Landscape Of Central Italy Research Articles

Spatial responses of long-eared bats Plecotus auritus to forestry practices: Implications for forest management in protected areas

Landscape management is a key tool for wildlife conservation. This is especially important in protected areas, where conservation, local resource harvesting such as timber harvesting, and public accessibility are potentially conflicting needs that eventually influence wildlife ecology and behaviour. We studied the spatial behaviour of a forest specialist, the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), and tested how this species copes with: i) habitat structure shaped by forest management practices (past coppice, high forest and conifer plantations), and ii) the occurrence of gaps within the forest matrix opened by people to make space for pastures and hiking trails. We radio-tagged 17 bats for 3 consecutive nights each, to track their movements in a beech-dominated forest landscape in central Italy, and assessed their spatial behaviour in relation to the landscape by adopting two different approaches. First, we applied habitat selection analyses to test whether specific land use classes were disproportionately used by bats over land class availability within the landscape. Second, we related individual-based foraging and commuting locations to landscape structure, predicting activity-specific probabilities in response to land use composition and spatial patterning. Brown long-eared bats most preferred high forest stands, whereas all other land classes were least preferred such as coppice, conifer stands, and pastures. Predictive models indicate that commuting and foraging, besides being both more likely to occur within high forest, were differently affected by landscape features. Commuting long-eared bats flew along and closer to trails and open areas compared to random sites, while such habitat features were barely used for foraging. On such bases, due to the great importance of high forest, we highlight that long time may be needed to functionally convert coppice into high forest, and that previous forest management may have long-lasting effects on forest-specialist taxa. Similarly, the use of non-native conifers, once favoured for their high timber productivity, should be avoided within protected areas aiming at conserving forest bats. Trails and clearings might also be planned strategically to exploit their potential role of ecological corridor between core forest areas and favour bat commuting.

Population genetic structure and sex-biased dispersal of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) in a continuous and in a fragmented landscape in central Italy

Habitat fragmentation hinders the dispersal process, which, in turn, causes changes to the genetic variability of populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fragmentation on the genetic population features of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), a small rodent living in forest habitats, using seven microsatellite loci. We compared (i) the genetic variability and population structure, (ii) the scale of the spatial structuring, and (iii) the possible presence and effect of a sex-biased dispersal in two populations living, respectively, in a continuous and in a fragmented landscape in central Italy. Although all microsatellite loci were always polymorphic, in the fragmented population the observed heterozygosity was usually lower than expected, and 5 out of 7 loci were not at Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium. The fragmented population was found to be strongly structured. These results showed that there was a hindrance of the gene flow between subpopulations, and in some cases even a virtual ecological isolation, as confirmed by the absence of covariation between the pairwise genetic and Euclidean distances. Some clues of female-biased dispersal were found, but even the dispersing sex showed dispersal problems in several cases. The strong differences in the genetic features between the continuous and fragmented population, indicate that the hazel dormouse strongly suffers from habitat fragmentation. This happens even when several neighbouring habitats remnants persist and remain partially connected by verges along crop fields. Thus, the fragmented landscape needs urgent measures to restore ecological connectivity through a more effective management plan of the hedgerows network.

Land-cover changes and sustainable development in a rural cultural landscape of central Italy: classical trends and counter-intuitive results

ABSTRACTDefining and understanding the long-term social and ecological evolution of rural cultural landscapes can provide insights into complex dynamics of landscape and environment changes. Land cover changes (LCCs) in Mediterranean-type ecosystems are mainly due to human-induced landscape transformations. Multi-scale spatial analysis can provide useful information in the interpretation of LCCs data and contribute to identifying underlying drivers of landscape change. In the present study, we analyze eight diachronic land cover maps and perform statistical data assessments of human pressure in the Tolfa–Cerite district (Northern Latium, central Italy) to investigate potential changes in the cultural landscape. The Tolfa–Cerite district is a generally dry area with subhumid–humid sites and an interesting mosaic of Mediterranean-temperate vegetation, agricultural and pastoral land, and a millenarian human presence. LCCs were assessed over a period of 57 years (1949–2006) using maps at both low-resolution (1:100.000) and high-resolution (1:25.000) with different class nomenclature systems. Three primary land cover changes have been observed during the investigated period: (i) urbanization, (ii) land abandonment, and (iii) deforestation. While the former two classes of landscape change are particularly common in the northern Mediterranean region, forest conversion to pastures and shrub lands due to intensive grazing, fires, climate aridity, and increasing human pressure is, nowadays, rarely observed in Italy. Better understanding the influence of population dynamics at the local scale and other drivers of LCCs can help fine-tuning conservation policies looking at landscape quality, diversity, and fragmentation.

The transition of chestnut (Castanea sativa Miller) from timber to fruit tree: Cultural and economic inferences in the Italian peninsula

Anthracological analysis has been carried out in the Medieval site of Miranduolo, a rural settlement in southern Tuscany with a sequence of occupation between the 7th and 14th century AD. Between the 7th and mid-9th century AD, during the phase of a Lombard farming village, the strong presence of Castanea sativa as timber for building showed that chestnut was the preferred species for carpentry and fuelwood, suggesting coppice management of chestnut woods for timber production. The Miranduolo data, set against the archaeobotanical data in the literature, rejected the hypothesis of chestnut cultivation as a fruit tree and corroborated the hypothesis that the plant was initially used for timber production during the Early Middle Ages, continuing the woodworking tradition of the Roman period. From the mid-9th century AD, during the Carolingian feudal system, chestnut in the feudal estate of Miranduolo ceased to be used for building and firewood, while deciduous Quercus was preferred. At the same time, chestnut fruits began to be picked and kept in warehouses at the disposal of the feudal lord, suggesting the management of chestnut woods for fruit production. Comparison with existing archaeobotanical data revealed that chestnut cultivation for fruits began in this period in other Italian regions also, encouraged by different economic systems. From the 10th century, in Miranduolo chestnut was exploited both for timber and fruit suggesting the abundance of this resource in high managed stands. Comparison with coeval archaeological sources, archaeobotanical data and pollen records suggested from this period the strong expansion of this species that gradually took place throughout central and southern Italy, becoming a ‘multifunctional’ high-forest. The current chestnut forest landscape in central Italy is thus of human origin, expanding and changing over about 1000 years of cultivation.

Measuring Scale-Dependent Landscape Structure with Rao’s Quadratic Diversity

In this paper, we apply a special application of the Rao quadratic diversity for multiscale analysis of land use changes in a mixed agricultural-forest landscape in Central Italy. The proposed approach is similar to a block-size analysis of compositional diversity for which a given landscape is overlaid with a series of square grids composed of increasingly larger boxes. The combination of land cover classes in each box is recorded, and the Rao quadratic diversity is computed for the frequency distribution of the land cover classes at each box-size. Plotting compositional diversity versus box-size provides information on the scale-dependent pattern of the landscape. Since the proposed methodology is not severely influenced by the co-registration accuracy of the underlying data sets, it may prove to be reasonably adequate for analyzing historical data sets of varying resolution and quality, like aerial photographs or categorical maps.

Development of site-specific IPM against European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (D. & S.) in vineyards

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for site-specific IPM of the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Denis & Shiffermüller), in a Mediterranean agricultural landscape in central Italy. In 2005–2006, sampling was conducted to verify the spatio-temporal distribution of L. botrana eggs, larvae and adult populations in the investigated agro-ecosystem. On the basis of these results, we applied tactics in 2007 and 2008 to reduce the outer source of the infestation by establishing a pheromone trap barrier system to prevent the movement of male adults from the olive groves into the vineyards, and to test the hypothesis that a within-field site-specific control results in reduced insecticide requirements compared with a traditional uniform IPM protocol. Sampling and control operations were carried out to avoid an increase of economic and labour efforts, leaving as much as possible the costs at the same level of a standard monitoring program. The results highlighted that male hot spots in olive groves disappeared, and that the number of larval nests on vine inflorescences was significantly decreased, when additional traps were deployed (2007–2008) compared to the period before (2005–2006). The site-specific control, i.e. treating only egg hot spots with Bacillus thuringensis var. kurstaki, allowed for a decrease in the surface of the treated vineyard and, consequently, the quantity of insecticide utilised. In 2008, no significant differences between uniform and site-specific IPM in vineyards were observed in the number of damaged berries and the percentage of infested bunches. The results are discussed with respect to the spatial pattern of pest populations, site-specific IPM tactics, sampling operations and pest control costs.

Spatio-temporal distribution of Ceratitis capitata population in a heterogeneous landscape in Central Italy

The spatio-temporal dynamics of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), was investigated to evaluate the effect of the landscape elements and host plants on pest distribution, in an agricultural landscape of 500 ha located in Central Italy. Two farms (farm 1 and farm 2) are located in the experimental area, composing mixed fruit orchards and surrounded by hedgerows, small woodlots, private gardens and cereal fields. Ceratitis capitata population fluctuation was monitored, from 2006 to 2008, using traps baited with trimedlure. Geostatistical methods such as Inverse distance squared weighted were used to obtain distributional maps of adults, mainly males. Results showed that the adult Mediterranean fruit flies were primarily distributed inside farm 1, with the maximum density found in the months of September and October. Away from the principal host plants, particularly in cereal fields, the number of trapped individuals was always low or zero. In both farms, flies were caught sequentially in traps located on host plants (i.e. peach, apple, pear, oriental persimmon and prickly pear) at varying times of maturation, especially when fruits remained on the trees. Distributional maps provided evidence that allowed to identify habitats in which the fly developed early in the season (mixed peach orchards) and afterwards during the periodic flights.

Vegetation analysis on wetlands in a Tuscan agricultural landscape (central Italy)

AbstractThe plant communities on the wetlands of an agricultural landscape in central Italy were studied. Indicator species, dominant life forms, alien species cover and prevailing habitat conditions (using Ellenberg indicator values) were shown to characterize the four groups that emerged from a classification analysis. 31 vegetation units were documented by 98 original phytosociological relevés and a floristic, synecological and distributional description was presented with syntaxonomic notes for each unit. A new association, Rorippo amphibiae-Potentilletum reptantis, was described. The high phytocoenotic diversity, the 7 coenoses belonging to habitat of Community or regional interest and the higher risks affecting these wetlands in an anthropic countryside (eutrophication, invasion of alien species, human modifications of the landscape) underline the fact that these wetlands are of high conservation value and the goal of protecting this very important environment.

Distribution and coexistence of shrews in patchy landscapes: A field test of multiple hypotheses

Despite the important role of shrews (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) in the functioning of ecosystems, as predators and prey, the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on this guild of mammals are still unclear. We studied the distribution of 5 species (the greater white toothed shrew Crocidura leucodon; the lesser white toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens; the pigmy shrew Sorex minutus; the Appennine shrew Sorex samniticus and the Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus) in a fragmented landscape in central Italy. Shrews were trapped with pitfall traps made from plastic water bottles, the number of traps increased with patch size. A total of 170 individuals, of 5 species of shrews were captured. Shrews were widely distributed in our study area, however patch occupancy was determined mainly by vegetation and geometrical characteristics of the patches. Our data supports the hypotheses that patterns of habitat selection and the dynamics of seasonal abundance (habitat and temporal partitioning between similarly sized species) reduce competitive pressure, thus allowing coexistence of shrews in relatively species-rich assemblages, for such small amounts of habitat. The most important outcome of our results is the crucial role played by vegetation structure in determining distribution patterns. These results strongly suggest that measurements of the vegetation structure of habitat patches should always be included as explanatory variables when studying the distribution of shrews in fragmented landscapes.

Archœology and Landscape in Central Italy: Papers in Memory of John A. Lloyd. Gary Lock and Amalia Faustoferri, Eds.

<i>Archœology and Landscape in Central Italy: Papers in Memory of John A. Lloyd</i>. Gary Lock and Amalia Faustoferri, Eds.

Holocene book review: Archaeology and landscape in central Italy: papers in memory of John A. Lloyd (Oxford University School of Archaeology: Monograph 69) Edited by G.R. Lock and A. Faustoferri, Oxford: School of Archaeology, 2008, 253 pp., US$76.00, hardback. ISBN 978-1-905905-06-5

Holocene book review: Archaeology and landscape in central Italy: papers in memory of John A. Lloyd (Oxford University School of Archaeology: Monograph 69) Edited by G.R. Lock and A. Faustoferri, Oxford: School of Archaeology, 2008, 253 pp., US$76.00, hardback. ISBN 978-1-905905-06-5

Species’ surrogacy for conservation planning: caveats from comparing the response of three arboreal rodents to habitat loss and fragmentation

The use of surrogate species in conservation planning has been applied with disappointing results on relatively large sets of species. It could still prove useful for optimizing conservation efforts when considering a small set of species with similar ecological requirements, however few field tests of this nature have been carried out. The aim of this research is to compare the response of three arboreal rodent species—the fat dormouse (Glis glis), the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)—to habitat loss and fragmentation, with the aim of identifying priorities for conservation and evaluating possible optimization of conservation efforts under different scenarios: habitat restoration and selection of focal patches. We studied the distribution of the three species in a sample of patches in a highly fragmented landscape in central Italy, using a patch-landscape scale approach. The distribution was studied by using hair tubes, nestboxes and nocturnal surveys. The three species showed analogous responses to increasing isolation and decreasing size of habitat patches; what differed however, was the magnitude of responses. Our results show possible application of surrogacy within this restricted group of species, however several caveats arise depending on the conservation strategy and available funding. If habitat restoration is the objective, then the fat dormouse should be the target species for guiding size and isolation of patches. On the other hand, the magnitude of the differences and patch requirements for this species, question the feasibility of these conservation actions. If selection of focal patches for conservation is the objective then selecting the fat dormouse as a focal/umbrella species would overlook areas suitable for the other two species. Feasible optimisation of conservation efforts may be possible only between the red squirrel and the hazel dormouse.

Spatial Analysis of &lt;I&gt;Lobesia botrana&lt;/I&gt; (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Male Population in a Mediterranean Agricultural Landscape in Central Italy

The results obtained from the spatial analysis of pheromone-baited trap catch data of Lobesia botrana (Denis and Schiffermüller) males are reported. The research was undertaken in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. In the study area, vineyards (of Vitis vinifera L.) are the predominant cultivation, surrounded by hedgerows and small woodlots, and interspersed with cereal crops and olive groves. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of L. botrana, inside and outside vineyards, and to evaluate the effect of the landscape elements on pest distribution. A trend orientation over the experimental area was observed along the direction from northwest to southeast. Correlograms fitted using a spherical model showed in all cases an aggregated distribution and an estimated range having a mean of 174 m in 2005 and 116 m in 2006. Contour maps highlighted that spatial distribution of L. botrana was not limited to vineyards, but its presence is high particularly inside olive groves. The adult distribution on the experimental area changed during the season: hot spots of flight I were positioned inside olive groves; during flights II and III, they were concentrated in vineyards. L. botrana males were also captured in uncultivated fields, but never in high densities. Our results showed that a large proportion of the adult population of L. botrana inhabits areas outside those usually targeted by pest management programs. Thus, in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems, it is highly recommended to consider the whole landscape, with particular attention to olive crops.

Spatial Analysis ofLobesia botrana(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Male Population in a Mediterranean Agricultural Landscape in Central Italy

Spatial Analysis of<i>Lobesia botrana</i>(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Male Population in a Mediterranean Agricultural Landscape in Central Italy

Interaction of food resources and landscape structure in determining the probability of patch use by carnivores in fragmented landscapes

Studies on the distribution of mammalian carnivores in fragmented landscapes have focused mainly on structural aspects such as patch and landscape features; similarly, habitat connectivity is usually associated with landscape structure. The influence of food resources on carnivore patch use and the important effect on habitat connectivity have been overlooked. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relative importance of food resources on patch use patterns and to test if food availability can overcome structural constraints on patch use. We carried out a patch-use survey of two carnivores: the beech marten (Martes foina) and the badger (Meles meles) in a sample of 39 woodland patches in a fragmented landscape in central Italy. We used the logistic model to investigate the relative effects on carnivore distribution of patch, patch neighbourhood and landscape scale variables as well as the relative abundance of food resources. Our results show how carnivore movements in fragmented landscapes are determined not only by patch/landscape structure but also by the relative abundance of food resources. The important take-home message of our research is that, within certain structural limits (e.g. within certain limits of patch isolation), by modifying the relative amount of resources and their distribution, it is possible to increase suitability in smaller/relatively isolated patches. Conversely, however, there are certain thresholds above which an increase in resources will not achieve high probability of presence. Our findings have important and generalizable consequences for highly fragmented landscapes in areas where it may not be possible to increase patch sizes and/or reduce isolation so, for instance, forest regimes that will increase resource availability could be implemented.

Estimating species' absence, colonization and local extinction in patchy landscapes: an application of occupancy models with rodents

AbstractMaking an inference on the absence of a species in a site is often problematic, due to detection probability being, in most cases, &lt;1. Inference is more complicated if detection probability, together with distribution patterns, vary during the year, since the possibility of inferring a species absence, at reasonable costs, may be possible only in certain periods. Our aim here is to show how such challenging situations can be by tackled by applying some recently developed occupancy models combined with sample size (number of repeated surveys) estimation. We thus analysed the distribution of two rodents Myodes glareolus and Mus musculus domesticus in a fragmented landscape in central Italy pointing out how it is possible to identify true absences, non‐detections, extinctions/colonizations and determine seasonal values of detection probability.

Floristic gradients of herbaceous vegetation and P/N ratio in soil in a Mediterranean area

A broad range of herbaceous plant comu- nities in a Mediterranean Landscape in central Italy, running from heavily urbanized areas to semi-natural pastures, has been studied. These communities can be easily arranged along a gradient of ruderality. We inspected which of a series of soil parameters could better explain this gradient (pH, CaCO3, granulom- etry, N, P, C/N, P/N). We show that (1) the single most important explanatory variable is P/N ratio of soil; (2) nitrogen and carbon pools in soil are related, in the set of communities studied, with another gradient of decreasingly frequent, predictable, mod- erate disturbance such as trampling. We discuss the meaning of these results.

Area effect on bird communities, guilds and species in a highly fragmented forest landscape of central Italy

Breeding bird communities in an “archipelago” of 16 wood fragments (13 oak deciduous woods, 1 holm wood, and 2 anthropogenic pinewoods) in a littoral plain of Central Italy were studied. Species richness and diversity index resulted directly and significantly correlated to fragment area. Species richness tended to cumulate in fragments over 100‐ha area size. The log‐transformed species/area relationship showed a coefficient z = 0.21, inside the range known for ecological islands. Z coefficient increased (0.23) excluding one guild of field‐edge and anthropophilous species. Cluster analysis showed a separation among fragments based on their area size. Although species richness in pinewood plantations corresponded to the expected one from species/area relationship, cluster analysis highlighted disaffinity with bird communities of larger woods of oaks. These anthropogenic woods could not be surrogate habitats for many forest species in fragmented landscapes. Richness and abundance of field‐edge and anthropophilous species resulted inversely correlated to fragment area. The opposite trend was observed for forest sensu latu species. Correlation coefficient increased considering only deciduous oak fragments. Some forest generalist species showed an abundance directly correlated to fragment size area (Troglodytes troglodytes, Erithacus rubecula, Fringilla coelebs); other species (Streptopelia turtur, Upupa epops, Jynx torquilla, Picoides major, Sitta europaed) were absent in fragment smaller than 10 ha. These species could constitute a set of area‐sensitive taxa for planning strategy in highly fragmented landscapes, although, selection of these targets appears strongly context‐limited.

Informational Analysis of Forest Landscape Spatial Heterogeneity

Summary Under the perspective of forest ecosystem management, landscape is interpreted as a functioning structure. From an inventory and monitoring operational point of view, such an approach implies wise use of geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques enabling a global view of the territorial mosaic. From a methodological point of view, landscape ecology theory may be used as the assessment framework. Remotely sensed data provide excellent opportunities for the involved analyses, using both vegetation density measures and spatial statistics. The objective of this paper was to assess landscape spatial heterogeneity using an analysis method based on Shannon's information theoretic entropy applied to satellite remotely sensed inputs of plant biomass. A forested mountainous landscape of Central Italy was examined as a case study. In this area, anthropogenic disturbance resulted as opposing the natural tendency of vegetation towards an horizontally homogeneous landscape giving way to a micro-heterogeneous structure composed of long-term stratification of small patches. The proposed analysis method proves to be simply refinable by more finely classifying land cover types to enable a more thoroughly landscape texture properties linkage to ecological processes.

Relation between vegetation canopy surface temperature and the Sun-surface geometry in a mountainous region of central Italy

Evapotranspiration is the dominant energy exchange process in dense vegetated environments with an adequate water supply. If water is available vegetation canopy temperatures do not respond immediately upon intercepting solar radiation because of the apportionment of absorbed solar radiation into sensible and latent heat. This lag in the thermal conditions of vegetation canopy following the incident solar flux can be even more complex after sunrise because the presence of dew on the foliage requires more available energy investment in evaporating water and less energy spent in warming the foliage. The aim of this Letter, which is based on remotely-sensed thermal data obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper in the daytime of a clear summer day, is to investigate the relationship between canopy surface temperatures and the incident solar radiation for a forested montainous landscape of central Italy. Results show that, under the conditions of our experiment, a time lag of one hour considerably increases the linear relation between vegetation canopy temperature and local solar illumination angle.