Page 2 -

238 FERRAUTO G. / Ann. Bot. (Roma), 2013, 3: 237–244
analysis, Bernardinelli et al. (2005) showed a preliminary
GIS application in the “Valli del Natisone” to manage
relevant information for beekeepers concerning the location
of apiaries, nectariferous and environmental resources;
Bertolo et al. (2003) used GIS for mapping the hives.
Serrano et al. (2008) created GIS application for the
management of honey produced in Sierra Morena, Filis et al.
(2003), developed an integrated geographical expert database
system for the beekeeping.
The aim of this work is to analyse the presence and quality of
the nectariferous areas and their fragmentation in the Sicilian
territory as a result of human activity, in particular the effects provinces through interpretation and photo-restitution of an
produced by the dissection of the territory linked to the road
network. Geographic information systems (GIS) has long
been used for suitability mapping and land use analysis (Noor
et al., 2008) and thanks to these applications it is considered
one of the most important system for spatial planning and
management (Collins et al., 2001; Malczewski, 2004).
This study is part of the project carried out under the national
program MIPAF (2008-2010), implementing the CEE
guideline 1234/2007 (ex Reg. CE 797/04) “Azioni dirette a
migliorare la produzione e commercializzazione del miele”,
azione C - sottoazione C1: Mappatura delle aree nettarifere.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study area comprises the whole of Sicily, including the
smaller Aeolian and Egadi islands. The region is characterized
by very different soil types and topography, making it
suitable for a wide variety of agroecosystem and land-use. A
database was designed to accommodate different data:
Sicilian flora, vegetation data following the phytosociological
method of Zurich-Montpellier school (Braun-Blanquet,
1964), melliferous plants (for nectar and/or pollen), apiarian
interest of melliferous plants (Fascetti and Spicciarelli, 2001;
Simonetti et al., 1989; Ricciardelli D’albore & Persano Oddo
1978; Ricciardelli D’albore, 1998; Ricciardelli D’albore &
Intoppa, 2000), geographical features, land cover use and
kinds of crop type. (Persano Oddo et al., 2002; Amiri &
Arzani, 2010; Amiri et al., 2011). The analysis of the
vegetation has been integrated by performing several field
surveys between 2008-2010 to describe the existing plant
communities.
The different data were incorporate into the GIS and used to
generate a number of different thematic maps.
All the maps, digitized and handled with ArcGIS 9.2. GIS
system. The contribution of GIS was considered not only as
a method for data gathering but also as a tool for visualizing
a composite overlay map.
The different types of habitat identified by the legend of
Carta Natura 2000, an EU wide network of nature protection
areas established under the 1992 (43/92//EEC), are grouped
in macro-categories on the basis of their ecological and
vegetational affinity. We obtained overall 23 types of
apiarian pasture. First of all, a digitized georeferenced map at
a scale of 1:10.000 containing the CTR (Regional Technical
Map) of Catania, Siracusa, Ragusa, Messina, Caltanissetta,
Enna, Palermo, Trapani, Agrigento was built up. Next, the
types of pasture previously typified, have been redefined
and inserted in the map to built up the map of Apiarian
Pastures (layer 1) at a scale of 1:10.000 for all Sicilian
orthophotomap (IT 2000 and ATA 2007-2008), and extensive
ground survey.
Afterwards, an apiarian evaluation index was given,
comprising five classes: 0=Null; 1=Occasional; 2=Limited;
3=Good; 4=Excellent (Persano Oddo et al., 2003; Piazza et
al., 2005, Carini et al., 2001, Amiri & Mohamed Shariff,
2012), to the different honeybee pastures types identified, in
order to generate the Apiarian Interest map at a scale of
1:10.000 (layer 2). In particular it should be highlighted that
the null value index also includes the artificial and urban
areas. Through the index we were able to provide a measure
of the availability and of the polleniferous and nectariferous
resources in the plant communities observed. The index
includes higher/lower attractiveness of the plant species
(Fascetti & Spicciarelli 2001; Simonetti et al., 1989) and their
abundance/dominance in the plant communities (according
to Braun-Blanquet,1964).
Finally, Urban Interference map (layer 3) and Fragmentation
map (layer 4) were generated at a scale of 1:10.000. The
shape file of road networks of the Sicilian provinces was used
and a buffer of 500 m was created, taking into account this
range as the average value of the disturbance caused by
anthropogenic pollution on bee communities (Di Giulio,
2009).
The map of the Urban Interference, at a scale of 1:10.000 was
built up by overlaying the map of Apiarian Interest, with
those of road networks. The Urban interference map show
the disturbance caused by transport infrastructure and urban
areas on honeybee pastures.
The map of Fragmentation at a scale of 1:10.000 was made
by subtracting the thematic layer of the Urban Interference
map from the map of Apiarian Interest map.
RESULTS
We identified 23 types of apiarian pasture (Table 1) and
among these, several have high interest for beekeeping such