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Sustainability
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Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Plant Communities
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Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Plant Communities

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability, Biodiversity and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 8986

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sara Magrini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Tuscia Germplasm Bank, Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università—Blocco C, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: conservation biology; plant ecology; seed/spore ecology and conservation; germination ecology; orchid conservation; fern and lycophyte conservation
Dr. Marcello De Vitis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL, USA
Interests: plant biology, ecology and conservation; restoration ecology; seed ecology and conservation; conservation policy; native seed production and certification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal habitats and their plant communities provide many ecosystem services which are critical to humans and wildlife, such as coastal protection, erosion control, carbon sequestration, habitat for wild animals, and recreational benefits. However, they are considered highly vulnerable at global level because they are severely altered by many stressors, among them urbanization, mass tourism development, alien species invasions, and climate change. This alteration can lead to complete destruction or deep fragmentation of these ecosystems, with loss of their essential functions. Plant communities play a key role in shaping and maintaining the structure of these ecosystems, and in delivering many of the ecosystem services, such as habitat and food provisioning for wildlife and mitigation of coastal hazards. In order to protect and restore coastal plant communities, however, it is critical to get a good understanding of their ecology and population dynamics, as well as to develop effective ex situ conservation and propagation protocols for plant species.

This Special Issue is meant to collect publications with cutting-edge studies informing the ecology and conservation practice for coastal plant communities. We encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical research relating to the ecology, biology, and physiology of coastal plants, the restoration of these plant communities, and the management of invasive alien species, providing new findings and views with the potential to enhance plant conservation and sustainable use of coastal habitats. We welcome original research papers, methods, reviews, and perspectives.

Dr. Sara Magrini
Dr. Marcello De Vitis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • alien species management
  • conservation biology
  • ecophysiology
  • environmental stress
  • ex situ/in situ conservation
  • global warming
  • plant diversity
  • plant ecology
  • plant regeneration
  • population ecology
  • seed germination
  • seed functional traits
  • sustainability

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 989 KiB  
Article
Patterns of Seed Dispersal in Coastal Dune Plant Communities
by Tommaso Valdesolo, Silvia Del Vecchio and Gabriella Buffa
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710983 - 02 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1612
Abstract
Seed dispersal is a key determinant of species distribution, although it is still unclear how it contributes to species assembly in plant communities. We linked patterns of seed dispersal to coexisting species to investigate the role of dispersal in the species assembly process. [...] Read more.
Seed dispersal is a key determinant of species distribution, although it is still unclear how it contributes to species assembly in plant communities. We linked patterns of seed dispersal to coexisting species to investigate the role of dispersal in the species assembly process. We focused on 19 species coexisting in a foredune plant community, classified as “foredune foundation species”, “semi-fixed dune species,” and “alien species”. The number of seeds dispersed by the 19 species was monitored monthly in 25 plots for 12 months. Then we compared both dispersal strategies and dispersal phenology among the species. Foredune foundation species, species of the semi-fixed dune, and alien species used the same dispersal strategies, with the exception of hemerochory, which was prevalently used by alien species. The three groups of species differentiated the dispersal season: semi-fixed dune species and alien species were early and late dispersers, respectively (spring vs. late summer), while foredune foundation species dispersed seeds in summer. Seasonal differentiation in seed dispersal may play a more important role in the species assembly process than dispersal vectors. Shifts in seasonality due to climate change may influence the timing of seed dispersal and provide species with different colonization opportunities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Plant Communities)
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12 pages, 1356 KiB  
Article
Exploring Temporal Trends of Plant Invasion in Mediterranean Coastal Dunes
by Silvia Cascone, Marta Gaia Sperandii, Luigi Cao Pinna, Flavio Marzialetti, Maria Laura Carranza and Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta
Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13946; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413946 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2359
Abstract
Alien plants represent a significant threat to species diversity and composition in natural habitats. Nevertheless, little is known about the dynamic of the invasion process and how its effects on native species change over time. In this study, we explored vegetation changes that [...] Read more.
Alien plants represent a significant threat to species diversity and composition in natural habitats. Nevertheless, little is known about the dynamic of the invasion process and how its effects on native species change over time. In this study, we explored vegetation changes that occurred in invaded coastal dune habitats over the last 10–15 years (2005–2020), particularly addressing impacts on alien and diagnostic species. To monitor temporal trends, we used data resulting from a revisitation study. After detecting overall changes in alien species occurrence and cover over time, 127 total plots were grouped into plots experiencing colonization, loss, or persistence of alien species. For these three categories, we compared historical and resurveyed plots to quantify changes in native species composition (using the Jaccard dissimilarity index) and to measure variations in diagnostic species cover. The number of alien species doubled over time (from 6 to 12) and two species, Yucca gloriosa and Agave americana, strongly increased their cover (+5.3% and +11.4%, respectively). Furthermore, plots newly invaded appeared to record the greatest changes in both native and diagnostic species. Our results suggest the need for regular monitoring actions to better understand invasion processes over time and to implement effective management strategies in invaded coastal dune habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Plant Communities)
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15 pages, 2107 KiB  
Article
Seed Germination Ecophysiology of Acacia dealbata Link and Acacia mearnsii De Wild.: Two Invasive Species in the Mediterranean Basin
by Ludovica Dessì, Lina Podda, Giuseppe Brundu, Vanessa Lozano, Antoine Carrouée, Elizabete Marchante, Hélia Marchante, Yohan Petit, Marco Porceddu and Gianluigi Bacchetta
Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11588; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111588 - 20 Oct 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3662
Abstract
Acacia dealbata and A. mearnsii are two invasive species found in coastal, mountain, and riparian Mediterranean habitats. Seed biology and germination traits are important drivers of the competitive performance of plants and may significantly contribute to biological invasions. The seeds of Acacia s.l. [...] Read more.
Acacia dealbata and A. mearnsii are two invasive species found in coastal, mountain, and riparian Mediterranean habitats. Seed biology and germination traits are important drivers of the competitive performance of plants and may significantly contribute to biological invasions. The seeds of Acacia s.l. have physical dormancy due to an impermeable epidermal layer. The aim of this study was to assess the germination capacity of scarified and non-scarified seeds of A. dealbata and A. mearnsii from different areas of the Mediterranean Basin. To test the seed imbibition capacity, the increase in mass was evaluated. Non-scarified seeds were tested at 15, 20, and 25 °C in light conditions. Scarified seeds were tested at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C and 25/10 °C in light and dark conditions. Scarified seeds increased in mass more than non-scarified seeds. Both species showed a higher germination capacity at 25 °C in non-scarified seeds; A. dealbata reached a germination maximum of 55%, while A. mearnsii reached 40%, showing a difference among these populations. Scarified seeds of both species reached germination percentages >95% at all temperatures except at 5 °C in dark conditions. Scarification was necessary to break dormancy and promote germination. The present study provides new knowledge about the seed ecology and germinative behaviour of the two Acacia species under different pre-treatment, temperature, and photoperiod regimes, contributing to the understanding of their invasive behaviour. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology and Conservation of Coastal Plant Communities)
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