Below are two links to videos featuring current research projects in my group:
Small mammals big personalities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqlXnbIrKTE
Carnivores of maine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bDAlIq9Tq4
NSF Career project IOS#1940525: CAREER:Linking individual variation in behavior to plant community dynamics within disturbed landscapes
An increasing number of studies show that an animal’s personality can affect many aspects of its life, such as its survival. Personalities are defined as behavioral differences among individuals that are consistent over time and across contexts, such as boldness or aggressiveness. One key question that remains is whether the personality traits of individuals can have broader effects, for example on plant community dynamics. The goal of this study is to quantify the ecological consequences of animal personalities in wild populations subject to various degrees of human disturbance. This is important because the response of animal populations to disturbance from land-use or climate change will depend on the behavioral response of individual animals. This project will be conducted through an integrated research and education plan, in which I will lead a team of graduate and undergraduate students along with citizen scientists to collect data on wild populations of small mammals. The team will quantify the personality of individuals living in wild populations subject to various degrees of human disturbance and assess their survival. Concurrently, we will study the dispersal of seeds by individuals with different personalities, quantifying the consequences of personality on plant community dynamics. Undergraduate students will learn how to quantify personality (in animals and humans) and will participate in workshops focused on improving their scientific communication skills. Using approaches targeted for their own personalities, undergraduate students will then engage high school students in two citizen science projects, which will become critical components of the research program.
Individual variation in behavior, or personality, plays a key role in determining how individual animals experience and interact with their changing environment. The extent to which the distribution of personalities in a population affects larger-scale ecological processes such as population dynamics and forest regeneration is poorly understood. To contribute to filling these knowledge gaps this project will focus on: 1) Assessing the response of individuals with different personalities to land-use change and 2) Quantifying the effects of the diversity of personalities within a population on the demographics and the structure of plant communities within disturbed landscapes. The study will be conducted through a large-scale field experiment in Maine using small mammal species as a model system. Through the field experiment we will assess the effects of land-use change (i.e., silvicultural practices) on the vital rates of different personality types, concurrently assessing the capacity for the diversity in personalities to influence population dynamics. The researchers will also characterize how personality-driven seed predation and dispersal decisions affect seed bank composition and how these personality-related decisions may interact with climate change to affect range shifts of plants. The insights and models generated by this project will illuminate the link between individual variation and population, community, and ecosystem dynamics.
Research approach: we are following a classical experimental approach with control areas (e.g. unmanaged reference areas) and treatment areas (e.g. areas subject to different silvicultural practices). The study is conducted in the Penobscot Experimental Forest (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/ef/locations/me/penobscot/) and in the University of Maine forests. Target species are the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) and the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda). Study methods include: monthly small mammal trapping (i.e. capture-mark-recapture study) combined with a) detailed experiments and measurements of individual characteristics (e.g. health status, personality, fitness) and b) seed predation experiments.
Small mammals big personalities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqlXnbIrKTE
Carnivores of maine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bDAlIq9Tq4
NSF Career project IOS#1940525: CAREER:Linking individual variation in behavior to plant community dynamics within disturbed landscapes
An increasing number of studies show that an animal’s personality can affect many aspects of its life, such as its survival. Personalities are defined as behavioral differences among individuals that are consistent over time and across contexts, such as boldness or aggressiveness. One key question that remains is whether the personality traits of individuals can have broader effects, for example on plant community dynamics. The goal of this study is to quantify the ecological consequences of animal personalities in wild populations subject to various degrees of human disturbance. This is important because the response of animal populations to disturbance from land-use or climate change will depend on the behavioral response of individual animals. This project will be conducted through an integrated research and education plan, in which I will lead a team of graduate and undergraduate students along with citizen scientists to collect data on wild populations of small mammals. The team will quantify the personality of individuals living in wild populations subject to various degrees of human disturbance and assess their survival. Concurrently, we will study the dispersal of seeds by individuals with different personalities, quantifying the consequences of personality on plant community dynamics. Undergraduate students will learn how to quantify personality (in animals and humans) and will participate in workshops focused on improving their scientific communication skills. Using approaches targeted for their own personalities, undergraduate students will then engage high school students in two citizen science projects, which will become critical components of the research program.
Individual variation in behavior, or personality, plays a key role in determining how individual animals experience and interact with their changing environment. The extent to which the distribution of personalities in a population affects larger-scale ecological processes such as population dynamics and forest regeneration is poorly understood. To contribute to filling these knowledge gaps this project will focus on: 1) Assessing the response of individuals with different personalities to land-use change and 2) Quantifying the effects of the diversity of personalities within a population on the demographics and the structure of plant communities within disturbed landscapes. The study will be conducted through a large-scale field experiment in Maine using small mammal species as a model system. Through the field experiment we will assess the effects of land-use change (i.e., silvicultural practices) on the vital rates of different personality types, concurrently assessing the capacity for the diversity in personalities to influence population dynamics. The researchers will also characterize how personality-driven seed predation and dispersal decisions affect seed bank composition and how these personality-related decisions may interact with climate change to affect range shifts of plants. The insights and models generated by this project will illuminate the link between individual variation and population, community, and ecosystem dynamics.
Research approach: we are following a classical experimental approach with control areas (e.g. unmanaged reference areas) and treatment areas (e.g. areas subject to different silvicultural practices). The study is conducted in the Penobscot Experimental Forest (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/ef/locations/me/penobscot/) and in the University of Maine forests. Target species are the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) and the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda). Study methods include: monthly small mammal trapping (i.e. capture-mark-recapture study) combined with a) detailed experiments and measurements of individual characteristics (e.g. health status, personality, fitness) and b) seed predation experiments.
Development of Large-scale Optimal Monitoring Protocols for Mesocarnivores
Mesocarnivores, such as the American marten (Martes americana) and fisher (Martes pennanti) are important wildlife species in Maine because of their value to trappers, their ecological role as predators, their competitive interactions with other carnivores (e.g., fisher predation on federally threatened Canada lynx [Lynx canadensis]), and because their habitat requirements (especially for marten) are highly relevant to Maine’s forest industry). The population status of mesocarnivores in Maine is currently assessed using fur-tagging records; however, there is no guarantee that these records actually reflect the true trajectory of mesocarnivore populations. Our goal is to develop an occupancy-based large-scale monitoring protocol for mesocarnivores (target species are the American marten and the Fisher but data on other species will also be collected). The scope of our proposed work is to focus on winter and spring-summer surveys using camera-traps and snow-track surveys.
Key components of the proposed project are 1) it will be developed at a large scale (i.e., sampling will be scattered over most of northern Maine), 2) it will follow a robust experimental design, which will allow us to ensure adequate spatial and temporal replication and, 3) it will be implemented using a robust sampling protocol that will allow managers to establish the minimum number of sampling units required to detect a significant change.
This project is funded by the Maine Department for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit of Maine
Mesocarnivores, such as the American marten (Martes americana) and fisher (Martes pennanti) are important wildlife species in Maine because of their value to trappers, their ecological role as predators, their competitive interactions with other carnivores (e.g., fisher predation on federally threatened Canada lynx [Lynx canadensis]), and because their habitat requirements (especially for marten) are highly relevant to Maine’s forest industry). The population status of mesocarnivores in Maine is currently assessed using fur-tagging records; however, there is no guarantee that these records actually reflect the true trajectory of mesocarnivore populations. Our goal is to develop an occupancy-based large-scale monitoring protocol for mesocarnivores (target species are the American marten and the Fisher but data on other species will also be collected). The scope of our proposed work is to focus on winter and spring-summer surveys using camera-traps and snow-track surveys.
Key components of the proposed project are 1) it will be developed at a large scale (i.e., sampling will be scattered over most of northern Maine), 2) it will follow a robust experimental design, which will allow us to ensure adequate spatial and temporal replication and, 3) it will be implemented using a robust sampling protocol that will allow managers to establish the minimum number of sampling units required to detect a significant change.
This project is funded by the Maine Department for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit of Maine
Past projects
Below is a list of the main projects I have conducted in Europe, Africa and southeast Asia with students and other collaborators in the last years.
Ecology of small Mammals in fragmented landscapes: population dynamics and optimal conservation strategies
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the greatest extinction threats for mammals worldwide and are a research priority for conservation biologists. Most fragmentation studies focus on the distribution of species by making inference on presence/absence data, however these studies allow to predict distribution patterns but do not allow to explain how populations become extinct in fragmented landscapes.
The goal of this 3 year project was investigate mechanisms determining species extinction and population dynamics. Target species were the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the yellow necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), and the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). The project was conducted in small forest patches in agricultural landscapes of central Italy (Viterbo province).
Example papers from this project:
Sozio G., Mortelliti A. 2015. Empirical evaluation of the strength of interspecific competition in shaping small mammal communities in fragmented landscapes. Landscape Ecology. (in press)
Mortelliti A., Santarelli L., Sozio G., Fagiani S., Boitani L. 2013. Long distance field crossings by hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in fragmented landscapes. Mammalian Biology 78: 309-312.
Sozio G., Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2013. Mice on the move: wheat rows as a means to increase permeability in agricultural landscapes. Biological Conservation 165: 198-202.
Mortelliti A, Sozio G., Driscoll D.A, Bani L., Boitani L., Lindenmayer D.B. 2014. Population and individual-scale responses to patch size, isolation and quality in the hazel dormouse. Ecosphere 5(9): art107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00115.1
PhD students: Giulia Sozio, Stefano Fagiani, Andrea Schiavano
Students (bachelor and Master): Luca Santarelli, Matilde Boschetti, Davide Roviani, Fabiola Iannarilli, Ilaria Melcore, Lorenzo Mastrofini, Simona Prete, Martina Scacco.
Below is a list of the main projects I have conducted in Europe, Africa and southeast Asia with students and other collaborators in the last years.
Ecology of small Mammals in fragmented landscapes: population dynamics and optimal conservation strategies
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the greatest extinction threats for mammals worldwide and are a research priority for conservation biologists. Most fragmentation studies focus on the distribution of species by making inference on presence/absence data, however these studies allow to predict distribution patterns but do not allow to explain how populations become extinct in fragmented landscapes.
The goal of this 3 year project was investigate mechanisms determining species extinction and population dynamics. Target species were the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the yellow necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), and the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). The project was conducted in small forest patches in agricultural landscapes of central Italy (Viterbo province).
Example papers from this project:
Sozio G., Mortelliti A. 2015. Empirical evaluation of the strength of interspecific competition in shaping small mammal communities in fragmented landscapes. Landscape Ecology. (in press)
Mortelliti A., Santarelli L., Sozio G., Fagiani S., Boitani L. 2013. Long distance field crossings by hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in fragmented landscapes. Mammalian Biology 78: 309-312.
Sozio G., Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2013. Mice on the move: wheat rows as a means to increase permeability in agricultural landscapes. Biological Conservation 165: 198-202.
Mortelliti A, Sozio G., Driscoll D.A, Bani L., Boitani L., Lindenmayer D.B. 2014. Population and individual-scale responses to patch size, isolation and quality in the hazel dormouse. Ecosphere 5(9): art107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00115.1
PhD students: Giulia Sozio, Stefano Fagiani, Andrea Schiavano
Students (bachelor and Master): Luca Santarelli, Matilde Boschetti, Davide Roviani, Fabiola Iannarilli, Ilaria Melcore, Lorenzo Mastrofini, Simona Prete, Martina Scacco.
The Nanangroe experiment
During 2012-2014 I worked at the Australian National University in David Lindenmayer’s research group and was involved in the Nanangroe Experiment, one of the largest long-term natural experiments on the effects of land-use change on vertebrate species: http://fennerschool.anu.edu.au/research/projects/nanangroe-natural-experiment
Some papers from this project include:
Mortelliti A., Crane M., Okada S., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015 Marsupial response to matrix conversion: results of a large-scale long-term 'natural experiment' in Australia. Biological Conservation 191: 60-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.06.015
Mortelliti A., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015. Effects of landscape transformation on bird colonization and extinction patterns in a large-scale, long-term natural experiment. Conservation Biology 29: 1314-1326. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12523
Mortelliti A., Westgate M., Lindenmayer D.B. 2014. Experimental evaluation shows limited influence of pine plantations on the connectivity of highly fragmented bird populations. Journal of Applied Ecology 51: 1179–1187.
Mortelliti A., Michael D., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015. Contrasting effects of pine plantations on two skinks: results from a large scale ‘natural experiment’ in Australia. Animal Conservation (in press doi:10.1111/acv.12190).
During 2012-2014 I worked at the Australian National University in David Lindenmayer’s research group and was involved in the Nanangroe Experiment, one of the largest long-term natural experiments on the effects of land-use change on vertebrate species: http://fennerschool.anu.edu.au/research/projects/nanangroe-natural-experiment
Some papers from this project include:
Mortelliti A., Crane M., Okada S., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015 Marsupial response to matrix conversion: results of a large-scale long-term 'natural experiment' in Australia. Biological Conservation 191: 60-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.06.015
Mortelliti A., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015. Effects of landscape transformation on bird colonization and extinction patterns in a large-scale, long-term natural experiment. Conservation Biology 29: 1314-1326. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12523
Mortelliti A., Westgate M., Lindenmayer D.B. 2014. Experimental evaluation shows limited influence of pine plantations on the connectivity of highly fragmented bird populations. Journal of Applied Ecology 51: 1179–1187.
Mortelliti A., Michael D., Lindenmayer D.B. 2015. Contrasting effects of pine plantations on two skinks: results from a large scale ‘natural experiment’ in Australia. Animal Conservation (in press doi:10.1111/acv.12190).
Evaluating the conservation status of four rodents of south-east Sulawesi (Indonesia)
The Island of Sulawesi (Indonesia) hosts an extremely rich mammalian fauna including several endemic species with restricted range. Unfortunately data available to accurately evaluate the status of a number of these species are extremely poor therefore many are currently listed as “Data Deficient” by the IUCN (2008). The Island has been explored by few expeditions most of which were carried out in the Western or Central part of the Island. Most of the “threatened” or “data deficient” mammals of Sulawesi inhabit montane forest, an important ecoregion threatened by deforestation.
The goal of this project was to provide all the necessary information for re-evaluating the conservation status of four target mammalian species (Taeromys arcuatus; Taeromys microbullatu,s Maxomys dollmanni, Rattus salocco) currently listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN.
A major outcome of the expedition was the discovery of a new mammal species, which was highlighted by more than 100 national and international journals and websites including:
- 2 page article on ‘Il Venerdi’ della Repubblica (supplement in national Italian newspaper)
- ‘La Repubblica’ main website:
http://www.repubblica.it/scienze/2012/06/08/news/scoperto_nuovo_roditore-36793783/
- ‘Le Scienze, (Italian Version of Scientific American):
http://www.lescienze.it/news/2012/06/08/foto/scoperto_nuovo_mammifero_in_indonesia-1078627/1/
- National Geographic, Hungary:
http://www.ng.hu/Termeszet/2012/10/uj_emlosfaj_indoneziaban
- The Jakarta Globe, Indonesia:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/archive/sulawesi-biodiversity-haven-yields-up-new-species/
The paper describing the new species was published in 2012:
Mortelliti A., Castiglia R., Amori G., Maryanto I., Musser G.G. 2012. A New Species of Margaretamys (Rodentia: Muridae: Murinae: Rattini) from Pegunungan Mekongga, Southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tropical Zoology 25, 1–34.
The Island of Sulawesi (Indonesia) hosts an extremely rich mammalian fauna including several endemic species with restricted range. Unfortunately data available to accurately evaluate the status of a number of these species are extremely poor therefore many are currently listed as “Data Deficient” by the IUCN (2008). The Island has been explored by few expeditions most of which were carried out in the Western or Central part of the Island. Most of the “threatened” or “data deficient” mammals of Sulawesi inhabit montane forest, an important ecoregion threatened by deforestation.
The goal of this project was to provide all the necessary information for re-evaluating the conservation status of four target mammalian species (Taeromys arcuatus; Taeromys microbullatu,s Maxomys dollmanni, Rattus salocco) currently listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN.
A major outcome of the expedition was the discovery of a new mammal species, which was highlighted by more than 100 national and international journals and websites including:
- 2 page article on ‘Il Venerdi’ della Repubblica (supplement in national Italian newspaper)
- ‘La Repubblica’ main website:
http://www.repubblica.it/scienze/2012/06/08/news/scoperto_nuovo_roditore-36793783/
- ‘Le Scienze, (Italian Version of Scientific American):
http://www.lescienze.it/news/2012/06/08/foto/scoperto_nuovo_mammifero_in_indonesia-1078627/1/
- National Geographic, Hungary:
http://www.ng.hu/Termeszet/2012/10/uj_emlosfaj_indoneziaban
- The Jakarta Globe, Indonesia:
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/archive/sulawesi-biodiversity-haven-yields-up-new-species/
The paper describing the new species was published in 2012:
Mortelliti A., Castiglia R., Amori G., Maryanto I., Musser G.G. 2012. A New Species of Margaretamys (Rodentia: Muridae: Murinae: Rattini) from Pegunungan Mekongga, Southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tropical Zoology 25, 1–34.
Effects of various forest management practices on small mammal populations
The goal of this project is to evaluate how different forest management practices affect individuals and population parameters in a suite of target small mammal species. One section of the project was conducted in the Lamone Regional Reserve (central Italy) and focused on the hazel dormouse. A second section of the project was led by collaborators base at the Ethoikos Foundation (http://www.ethoikos.it/projects.html)
Example papers from this project:
Sozio G., Iannarilli F., Melcore I., Boschetti M., Fipaldini D., Luciani M., Roviani D., Schiavano D., Mortelliti A. 2015. Forest management affects individual and population parameters of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). Mammalian Biology. in press
Ancillotto L., Sozio G., Mortelliti A. 2015. Acorns were good until tannins were found: factors affecting seed-selection in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). Mammalian Biology 80:135-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2014.05.004).
Bartolommei P., Sozio G., Bencini C., Cinque C., Cozzolino R., Gasperini S., Manzo E., Prete S., Solano E., Mortelliti A. Field identification of Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus sylvaticus: development of an empirical model for practical purposes. Mammalia in press.
The goal of this project is to evaluate how different forest management practices affect individuals and population parameters in a suite of target small mammal species. One section of the project was conducted in the Lamone Regional Reserve (central Italy) and focused on the hazel dormouse. A second section of the project was led by collaborators base at the Ethoikos Foundation (http://www.ethoikos.it/projects.html)
Example papers from this project:
Sozio G., Iannarilli F., Melcore I., Boschetti M., Fipaldini D., Luciani M., Roviani D., Schiavano D., Mortelliti A. 2015. Forest management affects individual and population parameters of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). Mammalian Biology. in press
Ancillotto L., Sozio G., Mortelliti A. 2015. Acorns were good until tannins were found: factors affecting seed-selection in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). Mammalian Biology 80:135-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2014.05.004).
Bartolommei P., Sozio G., Bencini C., Cinque C., Cozzolino R., Gasperini S., Manzo E., Prete S., Solano E., Mortelliti A. Field identification of Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus sylvaticus: development of an empirical model for practical purposes. Mammalia in press.
Independent effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, habitat connectivity and Habitat quality on vertebrates (mammals and birds)
Landscape changes are driven by several factors, amongst others habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Untangling the independent contribution of each process is crucial, since effective conservation actions depend on the clear identification of the threatening process. Nevertheless clear and general rules for the conservation of vertebrates in fragmented landscapes remain elusive for three main reasons: 1) configuration metrics are often grouped together without further distinguishing between different habitat properties (e.g. subdivision vs scatteredness of habitat patches); 2) very few landscape scale studies have included measurements of habitat quality thus possibly overlooking important interactions with landscape structure. In order to tackle the three above mentioned issues in the period 2008-2012 we carried out 3 large scale field natural experiments following an experimental design that allowed us to disentangle the independent role of landscape processes. The first experiment was focused on small arboreal mammals inhabiting oak forests, the second project focused on forest passerine birds and the third experiments was conducted in wetland areas (reed patches) with the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) as target species
Example papers from this project:
Mortelliti A., Amori G., Capizzi D., Cervone C., Fagiani S., Pollini B., Boitani L. 2011. Independent effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and structural connectivity on the distribution of two arboreal rodents. Journal of Applied Ecology 48: 163-172.
Mortelliti A., Fagiani S., Battisti C., Capizzi D., Boitani L. 2010. Independent effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and structural connectivity on forest-dependent birds. Diversity and Distributions 16: 941-951.
Sozio G., Mortelliti A., Boccacci F., Ranchelli E., Battisti C, Boitani L. 2013. Conservation of species occupying ephemeral and patchy habitats in agricultural landscapes: the case of the Eurasian reed warbler. Landscape and Urban Planning 119: 9-19.
Mortelliti A. 2013. Targeting habitat management in fragmented landscapes: a case study with forest vertebrates. Biodiversity and Conservation 22:187-207.
Mortelliti A., Boccacci F., Ranchelli E., Sozio G., Battisti C., Cecere J., Boitani L. 2012. Effect of habitat amount, configuration and quality in fragmented landscapes. Acta Oecologica 45:1-7.
Students working on the project: Barbara Pollini, Cristina Cervone, Fabiola Iannarilli, Stefano Fagiani, Francesca Boccacci, Giulia Sozio, Elisa Ranchelli
Landscape changes are driven by several factors, amongst others habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Untangling the independent contribution of each process is crucial, since effective conservation actions depend on the clear identification of the threatening process. Nevertheless clear and general rules for the conservation of vertebrates in fragmented landscapes remain elusive for three main reasons: 1) configuration metrics are often grouped together without further distinguishing between different habitat properties (e.g. subdivision vs scatteredness of habitat patches); 2) very few landscape scale studies have included measurements of habitat quality thus possibly overlooking important interactions with landscape structure. In order to tackle the three above mentioned issues in the period 2008-2012 we carried out 3 large scale field natural experiments following an experimental design that allowed us to disentangle the independent role of landscape processes. The first experiment was focused on small arboreal mammals inhabiting oak forests, the second project focused on forest passerine birds and the third experiments was conducted in wetland areas (reed patches) with the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) as target species
Example papers from this project:
Mortelliti A., Amori G., Capizzi D., Cervone C., Fagiani S., Pollini B., Boitani L. 2011. Independent effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and structural connectivity on the distribution of two arboreal rodents. Journal of Applied Ecology 48: 163-172.
Mortelliti A., Fagiani S., Battisti C., Capizzi D., Boitani L. 2010. Independent effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and structural connectivity on forest-dependent birds. Diversity and Distributions 16: 941-951.
Sozio G., Mortelliti A., Boccacci F., Ranchelli E., Battisti C, Boitani L. 2013. Conservation of species occupying ephemeral and patchy habitats in agricultural landscapes: the case of the Eurasian reed warbler. Landscape and Urban Planning 119: 9-19.
Mortelliti A. 2013. Targeting habitat management in fragmented landscapes: a case study with forest vertebrates. Biodiversity and Conservation 22:187-207.
Mortelliti A., Boccacci F., Ranchelli E., Sozio G., Battisti C., Cecere J., Boitani L. 2012. Effect of habitat amount, configuration and quality in fragmented landscapes. Acta Oecologica 45:1-7.
Students working on the project: Barbara Pollini, Cristina Cervone, Fabiola Iannarilli, Stefano Fagiani, Francesca Boccacci, Giulia Sozio, Elisa Ranchelli
Other projects
Developing monitoring protocols to assess the impact of the wild boar
The management of wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an issue of increasing global conservation concern.
Statistically robust monitoring protocols, allowing the detection of biologically relevant changes in
biodiversity indices due to wild boar activities, are crucial tools for the management of wild boar
populations. The goal of our study was to present a robust procedure targeted towards elaborating monitoring protocols for the evaluation of the impact of wild boar rooting on forest plants and animals.
Fagiani S., Fipaldini D., Santarelli L., Burrascano S., Del Vico E., Giarrizzo E., Mei M., Vigna Taglianti A., Boitani L., Mortelliti A. 2014. Monitoring protocols for the evaluation of the impact of wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting on plants and animals in forest ecosystems. Hystrix 25: 31-38 http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/9314/pdf_9314
Burrascano S., Del Vico E. , Fagiani S., Giarrizzo E. , Mei M. , Mortelliti A. , Sabatini F.M. , Blasi C. Effects of wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting activity on understorey composition and functional traits. Community Ecology (in press).
Burrascano S., Giarrizzo E., Bonacquisti S.,Copiz R.,Del Vico E., Fagiani S., Mortelliti A., Blasi C. Quantifying Sus scrofa rooting effects on the understorey of the deciduous broadleaf forests in Castelporziano Estate (Italy). Rendiconti Lincei. Doi: 10.1007/s12210-014-0350-9
Management plans and mammal distribution surveys
I worked on the development on Management plans for protected areas in Italy (8 parks) and in Libya. I also co-organized and convened field-based workshops on mammalian survey techniques in Tunisia and Mauritania.
Effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on mammals
My PhD thesis project was conducted in central Italy and focused on evaluating the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on mammals (rodents, shrews and mustelids).
Mortelliti A., Amori G., Annesi F., Boitani L. 2009. Testing for the relative contribution of patch neighborhood, patch internal structure, and presence of predators and competitor species in determining distribution patterns of rodents in a fragmented landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology 87: 662-670.
Mortelliti A., Santulli Sanzo G., Boitani L. 2009. Species surrogacy for conservation planning: caveats from comparing the response of three arboreal rodents to habitat loss and fragmentation. Biodiversity and Conservation 18: 1131-1145.
Ecology of small rodents in a relict tropical rainforest in western Kenya
My Master thesis (italian ‘laurea’) project was conducted in western Kenya and focused on the ecology of small rodents and their response to microhabitat degradation.
Example papers from this project:
Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2007. Patterns of interspecific and intraspecific microhabitat segregation of two rodents Praomys jacksoni (De Winton, 1897) and Hylomyscus stella (Thomas 1911) (Rodentia) in an African rainforest subjected to various levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Tropical Zoology 20(2):163-186.
Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2006. Patterns of rodent species abundance and diversity in a Kenyan relict tropical rainforest. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 1425-1440.
Developing monitoring protocols to assess the impact of the wild boar
The management of wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an issue of increasing global conservation concern.
Statistically robust monitoring protocols, allowing the detection of biologically relevant changes in
biodiversity indices due to wild boar activities, are crucial tools for the management of wild boar
populations. The goal of our study was to present a robust procedure targeted towards elaborating monitoring protocols for the evaluation of the impact of wild boar rooting on forest plants and animals.
Fagiani S., Fipaldini D., Santarelli L., Burrascano S., Del Vico E., Giarrizzo E., Mei M., Vigna Taglianti A., Boitani L., Mortelliti A. 2014. Monitoring protocols for the evaluation of the impact of wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting on plants and animals in forest ecosystems. Hystrix 25: 31-38 http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/9314/pdf_9314
Burrascano S., Del Vico E. , Fagiani S., Giarrizzo E. , Mei M. , Mortelliti A. , Sabatini F.M. , Blasi C. Effects of wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting activity on understorey composition and functional traits. Community Ecology (in press).
Burrascano S., Giarrizzo E., Bonacquisti S.,Copiz R.,Del Vico E., Fagiani S., Mortelliti A., Blasi C. Quantifying Sus scrofa rooting effects on the understorey of the deciduous broadleaf forests in Castelporziano Estate (Italy). Rendiconti Lincei. Doi: 10.1007/s12210-014-0350-9
Management plans and mammal distribution surveys
I worked on the development on Management plans for protected areas in Italy (8 parks) and in Libya. I also co-organized and convened field-based workshops on mammalian survey techniques in Tunisia and Mauritania.
Effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on mammals
My PhD thesis project was conducted in central Italy and focused on evaluating the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on mammals (rodents, shrews and mustelids).
Mortelliti A., Amori G., Annesi F., Boitani L. 2009. Testing for the relative contribution of patch neighborhood, patch internal structure, and presence of predators and competitor species in determining distribution patterns of rodents in a fragmented landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology 87: 662-670.
Mortelliti A., Santulli Sanzo G., Boitani L. 2009. Species surrogacy for conservation planning: caveats from comparing the response of three arboreal rodents to habitat loss and fragmentation. Biodiversity and Conservation 18: 1131-1145.
Ecology of small rodents in a relict tropical rainforest in western Kenya
My Master thesis (italian ‘laurea’) project was conducted in western Kenya and focused on the ecology of small rodents and their response to microhabitat degradation.
Example papers from this project:
Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2007. Patterns of interspecific and intraspecific microhabitat segregation of two rodents Praomys jacksoni (De Winton, 1897) and Hylomyscus stella (Thomas 1911) (Rodentia) in an African rainforest subjected to various levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Tropical Zoology 20(2):163-186.
Mortelliti A., Boitani L. 2006. Patterns of rodent species abundance and diversity in a Kenyan relict tropical rainforest. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 1425-1440.