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 phyto sociological methods, and analysed from coenological, synchorological and syntaxonomical viewpoints. During the field-work, 115 releves were performed using the phytosociological approach of Braun-Blanquet, and these releves were further subjected to multivariate analyses. Eight clusters of releves 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

Fine resolution distribution modelling of endemics in Majella National Park, Central Italy

“…The contemporary climate in the Central-Apennines is cool compared with three Holocene climate-warming periods (Giraudi 2003). The climate of the northern and western Majella massif is relatively humid (41200 mm/year; Blasi et al 2005). The southern half of the MNP is subhumid (800-1000 mm/year).…”

Spanish Tamarix spp. populations and estreme environments

“…1). Più in generale le faggete dei Monti della Laga, che sono state ascritte al Veronico urticifoliae -Fagetum (Longhitano e Ronsisvalle, 1974;Pedrotti, 1982;Feoli e Lagonegro, 1982;Biondi et al, 2008) ovvero al Solidagini-Fagetum di Ubaldi (1995), costituiscono in alto, una fascia compatta a formare il limite superiore della vegetazione arborea, di origine antropica, tipico del paesaggio di alta montagna comune a tutto l'Appennino (Ellemberg, 1988;Adams e Woodward, 1989;Keddy e MacLellan, 1990;Blasi et al, 2003;Blasi et al, 2005;Piovesan et al, 2005).…”

First results on the structure and seed production of beech stands at the timberline in the Monti della Laga (Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park)

“…Sull'Appennino il limite altitudinale della vegetazione forestale è rappresentato dal bosco di faggio (Pedrotti, 1982;Ellemberg, 1988;Pignatti, 1998;Blasi et al, 2003;Blasi et al, 2005;Piovesan et al, 2005a;Pezzi et al, 2007;Magnani, 2007;Nocentini, 2009;Giannini et al, 2010;Alexandrov et. al., 2011;Di Filippo et al, 2012) dimostrando l'alta valenza ecologica di adattamento di questa specie (Dittmar et al, 2003;Jarcuska, 2009;Mühlethaler et al, 2011;Tegel et al, 2013;Aertsen et al, 2014;Augustaitis et al, 2015).…”

“…al., 2011;Di Filippo et al, 2012) dimostrando l'alta valenza ecologica di adattamento di questa specie (Dittmar et al, 2003;Jarcuska, 2009;Mühlethaler et al, 2011;Tegel et al, 2013;Aertsen et al, 2014;Augustaitis et al, 2015). Fanno eccezione alcune particolari aree montuose dove il faggio è associato e/o sostituito da relitti di abete rosso [Alpe delle Tre Potenze in Toscana (Giannini e Screm, 1977)], di pino mugo [Massiccio della Maiella in Abruzzo (Blasi et al, 2005;Palombo et al, 2013)], di pino loricato [Massiccio del Pollino in Basilicata/Calabria (Guerrieri et al, 2008;Piotti et al, 2014)]. Negli ultimi 50 anni la timberline è rimasta relativamente stabile (Piovesan et al, 2005a) nonostante la diminuita pressione dell'attività pastorale.…”