Corresponding author: Valeria Tomaselli ( valeria.tomaselli@uniba.it ) Academic editor: Daniele Viciani
© 2021 Valeria Tomaselli, Giuseppe Silletti, Luigi Forte.
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:
Tomaselli V, Silletti G, Forte L (2021) A new association of Satureja montana L. subsp. montana dominated garrigues in Puglia (SE Italy). Plant Sociology 58: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3897/pls2021582/01
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In this paper a survey on the garrigue vegetation dominated by Satureja montana subsp. montana occurring in the Alta Murgia National Park is presented. These communities were compared with those of the Ionian Arc ravines. Syntaxonomic, structural, chorological and ecological analyses were performed in order to achieve a proper classification of this vegetation. A new association is here described, the Rhamno saxatilis-Saturejetum montanae, with two new subassociations, typicum and fumanetosum procumbentis. It is a garrigue vegetation dominated by Satureja montana subsp. montana occurring in the Murgian area, in sites characterized by rocky and stony soils and by a Mediterranean Pluviseasonal oceanic weak semicontinental phytoclimate, with thermotype upper meso-Mediterranean and ombrotype lower subhumid, and is here framed in the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae alliance (order Cisto cretici-Ericetalia manipuliflorae, class Cisto cretici-Micromerietea julianae). The results contribute to add a further piece to the knowledge of the natural plant landscape of the territory of the Alta Murgia National Park.
chamaephytic vegetation, Cisto cretici-Ericion manipuliflorae, Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae, phytosociology, syntaxonomy
Satureja montana subsp. montana, commonly known as winter or mountain savory, is a suffruticose chamaephyte, native to N-Mediterranean, with distribution area ranging from Iberian to Balkan peninsula (
As regards the Puglia region, garrigue vegetation characterizes large parts of the territory, especially in coastal areas but also in hilly, sub-mountain and mountain belts; numerous contributions have been provided to the knowledge and the phytosociological characterization of this vegetation (
Recently, during phytosociological investigations on the vegetation of the Alta Murgia National Park, some garrigue communities dominated by S. montana and Rhamnus saxatilis have been identified and analysed. This vegetation is set in the upper Murgian landscape, tipically characterized by sub-Mediterranean xeric grasslands, dominated by Stipa austroitalica ssp. austroitalica, and widely interspersed with rocky outcrops (Forte et al. 2005). Aim of this paper is the phytosociological characterization of these communities, with a comparison with the S. montana garrigues of the Ionian Arc, in order to provide a further element to the description of the upper Murgian landscape.
Alta Murgia lies in the north-western part of Murge hill, an oblong plateau in the centre of Puglia Region, stretching out NW-SE towards the nearby Basilicata Region. It is included in the Natura 2000 network as SCI/SPA IT9120007 (125.000 ha); part of this area (about 68.000 ha) falls within the Alta Murgia National Park (Fig.
Altitude of this area ranges between 300 and 679 m a.s.l. The geological substrate is made up of a thick layer of Jurassic-Cretaceous carbonate sedimentary rocks, covered in alternate tracts by thin and discontinuous Plio-Pleistocene deposits. The site shows a typical karst landscape, slightly corrugated with dolinas, poljes and dry karst valleys (locally called “lame”) (
The vegetation of the upper part of Alta Murgia consists mainly of widespread submediterranean xeric grasslands physiognomically characterized by Stipa austroitalica (Forte et al. 2005) and, depending on the level of soil nutrient, of grasslands with dominant Ferula communis, Asphodelus ramosus, Charybdis pancration (
For the phytoclimatic characterization of the study sites, bioclimatic indices according to
On the basis of these data and by means of the Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System (WBCS;
The vegetation survey was carried out on the S. montana garrigue vegetation, occurring in Alta Murgia, in an area between the municipalities of Gravina in Puglia, Altamura and Santeramo in Colle (BA), at altitudes between 430 and 560 m a.s.l. Twenty relevès were performed using the phytosociological method proposed by
On the defined plant communities, biological and chorological spectra were calculated, weighted by both frequency and cover index (
The significance of the differences between the percentage values in the groups of observations, for each biological type and each chorotype, was evaluated with the χ² test. The Mann-Whitney U-test for two independent samples was used to evaluate the statistical significance between the different average values taken by the various ecological indices in the different ecograms. This test was performed by using the SPSS II.5 software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago 1989–2002).
The results of all these analyses were compared with the diagnoses of the alliances, orders and classes in
The dendrogram resulting from the cluster analysis (Fig.
Table
A significant contingent of species of the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae is well represented in the group B, while it is missing in A, except for S. montana (considered by Biondi & Guerra (2008) as characteristic of the Asyneumo limonifolii-Saturejetum montanae). On the other hand, the Cisto cretici-Ericion manipuliflorae floristic contingent is far richer in group A, with more thermophilous species (e.g., Thymbra capitata, Fumana scoparia, Phagnalon rupestre subsp. illyricum). Moreover, the second group of Alta Murgia relevès is characterized by the presence (and significant frequency) of a numerous amount of species of the Hippocrepido glaucae-Stipion austroitalicae (Scorzoneretalia villosae). Finally, in the Alta Murgia group two subgroups may be identified (rels 9–21 and 22–28), corresponding to the two sub-clusters of the dendrogram (B1 and B2 respectively) and with the second characterized by the presence, also with significant cover values, of Fumana procumbens. These two sub-groups are differentiated also in terms of soil surface aspect, with sub-group B2 showing a pronounced stoniness (50 to 80%) respect to the sub-group B1 (Tab.
According to the Rivas-Martínez classification (2011), all the sites of the performed relevès (groups A, B1 and B2) turned out to share the same phytoclimate, that is Mediterranean Pluviseasonal oceanic, weak semicontinental with thermotype upper meso-Mediterranean and ombrotype lower subhumid. On the other hand, comparing the annual trend of the Bioclimatic Intensities (IB) of Montero de Burgos and González Rebollar (Table
Statistically significant (p< 0.05; Fig.
The application of the Ellenberg’s indicator values (Eiv) shows very similar profiles in both the two groups of relevès A and B (Fig.
Asyneumo limonifolii-Saturejetum montanae
Relevé number | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Area (m2) | 10 | 15 | 10 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 60 | 80 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 80 | 70 | 70 | 80 | 30 | 25 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 40 | 70 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
Vegetation cover (%) | 75 | 80 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 60 | 60 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 75 | 80 | 75 | 80 | 70 | 65 | 70 | 80 | 70 | 80 | 70 | 75 | 65 | 60 |
Elevation (m s.l.m.) | 340 | 330 | 300 | 435 | 445 | 348 | 345 | 365 | 560 | 562 | 550 | 560 | 475 | 495 | 550 | 510 | 500 | 480 | 500 | 495 | 510 | 515 | 485 | 485 | 485 | 430 | 470 | 470 |
Aspect | SSE | S | SW | NNO | - | O | O | - | O | ONO | O | NO | OSO | O | SO | E | O | SO | S | SO | SO | S | S | S | E | NE | SO | NE |
Slope (°) | 5 | 20 | 90 | 20 | - | 15 | 25 | - | 40 | 45 | 50 | 45 | 25 | 40 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 15 | 25 | 30 | 25 | - | - | - | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Soil surface aspect, rocky outcrops (%) | / | / | / | / | / | 30 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 5 | 5 |
Soil surface aspect, stoniness (%) | / | / | / | / | / | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 70 | 50 | 80 | 80 |
vegetation height (cm) | / | / | / | / | / | 20 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 35 | 25 | 25 |
Diff ass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asyneuma limonifolium subsp. limonifolium | 1 | 1 | . | + | 1 | . | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Ruta graveolens | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | + | 1 | + | + | . | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | + | + |
Euphorbia nicaeensis subsp. japygica | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | + | + | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | + | + | 1 |
Allium apulum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | + | . | . | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | + | + | + | . | . | . | . |
Sabulina attica | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | + | 1 | 1 | + | . | . | + | . | + | + |
Centaurea brulla | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Diff subass | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fumana procumbens | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Odontites luteus subsp. luteus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | + | + | + | + |
Cisto cretici-Ericion manipuliflorae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus | . | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Thymbra capitata | . | . | 3 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejon montanae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Satureja montana subsp. montana | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Rhamnus saxatilis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | . | 1 | 2 | + | + | + | 1 |
Euphorbia spinosa | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | + | . | . | 2 | . | 1 | + | . | . | . | . |
Ononis pusilla L. pusilla | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | + | . | + |
Silene otites | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Cisto-Micromerietea, Cisto-Ericetalia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teucrium capitatum subsp. capitatum | + | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | + | + | + | 1 | 1 | + | 2 | 1 | 1 | + | + | + | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | + | + |
Petrosedum ochroleucum subsp. mediterraneum | + | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | + | + | 1 | + | 1 | + | 1 | + | 1 | + | 2 | + | 1 | + | 1 | + | . | . | + | + | . | + |
Micromeria graeca subsp. graeca | + | . | . | . | + | 1 | 1 | . | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | . | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Fumana thymifolia | 1 | . | . | . | + | 2 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | . | 2 | . | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Helianthemum jonium | . | . | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | . | . | . | 1 | . | 1 | 2 | + | + | 1 | + | + |
Phagnalon rupestre subsp. illyricum | 1 | 2 | . | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Fumana ericifolia | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Fumana scoparia | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Hippocrepido glaucae-Stipion austroitalicae, Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia, Festuco Brometea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stipa austroitalica subsp. austroitalica | + | . | . | + | + | 1 | 1 | + | + | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | 2 | 2 | 2 | + | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Convolvulus cantabrica | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | 1 | + | . | + | + | + | + | 1 | 1 | + | 1 | + | + | + | . | + | + | . | + | + |
Koeleria subcaudata | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | + | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | . | 1 | + | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | 1 | + |
Scorzonera villosa subsp. columnae | + | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | . | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | + | 1 | + | 1 | . | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | 1 | + | . |
Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. rubriflora | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | + | . | + | + | 1 | + | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | . | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Festuca circummediterranea | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | + | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Petrorhagia saxifraga subsp. gasparrinii | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | + | + | 1 | 1 | + | . | . | 1 | + | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | + | + | + | + | . | . | . |
Leontodon crispus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | 1 | 1 | + | + | 1 | 1 |
Dianthus tarentinus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | 1 | 1 | . | + | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | 2 | . | . | + | + | + | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | + | . |
Clinopodium suaveolens | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | 2 | + | 1 | 2 | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . |
Euphorbia myrsinites subsp. myrsinites | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Hippocrepis glauca | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | . | 1 | + | 1 | 1 | + |
Eryngium amethystinum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + | + | . | + |
Linum tommasinii | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . |
Bromopsis erecta subsp. erecta | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | 1 | . | . |
Thesium humifusum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Iris pseudopumila | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + |
Other species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thymus spinulosus | . | . | . | + | . | 1 | . | . | + | + | . | + | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | 2 | + | 1 | + | . | + |
Asperula aristata subsp. aristata | . | 1 | . | + | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | + | + | + | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | . | + | 1 | + | + | . | + |
Stachys romana | + | + | . | + | . | + | . | . | + | + | . | + | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + | . | + | + | . | + | + | . | . |
Reichardia picroides | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | 1 | + | + | . | . | 1 | . | 1 | + | 1 | + | 1 | 1 | . | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Linum strictum | + | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | + | . | + | . | . | + | + | 1 | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | . | + | 1 | + | . |
Thapsia asclepium | + | . | . | + | . | + | + | . | + | 1 | 1 | . | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | 2 | . | + | . | . | + | . | . |
Allium sphaerocephalon | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | + | + | 1 | 2 | + | . | . | . | + | + | + | + |
Crupina crupinastrum | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | + | + | 1 | . | + | . | + | . | . | + | + | . | + | + | . | . | . | + | . |
Helianthemum salicifolium | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | . | + | + | . | + | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | + | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | + | . | . |
Hypochaeris achyrophorus | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | + | + | 1 | + | + | + | . | + | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Stachys germanica subsp. salviifolia | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | + | 1 | . | + | . | + | + | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Linum trigynum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | + | + |
Bellardia trixago | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | + | + | . | . |
Trifolium scabrum | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | + | + | . | . |
Asphodelus ramosus subsp. ramosum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | + | + | . | . | + |
Osyris alba | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | 1 | . | + | . | . | . | 1 | 1 |
Carex flacca subsp. erythrostachys | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | + | 1 | . | . | . | . |
Onobrychis aequidentata | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Asparagus acutifolius | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Centaurium pulchellum | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | + | + |
Hippocrepis ciliata | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + |
Onobrychis caput-galli | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | . |
Ononis reclinata | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . |
Aurinia saxatilis subsp. megalocarpa | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Eryngium campestre | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Ornithogalum gussonei | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | + |
Charybdis pancration | . | + | . | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . |
Hippocrepis comosa subsp. comosa | . | . | . | + | . | 1 | 2 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Brachypodium distachyon | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Briza maxima | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Bupleurum baldense | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | + | + | . |
Centaurium erythraea | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Convolvulus altheoides | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Galium corrudifolium | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Urospermum dalechampii | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Melica ciliata | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Ajuga chamaepitys | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Carlina corymbosa | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . |
Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . |
Linum usitatissimum subsp. angustifolium | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . |
Ononis ornithopodioides | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Plantago bellardii subsp. bellardii | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | . |
Silene conica | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | + | . | . | . |
Centaurium erythraea | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Olea europaea | + | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Convolvulus elegantissimus | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Sixalix atropurpurea | . | . | . | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Stachys major | 1 | + | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |
Values of the Bioclimatic Intensities (IB) according to Montero de Burgos and González Rebollar, for the sites representative of the three main groups of the dendrogram, A, B1 and B2 (that is, the sites where the holotypes of the three corresponding syntaxa were performed). IBL = Free Bioclimatic Intensity; IBS = Dry Bioclimatic Intensity; IBC = Conditional Bioclimatic Intensity; IBF = Cold bioclimatic intensity.
Group A (rel. n. 6) | |||||||||||||
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Year | |
IBL (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,27 | 0,82 | 0,72 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,60 | 1,51 | 0,72 | 0,06 | 4,70 |
IBS (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,16 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,16 |
IBC (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,06 | 0,14 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,20 |
IBF (ubc/mese) | 0,23 | 0,10 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,33 |
Group B1 (rel. n. 18) | |||||||||||||
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Year | |
IBL (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,05 | 0,61 | 0,91 | 0,23 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,91 | 1,32 | 0,52 | 0,00 | 4,54 |
IBS (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,03 | 0,02 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,05 |
IBC (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,06 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,06 |
IBF (ubc/mese) | 0,43 | 0,31 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,15 | 0,89 |
Group B2 (rel. n. 28) | |||||||||||||
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Year | |
IBL (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,11 | 0,66 | 0,82 | 0,14 | 0,00 | 0,10 | 0,91 | 1,33 | 0,55 | 0,00 | 4,62 |
IBS (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,08 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,08 |
IBC (ubc/mese) | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,09 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,09 |
IBF (ubc/mese) | 0,39 | 0,27 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,00 | 0,10 | 0,76 |
Ellenberg's indicator values for the two groups of Satureja montana garrigues (L = light, T = temperature, C = continentality, U = humidity, N = nutrients; * = p<0,05; *** = p<0,001; NS = Not significant) .
L | T | C | U | R | N | |
Ionic Arc community (A) | 9.64 | 8.03 | 4.58 | 2.41 | 6.24 | 1.74 |
Murgia Alta community (B) | 9.45 | 7.47 | 5.02 | 2.53 | 6.50 | 2.10 |
Mann–Whitney U test | 38987.5 NS | 30388.0*** | 29388.0*** | 36626.0* | 24204.5 NS | 32621.5*** |
For ecology and floristic composition, the analyzed communities can be framed in the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae alliance, described by
Likewise, there doesn’t seem to be opportunity of including neither the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae, nor the Artemisio albae-Saturejion montanae, alliances described for the chamaephytic grasslands of mesotemperate and lower supratemperate thermotypes of the central-southern Apennines (
For these reasons, we prefer to comply with the syntaxonomical interpretation provided by
Various associations have been described in central and southern Apennines areas for classifying Satureja montana dominated vegetation.
On the basis of the foregoing, all these association fall in the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae and well differentiates from the communities here described, for bioclimatic frame, ecology, but mostly for floristic and chorological features. In particular, Santolino etruscae-Saturejetum montanae, Saturejo montanae-Centaureetum and Saturejo montanae-Ephedretum nebrodensis are characterized, among others, by endemic or strictly endemic species. The Murgian communities here described are well differentiated by some endemic taxa such as Euphorbia nicaeensis subsp. japygica (endemic to Puglia and Basilicata, doubtful in Campania; typically growing in arid grassland and garrigues;
For the Alta Murgia communities analyzed in this contribution, a new association is described, with two subassociations, described below.
Rhamno saxatilis-Saturejetum montanae ass. nova
(holotypus: rel. n. 18, Table
Physiognomy and structure - Satureja montana garrigues, with Rhamnus saxatilis as co-dominant in the subass. typicum; in the subass. fumanetosum procumbentis, Fumana procumbens and F. thymifolia have major cover values.
Diagnostic species - Satureja montana subsp. montana and Rhamnus saxatilis, the two species dominating the vegetation in the subass. typicum, are both diagnostic of the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae. As diagnostic of association (and subass. typicum), have been selected: Euphorbia nicaeensis subsp. japygica, Allium apulum, Centaurea brulla, Ruta graveolens (this species also occurs in the Stipa austroitalica subsp. austroitalica grasslands of the Alta Murgia (Forte et al 2001), but limited to those aspects with higher rocky outcrops; in these garrigues R. graveoles occurs with even higher frequence and cover values), and Sabulina attica (Eurasiatic chamaephyte, in Italy growing in dry grasslands, garrigues and stony environments in southern regions). As diagnostic of subass. fumanetosum procumbentis, Fumana procumbens and Odontites luteus where selected.
Syntaxonomy - On the basis of the considerations made previously, the new association Rhamno saxatilis-Saturejetum montanae ass. nova is framed in the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae alliance (order Cisto cretici-Ericetalia manipuliflorae, class Cisto cretici-Micromerietea julianae).
Syndynamics - This vegetation belongs to the series of the oak forests of the Stipo bromoidis-Quercetum dalechampii
Synecology - These garrigues grow at altitudes between 400 and 600 m a.s.l., thriving on immature soils developed on calcareous substrates, with relative stoniness but extensive rocky outcrops in the subass. typicum, and with a much higher stoniness in the subass. fumanetosum procumbentis. The bioclimate is Mediterranean Pluviseasonal oceanic, weak semicontinental with thermotype upper meso-Mediterranean and ombrotype lower subhumid. The phytoclimatic trend throughout the year is characterized by two periods favorable for the vegetative activity (spring and autumn, with autumn characterized by a higher intensity), alternating with periods of winter pause and summer dryness, with IBF greater than 0.75 ubc/month and IBS less than 0.1 ubc/month. The subass. fumanetosum procumbentis occurs in site characterized by a slightly higher drought in summer and by a less intense period of winter pause.
In this paper the results of syntaxonomic, structural, chorological and ecological analyses on the Satureja montana garrigue vegetation of the upper Murgia were illustrated and discussed; these analyses clearly showed the autonomy and the peculiarity of the studied vegetation, that was formalized in the new association Rhamno saxatilis-Saturejetum montanae ass. nova. Two subassociations, typicum and fumanetosum procumbentis, have been identified. This new association has been framed in the Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae alliance (order Cisto cretici-Ericetalia manipuliflorae, class Cisto cretici- Micromerietea julianae), following the interpretation of
CISTO CRETICI- MICROMERIETEA JULIANAE Oberdorfer ex Horvatić 1958
CISTO CRETICI-ERICETALIA MANIPULIFLORAE Horvatić 1958
Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae
Rhamno saxatilis-Saturejetum montanae ass. nova
typicum
fumanetosum procumbentis subass. nova
Cisto cretici-Ericion manipuliflorae Horvatic 1958
Asyneumo limonifolii-Saturejetum montanae
We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and constructive suggestions.
Table
Table