SYNTAXONOMY AND SYNECOLOGY OF Juniperus phoenicea L. SHRUBLANDS IN GREECE

摘要

Juniperus phoenicea L. is among the most characteristic constituents of shrub vegetal formations around the Mediterranean basin. This paper presents a syntaxonomic overview of J. phoenicea subsp. phoenicea dominated vegetation formation in the Thermo -Mediterranean subzone of Greece (Oleo-Ceratonion), based on the classification of 202 releves from 22 (5 continental and 17 insular) areas throughout Greece. Only one association Pistacio-Juniperetum phoeniceae Trinajstic 1987 is identified, which is further subdivided in three sub-associations. The first, Pistacio - Juniperetum phoeniceae Cynosurietosum echinatus is confined in western continental Greece. The second, Pistacio-Juniperetum phoeniceae Micromerietosum graeca is geographically confined in east continental Greece and neighbouring islands of North-west Aegean. Pistacio-Juniperetum phoeniceae Rhamnietosum lycioides, on the other hand, is distributed in the east and south part of the Aegean, so well as Crete. Maritime influence is the main differential characteristic of the distribution of J. phoenicea plant communities. The sub-associations are reflecting primarily local peculiarities in the disturbance regime and the influence of local floristic elements.