Impact of groundwater salinity on vegetation species richness in the coastal pine forests and wetlands of Ravenna, Italy

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• 作者：Marco Antonellini ; Pauline Nella Mollema
• 关键词：Saltwater intrusion ; Pinus pinea ; Pinus pinaster ; Pine tree ; Groundwater ; Salinity tolerance ; Biodiversity ; Species richness ; Wetlands ; Ravenna ; Italy
• 刊名：Ecological Engineering
• 出版年：2010
• 出版时间：September 2010
• 年：2010
• 卷：36
• 期：9
• 页码：1201-1211
• 全文大小：1919 K

文摘

In the coastal pine forests (Pinus pinea and Pinus pinaster) of Ravenna (Italy) along the Adriatic coast, many pine trees are stressed or dying. In this paper we present ground elevation, depth to watertable, salinity of groundwater and vegetation species richness data within one of the coastal pine forests and some wetlands north of the Bevano River between LAT. 44°23′10″ and LAT. 44°20′21″ and between LONG. 12°17′25″ and LONG. 12°19′33″. The data are presented areally and along a 50 m long transect perpendicular to the coast to study the cause of distress in the pine forest and in different water pools within the wetlands. The findings were compared to published values of tolerance to salinity for 39 plant species typical of the area and incorporated into a web application to help nature managers in assessing or adjusting water salinity in relation to the vegetation species present. The pine trees are relatively tolerant to salinity (up to 12 g/l) but cannot survive a shallow watertable. On the other hand, species richness or biodiversity in this area is promoted by a shallow watertable and low salinity.