A5076825132- Scarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Mediterranean and Iberian flora and fauna
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Coleoptera: Cerambycidae studies
- Plant and soil sciences
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Forest Management and Policy
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Orthoptera Research and Taxonomy
- Historical and Environmental Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
University of Turin
2015-2025
Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti
2015-2024
University of Palermo
2023-2024
Tecnologie Avanzate (Italy)
2000-2002
Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”
2001-2002
Understanding of the role body mass in structural-functional relationships is pressing, particularly because species losses often occur non-randomly with respect to size. Our study examined effects dung beetle on removal at two levels. First, we used lab experiment evaluate efficiency eight belonging functional groups (tunnelers, dwellers) removal. Second, same employed were field mesocosms examine maintaining realistic differences total between tunneler and dweller assemblages. Furthermore,...
Two new Drepanocerina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Oniticellini) species were recently found among samples from Malawi and Kenya, are here described as Epidrepanus nyika kenyensis species. Previously, the Afrotropical genus Roggero, Barbero & Palestrini, 2015 was known only for three species: caelatus (Gerstaecker, 1871), E. pulvinarius (Balthasar, 1963), schimperi (Janssens, 1953). Morphological features (head, pronotum, elytra, epipharynx, hindwing) analysed using geometric...
In the last decade, haynets and slow feeders have been promoted as sustainable tools to improve feeding management of horses reduce forage waste, but little is known about their effects on ponies. Therefore, aim this study was analyze different hay methods ingestive behaviors, intake rate mouth shaping ponies belonging two breed types, which are characterized by head morphologies. Shetland type (SH, n = 5) Welsh/Cob (WC, 4) were fed using four methods: ground (G), a fully filled haynet (HF),...
Abstract Maintaining multiple ecological functions (“multifunctionality”) is crucial to sustain viable ecosystems. To date most studies on biodiversity‐ecosystem functioning ( BEF ) have focused single or few and services. However, there a critical need evaluate how species assemblages affect processes at the same time, these are interconnected. Dung beetles represent excellent model organisms because they key contributors several ecosystem functions. Using novel method based application of...
Cattle farming is a major source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Recent research suggests that GHG fluxes from dung pats could be affected by biotic interactions involving beetles. Whether and how these effects vary among beetle species with assemblage composition yet to established. To examine the link between GHGs different assemblages, we used closed chamber system measure carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) nitrous oxide (N2O) cattle pats. Targeting total four (a pat-dwelling species, roller...
One of the most compelling challenges for conservation biologists is preservation species with restricted ranges.Carabus olympiae Sella, 1855, a ground beetle inhabiting two small areas in western Italian Alps, an example steno-endemic and endangered insect species.Despite fact that this historically well known to professional amateur entomologists, its autecology virtually unknown.In present study we used pitfall traps habitat selection phenology, radiotelemetry measure differences movement...
In recent decades, pastoral abandonment has produced profound ecological changes in the Alps. particular, reduction grazing led to extensive shrub encroachment of semi-natural grasslands, which may represent a threat open habitat biodiversity. To reverse encroachment, we assessed short-term effects two different practices on vegetation and dung beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea). Strategic placement mineral mix supplements (MMS) arrangement temporary night camp areas (TNCA) for cattle were...
Abstract Dung removal by macrofauna such as dung beetles is an important process for nutrient cycling in pasturelands. Intensification of farming practices generally reduces species and functional diversity terrestrial invertebrates, which may negatively affect ecosystem services. Here, we investigate the effects cattle-grazing intensification on field experiments replicated 38 pastures around world. Within each study site, measured managed with low- high-intensity regimes to assess...
Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are undoubtedly the most typical and ecologically relevant insects of grazed alpine habitats because they provide valuable ecological services such as biological pest control soil fertilization. Despite great contribution these to pasture ecosystem functioning, little is known about their direct or indirect relationships with pastoral activities. The main aim study was assess whether dung beetle diversity influenced by different intensities cattle...
Male horn dimorphism is a rather common phenomenon in dung beetles, where some adult individuals have well-developed head horns (i.e., major males), while others exhibit diminished length minor males). We focused on and associated pronotum shape variations Copris lunaris. examined the allometric relationship between cephalic pronotal horns) maximum width (as index of body size) by fitting linear sigmoidal models for both sexes. then asked whether variations, quantified using geometric...
Genitalia are among the fastest evolving morphological traits in arthropods. Among many hypotheses aimed at explaining this observation, some explicitly or implicitly predict concomitant male and female changes of genital that interact during copulation (i.e., lock key, sexual conflict, cryptic choice pleiotropy). Testing these requires insights into whether copulatory structures physically mating also affect each other's evolution patterns diversification. Here we compare contrast size...
The bright colors of Alpine leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) are thought to act as aposematic signals against predation. Within the European Alps, at least six species display a basal color either blue or green, likely configuring classic case müllerian mimicry. In this context, intra-population polymorphism is paradoxical existence numerous morphs might hamper establishment search image in visual predators. Assortative mating may be one main factors contributing maintenance...
The present study investigated the morphological and genetic differentiation pattern between two sympatric dung beetle sister species, Onthophagus taurus illyricus. geometric morphometric approach coupled with use of molecular markers allowed examination nature interspecific relationships an outline evolutionary geographical processes that might have led to present-day partial syntopic distribution. Geometric morphometrics failed discrimininate species on ground external traits, but revealed...
This paper focuses on morphological (both shape and size) differences that quite similar polyphenic sister species evolve during divergence processes. Traits were analysed using a geometrical morphometric approach, which has the ability to evidence also very subtle in shape. As case study, we considered males of dung beetle pair Onthophagus taurus illyricus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae); these represent typical example trait expression concerning facultative development horns considerable body...
Allometric relationships in primary sexual traits (male and female genitalia), secondary horns carinae), non-sex-related (external body traits, epipharynx traits) were studied the dung beetle Onthophagus taurus. Model II regressions of log-transformed data used to quantify relationships, with pronotum width as regressor indicator overall size. Slopes (allometric values) for different trait categories significantly different, showing highest values (higher than 1.0), followed by external...
Abstract Aim To examine the phylogeography and population structure of three dung beetle species genus Trypocopris (Coleoptera, Geotrupidae). We wanted to test whether genetic differences genealogies among populations were in accordance with morphologically described subspecies we aimed establish times divergence depict appropriate temporal framework their phylogeographical differentiation. also wished investigate historical demographic events relative influences gene flow drift on...
SUMMARY Onthophagus taurus is a polyphenic beetle in which males express alternative major (horned) and minor (hornless) morphologies largely dependent on larval nutrition. O. was originally limited to Turanic–European–Mediterranean distribution, but became introduced several exotic regions the late 1960s. Using geometric morphometrics, we investigate present‐day morphological shape differentiation patterns among native (Italian) (Western Australian Eastern US) populations. We then contrast...