Clonality drives structural patterns and shapes the community assemblage of the Mediterranean Fagus sylvatica subalpine belt.

Past anthropogenic disturbances lowered the altitudinal distribution of the Mediterranean Fagus sylvatica forests below 2,000 m a.s.l. Accordingly, our current understanding of the southern distribution range of F. sylvatica forests is restricted to managed stands below this elevation, neglecting relic forests growing above. This study has shed light on the structure and species assemblage of an unmanaged relict subalpine F. sylvatica stand growing within the core of its southernmost glacial refugia and at its highest species range elevation limit (2,140 m a.s.l.) in southern Apennines (Italy). Here, tree biometric attributes and understory species abundances were assessed in eight permanent plots systematically positioned from 1,650 to 2,130 m a.s.l. In the subalpine belt, F. sylvatica had formed a dense clonal stem population that was layered downward on the steepest slopes. The density and spatial aggregation of the stems were increased, while their stature and crown size were decreased. Above 2,000 m, changes in tree growth patterns, from upright single-stemmed to procumbent multi-stemmed, and canopy layer architecture, with crowns packed and closer to the floor, were allowed for the persistence of understory herbaceous species of biogeographic interest. Clonal layering represents an adaptive regeneration strategy for the subalpine belt environmental constraints not previously recognized in managed Mediterranean F. sylvatica forests. The clonal structure and unique species assemblage of this relic forest highlight the value of its inclusion in the priority areas networks, representing a long-term management strategy of emblematic glacial and microclimatic refugia.

Ailanthus altissima Forests Determine a Shift in Herbaceous Layer Richness: A Paired Comparison with Hardwood Native Forests in Sub-Mediterranean Europe.

Ailanthus altissima is an invasive alien species (IAS) present throughout Europe and included in the list of alien species of Union concern. In sub-Mediterranean areas of central Italy, there is a lack of knowledge about this invasive species and its interactions with the native forest ecosystems. We aim to find what are the main differences in vegetation structure and floristic diversity between A. altissima forests and native forests through the assessment of the principal ecological parameters that differ between the forest types. We performed 38 phytosociological relevés and sampling of ecological parameters in A. altissima forest communities and neighboring native forests. We analyzed how species richness, diversity, life forms, life strategies, structural characteristics, and ecological parameters changed in A. altissima forests compared with native ones. We found that in A. altissima forests, there is a shift in herbaceous layer richness, with a higher presence of annual ruderal herbs and the absence of herbaceous species linked to the forest environment. The ecological parameters that diverge from the native forests were total nitrogen, total carbon, and C/N ratio. A. altissima forest communities could threaten the biodiversity of the native forest ecosystems in the sub-Mediterranean landscape, favoring ruderal species and inhibiting the presence of typical forest species.