Bioclimates of Italy

The Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System according to Rivas-Martínez (WBCS) is a bioclimatic classification that is widely used in vegetation science, geobotany, and landscape ecology. To date, only one complete WBCS map has been produced for Italy at the national scale. Here, we define two major updates to the WBCS map of Italy: improvements to the surface spatial accuracy for the climate, especially for precipitation; and detailed mapping of the Submediterraneity Index and its levels, which mainly characterize the ecotone area between the Mediterranean and the Temperate macrobioclimates. Finally, all WBCS units (i.e. macrobioclimates, bioclimatic variants, bioclimates, continentality types, bioclimatic belts) and the Submediterraneity Index are mapped on a scale of 1:2,500,000. These maps and the bioclimatic indices and monthly climatic surfaces are available here as raster data-sets (resolution, 900 m) and are useful for accurate bioclimatic diagnosis for the entire Italian territory. They will also support vegetation–environment relationship analysis, ecological modeling, and applied studies of climate change at the national scale

La Vegetazione arbustiva di un settore costiero dell'adriatico centrale italiano

The shrubby vegetation in a coastal sector of italian central adriatic sea. The results of the phytosociological analysis concerning the shrubby vegetation of a sector of the italian adriatic coast, of around 20 Kms, situated in the Rrgional natural park of Conero, are presented. It deals with mountainous coasts of two main lithomorphological typologies: marly-arenaceous and calcareous formations. On the first formation, in correspondence to marly rocks, the new Lonicero etruscae-Cornetum sanguineae association, belonging to the edapho-hygrophilous meso and submediterranean pre-apennine series of the elm (Symphyto bulbosi-Ulmeto minoris sigmetum), develops. On the contrary, on sand stones, constituted by superimposed levels and intercalated to marlstones, develops a xerophilous vegetation which stops at the maquis stadium, referred to the new Coronillo emeroidis-Rhamnetum alaterni association in the new loniceretosum etrusca e sub-association. On the calcareous cliffs of the warmest slopes, a maquis vegetation develops, referred to the same association but in the most thermophilous subassociation viburnetosum tini, colonising partially consolidated screes, which represents an element of the mesomediterranean italian-tyrrhenian and amphiadriatic calcicolous series of the holm-oak (Fraxino orni -Querceto ilicis sigmetum). Finally, on the steep slopes of the compact limestones of the warmest sectors of the South-East side of M. Conero (Valley ofthe Vellare), the new ampelodesmetosum mauritanici sub-association ofthe Coronillo emeroidis-Euphorbietum dendroidis association is described. It differentiates from the latter for the presence of more temperate elements and for the loss of some thermomediterranean species

Excursion to the Conero regional natural park

The Regional Natural Park of Conero is situated in the central-eastern part of the Italian peninsula where it covers an area of about 6,000 ha (Fig. 1). The protected area extends in a north-south direction for a distance of about 20 Km, reaching a maximum width corresponding to Conero Mountain (about 7 Km) and narrowing towards its northern extremity. The wide floristic and biocoenotic biodiversity which characterises the area is determined by its central position with respect to the basin of the Adriatic Sea, by the height of the Conero promontory, which with its height of 572 m greatly surpasses the average of the Italian Adriatic coast, and by the diversity of the geological, geomorphological and climatic conditions of the territory enclosed by the Natural Park (Brilli-Cattarini, 1967; Biondi, 1986). The agricultural, timbering and shepherding activities that were very developed in the past have contributed in part to the increase in the biodiversity of the territory, determining a high diversification of the plant landscape and favouring the development of ecotonal areas. The abandonment of the agricultural activities in large areas that followed, and of the timbering and shepherding activities in almost all of the territory, has determined the development of the natural dynamic processes of the recovery of the vegetation

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #26 to #36

New Italian data on the distribution of the Annex I Habitats 1510*, 2130*, 2250*, 3180*, 3260, 5230*, 6410, 7140, 7220*, 9320 are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 14 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 20 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Umbria

Lista bibliografica

Questa lista bibliografica contiene il secondo aggiornamento della bibliografia della Lisy e deriva dall’assemblaggio da parte della redazione (M. Serdoz ed E. Panfili) dei contributi parziali stilati dai gruppi regionali

An overview of the Italian forest biodiversity and its conservation level, based on the first outcomes of the 4th Habitat Report ex-Art. 17

In 2019 the 4th Report ex-Art. 17 on the conservation status (CS) of Annex I Habitats of the 92/43/EEC Directive was expected by every EU/28 country, with reference to the period 2013-18. In Italy, the process was in charge to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), on behalf of the Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea Protection (MATTM), with the scientific support of the Italian Botanical Society (SBI). A large group of thematic and territorial experts elaborated the available data concerning the 124 types of terrestrial and inland water Habitats present in Italy, 39 of which are represented by Forest Habitats (Group 9),. The main aim of the work was the evaluation of the overall CS of each Habitat by Biogeographic Region (Mediterranean, Continental and Alpine), for a total amount of 294 assessments. A high proportion of these (92, corresponding to 31% of the total) referred to Forest Habitats, including 20 marginal types for which the CS was not requested. The analysis was carried out at different scales: a) administrative territory, through the data contained in the ISPRA database, whose compilation was in charge to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces; b) Natura 2000 site, with the latest updates available (Standard Data Forms updated to 2018); c) national scale, implementing the distribution maps for each Habitat based on the European grid ETRS89-LAEA5210 (10x10 km2 mesh); d) Biogeographic Region, scale of the final assessment. Cartographic outcomes, associated databases and additional data used for the assessments will be available online on the ISPRA Portal as soon as the validation process by the European Commission will be completed. A dedicated archive named "HAB_IT" has been created in the national database "VegItaly" (1), managed by the Italian Society of Vegetation Science, where the phytosociological relevés representative of the various Annex I Habitats in Italy will be archived and freely accessible. An overview of the results regarding the Forest habitats is here provided, including a comparison with the outcomes of the former reporting cycle, the 3rd Report ex-Art. 17 (2). In several cases (e.g. 9120, 91L0), the distribution maps have been remarkably improved due to better knowledge and more fitful interpretation. The conservation status resulted as Favourable (FV) for 6,7%, Inadequate (U1) for 58,7% and Bad (U1) for 32,0% of the 72 assessed forest Habitat types. In no case there was an improvement of the conservation status, while in 6 cases a worsening of the conditions resulted from the data analysis, pointing out the Habitats types with a higher need of action. Similarly to other projects carried out as a team by the network of Annex I Habitat experts of the Italian Botanical Society and the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (e.g. 3, 4), this is another step in the direction of supporting the implementation of the 92/43/EEC "Habitat" Directive in Italy and Europe. On this ground, the high biodiversity of the Italian forest Habitats could be emphasized, however results pointed out that some rare or endemic types (e.g. Alnus cordata or Betula aetnensis-dominated forests) are still scarcely acknowledged by the most prominent EU conservation tools such as the Annex I to the "Habitat" Directive. 1) F. Landucci et al. (2012) Plant Biosyst., 146(4), 756-763 2) P. Genovesi et al. (2014) ISPRA, Serie Rapporti, 194/2014 3) E. Biondi et al. (2009) Società Botanica Italiana, MATTM, D.P.N., http://vnr.unipg.it/habitat/ 4) D. Gigante et al. (2016) Plant Sociology, 53(2), 77-8

SPONTANEUS RENATURALIZATION PROCESSES OF THE VEGETATION IN THE ABANDONED FIELDS (CENTRAL ITALY)

Some methodologies utilised for the analyses, with different scales, earried out in the study of the renaturalisation processes that determine in the territories that are not more utilised for agro-pastoral practices, are here described. In fact, during the last fifth teen years a progressive process of abandonment of the hilly and mountain territories. not more economically remunerative according to the present technological and market requests, have taken pIace. Therefore, in these territories. quick recovery processes by spontaneous vegetation are developing. having a great scientific and applicative importance, these processes caused, as result. a deep transformation of the plant Iandscape. These processes have been studied trough the methodologies of the phytosociological. synphytosociological and geosynphytosociological analyses in order to interpret the dynamic successions and to predict the time for the recolonisation according to diachronic studies associated to population dynamic anaIyses. To these studies are connected analyses on the architectural model of growth of Spartium junceum, species particularly active in the vegetation recovery processes, that have been canied out in CentraI ltaIy territories. These analyses allow a better comprehension of the rale of this species

SPONTANEUS RENATURALIZATION PROCESSES OF THE VEGETATION IN THE ABANDONED FIELDS (CENTRAL ITALY)

Some methodologies utilised for the analyses, with different scales, earried out in the study of the renaturalisation processes that determine in the territories that are not more utilised for agro-pastoral practices, are here described. In fact, during the last fifth teen years a progressive process of abandonment of the hilly and mountain territories. not more economically remunerative according to the present technological and market requests, have taken pIace. Therefore, in these territories. quick recovery processes by spontaneous vegetation are developing. having a great scientific and applicative importance, these processes caused, as result. a deep transformation of the plant Iandscape. These processes have been studied trough the methodologies of the phytosociological. synphytosociological and geosynphytosociological analyses in order to interpret the dynamic successions and to predict the time for the recolonisation according to diachronic studies associated to population dynamic anaIyses. To these studies are connected analyses on the architectural model of growth of Spartium junceum, species particularly active in the vegetation recovery processes, that have been canied out in CentraI ltaIy territories. These analyses allow a better comprehension of the rale of this species