34.8 - Mediterranean subnitrophilous grasslands

Classification des habitats du Paléarctique (2001)

Description

Formations composed mostly of annuals, in particular, grasses of genera Bromus, Aegilops, Avena, Vulpia, crucifers and leguminous plants, that occupy considerable expanses of the western, central and eastern meso- and thermo-Mediterranean zones on soils slightly enriched in nitrates. These communities develop as pioneers of bare soils slightly nitrified by aeration or organic addition, along roads, on land-fills and in interstitial spaces of cultivation. They also replace the oligotrophic annual communities included in the Mediterranean xeric grasslands (units 34.51, 34.53) under the influence of pastoral activities. They are widespread as postcultural formations. They evolve through intensive grazing into perennial pastures of the Poetalia bulbosae and related communities (unit 34.52), through increased nitrification into ruderal formations (unit 87), through an increase in edaphic humidity into amphibious communities (unit 22.3) and perennial andropogonid steppes (unit 34.634) or Phoenician torgrass swards (unit 34.36). Ligneous recolonization may lead either to halonitrophilous scrubs of the Salsolo-Peganetalia (unit 15.17), or to maquis and garrigues of the Rosmarinetalia, Lavanduletalia or Gypsophiletalia (units 32, 15.19).

Correspondances phytosociologiques

Brometalia rubenti-tectori i.a.

Bibliography

Devillers P., Devillers-Terschuren J. & Vander Linden C., 2001. PHYSIS Palaearctic Habitat Classification Database. Updated to 10 December 2001. Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Bruxelles. (Source)

Rechinger, 1951; Horvat & al., 1974; Rivas-Martinez, 1975c; Izco, 1977; Peinado Lorca & al., 1984; Herranz Sanz and Gomez Campo, 1986; Ladero Alvarez, 1987; Rivas-Martinez and Costa, 1987; Aparicio Martinez and Silvestre Domingo, 1987; Martinez Parras & al., 1987.