Search Results (23)

Urban greenery is a key component of green infrastructure, contributing to environmental sustainability and urban well-being. Between 2019 and 2020, a comprehensive inventory of ornamental flora was conducted in Assemini (Sardinia, Italy), documenting 198 vascular plant taxa, including 155 exotic, 41 native, and 2 cryptogenic species from 65 families. Among the exotic species, most were neophytes (63%), and 14% were archaeophytes. In terms of life forms, scapose phanerophytes, with a tree-like growth habit, dominated (45%), while Mediterranean and American chorotypes were the most represented, each accounting for 21%. A total of 7356 plants were recorded, comprising trees (61.3%), shrubs (32.3%), and climbers (5.7%), belonging to 90 shrub, 89 tree, and 19 climber taxa. The highest number of plants was found in “Green Areas” and “Schools”, which also exhibited the greatest biodiversity, with 136 different taxa each. The most planted species were Quercus ilex, Nerium oleander, and Olea europaea. The survey also identified 21 allergenic, 36 toxic, and 35 mechanically harmful species, primarily located in “Green Areas” and “Schools”. Biodiversity analysis using the Shannon Index revealed significant diversity, with Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, and Fagaceae emerging as the most represented families. These findings highlight the importance of plant inventories in urban green space management for sustainable planning. Well-maintained green spaces can enhance ecological resilience, improve public health, and promote social cohesion in future urban developments. Full article

Urban informal green spaces (IGS) represent valuable reservoirs of biodiversity within urban areas and are increasingly recognized as integral components of green infrastructure. They are perceived as temporary ecosystems, and the management of their vegetation is relatively understudied. The development time of spontaneous vegetation on transformed lands is considered to be in the range of decades, which makes it even more necessary to provide managers with better guidelines for such a long period. Two suggested management approaches for these areas involve: (1) retaining vegetation at various stages of succession (non-forest IGS) and (2) protecting advanced developmental stages (forest IGS), with options for balanced intervention or complete non-intervention. However, the differences in biodiversity between these two types in cities across Central Europe remain unknown, as well as whether the predictors of biodiversity at both local and landscape scales are consistent for non-forest and forest IGS. We examined factors such as habitat continuity, landscape structure, soil quality, and human impact to shed light on pathways for enhancing urban floristic diversity. Conducting extensive botanical surveys in existing informal green spaces (IGS) in Warsaw, we derived various parameters, including the total number of species, Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index, hemeroby, urbanity, share of species from distinct ecological groups, and the number of rare and ancient forest plant species. Tracing habitat continuity from the early 20th century using digitized aerial imagery provided a unique long-term perspective on IGS development. We revealed that no management is pivotal for the conservation of select rare and ancient forest species. On the other hand, partial abandonment with occasional maintenance may enrich species diversity across different successional phases. We uncovered the significant influence of landscape structure and human activity on vegetation species composition within IGS. Notably, IGS proximate to extensive forest landscapes displayed a marked abundance of forest species, alongside a greater prevalence of rare species. However, the presence of other vegetation types in the vicinity did not yield similar effects. Our findings indicate that IGS, when left untouched for decades near forested areas, are valuable for urban biodiversity. As cities across the globe seek sustainable paths, this research underscores the importance of properly understanding and integrating IGS into urban ecological planning. Full article

Clearcutting has tended to simplify forest structure and species composition, with potential negative consequences for biodiversity. Retention forestry emerged as an alternative to minimize this concern in intensively managed forests. In central Mexico, this approach was first implemented a decade ago in temperate forests, but an examination of its effects on floristic diversity and composition is non-existent. We evaluated and compared richness, diversity, and floristic composition among harvested, retention, and conserved areas in a conifer-dominated forest of central Mexico, with various parametric and non-parametric analyses. Species’ ecological and structural importance was also evaluated. We recorded 138 species, 95 genera, and 44 families of plants. Harvested areas listed the most species (99) with herb dominance, tree homogeneity, and the highest number of exotics. Retention and conserved areas’ floristic composition was similar, with the presence of epiphytes and terrestrial orchids, considered indicators of conservation. The retention areas recorded rare and endangered species, tree heterogeneity, and juveniles of structural species of temperate forests. Conserved areas showed a greater number of structural mature elements and exclusive species, though there was a smaller species number (75). We demonstrated that retention forestry is achieving its goal by maintaining the structural elements, habitats, and plant diversity of the temperate forests analyzed. Full article

During the winter of 2018, leaf blight on florist’s daisy (Chrysanthemum morifolium L.) was noticed in Egypt. The disease, which was identified as caused by Alternaria alternata, was widely spread and led to serious damage for the exportation sector of this crop. Therefore, a study was conducted to better understand what can be conducted to minimize the problem in the future. Isolates were gathered and evaluated on five chrysanthemum cultivars (i.e., ‘Feeling Green Dark’, ‘Talitha’, ‘Chrystal Regan’, ‘Arctic queen’, and ‘Podolsk Purple’) grown in a greenhouse. The objectives were to isolate and identify the phytopathogen and detect the resistant degree of these cultivars with emphasis on the early growth stages of the crop. The results showed that ‘Podolsk Purple’ was the most resistant cultivar against the different isolates during the rooting and seedling growth stages. ‘Chrystal Regan’ was very susceptible to the different isolates. In addition, the isolate from ‘Feeling Green Dark’ was the strongest, which negatively affected the chlorophyll content and its fluorescence parameters besides other measured vegetative and anatomical features. The findings indicated that the best anatomical characters of the stem and leaf, like the thickness of cuticle and cortex, stem diameter, xylem vessel diameter, and thickness of epidermis as well as lamina thickness were recorded in the ‘Podolsk Purple’ cultivar. This study highlighted that by using the right cultivars, chrysanthemum can be cultivated during the winter season under Egyptian conditions. These results can be a part of solution to overcome the leaf blight caused by A. alternata on chrysanthemum during the early growing stages. Full article

Within the northeastern part of the Black Sea, the vegetation of charophytes was studied using the Braun-Blanquet approach. For the first time, five communities are described, including three associations and two subassociations from the alliance Charion canescentis Krausch 1964, the order Charetalia intermediae Sauer 1937, and the class Charetea intermediae F. Fukarek 1961. Diagnoses of the described syntaxa are given. A comparison with the Baltic and Mediterranean communities of charophytes is made. It is shown that all northeastern Black Sea communities with the dominance of charophytes, in contrast to Western European ones, include Lamprothamnium papulosum with high constancy. At the same time, the investigated communities are characterized by a lower occurrence and abundance of higher aquatic plants (except for Nanozostera noltei) and a slightly higher occurrence of red and green algae. An indirect ordination analysis showed the ecological isolation of the described phytocenoses and revealed two main factors influencing the floristic composition of communities—the granulometric composition of bottom sediments and water eutrophication. Full article

Green space is essential in urban areas to maintain, and improve human well-being. To better understand the impact of environmental and socioeconomic changes on the sustainability of tropical urban green space landscapes, work is needed to explore the patterns of plant diversity and its drivers in urban green spaces. We explore urban floristic diversity patterns based on samples from 826 urban functional units located in five cities in the tropical coastal region of China. Field surveys were conducted to obtain data on plant diversity, land use types, socioeconomic characteristics, and environmental characteristics within these units. Plant diversity within the cities varied significantly among land-use types, with high-rise housing, parks, and universities exhibiting higher diversity. The diversity of cultivated plant species and the regional economy showed a significant positive correlation (β coefficient = 0.15, p-value < 0.05), while an increase in the diversity of spontaneously growing plant species and native species was linked to building age (β coefficient = 0.12, p-value < 0.01; β coefficient = 0.13, p-value < 0.01). Management also affected plant species diversity, with watering and maintenance frequency having a positive association. Urban plant diversity patterns result from a combination of multiple factors, and different drivers affect native vs. non-native plant diversity Socio-economic factors are the primary driver of urban plant diversity patterns, as space management and maintenance determine what can grow in different areas. This study has important practical significance for policymakers and managers in developing and managing urban green spaces more sustainably. Full article

As urbanization draws more people to metropolitan areas, a steadfast increase in impervious surfaces ultimately contributes to a pronounced urban heat island effect. While city greening strategies to mitigate urban thermal effects often tout street-tree cover expansion, many plant species are susceptible to heat stress, limiting survivorship, primary productivity, and ecosystem services. Our research objective was to characterize how urban imperviousness impacted the photosynthetic traits of four sympatric tree species in Old Town La Verne, California. We found that while Camphor trees (Camphora officinarum) and Carrotwood trees (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) did not differ significantly in photosynthetic traits at sites with impervious and pervious surfaces, both Coast Live Oak trees (Quercus agrifolia) and Olive trees (Olea europaea) showed significant differences in leaf stomatal length and density. Our findings suggest that the photosynthetic traits of some exotic tree species may be less susceptible to surface permeability than either native or floristically indigenous tree species. We propose that urban greening initiatives adopt a temporal strategy for mitigating urban heat island effects, starting with an urban canopy composed of exotic trees more resilient to impervious surfaces and later transitioning to a recombinant canopy ecology of floristically relevant tree species suited for the soil permeability native to southern California. Full article

Windstorms are rare in the Southern Alps, but their frequency is increasing due to climate change. This research analyzed the vegetation of two spruce forests in Camonica Valley (Northern Italy) destroyed by the Vaia storm to evaluate the vegetation responses to blowdown damage. In each study area, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to evaluate the change in plant cover and greenness from 2018 (before the Vaia storm) to 2021. Furthermore, floristic-vegetation data were analyzed to identify current plant communities and develop models of plant succession. The results showed that the two areas, although located in different altitudinal vegetation belts, are undergoing the same ecological processes. NDVI is increasing in both areas, and pre-disturbance values (~0.8) should be reached in less than ten years. Nevertheless, the spontaneous restoration of pre-disturbance forest communities (Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Piceetum) should not occur in both study areas. In fact, the two plant succession trends are characterized by pioneer and intermediate stages with young trees of Quercus petraea and Abies alba, typical of more thermophilic mature forest communities compared to pre-disturbance ones. These results could reinforce the trend of the upward shift in forest plant species and plant communities in response to environmental changes in mountain areas. Full article

(1) Background: Rome is a municipality with an area of 1287 km² and presents floristic-vegetational complexity that is reflected in the composition of aerospora, which are responsible for pollinosis. The presence of airborne pollen can be detected by pollen monitoring. The large extent of the city’s territory makes it possible to verify possible changes in pollen composition in different sites of the city. With this in mind, a study was conducted to assess the differences in airborne pollen concentration, considering phenological and production indicators at three different sites in the city. (2) Methods: Pollen data of eight taxa were considered, Alnus spp., Castanea sativa Miller, Cupressaceae-Taxaceae, Olea europaea L., Platanaceae, Poaceae, Quercus spp., and Urticaceae, during 2020 and 2021, using three monitoring samplers. The airborne pollen concentration and the seasons of the three centers were calculated and compared with each other. (3) Results: The diversity between the three samplers shows a phenological succession in accordance with the microclimatic diversity present in the city. The heterogeneity of the airborne pollen concentration reflects the floristic-vegetational diversity, while qualitative and quantitative parameters indicate a homogeneous flowering trend reflecting the seasonality of the various species. (4) Conclusions: The present work and the Italian geographic context suggest the need for a greater number of sampling points to guarantee a true localization of the data. Having several sampling stations also contributes to the protection of health and green areas, which are difficult to manage, conserve, and maintain. Full article

Earthworks in the vicinity of roads, open mines, subsidence tanks and other man-made objects can lead to the creation of slopes that undergo erosion. One of the methods that can prevent their degradation and reclaim them is the use of geotextiles. An environmentally friendly option is using geotextiles that are produced from reclaimed fibres. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the mechanical and chemical properties of geotextiles, namely, ropes and fibres (containing wool and polypropylene), not only on the rate of the greening of slopes but also on the species composition of vegetation. We studied the floristic composition, species diversity, species growth and soil properties of four sites of reclaimed slopes on which 46 study plots (5 m × 5 m) were laid out. We found that some species were more confined to a higher content of wool and that other species were more confined to the content of polypropylene. Both materials caused a decrease in the Shannon–Wiener diversity but an increase in evenness under the impact of ropes when compared to the control. They both also contributed to a higher mean height of the plants when compared to the control. The rate of the plant colonisation process was markedly improved by the reclaimed geotextiles. A longer and more detailed study is required to examine the effect of geotextile ropes on habitat creation. Full article

Florists’ greens are a very important element of floral compositions, and their vase life must match that of the flowers, hence this review presents the results of research that has been conducted over the years in order to improve the post-harvest longevity of species that are grown for florists’ greens using growth regulators from groups of gibberellins (GAs) and cytokinins (CKs). Florists’ greens include foliage, the leafy and non-leafy stems of herbaceous plants, trees, bushes, and phylloclades. The post-harvest longevity of florists’ greens is influenced by genetics. Also strongly affected by the growing conditions and the conditions of the transport of the florists’ greens and the conditions when supplying them to markets are also significant. Moreover, florists’ greens are not supplied with growth regulators, which play a critical role in their ageing process. The CKs and GAs are considered to be inhibitors of ageing; however, unfortunately, their content in plant tissues decreases during the progressive ageing process, while the amount of regulators that accelerate ageing increases. International research is focusing on the use of growth regulators in the post-harvest treatment of florists’ greens. Their effectiveness has been shown to depend on the species, the cultivar, the concentration, and the method of application, therefore, there is no ready-made recipe that can be used for all species. The growth regulators from the CK and GA groups are used to condition the florists’ greens. Few studies to date point to the possibility of using topolines (Ts) and ionic liquids in order to extend the post-harvest longevity of florists’ greens. The standard cut flower medium containing 2% sucrose and hydroxyquinoline esters—sulphate or citrate (8HQS and 8HQC)—at a concentration of 200 mg·dm⁻³, which is used to conditioning, does not have a positive effect on florists’ greens of most species. Full article

Ecosystems with high natural value (HNV) have generally been maintained by agricultural practices and are increasingly important for the ecosystem services that they provide and for their socio-economic impact in the ever-changing context. Biodiversity conservation is one of the main objectives of the European Green Deal, which aims to address biodiversity loss, including the potential extinction of one million species. The aim of this research was to trace the effects of organic and mineral fertilizers on the floristic composition, but also on the number of species, of the grasslands with high biodiversity (HNV) from the Transylvanian Plain, Romania. The experiments were established in 2018 on the nemoral area and analyzed the effect of a gradient of five organic and mineral treatments. Fertilization with 10 t ha⁻¹ manure or N₅₀ P₂₅K₂₅ ensures an increase in yield and has a small influence on diversity, and it could be a potential strategy for the maintenance and sustainable use of HNV grasslands. Each fertilization treatment determined species with indicator value that are very useful in the identification and management of HNV grasslands. The dry matter biomass increases proportionally as the amounts of fertilizer applied increase and the number of species decreases. Full article

Thymus vulgaris L. is an emblematic species of the Mediterranean tradition. As a crop, this species has been spread wherever possible by man around the World. Often escaped from cultivations, defining its natural environment and the limits of its natural range is very much complicated as these have been greatly altered and influenced by human presence, in a positive or in a negative way. In addition to ecology and biogeography studies, we carried out human ecology research to understand whether, in a multidisciplinary (pan-ecological) approach, the case study of the Th. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris community can be considered of natural or of naturalised origin. An ecological, bio-geographical, and floristic review on this species is reported to help the discussion. Our study could be a good way to improve scientific discussions and applications even for other places and other situations. Some outlook and proposals are reported to improve management and conservation measures, in order to foster our ″green-sphere″ protection strategies through plants. Full article

The aim of the study was to assess the post-harvest life of the leaves of Hemerocallis × hybrida ‘Agata’, Limonium latifolium, and Heuchera hybrida ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ after the application of growth regulators from the group of gibberellins (GAs) and cytokinins (CKs), ionic liquids (2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylethylammonium gibberellinate [Chol][Gib] and acetylcholine gibberellinate [Gib][Ach]), as well as quaternary ammonium salts with the gibberellinate anion (1-ethyl quinine gibberellinate [Q-C₂][Gib]) and 1-dodecyl acetylcholine gibberellinate [Q-C₁₂][Gib]). The leaves were conditioned for 4 h in aqueous solutions of benzyladenine (BA), meta-methoxytopolin (MemT) and its riboside (MemTR), gibberellic acid (GA₃), [Q-C₂][Gib], [Gib][Ach], [Chol][Gib], and [Q-C₁₂][Gib] at concentrations of 50 and 100 mg·dm⁻³. Conditioning of Hemerocallis × hybrida ‘Agata’ with MemT and [Chol][Gib] at both concentrations, [Q-C₂][Gib] (100 mg·dm⁻³) and [Gib][Ach] (50 mg·dm⁻³), extended the vase life of the leaves by 7–9 days. The application of [Gib][Ach] (50 and 100 mg·dm⁻³) and [Q-C₁₂][Gib] (100 mg·dm⁻³) resulted in the longest vase life of the leaves of Limonium latifolium. Conditioning of the leaves of Heuchera hybrida ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ with BA, MemT, and MemTR (50 and 100 mg·dm⁻³) extended their vase life by 9.5–51.3 days. BA at a concentration of 100 mg·dm⁻³ was the most effective. MemT (50 mg·dm⁻³), MemTR (100 mg·dm⁻³), [Q-C₂][Gib] (100 mg·dm⁻³), [Gib][Ach] (100 mg·dm⁻³), and [Chol][Gib] (50 mg·dm⁻³) inhibited the degradation of proteins in the leaves of Hemerocallis × hybrida ‘Agata’; [Chol][Gib] (50 and 100 mg·dm⁻³)—in the leaves of Limonium latifolium; all the conditioners except for BA—in the leaves of Heuchera hybrida ‘Chocolate Ruffles’. GA₃, MemTR, [Gib][Ach], [Q-C₁₂][Gib] at both concentrations, [Q-C₂][Gib], and [Chol][Gib] (50 mg·dm⁻³) inhibited the degradation of chlorophyll in the leaves of Hemerocallis × hybrida ‘Agata’. All conditioners except for [Gib][Ach] and [Q-C₁₂][Gib] inhibited chlorophyll degradation in the leaves of Limonium latifolium. All conditioners except for MemT and MemTR (50 mg·dm⁻³) inhibited chlorophyll degradation in the leaves of Heuchera hybrida ‘Chocolate Ruffles’. [Chol][Gib] (50 mg·dm⁻³) was the most effective. Full article

This work represents the first study of the floristic diversity on Bulgaria’s ancient mounds. The objective of this research was to assess the importance of the mounds for the preservation of the native vascular and cryptogam flora. Our sampling design included 111 ancient mounds distributed throughout the country. We recorded a total of 1059 vascular plants, 58 bryophytes and 61 lichen taxa. Despite their small area, the mounds were shown to preserve nearly a quarter of the Bulgarian flora. The vegetation cover on the mounds included 61% perennials indicating a long-term persistence and stability. The majority (98%) of the established vascular plants were native species. Although the conservation significance of the vascular plant species were not common, we recorded 2 critically endangered, 9 endangered and 14 Balkan endemics during the present study. The lichen Arthopyrenia salicis was recorded for the first time in Bulgaria and a new locality of the rare bryophyte Ceratodon conicus was discovered. The established compositional difference between plots from the northern and southern slopes of the mounds (88.95%) is a testament to the high local habitat diversity. The prevalence of species characteristic for Festuco-Brometea suggests that the mounds preserve fragments of native grasslands and steppes. The variation in cover of agricultural and other human modified areas in the mounds’ immediate surroundings did not substantially affect their species richness. We argue that the ancient mounds should be taken into consideration in future green space planning. Full article