scholarly journals Patterns of Co-occurrence of Rare and Threatened Species in Winter Arable Plant Communities of Italy

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Fanfarillo ◽  
Marta Latini ◽  
Giovanna Abbate

Detecting patterns of species co-occurrence is among the main tasks of plant community ecology. Arable plant communities are important elements of agroecosystems, because they support plant and animal biodiversity and provide ecosystem services. These plant communities are shaped by both agricultural and environmental drivers. The pressure of intensive agriculture worldwide has caused the decline of many characteristic arable species and communities. Italy is the European country where arable plant biodiversity is the best preserved. In this study, we assessed the patterns of co-occurrence of rare and threatened arable plants in 106 plots of winter arable vegetation located from Piedmont to Calabria, in the mainland part of the country. For this purpose, we based our investigation on the analysis of a recently acquired dataset and on the European list of rare and threatened arable plants. We highlight how different species of conservation interest tend to occur in the same community. On the other hand, generalist and more competitive taxa show similar patterns of co-occurrence. We suggest that single species of conservation value could be suitable indicators of a well-preserved community. On the other hand, to be effective, conservation strategies should target the whole community, rather than single species.

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-127
Author(s):  
Czesława Trąba

In this of the presented paper results of the studies conducted in preceding four parts (I-IV) were synthetically assumed. On that background a comparative characteristics of specified stuble-field plant communities was conducted. It contains the most important features of communities and seats, in which they appear. In climatically, geomorphologically, hydrologically and with respect to soils differentiated conditions of South-East Poland, especially in former Rzeszów region, there were described stubble-field plant communities occurring as well on lowland, as on highland agricultural utility complexes. There were analysed 359 phytosociological records, in which 232 ones came from lowland, while 127 from highland complexes. The specified communities were included to two orders: <i>Secali-Violetalia arvensis</i> (suborder <i>Polygono-Chenopodienalia</i> : alliances <i>Eu-Polygono-Chenopodion</i> and <i>Panico-Setarion</i>) and <i>Cyperetalia fusci</i> (alliance <i>Nanocyperion flavescentis</i>). On the lowland agricultural utility complexes specified were seven types of communities: 3 belonged to <i>Panico-Setarion</i> alliance (association <i>Digitarietum ischaemi</i>; community with <i>Setaria glauca</i> and association <i>Echinochloo-Setarietum</i>), 2 to <i>Eu-Polygono-Chenopodion</i> alliance (the community with <i>Euphorbia esula</i> and <i>Oxalis stricta</i> as well the community with <i>Veronica persica</i>), while 2 associations from the <i>Nanocyperion flavescentis</i> (<i>Hyperico-Spergularietum</i> and <i>Centunculo-Anthocerotetum</i>) alliance. On the other hand, on the highland complexes of South-East Poland only 3 communities were found: 1) with <i>Setaria glauca</i> included to <i>Panico-Setarion</i> alliance, 2) with <i>Veronica persica</i> from <i>Eu-Polygono-Chenopodion</i> alliance and 3) <i>Centunculo-Anthocerotetum</i> association from <i>Nanocyperion flavescentis</i> alliance. The specified floral types, as well as lower units (variants and sub variants), reflected the mechanical structure, hydrological conditions and pH soils in their seats, what confrumed a great differentiation of soil conditions on the tested area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Banfi ◽  
Agnese Visconti

This paper focuses on the relationship between Alexander von Humboldt, the famous German explorer-naturalist and Filippo Parlatore, botanist from Palermo (Sicily, Italy) in the field of botanical geography. Our considerations are based on three letters written by Humboldt to Parlatore in May 1851 and two letters with attachments written by Parlatore in answer to Humboldt in May 1851 and June 1852. The former are preserved in the Biblioteca comunale di Palermo (Palermo City Library) and the latter in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library). On reading the correspondence it can be inferred how, on the one hand, Humboldt asked Parlatore for verification on some important questions of botanical geography that he intended to cover in the second part (never published) of volume five of his Kosmos, and how, on the other hand, Parlatore diverged in his answers from Humboldt’s intent to search for universal laws to explain the distribution of plants on the planet. In fact, Parlatore was engaging in new lines of research, which, though stemming from Humboldt, were moving towards a modern twodimensional interpretation of natural plant communities according to which vegetation and flora, though interacting, are distinct realities and require different methods of study. The paper includes a portrait of Parlatore and one of Humboldt, a taxonomic table of the plants mentioned by the two scientists in their correspondence and illustrations of a selection of the same plants.


1999 ◽  
Vol 173 ◽  
pp. 249-254
Author(s):  
A.M. Silva ◽  
R.D. Miró

AbstractWe have developed a model for theH2OandOHevolution in a comet outburst, assuming that together with the gas, a distribution of icy grains is ejected. With an initial mass of icy grains of 108kg released, theH2OandOHproductions are increased up to a factor two, and the growth curves change drastically in the first two days. The model is applied to eruptions detected in theOHradio monitorings and fits well with the slow variations in the flux. On the other hand, several events of short duration appear, consisting of a sudden rise ofOHflux, followed by a sudden decay on the second day. These apparent short bursts are frequently found as precursors of a more durable eruption. We suggest that both of them are part of a unique eruption, and that the sudden decay is due to collisions that de-excite theOHmaser, when it reaches the Cometopause region located at 1.35 × 105kmfrom the nucleus.


Author(s):  
A. V. Crewe

We have become accustomed to differentiating between the scanning microscope and the conventional transmission microscope according to the resolving power which the two instruments offer. The conventional microscope is capable of a point resolution of a few angstroms and line resolutions of periodic objects of about 1Å. On the other hand, the scanning microscope, in its normal form, is not ordinarily capable of a point resolution better than 100Å. Upon examining reasons for the 100Å limitation, it becomes clear that this is based more on tradition than reason, and in particular, it is a condition imposed upon the microscope by adherence to thermal sources of electrons.


Author(s):  
K.H. Westmacott

Life beyond 1MeV – like life after 40 – is not too different unless one takes advantage of past experience and is receptive to new opportunities. At first glance, the returns on performing electron microscopy at voltages greater than 1MeV diminish rather rapidly as the curves which describe the well-known advantages of HVEM often tend towards saturation. However, in a country with a significant HVEM capability, a good case can be made for investing in instruments with a range of maximum accelerating voltages. In this regard, the 1.5MeV KRATOS HVEM being installed in Berkeley will complement the other 650KeV, 1MeV, and 1.2MeV instruments currently operating in the U.S. One other consideration suggests that 1.5MeV is an optimum voltage machine – Its additional advantages may be purchased for not much more than a 1MeV instrument. On the other hand, the 3MeV HVEM's which seem to be operated at 2MeV maximum, are much more expensive.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reimer Kornmann

Summary: My comment is basically restricted to the situation in which less-able students find themselves and refers only to literature in German. From this point of view I am basically able to confirm Marsh's results. It must, however, be said that with less-able pupils the opposite effect can be found: Levels of self-esteem in these pupils are raised, at least temporarily, by separate instruction, academic performance however drops; combined instruction, on the other hand, leads to improved academic performance, while levels of self-esteem drop. Apparently, the positive self-image of less-able pupils who receive separate instruction does not bring about the potential enhancement of academic performance one might expect from high-ability pupils receiving separate instruction. To resolve the dilemma, it is proposed that individual progress in learning be accentuated, and that comparisons with others be dispensed with. This fosters a self-image that can in equal measure be realistic and optimistic.


Author(s):  
Stefan Krause ◽  
Markus Appel

Abstract. Two experiments examined the influence of stories on recipients’ self-perceptions. Extending prior theory and research, our focus was on assimilation effects (i.e., changes in self-perception in line with a protagonist’s traits) as well as on contrast effects (i.e., changes in self-perception in contrast to a protagonist’s traits). In Experiment 1 ( N = 113), implicit and explicit conscientiousness were assessed after participants read a story about either a diligent or a negligent student. Moderation analyses showed that highly transported participants and participants with lower counterarguing scores assimilate the depicted traits of a story protagonist, as indicated by explicit, self-reported conscientiousness ratings. Participants, who were more critical toward a story (i.e., higher counterarguing) and with a lower degree of transportation, showed contrast effects. In Experiment 2 ( N = 103), we manipulated transportation and counterarguing, but we could not identify an effect on participants’ self-ascribed level of conscientiousness. A mini meta-analysis across both experiments revealed significant positive overall associations between transportation and counterarguing on the one hand and story-consistent self-reported conscientiousness on the other hand.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-93
Author(s):  
Jort de Vreeze ◽  
Christina Matschke

Abstract. Not all group memberships are self-chosen. The current research examines whether assignments to non-preferred groups influence our relationship with the group and our preference for information about the ingroup. It was expected and found that, when people are assigned to non-preferred groups, they perceive the group as different to the self, experience negative emotions about the assignment and in turn disidentify with the group. On the other hand, when people are assigned to preferred groups, they perceive the group as similar to the self, experience positive emotions about the assignment and in turn identify with the group. Finally, disidentification increases a preference for negative information about the ingroup.


1961 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 222-223
Author(s):  
Edwin G. Boring
Keyword(s):  

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