Morpho-genetic, climatic and vegetation setting of Taranto and Matera Jonian arc threatened by desertification

Abstract

Taranto and Matera's Jonian arc, including also hills which fix its boundaries inland, accounts for a far-reaching area particularly important from the naturalistic, productive and landscape- standpoint which is threatened by desertification processes. This study, whose results are later described, was carried out with the intent of evidencing correlations among the most important aspects of the hilly formation, climate and the vegetation landscapes. These last were also analyzed over their Quaternary changes. This, primarily, to collect data, even of connective nature, needed for determining the role of windbreaks and reforestation in the fight against said processes which are often wrongly attributed aspects proved unrelated by accurate analyses.