The oldest Pinus nigra plantations in the central Apennines: distribution and floristic-vegetational characterisation

By

Tesei, Giulio
Allegrezza, Marina
Ballelli, Sandro
Ciaschetti, Giampiero
Console, Carlo
Montecchiari, Silvia
Ottaviani, Cecilia
Pirone, Gianfranco
Frattaroli, Annarita

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021-12-20

Original Publication

Plant sociology

Volume

58

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

15--28

Subjects

Distribution , mature forest plantation , Phytosociology , Pinus nigra subsp. nigra , Syntaxonomy , Vegetation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Pavia Società italiana di scienza della vegetazione 2012-2019

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2021582/02

 

Abstract

This paper represents the first syntaxonomic study on the Pinus nigra subsp. nigra artificial stands in the Apennines. It refers exclusively to the mature Pinus nigra forest plantations in the central Apennines that were planted before the 1950s, and then not managed. The mature Pinus nigra forest plantations in the central Apennines are distributed within four National Parks, on limestone substrata, mainly with southern aspects and rugged slopes, and at elevations ranging from 655 m to 1670 m a.s.l.. Two new phytosociological associations are described here and classified in the alliance Junipero communis–Pinion nigrae: Orthilio secundae–Pinetum nigrae and Digitalidi micranthae–Pinetum nigrae. The association Orthilio secundae–Pinetum nigrae comprises the relative mesophilous mature pine forests of the supratemperate thermotype in the plant landscape context of the alliance Aremonio agrimonioidis–Fagion sylvaticae potential vegetation belt. The Digitalidi micranthae–Pinetum nigrae comprises the thermophilous pine forests occurring on rocky stands within mesotemperate and lower supratemperate thermotypes in the potential belt of alliance Carpinion orientalis woods. The comparison of these two new associations and the phytosociological literature concerning the natural communities of Pinus nigra in the Apennines highlights their floristic and coenological autonomy.