Chlorpyrifos is one of the frequently used pesticides with an immediate or long term adverse effect on human health and the environment. This study investigated the chlorpyrifos degradation capability of bacteria isolated from agricultural soil. Screening and identification of chlorpyrifos-degrading bacteria showed five Isolates (Pseudomonas monteilli, Moraxella sp, Enterobacter sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus sp) using enrichment culture technique, cultural morphology, biochemical tests, and molecular analysis. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis showed that all isolated bacteria were able to degrade chlorpyrifos. Pseudomonas monteilli had the highest degradation rate (57%) while Moraxella sp had the lowest (18%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter sp, and Staphylococcus sp also showed considerable degradation rate of 33%, and 29% and 26% respectively. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis of the chlorpyrifos containing medium of control sample and of the best three chlorpyrifos degrading-isolates showed no presence of toxic chlorpyrifos metabolites. The degradation capability and absence of toxic chlorpyrifos metabolites after the degradation process further established the importance of these isolates in bioremediation of chlorpyrifos contaminated environments.
New multivariate analyses considering new differential characters and based on hypothesis formation by NC-clustering are presented for three closely related species of the Westpalaearctic Myrmica sabuleti species complex. Investigation of 345 nest samples with 1080 workers resulted in the confirmation of Myrmica sabuleti Meinert 1861, M. lonae Finzi 1926 and M. spinosior Santschi 1931 as valid species. The analysis provided suggestions for local hybridization between M. sabuleti and M. lonae but the overall morphological, zoogeographic and ecological evidence favors a treatment as different species.
Scopaeus punctatellus Fauvel, 1905 is redescribed. Scopaeus sharpi Cameron, 1912, previously considered a synonym of S. punctatellus, is revalidated and elevated to the rank of subspecies. Consequently, this polytypic species is divided into the nominate subspecies S. p. punctatellus, which is widespread in the Afrotropics and the Madagascan region, and the Saharo-Arabian subspecies S. punctatellus sharpi, which is confined to the Red Sea coast and the Arabian Peninsula. Scopaeus p. punctatellus is reported for the first time from Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, France (Mayotte), Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Yemen (Sokotra), Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The first record of S. punctatellus sharpi from Oman is provided. A lectotype is designated for S. sharpi. The relationships of S. punctatellus within Scopaeus Erichson, 1839 are discussed.
Soil biodiversity comprises ~59% of all species worldwide and plays a fundamental role in maintaining ecosystem functioning, supporting food and water security, regulating climate, and sustaining human well-being. However, despite growing recognition of its importance, biological dimensions of soil health remain insufficiently represented in monitoring frameworks and environmental policy. The session “Visions for Soil Biodiversity and Health Indicators”, held at the World Biodiversity Forum 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, brought together researchers and practitioners from international monitoring initiatives, national assessment programs, and technological innovation projects to discuss pathways toward robust and policy-relevant soil biodiversity indicators. The session highlighted recent advances in harmonizing soil biodiversity monitoring across scales, including efforts to integrate existing international protocols and establish globally comparable assessment frameworks. Contributions addressed the development of reliable biodiversity metrics, the integration of molecular and morphological approaches, and the challenges of translating complex ecological data into indicators suitable for environmental governance. Integrating well-established and emerging technologies, such as environmental DNA metabarcoding, artificial intelligence-based image recognition, automated sensor networks, and soil food-web analyses were presented as promising tools for improving the efficiency, scalability, and ecological relevance of soil monitoring. Several studies further demonstrated how soil biodiversity indicators can reveal responses to anthropogenic pressures, including land-use intensification and pesticide contamination, and contribute to the evaluation of soil restoration efforts. Collectively, the presentations emphasized that future soil health assessments will require integrated approaches combining taxonomic, functional, and process-based indicators. The session underscored the importance of international collaboration, methodological standardization, and interdisciplinary research to support emerging soil monitoring legislation and global biodiversity targets. Advancing scientifically robust soil biodiversity indicators will be essential for safeguarding soil health and the ecosystem services upon which human societies depend.
The diel cycle of Willowsia japonica was studied using traps on the tree trunk during the summer months. W. japonica was more active during nighttime than daytime on the trunk of Quercus crispula throughout summer, regardless of body size. The difference was, however, blurred by precipitation, which activated W. japonica even during daytime. However, precipitation increased diurnal activity levels and decreased the difference between daytime and nighttime abundance. Although other springtails such as Desoria spatiosa, Subisotoma sp., and Tomocerus aokii, as well as woodlice were more sensitive to respond to moisture than W. japonica, W. japonica is considered relatively tolerant to desiccation among springtails. Its diel cycle of activity still appears to be shaped by environmental moisture. We also found that the proportion of individuals with discernible gut contents did not significantly differ between night and day, but smaller individuals were more likely to have filled guts, suggesting that juvenile W. japonica feed at a higher rate than adults. In conclusion, the physiology of Collembola necessitates a relationship between activity levels and environmental moisture, even in species considered desiccation-tolerant such as W. japonica.
