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  • Geobotanical study of the microforests of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the Central and Southern Iberian Peninsula
    Publication . Cano, Eusebio; Musarella, Carmelo; Cano-Ortiz, Ana; Piñar Fuentes, José; Rodríguez Torres, Alfonso; Del Río González, Sara; Pinto Gomes, Carlos; Quinto Canas, Ricardo; Spampinato, Giovanni
    We have studied Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. badia (H.Gay) Debeaux in the central and southern Iberian Peninsula, where the macrobioclimate ranges from Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-oceanic to Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-continental, and the thermotype from the thermo- to the supramediterranean. The releves were taken following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. A statistical treatment was applied to establish a separation among Juniperus communities. To understand the presence of Juniperus communities in territories dominated by species in the Quercus genus, we applied Thornthwaite's formula to calculate potential evapotranspiration. The general cluster analysis clearly distinguishes two groups of plant communities and separates the different associations in each group. All the plant communities growing on rocky crests and in extremely steep sloping areas are significantly influenced by the soil. The ombroclimatic index does not explain the presence of plant communities influenced by substrate, so we proposed a new ombroedaphoxeric index which explains the presence of Juniperus communities in territories with a thermotype between the thermo- and supramediterranean. The areas of distribution of Juniperus species are expanding due to the spread of rocky areas; this phenomenon causes an increase in edaphoxerophilous areas and a decrease in climatophilous ones. We propose four new plant associations, with updated structures and floristic compositions. Efficient conservation is possible in both the territories studied (Spain and Portugal) through the implementation of specific cross-border cooperation projects.
  • Originalities of willow of salix atrocinerea Brot. in mediterranean Europe
    Publication . Raposo, Mauro; Quinto Canas, Ricardo; Cano-Ortiz, Ana; Spampinato, Giovanni; Pinto Gomes, Carlos
    Willow communities (genus Salix) occurring in Mediterranean Europe are presented, showing, through statistical treatment with multivariate cluster analysis, the separation of the di erent plant communities and their sintaxonomic a liation. Six willow communities have been identified, whose formations include a set of plants with high heritage value. We highlight plants with legal protection status (Annex IV and II of the Habitats Directive-92/43/EEC), endemic, rare, and endangered species such as Salix salviifolia subsp. australis, Cheirolophus uliginosus, Euphorbia uliginosa and Leuzea longifolia. Therefore, two new willow communities are proposed for the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The first dominated by Salix atrocinerea, Frangulo baticae-Salicetum atrocinereae ass. nova of ribatagan distribution, under acid substrates, thermomediterranean to lower mesomediterranean, dry to sub-humid. The second, dominated by the endemic Salix salviifolia subsp. australis, Clematis flammulae-Salicetum australis distributed in the Algarve, developing on neutral-basic substrates, exclusively thermomediterranous, dry to sub-humid. In both cases, there are presented on their own floristic serial, ecology, and substitution steps. A new hygrophytic meadows was also identified dominated by Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinaceae, Cheirolopho uliginosii-Molinietum arundinaceae ass. new hoc loco, which lives on substrates rich in organic matter, exclusive to the Ribatagano Sector. Through the deepening of knowledge about the composition and dynamics of riparian vegetation, it is possible to adapt management methods to sustain and protect these important edafo-hygrophilic systems in the Mediterranean.
  • Phytosociological study, diversity and conservation status of the cloud forest in the Dominican Republic
    Publication . Cano Ortiz, Ana; Musarella, Carmelo Maria; Pinto Gomes, Carlos José; Quinto Canas, Ricardo; Piñar Fuentes, José Carlos; Cano, Eusebio
    The study of the forest in rainy environments of the Dominican Republic reveals the presence of four types of vegetation formations, clearly differentiated from each other in terms of their floristic and biogeographical composition, and also significantly different from the rainforests of Cuba. This leads us to propose two new alliances and four plant associations located in northern mountain areas exposed to moisture-laden winds from the Atlantic: All. Rondeletio ochraceae-Clusion roseae (Ass. Cyatheo furfuracei-Prestoetum motanae; Ass. Ormosio krugii-Prestoetum montanae); and All. Rondeletio ochraceae-Didymopanion tremuli (Ass. Hyeronimo montanae-Magnolietum pallescentis; Hyeronimo dominguensis-Magnolietum hamorii). We pay special attention to the description of cloud forest types, since they have a high rate of endemic species, and therefore there are endemic habitats, which need special protective actions. Therefore, we apply the Shannon diversity index to characteristic, companion, non-endemic, and endemic species. As result, the association Ormosio krugii-Prestoetum montanae has a Shannon_T = 2.4 and a value of Shannon_E = 0, whereas the other 3 associations have a better conservation status with Shannon values in all cases > 0: This is due to a worse conservation status of the Eastern Cordillera, in comparison with the Central Cordillera and Sierra de Bhaoruco. Due to human activity, some areas are very poorly conserved, as evidenced by the diversity index and the presence of endemic tree and plant elements. The worst conserved in terms of the relationship between characteristic plants vegetation (cloud forest) in areas with high rainfall are in the Dominican Republic, along with its floristic diversity and state of conservation. This study has made it possible to significantly increase the botanical knowledge of this important habitat.