Pollinators in the Apennines: filling knowledge gaps in the National Parks of Central and Southern Italy through monitoring activities

There is growing evidence of a collapse in insect populations in many countries around the world. The decline of insects constitutes a global risk as it could compromise many ecosystem functions and that of pollinators is especially alarming, since pollination is crucial in supporting biodiversity in natural and seminatural environments as well as human economy. To provide a framework to address the decline of pollinators across the European Union, in 2018 the European Commission adopted the EU Pollinators Initiative, which has been revised in 2023 as “A New Deal for Pollinators”. All Italian National Parks adopted the monitoring scheme envisaged by the EU Pollinators Initiative and implemented it through the Biodiversity Directive issued by the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition. This work illustrates the results of the research on pollinators carried out during surveys and monitoring activities in eight Apennine National Parks within the ministerial Directive. At a European level, the Apennines represent an important biodiversity hotspot as they host several endemics and relict mountain species as the Alps and other mountain chains in the Mediterranean area. One of the aims of this work was to collect presence data on butterflies (Lepidoptera Rhopalocera) in order to update knowledge on the species occurring in the Parks and to dispel doubts about local extinctions, with a focus on localized mountain species. The research integrated data collected in the field through transects and unstructured surveys with those derived from citizen science, literature and samples. The results demonstrated that the butterfly communities of the Apennine National Parks are substantially intact in terms of species composition, with some species lacking recent data that will require targeted research. An important contribution of data was provided by the iNaturalist platform, confirming the potential of citizen science in provide a significant change in the global monitoring of biodiversity. In this work was also assessed the future extinction risk of Lasiommata petropolitana, a localized mountain butterfly threatened by climate changes. Through the application of Species Distribution Modelling a likely extinction in Central Italy in the next decades, due to a reduction of the climatic suitability in this region. The disappearance of the isolated population of L. petropolitana and other relict species in the Apennines would possibly induce a loss of functional diversity in the impoverished high-altitude biotas. Attention has also been paid to other rare butterflies (Melanargia arge, Erebia pandrose), suggesting conservation actions in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga Park. Another aim of this work was to collect presence data on bees (Apoidea Anthophila) in order to identify the species occurring in the Parks. Despite the importance of bees as pollinators and the richness of its bee fauna, Italy remains insufficiently studied if compared with some other European countries. The data collected in the Apennines provided new records for Italy (Megachile lapponica, Eucera breviceps) and allowed to build a preliminary checklist for three National Parks (Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga; Maiella; Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise), with a significant increase in the number of species, including some of conservation concern. Finally, public engagement activities aimed at training Parks staff and citizen scientists were performed in order to raise awareness about pollinator diversity, their importance and the need to conserve them.