Stakeholders’ Attitudes about the Transplantations of the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica as a Habitat Restoration Measure after Anthropogenic Impacts: A Q Methodology Approach

Arturo Zenone, Carlo Pipitone, Giovanni D’Anna, Barbara La Porta, Tiziano Bacci, Fabio Bertasi, Claudia Bulleri, Anna Cacciuni, Sebastiano Calvo, Stefano Conconi, Maria Flavia Gravina, Cecilia Mancusi, Alessandro Piazzi, Monica Targusi, Agostino Tomasello and Fabio Badalamenti
Additional contact information
Arturo Zenone: CNR-IAS, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149 Palermo, Italy
Carlo Pipitone: CNR-IAS, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149 Palermo, Italy
Giovanni D’Anna: CNR-IAS, Via Giovanni da Verrazzano 17, 91014 Castellammare del Golfo, Italy
Barbara La Porta: ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
Tiziano Bacci: ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
Fabio Bertasi: ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
Claudia Bulleri: Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mar Tirreno Settentrionale, Piazzale Premuda 6/a, 57025 Piombino, Italy
Anna Cacciuni: ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
Sebastiano Calvo: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Stefano Conconi: VESENDA, Via Fratelli Cuzio 42, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Maria Flavia Gravina: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica s.n.c., 00133 Roma, Italy
Cecilia Mancusi: ARPAT, Via Marradi 114, 57126 Livorno, Italy
Alessandro Piazzi: SETIN srl, Via Guido d’Arezzo 16, 00198 Roma, Italy
Monica Targusi: ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
Agostino Tomasello: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Fabio Badalamenti: CNR-IAS, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149 Palermo, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Anthropogenic impacts on Posidonia oceanica meadows have led to a decline of this ecosystem throughout the Mediterranean. Transplantations have often been prescribed as a compensation measure to mitigate the impacts caused by coastal maritime works. Here a Q methodology approach was used to investigate the stakeholders’ attitudes in four case studies of P. oceanica transplants realized in Italian waters. Twenty-two respondents were asked to score 37 statements, and the resultant Q-sorting was analyzed via an inverse PCA using the KADE software. Four discourses, corresponding to the significant axes in the factorial analysis were identified: science and conservation (F1), oriented at a rigorous scientific approach; engineering and industry (F2), oriented at the economic development; environmentalism and participation (F3), oriented at the conservation of seagrass meadows; and transplantation-oriented (F4), oriented at the realization of transplants as compensation measures. The main conflicts and agreements between discourses are assessed and discussed, based on the analysis of the distinguishing statements that contributed to consensus or disagreement among discourses. The benefits of the Q methodology in the identification and mediation of conflicts in the four case studies are discussed, and its potential as a powerful aid in the development of a good environmental governance is acknowledged.

Keywords: compensation measures; stakeholders’ perception; environmental impact; environmental governance; conflict resolution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:12216-:d:672877

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