A Multitemporal Fragmentation-Based Approach for a Dynamics Analysis of Agricultural Terraced Systems: The Case Study of Costa Viola Landscape (Southern Italy)

Among landscapes, rural landscapes are important because they simultaneously present functional and cultural aspects. Rural often created to modify the Earth’s surface according different human needs and, among these modifying activities, terracing has significant anthropogenic effect. A multitemporal approach that covers a time interval is crucial for monitoring integrity value of historical landscapes. The research aims study fragmentation dynamics detectable in an active agricultural terraced system relevance over considerable interval, by conducting morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA). We analysed period about 60 years, from 1955 2014, considering five intermediate years (1976, 1989, 1998, 2008, 2012) investigated occurred. detected trend abandonment terraces, with reduction area 813.25 ha (in 1955) 118.79 2014). MSPA results showed decrease core areas, most stable pattern, increase relative importance other less classes. Moreover, we highlighted two dynamics, i.e., one between 1976 1998 2008.