Environmental quality: An assessment based on the characters of the plant landscape

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to define a methodology for the assessment of environmental quality through the calculation of indices from synphytosociological analyses of the plant landscape. The indices proposed allow the assessment of various qualities of the plant landscape units defined through the synphytosociological analysis. These indices are: the Synvegetation Naturalness Index of the plant landscape unit (NLI), the Diversity Index of the plant landscape unit (DLI), the Rarity Index of the plant landscape unit (RLI) and the Floristic Rarity Index of the plant landscape unit (RsLI). A Global Index is obtained for a plant landscape unit from the sum of the values obtained through the calculation of these indices (naturalness, rarity, floristic rarity). The justification for proposing the determination of a Global Index lies exclusively in the need to outline a synthetic view that is applicable to the concept of ecosustainability of the governance of the territory. As an example, these proposed indices are applied to an assessment of the environmental quality of the territory of the Conero Regional Natural Park, which is located on the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula. This methodology can be applied to various contexts, including the certification of Environmental Management Systems and assessment of environmental quality through multi-criterion methodologies that also allow the integration of socio-economic aspects.