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Scarcelli S, Buono F, D'Alessio N, Rea S, Castaldo E, Pesce A, Locantore F, Fioretti A, Marucci G, Sgroi G, Modrý D, Veneziano V. Trichinella spp. in wolves (Canis lupus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) of southern Italy. Res Vet Sci 2024; 179:105381. [PMID: 39213743 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Trichinella spp. are cosmopolitan parasites that infect a wide range of hosts, with wildlife being the main reservoir of these zoonotic nematodes, especially red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus) due to their apex position in the food chain in most European countries. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella spp. in these wild canids and their epidemiological role in the Campania region (southern Italy). From 2017 to 2023, the carcasses of red foxes (n = 352) and wolves (n = 41) were collected as part of a health surveillance plan. Muscle samples were analysed individually by artificial digestion and four (1.1%) red foxes and nine (21.9%) wolves tested positive for Trichinella britovi. All Trichinella isolates were identified as T. britovi by multiplex PCR. Statistically significant differences in prevalence were found by province (p-value = 0.05) for red foxes and sampling years (p-value = 0.01) for wolves. The prevalence was lower in red foxes than in wolves, probably due to the longer life expectancy of wolves compared to red foxes and the role of wolves as apex predators compared to red foxes as meso-carnivores. The results obtained confirm the important role that these wild canids play in the circulation of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Scarcelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Buono
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola D'Alessio
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of southern Italy, Department of Animal Health, Portici, Italy; Osservatorio Faunistico Venatorio - Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Rea
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of southern Italy, Department of Animal Health, Portici, Italy
| | - Elisa Castaldo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Pesce
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of southern Italy, Section of Avellino, Portici, Italy
| | - Francesco Locantore
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fioretti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Osservatorio Faunistico Venatorio - Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianluca Marucci
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of southern Italy, Department of Animal Health, Portici, Italy.
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; Osservatorio Faunistico Venatorio - Campania Region, Naples, Italy
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Ahmad F, Mori T, Rehan M, Bosso L, Kabir M. Applying a Random Encounter Model to Estimate the Asiatic Black Bear ( Ursus thibetanus) Density from Camera Traps in the Hindu Raj Mountains, Pakistan. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:341. [PMID: 38785823 PMCID: PMC11117995 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Estimating the population density of vulnerable species, such as the elusive and nocturnal Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), is essential for wildlife conservation and management. We used camera traps and a Random Encounter Model (REM) to estimate the population density of U. thibetanus during the autumn and winter seasons in the Hindu Raj Mountains. We installed 23 camera traps from October to December 2020 and acquired 66 independent pictures of Asiatic black bears over 428 trap nights. Our results showed that the bears preferred lowland areas with the presence of Quercus spp. We estimated, using the REM, a population density of U. thibetanus of 1.875 (standard error = 0.185) per square kilometer, which is significantly higher than that in other habitats. Our results showed that during autumn and winter, the bear population density tends to concentrate at lower elevations. Forest cover showed a positive correlation with the rates of bear encounters unlike the Euclidean distance to human settlements, altitude, and aspect variables. The approaches used here are cost-effective for estimating the population density of rare and vulnerable species such as U. thibetanus, and can be used to estimate their population density in Pakistan. Population density estimation can identify areas where the bears live and human-bear conflicts occurred and use this information in future wildlife management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faizan Ahmad
- Wildlife Ecology Lab, Department of Forestry & Wildlife Management, The University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22600, Pakistan; (F.A.); (M.R.)
| | - Tomoki Mori
- Institute for Mountain Science, Shinshu University, Kamiina County, Nagano 380-8544, Japan;
- Laboratory of Environmental Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, Nagoya 468-8502, Japan
| | - Muhammad Rehan
- Wildlife Ecology Lab, Department of Forestry & Wildlife Management, The University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22600, Pakistan; (F.A.); (M.R.)
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean, National Research Council of Italy, Piazzale E. Fermi, 1, 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Muhammad Kabir
- Wildlife Ecology Lab, Department of Forestry & Wildlife Management, The University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22600, Pakistan; (F.A.); (M.R.)
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Torretta E, Brangi A, Meriggi A. Changes in Wolf Occupancy and Feeding Habits in the Northern Apennines: Results of Long-Term Predator-Prey Monitoring. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:735. [PMID: 38473120 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The comprehension of the factors that have influenced the recent changes in wolf (Canis lupus) range and diet that have occurred in our study area, characterized by a highly heterogeneous landscape, can shed light on their current process of expansion toward the plain. Wolf presence was monitored using a standardized protocol from 2007 to 2022 by carrying out eight monitoring sessions organized in seasonal surveys, during which, we collected wolf presence data. To model wolf range dynamics, we used dynamic occupancy models considering land cover types and wild ungulate abundances as covariates. Moreover, we studied the wolf diet through scat analysis, identifying the consumed items from undigested remains. Wolf occupancy in the study area progressed from mountains to lower hills gradually; the observed range dynamics were driven by prey abundance and human presence: in particular, the probability of colonization increased with roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) abundance, whereas the probability of extinction increased with urban areas. The wolf diet showed a gradual shift from the prevalent consumption of wild boar (2007-2008 and 2011-2012) to the prevalent consumption of roe deer (continuously increasing from 2015 onward). Our results might be related to a specific adaptation of the predator to the local ecology of the most consumed species: the roe deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Torretta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Brangi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alberto Meriggi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Moreno A, Musto C, Gobbi M, Maioli G, Menchetti M, Trogu T, Paniccià M, Lavazza A, Delogu M. Detection and molecular analysis of Pseudorabies virus from free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus) in Italy - a case report. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:9. [PMID: 38172819 PMCID: PMC10765938 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03857-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The only natural hosts of Pseudorabies virus (PRV) are members of the family Suidae (Sus scrofa scrofa). In mammals, the infection is usually fatal and typically causes serious neurologic disease. This study describes four Aujeszky's disease cases in free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus). In Italy, the wolf is a strictly protected species and is in demographic expansion. CASE PRESENTATION Three wolves (Wolf A, B, and C) were found in a regional park in Northern Italy, and one (Wolf D) was found in Central Italy. Wolf A and D were alive at the time of the finding and exhibited a fatal infection with epileptic seizures and dyspnoea, dying after a few hours. Wolf B presented scratching lesions under the chin and a detachment of the right earlobe, whilst Wolf C was partially eaten. The wolves showed hepatic congestion, diffuse enteritis, moderate pericardial effusion, severe bilateral pneumonia, and diffuse hyperaemia in the brain. The diagnostic examinations included virological analyses and detection of toxic molecules able to cause serious neurological signs. All four wolves tested positive for pseudorabies virus (PrV). The analysed sequences were placed in Italian clade 1, which is divided into two subclades, "a" and "b". The sequences of Wolf A, B, and C were closely related to other Italian sequences in the subclade b, originally obtained from wild boars and hunting dogs. The sequence from Wolf D was located within the same clade and was closely related to the French hunting dog sequences belonging to group 4. CONCLUSION Results showed the presence of PrV strains currently circulating in wild boars and free-ranging Italian wolves. The genetic characterisation of the PrV UL44 sequences from the four wolves confirmed the close relationship with the sequences from wild boars and hunting dogs. This fact supports a possible epidemiological link with the high PrV presence in wild boars and the possibility of infection in wolves through consumption of infected wild boar carcasses or indirect transmission. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first detection of Pseudorabies virus in free-ranging Italian wolves in northern and central Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moreno
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy.
| | - Marco Gobbi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Perugia, 06126, Italy
| | - Giulia Maioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marika Menchetti
- Neurology and Neurosurgery Division, San Marco Veterinary Clinic, Veggiano, Padua, 35030, Italy
| | - Tiziana Trogu
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marta Paniccià
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Perugia, 06126, Italy
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, 25124, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy
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Umhang G, Duchamp C, Boucher JM, Caillot C, Legras L, Demerson JM, Lucas J, Gauthier D, Boué F. Gray wolves as sentinels for the presence of Echinococcus spp. and other gastrointestinal parasites in France. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 22:101-107. [PMID: 37780970 PMCID: PMC10539616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 30 years, the gray wolf population has recovered in France, initially to wolves from Italy passing through the Alps. The population is carefully monitored, but little information is available on their helminth fauna, which includes parasites of public health importance: Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. Capitalizing on the availability of 911 fecal samples collected for the noninvasive genetic monitoring of French wolf populations, along with the intestines from 15 dead wolves, the presence of Echinococcus species among others helminth species was evaluated in French wolves. A copro-PCR approach amplifying a large spectrum of parasites was used for fecal samples while intestines were analyzed using SCT. The fecal occurrences of E. granulosus sensu stricto (2.4%) and E. multilocularis (0.3%), and indeedother parasitic species, are similar to those of other European wolf populations including Taenia hydatigena (7.2%), Taenia krabbei (2.4%), Uncinaria stenocephala (2.4%), Mesocestoides litteratus (1.9%), Taenia ovis (0.3%), Taenia multiceps (0.1%), and Toxascaris leonina (0.1%). The three most abundant species were also found in the intestines. Infections by E. granulosus sensu stricto are in accordance with the overlap of wolf pack areas and sheep breeding pastoral units. However, the wolf does not appear to play a significant role in the lifecycle of E. granulosus sensu stricto. The availability of this opportunistic fecal sampling of wolves in southeastern France means that they can be used as sentinels for the surveillance of E. multilocularis in the context of its southward expansion observed in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gérald Umhang
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
| | - Christophe Duchamp
- OFB (French Biodiversity Agency), Research Department, Predator and Depredator Unit, Gap, France
| | - Jean-Marc Boucher
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
| | - Christophe Caillot
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
| | - Léo Legras
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
| | - Jean-Michel Demerson
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
| | - Jérémie Lucas
- OFB (French Biodiversity Agency), Research Department, Predator and Depredator Unit, Gap, France
| | | | - Franck Boué
- ANSES LRFSN, Wildlife Surveillance and Eco-epidemiology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp., Malzéville, France
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Merli E, Mattioli L, Bassi E, Bongi P, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Luccarini S, Morimando F, Viviani V, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimating Wolf Population Size and Dynamics by Field Monitoring and Demographic Models: Implications for Management and Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1735. [PMID: 37889658 PMCID: PMC10252110 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We estimated the current size and dynamics of the wolf population in Tuscany and investigated the trends and demographic drivers of population changes. Estimates were obtained by two different approaches: (i) mixed-technique field monitoring (from 2014 to 2016) that found the minimum observed pack number and estimated population size, and (ii) an individual-based model (run by Vortex software v. 10.3.8.0) with demographic inputs derived from a local intensive study area and historic data on population size. Field monitoring showed a minimum population size of 558 wolves (SE = 12.005) in 2016, with a density of 2.74 individuals/100 km2. The population model described an increasing trend with an average annual rate of increase λ = 1.075 (SE = 0.014), an estimated population size of about 882 individuals (SE = 9.397) in 2016, and a density of 4.29 wolves/100 km2. Previously published estimates of wolf population were as low as 56.2% compared to our field monitoring estimation and 34.6% in comparison to our model estimation. We conducted sensitivity tests to analyze the key parameters driving population changes based on juvenile and adult mortality rates, female breeding success, and litter size. Mortality rates played a major role in determining intrinsic growth rate changes, with adult mortality accounting for 62.5% of the total variance explained by the four parameters. Juvenile mortality was responsible for 35.8% of the variance, while female breeding success and litter size had weak or negligible effects. We concluded that reliable estimates of population abundance and a deeper understanding of the role of different demographic parameters in determining population dynamics are crucial to define and carry out appropriate conservation and management strategies to address human-wildlife conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Merli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- Wildlife Service, Tuscany Region, 50127 Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Siriano Luccarini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Federico Morimando
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Viviana Viviani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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Dissegna A, Rota M, Basile S, Fusco G, Mencucci M, Cappai N, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Velli E, Caniglia R. How to Choose? Comparing Different Methods to Count Wolf Packs in a Protected Area of the Northern Apennines. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040932. [PMID: 37107690 PMCID: PMC10137897 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a natural rewilding process that caused wolf populations in Europe to increase and expand in the last years, human-wolf conflicts still persist, threatening the long-term wolf presence in both anthropic and natural areas. Conservation management strategies should be carefully designed on updated population data and planned on a wide scale. Unfortunately, reliable ecological data are difficult and expensive to obtain and often hardly comparable through time or among different areas, especially because of different sampling designs. In order to assess the performance of different methods to estimate wolf (Canis lupus L.) abundance and distribution in southern Europe, we simultaneously applied three techniques: wolf howling, camera trapping and non-invasive genetic sampling in a protected area of the northern Apennines. We aimed at counting the minimum number of packs during a single wolf biological year and evaluating the pros and cons for each technique, comparing results obtained from different combinations of these three methods and testing how sampling effort may affect results. We found that packs' identifications could be hardly comparable if methods were separately used with a low sampling effort: wolf howling identified nine, camera trapping 12 and non-invasive genetic sampling eight packs. However, increased sampling efforts produced more consistent and comparable results across all used methods, although results from different sampling designs should be carefully compared. The integration of the three techniques yielded the highest number of detected packs, 13, although with the highest effort and cost. A common standardised sampling strategy should be a priority approach to studying elusive large carnivores, such as the wolf, allowing for the comparison of key population parameters and developing shared and effective conservation management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Dissegna
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Martino Rota
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Simone Basile
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fusco
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58b, 35121 Padova, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Mencucci
- Reparto Carabinieri Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | - Nadia Cappai
- Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Via G. Brocchi 7, 52015 Pratovecchio-Stia, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
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Viola P, Girotti P, Adriani S, Ronchi B, Zaccaroni M, Primi R. Does the Wolf ( Canis lupus) Exhibit Human Habituation Behaviours after Rehabilitation and Release into the Wild? A Case Report from Central Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243495. [PMID: 36552415 PMCID: PMC9774959 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The knowledge of how wolves’ movement patterns and habitat selection are affected by habituation to persons after a period of veterinary isolation, treatment and non-agonistic experience with humans is scarce. Unnatural behaviours could be transferred by imitation to members of the pack and to subsequent generations, increasing direct interaction risks. We used GPS data from a rescued radio-collared female wolf after an 11-day rehabilitation to estimate home range, movement patterns, circadian rhythms, and habitat selection, searching for signals of eventual behavioural distortions. In the period 1 August−26 November 2013, 870 valid locations were acquired. The wolf moved within a minimum convex polygon (95%) of 6541.1 ha (79% wooded), avoiding anthropized areas. Nocturnal and diurnal displacements were significantly different (p < 0.01). Nocturnal displacements were 4409.4 ± 617.5 m during summer and 3684.8 ± 468.1 m during autumn, without differences between seasons. Diurnal movements were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the summer (2239.0 ± 329.0 m) than in the autumn (595.9 ± 110.3 m), when the hunting season was running. As for a wild wolf, clear complementarity concerning human activities was recorded and no habituation signals were detected, but this is only a first case study that aims to be a stimulus for further research and a call for widespread data sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Viola
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Pedro Girotti
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Settimio Adriani
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Bruno Ronchi
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Marco Zaccaroni
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Primi
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0761-357-463
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“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”: Molecular Tools to Reconstruct multilocus Genetic Profiles from Wild Canid Consumption Remains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182428. [PMID: 36139288 PMCID: PMC9495216 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive genetic sampling is a practical tool to monitor pivotal ecological parameters and population dynamic patterns of endangered species. It can be particularly suitable when applied to elusive carnivores such as the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), which can live in overlapping ecological contexts and sometimes share their habitats with their domestic free-ranging relatives, increasing the risk of anthropogenic hybridisation. In this case study, we exploited all the ecological and genetic information contained in a single biological canid faecal sample, collected in a forested area of central Italy, to detect any sign of trophic interactions between wolves and European wildcats or their domestic counterparts. Firstly, the faecal finding was morphologically examined, showing the presence of felid hair and claw fragment remains. Subsequently, total genomic DNA contained in the hair and claw samples was extracted and genotyped, through a multiple-tube approach, at canid and felid diagnostic panels of microsatellite loci. Finally, the obtained individual multilocus genotypes were analysed with reference wild and domestic canid and felid populations to assess their correct taxonomic status using Bayesian clustering procedures. Assignment analyses classified the genotype obtained from the endothelial cells present on the hair sample as a wolf with slight signals of dog ancestry, showing a qi = 0.954 (C.I. 0.780–1.000) to the wolf cluster, and the genotype obtained from the claw as a domestic cat, showing a qi = 0.996 (95% C.I. = 0.982–1.000) to the domestic cat cluster. Our results clearly show how a non-invasive multidisciplinary approach allows the cost-effective identification of both prey and predator genetic profiles and their taxonomic status, contributing to the improvement of our knowledge about feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and anthropogenic hybridisation risk in threatened species.
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Coppola F, Baldanti S, Di Rosso A, Vecchio G, Casini L, Russo C, Lucchini V, Boni CB, Malasoma M, Gabbani C, Felicioli A. Settlement of a stable wolf pack in a highly anthropic area of Pisan hills: Relationship with animal husbandry and hunting in a human-wolf coexistence perspective. Anim Sci J 2022; 93:e13799. [PMID: 36546504 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Anthropic areas play a pivot role for main wolf conservation challenges. Wolf presence in the higher Pisan hills has been well documented while wolf settlement in the lower Pisan hills is still uncertain. In this study, long-term information on wolf presence in a highly anthropic area of the lower Pisan hills was collected by using non-invasive monitoring techniques. Furthermore, both the relationship of this predator with human activity and the impact of hunting on wolf presence have been investigated. The results obtained indicate the presence of a stable and reproductive wolf pack composed by both Italian wolf and hybrids individuals in the municipalities of Crespina Lorenzana and Casciana Terme Lari. A high impact of wolf on livestock was recorded in this area since no prevention systems were adopted by farmers. Wolf appears not to have a negative impact on wild boar population. Similarly, wild boar drive hunting does not appear to affect the wolf pack presence in the area. Thereby wolf may play a key role as controller of wild population. Prevention strategies improvement becomes instrumental to promote wolf-human coexistence. Further investigation to monitor pack hybridization level and turnover and to assess the impact of packs on wild population and livestock in anthropic areas is desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Coppola
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Samuele Baldanti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessia Di Rosso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Casini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Russo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Felicioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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11
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Musto C, Cerri J, Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Bonilauri P, Maioli G, Fontana MC, Gelmini L, Prosperi A, Rossi A, Garbarino C, Fiorentini L, Ciuti F, Berzi D, Merialdi G, Delogu M. Men and wolves: Anthropogenic causes are an important driver of wolf mortality in human-dominated landscapes in Italy. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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12
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Assessing trends in wolf impact on livestock through verified claims in historical vs. recent areas of occurrence in Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-021-01522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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13
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Integrated Use of Molecular Techniques to Detect and Genetically Characterise DNA Viruses in Italian Wolves ( Canis lupus italicus). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082198. [PMID: 34438655 PMCID: PMC8388400 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In our study, different quantitative and qualitative molecular techniques were used to detect and genetically characterise Carnivore protoparvovirus 1, Canine adenovirus type 1 and 2 (CAdV-1 and CAdV-2), and Canine circovirus (CanineCV) in Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus) of the Italian Apennines. Carnivore protoparvoviruses were the most frequently detected viruses, followed by CanineCV and CAdV. All the wolves tested positive for at least one of the DNA viruses screened, and 47.8% of the subjects were coinfected with two or three viruses. From viral sequences analysis, close correlations emerged between the viruses identified in the wolves and those circulating in domestic dogs, suggesting that the same viruses infect wolves and domestic dogs. Further studies are needed to investigate if pathogens are transmitted between the two species. Abstract In this study, internal organs (tongue, intestine, and spleen) of 23 free-ranging Italian wolves (Canis lupus italicus) found dead between 2017 and 2019 were tested for Carnivore protoparvovirus 1, Canine adenovirus (CAdV), and Canine circovirus (CanineCV) using real-time PCR assays. Genetic characterisation of the identified viruses was carried out by amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the complete viral genome or informative viral genes. All the wolves tested positive for at least one of the DNA viruses screened, and 11/23 were coinfected. Carnivore protoparvoviruses were the most frequently detected viruses (21/23), followed by CanineCV (11/23) and CAdV (4/23). From the analysis of the partial VP2 gene of 13 carnivore protoparvoviruses, 12 were canine parvovirus type 2b, closely related to the strains detected in dogs and wild carnivores from Italy, and one was a feline panleukopenia-like virus. Of the four CAdV identified, two were CAdV-1 and two were CAdV-2. The complete genome of seven CanineCVs was sequenced and related to the CanineCV identified in dogs, wolves, and foxes worldwide. Close correlations emerged between the viruses identified in wolves and those circulating in domestic dogs. Further studies are needed to investigate if these pathogens may be potentially cross-transmitted between the two species.
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14
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Ricchiuti L, Petrini A, Interisano M, Ruberto A, Salucci S, Marino L, Del Riccio A, Cocco A, Badagliacca P, Pozio E. First report of Trichinella pseudospiralis in a wolf (Canis lupus italicus). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:195-198. [PMID: 34136345 PMCID: PMC8182262 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the genus Trichinella, Trichinella pseudospiralis is the only recognized non-encapsulated species known to infect mammals and birds. In October 2020, larvae recovered from muscle tissues of a wolf (Canis lupus italicus) originating from Molise Region, Central Italy, were molecularly confirmed as those of Trichinella britovi and T. pseudospiralis. This is the first detection of T. pseudospiralis from a wolf. In Italy, this zoonotic nematode was detected in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), three birds (Strix aluco, Athene noctua, Milvus milvus) and five wild boars (Sus scrofa), and was also identified as the etiological agent of a human outbreak of trichinellosis in 2015. Since T. pseudospiralis is rarely reported from carnivore mammals in comparison to the encapsulated species frequently detected in these hosts, this finding opens the question of the role of carnivores as reservoirs for this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Ricchiuti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Antonio Petrini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Maria Interisano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Addolorato Ruberto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Stefania Salucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Lucio Marino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Angela Del Riccio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Antonio Cocco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Pietro Badagliacca
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Via Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Edoardo Pozio
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
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15
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Tieri EE, Saletti MA, D'Angelo AR, Parisciani G, Pelini S, Cocco A, Di Teodoro G, Di Censo E, D'Alterio N, Latrofa MS, Otranto D, Pascucci I. Angiostrongylus vasorum in foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) and wolves ( Canis lupus italicus) from Abruzzo region, Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2021; 15:184-194. [PMID: 34136344 PMCID: PMC8182381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Europe wildlife animals such as the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are considered the main reservoir for Angiostrongylus vasorum as well as a potential threat for domestic dog infection. Though this parasite is endemic in fox populations, data on A. vasorum infection in wolves (Canis lupus italicus) are still scant, having only recently been described in Northwestern Spain, in Italy, in Croatia and in Slovakia. Based on the rising number of cases of canine lungworm infection in Central Italy (Abruzzo region), the aim of the present study was to investigate the infection by A. vasorum in fox and wolf populations sharing the same geographical area of dogs. From October 2008 to November 2019, A. vasorum specimens were collected, through routine post-mortem examination, from 56 carcasses (44 foxes and 12 wolves). Adult parasites were searched for in the right side of the heart and in pulmonary artery of all carcasses. First stage of larvae (L1) was searched in faeces using the Baermann technique and in lungs by tissue impressions. Overall, 230 adult specimens were collected and identified on a morphological basis. To confirm the morphological identification, 4 adult specimens (n = 3 from fox, n = 1 from wolf) were molecularly identified as A. vasorum by amplification of partial fragment of nuclear 18S rRNA (~1700 bp) genes. The anatomo-pathological and parasitological examinations indicated the presence of A. vasorum in 33 foxes (75%) and in 8 wolves (66.7%). The level of prevalence of infested wolves was higher than the previous one reported in other European countries. Interestingly, the prevalence of infection in foxes herein recorded was higher than that described in dogs (8.9%) living in the same geographical area. This result may confirm the hypothesis that the spread of canine angiostrongylosis is linked to fox populations infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elga Ersilia Tieri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
- Corresponding author.
| | - Maria Antonietta Saletti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Anna Rita D'Angelo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Gabriella Parisciani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Sandro Pelini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Antonio Cocco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Teodoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Erica Di Censo
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Pescara, via Renato Paolini 47, 65124, Pescara, Italy
| | - Nicola D'Alterio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Maria Stefania Latrofa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Strada Provinciale per Casamassina Km 3, 70010, Valenzano, BA), Italy
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Strada Provinciale per Casamassina Km 3, 70010, Valenzano, BA), Italy
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, District 2, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Ilaria Pascucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM), Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy
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Marino F, Kansky R, Shivji I, Di Croce A, Ciucci P, Knight AT. Understanding drivers of human tolerance to gray wolves and brown bears as a strategy to improve landholder–carnivore coexistence. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Marino
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Berkshire UK
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Ruth Kansky
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology University of Stellenbosch Matieland South Africa
| | - Irene Shivji
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Berkshire UK
- Riserva Naturale Regionale Monte Genzana e Alto Gizio Pettorano sul Gizio L'Aquila Italy
| | - Antonio Di Croce
- Riserva Naturale Regionale Monte Genzana e Alto Gizio Pettorano sul Gizio L'Aquila Italy
| | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology University of Rome La Sapienza Rome Italy
| | - Andrew T. Knight
- Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus Berkshire UK
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia (UWA) Perth Western Australia Australia
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17
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Macchioni F, Coppola F, Furzi F, Gabrielli S, Baldanti S, Boni CB, Felicioli A. Taeniid cestodes in a wolf pack living in a highly anthropic hilly agro-ecosystem. Parasite 2021; 28:10. [PMID: 33544075 PMCID: PMC7863970 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Italian wolf population in human-modified landscapes has increased greatly in the last few decades. Anthropisation increases the risk of transmission of many zoonotic infections and in this context, control of taeniid cestode species needs to be addressed from a One Health perspective. Predator-prey interactions are at the root of taeniid cestode transmission, and the wolf plays a key role in the maintenance and transmission of taeniids. To date, all available data on the taeniids of wolves in Italy refer to populations living in a wild habitat. Between 2018 and 2019, we investigated taeniids in a wolf pack living in a highly anthropic hilly agro-ecosystem. Thirty-eight faecal samples were collected and analysed, 4 of which were also genetically characterised for individual wolves and belonged to three different animals. Samples collected were analysed microscopically and by molecular analysis in order to identify the taeniid species. Taeniid eggs were detected in 34.2% (13/38) of samples. Within samples positive to taeniid eggs only Echinococcus granulosus s.s. and Taenia hydatigena were identified in 26.3% and 10.5% of the samples, respectively. On microscopic examination, Capillaria spp., Ancylostomatidae and Toxocara canis eggs, Crenosoma vulpis larvae, and coccidian oocysts were also found. The combination of low biodiversity of taeniid species with a high occurrence of E. granulosus s.s. recorded in this study could be the consequence of a deeper link occurring between wolves and livestock in human-modified landscapes than in wild settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Macchioni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa Viale delle Piagge 2 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Francesca Coppola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa Viale delle Piagge 2 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Federica Furzi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Simona Gabrielli
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Samuele Baldanti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa Viale delle Piagge 2 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Chiara Benedetta Boni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa Viale delle Piagge 2 56124 Pisa Italy
| | - Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa Viale delle Piagge 2 56124 Pisa Italy
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18
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Taenia hydatigena cysticercosis in wild boar ( Sus scrofa) from southern Italy: an epidemiological and molecular survey. Parasitology 2020; 147:1636-1642. [PMID: 32829716 PMCID: PMC7708990 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Taenia hydatigena cysticercosis is a widespread parasitic disease of wild and domestic animals. In Europe, the increase in wild boar population may potentially contribute to the spread of this parasitic infection. To determine the occurrence of cysticerci (metacestodes) in wild boar population from southern Italy, carcasses were inspected during three hunting seasons (2016-2018). Out of 3363 wild boar examined, 229 (6.8%) harboured cysticerci with 188 (82.1%) infected by a single cyst, vs 41 (17.9%) boars having more than one. Most of the positive animals (187; 81.7%) showed cysts on the liver, whereas a multiple localization of cysticerci was reported in 10 (4.4%) wild boar. The total number of cysts retrieved from positive animals was 301 (average 1.3). Molecular analysis revealed the occurrence of a common haplotype (Hap 8) shared between wild boar and domestic animals. Our findings suggest the presence of a T. hydatigena semi-domestic life cycle in which wild boar may play an important role, due to a large number of offal available to hunting dogs, wolves and foxes during hunting seasons. Hunters may be players in the management of wildlife species to control and prevent the circulation of parasitic diseases.
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19
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Bianco A, Zecchin B, Fusaro A, Schivo A, Ormelli S, Bregoli M, Citterio CV, Obber F, Dellamaria D, Trevisiol K, Lorenzetto M, De Benedictis P, Monne I. Two waves of canine distemper virus showing different spatio-temporal dynamics in Alpine wildlife (2006-2018). INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 84:104359. [PMID: 32407794 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Canine distemper virus (CDV) represents an important threat for both wild and domestic carnivores. Since 2006, the North-Eastern regions in Italy have been experiencing severe and widespread recurring outbreaks of CDV affecting the wild carnivore population. In this study we performed an extensive phylogeographic analysis of CDV strains belonging to the Wildlife-Europe genetic group identified between 2006 and 2018 in Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. Our analysis revealed that viruses from the first (2006-2009) and the second (2011-2018) epidemic wave cluster separately, suggesting the introduction of two distinct genetic variants. These two events were characterized by different diffusion rates and spatial distribution, thus suggesting the existence of a connection between infection spread and host population dynamics. We also report the first spillover event of this strain to a non-vaccinated dog in a rural area of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The increasing prevalence of the infection in wildlife population, the broad host range of CDV circulating in the Alpine wildlife and the first reported transmission of a wild-adapted strain to a domestic dog in this region raise concerns over the vulnerability of wildlife species and the exposure of our pets to new threatening strains. Understanding the dynamic of CDV epidemics will also improve preparedness for re-emerging diseases affecting carnivore species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bianco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy.
| | - Bianca Zecchin
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | - Alice Fusaro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | - Alessia Schivo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | - Silvia Ormelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | - Marco Bregoli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | | | - Federica Obber
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Isabella Monne
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
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20
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Dondina O, Orioli V, Torretta E, Merli F, Bani L, Meriggi A. Combining ensemble models and connectivity analyses to predict wolf expected dispersal routes through a lowland corridor. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229261. [PMID: 32092115 PMCID: PMC7039448 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) population has remained isolated South of the Alps for the last few thousand years. After a strong decline, the species has recolonized the Apennines and the Western Alps, while it is currently struggling to colonize the Eastern Alps. Recently, the species was detected in a lowland park connecting the Northern Apennines to the Central Alps. If the park was able to sustain a net wolf dispersal flow, this could significantly boost the connection with the Eastern Alps and the Dinaric-Balkan population. We investigated the suitability of the park as a functional ecological corridor for the wolf through the unhospitable lowland of Northern Italy. We collected wolf occurrence data in two study areas. We modeled species distribution running a separate ensemble model for each study area and then merging the output of the models to obtain an integrated suitability map. We used this map to identify corridors for the wolf adopting a factorial least-cost path and a cumulative resistant kernel approach. The connectivity models showed that only two corridors exist in the lowland areas between the Northern Apennines and the Central Alps. The Western corridor is a blind route, while the eastern corridor passes through the park and has a continuous course. However, the models also revealed a scarce resilience of corridor connectivity in the passageways between the park and the Apennines and the Prealps, which suggests that urgent management actions are necessary to ensure the future functionality of this important corridor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Dondina
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Valerio Orioli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Elisa Torretta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Federico Merli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Luciano Bani
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Alberto Meriggi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Velli E, Mattucci F, Canu A, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Scandura M, Fabbri E. A standardized approach to empirically define reliable assignment thresholds and appropriate management categories in deeply introgressed populations. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2862. [PMID: 32071323 PMCID: PMC7028925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59521-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic hybridization is recognized as a major threat to the long-term survival of natural populations. While identifying F1 hybrids might be simple, the detection of older admixed individuals is far from trivial and it is still debated whether they should be targets of management. Examples of anthropogenic hybridization have been described between wolves and domestic dogs, with numerous cases detected in the Italian wolf population. After selecting appropriate wild and domestic reference populations, we used empirical and simulated 39-autosomal microsatellite genotypes, Bayesian assignment and performance analyses to develop a workflow to detect different levels of wolf x dog admixture. Membership proportions to the wild cluster (qiw) and performance indexes identified two q-thresholds which allowed to efficiently classify the analysed genotypes into three assignment classes: pure (with no or negligible domestic ancestry), older admixed (with a marginal domestic ancestry) and recent admixed (with a clearly detectable domestic ancestry) animals. Based on their potential to spread domestic variants, such classes were used to define three corresponding management categories: operational pure, introgressed and operational hybrid individuals. Our multiple-criteria approach can help wildlife managers and decision makers in more efficiently targeting the available resources for the long-term conservation of species threatened by anthropogenic hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | | | - Edoardo Velli
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Mattucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Nadia Mucci
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell' Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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Meuret M, Moulin CH, Bonnet O, Garde L, Nozières-Petit MO, Lescureux N. Missing shots: has the possibility of shooting wolves been lacking for 20 years in France. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/rj20046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Wolves were exterminated in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Therefore, livestock breeders and herders were unprepared when wolves arrived from Italy in 1993, the year after France committed to the European Union (EU) to protect wolves. Today, ~580 wolves, whose numbers are growing exponentially, are present in over one-third of France. During the last 10 years, livestock deaths from wolves have grown linearly from 3215 in 2009 to 12451 in 2019, despite France implementing extensive damage protection measures since 2004, including reinforced human presence, livestock guard dogs, secured pasture fencing and electrified night pens. The failure to prevent damage is clear. Wolves enter mosaic landscapes where grazing livestock are abundant and easy prey. Wolves are intelligent and opportunistic. As a strictly protected species, it seems they no longer associate livestock with humans and humans with danger. Half of the successful attacks now occur during the day, notwithstanding the presence of dogs and humans. Considering the high costs of unsatisfactory protection, France recently modified its wolf management policy. In addition to non-lethal means of protection, breeders that have suffered several attacks by wolves are now permitted, by derogation to the law, to defensively shoot wolves. Based upon evidence from other countries, we suggest re-establishing a reciprocal relationship with wolves. Breeders and herders should be allowed to shoot wolves to defend their herds against wolf attacks, not after several successful predation events. Defence shooting would also upgrade the efficiency of non-lethal means, as warning signals for wolves to respect. Rather than passive coexistence, we need to embrace a dynamic and ever-evolving process of coadaptation between humans and wolves, relying on the adaptive capacities of both.
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Ferretti F, Lovari S, Mancino V, Burrini L, Rossa M. Food habits of wolves and selection of wild ungulates in a prey-rich Mediterranean coastal area. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Di Francesco CE, Smoglica C, Paoletti B, Angelucci S, Innocenti M, Antonucci A, Di Domenico G, Marsilio F. Detection of selected pathogens in Apennine wolf ( Canis lupus italicus) by a non-invasive GPS-based telemetry sampling of two packs from Majella National Park, Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019; 65:84. [PMID: 32214950 PMCID: PMC7088344 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1326-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a multi-pathogens survey was conducted to verify the sanitary status of two Italian wolf packs of Majella National Park. Twenty fecal samples (10/pack) were collected using a sampling protocol, based on the combining data from radio-collared wolves with geographic information system (GIS) analysis, allowing to mark off the home range of packs and to recover group-specific and high-quality specimens. Virological screening against the most prevalent canine viruses (protoparvovirus, distemper virus, adenoviruses, and coronaviruses) was carried out by molecular methods, while parasites were detected by means of copromicroscopic and molecular analysis. Canine parvovirus type 2b (CPV-2b) is the most prevalent virus in both packs (7/20), followed by canine adenovirus type 2 (CAdV-2), while no sequences of canine distemper virus and coronaviruses were detected. The sequence analysis of the viruses demonstrated the domestic origin of the infection, highlighting the importance of vaccination of local dogs in order to reduce the risk of exposure of wildlife to these pathogens. Fourteen samples resulted positive for parasites. Capillaria aerophila (sin. Eucoleus aerophilus), Ancylostoma/Uncinaria, Trichuris vulpis eggs, Sarcocystis spp., Cystoisospora canis, and Angiostrongylus vasorum larvae were identified. Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (ovine genotype G1) and Giardia duodenalis(canid-specific Assemblage C) were also characterized, providing insights into the wolves' diet and their effects on environmental contamination. The sampling protocol applied in this study, based on a multidisciplinary approach, represents an innovative tool for the survey of Apennine wolf, able to integrate sanitary data with the ecological and demographic features of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina E Di Francesco
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Camilla Smoglica
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Barbara Paoletti
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Fulvio Marsilio
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy
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Salvatori V, Godinho R, Braschi C, Boitani L, Ciucci P. High levels of recent wolf × dog introgressive hybridization in agricultural landscapes of central Italy. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Sgroi G, Varcasia A, Dessi G, D'Alessio N, Tamponi C, Saarma U, Laurimäe T, Kinkar L, Santoro M, Caputo V, Sarnelli P, Fusco G, Varuzza P, Fioretti A, Scala A, Veneziano V. Cystic echinococcosis in wild boars ( Sus scrofa) from southern Italy: Epidemiological survey and molecular characterization. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019; 9:305-311. [PMID: 31338291 PMCID: PMC6626981 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) is one of the most important parasitic zoonotic diseases in the world and it represents an important public health and socio-economic concern. In the Mediterranean basin, CE is widespread and it is endemic in Italy, with major prevalence in southern areas. Several studies have investigated CE in domestic pigs, however, such data in wild boars are scant. In the last decades the wild boar population in Italy has increased and this ungulate could play an important role in the spreading of CE in the wild. Here we report on the prevalence and fertility rate of hydatid cysts in wild boars that were shot during two hunting seasons (2016-2017) in the Campania region of southern Italy. For each animal, a detailed inspection of the carcass and organs (lungs, liver and spleen) was performed and when cysts were found, their number, morphology and fertility were determined by visual and microscopic examination. Cysts were classified morphologically as fertile, sterile, caseous and calcified. Protoscoleces and germinal layers were collected from individual cysts and DNA was extracted to identify different strains/genotypes of E. granulosus s.l. Out of a total of 2108 wild boars 93 (4.4%) were found positive for CE. Infected animals were 45 males and 48 females, aged between 1 and 8 years. The average number of cysts per wild boar was 1.3 (min 1 - max 13). The total number of cysts collected was 123, of which 118 (95.9%) in the liver, 4 (3.3%) in the lungs and 1 (0.8%) in the spleen. Of all analyzed cysts, 70 (56.9%) were fertile and 53 (43.1%) sterile/acephalous. The presence of fertile cysts in 19.4% of CE-positive animals is noteworthy. Overall, molecular diagnosis showed 19 wild boars infected with the pig strain (G7).
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Varcasia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Inter-University Centre for Research in Parasitology, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgia Dessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Nicola D'Alessio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Claudia Tamponi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Teivi Laurimäe
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Liina Kinkar
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mario Santoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Caputo
- Regional Reference Center of Urban Veterinary Hygiene (CRIUV),Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Sarnelli
- UOD Prevenzione e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria Regione Campania, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Paolo Varuzza
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fioretti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Scala
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Inter-University Centre for Research in Parasitology, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Ciucani MM, Palumbo D, Galaverni M, Serventi P, Fabbri E, Ravegnini G, Angelini S, Maini E, Persico D, Caniglia R, Cilli E. Old wild wolves: ancient DNA survey unveils population dynamics in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Italian remains. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6424. [PMID: 30944772 PMCID: PMC6441319 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The contemporary Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus) represents a case of morphological and genetic uniqueness. Today, Italian wolves are also the only documented population to fall exclusively within the mitochondrial haplogroup 2, which was the most diffused across Eurasian and North American wolves during the Late Pleistocene. However, the dynamics leading to such distinctiveness are still debated. Methods In order to shed light on the ancient genetic variability of this wolf population and on the origin of its current diversity, we collected 19 Late Pleistocene-Holocene samples from northern Italy, which we analyzed at a short portion of the hypervariable region 1 of the mitochondrial DNA, highly informative for wolf and dog phylogenetic analyses. Results Four out of the six detected haplotypes matched the ones found in ancient wolves from northern Europe and Beringia, or in modern European and Chinese wolves, and appeared closely related to the two haplotypes currently found in Italian wolves. The haplotype of two Late Pleistocene samples matched with primitive and contemporary dog sequences from the canine mitochondrial clade A. All these haplotypes belonged to haplogroup 2. The only exception was a Holocene sample dated 3,250 years ago, affiliated to haplogroup 1. Discussion In this study we describe the genetic variability of the most ancient wolf specimens from Italy analyzed so far, providing a preliminary overview of the genetic make-up of the population that inhabited this area from the last glacial maximum to the Middle Age period. Our results endorsed that the genetic diversity carried by the Pleistocene wolves here analyzed showed a strong continuity with other northern Eurasian wolf specimens from the same chronological period. Contrarily, the Holocene samples showed a greater similarity only with modern sequences from Europe and Asia, and the occurrence of an haplogroup 1 haplotype allowed to date back previous finding about its presence in this area. Moreover, the unexpected discovery of a 24,700-year-old sample carrying a haplotype that, from the fragment here obtained, falls within the canine clade A, could represent the oldest evidence in Europe of such dog-rich clade. All these findings suggest complex population dynamics that deserve to be further investigated based on mitochondrial or whole genome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Maria Ciucani
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.,Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Davide Palumbo
- Ente di Gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità Emilia Orientale, Monteveglio, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Conservation Unit, WWF Italia, Rome, Italy.,Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Serventi
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.,Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences-BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Ravegnini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabrina Angelini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Maini
- ArcheoLaBio-Research Centre for Bioarchaeology, Department of History and Culture, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Davide Persico
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Cilli
- Laboratories of Physical Anthropology and Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
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Mariacher A, Fanelli R, Garofalo L, Perfetti G, Lorenzini R, Fico R. Who is the killer? Barking up the wrong tree. MAMMALIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2018-0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In recent years, several cases of predation on hunting dogs have been reported in Italy. These cases caused uproar among owners and the wolf was singled out as the culprit. The remains of a dog allegedly killed by wolves were submitted for forensic analysis. Wolf predation was ruled out based on gross findings and wild boar aggression was suspected instead. Genetic analysis of salivary swab samples confirmed that wild boars fed on the dog. As poaching is one of the main threats to wolf conservation, it is essential to identify correctly the predator in cases of attacks on domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Mariacher
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana , Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria , Viale Europa 30 , 58100 Grosseto , Italy
| | - Rita Fanelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana , Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria , Via Tancia 21 , 02100 Rieti , Italy
| | - Luisa Garofalo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana , Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria , Via Tancia 21 , 02100 Rieti , Italy
| | - Gabriella Perfetti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Sezione di Siena , Viale Toselli 12 , 53100 Siena , Italy
| | - Rita Lorenzini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana , Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria , Via Tancia 21 , 02100 Rieti , Italy
| | - Rosario Fico
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana , Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria , Viale Europa 30 , 58100 Grosseto , Italy
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Milanesi P, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Puopolo F, Galaverni M, Holderegger R. Combining Bayesian genetic clustering and ecological niche modeling: Insights into wolf intraspecific genetic structure. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11224-11234. [PMID: 30519439 PMCID: PMC6262746 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of intraspecific genetic variation and how it relates to environmental factors is of increasing interest to researchers in macroecology and biogeography. Recent studies investigated the relationships between the environment and patterns of intraspecific genetic variation across species ranges but only few rigorously tested the relation between genetic groups and their ecological niches. We quantified the relationship of genetic differentiation (F ST) and the overlap of ecological niches (as measured by n-dimensional hypervolumes) among genetic groups resulting from spatial Bayesian genetic clustering in the wolf (Canis lupus) in the Italian peninsula. Within the Italian wolf population, four genetic clusters were detected, and these clusters showed different ecological niches. Moreover, different wolf clusters were significantly related to differences in land cover and human disturbance features. Such differences in the ecological niches of genetic clusters should be interpreted in light of neutral processes that hinder movement, dispersal, and gene flow among the genetic clusters, in order to not prematurely assume any selective or adaptive processes. In the present study, we found that both the plasticity of wolves-a habitat generalist-to cope with different environmental conditions and the occurrence of barriers that limit gene flow lead to the formation of genetic intraspecific genetic clusters and their distinct ecological niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Milanesi
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteSempachSwitzerland
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della ConservazioneIstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)BolognaItaly
| | | | | | - Rolf Holderegger
- WSL Swiss Federal Research InstituteBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems SciencesETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
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Mattioli L, Canu A, Passilongo D, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimation of pack density in grey wolf ( Canis lupus) by applying spatially explicit capture-recapture models to camera trap data supported by genetic monitoring. Front Zool 2018; 15:38. [PMID: 30305834 PMCID: PMC6171198 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0281-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Density estimation is a key issue in wildlife management but is particularly challenging and labour-intensive for elusive species. Recently developed approaches based on remotely collected data and capture-recapture models, though representing a valid alternative to more traditional methods, have found little application to species with limited morphological variation. We implemented a camera trap capture-recapture study to survey wolf packs in a 560-km2 area of Central Italy. Individual recognition of focal animals (alpha) in the packs was possible by relying on morphological and behavioural traits and was validated by non-invasive genotyping and inter-observer agreement tests. Two types (Bayesian and likelihood-based) of spatially explicit capture-recapture (SCR) models were fitted on wolf pack capture histories, thus obtaining an estimation of pack density in the area. Results In two sessions of camera trapping surveys (2014 and 2015), we detected a maximum of 12 wolf packs. A Bayesian model implementing a half-normal detection function without a trap-specific response provided the most robust result, corresponding to a density of 1.21 ± 0.27 packs/100 km2 in 2015. Average pack size varied from 3.40 (summer 2014, excluding pups and lone-transient wolves) to 4.17 (late winter-spring 2015, excluding lone-transient wolves). Conclusions We applied for the first time a camera-based SCR approach in wolves, providing the first robust estimate of wolf pack density for an area of Italy. We showed that this method is applicable to wolves under the following conditions: i) the existence of sufficient phenotypic/behavioural variation and the recognition of focal individuals (i.e. alpha, verified by non-invasive genotyping); ii) the investigated area is sufficiently large to include a minimum number of packs (ideally 10); iii) a pilot study is carried out to pursue an adequate sampling design and to train operators on individual wolf recognition. We believe that replicating this approach in other areas can allow for an assessment of density variation across the wolf range and would provide a reliable reference parameter for ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mattioli
- Settore Attività Faunistico Venatoria, Pesca Dilettantistica, Pesca in mare, Regione Toscana, Via A. Testa 2, I-52100 Arezzo, Italy
| | - Antonio Canu
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniela Passilongo
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, Italy
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Kojola I, Heikkinen S, Holmala K. Balancing costs and confidence: volunteer-provided point observations, GPS telemetry and the genetic monitoring of Finland’s wolves. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0371-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Pagani L, Fabbri E, Boattini A, Randi E. Disentangling Timing of Admixture, Patterns of Introgression, and Phenotypic Indicators in a Hybridizing Wolf Population. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:2324-2339. [PMID: 28549194 PMCID: PMC5850710 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization is a natural or anthropogenic process that can deeply affect the genetic make-up of populations, possibly decreasing individual fitness but sometimes favoring local adaptations. The population of Italian wolves (Canis lupus), after protracted demographic declines and isolation, is currently expanding in anthropic areas, with documented cases of hybridization with stray domestic dogs. However, identifying admixture patterns in deeply introgressed populations is far from trivial. In this study, we used a panel of 170,000 SNPs analyzed with multivariate, Bayesian and local ancestry reconstruction methods to identify hybrids, estimate their ancestry proportions and timing since admixture. Moreover, we carried out preliminary genotype-phenotype association analyses to identify the genetic bases of three phenotypic traits (black coat, white claws, and spur on the hind legs) putative indicators of hybridization. Results showed no sharp subdivisions between nonadmixed wolves and hybrids, indicating that recurrent hybridization and deep introgression might have started mostly at the beginning of the population reexpansion. In hybrids, we identified a number of genomic regions with excess of ancestry in one of the parental populations, and regions with excess or resistance to introgression compared with neutral expectations. The three morphological traits showed significant genotype-phenotype associations, with a single genomic region for black coats and white claws, and with multiple genomic regions for the spur. In all cases the associated haplotypes were likely derived from dogs. In conclusion, we show that the use of multiple genome-wide ancestry reconstructions allows clarifying the admixture dynamics even in highly introgressed populations, and supports their conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Galaverni
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
- Area Conservazione, WWF Italia, Rome, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Pagani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
- Estonian Biocentre, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Boattini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione, ISPRA, Ozzano dell'Emilia Bologna, Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg, Denmark
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Montana L, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Ahmed A, Bolfíková BČ, Czarnomska SD, Galov A, Godinho R, Hindrikson M, Hulva P, Jędrzejewska B, Jelenčič M, Kutal M, Saarma U, Skrbinšek T, Randi E. Combining phylogenetic and demographic inferences to assess the origin of the genetic diversity in an isolated wolf population. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176560. [PMID: 28489863 PMCID: PMC5425034 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of isolated small populations is threatened by both demographic and genetic factors. Large carnivores declined for centuries in most of Europe due to habitat changes, overhunting of their natural prey and direct persecution. However, the current rewilding trends are driving many carnivore populations to expand again, possibly reverting the erosion of their genetic diversity. In this study we reassessed the extent and origin of the genetic variation of the Italian wolf population, which is expanding after centuries of decline and isolation. We genotyped wolves from Italy and other nine populations at four mtDNA regions (control-region, ATP6, COIII and ND4) and 39 autosomal microsatellites. Results of phylogenetic analyses and assignment procedures confirmed in the Italian wolves a second private mtDNA haplotype, which belongs to a haplogroup distributed mostly in southern Europe. Coalescent analyses showed that the unique mtDNA haplotypes in the Italian wolves likely originated during the late Pleistocene. ABC simulations concordantly showed that the extant wolf populations in Italy and in south-western Europe started to be isolated and declined right after the last glacial maximum. Thus, the standing genetic variation in the Italian wolves principally results from the historical isolation south of the Alps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Montana
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Atidje Ahmed
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Ostrava University, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Maja Jelenčič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miroslav Kutal
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Department 18/ Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Montana L, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Randi E. A new mitochondrial haplotype confirms the distinctiveness of the Italian wolf (Canis lupus) population. Mamm Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Poglayen G, Gori F, Morandi B, Galuppi R, Fabbri E, Caniglia R, Milanesi P, Galaverni M, Randi E, Marchesi B, Deplazes P. Italian wolves ( Canis lupus italicus Altobello, 1921) and molecular detection of taeniids in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, Northern Italian Apennines. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2017; 6:1-7. [PMID: 28180084 PMCID: PMC5284487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
After centuries of massive decline, the recovery of the wolf (Canis lupus italicus) in Italy is a typical conservation success story. To learn more about the possible role of parasites in the wolves' individual and population health and conservation we used non-invasive molecular approaches on fecal samples to identify individual wolves, pack membership, and the taeniids present, some of which are zoonotic. A total of 130 specimens belonging to 54 wolves from eight packs were collected and examined. Taeniid eggs were isolated using a sieving/flotation technique, and the species level was identified by PCR (gene target: 12S rRNA and nad1). Taeniid prevalence was 40.7% for Taenia hydatigena, 22.2% for T. krabbei, 1.8% for T. polyachanta and 5.5% for Echinococcus granulosus. The prevalence of E. granulosus is discussed. Our results show that the taeniid fauna found in wolves from the Foreste Casentinesi National Park is comparable to that described for other domestic and wild Italian canids and provides insights into the wolves’ diet and their relationship with the environment. Non-invasive techniques were used to identify individual wolves and their taeniids. The taeniids detected could be linked to individual wolves and to packs. The taeniids detected provided information on the wolves' diet and on zoonotic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Poglayen
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Gori
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benedetto Morandi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Fabbri
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pietro Milanesi
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Galaverni
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ettore Randi
- Genetics Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Marchesi
- Alma Mater Studiorum, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50-40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Torretta E, Mosini A, Piana M, Tirozzi P, Serafini M, Puopolo F, Saino N, Balestrieri A. Time partitioning in mesocarnivore communities from different habitats of NW Italy: insights into martens’ competitive abilities. BEHAVIOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Most studies focused on species coexistence have been directed at the differential use of habitat and food resources; nonetheless, the differential use of the diel cycle may enhance the coexistence of same-sized species. We investigated the activity patterns of mesocarnivores (red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European badger (Meles meles), pine marten (Martes martes), stone marten (M. foina)) in NW Italy via camera-trapping. We hypothesized that the smallest species would tend to avoid competition by selecting time periods when larger species were less active. Foxes, badgers, and stone martens were mainly nocturnal. In lowland areas overlap between coexisting species was generally low, while in Mediterranean habitats all activity patterns tended to be unimodal and overlap was generally high. The pine marten showed a cathemeral pattern. We suggest that the lower ability of the stone marten to avoid interference competition at community-level may play a major role in determining its widespread exclusion from forested areas by the pine marten.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Torretta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - A. Mosini
- Valgrande Società Cooperativa — studi, opere e servizi per l’ambiente, via alla Cartiera 91, 28923 Verbania Possaccio, Italy
| | - M. Piana
- Valgrande Società Cooperativa — studi, opere e servizi per l’ambiente, via alla Cartiera 91, 28923 Verbania Possaccio, Italy
| | - P. Tirozzi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - M. Serafini
- Parco Naturale Regionale dell’Antola, via Provvidenza 3, 16029 Torriglia, Italy
| | - F. Puopolo
- Parco Naturale Regionale dell’Antola, via Provvidenza 3, 16029 Torriglia, Italy
| | - N. Saino
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - A. Balestrieri
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Hindrikson M, Remm J, Pilot M, Godinho R, Stronen AV, Baltrūnaité L, Czarnomska SD, Leonard JA, Randi E, Nowak C, Åkesson M, López-Bao JV, Álvares F, Llaneza L, Echegaray J, Vilà C, Ozolins J, Rungis D, Aspi J, Paule L, Skrbinšek T, Saarma U. Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1601-1629. [PMID: 27682639 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maris Hindrikson
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Remm
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Malgorzata Pilot
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, LN6 7DL, Lincoln, UK
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
| | - Laima Baltrūnaité
- Laboratory of Mammalian Biology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Sylwia D Czarnomska
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, DK-9220, Aalborg Øst, Denmark
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carsten Nowak
- Conservation Genetics Group, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Clamecystrasse 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | | | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO/InBio - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Luis Llaneza
- ARENA Asesores en Recursos Naturales S.L. c/Perpetuo Socorro, n° 12 Entlo 2B, 27003, Lugo, Spain
| | - Jorge Echegaray
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Carles Vilà
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Janis Ozolins
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Dainis Rungis
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", Rigas iela 111, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Genetics and Physiology, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ladislav Paule
- Department of Phytology, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, T.G. Masaryk str. 24, SK-96053, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urmas Saarma
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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Comazzi C, Mattiello S, Friard O, Filacorda S, Gamba M. Acoustic monitoring of golden jackals in Europe: setting the frame for future analyses. BIOACOUSTICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2016.1152564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Comazzi
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, via Celoria 10, Milano, Italy
- Università di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italy
| | - Silvana Mattiello
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, via Celoria 10, Milano, Italy
| | - Olivier Friard
- Università di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italy
| | - Stefano Filacorda
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, via Sondrio 2/a, Udine, Italy
| | - Marco Gamba
- Università di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, via Accademia Albertina 13, Torino, Italy
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