Syntaxonomy and synecology of Erica cinerea L. communities in the Alps (north-western Italy)

The paper aims to assess the syntaxonomy of Erica cinerea disjointed communities in the southern Alps (Italy). A new subassociation ericetosum cinereae subass. nova was described within the Chamaecytiso hirsuti-Callunetum vulgaris. Two main geographical races were identified: geogr. race typicum in the Cozie Alps, and geogr. race with Fraxinus ornus in the Pennine Alps. Within the geographical races with Fraxinus ornus, two edaphic variants were described: var. edaph. with Chrysopogon gryllus, located on rocky soils and characterized by ingressive species of Festuco-Brometea, and var. edaph. with Betula pendula, located in relatively deeper soils and characterized by high total canopy cover. Shrub invasion is very rapid in particular in the geogr. race typicum and in the geogr. race with Fraxinus ornus var. edaph. with Betula pendula.