Publications by authors named "Maria Minor"

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised.

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Virus transmission between host species underpins disease emergence. Both host phylogenetic relatedness and aspects of their ecology, such as species interactions and predator-prey relationships, may govern rates and patterns of cross-species virus transmission and hence zoonotic risk. To address the impact of host phylogeny and ecology on virus diversity and evolution, we characterized the virome structure of a relatively isolated island ecological community in Fiordland, New Zealand, that are linked through a food web.

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Megalothorax Willem, 1900 is a genus of Neelidae (Collembola) with worldwide distribution. Three new species are described here: Megalothorax anterolenis sp. nov.

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Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown.

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The black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) has been recognized as a promising insect species for sustainable management of organic waste and by-products. Indoor breeding of BSF with artificial lighting has been proved successful, but efforts are still needed to optimize BSF reproductive output.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to identify rehabilitation measures at discharge from acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation that predict activity limitations at 6 mos postdischarge.

Design: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study. It was conducted in an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit at an urban, academic medical center.

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This study aimed to investigate whether the infection intensity of Theileria orientalis Ikeda type organisms within Haemaphysalis longicornis larvae and nymph stages fluctuated over 6 mo after feeding as larvae on infected calves in the field. Naïve larvae, hatched from eggs, were fed on infected calves for 5 days while contained within cotton socks glued over the calves' ears. Larvae were first sampled immediately post-feeding and then sampled every 3 wk for 23 wk in total, after molting to nymphs.

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Infestation of willow plants by the giant willow aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is associated with copious deposition of sugar-rich honeydew under the plant canopy. We explored the effect of aphid honeydew on the soil biota and biochemical indicators in a two-year field trial. Soil samples from under aphid-infested and control willow trees, as well as samples from black sooty mould spots under the aphid-infested willows were compared; soil samples before aphid inoculation were used as a baseline.

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Four new species of the mite family Microdispidae, Phyllodispus tenuisetus sp. nov., Promicrodispus bisetus sp.

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Larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) are promising organisms to be used for organic waste bioconversion. Breeding BSF indoors has been suggested as a cost-effective approach for countries with long winters or low sunlight levels through the year.

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Seven new species of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Pygmephoroidea) are described from the alpine zone (1600-1900 m a.s.l.

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This study aimed to determine the suitability of several organic waste substrates to be processed by the larvae of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) (BSFL) in a value-added bioconversion system. Three types of organic waste (brewer's waste, solid phase of pig manure, and semidigested grass) were tested and compared with a standard larval diet, broll (wheat middling).

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Two new genera and four new species of the mite family Neopygmephoridae (Acari: Pygmephoroidea) are described from the alpine zone (1600-1900 m a.s.l.

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The discovery of a new genus of Heatherellidae in New Zealand has led us to revise this enigmatic family and its constituent genera. Aheatherella n. gen.

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Due to an unfortunate turn of events, the statistical results for TS1 (F- and p-values) in Table 4 were displayed in reversed order. The correct representation of Table 4 is published here and should be treated as definitive.

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We analysed species-level datasets representing Oribatida assemblages along a gradient of old-growth primary tropical forests, secondary forests, and plantation forests in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam. We identified patterns in abundance, species richness and species assemblages of Oribatida, then applied taxonomic sufficiency approach to the datasets. Using three levels of higher-taxon aggregation, we evaluated whether aggregated datasets are useful in identifying ecological patterns, in comparison to species-level data.

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Parasitoid fitness depends on its ability to manipulate reproductive strategies when in competition. This study investigated the parasitism and sex allocation strategies of the parasitic wasp Diaeretiella rapae McIntosh at a range of host (Brevicoryne brassicae L.) and conspecific densities.

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Three new species of oribatid mites of the family Punctoribatidae (Acari, Oribatida) are described from alpine bogs of the Central Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. Macrogena hexasetosa sp. nov.

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A new oribatid mite genus, Zealandozetes gen. nov. (Oribatida, Maudheimiidae), with type species Zealandozetes southensis sp.

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Three new species of oribatid mites of the family Oppiidae (Oribatida, Oppioidea), belonging to the genera/subgenera Tripiloppia Hammer, 1968 and Lanceoppia (Baioppia) Luxton, 1985, are described from Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand. Tripiloppia frigida sp. nov.

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Eucolaspis Sharp 1886 is a New Zealand native leaf beetle genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) with poorly described species and a complex taxonomy. Many economically important fruit crops are severely damaged by these beetles. Uncertain species taxonomy of Eucolaspis is leaving any biological research, as well as pest management, tenuous.

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The effects of topographic variables (elevation above sea level, slope position, topographic (wetness) index, and global solar radiation) on mite abundances and on quantitative composition of Oribatida communities in soil and litter have been studied in six sites along a hill slope in a tropical lowland forest in the Bu Gia Map National Park, Southern Vietnam. A positive relationship existed between abundance and species richness of Oribatida in soil cores, and global solar radiation (W h m(-2)) which quantifies the total sun energy available to the local ecosystem. There was no significant relationship between abundance of Mesostigmata and topographic variables.

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Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Scapheremaeus (Oribatida, Cymbaeremaeidae), Scapheremaeusgibbus sp. n. and Scapheremaeusluxtoni sp.

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Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Macrogena (Oribatida, Ceratozetidae) are described from alpine soils of the South Island of New Zealand. Macrogenabrevisensilla sp. n.

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