Bryophyte, lichen, and vascular plant communities of badland grasslands show weak cross-taxon congruence but high local uniqueness in biancana pediments

Cross-taxon congruence, i.e., using certain taxonomic groups as surrogates for others, is receiving growing interest since it may allow decreasing efforts in biodiversity studies. In this work, we investigated the patterns of cross-taxon congruence in species richness and composition between communities of bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants in different biancana grasslands of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) of central Italy. We recorded species presence and abundance in 16 plots of 1 × 1 m size and analyzed the data using Procrustes correlation, co-correspondence analysis, and indicator species analysis. We did not highlight any correlation in species richness and composition between the three taxonomic groups. Conversely, the species composition of bryophyte communities was predictive of the species composition of lichen communities. Moreover, lichen richness was negatively correlated with the total cover of vascular plants. Indicator species analysis evidenced the presence of species from the three biotic communities being particularly related, at least at the local scale, to biancana pediments, like the bryophytes Didymodon acutus and Trichostomum crispulum, the lichens Enchylium tenax, Cladonia foliacea, and Psora decipiens, and the vascular plants Brachypodium distachyon, Parapholis strigosa, and Artemisia caerulescens subsp. cretacea. In the biancana pediments, acrocarp mosses, squamulose lichens, therophyte plants and chamaephyte plants coexisted. In spite of the weak cross-taxon congruence between the three taxonomic groups, this study could highlight a locally unique diversity of bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants related to the extreme environment of biancana pediments, selected by high soil salinity and deposition from the upper eroded slope. Soil erosion and deposition in biancana badlands supports the increase of local multi-taxonomic plant diversity by creating unique ecosystems. Such biodiversity should be considered locally at risk of disappearance, due to the ongoing vanishing of biancana badlands in central Italy

<i>Herbarium Apenninicum</i> (APP): An Archive of Vascular Plants from Central Italy

The Herbarium Apenninicum (international code: APP), hosted in the Floristic Research Center of the Apennines (Abruzzo, central Italy), is approximately composed of about 80,000 specimens of vascular plants; 66,352 of them are mounted with data labels and entered in a database. The specimens from the Abruzzo administrative region (central Italy) correspond to more than half of the collection (57.8% of the specimens), while immediately afterwards, other neighboring provinces of central Italy follow. Outside of Italy, the most represented areas are Morocco and southern European countries. Most of the specimens were collected between 2001 and 2020; nevertheless, the herbarium also contains two historical collections from the end of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. The herbarium houses 146 types

Chronicle of a death foretold: The vanishing of an emblematic cultural landscape results in the loss of its unique plant communities

Badlands are peculiar geomorphological formations shaping landscapes of high ecological and cultural value. In the last decades, land reclamation for agricultural purposes and the cessation of traditional land use, such as sheep grazing, led to their decline in extent in many areas. To quantify the changes in badland-related plant communities, we resurveyed badland vegetation in a site of the Crete Senesi (Siena, central Italy) after 16 years (2006–2022), using 48 quasi-permanent vegetation plots and by means of uni- and multivariate analysis of variance. We found an increase in the total vegetation cover of plant communities growing in former bare soil and sparsely vegetated areas, in line with an overall decrease in the extent of bare soil surfaces in the study area, which we highlighted through the analysis of multitemporal satellite images. Pioneer vegetation characterized by the endemic plant Artemisia caerulescens subsp. cretacea changed into ruderal annual grasslands, while former bare soils were colonized by such pioneer vegetation. In contrast, perennial grasslands remained stable. Grasslands with shrubs became more similar to perennial grasslands in species composition. Species richness increased in former bare soils, and using the total vegetation cover as a proxy for successional stages, we found that Shannon diversity and evenness peaked at about 90% of total cover. In all the stages of colonization, short distance dispersal species prevailed, both therophytes (Avena sterilis, Parapholis strigosa) and perennials (Artemisia caerulescens subsp. cretacea, Bromopsis erecta). Long distance dispersal species (Galatella linosyris) started colonizing at about 60% of total vegetation cover, and at high vegetation cover all the functional groups coexisted. Our results confirm that the badland landscapes of southern Tuscany and specialist plant diversity adapted to badlands are vanishing after a diminishing of active land management, suggesting the current ineffectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in their conservation

Ecosistemi da progettare. Esercizi progettuali per la conservazione della biodiversit\ue0, il ripristino funzionale degli ecosistemi e l\u2019accessibilit\ue0 alle risorse naturali.

In un\u2019epoca di grande pressione sugli ecosistemi naturali, l\u2019uso del territorio per la conservazione della biodiversit\ue0, il recupero funzionale degli ecosistemi pi\uf9 degradati e di sistemi produttivi che si coniughino alle esigenze di biodiversit\ue0, hanno un ruolo strategico di primaria importanza per assicurare la sostenibilit\ue0 delle risorse. La biodiversit\ue0 \ue8 tutto ci\uf2 che abbiamo. Biodiversit\ue0 \ue8 ossigeno, cibo, medicine, risorse economiche, resilienza e adattamento ai cambiamenti naturali, cos\uec come a quelli indotti dalle attivit\ue0 umane. Un mondo senza uccelli, insetti, prati, aree umide o boschi non sosterebbe la popolazione umana esistente, e certamente non renderebbe possibile la ripresa economica che tutti ci auspichiamo. Abbiamo chiesto agli studenti del corso di \u201cEcosistemi, habitat protetti e ripristini ambientali\u201d della Laurea Magistrale in \u201cProgettazione e gestione degli ecosistemi agro-territoriali, forestali e del paesaggio\u201d dell\u2019Alma Mater Studiorum, Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Bologna, di fare un esercizio teorico-pratico sulla base di questa prospettiva e cio\ue8 di elaborare progetti di ripristino ambientale, conservazione della natura, e uso sostenibile delle risorse. Gli studenti hanno risposto con grande seriet\ue0 ed entusiasmo a questa proposta formativa. Sono loro gli ideatori, interlocutori e anche i beneficiari dei progetti che vengono presentati in questo booklet. In alcuni casi hanno ritenuto opportuno coinvolgere la cittadinanza e le associazioni di volontariato locali per poter sviluppare i loro progetti sulla base delle esigenze dei fruitori di queste aree. Queste sono vere e proprie azioni di Citizen Science che integrano l\u2019uso sostenibile dell\u2019ambiente con le esigenze economiche e della societ\ue0, e forniscono una prova della professionalit\ue0 acquisita dai ragazzi in questo percorso. Nell\u2019elaborazione dei progetti i ragazzi sono stati affiancati e stimolati da esperti e professionisti di vari settori che hanno permesso di indirizzare l\u2019esercizio teorico necessario per il sostenimento dell\u2019esame alle esigenze specifiche e attuali dei territori studiati. Con questo booklet desideriamo far conoscere agli addetti ai lavori, enti di gestione, aree protette, comuni, regioni, ai proprietari delle aree scelte come modello per l\u2019esercizio progettuale e alla cittadinanza, i progetti sviluppati nei loro territori. Possono servire come spunto per la pianificazione e la gestione dei territori specifici, ma esprimono anche la necessit\ue0 dei nostri ragazzi di un ambiente fatto di natura e biodiversit\ue0

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 12

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material 1