Coenological variation and floristic diversity assessment in relation to forest management in Quercus cerris woods of turbiditic substrata of Cilento National Park

Abstract

In this paper the relationship between forest management and floristic and coenological diversity is analyzed. The study area is Cilento National Park (Southern Italy) and in particular the turbiditic substrata. Through a phytosociological analysis, the forest vegetation of the study area was classified leading to 8 types, 4 of them belonging to Fagetalia sylvaticae, 3 to Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, 1 to Populetalia albae. Within Quercus cerris woods, the most common association was Lathyro digitati- Quercetum cerris festucetosum drymeiae. 44 releves belonging to this association were selected for the present study. The correlation between diversity and forest management resulted very weak. The same was found when considering growth forms and floristic elements. However, a significant relationship was found between forest management types and the presence of rare or biogeographically interesting species. A further research step is in progress through a stratified random sampling based on a map of forest management types.