The indigenous vascular flora of the forest domain of Anela (Sardinia, Italy)

By

Farris, Emmanuele
Carta, Michele
Circosta, Salvatore
Falchi, Salvatore
Papuga, Guillaume
De Lange, Peter J. (Peter James)

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

113

Pages

97-143

Subjects

bioclimate , Biodiversity , Mediterranean mountains , submediterranean , temperate

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.113.28681

 

Abstract

The importance of mountains for plant diversity and richness is underestimated, particularly when transition zones between different bioclimates are present along altitudinal gradients. Here we present the first floristic data for a mountain area in the island of Sardinia (Italy), which exhibits Mediterranean bioclimates at the bottom and temperate bioclimate at the top. We discovered a very high floristic richness, despite the fact that the number of endemic taxa is not high and the number of exclusive taxa is very low. Many of the detected taxa are at their range periphery and/or ecological margin. We conclude that climate transition zones in Mediterranean mountains and especially on islands are key areas regarding plant biodiversity and should be better investigated and protected.