Andreas Hilpold

Eurac Research · Institute for Alpine Environment

On initiative of the government of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Südtirol (Province Bolzano-Südtirol, Region Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) a biodiversity monitoring program was established, starting with sampling on terrestrial sites in 2019 and on running water sites in 2021. The Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol (BMS in short) is a long-term...

Species living in high mountain areas are currently threatened by climate change and human land use changes. High-elevation birds frequently inhabit island-like suitable patches around mountain peaks, and in such conditions the capability to exchange individuals among patches is crucial to maintain gene flow. However, we lack information about disp...

Fish stocking is a common practice to support endangered fish species or to promote local fisheries, also in South Tyrol, but current species protection and the maintenance of functioning aquatic ecosystems require sustainable management and stocking activity. While stocking measures in South Tyrol's waters have been documented for decades , cross-...

First finding of Pezotettix giornae (Rossi, 1794), new to the orthoptera fauna of South Tyrol (Insecta, Acrididae). In the framework of the ongoing project Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol a hitherto unknown orthoptera species was newly recorded for the fauna of South Tyrol: Pezotettix giornae was found in summer and autumn 2022 close to Tramin/...

The ant Plagiolepis taurica Santschi, 1920 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) is a typical species of the Eurasian steppes, a large grassland dominated biome that stretches continuously from Central Asia to Eastern Europe and is represented by disjunct outposts also in Central and Western Europe. The extent of this biome has been influenced by the Pleistoce...

The severe biodiversity decline in European agricultural landscapes demands a specific evaluation of the various land-use practices. Many butterflies in Europe, as an important ecological indicator and pollinator taxon, require human interventions to sustain their populations in cultivated landscapes. However, land-use changes and management intens...

The big-eyed bug Geocoris erythrocephalus (Heteroptera: Geocoridae) was detected for the first time in 2020 during surveys of the Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol in the surroundings of Branzoll/Bronzolo, South of Bolzano/Bozen. This Holomediterranean species has recently expanded its distribution range northwards. The discovery of G. erythrocep...

The morphology of bird wings is subject to a variety of selective pressures, including migration, predation, habitat structure and sexual selection. Variation in wing morphology also occurs at the intraspecific and intrapopulation level, and can be related to sex, age, migration strategy and environmental factors. The relationship between environme...

In 2021 a working group consisting of members of Eurac Research, Museum of Nature and Nature Office launched a Citizen Science project in which volunteer bird watchers were invited to report observations of grassland birds in South Tyrol. The idea behind this project was to complement the standardized grassland bird monitoring, which started in spr...

Streuobstwiesen, also Wiesen mit verstreut stehenden mittel- oder hochstämmigen Obstbäumen, verschwinden europaweit zusehends. Gründe dafür sind meist die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft, oder ihre Auflassung. Auch hierzulande werden diese für die Artenvielfalt und landschaftlich wertvollen Elemente immer seltener.

Understanding the effects of landscape composition and configuration, climate, and topography on bird diversity is necessary to identify distribution drivers, potential impacts of land use changes, and future conservation strategies. We surveyed bird communities in a study area located in the Central Alps (Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, northe...

Understanding and disentangle the effects of landscape composition and configuration, climate, and topography on bird diversity is necessary to identify distribution factors, potential impacts of land-use changes, and future conservation strategies. We studied bird taxonomic and functional diversity within the Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol at...

A total of 173 species is documented, including Phytocoris intricatus Flor, 1861 and Saldula palustris (Douglas, 1874), which are first records for Carinthia. In addition, 124 species were recorded the first time for the National Park and 39 species of a red list category in the Red List of Carinthia are documented. The true bug fauna of the study...

Insect communities (Insecta: Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha) in windthrow areas at Mt. Latemar (Italy, South Tyrol). The storm "Vaia" caused large-scale windthrow in various parts of South Tyrol in Octo-ber 2018. One of the most heavily affected areas was a montane and sub-alpine spruce stand known as "Latemarwald" in the vicinity of Lake...

Plinthisus brevipennis (Latreille, 1807) (Heteroptera: Rhyparochromidae) new for South Tyrol. The seed bug species Plinthisus brevipennis was first recorded for South Tyrol (Trentino Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy) using soil core samples. The species is widely distributed but tends to go unrecorded because of its small size (approx. 3 mm) and life hi...

For the northernmost province of Italy, South Tyrol, a permanent biodiversity monitoring system has been set up on the initiative of the South Tyrolean provincial government and under the direction of the Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research. This monitoring not only serves as basic research but also intends to provide a scientific basi...

The catalogue of the vascular plants of South Tyrol: additions and corrections (9) The ninth article in the series again presents taxa that are new to the flora of South Tyrol or whose status has changed since the publication of the catalogue of the vascular plants in 2006. Due to the increase in the number of members of the “Flora of South Tyrol”...

The ninth article in the series again presents taxa that are new to the flora of South Tyrol or whose status has changed since the publication of the catalogue of the vascular plants in 2006. Due to the increase in the number of members of the “Flora of South Tyrol” working group, a comparatively large number of new records has been obtained in the...

In this contribution, new data concerning red algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Thorea , for the bryophyte genera Ephemerum , Hedwigia , Pogonatum , Riccia , Sphagnum , and Tortella , the fungal genera Pileolaria and Sporisorium , and the lichen gen...

Since the 1950s, agricultural practices throughout Europe have undergone major changes, with major impacts on biodiversity. In particular, these changes cause the progressive rarefaction or disappearance of birds depending on open or semi-open environments, habitats that are largely originated and maintained by traditional farming practices such as...

To understand how diversity is distributed in space is a fundamental aim for optimizing future species and community conservation. We examined in parallel species richness and beta diversity components of nine taxonomic groups along a finite space, represented by pastured grasslands along an elevational gradient. Beta diversity, which is assumed to...

Orthopteroid insects (Caelifera, Ensifera, Mantodea) are characteristic of grassland ecosystems. They are often key species in grassland food webs, and many species have very specific requirements concerning habitat structure. Thus, orthopteroid insects are valued and widely used indicators in grassland ecology. Here we propose a standardised surve...

The 13 th EDGG Field Workshop was conducted from the 26 June to 6 July 2019 in Armenia. The Field Workshop had two main aims: (a) to analyse the biodiversity patterns of the Armenian grasslands across multiple taxonomic groups and grain sizes, and (b) to study the syntaxonomic position of these grasslands in a general European context. We conducted...

The European steppes and their biota have been hypothesized to be either young remnants of the Pleistocene steppe belt or, alternatively, to represent relicts of long-term persisting populations; both scenarios directly bear on nature conservation priorities. Here, we evaluate the conservation value of threatened disjunct steppic grassland habitats...

The European steppes and their biota have been hypothesized to be either young remnants of the Pleistocene steppe belt or, alternatively, to represent relicts of long-term persisting populations; both scenarios directly bear on nature conservation priorities. Here, we evaluate the conservation value of threatened disjunct steppic grassland habitats...

In the original publication of the article, Figure 2 was published without the labels. The corrected figure and figure legend are provided in this Correction.

Salix retusa agg. encompasses small, prostrate willows occurring in the subalpine and alpine zones of European mountains. Karyological relationships among taxa in this group remain unclear. DNA ploidy was estimated using flow cytometry of silica‐dried specimens, covering the entire distribution area of the species. In this study, the presence of tw...

The Matsch/Mazia Valley is a small tributary valley of the Vinschgau Valley (Val Venosta), the most extreme inner- Alpine dry valley of the Eastern Alps (Braun-Blanquet 1961). Due to large barriers in the South (Ortles/Ortler Group) and in the North (Ötztal Alps) there is little precipitation, mainly during the sommer months. Mals/Malles and Schlud...

Biodiversity Day 2017 at the hill of Säben Abbey (municipality of Klausen / Chiusa, South Tyrol, Italy) The 18 th Biodiversity Day in South Tyrol was held in the area around Säben Abbey. A total of 886 taxa were found, among them are 5 new records for South Tyrol.

The catalogue of the vascular plants of South Tyrol: additions and corrections (8) The 8 th contribution encompasses records of adventitious taxa which are either new (Caryopteris ×clandonensis, Centaurea macrocephala, Galanthus nivalis, Sporobolus indi-cus, Verbena bonariensis) to South Tyrol or have been observed only in historical time or at las...

The Orthoptera fauna of South Tyrol-new distribution data and updated distribution maps. In the framework of the ongoing mapping of the Orthoptera fauna of South Tyrol many new records and distribution data, respectively, have been gathered in the last years. The present work aims at reporting a representative selection of these new records that ha...

Traditionally managed mountain grasslands are declining as a result of abandonment or intensification of management. Based on a common chronosequence approach we investigated species compositions of 16 taxonomic groups on traditionally managed dry pastures, fertilized and irrigated hay meadows, and abandoned grasslands (larch forests). We included...

We present relevant data about the taxonomy, nomenclature, and chorology of nine species of the genus Carex from the Neotropics. We provide two new records for the South American continent, one of them an introduced species in Argentina and Uruguay (C. divisa), and the other an apparently naturally occurring species in Venezuela (C. buxbaumii), two...

Red list of endangered Orthoptera and Mantodea of South Tyrol (Italy) A checklist and red list of the grasshopper and mantid species of South Tyrol are presented. The red list categories were assigned on the basis of three separately specified indicators: frequency, population trend and habitat loss. We also provide information about habitat prefer...

Floristic and faunistic observations in the nature monument Trumbichl (Feldthurns, South Tyrol, Italy)

True bugs (Insecta: Heteroptera) in selected study areas during the Science Week 2016 in the surroundings of Matsch (South Tyrol, Italy) Within the Science Week 2016, the Heteroptera fauna of six dry pastures at 1,500 m and 1,000 m a.s.l. and of three hay meadows at 1,500 m were sampled. A total of 77 species of bugs were detected. The grassland ty...

Alpine mountain areas are currently in a state of change. Traditional, extensive land-use has been either intensified or abandoned due to socio-economic reasons, the latter resulting in shrub encroachment, shifts within the plant communities, and thus in alterations in resource availability and physical environment for plants and invertebrates livi...

Flowering Farmland Competitions (FFLCs) are becoming more and more prominent, especially in Europe. By conducting a survey among organisers and by searching the internet we are able to give a historical and spatial overview and to analyse their potential to promote sustainable farm management in combination with Agri-Environmental Measures (AEMs)....

Background The complex of Salix retusa includes S. retusa s.s., S serpyllifolia and S. kitaibeliana, small, prostrate willows occurring in the subalpine and alpine vegetation belts of the mountains of Central Europe: the Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Dynaric Alps, Carpathians and Rila. The systematic positions of these taxa are not fully resolved and...

p>Notas taxonómicas y de distribución de Carex (Cyperaceae) en el Neotrópico. Presentamos datos relevantes acerca de la taxonomía y distribución de 20 especies del género Carex en el Neotrópico (de la region Caribe a la Patagonia). Aportamos un total de 19 registros nuevos, dos de ellos para especies hasta el momento no registradas para Sudamérica,...

We present relevant data about the taxonomy and distribution of 20 species of the genus Carex in the Neotropics from the Caribbean region to Patagonia. We provide a total of 19 new records, two of them for species not previously recorded from South America, ten species newly reported from different countries, and seven species here reported as new...

Unpublished investigation about the biological inventory of the "Obere Glurnser Au" in the upper Vinschgau valley in South Tyrol (Northern Italy). It contains data of higher plants, butterflies, birds, spiders, harvestmen and habitats.

Presentamos a continuación algunas novedades corológicas interesantes que incluyen algunas especies raras o amenazadas, sobre las que se hacen comentarios relativos a su conservación, y que contribuyen al mejor conocimiento de la familia ciperáceas en la Península Ibérica. Entre ellas destaca el hallazgo en la Sierra de Gredos de la cuarta població...

In this paper, we summarize the results of our long-date research on the genus Centaurea. The first part of the paper deals with the overall classification of the genus, which we propose to divide into three subgenera: subgenus Centaurea, subgenus Cyanus and subgenus Lopholoma. The second part of this publication gives a recopilation of the species...

Carex cespitosa L. (Cyperaceae) has been traditionally regarded as widespread in Europe, being reported from most countries. However, its distribution is currently overestimated due to the ambiguous use of the name C. cespitosa, together with frequent taxonomic confusion, mainly with the closely related C. elata All. and C. nigra (L.) Reichard. We...

The discovery on the Island Procida (Gulf of Naples, off the Italian west coast) of a Centaurea population similar to C. corensis, a narrow-range Sardinian endemic hitherto known only from one single locality in Sardinia, is presented here. The identification of the two populations as C. corensis is confirmed by morphological comparison and morphom...

In the 6th contribution, species are presented which are new to the flora of South Tyrol and such the occurrence of which is either reconfirmed or denied. Among the new species are the allochthonous Cardamine bulbifera, Erodium moschatum, Euphorbia davidii, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Spartium junceum, classified as casuals, and Eragrostis barrelieri...

FloraFaunaSouthTyrol (www.florafauna.it). The internet portal to the distribution of plant and animal species of South Tyrol Distribution data of a regional flora and fauna are an essential base for any further work in plant and animal science as well as for nature conservation and other applied special fields. The Museum of Nature South Tyrol, sin...

The catalogue of the vascular plants of South Tyrol: additions and corrections (5) The 5 th contribution includes adventitious as well as native species which are either new to the flora of South Tyrol or are definitely confirmed. Among the native species are Alchemilla cymatophylla, A. lunaria, A. cf. niphogeton, A. cf. othmarii, A. fallax, and A....

We explored the spatiotemporal diversification of the Centaurea cineraria group based on AFLP fingerprints and plastid DNA sequences applied to a broad sampling of Central Mediterranean taxa of the Acrolophus subgroup. Despite its morphological distinctness, monophyly of the C. cineraria group was not supported by our data. A distinct lineage mostl...

Centaurea subtilis from south east Italy and C. exarata from south west Iberia were classified in the Acrolophus- Phalolepis group and therein in section Maculosae. A molecular survey based on ITS sequence data indicates that both species should rather be placed in the Jacea-Lepteranthus group instead. This placement is consistent with the chromoso...

Checklist of the Habitats of South Tyrol This paper presents a comprehensive, hierarchically structured habitat classification system for South Tyrol (Alto Adige), Italy. It includes natural habitats and those created by man, both with and without vegetation cover. The checklist contains five hierarchical levels. The two upper levels are defined on...

Vascular plants new to the flora of South Tyrol (Italy) (4): Results of floristic mapping. 13 indigenous, including archeophytic taxa are reported as new to South Tyrol: Alchemilla plicata, A. saxatilis, Campanula patula subsp. costae, Carex polyphylla, C. tumidicarpa, Cerastium lucorum, Cheno-podium opulifolium, Elymus athericus × hispidus, Festuc...