Contributo alla conoscenza della flora vascolare della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina (Italia Centrale, Marche)

In this work new floristic records for 12 taxa are reported for Natural Regional Reserve Sentina. Particularly 3 are new to Marche region (Cortaderia selloana, Eclipta prostrata, and Potamogeton berchtoldii). The survey was carried out from 2014 to 2015 through field research and collections. Some recorded species are particularly interesting from phytogeographical or conservational point of views as they are very rare in central Italy along the Adriatic coasts

Mass Mortality Event of Mediterranean Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in the Middle Adriatic: Potential Implications of the Climate Crisis for Marine Ecosystems

The effects of the climate crisis are affecting ecosystems at different scales and magnitudes. This paper focuses on a massive Mediterranean mussel die-off observed along the middle Italian Adriatic coast in the summer of 2022. We considered the possible environmental causes of this phenomenon and carried out a climatic analysis of the last decade. We performed field surveys in different locations along a 16 km coastal stretch from Martinsicuro (TE) in the south, to Grottammare (AP) in the north. The study area includes two marine Sites of Community Importance under the European Natura 2000 network. The die-off of the mussels was observed in practically all the natural mussel beds colonizing the study area. As sessile filter-feeding organisms inhabiting the intertidal zone, mussels are highly exposed to variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and nutrient load. We discuss the possible causes of this die-off, proposing that high temperature and the scarce availability of food acted simultaneously as stress factors, generating local unsustainable living conditions for this species

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients

[Additions to the vascular flora of Natural Regional Reserve Sentina (central Italy, Marche)]

AIn this work new floristic records for 12 taxa are reported for Natural Regional Reserve Sentina. Particularly 3 are new to Marche region (Cortaderia selloana, Eclipta prostrata, and Potamogeton berchtoldii). The survey was carried out from 2014 to 2015 through field research and collections. Some recorded species are particularly interesting from phytogeographical or conservational point of views as they are very rare in central Italy along the Adriatic coasts

Flora della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina . Atlante fotografico delle piante vascolari.

Viene presentata la Flora vascolare della Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina (Marche

Diachronic Observations Reveal Different and Scale-Dependent Response of Sand Dune Plants to Seashore Dynamics

Climate change and human infrastructures heavily affect seashore dynamics with cascading consequences on coastal sand dunes. While there is a high number of studies conducted on plant communities, there is a lack of monitoring approaches conducted at population level. We studied the variations in spatial patterns of the population of three plant species in response to interannual coastline variation in a coastal Nature Reserve. We performed eight diachronic field observations over the course of eleven years, in which we registered the coastline variation and the position of each functional individual of the selected species. The population of the alien-naturalized and highly clonal Sporobolus pumilus demonstrated the ability to follow the interannual variations of the coastline, thus maintaining a constant distance from the seashore. In contrast, the native Polygonum maritimum and the dune-builder Thinopyrum junceum showed a progressive reduction of the distance from the seashore (− 21 m and − 16 m, respectively). However, this effect was detected only at a finer spatial scale, thus revealing the scale-dependence of this phenomenon. In addition, the spatial distribution patterns of T. junceum changed with the variation and stability of the seashore, showing spatial dispersion and aggregation patterns, respectively. Our study reveals how the plant response to the coastline variation was species-specific, probably depending on species functional strategies. Besides highlighting the importance of frequent diachronic surveys, our population-level approach may help in explaining the compositional changes observed at higher organizational level. Finally, our findings indicate that coastal erosion poses a serious threat for the conservation of dune ecosystems

Potential Biodiversity Implications of Climate Change for Organisms, Populations and Ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin

The climate crisis is a global threat to species, populations and ecosystems; it affects individual organisms and their interactions with other species and habitats, thus altering ecosystem functions and structures. The impacts of the climate crisis are widespread but not uniform over time and space, as the responses of species and habitats vary according to their relative vulnerability, degree of exposure, sensitivity, and capacity to adapt. This synergy places great pressure on ecosystems, reducing their resilience. The climate crisis is particularly intense in the semi-enclosed Mediterranean Sea basin, designated as a biodiversity hotspot, where the average warming rate is more intense than the global one; indeed, significant increases in average temperatures, extreme temperatures, and the number of heat waves, as well as more frequent and intense drought periods, are being recorded here. Within this context, this Special Issue of Diversity, titled “Potential Biodiversity Implications of Climate Change for Organisms, Populations and Ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin”, will include the following: Spatial and temporal distribution patterns of species and populations under climate change; Populations and ecosystems structure and functional diversity under climate change; Future predictions using recent multi-model initiatives and statistical modeling approaches; Contributions on extreme events and hazards; Climate changes’ effects on the ecotoxicity of emerging pollutants with special focus on coastal ecosystems; Alien species occurrence; Conservation actions for Mediterranean biodiversity

Land-cover changes in a remote area of central Apennines (Italy) and management directions

In the Mediterranean mountains and hills spontaneous reforestation occurred in the last fifty years at the expenses of open habitats. This process was triggered by depopulation and cessation of traditional farming. In this paper we investigate landscape changes in one such area in central Apennines (Italy), which is currently almost uninhabited after centuries of human presence; we give a quantitative description of the changes that occurred between 1955 and 2006, and we discuss their management implications in a multidisciplinary context. To do this, we used aerial photos and field surveys to map land-use/land-cover classes in 1955, 1978 and 2006; we then employed a transition matrix model based on Markov chains, together with landscape and class metrics, to analyze gains and losses of each class over time. Our results show that almost all classes were replaced directly by woodlands: no “shrub stage” was observed and a surprisingly brief interval of about 25 years was sufficient for canopy closure on abandoned open lands; furthermore, some classes increased their transformation rate from period 1 (1955–1978) to period 2 (1978–2006), while others did not. Metrics show that reforestation is accompanied by simplification and homogenization of the original mosaic, with no intermediate fragmentation process. We discuss current management plans and propose strategies that take into account the presence of endangered species: management should exploit the spontaneous reforestation and promote the creation and preservation of mature forests; concurrently, it should plan to maintain the last “islands” of grasslands, even if small

Multiple Aspects of the Fight against the Red Palm Weevil in an Urban Area: Study Case, San Benedetto del Tronto (Central Italy)

The fight against alien invasive insect pests of plants in the urban environment often affects varied sectors of the economy, landscape gardening, public health, and ecology. This paper focuses on the evolution of the red palm weevil in San Benedetto del Tronto, a coastal urban area in central Italy. We investigated the evolution of this insect pest of palm trees in the 2013–2020 period, considering both the effectiveness of the chemicals used and their potentially harmful effects. With a multidisciplinary approach, we carried out a spatio-temporal analysis of the extent and mode of pest spread over time using historical aerial photos, freely available remote sensing images, and field surveys integrated in a GIS environment. We also assessed the toxicity risk associated with the chemicals used to protect the palms from the red weevil. The fight against this weevil is now concentrated in specific areas such as parks, roads, villas, hotels, farmhouses, and nurseries. The preventive chemical treatments applied are very effective in preserving the palms, but they show a toxic potential for all organisms. We discuss current local management of this pest, focusing on several aspects involved in the fight against this beetle in an urban area