Chronicle of a death foretold: The vanishing of an emblematic cultural landscape results in the loss of its unique plant communities

• DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02655
• Publication Date: 2023-09-22T06:26:56Z
• Authors: Emanuele Fanfarillo; Dino Torri; Claudia Angiolini; Giovanni Bacaro; Gianmaria Bonari; Giacomo Cangelmi; Silvia Cannucci; Andrea Coppi; Paola De Giorgi; Leopoldo de Simone; Tiberio Fiaschi; Daniel Fontana; Jacopo Franzoni; Antonio Giacò; Lorenzo Lazzaro; Michela Marignani; Michele Mugnai; Lorenzo Pinzani; Duccio Rocchini; Adriano Stinca; Manuel Tiburtini; Simona Maccherini
• Keywords: Ruderal species; Plant cover; Dominance (genetics)

Badlands are peculiar geomorphological formations shaping landscapes of high ecological and cultural value. In the last decades, land reclamation for agricultural purposes ceasing traditional use, such as sheep grazing, led to their decline in extent many areas. To quantify changes badland-related plant communities, we resurveyed badland vegetation a site Crete Senesi (Siena, central Italy) after 16 years (2006-2022), using 48 quasi-permanent plots by means uni multivariate analysis variance. We found an increase total cover communities growing former bare soil sparsely vegetated areas, consistently with overall decrease surfaces study area, which highlighted analyzing multitemporal satellite images. Pioneer characterized endemic Artemisia caerulescens subsp. cretacea changed into ruderal annual grasslands, while soils were colonized pioneer vegetation. Conversely, perennial grasslands highly stable. Grasslands shrubs became more similar species composition. Species richness increased soils. Using proxy successional stages, that Shannon diversity evenness peaked at about 90% cover. all stages colonization, short distance dispersal prevailed, both therophyte (Avena sterilis, Parapholis strigosa) (A. cretacea, Bromopsis erecta). Long (Galatella linosyris) start colonizing 60% cover, functional groups coexisted. Our results confirm southern Tuscany badland-specialist vanishing management, suggesting current ineffectiveness Natura 2000 network conservation.