Some aspects of the chasmophytic vegetation in the Cilento-Valo di Diano National Park (Campania, Italy)

Within a wide area of research relating to the Cilento National Park, several aspects of the chasmophytic vegetation have been analyzed. Two calcareous substrata areas have been studied: one on the coast and one inland. Three plant communities corresponding to three different associations have been recognized: Crithmo-Limonietum remotispiculi (Crithmo-Limonion), Centaureo-Campa- nuleturn fragilis primuletosum palinuri and Campanulo fragilis-Portensch- lagielletum ramosissimae (Dianthion rupicolae). For the last, a new sub-association named Phagnalonetosum rupestris is propose

Biodiversity patterns of dry grasslands in the Central Apennines (Italy) along a precipitation gradient : experiences from the 10th EDGG Field Workshop

The 10th EDGG Field Workshop took place in a sector of the Central Apennine Mountains, Italy, in June 2017. Altogether, 22 researchers from nine European and Asian countries attended this Field Workshop. We sampled plant and insect biodiversity in submontane and lower-montane grasslands along a precipitation gradient, from the L’Aquila valley and the Fucino basin to the “Abruzzo, Lazio & Molise” National Park. The standardized EDGG sampling protocol, involving nested-plot series and additional 10-m2 relevés, was used. In the course of seven days of intensive fieldwork, we sampled 20 biodiversity plots along with 57 additional normal plots (yielding a total dataset of 97 10-m2 plots). Methodological additions tested in this workshop included the assessment of observer-related error (around 12% of the 10-m2 plots was resurveyed by a different team). In all plots, vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens were sampled. At each nested-plot series, also insects (Auchenorrhyncha) were sampled by local specialists, who developed an ad-hoc sampling procedure

Lista bibliografica

Questa lista bibliografica contiene il secondo aggiornamento della bibliografia della Lisy e deriva dall’assemblaggio da parte della redazione (M. Serdoz ed E. Panfili) dei contributi parziali stilati dai gruppi regionali

An overview of the Italian forest biodiversity and its conservation level, based on the first outcomes of the 4th Habitat Report ex-Art. 17

In 2019 the 4th Report ex-Art. 17 on the conservation status (CS) of Annex I Habitats of the 92/43/EEC Directive was expected by every EU/28 country, with reference to the period 2013-18. In Italy, the process was in charge to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), on behalf of the Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea Protection (MATTM), with the scientific support of the Italian Botanical Society (SBI). A large group of thematic and territorial experts elaborated the available data concerning the 124 types of terrestrial and inland water Habitats present in Italy, 39 of which are represented by Forest Habitats (Group 9),. The main aim of the work was the evaluation of the overall CS of each Habitat by Biogeographic Region (Mediterranean, Continental and Alpine), for a total amount of 294 assessments. A high proportion of these (92, corresponding to 31% of the total) referred to Forest Habitats, including 20 marginal types for which the CS was not requested. The analysis was carried out at different scales: a) administrative territory, through the data contained in the ISPRA database, whose compilation was in charge to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces; b) Natura 2000 site, with the latest updates available (Standard Data Forms updated to 2018); c) national scale, implementing the distribution maps for each Habitat based on the European grid ETRS89-LAEA5210 (10x10 km2 mesh); d) Biogeographic Region, scale of the final assessment. Cartographic outcomes, associated databases and additional data used for the assessments will be available online on the ISPRA Portal as soon as the validation process by the European Commission will be completed. A dedicated archive named "HAB_IT" has been created in the national database "VegItaly" (1), managed by the Italian Society of Vegetation Science, where the phytosociological relevés representative of the various Annex I Habitats in Italy will be archived and freely accessible. An overview of the results regarding the Forest habitats is here provided, including a comparison with the outcomes of the former reporting cycle, the 3rd Report ex-Art. 17 (2). In several cases (e.g. 9120, 91L0), the distribution maps have been remarkably improved due to better knowledge and more fitful interpretation. The conservation status resulted as Favourable (FV) for 6,7%, Inadequate (U1) for 58,7% and Bad (U1) for 32,0% of the 72 assessed forest Habitat types. In no case there was an improvement of the conservation status, while in 6 cases a worsening of the conditions resulted from the data analysis, pointing out the Habitats types with a higher need of action. Similarly to other projects carried out as a team by the network of Annex I Habitat experts of the Italian Botanical Society and the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (e.g. 3, 4), this is another step in the direction of supporting the implementation of the 92/43/EEC "Habitat" Directive in Italy and Europe. On this ground, the high biodiversity of the Italian forest Habitats could be emphasized, however results pointed out that some rare or endemic types (e.g. Alnus cordata or Betula aetnensis-dominated forests) are still scarcely acknowledged by the most prominent EU conservation tools such as the Annex I to the "Habitat" Directive. 1) F. Landucci et al. (2012) Plant Biosyst., 146(4), 756-763 2) P. Genovesi et al. (2014) ISPRA, Serie Rapporti, 194/2014 3) E. Biondi et al. (2009) Società Botanica Italiana, MATTM, D.P.N., http://vnr.unipg.it/habitat/ 4) D. Gigante et al. (2016) Plant Sociology, 53(2), 77-8

Plant–environment interactions through a functional traits perspective: a review of Italian studies

Italy is among the European countries with the greatest plant diversity due to both a great environmental heterogeneity and a long history of man–environment interactions. Trait-based approaches to ecological studies have developed greatly over recent decades worldwide, although several issues concerning the relationships between plant functional traits and the environment still lack sufficient empirical evaluation. To draw insights on the association between plant functional traits and direct and indirect human and natural pressures on the environmental drivers, this article summarizes the existing knowledge on this topic by reviewing the results of studies performed in Italy adopting a functional trait approach on vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens. Although we recorded trait measurements for 1418 taxa, our review highlighted some major gaps in plant traits knowledge: Mediterranean ecosystems are poorly represented; traits related to belowground organs are still overlooked; traits measurements for bryophytes and lichens are lacking. Finally, intraspecific variation has been little studied at community level so far. We conclude by highlighting the need for approaches evaluating trait–environment relationship at large spatial and temporal scales and the need of a more effective contribution to online databases to tie more firmly Italian researchers to international scientific networks on plant traits

Morphological, anatomical and physiological leaf trait plasticity of Sesleria nitida (Poaceae) in open vs shaded conditions

An expression of plants response to light availability is their shade tolerance which refers to the capacity of a given plant to tolerate low light levels. Survival in a shaded environment can determine phenotypic consequences at morphological and/or physiological levels and such changes may be crucial to survive in heterogeneous and variable conditions. However, the potential plastic response of a given plant trait may be large but the observed plasticity may be lowered by resource limitations or environmental stress factors. In this context, the aim of this research was to analyze morphological, anatomical and physiological leaf traits variations of Sesleria nitida Ten, growing in different light conditions. In particular, plants growing in open (PO) and shade (PU) conditions were analyzed. The results show a 35% higher specific leaf area (SLA) in PU than in PO due to a 94% larger leaf area (LA). The higher height and width of the central and the major lateral vascular bundle in PO than in PU contribute to a higher net photosynthesis (P-N) in sun than in shade conditions. Moreover, the 33% higher ratio between respiration (R-D) and PN (R-D/P-N) in PU than in PO highlights the greater proportion of the carbon consumed by R-D in the shade population requiring a greater metabolic effort for growth and maintenance. S. nitida in the shaded environment might be favored by the soil pH being a neutro-basophilous species and the larger soil water content (SWC) and mineral content contributing to maintain a positive carbon balance in this limiting condition. The plasticity analysis for open vs. the understory plants (mean plasticity index = 0.32) highlights the leaf trait variations useful to maintain a positive carbon balance where light availability is the main limiting factor. Knowledge of the capacity of S. nitida to first colonize and then modify its phenotype in response to the shade condition can contribute to a better understanding of its ecology

Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers estimation in the waters of Pescara Springs by means of SCUBA dive and orthophotos interpretation

Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR) has been applied to the superficial waters of Pescara Springs (Popoli, Italy) according to Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. Two complementary and not mutually exclusive methodologies were performed to evaluate possible differences in taxa identification and cover estimation: boat survey and interpretation of orthophotos and images taken during SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) dive. Data from submerged macrophytes were analyzed by means of exploratory multivariate analysis to detect vegetation associations and their correlation with some abiotic factors (water current velocity, substrate granulometry, detritus type, water depth). Six homogeneous tracts were observed according to hydromorphological characters and to vegetation associations; IBMR and Ecological Quality Ratio (IBMR-EQR) were calculated for each of them. On an average basis, IBMR was 7.84 (trophic status: very high) and IBMR-EQR was 0.63 (quality class: scarce). A good concordance was registered by means of Bland–Altman plot between values obtained by the two methods: 0.57 ± 3.07 (mean ± SD) of percent bias. Nevertheless, IBMR failed to correctly describe the trophic status of the surveyed site, possible due to low dissolved oxygen, high pCO2 and HCO3 values