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Theex situconservation of biodiversity is an essential tool for environmental protection interventions. Germination studies of seeds that belong to endangered species are essential forex situconservation strategies. In this study, we investigate the germination responses of three high-altitude endemic and vulnerable species (Leontopodium nivale,Pinguicula fioriiandSoldanella minimasubsp.samnitica). Specifically we identified potential dormancy mechanisms by investigating the responses of germination percentage and rate to different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3), by performing a general linear model.L. nivalereached a germination percentage of 98.0 ± 2.0% (mean ± SE) under control conditions (20°C; 12/12 photoperiod; no GA3addition).P. fioriishowed the highest germination percentage (78.0 ± 2.0%) in the treatment with GA3500 ppm.S. minimasubsp. samniticadid not show sensitivity to GA3but responded positively to cold stratification (6 month at 5°C) with a germination percentage of 90 ± 6%. This study made it possible to acquire important information on the germination process of threatened and rare endemic taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytosociological study of the alliance Carpinion orientalis in the hilly and subcoastal areas of the Italian peninsula is presented. These woods are included in the suballiances Laburno-Ostryenion and Lauro-Quercenion; the distinction between these two suballiances is not always easy also because of the conservation status of these forest ecosystems. The hilly and subcoastal Turkey oak woods of the alliance Carpinion orientalis are mainly distributed on the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula, where they are found on neutro-basic substrata to which these coenoses are linked. The Turkey oak woods of the alliance Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis are strongly linked to the acidic substrata typical of the Tyrrhenian side, but are sporadically found on the Adriatic side within small enclaves with more acidic substrata. A numerical analysis allowed us to rearrange the lower hierarchical levels of the associations of Turkey oak woods of the alliance Carpinion orientalis. In particular, the association Lonicero xylostei-Quercetum cerridis is included in the alliance Carpinion orientalis, and the new subassociation festucetosum exaltatae is proposed. The subassociation rosetosum arvensis is proposed for the association Daphno laureolae-Quercetum cerridis, and the new subassociation cytisophylletosum sessilifolii of the association Aceri obtusati-Quercetum cerridis is described. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]