Abstract Detail

Nº613/1382 - Biodiversity crisis: two examples of Mediterranean endemic plants struggling with germination issues, climate changes...
Format: ORAL
Authors
Giuseppe Bonanno1,Vincenzo Veneziano1
Affiliations
1 Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Antonino Longo 19, 95125, Catania, Italy.
Abstract
The Mediterranean region is a global hotspot of endemic plant biodiversity. To better understand what destiny awaits some of the most vulnerable plants of Mediterranean flora, we focused on Petagnaea gussonei and Muscari gussonei, two range-restricted endemic species from Sicily. We specifically investigated the germination capacity of P. gussonei and M. gussonei, and the temporal trends of climate, desertification and soil-use across the natural range of both species. P. gussonei showed high dormancy, whereas M. gussonei reported a narrow germination optimum (1015 C). The average temperature increased by 0.51.5 C in the period 19312020; the land affected by desertification expanded in an alarming way, by reaching values between 50 and 90%. Soil-use changes created also a complex impacting mosaic where 40–85% are agricultural areas. The effective conservation of P. gussonei and M. gussonei should be multilateral by relying on germplasm banks, improving landscape connectivity and vegetation cover, and promoting climate policies.