Habitat degradation, fragmentation and destruction are major causes of biodiversity loss. Management of natural and semi-natural habitats and control of human disturbance are fundamental to preserving their distinct character and biodiversity. Multiple levels must be considered when setting conservation management actions because species responses and ecological processes vary at different spatial scales. Legal instruments are now in place, with the European Union being among the pioneers, to protect and maintain habitats, and to implement management measures. Therefore, research efforts are needed to understand how to manage habitats in the current complex and constantly changing environmental and social context. For example, management of invasive alien species, which are among the most important threats to biodiversity, is a challenge nowadays. Furthermore, forest habitats are among the most important in terms of covered land and hosted species and, therefore, need particular attention. Indeed, several management approaches can be applied towards the achievement of biodiversity conservation objectives. However, the knowledge on the effects of different conservation management options on biodiversity is limited and must be further investigated.
The overall research follows a multi-disciplinary and integrated approach towards the conservation management of habitats particularly focusing on forest biodiversity. The thesis aims to (i) propose and test the application of integrated approaches in respect to conservation management of natural and semi-natural habitats focusing on forests, and (ii) to broaden the knowledge on the biodiversity effects of management abandonment. Six scientific papers, published and to be published, form the bulk of the thesis.
In the first paper a novel approach that aims to prioritize habitat conservation is proposed and tested in the Italian Alpine and Continental biogeographical regions. In the second paper a method is proposed and applied to assess the effects of human activities on habitats and species using as case study a forest road plan within a protected area. In the third paper a novel perspective on the potentiality of forest management to control invasive alien species is given. In the fourth paper a multi-scale landscape analysis was performed to identify habitat pattern changes due to different management regimes and to understand possible biodiversity implications. In the fifth paper a comparison between low intensity managed and abandoned forests was made to understand the effects on three beetle taxa. Finally, in the sixth paper the vegetation communities developing after management abandonment into novel forest habitats were investigated.
This thesis has highlighted that sound conservation management is fundamental to maintain the variety of habitats, both natural and semi-natural, occurring in Europe. On the one hand novel approaches, such as those presented in the thesis, are required to face the never-ending changes in the legal, economic, social and environmental conditions. On the other hand, deep knowledge on the effects of management and planning choices on habitats and species is essential for adapting to biodiversity’s intrinsic variability and complexity in order to achieve conservation goals
