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Laboratorio di Ecofisiologia Forestale & Fitotecnologie Ambientali

The Laboratory of Forest Ecophysiology of the Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF) of the University of Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy), has developed a large research experience in the sector of tree and forest ecophysiology, forest-atmosphere gas-exchanges, plant-soil interactions, impacts of climate changes and forest management on productivity and ecological processes of native forest ecosystems and plantations forestry.

The main characteristic of the Lab. is to work “in nature”, studying the ecosystems processes under actual conditions or in response of altered environmental conditions (water, CO2, climate, pollutants), using “in-situ” manipulative long-term experiments.

Since from the beginning, (in the ’90’s) the activities of the lab have been particularly focused on the studies of the impacts of elevated CO2 on trees and forest. For these studies, originally designed large Open Top Chambers were used for more than 10 years to expose a natural evergreen Mediterranean forest to an increased atmospheric CO2 concentration (710 ppm), in the context of the EU network EPOCH-ECOCRAFT. In the following years, the Lab has implemented an international collaboration to realise the first large FACE (Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) experiment in EU, on a Poplar plantations: POPFACE-EUROFACE projects.

To study the impacts of Climate Changes (temperature and rainfall) on ecosystem processes, a manipulation field experiment has been started in the year 2001 in a Mediterranean “gariga” vegetation community. The experimental site was part of an European network (VULCAN-INCREASE) using common protocols and experimental layout, to simulate altered climatic conditions on shrubs ecosystems. On this site, the research activities have been conducted for more than 10 years and have involved numerous Italian and international researchers.

The Lab. is also active on ecophysiological studies at tree level, as well on the analysis of the components of forest-atmosphere gas exchanges. As example, in the frame of the EU project NOVELTREE the Lab. was responsible of the phenotyping of water use efficiency on a P. nigra progeny; while in the EU project GHG-EUROPE on the analyses of plant and soil CO2 fluxes in a oak forest.

International cooperation with non-EU Mediterranean countries has been focused on the specific topic of sustainable forestry production in desert environment (Oases), using wastewater treated by constructed wetland. One experimental/pilot area was realised in Algeria, with the support of two different bilateral programmes of the Italian cooperation: MAE-MIUR and MISE-ICE. New pilot/testing areas were designed for different sites in Tunisia and Algeria, in the context of the FAO project GCB/RAB/013/ITA.

In the sector of plant-pollution interactions, the Lab. develops designs, tests and pilots for the application of phytoremediation to specific polluted sites and for different matrix: soil, water, sediment. Is also one of the promoters of the National Workshops on Phytoremediation: REMIDA & RECONNET initiatives, RemTech annual exhibition and event. The applications of phytotechnologies are not limited to the remediation of polluted sites, but also to avoid new contamination integrating plant processes to the industrial activities or to civil infrastructures (green infrastructure) in urban areas.

The Laboratory of Forest Ecophysiology is equipped with a wide array of scientific instrumentations, for measuring leaf gas exchanges (Li-Cor 6400, USA; CMS 400 Walz, D; ADC-LCA4, UK), soil CO2 effluxes (Li-8110, USA; PP-Systems, UK), in vivo leaf fluorescence (PAM 101 e PAM 2000 Walz, D), C & N elemental determinations (Thermo, USA), plant water status (Corvallis, USA, Skye UK), microenvironment measurements (Campbell, Skye, Decagon), canopy attributes as LAI and light quality (Ceptometer Decagon, USA; LAI-2000 Li-Cor, USA; Red-Fared sensor Skye, UK). Moreover, the laboratory is equipped with vacuum pumps, two large growth chambers, one greenhouse, a cold chamber (+2/+4), a freezer (-20 °C) and an ultra freezer (-80 °C), ultra precise balances and typical consumables for chemistry and biology. An additional laboratory is already available for the preparation of samples (vegetable and soil), by electronic controlled mortar and grinding.

Laboratory web pages:

– https://sites.google.com/view/ecophyslab/home

– https://www.facebook.com/ECOphys.UNITUS/

– https://www.facebook.com/PhytotechLAB/

– https://www.instagram.com/ecofitolabs/