The forest vegetation of the National Park of Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga

Abstract

The paper deals with a short presentation of the forest plant communities (associations) so far recognized for the National Park of Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga (located in south-central Apennines). The data on forests that are here presented consists in a brief diagnosis of each association with the indication of the characteristic species, in a phytosociological survey as an example and in the distribution in the national park and its bibliographic references. Forest communities are presented according to the macrobioclimate and the characteristics of the substrate. These communities are classified into the following groups: zonal forests, linked to the regional climate and typical of a bioclimatic zone (mesophilous deciduous forests, beech), thermophilous and submesophilous deciduous woods (downy oak and Turkey oak woods and hop hornbeam woods),
aspen forests, extrazonal woods present outside the typical bioclimatic and biogeographic zone (mixed forests with evergreen sclerophyllous and deciduous trees), azonal forests, unrelated to any biogeographic and bioclimatic area (hornbeam and hazel woods, ravine woods with maple, linden, and mountain elm, willow and alder
formations). A total of 26 associations are discussed and presented, belonging to 4 classes of forest vegetation and their hierarchical position is showed in the syntaxonomical scheme. Finally, the framework of the different forest habitats, sensu Directive (92/43/EEC) present in the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga is
showed, as they are an important part of the biodiversity of its territory.