Rewilding is Restoring Mediterranean Mountain Forest Ecosystems

Photo 1. Cultural landscape (upper panel) vs. seminatural forest (lower in southern Italy. The cultural the upper picture (Campotenese plain, Pollino National Park) depicts a mountain rural environment similar to that characterizing study area (Lago del Pesce) 10th century. In 14th–16th centuries, demographic collapse due Black Death outbreak led rewilding and increased cover biomass. lower is from core of Aspromonte Park, where Italian Forest Service (today Carabinieri Forestali) restored since 1960 mixed Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba, Quercus petraea, Pinus nigra subsp. laricio. credit: Gianluca Piovesan Jordan Palli. 2. Rewilding secondary grassland Italy (Pollino Park). Mountain pasturelands below timberline have been historically created maintained through use fire livestock grazing. Once these pressures are reduced or removed as consequence socioeconomic changes, ecological succession takes place, woody vegetation increases. image above shown first phase with low-growing shrubs pioneer species Juniperus communis, acting nurse plant facilitates establishment trees. 3. Luxuriant silver fir (Abies alba) regeneration under mature beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) Silver vulnerable creates forests Mediterranean mountains. Centuries intensive land (fire, grazing, coppicing) populations promoted pure stands most Apennines. protection ensured by Parks Natural Reserves today contributing expansion without any human input. Upper panel: Spontaneous an old-growth Sila Park. This natural habitat has high carbon stock biodiversity characterized around Lago Pesce during late Medieval Modern times. Lower Rubbio Reserve restoration activities Forestali allowing regenerate stands. Young do not produce pollen their recent recolonization still eludes palaeoecological reconstructions. 4. How reconstruct past processes? Fossil studies archives, such lake sediment, reveal ecology time. sediment stores conserves microscopic grains produced local regional plants provides ecology. Left Sampling operations Pesce: A pond within Park (southern Italy). Right Professor Scott Mensing extruding Michele Baliva These photographs illustrate article: “Historical identifies long-term strategy for conserving south Italy” Palli, A. Mensing, Edward M. Schoolman, Francesco Solano, Piovesan. Published Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2758