Bruno De Cinti

Italian National Research Council | CNR · Institute of Agro-envinronmental and Forest Biology IBAF

Anthropogenic activities have resulted in a significant increase of reactive nitrogen (N) compounds in the atmosphere and a rise in N deposition on forest ecosystems. Increasing N loads impact forest productivity and health, altering tree physiological status and nutrient balance with possible beneficial and detrimental consequences. The impact of...

Anthropogenic activities resulted in a significant increase in nitrogen (N) compounds in the atmosphere and their deposition back to the biosphere, with important implications on both carbon (C) and N cycles. Indeed, an increase in N deposition can increase forest productivity in N limited forest ecosystems. In addition, it can also increase N loss...

Resource allocation to different plant tissues is likely to be affected by high investment into fruit production during mast years. However, there is a large knowledge gap concerning species-specific differences in resource dynamics. We investigated the influence of mast years on stem growth, leaf production, and leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and...

p>The following authors were omitted from the original version of this Data Descriptor: Markus Reichstein and Nicolas Vuichard. Both contributed to the code development and N. Vuichard contributed to the processing of the ERA-Interim data downscaling. Furthermore, the contribution of the co-author Frank Tiedemann was re-evaluated relative to the co...

The health and vitality assessment of each single tree is one of the most important actions for an optimal urban forest management program. The development of new technology able to continuously monitor the tree vitality and underlying trends, could help reduce the frequency of the monitoring assessment and help overcome problems related to the rap...

The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO2, water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe (over 1500 site-years, up to and including year 2014). These sites, independently managed and operated, voluntarily contributed their...

The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO2, water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe (over 1500 site-years, up to and including year 2014). These sites, independently managed and operated, voluntarily contributed their...

The long-term research and monitoring site of Collelongo - Selva Piana has been established in 1991 (Abruzzo Region, Central Italy, 1560 m elevation) in the framework of a project on ecology and silviculture of European beech. In 1993, the site was the first forest in Europe where canopy fluxes started to be measured with the eddy covariance techni...

Focusing conservation efforts on priority areas is crucial for maximizing the effects of the limited available resources. Unfortunately , there is often a conflict between the optimal spatial scale for conservation measures and data available for planning. We tested the potential contribution of LiDAR data in providing high-resolution environmental...

Bombina variegata is a good candidate to study the effects of alternative forestry practices, because it often depends on small and ephemeral reproductive sites that are more susceptible to desiccation and microhabitat alteration. Available data showed that populations breeding in forest ponds have a significantly better body condition than those i...

Many small terrestrial vertebrates exhibit limited spatial movement and are considerably exposed to changes in local environmental variables. Among such vertebrates, amphibians at present experience a dramatic decline due to their limited resilience to environmental change. Since the local survival and abundance of amphibians is intrinsically relat...

Ecological traits affect species’ responses to human impacts. Amphibians are declining worldwide and one of the major causes of such decline is habitat loss. Forestry practices have a primary role in determining habitat loss and fragmentation for amphibians. Thus, researchers should provide forest practitioners with essential information in order t...

CO2 fluxes from soil, together with soil water content and temperature have been measured over one solar year in an even-aged beech forest (Fagus Syl-vatica L.) in southern Italy. We investigated the effects of three different harvested biomass removal treatments (traditional, innovative, unharvested control) on soil respiration (Rs) in three plots...

Bombina variegata is a good candidate to study the effects of alternative forestry practices, because it often depends on small and ephemeral reproductive sites that are more susceptible to desiccation and microhabitat alteration. Available data showed that populations breeding in forest ponds have a significantly better body condition than those i...

Among vertebrates the concept of ‘‘habitat tree” in temperate forests, involving tree size and microhabitat occurrence, has been investigated mainly for birds and mammals. However, trees are also used by many amphibian species or sometimes by whole amphibian families that have evolved adaptations for living on trees. While there is a self-evident l...

Environmental heterogeneity affects not only the distribution of a species but also its local abundance. High heterogeneity due to habitat alteration and fragmentation can influence the realized niche of a species, lowering habitat suitability as well as reducing local abundance. We investigate whether a relationship exists between habitat suitabil...

Parameters estimated for each quantile (from 0.5 to 0.99) through linear quantile mixed models Abundance was modelled as a function of environmental suitability, based on different SDMs. * p < 0.05** p < 0.01.

Geographical projection of environmental suitability as predicted by different SDMs Black to white = unsuitable to suitable.

Mantel correlogram between occurrences used for species distribution modeling (test), employed with 100 permutation Only one significant value is present, but it is still very little. Black circle shows value significantly different from zero. White circles show non significant correlation.

Scatterplots of scaled abundance versus environmental suitability Regression lines represent the fitted relationships at different quantiles. Quantiles: solid line = 0.5; dashed line = 0.75; dotted line = 0.95.The 0.95 line often fall over the plot limits.

Dinoderus (Dinoderastes) japonicus, a species native of the Eastern Palaearctic, is reported for the first time from Italy on the basis of a female specimen collected in a beech forest (Veneto Region, Treviso Province, Foresta del Cansiglio). The possible establishment of this alien species in Italy is briefly discussed.

Ground-beetles are often used in biodiversity assessment and conservation plans as they are easily captured, are taxonomically well known, and respond to changes in habitat structure. An investigation of carabid beetle communities of a managed spruce forest in eastern Alps (Cadore, Veneto region, Italy) was carried out. Samples were collected by pi...

Bats represent a major component of forest biodiversity. In forest, bats find many roosting and foraging opportunities. When foraging in forest, different bat species exploit a range of microhabitats according to their echolocation and flight style. When roosting, bats require sufficient numbers of suitable tree cavities. Overall, forest structure...

Le attività di dimostrazione e ricerca del progetto LIFE ManFor C.BD “Managing forests for multiple purposes: carbon, biodiversity and socio-economic wellbeing” (LIFE09 ENV IT 000078) stanno giugnendo a conclusione. Il progetto, coordinato dal Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IBAF, ISAFOM), ha come partner l’Università del Molise (DiBT), il Cons...

Forest management can affect small terrestrial vertebrates. As an example, crushing during harvesting operations can be responsible for more than half of the deaths in a given population. Understanding the movement of animals is critical to many aspects of management and conservation. For amphibians with a biphasic life cycle, movements around bree...

In forest ecosystems amphibians often represent the greater portion of biomass of vertebrates. Salamanders in particular are invertebrates’ predators and, being ectotherm, they are capable to efficiently convert the major part of ingested biomass, making it available for the upper trophic levels. As a consequence, they play a key role in the nutrie...

Specialization is typically inferred at population and species level but in the last decade many authors highlighted this trait at the individual level, finding that generalist populations can be composed by both generalist and specialist individual. Despite hundreds of reported cases of individual specialization there is a complete lack of informa...

Goals of the ongoing LIFE+ ‘Managing forests for multiple purposes: carbon, biodiversity and socio-economic wellbeing’ are the design and implementation of adaptive silvicultural practices aimed at: (i) maintaining growth pattern, i.e. carbon sequestration and forest health and vitality over longer life-spans, (ii) reducing outstanding structural h...

Amphibians are the most abundant class among vertebrates in many forest ecosystems. Both completely terrestrial and semi-aquatic amphibians need suitable terrestrial shelters. !e spectacled salamander Salamandrina perspicillata (Savi, 1821) is a mainly terrestrial salamander, for which we aim to investigate the relationship with the features of tre...

!e aim of this study, which is part of the Life project ManFor CBD, was to estimate the abundance of a population of Salamandrina perspicillata and assessing the influence of fine-scale habitat features on the abundance of this salamander. Our study area is a one hectare plot located in a beech forest within “Montedimezzo” Nature Reserve (Molise re...

Amphibians are the most abundant class among vertebrates in many forest ecosystems. Both completely terrestrial and semi-aquatic amphibians need suitable terrestrial shelters. The spectacled salamander Salamandrina perspicillata (Savi, 1821) is a mainly terrestrial salamander, for which we aim to investigate the relationship with the features of tr...

We studied forest monitoring data collected at permanent plots in Italy over the period 2000-2009 to identify the possible impact of nitrogen (N) deposition on soil chemistry, tree nutrition and growth. Average N throughfall (N-NO3 +N-NH4 ) ranged between 4 and 29 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) , with Critical Loads (CLs) for nutrient N exceeded at several sites...

Foliar nutrients in Italian forests: results from the 1995-2009 monitoring network sites CONECOFOR. In 1995, the Italian Forest Service (CFS) established the National Network for Forest Ecosystem Monitoring (CONECOFOR) with the aim to study the ecological interactions among structural and functional components of forest stands. In the 31 permanent...

Great attention is paid nowadays to multifunctional and sustainable management of mountain forest ecosystems. Besides the lasting protective/productive values, forests are called to meet the emerging functions of mitigation and conservation or improvement of residual biodiversity. We need therefore to adapt heritage criteria and methods and produce...

Mongiana Obiettivo generale Lo scopo principale del progetto Life ManFor CB.D "Managing forests for multiple purposes: carbon, biodiversity and socio-economic wellbeing" (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000078 – www.manfor.eu) è quello di testare e verificare l'efficacia di diverse opzioni di gestione forestale multifunzionale (produzione, protezione, biodiversità,...

Accurate measurements of carbon pools and fluxes and of the related uncertainties are required to support the estimation of regional and continental carbon budgets. For this purpose a rigorous statistical method, known as Randomized Branching Sampling (RBS), has been applied for the direct assessment of carbon pools, fluxes (Net Primary Productivit...

1. Disturbance is one of the most important factors structuring the taxonomic and functional composition of vegetation. Vegetation resistance or resilience to disturbance depends on local environmental conditions, further modifying the pool of species and traits. This paper aims to understand how disturbance and local environment combine to affect...

We analyzed the carbon stock and forest structure of nine beech forests (three old-growth forests and six managed) in Italy. In each site, we made ten circular plots of 20 meter of radius (1257 m²). For each tree (living or dead) we measured the diameter at breast height (> 2.5 cm dbh), the relative position by polar coordinate from the plot center...

In the framework of the Project of National Interest (PRIN) "Climate change and forests -Dendroecological and ecophysiological responses, productivity and carbon balance on the Italian network of old-growth beech forests", 9 old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests were sampled in the eastern Alps and in the central Apennines to assess: i) the degree...

Nitrogen isotope analysis (δ15N) of tree rings is potentially useful for evaluating the temporal development of the nitrogen (N) deposition to forests and for studying the long-term effects of N accumulation in ecosystems. To test this hypothesis, we investigated three sites across a pollution gradient in differing distances (20,150,1000m) from a m...

Abstract Nitrogen isotope analysis (d,N variations is a promising,tool for the detection of the role played,by nitrogen deposition to the forests. r,2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Picea abies; Air pollution; Dendroecology; Nitrogen deposition; Stable isotopes; Nitrogen dioxide