Syntaxonomical Remarks on the Garrigues from Apulia (S Italy) and Neighboring Territories

Area of Science:

• Ecology and Vegetation Science
• Phytosociology
• Southern European Flora

Background:

• Garrigue vegetation in Apulia (Southern Italy) lacks a unified syntaxonomical classification.
• Previous studies present conflicting nomenclature and syntaxonomical treatments for this vegetation type.
• A comprehensive survey is needed to establish a clear classification framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the syntaxonomical arrangement of garrigues in Apulia and surrounding areas.
• To provide a standardized classification for this significant Mediterranean vegetation.
• To identify and describe new plant communities within the garrigue landscape.

Main Methods:

• Multivariate analysis of a dataset comprising 292 phytosociological relevés.
• Cluster dendrogram analysis to reveal hierarchical relationships among plant communities.
• Comparison with existing literature for nomenclature and syntaxonomical validation.

Main Results:

• Recognition of twenty-one distinct associations, including several newly described ones.
• Hierarchical classification within the class Cisto cretici-Micromerietea julianae.
• Identification of two main alliances: Cisto eriocephali-Ericion multiflorae (thermophilous) and Cytiso spinescentis-Saturejion montanae (mesophilic).

Conclusions:

• The study establishes a robust syntaxonomical framework for Apulian garrigues.
• The classification aligns with the broader syntaxonomical system of the Cisto cretici-Micromerietea julianae class.
• The findings contribute to a better understanding and conservation of Mediterranean vegetation diversity.