Papers by Emilio Balletto
Ecological Entomology, Mar 10, 2016
1. Climate change poses serious threats to the long-term persistence of many animal and plant pop... more 1. Climate change poses serious threats to the long-term persistence of many animal and plant populations. Species having specific niche requirements, or characterised by highly co-evolved interactions, will face the greatest challenges. An example is represented by Maculinea alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller), a monophagous and univoltine butterfly species, which lays eggs only on larval host plants which occur inparticular phenological conditions. 2. The present 2-year study focused on two M. alcon populations, both located at the southern boundaries of the species, but facing different climatic conditions (360 m, low altitude versus 860 m, high altitude). Population vulnerability with respect to direct and indirect effects of climate change was analysed, focusing on two important aspects of butterfly biology, i.e. the flight activity of adults and the degree of synchrony in the larval plant-insect interactions. 3. It was observed that, when positive temperature anomalies are reached, the temperature can exert detrimental effects on adults' activity. At a low altitude, in a hotter than usual year, a temperature threshold was recorded (around 32 ∘ C), above which the activity of butterflies is inhibited. In contrast, at a high altitude, temperature increases maintain the opportunity to enhance butterfly activity. Altitudinal differences were also observed in the phenology of the two interacting species, which generate stronger asynchrony at low altitudes. 4. High-and low-altitude populations represent different conservation units: a global increase in temperature would pose a serious threat to the lowland populations, whereas high-altitude populations would gain a greater role in assuring the persistence of M. alcon at its southern boundaries.
Journal of insect biodiversity, Aug 3, 2023
The impact of human activities is resulting in increased losses of biodiversity on a local and gl... more The impact of human activities is resulting in increased losses of biodiversity on a local and global scale. Detecting local extinctions requires historical data and intensive field surveys, so as to ascertain the actual absence of a species. In this study, we fortnightly sampled 90 plots within the Monte Peglia UNESCO MAB Reserve (~60 km2) from April to October 2022. We also collected all available records for the Reserve in literature and iNaturalist. After our sampling, the Reserve appears in the 4% of the richest cells with similar size and altitude in central Italy. By applying the Potential-Extinction-upon-Time-Series (PETS) algorithm we evaluated the possibility for faunistic erosion in time. Twelve species that were recorded before 2010 but not confirmed in our field surveys produce a moderate PETS value of 21.3%. Based on literature and iNaturalist data, we also identified rare species as those occurring within a 50 km radius of the Reserve in the lowest quartile of occurrences. Approximately half of the unconfirmed species belonged to regionally rare taxa, while others belonged to taxa generally found at higher altitudes in the last decades. Monte Peglia Reserve qualifies as a perfect model for documenting possible local extinctions of butterflies in Mediterranean areas in the near future.
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography, 1996
Amphibia-reptilia, Aug 31, 1984
Monitore Zoologico Italiano. Supplemento, 1985
SUMMARY The 34 species of butterflies and skippers collected in the years 1980 and 1981 in the mo... more SUMMARY The 34 species of butterflies and skippers collected in the years 1980 and 1981 in the more arid parts of the high mountains of northern Yemen Arab Republic show a marked predominance of the Afrotropical and Panpalaeotropical element, which are over-represented in relation to the overall pattern shown in the Peninsula. Euchrysops lois (Butler, 1885) certainly is the most interesting species included in this small collection, as it was previously unknown for this part of Arabia.
European Journal of Histochemistry, 2009
Karyological and flow cytometric (FCM) analyses were performed on a group of 14 green toads of th... more Karyological and flow cytometric (FCM) analyses were performed on a group of 14 green toads of the Bufo viridis species from seven Eurasian populations. Both approaches gave concordant results concerning the DNA ploidy level. All the populations examined were represented exclusively by diploid or tetraploid specimens, except one, where triploids were found. Results evidenced an interpopulation variability in DNA content against the same ploidy level, as well as an unusually high number of triploids in a particular reproductive place. The origin of polyploidy and the presence and persistence of a high number of triploids in a particular population are discussed.
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Papers by Emilio Balletto