Publications by authors named "A G Bagneres"
Article Synopsis
- - The classification of termites, particularly the diverse Neoisoptera group, needs significant updates due to many incorrectly grouped taxa; researchers propose a new classification based on genomic analyses.
- - The study identifies seven monophyletic family lineages within Neoisoptera and 18 subfamily lineages in the species-rich Termitidae, including several new subfamilies and the revival of some older ones.
- - The new classification method is built on clear monophyletic lineages, which enhances its stability and adaptability for future studies, allowing it to incorporate yet-to-be-discovered species easily.
For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular characters, often affecting less-known traits, including the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these plants for defense or reproduction. The fig tree Ficus carica has a very wide range of varieties in the Mediterranean region and is selected for its traits affecting fruits, including pollination, but the effect of human-driven diversification on the VOCs emitted by the receptive figs to attract their pollinator (Blastophaga psenes) is not known. In the present study, VOCs from receptive figs of eight varieties in northern Morocco, were collected at different times within the manual pollination period and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Invasive species often carry limited genetic diversity from their native populations due to factors like founder events, which can affect their ability to adapt and thrive in new environments.
- The study analyzes the genetic diversity of the invasive termite species Reticulitermes flavipes, comparing data from native and introduced populations across the globe to understand its invasion history.
- Findings indicate a complex invasion process featuring numerous introduction events, with substantial gene flow likely facilitated by human activity, suggesting that increased genetic diversity in both native and introduced ranges may enhance invasion success.
The co-evolutionary pathways followed by hosts and parasites strongly depend on the adaptive potential of antagonists and its underlying genetic architecture. Geographically structured populations of interacting species often experience local differences in the strength of reciprocal selection pressures, which can result in a geographic mosaic of co-evolution. One example of such a system is the boreo-montane social wasp and its social parasite , which have evolved local defense and counter-defense mechanisms to match their antagonist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParental care is a major component of reproduction in social organisms, particularly during the foundation steps. Because investment into parental care is often costly, each parent is predicted to maximize its fitness by providing less care than its partner. However, this sexual conflict is expected to be low in species with lifelong monogamy, because the fitness of each parent is typically tied to the other's input.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF