Bioclimatology, structure, and conservation perspectives of Quercus pyrenaica, Acer opalus subsp. Granatensis, and Corylus avellana deciduous forests on Mediterranean bioclimate in the South-Central part of the Iberian Peninsula

The plant variability in the southern Iberian Peninsula consists of around 3500 different taxa due to its high bioclimatic, geographic, and geological diversity. The deciduous forests in the southern Iberian Peninsula are located in regions with topographies and specific bioclimatic conditions that allow for the survival of taxa that are typical of cooler and wetter bioclimatic regions and therefore represent the relict evidence of colder and more humid paleoclimatic conditions. The floristic composition of 421 samples of deciduous forests in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula were analyzed. The ecological importance index (IVI) was calculated, where the most important tree species were Quercuspyrenaica, Aceropalus subsp. Granatensis, and Corylusavellana. These species are uncommon in the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula, forming forests of little extension. An analysis of the vertical distribution of the species (stratum) shows that the majority of the species of stratum 3 (hemicriptophics, camephytes, geophites, and nanophanerophytes) are characteristic of deciduous forests, and their presence is positively correlated with high values of bioclimatic variables related to humidity and presence of water in the soil (nemoral environments), while they are negatively correlated with high values of bioclimatic variables related to high temperatures, evapotranspiration, and aridity. This work demonstrates that several characteristic deciduous forest taxa are more vulnerable to disappearance due to the loss of their nemoral conditions caused by gaps in the tree or shrub canopy. These gaps lead to an increase in evapotranspiration, excess insolation, and a consequent loss of water and humidity in the microclimatic conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Expansion of the Juniperus Genus due to Anthropic Activity

This work contains a study of Juniperus forests in the southern Iberian Peninsula and aims to determine their floristic composition and their biogeographical, ecological and bioclimatological distribution. The analysis of Juniperus formations revealed a series of different plant communities. The presence of endemic companions in these plant communities justifies the study of these islands: Echinospartum ibericum Rivas Mart., Sánchez Mata & Sancho, Adenocarpus argyrophyllus (Rivas Goday) Caball., Digitalis purpurea L. subsp. mariana (Boiss.) Rivas Goday, Sideritis lacaitae Font Quer, Coincya longirostra (Boiss) Greuter & Burdet, Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link subsp. bourgaei (Boiss.) Riv.-Mart., Cytisus striatus (Hill) Rothm. subsp. eriocarpus (autor), Genista polyanthos R. Roem. Ex Willk., Dianthus crassipes R. de Roemer, Dianthus lusitanus Brot. Digitalis thapsi L., Digitalis purpurea L. subsp. Heywoodii P. Silva & M. Silva, subsp. mariana (Boiss) Rivas Goday, Securinega tinctoria (L.) Rothm., Lavandula stoechas L. subsp. luisieri (Rozeira) Rozeira, lavandula stoechas subsp. sampaiana Rozeira, Genista hirsuta Vahl, Thymus mastichina (L.) L., Thymus grantensis Boiss. subps. micranthus (Willk.) O. Boòs & Vigo, Thymus zygis Loefl ex L. subsp. gracillis (Boiss.) Boiss., Antirrhinum graniticum Roth. subsp. onubensis (Fernández Casas) Valdés. The territories in the study are of community interest (SCI) due to the presence of habitats such as Habitat 8220, which includes the plant associations Digitali thapsi-Dianthetum lusitani Rivas-Martínez ex Fuente 1986, Jasiono marianae-Dianthetum lusitani Rivas Goday (1955) 1964, Coincyo longirostraae-Dianthetum lusitani Melendo in Cano, Melendo & F. Valle 1997, and is the motive for the need to conserve these areas. However the dominant species in these environments is Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. lagunae (Pau ex C. Vicioso) Rivas Mart., and all the other –mainly endemic– species are located within its vicinity. These zones can thus be classified as hotspots with particular interest for conservation. Areas dominated by Juniperus are currently becoming more widespread due to the greater prevalence of rock beds, which increase every year in response to deforestation and forest fires. This phenomenon leads to the extension of edaphoxerophilous zones and a decrease in climatophilous zones, and creates more potential areas that can potentially act as a refuge for endemic species

The assessment and the within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profile in endemic and rare Salvia ceratophylloides Ard. (Lamiaceae)

Salvia ceratophylloides (Ard.) is an endemic and rare plant species recently rediscovered as very few individuals at two different Southern Italy sites. The study of within-plant variation is fundamental to understand the plant adaptation to the local conditions, especially in rare species, and consequently to preserve plant biodiversity. Here, we reported the variation of the morpho-ecophysiological and metabolic traits between the sessile and petiolate leaf of S. ceratophylloides plants at two different sites for understanding the adaptation strategies for surviving in these habitats. The S. ceratophylloides individuals exhibited different net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, light intensity for the saturation of the photosynthetic machinery, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf area, fractal dimension, and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) between the different leaf types. This within-plant morpho-physiological and metabolic variation was dependent on the site. These results provide empirical evidence of sharply within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profiles in S. ceratophylloides, explaining the adaptation to the local conditions

Indicative value of the dominant plant species for a rapid evaluation of the nutritional value of soils

A study was conducted on 14 grassland communities located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and their edaphology, which is identified as specific plant associations. The edaphic study of each association allows a rapid evaluation of the nutrient content in the soil without the need for laboratory edaphic analysis. For each phytosociological relevé and soil, samplings were carried out. The field data were subjected to various statistical analysis—canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), Bayesian networks, and decision trees—to establish nutrient content. When the abundance value of the species is 9 in the Van der Maarel scale, there is an increase in the values of several soil parameters. In the case of Hordeum leporinum, when the Van der Maarel index is 9, the Kc (exchangeable potassium in cmol/kg) undergoes the greatest variation, to a value of up to 0.729 cmol/kg. The application of the decision tree to this species reveals that the soil attributes with the greatest influence in the classification are conductivity, %_si (silt texture), pH, and pF 15 atm (pressure at 15 atmospheres (water retention capacity) in %). Indeed, this interlaced edaphic and phytosociological study provides us with a high-value tool to obtain quick information on the content of nutrients in the soil.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 9

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment of Soldanella calabrella Kress at global level, and the regional assessment of Luzula pindica (Hausskn.) Chrtek & Křísa and Romulea variicolor Mifsud (Italy)

Geobotanical excursion guide of the XIII International Seminar Management and Biodiversity Conservation-Vale do Lobo, Loulé (Algarve-Portugal)

43 páginas, 10 figuras.[EN] This field guide was developed as part of the XIII International Seminar Management and Biodiversity Conservation – Vale do Lobo, Loulé (Algarve – Portugal), that aims to contribute for the scientific knowledge of the flora and vegetation of the Algarvian territories. The itinerary of the geobotanical excursion have been chosen to present the remarkable floristic richness and plant communities of three different landscape subunits: i) Faixa Litoral (dunes and saltmarshes of the Ancão Peninsula); ii) Barrocal (Nave do Barão); and, iii) Serra Algarvia (Caldeirão and Monchique mountains). For each sites the plant communities are briefly stated, as well as the vascular flora observed, including species with special conservation interest. Finally, we present the syntaxonomic scheme, and the floristic catalog of the field trip.[PO] No âmbito das atividades do XIII Seminário Internacional de Gestão e Conservação da Biodiversidade – Vale do Lobo, Loulé (Algarve – Portugal), desenvolveu-se o presente trabalho, com o objetivo de aprofundar o conhecimento da flora e vegetação dos locais a visitar no contexto do itinerário da excursão geobotânica aos territórios algarvios. Assim, a seleção dos locais de paragem procurou evidenciar a originalidade florística e fitocenótica de três sub-unidades paisagísticas de carácter e identidade distintas: i) Faixa Litoral (dunas e sapais da Península do Ancão); ii) Barrocal (Nave do Barão); e, iii) Serra Algarvia (Serra do Caldeirão e Serra de Monchique). Após uma breve descrição dos aspetos litológicos, das condições bioclimáticas e do enquadramento biogeográfico, evidenciam-se as associações vegetais e espécies presentes nas paragens realizadas, com identificação dos elementos florísticos com interesse para a conservação. Por último, tendo por base a descrição da vegetação, apresenta-se o esquema sintaxonómico, e um elenco florístico dos locais percorridos

Forest and arborescent scrub habitats of special interest for SCIs in Central Spain

The habitat of the several territories in Ciudad Real (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) are studued through the and mapping (scale 1:10.000) and vegetation analysis. The distribution and surface of the habitat presents in the Sites of Community Interest (SCIs), as well as pressures, threats, trends, and state of conservation are described. These site contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at a favourable conservation status of a natural habitat type or of a species of community intesess.These specially protected areas are part of the Natura 2000 network. We discuss the diversity of forest habitats characterized by species of the genus Quercus L., focusing only on the plant communities in the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC of 1992, regarding the conservation of fauna and flora and habitats of interest owing to their endemic or rare character. Habitats and species must be studied in combination to ensure the maximum reliability of the results. We concentrate on habitats with low representation in the territory as a consequence of their rarity or endemicity. We study the following habitats of special interest: 9230—Mediterranean-Ibero-Atlantic and Galaico-Portuguese oak woods of Quercus robur and Quercus pyrenaica; 9240—Iberian oaks of Quercus faginea and Quercus canariensis; 9320—Thermomediterranean forests of Olea and Ceratonia (Iberian Peninsula, Balearic and Canary Islands); 9540—Mediterranean pine forests of endemic Pinus pinaster (Pinus pinaster subsp. acutisquama); 9560—Endemic forests with Juniperus spp.; 5210. Arborescent scrub with Juniperus spp.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #60 to #82

New Italian data on the distribution of the Annex I Habitats are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 8 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 49 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Campania, Calabria, Marche, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Umbria. Relevés and figures are provided as Supplementary material respectively 1 and 2. Copyright Antonio Morabito et al

Italian Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between Regions

The tradition of floristic studies in Italy has made it possible to obtain a good knowledge of plant diversity both on a national and regional scale. However, the lack of knowledge for some areas, advances in plant systematics and human activities related to globalization, highlight the need for further studies aimed at improving floristic knowledge. In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria and literature surveys, we update the knowledge on the Italian vascular flora and analyze the floristic similarities between the administrative regions. Four taxa, all exotic, were recorded for the first time in Italy and Europe. In detail, Elaeodendron croceum, Kalanchoë blossfeldiana, and Sedum spathulifolium var. spathulifolium were found as casual aliens, while Oxalis brasiliensis was reported as historical record based on some herbarium specimens. Furthermore, Kalanchoë laxiflora was confirmed as a casual alien species for Italy and Europe. Status changes for some taxa were proposed at both national and regional levels, as well as many taxa were reported as new or confirmed at the regional level. Currently the Italian vascular flora comprises 9150 taxa of which 7547 are native (of which 1598 are Italian endemics) and 1603 are exotic at the national level. The multivariate analysis of updated floristic data on a regional scale showed a clear distribution along the latitudinal gradient, in accordance with the natural geographical location of the regions in Italy. This pattern of plants distribution was not affected by the introduction of alien species. Despite some taxonomic and methodological issues which are still open, the data obtained confirm the important role of floristic investigations in the field and in herbaria, as well as the collaborative approach among botanists, in order to improve the knowledge of the Italian and European vascular flora

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: From #45 to #59

New Italian data on the distribution of Annex I Habitats are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 8 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 27 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Apulia, Campania, Calabria, Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Sardinia, and Sicily