| short- and medium-term effects of experimental nitrogen fertilization on arthropods associated with calluna vulgaris heathlands in north-west spain. | we studied the short- and medium-term effects of experimental nitrogen fertilization (3 and 15 months after the treatment) on the arthropods of calluna vulgaris heathlands in nw spain. three heathland sites were selected with two permanent plots per site: control and fertilized. ammonium nitrate fertilizer (56 kg n ha(-1) yr(-1)) was applied monthly and insects were caught using pitfall traps. we found mainly species-level responses to nitrogen addition. seven species (e.g. lochmaea suturalis) s ... | 2008 | 17825966 |
| isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from lochmaea suturalis, the heather beetle (coleoptera: chrysomelidae), a pest in europe and a biocontrol agent in new zealand. | the heather beetle lochmaea suturalis which is native to northwest europe has been released as a biocontrol agent for heather in new zealand. we have isolated and optimized eight microsatellite loci from new zealand beetles. these loci provide markers with high polymorphism ranging from four to 20 alleles per locus. observed heterozygosity averaged 0.631 per locus. these results suggest the markers are useful for population studies that will contribute to assessment of l. suturalis as a biocontr ... | 2009 | 21564701 |
| a european pest to control a new zealand weed: investigating the safety of heather beetle, lochmaea suturalis (coleoptera: chrysomelidae) for biological control of heather, calluna vulgaris. | heather, calluna vulgaris (l.) hull, is a serious invasive weed in the central north island of new zealand, especially in tongariro national park, a world heritage area. heather beetle, lochmaea suturalis (thomson), is a foliage-feeding pest of calluna in europe, that was selected as the most promising biological control agent for introduction into new zealand, because it causes high levels of damage to calluna in europe. host-range tests indicated that l. suturalis poses a negligible threat to ... | 2000 | 10948377 |
| multi-factor climate change effects on insect herbivore performance. | the impact of climate change on herbivorous insects can have far-reaching consequences for ecosystem processes. however, experiments investigating the combined effects of multiple climate change drivers on herbivorous insects are scarce. we independently manipulated three climate change drivers (co2, warming, drought) in a danish heathland ecosystem. the experiment was established in 2005 as a full factorial split-plot with 6 blocks × 2 levels of co2 × 2 levels of warming × 2 levels of drought = ... | 2013 | 23789058 |
| disruption of trophic interactions involving the heather beetle by atmospheric nitrogen deposition. | elevated nitrogen (n) deposition impacts the structure and functioning of heathland ecosystems across europe. calluna plants under high n-inputs are very sensitive to secondary stress factors, including defoliation attacks by the heather beetle. these attacks result in serious damage or death of calluna, its rapid replacement by grasses, and the subsequent loss of heathland. we know very little about the mechanisms that control the populations and trigger outbreaks of the heather beetle, impedin ... | 2016 | 27470539 |