Po Basin mixed forests

The Po Basin mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the basin of the Po River in northern Italy and Switzerland's Ticino canton.

Geography

The Po Basin is bounded on the north and west by the Alps, and on the south by the Apennine Mountains. It opens onto the Adriatic Sea on the east.

Flora

Terrestrial plants

The Po Basin mixed forests consists of remnants of:

1. Mixed deciduous oak/hornbeam forest -

2. Riparian forest, as well as flood-plain vegetation of the Po Basin -

3. Coastal submediterranean forest -

Aquatic plants

The freshwater ecosystems have a high level of biodiversity.

Threatened plant species include

Fauna

Less-disturbed wetlands which are important breeding areas for many bird species are most significant biodiversity of the ecoregion. Examples are grey heron, purple heron, great egret, little egret, squacco heron, cattle egret, great bittern, little bittern, pygmy cormorant and ferruginous duck.

Conservation

The region is industrialised and has a long history of human pressure.

Protected areas

A 2017 assessment found that 3,572 km², or 8%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Only 2% of the unprotected area remains in natural habitat. Protected areas include Panfilia Wood, the Euganean Hills Regional Park, Po Delta Regional Parks, and Valli del Mincio Nature Reserve.