Studi di conservazione ed ecologia della germinazione di specie psammofile della costa molisana

Biodiversity conservation is a topic of growing interest in scientific research, but also in the government worldwide. This work is divided by working through a double approach: developing studies about in situ conservation, through the analysis of habitats and coastal flora, and through coordination ex situ conservation of germplasm in the seed bank, not only for rare taxa or threatened species but also for those who, by the special morphophysiological characteristics, contribute to the formation and structural support of the dunes (Ley Vega De Seoane et al., 2007). This latter action demonstrates the close correlation between restoration ecology and conservation biology (Escudero & Iriondo, 2007), science interconnected, according to some Authors (Young, 2000; van Diggelen et al., 2001; Verhoeven, 2001) that will finally converge in the future. The study in situ, carried out in the Molise region, helped to report a total of 636 rare, endangered and / or important biogeographical species present throughout the region, 59 of which are concentrated in 3 Natura 2000 areas identified along the coast in Molise . These data have allowed to develop, by attributing numerical values to taxa compared to the status of threat, the maps of the valence of the 18 floristic habitat of Community Directive 43/92 insistent in coastal areas of the region. This mapping is a powerful support in administrative decision-making processes and represents a concrete basis for the preparation of management plans for Sites of Community Importance which will operate in the planning, management and monitoring of the coastline. The actions were carried out ex situ conserving coastal germplasm at the Germplasm Bank of Sardinia (BG-SAR) and have helped keep long-term the seeds of 18 species, including 8 of conservation interest (presence in the regional Red List, protected or endemic species). On Cakile maritima Scop. subsp. maritima, Euphorbia paralias L., Otanthus maritimus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link subsp. maritimus, Calystegia soldanella (L.) Roem. & Schult., Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link subsp. australis (Mabille) Laínz, Cyperus capitatus Vand., Lotus creticus L., Ononis variegata L., Silene canescens Ten., Verbascum niveum Ten. subsp. garganicum (Ten.) Murb., Cistus creticus L. subsp. eriocephalus (Viv.) Greuter & Burdet, Halimium halimifolium (L.) Willk. subsp. halimifolium, Juncus littoralis C.A. Mey., Limonium narbonense Mill., Pancratium maritimum L., Sonchus bulbosus (L.) N. Kilian & Greuter subsp. bulbosus, Crithmum maritimum L., Glaucium flavum Crantz have been conducted laboratory tests to study the physiology of germination and identify the correct ecological requirements of each species in order to plan a proper ex-situ conservation in the long term and to plan possible future actions for populations increase and dune restoration. The conditions of optimum temperature and application of irradiation to the ability to seed germination, the states of dormancy, seed morphology and methods of seed dispersal were analyzed. Moreover, the differences of the type of dormancy and of the dispersal type in relation to the demand of light were studied. Results showed the heterogeneity in the behavior of the targeted species, due to different strategies which these taxa adopt in order to ensure their survival in these environments, submitted to strong natural stress.