Elisabetta Bianchi

University of Florence | UNIFI

The fruticose epiphytic lichen Seirophora villosa, strictly associated with Juniperus shrublands in the Mediterranean basin, was used to investigate the role of hairiness on a lichen thallus, as a characteristic morphological trait. We evaluated the effect of hair removal on the physiological parameters of a set of samples, during desiccation and o...

Odontarrhena is a taxonomically difficult genus of the tribe Alysseae, including a number of critical species complexes in the Balkan Peninsula. One of these is O. baldaccii, which was previously included in the inconsistent taxon Alyssum fallacinum but recently shown to be distinct from it. In this paper, we analyzed the still uncertain taxonomic...

Recent molecular studies on Parmelia revealed several new semi-cryptic and cryptic species, suggesting the existence of considerable genetic diversity within this genus that may not yet be expressed at the phenotypic level. This is the case of the two species Parmelia ernstiae and P. serrana that have been described in the P. saxatilis group from E...

The family Brassicaceae includes the highest proportion of Ni-hyperaccumulating plants in western Eurasia. Though increasingly relevant for scientific research and biotechnological applications, data about metal concentrations in native populations are still incomplete. The Balkan peninsula is a major diversity centre for Ni-hyperaccumulators due t...

The new species Silene isabellae is described and illustrated from the Skënderbëut mountain range of central Albania. It grows on the ultramafic mountain slopes around Qafë Shtamë, in the understorey of open Pinus nigra forests and in the rocky grasslands above the forest belt, at 1000–1600 m a.s.l. Silene isabellae is a serpentine endemic likely b...

A new species of Odontarrhena (Brassicaceae) is described from Mount Vourinos in western Macedonia, Greece. The species is restricted to the ridge and the northern slopes of Mt. Vourinos above 1500 m a.s.l. and grows on stony slopes and dry rocky grassland on ultramafic soil with elevated trace metal concentrations. Based on morphological, karyolog...

Cross-taxon congruence, i.e., using certain taxonomic groups as surrogates for others, is receiving growing interest since it may allow decreasing efforts in biodiversity studies. In this work, we investigated the patterns of cross-taxon congruence in species richness and composition between communities of bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants i...

Biomonitoring studies are often employed to track airborne pollutants both in outdoor and indoor environments. In this study, the mercury (Hg) sorption by three biomonitors, i.e., Pinus nigra bark, Pseudovernia furfuracea lichen, and Hypnum cupressiforme moss, was investigated in controlled (indoor) conditions. In comparison to outdoor environments...

Xanthoria parietina survivability in Mars-like conditions was supported by water-lysis efficiency recovery and antioxidant content balancing with ROS production after 30 days of exposure. Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr. is a widespread lichen showing tolerance against air pollutants and UV-radiation. It has been tested under space-like and Mars-li...

Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. is a tripartite, broad-lobed foliose lichen usually found on bark and on epiphytic and epilithic mosses in humid forests. Currently, the species is threatened in most European countries because of its sensitivity to environmental alterations. In this paper, a total of 107 previous studies across more than 50 years wer...

The species–area relationship (SAR) states that species richness increases with the increase of the sampled area, although other factors can influence the pattern. SARs have been tested on many different organisms, but only rarely on lichens. We aimed to test the SAR, across a wide range of area sizes, for three main substratum-related guilds of li...

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture is increasing the demand for novel products to improve the quality of crops in a more sustainable way. Wood distillate (WD, pyroligneous acid) is a by-product obtained during the pyrolysis of plant biomass that can be successfully applied in agriculture due to its ability to en...

Boron (B) is a crucial micronutrient needed for plant growth. This study investigated the effect of B addition (0.5 mg kg-1-low, and 5 mg kg-1-high) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants grown in the soil and hydroponically. The results showed that B addition causes a differential increase in lettuce leaves depending on the cultivation system. Soil...

Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th. Fr. is a widely spread foliose lichen showing high tolerance against UV-radiation thanks to parietin, a secondary lichen substance. We exposed samples of X. parietina under simulated Martian conditions for 30 days to explore its survivability. The lichen's vitality was monitored via chlorophyll a fluorescence that gives...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Chara , for the bryophyte genera Bryum , Grimmia , Cephaloziella , Hypnum , Nogopterium , Physcomitrium , Polytrichastrum , Rhynchostegiella , Saelania , and Schistostega , the fun...

Lichens are poikilohydric organisms, whose internal water content tends to reflect external humidity conditions. After drying, they can reactivate their metabolic activity through water vapor uptake or liquid water input. Thus, lichen water-related functional traits are important as they are involved in the duration of the hydrated period. Models p...

The use of traditional biocides to halt or reduce biodeterioration is increasingly deterred, due to risks for human health and the environment, as well as for potential interference with stone materials. Alternative and eco-friendly substances are needed to limit these issues. Here we aim to evaluate the devitalization of lichens by a new bio-based...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Bryum , Cryphaea , Didymodon , and Grimmia ; the fungal genera Bryostigma , Cercidospora , Conocybe , Cortinarius , Endococcus , Inocybe , Psathyrella , and Sphaerellothecium...

Xanthoria parietina is a widespread foliose lichen growing on barks and rocks showing a broad spectrum of tolerance to air pollutants such as NOX and heavy metals, and resistance to UV-radiation because of the screening properties provided by the secondary metabolite parietin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of this lichen species...

The Formica rufa group comprises several ant species which are collectively referred to as "red wood ants" (hereafter RWA). These species have key roles in forest ecosystems, where they are ecologically dominant and greatly influence the dynamics of the habitat they colonise. Various studies have shown how their trophic activity may affect other or...

Microclimatic conditions are important in determining lichen distribution at small scale, and may determine whether the species persist when the surrounding environmental conditions have drastically changed. This is the case with forest management, since a sudden variation of microclimatic conditions (increase of solar radiation, temperature, wind...

We present new data concerning lichen species of the Italian flora and confirm 36 national red-listed species.

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of biochar amendment to reduce the availability of Pb in the soil and its uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. adela). Seedlings of lettuce were cultivated in Pb-contaminated soils, both with and without 5% biochar (w/w), as well as in a simplified soilless system (hydroponics) at the ecolog...

In this study, Cucurbita pepo L., one of the most cultivated, consumed and economically important crop worldwide, was used as model plant to test the toxic effects of the four most abundant microplastics identified in contaminated soils, i.e. polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET). Cucurb...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Aneura , Aulacomnium , Dumortiera , Fossombronia , Hennediella , Hygrohypnella , Pohlia , Porella , Riccardia , Tortella , and Tortula , the fungal genera Cortinarius , Mycen...

The botanical exploration of the Majella National Park has a long tradition dating back to the eighteenth century. However, the lichen biota of this area is still poorly investigated. To provide a baseline for future investigations, in this annotated checklist, we summarised all available information on the occurrence of lichens in the Majella Nati...

Among the numerous clean-up techniques for water treatment, sorption methods are widely used for the removal of trace metals. Phragmites australis is a macrophyte commonly used in constructed wetlands for water purification, and in the last decades, its use as biosorbent has attracted increasing attention. In view of a circularly economy approach,...

This study aimed at determining the cadmium phytoextraction potential of three Populus alba L. clones cultivated in the presence of increasing sodium chloride concentrations. Plantlets of a commercial and two autochthonous poplar clones were grown in perlite with nutrient solution enriched in CdSO4 (50 and 100 μM) and NaCl (25 and 50 mM), administe...

In this contribution, new data concerning red algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algal genus Thorea , for the bryophyte genera Ephemerum , Hedwigia , Pogonatum , Riccia , Sphagnum , and Tortella , the fungal genera Pileolaria and Sporisorium , and the lichen gen...

Assessing the ecological impacts of environmental change on biological communities requires knowledge of the factors driving the spatial patterns of the three diversity facets along extensive environmental gradients. We quantified the taxonomic (TD), functional (FD), and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of lichen epiphytic communities in 23 beech forest...

This work analyzed the influence of different application protocols on the efficacy of two biocides against the foliose lichen Xanthoparmelia tinctina on the sandstones of the Roman Archaeological site of Luni (Italy). The hypotheses that (a) biocide application tools (brush vs. poultice), (b) pre-treatment hydration, and (c) posttreatment washing...

Forest logging can be detrimental for non-vascular epiphytes, determining the loss of key components for ecosystem functioning. Legal logging in a Mediterranean mixed oak forest (Tuscany, Central Italy) in 2016 heavily impacted sensitive non-vascular epiphytes, including a large population of the threatened forest lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hof...

In this study, we investigated the removal of Fe(III), Cr(VI), Al(III), diclofenac, and levofloxacin from treated wastewater in the presence of the free-floating plants Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minuta, to understand whether these species can be effectively used in a surface flow constructed wetland as wastewater refining treatment. Fe and Al w...

Characterizing functional trait variation and covariation, and its drivers, is critical to understand the response of species to changing environmental conditions. Evolutionary and environmental factors determine how traits vary among and within species at multiple scales. However, disentangling their relative contribution is challenging and a comp...

These guidelines are based on the review of best practices and results of recent methodological and applicative studies. The guidelines address the use of epiphytic lichens (bioaccumulation by native lichens and lichen transplants) to monitor spatial and temporal trends of element concentrations (macro-elements and trace elements) related to atmosp...

In this chapter, the main ecological factors that characterize the epiphytic environment and which determine the composition of epiphytic communities have been described. In particular, emphasis has been made to focus on epiphytic lichens which, due to their ecophysiological characteristics, represent a set of highly specialized organisms that live...

The threat to the survival of many species, caused by emerging ecological crises, has favored the development of a new environmental awareness. In recent decades, especially in the most industrialized nations, an increasing participation of citizens in the collection of scientific data has also been recorded. The active involvement of society in di...

In this contribution, new data concerning algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the algae genus Chara , the bryophyte genera Homalia , Mannia , and Tortella , the fungal genera Cortinarius , Russula , and Stereum , and the lichen genera Cetrelia , Cladonia , Enterogra...

The Project RESTO CON LIFE “Island conservation in Tuscany, restoring habitats not only for birds” is a Life Natura project co-funded by the European Commission (www.restoconlife.eu). Within this project, over the last five years, the Tuscan Archipelago National Park has undertaken, together with the other partners of the project, several actions t...

Forest management practices may heavily affect epiphytic cryptogams. This study was conceived in March 2016, as soon as we were informed about an authorized logging for timber within a Mediterranean mixed oak forest in Tus-cany (central Italy), which threatened a large population of the forest macro-lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm., composed o...

The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent “bioaccumulation scales” for native and transplanted lichens are proposed. Methodologically consistent el...

Biological invasions represent a global threat to biodiversity. Particular attention should be devoted to the management of alien plants, focusing on the opportunity to obtain a rapid response to invasion and restoration of the invaded areas. In this study we aimed to evaluate five different methods for controlling Oxalis pes-caprae, a well-known i...

In the Mediterranean basin, coastal dune systems are a priority habitat for nature conservation. Seirophora villosa is strictly associated with undisturbed dune juniper formations and can be used as an indicator of the status of conservation. Light regime and water availability are generally the main ecological factors modified by habitat fragmenta...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Diplophyllum and Ptychostomum, the fungal genera Arrhenia, Gymnosporangium, and Sporidesmium and the lichen genera Arthonia, Coenogonium, Flavoplaca, Gyalolechia, Parmotrema,...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Diplophyllum and Ptychostomum , the fungal genera Arrhenia , Gymnosporangium , and Sporidesmium and the lichen genera Arthonia , Coenogonium , Flavoplaca , Gyalolechia , Parm...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Diplophyllum and Ptychostomum , the fungal genera Arrhenia , Gymnosporangium , and Sporidesmium and the lichen genera Arthonia , Coenogonium , Flavoplaca , Gyalolechia , Parm...

We explored the fine scale patterns of populations of the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in its most suitable habitats across Italy, accounting for different developmental stages as well as for a set of biotic and abiotic descriptors. Results revealed that the tree-level probability of occurrence of the species is influenced by an interplay between the...

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi, and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Diplophyllum and Ptychostomum, the fungal genera Arrhenia, Gymnosporangium, and Sporidesmium and the lichen genera Arthonia, Coenogonium, Flavoplaca, Gyalolechia, Parmotrema,...

Control of lichens on stone cultural heritage is mostly achieved by a combination of mechanical removal with biocide applications. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence on the efficacy of different biocides on different species, and on the consistency of biocide effects on heritage sites in different environmental conditions. This results...

P-128 Evaluating an effective treatment to control/eradicate the invasive weed Oxalis pes-caprae: indications from a field experiment in a Mediterranean island. Lorenzo Lazzaro, Giulio Ferretti, Bruno Foggi, Elisabetta Bianchi, Renato Benesperi Department of Biology, University of Florence, via G. La Pira 4, I-50121, Florence, Italy Oxalis pes-capr...

L'escursione annuale della SLI, svoltasi in occasione del XXVIII Convegno Nazionale (Lanciano, 9-11 Settembre 2015), ci ha portati nel territorio comunale di Borrello, in provincia di Chieti. L'escursione si è svolta in due tappe e sono stati visitati due ambienti peculiari e molto diversi tra loro. La prima parte del percorso ha interessato la Ris...