8 research outputs found
Sink or swim? Modernization of mussel farming methods may negatively impact established seabird communities
No full textMarine aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of global food production and is projected to increase to meet future demand. Expansion and modernization of cultivation methods are needed to reach this target but a cost-benefit evaluation for biodiversity conservation is required to achieve sustainable aquaculture practices. We assess drivers of avian richness and abundance in a long-established seabird community present in a series of longline mussel farms in Italy and in response to a recent modernization process in the farming methodology. Over 2 years (24 surveys) we detected a remarkable diversity (15 species in 5 families) and abundance (n = 5858) of birds, of which 40% (n = 6) are regarded as species of international conservation importance. Our models highlighted that the strongest driver explaining variation in abundance and richness across sites was the type of buoy and the associated cultivation method applied. The older and fast-declining double headrope design, offered greater stability for birds to rest. Conversely, the newer and mechanizable single headrope design dominant method in our study site and projected to replace the older system, was unsuitable for birds. Our findings confirm the function of mussel farms as a sort of marine protected area where low anthropogenic disturbance, higher prey availability and suitable artificial structures promote the establishment of seabird communities with minimal impacts on harvest. However, we suggest that potential modernization of farming methods, important to meet future human demand, needs to be carefully assessed and compensated for, particularly where long-established seabird communities have formed in response to such practices
Integrating remote sensing and species' traits to assess bird responses to wildfire in agropastoral landscapes
No full textThe climate-induced increase in wildfires has made them a critical research priority for biodiversity in Europe. Yet, studies leveraging species traits to explain varying responses to wildfires and inform targeted conservation efforts remain limited. To address this gap, we surveyed bird communities one-year post-wildfire across a 4450-hectare burnt and adjacent unburnt agropastoral landscape in the Classic Karst, a protected area spanning Italy and Slovenia undergoing reductions in agropastoral farming. Remote sensing data and machine learning were employed to map wildfire severity and finely classify bird-habitat associations based on 139 bird point counts. Wildfire substantially reduced woody biomass and was associated with lower bird species richness (mean/point = 5.09 SE ± 0.22) and abundance (mean/point = 6.69 SE ± 0.35) compared to unburnt areas (richness mean/point = 6.43 SE ± 0.22; abundance mean/point = 8.71 SE ± 0.32). However, its impacts varied considerably depending on species traits. Among the species with the lowest post-fire occurrences were high shrub and forest-dwelling birds that rely on vegetation cover, particularly those with open-cup nests and branch-edge foraging behaviours. Conversely, cavity nesters and trunk/bark foragers were more frequent in burned areas, potentially due to the structural resilience of their nests and the post-fire availability of saproxylic invertebrates. Some semi-open habitat species of conservation concern, particularly those employing ground-nesting and ground-foraging strategies, also showed increased occurrence in burnt areas. Smaller-bodied species were more frequently detected in heterogeneous unburned shrub patches, consistent with the Textural Discontinuity Hypothesis. Resident/short-distance migrants appeared less affected than long-distance migrants, probably due to their continuous or partial presence year-round. Our results highlight the value of combining trait-based and remote sensing analysis to identifying species responses following wildfire, providing critical insights for conservation strategies that aim to balance the needs of both open-habitat and forest species in Mediterranean fire-prone landscapes
“Sea, earth and energy: A challenge for our future” - An inter-disciplinary project for marine science education in primary schools
No full text"Sea, Earth and Energy: a challenge for our future" is a marine science educational project which involved all the classes of a primary school of Marinella di Sarzana (La Spezia, Italy) for a whole year. The goal of the project is to introduce children to a world which is"physically" close to them but also poorly known: the sea, which fortunately, in the Gulf of La Spezia, is a reality for many schools, but not often used as educational resource. The work of the whole year was conceived and supported by the “Research Group in Communication and Education” of La Spezia [Locritani et al. 2013], composed of members from different research institutions dealing, in this area, with the sea by different points of view: ISMAR-CNR (physical oceanography/renewable resources), ENEA-UTMAR (marine biology), INGV (marine geophysics and volcanology), DLTM (marine technology), with a proven experience in the field of marine and environmental science education [Merlino et al. 2015, Mioni et al. 2016].
Moreover, thanks to the involvement of other associations and organizations working in the field of marine environment (such as ARPAL the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and the Italian Coast Guard) and an artistic association ("Luoghi"), children were able to deepen their knowledge of the Ligurian marine habitat with a multidisciplinary approach, full of beach surveys, tactile and art workshops, interactive experiments,meetings with scientists, field trips and other surprises. All these activities stimulated curiosity and imagination of children. As for the scientific part, the aim was to introduce children to "scientific observation" and "experimentation", applied to the study of marine environments, in particular, rocky and sandy shores (both typical of our region), and environmental degradation use of water and energy resources in the area and so on. Several tools have been used to achieve these main objectives: naturalistic design, data collection and sampling, cataloguing, experimentation in classroom with small demonstration prototypes. But the real idea behind this project has been the multidisciplinary approach for tackling all these subjects.
All produced artworks (herbarium sheets, poems, drawings, exhibits, etc.) have been exposed during a two-day exhibition in Sarzana. Moreover a DVD has been produced as a final deliverable that collects the work of a whole year and the contribution of each one of the different organizations participating in the project.
"Sea, Earth and Energy: a challenge for our future" has been carried out thanks to DLTM a financial contribution.PublishedBruges, Belgium2TM. Divulgazione Scientific
“Sea, earth and energy: A challenge for our future” - An inter-disciplinary project for marine science education in primary schools
No full text"Sea, Earth and Energy: a challenge for our future" is a marine science educational project which involved all the classes of a primary school of Marinella di Sarzana (La Spezia, Italy) for a whole year. The goal of the project is to introduce children to a world which is"physically" close to them but also poorly known: the sea, which fortunately, in the Gulf of La Spezia, is a reality for many schools, but not often used as educational resource. The work of the whole year was conceived and supported by the “Research Group in Communication and Education” of La Spezia [Locritani et al. 2013], composed of members from different research institutions dealing, in this area, with the sea by different points of view: ISMAR-CNR (physical oceanography/renewable resources), ENEA-UTMAR (marine biology), INGV (marine geophysics and volcanology), DLTM (marine technology), with a proven experience in the field of marine and environmental science education [Merlino et al. 2015, Mioni et al. 2016].
Moreover, thanks to the involvement of other associations and organizations working in the field of marine environment (such as ARPAL the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and the Italian Coast Guard) and an artistic association ("Luoghi"), children were able to deepen their knowledge of the Ligurian marine habitat with a multidisciplinary approach, full of beach surveys, tactile and art workshops, interactive experiments,meetings with scientists, field trips and other surprises. All these activities stimulated curiosity and imagination of children. As for the scientific part, the aim was to introduce children to "scientific observation" and "experimentation", applied to the study of marine environments, in particular, rocky and sandy shores (both typical of our region), and environmental degradation use of water and energy resources in the area and so on. Several tools have been used to achieve these main objectives: naturalistic design, data collection and sampling, cataloguing, experimentation in classroom with small demonstration prototypes. But the real idea behind this project has been the multidisciplinary approach for tackling all these subjects.
All produced artworks (herbarium sheets, poems, drawings, exhibits, etc.) have been exposed during a two-day exhibition in Sarzana. Moreover a DVD has been produced as a final deliverable that collects the work of a whole year and the contribution of each one of the different organizations participating in the project.
"Sea, Earth and Energy: a challenge for our future" has been carried out thanks to DLTM a financial contribution.PublishedBruges, Belgium2TM. Divulgazione Scientific
A selected bibliography of insect-vascular plant associational studies /
No full textNo longer available for sale by the Supt. of Docs."Issued May 1984"--P. iii.Includes index.Mode of access: Internet.
