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Traditional Free-Ranging Livestock Farming as a Management Strategy for Biological and Cultural Landscape Diversity: A Case from the Southern Apennines

Author

Listed:
  • Claudia Troiano

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Via Porta di Massa 1, 80133 Naples, Italy)

  • Maria Buglione

    (Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy)

  • Simona Petrelli

    (Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy)

  • Sofia Belardinelli

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Via Porta di Massa 1, 80133 Naples, Italy)

  • Antonino De Natale

    (Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy)

  • Jens-Christian Svenning

    (Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
    Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark)

  • Domenico Fulgione

    (Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

Mediterranean mountain landscapes are undergoing a widespread phenomenon of abandonment. This brings, as a consequence, the loss of traditional land use practices, such as transhumant pastoralism, as well as shrub and wood encroachment, with repercussions on the biodiversity associated with semi-open, human-managed landscapes. In this study, we focus on a mountain pasture from the Southern Apennines (Italy), where free-ranging transhumant grazing is still carried out, to quantify the effects of grazing presence and exclusion on arthropod diversity, and to qualitatively characterize the plant communities of grazed and ungrazed areas. Using field sampling, remote sensing, and semi-structured interviews, we assessed the validity of traditional cattle farming as a landscape management tool. Indeed, high diversity grasslands excluded from grazing were characterized by significantly less even and more dominated arthropod communities, as well as fewer plant species and families. Moreover, in areas that have been consistently grazed over the years, we found no forest encroachment from 1955 to 2019. However, rural communities are experiencing difficulties in keeping local traditions alive, even with current agri-environmental schemes. Thus, traditional livestock grazing can be a valuable management tool to maintain high biological and cultural diversity, even if stronger cooperation and attention to local needs is necessary.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudia Troiano & Maria Buglione & Simona Petrelli & Sofia Belardinelli & Antonino De Natale & Jens-Christian Svenning & Domenico Fulgione, 2021. "Traditional Free-Ranging Livestock Farming as a Management Strategy for Biological and Cultural Landscape Diversity: A Case from the Southern Apennines," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:9:p:957-:d:631853
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Natalia Kolecka & Jacek Kozak, 2019. "Wall-to-Wall Parcel-Level Mapping of Agricultural Land Abandonment in the Polish Carpathians," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Michał Sobala & Urszula Myga-Piątek & Bartłomiej Szypuła, 2020. "Assessment of Changes in a Viewshed in the Western Carpathians Landscape as a Result of Reforestation," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Jacek Kozak & Elżbieta Ziółkowska & Peter Vogt & Monika Dobosz & Dominik Kaim & Natalia Kolecka & Krzysztof Ostafin, 2018. "Forest-Cover Increase Does Not Trigger Forest-Fragmentation Decrease: Case Study from the Polish Carpathians," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-24, May.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Francesco Serrapica & Felicia Masucci & Giuseppe De Rosa & Ada Braghieri & Fiorella Sarubbi & Francesca Garofalo & Fernando Grasso & Antonio Di Francia, 2022. "Moving Buffalo Farming beyond Traditional Areas: Performances of Animals, and Quality of Mozzarella and Forages," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-12, August.

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