COST Action ES1104 Arid Lands Restoration and Combat of Desertification

Training School 2 Semi-Arid Land Management for Crop Production and Restoration of Man-Made Soils

International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of (IAMB) Department of Land and Water Resources Management Valenzano, Bari,

19-24 September 2013

SUMMARY The course will combine classroom lectures with practical training in the field. Trainees will make field surveys of flora and soils in both pristine and man-made soils in order to identify the impacts of human interventions on soil quality and biodiversity loss. In addition, there will be demonstrations of sustainable land management practices to improve soil quality and vegetation cover. These include cultivation of cover legume crops in vineyards and groves, and reforestation of degraded areas.

BACKGROUND Known as the nation’s largest producer and exporter of fresh table grapes, the region of , situated in the eastern part of southern Italy, covers a surface area of approximately 19,500 km2. The region is relatively long (350 km) and narrow (60 km), extending from north-west to south- east with a coastline of nearly 700 km. The climate is mainly Mediterranean semi-arid, characterized by hot and dry summers and moderately cold and rainy winters. These climatic conditions have a marked effect on the vegetation and wildlife of the region. The region has a basically level to slightly sloping topography, with more than 60% of the territory below 200 m above sea level. Agricultural land represents about 81.4% of the total surface area, and only 5% (or 67,000 ha) is covered with Mediterranean scrub composed of evergreen bushes and trees. Agricultural production is largely based on irrigation. The most important area for the production of cereals and vegetables is situated in the central northern zone, the Tavoliere delle Puglie, while olive groves, fruit trees and vineyards dominate the central and southern parts. The present-day Mediterranean landscapes are the result of the interaction between a long history of human activity – cultivation, grazing, timber and fuel wood harvesting – and natural phenomena such as fires, floods, extreme droughts and a variable climate. The Mediterranean region is one of the most humanly-altered areas on Earth, where less than 5% of the primary vegetation has not been tampered with. The replacement of natural vegetation with selected agricultural crops and cultivated pastures has resulted in a reduction of biodiversity, degradation and loss of habitat and the extinction of various species.

Provinces Apulia Region

A unique soil management practice locally known as frantumazione still persists in Apulia, particularly in the provinces of Bari and . The process involves breaking the rocky topsoil using heavy and specialized equipment (hydraulic hammers) and then using grinding machinery in order to increase soil depth and to mix the soil and rocks. In many shallow calcareous areas associated with rock outcrops, farmers often add boulders of limestone rocks before the process begins. In the past two decades this practice has been carried out over more than 20,000 hectares in Apulia, leaving the soil and the landscape entirely altered, and without considering the medium and long-term effects on biodiversity conservation, landscape preservation and land management sustainability. Similar practices are carried out in Sicily and Tuscany in Italy, and in the area of Anoia-Alt-Penedes, in Catalonia, Spain. It is therefore of interest to both the scientific community and land users, principally fresh grape farmers, to share knowledge and experience about this unique form of land management in order be able to prevent further degradation processes such as soil erosion, chemical pollution and biodiversity loss.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME Wednesday 18 September Arrival at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Valenzano campus

Thursday 19 September Stakeholder workshop: visit to the Local Action Group of () which operates in the context of a LEADER+ Project2 dealing with sustainable rural development and preservation and restoration of millenary and agricultural/ecological landscapes

Friday 20 September Welcome and introduction to the training programme – Professor Pandi Zdruli, CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari Lecture – The Apulian experience in land management of man-made soils – Professor Pandi Zdruli, CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari Lecture – WOCAT mapping methodology of land degradation and sustainable land management – Dr Gudrun Schwilch, University of Bern Lecture – The effects of rock fragmentation and/or deep tillage practices on soil skeletal material and chemical properties in a Mediterranean climate – Professor Giuseppe Ferrara and Professor Gennaro Brunetti, University of Bari, Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science Lecture – Soil biota: composition, role, function and diversity – Professor Yossi Steinberger, Bar Ilan University The students will then present themselves, their background and their research objectives

Saturday 21 September Lecture – Factors influencing soil organic matter content in human-disturbed soils – Dr Edoardo Costantini, CRA-ABP Agrobiology and Pedology Research Centre, Florence Lecture – Evaluation of afforestation interventions carried out on shallow Mediterranean soils: case studies from the PRACTICE project – Dr Claudio Zucca, University of Sassari Lecture – Anthropogenic impacts on transformation of marly-limestone environments of the Mediterranean and means for remediation – Professor Carmelo Dazzi, University of Palermo Lecture – The effects of rock/soil grinding on above-ground biodiversity loss – Dr Jenny Calabrese, CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari Visit to IAMB library, soil and water lab and experimental fields Joint meeting with IAMB students: sharing experiences Sunday 22 September Field trip to the experimental station of the University of Bari at – The physical and chemical properties of disturbed and undisturbed soil

2 Liaisons entre Actions de Developpement de l’Economie Rurale www.environ.ie/en/Community/RuralDevelopment/EURuralDevelopment Field trip to the Parchi della Chiesa, Aquaviva delle Fonti () – Practical session on soil profile description and botanical survey of undisturbed soils and disturbed soils under grape cultivation Monday, 23 September Lecture – Suggestions for a correct environmental management of rock fragments during the reclamation of rocky soils – Professor Giuseppe Corti, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona Lecture – Human alteration of sloping lands and terracing in Apulia to prevent soil erosion and protect vegetation cover – Dr Gaetano Ladisa, CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari Field trip to the Pulo di (Province of Bari) – Man-made soils under cereal cultivation: Problems, concerns, solutions Tuesday 24 September Field trip to Monte Sant’Angelo () – Man-made terraces: Problems, concerns, solutions and reforestation actions. Visit to the Forestry Department of Foresta Umbra Wednesday 25 September Departure

ELIGIBILITY In general, applicants must be graduate students, post-docs, or early stage researchers, and must be enrolled in or affiliated to an Institution located in a country participating in this COST Action (http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/ES1104).

FINANCIAL SUPPORT COST Action ES1104 is offering sixteen places on the training school on a competitive basis. Successful applicants will receive a fixed grant of €650 (€800 for participants from Israel) as a contribution towards the costs of international travel, accommodation and meals. Accommodation and meals will be provided on the IAMB campus at a cost of €235 for the week, and must be paid for on arrival. Please note that the grant will be paid by bank-to-bank transfer after the course has been completed.

MEDICAL INSURANCE It is the responsibility of each participant to provide coverage for the whole duration of the training course.

TRAVEL The airport of Bari is located about 20 km from the Institute. Transport to and from the airport will be provided by the IAMB.

HOW TO APPLY Please send a letter of application stating your reason for wanting to take part in the training school to Professor Pandi Zdruli, CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari ([email protected]) by Friday 12 July 2013. The letter must be accompanied by the following documents: (1) a 1-2 page CV containing your personal information, current home and university/institution mailing addresses, e-mail, Skype name (if possible), university qualifications, current enrolment status, training/work experience, refereed publications; (2) a letter of recommendation from your graduate supervisor (a letter of recommendation is not needed for post-doc or early stage researchers). Examples of mechanical operations

Powerful tractor used to pull the heavy-grinding machine shown on the right side photo

Rock grinding and hammer machine at work

Before and after: man made “grinded” up to >60 cm deep (right)

Natural pastures before grinding for grape cultivation

Man made soils under grape cultivation

Newly established grape plantations under drip irrigation

Source: Zdruli et. al. (2010)

Pastures with rock outcrops: before and after grinding used for cereals