Floristic and vegetation successional processes within landslides in a Mediterranean environment.
Floristic and vegetation analysis in seven Mediterranean landslides led to the understanding of the successional processes occurring in different landslide disturbed sectors. Our study showed that in landslides that occurred between 1996 and 2010 there is a clear differentiation between the three main landslide sectors (scarp, main body and foot) concerning floristic composition, vegetation structure, floristic richness, successional processes and plant functional type. Additional differences were found between landslide areas and undisturbed agricultural areas adjacent to landslides. In this study 48 floristic relevés were made using a stratified random sampling design. The main landslide body exhibits the highest floristic richness whereas the landslide scarp has the lowest coverage rate and the highest presence of characteristic species from ruderal and strongly perturbed habitats. Finally, the landslide foot shows a late stage in the succession (maquis or pre-forest stage) with a high dominance of vines. We further discuss the importance of landslides as reservoirs of biodiversity especially for Mediterranean orchids.
Centre for Geographical Studies, IGOT (Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning), Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício IGOT, Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal.
Carlos
C
Neto
Centre for Geographical Studies, IGOT (Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning), Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício IGOT, Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal.
Patrícia
P
Cardigos
Centre for Geographical Studies, IGOT (Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning), Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício IGOT, Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: cruzdeoliveira@campus.ul.pt.
Sérgio Cruz
SC
Oliveira
Centre for Geographical Studies, IGOT (Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning), Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício IGOT, Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, Portugal.
José Luís
JL
Zêzere
D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D055876:Landslides; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D029595:Orchidaceae; D010944:Plants
Bioindicators; Disturbance; Floristic richness; Landslides; Successional processes