Forestry, pasture, agriculture and fauna correlated to recent changes in Sicily.

Abstract

Forestry, pasture, agriculture and fauna correlated to recent changes in Sicily. Sicily, due to its position, dimension and variability may be considered representative of the environmental conditions and transformations occurred in the Mediterranean area. In some cases, transformation process was destructive for some habitats, as wetlands; their reclamation caused extinction of some bird species once breeding in Sicily. The transformation, often, changed the proportion among habitats, with a reduction of wood and an increase of cerealicolous-zootechnical areas. The transformation began during the Greek and Roman period but created some open habitats, as prairie or cerealicolous-zootechnical, very rich in biodiversity. Actually in Sicily, the highest number of threatened species are linked to this habitat and are at high risk, due to process of intensification of agriculture, occurring since the II World War. In many areas of Europe species at risk are also presently tied to agrarian systems. Some species living in woodland became extinct because of wood cutting occurred in the past century. Today, due to the protection of woods, their fauna has stable populations or is increasing, because of the re-naturalization process of allochthonous woods. Species present in wetlands are currently increasing thanks to the protection of such habitats. This paper will allow to establish priorities for protection and action that may contribute to the increase of animal biodiversity in Sicily.