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In the Mediterranean, Cystoseira sensu lato (s.l.) (Phaeophyceae) forests have sharply declined and restoration measures are needed to compensate for the loss. Assisted regeneration through the outplanting of seedlings grown ex-situ has proven to be a sustainable option. Optimizing mesocosm culture can maximize survival of the most critical embryonic stages and reduce long-term maintenance costs. Host-microbiome interactions could also play a crucial role in seedling development and welfare. In this context, we aimed to advance a cultivation protocol that stimulates the growth and fitness of Ericaria amentacea (Phaeophyceae) seedlings and identify the associated microbial biofilm communities. Seedlings were cultured in 6 treatments [i.e., filtered seawater (SW, C, Control), von Stoch-enriched SW (VS), VS + algal extract (VSA), algal extract-enriched SW: A1< A2< A3]. After the field, A2 seedlings had the highest cover (1372 ± 53.66 mm2), which was 1.8 and 1.9 times greater than in VS and VSA, respectively. The addition of the algal extract and nutrients significantly affected the structure and composition of the microbial community that shifted over time in each culture medium. We identified a treatment-specific microbial fingerprint. After the mesocosm phase, A2 was characterized by 4 unique taxa: Postechiella, Winogradskyella, Roseovarius and Arenibacter (Bacteria). Given the success of A2 seedlings, we propose the probiotic consortia candidates characterized by the unique treatment-taxa in conjunction with the shared taxon Psychroserpens (Bacteria, present in A1, A2, VSA, VS) and the reminder community. Within the holobiont concept, the effect of algal extract or nutrients on the algae and/or biofilm could have important consequences for tuning the overall interaction networks. Our study has shown that macroalgal restoration could benefit from both the use of commercial algal extract and tailored nutrient enrichment in ex-situ cultures and the identification of probiotic consortia candidates that promote seedling growth.

Grapevines are being challenged by climate changes, forcing winemakers to implement irrigation systems to cope with excessive water stress. Previous studies focused on a small set of international varieties, and only few data are available for terroirs hosting cultivars with possibly different responses to drought stress. In this light, we monitored grapevine water status and grape’s physical and chemical composition, as well as concentration and structural characteristics of grape extractable polyphenols, in ten different Refosk vineyards located in the Classical Karst terroir during 2018 and 2019. Grapevines did not suffer severe stress during the two years, but their response to water shortage periods was highly heterogeneous, as pre-dawn (Ψpd) and minimum (Ψmin) leaf water potential significantly differed between vineyards, especially during the drier part of the season. Moreover, the timing of maximum water stress differed in the two years, as in 2019 longer water shortage periods and higher temperature occurred at flowering stage and before veraison, while in 2018 they were higher after veraison. These differences influenced berry’s quality, as titratable and malic acid concentration in juice, as well as total anthocyanin, total polyphenols and higher high molecular weight proanthocyanidins (HMWP) concentration in skins, were higher in 2019 than in 2018. Regarding seed proanthocyanidins, HMWP concentration, mean degree of polymerisation (mDP) and percentage of galloylation (G) in seeds were higher in 2018 than in 2019. The differences in water status measured in spatially close-related vineyards strongly support the importance of monitoring grapevines’ water status dynamics to design adequate and effective water management activities rather than relying on climate data solely. Moreover, the timing of water shortage periods also played a role in determining Refosk grape quality. Our analyses showed that the higher (but still moderate, with Ψpd and Ψmin mean values around −0.50 and −1.25 MPa, respectively) water stress between veraison and harvest occurred in 2018 might reduce Refosk grape acidity and increase concentration, polymerisation and galloylation of seed extractable proanthocyanidins.

(1) Recent studies suggested that stem photosynthesis could favor bark water uptake and embolism recovery when stem segments are soaked in water under light conditions, but evidence for this phenomenon in drought-resistant Mediterranean species with photosynthetic stems is missing. (2) Embolism recovery upon immersion in water for 2 h–4 h under light was assessed (i) via a classical hydraulic method in leafless Fraxinus ornus and Olea europaea branch segments stressed to xylem water potentials (Yxyl) inducing ca. 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) and (ii) via X-ray micro-CT imaging of the stem segments of drought-stressed potted F. ornus saplings. Hydraulic recovery was also assessed in vivo in intact drought-stressed F. ornus saplings upon soil re-irrigation. (3) Intact F. ornus plants recovered hydraulic function through root water uptake. Conversely, the soaked stem segments of both species did not refill embolized conduits, although Yxyl recovered to pre-stress levels (between −0.5 MPa and −0.2 MPa). (4) We hypothesize that xylem embolism recovery through bark water uptake, even in light conditions, may not be a common phenomenon in woody plants and/or that wounds caused by cutting short stem segments might inhibit the refilling process upon soaking.

• Increasing frequency and severity of drought events is posing risks to trees’ health, including those planted in urban settlements. Drought-induced decline of urban trees negatively affects ecosystem services of urban green spaces, and implies cost for maintenance and removal of plants. We aimed at identifying physiological traits that can explain and predict the species-specific vulnerability to climate change in urban habitats. • We assessed the relationships between long-term risk of decline of different tree species in a medium-sized town and their key indicators of drought stress tolerance i.e. turgor loss point (TLP) and vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50). • Starting from 2012, the study area experienced several summer seasons with positive anomalies of temperature and negative anomalies of precipitation. This trend was coupled with increasing percentages of urban trees showing signs of crown die-back and mortality. The species-specific risk of decline was higher for species with less negative TLP and P50 values. • The relationship between species-specific risk of climate change-induced decline of urban trees and key physiological indicators of drought tolerance confirms findings obtained in natural forests, and highlights TLP and P50 as useful indicators for species selection for tree plantation in towns, to mitigate negative impacts of climate change.

La descrizione di 134 manoscritti costituisce l'esito del progetto di ricerca sulle traduzioni medievali della Bibbia in Italia, avviato negli anni Novanta dalla Fondazione Ezio Franceschini e dall'École française de Rome. Lo stato ancora poco esplorato di quella tradizione testuale, pur così ricca tra i secoli XIV e XV, trova finalmente una sistemazione analitica, concentrata sui testimoni di traduzioni bibliche che si presentino come tali, cioè con il verosimile intento di offrire alla lettura una versione in volgare della Scrittura o di una sua parte. Non compaiono dunque nel catalogo le forme diverse che il testo biblico assume a fini liturgici o pastorali, ridotto in pericopi o rielaborato in vario modo. Ma l'insieme offre un nuovo panorama dettagliato, dalle origini al 1500, dell'intera trasmissione dei libri biblici in volgare, con una particolare attenzione per l'identificazione dei testi nelle diverse redazioni - obiettivo non secondario del lavoro, per un corpus spesso ancora inedito. Quando i testi biblici si presentano insieme ad altri testi di altra natura, se ne è data invece una descrizione più sommaria, ma comunque tale da fornire un quadro complessivo del contesto di trasmissione delle traduzioni scritturali. Ne emerge un quadro che consente di impostare in modo nuovo la ricerca: gli ambienti di produzione e di diffusione, la composizione delle raccolte, la varietà delle traduzioni, la mappa della loro circolazione geografica e sociale, ogni aspetto è ora documentato dal catalogo, che apre anche la via per l'auspicabile prima edizione critica di questa importante quanto trascurata galassia testuale.

Panoramica aggiornata delle traduzioni del testo biblico in Italia, tra le origini (sec. XIII) e il Rinascimento (sec. XV).