Dwarf junipers (family Cupressaceae), dioecious and wind-pollinated coniferous shrubs with a low tolerance for shade and a slow growth rate, can be an important biological indicator of climate changes in a mountain environment at a Mediterranean latitude. In the southern Italian mountains they grow at altitudes above 1500 m a.s.l. in wide grazed clearings or over the timberline, and are characteristic of xeric communities, rich in flora and fauna. Nowadays, the conservation of these species is threatened because of the dynamism in the patterns of vegetation and the extremely scarce natural regeneration. This paper presents the initial results of ongoing nursery and laboratory experiments carried out on seed germination and vegetative propagation of autochthonous dwarf junipers (Juniperus hemisphaerica Presl, Juniperus nana Willd.) of the highmountain areas of Pollino National Park (southern Italy) to promote ex situ conservation. Specific protocols were prepared to break seed dormancy and develop best practices for propagation using cuttings.

Ex-situ conservation of dwarf junipers (Juniperus hemisphaerica Presl, Juniperus nana Willd.) in Pollino National Park (southern Italy).

LAPENNA, MARIA RITA;FASCETTI, Simonetta
2010-01-01

Abstract

Dwarf junipers (family Cupressaceae), dioecious and wind-pollinated coniferous shrubs with a low tolerance for shade and a slow growth rate, can be an important biological indicator of climate changes in a mountain environment at a Mediterranean latitude. In the southern Italian mountains they grow at altitudes above 1500 m a.s.l. in wide grazed clearings or over the timberline, and are characteristic of xeric communities, rich in flora and fauna. Nowadays, the conservation of these species is threatened because of the dynamism in the patterns of vegetation and the extremely scarce natural regeneration. This paper presents the initial results of ongoing nursery and laboratory experiments carried out on seed germination and vegetative propagation of autochthonous dwarf junipers (Juniperus hemisphaerica Presl, Juniperus nana Willd.) of the highmountain areas of Pollino National Park (southern Italy) to promote ex situ conservation. Specific protocols were prepared to break seed dormancy and develop best practices for propagation using cuttings.
2010
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
scandinavian juniperus.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Post-print
Licenza: DRM non definito
Dimensione 307.52 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
307.52 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11563/3966
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact