Bryophyte diversity hotspot: the Marmore Waterfalls Regional Park (Umbria, central Italy)

A study of the bryophyte of Marmore Waterfall Natural Park a very peculiar territory for its geological, biogeographical and bioclimatic traits, was carried out. The reported data were collected in the valley area of ‘Parco Fluviale del Nera’ Regional Park, where the waters are flowing and the humidity of the rocks is oozing. Research led to the identification of 101 taxa of bryophytes (21 liverworts and 80 mosses), among which two liverwort and 10 moss species are new records for the Umbria region, while four are confirmed. The study offers new outcomes on neglected aspects of the flora of central Italy and represents a considerable improvement of the floristic, biogeographical and ecological understanding of its bryophytic component. Additionally, the area turn out to be significant from the conservation point of view both nationally and internationally considering that it harbours high diversity of bryophytes species among which many rare, threatened and interesting species occur. Eighteen species of conservation interest in Italy are recorded during the latest investigation (all in category NT – near threatened). Additionally two species that are considered data deficient in Italy are present in the researched area (Conocephalum salebrosum and Fissidens curvatus). Also, there is a small populations of a species vulnerable (Marchantia paleacea), endangered (Bryum calophyllum) and data deficient (Fissidens curvatus and Barbula bolleana) in European scale

Can the fatty acids profile of Tuber aestivum - T. uncinatum species complex have chemotaxonomic value?

Fatty acid (FA) profiles are considered as chemotaxonomic markers to define groups of various taxonomic ranks in bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Tuber aestivum is one of the most common European truffles that has environmental and economic values. While genetic studies suggest that T. aestivum Vittad. and T. uncinatum Chatin are synonymous, there is still debate over whether this is a species complex. In this work, we evaluate the differences in the total and individual FAs content of T. aestivum and T. uncinatum morphotypes, and T. melanosporum n-hexane extracts. The higher amounts of total linoleic acid and total oleic acid are found in T. uncinatum and characterize it from the T. aestivum. The composition of FA profiles of T. uncinatum-T. aestivum were distinguished by the presence of free palmitoleic acid (a chemotaxonomic marker) in T. uncinatum and absent in T. aestivum. Cluster analysis indicated that there were two groups for the FA profiles of the Tuber spp. hexanic extract: T. aestivum extract and T. uncinatum and T. melanosporum extracts. Our results indicate that T. aestivum and T. uncinatum have to be considered as two different taxa within the T. aestivum species complex

Contribution to the knowledge of fungal diversity of the Marmore Waterfalls (Umbria, central Italy)

A list of the macrofungi collected from the Marmore Waterfalls (Umbria, Italy) is reported. In particular, a list of basidiomycetes and ascomycetes collected over a period of about ten years was compiled. A total of 125 species belonging to 78 genera, 46 families, and 15 orders were identified. Forty-four species are recorded in Umbria for the first time. Marmore Waterfalls may represent an important area for the conservation of fungal diversity, due to the presence of 34 species matching those included in Red Lists of several European countries

Experimental pressure sensing and technology of piezoelectric microwave/RF MEMS filters

In this work, we analyze the pressure sensing of a thin film molybdenum/aluminumnitride/molybdenum (Mo/AlN/Mo) microwave/RF MEMS filter fabricated by a simple technology. After an experimental characterization in a frequency range between 1 and 36 GHz, we focused on the piezoelectric effect due to the stress properties of the piezoelectric AlN layer by applying forces by means of weights. Variations in the bandpass region of the microwave/RF filter are observed by proving high sensitivity also for low applied weights. We check by a properly designed three-dimensional (3D) finite-element method (FEM) tool the pressure-sensing property of the proposed device. Finally, we analyze the bad gap property of a chip with central defect around 40 GHz

7230 Torbiere basse alcaline.

The Habitat Directive requires Member States to implement surveillance of the conservation status of habitats and species of Community Interest. The aim of this handbook is to outline the methodological instruments for the implementation of a monitoring program of the Italian habitat types, as required by art. 17 of the Habitats Directive, with particular regard to the data collection at site level. The European guidelines (Evans & Arvela, 2011. Assessment and reporting under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive - Explanatory Notes & Guidelines for the period 2007-2012 -Final Draft. European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity, p. 1-123) require the assessments to be carried out by compiling information on specific parameters and at biogeographical scale. Each parameter is considered separately, eventually combining all parameters in an evaluation matrix thus providing the overall assessment. For each habitat type several parameters have to be considered: “Area”, “Range”, “Structure and Functions”, “Future Prospects”. While “Range” and “Future prospects” need to be assessed only at the biogeographical scale, “Area” and “Structure and functions” can be assessed aggregating data collected at the site level; in this handbook, for each habitat of community interest present in Italy, we present monitoring forms for these two parameters. Altogheter, the handbook contains 124 forms, referring to 10 Coastal and Halophytic Habitats; 11 Coastal Sand Dunes and Continental Dunes, 15 Freshwater Habitats, 5 Temperate Heath and Scrub, 11 Sclerophyllous Scrub (matorral), 15 Natural and Semi-natural Grassland Formations, 8 Raised Bogs and Mires and Fens, 10 Rocky Habitats and Caves, 39 Forests. Each monitoring form has been produced with the support of leading national experts and sent to regional authorities for a review. The monitoring forms report the most effective available monitoring techniques for collecting the required parameters and variables, and define operational guidance for data collection. The monitoring forms describe priority variables (e.g. vegetation-plot based analysis) that need to be collected for complying with the Habitat Directive, and also indicate some optional or habitatspecific variables (e.g. substrate condition, water quality, etc.). The activities and methods suggested in this Manual are aimed at enabling the Regions and Autonomous Provinces to implement monitoring activities based on the collection of harmonized data by means of standardized technical protocols. A standardized basis of information is indeed essential for producing comparable data and generating reliable assessments on the conservation status of each habitat type at national level. Some important elements, such as the Favourable Reference Values and optimal thresholds for some of the parameters, are still under discussion at the European level and therefore will need to be further clarified in the near future

De la lectura a la creación en la red: el tráiler de lectura

El artículo describe y reflexiona sobre las competencias lectoras que tiene que desarrollar un adolescente en un entorno digital. El foco se pone en cómo el entorno digital transforma al lector en un creador de contenidos y en las acciones que se pueden realizar para conseguirlo de manera diversificada, lingüística y culturalmente. La primera parte del estudio desarrolla el concepto de competencia lectora digital: las destrezas que debe desarrollar, los tipos de textos que Internet le propone y las dificultades con las que se encuentra. La segunda parte analiza los resultados de tres estudios de casos en los que la lectura se transforma en creación a través del tráiler de lectura (se trata de concursos realizados en catalán, desde un centro educativo, la biblioteca y la institución pública) y en las acciones de políticas públicas que se proponen llevar a cabo para mejorar los resultados

Probabilistic and preferential sampling approaches offer integrated perspectives of Italian forest diversity

Aim: Assessing the performances of different sampling approaches for documenting community diversity may help to identify optimal sampling efforts and strategies, and to enhance conservation and monitoring planning. Here, we used two data sets based on probabilistic and preferential sampling schemes of Italian forest vegetation to analyze the multifaceted performances of the two approaches across three major forest types at a large scale. Location: Italy. Methods: We pooled 804 probabilistic and 16,259 preferential forest plots as samples of vascular plant diversity across the country. We balanced the two data sets in terms of sizes, plot size, geographical position, and vegetation types. For each of the two data sets, 1000 subsets of 201 random plots were compared by calculating the shared and exclusive indicator species, their overlap in the multivariate space, and the areas encompassed by spatially-constrained rarefaction curves. We then calculated an index of performance using the ratio between the additional and total information collected by each sampling approach. The performances were tested and evaluated across the three major forest types. Results: The probabilistic approach performed better in estimating species richness and diversity of species assemblages, but did not detect other components of the regional diversity, such as azonal forests. The preferential approach outperformed the probabilistic approach in detecting forest-specialist species and plant diversity hotspots. Conclusions: Using a novel workflow based on vegetation-plot exclusivities and commonalities, our study suggests probabilistic and preferential sampling approaches are to be used in combination for better conservation and monitor planning purposes to detect multiple aspects of plant community diversity. Our findings can assist the implementation of national conservation planning and large-scale monitoring of biodiversit

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 2

In this contribution, new data concerning red algae, lichens and bryophytes of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Grateloupia, the bryophyte genus Didymodon, and the lichen genera Buellia, Cladonia, Letharia, Pertusaria, and Pyrenula