Below are some of our most recent results, while our most important publications are presented at this link.

Complete list of our publications:

Thomas Abeli (ORCID; SCOPUS)

Andrea Mondoni (ORCID; SCOPUS)

Simone Orsenigo (ORCID; SCOPUS)

Graziano Rossi

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Megaspore germination and sporophyte emergence requirements in the critically endangered endemic quillwort Isoëtes malinverniana

Aquatic Botany 2026: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2025.103965

Abstract

Isoëtes malinverniana is a critically endangered quillwort endemic to north-western Italy. Although some aspects of its reproductive biology are well known, megaspore and sporophyte germination ecology have never been studied in detail. In this study, we investigate and clarify the thermal requirements for megaspore germination and sporophyte emergence in I. malinverniana. We tested the effect of five constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 °C) and one alternating temperature (25/15 °C) on megaspore germination and sporophyte emergence in I. malinverniana. Moreover, we tested the effect of light and dark on megaspore germination and, the species self-compatibility and apomictic reproduction. Our results suggest that the optimal temperatures for megaspore germination and sporophyte emergence were 20 °C and 25/15 °C, reaching approximately 80 % germination at these temperatures after eight weeks. Spore germination did not occur at 10 °C and decreased at temperatures above 25 °C. Germination and emergence speed were also positively related to temperature. Megaspore and sporophyte of I. malinverniana germinated and emerged in the dark, but at a lower percentage than in full light. Our study suggests that I. malinverniana is self-compatible and cannot reproduce apomictically.

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Tourism puts Zanzibari reserve at a crossroads

Science 2025: 10.1126/science.aeb5285

The moist broadleaf forests located on the coasts of Tanzania and Kenya and on nearby archipelagos such as Zanzibar are highly fragmented hotspots of plant and animal diversity (1).

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Understanding long-term abundance shifts in European alpine plants through the lenses of functional seed trait ecology.

Diversity and Distribution: https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70047

Abstract

Understanding the resilience and adaptability of alpine flora under climate change is crucial for biodiversity conservation. While functional traits are key to predicting alpine plants’ responses to climate change, the role of regeneration traits remains underexplored. We hypothesised that alpine species thriving under climate change produce seeds with higher dispersal ability, longer soil persistence, lower dormancy requirements, and faster germination, while declining species would show opposite traits. Twenty-three summits across six mountain ranges in Central and Southern Europe: Sierra Nevada, Northern and Central Apennines, and Northeastern, Central, and Southern Alps. We analysed long-term data on frequency and abundance changes and eight seed traits related to dispersal, establishment, and soil persistence for 177 alpine species using linear mixed-effect models. Over two decades, alpine plant populations remained stable, with nearly 90% of species showing minimal frequency change and 70% showing minimal abundance change. However, abundance shifts varied by region: 16%–25% of species declined in Sierra Nevada, the Central Apennines, and the Southern Alps, while the Northeastern Alps and the Northern Apennines showed the largest increases (27% and 17%, respectively). Significant but limited relationships between seed traits and population dynamics were captured, primarily in the Central and Northern Apennines. Species with lower potential for epizoochory or anemochory were more likely to increase in abundance, while smaller seeds were linked to ‘winners’ in some regions. Germination traits, such as broader temperature requirements and slower germination, characterised species with increased abundance in the Northern Apennines. Seed traits had limited predictive power in distinguishing ‘losers’ and ‘winners’ of climate change among European alpine plants. This likely reflects the longevity of alpine plants, short observation periods, and potential mismatches between seed-level microenvironmental conditions and broader climatic trends.
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Can 20 year old stored seeds be used for plant translocation? An investigation of the arctic-alpine specialist Viscaria alpina.

Restoration Ecology 2025: https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70096

Abstract

The increasing number of threatened plant species requires urgent conservation action. One option is to translocate plants back to their natural habitat. Many seeds of wild species are stored in seed banks, but there is little information on their suitability for plant translocation. Plants grown from stored seeds may not be adapted to the current climate, especially in alpine areas where warming is faster than the global average. We used three old (2000–2005; “ancestor”) and three recent (2018–2020; “descendant”) seed accessions of Viscaria alpina, an arctic-alpine specialist, to grow plants which were translocated back to the seed collection site. We monitored plant survival over 3 years and recorded vegetative, flowering, and seed traits. In the third year after translocation, survival was high (96%), but flower production decreased. Descendants had shorter flowering stems than ancestors, suggesting plants have become smaller over 20 years. The number of flowers, seed mass, number, and germination did not differ between ancestors and descendants, indicating these are more conservative traits. Plant translocation of an alpine species using old and recently collected seeds was successful in the short term, demonstrating that seeds stored for 20 years can be used for plant conservation. However, long-term monitoring is required to determine the success of this translocation. Descendant plants were smaller than ancestors, so they may have improved drought tolerance, likely in response to the drier conditions at the study site. Therefore, we recommend using recently collected seed accessions for plant translocation.

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Current state of plant conservation translocations across Europe: motivations, challenges and outcomes

Biodiversity and Conservation 2025: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-025-03013-0

Abstract
Plant translocation is a conservation technique increasingly used around the world. In Europe, numerous unpublished initiatives have resulted in scattered information in grey literature that is difficult to access. This represents a major obstacle to the exchange of information and experience among scientists, practitioners and competent authorities. To help filling this gap, we launched a large-scale questionnaire survey with 39 questions relating to methods, motivations, problems encountered and outcomes, supplemented by a screening of scientific publications, grey literature and national/regional databases. We gathered data on 3211 plant translocations across the European continent carried out on 1166 taxa in 28 countries, which represents the largest dataset of its kind in the world to date. Target translocated species were mainly forbs from grassland habitats and had a conservation status of greater concern nationally than globally. Practitioners mainly used plug plants originating from a single source (the geographically closest to the target site). Weather events and plant diseases were the most often unanticipated problems noticed by respondents. Through monitoring, it was found that most populations flowered but often did not reproduce and could not persist for more than five years, showcasing the challenge that
translocations still present for conservationists. This work will be useful in linking conservationists and enabling them to save time and resources by more easily identifying the best practices suited to their target species, with the ultimate aim of improving the science and practice of plant translocations in Europe and beyond.