Teaching and learning Landscape Ecology to Landscape Architects in Italy : toward protective, adaptative, redundant landscape design

Some words are more and more used by different disciplines to focus on contemporary challenges, for exampe \u201csustainability\u201d and \u201cresilience\u201d, becoming trendy slogans, but the real understanding of these concepts in Landscape Ecology is necessary to avoid their loss of significance, and to add effectiveness to ecological based projects and actions. The collaborative partnership between Landscape Ecology and Landscape Architecture is a fundamental opportunity. Landscape Ecology is a necessary topic for landscape architects' education and its application becomes a tool for landscape projects. A good landscape architect can play a significative role in the promotion of people's appreciation of landscape in terms of resources (cfr. Almo Farina " theory of resources"). Starting from the experience, of more than 30 years, by the Genoese Landscape Architecture School, from the theoric teaching by Almo Farina and Vittorio Ingegnoli (see Ecofield theory, spatial configuration of functional elements , shifting mosaic, BTC measurement, Landscape Bionomics), to the applicative courses and experimental design of landscapes at different dimensions, the discipline of Landscape Ecology is a clear guide to the understanding of landscape configuration, and of its critical actual aspects. In the actual main Italian Schools of Landscape Architecture (Genoa/Turin/Milan, Florence, Rome, Milan) a fundamental role is given to Landscape Ecology education. Particularly in the Genoa/Turin/Milan Master Degree in Landscape Architecture, the experimental applicative approach to design by Landscape Ecology (in the brilliant courses of Applied Landscape Ecology by Gioia Gibelli and Luigino Pirola, with the help of Applied Botany), gives necessary tools to face the challenges of contemporary society, with particular reference to resources and needs, such as water, food production, ecosystemic services, socio-ecological relations, safetiness of everyday landscapes

La Riserva Naturale Orientata “Laghetti di Marinello” (Messina) : strategie di conservazione attiva per la salvaguardia e la fruizione del paesaggio costiero

La Riserva Naturale Orientata \u201cLaghetti di Marinello\u201d \ue8 una porzione ridotta di territorio che presenta molte delle caratteristiche del paesaggio siciliano, dove sono evidenti sovrapposizioni storiche di fenomeni appartenenti ad epoche diverse. La mutevolezza di questo paesaggio, for- se la sua caratteristica pi\uf9 a ascinante, \ue8 strettamente legata alle azioni antropiche che lo han- no generato. Ad oggi, anche la responsabilit\ue0 del suo progressivo degrado \ue8 di origine antropica e, senza adeguati interventi, lo sar\ue0 anche della sua scomparsa, con conseguente perdita di bio- diversit\ue0, fattore che ha contribuito al riconoscimento dell\u2019area come Riserva Naturale Orienta- ta. Questo lavoro procede su due livelli di analisi e di progetto. In una prima fase, sono state indi- viduate le potenzialit\ue0 e le criticit\ue0 per sviluppare un progetto di massima di promozione e valo- rizzazione territoriale a scala vasta. Il livello successivo riguarda interventi di conservazione at- tiva, mirati alla salvaguardia ed al miglioramento della fruizione della laguna e del promontorio che la sovrasta.The \u201cLaghetti di Marinello\u201d Nature Reserve is a small portion of territory that reveals many of the most peculiar features of Sicilian landscape. The ckleness of this place is strictly connected to human actions, that gave birth to this area and might probably lead it soon to an end. This work is focused on two di erent levels of analysis and planning. Firstly, a territorial enhancement plan was developed on a broad scale. Secondly, a more detailed project was created, featuring inter- ventions of active conservation, to improve and protect the lagoon environment and the prom- ontory above

Le contrôle de l’érosion dans les systèmes barrière-lagune: le champ dunaire de Capo Comino (Sardaigne nord-orientale, Italie) = The erosion of the barrier system of Capo Comino (North-East Sardinia, Italy)

The study of the delicate balances of the coasts has a crescent interest in the scientific and administrative communities because of the role of the coastal systems in the economic development. Indeed, during the 70s the littoral zone underwent to the strong urban development and tourist industry. Now the main need is to find an equilibrium between the necessities of the protection of the coastal environment and the human needs (ICZM Protocols), following the target of the preservation of the beaches and the coastal systems. The coast of Capo Comino, located in the north-eastern coast of Sardinia and partially included into a Zone of Community Interest ( SIC-ITB020012), is not influenced by human impact. The analysis of aerial photos allowed the study of the evolution of the coastline, the dune field and its vegetation between 1954 and the 2006. The field monitoring of the dunes (2003-2011) was also made by transects, in order to evaluate the morpho-sedimentological and vegetation dynamic of this sector. The data presented in this paper allow to understand that the erosion of the area is not strong and the regradation of the coastline is about 10-15 meters in the northern sector and 40 meters in the central one. The migration of the dunes, instead, is very important, with the mouvement of huge volumes of sand. The number and areas of the blowouts has increased too.L\u2019\ue9tude des \ue9quilibres d\ue9licats des syst\ue8mes littoraux connait un int\ue9r\ueat croissant dans les communaut\ue9s sci\ue9ntifiques et administratives pour l\u2019importance que les syst\ue8mes c\uf4tiers ont dans le d\ue9veloppement \ue9conomique des r\ue9gions littorales. En effet, la bande c\uf4ti\ue8re a \ue9t\ue9 tr\ue8s int\ue9ress\ue9e par le d\ue9veloppement urbanistique et l'industrie touristique qui doivent maintenant trouver un point d'\ue9quilibre (ICZM Protocols) avec les n\ue9cessit\ue9s de protection de ce milieu fragile, tant pour le patrimoine naturel que pour la conservation des plages face \ue0 l\u2019\ue9rosion. Le littoral de Capo Comino, situ\ue9 sur la c\uf4te nord-orientale de la Sardaigne et partiellement ins\ue9r\ue9 dans une Zone d'Int\ue9r\ueat Communautaire (SIC-ITB020012), est encore peu soumis aux pressions anthropiques. L\u2019analyse des photos a\ue9riennes a permis l'\ue9tude de l'\ue9volution de la ligne de rivage, des champs dunaires et de la v\ue9g\ue9tation entre 1954 et 2006. Le suivi du champ dunaire (2003-2011) a \ue9t\ue9 effectu\ue9 par des transects, de fa\ue7on \ue0 pouvoir analyser l'\ue9volution morpho-s\ue9dimentaire et v\ue9g\ue9tale du secteur. Les donn\ue9es pr\ue9sent\ue9es dans ce travail ont permis de relever que l\u2019\ue9rosion du littoral est tr\ue8s r\ue9duite : le recul de la ligne de rivage a atteint 10-15 m\ue8tres dans le secteur septentrional et environ 40 m\ue8tres dans une petite portion du secteur central. On a surtout relev\ue9 une augmentation des zones de d\ue9flation et des blowouts, avec une migration importante des volumes de sable le long de la direction principale de transport et la formation de nombreuses zones d\u2019\ue9rosion \ue9olienne

Effect of Light Environment on Growth and Phenylpropanoids of Yarrow (Achillea collina cv. SPAK) Grown in the Alps

A two year field study on the effect of different light environments, obtained by using cladding materials (polyethylene films and shade net) able to cut off specific regions of the PAR and UV wavebands, on the growth and phenylpropanoids content of Achillea collina grown in the Alps was conducted. Overall the plant growth was strongly enhanced in the second growing season irrespective of radiation treatment. The light environment did not affect total biomass accumulation but only carbon allocation to leaves or inflorescences. Indeed the phenylpropanoid levels in inflorescences appeared to be more sensitive to the light environment than leaves as the latter showed high constitutive amounts of these compounds. However, the use of polyethylene films improved to some extent the content of caffeic acid derivatives in leaves. Our results showed that yarrow production, in the alpine situation considered, is influenced by the growing season and the light environment, providing a basis to optimize its quality, depending on the concentration of bioactive compounds, by means of proper agronomic practices

Volatile fingerprint of Italian populations of Orchids using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

The volatile fraction of Ophrys sphegodes Mill. subsp. sphegodes, Ophrys bertolonii subsp. benacensis (Reisigl) O. Danesch, E. Danasch & Ehrend. and Neotinea tridentata (Scop.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W. Case, three orchid species with different pollinator attraction strategies, sampled in vivo and in situ, were evaluated by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results were compared with the volatile compounds emitted by flowering plant samples picked from the same populations of orchid species. Hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols and terpenes were the major constituents of \u201cin vivo\u201d orchid scents and some distinctive differences in volatile metabolite composition were observed between Ophrys and Neotinea species. Moreover, the odour bouquets of the picked flowering plant samples were different from the in vivo ones and in particular different proportions of the various terpenes and an increase of \u3b1-pinene were observed. In conclusion HS/SPME GCMS proved to be a suitable technique for analyzing and distinguishing the volatile fingerprint of different orchid species, sampled in vivo and in situ in a non-disruptive way, with potentially great advantages for ecophysiological studies of rare and endangered species

Seed dormancy and seedling growth changes in response to scarification treatments and population origin in Kosteletzkya pentacarpos (Malvaceae)

Kosteletzkya pentacarpos is important for the restoration of coastal habitats in Asia and is vulnerable in Europe. Physical dormancy (PY) prevents ready seed germination and seedling production for restoration and conservation purposes. In this study, seed germination and seedling growth of K. pentacarpos were investigated in response to scarification treatments (manual scarification, percussion) and population origin (i.e., wild, cultivated ex situ and reintroduced). Manual scarification best promoted seed germination (98-100%), but resulted in damages to the cotyledons (on 64% of seedlings, on average) and lower seedling growth. Percussion did not significantly increase seed germination, but best promoted seedling growth. There was a significant reduction of PY in seeds produced by plants cultivated ex situ and/or reintroduced. Our results indicate that scarification treatments and ex situ cultivation may have important implications in translocation and other uses of K. pentacarpos

Plant communities of Italy. The vegetation prodrome

The Vegetation Prodrome of Italy was promoted in 2012 by the Italian "Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea Protection", in collaboration with the "Italian Society of Botany", to provide a comprehensive and systematic catalogue and description of Italian plant communities. The Prodrome that is presented in this paper is the first full organic synthesis of the vegetation of Italy at the alliance syntaxonomic level. It fulfils several needs, the main one being a unified and comprehensive national framework that may make an important contribution to the definition of the European Vegetation Prodrome. Syntaxonomy, as well as taxonomy, is sometimes based on considerations that may in part diverge: several authors tend to favour models that are divisive or aggregative to a greater or lesser extent in terms of flora, biogeography and ecology. These different points of view stimulate the scientific debate and allow the adoption of a framework that is more widely supported. The Prodrome includes 75 classes, 2 subclasses, 175 orders, 6 suborders and 393 alliances. The classes were grouped into nine broad categories according to structural, physiognomic and synecological elements rather than to syntaxonomic criteria. The rank, full valid name, any synonymies and incorrect names are provided for each syntaxon. The short declaration highlights the physiognomy, synecology, syndynamics and distribution of the plant communities that belong to the syntaxon. The Prodrome of the Italian Vegetation is linked to the European Strategy for Biodiversity, the European Habitats Directive and the European Working Groups related to the ecosystems and their services. In addition to basic applications, the Prodrome can be used as a framework for scientific research related to the investigation of the relationships between plant communities and the environmental factors that influence their composition and distribution

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 2

In this contribution the conservation status assessment of six plant species according to IUCN categories and criteria are presented. It includes the assessment at global level of Charybdis glaucophylla Bacch., Brullo, D'Emerico, Pontec. & Salmeri, Euphorbia nicaeensis All. subsp. japygica (Ten.) Arcang., Hieracium australe Fr. subsp. australe, Limonium multiforme Pignatti, Onosma helvetica Boiss. em. Teppner subsp. lucana (Lacaita) Peruzzi, Aquaro & Cesca and the assessment at national level (Italy) of Lathyrus laxiflorus (Desf.) Kuntze subsp. laxiflorus