Syntaxonomy of Arundo stands along the eastern Adriatic coast

Abstract

Based on the diagnostic morphological characters of the Arundo taxa, and after both field and herbarium observation, three species (A. micrantha, A. plinii and A. donax) were found along the eastern Adriatic coast. Altogether, 50 phytocoenological relevés from Arundo stands were collected in Croatia, Montenegro and Albania between 2010 and 2013. Three associations with a predominance of Arundo species were determined: Arundinetum plinianae, Arundinetum micranthae and Arundini donacis–Convolvuletum sepium. Among them, Arundinetum micranthae is described and proposed as a new association, belonging to the Artemisietea vulgaris class. It occurs frequently along the coastal belt between the cities of Split and Dubrovnik in South Croatia. The syntaxonomy of the associations is discussed and comparison with similar communities from Italy is made. The vegetation and floristic structure of the associations is discussed as a potential basis for biodiversity conservation programmes and for evaluating the state of these ecosystems in the future.

Keywords::

• Mediterranean
• eastern Adriatic coast
• nitrophilous communities
• phytosociology
• syntaxonomy
• new syntaxon
• distribution

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank three anonymous reviewers and the editors for their efforts in improving this paper. Many thanks also to Steve Latham (UK) for helpful comments and improving the English.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed doi:10.1080/11263504.2014.990942.