Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For both cases in Germany it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infested plants were detected. Molecular analyses show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis, a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the eradication measures in Europe. Considering the potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in tropical greenhouses across Europe.

Segundo-Ortin & Calvo provide a comprehensive overview of the many aspects of plant behavior examined to date. In our view, multiple lines of evidence make it difficult to deny plant sentience. We add further evidence to support the conclusion that plants are sentient organisms. As in animals, the behavior of plants can be seen and studied as an evolutionary trait, subject to and a consequence of increasing complexity in the interactions of plants with their environment. Our example is the evolution of floral behavior in Loasaceae, where complex patterns of stamen movement have co-evolved in interaction with specialized pollinators.

Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For both cases in Germany it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infested plants were detected. Molecular analyses show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis , a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the eradication measures in Europe. Considering the potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in tropical greenhouses across Europe.

AbstractAmbrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For both cases in Germany it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infested plants were detected. Molecular analyses show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis, a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the eradication measures in Europe. Considering the potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in tropical greenhouses across Europe.

Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For both cases in Germany it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infested plants were detected. Molecular analyses show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis, a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the eradication measures in Europe. Considering the potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in tropical greenhouses across Europe.

Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For the latter cases it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infected plants were detected. Molecular analysis show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis, a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the first eradication measures in Europe. Considering the high potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in greenhouses across Europe.

Abstract Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For the latter cases it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infected plants were detected. Molecular analysis show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis , a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the first eradication measures in Europe. Considering the high potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in greenhouses across Europe.

Yeasts, usually defined as unicellular fungi, occur in various fungal lineages. Hence, they are not a taxonomic unit, but rather represent a fungal lifestyle shared by several unrelated lineages. Although the discovery of new yeast species occurs at an increasing speed, at the current rate it will likely take hundreds of years, if ever, before they will all be documented. Many parts of the earth, including many threatened habitats, remain unsampled for yeasts and many others are only superficially studied. Cold habitats, such as glaciers, are home to a specific community of cold-adapted yeasts, and, hence, there is some urgency to study such environments at locations where they might disappear soon due to anthropogenic climate change. The same is true for yeast communities in various natural forests that are impacted by deforestation and forest conversion. Many countries of the so-called Global South have not been sampled for yeasts, despite their economic promise. However, extensive research activity in Asia, especially China, has yielded many taxonomic novelties. Comparative genomics studies have demonstrated the presence of yeast species with a hybrid origin, many of them isolated from clinical or industrial environments. DNA-metabarcoding studies have demonstrated the prevalence, and in some cases dominance, of yeast species in soils and marine waters worldwide, including some surprising distributions, such as the unexpected and likely common presence of Malassezia yeasts in marine habitats.

Abstract Ambrosia beetles of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex are emerging tree pests with a broad host range including important agricultural crops. Native to Southeast Asia, these species were introduced into various countries, where they cause considerable damage to many tree species. Here we report several outbreaks of E. fornicatus s.l. in Europe. The first individuals were found in 2017 in a palm house of a botanical garden in Poznan (Poland) whereas in 2020 an outbreak was detected in a tropical greenhouse in Merano (Italy). In 2021, two additional outbreaks were detected in two greenhouses in Germany, in Erfurt and Berlin. For the latter cases it was possible to trace back the invasion to a distributor of exotic plants in the Netherlands where several infected plants were detected. Molecular analysis show that individuals from Poland and Italy are genetically identical but belong to a different mitochondrial clade than individuals in Germany which are identical to most individuals of two greenhouses in the Netherlands. Moreover, in the two greenhouses in the Netherlands we found beetles that belong to another haplotype of E. fornicatus and two haplotypes of E. perbrevis, a species in the E. fornicatus complex, which has not been previously intercepted in Europe. Our study provides novel insights into the invasion history of E. fornicatus and the first eradication measures in Europe. Considering the high potential of introduction and establishment of Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, particular attention should be paid to monitor the presence of these pests in greenhouses across Europe.

Speciation is a central mechanism of biological diversification. While speciation is well studied in plants and animals, in comparison, relatively little is known about speciation in fungi. One fungal model is the Cryptococcus genus, which is best known for the pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans / Cryptococcus gattii species complex that causes over 200,000 new infections in humans annually. The closest non-human pathogenic relatives are the sibling species, Cryptococcus amylolentus and Tsuchiyaea wingfieldii . However, because relatively few isolates of each species are available, it is unclear whether they represent divergent lineages of the same species or different biological species. The recent isolation of an additional strain, preliminarily identified as T. wingfieldii , prompted us to reexamine this group as it may inform about the evolutionary processes underlying the diversification of both non-pathogenic and pathogenic Cryptococcus lineages. Using genomic data, we reappraised the phylogenetic relationship of the four available strains and confirmed the genetic separation of C. amylolentus and T. wingfieldii (now Cryptococcus wingfieldii ), and revealed an additional cryptic species, for which the name Cryptococcus floricola is proposed. Comparison of full-length chromosome assemblies revealed approximately 6% pairwise sequence divergence between the three species, and identified significant genomic changes, including inversions as well as a reciprocal translocation that involved inter-centromeric ectopic recombination, which together likely impose significant barriers to genetic exchange. Using genetic crosses, we show that while C. wingfieldii cannot interbreed with any of the other strains, C. floricola can undergo sexual reproduction with C. amylolentus . However, most of the spores resulting from this cross were inviable, and many were sterile, indicating that the two species are genetically isolated through intrinsic post-zygotic barriers and possibly due to niche differentiation. Genome sequencing and analysis of the progeny demonstrated decreased recombination frequency during meiosis in heterospecific crosses compared to C. amylolentus conspecific crosses. This study advances our understanding of speciation in fungi and highlights the power of genomics in assisting our ability to correctly identify and discriminate fungal species. Author Summary The idea of species as discrete natural units seems rather intuitive for most people, just as cells are the basic units of life. However, when observing variation across a species range, boundaries can become blurred making it less than obvious when different populations evolve into separate species. Additionally, separate species can still interbreed, such as lions breeding with tigers to produce a liger or a tigon (depending on the paternal and maternal species of origin), but the resulting offspring is usually inviable or sterile, which in turn is evidence that the parents involved are distinct species. Therefore, what species are and how they originate is still an open question in evolutionary biology. While recent advances have been made in the fields of animal and plant speciation, many other important components of biological diversity, such as fungi, are still understudied. Genome sequencing is now providing new tools to address the genetic mechanisms that drive divergence and reproductive isolation between populations, including genetic incompatibilities, sequence divergence, and chromosomal rearrangements. Here we focus on the Cryptococcus amylolentus species complex, a non-pathogenic fungal lineage closely related to the human pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans / Cryptococcus gattii complex. Using genetic and genomic analysis we reexamined the species boundaries of four available isolates within the C. amylolentus complex and revealed three genetically isolated species. The genomes of these species are ~6% divergent and exhibit chromosome rearrangements, including translocations and small-scale inversions. Although two of the species ( C. amylolentus and newly described C. floricola ) are still able to interbreed, the resulting hybrid progeny were mostly inviable, and many were sterile, indicating that barriers to reproduction have already been established. Our results will foster additional studies addressing the transitions between non-pathogenic and pathogenic Cryptococcus lineages.

Plants - and their pollinating counterparts - display complex and sophisticated mechanisms to achieve successful pollination. It probably was only a matter of time for proof of plant intelligence in the context of floral ecology to surface, i.e. the memorization of previous events and a corresponding adjustment of flower behavior. In a recent study we presented a large experimental dataset on the evolution of stamen movement patterns observed in Loasaceae and the apparent role of plant behavior in the diversification of this plant group. The findings at species level suggest that individual plants may be able to adjust the timing of their pollen presentation to the actual pollination scenario they experience. Here we provide first evidence for a pre-emptive stamen presentation in Nasa poissoniana (Loasaceae), based on previously experienced pollinator visitation intervals. Using the unique ability of fast and precise stamen movements in response to a previous stimulus of the nectar scales, the plants should be able to reduce pollen loss and increase outbreeding success via optimizing the timing of male function. We discuss this behavior and its implications in the light of the recent literature and propose questions for future investigations.

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The current study takes a holistic view of cross-species comparative research and investigates the dissemination of the term intention as representative of the so-called "cognitive revolution." All references from 641 articles, published from 1948 to 2017, are used to analyze a citation network. The analysis visualizes and identifies prominent articles in the scientific debate and locates them structurally on a map. Each article is categorized in terms of the school of thought, its position within the discourse (e.g., opposing, supporting), the order of intentionality (e.g., 1st or 2nd order), and the species under consideration. By using a mixed-methods approach, which combines qualitative and quantitative methods, we identified 2 divergent schools of thought (psychological/philosophical and biological/behavioristic). Both schools introduced intention mostly independently from each other and show little overlap in citation habits. Both notions of intention have influenced comparative science until today. However, although the term finds limited application in various schools, only in connection with more cognitive approaches has it enjoyed a successful career, as indicated by the increasing number of articles in which it is used. Most controversy does not surround the concept of intention itself but its order. Furthermore, taking account of which species are investigated could reveal a pronounced primate bias in past discourse. Articles on nonprimate species using the term intention in the cognitive sense are markedly outnumbered by those on primates. The study reminds comparative psychologists of the importance to integrate a historical perspective into current debates, to avoid "speciesism" and talking past each other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Obvious movements of plant organs have fascinated scientists for a long time. They have been studied extensively, but few behavioural studies to date have dealt with them, and hardly anything is known about their evolution. Here, we present a large experimental dataset on the stamen movement patterns found in the Loasaceae subfam. Loasoideae (Cornales). An evolutionary transition from autonomous-only to a combination of autonomous and thigmonastic stamen movement with increased complexity was experimentally demonstrated. We compare the stamen movement patterns with extensive pollinator observations and discuss it in the context of male mating behavior. Thigmonastic pollen presentation via stamen movements appears to be a crucial component of floral adaptation to pollinator behaviour, evolving in concert with complex adjustments of flower signal, reward and morphology. We hypothesize that rapid adjustments of pollen presentation timing may play a significant role in the diversification of this plant group, representing a striking example for the evolutionary significance of plant behaviour.

Various complaints about the consistent use of a non-epistemological 'norm of progress' (also known as 'Scala Naturae') can be found frequently in recent evolution of language and communication literature. Affiliated to earlier studies that addressed quantification of some overt indicators such as word combinations of 'highthornspecies', the current account aims to go beyond the obvious in describing the presumed phenomena. Using a mixed-methodology approach, we quantify the general use of vocabulary, range of study species, amount of 'progressionist attributes' and subsequently qualify the context of some key words. Investigating 915 peer-reviewed articles from a species-comparative evolution of language and communication discourse, we found that articles focussing on species groups historically regarded as 'high' make more use of attributes implying directed progress than otherwise. We subdivided all articles in two distinct corpora. Articles using the term 'language' or 'speech' in title, abstract or keywords were labelled 'language'. Those using other terms than language were labelled 'communication'. We could identify a more diverse focus on studied species groups and a more behaviouristic vocabulary in corpus 'communication' as compared to the corpus 'language'. Additionally, articles from the latter corpus tend to stress a narrative of human uniqueness. Our results, taken together, do not provide clear evidence for a structural and active promotion of a 'norm of progress', but hint towards historical aftermaths exercising indirect influence and worthy of further study.

In this study, the impacts of three different fungicides to fungal phyllosphere communities on broad bean (Vicia faba, Fabaceae) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, Fabaceae) were analyzed. The fungicides included copper, sulfur, and azoxystrobin. The plants were sowed, grown, and treated under conditions occurring in conventional and organic farming. A culture-based approach was used to identify changes in the phyllosphere fungal community after the treatment. Different effects on species richness and growth index of the epiphytic and endophytic communities for common bean and broad bean could be shown. Treatments with sulfur showed the weakest effect, followed by those based on copper and the systemic azoxystrobin, which showed the strongest effect especially on endophytic communities. The epiphytic fungal community took five weeks to recover after treatment with azoxystrobin. However, the effect of azoxystrobin on the endophytic community lasted more than five weeks. Finally, the data suggest that the surface structure of the host leaves have a huge impact on the mode of action that the fungicides exert.

Nectar yeasts are common inhabitants of insect-pollinated flowers but factors determining their distribution are not well understood. We studied the influence of host identity, environmental factors related to pollution/urbanization, and the distance to a target beehive on local distribution of nectar yeasts within Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in Berlin, Germany. Nectar samples of six individuals per species were collected at seven sites in a 2 km radius from each target beehive and plated on YM-Agar to visualise the different morphotypes, which were then identified by sequencing a section of the 26S rDNA gene. Multivariate linear models were used to analyze the effects of all investigated factors on yeast occurrence per tree. Yeast distribution was mainly driven by host identity. The influence of the environmental factors (NO2, height of construction, soil sealing) strongly depended on the radius around the tree, similar to the distance of the sampled beehive. Incidence of specialist nectar-borne yeast species decreased with increasing pollution/urbanization index. Given that specialist yeast species gave way to generalist yeasts that have a reduced dependency on pollinators for between-flower dispersal, our results indicate that increased urbanization may restrict the movement of nectar-specialized yeasts, via limitations of pollinator foraging behavior.

Multiple anthropogenic stressors have been shown to impact animal and plant communities in freshwater ecosystems, but the responses of aquatic fungi remain largely unknown. Stressor effects on fungal communities may, however, result in changes of decomposition of plant litter and, thus, impact nutrient cycling, a key process for ecosystem functioning. We tested the impact of increased chloride and sediment levels, as well as reduced water flow velocity, on eukaryotic freshwater communities, with an emphasis on fungi, in a mesocosm experiment. Each of the three stressors was applied individually and in all combinations in a full-factorial design. Litterbags with non-sterilised tree leaves and sterile ceramic tiles were added to the mesocosms, to analyse the responses of communities in decaying plant material and in biofilms. Fungi preferably occurring in biofilms were supposed to represent indigenous aquatic fungi, while litterbag communities should be predominantly composed of fungi known from terrestrial litter. Community composition was assessed by high-throughput sequencing of amplified barcoding regions. Similarity matrices of operational taxonomic unit (OTU) tables calculated by UCLUST and CD-HIT-OTU-Illumina were significantly correlated. Preferred occurrence in biofilm and litter communities, respectively, was used for the grouping of OTUs into three ecological guilds. Stressor sensitivity varied among the guilds. While non-fungal, in particular autotrophic, OTUs responded to several treatments, two of the fungal guilds, i.e. those exclusively colonising litter and those preferably occurring on the ceramic tiles, showed no response to any applied treatment. Only fungi preferably, but not exclusively, colonising litter significantly responded to chloride addition. Their distribution patterns again correlated significantly with those of non-fungal OTUs, indicating possible interdependencies between both groups. The results indicate that eukaryotic freshwater communities are composed of different guilds, with distinctive sensitivity and tolerance to anthropogenic stressors.