Italian Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between Regions

The tradition of floristic studies in Italy has made it possible to obtain a good knowledge of plant diversity both on a national and regional scale. However, the lack of knowledge for some areas, advances in plant systematics and human activities related to globalization, highlight the need for further studies aimed at improving floristic knowledge. In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria and literature surveys, we update the knowledge on the Italian vascular flora and analyze the floristic similarities between the administrative regions. Four taxa, all exotic, were recorded for the first time in Italy and Europe. In detail, Elaeodendron croceum, Kalanchoë blossfeldiana, and Sedum spathulifolium var. spathulifolium were found as casual aliens, while Oxalis brasiliensis was reported as historical record based on some herbarium specimens. Furthermore, Kalanchoë laxiflora was confirmed as a casual alien species for Italy and Europe. Status changes for some taxa were proposed at both national and regional levels, as well as many taxa were reported as new or confirmed at the regional level. Currently the Italian vascular flora comprises 9150 taxa of which 7547 are native (of which 1598 are Italian endemics) and 1603 are exotic at the national level. The multivariate analysis of updated floristic data on a regional scale showed a clear distribution along the latitudinal gradient, in accordance with the natural geographical location of the regions in Italy. This pattern of plants distribution was not affected by the introduction of alien species. Despite some taxonomic and methodological issues which are still open, the data obtained confirm the important role of floristic investigations in the field and in herbaria, as well as the collaborative approach among botanists, in order to improve the knowledge of the Italian and European vascular flora.

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First inventory of vascular flora of Matokit mountain (Biokovo massif, Croatia)

Šumarski list ◽

10.31298/sl.144.5-6.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 144 (5-6) ◽

pp. 257-268

Author(s):

Ivana Vitasović-Kosić ◽

Mara Vukojević ◽

Sandro Bogdanović

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Climate ◽

Invasive Plant ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Life Forms ◽

Herbarium Specimens ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

The Past ◽

Floristic Data ◽

High Influence ◽

Southern Croatia

The vascular flora of Matokit Mt (Biokovo Massif) in southern Croatia was researched in different vegetation periods from 2010-2015, and a total of 604 vascular plant taxa belonging to 86 families and 337 genera were found. The studied area has never been studied in the past and these are the first detailed floristic data about grasslands in different succession stages of Matokit Mt. Collected herbarium specimens (345 sheets) were digitalized and are available at the ZAGR Virtual Herbarium. The most dominant families were legumes (Fabaceae 9.9%), grasses (Poaceae 9.1%), daisies (Asteraceae 7.4%) and mints (Lamiaceae 6.8%). The analysis of life forms shows the dominance of hemicryptophytes (39.9%) and therophytes (26.2%) on Matokit Mt that indicates a high influence of the Mediterranean climate. A total of 36 endangered and 17 invasive plant taxa across the whole studied area were recorded. Endemic are 32 plant taxa (26 endemics in a broader sense and 6 stenoendemics) and they represent new site of Croatian flora. The occurrence of some very rare endemics (Cardamine fialae Fritsch and Erysimum croaticum Polatschek) in the flora of Matokit Mt is of special interest for the national flora.

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Das nachhaltig verfügbare Holznutzungspotenzial im Schweizer Wald

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2016.0162 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 167 (3) ◽

pp. 162-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ruedi Taverna ◽

Michael Gautschi ◽

Peter Hofer

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Reference Value ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Management Scenarios ◽

Additional Time ◽

Basic Scenario ◽

Economic Framework ◽

Forest Growth Model ◽

New Findings

The sustainably available wood use potential in Swiss forests Based on the most recent simulations created using the Massimo forest growth model, the sustainably available wood use potential in Swiss forests was calculated for five management scenarios for the next three decades as well as for two additional time periods in the future (to monitor the long-term effects). The term “sustainably available wood use potential” covers those wood quantities that could be put on the market, taking into account socio-ecological and economic restrictions on use. The sustainably available wood use potential is provided for production regions, priority functions as well as the assortment and qualities of timber. The previously used factors of the applied “onion” model were checked and modified, if necessary, in order to take new findings and current cost developments into consideration. The calculations for all scenarios come up with a sustainably available wood use potential that is much lower than in earlier investigations. Depending on the scenario and decade, sustainably available wood use potential accounts for less than 50% of the total use potential. The biggest decrease in total use potential was due to economic framework conditions. Turning to Switzerland as a whole, towards the end of the investigation period (2106) those scenarios including a sharp increase in use in the first three decades result in a sustainably available wood use potential that is clearly lower than the reference value used at the beginning of the simulation. In the basic scenario (constant stock) and in the scenario in which the form of management used to date (increasing stock) was simulated, the sustainably available wood use potential at national level remained more or less the same throughout the simulation period, ranging from 5 to 6 million m3 per year.

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Application of SIGMA model for landslide forecasting in Darjeeling Himalayas

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-669 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samuele Segoni ◽

Minu Treesa Abraham ◽

Neelima Satyam ◽

Ascanio Rosi ◽

Biswajeet Pradhan

Keyword(s):

Sigma Model ◽

Confusion Matrix ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Daily Rainfall ◽

Rain Gauge ◽

Integrated System ◽

Rainfall Thresholds ◽

Skill Scores ◽

Landslide Forecasting

SIGMA (Sistema Integrato Gestione Monitoraggio Allerta &#8211; integrated system for management, monitoring and alerting) is a landslide forecasting model at regional scale which is operational in Emilia Romagna (Italy) for more than 20 years. It was conceived to be operated with a sparse rain gauge network with coarse (daily) temporal resolution and to account for both shallow landslides (typically triggered by short and intense rainstorms) and deep seated landslides (typically triggered by long and less intense rainfalls). SIGMA model is based on the statistical distribution of cumulative rainfall values (calculated over varying time windows), and rainfall thresholds are defined as the multiples of standard deviation of the same, to identify anomalous rainfalls with the potential of triggering landslides.In this study, SIGMA model is applied for the first time in a geographical location outside of Italy, i.e. Kalimpong town in India. The SIGMA algorithm is customized using the historical rainfall and landslide data of Kalimpong from 2010 to 2015 and has been validated using the data from 2016 to 2017. The model was validated by building a confusion matrix and calculating statistical skill scores, which were compared with those of the state-of-the-art intensity-duration rainfall thresholds derived for the region.Results of the comparison clearly show that SIGMA performs much better than the other models in forecasting landslides: all instances of the validation confusion matrix are improved, and all skill scores are higher than I-D thresholds, with an efficiency of 92% and a likelihood ratio of 11.28. We explain this outcome mainly with technical characteristics of the site: when only daily rainfall measurements from a spare gauge network are available, SIGMA outperforms other approaches based on peak measurements, like intensity &#8211; duration thresholds, which cannot be captured adequately by daily measurements. SIGMA model thus showed a good potential to be used as a part of the local Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS).

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Corruption and the agricultural production efficiency of the European countries during the recent economic crisis

Research in Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries ◽

10.3329/ralf.v2i3.26165 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 427-437

Author(s):

Mohammad Monirul Hasan ◽

József Tóth

Keyword(s):

Technical Efficiency ◽

Economic Crisis ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Production Efficiency ◽

National Level ◽

Geographical Location ◽

European Countries ◽

Economic Downturn ◽

Member States ◽

Control Of Corruption

This paper examines the association between controls of corruption and the agricultural production efficiency of 23 European Union Member States during the recent economic crisis. Production efficiency, measured in terms of technical efficiency, is the effectiveness of a given set of inputs that is used to produce an output. Owing to climate and geographical location agriculture in European countries is diverse. The economic downturn led by the financial crisis which started in mid-2007, is still prevailing across European countries. Control of corruption along with the existing economic crisis of the member states are affecting agriculture production efficiency. This study used the national level production data for the period of 2003-2009. It shows that the technical efficiency of most Member States have declined over the years and that it was significantly lower in austere economic crisis time 2007-09 than 2003-06 for all countries. It is also found that the declining trend of technical efficiency is significantly lower for central and eastern European countries than for the western European countries. Study finds that the control of corruption in the presence of high government effectiveness, decreases the technical efficiency of agricultural production in the Member States.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(3): 427-437, December 2015

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Additions to the vascular flora of the Tyumen region, Western Siberia

Acta Biologica Sibirica ◽

10.3897/abs.6.e52696 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 339-355

Author(s):

Olga A. Kapitonova

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Plant Species ◽

Vascular Plants ◽

Western Siberia ◽

Elodea Canadensis ◽

Aquatic Species ◽

Impatiens Glandulifera ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

Occurrence Data ◽

Galega Orientalis

The article contains information on five species and three hybrids (Potamogeton × acutus, Potamogeton × pseudolacunatus, Stuckenia chakassiensis × S. macrocarpa) of vascular plants new to the Tyumen Region; seven of them are hydrophyte and one is a semi-aquatic species. We provided the occurrence data on 37 plant species not previously known in examined administrative districts of the Tyumen region, including four protected (Cypripedium macranthos, Pedicularis dasystachys, Ranunculus silvisteppaceus, Zannichellia repens) and four alien species (Elodea canadensis, Galega orientalis, Impatiens glandulifera, Phragmites altissimus).

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Challenges for Diadromous Fishes in a Dynamic Global Environment

Challenges for Diadromous Fishes in a Dynamic Global Environment ◽

10.47886/9781934874080.ch14 ◽

2009 ◽

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Salmon ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Stream Temperature ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽

Specific Factors ◽

Thermal Variability

Abstract.-In this paper, we develop logistic stream temperature models for 17 selected sites in northeastern North America and evaluate the potential changes from warming climate under two scenarios (low and medium-high emissions). Classification of the magnitude of the (1) long-term (1980-2002) and (2) annual thermal regimes allowed examination of the relative spatial and temporal patterns of instream thermal variability across the 17 sites. At the regional scale, the classification identified three broad groups of rivers (cool, intermediate, and warm) reflecting geographical location and moderated by site-specific factors. The interannual classification identified four thermal year types reflecting increasing magnitude and variability in the annual thermal regime. The dominance of thermal year types and the frequency of occurrence indicated significant variability between years for all sites and within thermal regions. Under the two climate change scenarios, stream temperatures in the 17 sites are projected to increase by 2050. However, there are regional differences with intermediate and warm region rivers projected to be more affected, particularly under the medium-high emissions scenario. More significantly, the duration of weeks when temperatures exceed 20°C (taken as a threshold of thermal stress for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar) is projected to increase with variability in response between river groups. We comment on the ecological significance of these potential future increases in stream temperature and duration for Atlantic salmon in the region.

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An updated checklist of the vascular flora of Sierra Nevada (SE Spain)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.261.1.1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 261 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

JUAN LORITE

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Sierra Nevada ◽

Plant Diversity ◽

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Conservation Management ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Se Spain ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

Threat Status ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

To have an updated checklist available for a given area is crucial for many purposes (educational, conservation, management, etc.). In this paper, a complete and updated checklist of the vascular flora of Sierra Nevada mountain range (SE Spain), a recognized hotspot for plant diversity in the Mediterranean basin, is presented. It includes 2,353 taxa, 359 more than in the previous checklist (an increase of 15.25%). Also, data are shown on composition (in terms of families, number of hybrids, native/alien species, endemics, etc.) and threat status according to the IUCN. The result is a complete and updated checklist flora of this recognised biodiversity Mediterranean hotspot.

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The Lowermost Tejo River Terrace at Foz do Enxarrique, Portugal: A Palaeoenvironmental Archive from c. 60–35 ka and Its Implications for the Last Neanderthals in Westernmost Iberia

Quaternary ◽

10.3390/quat2010003 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pedro Cunha ◽

António Martins ◽

Jan-Pieter Buylaert ◽

Andrew Murray ◽

Maria Gouveia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Changes ◽

North Atlantic Ocean ◽

Rock Magnetism ◽

Clay Fraction ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Grain Size Analysis ◽

Size Analysis ◽

Diffraction Measurement ◽

Carbonate Concretions ◽

New Findings

Reconstruction of Pleistocene environments and processes in the sensitive geographical location of westernmost Iberia, facing the North Atlantic Ocean, is crucial for understanding impacts on early human communities. We provide a characterization of the lowest terrace (T6) of the Lower Tejo River, at Vila Velha de Ródão (eastern central Portugal). This terrace comprises a lower gravel bed and an upper division consisting of fine to very fine sands and coarse silts. We have used a multidisciplinary approach, combining geomorphology, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, grain-size analysis and rock magnetism measurement, in order to provide new insights into the environmental changes coincident with the activity of the last Neanderthals in this region. In addition, we conducted palynological analysis, X-ray diffraction measurement and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectra of the clay fraction and carbonate concretions. We discuss these new findings in the context of previously published palaeontological and archeological data. The widespread occurrence of carbonate concretions and rizoliths in the T6 profile is evidence for episodic pedogenic evaporation, in agreement with the rare occurrence and poor preservation of phytoliths. We provide updated OSL ages for the lower two Tejo terraces, obtained by post infra-red stimulated luminescence: (i) T5 is c. 140 to 70 ka; (ii) T6 is c. 60 to 35 ka. The single archaeological and fossiliferous level located at the base of the T6 upper division, recording the last regional occurrence of megafauna (elephant and rhinoceros) and Mousterian artefacts, is now dated at 44 ± 3 ka. With reference to the arrival of Neanderthals in the region, probably by way of the Tejo valley (from central Iberia), new dating suggests a probable age of 200–170 ka for the earliest Mousterian industry located in the topmost deposits of T4.

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Vascular flora of Milan Malpensa airport (Lombardy, Italy). Part I: checklist

Natural History Sciences ◽

10.4081/nhs.2019.410 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Marco Martignoni ◽

Enrico Banfi ◽

Gabriele Galasso

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Regional Level ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Vascular Flora ◽

History Museum ◽

Positive Effects ◽

The Alps ◽

Italian Flora ◽

The One ◽

Conservation Of Biodiversity

Airport areas have, among flight infrastructures, large green spaces which, not having production purposes, are managed through interventions of minimal disturbance on habitats, with potentially positive effects on the conservation of biodiversity. The checklist of the vascular flora of the airport of Milan Malpensa is here presented. This airport extends for 12.44 km2 in the southwestern portion of the province of Varese (Lombardy, Italy) in the administrative districts of Cardano al Campo, Casorate Sempione, Ferno, Lonate Pozzolo, Samarate, Somma Lombardo and Vizzola Ticino. The collection campaigns were carried out between August 2010 and September 2018. The specimens collected are now kept in the herbarium facility of the Natural History Museum of Milan (MSNM). The floristic list was organized following the arrangement and the nomenclature of the recently published Italian flora checklists. It includes 395 taxa of specific and subspecific rank (9.35% of the entire flora of Lombardy) belonging to 247 genera and 72 families. The native taxa are 318, while the alien ones are 77. The native/aliens ratio is comparable to the one calculated at the regional level (4.10 vs. 4.42). The endemic contingent includes two taxa: Centaurea nigrescens subsp. pinnatifida, Italian endemic, and Euphrasia cisalpina, endemic to the Alps. The Malpensa airport is still the only site confirmed at the national level for Lepidium heterophyllum and, at the regional level, for Festuca muralis and Euphrasia cisalpina. The ecological characteristics and the data analysis will be discussed in a second contribution.

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Different effects of invader–native phylogenetic relatedness on invasion success and impact: a meta-analysis of Darwin's naturalization hypothesis

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2016.0663 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 283 (1838) ◽

pp. 20160663 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Chao Ma ◽

Shao-peng Li ◽

Zhichao Pu ◽

Jiaqi Tan ◽

Manqiang Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Local Scale ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Native Communities ◽

Invasion Stage ◽

Investigation Methods ◽

Darwin's Naturalization Hypothesis ◽

Darwin’S Naturalization Hypothesis

Darwin's naturalization hypothesis (DNH), which predicts that alien species more distantly related to native communities are more likely to naturalize, has received much recent attention. The mixed findings from empirical studies that have tested DNH, however, seem to defy generalizations. Using meta-analysis to synthesize results of existing studies, we show that the predictive power of DNH depends on both the invasion stage and the spatial scale of the studies. Alien species more closely related to natives tended to be less successful at the local scale, supporting DNH; invasion success, however, was unaffected by alien–native relatedness at the regional scale. On the other hand, alien species with stronger impacts on native communities tended to be more closely related to natives at the local scale, but less closely related to natives at the regional scale. These patterns are generally consistent across different ecosystems, taxa and investigation methods. Our results revealed the different effects of invader–native relatedness on invader success and impact, suggesting the operation of different mechanisms across invasion stages and spatial scales.

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