The research involved the application of CORINE Land Cover categories in order to analyse changes in land use/cover in Italy over the last 50 years. The boundaries of the study area corresponded to those of 6 local councils in the lower Molise: Guglionesi, Montecilfone, Montenero di Bisaccia, Petacciato, San Giacomo degli Schiavoni, Termoli. The total surface area was approx. 31.750 ha, comprising a stretch of Molisan litoral (approx. 23.5 km) between the estuaries of the rivers Trigno and Biferno, and its hinterland. The morphology of this area is hilly (altitudes range between 200 and 550 m a.s.l.) while its lithology is mainly clay, with outcrops of chalk or sandstone in the areas around the summits of hills. Towards the coast there is a substantial sandy belt. The bioclimate type is Mediterranean. 51th IAVS Symposium 7-12 September 2008 South Africa Distribution of the CORINE land cover class 3 Forest and semi natural areas QUERCO-FAGETEA Br.-Bl. & Vlieger 1937 Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae Klika 1933 corr. Blasi, Di Pietro & Filesi 2004 Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis Ubaldi 1988 em. Scoppola & Filesi 1993 Teucrio siculi-Quercenion cerridis Blasi, Di Pietro & Filesi 2004 Carpino orientalis-Quercetum cerridis Blasi 1984 Carpinion orientalis Horvat 1958 Lauro nobilis-Quercenion pubescentis Ubaldi 1995 Roso sempervirentis-Quercetum pubescentis Biondi 1984 subass. carpinetosum orientalis Blasi & Di Pietro 1998 QUERCETEA ILICIS Br.-Bl. 1947 Quercetalia ilicis Br.-Bl. (1931) 1936 em. Rivas-Martinez 1975 Quercion ilicis Br.Bl. 1936 em. Rivas-Martinez 1975 Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis Horvatic 1956 Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni Rivas Martinez 1975 Oleo-Ceratonion siliquae Br-Bl ex Guinochet & Drouineau 1944 Pistacio lentisci-Juniperetum oxycedri Allegrezza, Biondi, Formica & Ballelli 1997 RHAMNO CATHARTICI-PRUNETEA SPINOSAE Rivas Goday & Borja Carbonel 1961 Prunetalia spinosae Tuxen 1952 Cytision sessilifolii Biondi, Allegrezza, Guitian 1988 Spartio juncei-Cytisetum sessilifolii Biondi, Allegrezza, Guitian 1988 subass. Juniperetosum oxycedri Cutini & Blasi 2002 Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii Bolos 1954 Pruno-Rubenion ulmifolii Arnaiz 1983 River Trigno valley. C-Qc: Carpino orientalis-Quercum cerridis; R-Qp: Roso sempervirentis-Quercetum pubescentis subass. carpinetosum orientalis; R: coastal conifer reforestation. Cakiletea maritimae R. Tx. et Preising in R. Tx. 1950, Cisto-Ericion Horvatic 1958, Helichryso italici-Crucianelletea maritimae (Gehu, Rivas-Martinez & R. Tuxen in Bon & Gehu 1973) Sissingh 1974 em. Biondi & Gehu 1995, Limonietalia Br.-Bl. et O. de Bolos 1957, Lygeo-Stipetea Rivas Martinez 1978, Pegano harmalae-Salsoletea vermiculatae Br.-Bl. & O. Bolos 1958, Phleo ambigui-Bromion erecti Biondi & Blasi ex Biondi, Ballelli, Allegrezza et Zuccarello 1995, Populion albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948, Salicion albae Soo ex Oberd. 1953 em. Moor 1958, Scorzoneretalia villosae Horvati. 1975 DISCUSSION The landscape of the study area has become more fragmented due mostly to effects of continuous human disturbances and agricultural improvement during the study period. Overall, the landscape is today characterised by the predominance of agricultural use and the slow colonization of the natural vegetation, mainly by linear vegetational formations (mainly riparian). Instruments for environmental management and recovery in these areas could be based on the guidelines of the Rural Development Plan for the Molise Region (2007-2013), which provide for the re-naturalization and restoration of characteristic elements of the agrarian landscape and the realisation of natural linear formations (e.g. avenues of trees, hedges). As regards woodlands, these should just be left to undergo their natural evolution, where necessary providing compensation for any consequent loss of income. As for riparian formations, still following the guidelines of the Rural Development Plan, help should be provided to promote ggood agricultural practiceh: e.g. a natural vegetation zone alongside ditches, canals etc. which all agricultural operations have to respect etc. Finally, monitoring could be performed on the dynamics of Stipa austroitalica Martinowsky (Annex II . Habitat Directive 92/43/CE) occurring on eroded, chalky substrates, and on the initial evolutionary stages of the grasslands resulting from anthropic activities. Riparian vegetation along the River Sinarca. View from Petacciato. The analyses provide substantial evidence for the persistence of agricultural activity over the time period studied. As far as natural vegetational systems are concerned (naturalization), any expansion seems to be concentrated along the River Trigno and in the proximity of woodlands, which have increased in area in spite of the diversity of agricultural systems. The cultivation (degradation) along the coastal belt of areas which were previously characterised by shrublands has had a negative effect on the landscape of the littoral. a coefficient of variation; it is equal to 0 when there is no variability in patch size b the percentage of total landscape area comprised by the largest patch c the average perimeter-to-area ratio; it is equal to 1 when all patches of the corresponding patch type are square; it increases without limit as the patch shapes become more irregular d the average fractal dimension; it approaches 1 for shapes with very simple perimeters such as circles or squares; it approaches 2 for shapes with highly convoluted, plane-filling perimeters e the average edge-to-edge distance from a patch to the nearest neighbouring patch of the same type f measures the degree of patch isolation and fragmentation; it is equal to 0 if all patches of the corresponding patch type have no neighbours of the same type within the specified search radius; it increases as patches become less isolated and the patch type becomes less fragmented in distribution g measures the extent to which patch types are interspersed; it approaches 0 when the corresponding patch type is adjacent to only 1 other patch type and the number of patch types increases; it is equal to 100 when the corresponding patch type is equally adjacent to all other patch types (i.e. maximally interspersed and juxtaposed to other patches) Landscape structure changes Land cover changes: Montenero di Bisaccia case study Land cover 1955 Land cover 2004 Land cover change For the analyses of the changes in land use/cover, various geo-databases were consulted or specially constructed. The aerial photographs from GAI 1954-55 flight, appropriately georectified, and the aerial photograph ITA2000 and AGEA 2004 flights were adopted to draw up the land use/cover maps. The study of vegetation was performed using the phytosociological method.
Vegetation/Land cover dynamics in agricultural and urbanized landscape in Molise, Italy
DI MARTINO, Paolo;DI MARZIO, Piera;FORTINI, Paola;
2008-01-01
Abstract
The research involved the application of CORINE Land Cover categories in order to analyse changes in land use/cover in Italy over the last 50 years. The boundaries of the study area corresponded to those of 6 local councils in the lower Molise: Guglionesi, Montecilfone, Montenero di Bisaccia, Petacciato, San Giacomo degli Schiavoni, Termoli. The total surface area was approx. 31.750 ha, comprising a stretch of Molisan litoral (approx. 23.5 km) between the estuaries of the rivers Trigno and Biferno, and its hinterland. The morphology of this area is hilly (altitudes range between 200 and 550 m a.s.l.) while its lithology is mainly clay, with outcrops of chalk or sandstone in the areas around the summits of hills. Towards the coast there is a substantial sandy belt. The bioclimate type is Mediterranean. 51th IAVS Symposium 7-12 September 2008 South Africa Distribution of the CORINE land cover class 3 Forest and semi natural areas QUERCO-FAGETEA Br.-Bl. & Vlieger 1937 Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae Klika 1933 corr. Blasi, Di Pietro & Filesi 2004 Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis Ubaldi 1988 em. Scoppola & Filesi 1993 Teucrio siculi-Quercenion cerridis Blasi, Di Pietro & Filesi 2004 Carpino orientalis-Quercetum cerridis Blasi 1984 Carpinion orientalis Horvat 1958 Lauro nobilis-Quercenion pubescentis Ubaldi 1995 Roso sempervirentis-Quercetum pubescentis Biondi 1984 subass. carpinetosum orientalis Blasi & Di Pietro 1998 QUERCETEA ILICIS Br.-Bl. 1947 Quercetalia ilicis Br.-Bl. (1931) 1936 em. Rivas-Martinez 1975 Quercion ilicis Br.Bl. 1936 em. Rivas-Martinez 1975 Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis Horvatic 1956 Pistacio-Rhamnetalia alaterni Rivas Martinez 1975 Oleo-Ceratonion siliquae Br-Bl ex Guinochet & Drouineau 1944 Pistacio lentisci-Juniperetum oxycedri Allegrezza, Biondi, Formica & Ballelli 1997 RHAMNO CATHARTICI-PRUNETEA SPINOSAE Rivas Goday & Borja Carbonel 1961 Prunetalia spinosae Tuxen 1952 Cytision sessilifolii Biondi, Allegrezza, Guitian 1988 Spartio juncei-Cytisetum sessilifolii Biondi, Allegrezza, Guitian 1988 subass. Juniperetosum oxycedri Cutini & Blasi 2002 Pruno-Rubion ulmifolii Bolos 1954 Pruno-Rubenion ulmifolii Arnaiz 1983 River Trigno valley. C-Qc: Carpino orientalis-Quercum cerridis; R-Qp: Roso sempervirentis-Quercetum pubescentis subass. carpinetosum orientalis; R: coastal conifer reforestation. Cakiletea maritimae R. Tx. et Preising in R. Tx. 1950, Cisto-Ericion Horvatic 1958, Helichryso italici-Crucianelletea maritimae (Gehu, Rivas-Martinez & R. Tuxen in Bon & Gehu 1973) Sissingh 1974 em. Biondi & Gehu 1995, Limonietalia Br.-Bl. et O. de Bolos 1957, Lygeo-Stipetea Rivas Martinez 1978, Pegano harmalae-Salsoletea vermiculatae Br.-Bl. & O. Bolos 1958, Phleo ambigui-Bromion erecti Biondi & Blasi ex Biondi, Ballelli, Allegrezza et Zuccarello 1995, Populion albae Br.-Bl. ex Tchou 1948, Salicion albae Soo ex Oberd. 1953 em. Moor 1958, Scorzoneretalia villosae Horvati. 1975 DISCUSSION The landscape of the study area has become more fragmented due mostly to effects of continuous human disturbances and agricultural improvement during the study period. Overall, the landscape is today characterised by the predominance of agricultural use and the slow colonization of the natural vegetation, mainly by linear vegetational formations (mainly riparian). Instruments for environmental management and recovery in these areas could be based on the guidelines of the Rural Development Plan for the Molise Region (2007-2013), which provide for the re-naturalization and restoration of characteristic elements of the agrarian landscape and the realisation of natural linear formations (e.g. avenues of trees, hedges). As regards woodlands, these should just be left to undergo their natural evolution, where necessary providing compensation for any consequent loss of income. As for riparian formations, still following the guidelines of the Rural Development Plan, help should be provided to promote ggood agricultural practiceh: e.g. a natural vegetation zone alongside ditches, canals etc. which all agricultural operations have to respect etc. Finally, monitoring could be performed on the dynamics of Stipa austroitalica Martinowsky (Annex II . Habitat Directive 92/43/CE) occurring on eroded, chalky substrates, and on the initial evolutionary stages of the grasslands resulting from anthropic activities. Riparian vegetation along the River Sinarca. View from Petacciato. The analyses provide substantial evidence for the persistence of agricultural activity over the time period studied. As far as natural vegetational systems are concerned (naturalization), any expansion seems to be concentrated along the River Trigno and in the proximity of woodlands, which have increased in area in spite of the diversity of agricultural systems. The cultivation (degradation) along the coastal belt of areas which were previously characterised by shrublands has had a negative effect on the landscape of the littoral. a coefficient of variation; it is equal to 0 when there is no variability in patch size b the percentage of total landscape area comprised by the largest patch c the average perimeter-to-area ratio; it is equal to 1 when all patches of the corresponding patch type are square; it increases without limit as the patch shapes become more irregular d the average fractal dimension; it approaches 1 for shapes with very simple perimeters such as circles or squares; it approaches 2 for shapes with highly convoluted, plane-filling perimeters e the average edge-to-edge distance from a patch to the nearest neighbouring patch of the same type f measures the degree of patch isolation and fragmentation; it is equal to 0 if all patches of the corresponding patch type have no neighbours of the same type within the specified search radius; it increases as patches become less isolated and the patch type becomes less fragmented in distribution g measures the extent to which patch types are interspersed; it approaches 0 when the corresponding patch type is adjacent to only 1 other patch type and the number of patch types increases; it is equal to 100 when the corresponding patch type is equally adjacent to all other patch types (i.e. maximally interspersed and juxtaposed to other patches) Landscape structure changes Land cover changes: Montenero di Bisaccia case study Land cover 1955 Land cover 2004 Land cover change For the analyses of the changes in land use/cover, various geo-databases were consulted or specially constructed. The aerial photographs from GAI 1954-55 flight, appropriately georectified, and the aerial photograph ITA2000 and AGEA 2004 flights were adopted to draw up the land use/cover maps. The study of vegetation was performed using the phytosociological method.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
