Giovanni Zanfei

University of Trieste | UNITS · Department of Life Sciences

XIII Congresso Italiano di Teriologia, Dipartimento Bioscienze e Territorio dell'Università del Molise - Pesche, Isernia 3-5 Luglio 2024 BOOK od ABSTRACT

The use of Artificial Cover Objects (ACOs) for herpetological monitoring activities is widely documented in bibliography. We placed 100 ACOs in five areas of Trentino, in different environments and at different altitudes; results point out a differential use of ACOs by reptiles in relation to environmental and altitudinal factors.

In this framework, we started a study on Vipera berus in alpine environment. Given its sensibility to habitat alteration because of a low dispersal ability, the species can be used as a good bio-indicator. V. berus tends to disappear from overgrazed areas, because of the reduction in the structural complexity of the floristic component, resulting i...

Small mammals are among the most important prey of vipers and represent in terms of biomass, diversity and nutritional value a fundamental element for the structure of predatory relationships in alpine pastures. The scarce presence of vipers recorded in the study area appears strongly conditioned by grazing and by a considerable pressure of trampli...

The Marmot Marmota marmota is one of charismatic animal in the Alpine environments and for this reason it was also introduced in the northern Apennines, at the top of Modena area. The species has slowly expanded and today also occupies the area of Corno alle Scale, the highest peak in the Bolognese Apennines. The current study is aimed to investiga...

Surveying Reptiles using Artificial Cover Objects in Trentino. The use of Artificial Cover Objects (ACOs) for herpetological monitoring activities is widely documented in bibliography. We placed 100 ACOs in five areas of Trentino, in different environments and at different altitudes; results point out a differential use of ACOs by reptiles in relat...