Intraspecific Level Research Articles

Transonymization as a process of felisonym formation

The article studies the specifics of transonymization as a process of felisonym formation. Transonymization is established as an active process of felisonym formation, reflecting the felisonymic fragment of the nominator’s linguistic world picture. The main categories of onyms that are transonymized into felisonyms at the inter-categorial level are anthroponyms, ideonyms, mythonyms, theonyms, names of verbal trademarks, toponyms, astronyms, culinary names, names of programming languages and software, names of currencies, names of medicines, ergonyms, and names of toys; at the intra-categorial (or interspecific) level, transonymization takes the form of transzoonymization, when proper names of zoological species different from the domestic cat transform to felisonyms; at the intraspecific level, transonymization takes the form of transfelisonimization, when the proper name of one cat is applied to another. The presented list of onomastic categories capable of felisonimization is not considered to be finite and can be supplemented by onyms of other onomastic types. The article reveals that felisonyms, being the product of transonymization, are determined by subject-oriented motives (associated with a particular nominator’s views, interests and preferences) and object-oriented motives (associated with a particular cat’s properties, the place of its discovery and its life story), the leading place being subject-oriented motives. It is stated that nominators use either semantic or grammatical transonimization when choosing a name for their cat. The most productive type appears to be semantic transonymization, which is the direct transition of the onym to the felisonym without concomitant derivational changes. In case of grammatical transonymization, the revealed derivational processes (addition of the diminutive formant, shortening and language games) emphasize the nominator’s positive attitude towards their pets and facilitate communication with them.

Intraspecific discrimination power of plastid coding region rbcL as DNA barcoding marker in Dalbergia sissoo population of Pakistan

The conservation of diseases resistant sources of Dalbergia sissoo germplasm has attained the key status among the Agricultural prospects and solution against their possible threats. For this purpose, the best strategy is DNA barcoding based on nuclear, mitochondrial and plastid genomic regions. This approach is frequently used for species discrimination but its potential to discriminate the individuals at intraspecific level could also be worth exploring considerably. Hence, in the present study the potential of rbcL DNA barcode was evaluated for demonstrating intraspecific variation among the shisham genotypes collected across Pakistan. DNA barcoding analysis was performed on 20 selected shisham genotypes. Nucleotide sequences were analyzed to confirm genetic diversity among studied genotypes (θw = 1.000, π = 0.00172). The allelic profile of data yielded 11 unique sequence types (STs) numbers. The phylogenetic tree based on SYM+G model revealed the discriminatory power of rbcL DNA barcode to resolve and differentiate the individuals at intraspecific level. Keywords: Allelic profile, Sequence types, Akaike Information Criterion, Typing efficiency, DNA substitution.

Untargeted metabolite profiling: A comprehensive study using data analysis workflow in Salvia L. species (Lamiaceae)

The genus Salvia L., a member of the Lamiaceae family, possesses remarkable medicinal properties for treating various disorders due to its rich natural product resources. Despite the genus's significance, there is a dearth of reports on complete metabolite characterization at intraspecific levels within Salvia. This study endeavors to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive investigation encompassing mass spectral library matching, biomarker assessment, chemotype specification, metabolite enrichment detection, and computational metabolite annotation. Dried aerial parts from three distinct Salvia species served as the primary material for untargeted quadrupole linear/ion trap (QTRAP) liquid chromatography (LC)- mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based metabolite analysis. The metabolite datasets underwent rigorous processing, utilizing multivariate analysis methods through MetaboAnalyst 5.0 and the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) Web Platform. Our investigation identified 160 metabolites through library matching, and an additional 57 annotated nodes were obtained through automated spectral matching. Employing annotation tools such as DEREPLICATOR+ and substructure discovery tools like MS2LDA (a Bayesian Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model) led to the discovery of four metabolites and three Mass2Motifs. Furthermore, 48 metabolites were explored for the first time using GNPS libraries. The investigation unveiled specific chemotypes and identified 98 potential biomarkers. Using library and GNPS spectral matching proved to be high-throughput supplementary strategies for annotating and identifying various metabolites. Moreover, integrating QTRAP LC-MS/MS with a multivariate statistical method grounded in biomarker and functional analysis provided differential features at specific and intraspecific levels. This comprehensive overview of metabolites in Salvia species offers valuable insights for quality profiling.

Wood density and leaf size jointly predict woody plant growth rates across (but not within) species along a steep precipitation gradient

Abstract Functional traits have been proposed to define key dimensions of plant ecological strategies, but we lack consensus on whether traits can accurately predict plant demography. Despite theoretical expectations, it has been challenging to find consistent relationships between functional traits and growth. In this study, we quantified inter‐ and intraspecific trait variation (ITV) and individual growth rates of woody plants across a steep moisture gradient that varies 10‐fold in annual precipitation (350–3700 mm) in southern Chile and used a hierarchical Bayesian model to predict growth as a function of trait values. We show that large‐leaved species with lower stem tissue density exhibited the fastest growth rates, and these two traits exhibited the highest proportion of interspecific variation. Predictions of growth improved considerably (R2 of the best model increased from 0.28 to 0.49) when species‐level multiple traits and their interactions were considered. The inclusion of ITV, however, did not improve models of growth rate. We found that trait–growth rate relationships were not always consistent across levels of biological organization; relationships observed at the interspecific level did not necessarily hold at the intraspecific level. We found that the relationships between wood density or leaf size and growth were consistent in direction across the precipitation gradient, and the relationships between leaf economics traits and growth were weak and site‐specific. Synthesis. Although using more than one functional trait considerably improved growth predictions, wood density and leaf size successfully predicted growth rates across (not within) species, which is consistent with a whole‐plant carbon economy. We assert that these two traits are intimately linked and ultimately describe a continuum of plant architecture and carbon economy that covers multiple trait syndromes.

Competitive interactions between invasive fall armyworm and Asian corn borer at intraspecific and interspecific level on the same feeding guild.

Interspecific competition is an important factor in the population dynamics and geographical distribution of insect populations. Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, an invasive species, and the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, a native pest species are major pests on maize in China, posing a threat to maize yield and grain quality. A series of laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments were conducted to elucidate the competitive interactions between FAW and ACB. In the laboratory experiments, FAW exhibited aggressive behaviors more frequently when compared with ACB, while the latter species exhibited defense behaviors more frequently. Higher intraspecific competition was recorded in the FAW conspecific rather than in ACB, particularly in the 6th larval stage. FAW had a higher interspecific competitive advantage through intraguild predation over ACB, resulting in partial or complete displacement ACB when initially the ratio of the 2 species was 1 : 1. The interspecific competition also had significantly influenced on the population parameters, defensive enzymes, and nutrient of these 2 species. Competitive interaction proved that the response of superoxide, catalase, and soluble protein in FAW were significantly increased, whereas the total sugar content in both species was substantially decreased. Survival rate, and the plant damage that co-infested by both species varied significantly among the sequential combinations under greenhouse and field conditions. FAW consistently exhibited stronger intraspecific aggression than ACB under laboratory and field conditions when co-existing on the same feeding guild. These findings contribute to efforts toward the improvement of integrated pest management programs for FAW, in decision making for invasive and native pests' management strategies to reduce the high risks of FAW and ACB outbreaks.

Contribution of the satellitome to the exceptionally large genome of dinoflagellates: The case of the harmful alga Alexandrium minutum

Dinoflagellates are known to possess an exceptionally large genome organized in permanently condensed chromosomes. Focusing on the contribution of satellite DNA (satDNA) to the whole DNA content of genomes and its potential role in the architecture of the chromosomes, we present the characterization of the satellitome of Alexandriun minutum strain VGO577. To achieve this, we analyzed Illumina reads using graph-based clustering and performed complementary bioinformatic analyses. In this way, we discovered 180 satDNAs occupying 17.38 % of the genome. The 12 most abundant satDNAs represent the half of the satellitome but no satDNA is overrepresented, with the most abundant contributing ∼1.56 % of the genome. The largest repeat unit is 517 bp long but more than the half of the satDNAs (101) have repeat units shorter than 20 bp. We used FISH to map a selected set of 26 satDNAs. Although some satDNAs generate discrete hybridization signals at specific chromosomal locations (hybridization sites, HS), our cytological analysis showed that most satDNAs are dispersed throughout the genome, probably forming short arrays. Two satDNAs co-localize with the 45S rDNA. With the exception of telomeric DNA, no other satDNA yields HS on all chromosomes. In addition, we analyzed nine satDNAs yielding HS in VGO577 in four other A. minutum strains. Polymorphism at the intraspecific level was found for the presence/absence and/or abundance of some satDNAs, suggesting the amplification/deletion of these satDNAs following geographic separation or during culture maintenance of the strains. We also discuss how these results contribute to the understanding of chromosome architecture and evolution of dinoflagellate genomes.

Exploring the mechanisms and impacts of melatonin on fish colouration.

The pineal hormone melatonin is a multi-functional molecule with a recognized role in pigment aggregation in chromatophores, mediating its actions through binding to subtypes of its specific receptors. Since its discovery, melatonin has been known to be responsible for pigment aggregation towards the cell centre in fishes, including their embryos, as an adaptation to reduced light and thus results in pale body colouration. Diversity exists in the sensitivity of melanophores towards melatonin at interspecies, intraspecific levels, seasons, and amongst chromatophores at different regions of the animal body. In most of the fishes, melatonin leads to their skin paling at night. It is indicated that the melatonin receptors have characteristically maintained to show the same aggregating effects in fishes and other vertebrates in the evolutionary hierarchy. However, besides this aggregatory effect, melatonin is also responsible for pigment dispersion in certain fishes. Here is the demand in our review to explore further the nature of the dispersive behaviour of melatonin through the so-called β-melatonin receptors. It is clear that the pigment translocations in lower vertebrates under the effect of melatonin are mediated through the melatonin receptors coupled with other hormonal receptors as well. Therefore, being richly supplied with a variety of receptors, chromatophores and melanocytes can be used as in vitro test models for pharmacological applications of known and novel drugs. In this review, we present diverse effects of melatonin on chromatophores of fishes in particular with appropriate implications on most of the recent findings.

Increasing intraspecific diversity of wheat affects plant nutrient contents but not N recovery in the plant-soil system

Crop homogenization in conventional agriculture has been pervasive while ecology has shown positive effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning, that arise from complementarity/facilitation and sampling/selection effects. These effects are well documented for interspecific diversity in both natural ecosystems and agroecosystems but remain less documented at an intraspecific level, particularly for the rates of nutrient uptake by plants and nutrient losses from ecosystems. We conducted a field experiment with 88 experimental plots cultivated with 1, 2, 4 or 8 wheat varieties and 1, 2, 3 or 4 functional groups to assess the effects of the number of varietal and functional diversity of winter wheat on plant biomass production, plant nutrient contents (N, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, K, Na and Zn) and fertilizer N recovery in the plant-soil system using a 15N labeling method. We found both negative and positive effects of the number of varieties or number of functional groups on shoot Cu, Fe, Zn, Na and P contents, but no significant effects of intraspecific diversity on biomass production, N content and 15N recovery in the plant-soil system. Our results show differential responses to an increase of intraspecific diversity of wheat on the contents of several essential nutrients in plants and highlight the need to jointly analyze multiple nutrients. Our study also suggests that increasing intraspecific diversity had no overall negative effects on biomass production or N content. Using knowledge on variety functional traits to target specific complementarity mechanisms when designing variety mixtures could thus lead to a positive effect on nutrient absorption and biomass production.

Quantitative Morphometric Analysis of Morphologically Similar Species of Fragilaria (Fragilariaceae, Bacillariophyta) Allows Detection of Non-Indigenous Taxa: A Case Study from Lake Ladoga (North of European Russia)

In Lake Ladoga (northwestern Russia), we found a diatom, putatively Fragilaria sublanceolata-baikali, an endemic species from Lake Baikal (southeastern Siberia, Russia). To determine whether this population matches a previously recognized species from Lake Baikal and assess how it differs from other similar Fragilaria taxa, we studied the valve morphology of three morphologically similar Fragilaria populations (the putative F. sublanceolata-baikali, F. pectinalis and F. perminuta) sampled in Lake Ladoga, along with a population of F. sublanceolata-baikali sampled in Lake Baikal. We used light and scanning electron microscopy with a combination of traditional and geometric morphometric methods. To analyze covariation between the valve shape and size (i.e., allometry), we examined differences in the ontogenetic–allometric trajectories at both the interspecific and intraspecific levels. In addition, the effect of size correction of the valve shape on species differentiation was tested. Traditional morphometrics revealed that F. sublanceolata-baikali is distinguished from F. pectinalis and F. perminuta by valve length, while F. pectinalis and F. perminuta are distinguished by striae density. All three species of Fragilaria showed separate and parallel allometric trajectories. In contrast, the two populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali were on a common allometric trajectory, indicating the conspecificity between these populations. Prior to allometric correction, geometric morphometrics was not able fully discriminate between the three Fragilaria species. After allometric correction, the three Fragilaria species were clearly separated in a size-corrected morphospace, whereas the two populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali formed a tightly overlapping group. Thus, we conclude that geometric morphometrics can reliably distinguish between these morphologically similar species of Fragilaria, but only after accounting for allometric shape variation. Our study confirmed morphological similarity between the two geographically distant populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali, which indicates that this taxon can be considered as invasive in Lake Ladoga.

Comparative Analysis Revealed Intrageneric and Intraspecific Genomic Variation in Chloroplast Genomes of Actinidia spp. (Actinidiaceae, Viridiplantae)

About ten species of the genus Actinidia Lindl. are known as cultivated plants—alongside the most known A. chinensis var. deliciosa, there are many others, including Far-Eastern cold-hardy kiwifruits such as A. arguta, A. kolomikta, and A. polygama. Unlike most plant species, in which the chloroplast genome is maternally inherited, the family Actinidiaceae possesses a complex system of plastid inheritance with possible transmission through both maternal and paternal lines. The main aim of this work was the assembly of the plastid genomes of three species of Actinidia, their comparison with already-available sequences from databases, and evolutionary analyses. We discovered that the gene composition and gene sequences are conserved; the studied species are either subject to purifying selection or not subject to selection at all (with some exceptions, such as the ycf2 gene). However, the chloroplast chromosomes of some Actinidia species have undergone significant structural rearrangements, leading to the persistence of two main forms, both on an intrageneric and intraspecific level. These results expand our understanding of plastid genomics and genetic diversity within the genus Actinidia, providing a basis for future research in molecular marker development, phylogenetic analysis, and population studies.

Wild Avian Gut Microbiome at a Small Spatial Scale: A Study from a Mediterranean Island Population of Alectoris rufa.

This research is one of the few comparative descriptions at an intraspecific level of wild non-passerine microbiomes. We investigated for the first time the gut microbiome of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) using fecal pellets in order to provide a more informed management. We focused on a small Italian population consisting of two demes (WEST, EAST) separated by about 20 km on the opposite sides of Elba Island. Given the small spatial scale, we set up a sampling protocol to minimize contamination from environmental bacteria, as well as differences due to variations in-among others-habitat, season, and age of feces, that could possibly affect the investigation of the three Elban sites. We found a significant divergence between the WEST and EAST Elban subpopulations in terms of microbial composition and alpha diversity. Although most represented bacterial phyla were the same in all the sites (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes), microbiomes displayed a much higher diversity in western than in eastern partridges. This result might be related to locally diverging individual physiological needs and/or to different intensities in past releases of captive-bred birds between the two sides of Elba. We suggest that the two subpopulations should be treated as distinct management units.

Do male reproductive traits evolve at the intraspecific level in response to the amount of placentotrophy in a genus of viviparous fishes?

Placentotrophy is a particular type of maternal provisioning to developing embryos, in which mothers actively provide nutrients via complex placental structures. Placentotrophy implies less pre-fertilization investment, resulting in a shift from pre- to post-copulatory sexual selection. This change can potentially result in a conflict between females and males. This phenomenon has been demonstrated at the interspecific level in viviparous fishes of the family Poeciliidae, in which males of species that lack placentotrophy have evolved traits related to pre-copulatory sexual selection such as coloration, ornaments, and courtship behavior. Placentotrophic species, on the other hand, have evolved traits associated with post-copulatory sexual selection such as long intromittent organs (gonopodium) and increased sexual coercion behavior. Here we test, for the first time at the intraspecific level, whether there is a similar relationship between a higher degree of female placentotrophy and the evolution of male reproductive traits (larger testes and longer gonopodia) in three species of the genus Poeciliopsis (P. gracilis, P. infans, and P. prolifica). We observed a tendency towards longer gonopodia in males of P. gracilis as well as the largest testes of P. prolifica males in the populations with the highest degrees of placentotrophy. However, the statistical support for these findings was relatively weak. Therefore, we failed to support the hypothesis of a selective effect of female placentotrophy on male gonads and genitalia. We discuss other evolutionary forces that may have driven the observed intraspecific variation in male reproductive traits of Poeciliopsis fishes.

New insight into drivers of mammalian litter size from individual‐level traits

The digitization and open availability of life history traits measured directly from individuals provide a key means of linking organismal function to environmental and ecological contexts at fine resolution. These linkages play a critical role in understanding trait‐mediated response to global change, with particular need to resolve them for taxa that are secretive and hard to monitor, like most mammals. In this study, we use digitized museum specimen and census data to document how climate and body size each shape a key life history trait – litter size – in 39 small mammals across North America. We employ mixed models to test associations between litter size, climate and body size, with a focus on joint estimation of inter‐ and intraspecific trends. Among species, no single climate predictor explained a large amount of litter size variation. Instead, interactions between temperature‐related (continentality, solar irradiation) and moisture‐related (annual precipitation, relative humidity) indices, along with body size, exert a stronger influence on litter size. We observed maximal litter sizes for species inhabiting seasonal or xeric regions under conditions of increased moisture availability, or conversely, mesic or aseasonal regions under conditions of reduced moisture availability. These patterns are consistent with primary productivity as a mechanistic driver of litter size. At the intraspecific level, litter size responds to continentality and temperature‐related indices experienced by populations, but is most strongly shaped by body size of individual females. We also find evidence of phylogenetic covariation in these intraspecific trends. Our study demonstrates how life history traits assembled from individual‐level biodiversity records improve precision and granularity of ecological studies, help to parse among‐ and within‐species trends, and foster improved understanding of tradeoffs between energetic supply and demand (e.g. reproduction) in wild mammals.

Remotely sensed and ground measurements reveal intraspecific differences in early season needle unfolding and senescence, but lack of variability in litter flammability of Pinus halepensis

Pinus halepensis Mill. is a conifer typical of Mediterranean pinewoods adapted to drought and fire. Although the timing of seasonal events in P. halepensis is strongly associated with these stressors and other environmental factors, needle phenology and litter flammability are insufficiently characterized at the intraspecific level. These traits can be informative of the existence of locally adapted populations across the species’ distribution range, and remote sensing approaches are promising tools to infer phenological changes in forest trees. In this study, we investigated intraspecific differentiation of P. halepensis related to needle phenology at the onset of the fire season (May-June) through vegetation indexes (VIs) obtained from unmanned aerial vehicles. We collected drone images using multispectral and RGB sensors for 56 adult populations of P. halepensis categorized into five ecotypes growing in two common gardens located in Spain under contrasting conditions (dry-continental versus wet-coastal). In the dry trial, we additionally monitored the temporal variation of RGB-derived indexes using two flights spaced over a one-month period. We also performed four consecutive ground measurements of needle pigments and fuel moisture content and obtained litter flammability traits for a subset of populations. Most in situ measurements and flammability traits did not show population differentiation. Regarding RGB-derived VIs, we did not detect obvious temporal patterns which differed among populations. However, we observed greener canopies in June than in May, which are indicative of the pace of current-year needle development. We also deduced an earlier phenology (i.e., earlier current-year needle unfolding) in the dry-continental trial. Ecotypic differentiation was found for some vegetation indexes related to needle unfolding (i.e., TCARI/OSAVI) and old needle senescence (i.e., PRSI). These differences were generally consistent across trials and time, and fundamentally indicated that sub-humid ecotypes typical of the eastern Mediterranean showed earlier needle unfolding and old needle senescence than semiarid ecotypes thriving in western continental Mediterranean areas. The intraspecific divergence observed in early season phenology is potentially related to the existence of contrasting life-history strategies present at the intraspecific level for the species. In particular, some semi-arid ecotypes, which are known to optimize the trade-off between carbon gain and water loss, exhibited an early old needle senescence (high likelihood of crown fire development) coupled with a late needle unfolding (conservative water use). These results indicate a possible trade-off between drought and fire resistance for the species, which suggest the importance of considering the intraspecific characteristics of Aleppo pine in forest management actions.

Pollen variability in Quercus L. species and relative systematic implications

This study aims to address one of the challenges related to the complexity of the Quercus L. genus, that is the identification of structural elements favouring the systematic identification of the oak pollen. Thus, in this contribution, we explored the variation of morphometric and chemical parameters in pollen samples collected from 47 different Quercus species and hybrids. Several qualitative (e.g., outline in polar view, class, aperture structures) and quantitative (e.g., diameter, exine and sporoderm thickness, autofluorescence, content in proteins and plant metabolites) features were evaluated by optic microscopy and spectrophotometric assays. Statistical analyses were also carried out to assess significant correlations and clustering effects among the studied taxa, based on phenotypical and biochemical data, to identify the parameters which could be useful for taxonomic discrimination at inter- and intra-specific level. Only few morphological traits showed the potentiality to be diagnostic, such as pollen diameter and outline in polar view. The intensity of pollen autofluorescence varied among the samples but it did not seem to correlate with protein, carotenoid, phenolic and flavonoid content. However, differences in protein and carotenoid levels were detected, suggesting them as possible taxonomic discriminants for oak pollen. Thus, our work represents a step forward in understanding morphology and biochemistry of oak pollen, constitutes an experimental set-up applicable in future systematic studies on other genera, and opens new perspectives for further molecular investigations on Quercus species.

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci in Ulex parviflorus Pourr. And its cross-transferability to other Genisteae.

The genus Ulex is composed by 15 species distributed in Europe and Africa, but the majority of them are restricted to the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa. Some of these species are common elements at the landscape level, and others contribute to global biodiversity as narrow endemics. Assayed nuclear and plastid Sanger-sequenced regions do not provide enough resolution to perform evolutionary studies on the genus, neither at the intraspecific population level nor at the interspecific phylogenetic level. Thus, we have developed and characterized a set of nuclear microsatellite loci in U. parviflorus to provide new highly polymorphic molecular markers for the genus Ulex. Genomic DNA enriched in microsatellite motifs using streptavidin-coated M-280 magnetic beads attached to 5'-biotinylated oligonucleotides was sequenced in a 454GS Junior System. After primer design, fluorescent-dyed amplicons were analyzed through capillary sequencing (ABI3730XL). Here we present twelve new high polimorphic SSRs markers developed in U. parviflorus specimens and tested in 120 individuals. The 12 SSR loci amplified a total of 152 alleles, and detected expected heterozygosities that ranged from 0.674 to 0.725 in the genotyped populations. Successful cross-species transferability of the 12 SSR loci to the rest of species included in the genus Ulex and three other representative Genisteae was achieved. The 12 novel proposed SSRs loci will contribute to perform evolutionary studies and genetic research on the genus Ulex and in other Genisteae.

Pollen morphology for successful pollination dependent on pollinator taxa in a generalist plant: relationship with foraging behavior.

Pollen morphology varies at inter- and intraspecific levels. Its interaction with pollinator behavior and morphology determines the probability of successful pollination. We tested whether pollen morphology promoting successful pollination differs depending on pollinator taxa in a generalist shrub, Weigela hortensis (Caprifoliaceae). We identified flower visitors carrying pollen from anthers to stigmas and compared the spine length and diameter of the pollen grains they carried. We found that pollen on the bodies of bumble bees and hunch-back flies and the scopae of small bees (including andrenid bees) contributed to seed production. Pollen grains on the bodies of bumble bees had longer spines than those on the scopae of andrenid bees or the bodies of hunch-back flies. Pollen grains on the bodies of bumble bees and the scopae of andrenid bees had larger diameters than those on hunch-back flies. Bumble bees collected pollen grains with shorter spines and larger diameters on their corbiculae while andrenid bees collected pollen grains with shorter spines and intermediate diameters on their scopae. The differences in morphology of pollen carried by pollinators reflected the tendency of bees to collect pollen with specific morphology into corbiculae/scopae. Our findings suggest that pollen morphology has diversified to facilitate successful pollination by pollinating partners.

Sex Ratio, Sexual Dimorphism, and Wing Geometric Morphometrics in Species of Trypoxylon Latreille, 1796 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae).

Studying the nesting biology of wasp and bee species provides valuable insights into the ecology and evolution of these insects, shedding light on their ecological significance and aiding in their conservation efforts. Trypoxylon Latreille, 1796 is a genus of spider-hunting wasps that provisions their brood with paralyzed preys. This study focuses on aspects of nesting biology of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) species such as sex ratio, sexual dimorphism, and morphometric variation at both inter- and intraspecific levels. The secondary sex ratio (SR) exhibited variation among species and populations. Males predominantly emerged from the first brood cells and from trap nests with smaller diameters. In comparison, females showed significantly larger body mass and linear wing measurements than males. Procrustes ANOVA values for centroid size (CS) and wing shape (SH) indicated significant differences in both wing size and shape among the five analyzed Trypoxylon species. Sexual dimorphism indices (SDI) derived from centroid size were found to be similar to those obtained from linear measurements, while SDI values based on body mass were significantly higher. Nests containing a greater number of cells tended to produce a larger number of higher-quality males and females. This observation, along with the lower coefficient of variation for female body size and high heritability, suggests that this trait may be subject to natural selection. Further studies that estimate the size of parents and their respective offspring are necessary to confirm the fitness advantage associated with larger female sizes in Trypoxylon species.

The response to fire by two eusocial bee species

Abstract Fire is a common worldwide disturbance that affected the evolution of life and shaped plant and animal diversity; this is especially applicable in the Mediterranean. In this study, we explore the response to fire of two eusocial bee species of Halictidae, namely, Lasioglossum marginatum (Brullé, 1832) and Lasioglossum malachurum (Kirby, 1802), as to their population number, body size and pollination specialisation. The study was carried out on Chios Island, Greece, during the first 3 years after a wildfire (2013–2015). Fire effect was examined from a spatial viewpoint by comparing unburnt with burnt sites and from a temporal one by comparing populations among different postfire years. We found that L. malachurum populations increased with time after fire, while they were more abundant in the burnt sites during the second postfire year. In contrast, L. marginatum populations decreased in both burnt and unburnt sites, which suggests that the decline was not an effect of the fire alone. Insect body size differed among years for both species, with L. marginatum individuals being smaller in the burnt sites compared to the unburnt, albeit only in the first postfire year. Finally, both species show high partner fidelity but to different plant partners. Our results underscore the importance of studies focusing on the effects of a disturbance at the intraspecific level. However long‐term monitoring is required, especially in the context of the global pollinator crisis and the more frequent and severe wildfires as an effect of climate change.

Impacts of climate change on herpetofauna diversity in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Although numerous studies on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity have been published, only a handful are focused on the intraspecific level or consider population-level models (separate models per population). We endeavored to fill this knowledge gap relative to the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) by combining species distribution modeling (SDMs) with population genetics (i.e., population-level models) and phylogenetic methods (i.e., phylogenetic tree reconstruction and phylogenetic diversity analyses). We applied our models to 11 endemic and widely distributed herpetofauna species inhabiting high elevations in the QTP. We aimed to determine the influence of environmental heterogeneity on species' responses to climate change, the magnitude of climate-change impacts on intraspecific diversity, and the relationship between species range loss and intraspecific diversity losses under 2 shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) and 3 future periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s). The effects of global climatic change were more pronounced at the intraspecific level (22% of haplotypes lost and 36% of populations lost) than the morphospecies level in the SSP585 climate change scenario. Maintenance of genetic diversity was in general determined by a combination of factors including range changes, species genetic structure, and the part of the range predicted to be lost. This is owing to the fact that the loss and survival of populations were observed in species irrespective of the predicted range changes (contraction or expansion). In the southeast (mountainous regions), climate change had less of an effect on range size (>100% in 3 species) than in central and northern QTP plateau regions (range size <100% in all species). This may be attributed to environmental heterogeneity, which provided pockets of suitable climate in the southeast, whereas ecosystems in the north and central regions were homogeneous. Generally, our results imply that mountainous regions with high environmental heterogeneity and high genetic diversity may buffer the adverse impacts of climate change on species distribution and intraspecific diversity. Therefore, genetic structure and characteristics of the ecosystem may be crucial for conservation under climate change.