Title
Middle Mediterranean wild olive-locust tree forests(Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Pistacia lentiscus), partly with Chamaerops humilis
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
France: Cote d´Azur (Monaco); south Italy: Sardinia, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Calabria, Apulien, Sicily, Pelagic islands; Malta; Croatia; Yugoslavia: Montenegro (not shown on the map)
area frequency
62 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Oleo-Ceratonion-communities (Chamaeropo-Quercetum calliprini Brullo & Marcenò 1984, Oleo-Juniperetum phoeniceae De Marco et al. 1989, Genistetum acanthocladae (Valsecchi 1976) Federici & Mangialardi 1995, Genistetum ephedroidis Ferro & Furnari 1968, Periploco-Euphorbietum dendroidis Brullo, Di Martino & Marcenò 1977, Oleo-Euphorbietum dendroidis Trinajstić (1973) 1984, Oleo-Lentiscetum Braun-Blanquet & René Molinier 1951, Junipero-Quercetum calliprini Bartolo, Brullo & Marcenò 1982, Pistacio-Juniperetum macrocarpae Caneva, De Marco & Mossa 1981, Rusco aculeati-Quercetum calliprini Mossa 1990, Asparago albi-Euphorbietum dendroidis Biondi & Mossa 1992, Chamaeropo-Juniperetum phoeniceae De Marco, Dinelli & Caneva 1989, Clematido cirrhosae-Pistacietum lentisci Arrigoni & Di Tommaso 1991, Phillyreo angustifoliae-Juniperetum turbinatae Arrigoni, Nardi & Raffaelli 1985 nom. corr.). Croatia: Oleo-Lentiscetum (adriaticum) Trinajstić 1977, Pistacio-Juniperetum phoeniceae Trinajstić 1987.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Two-layered, xerothermic, evergreen forests and macchia (up to 4 m in height), in which marked ornithochore elements such as Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Juniperus phoenicea, Pistacia lentiscus, Rhamnus spp., Chamaerops humilis and often the facultative-ornithochore species Euphorbia dendroides assert themselves. For this reason this vegetation as a whole has a more or less balanced floristic composition over the entire Mediterranean region. In addition to phanerophytes, geophytes also play an important role.
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Ceratonia siliqua, Pistacia lentiscus, Pinus halepensis, Quercus coccifera
Shrub layer
Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Euphorbia dendroides, Phlomis fruticosa, Chamaerops humilis, Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa, Juniperus phoenicea, Genista ephedroides, Genista acanthoclada, Quercus coccifera, Pistacia lentiscus, Calicotome spinosa, Myrtus communis
Lianas
Clematis cirrhosa, Lonicera implexa, Smilax aspera, Ephedra fragilis, Asparagus acutifolius, Rubia peregrina
Herb layer
Ruscus aculeatus, Asparagus albus, Carex distachya, Silene italica, Aetheorhiza bulbosa, Brachypodium retusum, Prasium majus, Arisarum vulgare, Arum pictum
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
No details
Diagnostically important species
Olea europaea subsp. oleaster, Ceratonia siliqua, Pistacia lentiscus; Euphorbia dendroides, Chamaerops humilis, Genista acanthoclada, Genista ephedroides, Quercus coccifera, Juniperus phoenicea, Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa, Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata, Ephedra fragilis, Myrtus communis, Arbutus unedo, Chamaerops humilis, Rhamnus lycioides
Ecological variants
---
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
Geographically deviating communities in Sardinia, as well as in Sicily and at the coast of the Italian peninsula. In France it is home to the endemic Leucojum nicaeense. Croatia: middle-Mediterranean complex: Provencal strain, Tyrrhenian-Adriatic strain (Oleo-Euphorbietum dendroidis coronilletosum Trinajstič 1973).
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Crithmo-Limonion, Ammophiletea, Cakiletea maritimae, Salicornietea, Phagnaleto-Asplenietum glandulosi with Melica bauhini, Teucrium flavum, Piptatherum coerulescens.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
downy oak forests (G41, G53), holm oak forests (J14, J20, J17, J19, J21), cork oak forests (J28), dune vegetation (P11), salt vegetation (P24), alluvial and moist forests as well as scrubs (U18, U34, U37).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
Pinus pinea, eucalyptus, Pinus halepensis, Pinus radiata, Pinus pinaster plantations; macchias (1-3 m) e.g. of the Rosmarino-Ericion.
grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Mediterranean dry grasslands; garrigue with Euphorbia spinosa; Bromo-Oryzopsion miliaceae; Rosmarinetalia, Brachypodietalia ramosi and Tuberarietalia guttatae communities.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
Citrus fruits, olive trees and vineyards.
settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
Brometalia rubenti-tectori communities.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
sometimes rocky cliff coasts, sometimes a weakly marked relief, hilly country
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
thermo-Mediterranean; 0-300 (400) m
Geology (bedrock)
South-west France: limestone (Jurassic: above Malm); chalky clay, lime-sand dunes, flysch (Tertiary, Cretaceous, Jurassic); Sardinia: gneiss (Palaeozoic: among others Silurian, Ordovician)
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
lime-rich (partly also decalcified) and Mediterranean terra rossa, Mediterranean brown soils (Mancini 1966); (stony and lithic chromic cambisols; (stony) chromic luvisols; pellic vertisols; calcaric regosols; SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1rendzic leptosols)
soil texture
loam, sand, stony, rocky
soil moisture, water balance
dry, very dry
soil reaction
weakly acidic to alkaline
soil fertility
mesotrophic to eutrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
IV1, IV2a, IV2b IV3a, IV3b
average annual temperature
17-19 °C
average annual precipitation
450-900 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 21-27 °C; bis 31 °C in Croatia
average temperature of the coldest month
January/February 6-11 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
Long-term summerly droughts; Croatia: warmest, subhumid part of the Mediterranean Sea region with distinct summerly dry season. France: protected locations open towards the sea, shed towards the north by hills and rocky slopes.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Severely damaged by man particularly on Sicily. The dune communities are also at great danger. In south-west France major areas of its former distribution range have been destroyed by development or converted into garrigue by usage. Remnants are found at inaccessible cliff coasts. The community has also been altered due to anthropogenic introduction of foreign species.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
All natural communities.
causes of endangerment
Recreational use, fires, grazing, cultivation, construction activity, naturalisation of exotic species.
required measures for protection and restitution
Restrictions on tourist activities.
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Italy: Duna di Capalbio, Isole Tremiti, coasts of Gargano and Puglia, coasts of Sardinia.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
France: Garrigue with Euphorbia dendroides at the coast of ‘Estérel (Le Trayas)?.
Most important references (author, year)
Brullo, Cirino & Longhitano 1995; Camarda & Satta 1995; Federici & Mangialardi 1993; Molinier 1953/1954; Molinier & Molinier 1955; Ozenda 1981; Trinajstić 1973; Trinajstić 1977; Trinajstić 1984a; Trinajstić 1984b; Trinajstić 1985a; Trinajstić 1985c; Trinajstić 1987a
Compiled by
F. Pedrotti, Z. Neuhäuslová and E. Poli; Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by I. Trinajstić; C. Hettwer based on documents by P. Ozenda
