Outbreaks Of Species Research Articles

Typical Marine Ecological Disasters in China Attributed to Marine Organisms and Their Significant Insights.

Owing to global climate change or the ever-more frequent human activities in the offshore areas, it is highly probable that an imbalance in the offshore ecosystem has been induced. However, the importance of maintaining and protecting marine ecosystems' balance cannot be overstated. In recent years, various marine disasters have occurred frequently, such as harmful algal blooms (green tides and red tides), storm surge disasters, wave disasters, sea ice disasters, and tsunami disasters. Additionally, overpopulation of certain marine organisms (particularly marine faunas) has led to marine disasters, threatening both marine ecosystems and human safety. The marine ecological disaster monitoring system in China primarily focuses on monitoring and controlling the outbreak of green tides (mainly caused by outbreaks of some Ulva species) and red tides (mainly caused by outbreaks of some diatom and dinoflagellate species). Currently, there are outbreaks of Cnidaria (Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa organisms; outbreak species are frequently referred to as jellyfish), Annelida (Urechis unicinctus Drasche, 1880), Mollusca (Philine kinglipini S. Tchang, 1934), Arthropoda (Acetes chinensis Hansen, 1919), and Echinodermata (Asteroidea organisms, Ophiuroidea organisms, and Acaudina molpadioides Semper, 1867) in China. They not only cause significant damage to marine fisheries, tourism, coastal industries, and ship navigation but also have profound impacts on marine ecosystems, especially near nuclear power plants, sea bathing beaches, and infrastructures, posing threats to human lives. Therefore, this review provides a detailed introduction to the marine organisms (especially marine fauna species) causing marine biological disasters in China, the current outbreak situations, and the biological backgrounds of these outbreaks. This review also provides an analysis of the causes of these outbreaks. Furthermore, it presents future prospects for marine biological disasters, proposing corresponding measures and advocating for enhanced resource utilization and fundamental research. It is recommended that future efforts focus on improving the monitoring of marine biological disasters and integrating them into the marine ecological disaster monitoring system. The aim of this review is to offer reference information and constructive suggestions for enhancing future monitoring, early warning systems, and prevention efforts related to marine ecological disasters in support of the healthy development and stable operation of marine ecosystems.

Exploring the potential of root-associated bacteria to control an outbreak weed

Abstract Aims The spread of invasive weeds threatens biodiversity and stability of ecosystems. Jacobaea vulgaris is an invasive weed in some countries and an outbreak species in its native European range. Although biological control using specialist herbivores is available, controlling with soil microorganisms remains far less explored. Methods Twenty bacteria strains isolated from roots of J. vulgaris were used to examine bacterial effects on seed germination, root morphology and early plant growth. Moreover, we tested direct effects of the bacteria on a specialist herbivore of J. vulgaris, the leaf chewing caterpillar (Tyria jacobaeae), commonly used in biocontrol. We also tested indirect effects of bacteria, via the plant, on the performance of T. jacobaeae and the aphid species Aphis jacobaeae. Lastly, we examined the host specificity of two tested bacteria on three other forbs. Results Two Gammaproteobacteria, Pseudomonas brassicacearum and Serratia plymuthica, significantly reduced root growth of seedlings in-vitro, while seed germination was unaffected. However, these negative effects were observed across other forb species as well. Bacillus spp. injection led to the highest T. jacobaeae caterpillar mortality, while ingestion had no effect. Inoculation of the plants with bacteria did not affect aphid performance, but significantly affected T. jacobaeae preference. Specifically, P. syringae and one Bacillus sp. strain significantly increased T. jacobaeae preference. Conclusions Our results show that two root-associated bacteria inhibit J. vulgaris growth, but their lack of host specificity restricts their potential for biocontrol. Our study also highlights that belowground microorganisms can hamper or enhance the performance of aboveground insects.

Modelling the Dynamics of Outbreak Species: The Case of Ditrupa arietina (O.F. Müller), Gulf of Lions, NW Mediterranean Sea

An outbreak species exhibits extreme, rapid population fluctuations that can be qualified as discrete events within a continuous dynamic. When outbreaks occur they may appear novel and disconcerting because the limiting factors of their dynamics are not readily identifiable. We present the first population hybrid dynamic model that combines continuous and discrete processes, designed to simulate marine species outbreaks. The deterministic framework was tested using the case of an unexploited benthic invertebrate species: the small, serpulid polychaete Ditrupa arietina. This species is distributed throughout the northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; it has a life cycle characterised by a pelagic dispersive larval stage, while juveniles and adults are sedentary. Sporadic reports of extremely high, variable densities (from <10 to >10,000 ind.m−2) have attracted attention from marine ecologists for a century. However, except for one decade-long field study from the Bay of Banyuls (France, Gulf of Lions, Mediterranean Sea), observations are sparse. Minimal formulations quantified the processes governing the population dynamics. Local population continuous dynamics were simulated from a size-structured model with a null immigration–emigration flux balance. The mathematical properties, based on the derived hybrid model, demonstrated the possibilities of reaching an equilibrium for the population using a single number of recruits per reproducer. Two extrapolations were made: (1) local population dynamics were simulated over 180 years using North Atlantic Oscillation indices to force recruitment variability and (2) steady-state population densities over the Gulf of Lions were calculated from a connectivity matrix in a metapopulation. The dynamics reach a macroscopic stability in both extrapolations, despite the absence of density regulating mechanisms. This ensures the persistence of D. arietina, even when strong, irregular oscillations characteristic of an outbreak species are observed. The hybrid model suggests that a macroscopic equilibrium for a population with variable recruitment conditions can only be characterised for time periods which contain several outbreak occurrences distributed over a regional scale.

The weak genetic structure of Melolontha melolontha (L.) and Melolontha hippocastani (Fabr.), two important forest pests, indicates their large population sizes and effective gene flow

Abstract Cockchafers Melolontha spp. are polyphagous root pests and outbreak species of considerable economic importance to forestry in Europe. Knowledge of genetic diversity within and between cockchafer populations is largely unexplored but could lead to more effective monitoring and management strategies of these pests. In this study, we fill several gaps in the knowledge of the genetic population structure of Melolontha melolontha and Melolontha hippocastani. Using microsatellite loci and over 200 individuals per species, we examined the genetic structure of Melolontha spp. populations collected from three primary outbreak areas in central and southeastern Poland. We demonstrated that our focal species share some common genetic patterns, such as considerable genetic diversity within subpopulations (within sampling sites) with minor effects of past bottlenecks possibly masked by current population sizes. The estimates of effective population sizes, although subject to wide credibility intervals, indicated a large number of individuals contributing to further generations of the population. The migration rates exceed the threshold of one per generation required for gene flow and maintenance of population equilibrium, indicating limited impact from forest management practices on either cockchafer species. While genetic differentiation was observed in M. melolontha populations, supported by various indices (fixation index, principal coordinate analysis, assignment tests), the M. hippocastani populations were genetically similar. This disparity may hint at the potential historical divergence between these species. In this aspect, more detailed phylogeographic and population genetic studies covering a large area of the Palaearctic distributions of both species are required. Our findings constitute one of the initial efforts aimed at delineating the genetic diversity, differentiation, population structure, gene flow, and migration patterns within Melolontha spp. This exploration is especially significant for M. hippocastani, given its completely unexplored genetic population structure.

Polyinfection in Fish Aeromoniasis: A Study of Co-Isolated Aeromonas Species in Aeromonas veronii Outbreaks.

We studied the phenotypic and genomic characteristics related to the virulence and antibiotic resistance of two Aeromonas strains, which were co-isolated before an outbreak of Aeromonas veronii among diseased seabass on Agathonisi Island, Greece, in April 2015. The first strain, AG2.13.2, is a potentially pathogenic mesophilic variant of Aeromonas salmonicida, and the second, AG2.13.5, corresponds to an Aeromonas rivipollensis related to A. rivipollensis KN-Mc-11N1 with an ANI value of 97.32%. AG2.13.2 lacks the type III secretion system just like other mesophilic strains of A. salmonicida. This characteristic has been associated with lower virulence. However, the genome of AG2.13.2 contains other important virulence factors such as type II and type VI secretion systems, and toxins such as rtxA, aerolysin aer/act, and different types of hemolysins. The strain also carries several genes associated with antibiotic resistance such as the tetE efflux pump, and exhibits resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, and oxolinic acid. In an in vivo challenge test with gilthead seabream larvae, the A. veronii bv sobria strain AG5.28.6 exhibited the highest virulence among all tested strains. Conversely, both A. salmonicida and A. rivipollensis showed minimal virulence when administered alone. Interestingly, when A. veronii bv sobria AG5.28.6 was co-administered with A. rivipollensis, the larvae survival probability increased compared to those exposed to A. veronii bv sobria AG5.28.6 alone. This finding indicates an antagonistic interaction between A. veronii bv sobria AG5.28.6 and A. rivipollensis AG2.13.5. The co-administration of A. veronii bv sobria AG5.28.6 with Aeromonas salmonicida did not yield distinct survival probabilities. Our results validate that the primary pathogen responsible for European seabass aeromoniasis is Aeromonas veronii bv sobria.

Quantifying long-distance dispersal of an outbreaking insect species using trap capture data and phenology

Long-distance dispersal plays an important role in insect population dynamics and is a key factor in insect outbreaks. However, accurately measuring the dispersal distance of insect species can be challenging. We present a simple and reliable method to quantify dispersal capacity using insect phenology and time-series of field-capture data. This open-source method is developed in R and tested using data collected on the eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana). Empirical data were collected in the summer of 2014 in Québec, in forest areas defoliated during the ongoing outbreak. Sampling dates were informed by BioSIM phenological models and government of Canada weather data where adult moths were sampled before, during, and after expected flying periods. A sensitivity analysis showed that the uncertainty of these models due to weather station interpolation did not affect general trends. Individuals sampled outside of their expected phenological window were assumed to be migrants. Pairwise Euclidean distances were measured between the sampling locations of these migrants and all potential areas of origin as predicted by BioSIM at the time of their sampling. The shortest distances were then selected to generate dispersal kernels. According to the dispersal kernels derived using this method, most flying individuals captured outside of their phenological window travelled up to 450 km, matching previous work on eastern spruce budworm dispersal. Here, we were able to demonstrate that with known phenology of a species and relatively simple to collect data (presence of flight capable individuals), it is possible to characterize insect dispersal using a relatively simple algorithm and spatial model. This method can be easily applied to other outbreaking species and used to inform management decisions in a variety of systems where outbreaks represent a risk to resources of interest.

Evaluation of the larvicidal activity of essential oil from needles of Pinus halepensis against defoliating caterpillars of Quercus spp. in North Africa

This work aims to study the management of Lepidoptera defoliators of Quercus spp. using essential oil of Pinus halepensis needles. In this context, laboratory trials of two concentrations (0.1 % and 0.5%) compared with ethanol (negative control) and delthametrin (positive control) were tested by contact action on 3rd, 4th and 5th instars larvae of two outbreak species: the Tortricidae, Tortrix viridana and the Geometridae, Operophtera brumata. Results revealed that P. halepensis essential oil has significant insecticidal potentials on both Lepidoptera species. Essential oil at 0.1 % was three time more efficient on the 3rd instar of T. viridana than on O. brumata. However, mature larvae (4th and 5th instars) took more time to die. The major components of P. halepensis were α-pinene (46.1%) and β-myrcene (9.5%) that may show their insecticidal effectiveness on these pests.
 In conclusion, these results are promoting and seems to be of major importance in regulating pests but not outbreaks. Thus, further studies are required to isolate bioactive components and to elucidate the insecticidal mechanisms of P. halepensis.

Sporothrix pathogenic clade: Molecular analysis of animal and human clinical isolates.

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis that affects animals and humans. Varying in severity, occurrences range from local lesions to systemic involvement. It is caused by thermodimorphic and saprobic fungi from the Sporothrix pathogenic clade. This study aimed to identify the species and the sexual idiomorph distribution patterns responsible for diagnosed cases of sporotrichosis in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil. We included 188 isolates of Sporothrix sp. from feline lesions and 27 of human origin, which underwent molecular identification and genotyping for mating-type MAT1-1 and MAT1-2. The results showed that Sporothrix brasiliensis is the prevalent species in feline sporotrichosis outbreaks with the overwhelming presence of a single mating-type, MAT1-2 (P <.0001), suggesting a prevalently clonal form of spread. Morphological analyses did not discriminate among cryptic species in the genus Sporothrix, and molecular identification was essential for the correct identification of the species responsible for the observed cases of sporotrichosis. Distribution analyses of MAT1-2 isolates support the hypothesis of unidirectional migration from the current epidemics in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to the municipality of São José do Rio Preto.

The role of natural enemies in regulating the population of the outbreak species Orgyia trigotephras (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) in North Africa

The role of natural enemies in regulating the population of the outbreak species Orgyia trigotephras (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) in North Africa

Species-specific PCR-based marker for rapid detection of Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

• A marker was designed from InDels of Aspidiotus rigidus 28 s rDNA sequences. • Species-specific delineation of A. rigidus works in singleplex and multiplex PCR. • A. rigidus multiplex-based detection still works with parasitized samples. The Philippine coconut production has been greatly affected by the recent devastating infestation of Aspidiotus spp. However, identification of the outbreak species, Aspidotus rigidus , has been a challenge using morphological approaches. Molecular identification via PCR sequencing of insect barcoding genes has been implemented, but the overall process is time-consuming and costly. Thus, we developed and optimized a species-specific PCR-based molecular marker for rapid, efficient and cost-effective molecular identification of A. rigidus . The molecular marker was designed based on the sequences of the partial 28S ribosomal RNA gene from species of Aspidiotus that feed on coconut in the Philippines, A. rigidus, A. destructor and A. excisus . Multiple alignment of nucleotide sequences revealed a conserved 16-bp insertion-deletion (InDel) site common to all A. rigidus specimens identified from which the A. rigidus- specific oligonucleotide (RIG1) primer targeting an approximately 570 bp fragment size was designed. Results showed that the species-specific DNA marker technology consistently delineated laboratory-reared and field-collected A. rigidus samples from A. destructor and A. excisus . The protocol offers a rapid and reliable method for the early detection of A. rigidus infestation in high-risk areas planted with coconut in the country.

Novel Dermatitis and Relative Viral Nucleic Acid Tissue Loads in a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) with Systemic Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection

Cetacean morbilliviruses (CeMVs) are significant causes of mortality in many cetacean species in epizootics and smaller outbreaks. Despite the prominence of skin lesions in seals and terrestrial animals, including humans, affected by other morbilliviruses, they have not been reported in CeMV-infected cetaceans. Here we report CeMV-associated skin lesions in a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) with subacute, systemic CeMV infection that live-stranded in Scotland, UK. Grossly, the skin was sloughing in large sheets, presumed due to autolysis, but histological examination showed syncytia, below the dermoepidermal junction, that were strongly immunopositive for morbillivirus antigen, as were syncytia in other organs. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the relative load of CeMV-specific RNA was largest in the liver and urinary bladder, even in formalin-fixed, paraffin-wax embedded samples. Levels were low in skin and only detectable in frozen samples. Genetic comparison of the CeMV revealed close alignment with isolates from fin whales from the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, but that it was distinct from the porpoise CeMV clade. These findings show skin samples can be used to diagnose CeMV infection in cetaceans, highlighting the potential of ante-mortem sampling for monitoring disease in current populations and assessment of changes in host and pathogen genetics.

Host plant phenology, insect outbreaks and herbivore communities - The importance of timing.

Climate change may alter the dynamics of outbreak species by changing the phenological synchrony between herbivores and their host plants. As host plant phenology has a genotypic component that may interact with climate, infestation levels among genotypes might change accordingly. When the outbreaking herbivore is active early in the season, its infestation levels may also leave a detectable imprint on herbivores colonizing the plant later in the season. In this study, we first investigated how the spring phenology and genotype of Quercus robur influenced the density of the spring-active, outbreaking leaf miner Acrocercops brongniardellus. We then assessed how intraspecific density affected the performance of A. brongniardellus and how oak genotype and density of A. brongniardellus affected the insect herbivore community. We found that Q. robur individuals of late spring phenology were more strongly infested by A. brongniardellus. Conspecific pupae on heavily infested oaks tended to be lighter, and fewer heterospecific insect herbivores colonized the oak later in the season. Beyond its effects through phenology, plant genotype left an imprint on herbivore species richness and on two insect herbivores. Our results suggest a chain of knock-on effects from plant phenology, through the outbreaking species to the insect herbivore community. Given the finding of how phenological synchrony between the outbreak species and its host plant influences infestation levels, a shift in synchrony may then change outbreak dynamics and cause cascading effects on the insect community.

Distinguishing eastern North American forest moth pests by wing-scale ultrastructure: potential applications in paleoecology

The use of fossil moth wing scales has recently been introduced as a new method to reconstruct population histories of lepidopterans and provide a proxy for insect disturbance. We investigated the potential for using wing-scale ultrastructure to distinguish between the five most common outbreak species of moth pests in eastern North America: spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens), hemlock looper ( Lambdina fiscellaria Guenée), forest tent caterpillar ( Malacosoma disstria Hübner), blackheaded budworm ( Acleris variana Fernie), and jack pine budworm ( Choristoneura pinus Freeman). Using scanning electron images of scales, we made qualitative and quantitative comparisons of morphological traits at the ultrastructural level. We found that hemlock looper and eastern blackheaded budworm scales could be categorically separated from each other and from the three other species. We developed a quadratic discriminant function using measurements of ultrastructure traits that distinguishes scales of the three remaining species with an overall accuracy of 66%. We found that forest tent caterpillar could be well separated based on these traits, but we were less confident in distinguishing the closely related jack pine and spruce budworm. Our method offers potential advantages in scale identification for future studies in paleoecology, while providing the additional advantage of not requiring intact, unfolded, and undamaged scales.

Legionella, water and biotechnology

Legionella spp. are microorganisms that are generally found in the aquatic environment (rivers, streams, lakes, among others). The importance in public health is in the fact that this bacterium is capable of multiplying and propagating in artificial aquatic systems (piping systems, storage tanks, fountains, and cooling towers), giving rise to diseases in humans called legionellosis, transmitted by inhalation of contaminated water droplets or aerosols and whose complications can lead to the death of the patient. Legionellosis is of worldwide distribution, Legionella pneumophila being the most commonly involved species in outbreaks and reported cases. The people most at risk are the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, and people with a history of smoking. Around the world, regulatory agencies and health organizations have issued and established recommendations with the purpose of controlling and preventing the risk of contracting this disease, which include the sanitation of water supplies, maintenance through regular cleaning and disinfection of facilities and devices for reducing the presence of this pathogen. The main objective of this review is to present in a general manner, aspects related to the disease known as legionellosis, its casual agents, habitat, transmission form, and phenotypic and metabolic characteristics. Likewise, the methods of control and prevention of these pathogens are presented, including a potential biotechnological alternative that can contribute to actions in favour of the protection of public health through the use of compounds with surface activity called biosurfactants.

Experimental evaluation of vinegar (acetic acid) for control of invasive corals (Tubastraea spp.) and a review of knowledge for other aquatic pests

Vinegar/acetic acid (V/AA) has been used to control unwanted marine and freshwater species. As a naturally occurring, available and ubiquitous substance most countries’ legislations do not consider V/AA as harmful to the environment. We investigated the toxicity of household vinegar for the invasive corals Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis (Dendrophylliidae), using injection (1, 2 or 4 of 10, 20 or 40 ml of vinegar) and immersion (full and half concentration; periods of 15, 30, 45, 60 or 120 min) treatments. For Tubastraea spp., immersion treatment always resulted in the death of the corals. In contrast, the lethality of injected vinegar depended on the number and volume of injections per coral colony; partially damaged colonies may be able to recover after vinegar injection. We also carried out a critical review and analysis regarding the use of V/AA in other aquatic species. V/AA has been tested and used as a biocide from virus and bacteria to fish; as for Tubastraea spp., three quarters of studies investigated the positive effects of V/AA as a biocide, the rest negative collateral effects on non-target species. We conclude that V/AA is an effective agent for killing Tubastraea spp. and most other aquatic organisms, can be applied using different methods and in different environments for controlling: (1) invasive or outbreak species; and (2) biofouling by native or invasive species on aquaculture systems and vectors. V/AA may be used applied pre-border to shipping vectors potentially transporting non-indigenous marine biofouling species such as Tubastraea spp.

Development of microsatellite markers for an outbreaking species of oak gall wasp,Zapatella davisae(Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), in the northeastern United States

Populations of the recently described black oak gall wasp, Zapatella davisae Buffington (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), have been identified as the cause of extensive tree damage and mortality to black oaks, Quercus velutina Lamarck (Fagales: Fagaceae), in the northeastern United States. Relatively little is known, however, about the distribution, phylogenetic placement, and lifecycle of this important tree pest. Therefore, we conducted next-generation sequencing using the Ion Torrent™ PGM (ThermoFisher Scientific, Inc.) platform to develop genomic resources for the study of Z. davisae and for other closely related species of oak gall wasps. Individual sequence reads were aligned, assembled into unique contigs, and the contigs were then utilized for the in silico isolation and development of microsatellite markers. In total, we screened 36 candidate microsatellite loci, of which 23 amplified consistently (five polymorphic and 18 monomorphic). We then examined whether the polymorphic loci could be used to infer whether populations of Z. davisae from Cape Cod and Nantucket are sexual or asexual by calculating several metrics of genetic diversity that might indicate the mode of reproduction. These included testing for statistical deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and for linkage disequilibrium (LD), observations for the presence of the Meselson effect, and by calculating the probability that clonal individuals are more prevalent than would be expected in a randomly mating population. While we found significant deviations from HWE and more clonal individuals than expected, our estimates of the Meselson effect were inconclusive due to limited sampling, and we found no evidence of LD. Therefore, the sexual/asexual status of Z. davisae populations remains uncertain.

Description of Leishmania species among dogs and humans in Colombian Visceral Leishmaniasis outbreaks

We report the species detected in dogs and humans from outbreaks of visceral leishmaniasis in Colombia. In this study, 91 sera from patients (n = 38) and dogs (n = 53) diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis using IFAT were analyzed to determine the causative species. DNA extraction, PCR amplification, DNA sequencing and species identification was performed. Results were obtained with 13 of the sera. A phylogenetic tree and a network of haplotypes were constructed. Leishmania infantum chagasi (11/13), Leishmania braziliensis (1/13) and Leishmania amazonensis (1/13) were identified as the circulating species and genetic variability in one of the L. infantum chagasi strains was demonstrated. This is the first study describing Leishmania species in outbreaks of visceral leishmaniasis in Colombia.

An outbreak of sea cucumbers hinders coral recruitment

An outbreak of a small sessile sea cucumber, Ocnus sanya, occurred on the degraded Luhuitou coral reef in Sanya Bay, Hainan, China. This study explored the pattern of distribution of O. sanya on the reef and the impacts of the high abundance of O. sanya on post-settlement mortality of Pocillopora damicornis recruits. The density of O. sanya ranged from about 500 to over 2000 individuals m(-2) with 10.95-23.69% cover on hard substrate. Terracotta tiles with O. sanya on the surface accumulated 19.7% more surface sediment than those without sea cucumbers. Post-settlement P. damicornis recruits had significantly higher mortality on terracotta tiles with O. sanya than those without O. sanya after 21 d. Overall, O. sanya appears to increase sediment stress and inhibit coral recruitment, exacerbating the degradation of Luhuitou Reef. This study raises the possibility that such novel outbreak species could contribute significant additional stress on coral reefs at larger scales.

Grasshopper species composition shifts following a severe rangeland grasshopper outbreak

Little is known about how grasshopper species abundances shift during and following severe outbreaks, as sampling efforts usually end when outbreaks subside. Grasshopper densities, species composition and vegetation have infrequently been sampled during and after a severe outbreak in the western U.S., which is needed to better understand the cause of outbreaks and population declines. In this study, grasshopper densities, species composition and vegetation were monitored at a northern mixed rangeland site from 1999 to 2003 where densities reached 130 per m2 during a severe outbreak. Phoetaliotes nebrascensis (Acrididae: Melanoplinae) comprised 79% of the outbreak in 2000, but declined to 3% by 2003. The dramatic shifts in proportional and actual abundance of P. nebrascensis over a 5 year period illustrate that species dominance can change rapidly, even for a highly dominant outbreak species. The difficulty of fully understanding factors causing shifts in grasshopper populations is illustrated by population declines in all species observed in 2002 and 2003. The data can help predict the intensity and decline of outbreaks and points to the critical importance of long term simultaneous monitoring of grasshopper densities, species composition and vegetation for outbreak prediction.

Using Ecological Site Information to Improve Landscape Management for Ecosystem Services

On the Ground Ecological sites and their component state-and-transition models are valuable tools for predicting the effects of climatic and management changes on a variety of ecosystem services. Site-specific information must be able to be both refined to finer scales to account for spatiotemporal variability within a mapped site and expanded to include interactions with other sites in the landscape to identify priorities and account for integrative disturbances and ecosystem services such as wildlife habitat, hydrology, fire, insect outbreak and invasive species. Ecological site groups, spatially contiguous and behaviorally similar, are an important level in the land hierarchy to organize and interpret information.