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Schorr RA, Matthews MD, Hoover BA. Finding Bat Roosts along Cliffs: Using Rock Climbing Surveys to Identify Roosting Habitat of Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.1.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Schorr
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Climbers for Bat Conservation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Michael D. Matthews
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Climbers for Bat Conservation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Bailey A. Hoover
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Climbers for Bat Conservation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
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Uhrin M, Satterfield L, Kaňuch P, Benda P. Habitat use and seasonal activity of bats on a large eastern Mediterranean island: Insights from acoustic surveys (Mammalia: Chiroptera). ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2021.1992837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Uhrin
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia
| | - Lauren Satterfield
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A
| | - Peter Kaňuch
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Petr Benda
- Department of Zoology, National Museum (Natural History), Praha, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Praha, Czech Republic
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Do We Need to Use Bats as Bioindicators? BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10080693. [PMID: 34439926 PMCID: PMC8389320 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Bioindicators are organisms that react to the quality or characteristics of the environment and their changes. They are vitally important to track environmental alterations and take action to mitigate them. As choosing the right bioindicators has important policy implications, it is crucial to select them to tackle clear goals rather than selling specific organisms as bioindicators for other reasons, such as for improving their public profile and encourage species conservation. Bats are a species-rich mammal group that provide key services such as pest suppression, pollination of plants of economic importance or seed dispersal. Bats show clear reactions to environmental alterations and as such have been proposed as potentially useful bioindicators. Based on the relatively limited number of studies available, bats are likely excellent indicators in habitats such as rivers, forests, and urban sites. However, more testing across broad geographic areas is needed, and establishing research networks is fundamental to reach this goal. Some limitations to using bats as bioindicators exist, such as difficulties in separating cryptic species and identifying bats in flight from their calls. It is often also problematic to establish the environmental factors that influence the distribution and behaviour of bats. Abstract Bats show responses to anthropogenic stressors linked to changes in other ecosystem components such as insects, and as K-selected mammals, exhibit fast population declines. This speciose, widespread mammal group shows an impressive trophic diversity and provides key ecosystem services. For these and other reasons, bats might act as suitable bioindicators in many environmental contexts. However, few studies have explicitly tested this potential, and in some cases, stating that bats are useful bioindicators more closely resembles a slogan to support conservation than a well-grounded piece of scientific evidence. Here, we review the available information and highlight the limitations that arise in using bats as bioindicators. Based on the limited number of studies available, the use of bats as bioindicators is highly promising and warrants further investigation in specific contexts such as river quality, urbanisation, farming practices, forestry, bioaccumulation, and climate change. Whether bats may also serve as surrogate taxa remains a controversial yet highly interesting matter. Some limitations to using bats as bioindicators include taxonomical issues, sampling problems, difficulties in associating responses with specific stressors, and geographically biased or delayed responses. Overall, we urge the scientific community to test bat responses to specific stressors in selected ecosystem types and develop research networks to explore the geographic consistency of such responses. The high cost of sampling equipment (ultrasound detectors) is being greatly reduced by technological advances, and the legal obligation to monitor bat populations already existing in many countries such as those in the EU offers an important opportunity to accomplish two objectives (conservation and bioindication) with one action.
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Apoznański G, Kokurewicz TS, Petterson S, Sánchez-Navarro S, Górska M, Rydell J. Barbastelles in a Production Landscape: Where Do They Roost? ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Apoznański
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Chełmońskiego 38C, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Tomasz S. Kokurewicz
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Chełmońskiego 38C, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | | | - Monika Górska
- ZOO Wrocław, Wróblewskiego 1-5, 51-618 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jens Rydell
- Biology Department, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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Wieser D, Mixanig H, Krainer K, Bruckner A, Reiter G. The Importance of Inland Cliffs and Quarries for Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.2.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Wieser
- Arge NATURSCHUTZ, Gasometergasse 10, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Harald Mixanig
- Arge NATURSCHUTZ, Gasometergasse 10, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Klaus Krainer
- Arge NATURSCHUTZ, Gasometergasse 10, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Alexander Bruckner
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Guido Reiter
- Austrian Coordination Centre for Bat Conservation and Research (KFFÖ), Fritz-Störk-Strasse 13, 4060 Leonding, Austria
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Ancillotto L, Bosso L, Smeraldo S, Mori E, Mazza G, Herkt M, Galimberti A, Ramazzotti F, Russo D. An African bat in Europe, Plecotus gaisleri: Biogeographic and ecological insights from molecular taxonomy and Species Distribution Models. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5785-5800. [PMID: 32607190 PMCID: PMC7319239 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of the high risk of going unnoticed, cryptic species represent a major challenge to biodiversity assessments, and this is particularly true for taxa that include many such species, for example, bats. Long-eared bats from the genus Plecotus comprise numerous cryptic species occurring in the Mediterranean Region and present complex phylogenetic relationships and often unclear distributions, particularly at the edge of their known ranges and on islands. Here, we combine Species Distribution Models (SDMs), field surveys and molecular analyses to shed light on the presence of a cryptic long-eared bat species from North Africa, Plecotus gaisleri, on the islands of the Sicily Channel, providing strong evidence that this species also occurs in Europe, at least on the islands of the Western Mediterranean Sea that act as a crossroad between the Old Continent and Africa. Species Distribution Models built using African records of P. gaisleri and projected to the Sicily Channel Islands showed that all these islands are potentially suitable for the species. Molecular identification of Plecotus captured on Pantelleria, and recent data from Malta and Gozo, confirmed the species' presence on two of the islands in question. Besides confirming that P. gaisleri occurs on Pantelleria, haplotype network reconstructions highlighted moderate structuring between insular and continental populations of this species. Our results remark the role of Italy as a bat diversity hotspot in the Mediterranean and also highlight the need to include P. gaisleri in European faunal checklists and conservation directives, confirming the usefulness of combining different approaches to explore the presence of cryptic species outside their known ranges-a fundamental step to informing conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Sonia Smeraldo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Dipartimento di Scienze della VitaUniversità degli Studi di SienaSienaItaly
| | - Giuseppe Mazza
- CREA Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationFirenzeItaly
| | - Matthias Herkt
- Faculty of Geo‐Information Science and Earth ObservationUniversity of TwenteEnschedeThe Netherlands
| | - Andrea Galimberti
- ZooPlantLabDipartimento di Biotecnologie e BioscienzeUniversità degli Studi di Milano ‐ BicoccaMilanoItaly
| | - Fausto Ramazzotti
- ZooPlantLabDipartimento di Biotecnologie e BioscienzeUniversità degli Studi di Milano ‐ BicoccaMilanoItaly
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
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Ancillotto L, Mori E, Bosso L, Agnelli P, Russo D. The Balkan long-eared bat (Plecotus kolombatovici) occurs in Italy – first confirmed record and potential distribution. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Apoznański G, Sánchez-Navarro S, Kokurewicz T, Pettersson S, Rydell J. Barbastelle bats in a wind farm: are they at risk? EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1202-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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What is driving range expansion in a common bat? Hints from thermoregulation and habitat selection. Behav Processes 2018; 157:540-546. [PMID: 29870799 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human-induced alterations of ecosystems and environmental conditions often lead to changes in the geographical range of plants and animals. While modelling exercises may contribute to understanding such dynamics at large spatial scales, they rarely offer insights into the mechanisms that prompt the process at a local scale. Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii) is a vespertilionid bat widespread throughout the Mediterranean region. The species' recent range expansion towards northeastern Europe is thought to be induced by urbanization, yet no study actually tested this hypothesis, and climate change is a potential alternative driver. In this radio-telemetry study, set in the Vesuvius National Park (Campania region, Southern Italy) we provide insights into the species' thermal physiology and foraging ecology and investigate their relationships with potential large-scale responses to climate, and land use changes. Specifically, we test whether H. savii i) exploits urbanisation by selecting urban areas for roosting and foraging, and ii) tolerates heatwaves (a proxy for thermophily) through a plastic use of thermoregulation. Tolerance to heatwaves would be consistent with the observation that the species' geographic range is not shifting but expanding northwards. Tracked bats roosted mainly in buildings but avoided urban habitats while foraging, actively selecting non-intensive farmland and natural wooded areas. Hypsugo H. savii showed tolerance to heat, reaching the highest body temperature ever recorded for a free-ranging bat (46.5 °C), and performing long periods of overheating. We conclude that H. savii is not a strictly synurbic species because it exploits urban areas mainly for roosting, and avoids them for foraging: this questions the role of synurbization as a range expansion driver. On the other hand, the species' extreme heat tolerance and plastic thermoregulatory behaviour represent winning traits to cope with heatwaves typical of climate change-related weather fluctuations.
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Activity of Southeastern Bats Along Sandstone Cliffs Used for Rock Climbing. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.3996/032017-jfwm-020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Bats in the eastern United States are facing numerous threats and many species are in decline. Although several species of bats commonly roost in cliffs, researchers know little about use of cliffs for foraging and roosting. Because rock climbing is a rapidly growing sport and may cause disturbance to bats, our objectives were to examine use of cliff habitats by bats and to assess the effects of climbing on their activity. We used radiotelemetry to track small-footed bats Myotis leibii to day roosts, and Anabat SD2 detectors to compare bat activity between climbed and unclimbed areas of regularly climbed cliff faces, and between climbed and unclimbed cliffs. We tracked four adult male small-footed bats to nine day roosts, all of which were in various types of crevices including five cliff-face roosts (three on climbed and two on unclimbed faces). Bat activity was high along climbed cliffs and did not differ between climbed and unclimbed areas of climbed cliffs. In contrast, overall bat activity was significantly higher along climbed cliffs than unclimbed cliffs; species richness did not differ between climbed and unclimbed cliffs or areas. Lower activity along unclimbed cliffs may have been related to lower cliff heights and more clutter along these cliff faces. Due to limited access to unclimbed cliffs of comparable size to climbed cliffs, we could not thoroughly test the effects of climbing on bat foraging and roosting activity. However, the high overall use of climbed and unclimbed cliff faces for foraging and commuting that we observed suggests that cliffs may be important habitat for a number of bat species. Additional research on bats' use of cliff faces will improve our understanding of the factors that affect their use of this habitat including the impacts of climbing.
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Silva C, Cabral JA, Hughes SJ, Santos M. A modelling framework to predict bat activity patterns on wind farms: An outline of possible applications on mountain ridges of North Portugal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:337-349. [PMID: 28062112 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide ecological impact assessments of wind farms have gathered relevant information on bat activity patterns. Since conventional bat study methods require intensive field work, the prediction of bat activity might prove useful by anticipating activity patterns and estimating attractiveness concomitant with the wind farm location. A novel framework was developed, based on the stochastic dynamic methodology (StDM) principles, to predict bat activity on mountain ridges with wind farms. We illustrate the framework application using regional data from North Portugal by merging information from several environmental monitoring programmes associated with diverse wind energy facilities that enable integrating the multifactorial influences of meteorological conditions, land cover and geographical variables on bat activity patterns. Output from this innovative methodology can anticipate episodes of exceptional bat activity, which, if correlated with collision probability, can be used to guide wind farm management strategy such as halting wind turbines during hazardous periods. If properly calibrated with regional gradients of environmental variables from mountain ridges with windfarms, the proposed methodology can be used as a complementary tool in environmental impact assessments and ecological monitoring, using predicted bat activity to assist decision making concerning the future location of wind farms and the implementation of effective mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Silva
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, CITAB - Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-911 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - João Alexandre Cabral
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, CITAB - Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-911 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Samantha Jane Hughes
- Fluvial Ecology Laboratory CITAB, Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-911 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Mário Santos
- Laboratory of Applied Ecology, CITAB - Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-911 Vila Real, Portugal.
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Abstract
Most bat species show plasticity in their choice of habitat and landscape. This study focuses on the distribution and activity of bats along the hillsides and onto the shores of a low salinity marine Norwegian fiord at 62°N. Ultrasound was recorded using D500 detectors in June and July at 42 different sites from the shoreline and up the hillsides to around 200 m. Detectors were placed in well-preserved woodlands. OnlyPipistrellussp., northern batsEptesicus nilssoniiand bats of theMyotisgenus were common. There was a clear non-linear spatial distribution pattern along these slopes, with a pronounced increase in the number of recorded bats at short distances from the shore. On all six nights, the detector closest to the shore had the highest number of recorded bats. A pattern was also seen in bat distribution over time.Pipistrellussp., northern bats andMyotisspecies all had a peak near the shore during the darkest part of the night, which is around 01.35 h in mid-summer at this latitude. At greater distances,Pipistrellussp. and northern bats had a peak around 40 minutes to one hour before the darkest part of the night, respectively. Here,Myotisspp. peaked about an hour after 01.35.
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Mifsud CM, Vella A. Factors Affecting Foraging Activity of Pipistrelle Bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) on the Islands of Malta. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2015. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2015.17.2.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Ancillotto L, Tomassini A, Russo D. The fancy city life: Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii, benefits from urbanisation. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr15003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Urbanisation is often regarded as a major threat to global biodiversity. Although wildlife is frequently affected by urbanisation, some species may actually benefit from it. Bats are among the commonest wild mammals in human-modified areas, and some species seem particularly well suited to exploit urban habitats where they find roosting and foraging opportunities.
Aims
We investigated habitat selection around roosts of synurbic Kuhl’s pipistrelles, Pipistrellus kuhlii, in Italy.
Methods
We measured the effects of the amount of urban habitat on bat reproductive timing and success in human-modified environments.
Key results
We found that P. kuhlii selects roosts surrounded by areas featuring urban habitats, especially those subject to urban development. Colonies in cities and suburbs advanced parturition time and produced more pups than those in rural areas. Permanent water sources and artificial lights in the surrounding habitats also seemed to favour the species reproductive success, particularly in developing urban areas.
Conclusions
Our results showed that this bat benefits from urbanisation and provided new insights on the effects of this major process on animal ecology and conservation in urban environments.
Implications
Although the ecological flexibility and positive response to urbanisation of P. kuhlii may help explain its recent range expansion, the role of climate change as a potential driver of this process has yet to be tested.
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Russo D, Ancillotto L. Sensitivity of bats to urbanization: a review. Mamm Biol 2014; 80:205-212. [PMID: 32226358 PMCID: PMC7094881 DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this article we review the current knowledge of the effects of urban
expansion on bats and assess the potential of these mammals as bioindicators of
urbanization. The response of bats to this process is highly species-specific: some
species tolerate urban habitat or are even favoured by its roosting or foraging
opportunities, others are affected by the loss or fragmentation of key natural
habitat, or by the physical and chemical pollution associated with urbanization.
Species responses generally translate into altered community structures, with few
markedly dominating species. We propose different hypothetical models of bat fitness
along an urbanization gradient and discuss why bat population density may not be an
effective fitness proxy to assess the reactions of these mammals to urban expansion.
We also suggest that urban habitat may act as an ecological trap even for apparently
synurbic species. Overall, bat sensitivity to urbanization makes these mammals
promising candidates to track the effects of this process of land use change on the
biota, but more studies, specifically tailored to explore this role, are
needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Russo
- 1Wildlife Research Unit, Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata, Sezione di Biologia e Protezione dei Sistemi Agrari e Forestali, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Università 100, Portici, Napoli, I-80055 Italy.,2School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- 1Wildlife Research Unit, Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata, Sezione di Biologia e Protezione dei Sistemi Agrari e Forestali, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Università 100, Portici, Napoli, I-80055 Italy.,3Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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