Classification and mapping of the ecoregions of Italy

Abstract

Ecological regions or ecoregions derive from ecological classification of land and represent broad and discrete ecologically homogeneous areas within which natural communities and species interact with the physical elements of the environment. The aim of this paper is to define the ecoregions of Italy, southern Europe, based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping. The ecoregions of Italy comprise 2 Divisions, 7 Provinces, 11 Sections and 33 Subsections and constitute the first comprehensive ecological classification of the country that integrates accurate and updated cartographies and knowledges on climate, vegetation, land units and biogeography. This classification has the strength to be adopted as a proper framework for ecological modelling, biodiversity conservation policies and sustainable territorial planning at the national and subnational level. © 2014, © 2014 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis

Combining the Conservation of Biodiversity with the Provision of Ecosystem Services in Urban Green Infrastructure Planning: Critical Features Arising from a Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Rome

“…As regards forest communities, a reference framework available for the Roman Area ecoregion includes 6 prevalent physiognomic types, 2 differential physiognomic types and 1 exclusive physiognomic type of vegetation potential belonging to the western Mediterranean, Italo-Tyrrhenian biogeographic province [64,65]. The prevalent and exclusive vegetation potential types consist of mixed communities dominated by deciduous oaks and of riparian woods, while the differential vegetation potential type consists of thermophilous beech forests that are typical of volcanic substrata in the ecoregion.…”

Above- and belowground patterns in a subalpine grassland-shrub mosaic

“…The research was conducted in the Trentino region, a mountain area in the Central and Eastern Italian Alps (Blasi et al 2014). The study site was located on the Trenca summer farm (latitude 46°08′N; longitude 11°39′E; elevation 1700 m asl.)…”

Ecological index of maturity to evaluate the vegetation disturbance of areas affected by restoration work: a practical example of its application in an area of the Southern Alps

“…), and belongs to the South‐Orobic Geobotanical District (Andreis ) within the Central Alpine sector of the Eurosiberian biogeographical region (Rivas‐Martínez et al ). According to the recent classification of the ecoregions of Italy proposed by Blasi et al (), it is part of the North‐eastern Alps ecoregional subsection (Central and Eastern Alps section, Alpine Province, Temperate Division). It is part of the Central‐western Alpine neutro‐basophilic series of silver fir and spruce ( Abieti‐Piceion ) (Verde et al ) in which the mature vegetation stage (current potential vegetation) consists of montane coniferous forests ( Picea abies and Abies alba ) with F. sylvatica (Del Favero , ), whereas the intermediate stages are made up, in dynamic‐evolutive order, of communities of Adenostylion alliariae / Calamagrostion villosae (fringe) and of the community of Sambuco racemosae–Salicion capreae (forest mantle) (Verde et al ).…”