Session

The Seeds&Bees project, funded by Cariverona-Habitat, aims to restore pollinators habitat in Conero Regional Park, in central Marche Region. Targeting areas include grasslands of Festuco-Brometea class (6210* Habitat), that are in a bad preservation status because of unmanaging. Restoring activities will include shrubs removal, seeding local species, re-introduction mowing. The goal is identifying some bees-attractive species native of Festuco-Brometea vegetation in Conero areas, that can be locally collected and propagated to create commercial seed mixtures. Phytosociological surveys identified Convolvulo elegantissimi-Brometum erecti Biondi 1986 and Centaureo bracteatae-Brometum erecti Biondi et al.1986 plant communities in Conero grasslands. Literature data about foraging species for honeybee and wild bees was used to identify the “apistic interest” (A.I) of some species in those phytocoenoses: among others, Carlina corymbosa L., Centaurea jacea subsp. gaudinii (Boiss & Reut.) Gremli, Convolvulus elegantissimus Mill., Lotus hirsutus L., Echium vulgare L., Sixalix atropurpurea (L.) Greuter & Burdet, have the highest value of A.I. Synphenological surveys were taken in account to identify the annual trend of flowering intensity of these phytocoenoses, that have a typical trend (first maximum at first half of May, second maximum in half July, minimum in early September and upward in early October). Phenological surveys of single species were used to identify flowering periods and the start of dissemination stages for seeds collection. At the current stage of the project, the germinability characteristics of the species are also tested, started from those for which there are no data available in literature, e.g., germination of Lotus hirsutus seeds. Such data can be useful to consider the adaptative strategies of the species and their potential use in seeds mixture for restoration practices, but more information, such as the adaptation to field cultivation, should be taken in account.