Contrada Caprara (ITA060011)
Site type: SAC - Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA060011 - Hectares: 1131
Description:
The site, extending 819.00 Ha, falls within the Municipality of Pietraperzia (EN). The soils are clayey with a fine texture and mixed (clayey-chalky with calcareous component) to
coarse texture. On the surface on a horizontal plane, soils still balanced within the norm with sufficient presence of humus are still maintained, hence
crops possible. The substrates are made up of clays, limestones, chalky limestones, marls, gypsum and are attributable to the evaporitic series dating back to the Messinian.
of the area is lower subhumid Mesomediterranean, according to the criterion of Rivas Martinez adapted to Sicily by Brullo & al. (1996). The site is located within a
territory destined since time immemorial to cereal crops. Where the soils do not lend themselves to agricultural crops (or due to the prevalence of soils dominated by
clay component (on the humic part) or for the emergence of the rocky component, there are plant formations of great importance for the protection from
further degradation. These belong to the typical vegetation classes of clayey-gully soils and rock habitats of the calcium-clay-chalky series.
The vegetation with its richness and its adaptation to the geographical peculiarities of the sites shows the ability to trigger processes of reconstitution of the
naturalness, evolution towards the climax and exploitation of niches that certainly must be encouraged through the correct management of the SIC. We can therefore essentially distinguish two large vegetational groupings afferent to: 1) Lygeo-Stipetea rich in pulvinary shrubs and herbaceous species including
significant are Anthemis muricata, Brassica souliei subsp. amplexicaulis, Limonium calcarae, Malva agrigentina, Salsola agrigentina, Scabiosa parviflora,
Allium agrigentinum. These are endemic species which give the gully slopes maximum expressiveness (code 6220). Here particularly
the Lygeo-Lavateretum agrigentinae association is abundant. 2) Semi-rupestrian associations of limestone cliffs and adjacent slopes, generally dominated by
Ampelodemos mauritanicus. These formations also belong to the Lygeo-Stipetea and remain under the code 6220 (they have nothing to do with the
casmophilous formations of Dianthion rupicolae). A clearly chasmophilic association is instead that characterized by Brassica villosa subsp. tinei, Diplotaxis
harra subsp. crassifolia, Erysimum metlesicsii, Silene fruticosa, Antirrhinum siculum, Athamanta sicula, Sedum dasyphyllum (Brassico-Diplotaxietum crassifoliae).
3) Where the rocky outcrops appear scattered formations dominated by Ampelodesmos mauritanicus settle, less rich in significant species, but
equally important for the diversity of the plant landscape (code 5330).
4.2Quality and importance
Important site for the large number of endemics found within it. Species of badlands afferent to the Lygeo-Lavateretum agrigentinae (Order of
Stipetaliae): Allium agrigentinum Brullo & P. Pavone (ENDEMICA), Anthemis muricata (DC.) Guss. (ENDEMIC), Barlia robertiana (Loisel.) Greuter, Brassica
souliei subsp. amplexicaulis (Desf.) Greuter & Burdet, Echinaria capitata var. todaroana Ces., Passer. & Gibelli (ENDEMICA), Limonium calcarae (Tod. Ex Janka)
Pignatti (ENDEMICA), Lygeum spartum L., Malva agrigentina (Tineo) Soldano, Banfi & Galasso (ENDEMICA), Nigella arvensis L., Ononis oligophylla Ten.
(ENDEMIC), Salsola from Agrigento Guss. (ENDEMIC), Scabiosa parviflora Desf. (ENDEMIC), Senecio leucanthemifolius Poir. subsp. pectinatus (Guss.)
Giardina & Raimondo (ENDEMICA) Species related to Brassico-Diplotaxietum crassifoliae (rock habitat with limestone, marly limestone and gypsum): Diplotaxis
harra subsp. crassifolia (Raf.) Maire (RARA), Brassica villosa subsp. tinei (Lojac.) Raimondo & Mazzola (ENDEMICA), Erysimum metlesicsii Polatschek
(ENDEMIC), Silene fruticosa L. (RARE), Antirrhinum siculum Miller (ENDEMIC), Athamanta sicula L., Sedum dasyphyllum L. (RARE). This association is
exclusive to central Sicily.The site is home to rare species of mammals and birds.
Source: Ministry of the Environment Natura 2000 form
Ministerial data: Natura 2000 form
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: web
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Region of Sicily
