Review
Forestry
Angelos Tsikas, Paraskevi Karanikola
Summary: Saproxylic beetles play a beneficial role in decomposition and nutrient recycling in forests, but are often considered pests in traditional forestry practices due to their impact on timber value. In Europe, almost 18% of saproxylic beetle species are threatened, primarily due to habitat reduction, fragmentation, and loss of connectivity caused by forest management. A simplified decision-making flowchart is proposed to guide control measures against severe infestations and pest outbreaks, based on current European legislation and conservation lists. However, sustainable habitat management is the most effective strategy to prevent population decline and maintain stable populations.
Article
Entomology
Shuangyi Wang, Yuanyuan Lu, Mengyang Han, Lulu Li, Ping He, Aimin Shi, Ming Bai
Summary: Based on occurrence records and bioclimatic variables, the MaxEnt model was used to predict the potential geographical distribution of several scarab beetle species worldwide, including the invasive species Popillia japonica, Heteronychus arator, Oryctes monoceros, Oryctes boas, and Amphimallon majale. The study found potential distribution areas for these species on every continent. In China, specific regions were identified as high-risk areas for invasion, and it is recommended that the government implement species monitoring to prevent economic losses.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vassiliki Kati, Christina Kassara, Zoi Vrontisi, Aristides Moustakas
Summary: Wind energy is a leading renewable technology for achieving climate goals, but there are biodiversity trade-offs to consider. The novel spatial planning method proposed in Greece prioritizes investments in fragmented areas outside protected zones, showcasing a successful balance between wind energy development and biodiversity conservation. This approach supports both climate and biodiversity goals, highlighting the importance of environmental policy convergence for sustainable development.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Konstantina Spiliopoulou, Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos, Thomas M. Brooks, Gabriela Kelaidi, Kaloust Paragamian, Vassiliki Kati, Anthi Oikonomou, Dimitris Vavylis, Panayiotis Trigas, Petros Lymberakis, William Darwall, Maria Th Stoumboudi, Kostas A. Triantis
Summary: The study found that the Natura 2000 network in Greece overlaps on average 47.6% of the ranges of threatened species, exceeding the expected value. Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation have overlapping rates of 33.4% and 38.1% respectively. Crete and Peloponnese have the highest percentages of threatened species, with Natura 2000 sites overlapping on average 62.3% and 30.6% of their ranges respectively.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Maldwyn J. Evans, Philip Barton, Shigeru Niwa, Masashi Soga, Sebastian Seibold, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Masumi Hisano
Summary: This study analyzed a 14-year extensive research on ground-dwelling beetles in four natural forest biomes spanning Japan's entire latitudinal range. The findings showed that beetle species richness, abundance, and biomass decreased in evergreen coniferous forests but increased in broadleaf-coniferous mixed forests. Furthermore, beetles in evergreen coniferous forests responded negatively to increased temperature and precipitation anomalies, indicating that climate change is altering forest ecosystems fundamentally.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joanna Kajzer-Bonk, Piotr Nowicki
Summary: Habitat deterioration and biodiversity decline are global issues. Urban areas, despite being subject to human activities, may offer some mitigation. Protected sites can impede habitat loss and serve as effective tools for biodiversity conservation.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Petri Nummi, Wenfei Liao, Juliette van der Schoor, John Loehr
Summary: Beavers act as ecosystem engineers, influencing the biodiversity and abundance of water beetles by creating suitable habitats and enhancing food sources in wetlands. The study found that beaver wetlands have higher species richness and abundance compared to non-beaver wetlands, with new beaver wetlands supporting the highest water beetle diversity. This suggests that using beavers or mimicking their flooding behavior can be beneficial for wetland restoration efforts.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mariusz D. Bockowski, Christopher M. Raymond, Tobias Plieninger, Malgorzata Grodzinska-Jurczak
Summary: Natura 2000 has faced challenges in halting biodiversity decline and its management is influenced by ecological, political, and economic factors. The European Commission has developed an Action Plan to address shortcomings and improve biodiversity conservation, but there are mixed views on the governance of Natura 2000. This research aims to identify divergent and convergent expert attitudes towards biodiversity conservation in Europe, with a focus on forward-looking environmental governance and policy-informing perspective.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Dimitrios Skuras, Yannis Maniatis, Panayotis Dimopoulos
Summary: The Natura 2000 network is a system designed to protect Europe's valuable species and habitats, covering a significant percentage of land and marine areas. However, European citizens are largely unaware of this network, which poses a challenge for participatory planning. This study examines the knowledge and characteristics of aware and non-aware citizens, revealing the privileged nature of those with higher awareness levels, as well as gender, rural-urban, and generational disparities.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Stefanos Stefanidis, Vasileios Alexandridis, Kaushik Ghosal
Summary: Water erosion is a significant threat to biodiversity, particularly in protected areas such as the island of Crete in Greece. The study found that soil loss rates in Crete were relatively high, with priority areas for biodiversity conservation being disproportionately affected. Grasslands, heathlands, and sparsely vegetated areas experienced the highest erosion rates among different ecosystem types.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elena D. Concepcion
Summary: Urban growth poses a major threat to global biodiversity conservation, particularly when it encroaches into high conservation value areas. While urban cover inside Natura 2000 is lower than outside, the growth rates are slightly higher, indicating early signs of urban sprawl within the network. Sites most affected by urbanization are those surrounded by densely populated areas with fewer conservation concern species or habitats.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ross Wetherbee, Tone Birkemoe, Ryan C. Burner, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
Summary: Forests play a crucial role in ecosystem functions and services, but they are being negatively affected by human activities. This study found clear differences in saproxylic beetle community composition between near-natural and managed forests, and identified three measures of saproxylic beetle biodiversity that were most predictive of forest naturalness. The study highlights the conservation value of near-natural forests and emphasizes the potential of these biodiversity measures for assessing forest quality.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Pamela Niederauer Pompeo, Luis Carlos Iunes Oliveira Filho, Douglas Alexandre, Ana Carolina Lovatel, Pedro Martins da Silva, Jose Paulo Sousa, Osmar Klauberg-Filho, Dilmar Baretta
Summary: Ground-dwelling beetles play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning, but their composition and traits are influenced by habitat fragmentation and land use changes. This study examined the community composition and relationships with environmental variables of ground-dwelling beetles in subtropical fragments of southern Brazil. The results showed that the composition of beetle communities varied among different land use systems, and environmental variables had some influence on the morphospecies composition.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marianna Strzelecka, Joanna Tusznio, Arash Akhshik, Marcin Rechcinski, Malgorzata Grodzinska-Jurczak
Summary: This study examined the impact of human connection to nature on residents' concerns about justice in conservation policies of Natura 2000. The findings suggest that residents' bonds with nature play a significant role in the perceived justice of Natura 2000.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
David Nyaga Mugo Mbora, Morris Nzioka Mutua
Summary: Habitat loss and habitat fragmentation usually occur together, and their effects on biodiversity are often interconnected. This study used structural equation modeling to investigate the influence of forest area, fragmentation, and the number of monkeys on dung beetle abundance and diversity. The results showed that all three factors had direct and indirect effects on the beetles, highlighting the importance of considering both habitat loss and fragmentation in biodiversity conservation.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Biology
Francesca Festa, Leonardo Ancillotto, Luca Santini, Michela Pacifici, Ricardo Rocha, Nia Toshkova, Francisco Amorim, Ana Benitez-Lopez, Adi Domer, Daniela Hamidovic, Stephanie Kramer-Schadt, Fiona Mathews, Viktoriia Radchuk, Hugo Rebelo, Ireneusz Ruczynski, Estelle Solem, Asaf Tsoar, Danilo Russo, Orly Razgour
Summary: Understanding how species respond to climate change is crucial, and bats are particularly sensitive to climate change due to their biology. However, research on bat responses to climate change is geographically biased and lacking in empirical studies. Range shifts and changes in species diversity are the most commonly reported responses, but the outcomes vary among different bat families. More empirical studies and standardized study designs are needed to have a comprehensive understanding of bat responses to climate change.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Leonardo Ancillotto, Chiara Scaramella, Fabio Dartora, Antonello Migliozzi, Danilo Russo
Summary: Organic farming and habitat structure have significant impacts on bat activity and species richness in the Mediterranean region. Organic farming is beneficial for promoting bat activity in agricultural areas, and linear landscape elements have a positive influence on bat activity. Appropriate management of landscape structure at larger scales is necessary to increase bat species richness.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maurizio Fraissinet, Leonardo Ancillotto, Antonello Migliozzi, Silvia Capasso, Luciano Bosso, Dan E. Chamberlain, Danilo Russo
Summary: This study utilized longitudinal bird monitoring data to analyze the occurrence trends of urban birds in Naples. The species richness of breeding birds remained stable over time, but there were changes in the composition of bird species associated with different types of land cover.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Diogo F. Ferreira, Crinan Jarrett, Alain Christel Wandji, Patrick Jules Atagana, Hugo Rebelo, Bea Maas, Luke L. Powell
Summary: Central/West Africa is biodiverse, produces most of the world's chocolate, and suffers significant losses from cacao pests and diseases. This study highlights the role of flying vertebrates in suppressing pests in cacao plantations and shows that their effectiveness depends on shade tree management.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Denis Medinas, Vera Ribeiro, Soraia Barbosa, Francesco Valerio, Joao Tiago Marques, Hugo Rebelo, Joana Pauperio, Sara Santos, Antonio Mira
Summary: The landscape has significant effects on the gene flow and relatedness structure of the endangered lesser horseshoe bat. There is evidence of sex-biased dispersal, with less relatedness among females in roosts located near roads. High tree density and continuity of forest patches promote relatedness among individuals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy S. P. Froidevaux, Nia Toshkova, Luc Barbaro, Ana Benitez-Lopez, Christian Kerbiriou, Isabelle Le Viol, Michela Pacifici, Luca Santini, Clare Stawski, Danilo Russo, Jasja Dekker, Antton Alberdi, Francisco Amorim, Leonardo Ancillotto, Kevin Barre, Yves Bas, Lisette Cantu-Salazar, Dina K. N. Dechmann, Tiphaine Devaux, Katrine Eldegard, Sasan Fereidouni, Joanna Furmankiewicz, Daniela Hamidovic, Davina L. Hill, Carlos Ibanez, Jean-Francois Julien, Javier Juste, Peter Kanuch, Carmi Korine, Alexis Laforge, Gaelle Legras, Camille Leroux, Grzegorz Lesinski, Lea Mariton, Julie Marmet, Vanessa A. Mata, Clare M. Mifsud, Victoria Nistreanu, Roberto Novella-Fernandez, Hugo Rebelo, Niamh Roche, Charlotte Roemer, Ireneusz Ruczynski, Rune Soras, Marcel Uhrin, Adriana Vella, Christian C. Voigt, Orly Razgour
Summary: Knowledge of species' functional traits is crucial for understanding biodiversity patterns, predicting global environmental changes, and assessing conservation measures. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive data on the functional traits and ecological attributes of European bat species.
Article
Microbiology
Hiba Dakroub, Giovanni Sgroi, Nicola D'Alessio, Danilo Russo, Francesco Serra, Vincenzo Veneziano, Simona Rea, Alessia Pucciarelli, Maria Gabriella Lucibelli, Esterina De Carlo, Giovanna Fusco, Maria Grazia Amoroso
Summary: Systematic wildlife surveillance is crucial in preventing zoonotic infections that endanger human health and biodiversity. Our study found a high circulation of Toxoplasma gondii in wild mammals in the Campania region of southern Italy, highlighting the critical role of anthropized areas in the transmission of this parasite.
Article
Biology
Valeria B. Salinas-Ramos, Alessandra Tomassini, Fabiana Ferrari, Rita Boga, Danilo Russo
Summary: Every summer in Italy and other temperate regions, bats fall from their shelters due to heatwaves caused by climate change, leading to their admission to wildlife rehabilitation centres. A study using 5842 records from Italian rehabilitation centres over a 20-year period found that the number of admitted bats strongly increased during summer weeks with temperatures above 30 degrees C. This heat stress on bats might have negative effects on bat populations in cities, where they provide important ecosystem services by consuming harmful insects. The study calls for large-scale monitoring and conservation efforts for urban bat populations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Davide Sogliani, Emiliano Mori, Sandro Lovari, Lorenzo Lazzeri, Alice Longoni, Karol Tabarelli De Fatis, Patrizia Sabatini, Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola, Danilo Russo
Summary: Domestic dogs can have various impacts on wildlife, including predation, competition, harassment, and hybridization. This study combines citizen science data and information from scientists to investigate the potential impact of free-ranging dogs on wildlife in Italy. The results show that dogs have attacked and killed a wide range of species, with mammals and birds being the most affected. The diet analysis reveals that dogs primarily consume mammals, but also consume pet food and remains of domestic sheep. Raising awareness and controlling dog behavior are crucial for mitigating the impact of domestic dogs on wildlife.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Diogo F. Ferreira, Alexandra Darling, Crinan Jarrett, Patrick Jules Atagana, Phallin Romeal Sandjo, Hermann Taedoumg, Andreanna J. Welch, Hugo Rebelo, Luke L. Powell
Summary: This study investigated the impact of cocoa farm management on bat diversity metrics in African cocoa farms. The results showed that shade tree cover and height were the main drivers associated with an increase in bat diversity. Fruit-eating and nectar-feeding bats were positively associated with planted shade trees, while richness varied with the size of shade trees. The findings suggest that policymakers should promote cocoa management systems that include forest and planted shade trees to support a rich community of bats and maintain ecosystem services.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mirko Di Febbraro, Luciano Bosso, Mauro Fasola, Francesca Santicchia, Gaetano Aloise, Simone Lioy, Elena Tricarico, Luciano Ruggieri, Stefano Bovero, Emiliano Mori, Sandro Bertolino
Summary: Citizen science initiatives are being used to model the distribution of alien species, but only a few studies have evaluated the contribution of integrating citizen science data with scientifically structured surveys. This study compared the ability of citizen science data and scientific surveys, as well as their integration, to capture the realized niche and predict future invasion risk of 13 invasive alien species in Italy. The findings showed that citizen science data can be valuable in predicting future spread of invasive alien species, but it may also affect the niche quantification and prediction for species poorly known to citizen scientists or in local contexts.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Mahima Hemnani, Priscilla Gomes da Silva, Gertrude Thompson, Patricia Poeta, Hugo Rebelo, Joao R. Mesquita
Summary: This study investigated the presence of coronaviruses in four species of cave-dwelling bats in Portugal. The results showed that coronaviruses were more easily detected in fecal samples compared to anal and buccal swab samples. No coronaviruses were detected in the air samples. This study highlights the importance of continuous surveillance for novel coronaviruses in bat populations globally.
Article
Ecology
Helena Raposeira, Pedro Horta, Ruben Heleno, Hugo Rebelo
Summary: Understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of biological communities in response to environmental drivers is crucial for predicting the impact of environmental change on biodiversity. In this study, we examined bat diversity across an altitudinal gradient and identified the main environmental factors shaping bat communities. By assessing species' vulnerability to foreseeable environmental changes, we found that altitude, forest cover, and shrub cover were the key drivers influencing bat communities year-round. Interestingly, the vulnerability of bats did not always align with their conservation status, highlighting the importance of considering ecological plasticity in conservation strategies.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Sergio Teixeira, Sonia Smeraldo, Danilo Russo
Summary: This study reveals significant genetic and ecological differentiation among the Madeira pipistrelle (Pipistrellus maderensis) populations inhabiting the Macaronesia archipelagos of Madeira, Azores, and Canary Islands. These findings lay the foundation for future investigations integrating ecological, morphological, genetic, and behavioral characteristics and ensuring the long-term preservation of these bat populations and their ecological roles.