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Context Urbanization and its associated impacts on biodiversity are increasing globally. There is a need to enhance our understanding of species responses to inform strategies for sustainable urbanization. Objectives Three extensive bird monitoring campaigns took place over the last three decades in the city of Naples, Italy, providing a comprehensive longitudinal dataset to analyse occurrence trends of urban birds. We aimed to assess both species-specific and assemblage-level changes in urban birds according to land cover dynamics. Methods We extracted bird data for the periods 1990–95, 2000–05, and 2014–18, and explored the spatial and temporal relationships between bird presence/avian assemblage composition, and land cover variation. Results The species richness of breeding birds remained stable over time, despite a notable species turnover, influenced by changes in the species’ key land cover classes. Species associated with forest and urban land cover tended to colonise the area, while those dependent on abandoned and cultivated areas decreased or went locally extinct. Birds changed their degree of dependence upon their key habitat type over time, as species from marginal and open habitat types needed larger amounts of habitat to persist within the area, while forest species showed an opposite trend. Conclusions Habitat-driven changes in avian assemblages within the urban landscape led to an increase in forest-associated species, and a decrease in birds associated with declining habitat types. Our findings may inform urban planning to promote more wildlife-friendly cities, which for our study area should prioritise open and marginal habitats.

Variation in body size is thought as one of the main responses to climate change, yet studies exploring the existence of this pattern are limited by the scarcity of long temporal datasets. Bats are promising candidates for the occurrence of climate-driven changes in body size because their life cycle is highly sensitive to ambient temperature. Although a reduction in body size would adaptively imply more efficient heat dissipation under a climate change scenario, dehydration caused by heatwaves would in fact be limited by a larger body size, so either responses may be predicted. An increasing body size over time might also be the consequence of a longer growth season secured by a warmer climate. On such bases, we tested the hypothesis that body size varied in the bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum from Italian populations between 1869 and 2005 by examining forearm length (FAL) in 78 spatially independent specimens, and found that FAL increased over that period. We also ruled out that body size varied over space in relation to latitude (as predicted by Bergmann’s rule) or insularity, besides confirming the occurrence of sexual dimorphism (females being larger than males). This study illustrates a rare example of an increasing body size trend in a mammal species measured over ca. a century and a half, potentially unveiling a response to environmental variation.

We generated a risk map to forecast the potential effects of the spreading of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha across the Italian territory. We assessed the invader’s potential impact on rivers, lakes, watersheds and dams at a fine-grained scale and detected those more at risk that should be targeted with appropriate monitoring. We developed a MaxEnt model and employed weighted overlay analyses to detect the species’ potential distribution and generate risk maps for Italy. D. polymorpha has a greater probability of occurring at low to medium altitudes in areas characterised by fluviatile deposits of major streams. Northern and central Italy appear more at risk. Some hydroelectric power dams are at high risk, while most dams for irrigation, drinkable water reservoirs and other dam types are at medium to low risk. The lakes and rivers reaches (representing likely expansion pathways) at medium-high or high risk mostly occur in northern and central Italy. We highlight the importance of modelling potential invasions on a country scale to achieve the sufficient resolution needed to develop appropriate monitoring plans and prevent the invader’s harmful effects. Further high-resolution risk maps are needed for other regions partly or not yet colonised by the zebra mussel.

Across its European range, the Euphydryas aurinia complex (Annex II of the Habitats Directive) includes a series of distinct populations. At least 3 taxa occur in Italy, each showing slight morphological differences and distinct eco-ethological features. For the first time, we compared metapopulation dynamics of E. (a.) glaciegenita inhabiting a site in the NW Alps (2,100–2,300 m) with E. (a.) provincialis occurring in the Mediterranean biogeographical region in hilly dry grasslands (700 m). To describe patterns of dispersal, we applied the virtual migration model (VMM) to data collected using Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR). We used parameters of survival and migration to explore metapopulation characteristics. In particular we investigated the relative role of connectivity and patch quality in affecting migration rates. We observed differences between the two metapopulation systems, with the “Alpine” population occurring at higher altitude and in more open habitats, showing lower dispersal propensity. In contrast, even though the “Mediterranean” population is more prone to disperse, migration appears to have higher costs. Dispersal abilities affect metapopulation dynamics, which are at the basis of long-term perspectives of survival for butterfly populations. We discuss our results in the framework of conservation and management options for habitats occupied by these Italian taxa of the E. aurinia complex.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is an extremely dangerous worldwide pollutant due to its high toxicity towards all organisms. It has been introduced into the environment mainly as a wood preservative, biocides and from the bleaching of paper or tissues. The use of PCP indiscriminate has led to the contamination of water and soil systems. Many countries have specific regulations, guidelines or procedures for the management and disposal of PCP but the most common methods are: adsorption with activate carbons, incineration in an approved and secure area, closed in sealed containers and biological degradation. PCP depletion can occur either by abiotic processes such as: absorption, volatilization and photo degradation or by biotic degradation. One of the main studies focused on remediation using plants, animals and microbial communities. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms can degrade PCP under a variety of conditions and at different PCP concentrations. Bacterial strains such as Pseudomonas sp., Sphingomonas sp., Arthrobacter sp., Mycobacterium sp., Flavobacterium sp., Serratia sp. and Bacillus sp., and fungal cultures as Trametes sp., Phanerochaete sp., Anthracophyllum sp., Armillaria sp., Bjerkandera sp., Ganoderma sp., Lentinula sp., Penicillium sp, Trichoderma sp., Rhizopus sp. and Plerotus sp. showed various rates and extent of PCP degradation. This review focuses on PCP degradation by various aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms with emphases on the biological and chemical aspects. Furthermore we will analyze intermediate products, processes and enzymes involved in the degradation of PCP in different environmental conditions and at various PCP concentrations.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been used worldwide as a wood treatment agent and biocide. Its toxicity and extensive use have placed it among the most hazardous environmental pollutants. The response of a PCP-contaminated agricultural soil to the addition of solid urban waste compost and two exogenous Ascomycota fungal strains Byssochlamys nivea and Scopulariopsis brumptii was evaluated. The experiments were conducted in soil microcosms incubated for 28 days at 25 °C and 60 % moisture content. The depletion of PCP and the changes in biochemical soil properties (i.e. microbial biomass, soil respiration, dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activities) were detected. The addition of PCP severely depressed some of the tested biochemical properties such as microbial biomass, dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activities. By contrast, compost limited the negative effect of PCP on the dehydrogenase activity and soil respiration. When compost and fungal strains were contemporary present, a synergistic effect was observed with a reduction of more than 95 % of the extractable PCP after 28 days of incubation. No differences in PCP depletion resulted when fungi or compost were individually used. Our results indicate that many processes (i.e. microbial degradation and sorption to organic matter) likely occurred when PCP was added to the soil. The compost and the fungal strains, B. nivea and S. brumptii, showed good capability to tolerate and degrade PCP so that they could be successfully used in synergistic effect to treat PCP polluted soils.