Saverio Sciandrello

Phytogeographic survey on the endemic vascular flora of the Hyblaean territory (SE Sicily, Italy)

Abstract A survey of the endemic flora of the Hyblaean territory, important centre of biodiversity and speciation in Sicily, is presented. The endemic flora of this area consists of 105 taxa. Among them, 39 are included in the IUCN Regional Red List and 32 in the National Red List, 17 Orchidaceae are protected by the CITES and 3 in the EU 92/43 Habitat Directive. The most represented families are Asteraceae and Orchidaceae (17%), Lamiaceae (10%). A large number of species are endemic to Sicily or central—southern Italy and Sicily. The endemic taxa exclusive to the Hyblaean territory are 20. Life form spectrum of the endemic flora indicates the predominance of geophytes (28.6%), chamaephytes (26.7%), hemicryptophytes (24.8%). The analysis of the habitat put in evidence that the endemics are widespread in garrigues, rocky walls and rocky coasts, dry grassland, woods and synantropic places. In this work, its also provided an assessment of the conservation status of Hyblaean endemics and proposition for their protection.

Plant communities structure and composition in three coastal wetlands in southern Apulia (Italy)

In this paper the results of a study on the composition and the distribution of the plant communities in three coastal areas of southern Apulia are presented. A total of about 180 vegetation relevés were performed following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological method. Vegetation data were analysed using both classification (UPGMA, similarity ratio) and ordination methods (including Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). The relevés are distributed in the following classes: Molinio-Arrhenateretea, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea, Juncetea maritimi, Sarcocornietea fruticosae, Saginetea maritimae, Thero-Salicornietea, Helianthemetea guttati. Detailed information about structure and zoning of the detected plant communities are here provided. Two new associations, belonging to the Alkanno-Maresion nanae alliance (microphytic ephemeral plant communities growing on sandy soils, Helianthemetea guttati class) have been described here, both in the “Torre Guaceto” site. The area of “Le Cesine” showed the highest total number of plant communities, while the “Saline di Punta della Contessa” site revealed the largest number of Sarcocornietea fruticosae plant communities.

Plant communities preferences of terrestrial crustaceans (Isopoda: Oniscidea) in a protected coastal area of southeastern Sicily (Italy)

We studied the plant communities preferences of oniscidean isopods in a protected coastal area in southeastern Sicily that is characterized by ponds, dunes and rocky coast. In total, five sites were sampled between March 2003 and February 2004 using pitfall traps. A total of 7,326 specimens were found, belonging to 23 species. The vegetation analysis, using the phytosociological method, recognized a total of 11 types of plant communities, with specific ecological features. Measuring the species richness, diversity and annual activity density (aAD) values of the terrestrial isopod communities from each sampling site revealed differences among the various plant communities. PCA analysis confirmed the correlation between isopods species and specific plant communities. Moreover our results show that the high species richness is associated with a high vegetation cover and number of plants.

Astragalus kamarinensis (Fabaceae), a New Species from Sicily

Astragalus kamarinensis C. Brullo, Brullo, Giusso, Miniss. & Sciandr. sp. nova (Fabaceae) is described and illustrated from Sicily. It grows exclusively on sandy soils, near the ruins of Kamarina, located in the southern part of Sicily. Morphologically, it shows close relationships with A. Stella, A. raphaelis and A. tribuloides, all belonging to A. sect. Sesamei. Several morphological features, chiefly regarding the flowers, legumes and seeds, as well as the micromorphology of the pod indumentum and seed coat, allow to well distinguish this species from the other taxa in the section. A phenetic analysis based on the morphological characters supports our taxonomic conclusions.

The endemic vascular flora of Peloritani Mountains (NE Sicily): Plant functional traits and phytogeographical relationships in the most isolated and fragmentary micro-plate of the Alpine orogeny

This study is aimed at (1) producing a complete and updated inventory of the endemic vascular flora of Peloritani Mountains, (2) defining the geographical limits of Peloritani, regarded here as a biogeographical district and (3) highlighting possible paleogeographic connections with other Mediterranean lands. The heterogeneity analysis of the endemic flora was performed by means of contingency tables, through the χ2 test. The endemic flora of this area consists of 129 specific and infraspecific taxa, of which 15 are restricted to the Peloritani Mountains. The analysis of habitats revealed that endemic taxa are most abundant on cliffs, rangelands, woods and garrigues. A large number of surveyed taxa are endemic to central-southern Italy and Sicily, while the number of endemic taxa in common with Calabria, Etna and Aeolian Islands turned out to be rather low, in spite of the geographical proximity. The endemic flora of Peloritani allows to emphasize palaeogeographical relationships not only with the neighbouring Mediterranean territories, but also with currently remote ones, such as southern Spain, Sardinia and Corsica. The phytogeographical framework substantiates the hypothesis that the Peloritani floristic district coincides with the limit given to Peloritani Mountains by structural geologists.

A new species of Brassica sect. Brassica(Brassicaceae) from Sicily

Among the suffruticose cabbages of Brassica sect. Brassica, a new species from Sicily, named B. raimondoi, is described and illustrated. It is a chasmophyte restricted to some steep limestone cliffs near Taormina (NE Sicily) and is morphologically related to B. incana, with which it shares densely hairy, broad, amplexicaul leaves and winged petioles, but differs principally in its white corolla, larger floral pieces, more developed stigmatic papillae, shorter siliquae with keeled valves and a smaller, seedless beak, smaller seeds differing in testa microsculpture. A key for the identification of the currently known Sicilian taxa of the section is provided.

A relic wood of Juniperus turbinata Guss. (Cupressaceae) in Sicily: Structural and ecological features, conservation perspectives

Abstract Juniperus turbinata Guss. (Cupressaceae) is a threatened tree species occurring in the Mediterranean area. It is listed as a vulnerable species in the Red Book of Italian plants and its various communities are included in Annex I of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC as a priority habitat for conservation. During field investigations carried out to analyse the plant biodiversity of coastal habitats in southern Sicily, a new interesting population was found. This study aims to characterize this relevant new finding with a marked focus on demography and synecology of the plant community in question in order to define its habitat, assess its conservation status and propose conservation measures. Our data highlight that the juniper is characterized by low turnover population dynamics. In order to understand the role of J. turbinata in sandy soil communities of south-eastern Sicily, comparisons of 21 plots (relevés) with 25 established plots in south-eastern Sicily were carried out using cluster analysis and canonical component analysis. This has allowed three different plant communities with different ecological features to be identified.

Ecological features affect patterns of plant communities in Mediterranean temporary rock pools

In this paper, the results of a study on the ecology, floristic composition and spatial assemblages of temporary limestone rock pool plant communities of a central Mediterranean area (S Sicily, the Maltese Islands and Lampedusa) are presented. A total of 76 temporary pools were studied, distributed between the infra-mediterranean and thermo-mediterranean bioclimatic belt. For each temporary rock pools, the floristic composition and cover of the species were determined using standard relevé methods. Moreover, for 50 of these pools, pH, conductivity, soil depth, water-level, altitude and floristic richness and diversity index were assessed. The plant communities were analysed using unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages and Euclidean distance classification and ordination methods such as canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). A total of four plant communities with specific floristic composition were established, each one with a different dominant species: Callitriche truncata; Elatine gussonei; Tillaea vaillantii and Lythrum hyssopifolia. According to the CCA, the spatial patterns of plant communities follow an ecological gradient related to water level and depth/size of the rock pools: these are the main ecological features affecting the distribution of the plant communities of rock pools. In addition, floristic richness and diversity index showed a slight increase in trend from temporary pools submerged for long periods towards pools submerged for short periods.

Coastal salt-marshes plant communities of the Salicornietea fruticosae class in Apulia (Italy)

An overview of the salt-marsh herbland and scrub vegetation belonging to the class Salicornietea fruticosae Br.-Bl. et Tx. ex A. Bolòs y Vayreda 1950 in Apulia is presented. Data available from literature have been supplemented with original relevés performed in different locations of the Apulia region. On the basis of a total of 297 relevés, fifteen communities have been defined, according to the traditional phytosociological system based on dominant and/or diagnostic taxa. For comparison purposes, the salt-marsh vegetation has been classified using numerical methods. The results obtained show that most of the clusters correspond to specific associations, and confirm the division into vegetation alliances and orders. Numerical analysis also allowed us to assign the proper allocation of some associations and plant communities drawn from literature. Five alliances, with plant communities characterized by specific ecological features, have been discriminated: Sarcocornion alpini and Arthrocnemion glauci (lower marshes), Salicornion fruticosae (middle marshes), Inulion crithmoidis and Suaedion brevofoliae (upper marshes). In addition, during the field work, a population of Halocnemum strobilaceum (Arthrocnemo-Halocnemetum strobilacei), new record for the Apulia region, has been found.

Spatial patterns and floristic composition of plant communities in coastal salt marshes of southeastern Sicily (Italy)

Abstract The results of a study on the spatial patterns, composition and structure of coastal salt marsh plant communities of a central Mediterranean area are presented. Eleven transects perpendicular to the salt marsh shore were selected in southeastern Sicily. For each transect, the floristic composition and cover were determined using standard relevé methods, collecting 220 plots. The plot data were analysed using classification (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean, similarity ratio) and ordination methods (Detrended Correspondence Analysis). A total of 15 plant communities with specific floristic compositions were recognized, mainly distributed in two different habitats: a regularly flooded lower zone and an irregularly flooded upper zone. According to detrended correspondence analysis, the spatial patterns of plots follow an ecological gradient that can be related to flooding time, the main ecological factor affecting the distribution of communities in the salt marshes. Moreover, floristic richness and diversity index increased from the lower zone towards the upper zone. The regularly flooded soils contain the lowest shrub abundance and the lowest diversity, whereas the irregularly flooded soils have the highest shrub abundance and the highest diversity.