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Castanea sativa woods are one of the most widespread and typical habitats of the southern European mountain landscape and have both historical and agro-ecological value. Furthermore are considered an important habitat for biodiversity conservation point of view and are included in the European Community Natura 2000 network as the habitat “Castanea sativa-dominated forests and long-established plantations with semi-natural undergrowth” . In the Bologna Province, chestnut woods are mainly coppices derived from old chestnut orchards. The biodiversity of chestnut coppices was examined by 200 phytosociological releves and gradient of biodiversity was analyzed by multivariate analysis (clustering and ordination). Releves were also compared with those of mixed oak woods to evaluate transitions of chestnut woods into mixed oak woods.

The aim of this study was to investigate the plant biodiversity of semi- and sub-natural vegetation in the intensively cropped plain area of the Emilia-Romagna region. These coenoses (hedgerows between crops, herb margins and strips, ditch banks), where the soil is not exploited, represent valuable reservoirs of biodiversity which are under continuous threat. With the aim of evaluating the contribution of these communities to the biodiversity of agrecosystems, phytosociological and symphenological surveys were conducted in three sites: A) in the lowlands of Emilia (Modena-Reggio Emilia), B) in the area at the foot of the hills between Emilia and Romagna (Bologna), and C) in the Romagna coastal area (Ravenna). Vegetation analyses show both qualitative and quantitative differences among the three areas: the greatest variety in vegetation types and habitats is observed in areas A and B (6-7 different vegetation types), while area C appears to be more monotonous (with a mere 3 types). The results of floristic analyses suggest that the abundance of species (based on the number of species observed in 30 phytosociological relevés for each area), depends to a greater extent on micro-environmental factors and site management than on the territorial context: areas A and B, characterised by a fair variety of habitats, display a wider floristic diversity (approx. 180 species from over 50 families) than area C (approx. 120 species from 32 families). The flora is composed mainly of synanthropic species, with high percentages of annual plants (between 30% and 45%) and sub cosmopolitan plants; however, it is also worth noting the presence of several nemoral and hydrophilic species, hidden away in hedges and along ditches, as well as rare plants (about 10% of the total). Phenological patterns show relationships with the life forms and the synecological features of the plants. The analyses of symphenograms show generally bimodal trends of blooming intensity (varying with coenosis, site and year): the first peak corresponds mostly to the onset of anthesis in woody species and annual grasses, while the second one, taking place between late spring and summer, is due to the perennial grasses. The relationships between plants and animals were also investigated, in collaboration with several experts. Significant correlations were observed between certain parameters of Lepidoptera (number of species and abundance) and the plant diversity, as well as the abundance of the grass layer (Puppi et al. 2008). Summing up, in order to preserve and increase biodiversity in the agricultural ecosystems, we have to maintain a network of sub-natural and semi-natural structures. Moreover, these should have a high variety of structural as well as ecological features.

vengono presentati i risultati di una ricerca pluriennale svolta in agroecosistemi della pianura emiliana e romagnola. I risultati evidenziano strette relazioni tra diversità micro-ambientale, floristica e fenologica.

Per valutare l’importanza degli spazi subnaturali, in un tratto della pianura emiliana tra Novi (MO) e Rolo (RE), sono state studiate banchine erbose, argini di canali, siepi arbustive e arboree in 9 siti (diversi tra loro per vegetazione), ubicati in tre aree (diversa tra loro per complessità ecologica). I rilievi sulla vegetazione sono stati eseguiti con il metodo fitosociologico; inoltre sono stati rilevati i seguenti parametri: complessità della rete di corridoi ecologici dell’area circostante il sito di rilievo (CA); complessità ecologico-vegetazionale del sito (CS); diversità floristica del sito (DS); complessità strutturale dei tipi di vegetazione (CV); diversità floristica dei tipi di vegetazione (DV).

Viene presentato uno studio sulla ricchezza floristica di diversi tipi di vegetazione forestale situati nella fascia collinare dell'Appennino Bolognese. Lo studio si basa sia su rilievi fitosociologici eseguiti ad hoc con l'intento di evidenziare le variazioni della biodiversità in rapporto al substrato, al microclima e all'azione antropica, sia su transetti effettuati dal bordo forestale verso l’interno del bosco, per evidenziare l’effetto di margine.

Interobserver variability may occur in FL diagnosis, even when the diagnosis is performed by expert haematopathologists. Very limited informations are currently available on the reliability of FL diagnosis performed in laboratories on a national scale, where the lymphoma diagnosis is not always carried on by expert haematopathologists. In this study, the reproducibility of the FL diagnosis and related grading system was tested by a group of pathologists members of the Gruppo Italiano Studio Linfomi (GISL).

Analisi della biodiversità floristica dei principali tipi di bosco naturale o subnaturale presenti sulle colline a sud di Bologna, in relazione ai fattori ambientali ed antropici e con particolare riferimento all'effetto di margine.

The spread of the invasive and allergenic Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. in Italy was analysed and mapped using distribution data from a wide range of sources. Ambrosia artemisiifolia occupies 1057 floristic quadrants which are mostly distributed in the Po plain. The distribution obtained represents the basis to implement urgent management strategies.

Castanea sativa woods, one of the most widespread habitats of southern Europe, are included in the European Community Natura 2000 network within Sites of Community Importance (SCI). In the Northern Apennines, chestnut woods are mainly coppices derived from old chestnut orchards, and now abandoned. To describe the relationship between present chestnut structure and vegetation features, we analysed the plant diversity of chestnut woods by 143 phytosociological releves within 6 SCIs. The gradient of diversity was identified by multivariate analysis (clustering and ordination) and related to other woods such as mixed oak woods or lowest altitude Fagus sylvatica woods in order to evaluate the potential evolutionary pattern of present chestnut woods.