The density of cicadasCicada orniin Mediterranean coastal habitats

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the use of sound level measurement as an index of cicada Cicada orni abundance in Mediterranean coastal habitats, to compare such measurements with indices of larval density at the same sites and to estimate the density of singing males. Sound levels were significantly higher in pinewood than in Mediterranean scrub and were intermediate in olive groves. There was a close correlation between sound level and the number of larval skins per tree, which explained 95% of the variation in sound. Measurements of the sound produced by individual cicadas (mean 97.43 dB at 1 cm) allowed an estimate, by computer simulation, of the density of singing males in July. Mean estimates of 9 861 males per hectare in pinewood and 1 618 in olive grove were obtained. The pinewood values were considerably lower than densities of final-instar larvae, measured in late May, but the discrepancy can be accounted for by larval and adult mortality in the period between the two sets of measurements.

Efficient isolation method for high‐quality genomic DNA from cicada exuviae

“…Exuviae can therefore serve as a useful source for both ecological and genetic studies. While cicada exuviae have been employed in various ecological studies, such as species identification (Lee, Oh, & Jang, 2012;Wei, Hou, & Li, 2014), estimation of population densities (Patterson, Massei, & Genov, 1997;Lee, Lin, & Wu, 2010;Kim, Oh, Chang, & Jang, 2014), species distribution (Rodenhouse, Bohlen, & Barrett, 1997), and estimation of emergence period (Sato & Sato, 2015), only a few studies have mentioned the employment of cicada exoskeleton as source of their genetic materials (Bouwer, Midgley, Timm, & Villet, 2014;de Oliveira, Felipe, Wallau, & Silva Loreto, 2009).…”

Factors affecting movements and home ranges in the jay (Garrulus glandarius)

“…This was con®rmed by the movements and range sizes of radiotagged birds, by the movements observed from Castel Marino, and by the very high densities of birds in the pinewood during the day (Patterson, Cavallini et al, 1991). Cicadas were the preferred food items in July and jays spent the day in the pinewoods probably because cicadas were more abundant there than in other habitats of the Park (Patterson & Cavallini, 1996;Patterson, Massei & Genov, 1997) and the large open-canopied pines provided the best opportunities for capture. Birds abandoned the pinewood in the evening to roost in the maquis scrub even though, in theory, they could stay in the pines overnight.…”

Factors affecting movements and home ranges in the jay (Garrulus glandarius)

“…se = standard error, n = number of transects. Cicadas were the preferred food items in July and jays spent the day in the pinewoods probably because cicadas were more abundant there than in other habitats of the Park (Patterson & Cavallini, 1996;Patterson, Massei & Genov, 1997) and the large open-canopied pines provided the best opportunities for capture. This was con®rmed by the movements and range sizes of radiotagged birds, by the movements observed from Castel Marino, and by the very high densities of birds in the pinewood during the day (Patterson, Cavallini et al, 1991).…”