Recent Landscape Changes on a Small Mediterranean Island

Bruno Foggi, Lorenzo Lastrucci, Francesco Geri and Duccio Rocchini

Landscape Research, 2015, vol. 40, issue 4, 437-450

Abstract: The Mediterranean region is a major hotspot of biodiversity. However, over the last 50 to 100 years, this area has suffered dramatic changes in human pressure that has led to significant landscape changes resulting in a recovery of the vegetation cover to one of higher biomass. A multi-temporal vegetation analysis of Giannutri Island, based on inspection of a 50-year series of vegetation maps (1958-2008), shows an increase in high maquis and Juniperus -thickets positively correlated with a decrease in open and low maquis. The increase of high maquis and Juniperus -thickets shows two distinct types of strategies in their advancement: the first increases its coverage with new patches arising some distance away from one another, while Juniperus -thickets expand from the margins. These two behaviour types may be correlated to a different pressure from thrushes ( Turdus spp.) their disperser found on the island. The few patches of Quercus ilex woodland have remained constant due to the absence in Giannutri of its principal disperser: the jay ( Garrulus glandarius ). Based on this it would be impossible to take into consideration the Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) concept in addressing conservation activities on an island like Giannutri.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2014.902920

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