Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Milica Kurucki, Snezana Tomanovic, Ratko Sukara, Dusko Cirovic
Summary: This study presents the first evidence of Hepatozoon canis in grey wolf populations in Serbia, highlighting the high prevalence and genetic diversity of the pathogen. Further research is needed to understand the transmission mechanism, potential sources of infection, and the impact of this pathogen on wild carnivores.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Janeiro-Otero, Xana Alvarez, Carlos Fernandez-Crespo, Enrique Valero, Carsten F. Dormann
Summary: This study investigates the dietary preferences of wolves and their geographical variation. The results show that wolves mainly consume Galician feral horses, while traditional livestock have a low proportion in their diet. The study also suggests that feral horses can help decrease wolf predation on economically important livestock and provide environmental benefits in protecting against forest fires.
Article
Ecology
Shaheer Khan, Shivam Shrotriya, Sougata Sadhukhan, Salvador Lyngdoh, Surendra P. Goyal, Bilal Habib
Summary: Geographical isolation often leads to speciation, and the Woolly wolf and Indian wolf, two disconnected populations of the same species, have significant ecological and behavioral differences. This study examines the spatial ecology, diet diversity, vocalization, and cranial measurements of these two subspecies. The results show differences in spatial movements, diet composition, and skull size between the Woolly wolf and Indian wolf. Understanding these ecological differences is important in recognizing the genetic uniqueness and evolutionary history of these wolf subspecies.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gretchen H. Roffler, Jennifer M. Allen, Aimee Massey, Taal Levi
Summary: The study found that wolves alter their dietary diversity and foraging patterns in response to the availability of their main prey, ungulates. In the Alexander Archipelago, wolves primarily consume ungulates, but when ungulates become scarce, they increase the number and diversity of prey species consumed instead of focusing on a few specific items.
Article
Ecology
Shivam Shrotriya, Hussain S. Reshamwala, Salvador Lyngdoh, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Bilal Habib
Summary: This study investigated the predation patterns, dietary competition, and niche segregation of three sympatric carnivores in the Indian Trans-Himalayas. Livestock was found to be a major contributor to the diet of the wolf and snow leopard. The wolf and snow leopard avoided competition through habitat selection, while the red fox coexisted by exploiting a broader niche.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jose Martin, Jesus Ortega, Roberto Garcia-Roa, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Ana Perez-Cembranos, Valentin Perez-Mellado
Summary: This study examines the effects of small anthropogenic alterations of a natural habitat on the feeding ecology of a gecko, Tarentola mauritanica. The results show that geckos can modify their diet selection patterns to cope with anthropic disturbances of the habitat, allowing them to inhabit and prosper in human-altered ecosystems. This flexibility in feeding ecology is important for the survival and adaptation of species in human-impacted environments.
Article
Zoology
Kaija Klauder, Bridget L. Borg, Laura R. Prugh
Summary: Studies show that coyotes do not universally avoid wolves, but exhibit season-specific responses to wolf proximity and long-term landscape use by wolves. They avoid wolves in summer but prefer areas with wolves in winter, suggesting that mesopredators employ complex behavioral strategies to mediate apex predator effects.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Tariq Mahmood, Shakeela Ismail, Faraz Akrim, Muhammad Farooq, Nadeem Munawar, Muhammad Raza Khan
Summary: The grey wolf and the Tibetan wolf are two wolf species reported in Pakistan. There is limited scientific data and research on the grey wolf's ecology and conservation, and the species is also facing persecution due to predation on livestock in many areas.
PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Karl Sebastian Moritz Fester, Georgina Hockings, Rudie Jansen van Vuuren, Marlice van Vuuren
Summary: The study in the south Namib Desert found that spotted hyaenas exhibit opportunistic feeding behavior, with lower selectivity towards large herbivorous prey and a preference for non-sampled prey species. Further detailed investigations into other prey species and seasonal variations in prey densities are recommended.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jacek Karamon, Malgorzata Samorek-Pierog, Jacek Sroka, Ewa Bilska-Zajac, Joanna Dabrowska, Maciej Kochanowski, Miroslaw Rozycki, Jolanta Zdybel, Tomasz Cencek
Summary: This study aimed to confirm the presence and molecular identification of Echinococcus tapeworms in wolves from south-eastern Poland. The investigation revealed the presence of adult E. ortleppi tapeworms in wolves for the first time, with PCR and sequencing showing high similarity to E. ortleppi (G5) sequences.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Romaan Hayat Khattak, Liwei Teng, Tahir Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmad, Ejaz Ur Rehman, Sayantani M. Basak, Zhensheng Liu
Summary: In developing countries, the high economic costs of human-wildlife conflicts hinder long-term conservation goals. This study investigated human-wolf conflicts in northern Pakistan and found that the grey wolf was responsible for livestock predation, causing significant economic losses. The study highlights the importance of predation compensation and livestock vaccination programs, as well as educating the local communities to minimize conflicts.
Article
Ecology
S. Sreelakshmy, Rekha Devi Chakraborty, L. Sreesanth
Summary: This study provides new insights into the feeding ecology of deep-sea shrimp Plesionika semilaevis and its role in the deep-sea food webs. The species has a diversified diet, ranging from smaller foraminifera to larger crustaceans and fishes. Feeding intensity is higher in berried females and decreases with an increase in size. Seasonal variation also affects feeding intensity.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Camilla Wikenros, Cecilia Di Bernardi, Barbara Zimmermann, Mikael Akesson, Maike Demski, Oystein Flagstad, Jenny Mattisson, Aimee Tallian, Petter Wabakken, Hakan Sand
Summary: This study investigates the scavenging and predation behavior of gray wolves in Scandinavia, where human activities have impacts on the ecosystem. The majority of animal carcasses utilized by wolves were killed by wolves themselves, with a small proportion being natural deaths or caused by humans. Winter, solitary wolves, and wolves with higher inbreeding coefficients spent more time scavenging. Additionally, there was weak evidence for competition between wolves and brown bears, as well as a positive relationship between human density and scavenging time. This study highlights the factors influencing wolf scavenging behavior. Rating: 8/10.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Nina Tiralla, Maika Holzapfel, Hermann Ansorge
Summary: Wolves in Northern Mongolia primarily prey on wild ungulates, with Siberian roe deer being the most important prey species, while domestic livestock is not commonly found in their diet. Near-natural habitats with diverse wildlife are crucial in limiting livestock depredation by wolves.
Article
Ecology
Erica C. Kelly, Brian L. Cypher, Tory L. Westall
Summary: Desert tortoises are vulnerable to predation by various predators such as desert kit foxes and coyotes, with coyotes consuming more adult tortoises while desert kit foxes prefer juveniles. The study found that these canids primarily consumed small mammals and invertebrates, with desert tortoise remains occurring at a low frequency, indicating opportunistic use of tortoises as prey or scavenged food.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lukas Jenni, Kathrin Ganz, Pietro Milanesi, Raffael Winkler
Article
Ecology
Pietro Milanesi, Emiliano Mori, Mattia Menchetti
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Forestry
Francesca Della Rocca, Pietro Milanesi, Francesca Magna, Livio Mola, Tea Bezzicheri, Claudio Deiaco, Francesco Bracco
Article
Ornithology
Davide Nespoli, Irene Pellegrino, Marco Galaverni, Romolo Caniglia, Joseph Sunyer, Chiara Mengoni, Ettore Randi, Andrea Galimberti, Diego Rubolini, Fernando Spina, Gabriel Gargallo, Mattia Brambilla
Summary: Marmora's Warbler and Balearic Warbler, two allopatric sibling species, were recently split based on morphological and ethological characteristics. Genetic analyses support their taxonomic status as distinct species with most genetic variance expressed at the interspecific level.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Francesca Della Rocca, Alfredo Venturo, Pietro Milanesi, Francesco Bracco
Summary: The study found that in the highly cultivated Po Valley in Europe, different types of natural habitats play a crucial role in maintaining high biodiversity, with tree rows serving as corridors for forest carabid dispersion. Despite similar species richness in different habitats, each had a distinct species assemblage.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Francesco Lugli, Romolo Caniglia, Luca Mattioli, Elena Fabbri, Marco Mencucci, Nadia Cappai, Nadia Mucci, Marco Apollonio, Massimo Scandura
Summary: Wolves, like most wild carnivores, are elusive and usually live at low density, making it challenging to monitor specific individuals. Non-invasive genetic sampling has proven to be an effective tool for tracking individual patterns in a population.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biology
Dawid A. Iurino, Elisabetta Cilli, Romolo Caniglia, Elena Fabbri, Beniamino Mecozzi, Marta Maria Ciucani, Raffaele Sardella, Davide Persico
Summary: This study describes a well-preserved wolf cranium from the Middle Ages, providing insights into the population dynamics, variability, and diseases of this species. The specimen belonged to the Canis lupus species and exhibited typical wolf-like morphology. The wolf from the Po Valley had a unique mtDNA control region haplotype that is no longer found, highlighting the variability in ancient Italian wolves.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesca Della Rocca, Pietro Milanesi
Summary: The study identified key landscape predictors related to the occurrence of the Japanese beetle in Northern Italy, highlighting a negative relationship with broadleaf forests and pastures, and a positive relationship with human settlements and intensive crops. The Japanese beetle was found to potentially invade 32.49% of the study area, emphasizing the need for local administrations to quickly implement pest management strategies to control further spread.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Edoardo Velli, Federica Mattucci, Lorenzo Lazzeri, Elena Fabbri, Giada Pacini, Irene Belardi, Nadia Mucci, Romolo Caniglia
Summary: By analyzing the remains found in a canid fecal sample, researchers identified the genetic profiles of a wolf and a domestic cat, highlighting the practicality of non-invasive genetic sampling in monitoring ecological parameters and population dynamics of threatened species, and improving our understanding of feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and the risk of anthropogenic hybridization.
Article
Environmental Studies
Francesca Della Rocca, Arianna Tagliani, Pietro Milanesi, Matteo Barcella, Silvia Paola Assini
Summary: The decline of semi-natural grasslands in the Northern Apennines has led to the vulnerability of plant-pollinator networks. Fragmentation of habitats, spatial distribution, and surrounding semi-natural and natural areas have a significant impact on species diversity and the structure of the plant-pollinator network. Factors such as grassland size, isolation, and landscape composition also play a role in determining plant and pollinator richness. The study emphasizes the importance of protecting and conserving these habitats for the maintenance of plant-pollinator interactions.
Article
Environmental Studies
Pietro Milanesi, Felice Puopolo, Florian Zellweger
Summary: The long-term settlement of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes is influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors, with landscape attributes and human disturbance being the most important factors. Prey availability has a marginal effect on large carnivore occurrences.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ayelet Barash, Shlomo Preiss-Bloom, Yossy Machluf, Elena Fabbri, Dan Malkinson, Edoardo Velli, Nadia Mucci, Alon Barash, Romolo Caniglia, Tamar Dayan, Yaron Dekel
Summary: Deciphering the origins of phenotypic variations in natural animal populations is challenging. In this study, anomalous morphological traits were observed in four golden jackals in Northern Israel, resembling features of domesticated mammals. Genetic and morphological examinations confirmed that one of the individuals was a pure golden jackal. Considering the abundance of golden jackals in Israel, the rural nature of the surveyed area, the presence of anthropogenic waste, and the molecular and morphological findings, the possibility of incipient stages of domestication should be considered.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Edoardo Velli, Romolo Caniglia, Federica Mattucci
Summary: This study provides the most geographically-representative evolutionary history of the European wildcat based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. The genetic variability of European wildcats was mainly caused by Pleistocene climatic changes and influenced by natural gene flow and anthropogenic hybridization. Understanding the phylogenetic and phylogeographic patterns is crucial for conservation strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christine Howard, Emma-Liina Marjakangas, Alejandra Moran-Ordonez, Pietro Milanesi, Aleksandre Abuladze, Karen Aghababyan, Vitalie Ajder, Volen Arkumarev, Dawn E. Balmer, Hans-Guenther Bauer, Colin M. Beale, Taulant Bino, Kerem Ali Boyla, Ian J. Burfield, Brian Burke, Brian Caffrey, Tomasz Chodkiewicz, Juan Carlos Del Moral, Vlatka Dumbovic Mazal, Nestor Fernandez, Lorenzo Fornasari, Bettina Gerlach, Carlos Godinho, Sergi Herrando, Christina Ieronymidou, Alison Johnston, Mihailo Jovicevic, Mikhail Kalyakin, Verena Keller, Peter Knaus, Drazen Kotrosan, Tatiana Kuzmenko, Domingos Leito, Ake Lindstroem, Qenan Maxhuni, Tomaz Mihelic, Tibor Mikuska, Blas Molina, Karoly Nagy, David Noble, Ingar Jostein Olen, Jean-Yves Paquet, Clara Pladevall, Danae Portolou, Dimitrije Radisic, Sasa Rajkov, Drazenko Z. Rajkovic, Liutauras Raudonikis, Thomas Sattler, Darko Saveljic, Paul Shimmings, Jovica Sjenicic, Karel Stastny, Stoycho Stoychev, Iurii Strus, Christoph Sudfeldt, Elchin Sultanov, Tibor Szep, Norbert Teufelbauer, Danka Uzunova, Chris A. M. van Turnhout, Metodija Velevski, Thomas Vikstrom, Alexandre Vintchevski, Olga Voltzit, Petr Vorisek, Tomasz Wilk, Damaris Zurell, Lluis Brotons, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Stephen G. Willis
Summary: Climate change has an uncertain role in driving recent range shifts in species' distributions, while the effects of other factors are also important. This study uses long-term data on European breeding bird species to investigate the drivers of range dynamics, finding that climate and land cover alone cannot accurately predict observed range shifts. Initial climate conditions and species' traits have a greater influence on local colonization and extinction events, highlighting the need for more comprehensive approaches in forecasting future changes in species' ranges.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Francesca Della Rocca, Pietro Milanesi
Summary: The Japanese beetle is a high-risk invasive species that can find suitable conditions for colonization in various regions around the globe, especially in light of current climate change. Strict biosecurity checks, quarantine measures, and regular pest management surveys are strongly recommended to reduce its spread.