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The evaluation and the subsequent monitoring of the conservation status of habitats is one of the key steps in nature protection. While some European countries have tested suitable methodologies, others, including Italy, lack procedures tested at the national level. The aim of this work is to propose a method to assess the conservation status of habitat 92A0 (Salix alba and Populus alba galleries) in central Italy, and to test the method using data from the Molise region. We selected parameters that highlight the conservation status of the flora and vegetation in order to assess habitat structures and functions at the site level. After selecting the parameters, we tested them on a training dataset of 22 unpublished phytosociological relevés taken from the whole dataset, which consists of 119 relevés (49 unpublished relevés for the study area, and 70 published relevés for central Italy). We detected the most serious conservation problems in the middle and lower course of the Biferno river: the past use of river terraces for agriculture and continual human
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Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative
Biogeography
UC Merced
Peer Reviewed
Title:
Monitoring Natura 2000 habitats: habitat 92A0 in central Italy as an example
Journal Issue:
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography, 31
Author:
Carli, Emanuela
D'Alessandro, Evelina
Di Marzio, Piera
Giancola, Carmen
Paura, Bruno
Salerno, Giovanni
Blasi, Carlo
Publication Date:
2016
Permalink:
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/83f7v7t4
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.21426/B631132735
Keywords:
alien species, Article 17, conservations status, plant community indicators, plant species
indicators, riparian forests
Local Identifier:
biogeographia_32735
Abstract:
The evaluation and the subsequent monitoring of the conservation status of habitats is one
of the key steps in nature protection. While some European countries have tested suitable
methodologies, others, including Italy, lack procedures tested at the national level. The aim of this
work is to propose a method to assess the conservation status of habitat 92A0 (Salix alba and
Populus alba galleries) in central Italy, and to test the method using data from the Molise region.
We selected parameters that highlight the conservation status of the flora and vegetation in order
to assess habitat structures and functions at the site level. After selecting the parameters, we
tested them on a training dataset of 22 unpublished phytosociological relevés taken from the whole
dataset, which consists of 119 relevés (49 unpublished relevés for the study area, and 70 published
relevés for central Italy). We detected the most serious conservation problems in the middle and
lower course of the Biferno river: the past use of river terraces for agriculture and continual human
eScholarship provides open access, scholarly publishing
services to the University of California and delivers a dynamic
research platform to scholars worldwide.
interventions on the river water flow have drastically reduced the riparian forests of Molise. Our
results show that in areas in which forest structure and floristic composition have been substantially
modified, certain alien plant species, particularly Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa and
Erigeron canadensis, have spread extensively along rivers. In the management of riparian forests,
actions aimed at maintaining the stratification of the forest, its uneven-agedness and tree species
richness may help to ensure the conservation status, as well as favour the restoration, of habitat
92A0.
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2016 by the article author(s). This work is made available under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution4.0 license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Biogeographia – The Journal of Integrative Biogeography 31 (2016): 725
Monitoring Natura 2000 habitats:
habitat 92A0 in central Italy as an example
EMANUELA CARLI1,*, EVELINA D’ALESSANDRO2,
PIERA DI MARZIO3, CARMEN GIANCOLA3, BRUNO PAURA2,
GIOVANNI SALERNO4, CARLO BLASI1
1 Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, ‘Sapienza’ Università di Roma (Italy)
2 Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università del Molise (Italy)
3 Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università del Molise (Italy)
4 Dipartimento di Scienze per la Biologia, la Geologia e l’Ambiente, Università degli Studi del Sannio (Italy)
* e-mail corresponding author: piera.dimarzio@unimol.it
Keywords: alien species, Article 17, conservations status, plant community indicators, plant species
indicators, riparian forests.
SUMMARY
The evaluation and the subsequent monitoring of the conservation status of habitats is one of the key
steps in nature protection. While some European countries have tested suitable methodologies, others,
including Italy, lack procedures tested at the national level. The aim of this work is to propose a method
to assess the conservation status of habitat 92A0 (Salix alba and Populus alba galleries) in central Italy,
and to test the method using data from the Molise region. We selected parameters that highlight the
conservation status of the flora and vegetation in order to assess habitat structures and functions at the
site level. After selecting the parameters, we tested them on a training dataset of 22 unpublished
phytosociological relevés taken from the whole dataset, which consists of 119 relevés (49 unpublished
relevés for the study area, and 70 published relevés for central Italy). We detected the most serious
conservation problems in the middle and lower course of the Biferno river: the past use of river terraces
for agriculture and continual human interventions on the river water flow have drastically reduced the
riparian forests of Molise. Our results show that in areas in which forest structure and floristic
composition have been substantially modified, certain alien plant species, particularly Robinia
pseudoacacia, Amorpha fruticosa and Erigeron canadensis, have spread extensively along rivers. In
the management of riparian forests, actions aimed at maintaining the stratification of the forest, its
uneven-agedness and tree species richness may help to ensure the conservation status, as well as favour
the restoration, of habitat 92A0.
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
8
Abbreviations: FV = favourable; SCI = Site of Community Importance; SPA = Special Protection
Area; U1 = unfavourable inadequate; U2 = unfavourable bad.
INTRODUCTION
According to European Directive 92/43/EEC, better known as the Habitat Directive, member states are
required to preserve, or restore to a favourable conservation status, habitats within the Natura 2000
Network, that is Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). The
conservation of such habitats can only be guaranteed by effective monitoring. The Habitat Directive
requires the identification and evaluation of the defining characteristics of the habitats, as well as the
threats that affect their current status or that may damage them in the future. According to Article 17 of
the Directive, the conservation status of a natural habitat is considered favourable when its area of
natural distribution is stable or expanding, when the structure and functions specific to its long-term
maintenance exist and are not exposed to future threats, and when the conservation status of its typical
species is favourable. While some European countries (JNCC 2004, BfN 2006, Calleja 2009, Carnino
2009) have already designed appropriate methods to monitor the conservation status of habitats, others
have yet to introduce standard procedures adopted on a national level. The latter group of countries
includes Italy, even though evaluations of Italian habitats, based on expert knowledge, have been
performed and were published in the 3rd National Report ex-art. 17 Habitat Directive (92/43/EC)
(www.sinanet.isprambiente.it/Reporting_Dir_Habitat).
Riparian habitats represent one of the ecosystems threatened most by human activities,
particularly by changes in water regimes, the management of riparian vegetation and pollution (Allan
& Flecker 1993, Liendo et al. 2015), as recently highlighted also in central Italy by Viciani et al.
(2014). Indeed, nearly 20% of the research projects that have been conducted in recent years have
focused on freshwater habitats, as highlighted by the EuMon database on monitoring methods and
systems of surveillance for species and habitats of community interest
(http://eumon.ckff.si/index1.php).
Changes in water regimes, as well as other types of human disturbance, can facilitate the spread
of invasive alien species (Liendo et al. 2015). Indeed, riparian environments are, owing to their
inherent predisposition to disturbance, among the environments most prone to invasions of non-native
species (Stohlgren et al. 1998, Chytrý et al. 2008). Since the publication of the Italian checklist of non-
native flora (Celesti-Grapow et al. 2009, 2010), which raised considerable interest in plant invasions
among local botanists, an increasing amount of attention has been paid to alien plant species in Italy.
Despite this, the amount of information available in Italy is still incomplete, as highlighted by Assini
(2000) for wet areas, and the experience limited, particularly for riparian habitats, if compared with
other European and non-European countries (Pyšek and Prach 1993, Richardson et al. 2007, Schnitzler
et al. 2007).
Forests dominated by Salix alba or Populus alba are widespread in the majority of
Mediterranean EU member states, though their distribution is scattered
(http://natura2000.eea.europa.eu/) owing to their ecological requirements. A specific monitoring
strategy for Salix alba and Populus alba forests based on plant species and community indicators may
prove useful to other member states in the Mediterranean area insofar as such forests are azonal. The
aim of this study is to help fill this gap by proposing a suitable method to assess the conservation status
of habitat 92A0 (Salix alba and Populus alba galleries) by testing field data from the Molise region,
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
9
and to shed light on the reasons underlying the expansion of invasive plant species in these
environments.
We believe that our case study may be considered a useful example of conservation status
assessment of fresh water habitats in central Italy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In Table 1, we list the Natura 2000 sites (SCI/SPAs) included in the study area (Fig. 1), together with
the area of the sites and the area covered by the study habitat in each site, derived from the Natura 2000
database (update 2012) (http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/natura-2000). Although the
majority of the sample plots were selected from Natura 2000 sites, some fall within the Biferno river
basin and are located outside of the Natura 2000 Network. Owing to the scattered distribution of
residual areas with riparian forests belonging to habitat 92A0, for the sampling design, we identified
the sites for the sample plots after selecting potential areas referred to these forests by integrating the
map of the Natura 2000 habitats in Molise
(http://www3.regione.molise.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/657) and the map of the
Nature (http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/environmental-services/map-of-the-nature-
system?set_language=en). Although the number of relevés is not particularly high, we believe that this
selection process yields a fairly accurate representation of the current situation of riparian forests in the
Molise region.
The vegetation sampling was performed mainly by means of the phytosociological method
(Braun-Blanquet 1931, Dengler et al. 2008, Biondi 2011). This method, based on relevés conducted in
areas with homogeneous vegetation, records the species and their coverage (as of percentage of the
relevé area) and describes the local environment (Mucina et al. 2000). These relevés are aimed at
characterising plant communities and identifying the habitat (Biondi et al. 2009).
We first carried out 22 relevés, with a mean area of 70 m2, located in the courses of the all the
main rivers in the region except the Volturno and Fortore rivers. A vegetation database was created in
Turboveg 2.0 (Hennekens 1995), starting from these 22 original relevés, which were then integrated
using a further 27 unpublished relevés conducted along the Biferno river (B. Paura and collaborators,
unpublished data), and 70 from the Adriatic side of the Apennines in central and southern Italy, derived
from literature (Pedrotti 1970, 1984, Pedrotti and Cortini-Pedrotti 1978, Pirone 1981, 2000, Pirone et
al. 1997, Manzi 1988, 1993, Biondi et al. 2002, Baldoni and Biondi 1993, CUM 2002, Allegrezza
2003, Allegrezza et al. 2006).
The 49 unpublished relevés were classified by means of cluster analysis using Past 2.1
(algorithm UPGMA, and Ochiai distance on species cover/presence) (Hammer et al. 2001).
The conservation status was assessed in each site by estimating the characteristics of the habitat
and the threats it was exposed to. We focused on the type of data that can be collected from flora and
vegetation surveys, adopting those parameters proposed in other member states (JNCC 2004, BfN
2006, Calleja 2009, Carnino 2009) that we considered to apply most to our study area. We then
obtained the threshold values for the parameters by using our whole dataset (119 relevés), classifying
them according to natural breaks (Jenks 1967). We decided to use natural breaks for classification
purposes because we considered them to be more representative of the variation of our data. Table 2
summarizes the three types of parameters and the threshold values of the corresponding indicators used
to assess the conservation status.
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
10
To assess the structure of the forest vegetation, we selected the following indicators: (i) the
cover of the native tree layer and of the shrub layer (h 2-5 m) to highlight the stratification of the
vegetation (JNCC 2004, Calleja 2009); (ii) the number of diameter classes of the tree trunks, which
provide information on the uneven-agedness of the forest and the presence and type of forest
management (BfN 2006, Carnino 2009); (iii) the presence of dead wood (relative cover in each relevé
of woody debris and/or standing dead wood, and the presence of fallen old trees), to highlight the
absence of management or natural forest management (BfN 2006, Carnino 2009).
FIGURE 1. Study area showing the location of the 22 relevés (white stars) assessed and the selected
Natura 2000 sites in Molise region (grey areas). The inlet shows the position of Molise in Italy.
TABLE 1. List of Natura 2000 sites included in the study area, showing the area covered by each site and the
area covered by habitat 92A0 (including other habitat types that may form a mosaic of riparian vegetation with
habitat 92A0) (http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/natura-4).
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
11
Site_code
Site_name
Habitat_code
Habitat_cover_ha
IT7211120
Torrente Verrino
92A0, 3280
93
34.41
IT7212124
Bosco Monte di Mezzo - Monte Miglio - Pennataro
- Monte Capraro - Monte Cavallerizzo
3954
IT7212126
Pantano Zittola - Feudo Valcocchiara
92A0, 3260
1246
14.95
IT7212134
Bosco di Collemeluccio - Selvapiana - Castiglione -
La Cocozza
6239
62.39
IT7218213
Isola della Fonte della Luna
92A0
867
86.7
IT7222247
Valle Biferno da confluenza Torrente Quirino al
Lago Guardalfiera - Torrente Rio
92A0, 3260
368
228.16
IT7222249
Lago di Guardialfiera - M. Peloso
92A0
2848
56.96
IT7222287
La Gallinola - Monte Miletto - Monti del Matese
92A0
25002
50
IT7228229
Valle Biferno dalla diga a Guglionesi
92A0, 3260, 3280
356
106.8
IT7222237
Fiume Biferno (confluenza Cigno - alla foce
esclusa)
92A0, 3280
133
42.56
IT7228230
Lago di Guardialfiera - Foce fiume Biferno
28724
TABLE 2. Parameters used in the study to assess the conservation status and their relative indicator values. List
of the abbreviations: tree_cov = tree cover; sh_cov = shrub cover; ages = number of diameter classes; dead =
dead wood; FC = floristic consistency; tree-rich = tree species richness; alien = presence of alien species; interest
= presence of species of interest; FV = favourable; U1 = unfavourable inadequate; U2 = unfavourable bad.
Parameters
Threshold value
Assessment
tree_cov
60%
F
U1
< 30%
U2
sh_cov
60%
F
U1
< 20%
U2
ages
3
F
U1
1
U2
dead
fallen old trees
F
woody debris and standing dead wood
F
woody debris and standing dead wood
U1
absent
U2
FC
40%
F
U1
< 15%
U2
weed_alien
absent
F
< 5%
U1
> 5%
U2
tree_rich
3
F
U1
< 3
U2
interest
present
F
absent
-
We selected the following floristic and vegetation indicators: (i) the floristic consistency of the
communities detected (JNCC 2004, BfN 2006, Calleja 2009, Carnino 2009) with the vegetation of
reference, by comparing the presence of diagnostic and frequent species for the alliances (Biondi et al.
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
12
2014; http://www.prodromo-vegetazione-italia.org/); (ii) the presence and cover of exotic species,
which reduce the degree of naturalness (JNCC 2004, Carnino 2009); (ii) the native tree species
richness, which is particularly marked in Italian old-growth forests (Burrascano et al. 2009), and known
to be a good proxy for the total richness (Abbate et al. 2015); (iv) the presence of species of
biogeographic or conservation interest, selected from Red Lists and other lists of protected or rare
species (Table 3), which highlight the peculiarities of the site (BfN 2006).
TABLE 3. List of species of biogeographic or conservation interest selected from Red Lists (Conti et
al. 1992, 1997, Rossi et al. 2013) and other lists of protected or rare species (Directive 92/43/EC,
http://www.societabotanicaitaliana.it/cites/index.asp, Lucchese 1995, 1996, Regione Molise 1999,
Fortini e Viscosi 2008); List of abbreviations: CR = Critically Endangered; EN = Endangered; LR =
Low Risk; NT = Near Threatened; VU = Vulnerable.; HD = Council Directive 92/43/EEC; CITES =
Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97; Reg. = Regione Molise, Legge Regionale 23 febbraio 1999 n°9.
Species
Conti et al. 1992 or
Rossi et al. 2013
Conti et al. 1997
Protected species
Rare species
Acer cappadocicum Gled. subsp.
lobelii (Ten.) A.E.Murray ( Acer
lobelii Ten.)
LR
LR
Alopecurus bulbosus Gouan
EN
Reg.
x
Anacamptis palustris (Jacq.) R.M.
Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase (
Orchis palustris Jacq.)
EN
CR
Reg.
x
Asparagus acutifolius L.
LR
Caltha palustris L.
EN
Reg.
x
Carex paniculata L. subsp.
paniculata
CR
Reg.
x
Carex pseudocyperus L.
CR
Reg.
x
Cicuta virosa L.
EN
Clematis viticella L.
EN
Cucubalus baccifer L.
LR
Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soó
subsp. incarnata
EN
Reg.
x
Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soó (
Orchis maculata L.)
HD, CITES
Dichoropetalum schottii (Besser ex
DC.) Pimenov & Kljuykov (
Peucedanum schottii Besser ex DC.)
CR
Reg.
x
Epilobium palustre L.
CR
Epipactis palustris (L.) Crantz
NT
CR
Reg.
x
Euphorbia palustris L.
CR
Reg.
x
Helosciadium inundatum (L.)
W.D.J.Koch ( Apium inundatum
(L.) Rchb. f.)
EN
Reg.
x
Isoëtes durieui Bory
CR
Reg.
x
Limniris pseudacorus (L.) Fuss (
Iris pseudacorus L.)
VU
Lomelosia graminifolia (L.) Greuter
& Burdet ( Scabiosa graminifolia
LR
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
13
Species
Conti et al. 1992 or
Rossi et al. 2013
Conti et al. 1997
Protected species
Rare species
L.)
Menyanthes trifoliata L.
CR
Reg.
x
Myosurus minimus L.
EN
Reg.
x
Ophioglossum vulgatum L.
EN
Reg.
x
Orobanche flava Mart. ex F.W.
Schultz
EN
Reg.
x
Persicaria amphibia (L.) Delarbre (
Polygonum amphibium L.)
CR
Reg.
x
Peucedanum officinale L. subsp.
officinale
CR
Reg.
x
Ranunculus flammula L.
VU
EN
Reg.
x
Ranunculus lingua L.
VU
CR
Reg.
x
Ruscus aculeatus L.
HD
Salix cinerea L.
LR
Salix fragilis L.
VU
Salix pentandra L.
EN
CR
Reg.
x
Sparganium emersum Rehmann
CR
Reg.
x
Thelypteris palustris Schott
EN
Reg.
x
Triglochin bulbosum L. subsp.
barrelieri (Loisel.) Rouy
EN
Reg.
x
Trollius europaeus L. subsp.
europaeus
EN
Reg.
x
Utricularia vulgaris L.
CR
x
We tested the parameters we selected on a training dataset, i.e. 22 relevés that we carried out in
the Molise Region. In this way, we only considered the most recent relevés, for conservation status
assessment purposes.
When assessing the conservation status of forests in the Mediterranean area, it should be noticed
that, owing to the impact of man over the millennia, forest habitats that have either never been used by
humans or were only used in very ancient times are extremely rare. We cannot consequently expect the
best-preserved context to be represented by a primeval forest (Carnino 2009). This is why we decided
to determine the threshold values of the parameters for the best-conserved situations based on our
whole dataset.
The resulting synthetic assessment for each relevé is determined by the condition of the worst
parameter, as suggested by Article 17 of the Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC).
RESULTS
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
14
The cluster analysis led to the identification of two main types of riparian forests, referred to Salicion
albae Soó 1930 (55% of the 49 unpublished relevés) and to Populion albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948
(45%).
The species recorded in more than 40% of the relevés are Salix alba, Rubus ulmifolius,
Brachypodium sylvaticum, Salix purpurea, Populus nigra, Cornus sanguinea and Urtica dioica (see
Supplementary Table S1 for the complete list).
Fourteen of the 22 relevés were found to have an Unfavourable-Bad (U2) conservation status.
The worst parameters, indicating a bad conservation status, were mainly richness of the native trees
species and shrub cover.
TABLE 4. Assessment of the conservation status of habitat 92A0 in our study area. List of the abbreviations:
tree_cov = tree cover; sh_cov = shrub cover; ages = number of diameter classes of the tree trunks; dead = dead
wood; FC = floristic consistency; tree-rich = tree species richness; alien = presence of alien species; interest =
presence of species of interest; FV = favourable; U1 = unfavourable inadequate; U2 = unfavourable bad.
relevé
type of vegetation
tree_
cov
sh_ cov
ages
dead
char_ab
u
tree_
rich
weed_a
lien
interest
general
assessment
1
forest of Salix alba
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
2
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
-
FV
3
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
-
FV
4
forest of Populus alba
U1
FV
FV
FV
FV
U1
FV
-
U1
5
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
U1
FV
U1
FV
-
U1
6
forest of Salix alba
FV
FV
FV
U1
FV
U1
FV
FV
U1
7
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
U1
FV
U1
FV
-
U1
8
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
U1
FV
U1
U2
-
U2
9
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
U1
U2
FV
FV
U2
-
U2
10
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
FV
FV
U2
U2
-
U2
11
forest of Populus alba
U1
FV
FV
-
FV
FV
U2
-
U2
12
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
U1
FV
FV
U2
U2
-
U2
13
forest of Populus alba
FV
FV
FV
FV
U2
U2
U2
-
U2
14
forest of Salix alba
FV
FV
U1
U1
FV
U2
U2
-
U2
15
forest of Salix alba
U1
FV
FV
U1
U2
FV
U2
-
U2
16
forest of Populus alba
FV
U2
U1
U2
U1
FV
U2
-
U2
17
forest of Populus alba
U2
U2
U1
FV
FV
U2
U2
-
U2
18
forest of Salix alba
FV
U2
U1
U2
U2
U2
U2
-
U2
19
shrub veg. (Salix sp. pl.)
-
-
-
-
FV
-
FV
FV
U1
20
shrub veg. (Salix sp. pl.)
-
-
-
-
FV
-
U2
-
U2
21
shrub veg. (Salix sp. pl.)
-
-
-
-
2
-
U2
-
U2
22
shrub veg. (Salix sp. pl.)
-
-
-
-
-1
-
U2
-
U2
We detected a marked difference between the western and eastern parts of the region (relevés n°
1 and 2 in Table 4). The site with the best conservation status was located in SCI IT7218213, where the
native tree species richness and the presence of woody debris, two surrogates for the natural or semi-
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
15
natural evolution of the forest, are very good. The majority of the relevés in the Campobasso province
(in the east) were found to have an unfavourable conservation status. In the surroundings of IT7222287
lies the only riparian forest in which we found a favourable conservation status (relevé n° 3),
particularly as regards the native tree species richness and the presence of woody debris, which were
comparable to those detected in the aforementioned site n° 2.
DISCUSSION
The Molise region is characterized by a strong altitudinal gradient and by the presence of large river
valleys (e.g. Volturno and Biferno) that connect the two sides of the Apennines. These valleys have
always allowed the migration of plant species (Lucchese 1995, Paura et al. 2010b). These migrations
are now represented by invasive exotic species. Indeed, it is along the rivers that the greatest spread of
invasive species has been witnessed in the region (Lucchese 2010). Rivers play an important role in the
invasion of plant species insofar as their waters act as important agents of propagule dispersal, just as
aquatic birds do. In addition, periodic disturbance events, due to floods, create openings in plant cover
that can easily be colonized by alien plant species thanks to the availability of nutrients. Low water
periods also provide areas that are exposed to colonization by pioneer annual plants. Lastly, the rivers
are subject to anthropogenic disturbance (agriculture, urbanization, water regimentations, etc.), which
also promotes the spread of invasive species (Stohlgren et al. 1998, Schnitzler et al. 2007).
Riparian forests are known to be azonal formations that are conditioned mainly by the water
level and water regime (Pedrotti and Gafta 1996). Although such forests are very dynamic owing to the
natural disturbance to which they are subjected, they remain relatively stable if the hydrogeological
conditions do not change. Riparian forests belonging to habitat 92A0 can be divided in two types, as
described in the national interpretation manual (Biondi et al. 2012). They differ in dominant tree
species and from an ecological point of view. Willow groves are located on the lower terraces, which
are affected regularly by the ordinary flooding of the river, while poplar forests colonize the upper
terraces, which are only sporadically affected by extraordinary flooding. The aforementioned manual
recognized two different alliances of reference: Populion albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948 and Salicion
albae Soó 1930 (Biondi et al. 2014).
The most recent European Interpretation Manual describes habitat 92A0 as "Riparian forests of
the Mediterranean basin dominated by Salix alba, Salix fragilis or their relatives. Mediterranean and
Central Eurasian multi-layered riverine forests with Populus spp. [...]" (European Commission 2007).
The name of the habitat makes explicit reference to gallery forests, sometimes generating difficulty in
recognizing the habitat where riparian forest conservation does not preserve this aspect. In Spain,
Calleja (2009) has proposed extending the definition to include the intermediate stages of vegetation
dominated by shrubby willows with sparse trees of Salix alba and Populus alba. We agree with this
proposal and have included forests of Populus alba, Populus nigra and Salix alba and shore vegetation
dominated by shrubby willows, with some willow trees or poplars, in this study.
Our study identified two types of riparian forests, as expected for habitat 92A0: Salicion albae
and Populion albae (Biondi et al. 2009, 2014). The main difference between these two types of forest
lies in the dominant tree species (Salix or Populus species), there being little difference in the
understory flora. Our findings are confirmed by data in the literature. Indeed, as shown in previous
works on riparian vegetation (Pirone 1981, 2000, Pedrotti 1984, Manzi 1988, 1993), the general
impoverishment of the flora of poplar forests in central Italy, due to the past use of this habitat by
humans for agricultural purposes, makes it somewhat difficult to distinguish them from willow forests.
Furthermore, the forests of Populus alba, which are affected to a lesser extent by river flooding, are
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
16
also characterized by species that belong to oak forests, as highlighted in Molise by Paura et al.
(2010a). It is likely that ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) included the
Mediterranean tall willow galleries (EUNIS code 44.41) in the Italian poplar galleries (EUNIS code
44.614) on account of the floristic similarity between poplars and willows forests in the Apennines (for
more information see http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/files/carta-della-natura/catalogo-habitat.pdf).
The rivers in central and southern Italy do not tend to create large floodplains that lend
themselves to intensive agriculture. Human activities in these two regions have resulted in substantial
changes in the flora and vegetation, particularly as a result of works related to riverbank reinforcement
and to the production of electricity. These changes have often promoted the establishment and spread
of exotic plant species (Lucchese 2010). The riparian forests of willows and poplars examined in this
study revealed a peculiar susceptibility to human intervention and displayed considerably different
features if compared with the past (Pedrotti and Cortini-Pedrotti 1978, Pedrotti 1984).
The most serious conservation problems were detected along the lower course of the Biferno
river, in the Campobasso province. The past land use of river terraces and the continual human
interventions have led to only small portions of what was once likely to have been the richest lowland
forest in Molise being left, such as that near Colle d'Anchise, which lies out of the Natura 2000
Network (relevés 3 in Table 3), and where a well-preserved forest still exists. This area has not yet
been included as a Natura 2000 site. It is a very rich poplar forest that is well stratified and contains a
large amount of woody debris, standing dead wood and fallen old trees. In order to promote the natural
evolution of this forest and its conservation, the boundaries of SCI IT7222247 "Valle Biferno da
confluenza Torrente Quirino al Lago Guardalfiera - Torrente Rio" should be redrawn in such a way as
to include the forest of Colle d'Anchise in the Natura 2000 network.
A better state of preservation is found in the areas that lie in the upper course of the rivers,
where human impact is less marked and there are few exotic species. The site with the best
conservation status is SCI IT7218213 "Isola Fonte della Luna" (relevés n°2 in Table 4), which has been
unmanaged for approximately 30 years. As shown in Table 4, the structure of the forest is fairly well
preserved and nine tree species were been found, which is the highest number recorded in the study
area.
Exotic species tend to be promoted in areas in which the structure and floristic composition of
the forest are substantially compromised. This is particularly evident in relevés n°17 in the Biferno
valley (in the proximity of Morgia dell’Eremita), where the poplar layer has been completely replaced
by Robinia pseudoacacia. The poor conservation status of the poplar forests in the lower course of the
Biferno river may have been caused by the overall reduction in the size of this habitat, following the
replacement in many areas of riparian forests by cultivated fields, a trend first observed in the 1970s in
central and southern Italy (Pedrotti 1970, 1984, Manzi 1988, 1993). It is in the woods in this area that
we observed the greatest spread of alien plant species such as Robinia pseudoacacia, Amorpha
fruticosa and Erigeron canadensis. A similar trend has been observed for the willow forests in the Po
Plain (Poldini et al. 2011). We should not forget that the success of invasive plant species is often the
result of a poor conservation status of riparian habitats (Stohlgren et al. 1998, Chytrý et al. 2009,
Liendo et al. 2015).
The introduction and spread of these invasive species appear to be promoted in areas in which
trees and shrub layers are not well developed. Indeed, alien species were not recorded in sites with a
favourable conservation status, particularly as regards the structure. In conclusion, we believe that
forest management should focus on maintaining the stratification of the forest, its uneven-agedness and
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
17
tree species richness because a forest can withstand the invasion of alien species only as long as its
structure is well preserved and strong.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study is a part of “Management Plan of 10 SCI/SPAs in Molise”, a research project conducted in
the years 2010-2013 funded by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea Protection.
Thanks to Luisa Battista for the help in the field sampling.
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Edited by Lorenzo Peruzzi
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
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SUPPLEMENTARY TABLE S1. List of species, number of relevés in which they are present,
and relative frequency.
Species
relevés
frequency
Acer campestre L.
9
0.41
Acer cappadocicum Gled. subsp. lobelii (Ten.) A.E.Murray
2
0.09
Acer opalus Mill. subsp. obtusatum (Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd.) Gams
2
0.09
Acer pseudoplatanus L.
7
0.32
Aegopodium podagraria L.
2
0.09
Agrostis stolonifera L.
7
0.32
Alisma plantago-aquatica L.
7
0.32
Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.
4
0.18
Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.
5
0.23
Alopecurus utriculatus (L.) Pers.
5
0.23
Amorpha fruticosa L.
11
0.50
Anisantha diandra (Roth) Tutin ex Tzvelev
6
0.27
Anisantha sterilis (L.) Nevski
3
0.14
Anthoxanthum odoratum L.
5
0.23
Artemisia verlotorum Lamotte
5
0.23
Artemisia vulgaris L.
5
0.23
Arum italicum Miller
2
0.09
Arundo pliniana Turra
7
0.32
Berula erecta (Huds.) Coville
9
0.41
Bidens frondosa L.
11
0.50
Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla
2
0.09
Brachypodium sylvaticum (Huds.) P.Beauv.
18
0.82
Bromopsis benekenii (Lange) Holub
2
0.09
Bromus hordeaceus L.
6
0.27
Bryonia dioica Jacq.
7
0.32
Calystegia sepium (L.) R.Br.
7
0.32
Carex hirta L.
5
0.23
Carex otrubae Podp.
7
0.32
Carex pendula Huds.
8
0.36
Cerastium holosteoides Fr.
5
0.23
Chenopodium album L.
3
0.14
Cirsium creticum (Lam.) d’Urv.
5
0.23
Clematis vitalba L.
11
0.50
Convolvulus arvensis L.
5
0.23
Cornus mas L.
6
0.27
Cornus sanguinea L.
16
0.73
Corylus avellana L.
3
0.14
Cota tinctoria (L.) J.Gay
2
0.09
Crataegus monogyna Jacq.
15
0.68
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
22
Species
relevés
frequency
Crepis vesicaria L.
5
0.23
Cucubalus baccifer L.
6
0.27
Cynosurus cristatus L.
5
0.23
Dactylis glomerata L.
6
0.27
Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soó
5
0.23
Daphne laureola L.
2
0.09
Daucus carota L.
4
0.18
Digitalis micrantha Roth
2
0.09
Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin
2
0.09
Dipsacus laciniatus L.
3
0.14
Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter
3
0.14
Doronicum orientale Hoffm.
2
0.09
Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult.
5
0.23
Epilobium hirsutum L.
10
0.45
Equisetum arvense L.
3
0.14
Equisetum ramosissimum Desf.
3
0.14
Equisetum telmateja Ehrh.
7
0.32
Erigeron canadense L.
8
0.36
Euonymus europaeus L.
13
0.59
Eupatorium cannabinum L.
4
0.18
Euphorbia amygdaloides L.
5
0.23
Euphorbia helioscopia L.
2
0.09
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
2
0.09
Fraxinus ornus L.
3
0.14
Galium aparine L.
5
0.23
Galium palustre L.
5
0.23
Geranium robertianum L.
9
0.41
Geranium versicolor L.
5
0.23
Geum urbanum L.
11
0.50
Glyceria plicata Fries
5
0.23
Hedera helix L.
10
0.45
Helianthus tuberosus L.
2
0.09
Helleborus foetidus L.
3
0.14
Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub
2
0.09
Heracleum sphondylium L.
6
0.27
Holcus lanatus L.
9
0.41
Hordeum bulbosum L.
5
0.23
Humulus lupulus L.
6
0.27
Hypericum tetrapterum Fries
7
0.32
Juglans regia L.
2
0.09
Juncus articulatus L.
5
0.23
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
23
Species
relevés
frequency
Juniperus communis L.
2
0.09
Lactuca muralis (L.) Gaertn.
3
0.14
Lactuca serriola L.
3
0.14
Lapsana communis L.
7
0.32
Lepidium campestre (L.) R.Br.
2
0.09
Ligustrum vulgare L.
11
0.50
Lycium europaeum L.
2
0.09
Lycopus europaeus L.
14
0.64
Lysimachia vulgaris L.
3
0.14
Lythrum salicaria L.
7
0.32
Malus sylvestris Mill.
5
0.23
Melica uniflora Retz.
2
0.09
Melilotus alba Medicus
3
0.14
Mentha aquatica L.
8
0.36
Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds.
8
0.36
Mentha pulegium L.
5
0.23
Muscari comosum (L.) Mill.
5
0.23
Myosotis scorpioides L.
5
0.23
Oenanthe pimpinelloides L.
5
0.23
Paspalum paspaloides (Michx.) Scribner
10
0.45
Persicaria amphibia (L.) Delarbre
7
0.32
Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre
2
0.09
Petasites hybridus (L.) G.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.
6
0.27
Petasites pyrenaicus (L.) G.López
3
0.14
Phalaris paradoxa L.
2
0.09
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.
7
0.32
Picris hieracioides L.
4
0.18
Pimpinella peregrina L.
2
0.09
Plantago lanceolata L.
6
0.27
Plantago major L.
4
0.18
Poa trivialis L.
11
0.50
Populus alba L.
14
0.64
Populus nigra L.
17
0.77
Potentilla reptans L.
6
0.27
Prunus spinosa L.
9
0.41
Pulmonaria apennina Cristof. & Puppi
4
0.18
Pyrus communis L. subsp. pyraster (L.) Ehrh.
5
0.23
Quercus cerris L.
2
0.09
Quercus pubescens Willd.
6
0.27
Ranunculus lanuginosus L.
3
0.14
Ranunculus repens L.
8
0.36
Biogeographia 31: 725 Carli et al., 2016
24
Species
relevés
frequency
Ranunculus sardous Crantz
5
0.23
Ranunculus serpens Schrank
2
0.09
Ranunculus trichophyllus Chaix
6
0.27
Rhinanthus alectorolophus (Scop.) Pollich
5
0.23
Robinia pseudoacacia L.
9
0.41
Rorippa sylvestris (L.) Besser
5
0.23
Rosa arvensis Huds.
2
0.09
Rubus caesius L.
6
0.27
Rubus ulmifolius Schott
20
0.91
Rumex conglomeratus Murray
3
0.14
Rumex crispus L.
5
0.23
Salix alba L.
22
1.00
Salix eleagnos Scop.
5
0.23
Salix fragilis L.
5
0.23
Salix pentandra L.
5
0.23
Salix purpurea L.
17
0.77
Salix triandra L.
4
0.18
Salvia glutinosa L.
2
0.09
Sambucus nigra L.
11
0.50
Saponaria officinalis L.
3
0.14
Scirpoides holoschoenus (L.) Soják
4
0.18
Scrophularia umbrosa Dumort.
7
0.32
Sherardia arvensis L.
2
0.09
Sinapis alba L.
4
0.18
Solanum dulcamara L.
4
0.18
Sonchus asper (L.) Hill
6
0.27
Sparganium erectum L.
6
0.27
Stachys sylvatica L.
10
0.45
Stellaria media (L.) Vill.
2
0.09
Symphyotrichum squamatum (Spreng.) G.L.Nesom
5
0.23
Taraxacum F.H.Wigg. sect. Taraxacum
5
0.23
Tordylium maximum L.
9
0.41
Torilis nodosa (L.) Gaertn.
2
0.09
Trifolium brutium Ten.
5
0.23
Trifolium pratense L.
6
0.27
Trifolium repens L.
7
0.32
Trifolium resupinatum L.
5
0.23
Typha angustifolia L.
2
0.09
Typha latifolia L.
8
0.36
Ulmus minor Mill.
9
0.41
Urtica dioica L.
16
0.73
Carli et al., 2016 Biogeographia 31: 725
25
Species
relevés
frequency
Valeriana officinalis L.
5
0.23
Veronica anagallis-aquatica L.
2
0.09
Veronica beccabunga L.
4
0.18
Veronica catenata Pennell
5
0.23
Vicia sepium L.
2
0.09
Viola alba Besser
5
0.23
Xanthium italicum Moretti
4
0.18
Xanthium spinosum L.
2
0.09
... This parameter should include characteristics of the habitat type that indicate healthy ecosystem (e.g., diversity of dominant species age classes and rich understory plant diversity) or lack of indications of anthropogenic degradation (e.g., no apparent signs of logging or planted species). There is a plethora of publications describing with more or less detail some structural characteristics of habitat types (Carli et al. 2016;Davis et al. 2014;Del Vecchio et al. 2016;Hill et al. 2005; Joint Nature Conservation Committee 2013; Kovač et al. 2016;Søgaard et al. 2007), yet this parameter still remains abstract. ...
... We developed lists of specific structural characteristics and functions for each habitat type that can serve as indicators of favourable conservation status taking into account relevant publications where similar structural and/ or functional indicators have been proposed (Cantarello and Newton 2008;Carli et al. 2016;Davis et al. 2014;Del Vecchio et al. 2016;Hill et al. 2005; Joint Nature Conservation Committee 2013; Kovač et al. 2016;Søgaard et al. 2007). An example of such a list for the habitat type 91E0 is given in the Online Resource 3. Field evaluators in each sampling locality were asked to check which of these indicators of structure and functions are present or not. ...
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Monitoring of habitat types conservation status is an essential task in the frame of the European policy for biodiversity conservation. The parameters to be assessed for the purposes of habitat types’ conservation status assessment are described in several European documents, but the methodology for their determination has not yet been standardized or optimized. This study presents methods for the assessment of the actual status and the future prospects of structure and functions of habitat types. Specifically, it presents a bottom–up approach for the assessment of these two parameters at different spatial scales. In the proposed method, conservation status assessment is based on a classification of habitat types to subtypes, with the latter representing the basic monitoring entities. The conservation status is assessed by recording: (i) the presence/absence of specific indicators of structure and functions per habitat type, and (ii) the presence/absence, abundance, and vitality of the typical species of the habitat subtypes. The typical species are determined objectively using algorithms and fidelity coefficient values. The conservation status and future prospects of structure and functions (including the typical species) are estimated quantitatively with the help of numerical methods and algorithms, but their assignment to conservation status classes is based on thresholds defined by experts. Assessments are made at the local scale, but can be upscaled to coarser ones (up to the national level). The proposed methods have been applied in Greece and were effective both in terms of results obtained and costs needed.
... Increased attention is being given to invasive alien species in protected areas, both globally and in the European Union, due to their negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services (see Doroftei & Anastasiu 2014;Höfle, Dullinger, & Essl 2014;Motta, Nola, & Berretti 2009;Pěknicová & Berchová-Bímová 2016). In addition, invasive alien species per se are increasingly being used as an indicator to assess the conservation status of habitat types in the Natura 2000 sites (e.g., Carli et al., 2016). However, little research has been specifically carried out on the negative impacts of many invasive alien species, and in particular on invasive alien trees in Natura 2000 sites (e.g., Myśliwy 2014). ...
... of the specific invasion dynamics in these Annex I habitat types would help gain a better understanding of the processes in these areas. For example,Carli et al. (2016) applied a specific monitoring approach for habitat types, which highlighted that 92A0 habitats are invaded by R. pseudoacacia, A. fruticosa, and by the herb Erigeron canadensis and in particular in cases of degraded forest structure. The application of a similar approach in the Alpine and Continental biogeographical regions could be beneficial as well.The threat of invasive alien species is anticipated to change in the future, with some areas coming under greater threat, and others becoming less threatened. ...
Article
Invasive alien species are a threat to protected areas, species, and habitats worldwide. At the European level, the control of invasive alien species is a major goal of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and a cornerstone, in this sense, is the Regulation (EU) no.1143/2014 on invasive alien species. In this study, we focus on the Alpine and Continental biogeographical regions of Europe (defined in art. 1 of the Habitats Directive; 92/43/EEC), and aim to give an overview ofthe main protected forest habitattypes threatened by invasive alien species, and focus on five major invasive alien tree species (Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, and Robinia pseudoacacia).We considered the assessment reports under Article 17 ofthe Habitats Directive for the period 2007–2012, and six documents on the interpretation of habitats,to identify those most threatened by invasive alien species and in particular by the five invasive alien trees. We also assessed selected examples of impacts by these alien tree species on different species groups within Natura 2000 sites to highlight potential effects on biodiversity. Riparian forest habitats and oak dominated woodlands are among the most prone to invasion within the two biogeographical regions. A. altissima and R. pseudoacacia are the most reported invasive alien trees in these protected forest habitat types. Furthermore, examples of the impacts of these tree species have indicated potential detrimental effects on forest habitats structure and functions, and on single species listed in the Habitats and Birds Directives. In conclusion, we emphasise the need for effective management and systematic monitoring of these five invasive alien tree species within Natura 2000 sites.
... Therefore, riparian management should be dedicated to increasing the biodiversity of native plant communities (Tabacchi & Tabacchi, 2001). (Carli et al., 2016;Meireles et al., 2009). ...
Article
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Riparian woody plant communities, including shrubs and trees, are essential for maintaining biodiversity, protecting against floods, reducing erosion, and transporting nutrients. However, these habitats are greatly threatened by human activities, particularly agricultural land acquisition, and the introduction of invasive species. This study examined species diversity and interspecific association in riparian woody plant communities along rivers in the Romanian Carpathians. The study focused on communities of Salix purpurea, S. alba, and Hippophaë rhamnoides in mountain regions, with varying sampling efforts at different sites for each species. A total of 174 plant species were found, predominantly herbaceous (77.9%), followed by trees (11.6%) and shrubs (10.5%). While S. alba and S. purpurea communities show high species richness and abundance, S. alba has slightly higher diversity (H′ ≈ 2.23, SD = 0.28) than S. purpurea (H′ ≈ 1.69, SD = 0.42). Contrarily, significant differences exist between H. rhamnoides and S. alba communities in species richness (p = .007) and Shannon diversity (p = .004). PCA analysis elaborated on distinct distribution patterns of plant associations within habitats S. purpurea community, H. rhamnoides community, and S. alba community. Four invasive species (Oenothera biennis L. and Oxalis stricta L. in S. alba communities, Reynoutria sachalinensis Nakai in both S. purpurea and H. rhamnoides communities, and Erigeron canadensis L. in H. rhamnoides communities) were identified, as requiring conservation efforts. Hemicryptophytes dominate species richness, while microphanerophytes and megaphanerophytes significantly contribute to plant abundance. H. rhamnoides formed Hippophaë rhamnoides dunes (2160) Natura 2000 habitat, while S. alba created galleries within the 92A0 Salix alba and Populus alba habitat. In conclusion, the findings from this study highlight the importance of preserving riparian habitats because their value goes beyond local or regional considerations and extends to the global scale due to their unique characteristics.
... For each plant community at the extremes, we calculated structure and functions indicators of the habitat 6230* based on the floristicvegetation relevés (Table 2), like those determined for other habitats (Del Vecchio et al., 2016;Carli et al., 2016;Kovač et al., 2016). We associated each species with its corresponding life form (Pignatti et al., 2017), eutrophication and conservation value. ...
Article
In this study, taking as an example the species-rich Nardus stricta grasslands (habitat 6230*) within the Natura 2000 network of the Lombardy region (northern Italy, central southern Alps), we evaluated i) whether the spatial distribution of the habitat 6230* corresponded to essential features for its identification, and ii) whether a broad habitat interpretation could affect its regional conservation status assessment. We analysed the spatial distribution of habitat 6230* regarding the elevation, geological substrate, forest treeline, land use types and other habitat types. Using the regional database of habitat relevés, we calculated the threshold values of conservation status for a range of indicators of structure, functions and future prospects. To this end, we used a subset of relevés of the subalpine sub-type of habitat 6230*, as it corresponds to plant communities where habitat interpretation can easily be extended beyond its definition. The mapped distribution of habitat 6230* did not entirely match the essential features required for its identification. Some polygons were located at the ecological extremes of habitat 6230*, on carbonate substrates and in the alpine belt. In those conditions, the habitat showed an Unfavourable-bad (U2) conservation status, decreasing species richness and typical species dominance and frequency. Our findings highlighted that plant communities representing ecological extremes of the habitat type 6230* should no longer be referred to the same habitat type. The proposed indicators can help identify habitat sub-types more conducive to successful restoration measures, thereby ensuring favourable conservation status. In turn, this guarantees sustainable agricultural land use, which simultaneously promotes biodiversity and high-quality food products. Furthermore, the procedure could be extended to other habitat types for early identification of priority monitoring areas, especially when their interpretation has gone beyond their definition, with little consideration given to the consequences on the regional conservation status assessments.
... However, the extent, structural complexity, and naturalness of riparian forests is often significantly compromised (Carli et al., 2016). This is due to anthropogenic disturbance factors such as agricultural or urban land use, human-induced hydrogeomorphological changes, the building of infrastructures (Brown et al., 2018;Dufour & Rodríguez-González, 2019), biological invasions (Lazzaro et al., 2020;Pyšek et al., 2010), and clear-cutting harvesting (Richardson et al., 2007). ...
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In riparian forests, clear-cutting causes long-lasting changes in both riparian and aquatic biota. In this work, we examined if past clear-cutting events occurred at different times have imprints on riparian forests in a Mediterranean river in central Italy. We carried out a randomized, plot-based vegetation survey of riparian forests in systematically sampled 500 m-long sectors along the whole river, dividing the riparian zone into two internal and two external strips. From historical aerial photos, past clear-cutting events within plots were detected and classified in age classes: (i) cut in the past 8 years (recent); (ii) cut between 8 and 19 years ago (intermediate); (iii) no signs of clearcutting in the last 19 years (distant). We analyzed the responses of vegetation to clear-cutting and strip position. Alien species richness was higher and woody species richness was lower in recently clear-cut areas compared to those with a distant clear-cutting event. Moreover, recently cut woods had more alien and synanthropic species. Intermediate clear-cut areas had higher levels of invasion by alien species compared to areas with distant cut. Riparian forests of internal strips are impacted by clear-cutting, but seem to recover in 8–19 years thanks to their natural resilience. Conversely, recent or intermediate clear-cutting events did not affect any of the investigated vegetation attributes in the external strips since such forests were already invaded by alien and synanthropic species after human disturbance. Our results confirm that clear-cutting events can have long-lasting effects on Mediterranean riparian forests, confirming the vulnerability of river ecosystems to clearcutting and suggesting the need for more caution in management practices to improve the conservation status of riparian forests.
... Nonetheless, there are differences between countries both in terms of data precision (e.g., habitat area), biodiversity indicators, and expert judgments (Cantarello and Newton 2008;Velazquez et al. 2010). This method is also emerging in the English-language literature on conservation status, notably in the N2K process (e.g., articles 11 and 17 of the EU Habitat Directive) for monitoring the conservation status of natural habitats and wild species of community inter-est at biogeographic and national levels (Winter et al. 2014;Carli et al. 2016;Alberdi et al. 2019). ...
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Natura 2000 contracts in the European Union aim to maintain or restore natural habitats to a favorable conservation status. This article aims to analyze the cost-effectiveness of Natura 2000 forest contracts at the individual level of intervention areas in France. The level of long-term biodiversity was assessed using ex ante and ex post levels of conservation status, evaluated on a 100-point scale. Data collection was conducted on the contract areas using a combination of plotless and line intersection sampling methods. Cost-effectiveness was analyzed by modeling a cost function of conservation measures that is estimated simultaneously with the ex ante and ex post biodiversity equations. We performed an empirical illustration based on a small number of observations, and, therefore, the results deserve to be confirmed using larger databases. The conservation measures implemented in the contracts studied had a significant effect on maintaining and restoring biodiversity. Nevertheless, we found pronounced diseconomies of scale and low cost-effectiveness. This suggests the possibility of less ecologically ambitious contracts with lower average costs. Our results also recommend new targeting and prioritizing rules to implement more cost-effective conservation measures (e.g., veteran trees) in a less costly context (e.g., targeting main tree species in larger intervention areas). These recommendations could make Natura 2000 contracts significantly more cost-effective.
... The floristic consistency (Carli et al. 2016(Carli et al. , 2018 refers to the congruence with the vegetation type (suballiance) to which the historical sampling units were referred to (Biondi et al. 2005;Di Pietro 2011;Biondi and Galdenzi 2012). We derived this indicator from the abundance of frequent and diagnostic species of the following suballiances: Steppic and Cichorieae species were taken into account since they strongly characterise grassland habitats. ...
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The conservation of semi-natural habitats represents a primary challenge for European nature conservation due to their great species diversity and their vulnerability to ongoing massive land-use changes. As these changes rapidly transform and phase out semi-natural habitats, conservation measures should be prompt and specifically focused on a sound assessment of the degree of conservation. Here we develop a methodological strategy for the assessment of the degree of conservation of semi-natural grasslands based on well-defined criteria rather than on expert opinion. Through mixed effect models, we tested ten potential indicators, encompassing proxies of species composition, habitat structure, and landscape patterns, against a measure of compositional change from habitat favourable condition, i.e., an inverse proxy of conservation status. This measure derives from the re-visitation of 132 sampling units historically sampled between 1966 and 1992 along the Apennines. The compositional change was quantified as the dissimilarity between historical habitat species pools and the composition of current communities. The compositional change was significantly related to the number of habitat diagnostic species and the relative cover of woody species with opposite sign (positive and negative, respectively). We classified and combined the classes of these two indicators in each sampling unit to assess the habitat degree of conservation at the plot and at the Natura 2000 site level. At the plot level, our assessment was in good agreement with the occurrence of species of conservation concern. On the other hand, at the site level, our assessment was not always harmonic with the habitat conservation assessment officially reported for the site investigated.
... Measures of species richness enable comparisons among sites and time intervals, but give equal importance to all species, regardless the fact that they could be native or introduced, ubiquitous or habitat specific, rare or common (Taft, Hauser, & Robertson, 2006). To gain more insight into composition, from the list of species per cell we calculated the richness in species of high conservation interest (HCSR) and floristic consistency (FC), which refers to the number of species that can be considered habitat specific (Carli et al., 2016). This indicator helps to reduce biases in the interpretation of species richness, such as underestimating plant diversity in cells that host species-poor communities with highly specialised flora (such as coastal cliffs, or halophile vegetation) or, to the other end, overestimating diversity in cells with high floristic richness but presence of cosmopolitan, ruderal or even exotic plants. ...
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In this paper, we present a spatially explicit procedure for mapping and assessing coastal plant diversity value in the context of biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning. Our objective was to devise a replicable and easy to understand methodology framework, which can represent an expedient tool for coastal management and decision making at spatial scales between 1:25,000 and 1:50,000. For this purpose, we adopted a small number of key descriptors that refer to easily quantifiable information on species and habitats: plant species richness, species of conservation value, floristic consistency, habitat diversity, and habitats of conservation interest under the Council Directive 92/43/EEC. We built an expedient sampling strategy that combines systematic sampling by grid cells of fixed size with stratification per habitat type, and apply a plain equal weighting scoring system for assessing overall plant diversity. All floristic and habitat data were entered into a spatial database built within a GIS environment and referred to a 1 × 1 square km spatial grid overlaid on two selected test sites in southern Sardinia (Italy). The descriptors we chose were successful surrogates of plant diversity, as they were able to represent the known conservation importance of both test sites and of specific areas within them, both individually and in combination. In particular, our results show that integrating indicators at different levels of biodiversity enabled to represent aspects with marked differences in distribution as well as to compensate possible biases in data collection, as habitat data are more easily available than floristic information and spatially continuous even in less accessible areas. Being based on well-known criteria and policies, and on data that are most widely and consistently available, our assessment procedure proved effective and easily transferable, and provides a spatial reference framework for systematically evaluating and monitoring coastal plant diversity at national level and across the Mediterranean Basin.
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Abstract We present here a phytosociological study of the vegetation of a sub-coastal hill in the Central Adriatic sector (southern Marche region) of the Italian peninsula. This analysis has revealed the great biogeographical value of the territory under study, as seen by the vegetation typologies, among which we propose the following new associations: Coronillo emeroidis-Pinetum halepensis, Fraxino orni-Lauretum nobilis, Rubio peregrinae-Aceretum campestris, Lauro nobilis-Populetum canescentis, Rubo ulmifolii- Salicetum albae, Lonicero etruscae-Coronilletum emeroidis, Asperulo aristatae-Cistetum eriocephali, Cistetum eriocephalisalvifolii, Scabioso maritimae-Cymbopogonetum hirti, Agropyro repentis-Oryzopsietum miliaceae and Ononido reclinatae- Plantaginetum bellardii. These are accompanied by numerous newly proposed subassociations, along with variants of previously described syntaxa. Key words: central Adriatic, biodiversity, biogeography, phytosociology, Italy, syntaxonomy, vegetation. Izvleček V članku je predstavljena fitocenološka študija vegetacije obalnega gričevja v osrednjem jadranskem sektorju (južna regija Marche) na italijanskem polotoku. Analiza je pokazala veliko biogeografsko vrednost raziskovanega območja glede vegetacijske tipologije. Predlagamo naslednje nove asociacije: Coronillo emeroidis-Pinetum halepensis, Fraxino orni-Lauretum nobilis, Rubio peregrinae-Aceretum campestris, Lauro nobilis-Populetum canescentis, Rubo ulmifolii-Salicetum albae, Lonicero etruscae- Coronilletum emeroidis, Asperulo aristatae-Cistetum eriocephali, Cistetum eriocephali-salvifolii, Scabioso maritimae-Cymbopogonetum hirti, Agropyro repentis-Oryzopsietum miliaceae in Ononido reclinatae-Plantaginetum bellardii. Obenem so opisani sintaksoni členjeni na številne subasociacije in variante. Ključne besede: biodiverziteta, biogeografija, fitocenologija, Italija, sintaksonomija, vegetacija.
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Here is presented a contribution towards the syntaxonomic definition of the mesophilous woods, mainly found throughout the montane and submontane bioclimatic belts, of the Central and Northem Apennines. In the syntaxonomic groupings at the hierarchical level of alliance and suballiance, considerably modified with respect to previous reports, the contribution that the Eastern species makes to this vegetation is emphasised with reference to the syntaxonomic units with a Balkan distribution, bringing out the biogeographical connections that assign the territories under investigation to the Apennino-Balkan Province and to the Padanian and Apennine Subprovinces. Previously, these biogeographical links were shown in syntaxonomic tems only for the vegetation of the mixed deciduous woods, of the hilly bioclimatic belt, that have been assigned to the Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis alliance and included in the Lauro-Quercenion pubescentis suballiance, for the mainly themophilous, pre-Apennine woods rich in Mediterranean species, and Laburno-Ostryenion carpinifoliae, for those more mesophilous and inland. In the present study, also for the woods of the Central and Northern Apennines with a prevalente of beech, it is possible to show the link with the Eastern system assigning them to the Aremonio-Fagion alliance within which there is the new Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagenion sylvaticae suballiance. Furthemore, there is evidence of the co-presence in the Central Apennines of beech woods assigned to the southem Apennine Geranio versicoloris-Fagion alliance. This is due to a condition of altitude sobstitution causing the presence, at the lower altitude, of associations belonging to the latter alliance while impoverished foms of the Northem Cardamino kitaibelii-Fagenion sylvaticae suballiance occur solely at the higher altitudes. Also for the woods of Turkey oak and European ash with the abundant presence of European hornbeam, the connection with the Eastem fomation is proposed, assigning them to the Eythronio dentis-canis-Carpinion betuli alliance, for which can be found in Italy the Asparago tenuifolii-Carpinenion betuli suballiance for the Padanian Subprovince, and Pulmonario apenninae-Carpinenion betuli for that of the Apennines. The syntaxonomical scheme for the cornmunities discussed in the texte and others meaningfull for the studied area will be presented at the end of this document.
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The vegetation and plant landscape of Monte San Vicino's mountain group (Central Apennines). Here is presented a phytosociological study of the vegetation and the plant landscape of the mountain group of Monte San Vicino. The vegetational typologies have been analysed through the correlation with the lithological, geomorphological and climatic characteristics of the area. The mountain chain of Monte San Vicino is part of the Marche ridge and in the north and north-west is bound by the Esino River Valley (Gola delle Rossa), in the south by the Potenza River Valley, in the east by the Laga Basin and the outer Marche Bacin and in the west by the Camerino synclinorium. The highest peaks are found in the central part of the ridge (along the anticline axis), and include Monte San Vicino as the highest of the ridge (1485 metres a.s.l.). The chain is mainly made up of calcareous lithotypes belonging to the formations of the Umbria-Marche series while the turbidite lithology (various layers of sandstone and clay) from the Miocene, surfaces along the eastern and southern edges of the ridge. The processing of temperature and precipitation data indicates a temperate oceanic macrobioclimate, of the submediterranean variant, with two bioclimatic belts: hilly and montane. The numerous vegetation typologies found in the territory belong to 19 different vegetation classes and are here presented on the basis of their physiognomic and structural characteristics. The following new associations have been described: Hieracio racemosi-Fagetum sylvaticae, Cyclamino hederifolii-Castaneetum sativae, Roso sempervirentis-Cercidetum siliquastri, Junipero communis-Ericetum arboreae, Rhamnetum infectorii-fallacis, Digitalidi micranthae-Peucedanetum verticillaris, Ranunculo lanuginosi-Aconitetum neapolitani, Geranio sanguinei-Paeonietum villosae, Hieracio racemosi-Luzuletum sylvaticae, Festuco circummediterraneae-Arrhenatheretum elatioris and Saturejo montanae-Cistetum eriocephali. To these can be added numerous newly defined subassociations and variants of existing syntaxa. Furthermore, the individualization of the dynamic relationships between the different plant associations found has allowed the reconstruction of the vegetation series. The integration of these series results in the main landscape units present in the mountain group of San Vicino. The geosigmetum of the montane bioclimatic belt is represented by the basophilous microseries of Sesleria apennina (Carici humilis-Seslerieto apenninae sigmetum) while the submontane belt of the ridge is represented by the following series: the climatophilous, basophilous series of Fagus sylvatica on Calcare Massiccio and Maiolica (Lathyro veneti-Fageto sylvaticae sigmetum) and the climatophilous subacidophilous one of Fagus sylvatica on Calcari diasprini (Hieracio racemosi-Fageto sylvaticae sigmetum). In the high-hilly bioclimatic belt of the ridge the geosigmetum is represented by two climatophilous series: the basophilous series of Ostrya carpinifolia (Scutellario columnae-Ostryeto carpinifoliae sigmetum) on the Maiolica, that in warmer slopes is replaced by the edaphoxerophilous series of Quercus ilex (Cephalanthero-Querceto ilicis sigmetum), and the neutro-basophilous series of Quercus cerris (Aceri obtusati-Querceto cerridis sigmetum) on the Marne a Fucoidi, on the Rosso Ammonitico and on the Calcari diasprini substrata. Along the slopes belonging to the hilly bioclimatic belt, featuring a more significant mediterranean influence, are present two sub-mediterranean climatophilous series: the basophilous of Ostrya carpinifolia (Asparago acutifolii-Ostryeto carpinifoliae sigmetum) and the neutro-basophilous of Quercus cerris (Lonicero xylostei-Querceto cerridis loniceretosum etruscae sigmetum), and two edaphoxerophilous series: of Quercus ilex (Fraxino orni-Querceto ilicis sigmetum) and of Quercus pubescens (Roso sempervirentis-Querceto pubescentis cotinetosum coggygriae sigmetum). The geosigmetum of the hilly bioclimatic belt of the edges of the ridge characterised by terrigenous lithotypes (sandy-arenaceous substrata, sandy colluviums, and sandy-lime colluviums) is made up of the following series: the edaphoxerophilous neutro-basophilous one of Quercus pubescens (Peucedano cervariae-Querceto pubescentis ruscetosum aculeati sigmetum), the climatophilous subacidophilous one of Quercus cerris (Aceri obtusati- Querceto cerridis ericetosum arboreae sigmetum), the edaphomesophilous one of Castanea sativa (Cyclamino hederifolii-Castaneeto sativae sigmetum) and the edaphomesophilous one of Ostrya carpinifolia (Scutellario columnae-Ostryeto carpinifoliae prunetosum avium sigmetum). On the gravely-sandy alluvial terraces is present the climatophilous neutro-basophilous series of Quercus pubescens (Peucedano cervariae-Querceto pubescentis sigmetum).
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We compared the rate of invasion of four plant species which are alien to central Europe and the highest-growing representative of different life-forms: Impatients glandulifera (annaul), Heracleum mantegazzianum (monocarpic perennial), Reynoutria japonica and R. sachalinensis (polycarpic perennials). The spread of these species in the Czech Republic was reconstructed on the basis of floristic data. Cumulative numbers of localities reported from the time of introduction to the present were used for comparison. Exponential regression models were found to best fit the increase in thecumulative number of localities over time and the slope b was considered a convenient measure of the invasion rate. The ranking of species according to the decreasing rate of invasion was: I. glandulifera, Reynoutria japonica, Heracleum mantegazzianum, R. sachalinensis. The rate of invasion in riparian habitats, if these were treated separately, decreased in the following order: I. glandulifer, R. sachalinensis, R. japonica, H. mantegazzianum. The lag and exponential phases of spread were distinguished and the timing of the beginning of invasion was estimated at 1936 in I. glandulifera, 1938 in R. japonica, 1943 in H. mantegazzianum and 1952 in R. sachalinensis. H. mantegazzianum and I. glandulifera began to spread exponentially after having reached only a few localities in the area studied and their invasion rates during the exponential phase were higher than those of both Reynoutria species, whose imvasion proceeded at a more even rate. Habitat preferences differed between species in both law and exponential phases of spread. Different patterns of affinity to riparian habitats were found among the species studied. The role of river corridors in encouraging plant invasions is discussed on the regional scale with respect to the autecology of the species and frequency of suitable habitats.
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The Vegetation Prodrome of Italy was promoted in 2012 by the Italian “Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea Protection”, in collaboration with the “Italian Society of Botany”, to provide a comprehensive and systematic catalogue and description of Italian plant communities. The Prodrome that is presented in this paper is the first full organic synthesis of the vegetation of Italy at the alliance syntaxonomic level. It fulfils several needs, the main one being a unified and comprehensive national framework that may make an important contribution to the definition of the European Vegetation Prodrome. Syntaxonomy, as well as taxonomy, is sometimes based on considerations that may in part diverge: several authors tend to favour models that are divisive or aggregative to a greater or lesser extent in terms of flora, biogeography and ecology. These different points of view stimulate the scientific debate and allow the adoption of a framework that is more widely supported. The Prodrome includes 75 classes, 2 subclasses, 175 orders, 6 suborders and 393 alliances. The classes were grouped into nine broad categories according to structural, physiognomic and synecological elements rather than to syntaxonomic criteria. The rank, full valid name, any synonymies and incorrect names are provided for each syntaxon. The short declaration highlights the physiognomy, synecology, syndynamics and distribution of the plant communities that belong to the syntaxon. The Prodrome of the Italian Vegetation is linked to the European Strategy for Biodiversity, the European Habitats Directive and the European Working Groups related to the ecosystems and their services. In addition to basic applications, the Prodrome can be used as a framework for scientific research related to the investigation of the relationships between plant communities and the environmental factors that influence their composition and distribution.