Effect of stand-replacing fires on Mediterranean plant species in their marginal alpine range

In the southern side of the Alps, many relic species with Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean distribution were described in mild-winter, fire-prone areas. Very few studies have modeled the importance of environmental factors on their distribution. In this paper, we assessed the effect of fire on the occurrence of euri- and steno-Mediterranean (ESM) species in Pinus sylvestris forests of Aosta Valley (Italy), by analyzing vegetation in a chronosequence of six stand-replacing fires (1962-2006). We analyzed species richness along the chronosequence, and modeled it as a function of time since fire, environment, and stand structure. We observed a strong positive association between ESM and total species richness. Temporal vegetation dynamics did not follow the direct succession pattern that is commonly observed in Mediterranean ecosystems. Two distinct maxima of ESM species richness were observed: (1) short lived, ruderal species (32 % of all ESM species) in the early post-fire stages, and (2) dry grassland species (54 %) in intermediate stages. The first were facilitated by the consumption of canopy and litter during fire, while the second by delayed tree canopy closure. In multivariate models of ESM species richness, light and elevation were the only significant predictors. Contrary to expectations, time since fire was not significant. Our study suggests that stand-replacing fires play an important role in preserving Mediterranean species in the study area by maintaining an open canopy, and promote local species diversity

Application Studies for the Implementation of the Sustainability Charter in the Metropolitan City of Genoa

Starting from Agenda 2030 and existing tools in the field of sustainability, this research defines the guidelines for a new Sustainability Charter created for a metropolitan-level city. These guidelines are then applied to the case study of the metropolitan city of Genoa. The paper reports, therefore, application studies for the implementation of the Sustainability Charter in the metropolitan city of Genoa. Funded by the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of Territory and Sea, the Sustainability Charter of the Metropolitan City of Genoa, which we present here, is developed as part of \u201cAgenda 2030, the Sustainable Metropolitan Agenda of the Metropolitan City of Genoa: moving towards sustainable metropolitan spaces\u201d. This research has led to the implementation of a concrete product the entire citizenship can benefit from. The new proposed tool is oriented towards the application of sustainability in urban planning and management in order to reduce environmental impacts and promote a proper and better quality of life: a driving force for sustainable urban development. Sustainability as a tool to safeguard the cultural and environmental heritage and the economic system, which can represent a new opportunity for the development of competitiveness, innovation and employment