FORENDEMICS | The italian endemic forest plants diversity and functional traits of a biological heritage under pressure
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Referente scientifico
Gruppo di lavoro
Federico Selvi (PO, DAGRI, coordinatore Nazionale)
Elisa Carrari (RTDA, DAGRI)
Martina Pollastrini (PA, DAGRI)
Andrea Coppi (PA, BIOLOGIA)
Partner del progetto
UNICAM, UNIBZ, UNISS, UNIBAS
Principali obiettivi
Analisi della diversità tassonomica, funzionale e genetica di taxa di piante vascolari endemici delle foreste italiane, strategie di conservazione
Abstract
The overarching goal of FORENDEMICS is to advance our understanding about the diversity of the Italian endemic forest plants and their functional traits in the face of global and local drivers of habitat change. Forests are complex ecosystems that harbor the largest part of terrestrial biodiversity and provide essential benefits to humankind.
On the other hand, Italian forests are exposed to multiple direct and indirect disturbances, among which climate extremes, wildfires, invasive species, increasing herbivore pressure and anthropic exploitation. Sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation are therefore an absolute priority in the agenda of the European environmental policy and Testo Unico Forestale (DLvo 03/04/2018 n. 34).
The largest part of plant diversity in temperate forests is found in the understorey. Despite the key role of this layer also for ecosystem functioning, current forest management policies largely ignore it. Italian woodlands harbor remarkable understorey endemics, about which we know very little. A complete and updated inventory of these taxa is not yet available, and information on population distribution, size and habitat preferences is still largely incomplete.
Moreover, the functional traits that allow persistence and adaptation to site conditions are unknown, as well as traits that influence ecosystem functioning. Because of this, the impacts of environmental changes are unpredictable and may pose serious threats to the future of these unique species.
Our project will flow through two integrated WPs based on complementary approaches at the habitat, species and population level.
1) Critical inventory of the Italian forest endemics and implementation of a database gathering the available information, to be made freely accessible to the public.
2) Population assessments and analysis of key traits that influence species performance, dispersal and persistence in “target” taxa.
Paleoendemics in family Apiaceae in southern Italy and additional taxa in other families and regions will be selected. An innovative approach based on a comparative trait-based analysis in the endemic species and its taxonomically closest non-endemic relative will allow to identify the magnitude and direction of functional divergence of the endemics.
Altogether this project is expected to bring new insights into the distribution, conservation status and functional traits of forest plants endemic to Italy, as well on their possible responses to local and global drivers of habitat change.
Evidence will inform local and regional land use policies and forest management strategies that cherish the future of this unique biological heritage of our country. This project meets the scopes of the PRIN call as its objectives are fully within the PNRR thematic area "Biodiversity", mission “Rivoluzione Verde e Transizione Ecologica”, also enhancing the scientific interactions between five Universities over the national territory.
Azioni progettuali
(in grassetto quelle coordinate da DAGRI-UNIFI)
Unifi coordina l’intero progetto e guida determinate azioni progettuali quali: identificazione delle specie endemiche, raccolta dati già disponibili su queste, allestimento e armonizzazione del relativo database, ricerche d’erbario (reperti storici ed attuali), rilevamenti e campionamenti in campo di popolazioni/specie, analisi di tratti funzionali e analisi molecolari su taxa selezionati. Controllo dati, inserimento, elaborazioni statistiche.
Durata
Inizio: 05.10.2023
Conclusione: 05.10.2025
Ente finanziatore bando
MUR, Bando 2022 Prot. 2022T3S9BC
Eventi
Collegamenti
Ultimo aggiornamento
07.05.2024