La base de données sur l'écologie des coléoptères saproxyliques (FRISBEE): un outil taxinomique et écologique pour l'évaluation de l'état de conservation des forêts

The FRench Information system on Saproxylic BEetle Ecology (FRISBEE) is aimed at organizing species-specific ecological information for all wood-associated beetle species in France. Four tables are linked in a relational database structure: (i) the reference table, (ii) the taxonomical table, containing information with standardized nomenclature and species patrimonial value, (iii) the ecological table, including 11 wood parameters or ecological traits that categorize the association of a species to different wood attributes, (iv) and the photographic table. The FRISBEE database is meant to serve as a pragmatic tool for assessing the conservation status of forests and for carrying out functional analyses of saproxylic beetle assemblagesLa base de données sur l'écologie des Coléoptères saproxyliques français (FRench Information system on Saproxylic BEetle Ecology, FRISBEE) a pour objectif la compilation organisée de l'information écologique disponible pour toutes les espèces de Coléoptères associées au bois mort ou dépérissant, ou aux micro-habitats connexes. Cette base de données met en relation 4 tables: (i) une table bibliographique, (ii) une table taxinomique, dotée d'une référentiel taxinomique des espèces avec leur valeur patrimoniale, (iii) une table écologique, incluant 11 descripteurs du bois ou traits écologiques caractérisant l'association des insectes aux attributs ligneux, (iv) et une table photographique. La base FRISBEE constitue un outil pragmatique pour l'évaluation de l'état de conservation des forêts ou pour l'analyse fonctionnelle des assemblages d'espèces

Identification of the Sex Pheromone of a Protected Species, the Spanish Moon Moth Graellsia isabellae

Sex attractant pheromones are highly sensitive and selective tools for detecting and monitoring populations of insects, yet there has been only one reported case of pheromones being used to monitor protected species. Here, we report the identification and synthesis of the sex pheromone of a protected European moth species, Graellsia isabellae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), as the single component, (4E,6E,11Z)-hexadecatrienal. In preliminary field trials, lures loaded with this compound attracted male moths from populations of this species at a number of widely separated field sites in France, Switzerland, and Spain, clearly demonstrating the utility of pheromones in sampling potentially endangered insect species

Moths Behaving like Butterflies. Evolutionary Loss of Long Range Attractant Pheromones in Castniid Moths: A Paysandisia archon Model

Background: In the course of evolution butterflies and moths developed two different reproductive behaviors. Whereas butterflies rely on visual stimuli for mate location, moths use the"female calling plus male seduction" system, in which females release long-range sex pheromones to attract conspecific males. There are few exceptions from this pattern but in all cases known female moths possess sex pheromone glands which apparently have been lost in female butterflies. In the day-flying moth family Castniidae ("butterfly-moths"), which includes some important crop pests, no pheromones have been found so far. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using a multidisciplinary approach we described the steps involved in the courtship of P. archon, showing that visual cues are the only ones used for mate location; showed that the morphology and fine structure of the antennae of this moth are strikingly similar to those of butterflies, with male sensilla apparently not suited to detect female-released long range pheromones; showed that its females lack pheromone-producing glands, and identified three compounds as putative male sex pheromone (MSP) components of P. archon, released from the proximal halves of male forewings and hindwings. Conclusions/Significance: This study provides evidence for the first time in Lepidoptera that females of a moth do not produce any pheromone to attract males, and that mate location is achieved only visually by patrolling males, which may release a pheromone at short distance, putatively a mixture of Z,E-farnesal, E,E-farnesal, and (E,Z)-2,13-octadecadienol. The outlined behavior, long thought to be unique to butterflies, is likely to be widespread in Castniidae implying a novel, unparalleled butterfly-like reproductive behavior in moths. This will also have practical implications in applied entomology since it signifies that the monitoring/control of castniid pests should not be based on the use of female-produced pheromones, as it is usually done in many moths

Maximal generalized solutions of Hamilton\u2013Jacobi equations

We study the Dirichlet problem for Hamilton\u2013Jacobi equations of the form (Formula presented.), without continuity assumptions on the hamiltonian H with respect to the variable x. We find a class of Caratheodory functions H for which the problem admits a (maximal) generalized solution which, in the continuous case, coincides with the classical viscosity solution. \ua9 2016, Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Ferrara

Strong compactness in Sobolev spaces

We prove a strong compactness criterion in Sobolev spaces: given a sequence $(u_n)$ in W_{\textrm{loc}}^{1,p}(\Rd), converging in $L_{\textrm{loc}}^{p}$ to a map u\in W_{\textrm{loc}}^{1,p}(\Rd) and such that |\n u_n | \le f almost everywhere, for some f\in L_{\textrm{loc}}^{p}(\Rd), we provide a necessary and sufficient condition under which $(u_n)$ converges strongly to $u$ in W_{\textrm{loc}}^{1,p}(\Rd). In addition we prove a pointwise version of the criterion, according to which, given $(u_n)$ and $u$ as above, but with no boundedness assumptions on the sequence of gradients, we have \n u_n \to \n u pointwise almost everywhere

Field trapping of Metamasius hemipterus with synthetic aggregation pheromone

International audienc

Desarrollo de la formulacion de una feromona para el control de Metamasius hemipterus

International audienc