More than 16% of parrot species (Aves Psittaciformes) of the world have currently established at least one breeding population outside their natural distribution ranges. Though including the most ...introduced bird species all over the world, their interactions with native biodiversity and environments are still poorly known. In this paper, we summarize current knowledge about impacts of introduced Psittaciformes and we identify possible gaps to be filled with future research. Breeding site requirements of alien parrots, e.g. trunk cavities, indicate potential routes of direct and indirect competition with native hole-nesting bird species. Interactions with arboreal rodents, bats and insects are poorly documented, but appear to be limited. Psittaciformes potentially affect economy and human wellness, being responsible for damage to crops and to electrical infrastructures. Association with noise pollution has also been suggested, as many alien populations breed in urban parks or close to human settlements. Psittaciformes are potential reservoirs of Chlamydophila psittaci , the etiological agent of human psittacosis, and other diseases transmittable to humans and wildlife. Less is known about impact on native flora as well as on ecosystem functions. Predictive research and information on ecosystem recovery after parrot removal are scarce too, as eradication programs are often hampered by the emotional affiliation linked to these birds.
Although neuroimaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, its predictive value for response to shunt surgery has not been established. The purpose of ...the current study was to identify neuroimaging markers that predict the shunt response of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Sixty patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus underwent presurgical brain MR imaging and clinical evaluation before and 1 year after shunt surgery. The assessed MR imaging features included the Evans index, high-convexity tightness, Sylvian fissure dilation, callosal angle, focal enlargement of the cortical sulci, bumps in the lateral ventricular roof, and deep white matter and periventricular hyperintensities. The idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus grading scale total score was used as a primary clinical outcome measure. We used measures for individual symptoms (ie, the idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus grading scale subdomain scores, such as gait, cognitive, and urinary scores), the Timed Up and Go test, and the Mini-Mental State Examination as secondary clinical outcome measures. The relationships between presurgical neuroimaging features and postoperative clinical changes were investigated by using simple linear regression analysis. To identify the set of presurgical MR imaging features that best predict surgical outcomes, we performed multiple linear regression analysis by using a bidirectional stepwise method.
Simple linear regression analyses demonstrated that presurgical high-convexity tightness, callosal angle, and Sylvian fissure dilation were significantly associated with the 1-year changes in the clinical symptoms. A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that presurgical high-convexity tightness alone predicted the improvement of the clinical symptoms 1 year after surgery.
High-convexity tightness is a neuroimaging feature predictive of shunt response in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.
The Siberian chipmunk is native to north‐eastern Asia, but alien populations of this squirrel, introduced through the pet trade, occur in many European countries. This rodent has been listed as an ...invasive species of European concern, being a potential vector of ticks spreading Lyme disease. We aimed to assess its current distribution range and to identify areas of potential invasion. Two sets of species distribution models were conducted, one considering the locations of the species (n = 625 occurrences) and the other with only the occurrences of the Korean subspecies (the invasive one in Europe; n = 255 occurrences), which might be a separate species from the Siberian one. We included 19 uncorrelated predictors (two topographic, nine land cover, five bioclimatic and three anthropogenic variables), which may represent the habitat characteristics of the target species. Most of the northern hemisphere supports the establishment of the Siberian chipmunk, particularly for the invasive Korean subspecies (especially in Europe, where it is already established), mostly in urban areas. Anthropogenic food supply was found to be an important factor promoting the growth of alien populations of chipmunks, whereas the presence of the native red squirrel at the time of introduction may limit it.
This article shows two sets of species distribution models considering different taxonomical analyses for ground‐dwelling squirrels, to predict their worldwide habitat suitability. The Siberian chipmunk has been recently listed among the invasive species of European concern; thus, its potential distribution should be analyzed in detail, starting from a solid taxonomical knowledge. In our work, we showed that different outputs are obtained using data of the whole species‐complex or of the single invasive taxon, the Korean chipmunk. Furthermore, food supply turned out to be an important factor promoting the growth of alien populations of chipmunks, whereas the presence of the native, larger red squirrel at the time of introduction may limit it. Photo credit: Alessio Iannucci.
Assessing the spatiotemporal overlap amongst animal species living in sympatry helps to shed light on mechanisms of interspecific coexistence. We analysed the spatiotemporal coexistence in a ...predator–prey system through multiyear camera trapping, in a mountainous protected area of southern Italy (January 2012–January 2017). Temporal activity patterns and their interspecific overlap, as well as spatial overlap, were estimated for a top predator, that is the wolf Canis lupus, three species of wild ungulates, four mesocarnivores, one small herbivore, livestock and humans. A wide nocturnal temporal overlap was detected between the wolf and almost all the other species (71–91%). The highest temporal (91%) and spatial (63%) overlaps were reported between the wolf and the red fox Vulpes vulpes. For wolf‐ungulate pairs, the highest temporal overlap (88%) was reported for the wild boar Sus scrofa, its local main prey. Considering all the other species pairs, spatial overlap was low (i.e. lower than 45%), whereas temporal overlap was substantial (71–91%). Our findings support a significant role of interspecific spatial partitioning in shaping coexistence amongst considered species, which might be influenced by differences in spatial distribution of different food resources.
Spatiotemporal activity patterns and their interspecific overlap were estimated for the grey wolf, three species of wild ungulates, four mesocarnivores, one small herbivore, livestock and humans. A wide nocturnal overlap was detected between the wolf and most other species, and their spatial overlap was the highest with the red fox. We found a significant role of interspecific spatial partitioning in shaping coexistence among considered species, which might be influenced by differences in the spatial distribution of different food resources.
Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) is known to recur after surgery. The treatment choice for recurrent ECRS, such as oral steroids or biological agents, must be chosen carefully, and ...identifying the lesion location may be useful. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative course of ECRS patients and assess the relationship between endoscopic lesion location and postoperative oral steroid use.
Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who underwent bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery from April 2018 to March 2020 were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of oral steroid use after surgery. The primary endpoint was the lesion location on endoscopic findings during surgery: middle turbinate, middle meatus, superior turbinate, superior meatus, nasal septum, and sphenoethmoidal recess. Subjective symptoms, blood tests, and computerized tomography (CT) findings (Lund-Mackay score) were evaluated as secondary endpoints.
Among 264 patients, 88 were diagnosed histologically with ECRS (mean 48.98 ± 1.40 years, 67 males/21 females). Twenty-three patients were steroid-using, 65 were steroid-free, and six stopped attending their appointments. Patients with sphenoethmoidal recess lesions were significantly more likely to require steroids (p = 0.019). There was a significant association between steroid use and younger age (p = 0.041), olfactory dysfunction (p = 0.021), and all sinuses (Frontal sinus: p < 0.001, Anterior ethmoid sinus: p = 0.002, Posterior ethmoid sinus: p = 0.011, Maxillary sinus: p = 0.018, Sphenoid sinus: p = 0.034, Total score: p < 0.001).
A sphenoethmoidal recess lesion was a risk factor for requiring postoperative steroids. Young age, olfactory dysfunction, and preoperative severe CT findings were also significant risk factors.
3 Laryngoscope, 2023.
Nest predation is reported as a cause of reproductive failure of ground‐nesting bird species whose populations in Europe are declining. Conversely, European populations of the wild boar Sus scrofa ...have been expanding, leading to increasing threats to habitats and ecological communities. The impacts of wild boar on ground‐nesting bird species are poorly known and have never been explicitly assessed. We conducted an artificial ground‐nest experiment in Mediterranean habitats of central Italy using camera traps to assess predator identities. Deployed nests contained quail or chicken eggs, and predation occurred within one week for 47/48 deployments carried out during March‐July 2020. The wild boar was the most common predator (36% deployments), followed by the magpie Pica pica (18%), the red fox Vulpes vulpes (10%) and the pine marten Martes martes (10%). Predation by other species was occasionally observed. Egg type and deployment habitat did not significantly influence time to predation or the likelihood that a nest was preyed upon by wild boar, respectively. The presence of a stuffed gull close to the nests significantly delayed predation. Nests preyed by birds and mammals other than wild boar were often subsequently scavenged by wild boar, which consumed the remaining eggs or eggshells. Time to predation increased from spring to summer, suggesting a reduction of predation intensity during periods when the availability of natural eggs is lowest. The likelihood of a nest being preyed upon by the wild boar compared to other predators increased when wild boar frequency of occurrence in 1‐week camera trap shootings was the highest, suggesting that higher abundance/activity of this species triggered increased egg predation. The wild boar might act as major predators of ground‐nesting bird species in Mediterranean habitats and the large‐scale population increase of this ungulate should be considered a significant threat to ground‐nesting species of European conservation concern.
We found that the wild boar was the most common predator of ground nests in Central Italy, followed by the magpie, the red fox and the pine marten. Nests preyed by birds and mammals other than wild boar were often subsequently scavenged by wild boar which consumed the remaining eggs or eggshells. The wild boar might act as a major predator of ground‐nesting bird species in Mediterranean habitats and the large‐scale population increase of this ungulate should be considered a significant threat to ground‐nesting birds of European conservation concern.
As known "ecosystem engineers", beavers influence river hydrology, geomorphology, biochemistry, and biological assemblages. However, there is a lack of research regarding the effects of beaver ...activities on freshwater meiofauna. In this study, we investigated the taxonomic and functional composition of the benthic copepod assemblage of a segment of the Tiber River (Italy) where a beaver dam, created about 7 weeks before our survey, had formed a semi-lentic habitat upstream and a lotic habitat downstream of the dam. We also analyzed the copepod assemblage before and after a flood event that destroyed the beaver dam, providing a unique opportunity to observe changes in a naturally reversing scenario. Our analyses revealed that, while the taxonomic composition and functional traits of the copepod assemblage remained largely unchanged across the recently formed semi-lentic and lotic habitats, substantial differences were evident between the dammed and undammed states. The dammed state showed lower copepod abundances, biomass, and functionality than the undammed one. These results highlight the role of beaver dams in changing the composition and functionality of meiofaunal assemblages offering insights into the dynamic interactions within aquatic ecosystems.
The genus Hystrix includes eight species of porcupines distributed in Eurasia and Africa, across a broad latitudinal gradient. Our aim was to assess whether porcupine skulls: (1) allow for a reliable ...interspecific distinction; (2) change in size proportionally with body size; (3) follow the Bergmann's rule. We measured 235 Hystrix skulls from museums and private collections. We tested for differences in skull size and we assessed whether variability in skull shape allows species recognition through a multivariate approach. All Hystrix species considered could be reliably identified by skull shape. Skull size was correlated with body size and species differed in skull shape and size, with skulls of Hystrix javanica and Hystrix africaeaustralis being respectively the smallest and the largest ones. Within Hystrix cristata, the Mediterranean and the sub‐Saharan clades differed for both skull size and shape. Using skull size, we could distinguish among African, mainland Italian and Sicilian populations. Skull size of this species decreased in size for increasing latitude values, contrary to prediction by the Bergmann's rule. Such latitudinal pattern may depend on the adaption of H. cristata to Equatorial African conditions, where the species evolved. In Italy (where H. cristata was introduced in the VI Century AD) and in North Africa, a smaller body size may be due to the local climate, or to a ‘founder effect’.
In our work, we aimed to assess whether porcupine skulls fit the Bergmann’s rule. We measured 235 Hystrix skulls of 5 species from museums and private collections. The opposite pattern of the Bergmann’s rule was observed in Hystrix cristata may be due to the fact that this species evolved in Equatorial Africa. In Italy (where introduced) and in North Africa as well, a smaller body‐size would occur because of unsuitable climates or as a result of the founder effect.
Competition for critical resources is one of the key mechanisms through which invasive species impact on native communities. Among birds, the widely introduced ring‐necked parakeet Psittacula krameri ...locally affects cavity‐nesting communities through competition for suitable tree cavities, although it remains unclear to what extent such competition translates into population declines of native species. Here, we studied the potential for nest site competition between ring‐necked parakeets and the native scops owl Otus scops, a small nocturnal migratory raptor, by comparing the spatial distribution of the nest site locations of the raptor before (2002) and after (2015) the parakeet invasion. Pre‐invasion nesting sites of scops owls (2002) strongly coincided with those selected by ring‐necked parakeets, but although both parakeet and scops owl populations increased during the study period, this was no longer true for 2015. Ring‐necked parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by scops owls, and land‐use data suggest that because of the higher overall breeding densities in 2015, scops owls were forced to occupy suboptimal breeding habitats to minimize nest site competition with invasive parakeets. Ring‐necked parakeets start breeding early in the season, a behaviour enabling them to secure the best nest sites first, before the owls return from their wintering grounds. Our study highlights that locally observed competition not necessarily impacts on population dynamics of competing species and thus warns against uncritical extrapolation of smaller scale studies for assessing invasive species risks at larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, given the increasing number of studies demonstrating its competitive capacities, monitoring of ring‐necked parakeet populations is prudent and mitigation measures (such as mounting of man‐made nest‐boxes, which are used by scops owls, but not by parakeets) may be justified when the parakeets are likely to invade areas harbouring cavity‐nesters of conservation concern.
Before the invasion of ring‐necked parakeets, scops owls occupied a number of breeding sites located within urban parks and green areas within the city of Follonica (Southern Tuscany). After the invasion, ring‐necked parakeets took over several cavities formerly occupied by owls, forcing them to breed in suboptimal areas to avoid competition with alien parrots. Locally observed competition may occur without affecting population size of native species.
During surgery to treat an aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery, injury to the subcallosal artery, a perforator of the anterior communicating artery, may lead to infarction that produces ...basal forebrain amnesia after surgery. Our purpose was to examine whether 3D MR imaging can detect subcallosal artery infarction in patients with amnesia after surgery for an anterior communicating artery aneurysm.
We evaluated 3D-T2-weighted MR images obtained a median of 4 months after treatment of anterior communicating artery aneurysm for the presence of infarcted foci in 10 consecutive patients with postoperative amnesia. Because the subcallosal artery and its neighboring perforator, the recurrent artery of Heubner, were considered the most easily affected vessels during that surgery, we focused mainly on 8 regions of the subcallosal artery territory per hemisphere and 5 regions of the recurrent artery of Heubner territory per hemisphere.
All 10 patients had infarcts in the territory of the subcallosal artery (median, 9 regions per patient), and most were bilateral (9 of 10 patients). Five patients had additional infarcted foci in the territory of the recurrent artery of Heubner (median, 1 region per patient), all unilateral. Among the regions perfused by the subcallosal artery, the column of the fornix was involved in all patients; the anterior commissure, in 9; and the paraterminal gyrus, in 8 patients.
3D MR imaging revealed subcallosal artery infarction, the distribution of which was mostly bilateral, presumably owing to the unpairedness of that artery, in patients with postoperative amnesia after anterior communicating artery aneurysm repair.
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