DHIMITER PECI, ALFRED MULLAJ, ARSEN PROKO
Abstract
Nëmërçka Mountain is part of Trebeshinë–Dhëmbel-Nëmërçkë mountain range in Southern Albania, rich in endemic species and biodiversity. However, this ecosystem is increasingly affected by habitat degradation and climate change. Given the critical importance of high mountain regions as biodiversity hotspot and centers of endemism, a quantitative evaluation of Nëmërçka’s flora is essential for informing conservation strategies and understanding its contribution to Balkan biodiversity. This study aims to comprehensively document the vascular flora of this area, evaluate biogeographical spectrum and assess the conservation status of endemic and threatened taxa. The study findings included 560 taxa belonging to 69 families, demonstrating the high richness of this mountain. The floristic spectrum analysis revealed a dominance of Mediterranean elements with 26.7% of total recorded species. This pattern highlights a strong biogeographical affinity of the vegetation with the Mediterranean region, is accordance with the prevailing Mediterranean climatic conditions is the area. Hemicriptophytes made up the highest percentage of all life forms (51.4%), suggesting a considerable degree of habitat degradation. This pattern is largely attributed to anthropogenic impact such as uncontrolled logging, recurrent fires, and overgrazing. In total, 20 endemic species were recorded including 4 strict endemics. Species were assessed using IUCN categories, the results showed that 6.25% of them were classified as threatened. The high floristic diversity observed suggested that Nëmërçka Mountain represent an important biodiversity hotspot in Albania and emphasizes the critical conservation value of the area and its significant potential for economic development through the sustainable utilization of biodiversity.
Key words: Nëmërçka Mt., floristic diversity, phenology, chorology, Albania.