For my PhD project, I study plant biodiversity over time within Italian protected areas (national and regional parks). In particular, I use a historical ecology approach: vegetation resurvey. It consists of repeated sampling over time of plant species and their coverage in specific points called vegetation plots. Through the comparison of present and past vegetation it is possible to distinguish dynamism processes of plant communities and possible anthropogenic impacts.
For my project I set up a network of Italian experts interested in resampling vegetation within Italian protected areas. Each of them participates in the project on a voluntary basis and shares the data collected. The ultimate aim is redacting a national framework on the vegetation dynamics in Italian protected areas in recent decades.
