Coastal saltmarsh vegetation in Sicily (Italy): phytosociological insights and plant diversity

Abstract

This paper reports a phytosociological survey on the perennial halophilous vegetation of the coastal salt marshes in Sicily. Data available from the literature have been supplemented with original relevés performed in different salt marshes in Sicily. A total of 470 relevés according to the standard procedures of the Braun-Blanquet method were processed. For the definition of plant communities and alliances, hierarchical clustering was performed by using Bray-Curtis coefficient and Detrended Correspondence Analysis ordination methods. The Salicornietea fruticosae class is represented in Sicily by two, floristically and ecologically well differentiated, orders: Salicornietalia fruticosae, including seven alliances (Arthrocnemion macrostachyi, Inulion crithmoides, Limoniastrion monopetali, Limonion ferulacei, Salicornion fruticosae, Sarcocornion alpinii, Suaedion verae), and Halocnemetalia cruciati, including only one alliance (Halocnemion cruciati). Within this class, 12 plant associations were recognized, of which a new association (Junco subulati-Limonietum narbonense), included in the Salicornion fruticosae alliance.

Keywords:

• Coastal habitats
• perennial halophilous vegetation
• Salicornietea fruticosae
• succulent halophilous communities
• wetlands

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Salvatore Brullo and Valeria Tomaselli for their useful suggestions and also the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by the University of Catania (Project No. 22722132138, 2016-2018).