The Habitat 6210(*) includes temperate, dry to semi-dry, hemicryptophytic grasslands of secondary... more The Habitat 6210(*) includes temperate, dry to semi-dry, hemicryptophytic grasslands of secondary origin, belonging to the class Festuco-Brometea. These grasslands host a very high plant diversity, are very rich in endemic taxa and provide key ecosystem services. Nevertheless, the decline in the extent and connectivity of these grasslands, particularly in mountain areas, has been repeatedly documented across Europe, constituting a major conservation problem. In mountain areas, this decline is mainly due to the colonization by woody species following land abandonment. Since environmental conditions strongly interact with changes in management in determining the patterns and rates of successional processes, we aim at identifying which environmental drivers influence the habitat shifts in vegetation composition and structure in support of conservation decision on the Habitat. We performed 64 phytosociological relevés in the Reatini Mountains, within the 6210(*) “environmental range”, a...
Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy ... more Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy provides a comprehensive picture of the ecological and geographic arrangement of the country, which is currently being adopted by official bodies as a reference for natural capital accounting, ecological setting of municipalities, mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, and recognition of threatened ecosystems. The Map and Explanatory Notes presented here are aimed at disseminating knowledge and sharing expertise in different aspects of ecoregion applications, beyond the strict research community. The underlying principles of the classification and the methodology used in establishing the map are synthetically explained and the main distinctive character of each ecoregion is described. Such information will hopefully stimulate both scientific and professional workers to acknowledge that every geographical area holds a specific structural and functional ecological potenti...
The aim of the Important Plant Areas programme is to identify a network of the best sites for pla... more The aim of the Important Plant Areas programme is to identify a network of the best sites for plant conservation throughout Europe. The programme is a mean of identifying and protecting the most important sites for wild plant (higher, lower plants, algae, lichens and fungi) and habitats. Three basic principles lead the IPA identification: criterion A, focusing on species contribution; criterion B, enhancing the importance of rich flora in a European context in relation to its biogeographic zone; criterion C, concentrating on the habitat of global or European plant conservation and botanical importance. We present the metodological approach to adapt the IPA programme to the Italian situation
Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy ... more Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy provides a comprehensive picture of the ecological and geographic arrangement of the country, which is currently being adopted by official bodies as a reference for natural capital accounting, ecological setting of municipalities, mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, and recognition of threatened ecosystems. The Map and Explanatory Notes presented here are aimed at disseminating knowledge and sharing expertise in different aspects of ecoregion applications, beyond the strict research community. The underlying principles of the classification and the methodology used in establishing the map are synthetically explained and the main distinctive character of each ecoregion is described. Such information will hopefully stimulate both scientific and professional workers to acknowledge that every geographical area holds a specific structural and functional ecological potenti...
Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which sugge... more Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which suggests the use of typical species to habitat conservation status. Yet, the Directive uses the term “typical” species but does not provide a definition, either for its use in reporting or for its use in impact assessments. To address the issue, an online workshop was organized by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (SISV) to shed light on the diversity of perspectives regarding the different concepts of typical species, and to discuss the possible implications for habitat monitoring. To this aim, we inquired 73 people with a very different degree of expertise in the field of vegetation science by means of a tailored survey composed of six questions. We analysed the data using Pearson's Chi-squared test to verify that the answers diverged from a random distribution and checked the effect of the degree of experience of the surveyees on the results. We found that most of the sur...
We present a method for the identification of an ecological network of land in the province of Ro... more We present a method for the identification of an ecological network of land in the province of Rome (Lazio, Italy) on a local scale (1:50,000), based on the integration of a multi-taxon approach with a hierarchical landscape classification using information on landscape pattern, the local distribution of vascular flora, vertebrate fauna and habitat remnants, as well as the existing protected area systems. This work was carried out as part of the province of Rome planning scheme. Nous presentons une methode pour identifier un reseau territorial ecologique dans la region de Rome (Latium, Italie), a l’echelle locale (1:50.000), qui se fonde sur l’utilisation d’une approche multi-taxons avec une classification hierarchisee des paysages etablie en fonction du modele paysager, de la distribution locale de la flore vasculaire, de la faune vertebree et des restes en matiere d’habitat, aussi bien que des ensembles des zones protegees existants. Ce travail a ete realise dans le cadre du schem...
ABSTRACT This paper presents an original approach for identifying and mapping agricultural landsc... more ABSTRACT This paper presents an original approach for identifying and mapping agricultural landscapes that are highly representative of different biogeographical and natural settings and likely to be traditional, at the national scale. In the case study of Italy, we used national land cover data of different dates to examine composition of agricultural types and their persistence over time while we employed national stratifications into ecoregions and potential natural vegetation (PNV) to include environmental representativeness. Implementing the procedure returned 120 landscapes, which are distributed across all ecoregions and 51% of the PNV types. Most landscapes match areas with certified and traditional produce (93%) and relevant potential vegetation (86%), whereas 30% overlap acknowledged historical rural landscapes. These results show that our approach highlights the coevolutionary process between traditional crops and the underlying environmental framework and, therefore, provides an ecologically sound coarse filter for selecting and mapping traditional agricultural landscapes.
Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2017
Abstract We present the EU LIFE PonDerat project, which is aimed at restoring the natural ecosyst... more Abstract We present the EU LIFE PonDerat project, which is aimed at restoring the natural ecosystems of the Pontine Archipelago, a group of islands located off the western coast of Italy. The spread of invasive species is a major environmental threat on these islands, which are rich in rare habitats and endemic species and are important sites for the conservation of Mediterranean biodiversity. The project focuses on the conservation of species and habitats that are protected by EU laws but are currently threatened by introduced plants and animals. The main targets of the control measures are black rats, feral goats, mouflons and invasive plants of the genus Carpobrotus. Conservation measures focus on the shearwaters Puffinus yelkouan and Calonectris diomedea, which are endemic to the Mediterranean and are listed in Annex I of the European Bird Directive. Conservation measures also focus on island habitats of great biogeographical value, which are listed in Annex I of the European Habitats Directive and are seriously threatened by introduced herbivores and by invasive plants. The main outcome expected from this project is that the restoration of ecosystem functions will enhance the breeding success and population size of shearwaters and lead to the recovery of target habitats.
Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2015
Abstract Target 2 of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, whose aim was to maintain and re... more Abstract Target 2 of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, whose aim was to maintain and restore ecosystems and their services, deals in practical terms with the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, with the development of green infrastructure and with halting the loss of biodiversity at the EU, national, and subnational levels. The aim of this short communication was to show the activities currently being carried out in Italy that are related to this target, focusing on the contribution of vegetation science skills to the national implementation process. In particular, we outline noteworthy inputs in ecosystem mapping, in the assessment of ecosystem conservation status, in the individuation of priorities for the restoration of ecosystems, and in the settingup of an ecological framework to promote green infrastructure. An overview of the process outcomes and their relevance within the national and international contexts is also provided.
The Habitat 6210(*) includes temperate, dry to semi-dry, hemicryptophytic grasslands of secondary... more The Habitat 6210(*) includes temperate, dry to semi-dry, hemicryptophytic grasslands of secondary origin, belonging to the class Festuco-Brometea. These grasslands host a very high plant diversity, are very rich in endemic taxa and provide key ecosystem services. Nevertheless, the decline in the extent and connectivity of these grasslands, particularly in mountain areas, has been repeatedly documented across Europe, constituting a major conservation problem. In mountain areas, this decline is mainly due to the colonization by woody species following land abandonment. Since environmental conditions strongly interact with changes in management in determining the patterns and rates of successional processes, we aim at identifying which environmental drivers influence the habitat shifts in vegetation composition and structure in support of conservation decision on the Habitat. We performed 64 phytosociological relevés in the Reatini Mountains, within the 6210(*) “environmental range”, a...
Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy ... more Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy provides a comprehensive picture of the ecological and geographic arrangement of the country, which is currently being adopted by official bodies as a reference for natural capital accounting, ecological setting of municipalities, mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, and recognition of threatened ecosystems. The Map and Explanatory Notes presented here are aimed at disseminating knowledge and sharing expertise in different aspects of ecoregion applications, beyond the strict research community. The underlying principles of the classification and the methodology used in establishing the map are synthetically explained and the main distinctive character of each ecoregion is described. Such information will hopefully stimulate both scientific and professional workers to acknowledge that every geographical area holds a specific structural and functional ecological potenti...
The aim of the Important Plant Areas programme is to identify a network of the best sites for pla... more The aim of the Important Plant Areas programme is to identify a network of the best sites for plant conservation throughout Europe. The programme is a mean of identifying and protecting the most important sites for wild plant (higher, lower plants, algae, lichens and fungi) and habitats. Three basic principles lead the IPA identification: criterion A, focusing on species contribution; criterion B, enhancing the importance of rich flora in a European context in relation to its biogeographic zone; criterion C, concentrating on the habitat of global or European plant conservation and botanical importance. We present the metodological approach to adapt the IPA programme to the Italian situation
Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy ... more Based on a robust methodological process for classification and mapping, The Ecoregions of Italy provides a comprehensive picture of the ecological and geographic arrangement of the country, which is currently being adopted by official bodies as a reference for natural capital accounting, ecological setting of municipalities, mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, and recognition of threatened ecosystems. The Map and Explanatory Notes presented here are aimed at disseminating knowledge and sharing expertise in different aspects of ecoregion applications, beyond the strict research community. The underlying principles of the classification and the methodology used in establishing the map are synthetically explained and the main distinctive character of each ecoregion is described. Such information will hopefully stimulate both scientific and professional workers to acknowledge that every geographical area holds a specific structural and functional ecological potenti...
Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which sugge... more Habitat monitoring in Europe is regulated by Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, which suggests the use of typical species to habitat conservation status. Yet, the Directive uses the term “typical” species but does not provide a definition, either for its use in reporting or for its use in impact assessments. To address the issue, an online workshop was organized by the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (SISV) to shed light on the diversity of perspectives regarding the different concepts of typical species, and to discuss the possible implications for habitat monitoring. To this aim, we inquired 73 people with a very different degree of expertise in the field of vegetation science by means of a tailored survey composed of six questions. We analysed the data using Pearson's Chi-squared test to verify that the answers diverged from a random distribution and checked the effect of the degree of experience of the surveyees on the results. We found that most of the sur...
We present a method for the identification of an ecological network of land in the province of Ro... more We present a method for the identification of an ecological network of land in the province of Rome (Lazio, Italy) on a local scale (1:50,000), based on the integration of a multi-taxon approach with a hierarchical landscape classification using information on landscape pattern, the local distribution of vascular flora, vertebrate fauna and habitat remnants, as well as the existing protected area systems. This work was carried out as part of the province of Rome planning scheme. Nous presentons une methode pour identifier un reseau territorial ecologique dans la region de Rome (Latium, Italie), a l’echelle locale (1:50.000), qui se fonde sur l’utilisation d’une approche multi-taxons avec une classification hierarchisee des paysages etablie en fonction du modele paysager, de la distribution locale de la flore vasculaire, de la faune vertebree et des restes en matiere d’habitat, aussi bien que des ensembles des zones protegees existants. Ce travail a ete realise dans le cadre du schem...
ABSTRACT This paper presents an original approach for identifying and mapping agricultural landsc... more ABSTRACT This paper presents an original approach for identifying and mapping agricultural landscapes that are highly representative of different biogeographical and natural settings and likely to be traditional, at the national scale. In the case study of Italy, we used national land cover data of different dates to examine composition of agricultural types and their persistence over time while we employed national stratifications into ecoregions and potential natural vegetation (PNV) to include environmental representativeness. Implementing the procedure returned 120 landscapes, which are distributed across all ecoregions and 51% of the PNV types. Most landscapes match areas with certified and traditional produce (93%) and relevant potential vegetation (86%), whereas 30% overlap acknowledged historical rural landscapes. These results show that our approach highlights the coevolutionary process between traditional crops and the underlying environmental framework and, therefore, provides an ecologically sound coarse filter for selecting and mapping traditional agricultural landscapes.
Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2017
Abstract We present the EU LIFE PonDerat project, which is aimed at restoring the natural ecosyst... more Abstract We present the EU LIFE PonDerat project, which is aimed at restoring the natural ecosystems of the Pontine Archipelago, a group of islands located off the western coast of Italy. The spread of invasive species is a major environmental threat on these islands, which are rich in rare habitats and endemic species and are important sites for the conservation of Mediterranean biodiversity. The project focuses on the conservation of species and habitats that are protected by EU laws but are currently threatened by introduced plants and animals. The main targets of the control measures are black rats, feral goats, mouflons and invasive plants of the genus Carpobrotus. Conservation measures focus on the shearwaters Puffinus yelkouan and Calonectris diomedea, which are endemic to the Mediterranean and are listed in Annex I of the European Bird Directive. Conservation measures also focus on island habitats of great biogeographical value, which are listed in Annex I of the European Habitats Directive and are seriously threatened by introduced herbivores and by invasive plants. The main outcome expected from this project is that the restoration of ecosystem functions will enhance the breeding success and population size of shearwaters and lead to the recovery of target habitats.
Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2015
Abstract Target 2 of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, whose aim was to maintain and re... more Abstract Target 2 of the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, whose aim was to maintain and restore ecosystems and their services, deals in practical terms with the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services, with the development of green infrastructure and with halting the loss of biodiversity at the EU, national, and subnational levels. The aim of this short communication was to show the activities currently being carried out in Italy that are related to this target, focusing on the contribution of vegetation science skills to the national implementation process. In particular, we outline noteworthy inputs in ecosystem mapping, in the assessment of ecosystem conservation status, in the individuation of priorities for the restoration of ecosystems, and in the settingup of an ecological framework to promote green infrastructure. An overview of the process outcomes and their relevance within the national and international contexts is also provided.
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Papers by Riccardo Copiz