An atlas of alien-dominated vegetation in Italy

In this study, we reviewed the distribution of alien-dominated and co-dominated plant communities in Italy. We updated a former syntaxonomic scheme based on the Italian Vegetation Prodrome and also produced a syntaxonomic scheme based on FloraVeg.EU. For the first time, a cartographic synthesis has been produced. Mapping outputs were standardised using the European Environmental Agency 10 km × 10 km grid. The map visualisation is also available online at: https://comunellod.shinyapps.io/Atlas-of-alien-dominated-vegetation-Italy/. In total, 1,566 occurrences of alien-dominated or co-dominated plant communities were verified and recorded based on 170 bibliographical sources, 147 of which are georeferenced. The number of vegetation classes has increased from 27 to 30, while the number of lower-rank syntaxa has risen from 194 to 294, of which 274 are supported by georeferenced relevés/vegetation plots. The distribution of alien-dominated or co-dominated communities currently present in the database reveals numerous data-deficient areas, which appear to be more prevalent in central and southern Italy. This is most likely due to a lack of investigations rather than actual gaps in distribution. The results are presented according to different vegetation types and occurrence, and are discussed by syntaxonomic classes and their physiognomic and ecological attributes. A list of the alien species that constitute the alien-dominated or co-dominated communities identified here is also provided, with taxa distinguished according to their time of introduction and invasiveness.

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Publication Details

Journal
Vegetation Ecology and Diversity
Published
2026-10-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3897/ved.197248
Primary Topic
Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

An atlas of alien-dominated vegetation in Italy

Irene Prisco, Daniela Ciccarelli, Ginevra Nota, Michele Mugnai et al.
Vegetation Ecology and Diversity
Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
article

An atlas of alien-dominated vegetation in Italy

Irene Prisco, Daniela Ciccarelli, Ginevra Nota, Michele Mugnai, Daniele Viciani, Giacomo Trotta, Rocco Labadessa, Angela Stanisci, Mariacristina Villani, Silvia Poponessi, Alice Misuri, Gianmaria Bonari, Marco Varricchione, Marina Allegrezza, Mauro Pellizzari, Alberto Selvaggi, Michele Adorni, Simona Casavecchia, Antonio Morabito, Michele Lonati, Stefano Tasinazzo, Daniela Gigante, Glauco Patera, Rossano Bolpagni, Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, Matilde Gennai, Simonetta Bagella, Emanuele Fanfarillo, Carmelo María Musarella, Saverio Sciandrello, Federico Maria Tardella, Emanuele Pelella, Claudia Angiolini, Pietro Minissale, Giovanni Spampinato, Silvia Paola Assini, Silvia Del Vecchio, Tiberio Fiaschi, Letizia Di Biase, Michele Dalle Fratte, Leopoldo de Simone, Giovanni Rivieccio, Giulio Tesei, Barbara Valle, Adriano Stinca, Romeo Di Pietro, Lorella Dell’Olmo, Lorenzo Lastrucci, Silvia Cannucci, Katia Zanatta, Francesco Boscutti, Lorenzo Lazzaro, Lorenzo Gianguzzi, Eugenia Siccardi, Dario Comunello
article en

Abstract

In this study, we reviewed the distribution of alien-dominated and co-dominated plant communities in Italy. We updated a former syntaxonomic scheme based on the Italian Vegetation Prodrome and also produced a syntaxonomic scheme based on FloraVeg.EU. For the first time, a cartographic synthesis has been produced. Mapping outputs were standardised using the European Environmental Agency 10 km × 10 km grid. The map visualisation is also available online at: https://comunellod.shinyapps.io/Atlas-of-alien-dominated-vegetation-Italy/. In total, 1,566 occurrences of alien-dominated or co-dominated plant communities were verified and recorded based on 170 bibliographical sources, 147 of which are georeferenced. The number of vegetation classes has increased from 27 to 30, while the number of lower-rank syntaxa has risen from 194 to 294, of which 274 are supported by georeferenced relevés/vegetation plots. The distribution of alien-dominated or co-dominated communities currently present in the database reveals numerous data-deficient areas, which appear to be more prevalent in central and southern Italy. This is most likely due to a lack of investigations rather than actual gaps in distribution. The results are presented according to different vegetation types and occurrence, and are discussed by syntaxonomic classes and their physiognomic and ecological attributes. A list of the alien species that constitute the alien-dominated or co-dominated communities identified here is also provided, with taxa distinguished according to their time of introduction and invasiveness.

Vegetation Ecology and DiversityVol. 63
University of Siena (IT), University of Pisa (IT), Università di Camerino (IT), University of Insubria (IT), Roma Tre University (IT), Università Iuav di Venezia (IT), Marche Polytechnic University (IT), University of Parma (IT), University of Udine (IT), University of Molise (IT), Eurac Research (IT), University of Padua (IT), University of Sassari (IT), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (IT), University of Ferrara (IT), University of Pavia (IT), University of Perugia (IT), University of Catania (IT), Biodiversity Research Institute (US), National Research Council (IT), Museo Galileo (IT), University of Florence (IT), University of Turin (IT), University of Reggio Calabria (IT), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), University of Palermo (IT), University of Bologna (IT)
Università degli Studi di Firenze, Interreg
Life on land
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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