Biology subjects

Bazzichetto, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Bazzichetto, M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Using revisitation data for predicting changes in ecosystem functioning across protected and non-protected coastal dunes

Protected areas are generally designed to conserve biodiversity. However, how well they also contribute to maintaining ecosystem functions that plant diversity supports has rarely been explicitly tested, often due to the lack of historical ecosystem function data. Here, we used a trait-based approach to reconstruct past ecosystem functioning and examine its change over the last 15 years in protected and unprotected coastal dune ecosystems, checking where functions remain stable over time. First, we resurveyed vegetation in quasi-permanent plots and measured in the present several ecosystem functions related to biomass production, carbon, water, nutrient cycling, erosion control, and invasion resistance across six coastal dune sites in Central Italy. Second, using these data, we quantified Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function (BEF) relationships and employed them to hindcast past ecosystem functions based on historical vegetation surveys. Finally, as a case study, we applied this method to assess temporal changes in ecosystem functioning under three protection regimes: national protected areas (i.e. strict protection), Natura 2000 sites (loose protection), and non-protected areas. Biomass production, carbon, and water regulation increased over time in non-protected areas, likely due to an expansion of ruderal and non-native species, that are usually more productive. Within Natura 2000 sites, communities showed a decrease in erosion control and invasion resistance, due to the loss of important dune-building species and the spread of non-natives. Only within national protected areas, ecosystem functions did not undergo significant temporal changes, and invasion resistance even increased. Our results suggest that ecosystem functioning remained stable over time only in areas under strict protection. More broadly, our study demonstrates the potential for using revisitation data in combination with locally estimated BEF relationships to hindcast past ecosystem functioning, providing a valuable tool for monitoring long-term functional changes in response to conservation measures.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

Dwarf-shrubs dynamics in Mediterranean high mountain ecosystems

QuestionVegetation in the alpine and treeline ecotone faces changes in both climate and land use. Shrub encroachment is considered an effect of these changes, but its still unclear how this effect is mediated by environmental heterogeneity. Our goal is to determine which environmental factors shape the fine-scale spatial distribution and temporal trends of alpine dwarf shrub. LocationThree sites in the Central Apennine, Italy. MethodsWe used a comprehensive set of environmental factors across a broad temporal span to model, at a fine-scale, both (1) the current spatial distribution and (2) the change in shrub cover over the past 60 years. ResultsOur results show that dwarf shrubs have generally increased in our study sites over the past 60 years, yet their distribution is strongly shaped by the joint influence of the fine-scale topography, productivity, land use and micro-climate. In particular, shrubs have been locally favored in areas with harsher alpine environmental constraints and stronger resource limitation. Instead, contrary to expectations, at this fine scale, warmer temperatures and the decline in grazing have not favored shrub encroachment. ConclusionDwarf shrubs appear as a stress-tolerant, pioneer vegetation that is currently distributed mainly over areas that are otherwise sparsely vegetated. It appears that shrubs exhibit poor competitive ability to invade grasslands and, though they have increased overall, they remain restricted to the least productive areas. Fine-scale environmental heterogeneity may strongly influence future responses of dwarf shrubs in changing alpine ecosystems.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

LOTVS: a global collection of permanent vegetation plots

Analysing temporal patterns in plant communities is extremely important to quantify the extent and the consequences of ecological changes, especially considering the current biodiversity crisis. Long-term data collected through the regular sampling of permanent plots represent the most accurate resource to study ecological succession, analyse the stability of a community over time and understand the mechanisms driving vegetation change. We hereby present the LOng-Term Vegetation Sampling (LOTVS) initiative, a global collection of vegetation time-series derived from the regular monitoring of vascular plants in permanent plots. With 79 datasets from five continents and 7789 vegetation time-series monitored for at least six years and mostly on an annual basis, LOTVS possibly represents the largest collection of temporally fine-grained vegetation time-series derived from permanent plots and made accessible to the research community. As such, it has an outstanding potential to support innovative research in the fields of vegetation science, plant ecology and temporal ecology.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

rasterdiv - an Information Theory tailored R package for measuring ecosystem heterogeneity from space: to the origin and back

O_LIEcosystem heterogeneity has been widely recognized as a key ecological feature, influencing several ecological functions, since it is strictly related to several ecological functions like diversity patterns and change, metapopulation dynamics, population connectivity, or gene flow. C_LIO_LIIn this paper, we present a new R package - rasterdiv - to calculate heterogeneity indices based on remotely sensed data. We also provide an ecological application at the landscape scale and demonstrate its power in revealing potentially hidden heterogeneity patterns. C_LIO_LIThe rasterdiv package allows calculating multiple indices, robustly rooted in Information Theory, and based on reproducible open source algorithms. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Once upon a time in the south: local drivers of plant invasion in the harsh sub-Antarctic islands

AimHere, we aim to: (i) investigate the local effect of environmental and human-related factors on alien plant invasion in sub-Antarctic islands; (ii) explore the relationship between alien species features and their dependence on anthropogenic propagule pressure; and (iii) unravel key traits conferring invasiveness in the sub-Antarctic. LocationPossession Island, Crozet archipelago (French sub-Antarctic islands). TaxonNon-native vascular plants (Poaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Juncaceae). MethodsSingle-species distribution models were used to explore the effect of high-resolution topoclimatic and human-related variables on the occurrence of six of the most aggressive alien plants colonizing French sub-Antarctic islands. Furthermore, the interaction between alien species traits and their response to anthropogenic propagule pressure was analysed by means of a multi-species distribution model. This allowed identifying the features of species that were associated to low dependence on human-assisted introductions, and were thus potentially more invasive. ResultsWe observed two main invasion patterns: low-spread species strongly dependent on anthropogenic propagule pressure and high-spread species limited mainly by harsh climatic conditions. Differences in invasiveness across species mostly related to their residence time, life history and plant height, with older introductions, perennial and low-stature species being more invasive. Main conclusionsThe availability of high-resolution data improved our understanding of the role of environmental and human-related factors in driving alien species distribution on sub-Antarctic islands. At the same time, the identification of alien species features conferring invasiveness may help anticipating future problematic invasions.

ecology↗