Dry grasslands of central-western Po Plain (Italy): implications under Council Directive 92/43/EEC

By

Assini, Silvia
Brugellis, Ilaria
Nascimbene, Juri
Barcella, Matteo
Gressani, Alessia
Gheza, Gabriele

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024-8-5

Original Publication

Plant sociology

Volume

61

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

1--20

Subjects

Council Directive 92/43/EEC , dry grasslands , Italy , lowlands , Management , Natura 2000 network , synchorology , synecology , Syntaxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Pavia Società italiana di scienza della vegetazione 2012-2019

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2024612/01

 

Abstract

This paper provides an overall look on the diversity of lowland dry grasslands of the western Po Plain, useful to support their conservation and management. Specific aims were: 1) to identify lowland dry grassland-associated plant communities at alliance level, which is useful for their classification under the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, 2) to assess their synecological and synchorological differences, 3) to define the equivalent Directive habitats and their management implications. Seven subareas were analysed: Lomellina, Ticino River, Sesia River, Po River (North), Orba Stream, Scrivia Stream, and Serio River. Floristic-vegetational relevés were carried out considering vascular plant, moss and lichen species. Cluster analysis were performed to syntaxonomically classify them, while statistical tests were performed to characterize them by means of biological life forms, chorotypes and Ellenberg indicator values. Eight plant communities were classified at alliance level and three plant communities were classified at class level. The equivalence with three Natura 2000 Habitats (H2330, H6110* and H6210) was found. Of the 60 studied sites, the 68% are located inside the Natura 2000 Network, while the remnant 31% are located outside. Possible management actions include: cutting of woody species, mowing, sod-cutting, transplants of typical herbaceous species, and ex novo restoration using harvested seeds from donor grasslands.