Dataset Information

Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy.

ABSTRACT: Forest ecosystems play an important role for the conservation of biodiversity, and for the protection of ecological processes. The Po plain woodlands which once covered the whole Plain, today are reduced in isolated highly threatened remnants by modern intensive agriculture. These close to natural floodplain forests are one of the most scarce and endangered ecosystems in Europe. Saproxylic species represent a major part of biodiversity of woodlands. The saproxylic insects are considered one of the most reliable bio-indicators of high-quality mature woodlands and have a very important role in regard to the protection and monitoring of forest biodiversity due to their highly specific living environments. As a result of the dramatic reduction of mature forests and the decreased availability of deadwood most of the saproxylic communities are greatly diminishing. The study was conducted in the Ticino Valley Regional Park and the aim is to contribute to the expansion of knowledge on the saproxylic beetles of Lombardy. We investigated 6 sampling sites belonging to alluvial and riparian mixed forests. For each forest we selected 12 trees. For beetles' collection we used two different traps: Eclector Traps and Trunk Window Traps (total of 72 traps and 864 samples collected). We determined 4.387 beetles from 87 saproxylic species belonging to 21 families. Of these species 51 were not included in the previous checklist of the Park. By comparing the two different techniques used for catching saproxylic beetles, we found a significantly high difference in species richness between Window Traps (WT) and Eclector Traps (ET) with a higher number of species captured in the Window Traps. However, the combined use of two different types of traps significantly expanded the spectrum of insects captured Among the species reported as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List, we found interesting species such as the ElateridaeCalambusbipustulats, the EucnemidaeMelasisbuprestoides and the following species never previously found in the Park: CerambycidaeXylotrechusrusticus, the CetoniidaeValgushemipterus, the ElateridaeLaconpunctatus, the MycetophagidaeMycetophaguspiceus, Litargusconnexus. Although we didn't find species listed in the Annexes of the EU Habitat Directive, some of the species found are locally threatened because of their rarity, local distribution, and strong linkage to old forests. Among these species there are the BothrideridaeBothrideresbipunctatus, the CerambycidaePrionuscoriarius and Xylotrechusrusticus, the DryophthoridaeDryophthoruscorticalis, the EucnemidaeNematodesfilum (with only 1 individual captured in Alnus unmanged forest), the HisteridaeAeletesatomarius and Paromalusflavicornis, the LaemophloeidaeCryptolestesduplicatus, the LatridiidaeEnicmusrugosus and Latridiushirtus, the MycetophagidaeMycetophaguspiceus, and the ZopheridaeColydiumelongatum and Pycnomerusterebrans.

SUBMITTER: Stefanelli S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4152833 | biostudies-other | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy.

Stefanelli Silvia S Della Rocca Francesca F Bogliani Giuseppe G

Biodiversity data journal 20140722 2

Forest ecosystems play an important role for the conservation of biodiversity, and for the protection of ecological processes. The Po plain woodlands which once covered the whole Plain, today are reduced in isolated highly threatened remnants by modern intensive agriculture. These close to natural floodplain forests are one of the most scarce and endangered ecosystems in Europe. Saproxylic species represent a major part of biodiversity of woodlands. The saproxylic insects are considered one of t ...[more]

PMID: 25197230

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Project description:The study aimed to investigate (i) the occurrence of third-generation cephalosporins and/or carbapenems non-sensitive Enterobacterales in Pavia surface and groundwaters, (ii) their resistance determinants, and (iii) the clonal features of the most relevant strains. During May 13 and 14, 2019, n = 18 water samples from n = 12 sampling sites in the urban/peri-urban area of Pavia (Po Plain, Northern Italy) have been evaluated. At first, hydrochemical analysis and bacterial plate counts were carried out on all the water samples. One milliliter of each water sample was then screened on both MacConkey agar (MC) added with cefotaxime (1 mg/L; 2 mg/L) and MC plus meropenem (0.25 mg/L; 4 mg/L). Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibilities were assessed by MicroScan autoSCAN-4. Double Disk Synergy (DD) test, CT103XL microarray, acc(6')-Ib-cr, qnrS, blaCTX-M-/MOX-/VEB-/OXA-type genes targeted PCR and sequencing, Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), MultiLocus Sequence Typing (MLST), and Whole-Genome Sequencing on selected strains were performed. A total of n = 30 isolates grown on β-lactams enriched MC: Escherichia coli (n = 21; 70%), Klebsiella spp. (n = 5; 16.6%), Citrobacter freundii (n = 2; 6.7%), and Kluyvera intermedia (n = 2; 6.7%). All E. coli and K. pneumoniae were ESβL-producers by DD. The 66.6, 38.0, and 19.0% of E. coli were ciprofloxacin/levofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and gentamicin resistant (EUCAST 2019 breakpoints), respectively. A blaCTX-M-type determinant was identified in E. coli (n = 20/21; 95.2%) and K. pneumoniae (n = 2/3; 66.7%). The remaining E. coli was blaVEB-1 and blaMOX-2 genes positive. The aac(6')-Ib-cr determinant was found in n = 7 E. coli and n = 1 K. pneumoniae, while qnrS was found in n = 1 E. coli and n = 2 K. pneumoniae. PFGE showed clonal heterogeneity among ESβL-E. coli. Two out of four E. coli detected as blaOXA-244-positive, belonged to the pandemic ST131. One XDR K. pneumoniae from a stream sample, detected as blaKPC-2 positive, resulted of ST258. The epidemiological impact of blaOXA-244 ST131 E. coli and blaKPC-2 ST258 K. pneumoniae presence in surface waters of an urban area in Northern Italy must not be underestimated.

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Dataset Information

Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy.

Publications

Saproxylic beetles of the Po plain woodlands, Italy.

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