Alpine pioneer plants in soil bioengineering for slope stabilization and restoration : results of a preliminary analysis of seed germination and future perspectives

Stabilization of slopes subject to landslide by measures with low impact, such as those of bioengineering, is a topic of interest. The use of scarcely studied alpine pioneer plants could contribute to innovation in soil bioengineering and restoration ecology but to use them, knowledge of the ex situ germinability of their seeds is fundamental. This research analysed the germinability of seeds of nine alpine pioneer species (Papaver aurantiacum, Rumex scutatus, Tofieldia calyculata, Pulsatilla alpina, Silene glareosa, Adenostyles alpina, Dryas octopetala, Laserpitium peucedanoides and Laserpitium krapfii) treated with water, gibberellic acid (GA3) and/or calcium carbonate at room temperature. The seeds had different responses to the treatments: Laserpitium peucedanoides, L. krapfii and Silene glareosa showed difficulty in germinating (germination < 2.5%), while Dryas octopetala had good germination (39\u201361%) regardless of treatment. GA3 significantly increased the seed germination rate of Papaver aurantiacum, Pulsatilla alpina, Rumex scutatus and Tofieldia calyculata, while the addition of calcium carbonate made the seeds of Rumex scutatus and Tofieldia calyculata germinate more quickly. Results are discussed focusing on the perspectives of using alpine pioneer species in future soil bioengineering work for slopes stabilization and restoration, and on the actions that stakeholders should take to make this happen

Influence of Altitude on Phytochemical Composition of Hemp Inflorescence: A Metabolomic Approach

The phytochemical profiling of hemp inflorescences of clonal plants growing in different conditions related to altitude was investigated. Four strains of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L., family Cannabaceae) of Kompolti variety were selected and cloned to provide genetically uniform material for analyses of secondary metabolites (terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids) at two different elevations: mountain (Alagna Valsesia 1200 m ASL) and plains (Vercelli Province 130 m ASL). Environmental conditions influenced by elevation have proven to be important factors inducing variations in hemp inflorescences\u2019 secondary metabolite composition. In fact, all plants grown at altitude exhibited a higher total amount of terpenes when compared with plains counterparts, with \u3b2-Myrcene, trans-Caryophyllene and \u3b1-Humulene as the main contributors. A metabolomic, un-targeted approach performed by HPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap\uae-MS platform with subsequent data processing performed by Compound DiscovererTM software, was crucial for the appropriate recognition of many metabolites, clearly distinguishing mountain from plains specimens. Cannabidiolic acid CBDA was the most abundant phytocannabinoid, with significantly higher concentrations in the mountain samples. The metabolic pathway of CBGA (considered as the progenitor/precursor of all cannabinoids) was also activated towards the production of CBCA, which occurs in considerably 3 times higher quantities than in the clones grown at high altitude. Isoprenoid flavones (Cannaflavins A, B, and C) were correspondingly upregulated in mountain samples, while apigenin turned out to be more abundant in plains samples. The possibility to use hemp inflorescences in pharmaceutical/nutraceutical applications opens new challenges to understand how hemp crops respond in terms of secondary metabolite production in various environments. In this regard, our results with the applied analytical strategy may constitute an effective way of phytochemical profiling hemp inflorescences

Trees and Shrubs Monitoring Using an Ecological Approach: The Conclusion of the Restoration Project of Borgotrebbia Landfill (Northern Italy)

Plants growth monitoring in restored landfills are poorly available in literature. These data might be of critical importance for the evaluation and improvement of current and future restoration projects. Our study was focused on the plant\u2019s growth monitoring during a Life project (LIFE10 ENV/IT/000400 NEW LIFE), designed to restore a closed landfill (located in Northern Italy) using reconstituted soils. The growth monitoring was conducted on mortality rate, stress symptoms and phenological cycle completion of 10 plant species (trees and shrubs). Data were acquired during the 12 months following the end of the restoration with an ecological approach, using Landolt\u2019s indices and CSR functional strategy. It was observed that the stress-tolerant and the heliphilous ruderal species were the ones that best adapt to the restored environment (dead plants: 0 - 39%; unhealthy plants: 24 - 42%), whereas the most competitive species were the ones with highest mortality (17 - 43%) and stress symptoms (43 - 51%)

A contribution to the knowledge of Linaria tonzigii Lona, a steno-endemic species of the Orobie Bergamasche Regional Park (Italian Alps)

Linaria tonzigii is a rare steno-endemic species of Community interest that grows on some limestone screes in the Orobie Bergamasche Regional Park (Italian Alps). In- formation is scarce regarding its ecology (and especially synecology) and its Grime\u2019s CSR functional strategy. For this reason, this research, as well as analysing the floristic composition and ecology of the L. tonzigii community by means of traditional methods, also evaluated the Grime\u2019s CSR strategy of this endemic species using the latest methods and tools. Analysis of the phytosociological relev\ue9s conducted in five different areas revealed that the species constitutes a single plant community (the Linaria tonzigii-Hornungia alpina community) consisting of basophile and xerophile species mostly typical of limestone screes. The analysis of the CSR strategy revealed that the mean strategy of L. tonzigii is R / CSR, although the species presents slightly different strategies in the different sampling areas. This article reports the first ever data regarding inter-population variation in plant functional strategies in nature and suggests that the functional variability of the species is much wider than had been thought. The analysis of plant height of L. tonzigii also showed that the population isolated at the northern limit of the species\u2019 distribution range has significantly taller and less stress-tolerant individuals than those in other areas, suggesting that it may be a different ecotype. This article aims to stimulate researchers to study little-known endemic species in order to protect and valorize the biodiversity of protected areas

The vegetation of a mountain area of the Scalve Valley (Southern Alps) twenty years after environmental restoration work

The restoration of highly natural areas, such as mountain territories, is a very important issue for those involved in land management and nature conservation. This study reports data provided by the analysis of the vegetation of an area of the Scalve Valley (Lombardy, Italy) which underwent environmental restoration and soil stabilization work using soil bioengineering techniques following a landslide that occurred in 1992. Data on the vegetation, acquired by performing several phytosociological relev\ue9s (inside and outside the area) according to the Braun-Blanquet method (1964), were used to analyze the floristic and ecological characteristics of the plant communities currently present in the area. The Ecological Index of Maturity (EIM) (Giupponi et al. 2015) was applied in order to assess the level of disturbance to which the various plant communities are currently subject. The EIM is the result of the elaboration of flora and vegetation indices proposed by Taffetani & Rismondo (2009) and Rismondo et al. (2011) for the evaluation of the functionality of agro-ecosystems, and provides values ranging from 0 (high disturbance of vegetation) to 9 (undisturbed vegetation). Results showed that, in the study area, there are some plant communities typical of forest margins, some typical of less evolved soils, and others with a high proportion of exotic species that were introduced in 1995 (at the end of slope stabilization work), when a mixture of commercial seed was sown. The results obtained calculating the EIM showed the presence of high disturbance for the plant communities with high percentages of exotic species and for those on unstable soils