C. Blasi et al., A phytosociological analysis of abandoned terraced olive grove shrublands in the Tyrrhenian district of Central Italy, PL BIOSYST, 134(3), 2000, pp. 305-331
A phytosociological study of the shrubland communities which colonise aband
oned terraced olive groves in the Tyrrhenian district of Central Italy is p
resented here. The vegetational analysis was carried out using the Braun Bl
anquet phytosociological approach. Two main types of shrubland communities
characterising distinct environmental conditions occur within abandoned ter
raced olive groves. On the one hand, there are those scrub types which tend
to occupy the central part of the terrace; on the other hand, there are th
e scrubs types which develop along the stone walls bordering the terrace. D
ifferent phytosociological associations, sub-associations, and variants ran
ging from Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaternii to Prunetalia spinosae are recogni
sed and described. In the warm dry areas, both Myrto-Lentiscetum and Rhdmno
-Euphorbietum dendroidis occur, Also, a new Oeo-Ceratonion sub-association
(Myrto-Lentiscetum spartietosum junceii) is presented here fur the first ti
me. In the inner zones of the study area, a range of aspects characterising
a new Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii community type (Roso-Rubertum ulmifoli ass. n
ova) are identified.