1,721,050 research outputs found
Testo unico in materia di foreste e filiere forestali: il paesaggio, i beni (e i boschi), e gli interventi da concordare
Full text linkOne of the implementing decrees of the Italian national forest law no. 34 of 2018 deals with the interventions to be set in the woodlands protected by the art. 136 of the national landscape and cultural heritage code (legislative decree no. 42 of 2004) and considered in compliance with the provisions of the landscape protection measures. The present commentary provides a basis for analysing the impact that the implementing decree could have and make suggestions for writing the decree. The commentary reviews the meaning of the various types of landscape use constraints, giving concrete examples and analyzing them with a focus on forest management. It presents an example framework of the interventions that could be the subject of the decree. Finally, it provides a summary of the key points to be addressed for the preparation of the decree
Appunti storici e politici sulla coltivazione dei boschi e sul commercio del legname negli studi di Cesare Beccaria
Full text linkNel processo di evoluzione del pensiero forestale europeo, si inseriscono personaggi il cui contributo è ancora poco noto. Uno di questi è Cesare Beccaria, filosofo ed economista lombardo, attivo nella seconda metà del XVIII secolo. In questo articolo si riassumono alcuni aspetti del pensiero
di Beccaria sulla materia forestale tratti dalle pagine degli Elementi di economia pubblica. Si è cercato di portare in evidenza temi considerati di particolare interesse dal punto di vista della natura filosofica, economica e politica della gestione dei boschi e della imposizione di regolamenti
e prescrizioni forestali. Tra questi, l’ingerenza dello Stato nella gestione e nella conservazione dei boschi privati e il riconoscimento del valore della selvicoltura quale scienza camerale utile allo sviluppo economico delle nazioni
Genetic diversity and stand structure of neighboring white willow (Salix alba L.) populations along fragmented riparian corridors: a case study
Full text linkRemnant riparian woodlands have an important landscape function, due to their ability to act as ecological corridors. In this study we used molecular markers to assess the genetic variation occurring within and between spontaneous white willow (Salix alba L.) riparian woodlands. Our main goal was to evaluate the extent to which the fragmentation of a woodland corridor along a heavily impacted river in northeastern Italy and stand structural conditions may have affected the population genetics. Although having different structures, the three examined white willow stands showed high estimates of genetic similarity, as well as low genetic differentiation between them, indicating that they shared a similar gene pool and that the stands could result from a common set of individual genotypes, and should be regarded as metapopulations. The magnitude of genetic diversity within each of the stands and genetic differentiation between them, despite their high sexual reproductive capacity associated with a highly marked gene flow, suggest that these stands are dynamic and capable of adaptive responses to possible changes in their fluvial environment. However, the factors influencing genetic diversity should be interpreted from a long-term perspective. Fluvial geomorphic patterns in regulated rivers may be modified to a degree that could lead to changes in dispersal processes, sexual reproduction vs. asexual propagation, and hence genetic diversity
Birds and Natura 2000: A review of the scientific literature
Full text linkThe Natura 2000 network, the pillar of biodiversity conservation in Europe, still shows some knowledge gaps after almost 30 years since its implementation. As birds are a taxonomic group that is underrepresented in the literature related to Natura 2000 compared to their importance in the EU Directives, this review investigated the characteristics of the scientific research dedicated to birds in relation to Natura 2000. This review focused on 169 peer-reviewed articles covering a period of 25 years (1995-2019). Most studies were set within single Natura 2000 site or regions within countries, and concerned terrestrial habitats, particularly wetlands. The terrestrial Mediterranean biogeographical region and marine Atlantic region had the greatest number of publications, while Spain, Italy, and France were the countries with the highest number of reviewed articles. The number of publications was correlated to Natura 2000 coverage at both country and biogeographical region level. Bird species were studied mainly at a community or single-species level and most publications studied distribution and occurrence of the bird species of interest, while very few assessed the conservation status of the species. Only a few articles set within Natura 2000 sites addressed the issues of habitat suitability for birds or the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Both Annex I and non-Annex I bird species were examined in the literature, with most species having decreasing population trends at the European scale. Future research on bird conservation and Natura 2000 should focus on marine ecosystems as well as habitats that have received less attention despite their important role in a changing future (alpine and urban types). Moreover, future studies should encompass larger spatial scales and those species for which status and trends are still not thoroughly investigated. Finally, it would be important to enhance research efforts on the conservation status and effectiveness in relation to the network
Contrasting responses of epiphytic and dead wood-dwelling lichen diversity to forest management abandonment in silver fir mature woodlands
No full textIn the Alps, many forests are under abandonment because of direct protection or the unprofitability of timber production. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of silviculture abandonment on the species richness and composition of epiphytic and dead wood-dwelling lichens in silver fir woodlands. An abandoned and a currently non-intensively managed forest watershed of the eastern Italian Alps that were matched for topography, stand structure, plant community and history of use were selected and randomly sampled for the lichen diversity of their silver fir mature stands. Generalised linear mixed models were used for the analyses of the species richness, whereas the species composition patterns were explored by redundancy analysis. The diversity of both of the lichen guilds were explained by the microhabitat conditions related to the contrasting management regimes, but they had opposite responses to the abandonment of the silvicultural activities. The epiphytic lichen communities were richer in species in the managed than in the abandoned silver fir woodlands. However, the effect of a 50. year management cessation on the epiphytic lichens may change in the long term when natural disturbances create gaps and increase the attributes of old-growth forests. The dead wood-dwelling lichen species richness was higher in the abandoned forest because an increased availability of types of dead wood is usually rare in managed forests. The dead wood-dwelling lichen communities of the managed forests were a subset of a more diverse community that was developing in the abandoned forest. Our results indicated that, in non-intensively managed silver fir mature stands, lichen diversity may benefit from the retention of logs and snags, which provide habitat features typical of old-growth forest
Research on bird conservation and Natura 2000: a review
No full textAs birds are a taxonomic group of major interest in the EU Directives, this review investigates the characteristics of the scientific research dedicated to birds in relation to Natura 2000, focusing on the scale, distribution, aims and main attributes of the publications and the targeted bird species. Our review focuses on 169 peer-reviewed articles, published between 1995 and 2019. Most studies concern terrestrial habitats, particularly wetlands. The terrestrial Mediterranean biogeographical region and marine Atlantic region have the greatest number of publications, while Spain is the country with the highest number of related articles. The number of publications is correlated to Natura 2000 coverage at both country and biogeographical region level, but it is not significantly correlated to the distribution surface area of the studied bird species or to the coverage of each habitat type within Natura 2000 sites. Bird species are studied mainly at a community or single species level (mainly Passerines), with focus on their distribution and occurrence. Both Annex I and non-Annex I bird species are examined in the literature, with most species having decreasing population trends at the European scale. Future research on bird conservation and Natura 2000 should focus on habitats that have received less attention despite their important role in a changing future, such as the alpine and urban types. Moreover, future studies should address those species for which status and trends are still not thoroughly investigated. Finally, since there are still some knowledge gaps about the Natura 2000 implementation, it would be of importance to enhance the research efforts about conservation status and conservation effectiveness in relation to the network
Reintroduction of Myricaria germanica in Italy - an overview
Full text linkMyricaria germanica (L.) Desv (German tamarisk), a pioneer shrub of natural Alpine and pre-Alpine rivers, is declining in Europe as a result of human disturbance, which has reduced the spontaneous river dynamics, the input of sediments and the river corridor width. Since all the Italian rivers are subject to some form of human disturbance, conservation of M. germanica should be ensured by river restoration, active management of riparian habitats or reintroductions. The reintroduction of M. germanica has recently been the subject of projects of national and international interest. M. germanica can reproduce easily by cuttings or seeds, but translocations have a variable success rate. Some reintroduction projects have also been performed in Italy. For example, the Emilia-Romagna region coordinated the Life project Taro-Requalification of Taro fluvial habitats vital to avifauna (LIFE 98NAT/IT/5138) in which thousands of new M. germanica plants, grown in nurseries, were produced and planted. The plant nursery of the Veneto region produced hundreds of plants of M. germanica in the last 20 years.In South Tyrol a wide range of river enhancement programmes have been carried out since 1999. In many river sites, the Office for Mountain Basins of the Civil Protection Agency of the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano has planted thousands of rooted cuttings of M. germanica, which have generated some new vital populations. We confirm that M. germanica is a good indicator of natural riverine conditions. Therefore a successful reintroduction of M. germanica can be used to assess the environmental success of a river enhancement work
The Role of Citizen Science in Interpreting Biodiversity Related Landscape Services in Wild Urban Woodlands
No full textExploring correlation between stand structural indices and parameters across three forest types of the southeastern Italian Alps
Full text linkForest stand structure can be described through stand structural parameters as well as using stand structural indices. However, to date, there is still much uncertainty regarding how stand structural indices and parameters are intercorrelated. The analysis of correlation can guide their selection in research applications and forest management, avoiding redundancies and loss of time during data collection. In this study, using a sample of forest stands belonging to three forest types of the southeastern Italian Alps, we explored the correlation among stand structural indices, and then we checked the relationships between stand structural indices and stand structural parameters. The results indicate that the stand structural indices vary among the sampled forest types. Moreover, the correlation among stand structural indices indicates that some of them are strongly intercorrelated and, thus, they can give redundant information. Strong correlations have been found between the Shannon index and the Mingling index, between the Gini index and the Diameter differentiation index, and between size dominance indices. Correlations between stand structural indices and stand structural parameters were weak, and, therefore, we cannot recommend the exclusive use of stand structural indices as alternative to the common stand structural parameters. Instead, the combined use of stand structural indices and parameters can be a robust solution for describing forest stand structure
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