Search results for "Botanica"
showing 10 items of 1665 documents
An updated overview of invasive Caulerpa taxa in Sicily and circum- Sicilian Islands, strategic zones within the NW Mediterranean Sea
2017
The spread dynamics of invasive Caulerpa taxa (i.e. Caulerpa cylindracea, C. taxifolia var. taxi- folia and C. taxifolia var. distichophylla) in Sicily and circum-Sicilian Islands, based on relevant publications, grey literature, unpublished data and in situ observations during the last 23 years, is presented here and discussed. Their known distribution is mapped. New records are also reported. Transport-stowaway is considered the most plausible vector of introduction of invasive Caulerpa in the area. The three invasive taxa showed different spread dynamics. Caulerpa cylindracea and C. taxifolia var. distichophylla, behaved as highly successful and fast-spreading taxa, i.e. as true invasive…
The role of Characeae in the communities of the vegetation class Potametea
2018
The stonewort vegetation is commonly classified into the phytosociological class Charetea fragilis F. Fukarek ex Krausch 1964; however, the Characeae are not exclusively found in vegetation stands ascribed to this class but also in other habitat types. In our preliminary investigations, we draw the attention to the relationship between the classes Charetea fragilis and Potametea pectinati Klika in Klika & Novák 1941 in some Sicilian biotopes. In some cases, the Charetea vegetation is ecologically and spatially distinct, although close, from that referable to the Potametea. In some other cases, one or more species of Characeae are structurally intrinsic to the vegetation of Potametea: on…
The role of herbaria for taxonomic and distributional studies in Characeae: examples from the Herbarium Mediterraneum Panormitanum (PAL) and the Flor…
2018
Characeae is a taxonomically critical family. Taxonomical uncertainties inevitably affect its distributional data. The role of herbarium specimens, particularly types and original material, is crucial for unravelling taxonomical ‘knots’. Moreover, wet areas have undergone dramatic reduction and modification in the last century and historical herbarium specimens may represent basic documents for the reconstruction of former distributions. Some preliminary data from two different Italian Herbaria are here presented. The Herbarium Mediterraneum Panormitanum (PAL, the standard acronym according to the Index herbariorum, http://sweetgum.nybg.org/ ih) houses four folders of Characeae exsiccata. T…
DEEP RHODOLITH BEDS IN THE USTICA ISLAND (SICILY, SOUTHERN TYRRHENIAN SEA): A SEDIMENTARY AND PALEOECOLOGICAL APPROACH
2018
The results of a multidisciplinary study conducted on the circali- ttoral soft bottom assemblages at Secchitello (Sicchiteddu) and in the neighbouring areas along the southern coast of Ustica Island (Sicily, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea) are presented. In particular, the study pro- vided useful data for a taxonomic, ecological and paleoecological revi- sion of the Coastal Detritic facies with free-living calcareous algae and for a critical analysis of their relationship with the sedimentary dynamics. During a survey, carried out by the University of Catania (1991) with a R.O.V. (remotely operated vehicle), the presence of the Coastal Detritic (DC) biocoenosis, characterized by a surprisingly hig…
Citizen science: a successful tool for monitoring biodiversity in Marine Protected Areas
2018
In the last few decades, anthopogenic activities, introduction of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS, i.e. organisms introduced outside of their natural range), and climate changes, have significantly affected Mediterranean marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (Coll et al., 2010). All that is also true for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), whose major aim is biodiversity conservation. Therefore, monitoring and surveillance plans are strongly needed, and the creation of public awareness campaigns might be effective tool to plan effective management and conservation strategies in MPAs. Since intensive monitoring programs could be very expensive, citizen science, the involvement of citizens in …
Citizen and scientists work together to monitor marine alien macrophytes
2018
The introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) is an ongoing phenomenon which has been pointed out as a major threat to biodiversity at different levels (Wallentinus, Nyberg 2007, Katsanevakis et al. 2014, Vergés et al. 2016). NIS may in time become invasive (Invasive Alien Species “IAS”) and may cause biodiversity loss and ecosystem service changes (Brunel et al. 2013, Giakoumi 2014, Vergés et al. 2016). The Mediterranean Sea is an important hotspot for marine NIS (ca. 1,000 such species recorded to date, Zenetos et al. 2012, Galil et al. 2015, Verlaque et al. 2015). To reduce the risk of future IAS introduction and to better understand their invasive po- tential and spread dynamics, mon…
The role of phanerogams and cryptogams in the recolonization of cork oak forests crossed by wildfire in Sicily
2017
The actual distribution and structure of cork oak woods is the result of a process of anthropogenic alteration (utilization of cork, deforestation, coppicing, overgrazing, changes in land use, fire). Additional causes of threats in Q suber woods are pests and fungal disease. Although cork oak is an active pyrophyte the decortication of trunks makes trees more vulnerable to external agents and to fire in particular. Post-fire species are mainly carbonicolous fungi, some Ascomycetes make their appearance after around six weeks while other fungi begin to appear from the second year. The proliferation of fungal hyphae in the ash, as well as of some pioneer mosse protonemata, promotes soil aggre…
The Herbarium SAF fungal culture collection as a potential source of nutraceuticals and cultivated mushrooms
2017
Thirty-nine strains of Basidiomycetes belonging to 9 genera of 8 families are kept in the Mycotheca of the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences of the University of Palermo (Italy). All the isolates are related to medicinal mushrooms and some of them are of great commercial and nutraceutical interest.
Definizione di un protocollo per la caratterizzazione morfologica e molecolare del genere Daldinia Ces. & De Not. (Ascomycota) in Sicilia
2009
La possibilità di chiarire la tassonomia di alcuni complessi di specie come nel caso di Daldinia Ces. De Not. (1) per mezzo di indagini sia morfologiche che molecolari, permette un’esatta definizione dei taxa sulla base delle loro caratteristiche biologiche ed ecologiche. In un precedente studio (2) , effettuato sulla base dei caratteri teleomorfici ed anamorfici, sono stati descritti due taxa nuovi per la Scienza provenienti dal territorio siciliano: Daldinia martinii M. Stadler, Venturella & Wollweber e D. raimundi M. Stadler, Venturella & Wollweber. In questo contributo le stesse entità ed altri campioni di Daldinia di provenienza siciliana sono state analizzate con tecnologie differenti…
1, 10, 100, how many floristic databases are there in Italy?
2013
The Group for Floristics of the Italian Botanical Society (SBI) prepared a questionnaire to be distributed among all those concerned. On the whole about three dozens feedbacks were collected and analysed.