Assessing the Conservation Status of Habitats in the Coastal Dune System Within the “Bosco Pantano di Policoro e Costa Ionica Foce Sinni” Site (Basilicata, Southern Italy)

The Natura 2000 site “Bosco Pantano di Policoro e Costa Ionica Foce Sinni” (SPA/SCI IT9220055), located along the Ionian Arc, is one of the remaining areas in Southern Italy characterized by the coexistence of a lowland forest and coastal dune habitats. The interaction between coastal dynamics and hydrological processes generates high environmental heterogeneity, supporting a complex habitat mosaic. The aim of this study is to document the vegetation composition and characterize the plant landscape of the coastal belt, assessing habitat conservation status and impact of the main pressures and threats. To this end, phytosociological analyses and vegetation transects were employed to identify the plant communities and describe their distribution along the sea–inland gradient. Floristic and structural diversity were assessed using the Shannon, Simpson, and HDUNE indices. The results highlight the high environmental heterogeneity of the study area and the occurrence of numerous habitat types of Community interest. The analyses also identified the main pressures affecting the area, particularly coastal erosion and alterations to the hydrological regime, causing the simplification of the vegetation mosaic. These processes represent the main conservation concerns for the reserve’s habitats and underline the need for management strategies aimed at maintaining hydrological balance and the natural dynamics of dune systems.