Three mires in the south-eastern Alps (northern Italy)

Abstract

High-resolution vegetation maps, at 1:500 scale, were realized in three mires located in the Italian south-eastern Alps (Coltrondo West, 12,800 m 2 ; Coltrondo South, 22,300 m 2 and Palu di sotto, 50,600 m 2 ). Vegetation maps were based on topography surveyed by GPS, performed on ground surveys and produced using ArcGIS 9.1. A total of 36 plant communities, whose distribution was reported on the maps, were individuated and classified according to the Braun-Blanquet method. The mires strongly differed from each other with regard to vegetation cover, with Coltrondo West having a prevalent bog-like vegetation and Coltrondo South a prevalently fen-like vegetation. At Palu di sotto, bog-like vegetation covered a surface fed by ground water. This pattern could be explained by the lowering of water table determined by intensive water extraction for human activities. The maps will be profitably used as reference for future monitoring of vegetation dynamics under changing climatic and landuse conditions.