The Po Basin mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

in the basin of the

Po River The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira (river), Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are forme ...

in northern

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Ticino Ticino ( ), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino, is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eight districts ...

canton.

Geography

The Po Basin is bounded on the north and west by the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

, and on the south by the

Apennine Mountains The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...

. It opens onto the

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

on the east.

Flora

Terrestrial plants

The Po Basin mixed forests consists of remnants of:
1. Mixed deciduous oak/hornbeam forest - *''

Quercus robur ''Quercus robur'', the pedunculate oak, is a species of flowering plant in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae. It is a large tree, native plant, native to most of Europe and western Asia, and is widely cultivated in other temperate regions. It ...

'' *'' Quercus cerris'' *''

Carpinus betulus Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the family Betulaceae. Its species occur across much of the temperateness, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names The common English name ''hornbeam'' derives ...

'' *''

Ulmus minor ''Ulmus minor'' Mill., the field elm, is by far the most polymorphic of the European species, although its taxonomy remains a matter of contention. Its natural range is predominantly south European, extending to Asia Minor and Iran; its norther ...

'' *''

Fraxinus ornus ''Fraxinus ornus'', the manna ash or South European flowering ash, is a species of ''Fraxinus'' native to Southern Europe and Southwestern Asia, from Spain and Italy north to Austria and the Czech Republic, and east through the Balkans, Turkey, a ...

'' 2.

Riparian forest A riparian forest or riparian woodland is a forested or wooded area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a river, stream, pond, lake, marshland, estuary, canal, Sink (geography), sink, or reservoir. Due to the broad nature of the definitio ...

, as well as flood-plain vegetation of the

Po Basin The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...

- *'' Fraxinus oxycarpa'' *'' Salix alba'' *'' Alnus glutinosa'' *''

'' *''

Populus alba ''Populus alba'', commonly called silver poplar,Webb, C. J.; Sykes, W. R.; Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. 4. Christchurch, New Zealand, Botany Division, D.S.I.R. si ...

'' *''

Populus nigra ''Populus nigra'', the black poplar, is a species of Populus sect. Aigeiros, cottonwood poplar, the type species of section ''Aigeiros'' of the genus ''Populus'', native to Europe, southwest and central Asia, and northwest Africa.Flora Europaea' ...

'' *''

'' 3. Coastal submediterranean forest - *'' Quercus ilex'' *'' Quercus cerris'' *'' Olea europaea'' *'' Pinus pinea'' *''

'' *''

Aquatic plants

The freshwater ecosystems (''zona umida'') have a high level of biodiversity.
Threatened (in Italy) plant species include *'' Leucojum aestivum'' *'' Halocnemum strobilaceum'' *''

Nymphaea alba ''Nymphaea alba'', the white waterlily, European white water lily or white nenuphar , is an aquatic flowering plant in the family Nymphaeaceae. It is native to North Africa, temperate Asia, Europe and tropical Asia (Jammu and Kashmir). Since '' ...

'' *'' Bassia hirsuta'' *'' Limonium bellidifolium'' *'' Utricularia australis'' *'' Thelypteris palustris'' *'' Salvinia natans'' *'' Sagittaria sagittifolia'' *'' Plantago cornuti''

Fauna

Less-disturbed wetlands which are important breeding areas for many bird species are most significant biodiversity of the ecoregion. Examples are grey heron, purple heron,

great egret The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. R ...

, little egret, squacco heron, cattle egret, great bittern, little bittern, pygmy cormorant and ferruginous duck.

Conservation

The region is industrialised and has a long history of human pressure (shrinkage of wetlands, invasive species, and unsustainable hunting of waterfowl).

Protected areas

A 2017 assessment found that 3,572 km², or 8%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Only 2% of the unprotected area remains in natural habitat. Protected areas include Panfilia Wood, the Euganean Hills Regional Park, Po Delta Regional Parks, and Valli del Mincio Nature Reserve.

External links

References

{{Paleartic temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Ecoregions of Italy Ecoregions of Switzerland Forests of Switzerland Palearctic ecoregions Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests