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Landscape Pattern Changes in Response to Transhumance Abandonment on Mountain Vermio (North Greece)

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Sidiropoulou

    (Laboratory of Rangeland Ecology, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 286, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece)

  • Maria Karatassiou

    (Laboratory of Rangeland Ecology, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 286, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece)

  • Georgia Galidaki

    (Laboratory of Forest Management and Remote Sensing, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 248, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece)

  • Paraskevi Sklavou

    (Laboratory of Range Management, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 236, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece)

Abstract

Transhumance, the seasonal movement of herds between highlands and lowlands following precise, repeated routes, is a common practice in many Mediterranean regions. This livestock movement exploits natural vegetation in both winter and summer pastures. In Greece transhumant herders, drawn by relatively abundant vegetation, usually relocate to mountainous areas between April and October. Mount Vermio was an ideal summer pasture for the nomadic, ethnic group Sarakatsanoi of Thessaly, who used to own big herds. Socio-economic conditions of the 20th century led to the gradual decline of transhumance, resulting in reduction in grazing pressure and changes in vegetation dynamics. The purpose of this study was to monitor changes in landscape patterns in response to transhumance abandonment. Landscape metrics were employed to estimate land use/cover in two altitudinal zones. Results reveal that due to the abandonment of transhumance in the highlands landscape fragmentation increased. Meanwhile, in the lowlands, due to the uninterrupted presence of animals, landscape structure is more stable and diversified. Grasslands and agroforestry systems became smaller and more isolated. In conclusion, the abandonment of transhumance led to the overall deterioration of the rural landscape in the highlands.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Sidiropoulou & Maria Karatassiou & Georgia Galidaki & Paraskevi Sklavou, 2015. "Landscape Pattern Changes in Response to Transhumance Abandonment on Mountain Vermio (North Greece)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:11:p:15652-15673:d:59279
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. George Kefalas & Konstantinos Poirazidis & Panteleimon Xofis & Stamatis Kalogirou, 2018. "Mapping and Understanding the Dynamics of Landscape Changes on Heterogeneous Mediterranean Islands with the Use of OBIA: The Case of Ionian Region, Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-33, August.
    2. Dimitra-Lida Rammou & Dimitris Kavroudakis & Dionisios Youlatos, 2021. "Distribution, Population Size, and Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered European Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus citellus , Rodentia, Mammalia) in Its Southernmost Range," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Mastronardi, Luigi & Giannelli, Agostino & Romagnoli, Luca, 2021. "Detecting the land use of ancient transhumance routes (Tratturi) and their potential for Italian inner areas’ growth," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    4. Vassilis Detsis & Eleni Gkadolou & Katerina Koutsovoulou & Georgios Tolias, 2022. "Long-Term Landscape Dynamics to Assess Land Degradation Hypotheses—An Exploratory Study of Evidence from Travelers’ Narrations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-14, July.
    5. Konstantinos Chontos & Ioannis Tsiripidis, 2023. "Open Habitats under Threat in Mountainous, Mediterranean Landscapes: Land Abandonment Consequences in the Vegetation Cover of the Thessalian Part of Mt Agrafa (Central Greece)," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, April.
    6. Marta Teston & Matteo Orsi & Giovanni Bittante & Alessio Cecchinato & Luigi Gallo & Paola Gatto & Lucio Flavio Macedo Mota & Maurizio Ramanzin & Salvatore Raniolo & Antonella Tormen & Enrico Sturaro, 2022. "Added Value of Local Sheep Breeds in Alpine Agroecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Mark Anthony M. Ramirez & Juan M. Pulhin & Josephine E. Garcia & Maricel A. Tapia & Florencia B. Pulhin & Rex Victor O. Cruz & Catherine C. De Luna & Makoto Inoue, 2019. "Landscape Fragmentation, Ecosystem Services, and Local Knowledge in the Baroro River Watershed, Northern Philippines," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-29, October.
    8. Dimitrios Chouvardas & Maria Karatassiou & Petros Tsioras & Ioannis Tsividis & Stefanos Palaiochorinos, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Changes (1945–2020) in a Grazed Landscape of Northern Greece, in Relation to Socioeconomic Changes," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-22, November.
    9. Apostolos P. Kyriazopoulos & Maria Karatassiou & Zoi M. Parissi & Eleni M. Abraham & Paraskevi Sklavou, 2022. "Effects of Ski-Resort Activities and Transhumance Livestock Grazing on Rangeland Ecosystems of Mountain Zireia, Southern Greece," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-13, September.
    10. Dimitra-Lida Rammou & Christos Astaras & Despina Migli & George Boutsis & Antonia Galanaki & Theodoros Kominos & Dionisios Youlatos, 2022. "European Ground Squirrels at the Edge: Current Distribution Status and Anticipated Impact of Climate on Europe’s Southernmost Population," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-18, February.
    11. Yang Yi & Mingchang Shi & Chunjiang Liu & Hongzhang Kang & Bin Wang, 2021. "On Landscape Patterns in Typical Mountainous Counties Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-15, April.
    12. Anna Sidiropoulou & Dimitrios Chouvardas & Konstantinos Mantzanas & Stefanos Stefanidis & Maria Karatassiou, 2022. "Impact of Transhumant Livestock Grazing Abandonment on Pseudo-Alpine Grasslands in Greece in the Context of Climatic Change," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, November.
    13. Dimitrios Chouvardas & Maria Karatassiou & Afroditi Stergiou & Garyfallia Chrysanthopoulou, 2022. "Identifying the Spatiotemporal Transitions and Future Development of a Grazed Mediterranean Landscape of South Greece," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-22, November.

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