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The Altitudinal Limit of Beech Woods in the Northern Apennines (Italy). Its Spatial Pattern and Some Thermal Inferences

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Abstract

The spatial pattern of the altitudinal limit of beech woods in the Northern Apennines and its correlation with the Fagus sylvatica thermal requirements were studied. The study area was the whole northern side of the Northern Apennines (latitude 44° N), including a timberline. The pattern was described on a scale of 1:25,000, using digitized phytosociological vegetation maps. The timberline elevation ranges from 1,200 to 1,825 m a.s.l., with the highest range at 1,525 to 1,725 m and a peak (13%) at 1,600–1,625 m. As suggested by the known beech thermal requirements, the following thermal parameters were considered: mean annual temperature, mean of the coldest month (January), mean of the warmest month (July); days with maximum temperatures >10°C and summer mean (June to September). The values were calculated using data for 1951–2002 from six weather stations. The present upper timberline (1,825 m) corresponds to the following: i) mean annual temperature of 4.5°C; ii) coldest month mean temperature of −2.3°C; iii) summer mean of 11.5°C; iv) warmest month mean temperature of 13°C; v) 139 days with maximum temperatures of 10°C or higher. The mean temperature of the warmest month corresponds to the July mean temperature in maritime mountains, such as the Appalachians and the New Zealand Alps (13°C). The geographical location of the Northern Apennines close to the Mediterranean Sea seems to indicate that such a conclusion is reliable. With reference to the elevation variability of the upper timberline, the multiple regression shows that the annual mean is the best explaining thermal parameter (P < 0.05). Our thermal data do not take into account the atmospheric phenomena that can affect the temperature lapse rate with altitude, such as the cloudiness of the chain, and site factors, such as wind-exposed topography and snow cover duration, which play a crucial role in the Northern Apennine local climate.

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Acknowledgements

We are deeply grateful to Prof. F. K. Holtmeier (Münster University) for the critical reading of the manuscript and his kind assistance to Giovanna. We also wish to thank Dr. L. Mercalli (Italian Meteorological Society, Turin) for his valuable help in processing climatic data; Prof. E. Amadesi, Dr. L. Diani, Dr. S. Magnani, Prof. G. Puppi and Prof. V. Simoncini (Bologna University) for their kind assistance, Dr. S. Corticelli, Dr. P. Artioli, and Dr. M. L. Garberi (Emilia Romagna Geographic Information Service), who kindly provided digitized maps and valuable advice.

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  1. Department of Experimental Evolutionary Biology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Giovanna Pezzi, Carlo Ferrari & Marcello Corazza

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  1. Giovanna Pezzi
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  2. Carlo Ferrari
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Correspondence to Carlo Ferrari.

Additional information

Plant nomenclature Conti et al. (2005) for vascular plants; Grabherr (1993) for higher phytosociological syntaxa

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Pezzi, G., Ferrari, C. & Corazza, M. The Altitudinal Limit of Beech Woods in the Northern Apennines (Italy). Its Spatial Pattern and Some Thermal Inferences. Folia Geobot 43, 447–459 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-008-9025-6

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