NBFC_Spoke 5 – Biodiversity of urban and peri-urban environments

The research project, in the frame of PNRR – NBFC Spoke 5 (Activity 5.2 e 5.4), aims to investigate adaptations, behaviour and interactions between wild mammals in urban and peri-urban contexts, with a focus on small mammals, bats and other species of conservation interest.

The initiative combines photo-trapping techniques and the use of hair-tubes to acquire data on the species present, analysing how fragmentation and increasing urbanisation affect biodiversity and animal behaviour. Phototrapping allows mammals and other animals to be monitored in an urban environment, documenting their presence, activity rhythms and interactions with the human environment.

Phototraps are installed in city green areas, parks, public gardens and ecological corridors, providing a detailed picture of the species that use these habitats. These data are essential for understanding how urban sprawl affects fauna and for planning interventions that favour their conservation.

In fragmented and increasingly urbanised environments, hair-tubes have been used to collect hair samples and identify small mammal fauna by morphological analysis. This non-invasive method is particularly effective for detecting elusive species, providing information on distribution, density and habitat use. The results help to assess the impact of the loss of ecological continuity and to promote solutions for the protection of biodiversity. In collaboration with the Municipality of Calenzano and other local administrations, the project was extended to the study of urban bats. Through acoustic bat-detector monitoring and the analysis of roosts, it was possible to identify the species present, their activity and the factors influencing the use of urban infrastructures.