Towards sustainability in agro-forest systems? Grazing intensity, soil degradation and the socioeconomic profile of rural communities in Italy

Ecological Economics

Volumn 112, Issue , 2015, Pages 1-13

  Salvati, Luca ^a   Carlucci, Margherita ^b  

^a ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DELLA NUTRIZIONE   (Italy)

^b SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME   (Italy)

Author keywords

Land degradation; Multivariate statistical analysis; Socioeconomic indicators; Southern Europe; Sustainable land management

Indexed keywords

AGROFORESTRY; DESERTIFICATION; ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS; LAND MANAGEMENT; MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT; OVERGRAZING; RURAL POPULATION; SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATOR; SOIL DEGRADATION; SUSTAINABILITY;

ITALY;

EID: 84922700108     PISSN: 09218009     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.02.001     Document Type: Article

References (59)

1. Abu Hammad A., Tumeizi A. Land degradation: socioeconomic and environmental causes and consequences in the eastern Mediterranean. Land Degrad. Dev. 2012, 23:216-226.
2. Bajocco S., Salvati L., Ricotta C. Land degradation vs. fire: a spiral process?. Prog. Phys. Geogr. 2011, 35(1):3-18.
3. Barbayiannis N., Panayotopoulos K., Psaltopoulos D., Skuras D. The influence of policy on soil conservation: a case study from Greece. Land Degrad. Dev. 2011, 22:47-57.
4. Bernués A., Ruiz R., Olaizola A., Villalba D., Casasús I. Sustainability of pasture-based livestock farming systems in the European Mediterranean context: synergies and trade-offs. Livest. Sci. 2011, 139:44-57.
5. Boardman J., Poesen J., Evans R. Socio-economic factors in soil erosion and conservation. Environ. Sci. Policy 2003, 6:1-6.
6. Bougherara D., Latruffe L. Potential impact of the EU 2003 CAP reform on land idling decisions of French landowners: results from a survey of intentions. Land Use Policy 2010, 27:1153-1159.
7. Briassoulis H. Governing desertification in Mediterranean Europe: the challenge of environmental policy integration in multi-level governance contexts. Land Degrad. Dev. 2011, 22(3):313-325.
8. Carmona C.P., Azcárate F.M., de Bello F., Ollero H.S., Lepš J., Peco B. Taxonomical and functional diversity turnover in Mediterranean grasslands: interactions between grazing, habitat type and rainfall. J. Appl. Ecol. 2012, 49:1084-1093.
9. Carmona C.P., Röder A., Azcárate F.M., Peco B. Grazing management or physiography? Factors controlling vegetation recovery in Mediterranean grasslands. Ecol. Model. 2013, 251:73-84.
10. Conacher A.J., Sala M. Land Degradation in Mediterranean Environments of the World 1998, Wiley, Chichester.
11. Corbelle-Rico E., Crecente-Maseda R., Santé-Riveira I. Multi-scale assessment and spatial modelling of agricultural land abandonment in a European peripheral region: Galicia (Spain), 1956-2004. Land Use Policy 2012, 29:493-501.
12. Costantini E.A.C., Urbano F., Aramini G., Barbetti R., Bellino F., Bocci M., Bonati G., Fais A., L'Abate G., Loj G., Magini S., Napoli S., Nino P., Paolanti M., Perciabosco M., Mascone F. Rationale and methods for compiling an atlas of desertification in Italy. Land Degrad. Dev. 2009, 20:261-276.
13. Eichhorn M.P., Paris P., Herzog F., Incoll L.D., Liagre F., Mantzanas K., Mayus M., Moreno G., Papanastasis V.P., Pilbeam D.J., Pisanelli A., Dupraz C. Silvoarable systems in Europe - past, present and future prospects. Agrofor. Syst. 2006, 67(1):29-50.
14. Ferrara A., Salvati L., Sateriano A., Nolè A. Performance evaluation and costs assessment of a key indicator system to monitor desertification vulnerability. Ecol. Indic. 2012, 23:123-129.
15. Fleischer A., Sternberg M. The economic impact of global climate change on Mediterranean rangeland ecosystems: a space-for-time approach. Ecol. Econ. 2006, 59(3):287-295.
16. Fleskens L., Stringer L.C. Land management and policy responses to mitigate desertification and land degradation. Land Degrad. Dev. 2014, 25(1):1-4.
17. Floridi M., Pagni S., Falorni S., Luzzati T. An exercise in composite indicators construction: assessing the sustainability of Italian regions. Ecol. Econ. 2011, 70:1440-1447.
18. Geist H. The Causes and Progression of Desertification, Ashgate Studies in Environmental Policy and Practice 2005, Ashgate, Aldershot.
19. Giannoccaro G., Berbel J. Farmers' stated preference analysis towards resources use under alternative policy scenarios. Land Use Policy 2013, 31:145-155.
20. Gómez-Limón J.A., Sanchez-Fernandez G. Empirical evaluation of agricultural sustainability using composite indicators. Ecol. Econ. 2010, 69(5):1062-1075.
21. Hadjigeorgiou I., Vallerand F., Tsimpoukas K., Zervas G. The socio-economics of sheep and goat farming in Greece and the implications for future rural development. Options Méditerr. B 2002, 39:83-93.
22. Hargrove W.W., Hoffman F.M. Potential of multivariate quantitative methods for delineation and visualization of ecoregions. Environ. Manag. 2005, 34(Suppl. 1):S39-S60.
23. Helldén U., Tottrup C. Regional desertification: a global synthesis. Glob. Planet. Chang. 2008, 64:169-176.
24. Ibáñez J., Martínez J., Schnabel S. Desertification due to overgrazing in a dynamic commercial livestock-grass-soil system. Ecol. Model. 2007, 205(3-4):277-288.
25. Ibáñez J., Valderrama J.M., Papanastasis V., Evangelou C., Puigdefabregas J. A multidisciplinary model for assessing degradation in Mediterranean rangelands. Land Degrad. Dev. 2014, 25(5):468-482.
26. Imeson A. Desertification, Land Degradation and Sustainability 2012, Wiley, Chichester.
27. Iosifides T., Politidis T. Socio-economic dynamics, local development and desertification in western Lesvos, Greece. Local Environ. 2005, 10:487-499.
28. Istat Atlante Statistico Dei Comuni 2006, Istituto Nazionale di Statistica, Rome.
29. Juntti M., Wilson G.A. Conceptualising desertification in southern Europe: stakeholders interpretations and multiple policy agendas. Eur. Environ. 2004, 15:228-249.
30. Kéfi S., Rietkerk M., Alados C.L., Pueyo Y., Papanastasis V.P., ElAich A., de Ruiter P.C. Spatial vegetation patterns and imminent desertification in Mediterranean arid ecosystems. Nature 2007, 449:213-217.
31. Kosmas K., Tsara M., Moustakas N., Karavitis C. Identification of indicators for desertification. Ann. Arid Zones 2003, 42:393-416.
32. Kosmas C., Kairis O., Karavitis C., Acikalin S., Alcalá M., Alfama P., Atlhopheng J., Barrera J., Belgacem A., Solé-Benet A., Brito J., Chaker M., Chanda R., Darkoh M., Ermolaeva O., Fasouli V., Fernandez F., Gokceoglu C., Gonzalez D., Gungor H., Hessel R., Khatteli H., Khitrov N., Kounalaki A., Laouina A., Magole L., Medina L., Mendoza M., Mulale K., Ocakoglu F., Ouessar M., Ovalle C., Perez C., Perkins J., Pozo A., Prat C., Ramos A., Ramos J., Riquelme J., Ritsema C., Romanenkov V., Sebego R., Sghaier M., Silva N., Sizemskaya M., Sonmez H., Taamallah H., Tezcan L., de Vente J., Zagal E., Zeiliguer A., Salvati L. An exploratory analysis of land abandonment drivers in areas prone to desertification. Catena 2015, (in press). 10.1016/j.catena.2014.02.006.
33. Lamarque P., Artaux A., Barnaud C., Dobremez L., Nettier B., Lavorel S. Taking into account farmers' decision making to map fine-scale land management adaptation to climate and socio-economic scenarios. Landsc. Urban Plan. 2013, 119:147-157.
34. Lambin E.F., Meyfroidt P. Land use transitions: socio-ecological feedback versus socio-economic change. Land Use Policy 2010, 27(2):108-118.
35. Lobley M., Butler A. The impact of CAP reform on farmers' plans for the future: some evidence from South West England. Food Policy 2010, 35:341-348.
36. Lorent H., Evangelou C., Stellmes M., Hill J., Papanastasis V., Tsiourlis G., Roeder A., Lambin E.F. Land degradation and economic conditions of agricultural households in a marginal region of northern Greece. Glob. Planet. Chang. 2008, 64(3-4):198-209.
37. Montanarella L. Trends in land degradation in Europe. Climate and Land Degradation 2007, 83-104. Springer, Berlin. M.V. Sivakumar, N. N'diangui (Eds.).
38. Niedertscheider M., Erb K. Land system change in Italy from 1884 to 2007: analysing the North-South divergence on the basis of an integrated indicator framework. Land Use Policy 2014, 39:366-375.
39. Papanastasis V.P. Restoration of degraded grazing lands through grazing management: can it work?. Restor. Ecol. 2009, 17(4):441-445.
40. Peco B., Sánchez A.M., Azcárate F.M. Abandonment in grazing systems: consequences for vegetation and soil. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2006, 113:284-294.
41. Perini L., Salvati L., Zitti M., Sorrenti S., Ceccarelli T. La Desertificazione in Italia 2008, Bonanno, Roma.
42. Quaas M.F., Baumgärtner S., Becker C., Frank K., Müller B. Uncertainty and sustainability in the management of rangelands. Ecol. Econ. 2007, 62(2):251-266.
43. Röder A., Kuemmerle T., Hill J., Papanastasis V.P., Tsiourlis G.M. Adaptation of a grazing gradient concept to heterogeneous Mediterranean rangelands using cost surface modelling. Ecol. Model. 2007, 204:387-398.
44. Romm J. Desertification: the next dust bowl. Nature 2011, 478:450-451.
45. Rowntree K., Duma M., Kakembo V., Thornes J. Debunking the myth of overgrazing and soil erosion. Land Degrad. Dev. 2004, 15(3):203-214.
46. Rubio J.L., Bochet E. Desertification indicators as diagnosis criteria for desertification risk assessment in Europe. J. Arid Environ. 1998, 39:113-120.
47. Salvati L. A socioeconomic profile of vulnerable lands to desertification in Italy. Sci. Total Environ. 2014, 466-467:287-299.
48. Salvati L., Carlucci M. The economic and environmental performances of rural districts in Italy: are competitiveness and sustainability compatible targets?. Ecol. Econ. 2011, 70(12):2446-2453.
49. Salvati L., Zitti M. The environmental 'risky' region: identifying land degradation processes through integration of socio-economic and ecological indicators in a multivariate regionalization model. Environ. Manag. 2009, 44(5):888-899.
50. Salvati L., Perini L., Ceccarelli T., Zitti M., Bajocco S. Towards a process-based evaluation of soil vulnerability to degradation: a spatio-temporal approach in Italy. Ecol. Indic. 2011, 11(5):1216-1227.
51. Salvati L., Zitti M., Carlucci M. Territorial systems, regional disparities and sustainability: economic structure and soil degradation in Italy. Sustainability 2014, 6:3086-3104.
52. Sarkar A.U. Sustainability, sustainable development and forest resources. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. World Ecol. 1998, 5(3):164-171.
53. Spanos A. Statistical adequacy and the trustworthiness of empirical evidence: statistical vs. substantive information. Econ. Model. 2010, 27:1436-1452.
54. Sundrum A. Organic livestock farming: a critical review. Livest. Prod. Sci. 2001, 67(3):207-215.
55. Tey Y.S., Brindal M. Factors influencing the adoption of precision agricultural technologies: a review for policy implications. Precis. Agric. 2012, 13(6):713-730.
56. Trisorio A. The Sustainability of Italian Agriculture 2005, Italian National Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rome.
57. Vetter S., Bond W.J. Changing predictors of spatial and temporal variability in stocking rates in a severely degraded communal rangeland. Land Degrad. Dev. 2012, 23(2):190-199.
58. Zdruli P. Land resources of the Mediterranean: status, pressures, trends and impacts on future regional development. Land Degrad. Dev. 2014, 25(4):373-384.
59. Zhou Z.C., Gan Z.T., Shangguan Z.P., Dong Z.B. Effects of grazing on soil physical properties and soil erodibility in semiarid grassland of the Northern Loess Plateau (China). Catena 2010, 82(2):87-91.