abstract

Forest vegetation and serial vegetation of Sardinia (with map at the scale 1:350,000). This monograph includes a comprehensive synthesis of the forest vegetation of Sardinia, with a physiographic, bioclimatic and biogeographic characterization of the investigated territories. Our work allowed to resume the knowledge status of the vegetation studies carried out on the Island, identify the actual plant landscape, define the vegetation series and geoseries, as well as draw a map of their potential distribution.
In total, 23 principal vegetation series were identified, with 21 of them being exclusive of the Sardinian biogeographic sub province and 2 of the Corsican-Sardinian province. In addition 5 geoseries were described: 2 exclusive of Sardinia, 1 of Sardinia and Corsica and 2 with a Mediterranean distribution. These geoseries are related to hygrophylous, riparian and lowland habitats, to ponds, coastal lagoons and dunal systems. Data on the structure, floristic composition, litomorphology, climate and serial and catenal succession for each series and geoseries, are here presented.
All the cenosis are here summarized in a syntaxonomical scheme constitued by 5 classes, 7 orders, 11 alliances, 6 suballiances, 43 associations and 27 subassociations. Regulatory aspects, protection measures as well as in situ and ex situ conservation strategies concerning the forest taxa and syntaxa are also discussed. An annexe map (scale 1:350,000) of the potential forest series and geoseries of the Island is also presented.

keywords

bioclimatology, biogeography, geosynphytosociology, phytosociology, Sardinia, synphytosociology, vascular flora