Italian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 101,052 km2 (39,016 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Critical/endangered |
Protected | 18,302 km² (18%) [1] |
The Italian sclerophyllous and deciduous forests ecoregion, part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in Italy. The ecoregion covers most of the Italian Peninsula and includes both evergreen and deciduous forests.
The ecoregion extends from the southern Po Basin in northern Italy to the southern Apennine Mountains of Basilicata and Calabria. It covers the lowlands of central Italy, including the valleys of the Arno and Tiber rivers, the Tyrrhenian Sea (western) coast of central Italy and Liguria, extending into southeastern France, and central Italy's Adriatic coast, as well as the middle elevations of the Apennines.
The Apennines' higher-elevation montane forests are considered separate ecoregions – the Apennine deciduous montane forests in central Italy and the South Apennine mixed montane forests in southern Italy. The coastal lowlands and foothills of Campania, Calabria, and Apulia in southern Italy are part of the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests ecoregion. [2]
Rock types are limestone, dolomite, marl, schist-marl, and sandstone.
Cities in the ecoregion include Rome, Florence, Genoa, and Nice.
The forests vary in species composition with elevation and soils.
Lower elevation forests are dominated by sclerophyllous evergreen oaks, including holm oak Quercus ilex, often on limestone-derived soils, and cork oak Quercus suber, often on soils derived from volcanic rocks. They are accompanied by deciduous trees and conifers such as: Quercus pubescens, Fraxinus ornus, Ostrya carpinifolia, Celtis australis, Acer monspessulanum, Carpinus orientalis, Pinus pinaster, Pinus pinea, Pinus halepensis and Crataegus monogyna .
At middle elevations, forests are predominantly deciduous oaks, including Quercus cerris, Quercus pubescens , and Quercus frainetto , with sweet chestnut ( Castanea sativa ) and Ostrya carpinifolia . [2]
In the highest portions of the Apennines, the sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests transition to the Apennine deciduous montane forests and South Apennine mixed montane forests, which are dominated by deciduous European beech (Fagus sylvatica), together with other deciduous broadleaf trees Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer obtusatum, and the strict endemic A. Lobelii, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus torminalis, Ulmus glabra, Tilia platyphyllos, Populus tremula, Ilex aquifolium and conifers Taxus baccata and Silver fir. [2]
The ecoregion is home to thousands of plant species, with over 2000 on the Gargano Peninsula alone. Endemic species are from 10 to 20% of the total, and occur from sea level up to the high mountains. The ecoregion's orchids are diverse, particularly in the mountains; the Maiella Mountains have 60 known species, and the Gargano Mountains have 56 species. [2]
Much of the ecoregion is still forested. There are areas of old-growth forest in relatively inaccessible mountains, and larger areas of coppice woodlands, many of which are no longer harvested and are regenerating naturally. Grazing and timber harvesting has altered the forest structure and species composition across much of the ecoregion. [2]
Population is concentrated in cities, valleys, and along the coast, and much of the countryside is thinly populated. Many rural areas have been abandoned since World War II as Italy urbanized and industrialized.
A 2017 assessment found that 18,302 km2, or 18%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. [1] Protected areas include Gargano National Park, Alta Murgia National Park, Cinque Terre National Park, Capanne di Marcarolo Natural Park, and Bracciano-Martignano Regional Park. [3]
San Marino is located in Southern Europe, an enclave (landlocked) in central Italy, which it borders for 39 km. The third smallest independent state by area in Europe after the Vatican City and Monaco, San Marino is dominated by the Apennines. Located at 43.94°N 12.46°E, it covers an area of 61.2 km2 (23.6 sq mi). Completely mountainous, only 17% of its territory is arable. Several rivers flow through the country, the largest being the Ausa, the Marano, and the San Marino River.
The Corsican montane broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, are on the island of Corsica. The ecoregion includes the high-elevation areas of Corsica's mountainous interior.
The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests is an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund. It consists of mesophytic plants west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States.
The Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests are an ecoregion in the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome, in the Eastern United States. The ecoregion is located in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, including the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It covers an area of about 61,500 square miles (159,000 km2) in: northeast Alabama and Georgia, northwest South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and central West Virginia and Pennsylvania; and small extensions into Kentucky, New Jersey, and New York.
The Monti Simbruini are a mountain range in central Italy, a part of Apennines mountain system.
The Pindus Mountains mixed forests constitute a terrestrial ecoregion of Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
The Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
The flora of Italy is all the plant life present in the territory of the Italian Republic. The flora of Italy was traditionally estimated to comprise about 5,500 vascular plant species. However, as of 2019, 7,672 species are recorded in the second edition of the flora of Italy and in its digital archives Digital flora of Italy. In particular, 7,031 are autochthonous and 641 are non native species widely naturalized since more than three decades. Additionally, further 468 exotic species have been recorded as adventitious or naturalized in more recent times.
The South Apennine mixed montane forests is an ecoregion in the southern Apennine Mountains of southern Italy and Sicily. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.
The Apennine deciduous montane forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. The development of these forests is ensured by the high rainfall in the Apennines, combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of silver fir, although still widespread, has been dramatically reduced in favour of beech.
The Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in the eastern Mediterranean Basin.
The Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests is an ecoregion located in southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Carpathian montane conifer forests, also known as Carpathian montane forests, is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in the Carpathian Mountains of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine.
The Cantabrian mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the coastal Cantabrian Mountains and Galician Massif of Northern Spain, extending south into northern Portugal, and northwards through the westernmost Pyrenees to southwestern France. The ecoregion extends from the seacoast to the highest peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains. The highest peak is Torre Cerredo at 2,648 meters elevation.
The Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of the Iberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly in Spain, and includes some portions of eastern Portugal.
The Northwest Iberian montane forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It lies in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula, includes inland mountains, foothills, and plateaus in northwestern Spain and northeastern Portugal.
The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the Pyrenees mountains which run east and west along the border between France and Spain, and includes all Andorra. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Pyrenees to its highest peaks, which include Aneto, Posets, and Vignemale.
The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.