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Abstract Browntail moth, Euproctis chrysorrhoea (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), is a long-established invasive outbreaking public health and tree pest that once spanned large areas of the northeastern United States and Maritime Canada. Its current range is Maine and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A recent outbreak began in Maine in 2015 and has spread to areas where it has not been seen in over 75 yr. Historically, pest management during the outbreaks occurred at all levels, including state and federal, but current management is largely the responsibility of homeowners and municipalities. To understand Maine residents’ experiences with browntail moth and thoughts on management methods, a survey questionnaire was conducted. More than 10,000 participants were invited through mail and volunteer sampling, with over 3,200 usable responses. The survey also included an experiment that tested whether a list of pros and cons would affect approval of different management methods. Respondents reported seeking out browntail moth information and pesticide guidance from multiple sources including state resources and social media. Analyses found that previous experience with management methods and missing work due to the rash caused by the larvae setae were important factors influencing management approval, whereas providing a list of pros and cons was found to be a conditional predictor. Overall, respondents preferred management methods with minimal nontarget effects and wanted more information about local browntail moth management plans. This is the first published survey conducted during a browntail moth outbreak in Maine and provides important insights that could help guide future browntail moth management, policies, and research. 

Abstract BackgroundSpecies host diverse microbial communities that can impact their digestion and health, which has led to much interest in understanding the factors that influence their microbiota. We studied the developmental, environmental, and social factors that influence the microbiota of nestling barn owls (Tyto alba) through a partial cross-fostering experiment that manipulated the social and nest environment of the nestlings. We then examined the nestling microbiota before and three weeks after the exchange of nestlings between nests, along with the microbiota of the adults at the nest and nestlings in unmanipulated nests. ResultsWe found that nestlings had higher bacterial diversity and different bacterial communities than adults. The microbiota of nestlings was more like that of their mothers than their fathers, but the similarity to the father tended to increase with the amount of time the father was in close proximity to the nest, as measured from movement data. Cross-fostered offspring had higher bacterial diversity and greater changes in bacterial community composition over time than control offspring. Cross-fostering led the microbiota of the nestlings in the experiment to converge on similar bacterial communities. The microbiota of nestling owls therefore rapidly changed along with alterations to their social and nest environments. ConclusionsThese results highlight the dynamic nature of the microbiota during early development and that social interactions can shape microbial communities. 

ABSTRACT Everywhere, pests and pathogens evolve resistance to our control efforts, impairing human health and welfare. Developing sustainable solutions to this problem requires working with evolved immune and ecological systems, rather than against these evolutionary forces. We advocate a transdisciplinary approach to resistance based on an evolutionary foundation informed by the concepts of integrated pest management and One Health. Diverse, multimodal management approaches create a more challenging environment for the evolution of resistance. Given our permanent evolutionary and ecological relationships with pests and pathogens, responses to most biological threats to health and agriculture should seek sustainable harm reduction rather than eradication. 

Abstract Mosquito abundance and distribution are related to environmental variables like rainfall and land cover which shape available aquatic habitat for oviposition and juvenile development. Many mosquito species rely on natural water sources for oviposition and juvenile development. However, others have evolved to occupy urban niches and artificial habitats associated with urbanization and human-dominated environments, like tires or storm drains. Additionally, as land cover changes over rural–urban gradients, mosquito species richness decreases via reduced habitat heterogeneity. Human exposure to mosquitoes is a product of environmental processes, and human behaviors related to mosquito control and personal protection. To understand mosquito distribution from both perspectives, we conducted a study with paired entomological and behavioral science data collection. We collected mosquitoes at 40 sites across a rural–urban gradient of 30 residential properties and 10 recreational forest sites in Bangor, Maine, and conducted a juvenile habitat assessment on the residential properties. Additionally, a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice survey was administered among property owners to understand factors that affect engagement in mosquito control and protective behaviors. Mosquito abundance was highest in forested and rural residential sites. Nuisance species abundance was highest at rural residential sites, while vector species abundance was highest in urban residential sites. Despite 54% respondents reporting mosquitoes as a nuisance, only 10.5% and 5.3% reported frequent engagement in preventative behaviors such as wearing mosquito repellent or protective clothing, respectively. This study builds on literature demonstrating patterns of vector mosquito abundance in residential areas and exploration of resident mosquito control practices. 

ABSTRACT RNA viruses are infamous for their ability to cross species barriers, posing threats to global health and security. Influenza A virus (IAV) is naturally found in avian hosts but periodically spills over into marine wildlife. IAV outbreaks occur in the Northwest Atlantic, but grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) appear to be less susceptible to IAV compared to other species. The subclinical nature of IAV infection in addition to life history factors suggest grey seals are a potential wild reservoir host for IAV. We investigated differential gene expression among grey seals naturally exposed to IAV to elucidate genetic mechanisms involved in grey seal disease resistance. RNA sequencing was conducted on blood samples (N = 31) collected from grey seal pups in Massachusetts, US between 2014 and 2019. Samples were grouped for analysis based on presence/absence of viral RNA and antibodies. In the presence of IAV RNA, we observed widespread down‐regulation of genes, including immune genes, potentially as a result of IAV‐induced host shutoff. Immune down‐regulation occurred in acute stage of IAV infection (+ viral RNA, − antibodies), followed by up‐regulation of protein production in peak stage (+ viral RNA, + antibodies), possibly as a result of increased viral replication. Evidence of an activated immune response was observed in late stage of infection (− viral RNA, + antibodies) with up‐regulated adaptive immunity genes. We hypothesize that the combination of down‐ and up‐regulated immune gene expression may prevent overstimulation of the immune response, acting as an adaptation in grey seals to resist IAV‐associated mortality. 

IntroductionSpillover events ofMycoplasma ovipneumoniaehave devastating effects on the wild sheep populations. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is used to monitor spillover events and the spread ofM. ovipneumoniaebetween the sheep populations. Most studies involving the typing ofM. ovipneumoniaehave used Sanger sequencing. However, this technology is time-consuming, expensive, and is not well suited to efficient batch sample processing. MethodsOur study aimed to develop and validate an MLST workflow for typing ofM. ovipneumoniaeusing Nanopore Rapid Barcoding sequencing and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We compare the workflow with Nanopore Native Barcoding library preparation and Illumina MiSeq amplicon protocols to determine the most accurate and cost-effective method for sequencing multiplex amplicons. A multiplex PCR was optimized for four housekeeping genes ofM. ovipneumoniaeusing archived DNA samples (N= 68) from nasal swabs. ResultsSequences recovered from Nanopore Rapid Barcoding correctly identified all MLST types with the shortest total workflow time and lowest cost per sample when compared with Nanopore Native Barcoding and Illumina MiSeq methods. DiscussionOur proposed workflow is a convenient and effective method for strain typing ofM. ovipneumoniaeand can be applied to other bacterial MLST schemes. The workflow is suitable for diagnostic settings, where reduced hands-on time, cost, and multiplexing capabilities are important. 

Abstract Management of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is reliant on conventional insecticides that can negatively affect non-target arthropods. Calantha™ (active ingredient: ledprona) is a sprayable double-stranded RNA biopesticide specific forL decemlineataproteasome subunit beta 5 gene that triggers the RNA-interference pathway and is designed to have limited non-target effects. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two years of field trials in Idaho, Wisconsin, and Maine comparing arthropod responses to different insecticide regimes, with and without Calantha, targeting the Colorado potato beetle. Comparisons of arthropod abundance among treatments showed no evidence of effects of Calantha on non-target arthropods, including beneficials (predators, parasitoids), “neutrals” (i.e., non-pests), and other beetle species. Conventional insecticides generally showed more non-target effects, and responses were always stronger for arthropods from vacuum samples than pitfall samples. Insecticide programs featuring Calantha, especially in rotation with other biorational products, may reduce pests while preserving beneficial arthropods and contribute to biological control of arthropod pests in potato fields. 

Abstract Cooperative Fisheries Research (CFR) aims to incorporate different types of knowledge into fisheries science through the convergence of diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise. CFR can facilitate knowledge co-production and the salience, credibility, and legitimacy of science, yet it can be difficult to operationalize. In Maine’s American lobster fishery, where CFR is a hallmark of the fishery, pressure to implement conservation measures to protect North Atlantic right whales, one of the world’s most endangered large whale species, poses a major challenge for harvesters. Endeavoring to follow best practices associated with CFR, our research team set out to work with state management and fishing industry partners to evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of new whale conservation regulations on the fishery. We co-defined relevant and actionable research questions and designed a sampling approach that included multiple efforts to contact industry participants. Although the process we engaged in had some of the key ingredients for success, ultimately participation was too low to achieve our research aims. We use this paper to discuss our failure and draw on the theory of scalar politics from critical geography to reflect on challenges we encountered, including how the contentious socio-political backdrop within which the initiative transpired impacted our research. 

Abstract The microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms, encompassing prokaryotic (bacterial and archaeal), eukaryotic, and viral entities. This microbial ensemble plays a pivotal role in influencing the health and productivity of diverse ecosystems while shaping the web of life. However, many software suites developed to study microbiomes analyze only the prokaryotic community and provide limited to no support for viruses and microeukaryotes. Previously, we introduced the Viral Eukaryotic Bacterial Archaeal (VEBA) open-source software suite to address this critical gap in microbiome research by extending genome-resolved analysis beyond prokaryotes to encompass the understudied realms of eukaryotes and viruses. Here we present VEBA 2.0 with key updates including a comprehensive clustered microeukaryotic protein database, rapid genome/protein-level clustering, bioprospecting, non-coding/organelle gene modeling, genome-resolved taxonomic/pathway profiling, long-read support, and containerization. We demonstrate VEBA’s versatile application through the analysis of diverse case studies including marine water, Siberian permafrost, and white-tailed deer lung tissues with the latter showcasing how to identify integrated viruses. VEBA represents a crucial advancement in microbiome research, offering a powerful and accessible software suite that bridges the gap between genomics and biotechnological solutions. 

ABSTRACT Crohn’s disease (CD) is a presentation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that manifests in childhood and adolescence and involves chronic and severe enterocolitis, immune and gut microbial dysregulation, and other complications. Diet and gut-microbiota-produced metabolites are sources of anti-inflammatories that could ameliorate symptoms. However, questions remain on how IBD influences biogeographic patterns of microbial location and function in the gut, how early life transitional gut communities are affected by IBD and diet interventions, and how disruption to biogeography alters disease mediation by diet components or microbial metabolites. Many studies on diet and IBD use a chemically induced ulcerative colitis model, despite the availability of an immune-modulated CD model. Interleukin-10-knockout (IL-10-KO) mice on a C57BL/6 background, beginning at age 4 or 7 weeks, were fed a control diet or one containing 10% (wt/wt) raw broccoli sprouts, which was high in the sprout-sourced anti-inflammatory sulforaphane. Diets began 7 days prior to, and for 2 weeks after inoculation withHelicobacter hepaticus,which triggers Crohn’s-like symptoms in these immune-impaired mice. The broccoli sprout diet increased sulforaphane in plasma; decreased weight stagnation, fecal blood, and diarrhea associated; and increased microbiota richness in the gut, especially in younger mice. Sprout diets resulted in some anatomically specific bacteria in younger mice and reduced the prevalence and abundance of pathobiont bacteria which trigger inflammation in the IL-10-KO mouse, for example,Escherichia coliandHelicobacter. Overall, the IL-10-KO mouse model is responsive to a raw broccoli sprout diet and represents an opportunity for more diet-host-microbiome research. IMPORTANCETo our knowledge, IL-10-KO mice have not previously been used to investigate the interactions of host, microbiota, and broccoli, broccoli sprouts, or broccoli bioactives in resolving symptoms of CD. We showed that a diet containing 10% raw broccoli sprouts increased the plasma concentration of the anti-inflammatory compound sulforaphane and protected mice to varying degrees against disease symptoms, including weight loss or stagnation, fecal blood, and diarrhea. Younger mice responded more strongly to the diet, further reducing symptoms, as well as increased gut bacterial richness, increased bacterial community similarity to each other, and more location-specific communities than older mice on the diet intervention. Crohn’s disease disrupts the lives of patients and requires people to alter dietary and lifestyle habits to manage symptoms. The current medical treatment is expensive with significant side effects, and a dietary intervention represents an affordable, accessible, and simple strategy to reduce the burden of symptoms.