Apennine Ridge Research Articles

A parsimonious model for springs discharge reconstruction and forecast for drought management: Lessons from a case study in Central Italy

Study regionKarst springs located in Central Apennine ridge (Central Italy), in the Tiber River basin. Study focusThe assessment of water availability is a key issue in a water supply system because of increasing drought and water scarcity events. Analysing and predicting the dynamic behaviour of groundwater resources is challenging to conceptualize and model, especially in poorly-monitored systems. A parsimonious model based on linear regression between the monthly spring discharge time series and Standardized Precipitation Index is proposed. The model is conceived for management purposes and suitable for users with a limited background in modelling techniques, who can take advantage from an initial knowledge of the aquifers hydrological regime. New hydrological insights for the regionThe model developed for long-term monitored springs is used to reconstruct the historical groundwater hydrographs and to make predictions for poorly-monitored springs with similar properties, exploiting the “similarity principle”. Results highlight the notable performance of this approach, which represents a useful tool for overcoming the limitations in spring discharge monitoring networks. Moreover, the tool is used to test forecast performance enabling water managers to develop a monthly early-warning system fostering a sustainable water resource exploitation and limiting the critical issues of the water supply system, especially during drought periods. Results are discussed from the perspective of the water utilities entrusted to manage their resources in the study region.

POLYGRAPHUS POLIGRAPHUS (L.) (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE SCOLYTINAE) AND ITS ASSOCIATED FUNGAL COMMUNITY COLONIZING PICEA ABIES (L) KARST. IN THE ITALIAN APENNINES

The ecology and distribution of P. poligraphus were investigated in several artificial spruce stands located along the Apennines. Results suggest that, in certain conditions, this species may play an active role, together with other bark beetles, in the decline of the Norway spruce Picea abies. Interestingly, in some spruce sites such as Abetone and Pratomagno, P. poligraphus was observed to colonize not only thin-diameter branches but also larger stems, being able to occupy various ecological niches on its host plants. Our findings highlighted that, this beetle, hitherto known in Italy only for some Alpine sites, was able to “follow” Picea abies in spruce formations along the Apennine ridge. That occurred in different as well as very distant and disjunct environments, with the site of Montedimezzo in “Alto Molise” (Isernia) representing the southernmost record in Italy. Moreover, Danielozyma ontarioensis a saprophyte ascomycetous yeast frequently isolated from this insect and other fungi such as Penicillium glabrum, Talaromyces rugulosus, Beauveria bassiana and Ophiostoma piceae species complex may be associated with this beetle. Key Words: Scolytinae, Norway spruce, Polygraphus poligraphus, associated fungi and yeasts, Italian peninsula

Exploring molecular, morphological, and biochemical diversity of Phaeolus vulgaris landraces cultivated in the Aniene Valley (Lazio region, Italy)

The cultivation of common beans has long been integral to rural economies in Italy, particularly in mountainous regions along the Apennine ridge, where the production focuses on local landraces grown by smallholder farmers using low-input methodologies. However, recent socioeconomic changes in rural communities pose a threat of genetic erosion to these landraces. This study examines the genetic diversity, structure, and uniqueness of common bean landraces in the Aniene Valley of the Lazio region to develop preservation strategies. Seventy-three accessions were investigated using morphological (seed traits), biochemical (phaseolin and phytohemagglutinin patterns), and molecular (microsatellite loci) analyses. These analyses revealed significant genetic variability within morphologically uniform seed materials and highlighted cases of homonymy and the inadvertent introduction of foreign genetic material. Among the 292 samples analyzed (four per accession), a clear differentiation between Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools was observed, with the Andean pool being predominant. Despite high levels of homozygosity and uniform seed morphotypes, genetic variability was detected in sixteen of the twenty-one landraces, suggesting that analyzing only a single or few plants per landrace may yield incomplete genetic information. The extensive morphological, biochemical, and genetic characterization of the P. vulgaris collection from the Aniene Valley provides insights for planning effective conservation strategies. These findings emphasize the importance of both in situ/on-farm and ex-situ conservation to preserve the genetic diversity and heritage of these local landraces.

A multidisciplinary approach unveils the distribution of the Alpine long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris (Vespertilionidae) in Italy

Abstract Genetic techniques have allowed to identify a number of cryptic species of bats and to better define their distribution ranges and conservation status. Long-eared bats Plecotus spp. occur throughout Eurasia and Africa, with a high number of morphologically similar species, often occurring in sympatry. Therefore, disentangling the distribution of one species from another may be challenging. Italy represents a diversity hotspot for long-eared bats in Europe, hosting six species belonging to the genus Plecotus. In this study we report on both published and unpublished investigations on the Alpine long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris by integrating field and molecular methods, as well as opportunistic verified records from citizen scientists (i.e., individuals showing the diagnostic triangular chin pad in photos), to redefine the distribution of this species in Italy. We retrieved a total of 149 published records and 16 new confirmed records, namely 7 from iNaturalist, 6 from Facebook and 3 from molecular analyses. In Italy, the species occurs throughout the Alpine and Pre-Alpine chain, as well as in close proximity to the sea, and in Northeastern plains. Based on new records, we proved that it occurs also in other areas, including the Northern Apennine ridge. Our findings call for the application of an integrated approach in investigating cryptic species, that provides valuable data to support conservation assessments and the establishment of proper protection measures for poorly known species.

Constraining the onset of orogenic contraction in fold-and-thrust belts using sedimentary stylolite populations (Umbria-Marche Apennines, Italy)

Stylolites are pressure solution structures, the roughness of which yields quantitative information about the magnitude of the normal stress applied to the stylolite plane. The stress magnitude is calculated from the cross over length (Lc) determined using the signal analysis of a 2D track. For a sedimentary, bedding-parallel stylolite (BPS), Lc scales to the magnitude of the vertical maximum principal stress σ1, hence to the burial depth at the time the roughness of the stylolite froze. We present a dataset of nearly 200 BPS from Meso-Cenozoic folded carbonates across the Umbria Marche Apennine Ridge. The BPS population is used to address the discrepancies between Lc values obtained by using different signal analysis methods. Assuming that in compressional settings burial-related pressure-solution more probably halts because of the switch of σ1 from a burial-related vertical attitude to a tectonic-related horizontal attitude, the vertical stress magnitudes derived from the inversion of the BPS roughness were combined to burial models at each investigated fold to reconstruct the absolute timing at which the orogenic stress started to prevail. The results indicate that the onset of horizontal compression started at ∼10 Ma and ∼8 Ma in the innermost and outermost folds, respectively, and predated fold development as indicated by the age of growth strata. These results establish Stylolite Roughness Inversion Technique as a reliable depth gauge that enables refining the timing of the onset of contraction in fold-and-thrust belts.

Pedodiversity and Organic Matter Dynamics in the North Apennines (Italy): Relationships among Soil Types, Biodiversity, and Ecological Functionality

Pedodiversity is generally neglected in studies concerning soil organic carbon (SOC). Therefore, this investigation aimed to explore the effect of soil types on the following: (1) soil processes related to organic matter (OM) dynamics along the profile; and (2) the microbial community and functionality within the uppermost horizon. Humic Dystrudepts (HD), Typic Dystrudepts (TD), and Humic Lithic Dystrudepts (HLD) were selected in beech forests of the Apennine ridge in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). Soils were sampled by horizons until parent material, and physico-chemical and functional analyses were performed. The results showed that both HD and HLD soils had a higher SOC accumulation than TD, particularly within the deeper horizons. Such accumulation might be due to the lower turnover rate of soil OM forms, namely fulvic acid-like substances, humic acid-like substances, and non-extractable OM. Noteworthy, the A horizons showed slight differences in SOC among the soil types, suggesting similar SOC decomposition processes. This fact was confirmed by the lack of differences in microbial DNA-based diversity and functionality. This study highlighted the importance of combining pedodiversity and microbial diversity for a wider perspective on SOC dynamics.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Landraces in the Lazio Region of Italy.

Common bean cultivation has historically been a typical component of rural economies in Italy, particularly in mountainous and hilly zones along the Apennine ridge of the central and southern regions, where the production is focused on local landraces cultivated by small-scale farmers using low-input production systems. Such landraces are at risk of genetic erosion because of the recent socioeconomic changes in rural communities. One hundred fourteen accessions belonging to 66 landraces still being grown in the Lazio region were characterized using a multidisciplinary approach. This approach included morphological (seed traits), biochemical (phaseolin and phytohemagglutinin patterns), and molecular (microsatellite loci) analyses to investigate their genetic variation, structure, and distinctiveness, which will be essential for the implementation of adequate ex situ and in situ conservation strategies. Another objective of this study was to determine the original gene pool (Andean and Mesoamerican) of the investigated landraces and to evaluate the cross-hybridization events between the two ancestral gene pools in the P. vulgaris germplasm in the Lazio region. Molecular analyses on 456 samples (four for each of the 114 accessions) revealed that the P. vulgaris germplasm in the Lazio region exhibited a high level of genetic diversity (He = 0.622) and that the Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools were clearly differentiated, with the Andean gene pool prevailing (77%) and 12% of landraces representing putative hybrids between the two gene pools. A model-based cluster analysis based on the molecular markers highlighted three main groups in agreement with the phaseolin patterns and growth habit of landraces. The combined utilisation of morphological, biochemical, and molecular data allowed for the differentiation of all landraces and the resolution of certain instances of homonymy and synonymy. Furthermore, although a high level of homozygosity was found across all landraces, 32 of the 66 examined (49%) exhibited genetic variability, indicating that the analysis based on a single or few plants per landrace, as usually carried out, may provide incomplete information.

A first insight into the post-breeding dispersal strategies of adult Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni in Italy

ABSTRACT Capsule After breeding, Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni do not migrate directly to Africa but exhibit a post-breeding dispersal that lasts several weeks. Tracking of four adult individuals provides the first data on distances and direction of travel, and suggests sex differences in post-breeding dispersal. Aims We aimed to: (a) detect the dispersal routes and stopover sites used by adult Lesser Kestrels during the post-breeding period in Italy, (b) deduce the strategies behind the observed dispersal behaviour, and (c) advance hypotheses about the determinants of such strategies. Methods Using Argos satellite telemetry, we tracked four individuals at neighbouring urban colonies at Gravina and Altamura (Apulia region), within the geographical area (Alta Murgia) which has the world’s highest known density of urban nesting Lesser Kestrels. Results Argos devices provided 4930 high-quality locations for 72 ± 13 (mean ± SD) days for four individuals tracked during July–September. July corresponded to the post-nestling period, with recorded dispersal distances less than 66 km from the breeding site. At the beginning of August, the birds entered the pre-migration period, with recorded dispersal distances up to 667 km from the colony. We detected four dispersal strategies: absolute fidelity to the breeding site, and short-range, mid-range, and long-range dispersal. The males had long-range and mid-range dispersal routes parallel to the eastern side of the Apennine ridge, and selected several stopover sites in central and northern Italy. The females showed absolute fidelity to the breeding site and short-range dispersal. We hypothesize that males and females had different body conditions at the beginning of the pre-migration period, which forced females to remain close to the breeding site while males could disperse further. Conclusions This work sheds light, for the first time, on the post-reproductive dispersal behaviour and schedule of the Lesser Kestrel in Italy.

Comparing Rain Gauge and Weather RaDAR Data in the Estimation of the Pluviometric Inflow from the Apennine Ridge to the Adriatic Coast (Abruzzo Region, Central Italy)

Accurate knowledge of the rain amount is a crucial driver in several hydrometeorological applications. This is especially true in complex orography territories, which are typically impervious, thus, leaving most mountain areas ungauged. Due to their spatial and temporal coverage, weather radars can potentially overcome such an issue. However, weather radar, if not accurately processed, can suffer from several limitations (e.g., beam blocking, altitude of the observation, path attenuation, and indirectness of the measurement) that can hamper the reliability of the rain estimates performed. In this study, a comparison between rain gauge and weather radar retrievals is performed in the target area of the Abruzzo region in Italy, which is characterized by a heterogeneous orography ranging from the seaside to Apennine ridge. Consequently, the Abruzzo region has an inhomogeneous distribution of the rain gauges, with station density decreasing with the altitude reaching approximately 1500 m a.s.l. Notwithstanding, pluviometric inflow spatial distribution shows a subregional dependency as a function of four climatic and altimetric factors: coastal, hilly, mountain, and inner plain areas (i.e., Marsica). Such areas are used in this analysis to characterize the radar retrieval vs. rain gauge amounts in each of those zones. Compared to previous studies on the topic, the analysis presented the importance of an accurate selection of the climatic and altimetric subregional areas where the radar vs. rain gauge comparison is undertaken. This aspect is not only of great importance to correct biases in radar retrieval in a more selective way, but it also paves the way for more accurate hydrometeorological applications (e.g., hydrological model initialization and quantification of aquifer recharge), which, in general, require the accurate knowledge of rain amounts upstream of a basin. To fill the gap caused by the uneven rain gauge distribution, ordinary Kriging (OK) was applied on a regional scale to obtain 2D maps of rainfall data, which were cumulated on a monthly and yearly basis. Weather radar data from the Italian mosaic were also considered, in terms of rain rate retrievals and cumulations performed on the same time frame used for rain gauges. The period considered for the analysis was two continuous years: 2017 and 2018. The output of the elaborations included raster maps for both radar and interpolated rain gauges, where each pixel contained a rainfall quantity. Although the results showed a general underestimation of the weather radar data, especially in mountain and Marsica areas, they were within the 95% confidence interval of the OK estimation. Our analysis highlighted that the average bias between radar and rain gauges, in terms of precipitation amounts, was a function of altitude and was almost constant in each of the selected areas. This achievement suggests that after a proper selection of homogeneous target areas, radar retrieval can be corrected using the denser network of rain gauges typically distributed at lower altitudes, and such correction can be extended at higher altitudes without loss of generality.

Distribution of introduced American mink in the Northern Apennine area (Central Italy)

Abstract The American mink Neovison vison is a widespread alien carnivore in Europe due to escapes from fur farms through this continent. Impacts by naturalized mink include competition with native species and predation of crayfish and small vertebrates. Therefore, an updated monitoring of mink distribution is required to design management plans. The American mink has been reported with an established population in North-Eastern Italy, in Sardinia, and two small nuclei respectively in the Central and in the Northern Apennine ridge. Available information for the latter dates back to early 1990s. In this note, we described the range expansion of the American mink population in the Northern Apennine ridge and we estimate the current distribution range and the extent of occurrence by using data collected from 2006 to 2021 through the Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP). We compared the current distribution range with that of 1990s. The American mink showed a remarkable range increase since its first escape in the Northern Apennines, thus requiring rapid actions to limit impacts on native biodiversity.

First assessment of ectoparasite prevalence in Apennine populations of Eurasian red squirrel: does habitat fragmentation affect parasite presence?

Although habitat fragmentation is widely reported to affect species survival and distribution, its effect in terms of host-parasite interactions in small mammal communities is poorly studied yet. Using information collected from carcasses of 34 road-kill and two preyed-upon individuals, we present the first comprehensive study dealing with the relationship between habitat fragmentation and the presence of different ectoparasite species infecting a small Sciurus vulgaris population inhabiting the Apennine ridge. We predicted that the probability to find individuals infested by parasites would be lower in highly fragmented areas because of the trade-off effects over both mammal and ectoparasite communities. Our findings showed that the most frequent ectoparasites were the squirrel fleas Ceratophyllus sciurorum and hard ticks Ixodes ricinus. Males showed higher presence of ectoparasites than females, probably because of different behaviour in space use and higher hormone levels, which may compromise host’s resistance to infection. As to the relationship with habitat fragmentation, we did not find support that individuals in highly fragmented areas would be less susceptible to C. sciurorum infestation because of lower red squirrel relative density. The presence of highly suitable habitat patches in fragmented habitats may have favoured the presence of squirrels, hence promoting C. sciurorum transmission among specimens. Similarly, we did not find support that habitat fragmentation would have reduced the likelihood of generalist ectoparasites transmission among squirrels. This finding may be explained by the increasing tolerance of generalist ectoparasites towards habitat fragmentation because of the presence of species (e.g., roe deer Capreolus capreolus) able to better exploit ecotonal areas. We believe that our research provides interesting preliminary results on ectoparasites infesting red squirrels in the Apennine area, and of the potential impact which habitat fragmentation may have on them. Nevertheless, the effect of habitat fragmentation over parasite communities is still poorly considered, and further researches are needed.

Aliens in their native country: the case of the Alpine marmot Marmota marmota (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia, Rodentia) in the Apennine ridge

Author(s): Viviano, Andrea; Mori, Emiliano | Abstract: The distribution of the Alpine marmot released in the Northern Apennines has been largely unstudied. In this note, we summarise the current distribution and the altitude range of the Alpine marmot in the Apennine ridge, 80 years after their first releases. We searched for marmot occurrence on the Apennines (i) on citizen-science platforms and (ii) through a webmail on Sciuridae distribution in Italy. We collected 80 marmot records validated by photos and by field investigations. We showed that Alpine marmots are present on over 70,000 ha in the Apennines, between Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. Most occurrences were recorded between 1600 and 1700 m a.s.l., in lines with other works on this species. Although the introduction of the Alpine marmot in the Apennines appears to have been successful, further molecular and ecological data are needed to assess origins and potential environmental impacts (e.g. on soil stability) of these established populations. This work may represent a description of the current status of this species, to be compared with future monitoring. In turn, updating the distribution of the Alpine marmot in the Apennines in the next years may be useful to assess potential distribution shift towards higher altitudes as a response to local climatic change.n

Regional-scale paleofluid system across the Tuscan Nappe–Umbria–Marche Apennine Ridge (northern Apennines) as revealed by mesostructural and isotopic analyses of stylolite–vein networks

Abstract. We report the results of a multiproxy study that combines structural analysis of a fracture–stylolite network and isotopic characterization of calcite vein cements and/or fault coating. Together with new paleopiezometric and radiometric constraints on burial evolution and deformation timing, these results provide a first-order picture of the regional fluid systems and pathways that were present during the main stages of contraction in the Tuscan Nappe and Umbria–Marche Apennine Ridge (northern Apennines). We reconstruct four steps of deformation at the scale of the belt: burial-related stylolitization, Apenninic-related layer-parallel shortening with a contraction trending NE–SW, local extension related to folding, and late-stage fold tightening under a contraction still striking NE–SW. We combine the paleopiezometric inversion of the roughness of sedimentary stylolites – that constrains the range of burial depth of strata prior to layer-parallel shortening – with burial models and U–Pb absolute dating of fault coatings in order to determine the timing of development of mesostructures. In the western part of the ridge, layer-parallel shortening started in Langhian time (∼15 Ma), and then folding started at Tortonian time (∼8 Ma); late-stage fold tightening started by the early Pliocene (∼5 Ma) and likely lasted until recent/modern extension occurred (∼3 Ma onward). The textural and geochemical (δ18O, δ13C, Δ47CO2 and 87Sr∕86Sr) study of calcite vein cements and fault coatings reveals that most of the fluids involved in the belt during deformation either are local or flowed laterally from the same reservoir. However, the western edge of the ridge recorded pulses of eastward migration of hydrothermal fluids (>140 ∘C), driven by the tectonic contraction and by the difference in structural style of the subsurface between the eastern Tuscan Nappe and the Umbria–Marche Apennine Ridge.

How the South was won: current and potential range expansion of the crested porcupine in Southern Italy

Since the 1970s, the crested porcupine Hystrix cristata has expanded its range into Northern regions in Italy, where it was historically absent, helped by climatic change, legal protection, and forest re-expansion. In the past 10 years, a remarkable range expansion has also been observed in the southernmost Italian regions. The aim of our work was to summarize the distribution of this species in Southern Italy and assess potential range expansion under multiple future scenarios of global warming. We collected 1783 occurrence records of the crested porcupine through ad-hoc web pages, online platforms, and some data directly collected by authors (N = 976 occurrences between 1998 and 2008; N = 807 between 2008 and 2019). A remarkable increase in porcupine records occurred in Lucania, Campania, and Apulia regions, in Southern Italy, mostly along the coastlines. Species distribution models showed that porcupine presence is associated with warm temperatures and an intermediate level of precipitation. Although land-cover showed lower importance compared to climate, the species was positively associated with forests and negatively associated with agricultural, grasslands and shrublands, and urban landscapes. Model projections suggested that future global warming can improve suitability for porcupines in the Apennine ridge, including the Southern Calabria and the Aspromonte National Park. However, increase in drought and urbanization may reduce the habitat suitability for the crested porcupine in the Salento peninsula, limiting the success of the range expansion by this large rodent, and in Eastern Calabria, wih possible range contractions along the Tyrrhenian coast.

How mowing restores montane Mediterranean grasslands following cessation of traditional livestock grazing

Traditional land-use cessation allows the spread of invasive tall-grass species and thus leads to a reduction in grassland biodiversity. We hypothesized that long-term multi-year mowing of invaded grassland fosters the recovery of its taxonomic diversity and functional composition by reducing the dominance of the tall grass species Brachypodium rupestre, and that this change increases the pasture feed value. In 2010, we fenced part of a grassland, abandoned for about 30 years, invaded by Brachypodium rupestre (1 ha) in the central Apennine ridge (1,000–1,300 m a.s.l.), and cut it twice a year for six years; another area (1 ha) was fenced and left unmown. Before the experiment started, we recorded species cover in 30 random sampling units (0.5 × 0.5 m) in the experimental area and in the unmown area. The sampling was repeated for the experimental area, every year for six years, except 2013, while it was done for the unmown area only at the end of the six years. We investigated the effect of the reduction of Brachypodium rupestre over time on taxonomic diversity indices, functional traits and pastoral value, using species accumulation curves and generalized linear mixed-effect modelling.Twice-yearly mowing was effective in reducing the abundance of B. rupestre (mean cover 50.7 ± 19.8 % Standard deviation to 9.0 ± 7.2 %), and in increasing significantly species richness (16.6 ± 3.0–26.8 ± 3.2), exponential Shannon (8.8 ± 2.8–14.4 ± 2.7), but not Shannon evenness (0.53 ± 0.1 to 0.54 ± 0.1). At the end of the treatment quite stable richness and diversity values were reached. Reduction of B. rupestre cover increased the pastoral value of the system (39 ± 12 %–64 ± 8 % of pabular species relative cover) and promoted the presence of species without vegetative propagation (17.8 ± 12.3–28.2 ± 10.9), with pleiocorms (25.4 ± 14.3–49.6 ± 17.9), rosettes (5.6 ± 5.6–16.6 ± 12.7) and hemirosettes (32.1 ± 15.8–47.7 ± 13.6), but caused a decrease in species whose clonal growth organs have prevalent vertical spread (123.9 ± 25.7–97.0 ± 23.3), reptant (60.3 ± 20.9–20.2 ± 10.4), and late flowering species (67.4 ± 19.9–46.3 ± 17.2). The decrease of B. rupestre and the increase in mowing frequency reduced the abundance of species with clonal growth organs with prevalent horizontal spread (66.0 ± 19.5–17.9 ± 10.7), caespitose species (96.7 ± 20.9–43.6 ± 21.9), and grasses (94.0 ± 19.5–43.3 ± 22.0). Recurrent twice-yearly mowing seems to be appropriate in the restoration of sub-Mediterranean grasslands invaded by competitive species, facilitating the re-introduction of traditional grazing.

Changes in species and functional composition in the herb layer of sub-Mediterranean Ostrya carpinifolia abandoned coppices

In recent decades, the traditional management of woods has ceased in several parts of the Apennine ridge, with the result that some woods have not undergone forestry for 40–70 years. The research aim was to assess the variation of species and functional composition in the herb layer of Ostrya carpinifolia woods (central Italy), after cessation of the usual management (coppice-with-standards). Using a space-for-time substitution, we compared stands at the end of the usual rotation cycle (20–25 years) with stands not subjected to silvicultural treatments for about 40–45 years and collected environmental and structural data. The main drivers of the herb layer modification, assessed using Ellenberg indicator values analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA), were primarily related to time since the last coppicing and wood structure. Results of indicator species analyses (ISAs) and Wilcoxon rank sum tests indicated that in abandoned coppices, the regenerative processes proceed through the spread of late-successional species, while the light filtering through canopy fosters species usually considered of fringe habitats. The functional strategies revealed by ISA and RDA underlined still stressful conditions in stands at the end of the usual coppicing rotation cycle, which might be thought as a legacy of the post-logging condition, and processes of recovery/maturation of the forest systems in abandoned woods leading to a better spatial and temporal niche partitioning. The preferential distribution of species usually growing in the Apennine beech woods supports the hypothesis that the studied O. carpinifolia woods are secondary forest ecosystems originating from the degradation of mixed beech woods.

ASSESSMENT OF EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED DAMAGE LEVEL ON BUILDINGS: ANALYSIS OF TWO DIFFERENT SURVEY METHODS FOR A CASE STUDY

Abstract. Purpose of this paper is to compare different methods for the assessment of earthquake-induced damage on buildings based on survey data, referring to the case study of Castelluccio di Norcia. The seismic events that occurred in Central Italy in 2016 threatened the future of many villages located along the Apennine ridge straddling the Regions of Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Lazio: in Castelluccio di Norcia, a minor historical center in the Municipality of Norcia (Umbria), the earthquake occurred on August the 24th caused some damage on localized buildings, but the strongest seismic event – the one occurred on October the 30th and with magnitude Mw 6.5, provoked numerous collapses and widespread failure on several buildings of the village, razing to the ground almost the 60 % of the built heritage. After the two earthquakes respectively, the Fire Brigade organized a reconnaissance campaign and flew over the village via UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). By acquiring the videos recorded in this framework, that are currently available on the net and originally not recorded for specific survey purposes, the authors produced 3D models of the village allowing to compare the configuration of Castelluccio in the phases pre- and post- the destructive event of 30th October: in fact, since the level of damage after the earthquake of August the 24th was very low, the model resulting from the video recorded after this earthquake could be used as a model showing the layout of the village before the main struck of October. The result of this study is the Damage Degree Evaluation (DDE) and the following definition of a map showing for each building its class of damage, according to the distinction provided by European Macro-seismic Scale EMS98. On the other hand, another damage level map was studied: the Civil Protection requested, immediately after the earthquake and for the management of disaster response activities, the activation of the COPERNICUS project, providing for the detection of most damaged buildings of the village for an early census of the non-safe areas. The map of the damage level produced within this project is of course more accurate and precise, since it was collected through different acquisition systems: UAV, close-range photogrammetry, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) and SLAM (Simultaneous Location and Mapping)-based mapping. This paper proposes a comparison between the two different DDEs, in order to define whether the first method, even if based on data downloaded via the web and therefore at lower resolution, and even if acquired with a more rapid evaluation procedure not providing for ground-based surveys, can lead to the construction of damage level maps that are plausible and realistic. The question is if the first method of DDE, even if less accurate, can allow to obtain results that are satisfactory and useful in the process of management and monitoring of natural hazards, providing support for the several implied institutions, in terms of information on catastrophes and first disaster rescue management.

Time is running out! Rapid range expansion of the invasive northern raccoon in central Italy

Abstract The northern raccoon, Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758), is listed among the invasive alien species of European Union concern. Therefore, an updated monitoring of its distribution is required to design and address management actions. As to Italy, the raccoon has been reported with an established population only in northern regions. In this note, we report a new established raccoon population along the Apennine ridge in central Italy and we estimate the range expansion from 2015 to 2018 both through the minimum convex polygon (MCP) and the kernel estimates. Furthermore, we propose the management actions to limit negative impacts in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park and its surroundings.

Human settlement and vegetation-climate relationships in the Greenland Stadial 5 at the Piovesello site (Northern Apennines, Italy)

AbstractThe Gravettian settlements of Europe are considered as an expression of human adaptation to harsh climates. In Southern Europe, however, favorable vegetation-climate conditions supported hunters-gatherer subsistence and the maintenance of their large-scale networks. This was also the case of the North-Adriatic plain and the Apennine mountain ridge in Italy. Traditionally considered lacking evidence, the northern part of the Apennine ridge has recently yielded the Early Gravettian site of Piovesello, located at 870 m a.s.l. Survey and excavation revealed lithic artifacts in primary position embedded in loamy sediments. Radiocarbon dating, anthracological and extended palynological and microcharcoal analyses have been integrated to reconstruct the palaeoecological context of this camp which was probably positioned above the timberline in an arid rocky landscape, bounding the fronts of local glaciers close to their maximum expansion at the time of Greenland Stadial (GS) 5 (32.04 - 28.9 ka cal BP). Human activity left ephemeral traces represented by lithic artefacts, charcoal, and the introduction of radiolarites from sources in proximity to the site and of chert from very far western sources. Evidence from Piovesello contributes to the reconstruction of human and vegetation ecology during Late Pleistocene glaciations and also provides hints for the historical biogeography of petrophytic plants and their orographic relics in the northern Apennine.

Maiella, an oil massif in the Central Apennines ridge of Italy: exploration, production and innovation in the oil fields of Abruzzo across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

Abstract This article aims to present selected episodes of the scientific and entrepreneurial activities realized in the Majella oil district, Abruzzo, central Italy, between the 1830s and the 1940s. Majella had an important role in the early process of modernization of the Italian oil industry. As we will see, the application of science and technology in the wellsite, a pioneering integrated production model, unexpected environmental constraints and the longevity of the business made Abruzzo into a benchmark. Between 1864 and 1865, the pattern of the secular and unchanged local manufacturing of bitumen, based on human labour and the manual harvesting of the mineral from natural outcrops, was outdone by two new conditions: the study of subsoil and the utilization of mechanical drilling. These early records of paid oil consultancies and the utilization of steam power were followed by the impressive, but short and illusory, peak in production never recorded before. In the following decades, the Majella district was very active and drew the attention of several international operators, in spite of the declining production of crude – compensated for by the yield of bitumen and shales – and the unstoppable rising of the Emilian Apennine ridge in the provinces of Pavia, Piacenza and Parma. From the early 1900s, foreign companies gradually reduced investment in new exploration in Maiella, where the core production was now bitumen and asphalts rather than oil and, by the 1920s, most of the industry was controlled by government authorities and local business. The advent of Fascism in the 1930s saw Maiella become a stronghold of the autarchy's policies; later, the improvised and inefficient national fuel planning of Italy at the start of the Second World War saw Abruzzo's oil and bitumen supplies become a strategic resource. The Maiella district has the longest production history in Italy and today geoscientists are surveying and interpreting the geology of the area with a new perspective.