Habitat types of ‘Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park’ and adjoining Natura 2000 areas (Italy)

Abstract

We present a 1:50,000 map of the EU Natura 2000 Habitat Types of Community Interest for Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park and adjoining areas (Central Apennines, Italy). The map was prepared by means of extensive data review, photointerpretation and a field survey with >2600 ground-truth points and 138 vegetation plots. We mapped 37 Habitat Types, of which 9 had not been previously identified in the area. Within each Habitat, we mapped separately the different plant communities belonging to it. We mapped also the main plant communities (and land-cover types) not corresponding to Habitat Types. Relevant findings include e.g. Habitat ‘6240* – Sub-pannonic steppic grasslands’ (first record in the Apennines) and the unexpected extensive development of ‘3140 – Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp.’ (in Barrea Lake reservoir). Habitat maps are essential for biodiversity conservation, landscape planning and fulfilment of EU regulations.

Keywords

• Apennines
• habitat map
• National Park
• Natura 2000
• Vegetation map