1,721,194 research outputs found
Human disturbance threats the red-listed macrolichen Seirophora villosa (Ach.) Frödén in coastal Juniperus-habitats: evidence from western peninsular Italy.
No full textIn Europe, coastal dune systems with Juniperus spp. (Natura 2000 habitat code 2250) are a priority habitat for conservation according to the Natura 2000 policies. Currently, anthropogenic pressure is threatening the biodiversity of this habitat. While the impact of human pressure on animals and vascular plants is already documented, information is still scanty for other organisms such as epiphytic lichens. The main aim of this study is to test the effect of human disturbance on the occurrence and abundance of the red-listed macrolichen Seirophora villosa. We also tested the effect of human disturbance on the whole community of epiphytic lichens in terms of species richness and composition. The study was performed along the coast of Tuscany by comparing both disturbed and undisturbed Juniperus stands according to a stratified random sampling design. Our results provided evidence that in coastal systems the long-term conservation of the red-listed macrolichen S. villosa and its characteristic community composed by several Mediterranean species of conservation concern depends on the maintenance of undisturbed Juniperus habitats. Results also support the possibility of using S. villosa as an indicator species of habitat conservation importance and habitat integrity since its occurrence is predicted on nestedness in term of species composition, assemblages of species poor disturbed stands being subsets of those of richer undisturbed stand
Vegetation analysis on wetlands in a Tuscan agricultural landscape (central Italy)
No full textThe plant communities on the wetlands of an agricultural landscape in central Italy were studied. Indicator
species, dominant life forms, alien species cover and prevailing habitat conditions (using Ellenberg indicator values) were
shown to characterize the four groups that emerged from a classification analysis. 31 vegetation units were documented
by 98 original phytosociological relevés and a floristic, synecological and distributional description was presented with
syntaxonomic notes for each unit. A new association, Rorippo amphibiae-Potentilletum reptantis, was described. The high
phytocoenotic diversity, the 7 coenoses belonging to habitat of Community or regional interest and the higher risks affecting
these wetlands in an anthropic countryside (eutrophication, invasion of exotic species, human modifications of the landscape)
underline the fact that these wetlands are of high conservation value and the goal of protecting this very important
environment
Distribution of Nymphaea alba L. (Nymphaeaceae) in Tuscany [Distribuzione di Nymphaea alba L. (Nymphaeaceae) in Toscana]
No full textThe authors report the distribution of Nymphaea alba L. in Tuscany by the analysis of herbarium specimens, bibliographic references and records on field. The study shows two different situations: the species is distributed almost exclusively along the wetland's net on the northwestern floodplains in the district of Florence, Pistoia, Lucca, Pisa and Massa. Except for few and isolated sites, in the districts of Arezzo, Siena and Grosseto, the species seems not to occur in the rest of Tuscan wetlands. © 2018 Società Botanica Italiana onlus
Contribution to the knowledge of Mediterranean wetland vegetation: Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily
Full text linkThe freshwater aquatic vegetation of the Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily was surveyed and analyzed. 85 lakes and small pools were investigated collecting 147 phytosociological unpublished relevés to integrate the very scarce available data (only 3 relevés). By applying statistical analyses on abundances data and on the bases of physiognomy and dominant species, two alliances (Lemnion minoris and Stratiotion) and four different coenoses have been identify for the Lemnetea class; while 11 associations, assigned to two orders (Potamogetonetalia pectinati and Callitricho hamulatae-Ranunculetalia aquatilis) and four alliances (Potamogetonion, Nymphaeion albae, Ranunculion aquatilis and Ranunculion omiophyllo-hederacei) have been recognized for the Potamogetonetea class. A new association (Junco bufonii-Ranunculetum omiophylli ass. nov.) and a new subassociation (Ranunculetum peltati ranunculetosum rionii subass. nov.) have been proposed, whereas other six vegetation units were found to be new for the study area (Potamogetono-Ceratophylletum submersi, Potamogetonetum pusilli, Ranunculetum aquatilis, Ranunculetum peltati and
Ranunculetum rionii, Lemno-Callitrichetum obtusangulae). For all the coenoses recognized, new insights on the floristic composition, syntaxonomy, synphiognomy, synecology and synchorology are reported, offering a reasoned overview of the aquatic vegetation of the western sector of the main Mediterranean island
Prevenzione dell'abuso sessuale extrafamiliare: indagine su padri e madri in ambiente urbano e rurale
No full textPrevention of extra-family sexual abuse: a study on mothers and fathers in urban and rural environment. The purpose of the present research is to assess parents attitude towards sexual education, argued to be a possible form extra-family sexual abuse prevention. Especially, differences in the attitude towards the sexual education and in the awareness of extra-family abuse had been investigated in relationship to parents sex (father versus mother), the settlement type (urban versus rural), children age (6, 8, and 10 years), and children sex (male versus female). The study demanded the compilation of structured interview. The results underline a positive but uncertain attitude of parents towards sexual education of their children. Parents choice to provide sexual education to their children depends on children age (10 years old are considered more suitable for sexual education), parents sex (mothers approve sexual education more than fathers; moreover, mothers retain sexual education a form of sexual abuse prevention more than fathers do), and settlement type (parents from urban settlement believe in the value of sexual education for their own children significantly more than parents from rural ones)
Persistence of the Strictly Endemic Plants of Forest Margins: The Case of Cirsium alpis-lunae in the Northern Apennines (Italy)
Full text linkNarrow endemic plants constitute a pivotal group for conservation, being often reduced to a small contingent of individuals and frequently threatened. However, effective conservation actions require reliable basic information about distribution range, ecological requirements, and population traits. Nevertheless, such knowledge results are incomplete or even completely missing for some neglected or recently described plants, such as Cirsium alpis-lunae, a thistle exclusive to the N-Apennines (Italy). To fill this gap, all sites where C. alpis-lunae grow were monitored, and data on the site and population traits were collected. Our results indicated that this plant is restricted to 16 scattered sites, varied in surface area and number of individuals. Reproductive and juvenile plants showed to be affected by roughly the same variables, in particular the surface of the site, the slope aspect, and the canopy cover. The narrow ecological niche of C. alpis-lunae was mainly determined by the canopy cover, and where coverage increases, the number of individuals decreases. The individuals only grow at forest edges, where the peculiar ecological conditions are limiting factors for the development of forestry cover; some other factors (i.e., high inclination and instability of the substrate) contribute to limiting the development of forestry vegetation and guarantee the persistence of these ecotones. Despite the great difficulties in accessing the sites where this species grows, this study presents, for the first time, a complete picture of the C. alpis-lunae population and yielded important data to identify effective conservation measures
Editorial: Multiple Roles of Alien Plants in Aquatic Ecosystems: From Processes to Modelling
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