VERTICAL ZONATION ECOLOGY OF BEARBERRY (ARCTOSTAPHYLLOS UVA-URSI) IN ALBANIA

Bearberry (Arctostaphyllos uva?ursi (L.) Sprengel) is an important species of the Flora of Albania, not only for its medical values that it poses, but and for its importance as boreal heaths of the subalpine and alpine geographic region. Our study carried out during years 2012-2015 indicate that it is spreader in different phytogeographic regions, Mediterranean and Alpine, from 1300 m a.s.l to 2200 m a.s.l. It was found in south of the country in open places of xerothermophilous formations with Buxus sempervirens, Devolli valley, Gjergjevica Village, up to alpine pastures as in Korabi, Gjallica and Koritniku Mountains. Geographically, A. uva?ursi was found in three different forested belts, oak belt, beech belt and coniferous belt, as much as in the alpine pastures. Generally, it was found in between heaths of different sub-types as acidocline alpenrose heaths, sub-types of dwarf heaths formed by mats of the woody Dryas octopetala and sub-types of Juniperus communis subsp. alpina or Daphne oleoides heaths. The species in its vertical distribution range were companied by a numerous herbaceous, scrubs and woody species, which create suitable conditions for its natural growth and development. In this paper, vertical distribution of the bearberry (A. uva?ursi) in Albania was showed graphically in the map.