Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process

Alpine Grassland Monitoring and Assessment Workshop

20 - 22 May 2015

Introduction

• Welcome

• My task is to detect the more suitable places to verify the status of the meadows, particularly the species-rich, poor in elements meadows, but also the fertile ones and other types for a comparison.

• Important to briefly know the environmental context

THE REGION AND THE PROVINCE OF THE AREAS WE WILL VISIT

The climate

Precipitation

• Average precipitation: 1300-1800 m/year, distributed in 137 rainy days. Above 100 mm in 8-9 months per year (S. Antonio Tortal Metereological Station – 540 m). • The rainiest months are May and October, with a equinoctial rainfall pattern that shows a main peak (and more intense one) in autumn and a secondary one in spring. • In summer precipitations never fall below 350-400 mm. • The snowfalls are rather discontinuous, and quantities very variable. First snows normally fall at the beginning of December and remain until April-May.

Temperatures

• Average seasonal temperatures of about 0,7° C in winter, 10,9° C in spring, 19,7° C in summer and 10,7° C in autumn (Belluno Metereological Station – 400 m).

• Only one month has an average under 0° (January) while for 7 months the monthly average exceeds 10° C.

• The average days with frost vary around 90 days/year, while minimum absolute temperatures vary from -13° C to -15° C.

• The length of vegetative period goes from a maximum of 170 to a minimum of 150 days, with an average temperature of about 17° C.

• The thermic regime is therefore pre-alpine, with cold winter and mild- fresh summer, in the area of the Belluno meteorological station, which is not to be confused with the surveyed zone, localized at higher elevation. Geology

• Influence of the ice ages of the Quaternary Period

An ancient human presence

• Mel: findings and evidences of the “paleoveneti”.

• Lentiai: roman centuriation.

•Rhaetian, celtic and longobard influences.

•Venetian Republic.

• On “Monte Avena” findings dating 60000 years.

Manufatti attribuibili al paleolitico medio - Campon di Monte Avena - - (BL) • Agro-sylvo-pastoral economy for centuries

• Urbanization, industrialization, with neglection of the mountainous areas and talweg settlements only starting from the 60’s, after the Vajont tragedy. Potential vegetation

• Talweg and first mountain slopes with Querco-Carpinetum (91L0), more or less replaced by meadowes and cultivations

• Beach forests, from submontane to high mountainous ones (600-1600 m) 91K0

• Residual subalpine shrubs and often secondary (4070, 4060)

• Primary (or nearly) meadows (6170) replaced by grazing. Often expressions of 6520 for the management (mention the treeline)

• Important, although marginal and residual, peaty and humid sites, all well acknowledged biotopes.

• In : significant increase of conifers (Cismon River basin, more continental)

• Naturalistic emergences NARCISSUS MEADOWS

Foto S. Vendrami Peculiar ecological aspects

• Meadows poor in elements, but not too much, better if not fertilized in overall fresh areas

• Quite mature and not superficial soil, better if slightly acid

• Soil analysis (Garlato et al.)

• Seasonality (fenology)

• Serial contacts, importance of the margins.

• Relationship with the birch groups.

• In prepalpine and esodolomitic area, in the montane belt from (600) 750-1400 (1550) m.

• Wide adaptability. The bulbous species resist longer (Wild-boar permitting…)

• Importance of MANAGEMENT Management

• Requires mowing (possibly with collection of remeainigs). In extensive grazing survives, but doesn’t reach spectacular beauty and concentration decreases

• Takes advantage from late mowing

• Tillages are a strong deterrent

• Is plentiful where fertilization is excluded (especially the liquid one), even though the soil is quite deep and fresh.

• Local shadowings are well tollerated N. progressivo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 N. originale dei rilievi 1 3 2 5 6 10 13 17 18 15 16 14 25 7 19 20 21 22 23 24 4 8 9 11 12

Autore Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Scar Scar Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las Las

Rilievo Rilievo n. 1 Monte Tomatico, m 1520 Rilievo n. 3, Monte Tomatico, m 1330 Rilievo n. 2, Monte Tomatico, m 1450 Rilievo n. 1, Pian di Castron Basso, strada, sopra m 840 Rilievo n, 2, Pian Castron de Basso, m 850 Rilievo n. 6, Pian Castron de Basso, m 825 Rilievo n. 9, Cas. sopra Fontana, d’Artent,e Col tra Pian Coltura de Rilievo n. 1, m Monte Foral 900 Rilievo n. 2, m Monte Foral 910 Rilievo n. 11, Moschèr,Col m 1220 Rilievo n. 12, Moschèr,Col m 1220 Rilievo n. Cas.10, sopra Fontana, d’Artent,e Col tra Pian Coltura de di versante Col Cee, Lamon, Ovest, verso Agaro. Rilievo 3, Basso, Pian Castron de m 860 Località Spin Prà de m 860 (); Scheid Lamon, Alto. Scheid Lamon, Alto. la chiesettasopra Pendio Lamon, di Ei.Le Versante Lamon, est di Col Cee strada. di sopra Col Cee, Lamon, Pian mGrave), d’Arson (Monte 1320 Rilievo n. 4, Pian Castron de Basso, m 840 Rilievo n. 5, Pian Castron de Basso, m 825 Rilievo n. 7, Pian Castron de Basso, m 820 Rilievo n. 8, Pian Castron de Basso, m 790

20° W, 20° mq 25, Biancone ESE,15° mq 25 E,20° mq 25 NNE, mq 12° 25 N, mq 15° 20 mq 20 (subpianeggiante), N 2° mq 25 NNW, 10° N0, mq 8° 25 mq 0N0, 25 10° SSE,3° mq 30 SSE,3° mq 30 NE,8° mq 30 m, 1310 O,5° mq 100, 100%, briofite 15% copertura mq N), 20 (2° Pianeggiante OSO,15° mq copertura 100; 100% m, SSO,1190 10° mq 60, 100% copertura m, 1205 S,8° mq 100, 100% copertura m, ENE,1260 15° mq 60, 100% copertura m, 1290 E,5° mq 80, 100% copertura m, E,1300 12° mq 100, 100% copertura SE,15° mq (costa25 verso orientata il Pietre) Tre NNE, 8° mq 30 N, mq 12° 25 N, 5° mq 400 mq 400 (terrazzamento), N 3°

N 45° 58’ 47” 3; 47” E 58’ 45° N 9 14” 54’ 11° 1; 35” E 58’ 45° N 1 27” 54’ 11° 1; 33” E 58’ 45° N 4 10” 54’ 11° 4; 37” E 00’ 46° N 1 51” 05’ 12° 2; 37” E 00’ 46° N 7 48” 05’ 12° 0; 41” E 00’ 46° N 8 37” 05’ 12° 5; 22” E 00’ 46° N 3 21” 01’ 12° 4; 59” E 59’ 45° N 5 07” 03’ 12° 0; 00” E 00’ 46° N 2 12” 03’ 12° 6; 26” E 59’ 45° N 5 46” 00’ 12° 6; 26” E 59’ 45° N 5 46” 00’ 12° 8; 21” E 00’ 46° N 5 21” 01’ 12° 8; 00” E 04’ 46° N 0 20” 43’ 11° 9; 34” E 00’ 46° N 3 47” 05’ 12° 8; 13” E 55’ 45° N 9 05” 59’ 11° 0; 09” E 04’ 46° N 1 04” 44’ 11° 0; 11” E 04’ 46° N 1 03” 44’ 11° 1; 10” E 04’ 46° N 4 33” 43’ 11° 4; 02” E 04’ 46° N 4 31” 43’ 11° 8; 57” E 03’ 46° N 8 29” 43’ 11° 2; 24” E 05’ 46° N 4 50” 55’ 11° 9; 38” E 00’ 46° N 9 44” 05’ 12° 7; 33” E 00’ 46° N 8 41” 05’ 12° 3; 49” E 00’ 46° N 6 41” 05’ 12° 8; 50” E 00’ 46° N 6 40” 05’ 12°

A1 (h m 16-18 m) 90%;A1 m (h A2 16-18 5%; B 15%; 90%;C m) 80%;A1 m (h A2 18-20 10%; B 10%; 85%.C Narcissus radiiflorus 1 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 3 3 4 3 4 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 1 1 1 23

Muscari botryoides 1 1 2 + + + r + 1 + + + 12 Dactylorhiza sambucina + 1 + + + + 2 + + 1 + 11 Alchemilla flabellata + 1 + 1 1 + + 7 Phyteuma orbiculare 1 1 1 + 1 5 Polygala alpestris + + + 1 1 5 Anemone trifolia 1 2 + + 4 Hippocrepis comosa 1 + + + 4 Lathyrus laevigatus + 1 + 1 4 Festuca paniculata + 1 3 3 Laserpitium latifolium r 1 1 3 Helleborus viridis + + 2 Lilium martagon r + 2 Ranunculus oreophilus + + 2 Scabiosa lucida 1 1 2 Thymus polytrichus 1 1 2 Genista tinctoria 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 + + 1 + 15 Gentiana kochiana + 1 + + + + + + + + + + r + 1 15 Polygala chamaebuxus 1 + 1 + 1 + + + + 9 Carex montana 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 19 Cruciata glabra 1 + 1 + + + + + + + + 1 1 2 2 2 1 17 Lotus corniculatus 1 1 1 1 + + + 1 1 1 + 2 2 + 1 + 16 Crocus albiflorus 1 + + 1 + 1 + 1 + + + + 2 1 14 Avenula praeusta 1 1 + + 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 + 2 1 1 1 16 Luzula multiflora + 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 + 1 2 1 1 + 16 Brachypodium rupestre 2 1 1 1 + + 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 4 2 15 Festuca rupicola + 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 + 15 Knautia drymeia + 1 + + + + + + + 1 + + 1 1 1 15 Phyteuma zahlbrückneri + 1 + + 1 + 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 14 Ranunculus nemorosus 1 + 1 + + + 1 1 + + + + + + 14 Polygala vulgaris 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 + + + + 12 Stellaria graminea + + + + 1 + + 1 + 1 2 + 12 Betonica officinalis + + 1 1 + 1 + 1 + + + 11 Briza media + + + + 1 + 1 1 2 1 1 11 Rumex acetosa + + + + r + + 1 + + 10 Carlina acaulis + + + 1 + + + + + + + + + + 14 Hypericum maculatum + + + + + + 1 1 + 1 + + 12 Nardus stricta 1 1 1 1 1 + 4 3 1 2 1 1 12 Avenella flexuosa 3 2 2 1 3 3 1 2 + 1 + 11 Solidago virgaurea 1 + 1 2 1 2 + + 1 + + 11 Calluna vulgaris 1 3 1 3 + 2 2 2 2 1 10 Festuca nigrescens 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 + 10 Vaccinium myrtillus + 2 3 2 3 2 1 + + 1 10

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION