Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anji D'souza, George A. Gale, Benjamin Michael Marshall, Daphawan Khamcha, Surachit Waengsothorn, Colin Thomas Strine
Summary: Studying the diurnal and nocturnal movements of green cat snakes provided insights into differences in male and female behaviors, with males moving farther than females. Adult green cat snakes were found to move farther during the avian nesting season compared to the non-nesting season. However, statistical differences between sexes and seasons were inconclusive due to unequal samples.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brian D. Todd, A. Justin Nowakowski
Summary: In snakes, home range area scales more gradually with body size, following the trend of metabolic rates rather than the steeper scaling seen in mammals and birds. Male snakes have larger home ranges than females, with the difference increasing in warmer temperatures possibly due to mate-searching behavior and thermoregulation. Snakes that actively forage have larger home ranges compared to ambush foragers, reflecting their foraging ecology.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Laura Schulte, Daniele De Angelis, Natarsha Babic, Slaven Reljic
Summary: The study in Paklenica National Park revealed that European brown bears exhibit solitary behavior in small seasonal home ranges during autumn, spending time near feeding sites and approaching human settlements. Further research is needed to understand the impact of gravidity on home range and to adapt management strategies for human-bear encounters in the park.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chunying Wu, James Angus Webb, Michael J. Stewardson
Summary: River floodplains are dynamic and diverse ecosystems, but they are at risk of degradation due to river regulation and climate change. Environmental water has been used to maintain their health by mimicking natural floods. This study used Landsat data to investigate the drivers of vegetation dynamics in the Hattah Lakes floodplain in Australia. The study found that the effects of environmental water on floodplain vegetation differed from those of natural floods in both space and time.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ambreen Khursheed, Faisal Mustafa, Ayesha Akhtar
Summary: This study investigates the impact of meteorological factors on COVID-19 death counts and reveals a significant negative relationship between temperature, relative humidity, and absolute humidity with the COVID-19 mortality rate. The results may help health care policymakers to develop and implement effective control measures in a timely and efficient manner.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Elisavet Georgopoulou, Olga Alexandrou, Aris Manolopoulos, Stavros Xirouchakis, Giorgos Catsadorakis
Summary: This study examined the movements and home range sizes of eleven Dalmatian pelicans in northern Greece. The average home range was estimated at 461 km(2), with a core area of 14.4 km(2), representing 3.12% of the former. There was significant variation in home range sizes between individuals, but no effect of sex or seasonal variation on home range size was found.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jinya Li, Fawen Qian, Yang Zhang, Lina Zhao, Wanquan Deng, Keming Ma
Summary: Migratory species are more vulnerable to extinction due to their interaction with different ecosystems in different regions during migration. Clarifying the utilization intensity during migration is crucial for identifying conservation priorities and improving resource allocation efficiency. This study used satellite-tracking loggers and remote sensing to analyze the migration patterns of Oriental White Storks, revealing spatial differences in habitat selection and the need for eco-friendly land use.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jari Hanninen, Katja Makinen, Klaus Nordhausen, Jussi Laaksonlaita, Olli Loisa, Joni Virta
Summary: In this study, a forecasting tool for predicting the state of eutrophication in the Archipelago Sea was developed using a Generalized Additive Mixed Model (GAMM) fitted to marine environmental monitoring data. The tool utilizes the Seili-index, derived from the data collected by an automated profiling buoy, to forecast the chlorophyll-alpha (chl-a) concentration in the seawater. The accuracy of the predictions was validated using a separate 2019 data set, demonstrating the tool's effectiveness in predicting chl-a levels, particularly in the upper water layer. The study also applied GAMMs to predict cyanobacteria blooms based on temperature and wind conditions, showing promising results for short-term predictions. The use of automated monitoring data and the GAMM model in assessing natural resource management and pollution risks is discussed.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING & ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ferdinando Fornara, Oriana Mosca, Andrea Bosco, Alessandro O. Caffo, Antonella Lopez, Tina Iachini, Gennaro Ruggiero, Francesco Ruotolo, Filomena Leonela Sbordone, Antonella Ferrara, Zaira Cattaneo, Maria Arioli, Francesca Frassinetti, Michela Candini, Laura Miola, Francesca Pazzaglia
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between perceived stress and the objective and subjective dimensions of the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that objective home crowding has an indirect effect on perceived stress through satisfaction with the space at home. These effects are more pronounced in younger generations. Additionally, satisfaction with the space at home is negatively associated with perceived stress, especially when the perceived risk of COVID-19 infection is low.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Christine Parker, Wendy M. Schelsky, Luke Garver, Jeffrey P. Hoover
Summary: Prescribed fire is increasingly used in North America to manage natural landscapes, but its impact on wildlife, particularly wild turkeys, during the reproductive period is not well understood. This study found that prescribed fire influenced habitat selection among wild turkey hens, with varying responses to different burn regimes and time-since-burn, highlighting the importance of considering temporal and spatial scales in habitat selection analyses.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ben Goodheart, Scott Creel, Milan A. Vinks, Kambwiri Banda, Johnathan Reyes de Merkle, Anna Kusler, Chase Dart, Kachama Banda, Matthew S. Becker, Peter Indala, Chuma Simukonda, Adrian Kaluka
Summary: African wild dogs alter their patterns of movement in response to the presence of lions, reducing movement in areas with high lion density but increasing movement when lions are nearby. Predators such as lions have a stronger effect on wild dog movement than prey density predictors, and movements are also affected by seasonal factors and the presence of dependent offspring.
Article
Ecology
Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar, Rajashekhar Niyogi, Rebecca Lal Masih, Poushali Hazra, Luigi Maiorano, Robert John
Summary: The study documents a long-distance dispersal event of a female tiger that ended with the establishment of a new home range. The research shows that the tiger exhibited exploratory movement rather than moving in a linear path. These findings highlight the potential of natural dispersal of female tigers for species range expansion in fragmented habitats with recovering population numbers.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew P. Colefax, Brendan P. Kelaher, Andrew J. Walsh, Cormac R. Purcell, Dan E. Pagendam, Daniele Cagnazzi, Paul A. Butcher
Summary: Research on using drones and hyperspectral sensors to measure animal reflectance. Results show that a specific range of wavelengths plays an important role in enhancing the contrast between animals and their surroundings, especially in underwater environments. This approach may increase the accuracy of detecting submerged fauna.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Kyle Joly, Matthew D. Cameron, Mathew S. Sorum, David D. Gustine, William Deacy, Grant Hilderbrand
Summary: This study used GPS collar data to assess the annual home ranges of female and male brown bears in Alaska. Contrary to expectations, body size did not influence home range size, but consumption of chum salmon did. The study highlights the importance of considering food resources when managing bear populations.
Article
Zoology
Daniele De Angelis, Djuro Huber, Slaven Reljic, Paolo Ciucci, Josip Kusak
Summary: The research suggests that bears alter their space-use patterns at the home range level in response to anthropogenic land use and food availability. Bears living in human-influenced areas tend to avoid human settlements and agricultural lands but concentrate their use near supplemental feeding sites. Additionally, the study found that bears have larger home ranges at night compared to during the day, and the size of their home ranges is inversely related to the density of supplemental feeding sites.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elodie Portanier, Pascale Chevret, Pauline Gelin, Pierre Benedetti, Frederic Sanchis, Filippo Barbanera, Cecile Kaerle, Guillaume Queney, Gilles Bourgoin, Sebastien Devillard, Mathieu Garel
Summary: Human-mediated species dispersal has influenced biodiversity in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. The Corsican mouflon likely descended from the Asiatic mouflon, with genetic analyses showing strong genetic differentiation between two populations on the island. A single group of founders is believed to have introduced the Corsican mouflon, leading to genetic bottlenecks and the eventual divergence into two populations several hundred years ago. The shared ancestry of the populations raises questions about their current management as distinct units.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Sebastien Devillard, Mickael Jacquier, Jean-Michel Vandel, Francois Leger, Jeanne Duhayer, Sylvia Pardonnet, Ludovic Say, Sandrine Ruette
Summary: The study found that genetic diversity in badger populations is positively related to population size. Low population size is associated with reduced genetic diversity, which decreases the adaptive potential of small populations and puts them at risk of extinction.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesco Montillo, Andrea Sforzi, Giampiero Sammuri, Olivier Duriez, Flavio Monti
Summary: The study found that ospreys in Europe utilized a greater number of protected areas compared to Africa, with juveniles having larger home ranges and spending more time outside protected areas than adults. Juveniles may face a higher risk of mortality due to spending more time outside protected areas.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Goncalo Matias, Luis Miguel Rosalino, Paulo Celio Alves, Annika Tiesmeyer, Carsten Nowak, Luana Ramos, Katharina Steyer, Christos Astaras, Mareike Brix, Csaba Domokos, Rene Janssen, Andrew C. Kitchener, Xavier Mestdagh, Lionel L'Hoste, Nicolas Titeux, Despina Migli, Dionisios Youlatos, Markus Pfenninger, Sebastian Devillard, Sandrine Ruette, Stefano Anile, Pablo Ferreras, Francisco Diaz-Ruiz, Pedro Monterroso
Summary: Hybridisation between domestic and wild cats poses a threat to wildlife conservation. This study examines the effects of ecological drivers on the genetic integrity of the European wildcat, finding that different factors influence genetic introgression across different biomes. Overall, the wildcat's genetic integrity remains high, except in the Mediterranean and Temperate Insular biomes. Forest integrity is a common factor promoting genetic integrity.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elodie Portanier, Francois Leger, Laurence Henry, Thibault Gayet, Guillaume Queney, Sandrine Ruette, Sebastien Devillard
Summary: We studied the impact of landscape on gene flow in European wildcat populations in France. Our results showed that arable areas, pastures, and lowly fragmented forested areas were permeable to gene flow, while distance to forest had no detectable effect. The permeability of anthropized areas varied in different population patches. Overall, the European wildcat is a habitat generalist species.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jethro G. Gauld, Joao P. Silva, Philip W. Atkinson, Paul Record, Marta Acacio, Volen Arkumarev, Julio Blas, Willem Bouten, Niall Burton, Ines Catry, Jocelyn Champagnon, Gary D. Clewley, Mindaugas Dagys, Olivier Duriez, Klaus-Michael Exo, Wolfgang Fiedler, Andrea Flack, Guilad Friedemann, Johannes Fritz, Clara Garcia-Ripolles, Stefan Garthe, Dimitri Giunchi, Atanas Grozdanov, Roi Harel, Elizabeth M. Humphreys, Rene Janssen, Andrea Koelzsch, Olga Kulikova, Thomas K. Lameris, Pascual Lopez-Lopez, Elizabeth A. Masden, Flavio Monti, Ran Nathan, Stoyan Nikolov, Steffen Oppel, Hristo Peshev, Louis Phipps, Ivan Pokrovsky, Viola H. Ross-Smith, Victoria Saravia, Emily S. Scragg, Andrea Sforzi, Emilian Stoynov, Chris Thaxter, Wouter Van Steelant, Marielle Toor, Bernd Vorneweg, Jonas Waldenstroem, Martin Wikelski, Ramunas Zydelis, Aldina M. A. Franco
Summary: This study assesses and analyzes the collision risks of wind turbines and power lines to birds in Europe and North Africa based on GPS location data of tracked birds. The results show that some bird species consistently fly at heights where they are at risk of collision. In the study region, 13.6% of the area is classified as highly sensitive to wind turbines and 9.4% is classified as highly sensitive to power lines, with hotspots of collision vulnerability scattered across the region, particularly in central Europe, near the strait of Gibraltar, and the Bosporus in Turkey.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Flavio Monti, Claudine Montgelard, Alexandre Robert, Andrea Sforzi, Rafel Triay, Francois Sarrazin, Olivier Duriez
Letter
Biodiversity Conservation
Duriez Olivier, Sforzi Andrea, Triay-Bagur Rafel, Robert Alexandre, Sarrazin Francois, Monti Flavio
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Flavio Monti, Pietro Serroni, Francesco Rotondaro, Alberto Sangiuliano, Andrea Sforzi, Giancarlo Opramolla, Antonello Pascazi, Samuele Spacca, Filippo La Civita, Mario Posillico
Summary: This study provides first data on survival estimates and mortality causes for a reintroduced population of Eurasian griffon vultures in central-southern Italy. The estimated survival rate across the study period was 0.709, with an annual survival rate of 0.915. Human-caused mortality was the main cause of death, highlighting the need for anti-poison strategies and habitat preservation.
AVIAN BIOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Flavio Monti, Giampiero Sammuri, Francesco Montillo, Olivier Duriez, Andrea Sforzi
Summary: Through GPS tracking of over 80 Mediterranean ospreys, we observed three inexperienced juvenile birds undertaking migration movements in the opposite direction of the expected seasonal flow. Weather conditions and the birds' lack of experience explain these unexpected movements over the open sea.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elodie Portanier, Helene Henri, Pierre Benedetti, Frederic Sanchis, Corinne Regis, Pascale Chevret, Marco Zedda, Adil El Filali, Sandrine Ruette, Sebastien Devillard
Summary: In the face of extinction crisis, it is crucial to identify new conservation units for the protection of highly threatened species like felids. In this study, the genetic identity of Corsican wildcats was reported using ddRADseq, revealing their significant genetic differentiation from European wildcats and closer relationship to Sardinian wildcats than domestic cats. Further investigation is needed to assess the status of Corsican wildcats and trace their introduction history in Corsica.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jeremy Larroque, Pascale Chevret, Juliette Berger, Sandrine Ruette, Tim Adriaens, Koen van den Berge, Vinciane Schockert, Francois Leger, Geraldine Veron, Cecile Kaerle, Corinne Regis, Manon Gautrelet, Jean-Francois Maillard, Sebastien Devillard
Summary: Raccoons are worldwide invaders, causing impacts that exceed billions of Euros in Europe alone. Three separate raccoon populations have been established in France, which are the result of at least three independent introductions. The genetic admixture between the North-Eastern population and the Belgium population suggests the potential for hybrid vigor and facilitation of their expansion.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Flavio Monti, Chiara Mengoni, Andrea Sforzi, Francesco Pezzo, Lorenzo Serra, Giampiero Sammuri, Nadia Mucci
Summary: Reintroductions are crucial for restoring biodiversity and reversing the effects of species extinction. Feasibility and monitoring plans are essential for achieving concrete and lasting results. The osprey reintroduction project in Maremma Regional Park, Italy, has successfully established a breeding population since its inception in 2004.
Article
Ecology
Amira Azizan, Stefano Anile, Clayton K. Nielsen, Emmanuel Paradis, Sebastien Devillard
Summary: Studying genetic diversity within species provides insights into their biological traits and ability to cope with global changes. This study found a significant positive correlation between population density and genetic diversity, particularly in observed heterozygosity and allelic richness. The findings highlight the impact of recent demographic processes on neutral genetic diversity in threatened and small populations, and offer a methodological framework for identifying populations that require conservation actions to preserve maximum genetic variation.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Franco Andreone, Ivano Ansaloni, Enrico Bellia, Andrea Benocci, Carlotta Betto, Gabriella Bianchi, Giovanni Boano, Antonio Borzatti De Loewenstern, Rino Brancato, Nicola Bressi, Stefano Bulla, Massimo Capula, Vincenzo Caputo Barucchi, Piero Carlino, Umberto Chalvien, Marta Coloberti, Pierangelo Crucitti, Maria C. Deflorian, Giuliano Doria, Simone Farina, Valeria Franceschini, Simona Guioli, Roberta Improta, Luca Lapini, Leonardo Latella, Giuseppe Manganelli, Stefano Mazzotti, Marta Meneghini, Paola Nicolosi, Annamaria Nistri, Nicola Novarini, Roberta Pala, Edoardo Razzetti, Giovanni Repetto, Roberta Salmaso, Guido C. Salza, Stefano Scali, Giovanni Scillitani, Andrea Sforzi, Roberto Sindaco, Gionata Stancher, Maria L. Tavano, Marco Valle, Giannantonio Zanata Santi, Marco A. L. Zuffi, Giulia Tessa
Summary: This paper surveyed the consistency of preserved specimens of amphibians and reptiles in major Italian scientific collections, and confirmed the presence of threatened species according to the IUCN Red List. The study identified multiple institutions that share seven critically endangered amphibians, fourteen critically endangered reptiles, and one extinct skink. The museums with the highest number of threatened and extinct species are located in Turin, Florence, and Trento for amphibians, and in Genoa, Florence, and Pisa for reptiles.
ACTA HERPETOLOGICA
(2022)
