Farda B., Coppari L., Lunghi E., Pellegrini M. (2024). Development of a sampling and preservation protocol for cutaneous bacterial communities of Speleomantes
This data paper collects information on multiple surface and subterranean populations of Speleomantes obtained throughout a four-year monitoring period. The high-quality pictures are supplied with additional information on individuals such as weight, presence of malformations and parasite load.
Title: Four years monitoring of the endangered European plethodontid salamanders
Authors: Luca Coppari, Milos Di Gregorio, Claudia Corti, Stefano Merilli, Manuela Mulargia, Roberto Cogoni, Raoul Manenti, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Enrico Lunghi
Journal: Scientific Data
Link to the article Four years monitoring of the endangered European plethodontid salamanders
Wonderfull moments spent in Borneo and in Sardinia! For the ICSB conference check also the dedicated section.
Preliminary results: Preliminary data on the presenceof trace elementsin cave water and soil
In this article we assessed the consistency of individual diet specialization of three populations of Speleomantes ambrosii throughout a period of three years. We found evidence of significant variation of the proportion of specialized individuals between different seasons, and between different years when considering the same season.
Title: Yearly variation in individual diet specialization: Evidence from cave salamanders
Authors: Enrico Lunghi, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Raoul Manenti, Giorgio Mancinelli
Journal: Global Ecology and Conservation
Link to the article Yearly variation in individual diet specialization: Evidence from cave salamanders
In this article we analyzed the abundance of three facultative cave species inhabiting the transition zone between surface environment and deep cave areas. Speciefically, we examined the abundance of two spiders and one snail, identifying which are the environmental and biological factors affecting the number of observed individuals.
Title: Microclimatic Influences on the Abundance of Three Non-Troglobiont Species
Authors: Luca Coppari, Raoul Manenti, Enrico Lunghi
Journal: Diversity
Link to the article Microclimatic Influences on the Abundance of Three Non-Troglobiont Species
As we gear up for the joint event of 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology (ICSB) and 6th International Symposium on Anchialine Ecosystems (ISAE), we are thrilled to announce some significant updates designed to enrich the experience of our attendees and participants, particularly focusing on student engagement and international researcher support.
Awards for Outstanding Student Contributions
In our continuous effort to recognize and support the innovative work of students in our field, the ICSB Conference is proud to introduce three prestigious awards for the best student contributions. These awards are open to students presenting either through spoken presentations or posters.
A special committee, comprising at least 30% of students, will be tasked with evaluating the contributions. The meticulous selection process ensures that the awards will be a testament to the excellence in research presented by students. The winners, who will be announced during the last day of the conference, will receive full Article Processing Charge (APC) vouchers. These vouchers will enable the publication of a full article in the society journal, Subterranean Biology, within a Special Topic dedicated to the conference. This opportunity not only provides a platform for students to showcase their research but also encourages their active participation in the scientific dialogue.
Travel Grants to Support International Participation
Understanding the challenges faced by researchers from low-income countries in attending international conferences, we are offering four full fee waivers as travel grants. This initiative aims to foster a more inclusive and diverse scientific community by ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder valuable contributions.
Eligibility for these grants requires a motivation letter to be submitted along with the conference registration, detailing the applicant’s status (e.g., student, postdoc), country of origin, and the significance of their contribution to the conference. This process will not only help us understand the impact of the proposed research but also the personal and professional journey of the applicants.
The selection process will prioritize students, reflecting our commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists in Subterranean Biology. The announcement of the grant recipients will be made public in May 2024, offering transparency and excitement as the conference approaches. Winners will be awarded a full conference fee reimbursement on the last day of the conference, ensuring their contribution is recognized and celebrated.
Join Us this September in Cagliari, Italy
The ICSB Conference is more than an event; it is a community of passionate individuals committed to advancing the frontiers of Subterranean Biology. These updates reflect our dedication to making the conference accessible, rewarding, and enriching for all participants, especially our students and international researchers.
We look forward to welcoming you to an event filled with groundbreaking research, inspiring discussions, and meaningful recognition of contributions to our field.
The joint conference between the 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology and the 6th International Symposium on Anchialine Ecosystems will convene in the vibrant city of Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy 9 – 14 September 2024. The event will take place at the section “Animal Biology and Ecology” of the Department of Life and Environmental Science, University of Cagliari, Via T. Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari Italy.
For more information, make sure you check the official website of ICSB 2024 and ISAE 2024 or follow up the LinkedIn page and stay tuned for more updates.
In this article we analyzed the telomere length in both cave and surface form of Astyanax mexicanus. Our results identifies longer telomeres in surface fish compared to cavefish, while no effect of aging was detected within sampled individuals. We hypothesize that telomere lenght likely shortened in cave form as adaptation to the lower stressful environment.
Title: Telomere length and dynamics in Astyanax mexicanus cave and surface morphs
Authors: Enrico Lunghi and Helena Bilandzija
Journal: PeerJ
Link to the article Telomere length and dynamics in Astyanax mexicanus cave and surface morphs
We are pleased to inform that the collection of articles published in the special issue “Salamanders: Distribution, Diversity, and Conservation” edited by Dr. Lunghi is now available as a book. You can download the pdf for free from the link below.
Title: Salamanders: Distribution, Diversity, and Conservation
Editor: Enrico Lunghi
Journal: Animlas
We are pleased to inform that the collection of articles published in the research topic “Adaptations to Subterranean Environments” edited by Dr. Lunghi, Prof. Niemiller and Dr. Bilandzija is now available as ebook. You can download the pdf for free from this link.
We collected 13 papers, 8 research articles and 5 reviewes. Below our editorial.
Title: Adaptations to Subterranean Environments
Editors: Enrico Lunghi, Matthew Niemiller, Helena Bilandzija
Journal: Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution
We are pleased to inform that the collection of articles published in the special issue “Cave Communities: From the Surface Border to the Deep Darkness” edited by Dr. Manenti and Dr. Lunghi is now available as a book. You can download the pdf for free from the link below.
Title: Cave Communities: From the Surface Border to the Deep Darkness
Editors: Raoul Manenti and Enrico Lunghi
Journal: Diversity
In this article we performed a review aiming to define the state-of-the-art of researches published on the behabviour of Speleomantes cave salamanders, and we provided insights for future researches aiming to fill the current knowledge gap.
Title: Recent Advances in the Behavioral Ecology of European Plethodontid Salamanders
Authors: Andrea Costa , Enrico Lunghi, Giacomo Rosa, Sebastiano Salvidio
Journal: Animals
Link to the article Recent Advances in the Behavioral Ecology of European Plethodontid Salamanders
In this article we performed a review of research papers in which experiments or description of specific behavioural trait were performed in cave species. Data was then analysed to assess the convergent evolution of such behavioral traits, and to infer on the role that behavioural adjustments may have during the colonization of subterranean environments.
Title:
Behavioural adjustments enable the colonization of subterranean environments
Authors: Enrico Lunghi , Stefano Mammola, Alejandro Martínez, Thomas Hesselberg
Journal: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
Link to the article Behavioural adjustments enable the colonization of subterranean environments