Can Artificial Ecosystems Enhance Local Biodiversity? The Case of a Constructed Wetland in a Mediterranean Urban Context

Constructed wetlands (CW) are considered a successful tool to treat wastewater in many countries: their success is mainly assessed observing the rate of pollution reduction, but CW can also contribute to the conservation of ecosystem services. Among the many ecosystem services provided, the biodiversity of CW has received less attention. The EcoSistema Filtro (ESF) of the Molentargius-Saline Regional Natural Park is a constructed wetland situated in Sardinia (Italy), built to filter treated wastewater, increase habitat diversity, and enhance local biodiversity. A floristic survey has been carried out yearly 1 year after the construction of the artificial ecosystem in 2004, observing the modification of the vascular flora composition in time. The flora of the ESF accounted for 54 % of the whole Regional Park’s flora; alien species amount to 12 %; taxa of conservation concern are 6 %. Comparing the data in the years, except for the biennium 2006/2007, we observed a continuous increase of species richness, together with an increase of endemics, species of conservation concern, and alien species too. Once the endemics appeared, they remained part of the flora, showing a good persistence in the artificial wetland. Included in a natural park, but trapped in a sprawling and fast growing urban context, this artificial ecosystem provides multiple uses, by preserving and enhancing biodiversity. This is particularly relevant considering that biodiversity can act as a driver of sustainable development in urban areas where most of the world’s population lives and comes into direct contact with nature

HDV can constrain HBV genetic evolution in hbsag: Implications for the identification of innovative pharmacological targets

Chronic HBV + HDV infection is associated with greater risk of liver fibrosis, earlier hepatic decompensation, and liver cirrhosis hepatocellular carcinoma compared to HBV mono-infection. However, to-date no direct anti-HDV drugs are available in clinical practice. Here, we identified conserved and variable regions in HBsAg and HDAg domains in HBV + HDV infection, a critical finding for the design of innovative therapeutic agents. The extent of amino-acid variability was measured by Shannon-Entropy (Sn) in HBsAg genotype-D sequences from 31 HBV + HDV infected and 62 HBV mono-infected patients (comparable for demographics and virological-parameters), and in 47 HDAg genotype-1 sequences. Positions with Sn = 0 were defined as conserved. The percentage of conserved HBsAg-positions was significantly higher in HBV + HDV infection than HBV mono-infection (p = 0.001). Results were confirmed after stratification for HBeAg-status and patients’ age. A Sn = 0 at specific positions in the C-terminus HBsAg were correlated with higher HDV-RNA, suggesting that conservation of these positions can preserve HDV-fitness. Conversely, HDAg was characterized by a lower percentage of conserved-residues than HBsAg (p < 0.001), indicating higher functional plasticity. Furthermore, specific HDAg-mutations were significantly correlated with higher HDV-RNA, suggesting a role in conferring HDV replicative-advantage. Among HDAg-domains, only the virus-assembly signal exhibited a high genetic conservation (75% of conserved-residues). In conclusion, HDV can constrain HBsAg genetic evolution to preserve its fitness. The identification of conserved regions in HDAg poses the basis for designing innovative targets against HDV-infection

Photoswitchable diacylglycerols enable optical control of protein kinase C.

Increased levels of the second messenger lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) induce downstream signaling events including the translocation of C1-domain-containing proteins toward the plasma membrane. Here, we introduce three light-sensitive DAGs, termed PhoDAGs, which feature a photoswitchable acyl chain. The PhoDAGs are inactive in the dark and promote the translocation of proteins that feature C1 domains toward the plasma membrane upon a flash of UV-A light. This effect is quickly reversed after the termination of photostimulation or by irradiation with blue light, permitting the generation of oscillation patterns. Both protein kinase C and Munc13 can thus be put under optical control. PhoDAGs control vesicle release in excitable cells, such as mouse pancreatic islets and hippocampal neurons, and modulate synaptic transmission in Caenorhabditis elegans. As such, the PhoDAGs afford an unprecedented degree of spatiotemporal control and are broadly applicable tools to study DAG signaling

Are the Targets of the Nature Restoration Regulation Achievable at a Regional Scale? An Analysis of Natura 2000 Sites on the Island of Sardinia

The Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) aims to restore 20% of degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems across Europe by 2030. One of the initial provisions states that, by 2030, Member States should prioritize the restoration of natural ecosystems within Natura 2000 sites, emphasizing the urgency of assessing the conservation status of habitats in these areas. We selected Sardinia as a case study to evaluate the feasibility of the NRR at the regional level. The Natura 2000 sites in Sardinia cover a comparable percentage of territory (18.87%) to the national (19.38%) and European level (18.6%). Additionally, Sardinia’s insularity, high biodiversity levels, and low population density make it an ideal model for testing restoration strategies. Using official Natura 2000 data provided by the Italian Ministry of the Environment, we assessed the potential for restoration for each habitat within each site based on the conservation status values. The results indicated that coastal ecosystems were the most endangered. However, their limited distribution meant that their restoration would have a modest impact on achieving the NRR target. In contrast, forest and shrub habitats, which were more widely distributed, emerged as the main contributors to the restoration goals. Conducting this study at a regional level allowed us to provide actionable recommendations for management practices to be locally adopted. Our findings confirmed that restoration efforts confined to Natura 2000 sites alone would be insufficient to meet the NRR targets, underscoring the need to implement additional restoration measures in agricultural, urban, and other natural and semi-natural areas

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: the challenge ahead.

Lifestyle factors are responsible for a considerable portion of cancer incidence worldwide, but credible estimates from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that the fraction of cancers attributable to toxic environmental exposures is between 7% and 19%. To explore the hypothesis that low-dose exposures to mixtures of chemicals in the environment may be combining to contribute to environmental carcinogenesis, we reviewed 11 hallmark phenotypes of cancer, multiple priority target sites for disruption in each area and prototypical chemical disruptors for all targets, this included dose-response characterizations, evidence of low-dose effects and cross-hallmark effects for all targets and chemicals. In total, 85 examples of chemicals were reviewed for actions on key pathways/mechanisms related to carcinogenesis. Only 15% (13/85) were found to have evidence of a dose-response threshold, whereas 59% (50/85) exerted low-dose effects. No dose-response information was found for the remaining 26% (22/85). Our analysis suggests that the cumulative effects of individual (non-carcinogenic) chemicals acting on different pathways, and a variety of related systems, organs, tissues and cells could plausibly conspire to produce carcinogenic synergies. Additional basic research on carcinogenesis and research focused on low-dose effects of chemical mixtures needs to be rigorously pursued before the merits of this hypothesis can be further advanced. However, the structure of the World Health Organization International Programme on Chemical Safety 'Mode of Action' framework should be revisited as it has inherent weaknesses that are not fully aligned with our current understanding of cancer biology

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Reduction of inter- and intraspecific seed mass variability along a land-use intensification gradient

The functional response of natural patches to surrounding land-use changes is strongly related to variations in functional traits of coexisting species. To exemplify the effects on species of a general pattern of land-use intensification mountains-coastland, we investigated the variation of a key plant trait - seed mass - in small woodlots located along a land-use intensification gradient for two common species (Asparagus albus and Asparagus acutifolius) in the Mediterranean areas. Moreover, along this gradient, we also explored the relationship between seed mass variation and different environmental filters. Along the gradient, A. acutifolius seed mass decreased from natural and semi-natural to urban and artificial areas (higher to lower elevation), whereas A. albus seed mass increased along the same gradient, with heavier seed in patches located in the urban and artificial areas than in those located in natural and semi-natural areas. At intra-specific level, A. acutifolius seeds were significantly different at the extremes of the gradient (natural and semi-natural vs urban and artificial areas), while A. albus showed significant differences both between natural and semi-natural areas and urban and artificial areas, and between agricultural and urban and artificial areas, revealing more sensitiveness to land-use change. The land-use type influenced seed mass variability: in the small patches located in natural and semi-natural areas and in agricultural ones, we observed for both species a higher seed mass variability, being highest in the agricultural areas, while we observed a limited variability in urban and artificial areas, suggesting a homogenization in terms of seed mass within and across species in human-altered areas. Environmental drivers on the seed mass of the two species showed an opposite trend in relation to biotic, topographic and bioclimatic variables. We observed that for two common Mediterranean species, land-use type influenced one of the most important plant functional traits (i.e., seed mass), leading to a reduction of intraspecific variability in artificial context. Understanding how and why these relations occur could improve our capacity to find adaptive strategies for environmental management

“Tutto insieme forestiero e italiano”. Leopardi, il Romanticismo e la traduzione

Dans cette contribution, apreès avoir reparcouru le débat romantique sur la traduction, on retrace les lignes fondamentales de la méditation de Leopardi sur ce sujet, afin de vérifier les affinités et les différences du poète de Recanati par rapport à la fois aux théories de son époque et aux débats italiens.Nel presente contributo, dopo aver ritracciato il dibattito romantico sulla traduzione, si ripercorrono le linee fondamentali della meditazione di Leopardi sul tema, per verificare affinità e differenze del Recanatese, sia rispetto alle teorie del tempo che rispetto ai dibattiti in Italia.In this contribution, after having retraced the romantic debate on translation, the fundamental lines of Leopardi's meditation on the subject are retraced, to verify the affinities and differences of the Recanatese, both with respect to the theories of the time and with respect to the debates in Italy

Senecio inaequidens DC. will thrive in future climate: A case study in a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot

Monitoring the expansion of invasive non-native plants under current and future climatic conditions is crucial for understanding biodiversity threats, addressing the ecological impact, and developing effective management strategies. This study focuses on modelling the expansion and distribution of Senecio inaequidens DC. on the island of Sardinia (Italy) to address these environmental challenges. The objectives were to identify bio-climatically suitable areas under current conditions, project potential future distribution, and evaluate invasion dynamics on the island to localize suitable areas for effective management strategies. Species data were collected from 1991 to the present, supplemented by global databases and analyzed using an ensemble species distribution model approach. This approach utilized presence data, high-resolution current bioclimatic variables (40 m2), developed explicitly for our study area, and two future scenarios derived from the newly Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5 for 2040 and 2060). The ensemble model’s findings suggest a close alignment between the currently documented occurrences of S. inaequidens and its bio-climatically suitable habitats in Sardinia. Moreover, predictions indicate high biocli- matic suitability for S. inaequidens in the western and southwestern coastal regions, contrasting with its known occurrences at higher altitudes. Notably, the model also forecasts high bio-climatic suitability across most small islands surrounding the region and in central-east Sardinia, potentially indicating habitats at lower altitudes compared to current records. Under the SSP2–4.5 scenario, suitable areas are expected to nearly double by 2040 and more than double by 2060, compared to current conditions. Under the SSP5–8.5 scenario, the increase in suitable habitats is projected to be about 83.31% by 2040 and more than double by 2060. These results highlight the species’ ability to thrive under climate change, with a more pronounced range expansion under the pessimistic management regime (SSP5–8.5) than under the intermediate one (SSP2–4.5), particularly in the central region of the island. This expansion under the more severe management scenario is particularly alarming as it reflects limited imple- mentation of environmental management policies. The study underscores the potential ecological risk posed by S. inaequidens due to its potential range expansion and ability to invade different habitat types, from coastal regions to mountainous areas, under current and future scenarios. Based on these findings, we propose targeted management actions for monitoring and eradicating the species, leveraging prior information and local experiences to mitigate its impact