Robert J. Barney

Fungal species composition and abundance on stored corn as influenced by several management practices and maize weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of several management tactics and Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (maize weevil) on fungal species composition and abundance on stored corn (maize). The most abundant fungi isolated from Pioneer hybrids 3378 and 3320 were Fusarium sp., Penicillium spp., Rhizopus sp., Aspergillus glaucus and A. flavus. High temperature (36 °C) inhibited the growth of Fusarium sp., Penicillium spp., Rhizopus sp. and A. flavus, while the growth of A. glaucus increased. Low initial kernel moisture content (9.7%) appeared to inhibit the growth of some fungi (Fusarium sp. and A. glaucus) while the growth of others (Penicillium spp. and A. flavus) increased. Surface disinfection with bleach reduced populations of Penicillium, Rhizopus, A. glaucus and A. flavus, while permitting an increase of Fusarium. Biotic factors also exert considerable control over fungal populations. Hybrid selection affected all major species except Fusarium. The mere introduction of maize weevils, even when killed within 24 h by malathion, increased the abundance of Penicillium spp. and A. glaucus.

Annotated List of the Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Kentucky: Subfamily Cassidinae

Abstract An examination of leaf beetle specimens (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the largest beetle collections in Kentucky, recent inventory work in state nature preserves and other protected areas, and a review of the literature revealed 59 species of Cryptocephalinae present in Kentucky, 27 of which were previously unreported for the state. Distribution maps and label data are presented for the 59 Kentucky species, including spatial (state and Kentucky county records), temporal (years and months of collection in Kentucky), and plant association information. The following species are reported from Kentucky for the first time: Griburius scutellaris (F.), Pachybrachis bivittatus (Say), Pachybrachis confusus Bowditch, Pachybrachis diversus Fall, Pachybrachis hepaticus hepaticus (F. E. Melsheimer), Pachybrachis luridus (F.), Pachybrachis morosus Haldeman, Pachybrachis obsoletus Suffrian, Pachybrachis othonus othonus (Say), Pachybrachis peccans Suffrian, Pachybrachis pectoralis (F. E. Melsheimer), Pachybrachis praeclarus Weise, Pachybrachis spumarius Suffrian, Pachybrachis trinotatus (F. E. Melsheimer), Pachybrachis viduatus (F.), Bassareus lituratus (F.), Cryptocephalus calidus Suffrian, Cryptocephalus fulguratus J. L. LeConte, Cryptocephalus gibbicollis decrescens R. White, Cryptocephalus mutabilis F. E. Melsheimer, Cryptocephalus notatus F., Cryptocephalus striatulus J. L. LeConte, Diachus catarius (Suffrian), Diachus chlorizans (Suffrian), Triachus atomus (Suffrian), Coleopthorpa dominicana franciscana (J. L. LeConte), and Neochlamisus gibbosus (F.).

Does fungal endophyte infection improve tall fescue's growth response to fire and water limitation?

Invasive species may owe some of their success in competing and co-existing with native species to microbial symbioses they are capable of forming. Tall fescue is a cool-season, non-native, invasive grass capable of co-existing with native warm-season grasses in North American grasslands that frequently experience fire, drought, and cold winters, conditions to which the native species should be better-adapted than tall fescue. We hypothesized that tall fescue’s ability to form a symbiosis with Neotyphodium coenophialum, an aboveground fungal endophyte, may enhance its environmental stress tolerance and persistence in these environments. We used a greenhouse experiment to examine the effects of endophyte infection (E+ vs. E−), prescribed fire (1 burn vs. 2 burn vs. unburned control), and watering regime (dry vs. wet) on tall fescue growth. We assessed treatment effects for growth rates and the following response variables: total tiller length, number of tillers recruited during the experiment, number of reproductive tillers, tiller biomass, root biomass, and total biomass. Water regime significantly affected all response variables, with less growth and lower growth rates observed under the dry water regime compared to the wet. The burn treatments significantly affected total tiller length, number of reproductive tillers, total tiller biomass, and total biomass, but treatment differences were not consistent across parameters. Overall, fire seemed to enhance growth. Endophyte status significantly affected total tiller length and tiller biomass, but the effect was opposite what we predicted (E−>E+). The results from our experiment indicated that tall fescue was relatively tolerant of fire, even when combined with dry conditions, and that the fungal endophyte symbiosis was not important in governing this ecological ability. The persistence of tall fescue in native grassland ecosystems may be linked to other endophyte-conferred abilities not measured here (e.g., herbivory release) or may not be related to this plant-microbial symbiosis.

Annotated List of the Subfamilies Donaciinae and Criocerinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

ABSTRACT An examination of leaf beetle specimens (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the five largest beetle collections in Kentucky, recent inventory work in state nature preserves, and a review of the literature revealed four species of the subfamily Donaciinae and eleven species of Criocerinae present in Kentucky, six of which are new state records. Distribution maps and label data are presented for fifteen Kentucky species of the subfamilies Donaciinae and Criocerinae, including spatial (state and Kentucky county records), temporal (years and months of collection in Kentucky), and plant association information. The following species are reported from Kentucky for the first time: Donacia limonia Schaeffer, Crioceris duodecimpunctata (Linnaeus), Neolema cordata White, N. ovalis White, Oulema collaris (Say), and O. sayi (Crotch).

Quality of stored corn (maize) as influenced by Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. and several management practices

Abstract The impact of several simulated management practices (malathion treatment, temperature, moisture content, hybrid, and surface disinfection) for Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. on the quality (biochemical composition) and germination of corn (maize) was studied. Quality was evaluated on the basis of protein, ash, lipid, and total nonstructural carbohydrates content, weight loss, and germination. When the abiotio conditions were favorable for S. zeamais oviposition, larval development, and progeny emergence, the ash, lipid, and protein content of the kernels was increased, as was kernel weight loss. Germination and dry matter were significantly decreased when progeny were present. The differences in nutritional parameters observed here were generally very small, although highly statistically significant. It is not clear whether these differences are biologically significant, although we feel that they indicate meaningful changes that may occur in corn nutrition and quality following infestation by S. zeamais for several generations.

New Host Plant Records for Selected Cryptocephaline Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Kentucky

ABSTRACT Host plant data is provided for 23 species of cryptocephaline leaf beetles in Kentucky. The degree of beetle - plant association is quantified from field observations to laboratory feeding, mating and oviposition. New beetle - plant associations are reported at the following levels: 16 at the plant species level, eight at the plant genus level, and six at the plant family level. The most cryptocephaline species - plant family associations were with Fabaceae, Salicaceae, Anacardiaceae, Clusiaceae, and Fagaceae.

Pachybrachis nigricornis carbonarius Haldeman (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Abundance, Distribution, and Host Plant Associations with Legumes (Fabales: Fabaceae) in Kentucky

Abstract Pachybrachis Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a very large and complex genus of small leaf beetles with >150 species in the United States. Pachybrachis nigricornis carbonarius Haldeman is an entirely (or nearly entirely) black subspecies that is relatively common in Kentucky. Abundance and distribution records for 288 specimens collected in Kentucky are presented. Adults were found feeding on two species of legumes (Fabales: Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) over 230 km apart in Kentucky: on Desmodium paniculatum L. DC in Henry County and on Lespedeza virginica (L.) Britton in Logan County. No-choice feeding trials using female beetles and six species of legumes revealed significant leaf disk consumption after 50 hrs on all plant species. Females with narrow lateral yellow markings on the elytra were significantly larger in body size than all-black females and consumed more leaf area. The yellow-margined females appear to represent a transitional form between two previously recognized subspecies, suggesting that the current subspecies taxonomy for P. nigricornis (Say) needs re-evaluation.

Annotated List of the Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Kentucky: Subfamily Galerucinae, Tribe Alticini

Abstract An examination of leaf beetle specimens (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the largest beetle collections in Kentucky, recent inventory work in state nature preserves and other protected areas, and a review of the literature revealed eighty-four species of the tribe Alticini (Subfamily Galerucinae) present in Kentucky, forty-five of which are unreported previously for the state. Distribution maps and label data are presented for the eighty-four Kentucky species including spatial (state and Kentucky county records), temporal (years and months of collection in Kentucky), and plant association information. The following species are reported from Kentucky for the first time: Blepharida rhois (Forster), Luperaltica senilis (Say), Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), Ceraltica insolita (Melsheimer), Glyptina brunnea Horn, Glyptina cyanipennis (Crotch), Glyptina spuria LeConte, Longitarsus acutipennis Blatchley, Longitarsus arenaceus Blatchley, Longitarsus melanurus (Melsheimer), Longitarsus pratensis (Panzer), Longitarsus testaceus (Melsheimer), Systena frontalis (F.), Systena hudsonias (Forster), Altica chalybea Illiger, Altica knabii Blatchley, Altica litigata Fall, Orthaltica copalina (F.), Orthaltica melina Horn, Epitrix humeralis Dury, Margaridisa atriventris (Melsheimer), Mantura floridana Crotch, Chaetocnema fuscata R. White, Chaetocnema quadricollis Schwarz, Disonycha admirabila Blatchley, Disonycha alternata (Illiger), Disonycha arizonae Casey, Disonycha caroliniana (F.), Disonycha fumata fumata (LeConte), Disonycha leptolineata Blatchley, Lupraea picta (Say), Parchicola iris (Olivier), Parchicola tibialis (Olivier), Capraita circumdata (Randall), Capraita scalaris (Melsheimer), Capraita sexmaculata (Illiger), Capraita subvittata (Horn), Kuschelina fimbriata (Forster), Kuschelina gibbitarsa (Say), Kuschelina miniata (F.), Kuschelina perplexa (Blake), Kuschelina suturella (Say), Dibolia sinuata Horn, Pseudodibolia opima (LeConte), and Psylliodes punctulatus Melsheimer.

Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Biodiversity within Isolated Remnant Grasslands in Kentucky State Nature Preserves

Abstract Leaf beetle collection data from five Kentucky State Nature Preserves are summarized over a four-year period (2005 to 2008) encompassing a total of 57 collection events. Our primary objective was to survey leaf beetle populations found within the five preserves. We also wanted to assess impacts of prescribed fire management within these habitats on leaf beetles. We used means ANOVA procedures, species richness estimators, NMS ordinations, and contingency tables analyses. There were clear differences between the five preserves, with Raymond Athey State Nature Preserve (Logan Co.) being the most diverse (87 species) and having the greatest number of rare species (30). Ordination analyses revealed very minimal impacts of prescribed burns on leaf beetle composition in the four preserves where it is used as a management practice. Overall, leaf beetle composition appeared linked with Nature Preserves sampling/management units across years, overriding any year to year differences due to weather or other influences. The only significant year to year difference within a preserve occurred at Blue Licks State Park Nature Preserve, which had a lower number of beetles in 2007, possibly due to drought that summer. In total, we found 143 species, with 9 species unique to only one preserve (four of the five preserves contained unique species). These results demonstrate the importance of protected areas such as state nature preserves as refugia not only for known threatened or endangered plants and animals, but also for associated biota in little-studied groups, such as leaf beetles.

A quantitative method for assigning abundance classifications to leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Kentucky.

ABSTRACT: Little is known about the distribution and relative abundance of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) within the United States. However, recent extensive collecting efforts within Kentucky, as well as the compilation and digitization of label data from seven museum collections, have resulted in distribution data for 11,079 beetles collected between 1884 and 2007. We used an integrated approach to assign abundance classifications of rare, local, infrequent, frequent, and abundant to the 253 known leaf beetle species recorded, incorporating both specimen data and our knowledge of the dataset. We initially selected a recently collected subset of 149 species, which were assigned preliminary subjective classifications. Possible index calculations were applied to all 253 species, and the calculation whose order was most aligned with the subjective classifications was chosen. Cutoffs between categories (e.g., abundant to frequent) were identified using subjective classifications as well as natural breaks in data or index values. Final classifications resulted in 132 rare, 38 local, 44 infrequent, 20 frequent, and 19 abundant species. These categories were 81.9% consistent with those given an initial subjective classification. In order to assess the ability of our abundance classifications to differentiate habitat types and quality, we used contingency analysis to compare leaf beetle species composition from two habitats (a native grassland nature preserve and a research farm). Species composition between these two habitats was significantly different (Pearsons &khgr;2=11.4, P = 0.023). Our results indicate that quantitative data can be used to establish consistent abundance classifications, which can then be used to compare species composition of different habitats or communities.