A multi-taxa approach to assess the impacts of the alien Carpobrotus spp. on natural communities in a small Mediterranean island.

We assessed the impacts of Carpobrotus spp. following a multi-taxa approach on priority habitats of Giglio Island, a small Mediterranean island of the Tuscan Archipelago (Italy) aiming to provide comprehension of ecological processes in act. In 2023 we surveyed Mediterranean garigues of rocky cliffs in 18 randomly selected 4 m2 quadrat plots: 6 in contexts still invaded by Carpobrotus spp., 6 in patches where the species had been previously eradicated (in early 2022), and 6 in natural uninvaded habitat. In each plot we sampled: vascular plants, bryophytes, ants, soil microarthropods, molluscs, and soil microbiota. Moreover, we measured soil parameters, Preliminary results have shown a differential response of the taxonomical groups to the impacts of Carpobrotus. We found that Carpobrotus significantly alter the biodiversity of natural Mediterranean communities and cause complex patterns of variation when considering multiple groups of organisms.