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Keywords = Cottian Alps

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19 pages, 4875 KB  
Article
Macrobenthic Assemblages and the Influence of Microhabitat in a High-Mountain Lake (Northwest Italy)
by Alice Gabetti, Alessandra Maganza, Camilla Mossotto, Barbara Rizzioli, Giuseppe Esposito, Marco Bertoli, Elisabetta Pizzul, Elena Bozzetta, Marino Prearo and Paolo Pastorino
Diversity 2024, 16(6), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16060329 - 3 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1428
Abstract
High-mountain lakes are freshwater ecosystems situated above the tree line which are known for their remote locations and limited accessibility. These ecosystems host simplified biotic communities primarily concentrated in the littoral zone and dominated by benthic macroinvertebrates that serve as bioindicators of environmental [...] Read more.
High-mountain lakes are freshwater ecosystems situated above the tree line which are known for their remote locations and limited accessibility. These ecosystems host simplified biotic communities primarily concentrated in the littoral zone and dominated by benthic macroinvertebrates that serve as bioindicators of environmental pressures. A two-year monitoring investigation was performed in July 2022 and July 2023 at Nero Lake (Cesana Torinese, Northwest Italy). Five sites along the lakeshore were selected for sampling physicochemical water parameters and macrobenthos. All collected data were analysed to compare trends across years and within specific sites. The results revealed that Nero Lake exhibited consistent macrobenthic communities across the two years studied, but significant differences were observed in its microhabitats. This suggests that substrate type and physicochemical water parameters strongly influence community composition. Chironomidae larvae and Mollusca were the dominant species, showing distinct associations with different substrates and environmental factors from one year to another. These findings contribute to our understanding of the intricate relationships between benthic macroinvertebrates and their environments, highlighting the necessity of detailed, small-scale assessments to comprehend ecosystem dynamics and develop effective conservation strategies. Full article
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9 pages, 5865 KB  
Communication
First Report of Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica) in a Protected Area of the Cottian Alps, Northwest Italy
by Alice Gabetti, Alessandra Maganza, Marino Prearo, Maria Vittoria Riina, Sabrina Nodari, Barbara Rizzioli, Valentina Mangini, Luciano Di Tizio, Pierluigi Acutis, Alessandro Dondo, Giuseppe Esposito and Paolo Pastorino
Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8633; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118633 - 25 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 9054
Abstract
The Giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica) is listed among the top 100 worst invasive alien species. Native to East Africa, it has been introduced voluntarily or accidentally into more than 50 countries, where it impacts negatively on biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, and [...] Read more.
The Giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica) is listed among the top 100 worst invasive alien species. Native to East Africa, it has been introduced voluntarily or accidentally into more than 50 countries, where it impacts negatively on biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, and public health. Here we describe for the first time the finding of a specimen of L. fulica in a protected area of the Cottian Alps (Avigliana Lakes Nature Park, northwest Italy). The snail underwent morphometric analysis and species identification. Given its reproductive characteristics (i.e., hermaphroditism with self-fertilization), it poses a potential threat to the biodiversity of the area and is a vector of zoonotic parasites for humans and animals. Health monitoring of specimens found in the wild and those kept as pets is of crucial importance, as is the establishment of monitoring plans in these areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Invasion and Biodiversity)
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12 pages, 1137 KB  
Article
DNA Barcode Library of Megadiverse Lepidoptera in an Alpine Nature Park (Italy) Reveals Unexpected Species Diversity
by Peter Huemer and Christian Wieser
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020214 - 2 Feb 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4612
Abstract
Species inventories are a prerequisite for biodiversity monitoring and conservation, particularly in protected areas. However, the possibilities of a standardized survey of species diversity using DNA barcoding have so far hardly been implemented, especially in species-rich groups. A first-time molecular-based and nearly complete [...] Read more.
Species inventories are a prerequisite for biodiversity monitoring and conservation, particularly in protected areas. However, the possibilities of a standardized survey of species diversity using DNA barcoding have so far hardly been implemented, especially in species-rich groups. A first-time molecular-based and nearly complete inventory of the megadiverse insect order Lepidoptera in a protected area in the Alps (Cottian Alps, Italy) was intended to test the possibilities and reliability of DNA-based identifications. From voucher material collected between 2019 and 2022, we successfully sequenced 1213 morphospecies that grouped into 1204 BINs (barcode index numbers), whereas DNA barcoding failed for another 18 species. A total of 35 species shared a BIN with one or more taxa, but a majority of 19 species could still be discriminated by divergent sequences. A total of 12 morphospecies split into two BINs. These species and a further 22 taxa with unique BINs and barcode divergences >2% to the nearest neighbor require taxonomic re-assessment. Two additional cryptic species from the study area were described recently. Finally, 16 species are newly recorded for Italy. Our study, therefore, demonstrates the importance of DNA barcoding for both faunistics and the discovery of cryptic diversity, even in apparently well-studied protected areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in DNA Barcoding and Implications for Entomology)
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9 pages, 6909 KB  
Communication
Microplastics Occurrence in the European Common Frog (Rana temporaria) from Cottian Alps (Northwest Italy)
by Paolo Pastorino, Marino Prearo, Alessia Di Blasio, Damià Barcelò, Serena Anselmi, Silvia Colussi, Silvia Alberti, Giovanni Tedde, Alessandro Dondo, Michele Ottino, Elisabetta Pizzul and Monia Renzi
Diversity 2022, 14(2), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14020066 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 5561
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pollution is arousing growing attention, yet knowledge about its occurrence in amphibians is scant to date. With this study, we aimed to determine whether plastic (>5000 μm) and MPs (10–5000 μm) could be detected in adult Rana temporaria from a high-mountain [...] Read more.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution is arousing growing attention, yet knowledge about its occurrence in amphibians is scant to date. With this study, we aimed to determine whether plastic (>5000 μm) and MPs (10–5000 μm) could be detected in adult Rana temporaria from a high-mountain ecosystem (the Cottian Alps, northwest Italy). To do this, aquatic compartments and the digestive tract of adult R. temporaria were analyzed. Water, sediment, periphyton, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and tadpoles tested negative for plastic and MPs. Microplastics were detected in all the adult frogs (n = 5); all the identified items (one per specimen) were fibers (size range: 550.91–2355.51 µm). A statistically significant positive correlation between the particle length and frog size was recorded. The predominant fiber color was blue. The chemical composition was polyamide (60%), polyethylene (20%), and polyethylene terephthalate (20%). Since both the biotic and the abiotic freshwater compartments (tadpoles included) revealed the absence of MPs, it can be assumed that adult frogs ingest MPs from the surrounding terrestrial environment. Full article
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14 pages, 1424 KB  
Article
Assessment of Biological and Sanitary Condition of Alien Fish from a High-Mountain Lake (Cottian Alps)
by Paolo Pastorino, Marino Prearo, Marco Bertoli, Vasco Menconi, Giuseppe Esposito, Marzia Righetti, Davide Mugetti, Sabina Pederiva, Maria Cesarina Abete and Elisabetta Pizzul
Water 2020, 12(2), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020559 - 18 Feb 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4139
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the biological and sanitary conditions of alien fish in a high-mountain lake (Balma Lake) located in the Cottian Alps. A single fish sampling session (August 2018) using gillnets collected 90 specimens of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). [...] Read more.
This study aimed to assess the biological and sanitary conditions of alien fish in a high-mountain lake (Balma Lake) located in the Cottian Alps. A single fish sampling session (August 2018) using gillnets collected 90 specimens of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Sex and age were determined (59 females and 31 males, age class 0+ to 4+). Regression analysis showed no difference in total weight and total length between males and females (ANCOVA: F = 0.453; p = 0.954). The mean condition factor (Kmean) decreased with increasing age for males and females. Terrestrial insects were the main prey found in the fish stomachs. The parasitological exam was negative, and the bacteriological exam was positive for Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and C. divergens in 33% of specimens. The total mercury, cadmium, and lead concentration in muscle tissue was within the maximum limit established by the European Commission for human consumption. The brook trout population was found to be well structured; these findings may help local administrations in the implementation of eradication measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mountain and Mediterranean Wetlands Conservation)
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