A journey through past and present to look to the future
Amphibians and reptiles are among the vertebrate classes most at risk of extinction globally. The main threats to their conservation include habitat loss, fragmentation and alteration, climate change, lack of adequate knowledge, direct killing during migration periods, and trade for collection purposes, as well as invasive species and the spread of certain pathogens. To address current challenges, the MUSE – Museo delle Scienze has initiated study and monitoring projects in recent years on particularly vulnerable target species such as the Aurora salamander (Salamandra atra aurorae) and the Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra atra) within the Natura 2000 network of the Autonomous Province of Trento. These studies have deepened our understanding of the ecology of these subspecies, defined monitoring protocols, and developed conservation plans. Looking to the past, through the analysis and comparison of historical and current data, also provides valuable and surprising information that can reveal unexpected trends influencing the conservation status of a species, as seen in the study of the common adder (Vipera berus). Adopting a comprehensive view of conservation, based on the foundations of the past and the evidence of the present, aims to chart a more informed course for the future.
Antonio Romano, a senior researcher at the Institute for BioEconomy of the CNR (National Research Council), has been a consultant for the IUCN on Italian herpetofauna since 2008 and Vice President of the Societas Herpetologica Italica. He has been studying herpetofauna in protected areas and the ecology of inland waters for years.
Luca Roner, a collaborator at the MUSE – Museo delle Scienze in Trento since 2018, focuses on research on the two subspecies of Alpine salamander present in Trentino, aiming at conservation, ecology, and understanding population dynamics in response to environmental changes.
The event can also be followed online on the Museum’s YouTube channel.
