A perda de polinizadores no mundo todo, especialmente abelhas, tem sido atribuída, entre outros fatores, à intensificação do uso de inseticidas em agro ecossistemas. A nova classe química de inseticidas, os neonicotinóides, tem sido o principal alvo de investigações, sobretudo em decorrência de sua ação sistêmica que transloca a substância ativa pela planta e atinge o pólen e néctar como resíduos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos do neonicotinóide tiametoxam em abelhas sociais e avaliar a possibilidade da espécie Scaptotrigona aff. depilis ser utilizada como bioindicadora de contaminação ambiental por inseticidas. Para tanto, (i) operárias forrageiras de Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera e Scaptotrigona bipunctata foram submetidas à exposição contínua de alimento contaminado; (ii) operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram expostas ao inseticida, durante o estágio larval, através do alimento e; (iii) operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram coletadas no meliponário da Universidade de São Paulo e arredores, e submetidas a análises químicas, para a checagem de contaminação pelos neonicotinóides tiametoxam e/ ou imidacloprido. (i) Dentre as três espécies de abelhas sociais adultas, B. terrestris audax mostrou ser a mais sensível à ação de tiametoxam, seguida de S. bipunctata e A. mellifera, verificados através do decréscimo no consumo de alimento e da longevidade. Nesse sentido, os efeitos subletais não foram influenciados pelo tamanho do corpo dos indivíduos. (ii) As operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, quando expostas a doses do inseticida em fase larval, apresentaram desenvolvimento tardio e originaram indivíduos menores e assimétricos. Tanto em abelhas adultas como em imaturas, os efeitos subletais foram evidenciados nos indivíduos expostos às maiores doses de tiametoxam nos experimentos (39.37 e 98.43µg de substância ativa/kg de xarope em adultos, ou 0.044 e 4.375ng de substância ativa/larva). (iii) A detecção de tiametoxam e imidacloprido em operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis permitiu considerar essa espécie como bioindicadora de contaminação. Nesse estudo, a mortalidade não foi parâmetro conclusivo quanto aos potenciais efeitos adversos de tiametoxam para as abelhas. O potencial de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis como espécie bioindicadora é uma importante etapa para avaliar a contaminação ambiental por neonicotinóides em abelhas sem ferrão, podendo ser utilizada em políticas públicas. / Pollinator losses all over the world, especially bees disappearing, have been attributed, among others, to the intensification of insecticide use on crops. The new chemical class of insecticides, the neonicotinoids, has been the main target of investigation, mainly due to its systemic action, which translocates the active substance for the plant and to reach the pollen and nectar as residues. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of thiamethoxam neonicotinoid on bees and the possibility of the use of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator of environmental contamination by insecticides. For this, (i) Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona bipunctata forager workers were induced to continue exposure of contaminated food; (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers were exposed to the insecticide, during its larval phase, through the larval food and; (iii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers were collected from University of São Paulo meliponary and surroundings and analyzed, in order to check for contamination by thiamethoxam and/ or imidacloprid neonicotinoids. (i) Among the three social bee species, B. terrestris audax showed to be more sensible to the thiamethoxam action, followed by S. bipunctata and A. mellifera, verified through decreasing food consumption and longevity. Thus, the sub lethal effects were not influenced by individual body size. (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers, when exposed to insecticide doses on larval food, caused individuals with developmental delay and were smaller and asymmetric. Both adult bees and in immature, the sub lethal effects of thiamethoxam were evidenced on individuals exposed to the highest doses in the experiments. (iii) The detection of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers allowed to consider this species as bioindicator of environmental contamination. In this study, the mortality was not a conclusive parameter as to the potential adverse effects of thiamethoxam for the bees. The potential of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator is an important step to assess environmental contamination by neonicotinoids on stingless bees, may be used for public policy.

A perda de polinizadores no mundo todo, especialmente abelhas, tem sido atribuída, entre outros fatores, à intensificação do uso de inseticidas em agro ecossistemas. A nova classe química de inseticidas, os neonicotinóides, tem sido o principal alvo de investigações, sobretudo em decorrência de sua ação sistêmica que transloca a substância ativa pela planta e atinge o pólen e néctar como resíduos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos do neonicotinóide tiametoxam em abelhas sociais e avaliar a possibilidade da espécie Scaptotrigona aff. depilis ser utilizada como bioindicadora de contaminação ambiental por inseticidas. Para tanto, (i) operárias forrageiras de Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera e Scaptotrigona bipunctata foram submetidas à exposição contínua de alimento contaminado; (ii) operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram expostas ao inseticida, durante o estágio larval, através do alimento e; (iii) operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram coletadas no meliponário da Universidade de São Paulo e arredores, e submetidas a análises químicas, para a checagem de contaminação pelos neonicotinóides tiametoxam e/ ou imidacloprido. (i) Dentre as três espécies de abelhas sociais adultas, B. terrestris audax mostrou ser a mais sensível à ação de tiametoxam, seguida de S. bipunctata e A. mellifera, verificados através do decréscimo no consumo de alimento e da longevidade. Nesse sentido, os efeitos subletais não foram influenciados pelo tamanho do corpo dos indivíduos. (ii) As operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, quando expostas a doses do inseticida em fase larval, apresentaram desenvolvimento tardio e originaram indivíduos menores e assimétricos. Tanto em abelhas adultas como em imaturas, os efeitos subletais foram evidenciados nos indivíduos expostos às maiores doses de tiametoxam nos experimentos (39.37 e 98.43µg de substância ativa/kg de xarope em adultos, ou 0.044 e 4.375ng de substância ativa/larva). (iii) A detecção de tiametoxam e imidacloprido em operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis permitiu considerar essa espécie como bioindicadora de contaminação. Nesse estudo, a mortalidade não foi parâmetro conclusivo quanto aos potenciais efeitos adversos de tiametoxam para as abelhas. O potencial de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis como espécie bioindicadora é uma importante etapa para avaliar a contaminação ambiental por neonicotinóides em abelhas sem ferrão, podendo ser utilizada em políticas públicas. / Pollinator losses all over the world, especially bees disappearing, have been attributed, among others, to the intensification of insecticide use on crops. The new chemical class of insecticides, the neonicotinoids, has been the main target of investigation, mainly due to its systemic action, which translocates the active substance for the plant and to reach the pollen and nectar as residues. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of thiamethoxam neonicotinoid on bees and the possibility of the use of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator of environmental contamination by insecticides. For this, (i) Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona bipunctata forager workers were induced to continue exposure of contaminated food; (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers were exposed to the insecticide, during its larval phase, through the larval food and; (iii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers were collected from University of São Paulo meliponary and surroundings and analyzed, in order to check for contamination by thiamethoxam and/ or imidacloprid neonicotinoids. (i) Among the three social bee species, B. terrestris audax showed to be more sensible to the thiamethoxam action, followed by S. bipunctata and A. mellifera, verified through decreasing food consumption and longevity. Thus, the sub lethal effects were not influenced by individual body size. (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers, when exposed to insecticide doses on larval food, caused individuals with developmental delay and were smaller and asymmetric. Both adult bees and in immature, the sub lethal effects of thiamethoxam were evidenced on individuals exposed to the highest doses in the experiments. (iii) The detection of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers allowed to consider this species as bioindicator of environmental contamination. In this study, the mortality was not a conclusive parameter as to the potential adverse effects of thiamethoxam for the bees. The potential of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator is an important step to assess environmental contamination by neonicotinoids on stingless bees, may be used for public policy.

New Zealand provides an excellent example of the effect of exotic predators on native reptile populations. Prior to human arrival, reptiles evolved in the absence of mammalian predators but are now sympatric with 11 introduced mammalian predators. New Zealand’s reptile populations have declined over the past millennium because they have few defensive behaviours against this new predator guild. However, relatively few studies have investigated the effects of introduced mammalian predators on skinks. In this thesis, I studied the life history of several skink species and the long-term demographic changes in these species to evaluate population trends. I evaluated the effectiveness of mammalian predator control in the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project (RNRP) for restoring skink populations and I investigated the potential sub-lethal effects of mammalian predators on skinks. Finally, I tested whether two skink species had developed behaviours to avoid the scent of introduced rats or hedgehogs. I estimated size at sexual maturity, birthing season and habitat preferences for speckled skinks (Oligosoma infrapunctatum) in the Nelson Lakes area. My research shows that skink populations are declining both inside and outside of the RNRP. The largest declines are seen in the rarer species and even within the predator-controlled area of the RNRP the speckled skink is nearing extirpation. In addition, the proportion of female northern grass skinks (O. polychroma) and larger individuals of both sexes has decreased since 1970; suggesting females and larger individuals are more vulnerable to predation. An investigation of three fitness surrogates (body condition, parasite load and prevalence of caudal autotomy) showed that for both northern grass and glossy brown skinks (O. zelandicum), body condition was significantly lower in populations with mammalian predators than without. This has serious conservation implications because it shows that lizard populations may not only be in decline from direct predation, but also additional stresses associated with predation that may lead to reduced reproductive output. Neither parasite load, nor the prevalence of caudal autotomy, appears to be good indicators of fitness for northern grass or glossy brown skinks. I found no evidence of substantial avoidance behaviours in glossy brown and northern grass skinks to either rat or hedgehog odour. Two hypotheses are suggested to explain this. Firstly, there may not have been enough time for these species to evolve avoidance behaviours, and secondly, there may be insufficient selection pressure due to the high efficiency of the alien predators, or because rats and hedgehogs are active foragers and thus scent gives the prey limited information on immediate predation pressure. This lack of evidence for the evolution of antipredator behaviour, in addition to reduced body condition and population decline in areas with mammalian predators present, highlights the importance of intensive mammalian predator control for the continued survival of skink species on mainland New Zealand.

No description available.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of image analysis for studying mite behaviour. Image analysis was used to convert video recordings of mites' locomotory behaviour into a series of x,y coordinates that, when joined, closely resemble the paths of mites. The coordinates were also used to calculate walking speed, direction of travel, turning frequency, turn bias and tortuosity. Two experimental arenas were developed and used to study the movement of three mite species: 1) a leaf disc arena for two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch and European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch); and 2), a cover-slip/tack-trap arena for Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten. Two-spotted spider mite exhibited a change in locomotory behaviour through a 48 minute period. Mites exhibited a significant decline in distance travelled, whereas the mean stationary time (per four minute interval) more than doubled, and the duration of stationary events increased steadily over the same period. A reduction in sampling frequency of mite coordinates from one per second to one every two seconds and every four seconds produced a 5% and 12% 'loss' in path length respectively. Sample period length was shown to greatly influence the results produced for some of the mean parameters calculated, however, a reduction in sample length from 3000 to 1500 coordinates was not considered to cause a major loss in information. The influence of the inherent mite movement could not be ignored and made it difficult to make decisions on the 'best' sample length to use. Some strong correlations were found between parameters used to analyse mite locomotory behaviour. In particular, arithmetic mean vector length, speed, total stationary time and total distance travelled were significantly correlated with each other. Mean angular deviation and weighted mean vector length, which both measure the degree of clustering around the mean heading angle, were strongly negatively correlated. Parameters which differentiated between 'straight' and 'tortuous' mite movement were found to be mean meander, absolute mean turn and fractal dimensions. Mean meander was thought to be the most 'powerful', while coefficient of a straight line, a commonly used parameter for measuring tortuosity, did not significantly differentiate between the two different behaviours. Frequency distributions of turns and standard deviations of the three mite species were very similar. All three species had a slight bias to turning right (clockwise) rather than to the left (counter-clockwise) and for each species certain angles occurred more often than would be expected in a 'perfect' normal distribution. A similar pattern also occurred with the frequency distribution of two-spotted spider mite heading angles, in that angles which were expected to occur more often, did not, and vice versa. The potential to use saturated salt solutions to control relative humidity on the arena was` demonstrated and indicated that relative humidity is likely to have an important influence on mite behaviour. Two-spotted spider mites appeared to move more quickly in an attempt to escape the unfavourable, extreme (10% and 95% R.H. at 25°C) moisture conditions. All three mite species displayed a characteristic edge-walking behaviour around the arenas. However, when 'edge' and 'non-edge' behaviours were compared, mean meander was the only parameter (of the parameters tested) which gave a significant difference. Behavioural responses of European red mite and T. pyri to sub-lethal (field rate) esfenvalerate were investigated and the results indicated that these mites did not seek the unsprayed halves of the arenas during the first 48 minutes. However, significant differences in most behavioural parameters to esfenvalerate residues were found with European red mite when whole arenas were compared. Image analysis is an extremely useful research tool for studying mite behaviour because of its ability to measure many parameters quickly. Careful choice of the environmental conditions, the sampling framework, and interpretation of data is essential for meaningful results.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of image analysis for studying mite behaviour. Image analysis was used to convert video recordings of mites' locomotory behaviour into a series of x,y coordinates that, when joined, closely resemble the paths of mites. The coordinates were also used to calculate walking speed, direction of travel, turning frequency, turn bias and tortuosity. Two experimental arenas were developed and used to study the movement of three mite species: 1) a leaf disc arena for two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch and European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch); and 2), a cover-slip/tack-trap arena for Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten. Two-spotted spider mite exhibited a change in locomotory behaviour through a 48 minute period. Mites exhibited a significant decline in distance travelled, whereas the mean stationary time (per four minute interval) more than doubled, and the duration of stationary events increased steadily over the same period. A reduction in sampling frequency of mite coordinates from one per second to one every two seconds and every four seconds produced a 5% and 12% 'loss' in path length respectively. Sample period length was shown to greatly influence the results produced for some of the mean parameters calculated, however, a reduction in sample length from 3000 to 1500 coordinates was not considered to cause a major loss in information. The influence of the inherent mite movement could not be ignored and made it difficult to make decisions on the 'best' sample length to use. Some strong correlations were found between parameters used to analyse mite locomotory behaviour. In particular, arithmetic mean vector length, speed, total stationary time and total distance travelled were significantly correlated with each other. Mean angular deviation and weighted mean vector length, which both measure the degree of clustering around the mean heading angle, were strongly negatively correlated. Parameters which differentiated between 'straight' and 'tortuous' mite movement were found to be mean meander, absolute mean turn and fractal dimensions. Mean meander was thought to be the most 'powerful', while coefficient of a straight line, a commonly used parameter for measuring tortuosity, did not significantly differentiate between the two different behaviours. Frequency distributions of turns and standard deviations of the three mite species were very similar. All three species had a slight bias to turning right (clockwise) rather than to the left (counter-clockwise) and for each species certain angles occurred more often than would be expected in a 'perfect' normal distribution. A similar pattern also occurred with the frequency distribution of two-spotted spider mite heading angles, in that angles which were expected to occur more often, did not, and vice versa. The potential to use saturated salt solutions to control relative humidity on the arena was` demonstrated and indicated that relative humidity is likely to have an important influence on mite behaviour. Two-spotted spider mites appeared to move more quickly in an attempt to escape the unfavourable, extreme (10% and 95% R.H. at 25°C) moisture conditions. All three mite species displayed a characteristic edge-walking behaviour around the arenas. However, when 'edge' and 'non-edge' behaviours were compared, mean meander was the only parameter (of the parameters tested) which gave a significant difference. Behavioural responses of European red mite and T. pyri to sub-lethal (field rate) esfenvalerate were investigated and the results indicated that these mites did not seek the unsprayed halves of the arenas during the first 48 minutes. However, significant differences in most behavioural parameters to esfenvalerate residues were found with European red mite when whole arenas were compared. Image analysis is an extremely useful research tool for studying mite behaviour because of its ability to measure many parameters quickly. Careful choice of the environmental conditions, the sampling framework, and interpretation of data is essential for meaningful results.