Ambrosia beetles farm specialised fungi in sapwood tunnels and use pocket-like organs called mycangia to carry propagules of the fungal cultivars. Ambrosia fungi selectively grow in mycangia, which ...is central to the symbiosis, but the history of coevolution between fungal cultivars
and mycangia is poorly understood. The fungal family Ceratocystidaceae previously included three ambrosial genera (Ambrosiella, Meredithiella, and Phialophoropsis), each farmed by one of three distantly related tribes of ambrosia beetles with unique and relatively
large mycangium types. Studies on the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary histories of these three genera were expanded with the previously unstudied ambrosia fungi associated with a fourth mycangium type, that of the tribe Scolytoplatypodini. Using ITS rDNA barcoding and a
concatenated dataset of six loci (28S rDNA, 18S rDNA, tef1-α, tub, mcm7, and rpl1), a comprehensive phylogeny of the family Ceratocystidaceae was developed, including Inodoromyces interjectus gen. & sp. nov., a non-ambrosial species that
is closely related to the family. Three minor morphological variants of the pronotal disk mycangium of the Scolytoplatypodini were associated with ambrosia fungi in three respective clades of Ceratocystidaceae: Wolfgangiella gen. nov., Toshionella gen. nov., and
Ambrosiella remansi sp. nov. Closely-related species that are not symbionts of ambrosia beetles are accommodated by Catunica adiposa gen. & comb. nov. and Solaloca norvegica gen. & comb. nov. The divergent morphology of the ambrosial genera and their phylogenetic
placement among non-ambrosial genera suggest three domestication events in the Ceratocystidaceae. Estimated divergence dates for the ambrosia fungi and mycangia suggest that Scolytoplatypodini mycangia may have been the first to acquire Ceratocystidaceae symbionts and
other ambrosial fungal genera emerged shortly after the evolution of new mycangium types. There is no evidence of reversion to a non-ambrosial lifestyle in the mycangial symbionts.
Complementarity is crucial when prioritizing sites for biodiversity conservation. Networks of conservation corridors (CCs) can contribute to regional representativeness by complementing biodiversity ...features included in existing protected areas (PAs). We ask whether criteria important for CC management and design are effective at prioritizing complementary sites, and how the consideration of species represented in PAs influence criteria performance. We focused on species turnover of generalist and specialist dragonflies across 88 riverine sites. Criteria assessed included site-level estimates of dragonfly species richness, estimates of local habitat quality and corridor width. Measures of local habitat quality were based on either dragonfly indicator species or proportion of alien vegetation. Results showed that CCs complement dragonfly diversity in PAs by contributing unrepresented generalist species. Of the criteria, corridor width was the most efficient at prioritizing complementary sites, while prioritization based on dragonfly indicator species or species richness underperformed. When aiming to prioritize CC sites that also complement sites situated in established PAs, wide corridors with low levels of alien vegetation should be favoured.
Pinus leiophylla is a relatively common pine that occurs in the mountains of western and central Mexico. Between 1987 and 1990, Camcore, North Carolina State University, sampled 11 populations and ...309 mother trees of the species to determine patterns of genetic variation in survival,
growth and stem form. Fifteen provenance/progeny trials were established in southern Brazil and South Africa across a wide range of sites and assessed at 3, 5 and 8 years of age for height, diameter and stem form. Results indicated that average productivity ranged from 5 to 19m
3
ha
−1
y
−1
depending on the site and that performance was not as competitive as P. patula (South Africa) and P. taeda (Brazil) controls. Provenances from central Mexico (Michoacán) were statistically better in productivity than those from
the southern part of the country (Oaxaca), which in turn were superior to those from the northern part of the country (Durango). However, provenances from northern Mexico exhibited superior survival to seed sources from other locations in Mexico when grown on cold sites (winter minimums -10
to 5°C) in South Africa and superior stem form across all locations. Seedlings from the original 11 provenances were screened for resistance to the pitch canker fungus (PCF; Fusarium circinatum). Results indicated that generally P. leiophylla is as susceptible to PCF as P.
patula (stemkill = 85%) with the exception of two fast-growing, moderately resistant populations from Michoacán, La Pinalosa (stemkill = 44%) and Ario de Rosales (stemkill = 73%). The future potential of P. leiophylla might be in hybrid combination with P. patula in
the seasonally dry areas of southern Africa where fires are common and pitch canker is a problem.
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