The META2 project

Study Area

Fieldwork is conducted across Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta. To evaluate regional dispersal limitation, we have selected three primary study areas separated by a minimum of 50 km:

1.  Alpi Graie (Study Area 1)

2. Alpi Cozie (Study Area 2)

3. Alpi Marittime (Study Area 3)

Hierarchical Experimental Design

Our sampling strategy is structured to isolate both environmental and spatial drivers of biodiversity. Within each of the three study areas, we selected three valleys, and within each valley, six specific sites based on two key factors:

1. Altitudinal Gradient: Sites are positioned at three distinct elevations: 1000 m, 1500 m, and 2000 m.

2. Habitat Diversity: Sampling is divided between pasture and woodland environments.

This hierarchical approach enables us to detect dispersal limitations at both the regional (inter-area) and local (inter-valley) scales, while simultaneously quantifying the impact of environmental factors (altitude and habitat type).

Project Structure

The META2 project is organized into four dedicated Work Packages (WPs):

• Planning and organisation of the activities, project management

• Data collection, laboratory and bioinformatic analysis

• Data analysis for haplotypes

• Dissemination and communication of the results