Reduced Odds of Mpox-Associated Hospitalization Among Persons Who Received JYNNEOS Vaccine - California, May 2022-May 2023.

The effectiveness of 1 dose of JYNNEOS vaccine (modified vaccinia Ankara vaccine, Bavarian Nordic) against hospitalization for mpox (caused by Monkeypox virus), has been demonstrated; however, the impact of 2 doses on hospitalization risk, especially among persons infected with HIV, who are at higher risk for severe disease, is an important factor in evaluating vaccine effectiveness against mpox disease severity and Monkeypox virus infection. Surveillance data collected by the California Department of Public Health were used to evaluate whether receipt of 2 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine reduced the odds of hospitalization among persons with mpox. The odds of hospitalization among persons with mpox who had received 1 or 2 JYNNEOS doses were 0.27 (95% CI = 0.08-0.65) and 0.20 (95% CI = 0.01-0.90), respectively, compared with unvaccinated mpox patients. In mpox patients with HIV infection, the odds of hospitalization among those who had received 1 JYNNEOS vaccine dose was 0.28 (95% CI = 0.05-0.91) times that of those who were unvaccinated. No mpox-associated hospitalizations were identified among persons infected with HIV who had received 2 JYNNEOS vaccine doses. To optimize durable immunity, all eligible persons at risk for mpox, especially those infected with HIV, should complete the 2-dose JYNNEOS series.

Metabolite compositions on skins of eastern hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis differ with location and captivity.

Eastern hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis, large aquatic salamanders, are declining over most of their range. The amphibian-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has contributed to global amphibian declines and has been detected on eastern hellbenders, but infection intensities were lower than those of species that are more susceptible to Bd. The factors limiting Bd on hellbenders may include antifungal metabolites produced by their skin microbiota. We used a metabolite fingerprinting technique to noninvasively identify the presence, but not identity, of metabolites associated with eastern hellbenders. We surveyed the skin of wild eastern hellbenders to test whether the composition and richness (i.e. number of metabolites) of their metabolites are explained by Bd status or location. Furthermore, we surveyed for metabolites on captive eastern hellbenders to test whether metabolite compositions were different between captive and wild eastern hellbenders. Bd detection was not associated with either metabolite richness or composition. Both metabolite composition and richness differed significantly on hellbenders from different locations (i.e. states). For metabolite composition, there was a statistical interaction between location and Bd status. Metabolite richness was greater on captive eastern hellbenders compared to wild hellbenders, and metabolite compositions differed between wild and captive eastern hellbenders. The methods we employed to detect metabolite profiles effectively grouped individuals by location even though metabolite composition and richness have high levels of intraspecific variation. Understanding the drivers and functional consequences of assemblages of skin metabolites on amphibian health will be an important step toward understanding the mechanisms that result in disease vulnerability.

Endosymbiotic Bacteria Are Prevalent and Diverse in Agricultural Spiders.

Maternally inherited bacterial endosymbionts are common in arthropods, but their distribution and prevalence are poorly characterized in many host taxa. Initial surveys have suggested that vertically transmitted symbionts may be particularly common in spiders (Araneae). Here, we used diagnostic PCR and high-throughput sequencing to evaluate symbiont infection in 267 individual spiders representing 14 species (3 families) of agricultural spiders. We found 27 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that are likely endosymbiotic, including multiple strains of Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Cardinium, which are all vertically transmitted and frequently associated with reproductive manipulation of arthropod hosts. Additional strains included Rickettsiella, Spiroplasma, Rhabdochlamydia, and a novel Rickettsiales, all of which could range from pathogenic to mutualistic in their effects upon their hosts. Seventy percent of spider species had individuals that tested positive for one or more endosymbiotic OTUs, and specimens frequently contained multiple symbiotic strain types. The most symbiont-rich species, Idionella rugosa, had eight endosymbiotic OTUs, with as many as five present in the same specimen. Individual specimens within infected spider species had a variety of symbiotypes, differing from one another in the presence or absence of symbiotic strains. Our sample included both starved and unstarved specimens, and dominant bacterial OTUs were consistent per host species, regardless of feeding status. We conclude that spiders contain a remarkably diverse symbiotic microbiota. Spiders would be an informative group for investigating endosymbiont population dynamics in time and space, and unstarved specimens collected for other purposes (e.g., food web studies) could be used, with caution, for such investigations.

Generalist predator contributions to the control of Tetranychus urticae in strawberry crops documented by PCR-based gut content analysis.

The contribution of generalist insect predators to the control of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), an herbivorous pest of many crops, is poorly understood. One of the common insect predators in strawberries is the generalist predatory bug Anthocoris nemorum L. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), which has the potential to contribute to the control of pest populations. The feeding of adult A. nemorum on T. urticae was assessed by sampling individuals from an organic strawberry field in Denmark, and using PCR gut content analysis to detect remains of T. urticae within their gut. In the lab, we assessed that the DNA half-life detectability was 21.5 h. Significant numbers of field-collected A. nemorum tested positive for T. urticae prey DNA, with very high numbers in June (62.8%) and August (38.8%). This study presents conclusive evidence that the generalist predator A. nemorum can contribute to the decrease of T. urticae densities in strawberry fields, although the actual contribution in the present study is probably limited because predator populations were relatively low compared to T. urticae. The abundance of T. urticae did not increase significantly during the period of sampling, suggesting that a complex of natural enemies can achieve biological control of T. urticae in protected strawberries.

Role of Hydrogen Bonding on Transport of Coadsorbed Gases in Metal-Organic Frameworks Materials.

Coadsorption of multicomponents in metal-organic framework (MOF) materials can lead to a number of cooperative effects, such as modification of adsorption sites or during transport. In this work, we explore the incorporation of NH3 and H2O into MOFs preloaded with small molecules such as CO, CO2, and SO2. We find that NH3 (or H2O) first displaces a certain amount of preadsorbed molecules in the outer portion of MOF crystallites, and then substantially hinders diffusion. Combining in situ spectroscopy with first-principles calculations, we show that hydrogen bonding between NH3 (or H2O) is responsible for an increase of a factor of 7 and 8 in diffusion barrier of CO and CO2 through the MOF channels. Understanding such cooperative effects is important for designing new strategies to enhance adsorption in nanoporous materials.

Mitochondrial phylogenomics of Hemiptera reveals adaptive innovations driving the diversification of true bugs.

Hemiptera, the largest non-holometabolous order of insects, represents approximately 7% of metazoan diversity. With extraordinary life histories and highly specialized morphological adaptations, hemipterans have exploited diverse habitats and food sources through approximately 300 Myr of evolution. To elucidate the phylogeny and evolutionary history of Hemiptera, we carried out the most comprehensive mitogenomics analysis on the richest taxon sampling to date covering all the suborders and infraorders, including 34 newly sequenced and 94 published mitogenomes. With optimized branch length and sequence heterogeneity, Bayesian analyses using a site-heterogeneous mixture model resolved the higher-level hemipteran phylogeny as (Sternorrhyncha, (Auchenorrhyncha, (Coleorrhyncha, Heteroptera))). Ancestral character state reconstruction and divergence time estimation suggest that the success of true bugs (Heteroptera) is probably due to angiosperm coevolution, but key adaptive innovations (e.g. prognathous mouthpart, predatory behaviour, and haemelytron) facilitated multiple independent shifts among diverse feeding habits and multiple independent colonizations of aquatic habitats.

Comparing rates of springtail predation by web-building spiders using Bayesian inference.

A major goal of gut-content analysis is to quantify predation rates by predators in the field, which could provide insights into the mechanisms behind ecosystem structure and function, as well as quantification of ecosystem services provided. However, percentage-positive results from molecular assays are strongly influenced by factors other than predation rate, and thus can only be reliably used to quantify predation rates under very restrictive conditions. Here, we develop two statistical approaches, one using a parametric bootstrap and the other in terms of Bayesian inference, to build upon previous techniques that use DNA decay rates to rank predators by their rate of prey consumption, by allowing a statistical assessment of confidence in the inferred ranking. To demonstrate the utility of this technique in evaluating ecological data, we test web-building spiders for predation on a primary prey item, springtails. Using these approaches we found that an orb-weaving spider consumes springtail prey at a higher rate than a syntopic sheet-weaving spider, despite occupying microhabitats where springtails are less frequently encountered. We suggest that spider-web architecture (orb web vs. sheet web) is a primary determinant of prey-consumption rates within this assemblage of predators, which demonstrates the potential influence of predator foraging behaviour on trophic web structure. We also discuss how additional assumptions can be incorporated into the same analysis to allow broader application of the technique beyond the specific example presented. We believe that such modelling techniques can greatly advance the field of molecular gut-content analysis.

Endosymbiont diversity across native and invasive brown widow spider populations.

The invasive brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae), has spread in multiple locations around the world and, along with it, brought associated organisms such as endosymbionts. We investigated endosymbiont diversity and prevalence across putative native and invasive populations of this spider, predicting lower endosymbiont diversity across the invasive range compared to the native range. First, we characterized the microbial community in the putative native (South Africa) and invasive (Israel and the United States) ranges via high throughput 16S sequencing of 103 adult females. All specimens were dominated by reads from only 1-3 amplicon sequence variants (ASV), and most individuals were infected with an apparently uniform strain of Rhabdochlamydia. We also found Rhabdochlamydia in spider eggs, indicating that it is a maternally-inherited endosymbiont. Relatively few other ASV were detected, but included two variant Rhabdochlamydia strains and several Wolbachia, Spiroplasma and Enterobacteriaceae strains. We then diagnostically screened 118 adult female spiders from native and invasive populations specifically for Rhabdochlamydia and Wolbachia. We found Rhabdochlamydia in 86% of individuals and represented in all populations, which suggests that it is a consistent and potentially important associate of L. geometricus. Wolbachia was found at lower overall prevalence (14%) and was represented in all countries, but not all populations. In addition, we found evidence for geographic variation in endosymbiont prevalence: spiders from Israel were more likely to carry Rhabdochlamydia than those from the US and South Africa, and Wolbachia was geographically clustered in both Israel and South Africa. Characterizing endosymbiont prevalence and diversity is a first step in understanding their function inside the host and may shed light on the process of spread and population variability in cosmopolitan invasive species.

Linking predator-prey interactions with exposure to a trophically transmitted parasite using PCR-based analyses.

Parasite transmission is determined by the rate of contact between a susceptible host and an infective stage and susceptibility to infection given an exposure event. Attempts to measure levels of variation in exposure in natural populations can be especially challenging. The level of exposure to a major class of parasites, trophically transmitted parasites, can be estimated by investigating the host's feeding behaviour. Since the parasites rely on the ingestion of infective intermediate hosts for transmission, the potential for exposure to infection is inherently linked to the definitive host's feeding ecology. Here, we combined epidemiological data and molecular analyses (polymerase chain reaction) of the diet of the definitive host, the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), to investigate temporal and individual heterogeneities in exposure to infection. Our results show that the consumption of cricket intermediate hosts accounted for much of the variation in infection; mice that had consumed crickets were four times more likely to become infected than animals that tested negative for cricket DNA. In particular, pregnant female hosts were three times more likely to consume crickets, which corresponded to a threefold increase in infection compared with nonpregnant females. Interestingly, males in breeding condition had a higher rate of infection even though breeding males were just as likely to test positive for cricket consumption as nonbreeding males. These results suggest that while heterogeneity in host diet served as a strong predictor of exposure risk, differential susceptibility to infection may also play a key role, particularly among male hosts. By combining PCR analyses with epidemiological data, we revealed temporal variation in exposure through prey consumption and identified potentially important individual heterogeneities in parasite transmission.

Key aspects of the biology of snail-killing Sciomyzidae flies.

The biology of snail-killing flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) has been studied intensively over the past half-century, especially over the past decade. Today, sciomyzids are biologically the best-known group of higher Diptera. The overarching research objectives are evaluation of sciomyzids as biocontrols of disease-carrying or agriculturally important snails and slugs and as a paradigm group for the study of the evolution of diverse feeding and associated behaviors in flies. We present reviews and analyses of some key features of particular scientific and societal interest, including behavioral and phenological groups; laboratory experimental studies on behavior and development; population biology, bioindicators, ecosystem service provision, and conservation; phylogenetics, molecular studies, and evolutionary biology; and biocontrol.

The longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Kentucky with notes on larval hosts, adult nectar use, and semiochemical attraction.

The longhorn beetle fauna of Kentucky has long been overlooked in the literature with revisions and historic publications reporting few records from the state. Here, we document the occurrence of 222 species of Cerambycidae in Kentucky, with 140 new state records. For each species, we summarize its distribution (overall and in the state), the counties, years, and months in which it has been collected, collecting methods, what collections house the specimens, larval host plants, adult flower visitation, chemical lure attraction, recent taxonomic changes, and other pertinent information about the species. Using this dataset, the bias-corrected Chao1 species richness estimator predicted that 241 species should be found in Kentucky, indicating that our sampling is nearly comprehensive. Additionally, we provide a list of 42 species that have been found in at least one neighboring state and the distance from the closest record of the species to Kentucky; among this candidate list are 11 species known from within 50 km of the state. This checklist remedies the historical oversight of Kentucky cerambycid diversity in the literature, and we hope it will serve as a resource for future collectors, particularly the information on chemical lure attraction, which has not been summarized to this extent for any other state to date.

Widespread and persistent invasions of terrestrial habitats coincident with larval feeding behavior transitions during snail-killing fly evolution (Diptera: Sciomyzidae).

BACKGROUND: Transitions in habitats and feeding behaviors were fundamental to the diversification of life on Earth. There is ongoing debate regarding the typical directionality of transitions between aquatic and terrestrial habitats and the mechanisms responsible for the preponderance of terrestrial to aquatic transitions. Snail-killing flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) represent an excellent model system to study such transitions because their larvae display a range of feeding behaviors, being predators, parasitoids or saprophages of a variety of mollusks in freshwater, shoreline and dry terrestrial habitats. The remarkable genus Tetanocera (Tetanocerini) occupies five larval feeding groups and all of the habitat types mentioned above. This study has four principal objectives: (i) construct a robust estimate of phylogeny for Tetanocera and Tetanocerini, (ii) estimate the evolutionary transitions in larval feeding behaviors and habitats, (iii) test the monophyly of feeding groups and (iv) identify mechanisms underlying sciomyzid habitat and feeding behavior evolution. RESULTS: Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses of molecular data provided strong support that the Sciomyzini, Tetanocerini and Tetanocera are monophyletic. However, the monophyly of many behavioral groupings was rejected via phylogenetic constraint analyses. We determined that (i) the ancestral sciomyzid lineage was terrestrial, (ii) there was a single terrestrial to aquatic habitat transition early in the evolution of the Tetanocerini and (iii) there were at least 10 independent aquatic to terrestrial habitat transitions and at least 15 feeding behavior transitions during tetanocerine phylogenesis. The ancestor of Tetanocera was aquatic with five lineages making independent transitions to terrestrial habitats and seven making independent transitions in feeding behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The preponderance of aquatic to terrestrial transitions in sciomyzids goes against the trend generally observed across eukaryotes. Damp shoreline habitats are likely transitional where larvae can change habitat but still have similar prey available. Transitioning from aquatic to terrestrial habitats is likely easier than the reverse for sciomyzids because morphological characters associated with air-breathing while under the water's surface are lost rather than gained, and sciomyzids originated and diversified during a general drying period in Earth's history. Our results imply that any animal lineage having aquatic and terrestrial members, respiring the same way in both habitats and having the same type of food available in both habitats could show a similar pattern of multiple independent habitat transitions coincident with changes in behavioral and morphological traits.

Novel protein genes in animal mtDNA: a new sex determination system in freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida)?

Mitochondrial (mt) function depends critically on optimal interactions between components encoded by mt and nuclear DNAs. mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) inheritance (SMI) is thought to have evolved in animal species to maintain mito-nuclear complementarity by preventing the spread of selfish mt elements thus typically rendering mtDNA heteroplasmy evolutionarily ephemeral. Here, we show that mtDNA intraorganismal heteroplasmy can have deterministic underpinnings and persist for hundreds of millions of years. We demonstrate that the only exception to SMI in the animal kingdom, that is, the doubly uniparental mtDNA inheritance system in bivalves, with its three-way interactions among egg mt-, sperm mt- and nucleus-encoded gene products, is tightly associated with the maintenance of separate male and female sexes (dioecy) in freshwater mussels. Specifically, this mother-through-daughter and father-through-son mtDNA inheritance system, containing highly differentiated mt genomes, is found in all dioecious freshwater mussel species. Conversely, all hermaphroditic species lack the paternally transmitted mtDNA (=possess SMI) and have heterogeneous macromutations in the recently discovered, novel protein-coding gene (F-orf) in their maternally transmitted mt genomes. Using immunoelectron microscopy, we have localized the F-open reading frame (ORF) protein, likely involved in specifying separate sexes, in mitochondria and in the nucleus. Our results support the hypothesis that proteins coded by the highly divergent maternally and paternally transmitted mt genomes could be directly involved in sex determination in freshwater mussels. Concomitantly, our study demonstrates novel features for animal mt genomes: the existence of additional, lineage-specific, mtDNA-encoded proteins with functional significance and the involvement of mtDNA-encoded proteins in extra-mt functions. Our results open new avenues for the identification, characterization, and functional analyses of ORFs in the intergenic regions, previously defined as "noncoding," found in a large proportion of animal mt genomes.

Pyganodon (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae) phylogenetics: a male- and female-transmitted mitochondrial DNA perspective.

Species boundaries, evolutionary relationships and geographic distributions of many unionoid bivalve species, like those in the genus Pyganodon, remain unresolved in Eastern North America. Because unionoid bivalves are one of the most imperiled groups of animals in the world, understanding the genetic variation within and among populations as well as among species is crucial for effective conservation planning. Conservation of unionoid species is indispensable from a freshwater habitat perspective but also because they possess a unique mitochondrial inheritance system where distinct gender-associated mitochondrial DNA lineages coexist: a female-transmitted (F) mt genome and a male-transmitted (M) mt genome that are involved in the maintenance of separate sexes (=dioecy). In this study, 42 populations of Pyganodon sp. were sampled across a large geographical range and fragments of two mitochondrial genes (cox1 and cox2) were sequenced from both the M- and F-transmitted mtDNA genomes. Our results support the recency of the divergence between P. cataracta and P. fragilis. We also found two relatively divergent F and M lineages within P. grandis. Surprisingly, the relationships among the P. grandis specimens in the F and M sequence trees are not congruent. We found that a single haplotype in P. lacustris has recently swept throughout the M genotype space leading to an unexpectedly low diversity in the M lineage in that species. Our survey put forward some challenging results that force us to rethink hybridization and species boundaries in the genus Pyganodon. As the M and F genomes do not always display the same phylogeographic story in each species, we also discuss the importance of being careful in the interpretation of molecular data based solely on maternal transmitted mtDNA genomes. The involvement of F and M genomes in unionoid bivalve sex determination likely played a role in the genesis of the unorthodox phylogeographic patterns reported herein.

A new genus Anamalysia van Achterberg (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), six new species, and two new combinations from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A new genus of the tribe Alysiini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) is described with specimens from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and six new species are described: Anamalysiaidiastimorpha sp. nov. (type species), A.knekosoma sp. nov., A.mellipes sp. nov., A.transversator sp. nov., A.vandervechti sp. nov., and A.vanhengstumi sp. nov.. We transfer one species from Coelalysia to Anamalysia: A.urbana (Papp, 1967) comb. nov. from Singapore and one species from Alysiasta to Anamalysia: A.triangulum (Fischer, 2006) comb. nov. from Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam. A key to the genus of Anamalysia is included.

Potential for urban agriculture to support accessible and impactful undergraduate biology education.

Active learning in STEM education is essential for engaging the diverse pool of scholars needed to address pressing environmental and social challenges. However, active learning formats are difficult to scale and their incorporation into STEM teaching at U.S. universities varies widely. Here, we argue that urban agriculture as a theme can significantly increase active learning in undergraduate biology education by facilitating outdoor fieldwork and community-engaged education. We begin by reviewing benefits of field courses and community engagement activities for undergraduate biology and discuss constraints to their broader implementation. We then describe how urban agriculture can connect biology concepts to pressing global changes, provide field research opportunities, and connect students to communities. Next, we assess the extent to which urban agriculture and related themes have already been incorporated into biology-related programs in the United States using a review of major programs, reports on how campus gardens are used, and case studies from five higher education institutions (HEIs) engaging with this issue. We found that while field experiences are fairly common in major biology programs, community engagement opportunities are rare, and urban agriculture is almost nonexistent in course descriptions. We also found that many U.S. HEIs have campus gardens, but evidence suggests that they are rarely used in biology courses. Finally, case studies of five HEIs highlight innovative programming but also significant opportunities for further implementation. Together, our results suggest that urban agriculture is rarely incorporated into undergraduate biology in the United States, but there are significant prospects for doing so. We end with recommendations for integrating urban agriculture into undergraduate biology, including the development of campus gardens, research programs, community engagement partnerships, and collaborative networks. If done with care, this integration could help students make community contributions within required coursework, and help instructors feel a greater sense of accomplishment in an era of uncertainty.

Phaenospila gen. nov. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) and three new species from Thailand.

A new braconid genus belonging to the tribe Alysiini. Phaenospila van Achterberg & Yao, gen. nov. (type species: Phaenospila signator Yao, sp. nov.), is described. The genus is identified with morphological characters and a phylogenetic analysis of COI sequence data; GenBank accession numbers of fifty generated sequences from the three species are included. Three new species are described and illustrated, Phaenospila brevicarinata van Achterberg & Yao sp. nov., Phaenospila areolator Yao & van Achterberg sp. nov., Phaenospila signator Yao sp. nov. A key to the species of the genus Phaenospila is included.

Alternative prey mediate intraguild predation in the open field.

BACKGROUND: Generalist predators that kill and eat other natural enemies can weaken biological control. However, pest suppression can be disrupted even if actual intraguild predation is infrequent, if predators reduce their foraging to lower their risk of being killed. In turn, predator-predator interference might be frequent when few other prey are available, but less common when herbivorous and detritus-feeding prey are plentiful. We used molecular gut-content analysis to track consumption of the predatory bug Geocoris sp. by the larger intraguild predator Nabis sp., in organic and conventional potato (Solanum tuberosum) fields. RESULTS: We found that higher densities of both aphids and thrips, two common herbivores, correlated with higher probability of detecting intraguild predation. Perhaps, Nabis foraging for these herbivores also encountered and ate more Geocoris. Surprisingly, likelihood of intraguild predation was not strongly linked to densities of either Nabis or Geocoris, or farming system, suggesting a greater importance for prey than predator community structure. Intriguingly, we found evidence that Geocoris fed more often on the detritus-feeding fly Scaptomyza pallida with increasing predator evenness. This would be consistent with Geocoris shifting to greater foraging on the ground, where S. pallida would be relatively abundant, in the face of greater risk of intraguild predation. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings suggest that while herbivorous prey may heighten intraguild predation of Geocoris in the foliage, detritivores might support a shift to safer foraging on the ground. This provides further evidence that prey abundance and diversity can act to either heighten or relax predator-predator interference, depending on prey species identity and predator behavior. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Alternative prey and farming system mediate predation of Colorado potato beetles by generalists.

BACKGROUND: Biological control by generalist predators can be mediated by the abundance and biodiversity of alternative prey. When alternative prey draw predator attacks away from the control target, they can weaken pest suppression. In other cases, a diverse prey base can promote predator abundance and biodiversity, reduce predator-predator interference, and benefit biocontrol. Here, we used molecular gut-content analysis to assess how community composition altered predation of Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) by Nabis sp. and Geocoris sp. Predators were collected from organic or conventional potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) fields, encouraging differences in arthropod community composition. RESULTS: In organic fields, Nabis predation of potato beetles decreased with increasing arthropod richness and predator abundance. This is consistent with Nabis predators switching to other prey species when available and with growing predator-predator interference. In conventional fields these patterns were reversed, however, with potato beetle predation by Nabis increasing with greater arthropod richness and predator abundance. For Geocoris, Colorado potato beetle predation was more frequent in organic than in conventional fields. However, Geocoris predation of beetles was less frequent in fields with higher abundance of the detritus-feeding fly Scaptomyza pallida Zetterstedt, or of all arthropods, consistent with predators choosing other prey when available. CONCLUSION: Alternative prey generally dampened predation of potato beetles, suggesting these pests were less-preferred prey. Nabis and Geocoris differed in which alternative prey were most disruptive to feeding on potato beetles, and in the effects of farm management on predation, consistent with the two predator species occupying complementary feeding niches. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tuning the Adsorption Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Coadsorbed Ammonia.

In this work, we report a novel strategy to increase the gas adsorption selectivity of metal organic framework materials by coadsorbing another molecular species. Specifically, we find that addition of tightly bound NH3 molecules in the well-known metal-organic framework MOF-74 dramatically alters its adsorption behavior of C2H2 and C2H4. Combining in situ infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations, we find that-as a result of coadsorbed NH3 molecules attaching to the open metal sites-C2H2 binds more strongly and diffuses much faster than C2H4, occupying the available space adjacent to metal-bound NH3 molecules. Most remarkably, C2H4 is now almost completely excluded from entering the MOF once C2H2 has been loaded. This finding dispels the widespread belief that strongly coadsorbed species in nanoporous materials always undermine their performance in adsorbing or separating weakly bound target molecules. Furthermore, it suggests a new route to tune the adsorption behavior of MOF materials through harnessing the interactions among coadsorbed guests.