caa a22 4500 605528241 CHVBK 20210128100812.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20151201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10531-015-0950-4 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10531-015-0950-4 Agricultural landscapes and biodiversity conservation: a case study in Sicily (Italy) [Elektronische Daten] [G. Baiamonte, G. Domina, F. Raimondo, G. Bazan] The diversity of life is made up not only of the diversity of plants and animal species, habitats and ecosystems, but also of the diversity of human cultures. These diversities interact with one another in complex ways and express the mutual adaptation between humans and the environment at local level. Sicilian traditional agro-ecosystems, due to the history of the territory and the resulting social and economic context, are configured in a heterogeneous mosaic rich in residual features of environmental value, which enhance the connectivity of the ecological network and support a high proportion of species that are rare or of conservation concern. As a case study we analyzed the characteristics of the cultural and natural landscape of the Madonie Mountains (Sicily), acknowledged as one of the most relevant biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean. In a G.I.S. environment, we created a digital naturalness grid map and a floristic map including extensive data collected in field. We measured landscape naturalness degree, using the Naturalness Evaluation Index, and analysed its relationship with plant species distribution. We produce evidence that the cultural processes that shape a traditional landscape can foster an amount of specific richness disproportionate to the area covered. The presence of even limited surfaces with remnant semi-natural vegetation cover, scattered within the agricultural land mosaic, positively affects biodiversity. Therefore, we suggest that environmental management plans and policies aimed at nature and biodiversity conservation should take into account not only natural and semi-natural habitats but also the key role of agro-ecosystems. Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2015 Ecology nationallicence Naturalness evaluation index nationallicence Plant mapping nationallicence G.I.S nationallicence Biocultural diversity nationallicence Baiamonte G. Arcadia University - The College of Global Studies, 450 S. Easton Road, 19038, Glenside, PA, USA aut Domina G. Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut Raimondo F. Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut Bazan G. Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/13(2015-12-01), 3201-3216 0960-3115 24:13<3201 2015 24 10531 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0950-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0950-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Baiamonte G. Arcadia University - The College of Global Studies, 450 S. Easton Road, 19038, Glenside, PA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Domina G. Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Raimondo F. Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Bazan G. Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/13(2015-12-01), 3201-3216 0960-3115 24:13<3201 2015 24 10531