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Ripa A, Díaz-Caballero JA, Palacios-González MJ, Espinosa A, García-Zapata JL, Fernández-Garcia JL. Application of real-time PCR for the identification of the endangered species Galemys pyrenaicus through faecal samples. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:76. [PMID: 38180618 PMCID: PMC10770224 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09010-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, many micromammals are important targets for study. The endangered Galemys pyrenaicus is an outstanding example. Globally, their populations have suffered a substantial decline in last 20 years. In the surveyed area, the capture of desman is legally forbidden due to the high conservation concerns. Reason by non-invasive sampling through faeces is proposed for its monitoring. Furthermore, the confusion between faeces from desman and Mediterranean water shrews must be considered. Thus, the aim of this study was focused on developing RT-PCR assays to determine the presence of Galemys pyrenaicus and N. a. anomalus from non-invasive samples. METHODS AND RESULTS The study was conducted in the mountains of the System Central of Extremadura (Spain). A total of 186 samples were collected from 2018 to 2021 by experts where historically reported and/or our previous studies confirmed their presence. RT-PCR assays using hydrolysis probes were designed to detect genetic material from both desman and Mediterranean water shrews and its specificity was confirmed. The reliability of the method was further assessed by PCR sequencing of mitochondrial Cyb and d-loop, resulting fully compatible with the RT-PCR approach. Intraspecific phylogenetic relationship was reported to improve knowledge about mtDNA variability in the desman from the Central System. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that RT-PCR gives a gold opportunity to further map the species using faeces which minimizes disturbance and reports both population status and individual presence. Cost-effective RT-PCR combined with field-collected faeces allows us to better investigate the full range of occurrence of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Ripa
- Genetic and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Extremadura, 10071, Cáceres, Spain
| | - José A Díaz-Caballero
- Dirección General Sostenibilidad, Consejería Para La Transición Ecológica y Sostenibilidad, Junta de Extremadura, 06800, Merida, Spain
- Área del Medio Natural, Sociedad de Gestión Pública de Extremadura (GPEX), Junta de Extremadura, Mérida, España
| | - María Jesús Palacios-González
- Dirección General Sostenibilidad, Consejería Para La Transición Ecológica y Sostenibilidad, Junta de Extremadura, 06800, Merida, Spain
| | - Antonio Espinosa
- Genetic and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Extremadura, 10071, Cáceres, Spain
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Domanico M, Cavadini P, Nardini R, Cecca D, Mastrandrea G, Eleni C, Galietta V, Attili L, Pizzarelli A, Onorati R, Amoruso C, Stilli D, Pacchiarotti G, Merzoni F, Caprioli A, Ricci I, Battisti A, Lavazza A, Scicluna MT. Pathological and virological insights from an outbreak of European brown hare syndrome in the Italian hare ( Lepus corsicanus). Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1250787. [PMID: 37928681 PMCID: PMC10622795 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1250787] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease, mainly affecting European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). The etiological agent, EBHS virus (EBHSV), belongs to the Lagovirus genus within the Caliciviridae family. The Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus) is endemic to Central-Southern Italy and Sicily and is classified as a vulnerable species. L. corsicanus is known to be susceptible to EBHS, but virological data available is scarce due to the few cases detected so far. In this study, we describe the occurrence of EBHS in two free-ranging L. corsicanus, found dead in a protected area of Central Italy. The two hares were identified as L. corsicanus using phenotypic criteria and confirmed through mitochondrial DNA analysis. Distinctive EBHS gross lesions were observed at necropsy and confirmed by subsequent histological examination. EBHSV was detected in the livers of the two animals initially using an antigen detection ELISA, followed by an EBHSV-specific reverse transcription-PCR, thus confirming the viral infection as the probable cause of death. The EBHS viruses detected in the two hares were identical, as based on blast analysis performed for the VP60 sequences and showed 98.86% nucleotide identity and 100% amino acid identity with strain EBHSV/GER-BY/EI97.L03477/2019, isolated in Germany in 2019. Phylogenetic analysis places our virus in group B, which includes strains that emerged after the mid-1980s. This study supports previous reports of EBHS in L. corsicanus and further expands the knowledge of the pathological and virological characteristics of the etiological agent. The ability of EBHSV to cause a fatal disease in the Italian hare represents a serious threat to the conservation of this vulnerable species, especially in populations kept in enclosed protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariagiovanna Domanico
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Cavadini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Roberto Nardini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Cecca
- Segretariato Generale della Presidenza della Repubblica—Servizio Tenuta di Castelporziano, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Mastrandrea
- Segretariato Generale della Presidenza della Repubblica—Servizio Tenuta di Castelporziano, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Eleni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Galietta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Attili
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Pizzarelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Onorati
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Amoruso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Stilli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Pacchiarotti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Merzoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Caprioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Ida Ricci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Battisti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Scicluna
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), Rome, Italy
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Ecological factors associated with hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus) habitat use and conservation threats in the Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
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Buglione M, de Filippo G, Conti P, Fulgione D. Eating in an extreme environment: diet of the European hare ( Lepus europaeus) on Vesuvius. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2022.2124320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Buglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - G. de Filippo
- Istituto di Gestione della Fauna (IGF), Naples, Italy
| | - P. Conti
- Ente Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio, Ottaviano, Italy
| | - D. Fulgione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Rivieccio E, Troiano C, Petrelli S, Maselli V, de Filippo G, Fulgione D, Buglione M. Population development and landscape preference of reintroduced wild ungulates: successful rewilding in Southern Italy. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14492. [PMID: 36530413 PMCID: PMC9756874 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14492] [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: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the past decades, the abandonment of traditional land use practices has determined landscape changes inducing reforestation dynamics. This phenomenon can be contrasted with rewilding practices, i.e., the reintroduction of animals that may promote the recovery of landscape diversity. In this study, we explore the dynamics of expansion of two reintroduced populations of wild ungulates, Italian roe deer (Capreolus capreolus italicus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus), assessing their contribution in the recovery of landscape diversity. Methods By using direct and indirect information on the two species, collected by nocturnal and diurnal surveys and camera trapping, we modelled a habitat suitability map, and estimated the density and distribution of the populations. We also performed a land use changes analysis, combining the presence of wild ungulates and livestock. Results and Discussion We demonstrated that deer dispersed gradually from their release location, increasing in population size, and this occurred in the entire study area. Moreover, we show that areas with lower grazing density are significantly affected by forest encroachment. A possible interpretation of this result could be that wild grazers (roe deer and red deer) prefer semi-open areas surrounded by the forest. This, in association with other factors, such as domestic grazing, could be one of the main responsible in maintaining landscape mosaic typical of the Apennine mountain, confirming the value of grazers as a landscape management tool. Moreover, we show the possibility to conserve through reintroduction the vulnerable C.c. italicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Rivieccio
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy,Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Troiano
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Petrelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Maselli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Fulgione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Buglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Abstract
The recent and ever-growing problem of boar (Sus scrofa forms including wild boar, hybrid and feral pig) expansion is a very complex issue in wildlife management. The damages caused to biodiversity and the economies are addressed in different ways by the various countries, but research is needed to shed light on the causal factors of this emergency before defining a useful collaborative management policy. In this review, we screened more than 280 references published between 1975–2022, identifying and dealing with five hot factors (climate change, human induced habitat modifications, predator regulation on the prey, hybridization with domestic forms, and transfaunation) that could account for the boar expansion and its niche invasion. We also discuss some issues arising from this boar emergency, such as epizootic and zoonotic diseases or the depression of biodiversity. Finally, we provide new insights for the research and the development of management policies.
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Freschi P, Fascetti S, Riga F, Rizzardini G, Fortebraccio M, Ragni M, Paolino R, Cosentino C. Diet Selection by the Italian Hare (Lepus corsicanus de Winton, 1898) in Two Protected Coastal Areas of Latium. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060687. [PMID: 35327084 PMCID: PMC8944817 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In order to better understand the ecological niche of the Italian hare, we evaluated the diet selection of the species in two protected areas of the Latium coastal environment. The main results emerging from our study were: the wide feeding spectrum of the Italian hare; the high incidence of grasses in dry and in wet season diets; the low number of plant species ingested at relatively high rates; the plastic feeding behaviour of this hare, as diet preferences changed with the variety and abundance of food species. These results highlighted the great adaptability of the species to different niches and the influence of the floristic composition on its feeding habits. In the Italian hare, the assessment of habitat suitability is of strategic importance for its conservation. In particular, feeding preferences of the species may lead to defining some food items as key plant species for identifying its elective habitat and, hence, planning effective re-introduction initiatives. Abstract This study was focused on the diet and feeding behaviour of Lepus corsicanus in two protected coastal areas of Latium, Castelporziano Presidential Estate (CPE) and Circeo National Park (CNP). Plant frequency was assessed by the quadrat method, while diet composition was determined by microhistological analysis of faecal samples. Over the year, the Italian hare fed on 185 of the 229 plant species identified in vegetation, with most of them ingested in low percentages (≤1%). During the dry season (DS), in both areas, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cynodon dactylon, and Avena fatua were among the most consumed species. In the wet season (WS) the most common plant species in diet were B. sylvaticum, Poa trivialis, and Carex distachya in CPE and Dactylis glomerata, Cynosurus echinatus, and Spartium junceum in CNP. In both sites, considering the annual selection of life forms, grasses and leguminous forbs were preferred, while non-leguminous forbs and shrubs were used less than expected according to their availability. ANOSIM analysis showed significant differences between sites in DS and WS diets. Our study evidenced that the Italian hare behaved as generalist, revealing its capability for exploiting several plant species and to adapt its diet preferences to space-time variation of food availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierangelo Freschi
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0971-205077
| | - Simonetta Fascetti
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Francesco Riga
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy;
| | - Gabriella Rizzardini
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Mario Fortebraccio
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Marco Ragni
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Rosanna Paolino
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Carlo Cosentino
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy; (S.F.); (G.R.); (M.F.); (R.P.); (C.C.)
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Traditional Free-Ranging Livestock Farming as a Management Strategy for Biological and Cultural Landscape Diversity: A Case from the Southern Apennines. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10090957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mediterranean mountain landscapes are undergoing a widespread phenomenon of abandonment. This brings, as a consequence, the loss of traditional land use practices, such as transhumant pastoralism, as well as shrub and wood encroachment, with repercussions on the biodiversity associated with semi-open, human-managed landscapes. In this study, we focus on a mountain pasture from the Southern Apennines (Italy), where free-ranging transhumant grazing is still carried out, to quantify the effects of grazing presence and exclusion on arthropod diversity, and to qualitatively characterize the plant communities of grazed and ungrazed areas. Using field sampling, remote sensing, and semi-structured interviews, we assessed the validity of traditional cattle farming as a landscape management tool. Indeed, high diversity grasslands excluded from grazing were characterized by significantly less even and more dominated arthropod communities, as well as fewer plant species and families. Moreover, in areas that have been consistently grazed over the years, we found no forest encroachment from 1955 to 2019. However, rural communities are experiencing difficulties in keeping local traditions alive, even with current agri-environmental schemes. Thus, traditional livestock grazing can be a valuable management tool to maintain high biological and cultural diversity, even if stronger cooperation and attention to local needs is necessary.
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Buglione M, Troisi SR, Petrelli S, van Vugt M, Notomista T, Troiano C, Bellomo A, Maselli V, Gregorio R, Fulgione D. The First Report on the Ecology and Distribution of the Wolf Population in Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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