Luciano Bani

The introduction and establishment of non-native wood-boring insects pose a significant threat to forest ecosystems, urban trees and agricultural systems worldwide. In this study, we assessed the invasion risk of two North American longhorn beetles, Saperda candida and Saperda tridentata , to Europe by integrating joint bioclimatic–habitat species distribution models with maritime connectivity data. Both species can infest live trees; S. candida is primarily associated with hosts in the Rosaceae, whereas S. tridentata mainly attacks Ulmus species, making both species of primary phytosanitary concern to Europe. We developed ensemble models that separately quantified the effects of broad-scale climatic variables and fine-scale habitat factors, including land cover and host plant availability and then combined them into overall suitability maps. These were further integrated with a proxy of propagule pressure, based on international shipping connectivity to generate spatially explicit invasion risk maps. Both species showed strong model performance and high transferability. Results indicate that large areas of Europe, particularly central and western regions, offer suitable environmental conditions for establishment, although climatic constraints limit suitability in southern and northern extremes. Host plant availability emerged as a key determinant of habitat suitability, while climate acted as the primary limiting factor in Europe. When combined with maritime connectivity, invasion risk was highest in central Europe, especially in regions with dense trade networks and high environmental suitability. Our findings highlight that invasion risk is driven by the interaction between environmental suitability and human-mediated pathways, emphasising the importance of integrating ecological modelling with trade data. This approach provides a robust framework for improving surveillance, prioritising high-risk areas and supporting preventative phytosanitary strategies against invasive wood-boring insects.

Popillia japonica is an invasive, highly polyphagous scarab beetle causing substantial economic and ecological impacts in invaded regions. In Italy, monitoring and management programs largely rely on pheromone‐based traps and attract‐and‐kill devices, while the effectiveness of feeding kairomones alone and the role of lure formulation parameters remain insufficiently evaluated. We assessed the field performance of synthetic kairomone blends based on 2‐Phenylethyl propionate and eugenol, testing the effects of blend concentration, ethanol content and the addition of geraniol. Field experiments were conducted at four sites in Northern Italy. Captures and sex ratio were analysed using generalised linear mixed‐effects models. Feeding‐kairomone lures captured significantly more beetles than apple cider vinegar and water controls. Within kairomone treatments, higher blend concentrations increased captures, while ethanol content also significantly influenced trap efficiency, with the 10% ethanol dilution outperforming the 30% dilution. In contrast, the addition of geraniol did not affect trap efficiency. Lure formulation did not introduce any detectable sex bias, as the sex ratio of captured beetles was not influenced by lure concentration or composition. These results demonstrate that feeding kairomones alone provide a robust attraction cue for P. japonica and that lure formulation is a key determinant of trap performance, supporting their use in pheromone‐independent monitoring and management strategies.

Functional diversity (FD) is an essential community property connecting biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and conservation objectives. In agricultural landscapes, avian communities, which play key functional roles, are facing large‐scale biodiversity erosion, largely due to land‐use changes. However, the long‐term spatiotemporal dynamics of FD and its responses to land use remain poorly understood. This study addressed this gap by analysing bird community data collected from lowland agricultural landscapes at a regional scale between 2007 and 2021. We analysed temporal trends in FD metrics (richness, divergence, evenness), their relationships with species richness, changes in functional composition, patterns of clustering/overdispersion, and examined the multi‐scale effects of land use across a local‐to‐landscape gradient. FD metrics were computed using a probabilistic hypervolume approach and standardised against null expectations. Cause–effect relationships were explored using generalized additive models. Results revealed a decline in FD metrics, despite recent recoveries in richness and divergence. Species richness increased linearly and negatively influenced FD metrics. These findings, coupled with evidence of functional clustering, suggested a loss of functions and originality in the functional space, an increase of redundancy, and a shift towards traits associated with forest‐dwelling, larger‐bodied or omnivorous species. Land use was found to affect FD, likely acting as an environmental filter promoting trait clustering. Built‐up areas exerted a detrimental effect on all FD metrics at smaller scales, while arable land increased FD across all scales. Woody features increased FD primarily at the landscape level, while hedgerows showed a reversed effect on evenness. Meadows and shrubs were important to sustain functional divergence at the local scale. Wetlands increased functional richness and divergence without affecting evenness. These findings raise important questions on the relationships between FD and species richness, emphasise the value of long‐term data, and highlight the benefit of a multi‐scale spatial approach for guiding land‐use planning and biodiversity conservation.

Lycorma delicatula is a species native to the PR of China that has become invasive in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. It is considered a significant threat to agriculture, particularly the viticulture industry, and its further spread into new areas could exacerbate its economic impact. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) are commonly used to analyze the distribution of invasive species, and while L. delicatula has already been studied using this spatial modeling approach, previous research has mostly focused on the effects of bioclimatic variables, often overlooking the role of habitat characteristics, including the presence of host plants. In our study, to assess the presence of other suitable habitats for the species on a global scale, we developed a two-step SDM calibrated within its native range, within biogeographic barriers. In the first step, we built two separate models: one for habitat suitability (HSM), incorporating land cover, elevation, and host plants, and another for bioclimatic suitability (BSM). The HSM calibration included the allocation of a portion of pseudo-absences (PAs) along background points (BPs) to mitigate the sampling bias of occurrences concentrated in highly urbanized areas (one bias-controlled PA for every four random BPs). In contrast, the BSM calibration was performed using a fully random allocation of BPs. In the second step, the two models were combined to produce an overall suitability map for the native range, which demonstrated excellent validation performance. When projected globally, the model confirmed that the species has already colonized suitable areas. Beyond the currently invaded regions (i.e., North America and East Asia), the model identifies additional colonizable areas exclusively in Europe. To evaluate the invasion dynamics in both currently invaded regions and potential future invasion areas in Europe, we developed a resistance-distance constrained dispersal model based on a) environmental resistance, derived from the overall suitability map produced by the SDM, and b) intrinsic dispersal distance, estimated from the temporal progression of occurrences in the primary invasion area in the eastern United States. The maximum annual dispersal distance was estimated to be approximately 25 kilometers. Given its relatively low annual dispersal capacity, the species appears capable of naturally spreading within areas of medium to high suitability, while its potential for expansion into low-suitability areas remains quite limited. Medium- and high-suitability regions where the species is already present are likely to undergo significant colonization over the next 10 years. In contrast, adventive populations in low-suitability areas seem unable to expand successfully without human-mediated translocations. In the absence of an adaptive capacity to thrive in ecological contexts different from its native range (niche change or niche shift), the species appears to be a relatively modest invader beyond its currently invaded areas or Europe. Successfully managing the invasion of L. delicatula therefore depends on the implementation of early detection and eradication measures, which should be deployed as promptly as possible, especially in highly suitable introduction areas.

This study aimed to investigate the ecology of the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) and Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) in the Po basin in northern Italy, where both species have faced significant population declines. Using data collected from three LIFE projects, we investigated movement behaviour and habitat selection of the species following restocking, reintroduction and river defragmentation actions implemented during the LIFE projects. The two species showed a distinct movement behaviour and habitat selection. A. naccarii preferred to stay in pool, and it showed a tendency to have a landlocked behaviour, whereas H. huso did not show a clear habitat selection, and it always moved downstream, supporting the typical anadromous behaviour of this species. Both species benefited from river defragmentation interventions. These findings underscore the importance of habitat conservation/restoration and defragmentation measures for the long‐term survival of sturgeon species.

Urban afforestation is increasingly regarded as a key strategy for fostering biodiversity to restore and enhance the ecosystem services needed to counteract the effects of climate change in built-up areas. In Italy, several experimental afforestation projects have been launched as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), focusing on cities or metropolitan areas such as Milan, Rome, Pistoia and Campobasso. These projects follow a multidisciplinary approach, integrating botanists, foresters, urban planners, landscape architects and remote sensing specialists. The goal is to address the challenging complexity of urban forest restoration through reforestation and afforestation actions. Key innovations include the integration of transdisciplinary methodologies (landscape analysis, landscape design, forest and plant ecology) with the application of advanced remote sensing technologies and participatory community engagement frameworks to address ecological and social challenges. Experimental plots have been set up across various urban areas, testing a range of planting schemes to maximise climate change resilience and ensure long-term ecological sustainability. Emphasis has been placed on selecting drought-tolerant and thermophilic species that are better adapted to widespread warming and local urban heat islands. ‘Biodiversity strips’ with perennial flowers for insects, shrubs with berries for birds and nests for wild bees and vertebrates have been set up to enhance biodiversity in new afforestation areas. Advanced monitoring tools, such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and multi-sensor drones, have been employed alongside field observations to assess forest growth, species survival, structural complexity and biodiversity enhancement over time. Historical analyses of landscape patterns and ecological connectivity over the past 200 years, along with evaluations of afforestation projects from the last 70 years, have provided critical insights into the successes and challenges of previous interventions, serving as a guide for future efforts. By focusing on ecological connectivity, the integration of afforested areas into the urban matrix, and citizen engagement, the current project aims to align urban forestry efforts with sustainable development goals. This comprehensive project framework addresses environmental restoration and the social and aesthetic impacts on local communities, contributing to the overall resilience and well-being of urban and peri-urban ecosystems.

Integrating host plants in distribution modeling of phytophagous species and disentangling the effect of habitat and bioclimatic variables are key aspects to produce reliable predictions when the aim is to identify suitable areas outside species’ native range. To this aim, we implemented a framework of Species Distribution Model aimed at predicting potential suitable areas of establishment for the beetle Psacothea hilaris across the world. Since habitat (including host plants) and bioclimatic variables affect species distribution according to processes acting at different geographical scales, we modeled these variables separately. For the species native range, we fitted a habitat (HSM) and a bioclimatic (BSM) suitability model calibrated on a local and a large scale, respectively; the overall suitability map was obtained as the spatial product of HSM and BSM projection maps. ROC, TSS and Cohen’s Kappa obtained in validation confirmed a good predictive performance of modeling framework. Within HSM, host plants played a substantial effect on species presence probability, while among bioclimatic variables, precipitation of the warmer quarter and isothermality were the most important. Native HSM and BSM models were used to realize an overall suitability map at world scale. At global scale, many areas resulted suitable for habitat, some for bioclimate, and few for both conditions; indeed, if the species would not be able to modify its bioclimatic niche, it might not be considered a major invasive species. However, the high rate of range expansion documented for P. hilaris in Northern Italy, a poorly suitable bioclimatic area, suggests a plasticity of the species that requires increasing the level of attention to its invasive potential.

Population responses to environmental changes can often vary geographically and between environments, potentially as a consequence of differing niche dynamics. The Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis is an open‐habitat passerine bird that is declining throughout Europe, mainly due to agricultural intensification. We compared population trends (1992–2021) of the species across three sub‐regions of northern Italy characterized by different environmental conditions and human pressures: the Alpine sub‐region (less anthropized mountains), the Plain (strongly anthropized and intensively cultivated) and the Oltrepò (less intensively cultivated hills), with changes in the realized Grinnellian niches over three decades. In each sub‐region, niche comparisons did not show divergence over the study. However, we found an overall reduction in niche occupancy over time. In the Alpine sub‐region, a reduction in niche occupancy in hayfields and pastures was not associated with population decline; indeed, we found an increasing population (+164%), probably because high availability of natural grasslands counteracted niche contraction. Conversely, in the Plain and Oltrepò sub‐regions, the observed population declines (−99% and −36%, respectively) are associated with a general reduction of niche occupancy in arable lands that represented the core of the niche in these ranges. In the Plain, the lack of alternative suitable habitats might have limited any opportunity for the species to colonize new environments. Conversely, in the Oltrepò, the less severe population decline is combined with increased niche occupancy in hayfields and pastures at higher elevations. The joint application of population trend analysis and niche modelling as well as the decomposition of population changes across different environmental contexts can contribute to a better understanding of ecological processes affecting population dynamics, supporting policy‐makers to implement targeted conservation strategies.