The vegetation of alpine belt karst-tectonic basins in the central Apennines (Italy)

Abstract

The vegetation communities of the karst-tectonic basins of the Majella massif alpine belt were studied using the phytosociological methods, and analysed from coenological, synchorological and syntaxonomical viewpoints. During the field-work, 115 relevés were performed using the phytosociological approach of Braun-Blanquet, and these relevés were further subjected to multivariate analyses. Eight clusters of relevés resulted from the numerical classification. The plant communities identified in the study area were ascribed to the following five associations, two sub-associations and one community type: Leontopodio – Seslerietum juncifoliae (ass. nova); Helianthemo – Festucetum italicae (ass. nova); Gnaphalio – Plantaginetum atratae; Taraxaco – Trifolietum thalii gnaphalietosum magellensis (subass. nova); Luzulo italicae – Nardetum, Carici – Salicetum retusae; Saxifrago – Papaveretum julici, Saxifrago – Papaveretum androsacetosum (subass. nova), Plantago atrata and Leontodon montanus community. The distribution of these communities within the karst basins was found to be related to variations in topographic and geomorphological parameters, such as altitude, slope, soil availability and stoniness. All the new associations proposed in this paper belong to the suballiance Leontopodio – Elynenion and to the alliance Seslerion apenninae, both of which are endemic to the central Apennines. In order to compare the plant community types identified within the Majella massif to similar associations found in the rest of the Apennine chain, synoptic tables were constructed. Finally, a comparative phytogeographical analysis of the alpine belt vegetation of the Apennines, Dinarides, southern Balkans and eastern Alps is presented.     

Syntaxonomy of Arundo stands along the eastern Adriatic coast

Based on the diagnostic morphological characters of the Arundo taxa, and after both field and herbarium observation, three species (A. micrantha, A. plinii and A. donax) were found along the eastern Adriatic coast. Altogether, 50 phytocoenological relevés from Arundo stands were collected in Croatia, Montenegro and Albania between 2010 and 2013. Three associations with a predominance of Arundo species were determined: Arundinetum plinianae, Arundinetum micranthae and Arundini donacis–Convolvuletum sepium. Among them, Arundinetum micranthae is described and proposed as a new association, belonging to the Artemisietea vulgaris class. It occurs frequently along the coastal belt between the cities of Split and Dubrovnik in South Croatia. The syntaxonomy of the associations is discussed and comparison with similar communities from Italy is made. The vegetation and floristic structure of the associations is discussed as a potential basis for biodiversity conservation programmes and for evaluating the state of these ecosystems in the future.     

New and validated syntaxa for the checklist of Italian vegetation

We drew up a checklist of the Italian vegetation (http://www.prodromo-vegetazione-italia.org/), up to the syntaxonomical rank of alliance. During the compilation of this checklist, we observed that some syntaxa were invalidly published. For this reason, in this article we validated some syntaxa names and, at the same time, described new syntaxa of different hierarchical levels. Therefore, 10 new orders, 1 new suborder, 18 new alliances, 3 new suballiances and 5 new associations are described here. These new syntaxa belong to the following classes: Adiantetea capilli-veneris, Parietarietea judaicae, Thlaspietea rotundifolii, Artemisietea vulgaris, Stellarietea mediae, Galio aparines–Urticetea dioicae, Mulgedio alpini–Aconitetea variegati, Trifolio medii–Geranietea sanguinei, Festuco-Seslerietea, Salicetea herbaceae, Festuco valesiacae–Brometea erecti, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Cisto cretici–Micromerietea julianae, Rhamno catharticae–Prunetea spinosae, Salici purpureae–Populetea nigrae, Salicetea purpureae, Quercetea ilicis and Querco roboris–Fagetea sylvaticae.     

Study of the vegetation in the Multiple Use Natural Reserve of Monterrico (Guatemala)

The Multiple Use Natural Reserve of Monterrico lies on the Pacific coast of the southwest Guatemala in the Chiapas Sector of the Chiapaneca-Hondureña Province. It belongs to the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas and has a predominantly estuarine and coastal marine ecosystem. We took 218 vegetation relevés that contained 72 species belonging to 138 genera and 69 plant families. Multivariate analysis techniques have led to the determination of seven different associations. Three of them are mangrove swamp associations (Lagunculario-Rhizophoretum manglis; Lagunculario-Avicennietum germinantis Peinado, Alcaraz, Delgadillo, De la Cruz, Álvarez and Aguirre, 1994; Rhizophoretum manglis Cuatrecasas, 1958). Three new associations are proposed. These are one reed–bulrush association (Typho domingensis-Phragmitetum australisass. nova) and two sand-dwelling associations, one made up of evergreen grasses dominated by Canavalia rosea which grows on mobile dunes (Thephrosio-Canavalietum roseaeass. nova) and a dry forest phytocoenosis dominated by deciduous and some evergreen species, such as Pithecellobium dulce, that grow on more consolidated sandy soils (Gliricidio-Pithecellobietum dulcisass. nova). Finally, special mention must be made of the presence of the pleustohelophytic association Eichhornietum crassipedis Samek and Moncada, 1971. This is the first time that these mangrove swamp associations and this hydrophytic association have been recorded in Guatemala.     

Syntaxonomic update on the relict groves of Mirbeck's oak (Quercus canariensis Willd. and Q. marianica C. Vicioso) in southern Iberia

As relict traces of the Tertiary period, Quercus canariensis Willd. and the forests it forms comprise one of the most interesting woodlands, which prevails in southern Iberia with very particular edaphoclimatic envelopes. Combining phytosociological methodology with hierarchical cluster analyses, we aim to update the syntaxonomic scheme of the forests related to this species and the complex matrixes it forms with the hybrid species Quercus marianica C. Vicioso. We propose one new association from Portugal, in a total of four types of Mirbeck's oak woodlands, in Southern Iberia. We conclude the necessity to maintain high standards on taxonomic and geobotanical surveys, with major biogeographic knowledge; it is indissociable from an accurate analysis and comprehension on the functional ecology and structure of these woodlands, regarding its dynamics. Therefore, their high conservation value, related to its relict status, supports the integration of these forests in Habitat 9240 (Annex B-I from Council Directive 92/43/EEC) in order to ensure its preservation.     

Syntaxonomical study of Italian wall vegetation

A syntaxonomical study of Italian wall vegetation based on classification and ordination of a large phytosociological data set from various authors (using the IAHOPA program) has confirmed the alliances Centrantho-Parietarion and Galio-Parietarion (order Parietarietalia judaicae, class Parietarietea judaicae), as already proposed by traditional syntaxonomy. The variation in humidity and the north-south geographical gradient are shown to be the most significant factors for the differentiation of this vegetation in Italy. The presence of some associations belonging to the class Asplenietea trichomanis (alliance Cystopteridion, Potentillion caulescentis and Centaureo-Campanulion) shows a strong connection with natural rock vegetation.     

Halocnemum M. Bieb. vegetation in the Mediterranean Basin

The aim of the article is the syntaxonomic interpretation of hyperhalophilous woody or semi-woody vegetation with Halocnemum M. Bieb. along the coasts of the Mediterranean Basin. For this area, the two species of Halocnemum, H. strobilaceum (Pall.) M. Bieb. and H. cruciatum (Forssk.) Tod. are identified; their morphological characteristics, synonymy and distribution are here described. The study carried out of particular aspects of the plant morphology and the micromorphological characteristics of the seeds collected from different places in the Mediterranean allows to better differentiate the two species. Vegetation studies already done in many communities of the Mediterranean by several authors threw into great confusion because only H. strobilacem has been recognized as a dominant species. As regards the syntaxonomic analyses of the vegetation, the authors refer to the proposals already made by various scientists for the vegetation of inland salt basins of Eurasia and the Irano-Anatolian area, who suggested the classes Kalidietea foliate and Halocnemetea strobilaceiirano-anatolica, respectively. Conversely, in the Mediterranean Basin, the vegetation study is present only in coastal areas where it is considerably impoverished in the number of species. Therefore, the authors propose to include hyperhalophilous, woody and fruticose vegetation in the class Sarcocornietea fruticosae. However, the phytosociological and ecological diversity is highlighted proposing the order Halocnemetalia cruciati in which both the alliance Halocnemion strobilacei, for middle Eastern Europe, and the alliance Halocnemion cruciati, for North Africa with penetrations in the Western and Eastern Europe up to the Middle East coast, are included. This new interpretation has required the correction of the names of two associations (Frankenio corymbosae–Halocnemetum cruciati and Zygophylloalbi–Halocnemetumcruciati) and the proposal of two new associations Arthrocnemo machrostachyi–Halocnemetum cruciati and Halocnemo cruciati–Sarcocornietum fruticosae. A further proposal concerns the addition of the alliance Limoniastrion monopetali, previously included in the order Limonietalia, in the order Halocnemetalia cruciati.     

A coenocline of the high-ranked syntaxa of ruderal vegetation

Two sets comprising 1419 and 1350 phytosociological relevés of ruderal vegetation classified into 9 and 7 orders, respectively, from an area in the Podunajská ní zina Lowland, western Slovakia were ordinated using correspondence and detrended correspondence analyses. The paper describes a coenocline of the high-ranked syntaxa contained in the data sets, and discusses some issues of the classification of the syntaxa involved.The Bidentetalia and Potentillo-Polygonetalia should be considered a special category of synanthropic vegetation as habitat moisture (flooding and waterlogging) play the controlling role in the formation of structural and dynamical patterns within these communities. The latter factor complex is responsible for the clear separation of these orders from the other syntaxa included in the ordinations. The coenocline of terrestrial ruderal vegetation units has the following sequence along the CA axis 1: Poo-Polygonetalia, Sisymbrietalia, Eragostrietalia, Onopordetalia, Agropyretalia repentis, Artemisietalia vulgaris and Glechometalia hederaceae.Various complexes of soil factors and anthropogenic disturbance are operational along the concatenation (a series of portions composing the coenocline). The factor complex includes soil compaction, trampling disturbance, nutrient status, soil texture and moisture, and solar irradiation. Step-by-step ordination and interpretation of concatenated portions of the coenocline proved to be useful in the analysis of complex data sets.Abbreviations CA = correspondence analysis - DCA = detrended correspondence analysis - PCA = principal components analysis     

Coastal vegetation on the Western, Southern, and Eastern coasts of South Korea

We used the Braun-Blanquet method to study the vegetation of coastal wetlands in South Korea. Three habitat types were found, i.e., salt marshes, salt swamps, and sand dunes. These plant communities were classified as: 1) two groups (five associations each) in the salt marshes that comprised either annual herbaceous halophytes (ClassThero-Salicornietea), or biennial/perennial herbaceous species (ClassAsteretea tripolii); 2) one group in the salt swamps consisting of five hydrophilous halo-tolerant associations (ClassPhragmitetea); and 3) three groups in the sand dunes, including one association of annual herbaceous halophytes (ClassSalsoletea komarovii), seven associations of herbaceous perennial halophytes (ClassGlehnietea littoralis), and one association of shrub perennial halophytes (ClassVrticetea rotundifoliae). These three habitat types accounted for the majority of the six main classifications of coastal vegetation distributed in South Korea.     

Marshland vegetation of the class <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phagmito-Magnocaricetea</Emphasis> in Croatia

The marshland vegetation of the class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea in Croatia is presented in a single place for the first time. All the available relevés from the literature have been assembled and supplemented with the results of field research. Thirty-three communities have been established, shown in a synoptic table drawn up on the basis of 486 relevés. The communities are understood according to the traditional syntaxonomic system based on the dominant or diagnostic species. For the purposes of comparison, the marshland vegetation is classified using numerical methods as well. The results obtained show that most clusters correspond to specific associations, but do not confirm the division into vegetation alliances and orders. The marshland communities with the most relevés in the dataset, and that therefore can be considered the most widespread in Croatia, are: Phragmitetum australis, Caricetum gracilis, and Galio palustris-Caricetum ripariae. The marshland vegetation is also analysed from the standpoint of nature conservation. In the dataset studied, 59 taxa from the Red Book of Vascular Flora of Croatia are identified as threatened, the 15 most endangered marshland communities are separated, and 10 neophytes and one neophyte association are registered. The diversity of marshland vegetation, and of the associated plant species, is considerably higher in inland Croatia than along the Adriatic coast, which is probably a result of the geological bedrock, climate and, in some places, halophile conditions.     

Composition and ecology of the Quercus coccifera L. communities along the eastern Adriatic coast (NE Mediterranean)

The aim of this study is to classify and describe all plant communities with Quercus coccifera covering the entire eastern Adriatic coast and islands from north Croatia to south Albania, and to relate their species composition, chorotypes and life forms to environmental factors using Pignatti ecological indicator values. From total 70 phytosociological relevés, we identified and described four floristically and ecologically distinctive vegetation communities (two new proposed subassociations, one association and stand each) using TWINSPAN and the Braun-Blanquet classification scheme. In Croatia and Montenegro, Q. coccifera is forming macchia within the Fraxino orni–Quercetum cocciferae pistacietosum lentisci. Quercus coccifera occurs only sparsely in south Croatia as a shrubland within Fraxino orni–Quercetum cocciferae nerietosum oleandri subassociation or macchia within the Erico arboreae–Arbutetum unedonis association. Despite the difference in biogeographic position and bioclimates, low shrubby Albanian Q. coccifera stands are more closely related to the Q. coccifera communities from the western Mediterranean. Eastern Adriatic communities appear exclusively within the Querceta ilicis vegetation zone and spread within the meso-Mediterranean belt. They nevertheless are an important part of the region's natural heritage and management plans must ensure that all forms of land are used in a sustainable way.     

Seed-bank and dynamics of a Polygonum hydropiper L. community along the Po river (Central-West Italy)

ABSTRACT

The seed-bank and the dynamics of a Polygonum hydropiper L. community were investigated. The study area is located along the Po river in the Central-West Po plane (Northern Italy), in Piedmont, near Alessandria. The seed-bank in the soil was investigated by means of a simplified procedure of seasonal sampling and germination tests while the dynamics of the Polygonum community was investigated within a permanent square. Results indicate that: i) The Polygonum hydropiper community has strong growth potential because it has a source of biodiversity in its reservoir of germinable seeds of different species. River overflows act both as disturbance and as vectors for propagules, selecting the species that can grow and develop within the vegetation, and the species that will be left as seeds in the soil; ii) species diversity and dominance vary with vegetation stage (seed bank, pioneer stages and mature stages); iii) two types of seed-bank were present in the soil we analysed: a transient one and a persistent one.     

The use of structural species size classes in the description of the woody vegetation of a nature reserve

The need for a scientifically based wildlife management plan and more knowledge on the vegetation ecology of the Borakalalo Nature Reserve prompted an ecological investigation of the Reserve. One of the aims was to develop a structural classification of the woody component using species size (SPIZE) classes. A further aim was to compare the various structural classes identified with the recognized floristically derived plant communities of the Reserve. The frequency, density, percentage crown cover and importance value for each woody species were calculated. A classification of the woody component was done using a TWINSPAN classification algorithm on this structural density data. Fifteen structural SPIZE classes were identified, described and compared with the described plant communities. The results of this study indicate that structural SPIZE classes could also be used to explain the spatial distribution of woody species within and between various plant communities.     

The urban woods of Rome (Italy)

ABSTRACT

A phytosociological study of the urban woods of Rome is described. Six syntaxonomical types were identified: 1) Orno-Quercetum ilicis, an edaphic-xerophytic variant of the natural potential vegetation of the city (deciduous Quercus sp. pl. woods); 2) Aquifolio-Fagetum carpinetosum betuli, in the northern slopes of alluvial valleys; 3) Q. suber and Q. pubescens wood, ranked in Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae order 4) Quercetum ilicis galloprovinciale suberetosum; 5) coppice of Q. cerris and Q. frainetto, which belongs to the Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis alliance; 6) mixed mesophile wood of Q. cerris and Ostrya carpinifolia which can be considered a transition between the Doronico-Fagion and the Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis alliances. All of these six woody vegetation types are characterised by the large penetration of Mediterranean species belonging to the Quercetea and Quercetalia ilicis and the middle-European ones of the Querco-Fagetea. This mosaic of species exemplifies the bioclimatic characteristics of Rome, which is situated in a Mediterranean transitional region.     

Plant Communities in Multi-Metal Contaminated Soils: A Case Study in the National Park of Alta Murgia (Apulia Region - Southern Italy)

A phytosociological study was conducted in the National Park of Alta Murgia in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) to determine the adverse effects of metal contamination of soils on the distribution of plant communities. The phytosociological analyses have shown a remarkable biodiversity of vegetation on non-contaminated soils, while biodiversity appeared strongly reduced on metal-contaminated soils. The area is naturally covered by a wide steppic grassland dominated by Stipa austroitalica Martinovský subsp. austroitalica. Brassicaceae such as Sinapis arvensis L. are the dominating species on moderated contaminated soils, whereas spiny species of Asteraceae such as Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. and Carduus pycnocephalus L. subsp. pycnocephalus are the dominating vegetation on heavily metal-contaminated soils. The presence of these spontaneous species on contaminated soils suggest their potential for restoration of degraded lands by phytostabilization strategy.     

Comparisons of benthic communities adjacent to riparian native eucalypt and introduced willow vegetation

1. Willows, Salix spp., have been widely introduced as a riparian species in temperate Australia and New Zealand. The present study was a broad-scale observational survey to document the differences between reaches of river lined with willows and native vegetation in the community structure of benthic invertebrates and the resources which these plants use.
2. Nine rivers in south-eastern Tasmania were examined on three occasions in autumn, spring and summer. Taxa were identified to family level, with the exception of Oligochaeta and Acarina, and benthic organic matter (CPOM and FPOM) and epilithic biomass were measured for each reach.
3. Taxon diversity and evenness were lower in willowed reaches in autumn, and total macroinvertebrate density and number of taxa were lowest in willowed reaches in summer. No differences in the fauna between willowed and native reaches were observed in spring. Measures of community similarity of the fauna in willowed and native reaches were significantly different in autumn and summer, but not in spring.
4. The taxa responsible for the significant differences seemed to be responding to differences in food availability and habitat quality in reaches of each vegetation type. Organic matter standing stock was higher in willowed reaches in autumn although the influence of these litter inputs on the fauna were not marked. Epilithon biomass was highest in autumn and spring in willowed reaches when shading in these reaches was least.
5.  The most marked differences between willowed and native reaches were during summer low flows, when the instream fauna appeared to be responding to changes to shading, water quality and the quality of the habitat.     

Variability of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Molinion</Emphasis> meadows in Slovakia

Nine vegetation types were distinguished using cluster analysis within Molinion meadows in Slovakia. Vegetation of cluster 1 occurs on most acidic soils and is characterized by the occurrence of species of the Caricion fuscae alliance and of the Nardus grasslands. Vegetation of cluster 2 is also found on rather acidic soils but in contrast to cluster 1 vegetation it contains species of base-rich sites, such as Betonica officinalis, Galium boreale or Serratula tinctoria. Vegetation of cluster 3 occurs in wet base-rich habitats and often contains species of the Caricion davallianae alliance. Species of dry and Nardus grasslands are typical for vegetation of cluster 4, which is found at the driest sites and is confined to oligotrophic sandy soils. Vegetation of clusters 5 and 6 occurs on moist mesotrophic soils. Their species composition is quite similar, the main difference being that the former includes species-poor relevés and the latter includes species-rich relevés. Relevés of cluster 7 include species of dry grasslands and some ruderal species and represent degraded types of inundated floodplain meadows of the Deschampsion alliance. Vegetation of clusters 8 is characterized by species of the Phragmito-Magnocaricetea class and of the Deschampsion alliance, and occurs in wet nutrient-rich habitats. Vegetation of cluster 9, which usually develops from vegetation of cluster 8 due to decrease in the ground-water table, often contains species of dry grasslands and mesic meadows. Except for relevés of clusters 1 and 7, all others can be assigned to the Molinietum caeruleae Koch 1926 association. Cluster 1 corresponds to the Junco effusi-Molinietum caeruleae Tüxen 1954 association. Average Ellenberg indicator values for relevés, which were passively projected on the ordination biplot of detrended correspondence analysis, showed that the first ordination axis correlates with nutrients, soil base status and temperature, and second axis with moisture.     

The snow-bed vegetation in the Northern Apennines

The snow-bed vegetation in the Northern Apennines was studied by the Braun-Blanquet method. The phytosociological relevés were classified by numerical methods. Four main vegetation types were identified: Salicetum herbaceae, community of Carex foetida, Poo-Cerastietum cerastioidis and Oligotricho-Gnaphalietum supini. The latter was described as a new association. The vegetation types were ecologically characterized by an indirect gradient analysis based on principal component analysis. The results were interpreted by means of: i) geomorphological observations, ii) soil profiles, iii) measurements of the length of the snow-free period.     

Pre-climax epiphyte communities of bryophytes and lichens in Mediterranean forests from the Central Plateau (Spain)

The pre-climax epiphytic communities of forests from the Spanish Mediterranean region (Central Plateau) were studied by numerical and traditional floristic methods. One hundred phytosociological relevés were analyzed through a classical numerical approach based on hard partitions improved by PCoA — Principal Coordinates Analysis — ordinations. Two groups easily related to two different suballiances included in Frullanion dilatatae Lecointe 1975, Ulotenion crispae (Barkman 1958) Lecointe 1975 and Fabronienion pusillae Barkman 1958 were detected. Two new syntaxa within the ass. Ortotrichetum lyellii (Allorge 1922) Lecointe 1975 are proposed. Phytogeography, syntaxonomy and ecology of these communities are discussed.