Limited effectiveness of FSC certification in conserving mammals in exotic plantations

Deforestation remains a critical global challenge, with forestry activities often contributing to forest loss or simplification. Certification schemes, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), aim to promote sustainable forest management and support biodiversity conservation. FSC effectiveness regarding biodiversity preservation has been discontinuously assessed across regions, taxonomic groups and types of targeted forests. Exotic plantations, in particular, pose a threat to local biodiversity by establishing heavily managed non-native habitats, yet little is known about how communities respond to the establishment of FSC criteria in these managed landscapes. To address this gap, we used camera trapping to evaluate mammalian occupancy and community composition across three distinct forest management contexts in Portugal: FSC-certified Eucalyptus plantations, non-FSC Eucalyptus plantations, and native reference forests. The findings indicate that the mean occupancy rate of mammals was similar in FSC-certified and non-FSC plantations and slightly higher in native forests. Carnivore and deer species occupancy were similar between FSC-certified and non-FSC sites. Moreover, native forests exhibited higher species-specific occupancy rates relative to FSC-certified and non-FSC plantations, with management status being a stronger driver than fine-scale habitat characteristics (e.g., NDVI, habitat heterogeneity). These results indicate that FSC has limited influence on advancing mammal conservation within exotic plantations. This study underscores the need to strengthen the FSC environmental criteria to ensure they align more effectively with biodiversity conservation. By refining FSC standards, there is significant potential to enhance conservation outcomes for mammal communities, particularly in forestry-dominated landscapes where sustainable management is a key goa

Pharmabiome analyses in tandem with chemometrics can help trace the provenance of falsified medicines: a proof-of-concept study

A lack of robust analytical approaches limits our ability to investigate the clandestine manufacturing origins of falsified medicines. We conducted a proof-of-concept study to test the feasibility of geolocating the production sites of falsified medicines, based on the identification of site-specific biological and chemo-isotopic features using a combination of environmental DNA metabarcoding, Direct Analysis in Real Time - Mass Spectrometry and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry as profiling techniques. We produced tablets at two distant locations (England vs. Thailand), using controlled manufacturing methods, excipient composition and environmental conditions. Sets of tablets produced at separate locations showed distinct bacterial and eukaryotic diversity, particularly influenced by the incorporation of water used during tableting and the background environmental biosignatures of the production site. Tablets showed corresponding site-specific chemometric profiles, but the factors contributing to the observed chemical differences were unclear. When reference samples of known origin are available, our study suggests that site-specific biological and chemical features can be used in modelling approaches to successfully predict product origin. We developed a new mapping approach to exploit the geographic information within the eukaryotic pharmabiome of the falsifications; based on eDNA-derived species identification and the integration of publicly available species distribution data. In the absence of reference samples of known origin, the application of this workflow to our dataset provided partial clues about the product’s origin, with limitations likely due to taxonomic resolution and the presence of species with wide distribution ranges. Collectively, our research provides experimental support for the development of integrated, multifaceted tools for tracing the origin of falsified medicines, advancing efforts to combat this pervasive but neglected global health proble

Reintroducing a large carnivore in a human dominated landscape: dynamics of an isolated brown bear population over two decades post-reintroduction

Large carnivores have been extirpated from much of their historical range, but conservation efforts have supported their recovery. The brown bear reintroduction in the central Alps represents one such case, yet long-term viability of this population remains uncertain due to its small size, isolation, and increasing conflicts with humans. Using spatial capture-recapture and survival models based on non-invasive genetic data and known bear deaths collected on 222 individuals over 21 years (2003−2023), we assessed spatio-temporal trends in bear density, abundance, survival, and range expansion, accounting for sex and age-specific differences. Results indicate an annual population growth rate of 7.7 %, with a mean density of 1.61 bears/100 km2 in the whole study area in 2023, rising to 2.50 within the area permanently occupied by females. Survival probabilities varied by sex and age, with females showing strong site fidelity and males exhibiting higher dispersal and mortality. Although an ecological barrier hinders eastward expansion and connectivity, the permanent range of females increased by 137 %. Despite growth, the population remains small and vulnerable to stochastic events. Sustained genetic monitoring, improved connectivity, and science-based management will be crucial to balance conservation goals and social concerns, ensuring the persistence of this population in a human-dominated landscap

A spatially explicit dataset of upper canopy tree species composition of public forests of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy

his dataset provides spatially explicit information on the tree species composition of the upper canopy layer for forest management units located in public forest areas of the Autonomous Province of Trento in Italy. This area is characterized by a large variety of tree species with climatic regions ranging from sub-Mediterranean to Alpine. The data are distributed as a GeoPackage containing 121,177 polygon geometries representing forest management units derived from the provincial forest management system. For each unit, the dataset reports the total upper canopy cover and the relative species-specific canopy cover contributing to that layer. These values originate from visual estimations by forest practitioners during the development of forest management plans. Attributes include the survey year, unit area, total upper canopy cover percentage, and the relative species-specific cover for 45 individual tree species, alongside two aggregated classes for minor broadleaved and conifer species. The dataset provides a spatially consistent representation of forest composition across about 65 % of the provincial forest area. The dataset supports and has already been used for applications in forest management planning, forest ecology, and remote sensing products calibration and validation. Three specific applications where the dataset has already been implemented are: evaluating the impacts of extreme climatic events on different forest types, modelling species distribution under climate change scenarios, and benchmarking Geospatial Foundation Model

Mammalian response to FSC forest certification in production plantations

The expansion of intensive forestry practices, targeting both native forests and exotic plantations, has led to a growing need for the implementation of sustainable forest management practices. Therefore, forest certification schemes, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), have been developed with the objective of promoting environmentally responsible forest management. Despite its widespread adoption, a substantial knowledge gap persists regarding the effectiveness of FSC environmental criteria in safeguarding biodiversity, especially for mammals. In this study, we utilized FSC-certified Eucalyptus plantations in Central Portugal, as a model system to assess the efficacy of FSC environmental criteria, and the subsequent sustainable management actions on mammal communities. We deployed camera traps in three plantations to evaluate the influence of FSC requirements, such as the protection of native vegetation, the promotion of vegetation productivity, and the designation of conservation zones, on the mammal spatial use in plantations. Our findings indicate that the retention of native vegetation and the promotion of vegetation productivity within plantations are associated with increased mammal occurrence. Conversely, we found that designated conservation zones, and harvesting operations along with the resulting fragmentation, had neutral and negative effects on species occurrence, respectively. This suggests that FSC criteria relating to these practices may be insufficiently implemented to promote the presence of mammals. These findings underscore the necessity for refinement in FSC certification standards to more effectively align with biodiversity goals. This study contributes significantly to the ongoing debate on forest certification by assessing the strengths and limitations of the FSC framework in managing biodiversity in production plantation

La biodiversità che respiriamo: l’impatto cruciale del verde urbano sulla composizione del microbioma nell’aria

L'aria è un ecosistema dinamico che ospita l'aerobioma, l’insieme di batteri, funghi e pollini che rappresenta una biodiversità invisibile ma essenziale per il funzionamento degli ecosistemi e per la salute umana. La relazione tra biodiversità atmosferica, gestione del verde urbano e salute pubblica, è complessa. Se da un lato l'esposizione ai microrganismi rafforza il sistema immunitario, dall'altro la presenza di piante anemofile con pollini allergenici (come cipressi e betulle) rappresenta una sfida crescente, aggravata dai cambiamenti climatici che estendono le stagioni polliniche. In questo scenario, il monitoraggio aerobiologico si rivela fondamentale. L'esperienza della Fondazione Edmund Mach, attiva in questa disciplina scientifica dal 1990, dimostra come il campionamento e l'analisi microscopica di pollini e spore permettano di fornire informazioni tempestive ai cittadini e di studiare gli impatti climatici sulle fioriture. La ricerca attuale sta evolvendo verso un approccio integrato, come dimostrato dal progetto internazionale AirBiD. Attraverso il monitoraggio in cinque città europee (tra cui Trento), AirBiD combina la microscopia classica con tecniche avanzate di sequenziamento di DNA ambientale (eDNA) e citizen science per indagare e mappare l'aerobioma urbano. L'obiettivo finale è trasformare la gestione del verde pubblico in uno strumento di prevenzione a favore della salute umana. Una pianificazione urbana "intelligente", basata sulla scelta di specie non allergeniche e sulla diversificazione degli habitat, può mitigare i rischi per i soggetti allergici promuovendo al contempo la resilienza climatic

Modelling the risk posed by Aedes mosquitoes in Europe: identifying research needs from public health stakeholders and field entomologists

The growing public health burden of Aedes mosquito-borne diseases requires a comprehensive understanding of Aedes species biology, ecology, and vector competence. Eco-epidemiological modelling of Aedes vector species has grown significantly in recent years, driven by the increasing reports of outbreaks in endemic and non-endemic temperate areas, as well as the latitudinal and altitudinal range expansion of these vectors. A prominent example is the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, a competent arbovirus vector that has spread across most continents through the movement of humans and goods. Species distribution models and mechanistic models have been used to predict the spatio-temporal distribution and dynamics of this vector. However, despite the potential of these models to capture the vector distribution and dynamics, integrating them into practical monitoring, surveillance, and vector control activities remains challenging, often due to a lack of communication and model co-development between scientists and public health stakeholders. This paper reports the results of a workshop on vector modelling held in Bologna (Italy) in September 2024, which brought together European experts in disease modelling, public health stakeholders, and medical entomologists. The workshop identified key priorities for advancing the operational use of Aedes-focused quantitative models, including sustained investment in surveillance, improved representation of environmental and biological drivers, standardisation of model outputs, and the establishment of long-term, co-produced modelling frameworks embedded within public health workflow

Neuroactive compounds in tomatoes: metabolic fate during in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation

Neurodegenerative diseases are hard to treat, and their progression is linked to diet and the gut microbiota. Tomatoes contain potentially neuroactive compounds, but their fate during digestion and colonic fermentation remains unclear. This study tracked neuroactive compounds and fecal fatty acids (50%, 24 h) or increased, whereas others (e.g., caffeic acid, rutin) degraded rapidly (80%, 24 h). Digested tomato enhanced acetic and propionic acid production, though attenuated by neuro-disruptors. The study clarifies colonic bioaccessibility of neuroactive compounds and their potential influence on the gut–brain axi

Forecasting human tick-borne encephalitis risk across Europe through quantitative models integrating environmental and exposure drivers

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) poses a growing public health challenge across Europe, driven by ecological, climatic and socio-demographic changes. We present a quantitative spatio-temporal predictive framework to forecast the annual probability of TBE across Europe at regional (NUTS3) and municipal administrative levels. The model leverages a boosted regression tree algorithm trained on standardized human TBE case data provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and national public health institutions. Our modelling framework integrates drivers related to both the hazard of TBEV circulation in the environment and human exposure to tick bites, namely the habitat suitability of vertebrate hosts, precipitation, forest cover, autumnal cooling rate, forest road density, and population density. Results exhibit strong predictive performance for the years 2017-2025 (regional AUC ≈ 0.84; municipal AUC ≈ 0.82), demonstrating robust discrimination between regions with and without reported TBE cases. Predicted risk maps highlight high probability areas in central-eastern Europe, the Baltic states, and Nordic coastal regions, while temporal trend analysis reveals statistically significant increases in predicted TBE risk extending into north-western and south-western European areas. These results reflect the combined effects of environmental suitability and human activity patterns, underscoring their value for early risk assessment. By integrating ecological hazard and human exposure drivers into a dynamic modelling framework, this work provides actionable early annual risk estimates of human TBE risk before the start of the tick questing season, supporting surveillance and prevention activities by public health authorities under global environmental change