Aleppo pine forests of northern and western Peloponnisos (southern Greece): Plant communities and diversity

Abstract

Mature Aleppo pine forests of northern and western Peloponnisos (Achaia and Ilia prefectures) were studied. The studied forests lie in hilly areas and consist of Pinus halepensis ssp. halepensis trees with an understorey of evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs. Three syntaxonomical vegetation units were identified: Oleo europaeae-Pistacietum lentisci pinetosum halepensis of the Oleo-Ceratonion alliance belonging to the thermomediterranean vegetation belt; sub-association Arbuto andrachnes-Quercetum ilicis pinetosum halepensis of the Quercion ilicis alliance belonging to the mesomediterranean vegetation belt and described here for the first time and, finally, the P. halepensis facies of the Arbutus unedo–Erica arborea community of the Quercion ilicis alliance. The above-mentioned vegetation units differ in terms of the floristic composition of the shrub and herb layers, floristic diversity, altitudinal distribution and potential succession.

Keywords:

• Greece
• Quercetea ilicis
• mediterranean vegetation
• phytosociology
• Pinus halepensis ssp. halepensis
• sclerophyllous forest

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank V. Zygouri, S. Verroios and S. Spanou for assistance in the manuscript preparation, and an anonymous reviewer for providing very useful comments.