Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivated under hydroponic conditions was subjected to salinity, hypoxia, and combined stress for varying lengths of time to assess growth, metabolic, and antioxidant responses. Analyses demonstrated that stress type was the primary factor influencing plant responses, with treatment duration playing a secondary modulatory role. Growth parameters revealed organ-specific adaptations, with hypoxia increasing water content mainly in roots and salinity enhancing water retention in aerial organs. The combined stress contributed to the maintenance of tissue hydration. Photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars, and proteins were found to be significantly affected, with protein accumulation being higher in aerial organs under combined stress and in roots under hypoxia. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, APX, GPX, GR, and GST) were found to be predominantly influenced by the treatment effects in both organs, thereby suggesting the presence of a coordinated enzymatic defence mechanism. Concurrently, the levels of phenolic compounds were elevated, particularly under conditions of hypoxia, and were related with increased antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP).Overall, basil displays robust physiological and biochemical plasticity in response to combined salinity and hypoxia in hydroponic systems.

Non-exhaust emissions from road traffic, including tire wear particles (TWPs), potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and magnetic metallic particles (MMPs), represent an emerging component of urban air pollution. Here we evaluated the suitability of lichen transplants (Evernia prunastri) as a biomonitor of TWPs, PTEs and MMPs along a 150 m transect from Highway 401, Toronto, Ontario (Canada). Lichens were exposed for 2 months at six different distances from the highway and analysed for TWPs, PTEs, and MMPs. Lichen transplants showed an exponential decrease in the accumulation of TWPs with distance from the highway (estimated at >17,500 to ∼1500 TWP g-1; R2 = 0.98). The concentration of Sb and MMPs, the latter deduced by magnetic susceptibility values, declined sharply (by 70%) within 35 m of the road, while most other PTEs decreased by 50% at 150 m. The strong associations between TWPs and non-exhaust tracers (Sb, Cr, and MMPs; r = 0.69, 0.68, and 0.83, respectively) indicate a shared traffic-related source arising from combined tire and brake wear and highlight the potential of magnetic susceptibility as a rapid proxy for assessing the dispersion of TWPs.

The ecological intensification of sustainable agriculture necessitates eco-friendly biostimulants to enhance crop productivity and nutritional quality. This study investigated the effects of foliar-applied essential oils (EOs) from Aloysia citriodora Palau and Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carrière on the growth, yield, nutritional composition, and antioxidant properties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under field conditions. Plants were treated weekly with EO emulsions at 500 or 1000 ppm from emergence through physiological maturity. Both EOs significantly enhanced vegetative growth (p < 0.05), with relative increases in shoot dry weight ranging from + 118.2

The global annual production of animal by-product (ABP)-derived bone, estimated at 95‒126 million tonnes, presents both an environmental challenge and an opportunity for sustainable resource utilization. We estimate that bone char (BC) could theoretically replace 13‒32

In this study, the moss-bag technique using Platyhypnidium riparioides was applied to assess contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) along the Merse River (Tuscany, Italy). Transplanted moss samples were exposed for three weeks at eight sites along the river and at a reference site and analysed by ICP-MS for 10 PTEs. The results revealed a marked spatial variability, with the site closest to the former mining area showing high to critical contamination and ecological risk, particularly for Cd, Cu and As. Additional localised enrichment was detected downstream in an area influenced by agricultural and infrastructural activities. Comparison with a previous survey conducted in 2016 at the same sites showed no significant temporal changes, indicating that contamination levels persisted over nearly a decade since the remediation ceased and natural attenuation capacity was overwhelmed by persistent legacy load. Overall, this study confirms the moss-bag biomonitoring as a sensitive, integrative and cost-effective approach for spatial and long-term assessment of river contamination and ecological risk.

Bryophytes are one of the earliest terrestrial plant lineages, yet their biochemical potential remains largely underexplored. Among them, Hypnum cupressiforme and Pseudoscleropodium purum are widespread and ecologically resilient pleurocarpus species that may serve as promising sources of bioactive compounds. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the two species, investigating the photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant compounds, carbohydrates profiles, and elemental content across five remote sites in Tuscany (Italy). Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the species differences while accounting for site variability. No significant differences were reported for pigment content (i.e., chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophylls, and total carotenoids) and carbohydrate pool (i.e., soluble sugars, pectin, and starch), indicating similar photosynthetic and carbohydrate storage strategies between the two species. Differently, H. cupressiforme showed a higher content of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and tannins, reaching values similar to or exceeding those found in several medicinal plants, highlighting its strong antioxidant potential. Element analysis showed a higher content of P, S, Ca, and Cu in H. cupressiforme, suggesting species-specific differences in nutrient uptake. Overall, the results indicate that while both mosses share similar physiological pigment and carbohydrate profiles, H. cupressiforme stands out for its enriched antioxidant and mineral composition. These findings support the potential of pleurocarpous mosses, especially H. cupressiforme, as valuable reservoirs of bioactive compounds for future nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological applications.

This study investigated the chemical composition and biological activity of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) obtained from the Minuta olive cultivar grown in different Italian regions (Calabria, Sicily, and Tuscany). Volatile organic compounds were characterized by HS-SPME/GC-MS, revealing region-dependent volatilomic profiles mainly associated with the lipoxygenase pathway. Multivariate analysis clearly discriminated Tuscan Minuta EVOO from Calabrian and Sicilian samples. Antioxidant properties of the oils and their phenolic extracts were evaluated through total phenolic and flavonoid content and in vitro antioxidant assays. Phenolic extracts were further characterized by 1H NMR and HR-ESI-MS, confirming the presence of secoiridoids, lignans, tyrosol derivatives, and region-specific metabolites. Biological activity was assessed in differentiated CaCo-2 cells. All extracts were non cytotoxic and significantly reduced oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide, with the Sicilian extract showing the strongest effect on intracellular ROS and glutathione levels. Moreover, the extracts reduced nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated CaCo-2 cells, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. However, this outcome may partially reflect the redox and NO-scavenging properties of phenolic compounds rather than the direct modulation of specific inflammatory signaling pathways. Overall, these findings demonstrate that geographical origin influences the chemical and functional properties of Minuta EVOOs, supporting their valorization as sources of bioactive compounds for food applications.

Wood vinegar (WV), a by-product of biomass pyrolysis rich in organic acids and phenolic compounds, has gained increasing attention as a sustainable input for crop production, mainly through foliar application. However, its high content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) suggests that WV may (also) interact with plants through the gaseous phase, a pathway that has so far been overlooked. This study tested the hypothesis that WV can modulate plant physiological performance, metabolic status, and nutrient accumulation not only via direct foliar contact but also through exposure to WV-derived VOCs. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was used as a model crop and grown under controlled environmental conditions. Plants were subjected to weekly treatments consisting of either foliar spraying with a 0.2% (v/v) WV solution or exposure to VOCs released from the same solution in a sealed chamber, without direct contact between the liquid and plant tissues, and were compared with untreated controls. Notably, plants exposed exclusively to WV-derived VOCs showed responses similar to those observed following foliar application. Both treatments significantly increased fresh weight, the content of chlorophyll, total polyphenols and the accumulation of key macro- and micronutrients, including Ca, K, P, S, and Zn. For both treatments, the efficiency of photosystem II remained stable, indicating the absence of photochemical stress, while stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, and net photosynthetic rate were markedly reduced, suggesting a regulated stomatal response. Physiological, biochemical, and mineral parameters were assessed using non-destructive optical techniques, gas exchange measurements, spectrophotometric assays, and X-ray fluorescence analysis. These findings indicate that exposure to the volatile fraction released from WV under the exposure conditions adopted in this study can elicit biostimulant-like responses comparable to those observed after foliar application.

Wood vinegar (WV), a by-product of woody biomass pyrolysis, is increasingly used in agriculture as a sustainable biostimulant, although its effects on plant stress resistance and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent studies propose that WV may act through a eustress-based mechanism, defined as a mild and controlled stress that activates adaptive physiological responses and enhances plant performance without causing structural or metabolic damage. This study investigated the physiological and biochemical effects of WV on strawberry plants grown under three water-deficit stress levels [no stress (NS), moderate stress (MS), and high stress (HS)] and treated with WV either via fertigation (0.5% v/v, WV1) or foliar spray (0.2% v/v, WV2). Gas exchange parameters (A, gsw, E, Ci, WUE), total chlorophyll content, and nutrient balance ratios (Fe/Mn and K/Ca) were measured after a three-month growth period. PERMANOVA revealed significant effects of both WV and water-deficit stress, as well as their interaction, on most parameters. Under NS and MS conditions, WV reduced A, gsw, E, and Ci while increasing WUE, indicating enhanced water-use efficiency and improved physiological adjustment to water limitation. Chlorophyll content remained stable, demonstrating preserved photosynthetic integrity. Nutrient ratios further supported a controlled ion rebalancing associated with adaptive stress responses under NS and MS, whereas HS conditions indicated the onset of distress. Overall, the data demonstrate that WV enhances plant stress resistance primarily by inducing eustress-mediated physiological regulation rather than by directly stimulating growth.

European forests have a long history of management, which has often homogenized stand structure, impacting the diversity of forest biological communities. In the last decades, the pursuit of forest multifunctionality has put emphasis on the links between forest management, structure and biodiversity. However, the lack of integrated data on stand structure and multi-taxon biodiversity data has hampered the understanding of how changes in forest structure affect the composition of different taxonomic groups. In this data paper, we provide a dataset including forest structure and multi-taxon species diversity data in beech-dominated forests subjected to conservation-oriented forest management. We sampled standing trees, lying deadwood, as well as vascular flora, epiphytic lichens, and saproxylic fungi, in 19 sampling units within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park (central Italy). The dataset provides information on: (i) the occurrence and abundance of the three taxonomic groups; (ii) tree inventory data (species, diameter at breast height, height, vitality, dominance, and origin); (iii) size, type and decay class of lying deadwood. This dataset can inform studies on biodiversity and management effects on forest ecosystems.

Terrestrial mosses are widely used to monitor atmospheric deposition. However, concurrent assessment of mercury (Hg) and nitrogen (N), two pollutants characterized by different spatial scales of influence, from global to local, remains limited. To address this gap, we assessed Hg and stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) in pleurocarpous moss at 41 sites in Tuscany, central Italy. Concentrations of Hg ranged from 32 to 236 ng g-1 (median 64 ng g-1) with a regional upper baseline of 95 ng g-1 (median + 2×MAD). Concentrations of Hg tended to decrease with distance from the Mt. Amiata cinnabar district (ρ = -0.674, p < 0.001) but showed no correlation with elevation, moss N content, or δ15N. In contrast, moss δ15N (-4.16 ± 1.17‰) decreased significantly with altitude (ρ = -0.369, p = 0.017), consistent with attenuation of the lowland agricultural N-related signature at higher elevations. δ13C values (-30.77 ± 1.20‰) increased with elevation (ρ = +0.359, p = 0.021), suggesting that C isotope discrimination in mosses may provide complementary information on site water-stress conditions. MixSIAR modelling indicated that atmospherically processed N (traffic NOx and background wet deposition, considered jointly) accounted for almost the entire moss N budget, whereas the modelled contribution of direct agricultural NH3 was negligible (<1%). The δ15N signatures of these two processed pools are too similar to allow a reliable separation, so they are reported only as a combined term; this overall pattern remained stable across multiple sensitivity scenarios. Overall, the results of our study highlight the limitations of single-pollutant surveys in areas characterized by complex patterns of emissions and support the use of multiple proxies in biomonitoring.

Ailanthus altissima Swingle is a tree species native to Asian countries, but its vigorous nature has led to a worldwide spread, with important ecological and social consequences. Moreover, ailanthus tree holds great potential in terms of biomass with underexplored functional value. Aiming at investigating possible applications, we profiled primary/secondary chemistry and bioactivity of leaves (AL) and flowers (AF) of A. altissima. Antioxidant constituents (phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, ascorbate), starch, pigments, free amino acids, and micro-macronutrients were quantified by spectrophotometry, HPLC–DAD, and portable XRF, respectively. Then, aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of AL and AF were prepared and screened for phenolics, flavonoids, triterpenes contents, antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and analysed by HPLC–DAD. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were employed to assess cytotoxicity and protection from H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results showed that AL was higher in phenolics, flavonoids and radical-scavenging activity than AF. Amino-acid profiles diverged, with AL enriched in alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid, while AF in proline, glutamate, and aspartate, and also the mineral allocation differed (AL: Ca, S, Fe; AF: P, K, Cu, Zn). Ethanol extraction improved recovery of phenolics, flavonoids, and triterpenes and enhanced reducing power, while chromatographic separation highlighted substantial quali-quantitative discrepancies in the extracts and plant parts. When tested in HaCaT cells, all samples did not influence viability at ≤ 50 µg/mL. Moreover, hydroalcoholic extracts attenuated ROS production dose-dependently, with AF outperforming AL. Overall, A. altissima yields non-toxic antioxidant-rich extracts, which may support evidence for its management and cosmetic applications.

Biochar (BC) and wood distillate (WD), from agri-waste biomass, are promising sustainable soil amendments. This study evaluates their single and combined effects on morpho-physiological, biochemical, and nutritional responses of young grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) plants. Grapevines were grown for 45 days in pots filled with commercial growing medium treated with BC (20%, w/w), WD (0.5%, v/v), or their combination (BC + WD). Plant morpho-biometric traits, as well as chlorophyll, sugars, amino acids, proteins, phenols, and nutrient contents, were determined. Post-harvest, growing media were analyzed for chemical and thermal properties, elemental composition, and nutrient bioavailability. Wood distillate alone significantly reduced chlorophyll content, likely due to decreased molybdenum bioavailability, and lowered root uptake of molybdenum, copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, potentially enhancing salt tolerance. Both WD and BC individually reduced leaf glucose content. Biochar alone also decreased chlorophyll, probably because of high potassium content causing nutrient imbalances and increased root sodium accumulation, while limiting sodium translocation to leaves. The combined BC + WD treatment restored chlorophyll and glucose to control levels, suggesting a synergistic interaction that alleviated single negative impacts. Wood distillate induced stress-related metabolic changes, increasing amino acids but limiting protein synthesis. In contrast, BC partially mitigated these stress effects by enhancing protein accumulation and reducing phenol content. Co-application of BC and WD has the potential to improve nutrient use efficiency in young grapevines. The treatment-specific effects observed in plant and the growing medium underscore the importance of tailoring BC- and WD-based amendments for achieving optimal agronomic benefits.

Agricultural herbicides are essential for maximizing yields through effective weed control; however, their interaction with plastic residues in soil, particularly from mulch films, remains poorly understood. This study investigated the absorption, persistence and phytotoxic effects of the herbicide trifluralin (2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) benzenamine) when combined with macro- (2 × 2cm) and microplastics (63-500µm) of either conventional low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or biodegradable poly(lactic acid) – poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA-PBAT) plastic film. Plastics were incorporated into soil at realistic field application rates (400kgha-1) and their effects on maize (Zea mays L.) growth, soil nutrient dynamics, and plant elemental composition were assessed over 45 days. PLA-PBAT plastic absorbed approximately four times more 14C-trifluralin than LDPE, while the 14C-trifluralin mineralisation rate remained low for both PLA-PBAT (ca. 4%) and LDPE (<1%). In the absence of trifluralin, the soil addition of micro- or macro-plastics (orientated vertically or horizontally) had minimal effect on plant growth. However, leaching of trifluralin from contaminated LDPE and PLA-PBAT reduced maize biomass by up to 87%, particularly in the microplastic treatments. The inhibition of root growth from the trifluralin-contaminated plastics led to major changes in soil chemistry (increased NO3-) due to reduced nutrient uptake. These findings suggest that plastic particle size can influence environmental impact, with microplastics posing higher risks as herbicide vectors than larger fragments. Biodegradable plastics may also act as more effective vectors for herbicide absorption than conventional plastics, leading to enhanced phytotoxicity when plastic residues contaminated with herbicides are incorporated into agricultural soils.

Introduction and purpose: Nowadays, the use of biomonitoring to determine air quality is continuously increasing. Heavy metals are of interest among air pollutants due to their detrimental effects on health. The present study aimed to biomonitor heavy metals from the ambient air of Ahvaz, Iran, using lichen for six months from June to December 2019. Methods: Heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and lead, were adsorbed on lichens cultivated at 26 sampling stations with residential, industrial and traffic occupancy in the desired locations. For each sample, cleaning, drying, extraction, and digestion were performed, and then the concentration of heavy metals was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) with three repetitions. Afterward, the data were analyzed using Excel software, and the non-cancer and cancer risk for adults and children from the ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure routes was calculated and evaluated. Results: The highest concentrations of heavy metals were recorded in industrial and then traffic occupancies. The most important heavy metals in the ambient air in industrial sites were nickel, chromium, and arsenic, with average concentrations of 141, 87.27, and 103.33 mg/kg DW, respectively. Moreover, in traffic occupancy, the most important heavy metals in the ambient air were nickel, chromium, and cadmium with average concentrations of 87.35, 41.24, and 2.48 mg/kg DW, respectively. Conclusion: Heavy metals affected by industrial and then traffic activities indicated a potential carcinogenic risk. The potential carcinogenic risk of heavy metals for children from the route of exposure to digestion in industrial and traffic areas of Ahvaz should be considered by the authorities to provide management solutions and reduce the concentration of pollutants, as well as to reduce the exposure of residents to these contaminants.

Freshwater ecosystems are crucial for life on our planet. These habitats are home to 10% of all known species, including a third of all vertebrates. In the last decades, most of the world’s freshwater ecosystems have suffered dramatic changes and negative impacts mainly due to anthropological activities and global warming. The assessment of riverine habitats quality could be helpful to preserve (or restore) freshwater ecosystems and to counteract biodiversity loss as well. Citizen Science is increasingly adopted in environmental monitoring projects. The increase in spatial and temporal resolution is just one of the strength points of participative projects: these can provide additional data for research purposes and monitoring agencies. In this context, a new CS-based research project called CS4Rivers has been created by the University of Siena and developed within the NBFC - National Biodiversity Future Center. CS4Rivers aims to monitor the biodiversity and the river habitats quality by using a transdisciplinary approach. During the project, several monitoring activities will be carried out: the freshwater chemical quality, the riparian vegetation, the macroinvertebrates, and the biodiversity target species in the fluvial corridor. For each activity, ad hoc sampling and monitoring protocols have been developed. Monitoring activities will be held on the Ombone River and its tributaries (Siena and Grosseto provinces, Tuscany, Italy). The project will last until December 2025. A pilot project has been already launched on the Idice River (Emilia-Romagna region, Italy). Future perspectives of this project will regard the export in national and international context of the transdisciplinary approach adopted in CS4Rivers.

Interest in using lichens and mosses to monitor airborne microplastics is growing, but few studies have thoroughly compared their effectiveness as biomonitors. Here, we directly compare the ability of lichen and moss transplants collected from a rural area to accumulate microfibers (MFs) and Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) under the same deployment conditions. Transplants (n = 60; triplicates for both lichen and moss) were co-deployed on tree branches across a range of urban exposure sites (e.g., commercial and residential areas and urban parks) for 77 days in Siena, Italy. The results showed that both biomonitors accumulated similar amounts of MFs, in terms of counts and on a mass basis, but when expressed on a surface area basis, lichens showed significantly higher values. Irrespective of the metric, lichen and moss MF accumulation data were strongly correlated. In contrast, there was no correlation between MFs and PTEs, suggesting that their sources were different. MFs accumulated by lichen and moss transplants were dominated by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene polymers, suggesting that the main source of airborne MFs is synthetic textiles. Our results suggest that both lichen and moss transplants can be effectively used as low-cost monitors of atmospheric MFs in urban areas in support of the sustainable development goal of clean air.

The Venice Lagoon is a highly biodiverse yet heavily anthropized coastal ecosystem that has undergone profound environmental transformations over the past century. Between 1930 and 1932, Aristocle Vatova conducted a comprehensive survey of the lagoon’s algal flora, collecting specimens from 68 sites. These were later identified, mainly by Victor Schiffner, and are now preserved at the Natural History Museum of Venice. In this study, we compared the elemental composition of Ulva spp. specimens from this historical collection with that of samples collected in 2025 at 27 corresponding sites, using portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. This fully non-destructive approach enabled a direct century-scale comparison of potentially toxic element (PTE) concentrations without damaging irreplaceable material. Overall, PTE concentrations in Ulva spp. decreased markedly from the 1930s to 2025, with median old/new ratios ranging from 1.2 for Ba to 7.4 for Zn and site-specific maxima exceeding 10 for P (11.6), Cr (10.6), Mn (17.0), Fe (14.5), and Zn (21.5). Localized increases in Cu and Cr were detected near urban (Venice, Chioggia) and industrial areas, suggesting possible point-source inputs. These findings demonstrate the value of historical macroalgal collections as quantitative archives for reconstructing long-term pollution trends and validate XRF as a robust, replicable analytical tool for non-invasive environmental monitoring. The century-scale decline in PTEs reflects a substantial improvement in the environmental quality of the Venice Lagoon and establishes a framework for applying similar retrospective biomonitoring approaches in other coastal ecosystems.

The growing focus on long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics (MPs) has overshadowed the importance of local sources. Here we investigated the abundance and sources of MP deposition on a regional scale (22,994 km2) using pleurocarpous moss collected from 33 background rural sites across Tuscany, Central Italy. A total of 288 MPs (>50-5000 μm) were found across all sites, dominated by fibres at 86.8 % and tire wear particles at 4.9 %. Given the dominance of textile fibres, polyethylene terephthalate was the dominant polymer at 29.2 %; nonetheless, the diversity of polymers also suggested local agricultural sources, such as plastic mulch (polyethylene and copolyester, both at 12.5 %) and agricultural superabsorbent hydrogel polymers (polyacrylic acid at 16.7 %). The accumulation of MPs ranged from 1.3 to 11.6 MPs per gram of moss dry weight (median 4.8 ± 2.3 MP/g) and estimated mass concentration ranged from 0.3 to 116.8 μg/g (median 2.9 ± 2.1 μg/g). Median particle length was 650 μm and median particle mass was 0.5 μg, suggesting that atmospheric transport was the primary pathway for these small lightweight particles. The population within a 10 km buffer, distance to urban centres, and moss tissue content of chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) were significantly associated with airborne MPs, suggesting that MP concentrations were primarily influenced by local and regional-scale anthropogenic factors within a range of 10-100 km, rather than long-range sources. The sources of Cr and Ni are primarily geogenic, originating from ultramafic rocks, particularly ophiolites, which are a unique indicator of Tuscan aeolian dust emissions from agricultural fields or wind-blown soil particles. These findings highlight the potential of moss biomonitoring as a practical and scalable tool for the source assessment of atmospheric MP contamination on a regional scale. Further, our results identify agricultural plastics and urban centres as important regional sources of microplastics.