Floristic and soil description of gypsum steppes in Castilla-La Mancha region

Abstract

The study describes plant communities of gypsum steppes in Castilla-La Mancha region from the analysis of vegetation in 80 sites. The soil in the habitat was also characterized by analyzing several soil parameters in samples collected from sites. Vegetation data (cover and species composition) were examined by cluster techniques and soil ones by a principal component analysis. The cluster analysis clearly differentiated communities dominated by few shrub species, which have been described in detail in the phytosociological literature: Lygeum spartum steppes, Ononis tridentata var. edentula shrublands, and thermophilous gypsophilous shrublands in Hellín area. Other site groups identified by the analysis were dominated by Gypsophila bermejoi or Vella pseudocytisus. However, the analysis failed to discriminate most of plant associations described by phytosociologists in the study area for Lepidion subulati alliance, whose geographical limits were not well defined. The principal component analysis showed the lack of definitive differences in soil parameters between Thymo-Teucrion verticillati and Lepidion subulati communities. Conservation areas in the region containing representative samples of this exceptional habitat type are proposed.