The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. http://http://dspace.unitus.it:80 2013-05-23T04:20:01Z 2013-05-23T04:20:01Z Baffetta, Federica Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2150 2011-07-01T00:30:51Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Assessing the attributes of scattered trees outside the forest by a multi-phase sampling strategy Authors: Baffetta, Federica; Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo Abstract: A sampling strategy to be used with multi - phase forest inventories is proposed for assessing scattered trees outside the forest on large territories. The fi rst phase is carried out by means of a systematic search over the area to be inventoried. The area is partitioned into regular polygons of the same size and points are randomly located, one per polygon. Subsequently, in the second phase, the land cover class of the fi rst-phase points is determined by very high - resolution remotely sensed imagery and a sample of points are selected from each land cover stratum. Then, the number of trees outside the forest lying within plots at the sampled points is recorded on the imagery. Finally, in the third phase, a subsample is selected from the second-phase samples of each stratum and the biophysical attributes of trees within plots are measured in the fi eld. Approximately unbiased estimators of abundance and of totals and averages of biophysical attributes are achieved in the second and third phase , respectively, together with the estimators of the corresponding variances. A simulation study is performed in order to assess the accuracy of the strategy under random and aggregated distributions of trees. The sampling errors achieved in the second phase using sampling fractions of ~ 0.3 per cent of trees vary from 6 to 13 per cent , whereas the errors achieved in the third phase using sampling fractions of ~ 0.15 per cent vary from 15 to 31 per cent . The results obtained from three case studies carried out in Italy confi rm the accuracy levels achieved in the simulation. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://forestry.oxfordjournals.org/

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Papale, Dario Castaldi, Simona Ciccioli, Paolo Corona, Piermaria Di Tizio, Alessandra Masci, Alberto Miglietta, Franco Reichstein, Markus Vannini, Andrea http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2149 2011-07-01T00:30:51Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Assessment of full carbon budget of Italy: the CarbIUS project Authors: Papale, Dario; Castaldi, Simona; Ciccioli, Paolo; Corona, Piermaria; Di Tizio, Alessandra; Masci, Alberto; Miglietta, Franco; Reichstein, Markus; Vannini, Andrea Abstract: Regional carbon balances, funded, for the Italian side, by the Italian Ministry of Environment in the context of a bilateral agreement to develop scientific collaborations in Global Change Research between Italy and USA signed in 2001. The two regions selected are Italy and Oregon-California; there are many similarities between these two regions (climate, vegetation, topography, population pressure, etc.) but, on other hand, there are also interesting contrasts in societal aspects like demography, land-use history and emissions. The main CarbIUS objectives are 1) the identification of spatial and temporal variability of carbon sources and sinks and the relative contribution of the different anthropogenic and biogenic components, 2) the impact of land use changes and human population dynamics on the carbon balance, 3) the quantification of the effects of climate and natural disturbances on the terrestrial carbon stocks and fluxes and 4) the application of new methodologies to investigate carbon metabolism at the plot, ecosystem and regional scale. In this paper will be presented the methodologies that we are using to assess the contribution of the different components to the full carbon budget, like carbon stocks and fluxes, disturbances (harvesting, wild forest fires and forest pathology), CH4 and NO2 fluxes and anthropogenic emissions. All these information will be input in a Data Assimilation System and the results will be validated using sub-regional airborne measurements of carbon fluxes.

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Tonti, Daniela Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2151 2011-06-29T10:09:21Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Biomass estimates by satellite data and ground measurements Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Tonti, Daniela; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: L'abstract è disponibile nel file allegato

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chirici, Gherardo Lamonaca, Andrea Travaglini, Davide Mason, Franco Minari, Emma Marchetti, Marco Montaghi, Alessandro http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2148 2011-07-01T00:30:49Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Sviluppo di una procedura innovativa per la cubatura del volume della massa legnosa di fustaie di latifoglie mediante LiDAR Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chirici, Gherardo; Lamonaca, Andrea; Travaglini, Davide; Mason, Franco; Minari, Emma; Marchetti, Marco; Montaghi, Alessandro Abstract: La tecnica di scansione aerea con strumentazione LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) è sempre più presa in considerazione ai fini di analisi e monitoraggio degli attributi dendrometrici dei popolamenti forestali, ma anche per stimare attributi complessi quali il volume della massa legnosa e la biomassa legnosa. Il presente contributo propone una procedura innovativa per la stima del volume di massa legnosa di soprassuoli forestali mediante elaborazione di dati LiDAR in ambiente GIS, in particolare per i popolamenti a prevalenza di latifoglie dove i convenzionali metodi di stima basati sulle misurazioni LiDAR dell’altezza dei singoli fusti arborei conducono in genere a risultati relativamente insoddisfacenti. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.asita.it

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2072 2011-05-10T00:30:08Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: eclino globale della diversità biologica, foreste e approccio ecosistemico. Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Recent international reports and a paper published on Science stresses the lack of evidence about the reduction in the rate of biodiversity decline as expected as a consequence of political agreements on global environment. This decline is of particular concern not only with respect to the intrinsic value of the nature as such but also because it involves the reduction or loss of ecosystem services. This issue is distinctively relevant for forest ecosystems. The Ecosystem Approach proposed by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity might be a strategy to reverse the negative trend, promoting a fair conservation and sustainable use of natural resources on an operational level.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Baffetta, Federica Fattorini, Lorenzo Franceschi, Sara Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2081 2011-06-03T00:30:36Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Design-based approach to k-nearest neighbours technique for coupling field and remotely sensed data in forest surveys Authors: Baffetta, Federica; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Franceschi, Sara; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The statistical properties of the k-NN estimators are investigated in a design-based framework, avoiding any assumption about the population under study. The issue of coupling remotely sensed digital imagery with data arising from forest inventories conducted using probabilistic sampling schemes is considered. General results are obtained for the k-NN estimator at the pixel level. When averages (or totals) of forest attributes for the whole study area or sub-areas are of interest, the use of the empirical difference estimator is proposed. The estimator is shown to be approximately unbiased with a variance admitting unbiased or conservative estimators. The performance of the empirical difference estimator is evaluated by an extensive simulation study performed on several populations whose dimensions and covariate values are taken from a real case study. Samples are selected from the populations by means of simple random sampling without replacement. Comparisons with the generalized regression estimator and Horvitz–Thompson estimators are also performed. An application to a local forest inventory on a test area of central Italy is considered. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Kohl, Michael Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2141 2011-06-28T00:30:45Z 2002-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Advances in Forest Inventory for Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Monitoring Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Kohl, Michael; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: The increasing awareness and concern of people, researchers and decision makers for the maintenance and enhancement of goods and services provided by forest ecosystems significantly widened the scope of information needs for sustainable forest management on the task-specific, integrative and strategic level. Forest resource assessments have to provide reliable, harmonized, politically relevant, cost-efficient and intuitively visible information on the multiple functions of forests in the form of statistics, georeferenced data and thematic cartography. In this perspective, the need of reviewing and discussing improvements of forest inventory and monitoring approaches is acknowledged to cope with assessment and analysis tools required for the full understanding of forest ecosystems, from local to global scales. Only a limited amount of information can be provided by adding a set of new attributes to the list of attributes commonly used in assessing the productive function of forests and utilizing traditional survey designs. The diversity of information needs that have to be satisfied by current forest resource assessments require the adoption of new survey approaches and the extension of assessment frames from forests to landscapes. This is deemed distinctively true for the issues related to sustainable forest management and biodiversity monitoring. Within this framework, the major purpose of this volume of Kluwer`s "Forestry Science Series" is to give readers hands-on experiences about inventory and monitoring problems and potential by reviewing a selection of approaches, methods and tools for multi-resource forest surveys, with special reference to remote sensing, statistical sampling and spatial analyses. The book is intended for researchers and practitioners in the field of forest and environmental planning, environmental monitoring and environmental policies. Description: Il testo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.wkap.nl

2002-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Giuliarelli, Diego Biscontini, Daniele Tonti, Daniela Mattioli, Walter Marchetti, Marco Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2082 2011-06-03T00:30:37Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Large-scale monitoring of coppice forest clearcuts by multitemporal very high resolution satellite imagery. A case study from central Italy Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Giuliarelli, Diego; Biscontini, Daniele; Tonti, Daniela; Mattioli, Walter; Marchetti, Marco; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Reliable assessment of forest resource stock, productivity and harvesting is a commonly agreed objective of environmental monitoring programs. Distinctively, the assessment of wood harvesting has become even more relevant to evaluate the sustainability of forest management and to quantify forest carbon budget. This paper presents the development and testing of procedures for assessing forest harvesting in coppice forests by very high resolution (VHR) satellite imagery. The study area is located in central Italy over approximately 34,000 km2. A set of SPOT5 HRG multispectral images was acquired for the study years (2002–2007). Official administrative statistics of coppice clearcutswere also acquired.More than 9500 clearcuts weremapped and dated by on-screen interpretation of the SPOT5 images. In a subset of the study area various methods for semi-automatic clearcut mapping were tested by pixel- and object-oriented approaches. The following results are presented: (i) clearcut map developed by visual interpretation of the SPOT5 images resulted in high thematic (overall accuracy of 0.99) and geometric (rootmean square error of clearcut boundary delineation of 5.3 m) reliability; (ii) object-oriented approach achieved significantly better accuracy than pixel-based methods for semi-automatic classification of the coppice clearcuts; (iii) comparison between mapped clearcut area and official forest harvesting statistics proved a significant underestimation by the latter (65% of the total mapped clearcut area). A sample-based procedure exploiting VHR satellite imagery is finally proposed to correct the official statistics of coppice clearcuts. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Macrì, Antonio Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2079 2011-06-03T00:30:38Z 2003-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Boschi e foreste in Italia secondo le più recenti fonti informative Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Macrì, Antonio; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: Negli ultimi anni, il contesto internazionale, nazionale e locale è divenuto sempre più impegnativo per quanto riguarda gli indirizzi di politica forestale e ambientale e, conseguentemente, sempre più stringenti le connesse richieste di dati. Nella prospettiva di un quadro di sintesi a livello nazionale, la presente nota mira a fornire una panoramica sulle principali fonti informative relative ad alcuni aspetti salienti dei sistemi forestali. Lo scopo non è un’analisi critica delle fonti, quanto piuttosto una rassegna di dati in forma di breve compendio commentato. Particolare attenzione viene riservata al commento delle statistiche di superficie forestale fornite da ISTAT.

2003-12-31T23:00:00Z Lamonaca, Andrea Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2123 2011-06-10T00:30:49Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Analisi multilivello della diversità strutturale di una faggeta con caratteri di vetustà. Authors: Lamonaca, Andrea; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The analysis of forest structure is a valuable support tool for forest management. Usually, it is investigated through data acquired by field survey. Multispectral remote sensing is now able to provide information from very high resolution satellite sensors and the object oriented segmentation techniques are particularly efficient to exploit such data. In this work the segmentation of a QuickBird image (spatial resolution = 2,8 m) is used to quantify some aspects of the structural diversity of a Fagus sylvatica stand with old-growth characteristics, located in central Italy (northern Latium). We used three different scale levels to analyze the spatial relationships, the species mingling and the size dominance among single trees, by applying a set of neighbourhood-based indexes. Differences among the dbh distributions were highlighted by the absolute discrepancy algorithm and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, at each examined scale level. The association between natural regeneration and gap and extended gap sizes was also analyzed. In the examined conditions, the spectral and geometric heterogeneity quantified by very high resolution multispectral QuickBird imagery proved to be an effective support tool for the characterization of forest stand structural diversity.

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Giuliarelli, Diego Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2083 2011-06-03T00:30:38Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Sperimentazione di tecniche object oriented per la classificazione di uso/copertura del suolo Corine Land Cover da immagini satellitari a media risoluzione Authors: Giuliarelli, Diego; Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea Abstract: This work aims to assess the potential of segmentation and object oriented classification techniques of satellite images with medium spatial resolution, for land use/cover (Corine Land Cover, CLC) mapping. The tested procedures are assessed both in term of thematic accuracy and working time, with reference to a study area of about 4000 km2 in central Italy. The automatic procedure is carried out by segmentation of the pan-sharpened image and by subsequent classification using membership and standard nearest neighbour functions. Results are evaluated by sample circular photoplots taken from digital IT2000 orthophotos coverage. In terms of overall accuracy, object oriented classification achieves better results than conventional on screen interpretation. The classification shows difficulties for the identification of the “mixed” classes of CLC nomenclature system; however, even in these cases the object oriented techniques provide higher producer and user accuracy than on screen interpretation. On the whole, since they are able to produce more objective and more accurate cartographic products at similar costs, the application of the tested automatic techniques seems to be preferred to the conventional on screen interpretation for satellite images with medium spatial resolution. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Bertini, Roberta Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2084 2011-06-03T00:30:37Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Confronto di metodi parametrici e non-parametrici per la spazializzazione della provvigione legnosa tramite integrazione di misure a terra, dati telerilevati e informazioni ancillari Authors: Bertini, Roberta; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: The use of remotely sensed data for forest inventory and monitoring of natural resources is ever increasing. Distinctively, remotely sensed data, integrated with ancillary data, can be exploited for the spazialization of biophysical attributes measured by forest inventories or management plans. Such applications are based on the relationships between the considered attributes and the spectral information measured by multispectral satellite images. Operative applications are commonly based on parametric or, more frequently, non-parametric approaches. The final aim of the present contribution is the spazialization of forest standing volume of various tree species in a study site in northern Italy by parametric (multiregressive) and non-parametric algorithms (k-Nearest Neighbors). The project is based on field data measured in productive forest stands dominated by Abies alba Mill. and/or Picea abies L. in the Provincia Autonoma di Trento (eastern Alpine Region of Italy). Remotely sensed images were acquired by the Landsat 7 ETM+ sensor while ancillary information is given by the altitude obtained from DEM and the site fertility from the GIS of the management plans. The contribution compares spazialization performance of several operative configurations of the tested methods in order to provide guidelines for the operative application of such techniques on vast areas. The study results emphasize the higher suitability of the tested non-parametric methods. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Davide, Travaglini Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2122 2011-06-10T00:30:49Z 2002-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Potenzialità delle immagini telerilevate Spot 5 per inventari forestali su vasta scala. Authors: Davide, Travaglini; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: The current needs of an in-depth knowledge about forest ecosystems requires the support of very detailed information. That is why up to now air-born imagery has been preferred to satellite imagery for forest inventory applications, at least in Italy. The new satellite sensors with high or very high spatial resolution and quite high spectral resolution allow to overcome such a limit and can be considered as suitable data for forest mapping at high and medium scales as well as inventory supports. In such a view, this paper shows the results of an experimental comparison between sampling point photointerpretation by Spot 5 images and by digital orthophotos (grey scale/8 bit), over a 15000-ha-wide study area in Central Italy. Albeit a more enlarged testing is needed for definitive conclusions, the obtained results already prove the significative efficiency of Spot 5 high resolution images for forest inventory application.

2002-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Pompei, Enrico Scarascia Mugnozza, Giuseppe http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2085 2011-06-03T00:30:38Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Stima probabilistica del tasso di espansione annua e del valore al 1990 della superficie forestale nella Regione Abruzzo Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Pompei, Enrico; Scarascia Mugnozza, Giuseppe Abstract: In Italy, reliable updated data on forest expansion on a national or regional scale are not available. The aim of this note is to present a probabilistic estimation approach based on land cover classification repeated on the same sample points for two successive occasions. The approach was experimented in the Abruzzo region (Central Italy), where the rate of forest expansion was assessed by multitemporal classification of permanent sample points on orthocorrected aerial photos. The forest area at the year 1990, a figure of high relevance for reporting under the Kyoto Protocol, was also assessed. The proposed procedure proved to be relatively easy to implement and able to provide precise estimates, given the adopted sampling intensity (the same of the Italian national forest inventory). It is stressed that statistical figures of forest areas on wide territories obtained by estimation approaches like the proposed one are scientifically more defensible than those traditionally based on the complete mapping, being more objectively repeatable. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Scotti, Roberto http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2146 2011-07-01T00:30:48Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Systemic silviculture, adaptive management and forest monitoring perspectives Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Scotti, Roberto Abstract: Systemic silviculture can be framed as an approach in which management practices are conceived as learning experiments. In the light of this, effective and efficient monitoring processes are required in order to inform and support the management taking explicitly into account the many system components, their interactions and its nonlinear behavior, a characteristic that determines important limitations with regard to the value of predictions. In order to evaluate evidence and turn data into decisions, monitoring effectiveness and efficiency encompass adequate statistical methods and tools for acquisition, processing and analysis of information from different sources. The present note highlights some key contributions on which to engage the development of forest monitoring under such a perspective.

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Marchetti, Marco Corona, Piermaria Lassere, Bruno Pettenella, Davide Stahl, Goran http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2147 2011-07-01T00:30:49Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Criterion 3. Maintenance and Encouragement of Productive Functions of Forests (Wood and Non-Wood) Authors: Marchetti, Marco; Corona, Piermaria; Lassere, Bruno; Pettenella, Davide; Stahl, Goran Abstract: - Description: Il report è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.foresteurope.org

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria D'Orazio, Pierluigi Lamonaca, Andrea Portoghesi, Luigi http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2097 2011-06-07T00:30:52Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: L’indice Winkelmass per l’inventariazione a fini assestamentali della diversità strutturale di soprassuoli forestali Authors: Corona, Piermaria; D'Orazio, Pierluigi; Lamonaca, Andrea; Portoghesi, Luigi Abstract: Spatial pattern of tree species, sizes and ages affects functional processes and biodiversity of forest ecosystems. Therefore, it is more and more important that stand structural diversity can be assessed through easy-to-implement methodologies at forest management scale. This paper discusses the application of a recently proposed index (the Winkelmass index) of tree spatial aggregation, based on the measurement of the angles between neighboring stems, to a beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest in Northern Latium (Italy). Results shows that the Winkelmass index can be implemented in a simple and fast way according to objective sampling schemes and allows to produce a raster map of tree aggregation pattern in the forest. Under the stand condition in the test area, only four trees at each sample point were sufficient to characterize prevailing stand horizontal structure. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Ferrari, Barbara Iovino, Francesco La Mantia, Tommaso Barbati, Anna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2152 2011-07-01T00:30:48Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Rimboschimenti e lotta alla desertificazione in Italia Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Ferrari, Barbara; Iovino, Francesco; La Mantia, Tommaso; Barbati, Anna Abstract: Questa monografia propone una lettura critica sul ruolo attuale del rimboschimento nella prevenzione e mitigazione dei processi di desertificazione in Italia. Le potenzialità del rimboschimento sono inquadrate in una prospettiva multifunzionale e sinergica che comprende le ricadute ambientali di questa attività anche in termini di assorbimento del carbonio atmosferico e potenziamento della biodiversità, oltre che di conservazione del suolo e recupero e riqualificazione di paesaggi degradati. L’obiettivo è delineare una strategia di lotta alla desertificazione applicabile a livello regionale, nel quadro degli strumenti programmatici e di governo del territorio rurale e fornire orientamenti tecnici per la progettazione dei rimboschimenti su terreni degradati

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Mattioli, Walter Pinelli, Adolfa Filibeck, Goffredo Portoghesi, Luigi Scoppola, Anna Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2096 2011-06-07T00:30:51Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Relazioni tra gestione selvicolturale, tipo forestale e diversità floristica in cedui castanili Authors: Mattioli, Walter; Pinelli, Adolfa; Filibeck, Goffredo; Portoghesi, Luigi; Scoppola, Anna; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Chestnut stands are among the main forest formations in Italy. The aim of this work is to assess the floristic diversity of chestnut coppice stands of Sabatini Mts. (central Italy), highlighting the relationships between the silvicultural system and the ecological processes. In the management of these coppices almost exclusive importance has been given to the wood production, rating the stands on the basis of the rotation that maximizes the production of the most valuable assortments. The assessment carried out is based on floristic and dendrometric surveys within permanent circular plots (10 meters radius) randomly selected within three chronological strata. Surveys have been realized on a total of 15 plots, 5 for each stratum. Indices of floristic richness and diversity have been elaborated to point out variations of forest types and to suggest possible alternatives to the current management to mitigate its impact on biodiversity. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Blasi, Carlo Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Maselli, Fabio Puletti, Nicola http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2098 2011-06-07T00:30:53Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Spazializzazione di dati climatici a livello nazionale tramite modelli regressivi localizzati Authors: Blasi, Carlo; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Maselli, Fabio; Puletti, Nicola Abstract: The availability of spatialised climatic data is an essential pre-requisite for the implementation of GIS-based analysis in many application fields. Among the different methodologies for the spatialization of climatic data collected in weather-stations the most used are those based on geostatistical approaches, on parametric correlative models or on neural networks. Within the “Completamento delle Conoscenze Naturalistiche di Base” project, funded by the Italian Ministry for the Environment (Department of Nature Protection) a database of 403 weather-stations distributed across Italy with a time series of thirty years was collected. Data of mean monthly temperature (minimum and maximum) and rainfalls were spatialized by a local linear univariate regressive method based on elevation as independent variable. A total of 36 monthly maps with a geometric resolution of 250 m was generated. The present paper introduces the adopted methodology and the accuracy results estimated by leave-one-out cross validation. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2091 2011-06-07T00:30:51Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Declino globale della diversità biologica, foreste e approccio ecosistemico Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Recent international reports and a paper published on Science stresses the lack of evidence about the reduction in the rate of biodiversity decline as expected as a consequence of political agreements on global environment. This decline is of particular concern not only with respect to the intrinsic value of the nature as such but also because it involves the reduction or loss of ecosystem services. This issue is distinctively relevant for forest ecosystems. The Ecosystem Approach proposed by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity might be a strategy to reverse the negative trend, promoting a fair conservation and sustainable use of natural resources on an operational level. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Giuliarelli, Diego Lamonaca, Andrea Mattioli, Walter Tonti, Daniela Chirici, Gherardo Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2092 2011-06-07T00:30:50Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Confronto sperimentale tra superfici a ceduo tagliate a raso osservate mediante immagini satellitari ad alta risoluzione e tagliate riscontrate amministrativamente Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Giuliarelli, Diego; Lamonaca, Andrea; Mattioli, Walter; Tonti, Daniela; Chirici, Gherardo; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: The aim of this work is to test the potential of SPOT5 satellite images for monitoring coppice clearcuts. The clearcuts, delineated by on screen interpretation of the satellite images, are compared with the administrative statistics reported for a sample of 230 administrative units. Administrative statistics result significantly lower than those by satellite images, with an average ratio between clearcut area observed by SPOT5 images within each sample unit and the corresponding administrative statistics equal to 1.45. The underestimation by the administrative data is likely due to the simplified process of authorization of coppice clearcuts as well as the eventual lack of timeliness and/or loss of data that sometimes hinder the information flow from administrative bodies to National Forest Service, that is in charge of feeding the official forest statistics. In the light of the experimentation carried out, an operational procedure by SPOT5 images is proposed for the statistical calibration of administrative data about coppice clearcuts. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Fisher, Richard Granke, Oliver Chirici, Gherardo Meyer, Peter Seidling, Walter Strofer, Silvia Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2090 2011-06-07T00:30:54Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Background, main results and conclusions from a test phase for biodiversity assessments on intensive forest monitoring plots in Europe Authors: Fisher, Richard; Granke, Oliver; Chirici, Gherardo; Meyer, Peter; Seidling, Walter; Strofer, Silvia; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: The Forest Biodiversity Test phase Assessments (ForestBIOTA) project was carried out on 97 intensive monitoring plots located in 12 European countries. It aimed at the development and test implementation of monitoring methods for forest biodiversity across Europe. More specifically it covered the fields of (i) stand structure, (ii) forest deadwood, (iii) ground vegetation and (iv) epiphytic lichens. A forest type classification was applied in addition. The project took into account policy requirements stated by a number of political processes and institutions including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe, the Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference and the European Union. Whereas detailed results of the assessments are presented in additional publications (Stofer et al. 2007, in prep, Meyer et al. 2007, submitted), this paper draws a number of general conclusions and gives recommendations for future development of forest biodiversity monitoring in Europe.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Bianchi, Massimo Bovio, Giovanni Camia, Andrea Cantiani, Paolo Ferretti, Fabrizio Francesetti, Annalisa Lamonaca, Andrea Portoghesi, Luigi Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2093 2011-06-07T00:30:51Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: “ProgettoBosco”: un sistema di supporto alle decisioni per la stesura di piani di gestione forestale quale strumento di sussidio all’attività didattica Authors: Bianchi, Massimo; Bovio, Giovanni; Camia, Andrea; Cantiani, Paolo; Ferretti, Fabrizio; Francesetti, Annalisa; Lamonaca, Andrea; Portoghesi, Luigi; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The Decision Support System called “ProgettoBosco”, build up for preparing sustainable forest management plans, has been tested as an educational tool at the university level in Italy. This software was succesfully tested with the collaboration of 120 students from the Forestry Faculties of Turin and Tuscia (Viterbo). We show here that using this software students were able to organize effectively data, that have been used to compile, in a rather short time (one week), two forest managent plans, having an extension of 250 and 100 ha. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Barbati, Anna Ferrari, Barbara Portoghesi, Luigi http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2140 2011-06-28T00:30:45Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Pianificazione ecologica dei sistemi forestali Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Barbati, Anna; Ferrari, Barbara; Portoghesi, Luigi Abstract: Questo testo didattico, focalizzato su piani e programmi deputati al governo delle superfici forestali a diversi livelli di scala nel nostro Paese, è orientato a presentare e discutere il ruolo degli strumenti di pianificazione forestale all’interno del più ampio scenario di strategie e norme per il governo del territorio intessuto dai piani di matrice urbanistico-territoriale e ambientale e dagli strumenti di valutazione ambientale integrata. Chiave di lettura della trattazione è l’applicazione di un approccio ecologico nelle varie fasi del processo di pianificazione. Esso si traduce nel ricorso a strumenti di indagine e di procedure valutative funzionali a: (i) mettere in luce opportunità e limiti da considerare nella gestione dei territori forestali al fine di garantire la durevolezza e riproducibilità dei beni e servizi da essi erogati, dalla scala locale a quella di paesaggio; ciò tenuto anche conto della varietà di regimi di protezione delle aree forestali applicati nel nostro Paese; (ii) garantire la sostenibilità ecologica delle trasformazioni territoriali e, dunque, anche la salvaguardia dei sistemi forestali, mediante strumenti specifici di valutazione e di tutela ambientale integrata. In relazione a ciò uno dei principali obiettivi didattici (e questo rappresenta una novità, almeno con riferimento al panorama della letteratura di settore in Italia) è il tentativo di integrare in un quadro organico e di lettura non eccessivamente specialistica i vari aspetti ecologici, normativo-procedurali e tecnico-gestionali coinvolti.

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2089 2011-06-07T00:30:51Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Desertificazione, siccità, foreste e ricerca Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: - Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Barbati, Anna Chiesi, Marta Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2080 2011-06-03T00:30:38Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Use of remotely sensed and ancillary data for estimating forest gross primary productivity in Italy Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Barbati, Anna; Chiesi, Marta; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The current paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which can use widely available remotely sensed and ancillary data to assess large-scale patterns of forest productivity in Italy. To reach this objective a straightforward model (C-Fix) was applied which is based on the relationship between photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plant canopies and relevant gross primary productivity (GPP). The original C-Fix methodology was improved by using more abundant ancillary information and more efficient techniques for NDVI data processing. In particular, two extraction methods were applied to NDVI data, derived from two sensors (NOAA-AVHRR and SPOT-VGT) to feed C-Fix. The accuracy of the model outputs was assessed through comparison with annual and monthly values of forest GPP derived from eight eddy covariance flux towers. The results obtained indicated the superiority of SPOT-VGT over NOAA-AVHRR data and a higher efficiency of the more advanced NDVI extraction method. Globally, the procedure was proved to be of easy and objective implementation and allowed the evaluation of mean productivity levels of existing forests on the national scale. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Ferrari, Barbara Marchetti, Marco Barbati, Anna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2153 2011-07-01T00:30:46Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Risorse forestali e rischio di desertifcazione in Italia. Standard programmatici di gestione Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Ferrari, Barbara; Marchetti, Marco; Barbati, Anna Abstract: Saggio monografico frutto di approfondite indagini riguardanti le foreste di alcune delle più aride regioni italiane, il cui obiettivo principale è illustrare il ruolo della gestione forestale nella lotta alla desertificazione in Italia e proporre, altresì, una strategia di prevenzione, contrasto e mitigazione attraverso standard programmatici appositamente elaborati

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Nocentini, Susanna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1774 2011-03-29T00:30:30Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: UN METODO PER LA QUANTIFICAZIONE SU BASI PARAMETRICHE DELL’INTENSITÀ DI DIRADAMENTO Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Nocentini, Susanna Abstract: Viene proposto un metodo per quantificare l’intensità di diradamento in popolamenti coetanei. Il metodo (ICN) si basa sulla teoria di Assmann ed esprime l’intensità di diradamento in termini di percentuale di area basimetrica da asportare. Secondo questo metodo, l’area basimetrica massimale in un popolamento coetaneo può essere stimata in funzione della sua altezza dominante. L’indice ICN è stato usato per quantificare l’intensità di diradamento in rimboschimenti di pino nero in Toscana

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Kohl, Michael Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2142 2011-06-28T00:30:45Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Earth observation techniques and geographic information systems as tools for assessing land use/cover changes in a landscape context. Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Kohl, Michael; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: This paper discusses the use of remote sensing and geographic information system techniques for the evaluation of land use/cover changes, examination of different landscape patterns, analysis of the connection between multi-temporal dynamics and environmental factors, and modelling and prediction of future evolution. Description: Il volume è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.cabi.org

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Cibella, Roberto La Mantia, Tommaso Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1900 2012-08-06T09:54:43Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Sistemi di tariffe di cubatura per le fustaie di pino d’aleppo, pino laricio e pino domestico della Sicilia Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Cibella, Roberto; La Mantia, Tommaso; Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza Abstract: The aim of this study is to set up one-way volume table series to predict stem volume of the main conifers in Sicily, namely Italian stone pine, Aleppo pine and Corsican pine. For each species the relationships between height and tree diameter at breast height (dbh) resulted well represented by the semilogarithmic function, which was established as «guide line» of the height-diameter relationship. Adapting each height - dbh series according to the inclination of the «guide line», a set of isomorphic height curves was obtained for each species. Corresponding volume series was obtained from each height series on the basis of National Forestry Inventory volume tables. Oneway volume table series are of considerable usefulness in the context of forest management since they represent estimation tools with flexible application at different levels of forest management.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2099 2011-06-07T00:30:54Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Area-based lidar-assisted estimation of forest standing volume Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo Abstract: Airborne laser scanning (lidar) technology is increasingly being applied in forest ecosystem surveys. This research note proposes a design-based approach for the lidar-assisted estimation of forest standing volume when ground surveys are performed by means of fixed-area plots. The lidar measurement of the height of the upper canopy (digital crown model) is performed for the whole study area, and the resulting pixel heights are adopted as auxiliary information to couple with the standing volume acquired on the ground by means of sample plots. The ratio estimator for the total volume of the forest is derived in a complete design-based framework together with an unbiased estimator of its sampling variance and the corresponding confidence interval. The proposed procedure has been tested in Bosco della Fontana, a lowland forest in Northern Italy, obtaining a 95% confidence interval for the total volume, which is approximately 2/3 smaller than that obtained by solely using information arising from field plots. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.nrcresearchpress.com

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chirici, Gherardo Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2095 2011-06-07T00:30:54Z 2003-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Forest ecotone survey by line intersect sampling Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chirici, Gherardo; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: Given their ecological relevance, the survey of ecotones is of considerable interest in forest multiresource inventory. To this end, it is useful to set up survey procedures to provide efficient and reliable information about the length of such elements within the landscape mosaic. This note demonstrates a procedure based upon line intersect sampling on remotely sensed imagery. The estimate of ecotone length per unit area is obtained by visual interpretation of the changes from forest to other land use classes along each sampling line. The experimentation carried out in two test areas within forest landscapes of central Italy proves the operative soundness of the proposed procedure, which is more efficient than the classical approach by forest polygon delineation and perimeter mensuration in a GIS environment. Under the examined conditions, samples based on a moderately high number of lines characterized by relatively long length prove to be more efficient than those based on shorter survey units. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.nrcresearchpress.com

2003-12-31T23:00:00Z Baffetta, Federica Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2094 2011-06-07T00:30:54Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Design-based diagnostics for k-NN estimators of forest resources Authors: Baffetta, Federica; Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo Abstract: The k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) method constitutes a possible approach to improve the precision of the Horvitz– Thompson estimator of a single interest variable using auxiliary information at the estimation stage. Improvements are likely to occur when the neighbouring structure in the space of auxiliary variables is similar to the neighbouring structure in the space of the survey variables. Populations suitable for k-NN can be identified via the scores of the first principal component computed on the variance–covariance matrix of auxiliary variables. If the first principal component explains a large portion of the whole variability, distances among scores provide good approximations of distances in the space of auxiliary variables in such a way that the effectiveness of k-NN can be assessed by plotting the first principal component scores versus the sampled values of each of the interest variables. Monotone relationships with high values of Spearman’s correlation coefficients should denote effectiveness. Otherwise, when the first principal component explains small fractions of the total variation, an index that directly quantifies the similarity between the neighbouring structure in the space of interest and auxiliary variables is proposed. The validity of the proposed diagnostics is theoretically argued and empirically proven by a simulation study performed on a wide range of artificial and real populations. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.nrcresearchpress.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Travaglini, Davide Barbati, Anna Chirici, Gherardo Lombardi, Fabio Marchetti, Marco Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2114 2011-06-10T00:30:48Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: ForestBIOTA data on deadwood monitoring in Europe Authors: Travaglini, Davide; Barbati, Anna; Chirici, Gherardo; Lombardi, Fabio; Marchetti, Marco; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Deadwood is a key ecological factor in forest ecosystems. Its occurrence is fundamental since it represents a microhabitat for hundreds of species of invertebrates, fungi, bryophytes, lichens, amphibians, small mammals and birds. In recent years, deadwood has been recognized as a relevant indicator for the assessment and monitoring of forest biodiversity. In this paper the methodology for surveying woody necromass proposed by the ForestBIOTA project under Regulation (EC) No 2152/ 2003 (Forest Focus) is described. The amount of deadwood found on 91 Intensive Monitoring Level II plot of the EU and ICP Forest condition monitoring programme range from 0 to 258 m3 ha71. In the examined areas, total deadwood volume does not differ significantly among forest types, due to the high intra-type variability. On the other hand, its distribution between coarse and fine necromass and among necromass components is highly dependent on forest types. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea Chirici, Gherardo Travaglini, Davide Marchetti, Marco Minari, Emma Montaghi, Alessandro http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2144 2011-06-28T00:30:46Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estimation of growing stock of broadleaved forests by airborne laser scanning Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea; Chirici, Gherardo; Travaglini, Davide; Marchetti, Marco; Minari, Emma; Montaghi, Alessandro Abstract: Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly being proposed for surveying forest attributes. The objective of this paper is to present a new approach for the estimation of growing stock based on ALS data. The approach is distinctively developed for broadleaved stands where conventional methods for growing stock estimation based on ALS measurements of single tree heights frequently provide poor results. Theoretical background and model-based statistical estimators are reported.

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Marchetti, Marco Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2143 2011-06-28T00:30:46Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Armonizzazione degli inventari forestali per il monitoraggio della biodiversità Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Marchetti, Marco; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Gli approcci selvicolturali orientati alla gestione sostenibile delle risorse forestali richiedono la disponibilità di informazioni di supporto qualitativamente e quantitativamente superiori rispetto a quelle richieste da un approccio più tradizionale finalizzato alla massimizzazione della produzione legnosa. Negli ultimi anni la selvicoltura si è evoluta proponendo nuovi approcci orientati alla ottimizzazione delle funzionalità biologiche del sistema bosco. Parallelamente vari processi internazionali a livello Europeo (Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, Streamlining Biodiversity Indicators by 2010) e globale (Montreal Process, Protocollo di Kyoto) richiedono la quantificazione di numerosi indicatori attraverso i quali valutare il livello di sostenibilità della gestione forestale e il valore ecologico degli ecosistemi forestali. L’ampliata domanda di informazioni su aspetti ecologici e ambientali delle foreste richiede un adattamento dei protocolli di rilevamento inventariale che ne costituiscono la principale fonte informativa. Il presente contributo è basato sui primi risultati dell’azione COST E43 “Harmonisation of National forest inventories in Europe: techniques for common reporting” Working Group 3 che è impegnato nella valutazione della capacità di reporting armonizzato del livello di biodiversità degli ecosistemi forestali da parte degli inventari forestali nazionali. Dall’analisi dei metodi, delle definizioni e dei protocolli adottati da 27 Paesi è possibile dedurre l’attuale capacità degli inventari forestali per la derivazione di un gruppo di indicatori della biodiversità forestale organizzati in sette aree tematiche (core variables): tipologie forestali, legno morto, diversità compositiva e strutturale, età, naturalità, vegetazione non forestale, rinnovazione. Sulla base delle analisi realizzate nell’azione COST E43 viene qui presentato l’inquadramento metodologico delle procedure di armonizzazione e la loro possibile applicazione finalizzata alla derivazione di indicatori di biodiversità forestale.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Barbati, Anna Bottalico, Francesca Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2154 2011-07-01T00:30:48Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Applications of very high resolution satellite imagery to forest ecosystem assessment Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Barbati, Anna; Bottalico, Francesca; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The latest generation of commercial satellite sensors provides image products with very high geometric resolution (VHR). VHR images have been extensively exploited in the last years for monitoring forest ecosystem conditions. This chapter presents a review of applications in several fields: forest assessment, forest mapping, detection of stand structural attributes, forest disturbances, estimation of forest biomass and other biophysical variables. Current scientific knowledge under each issue is discussed and most promising classification techniques and approaches are outlined Description: Il volume è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.ressign.com

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Moriondo, Marco Chiesi, Marta Chirici, Gherardo Puletti, Nicola Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2133 2011-06-14T00:30:55Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Evaluating the effects of environmental changes on the gross primary production of italian forests Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Moriondo, Marco; Chiesi, Marta; Chirici, Gherardo; Puletti, Nicola; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: A ten-year data-set descriptive of Italian forest gross primary production (GPP) has been recently constructed by the application of Modified C-Fix, a parametric model driven by remote sensing and ancillary data. That data-set is currently being used to develop multivariate regression models which link the inter-year GPP variations of five forest types (white fir, beech, chestnut, deciduous and evergreen oaks) to seasonal values of temperature and precipitation. The five models obtained, which explain from 52% to 88% of the interyear GPP variability, are then applied to predict the effects of expected environmental changes (+2 °C and increased CO2 concentration). The results show a variable response of forest GPP to the simulated climate change, depending on the main ecosystem features. In contrast, the effects of increasing CO2 concentration are always positive and similar to those given by a combination of the two environmental factors. These findings are analyzed with reference to previous studies on the subject, particularly concerning Mediterranean environments. The analysis confirms the plausibility of the scenarios obtained, which can cast light on the important issue of forest carbon pool variations under expected global changes.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chirici, Gherardo Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2118 2011-06-10T00:30:48Z 2001-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Forest ecosystem inventory and monitoring as a framework for terrestrial natural renewable resource survey programmes Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chirici, Gherardo; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: The established practice of forest ecosystem inventory and monitoring is recognised as a main support for terrestrial natural renewable resource survey programmes. Inventory and monitoring programmes focused on an overall assessment of ecosystem attributes evolving into global environmental survey programmes have been devised, but implementation is still quite contradictory. The state-of-the-art is discussed here, with special reference to the European Union and Italy. Topical issues are reviewed, with selective concern to: remote sensing capability, probability sampling, forest type (habitat) classification and landscape ecology, sustainable management indicators. Benefits brought by information technology are highlighted. Its development and the implementation of approaches based on a sound “per habitat” landscape ecological perspective will bring unique benefits, thus leading to an effective integration among sector surveys aimed at global environmental inventory/monitoring. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2001-12-31T23:00:00Z Lamonaca, Andrea Calvani, Paolo Giuliarelli, Diego Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2113 2011-06-10T00:30:47Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Surveying black pine plantations in the province of Rieti (Italy) Authors: Lamonaca, Andrea; Calvani, Paolo; Giuliarelli, Diego; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Durante il secolo scorso furono realizzati molti rimboschimenti di pino nero in ambito appenninico al fine di recuperare terreni degradati. Vari Autori hanno formulato proposte di gestione per la rinaturalizzazione di questi soprassuoli. La loro applicazione comporta però elevati costi di rilievo in sede di analisi. Obiettivo di questa nota è la proposizione di una metodologia di inventario ricognitivo degli attributi di questo tipo di soprassuoli che consenta di ottenere dati sufficientemente attendibili su ampie superfici, a costi relativamente contenuti. A livello sperimentale è stata realizzata la mappatura dei rimboschimenti di pino nero della provincia di Rieti. La tecnica k-NN è stata utilizzata per spazializzare la provvigione legnosa a partire da aree di saggio a terra con l’ausilio di un’immagine telerilevata Landsat 7 ETM+. A scopo esemplificativo, gli aspetti inventariali sono integrati da misure ecologico-paesistiche per la descrizione spaziale dei rimboschimenti mappati.; In the last century large afforestation programs were carried out in the Apennines to recover degraded lands, mainly by Pinus nigra plantations. Currently, many Authors have proposed management guidelines to foster the naturalization of such woodlands. However, such an option requires the availability of detailed surveys. The aim of this note is to propose a survey protocol for qualifying the landscape pattern of pine reafforestations and for mapping their growing stock on the basis of the k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) techniques. A case study application by Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery is here reported concerning the Pinus nigra plantations in the province of Rieti (Central Italy).

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Lombardi, Fabio Chirici, Gherardo Marchetti, Marco Tognetti, Roberto Lasserre, Bruno Barbati, Anna Ferrari, Barbara Di Paolo, Silvia Giuliarelli, Diego Iovino, Francesco Nicolaci, Antonino Bianchi, Livio Maltoni, Alberto Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1902 2011-04-12T00:30:21Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Deadwood in forest stands close to old-growthness under Mediterranean conditions in the Italian Peninsula Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Lombardi, Fabio; Chirici, Gherardo; Marchetti, Marco; Tognetti, Roberto; Lasserre, Bruno; Barbati, Anna; Ferrari, Barbara; Di Paolo, Silvia; Giuliarelli, Diego; Iovino, Francesco; Nicolaci, Antonino; Bianchi, Livio; Maltoni, Alberto; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: Considering that indicators of old-growth features can vary across the European ecoregions, this paper provides some results to identify the distinctive traits of old-growth forests in the Mediterranean ecoregion. Deadwood occurrence as indicator of naturalness is investigated in some remote forest areas that have developed in absence of anthropogenic disturbance over the past few decades. Eleven study sites across the Italian peninsula were elected and records of deadwood were carried out in 1-ha size plots. Deadwood volume, deadwood types and decay stages were inventoried in the selected sites. The amounts of deadwood indicate a large variability among the investigated forest stands: the total volume ranged between 2 and 143 m3ha-1, with an average of 60 m3ha-1. Lying deadwood is the most abundant component of deadwood in the investigated forests, due to the natural mortality occurring in the stands in relation to the processes established in the last decades. On the contrary, stumps are the less represented type of deadwood in almost all the study areas. All the decay classes are present in each study site. The amount of deadwood in Southern Europe, even if lower than that reported for North and Central European countries, could have a different meaning due to the faster decay occurring in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. For this reason, old-growth features and the characteristics of each indicator should be framed and referred to well-defined climatic and biogeographic contexts. Distinctively, under the conditions here investigated, three main deadwood features prove to characterize forest stands close to old-growthness: a ratio of dead to living wood not lower than 10%; lying deadwood much more abundant than the standing one; large range of deadwood size and decay classes across all the deadwood components.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Lamonaca, Andrea Melini, Davide Nocentini, Susanna Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2165 2011-07-22T00:30:20Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Valutazione multicriteriale della suscettività a interventi di rinaturalizzazione dei rimboschimenti di pino nero e dei soprassuoli di cerro in Toscana Authors: Barbati, Anna; Lamonaca, Andrea; Melini, Davide; Nocentini, Susanna; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: La rinaturalizzazione è uno degli orientamenti colturali di riferimento della gestione sostenibile di formazioni forestali semplificate nella composizione e nella struttura. La pianificazione degli interventi su area vasta può essere utilmente supportata da informazioni georeferenziate sulle condizioni di suscettività alla rinaturalizzazione dei complessi boscati. Nel presente lavoro si applica un approccio multicriteriale alla mappatura della suscettività a interventi di rinaturalizzazione dei rimboschimenti di pino nero (Pinus nigra Arn.) e soprassuoli di cerro (Quercus cerris L.) presenti in Toscana. La valutazione è basata su un approccio fuzzy, mediante costruzione di funzioni di appartenenza in grado di esprimere il variare delle condizioni di suscettività in rapporto ai seguenti fattori mappati su base raster: i) efficienza ecobiologica del popolamento forestale, stimata mediante un indice guidato da dati telerilevati, e utilizzata per definire il grado di opportunità colturale dell’intervento; ii) fattori di contesto (grado di adiacenza del soprassuolo con altre tipologie forestali e diversità fisionomica della copertura forestale a scala locale) intesi come fattori in grado di rafforzare (o depotenziare) l’opportunità colturale dell’intervento; iii) accessibilità e dimensione del soprassuolo, condizionanti la fattibilità operativa dell’intervento. I valori fuzzy dei singoli fattori sono combinati mediante una funzione moltiplicativa in un indice sintetico di suscettività, per individuare a scala vasta ambiti territoriali a cui accordare priorità di intervento. Su scala comprensoriale o aziendale, la disponibilità di indicatori più puntuali può permettere di collegare in maniera coerente gli indirizzi della pianificazione di area vasta alla concreta programmazione degli interventi.

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Cibella, Roberto La Mela Veca, Donato Salvatore Pizzurro, Giuseppe http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1901 2011-04-12T00:30:20Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Tavole di cubatura di popolamento per i soprassuoli forestali della Sicilia. Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Cibella, Roberto; La Mela Veca, Donato Salvatore; Pizzurro, Giuseppe Abstract: The aim of this study was to set up stand volume tables for easy and reliable estimation of the woody mass of coppices and high forest stands in Sicily. In this note we describe the statistical analyses which were carried out and we discuss results and their potential application. The use of stand volume tables is suggested mainly when it is possible to adopt quick, effective procedures for the assessment of the unitary basal area: in particular, the major potential is for surveys based upon relascope estimation of basal area in correspondence of sample points positioned according to probabilistic sampling schemes

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Montaghi, Alessandro Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2137 2011-06-14T00:30:55Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Area-based assessment of forest standing volume by field measurements and airborne laser scanner data Authors: Barbati, Anna; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Montaghi, Alessandro; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is increasingly applied as a tool for extracting forest inventory data. In recent years most applications for the assessment of forest standing volume rely on a single tree recognition approach, which generally gives satisfactory results in coniferous forests. The aim of this paper is to apply a rasterbased approach for the assessment of forest standing volume based on field measurements and a Digital Canopy Model (DCM) derived from ALS data. In addition, we explore the potential of hot spot analysis of DCM data for automatic forest gap detection, as a means to improve the accuracy of the estimation of forest standing volume by traditional estimation methods. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Chirici, Gherardo Bottai, Lorenzo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2135 2011-06-14T00:30:55Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estimation of Mediterranean forest attributes by the application of k-NN procedures to multitemporal Landsat ETM+ images Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Chirici, Gherardo; Bottai, Lorenzo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: Routinely, applications of nonparametric estimation methods to satellite data for assisting the creation of forest inventories in Northern European countries are stimulating interest in the possible extension of these methods to more complex Mediterranean areas. This is the subject of the current work, which presents an experiment based on the integration of remotely sensed images and sample field measurements aimed at producing forest attribute maps in central Italy. Testing was carried out in an area where 370 geocoded field plots, sampled on a singlestage cluster design, were collected to characterize wood and non-wood forest attributes. These ground data served to apply various k-Nearest Neighbour (k- NN) estimation procedures to multitemporal Landsat 7 ETM+ images in order to map major forest attributes (basal area and simulated leaf area index, LAI). More specifically, the investigation focused on evaluating the effects of using satellite images from different periods of the growing season and spectral metrics of increasing complexity. The results achieved by the examined methods are finally discussed in order to provide guidelines for possible operational utilization. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo Chirici, Gherardo Valentini, Riccardo Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2136 2011-06-14T00:30:56Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estimating forest area at the year 1990 by two-phase sampling on historical remotely sensed imagery in Italy Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Chirici, Gherardo; Valentini, Riccardo; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: Forest area in the year 1990 is a fi gure of great interest under the Kyoto Protocol. This note is devoted to a scientifi c exercise for the probabilistic ex post assessment of such a fi gure in Italy. Estimation was performed by twophase point sampling, which made use of historical remotely sensed imagery. In the fi rst phase, a sample of 12 089 points was selected according to an unaligned systematic sampling and the selected points were classifi ed in land-use categories by Landsat 5 TM imagery. In the second phase, a sample of 3000 points was selected by stratifi ed sampling in which the strata were determined by the satellite classifi cation and the selected points were classifi ed by aerial photos, assumed as ground truth. A two-phase estimate of land-use coverage partitioning the Italian territory was obtained together with a conservative estimate of the sampling variance-covariance. The procedure has proved to be of relatively easy implementation and objective repeatability Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.springerlink.com/

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Chiesi, Marta Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2132 2011-06-14T00:30:54Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Assessment of forest net primary production through the elaboration of multisource ground and remote sensing data Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Chiesi, Marta; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: This paper builds on previous work by our research group which demonstrated the applicability of a parametric model, Modified C-Fix, for the monitoring of Mediterranean forests. Specifically, the model is capable of combining ground and remote sensing data to estimate forest gross primary production (GPP) on various spatial and temporal scales. Modified C-Fix is currently applied to all Italian forest areas using a previously produced data set of meteorological data and NDVI imagery descriptive of a ten-year period (1999–2008). The obtained GPP estimates are further elaborated to derive forest net primary production (NPP) averages for 20 Italian Regions. Such estimates, converted into current annual increment of standing volume (CAI) through the use of specific coefficients, are compared to the data of a recent national forest inventory (INFC). The results obtained indicate that the modelling approach tends to overestimate the ground CAI values for all forest types. The correction of a drawback in the current model implementation leads to reduce this overestimation to about 9% of the INFC increments. The possible origins of this overestimation are investigated by examining the results of previous studies and of older forest inventories. The implications of using different NPP estimation methods are finally discussed in view of assessing the forest carbon budget on a national basis.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Nocentini, Susanna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1909 2011-04-15T00:30:32Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Mappatura sperimentale dei territori forestali a principale attitudine potenziale produttiva in Italia. Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Nocentini, Susanna Abstract: For the operational implementation of strategic initiatives within the forest sector there is an increasing need of procedures for the identification of areas available for wood supply. This paper presents the experimental application of a GIS based methodology for classifying and mapping forest areas potentially suitable for wood supply on the basis of a georeferenced dataset available at the national level in Italy. The model here implemented is proposed as a supporting tool for decision makers in forest planning and land management. Results show that forest areas potentially available for wood supply are 40% of total national forest area

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Balsi, Marco Bertini, Roberta Bonora, Nico Chiavetta, Ugo Ottaviano, Marco Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea Giuliarelli, Diego Mastronardi, Alessandro Nardinocchi, Giovanni Sambucini, Valter Tonti, Daniela Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2117 2011-06-10T00:30:45Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Post fire natural regeneration monitoring with the integrated use of high resolution remotely sensed images: the case study of the Pineta di Castel Fusano Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Balsi, Marco; Bertini, Roberta; Bonora, Nico; Chiavetta, Ugo; Ottaviano, Marco; Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea; Giuliarelli, Diego; Mastronardi, Alessandro; Nardinocchi, Giovanni; Sambucini, Valter; Tonti, Daniela; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: La pineta di Castel Fusano (Roma) è stata colpita il 4 luglio del 2000 da un importante incendio boschivo in seguito al quale si è avviata nell’area una intensa rinnovazione naturale sia per via gamica che agamica. Ai fini di monitoraggio della suddetta rinnovazione sono stati realizzati una serie di rilievi a terra in aree campione nel 2003 e nel 2006. Negli stessi anni è stata acquisita la copertura di immagini telerilevate multispettrali ad altissima risoluzione Ikonos e Quick Bird. Scopo del presente lavoro è la sperimentazione di diverse metodologie finalizzate alla modellizzazione delle relazioni esistenti tra i dati telerilevati acquisiti e le misure realizzate a terra per la stima e la mappatura dei fenomeni di rinnovazione gamica e agamica. Sono stati per questo sperimentati metodi sia tradizionali di analisi regressiva multivariata, sia di tipo non parametrico, con algoritmi basati su reti neurali (Relevance Vector Machine e Multi-Layer Perceptron) e k-Nearest Neighbors. Le attività si inquadrano nell’ambito del progetto GRINFOMED - MEDIFIRE per il quale è stato realizzato un apposito software denominato Spatial Forest Modeller (SFM) capace di analizzare le relazioni tra variabili telerilevate e misurate a terra e di individuare i modelli predittivi migliori in modo da derivare mappe tematiche delle variabili acquisite mediante campionamento a terra. Il contributo illustra i dati acquisiti, le metodologie di analisi e di modellizzazione e i risultati ottenuti. Viene inoltre illustrato il funzionamento del software SFM.; Stone pine stand of Castel Fusano (Rome) burnt on July the 4th 2000 during a huge wildfire. As a consequence of the fire an intensive natural sexual and asexual regeneration began. In order to monitor such a regeneration field surveys were carried out in 2003 and 2006 in sample plots. Remotely sensed high resolution images from Ikonos and Quick Bird were acquired for the same years. The purpose of this work is to test different methodologies for modeling existing relationships between remotely sensed images and ground collected data in order to estimate and to map both sexual and asexual regeneration. For such a purpose different methodologies were tested: step-wise Muliple Linear Regression, Neural Networks (Relevance-Vector-Machine and the Multi-Layered-Perceptron) and the k-Nearest-Neighbors. These activities were carried out within the framework of the GRINFOMED- MEDIFIRE also developing a specific software named Spatial Forest Modeler (SFM) able to analyze existing relationships between remotely sensed variables and data collected in the field in order to identify the best available models to map and estimate the studied variables acquired on the basis of a field sampling design. The present paper presents data collected in the field, analysis and modeling methods and achieved results. The SFM software is also presented.

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2119 2011-06-10T00:30:44Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: The assessment of tree row attributes by stratified two-stage sampling Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo Abstract: Tree row inventories are of increasing interest because tree rows mitigate wind erosion and desertification, protect agricultural crops, enhance rural landscape quality, act as bio-corridors, carbon sinks, and a source for bio-energy. The main objective of tree row inventories is to estimate population parameters such as total tree numbers, total tree numbers by species, the mean stem diameter at breast height, the mean tree height and total wood volume. The estimation of these quantities may be straightforwardly carried out whenever aerial images are available in such a way that tree rows can be counted: in these cases, a two-stage cluster sampling may be performed in which the primary units sampled in the first stage are the tree rows in the study area while the secondary units sampled in the second stage are the trees within the selected rows. This paper proposes two sets of two-stage estimators for the interest parameters, based on the Horvitz–Thompson and ratio criteria, together with the corresponding estimators for their sampling variances. The use of stratification is also considered. The proposed procedure was applied to perform a tree row inventory in the Pontina plain (Central Italy): in this case, the tree rows were enumerated by means of ortho-corrected airborne images and stratification was carried out on the basis of the prevailing species and age classes. The inventory results are interesting from a forestry perspective as well as for checking the effectiveness of the procedure. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springerlink.com

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Dettori, Sandro Filigheddu, Maria Rosaria Maetzke, Federico Scotti, Roberto http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2116 2011-06-10T00:30:46Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Site quality evaluation by classification tree: an application to cork quality in Sardinia Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Dettori, Sandro; Filigheddu, Maria Rosaria; Maetzke, Federico; Scotti, Roberto Abstract: Cork harvesting and stopper production represent a major forest industry in Sardinia (Italy). The target of the present investigation was to evaluate the ‘‘classification tree’’ as a tool to discover possible relationships between microsite characteristics and cork quality. Seven main cork oak (Quercus suber) producing areas have been identified in Sardinia, for a total of more than 122,000 ha. Sixty-three sample trees, distributed among different geographical locations and microsite conditions, were selected. A soil profile near each sample tree was described, soil samples were collected and analysed. After debarking, cork quality of each sample tree was graded by an independent panel of experts. Microsites where trees had more than 50% of the extracted cork graded in the best quality class, according to the official quality standard in Italy, were labelled as prime microsites, the others as nonprime microsites. Relationships between a binary dummy variable (0 for nonprime microsites, 1 for prime microsites) and site factors were investigated using classification tree analysis to select the relevant variables and to define the classification scheme. Prime quality microsites for cork production proved to be characterised by elevation, soil phosphorus content and sandiness. Results have been compared with those of the more conventional parametric approach by logistic regression. The work demonstrates the advantages of the classification tree method. The model may be appropriate for classifications at landscape and stand mapping levels, where it is possible to sample a number of microsites and to evaluate distributional characteristics of model output, while its precision is only indicative when estimating the prime quality of single microsites. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springerlink.com

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Ricotta, Carlo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Chirici, Gherardo Innamorati, Stefano http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2134 2011-06-14T00:30:54Z 2002-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: LaDy: software for assessing local landscape diversity profiles of raster land cover maps using geographic windows Authors: Ricotta, Carlo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Chirici, Gherardo; Innamorati, Stefano Abstract: Landscape ecology starts from the assumption that diversity and spatial arrangement of ecosystem mosaics have ecological implications and tries to understand the interactions between diversity and structure of large spatially heterogeneous areas and their ecological functions. These assumptions imply effective use of earth observation techniques and geographic information systems, enabling a global view of the landscape mosaics. In this paper, a software, LaDy (Landscape Diversity Software), for computing Re´nyi’s local landscape diversity profile on raster land cover maps is presented. LaDy is based on the use of Merchant’s adaptive geographic window, which is designed to operate on a neighborhood of patches instead of a fixed rectangular neighborhood of pixels (the conventional approach in image analysis). Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.elsevier.com

2002-12-31T23:00:00Z Ricotta, Carlo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Chirici, Gherardo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2131 2011-06-14T00:30:55Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: On parametric fragmentation measures Authors: Ricotta, Carlo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Chirici, Gherardo Abstract: In the landscape ecological literature, a number of measures have been proposed for quantifying landscape fragmentation based on distinct objectives and motivations. However, none seems to be generally preferred. The main reason for this disagreement is that, from a statistical viewpoint, by mapping fragmentation into a single scalar, information is necessarily lost and no ideal function is able to uniquely characterize all aspects of landscape fragmentation. A more complete summarization of fragmentation is possible if, instead of one single index, a parametric index family is applied whose members have varying sensitivities to the presence of large and small landscape patches. While traditional indices supply point descriptions of fragmentation, according to a parametric fragmentation family Ha, there is a continuum of possible fragmentation measures that differ in their sensitivity to the presence of large and small patches as a function of the scaling parameter a. Therefore, changing a allows for vector description of fragmentation. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a parametric generalization of Shannon’s entropy to summarize landscape fragmentation. A small set of artificial landscapes is used to clarify our proposal Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springerlink.com

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Baffetta, Federica Fattorini, Lorenzo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2125 2011-06-10T00:30:17Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estimation of small woodlot and tree row attributes in large-scale forest inventories Authors: Baffetta, Federica; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Forest surveys performed over a large scale (e.g. national inventories) involve several phases of sampling. The first phase is usually performed by means of a systematic search of the study region, in which the region is partitioned into regular polygons of the same size and points are randomly or systematically selected, one per polygon. In most cases, first-phase points are selected and recognized in orthophotos or very high resolution satellite images available for the whole study area. Disregarding the subsequent phases, the first phase of sampling can be effectively adopted to select small woodlots and tree rows, in the sense that a unit is selected when at least one firstphase point falls within it. On the basis of such a scheme of sampling, approximately unbiased estimators of abundance, coverage and other physical attributes readily measurable from orthophotos (e.g. tree-row length) are proposed, together with estimators of the corresponding variances. A simulation study is performed in order to check the performance of the estimators under several distributions of units over the study area (random, clustered, spatially trended). Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springerlink.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chirici, Gherardo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2102 2011-06-07T00:30:45Z 2004-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: An overview of passive remote sensing for post-fire monitoring Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chirici, Gherardo Abstract: Monitoring of forest burnt areas has several aims: to locate and estimate the extent of such areas; to assess the damages suffered by the forest stands; to check the ability of the ecosystem to naturally recover after the fire; to support the planning of reclamation interventions; to assess the dynamics (pattern and speed) of the natural recovery; to check the outcome of any eventual restoration intervention. Remote sensing is an important source of information to support all such tasks. In the last decades, the effectiveness of remotely sensed imagery is increasing due to the advancement of tools and techniques, and to the lowering of the costs, in relative terms. For an effective support to post-fire management (burnt scar perimeter mapping, damage severity assessment, post-fire vegetation monitoring), a mapping scale of at least 1:10000-1:20000 is required: hence, the selection of remotely sensed data is restricted to aerial imagery and to satellite imagery characterized by high (HR) and, above all, very high (VHR) spatial resolution. In the last decade, HR and VHR passive remote sensing has widespread, providing affordable multitemporal and multispectral pictures of the considered phenomena, at different scales (spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions) with reference to the monitoring needs. In the light of such a potential, the integration of GPS field survey and HR (Landsat 7, Spot HVR) and VHR satellite imagery (Ikonos, Quickbird, Spot 5) is currently sought as a highly viable option for the post-fire monitoring. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2004-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Carraro, Giovanni Del Favero, Roberto Dissegna, Maurizio Lasen, Cesare Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2156 2011-07-01T00:30:13Z 1998-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Developing biodiversity assessment on a stand forest type management level in north-eastern Italy Authors: Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Carraro, Giovanni; Del Favero, Roberto; Dissegna, Maurizio; Lasen, Cesare; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: This paper discusses a simple operative proposal, elaborated by a team of advisers to the Forestry Service of the Veneto administrative region (north-eastern Italy), concerning the definition of stand-level forest type biodiversity indicators and biodiversity oriented management provisions. Such tools are conceived to transfer biodiversity conservation understanding in current forest stand management practices. The developed assessment system is targeted to: maintenance and increase of the variability of forest landscape mosaic; conservation of species variability; creation of resource reservoirs. The following criteria and indicators are taken into consideration: spatial pattern (widespreadness, connectedness, species contagion potential), forest structure (uneven aged stands: percent of trees in three broad diameter classes; even aged stands: number of development stages and surface of each development stage), herbs/shrubs species (average, minimum and maximum number of species; average number of short-lived herb/ shrub species recorded in minimal anthropic disturbance conditions; dynamic trend in the number of herb/shrub species), bird species (average, minimum and maximum number of species); overall naturalistic quality (flora; vegetation; fauna). Such indicators are proposed as biodiversity reference standards for each forest type in the considered region: they provide practical baseline information with which forest stand management efficiency in achieving biodiversity targets can be compared.

1998-12-31T23:00:00Z Di Paolo, Silvia Giuliarelli, Diego Ferrari, Barbara Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1903 2011-04-12T00:30:21Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Support of multispectral very high solution remotely sensed imagery for old-growth beech forest detection. Authors: Di Paolo, Silvia; Giuliarelli, Diego; Ferrari, Barbara; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: In the Mediterranean basin human activity has modified landscapes for millennia,nevertheless there are few remote forest areas relatively untouched long enough from direct anthropogenic disturbance to develop old-growth attributes. The aim of this note is to assess the potential of QuickBird (QB) satellite multispectral imagery for detecting old-growth forest stands, considering as case study a Mediterranean beech forest in central Italy. The segmentation-based analysis of QB image proved to be a promising tool to detect scaledependent pattern of forest structural heterogeneity. Values of remotely sensed attributes are compared in old-growth and not-old-growth stands: the statistical analysis showed that oldgrowthness is associated to the variability of multispectral reflectance from the image objects (polygons). Green band variability, notably, expressed by Ratio_band_2 has proven to be helpful for predicting old-growthness.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Portoghesi, Luigi Iovino, Francesco Marchetti, Marco Menguzzato, Giuliano http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1904 2011-07-21T06:51:54Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: The application of the ecosystem approach through sustainable forest management: an Italian case study. Authors: Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Portoghesi, Luigi; Iovino, Francesco; Marchetti, Marco; Menguzzato, Giuliano Abstract: During the last decades adapting silvicultural systems to a changed society, increasingly aware of the multifunctional role of forests, was a much debated issue in Italy. Stemming from this discussion is the systemic silviculture concept, an adaptive forest management tool aimed at cultivating the forest as a self-organizing system and focusing on sustaining its functional efficiency as the best way to enhance forest multi-functionality. This concept has much connection with the Ecosystem Approach defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity as a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. In the following a case study is presented where the principles of systemic silviculture are implemented in the management of private and common forest properties in the Serre mountains of the Calabria Region (Italy); relationships with the Ecosystem Approach principles are analyzed in order to evaluate to what extent systemic silviculture can be regarded as a means to bring the EA to the implementation level.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza Ferrari, Barbara Salvati, Riccardo Marchetti, Marco Lasserre, Bruno http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1905 2011-04-12T00:30:23Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Proposta metodologica per l'inventario su vasta scala fuori foresta. Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza; Ferrari, Barbara; Salvati, Riccardo; Marchetti, Marco; Lasserre, Bruno Abstract: Methodological proposal for large-scale inventory of trees outside forests Trees outside forests (TOF) are all those forest trees or group of trees scattered within rural and urbanized areas and not classified under forest. The importance of TOF is known as a source of energy for domestic use, soil and wind protection, biodiversity conservation, atmospheric CO2 sequestration, etc. The aim of this note is to outline a survey methodology to assess TOF on large territories, exploiting the first phase of the large-scale multiphase forest inventories. The protocol was tested in various landscapes in Italy, for a total inventoried land of 3533 km2. In the test areas TOF proved to stock 12,1 Mg C km-2, on average.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Berti, Stefano http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1906 2011-04-12T00:30:25Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Selvicoltura: produzioni forestali, certificazione e filiera legno Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Berti, Stefano Abstract: Silviculture: forest products, certification and wood chain in Italy This paper outlines the potential and critical issues of forest production in Italy, according to recent forest statistics (Italian National Institute of Statistics and Italian National Forest Inventory) and to the findings from the Third Italian National Congress of Silviculture. There is currently a growing interest towards forest products which meet sustainability goals through reduced impact on the forest ecosystems, improvement of human well being and a strong link to the territory; this concerns notably the demand for: wood as an optimal material for sustainable building; non-wood products; wood biomass for energy use. Indeed, sustainable forest management is not in conflict with a productive use of forestland, without which abandonment and land neglection could further occur. To meet these new societal demands through a viable and sustainable use of forest resources is a true challenge; forest owners must be supported in this regard, to supply a variety of forest goods and services while maintaining economic viability. To this end operative strategies are outlined.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2073 2011-05-10T00:30:12Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Sperimentazione di procedure probabilistiche innovative per la cubatura della massa legnosa a fini assestamentali. Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The cost of management plan elaboration is one of the main factors hampering the operational implementation of forest management in Italy. Besides compartment descriptions, such a cost is mainly due to the quantitative assessment of stand dendrometrical attributes. The aim of this work is to test the integration of conventional forest mensuration techniques with probabilistic estimation procedures that in the last years have found ever wider implementation for inventorying small forest areas. Distinctively, the objective of this note is the comparative experimental testing of the following methods of timber volume assessment: two-phase relascope sampling; two-phase visual estimation. Under the examined conditions referred to Turkey oak and beech high stands in Central Italy, the latter method has provided hopeful results. The most accurate and precise options of two-phase visual estimation have allowed an average time saving around 40% with respect to the total tally, with an absolute bias around 4-5% with respect to the true value of compartment timber volume, and efficiency higher than the conventional one-phase systematic plot sampling.

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1938 2011-04-22T00:30:50Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Integration of forest mapping and inventory to support forest management Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Forest inventory and forest mapping can be considered as monitoring and assessment applications that respond to different demands. However, the integration of mapping and inventory provides an effective framework for the support of forest management from multiple perspectives: (i) use of thematic maps for stratifying the inventory sample for the purpose of improving the precision of inventory estimates; (ii) coupling remotely sensed and sample inventory data for the purpose of constructing maps of inventoried forest attributes; (iii) coupling remotely sensed data and sample inventory data for the purpose of improving the precision of the inventory estimates; (iv) using inventory data as prior information to support thematic mapping; and (v) using inventory data to correct map areal estimates. This paper aims to provide general considerations on this integration issue in the form of a scientific review and commentary discussion.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea Chirici, Gherardo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1939 2011-04-22T00:31:10Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Remote sensing support for post fire forest management Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea; Chirici, Gherardo Abstract: Monitoring of forest burnt areas has several aims: to locate and estimate the extent of such areas; to assess the damages suffered by the forest stands; to check the ability of the ecosystem to naturally recover after the fire; to support the planning of reclamation interventions; to assess the dynamics (pattern and speed) of the natural recovery; to check the outcome of any eventual restoration intervention. Remote sensing is an important source of information to support all such tasks. In the last decades, the effectiveness of remotely sensed imagery is increasing due to the advancement of tools and techniques, and to the lowering of the costs, in relative terms. For an effective support to post-fire management (burnt scar perimeter mapping, damage severity assessment, post-fire vegetation monitoring), a mapping scale of at least 1:10000-1:20000 is required: hence, the selection of remotely sensed data is restricted to aerial imagery and to satellite imagery characterized by high (HR) and, above all, very high (VHR) spatial resolution. In the last decade, HR and VHR passive (optical) remote sensing has widespread, providing affordable multitemporal and multispectral pictures of the considered phenomena, at different scales (spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions) with reference to the monitoring needs. In the light of such a potential, the integration of GPS field survey and imagery by light aerial vectors or VHR satellite is currently sought as a viable option for the post-fire monitoring.

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Marziliano, Pasquale Antonio Scotti, Roberto http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2064 2011-05-03T00:35:32Z 2001-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Top-down growth modelling: a prototype for poplar plantations in Italy Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Marziliano, Pasquale Antonio; Scotti, Roberto Abstract: Hybrid poplar plantations are one of the most important sources of timber and wood fibres in Italy and represent a significant alternative as sustainable use of agricultural land. Effective management of such plantations requires adequate growth and yield models. In light of this, the paper presents the fundamentals of a top-down growth and yield model for hybrid poplar (I-214 clone) plantations in Italy. In the top-down approach, standing volume, basal area, or other characteristics are the primary quantities predicted and these quantities are disaggregated into size class, and, eventually, into individual tree information. The basic element of the proposed prototype is the stand basal area growth equation. Stand age, current stand basal area, and site index are considered as predictors. If the current DBH distribution is also known, a second function estimates the size-class distribution of overall stand growth, projecting the DBH distribution to the end of the considered growth period. Individual competition indices do not contribute to the explanation of the growth variation at the tree level. Prototype predictions prove to be quite accurate: they are based on readily available forest inventory data, thus extracting knowledge from the wealth of accumulated long-term observations usually carried out in forestry.

2001-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo Franceschi, Sara http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2065 2011-05-03T00:35:32Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estimating the volume of forest growing stock using auxiliary information derived from relascope or ocular assessments Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Franceschi, Sara Abstract: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the potential of integrating probabilistic sampling and estimation with the conventional technique referred to as forest inventory by compartments. The objective of this paper is to propose two strategies for the assessment of growing stock volume using two-phase sampling, namely: (i) relascope basal area estimation performed on first-phase sampling points followed by volume estimation performed on a sub-sample of points selected in the second phase; (ii) ocular evaluation of growing stock volume performed on first-phase sampling plots of fixed size followed by volume estimation performed on a sub-sample of plots selected in the second phase. The effectiveness of using the auxiliary information gathered in the first phase is assessed by comparing the double-expansion estimator of total volume which depends solely on the second-phase sample with the two-phase ratio estimator which instead calibrates the double-expansion estimator on the basis of first-phase information. Conservative estimators of sampling variances and confidence intervals are derived for both the estimators. As is usual in forest inventories, first-phase sampling is assumed to be performed on a systematic random grid while three different schemes are considered for drawing the second-phase sample: simple random sampling without replacement, stratified sampling and 3-P sampling. The performance of double-expansion and ratio estimators under the three schemes adopted in the second phase is empirically checked by means of a simulation study performed on a real compartment in a beech forest of Central Italy. Simulation results show that the use of auxiliary information generated in the first phase constitutes a very effective way of increasing the accuracy of volume estimation at the compartment level, with a moderate increase of fieldwork.

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Ciancio, Orazio Corona, Piermaria Lamonaca, Andrea Portoghesi, Luigi Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2066 2011-05-03T00:35:33Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Conversion of clearcut beech coppices into high forests with continuous cover: A case study in central Italy Authors: Ciancio, Orazio; Corona, Piermaria; Lamonaca, Andrea; Portoghesi, Luigi; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: Converting coppices into high forests with continuous cover has often been established during the last decades as a management goal in hilly and mountainous Mediterranean areas to attenuate the negative effects that frequent clearcutting may have on soil, landscape and biodiversity conservation. The silvicultural tool usually adopted for this purpose is the gradual thinning of sprouts during the long span of time required to complete the conversion, that also allows the owner to keep harvesting some wood. This research compared the effects of various thinning intensities (three treatments plus control) on the stand growth and structure of a beech coppice with standards. The optimal density after thinning was assessed by expressing mean tree spacing as a function of main stand attributes like stand height and stand dbh. This system was preferred to the empirical evaluation of the percentage of basal area to be removed in order to give forest managers general reference guidelines to adapt to the varying environments of the Mediterranean mountains. Results confirmed that the positive effects of thinning on mean stem volume is due more to the higher diameter increment than to different height growth. The acceleration of crown growth in the thinned plots allowed canopy closure to be achieved 13 years after thinning. This reduced the negative effects of the opening of the stand overlayer and the elimination of most suppressed trees on soil protection. Under the conditions examined, the best thinning intensity proved to be a stand density 20% lower than normal prescribed by the yield tables elaborated for beech high forests in Central and Southern Italy.

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2074 2011-05-10T00:30:06Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: La Carta forestale della Basilicata. Authors: Corona, Piermaria Abstract: A comment is made on the Forest Map of Regione Basilicata (Southern Italy).

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Marcus, Lindner Maroschek, Michael Netherer, Sigrid Kremer, Antoine Barbati, Anna Garcia-Gonzalo, Jordi Seidl, Rupert Delzon, Sylvain Corona, Piermaria Kolström, Marja Lexer, Manfred J. Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2067 2011-05-20T15:02:31Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Climate change impacts, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability of European forest ecosystems Authors: Marcus, Lindner; Maroschek, Michael; Netherer, Sigrid; Kremer, Antoine; Barbati, Anna; Garcia-Gonzalo, Jordi; Seidl, Rupert; Delzon, Sylvain; Corona, Piermaria; Kolström, Marja; Lexer, Manfred J.; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: This study compiles and summarizes the existing knowledge about observed and projected impacts of climate change on forests in Europe. Forests will have to adapt not only to changes in mean climate variables but also to increased variability with greater risk of extreme weather events, such as prolonged drought, storms and floods. Sensitivity, potential impacts, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability to climate change are reviewed for European forests. The most important potential impacts of climate change on forest goods and services are summarized for the Boreal, Temperate Oceanic, Temperate Continental, Mediterranean, and mountainous regions. Especially in northern and western Europe the increasing atmospheric CO2 content and warmer temperatures are expected to result in positive effects on forest growth and wood production, at least in the short–medium term. On the other hand, increasing drought and disturbance risks will cause adverse effects. These negative impacts are very likely to outweigh positive trends in southern and eastern Europe. From west to east, the drought risk increases. In the Mediterranean regions productivity is expected to decline due to strongly increased droughts and fire risks. Adaptive capacity consists of the inherent adaptive capacity of trees and forest ecosystems and of socio-economic factors determining the capability to implement planned adaptation. The adaptive capacity in the forest sector is relatively large in the Boreal and the Temperate Oceanic regions, more constrained by socio-economic factors in the Temperate Continental, and most limited in the Mediterranean region where large forest areas are only extensively managed or unmanaged. Potential impacts and risks are best studied and understood with respect to wood production. It is clear that all other goods and services provided by European forests will also be impacted by climate change, but much less knowledge is available to quantify these impacts. Understanding of adaptive capacity and regional vulnerability to climate change in European forests is not well developed and requires more focussed research efforts. An interdisciplinary research agenda integrated with monitoring networks and projection models is needed to provide information at all levels of decision making, from policy development to the management unit.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Papale, Dario Puletti, Nicola Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2088 2011-06-07T00:30:49Z 2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Combining remote sensing and ancillary data to monitor the gross productivity of water-limited forest ecosystems Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Papale, Dario; Puletti, Nicola; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: This paper describes the development and testing of a procedure which combines remotely sensed and ancillary data to monitor forest productivity in Italy. The procedure is based on a straightforward parametric model (C-Fix) that uses the relationship between the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by plant canopies (fAPAR) and relevant gross primary productivity (GPP). Estimates of forest fAPAR are derived from Spot-VGT NDVI images and are combined with spatially consistent data layers obtained by the elaboration of ground meteorological measurements. The original version of C-Fix is first applied to estimate monthly GPP of Italian forests during eight years (1999–2006). Next, a modification of the model is proposed in order to simulate the short-term effect of summer water stress more efficiently. The accuracy of the original and modified C-Fix versions is evaluated by comparison with GPP data taken at eight Italian eddy covariance flux tower sites. The experimental results confirm the capacity of C-Fix to monitor national forest GPP patterns and indicate the utility of considering the short-term effect of water stress during Mediterranean dry months. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2008-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Maselli, Fabio Bertini, Roberta http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2086 2011-06-07T00:30:50Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Non-parametric and parametric methods using satellite images for estimating growing stock volume in alpine and Mediterranean forest ecosystems Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Maselli, Fabio; Bertini, Roberta Abstract: This paper describes applications of non-parametric and parametric methods for estimating forest growing stock volume using Landsat images on the basis of data measured in the field, integrated with ancillary information. Several k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) algorithm configurations were tested in two study areas in Italy belonging to Mediterranean and Alpine ecosystems. Field data were acquired by the regional forest inventory and forest management plans, and satellite images are from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM+. The paper describes the data used, the methodologies adopted and the results achieved in terms of pixel level accuracy of forest growing stock volume estimates. The results show that several factors affect estimation accuracy when using the k-NN method. For the two test areas a total of 3500 different configurations of the k-NN algorithm were systematically tested by changing the number and type of spectral and ancillary input variables, type of multidimensional distance measures, number of nearest neighbors and methods for spectral feature extraction using the leave-one-out (LOO) procedure. The best k-NN configurations were then used for pixel level estimation; the accuracy was estimated with a bootstrapping procedure; and the results were compared to estimates obtained using parametric regression methods implemented on the same data set. The best k-NN growing stock volume pixel level estimates in the Alpine area have a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging between 74 and 96 m3 ha− 1 (respectively, 22% and 28% of the mean measured value) and between 106 and 135 m3 ha− 1 (respectively, 44% and 63% of the mean measured value) in the Mediterranean area. On the whole, the results cast a promising light on the use of non-parametric techniques for forest attribute estimation and mapping with accuracy high enough to support forest planning activities in such complex landscapes. The results of the LOO analyses also highlight the importance of a local empirical optimization phase of the k-NN procedure before defining the best algorithm configuration. In the tests performed the pixel level accuracy increased, depending on the k-NN configuration, as much as 100%. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Lamonaca, Andrea Corona, Piermaria Barbati, Anna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2087 2011-06-07T00:30:50Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Exploring forest structural complexity by multi-scale segmentation of VHR imagery Authors: Lamonaca, Andrea; Corona, Piermaria; Barbati, Anna Abstract: Forests are complex ecological systems, characterised by multiple-scale structural and dynamical patterns which are not inferable from a system description that spans only a narrow window of resolution; this makes their investigation a difficult task using standard field sampling protocols. We segment a QuickBird image covering a beech forest in an initial stage of old-growthness – showing, accordingly, a good degree of structural complexity – into three segmentation levels. We apply field-based diversity indices of tree size, spacing, species assemblage to quantify structural heterogeneity amongst forest regions delineated by segmentation. The aim of the study is to evaluate, on a statistical basis, the relationships between spectrally delineated image segments and observed spatial heterogeneity in forest structure, including gaps in the outer canopy. Results show that: some 45% of the segments generated at the coarser segmentation scale (level 1) are surrounded by structurally different neighbours; level 2 segments distinguish spatial heterogeneity in forest structure in about 63% of level 1 segments; level 3 image segments detect better canopy gaps, rather than differences in the spatial pattern of the investigated structural indices. Results support also the idea of a mixture of macro and micro structural heterogeneity within the beech forest: large size populations of trees homogeneous for the examined structural indices at the coarser segmentation level, when analysed at a finer scale, are internally heterogeneous; and vice versa. Findings from this study demonstrate that multiresolution segmentation is able to delineate scale-dependent patterns of forest structural heterogeneity, even in an initial stage of old-growth structural differentiation. This tool has therefore a potential to improve the sampling design of field surveys aimed at characterizing forest structural complexity across multiple spatio-temporal scales. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sciencedirect.com

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Barbati, Anna Arianoutsou, Margarita De Las Heras, Jorge Fernandes, P. Moreira, F. Papageorgiou, K. Vallejo, Ramon V. Xanthopoulos, Gavriil http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1944 2011-05-30T06:27:50Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Post-fire forest management in southern Europe: a COST action for gathering and disseminating scientific knowledge. Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Barbati, Anna; Arianoutsou, Margarita; De Las Heras, Jorge; Fernandes, P.; Moreira, F.; Papageorgiou, K.; Vallejo, Ramon V.; Xanthopoulos, Gavriil Abstract: Every year about 45 000 forest fires occur in Europe, burning half a million hectares of forests and rural lands; between 1995 and 2004, more than 4 million hectares burned in the Mediterranean Region alone. Post-fire management of burned areas has been given much lesser attention than combating or preventing fires. However, important questions raise public concern and call for sound scientific knowledge to undertake appropriate post-fire actions: e.g., how to evaluate fire damages in economical terms? How to manage burned areas? Is it possible to establish, in the long-term, less flammable and more fire resilient forests and landscapes? To address these questions, a network of researchers and practitioners working in the field of fire ecology and forest management from all around Europe has been established in the frame of “COST Action FP0701-Post-Fire Forest Management in Southern Europe”, supported by the European Union Research and Technology Development Framework Program. The Action aims to: i) develop and disseminate scientifically based decision criteria for planning post-fire forest management, from the stand to the landscape level; ii) translate this scientific knowledge into management practices; iii) connect scientists and stakeholders for exchanging experiences, evaluating these practices, and putting them into practice. To achieve these objectives the scientific groups involved will a) review and summarize the current scientific knowledge on post-fire management in Europe, by gathering and evaluating the results of previous and ongoing research; b) translate this knowledge into technical recommendations, by producing thematic reports, a book on the state-of-the-art of scientific knowledge on post fire assessment, and an electronic handbook on post-fire restoration; c) disseminate this knowledge to stakeholders, practitioners and decision makers. Besides publications and a project website already active (http://uaeco.biol.uoa.gr/cost/), training schools and one major conference will be organized. Although focused on Southern Europe, the outcomes of this Action will be crucial for central and northern European countries as well, as climate change and land use changes often leading to more homogeneous and expanding forest areas are already increasing fire hazard in those regions.

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Blasi, Carlo Chirici, Gherardo Facioni, Laura Fattorini, Lorenzo Ferrari, Barbara http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2111 2011-06-10T00:30:43Z 2009-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Monitoring and assessing old-growth forest stands by plot sampling Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Blasi, Carlo; Chirici, Gherardo; Facioni, Laura; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Ferrari, Barbara Abstract: Forest inventories are evolving towards multipurpose resource surveys, broadening their scope by including additional topics such as biodiversity issues. Surprisingly, few quantitative surveys have been devoted to old-growth forests, even if they constitute the most acknowledged forest biodiversity icons. In this framework, the use of probabilistic sampling may provide an effective as well as rigorous support for monitoring and assessing old-growth forests. To this purpose, the present paper proposes a two-phase sampling scheme. In the first phase, a coarse survey of few floristic and stand structural attributes is carried out by means of small plots systematically placed on the study area. Subsequently, in the second phase, a fine assessment of a large number of ecological attributes is performed on a subset of enlarged plots selected among the first-phase ones by means of simple random sampling without replacement. The proposed sampling scheme is implemented for monitoring and assessing the old forests of Cilento National Park (southern Italy). Results and comments are provided as an exemplicative case study. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2009-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2110 2011-06-10T00:30:44Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Outlining multi-purpose forest inventories to assess the ecosystem approach in forestry Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: A summary and discussion of selected published results on the current and potential role of forest inventories (with particular reference to the national ones) are presented in the light of the challenges posed by society and policy decisions in the environmental sector. The analysis concentrates mainly on the ecological and socio-economic aspects of the question and on forest inventories’ potential contribution to achieving sustainable forest management. Description: L'articolo è diponibile sul sito dell'editore wwww.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2112 2011-06-10T00:30:44Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: A forest typology for monitoring sustainable forest management: The case of European Forest Types Authors: Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for forest policy and practice. Regional processes are in progress all over the world to develop and implement criteria and indicators of SFM. In continental Europe, a set of 35 Pan-European indicators has been endorsed under the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) to measure progress towards SFM in the 44 countries of the region. The formulation of seven indicators (forest area, growing stock, age structure/diameter distribution, deadwood, tree species composition, damaging agents, naturalness) requires national data to be reported by forest types. Within the vast European forest area the values taken by these indicators show a considerable range of variation, due to variable natural conditions and anthropogenic influences. Given this variability, it is very difficult to grasp the meaning of these indicators when taken out of their ecological background. The paper discusses the concepts behind, and the requirements of, a classification more soundly ecologically framed and suitable for MCPFE reporting than the three (un-informative) classes adopted so far: broadleaved forest, coniferous forest, mixed broadleaved and coniferous forest. We propose a European Forest Types scheme structured into a reasonably higher number of classes, that would improve the specificity of the indicators reported under the MCPFE process and its understanding. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Calvani, Paolo Scarascia Mugnozza, Giuseppe Pompei, Enrico http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2115 2011-06-10T00:30:44Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Modelling natural forest expansion on a landscape level by multinomial logistic regression Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Calvani, Paolo; Scarascia Mugnozza, Giuseppe; Pompei, Enrico Abstract: Natural forest expansion is one of the most relevant landscape changes in many temperate countries. Although large areas are involved, relatively few studies have been carried out with the objective of unravelling the specific impact of the individual factors characterising the sites prone to such a process. The aim of this article is to present a research tool for assessing the factors characterising farmland sites prone to natural conversion from crop growing and pasture to forests and other wooded land (OWL), and for predicting the probability of such a land-use change. The methodological approach is based on multinomial logistic regression. As a case study, the approach was applied to land-use classification repeated on the same sites in a large area of central Italy on two successive occasions, spanning two decades, from the beginning of the 1980s up to 2002. Of all the factors assessed, landscape attributes were identified as a sufficient subset for quantitative prediction of change from farmland to OWL or to forest. The tested modelling approach is explicitly empirical and planning-oriented. From a quantitative point of view, the precision of the models may be only indicative for assessing land-use change probability for single observations, while it is appropriate for predicting mean probabilities at a landscape mapping level, where it is possible to sample a number of sites. At this level, the approach is a useful tool for simulating future landscape scenarios related to natural forest expansion. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandf.co.uk/journals/

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Travaglini, Davide Mason, Franco Lopresti, Massimo Lombardi, Fabio Marchetti, Marco Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2138 2011-06-17T00:30:43Z 2005-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Aspects of biological diversity in the CONECOFOR plots. V. Deadwood surveying experiments in alpine and mediterranean forest ecosystems Authors: Travaglini, Davide; Mason, Franco; Lopresti, Massimo; Lombardi, Fabio; Marchetti, Marco; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: In recent years, deadwood has become more and more considered as indicator in the assessment of the biodiversity and naturalness of forest ecosystems. Its occurrence, in an appropriate proportion according to forest use, is fundamental for the maintenance of biological diversity, since it represents a microhabitat for hundred of species of invertebrates, fungi, bryophytes, lichens, amphibians, small mammals and birds. Having acknowledged its importance in forest coenoses, quantification of deadwood components in a given habitat, in relation to forest type and type of management, becomes essential. In our study, different survey designs were tested and compared for assessing deadwood components: stumps, lying coarse wood pieces and lying fine wood pieces. As expected, the experiments carried out show that sample-based estimates of ground necromass tend to be more accurate as the quantity of necromass present within the area to be surveyed and the size of the sampling units increase. The adoption of four 7-m-radius subplots in a systematic configuration has proved to be a good compromise between accuracy and survey costs for volume estimation of stumps and lying wood pieces within the examined experimental forest stand plot.; Esperienze sperimentali di rilevamento della necromassa legnosa in cenosi forestali alpine e mediterranee. Negli ultimi anni, il legno morto è sempre più considerato un indicatore per valutare la biodiversità e la naturalità di un sistema forestale. La sua presenza, nelle opportune proporzioni commisurate anche alle finalità di coltivazione della foresta, è fondamentale per il mantenimento della diversità biologica, rappresentando il microhabitat per centinaia di specie di invertebrati, funghi, briofite, licheni, anfibi, piccoli mammiferi ed uccelli. Riconosciuta l’importanza della necromassa legnosa nelle cenosi forestali, diviene fondamentale la sua quantificazione in un determinato ambiente, distinguendone la presenza in funzione dei tipi forestali e delle forme di gestione. A tal fine, in questo studio sono state sperimentate e valutate comparativamente differenti strategie di rilievo di alcune componenti della necromassa legnosa a terra: ceppaie, rami grossi e rami fini. Come atteso, la sperimentazione mostra che la stima della necromassa grossolana e fine a terra tende ad essere più accurata all’aumentare della quantità di legno morto presente e all’aumentare delle dimensioni della superficie di rilevamento. Nelle condizioni esaminate, l’adozione di quattro subplots di 7 m di raggio in configurazione sistematica è risultato un buon compromesso tra accuratezza e costi di indagine per la stima del volume delle ceppaie e del legno morto a terra.

2005-12-31T23:00:00Z Ricotta, Carlo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2121 2011-06-10T00:30:15Z 2002-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Beware of contagion! Authors: Ricotta, Carlo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco Abstract: Landscape ecology starts from the assumption that diversity and spatial arrangement of ecosystem mosaics has ecological implications and tries to understand the interactions between diversity and structure of large spatially heterogeneous areas and its ecological functions. This approach implies effective use of earth observation techniques and geographic information systems, enabling a global view of the landscape mosaics. Consequently, a large number of indices has been used to quantify the structure of categorical maps as a surrogate of actual landscapes and correlate them to ecological processes. In particular, the entropy-based contagion index has been extensively used to summarize the amount of clumping or fragmentation of patches on raster categorical maps. However, despite its widespread application, the contagion index is very dependent on pixel resolution. This effect may render it inadequate as a meaningful measure of landscape structure. To overcome this major shortcoming, in this short note we propose to quantify pixel adjacency with a bivariate summary statistics that is not adversely influenced by pixel resolution. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.elsevier.com

2002-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo Pompei, Enrico http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2120 2011-06-10T00:30:21Z 2006-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Aerial assessment of landscape net change by means of two-phase network sampling: an application to central Italy Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Pompei, Enrico Abstract: A design-based procedure for estimating the land cover net change between two dates in time is considered by means of aerial information. The aerial information in the first date consists of analogical photos while the aerial information in the second date consists of digital photos or satellite imagery. In the first phase of sampling a set of points is selected on the study area by means of unaligned systematic sampling. The digital imagery available for the second date may be readily adopted for spotting and classifying the first-phase points, thus obtaining a firstphase estimator of the areal extents in the second date. On the other hand, owing to the operational difficulties of spotting all the first-phase points on the analogical photos, a second-phase sample selected from these points is necessary to estimate the areal extents of the land categories in the first date. Finally, the land cover net changes may be estimated by means of the difference between the resulting estimates in the two dates. The use of stratified network sampling is considered in the second phase in order to handle the presence of analogical photos overlapping each other at their boundaries. An application of the procedure is considered for assessing the land cover net change in the Abruzzo Region (Central Italy) between the years 1954 and 2002. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.interscience.wiley.com

2006-12-31T23:00:00Z Calamini, Gianfranco Maltoni, Alberto Travaglini, Davide Iovino, Francesco Nicolaci, Antonino Menguzzato, Giuliano Corona, Piermaria Ferrari, Barbara Di Santo, Daniele Chirici, Gherardo Lombardi, Fabio http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2213 2011-11-15T00:05:39Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Stand structure attributes in potential Old-Growth Forests in the Apennines, Italy Authors: Calamini, Gianfranco; Maltoni, Alberto; Travaglini, Davide; Iovino, Francesco; Nicolaci, Antonino; Menguzzato, Giuliano; Corona, Piermaria; Ferrari, Barbara; Di Santo, Daniele; Chirici, Gherardo; Lombardi, Fabio Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide early feedback on stand structure attributes in Italian Apennines forests that could be considered Old Growth Forests in the Mediterranean Eco-Region. Few data are nowadays available relating to this Region. 10 forest reserves across the Apennines were selected and a census of trees and structural parameters was conducted in permanent plots (0.16-1.0 ha), one plot for each selected forest stand. Dimensional and structural characters indicate a large variability among the investigated forest stands. The considered parameters are compared with those reported for other European countries. Old growth features and characteristics of each indicator should be revised and referred to the particular climatic and biogeographic context. The chosen forest study sites are to be considered old if related to common Apennine stands but, in some cases, their development stage is not so close to “truly” Old Growth Forest. Permanent plots allow future investigations on dynamic processes leading to real Old Growth Mediterranean Forests in Italian Apennines.

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo Franceschi, Sara http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2214 2011-11-15T00:05:33Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Two-stage sector sampling for estimating small woodlot attributes Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Franceschi, Sara Abstract: A two-stage sampling strategy is proposed to assess small woodlots outside the forests scattered on extensive ter- ritories. The first stage is performed to select a sample of small woodlots using fixed-size sampling schemes, and the second stage is performed to sample trees within woodlots selected at first stage. Usually, fixed- or variable-area plots are adopted to sample trees. However, the use of plot sampling in small patches such as woodlots is likely to induce a relevant amount of bias owing to edge effects. In this framework, sector sampling proves to be particularly effective. The present paper in- vestigates the statistical properties of two-stage sampling strategies for estimating forest attributes of woodlot populations when sector sampling is adopted at the second stage. A two-stage estimator of population totals is derived together with a conservative estimator of its sampling variance. By means of a simulation study, the performance of the proposed estimator is checked and compared with that achieved using traditional plot sampling with edge corrections. Simulation results prove the adequacy of sector sampling and provide some guidelines for the effective planning of the strategy. In some countries, the proposed strategy can be performed with few modifications within the framework of large-scale forest inventories. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.nrcresearchpress.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Chiesi, Marta Pasqui, Massimiliano Corona, Piermaria Salvati, Riccardo Barbati, Anna Lombardi, Fabio Maselli, Fabio http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2294 2012-08-01T07:42:46Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Stima dei flussi di carbonio degli ecosistemi forestali italiani attraverso dati telerilevati ed ancillari Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Chiesi, Marta; Pasqui, Massimiliano; Corona, Piermaria; Salvati, Riccardo; Barbati, Anna; Lombardi, Fabio; Maselli, Fabio Abstract: Le foreste rivestono un ruolo fondamentale nell’ambito dei cicli bio-geo-chimici di molti elementi quali, tra gli altri, azoto e carbonio. In particolare possono svolgere l’importante funzione di assorbitori di carbonio, sottraendo CO2 dall’atmosfera. Per questo, ed in vista dei cambiamenti climatici in atto sul nostro pianeta, un obiettivo importante è quello di quantificare l’effettivo accumulo di carbonio stoccato nelle foreste italiane. A questo ambisce il progetto FIRB C_FORSAT finanziato dal MIUR fino al 2013. Tra le metodologie proposte per raggiungere tale scopo (tecniche di eddy covariance, immagini da satellite e modelli bio-geochimici), quelle basate sull’impiego di modelli di simulazione dell’ecosistema unite all’utilizzo di dati telerilevati risultano le più promettenti. Esse infatti uniscono la possibilità offerta dai modelli di stimare tutti i processi dell’ecosistema (GPP, NPP ed NEE) basandosi sulla conoscenza delle specie analizzate e dell’ambiente in cui si trovano con quella di ottenere informazioni su vasta scala spaziale e con alto grado di ripetizione grazie all’uso di dati tele rilevati. A questo scopo il modello bio-geochimico BIOME-BGC opportunamente calibrato e validato per le principali classi forestali italiane appare particolarmente utile. L’utilizzo del modello in forma spazializzata su base nazionale richiede però la disponibilità di una vasta disponibilità di strati informativi. Tra questi i dati meteorologici giornalieri sono particolarmente critici, in quanto non risultano ancora disponibili sul territorio nazionale. Il contributo richiama brevemente la metodologia utilizzata nel progetto e si sofferma in particolare sull’approccio individuato per la generazione della banca dati meteo spazializzata ed il suo utilizzo per simulare il comportamento della macchia mediterranea.; Forests play an important role within numerous bio-geo-chemical cycles among which those of nitrogen and carbon. In particular, forests can behave as carbon sink by removing CO2 from the atmosphere. For this reason, and in view of global climate changes, it is important to quantify the amount of carbon stocked within Italian forest ecosystems. This is the objective of the FIRB project C_FORSAT financed by MIUR up to 2013. Among the available methodologies (eddy-covariance, remote sensing and bio-geo-chemical models), those based on the combined use of ecosystem simulation model and remotely sensed data are the most promising. They in fact enable to estimate all ecosystem processes (GPP, NPP and NEE) based on the knowledge of the species and the environment in which these live. Moreover, they offer the possibility to obtain spatial information with a high temporal frequency. The model BIOME-BGC is particularly useful to this aim after proper calibration and validation for the main Italian forest types. It requires numerous data layers, among which daily meteorological data are the most difficult to obtain for the whole national territory. This contribution summirezes the main methodological steps and focuses on the creation of a daily meteorological database, which is utilized to drive the simulation of Mediterranean macchia. Description: La pubblicazione è disponibile all'indirizzo http://www.attiasita.it/ASITA2011/indice_atti.html

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Mattioli, Walter Quatrini, Valerio Di Paolo, Silvia Di Santo, Daniele Giuliarelli, Diego Angelini, Alice Portoghesi, Luigi Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2309 2012-07-26T23:05:46Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Experimenting the design-based k-NN approach for mapping and estimation under forest management planning Authors: Mattioli, Walter; Quatrini, Valerio; Di Paolo, Silvia; Di Santo, Daniele; Giuliarelli, Diego; Angelini, Alice; Portoghesi, Luigi; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Estimation and mapping of forest attributes are a fundamental support for forest management planning. This study describes a practical experimentation concerning the use of design-based k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) approach to estimate and map selected attributes in the framework of inventories at forest management level. The study area was the Chiarino forest within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park (central Italy). Aboveground biomass and current annual increment of tree volume were selected as the attributes of interest for the test. Field data were acquired within 28 sample plots selected by stratified random sampling. Satellite data were acquired by a Landsat 5 TM multispectral image. Attributes from field surveys and Landsat image processing were coupled by k-NN to predict the attributes of interest for each pixel of the Landsat image. Achieved results demonstrate the effectiveness of the k-NN approach for statistical estimation, that is compatible with the produced forest attribute raster maps and also proves to be characterized, in the considered study case, by a precision double than that obtained by conventional inventory based on field sample plots only. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Moreira, Francisco Arianoutsou, Margarita Vallejo, V. Ramon de las Heras, Jorge Corona, Piermaria Xanthopoulos, Gavriil Fernades, Paulo Papageorgiou, Kostas http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2315 2012-08-06T23:05:15Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Setting the Scene for Post-Fire Management Authors: Moreira, Francisco; Arianoutsou, Margarita; Vallejo, V. Ramon; de las Heras, Jorge; Corona, Piermaria; Xanthopoulos, Gavriil; Fernades, Paulo; Papageorgiou, Kostas Description: Il capitolo, che fa parte del volume "Post-Fire Management and Restoration of Southern European Forests",è disponibile sul sito dell'editor www.springer.com.

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Chiesi, Marta Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Duce, Pierpaolo Salvati, Riccardo Spano, Donatella Vaccari, Francesco Maselli, Fabio http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2308 2012-07-26T23:05:46Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Use of BIOME-BGC to simulate water and carbon fluxes within Mediterranean macchia Authors: Chiesi, Marta; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Duce, Pierpaolo; Salvati, Riccardo; Spano, Donatella; Vaccari, Francesco; Maselli, Fabio Abstract: The biogeochemical model BIOME-BGC is capable to estimate the main ecophysiological processes characterising all terrestrial ecosystems. To this aim it needs to be properly adapted to reproduce the behaviour of each biome type through a calibration phase. The aim of this paper is to adapt BIOME-BGC to reproduce the evapotranspiration (ET) and photosynthesis (GPP) of Mediterranean macchia spread all over Italy. Ten different sites were selected in the Centre-South of Italy and their gross primary production (GPP) was estimated by applying a parametric model, C-Fix, based on remotely sensed data for ten years (1999-2008). These monthly data were then used to calibrate BIOME-BGC through an iterative process which led to reproduce the spatial and temporal GPP variations found by C-Fix. The calibrated model was then applied to simulate the ET and GPP of two Italian sites characterised by the presence of an eddy flux tower; its performances were evaluated against ground data by common statistics. The results obtained indicate that, after a proper calibration phase, BIOME-BGC can be applied to estimate the evapotranspiration and photosynthesis of Mediterranean macchia with a good accuracy, strictly dependent on the input data utilised. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Scrinzi, Gianfranco Torresan, Chiara http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2310 2012-08-02T23:05:09Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Stato dell'arte delle applicazioni laser scanning aereo a supporto della gestione delle risorse forestali in Italia Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Scrinzi, Gianfranco; Torresan, Chiara Abstract: I dati da laser scanning aereo (ALS) vengono sempre più proposti per la descrizione della struttura dei popolamenti forestali nei suoi aspetti della distribuzione verticale e orizzontale e di copertura delle chiome. Al contempo varie procedure sono state proposte per la stima del volume e della biomassa legnosa dei popolamenti forestali a partire dalla relazione tra valori di queste grandezze misurati in aree campione a terra e valori ipsometrici ottenuti dai ritorni ALS. La conoscenza sulle potenzialità dei dati ALS è però ancora relativamente modesta nell’ambiente operativo italiano. L’utilizzo dei dati ALS è stato finora finalizzato prevalentemente alla stratificazione dei popolamenti boschivi, all’identificazione di tipi forestali e colturali e alla stima delle masse legnose a scala locale. Rimangono ancora quasi inesplorate le possibilità di integrazione dei dati ALS nell’ambito di inventari forestali di ampie superfici e per la misurazione di fenomeni emergenti quali i boschi di neoformazione, le variazioni della timberline, la stima delle quantità di combustibile nelle formazioni forestali e preforestali. Anche l’integrazione di dati multispettrali e dati ALS in processi tesi all’inventariazione contestuale sia qualitativa che quantitativa delle risorse forestali rappresenta tematica di interesse così come, probabilmente in un futuro meno immediato, l’analisi della correlazione tra variazioni ipsometriche desunte da dati ALS e fattori quali l’incremento corrente di volume, il tasso di prelievo legnoso, i fenomeni di degradazione strutturale dei popolamenti forestali. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.asita.it

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Cartisano, Rosaria Salvati, Riccardo Chirici, Gherardo Floris, Antonio Di Martino, Paolo Marchetti, Marco Scrinzi, Gianfranco Clementel, Fabrizio Torresan, Chiara http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2307 2012-07-26T06:53:39Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Airborne Laser Scanning to support forest resource management under alpine, temperate and Mediterranean environments in Italy Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Cartisano, Rosaria; Salvati, Riccardo; Chirici, Gherardo; Floris, Antonio; Di Martino, Paolo; Marchetti, Marco; Scrinzi, Gianfranco; Clementel, Fabrizio; Torresan, Chiara Abstract: This paper aims to provide general considerations, in the form of a scientific review, with reference to selected experiences of ALS applications under alpine, temperate and Mediterranean environments in Italy as case studies. In Italy, the use of ALS data have been mainly focused on the stratification of forest stands and the estimation of their timber volume and biomass at local scale. Potential for ALS data exploitation concerns their integration in forest inventories on large territories, their usage for silvicultural systems detection and their use for the estimation of fuel load in forest and pre-forest stands. Multitemporal ALS may even be suitable to support the assessment of current annual volume increment and the harvesting rates.

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Mavsar, Robert Varela, Elsa Corona, Piermaria Barbati, Anna Marsh, Graham http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2314 2012-08-06T23:05:15Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Economic, Legal and Social Aspects of Post-Fire Management Authors: Mavsar, Robert; Varela, Elsa; Corona, Piermaria; Barbati, Anna; Marsh, Graham Description: Il capitolo, che fa parte del volume "Post-Fire Management and Restoration of Southern European Forests", è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springer.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Baffetta, Federica Corona, Piermaria Fattorini, Lorenzo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2313 2012-08-06T23:05:14Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: A matching procedure to improve k-NN estimation of forest attribute maps Authors: Baffetta, Federica; Corona, Piermaria; Fattorini, Lorenzo Abstract: The integration of forest inventory and mapping has emerged as a major issue for assessing forest attributes and multiple environmental functions. Associations between remotely sensed data and the biophysical attributes of forest vegetation (standing wood volume, biomass increment, etc.) can be exploited to estimate the attribute values for sampled and non-sampled pixels, thus producing maps for the entire region of interest. Among the available procedures, the k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) technique is becoming popular, even for practical applications. However, the k-NN estimates at the pixel level tend to average towards the population mean and to have suppressed variance, since large values are usually underestimated and small values overestimated. This tendency may be detrimental for k-NN applications in forest resource management planning and scenario analysis where the representation of the spatial variability of each attribute of interest across the surveyed territory is fundamental. The present paper proposes a procedure to tackle such an issue by modifying k-NN estimates via a post-processing procedure of distribution matching. The empirical distribution function of the population values is estimated from the sample of ground data by using the 0-inflated beta distribution as the assisting model and the k-NN estimates are subsequently modified in such a way as to match the estimated distribution. The statistical properties of the distribution matching estimators for totals and averages are theoretically derived, while the performance of the distribution matching estimator at the pixel level are empirically evaluated by a simulation study. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.Journals.elsevier.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Rondeux, Jacques Bertini, Roberta Bastrup-Birk, Annemarie Corona, Piermaria Latte, Nicolas McRoberts, Ronald E. Ståhl, Göran Winter, Susanne Chirici, Gherardo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2312 2012-08-06T23:05:33Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Assessing Deadwood Using Harmonized National Forest Inventory Data Authors: Rondeux, Jacques; Bertini, Roberta; Bastrup-Birk, Annemarie; Corona, Piermaria; Latte, Nicolas; McRoberts, Ronald E.; Ståhl, Göran; Winter, Susanne; Chirici, Gherardo Abstract: Deadwood plays an important role in forest ecological processes and is fundamental for the maintenance of biological diversity. Further, it is a forest carbon pool whose assessment must be reported for international agreements dealing with protection and forest management sustainability. Despite wide agreement on deadwood monitoring by national forest inventories (NFIs), much work is still necessary to clarify definitions so that estimates can be directly compared or aggregated for international reporting. There is an urgent need for an international consensus on definitions and agreement on harmonization methods. The study addresses two main objectives: to analyze the feasibility of harmonization procedures for deadwood estimates and to evaluate the impact of the harmonization process based on different definitions on final deadwood estimates. Results are reported for an experimental harmonization test using NFI deadwood data from 9,208 sample plots measured in nine European countries and the United States. Harmonization methods were investigated for volume by spatial position (lying or standing), decay classes, and woody species accompanied by accuracy assessments. Estimates of mean plot volume based on harmonized definitions with minimum length/height of 1 m and minimum diameter thresholds of 10, 12, and 20 cm were on average 3, 8, and 30% smaller, respectively, than estimates based on national definitions. Volume differences were less when estimated for various deadwood categories. An accuracy assessment demonstrated that, on average, the harmonization procedures did not substantially alter deadwood observations (root mean square error 23.17%). Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.safnet.org

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Marchetti, Marco Bertani, Remo Corona, Piermaria Valentini, Riccardo http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2311 2012-08-06T23:05:35Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Cambiamenti di copertura forestale e dell’uso del suolo nell’inventario dell’uso delle terre in Italia Authors: Marchetti, Marco; Bertani, Remo; Corona, Piermaria; Valentini, Riccardo Abstract: Changes of forest coverage and land uses as assessed by the inventory of land uses in Italy. The paper presents the IUTI program, a land use inventory of Italy, based on point sampling. It has been carried out to support the National Carbon Sink Accounting Register and it was realized within the framework of the Italian National Remote Sensing Plan managed by the Italian Ministry of Environment. IUTI has monitored the land use and land use change and forestry in the last two decades over the country at the years 1990, 2000, 2008, adopting a tessellated stratified sampling scheme with about 1.2 million sample points on aerial orthophotos. Following definitions, methods and inventory procedures, the main results are discussed. They show the heavy changes affecting surface and distribution of the various classes for arable lands, forests and urban areas. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Agrimi, Mariagrazia Baffetta, Federica Barbati, Anna Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza Fattorini, Lorenzo Pompei, Enrico Valentini, Riccardo Mattioli, Walter http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2316 2012-08-06T23:05:41Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Extending large-scale forest inventories to assess urban forests Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Agrimi, Mariagrazia; Baffetta, Federica; Barbati, Anna; Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Pompei, Enrico; Valentini, Riccardo; Mattioli, Walter Abstract: Urban areas are continuously expanding today, extending their influence on an increasingly large proportion of woods and trees located in or nearby urban and urbanizing areas, the socalled urban forests. Although these forests have the potential for significantly improving the quality the urban environment and the well-being of the urban population, data to quantify the extent and characteristics of urban forests are still lacking or fragmentary on a large scale. In this regard, an expansion of the domain of multipurpose forest inventories like National Forest Inventories (NFIs) towards urban forests would be required. To this end, it would be convenient to exploit the same sampling scheme applied in NFIs to assess the basic features of urban forests. This paper considers approximately unbiased estimators of abundance and coverage of urban forests, together with estimators of the corresponding variances, which can be achieved from the first phase of most largescale forest inventories. A simulation study is carried out in order to check the performance of the considered estimators under various situations involving the spatial distribution of the urban forests over the study area. An application is worked out on the data from the Italian NFI. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springer.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Marchetti, Marco Mastronardi, Alessandro Maselli, Fabio Bottai, Lorenzo Travaglini, Davide http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2333 2013-01-11T00:05:09Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: K-NN FOREST: a software for the non-parametric prediction and mapping of environmental variables by the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm Authors: Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Marchetti, Marco; Mastronardi, Alessandro; Maselli, Fabio; Bottai, Lorenzo; Travaglini, Davide Abstract: In the last decades researchers investigated the possibility of extending the information collected in sampling units during a field survey to wider geographical areas through the use of remotely sensed images. One of the most widely adopted approaches is based on the non-parametric k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) algorithm. This contribution describes the software K-NN FOREST we developed to provide a complete tool for the implementation of the k-NN technique to generate spatially explicit estimations (maps) of a response variable acquired in the field by sampling units through the use of remotely sensed data or other ancillary variables. K-NN FOREST is designed to guide the user through a graphic user interface in the different phases of the process. K-NN FOREST is freely available for download and it is designed to run under Windows environment in conjunction with the GIS software IDRISI.

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Mattioli, Walter Quatrini, Alessandro http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2326 2012-09-20T23:05:11Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Biomassa forestale per la produzione di energia termica: un modello di analisi per l'Alta valle dell'Aniene Authors: Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Mattioli, Walter; Quatrini, Alessandro Abstract: Il continuo aumento della domanda di energia e la modesta autosufficienza energetica spingono le politiche energetiche dell’Italia, nel quadro degli impegni 20-20-20, verso un crescente impiego di biomasse forestali in progetti di produzione energetica delocalizzata e sostenibile. Per identificare opzioni progettuali in grado di soddisfare in modo sostenibile la domanda di energie rinnovabili è necessario produrre stime sufficientemente attendibili sulla disponibilità di biomasse forestali destinabili all’uso energetico, definendo criteri di sostenibilità nel prelievo calibrati sul contesto ambientale e socio-economico locale. In tale logica, il lavoro presenta un caso di studio finalizzato a quantificare nel comprensorio forestale di circa 27.000 ha dell’Alta valle dell’Aniene (Italia centrale) la quantità di biomassa forestale destinabile alla produzione di energia termica. La quantità annua di biomassa forestale destinabile alla produzione di energia, stimata attraverso un modello conservativo basato su criteri di utilizzazione forestale sostenibile, è pari a circa il 18% (21.000 t s.s. anno-1) della produttività annua delle foreste del comprensorio e i quantitativi unitari di biomassa ritraibile risultano pari a circa 2 t s.s. ha-1anno-1. La disponibilità complessiva di biomassa nelle aree maggiormente idonee sotto il profilo dell’accessibilità è di quasi 9.000 t s.s. anno-1, quantitativo sufficiente per implementare una filiera locale di produzione del cippato in grado di alimentare alcune decine di impianti di riscaldamento di edifici pubblici e privati.; Italy’s energy policy, in the framework of the 20-20-20 commitments, is oriented towards the increasing exploitation of wood biomass for local energy production projects; this is due to rising demand for energy and low self-sufficiency of the country. To support renewable energy targets in a sustainable way, reliable estimates on the wood biomass technically available for energy production are needed, taking into account local environmental and socio-economic constraints. This paper presents a case study aimed at assessing the wood biomass technically available for energy generation. The sample area is the forest (approximately 27.000 ha) of the Upper valley of Aniene River (Central Italy). The annual amount of wood biomass available for energy generation is estimated using a conservative model. It is based on environmentalcompatible and sustainable wood harvesting criteria. The available wood biomass is approximately 18% (21.000 t s.s. year-1) of the total forest productivity of the area, corresponding to about 2 t s.s. ha-1year-1. The overall biomass available in the most accessible areas is nearly 9.000 t s.s. year-1. This would be enough to support the development of a local wood-fuel energy chain, to feed several heating plants of public and private buildings.

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Marziliano, Pasquale Antonio Menguzzato, Giuliano Scuderi, Angelo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2332 2013-01-11T00:05:06Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Simplified methods to inventory the current annual increment of forest standing volume Authors: Marziliano, Pasquale Antonio; Menguzzato, Giuliano; Scuderi, Angelo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The assessment of the current annual increment of forest standing volume (CAI) is a fundamental tool to support forest management and planning. A suitable approach to such an end is to rely on growth and yield models. However, this kind of models are often not available for many countries and/or locations and/or species. Furthermore, they may become obsolete due to potential changes in the environmental and silvicultural conditions. Such shortcomings may be distinctively detrimental in the context of forest inventories. Several methods have been proposed to inventory CAI on one single occasion, i.e., when repeated measurements of standing volume are not available. A wellknown family of methods, still largely exploited in Alpine and Eastern European countries, derives from the estimation of the percentage current annual increment of forest standing volume by the current annual increments of stem diameter and tree height (Δh). In this study an experimental comparison of Δh assessment by three different approaches is presented with reference to a properly designed case study: (i) Δh is measured on felled trees; (ii) Δh is estimated by dynamic height curve (i.e., diameter-height-age model); (iii) Δh is estimated by conventional height curve (i.e., diameter-height model). Under the examined experimental conditions (a pure forest of silver fir on highly fertile soils in southern Italy, aged around 60 years), both simplified approaches (ii) and (iii) have proven to underestimate height increments, with a larger underestimation by the approach based on the conventional height curve. However, the consequent error in the estimation of percentage current annual increment of forest standing volume has proved to be quite limited (4% for the approach based on the dynamic height curve and around 9% for the approach based on the conventional height curve). Hence, such simplified approaches may be rather safely considered for estimating percentage current annual increment of forest standing volume when neither Δh is directly detectable on standing trees nor sample trees can be felled, nor an appropriate model to predict Δh is available. The Δh estimation on the conventional height curve should turn out to be even more suitable in the case of uneven-aged stands, where the position of the height curve remains stationary over time. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Marchetti, Marco Sallustio, Lorenzo Ottaviano, Marco Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Tognetti, Roberto Zavattero, Laura Capotorti, Giulia http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2338 2013-02-08T00:05:23Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Carbon sequestration by forests in the National Parks of Italy Authors: Marchetti, Marco; Sallustio, Lorenzo; Ottaviano, Marco; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Tognetti, Roberto; Zavattero, Laura; Capotorti, Giulia Abstract: Recent attempts to mitigate global change have brought forestry-based carbon (C) sequestration into sharp focus due to its potential to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. However, the consequences of actual forest management practices on C storage capacity are still controversial to a certain extent. Under such a perspective, a distinctive relevant issue concerns the management of forest ecosystems within areas specifically designated for nature conservation. From the analysis of biomass data from forests in the National Parks of Italy, we found that the average forest C stock and sink per unit area is relatively higher within National Parks (81.21 and 2.18 tons ha71, respectively) than on the overall national territory (76.11 and 1.12 tons ha71 year71, respectively). The analysis confirms the influence of ecological conditions and management approach on C sequestration capacity. Although the results of the proposed assessment approach have to be considered as rough estimates, the trial proves interesting, given the relative lack of specific information, at least on a large scale, about C stocks and sinks within forest areas designated for nature conservation, and the direct comparison with those forest areas not designated to such an end. The C storage capacity can be enhanced by increasing the productivity of forests, minimizing the disturbance to stand structure and composition. Extending conservation strategies adopted in National Parks to other forest areas of the national territory would allow the restoration of C sequestration potential, where unsustainable management practices have degraded relatively large stocks of biomass. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.tandfonline.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Chirici, Gherardo McRoberts, Ronald E. Winter, Susan Barbati, Anna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2347 2013-03-01T00:05:46Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Contribution of large-scale forest inventories to biodiversity assessment and monitoring Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Chirici, Gherardo; McRoberts, Ronald E.; Winter, Susan; Barbati, Anna Abstract: Statistically-designed inventories and biodiversity monitoring programs are gaining relevance for biological conservation and natural resources management. Mandated periodic surveys provide unique opportunities to identify and satisfy natural resources management information needs. However, this is not an end in itself but rather is the beginning of a process that should lead to sound decision-making in biodiversity conservation. Forest inventories are currently evolving towards multipurpose resource surveys and are broadening their scope in several directions: (i) expansion of the target population to include non-traditional attributes such as trees outside the forest and urban forests; (ii) forest carbon pools and carbon sequestration estimation; (iii) assessment of forest health; and (iv) inclusion of additional variables such as biodiversity attributes that are not directly related to timber assessment and wood harvesting. There is an on-going debate regarding the role of forest inventories in biodiversity assessment and monitoring. This paper presents a review on the topic that aims at providing updated knowledge on the current contribution of forest inventories to the assessment and monitoring of forest biodiversity conditions on a large scale. Specific objectives are fourfold: (i) to highlight the types of forest biodiversity indicators that can be estimated from data collected in the framework of standard forest inventories and the implications of different sampling methods on the estimation of the indicators; (ii) to outline current possibilities for harmonized estimation of biodiversity indicators in Europe from National Forest Inventory data; (iii) to show the added value for forest biodiversity monitoring of framing biodiversity indicators into ecologically meaningful forest type units; and (iv) to examine the potential of forest inventory sample data for estimating landscape biodiversity metrics Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.elsevier.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Salvati, Luca Gasparella, Lorenza http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2336 2013-02-08T00:05:17Z 2012-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Natural forest expansion into suburban countryside: Gained ground for a green infrastructure? Authors: Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Salvati, Luca; Gasparella, Lorenza Abstract: Understanding patterns of natural forest expansion in rural regions under the influence of urbanization processes is crucial for integrated spatial planning across the urban-to-rural gradient. As a matter of fact, forest expansion is the only natural process that may counteract the consumption of the ecosystem capital and ecosystems services of rural lands due to uncontrolled urban sprawl. The paper addresses this topic in the paradigmatic case study of the countryside of Rome (Italy), characterized by counter dynamics of forest expansion and suburbanization. Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) is applied to classify the forest landscape structure twice (1974 and 2008) according to seven categories (core, islet, perforation, edge, loop, bridge, branch) with different potential functional role as elements of a green infrastructure. Main findings are: (i) forest cover increased from 11% to 16% between 1974 and 2008; forest land uptake exceeds 4% of total study area, but shows a slower pace than the growth of built-up areas (10%); (ii) forest expansion has been to a large extent achieved by “sprawling” of islets (1.6% of the study area) along the stream network; (iii) more compact forest expansion has taken place on 0.2% of the study area in the form of additions to existing core areas or creation of new ones and (iv) the establishment of a network of protected areas nearby Rome has played a key role for the conservation and further expansion of core areas; yet, local loss of 1974 core areas stocks in a few protected areas indicates need of further law enforcement to ensure effective protection of the natural capital from degradation processes or even land conversion into built-up areas. Results calls for future in-depth investigations on the quality of newly created or maintained forest resource stocks associated to different spatial pattern structures. Integrated spatial planning strategies are outlined for the conservation of ecosystem capital and ecosystems services provided by forests, as major components of Rome’s green infrastructure. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.elsevier.com

2012-12-31T23:00:00Z Travaglini, Davide Bottalico, Francesca Chirici, Gherardo Corona, Piermaria Nocentini, Susanna http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2340 2013-02-08T00:05:28Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Potenzialità del telerilevamento laser scanner aereo per la classificazione delle coperture forestali in funzione della forma di governo Authors: Travaglini, Davide; Bottalico, Francesca; Chirici, Gherardo; Corona, Piermaria; Nocentini, Susanna Abstract: In questo studio è stata valutata la potenzialità del telerilevamento laser scanner aereo (ALS) per classificare le forme di governo forestale in un bosco misto di latifoglie. La metodologia applicata prevede l’utilizzo del modello digitale delle chiome (CHM) ottenuto da dati ALS e l’impiego di procedure automatizzate per la segmentazione object-oriented delle immagini telerilevate. La classificazione delle forme di governo si basa sulle metriche estratte dal CHM. I risultati ottenuti indicano che la media delle altezze e il coefficiente di variazione delle altezze estratti dal CHM sono utili per distinguere i boschi governati a ceduo da quelli governati a fustaia; In this study aerial laser scanning (ALS) data has been tested to classify coppice stands and high forest stands in a mixed broadleaved forest. The method is based on a canopy height model (CHM) obtained from ALS data. Forest stands have been delineated using a object-oriented approach. The polygons have been classified into coppices and high forests based on the metrics derived from CHM. Our results indicate that the mean of the heights and the coefficient of variation of the heights extracted from CHM are useful to discriminate coppices from high forests. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.asita.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Pasta, Salvatore Giardina, Giovanni La Mantia, Tommaso http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2337 2013-02-08T00:05:30Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Assessing the biomass of shrubs typical of Mediterranean pre-forest communities Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Pasta, Salvatore; Giardina, Giovanni; La Mantia, Tommaso Abstract: One of the most outstanding issues of current environmental research is the need of reliable assessments of carbon stock (i.e. above-ground (a.g.) and below-ground biomass, deadwood, litter, and organic soil matter) within forest ecosystems. Although shrub vegetation plays an important role in accumulating carbon in many Mediterranean environments, there is still very little knowledge on the carbon they store. In this article, we analyze the a.g. carbon stock of several Mediterranean shrubby communities in Sicily (Italy), dominated by Pistacia lentiscus, Chamaerops humilis, Euphorbia dendroides and Spartium junceum. Plant samples for each species were selected, and morphometric attributes (height, crown diameter, diameter at breast height, etc.) were measured to establish models for estimating a.g. biomass. Dendrometric data were also used to support the assessment of shrub biomass at community level by coupling them with the coverage of the considered woody species estimated from several hundreds of phytosociological releve´s carried out on pre-forest Sicilian communities. Although the results of such an approach have to be considered as rough assessments, the trial proves interesting, given the lack of information on stand biomass of pre-forest vegetation within the Mediterraean region. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.tandfonline.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Kolström, Marja Marcus Lindner, Marcus Maroschek, Michael Seidl, Rupert Lexer, Manfred J. Netherer, Sigrid Kremer, Antoine Delzon, Sylvain Barbati, Anna Marchetti, Marco Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2339 2013-02-06T08:46:37Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Reviewing the Science and Implementation of Climate Change Adaptation Measures in European Forestry Authors: Kolström, Marja; Marcus Lindner, Marcus; Maroschek, Michael; Seidl, Rupert; Lexer, Manfred J.; Netherer, Sigrid; Kremer, Antoine; Delzon, Sylvain; Barbati, Anna; Marchetti, Marco; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: Developing adaptation measures in forestry is an urgent task because the forests regenerated today will have to cope with climate conditions that may drastically changeduring the life of the trees in the stand. This paper presents a comprehensive review of potential adaptation options in forestry in Europe based on three pillars: a review of the scientific literature, an analysis of current national response strategies, and an expert assessment based on a database compiled in the COST Action ECHOES (Expected Climate Change and Options for European Silviculture). The adaptation measures include responses to both risks and opportunities created by climate change and address all stages of forestry operations. Measures targeted to reduce vulnerability to climate change may either aim to reduce forest sensitivity to adverse climate change impacts or increase adaptive capacity to cope with the changing environmental conditions. Adaptation measures mitigating drought and fire risk such as selection of more drought resistant species and genotypes are crucial. For adaptation to be successful it is of the utmost importance to disseminate the knowledge of suitable adaptation measures to all decision makers from the practice to the policy level. The analysis of the ECHOES database demonstrates that this challenge is well recognized in many European countries. Uncertainty about the full extent of climate change impacts and the suitability of adaptation measures creates a need for monitoring and further research. A better understanding of how to increase adaptive capacity is also needed, as well as regional vulnerability assessments which are crucial for targeting planned adaptation measures.

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z Corona, Piermaria Barbati, Anna Tomao, Antonio Bertani, Remo Valentini, Riccardo Marchetti, Marco Fattorini, Lorenzo Perugini, Lucia http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2346 2013-03-01T00:05:45Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Land use inventory as framework for environmental accounting: an application in Italy Authors: Corona, Piermaria; Barbati, Anna; Tomao, Antonio; Bertani, Remo; Valentini, Riccardo; Marchetti, Marco; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Perugini, Lucia Abstract: Land use inventories are sound measures to provide information on the area occupied by different land use or land cover types and their changes, although less widespread than traditional mapping; as such, they are distinctively wellestablished tools for generating statistics on the state and the dynamics of land use in the European Union. Italy has recently set up a land use inventory system (IUTI) as a key instrument for accounting removals and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) associated to land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities elected by Italy under the Kyoto Protocol. IUTI adopts a statistical sampling procedure to estimate the area covered by LULUCF land use categories in Italy, and associated uncertainty estimates. Estimates of land use have been so far processed for the period 1990-2008 and highlight three interlinked land use change patterns in Italy: (i) increase in forest land for a total uptake of 1.7% of the Italian territory; forest cover estimates, with a standard error of 0.1%, indicate an annual increase of forestland higher over the period 1990-2000 (32 901 ha year-1) than in 2000-2008 (22 857 ha year-1); surprisingly, also a significant deforestation rate is observed (-7000 ha year-1), due to forest land conversion mainly into artificial areas; (ii) consumption of arable land (-4.2% of the Italian territory) primarily due to land uptake by urban areas and to conversions to permanent crops (mainly orchards and vineyards); (iii) urban sprawl uptakes 1.6% of the Italian territory in this period, with a total coverage of settlements reaching 7.1% of total land surface in Italy in 2008. Overall, land use dynamic results in land uptake by forest land is of the same magnitude of land uptake by urban areas, but the effects of these processes on GHG removals (by forest sinks) and emissions (by urban areas) is expected to be significantly different. In a broader perspective, IUTI methodology, by providing reliable estimates and well-defined levels of statistical uncertainty for assessing stocks and flows of land use at national level, can be further implemented to frame other key questions for sustainable development policies, like the set up of environmental-economic accounting systems. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.sisef.it

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Serinaldi, Francesco Grimaldi, Salvatore Abdolhosseini, Mohammad Corona, Piermaria Cimini, Dora http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2345 2013-03-01T00:05:46Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Testing copula regression against benchmark models for point and interval estimation of tree wood volume in beech stands Authors: Serinaldi, Francesco; Grimaldi, Salvatore; Abdolhosseini, Mohammad; Corona, Piermaria; Cimini, Dora Abstract: This study compares copula regression, recently introduced in the forest biometric literature, with four benchmark regression models for computing wood volume V in forest stands given the values of diameter at breast height D and total height H, and suggests a set of statistical techniques for the accurate assessment of model performance. Two regression models deduced from the trivariate copulabased distribution of V, D, and H are tested against the classical Spurr’s model and Schumacher-Hall’s model based on allometric and geometric concepts, and two regression models that rely on Box-Cox transformed variables and are in a middle ground, in terms of model complexity, between copula-based regression and classical models. The accuracy of the point estimates of V is assessed by a suitable set of performance criteria and the nonparametric sign test, whereas the associated uncertainty is evaluated by comparing empirical and nominal coverage probabilities of the prediction intervals. Focusing on point estimates, the Schumacher-Hall’s model outperforms the other models in terms of several performance criteria. The sign test points out that the differences among the models that involve D and H as separate covariates are not definitely significant, whereas these models outperform the models with a single covariate. As far as the interval estimates are of concern, the four benchmark models provide comparable interval estimates. The copula-based model with parametric marginals is definitely outperformed by its competitors according to all criteria, whereas the copula-based model with nonparametric marginals provides quite accurate point estimates but biased interval estimates of V. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.springerlink.com

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Maselli, Fabio Pasqui, Massimiliano Chirici, Gherardo Chiesi, Marta Fibbi, Luca Salvati, Riccardo Corona, Piermaria http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2349 2013-03-01T00:05:48Z 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Modeling primary production using a 1 km daily meteorological data set Authors: Maselli, Fabio; Pasqui, Massimiliano; Chirici, Gherardo; Chiesi, Marta; Fibbi, Luca; Salvati, Riccardo; Corona, Piermaria Abstract: The availability of daily meteorological data extended over wide areas is a common requirement for modeling vegetation processes on regional scales. The present paper investigates the applicability of a pan-European data set of daily minimum and maximum temperatures and precipitation, E-OBS, to drive models of ecosystem processes over Italy. Daily meteorological data from a 10 yr period (2000 to 2009) were first downscaled to 1 km spatial resolution by applying locally calibrated regressions to a digital elevation model. The original and downscaled E-OBS maps were compared with meteorological data collected at 10 ground stations representative of different eco-climatic conditions. Additional tests were performed for the same sites to evaluate the effects of driving a model of vegetation processes, BIOME-BGC, with measured and estimated weather data. The tests were carried out using 10 BIOME-BGC versions characteristic for local vegetation types (Holm oak, other oaks, chestnut, beech, plain/hilly conifers, mountain conifers, Mediterranean macchia, olive trees, and C3 and C4 grasses). The experimental results indicate that the applied downscaling performs best for maximum temperatures, which is the most decisive factor for driving BIOME-BGC simulation of vegetation production. The downscaled data set is particularly suitable for the modeling of forest ecosystem processes, which could be further improved by the use of information obtained from remote sensing imagery. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.int-res.com. Periodo di embargo: 5 anni.

2011-12-31T23:00:00Z Moreira, Francisco Viedma, Olga Arianoutsou, Margarita Curt, Thomas Koutsias, Nikos Rigolot, Eric Barbati, Anna Corona, Piermaria Vaz, Pedro Xanthopoulos, Gavriil Mouillot, Florent Bilgili, Ertugrul http://hdl.handle.net/2067/2348 2013-03-01T00:05:48Z 2010-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Landscape-wildfire interactions in southern Europe: implications for landscape management Authors: Moreira, Francisco; Viedma, Olga; Arianoutsou, Margarita; Curt, Thomas; Koutsias, Nikos; Rigolot, Eric; Barbati, Anna; Corona, Piermaria; Vaz, Pedro; Xanthopoulos, Gavriil; Mouillot, Florent; Bilgili, Ertugrul Abstract: Every year approximately half a million hectares of land are burned by wildfires in southern Europe, causing large ecological and socio-economic impacts. Climate and land use changes in the last decades have increased fire risk and danger. In this paper we review the available scientific knowledge on the relationships between landscape and wildfires in the Mediterranean region, with a focus on its application for defining landscape management guidelines and policies that could be adopted in order to promote landscapes with lower fire hazard. The main findings are that (1) socio-economic drivers have favoured land cover changes contributing to increasing fire hazard in the last decades, (2) large wildfires are becoming more frequent, (3) increased fire frequency is promoting homogeneous landscapes covered by fire-prone shrublands; (4) landscape planning to reduce fuel loads may be successful only if fire weather conditions are not extreme. The challenges to address these problems and the policy and landscape management responses that should be adopted are discussed, along with major knowledge gaps. Description: L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore www.elsevier.com

2010-12-31T23:00:00Z