Phytosociological study of beech and beech-mixed woods in Monti Sibillini National Park (central Apennines, Italy)

The results of a phytosociological survey of the woods mainly growing on limestones in the Southern part of the Marches Region (Central Italy), that is part of the Monti Sibillini National Park, are here presented. This area is characterized by a temperate climate (upper mesotemperate and lower/upper supratemperate bioclimatic belts). In order to study the vegetation, 173 phytosociological relevés were carried out through the Braun-Blanquet methodology. All the data obtained were submitted to multivariate analysis. The phytosociological analysis is characterized in nine associations, whereof three are of new description (Lathyro veneti-Fagetum sylvaticae hieracietosum murorum, Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae corallorhizetosum trifidae and Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagetum sylvaticae anemonetosum nemorosae)

Plant species diversity and distribution along environmental gradients in a submediterranean forest landscape (central Italy)

A survey of a submediterranean forest landscape in central Italy was carried out to assess floristic diversity and species ecological behaviour in relation to some environmental gradients (altitude, aspect, light intensity on the undergrowth, soil pH, nitrogen content and texture). Diversity indices (species richness, Shannon-Wiener and Evenness) trends, calculated in relation to environmental parameters, showed to be mostly related to stress gradients. The highest diversity, in fact, is linked to the least stressful conditions. Redundancy analysis (RDA) allowed to identify six species sets, related to the environmental parameters, which were tested through bioindication values analysis. Intensity of stress factors and their combination select one or more groups of specieswithdifferentecologicalbehaviour, leading to the local floristic differentiation of plant communities. This approach may be useful to predict floristic variation of forest ecosystems as a consequence of increasing stress levels, such as drought stress due to climatic changes, to the definition of plant diversity conservation guidelines and for biodiversity monitoring

Seedling survival and dynamics of upper timberline in central Apennines

Despite several studies on the timberline dynamics in Europe were carried out in the last decades, very few papers refer to mountain areas where the timberline is composed of broadleaved trees, and no research was conducted on the dynamics of Apennine beech timberline in relation to seedling survival. The research aim was to analyse the beech wood timberline dynamics in the central Apennines, with reference to seedling survival. Furthermore, factors affecting seedling survival were identified. To assess the forest ecotone dynamics, vegetation layer cover, rock fragment cover and information about forest management and krummholz occurrence were collected in sampling plots placed over 1,600 m a.s.l., on north-facing slopes. The beech seedlings occurring in Brachypodium genuense-dominated stands above the timberline were counted and monitored along two growing seasons. Soil temperature, soil moisture, and photosynthetically active radiation available for seedlings (PHAR) in grasslands above timberline were measured. The research outputs indicate that timberline is not a natural boundary and that there is no evidence of its extension upwards. The greatest number of beech seedlings was recorded in late spring. The one-year mortality rate ranged from 71 to 100%. None of the seedlings still alive in the early autumn of the first year were recorded in the following spring. The competitive exclusion by Brachypodium genuense individuals, which limit the incident PHAR, and the low soil moisture during summer, were identified as the main factors that account for the high mortality of seedlings and affect beech regeneration above timberline. The effect of competition is probably intensified by the lack of pioneer shrubs which could otherwise serve as nurse plants for beech seedlings and protect them from browsing by wild ungulates. Thus, both the current and the past land use may be considered as driving forces in timberline dynamics. Probably, also the trend of global warming, that in the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean climatic context would determine the increase of summer drought stress, could worsen the effect of competitive exclusion of beech seedlings, so that it can be hypothesized that the expansion upwards of the upper timberline in the Apennines could be totally blocked

Regeneration of Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. forest after coppicing: modelling of changes in species diversity and composition

In temperate forest ecosystems, management is one of the most relevant factors that can drive the temporal pattern of species. As species in an ecosystem show susceptibility to stress and disturbance, it is useful to take into account the plant community "compositional dimension", which derives from species behaviour and ecological attributes and provides information on the mechanisms underlying species assemblages. Taking into account the influence of environmental factors on species diversity and composition, in order to determine the most suitable ecological behaviour type of each species, the research aim was to generate a model for Ostrya carpinifolia coppiced woods (central Italy) that describes forest ecosystem regeneration after coppicing by the assessment of change in the composition of ecological behaviour types. Vascular species cover percentage, field data, soil data, light intensity at the undergrowth, dominant tree layer cover and time since last logging were recorded for 63 plots covering 400 m2 each (20 x 20 m), randomly selected within a set of homogeneous macro-environmental conditions. Low species richness is related to stressing factors (acid soil, high soil skeleton percentage), while high species richness is linked to high light intensity at the undergrowth level due to scarce canopy cover soon after coppicing. The driving forces affecting floristic composition, highlighted through multi-response permutation procedures (MRPP) were light intensity at the undergrowth, regenerative phase, dominant tree layer cover, acidity, presence/absence of outcropping rock or rock fragments and total nitrogen content. Six species groups, each one characterized by homogeneous ecological behaviour, were defined by indicator species analysis (ISA) and tested using bioindication values analysis. Floristic successional change, related to time since last coppicing, turned out to follow an ecological cycling process characterized by cyclical occurrence/disappearance of species belonging to the six groups

Contributo alla quantificazione della fitomassa epigea di alcuni pascoli dell’Appennino umbro-marchigiano (Italia centrale)

Il presente studio rappresenta un primo approccio alla descrizione, in termini quantitativi, della risorsa foraggera ovvero della produttività che caratterizza alcune tipologie di pascolo nell’Appennino Umbro-Marchigiano. Seppur ancora perfettibili i risultati ottenuti sono coerenti con l’ipotesi di base e cioè con la constatazione che la produttività aumenta passando dalle comunità xeriche a quelle semimesofile ed ai prati-pascolo. La produttività dipende infatti, da diverse variabili quali: disponibilità di risorse ambientali, intensità con cui le diverse componenti delle piante vengono consumate dagli erbivori (GRIME, 2001), composizione floristica del pascolo (le specie vegetali influenzano la fisionomia e la struttura architettonica del manto erboso e quindi la produzione), caratteristiche geomorfologiche, pedologiche e climatiche del sito di studio, ecc

Approccio geosinfitosociologico alla definizione della carrying capacity potenziale degli ecosistemi forestali dell’Appennino centrale nei confronti del capriolo (Capreolus capreolus L.)

An intense debate is developed on the opportunity and the possibility to realize a system of representation of the ecosystems as fundamental element for the territorial planning, the sustainable development, the management of the habitats and animal communities. This work is aimed to the definition of the theoretical carrying capacity of the more diffused forest ecosystems in the Province of Macerata by means of the analysis of the edible phytomass from the roe deer in the winter period, corresponding to the vegetative stasis. For the evaluation of such availability, besides the floristic-structural characteristics of the forest ecosystems, it needs to know the length of the vegetative stasis period (related to every ecosystem and correlated to the bioclimatic peculiarities of the territory) as well as of the behavioural aspects in the assumption of food and the anatomical characteristics of alimentary tract of the studied kind. The analysis of the harvested phytomass (inside sample areas related to every forest ecosystem) has shown a notable variability in the quantity of edible phytomass within the considered forest ecosystems, testifying as a notable difference of vocation for the roe deer exists among different ecosystems

La vegetazione forestale dei substrati arenacei della Val d’Aso (Marche, Italia centrale).

Results of a phytosociological study on the wood on the sandstone bedrock are here presented. The studied area is located in the southern part of Marche Region, Ascoli Piceno Province, under the influence of temperate climate (lower/higher mesotemperate and lower supratemperate bioclimatic belts). The vegetation study has been performed throught 119 phytosociological relevés. All data were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis. The phytosociology analysis has permitted to characterize 6 associations, whereof 2 news: Erico arboreae-Quercetum pubescentis ericetosum arboreae and Hieracio murori-Ostryetum carpinifoliae hieracietosummurori. Chorological and synecological datas were described in the paper, compared to the corresponding associations of the limestones bedrock of the neighbouring area

La regionalizzazione biogeografica quale elemento per una migliore comprensione del valore degli habitat: il caso della Regione Marche

Habitat Directive provides the subdivision of the habitats indicated in Annex I in different biogegraphic regions on the basis of a classification of the U.E. territory extremely simplified. On the contrary, in the opinion of the Authors, a precise definition of the different hierarchical levels of the territory could allow to recognise, for each habitat, a more precise collocation and to make e new classification of them in the regional context. Within the REM Project, the biogeographical classification of the regional territory was done to the vegetation series level and the results are here presented. The hierarchical scheme utilised, follows that one proposed by Rivas-Martinez and for the upper hierarchical levels, from Region to subprovince, the unities defined in the European Biogeographic map have been taken. For Marche Region 5 sectors, 10 subsectors, 14 districts, 96 plant landscape units and 146 plant landscape elements within them a high number of tessera have been found. For the upper biogeographic levels, the maps are here presented while the plant landscape elements are listed following the hierarchical order

La Carta della vegetazione e degli elementi di paesaggio vegetale delle Marche (scala 1:50.000) per la progettazione e la gestione della rete ecologica regionale

A study regards 2 maps about actual vegetation and geosinphytosociological aspects of Marche Region territory is showed. This maps are carried out inside regional Ecological Network Project started by Biodiversity and Ecological Network Office at the end of 2003. Besides some possible applications are proposed