Article
Ecology
Lucas Mendes Rabelo, Marconi Souza-Silva, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira
Summary: The study found that the richness of invertebrate species in Neotropical caves is influenced by both hypogean and epigean factors, with cave size significantly impacting the population richness of obligate cave dwellers. The regional pool of invertebrate species also plays a significant role in cave biodiversity levels.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. Judson Wynne, Francis G. Howarth, Stefano Mammola, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira, Pedro Cardoso, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Diana M. P. Galassi, Rodrigo A. Medellin, Bruce W. Miller, David Sanchez-Fernandez, Maria Elina Bichuette, Jayant Biswas, Cory W. BlackEagle, Chaichat Boonyanusith, Isabel R. Amorim, Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges, Penelope J. Boston, Reynold N. Cal, Naowarat Cheeptham, Louis Deharveng, David Eme, Arnaud Faille, Dante Fenolio, Cene Fiser, Ziga Fiser, Samuel M. Ohukaniohia Gon, Forough Goudarzi, Christian Griebler, Stuart Halse, Hannelore Hoch, Enock Kale, Aron D. Katz, Lubomir Kovac, Thomas M. Lilley, Shirish Manchi, Raoul Manenti, Alejandro Martinez, Melissa B. Meierhofer, Ana Z. Miller, Oana Teodora Moldovan, Matthew L. Niemiller, Stewart B. Peck, Thais Giovannini Pellegrini, Tanja Pipan, Charity M. Phillips-Lander, Celso Poot, Paul A. Racey, Alberto Sendra, William A. Shear, Marconi Souza Silva, Stefano Taiti, Mingyi Tian, Michael P. Venarsky, Sebastian Yancovic Pakarati, Maja Zagmajster, Yahui Zhao
Summary: The upcoming COP15 of CBD in Kunming, China will focus on incorporating the subterranean biome into conservation efforts, aiming to improve the ecological effectiveness of protected areas by including groundwater resources and endemic subsurface biodiversity. A conservation roadmap encompassing five conceptual areas, including science gaps, anthropogenic stressors, socioeconomic analysis, environmental education, and national policies, has been proposed for this purpose.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Teo Delic, Tanja Pipan, Roman Ozimec, David C. Culver, Maja Zagmajster
Summary: The Vjetrenica Cave in the Western Balkans is known for its rich subterranean species. However, the data on its fauna have been inaccessible to the scientific community. To address this, the researchers compiled data from published monographs and their own field surveys, and defined the Vjetrenica Cave System comprising of Vjetrenica and Bjelusica Caves and Lukavac Spring. They reported 93 troglobiotic taxa, making it the second richest locality in subterranean biodiversity globally.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stefano Mammola, Martina Pavlek, Bernhard A. Huber, Marco Isaia, Francesco Ballarin, Marco Tolve, Iva Cupic, Thomas Hesselberg, Enrico Lunghi, Samuel Mouron, Caio Graco-Roza, Pedro Cardoso
Summary: Species traits are crucial in various fields including ecology, evolution, biogeography, and conservation biology. However, trait databases are often unavailable for organisms living in inaccessible habitats like caves. This study compiled a comprehensive trait database for subterranean spiders in Europe, providing valuable resources for studying subterranean ecosystems.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maja Zagmajster, Slavko Polak, Cene Fiser
Summary: PPCS in central Slovenia is a globally exceptional site of subterranean biodiversity, with 116 troglobiotic animal species belonging to eight phyla. Further sampling and the use of molecular methods may reveal more species.
Article
Biology
Stefano Mammola, Melissa B. Meierhofer, Paulo A. Borges, Raquel Colado, David C. Culver, Louis Deharveng, Teo Delic, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Tvrtko Drazina, Rodrigo L. Ferreira, Barbara Fiasca, Cene Fiser, Diana M. P. Galassi, Laura Garzoli, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Christian Griebler, Stuart Halse, Francis G. Howarth, Marco Isaia, Joseph S. Johnson, Ana Komericki, Alejandro Martinez, Filippo Milano, Oana T. Moldovan, Veronica Nanni, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Matthew L. Niemiller, Susana Pallares, Martina Pavlek, Elena Piano, Tanja Pipan, David Sanchez-Fernandez, Andrea Santangeli, Susanne Schmidt, J. Judson Wynne, Maja Zagmajster, Valerija Zaksek, Pedro Cardoso
Summary: Subterranean ecosystems have been overlooked in conservation agendas, resulting in sparse evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. Research has mainly focused on indirect measures, limited sample species, and accessible systems. Potential solutions include increasing statistical testing and standardizing study reporting.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sanskar Subedi, Ritu Joshi, Samir Karki, Shila Gurung
Summary: Spiders are globally distributed creatures. Nepal is a diverse habitat for spiders, and through reviewing previous studies and databases, a checklist of 386 spider species in Nepal has been compiled.
Article
Biology
Giuseppe Nicolosi, Stefano Mammola, Laura Verbrugge, Marco Isaia
Summary: Alien species pose a significant threat to both natural ecosystems and human economies, and their numbers are rapidly increasing worldwide. However, the impact of these species varies across different habitats.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Racha Benhacene, Yasmine Adjami, Ayoub Hadjeb, Khamsa Kermiche, Mohamed laid Ouakid
Summary: This study presents the checklist of spiders in Algeria based on literature items published from 1846 to 2022. It lists a total of 876 species belonging to 51 families and provides taxonomic references and information on species distribution in the Algerian provinces. The study reveals disparities in knowledge about each province and compares the results reported in Algeria with those reported in neighboring countries (Tunisia, Morocco, and Libya).
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ester Premate, Maja Zagmajster, Cene Fiser
Summary: Predator-prey interactions are important in shaping ecological communities and driving the evolution of defensive traits. In extreme and remote environments, like caves of the Dinarides, these interactions have received little attention. This study in European caves shows that spined Niphargus species co-occur more frequently with the olm, suggesting coevolution of defensive traits in a predator-prey arms race. The study provides a methodological framework for assessing predator-prey interactions when direct observations are not possible.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Igor Cizauskas, Daniele Polotow, Jonas E. Gallao, Maria E. Bichuette, Antonio D. Brescovit
Summary: This study describes a new troglomorphic spider species, Ctenus igatu, found in a unique sandstone cave in northeastern Brazil. Comparison with other Ctenus species revealed that both C. igatu and C. fasciatus show morphological adaptations related to subterranean habitats.
JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sang-kyu Lee, Changkeun Lee, Junsung Noh, Sung Joon Song, Jong Seong Khim
Summary: The study established an ecological checklist of Korean Brachyura through a meta-analysis, listing 247 species with key ecological information. The dynamic oceanographic settings of the South Sea seem to support high crab diversity, while rocky and subtidal habitats represent biodiversity hotspots. This study provides a useful baseline for further ecological information gathering of globally important marine taxa in Korea and elsewhere.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Veronica Nanni, Elena Piano, Pedro Cardoso, Marco Isaia, Stefano Mammola
Summary: Subterranean ecosystems are important for biodiversity and human well-being, but there is limited data and global monitoring programs for these ecosystems, hindering effective conservation strategies. We surveyed experts on subterranean ecosystems worldwide to determine the threats and conservation measures. Experts identified habitat change, direct destruction, and climate change as the most relevant threats, and legislation, land protection, and education as the most effective conservation measures. Expert opinion can provide valuable information for conservation interventions when data is lacking.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marconi Souza-Silva, Roberta Fernanda Ventura Cerqueira, Thais Giovannini Pellegrini, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira
Summary: Environmental stability and oligotrophy are important drivers of species distribution in caves, with troglobitic species being associated with deeper, more stable areas. The study in Aguas Claras Cave System revealed a new hotspot of subterranean biodiversity, where troglobitic species richness was influenced by temperature, humidity, and presence of non-troglobitic species. High temperature and humidity seem to favor the existence of endemic species, emphasizing the need for urgent conservation efforts in the cave system.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Melissa B. Meierhofer, Joseph S. Johnson, Janette Perez-Jimenez, Fernanda Ito, Paul W. Webela, Sigit Wiantoro, Enrico Bernard, Krizler C. Tanalgo, Alice Hughes, Pedro Cardoso, Thomas Lilley, Stefano Mammola
Summary: Protecting subterranean-roosting bats is crucial, and effective measures need to be identified given the escalating threats to subterranean ecosystems. Habitat restoration and disturbance reduction have positive impacts on bat populations and behavior. The effectiveness of gating roost entrances for bat conservation remains unclear.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Giuseppe Nicolosi, Stefano Mammola, Laura Verbrugge, Marco Isaia
Summary: Alien species pose a significant threat to both natural ecosystems and human economies, and their numbers are rapidly increasing worldwide. However, the impact of these species varies across different habitats.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefano Mammola, Caroline S. Fukushima, Girolama Biondo, Lucia Bongiorni, Fabio Cianferoni, Paolo Domenici, Carmelo Fruciano, Angelina Lo Giudice, Nuria Macias-Hernandez, Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, Marija Milicic, Michelangelo Morganti, Emiliano Mori, Ana Munevar, Paola Pollegioni, Ilaria Rosati, Simone Tenan, Fernando Urbano-Tenorio, Diego Fontaneto, Pedro Cardoso
Review
Ecology
Jeffrey A. Harvey, Kevin Tougeron, Rieta Gols, Robin Heinen, Mariana Abarca, Paul K. Abram, Yves Basset, Matty Berg, Carol Boggs, Jacques Brodeur, Pedro Cardoso, Jetske G. de Boer, Geert R. De Snoo, Charl Deacon, Jane E. Dell, Nicolas Desneux, Michael E. Dillon, Grant A. Duffy, Lee A. Dyer, Jacintha Ellers, Anahi Espindola, James Fordyce, Matthew L. Forister, Caroline Fukushima, Matthew J. G. Gage, Carlos Garcia-Robledo, Claire Gely, Mauro Gobbi, Caspar Hallmann, Thierry Hance, John Harte, Axel Hochkirch, Christian Hof, Ary A. Hoffmann, Joel G. Kingsolver, Greg P. A. Lamarre, William F. Laurance, Blas Lavandero, Simon R. Leather, Philipp Lehmann, Cecile Le Lann, Margarita M. Lopez-Uribe, Chun-Sen Ma, Gang Ma, Joffrey Moiroux, Lucie Monticelli, Chris Nice, Paul J. Ode, Sylvain Pincebourde, William J. Ripple, Melissah Rowe, Michael J. Samways, Arnaud Sentis, Alisha A. Shah, Nigel Stork, John S. Terblanche, Madhav P. Thakur, Matthew B. Thomas, Jason M. Tylianakis, Joan Van Baaren, Martijn Van de Pol, Wim H. Van der Putten, Hans Van Dyck, Wilco C. E. P. Verberk, David L. Wagner, Wolfgang W. Weisser, William C. Wetzel, H. Arthur Woods, Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Steven L. Chown
Summary: Climate warming is a serious anthropogenic stress on the environment, exacerbating the harmful effects of other threats and potentially threatening species preservation and ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. Insects, as central components of many ecosystems, are highly affected by climate change, with effects on physiology, behavior, distribution, and interactions, as well as extreme events.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Filippo Milano, Marco Tolve, Marco Isaia
Summary: Vesubia jugorum is an endangered wolf spider species inhabiting high altitude rocky areas of the Southwestern Alps. Recent research has provided updated information on its distribution, habitat characterization, life history, and conservation. A long-term monitoring program has been designed to assess the conservation status of the species and its future trends.
Article
Ecology
Thomas J. Matthews, Joseph P. Wayman, Robert J. Whittaker, Pedro Cardoso, Julian P. Hume, Ferran Sayol, Konstantinos Proios, Thomas E. Martin, Benjamin Baiser, Paulo A. V. Borges, Yasuhiro Kubota, Luiz dos Anjos, Joseph A. Tobias, Filipa C. Soares, Xingfeng Si, Ping Ding, Chase D. Mendenhall, Yong Chee Keita Sin, Frank E. Rheindt, Kostas A. Triantis, Francois Guilhaumon, David M. Watson, Lluis Brotons, Corrado Battisti, Osanna Chu, Francois Rigal
Summary: Research on island species-area relationships (ISAR) has expanded to incorporate functional (IFDAR) and phylogenetic (IPDAR) diversity. However, we lack comprehensive global analyses of how these categories of island diversity-area relationship (IDAR) vary. In this study, we provide the first comparative evaluation of IDARs at the global scale using avian data sets from 51 archipelagos. Our results show that increasing richness with area drives the non-richness corrected IPDAR and IFDAR. We also find that archipelagos with steeper ISARs have larger differences in slope between IDARs, indicating increased redundancy on larger islands in these archipelagos.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anning Zhang, Shuyan Chen, Jingwei Chen, Hanwen Cui, Xiaoxuan Jiang, Sa Xiao, Jiajia Wang, Haining Gao, Lizhe An, Pedro Cardoso
Summary: Land use and climate change have significant impacts on biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning globally. This study examined the effects of shrub encroachment and precipitation changes on the functional diversity of soil nematode communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that shrubs did not alter functional richness and dispersion, but decreased functional beta diversity, promoting functional homogenization. These effects were influenced by precipitation, with increasing precipitation reversing the negative effects of shrubs on functional richness and dispersion but amplifying their negative effects on functional beta diversity. Structural equation models revealed that shrubs indirectly increased functional richness and dispersion through plant biomass and soil total nitrogen, while directly decreasing functional beta diversity. This study enhances our understanding of the impacts of global climate change on nematode communities in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Giuseppe Nicolosi, Jose L. Gonzalez-Pimentel, Elena Piano, Marco Isaia, Ana Z. Z. Miller
Summary: Microbial communities in lava tubes have been less studied compared to limestone caves. However, a study on four lava tubes in Mount Etna volcano reveals a diverse range of microbial cells similar to actinobacteria found in other lava tubes globally. The colored microbial mats in these lava tubes consist mainly of bacteria belonging to Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexota, and Cyanobacteria. Specific genera, such as Crossiella, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Chujaibacter, and Sphingomonas dominate the microbial communities and are associated with carbon, nitrogen, and ammonia cycles.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elena Piano, Federico Biagioli, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Claudia Coleine, Anna Poli, Valeria Prigione, Andrea Zanellati, Rosangela Addesso, Giovanna Cristina Varese, Laura Selbmann, Marco Isaia
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbance on natural ecosystems is increasing, affecting all components of the ecosystems. A metacommunity framework is needed to understand the response of different biocoenosis types to human disturbance. Through advanced molecular techniques, sediment communities of Fungi, Bacteria, and Archaea in Italian show caves were investigated to unravel the effects of tourism on their diversity and identify changes in the driving forces of community composition. The study showed that cave tourism directly affects the community of Bacteria and indirectly influences Fungi and Archaea.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marko Lukic, Cene Fiser, Teo Delic, Helena Bilandzija, Martina Pavlek, Ana Komericki, Tvrtko Drazina, Branko Jalzic, Roman Ozimec, Rajko Slapnik, Jana Bedek
Summary: The Dinaric Karst is a global hotspot for subterranean diversity, with distinct peaks of species richness in the northwest and southeast, and lower species richness in the central part. The Lukina jama-Trojama cave system, located in the central part, is the deepest and one of the most logistically challenging cave systems sampled in the area. The system contains 45 species, including endemic species to the Velebit Mountain and the cave system itself.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Veronica Nanni, Elena Piano, Pedro Cardoso, Marco Isaia, Stefano Mammola
Summary: Subterranean ecosystems are important for biodiversity and human well-being, but there is limited data and global monitoring programs for these ecosystems, hindering effective conservation strategies. We surveyed experts on subterranean ecosystems worldwide to determine the threats and conservation measures. Experts identified habitat change, direct destruction, and climate change as the most relevant threats, and legislation, land protection, and education as the most effective conservation measures. Expert opinion can provide valuable information for conservation interventions when data is lacking.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Victor Cazalis, Luca Santini, Pablo M. Lucas, Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez, Michael Hoffmann, Ana Benitez-Lopez, Michela Pacifici, Aafke M. Schipper, Monika Boehm, Alexander Zizka, Viola Clausnitzer, Carsten Meyer, Martin Jung, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Pedro Cardoso, Giordano Mancini, H. Resit Akcakaya, Bruce E. Young, Guillaume Patoine, Moreno Di Marco
Summary: The usefulness of the IUCN Red List is hindered by the lack of data on 14% of species. This study proposes a reproducible method to help prioritize the reassessment of data-deficient species and provides a list of species likely to have sufficient data, thereby improving the comprehensiveness of the IUCN Red List.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Emma-Liina Marjakangas, Andrea Santangeli, Heini Kujala, Stefano Mammola, Aleksi Lehikoinen
Summary: In this study, a new method was proposed to determine species that have a strong impact on the climate response of ecological communities, known as climate keystone species. By quantifying the community's climate response and considering the relative abundances of species, climate keystone species can be identified based on their strong residual effects.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
R. Costa, P. Cardoso, F. Rigal, P. A. V. Borges
Summary: Spiders in Macaronesia are diverse but also threatened, occupying various habitats from ground to canopy level. The colonization origin influences their vertical distribution, with introduced species mostly restricted to lower levels. However, there are exceptions to this pattern.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Raquel Colado, Pedro Abellan, Susana Pallares, Stefano Mammola, Roberto Milione, Arnaud Faille, Javier Fresneda, David Sanchez-Fernandez
Summary: Biodiversity conservation is crucial in the 21st century, yet the subterranean biome is often overlooked in global biodiversity targets. Research shows that surface-protected area networks do not effectively protect subterranean biodiversity, highlighting the need for an urgent conservation plan within the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
