Safeguarding natural and cultural heritage on Etruscan tombs (La Banditaccia, Cerveteri, Italy)

Archaeological sites can represent a refuge for plant and animal species, protecting them from the pressures of urbanisation. However, sometimes these environmental resources can lead to negative consequences for the monuments. In order to investigate such contrasting effects, we selected the UNESCO World Heritage Site Etruscan necropolis known as “La Banditaccia” (Cerveteri, Italy). We performed floristic and phytosociological analyses, and observations on roots interactions with monuments on several tombs (9 tumuli and 5 cube-shaped tombs) and applied commonly used indices to evaluate damages to the structures. The study revealed rich biodiversity of the site and the presence of rare plants, but also of some invasive species. The analysis of the phytosociological sets showed differences among vegetation types found on the tumuli as a function of the varying degrees of anthropization. Abundant plant colonisation was detected on the top of the tumuli, sometimes causing damages to the structures. The results of the Impact Index analysis showed that the dynamic evolution of vegetation constitutes a significant risk to the archaeological structures. We suggest that careful management of vegetation should achieve equilibrium between the management requirements for the monuments and conservation of naturalistic values. A deeper evaluation of the interactions between plants and monuments is however necessary.