We report a case of structural oversimplification in a small mammal assemblage, indirectly obtained by owl pellets (central Italy), where mice (Rodentia Muridae) largely dominated both in abundance and biomass (about 95%). We hypothesise that this fact could be due to: (i) recent anthropisation, which induced both an expected increase of synanthropic generalist species (mice, Muridae) and a sharp reduction in high trophic level species (shrews, Soricomorpha), and, (ii) historical land reclamation occurred in the 19th century, which changed the edaphic characteristics, and consequently inducing an unexpected local absence of common digging species (yet reported by literature for the Maremma plain) everywhere diffused along Italian peninsula: the ubiquitous Microtus savii (Microtidae), and the moles (Talpa spp., Talpidae). These two causal processes, acting at different temporal scales, could strongly affect the structure of the small mammal assemblage, dominated by a single taxonomic guild (Muridae), therefore similar to neighbouring insular assemblages (Tuscan Archipelago).

Butterflies from southernmost European regions encompass a large fraction of faunistic and genetic diversity but are also at the forefront of extinction risk for climate change. Nevertheless, monitoring schemes aimed at detecting their population trends were only recently established. In this study, we gathered all occurrence records of the 81 species of butterflies recorded for the Alta Murgia National Park (Italy, Apulia), a prime conservation area for butterflies. By using literature, citizen science, and unpublished sample data, we traced potential extinctions since 1966. We also provided a dedicated index to evaluate the potential extinction at the whole community level. We found that among the 29 species recorded before 2009, three were not recovered from 2009 to 2021. Another group of nine species was not recorded in the last five years. However, given the not standardized sampling methodology and the possibility that apparently disappeared species were due to inaccurate identification, we conclude that the butterfly community of the Park is showing a strong resilience. We hypothesize that such resilience may be attributed to the existence of the protected area and the presence of heterogeneous environments, which allow to buffer climatic changes and any other negative anthropic effects. The objective recognition of rare species in the surrounding region of 200 km ray also allowed identifying which species should be considered as prime targets for the conservation of local and regional diversity.

We reported a study on breeding birds occurring inside an 80 m-deep karst sinkhole, with the characterization of the assemblages recorded along its semi-vertical slopes from the upper edge until the bottom. The internal sides of the sinkhole have been vertically subdivided in four belts about 20 m high. The highest belt (at the upper edge of the cenote) showed the highest values in mean number of bird detections, mean and normalized species richness, and Shannon diversity index. The averaged values of number of detections and species richness significantly differ among belts. Species turnover (Cody’s β-diversity) was maximum between the highest belts. Whittaker plots showed a marked difference among assemblages shaping from broken-stick model to geometric series, and explicited a spatial progressive stress with a disruption in evenness towards the deepest belts. Bird assemblages evidenced a nested subset structure with deeper belts containing successive subsets of the species occurring in the upper belts. We hypothesize that, at least during the daytime in breeding season, the observed non-random distribution of species along the vertical stratification is likely due to (i) the progressive simplification both of the floristic composition and vegetation structure, and (ii) the paucity of sunlight as resources from the upper edge to the inner side of the cenote.

We carried out a standardized breeding bird atlas of “Nomentum” nature reserve (central Italy), located in a fragmented hilly forest near a large urbanized area (Rome). In order to obtain data about local composition, occurrence, distribution and richness, we correlated data with environmental heterogeneity and vegetation structure variables. We recorded 58 species in 48 500x500 m-wide atlas units, with Parus major, Corvus cornix, Turdus merula, Sylvia atricapilla, Sylvia melanocephala, as the most occurring in frequency (> 80%). Although synanthropic species represent only slightly more than 20% in number and urban environments are relatively reduced in size, these species show a higher mean occurrence when compared to mosaic species, despite the fact that these last are higher in species number and mosaic habitats are widely diffused. Local urbanization may disrupt communities, facilitating opportunistic species linked to these environments (i.e. synantropic) and inducing a decline in mosaic species. Moreover, the homogenization induced by anthropization could, at least partially, explain the lack of correlation between habitat diversity and species richness, at local scale. Finally, tree density and diameter do not affect total bird richness at this spatial grain/scale. In this regard, further analyses could test for possible correlations between habitat variables and single ecological guilds.