Eto-ecologia di specie simpatriche di formiche mietitrici del genere Messor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sfruttamento delle risorse, rapporti interspecifici, nicchia ecologica

L'insieme di concetti come nicchia ecologica, ripartizione delle risorse e competizione esclusiva è fondamentale per spiegare la coesistenza delle specie nelle comunità animali. Affinché due specie possano coesistere stabilmente in un determinato ambiente, queste devono mostrare delle differenze nell'utilizzo delle risorse a disposizione. Il presente studio, svolto all’interno della Tenuta Presidenziale di Castelporziano (Roma), sui meccanismi coinvolti nella coesistenza di specie simpatriche di formiche mietitrici del genere Messor, ha evidenziato chiare differenze nelle strategie comportamentali da esse adottate riguardo ai tre assi di nicchia presi in considerazione: spazio, cibo e tempo. I dati ottenuti mostrano come le due specie tendano a limitare gli effetti della competizione per le risorse, shift di nicchia, soprattutto quando la loro disponibilità nell’ambiente diventa inferiore. Lo studio da noi effettuato ha inoltre fatto emergere una serie di questioni insolute per le quali saranno necessari ulteriori indagini di campo e laboratorio

Ecological coexistence of low-density populations of Apodemus sylvaticus and A. flavicollis (Mammalia: Rodentia)

The population size (estimated by POPAN method) and potential interspecific competition and spatial distribution in relation to vegetation features were studied in two sympatric and syntopic rodent species, Apodemus sylvaticus and Apodemus flavicollis. The study was performed by capture-mark-recapture study within a trap grid, at two adjacent forest sites in Mediterranean central Italy. We found that the population sizes of the two rodent species were comparatively lower than those recorded in conspecifics from other central Italian areas, and that the potential for interspecific competition was low at both sites, as revealed by the lack of negative correlations between the relative abundances of the two species after Monte Carlo analyses. The number of captures of both rodent species was not correlated to either the number of trees in each grid cell or the sum of tree diameters. The general implications of the obtained results are discussed

Competizione e distribuzione spaziale: analisi preliminari su specie simpatriche di formiche mietitrici del genere Messor.

Proceeding

A Survey on the combined use of IoT and Edge AI to improve Driver Monitoring systems

As revealed by different reports, one of the most dangerous daily activities is driving. In fact, a driver must be totally focused on the road, and avoid all possible distractions that may cause disasters or tragedies. This danger is especially felt by professional drivers, like taxi or truck drivers, that drive every day for long distances. Although different initiatives have already led to the introduction of specific legislative rules to prevent accidents (e.g., speed limits, maximum driving hours, obligatory wearing of seat belts, etc.), unfortunately various car accidents are still registered daily on almost every road in the world. The Internet of Things is one of the paradigms that have been preventing the occurrence of these dangerous scenarios by introducing new sensors and devices that enable more accurate control over both road and drivers. Nonetheless, in recent years, the IoT domain itself is dealing with a new revolution fostered by the introduction of Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing concepts. The present paper aims to identify, through a state-of-the-art review, the most interesting works that exploit the combination of Artificial Intelligence, Edge Computing and IoT techniques to improve the safety in the driving sector. After presenting the results of the analysis that confirm the interest of researchers in such a direction, the paper describes a first version of a prototype developed to demonstrate the benefits that the combination of AI and IoT can bring to society and propose some interesting future scenarios

Multi-set indicators to assess environmental quality using soil micro arthropods, plants and humus.

The present study used a multi-set indicator approach to evaluate environmental quality in complex ecosystem. The simultaneous analysis of information deriving from different ecosystem scales and/or taxonomic groups was used to achieve a better understanding of the interconnected above- and below-ground ecosystem com-ponents. Three indicator sets were utilized in eight sampling sites representative of the main habitats of a Mediterranean area in Central Italy, the Castelporziano Presidential Estate:(1) plant indicators derived from Ellenberg and Hemeroby models; (2) fauna indicators from soil microarthropods; and (3) humus forms and soil parameters from direct measure-ments. Principal component analysis and Spearman corre-lation test were performed on the data indicators/parameters matrix to evaluate the agreement of the multi-set in describing environmental quality. Results highlighted sig-nificant correlations among the different indicators/parameters. In particular, vascular plants and soil microar-thropods represent two independent gradients in assessing ecosystem functioning, whilst humus forms provided sim-ilar information on habitat characteristics