Forschen und Sammeln.

The presence of Hystrix cristata in the province of South Tyrol was documented by two independent records of quills found at two different locations. While further official confirmations beyond single quill records are required to confirm the occurrence of permanent populations, these findings already provide important information to increase the attention on this protected species and to understand its range expansion mechanisms. H. cristata is known to currently spread northwards in Italy and the records reported here represent the northernmost distribution record in Europe, suggesting a potential expansion within the Alpine area and adjacent countries.

Attalus minimus is here reported with three independent findings for South Tyrol after the last record in 1911. This rediscovery was possible thanks to sightings reported by three different observers on the social media and citizen science platform iNaturalist.org.

Plinthisus brevipennis (Latreille, 1807) (Heteroptera: Rhyparochromidae) new for South Tyrol. The seed bug species Plinthisus brevipennis was first recorded for South Tyrol (Trentino- Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy) using soil core samples. The species is widely distributed but tends to go unrecorded because of its small size (approx. 3 mm) and life history, mainly occurring in plant litter near the soil surface. The species was found by soil samples in a semi-arid grassland west of Bolzano.

Geocoris erythrocephalus (Lepeletier & Serville, 1825) (Heteroptera: Geocoridae) – new for the true bug fauna of South Tyrol. The big-eyed bug Geocoris erythrocephalus (Heteroptera: Geocoridae) was detected for the first time in 2020 during surveys of the Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol in the surroundings of Branzoll/Bronzolo, South of Bolzano/Bozen. This Holomediterranean species has recently expanded its distribution range northwards. The discovery of G. erythrocephalus in South Tyrol therefore seemed to be expected.

Insect communities (Insecta: Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha) in windthrow areas at Mt. Latemar (Italy, South Tyrol). The storm “Vaia” caused large-scale windthrow in various parts of South Tyrol in October 2018. One of the most heavily affected areas was a montane and sub-alpine spruce stand known as “Latemarwald” in the vicinity of Lake Carezza/Karer See. Two years later, in the summer of 2020, the beetle, true bug and true hopper fauna was recorded in three habitat types: unaffected high forest stands, uncleared and cleared windthrow areas. Five sites of each habitat type were investigated with different methods, resulting in a total of 15 sampling sites. The aim of this survey was to compare the species composition of the three habitat types. The results should form the basis for further succession monitoring of the young windthrow areas. One hundred thirty-six beetle, 29 true bug and 24 true hopper taxa were recorded. Three beetle and one true bug species are first records for the fauna of South Tyrol. Only few endangered species were identified in each group. Both species numbers and abundance showed no significant difference in the high forest stands and the adjacent windthrow areas for all insect groups investigated. However, the overall species numbers were higher in windthrow areas, especially in uncleared sites from which both, the highest and the lowest species numbers, were recorded. A slightly but not significantly higher number of saproxylic beetle species, especially fresh wood dwellers, was recorded in uncleared sites. The proportion of open land species of true bugs and true hoppers and the number of ecological guilds increased in windthrow areas, the latter showing differences between the uncleared and cleared sites. In agreement with existing literature, we understand this as evidence that partial and mosaic-like clearance of windthrow areas is beneficial to biodiversity.

The discovery of an isolated population of Dichotrachelus meregallii in the Eastern Alps, in South Tyrol, has stimulated a study, based on morphological and molecular analyses, to compare the new find with the typical population of the Western Alps. The results indicate that the two populations differ only by very few substitutions in the mitochondrial genomic sequences, that do not warrant taxonomic recognition. The new data suggest that the species was originally diffused all along the Alpine chain, and its present relict distribution was probably determined by the Pleistocene climatic events. The phylogenetic relationships of D. ulbrichi, originally referred to the D. meregallii group, were also analysed. Based on its mitochondrial genomic sequences, it belongs to the D. rudeni group.

New and remarkable bryophyte records in the Province of South Tyrol, Italy. II. Three species of bryophytes (Plagiothecium neckeroideum, Pohlia camptotrachela and Pohlia sphagnicola) are reported new to Italy, six are first records for the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Cephaloziella stellulifera, Scapania verrucosa, Bryoerythrophyllum ferruginascens, Pohlia andrewsii, P. bulbifera, Sphagnum inundatum) and another nine species are new to South Tyrol: Anastrophyllum assimile, Cephaloziella hampeana, Gymnomitrion alpinum, Andreaea alpestris, Buxbaumia aphylla, Campylopus gracilis, Schistidium brunnescens, S. teretinervis and Stereodon hamulosus. 30 species were re-found after more than 100 years, and 45 rare or under-recorded species are also reported. The number of known bryophyte taxa from South Tyrol increases to 928.

The catalogue of the vascular plants of South Tyrol: additions and corrections (10) in the present tenth edition, again new additions to the flora are published, but also adaptations and corrections regarding the data in the catalogue, which have become necessary due to new knowledge. The following species, to be considered either certainly or probably native, are new: Bolboschoenus maritimus s.str., B. planiculmis, Euphorbia triflora subsp. kerneri, Hypericum humifusum, Orobanche beauverdii, Spiranthes spiralis, Stellaria media s.strictiss. and S. ruderalis. Among the non-native species, the following are already considered naturalized or at least locally persistent: Cotoneaster dammeri, Galium murale, Sagittaria latifolia, Telekia speciosa, Teucrium scorodonia, while Ammi majus, Anaphalis margaritacea, Bidens triplinervia, Carduus pycnocephalus, Cenchrus setaceus, Cortaderia selloana, Deutzia crenata, Echinacea purpurea, Erodium malacoides, Erythronium dens-canis, Euphorbia palustris, Euphorbia saratoi (discovered during a revision of herbarium material of “E. esula” and “E. virgata”), Helleborus foetidus, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, Linum grandiflorum, Ocimum basilicum, Platanus ×hispanica, and Ricinus communis are classified as casuals. A local stand of Androsace septentrionalis proved to be deliberately introduced. New distribution data in areas where the species was previously unknown are available from Botrychium matricariifolium and Pedicularis hacquetii, and reconfirmations of historically documented species are given for the allochthonous casuals Calendula arvensis and Mentha suaveolens, as well as for the autochthonous Plantago arenaria (probably a casual re-introduction), Solanum alatum, and Trifolium ochroleucon. In the case of Trichophorum pumilum the correction of already communicated distribution data is necessary, in the case of Glechoma hirsuta even the deletion of the species from the South Tyrolean Flora.

Climate change will fundamentally affect the vegetation in high elevations. Via long term monitoring programs, substantial information can be obtained about the ongoing dynamics. The aim of the present study was to analyze diversity changes at four summits of the GLORIA target region Texelgruppe – Gruppo di Tessa (South Tyrol, Northern Italy) from 2003 to 2017. Knowing that new colonization mainly occurs on the eastern and southern aspects of the Alpine summits, we compared the summit vegetation to the plant communities along the southern slopes of each summit from the treeline upward. We expected to gain information on potential migrators approaching the summits. We asked if cryophilic species disappear on the summits and if thermophilic species approach the summit area. With exception of the highest summit, an increase in species numbers throughout the years occurred. The newcomers at the lower summits were predominantly thermophilic species. Here, invasion of thermophilic species might limit cryophilic species in the near future. This process will be intensified due to increasing abundance of dwarf shrubs and trees. At the higher summits, where cryophilic species are still dominant, we assume that this species group will prevail on the long term.