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Buldrini F, Alessandrini A, Mossetti U, Muzzi E, Pezzi G, Soldano A, Nascimbene J. Botanical memory: five centuries of floristic changes revealed by a Renaissance herbarium (Ulisse Aldrovandi, 1551-1586). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230866. [PMID: 38026021 PMCID: PMC10645095 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
We analysed the spatially explicit floristic information available in the herbarium of Ulisse Aldrovandi (1551-1586) to track floristic changes in the surroundings of Bologna across five centuries. Aldrovandi's data were compared with the Flora della Provincia di Bologna by Girolamo Cocconi (1883) and the Floristic Database of Emilia-Romagna (1965-2021). We explored potential variations in native range and life forms composition, and habitat affinity of the species in the three floras, also contrasting between native and alien species. Native species, mainly in terms of variations of hydro-hygrophytes, chamaephytes and therophytes, provide clear signals of human disturbance and habitat loss. Signals of climate change are provided by the high-mountain species, that were comparably rare between Aldrovandi and current flora and more represented in Cocconi, probably reflecting the effect of the Little Ice Age. Our findings also indicate the increasing importance of alien species from the Renaissance onwards. In this perspective, Aldrovandi's herbarium preserves the memory of the first signs of a radical transformation of the European flora and habitats. Finally, the study warns about the risk of dismissing herbaria and herbarium specimens collection, which would cause irreparable lacunas in our botanical memory, hindering our ability to predict biodiversity trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Buldrini
- BIOME Lab - Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Umberto Mossetti
- Sistema Museale di Ateneo, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Muzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie e Alimentari, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanna Pezzi
- BIOME Lab - Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Adriano Soldano
- Independent Researcher, Largo Brigata Cagliari 6, 13100 Vercelli, Italy
| | - Juri Nascimbene
- BIOME Lab - Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Poesio C, De Feudis M, Morsolin A, Lambertini C, Zambonelli A, Falsone G, Vittori Antisari L. Exploring the canal environment in terms of water, bed sediments and vegetation in a reclaimed floodplain of Northern Italy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:161953. [PMID: 36740071 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Po plain (Italy) is one of the largest floodplains in Europe that needs environmental restoration. To achieve this goal, the knowledge of the 'environment' (water, bed sediments and vegetation) of the canals crossing such floodplain is necessary. The water flow of the canals was kept low for hydraulic safety purposes from October to March (NIR), and high for irrigation purposes from April to September (IR). Within this framework, this study aimed to assess in 9 sites of the east part of Po plain 1) the canals' environment quality in terms of vegetation diversity, and water and bed sediment physicochemical properties; and 2) how these features are influenced by canal managements and landscape properties. Water was monthly sampled both in NIR and IR periods, the bed sediments were sampled in summer and winter periods, while the vegetation was recorded in spring and autumn. The low water flow during NIR worsened the water quality by increasing the concentrations of nutrients and salts. A higher salt and nutrient concentrations were observed both in water and bed sediments of canals crossing areas with fine texture alluvial deposits than in those flowing through medium texture alluvial deposits. Further, higher nutrient and salt concentrations were observed for the canals used as collectors of the water coming from other canals. Despite the differences observed for the bed sediments and water quality, the vegetation type and biodiversity did not show differences among the study sites probably because affected by the land use of the surrounding landscape. Indeed, the canals cross agricultural land which limit the developments of natural vegetation and do not promote plant biodiversity. Overall, the present study found out the key role of landscape properties and canal managements on 'canal environment' quality which need to be considered to perform an appropriate reclamation of such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Poesio
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Mauro De Feudis
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Andrea Morsolin
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy; Renana Remediation Consortium, Via Santo Stefano 56, 40125 Bologna, Italy
| | - Carla Lambertini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zambonelli
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Falsone
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Livia Vittori Antisari
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Fanin 40, 40127 Bologna, Italy
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Buldrini F, Alessandrini A, Muzzi E, Krebs P, Conedera M, Pezzi G. Historical Floras: addressing their genesis in order to be viewed from a modern-day perspective. A case study from Northern Italy. RENDICONTI LINCEI. SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-022-01116-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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The invasion history of Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii (Hydrocharitaceae) in Italy from herbarium accessions, field records and historical literature. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02949-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWe analysed the invasion history of two North American macrophytes (Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii) in Italy, through an accurate census of all available herbarium and field records, dating between 1850 and 2019, and a rich literature collection describing the initial introduction and naturalisation phase that supports the results obtained by the occurrence records. Elodea canadensis arrived in Italy before 1866 and had two invasion phases, between the 1890s and 1920s and between the 1990s and 2000s; E. nuttallii, probably arrived in the 1970s, started invading in 2000 and the invasion is still ongoing. Botanical gardens and fish farming played a crucial role in dispersal and naturalisation of both species. The current invasion range of both species is centred in northern Italy, with scattered occurrences of E. canadensis in central and southern regions. River Po represents a dispersal barrier to the Mediterranean region and a strategic monitoring site to prevent the invasion in the peninsula. The study detects differences in the niches of the two species during the introduction and naturalisation phase and a habitat switch occurred after 1980 in E. canadensis and after 2000 in E. nuttallii, during their expansion phases. For E. canadensis the switch corresponds to the second invasion round. Further research can clarify whether the second invasion round is due to confusion of the recently introduced E. nuttallii with E. canadensis, to a cryptic introduction of a new genotype, to post-introduction evolution, or just to an increased scientific interest in biological invasions.
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Montanari I, De Bernardini N, Gizzi G, Bolpagni R, Buldrini F, Campione L, Castellari I, Landi S, Spiezia L, Chiarucci A. Flora and plant communities across a complex network of heavily modified water bodies: geographical patterns, land use and hydrochemical drivers in a temperate overexploited plain. LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11355-022-00504-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe decline of freshwater flora due to alteration, reclamation and trophic perturbation of lowland wetlands is among the most relevant issues in biological conservation. The contribution of heavily modified water bodies (HMWBs) in preserving plant diversity is notable, but the underlying ecological mechanisms are not completely explored. To contribute to this debate and expand the knowledge on the role of HMWBs in maintaining wetland biodiversity in overexploited agroecosystems, a canal network of about 1150 km (SE Po valley, N-Italy) was analysed to study the geographical patterns of riparian flora and plant communities, and their land use and hydrochemical drivers. A systematic sampling procedure was adopted by randomly selecting 96 transects (10 m2) along 79 drainage canals. Additionally, 22 transects were sampled for water quality evaluation. Flora was characterised based on species richness and presence of threatened, alien and invasive species. We also studied the contribution of land use and water quality in explaining plant richness and composition. Slope and aspect of canals do not significantly affect plant species composition, whereas the «proximity to protected areas» seems to have a negative influence. Both threatened and alien plants richness decrease approaching protected areas. Among land use types, only agro-zootechnical settlements influence plant species composition, favoring nitrophilous species, as demonstrated by water parameters (the spatial patterns of nitrophilous species mirrored the progressive worsening of canal waters). This work confirms the key role of HMWBs in sustaining plant species diversity in oversimplified landscapes, highlighting complex regulation mechanisms that need further investigations.
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