The Influence of Solar Power Plants on Microclimatic Conditions and the Biotic Community in Chilean Desert Environments.

The renewable energy sector is growing at a rapid pace in northern Chile and the solar energy potential is one of the best worldwide. Therefore, many types of solar power plant facilities are being built to take advantage of this renewable energy resource. Solar energy is considered a clean source of energy, but there are potential environmental effects of solar technology, such as landscape fragmentation, extinction of local biota, microclimate changes, among others. To be able to minimize environmental impacts of solar power plants, it is important to know what kind of environmental conditions solar power plants create. This study provides information about abiotic and biotic conditions in the vicinity of photovoltaic solar power plants. Herein, the influence of these power plants as drivers of new microclimate conditions and arthropods diversity composition in the Atacama Desert was evaluated. Microclimatic conditions between panel mounts was found to be more extreme than in the surrounding desert yet beneath the panels temperature is lower and relative humidity higher than outside the panel area. Arthropod species composition was altered in fixed-mount panel installations. In contrast, solar tracking technology showed less influence on microclimate and species composition between Sun and Shade in the power plant. Shady conditions provided a refuge for arthropod species in both installation types. For example, Dipterans were more abundant in the shade whereas Solifugaes were seldom present in the shade. The presented findings have relevance for the sustainable planning and construction of solar power plants.

Definition of the Bradysia luctifica group (Diptera, Sciaridae), with the description of five new species.

The Bradysia luctifica group is characterized for a number of species with an Oriental-Australasian distribution. The group includes the following species: Bradysia abrupta sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang, Selangor), B. calicula sp. n. (Malaysia: Sabah), B. conflexa sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang), B. fornicata sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang), B. luctifica (Skuse, 1888) (Australia: South Australia, Indonesia: Ceram, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea), B. robusta Mohrig, 2015 (Papua New Guinea) and B. torosa sp. n. (Papua New Guinea: Bismarck Archipelago). The species are keyed and the new species are described and illustrated.

New and poorly known Holarctic species of Boletina Staeger, 1840 (Diptera, Mycetophilidae).

BACKGROUND: The genus Boletina is a species rich group of fungus gnats. Members of the genus are mainly known from temperate, boreal and arctic biomes. Phylogeny of the genus is still poorly resolved, dozens of species are insufficiently described and undescribed species are often discovered, especially from samples taken from the boreal zone. NEW INFORMATION: Four new species are described. Boletina valteri Salmela sp.n. (Finland), Boletina kullervoi Salmela sp.n. (Finland), B. hyperborea Salmela sp.n. (Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada) and B. nuortti Salmela sp.n. (Finland). Boletina arctica Holmgren is redescribed and reported for the first time from the Canadian high arctic zone. Boletina borealis Zetterstedt and B. birulai Lundström are reported for the first time from Canada. Boletina subnitidula Sasakawa (syn. n.) is proposed as a junior synonym of B. pallidula Edwards.

A new Neoplatyura Malloch from Finland (Diptera, Keroplatidae).

The genus Neoplatyura Malloch is globally represented by 50 species, of which four are European species. In this article a new European Neoplatyura from Finland is described. The new species, Neoplatyuranoorae Salmela, sp. n. is a dark brown species with tibial bristles arranged in rows. The new species is here reported from seven localities in Finnish Lapland. Based on available data, the new species occurs in mires, especially in calcareous rich fens.