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Additional file 2: Figure S2. Rarefaction curves for each sample: (a) Number of OTUs, (b) Chao 1 and (c) Shannon index

This study has two main objectives: to define the presence of an alien species, the coypu (Myocastor coypus), in the Campania region and to develop a demographic projection in the absence of management plans. It was possible to highlight the areas in which the species is currently present on the territory and, once the biological and ecological aspects of it have been analysed, to observe whether favourable environmental conditions are present in the Campania region for its survival and proliferation. The results obtained from the environmental suitability model have effectively highlighted the presence of variables that can affect the survival of the species and that the synergy between these can lead to unexpected results. Therefore, to decipher the actual danger of the species it was necessary to develop a demographic projection to observe whether the latter may increase over time. The outcome highlighted an exponential increase in the population over time, thus highlighting the need to intervene in the short term to mitigate the negative impacts that the coypu already perpetuates on the environment., BORNH Bulletin of Regional Natural History, V. 1 N. 3 (2021): BORNH 03/2021

The Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus) is an endemic species of the Central-Southern Italy and Sicily, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of the impact of human habitat alterations, the low density and fragmentation of sub-populations and the ecological competition with the European hare (Lepus europaeus), intensively restocked as a game species. The Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni National Park is one of the most important area of occurrence of the Italian hare in Southern Italy, where it live in sympatry with the European hare. However, from 2010 there are no updated information about the distribution of the Italian hare in this important basin. Here, we provide the “breaking news” on its distribution in the National Park using non-invasive genetically validated data. Our findings could give an effective contribution for management strategies aiming at the conservation of this endemism since that the clear knowledge of the distribution pattern of a species is the first stage required in all ecological studies and management planning., BORNH Bulletin of Regional Natural History, V. 1 N. 1 (2021): BORNH 01/2021

The process of domesticating animals was started by human populations in the Near East and over time spread across Europe, where local wild populations were used. Domestication is an intriguing evolutionary process, which principally involves artificial selection; however, when domesticated animals return to the wild, natural selection can once again act to select adaptations for these new environments. Generally, feral animals evolve into something quite different from their wild predecessors, with a combination of both some wild and artificially selected traits. Feralisation itself can occur in several different forms, Endoferal animals are those with a single domesticated lineage, whilst exoferal populations are formed via admixture from multiple wild or domestic lineages. In order to deep the knowledge about the intriguing evolutionary trajectories, using Sus scrofa as model species, I characterised the genetic profile of endoferal and exoferal populations using a multidisciplinary wide-scale genome approach (PorcineSNP60). To assess a relevant phenotype that is under selection in feral populations, olfactory gene expression was analysed in these populations and also their ecology (diet and gut microbiota). The results show that exoferalisation and endoferalisation are two different trajectories. In endoferal pigs there is a recovery of olfactory capacities, causing a downstream effect in their ability to search for food and in the reprogramming of their gut microbial community.

Background Wild boar has experienced several evolutionary trajectories from which domestic (under artificial selection) and the feral pig (under natural selection) originated. Strong adaptation deeply affects feral population’s morphology and physiology, including the microbiota community. The gut microbiota is generally recognized to play a crucial role in maintaining host health and metabolism. To date, it is unclear whether feral populations’ phylogeny, development stages or lifestyle have the greatest impact in shaping the gut microbiota, as well as how this can confer adaptability to new environments. Here, in order to deepen this point, we characterized the gut microbiota of feral population discriminating between juvenile and adult samples, and we compared it to the microbiota structure of wild boar and domestic pig as the references. Gut microbiota composition was estimated through the sequencing of the partial 16S rRNA gene by DNA metabarcoding and High Throughput Sequencing on DNA extracted from fecal samples. Results The comparison of microbiota communities among the three forms showed significant differences. The feral form seems to carry some bacteria of both domestic pigs, derived from its ancestral condition, and wild boars, probably as a sign of a recent re-adaptation strategy to the natural environment. In addition, interestingly, feral pigs show some exclusive bacterial taxa, also suggesting an innovative nature of the evolutionary trajectories and an ecological segregation in feral populations, as already observed for other traits. Conclusions The feral pig showed a significant change between juvenile and adult microbiota suggesting an influence of the wild environment in which these populations segregate. However, it is important to underline that we certainly cannot overlook that these variations in the structure of the microbiota also depended on the different development stages of the animal, which in fact influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Concluding, the feral pigs represent a new actor living in the same geographical space as the wild boars, in which its gut microbial structure suggests that it is mainly the result of environmental segregation, most different from its closest relative. This gives rise to interesting fields of exploration regarding the changed ecological complexity and the consequent evolutionary destiny of the animal communities involved in this phenomenon.

Background In the past decades, the abandonment of traditional land use practices has determined landscape changes inducing reforestation dynamics. This phenomenon can be contrasted with rewilding practices, i.e., the reintroduction of animals that may promote the recovery of landscape diversity. In this study, we explore the dynamics of expansion of two reintroduced populations of wild ungulates, Italian roe deer (Capreolus capreolus italicus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus), assessing their contribution in the recovery of landscape diversity. Methods By using direct and indirect information on the two species, collected by nocturnal and diurnal surveys and camera trapping, we modelled a habitat suitability map, and estimated the density and distribution of the populations. We also performed a land use changes analysis, combining the presence of wild ungulates and livestock. Results and Discussion We demonstrated that deer dispersed gradually from their release location, increasing in population size, and this occurred in the entire study area. Moreover, we show that areas with lower grazing density are significantly affected by forest encroachment. A possible interpretation of this result could be that wild grazers (roe deer and red deer) prefer semi-open areas surrounded by the forest. This, in association with other factors, such as domestic grazing, could be one of the main responsible in maintaining landscape mosaic typical of the Apennine mountain, confirming the value of grazers as a landscape management tool. Moreover, we show the possibility to conserve through reintroduction the vulnerable C.c. italicus.

We characterized the genetic structure of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) meta-population living in the core of its Italian distribution range providing results from 191 fresh spraints, collected from 24 watercourses included in Southern Italy. Furthermore, according to ecological corridors and barriers, we discuss the likely ways of movement and possible evolutionary fate of these populations. We genotyped 136 samples using 11 Lut microsatellite nuclear markers amplified from faecal dna. Microsatellites were moderately variable (Ho = 0.45; He = 0.46), with a total number of alleles and average number of alleles per locus in the meta-population of 50 and 4.54, respectively. No significant heterozygosity excess was observed in meta-population suggesting no recent population bottlenecks. Bayesian clustering discriminated a sub-structuring of the meta-population in five putative clusters, indicating that local populations are genetically differentiated: three of these seem to be identifiable with geographically defined sub-populations (from the Cilento, Agri and Basento river basins). The fourth is represented by multiple sub-populations with admixed genotype, that include genotypes from the Lao, Sinni and Abatemaco river basins, living in a landscape with the higher environmental permeability. Landscape genetic analysis could provide evidence of an unexpected ecological corridor: the seacoast, highlighted, for the first time as a new way for the dispersion of the South-Italian otters. Deepening the knowledge of these perspectives is crucial to identify solid strategies aimed at the future health of the populations of the Italian otters, by restoring dispersal corridors and managing the watercourses.

Identification of the species is a crucial step in many ecological studies. Sometimes, this could become a challenge, because of animal elusive behavior, low density population or for sympatric species leaving similar signs that are impossible to discriminate based only on their morphology. Here, we set up non-invasive molecular method to discern between the Ital- ian hare (Lepus corsicanus) and the European hare (Lepus europaeus) using High Resolution Melting assay on fecal DNA, for the first time on these species. The Italian hare is endemic of the Central-Southern Italy and Sicily and it is classified vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Our procedure could be a useful tool to help conservation and management strategies, mainly in areas where the Italian hare and the European hare live in sympatry. The 9.5% of the peninsular range distribution of the European hare is took up by the range of the Italian hare. Our workflow allows sure spe- cies discrimination, rapidly and inexpensively (in one day at least 36 samples could be processed at costs of about 259 euros, including both DNA extractions and HRM run), also when large numbers of samples have to be processed. Moreover, our method could be widely applicable to other Lepus and/or mammalian species with similar concerns, by small adjustments to the protocol and its further validation, focusing on primes and corresponding HRM annealing temperature.

The Wall Gecko shows heterogeneous colour pattern, which may vary among individuals, depending on the time of day and on the habitat segregation. Nocturnal pale geckos live exclusively on walls. Diurnal dark geckos preferentially live on olive tree trunks, demonstrating an ability to change skin colour that is superior to that of the pale gecko and allows diurnal geckos becoming camouflaged on the diverse substrates occupied during the day. In our study, the nocturnal/pale/wall and diurnal/dark/trunk geckos could be considered the extremes of an ecological cline of morphological variation on which divergent selection may be acting. Combining the effect of balancing selection on nocturnal geckos and disruptive selection between two sympatric populations could lead to speciation. All geckos analysed here belong to the same species, as confirmed by genetic characterization, however diurnal and nocturnal gecko populations seem to be in an early stage of incipient speciation. These two different morphs still combine genes, as revealed by neutral genetic markers, yet they show complete separation according to the analyses of mtDNA coding genes. Experimental results show that diurnal and nocturnal geckos do not swap their niches, likely because the predation pressure causes severe selection for background matching. Genomic analysis of complete mtDNA suggests that nocturnal geckos seem to be under balancing selection perhaps due to the narrow niche in which they live, whereas the daytime population has more opportunity in fitting into the multiple available niches, and they experience positive selection. Here we hypothesize that the ecological segregation that we are witnessing between the nocturnal and diurnal geckos, can lead to a ecological speciation.

Artificial selection affects phenotypes differently by natural selection. Domestic traits, which pass into the wild, are usually negatively selected. Yet, exceptionally, this axiom may fail to apply if genes, from the domestic animals, increase fertility in the wild. We studied a rare case of a wild boar population under the framework of Wright's interdemic selection model, which could explain gene flow between wild boar and pig, both considered as demes. We analysed the MC1R gene and microsatellite neutral loci in 62 pregnant wild boars as markers of hybridization, and we correlated nucleotide mutations on MC1R (which are common in domestic breeds) to litter size, as an evaluation of fitness in wild sow. Regardless of body size and phyletic effects, wild boar sows bearing nonsynonymous MC1R mutations produced larger litters. This directly suggests that artificially selected traits reaching wild populations, through interdemic gene flow, could bypass natural selection if and only if they increase the fitness in the wild.

Some insular lizards show a high degree of differentiation from their conspecific mainland populations, like Licosa island lizards, which are described as affected by Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS). In previous works, we demonstrated that some traits of RIS, as melani- zation, depend on a differential expression of gene encoding melanocortin receptors. To better understand the basis of syndrome, and providing raw data for future investigations, we generate the first de novo transcriptome of the Italian wall lizard. Comparing mainland and island transcriptomes, we link differences in life-traits to differential gene expression. Our results, taking together testis and brain sequences, generated 275,310 and 269,885 transcripts, 18,434 and 21,606 proteins in Gene Ontology annotation, for mainland and island respectively. Variant calling analysis identified about the same number of SNPs in island and mainland population. Instead, through a differential gene expression analysis we found some putative genes involved in syndrome more expressed in insular samples like Major Histocompatibility Complex class I, Immunoglobulins, Melanocortin 4 receptor, Neu- ropeptide Y and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen.