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Anthropogenic Influences in Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Mediterranean Forest Landscapes in Sicily

Author

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  • Donato S. La Mela Veca

    (Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Sebastiano Cullotta

    (Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Sebastiano Sferlazza

    (Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Federico G. Maetzke

    (Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

Abstract

This paper analyzes and quantifies the land use/land cover changes of the main forest and semi-natural landscape types in Sicily between 1955 and 2012. We analyzed seven representative forest and shrubland landscapes in Sicily. These study areas were chosen for their importance in the Sicilian forest panorama. We carried out a diachronic survey on historical and current aerial photos; all the aerial images used to survey the land use/land cover changes were digitalized and georeferenced in the UTM WGS84 system. In order to classify land use, the Regional Forest Inventory 2010 legend was adopted for the more recent images, and the CORINE Land Cover III level used for the older, lower resolution images. This study quantifies forest landscape dynamics; our results show for almost all study areas an increase of forest cover and expansion, whereas a regressive dynamic is found in rural areas due to intensive agricultural and pasturage uses. Understanding the dynamics of forest landscapes could enhance the role of forestry policy as a tool for landscape management and regional planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Donato S. La Mela Veca & Sebastiano Cullotta & Sebastiano Sferlazza & Federico G. Maetzke, 2016. "Anthropogenic Influences in Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Mediterranean Forest Landscapes in Sicily," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-13, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:5:y:2016:i:1:p:3-:d:62908
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giuseppe Barbera & Sebastiano Cullotta, 2014. "The Halaesa landscape (III B . C .) as ancient example of the complex and bio-diverse traditional Mediterranean polycultural landscape," Landscape History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 53-66, November.
    2. Giuseppe Barbera & Sebastiano Cullotta, 2012. "An Inventory Approach to the Assessment of Main Traditional Landscapes in Sicily (Central Mediterranean Basin)," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 539-569, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wenjie Wang & Chuanrong Zhang & Jenica M. Allen & Weidong Li & Mark A. Boyer & Kathleen Segerson & John A. Silander, 2016. "Analysis and Prediction of Land Use Changes Related to Invasive Species and Major Driving Forces in the State of Connecticut," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Matteo Vizzarri & Lorenzo Sallustio & Davide Travaglini & Francesca Bottalico & Gherardo Chirici & Vittorio Garfì & Raffaele Lafortezza & Donato Salvatore La Mela Veca & Fabio Lombardi & Federico Maet, 2017. "The MIMOSE Approach to Support Sustainable Forest Management Planning at Regional Scale in Mediterranean Contexts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, February.

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