(5210) – MEDITERRANEAN SHRUBLAND DOMINATED SITES
 

Habitats determining typology.
• 5212 – Thickets of Phoenicean Junipers (Juniperus phoenicea),
• 5230 - *Thickets of Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis),
• 5320 – Low formations of Euphorbia close to the cliffs,
• 5330 – Pre-desert Thermo-Mediterranean shrub formations,
• 5331 – Tree Spurge (Euphorbia dendroides) formations,
• 5332 - Mauritania Vine Reed (Ampelodesma mauritanica) scrublands,
• 5333 – Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) formations,
• 5334 – Pre-desert Mediterranean shrub formations,
• 5335 – Thermo-Mediterranean brooms,
• 5420 - Sarcopoterium spinosa phrygana,
• 5430 - Euphorbio verbascion,
• 9320 – Olea and Ceratonia formations,
• 9560 - *Endemic forests with prickly juniper (Juniperus ssp)
Ecological and physical characterisation of the typology.
The sites of this typology are characterised by plant features which are dynamically connected mainly by Mediterranean shrublands but also by therophytic grasslands (*6220) and by Mediterranean oak woods(9340). This is a group of sites particularly abounding in diverse habitats which however maintain a degree of homogenity. Shrubland plantlife is attributable to the Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alterni order, but Mediterranean oak woods are also frequent which are attributable to Quercetalia ilicis and therophytic meadows of the Thero-Brachypodietea order. High coast habitats are relatively common (1240, 1170) and rocks with sparse vegetation (8210) and juniper woods appear on the coastal dunes (*2250) as well as pine woods(9540). The phytosociological and sinphytosociological approach in this context is especially useful in order to fully understand the meaning of “homogeneous heterogeneity” present; as a matter of fact there is a good diversification of habitats but as a whole they show a functional connection which has to be analysed according to a scale of plant production and landscape (geosigmeta).
The cenological wealth of the typology is further enriched by the presence of shelter habitats mainly of the Mediterranean kind (92D0, 92A0, 92C0, 3270, 3280, 3250, 3290). In the coastal sites of this group the Posidonia grasslands habitat (*1120) also sporadically appears.
One of the most interesting ecological features of this typology is that the plant and animal community of primary Mediterranean shrubland present is due to edaphic conditions but sometimes also due to climactic conditions.
The distribution is mainly coastal, along the south Tyrrhenian sea and the Ionian sea but in Sicily and Sardinia it extends further inland.
These are sites with extremely variable surface areas, mainly around 400 hectares, and with a variable minimum altitude mainly around 130 metres. This wide range of variability is due to the great diversity of latitude in which the sites are located and so some of them (for instance in the distinctly Thermo-Mediterranean regions) can reach heights of over 1000 metres; these are however sporadic cases.
The forest cover is on average equal to about 30% of the surface area of the sites and the risk of fires is extremely high.
Indicators.
Elevated values of biomass and structural complexity as well as a continuous forest cover (>70%) should be interpreted as indicators of good quality conservation.
As far as Insects are concerned, the characterising phytophagous species can include the Two Tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) and the Cleopatra Butterfly (Gonepterix cleopatra -Lepidoptera).
With regards to birds there can be structured communities which include as well as passeriformes typical of shrubland, Coraciiformes, Columbidae and Picids.
With regards to Mammals, the characterising element could be the crested porcupine.
In various regions of the central-south, populations of indigenous roedeer (possible Italic Roe-Deer) make use of this environment.