A COMPARISON OF THE URBAN FLORA OF DIFFERENT PHYTOCLIMATIC REGIONS IN ITALY

摘要: This study is a comparison of the spontaneous vascular flora five Italian cities: Milan, Ancona, Rome, Cagliari and Palermo. The aims are to test hypothesis that urbanization results in uniformity urban floras, evaluate role alien species settlements located different phytoclimatic regions. To obtain comparable data, ten plots 1 ha, each representing typical habitats, were analysed city. indicate low floristic similarity between cities, while strongest appears within city seminatural vegetation surrounding region. In Mediterranean settlements, even most urbanized reflect characters landscape rich native species, aliens relatively few. These differ from reported high proportion which generally characterize floras elsewhere. explain this trend importance apophytes (indigenous plants expanding into man-made habitats) highlighted; several adapted disturbance (i.e. grazing, trampling, human activities) pre-adapted environment. addition, consideration given minor played by ‘urban heat island’ basin, structure history where ancient walls, ruins archaeological sites periphery as well historical centres act conservative habitats provide connection with seed-sources on outskirts.