Abstract
The study involved an in-depth analysis of the main land cover and land use data available nationwide for the Italian territory, in order to produce a reliable cartography for the evaluation of ecosystem services. In detail, data from the land monitoring service of the Copernicus Programme were taken into consideration, while at national level the National Land Consumption Map and some regional land cover and land use maps were analysed. The classification systems were standardized with respect to the European specifications of the EAGLE Group and the data were integrated to produce a land cover map in raster format with a spatial resolution of 10 m. The map was validated and compared with the CORINE Land Cover, showing a significant geometric and thematic improvement, useful for a more detailed and reliable evaluation of ecosystem services. In detail, the map was used to estimate the variation in carbon storage capacity in Italy for the period 2012–2020, linked to the increase in land consumption
Highlights
Territory is a source of resources such as food, biomass and raw materials and provides essential ecosystem services that support production functions, regulate natural cycles, provide cultural and spiritual benefits [1].The European Environment Agency introduced the concept of “land system”, which defines the territory as a set of terrestrial components that includes all the processes and activities related to its anthropic use [2,3]
The study involved an in-depth analysis of the main land cover and land use data available nationwide for the Italian territory, in order to produce a reliable cartography for the evaluation of ecosystem services
Data from the land monitoring service of the Copernicus Programme were taken into consideration, while at national level the National Land Consumption Map and some regional land cover and land use maps were analysed
Summary
The European Environment Agency introduced the concept of “land system”, which defines the territory as a set of terrestrial components that includes all the processes and activities related to its anthropic use [2,3]. This concept considers the territory as an integrated system [4] that combines everything related to land use and land cover. The management of territory is fundamental, since its transformation alters the environmental processes and related ecosystem services [6], which are the benefits that humans obtain directly or indirectly from terrestrial ecosystems [7]. The MEA is an international research project launched in 2001 with the aim of evaluating the consequences of ecosystem changes on human well-being and establishing actions to improve the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems and their contribution to health
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
