GIS applications for environmental archaeology and historical ecology: Problems and potentialities the case study of Punta Mesco (Cinque Terre National Park - Italy)

Research in environmental archaeology and historical ecology provides valuable information about past vegetation and its activation related to past societies activities. Different tools are use in order to better describe the historical plant coverage and ecosystems, environmental resources and the agro-silvo-pastoral systems. Combining field data and historical information in a GIS application gives multiple perspectives on the dynamics of changing landscape. This paper deals with the issue of GIS as a tool for historical ecology research, outlining the used methodologies and problems related to them. Our study focuses on Punta Mesco, in the Cinque Terre National Park (Italy), as case study.