The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project was established to characterize genetic effects on the transcriptome across human tissues and to link these regulatory mechanisms to trait and disease associations. Here, we present analyses of the version 8 data, examining 15,201 RNA-sequencing samples from 49 tissues of 838 postmortem donors. We comprehensively characterize genetic associations for gene expression and splicing in cis and trans, showing that regulatory associations are found for almost all genes, and describe the underlying molecular mechanisms and their contribution to allelic heterogeneity and pleiotropy of complex traits. Leveraging the large diversity of tissues, we provide insights into the tissue specificity of genetic effects and show that cell type composition is a key factor in understanding gene regulatory mechanisms in human tissues.

In laboratory and field bioassays, Gnathotrichus sulcatus responded to sulcatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol) only when both enantiomers were present. Response was greater to racemic sulcatol than to a mixture (65 : 35) of S-(+) and R-(-) enantiomers, the naturally occurring isomeric ratio. Enantiomer-specific active sites on receptor proteins in the same or different cells are implicated.

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A mark–recapture study examined the spring flight dispersal of the ambrosia beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier), in an even-aged second-growth coastal forest in British Columbia. Pheromone-baited traps were placed in circular traplines at distances from 5 to 500 m from a central release location to (1) examine the relationship between wind direction and beetle catches in traps arranged around the release point, and (2) evaluate beetle catch characteristics when distances to baited traps were varied. A total of 29 800 marked beetles were released in three experiments. Upwind flight was most strongly exhibited at 5 m, with an upwind trend at 25 m, and no consistent flight pattern at 100 m, when wind movement was significantly directed. When the closest attraction was 100 m from the release point, beetles were caught uniformly in all directions indicating that flight was non-directional with respect to wind, for light wind speeds. Catches at 500-m traps tended to be downwind, thus beetles capable of flying that distance were ones that were flying with the wind. Equal numbers of beetles were captured at 5, 25, and 100 m despite increased intertrap spacings of 8, 20, and 32 m, respectively. A higher proportion of beetles were captured at 100 m when close-range traps at 5 and 25 m were not present.

The effects of trap design, lure concentration, lure age, and trap maintenance on the catch of western spruce budworm moths, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, in pheromone traps were tested in light to moderate infestations near Ashcroft, B.C. High cumulative moth catches reduced the trapping efficiency of both the sticky traps and the non-sticky Uni-traps relative to traps from which the moths were removed every 2 days. Correlations between the total season’s catch and larval density per plot in the same and following generations were not significant (P>0.05) for any of the eight combinations of trap design, lure concentration, and maintenance regimen tested. However, by dividing the mean moth catch in Uni-traps by either the basal area or foliage biomass per hectare in each plot, correlations with the following year’s larval density were significant (r2 = 0.77–0.98; P<0.05; n=5).

Ambrosia beetle degrade of sawlogs processed The knot-free clear outer wood of logs from the conifer forests of coastal British Columbia produces the highest value grades of lumber for the West Coast forestry industry. This clear wood also produces the high quality veneer desired for surfacing plywood. This same high value wood is also the preferred home of several species of ambrosia beetle, some of which can attack logs within a few weeks of felling.In the first formal survey of forest insects in British Columbia, Swaine (1914) listed Gnathotrichus sulcatus (LeConte), G. retusus (LeConte) and Platypus wilsoni Swaine as the major damaging species. More recently Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier) has been recognized as the most abundant and damaging species of ambrosia beetle (Nijholt 1975). Ambrosia beetles carry symbiotic fungi into their galleries. Soon after a successful ambrosia beetle attack has been initiated on a log the dark staining fungi spread throughout the wood around each gallery to make a conspicuous pinhole (Fig. 1). When these logs are processed, the pinholes show clearly on the surfaces of boards (Fig. 2) and veneer (Fig. 3). Pinholes in lumber and plywood downgrade products to construction grades and core stock, respectively. Offshore export markets will not pay premium prices for logs or lumber with pinholes.The coastal forest industry relies on producing a steady proportion of clear lumber to realize full value from sawlogs. Ambrosia beetles can reduce this percentage from an expected 15-20% to a 0-4% level (McBride and Kinghorn 1960). An updated analysis of the McBride and Kinghorn study by Dobie (1978) showed that lumber cut from moderately-attacked logs was downgraded by up to $3.4/m 3 and $8.22/m 3 for Douglas-fir and western hemlock respectively.The objective of this paper is to explore the attack depth parameters of the two most common ambrosia beetles, T. lineatum and G. sulcatus, on Douglas-fir and western hemlock and to estimate annual losses caused by these beetles to the coastal forest industry of British Columbia. MethodsFour 50-cm sections were collected from each of eight western hemlock and eight Douglas-fir logs attacked by G. For personal use only.

To facilitate future assessments of diversity following disturbance events, we conducted a first level inventory of nocturnal Lepidoptera in Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada. To aid the considerable task, we employed high-throughput DNA barcoding for the rough sorting of all material and for tentative species identifications, where possible. We report the preliminary species list of 190, the detection of four new exotic species (Argyresthia pruniella, Dichelia histrionana, Paraswammerdamia lutarea, and Prays fraxinella), and the potential discovery of two cryptic species. We describe the magnitude of assistance that barcoding presents for faunal inventories, from reducing specialist time to facilitating the detection of native and exotic species at low density.

Trypodendronlineatum (Olivier) and Gnathotrichussulcatus (LeConte) beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) were marked with fluorescent powder and released in a sawmill area during a pheromone-based mass trapping program for ambrosia beetles. Trapping efficiency was estimated at 5.9% for T. lineatum and 5.5% for G. sulcatus. This technique had good potential for obtaining information on trapping efficiency, population size, and beetle dispersal patterns. Suggestions are given for improving the accuracy of the information obtained and for additional uses of mark-recapture in evaluating and optimizing mass trapping programs for ambrosia beetles.