Relation between climate and vegetation along a Mediterranean-Temperate boundary in central Italy

The relationship between climate and vegetation was investigated along a Me diterranean-Temperate boundary in central Italy. The study area is a transi tion zone between the Temperate (Eurosiberian) and Mediterranean regions an d has an altitudinal range of almost 1750 m. Ordination and cluster analysi s were used. The results did not show any sharp boundary but a climate-vege tation mosaic ranging from upper mountain thermotype and lower hyperhumid o mbrotype with Fagus sylvatica L. woodlands at higher altitudes, to meso-Med iterranean thermotype and lower subhumid ombrotype with Mediterranean maqui s and Quercus ilex L. woods on the coast. Six phytoclimatic groups are dist inguished and described in terms of climatic parameters, vegetation types a nd morphological and chorological traits. These parameters indicate a chang e without sharp discontinuities between groups. The Mediterranean to Temper ate transition in this Tyrrhenian sector is broad and includes most of the study area.