

微生物菌肥改良盐渍土具有高效、绿色环保等优势,同时施加微生物菌肥是安全利用微咸水的有效方式.试验基于河套灌区中度盐渍土,以枸杞为指示植物,在微咸水灌溉条件下设置施加不同微生物菌肥量F1(4 500 kg·km^-2)、 F2(7 500 kg·km^-2)、 F3(10 500 kg·km^-2)和无菌肥(CK)这4个处理,研究枸杞4个关键生育期(开花期、果实膨大期、盛果期和落叶期)不同微生物菌肥施用量对土壤盐基离子、水分、 pH值、养分和细菌群落的影响.结果表明,相较CK, F1仅显著降低了前2个生育期Na⁺含量(P<0.05),而F2和F3均显著降低全生育期Na⁺含量(P<0.05),平均降低33.66%和57.98%; F3显著提高了全生育期的土壤含水率(MC)、有机质(OM)、碱解氮(AN)和速效磷(AP)含量(P<0.05).枸杞生育旺盛期,F3的Shannon指数较CK提高了4.41%;土壤优势菌门为变形菌门、拟杆菌门和放线菌门,优势菌属为鞘脂单胞菌属和...     

河口区新建河道轮虫群落演替及与水环境的关系

于2011年12月~2012年11月对上海一河口性新建河道(临港新城B港河道)的轮虫群落结构进行为期1 a的调查研究,结果表明,调查期间该水体共检出轮虫23种,其中污染指示种19种;轮虫的种类数随河道建成时间的延长呈逐月上升趋势,从2种增加到13种;优势种在时间尺度上的演替明显,由开始的单一优势种螺形龟甲轮虫(Keratella cochlearis)向多种轮虫共同占优势转变,新建成的B港水体中的轮虫群落结构与外河水体(芦潮引河)存在明显的差异.相关性分析表明,B港水体中轮虫总密度与温度、叶绿素a显著正相关(P<0.05),但与盐度无显著相关性;除螺形龟甲轮虫外,其他主要种类的密度均与营养盐浓度、盐度呈负相关关系(P<0.05).临港B港河道轮虫各月间的相似性指数较低,说明临港B港河道水体生态系统尚未稳定,仍处于不断变化中;但是轮虫的丰富度Margalef指数、多样性指数Shannon-Wiener指数逐月增大、E/O值逐渐下降.     

“十一五”期间淮河淮南段水质变化趋势分析及防治对策

选取淮河淮南段的水质为分析对象,以氨氮作为指标参数,运用秩相关系数法,对其水质在“十一五”期间的变化趋势进行定量分析,并据此提出改善水环境质量的主要对策。     

Codling moth males do not discriminate between pheromone and a pheromone/antagonist blend during upwind flight

Discrimination between conspecific and heterospecific signals is a key element in the evolution of pheromone-mediated communication in insects. Pheromone antagonists prevent heterospecific attraction. They are typically pheromone synergists in other species and enable specific communication in closely related species, using partly the same chemicals. In codling moth, Cydia pomonella, as in other moths, upwind flights to a pheromone/antagonist blend were slower and more convoluted than to pheromone. However, this deteriorated flight behaviour did not account for the strong decrease in male attraction. The pheromone/antagonist blend blocked instead the onset of upwind flight. This was corroborated by placing a separate source of pheromone close by, which restored male attraction. Males flying upwind did not discriminate between pheromone and the adjacent pheromone/antagonist blend, and landed on either source. This indicates differences in the neural regulation for initiating and maintaining a behavioural response to pheromone.