Search results for "leaf"
showing 10 items of 371 documents
Leaf anatomy in Tamarix arborea var. arborea (Tamaricaceae)
2012
Previously unpublished data on the macro- and micro-morphological features of the leaf of Tamarix arborea var. arborea are provided. Clear differences in salt gland localization and type of venations were observed in the investigated species compared to other Tamarix species, thus emphasizing the taxonomic value of the leaf within this genus.
Plant morphology: outdated or advanced discipline in modern plant sciences?
2019
In the last decades, with the increase of molecular studies, the study of plant forms has gone through a steady decline in interest, and researches on this topic are often neglected and underestimated. Notwithstanding, comparative morphology as integrative discipline still assumes a pivotal role in modern sciences, remaining fundamentally relevant to nearly all fields of plant biology, such as systematics, evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, not to mention also agriculture, bioengineering, and forensic botany. Contrary to common belief, plant morphology is not a conservative finished science, but, like other sciences, it is open to constant innovations in…
Leaf water relation traits in typical Sicilian varieties of Vitis vinifera L.
2014
In Italy, grapevines are extensively cultivated, with Sicily representing one of the most significant wine regions. The high number of autochthonous grapevine varieties represents an important source of genetic diversity, and the many Sicilian varieties have anatomical and physiological traits that allow them to resist to different levels of drought stress. We investigated the water relation parameters of four cultivars of Vitis vinifera L. (Catarratto, Corinto, Nero d'Avola and Zibibbo) and characterized their leaf hydraulics. Measurements were conducted during summer on plants growing in the experimental field of the IBBR-CNR near Palermo. Daily patterns of leaf water potential (Yleaf) an…
Seagrass meadows at the extreme of environmental tolerance: the case ofPosidonia oceanicain a semi-enclosed coastal lagoon
2009
Atoll-like structures of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica were encountered in the innermost area of the Stagnone di Marsala, a semi-enclosed coastal lagoon along the western coasts of Sicily. The area is characterized by limited water exchange with the open sea and by a marked seasonal variation of water salinity and temperature, reaching beyond the theoretical tolerance limits of the species. In the present study we determined the genetic composition of the atoll-like structures, as well as the growth performance and flowering rate of these stands. We also assessed whether and to what extent the atoll-like structures are genetically isolated from plants growing in mead…
Effect of different substrata on rhizome growth, leaf biometry and shoot density of Posidonia oceanica
2013
The effects of different substratum typologies on Posidonia oceanica growth and morphology were estimated in four Sicilian meadows using Generalized and Linear Mixed Models combined with retrodating and biometric analyses. Substratum exerted a multiple effect, resulting in different biometric features for P. oceanica shoots settled on rock from those growing on sand and matte. On rock, values for growth rate, leaf length and shoot surface were lower than those on other substrata, with 42%, 23% and 32% the highest degree of difference respectively. The present study may have interesting methodological consequences for the comprehensive understanding of the causative variables potentially aff…
Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in Lithops aucampiae during leaf development.
2021
Abstract Lithops (Aizoaceae) are succulent plants consisting of a pair of opposite succulent leaves inserted on an extremely short stem. The apical meristem produces a new leaf pair that develops between the older pair, recycling water and metabolites. This peculiar anatomy and growth form make ecophysiological studies quite challenging. Lithops are considered to have CAM metabolism, though experimental evidence is scarce. We followed the changes in carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in mature leaves, young leaves and roots, with the aim of investigating how the use of resources is optimized to achieve survival in extremely arid environments. Two-year-old plants of Lithops aucampiae were g…
Seagrass detritus as marine macroinvertebrates attractor
2022
Seagrasses colonise coastal areas worldwide. Despite their high primary production, a considerable proportion becomes detritus that can be used as food, physical habitat and occasional or permanent shelter by several benthic macroinvertebrates. In turn, macroinvertebrates can contribute to regulating seagrass decomposition, and represent an important trophic link between primary producers and higher consumers. Nonetheless, several factors could modify colonizer responses to this habitat. In this study, we tested if colonisation of the seagrass detritus of Zostera noltei Hornemann, 1832 was related to substrate availability rather than food and whether the colonising assemblages were similar…
Green roofs for smart cities: experimental determination of the “fractional vegetation coverage” of six vegetated species
2015
Towards a de-carbonization of European countries, green roofs are becoming popular, due not only to aesthetic reasons but also to energy and environmental issues. Indeed, especially in summer periods, the building cooling demand might be sensibly cut thanks to such passive components often chosen for planning smart cities. To properly model the energy performances of buildings equipped with these components, a particular attention must be paid to radiative exchanges occurring among soil surface, leaves and outdoor surroundings. These thermal exchanges depend on parameters, like the “fractional vegetation coverage” whose literature data do not seem particularly suitable for the simulation ne…
EDIFICI AD ENERGIA NETTA ZERO: UN CASO STUDIO ITALIANO
2011
L’industria, il sistema dei trasporti e l’edilizia sono i tre principali macro settori economici che più determinano un consumo di energia: In Italia, in particolare, ben il 30% dell’energia elettrica e il 40% di quella termica vengono impiegate nel settore civile d’utenza [1]. La necessità di ridurre i consumi energetici, determinata da sempre più restrittivi vincoli di natura ambientale e dal crescente costo dell’energia, gioca un ruolo importante nel modificare i canoni di progettazione e le modalità di manutenzione energetica degli edifici. Da ciò discende anche la crescente attenzione della comunità scientifica internazionale verso il concetto di Edificio ad Energia Netta Zero (EENZ), …