Effects of global climate change on terrestrial small mammals communities in Italy.

In the framework of climate change, it has been predicted that the Mediterranean Basin will experience the greatest loss of biodiversity, because it will be heavily affected by several drivers of change. In particular, Italy is an important geographical area because it represents a key hotspot of biodiversity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of global climate chan-e on terrestrial small mammals (Rodents and Soricomorphs) in Italy. Barn owl (Tyto alba) pellet analysis was applied to study the temporal variations of microteriocoenoses structure. We revisited 21 roosting, sites which had been previously studied by other authors and we carried out a similar study in order to analyse possible changes in small mammal communities. Analyses covered a period of about 30 years and the gap between the first and second sampling ranges from I I to 33 years. Collecting localities were grouped according to the Bioclimatic Map of Italy. Several ecological indexes were applied and their changes through time were analysed for each Bioclimatic Region. Results show a significant increase in thermoxerophilic species in the last thirty years, particularly in the Mediterranean Region. This observed rise is likely due to global and local warming. In fact, higher temperatures, lower precipitation and increasing xerothermic conditions could have facilitated the spread of thermoxerophilic species. The persistence of such a trend could lead to a series of serious ecological consequences in the future, including a possible reduction in biodiversity.