A consistent vegetation classification is an essential tool for conservation and monitoring purposes, also for semi-natural habitats such as pastures and hay meadows that are linked to traditional land use and generally considered crucial to maintain biodiversity within agricultural systems. Indeed, these habitats can be strongly affected by land abandonment or agriculture intensification. Despite their importance in the framework of the EU Habitats Directive (43/92/EEC), information on distribution, species composition, and conservation status is still lacking for many regions. To fill these gaps, we investigated from a phytosociological point of view the sheep pastures of the North-Western Sardinian trachy-basaltic sector. Three main communities were described as new: (i) perennial montane (meso-supratemperate) cattle and sheep pastures (Loto alpini- Festucetum morisianae); (ii) mixed (annual and perennial) Mediterranean (lower Thermomediterranean to lower supratemperate) sheep pastures (Ornithogalo corsici-Poetum bulbosae); and (iii) annual ploughed subnitrophilous Mediterranean and Temperate pastures (Cynosuro polybracteati-Vulpietum ligusticae). As the first two host numerous endemic taxa and show a peculiar floristic composition, we assign them a higher conservation value, testified also by their classification in two new syntaxa: Danthonio decumbentis-Caricenion insularis (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) and Ornithogalo corsici-Trifolienion subterranei (Poetea bulbosae), respectively.

Are all pastures eligible for conservation? A phytosociological survey of the Sardinian–Corsican Province as a basic tool for the Habitats Directive

ROSATI, LEONARDO;
2013-01-01

Abstract

A consistent vegetation classification is an essential tool for conservation and monitoring purposes, also for semi-natural habitats such as pastures and hay meadows that are linked to traditional land use and generally considered crucial to maintain biodiversity within agricultural systems. Indeed, these habitats can be strongly affected by land abandonment or agriculture intensification. Despite their importance in the framework of the EU Habitats Directive (43/92/EEC), information on distribution, species composition, and conservation status is still lacking for many regions. To fill these gaps, we investigated from a phytosociological point of view the sheep pastures of the North-Western Sardinian trachy-basaltic sector. Three main communities were described as new: (i) perennial montane (meso-supratemperate) cattle and sheep pastures (Loto alpini- Festucetum morisianae); (ii) mixed (annual and perennial) Mediterranean (lower Thermomediterranean to lower supratemperate) sheep pastures (Ornithogalo corsici-Poetum bulbosae); and (iii) annual ploughed subnitrophilous Mediterranean and Temperate pastures (Cynosuro polybracteati-Vulpietum ligusticae). As the first two host numerous endemic taxa and show a peculiar floristic composition, we assign them a higher conservation value, testified also by their classification in two new syntaxa: Danthonio decumbentis-Caricenion insularis (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) and Ornithogalo corsici-Trifolienion subterranei (Poetea bulbosae), respectively.
2013
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Farris et al_2013_PlantBiosystems.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Pre-print
Licenza: DRM non definito
Dimensione 349.61 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
349.61 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11563/56843
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 21
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 34
social impact