Which are Southern Italy’s fastest growing tree species? Lessons from the past for future perspectives, with a special focus on Sicily

2020

Fast growing tree species can generate high wood production in a short time frame. However, maximum productivity is dependent on environmental and management conditions as well as intrinsic plant traits. Within this framework, our research was into tree species with the highest Mean Annual Increments (MAIs) in southern Italy, particularly in Sicily. Eucalyptus spp., Acacia saligna (Labill.) H. L. Wendl., Ailanthus altissima Mill. (Swingle), Pinus halepensis Mill. (including Pinus brutia Ten.), Pinus canariensis C.Sm. and Pinus radiata D. Don. were identified. In particularly suitable conditions, the MAI of eucalypt coppices ranged from 8 to 12 m3 ha-1, and from 13 to 19 m3 ha-1, in Eucalypt…

The cork oak in the Mountains of Palermo (Italy): ecological insights from the south-eastern edge of its distribution range

2020

Abstract: The uneven presence of the cork oak (Quercus suber L.) within its distribution range is not only determined by its climatic requirements but also by specific edaphic needs. Although most of the natural populations thrive in acidic soils deriving from metamorphic or volcanic rock outcrops, some cork oak populations are found growing in soils deriving from calcareous bedrock, which are considered less suitable. We carried out a multidisciplinary investigation at the south eastern edge of the Q. suber distribution range (Mountains of Palermo, NW Sicily), including soil, floristic, and vegetation surveys, aimed at: (i) assessing the native or introduced origin of some peculiar cork oa…

Recovery of cork forests and enhancement of by-products

2022

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a tree species native to the western Mediterranean Basin (EUFORGEN 2019). Cork oak forests are human-shaped ecosystems that have to be managed to be preserved in a long-term perspective. Cork oak stands range from closed forests to open woodlands, provide high ecosystem services, mainly through cork production, support high biodiversity and provide carbon storage and water regulation services. Due to their important ecological role, these ecosystems are listed in the European Habitats Directive (Habitat 9330: Quercus suber forests, EEC, 1992). In the last years, especially in Italy, cork oak stands are undergoing a relevant regression due to the decline of tra…

I fattori di rischio per la biodiversità forestale in Sicilia: il caso studio del cerro di Gussone

2011

Il cerro di Gussone (Quercus Gussonei (Borzì) Brullo) è una specie endemica della Sicilia esclusiva della catena dei Nebrodi e del bosco della Ficuzza. Il presente studio ha esaminato la rinnovazione di questa pianta, nella Riserva Naturale Orientata “Bosco della Ficuzza, Rocca Busambra, Bosco del Cappelliere, Gorgo del Drago”. Si tratta di una formazione boschiva monoplana che mostra chiari segni di deperimento. Per isolare i fattori che influenzano la rinnovazione e la crescita delle giovani piantine è stato eseguito un piano di trattamenti. Il risultato dello studio ha confermato che la rinnovazione si afferma in parte e, soprattutto, le giovani piantine non si accrescono a causa della p…

Carbon stock increases up to old growth forest along a secondary succession in Mediterranean island ecosystems.

2019

The occurrence of old-growth forests is quite limited in Mediterranean islands, which have been subject to particularly pronounced human impacts. Little is known about the carbon stocks of such peculiar ecosystems compared with different stages of secondary succession. We investigated the carbon variation in aboveground woody biomass, in litter and soil, and the nitrogen variation in litter and soil, in a 100 years long secondary succession in Mediterranean ecosystems. A vineyard, three stages of plant succession (high maquis, maquis-forest, and forest-maquis), and an old growth forest were compared. Soil samples at two soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm), and two litter types, relatively undec…

The decline of the cork oak growing in Sicily is accompanied by the loss of the functions proper to agroforestry systems

2021

The cork oak is one of the most important tree species in the Mediterranean basin, where it covers more than 2 million hectares. Among evergreen oaks, Quercus suber stands out for the variety of cultural systems in which it has been successfully employed, including typical agroforestry systems. Accordingly, a wide range of ecosystem services may be associated to cork oak, including the preservation of biodiversity, carbon sequestration and forage production. In the Mediterranean, the cork oak represents a key species for many natural and seminatural landscapes and habitats, as well as playing a prominent role for the economic and social development of local communities. However, there is in…

The Italian TREETALKER NETWORK (ITT-Net): continuous large scale monitoring of tree functional traits and vulnerabilities to climate change

2020

<p>The  <strong>Italian TREETALKER NETWORK (ITT-Net) </strong>aims to respond to one of the grand societal challenges: the impact of climate changes on forests ecosystem services and forest dieback. The comprehension of the link between these phenomena requires to complement the most classical approaches with a new monitoring paradigm based on large scale, single tree, high frequency and long-term monitoring tree physiology, which, at present, is limited by the still elevated costs of multi-sensor devices, their energy demand and maintenance not always suitable for monitoring in remote areas. The ITT-Net network will be a unique and un…

IoT monitoring of urban tree ecosystem services: Possibilities and challenges

2020

Urban green infrastructure plays an increasingly significant role in sustainable urban development planning as it provides important regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Monitoring of such dynamic and complex systems requires technological solutions which provide easy data collection, processing, and utilization at affordable costs. To meet these challenges a pilot study was conducted using a network of wireless, low cost, and multiparameter monitoring devices, which operate using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, to provide real-time monitoring of regulatory ecosystem services in the form of meaningful indicators for both human health and environmental policies. The pilot study w…

The evolution in time of the concept of fast growing tree species: is it possible to use a definition applicable to all environmental conditions?

2020

Although the expression “fast-growing species” (FGS) referred to tree species has been since long time used, a clear definition has not been adopted for decades. Starting from the Italian historical background, we searched for the definitions of FGS formulated over time at a national and international level. The mean annual increment (MAI) of 10 m3 ha-1, identified by the FAO, has been the most commonly considered threshold until recently. Subsequently, experimental activities and research efforts have consistently enhanced the productivity of FGS, and other definitions have been proposed accordingly. Hence, FGS should provide annual wood yields of 15-25 m3 ha-1 with rotations of less than …

Study of energetic properties of different tree organs in six Olea europaea L. cultivars

2021

AbstractPruning is an important horticultural practice for the management of olive orchards (Olea europaea L.) that generates a considerable amount of residues every year. Olive orchards are increasingly expanding beyond the Mediterranean Basin to new growing Countries (Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and this will certainly lead to larger availability of pruning material. Currently, the interest in use of olive tree pruning residues for energy purposes is increasing but unfortunately, the information on the differences among organs of the tree, in terms of calorific value and ash content, is scarce. Another unknown aspect is the effect of cultivar vigour on dry matter …

The paradox of the alien plant Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata (Rose) S. Zárate in Sicily: another threat for the native flora or a valuable re…

2020

With this contribution, an updated picture of the rapid expansion of Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata in Sicily is provided. On the one hand, this is a quite worrying sign, as this woody species figures among the world’s worst invasive alien species. On the other hand, the species shows interesting potential for production purposes (for wood, biomass and for feeding livestock), also considering its nitrogen fixation ability. Consequently, the two opposite options to cope with this species, i.e. cultivation and control/eradication, should accurately take into account the possible uses as well as its invasive behaviou.

Pine stand density influences the regeneration of Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. and native woody species in a mediterranean coastal pine planta…

2018

Mediterranean plantations are the most suitable areas to assess vegetation dynamics and competitive interactions between native and exotic woody species. Our research was carried out in a coastal pine plantation (Sicily) where renaturalization by native species (Pistacia lentiscus L. and Olea europaea var. sylvestris) and invasion by Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. simultaneously occur. The regeneration pattern of woody species in the pine understory was evaluated in six experimental plots along a stand density gradient, from 200 to approximately 700 pines per hectare. Both pine stand density and regeneration by native species had a significant negative relationship with Acacia natural …

The Root Mycobiota of Betula aetnensis Raf., an Endemic Tree Species Colonizing the Lavas of Mt. Etna (Italy)

2021

Betula aetnensis is an endemic tree of high conservation value, which thrives on the nutrient-poor volcanic soils of Mount Etna. Since plant–microbe interactions could play a crucial role in plant growth, resource uptake, and resistance to abiotic stresses, we aimed to characterize the root and rhizosphere microbial communities. Individuals from natural habitat (NAT) and forest nursery (NURS) were surveyed through microscopy observations and molecular tools: bacterial and fungal automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), fungal denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). B. aetnensis was found to be simultaneously colonized by arbuscular (AM), ectomycorrhizal (ECM), ericoid…

Formation and Characterization of Early Bacterial Biofilms on Different Wood Typologies Applied in Dairy Production

2018

ABSTRACT The main hypothesis of this work was that Sicilian forestry resources are suitable for the production of equipment to be used in cheese making and indigenous milk lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are able to develop stable biofilms providing starter and nonstarter cultures necessary for curd fermentation and cheese ripening, respectively. Hence, the present work was carried out with deproteinized whey to evaluate LAB biofilm formation on different woods derived from tree species grown in Sicily. Microbiological and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed minimal differences in microbial levels and compositions for the neoformed biofilms. The specific investigation of Salmonella spp.…

Nicodemia madagascariensis(Lam.) R. Parker (Family Scrophulariaceae), a casual alien plant new to Italy

2016

In this note the authors report the first case of naturalization of the Malagasy smoke bush within Italian territory. Along with a description of the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the invaded site, the current demographic and dynamic trends of the detected population by means of growth-ring analysis was also assessed. Moreover, an overview on the history of its introduction in Europe is provided, underlining the key role played by the Mediterranean cities with respect to the acclimatization and spread of alien tropical and subtropical plants. Due to its low frequency under cultivation, the Malagasy smoke bush should not behave as an invader in the future; on the other hand, its abil…

Agricultural land abandonment in Mediterranean environment provides ecosystem services via soil carbon sequestration

2016

Abandonment of agricultural land leads to several consequences for ecosystem functions. Agricultural abandonment may be a significant and low cost strategy for carbon sequestration and mitigation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions due to the vegetation recovery and increase in soil organic matter. The aim of this study was to: (i) estimate the influence of different Soil Regions (areas characterized by a typical climate and parent material association) and Bioclimates (zones with homogeneous climatic regions and thermotype indices) on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics after agricultural land abandonment; and (ii) to analyse the efficiency of the agri-environment policy (agri-environment measur…

Biomass and volume modeling in Olea europaea L. cv "Leccino"

2017

Key message: This work demonstrates that the Olive tree, which is managed and pruned as a fruit tree, can be treated as a forest tree using allometric equations, to estimate both biomass production and volumes. Abstract: The Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree that can grow and accumulate a relatively high amount of dry matter, even in dry environmental conditions common in the Mediterranean basin and typical of traditional rain-fed agriculture. The objective of this research was to develop a tool to predict woody biomass and tree component volume for the olive tree, to be used for different agricultural and environmental purposes. The study was carried out in six olive grove…

The naturalization of the almond Prunus dulcis in different ecological contexts in the Mediterranean: An underestimated process?

2022

Although Prunus dulcis has been frequently listed in non-native floras all around the world, its naturalization has been rarely studied in the field. Probably, because this species has generally invaded synanthropic habitats. We assessed the density of natural regeneration of almond, biometric parameters (height and basal stem diameter), and the distribution in life stage classes in three different ecological contexts in Sicily (Mediterranean Italy): one natural habitat (maquis), one pine afforestation and two prickly pear orchards. We recorded 236 naturally regenerating almond individuals, with density ranging from 140 individuals per hectare (prickly pear orchard 1) up to 2,400 individual…

The past distribution of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei: results of a multidisciplinary study

2019

The present study provides a critical review of the available historical data on the distribution of Abies nebrodensis, a fir tree endemic to Sicily. The only (somewhat ambiguous) references to its occurrence on Mount Etna date back to the 1st century bc and refer back to the 3rd century bc. Although the botanical and forestry literature and the very few surviving herbarium specimens do not prove that A. nebrodensis grew outside the Madonie mountain range, several indications suggest its past occurrence on other Sicilian mountain ranges such as the Erei, Nebrodi, and probably also Sicani mountains. The results of the most recent pollen investigations (still ongoing) point to the disappearan…

I pini monumentali della Fossa della Garofala.

2016

In città è difficile rinvenire alberi monumentali a causa delle negative interazioni tra le attività antropiche e la vegetazione. Lo sviluppo delle piante arboree assume un aspetto notevolmente differente rispetto a quello che si potrebbe avere in un ecosistema naturale. In una città come Palermo in cui la forte espansione urbanistica ha sottratto aree verdi rimangono solo alcuni lembi sopravvissuti alla cementificazione. Un caso particolare è rappresentato dalla Fossa della Garofala che, pur essendo inclusa all’interno del tessuto urbano, ha elevati caratteri di naturalità. Ciò è dovuto alla storia passata e recente, l’area acquisita dall’Università di Palermo nel 1950, grazie all’apposizi…

Monitoring the invasion of an exotic tree (Ailanthus altissima) (Mill.) Swingle with Landsat satellite time series imagery in urban forest.

2015

In the Mediterranean area, one the most threat tree to various ecosystems is Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. This is an aggressive invasive species common in natural and semi-natural habitat. Monitoring and mapping of invasive species is an important information for the conservation and management of ecosystems. The study of distribution and diffusion of invasive species are useful to assess their environmental impacts, formulate effective control strategies, and forecast potential spread. The main target of this work is to examine the feasibility of mapping the expansion of A. altissima using remote sensing techniques in a highly complex urban forest setting. Remote sensing has been a…

Nuovi dati sulla nidificazione del rigogolo Oriolus oriolus (L.) (Aves Oriolidae) in Sicilia

2013

The green granary of the Empire? Insights into olive agroforestry in Sicily (Italy) from the Roman past and the present

2023

Groves with ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.) could be considered remnants of old agroforestry systems. Anything but static, these agro-ecosystems have undergone drastic transformational processes in Mediterranean countries, where abandonment or intensification have been observed far more than continuity, expansion or renaissance, leading to environmental degradation of rural areas. Starting from this assumption and inspired by historical ecology and historical geography, we consider centuries-old olive trees as living archives of human-nature interactions and are thus proxies of past agroforestry. Our aim is to better understand what has driven dynamics of change and persistence, happ…

Vegetation dynamics within afforested coastal areas: regeneration by native species or invasion by alien species?

2017

During the last century, massive reforestation projects along the dunes of the southern Sicily have been carried out. Such interventions, far from being in line with the current trends of close-to-nature silviculture, are, however, particularly interesting to assess the vegetation dynamics in afforestation areas. Furthermore, these kind of interventions may determine two opposite effects, that is renaturalization by native woody species or invasion by alien species. Acacia spp. are among the most widespread and prominent invaders within Mediterranean-climate areas, where they have already shown the capability to deeply change the characters and the functioning of native ecosystems. For inst…

ANALISI DENDROCRONOLOGICA PER LO STUDIO DELL’ECOLOGIA DI ALCUNE SPECIE ARBOREE ED ARBUSTIVE IN SICILIA

Possibile origine e consistenza di un popolamento di Quercus trojana Webb subsp. trojana (Fagaceae) nel Bosco della Ficuzza (Palermo, Sicilia

2014

Possible origin and demographic asset of a population of Quercus trojana Webb subsp. trojana (Fagaceae) in the wood of Ficuzza (Palermo, Sicily). The first record of Macedonian oak in Sicily is reported. The finding consists of 73 adult and 4 young individuals. A morphometric analysis of all of them, along with an assessment of their phytosanitary status was carried out. They all grow between 700 and 850 m a.s.l. on a 2,30 ha area, characterized by a land mosaic of shrubland and forest patches. Notwithstanding two years of researches, no ultimate proof has been found on their alien status. On this purpose, several alternative hypothesis are formulated and their strengths and weaknesses are …

AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA (MILL.) SWINGLE (Simaroubaceae) IN SICILIA E CENNI STORICI SULLA SUA INTRODUZIONE IN ITALIA

2012

Nonostante la diffusa presenza dell’ailanto in Sicilia, mancavano sino ad oggi studi specifici a carattere regionale su questa specie arborea esotica invasiva. Allo scopo di colmare alcune di queste lacune, il presente lavoro si è posto cinque obiettivi: 1) ripercorrere la storia della diffusione globale dell’ailanto, prestando particolare attenzione all’Italia ed alla Sicilia; 2) analizzare le cause (antropiche e biologiche) della sua spiccata invasività a livello globale e locale; 3) fornire un primo quadro della sua distribuzione e della sua auto- e sinecologia sul territorio regionale; 4) stabilire i metodi più idonei ed efficaci per contenerne la diffusione e ridurne l’impatto ecologic…

Primi dati sugli alberi monumentali di Pantelleria

2016

Poche o nulla sono le informazioni sugli alberi monumentali delle piccole isole che circondano la Sicilia. Ciò è dovuto innanzitutto alla rarità di alberi definibili monumentali, le piccole isole hanno subito infatti una trasformazione ancora più profonda della Sicilia, ma anche ad un difetto di conoscenza. Il nostro vuole essere un primo contributo alla conoscenza degli alberi monumentali nell’isola di Pantelleria. Gli alberi censiti appartengono a due specie, il pino marittimo (Pinus pinaster subsp. hamiltonii) e il leccio (Quercus ilex). In realtà nel caso del pino marittimo possiamo parlare di un “popolamento monumentale” corrispondente alla pineta a pino marittimo presso la località Mo…

Emergenze vegetali dell'Isola di Lampedusa

2016

Per la peculiarità storica, geografica ed ambientale l’Isola di Lampedusa, e vista l’estrema frammentarietà delle formazioni preforestali, l’esiguità dei popolamenti (e degli individui) delle specie legnose assumono un valore scientifico e conservazionistico particolarmente elevato. Per queste ragioni è stato fatto un censimento eseguito con strumentazione GPS. Sull’isola crescono diverse specie di rilevante interesse conservazionistico, numerose sono infatti le specie endemiche, esclusive, rare e/o a rischio di estinzione perché legate a habitat molto vulnerabili e localizzati. A questa ragione d’interesse generale per questi taxa si somma il fatto che buona parte delle specie arboree tipi…