Are all pastures eligible for conservation? A phytosociological survey of the Sardinian–Corsican Province as a basic tool for the Habitats Directive

Abstract

A consistent vegetation classification is an essential tool for conservation and monitoring purposes, also for semi-natural habitats such as pastures and hay meadows that are linked to traditional land use and generally considered crucial to maintain biodiversity within agricultural systems. Indeed, these habitats can be strongly affected by land abandonment or agriculture intensification. Despite their importance in the framework of the EU Habitats Directive (43/92/EEC), information on distribution, species composition, and conservation status is still lacking for many regions. To fill these gaps, we investigated from a phytosociological point of view the sheep pastures of the North-Western Sardinian trachy-basaltic sector. Three main communities were described as new: (i) perennial montane (meso-supratemperate) cattle and sheep pastures (Loto alpini-Festucetum morisianae); (ii) mixed (annual and perennial) Mediterranean (lower Thermomediterranean to lower supratemperate) sheep pastures (Ornithogalo corsici-Poetum bulbosae); and (iii) annual ploughed subnitrophilous Mediterranean and Temperate pastures (Cynosuro polybracteati-Vulpietum ligusticae). As the first two host numerous endemic taxa and show a peculiar floristic composition, we assign them a higher conservation value, testified also by their classification in two new syntaxa: Danthonio decumbentis-Caricenion insularis (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea) and Ornithogalo corsici-Trifolienion subterranei (Poetea bulbosae), respectively.

Keywords::

• Biodiversity conservation
• Habitats Directive
• Mediterranean grassland
• northern Sardinia
• phytosociology

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Umberto Pirisi, Giulia Mameli, and Alessio Ortu for their help while gathering data in the field, whereas Marta Leo made a linguistic revision of the manuscript.

Gratitude is also due to the staff of the forestry stations of Foresta Anela (Anela-SS) and Fiorentini (Bultei-SS) of the Ente Foreste della Sardegna (Forestry Board of Sardinia) for providing a logistic base and for the genuine hospitality offered throughout the research project. This work would not have been possible without the authorisation of the Ente Foreste della Sardegna to accede to the areas it manages. The Fondazione Banco di Sardegna financed a research grant for the topic “The shrub communities in the terrestrial ecosystems of NW Sardinia: potential use in programmes for reforestation and conservation of biodiversity” held by E. Farris, while the Consorzio per la Promozione degli Studi Universitari della Sardegna Centrale financed the “Fellowship for young graduates in the environmental sciences” held by Z. Secchi.