Phytosociological research on temporary ponds in Apulia (southern Italy)

Abstract

The ephemeral hygrophilous vegetation occurring in the temporary ponds of Apulia (southern Italy) weres studied following the phytosociological approach. On the base of 153 phytosociological relevés carried out during the period 2015-2018, 19 associations were identified, of which 16 described for the first time. All the associations belong to the Isoeto-Nanojuncetea class. The surveyed associations can be arranged in two orders, such as Isoetetalia, including those with a winter-spring cycle and Nanocyperetalia, regarding those with a summertime cycle. The identified association has been examined in detail, and for each one, we provided a phytosociological table. The communities belonging to the Isoetetalia are 17 and arranged in four alliances (Isoetion, Preslion cervinae, Cicendio filiformis-Solenopsion laurentiae, Agrostion salmanticae); instead, those ones of Nanocyperetalia are two both included in the Verbenion supinae. In order to highlight the relationships among the associations, all the relevés used for this investigation are processed. Overall, this analysis confirms the autonomy of the associations, grouping them according to the syntaxonomic arrangement proposed by the authors. Taxonomic investigations on the flora occurring in these habitats allowed the detection of two new subspecies of Solenopsis laurentia, both with a different autoecology.

Contribution to the knowledge of Mediterranean wetland vegetation: Lemnetea and Potamogetonetea classes in Western Sicily

“…The present data greatly broaden the floristic-phytosociological knowledge of the aquatic communities of the largest Mediterranean island, as well as their syntaxonomic, synecological, and distributive features. Our survey allowed almost punctual evaluation of scattered, isolated aquatic habitats that have a relevant conservation value considering the huge pressures exerted by climate change and human activities in the Mediterranean region (Gianguzzi et al 2013(Gianguzzi et al , 2017Benavent-González et al 2014;Angiolini et al 2017;Tomaselli et al 2020). Thus, the described vegetation includes very peculiar phytocoenoses, although the floristic originality of the aquatic communities monitored is generally low.…”

Flora, Plant Communities and Vegetation Mapping of the Lake D’otri (Gargano, Apulia, Italy)

“…For the nomenclature of plant taxa we mainly followed the checklist of the Italian vascular flora [4,5], while also considering the newest monograph on the Italian flora [15]. The syntaxonomic framework was adopted from various regional or local vegetation classifications [17,6,19].…”

Validation of associations for the temporary ponds of the class Isoeto-Nanojuncetea in Puglia (southern Italy)

“…In a previous contribution, published on the first issue of the online journal Mediterranean Botany (41(1), 2020), a survey on the ephemeral hygrophilous vegetation occurring in the temporary ponds of Puglia (southern Italy) has been provided, with the description of 16 new associations (out of a total of 19 associations identified for the study area; Tomaselli et al, 2020). The 4th edition of the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (Theurillat et al, 2021) recognises as valid the new syntaxa published on electronic journals registered in the ISSN system, but this rule (Art.…”

“…1) has taken effect only on 1 January 2021. Thus, a syntaxon name published online before this date is to be considered as a nomen ineditum, consequently, the new associations reported in Tomaselli et al (2020) are to be considered ineffectively published and are here proposed new and validated.…”

“…caespitosa and S. laurentia subsp. pusilla, we refer to Tomaselli et al (2020). For the syntaxonomic classification of the validated syntaxa, as well as complete descriptions and tables, see Tomaselli et al (2020).…”