Lusitania

Abstract

The present study attempts to illustrate the large phytocoenotical diversity of forests, pre-forest, high-scrub and most of the corresponding sub-seral communities of the Lusitania territories and enables the identification of their clumped pattern of occurrence as landscape mosaics. These communities are syntaxonomically included in the Quercetea ilicis, Querco-Fagetea sylvaticae, Salici purpureae-Populetea nigrae, Alnetea glutinosae, Nerio-Tamaricetea, Calluno vulgaris-Ulicetea minoris, Cisto-Lavanduletea stoechadis and Rosmarinetea officinalis vegetation classes and span a large spectrum of environmental variables, being present in a wide range of bioclimatic stages and edaphic conditions. The grasslands, that represent seral stages of the Quercion broteroi and Quercion pyrenaicae and are included in the Stipo giganteae-Agrostietea castellanae class, are also described. In Lusitania, on soils rich in bases, without hydromorphy and salinity, dry grasslands are widespread in the potential areas of Quercus suber, Q. rotundifolia and/or Q. faginea, and are included in the Festuco-Brometea vegetation class; associations of the Arrábida mountain and Algarve are especially rich in endemic species. The ephemeral pioneer communities are dominated by non-nitrophilous, small therophytes included in the Helianthemetea guttati class. Grasslands linked to heavy grazing are also described. In this group we include pastures, with adequate sheep pasture, grazed and manured, dominated by dwarf perennial grasses and other nutritious prostrate chamaephytes and hemicryptophytes, which encompass the associations of the Poetea bulbosae class. Other herbaceous communities, dependent on anthropic influence, are those dense meadows and reed-beds included in the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class.The tall herbs of nitrified wood fringes and other semi-shaded anthropic biotope communities belong to the Galio-Urticetea class. The herbaceous ruderal vegetation is also described. Lastly, the coastal vegetation of sea cliffs and lithosols, dunes, and estuaries and saltmarshes is referred to, as well as the interior sandy soil or semi-fixed dune grasslands.