Malta Virtual Field Sites

ecosystems | field sites | flora | glossary

Maltese Habitats and Biocoenoses

Biocoenosis (or biotic community) is a general ecological term for any naturally occurring group of organisms inhabitaing a common habitat, which is known as thier biotope or habitat.

The terrestial biocoenoses of the Maltese Islands may be grouped into three categories:

• Major communities that are part of the successional sequence towards the climatic climax.
• Minor communities which are either specialised to occupy particular habitats, or occupy habitats that are rare in the islands, or are relics from a previous ecological regime now surviving in a few refugia.
• Biocoenoses that owe their existence to anthropic activities.

Descriptions of Maltese terrestial biocoenoses are based mainly on vegetation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biocoenoses that are part of the successional sequence found in Malta include:

Woodland, Maquis, Garigue, and Steppic grassland.

 

Specialised biocoenoses found in Malta include:

Saline Marshlands, Transitional coastal wetlands, Sand Dunes, Maritime fringe, Rupestral communities

 

Anthropic biocoenoses found in Malta include:

Communities of disturbed ground, Afforestation.