While mammals worldwide are increasingly threatened by habitat destruction, overexploitation of populations and the climate crisis, Europe – and the Alps in particular – is witnessing the gradual return or expansion of many medium- and large-sized mammal species after centuries of decline. The abandonment of many mountain areas has favoured forest regrowth and the recovery of species associated with woodland habitats. At the same time, however, these habitats are increasingly used by people for leisure and outdoor recreation, raising the potential for disturbance, interaction and conflict.
How do wild mammals adapt their behaviour in response to human presence? Under which conditions is the risk of human-wildlife conflict highest? Are wildlife populations resilient to stress caused by human impacts? And how can coexistence be ensured in a complex environment such as the Alps? These and other questions will be addressed in this Colloquium, which will present the results of numerous scientific studies carried out by the mammal ecology research group at MUSE – Museo delle Scienze in Trento.
Giulia Bombieri is a zoologist in the Research and Collections Office of MUSE – Museo delle Scienze. Her work focuses on research, monitoring and conservation of vertebrate fauna, with a particular emphasis on mammals. She studies interactions among species and between wildlife and humans, including conflict dynamics, as well as the effects of human pressures and environmental change on species and communities. She combines broad-scale analyses with locally applied studies, contributing to the development of evidence-based monitoring protocols and management guidelines.
Marco Salvatori is a quantitative ecologist at MUSE – Museo delle Scienze and the University of Florence. He applies statistical analyses to the study of the ecology, demography and behaviour of mammals, birds and amphibians. His work focuses on biodiversity monitoring and conservation, investigating the responses of vertebrate fauna to different human pressures, such as recreational activities, grazing, hunting and landscape alteration. By integrating standardised sampling and monitoring methods with statistical models, he generates knowledge to support animal species conservation and coexistence between humans and wildlife.
The colloquium at 6 p.m. will be held in Italian.
