New paper: Hitchhiking or hang gliding? Dispersal strategies of two cereal‑feeding eriophyoid mite species

In this study, dispersal strategies of two phytophagous eriophyoid mite species: Aceria tosichella (wheat curl mite, WCM) and Abacarus hystrix (cereal rust mite, CRM) were investigated. We estimated their dispersal success using different dispersal agents: wind and vectors. Results showed that both species dispersed mainly with wind currents whereas phoretic dispersal was rather accidental, as the majority of eriophyoid mite species do not possess clear morphological or behavioural adaptations for phoresy. Additionally, WCM was found to have a higher dispersal success than CRM. Thus, this study contributes to our understanding of the high invasive potential of WCM.

The paper is part of Agnieszka’s PhD thesis. Congratulations!

The study was supported by National Science Centre Poland (NSC) grant no. 2019/35/N/ NZ8/02639 to AM. AS was involved in this work while supported by the (NSC) grant 2016/21/B/ NZ8/00786. NSC funded the scholarship no. 2018/28/T/NZ8/00060 to AM and scholarship no. 2019/32/T/ NZ8/00151 to AL. AL was funded by Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation. AM & AL scholarships were founded by European Social Funds POWR.03.02.00–00–I006/17.

Majer, A., Laska, A., Hein, G., Kuczyński L., Skoracka A. 2021. Hitchhiking or hang gliding? Dispersal strategies of two cereal-feeding eriophyoid mite species. Exp Appl Acarol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00661-z

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New paper: source-sink dynamics as a strategy to cope with temporally fluctuating environment

How can species persist when their habitat disappears? Theoretically, in seasonal environments, habitat sinks (where population growth is zero or negative) could serve as temporal stepping-stones (refuges) for specialists, but this possibility has not been demonstrated to date. By combining laboratory experiments and field surveys, we demonstrated the importance of sink habitats for population persistence in temporally varying environments. Together, our results emphasize the relevance of source-sink dynamics in shaping species’ ecological niches. They also have significant implications for explaining patterns of host use by specialists, and the persistence of agricultural pests when their preferred host plants are absent.

The paper is part of Alicja’s PhD thesis. Congratulations!

The study was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (NSC); research grant no. 2017/27/N/NZ8/00305 and  NSC research grant no. 2016/21/B/NZ8/00786.

Laska, A., Magalhães, S., Lewandowski, M., Puchalska, E., Karpicka-Ignatowska, K., Radwańska, A., Meagher, S., Kuczyński, L., Skoracka, A. 2021. A sink host allows a specialist herbivore to persist in a seasonal source. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288: 20211604. http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1604

 

 

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New paper: Two new Wheat streak mosaic virus isolates and their transmission

A recent paper, co-authored by Wiktoria Szydło, reported the full genomes of two European Wheat streak mosaic virus isolates, provided their molecular and biological characteristics and transmissibility by wheat curl mite (lineage MT-8), the only known vector of the virus. Although widely present in Europe, the virus transmissibility was formally checked for the first time with a local population of mites and local virus isolates. The study of genetic diversity of the WSMV populations and the occurrence of recombination events within the virus population should be considered in future disease management strategies, as well as local virus isolates should be incorporated into studies on the virus-vector relationship.

The study was supported by the National Science Centre (NCN) in Poland, Grant No. 2011/01/N/NZ8/04540.

Trzmiel K., Szydło W., Hasiów-Jaroszewska B., 2021. Biological and molecular characterisation of the two Polish Wheat streak mosaic virus isolates and their transmission by wheat curl mites. Plant Protection Science 57 (3), https://doi.org/10.17221/104/2020-PPS

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New paper: adaptive responses to temperature increase in Daphnia

A new paper, co-authored by Lechosław Kuczyński from our Lab, was published in Limnology and Oceanography. The authors investigated thermal adaptation of Daphnia from lakes that had been artificially warmed for six decades and served as a whole ecosystem model of future temperature increase. Daphnia from heated lakes evolved larger body size, which is contradictory to general expectations and theory. Authors suggest that large size is adaptive during warmer and iceless winters when daphnids overwinter in active form.

More info: Dziuba, M.K., Kuczyński, L., Wejnerowski, Ł., Cerbin, S. and Wolinska, J. 2021. Countergradient variation concealed adaptive responses to temperature increase in Daphnia from heated lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 66: 1268-1280. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11680

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Tips and tricks on culturing water bears

A new paper on culturing tardigrades summarizes published methods and provides clear protocols for culturing tardigrades to use in taxonomic and experimental studies. The paper, authored by the multidisciplinary team led by Milena Roszkowska and Łukasz Kaczmarek from Department of Bioenergetics and Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, was co-authored by Wiktoria Szydło from our Lab.

M. Roszkowska, D. Wojciechowska, H. Kmita, S. Cerbin, M. K. Dziuba, E. Fiałkowska, R. Sobkowiak, W. Szydło & Ł. Kaczmarek. 2021. Tips and tricks how to culture water bears: simple protocols for culturing eutardigrades (Tardigrada) under laboratory conditions, The European Zoological Journal, 88:1, 449-465, https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2021.1881631
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New paper: temperature-dependent development and survival of an invasive mite

In our recent paper we evaluated temperature-dependent development and survival of an invasive wheat curl mite Aceria tosichella at a wide range of temperatures. The results allow for predicting and monitoring the mite population growth rate. They also provide information promoting more efficient and effective manipulation of mite laboratory colonies and testing a wide array of ecological and evolutionary hypotheses.

Karpicka-Ignatowska K., Laska A., Rector B.G., Skoracka A., Kuczyński L. 2021. Temperature-dependent development and survival of an invasive genotype of wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella. Experimental and Applied Acarology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00602-w

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New paper: a comprehensive approach for investigating passive dispersal

Our recent paper presents a protocol for studying passive dispersal of microscopic invertebrates which includes the construction of versatile dispersal tunnels, a theoretical framework quantifying the movement via wind or vectors, and a hierarchical Bayesian approach appropriate to the structure of the dispersal data.

 

Kuczyński, L., Radwańska, A., Karpicka-Ignatowska, K., Laska, A., Lewandowski, M., Rector, B.G., Majer, A., Raubic, J., Skoracka, A. 2020. A comprehensive and cost-effective approach for investigating passive dispersal in minute invertebrates with case studies of phytophagous eriophyid mites. Experimental and Applied Acarology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00532-z

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New paper in Bird Study

Galerida cristata - Crested lark 23

Our recent paper published in Bird Study describes habitat preferences of the Crested Lark in western Poland. It seems that the Crested Lark is one of a few species that benefit from the intensification of agriculture.

More info:
Mateusz Lisiecki, Łukasz Dylewski, Barbara E. Kistowska & Marcin Tobółka (2020) The Crested Lark Galerida cristata as an example of a bird species that benefits from agricultural management in western Poland, Bird Study, https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2020.1808589

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