SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF PLANT AGRI-BIODIVERSITY IN POLLINO NATIONAL PARK

Spatial analysis of the in situ conserved plant landraces in Pollino National Park was carried out from 2009 to 2011. The sampling design, based on a standard landscape grid, captured the whole range of plant genetic resources monitored at a pluri-taxon level. Both old fruit trees, wines (I phase; see www.biodiversitapollino.it) and annual herbaceous plants (II phase) were monitored. Overall 119 georeferenced sampling units, each with a visible radius of 200-250 m represented the rural landscape of 21 municipalities in Basilicata and 3 in Calabria. Overall 41 different woody species comprising 519 traditional biotypes and 54 herbaceous species with 137 traditional cultivars were scored. Cultivar/species ratio is 10: 1 for woody plants and 3: 1 for herbaceous species. Diversity at the sub-specific level, averaged across the whole landscape was: Margalef = 80.51; Menhinick = 9.51; Shannon = 5.55; Simpson = 0.99; Briliouin = 5.36. Landscape units with highest genetic diversity (species and landrace richness) were highlighted within a heterogeneous mosaic of cultivar richness distribution according to ecology and rural settlments. Linear regression (R2= 0.78;r= 0.43) between herbaceous cultivars richness vs old fruit trees richness confirmed that agribiodiversity is spatially conserved in landscape production units based on multi species rather than mono species (e.g. specialized) agro-ecosystems. In addition, the Colombian introductions (bean, potato, maize, pumpkin, tomato, and chili) increased species richness (R2 = 0.80; r= 0.56) – without any displacement effect – within the landscape units already performing as a realized niche for the pre-colombian species (apple, pear, wheat, legumes, etc.) The core area of Mercure catchment basin – a realized niche for both pre and post Colombian species – connected with few units, each a-priori sized 4 x 4 Km, depicts the Pollino National Park agri-biodiversity genetic reserve.