. /library/oar/handle/123456789/315 2025-11-04T17:26:00Z 2025-11-04T17:26:00Z Uzunov, Aleksandar Galea, Thomas Chen, Chao Cilia, Giovanni Costa, Cecilia Mifsud, David /library/oar/handle/123456789/140782 2025-11-03T08:13:18Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Apis florea in Europe : first report of the dwarf honey bee in Malta Authors: Uzunov, Aleksandar; Galea, Thomas; Chen, Chao; Cilia, Giovanni; Costa, Cecilia; Mifsud, David Abstract: The Red dwarf honey bee (Apis florea), is a single-comb open-nesting member of the genus Apis with a natural distribution area stretching from the Indomalayan realm on the east to the Persian Gulf on the west. However, it is reportedly colonising new territories mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Nowadays it can be found from Taiwan on the east, to Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula and North-eastern Africa on the west. Here we present the first scientific record of a fully established colony of A. florea in Europe. The colony was found on Malta, a crossway of naval routes in the Mediterranean Sea. We documented the incident with photos, collected samples of workers and drones and sequenced the mtDNA COI gene to confirm assignment to A. florea. Also, we alert the competent authorities and the beekeeping community to be vigilant and ready to undertake effective eradication measures. In the paper, we discuss the risks and the potential consequences associated with the invasion of A. florea in Europe.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z Donthu, Ravikiran Marcelino, Jose A. P. Giordano, Rosanna Tao, Yudong Weber, Everett Avalos, Arian Band, Mark Akraiko, Tatsiana Chen, Shu‑Ching Reyes, Maria P. Hao, Haiping Ortiz‑Alvarado, Yarira A. Cuff, Charles Pérez Claudio, Eddie Soto‑Adames, Felipe Smith‑Pardo, Allan H. Meikle, William G. Evans, Jay D. Giray, Tugrul Abdelkader, Faten B. Allsopp, Mike Ball, Daniel Morgado, Susana B. Barjadze, Shalva Correa‑Benitez, Adriana Chakir, Amina Báez, David R. Chavez, Nabor H. M. Dalmon, Anne Bugeja Douglas, Adrian Fraccica, Carmen Fernández‑Marín, Hermógenes Galindo‑Cardona, Alberto Guzman‑Novoa, Ernesto Horsburgh, Robert Kence, Meral Kilonzo, Joseph Kükrer, Mert Le Conte, Yves Mazzeo, Gaetana Mota, Fernando Muli, Elliud Oskay, Devrim Ruiz‑Martínez, José A. Oliveri, Eugenia Pichkhaia, Igor Romane, Abderrahmane Sanchez, Cesar Guillen Sikombwa, Evans Satta, Alberto Scannapieco, Alejandra A. Stanford, Brandi Soroker, Victoria Velarde, Rodrigo A. Vercelli, Monica Huang, Zachary /library/oar/handle/123456789/140781 2025-11-03T07:28:55Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: HBeeID : a molecular tool that identifies honey bee subspecies from different geographic populations Authors: Donthu, Ravikiran; Marcelino, Jose A. P.; Giordano, Rosanna; Tao, Yudong; Weber, Everett; Avalos, Arian; Band, Mark; Akraiko, Tatsiana; Chen, Shu‑Ching; Reyes, Maria P.; Hao, Haiping; Ortiz‑Alvarado, Yarira; A. Cuff, Charles; Pérez Claudio, Eddie; Soto‑Adames, Felipe; Smith‑Pardo, Allan H.; Meikle, William G.; Evans, Jay D.; Giray, Tugrul; Abdelkader, Faten B.; Allsopp, Mike; Ball, Daniel; Morgado, Susana B.; Barjadze, Shalva; Correa‑Benitez, Adriana; Chakir, Amina; Báez, David R.; Chavez, Nabor H. M.; Dalmon, Anne; Bugeja Douglas, Adrian; Fraccica, Carmen; Fernández‑Marín, Hermógenes; Galindo‑Cardona, Alberto; Guzman‑Novoa, Ernesto; Horsburgh, Robert; Kence, Meral; Kilonzo, Joseph; Kükrer, Mert; Le Conte, Yves; Mazzeo, Gaetana; Mota, Fernando; Muli, Elliud; Oskay, Devrim; Ruiz‑Martínez, José A.; Oliveri, Eugenia; Pichkhaia, Igor; Romane, Abderrahmane; Sanchez, Cesar Guillen; Sikombwa, Evans; Satta, Alberto; Scannapieco, Alejandra A.; Stanford, Brandi; Soroker, Victoria; Velarde, Rodrigo A.; Vercelli, Monica; Huang, Zachary Abstract: Background: Honey bees are the principal commercial pollinators. Along with other arthropods, they are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic factors such as the incursion of invasive honey bee subspecies, pathogens and parasites. Better tools are needed to identify bee subspecies. Genomic data for economic and ecologically important organisms is increasing, but in its basic form its practical application to address ecological problems is limited. Results: We introduce HBeeID a means to identify honey bees. The tool utilizes a knowledge-based network and diagnostic SNPs identified by discriminant analysis of principle components and hierarchical agglomerative clustering. Tests of HBeeID showed that it identifies African, Americas-Africanized, Asian, and European honey bees with a high degree of certainty even when samples lack the full 272 SNPs of HBeeID. Its prediction capacity decreases with highly admixed samples. Conclusion: HBeeID is a high-resolution genomic, SNP based tool, that can be used to identify honey bees and screen species that are invasive. Its flexible design allows for future improvements via sample data additions from other localities.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/140687 2025-10-28T14:59:59Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The effect of increasing organic matter in soil on water retention (WHC) and percolation for landscaping purposes Abstract: This comprehensive report examines the effects of increasing organic matter (OM) / compost content on water retention/water holding capacity (WHC) and percolation in three types of soils from Malta: a silty to silt loam Luvisol (Ħamri), a clay-rich Regosol (Tafli), and a sand-rich loam Calcisol (Bajjad). A series of laboratory experiments was performed on a representative sample of these soils using OM (compost) additions at 0 %, 3 %, and 6 % by mass. Each mixture was analysed for pH, conductivity, water holding capacity (WHC), and percolation rate, with all procedures carried out in triplicate to ensure accuracy. The data were analysed statistically to determine how increasing organic matter affected soil water retention and drainage properties. The results show that the addition of OM significantly influences WHC, and the soil type strongly impacts percolation behaviour, with OM level affecting percolation at early stages. The most notable improvements were seen in the Calcisol, which exhibits moderate percolation rates, with the most pronounced changes occurring at 3 % OM. Description: Dip. Agric.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/140604 2025-10-27T09:54:10Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Green roofs in the public eye : perceptions, benefits, and willingness to implement Abstract: The possibilities, advantages, and public opinion of green roofs in Malta are examined in this study, with a focus on how they may help with urban and environmental issues in the Mediterranean region. Green roofs, sometimes referred to as living roofs, are rooftop plant systems that provide benefits for the environment, aesthetics, and energy efficiency. The study explores their potential to improve air quality, manage stormwater, boost biodiversity, and lessen the urban heat island effect. The study also emphasizes their potential for energy savings, especially given Malta's environment, where old limestone structures with inadequate insulation increase reliance on air conditioning during the sweltering summer months. An important project that investigated indigenous plant species, regional substrate mixtures, and irrigation techniques on demonstration sites in Malta and Italy was the LifeMed Green Roof Project, which ran from 2013 to 2017. The results showed that green roofs are viable in semi-arid climates since they significantly reduced rooftop temperatures and energy consumption while also retaining a significant amount of precipitation. Alongside this study, a survey found that people are generally interested in green roofs and that many would install them if given the right incentives, structural guarantees, and resources. Cost, structural restrictions, maintenance issues, and a lack of understanding are still obstacles, though. To speed up acceptance, the study finds that quality assurance systems, public education campaigns, and governmental incentives are necessary. The overwhelming majority of participants indicated that they were prepared for a cultural change toward sustainable urban development and that they would want to see greater government support and information campaigns. In the end, this study demonstrates that green roofs may be a crucial component of Malta's environmental resilience and urban livability with the correct institutional support and technical modifications, converting rooftops into useful, environmentally friendly infrastructure with lasting societal value. Description: Dip. Agric.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z