BIO-ECOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL ASPECTS OF THE EUROPEAN EEL ANGUILLA ANGUILLA (L. 1758)

Catadromous fish are considered important species for their ecological, economical, and cultural value. Because their complex life cycle, they are subjected to cumulative effects of anthropogenic threats that resulted in worldwide decline since the beginning of the 20th century. Among the most iconic catadromous species, the European eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) has aroused considerable interest since ancient times, though, to date, many aspects of its life cycle remain relatively unknown. A. anguilla showed a progressively decline since the 1970s. Starting from 2007, has been protected by the European Council Regulation 1100/2007, and successively classified as Critically Endangered (CR). Although conspicuous efforts have been conducted, to implement knowledge and identify possible solutions to preserve the future survivorship of A. anguilla, there is an urgent need to gain further insights into its life history. A review of the bibliography allowed me to obtain an updated state of the art of knowledge about the European eel life cycle, biology, ecology, allowing me to identify main topics that structured my thesis project. Topics have been developed with the general aim of providing a contribution to the implementation of the knowledge of the bio-ecology and anatomy of this species in relation to the various environmental and anthropic factors through a multidisciplinary approach that involved numerous sampling activities accompanied by complex data collection, laboratory experiments, and statistical analyses. First, I demonstrated the presence of synaptic development in the olfactory bulb, in terms of morphology and density of dendritic spines, that is shaped according to a pattern linked to the migratory life stages of the European eel (glass eels and silver eels). Second, I described the glass eels’ migration temporal peak for the first time in the central-western Mediterranean in relation to the effects of main environmental factors. I also identified a spatio-temporal variability between four sites in the western Mediterranean in terms of the peak of recruitment and the biometric and pigmentation patterns of glass eels. Moreover, I tested new floating traps as an alternative sampling method in three Sardinian estuaries to further deepen glass eels’ recruitment dynamics in Sardinia. Third, I analysed eels’ survival and growth performances during a rearing experiment with wild glass eels. I estimated recapture and growth rates on marked and unmarked farmed eels after restocking after a four-year study. Results suggest a good readjustment to the wild environment and demonstrated that this technique could represents a valid alternative restocking approach. Furthermore, I studied eels’ growth also in terms of otoliths’ shape differences. I found a distinct clustering among rivers and lagoons, with more rounded otoliths shapes in eels from rivers than lagoons, but with annual body growth quicker in lagoons than in rivers, showing that eel’s growth can differ according to habitat types. I fitted Von Bertalanffy’s growth curves for female and male eels from a Sardinian stream, that exhibited the already-known sexual dimorphism in growth parameters with higher values in females. Finally, I pinpointed an overall decrease in eels’ occurrence in the Sardinian river network because of dams’ building features and the time from their construction. Achieved results might have several implications beyond the regional interest and add new points from which to start further investigations that, over specific actions, may guide the implementation of new studies and appropriate monitoring programs. Findings highlighted also an urgent need for collaboration between the various stakeholders, researchers, decision-makers, authorities, professionals, and common people as an essential step to creating a sense of awareness on the criticalities that impact this species and the need to mitigate them

Innovazione digitale nella gestione del territorio. Gis e webgis tra semplificazione e sburocratizzazione

Gli ostacoli dovuti all’eccesso di burocrazia nell’avvio delle nuove imprese hanno ormai raggiunto livelli insostenibili per via delle conseguenze negative sulle attività economiche e molteplici sono le voci che da più parti ne chiedono la rimozione. Cosa tutt’altro che facile, visto il radicamento di antiche consuetudini e procedure all’interno della pubblica amministrazione, tuttavia improcrastinabile se si vuole facilitare la ripresa della competitività e attrarre nuovamente investimenti e investitori dall’estero. La “sburocratizzazione” è così divenuta un vero e proprio cavallo di battaglia politica e gli ultimi governi hanno varato diversi provvedimenti legislativi volti a favorire l’introduzione delle procedure digitali sia nei rapporti tra soggetti pubblici sia tra questi e i privati: la digitalizzazione della PA è ritenuta la base della nuova efficienza amministrativa. Relativamente ai dati territoriali il discorso diviene però più complesso per via della loro componente geografica che richiede un impegno maggiore sotto il profilo organizzativo e strutturale. D’altro canto, i recenti riferimenti normativi impongono vincoli sulla loro produzione e libera circolazione, nell’intento di favorire lo scambio e l’interoperabilità e consentirne la libera fruibilità. Si richiede, pertanto, un approccio diverso per la loro gestione e l’adozione di tecniche e strumenti basati necessariamente sui GIS e sugli webGIS, da intendersi come base di riordino e standardizzazione del dato il primo e come veicolo di distribuzione e di interfaccia tra utenti e produttore-utilizzatore il secondo. Osservare come il supporto del GIS può favorire un buon livello di efficienza amministrativa e migliorare il rapporto con i cittadini e le imprese, soprattutto in quegli apparati della PA cui questi si rivolgono pressoché quotidianamente – i comuni – è l’obiettivo del presente contributo.The obstacles due to excess bureaucracy hindering the start up of new businesses have now reached unacceptable levels given the negative consequences on economic activities. Thus, there is a growing chorus of demand from all sides for their removal. This, however, is far from easy given the deep- rooted habits and procedures of old within public administration. Nonetheless, the issue cannot be ignored any longer if we wish to facilitate the comeback of our competitiveness and attract foreign investments and investors once again. ‘De-bureaucratization’ has thus become a true political crusade and recent governments have enacted various legislative measures which aim to favour the introduction of digital procedures to the interaction between public entities as well as that between public and private bodies: digitalization of Public Administration is seen as the basis of new administrative efficiency. As concerns land data, the matter is more complex given the data’s geographical component, which requires greater organizational and structural efforts. Then again, recent norms impose restrictions on the production and open circulation of such data in order to favour exchange and interaction and allow free usability. Therefore, a different approach is required for the management of this data as well as the adoption of techniques and tools necessarily based on GIS and webGIS, the former as a means of restructuring and standardizing data; the latter as an avenue for distribution and interface between users and producers-users. The aim of this paper is to observe how GIS can foster a good level of administrative efficiency and improve the relationship with citizens and businesses, above all in Public Administration structures which are used almost daily such as municipalities

Marine spatial planning for connectivity and conservation through ecological corridors between marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) promotes the sustainable human activities development and uses in the marine space, playing a role in their effective management. The enhancement of connectivity is crucial for the conservation of biodiversity and landscape planning. Ecological Corridors (ECs) are an important type of connectivity for biodiversity conservation in fragmented habitats. The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 includes ECs into the network of protected areas and allows for the creation of additional protected areas. MSP studies considering ECs remain still lacking, especially for the design of networks between Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). In this paper, knowledge, and tools for investigating marine ECs were reviewed, with a systematic bibliometric analysis to summarize the current scientific research. Previous studies integrating ecological connectivity into planning for marine conservation have focused on models of larval dispersal, adult movements, and dispersal of single species by using benthic habitat proxies. Few studies were found on ECs in marine environments: in the coral Caribbean reef systems in the Gulf of Mexico; within benthic habitats along the Pacific coast of Canada; between MPAs in British Columbia (Canada); and by analyzing migratory species in the Yangtze estuary (China). Commonly used approaches to project and map ECs in marine environments are least-cost and circuit theories allowing to incorporate movement with cost or resistance to movement, depending on species and preferred habitats. The systematic bibliometric analysis returned 25 studies, most of which were from North America (40%) and European countries (36%) and the largest share of papers (68%) from 2018 to 2022. This review pinpointed the need of integrating different disciplines to investigate connectivity and the need by policymakers and practitioners to recognize the importance of ecological connectivity, even there are significant challenges for integrating connectivity into policies, planning, and conservation

Hard times for catadromous fish: the case of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla, L. 1758)

Catadromous fish species can be defined important organisms for their ecological, economical, and cultural value. Because of a complex life cycle, catadromous fish species are exhibited to the cumulative effect of multiple anthropogenic threats that resulted in worldwide decline since the beginning of the 20th century. Among the most iconic catadromous species, the European eel Anguilla anguilla has aroused considerable interest, and to date, many aspects of its life cycle remain relatively unknown. Although conspicuous efforts by the research to ensure the perpetuation of the species were conducted, the identification of the best tools to reduce the threats that affect eels remains challenging. In this narrative review, the state of the knowledge and main threats about the life cycle, the habitat occupancy, the recruitment, and migration patterns of the European eel have been reported

Exploring Less Invasive Visual Surveys to Assess the Spatial Distribution of Endangered Mediterranean Trout Population in a Small Intermittent Stream

Simple Summary This study explores the use of alternative and non-harmful methods for monitoring endangered Mediterranean trout in small intermittent streams. Specifically, two visual survey techniques were compared: a visual survey from streambanks and an underwater visual survey using underwater cameras. The main objective was to assess the effectiveness of detecting patterns in fish occupancy in relation to a set of environmental factors. The comparison revealed that underwater camera surveys performed similarity to visual surveys from streambanks during low-flow regimes. However, visual surveys from streambanks were less effective during the highest flow regimes. The volume of pools and the percentage cover of submerged macrophytes were found to be significant environmental variables affecting fish detection probability using underwater cameras. On the other hand, the analysis of data from visual observations from streambanks indicated a clear impact of high turbulence rates on pool occupancy. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the utility of visual methods in describing the occupancy patterns of Mediterranean trout in small streams. Monitoring the conservation status of endangered freshwater fish using less invasive methods poses challenges for ecologists and conservationists. Visual surveys have been proposed as an alternative to electrofishing, which is a standard methodology that can cause injuries, physiological stress and post-release mortality in organisms. To test the efficacy of visual methods, a study was conducted in an intermittent stream of Sardinia (Italy). Two visual methods were employed: a visual survey from streambanks (VSS) and an underwater visual survey (UVS) using cameras. The aims of this study were (1) to compare the effectiveness of these methods in detecting patch occupancy patterns and (2) to investigate the effect of environmental variables on the detection probability of Mediterranean native trout. Environmental variables characterizing pool habitats were recorded, and generalized linear models (GLMs) were employed to assess the correlation between these variables and trout presence/absence. GLM analysis revealed that UVS had higher detection probability with larger pool volume, whereas submerged macrophytes negatively affected detection probability. Detection from streambanks (VVS) was negatively affected by a high turbulence rate. In conclusion, our study suggests the utility of visual methods to describe patterns of patch occupancy of Mediterranean trout. However, methods can be differently affected by environmental variables. Therefore, monitoring programs using these methods should consider these factors to ensure a reliable description of within-stream trout distribution in intermittent streams

When the Eel Meets Dams: Larger Dams’ Long-Term Impacts on Anguilla anguilla (L., 1758)

Diadromous fish, like the European eel Anguilla anguilla (L., 1758), are highly threatened by dams that disrupt river connectivity, consequently impeding fish movements to reach feeding and spawning habitats. In this study, variation in eel occurrence between a historical period (1940–1970) and recent data (2016–2020) was assessed throughout the Sardinian rivers’ network (more than 450 sites). Using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) we investigated relationships between eel’s occurrence and a set of spatial and temporal environmental variables including a set of dams’ construction features for each period. An overall decrease by 65% of eel’s occurrence was noticed during the ca. 80-years period under scrutiny. Considering a subset (105 and 88 sites for the historical and the recent period, respectively) characterized by the presence of larger dams (height >15 m), eel’s occurrence dropped by 85%. Conversely, eel’s occurrence dropped only by ca. 44% in dam-free sites. During the historical period, eel’s occurrence was mostly affected by time since the initial habitat fragmentation, flow, distance to dams, connectivity, and dams’ height. In the most recent period, eel’s occurrence is mostly affected by dams’ building year, dam-to-sea distance, and, again, dams’ height. Results pinpoint that dams’ construction features and the time from their construction have significant negative effects on eel’s occurrence. Addition of future effective eel restoration practices, apart any other adverse environmental stressor, must consider dams’ removal, wherever socially sustainable or alternatively, the modification of construction features of dams (like excessive height) and the addition of fish ladders

Pug-Headedness Anomaly in a Wild and Isolated Population of Native Mediterranean Trout Salmo trutta L., 1758 Complex (Osteichthyes: Salmonidae)

Skeletal anomalies are commonplace among farmed fish. The pug-headedness anomaly is an osteological condition that results in the deformation of the maxilla, pre-maxilla, and infraorbital bones. Here, we report the first record of pug-headedness in an isolated population of the critically endangered native Mediterranean trout Salmo trutta L., 1758 complex from Sardinia, Italy. Fin clips were collected for the molecular analyses (D-loop, LDH-C1* locus. and 11 microsatellites). A jaw index (JI) was used to classify jaw deformities. Ratios between the values of morphometric measurements of the head and body length were calculated and plotted against values of body length to identify the ratios that best discriminated between malformed and normal trout. Haplotypes belonging to the AD lineage and the genotype LDH-C1*100/100 were observed in all samples, suggesting high genetic integrity of the population. The analysis of 11 microsatellites revealed that observed heterozygosity was similar to the expected one, suggesting the absence of inbreeding or outbreeding depression. The frequency of occurrence of pug-headedness was 12.5% (two out of 16). One specimen had a strongly blunted forehead and an abnormally short upper jaw, while another had a slightly anomaly asymmetrical jaw. Although sample size was limited, variation in environmental factors during larval development seemed to be the most likely factors to trigger the deformities

A pandemic recap : lessons we have learned

On January 2020, the WHO Director General declared that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The world has faced a worldwide spread crisis and is still dealing with it. The present paper represents a white paper concerning the tough lessons we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, an international and heterogenous multidisciplinary panel of very differentiated people would like to share global experiences and lessons with all interested and especially those responsible for future healthcare decision making. With the present paper, international and heterogenous multidisciplinary panel of very differentiated people would like to share global experiences and lessons with all interested and especially those responsible for future healthcare decision making.Non peer reviewe

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients