2nd Mediterranean Conservation Week “Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives” An update on translocation activities of the climate relict (Sicily, Southern Italy)

presented by Giuseppe Garfì

CNR - Institute of Biosciences and BioResources Palermo, Italy [email protected]

In collaboration with: Abbate L., Carimi F., Carra A., Catalano C., Fazan L., Kozlowski G., Gristina A.S., Motisi A., Pasta S., Perrotta G.

Supported by: Outline

• The species

• Implications as a climate relict

• Ecological plasticity

• Criteria for translocation

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Zelkova sicula: an emblematic relict... Site 2 – Contrada Ciranna

Site 1 - Bosco Pisano

0 100 m

0 100 m • Current distribution: 2 single, isolated populations, some hundred in total • Area: 0.5 ha (site 1), 0.8 ha (site 2) • Habit: to small tree • Habitat: sparse, disturbed sclerophyllous forests • Conservation: critical

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Zelkova: endangered all over the world

Zelkova sicula

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Threats vs. viability

 Enclave populations  Recurrent drought stress  Anthropogenic pressure  No sexual dispersal  Genetic depauperation (ONLY 2 CLONAL !!!)

unlikely to naturally shift the range in response to rapid change of environmental conditions

HUMAN-MEDIATED TRANSLOCATION PROBABLY THE LAST RESORT TO ENHANCE THE CONSERVATION OF THE SPECIES 2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Extinct from continental at 31000 BP Valle di Castiglione Fraxinus EXTINCTION Age Corylus ka Carpinus Tilia Ulmus Quercus Lake of Pergusa (Sicily) Fagus Acer Hedera 3.5

50

80

100

130

150

ZELKOVA 200

(Sadori et al., 2008) (Follieri et al., 1988) 2nd MPCW - ConservationInternational of Mediterranean Conference: Plant “Relict Diversity: woody plants:Complementary linking the past,Approaches present and and future” New Perspectives th 12-16 November19 2018,June 2018 La Valletta – Kòrnik, PolandMALTA ZELKOVA relicts: which bioclimatic tolerance range?

Francofonte (Sicily) 281 m asl Lahijan (Iran) 4 m asl 500140 70 500140 70 1330.8 mm 16.7°C 400130 728.0 mm 16.9°C 65 400130 65 300120 60 300120 60 200110 55 200110 55

100 50 ) 100 50 90 45 90 45 80 40 80 40 70 35 70 35 60 30 60 30 50 25

rainfall (mm) rainfall rainfall (mm) rainfall 50 25

temperature (°C) temperature 40 20 °C temperature 40 20 30 15 30 15 20 10 20 10 10 5 10 5 0 0

Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 0 0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Omalos () 1250 m asl Wuhan () 23 m asl 140500 70 500140 70 1194.0 mm 16.3°C 130400 1710.1 mm 11.5°C 65 400130 65 120300 60 300120 60 110200 55 200110 55 100 50 100 50 90 45 90 45 80 40 80 40 70 35 70 35 60 30 60 30

50 25 (mm) rainfall 50 25

rainfall (mm)

temperature (°C) temperature

40 20 temperature (°C) 40 20 30 15 30 15 20 10 20 10 10 5 10 5 0 0 0 0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

TO FROM seasonal water satisfactory yearly shortage water supply

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Importance of topography and related terrain effects for the persistence of climate relicts

(Hampe & Jump, 2011)

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA 2 nd MLG (m) MPCW - Conservation Conservation ZELKOVA SICULA ( 318 to318 525 m Adaptation to to Adaptation Annual of Mediterranean PlantDiversity: Complementary Approaches andNew asl average ) 12 - 16 of of Maximum November 2018, La 2018, shoot refugia MLG (m) Valletta Length , MALTA W Growth is d ( ecreasing per variable 800 to800 m 1800 tree rainfall (MLG) gradient asl ) Perspectives Crete (2017 Conservation ( courtesy E : CIHEAM - 2020) of Zelkova - - MAICh Annual abelicea 2017. Report) in Current climate and growth performances

precipitation temperature

ZELKOVA SICULA POP ZS1 (495 to 525 m asl)

shift

ZELKOVA ABELICEA shift POP Omalos (1120 to 1400 m asl) (Fazan et al., 2017)

significant at p<0.05 not significant

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Key role of underground water reserves WATER REGIME is crucial Temp Pisano not only for growth Temp Ficuzza but even for survival !!! ZS1 - Pisano (511 m a.s.l.)

Pilot - Ficuzza (1014 m a.s.l.)

rainfall VWC 60 cm VWC 30 cm VWC 0 cm

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA 2 nd MPCW 495 m -

Conservation Conservation cumulative height growth (m) a.s.l Tree preserved still potential growth . - of Mediterranean PlantDiversity: Complementary Approaches andNew SE facing 12 - 16 November 2018, La 2018, Valletta , MALTA cumulative height growth (m) 820 m a.s.l . - N facing Perspectives Climate Change and Deficit % year 2013 recent climatic trends Reference period 2003-2012

significant decrease in precipitation !!!

Deficit % Dec 2015 to Feb 2016 Deficit % Mar to Aug 2017 Reference period 2003-2015 Reference period 2003-2016

Deficit % -90 to -80 -79 to -60 -59 to -40 -39 to -20 -19 to -10 -9 to -0

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Risks associated to Climate Change

10-11 August 2017

June 2018 GREAT RESILIENCE!

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Translocation as a tool for long-term in-situ conservation

(Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2008)

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Which is the real “optimum” for Zelkova sicula?

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Site selection criteria for translocation

Madonie Mts. – Bosco Pomieri (1341 m a.s.l.) Nebrodi Mts. – Bosco Tassita (1309 m a.s.l.) • Paleobotanical data (past floristic assemblages) • Biogeography of the Zelkova • Elevation (500 to 1340 m a.s.l.) • Micro-topography (streamsides, northern face) • Protected areas • Public property

SUPRA-MEDITERRANEAN BELT SUPRA-MEDITERRANEAN BELT Quercus deciduous-Fagus forests Fagus-Acer-Taxus forests

Sicani Mts. – Bosco Ficuzza (1014 m a.s.l.) Iblei Mts. – Bosco Pisano-Manco (507 m a.s.l.) Bosco Ficuzza – Alpe Cucco (1014 m a.s.l.)

(MESO-)SUPRA-MEDITERRANEAN BELT THERMO-MEDITERRANEAN BELT Quercus deciduous/evergreen-Acer forests Quercus evergreen forests 2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA June 2016: the first trials Browsing protection by fencing

Planting patterns: half-shadow, along stream side Mulching with biodegradable mat

Technical expedients: use of hydrogel (high water retention polyacrylate)

Emergency irrigation during the first growing season Growth monitoring Successful results!

in-vitro plantlet

in-vivo plantlet

• 45 new plantlets per site in 4 new pilot-sites • damages to some plantlets by heavy snow (!!!!) at the 3 most elevated sites • up to September 2018, ≅ 98% of plants are alive and healthy (only 4 dead)

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA Unexpected remarkable growth

Bosco Pisano - 506 m asl Bosco Ficuzza - 1015 m asl

Bosco Pomieri – 1341 m asl Bosco Tassita - 1309 m asl

mean annual growth rate ≅15 cm in each site

2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA CONTRIBUTORS

European Commission

Fondation Franklinia Geneva, Switzeland

Loredana Abbate, Ornella Badalamenti, Francesco Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Carimi, Angela Carra, Caterina Catalano, Francesca Istituto di Bioscienze e BioRisorse La Bella, Roberto De Michele, Ignazio Fontana, corso Calatafimi 414 I-90129 Palermo, Italia Alessandro Gristina, Antonio Motisi, Salvatore Pasta, Juliane Rühl, Giovanni G. Vendramin

Salvatore Livreri Console Legambiente Onlus Via Salaria 403 I-00199 Roma, Italia

Giancarlo Perrotta Regione Siciliana - Dipartimento Regionale Sviluppo Rurale e Territoriale via S. Giovanni alle Catacombe 7 I-96100 Siracusa, Italia

Stephane Buord, Catherine Gautier Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest 52 allée du Bot F-29200 Brest, France

Laurence Fazan, Gregor Kozlowski University of Fribourg Department of Biology Chemin du Musée 10 CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland 2nd MPCW - Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives 12-16 November 2018, La Valletta, MALTA THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION