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Acta Botanica Gallica
Botany Letters
Volume 157, 2010 - Issue 3
256
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Original Articles

Syntaxonomy and synecology of Erica cinerea L. communities in the Alps (north-western Italy)

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Pages 493-504 | Received 11 Nov 2009, Accepted 14 Dec 2009, Published online: 26 Apr 2013
 

Abstract

The paper aims to assess the syntaxonomy of Erica cinerea disjointed communities in the southern Alps (Italy). A new subassociation ericetosum cinereae subass. nova is described within the Chamaecytiso hirsuti—Callunetum vulgaris. Two main geographical races are identified: geogr. race typicum in the Cozie Alps, and geogr. race with Fraxinus ornus in the Pennine Alps. Within the geographical races with Fraxinus ornus, two edaphic variants are described: var. edaph. with Chrysopogon gryllus, located on rocky soils and characterized by ingressive species of Festuco-Brometea, and var. edaph. with Betula pendula, located in relatively deeper soils and characterized by high total canopy cover. Shrub invasion is very rapid in particular in the geogr. race typicum and in the geogr. race with Fraxinus ornus var. edaph. with Betula pendula.

Résumé

Ce travail décrit la syntaxonomie des communités disjointes à Erica cinerea des Alpes du Sud (Italie). Une nouvelle sous—association ericetosum cinereae est décrite an sein du Chamaecytiso hirsuti—Callunetum vulgaris. Deux races géographiques y sont reconnues: race geogr. typicum dans les Alpes cot- tiennes et race geogr. à Fraxinus ornus dans les Alpes pennines. Deux variantes édaphiques sont décrites pour la race à Fraxinus ornus: var. edaph. à Chrysopogon gryllus, sur des sols rocailleux et différenciée par des espèces ingressives de Festuco-Brometea, et var. édaph. à Betula pendula, sur des sols relativement plus profonds et caractérisée par une couverture abondante d'espèces ligneuses. L'invasion d'arbustes est très rapide en particulier dans la race geogr. typicum et dans la race geogr. à Fraxinus ornus var. édaph. à Betula pendula.

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