Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BioXtinct (Measuring how past sociocultural and environmental pressures shaped animal biodiversity: the extinction of the endemic small mammals of the Tyrrhenian Islands)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-01-15 bis 2026-01-14
Context and Overall Objectives
Islands are hotspots of biodiversity, hosting species found nowhere else on Earth. However, they are also uniquely vulnerable to extinction, often due to human activity, habitat changes, and natural environmental shifts. The BioXtinct project focuses on the extinction dynamics of small mammal species on Mediterranean islands, particularly Corsica and Sardinia. These ecosystems present a unique opportunity to study how isolation, climate, and human interaction contribute to species vulnerability and resilience. By examining species such as Prolagus sardus Rhagamys orthodon and Microtus henseli, BioXtinct seeks to uncover how these mammals adapted to island environments and what factors ultimately led to their disappearance.
The project's main objective is to analyze how environmental changes and human activities influenced the evolutionary pathways of these species. Using methods such as geometric morphometrics, dental microwear analysis, and radiocarbon dating, BioXtinct investigates the factors driving extinction. The findings will help understand historical biodiversity patterns and contribute to more effective conservation efforts on islands.
Pathway to Impact
BioXtinct’s results aim to advance scientific knowledge on extinction processes and inform conservation policies, with broader implications for managing biodiversity in isolated and vulnerable ecosystems. By identifying historical and current drivers of extinction, the project can provide insights that help conservationists develop better strategies to protect biodiversity on islands and beyond. These outcomes are aligned with European Union priorities, including the European Green Deal and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, supporting policies to prevent biodiversity loss and promote sustainable ecosystems.
Expected Impact
The anticipated results of BioXtinct extend beyond the scientific community. The project aims to provide data and analysis that will help policymakers create robust frameworks for biodiversity preservation on islands. Additionally, the project contributes to the fields of bioarchaeology, paleoecology, and conservation biology, offering a model for future studies on island ecosystems. By the end of the project, a series of publications, open-access data sets, and public engagement activities will be made available, ensuring that BioXtinct’s insights are widely shared and accessible to both academic and public audiences.
Communication and Public Engagement
BioXtinct is committed to engaging with a diverse audience, including researchers, conservation organizations, policymakers, and the general public. Public engagement strategies include a project website, social media updates, and outreach activities such as public talks and educational materials. These efforts aim to raise awareness of biodiversity loss, highlight the importance of protecting unique island ecosystems, and underscore the relevance of scientific research in informing environmental policy.
Islands are hotspots of biodiversity, hosting species found nowhere else on Earth. However, they are also uniquely vulnerable to extinction, often due to human activity, habitat changes, and natural environmental shifts. The BioXtinct project focuses on the extinction dynamics of small mammal species on Mediterranean islands, particularly Corsica and Sardinia. These ecosystems present a unique opportunity to study how isolation, climate, and human interaction contribute to species vulnerability and resilience. By examining species such as Prolagus sardus Rhagamys orthodon and Microtus henseli, BioXtinct seeks to uncover how these mammals adapted to island environments and what factors ultimately led to their disappearance.
The project's main objective is to analyze how environmental changes and human activities influenced the evolutionary pathways of these species. Using methods such as geometric morphometrics, dental microwear analysis, and radiocarbon dating, BioXtinct investigates the factors driving extinction. The findings will help understand historical biodiversity patterns and contribute to more effective conservation efforts on islands.
Pathway to Impact
BioXtinct’s results aim to advance scientific knowledge on extinction processes and inform conservation policies, with broader implications for managing biodiversity in isolated and vulnerable ecosystems. By identifying historical and current drivers of extinction, the project can provide insights that help conservationists develop better strategies to protect biodiversity on islands and beyond. These outcomes are aligned with European Union priorities, including the European Green Deal and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, supporting policies to prevent biodiversity loss and promote sustainable ecosystems.
Expected Impact
The anticipated results of BioXtinct extend beyond the scientific community. The project aims to provide data and analysis that will help policymakers create robust frameworks for biodiversity preservation on islands. Additionally, the project contributes to the fields of bioarchaeology, paleoecology, and conservation biology, offering a model for future studies on island ecosystems. By the end of the project, a series of publications, open-access data sets, and public engagement activities will be made available, ensuring that BioXtinct’s insights are widely shared and accessible to both academic and public audiences.
Communication and Public Engagement
BioXtinct is committed to engaging with a diverse audience, including researchers, conservation organizations, policymakers, and the general public. Public engagement strategies include a project website, social media updates, and outreach activities such as public talks and educational materials. These efforts aim to raise awareness of biodiversity loss, highlight the importance of protecting unique island ecosystems, and underscore the relevance of scientific research in informing environmental policy.
Despite the shortened duration of the BioXtinct project, several technical and scientific milestones were achieved, setting a solid foundation for future research and analysis.
Geometric Morphometrics Training and Analysis:
Intensive training in 2D geometric morphometric analysis was completed, focusing on the mandibles and teeth of the three target species. This training included hands-on supervision at the Plateforme Imagerie Bioarchéologique (MNHN) under Dr. Thomas Cucchi and a formal course at the MNHN led by Dr. Sylvain Gerber. Initial analyses provided insight into morphological variation across the species (Deliverable D4.1).
Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA):
Training in dental microwear analysis was conducted at PALEVOPRIM under the guidance of Dr. Gildas Merceron. Techniques for molding and scanning teeth with a Leica 3D confocal microscope were applied in a pilot study on Prolagus specimens. This pilot confirmed that microwear signals remained intact despite recovery from avian pellets, as anticipated in the project’s contingency plan (Deliverable D5.1).
Radiocarbon Dating:
Initial training in radiocarbon dating took place at the MICADAS laboratory at MNHN. Due to time constraints, samples were transferred to the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (Brussels) for expedited analysis. Preliminary results indicate an extended survival period for Prolagus sardus in northern Sardinia until the 12th century AD, challenging previous extinction timelines (Deliverables D3.1 D3.3).
Archaeological Specimen Sampling:
The project completed targeted sampling from multiple key locations, including MNHN (Monte di Tuda and Monteleone), the Natural History Museum in Basel (Corsican and Sardinian samples), and the Museu di l'Alta Rocca in Corsica. This sampling effort ensures a robust dataset for further analysis of faunal extinctions (Deliverables D2.1 D2.2).
Preliminary Findings:
The unexpected extension of Prolagus sardus survival provides a new perspective on human and environmental impacts on island biota, potentially influencing conservation strategies. Preliminary results and training achieved during the project highlight valuable insights and future directions for research (Deliverable D6.2).
These achievements underscore the technical and scientific progress made during the fellowship, laying a foundation for continued exploration of extinction dynamics in Mediterranean island ecosystems.
Geometric Morphometrics Training and Analysis:
Intensive training in 2D geometric morphometric analysis was completed, focusing on the mandibles and teeth of the three target species. This training included hands-on supervision at the Plateforme Imagerie Bioarchéologique (MNHN) under Dr. Thomas Cucchi and a formal course at the MNHN led by Dr. Sylvain Gerber. Initial analyses provided insight into morphological variation across the species (Deliverable D4.1).
Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA):
Training in dental microwear analysis was conducted at PALEVOPRIM under the guidance of Dr. Gildas Merceron. Techniques for molding and scanning teeth with a Leica 3D confocal microscope were applied in a pilot study on Prolagus specimens. This pilot confirmed that microwear signals remained intact despite recovery from avian pellets, as anticipated in the project’s contingency plan (Deliverable D5.1).
Radiocarbon Dating:
Initial training in radiocarbon dating took place at the MICADAS laboratory at MNHN. Due to time constraints, samples were transferred to the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (Brussels) for expedited analysis. Preliminary results indicate an extended survival period for Prolagus sardus in northern Sardinia until the 12th century AD, challenging previous extinction timelines (Deliverables D3.1 D3.3).
Archaeological Specimen Sampling:
The project completed targeted sampling from multiple key locations, including MNHN (Monte di Tuda and Monteleone), the Natural History Museum in Basel (Corsican and Sardinian samples), and the Museu di l'Alta Rocca in Corsica. This sampling effort ensures a robust dataset for further analysis of faunal extinctions (Deliverables D2.1 D2.2).
Preliminary Findings:
The unexpected extension of Prolagus sardus survival provides a new perspective on human and environmental impacts on island biota, potentially influencing conservation strategies. Preliminary results and training achieved during the project highlight valuable insights and future directions for research (Deliverable D6.2).
These achievements underscore the technical and scientific progress made during the fellowship, laying a foundation for continued exploration of extinction dynamics in Mediterranean island ecosystems.
The BioXtinct project has generated results that push the boundaries of current knowledge on island extinction dynamics, specifically by integrating innovative methodologies to study the impact of human activities and environmental changes on insular species.
Extended Survival Timelines: Preliminary radiocarbon dating suggests that Prolagus sardus may have survived in northern Sardinia until the 12th century AD, significantly later than previously believed. This finding challenges established timelines and suggests a more complex narrative of resilience and extinction, providing new insights into the human impact on isolated ecosystems.
Advancements in Methodology: BioXtinct successfully applied Geometric Morphometrics (GMM) and Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA) in tandem, creating a comprehensive approach for analyzing morphological adaptations and dietary patterns in island mammals. This methodological integration represents an advancement in bioarchaeology, offering a scalable model for future studies on other extinct or endangered insular species.
Potential Impacts and Future Directions:
Conservation Biology: The project’s findings have implications for conservation strategies by highlighting species’ vulnerability and resilience factors in isolated ecosystems. Understanding past extinction drivers can inform policies aimed at protecting biodiversity in contemporary island environments.
Further Research Needs: To fully validate these findings, additional radiocarbon dating and isotopic analysis across other Mediterranean islands are recommended. Expansion of the current dataset would enable a more precise analysis of human-environment interactions over time.
International Collaboration: BioXtinct’s methodology and findings could be shared across international platforms, fostering a collaborative research framework for studying island extinctions globally.
Supportive Frameworks: Collaboration with policymakers and conservation agencies would facilitate the application of these findings in current biodiversity management practices, ensuring that the historical insights gained are translated into actionable conservation strategies.
Overall, BioXtinct’s results extend beyond traditional zooarchaeological approaches by addressing how historical data can guide modern conservation efforts. Further support and expanded international partnerships could amplify the project’s impact on global biodiversity conservation efforts.
Extended Survival Timelines: Preliminary radiocarbon dating suggests that Prolagus sardus may have survived in northern Sardinia until the 12th century AD, significantly later than previously believed. This finding challenges established timelines and suggests a more complex narrative of resilience and extinction, providing new insights into the human impact on isolated ecosystems.
Advancements in Methodology: BioXtinct successfully applied Geometric Morphometrics (GMM) and Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA) in tandem, creating a comprehensive approach for analyzing morphological adaptations and dietary patterns in island mammals. This methodological integration represents an advancement in bioarchaeology, offering a scalable model for future studies on other extinct or endangered insular species.
Potential Impacts and Future Directions:
Conservation Biology: The project’s findings have implications for conservation strategies by highlighting species’ vulnerability and resilience factors in isolated ecosystems. Understanding past extinction drivers can inform policies aimed at protecting biodiversity in contemporary island environments.
Further Research Needs: To fully validate these findings, additional radiocarbon dating and isotopic analysis across other Mediterranean islands are recommended. Expansion of the current dataset would enable a more precise analysis of human-environment interactions over time.
International Collaboration: BioXtinct’s methodology and findings could be shared across international platforms, fostering a collaborative research framework for studying island extinctions globally.
Supportive Frameworks: Collaboration with policymakers and conservation agencies would facilitate the application of these findings in current biodiversity management practices, ensuring that the historical insights gained are translated into actionable conservation strategies.
Overall, BioXtinct’s results extend beyond traditional zooarchaeological approaches by addressing how historical data can guide modern conservation efforts. Further support and expanded international partnerships could amplify the project’s impact on global biodiversity conservation efforts.