Fitosociologia 46 (2) 2009

F. Taffetani, M. Rismondo

Department of Environmental Sciences and Vegetal Production, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; e-mail: f.taffetani@univpm.it

One of the most important scientific contributions to the application of the Landascape Ecology’s disciplines is represented by the development of indicators to assess environmental quality. In particular, the use of bio-indicators based on flora and vegetation allowed a better classification of threatened species and habitats, together with a development of specific environmental politics. Despite this, many of the analysis and methods used in several conservation actions showed some important application limits, especially inside modified ecosystems such as farmlands and urban areas. This work presents a method to assess environmental quality inside agro-ecosystems; it is based on a system of bioindicators used as an analysis tool able to take advantage of all potential information brought by different bio-coenoses. Starting from the innovations of the phytosociological dynamic approach, the main objective is to take into account the results provided by vegetational analysis, concerning the description of land units and phyto-coenotic mosaics, and to improve their information capacity through an integration with quantitative data. These data can be obtained by the application of specific vegetation bioindicators created to be used inside agro-ecosystems.
This kind of interpretation of landscape dynamics, especially inside agro-ecosystems, is coherent with the application of European Agro-environmental politics (CAP, RDP, Habitat Dir.), and with the main objective of biodiversity conservation (Countdown 2010). The importance of a knowledge base for the assessment of politics effectiveness is also necessary to evaluate sustainable systems for environmental management inside both natural (protected areas) and agricultural systems within which there are important reservoirs of biodiversity and residual habitats that need to be preserved.

L. Poldini¹, L. Giovagnoli², S. Tasinazzo³

¹Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste; e-mail poldini@units.it
²Via Orione 14, 36055 Nove (VI); e-mail prog_ambiente@libero.it
³Via Pascoli 7, 36100 Vicenza (VI); e-mail stefano.tasinazzo@tin.it

The Sesleria caerulea rocky ribbon-like grasslands into the gorges of Southeastern Prealps. The rocky ribbon-like grasslands dominated by Sesleria caerulea into the gorges of Veneto and Friuli Prealps (NE-Italy) are considered. The consistence, composition and ecology of this interesting coenoses, belonging to Caricenion austroalpinae, are analysed through relevés distributed across an area from Venetian Prealps to Julian Prealps. The role of gorges and canyons dislocated into the refuge massifs of Southeastern Alps during the glacial era, where calciphilous species survived, is shown out. The relevés are compared with Valeriano-Seslerietum occurring in the north of the Alps and with others Sesleria caerulea grasslands in Southern Prealps.

S. Tasinazzo

Via Pascoli 7, I-36100 Vicenza; e-mail: stefano.tasinazzo@tin.it

The meadows vegetation of “Prà dei Gai” in eastern venetian plain (NE Italy). The vegetation of hay meadows of “Prà dei Gai” in eastern venetian plain were investigated. The associations Centaureo carniolicae-Arrhenatheretum elatioris and Poo sylvicolae-Lolietum multiflori were recognized and a new one was provisionally described: Leucojo aestivi-Poëtum pratensis ass. prov. Other communities belonging to Phragmito-Magnocaricetea are sporadic but include the interesting presence of Carex melanostachya community.

G. Pirone¹, G. Ciaschetti & A. R. Frattaroli

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, I-67100 L’Aquila; e-mail: gianfranco.pirone@univaq.it

We here present a study of the vegetation of the alluvial deposits of the River Trigno that runs between the regions of Abruzzo and Molise, Italy, the morphology of which resembles that of the seasonal, gravel-bed “fiumare”, or river, of southern Italy. On the bed of the river, there is the association Artemisio variabilis-Helichrysetum italici, which has been described for the Lucano-Calabrian fiumare. This has particular aspects that have been formally described in the subassociation arundinetosum plinii. There is also the pioneering hygro-nitrophilous vegetation of the association Polygono lapatifolii-Xanthietum italici. On the first alluvial terrace, the communities seen are: the garrigue with Lomelosia crenata subsp. pseudisetensis, for which we propose the new association Artemisio variabilis-Lomelosietum pseudisetensis; Hyparrhenia hirta subsp. hirta thermo-xerophilous grasslands of the association Onosmo echioidis-Hyparrhenietum hirtae, which are here in the new subassociation imperatetosum cylindricae; a Tamarix africana wood; and the weakly alo-hygrophilous grasslands of the associations Imperato cylindricae-Juncetum tommasinii and Schoeno nigricantis-Erianthetum ravennae.

M. Maniscalco & F. M. Raimondo

Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche dell’Università, Via Archirafi 38, I 90123 – Palermo; e-mail: maur.maniscalco@libero.it, raimondo@unipa.it

We present here a phytosociological study with ecological considerations of some formations with a prevalence of Quercus pubescens s. l. and Ilex aquifolium that occur on siliceous ground in the Madonie and Peloritani Mountains of Sicily. On the basis of this study, these formations have been attributed to two new associations: Ilici aquifolii-Quercetum leptobalani and Conopodio capillifolii-Quercetum congestae, within the order Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, which is already represented by other associations in Sicily.