Analyzing functional species' characteristics (species traits) that represent physiological, life history and morphological characteristics of species help understanding the impacts of various stressors on aquatic communities at field conditions. This research aimed to study the combined effects of pesticides and other environmental factors (temperature, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carb...

The degree-day (DD) model is an important tool for forecasting pest phenology and voltinism. Unfortunately, the DD model is inaccurate, as is the case for the Oriental migratory locust. To improve the existing DD model for this pest, we first studied locust development in seven growth chambers, each of which simulated the complete growing-season climate of a specific region in China (Baiquan, C...

North America has distinct types of Hyphantria moths (Arctiidae) characterized by red (RD)- and black (BL)-headed larvae, of which the taxonomic status is unresolved. Genetic divergence of 26 populations, based on 710 bp of the mtCOI sequence, showed two phylogenetic lineages, which could not be connected in the haplotype network with 95% confidence. The two lineages are separated by 3.1% seque...

The biology and population dynamics of pine sawfly Diprion pini L. are extremely complex and variable. Among other factors, climatic conditions determine the potential for mass outbreaks of the species. In this paper, we investigate this influence and describe a statistical approach to identify responsible climatic variables in floating time windows, thus identifying the factors responsible for...

The effect of temperature on the voltinism of the silkworm, Bombyx rnori, was discovered by Watanabe (1918) over 45 years ago. This followed the rinding of the important role of photoperiod during the incubation period of silkworm eggs (Kogure, 1933). In brief, whether diapause or non-diapause eggs are laid depends on temperature and light experienced by the mother during her embryonic life. In...

Resource availability often determines the intensity of cannibalism, which has a considerable effect on population size distribution and individual life history. Larvae of the caddisfly Psilotreta kisoensis build portable cases from sedimentary sands and often display cannibalism. For this species, the availability of preferable case material is a critical factor that affects larval fitness, an...

References Battisti A., 1994 - I boschi. Aspetti storici, climatico-vegetazionali e fitosanitari. In: Stella A. (a cura di), Storia dell’Altipiano dei Sette Comuni. I. Territorio istituzioni. Neri Pozza, Vicenza, p. 61-70. de R., Faccoli M., Masutti L., Paolucci P., Stergulc F., 2013 Lineamenti di zoologia forestale. Padova University Press, Padova. 2009 Effect of weather on Ips typographus (Co...

To Editor, We read with great interest the paper entitled ‘‘Traits and stress: keys to identify community effects of low levels of toxicants in test systems’’ by Matthias Liess and Mikhail Beketov (Liess and Beketov 2011). The paper presents a new way to analyse data from microcosms and mesocosms, which the authors claim that to be more sensitive than the commonly-used principal response curves...