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Prof. Marta Mariotti Lippi
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze

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Research Keywords & Expertise

0 Palynology
0 Archaeobotany
0 plant reproductive biology
0 Starch grain
0 Phytolith analysis

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Short Biography

Marta Mariotti Lippi, graduated in Natural Sciences and in Biological Sciences, Ph. D. in Plant Systematics and Ecology, is currently Associate Professor of Systematic Botany at the Department of Biology of the University of Florence. Her research activity is focuses on palynology, archaeobotany with special interest in ancient diets and human impact on the environment; reproductive biology of native and invasive plants. She carried out botanical investigations in archaeological sites in Italy (Pompeii and Vesuvian area, Paestum, Tuscany) and abroad (Russia, Cesk Republic, Jordan, Lybia, Sultanate of Oman). Currently, she is teacher of Botany, Forensic Botany, Didactics of Biology, Reproductive strategies and Plant evolution in the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Florence.

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Journal article
Published: 20 February 2021 in Sustainability
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The recovery of inaperturate pollen from functionally female flowers in archaeological layers opens the question of a possible pollen-based discrimination between wild and domesticated Vitis vinifera in prehistoric times. Pollen analysis applied to archaeology has not routinely considered the existence of pollen dimorphism in Vitis, a well-known trait in the field of agrarian studies. Therefore, the inaperturate shape of grapevine pollen is ignored by studies on the archaeobotanical history of viticulture. In this paper we investigate pollen morphology of the domesticated and wild subspecies of V. vinifera, and report the first evidence of inaperturate Vitis pollen from an archaeological site. We studied exemplar cases of plants with hermaphroditic flowers, belonging to the subspecies vinifera with fully developed male and female organs, cases of dioecious plants with male or female flowers, belonging to the wild subspecies sylvestris and cases of V. vinifera subsp. vinifera with morphologically hermaphroditic but functionally female flowers. The pollen produced by hermaphroditic and male flowers is usually trizonocolporate; the pollen produced by female flowers is inaperturate. This paper reports on the inaperturate pollen of Vitis found in an archeological site of the Po Plain, Northern Italy. The site dated to the Bronze Age, which is known to have been a critical age for the use of this plant with a transition from wild to domesticated Vitis in central Mediterranean. Can the inaperturate Vitis pollen be a marker of wild Vitis vinifera in prehistoric times? Palynology suggests a possible new investigation strategy on the ancient history of the wild and cultivated grapevine. The pollen dimorphism also implies a different production and dispersal of pollen of the wild and the domesticated subspecies. Grapevine plants are palynologically different from the other Mediterranean “cultural trees”. In fact, Olea, Juglans and Castanea, which are included in the OJC index, have the same pollen morphology and the same pollen dispersal, in wild and domesticated plants. In contrast, the signal of Vitis pollen in past records may be different depending on the hermaphroditic or dioecious subspecies.

ACS Style

Anna Mercuri; Paola Torri; Assunta Florenzano; Eleonora Clò; Marta Mariotti Lippi; Elisabetta Sgarbi; Cristina Bignami. Sharing the Agrarian Knowledge with Archaeology: First Evidence of the Dimorphism of Vitis Pollen from the Middle Bronze Age of N Italy (Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio). Sustainability 2021, 13, 2287 .

AMA Style

Anna Mercuri, Paola Torri, Assunta Florenzano, Eleonora Clò, Marta Mariotti Lippi, Elisabetta Sgarbi, Cristina Bignami. Sharing the Agrarian Knowledge with Archaeology: First Evidence of the Dimorphism of Vitis Pollen from the Middle Bronze Age of N Italy (Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio). Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):2287.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna Mercuri; Paola Torri; Assunta Florenzano; Eleonora Clò; Marta Mariotti Lippi; Elisabetta Sgarbi; Cristina Bignami. 2021. "Sharing the Agrarian Knowledge with Archaeology: First Evidence of the Dimorphism of Vitis Pollen from the Middle Bronze Age of N Italy (Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio)." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 2287.

Research article
Published: 27 May 2020 in Grana
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In Italy, aerobiological monitoring is usually carried out by the regional agencies for environmental protection (ARPA [Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale]) using volumetric samplers. Another widespread method for the study of airborne pollen is the analysis of moss cushions, generally used to relate pollen rain to flora and vegetation. In this study, we compare the data coming from these two pollen monitoring methods: volumetric samplers and moss cushions. The study was carried out in the city of Florence (Italy) and took into consideration two different spans of time. The two pollen monitoring methods show quantitative and qualitative differences. The main discrepancy seems to be the direct consequence of the different preservation time of the grains in the moss cushions depending on the features of the pollen grains. The study also provides an estimate of the period of pollen accumulation and preservation in moss cushions, which turned out to be more than five years. The two sampling methods furnish complementary information; volumetric samplers especially suited for aerobiological studies and moss cushions for environmental and palaeobotanical research.

ACS Style

Francesco Ciani; Michele Pampaloni; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. Comparing pollen data from moss cushions and a volumetric sampler: the study in the city of Florence (Italy). Grana 2020, 59, 366 -376.

AMA Style

Francesco Ciani, Michele Pampaloni, Bruno Foggi, Marta Mariotti Lippi. Comparing pollen data from moss cushions and a volumetric sampler: the study in the city of Florence (Italy). Grana. 2020; 59 (5):366-376.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Ciani; Michele Pampaloni; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. 2020. "Comparing pollen data from moss cushions and a volumetric sampler: the study in the city of Florence (Italy)." Grana 59, no. 5: 366-376.

Original paper
Published: 03 March 2020 in Aerobiologia
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Airborne pollen assemblage depends on the land cover of the area surrounding the volumetric trap and the flow of air masses. In urban contexts, the amount of airborne pollen is the result of the contribution of both local green areas and extra-urban vegetation, in addition to wind direction and speed. The present study focused on the combined effects of land cover and wind on the airborne pollen recorded in Florence over a 5-year period, in order to identify the area from where most of the pollen comes to the city. The study revealed that Cupressaceae, Olea and Quercus pollen display a positive correlation among their pollen concentrations and the geographical distribution of their sources. The overall influence of maximum wind speed is greater than the number of calm wind days. The latter is appreciable only for the pollen of Cupressaceae and Olea, whose trees are located in the proximity of the urban area, in the southern part of the city. The results showed that the land cover configuration strongly influences the airborne pollen captured by volumetric traps; despite the prevalent wind directions, the vegetation of the reliefs surrounding the city can be considered as the greatest area of pollen contribution.

ACS Style

Francesco Ciani; Giovanna Marchi; Lorella Dell’Olmo; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. Contribution of land cover and wind to the airborne pollen recorded in a South European urban area. Aerobiologia 2020, 36, 325 -340.

AMA Style

Francesco Ciani, Giovanna Marchi, Lorella Dell’Olmo, Bruno Foggi, Marta Mariotti Lippi. Contribution of land cover and wind to the airborne pollen recorded in a South European urban area. Aerobiologia. 2020; 36 (3):325-340.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Ciani; Giovanna Marchi; Lorella Dell’Olmo; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. 2020. "Contribution of land cover and wind to the airborne pollen recorded in a South European urban area." Aerobiologia 36, no. 3: 325-340.

Articles
Published: 21 February 2020 in Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology
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Cupressaceae is one of the most widespread families in the Mediterranean region, widely used as ornamental trees both in cities and in extra urban areas. The family is also known to produce a considerable amount of pollen grains. Nevertheless, Cupressaceae pollen is generally scarce in sediments and it is attested to be one of the most underrepresented pollen in ancient spectra. Cupressaceae pollen diffusion was detected by means of two sampling methods: moss cushions, which are able to accumulate pollen grains for several successive years, and volumetric sampler, which records the airborne pollen day by day. The study was conducted in the city of Florence (Italy), repeating moss samplings at the same sites for three times. The comparison between the two sampling methods revealed the low preservation of this pollen type and suggested that even low quantities of this pollen may indicate the local presence of the source plants. In order to test the contribution of the local pollen sources to the background of the airborne pollen, the pollen content of moss cushions was also related to the number of Cupressaceae plants surroundings each sampling site. The results indicate a noticeable influence of the plants growing in a short-range distance.

ACS Style

Francesco Ciani; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. Cupressaceae pollen: new data about diffusion, record and preservation. Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology 2020, 1 -6.

AMA Style

Francesco Ciani, Bruno Foggi, Marta Mariotti Lippi. Cupressaceae pollen: new data about diffusion, record and preservation. Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology. 2020; ():1-6.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesco Ciani; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. 2020. "Cupressaceae pollen: new data about diffusion, record and preservation." Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology , no. : 1-6.

Original paper
Published: 15 January 2020 in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
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An abundance of plant remains (pollen, seeds/fruits and wood) and wood artefacts was found during the excavation of an Etruscan-Roman well located at Cetamura del Chianti in Tuscany, Italy, which contained rich cultural and ecofact assemblages in a stratified context. The findings provide evidence for the presence of a mixed oak forest during the time span of the usage of the well. The main decline of deciduous Quercus, possibly due to forest clearance, is recorded during the late Etruscan period (ca. 300–100/50 B.C.). A diffusion of Quercus ilex occurred during the Roman period (from ca. 50 B.C. to 68 A.D.). Food plants are well represented in the well, particularly cereals and grapevine. The morphometric analysis of the grape pips suggests that fully domesticated forms were cultivated, and that wild fruits may have been gathered in the woods or harvested from weakly domesticated individuals. Some botanical finds could possibly be linked to ritual practices, although the state of preservation of the seed/fruit record, the majority waterlogged, does not meet criteria for carbonized remains used for attributing the plant remains to ritual offerings.

ACS Style

M. Mariotti Lippi; M. Mori Secci; G. Giachi; L. Bouby; J.-F. Terral; E. Castiglioni; M. Cottini; M. Rottoli; N. T. De Grummond. Plant remains in an Etruscan-Roman well at Cetamura del Chianti, Italy. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 2020, 12, 35 .

AMA Style

M. Mariotti Lippi, M. Mori Secci, G. Giachi, L. Bouby, J.-F. Terral, E. Castiglioni, M. Cottini, M. Rottoli, N. T. De Grummond. Plant remains in an Etruscan-Roman well at Cetamura del Chianti, Italy. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. 2020; 12 (1):35.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Mariotti Lippi; M. Mori Secci; G. Giachi; L. Bouby; J.-F. Terral; E. Castiglioni; M. Cottini; M. Rottoli; N. T. De Grummond. 2020. "Plant remains in an Etruscan-Roman well at Cetamura del Chianti, Italy." Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 12, no. 1: 35.

Original article
Published: 19 July 2019 in Trees
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The different germination behaviours of the seeds under induced water limitations may be related to the different adaptive capacities acquired at the diverse collection sites, as a response to the different environmental parameters. The island of Pianosa resulted the most performant in term of germination responses and the co-occurrence of xeromorphic anatomical evidences at root level confirmed this trend. Regeneration from seeds is an important co-determinant in the invasion ecology of black locust. In the attempt of providing new information on its invasion potential in Mediterranean Europe under the future scenario of global warming, we investigated the effects of induced water-deficit regimes on: (1) seed germination performance and (2) root growth and anatomy. Ripe seeds were collected from four populations established in Tuscany (Central Italy): mechanically scarified seeds were incubated in a range (− 0.2/− 0.8 MPa) of constant water stress conditions at 21 °C. The final germination rate drastically declined with increasing induced water-deficit conditions, with the highest value at control and at − 0.2 MPa (ca 50–97%), and the lowest at − 0.6 MPa (ca 10–33%). The mean germination time decreased with increasing water stress. At root level, xeromorphism relies on the combination of different anatomical traits which co-optimize water uptake/loss: thinner roots, higher number of xylem vessels, vessels with small-sized lumen and thinner cell walls. Seeds collected in sites characterized by different environmental parameters display a noteworthy difference in the germination dynamics: as far as the beginning and ongoing of germination, as well as the germination response in time is concerned, the seeds from the island of Pianosa showed the highest performance; the major arid conditions in Pianosa could have caused a “stress imprint” able to facilitate a fast and protective response to future drought events. As a whole, our results confirmed the great phenotypic plasticity of black locust as a response to variable water availability and provided evidence for the potential high germination capacity in drier environments, as seems to be the future Mediterranean Europe.

ACS Style

Claudia Giuliani; Lorenzo Lazzaro; Roberto Calamassi; Gelsomina Fico; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. Induced water stress affects seed germination response and root anatomy in Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae). Trees 2019, 33, 1627 -1638.

AMA Style

Claudia Giuliani, Lorenzo Lazzaro, Roberto Calamassi, Gelsomina Fico, Bruno Foggi, Marta Mariotti Lippi. Induced water stress affects seed germination response and root anatomy in Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae). Trees. 2019; 33 (6):1627-1638.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Giuliani; Lorenzo Lazzaro; Roberto Calamassi; Gelsomina Fico; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. 2019. "Induced water stress affects seed germination response and root anatomy in Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae)." Trees 33, no. 6: 1627-1638.

Research paper
Published: 07 May 2019 in Plant Biology
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Reynoutria × bohemica is an invasive species causing significant damage to native ecosystems in North America and Europe. In this work, we performed an in-depth micromorphological characterisation of the extrafloral nectaries (EFN), during their secretory and post-secretory phases, in combination with field monitoring of nectary activity over time and the qualitative pool of insect visitors. EFN consist of secretory trichomes and vascularised parenchyma. Polysaccharides, lipids and proteins were histochemically detected in all trichome cells; phenolic substances were detected in parenchyma cells. Our data indicate that all nectary regions are involved in nectar production and release, constituting a functional unit. Moreover, the main compound classes of nectar and their transfer change over time: first, granulocrine secretion for sugars prevails, then eccrine secretion of the lipophilic fraction takes place. Active nectaries are mainly located in the apical portion of the stem during the growth phase (April-May), when we detected the highest number of individuals visited by ants; from mid-August onwards, during flowering, the number of active nectaries declined then ceased production (September), with a concomitant decrease in visits by the ants. The spectrum of nectar-foraging ants mainly included representatives of the genera Formica, Lasius and Camponotus. Reynoutria × bohemica produces an attractive secretion able to recruit local ants that may potentially act as 'bodyguards' for protecting young shoots, reducing secretions during the blooming stage. This defence mechanism against herbivores is the same as that displayed by the parental species in its native areas.

ACS Style

Claudia Giuliani; Lorenzo Lastrucci; Leonardo Cresti; Giacomo Santini; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. The morphology and activity of the extrafloral nectaries in Reynoutria × bohemica (Polygonaceae). Plant Biology 2019, 21, 975 -985.

AMA Style

Claudia Giuliani, Lorenzo Lastrucci, Leonardo Cresti, Giacomo Santini, Bruno Foggi, Marta Mariotti Lippi. The morphology and activity of the extrafloral nectaries in Reynoutria × bohemica (Polygonaceae). Plant Biology. 2019; 21 (5):975-985.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Giuliani; Lorenzo Lastrucci; Leonardo Cresti; Giacomo Santini; Bruno Foggi; Marta Mariotti Lippi. 2019. "The morphology and activity of the extrafloral nectaries in Reynoutria × bohemica (Polygonaceae)." Plant Biology 21, no. 5: 975-985.