Indagine sulla qualità ambientale della costa dell’Abruzzo meridionale e del Molise (Adriatico centrale) su base floristico-vegetazionale (Survey on the environmental quality of the southern coast of Abruzzo and Molise (central Adriatic) using floristic and vegetation parameters)

The aim of this study is to analyse the environmental quality of a tract of the Adriatic coastal systems using floristic and vegetation parameters. The study area includes the Abruzzo (67 km) and Molise (35 km) coasts and comprises 19 quadrants (Base Units) following the European Cartographic system; however, only 9 quadrants showed a representative coastal habitat. 26 vegetation types (phytosociological associations) were identified and the environmental quality was defined using the following parameters: community rarity, azonality, psammophilous sequence, species distribution, and the occurrence of endemic species, endangered species and alien and ruderal taxa. Results show that the analysed coastal systems are not always well preserved from human disturbance, even if in some quadrants the coastal communties zonation is almost complete with high values of environmental quality. © Società Italiana di Seienza della Vegtazione.