Dati e modelli della Flora Vascolare Italiana con i nuovi strumenti della biodiversity informatics

Il lavoro svolto per questa tesi si articola su tre livelli principali: 1. Collaborazione all\u2019implementazione e aggiornamento del database della Flora d\u2019Italia con relativa redazione delle due checklist delle piante vascolari autoctone ed alloctone, le quali sono state pubblicate nei primi mesi del 2018 in due articoli separati di cui sono coautore. Analisi multivariata dei dati derivanti dalle due checklist, con particolare attenzione alle differenze floristiche tra le regioni. 2. Collaborazione alla creazione del Portale della Flora d\u2019Italia, che integra i dati delle due checklist e li connette con risorse multimediali aggiuntive derivanti dai database del Progetto Dryades (Universit\ue0 di Trieste) e da Acta Plantarum. 3. Analisi dei dati derivanti da tre banche dati interconnesse: 1) Il database della Flora d'Italia; 2) Il database della Flora del Friuli Venezia Giulia di L. Poldini; 3) Il database dei caratteri morfologici delle piante vascolari del progetto Dryades. Le due checklist della Flora d\u2019Italia comprendono, complessivamente, ben 9792 taxa infragenerici (8195 per le autoctone e 1597 per le alloctone), un numero molto maggiore di quello incluso nelle checklist e flore precedenti, con dati relativi alla nomenclatura, alla tassonomia, alla eventuale sinonimia e alla distribuzione regionale. L\u2019analisi multivariata dei dati relativi alle piante autoctone ed alloctone \ue8 stata svolta separatamente per i due gruppi di taxa infragenerici, evidenziando differenze floristiche significative tra le diverse regioni d\u2019Italia, correlabili a diverse caratteristiche dei rispettivi territori. Il Portale della Flora d\u2019Italia permette di effettuare ricerche complesse sulla flora d\u2019Italia e delle singole regioni italiane. Per ogni taxon infragenerico viene fornita una \u201ctaxon page\u201d comprendente tutte le risorse derivanti dalle checklist nazionali e dai diversi database del Progetto Dryades. Il portale \ue8 stato integrato con dati che includono il binomio latino, la posizione sistematica (APG IV) e relativo cladogramma, la distribuzione regionale e status attuale, il nome vernacolare italiano e le immagini delle piante, oltre che con collegamenti alle risorse di ActaPlantarum. La terza e ultima parte di questa tesi \ue8 stata dedicata all'esplorazione delle potenzialit\ue0 offerte dall'interoperabilit\ue0 realizzata tra il database della Flora d'Italia, le risorse del Progetto Dryades e quelle del Database della Flora del Friuli-Venezia Giulia di Poldini. Mostriamo diversi esempi di set di dati che \ue8 ora possibile ottenere rapidamente dai tre database, tra cui la caratterizzazione ecologica della vegetazione con indici ecologici, la definizione di "habitat virtuali" definita da elenchi di specie con un'ecologia simile, l'analisi di complesse matrici di dati ecologici e tratti morfologici. Tali test saranno utili per arricchire le future versioni del Portale della Flora d'Italia con ulteriori dati e ulteriori funzionalit\ue0. La creazione del Portale della Flora d\u2019Italia e la sua interoperabilit\ue0 con le risorse del Progetto Dryades e quelle di Acta Plantarum non sono solo un punto di arrivo, ma soprattutto un punto di partenza per futuri interessanti sviluppi. I dati resi pubblici sul Portale della Flora d\u2019Italia sono soltanto una minima parte di quelli che potranno essere resi pubblici e interrogabili nelle prossime versioni. Alcuni di essi sono gi\ue0 presenti nel database della Flora d\u2019Italia per pi\uf9 dell\u201980% delle specie, altri possono derivare da database locali integrabili nel sistema (ad es. il Progetto Wikiplantbase), mentre una ricca messe di dati riguardanti i tratti morfologici delle specie \ue8 gi\ue0 da ora ricavabile dal database del Progetto Dryades. Con questa tesi ritengo quindi di aver contribuito a gettare le basi per un futuro database distribuito sulla flora e vegetazione d\u2019Italia.Work for the present thesis was focused on three main levels: 1. Collaboration in the implementation and updating of the database of the Flora of Italy, with the preparation of two checklists (native and alien vascular plants) which have been published in the first months of 2018 in two separate articles, of which I am co-author. Multivariate analysis of the data deriving from the two checklists, with special emphasis on the floristic differences among regions. 2. Collaboration in the creation of an online Portal to the Flora of Italy, which integrates the data of the two checklists and connects them with additional multimedia resources deriving from several databases of the Dryades Project (University of Trieste), and Acta Plantarum. 3. Analysis of data deriving from 3 interconnected databases: 1) The database of the Flora of Italy; 2) The database of the Flora of Friuli Venezia Giulia by L. Poldini; 3) The database of morphological traits of vascular plants of Project Dryades. The two national checklists include a total of 9792 infrageneric taxa (8195 native and 1597 alien), a number which is much higher than those of previous checklists and floras, with data on nomenclature, taxonomy, synonymy, and regional. The multivariate analysis of the data related to autochthonous and alien plants at regional level was carried out separately for the two groups taxa, highlighting significant floristic differences among the different regions of Italy, which are correlated to different characteristics of the respective territories. The Portal of the Flora of Italy allows to carry out queries on the flora of Italy and of the individual Italian regions. For each infrageneric taxon, a "taxon page" is provided, including all the resources deriving from the national checklists, and those deriving from different databases of the Dryades Project: scientific binomial, systematic position (following APG IV) and relative cladograms, regional distribution (with auto-generating maps) and current status, Italian vernacular names and digital images, plus links to resources from ActaPlantarum. The third and last part of this thesis was devoted to the exploration of the potentialities offered by the achieved interoperability between the database of the Flora of Italy, the resources of Project Dryades, and those of the Database of the Flora of Friuli-Venezia Giulia by Poldini. We show different examples of datasets which is now possible to rapidly obtain from three main databases, including the ecological characterization of vegetation releves by ecological indices, the definition of \u201cvirtual habitats\u201d defines by lists of species with a similar ecology, the analysis of complex matrices of ecological data and morphological traits. Such tests will be useful to enrich the future versions of the Portal to the flora of Italy with further data and further functionalities. The creation of the Portal of the Flora of Italy and its interoperability with the resources of the Dryades Project and those of Acta Plantarum are not only a point of arrival, but above all a starting point for future interesting developments. The data made public on the Portal of the Flora of Italy are only a small part of those that can be made searchable in future versions. Some of them are already present in the Flora of Italy Database for more than 80% of the species, others may derive from local databases that can be integrated into the system (e.g. the Wikiplantbase Project), while a wealth of data concerning the morphological features of the species can already be found in the Dryades Project database. With this thesis I have contributed to laying the foundations for a future distributed database on the flora and vegetation of Italy, where data from the Portal to the Flora of Italy can act as a nucleus of crystallization for the aggregation of several other databases that at the moment are not public and/or are not able to communicate with each other

First record of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides (Apiaceae) in Italy

The occurrence of Rhizomatophora aegopodioides, a species distributed in the Balkan Peninsula, Greece, southern Caucasus, Turkey and southern Russia, is reported here for the first time in Italy. It was discovered in Calabria (southern Italy) in the Argentino River Valley and along the Abatemarco River (municipality of Cosenza), localities partly included within the Pollino National Park. Information about taxonomy, nomenclature, habitat, phytosociology and distribution of this species in Italy are provided

An updated checklist of the vascular flora of Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (Marche, Italy)

This study aims to increase floristic knowledge of Marche by means of a survey in the Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (central Italy). The Reserve, located in the central Apennines, covers about 3.2 km2 at altitudes ranging from 820 to 1,491 m a.s.l. It has been owned and managed as a strict reserve by the University of Camerino since 1970: all the anthropic activities ceased about 50 years ago, except for a minimal area where mowing and cattle grazing are still allowed. The floristic list consists of 789 specific and subspecific taxa belonging to 81 families and 352 genera. Two species are new for Italy (Taraxacum calocarpum and T. pulchrifolium) and 14 for Marche regional flora. Compared to previous floristic studies, we found 127 more taxa but we showed a certain stability in the life-form spectrum, suggesting limited effects of dynamic processes related to climate and land-use changes. The negligible number of alien species (11) is probably related to the limitations to anthropic activities in the Reserve. The occurrence of taxa never recorded for Italy and Marche highlights the floristic value of the Reserve for species conservation in the central Apennines

Integrazioni alla flora vascolare dell\u2019Italia centrale. Secondo contributo

Additions to the vascular flora of central Italy. Second contribution. In this paper, new floristic records for 55 taxa for central Italy are reported. In particular, 39 taxa are native and 16 aliens, 9 are new or confirmed to Abruzzo, 1 to Marche, 21 to Molise, 16 to Umbria, 1 is excluded from the flora of Abruzzo, 1 from Molise and 1 from Lazio. Furthermore, new distribution data for 2 rare species in Abruzzo and Molise are reported

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of Mount Pennino massif (Umbria-Marche Apennines, central Italy)

The inventory of the taxa collected in 2021 during the annual field trip of the Working Group for Floristics, Systematics, and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society is reported. The field trip was held in the Mount Pennino massif, between Umbria and Marche administrative regions (central Italy). Theflora documented for the study area amounts to 413 specific and subspecific taxa (including one hybrid), belonging to 234 genera and 64 families. Thirty-seven taxa are endemic to Italy; 42 are included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora. Only three alien taxa were found. Ten taxa and one hybrid are considered floristic novelties because either new or confirmed for the regional flora of Umbria and/or Marche. Particularly, 6 taxa are new and 4 are confirmed for Umbria; one taxon and one hybrid are new for Marche

Comparison of myocardial reperfusion between intracoronary versus intravenous cangrelor administration in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: Myocardial reperfusion is the main target of treatment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The intracoronary administration of cangrelor bolus could favor a higher local drug concentration, favoring an earlier thrombotic resolution and a reduced distal micro-embolization. Methods: Seventy-one patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI: 37 treated with intracoronary and 34 with intravenous bolus administration of cangrelor. The primary endpoint was ST-elevation reduction (STR) ≥ 50% after 30 min from the end of the PCI. Other explorative reperfusion indices investigated were: STR ≥ 50% at 24 hours, STR ≥ 70% at 30 min, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction frame count and the QT dispersion (QTd). Moreover, acute and subacute stent thrombosis, bleeding events and 30-day mortality have been evaluated. Results: More frequent STR ≥ 50% was observed in the intravenous cangrelor bolus group as compared to the intracoronary administration at 30 min (71.9% vs. 45.5%; p = 0.033), the difference was maintained 24 hours after PCI (87.1% vs. 63.6%; p = 0.030). STR ≥ 70% at 30 min was statistically more frequent in the intravenous bolus administration cohort (66.7% vs. 28.6% p = 0.02). At multivariable analysis, intravenous cangrelor administration was significantly related to STR ≥ 50% (odds ratio: 3.586; 95% confidence interval: 1.134–11.335; p = 0.030). The incidence of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 3–5 bleedings was 15.5% and mortality was 4.2% without any significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions: In conclusion the results of the study do not show any advantages in the administration of intracoronary bolus of cangrelor in patients affected by STEMI and treated with primary PCI

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora 6

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Acalypha, Acer, Canna, Cardamine, Cedrus, Chlorophytum, Citrus, Cyperus, Epilobium, Eucalyptus, Euphorbia, Gamochaeta, Hesperocyparis, Heteranthera, Lemna, Ligustrum, Lycium, Nassella, Nothoscordum, Oenothera, Osteospermum, Paspalum, Pontederia, Romulea, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Sesbania, Setaria, Sicyos, Styphnolobium, Symphyotrichum, and Tradescantia. Nomenclature and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (Campania and Basilicata, southern Italy)

In order to improve the floristic knowledge of the Italian territory, we report the inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society held in 2015 in eastern Irpinia and Vulture-Melfese area (South Italy). The investigated territories are located in southern Apennines, along the border between the Campania and Basilicata administrative regions. These areas are scarcely known in terms of vascular flora. The floristic samplings were performed in 19 sites selected as representative of the local environmental diversity as regards to climate, litho-morphology and land-use. The research led to the identification of 4,137 specimens of vascular plants, belonging to 815 species and subspecies, 399 genera, and 85 families. Among these taxa, 42 were endemic to Italy, 38 were included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora, 28 were alien and 5 were cryptogenic in Campania and/ or Basilicata administrative regions. Two taxa, Aquilegia coerulea (casual alien, native to North America) and Lolium ×boucheanum (native), were found to be new for Italy. On the basis of the available floristic literature the first one is also to be considered new for the European flora. At regional scale, we have found 18 taxa new for the Campania and 15 new for the Basilicata region. Finally, 10 taxa were confirmed for Campania. Data obtained during this study, confirmed the important role of a collaborative approach among botanists and the great relevance of these territories for plant diversity

At the intersection of cultural and natural heritage: Distribution and conservation of the type localities of Italian endemic vascular plants

We conducted a GIS spatial analysis with the aim of providing the first quantitative large-scale overview of the distribution patterns of 1536 type localities (loci classici) of 1216 Italian endemic vascular plants and their relationship with a set of descriptive variables. Whereas some variables were used to model the presence-absence distribution patterns of the type localities for the whole set of endemics as well as for the subset of narrow endemics, others (e.g., presence inside or outside protected areas and Italian Important Plant Areas) were considered with the purpose of assessing potential assets or risks for conservation. The largest number of type localities was found within the Mediterranean biogeographic region (1134), followed by the Alpine region (306) and Continental region (96). A total of 670 locations are located on islands, whereas 866 are located on the Italian mainland (139 and 124 in the case of narrow endemics, respectively). A large number of type localities are located in mountainous areas and along the coastline, which can be seen as a potential risk for conservation. On the contrary, we detected a positive correlation with the distance from roads, which might be considered to be an asset. Importantly, 1030 type localities fall inside protected areas, whereas 506 localities fall outside protected areas, with 259 of these unprotected localities on islands. We propose considering the results of the analysis of the distribution of type localities of Italian endemics to be a strategic tool for conservation planning and resource management. Application of plant micro-reserves and integration of diverse legislation tools are suggested to strengthen efforts and increase conservation success

An algorithm for planar triangulations. A graphical user interface

The triangulation of a planar domain is an important and largely studied problem in many applications. In the article we present an easy-to-use graphical user interface for interactive construction, visualization and triangulation of two dimensional domains with holes. The construction of the domain is realized through geometric primitives, such as point, arc, circle. The triangulation algorithm is based on polygon offsetting starting from the boundary of the domain. It allows to create high quality triangulations with low computational time, also for complicated geometric regions, as can be seen by comparing with other mesh generators