EnviXLab
banner
envixlab.bsky.social
EnviXLab
@envixlab.bsky.social
#EnviXLab is an interdisciplinary team of professionals from University of Molise (Italy) #Unimolise specialised in quantitative ecology, environmental modelling and biological systems.

linktr.ee/envixlab

https://www.instagram.com/envix_lab_unimol/
We assessed the future distribution of the #invasivepest #BactroceraDorsalis in Italy using #EcologicalNicheModels.
Our findings project an expansion of suitable habitats under future climate scenarios, with increases of over 7000% by 2100.

#ENM #EnviXLab

doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Client Challenge
doi.org
October 14, 2025 at 9:23 AM
📣CAM-COAST: a new database, part of the #LIFEPLAN project, that captured 2,932 images of birds and mammals in an Italian coastal dune system🦆🐗
This research is a crucial step for long-term monitoring and #conservation of coastal ecosystems.

#Natura2000 #EnviXLab

www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
Frontiers | CAM-COAST: the database of bird and mammal fauna collected through camera traps in a Natura 2000 coastal site in Italy
Coastal dunes are dynamic ecosystems influenced by both natural and anthropogenic processes that shape vegetation zonation and faunal assemblages within dune...
www.frontiersin.org
September 2, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Did you know moths can tell us about the health of our #coastlines ?🌊
Our latest study explored the fascinating world of #geometrid moths 🦋 and #plants on the Italian coast.
We discovered that different dune zones support unique communities of moths and plants.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Linking taxonomic diversity and ecological traits of geometrid moths and plants in coastal dunes: Insights from a Mediterranean LTER site
Geometrid moths are widely regarded as effective bioindicators due to their sensitivity to changes in local plant communities, their preference for wo…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 27, 2025 at 11:01 AM
✨ Exciting update from the MIREN database!
The very first site in Italy, located in the Central Apennines, has now been included, managed by the UniMolise and UniRomaTre 🌍🌿
We keep monitoring #AlienPlants along mountain roads!

#MIREN #Biodiversity #Apennines #EnviXLab

zenodo.org/records/1574...
MIREN survey of plant species in mountains
These data consist of plant species records observed between 2007 and 2023 and used in publications listed on the MIREN website. These are records of vascular plant species along mountain roads, the s...
zenodo.org
August 27, 2025 at 10:58 AM
📢 ITV-net: the first Italian database on #PlantFunctionalTraits with #IntraspecificTraitVariability 🌱

ITV-net includes over 8,500 leaf trait records (LA/SLA) for 709 plant species across 8 Italian habitats, from coastal dunes to alpine grasslands.

#EnviXLab

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
ITV-net: a dataset of intraspecific leaf traits data across major Italian habitats
Over the last decades plant ecology has greatly benefited from open data on functional traits. Nowadays, several national and international trait databases are available, but trait data from Southe...
www.tandfonline.com
July 28, 2025 at 10:24 AM
🌿 Now online #DALIA db, a detailed inventory of Campobasso’s urban woody flora. DALIA includes 170 taxa with ecological, functional, and biogeographic traits representing a strategic tool for a sustainable green planning in Mediterranean cities.

#NBFC #EnviXLab

ved.arphahub.com/article/155222
DALIA: a relational DAtabase of tree, shrub and LIAna taxa recorded in the Functional Urban Area of Campobasso (Italy)
We developed the DALIA relational database (DAtabase of tree, shrub and LIAna taxa), which contains records of tree, shrub, and liana taxa recorded in the Functional Urban Area of Campobasso, a small ...
ved.arphahub.com
July 21, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Incredible news from #Madagascar! Say hello to Paragehyra tsaranoro, a new #species of gecko.
This little gem lives only in tiny, isolated forest fragments in the island's southeast. It's a true #microendemic, meaning you won't find it anywhere else on Earth! 🌍

zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1510...
A new microendemic gecko from the small forest fragments of south-eastern Madagascar (Squamata, Gekkonidae, Paragehyra)
Historically, herpetological research in Madagascar has largely overlooked small forest fragments outside the country protected area network. Despite substantial declines in species diversity compared...
zookeys.pensoft.net
June 30, 2025 at 8:06 AM
🦅📚 Online bird identification courses do work!
Analyzing 300+ adult learners, we found significant skill gains. Online learning proves to be important for accessible, inclusive environmental education. 🌍🔍

#Ecology #Biodiversity #Birds #OnlineEducation #EnviXLab

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Are online courses a viable learning alternative for typically outdoor subjects? Evidence from bird recognition courses - Rendiconti Lincei. Scienze Fisiche e Naturali
Abstract During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, online education gained prominence in environmental sciences, particularly for traditionally outdoor-focused subjects, highlighting the need for furthe...
link.springer.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:34 AM
We used Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellite data to analyze Ailanthus altissima impact on native vegetation in Sardinia. The results show that this #InvasiveSpecies has a competitive advantage, especially in the summer

#EnviXLab #RemoteSensing #Biodiversity

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Assessing eco-physiological patterns of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and differences with native vegetation using Copernicus satellite data on a Mediterranean Island
Biological invasions, one of the most pervasive components of global change, can cause irreversible alterations in the composition and functioning of …
www.sciencedirect.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:32 AM
🛰️🌿Anthropogenic alterations threaten the #ChacoForest. Using #Sentinel-2, spectral indices (BI, NDWIGao, MCARISent), and field data, we assessed #ForestConservation and structural changes under different management regimes 🌳🇦🇷

#RemoteSensing #SDG15 #EnviXLab

www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17...
Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing for Forest Conservation and Management: A Case Study of the Gran Chaco in Central Argentina
Anthropogenic alteration of tropical and subtropical forests is a major driver of biodiversity loss; notably, the Chaco Forest, which is the largest dry forest in the Americas, is among the most impac...
www.mdpi.com
February 28, 2025 at 12:07 PM
🌿📣 #ReSurveyDunes is online!! The first database of Italian #coastaldune vegetation, combining 50 years of historical resurveyed phytosociological plots across 11 regions. 🌊🌱

#Ecology #CoastalConservation #EnviXLab

@vegecoldiv.bsky.social

ved.arphahub.com/article/1395...
ReSurveyDunes — a data resource of resurveyed coastal dune vegetation plots in Italy
We present ReSurveyDunes — the first database of Italian coastal dune vegetation plots, developed through a collaborative network of Italian vegetation scientists. This paper describes the scope of th...
ved.arphahub.com
February 28, 2025 at 10:19 AM
🚗🌿 Exploring the spread of #AlienPlants along #MountainRoads! The MARA database tracks vascular plant species in the #CentralApennines, focusing on neophytes and thermophilous plants across 118 plots (420–2125 m a.s.l.). 🌡️⬆️

#MIREN #EnviXLab

@vegecoldiv.bsky.social

ved.arphahub.com/article/1393...
MARA Vegetation Database: Monitoring Alien species along mountain Roads in the central Apennines
The MARA (Monitoring Alien species along mountain Roads in the central Apennines) database was developed to monitor the distribution of vascular plant species along mountain roads in the Central Apenn...
ved.arphahub.com
February 28, 2025 at 8:37 AM
🌍🦣 Meet EutherianCoP! A groundbreaking database of #fossil mammals from the Late Pleistocene to today. 🦡📊 With nearly 14,000 fossil records, climate data, and species traits, it’s a goldmine for conservation paleobiology! 🔍

#Paleobiology #Conservation #EnviXLab

doi.org/10.1038/s415...
EutherianCoP. An integrated biotic and climate database for conservation paleobiology based on eutherian mammals - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - EutherianCoP. An integrated biotic and climate database for conservation paleobiology based on eutherian mammals
doi.org
February 7, 2025 at 12:04 PM
🧠🔬 How did primate brains evolve? A new study shows that the prefrontal cortex expanded early, with later growth in regions linked to advanced cognition. In Homo, even memory-related areas evolved! 🧩

#Evolution #Neuroscience #Cognition #EnviXLab

doi.org/10.1038/s420...
Cortical areas associated to higher cognition drove primate brain evolution - Communications Biology
By studying how rates of shape evolution unfold on the brain surface of more than 300 land mammal species, we found that Primates evolved cortical expansion in areas of the brain involved in producing...
doi.org
February 7, 2025 at 12:02 PM
🔬🌍 Where did species originate? Meet RRphylogeography! A groundbreaking R tool that traces species’ origins and past contacts by modeling bioclimatic data. It even confirmed polar bear hybridization zones! 🐻❄️

#Biogeography #Evolution #EnviXLab

doi.org/10.1111/2041...
RRphylogeography: A new method to find the area of origin of species and the history of past contacts between species
One of the main goals of historical biogeography is understanding where species originated, and how climate change and ecological interactions shaped their distribution. The task is complicated by...
doi.org
February 7, 2025 at 12:01 PM
💥 We’re excited to announce the launch of the official website about our #CitizenScience project #WildCoastAdriatic 💥
🔎 Curious to learn more? Explore our website for detailed insights about the project and #StayTuned for all the future activities 📣

sites.google.com/view/wild-co...

#EnviXLab
Wild Coast Adriatic
Il Molise è una delle regioni italiane con meno antropizzazione nell'eterogeneità del territorio; è ricco di zone marine mediterranee che s'innalza fino alle alte quote appenniniche dal clima continen...
sites.google.com
February 4, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Our study investigates vegetation dynamics in Mediterranean coastal dunes by integrating #PlantFunctionalTrait analysis with UAV-based #RemoteSensing. This approach offers a valuable tool for ecosystem monitoring.

#LTERItaly #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A novel high-resolution eco-functional vegetation mapping of coastal dunes
Coastal dune landscapes are dynamic systems shaped by complex biotic-abiotic interactions and impacted by human disturbances. This study focuses on Me…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
#EnviXLab collaborated to show how Alnus cordata acts as a key nurse species, enhancing soil quality and fostering microbial diversity in mixed forest plantations on marginal lands.

#Intercropping #FungalGuilds #Metabarcoding #SoilEcology

❗Full article here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Implications of nurse species in mixed forest plantations management on soil fungal community diversity
Mixed plantations provide numerous benefits in terms of ecosystem and socioeconomic services, as well as on soil chemical and biological parameters; t…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Our new research explores the remote sensing tools most commonly used to investigate urban biodiversity over the past 15 years.

#UrbanBiodiversity #RemoteSensing #UrbanEcology #EarthObservation #NBFC #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16...
Remote Sensing for Urban Biodiversity: A Review and Meta-Analysis
Urban settlements can support significant biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. Remote sensing (RS) offers valuable tools for monitoring and conserving urban biodiversity. Our r...
www.mdpi.com
January 27, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Our new study revealed that both native oaks and alien #Robiniapseudoacacia forests enhance species diversity in urban green spaces, but Robinia thrives riverbanks, endangering native riparian ecosystems.

#UrbanBiodiversity #NBFC #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Exploring the distribution pattern of native and alien forests and their woody species diversity in a small Mediterranean city
Recent studies have explored the ecological relationship between native urban forests and self-sown non-native forests in large cities and metropolises but further research efforts dedicated to ana...
www.tandfonline.com
January 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
By 2040, Kentish Plover habitats could decline by 22%. Protecting these nesting grounds means safeguarding coastal ecosystems and their future.

#climatechange #KentishPlover #Italy #ecology #coast #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Anthropogenic and climate change-driven coastline dynamics will erode future nesting habitats of the kentish plover on the central adriatic coast - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Anthropogenic and climate change-driven coastline dynamics will erode future nesting habitats of the kentish plover on the central adriatic coast
www.nature.com
January 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM
This new study shows a high level of naturalness despite urbanisation in #Campobasso. This work demonstrates the value of the #CartadellaNatura project in assessing biodiversity and urban planning.

#habitat #mapping #Molise #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/publicati...
Reticula n.35/2024
www.isprambiente.gov.it
January 27, 2025 at 1:49 PM
In this study, we investigated the relationship between butterfly and vegetation diversity in a Mediterranean protected dune system in #CentralItaly.

#Biodiversity #monitoring #Lepidoptera #VascularPlants #EnviXLab

❗Full article here:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Cross-taxon analysis in the highly threatened Mediterranean dunes reveals consistent diversity patterns in butterfly and plant communities - Biodiversity and Conservation
Butterflies and plant species are widely used as model systems in biodiversity and conservation research. However, little is known about spatial patterns of butterfly diversity linked to plant communi...
link.springer.com
January 27, 2025 at 1:47 PM
#EnviXLab contributed to this research by developing a new ecological modelling technique to predict the future distribution patterns of Madagascar's chameleons.

#ecology #conservationbiology #climatechange #chameleons #madagascar

❗Full article here:
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Modelling reveals the effect of climate and land use change on Madagascar’s chameleons fauna - Communications Biology
The extraordinary biodiversity of Madagascar is seriously threatened by the combined effects of climate change and human economic activities. We found that Madagascar chameleons will face intense spec...
www.nature.com
January 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM