Biology subjects

La Bella, G.

Publications and source records attributed to La Bella, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Native community resistance modulates the spread of non-native species along Mediterranean mountain roads under global change

AimClimate warming, human modification, and global connectivity are eroding the abiotic barriers (i.e. climatic filtering and low propagule pressure) that have traditionally limited the spread of non-native species in mountain ecosystems. Meanwhile, these global changes are reshaping native plant communities, potentially weakening their biotic resistance to invasion. Yet, the role of native community resistance in modulating the upslope spread of non-native species remains overlooked, potentially masking indirect effects of global change in mountain ecosystems. LocationCentral Apennines Mountain range, Italy MethodsFollowing the Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN) protocol, we surveyed vegetation close and far from roads at 60 sites along three mountain roads in the Central Apennines. Using current and historical climatic data and aerial images from the 1950s to today, we quantified climate and land-use changes. Dominant plant traits and functional diversity were used to capture the biotic resistance of native communities. We then applied structural equation modelling to investigate how native biotic resistance regulates the effect of global change drivers, i.e. road disturbance and changes in land-use and climate, on the occurrence and cover of non-native species. ResultsVariance partitioning suggests that, beside climatic filtering, the biotic resistance of native communities is among the strongest drivers of non-native species occurrence and abundance. Although climate and land-use changes have had little direct influence on non-natives, land-use changes occurred over the past 70 years indirectly influenced invasions by altering native community resistance. Agricultural abandonment at low- to middle elevations, favoured short-statured native communities, offering low resistance. In contrast, forest expansion strengthened resistance through dominance of conservative native species. Main conclusionNative community resistance, alongside climate and disturbance, is a key determinant of invasion patterns along elevational gradients in Mediterranean mountains. Despite global changes facilitate non-native plant upward shifts, native communities can modulate this spread and may still maintain a certain resistance to invasion.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Using revisitation data for predicting changes in ecosystem functioning across protected and non-protected coastal dunes

Protected areas are generally designed to conserve biodiversity. However, how well they also contribute to maintaining ecosystem functions that plant diversity supports has rarely been explicitly tested, often due to the lack of historical ecosystem function data. Here, we used a trait-based approach to reconstruct past ecosystem functioning and examine its change over the last 15 years in protected and unprotected coastal dune ecosystems, checking where functions remain stable over time. First, we resurveyed vegetation in quasi-permanent plots and measured in the present several ecosystem functions related to biomass production, carbon, water, nutrient cycling, erosion control, and invasion resistance across six coastal dune sites in Central Italy. Second, using these data, we quantified Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function (BEF) relationships and employed them to hindcast past ecosystem functions based on historical vegetation surveys. Finally, as a case study, we applied this method to assess temporal changes in ecosystem functioning under three protection regimes: national protected areas (i.e. strict protection), Natura 2000 sites (loose protection), and non-protected areas. Biomass production, carbon, and water regulation increased over time in non-protected areas, likely due to an expansion of ruderal and non-native species, that are usually more productive. Within Natura 2000 sites, communities showed a decrease in erosion control and invasion resistance, due to the loss of important dune-building species and the spread of non-natives. Only within national protected areas, ecosystem functions did not undergo significant temporal changes, and invasion resistance even increased. Our results suggest that ecosystem functioning remained stable over time only in areas under strict protection. More broadly, our study demonstrates the potential for using revisitation data in combination with locally estimated BEF relationships to hindcast past ecosystem functioning, providing a valuable tool for monitoring long-term functional changes in response to conservation measures.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

A bioinformatic approach for the prediction andfunctional classification of Toxoplasma gondii longnon-coding RNAs

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as significant players in diverse cellular processes, including cell differentiation. Advancements in computational methodologies have facilitated the prediction of lncRNA functions, enabling insights even in non-model organisms like pathogenic parasites, in roles such as parasite development, antigenic variation, and epigenetics. In this work, we focus on the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii differentiation process, where the infective stage, tachyzoite, can develop into the cysted stage, bradyzoite, under stress conditions. Using a publicly available transcriptome dataset, we predicted lncRNA sequences associated with this differentiation process. Notably, a substantial proportion of these predicted lncRNAs exhibited stage-specific expression, particularly at the bradyzoite stage. Furthermore, co-expression patterns between coding transcripts and lncRNAs suggest their involvement in shared processes, such as bradyzoite development. TglncRNA loci analysis revealed their potential influence on the expression of nearby coding genes, including subtelomeric genes unique to the T. gondii genome. Finally, with a k-mer analysis approach, we identified functional relationships between characterized lncRNAs from model organisms like Homo sapiens and predicted T. gondii lncRNAs. Our perspective led to the identification of a T. gondii lncRNA potentially mediating DNA damage repair pathways, shedding light on the adaptive mechanisms of T. gondii in response to stress conditions.

bioinformatics↗