Alto Adige Research Articles

<i>Speck</i>: a traditional culinary specialty from the Italian Alps. A microbiological, molecular and chemical evaluation

South Tyrol is the northernmost Italian province; its history, geography, and closeness to other European countries, such as Austria and Switzerland, have influenced both culture and food production. Among the South Tyrolean culinary specialties, a type of dry-cured ham called Südtiroler Speck/Speck Alto Adige (Speck) plays a relevant role and has gained increasing significance both on a national and international level over the last 2 decades. Despite it being a common culinary product in Italian and international markets, there is not much published data regarding the microbiological and chemical features of Speck. This study describes the analytical results obtained during a period of 7 years, during which the main pathogens and contaminants were considered.

Aromatic Characterisation of Moscato Giallo by GC-MS/MS and Validation of Stable Isotopic Ratio Analysis of the Major Volatile Compounds.

Among the Moscato grapes, Moscato Giallo is a winegrape variety characterised by a high content of free and glycosylated monoterpenoids, which gives wines very intense notes of ripe fruit and flowers. The aromatic bouquet of Moscato Giallo is strongly influenced by the high concentration of linalool, geraniol, linalool oxides, limonene, α-terpineol, citronellol, hotrienol, diendiols, trans/cis-8-hydroxy linalool, geranic acid and myrcene, that give citrus, rose, and peach notes. Except for quali-quantitative analysis, no investigations regarding the isotopic values of the target volatile compounds in grapes and wines are documented in the literature. Nevertheless, the analysis of the stable isotope ratio represents a modern and powerful tool used by the laboratories responsible for official consumer protection, for food quality and genuineness assessment. To this aim, the aromatic compounds extracted from grapes and wine were analysed both by GC-MS/MS, to define the aroma profiles, and by GC-C/Py-IRMS, for a preliminary isotope compound-specific investigation. Seventeen samples of Moscato Giallo grapes were collected during the harvest season in 2021 from two Italian regions renowned for the cultivation of this aromatic variety, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto, and the corresponding wines were produced at micro-winery scale. The GC-MS/MS analysis confirmed the presence of the typical terpenoids both in glycosylated and free forms, responsible for the characteristic aroma of the Moscato Giallo variety, while the compound-specific isotope ratio analysis allowed us to determine the carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotopic signatures of the major volatile compounds for the first time.

Factors influencing wine ratings in an online wine community: The case of Trentino–Alto Adige

Abstract Consumers often struggle to make their choice in the highly diversified wine market. With wine being an experience good, consumers must rely on extrinsic characteristics, e.g., information on the label. Thus, easily available quality signals like consumer ratings have become an increasingly useful and widespread tool. Vivino is one of the largest online wine communities with over 60 million users, which have more than doubled since 2018. Hence, users have easy access to peer ratings, while established wine expert ratings are being challenged. This study analyzes data from Vivino to explore factors affecting consumer ratings at different price points, considering several wine attributes like geographical indications, brand, and the so-called “community effect.” We show that there is a small but significant community effect on wine's perceived quality related to its popularity among users of the Vivino community, as well as effects from specific wine attributes. Moreover, we estimate a hedonic quantile model on similar price ranges to compare the effect of the same regressors on wine prices. Results contribute to a better understanding of how different factors affect consumers’ wine evaluations, allowing to compare their effect on the “pure” consumer preference (i.e., consumer ratings) and market value.

Music and community in South Tyrol: Perspectives, projects and research

This article deals with the importance of music-making within both instrumental and vocal ensembles in South Tyrol based on the results of two different research projects: ‘Cultura musicale e funzione sociale della musica in Alto Adige’ (‘Music culture and the social function of music in South Tyrol’), by Paolo Somigli and Ilaria Riccioni, and ‘Going to the Source’, carried out by Antonella Coppi. Through a reflection on the two research projects, this article aims to provide an image of the role of music in the South Tyrolean community; although the two research projects were carried out between 2011 and 2019 overall, they are still relevant, as they represent ground-breaking research in this region. The two research projects complement each other in a reciprocal contextualization of issues about the role of non-formal musical ensembles in developing the social and cultural fabric in South Tyrol. The different perspectives and objects of the two studies offer a broader view of music-making, not only from a musicological but also from a sociological and pedagogical perspective.

The influence of naturalness of the landscape structure on children’s connectedness to Nature in north-eastern Italy

Connectedness to Nature and the ability to perceive the restorative value of places characterised by the presence of natural elements are personal characteristics that, when appropriately measured, make it possible to predict an individual’s attitude towards pro-environmental behaviour. While these characteristics have an innate basis, they are also shaped by personal experiences and various cognitive, affective and sociocultural factors. In this exploratory study in North-eastern Italy, we delve into an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between the environment of the residential area and its impact on children's attitudes toward Nature. To do so, we conducted a comprehensive questionnaire amongst 533 primary schoolchildren, aged 6-11 years, to gauge their connectedness to Nature, their perceptions of restorativeness in surrounding natural settings, and their schoolyard environment. Drawing from optical satellite imageries, we calculated a combined multispectral index to assess the naturalness degree of participants' residential areas, focusing on their 68 residential areas, located in three administrative Italian Regions (Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto), which were classified into four different classes with respect to their level of presence of natural areas ("coastal," "low," "average," "high"). By performing non-parametric tests for multiple comparisons amongst groups, we detected a significantly higher level of connectedness to Nature amongst children living in areas with high naturalness, compared to those living in areas with average or low naturalness. Perceived restorativeness scores exhibit a similar trend to that of connectedness to Nature, reinforcing the importance of natural spaces in fostering positive attitudes towards the environment. This result confirms that accessibility and the viewability of natural spaces, even semi-natural ones, seemed to play a crucial role in children's preference for these environments. However, schoolyards were consistently perceived as less regenerative than natural places, regardless of the naturalness of the neighbourhood. These findings raise intriguing questions about the potential consequences of inadequate exposure to Nature on children's affiliation to the natural world and possible subsequent effects on pro-environmental behaviour in adulthood. By shedding light on the complex interplay between personal characteristics, environment and attitudes towards Nature, our study underscores the significance of fostering a deeper connection with natural spaces to nurture a sustainable and environmentally conscious society.

Identifying snowfall elevation patterns by assimilating satellite-based snow depth retrievals

Precipitation in mountain regions is highly variable and poorly measured, posing important challenges to water resource management. Traditional methods to estimate precipitation include in-situ gauges, Doppler weather radars, satellite radars and radiometers, numerical modeling and reanalysis products. Each of these methods is unable to adequately capture complex orographic precipitation. Here, we propose a novel approach to characterize orographic snowfall over mountain regions. We use a particle batch smoother to leverage satellite information from Sentinel-1 derived snow depth retrievals and to correct various gridded precipitation products. This novel approach is tested using a simple snow model for an alpine basin located in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy. We quantify the precipitation biases across the basin and found that the assimilation method (i) corrects for snowfall biases and uncertainties, (ii) leads to cumulative snowfall elevation patterns that are consistent across precipitation products, and (iii) results in overall improved basin-wide snow variables (snow depth and snow cover area) and basin streamflow estimates.

Archaeological questions and genetic answers: Male paternal kinship in a copper age multiple burial from the eastern Italian Alps

In 2010, a detailed anthropological study regarding two adult individuals and one foetus-newborn buried in a Copper Age (ca. 3000–2700 cal. BC) multiple grave site found in Ora/Auer in the eastern Italian Alps (Alto Adige/ Südtirol) was published. This exceptional archaeological finding provides a rare insight into an inhumation prehistoric ritual discovered within a natural alpine rock shelter.Due to the presence of an infant in the grave, the authors were doubtful of the anthropological male sex assignment given to both adult individuals found there. Additionally, correlation of non-metric traits suggested a possible kinship between them. To determine the biological sex and to investigate genetic relatedness, we performed a paleogenetic investigation (shotgun and enrichment data of ∼2 million SNPs) of the two adults.We successfully analyzed the ancient DNA of these individuals, confirming that biologically, both were males (XY). Moreover, through kinship analyses and data from unilinear-transmitted markers (Y-Chromosome and mitochondrial DNA), we detected a first-degree paternal kinship (most likely father-son).This study underlines the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue between archaeology, anthropology and palaeogenomics, demonstrating how the latter can significantly support the interpretation of funerary contexts.

Chemical Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of the Hydroalcoholic Solution of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. and Propolis from Northern Italy.

In this study, for the first time, the chemical composition of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. and propolis (EAP) hydroalcoholic solution from the Trentino Alto Adige region of northern Italy was investigated by using SPME-GC-MS to describe the volatile content and GC-MS after silylation to detect the non-volatile compounds in the extractable organic matter. The antimicrobial activity of EAP hydroalcoholic solution was evaluated by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination on 13 type strains, food and clinical isolates. Time Kill Kinetics (TKK) assays and the determination on swimming and swarming motility for 48 h gave more details on the mode of action of EAP solution. The results highlighted the presence of some terpenes and a large number of compounds belonging to different chemical classes. Among these, sugars and organic acids excelled. The EAP hydroalcoholic solution exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity in terms of MIC, with a clear decrease in the cellular load after 48 h. However, the bacterial motility may not be affected by the EAP treatment, displaying a dynamic swarming and swimming motility capacity over time. Given the complexity of chemical profile and the strong antimicrobial effectiveness, the EAP hydroalcoholic solution can be considered a source of bioactive molecules, deserving further investigation for the versatility of application.

Short-Time Effects Of Spa-Rehabilitative Interventions On Pain, Mood And Quality Of Life In Musculoskeletal Disorders

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To investigate the short-term effects of a spa rehabilitative protocol on pain perception, mood, and Quality of Life among patients affected by degenerative musculoskeletal disorders or post orthopaedic surgery outcomes. <h3>Design</h3> A multicenter observational study was conducted through pre- and post-treatment evaluations, planned follow-ups at three and six months were not conducted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. <h3>Setting</h3> The study was carried out in six spa facilities (Sirmione, Lombardy region, Italy; Abano Terme, Veneto region, Italy; Battaglia Terme, Veneto region, Italy; Levico Terme, Trentino Alto Adige region, Italy; Bibione, Veneto region, Italy; Casciana Terme, Tuscany region, Italy). <h3>Participants</h3> From March 2019 up to October 2019, data from the 160 users of the spa facilities with a medical prescription were collected. <h3>Interventions</h3> Twelve sessions of water-based exercise (thermal or warm water), six sessions per week, for a period of two weeks. A group of 44 patients also received traditional thermal therapies, including 12 mud therapy sessions and 12 thermal baths, six times each week, for two weeks. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), and the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). <h3>Results</h3> Data analysis has highlighted significant improvements in NRSp (p< 0.001), NRSa (p< 0.001), SF-12 PCS (p< 0.001), SF-12 MCS (p< 0.001), EQ-5D (p< 0.001), and NRSm (p=0.005) after the treatments. Different water types seemed to influence results, showing significant differences in NRSp, NRSa, NRSm, SF-12 PCS, SF-12 MCS and EQ-5D scores (p-value respectively, 0.003, < 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001). <h3>Conclusions</h3> he spa environment in real-life demonstrated it could provide an out-of-hospital alternative for post-surgical patients. The addition of traditional thermal treatments should be a viable strategy for rehabilitation in degenerative conditions. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> No conflict of interests to declare.

How to account for nature-based tourism in Europe. An operational proposal

Europe is a leader in the tourism industry, with half of the world's international arrivals in 2018. Nowadays tourism activities related to the enjoyment of nature, Nature-based tourism (NBT), are amongst the main tourism markets worldwide. NBT represents both a challenge and an opportunity. In fact, on the one hand, it contributes to creating new markets and spurring job growth, especially for small businesses and, on the other hand, it might impact the environment and local communities. What's more, it is extremely difficult to quantify the role of nature in traditional economic accounting. In this context, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) covers this gap by reporting information not included in the traditional system of economic accounts. The Central SEEA framework was adopted by the UN Statistical Commission in 2012 and the Ecosystem Accounting module (SEEA EA) has recently been adopted to quantify the role of ecosystems. In this study, we fine-tune a methodology applied to account for daily outdoor recreation to measure the contribution of nature to the tourism sector respecting the SEEA EA rules. The approach was tested in Italy, which in 2019, had more than 430 million nights per year spent in the country for tourism. In our exploratory study, 56.69% (246 million) of the overnight stays were allocated to NBT. Our analysis shows that 43% (more than 30 million) of the overnight stays in the Veneto Region were allocated to nature; 75% (more than 39 million) in Trentino Alto Adige and 61.6% (29 million) in Tuscany. The top ranked municipalities, with very high numbers of overnight stays and very low share of NBT are cities of art: namely: Venice (Veneto Region), Milan (Lombardy Region) and Florence (Tuscany Region) and sea locations on the Adriatic Sea, specifically San Michele al Tagliamento and Jesolo (Veneto Region). On the contrary, the top-ranked locations with very high numbers of overnight stays and very high share of NBT are mountain, lakes and sea locations that have natural protected areas or other key iconic landmarks in their proximity and endorsed specific types of travel accommodation, such as camp sites. Based on our exploratory study, we argue that this approach allows us to disentangle the contribution of ecosystems to tourism. Not only is it compliant with the requests of the SEEA EA framework, but, thanks to the spatially-explicit outputs, it allows us to further explore the environmental and social impacts of tourism in a multi-scale perspective. In this study, a biophysical map developed at the EU level was used for illustrative purposes. In order to become operational at the national or local level, we suggest creating biophysical maps starting from local detailed datasets and, successively, to implement the methodology described in this paper.

Diagnostic Campaign Aimed at Assessing the Seismic Vulnerability of Existing Buildings Applied to Strategic Buildings in Trentino Alto Adige (Northern Italy)

In order to assess the seismic vulnerability of existing buildings, the Italian structural codes require that the geometric characteristics of the structural elements and the mechanical characteristics of the materials shall be determined through diagnostic investigations. The level of deepening of the investigations carried out depends on the Level of Knowledge (LC) achieved; on this basis it is determined a Confiance Factor (FC) which must be applied in the subsequent verification activity to reduce the mechanical characteristics determined for the materials in the diagnostic way. Furthermore the legislation identifies the buildings that are “strategical” because of the effects consequent the seismic events: on these buildings the vulnerability assessment is mandatory. The paper describes the diagnostic activities carried out on some buildings located in Trentino Alto Adige (Northern Italy) built between the mid-19th c. and the first decades of the 20th c., which were originally intended for the headquarters of the Judicial Prisons and the Court (in Rovereto) and for the Casa del Fascio (in Bolzano). Currently they are aimed for public offices (state offices, barracks of the financial guard and police). These are very common situations in Italy: historic buildings, built with different construction techniques (both masonry and Reinforced Concrete and mixed techniques) and subject to multiple functional transformations over time, even linked to the repair of war damage. The analysis carried out involved the geometric and material survey, the historical analysis of the events and interventions undergone, the mechanical characterization of the materials, foundations and foundation soil. In particular, given the architectural interest of the building and the need to minimize disturbance to users, the tests that have a limited impact on the construction (e.g. sampling on the concrete and tests with flat jacks on the masonry) were accompanied by non-destructive tests (endoscopies, sonic and ultrasonic tests, penetrometric tests on mortars, sclerometric tests and magnetometric investigations) in order to extend the results and guarantee their representativeness. It was thus possible to reach the Level of Knowledge LC3 (the maximum expected level) and apply the Confiance Factor FC = 1 (the minimum value), operating with the best compliance with the real state of the building. It was of particular interest also the building up of a BIM (Building Information Modeling) model, implemented from the laser scanner survey and carried up to the appropriate Level of Development (LOD = 300) which allowed to embed in the model all the acquired structural diagnostic information and to develop the consequent static and seismic assessment.

Sustainable Development Goals: A Regional Overview Based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have the ambitious goal of protecting the planet, eradicating poverty and providing peace and prosperity for all citizens. The challenge is certainly very ambitious and it is necessary to monitor progress toward these SDGs over time. This work is based on the multi-criteria decision analysis and aims to build a framework that can be replicated. A necessary condition for this aim is that the data are available and that they are as recent as possible. This work is based on 28 targets with data mainly from 2019 to 2020 and related to Italian regions. The results show that Trentino Alto Adige and Valle d’Aosta have the best performance and, in general, the northern territory has several realities that perform positively toward the SDGs. Important results are also present at the level of central Italy (in particular Marche and Toscana), while at the southern level the situation is not flourishing, with the sole exception of Abruzzo. The policy implications thus drive the need for targeted green investments for southern regions, projects that nationally promote the “green, bio and circular Made in Italy” brand that can enhance territorial distinctiveness, and the necessary collaboration among regions to be poles of excellence based on available resources and skills.

Salorno—Dos de la Forca (Adige Valley, Northern Italy): A unique cremation site of the Late Bronze Age

The archaeological site of Salorno-Dos de la Forca (Bozen, Alto Adige) provides one of the rarest and most significant documentations of cremated human remains preserved from an ancient cremation platform (ustrinum). The pyre area, located along the upper Adige valley, is dated to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1150-950 BCE) and has yielded an unprecedented quantity of cremated human remains (about 63.5 kg), along with burnt animal bone fragments, shards of pottery, and other grave goods made in bronze and animal bone/antler. This study focuses on the bioanthropological analysis of the human remains and discusses the formation of the unusual burnt deposits at Salorno through comparisons with modern practices and protohistoric and contemporaneous archaeological deposits. The patterning of bone fragmentation and commingling was investigated using spatial data recorded during excavation which, along with the bioanthropological and archaeological data, are used to model and test two hypotheses: Salorno-Dos de la Forca would be the result of A) repeated primary cremations left in situ; or B) of residual material remaining after select elements were removed for internment in urns or burials to unknown depositional sites. By modelling bone weight and demographic data borrowed from regional affine contexts, the authors suggest that this cremation site may have been used over several generations by a small community-perhaps a local elite. With a quantity of human remains that exceeds that of any other coeval contexts interpreted as ustrina, Salorno may be the product of a complex series of rituals in which the human cremains did not receive individual burial, but were left in situ, in a collective/communal place of primary combustion, defining an area of repeated funeral ceremonies involving offerings and libations across a few generations. This would represent a new typological and functional category that adds to the variability of mortuary customs at the end of the Bronze Age in the Alpine are, at a time in which "globalising" social trends may have stimulated the definition of more private identities.

A highly endemic area of Echinococcus multilocularis identified through a comparative re-assessment of prevalence in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), Alto Adige (Italy: 2019-2020).

Surveillance of Echinococcus multilocularis at the edge of its range is hindered by fragmented distributional patterns and low prevalence in definitive hosts. Thus, tests with adequate levels of sensitivity are especially important for discriminating between infected and non-infected areas. In this study we reassessed the prevalence of E. multilocularis at the southern border of its distribution in Province of Bolzano (Alto Adige, northeastern Alps, Italy), to improve surveillance in wildlife and provide more accurate estimates of exposure risk. We compared the diagnostic test currently implemented for surveillance based on coproscopy and multiplex PCR (CMPCR) to a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 235 fox faeces collected in 2019 and 2020. The performances of the two tests were estimated using a scraping technique (SFCT) applied to the small intestines of a subsample (n = 123) of the same foxes as the reference standard. True prevalence was calculated and the sample size required by each faecal test for the detection of the parasite was then estimated. True prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes (14.3%) was markedly higher than reported in the last decade, which was never more than 5% from 2012 to 2018 in the same area. In addition, qPCR showed a much higher sensitivity (83%) compared to CMPCR (21%) and agreement with the reference standard was far higher for qPCR (0.816) than CMPCR (0.298) meaning that for the latter protocol, a smaller sample size would be required to detect the disease. Alto Adige should be considered a highly endemic area. Routine surveillance on definitive hosts at the edges of the E. multilocularis distribution should be applied to smaller geographic areas, and rapid, sensitive diagnostic tools using directly host faeces, such as qPCR, should be adopted.

On the Use of COSMO-SkyMed X-Band SAR for Estimating Snow Water Equivalent in Alpine Areas: A Retrieval Approach Based on Machine Learning and Snow Models

This study aims at estimating the dry snow water equivalent (SWE) by using X-band SAR data from the COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) satellite constellation. Time series of CSK acquisitions have been collected during the dry snow period in the Alto Adige test site, in the Italian Alps, during the winter seasons from 2013 to 2015 and from 2019 to 2021. The SAR data have been analyzed and compared with the in-situ measurements to understand the X-band SAR sensitivity to SWE, which has been further assessed by Dense Media Radiative Transfer (DMRT) model simulations. The sensitivity analysis provided the basis for addressing the SWE retrieval from the CSK data, by exploiting two different machine learning (ML) techniques, namely Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Support Vector Regression (SVR). To ensure a statistical independence of training and validation processes, the algorithms are trained and tested using SWE predictions of the fully distributed snow model AMUNDSEN as reference data and are subsequently validated on the experimental dataset. Due to its influence on the CSK estimates, the effect of forest canopy was accounted for in the analysis. Depending on the algorithm, the validation resulted in a correlation coefficient 0.78 &#x2264; R &#x2264; 0.91, and a Root Mean Square Error 55.5 mm &#x2264; RMSE &#x2264; 87.4 mm between estimated and in-situ SWE. Further analysis and validation are needed; however, the obtained results seem suggesting the Cosmo-SkyMed constellation as effective tool for the retrieval of the dry snow water equivalent in alpine areas.

Fertilization with different soil types in viticulture: a three-year experience in Trentino Alto Adige

The work aimed at investigating the impact of various good quality soils of on vineyard productivity. Manure matured with a fast and controlled process and compost obtained from digestate of an organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) were applied one time on a grapevine row, in two CAVIT vineyards. A physico-chemical characterization of the soils was carried out and biological quality indices QBS-ar (Arthropodological Biocenosis) were calculated. The vegeto-productive monitoring was performed by foliar nutrients analysis and measuring NDVI and SPAD indices. The organic source had a significant fertilizing effect, especially manure, which determined a nutrient increase in soil (P, K and Mg), a rise in photosynthetically active biomass, available nitrogen and potassium in plants. The effects on the biological community of soils and musts quality were negligible. The use of soil improvers could be an efficient strategy for the nutrition of not vigorous vineyards, which do not require high nitrogen inputs.

Historical Cartography and Sustainable Tourism Development. Reconnecting Trento and the Fersina Stream through the Retrieval of Environmental and Cultural Heritage

Abstract. Within the context of postmodern tourism, the importance of preserving and enhancing environmental and cultural assets of destinations is increasingly being recognised as one of the keys to sustainable long-term development of territories. The paper focuses on the complex diachronic relationship between the town of Trento, in the Trentino- Alto Adige region, and its watercourses, and, in particular, on its connection with the Fersina stream. The aim is to raise locals’ and visitors’ awareness of a largely forgotten urban water landscape, and to implement the town’s existing cultural and environmental tourist offer. This is achieved through the revival of collective memory of the fundamental role of water for the development of Trento and through the requalification of the stream and its network of canals, which once brought water to different parts of the city-centre. For such purpose, the validity of cartography and other geo-historical sources has been acknowledged; maps are particularly useful sources for retracing territorialisation processes, and rediscovering past territorialities and related landscapes. Accordingly, we have carried out a geo-historical analysis of cartographic representations of the town, shedding light on the past widespread presence of water within urban space and making some proposals for the enhancement and communication of such heritage.

Assessing regional performance for the Sustainable Development Goals in Italy

The monitoring report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a global context involves a large number of actors as it represents probably the biggest change that our society is implementing. Actions at all levels, from local, regional and national to the aggregation of multiple countries (e.g. EU 27) are needed to achieve a sustainable future. This work focuses on a national perspective (Italy) where multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is used to measure current performance. A sustainability score for each region is calculated from a set of 175 indicators contained in all 17 SDGs. Additionally, sustainability scores are disaggregated along the three pillars – social (1–5, 10, 16, and 17), environmental (6, 13–15) and economic (7–9, 11, and 12). The results highlight the positive performance of northern regions and, in particular, of Trentino Alto Adige, which ranks first in the two considered scenarios. In addition, the relevance of territorial specificities emerges for which the analysis of individual SDGs shows different leading regions. It is noteworthy to highlight the performance of the environmental sub-group of SDGs in southern regions, in contrast to the social and economic sub-groups. Evidently, policy actions are needed to reduce the long-lasting North/South divide—yet the highlighted heterogeneous sustainability performance along the three dimensions calls for well targeted policy measures necessary to regain competitiveness at a European and global level, without compromising with environmental sustainability.

Is Acerentomon italicum Nosek, 1969 (Protura: Acerentomidae) a species complex?

Acerentomon italicumNosek, 1969 is the most abundant Protura species in Italy. Two groups of populations characterized by the different position of a pore on tergite VII were analyzed. Specimens from Austria and from the Italian provinces of Brescia and Bolzano (Lombardy and Alto Adige, respectively) possess a postero-sub-medial pore (psm); in specimens from Trento (Trentino), Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Liguria the pore is in an antero-sub-lateral (asl) position. An integrative approach was applied to assess other characters distinguishing these populations. The lengths of body, head, foretarsus, claw of anterior leg, foretarsal sensilla a and b were measured; in addition some ratios were calculated: TR (length of foretarsus/length of its claw), BS (distance of sensillum t1 from base of foretarsus/distance of t1 from foretarsus tip), length of a/foretarsus length, length of b/foretarsus length and length of a/length of b. A geometric morphometric analysis was performed on the position of setae on tergite VII, selecting as landmarks the bases of setae A1, A2, A3, P1, P1a, P2, P2a and P3. Nucleotide sequences COI-5P and 28S-D2-D3 of both groups were compared. Significant differences in the foretarsus and anterior claw length, in the arrangement of setae on tergite VII and in the barcode sequences COI-5P between the “psm and asl populations” are shown to exist. Based on the results obtained, the two groups are different, but there is not enough support to differentiate them at the species level.

An Open Source Low-Cost Device Coupled with an Adaptative Time-Lag Time-Series Linear Forecasting Modeling for Apple Trentino (Italy) Precision Irrigation.

Precision irrigation represents those strategies aiming to feed the plant needs following the soil’s spatial and temporal characteristics. Such a differential irrigation requires a different approach and equipment with regard to conventional irrigation to reduce the environmental impact and the resources use while maximizing the production and thus profitability. This study described the development of an open source soil moisture LoRa (long-range) device and analysis of the data collected and updated directly in the field (i.e., weather station and ground sensor). The work produced adaptive supervised predictive models to optimize the management of agricultural precision irrigation practices and for an effective calibration of other agronomic interventions. These approaches are defined as adaptive because they self-learn with the acquisition of new data, updating the on-the-go model over time. The location chosen for the experimental setup is a cultivated area in the municipality of Tenna (Trentino, Alto Adige region, Italy), and the experiment was conducted on two different apple varieties during summer 2019. The adaptative partial least squares time-lag time-series modeling, in operative field conditions, was a posteriori applied in the consortium for 78 days during the dry season, producing total savings of 255 mm of irrigated water and 44,000 kW of electricity, equal to 10.82%.