COST ConservePlants Final Conference Book of Abstracts Izola, 12–13 February 2024 COST ConservePlants Final Conference: Book of Abstracts Izola, 12–13 February 2024 Organizing Committee Živa Fišer, Sandro Lanfranco, Nina Lončarević, Amy Simmons, Carolina Sánchez Romero Scientific Committee Phil Aravanopouos, Giovanna Aronne, Sílvia Castro, Andreas Ensslin, Edy Fantinato, Živa Fišer, Peter Glasnović, Sandrine Godefroid, Marcin Klisz, Baiba Pr ¯use, Carolina Sánchez Romero, Justyna Wiland-Szymańska Organized by University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies Photographs Peter Glasnović (pp. 1, 12) and Živa Fišer (pp. 8, 41, 65, 66) Design and Layout Alen Ježovnik Published by University of Primorska Press Titov trg 4, 6000 Koper, Slovenia hippocampus.si Editor in Chief Jonatan Vinkler Managing Editor Alen Ježovnik Koper, Slovenia | 2024 © 2024 Authors Electronic Edition https://www.hippocampus.si/ISBN/978-961-293-310-4.pdf https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-310-4 This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18201 – An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). COST is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation. www.cost.eu Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID 184093443 ISBN 978-961-293-310-4 (PDF) Welcome Address e ncree Dear participants, onf I am very pleased to welcome you to the University of Primorska, the C grantee of this COST Action. The COST Action CA18201 – which we know inalF much better simply as ConservePlants – started in fall 2019 and will end ts in spring 2024. With Management Committee members from 39 par-Plan ticipating countries and over 150 official Working Group members from ev Academia, Research institutions and NGOs, ConservePlants is one of the large COST Actions. This means that there is a wide range of different ex-nsero pertise from different disciplines among the many participants, result-C ing in truly diverse activities carried out during the Action. STOC The large number of participating countries also allowed us to carry out some activities for which the participation of many participants from many countries across Europe was essential, such as setting up a database of conservation actions, checking the databases of seed banks for the quality of their collections or obtaining information on the status of Red Lists from European countries. These are of course only some of the activities, but there were many more. We are aware of the fact that none of these lists or databases are or will ever be exhaustive, as things change over time. However, they are starting points on which we can build. For this reason, I also hope and believe that this is not really the end, but that our activities will continue through new projects and collaborations. Even if the final conference is the last meeting organised by our COST Action, the lasting personal friendships and scientific relationships that have been formed will certainly allow us to meet again. Živa Fišer Chair of the ConservePlants Action 3 e Conference Programme ncree Monday, 12 February 2024 onfC 09.00–09.10 Intro – Greeting from University of Primorska Rector inal Klavdija Kutnar F ts 09.10–09.30 Ž. Fišer & G. Aronne, ConservePlants – have we made any Plan difference? ev 09.30–10.15 Keynote lecture | A. Pieroni, Could ethnobotany be a tool nser for proposing sustainable use of plant resources? oC 10.30–11.00 Coffee break STO Session 1 | Chair: G. Aronne C 11.00–11.20 L. Camilleri, Diversity in isolation: Dissecting the drivers of endemic plant richness on Mediterranean islands and archipelagos 11.20–11.40 B. Stojanova, The resurrection method reveals contemporary evolution of arable weeds in response to pollinator decline and climate change 11.40–12.00 A. Dalla Vecchia, Exploring the resource-use strategies of endangered Utricularia species and Aldrovanda for better conservation strategies 12.00–12.20 M. Barberis, Identifying reproductive barriers between two closely related, but ecologically distinct, sages ( Salvia saccardiana and S. pratensis) 12.20–12.40 D. Calabrese, The influence of nectar chemistry in the tripartite interaction with pollinators and microorganisms in the tribe Lithospermeae ( Boraginaceae) 12.40–13.30 Lunch break & prerecorded poster presentations 13.30–14.30 Posters – live session Session 2 | Chair: M. Galloni 14.30–14.50 M. Charitonidou, Floral complexity as indicator of plant vulnerability: Lessons learned from the Mediterranean Red Data Books 4 14.50–15.10 Ü. Birben, The role and importance of law in the conservation of biodiversity 15.10–15.30 J. Wiland-Szymańska, Popularization of knowledge about endangered flagship plant species of Europe 15.30–15.50 S. Lozada Gobilard, Children’s books as a strategy for plant conservation 15.50–16.30 Coffee break & socialising 16.30–17.30 Book event | Stories on Endangered Plants. Chair: B. Pr ¯use, participants: S. Lozada Gobilard, K. Šoln, M. Barberis, K. Hrušková 19.00–22.00 Gala dinner Tuesday, 13 February 2024 09.00–09.15 Greeting from Scientific Officer Marco Carulli Session 3 | Chair: E. Fantinato 9.15–10.00 Keynote lecture | S. Castro, There is nothing permanent except change: Assessing reproductive shifts in the invasive Bermuda buttercup 10.15–10.35 U. Liu, Supporting plant conservation: The database of the national Red Lists of European vascular plants 10.35–10.55 M. Lazarević, What can we learn from the Database on Conservation Actions on Threatened Plant Species in Europe? 10.55–11.15 P. Glasnović, Recognizing the gaps: Assessing the national Red Lists of European vascular flora 11.15–11.30 Coffee break & prerecorded poster presentations Session 4 | Chair: C. Sánchez Romero 11.30–11.50 M. Fois, Wetland plants in Mediterranean Islands: A collaborative initiative to collect information for their conservation 11.50–12.10 R. Verbylait ˙e, Can a forest tree species progeny trial serve as an ex-situ collection? A case study on Alnus glutinosa 12.10–12.30 S. Godefroid, Plant translocation practices and outcomes: A Europe-wide survey and analysis 5 12.30–12.50 A. Ensslin, Status of European seed conservation of wild plants in seed banks 12.50–13.10 G. Albani Rocchetti, The role and use of old seed collections on plant de-extinction 13.10–14.00 Lunch break & prerecorded poster presentations 14.00–14.50 Posters – live session Session 5 | Chair: M. Klisz 14.50–15.10 O. Barazani, Comparative genetic variation in old and naturally growing olive trees in the south Levant – a window into the history of olive cultivation 15.10–15.30 P. Aravanopoulos, Conservation of marginal Norway spruce populations: Is it worth it? 15.30–15.50 A. M. Gülsoy, Determination of drought stress variation in Abies cilicica (Taurus / Cilician Fir) populations by adaptive seedling traits 15.50–16.10 F. S. Baloch, Genomics for sustainable biodiversity from Fertile Crescent and some conservation strategies 16.10–16.30 M. Nonić, Assessment of adaptive genetic diversity at different scales using genomic approaches, to facilitate conservation within and outside forests 16.30–17.30 Open discussion with the Scientific Officer Marco Carulli with coffee / WRAP-UP List of Posters Akin M., Aravanopoulos F. A., A bibliometric analysis of research trends in tree conservation genomics Aksoy N., Özkan N. G., Koçer N., Sargıncı M., Aslan S., The role of botanical gardens in the ex situ conservation of endemic and rare plants at regional scale role and importance: The case of Duzce University botanical garden and herbarium Balant M., Logar R., Glasnović P., Surina B., Heterostyly in Carniolian primrose ( Primula carniolica Jacq.) Ballian D., Memišević Hodžić, M., The importance of preserving old common yew trees planted in villages as a potential ex-situ collection in Bosnia and Herzegovina 6 Cuena Lombrana A., Dessì L., Fois M., Luna B., Podda L., Porceddu M., Bacchetta G., Astragalus resilience: Heat shock effect on seed dormancy and germination in endangered species Danova K., Trendafilova A., Todorova M., Ivanova V., Aneva I., Conservation of valuable germplasm and secondary metabolites production of medicinal and aromatic plants of the Balkans El Chami M.A., Tourvas N., Kazakis G., Kalaitzis P., Aravanopoulos F. A., DNA fingerprinting chestnut cultivars from Crete using SSR markers Ertugrul K., Uysal T., The assessments of threat categories for Psephellus Cass. ( Asteraceae) taxa in Türkiye Kull T., Jaago S., Laanisto L., Assessing endangerment status shifts in Estonian vascular plants (2008–2018) Lopes S., Afonso A., Surina B., Loureiro J., Fatal attraction team, Castro S., Pollinator communities of threated European plants Lozada-Gobilard S., Pánková H., Münzbergová Z., Interactive effects of light, water, soil type and competition on the endangered Minuartia smejkalii vary over time Nonić M., Skočajić D., Radaković N., Identification of relict, rare, and endangered forest tree species in Ðerdap National Park as a basis for the genepool conservation Nakas G., Kougioumoutzis K., Petanidou T., Post-fire entomophilous plant communities in the Mediterranean: Short- and mid-term spatiotemporal diversity patterns Parpan T., Cherepanyn R., The main threats for rare plant species populations of the Ukrainian Carpathians highlands Peci D., Mullaj A., The dynamic of national vascular plants Red List: Threats and factors affecting the changing status Prokopuk M., Modern features of Elodea canadensis Michx. invasions in different climatic conditions (comparative studies) Rašomavičius V., Uogintas D., The Lithuanian example raises questions about whether protected areas effectively conserve plant diversity Tsvetkov I., Biotechnological tools for conservation of forest trees germplasm 7 es turece L Keynot Pieroni, A. (1) e turc Could ethnobotany be a tool for proposing eLe sustainable use of plant resources? ynot Although ethnobotanical studies have exponentially increased in the eK| past decade, there is still a scarse knowledge of the essence and ‘phi-e losophy’ of local, community-centred plant practices and their sustain-ncre ability. With the help of some concrete examples/case studies we will e show that many cultural keystone species in many communities of onfC the Mediterranean and the Near East are very common plants that are not threatened. The rare cases in which conservation concerns have to inalF loudly raised refer normally to species, which are remarkably traded in ts recent times only and whose end use is often unknown by the local com-Plan munities. This reflection proposes therefore to use community-centred ev ethnobotanical data as preliminary datasets for sustainable use of local plant resources. nseroC (1) University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo, Italy STOC 9 e Castro S. (1)*, Živa Fišer (2), Mariana Castro (1), João Loureiro(1), turc Joana Costa (3), Staša Simčič (2), Adela Horvat (2), Rafael Matos (1), eL Hava Verbessem (1), Finding Bermuda buttercup team, e Peter Glasnović (2) ynote There is nothing permanent except change: K|e Assessing reproductive success of invasive nc Bermuda buttercup ree onf Biological invasions pose a major threat to biodiversity, having ecolog-C ical and evolutionary consequences both for species and communities inalF being invaded and for invasive species themselves. Understanding inva-ts sive plants colonization strategies enable to develop habitat restoration actions more efficiently and contribute to the conservation of threat-Planev ened plant species. The Bermuda buttercup ( Oxalis pes-caprae L.) is a tristylous polyploid plant native to South Africa, having become invasive nsero in Mediterranean regions globally. In its native habitat, populations are C isoplethic having three flower morphs and sexual reproduction, while STO in most invaded areas, populations are dominated by the pentaploid C short-styled morph that reproduce asexually. Nevertheless, new forms have been discovered in western Mediterranean basin, introducing new reproductive strategies and, consequently, new invasion contexts. We aimed at understand the current distribution of floral morphs and cyto-types within the wider region of the Mediterranean Basin, as well as patterns and changes in sexual fitness and possible breakdowns in the het-erostylous syndrome. For that, within the COST Action ConservePlants we have gathered the ‘Finding Bermuda buttercup’ team that sampled floral morph composition, fresh leaves and fitness variables in invasive populations across the Mediterranean basin. Ploidy was determined using flow cytometry on fresh leaves, and floral morphometric analyses and quantification of pollen loads were analysed in ethanol presenved flowers. This large-scale sampling provides novel insights into the distribution of ploidy and floral morphs and reveals two distinct reproductive strategies, one through uniparental reproduction and the other throught the re-establishment of sexuality. Our finding highlight the dynamic nature of invasion processes, emphasizing that ecological and 10 genetic constraints inherent in the invasion process can lead to unique reproductive strategies, ultimately influencing the probability of invasion success. (1) Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (2) Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia (3) Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Centre (LEAF), In-stituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal * scastro@bot.uc.pt 11 tionsta Presen Albani Rocchetti G. (1)*, Godefroid S. (2), Abeli T. (1) The role and use of old seed collections tation on plant de-extinction resenP| Considering the remarkable increase in biodiversity extinction rates we e are witnessing in recent decades, important – yet insufficient – efforts ncre have been made, leading to the enrichment of the toolbox of conser-e vationists. With respect to extinct species, de-extinction is perhaps the onfC newest and most controversial tool. Concerning plants, herbaria represent a remarkable source of material and information that can be used inalF for de-extinction purposes. This work aims to provide the first theoret-ts ical and methodological basis for the use of material from herbaria for Plan the conservation of at-risk species and the de-extinction of lost species. ev Here we present novel insight into the use of herbarium material for con-nser servation and de-extinction purposes that represent the first step to-oC wards plant de-extinction and pair with the existing literature on animal ST de-extinction. On this occasion, we focus on (i) the first list of plant can-OC didates for de-extinction and (ii) the first systematic assessment of six techniques aimed at improving the germination of seeds from herbarium specimens we obtained. The first list of plant de-extinction candi-dates based on the actual availability of seeds in herbarium specimens of globally extinct plants is reported. Also, the effect of exogenous melatonin in the germination medium, priming with melatonin, and osmopriming on seed germination was tested on old seeds. Significant differences in germination were observed among species in osmopriming and melatonin priming tests, which resulted to be promising techniques and a first step for the development of an optimal germination protocol for old seeds and seeds from herbaria. (1) Roma Tre University, Department of Science, Rome, Italy (2) Meise Botanic Garden, Research Department, Meise, Belgium * giulia.albanirocchetti@uniroma3.it 13 Aravanopoulos F. A. (1), Verbylait ˙e R. (2)*, Tourvas N. (1), Menou A. (1) tation Conservation of marginal Norway spruce resenP populations: Is it worth it? |e nc Marginal populations should be less genetically diverse and be more ge-ree netically differentiated than core ones, as the central-marginal hypothe-onf sis postulates. While for forest trees this pattern has generally been conC sidered to be the norm, there has been an accumulating line of evidence inal suggesting that an increasing number of species this hypothesis fails to F ts be accepted. In this work, we consider the value of marginal Norway spruce populations. We have used neutral and EST-SSRs to study popu-Plane lation genetics parameters in populations of a latitudinal gradient that v includes both central populations (from Lithuania) and marginal (from nsero Greece). Assignment of ‘core’ or ‘marginal’ population status was based C on nine marginality indices that consider environmental and historical STO marginality, as well as peripherality. It is shown that results are gener-C ally non-concordant with the central-periphery hypothesis. Genetic diversity was generally high and not significantly different between core and edge populations, while genetic differentiation was mainly low. The roles of historical events and glaciation cycles are discussed in light of these results. Moreover, EST-SSR outliers detected, indicate further the value of those populations. It is concluded that the marginal populations of Norway spruce are indeed valuable for genetic conservation and measures are proposed to this effect. (1) Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Forestry, Akademija, K ˙edainiai District, Lithuania (2) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Thessaloniki, Greece * rita.verbylaite@lammc.lt 14 Baloch F. S. (1)*, Nadeem M. A. (2) Genomics for sustainable biodiversity from Fertile tation Crescent and some conservation strategies resenP| Core Area within the Fertile crescent was proposed by the Lev-Yadun e based on the theme that wild einkorn and emmer from this area shows ncre highest genetic resemblance with domesticated wheat than anywhere e else and other founder crops and their wild relatives such as chick onfC pea, lentil, barley, rye are restricted to the region of Southeast Türkiye, which include Karacadağ mountain range. In the last few decades, due inalF to heavy industrialization, urbanization, tourism activities and climate ts change, there is a serious threat of the disappearance of such natural Plan resources. To stem this loss of genetic variation, conservation and re-ev connaissance of existing biodiversity are fundamental. We had charac-nser terized the huge germplasm of triticum species, chickpea, lentil, bean, oC peanut, sugar cane, Laurus nobilis, pear millet, sorghum, sesame, maize, ST tomato, dactylus glomerata, Cephalaria etc using 10,000s of SNPs gen-OC erated by GBS and iwhole genome resequencing and dentified novel alleles/QTLs from some traits in abobe mentioned plant species. Some QTLs/alleles have been validated and are being used for genomic selection for biotic and abiotic stress in crop plants. We are developing strategies how this big data covering the whole genome sequencing can be potentially used for conservation of precious germplasm from their area of diversity. I will provide examples about the use of whole genome sequencing data for diversity assessment and their use for developing conservation strategies and how novel QTLs/alleles identified from these precious sources could be used for food security. (1) Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Sivas, Türkiye * balochfaheem13@gmail.com 15 Barberis M (1)*, Balant M. (2), Fišer Ž. (3), Glasnović P. (3), Sarka G. (3), Surina B. (3,4) tation Identifying reproductive barriers between resenP two closely related, but ecologically distinct, |e sages ( Salvia saccardiana and S. pratensis) ncree Plant taxa are typically reproductively isolated by many different barri-onf ers. Salvia saccardiana (Pamp.) Del Carr. & Garbari is narrowly distributed C in North-eastern Italy, Central and South-eastern Slovenia and western inalF Croatia. The species, differing morphologically from its sympatric conts gener S. pratensis L. for its larger leaves and flowers, greater height and Plan specific smell, also seems to exhibit a preference for dolomitic bedrock. ev Morphometric analyses confirm floral size dimorphism, suggesting that hybridization doesn’t occur frequently in natural conditions despite sig-nsero nificant overlap of their flowering periods. Therefore, here we investi-C gated the multiple reproductive barriers intervening in isolating the two STO taxa, ranging from pre-pollination to post-zygotic barriers. C (1) Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy (2) Botanical Institute of Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain (3) Živa Fišer, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia (4) Natural History Museum Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia * marta.barberis2@unibo.it 16 Barazani, O. (1)*, Ben Dor, E. (1,2), Dag A. (3), Cvikel, D. (4), Schmerler, N. (1,4) tation Comparative genetic variation in old and naturally resen growing olive trees in the south Levant – P|e a window into the history of olive cultivation ncree The olive tree ( Olea europaea) is the most important and iconic fruit tree of the Mediterranean Basin, possessing both economic and cultural sig-onfC nificance. The earliest evidences of olive fruits usage (table olives and inal oil extraction) that had been found in the southern Levant (modern F Israel) indicate on the focal role of this region in olive domestication ts and thus on the importance of local olive genetic resources. With that Plane in mind we study the history of olive cultivation in the southern Lev-v ant. Using molecular tools in genetic analysis of old living olive trees nser we detected ancient landraces and suggest on a trend in cultivar usage oC along history. Comparative analysis of these landraces with wild grow-ST ing trees was also used to assess the status of naturally growing popu-OC lations as feral or O. europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris – the wild ancestor of cultivated olives. In addition, we developed a computerized tool for integrated comparative morphometric analysis of landraces and archeo-botanical findings from the late Chalcolithic (4,000–5,000 BC) to the Islamic period (638–1099 AC). The findings contributed to the understanding of the importance of a unique germplasm that still exist in the region, and to initiate ex-situ and in situ conservation program of this threatened genetic resources. (1) Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Vegetables and Field Crops, Volcani research institute, Israel (2) The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Rehovot, Israel (3) Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, Israel (4) School of Archaeology & Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa, Israel * barazani@agri.gov.il Acknowledgement. The study was supported by the Israel Science foundation #332/21. 17 Birben Ü. (1)* tation The Role and Importance of Law in the Conservation of Biodiversity resenP|e Biodiversity, encompassing the richness of Earth’s living species and nc their ecosystem interactions, is a vital natural asset. Yet, conserving bio-ree diversity often gives rise to legal challenges. This article explores the onf key legal issues faced in biodiversity preservation with several case ex-C amples. The first challenge is the clash between local and international inal laws, with conflicting provisions in international agreements and local F ts regulations hindering effective conservation. The second issue relates to property rights, introducing complexities and disputes regarding re-Plane sponsibility and benefits from biodiversity resources. The third dilemma v is the inadequate enforcement and monitoring of biodiversity conser-nsero vation laws adopted by many countries. Additionally, legal ambiguity C arises due to the intricate and subject-to-interpretation nature of bio-STO diversity conservation laws. To tackle these challenges, measures like C improved coordination, alternative dispute resolution, and better enforcement through education and guidance should be implemented. In conclusion, preserving biodiversity is essential for global ecosystems and humanity’s sustainable future, necessitating the resolution of legal dilemmas through enhanced legal frameworks and effective implementation. (1) Çankırı Karatekin University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Engineering, Çankırı, Türkiye * birben@karatekin.edu.tr 18 Calabrese D. (1,2), Guarnieri M. (1), Nepi M. (1,2)* The influence of nectar chemistry in the tripartite tation interaction with pollinators and microorganisms resenP in the tribe Lithospermeae (Boraginaceae) |e nc Phylogenetically distinct nectariferous species visited by the same pol-ree linator guild may display a convergent chemistry of their floral nectar revealing a pollinator-driven selection of nectar. Cases of divergence in onfC nectar chemistry within a restricted phylogenetic context are of parinal ticular interest since they may reveal selection pressures associated to F pollinators. The diversity of pollinators also affects the nectar microbiota ts which in turn may shape the chemical composition of nectar for both Plane primary and secondary metabolites. We analyzed the nectar of more v than twenty Lithospermeae species revealing a heterogeneous profile nser of sugars, amino acids, and secondary metabolites, such as biogenic oC amines, that act as neurotransmitters in insects. We found biogenic ST amines in the nectar of species exhibiting sucrose-dominant nectar OC chemistry such as Echium spp., Cerinthe major and Onosma spp., while they are almost absent in the nectar of species with hexose-dominant nectar profile, such as Aegonychon purpurocaeruleum, although these three species are visited by very similar species of insects, as long-tongued bees. Biogenic Amines in nectar can be the result of endoge-nous production or be attributed to the metabolic activity of microorganisms such as specialized yeasts that inhabit the nectar. (1) MAEC Lab – Department of Life Science, University of Siena, Siena, Italy (2) National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy * massimo.nepi@unisi.it 19 Camilleri L. (1)*, Debono K. (1), Ghose Roy R. (1), Lanfranco S. (1) tation Diversity in Isolation: Dissecting the Drivers of Endemic Plant Richness on Mediterranean resenP| Islands and archipelagos e nc Effective conservation of island floras requires a ‘benchmark’ of ex-ree pected relative species richness to compare results against. The frame-onf work for this process is provided by the theory of island biogeography C that predicts island area and proximity to a mainland as being funda-inalF mental drivers of species diversity. The relative contribution of endemic ts species would then be expected to constitute a proportion of the max-Plan imum species richness, although the relationship may be non-linear ev between islands. Previous observations on the proportion of endemic species in several Mediterranean islands indicated a predictable trend nsero with area but suggested an ‘endemicity deficit’ for some islands, such C as Malta. This study aimed to refine these predictions by collecting data STO on variables other than the two fundamental ones. These included a C re-evaluation of proximity, and also included topographic diversity and human population density. ‘Proximity’ to a mainland was calculated through the progressive integration of land areas at varying radii from the centre of an island whilst ‘topography’ was estimated by recording the variance of elevation over a systematic sample of locations within an island. This was done for Crete, Corsica, Cyprus, Sardinia, Malta, Sicily, the Tuscan Archipelago, and the Balearics. GLM models related the proportion of endemic species to the selected constraints, with results indicating that ‘topography’ and ‘area’ explained more variation in the number of endemic species than ‘proximity’ and ‘human population density.’ Contrastingly, the proportion of endemic species on an island was best explained by ‘proximity’ and ‘topography.’ (1) University of Malta, Department of Biology, Msida, Malta * leanne.camilleri@um.edu.mt 20 Charitonidou M (1)*, Stefanaki A (2), Lázaro A. (3); Cursach J. (4), Panitsa M. (5), Bazos I. (6), Kantsa A. (7), Ranalli R. (8), Fois M. (9), tation Galloni M. (10), Bacchetta G. (9), Castro S. (11), Loureiro J. (11), Goula K. (6), Navarro L. (12), Dagher-Kharrat MB. (13), Kahale R. (13), resenP Vassiliou L. (14), Aronne G. (15), Fišer Ž. (16), Petanidou T. (17) |e Floral complexity as indicator of plant vulnerability: ncree Lessons learned from the Mediterranean onf Red Data Books C inal Inspired by an earlier finding regarding the Greek flora, i.e., plants with F higher floral complexity were found more prone to extinction vs. those ts with less complex flowers, we proceeded to explore the same hypoth-Plane esis at a broader geographical scale, that of the entire European conv tinent. We assembled a dataset of more than 25,000 records belong-nser ing to 10,111 insect-pollinated plant taxa with an assessed threat sta-oC tus sensu IUCN. Originated from 35 different European countries, the ST dataset includes information on intrinsic (floral characters, life cycle, etc.) OC and extrinsic (habitat, spatial elements, etc.) plant traits and is further broken down into three major geographical groups based on climatic and bee/pollinator diversity drivers: Mediterranean, North & Central Europe, and Eastern Europe & the Balkans. We hereby focus on the hyper-diverse group of the Mediterranean including 4,843 taxa from 97 plant families and aim to explore whether plant vulnerability sensu IUCN is related with the above intrinsic and/or extrinsic factors. We investigate our hypotheses at three spatial levels (entire Mediterranean, West vs. East Mediterranean), considering country and family entities. As expected, habitat type and spatial characteristics of threatened plants are constant diagnostics of IUCN conservation status. However, our results also suggest that intrinsic traits are effective predictors of plant vulnerability, especially floral characters such as floral shape and colour. We strongly believe that further analyses of the entire European flora dataset will provide a more solid basis for better understanding the importance of floral ecology in predicting plant population vulnerability. (1) University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications & Technology, Ioannina, Greece 21 (2) Utrecht University Botanic Gardens, Utrecht, The Netherlands (3) University of the Balearic Islands, Department of Biology, Palma, Spain / Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA; UIB-CSIC), Esporles, Balearic Islands, Spain (4) University of the Balearic Islands, Department of Biology, Palma, Spain (5) University of Patras, Department of Biology, Rio, Greece (6) National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Biology, Athens, Greece (7) ETH Zürich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zürich, Switzerland (8) University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, Milano, Italy (9) University of Cagliari, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Italy (10) University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy (11) University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal (12) University of Vigo, Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, Vigo, Spain (13) University of Saint-Joseph, Faculty of Science, Beirut, Lebanon (14) Agricultural Research Institute, Natural Resources and Environment Section, Nicosia, Cyprus (15) University of Naples Federico II, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Portici, Italy (16) University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Koper, Slovenia (17) University of the Aegean, Department of Geography, Mytilene – Lesvos, Greece * m.charitonidou@uoi.gr 22 Dalla Vecchia A. (1), Adamec L. (2), Bolpagni R. (1) Exploring the resource-use strategies of endangered tation Utricularia species and Aldrovanda for better resenP conservation strategies |e nc Carnivorous plants (CPs) include iconic species at the brink of extinc-ree tion: about 25% of CPs are at high risk of complete vanishing due to global climate and land-use changes. This is particularly true for aquatic onfC ecosystems, where water pollution and drought represent major threats inal for aquatic CPs, typical of low-nutrient habitats. However, knowledge F of physical-chemical features of waters and sediments does not seem ts enough to elaborate effective conservation strategies for these sensitive Plane macrophytes, suggesting the existence of hidden processes regulating v CPs-environment relationships. Classical approaches need to be imple-nser mented to offer a survival chance to these extraordinary plants. In the oC frame of a short-term scientific mission of the Cost Action CA18201 ConST servePlants, a pilot study has been launched to explore the functional OC traits of 8 threatened CPs ( Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Utricularia australis, U. bremii, U. intermedia, U. minor, U. ochroleuca, U. stygia and U. vulgaris), focusing on the Třeboň Basin area, a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. An ad hoc protocol for measuring morphological and biochemi-cal traits has been designed for A. vesiculosa and aquatic bladderworts, starting the data collection. Nineteen wild populations and the collection in the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Tře-boň, Czech Rep., were investigated. Preliminary results show high plas-ticity within species, while leaf dimension, leaf dry matter content and pigments content are driving between-species variability. This is a first functional attempt to better understand the spatiotemporal patterns of these iconic species, disentangling their eco-functional niches from which effective management strategies could then be implemented. (1) University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sus-tainability, Parma, Italy (2) Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Třeboň, Czech Republic * alice.dallavecchia@unipr.it 23 Ensslin A. (1)*, Clemente A. (2), Zippel E. (3), Lui U. (4), Glasnović P. (5), Sánchez-Romero C. (6), Godefroid S. (7) tation Status of European seed conservation of wild plants resenP in seed banks |e nc Conserving orthodox seeds of wild plants through seed banking (at 15% ree RH and –20°C) has become a valuable tool in safeguarding threatened onf populations and species, supporting conservation interventions such as C plant translocations, but also in conserving genetic resources for plant inal breeding and food security. Despite over 90% of the European flora is F ts likely to possess bankable seeds, there is no general assessment of how many taxa are secured in seed banks, where the gaps are and whether Plane the countries met the objectives of global conservation initiatives such v as the GSPC (i.e., target 8: 75% of threatened plants conserved ex situ). nsero Within the framework of the COST Action ConservePlants (CA18201), a C European-wide survey on seed bank collections was launched to gain an STO overview over the current state of ex situ conservation of wild plant taxa C in seed banks across Europe. After a challenging process of taxonomic harmonization, we identified over 13,000 taxa conserved in 109 institutions from 29 countries across Europe and the Middle East. We mapped the taxonomic names and the original provenance of seed lots against the respective national red lists to identify the coverage met by each country concerning the GSPC target 8. We reveal gaps in species conservation and point out future directions on how to meet global conservation targets. Our study demonstrates the importance of collaborative approach for seed banking to support safeguarding threatened plants across Europe but also highlights that its potential has not at all been fully exploited yet. (1) Conservatory and Botanic Garden of the City of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (2) University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal (3) Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin, Germany (4) Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London, United Kingdom (5) University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia (6) University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain (7) Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium * andreas.ensslin@ville-ge.ch 24 Fišer Ž. (1), Aronne G. (2) ConservePlants – have we made any difference? tation How can we measure success? The success of a research project can be resenP measured by the amount of new knowledge, discoveries, the number of |e scientific articles or patents. COST Actions are not research projects and nc their objective is much broader than that of research projects. COST’s ree strategic priorities include the promotion and dissemination of excel-onfC lence, the promotion of interdisciplinary research for breakthrough scientific knowledge and the promotion and retention of young re-inalF searchers and innovators. A brief overview of ConservePlants shows that ts we have addressed all three priorities. Over the past four and a half years, Plan we have promoted interdisciplinary research by meeting and discussing ev at Management Committee and Working Group meetings in Brussels (BE), Pruhonice (CZ), Bologna (IT), Valleta (MT) and Coimbra (PT), and at nsero meetings in Koper (SI), Venice (IT), Palma (SP), Valencia (SP), Brussels (BE) C and Izola (SI). We organised three online trainings and five live trainings STOC (Montenegro, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain) focused on different topics of plant conservation: cryopreservation, plant translocation, IUCN Red List assessment, species distribution modelling, genetic monitoring, pollination ecology and pollinator identification. We have also organised two workshops for conservation managers in Pruhonice (CZ) and in Škocjan Cave Regional Park (SI) and co-organised several others. We have published several scientific papers and many more are still in progress. We have produced various materials to disseminate the topic, which are freely available on our website, including booklets, posters, children’s books and an educational video. We have also awarded 52 grants (STSM, ITC, VM, VNS DCG), mostly to young researchers from all over Europe and beyond. So have we made a difference? We hope and believe that we have. (1) University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Koper, Slovenia (2) Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy * ziva.fiser@upr.si 25 Fois M. (1)*, Cuena A. (1), Bacchetta G. (1), Bagella S. (2); Barone G. (3,4), Camilleri L. (5), Debono K. (5), Domina G. (3), tation Lanfranco S. (5), Panitsa M. (6), Pasta S. (7), Troia A. (8), Lazzaro L. (9), resen Fraga-Arguimbau P. (10), V. Lansdown R. (11), Bazos I. (12), P| Minissale P. (13), Nikolić T. (14), S. Christodoulou C. (15), Kadis C. (16), e Jilani I. B. H. (17,18), Daoud-Bouattour A. (18), D. Muller S. (19), ncre Stinca A. (20), Fournaraki C. (21), Capó M. (22), Gazaix A. (23), e Aksoy N. (24), Diadema K. (25) onfC Wetland plants in Mediterranean Islands: inalF A collaborative initiative to collect information ts for their conservation Planev In the Mediterranean Basin, the conservation of plants faces critical challenges due to the historic and ongoing impacts of human land nsero use, placing biodiversity under pressure. This issue is particularly proC nounced on islands, where the intrinsic fragmentation of freshwater STO environments is exacerbated by the limited land area. Consequently, is-C land wetlands, which are generally smaller than their continental coun-terparts, are more fragile and often overlooked in conservation efforts. Therefore, addressing the need for improved knowledge of wetland plants occurring on islands is a crucial objective that remains largely unresolved. Challenges persist, including cryptic taxonomy within certain genera, and there is still a need for a comprehensive overview of the diversity, distribution and conservation status of these plants. These knowledge gaps contribute to policy and management shortcomings, hindering effective conservation or recovery efforts. This study seeks to bridge these knowledge gaps by compiling information from local ex-perts on wetland vascular plants occurring on the approximately 10,000 Mediterranean islands and islets. Our work presents and discusses the preliminary results of a checklist of over 200 wetland vascular plants of conservation interest. Remarkably, 20% of these species are globally endangered, 50% face threats on at least one island, and available information is inadequate to assess the conservation status of 30%. The insights provided in this study can support parallel initiatives, such as the Red List Index of Mediterranean wetland plants. Moreover, they can 26 serve as a reference for planning targeted conservation actions and fos-tering public awareness about plant diversity in Mediterranean island wetlands. (1) University of Cagliari, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Italy (2) University of Sassari, Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Sassari, Italy (3) University of Palermo, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, Palermo, Italy (4) National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy (5) University of Malta, Department of Biology, Msida, Malta (6) University of Patras, Department of Biology, Patras, Greece (7) National Research Council, Institute of Biosciences and BioResources, Palermo, Italy (8) University of Palermo, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), Palermo, Italy (9) University of Florence, Department of Biology, Florence, Italy (10) Marimurtra Botanical Garden, Carl Faust Foundation, Blanes, Spain (11) IUCN SSC Freshwater Plant Specialist Group, Gloucestershire, UK (12) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Biology, Panepis-timiopolis, Athens, Greece (13) University of Catania, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Catania, Italy (14) University of Zagreb, Department of Biology, Zagreb, Croatia (15) Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Lefkosia, Cyprus (16) Frederick University, Nature Conservation Unit, Nicosia, Cyprus (17) University of Carthage, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, Tunis, Tunisia (18) University of Manouba, Biogeography, Applied Climatology and Environmental Dynamics, Manouba, Tunisia (19) University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Institute of Evolutionary Sciences (ISEM), Montpellier, France (20) University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Caserta, Italy (21) Mediterranean Plant Conservation Unit of Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (CIHEAM-MAICH), Crete, Greece (22) Polytechnic University of Madrid, Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development, Madrid, Spain (23) Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Arles, France (24) Duzce University, Department of Forest Botany & DUOF Herbarium, Duzce, Türkiye (25) National Mediterranean Botanical Conservatory of Porquerolles, Hyères, France * mfois@unica.it 27 Glasnović P. (1), Fantinato E. (2)*, Buffa G. (2), Carapeto A. (3), Dragićević S. (4), Fišer Ž. (1), Kiehn M. (5), Kull T. (6), Klisz M. (7), tation Lužnik M. (1), Metzing D. (8), Stefanaki A. (9,10), Liu U. (11), resen Lončarević N. (1) P|e Recognizing the gaps: Assessing the national nc Red Lists of European vascular flora ree onf The diversity of vascular plants in Europe is at risk, and the national Red C Lists are crucial for understanding these threats. However, our study inal has shown that there are differences in how European countries as-F ts sess and update these documents, revealing gaps in conservation efforts. We collected data from the most recent national Red Lists of Plane vascular plants in European countries, including some from the East-v ern Mediterranean. The results confirm that we do not have a com-nsero plete picture of the conservation status of European plants. The state C of knowledge varies across regions, with differences in Red List avail-STO ability, update frequency, and assessment methods. Notably, coun-C tries assessing their entire flora have a higher proportion of threatened plants than countries that only assessed part of it. This suggests that there is a risk of overlooking the conservation status of lesser known plants when assessments are limited. Financial capacity is a key factor; countries spending more on environmental protection tend to assess their entire flora. Our study emphasises the need for consistent and comprehensive assessment across Europe. Recognising these differences is crucial for developing effective strategies to conserve vascular plants. (1) University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Koper, Slovenia (2) Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy (3) Sociedade Portuguesa de Botânica, Alverca, Portugal (4) Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, Podgorica, Montenegro (5) Core Facility Botanical Garden, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (6) Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biodiversity and Nature Tourism, Tartu, Estonia (7) Forest Research Institute, Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees, S ękocin Stary, Poland 28 (8) Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, II 1.2 Plant Conservation, Konstantinstr. 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany (9) Laboratory of Biogeography & Ecology, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, Greece (10) Utrecht University Botanic Gardens, Utrecht, The Netherlands (11) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wellcome Trust Millennium Building, Wakehurst, Ardingly, UK * edy.fantinato@unive.it 29 Godefroid S. (1)*, Lacquaye T. (1), Branwood H. (2), Dalrymple S. E., (2), Ensslin A. (3), Abeli T. (4) tation Plant translocation practices and outcomes: resenP A Europe-wide survey and analysis |e nc Plant translocations are a conservation technique increasingly used ree around the world. In Europe, many initiatives have taken place with-onf out having been published, with the result that the information re-C mains very scattered in grey literature to which access is not easy. This inal represents a major obstacle to the exchange of information and ex-F ts perience among scientists and practitioners. To help fill this gap, we launched a large-scale continent-wide survey with 39 questions relat-Plane ing to methods, motivations, problems encountered and outcomes, v supplemented by a screening of scientific publications, grey literature nsero and national/regional databases. This made it possible to locate and C gather data on 3,220 plant translocations across the European conti-STO nent carried out on 1,185 taxa in 28 countries, which represents the C largest dataset ever collected globally. Target species most often were forbs from grassland habitats and they had a higher threat status nationally than globally. Practitioners mainly used plug plants (less than 100) originating from a single source (geographically closest to the target site). Weather events and plant disease were the unanticipated problems most often noticed by respondents. Monitoring revealed that most populations did not survive more than 5 years, demonstrating the challenge translocations are still representing for conservationists. However, this large database will allow us to identify the most relevant drivers of translocation outcome in terms of plant survival and recruitment that will inform future plant translocations. (1) Meise Botanic Garden, Research Department, Meise, Belgium (2) Liverpool John Moores University, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool, United Kingdom (3) Conservatory and Botanic Garden of the City of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (4) University of Roma Tre, Department of Science, Rome, Italy * sandrine.godefroid@botanicgardenmeise.be 30 Gülsoy A.M. (1), Kaya, Z. (2) Determination of drought stress variation tation in Abies cilicica (Taurus / Cilician Fir) populations resenP by adaptive seedling traits |e nc Drought, a major climate change impact, significantly challenges forest ree ecosystems and necessitates strategies for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management. This study focuses on the drought re-onfC silience of Taurus fir ( Abies cilicica), analyzing seedling growth and phe-inal nological traits. Genetic material from eight populations in the species’ F natural habitat was evaluated, with young seedlings grown under conts trolled drought conditions in a nursery setting. The experiment utilized Plane a randomized block design with six replications to assess genetic di-v versity and adaptive traits in response to drought stress. Conducted at nser Olcay Forest Nursery in Konya province, the study involved eight pop-oC ulations, each with 20 families and four seedlings per family. Seedlings ST were subjected to –10.45 bar water stress upon reaching three years of OC age. The aim was to identify strategies vital for genetic diversity conservation and sustainable forest management. Statistical analysis focused on the adaptive capacity of the species, including genetic correlations and family heritability of adaptive traits, particularly bud burst, and growth in height and diameter before and after drought stress. The results highlighted that geographical origin and altitude significantly affect seedlings’ drought adaptation. Seedlings from eastern, higher altitudes showed less growth compared to those from western, lower altitudes, indicating the influence of genetic and ecological factors on stress response. This study underscores the need for in-depth research on genetic diversity and adaptive strategies to inform future forest management and breeding programs, emphasizing the importance of lever-aging the adaptive capabilities of different populations for species sus-tainability under drought conditions. (1) General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye, Central Anatolian Forestry Research Institute, Ankara, Türkiye (2) Middle East Technical University, Department of Biological Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye * alimuratgulsoy01@ogm.gov.tr, alimuratgulsoy@gmail.com 31 Lazarević M.R. (1), Surina B. (2,3), Godefroid S. (4)., Ensslin A. (5)., Wiland-Szymańska J. (6), Klisz M. (7), Santos J. (8), Castro S. (8) tation What can we learn from the Database resenP on Conservation Actions on Threatened |e Plant Species in Europe? ncree Increasing habitat and biodiversity loss requires more and more spe-onf cific conservation activities supporting the survival of threatened plant C species in the wild. While several databases on conservation actions al-inalF ready exist, they usually contain only some basic information, are not ts updated regularly, and are confined to specific geographic regions. Re-Plan sults of conservation activities are not systematically published in sci-ev entific articles, and thus often they are not publicly or easily accessible. Conversely, there is a strong need for the exchange of knowledge and nsero experience among plant conservationists of different backgrounds. In C the scope of the COST Action CA18201 ConservePlants, a Database on STO conservation activities on threatened plant species in Europe has been C established based on a survey distributed through emails and Google Forms. Its primary objective is to offer useful information about conservation activities targeting threatened plant species, but also to enable the assessment of positive and negative aspects of completed actions, and to provide guidelines for future conservation planning. The Database contains more than 3000 inputs for over 900 plant species obtained from c. 150 conservationists from 32 European countries. It provides information about geographical distribution and types of plant-based conservation activities in Europe; types of institutions involved in it; differences in financial aspects; plant species and their habitats; types of actions implemented; success and outcome of the actions. The Database will soon be publicly available with the intention of updating it regularly, aiming to become an important source of information for future practical conservation activities. (1) University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia (2) University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Koper, Slovenia (3) Natural History Museum Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia 32 (4) Meise Botanical Garden, Meise, Belgium (5) Conservatory and Botanic Garden of the City of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (6) Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, Poznań, Poland (7) Forest Research Institute, Department of Silviculture and Genetics, Dendrolab IBL, Raszyn, Poland (8) University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People & the Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal * majat@bio.bg.ac.rs Acknowledgement. The research was supported by COST Action CA18201 ‘ConservePlants – An Integrated Approach to Conservation of Threatened Plants for the 21st Century.’ 33 Liu U. (1), Fantinato E. (2), Lončarević N. (3), Glasnović P. (3) and collaborators from WG3 tation Supporting plant conservation: The database resenP of the national Red Lists of European vascular plants |e nc The European vascular flora consists of more than 20,000 species and ree represents 5.7% of global diversity. However, 44.9% of these species are onf vulnerable within Europe almost matching the global level prediction C for extinction risk. One of the main aims of plant conservation, especially inal at country level, is to evaluate the extinction risk of each taxon through F ts a conservation assessment by following guidelines published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and establish a red Plane list category to reflect its conservation status. Whilst there are significant v gaps in conservation assessments across countries in the Europe, some nsero assessments capture taxonomic names without scientific authorships C and red list categories outside the IUCN current standards. As a result, STO difficulties arose when comparing red list categories across countries to C determine meaningful trends and/or creating a unified list for Europe. To improve plant conservation in the Europe through a network of interested stakeholders, the Working Group 3 (WG3) of ConservePlants under the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action 18201, developed a database capturing vascular plant taxa in the Europe which have had a conservation assessment at country or sub-country level with their designated red list categories. We introduce the version 7.0. of the European vascular plants red lists database in an end-user friendly format and open to revision by interested parties. It synthe-sizes data across 40 national and two sub-national or regional red lists from 39 European countries and two COST Action observer countries in the Mediterranean. We described the step-by-step method on how data were compiled, cleaned, standardised, red list categories and taxonomic names harmonised, and data integrity validated. We envision such a database has the scope to be used in various plant conservation activities and is beneficial for various stakeholders who engage in plant conservation and would help filling the gaps in conservation assessments. 34 (1) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Research Department, Ardingly, United Kingdom (2) University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Department of Environmental Sciences, Venice, Italy (3) University of Primorska, Department of Biodiversity, Izola, Slovenia * u.liu@kew.org 35 Lozada-Gobilard S. (1), Barberis M. (2), Hrušková K. (3), Šoln K. (4) tation Children’s books as a strategy for plant conservation resen Human actions and climate change are diminishing global biodiver-P| sity. While we are knowledgeable about economically valuable plants e nc like crops, rare threatened species remain poorly understood. These ne-ree glected plants, especially the unique and rare ones, receive less focus in conservation compared to charismatic animals. In addition, there is a onfC big gap between basic science and its communication and application, inal causing inadequate conservation practices. To achieve a successful conF servation strategy, the scientific community should work side by side ts with the general public. A long-term success depends on the aware-Plane ness of the general public and their engagement. Children in particu-v lar are one of the most important demographic groups since their ac-nser tions and decisions would affect the course of conservation in the fu-oC ture. Therefore, implementing awareness and creating empathy in them ST towards critically endangered plants species today, would improve the OC conservation status of those species tomorrow. This could be achieved through story-telling of rare plants in the format of a children book with a solid base in scientific knowledge. Here we present a collection of four independent stories about endangered endemic plants: (1) Iris atropur-purea (Israel); (2) Minuartia smejkalii (Czech Republic); (3) Primula apen-nina (Italy); (4) Scopiola Carniola var hladnikia (Slovenia). All four stories are based on scientific research and are transformed into beautiful, simple stories with vivid illustrations. They aim to entertain and educate children, their parents, and the general public. (1) Biodiversity Unit, Department of Biology Lund University, Sweden (2) Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (3) Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic (4) University of Primorska, Faculty of mathematics, natural sciences and information technologies, Koper, Slovenia * hruskovak@fzu.cz 36 Nonić M. (1)*, Aravanopoulos F.A. (2) Assessment of adaptive genetic diversity at different tation scales using genomic approaches, to facilitate resenP conservation within and outside forests |e nc Conservation genomics has an important role in the identification of ree genomic regions that are of adaptive significance and particular importance for the conservation of forest genetic resources. We performed onfC a structural literature review using the Scopus and Web of Science inal databases and critical analysis regarding the assessment of adaptive F genetic diversity focusing on molecular genetic/genomic approaches ts to facilitate conservation of perennial woody species within and out-Plane side forests. Based on our filtering approach we identified 166 pertinent v journal papers, but we focused specifically in 40 publications that were nser selected for meta-analysis, based on a set of information content criteria. oC The analysis included 33 species, among which 14 angiosperms (from ST 8 genera), and 19 gymnosperms (from 10 genera). We constructed a OC database that included: article information; source variables; species-related information; dataset variables; and genetic analysis statistics. Our analysis concentrated on 10 variables from the above dataset. Fst outlier loci and their relative importance in terms of strength of spatially-divergent selection are not evenly distributed in populations; no associ-ation between number of populations assessed and number/Fst value of outlier loci was found. The same holds for the extent of spatial sampling, indicating the locality of selection. No link to population genetics parameters was found either. However, increasing the sampling effort overall and sampling from populations of high genetic diversity is associated to the detection of spatially-divergent selection. These results, besides adding in local adaptation studies, can also contribute to the design of in situ conservation efforts for natural populations of perennial woody plants. (1) University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia (2) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Agriculture, Forest Science & Natural Environment, Thessaloniki, Greece * marina.nonic@sfb.bg.ac.rs 37 Stojanova B. (1)* tation The resurrection method reveals contemporary evolution of arable weeds in response to pollinator resenP| decline and climate change e nc The resurrection method is a novel approach which ‘instantly’ reveals ree the occurrence of contemporary evolution in organisms with diapause onf by growing side-by-side ancestral genotypes ‘resurrected’ from dor-C mant propagules and their contemporary descendants. Taking advan-inalF tage of material from seed repositories, resurrection assays are a power-ts ful tool for the study of contemporary adaptation of plants in response Plan to fast-paced, human-induced environmental changes. The aim of my ev research was to assess evolutionary trait shifts occurrence in populations of an annual, entomophilous, arable weed over 30 generations nsero in response to global climate change and pollinator decline. Ancestral C genotypes were grown from seeds harvested in two locations (Belgium, STO 1992 and Poland 2003) in a common garden with contemporary geno-C types harvested from the exact same locations in 2020. Traits related to phenology, attractivity to pollinators, mating system, and fitness were measured. All plants were genotypes using ddRAD SNP markers to dis-entangle the effects of random and selective evolutionary processes. Results show that contemporary genotypes flowered later than ancestral ones, which is consistent with a drought-avoidance strategy in response to temperature rising over the past 30 years. The remaining data is still being analyzed. Under the hypothesis of adaptation to pollinator decline two scenarios are plausible – evolution towards more attractive flowers and floral displays to maintain the outcrossing rate in contemporary environments, or evolution towards increased self-pollination which can be accompanied with a selfing syndrome (fewer, less attractive flowers). The resurrection method can help study contemporary evolution without recurring to lengthy evolutionary experiments, or implicit assumptions of space-for-time substitution approaches. (1) University of Naples Federico II, Department of biology, Naples, Italy * bojana.stojanova@gmail.com 38 Verbylait ˙e R. (1)*, Aravanopoulos F.A. (2), Baliuckas V. (1), Juškauskait ˙e A. (1), Ballian D. (3,4,5) tation Can a forest tree species progeny trial serve as an resen ex-situ collection? A case study on Alnus glutinosa P|e Scientifically informed decisions for the long-term conservation of ex-ncre tant genetic diversity should combine in-situ and ex-situ conservation e methods. The aim of the present study was to assess if a progeny plan-onfC tation consisting of several open pol-linated (OP) families and established for breeding purposes can also serve as an ex-situ conservation inalF plantation, using the case study of a Lithuanian progeny trial of Alnus ts glutinosa, a keystone species of riparian ecosystems that warrants pri-Plan ority conservation actions. We employed 17 nuclear microsatellite (Sim-ev ple Sequence Repeat) markers and compared the genetic diversity and nser copy number of the captured alleles of 22 OP progeny families from this oC plantation, with 10 wild A. glutinosa populations, originating from the ST two provenance regions of the species in Lithuania. We conclude that OC the progeny plantation could be used as an ex-situ plantation for the A. glutinosa populations from the first provenance region (represented by eight genetic conservation units (GCU)). Based on the present study results we can expect that the A. glutinosa progeny plantation harbors enough genetic diversity of wild A. glutinosa populations from the first provenance region. This progeny plantation can serve as a robust ex-situ collection containing local alleles, present in at least one wild population with at least 0.05 frequency with 25 replications. (1) Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Forestry, Forest tree breeding and genetics department, Kaunas, Lithuania (2) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Thessaloniki, Greece (3) University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Forestry, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (4) Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia (5) Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina * rita.verbylaite@lammc.lt 39 Wiland-Szymańska J. (1), Fišer Ž. (2), Kolasińska A. (3) tation Popularization of knowledge about endangered flagship plant species of Europe resenP|e One of scopes of WG4 activities of the COST Action 18201 is enhanc-nc ing a general knowledge about endangered and protected plants in ree European societies. To achieve this aim three booklets and one poster onf were prepared in collaboration with scientists from 23 countries. There C are 278 CITES plant species in Europe and roughly about 25,000 in the inal world. A selection of native European species of CITES plants were intro-F ts duced in two publications, namely ‘CITES plants of Europe’ (hard copy and on-line edition) and ‘National flagship CITES plant species across Plane Europe’ (on-line). In addition, 47 more plant cards were prepared. This v activity completed information about 88 species prepared by 79 sci-nsero entists from 22 countries. To stress the importance of protection of C CITES plants, a poster about this subject was prepared and printed to STO be widely distributed. Some of the protected and endangered plant C species are fixed in the national consciousness as unique, as they have played a significant role due to their symbolism and functional significance in a given country. Information about these unique taxa was prepared by 33 scientists for 19 countries and gathered in a booklet ‘Endangered plants important for selected European countries’ (on-line). All materials are available free of charge on the ConservePlants website (www.conserveplants.eu). The projects may have continuations and to include all European countries and CITES species. The goals set under the two VM Grants and the dissemination for general public were achieved. (1) Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Faculty of Biology; Botanical Garden, Poznań, Poland (2) University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, 600 Koper, Slovenia (3) Alicja Kolasińska, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Botanical Garden, Poznań, Poland * wiland@amu.edu 40 ers Post er Aksoy N. (1,2)*, Özkan N. G. (1), Koçer N. (3), Sargıncı M. (4), sto Aslan S. (1) P|e The role of botanical gardens in the ex-situ ncre conservation of endemic and rare plants at regional e scale role and importance: The case of Duzce onfC University botanical garden and herbarium inalF One of the most important aims and features of Botanical Gardens is ts to protect endemic and rare plants and to carry out scientific studies on Plan them. Duzce University Ornamental and Medicinal Plants Botanical Gar-ev den (DUSTBB) was established to play an important role in the mainte-nser nance of plant biodiversity both in the country and in the region. Since oC the habitats of endemic and rare plant taxa in the Western Black Sea ST Region and Duzce Province are threatened by anthropogenic effects, OC ex-situ conservation is aimed in the botanical garden. According to the flora, vegetation and monitoring studies carried out in the province of Duzce and the Western Black Sea Region, 11 700 plant taxa are found in the DUOF herbarium and these are also recorded in the virtual herbarium. In Duzce Province, 1268 vascular plant taxa are distributed, 59 of which are endemic and 24 taxa are rare plants. According to the Flora of Türkiye, there are 210 endemic plant taxa in the Western Black Sea Region. Endemic plant habitat areas are under threat and extinction due to anthropogenic factors such as intensive forestry activities, dam construction, stone mining and unplanned tourism activities. In Duzce Province, 10 endemic plant taxa (CR (5), EN (2), VU (3)) are under threat. Ex situ conservation works are carried out in the botanical garden for the local endemic plant taxa; Cephalaria duzceénsis, Centaurea yaltirikii, Jurinea efea and Lythrum anatolicum. In addition to this, on the conservation of many endemic and rare plant taxa, whose lives are sensitive and at risk, on a regional scale; educational activities, citizen awareness and legal responsibilities are carried out in a wide range of areas, which will be a model. (1) Düzce University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Botany & DUOF Herbarium, Düzce, Türkiye (2) Düzce University Ornamental and Medicinal Plants Production Application and Research Center, Düzce, Türkiye 42 (3) Düzce University, Vocational School of Forestry, Düzce, Türkiye (4) Düzce University, Faculty of Forestry, Soil Science and Ecology Department, Düzce, Türkiye * necmiaksoy@duzce.edu.tr Acknowledgement. This study was supported by Düzce University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office with project number 2021.02.02.1254 and COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action of CA18201 ConservePlants. 43 er Balant M. (1)*†, Logar R. (2)†, Glasnović P. (3)†, Surina B. (4)† stoP Heterostyly in Carniolian primrose |e ( Primula carniolica Jacq.) ncree The Carniolian primrose ( Primula carniolica Jacq.) is an endemic species onf of the north-western Dinaric Alps. It typically grows in cold and shady C locations characterized by ecologically challenging conditions, in a re-inalF gion approximately 70 km long and 25 km wide to the west and south ts of Ljubljana. The Auricula ( Primula auricula) is its closest related species, but with a much larger distribution area, ranging from the West Alps Planev to the Tatra Mountains. In contrast to the Carniolian primrose, it thrives on sun-exposed habitats. However, there are a few recorded locations nsero where both species coexist in proximity, where hybrids of the two ( Prim-C ula x venusta) can be found. The objectives of this study were to: (i) STO establish the relationship between long-stemmed and short-stemmed C flower types, (ii) determine the morphometric characteristics of flowers within individual populations, (iii) investigate whether there are morphometric differences between long-stemmed and short-stemmed flowers within and among populations, (iv) assess the stigma-stamen reciprocity within individual populations to understand the potential for auto(in)compatibility and (v) investigate morphometric differences between the two species and their hybrid. Carniolian primrose populations exhibit statistically significant differences in all four measured parameters: width (CLW) and length (CLL) of corolla lobe, corolla diameter (CD), and length of the corolla tube (TL). The lengths of stamens and pistil furrows within Carniolian primrose populations vary and often do not overlap, indicating deviations from complete reciprocity. PCA analysis revealed that Primula carniolica, Primula x venusta, and Primula auricula do not differ from each other in terms of flower size. (1) Institut Botànic de Barcelona, IBB (CSIC-CMCNB), Barcelona, Spain (2) Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia (3) Natural History Museum Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia * manicab@gmail.com † Authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship 44 Ballian D. (1,2,3)*, Memišević Hodžić M. (1) ersto The importance of preserving old common yew P|e trees planted in villages as a potential ex-situ nc collection in Bosnia and Herzegovina ree onf Due to the low abundance of common yew ( Taxus baccata) trees caused C by anthropogenic influence throughout history, it has been protected inal by law in the natural sites of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1964. Com-F ts mon yew, due to its longevity, has a special meaning among people of different national and religions living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It Plane was used in spiritual rituals that have remained in some areas of cen-v tral Bosnia to this day. Due to excessive use of yew from forests, the nser need for their planting emerged centuries ago. At that time, common oC yew seedlings could not be bought at the market, so young plants STO were brought from nearby forests and planted in villages. Research and C recording of common yew sites in villages of Bosnia and Herzegovina was carried out from 2003 to 2020 years. There were 54 old trees regis-tered, and their origin is, in most cases, known through oral traditions. Six areas of origin can be distinguished: the area of the middle course of Bosnia with location Pepelari; the area of Krivaja river valley (from Vozuća to Olovo); the area around the source of Mala Usora; the Rib-nik area in Bosnian Krajina; the central Bosnian region of Busovača and Vitez; the area from Nevesinjsko polje to Gatačko polje. Due to the loss of yew trees in the forests, we can use reproduction material of yew trees planted in villages in the common yew reconstruction process because we know their origin, i.e. that they are from local forests. (1) University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Forestry, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2) Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (3) Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia * d.ballian@sfsa.unsa.ba 45 er Cuena Lombrana A. (1)*, Dessì L. (1), Fois M. (1), Luna B. (1), sto Podda L. (1), Porceddu M. (1,3), Bacchetta G. (1) P|e Astragalus resilience: Heat shock effect on seed ncre dormancy and germination in endangered species e onf Many Astragalus species exhibit physical dormancy and understanding C their seed dormancy is crucial for conservation efforts. Previous stud-inalF ies have revealed that impermeable seed coats inhibit germination in ts these species, but little is known about the ecological context of this dormancy. We focused on Astragalus maritimus and A. verrucosus, two Planev threatened endemic species in Sardinia living in fire-prone ecosystems, to explore the ecological implications of heat shock on dormancy re-nsero lease and germination. We investigated under laboratory conditions the C effects of different heat shock treatments (40–140°C) for varying dura-STO tions (5 and 10 minutes), to simulate different fire conditions. Results C showed a reduction of germination compared with control test only at high heat shock temperatures (120–140°C) in both species. Most seeds remain dormant (viable, not imbibed seed) after the simulation of fire in the soil, from 80% at 40°C – 5 min to 20% at 120°C – 5 min for A. verrucosus. While A. maritimus dormant seeds varying from 84.2% at 40°C – 5 min to 40% 100°C – 10 min. At higher temperatures of heat shock, the percentage of dead seed increases, A. verrucosus ranged from 55.4% at 120°C – 5 min to 99% at 140°C – 10 min and for A. maritimus this ranges varied from 54% at 100°C – 10min to 92% 140°C – 10 min. In conclusion, heat shock caused by fire is not able to break the physical dormancy. However, they can survival the fire pass and develop soil seed bank that persists after fires and delay germination until the occurrence of break dormancy conditions. (1) University of Cagliari, Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (CCB), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Italy (2) University of Castilla-La Mancha, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, Toledo, Spain (3) University of Cagliari, Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Italy * alba.cuena@unica.it 46 Danova K. (1)*, Trendafilova A. (1), Todorova M. (1), Ivanova V. (1), erst Aneva I. (2) oP| Conservation of valuable germplasm and secondary e nc metabolites production of medicinal and aromatic ree plants of the Balkans onfC Characteristic with its rich flora and high endemism, the Balkan Penin-inal sula is considered one of the hotspots of European plant biodiversity. F ts An important etiological factor for this phenomenon is the role of the region as a glacial refugium to many relict taxa, its topographic com-Plane plexity and richness of habitat types, diversity, as well as the stability v of environmental conditions. Representatives of the Hypericum genus, nser the Balkan endemic Sideritis scardica Griseb. and essential oil-bearing oC Artemisia alba Turra have been selected in a program for in vitro cul-STO ture germplasm conservation and exploration of the capacity to proC duce secondary metabolites in different plant cell tissue and organ culture conditions. This work summarizes the approaches established for the targeted delivery of biologically active compounds of diverse chemical type such as hypericins, phenolics, flavonoids, as well as essential oils from different types of in vitro lines of the studied species. Plant cell tissue and organ culture were demonstrated to be a valuable and flexible tool for the supply of secondary metabolites of the selected species. (1) Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria (2) Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria * k_danova@abv.bg, kalina.danova@orgchm.bas.bg Acknowledgement. We are thankful to the National Scientific Fund, Bulgaria, Grant num. KP-06-N39/6. 47 er El Chami M. A. (1,2), Tourvas N. (2), Kazakis G. (3), Kalaitzis P. (1), sto Aravanopoulos F. A. (2)* P|e DNA fingerprinting chestnut cultivars from Crete ncre using SSR markers e onf Cretan chestnut belongs to the European chestnut or sweet chestnut C and has been historically associated to rural communities, adding a sig-inalF nificant economic and cultural value. Yet, Sweet chestnut genetic re-ts sources in Crete were rarely studied and assessed, while chestnuts are threatened by several anthropogenic factors. This study assessed the Planev Cretan Sweet chestnut using 59 trees corresponding to the four best-known chestnut cultivars (Stroviani, Rogdiani, Koutsakera and Katharokas-nsero tania), sampled from the greater Chania region. They were evaluated us-C ing seven simple sequence repeat markers (SSRs): three nSSRs and four STO EST-SSRs. Genomic SSRs results revealed significantly higher levels of C genetic diversity in terms of expected heterozygosity, level of polymor-phism and effective number of alleles. Genetic differentiation among cultivars was highly significant, although low. Furthermore, 22 different genotypes were identified, distributed between the four chestnut cultivars Three homonyms and four synonyms were also distinguished. A cluster analysis depicted two clusters, one corresponding to the Rogdiani cultivar and the other to Katharokastania, while the other two could not be assigned to a particular group. The null hypothesis of single clone genotype to cultivar correspondence was tested and could not be accepted; each cultivar presents a multiclonal variety. (1) Department of Horticultural Genetics & Biotechnology, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Chania, Greece. (2) Faculty of Agriculture, Forest Science & Natural Environment Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. (3) Department of Geo-Information in Environmental Management, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Chania, Greece. * aravanop@for.auth.gr 48 Ertugrul K.*, Uysal T. (1) ersto The assessments of Threat Categories for Psephellus P|e Cass. ( Asteraceae) taxa in Türkiye ncre In recent studies on the genus Centaurea sl., some monophyletic genera e were segregated from the genus Centaurea by combined morphologi-onfC cal and molecular data. The one of them is the genus Psephellus Cass. It has been accepted as a genus in some previous treatments, by Boissier, inalF Sosnovsky, Dostal, and Gabrieljan, but has been sunk into Centaurea in ts other Floras as Flora SSSR, Flora of Türkiye, Flora of Iran and others. Fi-Plane nally, Wagenitz and Hellwig have presented a new concept relevant to v the taxonomy of Psephellus, which is supported by molecular, morpho-nser logical, anatomical, palynological and cytogenetical results. The genus oC Psephellus has almost 100 species and is distributed mainly in western ST Siberia, Türkiye, Iran, Caucasus, Ukraine, and Crimea. In Türkiye, Psephel-OC lus is represented by 37 taxa according to the latest descriptions. 28 of them are endemic and 4 are rare for Türkiye. Seven of which were assessed in 2007. The aim of this study is to assess the threat categories of endemic and rare 32 Psephellus taxa in Türkiye. The assessments were carried out by following IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ver. 15.1 (IUCN, 2022). As a result, 12 of the endemic taxa were categorized in Critically Endangered, four in Endangered, 8 in Vulnerable, 3 in Least Concern and 1 in Data Deficient categories. 2 of rare taxa were listed in Critically Endangered and 2 in Vulnerable categories. (1) Selcuk University, Science Faculty, Department of Biology, Konya, Türkiye * ekuddisi@selcuk.edu.tr 49 er Kull T., Jaago S., Laanisto L. (1) stoP Assessing Endangerment Status Shifts in Estonian |e Vascular Plants (2008–2018) ncree Estonia has maintained a Red List of local flora since the 1970s, con-onf ducting a new assessment every decade. This study aims to analyze the C endangerment changes in Estonian plant species from 2008 to 2018. It inalF specifically examines if insect-pollinated species face greater endanger-ts ment than those with other pollination forms, and analyzes how plant vulnerability correlates with their geographical distribution and habitat Planev preference. The analysis encompassed 1316 plant species across various IUCN categories, including regionally extinct, critically endangered, nsero endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, and data de-C ficient. Species categorized as ‘not applicable’ were excluded from the STO study. The analysis revealed that plant species categorized from critiC cally endangered to near threatened in 2008 experienced an increase in vulnerability, advancing by approximately half to three-quarters of a category over the decade. Interestingly, insect-pollinated plants did not show a significant increase in endangerment, and habitat preference appeared to have no substantial impact. However, species at the range borders exhibited a greater increase in vulnerability compared to those in more central part of the range. (1) Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tartu, Estonia * tiiu.kull@emu.ee 50 Lopes S. (1), Afonso A. (1), Surina B. (2,3), Loureiro J. (1), Fatal erst attraction team, Castro S. (1) oP| Pollinator communities of threated European plants e ncre Most of the threatened plant species in the European Red List of Vascu-e lar Flora are flowering plants. Considering that 78% to 94% of flowering onfC plants rely on animal pollination for successful reproduction, to develop integrated conservation programs for endangered plants it becomes inalF crucial to know their pollinator communities. In this work, we aimed at ts gathering the knowledge available on pollinators of European threat-Plan ened plants and identify current gaps. For that, we pursued two parallel ev approaches: one based on bibliographic searches focused on flowering plant species listed as critically endangered, endangered and vulnera-nseroC ble according to the European Red List of Vascular Flora; and another ST based on contributions of collaborators from different European coun-OC tries – call ‘Fatal attraction: endangered plant’s lovers.’ This call aimed to gather information from ‘grey literature’ and unpublished personal observations regarding pollinators of threatened plants at the European and national/regional levels. From over 5000 results obtained in the bibliographic search, only 4% contained pertinent information concerning endangered plant pollinators, while in 6 months, 40 collaborators provided data for 122 threatened plants with over 2000 pollinator records. A second call has been launched and new information is continuously being added. Our preliminary results highlight the lack of information for most endangered plants and the urgent need improve our knowledge about their pollinators in future studies. This information will facilitate steps towards developing integrated conservation actions that consider this critical mutualism. (1) Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (2) Natural History Museum Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia (3) FAMNIT, University of Primirska, Koper, Slovenia * sara.lopes@student.uc.pt 51 er Lozada-Gobilard S. (1,2)*, Pánková H. (2), Münzbergová Z. (1,3) stoP Interactive effects of light, water, soil type and |e competition on the endangered Minuartia smejkalii ncre vary over time e onfC Understanding drivers of species performance is crucial for their effective conservation. Despite a range of studies on the effects of single bi-inalF otic and abiotic factors on plant performance, very little is known about ts interactions among multiple factors and their effects over time. We stud-Plan ied competition and abiotic interactions in an endemic species of the ev Czech Republic, serpentinophyte Minuartia smejkalii, over four years. In a full factorial experiment, we evaluated the performance of M. smejkalii nseroC alone, in the presence of a competitor, Festuca ovina, and under different ST abiotic conditions, including different types of soil, light exposure and OC water regime, and observed its changes over time. The results indicate very complex interactions among these factors. Competition had negative effects on the performance of M. smejkalii (1.2 times larger plants and 1.8 times more flowers in the absence of the competitor), but abiotic factors had stronger effects than competition alone. The effects of F. ovina on M. smejkalii also varied depending on whether shaded or not and soil conditions. Biotic and abiotic factors had contrasting effects on plant and number of flowers, suggesting that investment in growth and reproduction are context dependent. The size of plants grown in shaded areas was 2.7 times larger than those grown in full sun, whereas plants under full sun produced 1.7 times more flowers than those grown in shaded conditions. Type of soil did not affect plant area, but plants produced 1.5 times more flowers in non-serpentine soils. Our results suggest that the effects of competition are very complex, interact with abiotic factors and vary over time. We highlight the importance of long-term studies to identify competitive interactions and the importance of studying competition under multiple conditions. Understanding how competition might affect performance of the endangered M. smejkalii, under certain abiotic conditions (i.e. soil, water, shading), provides essential information for implementation of more efficient long-term conservation strategies. 52 (1) Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic (2) The Botanical Garden, School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, G.S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Israel (3) Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic * sissi.lozada@gmail.com 53 er Akin M. (1), Aravanopoulos F. A. (2) stoP A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends |e in Tree Conservation Genomics ncree This study employs a bibliometric analysis to evaluate conceptual and onf intellectual structures describing ‘genomic research on tree conserva-C tion,’ as well as to map research trends. The authors collected 2777 Sci-inalF ence Citation Index Expanded research articles from the Web of Science ts Core Collection on September 15, 2021. Quantitative and qualitative variables including number of publications and citations, H and G-index, Planev author and journal citation reports, co-authorship, and co-occurrence analysis for countries, institutions, authors and keywords were analyzed nsero using Bibliometrix package available on R statistical software. The re-C sults revealed that publications on ‘tree conservation genomics’ started STO over 30 years ago and demonstrated an increasing trend of 9.77% an-C nual growth. The core consisted of 12 out of 384 journals publishing on this scientific discipline. Cumulative growth of publications per journal and keywords over time was detected as well. The United States has made the largest contribution on this field with 1237 publications followed by China (1090) and Brazil (970). Network analysis was performed to describe relationships between keywords, authors, countries, institutions and historical citations. Genetic diversity, conservation and microsatellites were the most critical words within the Authors’ keywords network. Seven distinct subgroups of author collaboration networks were detected. The USA was the most actively collaborating country within the whole network with Argentina and Chile being the most isolated collaboration cluster within the rest of the countries. Six distinct collaboration subgroups were projected between institutions with Chinese Academy of Science and University of Sao Paolo being the most active within the collaboration subgroups. Climate change, gene flow and phylogeny were the trend topics detected for the last five years according to the thematic evolution analysis. These results are discussed in light of detecting the major research domains found and pinpoint literature gaps, as well as potential future trends for pertinent research. 54 (1) Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Iğdır University, Iğdır, Türkiye (2) Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry & Environmental Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece * meleksen.akin@igdir.edu.tr 55 er Nonić M. (1)*, Skočajić D. (1), Radaković N. (2) stoP Identification of relict, rare, and endangered forest |e tree species in Ðerdap National Park as a basis ncre for the genepool conservation e onfC Ðerdap National Park is the largest of five national parks in Serbia, which covers a total area of 63,786.48 ha, in the northeastern part of inalF country, on the border with Romania. It is characterized by rich biodi-ts versity and a distinct relict character. This research aimed to identify Plan relict, rare, endangered, and vulnerable forest tree species in Ðerdap ev National Park, assess the degree of their endangerment, and propose measures for the conservation of available genepool. The research was nseroC conducted in selected localities with a protection regime of the first de-ST gree. By terrain reconnaissance, a total of 17 identified forest tree species OC belong to the categories of relict ( Juglans regia, Celtis australis, Cory-lus colurna, Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata), rare and endangered ( Acer platanoides, Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Quer-cus pubescens, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus laevis, Ulmus minor) or vulnerable species ( Prunus avium, Pyrus pyraster, Populus tremula, Sorbus torminalis) in Serbia. Among the relict species, the particularly important is the population of Ilex aquifolium, a strictly protected evergreen species in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, which was recorded only in the nature reserve ‘Šomrda,’ the northernmost site of this species in Serbia. It is also significant to conserve the genepool of two relicts: a typical Mediterranean species Celtis australis and a very rare coniferous species Taxus baccata. The measures of active in situ conservation and monitoring of individual genotypes or groups of trees have been defined, and an assessment of the variability of genepool using morphological and molecular markers was proposed. (1) University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia (2) Public Enterprise ‘Ðerdap National Park,’ Donji Milanovac, Serbia * marina.nonic@sfb.bg.ac.rs 56 Peci D. (1)*, Mullaj A. (1) ersto The dynamic of national vascular plants Red List: P|e threats and factors affecting the changing status ncre The national Red List periodic assessment is essential to determine pri-e orities and develop effective conservation strategies on the protection onfC of threatened species. In a time period of 25 years (1995–2020), there are conducted four Red lists assessment in national level. The most recent inalF national Red List included 8.2% of total flora of Albania. The number of ts species listed in each IUCN category changed over time. An analysis of Plane the threats and factors that might have influence the changing of the v status of vascular plants, such as taxonomic evaluation, their distribu-nser tion and ecological conditions of their habitats based on Ellenberg indi-oC cators was carried out in order to identify ongoing challenges and the ST major shortcomings in plant conservation in Albania. Our findings sup-OC port the need to stimulate more effective evaluation of species classified as data deficient or in least concern concerned categories. (1) University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Research Centre of Flora and Fauna, Tirana, Albania * dhimiter.peci@fshn.edu.al 57 er Nakas G. (1), Kougioumoutzis K. (2), Petanidou T. (1)* stoP Post-fire entomophilous plant communities |e in the Mediterranean: short- and mid-term ncre spatiotemporal diversity patterns e onfC In the Mediterranean, one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, wildfires are considered a key factor in vegetation distribution, struc-inalF ture, and function. Under certain conditions, such as severe or frequent ts fires, they can lead to homogenized plant communities and habitat Plan fragmentation with significant consequences for the ecosystem and ev plant-dependent animals such as pollinators. Here, we present the results of a 10-year post-fire study (2013–2022) conducted on Chios Island, nseroC Greece. We explored the effects of a large-scale fire on beta diversity ST patterns of the flowering insect-pollinated plant communities and its OC turnover and nestedness components in both burned and unburned sites. In particular, we investigated whether the recorded differences in the burned and unburned plant communities resulted from species gains or losses across post-fire period. We found that burned communities displayed higher heterogeneity in species composition compared to the unburned ones in all post-fire years, as a result of higher species turnover across all study years. Species gains were highest overall in the burned sites during the second post-fire year and decreased a decade later. We conclude that entomophilous plant communities are rather fire-resilient in the Mediterranean, implying positive effects on pollinator diversity and the plant-pollinator interaction networks towards the system’s post-fire self-restoration. (1) University of the Aegean, Department of Geography, Mytilene, Greece (2) University of Patras, Department of Biology, Patras, Greece * tpet@aegean.gr, nakas.g@geo.aegean.gr 58 Parpan T. (1)*, Cherepanyn R. (2) ersto The main threats for rare plant species populations P|e of the Ukrainian Carpathians highlands ncre In the Ukrainian Carpathians, the territory which is 7% of the state area, e grows about 28% of the Red Data Book species of Ukraine. This explains onfC the interest in the rare flora of the Ukrainian Carpathians. The aim of the work is to research the population state of rare plant species of the inalF Ukrainian Carpathian highlands and the main threats to them. For this, ts field population research methods and analytical processing of the ob-Plane tained data were applied. It was found that climate changes, succession v changes in natural conditions, and active development of highlands nser by humans often lead to unfavourable conditions for habitats and rare oC plant species. Active economic activity (unsustainable forestry, unconST trolled pasturing of livestock, gathering of plants) leads to a decrease OC in the density of rare and endangered plant species populations and disruption of vegetative or generative renewal. Such processes are observed in the following plant species: Rhodiola rosea L., Gentiana lutea L., Arnica montana L., Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach., Dryas octopetala L., Anemone narcissifolia L., Saussurea alpina (L.) DC. etc. The protection and restoration of populations of endangered and rare plant species requires the use of active methods of their conservation, creating new protected areas in the Ukrainian Carpathian highlands. Taking into ac-count the recreational load in the highland, it is necessary to develop and apply a set of measures for the sustainable use of the territory and intensify the fight against poaching. (1) Ukrainian Research Institute of Mountain Forestry named after P.S. Pasternak, Ecology and Forest protection Department, Ukraine (2) Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Biology and Ecology Department, Ukraine * tarasparpan@gmail.com 59 er Prokopuk M. (1) stoP Modern features of Elodea canadensis Michx. |e invasions in different climatic conditions ncre (comparative studies) e onfC Aquatic invasive plants threaten not only natural communities and rare species, but also ecosystem services. It is important to prevent and con-inalF trol these species, and to do this, it is necessary to study their strategies ts and distribution. Elodea canadensis is the most widespread alien aquatic Plan plant in Europe. Preliminary observations in Ukraine have shown that ev increasing anthropogenic eutrophication leads to the degradation or elimination of E. canadensis thickets. In some water bodies, it has dis-nseroC appeared from the aquatic flora. In Portugal, a decline in Elodea popula-ST tions has been noted. Therefore, the study of the current features of the OC invasive strategy of E. canadensis and its interaction with other macrophytes is relevant. The aim of this study was to assess the current distribution, ecology and invasive behaviour of E. canadensis. Field observations were carried out in water bodies of Ukraine and central Portugal using general hydrobiological methods. We sampled the phytomass, determined the size parameters of the plant, and assessed the main trophic parameters of the reservoirs. Elodea canadensis in some water bodies of Ukraine (from mesotrophic to polytrophic type) has moved from being a common to sporadic occurrence or has completely disappeared. 25–30 years ago, the species formed large mono-dominant thickets in these reservoirs and formed significant phytomasses. The species is often replaced by E. nuttalli, which is more resistant to anthropogenic pollution. Studies in Portugal have also confirmed a decline in the species population, noted in several watercourses where it forms thickets with significant phytomass (oligo-, mesotrophic water bodies). There are certain differences in morphological and productive parameters of coenopopulations in both countries (in Portugal, they form a larger phytomass, but are characterised by lower parameters of morphological traits). Elodea canadensis is completely naturalized, has lost its invasive features and does not cause changes in the natural flora. The species is at the stage of regressive changes in the sec-60 ondary range, but the factors causing these changes still need to be studied. (1) Institute for evolutionary ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, laboratory of preservation and biodiversity renewal, Kyiv, Ukraine * maryanaprokopuk406@gmail.com 61 er Šibíková M. (1), Šuvada R. (2), Šibík J. (1)* stoP Conserving endangered plant species in Slovakia: |e Exploring approaches and habitat relationships ncree To safeguard endangered plant species, Slovakia employs diverse strate-onf gies. Some species are included in the Natura 2000 Habitat’s directive, C which is then incorporated into Slovakian law. Additionally, a national inalF list of protected species is also governed by the legal system. In order ts to address the long-term concerns of scientists, the ‘Red List of Slovak Species’ was published in 2015, cataloging species at risk of ex-Planev tinction. However, it is important to note that these two lists do not overlap entirely. Another method for in-situ species conservation in-nsero volves enhancing the area and condition of their habitats. The Habitat’s C directive includes a list of European habitats of interest, which are again STO upheld by Slovakian law. When it comes to the conservation of endan-C gered species, it is often easier to secure funding for projects focused on revitalizing priority habitats, particularly those within protected areas. However, it is worth mentioning that some endangered species inhabit different types of habitats, while certain priority habitats may not host any protected species. In 2023, a comprehensive catalogue of habitats in Slovakia was published, providing a robust dataset on the composition of plant species within each habitat. This dataset was utilized to address several key questions: (1) Do protected and endangered species exhibit a higher occurrence in habitats of European interest compared to others? (2) Which habitat types in Slovakia have the highest representation of endangered species? By exploring these questions, we can gain valuable insights into the distribution and conservation status of endangered plant species in Slovakia. (1) Plant Science and Biodiversity Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Bratislava, Slovak Republic (2) Administration of the Slovak Karst National Park with headquarters in Brzotín Há- mosi, Slovak Republic * jozef.sibik@savba.sk 62 Tsvetkov I. (1) ersto Biotechnological tools for conservation of forest P|e trees germplasm ncre The novelties coming from the field of plant biotechnologies offer broad e spectrum of tools for supporting the efforts in plant conservation. While onfC the in situ conservation is considered a more appropriate conservation approach in terms of preserving the existing centers of biodiversity, the inalF ex situ strategy might be the only available alternative for preservation ts of valuable forest trees germplasm, with the endangered species be-Plane ing a major challenge for long term conservation in worldwide context. v The ‘slow growth’ is a universal methodology for medium-term preser-nser vation of in vitro cultures based on growth reduction by different means oC (changing the environmental conditions, media composition, etc.). As ST an alternative approach. the encapsulation technology might be ex-OC tremely useful not only in exchange of plant material between tissue culture labs, but also for efficient germplasm conservation. The aseptic encapsulated propagules (‘synthetic seeds’) despite of being pathogen-free are more suitable in terms of handling, transportation and storage. The cryopreservation presents an unbeaten alternative for long-term conservation of germplasm due to its essential advantages theoretically guaranteeing an unlimited secure of plant material. The newly emerg-ing genomic tools are supposed to improve the knowledge on understanding the control and molecular mechanisms of the adaptive capacity of forest trees, which is of crucial importance for development of modern conservation strategies. (1) Forest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Department ‘Genetics, Physiology and Plantations,’ Sofia, Bulgaria * tsvet_i@yahoo.com 63 er Rašomavičius V. (1), Uogintas D. (1)* stoP The Lithuanian example raises questions |e about whether protected areas effectively conserve ncre plant diversity e onfC In 2021, a new list of protected animals, plants, and fungi was released. The list comprises 566 taxa, out of which 224 are plants, including Chara inalF and Bryophytes. The assessment of these species was carried out against ts the IUCN criteria, and almost 25,000 occurrence records were used for Plan this purpose. The evaluation resulted in the following categories: Criti-ev cally Endangered (CR) – 34 species, Endangered (EN) – 82 species, Vulnerable (VU) – 67 species, Near Threatened (NT) – 27 species, Least Con-nseroC cern (LC) – 5 species, and Data Deficient (DD) – 9 species. After analyz-ST ing the species occurrence data from the national database of protected OC species, we looked at their proximity to national protected areas like national parks, nature reserves, and strict nature reserves. Unfortunately, the findings were moderate, as 47% of species occurrences were found to be outside the protected areas. This makes it extremely challenging, if not impossible, to protect these species. The biggest proportion of protected species occurs in nature reserves, in total 37%, while strict nature reserves include 7% of all occurrence data. Even though, protected areas cover over 18% of the country’s total area, which is equivalent to 1,200,431.9 hectares, only less than 1% of the area is strictly protected and off-limits to human activity. In all other protected sites (including nature reserves), human activities are present, and sometimes these activities can lead to the destruction of the main values of these areas. The strictly protected areas mostly comprise bog complexes with adjacent forest fringes. However, this only covers a few types of habitats and can-not ensure the protection of plant biodiversity. (1) Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania * domas.uogintas@gamtc.lt 64 University of Primorska Press hippocampus.si Document Outline Welcome Address Conference Programme