Understanding the long‑term history and ecological diversity of these forests is crucial—not only for biogeography, but also for conservation and forest management, especially in the context of ongoing climate change.
Yet, both modern data and fossil records tell a different story: today’s distribution is far more restricted. This strong mismatch points to the long‑lasting impact of historical human pressures, highlighting that climate alone cannot explain the current patterns we see.
One of the most interesting outcomes is that, according to climate models, present‑day conditions should actually allow Scots pine forests to occupy a much wider area than they currently do.
This allowed us to identify four major types of native Scots pine forests, each with its own ecological character and plant communities, often including endemic and relict species.
To do this, we brought together 1,299 vegetation plots from across the Peninsula and combined classical vegetation analysis with ecosystem distribution models and palaeobotanical evidence.
In this study, we wanted to better understand how diverse these forests really are, how they are shaped by environmental conditions, and how their distribution has changed over time.
The Iberian Peninsula is a particularly interesting region for Scots pine: it marks the edge of its range, and its forests have undergone major changes since the end of the last Ice Age.
Happy to share our new paper led by Victor Gonzalez Garcia, just published in the Journal of Biogeography, that explores the diversity, ecology and post‑glacial history of native Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) forests at the south‑western limit of the species’ global distribution.
🌲 Native Pinus sylvestris forests in the Iberian Peninsula: a more complex history than expected
📄 The article is open access:
👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Our new article in Science Advances, led by Gabriele Midolo, identifies the main factors driving changes in the species composition of plant communities across Europe: eutrophication, denser, more productive vegetation, and drying of wetlands. doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Understanding the long‑term history and ecological diversity of these forests is crucial—not only for biogeography, but also for conservation and forest management, especially in the context of ongoing climate change.
Yet, both modern data and fossil records tell a different story: today’s distribution is far more restricted. This strong mismatch points to the long‑lasting impact of historical human pressures, highlighting that climate alone cannot explain the current patterns we see.
One of the most interesting outcomes is that, according to climate models, present‑day conditions should actually allow Scots pine forests to occupy a much wider area than they currently do.
This allowed us to identify four major types of native Scots pine forests, each with its own ecological character and plant communities, often including endemic and relict species.
To do this, we brought together 1,299 vegetation plots from across the Peninsula and combined classical vegetation analysis with ecosystem distribution models and palaeobotanical evidence.
In this study, we wanted to better understand how diverse these forests really are, how they are shaped by environmental conditions, and how their distribution has changed over time.
The Iberian Peninsula is a particularly interesting region for Scots pine: it marks the edge of its range, and its forests have undergone major changes since the end of the last Ice Age.
Happy to share our new paper led by Victor Gonzalez Garcia, just published in the Journal of Biogeography, that explores the diversity, ecology and post‑glacial history of native Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) forests at the south‑western limit of the species’ global distribution.
The research also highlights the importance of plant age: functional traits and post‑fire responses shift throughout a plant’s life cycle, offering new insights into how these species evolve and adapt within Mediterranean ecosystems.
A new study led by Gianluigi Ottaviani reveals that three iconic Mediterranean species adopt different strategies to recover after fire. Some resprout from their base, while others regenerate from seeds: two distinct yet complementary ways to survive in fire‑prone environments.
🌿How do Mediterranean plants respond to wildfires? 🔥
🌱onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/plb.70213
59th Italian Society of Vegetation Science conference in Palermo 4-6 June 2026
A new Ecography paper shows that plant diversity estimates on Mediterranean islands vary widely among major biodiversity databases, with important implications for biogeography, conservation, and macroecological studies.
🌿 How many plant species live on Mediterranean islands?
More than we think—and it depends on the database.
📄 Open access: nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
In the southernmost site plant diversity shows a U-shape, enabling win-win outcomes.
Clear trade-offs emerge between carbon stocks and plant diversity in most sites.
Herbaceous diversity declines during succession, with site-specific patterns.
Natural forest expansion increases ecosystem carbon stocks along succession.
16 chronosequences were established to analyse carbon and diversity trends.
🌳As forests reclaim the land: Latitudinal variations in carbon-biodiversity trade-offs under natural forest expansion in Italy
Forest Ecology and Management: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...