Reproductive payoffs of territoriality are snow-dependent in a mountain ungulate, the Alpine chamois

Female density and distribution are dependent on resource phenology and female availability strongly influences male mating behaviour and success. When a male adopts a ‘resource defence’ tactic, his reproductive success depends on the location and attractiveness of his territory. Environmental factors associated with territory quality are expected to influence mating success, for example, through territory features or male–male competition. In a protected population of a mountain-dwelling polygynous herbivore, the Alpine chamois Rupicapra r. rupicapra, we investigated the relationships among mating opportunities, some environmental variables (snow depth, topographic features and size of territories) and male intra-sexual competition for mating. We recorded the mating behaviour and territory size of 15 GPS-GSM radio-tagged territorial males, during five rutting seasons (early November to early December: N = 8 individuals in 2011, N = 9 in 2012, N = 8 in 2015, N = 11 in 2016, N = 7 in 2017; 80% of them were observed for more than one mating season) and related them to snow depth and topography of territories. In ruts with deep snow cover, territorial males had smaller territories and higher number of mating opportunities than in ruts with lower snow cover. Smaller territories showed the highest values of terrain roughness, in turn with little or no snow cover in the mating season, and were visited by a greater number of females, than larger territories. Number of wins was positively influenced by snow depth and negatively related to the frequency of aggressions. The frequency of male–male aggressive interactions was greater during ruts with deep snow cover and for males with territories at higher elevations; additionally, it was negatively related to interactions won. Thus, snow depth, which influences resource distribution and female movements, is confirmed as a strong determinant of male mating opportunities and mating behaviour

Severe pneumonia caused by influenza A (H1N1) virus successfully managed with extracorporeal life support in a comorbid former preterm infant

Influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is a global health burden, leading to significant pediatric morbidity and mortality. Prematurity, young age and comorbidities are important risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. Preventive strategies, such as healthcare workers and household contacts vaccination as well as the implementation of infection control practices during the epidemic season, are crucial to protect the most vulnerable populations. Early diagnosis, timely administration of antiviral drugs and supportive therapy are crucial to lead to a complete recovery. When conventional treatment fails, extracorporeal life support (ECLS) may be employed. In neonates and young infants, this high-tech support is burdened by specific technical complexity. Despite the potential risks related to this aggressive approach, ECLS is a life-saving procedure in 65% of pediatric viral pneumonia and in 73% of sepsis cases. Here, we report the successful outcome of a 51-day formerly preterm infant, suffering from a surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), complicated with hospital-acquired pneumonia due to influenza A (H1N1) virus. She developed a severe respiratory failure, unresponsive to conventional therapy, and successfully treated with ECLS. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of ECLS in a formerly preterm infant, suffering from NEC complicated by influenza A (H1N1) virus infection

Past, present and future of chamois science

The chamois Rupicapra spp. is the most abundant mountain ungulate of Europe and the Near East, where it occurs as two spe- cies, the northern chamois R. rupicapra and the southern chamois R. pyrenaica. Here, we provide a state-of-the-art overview of research trends and the most challenging issues in chamois research and conservation, focusing on taxonomy and systematics, genetics, life history, ecology and behavior, physiology and disease, management and conservation. Research on Rupicapra has a longstanding history and has contributed substantially to the biological and ecological knowledge of mountain ungulates. Although the number of publications on this genus has markedly increased over the past two decades, major differences persist with respect to knowledge of species and subspecies, with research mostly focusing on the Alpine chamois R. r. rupicapra and, to a lesser extent, the Pyrenean chamois R. p. pyrenaica. In addition, a scarcity of replicate studies of populations of different subspecies and/or geographic areas limits the advancement of chamois science. Since environmental heterogeneity impacts behavioral, physiological and life history traits, understanding the underlying processes would be of great value from both an evolutionary and conservation/management standpoint, especially in the light of ongoing climatic change. Substantial contri- butions to this challenge may derive from a quantitative assessment of reproductive success, investigation of fine-scale foraging patterns, and a mechanistic understanding of disease outbreak and resilience. For improving conservation status, resolving taxonomic disputes, identifying subspecies hybridization, assessing the impact of hunting and establishing reliable methods of abundance estimation are of primary concern. Despite being one of the most well-known mountain ungulates, substantial field efforts to collect paleontological, behavioral, ecological, morphological, physiological and genetic data on different popu- lations and subspecies are still needed to ensure a successful future for chamois research and conservation

Palaeontological and biogeochemical characterization of the Cyrtograptus lundgreni Event in the black shales of Eastern Sardinia

A succession of biotic and geochemical changes that occurred during the Cyrtograptus lundgreni Event (Late Wenlock) have been recorded from the ‘pelagic’ black-shales in the Goni section, eastern mid-Sardinia, Italy. The studied interval encompasses the Cyrtograptus rigidus to Pristiograptus dubius-Gothograptus nassa zones. The fossil association includes graptolites, chitinozoans and microplankton i.e. probable linings of agglutinated foraminifera and radiolaria capsular membranes. Analysis of the chitinozoan distribution revealed a succession of several chitinozoan associations with low species diversity and dominated by opportunistic species. Three chitinozoan faunal turnovers and three extinction events have been recorded. Two of them coincide with graptolite extinctions whereas one probably is of local significance. Disappearance of the chitinozoan and microplankton associations occurred during four consecutive graptolite zones. Geochemical data (trace elements analysis) showed significantly higher (up to c . 100%) values for Co and Cd in the sedimentary organic matter (SOM) than in the whole rock samples. Possible relationships between peaks of metal enrichment, the major faunal changes among chitinozoans, extinction events among chitinozoans and graptolites and, to a certain extent, oceanic events may be inferred. The first extinction datum is older that those occurring in Gotland, Sweden and Thu¨ringen, Germany and is so far considered to be of local significance. The second extinction datum of Sardinia can be matched with Datum 1 of Gotland and Thu¨ringen. A close correlation between the third extinction datum of Sardinia and Datum 2 of Thu¨ringen and Gotland reinforces the importance of these events at global scale. I Biogeochemistry, chitinozoans, extinction event, graptolites, sedimentary organic matter, Silurian, trace elements

Miospore assemblages of the Bedero section Varese, Upper Carboniferous from Southern Alps, Italy

Thin continental Carboniferous sequences crop out sparsely in the western Southern Alps (Alpe Logone, Mesenzana, Grantola, Bosco Valtravaglia-Fabiasco,Val Tresa, etc.) and are currently the subject of a detailed litho- and biostratigraphic revision, to reconsider their chronological position with respect to previously published age constraints. The age of these Upper Palaeozoic sedimentary successions, scattered over a wide area and strongly tectonized along major structural lineaments, has long been debated between Westphalian and Stephanian. The present work focuses mainly on the palynology of the Brezzo di Bèdero section (Luino, Lake Maggiore). The recovered palynoflora is assigned to 42 spore genera and 76 species of which one genus and 10 species are newly proposed. Fifty-seven spore species and 19 pollen species are described and illustrated. Qualitatively, the Bèdero palynoflora shows strong affinities to those ofWestern Europe. The most abundant palynomorphs are trilete spores known to be characteristics of the late Westphalian and early Stephanian assemblages. These are characterized by the remarkable presence of Florinites and subordinately Wilsonites species, low numbers of Potonieisporites, rare Limitisporites and Vesicaspora, and very rare Latensina-Cordaitina pollen. The occurrence of diverse monolete spores Laevigatosporites, Punctatosporites, Spinosporites, Thymospora and Torispora, with common Lundbladispora gigantea, L. simonii, Stenozonotriletes rubius n. sp. together with the absence of plicate and taeniate pollen grains suggests a strong resemblance to the late Westphalian–early Stephanian interval assigned to the OT Zone of Western Europe. Variations in the quantitative composition can be likely attributed to variations in the environmental setting with regards to non-forming peat deposits. The palynological suite is indicative of the existence of a well-established lowland Cordaiteans vegetation and well settled pterophytic, pteridosperm and subordinately sphenophytic and lycophytic, hygrophytic plant communities