GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE ALPINE REGION OF ITALY

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Introduction

Climate of the Italian Alps

Geomorphology of the Italian Alps

Forest and Biodiversity

Glimpses of BD (Floral/Faunal/Habitat)

Habitat/Vegetation Types

Deterministic Factors

Italian Alps: BD status

INTRODUCING THE ALPINE REGION

European alpine:

One of the most important biogeographic regions;

well-known by its rare habitat types; global biodiversity

and water resources;

Extends out from the Mediterranean to the Western

Siberia through Norway, Russia, Sweden, Austria,

Italy and other European Countries

Extends on a land area of 780 000 sq. km

Introduction

Generally, the Alps are divided into the

Western and Eastern Alps

The higher Western Alps are located in

Italy, France and Switzerland

The Western Alps have a curved central

chain and is shorter than the Eastern

Counterpart

The Eastern Alps have a main ridge

which is long and broad. They are

situated in the Countries of: Italy;

Austria; Germany; Liechtenstein;

Slovenia; Switzerland

Introduction Cont’d

Basically, the Alps form part

of the Eight(8) mountains of

European Alpine

cover an area of 180, 000

sq.km from the Mediterranean

Sea to the Vienna basin

House about 13 million

people

Italian Alps as part contains

about 27% of the Alpine

territory (EURAC, 2005)

Introduction Cont’d

Human induced impacts on the Alpine ecosystem

Limited productive capacity of the Alpine region

Effective maintenance of ecological integrity of the

region requires:

reorientation of management approach and;

modification of existing land use systems

Introduction Cont’d

Continental mountain climate

Lower temperatures and higher rainfall

in East than in West

Winter is bitterly cold and driest

Climate in the South is Mediterranean

Highly variable spatial distribution of

rainfall

Altitude affects rainfall distribution

Rainfall more prevalent in N-E part of

Alps (Frei and Sch¨ar, 1998)

Climate of the Italian Alps

Source: Pickatrail

Highest precipitation (~ 1500mm)

at Bellunesi pre alps and Asiago

plateau

Temperature regime is dependent

on altitude

Temperature averages between 0°C

and 3°C above treeline

~3°C and 10°C below the mountains

and valleys

Climate of the Italian Alps cont’d

Two different kinds of Geological environment:

Acid Metamorphic Rocks (Phillite, Schists)

Calcareous Rocks

Western Alps exhibit both Metamorphic and igneous rocks

characteristics

Eastern and Central region exhibit Tertiary limestone and

Mesozoic dolomite

Geomorphology of the Italian Alps

Soil types CRYOSOLS CAMBISOLS HISTOSOLS

LEPTOSOLS PODZOLS FLUVISOLS

REGOSOLS UMBRISOLS PHAEOZEMS

Cryosols comprise mineral soils formed in a permafrost environment

In the presence of water, it occurs primarily in the form of ice

Leptosols are very shallow soils over continuous rock and soils that are

extremely gravelly and/or stony

Regosols are very weakly developed mineral soils in unconsolidated

materials that do not have a mollic or umbric horizon. Neither very

shallow nor very rich in gravels , sandy nor with fluvic materials

Cambisols are moderately developed soils due to slight weathering of

the parent material in the absence of appreciable quantities of

accumulated clay, organic matter, alluminium or iron compounds

Geomorphology of Italian Alps Cont’d

Podzols are characterized by a horizon in which iron (and aluminium) or

organic matter, or both have accumulated

Umbrisols are soils in which organic matter has accumulated within the

mineral surface soil to the extent that it significantly affects the behaviour and

utilization of the soil

Histosols comprise soils formed in organic material. Commonly referred to as

Peat soils . Found at all altitudes, but the vast majority occurs in lowlands

Fluvisols are genetically young, azonal soils in alluvial deposits. Not confined

only to river sediments but also occur in lacustrine and marine deposits

Phaeozems accommodate soils of relatively wet grassland and forest regions

in moderately continental climates. Leached more intensively, have dark,

humus rich surface horizons

Geomorphology of Italian Alps cont’d

Dolomite landscape varies geologically from other regions

Landscape developed on coral ledge and shaped by pinnacles

Rocks and Prongs emerge from talus slopes

Covered by forest, pastureland and group of isolated massifs

Significant width of the strata and their horizontal disposition (typical feature)

Distinctive erodibility to agents and water courses

Geomorphology of Italian Alps Cont’d

The Dolomite

The Dolomite

Dolomite areas are covered by forests for over 50 per cent These areas are protected and declared as parks such as:

Geomorphology Cont’d

Regional Park of Paneveggio National park of the Dolomites Bellunesi

Regional park of Dolomites of Sesto Regional park Dolomites of Friulane

Forest and Biodiversity

Vascular Plants - 4500 species

Floral Biodiversity

Major Endemic Genera:Campanula, Draba, Pedicularis, Primula

…….

Endemic : 400 spps

High Non vascular plant diversity

Examples: Mosses: 800 spps, Liverworts:300 spps

Lichens: 2500 spps and Fungi > 5000 sppsHotspot: South of Main Ridge; fringe of Alps

Faunal Biodiversity

Mammalian:

• 80 species: e.g. bats, shrews, mice and moles main•Genetic sub speciation, but no endemism in strict sense•Large Carnivores: Brown Bear, Wolf and Lynx: Under Pressure•Large Herbivores: red deer, roe deer, chamois, ibex: rel. abund.

Avifaunal:

• Breeding Birds: 200 spps•Migrating Birds: 200•Above 2000m, breeding bird: 50 spps•No endemism; but sub speciation

Faunal Biodiversity cntd:

Reptiles and Amphibians/others

• Amphibian: 21 spps; Reptiles: 25

• Fishes: 80 Spps

• 20 times higher invertebrate biodiversity than

vertebrate

• Examples: Butterflies: 2549, Spiders: 609, Ground

beetles: 444 and so on

Habitat Biodiversity

• Recorded number of Habitats types: 200

• Main Categories: Forest, Heath/shrubland, Grassland,

Nival and Rock and

Aquatic Habitat

Examples of Different Habitat Types

Forest

Vegetation/habitat/

forest Types

Altitude Remarks

(species examples from French Alps)

Deciduous Forests Below 1800m Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Oak (Quercus species),

and other broadleaved species (maple, elm, lime

tree, ash)

Mountain Forest

(Type I) (closed)

[Mixed Spruce

Forest]

Around

1800m

Picea abies –Vaccinium myrtillus forest

Norway spruce (Piecea abies), Silver Fir (Abies

alba), and others species such as Beech (Fagus

sylvatica), hazel (Corylus avellana), ash

(Fraxinus excelsior), Sycamore (Acer

pseudoplatanus), Alder (Alnus incana)

Altitudinal Succession of the Habitat/Vegetation Types in the Alps

Mountain Forest

Type II (Closed)

[Pine Forest]

Around 1900m Pinus Cembra and Larix Decidua with

Rhodhodendron heaths: Larch (Larix deciduas),)

Alpine pine (Pinus cembra, P. uncinata, P. mugo

and P.nigra) and Scots pine (Pinus syslvestris);

Rhododendron

Heath above the

forest line

1900-2000m Rhododendren ferrugenium, Rhododendron

hirsutum

Dwarf Shrub Heath 2000m-2100m Loiselura procumbens

Empetrum nigrum

Vaccinium ulginosum

Alpine Grasslands 2150m and

above [ 2200-

2900m in

North; 2300-

3000 m in

South]

Grassesses and Sedges:

Two Main Deterministic Factors of Biodiversity in the Alps

2.Complex Geomorphological Characteristics:

Pre Alps or Inner Alps (Calcareous)

Inner Alps: (Relatively Dry and Siliceous)

This difference in geographic structure: distribution of BD

1. Altitudinal Gradient and Microclimatic conditions:

Temperature Lapse Rate: Every 100m =Every 1000km North

=0.55K (Summer: 0.7K/ Winter: 0.44K) in the Alpine Region

The growth form is transformed accordingly with the lapse of

temperature, and changed microclimatic pattern

Biodiversity of Italian Alps

3264 species of flowering plants, 50% of whole in Italy

Centre of Speciation in Alpine Biogeography: More than 1/5th of

flowering plants are endemic

Leading Genera: Carex (55 species), Saxifraga (41), Gentiana (25),

and Primula (19)

Home for Rarest Plants: Saxifraga florulenta (maritime Alps),

Sanguisorba dodecandra (valtellina), Linaria Tonziggi (Monte Arera),

Daphne Petraea (Monte Tremalzo), and Rhizobotrya alpine

Brophytes: 1032 species (81.7% of Italy), 439 spps

above treeline, 2 endemic i.e. Radula visianica and Ricia

breidleri (Ozenda and Borel, 2003).

Biodiversity of Italian Alps

Mammals: Deer (Cervus elaphus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), badger (Meles

meles), chamois (Rupicarpa rupicarpa), lynx (Lynx lynx), bear (Ursus

arctos) Marmot (Marmota marmot), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Ermine

(Mustela ermine and vipers (vipera species);

Birds: Grouse (Tetrao urogallus), Mountain francolin (Tetrastes bonasia),

Greek partridge (Alectoris graeca), Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and

Reptiles: Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) and different species of

snakes (Coluber viridiflavus, Elaphe longissima) and others.

Migrated Fauna: Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and rock ptarmigan

(Lagopus mutus) (EEA, 2005; BNP, 2008).

Anthropological Factors:Tourism: 100 million Tourists Every Year;50 billion US dollars received as revenues from tourist activities; 12% of the world’s tourist visit this region,

Land use Change: Intensive Farming, shift in land use reported;

Climate Change ???

Alpine Convention (1995, 1999)

Promulgation of Environmental

Policies by states: e.g.:

Conclusion:

The Alps is of vital importance because of its unique

geomorphological characteristics and inhabited biodiversity;

Although, the tourist based income has increased the revenue

level; sustainability needs to be a matter of concern;

Attempts made are noticeable, however, the pace needs to be

increased to cope with the changing bioclimatic indicators of the

region

Note: all pictures and infromation from different web resources.

T h a n k s y o u a l l f o r y o u r a t t e n t i o n