Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
-
Two new species of Spiniphiline (Gastropoda: Cephalaspidea) from the Middle and Eastern Atlantic Ocean
-
A Review of Species in Fusceulima (Gastropoda: Eulimidae) from the NE Atlantic Ocean and the Western Mediterranean Sea with Illustration of Key Type Specimens
-
Spatiotemporal Variability in Phytoplankton Size Class Modulated by Summer Monsoon Wind Forcing in the Central Arabian Sea
-
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Suspended Particulate Matter in Water Environments: A Review
-
Rediscovery of Camponotus herculeanus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Belgium (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
- Camponotus herculeanus (Linnaeus, 1758) was rediscovered in Belgium near Ouren. Throughout the spring and summer of 2023, workers were collected on multiple occasions in a Picea abies stand near the Belgian-German boarder.
-
Estimation of Mud and Sand Fractions and Total Concentration From Coupled Optical‐Acoustic Sensors
-
107 Ants in the clouds: A preliminary checklist of the ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) fauna of a Honduran cloud forest ecosystem, featuring a key to country genera
- Ant diversity in tropical montane rainforests is globally understudied. This is true for Cusuco National Park (CNP), a cloud forest ecosystem in northwestern Honduras that supports geographically isolated and threatened habitats. The current study presents the first comprehensive ant species checklist for CNP, which is also the first ant check- list for Honduras in over a century. Species records from several projects are also com- bined and presented. Sampling occurred along an elevational range (mainly between 1170 and 2030 m a.s.l.), with methodologies and intensities varying among projects and dates. Overall, 162 ant species belonging to nine subfamilies and 60 genera are reported from the CNP. Five species are recorded for the first time in Honduras (Pheidole natalie Longino, 2019; Strumigenys cf. calamita; Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972; Solenopsis tex- ana/carolinensis; Pseudomyrmex pallens Mayr, 1870). For the first time, male individuals are reported in Pheidole balatro Longino, 2019. For each species, we provide informa- tion on observed habitat preference, elevational range, and sampling technique. Species accumulation curves are provided for each sample technique, representing sampling intensity and community sample coverage. We also provide a key to the ant genera of Honduras to aid future taxonomic efforts in the country. Our research demonstrates that CNP harbours a surprisingly rich diversity of ant species, despite its small area, similar to many other taxa in the park. The information provided here represents baseline infor- mation for future work on ants in CNP and other Honduran cloud forests and will help guide research in these otherwise poorly explored yet highly threatened ecosystems.
-
Familie-indeling en diversiteit van wespen (Hymenoptera) in de Lage Landen
- De classificatie van de families van de orde Hymenoptera is de afgelopen vijf jaar aanzienlijk veranderd, onder meer door meer moleculair onderzoek. De evolutionaire geschiedenis van de orde wordt ook steeds duidelijker. Op basis van onderzoek uit recente literatuur en in lijn met nieuwe inzichten presenteren wij een nieuw familieoverzicht voor Nederland en België. In Nederland en België zijn vertegenwoordigers gevonden van 88 families. Om een idee te krijgen van de diversiteit van de verschillende families wordt een overzicht gegeven van het aantal genera en het (geschatte) aantal soorten voor elke familie. Deze cijfers zijn gebaseerd op literatuuronderzoek, websites of deskundig oordeel van specialisten. Een groot aantal foto’s toont de enorme soortendiversiteit van de wespen. Er valt echter ook in beide landen nog veel te ontdekken, vooral in de Parasitica-groep.
-
Role of windbreaks on ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) conservation in a cotton-growing agroecosystem of the humid savannah in Togo
- Intensive agriculture and monoculture lead to significant reduction, or loss, of the initial biodiversity. This reduction or loss of biodiversity, can be mitigated by the presence of windbreaks around the fields that serve not only as natural barrier against adverse weather conditions but also as refuge for critical organisms. The aim of this study was to determine the role of natural windbreaks in the conservation of ants at the Experimental Station of the Centre de Recherche Agronomique de la Savane Humide in Kolokop´e (Togo). Ants’ diversity was assessed in two cotton fields and their surrounding natural windbreaks using pitfall traps and monolith method in 100 m x 2 m transects. In total, 58 ant species belonging to 22 genera in six subfamilies (Dolichoderinae, Dorylinae, For- micinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae and Proceratinae) were identified. The species richness of ants was higher in the windbreaks (43 and 36 species) than the cotton fields (15 and 19). The occurrence of ants was also higher in the windbreaks (35.65 % and 36.24 %) than the cotton fields (11.69 % and 16.42 %). Thirty-four out of the 58 species were sampled exclusively in the windbreaks, compared to only two species exclusively sampled in the cotton fields (Crematogaster sp.3 and Lepisiota sp.3), while only three species were common for all the habitats (Camponotus flavomarginatus Mayr, 1862, Tetramorium sp.1 and Tetramorium simillimum (Smith, 1851)). The study shows that ants were more diversified and active in the windbreaks than the cotton fields. Windbreaks, characterized by less anthropic disturbance, could function as refuge for ants within this agroecosystem.
-
Conclusions and future actions
-
Vooruitgangsrapport (juni 2024) over de effecten op het mariene milieu van baggerspeciestortingen (vergunningsperiode 01/01/2022-31/12/2026).
-
Milieueffectenbeoordeling van de aanvraag van de Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, K.M.O., Middenstand en Energie, Algemene Directie Energie, voor de aanleg en exploitatie van offshore windparken en parkbekabeling in de Prinses Elisabeth-zone (PEZ).
-
Passende Beroordeling van de aanvraag van de Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, K.M.O., Middenstand en Energie, Algemene Directie Energie, voor de aanleg en exploitatie van offshore windparken en parkbekabeling in de Prinses Elisabeth-zone (PEZ).
-
Milieueffectenbeoordeling van de aanvraag van EXA Infrastructure Belgium voor het verkrijgen van een machtiging voor het leggen, en een vergunning voor de exploitatie van een telecommunicatiekabel in de Belgische zeegebieden.
-
Physical loss and disturbance of the seabed in the Belgian part of the North Sea. Assessment of the Belgian Marine Waters, MSFD. ANS-BE-BENT-PHYS2024
-
Physical loss and disturbance of the seabed in the Belgian part of the North Sea (EU MSFD D6C1-2).
-
Sustainable Use of Sand in Nature-Based Solutions (SUSANA) – D2.2 – Specificities of two alternative sand cases.
-
Gemotiveerde conclusie voor de aanvraag van DEME Building Materials voor zandwinning in sector 3a (uitzonderlijk project).
-
The “Key” to Bringing DNA Collections to the Next Level: A DiSSCo Flanders Working Group Product
- The DiSSCo (Distributed System of Scientific Collections) Flanders consortium, with one of the set goals being ``maturing'' (i.e., optimizing the management of) and unlocking (i.e., publishing) their DNA collections, identified 1) the need for actively sharing best practices on the management of DNA collections; and 2) a need for guidance on how to bring theory into practice.During the DiSSCo Flanders project, a DNA collection working group was created. The working group is open to all biodiversity-related DNA collections associates in Belgium, including those in diverse roles such as researchers, lab technicians, collection managers and data managers. Around 50 people from 13 organizations are currently participating. Members can be passively (reading only) or actively (joining events) engaged. The strength, as well as one of the challenges, of the DiSSCo Flanders community is that the natural science collections are created and managed in different organizational contexts: universities, museum institutes and both governmental and non-governmental research organizations. This translates to a variety of collection management decisions and structures such as: decentralized or centralized; cold or room temperature storage; managed by an appointed curator or by a lab technician.The working group organizes meetings and workshops, tours of each other's collections, and shares a mailing list and an online document space. As its principal output, the group has co-created: “The key to bringing DNA collections to the next level” (Veltjen et al. 2024) with two main results: the ``Challenges'' and the “Key”.The ``Challenges'' is a list of 23 challenges applicable to DNA collection management. For example, challenge 8: ``Select or customise collection management systems to meet the needs of DNA collections''. They are intended to spark debate and give focus to the second output: the ``Key.'' The ``Key'' lists seven yes/no questions:Do you have an up-to-date overview of all direct, internal stakeholders of the institute’s DNA collection and are you involving them in the (current) intent to “bring the DNA collection to the next level”?Is preserving a DNA collection within the scope of the institute? And is the DNA collection officially recognized within the institute?Do you have, on paper, a clear description of the scope of the DNA collection?Have you outlined the current overarching workflow of the DNA collection?Have you been able to establish your starting level on the ``DNA collection maturation chart'' and is the assessment properly logged?Level up, one level at a time, and log the process. Have you reached all of the goals in level 3 on the ``DNA collection maturation chart''?Do you have a re-evaluation strategy for your DNA collection?The ``DNA collection maturation chart'' has 11 categories (rows), three levels (columns) and 33 goals (see Table 1 in Veltjen et al. 2024). The Key provides 18 guidance chapters, which give in depth information, literature and user experiences (Suppl. material 2 in Veltjen et al. 2024).The Key is a specialized tool for DNA collections. It facilitates a standardized and holistic approach, allowing both a helicopter view of the maturation process and close-up view of specific goals. The working group aims to test the Key, whereby the process of ``leveling up'' is embedded in a community setting: sharing ambitions, setbacks, changes of plans and success stories. The output is ready in its first version. It is published as a reviewable publication, allowing post-publication peer review (Veltjen et al. 2024). The works are expected to evolve through time, depending on user feedback and user experiences.The working group and co-created output are positive examples of how a local community—sometimes managing smaller, or less conspicuous types of natural science collections—can work together and use their unique perspectives, experiences and needs to contribute to the international natural science collection and biobanking communities.
-
Didelphodus caloris, new species (Mammalia, Cimolesta), from the Wasatchian Wa-0 fauna of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, Clarks Fork Basin, Wyoming
- The Wasatchian Wa-0 mammalian fauna from the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (earliest Eocene) is reasonably well sampled in North America, but mammals of small body size are still poorly known. Here we describe a new species of the insectivore Didelphodus based on a cranial rostrum, both dentaries, and a nearly complete upper and lower dentition, all found by screen-washing. The new species, D. caloris, is the oldest species of the genus known in North America. It differs from later early Eocene Didelphodus in being substantially smaller, in having relatively simple premolars, and in having a more reduced M3 relative to preceding molars. Precursors of Didelphodus are not known with certainty, and the species D. caloris may be an immigrant to mid-continent North America. D. caloris is tentatively interpreted as a dwarfed form like other Wa-0 mammals because of its small size relative to the better-known successor species D. absarokae.
