The Effects of Cattle Grazing on the Composition of Diatom Assemblages in the Peatland Pools of the Southeastern Alps (Italy, Adamello-Brenta Nature Park)

Floriana Rossi, Diana M. P. Galassi, Nicola Angeli, Marco Cantonati () and Mattia Di Cicco
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Floriana Rossi: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Diana M. P. Galassi: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Nicola Angeli: Research & Collections Department (Limnology & Phycology), MUSE—Museo delle Scienze, 38122 Trento, Italy
Marco Cantonati: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Mattia Di Cicco: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Mires are significant C-sinks and important habitats for biodiversity conservation. Particularly in the Alpine peatlands, grazing and trampling cause mires to degrade, causing changes in plant communities that increase bulk density, peat erosion, and nutrient excesses. We took sixteen samples of epipelic and epiphytic diatoms from mire pools subjected to varying degrees of grazing in the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park (Trento, Italy). We identified >100 diatom species (ca. 70% included in Red List threat categories). We used nMDS to identify groups of diatom species. Their statistical significance was checked with an ANOSIM and, to identify the species that contributed most to the difference between the two groups, a BEST-SIMPER procedure was carried out. The multivariate analyses allowed us to identify significant differences among the most and least grazed sites, and to select the species that contributed most to this distinction. We confirmed that some species were more frequent and abundant in the most grazed sites and behaved as opportunists in the presence of a greater nutrient input, to the detriment of rare and sensitive species, which were more numerous and abundant in the less grazed sites. We provided useful information on grazing effects, underlining the importance of managing and protecting habitats of unique environmental value.

Keywords: diatoms; mire pools; peatlands; Red List; nutrients; grazing; trampling; sensitive species; opportunistic species; management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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