Mario Innamorati

Hyperproduction of mucilages by micro and macro algae in the Tyrrhenian Sea

Abstract Mucilages appeared in the Tyrrhenian Sea in 1991 in two forms, pelagic and benthic, the first kind produced by planktonic species of the spring facies, mostly diatoms, the latter instead produced by adnate filamentous algae. Evidence is presented that the coenose of pelagic mucilage found during summer is that of the spring facies, mostly diatoms, which are considered to the producer species of mucilages. Yet, the coenose inside mucilages in comparison with the summer coenose of the surrounding waters appears to be biologically less active. Among the environmental factors responsible for the mucilage phenomenon high N P ratios seem to be a necessary but not sufficient condition. Enquiries among fishermen confirm that marine mucilages are a common occurrence also in the Tyrrhenian Sea, although events are less spectacular than those known from the Adriatic Sea.

Interrelationships between phytoplankton biomass and nutrients in the eutrophicated areas of the North-Western Adriatic Sea

ABSTRACT With the aim of studying the statistical properties of the main parameters of marine systems, i.e. biomass estimated by the chlorophyll concentration, N, as dissolved inorganic nitrogen, P, as dissolved inorganic phosphorus, and their space—time variability, the relationships between the ratios themselves have been evaluated. The bivariate distributions of chlorophyll nutrient ratios, related to monitoring campaigns carried out in different seas, are presented. In more detail, diagrams showing the concentration ellipses of the data point for the North-Western Adriatic coastal waters are reported. The two rations, N/P and C h N P , are then found to be the fundamental constants of the system. Together with the other statistical parameters of the related bivariate distributions, they allow the system to be characterized in a univocal and dynamic way.

Photosynthetic Parameters, Irradiance, Biooptical Properties and Production Estimates in the Western Ross Sea

The primary production characteristics of phytoplankton coenoses were investigated during three summer periods (1987–88, 1989–90 and 1994–95), in Terra Nova Bay. The basic photosynthetic parameters of the P vs. E curves were analyzed, as well as the in vivo spectral absorption and fluorescence properties, which allow the maximum quantum yield for carbon uptake and for PSII fluorescence to be appreciated and compared, in order to evaluate the physiological conditions and the photoacclimation performance of this phytoplankton. Low light acclimation features (elevated values of αB, PB max and φm, with Ek between 11 and 102µE m-2 s-1) are clearly present in these natural populations. High daily productions of the water column have been estimated through a biooptical model (0.1–3.1 g C m-2 day-1), and a seasonal integrated value of 125g C m-2 has been appreciated at Terra Nova Bay, for the period from December through February.

Variazioni reversibili diurne ed a lungo termine del diametro del tronco degli alberi

Abstract Diurnal and long-term diametral variations in tree stems. – Dendrographic measures of the diametral variations on cross sections of Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco were recorded from December 1977 to July 1978. Long-term variations are positively correlated with relative humidity and negatively with air temperature. From cosinor analysis it can be seen that diurnal variations show the same phase as relative humidity and the opposite phase to air temperature. These fluctuations show the same phase and an amplitude sometimes larger than the one measured by other researchers on living plants and generally related to the water transport. Our results suggest that also the fluctuations in living plants can be indipendent from water transport and of chemicophysical nature.

L'ipotesi dell'effetto del campo geomagnetico e la variabilità tra le ripetizioni in prove di germinazione ed accrescimento in Triticum

Abstract The geomagnetic field effect hypothesis and the variability among replications in germination and growth tests in Triticum. – During previous eperiments on germination and growth of Triticum, we have often found many cases of heteroscedasticity and of statistically significant differences among contemporary replications (i.e. germinators). In such experiments all the caryopses were oriented in the same way inside the germinators, whilst the germinators were randomly set inside the thermostats: therefore the seeds of different germinators might result differently oriented. Some researchers report that seeds differently oriented according to the lines of force of the geomagnetic field, may respond with different germination, growth rates and growth directions of shoots and roots (magnetotropism). The present investigation was designed to ascertain if these effects might be responsible of the variability among the contemporary replications. The different caryopses orientation within laboratory geoma...

L'amido E L'endosperma Delle Cariossidi Dure E Tenerizzate Di Triticum Durum Desf

Abstract Starch and endosperm of vitreous and starchy (yellow-berries) kernels of Triticum durum Desf. — Starch and endosperm in kernels of T. durum Desf. have been examined in relation with the problem of the origin and nature of the vitreous or starchy texture which this tissue shows in the ripe fruits. This research has demonstrated that the starch of the vitreous differs from that of the starchy kernels in the shape, respectively irregular and regular; in the distribution of the frequencies y versus the length of the diameter x which is exponential and of the type log y = log a — x log b, in the vitreous kernels the value of log b is generally lower than in the starchy kernels; in the submicroscopical texture, because the irregular grains of the vitreous kernels do not show either birefringence or polarisation cross and are coloured with Congo red: starchy kernels behave quite differently. The starchy kernels are also more swollen and regular, their apparent specific weight and their nitrogen content ...

Effetti del cobalto, nichel e cromo sulla germinazione di Alyssum, durante il ciclo di postmaturazione e invecchiamento

Abstract Cobalt, nickel and chromium effects on germination of Alyssum, during after-ripening and aging. Cobalt (2.5–20mM), nickel (2.5–25mM) and chromium (0.2-1mM) effects have been studied in seeds of three species of Alyssum, of which two, A. bertolonii and A. argenteum, endemics to serpentine soils and one, A. nebrodense, closely related to the others but endemic to the Madonie (Sicily) where it grows on limestone. The results, expressed as percentage of germinated seeds (p), Kotowski coefficient of velocity (v) and germination average ratio (pτ), have been subjected to statistical analysis. The effect per mM is generally inhibitory, not significant for cobalt, weak but significant for nickel, more marked and significant for chromium, linearly correlated to concentration. The inhibition reaches its highest level when seeds are ripe, being significantly related to the control germination capacity (pτ). The values of the specific inhibition (effect/mM modditppτ) for all the three species are higher for ...

Mancanza di effetto di campi magnetici deboli sull'accrescimento delle plantule di Triticum

Abstract No effect of weak magnetic fields on seedlings growth of Triticum. No effect of multiple intensities of -4, -1, 0, 1, 4, 6 times the geomagnetic field on the growth of Triticum seedlings, measured as length, fresh and dry weight, has been found. The experiments were carried out in darkness at 20°C, according to an experimental design including 2196 seedlings placed within the 6 fields with 2 orientations of the embryos (North- and South-wards) and two replicates at the same time. All treatments have been repeated 6 times in 6 different locations. In spite of the statistical significance of the weak magnetic fields «effects» on plants, found from previous researchers, it is very probable that these «effects» are only casual; the results are contradictory, particularly those on the directional «effects»; often the total number of plants and of replicates (sometimes only one) is very low and the environmental conditions are not controlled. Care must be taken in interpreting the results of the probab...

Interazione tra i semi e ripetibilità delle prove di germinazione

Abstract Seeds interaction and germination experiments replication.—It has been studied if the significant heterogeneity between replicates often found in germination experiments could be caused by seeds interaction. Two cultivar of Triticum durum Desf. have been tested with three experiments series: I) germination of n = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 caryopses per germinator with N germinators per treatment and nN = 500; II) germination of n = 5 and 25 caryopses per germinator with nN = 2500 per treatment; III) monthly germination experiments from 3 to 15 months after harvest, with n = 5 and 25 caryopses per germinator and nN = 500 per treatment. The results show differences between rilevators and for the same rilevator change regulary along time of observation. Keeping time and rilevator both equal: if n = 25 heterogeneity between N replicates is statistically significant for about 60% of the experiments, and for the 15 % when n = 5; the germination percentage p is fitted by p = po + bn; for one cultivar b changes ...

Velocità Di SViluppo Delle Piante E TeSsItura Dell'EndoSPerma In Triticum Durum Desf.

Abstract Rate of plant development and endosperm texture in TRITICUM DURUM desf. — The relationships between the rate of development of the plants obtained from kernels with hard or with porous endosperms have been examined. The devernalisation of the hard kernels obtained placing the kernels during 10 days at 25[ddot]C in moist air converts a hard endosperm into a porous one and the plants which grow afterwards have a lower rate of development than the controls. In addition it has been studied the change of the endosperm texture in function of the rate of development, but the coefficients of correlation between the lenght of the vegetative cycle of the plants and the percentage of kernels with porous endosperm are not statistically significant. In the ear the porous kernels are in the place of those which develop the last. The origin of the endosperm texture and the relationships between rate of development and endosperm texture can be determined and explained also with the only effect of moisture and te...