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Timberline and Alpine Vegetation in the Northern Apennines: Bioclimate Scenery and Vegetation Diversity

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Climate Gradients and Biodiversity in Mountains of Italy

Part of the book series: Geobotany Studies ((GEOBOT))

Abstract

From Mt. Orsaro to Mt. Corno alle Scale, the Northern Apennines include some of the highest peaks of the whole chain. The areas above the timberline are chiefly above 1700 m asl, and corresponds to the altitudinal limit of beech forests, which appears as an abrupt timberline. They are rare and scattered on the highest peaks areas above the timberline are can be considered an “archipelago” of alpine islands.

As suggested by the known beech thermal requirements, the present upper timberline (1825 m asl) corresponds to a mean annual temperature of 4.5 °C and to the warmest month (July) mean temperature of 13 °C. The July mean temperature corresponds to that of maritime mountains such as the Appalachians and the New Zealand Alps where a deciduous timberline can be found. Thermal data do not take into account site factors, such as land morphology, wind exposure and snow cover duration which create a high habitat and vegetation diversity. Our available knowledge on vegetation diversiy is based on descriptions following the Braun-Blanquet approach. Vegetation is characterized by ericaeous dwarf shrublands (Rododendro-Vaccinietalia), grasslands (Caricetalia curvulae; Nardetalia), marshes with reeds (Phragmitetalia) and sedges (Caricetalia nigrae), rock faces (Potentilletalia caulescentis), talus slopes (Thlaspietalia stylosi, Androsacetalia alpinae), springs and streams (Cratoneuro-Philonotidetalia), snow beds (Salicetalia herbaceae).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Bologna University, via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Carlo Ferrari

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  1. Carlo Ferrari
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Correspondence to Carlo Ferrari .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Ecology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy

    Franco Pedrotti

Appendix

Appendix

6.1.1 Syntaxonomical Vegetation Scheme

  • Class Asplenietea trichomanis (Br.-Bl. In Meier et Br.-Bl. 1934) Oberd.1977

  • Order Potentilletalia caulescentis Br. Bl. In Br.Bl. et Jenny 1926

  • Alliance Cystopteridion (Nordhag. 1936) J.L. Rich. 1972.

    •  Association Asplenio-Cystopteridetum fragilis Oberd. (1936) 1949.

  • Order Androsacetalia vandelli Br.-Bl. In Meier et Br.-Bl. 1934

  • Alliance Androsacion vandellii Br.-BL. In Br.-Bl. Et Jenny 1926

    •  Association Drabo aizoidis-Primuletum apenninae Tomaselli 1994.

  • Class Thlaspietea rotundifolii Br.-Bl. Et al. 1947.

  • Order Thlaspietalia stylosi Avena et Bruno 1975

  • Alliance Linario -Festucion dimorphae Avena et Bruno 1975

    •  Associatiion Arenarietum bertolonii Credano et Pirola 1975

  • Order Androsacetalia alpinae Br. Bl. In Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1026

  • Alliance: Dryopteridion oreadis Rivas-Martinez 1977

    •  Association Cryptogrammo-Dryopteridetum oreadis Rivas-Martinez in Rivas Martinez et Costa 1970

  • Class Montio-Cardaminetea Br.-Bl. et Tx 1943

  • Order Cratoneuro-Philonotidetalia Geissl. 1976

  • Alliance Cratoneurion commutati W. Koch 1928

    •  Association Chaerophyllo-Cardaminetum asarifoliae Gerdol et Tomaselli 1988

  • Class Salicetea herbaceae Br. Bl. et al. 1947

  • Order Salicetalia herbaceae Br.—Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926

  • Alliance Salicion herbaceae Br.—Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny19 26

    •  Associations Salicetum herbaceae Rübel 1912; Oligotricho hercynici-Gnaphalietum supini Tomaselli 1991; Luzuletum spadiceae Rübel 1911, Polytrichetum sexangularis, Poo-Cerastietum cerastoidis Tomaselli 1991; Caricetum foetidae Frey 1922.

  • Class Phragmitetea Tx et Prs 1942

  • Order Phragmitetalia W. Koch 1926

  • Alliance Phragmition australis W. Koch. 1926

    •  Association Sagittario-Sparganietum emersi Tx 1953

  • Alliance Magnocaricion W. Koch. 1926

    •  Associations Carex rostrata community, Caricetum vesicariae Chouard 1924; Menyanthes trifoliata community

  • Claas Scheuchzerio-Caricetea nigrae (Nordh 1936) Tx 1937

  • Order Caricetalia nigrae (W. Koch 1926) Nordh. 1926

  • Alliance Caricion nigrae W. Koc 1926 em. Klika 1934.

    •  Associations Eriophoretum scheuchzeri Fries 1913; Caricetum nigrae Br.-Bl. 1915; Sphagno nemorei - Caricetum nigrae Gerdol et Tomaselli 1993; Drepanocladus exannulatus and Juncus filiformis community.

  • Class Montio-Cardaminetea Br. -Bl. et R. Tx ex Klika et Hadac 1944 em. Zechmeister 1993

  • Order Montio-Cardaminetalia Paswloski 1928 em. Zechmeister 1993

  • Alliance Cratoneurion commutati Koch 1928

    •  Association Chaerophyllo-Cardaminetum asarifoliae Gerdol et Tomaselli 1988.

  • Class Caricetea curvulae Br.-Bl. 1948

  • Order Caricetalia curvulae Br.-Bl. 1926 em Krajina 1933

  • Alliance Caricion curvulae Br.-Bl. 1925

    •  Association Sileno excapae-Trifolietum alpini Tomaselli et Rossi 1994

  • Class Nardo-Callunetea Prsg 1949

  • Order Nardetalia Oberd. 1948 em Prsg 1949

  • Alliance Nardion Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926.

    •  Associations Geo montani-Nardetum Ludi 1948: Violo cavillierii-Nardetum Credaro et Pirola 1975 corr.Tomaselli 1994; Brachypodium genuense community

  • Class Loiseleurio-Vaccinietea Eggler 1952

  • Order Rododendro-Vaccinietalia Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926

  • Alliance Loiseleurio -Vaccinion Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926

    •  Association Empetro-Vaccinietum gaultherioidis Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Jenny 1926 corr. Grabherr 1993.

  • Alliance Rododendro-Vaccinion Br.-Bl. 1926

  • Association Hyperico richeri-Vaccinietum gaultherioidis Pirola et Corbetta 1971 corr. Ferrari 1997.

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Ferrari, C. (2018). Timberline and Alpine Vegetation in the Northern Apennines: Bioclimate Scenery and Vegetation Diversity. In: Pedrotti, F. (eds) Climate Gradients and Biodiversity in Mountains of Italy. Geobotany Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67967-9_6

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