Multifaceted effects of variable biotic interactions on population stability in complex interaction webs.

Recent studies have revealed that biotic interactions in ecological communities vary over time, possibly mediating community responses to anthropogenic disturbances. This study investigated the heterogeneity of such variability within a real community and its impact on population stability in the face of pesticide application, particularly focusing on density-dependence of the interaction effect. Using outdoor mesocosms with a freshwater community, we found considerable heterogeneity in density-dependent interaction variability among links in the same community.

Global warming intensifies the interference competition by a poleward-expanding invader on a native dragonfly species.

Rapid climate warming has boosted biological invasions and the distribution or expansion polewards of many species: this can cause serious impacts on local ecosystems within the invaded areas. Subsequently, native species may be exposed to threats of both interspecific competition with invaders and temperature rises. However, effects of warming on interspecific interactions, especially competition between invader and native species remains unclear.

Can warming accelerate the decline of Odonata species in experimental paddies due to insecticide fipronil exposure?

Systemic insecticides are one of the causes of Odonata declines in paddy fields. Since rising temperatures associated with global warming can contribute to strengthen pesticide toxicity, insecticide exposures under increasing temperatures may accelerate the decline of Odonata species in the future. However, the combined effects of multiple stressors on Odonata diversity and abundance within ecosystems under various environmental conditions and species interactions are little known.

Asymmetric interactions between two butterfly species mediated by food demand.

Recent studies on insect interactions on plants have revealed that herbivorous insects indirectly interact with each other through changes in plant traits following herbivory. However, less attention has been given to plant biomass relative to plant quality in relation to indirect interactions among herbivores. We explored the extent to which the larval food demand of two specialist butterflies ( and ) explains their interaction on a host plant, .

Dry-Heat Tolerance of Egg Sacs of Invasive Latrodectus Spiders (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Japan: Implications for Efficient Control/Extermination.

Strategic responses to invasive Latrodectus widow spiders are a global challenge due to the risks they pose to health and ecosystems. Chemical strategies involving the use of pyrethroids are effective against adult spiders, but as their populations rebound, chemical control becomes costly and unsustainable for eradication. A major obstacle is the inefficacy of insecticides against eggs, which are covered by a protective silk egg sac.

Legacy of pre-eruption vegetation affects ground-dwelling arthropod communities after different types of volcanic disturbance.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the largest natural disturbances and are followed by the establishment of novel plant and animal communities in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the role of pre-eruption vegetation in the establishment of arthropod communities after volcanic disturbances is currently unknown. Here, we asked whether the legacy of pre-eruption vegetation mediates the community structure of ground-dwelling arthropods after volcanic disturbances.

Intraspecific differences in the invasion success of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile Mayr are associated with diet breadth.

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile Mayr, has spread to almost all continents. In each introduced region, L. humile often forms a single large colony (supercolony), the members of which share the haplotype "LH1", despite the presence of other supercolonies with different genetic structures.

Seed germination characteristics of invasive Spartina alterniflora Loisel in Japan: implications for its effective management.

Spartina alterniflora, intentionally or unintentionally introduced worldwide, has adversely impacted local Japanese ecosystems. Thus, prediction of future distributions of S. alterniflora and its management are required.

Effects of a herbicide on paddy predatory insects depend on their microhabitat use and an insecticide application.

Indirect effects of agrochemicals on organisms via biotic interactions are less studied than direct chemical toxicity despite their potential relevance in agricultural landscapes. In particular, the role of species traits in characterizing indirect effects of pesticides has been largely overlooked. Moreover, it is still unclear whether such indirect effects on organisms are prevalent even when the organisms are exposed to direct toxicity.

Community responses of aquatic insects in paddy mesocosms to repeated exposures of the neonicotinoids imidacloprid and dinotefuran.

Pesticides are one of major threats to wetland environments and their communities, and thus the information about ecological impact assessment of agro-chemicals on ecosystems is essential for future effective pesticides management. Here, effects of the yearly application of two neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and dinotefuran on aquatic insect communities of experimental rice fields were assessed during two years of monitoring. Both neonicotinoid-treated fields and controls were monitored biweekly throughout the 5-month experimental period until harvest (late October) in each year.

Geographical co-occurrence of butterfly species: the importance of niche filtering by host plant species.

The relevance of interspecific resource competition in the context of community assembly by herbivorous insects is a well-known topic in ecology. Most previous studies focused on local species assemblies that shared host plants. Few studies evaluated species pairs within a single taxon when investigating the effects of host plant sharing at the regional scale.