Search

The results of the excursion of the “Gruppo di Floristica” of the Italian Botanical Society held in the Sicani Mountains (CW-Sicily) on May 3-6, 2012, are here presented. During the research a total of 532 taxa was recorded. Three of them, the native Rosa squarrosa and the alien Phyllostachys aurea and Vitis ×koberi are new to Sicily, and 14 are new to the Sicani Mts. On the other side, we confirm the exclusion of Erica manipuliflora from the flora of the region.

Here we present an extensive overview of plant diversity values in Palaearctic grasslands for seven standard grain sizes from 0.0001 to 100 m². The data originate from 20 studies, including the Field Workshops of the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG), ranging geographically from Spain in the west to Siberia in the east, from Sicily in the south to Estonia in the north and from the sea coast up to 3100 m a.s.l. The majority of data is from dry grasslands (Festuco-Brometea, Koelerio-Corynephoretea, Cleistogenetea squarrosae), but there are also some mesic, wet, saline, acidic, alpine and Mediterranean grasslands included. Among others, we compiled data from 1795 1-m², 1109 10-m² and 338 100-m² plots. In all cases we present mean, minimum and maximum richness for the seven grain sizes, plus, in cases where also terricolous bryophytes and lichens had been recorded, the same values for total “plant” species richness, non-vascular plant species richness and fraction of non-vascular plants. The maximum richness values were 82, 101 and 134 for all “plants”, and 79, 98 and 127 vascular plants at grain sizes of 1 m², 10 m² and 100 m², respectively (all in Transylvania, Romania). Our overview comprises new, hitherto unpublished world records of vascular plant species richness at the scales of 0.0001 m² (9) and 0.001 m² (19, both shoot presence), from meso-xeric, basiphilous grasslands in Navarre, Spain, which is much higher than the previously known maxima. The highest values of non-vascular plant richness at 1 m², 10 m² and 100 m², respectively, were 49, 64 and 64, respectively (all in Sedo-Scleranthenea communities of Öland, Sweden, and Saaremaa, Estonia). In general, the dry, alpine and Mediterranean grasslands were much richer than the studied mesic, wet or saline grasslands at any spatial scale. The presented set of mean, minimum and maximum values and their metadata is publically available and will be continuously updated. These data can serve as a reference of “normal” richness, both in fundamental and applied research. To facilitate the application, we provide an easy formula based on the power-law species-area relationship that allows the estimation of richness values at intermediate grain sizes not included in our dataset. In conclusion, our data emphasise the role of Palaearctic grasslands as global hotspot of small-scale vascular plant diversity, while at the same time highlighting that in some grassland types also the bryophyte and lichen diversity can be extraordinarily high.

Contribution to the floristic knowledge of Apulia: report of the excursion of the “Floristic Group” (Italian Botanical Society) held in 2011 in the southern sector of Daunia Mountains -.the inventory of the taxa collected in apulia Region during the annual excursion 2011 of the “Floristic Group” of the Italian Botanical Society is presented and discussed. During the excursion 605 entities of 76 different plant families were recorded. 33taxaare particularly interesting, because they are new or confirmed for apulia. In detail, 16 taxa are new for apulia (including 1 allochthonous species), while 6 entities are confirmed for apulia and 11 species, already known for apulia, are assigned to a subspecies.

In the Mediterranean region, the majority of watercourses have undergone hydrogeomorphic alterations, mainly due to flow regulation such as damming. Despite this, few investigations analyzing dam impact on upstream river vegetation exist. In this study, we analyzed the temporal vegetation changes occurring along the Tiber River in Nazzano (Rome), as a consequence of the construction of a dam in 1956. We examined which communities are more sensitive to this anthropic alteration of the river ecosystem. An evaluation of how and with what timing these communities varied their extension as a result of such alteration is provided. Moreover, the role of the hydrogeomorphic alterations on the evolution of the river vegetation, linked to the management of this dam as a run-of-the-river impoundment, was analyzed. Our results show the main vegetation changes occurred during the first decades after the dam construction. Indeed, the dam operation caused significant local expansion of the upstream river waters, causing the flooding of most of the surrounding lands, and the formation of new sub-lentic wetlands. The altered hydrogeomorphic conditions favored the development of natural riparian and macrophyte communities typical of lacustrine ecosystems and therefore mostly different from those expected for the analyzed river typology. The changes in extension over time of these vegetation communities highlight their close relation to the alteration of some hydrological parameters especially affecting the river water level. © 2014 ONEMA.

Climate, history and human land use have a strong influence on the distribution and floristic composition of beech forest communities. In the last 50 years, the decrease in human activities has led to the resumption of reforestation dynamics, so a certain variability in floristic composition is expected. We aim to identify the causes of local floristic variability in different stands of beech forests, integrating floristic, structural and ecological analysis. Cluster analysis and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) were performed to highlight floristic differences; the clusters obtained were compared through environmental and topographic variables, Ellenberg indicator values, life forms, Social Behaviour Types (SBT) and structural parameters. The species heterogeneity derives from a climatic and edaphic gradient. Two main types of beech forests were recognized: a microthermal one, placed at higher altitudes and cooler aspects (Cardamino kitaibelii - Fagetum sylvaticae), and the termophilous one, lying at lower altitudes and warmer aspects (Lathyro veneti - Fagetum sylvaticae). SBT and structural parameters were useful for detecting the effects of dynamic processes of reforestation. The integration of the floristic, structural and ecological analysis led to an accurate coenological overview of the beech forest communities and to the detection of the natural reforestation processes currently ongoing.

""Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Campagna Romana: the area of the Valley of Ponte Lupo. The present work on the flora of Valley of Ponte Lupo (Rome) fits into the broader context of the floristic knowledges of the territory of the Campagna Romana. The taxa recorded are 448 belonging to 80 families and 308 genera. These data highlight a good floristic richness of the site, mainly due to the presence of different habitat. Among the entities collected, there are some of interest as endemic species at national level (Astragalus pelecinus subsp. pelecinus, Centaurea deusta subsp. deusta, Crepis bursifolia, Drymochloa drymeja subsp. exaltata, Erysimum pseudorhaeticum, Linaria purpurea) or rare at regional level (Astragalus pelecinus subsp. pelecinus, Chenopodium hybridum, Leontodon saxatilis subsp. saxatilis, Thalictrum minus subsp. minus). Others are included in LR 61\\\/1974 (Biarum tenuifolium subsp. tenuifolium, Linaria purpurea, Polygonum romanum, Styrax officinalis, Staphylea pinnata) or also in the regional red lists of IUCN (Staphylea pinnata). The structural analysis shows the high prevalence of the therophytes and hemicriptophytes, although the accentuated steepness of certain sectors of the area allowed to the preservation of a good percentage of phanerophytes. Chorologically, the Euroasiatic and Mediterranean types are the most represented, according to the character of bioclimatic transitionality of the Campagna Romana, although the percentage of the multizonal species is relatively high, linked to a certain degree of human disturbance for agro-pastoral, cutting activities, and anthropic frequentation of the site.""

Excursion results of the "Gruppo di Floristica" of the Italian Botanical Society, held in 30 may-1 june in the Matese Massif in Campania region, are here presented. During the research a total of 660 units were recorded; 16 units resulted new records for Campania, 17 were confirmed for the regional flora. 256 units are new for the Campanian side of Matese Massif.

Alnus glutinosa stands are common in riparian forests along the main Italian peninsular watercourses. In many sites of central and southern Italy, it is possible to observe interesting forest fragments not yet completely compromised by human alterations. The study pointed out the importance of the central Tyrrhenian sector of the Italian peninsula, both in floristic and vegetational terms, and highlighted the phytogeographical role of the deep valley as a significant habitat for the concentration of rare species. In the present paper, the structural, coenological and syntaxonomical features of the forest fragments occurring along the main and minor watercourses of northern volcanic Latium (Tolfa district) are described. Here, and similarly in the whole territory of the Tuscan and Latium Maremma, there are various populations of rare species on a regional and national level (Osmunda regalis, Blechnum spicant, Polystichum setiferum, Dryopteris filix-mas and Athyrium filix-foemina) that emphasize the gorge habitat with well-preserved riparian coenoses. The presence of many interesting species allowed us to assign the investigated communities to the Polysticho-Alnetum glutinosae (Osmundo-Alnion), a syntaxon rich in hygrophilous ferns that shows a strong resemblance with other alder woods with ferns described in various sites of the western Mediterranean area.

Viene descritta la cenologia e la sintassonomia dei popolamenti a Salvia officinalis presenti lungo il tratto costiero tirrenico lucano, sulla base di alcuni rilievi fitosociologici eseguiti su garighe fisionomicamente ben caratterizzate. L’analisi dei caratteri ecologici, fisionomico-strutturali e corologici, ha portato al riconoscimento delle associazioni Eleaoselino asclepii-Salvietum officinalis (Festuco-Brometea) e Erico multiflorae-Salvietum officinalis (Rosmarinetea officinalis), oltre alla definizione di diverse nuove subassociazioni (Eleaoselino-Salvietum achnatheretosum calamagrostis, genistetosum sericeae e Erico-Salvietum lomelosiaetosum crenatae). Il confronto con analoghe cenosi definite per la penisola, ha confermato la notevole peculiarità fitogeografica delle garighe presenti nel settore costiero tirrenico dell’Italia meridionale e buone analogie con quelle delle coste dalmate. Ciononostante permangono forti difficoltà per l’interpretazione dei ranghi più elevati, confermando l’esigenza di chiarire ulteriormente la separazione floristica tra le classi Rosmarinetea e Cisto-Micromerietea in ambito appenninico. Parte dei salvieti studiati vengono inseriti all’interno della classe Rosmarinetea, allo scopo di esaltare le affinità corologiche e sintassonomiche tra i distretti tirrenici meridionali ed il Mediterraneo occidentale.

Grasslands are widespread elements of urban greenspace providing recreational, psychological and aesthetic benefits to city residents. Two urban grassland types of contrasting management dominate urban greenspaces: frequently mown, species-poor short-cut lawns and less intensively managed, near-natural tall-grass meadows. The higher conservation value of tall-grass meadows makes management interventions such as converting short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows a promising tool for urban biodiversity conservation. The societal success of such interventions, however, depends on identifying the values urban residents assign to different types of urban grasslands, and how these values translate to attitudes towards greenspace management. Using 2027 questionnaires across 19 European cities, we identify the assigned values that correlate with people's personal greenspace use and their preferences for different types of urban grasslands to determine how these values relate to the agreement with a scenario of converting 50 of their cities� short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows. We found that most people assigned nature-related values, such as wildness, to tall-grass meadows and utility-related values, such as recreation, to short-cut lawns. Positive value associations of wildness and species richness with tall-grass meadows, and social and nature-related greenspace activities, positively correlated with agreeing to convert short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows. Conversely, disapproval of lawn conversion correlated with positive value associations of cleanliness and recreation potential with short-cut lawns. Here, people using greenspaces for nature-related activities were outstandingly positive about lawn conversion. The results show that the plurality of values assigned to different types of urban grasslands should be considered in urban greenspace planning. For example, tall-grass meadows could be managed to also accommodate the values associated with short-cut lawns, such as tidiness and recreation potential, to support their societal acceptance.