Abstract: I boschi di neoformazione si formano su terreni in passato utilizzati come pascoli, prati o coltivi e oggi abbandonati. Per questo motivo, occupano progressivamente il paesaggio delle valli alpine, ridisegnandolo. Il libro sintetizza i vari aspetti dellâecologia di queste nuove foreste: gli aspetti storici, descrivendone la âpreistoriaâ legata alle vicende macroclimatiche, e lâespansione più recente, legata soprattutto, ma non solo, allo spopolamento della montagna;
gli aspetti legati alla gestione, alla vegetazione e alla sua dinamica e agli effetti che ne derivano sugli equilibri dellâecosistema. Oltre a questi tre elementi (storia, vegetazione, gestione) si fa riferimento anche alla flora minore e alla fauna, elementi che suscitano sempre maggiore interesse sia da parte degli esperti sia dei visitatori, e che contribuiscono a fornire un quadro più generale dellâambiente in cui si sviluppano i boschi di neoformazione. Non manca, inoltre, una precisa analisi delle direttive tutelari europee, soprattutto per quanto riguarda la fauna e gli habitat: emerge dunque che queste norme non sono volte esclusivamente a porre dei limiti allâuso indiscriminato del suolo e del territorio, ma mirano anche a proporre nuovi metodi e prospettive per la loro valorizzazione, sia naturalistica che turistica. Il libro si rivolge innanzitutto ai tecnici e ai gestori dei boschi pubblici o privati, a coloro cioè che sono desiderosi di conoscere i nuovi metodi di gestione, pianificazione, e valorizzazione dei boschi di neoformazione, divenuti ormai una parte rilevante del patrimonio forestale alpino. In secondo luogo si rivolge a quegli studenti che sentono il desiderio di documentarsi sui metodi e sui criteri dâinterpretazione ecologica ed ecosistemica di queste comunità forestali, ancora poco studiate e trattate solo marginalmente nei manuali di selvicoltura. Infine si rivolge a tutti coloro che vivono quotidianamente a contatto con il bosco o che, da esso affascinati, lo visitano saltuariamente. Fornisce loro uno strumento accessibile ma preciso, per interpretare
una nuova tipologia forestale e paesaggistica.
Abstract: The maggenghi are mid slope meadows typical of all the southern and of great parts of the northern European Alps, for centuries managed with traditional and low intensity techniques. Usually, they are scattered patches in surrounding forests. The spontaneous expansion of trees and shrubs, favored by the recent decline of mountain agriculture, lead the maggengo patches patterns and shapes to change. Our objective was to analyze the effect of this change on current plant diversity of the remnant patches, as the adaptive response could be slow and possibly related more to historical than to current landscape patterns. We analyzed the trend of the size, shape, elongation, fractal dimension and connectivity of maggengo patches of a Central-Eastern Italian Alpine district, in four time steps, from 1973 to 2006, and in 1859, when mountain agriculture was still widespread. Then, we studied the relationships between those landscape metrics and two current patch-level plant diversity measures: interior species richness and species density. Aerial photographs were used to investigate that trend, while a historical cadastral map was used to assess the landscape metrics in 1859. As expected, in the last 30 years, the total size of maggenghi has been reduced by 57% while their shapes have been progressively simplified. Interior species richness was positively related to size, both in 2006 and over the past 30 years, but not to any 1859 measures. Conversely, species density was positively correlated only with 1859 size, shape index and connectivity. We conclude that the historical shape, size and connectivity are some of the key variables affecting the plant species density of maggengo patches, but not of their interior plant species richness.
Abstract: The present landscape structure and function is the result of centuries of changes produced both by natural processes and human driving forces. For centuries many mountain and hillside areas have been the subject of deforestation to create space for agriculture and grazing, although the abandonment of traditional mountain agriculture has produced a natural forest recovery in many regions of the world. The physical changes imposed on the landscape by the development of secondary woodland have brought both positive and negative consequences, depending on the geographical and economic context and on the scale of the sites. Among the ecological problems caused by natural reforestation, one of great interest is the reduction of open spaces resulting in a loss of landscape heterogeneity and mosaic features. This review paper focused its attention on landscape metrics or indices that are frequently used to assess the structural characteristics of the landscape and to monitor changes in land use: mean patch size (MPS), connectivity (CONN), boundary length (BL) and the patch number (NP). Through the analysis of 52 selected papers and 53 case studies, we identified the main gaps in current knowledge, providing directions for further research. Most of the reviewed studies focused only on a portion of the spatial attributes that we were interested in and only 32 case studies reported accurate data both on forest expansion rate and time range analyzed in the study area. We conclude that the study of changes in all the spatial attributes considered within the same case study is a key to explain ecological consequences in mosaic cycles or in stochastic dynamic landscapes that emerged from the interplay of several processes, and to predict and explain their spatial and temporal characteristics. The current knowledge of how changing spatial attributes affect biodiversity, habitats, and ecosystem functions is limited by the scarcity of studies that explicitly consider the shifting in time of the four spatial attributes together.
Abstract: Studying the relationships between habitats and species is necessary to identify conservation measures at landscape scale and for any environmental assessment. LiDAR is a tool capable of measuring several forest canopy structural parameters, which are traditionally surveyed in the field. Its use offers great potential for the ecological analysis of ecosystems at landscape scale.
Abstract: The use of hedgerows as corridors for forest vascular species has been widely studied, but only in humid oceanic and continental climates; no replicated trials have ever been performed on corridor function. Given these premises, a study was done on the eastern Po Plain, in a transition area between the Temperate (Eurosiberian) and Mediterranean climatic zones, adopting the same sample shape and dimensions as a North-American study [Corbit et al. (1999) J Ecol 87:220â232]. The following research questions were posed: (1) how common are forest species in hedgerows? (2) do origin, isolation, distance from source, width and adjacent land-use factors correlate with the frequency of forest species? (3) are hedgerows corridors for forest species? To address these, three functional types of hedgerows, identified by comparing old aerial-photos, were sampled: remnant attached (n = 12) and remnant isolated (n = 6) with respect to the nearest woodland and regenerated attached (n = 4). If wooded patches were a source for hedgerows, then regenerated hedgerows should be more similar to an adjacent woodland than an isolated remnant. A 900 m2 circular plot in woodlands and an adjacent 90-m transect along hedgerows were sampled for the presence and cover of all plant species, then 39 woodland taxa were selected. Significant differences between the three hedgerow types emerged in forest species richness, but not in cover. The forest species composition in both remnant and regenerated attached hedgerows showed a strong affinity with the adjacent stand, implying a dispersal process from woodland (source) to regenerated hedgerows (sink). A distance effect on forest species distribution clearly linked to a corridor function was found only in regenerated hedgerows, while in the remnant attached ones, even with a composition similar to that of the nearest woodland source, other additional factors cannot be ignored to explain the fine scale distribution of forest species. The cover of the most common ant-dispersed species showed a similar distance effect while vertebrate-dispersed ones did not show any significant trend with distance from woodlands. Habitat suitability for forest species was affected by width, especially in hedges wider than 12 m, but not by adjacent land use.
Abstract: For slightly more than a year, Italian towns have been obliged by law to reduce noise pollution due to road traffic. Local councils must therefore ascertain the most problematic areas
and take action for their mitigation. Noise-isolation walls, built with man-made and life plant materials, can act as passive filter to noise,but must be designed following specific rules, regarding both the choice of materials and their arrangement. In these pages, the experience of the Town of Legnago, near Verona.
Abstract: Tools supporting the decision-making process are necessary when planning nature conservation and performing ecological restoration actions.
A decision-support tool for the management plan of Vincheto di Celarda Nature Reserve, based on the relative ecological risk assessment, was developed within the LIFE Project LIFE04NAT/IT/000190. This method includes: i) the preparation of a georeferenced catalogue of the threats to plant communities and zootopes; ii) the estimation of the hazard level for each threat, i.e. the probability of its occurrence; iii) the estimation of the nature value and vulnerability of plant communities and zootopes, obtained through field surveys, expert judgment and interviews with the reserve managers. By calculating the product of hazard level, value and vulnerability, the method allows analyzing, explicitly and on a spatial scale, the risks, which the species and habitats suffer due to human and natural disturbances, and identifying management options to reduce the risk level.
The latter is achieved by giving semi-quantitative values to the different factors which contribute to the calculation of risk, before and after the actions included in the management plan have been carried out. The methodology is described through some examples. This method has proven to be a useful instrument for the management of threats to species and habitats with conservation value.
Abstract: The vegetation of Val Tovanella Nature Reserve was surveyed during the LIFE Project LIFE04NAT/IT/000190 to produce a map of Habitats of Community interest (Natura 2000 Habitats). The territory of the reserve is mostly occupied by forests, and a large number of forest types and their respective facies were recorded. Particularly important are Tilio-Acerion ravine forests, and black pine forests, which are Priority Habitat types. The forest cover includes wide silver fir and beech forests, and the subalpine mountain pine woods, the latter being a Priority Habitat type as well. Pioneer vegetation of the rocky slopes and screes is well-represented. We present the list and a description of habitat types, which are essential for future management, and we also highlight the nature value of the vegetation, with regard to syntaxonomic features.
Abstract: In this paper we describe the vegetation of Vincheto di Celarda Nature Reserve based on our map of the Natura 2000 Habitats which was created during the LIFE Project LIFE04NAT/IT/000190. The vegetation types with the highest nature value are the riparian woods (Salicion albae), and the communities on riverside gravel bars (Salicetum eleagni and Saturejon subspicatae - Scorzoneretalia community). We provide a physiognomic description of the vegetation which will be useful for the management of the reserve. The syntaxonomic aspects are described brieï¬y.
Abstract: The paper deals with the development and first application of a GIS-based model of vulnerability to the conservation and enhancement of Natura 2000 habitat 6210 in sites of Community importance. The general applied formula was (R = V * p * D), where R is risk, V is vulnerability, p is danger (exposure), D is the value of the biotic component. Presence and absence of orchids, whose important sites make the habitat 6210 a priority habitat, were sampled in 50-m side cells. The cells were used as map units for the calculation of the factors in the general formula. Human and natural threats were analysed: the first being tourism and traffic, the second being abandonment and natural afforestation. The human danger was related to the road and paths networks length, the natural danger to the amount of woodland and scrubland surface recognised through an unsupervised classification of aerial photos. Value and vulnerability related to the two threats were finally estimated for each orchids species and summed in every cell. After having applied the formula, several maps of natural and human induced risk were performed: they guided the decision-making process of several conservation projects performed by the local Natural Park.
Abstract: The natural reforestation of the fallow lands, widely documented on the Alps and throughout Europe, has important consequences on the geomorphic and hydro-geological processes, on biodiversity and on the anthropogenic landscape; moreover the post-abandonment woodlands invading past cultivated lands and pastures, acquire several environmental functions. For these reasons, it is advisable to identify the best management techniques. This article deals with a synthesis of the major ecological and biometrical characteristics and accessibility of the neo-forest types of a region of the Eastern Italian Alps (Trentino). The analysis is based on the data surveyed during a two-stage sampling of the entire regional surface, which permitted the field survey of 291 post-abandonment woodlands. The present sylvicultural treatments can be grouped into four categories: a) thinning; b) coppicing with reserve of noble broadleaved species; c) planting of native species in the undercover; d) wildlife habitat improvement. Coppicing and planting follow consuetudinary or experimental techniques, which need to be parametrized. The experience in wildlife habitat improvement is wide and would deserve a large-scale monitoring program of its effects. The ecological analysis showed that the broadleaved species cover is much more higher than that of mature woodlands, and that many post-abandonment woodlands are invading herbaceous communities with high nature value (Festuco-Brometalia and Molinietalia). Finally, the not negligible cover of neophytes is noteworthy and its potential effects on genetic pollution should be studied in details.
Notes: T Sitzia (2009) Ecologia e gestione dei boschi di neoformazione nel paesaggio del Trentino. Provincia di Trento, Servizio Foreste e Fauna.
Abstract: Secondary woodlands are expanding throughout Europe as a result of the abandonment of farmland and the natural or artificial regeneration of forest cover. If properly managed, secondary woodlands can generate significant environmental and livelihood benefits. They can play a key role in biodiversity conservation or loss. In addition, secondary woodlands can represent a land reserve for agriculture and livestock production. Their uncontrolled expansion can lead to the loss of human heritage elements. With this paper we aimed at giving a brief reference of the current status and some management options for recent secondary woodlands based on a regional sample located in the South-Eastern Alps.
Abstract: European Directive 92/43/EEC (The Habitats Directive) requires competent authorities to carry out an Appropriate Assessment (AA) of plans and projects that, either alone or in combination with other plans and projects, are likely to have a significant effect on European designated sites. This report deals with one of the first examples of AA, applied to an integrated forest road plan in a northern-Italian natural Park.
On a GIS base, implemented with existing databases and field original data, we evaluated the risk connected to the planned forest roads routes with the formula (R = V * p * D), where R is risk, V is vulnerability, p is danger (exposure), D is the value of the biotic component (wildlife, vegetation and plant species). Based on the results we identified the routes which should be removed from the plan to prevent likely significantly negative effects.
Abstract: A shift in the traditional land-use system of the Alps resulted in the widespread abandonment of agricultural lands and recovery of secondary woodlands.
Our study area, located in the Southern-Central Alps and extended for about 6000 km2, provided the opportunity to study this trend and suggest strategies for restoration ecology and sylviculture. In order to estimate the secondary woodland area, we adopted a two-stages sampling design. In the first stage, 100 cells were randomly selected with replacement in a 4 km regularly spaced grid according to a probability depending on an auxiliary variable; in the second stage, 100 sample points were drawn randomly within each selected cell; the 10000 sampling points were then surveyed on 1973 and 1999 orthophotos to estimate the area of secondary woodlands. These woodlands covered approximately 3% of the study area. The 291 sample points located on naturally or artificially reforested abandoned land were surveyed further on the ground, recording ecological, biometrical, management and landscape attributes. This manual concerns the instructions for the field surveys.
