& Key message This study developed and tested models to predict the belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio using aboveground field measures. The predictive power of such indirect measurement is useful for a rapid and reliable assessment of the biomass of the Mediterranean species. & Context Forest biomass estimation has been simplified by the availability of indirect methodologies for automatic measuring. However, most of the information on forest root systems is largely unexplored due to the difficulty in estimating belowground biomass (BGB) at large scale. A plausible approach to investigating forest BGB is to establish a relationship between a number of dendrometric parameters related to the aboveground vegetation (AGB) (e.g., tree diameter and height) and the belowground component of the total biomass. & Aims This work presents findings for indirect measurements of BGB in the typical Mediterranean landscapes focusing on sclerophyllous vegetation, specifically Phillyrea latifolia L. The purpose of the present study is twofold: (a) to develop a model explaining the BGB distribution of P. latifolia based on field data for dendrometric parameters, and (b) to understand how the ratio between BGB and AGB varies according to stem diameter as a proxy of plant growth. & Methods A total of 50 P. latifolia plants were randomly selected in the study areas and considered for excavation. Individual plants were analyzed to determine AGB and BGB development. A number of models were developed and tested to predict the BGB and root/shoot ratio using aboveground field measures. Allometric equations were employed to predict the AGB and BGB and relative partitioning in the Phillyrea community. & Results Models for P. latifolia AGB and BGB estimation that include crown diameter and stem height measures augment the models' predictive power. When used alone, the predictive power of the root collar diameter appears to be overestimated, while its effect is stronger for a subset of observations with larger crown diameter and stem height. The root/shoot ratio values of plant species typically related to the Mediterranean context seem to be largely superior to the ratio values of trees and forests. & Conclusions The model is ideally suited to incorporate indirectly measured tree height for a rapid and reliable assessment of the biomass of single Mediterranean species. Further research might include replication of the same studies in different geographic areas of the Mediterranean and in-depth analyses of AGB.

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LEONARDO LORUSSO (*)-RAFFAELE LAFORTEZZA (*) EUSTACHIO TARASCO (**)-GIOVANNI SANESI (*) ORESTE TRIGGIANI (**) TIPOLOGIE STRUTTURALI E CARATTERISTICHE FUNZIONALI DELLE AREE VERDI PERIURBANE: IL CASO DI STUDIO DELLA CITTÀ DI BARI Si riportano i risultati di uno studio multidisciplinare finalizzato alla comprensione dei rapporti struttura-processo tra aree verdi periurbane e specie dell'entomofauna (coleotteri terricoli). Lo studio ha interessato una vasta superficie verde posta ai margini dell'agglomerato urbano di Bari denominata «Lama Balice» (Parco Naturale Regionale). Per tale area sono stati effettuati rilievi in campo al fine di determinare gli habitat vegetazionali prevalenti e le principali specie di coleotteri terricoli presenti in ciascun habitat. Complessivamente sono stati identificati 1779 coleotteri, di cui 1209 carabidi, 99 silfidi, 240 stafilinidi, 231 tenebrionidi. L'analisi statistica dei dati raccolti ha evidenziato una relazione significativa tra habitat e coleotteri carabidi e silfidi, con prevalenza dei coleotteri nell'habitat macchia-gariga. Di contro, nell'analisi non sono state riscontrate relazioni significative tra stafilinidi e tenebrionidi e i diversi habitat vegetazionali. Lo studio si conclude con alcune considerazioni circa il ruolo delle aree verdi in ambito urbano e periurbano in ragione della specifica tipologia (componente strutturale) e della presenza di specie vegetali ed animali (componente funzionale). Parole chiave: artropodofauna; ecologia del paesaggio; foreste urbane; tipologie di verde.

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Parole chiave: avifauna urbana; biodiversità urbana; foreste urbane; metodo punti di ascolto; tipologie di verde.