Original paper
Therophytic halophilous vegetation classification in South-Eastern Italy
Tomaselli, Valeria; Veronico, Giuseppe; Sciandrello, Saverio; Forte, Luigi
Phytocoenologia Band 50 Heft 2 (2020), p. 187 - 209
91 references
published: Jul 10, 2020
published online: Mar 19, 2020
manuscript accepted: Jan 24, 2020
manuscript revision received: Dec 22, 2019
manuscript revision requested: Nov 25, 2019
manuscript received: Oct 16, 2019
ArtNo. ESP024005002005, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
Aims: Halophilous, sub-halophilous, and halo-nitrophilous annual plant communities belonging to the Thero-Salicornietea and Saginetea maritimae classes have been analyzed in South-Eastern Italy. Even if numerous contributions have been provided on these vegetation types, at diverse scales of observation, the different and sometimes contrasting syntaxonomic treatments adopted by different authors, as well as the phytogeographical interpretations, have led to uncertainty about their proper classification and nomenclature. Methods: In the present contribution a data-set of 391 relevés (230 from literature and 161 original data) was first subjected to some basic statistics and then analyzed through flexible beta clustering. CH index was used to determine the best partition, and the phi coefficient for the identification of diagnostic species. Indirect gradient analysis was performed by DCA ordination. Results: Results were interpreted from a syntaxonomic point of view. As regards Thero-Salicornietea, halophilous communities are well separated from the halo-nitrophilous ones in the two orders Thero-Salicornietalia and Thero-Suaedetalia splendentis. Within Thero-Salicornietalia, a new alliance, Salicornion venetae, including the tetraploid Salicornia vegetation typically growing in long flooded sites of the Adriatic region, is here proposed. As for Saginetea maritimae, two main groups well separate: rocky coasts, sandy soils (Saginetalia maritimae, with the E-Mediterranean alliance Sileno sedoidis-Catapodion balearici) and salt marshes, clayey-silty soils (Frankenietalia pulverulentae, here with the two alliances Frankenion pulverulentae and Limonion avei). Taxonomic references: Pignatti et al. (2017–2019); Bartolucci et al. (2018). For Salicornia and Suaeda, two keystone genera for the communities of Thero-Salicornietea class, although taking into account the recent work of Kadereit et al. (2012), we referred to Iberite (2017, in Pignatti et al.) and to Brullo & Guarino (2017, in Pignatti et al.), respectively. For the genus Hornungia, we referred to Pignatti et al. (2017–2019). Syntaxonomic references: Rivas-Martinez et al. (2001); de Foucault et Bioret (2010); Biondi et al. (2014); Mucina et al. (2016). Abbreviations: EEC = European Economic Community; CH = Calinski-Harabasz; DCA = Detrended Correspondence Analysis; ICPN = International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature
Keywords
halophilous vegetation • Thero-Salicornietea • Saginetea maritimae • vegetation classification • syntaxonomy • coastal vegetation • South-Eastern Italy • Mediterranean area