EUNIS Classification system: C3.42 Mediterraneo-Atlantic amphibious communities

Biogeographical Region: Mediterranean

National Habitat Checklist of reference: Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE (Biondi et al. 2009).

Phytosociological reference: Helosciadio crassipedis-Isoëtetum tigulianae Biondi & Bagella 2005 nom. corr., Helosciadienion crassipedis Bagella, Caria, Farris & Filigheddu 2009 nom. corr., Preslion cervinae Br.-Bl. ex Moor 1937, Isoëtetalia Br.-Bl. 1936, Isoëto-Nanojuncetea Br.-Bl. & Tüxen ex Westhoff, Dijk & Passchier 1946 (Bagella et al. 2009).

Geographic information: Italy, Sardinia, Oristano, Mogoro, 127 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 39.651615 N, 8.776443 E (Tab. 2, Rel. 1); Coordinates: 39.651672 N, 8.776348 E (Tab. 2, Rel. 2); Coordinates: 39.651818 N, 8.776509 E (Tab. 2, Rel. 3).

Cell ID in the EEA reference grid: 10kmE421N184 (Fig. 1).

Natura 2000 Site Code: currently not included in any Natura 2000 Site.

Phytosociological table: Tab. 2; taxonomic nomenclature according to Portale della Flora d’Italia (2019).

Notes: The association was described for the first time in the National Park “Arcipelago di La Maddalena” (Biondi and Bagella 2005) and referred later to the Tyrrhenian endemic suballiance Apienion crassipedis Bagella, Caria, Farris & Filigheddu 2009 (Bagella et al. 2009). The communities referred to this association should receive special attention for their chorological peculiarity, especially if located outside Natura 2000 network (Bagella et al. 2013).

EUNIS Classification system: C2.2 Permanent non-tidal, fast, turbulent watercourses, C2.1 Springs, spring brooks and geysers [with the subtype C2.16 Crenal streams (spring brooks)]

Biogeographical Region: Continental

National Habitat Checklist of reference: Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE (Biondi et al. 2009).

Phytosociological reference: Ranunculus trichophyllus-dominated community (unpublished relevés: Tab. 3, Rel. 1; published relevés: Tab. 3, Rels 6 and 7 in Pedrotti 2008), Veronico-Apietum submersi Buchwald 1992 (unpublished relevés: Tab. 3, Rels 2 and 3; published relevés: Tab. 3, Rels. 1 to 5 in Pedrotti 2008), and Callitrichetum obtusangulae Seibert 1962 (published relevés: Tab. 2, Rels 1 and 2 in Pedrotti 2008), Batrachion fluitantis Neuhäusl 1959, Callitricho hamulatae-Ranunculetalia aquatilis Passarge ex Theurillat in Theurillat et al. 2015, Potamogetonetea Klika in Klika et Novák 1941 (Mucina 2016).

Geographic information: unpublished relevés: Italy, Umbria, Perugia, Norcia, Marcite, 564 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 42.793669 N, 13.083889 E (Tab. 3, Rel. 1); 563 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 42.792869 N, 13.082294 E (Tab. 3, Rel. 2); 563 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 42.792881 N, 13.082514 E (Tab. 3, Rel. 3); published relevés: Italy, Umbria, Perugia, Norcia, Marcite, 563 m a.s.l., Coordinates: unknown (Tab. 2, Rels 1 and 2 in Pedrotti 2008; Tab. 3, Rels 1 to 7 in Pedrotti 2008).

Cells ID in the EEA reference grid: 10kmE457N219 (Fig. 2).

Natura 2000 Site Code: SPA IT5210071 “Monti Sibillini (versante umbro)”

Phytosociological table: Tab. 3; published relevés: Tab. 2 (Rels 1 and 2) and Tab. 3 (Rels 1 to 7) in Pedrotti (2008); taxonomic nomenclature according to Bartolucci et al. (2018) and recent updatings (Portale della Flora d’Italia 2019).

Notes: The recorded communities occur in the area of the 'Marcite di Norcia' which is part of the SPA IT5210071 "Monti Sibillini (versante umbro)" as well as of the "Monti Sibillini" National Park.

The Habitat 3260 was already known for this SPA, with reference to another area (Fosso Mergani in Pian Grande of Castelluccio) falling in a different EEA cell (Eionet 2019). As concerns the new record, the Ranunculus thrichophyllus-dominated community occurs in the river Sordo bed, while the Veronico-Apietum submersi on a tributary southernmost spring stream. Surveys from this area had already been published by Pedrotti (2008) with no reference to Annex I habitats.

Although Habitat 3260 is reported in the Standard Data Form of the adjacent and contiguous SAC IT5210059 "Marcite di Norcia", falling in the same cell grid, it results as non-occurring in the 4th Report ex-Art. 17 on Annex I Habitat Monitoring (Eionet 2019). It should also be noticed that, due to recent changes, the current configuration of the SAC IT5210059 actually does not include the area of Marcite.

The alliance Batrachion fluitantis Neuhäusl 1959 (syn. Ranunculion fluitantis Neuhäusl 1959), originally used by Pedrotti (2008) for the syntaxonomic frame of the published relevés, has been recently referred to the order Callitricho hamulatae-Ranunculetalia aquatilis Passarge ex Theurillat in Theurillat et al. 2015, class Potamogetonetea Klika in Klika et Novák 1941 (Mucina et al. 2016).

EUNIS Classification system: E7.3 Dehesa

Biogeographical Region: Mediterranean

National Habitat Checklist of reference: Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE (Biondi et al. 2009).

Phytosociological reference: This habitat refers to a mosaic of plant communities, which can be framed in, or linked to, the following syntaxa: Quercus suber tree layer (Genisto aristatae-Quercetum suberis Brullo 1984, pistacietosum lentisci Brullo, Gianguzzi, La Mantia & Siracusa 2008), Myrtus communis hedgerow (Erico arboreae-Myrtetum communis Quezel, Barbero, Benabid, Loisel & Rivas-Martínez 1988, calicotometum infestae Brullo, Minissale, Signorello & Spampinato 1995), Calicotome infesta shrublands (Pyro amygdaliformis-Calicotometum infestae Gianguzzi & La Mantia 2008), Cistus monspeliensis formation (all. Cisto-Ericion multiflorae Horvatic 1958), Hyparrhenia hirta grassland (Hyparrhenietum hirto-pubescentis A.& O.Bolòs & Br.-Bl. in A. & O.Bolòs 1950), Lolium perenne and Cynosurus cristatus grassland (all. Plantaginion cupanii Brullo & Grillo 1978 , ord. Cirsietalia vallis-demonii Brullo & Grillo 1978, cl. Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tüxen 1937), herb subnitrophilous vegetation of the Echio-Galactition tomentosae O. Bolòs & Molinier 1969 (Gianguzzi 2007; Brullo et al. 2008; Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008).

Geographic information: Italy, Sicily, Caronia, Vallata Torrente Buzza (Contrada Porri Soprani), 140 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 38.02380 N, 14.49250 E (Tab. 4, Rel. 1); 38.02270 N, 14.49350 E (Tab. 5, Rel. 2).

Cells ID in the EEA reference grid: 10kmE471N167 (Fig. 3).

Natura 2000 Site Codes: SPA ITA030043 “Monti Nebrodi”.

Phytosociological table: Tabs. 4-5; taxonomic nomenclature according to Galasso et al. (2018).

Notes: In Sicily, geobotanical and phytosociological research conducted in recent years has made a significant contribution to the knowledge on distribution of various habitats and species of Community interest (Caldarella et al. 2013; De Castro et al. 2008, 2015; Gianguzzi and La Mantia 2008; Gianguzzi et al. 2010, 2016; 2020; Gianguzzi and Bazan, 2019, 2020; Marino et al. 2012, etc.). Regarding the habitat 6310 (Dehesas with evergreen Quercus spp.) it is rarely observed in Sicily, unlike Sardinia where it is more common (Bagella 2016; Biondi et al. 2009). In fact, in Sicily this habitat is very rare and punctual, located in small areas at the edge of the forests of sub-mountainous and high-hilly belt (in particular Nebrodi, Peloritani, Etna and Madonie).

Interesting aspects of the habitat 6310 were detected along the valley of Buzza stream, near Caronia (ME), in the coastal area of Nebrodi Mts, on flysch formations with a thermo- and mesomediterranean subhumid bioclimate (Gianguzzi 2007).

The habitat has a clear anthropogenic origin due to the partial deforestation of Quercus suber wood, the cutting of shrub and soil plowing. It is a pasture quite peculiar in Sicily for its dual attitude. In fact, the pasture is grazed by cattle, sheep and horses, during most of the year, and by pigs (the native breed “Suino nero dei Nebrodi”), especially in autumn, in order to exploit the acorns production of cork oak (Fig. 4).

In the literature, only forest elements (Quercus suber, Q. ilex subsp. ilex and Q. coccifera) are indicated as typical species for this habitat, as well as some herbaceous taxa of Poetea bulbosae (Biondi et al. 2009; Bagella 2016). The floristic composition of this habitat is very heterogeneous in the Mediterranean area, also due to the fact that it actually refers to a vegetation mosaic. In the present paper, we report 2 phytosociological relevés representative of grasslands and shrublands related to Habitat 6310 in Sicily (Tabs. 4-5), linked to secondary aspects of the cork oak series and, in particular, to the pastures of Cirsietalia vallis-demonii (Brullo & Grillo 1978). For this area, we suggest that some herbaceous taxa such as Lolium perenne, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, should be considered among the “reference plant species”.

EUNIS Classification system: G1.A45 Thermophilous Alpine and peri-Alpine mixed Tilia forests

Biogeographical Region: Mediterranean

National Habitat Checklist of reference: Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE (Biondi et al. 2009).

Phytosociological reference: Tilio platyphylli-Acerion pseudoplatani Klika 1955, Fagetalia sylvaticae Pawłowski in Pawłowski, Sokołowski & Wallisch 1928, Querco roboris-Fagetea sylvaticae Br.-Bl. & Vlieger in Vlieger 1937 (Biondi and Blasi 2015)

Geographic information: Italy, Liguria, Imperia, Ponte dei Passi, between 750 and 800 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 7.83854 E, 44.02037 N (Tab. 6, Rel. 1).

Cells ID in the EEA reference grid: 10kmE414N232 (Fig. 5).

Natura 2000 Site Code: currently not included in any Natura 2000 Site.

Phytosociological table: Tab. 6; taxonomic nomenclature according to Bartolucci et al. (2018) and later updates, and Aleffi et al. (2020).

Notes: The finding occurred during the activities for the Interreg ALCOTRA CoBiodiv and GeBiodiv projects. The habitat occupies a narrow belt within the ravines near the confluence of three montane creeks (i.e., Teroselli, Giurè and Conchè). Despite the phytosociological relevé was performed outside the border, the patch of habitat extends into the nearby Natura 2000 Site SAC IT1314609 “Monte Monega - Monte Prearba” without interruption.

EUNIS Classification system: G1.31 - Mediterranean riparian Populus forests

Biogeographical Region: Mediterranean

National Habitat Checklist of reference: Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE (Biondi et al. 2009).

Phytosociological reference: Populion albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948, Populetalia albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948, Salici purpureae-Populetea nigrae Rivas-Martínez & Cantó ex Rivas-Martínez, Báscones, T.E. Díaz, Fernández-González & Loidi 2001 (Biondi and Blasi 2015).

Geographic information: Italy, Liguria, Carasco, San Quirico, 20 m a.s.l., Coordinates: 9.35769 E, 44.352737 N (Tab. 7, Rel. 1).

Cells ID in the EEA reference grid: 10kmE426N236 (Fig. 6).

Natura 2000 Site Code: SAC IT1332717 “Foce e medio corso del fiume Entella”

Phytosociological table: Tab. 7; taxonomic nomenclature according to Bartolucci et al. (2018) and Galasso et al. (2018), and later updates.

Notes: The finding occurred during the field surveys for the implementation of the SAC Management Plan. Although reported by Mariotti (2008) for the Entella river, the presence of the Habitat in the indicated cell has not been included in the Article 17 Habitats Directive IV Report (Eionet 2019). The habitat occupies a narrow part of the Entella river banks on the left orographic side. The habitat is degraded by the abundance of exotic species, as well as by the significant anthropic impact.