Natural reserve of astroni

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Bienvenue, Welcome, Bienvenido

Witamy

Bem-vindo Tere

Benvenuto To The natural reserve of

Astroni

The park -cratere of Astroni is a natural reserve, protected by the w.w F, situated between the plain of Agnano, and the ancient road Campana on the western bound of the city of Naples even though most of its area falls under the municipal boundaries of Pozzuoli. It is one of the few well-preserved craters of the whole Phlegraean fields. It is geologically defined as a caldera, that is a large depression of the Earth’s surface today occupied by a thick and well-preserved woodland and lakes that makes the Phlegraean fields a unique place in the world.The Reserve covers a surface of 247 hectares that includes the whole volcanic structure. 

At the base of the crater are three lakes .Lago Grande, Cofaniello Piccolo and Cofaniello Grande 10 meters above sea level whose origin can be traced back to the early activity of the crater.  The Lago grande is the biggest and it is still fed by underground water the other ones ,more similar to ponds, are fed by rainfalll All the area can be studied from different perspectives due its origin and morphology ,its flora and fauna

The whole area is also really interesting for the composition of its vegetation the result of inverted plant zonation whereby high altitude species are found at lower altitudes and low altitudes species grow at higher altitudes. The reason lies on the particular micro –climate conditions of the crater

In this type of zonation the holm oak forest and the Mediterranean maquis macchia (composed by tree heath piñata , myrtle, privet) grow on the crater borders while the mesophile species typical of higher altitude like the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), sessile oak rovere (Quercus petraea), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), field elm olmo (Ulmus minor) and hornbeams carpine are at the bottom of the crater a few meters above sea level.

Tree heath pinata

Myrtle

Berry

Privet

Sweet chestnut

Holm oak forest

Mesophile species

Sessile oak

Peduncolae oak

Fiel d elm Hornbeams carpine

Along the lake shores the vegetation comprises Juncus, Cyperaceae, Typha latifoglia, common reeds and goat willows. At the centre of Lago Grande there is a wide bed of reeds canne and willows and a large carpet of European water lilies that in spring and summer covers most of the lake. Lago Piccolo is, instead, completely covered by common duckweed (Lemna minor). Trail borders and trees are coloured by a rich undergrowth composed by butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus), cuckoo pint (Arum italicum), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and by the flashy and rich blossoming of the ivy-leaved cyclamen  edera (Cyclamen napolitanum), bettercup (Ranunculus millefoliatus) and many wild orchid species.

At greater altitudes the mesophile wood gives way to the Mediterranean vegetation dominated by the holm oak forest (Quercus ilex).  Strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) and manna ash (Fraxinus ornus) can be found in the less exposed areas of the nature reserve while Mediterranean maquis grows in the sunny

and manna ash

Strawberry trees

Juncus

Cyperaceae

Typha latifoglia

Goat willow

Water lilies

Butcher's broomCommon duckweed

Cuckoo pint

hawthorn

Cyclamen edera

Better cup Better cup trees

Wild orchid

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