Biological activity of sugarcane pyroligneous acid against Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) annually cause enormous loss to the producers and their  combat has become a worldwide challenge mainly due to several reports of pesticides resistance. Today, one of the best  alternatives used in this combat is the application of natural insecticides such as neem oil and pyroligneous acid. This study  demonstrates a method to obtain a hexane fraction from sugarcane pyroligneous acid, which can be easily applied, as well as its effectiveness against S. frugiperda. The hexane fraction exhibited LC50 of 2206,41 ppm after 24 h of exposure with a linear dose-response, indicating that the fraction can be used as a bio-insecticide against S. frugiperda.Keywords: Wood vinegar, insecticide, Saccharum officinarum, fall armyworm, pyroligneous extract

Soil, humipedon, forest life and management

In recent years, three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon) were recognized in the soil profile. It was then possible to link the first and most biologically active section to the characteristics of the environment and soil genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distinguish organic horizons, mainly produced by arthropods and enchytraeids in cold and acidic or dry and arid environments, from organo-mineral horizons produced by earthworms in more temperate and mesotrophic environments. Each set of horizons can be associated with a humus system or form, with important implications for forestry. Anecic/endogeic earthworms and Mull or Amphi systems are more abundant in the early and late stages of sylvogenesis; by completely recycling litter, earthworms accelerate the availability of organic and inorganic soil nutrients to roots and pedofauna. On the other hand, arthropods and Moder or Tangel systems characterize the intermediate stages of sylvogenesis, where thickening in the organic horizons and the parallel impoverishment/reduction in the underlying organo-mineral horizons are observed. Recognizing the humus system at the right spatial and temporal scale is crucial for the biological management of a forest. This article includes a data review, new data from a doctoral thesis, and recent comparisons of Italian and French investigation

The retreat of the Alpine Glaciers. Pedology and biology in reference to the case study of the Agola glacier.

openGli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici sono più accentuati negli ambienti estremi, tra cui le aree montuose come le Alpi. L'aumento della temperatura di 1,3°C nell'ultimo secolo ha ridotto della metà la copertura glaciale e, in mancanza di effettive riduzioni delle emissioni di gas serra, entro il 2100 l'aumento termico aggiuntivo di pochi °C potrebbe portare alla scomparsa dei ghiacciai al di sotto dei 3500 m. In questi habitat estremi, variazioni climatiche anche minime possono avere conseguenze molto importanti su ecosistemi glaciali e su organismi estremofili. Da un punto di vista ecologico, i ghiacciai in ritiro rappresentano laboratori in pieno campo unici per studiare lo sviluppo e le dinamiche degli ecosistemi primari. Il detrito roccioso esposto a seguito del ritiro del ghiacciaio non contiene generalmente una banca di semi, e rappresenta un'occasione rara per lo studio di una vera successione primaria. Il presente lavoro vuole esaminare le dinamiche di colonizzazione dei ghiaioni detritici dolomitici a seguito del ritiro dei ghiacciai. L'areale di molte specie animali e vegetali si sta spostando sempre più in quota e questo processo avviene grazie all'attività di microrganismi pionieri e attori delle fasi iniziali della formazione del suolo. Il suolo garantisce il mantenimento dell'ecosistema e ne permette l'evoluzione. Con questo studio preliminare abbiamo indagato le condizioni pedologiche e biologiche che caratterizzano il fenomeno di ritiro dei ghiacci e la formazione del suolo nel gruppo dolomitico del Brenta ed in particolare nel sottogruppo della Catena d'Ambiez

A standardized morpho-functional classification of the planet's humipedons

International audienceIt was time to take stock. We modified the humipedon classification key published in 2018 to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English; we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morpho-functional classification of humipedons (roughly the top 30–40 cm of soil: organic and organomineral surface horizons) would allow for a better understanding of the functioning of the soil ecosystem. This paper provides the founding principles of the classification of humipedon into humus systems and forms. With the recognition of a few diagnostic horizons, all humus systems can be determined. The humus forms that make up these humus systems are revealed by measuring the thicknesses of the diagnostic horizons. In the final part of the article, several figures represent the screenshots of a mobile phone or tablet application that allows for a fast recall of the diagnostic elements of the classification in the field. The article attempts to promote a standardized classification of humipedons for a global and shared management of soil at planet level

Resumos concluídos - Neurociências

Resumos concluídos - Neurociência

MOONS: The New Multi-Object Spectrograph for the VLT

International audienceMOONS is the new Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph currently under construction for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) at ESO. This remarkable instrument combines, for the first time, the collecting power of an 8-m telescope, 1000 fibres with individual robotic positioners, and both low- and high-resolution simultaneous spectral coverage across the 0.64–1.8 μm wavelength range. This facility will provide the astronomical community with a powerful, world-leading instrument able to serve a wide range of Galactic, extragalactic and cosmological studies. Construction is now proceeding full steam ahead and this overview article presents some of the science goals and the technical description of the MOONS instrument. More detailed information on the MOONS surveys is provided in the other dedicated articles in this Messenger issue