Rita Baraldi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Rita Baraldi

For the first time, the emission of individual BVOC released from a Mediterranean ecosystem has b... more For the first time, the emission of individual BVOC released from a Mediterranean ecosystem has been assessed and the results obtained have been directly compared with fluxes measured with the mixed box (MB) approach. The study was conducted in Pianosa, a very small and flat island located in the Tyrrhenian sea, between the coasts of Central Italy and the Corsica Island. Due to the substantial lack of manmade emission and the restricted access, terrestrial vegetation represents in this island the main source of hydrocarbons. This allows to use simple methodologies to estimate and measure the emission of individual BVOC in the atmosphere. Due to the limited number of emitting species, the total emission was estimated by up-scaling to ecosystem level the information obtained with branch enclosures. Data obtained suggested that the basal emission of total isoprenoids generated from the island was one order of magnitude smaller than that estimated in the pine-oak forest ecosystem of Cas...

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 2018

Persistent high pressure conditions over the Mediterranean Basin favor the occurrence of sea bree... more Persistent high pressure conditions over the Mediterranean Basin favor the occurrence of sea breezes that can lead to ozone transport through complex recirculation patterns. These features were investigated during an ozone episode with hourly concentrations exceeding 200 μg m−3 that occurred on July 2015 in Naples (Italy), one of the largest and densest conurbations in the Mediterranean region. Aircraft measurements were taken at heights from 150 to 1500 m AGL and compared and integrated with high-resolution meteorological and air quality model simulations to investigate local circulation and pollutants dynamics. The integration of airborne measurements, surface observations, and modeling established a framework to assess the photochemical phenomena in the area. Sea breezes and local emissions triggered ozone production at inland areas, causing high concentrations between the coast and the Apennine chain. Ozone was then injected into the upper boundary layer and transported toward t...

The Science of the total environment, 2018

The composition in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) of the biogas produced by seven landfills of ... more The composition in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) of the biogas produced by seven landfills of Giugliano (Naples, Campania, Italy) was determined and VOC emission rates assessed to verify if these compounds represent a potential threat to the population living nearby. VOC composition in the biogas could not be predicted, as heterogeneous waste was dumped from the late 1980s to the early 2000s and then underwent biological degradation. No data are available on the amount and composition of VOC in the biogas before the landfills closure as no operational biogas collection system was present. In this study, VOC composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), after collecting samples from collection pipes and from soil fractures in cover soil or capping. Individual VOC were quantified and data compared with those collected at two landfills in Latium, when they were still in operation. Relevant differences were observed, mainly due to waste aging, but no spe...

Journal of Horticultural Science, 1995

Acta Horticulturae, 2013

There is a considerable potential to further develop the beneficial use of vegetation to promote ... more There is a considerable potential to further develop the beneficial use of vegetation to promote urban environmental quality and citizen health. For this, basic knowledge of plant and vegetation traits is required. In this context, the ranking of species ability to capture particulate matter (PM), emission of photochemical trace gases, such as the biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) isoprenoids by trees and shrubs, and photosynthesis can be used to optimize vegetation designs for urban settings. Trees and shrubs were compared for PM accumulation on the surface and in the wax layer of leaves at sites located in Stavanger, Norway. The PM on the leaves, presented as PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 0.2 differed between the tested species by about 5 fold at the test site. The differences between species in PM deposition seem to be largest when the pollution concentrations are highest. Studies in Italy show that ornamental tree species vary in BVOC emission. However, of 14 ornamental broadleaf species, only Liquidambar styraciflua was recorded as substantially higher than the other tested species (greater than 10 µg g leaf dry weight-1 h-1) in BVOC emission. The types of isoprenoids released were also documented for the different species and the results will be discussed related to climate effects. The trees examined were quite different in photosynthetic capacity, with the lowest net CO 2 assimilation recorded in Koelreuteria paniculata and the highest in Fraxinus ornus.

II International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture, 2010

IV International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops, 2004

Annals of Botany, 2009

† Background and Aims The clone EMB-2 of the interspecific hybrid Helianthus annuus  H. tuberosu... more † Background and Aims The clone EMB-2 of the interspecific hybrid Helianthus annuus  H. tuberosus provides an interesting system to study molecular and physiological aspects of somatic embryogenesis. Namely, in addition to non-epiphyllous (NEP) leaves that expand normally, EMB-2 produces epiphyllous (EP) leaves bearing embryos on the adaxial surface. This clone was used to investigate if the ectopic expression of H. annuus LEAFY COTYLEDON1-LIKE (Ha-L1L) gene and auxin activity are correlated with the establishment of embryogenic competence. † Methods Ha-L1L expression was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The endogenous level and spatial distribution of free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were estimated by a capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring method and an immuno-cytochemical approach. † Key Results Ectopic expression of Ha-L1L was detected in specific cell domains of the adaxial epidermis of EP leaves prior to the development of ectopic embryos. Ha-L1L was expressed rapidly when NEP leaves were induced to regenerate somatic embryos by in vitro culture. Differences in auxin distribution pattern rather than in absolute level were observed between EP and A-2 leaves. More precisely, a strong IAA immuno-signal was detected in single cells or in small groups of cells along the epidermis of EP leaves and accompanied the early stages of embryo development. Changes in auxin level and distribution were observed in NEP leaves induced to regenerate by in vitro culture. Exogenous auxin treatments lightly influenced Ha-L1L transcript levels in spite of an enhancement of the regeneration frequency. † Conclusions In EP leaves, Ha-L1L activity marks the putative founder cells of ectopic embryos. Although the ectopic expression of Ha-L1L seems to be not directly mediated by auxin levels per se, it was demonstrated that localized Ha-L1L expression and IAA accumulation in leaf epidermis domains represent early events of somatic embryogenesis displayed by the epiphyllous EMB-2 clone.

Scientia Horticulturae, 2010

... The total IAA content decreased of approximately 50% in transformed rolC3 plants compared to ... more ... The total IAA content decreased of approximately 50% in transformed rolC3 plants compared to control ones. A similar reduction occurred in the apex of pRi T-DNA-transformed tobacco plants, with a consequent attenuation of the basipetal auxin gradient (Prinsen et al., 1994). ...

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere, 1999

Six agriculturally important fruit species were screened for emissions of isoprene and other vola... more Six agriculturally important fruit species were screened for emissions of isoprene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at full bloom. The air from a Teflon growth chamber containing the tested plants was collected on carbon absorbents and analyzed by thermal 'desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (ID-CC-MS). Over 80 individual compounds were identified. All the screened species were isoprene emitters and revealed a unique fingerprint profile determined by monoterpenes. Differences in relative composition of monoterpenes occurred mainly between pome and stone fruit plants. Linalool was emitted exclusively by apple and pear flowers, whereas apricot, cherry and plum showed a pattern dominated by a-pinene and to a less extent by camphene. Limonene appeared to be the most abundant emitted compound from peach flowers. Preliminary quantification of monoterpene emissions indicated that, at full bloom, cherry was the major emitter and peach the minor one.

Photosynthetica, 2012

At present, research activities on the role of orchard systems in sequestering atmospheric CO 2 r... more At present, research activities on the role of orchard systems in sequestering atmospheric CO 2 remain scarce. This paper aimed to contribute to assessing the carbon balance of a Mediterranean olive (Olea europea) orchard. The net ecosystem exchange, the ecosystem respiration and the gross primary production were computed for two consecutive years through eddy covariance, and the different biomass accumulation terms were also inferred in the same period through an inventorial method. The net carbon exchange ranged from 13.45 t(C) ha 1 year 1 to 11.60 t(C) ha 1 year 1. Very similar values [12.2 and 11.5 t(C) ha 1 year-1 ] were found with the direct carbon accumulation inventory. The intensive farming management (irrigation included) and the young age of the plants (12-16 years old), still in an active growing phase, led the olive plantation to be a higher carbon sink with respect to other evergreen orchards reported in the literature.

Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1995

The endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) we... more The endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in Prunus cerasus plantlets grown under different light conditions in relation to previous work on the photocontrol of stem elongation. The endogenous levels of free and conjugated IAA in the apical sections of red-grown shoots were about twofold higher than those in the blue-treated plants, and these corresponded with maximum shoot elongation. By contrast, greater concentrations of ABA and G A were found in blue-grown plants compared to red with intermediate shoot growth. When blue was combined with red or far red, lower levels of IAA, ABA and G A correlated with less growth. These results suggest that the regulation of stem elongation by phytochrome and a blue-absorbing pigment may, at least in part, occur through a modulation of hormone levels.

New Phytologist, 2003

Tansley likened New Phytologist in his first editorial to an organism at the mercy of natural sel... more Tansley likened New Phytologist in his first editorial to an organism at the mercy of natural selection–'... if it is well adapted to fill its place in the scheme of things, it survives. If not, it inevitably goes under and disappears'(see Lewis & Ingram, 2002). What state is New Phytologist in at the beginning of 2004? Are the professional scientists who comprise this organisation delivering a suitable service to their peers, one that appears fit to survive? The New Phytologist Trust is an independent charity, a not-for-profit organisation much like a ...

Functional Plant Biology, 2011

In this study, we investigated the potential of the photochemical resistance index (PRI) to track... more In this study, we investigated the potential of the photochemical resistance index (PRI) to track photosynthetic activity under water stress conditions by measuring PRI, leaf fluorescence, the xanthophyll cycle and photosynthetic activity in different forest tree species subjected to progressive drought. The PRI declined with pre-dawn water potential and a significant relationship between PRI and the xanthophyll de-epoxidation state (DEPS) was observed, although with large interspecific variability in the sensitivity of PRI to changes in DEPS. For single tree species, a strong relationship was observed on either PRI light saturated photosynthesis or PRI maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (ΔF/Fm′); a larger variability in both relationships was apparent when data from different species were pooled together. However, an improved correlation was shown only in the former relationship by plotting the ΔPRI (dawn PRI minus the midday PRI values). Thus, we conclude that PRI is able to...

Atmospheric Environment, 2013

For the first time, the emission of individual BVOC released from a Mediterranean ecosystem has b... more For the first time, the emission of individual BVOC released from a Mediterranean ecosystem has been assessed and the results obtained have been directly compared with fluxes measured with the mixed box (MB) approach. The study was conducted in Pianosa, a very small and flat island located in the Tyrrhenian sea, between the coasts of Central Italy and the Corsica Island. Due to the substantial lack of manmade emission and the restricted access, terrestrial vegetation represents in this island the main source of hydrocarbons. This allows to use simple methodologies to estimate and measure the emission of individual BVOC in the atmosphere. Due to the limited number of emitting species, the total emission was estimated by up-scaling to ecosystem level the information obtained with branch enclosures. Data obtained suggested that the basal emission of total isoprenoids generated from the island was one order of magnitude smaller than that estimated in the pine-oak forest ecosystem of Cas...

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 2018

Persistent high pressure conditions over the Mediterranean Basin favor the occurrence of sea bree... more Persistent high pressure conditions over the Mediterranean Basin favor the occurrence of sea breezes that can lead to ozone transport through complex recirculation patterns. These features were investigated during an ozone episode with hourly concentrations exceeding 200 μg m−3 that occurred on July 2015 in Naples (Italy), one of the largest and densest conurbations in the Mediterranean region. Aircraft measurements were taken at heights from 150 to 1500 m AGL and compared and integrated with high-resolution meteorological and air quality model simulations to investigate local circulation and pollutants dynamics. The integration of airborne measurements, surface observations, and modeling established a framework to assess the photochemical phenomena in the area. Sea breezes and local emissions triggered ozone production at inland areas, causing high concentrations between the coast and the Apennine chain. Ozone was then injected into the upper boundary layer and transported toward t...

The Science of the total environment, 2018

The composition in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) of the biogas produced by seven landfills of ... more The composition in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) of the biogas produced by seven landfills of Giugliano (Naples, Campania, Italy) was determined and VOC emission rates assessed to verify if these compounds represent a potential threat to the population living nearby. VOC composition in the biogas could not be predicted, as heterogeneous waste was dumped from the late 1980s to the early 2000s and then underwent biological degradation. No data are available on the amount and composition of VOC in the biogas before the landfills closure as no operational biogas collection system was present. In this study, VOC composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), after collecting samples from collection pipes and from soil fractures in cover soil or capping. Individual VOC were quantified and data compared with those collected at two landfills in Latium, when they were still in operation. Relevant differences were observed, mainly due to waste aging, but no spe...

Journal of Horticultural Science, 1995

Acta Horticulturae, 2013

There is a considerable potential to further develop the beneficial use of vegetation to promote ... more There is a considerable potential to further develop the beneficial use of vegetation to promote urban environmental quality and citizen health. For this, basic knowledge of plant and vegetation traits is required. In this context, the ranking of species ability to capture particulate matter (PM), emission of photochemical trace gases, such as the biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) isoprenoids by trees and shrubs, and photosynthesis can be used to optimize vegetation designs for urban settings. Trees and shrubs were compared for PM accumulation on the surface and in the wax layer of leaves at sites located in Stavanger, Norway. The PM on the leaves, presented as PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 0.2 differed between the tested species by about 5 fold at the test site. The differences between species in PM deposition seem to be largest when the pollution concentrations are highest. Studies in Italy show that ornamental tree species vary in BVOC emission. However, of 14 ornamental broadleaf species, only Liquidambar styraciflua was recorded as substantially higher than the other tested species (greater than 10 µg g leaf dry weight-1 h-1) in BVOC emission. The types of isoprenoids released were also documented for the different species and the results will be discussed related to climate effects. The trees examined were quite different in photosynthetic capacity, with the lowest net CO 2 assimilation recorded in Koelreuteria paniculata and the highest in Fraxinus ornus.

II International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture, 2010

IV International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops, 2004

Annals of Botany, 2009

† Background and Aims The clone EMB-2 of the interspecific hybrid Helianthus annuus  H. tuberosu... more † Background and Aims The clone EMB-2 of the interspecific hybrid Helianthus annuus  H. tuberosus provides an interesting system to study molecular and physiological aspects of somatic embryogenesis. Namely, in addition to non-epiphyllous (NEP) leaves that expand normally, EMB-2 produces epiphyllous (EP) leaves bearing embryos on the adaxial surface. This clone was used to investigate if the ectopic expression of H. annuus LEAFY COTYLEDON1-LIKE (Ha-L1L) gene and auxin activity are correlated with the establishment of embryogenic competence. † Methods Ha-L1L expression was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The endogenous level and spatial distribution of free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were estimated by a capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring method and an immuno-cytochemical approach. † Key Results Ectopic expression of Ha-L1L was detected in specific cell domains of the adaxial epidermis of EP leaves prior to the development of ectopic embryos. Ha-L1L was expressed rapidly when NEP leaves were induced to regenerate somatic embryos by in vitro culture. Differences in auxin distribution pattern rather than in absolute level were observed between EP and A-2 leaves. More precisely, a strong IAA immuno-signal was detected in single cells or in small groups of cells along the epidermis of EP leaves and accompanied the early stages of embryo development. Changes in auxin level and distribution were observed in NEP leaves induced to regenerate by in vitro culture. Exogenous auxin treatments lightly influenced Ha-L1L transcript levels in spite of an enhancement of the regeneration frequency. † Conclusions In EP leaves, Ha-L1L activity marks the putative founder cells of ectopic embryos. Although the ectopic expression of Ha-L1L seems to be not directly mediated by auxin levels per se, it was demonstrated that localized Ha-L1L expression and IAA accumulation in leaf epidermis domains represent early events of somatic embryogenesis displayed by the epiphyllous EMB-2 clone.

Scientia Horticulturae, 2010

... The total IAA content decreased of approximately 50% in transformed rolC3 plants compared to ... more ... The total IAA content decreased of approximately 50% in transformed rolC3 plants compared to control ones. A similar reduction occurred in the apex of pRi T-DNA-transformed tobacco plants, with a consequent attenuation of the basipetal auxin gradient (Prinsen et al., 1994). ...

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere, 1999

Six agriculturally important fruit species were screened for emissions of isoprene and other vola... more Six agriculturally important fruit species were screened for emissions of isoprene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at full bloom. The air from a Teflon growth chamber containing the tested plants was collected on carbon absorbents and analyzed by thermal 'desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (ID-CC-MS). Over 80 individual compounds were identified. All the screened species were isoprene emitters and revealed a unique fingerprint profile determined by monoterpenes. Differences in relative composition of monoterpenes occurred mainly between pome and stone fruit plants. Linalool was emitted exclusively by apple and pear flowers, whereas apricot, cherry and plum showed a pattern dominated by a-pinene and to a less extent by camphene. Limonene appeared to be the most abundant emitted compound from peach flowers. Preliminary quantification of monoterpene emissions indicated that, at full bloom, cherry was the major emitter and peach the minor one.

Photosynthetica, 2012

At present, research activities on the role of orchard systems in sequestering atmospheric CO 2 r... more At present, research activities on the role of orchard systems in sequestering atmospheric CO 2 remain scarce. This paper aimed to contribute to assessing the carbon balance of a Mediterranean olive (Olea europea) orchard. The net ecosystem exchange, the ecosystem respiration and the gross primary production were computed for two consecutive years through eddy covariance, and the different biomass accumulation terms were also inferred in the same period through an inventorial method. The net carbon exchange ranged from 13.45 t(C) ha 1 year 1 to 11.60 t(C) ha 1 year 1. Very similar values [12.2 and 11.5 t(C) ha 1 year-1 ] were found with the direct carbon accumulation inventory. The intensive farming management (irrigation included) and the young age of the plants (12-16 years old), still in an active growing phase, led the olive plantation to be a higher carbon sink with respect to other evergreen orchards reported in the literature.

Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1995

The endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) we... more The endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in Prunus cerasus plantlets grown under different light conditions in relation to previous work on the photocontrol of stem elongation. The endogenous levels of free and conjugated IAA in the apical sections of red-grown shoots were about twofold higher than those in the blue-treated plants, and these corresponded with maximum shoot elongation. By contrast, greater concentrations of ABA and G A were found in blue-grown plants compared to red with intermediate shoot growth. When blue was combined with red or far red, lower levels of IAA, ABA and G A correlated with less growth. These results suggest that the regulation of stem elongation by phytochrome and a blue-absorbing pigment may, at least in part, occur through a modulation of hormone levels.

New Phytologist, 2003

Tansley likened New Phytologist in his first editorial to an organism at the mercy of natural sel... more Tansley likened New Phytologist in his first editorial to an organism at the mercy of natural selection–'... if it is well adapted to fill its place in the scheme of things, it survives. If not, it inevitably goes under and disappears'(see Lewis & Ingram, 2002). What state is New Phytologist in at the beginning of 2004? Are the professional scientists who comprise this organisation delivering a suitable service to their peers, one that appears fit to survive? The New Phytologist Trust is an independent charity, a not-for-profit organisation much like a ...

Functional Plant Biology, 2011

In this study, we investigated the potential of the photochemical resistance index (PRI) to track... more In this study, we investigated the potential of the photochemical resistance index (PRI) to track photosynthetic activity under water stress conditions by measuring PRI, leaf fluorescence, the xanthophyll cycle and photosynthetic activity in different forest tree species subjected to progressive drought. The PRI declined with pre-dawn water potential and a significant relationship between PRI and the xanthophyll de-epoxidation state (DEPS) was observed, although with large interspecific variability in the sensitivity of PRI to changes in DEPS. For single tree species, a strong relationship was observed on either PRI light saturated photosynthesis or PRI maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (ΔF/Fm′); a larger variability in both relationships was apparent when data from different species were pooled together. However, an improved correlation was shown only in the former relationship by plotting the ΔPRI (dawn PRI minus the midday PRI values). Thus, we conclude that PRI is able to...

Atmospheric Environment, 2013