A5083866519- Plant and animal studies
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Environmental law and policy
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Transboundary Water Resource Management
- Agricultural pest management studies
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
2015-2025
University of California, Davis
2009-2015
James Cook University
2014
Ecosystem Sciences
2013
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
2013
Agricultural Research Organization
2008
Although examples of successful applications behavioral ecology research to policy and management exist, knowledge generated from such is in many cases under-utilized by managers makers. On their own, empirical studies traditional reviews do not offer the robust syntheses that makers require make evidence-based decisions evidence-informed policy. Similar revolution medicine, application formal systematic review processes has potential invigorate field accelerate uptake evidence management....
Background The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia blocks the transmission of dengue virus by its vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, and is currently being evaluated for control outbreaks. induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that results in developmental failure offspring cross between Wolbachia-infected males uninfected females. This increases relative success infected females population, thereby enhancing spread beneficial bacterium. However, via CI will only be feasible if are sufficiently...
The release of biological control agents has been an important means controlling invasive species for over 150 years. While these releases have led to the sustainable 250 pest and weed worldwide, a minority caused environmental harm. A growing recognition risks focus on risk assessment beginning in 1990s along with precipitous decline releases. this new greatly improved safety control, it came at cost lost opportunities solve problems associated species. framework that incorporates benefits...
Abstract We discuss the impact of democratic political governance systems on ecological and conservation research, education, practice, focusing radical proposed changes to judicial system in Israel. This reform has already begun restrict academic freedom environmental laws, adversely affecting regulatory actions. are concerned about weakening enforcement increased power polluting industries, future defunding research nature programs, reduced cross‐border collaborations restrictions teaching...
Abstract Sexual cannibalism may represent an extreme form of male monogamy. According to this view, males gain reproductive success by sacrificing themselves females. We studied the occurrence and timing sexual in brown widow spider Latrodectus geometricus compared courtship mating behavior with virgin previously mated females . found that events are frequent, they occur during copulation initiate placing abdomen front female’s mouth‐parts (somersault behavior). Both somersaults occurred...
Abstract 1. Polyembryonic wasps provide dramatic examples of intra‐specific developmental conflict. In these parasitoids, each egg proliferates into a clonal lineage genetically identical larvae. If more than one is laid in host (superparasitism), individuals different clones may compete for food resources. 2. the polyembryonic encyrtid Copidosoma koehleri , larva per clone can differentiate sterile soldier. It shown that soldiers are always females, and they attack competitors. 3. Research...
Summary Theory predicts that organisms should invest more heavily in overcoming factors frequently emerge as the primary constraints to fitness, and especially, those constrain fitness of most highly reproductive members population. We tested hypothesis fecundity a pro‐ovigenic parasitoid (where females with their full egg load) be positively correlated mean expectation for oviposition opportunities environment. More specifically, we whether from agricultural systems, where hosts are often...
Brood size has important implications for the fitness of both parents and offspring. In polyembryonic parasitoid wasps, each egg develops into many genetically identical embryos through clonal division inside host. Thus, offspring may have potential to affect brood by adjusting degree embryonic division. some species, a proportion develop soldier larvae, which attack competitors This be another mechanism final size. We investigated effect relatedness between competing clones on in wasp...
Debates on the relative importance of different factors in limiting realized fitness insect parasitoids and herbivores have continued for decades. One major reason duration these debates is paucity empirical evidence regarding reproductive success minute insects under field conditions. We used a novel technique to estimate lifetime two Anagrus spp. parasitoids, whose hosts are eggs leafhoppers that feed grape leaves. Females were collected soon after they died naturally, number their ovaries...
Parasitoids that encounter a previously parasitized host inspect it externally and internally, sometimes eventually laying additional eggs (superparasitism). The fitness effects of increased clutch sizes generated through superparasitism are widely studied, whereas the consequences multiple probings during inspection received less attention. To address this issue, we offered to 1–5 females encyrtid wasp Copidosoma koehleri consecutively, or presented times single female. We noted whether...
Abstract Background Many phytophagous insects, whose diet is generally nitrogen-poor, rely on gut bacteria to compensate for nutritional deficits. Accordingly, we hypothesized that insects in desert environments may evolve associations with adapt the extremely low nutrient availability. For this, conducted a systematic survey of bacterial communities guts weevils developing inside mud chambers affixed plant roots Negev Desert Israel, based 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Results Our...
Abstract Intensifying agricultural production in sustainable ways is pivotal to increasing food while reducing environmental impacts. Ecological intensification based on managing organisms that provide services underlying crop simultaneously intensify and increase biodiversity. However, few studies address the interactions trade‐offs between biodiversity, multiple ecosystem production. We experimentally quantified effect of uncultivated field margins, a prominent practice ecological...
The ability of parasitoids to maintain a high rate parasitism under varying conditions is considered crucial their control the populations hosts. Here, I tested by Anagrus and its dependency on density Erythroneura leafhopper eggs at two spatial scales (leaf field) habitat types (natural vs. agricultural). differed among field sites, increased across season, was similar in natural agricultural sites. At leaf scale, density-independent or inversely density-dependent, consistent with weak...
Parasitoids are important natural enemies of many agricultural pests. Preserving habitats around fields may support parasitoid populations. However, the success such an approach depends on ability parasitoids to utilize both crop and habitats. While these aspects have been studied extensively in temperate regions, very little is known about communities desert agroecosystems. We took one step this direction by sampling six vineyards their surrounding habitat a hyper-arid region Negev Desert...
Abstract Although it has been frequently suggested that resource partitioning of species coexisting at the same trophic level can be mediated by interactions with non‐adjacent levels, empirical evidence supporting this claim is scarce. Here we demonstrate plants may mediate for two parasitoids share herbivorous host. The tephritid fly Tephritis femoralis primary pre‐dispersal seed predator Asteraceae species, Saussurea nigrescens and Anaphalis flavescens , both which dominate plant community...