Estudio fitosociológico de las comunidades de cardos (cardales) en la cornisa cantábrica (España)

This study examines thistle communities dominated by Cirsium vulgare occurring along the Cantabrian coast, previously investigated in Cantabria but not assigned to any syntaxonomic unit. A total of 24 relevés are presented. These relevés are compared with other ecologically and floristically related associations from the Iberian Peninsula in order to assess their degree of similarity. Cluster and Detrended Correspondence (DCA) analyses revealed a clear separation of such communities in a distinct and independent group from the rest. Consequently, a new association, Urtico dioicae–Cirsietum vulgaris ass. nov. (Cirsion richteriano-chodatii, Onopordetalia acanthii, Onopordenea acanthii, Artemisietea vulgaris), is confirmed and described. Additionally, data are provided on its synecology, its relationships with other ecologically and floristically related communities, its syncorology, as well as the justification for not proposing conservation and management measures