Communautés végétales des tourbières ombrotrophes du Massif central oriental (France)

Abstract

The eastern mountains of the French Massif central are rich of numerous and various peatlands wich can be studied on a broad latitudinal and elevational scale. This work is the first attempt to characterise their ombrotrophic vegetations. 129 phytosociological relevés including 142 embryophytic plant species and lichens are analysed by cluster and correspondence analysis. 24 elementary syntaxa, differentiated on the basis of 8 sets of species and segregated along a moisture and a nutrient gradients, are then defined. Vegetations also correlate with a climatic trends between typical raised bogs under attenuated oceanic influence in the north, and ombrominerotrophic hummocks in fen complexes in dryer and warmer, somewhat continental south. 9 associations are recognised among the vegetations present. © 2009, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.