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The disappearance of cultural landscapes: the case of wooded-meadows in the Ligurian Apennines (NW Italy)

Molinari, Chiara LU orcid and Montanari, Carlo (2018) In Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica 9(2). p.157-167
Abstract
The “wooded-meadows system” is a multifunctional use of vegetation resources widespread in Europe
since the Neolithic, and well documented in the Ligurian Apennines (NW Italy) between the Middle
Ages and the first half of the 19th century. The management of wooded-meadows included: collection
of fallen and dead branches in spring, later used for fuel; mowing and grazing in summer; collection of
secondary products; making sheaves from branches in autumn, later used as cattle and sheep fodder;
coppicing, pollarding and cutting of trees in winter.
Three sites located in eastern Ligurian Apennines were studied by means of an interdisciplinary
approach in order to better understand the impact and the consequences of... (More)
The “wooded-meadows system” is a multifunctional use of vegetation resources widespread in Europe
since the Neolithic, and well documented in the Ligurian Apennines (NW Italy) between the Middle
Ages and the first half of the 19th century. The management of wooded-meadows included: collection
of fallen and dead branches in spring, later used for fuel; mowing and grazing in summer; collection of
secondary products; making sheaves from branches in autumn, later used as cattle and sheep fodder;
coppicing, pollarding and cutting of trees in winter.
Three sites located in eastern Ligurian Apennines were studied by means of an interdisciplinary
approach in order to better understand the impact and the consequences of this historical landuse
practice on vegetation structure and composition. In particular, based on specific features of
palynological diagrams, it was possible to conclude that (compared to the post-cultural phase) when the
wooded-meadows system was in use, all the sites were characterized by: (1) lower pollen percentages
of trees; (2) higher pollen percentages of shrubs and herbs; (3) higher percentages of anthropogenic
pollen indicators; (4) higher values of palynological richness.
This research also represents a contribution to issues of nature-conservation policy for the preservation
of cultural landscapes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica
volume
9
issue
2
pages
11 pages
publisher
Archaeological Centre Olomouc
external identifiers
  • scopus:85066025884
ISSN
1804-848X
DOI
10.24916/iansa.2018.2.3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
81809968-c24c-4103-a893-e9107f484b15
date added to LUP
2019-05-29 12:26:28
date last changed
2022-04-26 01:03:25
@article{81809968-c24c-4103-a893-e9107f484b15,
  abstract     = {{The “wooded-meadows system” is a multifunctional use of vegetation resources widespread in Europe<br/>since the Neolithic, and well documented in the Ligurian Apennines (NW Italy) between the Middle<br/>Ages and the first half of the 19th century. The management of wooded-meadows included: collection<br/>of fallen and dead branches in spring, later used for fuel; mowing and grazing in summer; collection of<br/>secondary products; making sheaves from branches in autumn, later used as cattle and sheep fodder;<br/>coppicing, pollarding and cutting of trees in winter.<br/>Three sites located in eastern Ligurian Apennines were studied by means of an interdisciplinary<br/>approach in order to better understand the impact and the consequences of this historical landuse<br/>practice on vegetation structure and composition. In particular, based on specific features of<br/>palynological diagrams, it was possible to conclude that (compared to the post-cultural phase) when the<br/>wooded-meadows system was in use, all the sites were characterized by: (1) lower pollen percentages<br/>of trees; (2) higher pollen percentages of shrubs and herbs; (3) higher percentages of anthropogenic<br/>pollen indicators; (4) higher values of palynological richness.<br/>This research also represents a contribution to issues of nature-conservation policy for the preservation<br/>of cultural landscapes.}},
  author       = {{Molinari, Chiara and Montanari, Carlo}},
  issn         = {{1804-848X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{157--167}},
  publisher    = {{Archaeological Centre Olomouc}},
  series       = {{Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica}},
  title        = {{The disappearance of cultural landscapes: the case of wooded-meadows in the Ligurian Apennines (NW Italy)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.24916/iansa.2018.2.3}},
  doi          = {{10.24916/iansa.2018.2.3}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}