The LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project took part in the second Conservation Biology conference for Early Career Researchers, held from May 6 to 10, 2025, in L’Aquila, with two of our doctoral candidates.

Giorgia Mattioli, from the University of Pavia, presented a poster illustrating the eradication dynamics of alien fish from 15 lakes in the Italian Alps, four already eradicated by the LIFE BIOAQUAE project and the remaining eleven addressed by the current LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project. Thanks to the combination of various mechanical methods (fyke nets, gillnets, rod-angling, and electrofishing), which preserve the lakes’ native fauna, the population density of introduced fish can be reduced until they are completely eradicated. Taking into account the complexity and uniqueness of each individual lake, these data can serve as a guide for future ecological restoration actions in high‑altitude lakes under similar conditions.

Lucia Bello, from the University of Calabria, contributed with an oral presentation on the cross‑ecosystem effects induced by alien fish on various insectivore groups associated with high‑altitude lakes. These lakes can serve as important prey sources for a variety of semi‑aquatic and terrestrial insectivore predators present in these ecosystems, ranging from ground‑dwelling invertebrates (such as spiders and beetles), to birds (dipper and other passerines) and mammals (shrews and bats). Since insectivores and introduced fish compete for a shared food resource (aquatic macroinvertebrates in their larval and/or adult stages), our research seeks to determine whether the presence of fish in these lakes can negatively affect the insectivore community.

The Conservation Biology Conference for Early Career Researchers

The Conservation Biology Conference for Early Career Researchers (ECR) is organized by the Society for Conservation Biology Italy Chapter APS (SCB Italy) and represents a key opportunity for young researchers at the start of their careers. It offers a stimulating environment in which they can present their work and network with peers and established scholars in the field. The theme of the second ECR conference in 2025, held in L’Aquila, was “Biodiversity and Global Change: a Conservation Perspective.”

You can find more information and the full conference program on the official SCB Italy website.