Apennine deciduous montane forests

The Apennine deciduous montane forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. The development of these forests is ensured by the high rainfall in the Apennines (from 1000 mm in the southern mountains to 2500 mm in the north), combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of silver fir (Abies alba), although still widespread, has been dramatically reduced in favour of beech.

Apennine deciduous montane forests
Mixed forest (Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica) in Cimone Mountain, northern Apennines
Location of the Apennine deciduous montane forests
Ecology
Realm	Palearctic
Biome	temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Borders	Italian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests
Geography
Area	16,147 km^2 (6,234 sq mi)
Country	Italy
Conservation
Conservation status	critical/endangered
Global 200	European-Mediterranean montane mixed forest
Protected	7,403 km² (46%)[1]

Flora

Vegetation zones

The ecoregion has two major vegetation zones.

Extensive forests

• Fagus sylvatica
• Silver Fir Abies alba (mixed with beech)
• some relict Pinus nigra var. italica stands.
• some relict Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris (only in Northern Apennines).

With presence of deciduous Quercus ssp. and sporadic Fraxinus ssp., Acer ssp., Tilia ssp., Populus ssp., Castanea sativa, Carpinus ssp., Ostrya ssp., Ulmus ssp., Betula ssp., Sorbus ssp., Salix ssp., Prunus ssp., Taxus baccata, Malus sylvestris, Pyrus and other Central-European broadleaved and coniferous species.

Mountain summit meadows and cushion scrubs

• Juniperus nana,
• Sorbus chamaemespilus,
• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi,
• Vaccinium vitis-idaea
• relict Pinus mugo (Majella Mountain).

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 Sasso and Monti della Laga has 1,500 endemic species;
• Maiella mountains has 1,800 endemic species.

Alpine species include

• Gentiana dinarica,
• Gentiana nivalis,
• Androsace alpina,
• Polygala chamaebuxus,
• Saxifraga oppositifolia,
• Ranunculus seguieri
• Carlina acaulis.

Protected areas

A 2017 assessment found that 7,403 km², or 46%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. About 55% of the unprotected area is still forested.[1] Protected areas include Monte Cimone, Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park, Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna National Park, Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, Sirente-Velino Regional Park, and Matese Regional Park.

External links

• "Apennine deciduous montane forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.

References

1. Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b.