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"Borghetti, M"
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Water transport in plants under climatic stress : proceedings of an international workshop, held in Vallombrosa, Firenze, Italy
The editors have brought together contributions from a range of experts who have worked on the captivation of water in the transport system. They provide a compendium of information for those working in the plant and environmental sciences as well as for those whose interests lie in the disciplines of agriculture and forestry.
Book
SISEF and Italian forest science: thirty years of shared progress
Founded in 1995, the Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF) has promoted scientific rigour, inclusivity and collaboration to advance forest sciences in Italy. SISEF supports early-career researchers through initiatives such as its biennial congresses, which provide a platform for scientific exchange and collaboration at national and international levels. Recently, SISEF has expanded its activities to encompass urban forestry and supported the establishment of the AlberItalia Foundation. This foundation focuses on mitigating climate change through nature-based solutions, large-scale tree planting and civic engagement in reforestation and forest stewardship. SISEF has also provided scientific expertise in developing the National Forest Strategy, which was approved in 2022 and provides a framework for sustainable forest management in Italy. Through its platinum open access journals, Forest@ and iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, SISEF promotes the dissemination of scientific knowledge. As it marks its thirtieth anniversary, SISEF remains committed to addressing both current and emerging challenges in sustainable forest management, as well as contributing to broader efforts to address climate change.
Journal Article
Adjustment of Tree Structure in Response to the Environment under Hydraulic Constraints
1. The hypothesis is tested that functional limitations, possibly related to the risk of disruptive xylem embolism, maintain the leaf water potential of trees within a safety range. This strategy would particularly apply to conifers. 2. It is also hypothesized that homeostasis in water transport is achieved by a combination of short-term stomatal regulation and the optimal allocation of resources between transpiring foliage, conductive sapwood and absorbing roots. 3. The implications of this hypothesis for responses of plant structure to the environment are explored from a theoretical viewpoint, focusing in particular on the effects of temperature, vapour pressure deficit and soil water availability and texture. 4. A comparison with published data sets confirms model predictions of greater allocation to transpiring foliage with increasing temperature, and lower allocation with increasing vapour pressure deficit and soil drought. Allocation to fine roots would respond more strongly to drought, and the effect would be magnified by coarse soil textures. 5. The applicability of the model to other taxa remains to be determined, and the extent to which the observed structural adjustment is the result of phenotypic plasticity or long-term adaptation is still unclear.
Journal Article
Leaf adaptations of evergreen and deciduous trees of semi-arid and humid savannas on three continents
1. Drought stress selects for a suite of plant traits at root, stem and leaf level. Two strategies are proposed for trees growing in seasonally water-stressed environments: drought tolerance and drought avoidance. These are respectively associated with evergreen phenology, where plants retain their leaves throughout the year, and deciduous phenology, where plants drop their leaves during dry seasons. Evergreen species are thought to have leaf traits supporting lower photosynthesis and transpiration rates, in order to conserve water during dry periods. 2. We evaluated 18 morphological, chemical and physiological leaf traits of 51 abundant savanna tree species that differed in leaf habit (deciduous and evergreen), selected from two climate types (semi-arid and humid) in three continents (Australia, Africa and South America) (annual rainfall range: 500-1550 mm), and grown in a common garden experiment. We hypothesised that evergreen species have more conservative water use and differ more across climate types than deciduous species because evergreen species are forced to endure extended water deficits during dry seasons. 3. Trait shifts between semi-arid and humid savannas did not differ between evergreen and deciduous species. 4. Evergreen species had similar assimilation rates but lower photosynthetic water-use efficiency (PWUE) than deciduous species, possibly to extend their leaf lifespans by protecting their photosynthetic machinery from overheating through evaporative cooling. 5. Species of humid and semi-arid environments did not differ with respect to assimilation rate or PWUE, but semi-arid species did have smaller leaf sizes and greater leaf potassium and phosphorus concentrations. These traits may enable semi-arid species to maximize growth during episodes of favourable moisture availability. 6. Species from the three continents differed in their leaf traits. These probably reflect the greater proportion of evergreen species in Australia as compared to the other continents and generally infertile soils in the South American sampling sites compared to the wider fertility range in the African sites. 7. Synthesis: Water stress in savannas does not select for more conservative water use, but may select for rapid adjustment to prevailing water conditions and for heat avoidance mechanisms.
Journal Article
Conifers in cold environments synchronize maximum growth rate of tree-ring formation with day length
• Intra-annual radial growth rates and durations in trees are reported to differ greatly in relation to species, site and environmental conditions. However, very similar dynamics of cambial activity and wood formation are observed in temperate and boreal zones. • Here, we compared weekly xylem cell production and variation in stem circum-ference in the main northern hemisphere conifer species (genera Picea, Pinus, Abies and Larix) from 1996 to 2003. Dynamics of radial growth were modeled with a Gompertz function, defining the upper asymptote (A), x-axis placement (β) and rate of change (κ). • A strong linear relationship was found between the constants β and κ for both types of analysis. The slope of the linear regression, which corresponds to the time at which maximum growth rate occurred, appeared to converge towards the summer solstice. • The maximum growth rate occurred around the time of maximum day length, and not during the warmest period of the year as previously suggested. The achievements of photoperiod could act as a growth constraint or a limit after which the rate of tree-ring formation tends to decrease, thus allowing plants to safely complete secondary cell wall lignification before winter.
Journal Article
Climate signals in a multispecies tree-ring network from central and southern Italy and reconstruction of the late summer temperatures since the early 1700s
A first assessment of the main climatic drivers that modulate the tree-ring width (RW) and maximum latewood density (MXD) along the Italian Peninsula and northeastern Sicily was performed using 27 forest sites, which include conifers (RW and MXD) and broadleaves (only RW). Tree-ring data were compared using the correlation analysis of the monthly and seasonal variables of temperature, precipitation and standardized precipitation index (SPI, used to characterize meteorological droughts) against each species-specific site chronology and against the highly sensitive to climate (HSTC) chronologies (based on selected indexed individual series). We find that climate signals in conifer MXD are stronger and more stable over time than those in conifer and broadleaf RW. In particular, conifer MXD variability is directly influenced by the late summer (August, September) temperature and is inversely influenced by the summer precipitation and droughts (SPI at a timescale of 3 months). The MXD sensitivity to August–September (AS) temperature and to summer drought is mainly driven by the latitudinal gradient of summer precipitation amounts, with sites in the northern Apennines showing stronger climate signals than sites in the south. Conifer RW is influenced by the temperature and drought of the previous summer, whereas broadleaf RW is more influenced by summer precipitation and drought of the current growing season. The reconstruction of the late summer temperatures for the Italian Peninsula for the past 300 years, based on the HSTC chronology of conifer MXD, shows a stable model performance that underlines periods of climatic cooling (and likely also wetter conditions) in 1699, 1740, 1814, 1914 and 1938, and follows well the variability of the instrumental record and of other tree-ring-based reconstructions in the region. Considering a 20-year low-pass-filtered series, the reconstructed temperature record consistently deviates < 1 °C from the instrumental record. This divergence may also be due to the precipitation patterns and drought stresses that influence the tree-ring MXD at our study sites. The reconstructed late summer temperature variability is also linked to summer drought conditions and it is valid for the west–east oriented region including Sardinia, Sicily, the Italian Peninsula and the western Balkan area along the Adriatic coast.
Journal Article
The Role of Radiotherapy in Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Post-CAR-T Therapy: A Systematic Literature Review
IntroductionHistorically, the management of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r-DLBCL) involved chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant, though outcomes were often suboptimal. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has transformed the therapeutic landscape for r/r-DLBCL, achieving high response rates and improving progression-free and overall survival. However, a significant proportion of patients relapse after CAR-T, and optimal treatment strategies for post-CAR-T relapse remain unclear. Radiotherapy (RT), a highly effective treatment for lymphoma, is increasingly recognized for its potential role as both a bridging therapy and a salvage option following CAR-T relapse.MethodsA comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, with search terms combining \"radiotherapy,\" \"radiation therapy,\" \"lymphoma,\" and \"CAR T-cell.\" A total of 690 records were screened, and 14 studies were included in the analysis after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria.ResultsRT demonstrates high response rates in CAR-T relapsed DLBCL, with overall response rates (ORR) ranging from 35% to 82.4% and complete response rates (CRR) from 17% to 59%. One-year local control rates ranged between 62% and 84%. Salvage RT showed comparable or superior outcomes to systemic therapies in multiple studies, particularly in patients with localized relapses. The toxicity profile of RT was favorable, particularly when modern techniques such as IMRT were employed. Case reports and retrospective series highlighted its effectiveness in achieving durable responses and controlling localized disease progression.ConclusionsRadiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with DLBCL relapsed or refractory after CAR-T therapy. It achieves high local control rates and favorable outcomes, particularly in patients with localized relapse. Incorporating RT into the therapeutic workflow may enhance the management of this challenging population. Further prospective studies are needed to define its role and optimize treatment sequencing.
Journal Article
Seed dispersal and changing seed characteristics in a Pinus halepensis Mill. forest after fire
Seed density, seed colour and the number of seed damaged by birds were monitored for several months, after a late-spring fire, in two Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Miller) stands growing in South Italy. In one stand (S₁) the trees were completely burned ('charred'), in the other one (S₂) the trees were only 'scorched', with a crown in part still alive after fire. 37% and 61% of seeds were released during the first month, respectively in S₁ and S₂. Damaged seeds accounted for 43% and 23% of seeds collected in the whole period, respectively in the charred and in the scorched stand. In both stands the percentage of empty seeds increased in late-dispersed seed lots. The colour of released seeds changed with time: dark grey-brown seeds were released at first, whereas late-dispersed seeds showed a yellowish colour. The principal component analysis performed on the categorical colour variables produced a good discrimination between seed lots collected at different dates. Seed dispersal and the characteristics of released seeds have been discussed in relation to the post-fire recruitment process and, in particular, to the possibility that the predation risk by granivorous birds may be reduced by a mimicry effect of seeds to the underlying soil.
Journal Article
Ecotypic Variation of Xylem Embolism, Phenological Traits, Growth Parameters and Allozyme Characteristics in Fagus sylvatica
1. Variation in late-winter xylem embolism, phenological traits, growth parameters, xylem anatomy and allozyme characteristics were examined in four populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) from different geographical origins in Italy. 2. Ultrasonic acoustic emissions from plant stems were measured during winter. Late-winter xylem embolism was quantified before budburst. The timing of budburst was recorded and plant growth parameters were monitored during the spring. The dimension and density of xylem conduits were measured. The genetic variability was investigated using isoenzymes as genetical markers. 3. Significant differences between populations in the rate of acoustic emissions, late-winter embolism, phenological traits and spring growth parameters were observed. Xylem embolism was higher in populations that displayed a higher rate of acoustic emissions during winter. The most embolized population displayed later budburst and slower growth in the spring. No significant differences in xylem anatomy were found. 4. Six out of 10 isoenzymatic loci showed significantly different allele frequencies between populations, but no clear association was found between the genetic variation and the variation of the other traits investigated.
Journal Article
Impact of long-term drought on xylem embolism and growth in Pinus halepensis Mill
The present study was carried out to elucidate the response mechanisms of 50-year-old Pinus halepensis Mill. trees to a long-term and severe drought. The amount of water available to trees was artificially restricted for 12 months by covering the soil with a plastic roof. Over the short term a direct and rapid impact of drought was evident on the water relations and gas exchanges of trees: as the soil dried out in the Spring, there was a concurrent decrease of predawn water potential; transpiration was strongly reduced by stomatal closure. Seasonal changes in the water volume fractions of twig and stem xylem were observed and interpreted as the result of cavitation and refilling in the xylem. When droughted trees recovered to a more favourable water status, refilling of embolized xylem was observed; twig predawn water potentials were still negative in the period when the embolism was reversed in the twig xylem. A few months after the removal of the covering, no differences in whole plant hydraulic resistance were observed between droughted and control trees. Needle and shoot elongation and stem radial growth were considerably reduced in droughted trees; no strategy of trees to allocate carbon preferentially to the stem conducting tissues was apparent throughout the experiment. An after-effect of the drought on growth was observed.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
Journal Article