Università degli Studi di Cagliari DOTTORATO DI RICERCA Botanica Ambientale ed Applicata Ciclo XXVIII Ecological features, populations traits and conservation status of Helianthemum caput-felis along its distribution range Settore scientifico disciplinare di afferenza: BIO/03 Presentata da: Elena Sulis Coordinatore Dottorato Prof. Gianluigi Bacchetta Tutor Prof. Gianluigi Bacchetta Cotutors Ph.D. Giuseppe Fenu Ph.D. Jaime Güemes Heras Esame finale anno accademico 2014 – 2015 “Alla fine, conserveremo solo ciò che amiamo, ameremo solo ciò che conosciamo, e conosceremo solo ciò che ci hanno insegnato.” “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” Baba Dioum SUMMARY Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 Study species ................................................................................................................ 5 Aims of this work ......................................................................................................... 8 References .................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 1 – Ecological response to human trampling and conservation status of Helianthemum caput-felis (Cistaceae) at the eastern periphery of its range .................................................................. 17 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 17 Materials and methods .............................................................................................. 19 Study species .......................................................................................................... 19 Data sampling ........................................................................................................ 19 IUCN assessment at regional level ........................................................................ 20 Statistical analyses................................................................................................. 20 Results ......................................................................................................................... 21 Surface-area and plant density .............................................................................. 21 Plant size ................................................................................................................ 24 Reproductive traits................................................................................................. 25 IUCN assessment at regional level ........................................................................ 26 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 26 Implication for conservation ................................................................................. 28 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 29 References .................................................................................................................. 29 CHAPTER 2 – Variation of phenological and reproductive patterns in a Mediterranean coastal plant with fragmented distribution ................................................................................................. 35 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 35 Materials and methods .............................................................................................. 36 Study species .......................................................................................................... 36 Data collection....................................................................................................... 37 Data analyses......................................................................................................... 38 Results ......................................................................................................................... 39 Phenological pattern ............................................................................................. 39 Fruits output per plant ........................................................................................... 41 Seeds output ........................................................................................................... 43 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 45 Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... 47 References .................................................................................................................. 48 Appendices ................................................................................................................. 53 CHAPTER 3 – Evaluation of population dynamics of a perennial Mediterranean coastal plant by different methodological approaches .................................................................................................. 61 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 61 Materials and methods .............................................................................................. 63 Study species and area .......................................................................................... 63 Data collection ...................................................................................................... 63 Data analyses ........................................................................................................ 64 Results......................................................................................................................... 69 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 77 Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... 80 References .................................................................................................................. 80 CHAPTER 4 – Assessing the local population dynamics of Helianthemum caput-felis along its distribution range .......................... 87 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 87 Materials and methods .............................................................................................. 89 Study species .......................................................................................................... 89 Data collection ...................................................................................................... 89 Data analyses ........................................................................................................ 90 Results......................................................................................................................... 93 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 105 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................... 107 References ................................................................................................................ 108 Appendix .................................................................................................................. 114 CHAPTER 5 – Conservation status at global level of Helianthemum caput-felis (Cistaceae), a plant of international interest ...................... 117 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 117 Materials and methods ............................................................................................ 119 Study species ........................................................................................................ 119 Data collection .................................................................................................... 120 Data analyses....................................................................................................... 120 Extinction risk ...................................................................................................... 121 IUCN assessment ................................................................................................. 122 Results ....................................................................................................................... 123 Global population demography ........................................................................... 130 Conservation status assessment ........................................................................... 135 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 136 Implications for conservation and management ................................................. 137 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................... 138 References