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Musto C, Cerri J, Capizzi D, Fontana MC, Rubini S, Merialdi G, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Santi A, Rossi A, Barsi F, Gelmini L, Fiorentini L, Pupillo G, Torreggiani C, Bianchi A, Gazzola A, Prati P, Sala G, Apollonio M, Delogu M, Biancardi A, Uboldi L, Moretti A, Garbarino C. First evidence of widespread positivity to anticoagulant rodenticides in grey wolves (Canis lupus). Sci Total Environ 2024; 915:169990. [PMID: 38232835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169990] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs) can be critical for carnivores, due to their widespread use and impacts. However, although many studies explored the impacts of ARs on small and mesocarnivores, none assessed the extent to which they could contaminate large carnivores in anthropized landscapes. We filled this gap by exploring spatiotemporal trends in grey wolf (Canis lupus) exposure to ARs in central and northern Italy, by subjecting a large sample of dead wolves (n = 186) to the LC-MS/MS method. Most wolves (n = 115/186, 61.8 %) tested positive for ARs (1 compound, n = 36; 2 compounds, n = 47; 3 compounds, n = 16; 4 or more compounds, n = 16). Bromadiolone, brodifacoum and difenacoum, were the most common compounds, with brodifacoum and bromadiolone being the ARs that co-occurred the most (n = 61). Both the probability of testing positive for multiple ARs and the concentration of brodifacoum, and bromadiolone in the liver, systematically increased in wolves that were found at more anthropized sites. Moreover, wolves became more likely to test positive for ARs through time, particularly after 2020. Our results underline that rodent control, based on ARs, increases the risks of unintentional poisoning of non-target wildlife. However, this risk does not only involve small and mesocarnivores, but also large carnivores at the top of the food chain, such as wolves. Therefore, rodent control is adding one further conservation threat to endangered large carnivores in anthropized landscapes of Europe, whose severity could increase over time and be far higher than previously thought. Large-scale monitoring schemes for ARs in European large carnivores should be devised as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Jacopo Cerri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Dario Capizzi
- Directorate for Environment, Latium Region, 00173 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Fontana
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Silva Rubini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Centro per lo Studio e la Documentazione sul Lupo, 50033 Firenze, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Centro per lo Studio e la Documentazione sul Lupo, 50033 Firenze, Italy
| | - Annalisa Santi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Filippo Barsi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luca Gelmini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Fiorentini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pupillo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Camilla Torreggiani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bianchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gazzola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paola Prati
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sala
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto Biancardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Uboldi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Moretti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Chiara Garbarino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna "B. Ubertini", 25124 Brescia, Italy
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Cerri J, Musto C, Stefanini FM, di Nicola U, Riganelli N, Fontana MC, Rossi A, Garbarino C, Merialdi G, Ciuti F, Berzi D, Delogu M, Apollonio M. A human-neutral large carnivore? No patterns in the body mass of gray wolves across a gradient of anthropization. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282232. [PMID: 37262076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its distribution in Europe over the last few decades. To better understand the extent to which wolves could re-occupy their historical range, it is important to test if anthropization can affect their fitness-related traits. After having accounted for ecologically relevant confounders, we assessed how anthropization influenced i) the growth of wolves during their first year of age (n = 53), ii) sexual dimorphism between male and female adult wolves (n = 121), in a sample of individuals that had been found dead in Italy between 1999 and 2021. Wolves in anthropized areas have a smaller overall variation in their body mass, during their first year of age. Because they already have slightly higher body weight at 3-5 months, possibly due to the availability of human-derived food sources. The difference in the body weight of adult females and males slightly increases with anthropization. However, this happens because of an increase in the body mass of males only, possibly due to sex-specific differences in dispersal and/or to "dispersal phenotypes". Anthropization in Italy does not seem to have any clear, nor large, effect on the body mass of wolves. As body mass is in turn linked to important processes, like survival and reproduction, our findings indicates that wolves could potentially re-occupy most of their historical range in Europe, as anthropized landscapes do not seem to constrain such of an important life-history trait. Wolf management could therefore be needed across vast spatial scales and in anthropized areas prone to social conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Cerri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico M Stefanini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano "La Statale", Milano, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria C Fontana
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Chiara Garbarino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertino, Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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Merli E, Mattioli L, Bassi E, Bongi P, Berzi D, Ciuti F, Luccarini S, Morimando F, Viviani V, Caniglia R, Galaverni M, Fabbri E, Scandura M, Apollonio M. Estimating Wolf Population Size and Dynamics by Field Monitoring and Demographic Models: Implications for Management and Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1735. [PMID: 37889658 PMCID: PMC10252110 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We estimated the current size and dynamics of the wolf population in Tuscany and investigated the trends and demographic drivers of population changes. Estimates were obtained by two different approaches: (i) mixed-technique field monitoring (from 2014 to 2016) that found the minimum observed pack number and estimated population size, and (ii) an individual-based model (run by Vortex software v. 10.3.8.0) with demographic inputs derived from a local intensive study area and historic data on population size. Field monitoring showed a minimum population size of 558 wolves (SE = 12.005) in 2016, with a density of 2.74 individuals/100 km2. The population model described an increasing trend with an average annual rate of increase λ = 1.075 (SE = 0.014), an estimated population size of about 882 individuals (SE = 9.397) in 2016, and a density of 4.29 wolves/100 km2. Previously published estimates of wolf population were as low as 56.2% compared to our field monitoring estimation and 34.6% in comparison to our model estimation. We conducted sensitivity tests to analyze the key parameters driving population changes based on juvenile and adult mortality rates, female breeding success, and litter size. Mortality rates played a major role in determining intrinsic growth rate changes, with adult mortality accounting for 62.5% of the total variance explained by the four parameters. Juvenile mortality was responsible for 35.8% of the variance, while female breeding success and litter size had weak or negligible effects. We concluded that reliable estimates of population abundance and a deeper understanding of the role of different demographic parameters in determining population dynamics are crucial to define and carry out appropriate conservation and management strategies to address human-wildlife conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Merli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Luca Mattioli
- Wildlife Service, Tuscany Region, 50127 Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Bassi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Bongi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Duccio Berzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Siriano Luccarini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Federico Morimando
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Viviana Viviani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Elena Fabbri
- Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Scandura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
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Lazzeri L, Fazzi P, Lucchesi M, Mori E, Velli E, Cappai N, Ciuti F, Ferretti F, Fonda F, Paniccia C, Pavanello M, Pecorella S, Sangiuliano A, Sforzi A, Siclari A, Spada A. The rhythm of the night: patterns of activity of the European wildcat in the Italian peninsula. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00276-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe European wildcat is a threatened carnivore, whose ecology is still scarcely studied, especially in Mediterranean areas. In this study, we estimated activity rhythm patterns of this felid, by means of camera-trapping at three spatial scales: (i) whole country (Italy); (ii) biogeographical areas; (iii) latitudinal zones. The activity rhythms patterns were also calculated according to temporal scales: (1) warm semester; (2) cold semester and (3) seasonal scales. Lastly, we also tested whether the effect of moon phases affected the wildcat activity. We conducted the analysis on a total of 975 independent events collected in 2009–2021, from 285 locations, in ~ 65,800 camera days. We showed that the wildcat in Italy exhibits a > 70% nocturnal behaviour, with 20% of diurnal activity, at all spatial scales, and throughout the whole year, with peaks at 10.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. We observed a high overlap of wildcat activity rhythms between different biogeographical and latitudinal zones. The wildcat was mainly active on the darkest nights, reducing its activity in bright moonlight nights. Diurnal activity was greater in the warm months and decreased with the distance from shrubs and woodlands, most likely according to activity rhythms of its main prey, water presence in summer, the care of offspring and the availability of shelter sites. Conversely, the distance to paved roads seems to have no significant effects on diurnal activity, suggesting that, in presence of natural shelters, the wildcat probably may tolerate these infrastructures. We suggested limited plasticity in activity rhythm patterns of the wildcat, emphasizing the importance of dark hours for this species.
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Musto C, Cerri J, Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Fabbri E, Apollonio M, Mucci N, Bonilauri P, Maioli G, Fontana MC, Gelmini L, Prosperi A, Rossi A, Garbarino C, Fiorentini L, Ciuti F, Berzi D, Merialdi G, Delogu M. Men and wolves: Anthropogenic causes are an important driver of wolf mortality in human-dominated landscapes in Italy. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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Cuccioloni M, Mozzicafreddo M, Barocci S, Ciuti F, Re L, Eleuteri AM, Angeletti M. Aflatoxin B1 misregulates the activity of serine proteases: possible implications in the toxicity of some mycotoxin. Toxicol In Vitro 2009; 23:393-9. [PMID: 19444922 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2009.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Aflatoxins are highly hazardous contaminants of common food and feed. Aflatoxin B1 in particular, the most predominant among aflatoxins, was thoroughly demonstrated to be highly toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic in many animal species. Besides its established targets and effects, this work investigates on the possible direct interaction between aflatoxin B1 and three major serine proteases, namely elastase, thrombin and trypsin. These proteases belongs to a class of structurally and functionally related proteins pivotal in both direct and indirect regulation of a number of cellular events. Additionally, several pathological processes, including cancer, inflammatory processes and thrombosis, rely upon the subtle equilibrium between these enzymes and their potential modulators: in fact, their misregulation, caused by foreign molecules, could facilitate (or be the cause for) the occurrence of these pathologies. Our results provide the evidence for a reversible binding between AFB1 and these enzymes, likely to have profound implications in the manifestation of aflatoxicosis. Precisely, the toxin behaved as a moderate competitive inhibitor toward the enzymatic activity of the serine proteases in the low micromolar range.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cuccioloni
- University of Camerino, MCAB Department, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy.
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Cuccioloni M, Mozzicafreddo M, Barocci S, Ciuti F, Pecorelli I, Eleuteri AM, Spina M, Fioretti E, Angeletti M. Biosensor-Based Screening Method for the Detection of Aflatoxins B1−G1. Anal Chem 2008; 80:9250-6. [DOI: 10.1021/ac801612w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Cuccioloni
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Matteo Mozzicafreddo
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Simone Barocci
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesca Ciuti
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Ivan Pecorelli
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Eleuteri
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Michele Spina
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Evandro Fioretti
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Mauro Angeletti
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy, and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria-Marche, Perugia, Italy
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