Plant Species Patterns and Restoration Perspectives in the Highly Disturbed Environment of the Carrara Marble Quarries (Apuan Alps, Italy)

Quarrying activities result in vegetation destruction, soil denudation, and profound modification of the original landscape. This study was conducted in dump deposits (locally called ravaneti) of both abandoned and active Carrara marble quarries. The site is located close to a natural park rich in endemic species, making it a particularly interesting place to study environmental changes induced by quarrying activities. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships between plant communities and four different types of ravaneti classified according to age and disturbance due to quarrying activities. We sampled 67 vegetation plots linked to site variables and Ellenberg indicator values in quarry sites. Species frequency on the most disturbed ravaneti allowed individuating five classes of species based on their tolerance to disturbance due to quarrying. The resulting species/environmental variables matrix was used to perform a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). CCA primarily grouped species along soil reaction (R) and nutrient (N) availability gradients and on the basis of their response to excavation-caused disturbance. Ravaneti created using modern excavation methods were colonized by ruderal and alien species at the expenses of endemic ones. On the basis of these findings, a set of native plant species have been identified for use in future restoration projects in abandoned quarries. © 2010 Society for Ecological Restoration International.