<i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy
This paper presents a comprehensive study of the size and conservation status of the only Italian population of <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae) and the threats to its survival. The population is located on a short stretch of sandy shoreline along the Ionian coast of Puglia, near To...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1074 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849769320921432064 |
|---|---|
| author | Alessio Turco Robert Philipp Wagensommer Pietro Medagli Saverio D’Emerico Fabio Ippolito Giuseppe Scordella Antonella Albano |
| author_facet | Alessio Turco Robert Philipp Wagensommer Pietro Medagli Saverio D’Emerico Fabio Ippolito Giuseppe Scordella Antonella Albano |
| author_sort | Alessio Turco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents a comprehensive study of the size and conservation status of the only Italian population of <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae) and the threats to its survival. The population is located on a short stretch of sandy shoreline along the Ionian coast of Puglia, near Torre S. Giovanni (Ugento, Lecce). It was estimated in the 1990s to number about 500 plants, but in recent years a significant reduction, bringing the population to fewer than 100 individuals, has been observed. This study involved a census of the individuals (differentiating young plants from adult and reproductive ones) conducted with a precision GPS tool, phytosociological analysis and high-definition orthophoto image acquisition using a drone. Concerning the latter, to evaluate anthropic pressure from tourism, data were acquired in spring 2023 and autumn 2024 and compared using GIS geoprocessing, showing a significant increase in the area occupied by footpaths. GIS analysis also revealed that the survival of <i>C. pumilio</i> is strongly linked to the intensity of the walking routes, which have fragmented the population into small and isolated clusters. On the basis of all the collected data, the current conservation status of the species in Italy was assessed as critically endangered. Finally, our study provides a series of suggestions to improve the conservation status of the species and strategies to reduce the risk of extinction in Italy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6e2309d33aa94c59b71dcd9012bf4e29 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-6e2309d33aa94c59b71dcd9012bf4e292025-08-20T03:03:27ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-04-01147107410.3390/plants14071074<i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in ItalyAlessio Turco0Robert Philipp Wagensommer1Pietro Medagli2Saverio D’Emerico3Fabio Ippolito4Giuseppe Scordella5Antonella Albano6Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39042 Bressanone, BZ, ItalyFaculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, 39042 Bressanone, BZ, ItalyDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, 73100 Lecce, LE, Italy“Aldo Moro” University of Bari, 70125 Bari, BA, ItalyDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, 73100 Lecce, LE, Italy“Litorale di Ugento” Regional Natural Park, Piazza Colosso 1, 73059 Ugento, LE, ItalyDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of the Salento, 73100 Lecce, LE, ItalyThis paper presents a comprehensive study of the size and conservation status of the only Italian population of <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae) and the threats to its survival. The population is located on a short stretch of sandy shoreline along the Ionian coast of Puglia, near Torre S. Giovanni (Ugento, Lecce). It was estimated in the 1990s to number about 500 plants, but in recent years a significant reduction, bringing the population to fewer than 100 individuals, has been observed. This study involved a census of the individuals (differentiating young plants from adult and reproductive ones) conducted with a precision GPS tool, phytosociological analysis and high-definition orthophoto image acquisition using a drone. Concerning the latter, to evaluate anthropic pressure from tourism, data were acquired in spring 2023 and autumn 2024 and compared using GIS geoprocessing, showing a significant increase in the area occupied by footpaths. GIS analysis also revealed that the survival of <i>C. pumilio</i> is strongly linked to the intensity of the walking routes, which have fragmented the population into small and isolated clusters. On the basis of all the collected data, the current conservation status of the species in Italy was assessed as critically endangered. Finally, our study provides a series of suggestions to improve the conservation status of the species and strategies to reduce the risk of extinction in Italy.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1074conservationdroneGISpopulation sizered listthreats |
| spellingShingle | Alessio Turco Robert Philipp Wagensommer Pietro Medagli Saverio D’Emerico Fabio Ippolito Giuseppe Scordella Antonella Albano <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy Plants conservation drone GIS population size red list threats |
| title | <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy |
| title_full | <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy |
| title_fullStr | <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy |
| title_short | <i>Centaurea pumilio</i> (Asteraceae): Conservation Status, Threats and Population Size of a Critically Endangered Species in Italy |
| title_sort | i centaurea pumilio i asteraceae conservation status threats and population size of a critically endangered species in italy |
| topic | conservation drone GIS population size red list threats |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1074 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessioturco icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT robertphilippwagensommer icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT pietromedagli icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT saveriodemerico icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT fabioippolito icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT giuseppescordella icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly AT antonellaalbano icentaureapumilioiasteraceaeconservationstatusthreatsandpopulationsizeofacriticallyendangeredspeciesinitaly |