Multiple Approach for Plant Biodiversity Conservation in Restoring Forests

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Taksonomski status misterioznoga “Zelenoga hrasta” (Quercus× viridis Trinajstić) iz Hrvatske, temeljen na filogenetskoj analizi

The “green oak” is a well-known specific individual oak tree of unknown origin growing near Zadar in Croatia. Depending on the authors, it was described either as a hybrid taxon between Quercus cerris L. and Q. ilex L. (named Q. × viridis Trinajstić) or alternatively as a presumed hybrid between Q. cerris and Q. suber L. To finally resolve the origin of this taxon, we performed molecular analyses and investigated the phylogenetic relationships between the “green oak” and other closely related oak taxa from the surrounding area, including all putative parental species. A total of 16 individuals representing nine Quercus L. taxa were investigated based on both plastid (trnK-matK and trnH-psbA) and nuclear (5.8S + ITS2) DNA sequence variation. Placement of the green oak in the phylogenetic relationships between the studied oak taxa does not support Q. ilex as one of its parental species but rather indicates that this taxon is in fact Q. crenata Lam., reaffirming previous alternative hypothesis that the green oak is a hybrid between Q. cerris and Q. suber. We therefore confirm the presence of Q. crenata in the Croatian flora and based on historical literature survey, we explore and discuss the implication of its occurrence and possible hybridogenic origin in the Croatian territory.„Zeleni hrast“ je već dugo poznato i specifično stablo hrasta nepoznatoga podrijetla, koje raste u selu Islam Latinski blizu Zadra u Hrvatskoj, a procjenjuje se da je staro preko 200 godina (Slika 1). Svoje ime zahvaljuje činjenici što njegovo debelo kožasto zeleno lišće ostaje na stablu duboko u zimu. Zeleni hrast prema našim saznanjima po prvi puta u literaturi spominje Jedlowski (1955) te pretpostavlja kako se radi o križancu cera (Quercus cerris L.) i hrasta plutnjaka (Q. suber L.). Kasnije ga Trinajstić (1974) opisuje kao novi takson Quercus × viridis Trinajstić, hybr. nov. koji je prema njegovom mišljenju križanac cera (Q. cerris) i hrasta crnike (Q. ilex L.) (Slika 2). Nakon toga ovaj hrast bio je predmet mnogih istraživanja, kako taksonomskih, tako i ekoloških, botaničkih, anatomskih i morfoloških. Posljednji pregledni članak o zelenom hrastu (Müller i sur., 2003) zaključuje kako rezultati većine dosadašnjih istraživanja podupiru mišljenje koje je dao Jedlowski, a ne opis taksona od Trinajstića. Međutim, do danas taksonomski status zelenoga hrasta i njegovo podrijetlo ostaju neizvjesni. Stoga je u ovome radu po prvi puta provedena analiza filogenetskih odnosa zelenoga hrasta na temelju molekularnih biljega u odnosu na ostale blisko srodne vrste hrasta koje rastu u njegovoj široj regiji, uključujući sve potencijalne roditeljske vrste (Q. cerris, Q. ilex, Q. suber i Q. coccifera L.) kao i takson Q. crenata Lam. koji je poznat kao stabilni križanac vrsta Q. cerris i Q. suber u Italiji. Također su u analizu uključeni predstavnici skupine Quercus (Q. robur L., Q. petraea /Matt./ Liebl. i Q. pubescens Willd.) kao vanjske grupe. Ukupno naš set podataka uključivao je devet taksona i 16 jedinki roda Quercus L. (Tablica 1). Kako bismo konačno utvrdili taksonomski status zelenoga hrasta koristili smo kloroplastne (trnK-matK i trnH-psbA) i jezgrine (5.8S + ITS2) DNK biljege (tzv. DNK barkod regije) na temelju kojih smo rekonstruirali srodstvene odnose pomoću mreže haplotipova/ribotipova (Slika 3) te pomoću filogenetskoga stabla dobivenoga metodom maksimalne štedljivosti (Slika 4 i 5). Rezultati filogenetskih odnosa između zelenoga hrasta i ostalih zastupljenih taksona u ovome istraživanju (Slika 3, 4 i 5) ne podržavaju teoriju da je Q. ilex jedna od njegovih roditeljskih vrsta. Umjesto toga, molekularna filogenija nedvojbeno dokazuje kako je zeleni hrast zapravo takson poznat pod prihvaćenim nazivom Q. crenata, te potvrđuje alternativnu hipotezu kako se radi o križancu između vrsta Q. cerris i Q. suber. Pojedini autori u starijoj literaturi već su navodili svojtu Q. crenata na temelju morfoloških karakteristika za područje Istre i Kvarnera te Dalmacije, koristeći se uglavnom sinonimom Q. pseudosuber Santi (Strobl, 1872; Freyn, 1877; Richter, 1897; Schneider, 1906; Ascherson i Graebner, 1908-1913; Adamović, 1911; Hirc, 1916; Hayek, 1924, 1927; Lovrić, 1981). Međutim, kasnije Trinajstić (2006) ipak zaključuje kako takson Q. crenata nije zastupljen u hrvatskoj flori te je do danas ovo pitanje ostalo dvojbeno. U novije vrijeme vrsta Q. crenata zabilježena je samo u kulturi u Perivoju Vladimira Nazora u Zadru (Perinčić, 2010; Nikolić 2017). Na osnovi naših rezultata temeljnih na molekularnoj filogeniji sa sigurnošću zaključujemo da je vrsta Q. crenata prisutna u hrvatskoj flori.

A proposal for modifying coppicing geometry in order to reduce soil erosion in the forest areas

A key factor to reduce soil erosion and soil instability is the conservation of forest areas. In the last years, in all Europe, forest logging has increased. The Italian situation is paradigmatic because more than 70% of the broadleaved forests are managed as coppices and new exploitations concerning biomass for energy production have tripled since 2001. The common coppicing method leaves standards uniformly distributed on the ground, but this geometry has proven to not play an effective role in soil erosion control. In this paper, we propose a different method for coppicing geometry, aimed to decrease the soil erosion risk. In particular, the theoretical framework of the model is presented here, employing the USLE framework and discussing a real case study, while the results of the experimental tests, which are in progress, will be discussed in future papers. The theoretical results seem to demonstrate the method’s validity, which is expected to reduce soil erosion amount in the range 29-42%

Parallel disasters: Wars and biodiversity loss in mountain areas

It is widely accepted that the Mediterranean Basin is a prominent hotspot of biodiversity hosting a significant richness of plant lineages and fauna.  Projected trends in the context of global change suggest this area will cope with strong increases in temperature and decreases in precipitation with consequent effects on forests and ecosystem services. Upward shifts of species range and/or mass extinction are expected to occur on a broad scale, especially in the Mediterranean.  Here, mountain ecosystems would undergo the most severe reduction and fragmentation events.  Further human based impacts aggravate the effects of global warming.  Among them, wars and civil disorders seriously affect mountain landscapes, marking them over time.Presently, many threats of war are occurring in the Mediterranean and mostly in mountain areas at a high level of biodiversity. Furthermore, these same scenarios are overlapped with global warming, thus exposing many species to an actual risk of extinction.The aim of this study was to find a solution to the disturbances created in the forest ecosystem by the consequences of war of an identified area in the Mediterranean basin

Fragmentation and Connectivity of Island Forests in Agricultural Mediterranean Environments: A Comparative Study between the Guadalquivir Valley (Spain) and the Apulia Region (Italy)

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered some the main threats to biodiversity. Original forests have suffered an accentuated fragmentation and agricultural homogenization, leaving only some areas of natural vegetation, relegated to strongly anthropized disconnected patches (island forests, IFs) in a hostile matrix. These patches of original vegetation could be the key for the design and management of ecological corridors to promote species migration, an essential strategy for meeting the consequences of Global Change. This study proposes a comparative analysis of the fragmentation and connectivity of IFs of Quercus in two typically Mediterranean areas of predominantly agricultural use: the Guadalquivir valley (Spain) and the Apulia region (Italy). A retrospective comparison is also carried out in the Guadalquivir valley. The aim is to develop an objective new methodology to locate the patches of most interest using quantitative and qualitative data. Reference cartography of current island forests of Quercus species was developed from several digital sources and validated with orthoimages and field observations. Fragmentation analysis was based on graph structures using the software Conefor 2.6, a reliable tool for assessment of the role of patches in the landscape. Area and distance were used as node and connector values. Dispersion distance was established as 500 m, based on the maximum dispersion of acorns. Results indicate that the Guadalquivir valley has suffered an intensive fragmentation in recent decades. Both the Guadalquivir and Apulia regions host some IFs with the relevant potential to contribute as core habitats in the creation of connections to other natural protected sites. Many residual IFs in the landscape could contribute as stepping stones in the design and management of ecological corridors. Our methodology highlights the value of IFs to develop assessment strategies using homogenized available digital cartography and common criteria for the dispersion distances in graph theory analysis. The application of this new methodology could help in the management of protected sites using highly fragmented areas to allow the species movement through inhospitable landscapes in a unique opportunity to connect the different protected areasThis research was funded by the Council of Economy, Innovation, Science and Employment of the Andalusian Government in the framework of the Project “Modelo espacial de distribución de las quercíneas y otras formaciones forestales de Andalucía: una herramienta para la gestión y la conservación del patrimonio natural” (Code P10-RNM-6013) and by FEDER, Junta de Andalucía— Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento. Proyecto UHU-126283

Évaluation préliminaire des essais de provenances de chêne-liège et perspectives de recherche

Le réseau international des essais de provenance et de descendance de chêne-liège (établie dans le cadre du projet Action Concertée FAIR CT 95-202 “European network for the evaluation of genetic resources of cork oak for appropriate use in breeding and gene conservation strategies” financé par l’Union Européenne) constitue un matériel vivant unique pour la recherche, qu’elle soit appliquée, ou fondamental, sur l’espèce. Les essais génétiques ont été réalisés sur une base méthodologique harmonisée au niveau des plants utilisés (tous les plants ont été élevées dans une même pépinière au Portugal) et sur terrain un même dispositif expérimental a été suivi. En 1997/98, 13 essais de provenances ont été établis. Ceux ayant réussi sont situés en Espagne (2), France (1), Italie (3), Portugal (3) et Tunisie (1). Concernent les essais de descendances il existe 4 des 5 initiales - Espagne (1), Portugal (2) et Tunisie (1). Dans ce travail nous présentons quelques résultats du comportement des provenances à travers des caractéristiques adaptatifs tels que la survie, l’efficacité d’utilisation de l’eau et des études de génomique. Nous avons procédé à la comparaison de chaque provenance dans les essais - niveau horizontal- et à la comparaison de chaque provenance entre les essais - niveau vertical afin de discuter la plasticité phénotypique et l’interaction génotype X environnement. Les données disponibles pour hauteur en 2006 montre des différences de comportement entre provenances et entre les essais. Par exemple, les provenances du Maroc montre une croissance supérieure dans l’essai plus au Sud au Portugal et aussi dans un essai en Espagne. Pour l’essai de Sardaigne les meilleures provenances sont de Tunisie et d’Espagne. A la fin on discute sur les avantages des essais comme matériel vivant dénominateur commun pour une recherche avancée, multidisciplinaire, synergétique, transnational et concertée. Les perspectives pour la recherche sur les grands thèmes tels que la gestion durable du chêne-liège, notamment la sélection, amélioration génétique, adaptation aux changements globaux, fluxes génétiques, problèmes phytosanitaires, qualité du liège en liaison avec la respective génomique sont adressées.PTDC/AGR-AAM/104364/200

Forest Conservation and Restoration Using the Emberger Index: Cork Oak as Study Case

The Mediterranean Basin is frequently stricken by huge disasters, and it represents an important biodiversity hotspot. Designing a synthetic approach, which is user-friendly with a low cost, that aims to summarize the main climatic factors that determine vegetation geographical ranges is a strategic solution to plan forest restoration actions and quickly act in cases of urgency. Here, we propose an updated version of the Emberger Index, applied to Quercus suber, an emblematic species of many ecosystems in the Mediterranean. Our investigation couples the latest spatially continuous climatic data, a high-resolution distribution map, and modelling techniques. The results evidence the effective benefits of the updated process, with insights into the optimal climatic requirements of a species within its real spatial domain, including projections for the next decades and the detection of putative refugia. Those outputs were not possible before because of a lack of data covering a certain area. Cork oak revealed an excellent study case, able to highlight the potentiality of Emberger’s approach, and understand the ecological amplitude and vulnerabilities of the target species. If genetic information is available, the Emberger Index can even be applied at the haplotype scale, thus benefitting the applied research. Such an index mirrors the optimal plasticity and physiologic characteristics of a species, supporting the decision makers in selecting the correct plants to use in future reforestation and restoration activities