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Pubblicazioni Scientifiche
Filtri di ricerca 4 risultati
Pubblicazioni per anno
Moths in space: The below-canopy structure of forest drives abundance and mobility-related traits of moth communities
La Cava
,
Sara
,
Rijllo
,
Giuseppe
,
Zucco
,
Giada
,
Innocenti
,
Simone
,
Guasti
,
Matteo
,
Puletti
,
Nicola
,
Ferrara
,
Carlotta
,
Scalercio
,
S.
Mostra abstract
The distribution of species is primarily driven by the availability of trophic resources. In a given forest type, insects trophically related to the dominant tree are expected to be evenly distributed due to the abundance of their foodplant. However, their distribution is also influenced by complex relationships with abiotic and biotic parameters such as available space, predatory pressure, and morphometric traits. In this study, we investigated how the three-dimensional structure of space below the canopy may affect the composition of nocturnal lepidoptera communities. To synthesise the complexity of the dispersal behaviour of these insects, we evaluated easily measurable traits such as wingspan and the presence of tympanic organs, both connected to their mobility and thus potentially influenced by the structure of the available flight space. The study was conducted in the Sila National Park (Italy), where 12 sampling sites were selected in pine forests and an additional 12 in beech forests. Forest spatial structure was investigated using a portable terrestrial laser scanner. Moths were sampled monthly using light traps from May to October in both 2019 and 2020. Among measured forest traits, we observed that the space above three meters from the ground is the only factor influencing community composition. Larger species with tympanic organs prefer environments with less space below tree canopies. Our findings could be the starting point for future studies that investigate a potential defence strategy of moths against bats, as tympanate and larger species not only actively avoid chiropter predation but could also choose denser forests because of a lower bat activity. Moths' distribution and community composition thus appear to be significantly shaped by the spatial structure of forests. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
Integrated forest management to prevent wildfires under mediterranean environments
Corona
,
P.
,
Ascoli
,
Davide
,
Barbati
,
Anna
,
Bovio
,
Giovanni
,
Colangelo
,
Giuseppe
,
Elia
,
Mario
,
Garfì
,
Vittorio
,
Iovino
,
Francesco
,
Lafortezza
,
Raffaele
,
Leone
,
Vittorio
,
Lovreglio
,
Raffella
,
Marchetti
,
Marco
,
Marchi
,
Enrico
,
Menguzzato
,
Giuliano
,
Nocentini
,
Susanna
,
Picchio
,
Rodolfo
,
Portoghesi
,
Luigi
,
Puletti
,
Nicola
,
Sanesi
,
Giovanni
,
Chianucci
,
Francesco
Mostra abstract
This review presents a multidisciplinary framework for integrating the ecological, regulatory, procedural and technical aspects of forest management for fires prevention under Mediterranean environments. The aims are to: i) provide a foreground of wildfire scenario; ii) illustrate the theoretical background of forest fuel management; iii) describe the available fuel management techniques and mechanical operations for fire prevention in forest and wildland-urban interfaces, with exemplification of case-studies; iv) allocate fire prevention activities under the hierarchy of forest planning. The review is conceived as an outline commentary discussion targeted to professionals, technicians and government personnel involved in forestry and environmental management.
A Multidimensional Statistical Framework to Explore Seasonal Profile, Severity and Land-Use Preferences of Wildfires in a Mediterranean Country
Salvati
,
Luca
,
Ferrara
,
Agostino Maria Silvio
,
Mancino
,
Giuseppe
,
Kelly
,
Claire L.
,
Chianucci
,
Francesco
,
Corona
,
P.
Mostra abstract
This study analyses spatio-temporal patterns of wildfires in Greece using a multidimensional statistical framework based on non-parametric correlations, principal component analysis, clustering and stepwise discriminant analysis. Specifically, we assess the frequency, seasonal profile, severity and land-use type of 135 178 wildfires which occurred between 2000-2012 in Greece, one of the countries most affected by fire in Europe. Our results show that both the number of fires and the average size of the area covered by fire show a specific seasonal pattern with a marked increase during the dry season. Principal component analysis identifies three dimensions linked with the main type of land-use affected by the fires: (i) medium and large fires primarily affected landscapes composed of forests, mixed woodlands/shrublands and croplands; (ii) small fires mainly affected fragmented landscapes, i.e. those with mosaics of different crops, market gardens and non-vegetated, abandoned or marginal areas; (iii) fires affecting wetlands and pastures occurred particularly in late summer and showing medium-low severity. Hierarchical clustering highlights similarities in spatio-temporal patterns between fire indicators (ignition date, burnt land cover classes, fire size, fire density). K-means clustering allows us to distinguish between low-severity fires occurring in the wet season from intense and frequent fires occurring in the dry season but with distinct land-use selectivity. The research reported here contributes insight into the complexity of wild fires in the Mediterranean region and supports the design of more effective fire prevention measures including sustainable forest management practices and careful regional planning to minimise risk factors.
Ecological portrayal of old-growth forests and persistent woodlands in the cilento and vallo di Diano National Park (southern Italy)
Marchetti
,
Marco
,
Tognetti
,
Roberto
,
Lombardi
,
Fabio
,
Chiavetta
,
U.
,
Palumbo
,
Giuseppe
,
Sellitto
,
Vincenzo Michele
,
Colombo
,
C. Massimo
,
Iovieno
,
Paola
,
Alfani
,
Anna
,
Baldantoni
,
Daniela
,
Barbati
,
Anna
,
Ferrari
,
Barbara
,
Bonacquisti
,
Sandro
,
Capotorti
,
Giulia
,
Copiz
,
Riccardo
,
Blasi
,
Carlo
biodiversity
mediterranean region
ecological characterization
managed stands
old-growth forests
persistent woodlands
soil
Mostra abstract
The maintenance of certain levels of old forest represents a cornerstone of the EU's biodiversity management strategy. A consensus on a single general ecological definition of old-growth is particularly difficult in Mediterranean Europe. The present paper deals with old-growth forests and persistent woodlands in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (PNCVD) to give an ecological understanding of forest complexity and dynamics under a multiscale and multidisciplinary perspective. The multiscale approach ranged from the identification and mapping of potential old-growth stands at landscape scale to a two-level field review of forest stand features. Field sampling involved a multidisciplinary team of researchers in forest structure, pedologic environment, soil microbial activity, flora and vegetation and deadwood components. The research provided sound knowledge about old-growthness features in the PNCVD that constitutes a unique case study in the whole Mediterranean basin. The integration of results allowed to: identify main ecosystem functions and the related services of the old-growth forests in the study area; distinguish persistent woodlands, multi-aged stands with old trees deriving from nineteenth-century management practices, from old-growth forests sensu strictu; recognize indicators of direct and indirect impacts of human activities; suggest effective practices for sustainable management in the Mediterranean context. © 2010 Società Botanica Italiana.