Volume 34, No. 1 (2025)

ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT AND ITS EFFECTS ON AVIFAUNA DIVERSITY IN CIRIC VALLEY (IAȘI)

MARIA-ALEXANDRA NECHIFOR(1*), CARMEN GACHE(2)

Our study assessed the diversity of avifauna and the anthropogenic pressure in the Ciric Valley, located on the outskirts of Iași, which contains a mosaic of habitats, including deciduous forest, wetlands, and meadows. We used two ornithological methods: observation along the transect combined with fixed-point observation. The study area was divided into two large territories, depending on habitat characteristics: the Dorobanț and Aroneanu reservoirs, which shelter a diversity of 71 species, and the Ciric reservoir complex, where we observed 79 species of birds. The Shannon and Simpson indices, calculated to determine alpha diversity, show that the forest, along the three lakes it surrounds, has a greater variety of birds than the lakes in the rural area, reaching a value of 3.5. In both areas, most species are summer visitors and sedentary (Ciric) or passage species (Dorobanț-Aroneanu). Although the recorded anthropogenic pressure was high, a large percentage of the recorded species were breeding in the area, with 62.02% of the species inside the forest area and 56.34% in the perimeter of the Aroneanu reservoir. We noticed the presence of eight endangered or vulnerable species at each location, according to the Red Book of Vertebrates in Romania, and 32 bird species, respectively 30 bird species, included in Annexes 1 and 2 of the Birds Directive.

SPECIES OF TRICHOGRAMMA SPP. COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT AGRICULTURAL CROPS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

Lidia GAVRILIȚA*, Maria BUTUCEL

Between 2022-2024, 38 exposures with small cards containing Sitotroga cerealella eggs were conducted to collect Trichogramma from the wild. The identified species were T. embryophagum, T. pintoi, T. evanescens, T. dendrolimi, and T. leucania. The parasitism percentage of moth eggs exposed in the field depended on weather conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.). The highest parasitism rates were observed in irrigated tomato crops, while extreme heat and low humidity negatively affected Trichogramma populations. Due to the naturally low parasitism rates, additional field releases of Trichogramma are necessary for effective biological protection of crops. The use of entomophages has several advantages, including reduced financial costs for crop protection, conservation of beneficial organisms, increased biological efficiency in the field, improved agricultural production, better food quality, and minimal reliance on chemical treatments, reducing environmental pollution.

ASPECTS OF HYMENOPTERA ENTOMOPHAGES ATTRACTION FOR BIOLOGICAL PLANT PROTECTION OF THE AGROCENOSIS

Alla GLADCAIA*, Tudor NASTAS

Field breeding of entomophages is a key element of sustainable agriculture, especially in organic farming. It takes the place of an alternative or supplement to chemical treatments, increasing the environmental friendliness and economic efficiency of cultivation technologies. The aim of our research is to develop a method for using artificial shelters to attract and activate the natural potential of entomophages and pollinators of Hymenoptera insects in an agrocenosis. As a result of testing the design of artificial shelters to attract entomophages from the order Hymenoptera, the maximum number of bee nests (Megachilidae) were found in dark-colored plastic (70,8%) and cardboard (20,8%) cases. In 2024, an invasive species of digging wasps (Sphecidae) - Isodontia mexicana was obtained, identified and described from artificial shelters on the territory of the Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection. The nests of the I. mexicana wasp were located in reed stems with a diameter of 0,7-1,0 cm, in cardboard deltoid white (40%) and dark (60%) artificial shelters. No wasp nests were found in plastic tubes and shelters with a plastic case. Solitary bees preferred to build nests in the pear orchard with the nectariferous plant area agrocenosis (91,7 %). I. mexicana nests were placed only in the apple orchard agrocenosis near the forest belt (100 %). The habitat associated with a multi-species, biodiverse landscape (forest belts, nectar plant areas, suburban areas, agroforests) promotes a large diversity of entomophages and pollinators (Hymenoptera) in the immediate vicinity of fruit crops. Due to the spatial proximity to the plantations, they ensure an early and rapid response of beneficial insects to the development of pest populations and, thus, can ideally prevent a strong spread of pests. The potential for economic use of the obtained Hymenoptera species was determined based on their biological characteristics: the ability of bees and wasps to populate anthropogenic cavities of suitable sizes and the wide polytrophism of species allow us to consider solitary bees (Megachilidae) and the invasive species of digging wasps (Sphecidae) – I. mexicana, as very promising species for field breeding in artificial shelters in order to increase the economic efficiency of agroecosystems. It is especially worth noting that I. mexicana is a promising species for biological plant protection, since it paralyzes its prey – Orthoptera pests: Gryllidae and Tettigoniidae, and places them in the nest to feed its larvae. As the population of I. mexicana increases, the most likely effect may be that the wasp will control locust pests of agricultural crops in the Republic of Moldova.

ESTIMATION OF THREE NUTRITIVE MEDIA FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE SPECIES PLODIA INTERPUNCTELLA (HÜBNER, 1813) - AS A HOST FOR THE ENTOMOPHAGIC BRACON HEBETOR (SAY, 1836)

Corina GLIBICIUC*, Tudor NASTAS, Anna BUZATU

Experimental investigations were carried out under controlled laboratory conditions with the aim of elucidating the particularities of the ontogenetic development cycle of the species Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), an important economic pest at a global level. The experiments aimed to estimate the influence of three distinct types of nutrient substrates, both in macerated and non-macerated form, on the biological parameters of this species, including the duration of larval stages development, survival rate and reproductive efficiency. These investigations were designed to highlight the impact of nutrient media compositions on the eco-physiological performance of individuals, thus contributing to a better understanding of the trophic adaptation mechanisms of this phytophage under laboratory conditions with the perspective of including it in the technological process as a host for the multiplication of the entomophage Bracon hebetor.

EFFICACY OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS WITH KAIROMONAL PROPERTIES ON BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF THE ENTOMOPHAGE TRICHOGRAMMA PINTOI V. DEPENDING ON STORAGE DURATION

Lidia GAVRILIȚA*, Tudor NASTAS

Analysis of the biological indices of Trichogramma pintoi at 23–25°C, depending on the storage duration of the extract at 4°C, revealed a decreasing trend in biological indices. The longer the extract was stored (28 days), the lower the biological index values. At 4°C, the biological indices varied as follows: fecundity: 22.1–24.8 eggs per female; hatching rate of individuals: 80.5–92.2%, female hatching rate: 51.0–56.0%, host-seeking ability: 79.2–90.2% in the mini-olfactometer, parasitism rate: 76.36–89.4%, static quality criterion: 9.0–12.8. At 26–30°C, a decreasing trend in biological indices was also observed. The longer the extract storage period (28 days), the lower the biological index values. At 26–30°C, the biological indices varied as follows: fecundity: 22.1–23.3 eggs per female, hatching rate of individuals: 75.5–85.0%, female hatching rate: 50.0–54.0%, host-seeking ability: 82.1–85.6% in the mini-olfactometer, parasitism rate: 76.9–87.0%, static quality criterion: 8.3–10.7.