The article by researchers from the JU Institute of Environmental Sciences examines the role of beetles' breathing patterns in the protection against harmful mites.
The December issue of the international scientific journal Evolution includes the article "Hold your breath beetle—Mites!" by staff members and doctoral students of the Jagiellonian University Institute of Environmental Sciences: Prof. Jan Kozłowski, Dr Ulf Bauchinger, Dr Szymon Drobniak, Dr Anna Łabęcka, Ms Agnieszka Gudowska, and Mr Bartosz Schramm.
The paper examines the role of beetles' breathing patterns in the protection against harmful mites. The researchers analysed respiratory patterns of 15 species of ground beetles, which, like other insects, are characterised by discontinuous gas exchange cycles. The research has indicated that these mechanisms significantly reduce the risk of infestation of their tracheal system by mites and other pathogenic organisms.
Evolution (full title: International Journal of Organic Evolution) is a prestigious international monthly journal published in the United States since 1946, devoted to the latest research results from the field of evolutionary biology.
The full article is available here.
