| 1. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(author)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 2. |
- Alessi, Nicola, et al.
(author)
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Ancient refugia and present-day habitat suitability of native laurophylls in Italy
- 2019
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : WILEY. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 30:3, s. 564-574
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Questions European native laurophyllous species are interesting for their biogeography and evolutionary history, as well as for their responses to global changes. We identified Italian native laurophylls on the basis of morphology, biogeographical history and ecological niche to study whether these species are in equilibrium with the present-day climate. Furthermore, we localized Quaternary refugia and areas of potential spread of native laurophylls using distribution patterns of realized and potential aggregations of native laurophylls, respectively. Location Italy. Methods We extracted data for 17 087 forest plots from a phytosociological database. Detrended Correspondence Analysis of these plots with overlay of climatic and environmental variables was performed to identify native laurophylls, i.e., evergreen broad-leaved species of late Tertiary radiation, occupying a warm and humid niche. Potential ranges of laurophylls were calculated using Beals' index of sociological favourability. The realized/potential range-size ratio was calculated for each single laurophyll to understand whether it is in equilibrium with the present-day climate. Distribution patterns of realized and potential aggregations of laurophylls were mapped. Results Ordination analysis provided a selection of 11 species as Italian native laurophylls. Most of them occupied less than half of their estimated potential range. Realized aggregations richest in native laurophylls were localized in the central Apennines. However, the Italian forests showed high potential for native laurophylls with the richest potential aggregations in the whole Apennines and in the southern Alps. Conclusions Most of the Italian native laurophylls showed non-equilibrium with the current climate, suggesting that late-Quaternary events could better explain their present-day distribution than on-going climate change. Furthermore, their refugia in central Italy suggest the persistence in sites with temperate climate during Quaternary environmental changes. The high suitability of Italian forests for laurophylls, along with global changes, suggests possible future spreading of these species.
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| 3. |
- Alessi, Nicola, et al.
(author)
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Phytocoenological approach to the ecology of Laurus nobilis L. in Italy
- 2018
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In: Rendiconti Lincei SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI. - : SPRINGER-VERLAG ITALIA SRL. - 2037-4631 .- 1720-0776. ; 29:2, s. 343-354
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Laurus nobilis L. (Laurel) is considered one of the most emblematic epigones of the late-Tertiary laurophyllous biome, persisting within the Mediterranean vegetation. Describing its present ecology and coenology is crucial to understand its biogeographical history as well as to develop consistent conservation and management practices in the context of the European Habitat Directive. We used recently available vegetation and environmental databases to investigate the coenological amplitude of Laurus in Italy, and to elucidate significant aspects of its persistence in the country. The coenological amplitude was assessed using the clustering method. Ordination techniques and regression trees were used to understand which environmental factors influence, respectively, the occurrence and the abundance of the species and, therefore, characterize its niche. Our results show a wide coenological amplitude of Laurus with respect to other laurophyllous species, growing within a wide range of forest communities. While the occurrence of the species is limited by winter temperature and favored by precipitation seasonality, changes in its abundance show a more refined pattern. In this latter case, two main groups of Laurus populations were differentiated based on water availability. The first group depends on abundant precipitations during the year while the second one buffers the summer aridity with soils rich in nutrients and moisture. Our findings provide crucial knowledge on Laurus habitats in Italy. However, discrepancies between our results and guidelines of the European Habitat Directive arose. The results presented here allow scientifically sound procedures for the regional conservation and management program.
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| 4. |
- Alessi, Nicola, et al.
(author)
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Population structure of Laurus nobilis L. in Central Italian forests : evidence for its ongoing expansion
- 2021
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In: Rendiconti Lincei SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI. - : Springer. - 2037-4631 .- 1720-0776. ; 32, s. 365-376
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During the last decades, an ongoing spread of broad-leaved evergreen laurophyllous species has been reported for forests of Southern Europe. Several factors were suggested as the main drivers of the phenomenon, namely global warming, land-use change, evolutionary history, and increase in atmospheric CO2. Among laurophylls, Laurus nobilis L. is considered one of the most prominent from the morphological, evolutionary, and ecological point of view. We studied the population structure of L. nobilis in Central Italy in its natural habitat to investigate its regeneration and potential expansion along with the influence biotic and abiotic factors. To define types of population structures, we collected proportions of six growth classes of L. nobilis in 16 sites. We obtained three types of population structure, i.e., (1) stable, (2) dynamic, and (3) regressive. The first two types are the most frequent, suggesting a potential increase of L. nobilis abundance within forests of Central Italy. The regressive population type occurs mainly in sites with heavy ungulate impact. High propagule pressure along with shaded and moist environmental conditions favor L. nobilis regeneration. Accordingly, we found evidence of a recent L. nobilis spread in Central Italian forests. We suggest the increase of forest cover and age, due to the abandonment of traditional rural practices, as key factors for the regeneration of this apparently late-successional laurophyll. In conclusion, the recent expansion of L. nobilis that we observed in the Italian forest stands can therefore be ascribed to a process of natural recover of a potential niche following land-use change.
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