GUERRINA , Maria

Climate change is dramatically threatening biodiversity. Narrowly distributed species are especially exposed to extinction risk due to their narrow ecological niche. We used Species Distribution Models at fine spatial resolution (50 m) to investigate changes in the distribution of three range-restricted species of Santolina (Asteraceae) endemic...

Aim: Late Quaternary glaciations left an enduring imprint on the distribution of species and their genetic structure. The responses of plants endemic to the Alps can be summarized in three major demographic hypotheses: (i) post-glacial expansion hypothesis; (ii) post-glacial contraction hypothesis; and (iii) long-term stability hypothesis. Here...

Many species exhibit intraspecific ecological variation, and to not consider this ecological differentiation can confound predictions made with species distribution models (SDMs). This problem may be particularly relevant for species where there are few populations with potential local adaptations. To increase the performance of niche models...

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Saxifraga florulenta is a monocarpic species endemic to SW Alps, whose reproductive biology is still unknown. Its knowledge may provide useful information on how the species may face the global warming. In this study, we investigated the plant-pollinator interactions and the mating system of the plant. We described the phenology of the...

Pollination ecology and breeding system of Lilium pomponium L. were studied, and their effect on the reproductive outcome was assessed. This species has high conservation interest in Europe, because it is included in Annex V of the EU Habitat Directive and it is one out of the five Lilium species listed in IUCN Global Red List. To achieve our...

Geographical limits of species' distributions are assumed to be coincident with ecological margins, although this assumption might not always be true. Indeed, harsh environments such as Alpine and Mediterranean ecosystems may favour high phenotypic variability among populations, especially those in peripheral sites. Floral traits are often...

Background: Quantifying variation of genetic traits over the geographical range of species is crucial for understanding the factors driving their range dynamics. The center-periphery hypothesis postulates, and many studies support, the idea that genetic diversity decreases and genetic differentiation increases toward the geographical periphery...