Aspects of the Evolution of an Important Geo-Ecosystem in the Lessinian Mountain (Venetian Prealps, Italy)

The Grotta dell’Arena (476 V/VR), located in the Lessinian Mountain, at the elevation of 1512 m a.s.l., is a very important underground karst system. Although it is only 74 m long, several of the geological, geomorphological and environmental features of the High Lessinian underground karst are present in this cave. The Grotta dell’Arena shares some common geological and faunistic characters with other important and well known karst systems. This cave has also one of the highest number of troglobitic species in all Venetian Prealps and some of them possibly originated in the pre-Quaternary. From the geological point of view the cave is the expression of a contact karst, where different limestone types come in contact both stratigraphically and along tectonic structures. The Grotta dell’Arena is located at the stratigraphic contact between the “Calcari del Gruppo di San Vigilio” and the “Rosso Ammonitico” and it is very close to a fault plane putting in vertical contact the two above formations with the “Biancone”, a kind of limestone closely stratified and densely fractured, very sensible to frost weathering. It is interesting to note the presence of a good number of species of Tertiary, or more generally pre-Quaternary, originate in the Grotta dell’Arena. This presence is possibly related to the geology of caves. In this paper the different kinds of underground karst systems in the Grottta dell’Arena and Lessinian Mountain, are analyzed and the relation with the cave fauna distribution are taken in consideration

Effects of human impacts on diversity and distribution of chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae) in prealpine springs

Diversity and distribution of chironomid fauna (Diptera: Chironomidae) in 36 springs in the Italian Prealps (Veneto and Trentino NE-Italy, 46°N, 10-11°E) was studied in relation to altitude, spring type and grade of disturbance. The springs were located between 62 and 1710 m asl of altitude, in three calcareous mountain areas (Mt. Baldo, Mts. Lessini and Mt. Pasubio). They differed in conservation status (natural, moderately and highly disturbed) and belonged to five hydromorphological types (rheocrene, limnocrene, rheohelocrene, rheolimnocrene, rheohygropetric). Each spring was surveyed once, between early summer and autumn, within 50 m of the spring’s source (eucrenal). A total of 4198 chironomid larvae and pupae were sorted from 111 macroinvertebrate samples collected, belonging to five subfamilies (Tanypodinae, Diamesinae, Prodiamesinae, Orthocladiinae and Chironominae), 41 genera and 60 species/groups of species, and three juveniles taxa. As expected, Orthocladiinae accounted for a large part of specimens (88%) and species (74%), with Tvetenia calvescens/bavarica as the most frequent and abundant taxon, shared by pristine and disturbed springs and by all spring types. Most taxa were found in few sites, and frequencies declined gradually for most wider distributed species. A high number (74%) of rare (= present in less than 10% of sites) taxa were found and from one to 23 taxa were identified per spring. Maximum richness occurred in moderately disturbed (Shannon-H = 1.29±0.60) springs, located at medium-high altitude (385-1266 m asl), according to the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Even the evenness (Equitability-J) was higher as average in these springs. A Cluster Analysis run on Bray-Curtis similarity index highlighted a high similarity i) between the chironomid assemblages of moderately disturbed and natural springs (44 species in each spring group, with 29 species in common), and ii) between rheocrene and rheohelocrene types, thus the springs with the highest microhabitat heterogeneity. High individuality of springs was revealed, and new information about non-biting midges autecology provided. The utility of chironomids as bioindicators of water quality and ecological state of springs was confirmed, with some species e associated with high disturbance level (e.g., Polypedilum nubeculosum gr. to water intake works) and others with pristine conditions (e.g., Pseudodiamesa branickii)

Primi indizi di riproduzione di istrice, Hystrix cristata, in Veneto. (RODENTIA: HYSTRICIDAE)

The crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata (L. 1758) has recently expanded northwards and reached the Liguria, Lombardy and Veneto regions in a short time span. Within the Veneto region, this species is known since mid Eighties, in the plain and hilly areas of Verona, Rovigo, Vicenza and Venice provinces. The present study provides an update of the presence of the species in the province of Verona and suggests that the Crested porcupine is now fully established within this territory. This is confirmed by the finding of a young, 8-10 month old, female. This is the first evidence of probable reproductive success of the species in the province of Verona, as well as within the whole Veneto region

Italian natural history museums on the verge of collapse?

The Italian natural history museums are facing a critical situation, due to the progressive loss of scientific relevance, decreasing economic investments, and scarcity of personnel. This is extremely alarming, especially for ensuring the long-term preservation of the precious collections they host. Moreover, a commitment in fieldwork to increase scientific collections and concurrent taxonomic research are rarely considered priorities, while most of the activities are addressed to public events with political payoffs, such as exhibits, didactic meetings, expositions, and talks. This is possibly due to the absence of a national museum that would have better steered research activities and overall concepts for collection management. We here propose that Italian natural history museums collaborate to instate a “metamuseum”, by establishing a reciprocal interaction network aimed at sharing budgetary and technical resources, which would assure better coordination of common long-term goals and scientific activities

Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation

Peer reviewe

Sandro Ruffo: Remind of a master

Volume: 8Start Page: 69End Page: 7

Les Cholevinae (Coleoptera, Leiodidae) des Alpes-Maritimes

Une synthèse de la faune des Cholevinae Kirby, 1837 des Alpes-Maritimes est présentée, sous la forme d’une liste revue et annotée des 21 espèces connues à ce jour de la région, établie à partir des données de la littérature et de collectes inédites. Des remarques biogéographiques et taxonomiques sont proposées en conclusion du travail, soulignant la présence de cinq espèces endémiques dans les zones les moins impactées lors de la dernière glaciation.Une synthèse de la faune des Cholevinae Kirby, 1837 des Alpes-Maritimes est présentée, sous la forme d’une liste revue et annotée des 21 espèces connues à ce jour de la région, établie à partir des données de la littérature et de collectes inédites. Des remarques biogéographiques et taxonomiques sont proposées en conclusion du travail, soulignant la présence de cinq espèces endémiques dans les zones les moins impactées lors de la dernière glaciation.The current knowledge of the fauna of Cholevinae Kirby, 1837 is scarce and fragmentary. A synthesis of our knowledge of the Cholevinae fauna of the Maritime Alps is presented in the form of an annotated and updated checklist, based on both published and new records. Biogeographical and taxonomic remarks are provided, stressing the presence of five endemic species in the areas less ­impacted by the last glaciation. </p

Aspects of the Evolution of an Important Geo-Ecosystem in the Lessinian Mountain (Venetian Prealps, Italy)

The Grotta dell’Arena (476 V/VR), located in the Lessinian Mountain, at the elevation of 1512 m a.s.l., is a very important underground karst system. Although it is only 74 m long, several of the geological, geomorphological and environmental features of the High Lessinian underground karst are present in this cave. The Grotta dell’Arena shares some common geological and faunistic characters with other important and well known karst systems. This cave has also one of the highest number of troglobitic species in all Venetian Prealps and some of them possibly originated in the pre-Quaternary. From the geological point of view the cave is the expression of a contact karst, where different limestone types come in contact both stratigraphically and along tectonic structures. The Grotta dell’Arena is located at the stratigraphic contact between the “Calcari del Gruppo di San Vigilio” and the “Rosso Ammonitico” and it is very close to a fault plane putting in vertical contact the two above formations with the “Biancone”, a kind of limestone closely stratified and densely fractured, very sensible to frost weathering. It is interesting to note the presence of a good number of species of Tertiary, or more generally pre-Quaternary, originate in the Grotta dell’Arena. This presence is possibly related to the geology of caves. In this paper the different kinds of underground karst systems in the Grottta dell’Arena and Lessinian Mountain, are analyzed and the relation with the cave fauna distribution are taken in consideration

Indicatori sperimentali di biodiversit\ue0 - La gestione agronomica influenza la microfauna del suolo in vigneto

Nella valutazione della sostenibilit\ue0 ambientale i metodi di indagine biologici assumono sempre pi\uf9 rilevanza e vengono utilizzati insieme ai tradizionali metodi chimici e fisici. Questi metodi biologici prevedono l\u2019impiego di bio- indicatori, vale a dire organismi, o parti di essi, o popolamenti naturali che danno informazioni sulla qualit\ue0 dell\u2019ambiente attraverso risposte identifica- bili e/o quantificabili. L\u2019intento \ue8 quello di esaminare la qualit\ue0 del suolo tramite l\u2019impiego di bioindicatori in quattro vigneti a conduzione e disciplinari diversi. Il monitoraggio utilizza sia il QBS-ar (indice della qua- lit\ue0 biologica del suolo basato sulla presenza di artropo- di), il quale prevede l\u2019assegnazione di classi di qualit\ue0 biologica a ogni vigneto, sia il rapporto acari/collemboli per analizzare le condizioni biodinamiche del suolo. Questo studio sperimentale applicato in passato in un\u2019altra zona e tipologie di vigneti in provincia di Verona ha anche l\u2019intento di verificare la validit\ue0 del metodo QBS-ar applicato ai vigneti Valpolicella