Contribution to the knowledge of the Bryophyte Flora of the Vatican City State: The Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo (Rome, Italy).

For the first time, the bryoflora of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo (Vatican City State) has been studied. Research led to the identification of 87 bryophytes (1 hornworts, 15 liver-worts and 71 mosses), among which one liverwort and six moss species are new reports for the Lazio Region. Zygodon forsteri, epiphyte species considered Vulnerable in Europe, Anthocerosagrestis and other species rare for Italy, were found in the study area. In addition, the life-form of each species was taken into consideration, in order to compare with the ecological and climatic characteristics of the territory examined. The study contributes to the knowledge of a territory of the Vatican City State that until now had been almost unexplored from the bryological point of view and provides important information for the realization and definition of the European and Mediterranean Red List of Bryophyte

The bryophyte flora of six gypsum outcrops in the Northern Apennines (Nature 2000 Network, Emilia Romagna Region, Italy).

A study of the bryophyte flora of the gypsum outcrops in six sites of the Nature 2000 Network of the Emilia-Romagna Region was conducted in order to contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity of these sites. Subsequently, the main ecological and chorological aspects of the areas were analyzed, and with this information a series of target species was identified as indicators of the conditions of naturality or of progressive anthropization and deterioration of the areas

Bryophytic vegetation of fragile and threatened ecosystems: the case of the Mediterranean temporary ponds in inland Central Italy.

The first overview of the bryophytic vegetation of the Mediterranean temporary ponds in Umbria region is reported. Phytosociological relevés were carried out in a scattered system of ephemeral pools, where seasonal fluctuation in the water level is the main driving factor. By applying Braun-Blanquet's approach to sample the bryo-communities and multivariate analysis tools to analyse data, the identification of some bryophyte communities was possible, one of which is here described as new association. It is Entosthodono fascicularidis-Archidietum alternifolii ass. nova, referable to the class Psoretea decipientis. The other bryo-communities have been framed into the classes Cladonio digitatae-Lepidozietea reptantis, Ceratodonto purpurei-Polytrichetea piliferii and Psoretea decipientis again

New insights on the biological parameters of the exploited cuttlefish Sepia officinalis L. (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) in the northern Adriatic Sea in relation to the main fishing gears employed

The cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis Linnaeus 1758) represents one of the most important coastal fishery resources of the Mediterranean Sea. For Italy, 45% of cuttlefish landings (2,328 t) originates from coastal regions of the northern Adriatic Sea: Veneto, Marche, Emilia Romagna and Friuli Venezia Giulia. In terms of economic value this species represents about 8% (~€ 16.5 million) of the production from this basin. From May 2004 to October 2005, cuttlefish were purchased from commercial landings of the Grado fishery fleet. At least 30 specimens were randomly taken each month from each fishing method employed for this species: bottom trawl (cod end mesh size 40 mm), rapido trawl, trammel net (mesh size of inner panel 30 mm) and cuttlefish specific trap. The main biological aspects, such as size, sex ratio, reproductive stage and diet in relation to both the season and type of fishing gear were analyzed. 1,495 specimens, ranging from 3.5 to 18.0 cm mantle length, were analyzed. In relation to the observed size and reproductive stage of individuals caught, trammel nets and cuttlefish traps both appeared to target sexually mature individuals, whilst trawling gear were not selective for either recruits or spawners. In total 34 prey taxa were found in the stomachs of S. officinalis: crabs and bony fish species were the most important prey, although the latter appeared mostly in the largest specimens. Finally the fullness index revealed that cuttlefish caught by trawling were more suitable for diet analysis than those caught by static gear. In this way the contribution of the present paper was to give new insights on the biological parameters of this species in relation to the main fishing gears employed in the northern Adriatic Sea

Contribution to the bryological knowledge of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (Northern Italy)

The inventory of the bryophytes collected during the annual excursion of the Working Group for Bryology of the Italian Botanical Society is reported. This excursion was held in 2018 on the northern slope of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park, in the Administrative Region of Emilia-Romagna. The field work led to the finding of 113 taxa (24 liverworts and 89 mosses), including eight new records and seven confirmations for this Region. The occurrence of rare taxa for Italy (Scapania uliginosa, Rhizomnium pseudopunctatum, Racomitrium fasciculare, Scorpidium cossonii, Grimmia lisae, Orthotrichum pulchellum) is highlighted

Floristic and coenological data from the travertine substrates of the SAC “Travertini Acque Albule (Bagni di Tivoli)” (Lazio Region – Central Italy)

During a phytosociological field-work campaign on the vegetation of the travertine outcrops, included in the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) “Travertini Acque Albule (Bagni di Tivoli)” (Central Italy), several taxa of particular interest were identified. Carex vulpina, Lolium apenninum, Onosma echioides subsp. angustifolia, Typha domingensis, T. laxmannii and Vicia pannonica subsp. pannonica are new for the Lazio administrative Region, while Ophrys illyrica and Zannichellia peltata are confirmed for the flora of this Region. For each of these taxa phytosociological samples describing the plant communities in which they were found are provided. New records for rare species were also reported for cryptogams such as Algae, Lichens and Mosses

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 2

In this contribution, new data concerning red algae, lichens and bryophytes of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Grateloupia, the bryophyte genus Didymodon, and the lichen genera Buellia, Cladonia, Letharia, Pertusaria, and Pyrenula

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 3

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens and of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Dicranodontium, Fontinalis, Lophocolea and Riccia, the fungal genus Diplolaeviopsis, the lichen genera Agonimia, Cladonia, Protoparmelia, Rhizocarpon, and Scytinium