Collaborative Monitoring of Plant Biodiversity and Research on Sweet Acorn Oaks within Paths of Knowledge and Sustainability Education

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown the multiple benefits of plant biodiversity and the crucial role of residents’ awareness of conservation and land management. Plant biodiversity was investigated in an analytical monitoring report conducted jointly with the local population engaged in livestock activities and young residents who were shifting toward hospitality and tourism. The study area, covering over 800 km2 in Sardinia, is half forested and attracts interest in its landscape. During our research, genotypes of Quercus ilex L., with sweet acorns rich in polyphenols, as the oldest ecosystem services in these rural communities, were discovered. Collaborative monitoring focused attention on the benefits of plants in different habitats as follows: 53% were known to livestock farmers as food for local breeds of goats and pigs, 15% were official, and 13% were endemic. They had also been used for human nutrition within the Mediterranean diet and attracted interest for their use in landscapes and gardens. This study analyzes numerical data from critical and educational perspectives. These data serve as indicators of ecosystem health for the purpose of sustainable management policies and attest to collaborative monitoring as a tool for analyzing human activities and the necessary balance between profit and biodiversity conservation, given the current challenging climate change conditions.

Keywords

• plant biodiversity
• rural communities
• <i>Quercus ilex</i>
• habitat
• Mediterranean diet
• landscape enjoyment