Falling to the ground is hazardous for arboreal ants. Workers of six ant species dropped onto leaves had the lowest landing success on inclined and wet leaves; epiphyll presence and ant body size had no effect. Consequently, landing on leaves in wet forests apparently is challenging for arboreal ants.

Observation and focus group data for "The Effectiveness of Evaluation: Informing Teacher Professional Development Guided by the PrimeD Framework."

Observation and focus group data for "The Effectiveness of Evaluation: Informing Teacher Professional Development Guided by the PrimeD Framework."

Fire is increasingly used as a management tool in temperate deciduous forests, but the effects of fire on arthropods in these systems remain unclear. Here, we used flight-intercept traps to sample beetle assemblages (Coleoptera) in portions of a temperate deciduous forest of eastern North America subjected to either a higher-severity burn, a lower-severity burn, or no burn. We collected beetles immediately following the burns and for up to two years post-burn. Average (±SE) beetle abundance did not differ between the higher-severity (45 ± 13) and lower-severity (55 ± 26) burns, but was 2x higher in the burned sites vs. the unburned site (25 ± 6). Likewise, traps in the two burned sites captured a similar number of beetle species (17 ± 0.5 and 15 ± 0.5, respectively), and more species than in the unburned site (12 ± 0.4). These patterns were consistent over time post-burn in all sites. Beetle composition also consistently differed between the burned and unburned sites; bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) were the most abundant groups in the burned sites. Species turnover (beta diversity) was highest in the unburned site. Eleven species were associated with specific combinations of burn treatment and time post-burn. The results suggest that fire severity and time post-burn play key roles in structuring local beetle assemblages, and that longer fire intervals (>3 years) are required to facilitate recovery. Measuring beetle responses to fire in temperate deciduous forests improves our understanding of the effects of disturbance-based management on local biodiversity.

Data for Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6-18.

Data for Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6-18.

Data for Fig. 1.

Data for Fig. 1.

Global change is causing major declines in biodiversity, especially of insects. Scientific interest in global change impacts on insects has increased in recent years, resulting in many different meta-analyses examining questions within this topic. We performed a comprehensive review of meta-analyses examining effects of global change stressors on insects to identify well-studied questions and gaps in our knowledge and synthesize responses of insects to those stressors. We identified 75 meta-analyses that fit our scope, accounting for 905 meta-results, and spanning 18 global change stressors. Our synthesis identified several global change stressors that are relatively well-studied across insect groups, such as agriculture, habitat degradation, and pesticide use. Moreover, other global change stressors were found to be relatively less-studied, highlighting areas that need more attention; for example, very few meta-analyses considered the impacts of global warming, ozone, light pollution, and interactive effects of multiple stressors on insects. Most stressors are more associated with negative than positive effects on insects, except for nutrient addition, ozone, and air pollution. Negative effects accounted for the large majority of consequences on reproduction responses, which may help explain recent insect declines. Additionally, we found evidence for higher trophic levels being more negatively affected by global change, and insects in aquatic habitats experiencing fewer negative responses to stressors. Given these largely negative impacts of global change on insects, we argue for the need for national and local policy actions to monitor and actively conserve insect communities.

Projections from each eye are segregated in separate domains within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Yet, in vivo studies indicate that the activity of single dLGN neurons can be influenced by visual stimuli presented to either eye. In this study we explored whether intrinsic circuits mediate binocular interactions in the mouse dLGN. We employed dual color optogenetics in vitro to selectively activate input from each eye and recorded synaptic responses in thalamocortical (relay) cells as well as inhibitory interneurons, which have extensive dendritic arbors that are not confined to eye specific domains. While most relay cells received monocular retinal input, most interneurons received binocular retinal input and most relay cells received binocular retinogeniculate-evoked inhibition. In recordings from closely-spaced pairs of relay cells and interneurons, the most common relationship observed was retinogeniculate excitation of interneurons paired with inhibition of relay cells via activation of inputs from the same eye(s). Moreover, relay cells that received binocular inhibition were located in and around the ipsilateral patch of retinogeniculate terminals, suggesting that interneuron output is spatially related to retinal input. Finally, we found that dLGN interneurons are interconnected, displaying both monocular and binocular inhibition in response to retinal activation. In sum, our results indicate that geniculate interneurons provide one of the first locations where signals from the two eyes can be compared, integrated, and adjusted before being transmitted to cortex, shedding new light on the role of the thalamus in binocular vision.