On the Potential of Quercus pubescens Willd. and Other Species of Quercus in the Camerino Syncline (Central Italy)

Abstract

In the Umbro-Marchigiano Appenines in central Italy, downy oak (Quercus pubescens) does not occur in old-growth forests but only in coppices, the clearly prevalent form of woodland management. Over time, agriculture and livestock grazing have greatly reduced the original forest cover, which today is fragmented into isolated nuclei; in addition, coppicing has modified forest structure and floristic composition and reduced its quality. There has even been the practice, after coppicing, of using the forest topsoil to cultivate cereal species while waiting for coppice regeneration. All this has modified the flora significantly, reduced the quality of the woodland ecosystem, and dried out the soil. In order to understand the potential of Quercus pubescens and other Quercus species, it is interesting to study the great ancient trees left in the woods, fields, or towns, in order to understand their potential for biological and geobotanical development. In a territory like the Marche, where the woods are very limited and of poor quality, these trees must be viewed not only aesthetically or historically (Ballelli et al. 1981) but also for their potential for woodland improvement and seed collection for elements of genetic biodiversity, in accord with the proposal of Chiarugi (1959). These trees are also important because they promote the process of secondary succession and, consequently, the return of woodlands in areas where this is possible, such as uncultivated or abandoned lands (see also: Cianfaglione 2010, 2011); they are also important for promoting more sustainable silvicultural practices. Today, the oaks that grow in coppices in the study area normally do not exceed 1 m in diameter; more often they are like slender poles, subjected to coppicing that is often done too early. The opposite holds for the ancient oaks in fields, which are often of notable dimensions. When we observe a group of these big oaks, we can imagine how the primordial forests that grew there must have looked, and how they could become some day, were they not dug up or felled.