Lice (Phthiraptera, Amblycera, Ischnocera) collected on the birds in the Aras basin in Iğdır Province, Türkiye with new records and new host associations.

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera, Ischnocera and Amblycera) are permanent ectoparasites of birds and primarly feed on the feathers and scales of birds. To detect the chewing lice species found on birds in Aras basin, Igdir, Türkiye, a total of 240 birds represented by 61 species belonging to 30 families in 13 orders were examined during the 2021 bird migration season. A total of 531 (186 females, 136 males and 209 nymphs) lice were collected from 75 individuals (31,25% of birds examined) of 26 species, 21 families and 10 orders.

Avian responses to selective logging shaped by species traits and logging practices.

Selective logging is one of the most common forms of forest use in the tropics. Although the effects of selective logging on biodiversity have been widely studied, there is little agreement on the relationship between life-history traits and tolerance to logging. In this study, we assessed how species traits and logging practices combine to determine species responses to selective logging, based on over 4000 observations of the responses of nearly 1000 bird species to selective logging across the tropics.

Thresholds of logging intensity to maintain tropical forest biodiversity.

Primary tropical forests are lost at an alarming rate, and much of the remaining forest is being degraded by selective logging. Yet, the impacts of logging on biodiversity remain poorly understood, in part due to the seemingly conflicting findings of case studies: about as many studies have reported increases in biodiversity after selective logging as have reported decreases. Consequently, meta-analytical studies that treat selective logging as a uniform land use tend to conclude that logging has negligible effects on biodiversity.

Guineafowl, ticks and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Turkey: the perfect storm?

To control ticks carrying the emerging Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Turkey the government is introducing thousands of exotic helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris). However, not only do these birds eat negligible numbers of ticks, but they are also excellent nurseries for the young of Hyalomma marginatum ticks, the best vectors of CCHF.