New Data on Native and Alien Vascular Flora of Sicily (Italy): New Findings and Updates

Cambria, Salvatore; Azzaro, Dario; Caldarella, Orazio; Aleo, Michele; Bazan, Giuseppe; Guarino, Riccardo; Torre, Giancarlo; Cristaudo, A; Ilardi, Vincenzo; Rosa, Alfonso La; Laface, Valentina; Luchino, Fabio; Mascia, Francesco; Minissale, Pietro; Sciandrello, Saverio; Tosetto, Luca; Tavilla, Gianmarco

doi:10.3390/plants12091743

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 48 publications

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“…Many checklists have been recently published worldwide, at regional [ 21 ] and national [ 22 ] levels, in order to better highlight the diachronic changes locally occurring. Furthermore, in Italy, the knowledge of alien flora in different regions has significantly increased in the last decade [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ], although much attention has been paid to highly prioritized IAS in Italy and other European countries, representing a potential threat to the national flora [ 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Alien Plant Taxa for Italy and Europe: An Update

Musarella,

Laface,

Angiolini

et al. 2024

Plants

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Despite the wide amount of scientific contributions published on alien plant species, their diffusion dynamics, and their interactions with native taxa, it is increasingly difficult to slow down their spreading and their negative impact on habitats. Last recent years, in fact, a sharp rise in the number of new alien plant taxa introduced in Italy and Europe has been recorded. The aim of this work is to investigate most of the Italian territory in order to verify whether this alarming trend is still underway. Specimen collections and/or observations of alien plants have been performed in as many as 12 Italian regions. All the collected specimens are stored in public or private herbaria. Taxa have been identified according to the literature from the countries of origin of the investigated taxa, while the nomenclature followed the current international references. Updates on 106 taxa are reported. In particular, among 117 new records, 89 are first records, 27 are changes to status and there is 1 extinction. Seven new taxa for Italian alien flora are reported, two of which are new to Europe. The administrative regions with the highest number of records are Calabria (48), Sardegna (17) and Sicilia (15). Five of the surveyed taxa, for the first time, have been considered invasive aliens to Italian territory. The unfrequent amount of original results provided by this work, over the simple importance of data itself, proves how floristic investigation, still today, represents one of the most effective tools in broadening the current knowledge about alien taxa and their dynamics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Alien Plant Taxa for Italy and Europe: An Update

Musarella,

Laface,

Angiolini

et al. 2024

Plants

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Plant distribution and conservation in mediterranean islands’ lentic wetlands: there is more than aquatic species

Fois,

Cuena-Lombraña,

Artufel

et al. 2024

Biodivers Conserv

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This study investigates the distribution and conservation status of plant species in lentic wetlands of Mediterranean islands. Field data on vascular macrophytes were collected from the online national databases of the “Conservation of the island wetlands of the Mediterranean Basin” (MedIsWet). A comprehensive inventory of wetlands was conducted, and information on the main anthropogenic impacts and conservation priorities was compiled. In addition to all vascular hygro- and hydrophytes, we retained information on those species typically adapted to environments with intermittent or temporary wetness. A significant knowledge gap regarding the distribution and conservation of plant species in Mediterranean wetlands was found. A lower endemism rate was observed particularly in coastal wetlands. However, approximately 25% of species, mainly with relatively wide distribution, were identified as endangered or with unknown conservation status. Including all macrophytes adapted to seasonal wetness is crucial when considering wetland conservation efforts. The research emphasised the importance of considering diverse wetland types, including seasonal and permanent, natural and artificial, for effective plant conservation. Artificial wetlands emerged as potential habitats with considerable biodiversity conservation value. This study provides a comprehensive inventory of wetlands and valuable insights into the distribution, ecology, and conservation relevance of aquatic macrophytes in Mediterranean islands. The research enhances our understanding of biogeographic patterns and processes, offers critical information for the management and conservation of Mediterranean island wetlands, and presents a replicable approach that can be applied to other wetland contexts.

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The Use of Drones for Cost-Effective Surveys in Natura 2000 Protected Areas: A Case Study on Monitoring Plant Diversity in Sicily (Italy)

Tavilla,

Crisafulli,

Minissale

et al. 2024

Land

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, present a cost-effective solution for the swift collection of data from vast and remote areas that are otherwise difficult to access. The Mediterranean Basin, known for being a hotspot for plant biodiversity, hosts several habitats and taxa of significant naturalistic value. However, many of these areas are often inaccessible to botanists, making exploration and research challenging. The aim of this paper is to involve the utilization of drone surveys and open-source software for botanical research. Our primary goal is to show the effectiveness of these tools in the field and demonstrate their practical application in Natura 2000 sites. The protected area chosen for this research is Rocca di Novara, situated in northeastern Sicily. Thanks to our drone investigations, we were able to capture images of a mountainside that is inaccessible to humans. This allowed us to observe the habitat of some species in detail. One of the most fascinating discoveries was the reappearance of Saxifraga callosa subsp. australis, which had not been confirmed in this area for over 140 years. Using drones for botanical research can boost field research, making monitoring easier and more cost-effective over time, especially in Natura 2000 sites.

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New Data on Native and Alien Vascular Flora of Sicily (Italy): New Findings and Updates

Cited by 5 publications

References 48 publications

New Alien Plant Taxa for Italy and Europe: An Update

New Alien Plant Taxa for Italy and Europe: An Update

Plant distribution and conservation in mediterranean islands’ lentic wetlands: there is more than aquatic species

The Use of Drones for Cost-Effective Surveys in Natura 2000 Protected Areas: A Case Study on Monitoring Plant Diversity in Sicily (Italy)

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