Woods with Quercus petraea in Tuscany (Italy): a vegetation classification approach

<p>In Tuscany (Italy), oak mixed woods with high cover values of <em>Quercus petraea </em>are rather infrequent but well documented within local and national phytosociological studies, even if, in the literature, not always analyzed and well characterized from the syntaxonomic view...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daniele Viciani, Antonio Gabellini, Matilde Gennai, Bruno Foggi, Lorenzo Lastrucci
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Complutense de Madrid 2018-02-01
Series:Mediterranean Botany
Subjects:
Online Access:http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/MBOT/article/view/59040
Description
Summary:<p>In Tuscany (Italy), oak mixed woods with high cover values of <em>Quercus petraea </em>are rather infrequent but well documented within local and national phytosociological studies, even if, in the literature, not always analyzed and well characterized from the syntaxonomic view point. We gathered 71 published and unpublished Tuscan phytosociological relevés where <em>Q. petraea </em>was dominant or with relevant cover values, that were investigated by means of multivariate analysis. The ecological requirements of the resulting groups were indirectly calculated by means of Ellenberg Indicator Values (EIV), and the fidelity coefficient (PHI) for the diagnostic species of each group was calculated. According to our analysis, five different types of <em>Q. petraea </em>woods were found to be present in Tuscany. Each group was characterized floristically and ecologically, allowing to investigate their syntaxonomic aspects. Thus we have attributed the Tuscan <em>Q. petraea </em>communities to five different associations, two of which already existing and three are here described as new associations. In the end, some conservation aspects of these woods regarding Natura 2000 habitats are discussed.</p>
ISSN:2603-9109