The influence of odour on the oviposition behaviour of the cabbage root fly

Summary. Host plant odours are known to be important in long-range host location by the cabbage root fly, whereas at short distances orientation is mainly visual. We show that olfaction also plays a significant role after a fly lands on a plant and before it moves down onto the soil to oviposit. Host plant acceptance by the cabbage root fly seems to result from a synergistic response to simultaneously perceived olfactory and contact chemostimulation. Received 12 May 1999; accepted 24 July 1999     

Landscape Characterization Integrating Expert and Local Spatial Knowledge of Land and Forest Resources

In many developing countries, political documentation acknowledges the crucial elements of participation and spatiality for effective land use planning. However, operative approaches to spatial data inclusion and representation in participatory land management are often lacking. In this paper, we apply and develop an integrated landscape characterization approach to enhance spatial knowledge generation about the complex human–nature interactions in landscapes in the context of Zanzibar, Tanzania. We apply an integrated landscape conceptualization as a theoretical framework where the expert and local knowledge can meet in spatial context. The characterization is based on combining multiple data sources in GIS, and involves local communities and their local spatial knowledge since the beginning into the process. Focusing on the expected information needs for community forest management, our characterization integrates physical landscape features and retrospective landscape change data with place-specific community knowledge collected through participatory GIS techniques. The characterization is established in a map form consisting of four themes and their synthesis. The characterization maps are designed to support intuitive interpretation, express the inherently uncertain nature of the data, and accompanied by photographs to enhance communication. Visual interpretation of the characterization mediates information about the character of areas and places in the studied local landscape, depicting the role of forest resources as part of the landscape entity. We conclude that landscape characterization applied in GIS is a highly potential tool for participatory land and resource management, where spatial argumentation, stakeholder communication, and empowerment are critical issues.     

The role of tending ants in host plant selection and egg parasitism of two facultative myrmecophilous butterflies

Ovipositing adult females of myrmecophilous lycaenids are expected to select plants based on ant presence in order to maximize the survivorship of immature stages. Usually, larvae feed ants with honey-like solutions and, in turn, ants ward off parasitoids. Nonetheless, a rarely investigated approach is whether ant partners can also extend their protective behavior towards lycaenids eggs. Here, we investigated the ant-related oviposition pattern of Allosmaitia strophius and Rekoa marius; then, we compared egg parasitism according to the presence of ants. Lycaenid oviposition and egg parasitism (in percent) were experimentally compared in ant-present and ant-excluded treatments. The study plant, Heteropterys byrsonimifolia, is an extrafloral nectaried shrub which supports several ant species. We sampled 280 eggs, of which 39.65 % belonged to A. strophius and 60.35 % to R. marius. Both lycaenids eggs were significantly more abundant on branches with ants, especially those with Camponotus crassus and Camponotus blandus, two ant species known to attend to lycaenids. A. strophius and R. marius parasitism was 4.5- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, in ant-present treatments, but the results were not statistically significant. Our study shows that ant-mediated host plant selection in lycaenids might be much more widespread than previously thought, and not restricted to obligate myrmecophilous species. Tending ants may be inefficient bodyguards of lycaenid eggs, because unlike larvae which release sugared liquids, eggs do not offer obvious rewards to ants. Ants can ward off parasitoids of larvae, as observed elsewhere, but our findings show that positive ant–lycaenid interactions are conditional and depend on immature ontogeny.     

Biomonitoring verkehrsbedingter Platin-Immissionen

Traffic related platinum deposits on, or near to, the roads. Platinum accumulation was studied using the method of standardised culture of grass (Lolium multiflorum) at locations with different traffic exposure in the region of Munich. Grass cultures from 6 locations with high traffic exposure, and 3 reference locations far away from traffic emissions, were analysed in 1992 and 1993. The results show a good indication of the platinum emissions byLolium multiflorum. The platinum concentrations rose with the increasing traffic. They diminished with growing distance from the verge of the road. The highest average platinum concentrations were measured at locations close to highly frequented urban roads, in the range 0.8 to 2.9 μg/kg dm. The average platinum concentration at locations far from emissions was found in the range of 0.17 to 0.51 μg/kg dm in 1992 and 1993. The good correlation between the platinum concentrations in grass cultures and the concentrations of other traffic-related elements, like antimony, chromium and lead, verifies the dependence of platinum accumulation from traffic.