Small terrestrial mammals of Albania: distribution and diversity (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Rodentia)

In this paper new records are reported for 23 species of small terrestrial mammals (STM) of Albania collected during the field work campaigns organised in the framework of the project “Strengthening capacity in National Nature Protection – preparation for Natura 2000 network” (NaturAL) in Albania during the summer and autumn of 2016 and 2017 Data on small mammals were primarily collected through Sherman live-trapping campaigns in six high priority protected areas of Albania: Korab-Koritnik, Bredhi i Hotovës, Tomorri, Llogara-Karaburun, Divjakë-Karavasta, Liqeni i Shkodrës (Skadar lake), Lëpushë-Vermosh. Other data were obtained by analysis of owl pellets or by direct observation of individuals (dead or alive) in the field. For 21 species Erinaceus roumanicus, Neomys anomalus, Crocidura suaveolens, Crocidura leucodon, Suncus etruscus, Talpa stankovici/caeca, Myocastor coypus, Sciurus vulgaris, Glis glis, Dryomys nitedula, Muscardinus avellanarius, Microtus levis/arvalis, Microtus subterraneus, Microtus thomasi, Microtus felteni, Myodes glareolus, Apodemus sylvaticus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus epimelas, Mus musculus, and Mus macedonicus additional records are provide and their distributions reviewed, while the presence of two new species of shrews (Sorex araneus and Sorex minutus) for Albania is reported for the first time. A comprehensive review of the published and unpublished distribution records of STM species of the country is made, together with an updated checklist and distribution maps of the species

TRADING-OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY AND HYDROPOWER IN A UNIQUE BALKAN HOTSPOT (VJOSA RIVER WATERSHED, ALBANIA)

Inland waters and freshwater biodiversity in Albania constitute a valuable natural resource, in economic, cultural, aesthetic, scientific and educational terms. Amongst them Vjosa River watershed represents a unique feature, while its conservation and management are critical to the interests of local population, national and regional one. This review explores the special features of Vjosa River as one of the last living wild rivers in Europe. Along more than 230 kilometers in Albania it is untamed and free flowing, characterized by beautiful canyons, braided river sections and meandering stretches. Together with its tributaries, the Vjosa River creates a dynamic near-natural ecosystem, a true regional natural heritage. However, eight dams are foreseen along its course in Albania. These dam projects would destroy the unique river system. The river itself, from delta to upland flows, is migration corridor for European eel (Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758) and many other marine species

BioNNA: the Biodiversity National Network of Albania

Recently, the Albanian Government started the process to join the European Union. This process also involves matching the EU parameters in protecting its biodiversity. In order to support the Albanian authorities, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate for Development Cooperation (DGCS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) joined efforts in the project “Institutional Support to the Albanian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Water Administration for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation and Use in Protected Areas”. This project aims at identifying priority needs in safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. Another project funded by the EU – “Strengthening capacity in National Nature Protection – preparation for Natura 2000 network” – started in 2015 with the aim to raise awareness for assisting local and national Albanian institutions to better exploit the potential of protected areas. One of the main issues encountered during these projects was the need for a national biodiversity data repository. The Biodiversity National Network of Albania (BioNNA) has been created to aggregate occurrence records of plants and animals and aims at becoming the most relevant source of information for biodiversity data as far as Albania is concerned. In this paper, the authors detail structure and data of BioNNA, including the process of data gathering and aggregation, taxonomic coverage, software details and WebGIS development. BioNNA is a milestone on the path towards Albania’s inclusion in the EU and has also a relevant potential social relevance for improving people’s awareness on the importance of biodiversity in the country

Uma Reflexão sobre Didática na Educação Básica: o apostilamento no 4.º ano

Este trabalho descreve como a lógica adultocêntrica, que há muito rege as relações escolares, pode comprometer a didática e suas metodologias, em especial o apostilamento. O aporte teórico se baseia no pragmatismo de Dewey e Peirce, fundamentando as análises das linguagens que se interpenetram na elaboração dos conteúdos. Abordam-se exercícios de uma apostila do 4.º ano do ensino fundamental, vendida em nível nacional, relativos às disciplinas de geografia e matemática. As asserções obtidas revelam que a experiência infantil foi pouco considerada, o que explica em parte o desinteresse das crianças pelos discursos pedagógico-científicos, tais como aparecem nas apostilas. Como resposta possível ao problema, propõe-se o encontro entre as subjetividades docente e discente

Small terrestrial mammals of Albania: annotated list and distribution

Abstract:
 <strong>Abstract</strong>
 We report for Albania new records of small terrestrial mammals (Erinaceomorpha, Soricomorpha, Rodentia) and outline previously published data. Twenty-four species (one hedgehog, six soricomorhps and 17 rodents) have been collected in 161 localities surveyed throughout the country. Nine species (<em>Neomys anomalus</em>, <em>Crocidura leucodon</em>, <em>Talpa stankovici</em>, <em>Dryomys nitedula</em>, <em>Muscardinus avellanarius</em>, <em>Micromys minutus</em>, <em>Mus macedonicus</em>, <em>Myodes glareolus</em>, and <em>Microtus thomasi</em>) are recorded for Albania for the first time. The present list is far from being complete and presence of a further 11 species has to be confirmed.
 
 <strong>Riassunto</strong>
 <strong>I Micromammiferi dell'Albania: status e distribuzione</strong>
 Viene presentato un quadro della distribuzione dei micromammiferi in Albania, evidenziando le specie di recente scoperta così come alcuni dati già pubblicati. L'esame di 161 località distribuite sull'intero territorio nazionale ha permesso di raccogliere informazioni sulla presenza di 24 specie di micromammiferi (1 Erinaceomorpha, 6 Soricomorpha e 17 Rodentia). Nove specie  (<em>Neomys anomalus</em>, <em>Crocidura leucodon</em>, <em>Talpa stankovici</em>, <em>Dryomys nitedula</em>, <em>Muscardinus avellanarius</em>, <em>Micromys minutus</em>, <em>Mus macedonicus</em>, <em>Myodes glareolus</em>, e <em>Microtus thomasi</em>) vengono segnalate per la prima volta. L'elenco qui presentato non può essere considerato definitivo. Ulteriori ricerche potrebbero accertare la presenza di altre 11 specie

Diversity of MHC class II DRB alleles in the Northern chamois genus Rupicapra

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are commonly used markers for monitoring adaptive genetic and evolutionary potential of species. In this study, we investigated genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus in the chamois genus Rupicapra by using next-generation sequencing. Sequencing of 102 samples led to the identification of 25 alleles, 11 of which are novel. The high ratio of the relative rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (dN/dS) suggests a signal of positive selection on this locus. We analyzed patterns of genetic variation within and among 2 subspecies of Northern Chamois and compared them to previously published studies using neutral markers to provide a basis for assessing the effects of demographic processes. Our analyses have shown that alleles are likely to be maintained by balancing selection in different populations with similar frequencies and that this mechanism also works in small, isolated populations that are strongly affected by genetic drift

Data from: Recovery of large carnivores in Europe’s modern human-dominated landscapes

The conservation of large carnivores is a formidable challenge for biodiversity conservation. Using a data set on the past and current status of brown bears (Ursus arctos), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), gray wolves (Canis lupus), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) in European countries, we show that roughly one-third of mainland Europe hosts at least one large carnivore species, with stable or increasing abundance in most cases in 21st-century records. The reasons for this overall conservation success include protective legislation, supportive public opinion, and a variety of practices making coexistence between large carnivores and people possible. The European situation reveals that large carnivores and people can share the same landscape