Description
Arid environments are one of the seven environments identified in the Provincial Nature Reserves.
They are areas where vegetation is scarce due to the dry, humus-poor soil. The mineral substrate, be it rock or more frequently stones and pebbles, therefore predominantly characterises this environment.
The absence of a continuous vegetation cover exalts temperature fluctuations: during the day the temperature is often very high because the sun's rays are not shielded by the vegetation, at night the opposite phenomenon occurs.
The aridity resulting from the strong sunlight is then accentuated by the lack of a surface water network: rainwater is not retained by the soil, which is scarce and discontinuous, but instead penetrates deep into the rocks and boulders.
The different layers that form the sedimentary rocks often have different characteristics of resistance to the erosive action of atmospheric agents. Hence the formation of niches and cavities in the walls or even long balconies, so-called 'ledges', which are subsequently colonised by plants.
The rocky environments located at low altitudes are very interesting from a naturalistic point of view. The rock faces are in fact authentic oases of nature, even those close to the anthropised valley floors.
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The plants in the arid and rocky environments - clumps of grass, bushes and sometimes even a few stunted saplings - are faced with a series of survival 'problems' related to the particular conditions of the growing places. Chief among these is water scarcity, mainly due to the rocky or stony characteristics of the soil. The water balance is further aggravated by exposure to the sun, which tends to evaporate the plant's internal liquids. To counteract water loss, plants in arid areas usually possess various morphological adaptations, such as waxy protections that limit transpiration and reflect the sun. Leaves are as a rule leathery, to avoid 'wilting', and are often small in size to limit the transpiration surface. | |
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| Arid and rocky environments are home to many species of invertebrates, some of which have a particularly interesting way of life. Since these habitats are rather rare in Trentino, the species that live in them are also often uncommon, which makes them even more worthy of attention. | |
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| Arid and rocky environments are the habitats most commonly used by reptiles, as these animals generally love warm, sunny places. The ideal situation for most species is semi-open spaces well exposed to the sun, in which there is an alternation of rocks, grasslands and shrub patches. | |
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| The bird species that show a close connection with arid and rocky environments are not many, but they are all very interesting. Some of them are also quite rare in Trentino, as they are typical of geographical areas characterised by warmer climates. Others, on the other hand, are common, but frequent a very particular habitat and possess a way of life with curious behaviour. | |
