Pantelleria Island: Montagna Grande and Monte Gibele
Site type: SAC - Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA010019 - Hectares: 3099
Description:
The area of the SIC, extended for about 3187 hectares, includes the highest part of the island of Pantelleria, dominated by the relief of Montagna Grande (836 m), originating from volcano-tectonic uplift, in addition to the volcanic cone of Monte Gibele (700 m). The complex morphology of this territory is linked to the lithological nature of the insular area, which is exclusively volcanic, which has its origins in various lava masses that have succeeded each other over time and overlapped each other, to the point of covering part of the numerous eruptive centers; in this part of the territory it is mainly acid volcanites. The climatic conditions here are conditioned above all by the impact of air currents, coming mainly from the north / north-west, which originate perturbations in the highest part of the territory, also determining the formation of frequent fogs. From the bioclimatic point of view, the area belongs to the dry thermo-Mediterranean belts in the lower part, tending towards the sub-humid mesomediterranean, in the cacuminal part of Montagna Grande. The series of vegetation of the Holm oak (Erico-Querco ilicis sigmetum), linked to the rocky lava substrates, are mainly represented, in addition to the series of the Maritime pine (Genisto-Pino pinastri sigmetum), limited to the volcanic andosols.
Due to its topographical position in the Sicilian Channel, the geo-morphological characteristics of the territory, the interesting floristic and phytocenotic aspects, the expressiveness of a lava landscape meticulously modeled by millenary anthropic activities, the island of Pantelleria constitutes an area of considerable interest. naturalistic-environmental. The area has a significant landscape and naturalistic interest, both as regards the floristic-phytocenotic aspect, as well as faunal; however, the island is located along the main migration area between Europe and Africa in western Sicily. In the list reported in section 3.3, some interesting elements of the flora are mentioned, whose presence in the territory is considered to be of particular phytogeographic interest (D). The site has a significant faunal importance; however, it is located along the main migration area between Europe and Africa in western Sicily. The population of Parus teneriffae living on the island is considered to be the only European. Particularly significant is also the presence of the Coluber hippocrepis nigrescens absent in Sicily and in the Italian peninsula. Numerous species of endemic or otherwise threatened insects
It is included in the Island of Pantelleria
Ministerial data: Ministerial Map Natura 2000 form
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: web
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Region of Sicily
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