Daniela Zuzolo

Biodiversity and ecosystem functions are highly interdependent: systems richer in species often exhibit more intense ecological processes and greater resilience to disturbances. Although a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functions (BEF) has been demonstrated across all major ecosystem types and in both controlled and natural environments, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.In terrestrial ecosystems, BEF research has primarily focused on productivity and its resilience to disturbances, while other key functions—such as mortality, water use, light use efficiency, and soil respiration—have received less attention, and some processes, like soil CH₄ uptake, are still largely unexplored.To better understand how BEF interconnections vary across pedoclimatic gradients and vegetation compositions, we established the BioFUN Network, sampling more than 230 sites across Italy using a standardized protocol. The implementation of BioFUNet was made possible through the contribution of over 60 participants involved in field sampling and laboratory analyses. While the network is designed to expand and enrich its database over time, the initial campaign targeted forests (175 sites), silvopastoral systems (32), and grasslands (30).Here we present the results of the core network that focused on the main Italian forest communities, found either as pure or mixed stands: Fagus sylvatica, Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, Quercus pubescens, Picea abies, Abies alba, and Larix decidua. These were surveyed across their full pedoclimatic ranges.The survey encompassed aboveground tree structure, microhabitats, soil physicochemical properties, root traits, soil gas fluxes (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O), together with environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses from soil and litter samples. eDNA was used to characterize microbial, invertebrate, and vertebrate communities.The BioFUN design enables the quantification of how tree species mixing influences both ecosystem functioning (soil processes) and the composition of associated biodiversity. All data are stored in BioFUNBase, which also integrates complementary datasets from external sources, allowing the testing of multiple ecological hypotheses. The poster will present the first results of the campaign with a focus on the effects of tree diversity on soil gas fluxes.

This study explores the impact of organic, conventional, and traditional agricultural management on the aboveground and belowground microbiomes of Olea europaea L. cv. Ortice, a cultivar widely cultivated in southern Italy’s agricultural landscape. Through metabarcoding analyses (16S rRNA and ITS), we assessed the influence of farming approaches on the microbiome traits of the olive holobiont. Our findings demonstrate that agricultural management practices significantly shape microbiome composition both aboveground and belowground. The conventional management was associated with the highest number of microbial biomarkers aboveground, mainly belonging to Rhizobiaceae and Rhodocyclaceae families. Instead, Fusarium (family Nectriaceae ) was the most abundant taxon under organic treatment. Regarding root-associated microbiome, organic management supported a greater number of microbial biomarkers, including the bacterial genera Actinophytocola and Streptomyces , both known for their roles in promoting plant health and protecting against pathogens. In traditional systems, biomarkers included taxa from the order Burkholderiales and the species Nocardioides islandensis . Functional analysis of the aboveground fungal community revealed a higher capacity for endophytic interactions in traditional management, predominantly involving known pathogenic species such as Alternaria alternata , Aureobasidium spp., and Cladosporium spp. Similarly, traditional management was associated with significant enrichment of phototrophic functions belowground, mainly attributed to the bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris . Conversely, the potential for endophytic interactions was significantly greater under conventional management and was primarily linked to fungi within the class Sordariomycetes . Management practices shape distinct microbial communities both aboveground and belowground of olive groves, potentially influencing the resilience of Mediterranean agroecosystems and underscoring the importance of sustainable strategies.

Chamaerops humilis L. is the only Arecaceae species endemic to the western Mediterranean. Here, de novo genome sequencing allowed discovering reasons behind its exclusive persistence within the natural distribution area, although the troubled environmental changes occurred. The genome, estimated at 3.44 Gbp, and its annotation enabled the identification of 60,555 genes and 2.87 Gbp of repetitive regions. Evolutionary analyses revealed a whole-genome duplication event 48.02 mya, shared with other palm species, and a later divergence from Phoenix dactylifera (17 mya). The characterization of gene duplication types, and the distribution of K_S values, uncovered multiple recent duplication waves, and the presence of C. humilis-specific duplicated genes involved in responses to stress. Furthermore, expansions of transposable elements were detected and appear to be associated with major paleoclimatic events in the Mediterranean. These genomic features likely contributed to the resilience and long-term survival of C. humilis within the Mediterranean.

Cormus domestica (L.) is a monophyletic wild fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, with well-documented use in the Mediterranean region. Traditionally, these fruits are harvested and stored for at least 2 weeks before consumption. During this period, the fruit reaches its well-known and peculiar organoleptic and texture characteristics. However, the spread of more profitable fruit tree species, resulted in its progressive erosion. In this work we performed proteomic and metabolomic fruit analyses at three times after harvesting, to characterise postharvest physiological and molecular changes, it related to nutritional and organoleptic properties at consumption. Proteomics and metabolomics analysis were performed on fruits harvested at different time points: freshly harvested fruit (T0), fruit two weeks after harvest (T1) and fruit four weeks after harvest (T2). Proteomic analysis (Shotgun Proteomic in LC-MS/MS) resulted in 643 proteins identified. Most of the differentially abundant proteins between the three phases observed were involved in the softening process, carbohydrate metabolism and stress responses. Enzymes, such as xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase, pectin acetylesterase, beta-galactosidase and pectinesterase, accumulated during fruit ripening and could explain the pulp breakdown observed in C. domestica. At the same time, enzymes abundant in the early stages (T0), such as sucrose synthase and malic enzyme, explain the accumulation of sugars and the lowering of acidity during the process. The metabolites extraction from C. domestica fruits enabled the identification of 606 statistically significant differentially abundant metabolites. Some compounds such as piptamine and resorcinol, well-known for their antimicrobial and antifungal properties, and several bioactive compounds such as endocannabinoids, usually described in the leaves, accumulate in C. domestica fruit during the post-harvest process. The metabolomic and proteomic profiling of the C. domestica fruit during the postharvest process, evaluated in the study, provides a considerable contribution to filling the existing information gap, enabling the molecular and phytochemical characterisation of this erosion-endangered fruit. Data show biochemical changes that transform the harvested fruit into palatable consumable product.