Explicit nation-wide habitat models for common Italian Piciformes
Campedelli T., Londi G., Mini L., Tellini Florenzano G.Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to assess the effect of broad scale environmental and geographical variables on the presence of Italian commonest breeding Piciformes (Wryneck, Green, Black, and Great Spotted Woodpeckers). Using the data of MITO2000 (2000-2003), logistic regression models were built, relating their presence with area occupied by Corine land-use categories, habitat diversity, morphological and elevation-range, latitude and longitude. Our analyses seem to give some basic information about large scale ecology of the species, allowing to indicate different habitat types (heterogeneus habitat for Wryneck, broadleaved woods for Green Woodpecker, woods for Great Spotted Woodpecker). Our models clearly show the importance of geographical variables to infer how species ecology changes at different latitudes: Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker for example, become commoner, and less linked to woods, northwards.