Search

In Mediterranean mountains, the abandonment of traditional land-uses is promoting a rapid forest expansion. This trend may be exacerbated by nature reserves, which further limit human disturbance in mountain contexts. We investigated whether ecological parameters, landscape structure, and management policy influenced vegetation cover/dynamics over a 14-year period in the Pollino National Park, a large protected area in southern Italy. Based on remote sensed and field data we obtained land-cover maps referred to 2004, 1997, and 1990. Canonical ordination related patterns of vegetation cover/dynamics to ecological (elevation, slope, climate) and structural (spatial heterogeneity) landscape traits. Higher change rate regarded scrublands (decrease) and forests (expansion). Spatial heterogeneity declined over the study period, while the average area of forest patches increased. A non-spatial transition matrix model revealed that the decline of pastures/scrublands, and forest recovery accelerated in th...

We studied inbreeding depression, growth context and maternal influence as constraints to fitness in the self-compatible, protandrous Dianthus guliae Janka, a threatened Italian endemic. We performed hand-pollinations to verify outcomes of self- and cross-fertilisation over two generations, and grew inbred and outbred D. guliae offspring under different conditions - in pots, a common garden and field conditions (with/without nutrient addition). The environment influenced juvenile growth and flowering likelihood/rate, but had little effect on inbreeding depression. Significant interactions among genetic and environmental factors influenced female fertility. Overall, genetic factors strongly affected both early (seed mass, seed germination, early survival) and late (seed/ovule ratio) life-history traits. After the first pollination experiment, we detected higher mortality in the selfed progeny, which is possibly a consequence of inbreeding depression caused by over-expression of early-acting deleterious alleles. The second pollination induced a strong loss of reproductive fitness (seed production, seed mass) in inbred D. guliae offspring, regardless of the pollination treatment (selfing/crossing); hence, a strong (genetic) maternal influence constrained early life-history traits of the second generation. Based on current knowledge, we conclude that self-compatibility does not prevent the detrimental effects of inbreeding in D. guliae populations, and may increase the severe extinction risk if out-crossing rates decrease.

Recent work, based on morphological and cytotaxonomical information, claimed the independence of Plantago brutia Ten., a narrow endemic of South Italy, with respect to Plantago media L. Here, we present a further evaluation of the systematic relationships occurring between these two taxa as revealed by molecular studies. We sampled P. brutia in most of the known populations and P. media in several European stands, from Sweden to the Iberian Peninsula and Balkans. We then investigated the relationships among the sampled populations by using as molecular markers the internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1 and ITS2. Furthermore, we considered cpDNA to gain further insight into the relationships among P. brutia/P. media populations. Based on nrDNA data, P. brutia appeared to be nested within the P. media complex, but as a well distinct subunit. This is congruent with a subspecific rank for this taxon within P. media. The cpDNA revealed the occurrence of several haplotypes in the studied material. Mo...

Many factors have contributed to the richness of narrow endemics in the Mediterranean, including long-lasting human impact on pristine landscapes. The abandonment of traditional land-use practices is causing forest recovery throughout the Mediterranean mountains, by increasing reduction and fragmentation of open habitats. We investigated the population genetic structure and habitat dynamics of Plantago brutia Ten., a narrow endemic in mountain pastures of S Italy. Some plants were cultivated in the botanical garden to explore the species' breeding system. Genetic diversity was evaluated based on inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphisms in 150 individuals from most of known stands. Recent dynamics in the species habitat were checked over a 14-year period. Flower phenology, stigma receptivity and experimental pollinations revealed protogyny and self-incompatibility. With the exception of very small and isolated populations, high genetic diversity was found at the species and population level. amova revealed weak differentiation among populations, and the Mantel test suggested absence of isolation-by-distance. Multivariate analysis of population and genetic data distinguished the populations based on genetic richness, size and isolation. Landscape analyses confirmed recent reduction and isolation of potentially suitable habitats. Low selfing, recent isolation and probable seed exchange may have preserved P. brutia populations from higher loss of genetic diversity. Nonetheless, data related to very small populations suggest that this species may suffer further fragmentation and isolation. To preserve most of the species' genetic richness, future management efforts should consider the large and isolated populations recognised in our analyses.

We investigated the spatial structures of soil properties and snow-bed vegetation, and their relationships, in southern Italy. We analyzed data on 26 plant species and 10 soil traits from adjacent 1 × 1 m plots in two snow-bed patches. Measures of spatial autocorrelation revealed striking spatial structures for plant cover and soil properties at both sites. Bivariate statistics and Mantel tests highlighted a significant correlation between spatial patterns of plants and soil in the study sites. Canonical correspondence analysis related such relationships to an ecological gradient connecting soil properties and plant assemblages in this unusual ecological context. Among the variables significantly related to plant patterns is the soil organic matter, which is recognized as being sensitive to global warming. Our analyses suggest that soil dynamics due to increasing temperature may promote the replacement of species typical of southern snow-bed ecosystems by more mesophilous plants.

The yellow carnation Dianthus guliae Janka is a rare endemic of the Italian peninsula. As numerous extinctions have occurred in the past, very few populations are still present. Two years of field surveys revealed high mortality and an absence of recruitment in the southernmost populations of this species. Work in a botanical garden, under semi-natural conditions, revealed the occurrence of proterandrous hermaphroditism and self-compatibility. The durable flower lifespan, the competitive effects among flowers and the different outcomes from spontaneous and hand-performed pollinations (with both self- and cross-pollen) suggested low pollination rates in the experimental stand. Pollinator exclusion experiments revealed a low frequency of delayed autonomous selfing, suggesting that self-fertilization in D. guliae relies mainly on facilitated selfing and geitonogamy. Studies of inbreeding depression during the early life-history stages revealed significant differences between selfed and crossed progenies in terms of seed mass, germination rates, developmental vigour and mortality rates. Therefore, when pollen delivery is scarce, the plant may fail reproductive assurance via autonomous selfing. The influence of inbreeding depression contributes to a further reduction in recruitment chances in very small D. guliae populations. Experimental reintroductions are urgent to avoid local extinction at the southern periphery of its range.

In this paper we present a comprehensive inventory of the non‐native vascular flora of Italy, which was produced within the project “A survey of the Italian non‐native flora”, funded by the Italian Ministry for the Environment. Previously published floristic accounts were the main source of information. Historical records were critically revised and integrated with recent literature, data from herbaria and some unpublished information, so as to obtain a complete, up‐to‐date catalogue of the non‐native vascular plant species that occur spontaneously in Italy. The inventory lists 1023 non‐native species and subspecies, which account for 13.4% of all the Italian flora. The Italian non‐native flora was divided, according to its residence time, into 103 archaeophytes and 920 neophytes. According to its current invasion status, it was classified into 437 casual (42.7% of all non‐native) and 524 established taxa, the latter being divided into 361 naturalized non‐invasive (35.3%) and 163 invasive taxa (15.9%). The inventory includes a group of 62 species (6.1%) that lack recent records (i.e. since 1950). By combining local expertise into a unified, nationwide scheme using a standardized method and terminology, the inventory provides the essential scientific basis for the development of plant invasion research and management in the country.

We give the first account concerning the ecology, population size, breeding system and genetic variability of the unique Italian population of Gentianella crispata, a rare orophilous species with a disjunct distribution including Balkan peninsula and southern Italy. The population is relatively small (ca. 4000 individuals) and has a fragmented structure within a wider area covered by the grass-dominated vegetation Seslerio nitidae—Brometum erecti. The evaluated morphological traits (i.e. plant size, flower number per plant and length of corolla tube) greatly varied among individuals. Examination of the floral structures revealed that the stigma becomes receptive before anther dehiscence. Observations on the topological relationships between stigma and anther suggested that in young flowers protogyny is paralleled by herkogamy (i.e. hyper-stigmatic condition). However, the anther dehiscence appeared to be accompanied by a reduction of the spatial separation between female and male organs. This suggested th...

This paper considers the demography, ecology, and conservation perspectives of the western populations of the clonal dwarf-shrub Sarcopoteriumspinosum (L.) Spach. While in the Middle East the species dominates large areas, westwards it is less common and many populations have become extinct since the late 19th century. We highlight the ecological limitations and their implications for the conservation of the species at the periphery of its range. In southern Italy we studied the demographic traits of two populations and the age spatial structure of a third. Ramet density and lifespan appear to be lower than in the Middle East. The floristic analysis of the stands studied and a climatic analysis over the whole range of S.�spinosum provide a key for the interpretation of such differences. Given that summer drought stress decreases westwards, both the sprouting vigor and the ecological space available for S.�spinosum become limited by increasing competition. This makes the populations more likely to become extinct in changing landscapes, as revealed by the decreasing extent of occurrence and area of occupancy due to habitat loss. Although S.�spino- sum is not at risk in the Middle East, at the western border of its range it qualifies as an endangered species.

The Italian populations and communities of Pinus leucodermis Antoine were studied in the Pollino National Park (Calabria/Basilicata, southern Italy). The relationships between the structure of P. leucodermis populations, and physical and biotic factors were evaluated. The species revealed a three-component pattern in the studied areas. Each component is characterized by a specific spatial distribution, community composition and population structure. The mature populations of P. leucodermis showed low recruitment rates. Moreover, we recorded young populations of P. leucodermis, which mostly occur close to the lower part of its altitudinal range, suggesting a downward expansion that appears to be connected with fire events. A suitability model based on Mahalanobis distances was built using topographic and climatic continuous variables. The predictive model showed that P. leucodermis occurs in less than 10% of its potential distribution area within the Pollino National Park. The species does not app...

Summary The taxa of the genus Paeonia in Italy need a thorough rearrangement of their taxonomy and geographical distributions. The genus Paeonia has always shown bearing many controversies since it was establishment by Linnaeus (1753), who perceived the close relationships between the two units he described. Several authors have successively amended the genus. At the present, the Italian peonies are recognized essentially by the morphological features of their leaves; but usually the shape, the size and the number of leaf-segments is variable in the same population. On account of this, there were, in the past, a lot of uncertainties and some mistakes in their classification. The present study is based on both living populations and the dried collections of several herbaria; field investigation through continental Italy, Sardinia and Sicily was carried out by bio- metrical analyses and was supported by laboratory analysis and bibliographical investigations. As a result, we have identified: Paeonia peregrin...

The internal transcribed spacers (ITS1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA of ten populations of Italian subspecies of Paeonia mascula s.l. were analysed. The aim was to correlate molecular and morphological data in order to solve taxonomic and distributive problems. Three highly homogeneous patterns of molecular variability and three corresponding groups of populations were identified. One group includes plants with both molecular and morphological similarities suggesting their attribution to P. mascula ssp. russoi. The other two groups show differences which do not grant their present separation in the two subspecies P. mascula ssp. mascula and P. mascula ssp. hellenica. This study confirms that reticulate evolution obscured morphological variability in Paeonia and stresses the usefulness of ITS analysis in studies at low taxonomic circumscriptions.

La nuova Lista Rossa della flora Italiana comprende tutte le "policy" specie italiane e altre specie di nota conservazione e comprende 400 taxa di cui il 65% sono minacciate di estinzione. La Lista Rossa si basa su un enorme data-set georeferenziato utile per gli scopi di conservazione. - The New Red List of the Italian Flora includes all the Italian policy species and other species of known conservation concerns for a total of 400 taxa, 65% of which are threatened with extinction. The Red List is based on a huge georeferenced data-set useful for conservation purposes.

New Italian populations of Knautia dinarica , formerly known only for Sila (Calabria, Southern Italy), were discovered in Abruzzo (Central Italy) and Basilicata (Southern Italy). In order to correctly classify these populations, a taxonomic study was carried out, including morphological and karyological analyses and the typification of the names Knautia sylvatica var. dinarica and K. arvensis f. silana . We conclude that in Italy only K. dinarica subsp. silana occurs, to be considered as endemic to central-southern Apennines and vicariant of K. dinarica subsp. dinarica , occurring in the Balkan peninsula. Both subspecies can be either diploid (2 n = 20) or tetraploid (2 n = 40), and are distinguished by the different mean shape of the basal leaves (the ratio length/width is higher in Italian plants).

The purpose of this work is to investigate the flora of the calcareous outcrops of Cassano Ionio (NE Calabria). 421 taxa, belonging to 284 genera and 68 families, are listed. As a result of excessive grazing, fire and very arid climate, the presence of therophites is remarkable. The Stenomediterranean elements are more representative. Rocks and cliffs typically preserve an interesting chasmophytic flora. Finally, several species of phytogeographic interest and 5 new records for the Calabrian flora, are reported.

The systematic relationships between Carduus brutius and its putatively relative taxa, i.e. Carduus affinis and C. defloratus subsp. carlinifolius , were assessed by means of morphological, morphometric and karyological analyses. Our results highlighted a diploid status (2n = 2x = 22) for all the three involved taxa and a higher morphological similarity between C. brutius and C. affinis , which are also completely allopatric (but collectively sympatric with C. defloratus subsp. carlinifolius ). The names Carduus affinis Guss., C. affinis var. brutius Fiori, C. affinis var. vulturius Fiori and C. affinis f. pollinensis Fiori were typified. At the present state of knowledge, a subspecific status seems the most appropriate for C. brutius , as C. affinis subsp. brutius . This taxon can be regarded as schizoendemic, restricted to southern Italy (Montea-Caramolo mountain area, Calabria).

A morphometric and karyological study of several populations of Genista sericea , a northern Illyrian amphiadriatic species, with a disjunct distributional area centered on Pollino Massif (southern Italy), has been undertaken, based on herbarium specimens and field research. Morphometric analysis allowed to individuate three distinct groups of populations which are here attributed to three taxa at subspecific level. One of them is here newly described: G. sericea subsp. pollinensis , endemic to northern Calabria in Pollino and neighbouring areas of Basilicata. The taxonomic status of G. sericea var. rigida was re-evaluated and a name of a new rank is proposed: G. sericea subsp. rigida (occurring in southern Illyria), while subsp. sericea is a southeastern Alpine northern Illyrian taxon. The names G. sericea and G. sericea var. rigida are lectotypified. Karyologically, all the taxa are characterized by the same somatic number 2n = 48, sometimes with B chromosomes (up to four).

BIOGEOGHAPHIA - val. XIX - 1997 {Pubblicato fl 31 attobre 1998) Gli effefli delle variazioni climatiche pleistooeniche sulla dinamica dei popolamenti animali e vegetali nella Penisola italiana Flora relitta di altitucline clell’Appennino meridionale: quale origine? NTCODEMO G. PASSAIACQUA, LILIANA BERNARDO Orto Botzzniro, Uvlziz/erszfiz del/rz Czz/zz[7rz'tz 8 7 03 0 /lrczzwzczztzz di Remit Key words: Southern Apennines, Relic orophytic flora, Phytogeography, Tertiay-Quaternary migrations. SUMMARY During floristic research in the Southern Apennines, we Found some relic species characterized by orophytic and rock behaviour. A quali—quantitative analysis has been started to understand how and when they came here. The qualitative analysis compares distributions of species to see whether there is a particulate pattern for further investigation. The quantitative analysis compares the aflinity oFSouthern Apennine rock flora with central and south-eastern european and mediterranean mountains. Moreover, a chorological spectrum has been made to find out the main chorotypical Features After the analysis we Formulate these hypothesis: 1) the relic flora is mainly of Tertiary period; 2) in the Quaternary period the Apennine orophytic flora became mixed during the cold phase and new balcanic species came in to the Southern Apennines from across the Central Apennines. INTRODUZIONE In questo lavoro presentiamo i primi risultati di una ricerca sulla flora di alti- tucline dell’Appennino meridionale, in cui sono state inclividuate alcune specie Che presentano delle caratteristiche di elementi relittuali. Queste specie sono state ritrovate in piccole popolazioni localizzate (in modo altamente discontinuo nel settore studjato) all’interno di stazioni rupestri, appro— fittando probabilrnente del carattere conservativo di queste stazioni. Un altro aspetto di relittualita e stato individuato nella posizione geografica di queste stazioni rispetto all’areale della specie, essendo situate tutte 0 al limite di area— le 0 in una parte dell’a1‘eale fortemente disgiunta. Inoltre, sono accornunate dal corn— portamento orornediterraneo, vegetando quasi esclusivamente sulle rnontagne che circondano il bacino del Mediterraneo e sempre a quote piuttosto elevate. L’area considerata riguarda quel settore dell’Appennino rneridionale che si esten- de dalla Sella di Conza sino al Passo dello Scalone, definito Appennino lucano secon— do la sudclivisione cli Sestini (1957), in cui la Inassima espressione morfologica e

La fiumara Trionto e decisamente la piu ampia del versante jonico cosentino. n substrato geologico e costituito da depositi alluvionali di natura cristallina e sedimentaria, discontinuamente consolidati dalla vegetazione. La morfologia del letto dipende dalle caratteristiche litologiche e dall'idrologia del corso d'acqua, passando da una larghezza di 1300 m a forti restringimenti qualora le rocce lambite dalle piene invernali risultino meno soggette all'azione erosiva. n greto della fiumara rivela alcuni aspetti vegetazionali assai caratteristici. I depositi ghiaiosi sono colonizzati da una fitocenosi inquadrabile nell'Helichrysetum italici, FERRO & DI BENEDETTO (1980), che svolge un ruolo rilevante nell'ambito della vegetazione delle fiumare meridionali. In essa, oltre all'elicriso, compaiono altre specie suffruticose termoftle quali Artemisia variabilis Ten., Teucrium polium L., Micromena graeca (L.) Bentham. Dittrichia viscosa Greuter e molte essenze erbacee tipiche delle praterie xeriche mediterranee. L'abbondante presenza di artemisia fa rientrare questa associazione nella variante Artemisio-Helichrysetum italici Brullo & Spampinato (1990). Su substrato a tessitura piu fine. anche a notevole distanza dalla costa, sono rilevabili lembi di vegetazione ad Ephedra distachya L. . Nei punti in cui la corrente e piu lenta, si verifica un arricchimento di sabbia e limo che permette l'attecchimento di una vegetazione arbustiva raramente soggetta ad inondazione, caratterizzata da Tamarix africana Poiret alla quale si associano Vitex agnus-castus L.•Spartiumjunceum L.. Calicotome infesta (PresI.) Guss. Assai frequente e Nerium oleander L. che forma dei popolamenti quasi puri e occupa solo le posizioni piu periferiche nella fitocenosi arbustiva, la quale pertanto non sembra attribuibile all' alleanza Rubo-Nerion oleandri O. Bolos (1985) mentre appare piu plausibile l'inquadramento nelTamaricion africanae Br.-BI. & O. Bolos (1957). in particolare nell'aggregazione a Tamarix africana, descritta come vicarlante del Tamaricetum galZicae Br. BI. & O. Bolos (1957) per le fiumare della Sicilia (BRULLO S. & SPAMPINATO G.• Boll. Acc. Gioenia Sci. Nat. 23 (336): 119-252.1990). Dal punto di vista floristico. la fiumara, negli aspetti descritti. conta poco piu di 200 specie, alcune delle quali tipiche di ambienti posti a monte e trasportate occasionalmente dalla corrente; a titolo di esempio citiamo la Cardamine graeca L. e la Putoria calabrica (L. ftl.) Perso Tra le specie interessanti perche rare possono essere ricordate Dracunculus vulgaris Schott.. BarZia robertiana (LoiseI.) Greuter •Ophrys apulica (O. & E. Danesch) O. & E. Danesch. a ristretta distribuzione mediterraneo-orientale. Erysimum crassistylum PresI.. Gynandriris sysirinchium (L.) ParI.. Cynanchum acutum L. e l'endemica Crepis apula (Fiori) Babc. I lavori in corso per la costruzione di una diga di ritenuta presso la confluenza con il Torrente Laurenzana. hanno provocato la totale distruzione della vegetazione per un lungo tratto di fiumara; l'attivazione della diga causera inevitabilmente dei cambiamenti microclimatici e conseguentemente delle alterazioni all'intero ecosistema a valle dello sbarramento.