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Negli ultimi decenni si è assistito ad un progressivo incremento nella frequenza delle patologie allergiche, tanto da considerarle, attualmente, come la “nuova epidemia” del XXI secolo. Questo notevole ed inarrestabile aumento ha attirato l’attenzione della comunità scientifica e pubblica, rendendo le allergie una priorità a livello globale. Tra le malattie allergiche la pollinosi è certamente la manifestazione più comune e diffusa, soprattutto nei paesi industrializzati; è difficile stabilire la prevalenza assoluta delle pollinosi ma in Italia si stima che fino al 15% della popolazione ne sia interessata. A questo proposito, in Italia, ed in particolare nell’area piemontese e lombarda, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. è la specie che desta maggiori preoccupazioni anche a causa della sua veloce espansione, tanto da essere considerata la seconda causa di pollinosi nel milanese. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L è una pianta erbacea invasiva alloctona a ciclo annuale, originaria del Nord America e accidentalmente introdotta in Europa in seguito all’importazione di carichi di semi di interesse agricolo all’inizio del secolo scorso. A causare allergie è l’allergene maggiore di ambrosia, Amb a 1 con le sue isoforme; proteine appartenenti alla famiglia delle pectato liasi (Amb a 1.1, Amb a 1.2, Amb a 1.3, Amb a 1.4, Amb a 1.5), che possono essere espresse nel polline. Rimane da appurare se tutte le isoforme sono espresse contemporaneamente nel polline di singole piante e quale sia l’attività immunologica delle singole isoforme. Da dati bibliografici risulta che l’ambrosia produce popolazioni verosimilmente caratterizzate da un’alta variabilità genetica tra gli individui e risulta quindi importante studiare le singole piante per comprendere i fattori genetici ed ambientali che determinano l’aggressività del polline. In questo contesto, stiamo valutando la variabilità genetica inter ed intra-popolazione dell’ambrosia in relazione alle isoforme di Amb a 1 e al loro potenziale

The altitudinal gradient is considered as a stress gradient for plant species because the development and fitness of plant communities tend to decrease as a result of the extreme environmental conditions present at high elevations. Abiotic factors are predicted to be the primary filter for species assemblage in high alpine areas, influencing biotic interactions through both competition for resources and positive interactions among species. We hypothesised that the relative importance of the ecological driving forces that affect the biotic interactions within plant communities changes along an elevation gradient on alpine debris slopes. We used multiple gradient analyses of 180 vegetation plots along an altitudinal range from ~1,600 to 2,600 m and single 100 m-bands in the Adamello-Presanella Group (Central Alps) to investigate our hypothesis; we measured multiple environmental variables related to different ecological driving forces. Our results illustrate that resource limitations at higher elevations affect not only the shift from competition to facilitation among species. A geomorphological disturbance regime along alpine slopes favours the resilience of the high-altitude species within topographic/geomorphological traps. An understanding of the ecological driving forces and positive interactions as a function of altitude may clarify the mechanisms underlying plant responses to present and future environmental changes. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Endangered species with small and isolated populations has been a key topic of conservation biology studies in the last decade. Lamyropsis microcephala is among the most significant narrow endemic plants in the Mediterranean region, lying on the Gennargentu massif of the Sardinia island (Italy). Due to heavy threat factors, this species has rapidly become threatened with extinction. The inter-simple sequence repeat technique was used to assess the genetic variation and structure of the individuals growing in the four remnant localities known to date, with the aim to implement further conservation strategies. Results indicated a degree of differentiation among the four subpopulations, in particular for the Fonni one. The estimates of Nei's genetic diversity (H) ranged from 0.0563 (Fonni) and 0.1104 (Bau 'e Laccos). Analysis of molecular variance values showed that 53% of the total variation may be attributed to the individuals within subpopulations, while 47% is due to differences among subpopulations (P < 0.001). Results also highlighted a scarce gene flow (Nm = 0.503). © 2013 Societá Botanica Italiana.

This study investigated the conservation status of Marsilea quadrifolia, an endangered fern found in paddy fields, irrigation ditches and ponds. An evaluation at the European level based on IUCN criteria showed that the extent of occurrence (EOO) of M. quadrifolia has decreased from 5,930,000km2 to 5,774,000km2 during the past decade, whereas its area of occupancy (AOO) has decreased from 620 to 400km2 (approximately 35.5%). These findings allowed the species to be upgraded from the IUCN classification of Near Threatened to Vulnerable. The agricultural chemical treatments seem to be the main extinction cause of M. quadrifolia, therefore we performed toxicological with 7 most common rice herbicides. Young plantlets were incubated for 96h with each herbicide at three different concentrations: TQ (Tale Quale, chosen in accordance with the suggested dose for rice fields described on the product label), 1:100 and 1:1.000. Results suggested that survival of the plantlets depended on the herbicide and concentration used, and ranged between 0 and 80%, and no survival at ambient concentrations for 4 (Aura, Aura+Dash, Clincher and Viper) out of the 8 chosen herbicides. We conclude that herbicides represent one of the principal threats to the survival of this species. Finally, a DNA analysis using the AFLP approach was employed to identify the most suitable genetic pool for plant reintroduction efforts. The data show that the analysed populations of M. quadrifolia suffered from low genetic variability (Nei's gene diversity varied from 0.025 to 0.036). However, the analysis of the distribution of genetic variability suggested that 4 populations were characterised by different genetic traits that are useful in defining a genetic pool for plant conservation. This study highlights a strategy for implementing a plan of action for species growing in agro-ecosystems based on an integrated approach that is able to clarify the species conservation status, the principal threat factor an

Dry grasslands are of great interest for nature conservation in Europe, because they have a central role in the conservation of numerous rare and endangered species. In this study carried out in the Brenta mountain group (Italian alps), we investigated the effect of environmental factors mainly controlled by topography, on the biodiversity trends across different dry grassland habitats where the threatened alpine stenoendemic Erysimum aurantiacum grows. Plant community data and ecological factors were analysed by means of a multi-habitat CCA approach and by analysis of biodiversity gradients in 7 natural and semi-natural habitats. We found that species turnover and biodiversity patterns vary as a function of multi-factorial ecological gradients. For the single habitats, elevation gradient was the main factor explaining compositional variation, followed by inclination and proportion of exposed rock surface. Despite its endangered status, E. aurantiacum showed a relatively high degree of ecological plasticity across these semiarid grassland habitats that probably allows it to survive in different environments, including in some cases those impacted by human activities. This prompts for habitat- more than species-level conservation actions. According to their characteristics and threats, habitat-specific management practices are recommended for long term conservation of plant species communities in the different ecological niches. © 2013 The Authors. Nordic Journal of Botany © 2013 Nordic Society Oikos.

Vegetation surveys have a long tradition in ecological studies, but several limitations in the morphological identification of species have been recognized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in plant species identification to save field technicians time and resources. Vegetation surveys were performed in four plots of semi-dry grassland in the Italian subalpine region of Lombardy. Two identification approaches were employed: a conventional morphological identification and a molecular multi-marker DNA barcoding method. Results showed that morphological identification of 49 species collected from the study area (five field inspections) required a substantial amount of time to complete relative to the molecular method. The same 49 samples were analysed using the following DNA multi-marker barcodes: rbcL, matK and trnH-psbA. rbcL showed 100% amplification success with standard primers, but low interspecific genetic variability. matK demonstrated some amplification problems with standard primers; however, consistent genetic diversity was observed. Finally, the trnH-psbA spacer region exhibited reliable amplification success and the highest molecular variability. In a comparison with publicly available databases, trnH-psbA and matK returned the highest proportion of identified samples, whereas rbcL returned several misidentifications. The DNA barcoding approach is a powerful tool in vegetation surveys and may significantly reduce the time and cost spent for species identification. However, to effectively apply DNA barcoding in vegetation surveys, exhaustive local or regional molecular databases must be defined. (c) 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 169, 518529.

One of the lesser known effects of global climate change is the occurrence of heat waves. Climatic models predict that heat waves will become more intense, longer lasting and/or more frequent, as a consequence of the increased inter-annual variability and increased average values of summer temperatures. Plants are damaged by heat waves through direct effects of extreme temperatures influencing plant physiology and through indirect effects, like drought and exposure to high ozone concentration. This study investigates the flowering abundance and biomass production of two orophytic species, Alopecurus alpinus Vill. and Vicia cusnae Foggi et Ricceri following the heat wave that occurred in the summer of 2003 and analyses the effects of summer temperatures during the period 1999-2004 on the species reproductive performance. In 2003, we observed a significant decrease in the number of flowering stems and flowers per flowering stem for both species. Flower production reached its lowest value in correspondence to the heat wave in 2003 and Redundancy Analysis showed that flower production was related to the mean June temperature. Flower production was more sensitive than vegetative growth, which was maintained. This suggests that changes in reproductive strategies, e.g. changes in the ratio between sexual and clonal reproduction, may occur by as an effect of extreme weather events. Such changes may be of great importance when the population consists of a small number of flowering individuals, as is the case for A. alpinus and V. cusnae in the study area. As a consequence, although the plants generally responded positively to gradual warming, we found that, during the monitoring period 1999-2004, extreme temperatures had a negative effect on A. alpinus and V. cusnae.

Surface temperatures have risen globally during the last 30 years, especially in alpine areas. It is recognized that these increases are influencing phenology, physiology and distribution of plants. However, few studies have addressed the effects of climate warming at the species range boundary, where plants are expected to be more stressed. We analysed 11-year data sets of inflorescence production of four alpine plants (Carex foetida, Leucanthemopsis alpina, Senecio incanus, Silene suecica) at the southern boundary of their distribution range in the N-Apennines (N-Italy), in relation to air temperature and snow cover persistence. Inflorescence production of all species fluctuated greatly and was significantly affected by the variation of the mean temperature of June/July. We found significant relationships also between species data series and the snow cover persistence. Moreover, species responded differently to such parameters. One species showed a significant decrease of the reproductive effort, whereas the other three showed a stable trend of inflorescence production. We have shown that some alpine species are favoured by increased temperature and reduced snow cover even at the boundary of their range, where they are thought to be particularly sensitive to warming. However, the aptitude to cope with climate change might be limited by competition against thermophilous species migrating from lower altitude and in some cases by the low altitude of mountain peaks that prevent species upward migration. The individualistic response of species to climate change found here, support the statement that the composition of plant communities might rapidly change in the future.

Negli ultimi decenni si è assistito ad un progressivo incremento nella frequenza delle patologie allergiche, tanto che queste stanno assumendo sempre più le caratteristiche di vere e proprie malattie del progresso. Tra di esse, la pollinosi è una delle manifestazioni più comuni e in Italia si stima che fino al 15% della popolazione ne sia interessata. L’inquinamento sembra essere uno dei fattori a cui imputare questo recente incremento; è noto, infatti, che da un lato esso esercita effetti negativi sulla salute umana, soprattutto a carico delle vie respiratorie e, dall’altro, è in grado di modificare direttamente il polline, importante fonte di allergeni. Anche in Italia, come in tutto il resto del mondo, la tematica dell’inquinamento ha assunto una rilevanza sempre maggiore e la Lombardia, regione fortemente antropizzata, è considerata oggi una delle zone più inquinate di tutto il pianeta. In questo contesto desta particolare interesse il caso di Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., una pianta erbacea, originaria del Nord America, che in tempi recenti ha subito una rapida diffusione, tanto da divenire in breve tempo la seconda causa di allergia della regione, dopo le graminacee. Obiettivo di questo progetto è quello di valutare eventuali differenze nell’allergenicità del polline di piante di Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., cresciute in aree della Lombardia a diverso grado di inquinamento. A tal scopo è stata attuata una campagna di campionamento in 10 diverse aree lombarde, selezionate in base ai dati relativi al livello di urbanizzazione, inquinamento atmosferico, distribuzione della pianta e diffusione dei pollini. Il polline raccolto nelle diverse aree è stato immediatamente analizzato al microscopio ottico per rilevare possibili differenze morfologiche e per misurare un eventuale diverso comportamento nel rilascio di materiale citoplasmatico (SPP, subpollen particle) contenente allergeni. In tutti i campioni, indipendentemente dal sito di provenienza, le analisi

In ecological studies it is widely accepted that the biogeographical subdivision of continents and regions simplifies and integrates the complexity of natural ecosystems and species range by separating variation or distinctions into biogeographical subdivisions that could be used as appropriate units for the conservation of biodiversity. In this paper we support the opinion that the biogeographical approach could be a unifying method for the analysis of the extinction risk of threatened species according to the IUCN Categories and Criteria at the regional level. We examined recent papers regarding the conservation assessment of species and discussed the advantages of incorporating convergence of conservation action plans between bordering countries, and financial issues, into the IUCN protocol. © 2010 Elsevier GmbH.

Quarrying activities result in vegetation destruction, soil denudation, and profound modification of the original landscape. This study was conducted in dump deposits (locally called ravaneti) of both abandoned and active Carrara marble quarries. The site is located close to a natural park rich in endemic species, making it a particularly interesting place to study environmental changes induced by quarrying activities. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships between plant communities and four different types of ravaneti classified according to age and disturbance due to quarrying activities. We sampled 67 vegetation plots linked to site variables and Ellenberg indicator values in quarry sites. Species frequency on the most disturbed ravaneti allowed individuating five classes of species based on their tolerance to disturbance due to quarrying. The resulting species/environmental variables matrix was used to perform a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). CCA primarily grouped species along soil reaction (R) and nutrient (N) availability gradients and on the basis of their response to excavation-caused disturbance. Ravaneti created using modern excavation methods were colonized by ruderal and alien species at the expenses of endemic ones. On the basis of these findings, a set of native plant species have been identified for use in future restoration projects in abandoned quarries. © 2010 Society for Ecological Restoration International.

This work investigated the fingerprinting and phenotyping of Citrus germplasm; species selected were of historical importance belonging to Citrus limonimedica Lush. and its supposed ancestors, along with some other species of the Citrus genus. An integrated approach based on the exploitation of nuclear DNA content, morphological traits and molecular markers, such as RAPD fingerprints and ITS-based SNPs, was employed. We studied a core collection of 54 distinct accessions, including 43 genotypes of the Citrus species (18 species or supposed species) and 11 genotypes of the Poncirus genus, which was used as the reference outgroup. Morphological trait analysis and statistical analysis of DNA content and markers were useful for reconstructing a Citrus phylogeny. In particular, our experiments aimed at estimating the genetic variation within and the genetic relatedness among C limon (L.) Burm., C. limonimedica and C. medica L. to shed light on the hybrid origin hypothesis of C. limonimedica. The results of the multidisciplinary analyses allowed us to confirm a remarkable differentiation between Poncirus and Citrus genera and to highlight a close relationship among the three investigated Citrus species but a distinct difference between these three species and other species in the Citrus genus. RAPD fingerprints and ITS polymorphisms enabled us to point out a variation gradient between lemon and citron, with C. limonimedica as a possible intermediate species. Some accessions of C. medica and C. limonimedica that deviate from such a trend suggest recurrent introgression and/or hybridisation with other species of Citrus.

Composite channels in the alpine region are heterogeneous environments resulting from a variety of erosive and depositional processes. They can have different ecological functions: habitats for plant species, conduits, filters, sources and sinks. They can contain sparse, intermittent vegetation cover, and are frequently free of vegetation except along the banks and levees. We hypothesised that this disturbed and fragmented landscape unit encourages biodiversity with characteristic plant species adapted to survive in the channel niches. In this study, which was carried out mostly in the subalpine belt of the Adamello-Presanella Group, we aimed to characterize floristic and biodiversity patterns with respect to the dominant channel gradients by means of a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) ordination approach and an analysis of diversity indexes. The frequency table and CCA results showed considerable floristic heterogeneity within the composite channels mainly as a function of nutrient availability and altitude. Different gradients of biodiversity (alpha, beta and gamma diversity) depended on the geomorphological disturbances (alpha and gamma) and environmental heterogeneity across the channel subunits. Geomorphological processes seem to play key roles in the dispersal of seeds, spores and propagules and in the colonization, establishment and spread of plants in this complex environment. The composite channels could play an important refuge-habitat function for microthermic species during the widely accepted current trend of global warming. © 2009 Elsevier GmbH.

The goal of this research was to investigate genetic variation in Isoëtes malinverniana (Isoëtaceae) to select candidate populations for future conservation efforts. To this aim, ISSR and AFLP analyses, carried out using six and four primer combinations, respectively, produced a total of 425 bands, 97.18% of which were polymorphic.Our results suggest that I. malinverniana shows medium to high genetic diversity (mean Nei's genetic diversity: H=0.1491 for ISSR data; H=0.2289 for AFLP data) and a substantial amount of gene flow between the analysed populations (Nm=1.768, with combined ISSR and AFLP data). The moderate levels of population differentiation support the hypothesis that the fragmentation and isolation of I. malinverniana occurred only recently, probably due to the intensive agriculture practice and water pollution.These results will be used to focus further studies aimed at supporting reintroduction programs within suitable sites of the distribution area. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Background: Chronological information on the composition and structure of agrocenoses and detailed features of land cover referring to specific areas are uncommon in ethnobotanical studies, especially for periods before the XIX century. The aim of this study was to analyse the type of crop or the characteristics of soil cover from the XVI century to the present. Methods: This diachronic analysis was accomplished through archival research on the inventories of the Parish of St. Mary and those of the Municipality of Pignone and from recent surveys conducted in an area of eastern Liguria (Italy). Results: Archival data revealed that in study area the primary means of subsistence during the last five centuries, until the first half of the XX century, was chestnuts. In the XVIII and XIX centuries, crop diversification strongly increased in comparison with previous and subsequent periods. In more recent times, the abandonment of agricultural practices has favoured the re-colonisation of mixed woodland or cluster-pine woodland. Conclusion: Ancient documents in the ecclesiastic or municipal inventories can be a very useful tool for enhancing the knowledge of agricultural practice, as well as of subsistence methods favoured by local populations during a particular time and for reconstructing land use change over time

The IUCN criteria 2001 are considered one of the best methods to evaluate species extinction risk at the global and regional levels. The aim of this work is to test the applicability of the IUCN criteria to peripheral isolated plant populations (PIPPs). PIPPs have been a topic of scientific debate in Conservation Biology for about 15 years and international conventions such as ESPC address the issue of their conservation. Conservation measures often rely on Red Lists based on IUCN criteria, but there is little evidence supporting their application to PIPPs. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that PIPPs’ intrinsic restricted range and rarity lead to the overestimation of their extinction risk. We compared and analyzed four IUCN criteria (A, B, C, D), considering 17 species with PIPPs in different Italian administrative regions. Special attention must be given to the spatial scale at which PIPPs are assessed, the evaluation of the threats affecting the populations, and their decline. PIPPs should not be assessed within political boundaries and we propose a new area designation that better corresponds to the characteristics of PIPPs. Criterion B is strongly biased by restricted range and overestimates the extinction risk of PIPPs, particularly when the population decline is only suspected and not observed. In this case, criterion D more accurately assesses the status of PIPPs. Criterion A is also suitable for assessing PIPPs, because it is not affected by their phytogeographic rarity. The proposed statements could also be valid for the global assessment of narrow endemic species