I

ANNO 4 Numero 2

Mariacristina Villani, Alessandra Baggio, Franco Mutinelli [1]

Evaluation of nectar sources using GIS maps: an application to sample areas in the Euganean and Montello hills

[1] Istituto zooprofilattico sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (PD), Italia

Corresponding author: fmutinelli@izsvenezie.it

In this paper the authors report the results of nectar source mapping in sample areas of the Euganean and Montello hills, two important districts for honey production in Veneto. The amount and spatial distribution of nectar sources are strongly connected with bee activity, so that knowledge of these two factors is fundamental for a correct management of apiculture.

The output of this study are two maps showing vegetation types, digitalized by means of Geographic Information System (GIS). Field investigations to assess the amount of nectariferous plants were carried out during 2004 and 2005. 256 species were found in the Euganean hills, 249 in Montello. The most relevant nectariferous species belong to Fagaceae (Castanea), Rosaceae (Prunus, Rubus), Fabaceae (Robinia, Lotus, Trifolium, Vicia), Lamiaceae (Teucrium, Thymus, Calamintha), Apiaceae (Eryngium, Foeniculum, Bupleurum), Scrophulariaceae (Odontites, Veronica) and Asteraceae (Aster, Carduus, Senecio, Taraxacum). The quantitative role of the different species in each vegetation type has been valued by means of Braun-Blanquet coverage scale in 81 sampling units.

The areas were classified on a 4-level scale basis according to the potential honey sources of the different phytocenoses. Robinia pseudacacia woods, chestnut woods and meadows are the most important honey sources. The collected data was inserted into a GIS database to create thematic maps. Vegetational type patches were overlaid on nectariferous data, so that potential production maps showing availability of honey sources in the area were extracted.