Five alien achatinid land snails (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata) first reported in greenhouses of Italian botanical gardens

Plant trade and exchange for horticulture, recreation or research play a significant role in the dispersal of molluscs. Alien slugs and snails accidentally introduced into Europe have established rich communities in several countries, but although these introductions could have ecological and economic implications, mollusc xenodiversity in Italian botanical gardens, plant nurseries, and greenhouses has never been investigated. Facilities throughout the country were therefore visited between 2017 and 2023. Here the list of the achatinoidean species so far recorded from Italian greenhouses is provided, giving a short description of their diagnostic characters. The greenhouses of Trento and Padua host interesting assemblages of achatinoideans: the results of this study include the first reports of four achatinids, namely Allopeas clavulinum, Opeas hannense, Paropeas achatinaceum and Subulina octona from Italy and the first record of Geostilbia aperta from Europe. Reproductive anatomy of all species except Geostilbia aperta is illustrated in detail, integrating anatomical knowledge of this group of tiny molluscs, some of which are known mainly from their shell characters. The systematics of all the species is discussed, highlighting topics for future research (e.g., status of Allopeas mauritianum, real identity of Helix hannense, anatomy of Opeas hannense, species-level taxonomy of Subulina, systematic relationships and species-level taxonomy of Geostilbia)

Effect of ingestion of dark chocolates with similar lipid composition and different cocoa content on antioxidant and lipid status in healthy humans

The association between in vitro antioxidant capacity of dark chocolates with different cocoa percentage and the in vivo response on antioxidant status was investigated. In a randomized crossover design, 15 healthy volunteer consumed 100 g of high antioxidants dark chocolate (HADC) or dark chocolate (DC). In vitro, HADC displayed a higher Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) than DC. In vivo, plasma TAC significantly peaked 2 h after ingestion of both chocolates. TAC levels went back to zero 5 h after DC ingestion whilst levels remained significantly higher for HADC. HADC induced a significantly higher urinary TAC in the 5-12 h interval time than DC. No change was detected in urinary excretion of F2-isoprostanes. Plasma thiols and triacylglycerol (TG) levels significantly increased for both chocolate with a peak at 2 h remaining significantly higher for DC after 5 h respect to HADC. Results provide evidence of a direct association between antioxidant content of chocolate and the extent of in vivo response on plasma antioxidant capacity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Checklist of macro-invertebrates of the special conservation area “Poggi di prata”(Grosseto, Central Italy) through a citizen-science and expert-based approach

The assessment of species composition in a certain area may become outdated over time due to community dynamics including species range expansion, but also to local extinctions, species introductions and taxonomic redefinition. Therefore, updated checklists are required for animal conservation and management. Exhaustive checklists of invertebrate species may be challenging, as species determination often requires the analysis by specialists, but they are fundamental for local conservation practices. In this work, we provided an annotated preliminary checklist of invertebrates of the Special Conservation Area “Poggi di Prata” (province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany), detected through field samplings with experts, and a permanent Bioblitz set out on an online citizen-science platform (iNaturalist.org). The final dataset (1898-2020) included 329 records of 282 species (217 insects, 34 gastropods, 30 arachnids and 1 chilopod). Most records were uploaded on iNaturalist (about 56.5%), others came from observations or sampling collections (37%) and were determined by specialists. Only the remaining 6.5% of records came from published studies. Three species were protected by the Habitat Directive, 15 by the Tuscan Regional Law. We also detected two endemic or near-endemic taxa of this area: the beetle Paramaurops diecki massetanus and the land snail Marmorana saxetana. The unexpected (Italian southernmost) record of Gaurotes virginea needs to be deepened. Furthermore, 12 alien species, including insects affecting human economy and wellness (e.g., Rhinchophorous ferrugineus, Aedes albopictus, Halyomorpha halys, Dryocosmus kuriphilus and Cydalima perspectalis), were also detected. With our work, we confirmed that citizen-science platforms (e.g. iNaturalist) are valuable tools, complementary to field-work by specialists, to map local biodiversity and they may help to improve biogeographical knowledge

Biodiversity and ecology of Tuscan malacocoenoses with particular reference to the effects of human impact

For the most part, there is no doubt that human impact on biodiversity has been negative: habitat loss and degradation, pollution, overexploitation, and introduction of invasive species had played significant roles in biodiversity decline. However, human impact on Earth is not always so detrimental and its effects are not the same for all taxa. The aim of this thesis was to assess the anthropogenic impact on one of the most endangered and often unnoticed groups - terrestrial molluscs - firstly focusing on natural and then urban context. In Chapter I, effects of forest age as a surrogate for forest continuity on land snail richness and composition in Tuscan evergreen and deciduous woods were assessed. Chapter II explored the role of dispersal and local environment in urban land snail assemblages comparing different human-made habitat types in three cities in central Italy (Grosseto, Siena and Arezzo). Finally the link between man and urban environment has been further elaborated in Chapter III, where a fully synanthropic land snail species (Papillifera papillaris) has been used to assess athmosferic pollution from human activities, especially vehicular traffic, in the urban area of Siena. Concerning results obtained, Chapter I revealed that successional age as surrogate for forest continuity parameter seemed not to be a key factor in controlling land snail species richness and abundances but habitat structure more than forest age was the factor mostly involved in affecting communities; furthermore, no difference was found between evergreen and deciduous oak litter in terms of land snail richness, abundance and diversity. Focusing on urban environment, Chapter II demonstrated that cities can show relatively high land snail richness with values comparable to natural areas. After having accounted and later removed spatial structures influence, urban gradient effect turned out to be the principal component structuring urban land snail assemblages. This finding proved a likely human-mediated transport, which enhances dispersal abilities of organisms normally considered scarcely mobile. However, no establishment there would be in the absence of suitable microhabitat conditions. In particular, “vegetation cover” and “distance from the city centre” were the environmental variables that explained most of the variation in species composition. In Chapter III, results elected Papillifera papillaris a promising species to monitor the metal distribution and bioavailability in urban environments and to evaluate the possible transfer of pollutants to higher levels in food chains. Mollusc soft tissues showed very low concentrations of lithophile elements, and much higher concentrations of anthropogenic metals such as Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn while excreta and traditional biomonitors such as mosses were the matrices most involved in lithophile contamination. Surprisingly, Papillifera papillaris tissues showed extreme Mn values. These concentations, for their magnitude, have no comparison with those reported in literature for other species of terrestrial gastropods. Excreta showed a high concentration of Pb, demonstrating the scarce bioavailability and absorption of this element and probably its limited impact on urban food chains

The role of dispersal and local environment in urban land snail assemblages: an example of three cities in Central Italy

Ecologists increasingly appreciate the central role that urban biodiversity plays in ecosystems, however much urban biodiversity is neglected, especially some very diverse groups of invertebrates. For the first time in southern Europe, land snail communities are analysed in four urban habitats along a geographical gradient of three cities, using quantitative methods and assessing the relative roles of local environmental conditions (“distance from sea”, “distance from city centre”, “vegetation cover”) and spatial effects by principal coordinate analysis of neighbour matrices, redundancy analysis and variation partitioning. A total of 53 species was recorded, a richness similar to that of natural areas. At habitat level, species richness did not show a clear increasing trend from more to less urbanized habitats, but rather a homogeneous pattern. At city level, study areas hosted rather heterogeneous species assemblages and biotic homogenization did not seem to have any impact; indeed, only three species could be considered alien. Variation partitioning showed that land snail communities were mostly structured by environmental factors, even when spatial structures independent of measured environmental variables were included: “vegetation cover” and “distance from city centre” were the environmental variables that explained most of the variation in species composition. The lack of strong spatial structure also unexpectedly suggested that transport by humans aids dispersal of organisms with low mobility, which are usually limited by spatial constraints in natural environments. These results provide ecological and conservation implications for other invertebrate groups, suggesting to set priorities in management strategies that include habitat conservation at local scale

I molluschi terrestri e d'acqua dolce del Monte Argentario [Non marine molluscs of Monte Argentario]

Knowledge about land and freshwater molluscs of Monte Argentario is quite limited: only 41 species are known from the literature. New research carried out between 2011 and 2015 and data previously collected by M. Bodon (Genua) and F. Giusti (Siena) increased the number to 64 species (9 freshwater and 55 land molluscs). The malacofauna of Monte Argentario generally has good conservation status and low xenodiversity. Only two sub-endemic snails (Oxychilus majori and Marmorana saxetana) can be considered species of conservation concern, since despite being locally common, their limited distribution represents a risk factor. All the other species show a variably wide distribution and are not globally threatened, though some are uncommon or rare on Monte Argentario. Freshwater species, such as Bythinella sp., Galba truncatula, Planorbis moquini and Ancylus fluviatilis are apparently very rare despite the availability of suitable aquatic environments. Some land species are extremely localized and may be limited to one or a few sites. Some of the latter are typical of mesophilic environments currently rare along the Tuscan coast and on the Tuscan Archipelago (Argna biplicata, Vertigo angustior, Vertigo pygmaea, Merdigera obscura, Clausilia cruciata and Euconulus fulvus) or are confined to particular habitats, such as garrigues on rocky calcareous outcrops (Rupestrella philippii and Marmorana saxetana)

The biogeography of non-marine molluscs in the Tuscan Archipelago reveals combined effects of current eco-geographical drivers and paleogeography

We investigated the role of present (Recent) and historical (Pleistocene, i.e., Wurmian Last Glacial Maximum) eco-geographical variables on the richness and diversity of non-marine molluscs in the Tuscan Archipelago, as well as inter-island faunal dissimilarity and relationships with source pools (Sardinia and Corsica, Tuscany). The association between species richness and present and historical eco-geographical variables were assessed with Spearman's rank correlation test, while faunal dissimilarity both between islands and with their source pools was analyzed through beta-diversity partitioning (SOrensen index and its nestedness and turnover component) with UPGMA clustering tested with a multiscale bootstrap procedure. Non-metric multidimensional scaling in RGB color space was also used. Multiple regressions on distance matrices were then applied to explain assemblage composition between islands. Analyses were performed on all species and on all species except aliens. The overall framework showed the combined effects of current eco-geographical and paleogeographical imprints on non-marine malacofauna in the Tuscan Archipelago. However, excluding aliens, differences in species spatial turnover showed a clear correlation with Pleistocene inter-island distances, evidence of stronger historical biogeographical relationships between islands. This may indicate that widespread native species established their distribution during the Pleistocene, while alien species spread into the Tuscan Archipelago through stochastic and human-mediated dispersion events in recent times. Interestingly, Giglio's relationships do not agree with the most accepted paleogeographical model, suggesting that this island might have been connected to the Tuscan mainland during the Wurmian Last Glacial Maximum. An in-depth revision of the paleogeographic framework of the northern Tyrrhenian is therefore called for

From citizen science to science education: the experiences of the Natural History Museum of Accademia dei Fisiocritici (MUSNAF) about teaching and learning biodiversity

As citizen science expands, it is becoming increasingly important to consider its potential to foster education and learning opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for public trust to be strengthened, especially concerning collective awareness of biodiversity and its role for sustainable development. In 2020 the Natural History Museum of Accademia dei Fisiocritici promoted citizen science that allowed the Museum to interact with the public, and people to reconnect with nature without leaving home. The inaugural project was "CLIC! Snails and Slugs in Cities", the first Italian crowdsourcing research dedicated to the monitoring of land molluscs in urban environments; CLIC! was followed by “AIDA Animal Intruders Inside Home”. These monitoring projects could help researchers understand the mechanisms of the spread of alien species and the effects of climate change, also empowering and informing learners. Non-formal school education was also used to promote outdoor activities to bring students closer to the environment of their neighborhoods; friendly open-access apps (iNaturalist and Seek) were used to identify biodiversity through image recognition technology. In this sense, educational outdoor itineraries promote skills developing such as understanding of environment as a complex system and supporting “scientific literacy”. Museum offers were recently implemented with Siena BiodiverCity, an education and research project to enhance biodiversity in Siena and promote its conservation through an inclusive approach. A 24-hour BioBlitz took place to start a participative census of urban biodiversity, thanks to the collaboration between citizens and experts. Training sessions were organized with theoretical and field data collection activities. Good practice operations for urban regeneration were also promoted. Finally, the “Biodiversity Desk”, a service to offer free consultations and identification of natural vouchers, is going to be launched. "Siena BiodiverCity" is a model that can be replicated in other cities for a different nature-based education experience

Exploration of phylogeography of Monacha cantiana s.l. continues: the populations of the Apuan Alps (NW Tuscany, Italy) (Eupulmonata, Stylommatophora, Hygromiidae)

Two new lineages CAN-5 and CAN-6 were recognised in four populations of Monacha cantiana (Montagu, 1803) s.l. from the Italian Apuan Alps by joint molecular and morphological analysis. They are different from other M. cantiana lineages known from English, Italian, Austrian and French populations, i.e. CAN-1, CAN-2, CAN-3 and CAN-4, as well as from the other Italian Monacha species used for comparisons (M. parumcincta and M. cartusiana). Although a definite taxonomic and nomenclatural setting seems to be premature, we suggest that the name or names for these new lineages as one or two species should be found among 19th century names (Helix sobara Mabille, 1881, H. ardesa Mabille, 1881, H. apuanica Mabille, 1881, H. carfaniensis De Stefani, 1883 and H. spallanzanii De Stefani, 1884)