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Abstract: Ectomycorrhizal symbionts of silver fir have been in Slovenia rarely analyzed and identified, thereby little is known about their diversity and distribution across Slovenia. The aim of this study was to identify ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts of silver fir in silver fir natural distribution area in Slovenia. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified based on morphological and anatomical descriptions and by ITS DNA barcoding. Altogether we identified 86 different ectomycorrhizal symbionts of silver fir, many of them were in symbiosis with silver fir, in our study identified for the first-time. The most abundant ECM fungal taxa were assigned to Russula, Tomentella and Lactarius genus. 
Keywords: silver fir, ectomycorrhizal symbionts, ITS barcoding, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 09.01.2026; Views: 352; Downloads: 138
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Abstract: The trans-Palearctic moth Phyllonorycter populifoliella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is a major pest of the North American Populus balsamifera and its hybrids widely planted as ornamentals in North Asia (i.e., the Asian part of Russia). We DNA barcoded Ph. populifoliella from distant geographical populations in Russia and analyzed them together with the data from eight European countries and India to estimate intraspecific variability and the haplotype richness in the Palearctic, and specifically in North Asia. Furthermore, using next-generation sequencing (NGS, Sequel platform, PacBio), we investigated larval and pupal remnants found in an old herbarium from the Nearctic, where P. balsamifera occurs naturally, to verify if any events of the moth introduction to this biogeographic zone happened in the past. Relatively high intraspecific variability in the COI gene of mtDNA, reaching 3.73%, was recorded in Ph. populifoliella. Overall, 30 COI haplotypes were defined in 83 specimens from the Palearctic, with a noticeable richness in North Asia (21 haplotypes). Using NGS, the remnants of 14 Phyllonorycter specimens dissected from up to 174-year-old herbaria from the Palearctic and Nearctic were sequenced, and four moth species were identified. Among them, there were three Palearctic species, Ph. populifoliella, Ph. pastorella (Zeller), and Ph. apparella (Herrich-Schäffer), and one Nearctic, Ph. nipigon (Freeman). No evidence of Ph. populifoliella introduction to North America was documented based on the examination of the herbarium dated 1850–1974. Three specimens of Ph. populifoliella identified from herbaria from Austria and Poland (dated 1879–1931) represented one haplotype (H7) known from the recent time. Overall, our study clarifies the modern range, provides insights into phylogeography, and defines the haplotype richness of the native leafminer outbreaking on the alien host. Furthermore, it underlines the use of old herbaria to explore the historical distribution of endophagous insect species.
Keywords: leafmining moth, alien host plant, DNA barcoding, NGS, intraspecific genetic variability, haplotypes, old herbaria, Asian part of Russia, Palearctic, Nearctic
Published in DiRROS: 18.02.2025; Views: 771; Downloads: 504
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Abstract: The Siberian moth, Dendrolimus sibiricus Tschetv., 1908 (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a conifer pest that causes unprecedented forest mortality in Northern Asia, leading to enormous ecological and economic losses. This is the first study summarizing data on the parasitoid diversity and parasitism of this pest over the last 118 years (1905–2022). Based on 860 specimens of freshly reared and archival parasitoids, 16 species from two orders (Hymenoptera and Diptera) were identified morphologically and/or with the use of DNA barcoding. For all of them, data on distribution and hosts and images of parasitoid adults are provided. Among them, the braconid species, Meteorus versicolor (Wesmael, 1835), was documented as a parasitoid of D. sibiricus for the first time. The eastern Palaearctic form, Aleiodes esenbeckii (Hartig, 1838) dendrolimi (Matsumura, 1926), status nov., was resurrected from synonymy as a valid subspecies, and a key for its differentiation from the western Palaearctic subspecies Aleiodes esenbeckii ssp. esenbecki is provided. DNA barcodes of 11 parasitoid species from Siberia, i.e., nine hymenopterans and two dipterans, represented novel records and can be used for accurate molecular genetic identification of species. An exhaustive checklist of parasitoids accounting for 93 species associated with D. sibirisus in northern Asia was compiled. Finally, the literature and original data on parasitism in D. sibiricus populations for the last 83 years (1940–2022) were analysed taking into account the pest population dynamics (i.e., growth, outbreak, decline, and depression phases). A gradual time-lagged increase in egg and pupal parasitism in D. sibiricus populations was detected, with a peak in the pest decline phase. According to long-term observations, the following species are able to cause significant mortality of D. sibiricus in Northern Asia: the hymenopteran egg parasitoids Telenomus tetratomus and Ooencyrtus pinicolus; the larval parasitoids Aleiodes esenbeckii sp. dendrolimi, Cotesia spp., and Glyptapanteles liparidis; and the dipteran pupal parasitoids Masicera sphingivora, Tachina sp., and Blepharipa sp. Their potential should be further explored in order to develop biocontrol programs for this important forest pest.
Keywords: Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lasiocampidae, Siberia, Asia, archival specimens, morphological identification, DNA barcoding, check list, parasitism
Published in DiRROS: 17.01.2025; Views: 813; Downloads: 529
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Abstract: Arboreta serve as effective tools for identifying alien insect pests and novel trophic associations. In this study, we used an arboretum in Slovenia to survey woody plants and identify both alien and native leaf miners. The leaves and twigs of 50 woody plant species and their cultivars were examined for characteristic damage. We used an integrative approach that combined identification based on leaf mines and DNA barcoding of the larvae and pupae found in the mines. In total, 62 leaf-mining species were identified, including eight alien species, of which the heliozelid Coptodisca lucifluella (Clemens, 1860) and the agromyzid Cerodontha unisetiorbita Zlobin, 1992 were documented for Slovenia for the first time. Additionally, three presumably native Gracillariidae moths Phyllocnistis labyrinthella (Bjerkander, 1790), P. ramulicola Langmaid & Corley, 2007 and P. saligna (Zeller, 1839) represented the first record for Slovenia. Furthermore, we documented 23 novel-to-science trophic associations, 20 of which involved native insects and alien woody plants, primarily from Asia. This study highlights the importance of arboreta and botanical gardens for the interception of invasive alien insects and the early detection of trophic shifts of native insects to alien plants, which can aid in predicting their potential spread.
Keywords: botanical garden, sentinels, leaf miners, alien species, non-native trees, novel trophic associations, DNA barcoding, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 24.03.2023; Views: 1835; Downloads: 1012
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