title: Combining environmental factors and agriculturalists' observations of environmental changes in the traditional terrace system of the Amalfi coast (southern Italy).
abstract: Terraces are traditional engineered ecosystems that affect the hydro-geological equilibrium, slope stability, and local communities. The aims of this paper are (i) identifying environmental factors that affect terrace stability in the Amalfi Coast, (ii) defining agriculturalists' observations on environmental changes within that system and (iii) exploring potentiality of these observations to better define conservation strategies. All available data on physical and ecological factors recognized to affect the terrace system were collected and analyzed. Interviews were conducted with agriculturalists to obtain long-term observations on environmental factors that interact with this system. Landslides are more frequent where rainfall is high and during winter. Fires have an uneven annual distribution, with higher frequency during summers. Agriculturalists detailed complex interactions among environmental factors, economic elements, and terraces. These observations represent a valuable resource for defining causes and effects of abandonment and for better addressing conservation strategies.
authors.affiliation: Hakai Network for Coastal People, Ecosystems and Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada, vsavo@sfu.ca.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savo
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caneva
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McClatchey
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reedy
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvati
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002980:Climate; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D055876:Landslides; D011891:Rain; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
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