Regions of provenance for reproductive materials of the three main forest species of Abruzzi

Regions of provenance of reproductive materials are a mandatory tool for the management of forest genetic resources in Europe. Italian regulation (D. Lgs. 386/2003), in contrast with other European countries, gives this role to regional administrations. Here we present a map of the Regions of Provenance for Abruzzi in central Italy. Three environmental zones were identified according to climatic variability using a spatial clustering procedure and the three main forest species for the region were mapped: European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), European black pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold) and Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.). The results show that the main driving factors for clustering are temperature regimes reflecting the contrast between the continental climate of the interior of the region versus the Mediterranean climate on the coast. This effect was also evident in the delineation of the Regions of Provenance for the three main species where elevation plays a key role in the selection of seed stands. The Regions of Provenance of the three species will be used for the correct management of forest reproductive materials collected from the six seed stands of the Region.