Mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. Urban ecosystems

Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 requires member states to Map and Assess the state of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES). This report provides guidance for mapping and assessment of urban ecosystems. The MAES urban pilot is a collaboration between the European Commission, the European Environment Agency, volunteering Member States and cities, and stakeholders. Its ultimate goal is to deliver a knowledge base for policy and management of urban ecosystems by analysing urban green infrastructure, condition of urban ecosystems and ecosystem services. This report presents guidance for mapping urban ecosystems and includes an indicator framework to assess the condition of urban ecosystems and urban ecosystem services. The scientific framework of mapping and assessment is designed to support in particular urban planning policy and policy on green infrastructure at urban, metropolitan and regional scales. The results are based on the following different sources of information: a literature survey of 54 scientific articles, an online-survey (on urban ecosystems, related policies and planning instruments and with participation of 42 cities), ten case studies (Portugal: Cascais, Oeiras, Lisbon; Italy: Padua, Trento, Rome; The Netherlands: Utrecht; Poland: Poznań; Spain: Barcelona; Norway: Oslo), and a two-day expert workshop. The case studies constituted the core of the MAES urban pilot. They provided real examples and applications of how mapping and assessment can be organized to support policy; on top, they provided the necessary expertise to select a set of final indicators for condition and ecosystem services. Urban ecosystems or cities are defined here as socio-ecological systems which are composed of green infrastructure and built infrastructure. Urban green infrastructure (GI) is understood in this report as the multi-functional network of urban green spaces situated within the boundary of the urban ecosystem. Urban green spaces are the structural components of urban GI. This study has shown that there is a large scope for urban ecosystem assessments. Firstly, urban policies increasingly use urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions in their planning process. Secondly, an increasing amount of data at multiple spatial scales is becoming available to support these policies, to provide a baseline, and to compare or benchmark cities with respect to the extent and management of the urban ecosystem. Concrete examples are given on how to delineate urban ecosystems, how to choose an appropriate spatial scale, and how to map urban ecosystems based on a combination of national or European datasets (including Urban Atlas) and locally collected information (e.g., location of trees). Also examples of typologies for urban green spaces are presented. This report presents an indicator framework which is composed of indicators to assess for urban ecosystem condition and for urban ecosystem services. These are the result of a rigorous selection process and ensure consistent mapping and assessment across Europe. The MAES urban pilot will continue with work on the interface between research and policy. The framework presented in this report needs to be tested and validated across Europe, e.g. on its applicability at city scale, on how far the methodology for measuring ecosystem condition and ecosystem service delivery in urban areas can be used to assess urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 17

In this contribution, new data concerning algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genera Chara and Nitella, the bryophyte genera Brachythecium, Didymodon, Fissidens, Physcomitrium, and Riccia, the fungal genera Biatoropsis, Cantharellus, Coprinellus, Dacrymyces, Inosperma, Nigropuncta, Urocystis, and Xanthoriicola, and the lichen genera Arthonia, Bellemerea, Circinaria, Lecania, Lecanora, Lecidella, Mycobilimbia, Naetrocymbe, Parmelia, Peltigera, Porpidia, Scytinium, and Usnea

The MAES process in Italy. Contribution of vegetation science to implementation of European biodiversity strategy to 2020

Target 2 of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, whose aim was to maintain and restore ecosystems and their services, deals in practical terms with the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, with the development of green infrastructure and with halting the loss of biodiversity at the EU, national, and subnational levels. The aim of this short communication was to show the activities currently being carried out in Italy that are related to this target, focusing on the contribution of vegetation science skills to the national implementation process. In particular, we outline noteworthy inputs in ecosystem mapping, in the assessment of ecosystem conservation status, in the individuation of priorities for the restoration of ecosystems, and in the settingup of an ecological framework to promote green infrastructure. An overview of the process outcomes and their relevance within the national and international contexts is also provided

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY EVALUATION IN LOCALLY ADVANCED BASAL CELL CARCINOMA DURING SYSTEMIC TREATMENT

Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in the Caucasian population, and in Italy its incidence is around 100 cases per 100,000 population. It has a multifactorial pathogenesis, and the most important environmental risk factor is ultraviolet radiation (UV) while constitutive activation of Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway (via mutations in PTCH1 or SMO genes) instead, is by far the most common genetic aberration associated with these tumors. Basal cell carcinoma often has an indolent biological behavior: it has a predominantly local malignancy, rarely metastasizing (0.05-0.1% of cases). In low-risk or superficial BCC, topical or locally destructive therapy is possible, although surgery remains the treatment of choice. Observation: Locally advanced or metastatic basal cell tumors still represent a therapeutic challenge today. Several therapies are currently available in these clinical setting such as radiotherapy and targeted treatments directed against the Hedgehog pathway. With the introduction of Vismodegib and Sonidegib, two hedgehog pathway inhibitors, a response rate of 67% was observed in locally advanced disease and 38% in metastatic disease. We evaluated Sonidegib effectiveness in patients affected by multiple or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma by using non-invasive diagnostic techniques such as videodermoscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Key message: Systemic agent can represent an useful tool in the management of difficult patients and OCT an excellent and easy to use non-invasive technique for the evaluation of non-melanoma skin cancers

Valutazione di una lesione papulare mammaria peri-cicatriziale con high-definition optical coherent tomography HD-OCT (HD-OCT)

Il cancro della mammella rappresenta la neoplasia più comune nelle donne a livello mondiale. Nella maggior parte dei casi, le metastasi sono la principale causa di decesso. Nonostante le varie società abbiano promosso programmi di screening standardizzati, la diagnosi precoce risulta ancora difficoltosa, ma è fondamentale per migliorare la sopravvivenza. Inoltre, una comprensione più approfondita del potenziale metastatico del carcinoma mammario è indispensabile per sviluppare approcci terapeutici più efficaci. Le metastasi cutanee da carcinoma della mammella sono relativamente poco frequenti nella pratica clinica. Poiché queste possono mimare lesioni cutanee benigne, è necessaria un’attenta valutazione clinica, dermatoscopica e, se possibile, attraverso metodiche di diagnostica non invasiva. Descriviamo il caso di una paziente di 76 anni che si è presentata al nostro ambulatorio di diagnostica non invasiva con un'insolita lesione cutanea, risultata poi metastasi da carcinoma mammario Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC). Il nostro scopo è quello di sottolineare l'importanza del dermatologo nel processo diagnostico multidisciplinare in ambito oncologico e il ruolo sempre più determinante che potranno rivestire le tecniche di diagnostica in vivo nella diagnosi differenziale delle lesioni sospette

UTILITA’ DELLA DIAGNOSTICA DERMATOLOGICA NON INVASIVA NELLE NEOFORMAZIONI DEL NASO

Le lesioni della regione facciale, soprattutto del naso, creano problemi sia di tipo estetico che funzionale. La diagnosi differenziale tra lesioni benigne e maligne è spesso una delle principali problematiche da affrontare, pertanto l’utilizzo di metodiche diagnostiche non invasive, permette una diagnosi precoce e di conseguenza un corretto approccio terapeutico. Il nostro scopo è quello di descrivere una serie di casi emblematici correttamente e precocemente diagnosticati e di fornire delle raccomandazioni utili nella pratica clinica e per evitare procedure invasive in aree cosmetologicamente sensibili

Multi-taxon and forest structure sampling for identification of indicators and monitoring of old-growth forest

The most commonly used old-growth forest indicators are structural attributes; nevertheless, they do not necessarily represent the biodiversity value of old-growth forests. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationships between species richness data of different taxa and structural indicators of old-growth and to identify taxonomic/functional groups, species and structural attributes that may be used as indicators of old-growth. To achieve this goal we sampled forest structure, vascular plants, lichens, bryophytes, fungi, saproxylic beetles and birds in mature and old-growth stands in southern Italy. We calculated Spearman's correlation coefficients between species richness data and structural attributes. Analyses of indicator species, co-occurrences and two-way clusters were performed on the multi-taxonomic list. The group of vascular plants most significantly correlated with other groups in terms of species richness; furthermore, it displays the highest proportion of between-group co-occurrences. The resulting multi-taxonomic list of potential indicators may serve as an effective means of detecting and monitoring forest ecosystems; however, for this goal, structure-based indicators, such as forest structural attributes and vascular plant species composition, are of primary importance

Ecosystem mapping for the implementation of the European biodiversity strategy at the national level. The case of Italy

Several international initiatives, including the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, promote the identification and mapping of ecosystems as basic tools for the conservation of biodiversity and related services. On coarse scales, the spatial representation of ecosystems is usually based on broad land cover categories that largely overlook important ecological and biogeographic features of the biotic communities they are meant to exemplify. This paper presents a nationwide ecosystem mapping approach that promotes a degree of thematic detail, which is more suited than that found in the continental maps to meeting biodiversity conservation targets in Italy. The approach is based on the rationale that current and potential vegetation cover are valuable proxies for outlining ecosystems. The resulting Ecosystem Map of Italy includes 43 types of forest ecosystems instead of the 5 woodland, forest and other wooded land types recognized at the European level. We outline the expected advantages of this enhanced thematic detail for a number of conservation purposes and highlight how the resulting maps may help to meet biodiversity conservation targets at the national level. In particular, we refer to the assessment of conservation status, the definition of restoration priorities, the planning of green infrastructure and the identification of collapse risks for the ecosystems identified. Comprehensively, the definition, characterization and assessment of ecosystem types represent the carrying structure of the recently launched national system of natural capital accounting

Notulae to the Italian flora of Algae, bryophtes, fungi and lichens: 15

In this contribution, new data concerning Algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Nitella, for the bryophyte genera Anthoceros, Dicranodontium, Fontinalis, and Riccia, the fungal genera Inocybe and Xerophorus, and the lichen genera Bagliettoa, Biatora, Calicium, Cladonia, Coniocarpon, Lecanora, Opegrapha, Placynthium, Rhizocarpon, Scytinium, Solenopsora, Stereocaulon, and Verrucaria