Search Results (44)

The rapid increase in organic waste generation poses significant environmental challenges and highlights the limitations of conventional waste management practices. In this context, black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) have emerged as a promising biological tool for valorizing organic residues within circular bioeconomy frameworks. This review provides an integrated analysis of BSFL-based bioconversion systems, focusing on the biological characteristics of BSFL, suitable organic waste streams, and the key process parameters influencing waste reduction efficiency, larval biomass production, and frass (the residual material from larval bioconversion) yield. The performance of BSFL in converting organic waste is assessed with emphasis on substrate characteristics, environmental conditions, larval density, and harvesting strategies. Environmental and economic implications are discussed in comparison with conventional treatments such as landfilling, composting, and anaerobic digestion. Special attention is given to the nutritional composition of BSFL and their valorization as sustainable protein and lipid sources for animal feed and emerging human food applications, while frass is highlighted as a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil amendment. Finally, current challenges related to scalability, safety, regulation, and social acceptance are highlighted. By linking waste management, resource recovery, and sustainable protein production, this review clarifies the role of BSFL and frass in resilient and resource-efficient food and waste management systems. Full article

Understanding connectivity between populations is key to identifying hotspots of diversity, dispersal sinks and sources, and effective management units for natural resources. Multi-species connectivity seeks to overcome species-specific idiosyncrasies to identify shared patterns that are most critical to spatial management. The linear Hawaiian archipelago provides an excellent platform to assess multi-species connectivity patterns, with shared boundaries to gene flow identified across a majority of the 41 coral reef species surveyed to date. Here, we evaluate genome-scale data by comparing consistency and resolution to previous connectivity studies using far fewer loci. We used pool-seq to genotype 22,503–232,730 single nucleotide polymorphisms per species (625,215 SNPs total) from the same individuals published in previous studies of two fishes, two corals, and two lobsters. Additionally, one coral species (Pocillopora meandrina) without previous archipelago-wide population genetic data was included. With greater statistical power, most genetic differences between pairwise comparisons of islands were significant (250 of 308), consistent with the most recent larval dispersal models for the Hawaiian Archipelago. These data reveal significant differentiation at a finer scale than previously reported using single-marker studies, yet did not overturn any of the conclusions or management implications drawn from previous studies. We confirm that population genomic datasets are consistent with previously reported patterns of multispecies connectivity but add a finer layer of population resolution that is pertinent to management. Full article

In this cross-disciplinary investigation, we uncover a suite of previously unexamined factors and their intricate interplay that hold causal relationships with the distribution of Trachurus japonicus in the northern reaches of the South China Sea, thereby extending the existing research paradigms. Leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms and causal inference, our robust experimental design uncovered nine key global and regional factors affecting the distribution of T. japonicus density. A robust experimental design identified nine key factors significantly influencing this density: mean sea-level pressure (msl-0, msl-4), surface pressure (sp-0, sp-4), Summit ozone concentration (Ozone_sum), F10.7 solar flux index (F10.7_index), nitrate concentration at 20 m depth (N3M20), sonar-detected effective vertical range beneath the surface (Height), and survey month (Month). Crucially, stable causal relationships were identified among Ozone_sum, F10.7_index, Height, and N3M20. Variations in Ozone_sum likely impact surface UV radiation levels, influencing plankton dynamics (a primary food source) and potentially larval/juvenile fish survival. The F10.7_index, reflecting solar activity, may affect geomagnetic fields, potentially influencing the migration and orientation behavior of T. japonicus. N3M20 directly modulates primary productivity by limiting phytoplankton growth, thereby shaping the availability and distribution of prey organisms throughout the food web. Height defines the vertical habitat range acoustically detectable, intrinsically linking directly to the vertical distribution and availability of the fish stock itself. Surface pressures (msl-0/sp-0) and their lagged effects (msl-4/sp-4) significantly influence sea surface temperature profiles, ocean currents, and stratification, all critical determinants of suitable habitats and prey aggregation. The strong influence of Month predominantly reflects seasonal changes in water temperature, reproductive cycles, and associated shifts in nutrient supply and plankton blooms. Rigorous robustness checks (Data Subset and Random Common Cause Refutation) confirmed the reliability and consistency of these causal findings. This elucidation of the distinct biological and physical pathways linking these diverse factors leading to T. japonicus density provides a significantly improved foundation for predicting distribution patterns globally and offers concrete scientific insights for sustainable fishery management strategies. Full article

A quantitative literature review of restoration techniques and supporting management strategies used throughout the Caribbean and Western Atlantic from 1998 through 2024 was compiled using references from the Web of Science to highlight those with potential for reef replenishment. From 93 sources listed, 74 publications were relevant and categorized into subtopics based on the most prevalent restoration techniques. Roughly half the studies focused on three general topics: the benefits of restoring Acropora species, studies utilizing micro-fragmentation and fragment nurseries, and outplanting techniques. Other subtopics, each with at least three references, included optimizing substrates and artificial reefs, enhancing larval recruitment, emphasizing the role of herbivory, improving management practices, and addressing the impacts of tourism and community engagement. The information from the references was compiled to determine the overlap among categories and the ways in which techniques and management strategies might be applied simultaneously to enhance restoration outcomes. Additionally, sources were analyzed according to time and location of publication to better visualize the emergence of this area of research and restoration efforts. An increase in publications was observed from 2014 to 2024, associated with the rise in major events impacting coral reefs. The major locations for published research were the Florida reef tract and Puerto Rico, though restoration studies were also reported from the Bahamas and sites around the Caribbean. Criteria to assess the success of techniques included coral survival, recruitment, coral coverage, habitat structure and complexity, and biomass of marine life, including fish and invertebrates that inhabited a restored reef. Most restoration efforts utilized either fragmentation or assisted sexual breeding, followed by cultivation in nurseries or labs. Outplanting success depended on fragment size, attachment style, and site selection, with less-intrusive techniques and intermediate planting densities promoting survival. Tools like GAO maps can guide site selection based on herbivore presence and algal coverage. Monitoring is critical to ensuring coral survival, especially after the first year of outplanting, while community involvement can foster public engagement in reef conservation. Full article

Food waste containing meat and fish presents a considerable environmental challenge due to regulatory constraints preventing its use in industrial insect farming. Although substrates derived from meat and fish are not currently approved for industrial insect feed production due to regulatory constraints, this study explores their potential in bioconversion through Hermetia illucens larvae. In this study, five different former foodstuffs containing meat and/or fish were tested to evaluate their suitability for BSFL rearing. The substrates included pizza with salami (PIZZA), cheeseburger (CHB), pasta Bolognese with meat (PASTA), chicken salad (CHISA), and fish salad (FISA). Results showed that BSFL successfully developed on all tested substrates. The highest performance was observed for FISA, with a total larval weight of 35.21 ± 3.91 g, dry matter yield of 11.21 ± 0.45 g, survival rate of 96.63 ± 0.40%, and the most efficient feed conversion ratio (FCR, 4.11 ± 0.59). Heavy metal analysis revealed substantial bioaccumulation of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in larvae. In particular, larvae reared on PIZZA showed a Pb concentration of 4.68 μg/100 g, with a corresponding bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of approximately 1.5. Cadmium accumulation was most notable in larvae fed CHB, with a Cd concentration of 0.41 ± 0.33 μg/100 g and a BAF of about 2.1. Despite this bioaccumulation, all detected concentrations remained well below the regulatory limits set by the European Union for animal feed, indicating not only the feasibility of H. illucens larvae in sustainable waste management but also its use as a safe protein source in animal feed. This research highlights the viability of integrating such food waste into insect bioconversion systems. With appropriate risk management, this practice could significantly improve nutrient recycling, waste management, and the circular economy, urging a regulatory review to allow broader substrate utilization. These positive outcomes underscore the potential of integrating currently restricted animal-derived food waste streams into H. illucens-based bioconversion systems, unlocking additional value for the circular economy and contributing to more efficient waste management practices. Full article

The red palm weevil (RPW; Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a destructive pest affecting palms worldwide, capable of causing significant economic losses and ecological damage in managed palm ecosystems. Current management heavily relies on synthetic insecticides, but their overuse fosters resistance. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) offers a promising alternative, producing toxins selective against various insect orders, including Coleoptera. However, no specific Bt toxin has yet been identified for RPW. This study investigates the toxicity against RPW larvae of the Bt Cry1Ia protoxin, known for its dual activity against Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. A laboratory RPW colony was reared for two generations, ensuring a reliable insect source for bioassays. Cry1Ia was expressed as a 6xHis-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli and purified using nickel affinity. Incubation with RPW larval gut proteases for 24 h produced a stable core of ~65 kDa. Diet-incorporation bioassays revealed high Cry1Ia toxicity in neonate larvae. In contrast, the lepidopteran-active Cry1Ac protoxin, used as a robust negative control, was completely degraded after 24 h of in vitro proteolysis and showed no toxicity in bioassays. Cry1Ia-fed larvae exhibited significant midgut cell damage, characteristic of Bt intoxication. These findings highlight Cry1Ia’s strong potential for integration into RPW management programs. Full article

Traditional tools, such as 3D Slicer, Fiji, and MATLAB^®, often encounter limitations in rendering performance and data management as the dataset sizes increase. This work presents a GPU-enabled volume renderer with a MATLAB^® interface that addresses these issues. The proposed renderer uses flexible memory management and leverages the GPU texture-mapping features of NVIDIA devices. It transfers data between the CPU and the GPU only in the case of a data change between renderings, and uses texture memory to make use of specific hardware benefits of the GPU and improve the quality. A case study using the ViBE-Z zebrafish larval dataset demonstrated the renderer’s ability to produce visualizations while managing extensive data effectively within the MATLAB^® environment. The renderer is available as open-source software. Full article

Olfaction and gustation processes play key roles in the life cycle of insects, such as finding and accepting food sources, oviposition sites, and mates, among other fundamental aspects of insect development. In this context, chemosensory genes found in sensory organs (e.g., antennae and maxillary palps) are crucial for understanding insect behaviour, particularly the phytophagous behaviour of insect pests that attack economically important crops. An example is the scarab beetle Hylamorpha elegans, which feeds on the roots of several crops important for livestock in its larval stage. In this study, chemosensory gene candidates of H. elegans white grubs identified through the head transcriptome and phylogenetic and tissue-biased gene expression (antennae, head without antennae, and legs) have been reported. Overall, 47 chemosensory genes were identified (2 ORs, 1 GR, 11 IRs, 9 CSPs, and 24 OBPs). Gene expression analysis revealed the predominant presence of IRs in the legs, whereas ORs and the GR were present in the heads and/or antennae. Particularly, HeleOBP9 and HeleCSP2 were significantly expressed in the head but not in the antennae or legs; these and other genes are discussed as potential targets in the context of H. elegans management. Full article

Experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 in College Station, TX; Stoneville, MS; and Blackville, SC, to evaluate the potential of grain sorghum to serve as a trap crop for Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), a nursery crop for natural enemies of H. zea, and a source of Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) for H. zea management in cotton. The experiments consisted of three treatments, including cotton-only, non-treated cotton–sorghum, and HearNPV-treated cotton–sorghum. Variables, including percent injury to fruiting forms, parasitized H. zea larvae, egg density, H. zea larval density, beneficial arthropod numbers, and HearNPV prevalence, were compared between the treatments. Growing cotton in an intercropping system with grain sorghum did not result in a consistent increase in H. zea control and beneficial arthropod density relative to the cotton-only treatment. Additionally, our results did not show sufficient evidence that grain sorghum interplanted with cotton can serve as a source of HearNPV that can favor H. zea control in cotton. However, we found that, if maintained in the cotton canopy, HearNPV may favor some level of H. zea suppression in cotton. Based on our HearNPV infection analyses using PCR, chrysopids, coccinellids, pentatomids, reduviids, formicids, anthocorids, and spiders appeared to be carrying HearNPV. The virus was detected consistently in specimens of coccinellids, pentatomids, and reduviids across both years of the study. We suggest that further investigation on virus efficacy against H. zea in cotton using the sorghum–cotton system as well as the ability of grain sorghum to serve as a H. zea trap crop and source of H. zea natural enemies be considered in future studies. Full article

Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm (FAW), is a highly invasive polyphagous insect pest that is considered a source of severe economic losses to agricultural production. Currently, the majority of chemical insecticides pose tremendous threats to humans and animals besides insect resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new pest management strategies with more specificity, efficiency, and sustainability. Chitin-degrading enzymes, including chitinases, are promising agents which may contribute to FAW control. Chitinase-producing microorganisms are reported normally in bacteria and fungi. In the present study, Serratia marcescens was successfully isolated and identified from the larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda. The bacterial strain NRC408 displayed the highest chitinase enzyme activity of 250 units per milligram of protein. Subsequently, the chitinase gene was cloned and heterologously expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant chitinase B was overproduced to 2.5-fold, driven by the T7 expression system. Recombinant chitinase B was evaluated for its efficacy as an insecticidal bioagent against S. frugiperda larvae, which induced significant alteration in subsequent developmental stages and conspicuous malformations. Additionally, our study highlights that in silico analyses of the anticipated protein encoded by the chitinase gene (ChiB) offered improved predictions for enzyme binding and catalytic activity. The effectiveness of (ChiB) against S. frugiperda was evaluated in laboratory and controlled field conditions. The results indicated significant mortality, disturbed development, different induced malformations, and a reduction in larval populations. Thus, the current study consequently recommends chitinase B for the first time to control FAW. Full article

The Tenebrio molitor larva (yellow mealworm) holds great potential as a sustainable ingredient in food and feed. Optimizing its growth under mass farming requires careful water management. However, the availability and cost of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are the most widely used sources of water, can vary geographically, which calls for the search for relatively affordable, effective, and readily available alternatives. We evaluated the effect of three water sources (bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, and milk) as well as their quantity on weights and nutrient profiles of reared T. molitor larvae. Newly hatched mealworm larvae were maintained in controlled conditions of 25 °C and 60% relative humidity under a 12-h light–dark cycle for 15 weeks. When provided as sole-supplements, bean sprouts induced the highest larval weight gains compared to fresh lettuce leaves, which in turn performed better than milk and water. However, the addition of milk to the vegetable supplements enhanced growth. Furthermore, doubling the level of water supply resulted in 70% higher larval weights by week 14 post hatching. Moreover, water sources did not change the nutrient content of the harvested larvae. These findings suggest that mealworm productivity can be enhanced by increasing water feed levels and that bean sprouts may be a superior alternative to lettuce. Full article

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), an important migratory pest of maize and wheat, is posing a severe threat to maize production in Asian countries. As source areas of spring–summer emigratory populations, the control of M. separata in southwestern China is of great significance for East Asian maize production. To assess the toxicity of Bt maize against the pest, bioassays of Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize (event DBN3601T), Bt-Cry1Ab maize (event DBN9936), and Bt-Vip3Aa maize (event DBN9501) were conducted in Yunnan province of southwest China. There were significant differences in insecticidal activity between the three Bt maize events, and DBN3601T presented the highest insecticidal role. The results also indicated that the insecticidal effect of various Bt maize tissues took an order in leaf > kernel > silk, which is highly consistent with the expression amounts of Bt insecticidal protein in leaf (69.69 ± 1.18 μg/g), kernel (11.69 ± 0.75 μg/g), and silk (7.32 ± 0.31 μg/g). In field trials, all larval population densities, plant damage rates, and leaf damage levels of DBN3601T maize were significantly lower than the conventional maize. This research indicated that the DBN3601T event had a high control efficiency against M. separata and could be deployed in southwest China for the management of M. separata. Full article

In Thailand, the populations of a commercially important crab Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) have been decreasing due to overfishing, raising concerns about the conservation efforts of this crab species. The Crab Bank Project has recently been established to restore crab populations by releasing crab larvae from each crab bank station. However, the fate of crab larvae after the release is poorly understood. Here, we assessed the dispersal and settlement patterns of the larvae P. pelagicus released from crab banks along the coast of Trang Province, Southern Thailand. The Lagrangian particle tracking model was employed to simulate the larval dispersal and settlement patterns after release from the crab banks during the inter-monsoon, southwest monsoon, and northeast monsoon. Our simulation revealed that virtual larvae were predominantly retained within inshore areas after the release for 14 days, regulated by tidal-driven currents, wind-induced currents, and local coastal topography. Monsoon periods affected the larval dispersal, with some larvae being transported into estuaries due to the SW monsoonal effects. After the 14-day release period, our modelled simulations suggested that the crab larvae arrived at numerous seagrass meadows along the coast, indicating potential settlement and growth. This result highlights the connectivity of sources and sinks for crab larvae after release from crab banks. Moreover, significant implications for conservation efforts and the fishery management of P. pelagicus were also discussed based on our modelled simulations. Full article

The National Yancheng Rare Birds Nature Reserve is a vitally important staging habitat for the wild population of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in China. The population relies on local high-protein food sources, such as fish juveniles, to fuel their migratory journeys. However, little is known about the ecology of the fish larvae and juveniles that migrate to the inshore area via tidal rhythm in Subei Shoal, which is adjacent to the reserve. Therefore, we used a fixed study station (32°55′1.2″ N, 121°19′58.8″ E) to conduct a continuous 15-day ichthyoplankton survey at 2 h intervals beginning at 05:00 on 25 April and ending at 03:00 on 10 May 2019. We identified the tidal variations in the number of fish larvae and juveniles and the number at various developmental stages and assessed how they were related to environmental variables such as sea surface temperature, salinity, turbidity, and tidal height in the Dafeng Sea area of Subei Shoal. We found that the number of species and larval individuals were highest and lowest, respectively, at the highest and lowest tidal height, and they obviously increased and decreased with the rising and ebb tide, respectively. Our findings indicate that the variation in numbers of the larvae and juveniles depends on species and developmental stage. The species Acanthogobius ommaturus, Pholis fangi, Cynoglossus joyneri, Liza haematocheila, and Lateolabrax japonicus and the total number of larvae were most influenced by tidal height. These results provide a better understanding of the habitat of prey species of the red-crowned crane wild population as well as scientific data that can be applied to manage the wild population in the reserve sustainably. Full article

Spodoptera frugiperda is a pest of worldwide importance, responsible for significant economic losses, mainly in maize crops. The use of botanical derivatives emerges as a promising alternative to control this insect pest. In this work, we evaluated the effect of ethanolic extracts (EE) and semi-purified fractions of Acnistus arborescens and Datura stramonium (Solanaceae) on the biological development of S. frugiperda and the effects of the semi-purified fractions on feeding behavior of 4th instar caterpillars. Crude extracts and fractions caused lethal and sublethal effects, namely increasing both duration of larval and pupal stages as well as deformities in adults, and decreasing weight of pupae. In turn, the effects on feeding deterrence were more pronounced in treatments with A. arborescens fractions. Our results highlight the potential of EE from solanaceous species as a source of allelochemicals that can be used in the integrated management of S. frugiperda. Full article