ANTHROPOGENIC HYBRIDIZATION IN ITALIAN MAMMALS

CASUAL SEMINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION

One of the most challenging issues faced nowadays by conservation biologists and wildlife managers is represented by anthropogenic hybridization (AH) and the consequent genetic introgression between diverging gene pools. AH is promoted by animal translocations, release of captive stocks, or crossbreeding between wild and domestic forms. In all such cases, evolutionary and ecological implications are mostly unknown and often neglected, yet of prime interest in population ecology and management. The seminar will deal with cases of AH in Italy, involving mammal species of outstanding interest for conservation and management. Case studies will concern wolf, wild boar and roe deer.

Massimo Scandura is assistant professor at the University of Sassari, Italy. Graduated at the University of Pisa, PhD in Biology at the University of Bielefeld, Germany in 2004, Massimo teaches Vertebrate Zoology and Conservation Genetics for master students in Biology and Natural Sciences. He is Associate Editor (AE) of EJWR and former AE of Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. He is also a member of the IUCN Wild Pigs Specialist Group. Massimo’s main research interests are population genetics, phylogeography, sociality and ecology of mammals strongly managed by humans or of conservation interest (in particular wild ungulates and wolves). He is the authors of more than 120 publications, including 40 papers in international peer-reviewed journals.

[Host: Paulo Célio Alves, Conservation Genetics and Wildlife Management]

Image credits: Graziano Capaccioli