Application of the floristic-vegetational indexes system for the evaluation of the environmental quality of a semi-natural area of the Po Valley (Piacenza, Italy)

The floristic-vegetational indexes proposed by Taffetani and Rismondo (2009) and updated by Rismondo et al. (2011) were used to assess the environmental quality of a semi-natural located on the outskirts of Piacenza (Emilia Romagna, Italy), the site of a closed landfill of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). This method was created and perfected to analyze the ecological functionality of afro-ecosystem and permits simp and rapid measurement of the ecological characteristics and grade of dynamic evolution of then phtocoenoses. These indexes were applied to the vegetation of the different sectors that make up the study area ad from the results obtained t was possible to identify those with the worst environmental quality and to formulate some proposes for action aimed at improving them environmentally. In particular an interruption in the evolution of the landfill vegetation was found, due to the chemical-physical characteristics of the cover sol which is compacted and of limited depth. The application of the Taffetani and Rismondo (2009) indexes to a real case has also allowed evaluation of their practicality and the information content obtained.