Analysis of the Effect of Soil Erosion in Abandoned Agricultural Areas: The Case of NE Area of Basilicata Region (Southern Italy)

Land abandonment is among the most complex la nd use change processes driven by a multiplicity of anthropogenic and natural factors, such as agricultural over-exploitation, implementation of agricultural policies, socio-economic and climatic aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen the effects of land abandonment based on methodologies that are as multidisciplinary as possible. Environmental and social problems related to abandonment include soil erosion and environmental degradation. Approaches combining GIS (Geographic Information System), remote sensing, and image analysis techniques allow for assessments and predictions based on integrating theoretical models with advanced geospatial and geostatistical models. One of the most widely used models for soil erosion estimation is the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The present work developed a model using remote sensing and GIS tools to investigate some factors of the RUSLE equation to evaluate the adverse effects of soil erosion in areas covered by arable crops and subsequently abandoned. To identify potentially degraded areas, two factors of the RUSLE were related: the C Factor describing the vegetation cover of the soil and the A Factor representing the amount of potential soil erosion. Through statistical correlation analysis with the RUSLE factors, based on the deviations from the average erosion values and mapping of the areas of vegetation degradation relating to arable land, the areas identified and mapped are susceptible to soil degradation

SPATIAL ANALYSES AND REMOTE SENSING FOR LAND COVER CHANGE DYNAMICS: ASSESSING IN A SPATIAL PLANNING

ABSTRACT (EN) Spatial planning is a crucial discipline for the identification and implementation of sustainable development strategies that take into account the environmental impacts on the soil. In recent years, the significant development of technology, like remote sensing and GIS software, has significantly increased the understanding of environmental components, highlighting their peculiarities and criticalities. Geographically referenced information on environmental and socio-economic components represents a fundamental database for identifying and monitoring vulnerable areas, also distinguishing different levels of vulnerability. This is even more relevant considering the increasingly significant impact of land transformation processes, consisting of rapid and frequent changes in land use patterns. In order to achieve some of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, the role of environmental planning is crucial in addressing spatial problems, such as agricultural land abandonment and land take, which cause negative impacts on ecosystems. Remote sensing, and in general all Earth Observation techniques, play a key role in achieving SDG 11.3 and 15.3 of Agenda 2030. Through a series of applications and investigations in different areas of Basilicata, it has been demonstrated how the extensive use of remote sensing and spatial analysis in a GIS environment provide a substantial contribution to the results of the SDGs, enabling an informed decisionmaking process and enabling monitoring of the results expected, ensuring data reliability and directly contributing to the calculation of SDG objectives and indicators by facilitating local administrations approaches to work in different development and sustainability sectors. In this thesis have been analyse the dynamics of land transformation in terms of land take and soil erosion in sample areas of the Basilicata Region, which represents an interesting case example for the study of land use land cover change (LULCC). The socio-demographic evolutionary trends and the study of marginality and territorial fragility are fundamental aspects in the context of territorial planning, since they are important drivers of the LULCC and territorial transformation processes. In fact, in Basilicata, settlement dynamics over the years have occurred in an uncontrolled and unregulated manner, leading to a constant consumption of land not accompanied by adequate demographic and economic growth. To better understand the evolution and dynamics of the LULCCs and provide useful tools for formulating territorial planning policies and strategies aimed at a sustainable use of the territory, the socio-economic aspects of the Region were investigated. A first phase involved the creation of a database and the study and identification of essential services in the area as a fundamental parameter against which to evaluate the quality of life in a specific area. The supply of essential services can be understood as an assessment of the lack of minimum requirements with reference to the urban functions exercised by each territorial unit. From a territorial point of view, the level of peripherality of the territories with respect to the network of urban centres profoundly influences the quality of life of citizens and the level of social inclusion. In these, the presence of essential services can act as an attractor capable of generating discrete catchment areas. The purpose of this first part of the work was above all to create a dataset of data useful for the calculation of various socio-economic indicators, in order to frame the demographic evolution and the evolution of the stock of public and private services. The first methodological approach was to reconstruct the offer of essential services through the use of open data in a GIS environment and subsequently estimate the peripherality of each municipality by estimating the accessibility to essential services. The study envisaged the use of territorial analysis techniques aimed at describing the distribution of essential services on the regional territory. It is essential to understand the role of demographic dynamics as a driver of urban land use change such as, for example, the increase in demand for artificial surfaces that occurs locally. Social and economic analyses are important in the spatial planning process. Comparison of socio-economic analyses with land use and land cover change can highlight the need to modify existing policies or implement new ones. A particular land use can degrade and thereby destroy other land resources. If the economic analysis shows that the use is beneficial from the point of view of the land user, it is likely to continue, regardless of whether the process is environmentally friendly. It is important to understand and investigate which drivers have been and will be in the future the most decisive in these dynamics that intrinsically contribute to land take, agricultural abandonment and the consequent processes of land degradation and to define policies or thresholds to mitigate and monitor the effects of these processes. Subsequently, the issues of land take and abandonment of agricultural land were analysed by applying models and techniques of remote sensing, GIS and territorial analysis for the identification and monitoring of abandoned agricultural areas and sealed areas. The classic remote sensing methods have also been integrated by some geostatistical analyses which have provided more information on the investigated phenomenon. The aim was the creation of a quick methodology that would allow to describe the monitoring and analysis activities of the development trends of soil consumption and the monitoring and identification of degraded areas. The first methodology proposed allowed the automatic and rapid detection of detailed LULCC and Land Take maps with an overall accuracy of more than 90%, reducing costs and processing times. The identification of abandoned agricultural areas in degradation is among the most complicated LULCC and Land Degradation processes to identify and monitor as it is driven by a multiplicity of anthropic and natural factors. The model used to estimate soil erosion as a degradation phenomenon is the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). To identify potentially degraded areas, two factors of the RUSLE have been correlated: Factor C which describes the vegetation cover of the soil and Factor A which represents the amount of potential soil erosion. Through statistical correlation analysis with the RUSLE factors, on the basis of the deviations from the average RUSLE values and mapping of the areas of vegetation degradation, relating to arable land, through statistical correlation with the vegetation factor C, the areas were identified and mapped that are susceptible to soil degradation. The results obtained allowed the creation of a database and a map of the degraded areas to be paid attention to

Integrated Indicators for the Estimation of Vulnerability to Land Degradation

In this chapter we approach the assessment of the vulnerability to land degradation of a typical Mediterranean environment using a modified version of the ESA model. This approach combines analyses of the socio-economic component with analyses of the vegetation trends. According to the standard ESA strategy, different indicators representing the impact of agricultural and grazing activities are used. The main feature of these indicators is that they are census-based and consequently suitable only for the analysis at municipal scale. Therefore we have also elaborated a mechanization index (proxy for soil compaction induced by agricultural machineries) that uses land cover and morphological data [36], enabling high spatial resolution and faster rate of update. The indicators related to the anthropic impact are integrated into an overall Land Management Index (LMI) and in each area it is possible to enhance the main contributing factors to highlight the prevailing forces that drive human-induced degradation processes. In order to include vegetation in the vulnerability map we analyze satellite vegetation index NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) which is recognized as ideal tool for monitoring long term trends of degradation phenomena and assessing different values of severity of the concerned processes [37,38]. The final result of our analyses is an integrated vulnerability map of the investigated region, accounting for management and vegetation factors, which allows us to identify priority sites where restoration/rehabilitation interventions are urgent. The adopted procedure can be easily applied to geographic contexts characterized by high complexity in terms of land cover type and economic vocation (intensive agriculture, grazing, industrial activities) thus enabling an early detection of the areas most vulnerable to land degradation

The impact of climate change on the Mediterranean diet in Italy

openL’Italia è uno trai maggiori esportatori mondiali di prodotti agro-alimentari ed è custode delle origine della dieta Mediterranea, la quale è ormai globalmente riconosciuta come valido modello di prevenzione e di sostenibilità poiché si basa su un consumo vario e quotidiano di alimenti di origine vegetale. Tuttavia, gli estremi eventi del cambiamento climatico stanno diventando una minaccia prioritaria per l’attività agricola del Paese. A questo proposito, la prolungata siccità che ha caratterizzato l’estate del 2022 ne è un esempio emblematico. Questo studio si propone di stimare l’estensione percentuale del grado di severità della siccità, dell’erosione e dei cambiamenti delle zone climatiche sulle aree coltivate con grano tenero, grano duro, mais, riso, olio, frutta, legumi e vegetali, distribuite su tutto il territorio italiano. Le mappe Corine Land Cover e Eucrop hanno fornito la distribuzione geografica di queste colture, che appartengono alle fondamenta della piramide Mediterranea e contribuiscono in larga misura al mercato italiano. Le mappe di Panagos sono state la fonte per la localizzazione della potenziale erosione attuale e futura, mentre l’adattamento delle analisi di Beck all’area di studio ha permesso la distinzione delle varie zone climatiche, nei periodi 1980-2016 e 2017-2100, considerando lo scenario 8.5 RCP. Da ultimo, la siccità, è stata analizzata attraverso la misurazione del Vegetation Health Index risalente a giugno 2022. I risultati hanno evidenziato che circa il 50% dei terreni dedicati a grano duro, grano tenero, olivi, frutteti, legumi e vegetali sono affetti da un severo tasso di erosione medio annuo, anche nella proiezione futura, e da siccità (da moderata ad estrema) nel giugno 2022. In aggiunta, emerge che le colture appena elencate disposte ad Alba, in Piemonte, nella zona del Delta del Po, in Toscana intorno a Grosseto, lungo la costa Adriatica dall’Abruzzo fino alla Puglia, lungo la costa Jonica in Basilicata, in Sicilia e in alcune province della Sardegna, in futuro, saranno caratterizzate da un passaggio verso un clima arido, stepposo e caldo; invece, la maggioranza delle restanti campagne coltive è destinata a un clima temperato, secco con estate secca (seguendo la classificazione climatica di Köppen-Geiger estratta dalle analisi di Beck). L’identificazione delle colture e delle aree attualmente e prossimamente più a rischio promuove una maggiore consapevolezza dei pericolosi effetti del cambiamento climatico, il quale limita l’economia e l’adesione alla dieta Mediterranea incidendo così sugli stili di vita individuali e sulla cultura nazionale. Indubbiamente, poi, tali informazioni sottolineano l’urgenza di azioni tempestive da parte dei governi e possono ispirare ulteriori studi più localizzati sulle aree più minacciate e sulle possibili strategie sostenibili per migliorarne la resilienza.Italy is among the world’s largest exporters of agri-food products and the custodian of the origin of the Mediterranean diet, which is internationally recognised as a worthy example of medical prevention and sustainability since it suggests a large consumption of plant-based foods. Nevertheless, climate change and related extreme events are becoming primary threats to the country’s agricultural activity. In this regard, the prolonged drought of summer 2022 was an emblematic instance. This study aims to estimate the percentage extent of drought severity, that occurred in June 2022, erosion and climate shifts in areas cultivated with common and durum wheat, maize, rice, olives, fruits, pulses and vegetables, distributed throughout Italy. Corine Land Cover and Eucrop maps have provided us with geographic distribution of these crops that belong to the foundation of the Mediterranean pyramid and contribute largely to Italian commerce. Next, Panagos’ maps were the sources for locating current and future potential erosion, whereas adapting Beck’s analyses to the study area made it possible to distinguish the different climate zones in the periods 1980>2016 and 2017>2100, under 8.5 RCP scenario. Lastly, the drought was analysed through the measurement of June 2022 Vegetation Health Index from MODIS satellite images. Our findings show that about 50% of fields dedicated to durum wheat, common wheat, olive, fruits, pulses and vegetables are affected by severe average annual soil erosion rate, even in future projection, and drought (from moderate to extreme) in June 2022. In addition, it appears that the above-listed crops located in Piedmont, near Alba, in the Po Delta, in Tuscany, around Grosseto, in Abruzzo up to Apulia, along the Ionian coast in Basilicata, in Sicily and some provinces of Sardinia are expected to transition to an arid, steppe, hot climate; whereas, the majority of the remaining croplands would be destined for a temperate, dry summer, hot summer climate (following the Köppen-Geiger climate classification extracted by Beck’s analysis). Identifying the cultivations and areas currently and soon to be most at risk promotes a greater awareness about the dangerous effects of climate change which limits the economy and adherence to the Mediterranean model thereby affecting individual lifestyles and national culture. Undoubtedly, such information underscores the urgency of tempestive actions by policymakers and could inspire further, more localized studies of the most threatened areas and possible sustainable strategies to improve their resilience

Geospatial and visual modeling for exploring sediment source areas across the Sele river landscape, Italy

This study uses the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and Geographic Information System technology to map erosion-prone areas in the Sele basin (Campania-Basilicata regions, southern Italy). Current land use/cover, soil erodibility and climate factors were evaluated to determine their effects on average annual soil loss. Geospatial technologies were applied to generate RUSLE factors and erosion map. Long-term soil losses were 53 Mg ha-1 per year averaged over an area of 2500 km2 and more than 30% of the Sele basin was subjected to soil losses higher than 20 Mg ha-1 per year. Data available in the study area allowed to estimate soil losses, but the absence of direct sediment measurements prevents an accurate evaluation of the model performance. Nevertheless, the results are similar to the ones from other studies, and provide useful preliminary information for landscape management and restoration

In-between forest expansion and cropland decline: A revised USLE model for soil erosion risk under land-use change in a Mediterranean region

The present study illustrates an original approach for the long-term assessment of soil erosion risk under land-use changes in a Mediterranean region (Matera, southern Italy). The study has been focused on the implementation of a modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model at three time points (1960, 1990, 2010) with the objective to evaluate the contribution of each component to model's performance and model outcomes’ reliability. A modified USLE model was proposed for the assessment of soil erosion risk, based on the simplification of model's parameters and the use of high spatial resolution datasets. Spatio-temporal variability in the model's outcomes was analyzed for basic land-use classes. Our approach has improved model's flexibility with the use of high spatial resolution layers, producing reliable long-term estimates of soil loss for the study area

Analysis of the effects of agricultural land use change on rural environment and landscape through historical cartography and GIS tools

The human activities and the social and economic transformations occurred during the last century led modifications in the agro-forestry areas. This paper shows a study case study in which the dynamics of land use are analysed using a geographic information system applied to historical maps in order to evaluate the consequences of these land transformations over the last 179 years on the rural environment and landscape. The use of three-dimensional reconstructions, obtained through the creation of different digital terrain model, has allowed to appreciate the landscape modifications, in term of morphological and vegetation variation, determining its aesthetic quality. The analysis shows a common dynamic present in many rural areas of Southern Italy, i.e., the increase of agricultural areas replacing forested surfaces in an older period followed by the further phenomenon of spontaneous re-naturalisation of many of these areas, due to the abandonment of extensive cultivated areas. Moreover, through comparison with historical documents, it was possible to analyse how the agricultural activities influenced the quality of the forest ecosystem. The methodology employed in this study allows a detailed analysis of the processes that occurred in different rural context and the creation of appropriate tools for sustainable land management

GIS-Based Geopedological Approach for Assessing Land Suitability for Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Groves for Fruit Production

The identification of mountainous areas suitable for chestnut stands for fruit production (CSFP) is raising increasing interest among researchers. This work aimed to (i) identify the areas suitable for CSFP shown in a land suitability map easy to read by land planners, and (ii) propose a remote-sensing-based methodology able to identify the lands currently under cultivation for CSFP. This study was conducted using the QGIS software for the Municipality of Castel del Rio, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. To obtain the land suitability map, topographic, lithological, and pedological data were acquired, and the areas located between 200 and 1000 m of altitude, with north exposition, a slope < 20°, sandstone-based lithology, and soils with dystric features were selected. The currently cultivated areas for CSFP were identified through remote-sensing images of the early spring period, which were delineated and georeferenced. The findings showed that only 10% of the whole study site area can be considered suitable for CSFP. Further, most of the currently cultivated CSFP (59%) are in non-suitable areas characterised by high slope gradients. The methodology applied in this study can easily provide detailed information about the suitable areas for CSFP and the areas currently cultivated with chestnut, thus allowing accurate land-use planning and land conservation

New Technologies for Ecosystem Analysis Planning and Management

Planning the rural environment is one of the most intriguing examples of technical challenge where a multi-disciplinary approach plays a crucial role. The agricultural production, both food and non-food, the social role of rural settlements, the state and diffusion of the infrastructural networks, the rural architectonic heritage that in many countries constitutes a major positive value, should be appropriately considered and sinergically interlaced for a sound planning of agricultural biosystems. Human activities impose a transformation of the extra-urban land that may lead to the modification of the frail equilibrium of whole ecosystems. Sound planning strategies should be therefore pursued, employing a multidisciplinary approach that should take into account geographical, environmental and landscape factors as variables interacting among themselves and with the social and economic aspects. In order to simultaneously analyse all these properties, tools able to manage, interpret and integrate several data are necessary

Investigation on Farmland Abandonment of Terraced Slopes Using Multitemporal Data Sources Comparison and Its Implication on Hydro-Geomorphological Processes

This paper presents a quantitative multi\u2010temporal analysis performed in a GIS environment and based on different spatial information sources. The research is aimed at investigating the land use transformations that occurred in a small coastal terraced basin of Eastern Liguria from the early 1950s to 2011. The degree of abandonment of cultivated terraced slopes together with its influence on the distribution, abundance, and magnitude of rainfall\u2010induced shallow landslides were accurately analysed. The analysis showed that a large portion of terraced area (77.4%) has been abandoned over approximately sixty years. This land use transformation has played a crucial role in influencing the hydro\u2010geomorphological processes triggered by a very intense rainstorm that occurred in 2011. The outcomes of the analysis revealed that terraces abandoned for a short time showed the highest landslide susceptibility and that slope failures affecting cultivated zones were characterized by a lower magnitude than those which occurred on abandoned terraced slopes. Furthermore, this study highlights the usefulness of cadastral data in understanding the impact of rainfall\u2010induced landslides due to both a high spatial and thematic accuracy. The obtained results represent a solid basis for the investigation of erosion and the shallow landslide susceptibility of terraced slopes by means of a simulation of land use change scenarios