The dolomite shrublands of the Convolvuletalia boissieri order and their preservation by means of the Habitats Directive

Abstract The shrublands of the Convolvuletalia boissieri order have been known since 1953, when Quezel published the first association in the dolomites of Sierra Nevada (south of Spain). Despite their enormous floristic and ecological originality, the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC does not mention them as priority habitats. This omission is striking given the particular attention paid by this Directive to other habitats which, like this one, are associated with special substrates. The shrublands of the Gypsophiletalia order, i.e. habitat 1520 of the above mentioned Directive corresponding to gypsophilous vegetation, are a particular case in the Iberian Peninsula. The extensive study of both habitats and their flora over recent years has provided a magnificent opportunity for us to compare them, review their current state of preservation and demand that more serious attention be paid to dolomites.