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Historical Floras are biodiversity-oriented textual sources, which refer to times when scientific methods were far different compared to the present. They are also geographical documents, as the entire work is referred to a focal region explored by certain collectors and following certain principles, since the taxa recorded are usually accompanied by a description of the locality of the observation. Retrospective georeferencing, as well as taxonomic revision, of the records in Historical Floras are, however, very challenging processes, which are usually not taken into account. As a result, very few global overviews of Historical Floras exist to date. In this article we present the analysis of the 7767 floristic records of the late XIX century Flora of the province of Bologna (N-Italy) compiled by Girolamo Cocconi. We processed these records by georeferencing them, whenever possible, to 659 pairs of coordinates and coupling them with the analysis of the collectors involved besides the author, as to provide the spatial and temporal dimension that permits us to further understand the taxonomic information given by the species listed. This allowed us to detect a bias in the exploration of the territory, which depended on accessibility and/or attractivity of the areas for fieldwork and shifted through time as function of the available collaborators who influenced the definition of the floristic pattern of the territory. Finally, we provided a diachronic analysis with the present flora to document the most significant land use changes based on selected floristic target groups.

Identifying areas susceptible to invasion by an alien species is a strategy of prevention. We used national herbaria and global databases to assess the invasion trends of the two aquatic invasive species Ludwigia hexapetala and Ludwigia peploidessubsp. montevidensis in Italy. We defined the invasion status with invasions curves and predicted potentially suitable areas with Species Distribution Models based on WorldClim variables and the human footprint index. Low seasonal variation in temperature and precipitation, temperature ≥ 20 °C in the warmest, driest and wettest periods of the year and precipitation in the coldest period are the bioclimatic factors that most account for the potential distribution of the two species. The human footprint has lower relative importance than bioclimatic variables. All Italian peninsula appears as a suitable bioclimatic environment for the invasion of the two Ludwigia species, except the Alps and the highest peaks in the Apennine. Based on the current distribution of the species in Italy and the mostly densely invaded areas globally, the agricultural land surrounding the current invaded areas and along the Italian coasts is the most vulnerable to the invasion. Considering the trend of the invasion curves, which have been sharply rising for the latest decades, there are reasons to expect that the alien Ludwigia species will continue their expansion, if no timely and effective actions are taken. Informative campaigns, accurate monitoring and prompt management are fundamental preventive tools in areas predicted as vulnerable to invasion by this study.

Puccinellia fasciculata is a littoral miohalophyte with a Mediterranean-Atlantic distribution, uncommonly found in inland sites. The main Italian inland population is located in the Salse di Nirano Reserve, an area internationally renowned for the phenomenon of mud volcanoes. In this study, molecular markers are used to characterize this population and its possible relationships with the nearest littoral conspecific population. A survey of ISSR markers revealed low levels of genetic diversity (He = 0.081 in the inland population, 0.105 in the littoral one) and a weak genetic differentiation (Gst = 0.24 within the inland population, 0.28 among this and the littoral one). A sequence analysis of three non-coding regions of chloroplast DNA found no genetic differentiation both within the inland population and between the two populations, and revealed a common origin for the two dating back to the middle Holocene. The apparent incongruence between the results from the two approaches may be explained by differences between ISSR and non-coding cpDNA markers in capturing signatures related to gene flow; their integrated information implies a mixed reproductive strategy and a common evolutionary history for the two examined populations. Effective conservation strategies are recommended for the inland population of P. fasciculata and its habitat.

Context: Preserving hydrophyte and wetland plant diversity is among the most critical environmental issues worldwide. The progressive decline and disappearance of these species led to dramatic consequences on functions and services provided by inland aquatic ecosystems. This is especially relevant for lowlands that are usually disturbance-dominated landscapes, mainly by mechanization in agriculture and land use changes. Objectives: In these contexts, it is fundamental to understand the key factors affecting the aquatic and wetland plant richness, focusing on relict aquatic habitats, and overcoming a purely trophic-oriented approach. Methods: To do this, the aquatic and wetland flora of 88 aquatic sites, encompassed in an oversimplified watershed, was explored in terms of the total number of aquatic and wetland plant species, hydrophytes, alien species, and policy species, as well as 18 explanatory variables, including eco-morphological, hydrological, direct human impact, and landscape mosaic drivers. Results: The results emphasize the key role of site area and hydrological connectivity compared to land-use intensity in explaining hydrophyte and wetland plant richness in overexploited landscapes; conversely, site origin was crucial only for alien species, being more abundant in artificial sites. Conclusions: This paper offers a new comprehension of the leading contribution of local drivers in explaining macrophyte patterns, suggesting a relevant influence of habitat dynamics in regulating species establishment and developing. The future challenge will be to actively include artificial and/or altered aquatic ecosystems in hydrophyte and wetland plants conservation programs, not forgetting the risks associated with an increasingly spread of alien species. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Historical floras, i.e. lists of plant species recorded in a given geographical area, are not usually considered for capturing past landscape features. In this study, we tested the usefulness of the simultaneous use of historical floristic data and a coeval topographic map to evaluate the main features of the past vegetation landscape and the potential of such data in change detection. Our study site was the Monte Fumaiolo area (northern Italy), where historical floristic data were independently recorded by two famous botanists during the 1930s. Past floristic data were then compared with current cartographic and vegetation data. Despite the fact that the two authors explored a comparable area, they significantly differed in the use of toponyms and in the distribution of floristic records among toponyms. This is reflected by a low floristic similarity at the toponym level between the two data sets. Nevertheless, the species classification into ecological categories allowed to highlight how the two authors recorded similar information on the landscape features. However, the use of these floristic data may have some flaws in landscape change detection.

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records, confirmations or exclusions for the bryophyte genera Acaulon, Campylopus, Entosthodon, Homomallium, Pseudohygrohypnum, and Thuidium, the fungal genera Entoloma, Cortinarius, Mycenella, Oxyporus, and Psathyrella and the lichen genera Anaptychia, Athallia, Baeomyces, Bagliettoa, Calicium, Nephroma, Pectenia, Phaeophyscia, Polyblastia, Protoparmeliopsis, Pyrenula, Ramalina, and Sanguineodiscus.

Historical-geographical (chorographic) descriptions provide some of the earliest formal documentation about landscape. We propose a methodological approach aimed at reconstructing a spatial-explicit picture of the agroforestry system of a eighteenth-century landscape, detecting the main land-use drivers, and analysing existing legacies of past agro-forestry productivity in the present landscape. The study area was the Bologna Apennines, and our data source was a chorographic dictionary from 1781-83. We obtained a matrix of 240 administrative units per 18 agro-forestry products with related productivity indices. Multivariate analysis showed that environmental constraints influenced products and productivity. Agricultural areas (and related products) mainly shaped the hillside, while forests and semi-natural areas (and related products) characterized the mountainside. Such former clustering is still recognizable: agricultural land mostly changed to artificial land-cover, whereas semi-natural areas and forests still exist. The proposed approach confirms that chorography can be a useful tool as a primary source in landscape research.

In mountain regions of southern Europe, old-growth chestnut orchards maintained by traditional management were a key component of the economic, cultural, and ecological heritage. Currently, many stands are abandoned due to decreased economic sustainability even though, according to European policies, the loss of traditionally managed old-growth chestnut orchards should be contrasted to prevent biodiversity loss. In this study, we preliminarily mapped the remnants of old-growth chestnut orchards across a region of the northern Apennines (Italy) with a strong tradition of chestnut orchard cultivation. Then, we assessed the effects of management/abandonment in terms of tree features (e.g. size, crown structure, health conditions), occurrence and abundance of target epiphytic lichens, and richness and composition of understory vegetation. Our results revealed contrasting patterns of tree features, lichen, and plant diversity in managed and abandoned old-growth chestnut orchards of the northern Apennines, supporting the view that traditional management is fundamental for the long-term maintenance of healthy veteran trees, the enhancement of epiphytic lichens related to old-growth conditions, and plant diversity. This indicates that 1000 years of chestnut civilization represent a cultural heritage that benefits nature conservation, promoting a virtuous interplay between human activities and biodiversity. For this reason, policies aimed at sustaining traditional management in old-growth chestnut orchards are indispensable to avoid the degradation and loss of this habitat and its centuries-old cultural and ecological legacy.

Viene presentata la flora vascolare di questo sito della Rete Natura 2000, esteso per circa 25 km 2 nel sud-est dell’Emilia-Romagna, alla testa delle valli del Tevere, del Savio e del Marecchia. Il sito è stato da lungo tempo oggetto di numerosi studi botanici; l’elenco qui proposto è basato su flore e segnalazioni floristiche databili fra l’inizio del 1800 e i giorni nostri. Sono stati registrati 689 taxa specifici e sottospecifici, appartenenti a 99 famiglie, delle quali le piú rappresentate sono Asteraceae (14%), Poaceae (9%) e Fabaceae (8%). Alcune specie qui rinvenute meritano un cenno, essendo al limite del loro areale italiano: Diphasiastrum tristachyum, Geranium palustre, Rosa glauca, R. villosa, Ribes multiflorum, non sempre confermate in tempi recenti. La flora ha una sovrapposizione del 93% con quella del limitrofo Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. Si conferma la rilevante ricchezza biologica dell’area, seconda per importanza, a livello romagnolo, solo al Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. We present the vascular flora of this Natura 2000 site, situated in the south-eastern part of the Emilia-Romagna region. It occupies a mountainous area of about 25 km 2 in the upper part of the valleys of the rivers Tiber, Savio and Marecchia. Since a long time, this area has been the object of numerous botanical investigations; the list here proposed is based on floras and floristic notes compiled between the early 1800 and the present days. 689 specific and infraspecific taxa were registered, belonging to 99 families; the most represented ones are Asteraceae (14%), Poaceae (9%) and Fabaceae (8%). Some species here found are quite notable, being at the margin of their Italian range: Diphasiastrum tristachyum, Geranium palustre, Rosa glauca, R. villosa, Ribes multiflorum. They were not always confirmed in recent times. The flora has an overlap of 93% with that of the adjacent Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. We confirm the very notable biological richness of the area, which, in Romagna, is the second most important one after the Foreste Casentinesi National Park.

In a chestnut belt in the northern Apennines (Italy), we interviewed current (n = 52) and potential growers from a younger generation (n = 57), to assess what factors are likely to drive their willingness to continue chestnut culture. In 35 cases, local appraisals of chestnut stand disturbances were also contrasted with expert assessments. More than half of current growers were confident about the future of chestnut cultivation. This proportion decreased with grower's age and experienced issues, while slightly increased in presence of multifunctional management and support from family members. Although most growers resulted highly capable of diagnosing problems, expert advice significantly contributed to driving positive perceptions. About half of the younger interviewees also expressed interest in growing chestnut. This proportion was higher for respondents who are exposed to chestnut culture within the family, and who value cultural services above other ecosystem services (ES) of forests. Overall, passion for the activity and attachment to local heritage were the most influential motivation for both categories of respondents. We outline policy actions that may encourage the continuation of chestnut management and, more generally, conservation of cultural landscapes in mountain areas. Possible measures include financial incentives (e.g., payments for ES), tighter integration of traditional and expert knowledge in the production chain, and public recognition of the value of local heritage in land management. Broader support to maintaining services and infrastructure in rural areas, however, will also be a pre-condition.

The potential effects of climate change on the distribution of Mediterranean plants at their peripheral range make them extremely vulnerable to environmental fluctuations. The northern-most Italian population of Cistus albidus provides an outstanding case for study, as it grows at the extreme northern edge of its range and because phenological data have been available since the early XIX century. In the period 2012–2017, we analysed the population demography and spatial structure, growth and flowering phenology, and genetic variability to understand the history, current state and possible evolution of this population. Lastly, the population data were tested for association with environmental factors. The population studied consists of plants on average 10 years old, showing the highest growth rates in spring and autumn. Anthesis starts in April and ends in early June and is significantly dependent on temperature. High levels of genetic variability are present (average He = 0.471), with heterozygote excess detected at four loci out of five. Bayesian analysis does not support any genetic structuring of the population. The aggregated pattern in the distribution of individuals and their phenological traits, together with the absence of genetic structuring, seem to suggest that this extreme geographical population is not currently endangered.

The importance of taking into account ecosystems, plant communities and habitats for the development of biodiversity conservation strategies is increasingly acknowledged. Recently, the first ever European Red List of Habitats was produced, which provided an evaluation of the extinction risk of EUNIS-based natural and semi-natural habitats in Europe. As assessment unit, it used the habitat intended as a plant community, thus representing a landmark for the role of vegetation science in nature conservation. In the present paper, the results of the European Red List of Habitats are analyzed at the national scale with specific reference to the terrestrial and freshwater habitat types occurring in Italy. More than three-quarters of the assessed European habitat types were recognized for the Italian territory. The distribution of the threat categories reflects approximately the situation at the EU28 level. About 35% of the assessed habitat types are referred to a threat category; no critically endangered habitat is present in Italy. The most frequently used criteria are those related to a reduction in quantity. Some critical issues arising from the analyses are discussed. In particular, the presence of knowledge gaps is pointed out, with remarkable reference to the poor availability of spatial and quantitative data, severely affecting the application of the criteria adopted for the assessment. Descriptions of habitat types from Italy are reported, some of which are representative, emblematic or even exclusive to the Italian territory. The outcomes of the analysis represent the starting point for the future development of a national-scale Red List of Habitats. Results also emphasized how habitat types with a too broad definition pose a limit to a proper evaluation of the regional biogeographic variability, often very high in Italy, with local floristic and phytocoenotic peculiarities which do not find room in the adopted European typology. This is the reason why the development of national subtypes stands as a necessary step for the development of a realistic and effective assessment at the national scale.

Urban sprawl is defined as an inefficient urban development often linked to sparse building density over rural areas. Routinely available remote sensing data on land cover are useful to study such phenomena, focus is on large raster maps of Urban Morphological Zones (UMZ) produced by the CORINE Land Cover programme of the European Environmental Agency. We present statistical indices to investigate changes in urban size and morphology between sub-regions within a predefined study area and show their implementation with raster data representing UMZ. Urban size is measured by urban land proportion, while morphology is quantified by Moran’s I spatial correlation index. These two area-proportionately additive measures allow comparisons between urban size and morphology in sub-regions of different size to be performed. An urban sprawl scatterplot displaying Moran’s I vs. urban land proportion is proposed as a tool to compare the urban sprawl level in pre-defined sub-regions with respect to a global average level. This scatterplot allows urban sprawled regions within a map to be identified and also an assessment of whether sprawl is due to augmented urban size or decreased urban compactness. An example of the methods is given for Bologna province, Northern Italy, where the interest is in detecting types of urban sprawl at several spatial scales, i.e. municipalities and unions of municipalities, within the whole province.

The biogeography and the ecology of the genus Turbinicarpus are scarcely known and the taxonomic segregation of the genus Rapicactus from Turbinicarpus has been debated. The present study aims to (i) evaluate the distribution of all taxa of Turbinicarpus in the full distributional range of the genus (NE Mexico); (ii) investigate the potential ecological divergence between Rapicactus and Turbinicarpus; and (iii) analyse the influence of environmental variables on plant morphology. The distribution pattern of all taxa belonging to the genus Turbinicarpus s.l. (Turbinicarpus + Rapicactus) was mapped using information from 12 herbaria, as well as unpublished databases. The study area was divided into cells of 25 km × 25 km. The relationships between taxa richness, sampling effort and environmental variables were tested by using grid data, via spatially explicit models. The elevational distribution of populations and the effects of climate, latitude and elevation on the mean steam diameter of the populations were separately investigated for Turbinicarpus and Rapicactus. Turbinicarpus s.l. taxa richness is highest within 100°W and 101°W longitude, about 2500 km north of the equator, with maximum diversity in areas with a mean annual temperature of 17–19 °C and a mean annual rainfall of 550–650 mm. A significant relationship was observed between taxa richness and sampling effort, and between taxa richness and longitude, mean annual rainfall and calcium-rich substrate. Rapicactus taxa were found to grow at higher elevations compared with Turbinicarpus. Body size of the plants showed a negative relationship with latitude and elevation in Turbinicarpus, and a positive one with latitude in Rapicactus. The results showed that the genus Turbinicarpus s.l. presents diversity hotspots in the floristic regions of Chihuahuan Desert and Sierra Madre Oriental. The responses of Rapicactus and Turbinicarpus to latitudinal and elevational gradients were different, supporting the segregation of Rapicactus from Turbinicarpus.

none 6 no Background and aims – Sedum hispanicum acts as a pioneer species on the gypsum outcrops of Emilia Romagna region (Northern Italy). The species was studied in two Sites of Community Importance through a comparative phenological and genetic diversity analysis to provide insights into strategies adopted by the species for successful reproduction in the harsh conditions of these rocky outcrops. Methods – Phenology was examined in individuals from four sampling sites chosen in one study area (Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell’Abbadessa, GB) from March to June in two years (2013 and 2015) with different spring temperatures. Reproductive and vegetative phenophases were compared among sites and over years. ISSR-based molecular analysis was performed to obtain genetic diversity measures on individuals collected at the same four GB sites and, for comparison, in a second area (Gessi di Monte Rocca, Monte Capra e Tizzano). Key results – Individuals at the four GB sites showed inter-annual differences in full flowering and leaf senescence, but intra-annual synchrony of all monitored phenophases. Moderate amounts of genetic diversity were observed in the two areas (P% = 79.67, 67.48; I = 0.209, 0.205; He = 0.118, 0.122). Low genetic structure (Φst = 0.05; Gst = 0.06) and high gene flow (Nm = 3.92) resulted within the GB area. Genetic differentiation was higher between the two areas (Φst = 0.37, Gst = 0.22). Evidence of inbreeding (s = 0.61) was found in the GB area. Conclusions – Inter-annual differences in timing of full flowering phenophase seem to be related chiefly to spring temperatures. The estimates of genetic diversity in S. hispanicum are comparable to those of autogamous and clonal species, while the partitioning of genetic diversity reflects the low structure typical of outcrossing species. Intra-annual flowering synchrony is likely to promote sexual reproduction. Sedum hispanicum seems to adopt multiple reproductive modes to overcome environmental extremes of gypsum outcrops. Key words – Stonecrop, Natura 2000, Gypsum Vein, Northern Apennine, flowering phenology, synchrony, ISSR, genetic variation. open Pezzi, Giovanna; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Mandolfo, ANTONIO LUIGI; Puppi, Giovanna; Velli, Andrea; Conte, Lucia Pezzi, Giovanna; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Mandolfo, ANTONIO LUIGI; Puppi, Giovanna; Velli, Andrea; Conte, Lucia

The spatial pattern of the altitudinal limit of beech woods in the Northern Apennines and its correlation with the Fagus sylvatica thermal requirements were studied. The study area was the whole northern side of the Northern Apennines (latitude 44° N), including a timberline. The pattern was described on a scale of 1:25,000, using digitized phytosociological vegetation maps. The timberline elevation ranges from 1,200 to 1,825 m a.s.l., with the highest range at 1,525 to 1,725 m and a peak (13%) at 1,600–1,625 m. As suggested by the known beech thermal requirements, the following thermal parameters were considered: mean annual temperature, mean of the coldest month (January), mean of the warmest month (July); days with maximum temperatures >10°C and summer mean (June to September). The values were calculated using data for 1951–2002 from six weather stations. The present upper timberline (1,825 m) corresponds to the following: i) mean annual temperature of 4.5°C; ii) coldest month mean temperature of −2.3°C; iii) summer mean of 11.5°C; iv) warmest month mean temperature of 13°C; v) 139 days with maximum temperatures of 10°C or higher. The mean temperature of the warmest month corresponds to the July mean temperature in maritime mountains, such as the Appalachians and the New Zealand Alps (13°C). The geographical location of the Northern Apennines close to the Mediterranean Sea seems to indicate that such a conclusion is reliable. With reference to the elevation variability of the upper timberline, the multiple regression shows that the annual mean is the best explaining thermal parameter (P

Target of this work is the definition of the upper tree limit and the identification of clumps and isolated trees above it using an object-oriented classification of aerial ortophotos. The case study is related to Mt. Giovo, in the northern Apennines. A check on the field using a GPS system was done over some sample areas to identify coordinates and to create a GPS profile of the upper tree limit and clumps of isolated trees. The goal is to “validate” in terms of quality and quantity the information on the features extracted from aerial imagery.

Fog oases in western South America (locally named lomas) are distributed in a kind of fragmented or patchy way into the coastal desert. Their origin, as well as their current ecological connections in terms of species' dispersal capability, remains an open question. We analyzed the latitudinal pattern in plant species and phylogenetic similarities of 13 lomas, which cover the latitudinal extent of these habitats, from 7°58′ to 26°15′ S. A data-set of 1004 species from available checklists was considered. Plant species composition and phylogenetic relationships among lomas were analyzed by non-metric multidimensional scaling. Our results show three main groups of lomas (northern Peruvian, southern Peruvian, and North-Central Chilean lomas) that are aligned along a complex, nonlinear north–south gradient in ordination space. The weak species overlap between Peruvian and Chilean lomas, together with the higher content in endemic species of the Chilean communities, supports the hypothesis that, at least recently, species composition of the three main groups of lomas has been shaped by desert barriers limiting plant dispersal.

Chestnut stands (orchards and coppices) are among the most typical elements of the southern European mountain landscape and a protected habitat (9260 Castanea sativa woods) according to the European Union (Directive 92/43/EEC). As an anthropogenic landscape, they require specific measures to address preservation or to guide their evolutionary trend. In the Northern Apennines, a landscape multiscalar-multitemporal approach was adopted to highlight factors that have acted on the evolution of this habitat and which still might affect either its preservation or its evolutionary dynamics. Using a diachronic GIS-approach, we analyzed old cadastral maps (drawn up 200 years ago), and aerial photographs. Both the present distribution pattern of the woody species and the incidence of important chestnut diseases were also surveyed. The factors explaining the current extent and species composition of the local chestnut forests confirm their status as an anthropogenic habitat. The present landscape distribution of chestnut woods is heavily linked to past human settlements. Chestnut blight and ink disease are more an indirect reason for past felling activities than an actual direct cause of damage to trees, because of the hypovirulence spread and the limited incidence of the ink disease. Vegetation dynamics of abandoned chestnut forests evolved only partly towards deciduous Beech and Hop Hornbeam stands, thus suggesting both the possibility of a recovery of this cultivation and the need for new criteria for its management.

Castanea sativa woods, one of the most widespread habitats of southern Europe, are included in the European Community Natura 2000 network within Sites of Community Importance (SCI). In the Northern Apennines, chestnut woods are mainly coppices derived from old chestnut orchards, and now abandoned. To describe the relationship between present chestnut structure and vegetation features, we analysed the plant diversity of chestnut woods by 143 phytosociological releves within 6 SCIs. The gradient of diversity was identified by multivariate analysis (clustering and ordination) and related to other woods such as mixed oak woods or lowest altitude Fagus sylvatica woods in order to evaluate the potential evolutionary pattern of present chestnut woods.

Question: Can landscape quality be evaluated and compared by a single numerical value using vegetation maps? Location: Northern Apennines (Italy), at about 44° N and between 10° and 11° E. Methods: Seven phytosociological vegetation maps (1:25,000), which correspond to man’s different impact on mountain landscapes, were considered. Syntaxa were classified into five degrees of naturalness, ordered according to increasing naturalness criterion: urbanized, agricultural, semi-natural, sub-natural, and natural. Naturalness vegetation maps were derived in a vectorial GIS. The degrees of naturalness of vegetation were ordered according to increasing naturalness criterion. If ci is the cumulative relative value of every mapped area of the degrees of naturalness, the sum of these cumulative values is A = ∑ ci and is a measure of vegetation artificiality. Its maximum value is Amax = n-1. The Index of Vegetation Naturalness is IVN = 1 - A / Amax , ranging from 0 to 1. Our IVN is an extension of the ILC by Pizzolotto e Brandmayr (1996) due to the ordinal character of the vegetation classification into degrees of naturalness. The maps of vegetation naturalness were also analyzed by two known metrics for the evaluation of landscape quality: TECI (Total Edge Contrast Index) and MSI (Mean Shape Index). Results: The case studies show that the IVN has a linear correlation with the decreasing area of the urbanized and agricultural vegetation types as well as with the increasing area of the highest degree of naturalness. Conclusions: The IVN could be joined to the TECI for the evaluation of naturalness of landscapes. The TECI can supply additional information about the importance of landscape ecotones. Our case studies suggest that an urbanized landscape should correspond to IVN values lower than 0.20. A natural landscape should have IVN values higher than 0.80.

Vengono presentati i risultati di un’analisi diacronica di paesaggio effettuata mediante il confronto fra carte di uso del suolo. L’area di studio e il comune di Rimini e il periodo di indagine (1955- 2003) e significativo dei principali cambiamenti avvenuti nei paesaggi del Mediterraneo negli ultimi 60 anni. Scopo dell’indagine e valutare intensita, pattern e gradiente di tali cambiamenti nonche valutare la perdita di servizi ecosistemici. Nel caso in esame, solo il 29% del paesaggio ha conservato i suoi caratteri iniziali e le trasformazioni sono state particolarmente intense nel periodo 1955-1976. L’analisi diacronica, unitamente alla valutazione dei servizi ecosistemici, puo fornire dati utili per una futura pianificazione sostenibile del territorio in esame

Da sempre presente nelle arti visive e nella letteratura, soltanto in tempi recenti, dopo la metà del XX secolo, il paesaggio è diventato oggetto di studio delle scienze ambientali. E’ nata così l’ecologia del paesaggio, una disciplina alla quale contribuiscono ecologi, geografi, etologi, antropologi, nonché professionisti della gestione e pianificazione territoriale. Il libro traccia un quadro esauriente di questa nuova frontiera delle scienze ecologiche, i cui temi centrali sono il paesaggio come spazio per la biodiversità, le vegetazioni come indicatori ambientali, le reti ecologiche, il monitoraggio, la gestione e il restauro ambientale.