The CONECOFOR programme from 1995 to 2005

Climate change, ozone effects on forests as well as the loss of biodiversity are nowadays the top priorities of environmental monitoring programmes in Europe. The first set of twenty Level II PMPs (Permanent Monitoring Plots) of the CONECOFOR programme was installed in 1995. At the moment, the intensive monitoring network includes 31 PMPs. All the plots were framed into the UN/ECE ICP-Forests; since 1998, 10 plots were also included into the UN/ECE ICP-IM as bio-monitoring sites. With the entering into force of EC Regulation Forest Focus, these new priorities found an EU legal basis for co-funding the related pilot projects, developed at trans-national level in the field of forest biodiversity monitoring: ForestBIOTA and BioSoil. In the frame of the EEA programme SEBI2010, a specific qualitative forest indicator has been developed by the Italian Forest Service. The Forest Status Indicator is based on sub-indicators identified and implemented at pan-European and National level, such as tree condition, forest structure, deadwood, plant species composition and naturalness, mostly available at European level and collected according to harmonized methods. In 2004, the Italian Forest Service (CONECOFOR Board) joined the Network of Excellence ALTER-Net. The participation to ALTER-Net gave the opportunity to Italy to become official member of the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) in 2006: four LTER-Italy sites include forest environments and 10 research stations (plots) belong to CONECOFOR Level II network. At international level, CONECOFOR is the leader in FutDiv proposal (Future Forest Biodiversity Monitoring in Europe) and an associated beneficiary in the FutMon proposal (Further Development and Implementation of an EU-level Forest Monitoring System), already submitted under the EC Regulation LIFE+

Effects of phylogenetic associations on environmental and temporal niche partitioning among sympatric mammals

Mammals have evolved to occupy spatial and temporal niches in order to optimize resource utilization and minimize predation risk or competition. Subsequently, niche partitioning may be influenced by phylogenetic associations, which could have substantial consequences for ecosystem structure and function. We use the output from occupancy models based on camera trapping data to construct a tri-partite network describing the environmental and temporal partitioning of activity among twelve sympatric mammals in the Apennine Mountains of central Italy. We further evaluate if there were any effects of phylogenetic associations on the contributions of species to the properties of this spatio-temporal network. The Apennines form a pristine region in central Italy with a relatively intact Mediterranean mammal fauna. The mammal community in our study consisted of species ranging in size from 300 gs to over 200 kg, and included herbivores, omnivores and predators. There was limited structuring of the network describing environmental and temporal niche use. Furthermore, we did not find any phylogenetic signal in species contributions to network structures, and phylogenetic relatedness among species was not associated with their similarities in environmental or spatial niche use. However, animals appeared to have partitioned environmental niches more than temporal ones, suggesting that spatial variation in resource availability may have been more important than temporal avoidance of predation risk or competition in shaping activity within this mammal community. Our study highlights the need to evaluate under which conditions evolutionary history is influencing contemporary ecological processes.The charities Salviamo L'Orso through funding from The Anglo Italian Society for the Protection of Animals (AISPA) and Rewilding Apennine.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/baaehj2024Mammal Research InstituteZoology and EntomologySDG-15:Life on lan

Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe

Local biodiversity trends over time are likely to be decoupled from global trends, as local processes may compensate or counteract global change. We analyze 161 long-term biological time series (15-91 years) collected across Europe, using a comprehensive dataset comprising similar to 6,200 marine, freshwater and terrestrial taxa. We test whether (i) local long-term biodiversity trends are consistent among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, and (ii) changes in biodiversity correlate with regional climate and local conditions. Our results reveal that local trends of abundance, richness and diversity differ among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, demonstrating that biodiversity changes at local scale are often complex and cannot be easily generalized. However, we find increases in richness and abundance with increasing temperature and naturalness as well as a clear spatial pattern in changes in community composition (i.e. temporal taxonomic turnover) in most biogeoregions of Northern and Eastern Europe. The global biodiversity decline might conceal complex local and group-specific trends. Here the authors report a quantitative synthesis of longterm biodiversity trends across Europe, showing how, despite overall increase in biodiversity metric and stability in abundance, trends differ between regions, ecosystem types, and taxa.peerReviewe

SURVEY ON HIGH MOUNTAIN BASIPHILOUS DRY MEADOW OF EUROPE: CONVERGENCES AND DIFFERENCES

<img title="petriccione_512" src="http://ojs.uniroma1.it//public/site/images/francesco_spada/petriccione_512.jpg" alt="petriccione_512" width="512" height="408" /

Survey and assessment of vegetation in the CONECOFOR permanent plots

Phytosociological knowledge of plant communities and their synecological allocation are the reference basis of the CONECOFOR Programme. Vegetation surveys are performed in all the CONECOFOR plots (28), and have been performed in most of them for 6-7 years, following two fundamental approaches: (1) phytosociological (plant community level) and (2) dynamical (population level). According to a syntaxonomical analysis, 17 plant communities are represented in the CONECOFOR permanent plots, grouped in three classes (Querco-Fagetea, Vaccinio-Piceetea and Quercetea ilicis). Analysis of species richness at community level shows that the total number of vascular species varies between 14 and 81, the lowest values occurring in beech forests and the highest in Turkey oak forests; spruce forests are divided into two groups, the first comprising the secondary type (with high diversity values) and the second comprising the primary type (with relatively low diversity values). Analysis of the main dynamical tendencies show that fluctuation is the commonest ongoing process (occurring mostly in beech and primary spruce forests). Regeneration is also widespread, following the recent general decline of wood exploitation and coppicing, whereas regression and degeneration have been identified only in a few plots. The first vegetation changes seen during the first 6-7 years of investigation are slight and of very low significance. The temporal variation, however, is generally positive, with a fair increase in the number of species. Further assessment is required to evaluate the ongoing trends

The CONECOFOR Programme: general presentation, aims and co-ordination

Following EU Regulation no. 1091/94, the Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry Policy (National Forest Service) has since 1995 sponsored the "National Integrated Programme for Forest Ecosystems Monitoring" (CONECOFOR), implemented to study the effects of atmospheric pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems. The Programme also operates within the framework of the Geneva Convention on Trans-boundary air pollution (L.R.T.A.P. U.N.-E.C.E.), ratified by Italy in 1982, and of the Resolutions of the Ministerial Conferences on the protection of forests in Europe (Res. no. 1, Strasbourg, 1990, Res. H4, Helsinki, 1993). The Programme involves the development of the so-called Level I investigations, which have been in progress since 1987 on a European grid made up of 16×16 km2. At present there are in Italy 265 monitoring plots distributed over the whole country, where annual assessments are made of the state of the tree crowns. At selected points within the same square, in 1995/6, pedological investigations were carried out and the chemical content of the leaves analysed. The Level II CONECOFOR Programme is currently based on 28 permanent plots in the framework of the International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests; 11 areas are also classed as "biomonitoring sites", in the framework of the International Co-operative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems. Nine different researches have since 1996 been in progress in the permanent plots, involving the following analyses: geological and geomorphological (preliminary), vegetation (yearly), crown condition (yearly), chemical content of leaves (every 2 years), soil (every 10 years), variations in tree growth (every 5 years), atmospheric depositions (continuous), meteorological (continuous), atmospheric pollutants (continuous). Since 2000, surveys of soil solution (continuous), tree phenology (continuous) and ozone visible damage (yearly) have been added. Test phases of new surveys (biodiversity, biotic damage, etc.) are planned for 2002/3. The National Forestry Service (CONECOFOR Service) co-ordinates six participating research institutes, each of which is responsible for the analyses and monitoring activities. The permanent plots are selected according to the directive of EU Regulation no. 1091/94 so as to include the major forest ecosystems in Italy, and are distributed over the whole country. Each covers an area of 10-100 ha, within which two sample units of 2,500 m2 are designated. The main dominant species are Fagus sylvatica (10 areas), Picea abies (6), Quercus cerris (5), Quercus ilex (4), Quercus petraea (1) Quercus robur (1) and Abies alba (1). The first six years of the CONECOFOR Programme have resulted in a detailed, organic description of the main forest ecosystems in Italy. Implementation of the programme has meant that we are now in possession of a reasonably complete knowledge of the ecological characteristics of 17 different Italian forest communities ranging from the Alps to Sicily. The assessment and monitoring of forest health represent a key point for environmental policy-makers and for the management of environmental resources in the framework of sustainable development

Sulle orme di Michele Tenore (1780-1861). Dalle prime esplorazioni botaniche dell'Ottocento all'intitolazione di un sentiero nella Riserva naturale “Monte Velino”

La ricerca si sofferma sul viaggio di Michele Tenore nel 1829 tra le montagne del massiccio del Velino, situato nell’omonima Riserva naturale statale e nel Parco naturale regionale Sirente Velino, nell’Appennino abruzzese. Il botanico napoletano, autore della monumentale Flora napolitana comprendente tutte le piante del Regno di Napoli allora conosciute, è stato il primo a riportare al mondo scientifico la presenza nel massiccio di specie vegetali endemiche e di grande importanza, prima fra tutte l’Adonis distorta Ten., raro endemismo ristretto ai soli Appennini centrali, strettamente protetto a livello europeo. Il primo ritrovamento della preziosa specie avvenne proprio sul gruppo montuoso marsicano e solo successivamente sulla Majella e il Gran Sasso: di qui l’importanza di dedicarvi un sentiero botanico-escursionistico. L’incrocio tra la ricostruzione storico-esplorativa e lo studio dei risultati scientifici delle osservazioni di Michele Tenore ha consentito di fornire un nuovo contributo alla letteratura storico-geografica di questa catena montuosa, che si è tradotto nell’istituzione del “Sentiero Michele Tenore dell’Adonis distorta” con lo scopo di aumentare la consapevolezza degli escursionisti e dei ricercatori sulla grande importanza geostorica e scientifica dell’itinerario seguito dal naturalista nell’estate del 1829

Thirty years of ecological research at the Gran Sasso d’Italia LTER site: climate change in action

Since 1986, vegetation monitoring of alpine plant communities has been performed at the Gran Sasso d’Italia LTER site (https://deims.org/c0738b00-854c-418f-8d4f-69b03486e9fd) in the Central Apennines, through phytosociological relevés and abundance and coverage estimation of the vascular flora at fine scale. The monitoring activities for abiotic parameters regard air and soil temperatures, rainfall, snowfall and snow cover persistence. A comparative analysis of changes in species composition, life forms, life strategies and morpho-functional types allowed recognition of dynamical processes (fluctuation and degeneration) and an increase in stress- and drought-tolerant and ruderal species, probably linked to a general process of climate change. A trend of variation forced by increasing drought was recorded in high-mountain plant communities, normally within a dynamic fluctuation process. There has been a 50–80% change in species composition with respect to the total number of species observed over the years. Whereas the total number of species has increased in all communities, in high-mountain mesic grassland 20% of sensitive species have completely disappeared. Early signs of a degeneration process were already discernible after seven years: such signs are more evident in snow-dependent communities, with a quantitative increase in more thermophilic and drought-tolerant species and a parallel decrease in more mesic, cryophilic and competitive species. In particular, the following phenomena have been recorded in high-mountain mesic grassland, in agreement with predicted or observed phenomena in other Alpine or Arctic areas: (a) coverage increase (or appearance) of ruderal and stress- and drought-tolerant species; (b) coverage decrease (or disappearance) of cryophilic, mesic and competitive species. These short-term changes could lead, in the medium- or long-term, to a disgregation process affecting the high elevation plant communities of the Apennines (including the local extinction of most of the cold-adapted species), due to their very low resilience. The phenomena described may be linked to the observed climate change which occurred during the last century (in particular in the last 50 years) in the Apennines, consisting mainly, in the mountains, of a strong reduction in the duration of snow-cover and an increase in mean and minimum annual temperatures