DALIA dataset (Campobasso, Italy)

DALIA dataset (Campobasso, Italy). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15395163

de Francesco M.C., Carranza M.L., Capotorti G., Del Vico E., D’Angeli C., Montaldi A., Paura B., Santoianni L.A., Varricchione M., Stanisci A. (2025).

In the framework of the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), specifically within the “Urban Biodiversity” working group (Spoke 5), we developed the DALIA relational database, which contains records of tree, shrub, and liana taxa recorded in the Functional Urban Area of Campobasso (Southern Italy). The DALIA database includes 170 species and subspecies (126 native and 44 alien) belonging to 46 taxonomic families (35 natives, 23 aliens). Each taxon, whether native or alien, was classified according with multiple ecological, functional, and biogeographic groups. 

The database contains 6 tables described below:

Table “Taxonomy” including the scientific names according to WFO (WFO, 2024) and Flora d'Italia (Portal to the Flora of Italy, 2024) with the relative authors, and the common name in English and Italian languages (Portal to the Flora of Italy, 2024); the taxonomic family (Bartolucci et al. 2024), the classification in natives, archeophytes, neophytes and their status (invasive, casual, naturalized) (Galasso et al. 2024).

Table “Chorology” including the geographic distribution of the native species (Pignatti 1982) and the origin area of the archaeophyte and neophyte species (WFO, 2024).

Table “Traits” including life form and growth form categories according to the Raunkiær system (Pignatti et al. 2017; Raunkiær 1934); the plant growth habits, differentiating plants in tree, shrub, and liana (Diaz et al. 2022); the maximum height reached by the plants (Diaz et al. 2022); the leaf types based on leaf morphology, anatomy, and persistence (Chytry et al. 2024).

Table “Bloom & Dispersion” including flowering periods expressed as bloom months, total flowering length, and seasons (Pignatti et al. 2017); the generative diaspores, the classification of seeds, fruits, and  any appendages serving a role in dispersal (fleshy, non-fleshy indehiscent, pappose, winged, unspecialized) (Sádlo et al. 2014); the dispersion modes (Lososová et al. 2023).

Table “Indicators” including the values for the EIVE’s - Ecological Indicator Values for Europe (Dengler et al. 2023); for the Disturbance Indices - Disturbance indicator values for European plants (Midolo et al. 2023); the GRIME values for the CSR strategies in plants (Pierce et al. 2016).

Table “Conservation status” including the possible diagnostic role for Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC) (Habitat Directive 92-43-CEE, 2024); for EUNIS habitats (Chytrý et al., 2020); the IUCN Status and Trend Population for Europe (IUCN, 2024).

The DALIA database reveals a high woody plant diversity for the FUA of Campobasso when compared with other similar studies (Roma-Marzio et al. 2016), with a high percentage of native species (Quaranta et al. 2025). This insight greatly differs from what has been recorded in large cities where aliens in the urban floras make up 40% of the total number of taxa (Pyšek 1998; Ricotta et al. 2009; Lososová et al. 2012).

DALIA is expected to act as a useful pilot tool for Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and environmental restoration actions in cities of Italian and Mediterranean inner territories. It also provides valuable ecological information that can be utilized in urban greenery projects, emphasizing the added value of avoidance of invasive and competitive alien plants while favoring native species found within the EU forest habitats of the nearby Natura 2000 areas (Capotorti et al. 2016; Resemini et al. 2025; EC2023).

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Funding

The work is funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4 - Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU; Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP H73C22000300001, Hub: Biodiversity, Spoke 5: Urban biodiversity, Project title “National Biodiversity Future Center - NBFC”.