Charophytes are a group of benthic macroalgae, which are important both from the ecological and from the evolutionary standpoints. They play crucial roles in controlling ecosystem dynamics, and in supporting biodiversity. Charophytes are one of the most endangered groups of macrophytes, threatened by various forms of aquatic environment alteration, which are determining a progressive decline in their abundance and diversity worldwide. The definition of charophyte ecological niches, with a better understanding of how environmental drivers shape their occurrence, is thus crucial in evaluating their present and future diversity in changing environments, and in planning suitable conservation strategies. This is specifically urgent in the Mediterranean Basin due to rapid ongoing global climate change, increasing human pressure, and hydrological fluctuations. To fill this knowledge gap, this research aims at evaluating the ecological niche hypervolume of 10 charophyte populations, belonging to the genera Chara, Nitella, and Tolypella, and studied across a latitudinal gradient encompassing southern Italy [1] and Egypt [2,3]. Results revealed that the Egyptian populations exhibit larger ecological plasticity than the Italian populations and a differentiation in the occupied hypervolume, suggesting that warmer climates may force charophytes to adapt to challenging environmental conditions in coping with the scarcity of freshwater environments.
Ecological plasticity of charophytes across a latitudinal gradient (southern Italy-Egypt) and its implications for conservation
Alessandro Bellino
;Daniela Baldantoni;
2024-01-01
Abstract
Charophytes are a group of benthic macroalgae, which are important both from the ecological and from the evolutionary standpoints. They play crucial roles in controlling ecosystem dynamics, and in supporting biodiversity. Charophytes are one of the most endangered groups of macrophytes, threatened by various forms of aquatic environment alteration, which are determining a progressive decline in their abundance and diversity worldwide. The definition of charophyte ecological niches, with a better understanding of how environmental drivers shape their occurrence, is thus crucial in evaluating their present and future diversity in changing environments, and in planning suitable conservation strategies. This is specifically urgent in the Mediterranean Basin due to rapid ongoing global climate change, increasing human pressure, and hydrological fluctuations. To fill this knowledge gap, this research aims at evaluating the ecological niche hypervolume of 10 charophyte populations, belonging to the genera Chara, Nitella, and Tolypella, and studied across a latitudinal gradient encompassing southern Italy [1] and Egypt [2,3]. Results revealed that the Egyptian populations exhibit larger ecological plasticity than the Italian populations and a differentiation in the occupied hypervolume, suggesting that warmer climates may force charophytes to adapt to challenging environmental conditions in coping with the scarcity of freshwater environments.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.