Contribution to the knowledge of Mediterranean wetland vegetation: Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily

The freshwater aquatic vegetation of the Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily was surveyed and analyzed. 85 lakes and small pools were investigated collecting 147 phytosociological unpublished relev\ue9s to integrate the very scarce available data (only 3 relev\ue9s). By applying statistical analyses on abundances data and on the bases of physiognomy and dominant species, two alliances (Lemnion minoris and Stratiotion) and four different coenoses have been identify for the Lemnetea class; while 11 associations, assigned to two orders (Potamogetonetalia pectinati and Callitricho hamulatae-Ranunculetalia aquatilis) and four alliances (Potamogetonion, Nymphaeion albae, Ranunculion aquatilis and Ranunculion omiophyllo-hederacei) have been recognized for the Potamogetonetea class. A new association (Junco bufonii-Ranunculetum omiophylli ass. nov.) and a new subassociation (Ranunculetum peltati ranunculetosum rionii subass. nov.) have been proposed, whereas other six vegetation units were found to be new for the study area (Potamogetono-Ceratophylletum submersi, Potamogetonetum pusilli, Ranunculetum aquatilis, Ranunculetum peltati and Ranunculetum rionii, Lemno-Callitrichetum obtusangulae). For all the coenoses recognized, new insights on the floristic composition, syntaxonomy, synphiognomy, synecology and synchorology are reported, offering a reasoned overview of the aquatic vegetation of the western sector of the main Mediterranean island

49° Festival dei Popoli

Il Festival dei Popoli è la più antica e prestigiosa manfestazione intranazionale di documentaristica sociale ed antropologica in Italia. Al suo interno sono previste proiezioni; seminari; convegni; laboratori: ecc

The incidence of alien species on the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of lentic and lotic communities dominated by Phragmites australis (Cav.) Steud

This study aims to investigate, for the first time, the multiple diversity harbored in plant communities dominated by P. australis, discriminating between lentic and lotic habitats. We focused on the incidence of alien species on taxonomical, phylogenetic and functional diversity. Although it was hypothesized that ecological differences between habitats (lentic vs. lotic) could lead to plant adaptive trade-offs, results showed that the P. australis dominance affected overall plant diversity in the same way in both target habitats. Similarly, the two compared habitats hosted a similar alien species richness and relative abundance. Different results were observed based on whether the alien species richness or their relative abundance were considered regarding the incidence of alien species. Increasing alien species richness in lentic habitats resulted in increased taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity. Instead, in lotic habitats, it promoted a decrease in taxonomic and functional diversity. In contrast, the increase in the relative abundance of alien species resulted in increased taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity in both habitats. Choosing relative abundance vs richness of aliens in lotic stands can have a different impact in evaluating the effect of aliens on various components of diversity

50° Festival dei Popoli

Il Festival dei Popoli è la più antica e prestigiosa manfestazione intranazionale di documentaristica sociale ed antropologica in Italia. Al suo interno sono previste proiezioni; seminari; convegni; laboratori: ecc