Italian Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between Regions

The tradition of floristic studies in Italy has made it possible to obtain a good knowledge of plant diversity both on a national and regional scale. However, the lack of knowledge for some areas, advances in plant systematics and human activities related to globalization, highlight the need for further studies aimed at improving floristic knowledge. In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria and literature surveys, we update the knowledge on the Italian vascular flora and analyze the floristic similarities between the administrative regions. Four taxa, all exotic, were recorded for the first time in Italy and Europe. In detail, Elaeodendron croceum, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Sedum spathulifolium var. spathulifolium were found as casual aliens, while Oxalis brasiliensis was reported as historical record based on some herbarium specimens. Furthermore, Kalanchoe laxiflora was confirmed as a casual alien species for Italy and Europe. Status changes for some taxa were proposed at both national and regional levels, as well as many taxa were reported as new or confirmed at the regional level. Currently the Italian vascular flora comprises 9150 taxa of which 7547 are native (of which 1598 are Italian endemics) and 1603 are exotic at the national level. The multivariate analysis of updated floristic data on a regional scale showed a clear distribution along the latitudinal gradient, in accordance with the natural geographical location of the regions in Italy. This pattern of plants distribution was not affected by the introduction of alien species. Despite some taxonomic and methodological issues which are still open, the data obtained confirm the important role of floristic investigations in the field and in herbaria, as well as the collaborative approach among botanists, in order to improve the knowledge of the Italian and European vascular flora

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 18

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, exclusions, and status changes from casual to naturalized or invasive for Italy or for Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Acacia, Akebia, Allocasuarina, Aloë, Brachychiton, Convolvulus, Freesia, Gleditsia, Hesperocyparis, Kalanchoë, Liriope, Mazus, Melia, Phyla, Platycladus, Prunus, and Retama. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. materia

Course and Lethality of SARS-CoV2 Epidemic in Nursing Homes after Vaccination in Florence, Italy

Evidence on the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in nursing home (NHs) residents is limited. We examined the impact of the BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on the course of the epidemic in NHs in the Florence Health District, Italy, before and after vaccination. Moreover, we assessed survival and hospitalization by vaccination status in SARS-CoV-2-positive cases occurring during the post-vaccination period. We calculated the weekly infection rates during the pre-vaccination (1 October–26 December 2020) and post-vaccination period (27 December 2020–31 March 2021). Cox analysis was used to analyze survival by vaccination status. The study involved 3730 residents (mean age 84, 69% female). Weekly infection rates fluctuated during the pre-vaccination period (1.8%–6.5%) and dropped to zero during the post-vaccination period. Nine unvaccinated (UN), 56 partially vaccinated (PV) and 35 fully vaccinated (FV) residents tested SARS-CoV-2+ during the post-vaccination period. FV showed significantly lower hospitalization and mortality rates than PV and UV (hospitalization: FV 3%, PV 14%, UV 33%; mortality: FV 6%, PV 18%, UV 56%). The death risk was 84% and 96% lower in PV (HR 0.157, 95%CI 0.049–0.491) and FV (HR 0.037, 95%CI 0.006–0.223) versus UV. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was followed by a marked decline in infection rates and was associated with lower morbidity and mortality among infected NH residents

Shedding light on typical species : implications for habitat monitoring

Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which suggests the use of typical species to assess habitat conservation status. Yet, the Directive uses the term “typical” species but does not provide a definition, either for its use in reporting or for its use in impact assessments. To address the issue, an online workshop was organized by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (SISV) to shed light on the diversity of perspectives regarding the different concepts of typical species, and to discuss the possible implications for habitat monitoring. To this aim, we inquired 73 people with a very different degree of expertise in the field of vegetation science by means of a tailored survey composed of six questions. We analysed the data using Pearson's Chi-squared test to verify that the answers diverged from a random distribution and checked the effect of the degree of experience of the surveyees on the results. We found that most of the surveyees agreed on the use of the phytosociological method for habitat monitoring and of the diagnostic and characteristic species to evaluate the structural and functional conservation status of habitats. With this contribution, we shed light on the meaning of “typical” species in the context of habitat monitoring

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. material

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. materia

<i>Amaranthus emarginatus</i> s.lat. (Amaranthaceae) in Italy

Amaranthus emarginatus belongs to the Amaranthus blitum complex, a critical taxonomic group. Within the variability of A. emarginatus, two taxa are often accepted, ‘emarginatus’ and ‘pseudogracilis’, which differ by habitus, synflorescence structure, and leaf size. However, their taxonomic value is debated, and A. emarginatus itself is sometimes included in A. blitum as subspecies. In this paper, molecular, morphological, phytogeographical, and ecological data are discussed to assess the most correct rank of these taxa. We conclude that A. emarginatus deserves specific distinctness from A. blitum, and A. pseudogracilis can be regarded as a subspecies of the former. This choice reflects both the molecular data and geographical distributions of A. blitum and A. emarginatus, i.e., Mediterranean area, Europe, and North Africa for the former vs. neotropics for the latter). Within A. emarginatus, in addition, to the different morphology, A. emarginatus var. pseudogracilis differs also on account of its ecological preferences, because it occurs in warm and humid areas, whereas A. emarginatus var. emarginatus is better adapted to cold and dry habitats. However, since molecular analyses cannot clearly separate the two taxa, we consider the subspecific rank as the most appropriate. We also found a further morphological difference in seed coat ornamentation, hitherto not pointed out: the shape of the peripheral cells is tetragonal in A. emarginatus subsp. pseudogracilis, but polygonal (cells with ≥ 5 sides) in subsp. emarginatus. Distributional maps and status assessment at regional level for the two taxa are provided. According to this revision, A. emarginatus subsp. emarginatus is to be regared as naturalized in central and southern Italy (Latium and Campania, respectively)

Agroalimentare Idrointelligente

Nell'ambito dell'agricoltura regionale risaltano le colture intensive di pieno campo in pianura quali pomodoro e mais. Si tratta di colture di pregio notoriamente assai sensibili allo stress idrico. Nell'impostazione concettuale del progetto si prende atto che per l'irrigazione ottimale attraverso tecnologie di precision farming e' necessario 1. mettere a sistema tutte le fasi del ciclo produttivo e 2. associare alla sperimentazione nuove tecnologie il controllo diretto sul campo. Questo approccio ha al cuore lo sviluppo sperimentale di una Piattaforma informatica di trattamento dei dati acquisiti e la loro integrazione nel sistema IRRINET, i.e. l'ufficialita' del "consiglio irriguo" in Emilia Romagna. Le fasi progettuali che determinano il flusso in ingresso nel fulcro del progetto prevedono lo sviluppo tecnologico di dimostratori destinati alla produzione industriale di: 1. una piattaforma tecnologica innovativa composta di unita' sensibili ai gas ed onde elettromagnetiche, 2. soluzioni integrate sensore-drone dedicate alle colture di mais e pomodoro. I dati di valutazione dello stress idrico forniti dalle attivita' di progetto, in ingresso in IRRINET, saranno restituiti dallo stesso come ricetta irrigua (rateo variabile). Affinché quest'ultima possa essere somministrata in modo efficiente e rendere credibile l'obiettivo dell'irrigazione ottimale, il progetto prevede lo sviluppo tecnologico di dimostratori destinati alla produzione industriale di: 1. un sistema di controllo per l'interfacciamento della ricetta irrigua con apparati di irrigazione semovente e 2. nuove combinazioni tecnologiche per il raggiungimento di una effettiva precisione degli apparati di irrigazione a rateo variabile. Il raggiungimento degli obiettivi di progetto introdurra' importanti innovazioni rispetto ai "consigli irrigui" oggi forniti a piu' grande scala da IRRINET (CER) o da Societa' private (spesso privi di validazione)