Research Article |
Corresponding author: Maria Carmela Caria ( mccaria@uniss.it ) Academic editor: Federico Fernández-González
© 2024 Simonetta Bagella, Maria Carmela Caria, Gianmaria Bonari, Marco Malavasi, Raimondo Melis, Giovanna Piga, Giovanni Rivieccio.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Bagella S, Caria MC, Bonari G, Malavasi M, Melis R, Piga G, Rivieccio G (2024) A thematic vegetation dataset of SArdinian GRAsslands (SAGRA). Plant Sociology 61(2): 41-47. https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2024612/03
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We present the dataset “SArdinian GRAsslands” (SAGRA), a collection of georeferenced vegetation surveys sourced from different areas of Sardinia (Italy). SAGRA addresses a geographic gap in current databases, as plots from Sardinian grasslands are underrepresented. We collected vegetation data from different projects and organized it within a framework that allows for scalability to larger scales or integration into existing databases. The surveys include three categories of information: general, vegetation and management, and environmental. Overall, SAGRA comprises 1277 vegetation surveys, some of which were performed in different years in the same plots. This dataset encompasses 685 plots and 434 species, primarily therophytes.
This georeferenced vegetation dataset can support further scientific research and aid the sustainable management of Mediterranean grasslands. Databases, Grassland management, Mediterranean grasslands, Phytosociological surveys, Plant diversity, Vegetation data, Vegetation plots
Large-scale databases offer valuable opportunities to monitor biodiversity across various spatial and temporal scales. Vegetation plots, compared to occurrence data are particularly effective for monitoring vegetation. They provide several advantages, including the identification of co-occurring and missing species (
Among secondary formations, Mediterranean grasslands are of particular interest due to the biodiversity they host and the ecosystem services they provide, including nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water cycle regulation, agricultural goods, and cultural heritage (
The availability of data on vegetation in Mediterranean pastures is crucial for implementing monitoring activities aimed at their management. In this context, our efforts have concentrated on a specific area in the Mediterranean region, Sardinia (Italy), whose territory has been shaped over the centuries by pastoral activities (
General information | Vegetation and management | Environmental information |
---|---|---|
Unique Identification Code (ID) | Total vegetation cover (%) | Elevation |
Survey year | Vegetation structure | Slope |
Survey date | Management type | Aspect |
Surveyors’ names | Duration | Vegetation series |
Custodian | Grazing animals | Bioclimate |
Country | Geology | |
Municipality | Land use | |
Site name | ||
Original project name | ||
Original project Identification code | ||
Farm name | ||
Field identification code | ||
Replicate number | ||
Longitude | ||
Latitude | ||
Location uncertainty (m) | ||
Number of resurveys | ||
Plot size |
Sardinia is located in the Mediterranean basin, encompassing an area of approximately 24,000 km2. It boasts a coastline extending about 1900 km (
The morphology of the island’s terrain is predominantly mountainous, featuring a maximum elevation of 1834 m a.s.l. and an average elevation of 334 m a.s.l. (
Approximately 28% of the island’s total surface area is marked by outcropping rock and poorly developed soils, with depths not exceeding 10–15 cm. Only 18% of Sardinia’s land area consists of irrigable soil (
Data on grasslands were gathered from ten projects spanning the years 2011 to 2021 (
The surveyed vegetation can be mainly referred to the classses Papaveretea rhoeadis S. Brullo et al. 2001, Polygono-Poetea annuae Rivas-Mart. 1975, Poetea bulbosae Rivas Goday et Rivas-Martínez ex Navarro Andrés et Valle Gutiérrez 1984, and Tuberarietea guttatae Braun-Blanquet 1973 (
The data obtained from the ten projects were consolidated into a single file using Turboveg v. 2.135b (
The vegetation surveys are associated with three categories of information: general, vegetation and management, and environmental (Table
The geographic locations of the plots, either initially recorded in the field or later derived remotely, were then standardized to the same coordinate system, World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84 - EPSG:4326).
SAGRA comprises 1277 surveys performed in 685 vegetation plots primarily located in the central-western and northeastern regions of the island of Sardinia. The plots were permanent and several surveys were repeated in different years. A total of 434 species were found, with the most represented families being Fabaceae, Poaceae and Asteraceae (Fig.
Most species were rarely recorded (Fig.
Open grasslands are the most represented vegetation type, followed by wooded grasslands, while the other types are sparsely represented across a few plots (Fig.
The plots span a broad elevation range, from 3 to 995 m a.s.l. They are predominantly located on granitic and effusive substrates, with a prevailing northwest-oriented aspect.
Twelve distinct isobioclimates are represented, with a prevalence of the Lower Mesomediterranean, mainly Lower Mesomediterranean, lower subhumid, weak euoceanic.
Concerning the plant landscape, the vegetation series more present correspond to those of the Sardinian, calcifuge cork oak forests of the associations Galio scabri-Quercetum suberis (thermo-mesomediterranean) and Violo dehnhardtii-Quercetum suberis (mesomediterranean).
Based on the Corine land use classification, the plots are predominantly categorized as Non-irrigated arable land, followed by Artificial meadows.
Categories of vegetation structure, management, duration and grazing animals considered in SAGRA dataset.
Vegetation structure | Open grasslands | Bushed grasslands | Wooded grasslands | Clearings |
Herbaceous grasslands | Herbaceous grasslands with scattered bushes | Herbaceous grasslands with scattered trees | Clearings in the woodlands 500–1000 m2 | |
Two subunits: underneath the tree canopy and beyond the tree canopy | ||||
Management | Grazed | Mown | Mown-grazed | |
Duration | Temporary | Permanent | Mixed | |
Less than 5 years of age, included in a crop rotation | Naturally (self-seeded) or through cultivation (sown) and not included in the crop rotation of the holding for five years or longer (Commission Regulation EU No 796/2004). | Combination of the previous two categories | ||
Grazing animals | Dairy sheep | Dairy cattle | Beef cattle | Mixed |
Information | Source |
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Elevation | Digital Elevation Model with a resolution of 25 m and vertical accuracy of +/- 7 m RMSE (Copernicus Land Monitoring Service – EU-DEM graziv1.1) |
Slope | |
Aspect | |
Vegetation series |
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Bioclimate |
|
Geology |
|
Land use | Corine land use classification up to five levels |
Number of occurrences of the seven Mediterranean therophytes recorded in more than 500 surveys (A. barbata = Avena barbata Link; L. rigidum = Lolium rigidum Gaudin; T. subterraneum = Trifolium subterraneum L.; S. arvensis = Sherardia arvensis L.; A. arvensis = Anthemis arvensis L.; V. ligustica = Vulpia ligustica (All.) Link; M. polymorpha = Medicago polymorpha L.).
The compilation of the SAGRA dataset resulted from rigorous data collection efforts and a meticulous process of data organization, digitalization, and structuring. Initially emerging as a collection of local projects, its organizational framework enables scalability or integration into existing vegetation databases. The species predominantly represented in the surveys are Mediterranean therophytes, adapted to seasonal precipitation patterns and exhibiting tolerance to disturbances (
Data can be obtained through the official vegetation database of the Italian Association for Vegetation Science VegItaly by contacting the VegItaly Steering Committee (https://www.scienzadellavegetazione.it/en/vegitaly-3/) or by contacting the dataset custodian directly (Simonetta Bagella: sbagella@uniss.it).
This paper has been developed within the framework of the project e.INS – Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia (cod. ECS 00000038) funded by the Italian Ministry for Research and Education (MUR) under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) - MISSION 4 COMPONENT 2, “From research to business” INVESTMENT 1.5, “Creation and strengthening of Ecosystems of innovation” and construction of “Territorial R&D Leaders”.
The dataset SaGRA was built based on the data provided by the following projects: EcoFINDERS (FP7-264465); PASCUUM (Regione Sardegna, CRP-25599); Ichnusa Bubula (Regional Rural Development Program 2007–2013- Misura 124); Prati Fioriti (GAL Marghine, 2014); Convenzione LAORE (between the LAORE Agency in Sardinia and the Research Center on Desertification at the University of Sassari, 2017); LIFE Regenerate (LIFE16 ENV/ES/000276); BioMilkChina (POR FESR Sardegna 2014–2020); Convenzione Asinara (in the context of the review of the plan for the National Park of Asinara, 2021); auto financed project (2021); GASPAM (Regione Sardegna, L. 7/2007, 2019–2021).
G. Bonari was funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4 - Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU; Award Number: Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP B63C22000650007, Project title “National Biodiversity Future Center - NBFC”.
S. Bagella and M.C. Caria acknowledge the support of NBFC to the University of Sassari, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, PNRR, Missione 4 Componente 2, “Dalla ricerca all’impresa”, Investimento 1.4, Project CN00000033.