Viola sect. Melanium, the so-called pansy, is an allopolyploid morphologically well-defined linea... more Viola sect. Melanium, the so-called pansy, is an allopolyploid morphologically well-defined lineage of ca. 110 perennial and annual species in the northern hemisphere, characterized by markedly complex genomic configurations. Five annual pansies occur in Italy, four of which are morphologically very similar and belong to the informal ‘V. tricolor species complex’: V. arvensis (2n = 34), V. hymettia (2n = 16), V. kitaibeliana (2n = 16), and V. tricolor (2n = 26). Their field recognition is difficult and reflects a long-debated taxonomy often resulting in doubtful records in field inventories and across European herbaria. The current lack of comprehensive intra- and interspecific comparative studies and a relative scarcity of appropriate genetic markers coupled with unambiguous cytological descriptions are hindering clear taxa circumscription and phylogenetic inferences within this group. In this work, we tested DNA sequence variation of three highly variable plastid markers and High-...
We perfomed HTS Illumina Sequencing of the nuclear 5S rDNA intergenic spacers to address taxonomy... more We perfomed HTS Illumina Sequencing of the nuclear 5S rDNA intergenic spacers to address taxonomy, diversity and evolution in the F. crenata-F. sylvatica s. str. lineage, with F. japonica as outgroup. The collected data detail the distribution of 5S divergent types pointing to deep polymorphism, allopolyploid origens, incomplete lineage sorting and reticulate evolution. A comparison with the most recent phylegenetic data from a recent paper (Jiang et al., 2021) is provided. The fileset also includes extended Materials & Methods, results, basic information on the produced data, mutiple alignments and phylogenetic results. <br>
The high morphological variability of Viola arvensis may hinder the proper identification of the ... more The high morphological variability of Viola arvensis may hinder the proper identification of the closely related species with an implication for biodiversity surveys. Variation in floral and vegetative morphology was explored in V. arvensis, compared to V. kitaibeliana, based upon 14 wild Italian populations, to provide new insights into their diagnostic features. Species were characterized using 32 morphological descriptors assessed on 272 flowers and as many leaves and scored as quantitative and categorical variables. Statistical methods, including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), were applied to test species delimitation. Data highlighted variations in sepal size, petal size, leaves shape, stylar dark spot, and pollen magazine higher within V. arvensis than between V. arvensis and V. kitaibeliana. LDA partitioned the V. arvensis samples into two distinct clusters; no clear distinction was found between the cluster combining individuals from grasslands and V. kitaibeliana. The ...
Landscapes can be viewed as one of the levels in which biodiversity is hierarchically arranged; h... more Landscapes can be viewed as one of the levels in which biodiversity is hierarchically arranged; hence, it may prove important to develop lists of endangered landscape types. Among the landscape systems (sensu Blasi et al., 2000) of NW Lazio (C-Italy), two are particularly distinctive and biodiversity rich: the clayey-carbonate turbidite system (“Flysch della Tolfa”) and the pyroclastic-flow system (“Tufo Rosso”). The turbidite system, due to pedological features unfavorable to agriculture, and because of public property of land, shows a characteristic low density of human settlements (to an extent usually found in Italy only at much higher altitudes), and is therefore composed of ecosystems featuring many endangered and protected species. The pyroclastic system is characterized by unique land forms: flat plateaux divided by deep gorges with vertical slopes and flat bottoms. These features led to a typical and rich combination of plant communities: within a single gorge, we often fou...
This work aims to increase the floristic knowledge of southern Tuscany by means of a floristic in... more This work aims to increase the floristic knowledge of southern Tuscany by means of a floristic investigation which took place in the Miniera di Murlo (southern Tuscany, Italy). The study area, located in the province of Siena, has an extension of 2.26 km 2 and hosts a heterogeneity of habitats like rocky outcrops, woodlands, meadows and riparian formations. The prevalent geological type is an acidic sedimentary rock known as diaspri formation (jasper). The checklist of vascular flora consists of 501 taxa and includes six endemics and 13 alien species, among which Vitis labrusca is a newly-found species for the Province of Siena along with the native Rosa balsamica and Rosa squarrosa. The most interesting species, such as Anthoxanthum aristatum, Gagea bohemica, Paragymnopteris marantae, Saxifraga granulata, and Teesdalia coronopifolia,
Networks of protected areas are fundamental for biodiversity conservation, but many factors deter... more Networks of protected areas are fundamental for biodiversity conservation, but many factors determine their conservation efficiency. In particular, on top of other human-driven disturbances, invasions by non-native species can cause habitat and biodiversity loss. Jointly understanding what drives patterns of plant diversity and of non-native species in protected areas is therefore a priority. We tested whether the richness and composition of native and non-native plant species within a network of protected areas follow similar patterns across spatial scales. Specifically, we addressed three questions: a) what is the degree of congruence in species richness between native and non-native species? b) do changes in the composition of non-native species across ecological gradients reflect a similar turnover of native species along the same gradients ? c) what are the main environmental and human disturbance drivers controlling species richness in these two groups of species? Species richness and composition of native and non-native plant species were compared at two spatial scales: the plot scale (10 m x 10 m) and the Protected Area scale (PA). In addition, we fit Generalized Linear Models to identify the most important drivers of native and non-native species richness at each scale, focusing on environmental conditions (climate, topography) and on the main sources of human disturbance in the area (land use and roads). We found a significant positive correlation between the turnover of native and non-native species composition at both plot and PA scales, whereas their species richness was only correlated at the larger PA scale. The lack of congruence between the richness of native and non-native species at the plot scale was likely driven by differential responses to fine scale environmental factors, with non-natives favoring drier climates and milder slopes (climate and slope). In addition, more non-native species were found closer to roadways in the reserve network. In contrast, the congruence in the richness of native and non-native species at the broader PA scale was mainly driven by the common influence of PA area, but also by similar responses of the two groups of species to climatic heterogeneity. Thus, our study highlights the strong spatial dependence of the relationship between native and non-native species richness and of their responses to environmental variation. Taken together, our results suggest that within the study region the introduction and establishment of non-native species would be more likely in warmer and dryer areas, with high native species richness at large spatial scale but intermediate levels of anthropogenic disturbances and mild slope inclinations and elevation at fine scale. Such an exhaustive understanding of the factors that influence Manuscript Click here to access/download;Manuscript;2019_Landi_et_al._clean.doc Click here to view linked References the spread of non-native species, especially in networks of protected areas is crucial to inform conservation managers on how to control or curb non-native species.
ABSTRACT CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RO... more ABSTRACT CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RONALD VIANE -First report for Italy of two populations of really exaploid Ophioglossum (O. «azoricum» C. Presl., Ophioglossaceae, Pteridophyta). We report two stations of Ophioglossum «azoricum» C. Presl hexaploid in Veneto and Lati-um. They are the first in Italy, because those previously reported for the Tuscany actually belong to other two taxa non-hexaploid. Key words: Ophioglossum «azoricum» -Veneto and Latium -Italy. Riassunto -CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RONALD VIANE -Prima segnalazione in Italia di due popolazioni di Ophioglossum realmente esaploidi (O. «azoricum» C. Presl, Ophioglossaceae, Pteridophyta). Si segnalano due stazioni di Ophioglossum «azoricum» C. Presl esaploidi in Veneto e Lazio. Sono le prime per l&#39;Italia, perché quelle precedentemente riportate per la Toscana appartengo-no in realtà ad altri due taxa non esaploidi. Parole chiave: Ophioglossum «azoricum» -Veneto e Lazio -Italia. La prima segnalazione di Ophioglossum azoricum C. Presl in Italia risale a FIORI (1943), che sotto O. vulgatum L. fo. ambiguum Coss. et Germ., ha registra-to una raccolta fatta da P. Savi sulla sommità del M. Penna (Monte Pisano, LU). Il dato è stato poi ripreso da ARRIGONI in GREUTER (1980), GREUTER et al. (1981) e PIGNATTI (1982). Successivamente, sono state aggiunte due stazioni apuane
ABSTRACT Dryopteris tyrrhena is a Western Mediterranean endemism, a silicicolous species presents... more ABSTRACT Dryopteris tyrrhena is a Western Mediterranean endemism, a silicicolous species presents in a few populations in Spain, France, and Italy, where it is in regression. Its current distribution leads to hypothesize an Ibero-Provencal-Tyrrhenian origen, while the fragmentation of its distribution area, and the distances between the stations, suggest a very ancient origen, suggesting that it is a relict species of the Tertiary flora of the Mediterranean mountains. The present study on in vitro reproduction of D. tyrrhena has been undertaken to learn more about the characteristics of the reproductive cycle of this species for ex situ conservation and to obtain more information on the biological factors that may have contributed to the fragmentation of its distribution area. The spores were collected from 2 Italian popula-tions from Liguria (Riomaggiore, La Spezia) and Tuscany (Capraia Island, Livorno), and in vitro reproduction started in the summer of 2008. The results show a significant difference between the 2 populations: in the time and percentage of germination, in the gametophytes growth and, especially, in the sporophytes development.
ABSTRACT Tuscia Germplasm Bank -The Tuscia Germplasm Bank, established in December 2005 and curre... more ABSTRACT Tuscia Germplasm Bank -The Tuscia Germplasm Bank, established in December 2005 and currently located at the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, is a section of the Center of Botanical Garden (COB), of the Tuscia University of Viterbo (Central Italy). It is a museum and a research centre that deals with ex situ conservation of germplasm (seeds and spores) of endemic, rare or endangered species of the Italian wild flora, with special emphasis in the Northern Lazio. The Germplasm Bank promotes thesis, internships, post-graduate internships, and PhDs. Currently, some projects concerning ex situ conservation and in vitro reproduction, regarding pteridophytes and orchids, wetland species, and species of the travertine substrates that characterize Viterbo hydrothermal basin, are ongoing. Many of the species preserved in the Germplasm Bank are also conserved in vivo at the Botanical Garden, where they are cultivated in thematic collections, also for educational and informative purposes.
ABSTRACT The present study is a first approach to in vitro asymbiotic reproduction of Orchis palu... more ABSTRACT The present study is a first approach to in vitro asymbiotic reproduction of Orchis palustris, an endangered species due to the fragmentation of its distribution area and the reduction and alteration of its suitable habitat. Within a project of the Tuscia Germplasm Bank (Viterbo, Italy) for the ex situ conservation of wild orchids, seeds were collected from a population near the thermal spring at Bagnaccio (Viterbo, Italy). We investigated the effects of the maturity level of the seeds on the percentages of germination and on the development of protocorms, culturing mature seeds and immature ones collected from green pods. The percentages of seed germination and the developmental stages of protocorms were evaluated up to 10 months after sow-ing. In the cultures of immature seeds was possible to observe all the developmental stages of orchid seed germination, with a maximum percentage of germination of 33%. On the contrary has not been obtained any germination in the cultures of mature seeds.
ABSTRACT AimAs a consequence of multiple cycles of deforestation and reforestation, most forest l... more ABSTRACT AimAs a consequence of multiple cycles of deforestation and reforestation, most forest landscapes in Europe consist of a complex mosaic of patches of different successional ages. Despite the biogeographical distinctiveness of the Mediterranean region, studies on the effects of forest age on plant species diversity and composition are almost lacking for this area. This paper evaluates the influence of forest successional age on plant species richness and composition in various forest types of Mediterranean Italy. LocationThe Natura 2000 network of Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy. Methods Occurrence data on vascular plant species in 208 forest plots were obtained from a larger data set sampled with a stratified random design. The forest successional age of each plot was quantified through a series of historical maps. Species richness and composition were related to the age of the forest by means of GIS techniques and univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. ResultsTotal species richness markedly decreased with increasing successional age due to a significant decrease in the richness of open-habitat species which was not matched by increasing richness of mature forest species. Successional age was the key factor in controlling species richness, while local environmental properties emerged as the main factors shaping community composition. The different forest types showed different temporal trends of species richness and composition and different hierarchies of explanatory factors. Main conclusionsForest successional age emerged as an important factor affecting both species richness and composition, even within the same forest type. Thus, the classification and prioritization of Mediterranean forests exclusively based on present physiognomy or environmental variables causes loss of information about species richness and composition; this could be detrimental for biodiversity conservation.
ABSTRACT Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Botanical Garden of Viterbo - The Botanic... more ABSTRACT Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Botanical Garden of Viterbo - The Botanic Garden of Tuscia University is located near an important thermal spring in the Bulicame area (Viterbo). The studied area extends over 6 ha on a travertine substrate, at about 300 m a.s.l. We report the results of a first floristic survay of the Botanic Garden area carried out from 2004 to 2006 through herbarium controls in UTV and field observations especially. A list of 303 plants, including 296 species, 187 genera and 56 families, was compiled. Some of the species are rare or very rare in Latium, like Fumaria densiflora, and Asphodeline lutea is included as “at lower risk” in the Regional Red List of Italian Plants.
Abstract The conservation of pteridophytes presents a demanding challenge because many species in... more Abstract The conservation of pteridophytes presents a demanding challenge because many species in the world are thought to be threatened with extinction, as they are very sensitive to environmental disturbance. Ex situ actions provide an important conservation strategy, ...
The inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Florist... more The inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society is reported. The field trip was held in 2016 along the Velino and Aterno valleys located between Lazio and Abruzzo administrative regions (central Italy). The flora documented for the studied area amounts to 629 specific and subspecific taxa (including two hybrids) belonging to 300 genera and 69 families. Thirty-eight taxa are endemic to Italy, and only 16 alien taxa were detected. Thirty-eight taxa are included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora. Twenty-four taxa have to be considered as floristic novelties because either new or confirmed for the regional flora of Lazio or Abruzzo. In particular, 15 taxa are new and 6 are confirmed for Lazio. Regarding Abruzzo, 2 taxa are new for the regional flora and one is confirmed. Furthermore, the alien status in Lazio has been updated for one taxon.
Authors report some results about a phytosociological study conceming the wetlands to the south o... more Authors report some results about a phytosociological study conceming the wetlands to the south of Olbia (Gallura, north-eastem Sardinia). Vegetation analysis allowed to detect 21 associations, among them two are new and denominated Halimiollo portlllaeoidis-Limolliastretum mOllopetali asso nova and Ephedro fragi/is-Pistacietllm lentisei asso nova. Among them, the association Halimiono portlllaeoidis-Limolliastretllm mOllopetali shows a particular phytogeographical interest, because it sets the Limoniastrum monopetaillm vegetation in the only Sardinian station of this shrubby Plumbaginacea. From a syntaxonomic point of view, described syntaxa are included in 9 vegetation classes. Plant landscape of the area was reconstructed by the study of chain contacts among different communities, placed in space according to humidity and salinity gradients, determined by substratum texture and micromorphology. On the basis of phytocoenotic diversity stressed by this research, this study area is ...
Viola sect. Melanium, the so-called pansy, is an allopolyploid morphologically well-defined linea... more Viola sect. Melanium, the so-called pansy, is an allopolyploid morphologically well-defined lineage of ca. 110 perennial and annual species in the northern hemisphere, characterized by markedly complex genomic configurations. Five annual pansies occur in Italy, four of which are morphologically very similar and belong to the informal ‘V. tricolor species complex’: V. arvensis (2n = 34), V. hymettia (2n = 16), V. kitaibeliana (2n = 16), and V. tricolor (2n = 26). Their field recognition is difficult and reflects a long-debated taxonomy often resulting in doubtful records in field inventories and across European herbaria. The current lack of comprehensive intra- and interspecific comparative studies and a relative scarcity of appropriate genetic markers coupled with unambiguous cytological descriptions are hindering clear taxa circumscription and phylogenetic inferences within this group. In this work, we tested DNA sequence variation of three highly variable plastid markers and High-...
We perfomed HTS Illumina Sequencing of the nuclear 5S rDNA intergenic spacers to address taxonomy... more We perfomed HTS Illumina Sequencing of the nuclear 5S rDNA intergenic spacers to address taxonomy, diversity and evolution in the F. crenata-F. sylvatica s. str. lineage, with F. japonica as outgroup. The collected data detail the distribution of 5S divergent types pointing to deep polymorphism, allopolyploid origens, incomplete lineage sorting and reticulate evolution. A comparison with the most recent phylegenetic data from a recent paper (Jiang et al., 2021) is provided. The fileset also includes extended Materials & Methods, results, basic information on the produced data, mutiple alignments and phylogenetic results. <br>
The high morphological variability of Viola arvensis may hinder the proper identification of the ... more The high morphological variability of Viola arvensis may hinder the proper identification of the closely related species with an implication for biodiversity surveys. Variation in floral and vegetative morphology was explored in V. arvensis, compared to V. kitaibeliana, based upon 14 wild Italian populations, to provide new insights into their diagnostic features. Species were characterized using 32 morphological descriptors assessed on 272 flowers and as many leaves and scored as quantitative and categorical variables. Statistical methods, including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), were applied to test species delimitation. Data highlighted variations in sepal size, petal size, leaves shape, stylar dark spot, and pollen magazine higher within V. arvensis than between V. arvensis and V. kitaibeliana. LDA partitioned the V. arvensis samples into two distinct clusters; no clear distinction was found between the cluster combining individuals from grasslands and V. kitaibeliana. The ...
Landscapes can be viewed as one of the levels in which biodiversity is hierarchically arranged; h... more Landscapes can be viewed as one of the levels in which biodiversity is hierarchically arranged; hence, it may prove important to develop lists of endangered landscape types. Among the landscape systems (sensu Blasi et al., 2000) of NW Lazio (C-Italy), two are particularly distinctive and biodiversity rich: the clayey-carbonate turbidite system (“Flysch della Tolfa”) and the pyroclastic-flow system (“Tufo Rosso”). The turbidite system, due to pedological features unfavorable to agriculture, and because of public property of land, shows a characteristic low density of human settlements (to an extent usually found in Italy only at much higher altitudes), and is therefore composed of ecosystems featuring many endangered and protected species. The pyroclastic system is characterized by unique land forms: flat plateaux divided by deep gorges with vertical slopes and flat bottoms. These features led to a typical and rich combination of plant communities: within a single gorge, we often fou...
This work aims to increase the floristic knowledge of southern Tuscany by means of a floristic in... more This work aims to increase the floristic knowledge of southern Tuscany by means of a floristic investigation which took place in the Miniera di Murlo (southern Tuscany, Italy). The study area, located in the province of Siena, has an extension of 2.26 km 2 and hosts a heterogeneity of habitats like rocky outcrops, woodlands, meadows and riparian formations. The prevalent geological type is an acidic sedimentary rock known as diaspri formation (jasper). The checklist of vascular flora consists of 501 taxa and includes six endemics and 13 alien species, among which Vitis labrusca is a newly-found species for the Province of Siena along with the native Rosa balsamica and Rosa squarrosa. The most interesting species, such as Anthoxanthum aristatum, Gagea bohemica, Paragymnopteris marantae, Saxifraga granulata, and Teesdalia coronopifolia,
Networks of protected areas are fundamental for biodiversity conservation, but many factors deter... more Networks of protected areas are fundamental for biodiversity conservation, but many factors determine their conservation efficiency. In particular, on top of other human-driven disturbances, invasions by non-native species can cause habitat and biodiversity loss. Jointly understanding what drives patterns of plant diversity and of non-native species in protected areas is therefore a priority. We tested whether the richness and composition of native and non-native plant species within a network of protected areas follow similar patterns across spatial scales. Specifically, we addressed three questions: a) what is the degree of congruence in species richness between native and non-native species? b) do changes in the composition of non-native species across ecological gradients reflect a similar turnover of native species along the same gradients ? c) what are the main environmental and human disturbance drivers controlling species richness in these two groups of species? Species richness and composition of native and non-native plant species were compared at two spatial scales: the plot scale (10 m x 10 m) and the Protected Area scale (PA). In addition, we fit Generalized Linear Models to identify the most important drivers of native and non-native species richness at each scale, focusing on environmental conditions (climate, topography) and on the main sources of human disturbance in the area (land use and roads). We found a significant positive correlation between the turnover of native and non-native species composition at both plot and PA scales, whereas their species richness was only correlated at the larger PA scale. The lack of congruence between the richness of native and non-native species at the plot scale was likely driven by differential responses to fine scale environmental factors, with non-natives favoring drier climates and milder slopes (climate and slope). In addition, more non-native species were found closer to roadways in the reserve network. In contrast, the congruence in the richness of native and non-native species at the broader PA scale was mainly driven by the common influence of PA area, but also by similar responses of the two groups of species to climatic heterogeneity. Thus, our study highlights the strong spatial dependence of the relationship between native and non-native species richness and of their responses to environmental variation. Taken together, our results suggest that within the study region the introduction and establishment of non-native species would be more likely in warmer and dryer areas, with high native species richness at large spatial scale but intermediate levels of anthropogenic disturbances and mild slope inclinations and elevation at fine scale. Such an exhaustive understanding of the factors that influence Manuscript Click here to access/download;Manuscript;2019_Landi_et_al._clean.doc Click here to view linked References the spread of non-native species, especially in networks of protected areas is crucial to inform conservation managers on how to control or curb non-native species.
ABSTRACT CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RO... more ABSTRACT CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RONALD VIANE -First report for Italy of two populations of really exaploid Ophioglossum (O. «azoricum» C. Presl., Ophioglossaceae, Pteridophyta). We report two stations of Ophioglossum «azoricum» C. Presl hexaploid in Veneto and Lati-um. They are the first in Italy, because those previously reported for the Tuscany actually belong to other two taxa non-hexaploid. Key words: Ophioglossum «azoricum» -Veneto and Latium -Italy. Riassunto -CARLO ARGENTI, FRANCA FRATOLIN, SARA MAGRINI, DINO MARCHETTI, ANNA SCOPPOLA &amp; RONALD VIANE -Prima segnalazione in Italia di due popolazioni di Ophioglossum realmente esaploidi (O. «azoricum» C. Presl, Ophioglossaceae, Pteridophyta). Si segnalano due stazioni di Ophioglossum «azoricum» C. Presl esaploidi in Veneto e Lazio. Sono le prime per l&#39;Italia, perché quelle precedentemente riportate per la Toscana appartengo-no in realtà ad altri due taxa non esaploidi. Parole chiave: Ophioglossum «azoricum» -Veneto e Lazio -Italia. La prima segnalazione di Ophioglossum azoricum C. Presl in Italia risale a FIORI (1943), che sotto O. vulgatum L. fo. ambiguum Coss. et Germ., ha registra-to una raccolta fatta da P. Savi sulla sommità del M. Penna (Monte Pisano, LU). Il dato è stato poi ripreso da ARRIGONI in GREUTER (1980), GREUTER et al. (1981) e PIGNATTI (1982). Successivamente, sono state aggiunte due stazioni apuane
ABSTRACT Dryopteris tyrrhena is a Western Mediterranean endemism, a silicicolous species presents... more ABSTRACT Dryopteris tyrrhena is a Western Mediterranean endemism, a silicicolous species presents in a few populations in Spain, France, and Italy, where it is in regression. Its current distribution leads to hypothesize an Ibero-Provencal-Tyrrhenian origen, while the fragmentation of its distribution area, and the distances between the stations, suggest a very ancient origen, suggesting that it is a relict species of the Tertiary flora of the Mediterranean mountains. The present study on in vitro reproduction of D. tyrrhena has been undertaken to learn more about the characteristics of the reproductive cycle of this species for ex situ conservation and to obtain more information on the biological factors that may have contributed to the fragmentation of its distribution area. The spores were collected from 2 Italian popula-tions from Liguria (Riomaggiore, La Spezia) and Tuscany (Capraia Island, Livorno), and in vitro reproduction started in the summer of 2008. The results show a significant difference between the 2 populations: in the time and percentage of germination, in the gametophytes growth and, especially, in the sporophytes development.
ABSTRACT Tuscia Germplasm Bank -The Tuscia Germplasm Bank, established in December 2005 and curre... more ABSTRACT Tuscia Germplasm Bank -The Tuscia Germplasm Bank, established in December 2005 and currently located at the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, is a section of the Center of Botanical Garden (COB), of the Tuscia University of Viterbo (Central Italy). It is a museum and a research centre that deals with ex situ conservation of germplasm (seeds and spores) of endemic, rare or endangered species of the Italian wild flora, with special emphasis in the Northern Lazio. The Germplasm Bank promotes thesis, internships, post-graduate internships, and PhDs. Currently, some projects concerning ex situ conservation and in vitro reproduction, regarding pteridophytes and orchids, wetland species, and species of the travertine substrates that characterize Viterbo hydrothermal basin, are ongoing. Many of the species preserved in the Germplasm Bank are also conserved in vivo at the Botanical Garden, where they are cultivated in thematic collections, also for educational and informative purposes.
ABSTRACT The present study is a first approach to in vitro asymbiotic reproduction of Orchis palu... more ABSTRACT The present study is a first approach to in vitro asymbiotic reproduction of Orchis palustris, an endangered species due to the fragmentation of its distribution area and the reduction and alteration of its suitable habitat. Within a project of the Tuscia Germplasm Bank (Viterbo, Italy) for the ex situ conservation of wild orchids, seeds were collected from a population near the thermal spring at Bagnaccio (Viterbo, Italy). We investigated the effects of the maturity level of the seeds on the percentages of germination and on the development of protocorms, culturing mature seeds and immature ones collected from green pods. The percentages of seed germination and the developmental stages of protocorms were evaluated up to 10 months after sow-ing. In the cultures of immature seeds was possible to observe all the developmental stages of orchid seed germination, with a maximum percentage of germination of 33%. On the contrary has not been obtained any germination in the cultures of mature seeds.
ABSTRACT AimAs a consequence of multiple cycles of deforestation and reforestation, most forest l... more ABSTRACT AimAs a consequence of multiple cycles of deforestation and reforestation, most forest landscapes in Europe consist of a complex mosaic of patches of different successional ages. Despite the biogeographical distinctiveness of the Mediterranean region, studies on the effects of forest age on plant species diversity and composition are almost lacking for this area. This paper evaluates the influence of forest successional age on plant species richness and composition in various forest types of Mediterranean Italy. LocationThe Natura 2000 network of Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy. Methods Occurrence data on vascular plant species in 208 forest plots were obtained from a larger data set sampled with a stratified random design. The forest successional age of each plot was quantified through a series of historical maps. Species richness and composition were related to the age of the forest by means of GIS techniques and univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. ResultsTotal species richness markedly decreased with increasing successional age due to a significant decrease in the richness of open-habitat species which was not matched by increasing richness of mature forest species. Successional age was the key factor in controlling species richness, while local environmental properties emerged as the main factors shaping community composition. The different forest types showed different temporal trends of species richness and composition and different hierarchies of explanatory factors. Main conclusionsForest successional age emerged as an important factor affecting both species richness and composition, even within the same forest type. Thus, the classification and prioritization of Mediterranean forests exclusively based on present physiognomy or environmental variables causes loss of information about species richness and composition; this could be detrimental for biodiversity conservation.
ABSTRACT Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Botanical Garden of Viterbo - The Botanic... more ABSTRACT Contribution to the floristic knowledge of the Botanical Garden of Viterbo - The Botanic Garden of Tuscia University is located near an important thermal spring in the Bulicame area (Viterbo). The studied area extends over 6 ha on a travertine substrate, at about 300 m a.s.l. We report the results of a first floristic survay of the Botanic Garden area carried out from 2004 to 2006 through herbarium controls in UTV and field observations especially. A list of 303 plants, including 296 species, 187 genera and 56 families, was compiled. Some of the species are rare or very rare in Latium, like Fumaria densiflora, and Asphodeline lutea is included as “at lower risk” in the Regional Red List of Italian Plants.
Abstract The conservation of pteridophytes presents a demanding challenge because many species in... more Abstract The conservation of pteridophytes presents a demanding challenge because many species in the world are thought to be threatened with extinction, as they are very sensitive to environmental disturbance. Ex situ actions provide an important conservation strategy, ...
The inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Florist... more The inventory of the taxa collected during the annual field trip of the working group for Floristics, Systematics and Evolution of the Italian Botanical Society is reported. The field trip was held in 2016 along the Velino and Aterno valleys located between Lazio and Abruzzo administrative regions (central Italy). The flora documented for the studied area amounts to 629 specific and subspecific taxa (including two hybrids) belonging to 300 genera and 69 families. Thirty-eight taxa are endemic to Italy, and only 16 alien taxa were detected. Thirty-eight taxa are included in the IUCN Red List of the Italian Flora. Twenty-four taxa have to be considered as floristic novelties because either new or confirmed for the regional flora of Lazio or Abruzzo. In particular, 15 taxa are new and 6 are confirmed for Lazio. Regarding Abruzzo, 2 taxa are new for the regional flora and one is confirmed. Furthermore, the alien status in Lazio has been updated for one taxon.
Authors report some results about a phytosociological study conceming the wetlands to the south o... more Authors report some results about a phytosociological study conceming the wetlands to the south of Olbia (Gallura, north-eastem Sardinia). Vegetation analysis allowed to detect 21 associations, among them two are new and denominated Halimiollo portlllaeoidis-Limolliastretum mOllopetali asso nova and Ephedro fragi/is-Pistacietllm lentisei asso nova. Among them, the association Halimiono portlllaeoidis-Limolliastretllm mOllopetali shows a particular phytogeographical interest, because it sets the Limoniastrum monopetaillm vegetation in the only Sardinian station of this shrubby Plumbaginacea. From a syntaxonomic point of view, described syntaxa are included in 9 vegetation classes. Plant landscape of the area was reconstructed by the study of chain contacts among different communities, placed in space according to humidity and salinity gradients, determined by substratum texture and micromorphology. On the basis of phytocoenotic diversity stressed by this research, this study area is ...
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Papers by Anna Scoppola