The invasive multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis （Pallas） （Coleoptera： Coceinellidae）, aggregates inside dwellings during winter to avoid cold weather. This adaptive behavior disturbs homeowners, bec...The invasive multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis （Pallas） （Coleoptera： Coceinellidae）, aggregates inside dwellings during winter to avoid cold weather. This adaptive behavior disturbs homeowners, because of the large numbers of individuals that aggregate, which induces allergic reactions. The migratory flight patterns of this species have been well documented, with individuals preferentially moving toward prominent and high color contrast elements. However, the factors involved in the selection of aggregation sites by this species have yet to be elucidated. Here, we evaluated the influ- ence of （i） the density of individuals and （ii） the type of available shelters on decisions by H. axyridis to settle and aggregate under shelters. A dual choice bioassay conducted in the laboratory demonstrated the presence of mutual attraction to conspecifics. We also found that individuals preferentially settled under red covered shelters compared to transparent shelters, and that the type of shelter outweighed the effect of social interactions among conspecifics. Moreover, this experiment was performed under non-wintering conditions, providing the first evidence that aggregative behavior in this species can also occur under those specific conditions.展开更多
Identity recognition is one of the most critical social behaviours in a variety of animal species. Microchiropteran bats present a special use case of acoustic communication in the dark. These bats use echolocation pu...Identity recognition is one of the most critical social behaviours in a variety of animal species. Microchiropteran bats present a special use case of acoustic communication in the dark. These bats use echolocation pulses for navigating, foraging, and communicating; however, increasing evidence suggests that echolocation pulses also serve as a means of social communication. Compared with echolocation signals, communication calls in bats have rather complex structures and differ substantially by social context. Bat acoustic signals vary broadly in spectrotemporal space among individuals, sexes, colonies and species. This type of information can be gathered from families of vocalizations based on voice characteristics. In this review we summarize the current studies regarding vocal identity recognition in microbats. We also provide recommendations and directions for further work.展开更多
Illegal wood harvesting, a factor that threats conservation efforts, was assessed in Chimanimani National Park (CNP), Zimbabwe, in April 2016. The study identified preferred indigenous woody species, determined the us...Illegal wood harvesting, a factor that threats conservation efforts, was assessed in Chimanimani National Park (CNP), Zimbabwe, in April 2016. The study identified preferred indigenous woody species, determined the uses, and collected local people’s perceptions on forest resource management by-laws and forest resource conservation in quantity. A three-stage sampling design was adopted;that is, 1) purposive sampling, where three wards (Chikukwa ward 11, Chikwakwa ward 17 and Ngorima ward 5b) were selected as study areas from a total of seventeen wards in Chimanimani District, 2) random sampling, where three villages [Batanai (75 households), Chikukwa (110 households) and Tamuka (46 households)], totalling 231 households, were selected from a total of 15 villages spread over the three wards. The third stage was the random of households where 46 questionnaires were administered and collected in the 3 randomly selected villages representing 20% of the targeted population. The study results highlighted that illegally harvested indigenous woody plants were principally for household uses. Preferred woody species included those of Brachystegia, Terminalia, Acacia, Bauhinia, Pericopsis, Combretum and Pericopsis genera. Quantities collected ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 tons of firewood monthly to 3 to 6 tons mostly for tobacco curing. Most respondents reported that by-laws were not effective in combating illegal wood harvesting. It was concluded that CNP woodlands are under stress due to illegal wood harvesting. It is recommended that a robust community-based strategy to conserve woody species and natural resource utilisation be developed.展开更多
基金the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(NSFC-30670239)National Science Fund for Fostering Talents in Basic Research(Special Subjects in Animal Taxonomy,NSFC-J0630964/J0109)
文摘The invasive multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis （Pallas） （Coleoptera： Coceinellidae）, aggregates inside dwellings during winter to avoid cold weather. This adaptive behavior disturbs homeowners, because of the large numbers of individuals that aggregate, which induces allergic reactions. The migratory flight patterns of this species have been well documented, with individuals preferentially moving toward prominent and high color contrast elements. However, the factors involved in the selection of aggregation sites by this species have yet to be elucidated. Here, we evaluated the influ- ence of （i） the density of individuals and （ii） the type of available shelters on decisions by H. axyridis to settle and aggregate under shelters. A dual choice bioassay conducted in the laboratory demonstrated the presence of mutual attraction to conspecifics. We also found that individuals preferentially settled under red covered shelters compared to transparent shelters, and that the type of shelter outweighed the effect of social interactions among conspecifics. Moreover, this experiment was performed under non-wintering conditions, providing the first evidence that aggregative behavior in this species can also occur under those specific conditions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31370411,31470457)
文摘Identity recognition is one of the most critical social behaviours in a variety of animal species. Microchiropteran bats present a special use case of acoustic communication in the dark. These bats use echolocation pulses for navigating, foraging, and communicating; however, increasing evidence suggests that echolocation pulses also serve as a means of social communication. Compared with echolocation signals, communication calls in bats have rather complex structures and differ substantially by social context. Bat acoustic signals vary broadly in spectrotemporal space among individuals, sexes, colonies and species. This type of information can be gathered from families of vocalizations based on voice characteristics. In this review we summarize the current studies regarding vocal identity recognition in microbats. We also provide recommendations and directions for further work.
文摘Illegal wood harvesting, a factor that threats conservation efforts, was assessed in Chimanimani National Park (CNP), Zimbabwe, in April 2016. The study identified preferred indigenous woody species, determined the uses, and collected local people’s perceptions on forest resource management by-laws and forest resource conservation in quantity. A three-stage sampling design was adopted;that is, 1) purposive sampling, where three wards (Chikukwa ward 11, Chikwakwa ward 17 and Ngorima ward 5b) were selected as study areas from a total of seventeen wards in Chimanimani District, 2) random sampling, where three villages [Batanai (75 households), Chikukwa (110 households) and Tamuka (46 households)], totalling 231 households, were selected from a total of 15 villages spread over the three wards. The third stage was the random of households where 46 questionnaires were administered and collected in the 3 randomly selected villages representing 20% of the targeted population. The study results highlighted that illegally harvested indigenous woody plants were principally for household uses. Preferred woody species included those of Brachystegia, Terminalia, Acacia, Bauhinia, Pericopsis, Combretum and Pericopsis genera. Quantities collected ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 tons of firewood monthly to 3 to 6 tons mostly for tobacco curing. Most respondents reported that by-laws were not effective in combating illegal wood harvesting. It was concluded that CNP woodlands are under stress due to illegal wood harvesting. It is recommended that a robust community-based strategy to conserve woody species and natural resource utilisation be developed.
