Francesco Cerini (DEB) has been awarded the 2024 “Giuseppe Borgia” Prize for his innovative publication on the collapse of natural populations.

Rome, November 7th, 2024 – In the historic setting of Palazzo Corsini, the Accademia dei Lincei held the ceremony for the presentation of the Lincei Prizes, one of the most prestigious recognitions for scientific and cultural contributions. Among this year’s awardees, Dr. Francesco Cerini stands out, having been honored with the “Giuseppe Borgia Prize” for the scientific value of his publication *”A predictive timeline of wildlife population collapse,”* published in the scientific journal *Nature Ecology and Evolution.*

The awarded publication, with its innovative approach and scientific rigor, has become a significant reference in the field of biodiversity studies, confirming the essential role of research in addressing global environmental challenges.

Dr. Cerini’s work introduces a new theoretical framework for monitoring and predicting the collapse of natural populations, a critical issue in the current biodiversity crisis. The proposed model examines a diverse set of ecological and demographic traits of animal populations, integrating behavioral, morphological, and demographic analyses into a multidimensional approach capable of identifying early warning signals for biodiversity risks.

Francesco Cerini, currently a researcher at the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB) at the University of Tuscia, has had a long scientific career dedicated to the ecology of Odonata, particularly studying populations living in artificial habitats and analyzing macro-scale co-occurrence patterns. Other areas of his research include lizard behavior and, in collaboration with the University of Bristol, the experimental analysis of early collapse signals in model protist communities. Dr. Cerini is also involved in a project on zoning protected areas, contributing to the understanding of biodiversity conservation mechanisms.