The vegetation of wetlands in the northern Apennines (Italy)

Environmental drivers of plant assemblages: are there differences between palustrine and lacustrine wetlands? A case study from the northern Apennines (Italy)

“…Based on the number of species found (163), which were concentrated in a very small area (the sum of the areas surveyed was one hectare) and representing almost 15% of the flora of the National Park of the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna (Viciani et al, 2010), our results confirmed that mountain wetlands can host a relatively rich flora, including plants of high conservation value, as already reported for the Apennines by various authors Tomaselli, 1987, 1993;Lastrucci et al, 2005Lastrucci et al, , 2006Foggi et al, 2011;Buldrini et al, 2017). Our findings are of particular importance considering the decline in species richness in natural aquatic ecosystems (Hrivnák et al, 2014) and in the wetlands of the Apennine chain (Gerdol and Tomaselli, 1993). Moreover, artificial mountain aquatic habitats may act as refugia for species of conservation importance.…”

“…As a general trend, European wetlands decrease in size and frequency from north to south. In the Mediterranean basin, most wetlands are in mountain areas (Gerdol and Tomaselli, 1993). Unlike in the Alps, the Apennines are rather poor in wetlands; here, wetlands are often fragmented and floristically less characterized, due a progressive loss of hygrophilous boreal species along the north-south gradient.…”

“…In particular, at relatively low altitudes (below 1000 m a.s.l. ), many Apennine wetlands are partially or completely artificial (Gerdol and Tomaselli, 1993). Nevertheless, also artificial wetlands can be important for the conservation of plant diversity, especially in view of the worldwide degradation of natural aquatic ecosystems and the associated decline in species richness (Hrivnák et al, 2014).…”

Three mires in the south-eastern Alps (northern Italy)

“…Orthophotos of mire areas were taken from the website 'Geoportale nazionale'. Dierssen, 1980;Dierssen, 1998;Gerdol & Tomaselli, 1993;Dierssen & Dierssen, 2008;Lederbogen, 2003;Steiner, 1992). Vegetation types of lower rank than association were differentiated by the dominant species in the bryophyte layer, indicating different water levels within the association as suggested by Dierssen (1980).…”

“…Peatlands in Italy are most abundant in the southern Alps and in the northern Apennines. Several studies have recently dealt with these habitats focusing on floristic composition and vegetation patterns, also in relation to water-table position and nutrient status (Gerdol, 1990;Gerdol et al, 2011;Gerdol & Tomaselli, 1993;Gerdol, Tomaselli, & Bragazza, 1994;Petraglia & Tomaselli, 2003).…”