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 Apennines, combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of Silver Fir, although still widespread, is dramatically reduced in favour of the beech.Description
Vegetation zones
The ecoregion has two major vegetation zones:
1. Extensive forests
- Fagus sylvatica
- Silver Fir Abies alba
- some relict Pinus nigra var. italica stands.
- some relict Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris.
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.
2. Mountain summit meadows and cushion scrubs, with the predominant species:
- Juniperus nana,
- Sorbus chamaemespilus,
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi,
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea
- 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 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.
A 2017 asssessment found that 7,403 km², or 46%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. About 55% of the unprotected area is still forested. 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.
