Biodiversity of Italian Tamarix spp. populations: their potential as environmental and productive resources

Mediterranean countries are expected to experience a notable increase in average air temperatures and an alteration of precipitation patterns, distribution, intensity and duration, as a result of global climate changes. In this region, wetlands and coastal areas are increasingly at risk, as they are particularly exposed to a range of hazards connected to climate change, such as drought, flooding, and soil salinity. Nevertheless, the species which inhabit these areas are likely to be well adapted to future conditions caused by global warming effects. Among them, Tamarix species have been reported to be highly tolerant to many abiotic stresses including salinity, drought, flooding, and extreme temperatures. Exploring their diversity could be fundamental, as genotypes can be selected for their natural tolerance to some particular stress, and may be conserved and used in restoration practices under the perspectives of global climate changes. Moreover, recent experimental evidence supported the employment of Tamarix spp. as bio-fuel crops. There are eleven Tamarix species in Italy, occupying coastal dunes and the riverbanks of Southern regions. The most widespread species are Tamarix gallica and Tamarix africana. Although they play a fundamental ecological role in dunes’ fixation and in inhabiting salinized areas, which would otherwise be subjected to desertification, they are still not well known. In this study, we introduce Italian Tamarix spp. ecological, physiological, morphological and genetic diversity with the aim of creating awareness as regards their potential use for the recovery of degraded areas in the Mediterranean Basin.