Sfondato Lake (ITA050005)
Site type: SAC - Special Conservation Area
Code: ITA050005 - Hectares: 126
Description:
The site falls within the municipality of Caltanissetta.The lake is a sinking basin formed by the collapse and sliding of chalky formations about a
century ago. The water supply is due to an underground perennial aquifer. The substrate consists of evaporitic rocks of the chalky-sulphurous series, from the point of view
pedological are reported lithosols, brown soils and regosols. Upper average dry mesomediterranean bioclimate, with average annual rainfall of 561 mm, temperature
annual average of 16 ° C (Caltanissetta station). Along the banks there is an evolving vegetation belt, made up of various halophytes. Around the
aspects of synanthropic herbaceous vegetation, pasture, ampelodesmeti and communities in Hyparhenia hirta are widespread. They are also present
aspects of garrigue, communities of scrub dominated by Anagyris foetida, impoverished consortia of Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii, vegetation of rock environments
chalky, as well as nuclei of Tamarix gallica along the banks of the streams.
The landscape is characterized by the stretch of water, as well as by outcrops of gypsum, slopes occupied by herbaceous communities, shrubs and garrigue, waterways
torrential regime, and arable land. The lake hosts communities of macroalgae, but not a cenosis of hygrophytes due to the high salinity and turbidity. They are known for the most area
of 300 vascular species, including numerous orchids and bulbous plants.As regards the vascular flora itself, there are some taxa of interest in the area
phytogeographic (inserted in section 3.3: D).
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
