Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 12.4 Afforestation Carbon Change Index (ACCI) in the three bioclimates, indicating SOC
stock variation between the afforested sites and the various stages of secondary succession,
including the cultivated stage. Abbreviations: CU cultivated areas, HE herb-dominated plant
communities, PG perennial grasslands, GS garrigues and low shrublands, MA maquis, NF natural
forests, AF artificial afforestations; Thermo thermo-mediterranean, Meso meso-mediterranean,
Supra supra-mediterranean bioclimate
12.4 Conclusions
In the last decades, abandonment and afforestation have strongly modified agri-
cultural systems in Italy. Regarding abandonment, the colonization of abandoned
areas by spontaneous vegetation has some important impacts on the environment,
for example on water balance, carbon dynamics and biodiversity. The present
study confirmed the results of various studies conducted in other biomes, which
pointed out that SOC accumulation after agricultural abandonment depends on
climate (Alberti et al. 2011 ; Jackson et al. 2002 ). SOC accumulation in Sicily
differed between the studied bioclimates, indicating the highest total SOC accu-
mulation for the meso-mediterranean belt, intermediate values for the thermo-
mediterranean belt, and the lowest values for the supra-mediterranean belt.
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