Characterization and classification of caespitose acidophilous pastures of South-west Europe (Festucetea indigestae class)

Abstract

This paper studies the caespitose perennial pastures of acidophilous character belonging to the Festucetea indigestae class in South-west Europe. The survey deals with a total of 33 associations included in this class. While some of these have a climactic significance in the Iberian high mountains, others occurring at lower altitudes have a serial character. All the synthetic tables of the associations included in the class have been examined by means of hierarchical clustering (SPSS 5.11). The survey not only includes the analysis of the floristic composition, altitudinal distribution of the syntaxa and their chorological distribution, but also the analysis of the spectra of biological types occurring in all the associations and higher ranks. The survey ends with a taxonomical classification of the class that includes the description of a new association.

Key words:

• Biological spectra
• caespitose perennial pastures
• Festucetalia indigestae
• high mountain vegetation
• Jasiono – Koelerietalia
• phytosociological diversity
• Psicroxerophilous pastures
• upper timberline vegetation

Acknowledgements

We are deeply grateful to S. Rivas-Martínez, C. Blasi, A. Benabid and J. Amigo for their suggestions and contributions in the analysis of the vegetation; to F. Alcaraz, E. Biondi and V. Zuccarello for their revision and comments on the statistical analysis; to G. Nieto for the identification of the samples of Armeria, and to V. de la Fuente for the identification of the samples of Festuca for the new association proposed.