Applied Vegetation Science && (2012) Classification and distribution patterns of plant communities on Socotra Island, Yemen Michele De Sanctis, Achmed Adeeb, Alessio Farcomeni, Chiara Patriarca, Achmed Saed & Fabio Attorre Keywords Abstract Gradient analysis; Hierarchical classification; Non-metric dimensional scaling; Question: What are the main plant communities and vegetation zones on Phytosociology; Vegetation classification Socotra Island in relation to climatic, geological and topographic factors? Nomenclature Location: Socotra Island (Yemen). Miller & Morris (2004) Methods: A total of 318 releve´s were sampled along an altitudinal gradient. Received 25 December 2010 Floristic and environmental (topographic, geological and climatic) data were Accepted 27 April 2012 collected and analysed using numerical classification and NDMS ordination; an Co-ordinating Editor: Joop Schamine´ e analysis of the correlation between plant communities and environmental factors was also performed. De Sanctis, M. (corresponding author, Results: Eight types of woody vegetation, seven of shrubs, six of herbaceous
[email protected]) & Attorre, F. (fabio. and seven of halophytic vegetation were identified. Ordination revealed
[email protected]): Department of Plant the importance of altitudinal and climatic gradients, as well as of geological Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185, substrata. Rome, Italy Adeeb, A. (botanyunit.epa.socotra@gmail. Conclusions: Four vegetation zones were identified. The first three are located com) & Saed, A. (
[email protected]): in the arid region with altitude ranging from 0 to 1000 m and the fourth in the Environmental Protection Authority (E.P.A.) of semi-arid region from 1000 to 1500 m a.s.l. Specifically they are: (1) an arid Socotra, Hadibo, Yemen coastal plain mainly located on an alluvial substratum between 0 and 200 m, Farcomeni, A.