Habitat suitability mapping and landscape connectivity analysis to predict African swine fever spread in wild boar populations: A focus on Northern Italy

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(1), P. e0317577 - e0317577

Published: Jan. 30, 2025

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease affecting wild and domestic pigs, characterised by severe haemorrhagic symptoms high mortality rates. Originally confined to Sub-Saharan Africa, ASF virus genotype II has spread Europe since 2014, mainly Eastern Europe, progressing through boar migrations human action. In January 2022, the first case of ASF, due II, was reported in North-western Italy, carcass. Thereafter, numerous positive boars were identified, indicating an expanding epidemic, severely threatening Italian pig farming trade. This study focused on mapping suitable habitats for their potential dispersal corridors Northern using species distribution models landscape connectivity analysis. The resulting maps identified areas with higher likelihood presence, highlighting preferential pathways crossing Italy. along major predicted model suggests obtained as valuable support decision-makers improve surveillance carcass early detection, aiming eradication. applied framework can be easily replicated other regions countries.

Language: Английский

The Effects of Wild Boar Rooting on Epigeic Arthropods in Oak Forests

Forests, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(7), P. 1169 - 1169

Published: July 5, 2024

The distribution of wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) on almost all continents brings with it a number negative impacts, the intensity which depend local population density. One these impacts is rooting soil surface as part their foraging behavior, represents an ecologically valuable disturbance to forest ecosystem. In this study, conducted in 2022 and 2023, we placed 50 pitfall traps across 10 plots at model sites compare epigeic arthropod communities areas affected by those unaffected activity. Our findings demonstrate presence or absence highly significant factor shaping community assemblies. Rooted predominantly hosted species from taxons Araneae, Carabidae, Elateridae, Diplopoda, whereas without were significantly associated Tenebrionidae, Opiliones, Gryllidae, Geotrupidae. Diptera, Staphylinidae not Throughout decreasing trend diversity was observed. Wild notably impacted composition assemblages.

Language: Английский

Wolf and wild boar in the Alps: trophic, temporal and spatial interactions in an Alpine protected area

Global Ecology and Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 55, P. e03253 - e03253

Published: Oct. 11, 2024

Language: Английский