A5007247068- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Plant and animal studies
- Mediterranean and Iberian flora and fauna
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Marine and environmental studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Heavy metals in environment
- Marine and fisheries research
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale
2015-2024
Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources
2017-2022
Joint Research Centre
2020-2021
National Research Council
2014-2019
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate
2013-2016
Agenzia Regionale Parchi
2015
University of Florence
2010-2011
Abstract Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, highly threatened, cover vast distances during foraging migration. However, spatial overlap between petrels plastics poorly understood. Here we combine...
Alpine grouses are particularly vulnerable to climate change due their adaptation extreme conditions and relict distributions in the Alps where global warming has been marked last half century. Grouses also currently threatened by habitat modification human disturbance, an assessment of impact multiple stressors is needed predict fate populations these birds next decades. We estimated effect disturbance on a rock ptarmigan population living western Italian combining empirical modelling...
Abstract Time series analysis plays an important role in the detection of mechanisms that drive population fluctuations. However, long time are rare, with ungulate data sets usually not exceeding 50 years. In this article, we describe a long‐term set density indices five species obtained from bag records collected Castelporziano Preserve, Rome, Italy. Hunting statistics often used as proxies for density; however, case large mammals, there no comparative studies to assess validity such data....
Enhancement of information transfer has been proposed as a key driver the evolution coloniality. Transfer on location food resources implies that individuals from same colony share foraging areas and each can be associated to specific area. In colonial breeding vertebrates, colony-specific are often spatially segregated, mitigating intercolony intraspecific competition. By means simultaneous GPS tracking lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) neighbouring colonies, we showed clear segregation...
Abstract Moonlight is known to affect the nocturnal behaviour and activity rhythms of many organisms. For instance, predators active at night may take advantage from increased visibility afforded by moon, while prey might regulate their patterns become less detectable. Many species pelagic seabirds attend colony only night, in complete darkness, avoiding approaching nest sites under moonlight. This has been most often interpreted as an antipredator adaptation (‘predation avoidance’...
Population fluctuations in ungulates are driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Available information, however, mainly refers to arctic, temperate African ungulate populations, while the dynamics of Mediterranean species, exposed a milder climate, is known much lesser extent. Here we studied population four wild species Castelporziano Preserve near Rome, Italy, as obtained from detailed bag counts hunting drives during period 1878–1986: Italian roe deer Capreolus capreolus italicus...
Abstract Background Consistent inter-individual differences in behavioural phenotypes may entail energy efficiency and expenditure, with different fitness payoffs. In colonial-breeding species, foraging behaviour evolve to reduce resource use overlap among conspecifics exploiting shared areas. Furthermore, individual covary characteristics, such as sex or physiological conditions. Methods We investigated tactics of a colonial raptor, the lesser kestrel ( Falco naumanni ). tracked trips...
Abstract We analysed the patterns of movement and habitat use Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea diomedea) from two colonies in central Mediterranean Sea: island Linosa Tremiti Archipelago. The colony is placed a rather pelagic environment, being about 160 km distant coasts both Sicily Tunisia, while near to coast Adriatic Sea, only 25 Italian coast. Field work during incubation was carried out at throughout chick-rearing Linosa. aimed test first whether birds differ significantly use,...
Abstract Most seabird species display colonial behavior during the breeding period which implies that food resources around sites can easily go depleted. Seabirds need to both reach profitable areas, be located far from colony, and return colony regularly. In this context, flexibility in movement may crucial for success. During chick-rearing, Procellariformes alternate short trips lasting 1–4 days chick provisioning with longer self-provisioning what has been called a dual-foraging strategy....
Spatial segregation of foraging areas among conspecifics breeding in neighbouring colonies has been observed several colonial vertebrates and is assumed to originate from competition information use. Segregation between individuals different parts a same colony comparatively received limited attention, even though it may have strong impacts on structure individual fitness, thus population dynamics species. To shed light the processes (namely memory) driving small‐scale spatial species, we...
The distribution of seabirds at sea is influenced by physical, ecological and anthropogenic factors such as depth, prey distribution, intra‐specific competition commerical fishing activities. We quantified the foraging habitat preferences Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea in Mediterranean Sea. analysed relation to a suite physical variables including net primary production distance other colonies (as proxy competition). Since heavily impacted commercial fisheries, we also...
To account for progress towards conservation targets, monitoring systems should capture not only information on biodiversity but also knowledge the dynamics of ecological processes and related effects human well-being. Protected areas represent complex social-ecological with strong human-nature interactions. They are able to provide relevant about how global local scale drivers (e.g., climate change, land use change) impact ecosystem services. Here we develop a framework that uses an...
The analysis of density fluctuations key species is a crucial element for assessing how natural ecosystems respond to climate and environmental change. black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) has experienced constant population decline in the recent decades Italy. We investigated whether meteorological variables dependence affected growth rate Orsiera-Rocciavrè Park (Piedmont, Italy) western Alps from 1991–2009. Empirical models showed that rates were negatively by rainfall during brooding–hatching...
The identification of the onset prenuptial migration is fundamental in defining closing date hunting season compliance with EU Birds Directive. Here, we describe process and country‐by‐country approach currently followed by European Commission to define for each huntable bird species Member State, highlighting resulting discrepancies inconsistencies starting dates between neighbouring countries. To overcome these issues, propose adoption a flyway shared, analytically biologically sound...
Abstract Acquiring resources for self-maintenance and reproduction is a key challenge wild animals, the methods that individuals employ are, in part, shaped by environmental conditions vary time space. For birds, rainfall may affect behavior, impairing senses increasing energetic costs, but its consequences on movement patterns are poorly explored. We investigated influence of foraging behavior magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens. This peculiar tropical seabird lacks feather...
Sensitivity of marine ecosystems to human disturbance leads an increasing need devise effective conservation initiatives. One key leverage tool is the establishment protected areas, which can be derived by inspecting where sentinel species forage in their most sensitive life cycle phase (reproduction). Depending on biological and legislative framework, important areas (hereafter, ICAs) correspond Important Bird biodiversity Areas, Key Biodiversity Marine Protected etc. Statistical methods...