Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Analyse d’échantillons de sédiments à la recherche d’opercules de Bithynia (2)
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Shell anatomy of the African Paleocene bothremydid turtle Taphrosphys congolensis and systematic implications within Taphrosphyini
- The bothremydid pleurodiran turtle Taphrosphys congolensis is a member of Taphrosphyina from the Paleocene of the Cabinda Province (Congo Basin, Angola). Very few specimens corresponding to elements of its shell have been so far figured. Abundant unpublished remains are analyzed in this paper. As a consequence, several regions of the shell are figured and characterized here for the first time, and intraspecific variability is recognized for several characters. Previous authors proposed some putative differences between the shells of Taphrosphys congolensis and the North American Paleocene Taphrosphys sulcatus. The increase in the knowledge about the shell of this African form allows us to refute most of them, the shell of both forms being recognized as more similar than previously identified. Thus, the identification of the genus Taphrosphys as restricted to three forms (i.e. the skull taxon Taphrosphys ippolitoi, and the skull and shell forms T. congolensis and T. sulcatus) is supported, and the record unquestionably attributable to this genus is modified from the Upper Cretaceous–Eocene lapse of time to the Paleocene exclusively.
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Diet Records for Snakes from Guinea, West Africa
- We present various predation records based on museum-preserved snakes from southeastern Republic of Guinea, West Africa: Aparallactus niger (Atractaspididae) on an earthworm (Oligochaeta); Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Colubridae) on Sclerophrys sp. (Anura; Bufonidae); Grayia smithii (Colubridae) and Natriciteres variegata (Natricidae) on Arthroleptis sp(p). (Anura; Arthroleptidae); Grayia tholloni on Xenopus cf. tropicalis (Anura; Pipidae); Toxicodryas pulverulenta (Colubridae) on Agama cf. sankaranica (Agamidae); Elapsoidea semiannulata moebiusi (Elapidae) on Hemisus cf. guineensis (Anura; Hemisotidae); Naja savannula (Elapidae), Afronatrix anoscopus (Natricidae) and Causus maculatus (Viperidae) on Sclerophrys regularis; Psammophis phillipsii (Psammophiidae) on Trachylepis cf. affinis (Scincidae); Causus maculatus on Ptychadena sp. (Anura; Ptychadenidae); Limaformosa guirali (Lamprophiidae) on Atheris chlorechis (Viperidae); and Atheris chlorechis on Hyperolius sp. (Anura; Hyperoliidae). Diagnostic morphological characters are provided for all snakes involved in these records, as well as clutch sizes for pregnant females (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia and Causus maculatus). We provide identifications for some insects found in the stomachs of the ingested amphibians.
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Publishing data to support the fight against human vector-borne diseases
- Vector-borne diseases are responsible for more than 17% of human cases of infectious diseases. In most situations, effective control of debilitating and deadly vector-bone diseases (VBDs), such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika and Chagas requires up-to-date, robust and comprehensive information on the presence, diversity, ecology, bionomics and geographic spread of the organisms that carry and transmit the infectious agents. Huge gaps exist in the information related to these vectors, creating an essential need for campaigns to mobilise and share data. The publication of data papers is an effective tool for overcoming this challenge. These peer-reviewed articles provide scholarly credit for researchers whose vital work of assembling and publishing well-described, properly-formatted datasets often fails to receive appropriate recognition. To address this, GigaScience’s sister journal GigaByte partnered with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to publish a series of data papers, with support from the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Here we outline the initial results of this targeted approach to sharing data and describe its importance for controlling VBDs and improving public health.
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Four notable additions to the South African echinoid fauna (Echinodermata, Echinoidea)
- Although a comprehensive guide to the South African echinoid fauna was published as recently as 2017, four notable additions to the fauna have emerged since that time and are reported on here. The first South African records for Histocidaris purpurata (Thomson, 1872), Echinothrix diadema (Linnaeus, 1758), Mi- crocyphus rousseaui L. Agassiz, in Agassiz and Desor 1846, and Pseudoboletia maculata Troschel, 1869 are presented. All four species have previously been recorded from the Atlantic and/or Indian Oceans and their ranges are thus extended southwards here. These additions increase the total number of echinoid species known from South Africa to 74.
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Sublittoral and bathyal sea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the Northern Mozambique Channel with description of six new species
- The 2009 expedition with the research vessel Miriky sampled the sublittoral and bathyal waters of the northern Mozam- bique Channel. This exploration campaign resulted in a small, but very diverse collection of holothuroids comprising 174 specimens representing 31 species, 18 genera, 10 families and 5 orders. Of these species, many were hitherto unknown for Madagascar or even for the Indian Ocean, and six, Bathyplotes aymeric sp. nov., Holothuria (Cystipus) yann sp. nov., Holothuria (Stauropora) bo sp. nov., Holothuria (Metriatyla) alex sp. nov., Holothuria (Theelothuria) cyrielle sp.nov., Molpadia thandari sp. nov., are new to science. Molpadia lenticulum (Cherbonnier & Féral, 1981) is a new combination. This contribution provides an illustrated and annotated overview of the poorly known, highly biodiverse, sublittoral and bathyal sea cucumber fauna of the northern Mozambique Channel. Our findings demonstrate how ignorant we are about the poorly explored habitats of our planet and therefore stress the urgent need for more explorations to such regions.
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Enabling Renewable Energy While Protecting Wildlife: An Ecological Risk-Based Approach to Wind Energy Development Using Ecosystem-Based Management Values
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Fit for porpoise? Assessing the effectiveness of underwater sound mitigation measures
- In this chapter, we review how developers complied with the environmental license conditions formulated to mitigate the potential negative impacts of pile driving on marine mammals in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS), whether this impacted the timing of development and what the likely consequences were for marine mammals. Between 2009 and 2020, offshore wind farm developers in the BPNS complied to a large extent with those environmental license conditions formulated to mitigate the potential negative impacts of pile driving on marine mammals. However, we did identify several possible improvements to these environmental license conditions, including changes in the use of acoustic deterrent devices, formalising obligatory mammal surveys, and requiring developers to comply with the national threshold for impulsive underwater sound. The reduction in the costs of applying noise mitigation measures ensures that these suggested improvements should not affect the economic viability of future projects.
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THE FEEDING ECOLOGY OF THE HARBOUR PORPOISE Phocoena phocoena L. IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
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IEA Wind White Paper on A Risk-Based Approach for Addressing Wind and Wildlife Interactions Using Ecosystem-Based Management Values
- Acceptance of wind energy development worldwide is challenged by stakeholders’ concerns about potential effects on the environment, specifically on wildlife such as birds, bats, and (for offshore wind) marine animals, and the habitats that support them. Other issues of concern to communities near wind energy developments include social and economic impacts, as well as impacts on cultural and social values such as aesthetics, historical sites, and recreational and tourism.Lack of a systematic, widely accepted, and balanced approach for measuring the potential damage to wildlife, habitats, and communities continues to leave wind developers, regulators, and other stakeholders in an uncertain position. This uncertainty may lead to regulatory requirements for studies and monitoring programs that do not necessarily contribute to improved environmental protection. Regulatory requirements and data collection efforts around wind farms during construction, operation, and other project phases need to be more consistently linked to the actual risk posed to a range of animals and habitats. One such approach to accomplishing this linkage is risk-based management(RBM), which may provide value-added as a decision support system.This paper explores the use of ecological RBM in wind energy development for land-based and offshore wind installations. The application of risk as a development and management tool is addressed, including multiple aspects of project risk, many of which are driven by or associated with ecological risk. The nature of how risk is taken into account in consenting/permitting wind projects on land and at sea are reviewed, and a series of risk management tools and approaches surveyed. This paper also explores the adaptation of ecosystem-based management to wind energy development through a series of case studies, and sets forth a framework and best management practices for applying risk-based principles to wind energy. Theanalysis and review of RBM approaches presented in this paper mayprovide helpful insights for improved siting and consenting/permitting processes for regulators and their advisors, particularly in nations where wind energy is still in the early development stages on land and at sea. Wind project developers may benefit from understanding how regulators may approach consenting/permitting. Policy-makers may gain valuable insights into how wind farm development might be managed in future. Researchers and consultants may benefit from the concepts and suggestions that will improve access to insightful monitoring data from wind farmsand will help to directfuture data collection efforts.
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MODIRISK: Mosquito vectors of disease, collection, monitoring and longitudinal data from Belgium
- The MODIRISK project studied mosquito biodiversity and monitored and predicted biodiversity changes, to actively prepare to address issues of biodiversity change, especially invasive species and new pathogen risks. This work is essential given continuing global changes that may create suitable conditions for invasive species spread and the (re-)emergence of vector-borne diseases in Europe. Key strengths of MODIRISK, in the context of sustainable development, were the links between biodiversity and health and the environment, and its contribution to the development of tools for describing the spatial distribution of mosquito biodiversity. MODIRISK addressed key topics of the global Diversitas initiative, which was a main driver of the Belspo ‘Science for a Sustainable Development’ research program. Three different MODIRISK datasets were published in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): the Collection dataset (the Culicidae collection of the Museum of Natural History in Brussels); the Inventory dataset (data from the MODIRISK inventory effort); and the Longitudinal dataset (experiment data used for risk assessments.
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Assessing the influences of bee’s (Hymnoptera: Apidae) floral preference on cashew (Anacardiacae) agronomics performances in Côte d’Ivoire.
- This study aimed to assess the influence of bees’ floral preference on cashew agronomics performances in Côte d’Ivoire. Therefore, a sampling design with a total of 40 cashew trees preferred by bees and 40 trees that were not preferred by bees was established in 4 main producing regions. In addition, bees’ foragers and agronomics performances of trees were sampled. As results, a total of 46 bee’ species with a foraging activity of 4±0.32 visits per minute were observed. Apis mellifera (60% of visits, with 2.27±0.17 of visitors per minute) followed by Meliponula bocandei (23% of visits with 0.91±0.18 of visits per minute) contributes significantly to the reproduction of cashew trees, compare to the 44 other bees’ species (17% of visits; with an activity of 0.69±0.03 of visitors per minute). The preferred trees recorded 40.54±0.57 kg of nuts per tree, with 18.39±0.48 fruits per inflorescence, including 37.12±0.4% of useful kernel per raw nut (yield ratio of 65.45±0.66 pound of useful kernel). Conversely, the non-preferred trees obtained 5.24±0.44kg of nuts per tree, with 1.7±0.21 fruits per inflorescence, including 28.69±0.65% of useful kernel per raw nut (50.6±1.15 pound of useful kernel). Hence, the foraging preference of these two Apidae significantly increased the fruiting rate (83.7±0.01%), the yields (87.08±0.0%), and the kernel rate (22.68±1.76%) in raw cashew nuts. Based in these results, we suggest the foraging preference of Apis mellifera as good indicator of high-yielding cashew plants. Moreover, we suggests combination of apicultural and meliponicultrual in cashew farming to boost the yields and farmers livelihoods.
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From a long-distance threat to the invasion front: a review of the invasive Aedes mosquito species in Belgium between 2007 and 2020
- Invasive mosquito species (IMS) and their associated mosquito-borne diseases are emerging in Europe. In Belgium, the first detection of Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894) occurred in 2000 and of Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald 1901) in 2002. Early detection and control of these IMS at points of entry (PoEs) are of paramount importance to slow down any possible establishment. This article reviews the introductions and establishments recorded of three IMS in Belgium based on published (2007–2014) and unpublished (2015–2020) data collected during several surveil- lance projects. In total, 52 PoEs were monitored at least once for the presence of IMS between 2007 and 2020. These included used tyre and lucky bamboo import companies, airports, ports, parking lots along highways, shelters for imported cutting plants, wholesale markets, industrial areas, recycling areas, cemeteries and an allotment garden at the country border with colonised areas. In general, monitoring was performed between April and November. Mos- quitoes were captured with adult and oviposition traps as well as by larval sampling. Aedes albopictus was detected at ten PoEs, Ae. japonicus at three PoEs and Aedes koreicus (Edwards 1917) at two PoEs. The latter two species have established overwintering populations. The percentage of PoEs positive for Ae. albopictus increased significantly over years. Aedes albopictus is currently entering Belgium through lucky bamboo and used tyre trade and passive ground transport, while Ae. japonicus through used tyre trade and probably passive ground transport. In Belgium, the import through passive ground transport was first recorded in 2018 and its importance seems to be growing. Belgium is currently at the invasion front of Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus. The surveillance and control management actions at well-known PoEs associated to long-distance introductions are more straightforward than at less-defined PoEs associ- ated with short-distance introductions from colonised areas. These latter PoEs represent a new challenge for IMS management in Belgium in the coming years. Aedes albopictus is expected to become established in Belgium in the coming years, hence increasing the likelihood of local arbovirus transmission. The implementation of a sustainable, structured and long-term IMS management programme, integrating active and passive entomological surveillance, vector control and Public Health surveillance is therefore pivotal.
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Yaquinacetus meadi, a new latest Oligocene–early Miocene dolphin (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Squaloziphiidae, fam. nov.) from the Nye Mudstone (Oregon, U.S.A.)
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The influence of balanced and imbalanced resource supply on biodiversity - functioning relationship across ecosystems
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Vlees en vis op het menu van de frontsoldaat (’14-’18)
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Book review of Ussishkin, D. - Biblical lachish. a tale of Construction, destruction, excavation and Restoration
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Book review: Macdonald, B. - The southern Transjordan Edomite plateau and the Dead Sea rift valley. The bronze age to the islamic period (3800/3700 bc-ad1917)
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Espaces verts comme une alternative de conservation de la biodiversité en villes: le cas des fourmis (Hyménoptère: Formicidae) dans le district d'Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)
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Revision of the Erybrachidae XIV. The Australian genera Olonia Stäl, 1862 and Stalobrachysz gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha)
