Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2015
ABSTRACT This work describes the lichen diversity found on the megalithic Dolmen of Sa Coveccada ... more ABSTRACT This work describes the lichen diversity found on the megalithic Dolmen of Sa Coveccada (Mores, Sardinia) until 2010. After that year, a restoration with chemical removal of lichen crusts took place, which destroyed a great part of the lichen communities. These were studied again after removal and lichen communities occurring on rock outcrops in the surroundings of the Dolmen and on a contiguous menhir were investigated as well for comparison. Before the restoration, 33 species had been recorded on the Dolmen, most being crustose, followed by foliose and fruticose forms. Among these, eight species are regarded as rare in Sardinia and five rare at lower elevations. Most of the recorded species are typical for eutrophic substrates and for meso- to xerophytic conditions. Studies on lichen diversity on archaeological monuments in Sardinia are limited. This is the first report on the lichens of a Sardinian dolmen. This paper questions whether the lichen diversity of such monuments should be preserved as lichens have been an important part of the monument ecosystem and of the landscape for many centuries. This work also aims to improve collaboration among lichen and monument experts, in order to avoid hasty restoration decisions.
In this study, we analyzed the effects of grazing on native and endemic plant diversity, as well ... more In this study, we analyzed the effects of grazing on native and endemic plant diversity, as well as its relationship with pastoral value along a gradient of abiotic and biotic factors and types of land management in a mountainous area of central-eastern Sardinia, Italy. Plant diversity was estimated by conducting a floristic survey within plots. In total, 231 plant species were recorded in 63 plots distributed within the study area, and this total number included 20 endemic species. Species richness was mainly affected by the type of management, soil attributes, altitude, and bioclimate. Pastoral value was strongly affected by nutrient availability and bioclimate. Our results suggest that the cover of endemic species increases with altitude. Finally, in Sardinian rangelands, a negative effect of grazing pressure on endemic species was observed.
Camarda, Ignazio and Bagella, Simonetta and Delitala, Giuseppe Marco and Moravetti, Alberto and N... more Camarda, Ignazio and Bagella, Simonetta and Delitala, Giuseppe Marco and Moravetti, Alberto and Nimis, Pier Luigi (1998) Punta Palai Ortakis Mularza Noa; coordinatore Ignazio Camarda. In: Camarda, Ignazio and Cossu, Andrea Vito Luigi (eds). Biotopi di Sardegna: ...
La Sardegna possiede un grande numero di specie di alberi monumentali comuni a gran parte della d... more La Sardegna possiede un grande numero di specie di alberi monumentali comuni a gran parte della dendroflora mediterranea, che possono essere annoverati tra quelli più annosi, come il leccio (Quercus ilex), la quercia da sughero (Quercus suber), la fillirea (Phillyrea latifolia), il corbezzolo (Arbutus unedo), il lentisco (Pistacia lentiscus), il terebinto (Pistacia terebinthus), il ginepro feniceo, (Juniperus phoenicea), il ginepro ossicedro (Juniperus oxycedrus) e il ginepro coccolone (Juniperus macrocarpa), e i più mesofili roverella (Quercus pubescens), tasso (Taxus baccata), agrifoglio (Ilex aquifolium), acero minore, (Acer monspessulanum) ontano nero (Alnus glutinosa), carpino nero (Ostrya carpinifolia), nonché le endemiche ginestra dell’Etna (Genista aetnensis) e ramno mandolino (Rhamnus persicifolia) (Camarda & al. 2008; Vannelli 1989, 1994).Tali entità, che per il loro antico isolamento geografico e genetico hanno costituito biotipi peculiari, sono distribuiti in gran parte ...
The flora of the island of Sardinia is caracterised by the presence of a high number of endemic s... more The flora of the island of Sardinia is caracterised by the presence of a high number of endemic species (Arrigoni 2006-2014), including narrow endemics, priority and rare species, such as many other islands of the Mediterranean basin. The prevailing paradigm for the evolution of such endemism relies on an important role of geographic isolation and allopatric speciation, and it is clearly related also to the different climatic and geo-pedological conditions in the Mediterranean. This work aimed to assess the presence and abundance of endemic, priority (sensu Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992) and rare species across the habitats of the Nature Map of Sardinia. It aims, therefore, to provide basic information for conservation and habitat management. The map legend counts 93 types of Corine Biotopes habitats, including the aggregation of some Corine habitats at a certain extent (for a total number of 27,261 GIS polygons). According to the Natura 2000 classification systems, the...
Il Compendio Garibaldino di Caprera comprende, oltre agli edifici dove sono collocati gli oggetti... more Il Compendio Garibaldino di Caprera comprende, oltre agli edifici dove sono collocati gli oggetti e strumenti che richiamano la figura di Garibaldi, anche l’area che costituiva l’azienda agraria annessa, dove il Generale ha trascorso gran parte della sua vita. La ricerca sugli aspetti ambientali dell’Azienda Agricola di Garibaldi - finalizzata agli interventi di riqualificazione dell’area del contesto museale del Compendio Garibaldino, agli aspetti conoscitivi, progettuali e al ripristino filologico ha l’obiettivo di mettere in luce le caratteristiche strutturali e funzionali dell’azienda, evidenziando quanto è rimasto dell’opera di Garibaldi, con il fine di un possibile recupero che richiami il quadro originario dei luoghi durante la vita dell’Eroe, restituendone il carattere identitario.
Solanum sisymbrifolium Lamark (Solanaceae) (wild tomato, sticky nightshade) is a shrubby subfruti... more Solanum sisymbrifolium Lamark (Solanaceae) (wild tomato, sticky nightshade) is a shrubby subfruticose weed of South American origin and a declared noxious weed in South Africa (Henderson, 1995). Since its first record in Sardinia (1983, accidentally introduced in agricultural areas of the NorthEast cost) S. sisymbrifolium, has greatly spread over an area of more than 4,000 hectares, located in the central-East part of the island. Despite being associated predominantly with disturbed habitats, such as roadsides, the weed has become increasingly invasive in conservation, agricultural areas, and pastures. The present research aimed to: (a) give a first contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of the invasive neophyte S. sisymbrifolium, (b) evaluate the rate of spread since the first record, (c) produce a distribution geo-database easy to update for future monitoring. The geo-database has been developed and implemented with S. sisymbrifolium distribution records and data collected b...
Since 1991, the Italian framework law on protected areas has been calling for a national “Nature ... more Since 1991, the Italian framework law on protected areas has been calling for a national “Nature Map”, i.e. an overarching tool for the assessment of the state of the environment in Italy. The methodology used for the national mapping project and its application in Sardinia is based on an integration of remote sensing techniques (e.g., supervised and unsupervised classification, ERDAS Image), GIS techniques (ESRI ArcGIS and ERDAS Image modelling engine) with floristic and vegetation field surveys geo-located with GPS (about 6,000 control plots, distributed along the 24,000 km² of the territory of the island of Sardinia and of its major islets) and stored on an ArcGIS geo-database. The legend of the Sardinian Nature Map is based on the Corine Biotopes habitat manual (Commission of the European Communities, 1991), and it takes into account also the correspondences with the EUNIS and the Natura 2000 classification systems. The Sardinian Nature Map can be plotted at the resolution and p...
Sulla scelta di Garibaldi di costruire la sua dimora a Caprera, più Autori concordano che abbiano... more Sulla scelta di Garibaldi di costruire la sua dimora a Caprera, più Autori concordano che abbiano influito sia le motivazioni di tipo emozionale suscitate dall‘attrattiva naturalistica dell‘Isola, sia la possibilità di trovare un ambiente comunque idoneo per la creazione di una azienda agraria, pur essendo le aree fertili oggettivamente ridotte. Piccole aree erano ricavabili, un po‘ ovunque, tra i graniti, ma il cuore dell‘azienda era incentrato su quattro aeree principali come del resto dimostrano i suoi diari agricoli e quelli dei visitatori che hanno trattato dell‘azienda e delle sue attività. Garibaldi aveva un interesse non meramente amatoriale per le piante e, in effetti, i titoli della sua biblioteca, oltre che per diversi aspetti scientifici, dimostrano un’attenzione particolare sia per le piante coltivate, sia per le piante spontanee. Non è certamente un caso che il Gennari (1870), durante gli studi sulla flora di Caprera, sia stato ospite del Generale. Si devono soprattutt...
ABSTRACT Arable land and agro-ecosystems are human-made habitats with a high representation of no... more ABSTRACT Arable land and agro-ecosystems are human-made habitats with a high representation of non-native species and with specific disturbance regimens. In agro-ecosystems, in particular, non-native species have a tangible economic impact through crop yield losses. The available literature on non-native plant species in irrigated crops in Sardinia was examined and field surveys were made to verify the presence and persistence of the alien weeds hitherto reported and to detect the presence of newcomers. An comprehensive updated inventory of Sardinian non-native weed flora in irrigated crops, including accepted names, family, synonyms, biological form, type of fruit and region of origin and classified according to their time of introduction and invasive status in the island, is provided. A total number of 129 species are listed with one new record for the island. The irrigated crops in Sardinia are significantly rich in non-native invasive entities and this type of land-use represents an important reservoir of non-native species and pathways of introduction of new weeds and therefore should be constantly monitored.
A checklist of the flora of Chad has been compiled by the authors, based on literature, on-line d... more A checklist of the flora of Chad has been compiled by the authors, based on literature, on-line data-bases, herbarium collections and land surveys (1998-2011). It counts 2,460 records, i.e. 2,288 species (including 128 autonyms), 83 subspecies, 81 varieties, 8 forms, while all the previous available information reported 1,600 species. They belong to 151 Families, with 48.7% of the taxa belonging to the 6 largest families, i.e. Poaceae (14.6%), Fabaceae (13.6%), Cyperaceae (7.0%), Asteraceae (6.2 %), Malvaceae (3.9%) and Rubiaceae (3.4%). A total number or 2,173 species (88.3%) are native to Chad, including 55 (2.2%) endemic species, while 274 (11.0%) are alien to Chad, and 13 (0.5%) are considered cryptogenic, i.e. of uncertain status. It represents a considerable update on previous knowledge on the alien flora of Chad that counted for 131 taxa (5.3%). There are 657 therophytes (26.7%), 546 phanerophytes (22.2%), 378 hemicryptophytes (15.4%), 256 chamaephytes (10.4%), 160 geophytes ...
Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2015
ABSTRACT This work describes the lichen diversity found on the megalithic Dolmen of Sa Coveccada ... more ABSTRACT This work describes the lichen diversity found on the megalithic Dolmen of Sa Coveccada (Mores, Sardinia) until 2010. After that year, a restoration with chemical removal of lichen crusts took place, which destroyed a great part of the lichen communities. These were studied again after removal and lichen communities occurring on rock outcrops in the surroundings of the Dolmen and on a contiguous menhir were investigated as well for comparison. Before the restoration, 33 species had been recorded on the Dolmen, most being crustose, followed by foliose and fruticose forms. Among these, eight species are regarded as rare in Sardinia and five rare at lower elevations. Most of the recorded species are typical for eutrophic substrates and for meso- to xerophytic conditions. Studies on lichen diversity on archaeological monuments in Sardinia are limited. This is the first report on the lichens of a Sardinian dolmen. This paper questions whether the lichen diversity of such monuments should be preserved as lichens have been an important part of the monument ecosystem and of the landscape for many centuries. This work also aims to improve collaboration among lichen and monument experts, in order to avoid hasty restoration decisions.
In this study, we analyzed the effects of grazing on native and endemic plant diversity, as well ... more In this study, we analyzed the effects of grazing on native and endemic plant diversity, as well as its relationship with pastoral value along a gradient of abiotic and biotic factors and types of land management in a mountainous area of central-eastern Sardinia, Italy. Plant diversity was estimated by conducting a floristic survey within plots. In total, 231 plant species were recorded in 63 plots distributed within the study area, and this total number included 20 endemic species. Species richness was mainly affected by the type of management, soil attributes, altitude, and bioclimate. Pastoral value was strongly affected by nutrient availability and bioclimate. Our results suggest that the cover of endemic species increases with altitude. Finally, in Sardinian rangelands, a negative effect of grazing pressure on endemic species was observed.
Camarda, Ignazio and Bagella, Simonetta and Delitala, Giuseppe Marco and Moravetti, Alberto and N... more Camarda, Ignazio and Bagella, Simonetta and Delitala, Giuseppe Marco and Moravetti, Alberto and Nimis, Pier Luigi (1998) Punta Palai Ortakis Mularza Noa; coordinatore Ignazio Camarda. In: Camarda, Ignazio and Cossu, Andrea Vito Luigi (eds). Biotopi di Sardegna: ...
La Sardegna possiede un grande numero di specie di alberi monumentali comuni a gran parte della d... more La Sardegna possiede un grande numero di specie di alberi monumentali comuni a gran parte della dendroflora mediterranea, che possono essere annoverati tra quelli più annosi, come il leccio (Quercus ilex), la quercia da sughero (Quercus suber), la fillirea (Phillyrea latifolia), il corbezzolo (Arbutus unedo), il lentisco (Pistacia lentiscus), il terebinto (Pistacia terebinthus), il ginepro feniceo, (Juniperus phoenicea), il ginepro ossicedro (Juniperus oxycedrus) e il ginepro coccolone (Juniperus macrocarpa), e i più mesofili roverella (Quercus pubescens), tasso (Taxus baccata), agrifoglio (Ilex aquifolium), acero minore, (Acer monspessulanum) ontano nero (Alnus glutinosa), carpino nero (Ostrya carpinifolia), nonché le endemiche ginestra dell’Etna (Genista aetnensis) e ramno mandolino (Rhamnus persicifolia) (Camarda & al. 2008; Vannelli 1989, 1994).Tali entità, che per il loro antico isolamento geografico e genetico hanno costituito biotipi peculiari, sono distribuiti in gran parte ...
The flora of the island of Sardinia is caracterised by the presence of a high number of endemic s... more The flora of the island of Sardinia is caracterised by the presence of a high number of endemic species (Arrigoni 2006-2014), including narrow endemics, priority and rare species, such as many other islands of the Mediterranean basin. The prevailing paradigm for the evolution of such endemism relies on an important role of geographic isolation and allopatric speciation, and it is clearly related also to the different climatic and geo-pedological conditions in the Mediterranean. This work aimed to assess the presence and abundance of endemic, priority (sensu Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992) and rare species across the habitats of the Nature Map of Sardinia. It aims, therefore, to provide basic information for conservation and habitat management. The map legend counts 93 types of Corine Biotopes habitats, including the aggregation of some Corine habitats at a certain extent (for a total number of 27,261 GIS polygons). According to the Natura 2000 classification systems, the...
Il Compendio Garibaldino di Caprera comprende, oltre agli edifici dove sono collocati gli oggetti... more Il Compendio Garibaldino di Caprera comprende, oltre agli edifici dove sono collocati gli oggetti e strumenti che richiamano la figura di Garibaldi, anche l’area che costituiva l’azienda agraria annessa, dove il Generale ha trascorso gran parte della sua vita. La ricerca sugli aspetti ambientali dell’Azienda Agricola di Garibaldi - finalizzata agli interventi di riqualificazione dell’area del contesto museale del Compendio Garibaldino, agli aspetti conoscitivi, progettuali e al ripristino filologico ha l’obiettivo di mettere in luce le caratteristiche strutturali e funzionali dell’azienda, evidenziando quanto è rimasto dell’opera di Garibaldi, con il fine di un possibile recupero che richiami il quadro originario dei luoghi durante la vita dell’Eroe, restituendone il carattere identitario.
Solanum sisymbrifolium Lamark (Solanaceae) (wild tomato, sticky nightshade) is a shrubby subfruti... more Solanum sisymbrifolium Lamark (Solanaceae) (wild tomato, sticky nightshade) is a shrubby subfruticose weed of South American origin and a declared noxious weed in South Africa (Henderson, 1995). Since its first record in Sardinia (1983, accidentally introduced in agricultural areas of the NorthEast cost) S. sisymbrifolium, has greatly spread over an area of more than 4,000 hectares, located in the central-East part of the island. Despite being associated predominantly with disturbed habitats, such as roadsides, the weed has become increasingly invasive in conservation, agricultural areas, and pastures. The present research aimed to: (a) give a first contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of the invasive neophyte S. sisymbrifolium, (b) evaluate the rate of spread since the first record, (c) produce a distribution geo-database easy to update for future monitoring. The geo-database has been developed and implemented with S. sisymbrifolium distribution records and data collected b...
Since 1991, the Italian framework law on protected areas has been calling for a national “Nature ... more Since 1991, the Italian framework law on protected areas has been calling for a national “Nature Map”, i.e. an overarching tool for the assessment of the state of the environment in Italy. The methodology used for the national mapping project and its application in Sardinia is based on an integration of remote sensing techniques (e.g., supervised and unsupervised classification, ERDAS Image), GIS techniques (ESRI ArcGIS and ERDAS Image modelling engine) with floristic and vegetation field surveys geo-located with GPS (about 6,000 control plots, distributed along the 24,000 km² of the territory of the island of Sardinia and of its major islets) and stored on an ArcGIS geo-database. The legend of the Sardinian Nature Map is based on the Corine Biotopes habitat manual (Commission of the European Communities, 1991), and it takes into account also the correspondences with the EUNIS and the Natura 2000 classification systems. The Sardinian Nature Map can be plotted at the resolution and p...
Sulla scelta di Garibaldi di costruire la sua dimora a Caprera, più Autori concordano che abbiano... more Sulla scelta di Garibaldi di costruire la sua dimora a Caprera, più Autori concordano che abbiano influito sia le motivazioni di tipo emozionale suscitate dall‘attrattiva naturalistica dell‘Isola, sia la possibilità di trovare un ambiente comunque idoneo per la creazione di una azienda agraria, pur essendo le aree fertili oggettivamente ridotte. Piccole aree erano ricavabili, un po‘ ovunque, tra i graniti, ma il cuore dell‘azienda era incentrato su quattro aeree principali come del resto dimostrano i suoi diari agricoli e quelli dei visitatori che hanno trattato dell‘azienda e delle sue attività. Garibaldi aveva un interesse non meramente amatoriale per le piante e, in effetti, i titoli della sua biblioteca, oltre che per diversi aspetti scientifici, dimostrano un’attenzione particolare sia per le piante coltivate, sia per le piante spontanee. Non è certamente un caso che il Gennari (1870), durante gli studi sulla flora di Caprera, sia stato ospite del Generale. Si devono soprattutt...
ABSTRACT Arable land and agro-ecosystems are human-made habitats with a high representation of no... more ABSTRACT Arable land and agro-ecosystems are human-made habitats with a high representation of non-native species and with specific disturbance regimens. In agro-ecosystems, in particular, non-native species have a tangible economic impact through crop yield losses. The available literature on non-native plant species in irrigated crops in Sardinia was examined and field surveys were made to verify the presence and persistence of the alien weeds hitherto reported and to detect the presence of newcomers. An comprehensive updated inventory of Sardinian non-native weed flora in irrigated crops, including accepted names, family, synonyms, biological form, type of fruit and region of origin and classified according to their time of introduction and invasive status in the island, is provided. A total number of 129 species are listed with one new record for the island. The irrigated crops in Sardinia are significantly rich in non-native invasive entities and this type of land-use represents an important reservoir of non-native species and pathways of introduction of new weeds and therefore should be constantly monitored.
A checklist of the flora of Chad has been compiled by the authors, based on literature, on-line d... more A checklist of the flora of Chad has been compiled by the authors, based on literature, on-line data-bases, herbarium collections and land surveys (1998-2011). It counts 2,460 records, i.e. 2,288 species (including 128 autonyms), 83 subspecies, 81 varieties, 8 forms, while all the previous available information reported 1,600 species. They belong to 151 Families, with 48.7% of the taxa belonging to the 6 largest families, i.e. Poaceae (14.6%), Fabaceae (13.6%), Cyperaceae (7.0%), Asteraceae (6.2 %), Malvaceae (3.9%) and Rubiaceae (3.4%). A total number or 2,173 species (88.3%) are native to Chad, including 55 (2.2%) endemic species, while 274 (11.0%) are alien to Chad, and 13 (0.5%) are considered cryptogenic, i.e. of uncertain status. It represents a considerable update on previous knowledge on the alien flora of Chad that counted for 131 taxa (5.3%). There are 657 therophytes (26.7%), 546 phanerophytes (22.2%), 378 hemicryptophytes (15.4%), 256 chamaephytes (10.4%), 160 geophytes ...
Uploads