Search results for "Shrub"
showing 10 items of 101 documents
Bioclimatology and Vegetation Series in Sicily: A Geostatistical Approach
2015
Tackling the Sicilian woody vegetation as a case-study, this work aims to verify the correspondence between Rivas-Martínez's bioclimatic units and the main vegetation series in the Mediterranean region. Following this approach, one macrobioclimate and 25 bioclimatic type belts can be recognized in Sicily. By means of a geostatistical analysis based on WorldClim data sets, cartographic models of the distribution range of each single bioclimatic unit were obtained and combined with vegetation data, in order to develop a new regional spatial framework, integrating climatic and vegetation data. Fidelity of each vegetation unit to a given climatic range was then evaluated as percent distribution…
Monitoring temporal changes in the spatial patterns of a Mediterranean shrubland using Landsat TM images
2001
Summary The overall goal of this study is to understand the structure and function of a Mediterranean shrubland at landscape scale by means of satellite images and GIS. Specifically, to assess the sensitivity of several spatial statistics to characterise landscape pattern, measure fragmentation and quantify the change through time. We study the landscape structure of a Mediterranean shrubland located in the east part of Spain (Valencia) and the change in spatial patterns of different shrubs types from 1984 to 1994. To accomplish these objectives, we used 10 Landsat™ images from 1984 to 1994 (except 1988) to which a geometric correction and an atmospheric normalization was applied. In additi…
Macrofungi in Mediterranean maquis along seashore and altitudinal transects
2014
In semi-arid Mediterranean environments, fungal activity is fundamental for buffering biotic and abiotic stress to the plant and for sustaining a vegetation cover. Despite the important role that fungi play in habitats stability, mycological data from Mediterranean ecosystems are scarce and fragmentary. We investigated fungal diversity in several areas characterized by Mediterranean maquis, from continental Italy, Sicily, and Greece in order to contribute to the analysis of distribution, ecology, and diversity of macrofungi in evergreen sclerophyllous shrublands at different elevation and distance from the seashore across the Mediterranean Basin. Several fungal taxa that are remarkable due …
Soil aggregate stability under different Mediterranean vegetation types
1998
The influence of vegetation type on soil erodibility was studied by means of aggregate stability measurements using the Modified Emerson Water Dispersion Test (MEWDT), water-drop impacts (CND and TDI) and Ultrasonic Disruption (UD) methods on soils from north-facing slopes of the mountain range of La Serra Grossa in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. Soils with similar characteristics but covered by the main plant species at the study area were selected. Quercus ilex woodland showed the most resistant soil aggregates followed by Q. coccifera and Pistacea lentiscus scrubland, Brachypodium retusum grassland and Pinus halepensis woodland. Aggregates developed beneath dwarf shrubs like Rosmarinus o…
Impervious Surfaces Alter Soil Bacterial Communities in Urban Areas: A Case Study in Beijing, China
2018
The rapid expansion of urbanization has caused land cover change, especially the increasing area of impervious surfaces. Such alterations have significant effects on the soil ecosystem by impeding the exchange of gasses, water, and materials between soil and the atmosphere. It is unclear whether impervious surfaces have any effects on soil bacterial diversity and community composition. In the present study, we conducted an investigation of bacterial communities across five typical land cover types, including impervious surfaces (concrete), permeable pavement (bricks with round holes), shrub coverage (Buxus megistophylla Levl.), lawns (Festuca elata Keng ex E. Alexeev), and roadside trees (S…
A Foliar Disease of European Hackberry Endemic in Sicily
2019
European hackberry (Celtis australis L.; Ulmaceae), a semideciduous tree or shrub that produces small edible berries was originally grown in Italy to produce charcoal and timber and was particularly suitable for making whipstocks, carriage wheel spokes, and hoe handles. European hackberry is currently used for reforestation and as shade trees in parks and roadside plantings. Recently, a foliar disease caused by the dematiaceous hyphomycetous fungus Sirosporium celtidis (Biv.-Bern. ex Sprengel) M.B. Ellis on hackberry saplings in a nursery was observed in the Piedmont Region (northern Italy) by Giannetti et al. (2), who referred to it as a rare disease. However, during a survey in the natur…
Characterization of a Cucumber mosaic virus isolate infecting Mandevilla sanderi (Hemsl.) Woodson
2005
In 2004, virus-like symptoms consisting of yellow rings in older leaves were observed in the foliage of Mandevilla sanderi grown from shoots in the province of Catania (Sicily, Italy). The plants were tested for virus presence using DAS-ELISA, mechanical inoculations to the host, RT-PCR and SSCP. Serological tests detected Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in all symptomatic leaf samples. The virus was mechanically transmitted to 11 of the 15 host species tested, including some of the Chenopodiaceae and Solanaceae families; indicator plants showed symptoms typical of CMV subgroup I. RT-PCR, SSCP and cloning were employed to characterize this CMV isolate, and to make clear its genetic relationship…
A syntaxonomical survey of the Sicilian dwarf shrub vegetation belonging to the class Rumici-Astragaletea siculi
2005
Basing on literature data and unpublished relevés from Sicily, a survey of the syntaxa belonging to the class Rumici-Astragaletea siculi Pignatti & Nimis 1980 em. Mucina 1997 (= Cerastio-Carlinetea nebrodensis Brullo 1984) is presented. The class groups orophilous plant communities dominated by dwarf- shrubs, often with a pulvinate and thorny growth form. The class is represented in Sicily by two orders: Rumici-Astragaletalia siculi Pignatti & Nimis 1980, including the sole alliance Rumici-Astragalion siculi Poli 1965, restricted to Mount Aetna, and Erysimo-Jurinetalia bocconei Brullo 1984, including two alliances: the acidophilous Armerion nebrodensis Brullo 1984 and the basiphilous Cerast…
Prehistoric land use at an archaeological hot-spot (the rock art park of Campo Lameiro, NW Spain) inferred from charcoal, synanthropic pollen and non…
2013
Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and charcoal from a colluvial soil surrounded by prehistoric petroglyphs (Campo Lameiro, NW Spain) were studied in order to assess the nature of human activities and their impact on Holocene vegetation patterns. Several phases of anthropogenic impact were observed. (i) Between 7.6 and 6.5 ka cal BP, synanthropic taxa (Urtica dioica type, Plantago lanceolata type) and coprophilous fungi (e.g. Sporormiella-type) are indicative of early (pre-agricultural) creation of small patches of pasture using fire, possibly for incipient animal husbandry or as part of a deliberate strategy to improve game availability. Such activities only had a minor effect on the deciduou…
Can the Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) Still Be Considered a Difficult-to-Propagate Crop?
2021
As a perennial xerophytic shrub, characterized by plesiomorphic features, the caper (Capparis spinosa L.) is naturally spread throughout the Mediterranean basin and occupies an important ecological role, as well as an economic one, in traditional and specialized systems for commercial production. This species, in spite of its wide diffusion, is currently considered at risk of genetic erosion, mainly due to overgrazing and overharvesting for domestic uses and for trade. This situation is made more serious because of the lack of efficient propagation techniques, determining the caper as a “difficult-to-propagate species”. In this review, we report the main available sexual and vegetative prop…