Nuevos registros de Moluchia strigata (Blanchard, 1851) (Blattodea: Ectobiidae) en el Matorral Mediterráneo de Chile Central

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Austroectobius invunche: new genus and species of Ectobiidae for Chile (Insecta, Blattaria)

Vera, Alejandro, Schapheer, Constanza (2018): Austroectobius invunche: new genus and species of Ectobiidae for Chile (Insecta, Blattaria). Zootaxa 4500 (1): 115-125, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4500.1.

Arthropod-Microbiota Integration: Its Importance for Ecosystem Conservation

International audienceRecent reports indicate that the health of our planet is getting worse and that genuine transformative changes are pressing. So far, efforts to ameliorate Earth’s ecosystem crises have been insufficient, as these often depart from current knowledge of the underlying ecological processes. Nowadays, biodiversity loss and the alterations in biogeochemical cycles are reaching thresholds that put the survival of our species at risk. Biological interactions are fundamental for achieving biological conservation and restoration of ecological processes, especially those that contribute to nutrient cycles. Microorganism are recognized as key players in ecological interactions and nutrient cycling, both free-living and in symbiotic associations with multicellular organisms. This latter assemblage work as a functional ecological unit called “holobiont.” Here, we review the emergent ecosystem properties derived from holobionts, with special emphasis on detritivorous terrestrial arthropods and their symbiotic microorganisms. We revisit their relevance in the cycling of recalcitrant organic compounds (e.g., lignin and cellulose). Finally, based on the interconnection between biodiversity and nutrient cycling, we propose that a multicellular organism and its associates constitute an Ecosystem Holobiont (EH). This EH is the functional unit characterized by carrying out key ecosystem processes. We emphasize that in order to meet the challenge to restore the health of our planet it is critical to reduce anthropic pressures that may threaten not only individual entities (known as “bionts”) but also the stability of the associations that give rise to EH and their ecological functions

Historical Changes in Agricultural Systems and the Current Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Southern Chile

International audienceAgricultural activities are important contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in southern Chile. Three types of agricultural systems coexist within this region: traditional, conventional and agroecological. Historical changes in agricultural practices were identified from bibliographic sources and field surveys of 10 farms of each system type. A similarity analysis between systems was carried out using the survey data, which were also input to the Cool Farm Tool software to estimate GHG emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The main historical changes identified were: (i) replacement of organic inputs by chemical products, (ii) replacement of workforce by agricultural machinery, (iii) decrease in crop diversity and (iv) decrease in total agricultural area. A multivariate analysis showed that agroecological systems are different from the traditional and conventional systems mainly because of the land use and the amount of organic fertiliser applied. However, no significant differences were found in the GHG emissions, which on average were 2999 ± 1521, 3443 ± 2376 and 3746 ± 1837 kg CO 2-eq ha −1 year −1 (traditional, conventional and agroecological, respectively). Enteric fermentation was the main source of emissions in all agricultural systems, therefore methane was the most important GHG. Identifying the sources and practices that produce more emissions should help to improve management to reduce GHG emissions

Agroecological strategies to safeguard insect pollinators in biodiversity hotspots: Chile as a case study

Industrial agriculture (IA) has been recognized among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, climate change, and native pollinator decline. Here we summarize the known negative effects of IA on pollinator biodiversity and illustrate these problems by considering the case of Chile, a “world biodiversity hotspot” (WBH) where food exports account for a considerable share of the economy in this country. Most of Chile’s WBH area is currently being replaced by IA at a fast pace, threatening local biodiversity. We present an agroecological strategy for sustainable food production and pollinator conservation in food‐producing WBHs. In this we recognize native pollinators as internal inputs that cannot be replaced by IA technological packages and support the development of agroecological and biodiversity restorative practices to protect biodiversity. We suggest four fundamental pillars for food production change based on: (1) sharing the land, restoring and protecting; (2) ecological intensification; (3) localized knowledge, research, and technological devel-opment; and (4) territorial planning and implementation of socio‐agroecological policies. This approach does not need modification of native pollination services that sustain the world with food and basic subsistence goods, but a paradigm changes where the interdependency of nature and human wellbeing must be recognized for ensuring the world’s food security and sovereignty.SCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Distribution, habitat use and plant associations of Moluchia brevipennis (Saussure, 1864) (Blattodea: Ectobiidae): an endemic cockroach from Chilean Mediterranean Matorral biome

Wild cockroaches are often described as abundant and diverse insects from wet tropical zones; however, they can also be found in arid and semiarid areas. It is proposed that in these drier environments cockroach survival may dependent on its tight association with native plant species. In this work, using bait trapping and active collection methods, we surveyed cockroach species along central Chile coastal scrubland; the southern limit of the semiarid Mediterranean Matorral biome in the Neotropical Region (32° S). Based on morphological and DNA barcoding methods we found that our collected cockroaches belonged to native species Moluchia brevipennis (Saussure, 1864) (Blattodea: Ectobiidae). Furthermore, thanks to field sampling, we noticed for the first time that M. brevipennis predominantly can be found in patches of native vegetation from Matorral biome, for instance, associated to endemic plant species from Puya (Bromeliaceae) genus, where we recorded these wild cockroaches feeding on flowers at dusk. Under the light of these findings, we discuss the relevance of the association between M. brevipennis and native plants for its survival in this semiarid habitat, its potential ecological function and the ongoing hazards for native insect species resulting from nearby urban sprawl in coastal central Chile. Keywords: Larcenists, Habitat fragmentation, Ecological interactions, South American cockroache