The energetic values of landscape components as a tool to describe the behavior of the brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) in relation to the ecological requirements

The aim of research was to study the brown bear presence in relation to the landscape pattern, expressed in terms of energy flows, through the quantification of the energetic values and meaning of the natural (biotic and a biotic) and human-related (road networks, settlements, etc.) landscape components. These values were correlated to the estimation of the energy requirements of the bears monitored with GPS techniques (n=4, males) and to the their presence and behavior. The spatial model of energetic values for landscape components have been developed by GIS technology and in the respect to the ecological requirements of brown bear in the central and north east alps (North of Italy, Slovenja and Austria). Data sources were public databases as Corine Land Cover project (UE), Carta della Natura Project (ISPRA) Digital Terrain Model. The spatial resolutions utilized was 1km2 and the UTM grid was used. For each quadrant was calculated: habitat cover, geomorphology, human presence, brightness (solar radiation corrected for the tree cover) feeding allowance (food allowance index, IDA), climate (Modis), and energy values expressed as estimation of the potential cost of locomotion, thermoregulation, feeding , resting (output) and as potential energy of food allowance (input). For each animals tracked by telemetry were estimated the energy requirements in relation to the cost of basal metabolism,. thermoregulation, locomotion, feeding for each utilized quadrants and compared to the utilized quadrants and in the respect to different level of utilization. The identification and development of landscape indexes, describing many environmental components with implications on animal energy requirements, has been coupled with a behavioral pattern analysis and the computation of animal energy outcomes and incomes. The obtained thematic maps showed the spatial distribution of these input and output: thought them it is possible make habitat characterizations showing potential satisfaction level in terms of ecological requirements for the Brown bear and obtain useful information for defining the habitat energetic suitability at the trans regional scale. This study has revealed several emergent diurnal-nocturnal and seasonal energetic patterns in the use of landscape resources, and has allowed the implementation of some spatially explicit models for the estimation of energy inputs and outputs; the cost of thermoregulation and locomotion (output) and the potential allowance of energy (input), seems to influence the use of landscape and bear behavior. The future development of this research through the use of other individual location datasets (also belonging to different geographical contexts) may allow to refine the approach and identify more precisely the key spatial variables to be measured in terms of energy, as well as to apply this approach to more sophisticated models like IBMs (Individual Based Models)

SPECIES IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

The overall objective of the project NAT2CARE - Mobilisation of citizenship for the recover and the conservation of the Natura 2000 transboundary areas \u2013 is to improve the status and the presence of the biodiversity within the project partners\u2019 Natura 2000 areas (the Julian Prealps Nature Park, the Triglav National implementing Natura 2000 habitat and species measures, by improving their integrated and cross-border anagement, by raising environmental awareness and training, and by increasing the promotion of ecosystem services

Comparison and integration of different techniques for the estimation of the minimum number of the brown bear (Ursus arctos, L.) in a peripheral and low density population

The north east of the alps (Friuli Venezia Giulia region) represents a peripheral area of the presence of the Dinaric population (for the north Dinaric population, 400-450 individual estimated) of the Brown Bear and in the last years some individuals from Trentino population (40-45 individuals estimated) have started to move to east and to use this areas. From 2004 to the 2013 in mountains areas of the Friuli Venezia Giulia has been studied (2000 km2) the presence of the Brown Bear with different techniques: the genetic sampling (by opportunistic and systematic methods), photo interpretation and behavioral analysis and radiotelemetry. The genetic samplings have been obtained by the hair traps (50 permanent hair traps plus 70 temporary and moving hair traps) and by opportunistic sampling. The success of the single hair traps have been studied in relation to the geomorphology and habitat characteristics and in respect to the year and season. The photos and videos (over 1000 samples considered) have been recorded, by infrared cameras (University of Udine and Regional Forestry Service, Hunters n=50), on the site of genetic monitoring and near the places of presence, like site of depredation or along the path. The video and photo has been analysed by Image J program to calculate some indexes derived from some measures of the head, body and color; the measures and indexes have been successively analyzed by multivariate analysis to distinguish different animals. The videos have been also analyzed to classify different behavior of the single animals. The classification with photo interpretation have been compared to classification obtained with genotyping. The success of the hair traps depends from the localization and habitat characteristics, with an evident effect of the year and season. The genetic analysis has detected the presence, from 2004, of 20 different genotypes (4 from Trentino 16 from the Slovenian population, 3 of them studied by telemetry), 15 of them in the last 3 years and 8 in the 2013; instead the analysis of photos and videos and behavior pattern has permitted to estimate the presence at least of 25 different individuals (11 in 2003). This fact confirmed that sometimes the hair traps are not useful because of the repeated use from the same individuals. Over the 70% of the hair sampling (with out any screening with photo and behavior analysis) obtained with the traps, comes from only 5 individuals. The phototrapping integrated to the hair traps can be useful to correct the minimum number of individuals and reduce the quantity of sampling to analyze. The choice of the location and distribution of the hair traps, integrated with photocameras and telemetry data, can reduce the research effort and can give some useful information on the ecology of the species

Humic substances affect Arabidopsis physiology by altering the expression of genes involved in primary metabolism, growth and development

Humic substances (HS), as component of soil organic matter, have been widely studied. Their positive effects on plant physiology have been further demonstrated, but there are no clear evidences about the direct as well as indirect mechanisms regulating these processes. In this paper a transcriptomic approach based on the detection of cDNA-AFLP markers was used to identify candidate genes potentially involved in the regulation of the response to HS in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using 160 primer combinations, the cDNA-AFLP enabled to identify 133 genes putatively involved in plant-HS interaction. Sequence analysis and Gene Ontology classification indicated that a large number of genes involved in developmental and metabolic processes, as well as in transcription regulation or RNA metabolism were identified as HS-regulated. Real-Time PCR analyses confirmed transcription levels of 32 HS-regulated genes. This study demonstrates that HS exert their effects on plant physiology by means of complex transcriptional networks. From the overall transcriptomic results we may hypothesize that HS exert their function through a multifaceted mechanism of action, partially connected to their well demonstrated auxin activity, but involving also IAA-independent signalling pathways