Appenine deciduous montane forests
Encyclopedia
The term Appenine deciduous montane forests Ecoregion
, in the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Biome
, are in the mountain ranges of northern and central Italy
, including the Apennine Mountains
.
1. Extensive forests
2. Mountain summit meadows and cushion scrubs, with the predominant species:
Alpine species include
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
, in the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
Biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, are in the mountain ranges of northern and central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, including the Apennine Mountains
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
.
Vegetation zones
The ecoregion has two major vegetation zones:1. Extensive forests
- Fagus sylvatica
- some relict Pinus nigra var. italica stands.
2. Mountain summit meadows and cushion scrubs, with the predominant species:
- Juniperus nana,
- Sorbus chamaemespilus,
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursiArctostaphylos uva-ursiArctostaphylos uva-ursi, with names for this species including Kinnikinnick and Pinemat manzanita, one of several related species referred to as Bearberry...
, - Vaccinium vitis-idaeaVaccinium vitis-idaeaVaccinium vitis-idaea is a short evergreen shrub in the heath family that bears edible sour fruit, native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America. In the past it was seldom cultivated, but fruit was commonly collected in the wild. ...
- relict Pinus mugo).
Endemic species
There are a high number of endemic species increasing at higher elevations and representing between 10 and 20 % of the total flora.- Abruzzo Mountains has 1,200 endemic species;
- Gran SassoGran SassoGran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The Gran Sasso forms the centerpiece of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park which was established in 1993 and holds the highest mountains in continental Italy south of the Alps and is part of the...
and Monti della LagaMonti della LagaMonti della Laga is a mountain range in the central Apennines, Italy. Their ruggedness and inaccessibility makes them one of the lesser known areas of the Italian peninsula.-Geography:...
has 1,500 endemic species; - Maiella mountainsMajellaThe Maiella is a massif in the Central Apennines, in Abruzzo, central Italy, at the boundary between the provinces of Chieti, Pescara and L'Aquila....
has 1,800 endemic species.
Alpine species include
- Gentiana dinarica,
- Gentiana nivalis,
- Androsace alpinaAndrosace alpinaAlpine Rock-Jasmine or Androsace alpina is an alpine plant, endemic to the Alps.-Distribution:In the wild, Androsace alpina grows on silicaceous substrates, particularly granite, and is one of the few plants in the Alps to grow above 4000 metres, including near the summit of the Matterhorn...
, - Polygala chamaebuxusPolygala chamaebuxusPolygala chamaebuxus is an ornamental plant of Polygala genus in Polygalaceae family.-External links:*...
, - Saxifraga oppositifolia,
- Ranunculus seguieri
- Carlina acaulisCarlina acaulisCarlina acaulis is a perennial dicotyledonous flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to alpine regions of central and southern Europe...
.