Isola di Pianosa - Italy

The original vegetation of Pianosa island was presumably represented by a Mediterranean macchia, dominated by a mixture of sclerophyllous and deciduous trees, bushes and grassland This vegetation must have been strongly affected by the Penal Colony agriculture activities and today survives mainly along the coastal perimeter. In fact, it is only in the coastal perimeter that it is possible to identify the association Crithmo-Limonietea characterised by the presence of endemic species like, Limonium planesiae. The Mediterranean woodland found on the island is typical of calcareous soil dominated by the presence of Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus spp. and Juniperus phoenicia (Baldini, 2000). Patches of this plant community exist at different evolution stages as a consequence of the progressive renaturalization process that the island is currently undergoing. Additionally small planted woods, characterised by the presence of Pinus halepensis, Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo, are well represented, also few Eucalyptus trees planted along the edges of road paths, were encountered. The highest fraction of the island?s surface is represented by abandoned pasture and cultivated fields now covered by a species association typical of degraded Mediterranean agriculture soil dominated by: Bromus fasciculatus, Daucus carota, Lagurus ovatus, Asphodelus ramosus, Avena barbata, Dactylis glomerata, Plantago lanceolata, Rostraria cristata, Asparagus acutifolius, Petrorhagia saxifraga and Scabiosa maritima. A complete floristic analysis of the Pianosa island is reported by Baldini (2000) who identify more than 500 plant species. Based on previuous research activities three main ecosystems were characterised on Pianosa Island: 1. Abandoned pasture land 2. Abandoned cultivated fields 3. Macchia Degraded arboreal areas, occurring on fields previously cultivated for oil and wine production, are characterised by the presence of Olea europea and Vitis vinifera.