Fabrizio Martini

Genetic diversity in widespread species is not congruent with species richness in alpine plant communities

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aims at the conservation of all three levels of biodiversity, that is, ecosystems, species and genes. Genetic diversity represents evolutionary potential and is important for ecosystem functioning. Unfortunately, genetic diversity in natural populations is hardly considered in conservation strategies because it is difficult to measure and has been hypothesised to co-vary with species richness. This means that species richness is taken as a surrogate of genetic diversity in conservation planning, though their relationship has not been properly evaluated. We tested whether the genetic and species levels of biodiversity co-vary, using a large-scale and multi-species approach. We chose the high-mountain flora of the Alps and the Carpathians as study systems and demonstrate that species richness and genetic diversity are not correlated. Species richness thus cannot act as a surrogate for genetic diversity. Our results have important consequences for implementing the CBD when designing conservation strategies.

Floristic Databanks and the Phytogeographic Analysis of a Territory

In recent years there have been rapid developments in the field of floristic databanks (Brenan et al. 1975; Allkin and Bisby 1984). Such banks allow a quick and efficient retrieval of a great number of phytogeographic data otherwise scattered in the literature or in herbaria. They can produce computerized distribution maps, or complex matrices of floristic, ecological and geographic data. The distribution maps may be processed by classification programs, to obtain groups of species with similar distribution (chorological types, geoelements); the matrices may be analyzed by multivariate methods to reveal and causally explain trends of phytogeographic variation.

Distribuzione di Phyteuma betonicifolium Vill. e P. zahlbruckneri Vest nelle Alpi sudorientali

Abstract Distribution of Phyteuma betonicifolium Vill. and P. zahlbruckneri Vest in the south-eastern Alps.—The scarcely known distribution of two « closely related species » Phyteuma betonicifolium Vill. and P. zahlbruckneri Vest has been investigated. These species are longitudinal vicarisms: the centralwestern and endoalpine spreading of P. betonicifolium shows a preference for a continental climate, and the south-eastern and exoalpine distribution of P. zahlbruckneri indicates a more termophilous nature.

II gruppo Aristolochia pallida nell'Italia nordorientale

Abstract The Aristolochia pallida group in the north-eastern Italy. The Aristolochia pallida group includes two closely related species: A. pallida Willd. and A. lutea Desf. For each species, a biometrical-morphological analysis on selected characters and critical notes are given. The distribution of both species in the north-eastern Italy is also defined.