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Brilli L, Martin R, Argenti G, Bassignana M, Bindi M, Bonet R, Choler P, Cremonese E, Della Vedova M, Dibari C, Filippa G, Galvagno M, Leolini L, Moriondo M, Piccot A, Stendardi L, Targetti S, Bellocchi G. Uncertainties in the adaptation of alpine pastures to climate change based on remote sensing products and modelling. J Environ Manage 2023; 336:117575. [PMID: 36893538 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the last century, the management of pastoral systems has undergone major changes to meet the livelihood needs of alpine communities. Faced with the changes induced by recent global warming, the ecological status of many pastoral systems has seriously deteriorated in the western alpine region. We assessed changes in pasture dynamics by integrating information from remote-sensing products and two process-based models, i.e. the grassland-specific, biogeochemical growth model PaSim and the generic crop-growth model DayCent. Meteorological observations and satellite-derived Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trajectories of three pasture macro-types (high, medium and low productivity classes) in two study areas - Parc National des Écrins (PNE) in France and Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso (PNGP) in Italy - were used as a basis for the model calibration work. The performance of the models was satisfactory in reproducing pasture production dynamics (R2 = 0.52 to 0.83). Projected changes in alpine pastures due to climate-change impacts and adaptation strategies indicate that: i) the length of the growing season is expected to increase between 15 and 40 days, resulting in changes in the timing and amount of biomass production, ii) summer water stress could limit pasture productivity; iii) earlier onset of grazing could enhance pasture productivity; iv) higher livestock densities could increase the rate of biomass regrowth, but major uncertainties in modelling processes need to be considered; and v) the carbon sequestration potential of pastures could decrease under limited water availability and warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Brilli
- National Research Council - Institute of BioEconomy (IBE-CNR), 50145, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy.
| | - R Martin
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UREP, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - G Argenti
- University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | | | - M Bindi
- University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | - R Bonet
- Parc National des Ecrins, Domaine de Charance, 05000, Gap, France
| | - P Choler
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - E Cremonese
- Climate Change Unit, Environmental Protection Agency of Aosta Valley, Saint-Christophe, Italy
| | - M Della Vedova
- Parc National des Ecrins, Domaine de Charance, 05000, Gap, France
| | - C Dibari
- University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | - G Filippa
- Climate Change Unit, Environmental Protection Agency of Aosta Valley, Saint-Christophe, Italy
| | - M Galvagno
- Climate Change Unit, Environmental Protection Agency of Aosta Valley, Saint-Christophe, Italy
| | - L Leolini
- University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | - M Moriondo
- National Research Council - Institute of BioEconomy (IBE-CNR), 50145, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | - A Piccot
- Institut Agricole Régional, 11100, Aosta, Italy
| | - L Stendardi
- University of Florence, DAGRI, 50144, Florence, Italy
| | - S Targetti
- University of Bologna, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Viale Fanin, 50, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Bellocchi
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UREP, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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