Floristic Biodiversity in Trentino

Abstract

The Flora biodiversity of wild vascular plants in Trentino (=Trento province, North Italy) is briefly presented on the basis of the data (over 1,125,000 records) collected and stored by Museo Civico of Rovereto since 1990. A relevant number of “quadrants” (ca. 35 km²) or 1 × 1 km grid maps are shown. About 2400 wild species are present in Trentino, including naturalized (ca. 200) and not confirmed/extinct ones (ca. 50). Further about 600 species are recorded as casual. Floristic richness distribution is uneven, ranging from 450 species per quadrant in high siliceous mountains to 1300 in limestone in Southern Adige Valley. 150 species are endemic in the Alps, and among these 50 are steno-endemic of the Prealps between Lombardy and Veneto. Callianthemum kernerianum, Gentiana brentae, Primula recubariensis, Nigritella buschmanniae, Erysimum aurantiacum are very local species, and the last two grow only in Trentino. About 1/3 of the flora of Trentino is threatened and it is listed in the Trentino’s Red List of vascular plants. In comparison with historic data, 50 species are not confirmed and probably extinct. Red List species are mainly concentrated at lower altitude, where human impact is higher. There are about 200 alien naturalized species, including some 100 species that are native in other Italian regions. Nearly 50 come from Americas and over 20 from Asia. Chorological and life form spectra are given as well as some elaboration using Ellenberg’s ecological indicators.