Sara Magrini

Is legal protection sufficient to ensure plant conservation? The Italian Red List of policy species as a case study

The conservation of species listed in the Bern Convention and European Directive 1992/43/EEC (so-called policy species) is mandatory for European Union (EU) countries. We assessed the conservation status of Italian policy species, based on the IUCN categories and criteria, to evaluate the effectiveness of existing protection measures at the national level. Among the 203 vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens evaluated, 41.9% are categorized as threatened, and one is already extinct, indicating that the protection measures for policy species are inadequate. Our results for the Italian policy species are consistent with those of an assessment at the EU level. Conservation priorities should be established at both the national and regional scales. An effective conservation strategy is needed, and in situ and ex situ actions focused on threatened species should be promoted.

Are Red Lists really useful for plant conservation? The New Red List of the Italian Flora in the perspective of national conservation policies

“The New Red List of the Italian Flora” includes all the Italian policy species and other species of known conservation concerns for a total of 400 taxa, 65% of which are threatened with extinction. The Red List is based on a huge georeferenced data-set useful for conservation purposes.

Herbaria as useful spore banks for integrated conservation strategies of pteridophytic diversity

Abstract Ex situ approaches represent important conservation tools to increase the chances of many ferns survival, as they are very sensitive to environmental disturbances. This work presents the first results of in vitro reproduction of Dryopteris tyrrhena, an endangered western Mediterranean endemism with a highly fragmented distribution area, using spores taken from exsiccata. Our results highlight the value of herbarium specimens in pteridophyte conservation, providing a useful method to reproduce species that are threatened or extinct in the wild, at least at a local level, and to plan eventual reintroductions using the native germplasm.

Recovery of Viable Germplasm from Herbarium Specimens of Osmunda regalis L.

Abstract The conservation of pteridophytes presents a demanding challenge because many species in the world are thought to be threatened with extinction, as they are very sensitive to environmental disturbance. Ex situ actions provide an important conservation strategy, so the Germplasm Bank of Tuscia Botanic Garden, with the Herbarium UTV (Tuscia University, Viterbo–Italy), has undertaken a project for the conservation of threatened pteridophytes of the Italian flora, like Osmunda regalis, the Royal Fern, a species with chlorophyllous spores that is declining in Italy because it is linked to vulnerable habitats. As a part of the project, this work presents first results of in vitro reproduction of the Royal Fern using spores from exsiccata (UTV samples collected and dried in 1989 and 2001). Our results also highlight the value of herbarium specimens in biodiversity conservation, providing a useful method to reproduce species that are threatened or extinct in the wild, at least at a local level, so as to plan eventual reintroductions using the native germplasm.

First results from conservation studies of chlorophyllous spores of the Royal fern (Osmunda regalis, Osmundaceae).

Pteridophytes spore banks are a promising ex situ conservation tool used to increase the chances of survival of ferns, in fact that large quantities of germplasm with high genetic variation can be conserved in a small space with low economic and technical costs. However, methods to maintain the viability of chlorophyllous spores during storage are less understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of long term storage on the viability of Royal Fern spores, which were stored under different conditions derived from various combinations of temperature and degrees of hydration. Survival and germination tests were performed after 1 and 28 months of storage. Our results showed the highest survival percentages for spores stored under Normal humidity at subzero temperatures (T=⩽-20°C). These spores received no pre-treatment, dehydration, or cryoprotectants, which resulted in fast germination and gametophyte development which seemed to be stimulated by low temperatures.

A comparative study of the seed germination capabilities of Anacamptis palustris (Orchidaceae), a threatened terrestrial orchid, and other more common Anacamptis species, by asymbiotic culture in vitro

The increasing emphasis on terrestrial orchid conservation has led to conservation actions for a wide range of threatened Mediterranean species. Many terrestrial orchids are currently at great risk for extinction as a result of a multiplicity of threatening processes. We focus on orchid seed germination capabilities in vitro, specifically germination capability of a threatened species, Anacamptis palustris, compared to three other more common species (A. laxiflora, A. morio, and A. papilionacea), and also discuss its potential impact on orchid distribution and conservation. Asymbiotic germination tests were performed with mature seeds using BM-1 medium. In vitro seed germination and protocorm developmental stages were evaluated up to 20 weeks after sowing. Significant differences in seedling development were detected among the species, and a correlation was evident between the rarity of the species and their germinability. Thus, the presence of intrinsic, biological factors that affect and limit the distribution of A. palustris may exist.

Lupinus sect. Albus (Fabaceae): Taxonomic criticism and conservation value. The case of wild populations in central Italy

Abstract Taxonomy and distribution of Lupinus L. sect. Albus are discussed and updated with new data from Italy. The study of natural populations of Lupinus in the central Tyrrhenian Italy was based on the observations (in situ and ex situ) of the combination of the diagnostic characters (colour of corolla and seeds) mainly used by other authors, as well as the dehiscence of the pods, the dimension, shape and permeability of the seeds, according to the agronomic and genetic studies widely reported in the literature, to discriminate between the wild form (Lupinus albus subsp. graecus) and those escaped from cultivation (L. albus subsp. albus). Our results (1) led us to confirm the rank of subspecies to the wild form, L. albus L. subsp. graecus (Boiss. & Spruner) Franco & P. Silva, (2) confirm the presence of hybrids forms in Italy and (3) update the distribution area of subsp. graecus in Italy, including Apulia (Gargano). L. albus subsp. graecus can be considered as a flag species of the interesting form of the edaphophilous “steppe”, rare in central Italy, confirming its value as an indicator of habitat “naturality”.

Integration of genetic and seed fitness data to the conservation of isolated subpopulations of the Mediterranean plant Malcolmia littorea

Plant autoecology and population genetics provide a perspective on the likelihood of natural regeneration, which is critical when designing conservation strategies for endangered species. The threatened coastal plant Malcolmia littorea (Brassicaceae) was sampled across its European distribution and studied for genetic diversity and seed fitness, with the aim of providing information for the conservation of isolated and declining populations. Nine microsatellite markers (five chloroplast and four nuclear) were analysed to assess population genetic diversity and structure and to conduct a spatial analysis using the software DIVA-GIS. Germination percentages and rates were assessed by incubating the seeds under eight constant temperatures (0-27xa0°C). The genetic diversity was found to be similar among subpopulations (chloroplast Hxa0=xa00.04-0.17; nuclear Ho xa0=xa00.20-0.37), with no correlation between subpopulation diversity and the area of occupancy (AOO). The subpopulations were found to be clustered in three genetic groups, and three of them were identified as conservation priorities due to their unique genetic composition. The germination study revealed a significant influence of the maternal environment and AOO on seed germination, with the smaller subpopulations showing lower germination percentages (Pxa0<xa00.05). These results highlight the importance of obtaining information on isolated subpopulations through different experimental approaches (e.g. seed germination plus population genetics) to enable planning of effective conservation actions. For M.xa0littorea, seed collection for both inxa0situ and ex situ conservation should take into account the local adaptation of the subpopulation and the genetic structure of the species.

In vitro reproduction of three Limodorum species (Orchidaceae): impacts of scarification methods and nitrogen sources on mature seed germination and seedling development

Abstract Limodorum species are hard-to-cultivate, germinating with difficulty or not germinating at all on a number of media. The present work was focused on the effects of seed sterilization-scarification methods and of different nitrogen sources on in vitro seed germination and seedling development of Limodorum abortivum, L. brulloi and L. trabutianum. Our results showed that sodium hypochlorite solution with a 1% concentration of available chlorine was ineffective for both sterilization and scarification of Limodorum seeds, while a 5% concentration was found to be an effective sterilizing and scarifying solution for L. trabutianum. The positive effect of organic nitrogen in promoting asymbiotic germination in many terrestrial orchids was confirmed by this study for L. trabutianum and L. brulloi, which showed significantly higher germination percentages on Basal Medium modified than on Knudson C, which contains inorganic nitrogen. This is the first report of in vitro asymbiotic germination of mature seeds of L. brulloi and L. trabutianum, especially successful for L. trabutianum that showed high germination percentages (>63%) and an active seedling development. These results may be useful for conservation purposes, since L. brulloi is a narrow Italian endemics and L. trabutianum is threatened with extinction both in Italy and in France.

Are Red List really useful for plant conservation? The New Red List of the Italian Flora as a study case in the perspective of national conservation policies

“The New Red List of the Italian Flora” includes all the Italian policy species and other species of known conservation concerns for a total of 400 taxa, 65% of which are threatened with extinction. The Red List is based on a huge georeferenced data-set useful for conservation purposes.