Paola Fortini

Leaf morphological analyses in four European oak species (Quercus) and their hybrids: A comparison of traditional and geometric morphometric methods

Abstract In this study, leaf morphology was assessed in a mixed oak stand (western France) using two geometric morphometric (landmark and outline) datasets and one dataset of 19 leaf measures. Adult oaks (817 oaks), comprising four white oak species (Quercus petraea, Q. robur, Q. pubescens and Q. pyrenaica), were sampled for DNA extraction and genetic analysis (nuclear microsatellites). Leaf morphology was assessed on 336 oaks, comprising pure species and hybrids as determined by genetic assignment. This comparative study of oak leaf morphology, based on the use of two free size geometric morphometric methods and a set of leaf measurements, combined with the genetic assignment of individuals to pure species or hybrids, provided information about the differences among species and the intermediate leaf morphology of their hybrids.

The main Plant community types of the alpine belt of the Apennine chain

ABSTRACT This paper deals with the occurrence of the main plant community types occurring within the alpine bioclimatic belt in the Central Apennines. The study area was represented by three mountain groups, the Gran Sasso, Maiella and Laga mountains. These three mountain chains are those in which, out of the entire Apennine area, alpine vegetation is best expressed. The vegetation has been investigated following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological approach. During the field work 135 relevés were collected. The raw data were further treated with multivariate analysis procedures to find objective clusters on a statistical basis. Several plant community types, belonging to different phytosociological classes, such as Elyno-Seslerietea, Salicetea herbaceae, Thlaspietea rotundifolii, Asplenietea trichomanis, were identified. In particular two new phytosociological associations, Galio-Silenetum acaulis and Potentillo-Festucetum alfredianae, and several new subassociations are described in this paper. In order to express the occurrence and autonomy of the Apennine alpine bioclimatic belt also in coenological terms, a new Seslerion apenninae sub-alliance, named Leontopodio-Elynenion, is here proposed.

Geometric morphometric analyses of leaf variation in four oak species of the subgenus Quercus (Fagaceae)

Abstract This paper defines a protocol for the study of leaf morphology and morphometric relationships among Quercus frainetto, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea and Quercus pubescens. Leaf shapes were investigated in an attempt to characterize and discriminate among these four species. Landmark and outline data were compared in order to ascertain their relative efficacy for describing variation in leaf morphology. MANOVA was performed to assess intra‐specific differentiation and to compare the distribution of variance in individuals, populations and species. A strong correlation was found between landmark and outline datasets of the four species: both methods proved capable of discriminating among the four species. Finally, a Two‐Block Partial Least‐Squares analysis was performed for each species in order to assess the correlation between intra‐specific shape variation and environmental factors.

A phytosociological analysis of abandoned terraced olive grove shrublands in the Tyrrhenian district of Central Italy

ABSTRACT A phytosociological study of the shrubland communities which colonise abandoned terraced olive groves in the Tyrrhenian district of Central Italy is presented here. The vegetational analysis was carried out using the Braun Blanquet phytosociological approach. Two main types of shrubland communities characterising distinct environmental conditions occur within abandoned terraced olive groves. On the one hand, there are those scrub types which tend to occupy the central part of the terrace; on the other hand, there are the scrubs types which develop along the stone walls bordering the terrace. Different phytosociological associations, sub-associations, and variants ranging from Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaternii to Prunetalia spinosae are recognised and described. In the warm dry areas, both Myrto-Lentiscetum and Rhamno-Euphorbietum dendroidis occur. Also, a new Oleo-Ceratonion sub-association (Myrto-Lentiscetum spartietosum junceii) is presented here for the first time. In the inner zones of the study area, a range of aspects characterising a new Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii community type (Roso-Rubetum ulmifolii ass. nova) are identified.

Leaf Shape and Size Differentiation in White Oaks: Assessment of Allometric Relationships among Three Sympatric Species and Their Hybrids

A combined genetic and morphometric approach was used to study leaf shape and size variability among three sympatric and interfertile white oak species (Quercus frainetto, Quercus petraea, and Quercus pubescens) sampled in a mixed forest in central Italy. Leaf shape and size were analyzed separately to discriminate species, to identify unique leaf shape traits, and to analyze the relationships between hybrid phenotypes and their parental species. In addition, the covariation of leaf shape and size (i.e., allometry) was tested at the intraspecific level, and the differences in allometric trajectories were compared among species and hybrids. Finally, size correction of leaf shape data allowed quantification of the contribution of allometry to total variability and testing of its effect on species differentiation. Within pure oak species, leaf allometry was a significant component of leaf variation related to environmental variability, while when hybridization occurred leaf allometry was affected by the inheritability of both shape and size leaf traits. This study highlights the role of size and shape leaf covariation in the evolutionary processes of white oaks.

A geobotanical survey on acidophilous grasslands in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (Central Italy)

Los pastizales que se desarrollan sobre sustratos acidos del sector suroriental del Parque Nacional del Lazio, Abruzzo y Molise han sido estudiados utilizando el metodo fitosociologico y sinecologico. La clasificacion de los inventarios muestra cuatro grupos principales encuadrados en las siguientes asociaciones: Poo violaceae-Nardetum strictae, Potentillo rigoanae-Festucetum paniculatae, Nardo strictae-Brachypodietum genuensis e Potentillo rigoanae-Brachypodietum genuensis. Estos sintaxones presentan problemas de tipo nomenclatural, por este motivo se propone la nomenclatura correcta en base al ICPN. Se excluyen las referencias al Anthoxantho- Brachypodietum, considerado como sinonimo sintaxonomico del Potentillo-Brachypodietum. El estudio sinecologico demuestra que la distribucion territorial de las comunidades estudiadas esta relacionada con factores topograficos, geomorfologicos y, en mayor medida, edaficos. Entre estos ultimos, el pH y la relacion hidrogeniones (H+)/cationes basicos parecen ser los mas discriminantes. .

Differentiation and hybridization of Quercus frainetto, Q. petraea, and Q. pubescens (Fagaceae): insights from macro-morphological leaf traits and molecular data

Macro-morphological leaf traits and genetic assignments were combined to study the differentiation and hybridization of three sympatric and inter-fertile white oak species (Quercus frainetto, Q. petraea, and Q. pubescens). The sampling was performed in a single forest stand of central Italy (Mount Vairano) in which the cover percentages of each of these three oak species were almost equal. The individuals classified as pure species and the hybrid individuals were divided into two subsets (A and B) which were subsequently statistically analysed. The results regarding the subset of pure individuals showed a clear separation between the three species on the basis of differences observed in the following leaf traits: basal leaf shape, petiole ratio, petiole length, number of intercalary veins, pubescence of the petiole, leaf area, number of lobes, lamina length, and percentage of venation. Regarding the subset of hybrid individuals, as expected, a wider pattern of leaf traits compared to that exhibited by the pure individuals was observed. The leaf traits of the pure species that had provided the greater genetic contribution in the hybridization process were easily identifiable. Quercus pubescens and its hybrids exhibited a higher degree of leaf traits variability when compared with those observed for Q. petraea and Q. frainetto.

A statistical approach to species identification on morphological traits of European white oaks: evidence of morphological structure in Italian populations of Quercus pubescens sensu lato

Abstract Statistical analyses are applied to investigate morphological relationships among 309 oak trees belonging to European white oaks. The method is based on discriminant analysis for the species assignment, using several morphological features of young twigs, buds, leaves and fruits. Discriminant functions are then used to compute the probability of each individual belonging to a species. The results indicate that Quercus frainetto, Q. petraea and Q. robur are clearly discriminated; Q. virgiliana and Q. pubescens are more related, but well distinguishable; for Q. dalechampii an own morphological pattern is not obtained. Subsequently the work focuses on the distribution of Q. pubescens and Q. virgiliana in central—southern Italy and on the morphological structure of their populations. It results that Q. pubescens is dominant in east—northern district of Italian peninsula, while Q. virgiliana dominates in the west—southern district.