In situ conservation is carried out in natural environments through interventions on habitats (e.g., establishment of protected areas, suitable management measures, restorations, renaturalisations) and / or more directly on the species through reinforcement, re-introductions and conservative introductions.
The SiMaSeed project has planned various concrete conservation actions in situ of target species of Sicilian and Maltese flora, carrying out interventions to strengthen existing populations and contain invasive alien species and environmental requalification in sites of the Natura 2000 Network.
The interventions carried out required ex ante monitoring to assess the state and consistency of the populations subject to strengthening actions, as well as for the identification of ecologically suitable sites for the translocation of new individuals.
The plants for the translocations were produced ex situ and cultivated in the open field (nursery). During the ex situ cultivation and before the translocation interventions in situ, the rules relating to prophylaxis against pathogens and other infectious diseases were adopted, and the related phytosanitary certifications were acquired (UO S4.04 – Observatory for plant diseases of Acireale, Department of Agriculture, Sicilian Region).
At the intervention sites, the plants were planted in groups and individually labeled to facilitate their identification in subsequent monitoring, performed according to a standardised protocol, starting one month after implantation, to detect survival / mortality, growth state and phenological stage.
All information relating to translocation interventions has been entered into a database, with particular attention paid to the date of the intervention, translocation site, origin of the material (e.g. ex situ cultured material, coming from one or more population), type of material (adults, sub-adults, seedlings, seeds), number of founding individuals (divided by age groups), method of propagation (seeds, vegetative propagation), acclimatization period, translocation habitat (IUCN), method of production dwelling, survival rate, percentage of flowering, fruiting and seed-born individuals after 3, 6 months and after 1, 2, 3 years, presumed reasons for translocation success or failure and any specific problems addressed.
The Germplasm Bank of the University of Catania (BGS – CT, Capo Fila), the University of Malta (Partner 2) and the Centre for Germplasm Conservation in Marianelli (DRSRT – Partner 3) intervened in various protected areas and Natura 2000 network sites, such as: R.N.O. Vendicari Wildlife Oasis (ITA090002), R.N.O. Cavagrande del Cassibile (ITA090007), R.N.O. Pantalica, Anapo Valley and Cava Grande Stream (ITA090009), R.N.O. of Monte Capodarso and Southern Imera Valley (ITA050004), SAC Dorsale Curcuraci, Antennamare (ITA 030011), SAC Rdumijiet ta ‘Malta: Mix-Xaqqa sal-Ponta ta’ Bengħisa (N2K MT0000024 – Għar Ħasan, Wied Babu, Wied Żnuber ), SAC Wied il-Miżieb (N2K MT0000012 – Ta ‘Pennellu), planting about 6000 plants of 46 target species.
