Plant interactions shape pollination networks via nonadditive effects.

Plants grow in communities where they interact with other plants and with other living organisms such as pollinators. On the one hand, studies of plant-plant interactions rarely consider how plants interact with other trophic levels such as pollinators. On the other, studies of plant-animal interactions rarely deal with interactions within trophic levels such as plant-plant competition and facilitation. Thus, to what degree plant interactions affect biodiversity and ecological networks across trophic levels is poorly understood. We manipulated plant communities driven by foundation species facilitation and sampled plant-pollinator networks at fine spatial scale in a field experiment in Sierra Nevada, Spain. We found that plant-plant facilitation shaped pollinator diversity and structured pollination networks. Nonadditive effects of plant interactions on pollinator diversity and interaction diversity were synergistic in one foundation species networks while they were additive in another foundation species. Nonadditive effects of plant interactions were due to rewiring of pollination interactions. In addition, plant facilitation had negative effects on the structure of pollination networks likely due to increase in plant competition for pollination. Our results empirically demonstrate how different network types are coupled, revealing pervasive consequences of interaction chains in diverse communities.

Charmon ramagei sp. nov., a new Charmontinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Reunion, with a synopsis of world species.

Charmon ramagei sp. nov. is described from Reunion. The small subfamily Charmontinae now comprises nine extant and one fossil species. This new species is readily distinguishable from other Charmon spp. due to the presence of a Y-shaped mid-longitudinal propodeal carina. The key to the world species of the subfamily is updated, and a synoptic table provided to compare their critical morphological features.

Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Reunion Island: a catalogue of the local species, including 18 new taxa and a key to species.

Microgastrine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are primary parasitoids of Lepidoptera. Some of them parasitise major economic pests and have been largely used for biocontrol programs. We revise here the fauna of Reunion Island: 34 species were recorded, belonging to 13 genera. One genus and 18 species are newly described: Dodogaster gen. nov, Apanteles minatchy sp. nov., A. pashmina sp. nov., A. romei sp. nov., Cotesia xavieri sp. nov., Dolichogenidea ashoka sp. nov., D. broadi sp. nov., D. lumba sp. nov., D. uru sp. nov., D. villemantae sp. nov., Distatrix yunae sp. nov., Dodogaster grangeri sp. nov., Exoryza safranum sp. nov., Glyptapanteles chidra sp. nov., Nyereria ganges sp. nov., N. mayurus sp. nov., Parapanteles covino sp. nov., P. darignac sp. nov. and Wilkinsonellus narangahus sp. nov.. On the remaining 16 species, 12 are new distribution records. Finally, Glyptapanteles antsirabensis (Granger) comb. nov., G. ficus (Granger) comb. nov., G. subandinus (Blanchard) comb. nov., and Venanides curticornis (Granger) comb. nov. are reassigned from the traditionally defined Apanteles genus to these respective genera. A key to all genera and species is provided.

Revision of the Afrotropical Lycorininae (Ichneumonidae; Hymenoptera) with description of a new species from South Africa.

We revise the Afrotropical Lycorininae and describe Lycorina yui Rousse & van Noort sp. nov. from South Africa. An illustrated key to Lycorininae species of the Afrotropical region is provided. Lycorina continentalis (Benoit, 1953) is considered a junior synonym of Lycorinafici Seyrig, 1932, and is newly reported from Uganda and South Africa. Online dichotomous and interactive Lucid keys are available at http://www.waspweb.org.

An experimental approach to assessing the impact of ecosystem engineers on biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Plants acting as ecosystem engineers create habitats and facilitate biodiversity maintenance within plant communities. Furthermore, biodiversity research has demonstrated that plant diversity enhances the productivity and functioning of ecosystems. However, these two fields of research developed in parallel and independent from one another, with the consequence that little is known about the role of ecosystem engineers in the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across trophic levels. Here, we present an experimental framework to study this relationship. We combine facilitation by plants acting as ecosystem engineers with plant-insect interaction analysis and variance partitioning of biodiversity effects. We present a case-study experiment in which facilitation by a cushion-plant species and a dwarf-shrub species as ecosystem engineers increases positive effects of plant functional diversity (ecosystem engineers and associated plants) on ecosystem functioning (flower visitation rate). The experiment, conducted in the field during a single alpine flowering season, included the following treatments: (1) removal of plant species associated with ecosystem engineers, (2) exclusion (covering) of ecosystem engineer flowers, and (3) control, i.e., natural patches of ecosystem engineers and associated plant species. We found both positive and negative associational effects between plants depending on ecosystem engineer identity, indicating both pollination facilitation and interference. In both cases, patches supported by ecosystem engineers increased phylogenetic and functional diversity of flower visitors. Furthermore, complementarity effects between engineers and associated plants were positive for flower visitation rates. Our study reveals that plant facilitation can enhance the strength of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with complementarity between plants for attracting more and diverse flower visitors being the likely driver. A potential mechanism is that synergy and complementarity between engineers and associated plants increase attractiveness for shared visitors and widen pollination niches. In synthesis, facilitation among plants can scale up to a full network, supporting ecosystem functioning both directly via microhabitat amelioration and indirectly via diversity effects.

A new species of Pristomerus Curtis, 1836 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cremastinae) and key to the known species in Iran.

Pristomerus mirzakhaniae Zardouei Rakhshani sp. nov., (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cremastinae) is described based on a specimen discovered in the Eastern part of Iran. A key to the known species of the genus Pristomerus Curtis, 1836 in Iran and a distribution map of the Iranian species based on published data are provided.

Review of the genus Genaemirum Heinrich (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ichneumoninae) with interactive identification keys to species.

We describe Genaemirum phagocossorum Rousse, Broad & van Noort, sp. n., a new ichneumonine parasitoid wasp reared from Eucalyptus nitens logs infested by the cossid moth Coryphodema tristis, which is considered a major pest of forestry and food crops in South Africa. This is the first plausible host association for the genus, and fits with the host association predictions of Heinrich. Two further undescribed species were found in the collections of the Natural History Museum in London and are described as Genaemirum phacochoerus Broad, Rousse & van Noort, sp. n. and Genaemirum fumosum Broad, Rousse & van Noort, sp. n. An identification key to the eight known species and a diagnosis for each species are provided, including photographs of all the primary type specimens. Online Lucid interactive identification keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org.

Afrotropical Ophioninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae): an update of Gauld and Mitchell's revision, including two new species and an interactive matrix identification key.

The revision of the Afrotropical Ophioninae is updated, based on the examination of about 800-900 individuals in the South African and European museum collections. A robust interactive matrix key was built to provide quick and reliable identifications. The key is available online at http://www.waspweb.org. Two new species are described: Dicamptusmaxipol sp. n. and Enicospilusgauldetmitchellorum sp. n. Numerous new distribution and biological records are provided, and noticeable morphological intra-specific variations are detailed. Enicospilusbatus Gauld & Mitchell, syn. n. is considered as a junior synonym of Enicospilusluebberti (Enderlein).

Revision of the Afrotropical Phaeogenini (Ichneumonidae, Ichneumoninae), with description of a new genus and twelve new species.

We revise the 10 genera and 23 species of the tribe Phaeogenini (Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae) known to occur in the Afrotropical region. We describe the following 13 new taxa: Kibalus Rousse, van Noort & Diller, gen. n.; K. toro Rousse, van Noort & Diller, sp. n.; K. mubfs Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Arearia oxymoron Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Chauvinia nyanga Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Dicaelotus asantesana Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; D. hoerikwaggoensis Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; D. tablemountainensis Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Heterischnus mfongosi Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; H. mkomazi Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Lusius flummox Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; Tycherus amatola Rousse & van Noort, sp. n.; and T. nardousberg Rousse & van Noort, sp. n. New distribution records: Heterischnus africanus (Heinrich, 1936) from South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda; H. krausi Schönitzer, 1999 from Rwanda; Lusius tenuissimus (Heinrich, 1938) from Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. A doubtful record of Aethecerus foveolatus Gregor, 1940 from Sao Tome is additionaly reported in the appendix. We provide illustrated diagnoses and identification notes. Online interactive dichotomous and matrix Lucid keys to genera and species are available at http://www.waspweb.org.

Location of Host and Host Habitat by Fruit Fly Parasitoids.

Augmentative releases of parasitoids may be a useful tool for the area-wide management of tephritid pests. The latter are parasitized by many wasp species, though only a few of them are relevant for augmentative biocontrol purposes. To date, nearly all the actual or potential biocontrol agents for such programs are egg or larval Opiinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Here, we review the literature published on their habitat and host location behavior, as well as the factors that modulate this behavior, which is assumed to be sequential; parasitoids forage first for the host habitat and then for the host itself. Parasitoids rely on chemical, visual, and mechanical stimuli, often strongly related to their ecology. Behavioral modulation factors include biotic and abiotic factors including learning, climatic conditions and physiological state of the insect. Finally, conclusions and perspectives for future research are briefly highlighted. A detailed knowledge of this behavior may be very useful for selecting the release sites for both inundative/augmentative releases of mass-reared parasitoids and inoculative releases for classical biocontrol.