Development of skills to support the formulation of public policies and the planning of decision-making processes and promotion activities regarding environmental quality and territorial resilience of settlement systems. Optimizing agricultural and livestock sector management at the territorial scale through Advanced GIS Analysis and environmental protection strategies

Against the backdrop of strengthening competencies to support public policy and decision-making aimed at enhancing environmental quality and territorial resilience, this research addresses livestock manure management as a major challenge for sustainable agriculture. While manure offers opportunities for nutrient recycling and renewable energy production, it also poses risks related to nitrogen surpluses, greenhouse gas emissions, and water pollution. Addressing this complexity requires integrating technological solutions with geospatial approaches capable of capturing spatial heterogeneity and supporting informed decisions.This thesis is structured into five studies: one systematic review and four case studies. The systematic review analyses 139 publications and identifies three main domains - bioenergy, environmental pollution, and landscape management - highlighting the increasing role of GIS in nutrient assessment, pollution monitoring, and spatial planning.Case study I assesses the biogas potential of buffalo manure in Southern Italy using GIS-based techniques, including Kernel Density and classification methods, to identify nitrogen load clusters and support the localization of treatment plants. Case study II compares regional land-use maps and ESA WorldCover to evaluate their influence on nitrogen load estimation and hotspot identification in the Campania region, revealing significant discrepancies linked to data resolution and update frequency. Case study III integrates livestock production, crop demand, and catchment retention capacity in Denmark through spatial analyses at field and catchment scales, identifying priority catchments for targeted mitigation. Case study IV evaluates ammonia air stripping applied to different livestock effluents, focusing on efficiency and nutrient removal. Overall, the dissertation demonstrates the value of combining geospatial analyses with technological solutions to support sustainable manure management and circular economy-oriented policies.