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Nosenzo F, Manzotti P, Krona M, Ballèvre M, Poujol M. Tectonic architecture of the northern Dora-Maira Massif (Western Alps, Italy): field and geochronological data. Swiss J Geosci 2024; 117:6. [PMID: 38659490 PMCID: PMC11035143 DOI: 10.1186/s00015-024-00459-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
High-pressure and ultra-high-pressure metamorphic terrains display an internal architecture consisting of a pile (or stack) of several coherent tectonic thrust sheets or units. Their identification is fundamental for understanding the scale and mechanisms active during subduction and exhumation of these crustal slices. This study investigates the geometry of the northern Dora-Maira Massif and the kinematics of the major tectonic boundaries, combining field and geochronological data. The tectonic stack of the northern Dora-Maira Massif comprises the following units. The lowermost unit (the Pinerolo Unit) is mainly characterized by Upper Carboniferous fluvio-lacustrine (meta-)sediments. The Pinerolo unit is overthrust by a pre-Carboniferous basement. The latter is subdivided in two tectonic units (the Chasteiran and Muret Units) with different Alpine metamorphism (ultra-high-pressure and high-pressure, respectively). The pre-Carboniferous basement of the Muret Unit is thicker than previously thought for two main reasons. Firstly, some paragneisses, traditionally assumed to be Carboniferous and/or Permian in age, display detrital zircon ages indicating a main source at about 600 Ma. Secondly, three samples of the Granero Orthogneiss, previously assumed to be a Permian intrusive body, have provided zircon U-Pb ages of 447 ± 1 Ma, 456 ± 2 Ma and 440 ± 2 Ma, indicating a late Ordovician or early Silurian age for the protoliths. The uppermost unit (the Serre Unit) comprises porphyritic (meta-) volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks dated to the Permian (271 ± 2 Ma), on top of which remnants of the Mesozoic cover is preserved. Detailed mapping of an area about 140 km2 shows that (i) the ultra-high pressure Chasteiran Unit is localized at the boundary between the Pinerolo and Muret Units, (ii) the Granero Orthogneiss may be considered as the mylonitic sole of the Muret Unit, characterized by a top-to-W sense of shear, and (iii) the contact between the Muret and Serre Units displays ductile-to brittle structures (La Fracho Shear Zone), indicating a top-to-the-NW displacement of the hangingwall with respect to the footwall. A final episode of brittle faulting, cutting across the nappe stack (the Trossieri Fault), indicates an extensional stage in the core of the Alpine belt, as previously documented in more external zones. This work provides a necessary and robust basis before an accurate discussion of processes acting during continental subduction of the Dora-Maira Massif may be understood. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s00015-024-00459-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Nosenzo
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paola Manzotti
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikaela Krona
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Michel Ballèvre
- Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes-UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Marc Poujol
- Univ. Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes-UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
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2
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Millar JL, Broadwell ELM, Lewis M, Bowles AMC, Tedstone AJ, Williamson CJ. Alpine glacier algal bloom during a record melt year. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1356376. [PMID: 38444808 PMCID: PMC10912336 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1356376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Glacier algal blooms dominate the surfaces of glaciers and ice sheets during summer melt seasons, with larger blooms anticipated in years that experience the greatest melt. Here, we characterize the glacier algal bloom proliferating on Morteratsch glacier, Switzerland, during the record 2022 melt season, when the Swiss Alps lost three times more ice than the decadal average. Glacier algal cellular abundance (cells ml-1), biovolume (μm3 cell-1), photophysiology (Fv/Fm, rETRmax), and stoichiometry (C:N ratios) were constrained across three elevations on Morteratsch glacier during late August 2022 and compared with measurements of aqueous geochemistry and outputs of nutrient spiking experiments. While a substantial glacier algal bloom was apparent during summer 2022, abundances ranged from 1.78 × 104 to 8.95 × 105 cells ml-1 of meltwater and did not scale linearly with the magnitude of the 2022 melt season. Instead, spatiotemporal heterogeneity in algal distribution across Morteratsch glacier leads us to propose melt-water-redistribution of (larger) glacier algal cells down-glacier and presumptive export of cells from the system as an important mechanism to set overall bloom carrying capacity on steep valley glaciers during high melt years. Despite the paradox of abundant glacier algae within seemingly oligotrophic surface ice, we found no evidence for inorganic nutrient limitation as an important bottom-up control within our study site, supporting our hypothesis above. Fundamental physical constraints may thus cap bloom carrying-capacities on valley glaciers as 21st century melting continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin L Millar
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Emily L M Broadwell
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Madeleine Lewis
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander M C Bowles
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Tedstone
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christopher J Williamson
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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3
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Rossi R. Nostrana, frustra, fiorata: migration patterns and the semantics of consumption in the Alps, mid-17th to late 18th centuries. Hist Retail Consum (Abingdon) 2024; 9:95-115. [PMID: 38223548 PMCID: PMC10785691 DOI: 10.1080/2373518x.2023.2273168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Labour migrants were a widespread phenomenon in the Alps during the early modern period and impacted the materiality of everyday life in the mountains. This article investigates traces of these movements in linguistic usage by exploring the way in which goods were described by actors from the Three Leagues, in present-day Switzerland and Italy. Provenances of goods were given by using toponyms that indicated the place of origin the more precise, the closer the location was to the Alps. These geographical terms informed about specific visual and tactile qualities and were introduced together with other technical vocabulary via specialized merchants and spread via shops to customers of the upper echelons. Small-scale retailers and occasional dealers made use of less detailed descriptions that can also be found in the accounts of their clients which resembled the language used in informal correspondences. These channels could be activated to gain more detailed information and thanks to the wide-spread networks of migrant labourers, knowledge was exchanged with and via the Alps. This exchange of information appears, however, to have become less intense when migration patterns changed in the aftermath of the French Revolutionary Wars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rossi
- Department of History, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Sulaiman N, Zocchi DM, Borrello MT, Mattalia G, Antoniazzi L, Berlinghof SE, Bewick A, Häfliger I, Schembs M, Torri L, Pieroni A. Traditional Knowledge Evolution over Half of a Century: Local Herbal Resources and Their Changes in the Upper Susa Valley of Northwest Italy. Plants (Basel) 2023; 13:43. [PMID: 38202351 PMCID: PMC10780445 DOI: 10.3390/plants13010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Susa Valley, located in the Italian Western Alps, has served as a meeting point for cultural, spiritual, and commercial exchange for a long period of history. The valley's role as one of the main connecting routes between south and southwestern Europe resulted in its acquisition of a rich traditional ecological knowledge. However, like other Italian mountainous valleys, this valley has suffered from abandonment and depopulation in the past 50 years. Our study aims to investigate the current ethnobotanical medicinal knowledge in the valley and to compare our findings with a study conducted over 50 years ago in the same area. In 2018, we conducted 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews on medicinal plants and food-medicines used in the Susa Valley. We documented 36 species, of which 21 species were used for medical purposes and 15 species were used as food-medicine. The comparison with the previous study on medicinal herbs conducted in 1970 in the valley demonstrated a significant decrease in both the knowledge and use of medicinal plants, which could be attributed to socioeconomic, cultural, and possibly environmental changes that occurred in the past half-century. Our study highlights several promising species for future use as nutraceuticals, food, and medicinal products, such as Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica, and Artemisia genipi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naji Sulaiman
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Dauro M. Zocchi
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Borrello
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing, School of Pharmacy, University of Sunderland, Sunderland SR1 3SD, UK
| | - Giulia Mattalia
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnología Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- New York Botanical Garden, New York, NY 14058, USA
| | - Luca Antoniazzi
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - S. Elisabeth Berlinghof
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
- Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) e.V., Eberswalder 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Amber Bewick
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Ivo Häfliger
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Mia Schembs
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Luisa Torri
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
- Department of Medical Analysis, Tishk International University, Erbil 44001, Iraq
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Kirschner P, Záveská E, Hülber K, Wessely J, Willner W, Schönswetter P, Frajman B. Evolutionary dynamics of Euphorbia carniolica suggest a complex Plio-Pleistocene history of understorey species of deciduous forest in southeastern Europe. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5350-5368. [PMID: 37632417 PMCID: PMC10946815 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Deciduous forests form the dominant natural vegetation of Europe today, but were restricted to small refugia during Pleistocene cold stages, implying an evolutionary past shaped by recurrent range contractions and expansions. Cold-stage forest refugia were probably widespread in southern and central Europe, with the northwestern Balkan Peninsula being of particular importance. However, the actual number and location of deciduous forest refugia, as well as the connections between them, remain disputed. Here, we address the evolutionary dynamics of the deciduous forest understorey species Euphorbia carniolica as a proxy for past forest dynamics. To do so, we obtained genomic and morphometric data from populations representing the species' entire range, investigated phylogenetic position and intraspecific genetic variation, tested explicit demographic scenarios and applied species distribution models. Our data support two disjoint groups linked to separate refugia on the northwestern and central Balkan Peninsula. We find that genetic differentiation between groups started in the early Pleistocene via vicariance, suggesting a larger distribution in the past. Both refugia acted as sources for founder events to the southeastern Alps and the Carpathians; the latter were likely colonised before the last cold stage. In line with traditional views on the pre-Pleistocene origin of many southeastern European deciduous forest species, the origin of E. carniolica was dated to the late Pliocene. The fact that E. carniolica evolved at a time when a period of continuous forestation was ending in much of Eurasia provides an interesting biogeographical perspective on the past links between Eurasian deciduous forests and their biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Kirschner
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food SciencesFree University of Bozen‐BolzanoBolzanoItaly
| | - Eliška Záveská
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhoniceCzechia
| | - Karl Hülber
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Johannes Wessely
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Wolfgang Willner
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | | | - Božo Frajman
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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Mattalia G, Graetz F, Harms M, Segor A, Tomarelli A, Kieser V, Zerbe S, Pieroni A. Temporal Changes in the Use of Wild Medicinal Plants in Trentino-South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:2372. [PMID: 37375997 DOI: 10.3390/plants12122372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Mountain regions are fragile ecosystems and often host remarkably rich biodiversity, and thus they are especially under threat from ongoing global changes. Located in the Eastern Alps, Trentino-South Tyrol is bioculturally diverse but an understudied region from an ethnobotanical perspective. We explored the ethnomedicinal knowledge of the area from a cross-cultural and diachronic perspective by conducting semi-structured interviews with 22 local inhabitants from Val di Sole (Trentino) and 30 from Überetsch-Unterland (South Tyrol). Additionally, we compared the results with ethnobotanical studies conducted in Trentino and South Tyrol over 25 years ago. The historical comparison revealed that about 75% of the plants currently in use were also used in the past in each study region. We argue that the adoption of "new" medicinal species could have occurred through printed and social media and other bibliographical sources but may also be due to limitations in conducting the comparison (i.e., different taxonomic levels and different methodologies). The inhabitants of Val di Sole and Überetsch-Unterland have shared most medicinal plants over the past few decades, yet the most used species diverge (perhaps due to differences in local landscapes), and in South Tyrol, people appear to use a higher number of medicinal plants, possibly because of the borderland nature of the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Mattalia
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnología Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- New York Botanical Garden, New York, NY 14058, USA
| | - Felina Graetz
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Matthes Harms
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | - Anna Segor
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
| | | | | | - Stefan Zerbe
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39100 Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
- Department of Medical Analysis, Faculty of Applied Science, Tishk International University, Erbil 44001, Iraq
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Tobias W, Manfred S, Klaus J, Massimiliano Z, Bettina S. The future of Alpine Run-of-River hydropower production: Climate change, environmental flow requirements, and technical production potential. Sci Total Environ 2023:163934. [PMID: 37164090 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Past studies on the impacts of climate change (CC) on Alpine hydropower production have focused on high-head accumulation power plants. We provide one of the first comprehensive, simulation-based studies on CC impacts on Alpine Run-of-River (RoR) production, also considering effects of environmental flow requirements and technical increase potential. We simulate future electricity production under three emissions scenarios for 21 Swiss RoR plants with a total production of 5.9 TWh a-1. The simulations show an increase in winter production (4 % to 9 %) and a decrease in summer production (-2 % to -22 %), which together lead to an annual decrease of about -2 % to -7 % by the end of the century. The production loss due to environmental flow requirements is estimated at 3.5 % of the annual production; the largest low-elevation RoR power plants show little loss, while small and medium-sized power plants are most affected. The potential for increasing production by optimising the design discharge amounts to 8 % of the annual production. The largest increase potential is related to small and medium-sized power plants at high elevations. The key results are: i) there is no linear relationship between CC impacts on streamflow and on RoR production; the impacts depend on the usable streamflow volume, which is influenced by the Flow Duration Curve, environmental flow requirements, and design discharge; ii), the simulated production impacts show a strong correlation (>0.68) with the mean catchment elevation. The plants at the highest elevations even show an increase in annual production of 3 % to 23 %, due to larger shares of precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. These general results are transferable to RoR production in similar settings in other Alpine locations and should be considered in future assessments. Future work could focus on further technical optimisation potential, considering detailed operational data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wechsler Tobias
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Institute of Geography (GIUB) and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR), University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research - Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE), Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Stähli Manfred
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research - Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE), Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jorde Klaus
- KJ Consult, Ferdinand-Raunegger-Gasse 26, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria; Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research - Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE), Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zappa Massimiliano
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research - Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE), Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Schaefli Bettina
- Institute of Geography (GIUB) and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR), University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research - Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE), Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Lopez-Saez J, Corona C, von Arx G, Fonti P, Slamova L, Stoffel M. Tree-ring anatomy of Pinus cembra trees opens new avenues for climate reconstructions in the European Alps. Sci Total Environ 2023; 855:158605. [PMID: 36116650 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tree rings form the backbone of high-resolution palaeoclimatology and represent one of the most frequently used proxy to reconstruct climate variability of the Common Era. In the European Alps, reconstructions were often based on tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum latewood density (MXD) series, with a focus on European larch. By contrast, only a very limited number of dendroclimatic studies exists for long-lived, multi-centennial Pinus cembra, despite the widespread occurrence of the species at treeline sites across the European Alps. This lack of reconstructions can be ascribed to the difficulties encountered in past studies in extracting a robust climate signal from TRW and MXD chronologies. In this study, we tested various wood anatomical parameters from P. cembra as proxies for the reconstruction of past air temperatures. To this end, we measured anatomical cell parameters and TRW of old-growth trees from the God da Tamangur forest stand, known for being the highest pure, and continuous P. cembra forest in Europe. We demonstrate that several wood anatomical parameters allow robust reconstruction of past temperature variability at annual to multidecadal timescales. Best results are obtained with maximum latewood radial cell wall thickness (CWTrad) measured at 40 μm radial band width. Over the 1920-2017 period, the CWTrad chronology explains 62 % and >80 % of interannual and decadal variability of air temperatures during a time window corresponding roughly with the growing season. These values exceed those found in past work on P. cembra and even exceed the values reported for MXD chronologies built with L. decidua and hitherto considered the gold standard for dendroclimatic reconstructions in the European Alps. The wood anatomical analysis of P. cembra records therefore unveils a dormant potential and opens new avenues for a species that has been considered unsuitable for climate reconstructions so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Lopez-Saez
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Christophe Corona
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Université Clermont-Auvergne, CNRS Geolab UMR 6042, 63057 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Georg von Arx
- Dendrosciences, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Fonti
- Dendrosciences, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Lenka Slamova
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
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Gerschwitz‐Eidt MA, Dillenberger MS, Kadereit JW. Phylogeny of Saxifraga section Saxifraga subsection Arachnoideae (Saxifragaceae) and the origin of low elevation shade-dwelling species. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9728. [PMID: 36636428 PMCID: PMC9829489 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Saxifraga section Saxifraga subsection Arachnoideae is a lineage of 12 species distributed mainly in the European Alps. It is unusual in terms of ecological diversification by containing both high elevation species from exposed alpine habitats and low elevation species from shady habitats such as overhanging rocks and cave entrances. Our aims are to explore which of these habitat types is ancestral, and to identify the possible drivers of this remarkable ecological diversification. Using a Hybseq DNA-sequencing approach and a complete species sample we reconstructed and dated the phylogeny of subsection Arachnoideae. Using Landolt indicator values, this phylogenetic tree was used for the reconstruction of the evolution of temperature, light and soil pH requirements in this lineage. Diversification of subsection Arachnoideae started in the late Pliocene and continued through the Pleistocene. Both diversification among and within clades was largely allopatric, and species from shady habitats with low light requirements are distributed in well-known refugia. We hypothesize that low light requirements evolved when species persisting in cold-stage refugia were forced into marginal habitats by more competitive warm-stage vegetation. While we do not claim that such competition resulted in speciation, it very likely resulted in adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Gerschwitz‐Eidt
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg‐UniversitätMainzGermany
| | - Markus S. Dillenberger
- Institut für Biologie, AG Systematische Botanik und Pflanzengeographie, Freie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Joachim W. Kadereit
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg‐UniversitätMainzGermany,Present address:
Systematik, Biodiversität und Evolution der PflanzenLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunichGermany
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Svensk M, Pittarello M, Mariotte P, Nota G, Schneider MK, Frund D, Dubois S, Allan E, Probo M. Nitrogen translocation by Highland cattle grazing in Alnus viridis-encroached pastures. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 2023; 126:127-141. [PMID: 37124631 PMCID: PMC10129924 DOI: 10.1007/s10705-023-10282-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
During the last decades, Alnus viridis has expanded over former montane pastures and meadows, due to land use and abandonment. This nitrogen-fixing woody species has triggered negative agro-environmental impacts, such as nitrogen (N) leaching, soil acidification and a reduced biodiversity. The aim of this study was to estimate the N translocation from A. viridis-encroached areas to adjacent open pastures by Highland cattle. In 2019 and 2020, Highland cattle herds equipped with GPS collars were placed in four A. viridis-encroached paddocks across Italy and Switzerland. The N content was measured in A. viridis leaves, herbaceous vegetation, and cattle dung pats, which were collected throughout the grazing season. Using GPS locations and collar activity sensors, livestock activity phases were discriminated. The N ingested by cattle was estimated through the N content of herbaceous vegetation and A. viridis leaves of vegetation patches visited by cattle during 24 h before dung sampling (N24H). The N content of herbaceous vegetation significantly increased with increasing A. viridis cover. The average N content in dung pats (31.2 ± 3.4 g.kg-1 DM) was higher than average values from literature on grazing cattle. Moreover, it was positively related to the N24H. Most of this N (29.5 ± 10.3 kg ha-1 yr-1) was translocated towards resting areas, which generally occurred on flat open pastures. Our results highlight the potential of Highland cattle to effectively translocate part of the ingested N from A. viridis-encroached towards targeted open areas, thus bringing new perspective for forage yield and quality improvement in the long-term. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10705-023-10282-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Svensk
- Grazing Systems, Agroscope, Posieux, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marco Pittarello
- Department of Veterinary Sciences (DSV), University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Ginevra Nota
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - David Frund
- Grazing Systems, Agroscope, Posieux, Switzerland
| | | | - Eric Allan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Kerner JM, Krauss J, Maihoff F, Bofinger L, Classen A. Alpine butterflies want to fly high: Species and communities shift upwards faster than their host plants. Ecology 2023; 104:e3848. [PMID: 36366785 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite sometimes strong codependencies of insect herbivores and plants, the responses of individual taxa to accelerating climate change are typically studied in isolation. For this reason, biotic interactions that potentially limit species in tracking their preferred climatic niches are ignored. Here, we chose butterflies as a prominent representative of herbivorous insects to investigate the impacts of temperature changes and their larval host plant distributions along a 1.4-km elevational gradient in the German Alps. Following a sampling protocol of 2009, we revisited 33 grassland plots in 2019 over an entire growing season. We quantified changes in butterfly abundance and richness by repeated transect walks on each plot and disentangled the direct and indirect effects of locally assessed temperature, site management, and larval and adult food resource availability on these patterns. Additionally, we determined elevational range shifts of butterflies and host plants at both the community and species level. Comparing the two sampled years (2009 and 2019), we found a severe decline in butterfly abundance and a clear upward shift of butterflies along the elevational gradient. We detected shifts in the peak of species richness, community composition, and at the species level, whereby mountainous species shifted particularly strongly. In contrast, host plants showed barely any change, neither in connection with species richness nor individual species shifts. Further, temperature and host plant richness were the main drivers of butterfly richness, with change in temperature best explaining the change in richness over time. We concluded that host plants were not yet hindering butterfly species and communities from shifting upwards. However, the mismatch between butterfly and host plant shifts might become a problem for this very close plant-herbivore relationship, especially toward higher elevations, if butterflies fail to adapt to new host plants. Further, our results support the value of conserving traditional extensive pasture use as a promoter of host plant and, hence, butterfly richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janika M Kerner
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Krauss
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Fabienne Maihoff
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Alice Classen
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Ichter J, Gargominy O, Leccia MF, Robert S, Poncet L. The first large-scale All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in Europe: description of the Mercantour National Park ATBI datasets. Biodivers Data J 2022; 10:e85901. [PMID: 36761580 PMCID: PMC9836634 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.10.e85901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) is a comprehensive inventory of all species in a given territory. In 2007, the French Parc national du Mercantour and the Italian Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime started the first and most ambitious ATBI in Europe with more than 350 specialists and dozens of technicians and data managers involved. New information The ATBI datasets from the Parc national du Mercantour in France are now publicly available. Between 2007 and 2020, 247,674 occurrences were recorded, checked and published in the INPN information system. All this information is available in open access in the GBIF web site. With 12,640 species registered, the ATBI is the most important inventory in France. This data paper provides an overview of main results and its contribution to the French National Inventory of Natural Heritage. It includes a list of 52 taxa new to science and 53 species new to France, discovered thanks to the ATBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Ichter
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (correspondent), Paris, FranceMuséum national d'Histoire naturelle (correspondent)ParisFrance
| | - Olivier Gargominy
- PatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS), Paris, FrancePatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS)ParisFrance
| | - Marie-France Leccia
- Parc national du Mercantour, Nice, FranceParc national du MercantourNiceFrance
| | - Solène Robert
- PatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS), Paris, FrancePatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS)ParisFrance
| | - Laurent Poncet
- PatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS), Paris, FrancePatriNat (OFB/MNHN/CNRS)ParisFrance
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Nascimbene J, Gheza G, Bilovitz PO, Francesconi L, Hafellner J, Mayrhofer H, Salvadori M, Vallese C, Nimis PL. A hotspot of lichen diversity and lichenological research in the Alps: the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park (Italy). MycoKeys 2022; 94:37-50. [PMID: 36760543 PMCID: PMC9836431 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.94.95858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A checklist of 916 lichenised taxa is reported from the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park and its surroundings (Trentino-Alto Adige, N Italy), based on 7351 records from: (a) 72 literature sources, (b) eight public and private herbaria and (c) field observations by some of the authors. The study area appears as a hotspot of lichen diversity, hosting 30.1% of the lichen biota of the Alps in a territory that has 0.064% of their total surface area. This is mainly due to its high climatical, geological and orographic heterogeneity, but also to the long history of lichenological exploration, that started in the 19th century with Ferdinand Arnold and is still ongoing. The present work highlights the importance of detailed species inventories to support knowledge of biodiversity patterns, taxonomy and ecology and to properly address conservation issues. Fuscideamollisvar.caesioalbescens, Hydropunctariascabra, Protoparmeliabadiavar.cinereobadia and Variosporapaulii are new to Italy, 18 other taxa are new to Trentino-Alto Adige.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juri Nascimbene
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, ItalyAlma Mater Studiorum University of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Gabriele Gheza
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, ItalyAlma Mater Studiorum University of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Peter O. Bilovitz
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, AustriaUniversity of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Luana Francesconi
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, ItalyAlma Mater Studiorum University of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Josef Hafellner
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, AustriaUniversity of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Helmut Mayrhofer
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, AustriaUniversity of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Maurizio Salvadori
- Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park, Villa Welsperg, località Castelpietra 2, 38054 Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (Trento), ItalyPaneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural ParkPrimiero San Martino di CastrozzaItaly
| | - Chiara Vallese
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, ItalyAlma Mater Studiorum University of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Pier Luigi Nimis
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, ItalyUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
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Schwaiger H, Lenzer B, Essl F. No species loss, but pronounced species turnover in grasslands in the Northern Alps over 25 years. Appl Veg Sci 2022; 25:e12700. [PMID: 37082134 PMCID: PMC10107162 DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The abandonment of marginally productive habitats and the intensification of land use on productive sites have caused transformative changes in vegetation composition in Central Europe. In this study, after 25 years we resurveyed a total of 145 grassland relevés from the mid-1990s in a grassland-dominated valley of the Northern Alps of Upper Austria. We studied changes in richness and composition, and related these to underlying drivers. We found that the average species number in plots increased from 46 in the first survey period to 49 in the second one. Median species richness across sites significantly increased from 1995 to 2020 for Festuco-Brometea (55-61 species) and Galio-Urticetea (24-32 species), but did not show any significant change for the other classes. Further, we recorded substantial species turnover, with winners consisting mostly of species that prefer nutrient-rich sites, while losers were predominantly species of nutrient-poor sites. In particular, using Ellenberg Indicator Values for calculating community indices, we found an indication for ongoing eutrophication in vegetation types of nutrient-poor vegetation classes (Festuco-Brometea and Calluno-Ulicetea), and in wet habitats (Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae). Community indices of wet habitats also showed clear signs of becoming more mesic. Thermophilization of community indices was evident across several vegetation classes. Further, alien species that were very rare in the mid-1990s became more abundant in the resurveyed plots, although the level of invasion is still low. Finally, community values for nutrients of plots that are located in a protected area that has been established in 2014 did not increase significantly, while this was the case in plots outside the protected area, indicating that the management of the protected area has positive effects in halting eutrophication. We conclude that despite overall species richness changing only moderately between both surveys, substantial changes in community composition toward more nitrophilic and thermophilic conditions occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Schwaiger
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Bernd Lenzer
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Franz Essl
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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15
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Steinbauer K, Lamprecht A, Winkler M, Di Cecco V, Fasching V, Ghosn D, Maringer A, Remoundou I, Suen M, Stanisci A, Venn S, Pauli H. Recent changes in high-mountain plant community functional composition in contrasting climate regimes. Sci Total Environ 2022; 829:154541. [PMID: 35302025 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-mountain plant communities are strongly determined by abiotic conditions, especially low temperature, and are therefore susceptible to effects of climate warming. Rising temperatures, however, also lead to increased evapotranspiration, which, together with projected shifts in seasonal precipitation patterns, could lead to prolonged, detrimental water deficiencies. The current study aims at comparing alpine plant communities along elevation and water availability gradients from humid conditions (north-eastern Alps) to a moderate (Central Apennines) and a pronounced dry period during summer (Lefka Ori, Crete) in the Mediterranean area. We do this in order to (1) detect relationships between community-based indices (plant functional leaf and growth traits, thermic vegetation indicator, plant life forms, vegetation cover and diversity) and soil temperature and snow duration and (2) assess if climatic changes have already affected the vegetation, by determining directional changes over time (14-year period; 2001-2015) in these indices in the three regions. Plant community indices responded to decreasing temperatures along the elevation gradient in the NE-Alps and the Apennines, but this elevation effect almost disappeared in the summer-dry mountains of Crete. This suggests a shift from low-temperature to drought-dominated ecological filters. Leaf trait (Leaf Dry Matter Content and Specific Leaf Area) responses changed in direction from the Alps to the Apennines, indicating that drought effects already become discernible at the northern margin of the Mediterranean. Over time, a slight increase in vegetation cover was found in all regions, but thermophilisation occurred only in the NE-Alps and Apennines, accompanied by a decline of cold-adapted cushion plants in the Alps. On Crete, xeromorphic shrubs were increasing in abundance. Although critical biodiversity losses have not yet been observed, an intensified monitoring of combined warming-drought impacts will be required in view of threatened alpine plants that are either locally restricted in the south or weakly adapted to drought in the north.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Steinbauer
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; UNESCO-Chair on Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas, Carinthia University of Applied Science, 9524 Villach, Austria; E.C.O. - Institut für Ökologie, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria.
| | - A Lamprecht
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - M Winkler
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - V Di Cecco
- Maiella Seed Bank, Maiella National Park, Loc. Colle Madonna, Lama dei Peligni 66010, Italy
| | - V Fasching
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - D Ghosn
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - A Maringer
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - I Remoundou
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - M Suen
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - A Stanisci
- Dep. Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli 86039, Italy
| | - S Venn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - H Pauli
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
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16
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Brambilla M, Rubolini D, Appukuttan O, Calvi G, Karger DN, Kmecl P, Mihelič T, Sattler T, Seaman B, Teufelbauer N, Wahl J, Celada C. Identifying climate refugia for high-elevation Alpine birds under current climate warming predictions. Glob Chang Biol 2022; 28:4276-4291. [PMID: 35441422 PMCID: PMC9546033 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Identifying climate refugia is key to effective biodiversity conservation under a changing climate, especially for mountain-specialist species adapted to cold conditions and highly threatened by climate warming. We combined species distribution models (SDMs) with climate forecasts to identify climate refugia for high-elevation bird species (Lagopus muta, Anthus spinoletta, Prunella collaris, Montifringilla nivalis) in the European Alps, where the ecological effects of climate changes are particularly evident and predicted to intensify. We considered future (2041-2070) conditions (SSP585 scenario, four climate models) and identified three types of refugia: (1) in-situ refugia potentially suitable under both current and future climate conditions, ex-situ refugia suitable (2) only in the future according to all future conditions, or (3) under at least three out of four future conditions. SDMs were based on a very large, high-resolution occurrence dataset (2901-12,601 independent records for each species) collected by citizen scientists. SDMs were fitted using different algorithms, balancing statistical accuracy, ecological realism and predictive/extrapolation ability. We selected the most reliable ones based on consistency between training and testing data and extrapolation over distant areas. Future predictions revealed that all species (with the partial exception of A. spinoletta) will undergo a range contraction towards higher elevations, losing 17%-59% of their current range (larger losses in L. muta). We identified ~15,000 km2 of the Alpine region as in-situ refugia for at least three species, of which 44% are currently designated as protected areas (PAs; 18%-66% among countries). Our findings highlight the usefulness of spatially accurate data collected by citizen scientists, and the importance of model testing by extrapolating over independent areas. Climate refugia, which are only partly included within the current PAs system, should be priority sites for the conservation of Alpine high-elevation species and habitats, where habitat degradation/alteration by human activities should be prevented to ensure future suitability for alpine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Brambilla
- Lipu/BirdLife ItaliaParmaItaly
- MUSE–Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei VertebratiTrentoItaly
- Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente, Settore Biodiversità e aree protetteMilanoItaly
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche AmbientaliUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanoItaly
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche AmbientaliUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanoItaly
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA‐CNRBrugherioItaly
| | - Ojan Appukuttan
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche AmbientaliUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanoItaly
| | | | - Dirk Nikolaus Karger
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)BirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Johannes Wahl
- Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten (DDA)MünsterGermany
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König S, Krauss J, Keller A, Bofinger L, Steffan-Dewenter I. Phylogenetic relatedness of food plants reveals highest insect herbivore specialization at intermediate temperatures along a broad climatic gradient. Glob Chang Biol 2022; 28:4027-4040. [PMID: 35429201 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The composition and richness of herbivore and plant assemblages change along climatic gradients, but knowledge about associated shifts in specialization is scarce and lacks controlling for the abundance and phylogeny of interaction partners. Thus, we aimed to test whether the specialization of phytophagous insects in insect-plant interaction networks decreases toward cold habitats as predicted by the 'altitude niche-breadth hypothesis' to forecast possible consequences of interaction rewiring under climate change. We used a non-invasive, standardized metabarcoding approach to reconstruct dietary relationships of Orthoptera species as a major insect herbivore taxon along a broad temperature gradient (~12°C) in Southern Germany. Based on Orthoptera surveys, feeding observations, collection of fecal pellets from >3,000 individuals of 54 species, and parallel vegetation surveys on 41 grassland sites, we quantified plant resource availability and its use by herbivores. Herbivore assemblages were richer in species and individuals at sites with high summer temperatures, while plant richness peaked at intermediate temperatures. Corresponding interaction networks were most specialized in warm habitats. Considering phylogenetic relationships of plant resources, however, the specialization pattern was not linear but peaked at intermediate temperatures, mediated by herbivores feeding on a narrow range of phylogenetically related resources. Our study provides empirical evidence of resource specialization of insect herbivores along a climatic gradient, demonstrating that resource phylogeny, availability, and temperature interactively shape the specialization of herbivore assemblages. Instead of low specialization levels only in cold, harsh habitats, our results suggest increased generalist feeding due to intraspecific changes and compositional differences at both ends of the microclimatic gradient. We conclude that this nonlinear change of phylogeny-based resource specialization questions predictions derived from the 'altitude-niche breadth hypothesis' and highlights the currently limited understanding of how plant-herbivore interactions will change under future climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian König
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Krauss
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Organismic and Cellular Interactions, Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
| | | | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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18
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Ercole E, Adamo M, Lumini E, Fusconi A, Mucciarelli M. Alpine constructed wetlands: A metagenomic analysis reveals microbial complementary structure. Sci Total Environ 2022; 822:153640. [PMID: 35124050 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are used to water treatment worldwide, however their application at high-altitude is poorly studied. In order to survive mountain winters, CWs rely on native flora and associated microbial communities. However, the choice of plant-microbes pairs more suitable for water treatment is challenging in alpine environments. Using a metagenomic approach, we investigated the composition of prokaryotes and fungal communities, through extensive sampling inside a constructed wetland in the SW-Alps. Best performing plant species were searched among those hosting the most diverse and resilient microbial communities and to this goal, we analysed them in the natural environment also. Our results showed that microbial communities were less diverse in the CW than at natural conditions, and they differed from plant to plant, revealing a clear variation in taxonomic composition between forbs and gramineous plants. Carex rostrata, Deschampsia caespitosa and Rumex alpinus hosted bacteria very active in N-cycles. Moreover, fungal and prokaryotic communities associated to R. alpinus (Polygonaceae) turned to be the richest and stable among the studied species. In our opinion, this species should be prioritized in CWs at high elevations, also in consideration of its low maintenance requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Ercole
- University of Torino, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Torino, Italy
| | - Martino Adamo
- University of Torino, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Torino, Italy
| | - Erica Lumini
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), National Research Council (CNR), Torino, Italy
| | - Anna Fusconi
- University of Torino, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Torino, Italy
| | - Marco Mucciarelli
- University of Torino, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, Torino, Italy.
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Bonelli M, Eustacchio E, Avesani D, Michelsen V, Falaschi M, Caccianiga M, Gobbi M, Casartelli M. The Early Season Community of Flower-Visiting Arthropods in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment. Insects 2022; 13:insects13040393. [PMID: 35447835 PMCID: PMC9032982 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In mountain ecosystems, climate change can cause spatiotemporal shifts, impacting the composition of communities and altering fundamental biotic interactions, such as those involving flower-visiting arthropods. On of the main problems in assessing the effects of climate change on arthropods in these environments is the lack of baseline data. In particular, the arthropod communities on early flowering high-altitude plants are poorly investigated, although the early season is a critical moment for possible mismatches. In this study, we characterised the flower-visiting arthropod community on the early flowering high-altitude Alpine plant, Androsace brevis (Primulaceae). In addition, we tested the effect of abiotic factors (temperature and wind speed) and other variables (time, i.e., hour of the day, and number of flowers per plant) on the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of this community. A. brevis is a vulnerable endemic species growing in the Central Alps above 2000 m asl and flowering for a very short period immediately after snowmelt, thus representing a possible focal plant for arthropods in this particular moment of the season. Diptera and Hymenoptera were the main flower visitors, and three major features of the community emerged: an evident predominance of anthomyiid flies among Diptera, a rare presence of bees, and a relevant share of parasitoid wasps. Temperature and time (hour of the day), but not wind speed and number of flowers per plant, affected the flower visitors' activity. Our study contributes to (1) defining the composition of high-altitude Alpine flower-visiting arthropod communities in the early season, (2) establishing how these communities are affected by environmental variables, and (3) setting the stage for future evaluation of climate change effects on flower-visiting arthropods in high-altitude environments in the early season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bonelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.E.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- Research and Museum Collections Office, Climate and Ecology Unit, MUSE—Science Museum, 38122 Trento, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Elena Eustacchio
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.E.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- Research and Museum Collections Office, Climate and Ecology Unit, MUSE—Science Museum, 38122 Trento, Italy;
| | - Daniele Avesani
- Zoology Section, Civic Museum of Natural History of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy;
| | - Verner Michelsen
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Mattia Falaschi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Marco Caccianiga
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.E.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Mauro Gobbi
- Research and Museum Collections Office, Climate and Ecology Unit, MUSE—Science Museum, 38122 Trento, Italy;
| | - Morena Casartelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; (E.E.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
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Bezerra-Santos MA, Moroni B, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Perrucci S, Cavicchio P, Cordon R, Cianfanelli C, Lia RP, Rossi L, Otranto D. Wild carnivores and Thelazia callipaeda zoonotic eyeworms: A focus on wolves. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:239-43. [PMID: 35309037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Thelazia callipaeda is a zoonotic parasite causing ocular disease in domestic dogs, cats, several wild carnivores, hares, and humans. This nematode is widely distributed in Europe, where it is transmitted by the drosophilid fly Phortica variegata. Since the first report of infection in grey wolves (Canis lupus) from southern Italy, other cases of thelaziosis have been recorded in this animal species throughout Europe, raising questions about their role in spreading T. callipaeda. Indeed, for their wandering behavior through long distances and living in woody areas where the vectors thrive, wolves may act as reservoirs and spreaders of thelaziosis. In this study we reviewed the literature about wolves acting as reservoirs of T. callipaeda in Europe. In addition, we report the first detection of T. callipaeda eyeworms in grey wolves in the Italian Alps, discussing its possible implications in the epidemiology of thelaziosis in the Alpine landscape. Animals (n = 3) included in this study were originated from the Italian Alps, one juvenile male wolf was found dead, and the other two were seven-year-old males translocated from Piedmont region to a Zoological Garden, in Tuscany. All animals were infected with eyeworms, which were morphologically and molecularly identified as T. callipaeda. Data herein presented confirm those available in the literature about the circulation of a unique cox1 haplotype in Europe. In addition, the report of T. callipaeda in wolves from the Alps suggests an ecological continuity of habitats which are suitable for the distribution of T. callipaeda from the southern to northern Italy through the Apennine backbone. Retrospectively, it could also explain the spreading of the oriental eyeworm infection in Europe over the last 20 years with many wild carnivores, such as foxes and possibly wolves, playing a pivotal role as reservoirs of the infection for dogs, cats and humans. Wolves may play important role in the transmission cycle of Thelazia callipaeda. There is a need of passive-surveillance programs of this zoonotic nematode in wild carnivores. This is the first report of Thelazia callipaeda in wolves from the Italian Alps.
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Maruffi L, Stucchi L, Casale F, Bocchiola D. Soil erosion and sediment transport under climate change for Mera River, in Italian Alps of Valchiavenna. Sci Total Environ 2022; 806:150651. [PMID: 34597559 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Erosion is a main form of soil degradation, with severe consequences on slope stability and productivity, and erosion studies are required to predict possible variations of such phenomena, also under climate change scenarios. Here we estimated distributed soil erosion within Valchiavenna valley in the Rhaetian Alps, drained by Mera river, and covering Italy, and Switzerland. We used a Dynamic-RUSLE (D-RUSLE) model, which provides spatially distributed estimates of soil erosion explicitly considering snow dynamic (accumulation/melting) and snow cover, and vegetation seasonality. The model was tuned here during 2010-2019, and validation was pursued using river turbidity data, used to assess riverine sediment transport. The model parameter R-factor for rainfall erosivity was estimated using a hydrological model Poli-Hydro, properly set up in the study area. C-factor for land cover was assessed against land cover maps, with seasonally variable Normalized Difference Vegetation Index from satellite images, to account for variable vegetation stage, and large leaf cover in summer. The K-factor related to erosion susceptibility was evaluated through soil texture and organic content. LS-factor depending on slope was assessed using a DTM. Poli-Hydro and D-RUSLE models were then used to project forward potential soil erosion under climate change scenarios until 2100. Climate series (temperature, precipitation) were generated using 4 shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) of the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC, with 3 global circulation models, properly downscaled locally. We analysed expected soil erosion during 2051-2060, and 2091-2100. We found increase of potential soil erosion, with exception of the EC-Earth model for the SSP2.6. Erosion would especially increase in winter, in response to smaller snow accumulation, and larger liquid rainfall share thereby, and decrease in summer, as due to decreased precipitation. Our results suggest the need for adaptation strategies to counteract increasing soil loss in the future, and may highlight most critical areas of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Maruffi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - L Stucchi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - F Casale
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - D Bocchiola
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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22
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Perrin W, Fontana S, Coq S, Berlioz L, Jay-Robert P, Moretti M. The Influence of Fine-Scale Grazing Heterogeneity on Dung Beetle Assemblages: What Trait Analysis Teaches Us. Environ Entomol 2021; 50:1332-1343. [PMID: 34580707 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Livestock grazing puts major anthropogenic pressure on biological communities worldwide. Not all species are expected to be affected in the same way, and the impacts will depend on species' traits. Focusing on traits thus helps identify the mechanisms underlying changes in community composition under grazing pressures. We investigated how fine-scale grazing heterogeneity affects the trait composition and diversity of dung beetle assemblages in Western Europe. We sampled dung beetles in habitat patches differing in terms of grazing intensity within rangelands of two distinct biogeographical areas: a Mediterranean lowland steppe and Western alpine meadows. We measured five morphological traits expected to respond to the local-scale filtering pressure exerted by variations in grazing intensity. Using individual-based data, we assessed responses in terms of single-trait mean values in communities and complementary trait diversity indices. We found strong shifts in trait composition and diversity between the habitat patches. In both study areas, variations in habitat conditions are likely to have filtered the local occurrence and abundance of dung beetles by the mean of traits such as body mass (which have several functional implications), as well as traits linked to underground activity. We hypothesize that fine-scale variation in resource availability (i.e., droppings) and disturbance intensity (i.e., trampling) are key drivers of the observed patterns in species assemblages. Trait richness peaks at moderate grazing intensity in both study areas, suggesting that patches with an intermediated level of available resources and soil disturbance enable individuals with a greater range of autecological requirements to coexist.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Perrin
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Simone Fontana
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sylvain Coq
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurent Berlioz
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Jay-Robert
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Dalla Vecchia FM. Heteropelta boboi n. gen., n. sp. an armored archosauriform (Reptilia: Archosauromorpha) from the Middle Triassic of Italy. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12468. [PMID: 34820195 PMCID: PMC8601055 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Heteropelta boboi is a new archosauriform reptile from the upper Anisian of northeastern Italy represented by a fragment of dorsal armor with a row of neural arches of the dorsal vertebrae. The dorsal armor of the new taxon is composed of two columns of paramedian osteoderms and at least six columns of lateral osteoderms. Unlike other armored archosaurs, the osteoderms are imbricated with the posterior osteoderm overlapping the anterior one. The low neural arches bear small neural spines and long postzygapophyses. The osteoderms of the lateral columns increase in size and change in shape from the most medial to the most lateral columns. Among the Archosauriformes, only the non-archosaur proterochampsians Vancleavea campi, Litorosuchus somnii, and the doswelliids have dorsal armor comprised of more than two columns of osteoderms per side, but the morphology and arrangement of their osteoderms is unlike those of the new Italian taxon. A cladistic analysis of Archosauromorpha positions Heteropelta boboi as either a basal phytosaur or a basal suchian. However, a second cladistic analysis focused on armored archosaurs alternatively positions the new taxon as a basal archosauriform, basal suchian, basal loricatan or crocodylomorph. Better resolution of the phylogenetic relationships of Heteropelta boboi will likely be obtained only with the discovery of cranial and postcranial remains associated with its diagnostic armor elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Marco Dalla Vecchia
- Mesozoic Research Group, Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP), Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain.,Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale, Udine, Italy
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Lencioni V, Moubayed J. Synorthocladiusfedericoi sp. nov., a new species occurring in the middle basin of the Adige River, northern Italy (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae). Zookeys 2021; 1057:105-116. [PMID: 34552369 PMCID: PMC8417020 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1057.68175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An adult male Synorthocladius was collected in the middle basin of the Adige River in the city of Verona, northern Italy. A combination of atypical characters for the genus signalled a new species. Synorthocladiusfedericoisp. nov. is here diagnosed and described. The new species is known only from its type locality and is presumed to be a local biogeographical representative of the Italian Pre-Alps. An emended generic diagnosis, a key to known Synorthocladius from Europe and comments on the taxonomic position of the new species are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lencioni
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy Museo delle Scienze Trento Italy
| | - Joel Moubayed
- Freshwater and Marine biology, 10 ruez des Fenouils, 34070 Montpellier, France Freshwater and Marine biology Montpellier France
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Rehnus M, Palme R. Yearly Variations in GCM Concentrations in Female Mountain Hares ( Lepus timidus) and the Effect of Pregnancy. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2710. [PMID: 34573677 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The measurement of stress hormones has become a widely used and effective tool for evaluating adrenocortical activity in animals. However, to correctly interpret stress measurements, the potential sampling bias resulting from an oversampling of individuals in different states of pregnancy has rarely been investigated. We found significant yearly variations in states of pregnancy, which is related to the conditions of the females due to the snow cover duration before and at the start of the reproductive period. These results are important for improving the interpretation of stress hormone concentrations in free-ranging populations during the breeding and reproductive periods. Abstract The measurement of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) in faeces has become a widely used and effective tool for evaluating the amount of stress experienced by animals. However, the potential sampling bias resulting from an oversampling of individuals in different states of pregnancy has rarely been investigated. In this study, we validate a noninvasive method for measuring gestagen metabolites in female mountain hares (Lepus timidus) under controlled conditions. We also measured the concentration of gestagen metabolites of females in a free-ranging population during the early breeding and post-breeding periods from 2014 to 2019. We found significant yearly variations in gestagen metabolites, which were related to the condition of the females due to the snow cover duration before and at the start of the reproduction period. GCMs were significantly influenced by the gestagen metabolite levels. These results are important for improving the interpretation of GCM concentrations in free-ranging populations during the breeding and reproductive periods.
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Nascimbene J, Gheza G, Hafellner J, Mayrhofer H, Muggia L, Obermayer W, Thor G, Nimis PL. Refining the picture: new records to the lichen biota of Italy. MycoKeys 2021; 82:97-137. [PMID: 34421323 PMCID: PMC8373855 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.82.69027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on the analysis of both historical and recent collections, this paper reports an annotated list of taxa which are new to the lichen biota of Italy or of its administrative regions. Specimens were identified using a dissecting and a compound microscope; routine chemical spot tests and standardized thin-layer chromatography (TLC or HPTLC). The list includes 225 records of 153 taxa. Twenty taxa are new to Italy, the others are new to one or more administrative regions, with 15 second records and 5 third records for Italy. Some of the species belong to recently-described taxa, others are poorly known, sterile or ephemeral lichens which were largely overlooked in Italy. Several species are actually rare, either because of the rarity of their habitats (e.g. old-growth forests), or because in Italy they are at the margins of their bioclimatic distribution. The picture of the lichen biota of Italy has now new pixels, but its grain is still coarse. Further analysis of historical collections, increased efforts in the exploration of some areas, and the taxonomic revision of critical groups are still necessary to provide more complete distributional data for new biogeographic hypotheses, taxonomic and ecological research, and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juri Nascimbene
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy University of Bologna Bologna Italy
| | - Gabriele Gheza
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy University of Bologna Bologna Italy
| | - Josef Hafellner
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria University of Graz Graz Austria
| | - Helmut Mayrhofer
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria University of Graz Graz Austria
| | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Walter Obermayer
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria University of Graz Graz Austria
| | - Göran Thor
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7044, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden University of Trieste Trieste Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Nimis
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
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Trogu T, Formenti N, Marangi M, Viganò R, Bionda R, Giangaspero A, Lanfranchi P, Ferrari N. Detection of Zoonotic Cryptosporidium ubiquitum in Alpine Wild Ruminants. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10060655. [PMID: 34070669 PMCID: PMC8228762 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium is a widespread apicomplexan protozoan of major zoonotic importance, characterized by a wide host range, and with relevant economic implications and potential negative effects on livestock and wildlife population dynamics. Considering the recent strong demographic increase of alpine ungulates, in this study, carried out in the Italian Northwestern Alps, we investigated the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in these species and their potential involvement in environmental contamination with Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. The immune-enzymatic approach revealed a Cryptosporidium prevalence of 1.7% (5/293), 0.5% (1/196) and 3.4% (4/119) in alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), respectively. Positive samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification for the COWP and gp60 genes. The presence of Cryptosporidium was confirmed in one chamois and four roe deer. Sequences obtained clustered within Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, currently recognized as an emerging zoonotic species. This finding represents the first detection of zoonotic C. ubiquitum in chamois and in the Alpine environment. Despite the low observed prevalences, environmental contamination by oocysts could play a role as a potential source of infections for humans and livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Trogu
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘‘Bruno Ubertini’’ (IZSLER), via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Nicoletta Formenti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna ‘‘Bruno Ubertini’’ (IZSLER), via Bianchi 7/9, 25124 Brescia, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Marianna Marangi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Foggia, via Napoli 25, 71121 Foggia, Italy; (M.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Roberto Viganò
- Studio Associato AlpVet, Piazza Venzaghi 2, 21052 Busto Arsizio, Italy;
| | - Radames Bionda
- Ente di Gestione delle Aree Protette dell’Ossola, Villa Gentinetta-Viale Pieri 27, 28868 Varzo, Italy;
| | - Annunziata Giangaspero
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Foggia, via Napoli 25, 71121 Foggia, Italy; (M.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Paolo Lanfranchi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (P.L.); (N.F.)
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (P.L.); (N.F.)
- Centro di Ricerca Coordinata Epidemiologia e Sorveglianza Molecolare delle Infezioni, EpiSoMI, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Schmude J, Pillmayer M, Witting M, Corradini P. Geography Matters, But… Evolving Success Factors for Nature-Oriented Health Tourism within Selected Alpine Destinations. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:5389. [PMID: 34070110 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This paper analyzes the success factors of health tourism based on natural attractions in selected European spa and health destinations. The natural resources included in the offers, such as water, salt, and air, play a central role in this context, as their evidence-based effects have a high relevance for the health and wellbeing of tourists. Due to its specific geographical location and considering the threat of climate change, however, this offer is facing increasing challenges which make adaptation strategies necessary. In addition to a conceptional introduction to the topic, this paper contains a descriptive analysis of tourism statistics and the results from self-administered questionnaires with six selected representatives from alpine health destinations (DE, FR, IT, AT, CH, SI). The results show varying forms of health tourism based on natural attractions, which are also reflected in online marketing, with potential for optimization. The web research and the responses to the questionnaire revealed that evidence-based studies hardly play a role in promoting health touristic offers. Furthermore, climate change effects on natural attractions are considered extremely small and tend to prompt the development of new offers. Health destinations are advised to generate a clearer focus on the risks of climate change regarding natural resources.
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Gnos E, Mullis J, Ricchi E, Bergemann CA, Janots E, Berger A. Episodes of fissure formation in the Alps: connecting quartz fluid inclusion, fissure monazite age, and fissure orientation data. Swiss J Geosci 2021; 114:14. [PMID: 34720820 PMCID: PMC8550743 DOI: 10.1186/s00015-021-00391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Fluid assisted Alpine fissure-vein and cleft formation starts at prograde, peak or retrograde metamorphic conditions of 450-550 °C and 0.3-0.6 GPa and below, commonly at conditions of ductile to brittle rock deformation. Early-formed fissures become overprinted by subsequent deformation, locally leading to a reorientation. Deformation that follows fissure formation initiates a cycle of dissolution, dissolution/reprecipitation or new growth of fissure minerals enclosing fluid inclusions. Although fissures in upper greenschist and amphibolite facies rocks predominantly form under retrograde metamorphic conditions, this work confirms that the carbon dioxide fluid zone correlates with regions of highest grade Alpine metamorphism, suggesting carbon dioxide production by prograde devolatilization reactions and rock-buffering of the fissure-filling fluid. For this reason, fluid composition zones systematically change in metamorphosed and exhumed nappe stacks from diagenetic to amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks from saline fluids dominated by higher hydrocarbons, methane, water and carbon dioxide. Open fissures are in most cases oriented roughly perpendicular to the foliation and lineation of the host rock. The type of fluid constrains the habit of the very frequently crystallizing quartz crystals. Open fissures also form in association with more localized strike-slip faults and are oriented perpendicular to the faults. The combination of fissure orientation, fissure quartz fluid inclusion and fissure monazite-(Ce) (hereafter monazite) Th-Pb ages shows that fissure formation occurred episodically (1) during the Cretaceous (eo-Alpine) deformation cycle in association with exhumation of the Austroalpine Koralpe-Saualpe region (~ 90 Ma) and subsequent extensional movements in association with the formation of the Gosau basins (~ 90-70 Ma), (2) during rapid exhumation of high-pressure overprinted Briançonnais and Piemontais units (36-30 Ma), (3) during unroofing of the Tauern and Lepontine metamorphic domes, during emplacement and reverse faulting of the external Massifs (25-12 Ma; except Argentera) and due to local dextral strike-slip faulting in association with the opening of the Ligurian sea, and (4) during the development of a young, widespread network of ductile to brittle strike-slip faults (12-5 Ma). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s00015-021-00391-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Gnos
- Natural History Museum of Geneva, Route de Malagnou 1, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Josef Mullis
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 32, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuelle Ricchi
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue de Maraîchers 13, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christian A. Bergemann
- Institute of Geosciences, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 236, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emilie Janots
- University of Grenoble, ISTerre, 38041 Grenoble, France
| | - Alfons Berger
- Insitute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 8+10, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Borruso L, Bani A, Pioli S, Ventura M, Panzacchi P, Antonielli L, Giammarchi F, Polo A, Tonon G, Brusetti L. Do Aerial Nitrogen Depositions Affect Fungal and Bacterial Communities of Oak Leaves? Front Microbiol 2021; 12:633535. [PMID: 33935994 PMCID: PMC8085328 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.633535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The amount of nitrogen (N) deposition onto forests has globally increased and is expected to double by 2050, mostly because of fertilizer production and fossil fuel burning. Several studies have already investigated the effects of N depositions in forest soils, highlighting negative consequences on plant biodiversity and the associated biota. Nevertheless, the impact of N aerial inputs deposited directly on the tree canopy is still unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the influence of increased N deposition on the leaf-associated fungal and bacterial communities in a temperate forest dominated by Sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.]. The study area was located in the Monticolo forest (South Tyrol, Italy), where an ecosystem experiment simulating an increased N deposition has been established. The results highlighted that N deposition affected the fungal beta-diversity and bacterial alpha-diversity without affecting leaf total N and C contents. We found several indicator genera of both fertilized and natural conditions within bacteria and fungi, suggesting a highly specific response to altered N inputs. Moreover, we found an increase of symbiotrophic fungi in N-treated, samples which are commonly represented by lichen-forming mycobionts. Overall, our results indicated that N-deposition, by increasing the level of bioavailable nutrients in leaves, could directly influence the bacterial and fungal community diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigimaria Borruso
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Alessia Bani
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex Colchester Campus, Essex, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Pioli
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ventura
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Pietro Panzacchi
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Pesche, Italy
| | - Livio Antonielli
- Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Francesco Giammarchi
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Andrea Polo
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Giustino Tonon
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Brusetti
- Department of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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Moore AJ, Messick JA, Kadereit JW. Range and niche expansion through multiple interspecific hybridization: a genotyping by sequencing analysis of Cherleria (Caryophyllaceae). BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:40. [PMID: 33691632 PMCID: PMC7945309 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01721-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cherleria (Caryophyllaceae) is a circumboreal genus that also occurs in the high mountains of the northern hemisphere. In this study, we focus on a clade that diversified in the European High Mountains, which was identified using nuclear ribosomal (nrDNA) sequence data in a previous study. With the nrDNA data, all but one species was monophyletic, with little sequence variation within most species. Here, we use genotyping by sequencing (GBS) data to determine whether the nrDNA data showed the full picture of the evolution in the genomes of these species. RESULTS The overall relationships found with the GBS data were congruent with those from the nrDNA study. Most of the species were still monophyletic and many of the same subclades were recovered, including a clade of three narrow endemic species from Greece and a clade of largely calcifuge species. The GBS data provided additional resolution within the two species with the best sampling, C. langii and C. laricifolia, with structure that was congruent with geography. In addition, the GBS data showed significant hybridization between several species, including species whose ranges did not currently overlap. CONCLUSIONS The hybridization led us to hypothesize that lineages came in contact on the Balkan Peninsula after they diverged, even when those lineages are no longer present on the Balkan Peninsula. Hybridization may also have helped lineages expand their niches to colonize new substrates and different areas. Not only do genome-wide data provide increased phylogenetic resolution of difficult nodes, they also give evidence for a more complex evolutionary history than what can be depicted by a simple, branching phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail J. Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology and Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, 770 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019 USA
| | - Jennifer A. Messick
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Howell Hall, Room 220, Edmond, OK 73034 USA
| | - Joachim W. Kadereit
- Fachbereich Biologie, Institut Für Organismische Und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Anselm-Franz-von-Bentzel-Weg 9a, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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Vione D, Colombo N, Said-Pullicino D, Bocchiola D, Confortola G, Salerno F, Viviano G, Fratianni S, Martin M, Godone D, Freppaz M. Seasonal variations in the optical characteristics of dissolved organic matter in glacial pond water. Sci Total Environ 2021; 759:143464. [PMID: 33257067 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Large amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) are stored in mountain glaciers. However, few researches have analysed the optical characteristics of DOM in surface waters fed by mountain glaciers and their seasonal variations. In a pond fed by a glacier we observed simultaneous decreases in the dissolved organic carbon, and increases in both absorbance at 254 nm and specific absorption coefficient (SUVA254) during the ice-free season 2015. This behaviour differs from the typical behaviour of lake/pond water in summer, and from the trends observed in a nearby pond not fed by a glacier. The trends of DOM properties, main ions and water stable isotopes at the glacier-fed pond could be attributed to transient modifications of the subglacial hydrological system. Flushing of previously isolated pools of subglacially stored water, containing terrestrial DOM derived from glacially-overridden soil and vegetation, would be driven by intense rainfall events during the melting season. These findings suggest that heavy rainfall events during the melting season have the capability to transiently modify the characteristics of DOM in a glacial pond. These events may be further exacerbated in the future, as summer rainfall events in the Alps are predicted to increase due to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Vione
- University of Turin, Department of Chemistry, Turin, Italy; Research Center on Natural Risk in Mountain and Hilly Environments, NatRisk, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - N Colombo
- Research Center on Natural Risk in Mountain and Hilly Environments, NatRisk, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy; University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy; University of Turin, Department of Earth Sciences, Turin, Italy.
| | - D Said-Pullicino
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - D Bocchiola
- Polytechnic University of Milan, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Milan, Italy; Research Center on Natural Risk in Mountain and Hilly Environments, NatRisk, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - G Confortola
- Polytechnic University of Milan, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Milan, Italy
| | - F Salerno
- CNR-IRSA (National Research Council - Water Research Institute), Brugherio, Italy
| | - G Viviano
- CNR-IRSA (National Research Council - Water Research Institute), Brugherio, Italy
| | - S Fratianni
- University of Turin, Department of Earth Sciences, Turin, Italy; Research Center on Natural Risk in Mountain and Hilly Environments, NatRisk, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - M Martin
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - D Godone
- CNR-IRPI (National Research Council - Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection), Turin, Italy
| | - M Freppaz
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy; Research Center on Natural Risk in Mountain and Hilly Environments, NatRisk, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
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Dauphin B, Rellstab C, Schmid M, Zoller S, Karger DN, Brodbeck S, Guillaume F, Gugerli F. Genomic vulnerability to rapid climate warming in a tree species with a long generation time. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:1181-1195. [PMID: 33345407 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing increase in global temperature affects biodiversity, especially in mountain regions where climate change is exacerbated. As sessile, long-lived organisms, trees are especially challenged in terms of adapting to rapid climate change. Here, we show that low rates of allele frequency shifts in Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra) occurring near the treeline result in high genomic vulnerability to future climate warming, presumably due to the species' long generation time. Using exome sequencing data from adult and juvenile cohorts in the Swiss Alps, we found an average rate of allele frequency shift of 1.23 × 10-2 /generation (i.e. 40 years) at presumably neutral loci, with similar rates for putatively adaptive loci associated with temperature (0.96 × 10-2 /generation) and precipitation (0.91 × 10-2 /generation). These recent shifts were corroborated by forward-in-time simulations at neutral and adaptive loci. Additionally, in juvenile trees at the colonisation front we detected alleles putatively beneficial under a future warmer and drier climate. Notably, the observed past rate of allele frequency shift in temperature-associated loci was decidedly lower than the estimated average rate of 6.29 × 10-2 /generation needed to match a moderate future climate scenario (RCP4.5). Our findings suggest that species with long generation times may have difficulty keeping up with the rapid climate change occurring in high mountain areas and thus are prone to local extinction in their current main elevation range.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Max Schmid
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Zoller
- Genetic Diversity Centre, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dirk N Karger
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Brodbeck
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Guillaume
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix Gugerli
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Fuehrer HP, Soukup I, Shahi-Barogh B, Glawischnig W. Absence of blood parasites and other vector-borne pathogens in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) in Western Austria. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1125-9. [PMID: 33452588 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-07006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
The importance of vectors and vector-borne diseases (VBDs) is increasing on a global scale. Many vectors and pathogens benefit from global warming and can spread to novel habitats where they were formerly not present, including higher altitudes. Various vector-borne pathogens (VBPs), such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, have been reported in, for instance, red foxes and wild ungulates in the Western Austrian Alps. However, these animals are known to migrate to lower regions in the winter season, and therefore, it is of interest to investigate if VBPs are also present in mammals faithful to their higher altitude alpine habitat all year round. Blood parasites and other VBPs, namely. Trypanosomatidae, piroplasms, Hepatozoon spp., filarioid helminths, Anaplasmataceae, and Rickettisa spp., were thus analysed with PCR in 148 alpine marmots (Marmota marmota). None of the marmots' blood samples was positive for these VBPs, indicating a low abundance or absence of competent vectors in the alpine region. Alpine marmots seem to be naïve for VBPs (at least in our study area). An overview of VBD agents in other marmot species is given.
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Trogu T, Canziani S, Salvato S, Bianchi A, Bertoletti I, Gibelli LR, Alborali GL, Barbieri I, Gaffuri A, Sala G, Sozzi E, Lelli D, Lavazza A, Moreno A. Canine Distemper Outbreaks in Wild Carnivores in Northern Italy. Viruses 2021; 13:v13010099. [PMID: 33450828 PMCID: PMC7828270 DOI: 10.3390/v13010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine distemper (CD) is a fatal, highly contagious disease of wild and domestic carnivores. In the Alpine territory, several outbreaks have occurred in the past few decades within wild populations. This study investigated the presence of canine distemper virus (CDV) infections in wild carnivores in Lombardy, relating to the different circulating genotypes. From 2018 to 2020, foxes, badgers, and martens collected during passive surveillance were subjected to necropsy and histological examination, showing classical signs and microscopic lesions related to CDV. Pools of viscera from each animal were analysed by molecular methods and immunoelectron microscopy. Total prevalences of 39.7%, 52.6%, and 14.3% were recorded in foxes, badgers, and stone martens, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences obtained belonged to the European 1 lineage and were divided into two different clades (a and b) according to the geographical conformation of alpine valleys included in the study. Clade a was related to the European outbreaks originating from Germany in 2006–2010, while clade b was closely related to the CDV sequences originating from northeastern Italy during the 2011–2018 epidemic wave. Our results suggest that CDV is currently well adapted to wild carnivores, mostly circulating with subclinical manifestations and without severe impact on the dynamics of these populations.
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Dufresnes C, Rodrigues N, Savary R. Slow and steady wins the race: contrasted phylogeographic signatures in two Alpine amphibians. Integr Zool 2021; 17:181-190. [PMID: 33433936 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A deeper phylogeographic structure is expected for slow-dispersing habitat specialists compared to widespread adaptable species, especially in topographically complex regions. We tested this classic assumption by comparing the genomic (RAD-sequencing) phylogeographies of two amphibians inhabiting the Swiss Alps: the mobile, cosmopolitan common frog (Rana temporaria) against the stationary, mountain endemic Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra). Our results ran opposite of predictions: the frog displayed significantly higher genetic divergences and lower within-population variation compared to the salamander. This implies a prominent role for their distinctive glacial histories in shaping intraspecific diversity and structure: diversification and recolonization from several circum-Alpine micro-refugia for the frog versus a single refugium for the salamander, potentially combined with better population connectivity and stability. These striking differences emphasize the great variability of phylogeographic responses to the Quaternary glaciations, hence the complexity to predict general patterns of genetic diversity at the regional scale, and the forces that underlie them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Dufresnes
- LASER, College of Biology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nicolas Rodrigues
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romain Savary
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Záveská E, Kirschner P, Frajman B, Wessely J, Willner W, Gattringer A, Hülber K, Lazić D, Dobeš C, Schönswetter P. Evidence for Glacial Refugia of the Forest Understorey Species Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae) in the Southern as Well as in the Northern Limestone Alps. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:683043. [PMID: 34040627 PMCID: PMC8141911 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.683043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Glacial refugia of alpine and subnival biota have been intensively studied in the European Alps but the fate of forests and their understory species in that area remains largely unclear. In order to fill this gap, we aimed at disentangling the spatiotemporal diversification of disjunctly distributed black hellebore Helleborus niger (Ranunculaceae). We applied a set of phylogeographic analyses based on restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) data and plastid DNA sequences to a range-wide sampling of populations. These analyses were supplemented with species distribution models generated for the present and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We used exploratory analyses to delimit genomically coherent groups and then employed demographic modeling to reconstruct the history of these groups. We uncovered a deep split between two major genetic groups with western and eastern distribution within the Southern Limestone Alps, likely reflecting divergent evolution since the mid-Pleistocene in two glacial refugia situated along the unglaciated southern margin of the Alps. Long-term presence in the Southern Limestone Alps is also supported by high numbers of private alleles, elevated levels of nucleotide diversity and the species' modeled distribution at the LGM. The deep genetic divergence, however, is not reflected in leaf shape variation, suggesting that the morphological discrimination of genetically divergent entities within H. niger is questionable. At a shallower level, populations from the Northern Limestone Alps are differentiated from those in the Southern Limestone Alps in both RADseq and plastid DNA data sets, reflecting the North-South disjunction within the Eastern Alps. The underlying split was dated to ca. 0.1 mya, which is well before the LGM. In the same line, explicit tests of demographic models consistently rejected the hypothesis that the partial distribution area in the Northern Limestone Alps is the result of postglacial colonization. Taken together, our results strongly support that forest understory species such as H. niger have survived the LGM in refugia situated along the southern, but also along the northern or northeastern periphery of the Alps. Being a slow migrator, the species has likely survived repeated glacial-interglacial circles in distributional stasis while the composition of the tree canopy changed in the meanwhile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliška Záveská
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
| | | | - Božo Frajman
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johannes Wessely
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Willner
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Gattringer
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Hülber
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Karl Hülber,
| | - Desanka Lazić
- Department of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Dobeš
- Institute of Forest Genetics, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Vienna, Austria
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Bonelli M, Melotto A, Minici A, Eustacchio E, Gianfranceschi L, Gobbi M, Casartelli M, Caccianiga M. Manual Sampling and Video Observations: An Integrated Approach to Studying Flower-Visiting Arthropods in High-Mountain Environments. Insects 2020; 11:insects11120881. [PMID: 33322607 PMCID: PMC7764373 DOI: 10.3390/insects11120881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the rising interest in biotic interactions in mountain ecosystems, little is known about high-altitude flower-visiting arthropods. In particular, since the research in these environment can be limited or undermined by harsh conditions and logistical difficulties, it is mandatory to develop effective approaches that maximize possibilities to gather high-quality data. Here we compared two different methods, manual sampling and video observations, to investigate the interactions between the high-mountain arthropod community and flowers of Androsace brevis (Primulaceae), a vulnerable endemic alpine species with a short flowering period occurring in early season. We manually sampled flower-visiting arthropods according to the timed-observations method and recorded their activity on video. We assessed differences and effectiveness of the two approaches to estimate flower-visiting arthropod diversity and to identify potential taxa involved in A. brevis pollination. Both methods proved to be effective and comparable in describing the diversity of flower visitors at a high taxonomic level. However, with manual sampling we were able to obtain a fine taxonomic resolution for sampled arthropods and to evaluate which taxa actually carry A. brevis pollen, while video observations were less invasive and allowed us to assess arthropod behavior and to spot rare taxa. By combining the data obtained with these two approaches we could accurately identify flower-visiting arthropods, characterize their behavior, and hypothesize a role of Hymenoptera Apoidea and Diptera Brachycera in A. brevis pollination. Therefore, we propose integrating the two approaches as a powerful instrument to unravel interactions between flowering plants and associated fauna that can provide crucial information for the conservation of vulnerable environments such as high-mountain ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bonelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Andrea Melotto
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy;
- Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Alessio Minici
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
| | - Elena Eustacchio
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
| | - Luca Gianfranceschi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
| | - Mauro Gobbi
- Section of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, MUSE–Science Museum, 38122 Trento, Italy;
| | - Morena Casartelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- BAT Center–Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Marco Caccianiga
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milano, Italy; (A.M.); (E.E.); (L.G.); (M.C.); (M.C.)
- BAT Center–Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, 80138 Napoli, Italy
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Seghetti SM, Villa A, Tschopp E, Bernardini F, Laddaga L, Fanelli M, Levi R, Delfino M. Skull osteology of Vipera walser (Squamata, Viperidae): Description, variability, ontogeny, and diagnostic characters in comparison to other Italian vipers. J Morphol 2020; 282:5-47. [PMID: 33058241 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Vipera walser is the most recently recognized European viper. This rare species is endemic to a small area in the Piedmont Alps of Italy, but its closest relatives are found among the Caucasian viper species. In order to provide a starting point for a phylogenetic and biogeographic investigation based on osteology, and including fossils remains, we analyzed four specimens of V. walser and compared them with specimens of the four other Italian viper species. Based on these specimens, we improved the diagnosis of V. walser and provided a first evaluation of intraspecific variability and ontogenetic variation. The skull of V. walser is subject to significant variation, most likely related to ontogeny in some cases (i.e., development of the parietal crest, development of the basioccipital process, shape of the posterior margin of the parabasisphenoid, shape of the quadrate). Based on the studied material, it is possible to distinguish V. walser from the other Italian vipers by the shape of the occipital crest of the supraoccipital, which is posteriorly directed, whereas it is laterally directed in the other species. The osteological diagnosibility provides further support for the validity of V. walser as a distinct species from Vipera berus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Villa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy.,Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany
| | - Emanuel Tschopp
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy.,Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, USA.,Centrum für Naturkunde, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Federico Bernardini
- Centro Fermi, Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche "Enrico Fermi", Rome, Italy.,Multidisciplinary Laboratory, The "Abdus Salam" International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Laddaga
- Società di Scienze Naturali del Verbano Cusio Ossola, Museo di Scienze Naturali Collegio Mellerio Rosmini, Domodossola, Italy
| | - Mauro Fanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Renzo Levi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Massimo Delfino
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Bernoulli D, Weissert H. Oxygen isotopes in ophicalcites: an ever-lasting controversy? Int J Earth Sci 2020; 110:1-8. [PMID: 33603566 PMCID: PMC7870598 DOI: 10.1007/s00531-020-01934-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Tectono-sedimentary breccias, known as ophicalcites, overlie serpentinised peridotites at a Jurassic ocean-continent transition along the Penninic-Austroalpine transition in the Eastern Alps of Switzerland. Deformation of the exhumed mantle rocks and breccia formation occurred under decreasing temperatures and along low-angle detachment faults exposing the mantle rocks at the sea floor and was coupled with hydrothermal activity and carbonation of the serpentinites at shallow depth and/or at the sea floor. Carbon isotopes in the ophicalcites persistently show marine values; however, the interpretation of oxygen-isotope values remained controversial: are they related to Jurassic hydrothermal activity or do they reflect Alpine metamorphic overprint? Here we discuss recent interpretations that relate oxygen isotope values measured in ophicalcites exclusively to Jurassic hydrothermal activity; to this end we use data that we earlier obtained along a north-south profile across Graubünden (eastern Switzerland). We revisited the sites of controversial interpretation along a north-south profile in eastern Switzerland. Along this profile, oxygen isotope values in ophicalcites and overlying pelagic sediments, up to 25 my younger than the ophicalcites, show identical values and become systematically lower with increasing Alpine metamorphism; they strongly deviate from values in ophicalcites and pelagic sediments measured along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge or ancient Atlantic ocean-continent transitions as e.g. in the Iberia-Newfoundland transect. The oxygen-isotope values measured in Alpine ophicarbonates thus reflect isotopic resetting during the Alpine orogeny, related to fluid-rock interaction during regional metamorphism. Hydrothermal processes that accompanied the formation of ophicalcites are not disputed; however, they cannot be traced by oxygen isotope geochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bernoulli
- Department of Earth Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Helmut Weissert
- Department of Earth Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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Fontefrancesco MF, Pieroni A. Renegotiating situativity: transformations of local herbal knowledge in a Western Alpine valley during the past 40 years. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2020; 16:58. [PMID: 32998765 PMCID: PMC7528274 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-00402-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mountain environments are fragile socio-ecological systems and the conservation of their biological and cultural diversities- seen as co-evolving, strongly intertwined entities-represents a crucial issue for fostering their sustainability. Very few ethnobiological studies have assessed in the mountainous regions of Europe how local botanical knowledge, which represents a vital portion of the local environmental knowledge (LEK), changes over time, although this may be quintessential for a better understanding of the factors influencing how knowledge and practices are shaped, eroded, or even re-created. METHODS In the current study, we compared the gathering and use of local medicinal plants in the Upper Sangone Valley, Western Italian Alps, Piedmont (NW Italy) as described in a field study conducted in the mid-seventies and published in 1977 and those arising from field research that we conducted in the spring of 2015 and 2018, during which time ethnobotanical and ethnomycological information concerning both folk medicinal and wild food uses was obtained via 47 in-depth open and semi-structured interviews with community members. RESULTS In total, one hundred thirty folk taxa represent the past and present medicinal and wild food plant/mushroom heritage of the Sangone Valley: 26 herbal taxa were recorded 40 years ago only; 68 herbal and wild food taxa have been recorded in the current study only; and 36 herbal taxa have been continuously used during the last 40 years. There were no remarkable quantitative differences between the two diachronic medico-ethnobotanical datasets, but the qualitative differences were substantial. The gathering and use of some medicinal plants growing in meadows, forests and higher mountain environments (i.e. Arctostaphylos, Filipendula, Hepatica, Larix, Laserptium, Picea, Polygonatum, Primula, Tussilago and Veronica spp.) disappeared, whereas the collection of plant genera growing in more anthropogenic environments or possibly promoted via popular books and media has been newly introduced (i.e. Aloysia, Apium, Brassica, Crataegus, Epilobium, Fumaria, Geranium, Juniperus, Melissa, Rubus, Rumex, Sedum, Silybum, Taraxacum and Vaccinium spp.). CONCLUSION The findings show a renegotiation of the situativity that for centuries forged the embeddedness of local communities in their natural environments, probably heavily informed in the past by prevalent pastoralist and forest-centred activities and thus by a deeper knowledge of higher mountain and forest environments. The re-arrangement of a more domestic and more "globalized" herbal knowledge system was possibly inspired by new urban residents, who started to populate the valley at the end of the Seventies, when the original inhabitants abandoned their homes for the urban centres of the Piedmontese plain. The current study suggests that future directions of ethnobiological research should more carefully look at the adaptive capacity of LEK systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12060, Bra, Pollenzo, Italy.
- Department of Medical Analysis, Tishk International University, Qazi Muhammad, Erbil, Kurdistan, 44001, Iraq.
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Capblancq T, Després L, Mavárez J. Genetic, morphological and ecological variation across a sharp hybrid zone between two alpine butterfly species. Evol Appl 2020; 13:1435-1450. [PMID: 32684968 PMCID: PMC7359832 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the mechanisms involved in the formation and maintenance of species is a central question in evolutionary biology, and distinguishing the selective drivers of populations' divergence from demographic processes is of particular interest to better understand the speciation process. Hybrid zones are recognized to provide ideal places to investigate the genetic architecture of speciation and to identify the mechanisms allowing diverging species to maintain their integrity in the face of gene flow. Here, we studied two alpine butterfly species, Coenonympha macromma and C. gardetta, which can be found flying together and hybridizing in narrow contact zones in the southern French Alps. We characterized the genomic composition of individuals, their morphology and their local habitat requirements, within and around a hybrid zone. Genetic diversity analysis at 794 SNPs revealed that all individuals within the hybrid zone were highly admixed, which was not the case outside the hybrid zone. Cline analysis showed that, despite ongoing hybridization, 56 out of 122 loci differentially fixed or nearly so between the two species were impermeable to introgression across the sharp hybrid zone (9 km wide). We also found concordance in cline position and width among genetic, morphological and environmental variation, suggesting a coupling of different reproductive barriers. Habitat characteristics such as the presence of trees and shrubs and the start of the growing season were strongly associated with the genetic variation, and we found evidence of divergence at genetic markers associated with morphology and physiology, putatively involved in visual or environmental reproductive isolation. We discuss the various behavioural and ecological factors that might interplay to maintain current levels of divergence and gene flow between this species pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Capblancq
- Laboratoire d’Écologie AlpineUMR UGA‐USMB‐CNRS 5553Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVTUSA
| | - Laurence Després
- Laboratoire d’Écologie AlpineUMR UGA‐USMB‐CNRS 5553Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Jesús Mavárez
- Laboratoire d’Écologie AlpineUMR UGA‐USMB‐CNRS 5553Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y AmbientalesUniversidad Jorge Tadeo LozanoBogotáColombia
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Albrich K, Rammer W, Seidl R. Climate change causes critical transitions and irreversible alterations of mountain forests. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:4013-4027. [PMID: 32301569 PMCID: PMC7317840 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Mountain forests are at particular risk of climate change impacts due to their temperature limitation and high exposure to warming. At the same time, their complex topography may help to buffer the effects of climate change and create climate refugia. Whether climate change can lead to critical transitions of mountain forest ecosystems and whether such transitions are reversible remain incompletely understood. We investigated the resilience of forest composition and size structure to climate change, focusing on a mountain forest landscape in the Eastern Alps. Using the individual-based forest landscape model iLand, we simulated ecosystem responses to a wide range of climatic changes (up to a 6°C increase in mean annual temperature and a 30% reduction in mean annual precipitation), testing for tipping points in vegetation size structure and composition under different topography scenarios. We found that at warming levels above +2°C a threshold was crossed, with the system tipping into an alternative state. The system shifted from a conifer-dominated landscape characterized by large trees to a landscape dominated by smaller, predominantly broadleaved trees. Topographic complexity moderated climate change impacts, smoothing and delaying the transitions between alternative vegetation states. We subsequently reversed the simulated climate forcing to assess the ability of the landscape to recover from climate change impacts. The forest landscape showed hysteresis, particularly in scenarios with lower precipitation. At the same mean annual temperature, equilibrium vegetation size structure and species composition differed between warming and cooling trajectories. Here we show that even moderate warming corresponding to current policy targets could result in critical transitions of forest ecosystems and highlight the importance of topographic complexity as a buffering agent. Furthermore, our results show that overshooting ambitious climate mitigation targets could be dangerous, as ecological impacts can be irreversible at millennial time scales once a tipping point has been crossed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Albrich
- Institute of SilvicultureUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) ViennaViennaAustria
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management GroupTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Werner Rammer
- Institute of SilvicultureUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) ViennaViennaAustria
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management GroupTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Rupert Seidl
- Institute of SilvicultureUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) ViennaViennaAustria
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management GroupTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
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Garcia-Vozmediano A, Krawczyk AI, Sprong H, Rossi L, Ramassa E, Tomassone L. Ticks climb the mountains: Ixodid tick infestation and infection by tick-borne pathogens in the Western Alps. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101489. [PMID: 32723635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In mountain areas of northwestern Italy, ticks were rarely collected in the past. In recent years, a marked increase in tick abundance has been observed in several Alpine valleys, together with more frequent reports of Lyme borreliosis. We then carried out a four-year study to assess the distribution and abundance of ticks and transmitted pathogens and determine their altitudinal limit in a natural park area in Piedmont region. Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor marginatus were collected from both the vegetation and hunted wild ungulates. Tick abundance was significantly associated with altitude, habitat type and signs of animal presence, roe deer's in particular. Ixodes ricinus prevailed in distribution and abundance and, although their numbers decreased with increasing altitude, we recorded the presence of all active life stages of up to around 1700 m a.s.l., with conifers as the second most infested habitat after deciduous woods. Molecular analyses demonstrated the infection of questing I. ricinus nymphs with B. burgdorferi sensu lato (15.5 %), Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis (20.7 %), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1.9 %), Borrelia miyamotoi (0.5 %) and Neoehrlichia mikurensis (0.5 %). One third of the questing D. marginatus were infected with R. slovaca. We observed a spatial aggregation of study sites infested by B. burgdorferi s.l. infected ticks below 1400 m. Borrelia-infected nymphs prevailed in open areas, while SFG rickettsiae prevalence was higher in coniferous and deciduous woods. Interestingly, prevalence of SFG rickettsiae in ticks doubled above 1400 m, and R. helvetica was the only pathogen detected above 1800 m a.s.l. Tick infestation on hunted wild ungulates indicated the persistence of tick activity during winter months and, when compared to past studies, confirmed the recent spread of I. ricinus in the area. Our study provides new insights into the population dynamics of ticks in the Alps and confirms a further expansion of ticks to higher altitudes in Europe. We underline the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach in order to develop effective strategies for the surveillance of tick-borne diseases, and inform the public about the hazard posed by ticks, especially in recently invaded areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
| | - Aleksandra Iwona Krawczyk
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
| | - Luca Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
| | - Elisa Ramassa
- Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie, Via Fransuà Fontan, 1, 10050 Salbertrand TO, Italy.
| | - Laura Tomassone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
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Matsubayashi M, Kinoshita M, Kobayashi A, Tsuchida S, Shibahara T, Hasegawa M, Nakamura H, Sasai K, Ushida K. Parasitic development in intestines and oocyst shedding patterns for infection by Eimeria uekii and Eimeria raichoi in Japanese rock ptarmigans, Lagopus muta japonica, protected by cages in the Southern Japanese Alps. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020; 12:19-24. [PMID: 32368488 PMCID: PMC7186262 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The population of Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica), an endangered species with a habitat above the timberline of the southern Japanese Alps, has declined. As one of the recent conservation strategies for this species, cage protection for broods (hens and chicks) has been introduced in their habitats. Two species of Eimeria have frequently been detected in these birds, but little is known about the parasitic circulation in the region, including among birds and in the environment. Here, we conducted histopathology examinations of dead chicks collected under cage protection in 2018, and examined the feces of the hens and chicks of three broods and environmental soils for parasites in 2019 in order to assess the potential sources of infection and pathogenicity. Developmental zoites were found in the epithelial mucosa and/or the submucosa from the duodenum to the colon of all dead chicks. Fecal examination revealed oocysts of E. uekii and/or E. raichoi in all hens and chicks. Oocysts of Eimeria spp. per gram of feces in chicks increased within 2 weeks after hatching and then gradually deceased. Following infection of the chicks, oocysts could accumulate within the cage areas, and oocyst density exceeded more than 1000 oocysts per gram of cage soils. Based on having sporulated morphologies, oocysts could be infective and therefore, be direct or indirect potential sources of infection. However, based on our findings that not all chicks were clinically affected by the infections, other factors such as microbial flora in the chicks established by coprophagy or from the habitat environment, including climate, might be associated with the pathogenicity of Eimeria spp., although further studies are needed to assess these correlations. Cage protection is effective on conservation of Japanese rock ptarmigans. Hens caring chicks were highly infected with Eimeria spp. and shedded the oocysts. Potential sources of the infection could be contaminated soils but not coprophagy behaviors of chicks. Pathogenicity of Eimeria might be also associated with factors like establishment of gut microbiota or habitat conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Matsubayashi
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Asian Health Science Research Institute, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia
| | - Moemi Kinoshita
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Department of Biology, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Sayaka Tsuchida
- Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Shibahara
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Division of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Masami Hasegawa
- Department of Biology, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakamura
- General Foundation Hiroshi Nakamura International Institute for Ornithology, Nakagosho, Nagano, 380-0934, Japan
| | - Kazumi Sasai
- Department of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
- Asian Health Science Research Institute, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Kazunari Ushida
- Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan
- Corresponding author. Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan.
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Fanelli A, Menardi G, Chiodo M, Giordano O, Ficetto G, Bessone M, Lasagna A, Carpignano MG, Molinar Min A, Gugiatti A, Meneguz PG, Tizzani P. Gastroenteric parasite of wild Galliformes in the Italian Alps: implication for conservation management. Parasitology 2020; 147:471-7. [PMID: 31852557 DOI: 10.1017/S003118201900177X] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study provides insights about the diversity, prevalence and distribution of alpine wild galliformes gastrointestinal parasite community, trying to fill a gap in the scientific information currently available in scientific literature. The analysis included three host species: 77 rock partridge (Alectoris graeca saxatilis), 83 black grouse (Tetrao tetrix tetrix) and 26 rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta helveticus) shot during the hunting seasons 2008-2015. Parasites isolated were Ascaridia compar, Capillaria caudinflata and cestodes. The rock ptarmigan was free from gastrointestinal parasites, whereas the most prevalent helminth (37%) was A. compar in both black grouse and rock partridge. C. caudinflata occurrence was significantly higher in black grouse (prevalence = 10%, mean abundance = 0.6 parasites/sampled animal) than in rock partridge (prevalence = 1.20%, mean abundance = 0.01 parasites/sampled animal). Significant differences were detected among hunting districts. A. compar was found with a significant higher degree of infestation in the hunting districts in the northern part of the study area whereas cestodes abundance was higher in Lanzo Valley. Quantitative analysis of risk factors was carried out using a generalized linear model (GLM) only on the most common parasite (A. compar). Latitude was the only factors associated with infestation risk (OR = 52.4). This study provides information on the composition and variability of the parasite community in the alpine Galliformes species.
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Pan D, Hülber K, Willner W, Schneeweiss GM. An explicit test of Pleistocene survival in peripheral versus nunatak refugia in two high mountain plant species. Mol Ecol 2019; 29:172-183. [PMID: 31765501 PMCID: PMC7003806 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Pleistocene climate fluctuations had profound influence on the biogeographical history of many biota. As large areas in high mountain ranges were covered by glaciers, biota were forced either to peripheral refugia (and possibly beyond to lowland refugia) or to interior refugia (nunataks). However, nunatak survival remains controversial as it relies solely on correlative genetic evidence. Here, we test hypotheses of glacial survival using two high alpine plant species (the insect‐pollinated Pedicularis asplenifolia and wind‐pollinated Carex fuliginosa) in the European Alps. Employing the iDDC (integrative Distributional, Demographic and Coalescent) approach, which couples species distribution modelling, spatial and temporal demographic simulation and Approximate Bayesian Computation, we explicitly test three hypotheses of glacial survival: (a) peripheral survival only, (b) nunatak survival only and (c) peripheral plus nunatak survival. In P. asplenifolia the peripheral plus nunatak survival hypothesis was supported by Bayes factors (BF> 100), whereas in C. fuliginosa the peripheral survival only hypothesis, although best supported, could not be unambiguously distinguished from the peripheral plus nunatak survival hypothesis (BF = 5.58). These results are consistent with current habitat preferences (P. asplenifolia extends to higher elevations) and the potential for genetic swamping (i.e., replacement of local genotypes via hybridization with immigrating genotypes [expected to be higher in the wind‐pollinated C. fuliginosa]). Although the persistence of plants on nunataks during glacial periods has been debated and studied over decades, this is one of the first studies to explicitly test the hypothesis instead of solely using correlative evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Pan
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Hülber
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Willner
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald M Schneeweiss
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Schliffke N, van Hunen J, Magni V, Allen MB. The Role of Crustal Buoyancy in the Generation and Emplacement of Magmatism During Continental Collision. Geochem Geophys Geosyst 2019; 20:4693-4709. [PMID: 32025224 PMCID: PMC6988479 DOI: 10.1029/2019gc008590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
During continental collision, considerable amounts of buoyant continental crust subduct to depth and subsequently exhume. Whether various exhumation paths contribute to contrasting styles of magmatism across modern collision zones is unclear. Here we present 2D thermomechanical models of continental collision combined with petrological databases to investigate the effect of the main contrasting buoyancy forces, in the form of continental crustal buoyancy versus oceanic slab age (i.e., its thickness). We specifically focus on the consequences for crustal exhumation mechanisms and magmatism. Results indicate that it is mainly crustal density that determines the degree of steepening of the subducting continent and separates the models' parameter space into two regimes. In the first regime, high buoyancy values (∆ρ > 500 kg/m3) steepen the slab most rapidly (to 45-58°), leading to opening of a gap in the subduction channel through which the subducted crust exhumes ("subduction channel crustal exhumation"). A shift to a second regime ("underplating") occurs when the density contrast is reduced by 50 kg/m3. In this scenario, the slab steepens less (to 37-50°), forcing subducted crust to be placed below the overriding plate. Importantly, the magmatism changes in the two cases: Crustal exhumation through the subduction channel is mainly accompanied by a narrow band of mantle melts, while underplating leads to widespread melting of mixed sources. Finally, we suggest that the amount (or density) of subducted continental crust, and the resulting buoyancy forces, could contribute to contrasting collision styles and magmatism in the Alps and Himalayas/Tibet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Valentina Magni
- The Centre for Earth Evolution and DynamicsUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Mark B. Allen
- Department of Earth SciencesDurham UniversityDurhamUK
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Colombo N, Salerno F, Martin M, Malandrino M, Giardino M, Serra E, Godone D, Said-Pullicino D, Fratianni S, Paro L, Tartari G, Freppaz M. Influence of permafrost, rock and ice glaciers on chemistry of high-elevation ponds (NW Italian Alps). Sci Total Environ 2019; 685:886-901. [PMID: 31247436 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Permafrost degradation, rock-glacier thawing, and glacier retreat are influencing surface water quality at high elevations. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the dominant geochemical reactions occurring in different cryospheric conditions and how these reactions change during the ice-free season. In the Col d'Olen area (LTER site, NW Italian Alps), four ponds with similar sizes, located in basins with different cryospheric features (glacier, permafrost, rock glacier, none of these), are present in a geographically limited area. All ponds were sampled weekly in 2015 and partially in 2014. Major ions, selected trace elements, and biotic parameters (dissolved organic carbon-DOC, fluorescence index-FI, and nitrate) are examined to evidence the effect of different cryospheric features on water characteristics. Where cryospheric conditions occur chemical weathering is more intensive, with strong seasonal increase of major ions. Sulphide oxidation dominates in glacier and permafrost lying on acid rocks, probably driven by enhanced weathering of freshly exposed rocks in subglacial environment and recently deglaciated areas, and active layer thickness increase. Differently, carbonation dominates for the rock glacier lying on ultramafic rocks. There, high Ni concentrations originate from dissolution of Mg-bearing rocks in the landform. In all settings, pH neutralisation occurs because of the presence of secondary carbonate lithology and ultramafic rocks. Nitrate highest concentrations and changes occur in cryospheric settings while DOC and FI do not show strong differences and seasonal variations. The establishment of more frequent monitoring for water quality in high-elevated surface waters is necessary to provide greater statistical power to detect changes on longer time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Colombo
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - F Salerno
- CNR-IRSA (National Research Council - Water Research Institute), Brugherio, Italy.
| | - M Martin
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - M Malandrino
- University of Turin, Department of Chemistry, Turin, Italy
| | - M Giardino
- University of Turin, Department of Earth Sciences, Turin, Italy
| | - E Serra
- University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences, Bern, Switzerland
| | - D Godone
- CNR-IRPI (National Research Council - Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection), Turin, Italy
| | - D Said-Pullicino
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - S Fratianni
- University of Turin, Department of Earth Sciences, Turin, Italy
| | - L Paro
- Arpa Piemonte, Department of "Natural and Environmental Risks", Turin, Italy
| | - G Tartari
- CNR-IRSA (National Research Council - Water Research Institute), Brugherio, Italy
| | - M Freppaz
- University of Turin, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Grugliasco, Italy
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50
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Marcolini G, Koch R, Chimani B, Schöner W, Bellin A, Disse M, Chiogna G. Evaluation of homogenization methods for seasonal snow depth data in the Austrian Alps, 1930-2010. Int J Climatol 2019; 39:4514-4530. [PMID: 31598034 PMCID: PMC6774331 DOI: 10.1002/joc.6095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of snow in alpine regions, little attention has been given to the homogenization of snow depth time series. Snow depth time series are generally characterized by high spatial heterogeneity and low correlation among the time series, and the homogenization thereof is therefore challenging. In this work, we present a comparison between two homogenization methods for mean seasonal snow depth time series available for Austria: the standard normal homogeneity test (SNHT) and HOMOP. The results of the two methods are generally in good agreement for high elevation sites. For low elevation sites, HOMOP often identifies suspicious breakpoints (that cannot be confirmed by metadata and only occur in relation to seasons with particularly low mean snow depth), while the SNHT classifies the time series as homogeneous. We therefore suggest applying both methods to verify the reliability of the detected breakpoints. The number of computed anomalies is more sensitive to inhomogeneities than trend analysis performed with the Mann-Kendall test. Nevertheless, the homogenized dataset shows an increased number of stations with negative snow depth trends and characterized by consecutive negative anomalies starting from the late 1980s and early 1990s, which was in agreement with the observations available for several stations in the Alps. In summary, homogenization of snow depth data is possible, relevant and should be carried out prior to performing climatological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Marcolini
- Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental EngineeringTechnical University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Roland Koch
- Department of Climate Research, Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG)ViennaAustria
| | - Barbara Chimani
- Department of Climate Research, Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG)ViennaAustria
| | - Wolfgang Schöner
- Department of Geography and Regional ScienceUniversity of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Alberto Bellin
- Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Markus Disse
- Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental EngineeringTechnical University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Gabriele Chiogna
- Faculty of Civil, Geo and Environmental EngineeringTechnical University of MunichMunichGermany
- Faculty of Geo‐ and Atmospheric SciencesUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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