Daniele Sparvoli

Map of changes in landscape naturalness in the Fiastra and Salino catchment basins (central Italy)

This work assessed the spatio-temporal variation of land use in the catchment basins of Fiastra and Salino (central Italy) and its effect on landscape naturalness over a 30-year period (1978–2008). The study area (centroid coordinates 43°7′29.44′′ N; 13°20′34.56′′E) was divided into ecologically homogeneous units (land units) in terms of substrate, bioclimatic belt, and aspect using a GIS-based hierarchical approach for landscape classification and mapping. Land units were characterized from a phytosociological viewpoint, and their naturalness evaluated using the Index of Landscape Conservation status. Comparison of current and past vegetation naturalness of land units was used to prepare the map of changes in landscape naturalness in the Fiastra and Salino catchment basins (central Italy) at a scale of 1:50,000. It was found that, while the change of naturalness in the whole study area was around zero, the pattern of distribution of this change was heterogeneous: naturalness increased in land units of high hilly and mountain belts, mostly because of the spread of woods, to the detriment of shrublands, pre-wooded communities, and grasslands, while the opposite trend was recorded in the alluvial plain and low hills, because of increasing urbanization and landscape homogenization caused by the transformation of grasslands, shrublands, pre-wooded communities, and tree-planted arable lands into arable lands. The hierarchical approach to landscape classification and mapping provided information that could have not been detected by mere calculation of indices. This kind of analysis offers a method for improved interpretation of landscape evolution, affording valuable input for predicting transformation of land use, and thus for formulating sound environmental policies and planning optimum ecosystem management strategies.

Evaluation of the Italian Apennine Ecosystems With Respect to Anatomical and Ethological Characteristics of the Roe Deer

Based on a previous landscape synphytosociological analysis, the present work intends to test the degree of suitability for the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) of the different Apennine habitats, relating the ecological and structural characteristics of the forest Apennine ecosystems (bioclimate, floristic structure and composition, food availability) with the specific anatomical characteristics of the digestive apparatus and alimentary habits of this ungulate. Although the roe deer is a ruminant, it must be considered a grazing rather than a browsing animal that carefully selects what it ingests, choosing plants or plant parts rich in cellular sap of high protein content, and avoiding, as far as possible, plants with a high content of raw fibre. The data in hand seem to point out a range of suitability for the roe deer of the hilly and low-mountain wooded habitats, among which, nevertheless, remarkable differences in ecological and environmental level of suitability have been recorded. One of the principal limiting factors is the relationship between the availability of trophic resources present at the beginning of the autumn, and the length of the winter period (corresponding to the phase of vegetative dormancy). Also of notable importance are vegetation patches, types of forest management and the different floristic and structural characteristics of the ecotonal belts.

Syntaxonomy and site ecology of a Central Italy forest landscape

Syntaxonomy and Site Ecology of a Central Italy Forest Landscape A phytosociological survey of a woodland located in the central part of Umbria (Central Italy) was carried out using the Braun-Blanquet method: 80 relevés were classified through cluster analysis. Nine forest syntaxa were reported and three subassociations (Erico arboreae-Quercetum cerridis lathyretosum veneti, Aceri obtusati-Quercetum cerridis arbutetosum unedonis and Cyclamino hederifolii-Quercetum ilicis quercetosum cerridis) were typified. Topographic data (altitude, aspect, slope, morphology) and pedological data (soil pH, texture and depth) were collected and a synecological analysis of syntaxa was performed. In order to understand the relation between environmental factors and plant communities, a Canonical Correspondence Analysis was run. The results showed soil parameters (pH, texture and depth) and altitude as the main ecological factors explaining the distribution of plant communities in the study area. The combination of topographic factors (aspect, morphology and slope angle) influences, by contrast revealed the distribution of forest syntaxa within homogeneous geo-pedological and bioclimatic conditions. Izvedli smo fitosociološko raziskavo gozdov v srednjem delu Umbrije (srednja Italija) z Braun-Blanquetovo metodo: 80 popisov smo uvrstili s klastrsko analizo. Obravnavamo devet gozdnih sintaksonov in opisali smo tri subasociacije (Erico arboreae-Quercetum cerridis lathyretosum veneti, Aceri obtusati-Quercetum cerridis arbutetosum unedonis in Cyclamino hederifolii-Quercetum ilicis quercetosum cerridis). Zbrali smo topografske (nadmosrska višina, ekspozicija, naklon, morfologija terena) in pedološke podatke (pH, tekstura in globina tal) in naredili sinekološko analizo sintaksonov. Za pojasnitev povezave med rastiščnimi dejavniki in rastlinskimi združbami smo naredili Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Rezultati kažejo, da so dejavniki tal (pH, tekstura in globina) in nadmorska višina glavni rastiščni dejavniki, ki pojasnjejo razširjenost rastlinskih združb v obravnavanem območju. Kombinacija topografskih dejavnikov (ekspozicija, morfologija reliefa in naklon) je odločilna za pojavljanje gozdnih sintaksonov v homogenih geopedoloških in bioklimatskih razmerah.