LO STATO DI CONSERVAZIONE DELLE PRATERIE DELLA RISERVA NATURALE REGIONALE "MONTE GENZANA ALTO GIZIO"
Creators: name: Petriccione, Bruno
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: EU Habitats Directive, habitat status, protected area management

description: Trends in vegetation dynamics as a tool for scientifically based management of Central Apennine grasslands

In 2023, the current dynamic trends and conservation status of the primary and secondary grasslands in the “Monte Genzana Alto Gizio” Regional Nature Reserve (Abruzzo, Italy) were studied and mapped on behalf of and in cooperation with the Rewilding Apennines Association. Fifty-one vegetation relevés were carried out between 1400 and 2170 m a.s.l., investigating the presence of the dynamic trend indicator species already identified for the “Monte Velino” State Nature Reserve [1]. The trends in vegetation dynamics (fluctuation, primary and secondary succession, regeneration, degeneration and regression) were assessed and mapped according to the prevailing process identified in each relevé, based on the system proposed and adopted for Poland [2], the Gargano [3], the Abruzzo National Park [4] and the Velino massif in Abruzzo [1]. Assessment of the conservation status of the corresponding habitats of EU interest was compared with the relevant information provided in the Standard Data Forms of the relative SACs, as well as with the assessment provided for the entire Alpine Biogeographical Region by the 4th National Report on the State of Implementation of the EU Habitats Directive (2013-2018). The results clearly show that the conservation status of most (approximately 80%) of the Reserve’s grasslands is poor or inadequate, given that the prevailing dynamic process is degeneration caused by intensive spring and summer livestock grazing. Particularly for cattle and horses, this results in a load which the Reserve’s grassland plant communities are unable to support due to their low carrying capacity. On the other hand, moderate itinerant sheep grazing does not apparently cause significant damage, as it represents an ecological substitute for the numerous wild ungulates (red and roe deer, chamois) that populated the area until several centuries ago and now reduced to a few units. The large area in a state of degeneration is largely occupied by habitats protected as priority by the EU Habitats Directive and these are in a poor state of conservation. These results should lead to a profound rethinking of the Reserve’s pasture management policies, indispensable to improve their conservation status, a fundamental objective in a protected area and mandatory under the EU Habitats Directive.

1) Petriccione B., Claroni N., 1996. The dynamical tendencies in the vegetation of Velino massif (Abruzzo, Italy). Docum. Phytosoc., 16: 365-373.

2) Falinsky B., 1989. Le temp et l’éspace dans les recherches écologiques sur le dynamisme de la végétation. Giorn. Bot. Ital., 123: 81-107.

3) Falinsky B., Pedrotti F., 1991. The vegetation and dynamical tendencies in the vegetation: the example of Bosco Quarto in the Promontorio del Gargano (Italy). Phytocoenosis, 3: 65-70.

4) Canullo R., Pedrotti F., 1993. The cartographic representation of vegetation dynamical tendencies: a case study from the Abruzzo National Park, Italy. Oecologia montana, 2: 13-18.