Plant diversity and grassland naturalness of differently managed urban areas of Torino (NW Italy)

Lonati, Michele; Probo, Massimiliano; Gorlier, Alessandra; Pittarello, Marco; Scariot, Valentina; Lombardi, Giampiero; Enri, Simone Ravetto

doi:10.17660/actahortic.2018.1215.44

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…(3) a rich anthropogenic flora occuring in cultivated lands (segetal taxa; Figure 29) and human-made habitats (ruderal taxa), e.g., those trampled (Figure 31) and/or grasslands and pastures occurring on nutrient-rich soils (e.g., Figures 33 and 34). Notably, this type of flora plays an important role as a source of floristic richness in metropolitan areas [9,[111][112][113]. It is also noteworthy that some species of conservation interest grow in anthropogenic environments, as crop wild relatives [114,115].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity in Urban Areas: The Extraordinary Case of Appia Antica Regional Park (Rome, Italy)

Iamonico

2022

Plants

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The first inventory of the flora of Appia Antica Regional Park (Italy), one of the largest protected urban areas in Europe (4580 ha), its biological, ecological and biogeographical composition, and notes of the vegetation physiognomies and landscape are presented; physical characteristics of the territory (geomorphology, lithotypes, and phytoclimate) are also given. The landscape is defined by an agricultural matrix with natural and seminatural areas as patches, and riparian vegetation communities as corridors. The vegetation physiognomies are represented by types linked to the Mediterranean climate (mixed, Mediterranean, and riparian forests; scrubby, rocky, aquatic, and helophytic vegetation; anthropogenic communities). The floristic list includes 714 taxa (104 families and 403 genera). Therophytes prevail over hemicryptophytes; woody flora comprises about 30% of alien species. As regards chorotypes, together with a considerable number of Mediterranean species, there are many exotic species with wide distribution areas testifying to a long-lasting anthropic impact. Floristic novelties (european, national, and regional levels) for 21 taxa are reported. The extraordinary species diversity discovered (43% of flora of Rome and 20% of regional flora) is linked to the landscape heterogeneity, the characteristics of which are: (1) persistence of residual natural patches, (2) occurrence of quite well-preserved aquatic habitats and humid meadows, (3) a rich anthropogenic flora, (4) an interesting flora of archeological sites, (5) occurrence of species not common in Latium, (6) occurrence of populations of aliens in crops (which cause economic impact), (7) presence of aliens on archeological ruins (which cause economic-social impacts). The extensive set of data provided represents a general base framework for guiding future research efforts and landscape action plans consistent with environmental sustainability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity in Urban Areas: The Extraordinary Case of Appia Antica Regional Park (Rome, Italy)

Iamonico

2022

Plants

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“…Among the suggested measures, regular mowing to preserve early successional stages is noted [121], alongside more detailed strategies like the enhancement of grassland areas through the introduction of meadow species and systematic mowing. These practices are aimed at establishing vegetation typical of oligotrophic grassy ecosystems within a few years [26,[122][123][124].…”

Section: Impact Of Management Regimes On Non-forest and Forest Igsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Management Practices for Biodiversity Preservation in Urban Informal Green Spaces: Lessons from Central European City

Archiciński,

Przybysz,

Sikorska

et al. 2024

Land

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Urban informal green spaces (IGS) represent valuable reservoirs of biodiversity within urban areas and are increasingly recognized as integral components of green infrastructure. They are perceived as temporary ecosystems, and the management of their vegetation is relatively understudied. The development time of spontaneous vegetation on transformed lands is considered to be in the range of decades, which makes it even more necessary to provide managers with better guidelines for such a long period. Two suggested management approaches for these areas involve: (1) retaining vegetation at various stages of succession (non-forest IGS) and (2) protecting advanced developmental stages (forest IGS), with options for balanced intervention or complete non-intervention. However, the differences in biodiversity between these two types in cities across Central Europe remain unknown, as well as whether the predictors of biodiversity at both local and landscape scales are consistent for non-forest and forest IGS. We examined factors such as habitat continuity, landscape structure, soil quality, and human impact to shed light on pathways for enhancing urban floristic diversity. Conducting extensive botanical surveys in existing informal green spaces (IGS) in Warsaw, we derived various parameters, including the total number of species, Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index, hemeroby, urbanity, share of species from distinct ecological groups, and the number of rare and ancient forest plant species. Tracing habitat continuity from the early 20th century using digitized aerial imagery provided a unique long-term perspective on IGS development. We revealed that no management is pivotal for the conservation of select rare and ancient forest species. On the other hand, partial abandonment with occasional maintenance may enrich species diversity across different successional phases. We uncovered the significant influence of landscape structure and human activity on vegetation species composition within IGS. Notably, IGS proximate to extensive forest landscapes displayed a marked abundance of forest species, alongside a greater prevalence of rare species. However, the presence of other vegetation types in the vicinity did not yield similar effects. Our findings indicate that IGS, when left untouched for decades near forested areas, are valuable for urban biodiversity. As cities across the globe seek sustainable paths, this research underscores the importance of properly understanding and integrating IGS into urban ecological planning.

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Environmental factors and management intensity affect in different ways plant diversity and pastoral value of alpine pastures

Pittarello

Lonati

Enri

et al. 2020

Ecological Indicators

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Plant diversity and grassland naturalness of differently managed urban areas of Torino (NW Italy)

Cited by 5 publications

References 30 publications

Biodiversity in Urban Areas: The Extraordinary Case of Appia Antica Regional Park (Rome, Italy)

Biodiversity in Urban Areas: The Extraordinary Case of Appia Antica Regional Park (Rome, Italy)

Conservation Management Practices for Biodiversity Preservation in Urban Informal Green Spaces: Lessons from Central European City

Environmental factors and management intensity affect in different ways plant diversity and pastoral value of alpine pastures

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