90 research outputs found
The PennState/Toru\'n Center for Astronomy Search for Planets Around Evolved Stars. Basic parameters of a sample of evolved stars
The objective of the PSU/TCfA Search for Planets Around Evolved Stars is to
study evolution of planetary systems in the stellar evolution timescale. For
such an analysis precise physical parameters of the hosts of the planetary
systems are essential. In this paper we present an attempt to obtain basic
physical parameters for a sample of evolved stars observed within our survey
with the High Resolution Spectrograph of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope.Comment: 2 pages, to appear in "Extreme Solar Systems", 2007 ASP Conference
Series, eds. Debra Fischer, Fred Rasio, Steve Thorsett and Alex Wolszcza
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Invasion biology of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii): a global perspective and future priorities
The Asian vinegar fly Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing Drosophila [SWD]) has emerged as a major invasive insect pest of small and stone fruits in both the Americas and Europe since the late 2000s. While research efforts have rapidly progressed in Asia, North America, and Europe over the past 5 years, important new insights may be gained in comparing and contrasting findings across the regions affected by SWD. In this review, we explore common themes in the invasion biology of SWD by examining (1) its biology and current pest status in endemic and recently invaded regions; (2) current efforts and future research needs for the development of predictive models for its geographic expansion; and (3) prospects for both natural and classical (=importation) biological control of SWD in invaded habitats, with emphasis on the role of hymenopteran parasitoids. We conclude that particularly fruitful areas of research should include fundamental studies of its overwintering, host-use, and dispersal capabilities; as well as applied studies of alternative, cost-effective management techniques to complement insecticide use within the integrated pest management framework. Finally, we emphasize that outreach efforts are critical to effective SWD management by highlighting successful strategies and insights gained from various geographic regions.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Springer and can be found at: http://link.springer.com/journal/10340Keywords: Integrated pest management, Biological control, Drosophila, Frugivore, Invasion biolog
Drosophila Survey of Hokkaido, XXX. : Microdistribution and Seasonal Fluctuations of Drosophilid Flies Dwelling among the Undergrowth Plants (With 3 Text-figures and 3 Tables)
Drosophila Survey of Hokkaido, XXXII. : A Field Survey of Fungus Preferences of Drosophilid Flies in Sapporo (With 1 Text-figure and 8 Tables)
Diversity and abundance of frugivorous drosophilids and their parasitoids in Bogor, Indonesia
The diversity, abundance and association of frugivorous drosophilids and their parasitoids were studied in Bogor, Indonesia (tropical region), and compared with the results in Iriomote-jima (subtropical region) and Tokyo (temperate region). In the collections of adult drosophilid flies by traps baited with banana in wooded areas, the number of commonly observed frugivorous drosophilid species (i.e. species that occupied more than 0.5% of total drosophilid samples) was 10 in Bogor and nine in Iriomote-jima, more than in Tokyo (six species), probably reflecting the high diversity and abundance of fruits. The rate of parasitism was very high in Bogor, especially in species of the Drosophila ananassae and immigrans species groups. The diversity of parasitoids attacking frugivorous drosophilids was higher in Bogor and Iriomote-jima than in Tokyo, possibly due to the high species diversity of host drosophilids. Parasitoids generally showed wider latitudinal distributions than drosophilids. No remarkable difference was observed in the host range among tropical, subtropical and temperate parasitoids
Weak parasitoid-mediated apparent competition between two Phyllonorycter (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) leaf miner species on a deciduous oak Quercus dentata
Parasitoid assemblages and the rates of parasitism on tissue-feeding larvae of two Phyllonorycter leafminer species, P. persimilis and P. leucocorona, were studied from the autumn generation in 2002 to the summer generation in 2005 to understand whether parasitoids mediate interactions of the two leaf species. Fourteen species of parasitoids emerged from P. persimilis and 11 species emerged from P. leucocorona. The parasitism rate was high; i.e., 24.1-92.6% in P. persimilis and 58.9-81.7% in P. leucocorona. Thus, parasitism was a major mortality factor in the present Phyllonorycter species. The parasitoid composition was distinctly different between the two host species, although most parasitoids were able to parasitize both leafminer species. The analysis based on the quantitative parasitoid overlap revealed that the present parasitoids could mediate interactions between the present leafminer species, but their effects would be weak. This is attributable to that most parasitoids preferentially parasitize either of the leafminer species
Altitudinal patterns of abundances and parasitism in frugivorous drosophilids in west Java, Indonesia
Abundances and parasitism rates of frugivorous drosophilid flies were studied in three localities at altitudes of 250-1350m in and near Bogor, Indonesia. The drosophilid and parasitoid species were classified into four groups: low-altitude species, high-altitude species, species abundant at a mid-altitude location and species occurring rather evenly from low to high locations. The ananassae and immigrans species groups were major drosophilids collected. All species of the ananassae species group were more abundant at lower altitudes, and the parasitism rate in this species group decreased with increasing altitude. Thus, the host abundance seems to affect the parasitism rate. On the other hand, the rate of parasitism in the immigrans species group showed no apparent relation with altitude or density, possibly due to the fact that species of this species group varied in altitudinal distribution. It is also suggested that the diversity of drosophilid species affects the composition of parasitoid species
Effects of Asobara japonica venom on larval survival of host and nonhost Drosophila species
Ovipositing Asobara japonica females inject venom (containing paralysis-inducing factors) immediately after the insertion of their ovipositors into Drosophila larvae, and lay eggs a little later. Interruption of their oviposition behaviour before egg laying causes high larval mortality in host Drosophila species, while normal oviposition does not. This suggests that venom of this parasitoid is toxic to larvae of these host species but its toxicity is suppressed by factor(s) provided by parasitoid females at the time of laying egg or by parasitoid embryos developing in the hosts. On the other hand, venom does not show toxicity to larvae of non-host Drosophia species. Possible functions of venom are discussed
Toxicity of venom of Asobara and Leptopilina species to Drosophila species
The Drosophila parasitoid Asobara japonica Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) has highly toxic venom that kills host larvae if its injection is not followed by an injection of lateral oviduct components along with egg-laying. In the present study, the venoms of seven other Drosophila parasitoids (Asobara rossica, Asobara rufescens, Asobara pleuralis, Leptopilina heterotoma, Leptopilina japonica, Leptopilina ryukyuensis, and Leptopilina victoriae) are tested against three kinds of Drosophila species (i.e. Drosophila species that are suitable as host for focal parasitoids, those that are resistant to the parasitoids, and a cosmopolitan species, Drosophila simulans). Venoms of the three Asobara species are not toxic to any of Drosophila species, whereas those of the four Leptopilina species are toxic to some Drosophila species. The toxicity of venom varies among Leptopilina species, and the susceptibility to venom also varies among host Drosophila species. Furthermore, toxicity and paralytic effects of venom are not correlated. Because the toxicity of venom is not adaptive for parasitoids, it may be an inevitable side effect of some components that play an essential role in parasitism
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