Biology subjects

Brambilla, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Brambilla, M..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Spatial overlap and phenotypic similarity predict hybridisation in birds

Hybridisation is widespread in birds and has important eco-evolutionary implications. Historically, much research has focused on the consequences of hybridisation. To date, however, far less attention has been paid to the causes of hybridisation and, in particular, why particular pairs of species form hybrids. Using large-scale comparative analyses, we find that similarity in plumage, vocalisations, and morphometric traits, as well as evolutionary relatedness, drive hybridisation in North American and European birds. In passerines, the avian order including songbirds, similarity in vocalisations and morphology are the key phenotypic predictors of hybridisation, whereas in non-passerines, species pairs with similar plumage and morphology are more likely to hybridise. We also find that the likelihood of hybrid formation increases with the magnitude of range and habitat overlap, demonstrating that hybridisation is not just a product of occasional contact between closely related species. Our findings have important conservation implications in this age of rapid anthropogenic change and species reassembly.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Identification of ketotic cattle based on milk spectroscopic characteristics: a chemometric modelling approach built upon the principles of Aquaphotomics

The early diagnosis of metabolic disorders in intensive farms, such as ketosis, allows a timely health treatment, resulting in improved animal welfare and reduced productivity and economic losses for farmers. This approach represents an opportunity for more sustainable animal production practices. For these reasons, we developed a chemometric processing model based on GNU Octave capable of identifying milk sample categories based on the chemo-physical characteristics of their near-infrared signature. Such a characterisation relies on the innovative approach of aquaphotomics, which investigates the interaction between light and water molecules in any biological system. Aquaphotomics leverages the properties of water as a biomarker and amplifier to identify changes in the system indicative of a perturbation, such as the onset of a metabolic disorder. The realised package allows spectral data elaborations, including preprocessing methods like the calculation of spectrum derivatives, noise removal and scatter correction techniques, as well as chemometric analysis like Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR). In this way, the code enables the identification of the most significant water bands implicated in the origin of the disease, with the potential to represent an innovative approach for monitoring the health status of animals.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2024

Conserving steppe-land birds under climate change: a gap analysis for the Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) in the Western Palearctic

Climate change is having dramatic impacts on the distribution of animals. Birds, and especially steppe-land birds, are particularly sensitive to climate change and identifying areas that are critical for their conservation is pivotal, as well as estimating the expected impact on these areas under different climate and land use change scenarios. In-situ climate refugia (areas suitable under both current and future climates) are especially valuable for the conservation of climate-sensitive species, and is therefore important to identify them and evaluate their coverage by protected areas. Via species distribution modelling, we aimed to identify in-situ climate refugia in the Western Palearctic for the Eurasian Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus, an umbrella steppic species of conservation concern. We used a comprehensive dataset of occurrences in the breeding period to fine-tune a Maxent species distribution model and project it under three carbon emission scenarios of increasing severity for the year 2050. We then identified in-situ climate refugia and performed a gap analysis estimating the percentage of refugia falling within the network of currently protected areas. In all modelled future scenarios a northward expansion of suitable breeding habitats was predicted, and suitable areas had similar extents, with a slight increase of the overall suitability under more severe scenarios. According to our results, the Eurasian Stone-curlew has the potential to maintain viable populations in the Western Palearctic, even though dispersal limitations might hinder the colonization of newly suitable breeding areas. In-situ climate refugia were mainly identified outside protected areas, particularly in Northern Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, we advocate targeted actions in climate refugia to promote the conservation of this and other steppe-land species under global environmental change.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

Nucleolar NOC1 controls protein synthesis and cell competition in Drosophila

NOC1 is a nucleolar protein necessary in yeast for both transport and maturation of ribosomal subunits. Here we show that in Drosophila NOC1 is essential for the correct animal development, and that its ubiquitous downregulation results in small larvae with reduced polysome abundance and decreased protein synthesis. NOC1 expression in multiple organs, such as the prothoracic gland and the fat body, is necessary for proper organ functioning. Reduction of NOC1 in clones from the imaginal discs results in small clones with cells that die by apoptosis, an event that is partially rescued using a M/+ background, suggesting that reduction of NOC1 causes the cells to acquire a loser state. This event was supported also by an increase in the transcription of Xrp1 and by activation of the pro-apoptotic eiger-JNK pathway, resulting in the upregulation of DILP8 as an indication of cellular damage. Here, we show that Drosophila NOC1 is important in the control of pre-rRNAs maturation and essential step in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis and its downregulation results in defects in growth and in cell competition, highlighting its novel function in this field. summary statementNOC1 is a nucleolar protein necessary for protein synthesis and ribosomal assembling. Its modulation induces cell competition and affects animal growth.

cell biology↗