Proposal of new syntaxa and series of Grey Willow forests of humid dunes slacks of the North-Atlantic coasts of Europe

• Main Authors: Gwenhael Perrin, Cianfaglione, Kevin, Bioret, Frédéric
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2018
• Subjects: 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; Sociology; FOS Sociology; 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7533008; https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/Proposal_of_new_syntaxa_and_series_of_Grey_Willow_forests_of_humid_dunes_slacks_of_the_North-Atlantic_coasts_of_Europe/7533008

This article aims to point out the recent emergence of willows within the dune slacks of the Atlantic coasts following land abandonment. Firstly, a new association present in Brittany is examined: the Epipactido palustris – Salicetum atrocinereae ass. nova hoc loco with a detailed description about its physiognomic, floral, and ecological characteristics. Related dynamico-catenal trajectories that follow the expression of those forests are also described. This survey highlights an original littoral forest formation that could constitute the head of a vegetation series. Elements of reflection are proposed as for the conservation of the dune slacks woodlands and should allow the managers to refine their strategies. Secondly, the existence of a similar association along the coasts of the Channel and the North Sea is reported ( Hydrocotylo vulgaris – Salicetum cinereae ass. nova ). A new alliance ( Carici flaccae – Salicion cinereae all. nova ) is proposed in order to regroup these Northwest-European willow forests of the dune slacks and to clarify their synsystematic status.