Title
Apennine mountain pine scrub (Pinus mugo) with Silene pusilla and Juniperus communis subsp. alpina-scrub on carbonate rocks
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Italy: central Apeninne (Majella, Abruzzia)
area frequency
2 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Daphno oleoidis-Juniperetum nanae, Chamaecytiso spinescentis-Arctostaphyletum uva-ursi, Phyteumo orbicularis-Juniperetum alpinae - all Blasi, Gigli & Stanisci 1991, Pinus mugo-stands Petriccione 1988.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Three-layered Pinus mugo and Juniperus communis subsp. alpina stands with a dense shrub layer, numerous Apennine species.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Shrub layer
Pinus mugo, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Daphne oleoides, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Chamaecytisus spinescens
Herb layer
Phyteuma orbiculare, Helianthemum oelandicum subsp. alpestre, Orthilia secunda, Silene pusilla, Brachypodium pinnatum, Globularia meridionalis, Hieracium murorum, Epipactis atrorubens, Poa alpina, Galium lucidum, Campanula scheuchzeri, Helianthemum nummularium subsp. grandiflorum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Pinus mugo, Juniperus communis subsp. alpina, Daphne oleoides; Phyteuma orbiculare, Silene pusilla
Ecological variants
---
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
---
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Seslerion tenuifoliae swards.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
alpine grasslands (B52), species-rich beech forests (F146).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
---
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Seslerion tenuifoliae swards.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
---
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
---
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
high-mountain relief, plateaux, slopes
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
subalpine; 1900-2300 m
Geology (bedrock)
limestone (Cretaceous, Jurassic)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
humus carbonate soil (rendzinas); (rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
stone-rich, loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh
soil reaction
weakly acidic, neutral
soil fertility
mesotrophic, meso-eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
<5 °C
average annual precipitation
>1400 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 8-12 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January <-2 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
a short dry season in summer
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
The original range has been somewhat reduced.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
No details
causes of endangerment
Earlier fire, grazing.
required measures for protection and restitution
Strict protection of semi-natural remnants, grazing must be abandoned.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: national park Abruzzia, national park Majella.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
Italy: national park Abruzzia, national park Majella.
Most important references (author, year)
Blasi, Gigli & Stanisci 1991; Migliaccio 1966; Petriccione 1988
Compiled by
F. Pedrotti and Z. Neuhäuslová
