Plant Landscape and Models of French Atlantic Estuarine Systems. Extended Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

The present study proposes a theoretical common model of environmental gradients and functioning of vegetation and Plant Landscape of the French Atlantic estuarine systems. This model offers a basis to improve classification and ecological studies of estuarine systems, and to helps the monitoring and assessment of land uses, land forms transformation and human impacts, thanks to the develop of a spatio-temporal predictive model based on actual and potential vegetation following a dynamico-catenal approach. In eight selected estuaries, fieldworks was undertook for a total of 98,315 ha highlighting two vegetation series and four geopermaseries, corresponding to 131 plant associations, 60 alliances, 43 orders, and 28 classes. The vegetation of three representative estuaries was mapped, for a total of 74,433 ha. A synthetic scheme of estuary vegetation landscape is proposed, integrating geographical and ecological gradients as well as geomorphologic forms.

RIPARIAN AND SWAMP FORESTS AND SCRUB OF THE PINÉ PLATEAU (TRENTINO, NORTHERN ITALY)

The riparian and swamp forests/scrub of black alder (Alnus glutinosa), white alder (Alnus incana), grey willow (Salix cinerea) and bay willow (S. pentandra) of the Piné Plateau (Trentino, central Alps) are described here in terms of their floristic composition. They are assigned to the following associations: Filipendulo vulgarisAlnetum glutinosae, Stellario nemorum-Alnetum glutinosae, Carici elongatae-Alnetum glutinosae, Carici elataeAlnetum glutinosae, Frangulo-Salicetum cinereae and Salicetum pentandro-cinereae. In addition, information regarding the distribution of the previous woody communities in the Trentino-Alto Adige Region and their corresponding vegetation series and geosigmeta are provided.

SOIL CLASSIFICATION HAS YET TO BE CREATED

The thesis is put forward that all the classifications of soils existing in the world do not possess the attributes of such a concept accepted in science and its technical applications but are only lists of author's names of soils. The names are substantiated mainly by factors of soil formation (natural zoning, vegetation, series, etc.), on weakly reasoned genetic horizons and small unformalized aggregates of soil properties. At the Soil Institute Named After V.V. Dokuchaev of the Russian Academy of Science, a mathematical apparatus for the development and use of digital soil classifications was created.

Historical Suitability and Sustainability of Sicani Mountains Landscape (Western Sicily): An Integrated Approach of Phytosociology and Archaeobotany

Since 2015, the ongoing project “Harvesting Memories” has been focused on long-term landscape dynamics in Sicani Mountains (Western Sicily). Archaeological excavations in the case study site of Contrada Castro (Corleone) have investigated a settlement which was mainly occupied during the Early Middle Ages (late 8th–11th century AD). This paper aims to understand the historical suitability and sustainability of this area analysing the correlation between the current dynamics of plant communities and the historical use of woods detected by the archaeobotanical record. An integrated approach between phytosociology and archaeobotany has been applied. The vegetation series of the study area has been used as a model to understand the ecological meaning and spatial distribution of archaeobotanical data on charcoals from the Medieval layers of the Contrada Castro site. The intersection between the frequency data of the archaeobotanical record and the phytosociological analysis have confirmed the maintenance of the same plant communities during the last millennium due to the sustainable exploitation of wood resources. An integrated comparison between the structure and composition of current phytocoenoses with archaeobotanical data allowed us to confirm that this landscape is High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and to interpret the historical vegetation dynamics linked to the activities and economy of a rural community.