Unveiling unique endemic associations: A contribution to the knowledge of chasmophytic vegetation on the Sorrento Peninsula and Picentini Mountains

Dario La Montagna; Emile Ammann; Francesco Buttarazzi; Vito Emanuele Cambria; Lorenzo Caucci; Elisa De Luca; Michele De Sanctis; Sara Frasca; Fabio Attorre; Giuliano Fanelli

doi:10.3986/hacq-2025-0003

.blurhash-client-img { display: none !important; }

Unveiling unique endemic associations: A contribution to the knowledge of chasmophytic vegetation on the Sorrento Peninsula and Picentini Mountains

Hacquetia

Volume 24 (2025): Issue 1 (June 2025)

By: Dario La Montagna , Emile Ammann, Francesco Buttarazzi, Vito Emanuele Cambria , Lorenzo Caucci , Elisa De Luca, Michele De Sanctis , Sara Frasca , Fabio Attorre and Giuliano Fanelli

Open Access

|Feb 2025

Abstract

Sorrento Peninsula and the Picentini Mountains are rich in local endemics and have been well studied taxonomically, but their vegetation, particularly cliff plant assemblages, remains poorly known. This paper presents phytosociological insights on cliff-dwelling communities in these areas. We conducted 28 relevés (8 previously published) and used multivariate analyses to classify them. The bioclimatic context was analyzed using Rivas-Martínez indexes and compared with other Central Mediterranean rock vegetation. We identified three clusters classified into one association and two sub-associations: Globulario neapolitanae-Loniceretum stabianae typicum; Globulario neapolitanae-Loniceretum stabianae globularietosum neapolitanae subass. nova; and Diantho virginei-Seselietum polyphylli ass. nova. This vegetation is referred to a new alliance, Lonicerion stabianae all. nova, characterized by an intermediate Mediterranean, temperate, and weakly continental climate. The endemic cliff vegetation in these areas suggests a distinct phytogeographical sector within the Italian Peninsula.

References

Antonsson, H. (2012). Plant species composition and diversity in cliff and mountain ecosystems. Ph.D. thesis, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE. Available from: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/30092
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Assennato, F., Smiraglia, D., Cavalli, A., Congedo, L., Giuliani, C., Riitano, N., Strollo, A., & Munafò, M. (2022). The Impact of Urbanization on Land: A Biophysical-Based Assessment of Ecosystem Services Loss Supported by Remote Sensed Indicators. Land, 11(2), 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11020236
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Barkman, J.J., Doing, H., & Segal, S. (1964). Kritische Bemerkungen und Vorschläge zur quantitativen Vegetationsanalyse. Acta Botanica Neerlandica, 13, 394–419.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bartolucci, F., Peruzzi, L., Galasso, G., Albano, A., Alessandrini, A., Ardenghi, N.M.G., Astuti, G., Bacchetta, G., Ballelli, S., Banfi, E., Barberis, G., Bernardo, L., Bouvet, D., Bovio, M., Cecchi, L., Di Pietro, R., Domina, G., Fascetti, S., Fenu, G., Festi, F., Foggi, B., Gallo, L., Gottschlich, G., Gubellini, L., Iamonico, D., Iberite, M., Jiménez-Mejías, P., Lattanzi, E., Marchetti, D., Martinetto, E., Masin, R.R., Medagli, P., Passalacqua, N.G., Peccenini, S., Pennesi, R., Pierini, B., Poldini, L., Prosser, F., Raimondo, F.M., Roma-Marzio, F., Rosati, L., Santangelo, A., Scoppola, A., Scortegagna, S., Selvaggi, A., Selvi, F., Soldano, A., Stinca, A., Wagensommer, R.P., Wilhalm, T., & Conti, F. (2018). An updated checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy. Plant Biosystems, 152(2), 179–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2017.1419996
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Biondi, E., Casavecchia, S., & Zuccarello, V. (2000). The Potentilletalia caulescentis Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. & Jenny 1926 order in Italy. Colloques Phytosociologiques, 27, 105–122.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Blasi, C., Capotorti, G., Copiz, R., Guida, D., Mollo, B., Smiraglia, D., & Zavattero, L. (2018). Terrestrial Ecoregions of Italy: Map and Explanatory notes. Global Map S.r.l.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bonari, G., Fernández-González, F., Çoban, S., Monteiro-Henriques, T., Bergmeier, E., Didukh, Y.P., Xystrakis, F., Angiolini, C., Chytrý, K., Acosta, A.T.R., Agrillo, E., Costa, J.C., Danihelka, J., Hennekens, S.M., Kavgacı, A., Knollová, I., Neto, C.S., Sağlam, C., Škvorc, Ž., Tichý, L., Chytrý, M., & Ewald, J. (2021). Classification of the Mediterranean lowland to submontane pine forest vegetation. Applied Vegetation Science, 24, e12544 https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.v24.110.1111/avsc.12544.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Brullo, S., & Marcenò, C. (1979). Dianthion rupicolae nouvelle alliance sud-tyrrhénienne des Asplenietalia glandulosi. Documents Phytosociologiques, 4, 131–146.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cancellieri, L., & Caneva, G. (2007). Il paesaggio vegetale della Costa d'Amalfi [The vegetation landscape of the Amalfi coast]. Ed. Gangemi, Rome, IT, 206 pp.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cancellieri, L., Caneva, G., & Cutini, M. (2017). Phytosociology and ecology of the Mediterranean forests ecosystems in the Amalfi Coast (Monti Lattari, Italy). Rendiconti Lincei, 28, 651–671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-017-0635-x
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Capozzi, V., Annella, C., & Budillon, G. (2023). Classification of daily heavy precipitation patterns and associated synoptic types in the Campania Region (southern Italy). Atmospheric Research, 289, 106781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2023.106781
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Caputo, G., La Valva, V., Nazzaro, R., & Ricciardi, M. (1989). La flora della Penisola Sorrentina (Campania) [Flora of Sorrento Peninsula (Campania)]. Delpinoa, 31–32, 3–97.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Chytrý, M., Hennekens, S.M., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., Knollová, I., Dengler, J., Jansen, F., Landucci, F., Schaminée, J.H.J., Aćić, S., Agrillo, E., Ambarlı, D., Angelini, P., Apostolova, I., Attorre, F., Berg, C., Bergmeier, E., Biurrun, I., Botta-Dukát, Z., Brisse, H., Campos, J.A., Carlón, L., Čarni, A., Casella, L., Csiky, J., Ćušterevska, R., Dajić Stevanović, Z., Danihelka, J., De Bie, E., de Ruffray, P., De Sanctis, M., Dickoré, W.B., Dimopoulos, P., Dubyna, D., Dziuba, T., Ejrnæs, R., Ermakov, N., Ewald, J., Fanelli, G., Fernández-González, F., FitzPatrick, Ú., Font, X., García-Mijangos, I., Gavilán, R.G., Golub, V., Guarino, R., Haveman, R., Indreica, A., Işık Gürsoy, D., Jandt, U., Janssen, J.A.M., Jiroušek, M., Kącki, Z., Kavgacı, A., Kleikamp, M., Kolomiychuk, V., Krstivojević Ćuk, M., Krstonošić, D., Kuzemko, A., Lenoir, J., Lysenko, T., Marcenò, C., Martynenko, V., Michalcová, D., Moeslund, J.E., Onyshchenko, V., Pedashenko, H., Pérez-Haase, A., Peterka, T., Prokhorov, V., Rašomavičius, V., Rodríguez-Rojo, M.P., Rodwell, J.S., Rogova, T., Ruprecht, E., Rūsiņa, S., Seidler, G., Šibík, J., Šilc, U., Škvorc, Ž., Sopotlieva, D., Stančić, Z., Svenning, J.-C., Swacha, G., Tsiripidis, I., Turtureanu, P.D., Uğurlu, E., Uogintas, D., Valachovič, M., Vashenyak, Y., Vassilev, K., Venanzoni, R., Virtanen, R., Weekes, L., Willner, W., Wohlgemuth, T., & Yamalov, S. (2016). European Vegetation Archive (EVA): an integrated database of European vegetation plots. Applied Vegetation Science, 19, 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12191
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Corbetta, F., Frattaroli, A.R., Ciaschetti, G., & Pirone, G. (2000). Some aspects of the chasmophytic vegetation in the Cilento-Vallo di Diano National Park (Campania, Italy). Acta Botanica Croatica, 59(1), 43–53.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
De Cáceres, M., Legendre, P., & Moretti, M. (2010). Improving indicator species analysis by combining groups of sites. Oikos, 119(10), 1674–1684. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18334.x
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Del Guacchio, E., Innangi, M., Giacò, A., Peruzzi, L., & Caputo, P. (2020). Taxa endemic to Campania (southern Italy): nomenclatural and taxonomic notes. Phytotaxa, 449(3), 217–231. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.449.3.2
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Di Pietro, R., & Wagensommer, R.P. (2008). Analisi fitosociologica su alcune specie rare e/o minacciate del Parco Nazionale del Gargano (Italia centro-meridionale) e considerazioni sintassonomiche sulle comunità casmofitiche della Puglia [Phytosociological analysis on some rare species and/or threatened of Gargano National Park (Southern-Central Italy) a syntaxonomical considerations on chasmophytic communities of Puglia]. Fitosociologia, 45(1), 177–200.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fanelli, G., La Montagna, D., Attorre, F., De Sanctis, M., & Masucci, P. (2022). Phytosociology and taxonomic notes on some endemic-rich associations of the Naples Gulf. Hacquetia, 21(1), 1–14.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Guadagno, M. (1916). La vegetazione della Penisola Sorrentina (Parte I, II, III) [Vegetation of Sorrento Peninsula (Part I, II, III)]. Bullettino dell'Orto Botanico di Napoli, 5, 133–178
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kassambara, A. (2017). Practical guide to cluster analysis in R: Unsupervised machine learning (Vol. 1). Sthda.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lacaita, C. (1922). Piante italiane critiche o rare [Critical or rare Italian plants]. Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiano nuova serie, 29(1–4), 174–194.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Moraldo, B., La Valva, V., Ricciardi, M., & Caputo, G. (1985). La Flora dei Monti Picentini (Campania) [Flora of Picentini Mountains (Campania)]. Delpinoa, 27–28, 59–148.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Natali, A. (1998). Le groupe Galium lucidum (Rubiaceae) dans le domaine cyrno-sarde. Candollea, 53(2), 484–488.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pasquale, G.A. (1875). Su di una nuova specie di Lonicera [On a new species of Lonicera]. Rendiconto della Regia Accademia delle Scienze fisiche e matematiche, 14, 142–143.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pesaresi, S., Biondi, E., & Casavecchia, S. (2017). Bioclimates of Italy. Journal of Maps, 13(2), 955–960. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2017.1413017
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pescatore, T.S., Pinto, F., Giano, S.I., Guadagno, F.M., & Lupo, G. (2022). Note illustrative della Carta Geologica d'Italia alla scala 1: 50.000: Foglio 449 Avellino. CARG, Regione Campania.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pignatti, S., Guarino, R., & La Rosa, M. (2017). Flora d'italia (Vol. 1–4). Edagricole, Milano.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
R Core Team (2021). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL https://www.R-project.org/.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rivas-Martínez, S., Sáenz, S.R., & Penas, A. (2011). Worldwide bioclimatic classification system. Global Geobotany. 1, 1–634. https://doi.org/10.5616/gg110001
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Salerno, G., Cancellieri, L., Ceschin, S., Lucchese, F., & Caneva, G. (2007). La flora e le emergenze floristiche [Flora and floristic emergencies]. In: Caneva, Cancellieri (Eds.), Il paesaggio vegetale della costa d'Amalfi. Cangemi Editore, Roma.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schwarz, O. (1938). Die Gattung Globularia [The Genus Globularia]. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 69: 318–373.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Snogerup, S. (1971). Evolutionary and plant geographical aspects of chasmophytic communities. In: Davis, Harper, Hedge, (Eds.), Plant Life of South West Asia. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Surina, B., Schneeweiss, G.M., Glasnović, P., & Schönswetter, P. (2014). Testing the efficiency of nested barriers to dispersal in the Mediterranean high mountain plant Edraianthus graminifolius (Campanulaceae). Molecular Ecology, 23, 2861–2875. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12779
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Tenore, M. (1823). Flora medica universale, e flore particolare della provincia di Napoli [Universal medical flora, and particular flora of the province of Naples]. Giornale Enciclopedico di Napoli, Napoli.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Terzi, M. & D'Amico, F.S. (2008). Chasmophytic vegetation of the class Asplenietea trichomanis in south-eastern Italy. Acta Botanica Croatica, 67(2), 147–174.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Terzi, M., Jasprica, N., Caković, D., & Di Pietro, R. (2018), Revision of the central Mediterranean xerothermic cliff vegetation. Applied Vegetation Science, 21, 514–532. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12386
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Thompson, J.D. (2020). Plant evolution in the Mediterranean: insights for conservation. Oxford University Press, USA.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Trinajstić, I. (1987). Sintaksonomski pregled biljnih zajednica planine Biokovo [Syntaxonomic survey of the plant communities of the Mt. Biokovo]. Acta Biokovica, 4, 143–174.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wagensommer, R.P. (2017). Phytosociological investigation on the thermo-chasmophilous vegetation of the Eastern Mediterranean territories. Ph.D. thesis, University of Catania, Catania, IT. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10761/3718.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/hacq-2025-0003 | Journal eISSN: 1854-9829 | Journal ISSN: 1581-4661

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 1 - 14

Submitted on: Mar 20, 2024

Accepted on: Jun 15, 2024

Published on: Feb 21, 2025

Published by: Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

Keywords:

casmophytic vegetation,

Related subjects:

Ecology,

© 2025 Dario La Montagna, Emile Ammann, Francesco Buttarazzi, Vito Emanuele Cambria, Lorenzo Caucci, Elisa De Luca, Michele De Sanctis, Sara Frasca, Fabio Attorre, Giuliano Fanelli, published by Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 24 (2025): Issue 1 (June 2025)