Are the ancient forests of the Eastern Po Plain large enough for a long term conservation of herbaceous nemoral species?

References

• Adriaens , D , Honnay , O and Hermy , M . 2006 . No evidence of a plant extinction debt in highly fragmented calcareous grasslands in Belgium . Biol Conserv , 133 : 212 – 224 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Amarasekare , P . 2003 . Competitive coexistence in spatially structured environments: A synthesis . Ecol Lett , 6 : 1109 – 1122 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• ARPAV, Servizio Acque Interne . 2008 . Le acque sotterranee della pianura veneta -I risultati del progetto SAMPAS [Subterranean waters of the Venetian Plain. Results of the SAMPAS Project.] , Padova : Grafiche Brenta Limena .
   Google Scholar
• Bascompte , J and Rodríguez , M A . 2001 . Habitat patchiness and plant species richness . Ecol Lett , 4 : 417 – 420 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bini , C , Buffa , G , D'Onofrio , E and Zilioli , D M . The soil and land qualities influence on forest decline in the Veneto plain (NE Italy) . Int Conf Environ Qual . Jun 24–25 2009 . pp. 175 – 182 . Imola
   Google Scholar
• Blasi , C , Marchetti , M , Chiavetta , U , Aleffi , M , Audisio , P Azzella , M M . 2010 . Multi-taxon and forest structuresampling for identification of indicators and monitoring of old-growth forest . Plant Biosyst , 144 : 160 – 170 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Buffa , G and Lasen , C . 2010 . Atlante dei siti Natura 2000 del Veneto [Atlas of Natura 2000 Sites in Veneto Region.] , Venezia : Grafiche Scarpis (Treviso) . Regione del Veneto, Direzione Pianificazione Territoriale e Parchi
   Google Scholar
• Burrascano , S , Lombardi , F and Marchetti , M . 2008 . Old-growth forest structure and deadwood: Are they indicators of plant species composition? A case study from central Italy . Plant Biosyst , 142 : 313 – 323 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Burrascano , S , Rosati , L and Blasi , C . 2009 . Plant species diversity in Mediterranean old-growth forests: A case study from central Italy . Plant Biosyst , 143 : 190 – 200 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Caniglia , L . 1981 . Il bosco di Carpenedo (Venezia) [The Carpenedo Wood (Venice).] . Soc Ven Sc Nat , 6 : 151 – 158 .
   Google Scholar
• Chiesura , F Lorenzoni , Lorenzoni , G G and Rodato , D . 1974 . Il bosco Olmè di Cessalto (Treviso). Lembo relitto di vegetazione forestale planiziaria [The Olmè of Cessalto Wood (Treviso). A relict forest of Po Plain.] . Atti IV Simp Naz Cons Nat, Bari , 1 : 367 – 381 .
   Google Scholar
• Conti , F , Abbate , G , Alessandrini , A and Blasi , C . 2005 . An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora , Roma : Palombi Editori .
   Google Scholar
• Conti , F , Alessandrini , A , Bacchetta , G , Banfi , E , Barberis , G Bartolucci , F . 2007 . Integrazioni alla Checklist della flora vascolare italiana [Addendo to the checklist of the vascular Italian flora.] . Nat Vicentina , 10 : 5 – 74 .
   Google Scholar
• Davies , K F , Margules , C R and Lawrence , J F . 2000 . Which traits of species predict population declines in experimental forest fragments? . Ecology , 81 : 1450 – 1461 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Digiovinazzo , P , Ficetola , G F , Bottoni , L , Andreis , C and Padoa-Schioppa , E . 2010 . Ecological thresholds in herb communities for the management of suburban fragmented forests . Forest Ecol Manage , 259 : 343 – 349 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dupré , C and Ehrlén , J . 2002 . Habitat configuration, species traits and plant distributions . J Ecol , 90 : 796 – 805 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Dzwonko , Z and Loster , S . 1989 . Distribution of vascular plant species in small woodlands on the western Carpathian foothills . Oikos , 56 : 77 – 86 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ellenberg , H , Weber , H E , Düll , R , Wirth , V , Werner , W and Paulißen , D . 1992 . Zeigerwerte von Pflanzen in Mitteleuropa [English translation title: Indicator values of plant species in Central Europe.] . Scripta Geobot , 18 : 1 – 258 .
   Google Scholar
• Fischer , J and Lindenmayer , D B . 2007 . Landscape modification and habitat fragmentation: A synthesis . Global Ecol Biogeogr , 16 : 265 – 280 .
   Google Scholar
• Fitter , A H and Peat , H J . 1994 . The ecological flora database . J Ecol , 82 : 415 – 425 . Available: http://www.ecoflora.co.uk. Accessed Jan 2011
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gilg , O . 2004 . Old-growth forests: Characteristics, conservation and monitoring , Montpellier : ATEN . Technical Report no.74bis
   Google Scholar
• Godefroid , S and Koedam , N . 2003 . How important are large vs. small forest remnants for the conservation of the woodland flora in an urban context? . Global Ecol Biogeogr , 12 : 287 – 298 .
   Google Scholar
• Gonzales , A . 2000 . Community relaxation in fragmented landscapes: The relation between species richness, area and age . Ecol Lett , 3 : 441 – 448 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Graae , B J and Sunde , P B . 2000 . The impact of forest continuity and management on forest floor vegetation evaluated by species traits . Ecography , 23 : 720 – 731 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Grabherr , G and Mucina , L . 1993 . Die Pflanzengesellschaften Österreichs. II. Natürliche waldfreie Vegetation [Plant communities of Austria. II. Natural herbaceous vegetation.] , Jena : Gustav Fisher Verlag .
   Google Scholar
• Grashof-Bokdam , C J and Geertsema , W . 1998 . The effect of isolation and history on colonization patterns of plant species in secondary woodland . J Biogeogr , 25 : 837 – 846 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Grime , J P . 1979 . Plant strategies and vegetation processes , Chichester , New York, Brisbane, Toronto : John Wiley & Sons .
   Google Scholar
• Grime , J P , Hodgson , J G and Hunt , R . 1988 . Comparative plant ecology , London , Boston, Sydney, Wellington : U. Hyman . A functional approach to common British species
   Google Scholar
• Gustafson , E J and Parker , G R . 1994 . Using an index of habitat patch proximity for landscape design . Landscape Urban Plan , 29 : 117 – 130 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Haila , Y . 2002 . A conceptual genealogy of fragmentation research: From island biogeography to landscape ecology . Ecol Appl , 12 : 321 – 334 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hanski , I . 2005 . “ The shrinking world: Ecological consequences of habitat loss ” . In Excellence in Ecology (EE) 14 , 307 Oldendorf/Luhe , Germany : International Ecology Institute .
   Google Scholar
• Hanski , I A and Gilpin , M E . 1997 . Metapopulation biology: Ecology, genetics and evolution , San Diego , CA : Academic Press .
   Google Scholar
• Hanski , I and Ovaskainen , O . 2002 . Extinction debt at extinction threshold . Conserv Biol , 16 : 666 – 673 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Helm , A , Hanski , I and Partel , M . 2006 . Slow response of plant species richness to habitat loss and fragmentation . Ecol Lett , 9 : 72 – 77 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Henle , K , Davies , K F , Kleyer , M , Margules , C and Settele , J . 2004 . Predictors of species sensitivity to fragmentation . Biodivers Conserv , 13 : 207 – 251 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hérault , B and Honnay , O . 2005 . The relative importance of local, regional and historical factors determining the distribution of plants in fragmented riverine forests: An emergent group approach . J Biogeogr , 32 : 2069 – 2081 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hermy , M . 1994 . “ Effects of former land use on plant species diversity and pattern in European deciduous woodlands ” . In Biodiversity, temperate ecosystems, and global change , Edited by: Boyle , J B and Boyle , C EB . Vol. I 20 , 123 – 144 . Berlin : Springer-Verlag . NATO ASI series
   Google Scholar
• Hermy , M , Honnay , O , Firbank , L , Grashof-Bokdam , C and Lawesson , J E . 1999 . An ecological comparison between ancient and other forest plant species of Europe, and the implications for conservation . Biol Conserv , 91 : 9 – 22 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hermy , M and Verheyen , K . 2007 . Legacies of the past in the present-day forest biodiversity: A review of past land-use effects on forest plant species composition and diversity . Ecol Res , 22 : 361 – 371 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Honnay , O and Bossuyt , B . 2005 . Prolonged clonal growth: Escape route or route to extinction? . Oikos , 108 : 427 – 432 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Honnay , O , Bossuyt , B , Verheyen , K , Butaye , J , Jacquemyn , H and Hermy , M . 2002 . Ecological perspectives for the restoration of plant communities in European temperate forests . Biodivers Conserv , 11 : 213 – 242 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Honnay , O , Degroote , B and Hermy , M . 1998 . Ancient-forest plant species in western Belgium: A species list and possible ecological mechanisms . Belg J Bot , 130 : 139 – 154 .
   Google Scholar
• Honnay , O , Endels , P , Vereecken , H and Hermy , M . 1999a . The role of patch area and habitat diversity in explaining native plant species richness in disturbed suburban forest patches in northern Belgium . Divers Distrib , 5 : 129 – 141 .
   Google Scholar
• Honnay , O , Hermy , M and Coppin , P . 1999b . Effects of area, age and diversity of forest patches in Belgium on plant species richness, and implications for conservation and reforestation . Biol Conserv , 87 : 73 – 84 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Honnay , O , Jacquemyn , H , Bossuyt , B and Hermy , M . 2005 . Forest fragmentation effects on patch occupancy and population viability of herbaceous plant species . New Phytol , 166 : 723 – 736 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Jacquemyn , H , Butaye , J , Dumortier , M , Hermy , M and Lust , N . 2001 . Effects of age and distance on the composition of mixed deciduous forest fragments in an agricultural landscape . J Veg Sci , 12 : 635 – 642 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kleyer , M , Bekker , R M , Knevel , I C , Bakker , J P Thompson , K . 2008 . The LEDA Traitbase: A database of life-history traits of Northwest European flora . J Ecol , 96 : 1266 – 1274 . Available: http://www.leda-traitbase.org. Accessed Jan 2011
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Klotz , S , Kühn , I and Durka , W . 2002 . Eine Datenbank zu biologisch-ökologischen Merkmalen der Gefäßpflanzen in Deutschland , Bonn [A database of biological-ecological traits of vascular plants in Germany.] : Bundesamt für Naturschutz . Schriftenreihe für Vegetationskunde, 38 Available: http://www.biolflor.de Accessed Jan 2011
   Google Scholar
• Kolb , A and Diekmann , M . 2005 . Effects of life-history traits on responses of plant species to forest fragmentation . Conserv Biol , 19 : 929 – 938 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kuussaari , M , Bommarco , R , Heikkinen , R K , Helm , A , Krauss , J , Lindborg , R and et , al . 2009 . Extinction debt: A challenge for biodiversity conservation . Trends Ecol Evol , 10 : 564 – 571 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lavorel , S and Garnier , E . 2002 . Predicting changes in community composition and ecosystem functioning from plant traits: Revisiting the Holy Grail . Functional Ecol , 16 : 545 – 556 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lawesson , J E , de Blust , G , Grashof-Bokdam , C , Firbank , L , Honnay , O , Hermy , M and et , al . 1998 . Species diversity and area-relationships in Danish beech forests . Forest Ecol Manage , 106 : 235 – 245 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lewis , O T . 2006 . Climate change, species-area curves and the extinction crisis . Phil Trans R Soc B , 361 : 163 – 171 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Marchetti , M , Tognetti , R , Lombardi , F , Chiavetta , U , Palumbo , G Sellitto , M . 2010 . Ecological portrayal of old-growth forests and persistent woodlands in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (southern Italy) . Plant Biosyst , 144 : 130 – 147 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Masin , R , Bertani , G , Favaro , G , Pellegrini , B , Tietto , C and Zampieri , A M . 2009 . Annotations on the flora of Venice Province (NE Italy) . Nat Vicentina , 13 : 5 – 106 .
   Google Scholar
• Matlack , G R . 2005 . Slow plants in a fast forest: Local dispersal as a predictor of species frequencies in a dynamic landscape . J Ecol , 93 : 50 – 59 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McGarigal , K , Cushman , S A , Neel , C and Ene , E . 2002 . Fragstats: Spatial pattern analysis program for categorical maps , Amherst : Computer software program produced by the authors at the University of Massachusetts . Available at: www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/fragstats.html. Accessed Jan 2011
   Google Scholar
• Miola , A , Bondesan , A , Corain , L , Favaretto , S , Mozzi , P Piovan , S, . 2006 . Wetlands in the Venetian Po Plain (northeastern Italy) during the last glacial maximum: Interplay between vegetation, hydrology and sedimentary environment . Rev Palaeobot Palynol , 141 : 53 – 81 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Motta , R . 2002 . Old-growth forests and silviculture in the Italian Alps: The case-study of the strict reserve of Paneveggio (TN) . Plant Biosyst , 136 : 223 – 232 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mucina , L , Grabherr , G and Ellmauer , T . 1993a . Die Pflanzengesellschaften Österreichs. I. Anthopogene Vegetation [Plant communities of Austria. I. Antrhopogenic vegetation.] , Jena : Gustav Fisher Verlag .
   Google Scholar
• Mucina , L , Grabherr , G and Wallnöfer , S . 1993b . Die Pflanzengesellschaften Österreichs. III. Wälder und Gebüsche [Plant communities of Austria. III. Forests and shrubs.] , Jena : Gustav Fisher Verlag .
   Google Scholar
• Muscio , G . 2001 . “ L'origine geologica della Pianura Padana [The geological origin of the Po Plain.] ” . In Le foreste della Pianura Padana , Edited by: Ruffo , S . 24 – 25 . Comune di Udine : Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio. Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale . Un labirinto dissolto [Woodlands of the Po Plain. A fragmented labyrinth.]
   Google Scholar
• Nee , S and May , R M . 1992 . Dynamics of metapopulations: Habitat destruction and competitive coexistence . J Animal Ecol , 61 : 37 – 40 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ovaskainen , O and Hanski , I . 2002 . Transient dynamics in metapopulation response to perturbation . Theor Popul Biol , 61 : 285 – 295 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Patton , D R . 1975 . A diversity index for quantifying habitat edge . Wildl Soc Bull , 3 : 171 – 173 .
   Google Scholar
• Peterken , G F . 1974 . A method of assessing woodland flora for conservation using indicator species . Biol Conserv , 6 : 239 – 245 .
   Google Scholar
• Peterken , G F . 1981 . Woodland conservation and management. , 2nd ed , London : Chapman et Hall .
   Google Scholar
• Peterken , G F . 1996 . Natural woodland , Cambridge , UK : Cambridge University Press . Ecology and conservation in northern temperate regions
   Google Scholar
• Petit , S , Griffiths , L , Smart , S S , Smith , G M , Stuart , R C and Wright , S M . 2004 . Effects of area and isolation of woodland patches on herbaceous plant species richness across Great Britain . Landscape Ecol , 19 : 463 – 471 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Piessens , K , Honnay , O and Hermy , M . 2005 . The role of fragment area and isolation in the conservation of heathland species . Biol Conserv , 122 : 61 – 69 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pignatti , S . 1982 . Flora d'Italia [Flora of Italy.] , Vol. 1–3 , Bologna : Edagricole .
   Google Scholar
• Pignatti , S , Menegoni , P and Pietrosanti , S . 2005 . Biondicazione attraverso le piante vascolari. Valori di indicazione secondo Ellenberg (Zeigerwerte) per le specie della Flora d'Italia [Vascular plants as bioindicator. Indicator values according to Ellenberg (Zeigerwerte) fon Italian flora.] . Braun Blanquetia , 39 : 3 – 95 .
   Google Scholar
• Piovesan , G , Filippo , A D , Alessandrini , A , Biondi , F and Schirone , B . 2005 . Structure, dynamics and dendroecology of an old-growth Fagus forest in the Apennines . J Veg Sci , 16 : 13 – 28 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Podani , J . 2001 . SYN-TAX 2000 , Budapest : Scientia . Computer programs for data analysis in ecology and systematics. User's manual
   Google Scholar
• Poldini , L , Buffa , G , Sburlino , G and Vidali , M . 2009 . I boschi della Pianura Padana orientale e problemi inerenti alla loro conservazione [The woods of Eastern Po Plain and problems concerning their conservation.] . Nat Bresciana , 36 : 173 – 178 .
   Google Scholar
• Poldini , L , Vidali , M , Biondi , E and Blasi , C . 2002 . La classe Rhamno-Prunetea in Italia [The class Rhamno-Prunetea in Italy.] . Fitosociologia , 39 : 145 – 162 .
   Google Scholar
• Ries , L , Fletcher , R J , Battin , J and Sisk , T D . 2004 . Ecological responses to habitat edges: Mechanisms, models and variability explained . Ann Rev Ecol Evol Systematics , 35 : 491 – 522 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rivas-Martínez , S . 2004 . Global bioclimatics , Clasificación Bioclimática de la Tierra [Bioclimatic classification of the world.] . Available: http://www.Globalbioclimatics.org/book/bioc/biocl. pdf. Accessed January 2011
   Google Scholar
• Rosati , L , Fipaldini , M , Marignani , M and Blasi , C . 2010 . Effects of fragmentation on vascular plant diversità in a Mediterranean forest archipelago . Plant Biosys , 144 : 38 – 46 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Saunders , D , Hobbs , R J and Margules , C R . 1991 . Biological consequences of ecosystem fragmentation: A review . Conserv Biol , 5 : 18 – 32 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Spies , T A . 2004 . Ecological concepts and diversity of old-growth forests . J Forestry , 102 : 14 – 20 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• StatSoft . 2001 . STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 6. StatSoft Italia s.r.l., Vigonza (Padova, Italy)
   Google Scholar
• Stoppa , G , D'Onofrio , E , Villani , M and Buffa , G . 2012 . La componente floristica dei relitti boscati della pianura veneta: Qualità e grado di conservazione [The floristic composition of relic woods of Venetian Po Plain.] . Inf Bot Ital , : 44
   Google Scholar
• Susmel , L . 1994 . I rovereti di pianura della serenissima [The plain oak woods of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.] , Padova : CLEUP .
   Google Scholar
• Tilman , D . 1994 . Competition and biodiversity in spatially structured habitats . Ecology , 75 : 2 – 16 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tilman , D , May , R M , Lehman , C L and Nowak , M A . 1994 . Habitat destruction and the extinction debt . Nature , 371 : 65 – 66 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Vellend , M , Verheyen , K , Jacquemyn , H , Kolb , A , Van Calster , H Peterken , G . 2006 . Extinction debt persists for more than a century following habitat fragmentation . Ecology , 87 : 542 – 548 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Verheyen , K and Hermy , M . 2001 . An integrated analysis of the spatio-temporal colonization patterns of forest plant species . J Veg Sci , 12 : 567 – 578 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Verheyen , K , Honnay , O , Motzkin , G , Hermy , M and Foster , D . 2003 . Response of forest plant species to land-use change: A life-history based approach . J Ecol , 91 : 563 – 577 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Verheyen , K , Vellend , M , Van Calster , H , Peterken , G F and Hermy , M . 2004 . Metapopulation dynamics in changing landscapes: A new spatially realistic model for forest plants . Ecology , 85 : 3302 – 3312 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Vittoz , P and Engler , R . 2007 . Seed dispersal distances: A typology based on dispersal modes and plant traits . Bot Helv , 117 : 109 – 124 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zanetti , M . 1985 . Boschi e alberi della pianura veneta orientale [Woodlands and trees of the Eastern Po Plain.] , Portogruaro (VE) : Nuova Dimensione Grafica .
   Google Scholar
• Zanetti , M . 1995 . Il bosco Olmè di Cessalto [The wood Olmè of Cessalto.] , Noventa di Piave (TV) : Il Pendolino, Associazione Naturalistica Sandonatese .
   Google Scholar