Principal aims
The Herbarium of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (acronym REGGIO) was founded in 2009 with the aim of contributing to the knowledge, conservation and enhancement of Calabrian flora.
Around 5,000 herbarium specimens are stored in the herbarium, ordered according to taxonomic criteria and is constantly updated and increased. The information on each sample (scientific name, location and date of collection, collector and determiner) are stored in a database and can be consulted by anyone who requests it.
Herbarium specimens come mainly from Calabria, but also in other Italian and foreign territories.
The herbarium is destined to a research activity in the floristic and taxonomic field, several researchers have visited the collections for study purposes.
Among the dried Herbarium specimens are several species endemic to the Calabrian territory.
The herbarium is registered with the acronym REGGIO on "Index Herbariorum" and participates in the project for the computerization of images of the herbarium samples CORIMBO.
The Laboratory of Geobotany carries out studies on the modeling of vegetation and landscape and on the mapping of biodiversity at the level of species and community.
The laboratory has the technical, bibliographic and IT tools to carry out floristic, taxonomic and vegetation studies.
Research activities
- Studies on plant biodiversity at species level through floristic and taxonomic analysis.
Taxonomic studies through morphological, chorological, biological-reproductive and population analysis.
Determination of samples of species of vascular and cryptogamic flora, autochthonous or exotic, also with possible preparation of preparations for microscopic observation. Taxonomic analysis and assessment on macromycetes.
- Plant biodiversity studies at community level. Studies on vegetation through the phytosociological method, analysis and classification of vegetation from the floristic, structural, ecological and dynamic point of view.
Studies on the plant landscape, analysis of functional and structural relationships between the various components of the environmental system on a temporal and spatial scale, in relation to the alterations induced by human activities as well.
- Cartography of real vegetation by GIS and drafting of derived maps: land use card Land cover CORINE, naturalness map, naturalistic value card, environmental quality charter, fire risk card, potential vegetation map, habitat map of the EEC directive 43/92, etc.
• Studies on environmental quality, on the conservation of plant biodiversity, on the floristic-vegetational aspects of environmental planning and on environmental education.
- Monitoring of the natural resources and in particular of the flora and habitats of community interest according to the EEC directive 43/92 and relative cartography in the GIS environment. Evaluation of the conservation status of habitats and vascular plant species.
- Ethnobotany studies on the traditional use of plant biodiversity by local populations for various purposes: medicinal, food, aromatic, artisanal, etc.
- Collection, analysis and conservation of the gemoplasm of vascular plants of agronomic, conservation, alimentary, medicinal, etc. Studies on the morphological characteristics of the seeds. Studies on germination.
International relationships
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, Spain.
- Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology. Botany Department. University of Jaén.
- Department. of Landscape, Environment and Planning, Institute for Mediterranean Agrarian and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM), School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Portugal.
- Westonbirt, The National Arboretum Forestry Commission. Tetbury, Gloucestershire Englan
Horizon 2020 topics
Il laboratorio è unità operativa del progetto Horizon 2020 “GYPWORLD” che riunisce oltre 20 istituzioni universitarie europee ed extra europee
| Giovanni Spampinato |
Vascular flora
Cryptogamic flora
Macromycetes
Taxonomic determinations |
Taxonomic analysis and certifications of plants or their part: determination of of species of vascular and cryptogamic flora, autochthonous or exotic, also with possible slides for microscopic observation.
Determinations of macromycetes and related certification |
| Giovanni Spampinato |
Germplasm
Seeds
|
Sampling, analysis and conservation of the germplasm of vascular plants with agronomic, forestry, alimentary and conservation interest. |
| Giovanni Spampinato |
Mapping Plant Biodiversity |
Mapping of real vegetation
by GIS and drafting of derived maps: land use card Land cover CORINE, naturalness map, naturalistic value map, environmental quality map, fire risk map, natural potential vegetation map, habitat EEC directive 43/92 map.
|
| Giovanni Spampinato |
Vegetation
Plant Communities
|
Vegetation studies by phytosociological metod of plant communities aimed at: environmental impact assessment, management plans, environmental restoration, forest restoration, natural resources planning |
| Giovanni Spampinato |
EEC Directive 43/92
Plant species
Habitat
|
Analysis and monitoring of flora and habitats of EEC directive 43/92. Evaluation of the conservation status of habitats and plant species. Cartography in GIS environment of habitats and species. |
