Lichens epiphytic on olive trees were used as biomonitors of sulphur dioxide pollution in La Spezia (Northern Italy). The method adopted was designed to avoid subjectivity at all stages, from the sampling strategy to data analysis. Thus, lichen data are expressed by an index that does not depend on any sensitivity scale; data analysis relies on multivariate methods of classification and ordination, and the pollution maps have been produced by automatic mapping programmes. The index, based on the frequency of species within a sampling grid, showed a very high statistical correlation with pollution data measured by recording gauges. The results of classification and ordination indicate that Parmelia caperata is the species with a distribution best related to the lichen index. The quality of air pollution data obtained from biomonitors is discussed.

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Several national and global initiatives aim to increase access to biodiversity information worldwide. The Italian National Biodiversity Network, started in the framework of the project “Sistema Ambiente 2010”, will organise and manage biodiversity data hosted by museums, universities and research centres in Italy, in order to make them widely available on the We

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Nowadays, urban areas play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation and habitat protection despite the constant pressures on which these habitats are subjected. They may even host relatively new plant communities due to the peculiar ecosystem where they vegetate. The port of Trieste (NE Italy) is characterized by a mixed mosaic of intensely human impacted areas (where commercial activities are still ongoing) flanked by abandoned areas where vegetation persists or has spontaneously recovered. In this study, we sampled the whole port area through a stratified random sampling by placing multiscalar nested plots in four different habitats (strata) previously identified by photo-interpretation. Plant species richness and abundance were assessed in each plot. Each species was then classified as native or alien and patterns of species richness and complementarity were compared among habitats. Results show that there is a significant difference in species richness patterns among habitats, while observed patterns are likely to vary at different spatial scales. As expected, urban plots account for most of the alien species in the sampling, while wooded plots cope better with invasion, accounting for a lower alien/native ratio. These results highlight how habitat diversity enhances biodiversity in urban areas and how it could provide an effective filtering effect able to reduce the spread of alien species. In addition, we provide further evidence for the use of multi-scale approaches in order to study the complex relationships between spatial heterogeneity and plant species richness

Freshwater habitats of the Italian Alps are largely unexplored and further floristic-ecological surveys are needed to clarify the role of freshwater lichens in these environments. This applies especially to springs, since they seem to be suitable for a relatively high number of aquatic species due to their ecological stability. The present work is focused on springs in an alpine region, and is centered on: (a) floristics of freshwater lichens of the Italian Alps, (b) ecological and morphological information on potential indicator species for calcareous and siliceous springs. The study was carried out in the eastern Italian Alps on 36 perennial springs. Single springs proved to host a surprisingly low number of species, while at regional level the entire pool of investigated springs host a relevant lichen flora representing 45% of the freshwater lichens of the Italian Alps. One species is new to Italy and 3 are new to Trentino-Alto Adige. Biodiversity conservation measures should therefore be planned at regional level, including a whole network of sites in different altitudinal belts and with different substrates. Verrucaria elaeomelaena and V. funckii are the most frequent species on calcareous and siliceous springs respectively. They are suggested as potential indicator species, since they proved to be indicative of the main physical, ecological and hydrochemical features of their habitat. A detailed morphological description of these two species is also provided in order to enhance their identification by environmentalists.