Ecological aspects of the bryoflora of some ravines of the Umbro‐Marchegian Apennines

Abstract

The goal of this study was to broaden current floristic understanding of five ravines, with different altitudes and characteristics, present along the Umbro‐Marchegian Apennine chain, and to examine how the distribution of the bryoflora is conditioned by geomorphological and microclimatic aspects, as well as man’s intervention. The flora list derives almost exclusively from unpublished data of explorations conducted in 2006 and 2007. Initial analysis of this list indicates that the bryoflora is more characterized by the presence of the river at the base of the ravine than by the size of the ravine itself, for there is a considerable number of species of aquatic and stillicidous environments, rather than species related to climatic factors. In addition, the imperviousness of the ravines limits the presence of tourists, which generally determines the entrance of cosmopolite species of high ecological importance, reducing the quality of a given ecosystem. In addition, the presence of Conocephalum salebrosum is signalled for the first time in Italy.

Keywords:

• Bryoflora
• ecology
• Marches Region
• PcoAnalysis
• ravines

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sheila Beatty, Professor of English at the University of Camerino, for the translation and linguistic revision of the manuscript.