Tertiary relict laurophyll vegetation in the Madonie mountains (Sicily)

Abstract

Abstract:: Laurel woodlands in the Madonie mountains (Sicily) are characterized by the presence of Laurus nobilis, Rhamnus lojaconoi and Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris. The results of a phytosociological study are presented, and a new endemic association, Rhamno lojaconoi-Lauretum nobilis, is described. Present Mediterranean laurel communities are the result of an adaptive response by Tertiary laurel forest to the peculiar microclimatic conditions that characterize the refugia where they persist. These refugia have been recently considered as a priority habitat under the Directive 92/43/EEC, and their plant communities are very vulnerable. Protection measures of the studied laurel populations are necessary, with particular reference to the bulking up of R. lojaconoi through in situ and ex situ propagation. A multivariate analysis of 63 relevés from all the Sicilian laurel communities described so far and additional 65 relevés from all over southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin bears out the autonomy of the new association, showing at the same time some oristic afnities between Sicilian, southern Italian, Spanish and Iberian associations. Their syntaxonomic treatment is discussed.

Population structure of Laurus nobilis L. in Central Italian forests: evidence for its ongoing expansion

“…Indeed, in a dynamic or stable population structure, a high mortality rate at the juvenile stages of the propagules could limit the numbers of old individuals, thus, preventing the expansion of L. nobilis. Nevertheless, our conclusion about the potential expansion of L. nobilis in the study area is corroborated by the highly vital regeneration previously reported for several districts in Central Italy (Viciani and Moggi 1997;Foggi et al 2006), as well in populations in Northern and Southern Italy (Brullo and Guarino 1998;Bacchetta et al 2007;Gianguzzi et al 2010;Marino et al 2014) where we detected populations classified as dynamic or stable. A past vital regeneration combined with the current relatively high numbers of saplings found in these dynamic and stable populations therefore suggest a well-established recruitment process of L. nobilis, both in time and space.…”

What is a tree in the Mediterranean Basin hotspot? A critical analysis

“…But some recent phylogeographical and/or paleoecological studies provide sometimes counterintuitive results. For some sclerophyllous species (the laurel tree Laurus nobilis: Rodríguez-Sánchez et al 2009;Marino et al 2014; the myrtle, Myrtus communis: Migliore et al 2012) that are not domesticated but only used by humans, the classical hypothesis of an eastern Mediterranean origin followed by subsequent westward expansion and diversification across the western Mediterranean and Macaronesia is verified. These cases suggest here a limited influence of historical human-mediated translocations despite the ancient use of these species.…”

Linking Man and Nature: Relictual Forest Coenosis with Laurus nobilis L. and Celtis australis L. in Antica Lavinium, Italy

“…caprificus, has been described by Bacchetta et al [15]. On the contrary, Gianguzzi et al [16] and Marino et al [17] have found in Sicily residual L. nobilis communities with a limited presence of C. australis, where the latter was not considered characteristic of the newly described association.…”