TY - JOUR A1 - Strube-Bloss, Martin F. A1 - Brown, Austin A1 - Spaethe, Johannes A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Rössler, Wolfgang T1 - Extracting the Behaviorally Relevant Stimulus: Unique Neural Representation of Farnesol, a Component of the Recruitment Pheromone of Bombus terrestris JF - PLoS One N2 - To trigger innate behavior, sensory neural networks are pre-tuned to extract biologically relevant stimuli. Many male-female or insect-plant interactions depend on this phenomenon. Especially communication among individuals within social groups depends on innate behaviors. One example is the efficient recruitment of nest mates by successful bumblebee foragers. Returning foragers release a recruitment pheromone in the nest while they perform a ‘dance’ behavior to activate unemployed nest mates. A major component of this pheromone is the sesquiterpenoid farnesol. How farnesol is processed and perceived by the olfactory system, has not yet been identified. It is much likely that processing farnesol involves an innate mechanism for the extraction of relevant information to trigger a fast and reliable behavioral response. To test this hypothesis, we used population response analyses of 100 antennal lobe (AL) neurons recorded in alive bumblebee workers under repeated stimulation with four behaviorally different, but chemically related odorants (geraniol, citronellol, citronellal and farnesol). The analysis identified a unique neural representation of the recruitment pheromone component compared to the other odorants that are predominantly emitted by flowers. The farnesol induced population activity in the AL allowed a reliable separation of farnesol from all other chemically related odor stimuli we tested. We conclude that the farnesol induced population activity may reflect a predetermined representation within the AL-neural network allowing efficient and fast extraction of a behaviorally relevant stimulus. Furthermore, the results show that population response analyses of multiple single AL-units may provide a powerful tool to identify distinct representations of behaviorally relevant odors. KW - instinct KW - plant-insect interactions KW - pheromones KW - bumblebees KW - odorants KW - principal component analysis KW - neurons KW - action potentials Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-125875 VL - 10 IS - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Streinzer, Martin A1 - Chakravorty, Jharna A1 - Neumayer, Johann A1 - Megu, Karsing A1 - Narah, Jaya A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Bharti, Himender A1 - Spaethe, Johannes A1 - Brockmann, Axel T1 - Species composition and elevational distribution of bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus Latreille) in the East Himalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, India JF - ZooKeys N2 - The East Himalaya is one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. However, very little is known about the abundance and distribution of many plant and animal taxa in this region. Bumble bees are a group of cold-adapted and high elevation insects that fulfil an important ecological and economical function as pollinators of wild and agricultural flowering plants and crops. The Himalayan mountain range provides ample suitable habitats for bumble bees. Systematic study of Himalayan bumble bees began a few decades ago and the main focus has centred on the western region, while the eastern part of the mountain range has received little attention and only a few species have been verified. During a three-year survey, more than 700 bumble bee specimens of 21 species were collected in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest of the north-eastern states of India. The material included a range of species that were previously known from a limited number of collected specimens, which highlights the unique character of the East Himalayan ecosystem. Our results are an important first step towards a future assessment of species distribution, threat, and conservation. Clear elevation patterns of species diversity were observed, which raise important questions about the functional adaptations that allow bumble bees to thrive in this particularly moist region in the East Himalaya. KW - Alpine habitats KW - Apidae KW - conservation KW - global change KW - insect collection KW - pollination Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-201937 VL - 851 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sprenger, Philipp P. A1 - Müsse, Christian A1 - Hartke, Juliane A1 - Feldmeyer, Barbara A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Gebauer, Gerhard A1 - Menzel, Florian T1 - Dinner with the roommates: trophic niche differentiation and competition in a mutualistic ant‐ant association JF - Ecological Entomology N2 - 1. The potential for competition is highest among species in close association. Despite net benefits for both parties, mutualisms can involve costs, including food competition. This might be true for the two neotropical ants Camponotus femoratus and Crematogaster levior, which share the same nest in a presumably mutualistic association (parabiosis). 2. While each nest involves one Crematogaster and one Camponotus partner, both taxa were recently found to comprise two cryptic species that show no partner preferences and seem ecologically similar. Since these cryptic species often occur in close sympatry, they might need to partition their niches to avoid competitive exclusion. 3. Here, we investigated first, is there interference competition between parabiotic Camponotus and Crematogaster, and do they prefer different food sources under competition? And second, is there trophic niche partitioning between the cryptic species of either genus? 4. Using cafeteria experiments, neutral lipid fatty acid and stable isotope analyses, we found evidence for interference competition, but also trophic niche partitioning between Camponotus and Crematogaster. Both preferred protein‐ and carbohydrate‐rich baits, but at protein‐rich baits Ca. femoratus displaced Cr. levior over time, suggesting a potential discovery‐dominance trade‐off between parabiotic partners. Only limited evidence was found for trophic differentiation between the cryptic species of each genus. 5. Although we cannot exclude differentiation in other niche dimensions, we argue that neutral dynamics might mediate the coexistence of cryptic species. This model system is highly suitable for further studies of the maintenance of species diversity and the role of mutualisms in promoting species coexistence. KW - Cryptic species KW - Formicidae KW - neutral theory KW - niche partitioning KW - nutrition KW - parabiosis KW - species coexistence mechanism KW - trade‐offs Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-228215 VL - 46 IS - 3 SP - 562 EP - 572 ER - TY - THES A1 - Schmitt, Thomas T1 - Communication in the hymenoptera : chemistry, ecology and evolution T1 - Kommunikation bei Hymenopteren - Chemie, Ökologie und Evolution N2 - Insects exhibit complex systems of communication with chemical signalling being the most important mode. Although there are many studies on chemical communication in insects, the evolution of chemical signals is not well understood. Due to the conflict of interests between individuals, different selective pressures might act on sender and receiver. In this thesis I investigate different types of communication where either the sender, the receiver or both parties yield benefits. These studies were conducted with one digger wasp species, honeybees, one chrysidid wasp, and three ant species. Senders might benefit by exploiting existing preferences of receivers. Such sensory exploitation might influence the evolution of male signals that are designed to attract females. The sex pheromone of male European beewolves Philanthus triangulum (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) might have evolved according to the sensory exploitation hypothesis. A three-step scenario is supported by our studies. First, a major component of the honeybee alarm pheromone, (Z)-11-eicosen-1-ol, is also found on the cuticles and in the air surrounding foraging honeybees. Second, it could be shown, that (Z)-11- eicosen-1-ol plays a crucial role as kairomone for prey identification of honeybees by beewolf females. Third, a reanalysis of the beewolf male sex pheromone shows a remarkable similarity of compounds between the pheromone and the honeybee cuticle, besides the co-occurrence of (Z)-11-eisosen-ol. The majority of the cuticular hydrocarbons of honeybees occur also in the headspace of foraging workers. These results strongly support the hypothesis that beewolf males evolved a pheromone that exploits the females’ pre-existing sensory sensitivity. In addition, the male sex pheromone shows a significantly higher similarity among brothers than among non-related individuals, which might enable beewolf females to discriminate against brothers and avoid detrimental effects of breeding. Together with the studies on the possible sensory exploitation this result shows that both, male and female beewolves probably gain more benefits than costs from the pheromone communication and, thus, the communication system as a whole can be regarded as cooperative. To maintain the reproductive division of labour in eusocial colonies, queens have to signal their presence and fecundity. In the ant Camponotus floridanus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) queens mark their own eggs with a distinctive pattern of cuticular hydrocarbons. Two different hypotheses have been developed. One suggests a form of worker manipulation by the queen. The alternative hypothesis assumes a cooperative signal that provides information on the condition of the queen. The results of our investigation clearly favour the latter hypothesis. Chemical mimicry is a form of non-cooperative communication that benefits predominantly the sender. We provided conclusive evidence that the cockoo wasp, Hedychrum rutilans (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae), the primary brood parasitoid of Philanthus triangulum, evades recognition by beewolf females most probably by chemical mimicry of the odour of its host. Furthermore, the adaptation of the chemical signature in the social ant parasite Protomognathus americanus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) to its Leptothorax (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) hosts was investigated. Although this parasite is principally adapted to its hosts’ cuticular hydrocarbon profile, there are still pronounced differences between the profiles of parasites and hosts. This might be explained by the trade-off, which the parasites faces when confronted locally with two host species with different cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Non-cooperative communication in the sense that only receivers benefit was discovered in the exploitation of honeybees volatile cuticular hydrocarbons by beewolf females. By using emitted (Z)-11-eicosen-1-ol as a kairomone, the receiver, the beewolf female, yields the benefits and the sender, the honeybee prey, bears all the costs. The results of these studies contribute to the understanding of the evolution of cooperative and non-cooperative communication with chemical signals taking into account differential benefits for sender and/or receiver. N2 - Insekten weisen ein komplexes System der Kommunikation auf, wobei chemische Signale die wichtigste Rolle spielen. Obwohl viele Studien über chemische Kommunikation an Insekten durchgeführt wurden, ist die Evolution von chemischen Signalen nicht gut verstanden. Aufgrund von Interessenkonflikten wirken unterschiedliche Selektionsdrücke auf Sender und Empfänger. In dieser Dissertation untersuchte ich verschiedene Typen von Kommunikation, bei denen entweder der Sender, der Empfänger oder beide von der Kommunikation profitieren. Als Modellorganismen wurden eine Grabwespenart (Crabronidae), Honigbienen (Apidae), eine Goldwespenart (Chrysididae) und drei Ameisenarten (Formicidae) studiert. Sender können von der Ausnutzung existierender Präferenzen der Empfänger profitieren. Eine solche Ausnutzung kann die Evolution von Männchensignalen beeinflussen, die entwickelt wurden, um Weibchen anzulocken. Solch eine „sensory exploitation“ könnte die Evolution des Sexualpheromons von Männchen des Europäischen Bienenwolfs Philanthus triangulum (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) beeinflußt haben. Unsere Studien unterstützen das folgende Drei-Stufen-Szenario: Erstens, eine Hauptkomponente aus dem Honigbienenalarmpheromon, das (Z)-11- Eicosen-1-ol, wurde auf der Kutikula und in der Umgebungsluft furagierender Honigbienen nachgewiesen. Zweitens konnte gezeigt werden, daß (Z)-11-Eicosen-1-ol eine wichtige Rolle als Kairomon bei der Identifizierung der Honigbiene als Beute durch Bienenwolfweibchen spielt. Schließlich zeigte eine detaillierte chemische Analyse des Bienenwolfmännchenpheromons, daß außer dem Auftreten von (Z)-11- Eicosen-1-ol weitere bemerkenswerte Übereinstimmungen zwischen dem Pheromon und der Honigbienenkutikula auftreten. Die meisten der kutikulären Substanzen der Honigbiene finden sich auch in der Umgebungsluft furagierender Honigbienen. Diese Ergebnisse bestätigen, daß bei der Evolution des Pheromons der Bienenwolfmännchen bereits existierende sensorische Fähigkeiten der Weibchen eine wichtige Rolle spielten und somit die „sensory exploitation“ Hypothese unterstützt wird. Das Sexualpheromon der Bienenwolfmännchen zeigt außerdem eine signifikant größere Ähnlichkeit zwischen Brüdern im Vergleich zu nicht verwandten Individuen. Dies könnte den Bienenwolfweibchen ermöglichen, bei der Paarung gegen Brüder zu diskriminieren und damit einen nachteiligen Effekt der Inzucht bei Nachkommen zu vermeiden. Dieses Ergebnis zeigt zusammen mit den Studien zur möglichen „sensory exploitation“, daß Männchen und Weibchen wahrscheinlich mehr Nutzen als Kosten aus diesem Kommunikationssystem erzielen und deshalb das System insgesamt als kooperativ betrachtet werden kann. Um die reproduktive Arbeitsteilung in eusozialen Kolonien aufrecht zu erhalten, müssen Königinnen ihre Anwesendheit und Fekundität signalisieren. Bei der Ameisenart Camponotus floridanus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) markieren die Königinnen ihre eigenen Eier mit einem unverwechselbaren kutikulären Kohlenwasserstoffmuster. Zwei unterschiedliche Hypothesen, die diese Form der Kommunikation erklären, wurden formuliert. Eine Hypothese schlägt eine Manipulation von Arbeiterinnen durch die Königin vor. Eine Alternativhypothese geht von einem kooperativen Signal aus, das Informationen über den Zustand der Königin übermittelt. Die Ergebnisse unserer Untersuchungen stützen eindeutig letztere Hypothese. Chemische Mimikry ist eine Form von nicht-kooperativer Kommunikation, von der ausschließlich der Sender profitiert. Die Goldwespe, Hedychrum rutilans (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae), der wichtigste Brutparasitoid von Philanthus triangulum, entgeht der Entdeckung durch das Bienenwolfweibchen wahrscheinlich durch Imitierung des Geruchs seines Wirtes. Weiterhin wurde die Anpassung der chemischen Signatur des sozialen Ameisenparasiten Protomognathus americanus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) an seine Leptothorax Wirtsarten untersucht. Obwohl dieser Parasit prinzipiell an das kutikuläre Kohlenwasserstoffprofil seines Wirtes angepaßt ist, gibt es trotzdem ausgeprägt Unterschiede zwischen den Profilen des Parasits und seines Wirtes. Dies könnte durch einen „trade-off“ erklärt werden, dem die Parasiten ausgesetzt sind, wenn sie lokal mit zwei Wirtsarten mit unterschiedlichen kutikulären Kohlenwasserstoffprofilen konfrontiert werden. Nicht-kooperative Kommunikation im Sinne, daß nur der Empfänger profitiert, wurde bei der Ausnutzung der flüchtigen kutikulären Kohlenwasserstoffen der Honigbiene durch seinen Prädator, das Bienenwolfweibchen, gezeigt. Durch die Nutzung von (Z)- 11-Eicosen-1-ol als Kairomon profitiert nur der Empfänger, das Bienenwolfweibchen, wohingegen der Sender, die Honigbiene (Beute), alle Kosten trägt. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studien tragen zu einem besseren Verständnis der Evolution von kooperativer und nicht-kooperativer Kommunikation mit chemischen Signalen unter Berücksichtigung des unterschiedlichen Nutzens für Sender und/oder Empfänger bei. KW - Hautflügler KW - Chemische Kommunikation KW - Pheromone KW - kutikuläre Kohlenwasserstoffe KW - chemische Kommunikation KW - Hymenopteren KW - pheromones KW - cuticular hydrocarbons KW - chemical communication KW - Hymenoptera Y1 - 2004 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-11267 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rödel, Mark-Oliver A1 - Brede, Christian A1 - Hirschfeld, Mareike A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Favreau, Philippe A1 - Stöcklin, Reto A1 - Wunder, Cora A1 - Mebs, Dietrich T1 - Chemical Camouflage - A Frog's Strategy to Co-Exist with Aggressive Ants JF - PLOS ONE N2 - Whereas interspecific associations receive considerable attention in evolutionary, behavioural and ecological literature, the proximate bases for these associations are usually unknown. This in particular applies to associations between vertebrates with invertebrates. The West-African savanna frog Phrynomantis microps lives in the underground nest of ponerine ants (Paltothyreus tarsatus). The ants usually react highly aggressively when disturbed by fiercely stinging, but the frog is not attacked and lives unharmed among the ants. Herein we examined the proximate mechanisms for this unusual association. Experiments with termites and mealworms covered with the skin secretion of the frog revealed that specific chemical compounds seem to prevent the ants from stinging. By HPLC-fractionation of an aqueous solution of the frogs' skin secretion, two peptides of 1,029 and 1,143 Da were isolated and found to inhibit the aggressive behaviour of the ants. By de novo sequencing using tandem mass spectrometry, the amino acid sequence of both peptides consisting of a chain of 9 and 11 residues, respectively, was elucidated. Both peptides were synthesized and tested, and exhibited the same inhibitory properties as the original frog secretions. These novel peptides most likely act as an appeasement allomone and may serve as models for taming insect aggression. KW - amphibian skin secretions KW - antimicrobial peptides KW - paltothyreus tarsatus KW - dendrobates pumilio KW - anurans KW - microhylidae KW - hymenoptera KW - formicidae KW - mutualisms KW - alkaloids Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-128181 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 8 IS - 12 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Polidori, Carlo A1 - Ballesteros, Yolanda A1 - Wurdack, Mareike A1 - Asís, Josep Daniel A1 - Tormos, José A1 - Baños-Picón, Laura A1 - Schmitt, Thomas T1 - Low host specialization in the cuckoo wasp, Parnopes grandior, weakens chemical mimicry but does not lead to local adaption JF - Insects N2 - Insect brood parasites have evolved a variety of strategies to avoid being detected by their hosts. Few previous studies on cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), which are natural enemies of solitary wasps and bees, have shown that chemical mimicry, i.e., the biosynthesis of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) that match the host profile, evolved in several species. However, mimicry was not detected in all investigated host-parasite pairs. The effect of host range as a second factor that may play a role in evolution of mimicry has been neglected, since all previous studies were carried out on host specialists and at nesting sites where only one host species occurred. Here we studied the cuckoo wasp Parnopes grandior, which attacks many digger wasp species of the genus Bembix (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). Given its weak host specialization, P. grandior may either locally adapt by increasing mimicry precision to only one of the sympatric hosts or it may evolve chemical insignificance by reducing the CHC profile complexity and/or CHCs amounts. At a study site harbouring three host species, we found evidence for a weak but appreciable chemical deception strategy in P. grandior. Indeed, the CHC profile of P. grandior was more similar to all sympatric Bembix species than to a non-host wasp species belonging to the same tribe as Bembix. Furthermore, P. grandior CHC profile was equally distant to all the hosts' CHC profiles, thus not pointing towards local adaptation of the CHC profile to one of the hosts' profile. We conducted behavioural assays suggesting that such weak mimicry is sufficient to reduce host aggression, even in absence of an insignificance strategy, which was not detected. Hence, we finally concluded that host range may indeed play a role in shaping the level of chemical mimicry in cuckoo wasps. KW - Chrysididae KW - Bembix KW - chemical mimicry KW - cuticular hydrocarbons Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200651 SN - 2075-4450 VL - 11 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Otieno, Mark A1 - Karpati, Zsolt A1 - Peters, Marcell K. A1 - Duque, Laura A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf T1 - Elevated ozone and carbon dioxide affects the composition of volatile organic compounds emitted by Vicia faba (L.) and visitation by European orchard bee (Osmia cornuta) JF - PLoS One N2 - Recent studies link increased ozone (O\(_3\)) and carbon dioxide (CO\(_2\)) levels to alteration of plant performance and plant-herbivore interactions, but their interactive effects on plant-pollinator interactions are little understood. Extra floral nectaries (EFNs) are essential organs used by some plants for stimulating defense against herbivory and for the attraction of insect pollinators, e.g., bees. The factors driving the interactions between bees and plants regarding the visitation of bees to EFNs are poorly understood, especially in the face of global change driven by greenhouse gases. Here, we experimentally tested whether elevated levels of O\(_3\) and CO\(_2\) individually and interactively alter the emission of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) profiles in the field bean plant (Vicia faba, L., Fabaceae), EFN nectar production and EFN visitation by the European orchard bee (Osmia cornuta, Latreille, Megachilidae). Our results showed that O\(_3\) alone had significant negative effects on the blends of VOCs emitted while the treatment with elevated CO\(_2\) alone did not differ from the control. Furthermore, as with O\(_3\) alone, the mixture of O\(_3\) and CO\(_2\) also had a significant difference in the VOCs’ profile. O\(_3\) exposure was also linked to reduced nectar volume and had a negative impact on EFN visitation by bees. Increased CO\(_2\) level, on the other hand, had a positive impact on bee visits. Our results add to the knowledge of the interactive effects of O\(_3\) and CO\(_2\) on plant volatiles emitted by Vicia faba and bee responses. As greenhouse gas levels continue to rise globally, it is important to take these findings into consideration to better prepare for changes in plant-insect interactions. KW - Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) KW - Vicia faba (L.) KW - European orchard bee (Osmia cornuta) KW - carbon dioxide (CO2) KW - ozone (O3) KW - bees KW - flowering plants KW - plant-insect interactions KW - flowers KW - plant physiology KW - plant-herbivore interactions Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-350020 VL - 18 IS - 4 ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Müller, Jörg A1 - Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael A1 - Ammer, Christian A1 - Eisenhauer, Nico A1 - Seidel, Dominik A1 - Schuldt, Bernhard A1 - Biedermann, Peter A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Künzer, Claudia A1 - Wegmann, Martin A1 - Cesarz, Simone A1 - Peters, Marcell A1 - Feldhaar, Heike A1 - Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf A1 - Claßen, Alice A1 - Bässler, Claus A1 - von Oheimb, Goddert A1 - Fichtner, Andreas A1 - Thorn, Simon A1 - Weisser, Wolfgang T1 - BETA-FOR: Erhöhung der strukturellen Diversität zwischen Waldbeständen zur Erhöhung der Multidiversität und Multifunktionalität in Produktionswäldern. Antragstext für die DFG Forschungsgruppe FOR 5375 T1 - BETA-FOR: Enhancing the structural diversity between patches for improving multidiversity and multifunctionality in production forests. Proposal for DFG Research Unit FOR 5375 BT - β\(_4\) : Proposal for the 1st phase (2022-2026) of the DFG Research Unit FOR 5375/1 (DFG Forschergruppe FOR 5375/1 – BETA-FOR), Fabrikschleichach, October 2021 N2 - Der in jüngster Zeit beobachtete kontinuierliche Verlust der β-Diversität in Ökosystemen deutet auf homogene Gemeinschaften auf Landschaftsebene hin, was hauptsächlich auf die steigende Landnutzungsintensität zurückgeführt wird. Biologische Vielfalt ist mit zahlreichen Funktionen und der Stabilität von Ökosystemen verknüpft. Es ist daher zu erwarten, dass eine abnehmende β-Diversität auch die Multifunktionalität verringert. Wir kombinieren hier Fachwissen aus der Forstwissenschaft, der Ökologie, der Fernerkundung, der chemischen Ökologie und der Statistik in einem gemeinschaftlichen und experimentellen β-Diversitätsdesign, um einerseits die Auswirkungen der Homogenisierung zu bewerten und andererseits Konzepte zu entwickeln, um negative Auswirkungen durch Homogenisierung in Wäldern rückgängig zu machen. Konkret werden wir uns mit der Frage beschäftigen, ob die Verbesserung der strukturellen β-Komplexität (ESBC) in Wäldern durch Waldbau oder natürliche Störungen die Biodiversität und Multifunktionalität in ehemals homogenen Produktionswäldern erhöhen kann. Unser Ansatz wird mögliche Mechanismen hinter den beobachteten Homogenisierungs-Diversitäts-Beziehungen identifizieren und zeigen, wie sich diese auf die Multifunktionalität auswirken. An elf Standorten in ganz Deutschland haben wir dazu zwei Waldbestände als zwei kleine "Waldlandschaften" ausgewählt. In einem dieser beiden Bestände haben wir ESBC (Enhancement of Structural Beta Complexity)-Behandlungen durchgeführt. Im zweiten, dem Kontrollbestand, werden wir die gleich Anzahl 50x50m Parzellen ohne ESBC einrichten. Auf allen Parzellen werden wir 18 taxonomische Artengruppen aller trophischer Ebenen und 21 Ökosystemfunktionen, einschließlich der wichtigsten Funktionen in Wäldern der gemäßigten Zonen, messen. Der statistische Rahmen wird eine umfassende Analyse der Biodiversität ermöglichen, indem verschiedenen Aspekte (taxonomische, funktionelle und phylogenetische Vielfalt) auf verschiedenen Skalenebenen (α-, β-, γ-Diversität) quantifiziert werden. Um die Gesamtdiversität zu kombinieren, werden wir das Konzept der Multidiversität auf die 18 Taxa anwenden. Wir werden neue Ansätze zur Quantifizierung und Aufteilung der Multifunktionalität auf α- und β-Skalen verwenden und entwickeln. Durch die experimentelle Beschreibung des Zusammenhangs zwischen β-Diversität und Multifunktionalität in einer Reallandschaft wird unsere Forschung einen neuen Weg einschlagen. Darüber hinaus werden wir dazu beitragen, verbesserte Leitlinien für waldbauliche Konzepte und für das Management natürlicher Störungen zu entwickeln, um Homogenisierungseffekte der Vergangenheit umzukehren. N2 - The recently observed consistent loss of β-diversity across ecosystems indicates increasingly homogeneous communities in patches of landscapes, mainly caused by increasing land-use intensity. Biodiversity is related to numerous ecosystem functions and stability. Therefore, decreasing β-diversity is also expected to reduce multifunctionality. To assess the impact of homogenization and to develop guidelines to reverse its potentially negative effects, we combine expertise from forest science, ecology, remote sensing, chemical ecology and statistics in a collaborative and experimental β-diversity approach. Specifically, we will address the question whether the Enhancement of Structural Beta Complexity (ESBC) in forests by silviculture or natural disturbances will increase biodiversity and multifunctionality in formerly homogeneously structured production forests. Our approach will identify potential mechanisms behind observed homogenization-diversity-relationships and show how these translate into effects on multifunctionality. At eleven forest sites throughout Germany, we selected two districts as two types of small ‘forest landscapes’. In one of these two districts, we established ESBC treatments (nine differently treated 50x50 m patches with a focus on canopy cover and deadwood features). In the second, the control district, we will establish nine patches without ESBC. By a comprehensive sampling, we will monitor 18 taxonomic groups and measure 21 ecosystem functions, including key functions in temperate forests, on all patches. The statistical framework will allow a comprehensive biodiversity assessment by quantifying the different aspects of multitrophic biodiversity (taxonomical, functional and phylogenetic diversity) on different levels of biodiversity (α-, β-, γ-diversity). To combine overall diversity, we will apply the concept of multidiversity across the 18 taxa. We will use and develop new approaches for quantification and partitioning of multifunctionality at α- and β- scales. Overall, our study will herald a new research avenue, namely by experimentally describing the link between β-diversity and multifunctionality. Furthermore, we will help to develop guidelines for improved silvicultural concepts and concepts for management of natural disturbances in temperate forests reversing past homogenization effects. KW - Waldökosystem KW - Biodiversität KW - BETA-Multifunktionalität KW - beta-multifunctionality KW - BETA-Diversität KW - beta diversity KW - Forschungsstation Fabrikschleichach Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-290849 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Moris, Victoria C. A1 - Christmann, Katharina A1 - Wirtgen, Aline A1 - Belokobylskij, Sergey A. A1 - Berg, Alexander A1 - Liebig, Wolf-Harald A1 - Soon, Villu A1 - Baur, Hannes A1 - Schmitt, Thomas A1 - Niehuis, Oliver T1 - Cuticular hydrocarbons on old museum specimens of the spiny mason wasp, Odynerus spinipes (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), shed light on the distribution and on regional frequencies of distinct chemotypes JF - Chemoecology N2 - The mason wasp Odynerus spinipes shows an exceptional case of intrasexual cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile dimorphism. Females of this species display one of two CHC profiles (chemotypes) that differ qualitatively and quantitatively from each other. The ratio of the two chemotypes was previously shown to be close to 1:1 at three sites in Southern Germany, which might not be representative given the Palearctic distribution of the species. To infer the frequency of the two chemotypes across the entire distributional range of the species, we analyzed with GC–MS the CHC profile of 1042 dry-mounted specimens stored in private and museum collections. We complemented our sampling by including 324 samples collected and preserved specifically for studying their CHCs. We were capable of reliably identifying the chemotypes in 91% of dry-mounted samples, some of which collected almost 200 years ago. We found both chemotypes to occur in the Far East, the presumed glacial refuge of the species, and their frequency to differ considerably between sites and geographic regions. The geographic structure in the chemotype frequencies could be the result of differential selection regimes and/or different dispersal routes during the colonization of the Western Palearctic. The presented data pave the route for disentangling these factors by providing information where to geographically sample O. spinipes for population genetic analyses. They also form the much-needed basis for future studies aiming to understand the evolutionary and geographic origin as well as the genetics of the astounding CHC profile dimorphism that O. spinipes females exhibit. KW - cuticular hydrocarbons KW - chemotypes KW - dry-mounted samples KW - collections KW - distribution Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-306999 SN - 0937-7409 SN - 1423-0445 VL - 31 IS - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Menzel, Florian A1 - Blüthgen, Nico A1 - Tolasch, Till A1 - Conrad, Jürgen A1 - Beifuss, Uwe A1 - Beuerle, Till A1 - Schmitt, Thomas T1 - Crematoenones - a novel substance class exhibited by ants functions as appeasement signal JF - Frontiers in Zoology N2 - Background: Parasitic, commensalistic, and mutualistic guests in social insect colonies often circumvent their hosts' nestmate recognition system to be accepted. These tolerance strategies include chemical mimicry and chemical insignificance. While tolerance strategies have been studied intensively in social parasites, little is known about these mechanisms in non-parasitic interactions. Here, we describe a strategy used in a parabiotic association, i.e. two mutualistic ant species that regularly share a common nest although they have overlapping food niches. One of them, Crematogaster modiglianii, produces an array of cuticular compounds which represent a substance class undescribed in nature so far. They occur in high abundances, which suggests an important function in the ant's association with its partner Camponotus rufifemur. Results: We elucidated the structure of one of the main compounds from cuticular extracts using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, chemical derivatizations and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The compound consists of two fused six-membered rings with two alkyl groups, one of which carries a keto functionality. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of this substance class in nature. We suggest naming the compound crematoenone. In behavioural assays, crematoenones reduced interspecific aggression. Camponotus showed less aggression to allospecific cuticular hydrocarbons when combined with crematoenones. Thus, they function as appeasement substances. However, although the crematoenone composition was highly colony-specific, interspecific recognition was mediated by cuticular hydrocarbons, and not by crematoenones. Conclusions: Crematenones enable Crematogaster to evade Camponotus aggression, and thus reduce potential costs from competition with Camponotus. Hence, they seem to be a key factor in the parabiosis, and help Crematogaster to gain a net benefit from the association and thus maintain a mutualistic association over evolutionary time. To our knowledge, putative appeasement substances have been reported only once so far, and never between non-parasitic species. Since most organisms associated with social insects need to overcome their nestmate recognition system, we hypothesize that appeasement substances might play an important role in the evolution and maintenance of other mutualistic associations as well, by allowing organisms to reduce costs from antagonistic behaviour of other species. KW - cuticular hydrocarbons KW - appeasement substance KW - bees KW - ecology KW - parasitism KW - alkyloctahydronaphthalene KW - usurpation KW - venom KW - pheromone KW - crematogaster KW - parabiotic ants KW - Dufours gland KW - polyergus rufescens KW - formicidae KW - interspecific aggression KW - nestmate recognition cues KW - parabiotic association Y1 - 2013 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-122595 SN - 1742-9994 VL - 10 IS - 32 ER -