Field Validation of satellite disturbance maps in Circeo National Park (Latium, Italy): ecological change and plants biodiversity relationships

Disturbance is defined as any change or perturbation, of biotic or abiotic origin, that can alter the ecological systems homeoresis, and can be studied using change detection technique. In this study NDVI change detection was applied to investigate, within the Circeo National Park, those areas characterized by significant vegetation biomass modifications. Relationships among changed areas, stable areas and plants biodiversity were also analyzed whit a new methodological approach that is to distinguish NDVI losses and gains as two different ecological events related to the processes of resistance and resilience. The final map of disturbance was used to verify within field data the relationships among plant