Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

The Theory of Island Biogeography

Aims: Vegetation classification consistent with the
Braun-Blanquet approach is widely used in Europe for applied
vegetation science, conservation planning and land management.
During the long history of syntaxonomy, many concepts and names
of vegetation units have been proposed, but there has been no
single classification system integrating these units. Here we
(1) present a comprehensive, hierarchical, syntaxonomic system
of alliances, orders and classes of Braun-Blanquet syntaxonomy
for vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen, and algal communities
of Europe; (2) briefly characterize in ecological and
geographic terms accepted syntaxonomic concepts; (3) link
available synonyms to these accepted concepts; and (4) provide
a list of diagnostic species for all classes. LocationEuropean
mainland, Greenland, Arctic archipelagos (including Iceland,
Svalbard, Novaya Zemlya), Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores,
Caucasus, Cyprus. Methods: We evaluated approximately 10000
bibliographic sources to create a comprehensive list of
previously proposed syntaxonomic units. These units were
evaluated by experts for their floristic and ecological
distinctness, clarity of geographic distribution and compliance
with the nomenclature code. Accepted units were compiled into
three systems of classes, orders and alliances
(EuroVegChecklist, EVC) for communities dominated by vascular
plants (EVC1), bryophytes and lichens (EVC2) and algae (EVC3).
Results: EVC1 includes 109 classes, 300 orders and 1108
alliances; EVC2 includes 27 classes, 53 orders and 137
alliances, and EVC3 includes 13 classes, 24 orders and 53
alliances. In total 13448 taxa were assigned as indicator
species to classes of EVC1, 2087 to classes of EVC2 and 368 to
classes of EVC3. Accepted syntaxonomic concepts are summarized
in a series of appendices, and detailed information on each is
accessible through the software tool EuroVegBrowser.
Conclusions: This paper features the first comprehensive and
critical account of European syntaxa and synthesizes more than
100 yr of classification effort by European phytosociologists.
It aims to document and stabilize the concepts and nomenclature
of syntaxa for practical uses, such as calibration of habitat
classification used by the European Union, standardization of
terminology for environmental assessment, management and
conservation of nature areas, landscape planning and education.
The presented classification systems provide a baseline for
future development and revision of European syntaxonomy.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/avsc.12257

Vegetation of Europe: hierarchical floristic classification system of vascular plant, bryophyte, lichen, and algal communities

This paper is a catalogue of all syntaxa from class to association ever described and recognized in Spain and Portugal (Iberian Peninsula, Balearic, Madeira, Azorean and Canary Islands), according with Braun-Blanquet approach (Braun-Blanquet 1964, Dierschke 1994) and the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (Weber, Moravec & Theurillat 2000). The literature contents near all the publications cited in this paper, particularly those of portuguese and spanish syntaxa authors. The "Syntaxonomical Checklist of Spain and Portugal", prepared during the last ten years as a bassis of the Luso-Hispaniae Prodromus of the Plant Communities (in progress), has been reciprocally utilized to carry out the "Syntaxonomical Project of European Community Countries" (Biondi, Gehu, Grabherr, Pott & Rivas-Martinez, in progress), to assist the European Vegetation Survey (Rodwell, Mucina, Pignatti, Schaminee & Chytrý 1997), and to develop the phytosociological knowledge in the interpretation and evaluation of European Habitat Directive for conservation and management purposes

Syntaxonomical checklist of vascular plant communities of Spain and Portugal to association level

Introduction. Ecologically Meaningful Germination Studies. Types of Seed Dormancy. Germination Ecology of Seeds with Nondeep Physiological Dormancy. Germination Ecology of Seeds with Morphophysiological Dormancy. Germination Ecology of Seeds with Physical Dormancy. Germination Ecology of Seeds in the Persistent Seed Bank. Causes of Within-Species Variations in Seed Dormancy and Germination Characteristics. A Geographical Perspective on Germination Ecology: Tropical and Subtropical Zones. A Geographical Perspective on Germination Ecology: Temperate and Arctic Zones. Germination Ecology of Plants with Specialized Life Cycles and/or Habitats. Biogeographical and Evolutionary Aspects of Seed Dormancy. Subject Index.

A Definitive Book on Seed Ecology@@@Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination

An annotated checklist of the italian vascular flora: nomenclatural sources

The Vegetation Prodrome of Italy was promoted in 2012 by the Italian “Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea Protection”, in collaboration with the “Italian Society of Botany”, to provide a comprehensive and systematic catalogue and description of Italian plant communities. The Prodrome that is presented in this paper is the first full organic synthesis of the vegetation of Italy at the alliance syntaxonomic level. It fulfils several needs, the main one being a unified and comprehensive national framework that may make an important contribution to the definition of the European Vegetation Prodrome. Syntaxonomy, as well as taxonomy, is sometimes based on considerations that may in part diverge: several authors tend to favour models that are divisive or aggregative to a greater or lesser extent in terms of flora, biogeography and ecology. These different points of view stimulate the scientific debate and allow the adoption of a framework that is more widely supported. The Prodrome includes 75 classes, 2 subc...

/pdf/plant-communities-of-italy-the-vegetation-prodrome-26xor2t1tc.pdf

Plant communities of Italy: The Vegetation Prodrome

A concise methodological and conceptual overview of the present state of phytosociology, 100 years after its foundation, is presented. The fullness of phytosociology as a synecological science is highlighted. This scientific approach, which was inherent in phytosociology from the very beginning, has made great strides forward thanks to the detailed analysis of the conditions of vegetation populations, from the community level to that of dynamic successions found in landscape contexts. This has led to the creation and development of several integrated areas of analysis that have helped to produce highly predictive models based on the distribution of environmental gradients, which thus act as valid bio-indicators that can be used in environmental and planning management. The development of phytosociology has led over time to the need to reconsider the basic concept of association. In this article, we propose a new definition of association, updating the one drawn up by Braun-Blanquet in 1928, so th...

Phytosociology today: Methodological and conceptual evolution

Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE

The worldwide bioclimatic classification system (WBCS) of Rivas-Martinez was applied to the Italian territory and surrounding areas between latitudes 35°47′–46°60′ N and longitudes 5°92′–21°39′ E. The ‘WorldClim’ precipitation and temperature dataset was used as the source data. Application of the WBCS in a geographic information system allowed the production of macrobioclimates, bioclimates, ombrotypes, continentality, compensated thermicity index and ombro-evaporal index maps at a scale of 1:5,500,000, and a map of thermotypes at a scale of 1:2,250,000. Moreover, the isobioclimates of Italy are identified and quantified in terms of areas. These maps are available here as raster datasets (1 km spatial resolution) and are useful for: (i) rapid bioclimatic diagnosis of the Italian territories; and (ii) vegetation–environment relationship modeling at the national scale.

Bioclimate of Italy: application of the worldwide bioclimatic classification system

This monograph includes a comprehensive synthesis of the forest vegetation of Sardinia, with a physiographic, bioclimatic and biogeographic characterization of the investigated territories. Our work allowed to resume the knowledge status of the vegetation studies carried out on the Island, identify the actual plant landscape, define the vegetation series and geoseries, as well as draw a map of their potential distribution. 
In total, 23 principal vegetation series were identified, with 21 of them being exclusive of the Sardinian biogeographic sub province and 2 of the
Corsican-Sardinian province. In addition 5 geoseries were described: 2 exclusive of Sardinia, 1 of Sardinia and Corsica and 2 with a Mediterranean
distribution. These geoseries are related to hygrophylous, riparian and lowland habitats, to ponds, coastal lagoons and dunal systems. Data on the
structure, floristic composition, litomorphology, climate and serial and catenal succession for each series and geoseries, are here presented. 
All the cenosis are here summarized in a syntaxonomical scheme constitued by 5 classes, 7 orders, 11 alliances, 6 suballiances, 43 associations and
27 subassociations. Regulatory aspects, protection measures as well as in situ and ex situ conservation strategies concerning the forest taxa and
syntaxa are also discussed. An annexe map (scale 1:350,000) of the potential forest series and geoseries of the Island is also presented.

Edoardo Biondi

Papers

Plant communities of Italy: The Vegetation Prodrome

Phytosociology today: Methodological and conceptual evolution

Manuale Italiano di interpretazione degli habitat della Direttiva 92/43/CEE

Bioclimate of Italy: application of the worldwide bioclimatic classification system

Vegetazione forestale e serie di vegetazione della Sardegna (con rappresentazione cartografica alla scala 1:350.000)