Go to the city: Urban invasions of four pipistrelle bat species in eastern Slovakia

Until now, late summer or autumn invasions into inhabited building have been regarded as phenomenon typical for the common pipistrelle, pipistrellus pipistrellus, exclusively. During the investigation of this phenomenon in the city of Košice (eastern Slovakia), we discovered that it was not always entirely specific for this species. During the period 2016–2018, we recorded 3 events out of 35 invasions, where small groups of common pipistrelles that invaded into inhabited buildings were also accompanied by individuals of two con-generic bat species, pipistrellus pygmaeus and pipistrellus kuhlii. Cryptic species p. pipistrellus and p. pygmaeus were determined by genetic test. In addition, in 2019, we recorded the first winter occurrence of another pipistrelle species, pipistrellus nathusii, inthis urban environment. We conclude that areas of frequent invasive behaviour of p. pipistrellus may be sometimes associated with concomitant occurrence of other related species that share common thermal or foraging niche and such behaviour could be evidence of their urbanisation tendencies

A clue to invasion success: genetic diversity quickly rebounds after introduction bottlenecks

One of the fundamental questions in invasion biology is to understand the genetic mechanisms behind success or failure during the establishment of a species. However, major limitations to understanding are usually a lack of spatiotemporal population data and information on the populations' colonisation history. In a large-scale, detailed study on the bush-cricket Metrioptera roeselii 70 groups of founders were introduced in areas outside the species' distribution range. We examined how (1) the number of founders (2-32 individuals), (2) the time since establishment (7 or 15 years after introduction) and (3) possible gene flow affected establishment success and temporal genetic changes of the introduced populations. We found higher establishment success in introductions with larger propagule sizes but genetic diversity indices were only partly correlated to propagule size. As expected, introduced populations were more similar to their founder population the larger the propagule size was. However, even if apparent at first, most of the differentiation in the small propagule introductions disappeared over time. Surprisingly, genetic variability was regained to a level comparable to the large and outbreeding founder population only 15 generations after severe demographic bottlenecks. We suggest that the establishment of these populations could be a result of several mechanisms acting in synergy. Here, rapid increase in genetic diversity of few introductions could potentially be attributed to limited gene flow from adjacent populations, behavioural adaptations and/or even increased mutation rate. We present unique insights into genetic processes that point towards traits that are important for understanding species' invasiveness

Post-glacial colonization of the Fennoscandian coast by a plant parasitic insect with an unusual life history

Species that exhibit very peculiar ecological traits combined with limited dispersal ability pose a challenge to our understanding of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms. This is especially true when they have managed to spread over long distances, overcome physical barriers, and colonize large areas. Climate and landscape changes, trophic web relations, as well as life history all interact to shape migration routes and present-day species distributions and their population genetic structures. Here we analyzed the post-glacial colonization of northern Europe by the gall midge Contarinia vincetoxici, which is a monophagous parasite on the perennial herb White swallowwort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria). This insect not only has a narrow feeding niche but also limited dispersal ability and an exceptionally long dormancy. Gall midge larvae (n = 329) were collected from 16 sites along its distribution range in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Using microsatellite loci and knowledge of the species and the regions' history, we investigated the role of landscape change, host plant distribution, insect population dynamics, and life history in shaping the population genetic structure of the insect. We devoted particular interest to the role of the insect's presumed poor dispersal capacity in combination with its exceptionally extended diapause. We found significant levels of local inbreeding (95% highest posterior density interval = 0.42-0.47), low-level within-population heterozygosity (mean H-E = 0.45, range 0.20-0.61) with private alleles in all populations except two. We also found significant (p < .001) regional isolation-by-distance patterns, suggesting regularly recurring mainly short-distance dispersal. According to approximate Bayesian computations, C. vincetoxici appears to have colonized the study area via wind-aided flights from remote areas approximately 4600-700 years before present when the land has gradually risen above the sea level. Extremely long dormancy periods have allowed the species to "disperse in time", thereby aiding population persistence despite generally low census population sizes

Analysis of the PM Motor with External Rotor for Direct Drive of Electric Wheelchair

The paper deals with analysis of properties of synchronous motor with external permanent magnets rotor. The mathematical analysis and equivalent circuit of permanent magnet synchronous motor (SMPM) is presented. In the parts of the paper the electromagnetic design, construction design and FEM Simulation of a SMPM is described and its properties are analysed. In the paper the results of simulation in Matlab/Simulink of torque, speed and current on the base mathematical model are shown

Diversity and distribution of Orthoptera communities of two adjacent mountains in northern part of the Carpathians

During 2013–2017, assemblages of bush-crickets and grasshoppers were surveyed in two neighbouring flysch mountains – Čergov Mts (48 sites) and Levočské vrchy Mts (62 sites) – in northern part of Western Carpathians. Species were sampled mostly at grasslands and forest edges along elevational gradient between 370 and 1220 m a.s.l. Within the entire area (ca 930 km2) we documented 54 species, representing 38% of Carpathian Orthoptera species richness. We found the same species number (45) in both mountain ranges with nine unique species in each of them. No difference in mean species richness per site was found between the mountain ranges (mean ± SD = 12.5 ± 3.9). Elevation explained 2.9% of variation in site species richness. Elevation and mountain range identity explained 7.3% of assemblages composition. We found new latitudinal as well as longitudinal limits in the distribution for several species. Occurrence and distributional patterns of some noteworthy species (Isophya stysi, Pholidoptera transsylvanica, Poecilimon schmidtii, Polysarcus denticauda, Pseudopodisma nagyi, Chorthippus tatrae), as well as habitat specialists (Chorthippus pullus, Tetrix tuerki) are discussed

Diversity and distribution of Orthoptera communities of two adjacent mountains in northern part of the Carpathians

During 2013–2017, assemblages of bush-crickets and grasshoppers were surveyed in two neighbouring flysch mountains – Čergov Mts (48 sites) and Levočské vrchy Mts (62 sites) – in northern part of Western Carpathians. Species were sampled mostly at grasslands and forest edges along elevational gradient between 370 and 1220 m a.s.l. Within the entire area (ca 930 km2) we documented 54 species, representing 38% of Carpathian Orthoptera species richness. We found the same species number (45) in both mountain ranges with nine unique species in each of them. No difference in mean species richness per site was found between the mountain ranges (mean ± SD = 12.5 ± 3.9). Elevation explained 2.9% of variation in site species richness. Elevation and mountain range identity explained 7.3% of assemblages composition. We found new latitudinal as well as longitudinal limits in the distribution for several species. Occurrence and distributional patterns of some noteworthy species (Isophya stysi, Pholidoptera transsylvanica, Poecilimon schmidtii, Polysarcus denticauda, Pseudopodisma nagyi, Chorthippus tatrae), as well as habitat specialists (Chorthippus pullus, Tetrix tuerki) are discussed

01 Body size and spermatodoses

This data file contains female and male body size (mm), the number of copulations executed by a pair and the total volume of received spermatodoses (mm3) in 128 possible pair-wise combinations in randomly established eight mating groups of Pholidoptera griseoaptera collected in two populations (central Slovakia). The adult body size was measured in females and males of field collected nymphs reared under standard laboratory conditions

02 Microsatellite markers

This data set contains raw genotypes of six microsatellite markers for 32 Pholidoptera griseoaptera individuals collected in two populations (central Slovakia)

Gene flow relates to evolutionary divergence among populations at the range margin

Background: Morphological differentiation between populations resulting from local adaptations to environmental conditions is likely to be more pronounced in populations with increasing genetic isolation. In a previous study a positive clinal variation in body size was observed in isolated Roesel's bush-cricket, Metrioptera roeselii, populations, but were absent from populations within a continuous distribution at the same latitudinal range. This observational study inferred that there was a phenotypic effect of gene flow on climate-induced selection in this species.Methods: To disentangle genetic versus environmental drivers of population differences in morphology, we measured the size of four different body traits in wild-caught individuals from the two most distinct latitudinally-matched pairs of populations occurring at about 60 degrees N latitude in northern Europe, characterised by either restricted or continuous gene flow, and corresponding individuals raised under laboratory conditions.Results: Individuals that originated from the genetically isolated populations were always bigger (femur, pronotum and genital appendages) when compared to individuals from latitudinally-matched areas characterised by continuous gene flow between populations. The magnitude of this effect was similar for wild-caught and laboratory-reared individuals. We found that previously observed size cline variation in both male and female crickets was likely to be the result of local genetic adaptation rather than phenotypic plasticity.Conclusions: This strongly suggests that restricted gene flow is of major importance for frequencies of alleles that participate in climate-induced selection acting to favour larger phenotypes in isolated populations towards colder latitudes

Data from: Size-dependent mating pattern in a nuptial gift-giving insect

The reproductive interests of females and males often diverge in terms of the number of mating partners, an individual’s phenotype, origin, genes and parental investment. This conflict may lead to a variety of sex-specific adaptations and also affect mate choice in both sexes. We conducted an experiment with the bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), a species in which females receive direct nutritional benefits during mating. Mated individuals could be assigned due to the genotype of male spermatodoses, which are stored in the female’s spermatheca. After three weeks of possible copulations in established mating groups which were random replications with four females and males we did not find consistent assortative mating preference regarding to body size of mates. However, our results showed that the frequency of within-pair copulations (192 analyzed mating events in 128 possible pair-wise combinations) was positively associated with the body size of both mated individuals with significant interaction between sexes (having one mate very large, association between body size and the number of copulations has weaken). Larger individuals also showed a higher degree of polygamy. This suggests that body size of this nuptial gift-giving insect species is an important sexual trait according to which both sexes choose their optimal mating partner