Northwestern Tuscany Research Articles

Marble for beads during the Copper Age in Tuscany (Italy): products and techniques

From the beginning of the Italian Copper Age, personal ornaments increased and were enriched with new morphologies. A remarkable production of marble beads began in the central part of the peninsula. However, specific and comprehensive studies analysing this production and its role in ancient communities are still lacking.In order to obtain information on the production and use of marble beads, our study has adopted a broad methodological approach, combining experimental, traceological and typological data, as well as morphometric analyses. Our work focuses on north-western Tuscany (Italy) during the 4th millennium BC, where these ornaments are exclusively documented in burials.The results showed that the archaeological beads were made of local marble, mainly from the Apuan Alps. The beads had different shapes, sizes, and perforations, suggesting different production processes.The detailed analysis of the marble ornaments has revealed traces of prolonged use of these artefacts, providing new insights useful for understanding the cult practices and socio-economic dynamics of the communities of the Copper Age in central Italy.

Cechy mineralogiczno-petrograficzne i właściwości fizyko-mechaniczne piaskowca Macigno w rejonie Vellano (Pistoia, Toskania, Włochy)

The sandstones belonging to the terrigenous deposits of the Macigno Formation (Late Oligocene-Early Miocene) were widely used as building stones in Tuscany (Italy) for the wide distribution of their outcrops and the good qualities of the extracted stone. This research reports the petrographic and mineralogical data, and the physical and mechanical test values collected to evaluate the main technical properties of the Macigno sandstones from the Vellano area, with the purpose of comparing the quality of the stones extracted in this area with those from other quarries in north-western Tuscany. The results, obtained analysing 21 samples from the Vellano quarry and its surroundings, show that sandstones cropping out here are characterized by medium to medium-fine sand-sized grains made up of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclases, phyllosilicates, lithic fragments, and accessory. Clayey materials and calcite are present as matrix and cement, respectively. The clay fraction is made up of mica-like minerals, chlorite, chlorite/smectite interlayers and, in some samples, corrensite and kaolinite. From the physical and mechanical point of view the analysed samples show low porosity and high flexural and compressive strengths. Compared to the other Macigno sandstone samples from north-western Tuscany, the best samples of Vellano stone show rather comparable mechanical resistance than those quarried at Matraia in Lucca province, which today is another active quarry of sure interest for the good quality of the extracted material.

The Mousterian in North-Western Tuscany: publishing fieldwork documentation leads to a new stratigraphical interpretation of the Piano di Mommio sites

Background The Mousterian technocomplex is commonly associated with Neanderthals and therefore serves as a proxy for their presence across Europe. Stratified archaeological sites are the most informative because they can yield information about artefacts' spatial distribution and dating. Only a few of the Mousterian sites in Tuscany (Italy) met these conditions and most of these sites are concentrated in the North-Western area, with three specific sites situated in proximity to the village of Piano di Mommio, on the slopes of a small river canyon. Nevertheless, research on the sites stopped early on due to their small extent and complete excavation, which does not allow for additional fieldwork. Methods This article presents previously unpublished field notes, reports, and images, which are then correlated with recent archaeological surveys. Results This combination of historical and contemporary data aims to provide a more detailed understanding of the context in which the assemblages at these sites were found. The insights gained from this research shed light on the arrangement and positioning of artefacts at these locations, offering valuable information to guide future investigations on the assemblages. Conclusions The proposed stratigraphical interpretation adheres to the available information and therefore contributes to a future baseline for new research on the sites and on Neanderthal presence in the area.

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Viral Surveillance from an Endemic Perspective: Evidence and Challenges.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is currently used to monitor not only the spread of the viral SARS-CoV-2 pandemic but also that of other viruses in endemic conditions, particularly in the absence of syndromic surveillance. The continuous monitoring of sewage requires high expenditure and significant time investments, highlighting the need for standardized methods and structured monitoring strategies. In this context, we conducted weekly wastewater monitoring in northwestern Tuscany (Italy) and targeted human adenovirus (HAdV), norovirus genogroup II (NoVggII), enterovirus (EV), and SARS-CoV-2. Samples were collected at the entrances of treatment plants and concentrated using PEG/NaCl precipitation, and viral nucleic acids were extracted and detected through real-time reverse transcription qPCR. NoVggII was the most identified target (84.4%), followed by HAdV, SARS-CoV-2, and EV. Only HAdV and EV exhibited seasonal peaks in spring and summer. Compared with data that were previously collected in the same study area (from February 2021 to September 2021), the results for SARS-CoV-2 revealed a shift from an epidemic to an endemic pattern, at least in the region under investigation, which was likely due to viral mutations that led to the spreading of new variants with increased resistance to summer environmental conditions. In conclusion, using standardized methods and an efficient monitoring strategy, WBE proves valuable for viral surveillance in pandemic and epidemic scenarios, enabling the identification of temporal-local distribution patterns that are useful for making informed public health decisions.

The Mousterian in North-Western Tuscany: publishing fieldwork documentation leads to a new stratigraphical interpretation of the Piano di Mommio sites.

The Mousterian technocomplex is commonly associated with Neanderthals and therefore serves as a proxy for their presence across Europe. Stratified archaeological sites are the most informative because they can yield information about artefacts' spatial distribution and dating. Only a few of the Mousterian sites in Tuscany (Italy) met these conditions and most of these sites are concentrated in the North-Western area, with three specific sites situated in proximity to the village of Piano di Mommio, on the slopes of a small river canyon. Nevertheless, research on the sites stopped early on due to their small extent and complete excavation, which does not allow for additional fieldwork. This article presents previously unpublished field notes, reports, and images, which are then correlated with recent archaeological surveys. This combination of historical and contemporary data aims to provide a more detailed understanding of the context in which the assemblages at these sites were found. The insights gained from this research shed light on the arrangement and positioning of artefacts at these locations, offering valuable information to guide future investigations on the assemblages. The proposed stratigraphical interpretation adheres to the available information and therefore contributes to a future baseline for new research on the sites and on Neanderthal presence in the area.

The Effect of Outdoor Aeroallergens on Asthma Hospitalizations in Children in North-Western Tuscany, Italy.

Few data are currently available on the effects of aeroallergens in triggering respiratory symptoms in children. To evaluate the potential effects of daily outdoor aeroallergens loads on childhood admissions, in this case-crossover study, we analyzed data from 85 children hospitalized at the University Hospital of Pisa, Italy, for asthma or asthma-like symptoms without respiratory infection, between 2010 and 2019. Data were linked to outdoor allergens, temperature, nitrogen dioxide, and relative humidity observed during the same period. A 10-grains/m3 increase in the total aeroallergen concentration was associated with an increased risk of admission at lag 0 (OR = 1.054, 95% CI: 1.011–1.098), with a smaller effect at lag 1 (OR = 1.037, 95% CI: 1.008–1.067) and lag 2 (OR = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.003–1.039). Trends to larger effects were observed in children with sensitization to one or more aeroallergens (OR = 1.085, 95% CI: 1.004–1.173 at lag 0), in males (OR = 1.069, 95% CI: 1.009–1.132 at lag 0) and in older children (OR = 1.065, 95% CI: 1.007–1.127 at lag 0). Our study shows an association between increased outdoor allergens loads and asthma or asthma-like symptoms in children up to at least two days prior to hospitalization, suggesting that tracking aeroallergen counts may be useful to improve the management of respiratory allergic diseases.

Dietary habits, lifestyle, and gestational diabetes in immigrant women: a survey in Northwestern Tuscany (Central Italy).

immigrant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have additional language and cultural obstacles in following lifestyle and dietary recommendations within a Western health care setting. to describe: • sociodemographic characteristics and dietary and lifestyle behaviours in Italian and immigrant pregnant women who underwent a GDM screening; • any differences in these aspects among GDM Italian and immigrant women; • any differences in terms of primary maternal-neonatal outcomes among GDM and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) cohorts. survey. this survey was conducted in three hospitals located in Tuscany Region (Central Italy). According to a convenience sampling, an ad hoc questionnaire was administered both to Italian and immigrant women who underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. information about nutrition and lifestyle, medical and obstetric history, clinical and therapy data, maternal and neonatal primary outcomes was analysed. Eating habits have been investigated referring to the prudent diet, in order to also include those foods specifically consumed by the immigrant women, in addition to the Mediterranean Diet which is more widespread among Italians. a total of 117 Italian women (42 diagnosed with GDM) and 95 immigrant women (36 with GDM) were enrolled. Immigrant women showed lower adherence to the prudent diet compared to Italian women (p<0.05) and a broader use of unhealthy food preparation (e.g., frying; p<0.05). Primary maternal and neonatal outcomes (preterm birth, caesarean section, macrosomia) showed no statistical differences among GDM and NGT cohorts. even if immigrant and Italian women gained similar pregnancy outcomes, immigrant women showed lower adherence to the prudent diet at the time of GDM screening. An ethnic and tailored meal plan is needed to overcome cultural barriers in dietary recommendations during pregnancy in immigrant women.

Artificial Thermal Decay: Influence of Mineralogy and Microstructure of Sandstone, Calcarenite and Marble

Within a major framework of studies around artificial weathering and its effects on different lithotypes, in this work we study the effects of thermal stresses after artificial thermal decay on different types of stones used in historical buildings: a sandstone, a calcarenite and a marble. The sandstone belongs to the so called “Macigno” Formation and mainly outcrops along the northern Apennine (North Western Tuscany) and it has been widely used around Tuscany for building purposes (e.g., in Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia, etc.); the analysed calcarenite (Gravina) comes from the surrounding of Matera Town and has been deeply used for the construction of the ancient buildings of the town itself; and the marble comes from the Carrara marble district (Northern Tuscany), a highly used stone throughout the centuries as ornamental stone. All these types of stone for their physical and mechanical properties, and aesthetic appearance, have been extensively used as both ornamental stones and as construction materials. To reproduce a plausible effect of natural thermal decay of the stones due to day-to-night and season-to-season fluctuations, we subjected the samples to artificial thermal decay. We carried out different thermal cycles on the samples by using a stove at 150°C and a muffle furnace at 300°C and 450°C. We analysed the physical and mechanical properties before and after each cycle to compare and evaluate the effects of thermal stresses on the stones. Among the different analyses: mass and volume measurements, water absorption tests, mercury intrusion porosimetry, thin-section observations and determination of chromatic alterations through image analysis and Munsell charts method. It was then possible to evaluate the influence of both mineralogy and microstructures on thermal decay of the studied stones (variations in fabric and modifications on physical and mechanical properties).

Carbonate aquifers threatened by legacy mining: hydrodynamics, hydrochemistry, and water isotopes integrated approach for spring water management

Carbonate aquifers represent an essential source of water supply worldwide, although they generally have a high intrinsic vulnerability. This results in an elevated risk of groundwater contamination and for human health in case of hazardous anthropic activities such as mining. Hence, for addressing the pollution issues of these strategic groundwater resources, and planning their optimal management as well, detailed surveys based on a comprehensive approach are required. This work concerns the issues tied to the coexistence of abandoned mining activities and valuable groundwater. It provides the case of a past-mining district on the Apuan Alps (northwestern Tuscany, Italy) where the local carbonate aquifers host abundant groundwater resources threatened by acid mine drainages and thallium-contaminated surface waters. The research focuses on three important springs, among which only one is tapped for drinking use. The main goal was to investigate the origin and hydrochemical evolution of groundwater and to evaluate their possible interactions with sources of potentially toxic elements. From September 2017 to December 2018 we performed nine sampling fields on contaminated stream and spring waters, as well as chemical (major and trace elements) and isotopic analysis (δ18O and δ2H), in addition to continuative monitoring of hydrologic-physical–chemical parameters. We also periodically sampled four low-yield springs located in the studied catchment in order to characterize the isotopic signal of the infiltration water and identify the main recharge areas of groundwater systems. We recognize two different groundwater flow systems feeding the main springs. The first one, drained by the two not-tapped springs, is shallower, as evidenced by the over-time evolution of water temperature, electrical conductivity, and isotopic signatures. The Tl concentration and its variability during the study period, which follows the pattern showed by the stream, indicates the likely hydraulic connectivity between the stream and these springs. The second system, feeding the captured spring, is wider and deeper than the former and is characterized by longer residence times. The higher temperature and electrical conductivity, along with the constant O–H isotopic composition, support such a hypothesis. The chemical evolution of the springs starts from a pure Ca-HCO3 end-member, therefore evolving into two different chemical types. On one side, because of the hydraulic connection between the contaminated stream water and the shallower groundwater flow system, significant concentrations SO4, Tl and other potentially toxic elements occur in the not-tapped springs, compromising their quality. On the other hand, the deepening of the flow component drained by the tapped Ca-SO4(HCO3) spring may lead to the dissolution of gypsum/anhydrite layers, thus producing water enriched in SO4 and Sr, although Tl and other potentially toxic elements present very low concentrations. Therefore, the groundwater system feeding this spring appears to be protected from contamination events linked to the Tl-polluted stream water. Moreover, we assessed a very similar recharge average altitude for the two groundwater flow systems, ranging from about 350 m to 450 m a.s.L. In this sector of the catchment, some dismissed mines develop, thus representing a potential source of potentially toxic elements not only through surface acid drainages but also via direct underground transfer. The obtained results highlight the importance of an integrated approach for understanding in detail the groundwater dynamics in complex carbonate aquifers threatened by legacy mining.

The Source Materials for Lime Production in the Monte Pisano Area (NW Tuscany, Italy)

In the Monte Pisano area (north-western Tuscany, Italy) several limestones outcrop and some of them are carbonate-rich rocks that were used for air-hardening lime or hydraulic lime production. Since Roman times, carbonate rocks outcropping in the Monte Pisano area have been used for that purpose. Monte Pisano is a mountainous system of modest size that is part of the Tuscan Apennine, located in the north-western part of Tuscany, and it separates the two cities of Pisa and Lucca. As an obvious consequence of the presence of good source rocks useful for the production of lime, in the surroundings of Monte Pisano there was a great use of carbonate rocks for the production of aerial lime and hydraulic lime. In fact, the monumental buildings in the Middle Ages were built making extensive use of binding materials obtained by firing rocks belonging to formations of the Tuscan metamorphic sequence: the Monte Pisano marble and the Selciferous Limestone. Several famous monuments in Pisa’s Miracle Square and in Lucca’s historical centre were built by using air-hardening lime and hydraulic lime obtained by firing these rocks. The aim of this work is to characterize samples from the Monte Pisano quarries, where the aforementioned carbonate-rich stones were quarried to produce air-hardening lime and hydraulic lime, by mean of chemical, mineralogical and petrographic studies and by determining their physical and mechanical properties. These same properties will also be determined on handmade mortar samples made up of self-produced binders and normalised sand to evaluate the best uses, and the optimum time and temperature of stone firing.

Population size and density in two European pond turtle populations of central Italy

Abstract Two populations of the European pond turtle were studied employing capture, marking and recapture (CMR) techniques to determine population density and abundance in natural and protected areas within the Regional Natural park Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli in north western Tuscany, Italy. The results indicated strong sexual size dimorphism in both populations, with males smaller than females. In one area Emys orbicularis was in general smaller in size with a very low reproductive rate (three out of 25 adult females were gravid), which contrasted with a second population where 20 out of 42 females were gravid. Population estimates indicated 79 turtles were present in the first area (0.34 ha) and 61 turtles in the second area (0.58 ha), giving an overall density estimate of 183.6 turtles/ha and 146.7 turtles/ha respectively. Whilst our results are similar to those found in other areas of Europe, they diverge from other regions, suggesting that sampling and monitoring techniques should be standardized to obtain comparable data that will enable conservation and protection measures to be recommended.

STRATIGRAFIA E SEDIMENTOLOGIA DEI "CALCARI E MARNE A &lt;em&gt;RHAETAVICULA CONTORTA&lt;/em&gt; AUCTT. (NORICO-RETICO) DELLA TOSCANA NORD-OCCIDENTALE - NUOVA SUDDIVISIONE FORMAZIONALE

Nine sections from the "Limestones and marls with Rhaetavicula contorta" Auctt. (Norian-Rhaetian) of the Tuscan Nappe in eastern Liguria and northwestern Tuscany, have been examined for their stratigraphic and sedimentological characteristics. The results obtained have been integrated with data pertaining to the previously studied Pania di Corfino section.&#x0D; Two formations were identified and studied in detail: that of Pania di Corfino and that of La Spezia.&#x0D; Where present, the Pania di Corfino Formation accounts for the lower portion of the sections. It consists mainly of thick beds and massive layers of dolomites, dolomitic limestones and limestones. Thinly-bedded dark limestones appear less frequently, while layers rich in clay are rare. The top of the formation is surely of Rhaetian age, in some sections, as indicated by the presence of Triasina hantkeni Majzon; in the others, it is Norian-Rhaetian. The age of the bottom portion can be regarded as Norian-Rhaetian in all the sections; the presence of considerably thick deposits beneath the established Rhaetian layers in some sections, however, suggests an Early Rhaetian or even Late Norian age.&#x0D; The depositional environment of the Pania di Corfino Formation may be envisaged as an epicontinental carbonate platform with predominantly restricted water circulation on which fine carbonate sediments are deposited beneath the wave base; features suggesting a tidal flat are rare. The environment of deposition was, for brief periods only, that of a platform with open circulation in which the effects of wave-motion were prominent; features strictly relatable to a true platform edge have not been found.

Marble Slurry’s Impact on Groundwater: The Case Study of the Apuan Alps Karst Aquifers

Modern sawing techniques employed in ornamental stones’ exploitation produce large amounts of slurry that can be potentially diffused into the environment by runoff water. Slurry produced by limestone and marble quarrying can impact local karst aquifers, negatively affecting the groundwater quality and generating a remarkable environmental and economic damage. A very representative case-study is that of the Apuan Alps (north-western Tuscany, Italy) because of the intensive marble quarrying activity. The Apuan Alps region extends over about 650 km2; it hosts several quarries, known all over the world for the quality of the marble extracted, and a karst aquifer producing about 70,000 m3/day of high-quality water used directly for domestic purposes almost without treatments. In addition, Apuan Alps are an extraordinary area of natural and cultural heritage hosting many caves (about 1200), karst springs and geosites of international and national interest. During intense rain events, carbonate slurry systematically reaches the karst springs, making them temporarily unsuitable for domestic uses. In addition, the deterioration of the water quality threatens all the hypogean fauna living in the caves. This paper provides preliminary insights of the hydrological and biological indicators that can offer information about the impact of the marble quarrying activities on groundwater resources, karst habitats and their biodiversity.

Influence of Topographic Resolution and Accuracy on Hydraulic Channel Flow Simulations: Case Study of the Versilia River (Italy)

The Versilia plain, a well-known and populated tourist area in northwestern Tuscany, is historically subject to floods. The last hydrogeological disaster of 1996 resulted in 13 deaths and in loss worth hundreds of millions of euros. A valid management of the hydraulic and flooding risks of this territory is therefore mandatory. A 7.5 km-long stretch of the Versilia River was simulated in one-dimension using river cross-sections with the FLO-2D Basic model. Simulations of the channel flow and of its maximum flow rate under different input conditions highlight the key role of topography: uncertainties in the topography introduce much larger errors than the uncertainties in roughness. The best digital elevation model (DEM) available for the area, a 1-m light detection and ranging (LiDAR) DEM dating back to 2008–2010, does not reveal all the hydraulic structures (e.g., the 40 cm thick embankment walls), lowering the maximum flow rate to only 150 m3/s, much lower than the expected value of 400 m3/s. In order to improve the already existing input topography, three different possibilities were considered: (1) to add the embankment walls to the LiDAR data with a targeted Differential GPS (DGPS) survey, (2) to acquire the cross section profiles necessary for simulation with a targeted DGPS survey, and (3) to achieve a very high resolution topography using structure from motion techniques (SfM) from images acquired using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The simulations based on all these options deliver maximum flow rates in agreement with estimated values. Resampling of the 10 cm cell size SfM-DSM allowed us to investigate the influence of topographic resolution on hydraulic channel flow, demonstrating that a change in the resolution from 30 to 50 cm alone introduced a 10% loss in the maximum flow rate. UAV-SfM-derived DEMs are low cost, relatively fast, very accurate, and they allow for the monitoring of the channel morphology variations in real time and to keep the hydraulic models updated, thus providing an excellent tool for managing hydraulic and flooding risks.

A long-term study of a snake community in north-western Tuscany (central Italy): population structure and density patterns

We analysed a snake species community of a Mediterranean 0.2 ha ecotonal area during a 21 year time span, monitoring two colubrid and one viperid snake species. We carried out analyses in seven years (1997, 1999, 2002, 2004–2005, 2016–2017) that had similar sampling efforts and, in the last two years of short-term monitoring, we applied a recently proposed monitoring protocol of the Italian Environment Ministry. In total, we captured 172 distinct individuals, 61 whip snakes (Hierophisviridiflavus), 26 barred grass snakes (Natrixhelvetica) and 85 asp vipers (Viperaaspis). Regarding the long-term monitoring period, whip snakes were captured on average about nine times per year, grass snakes were captured four times per year and asp vipers were found 12 times per year. Captures decreased in whip snakes, while increased in grass snakes and remained constant in asp vipers. In 2016 and 2017, we captured 10 whip snakes, 19 grass snakes and 31 asp vipers. Density estimates of snake species (0.5 H.viridiflavus/ha, 0.3 N.helvetica/ha and 0.7 V.aspis/ha) differ, to a certain extent, from published results for some other areas of central, northern and western Europe, perhaps depending on the approach applied for habitat suitability estimation. The average body size between two years differed neither for whip snakes nor for grass snakes, but it decreased significantly in asp vipers.

The female ancestor's tale: Long-term matrilineal continuity in a nonisolated region of Tuscany.

With the advent of ancient DNA analyses, it has been possible to disentangle the contribution of ancient populations to the genetic pool of the modern inhabitants of many regions. Reconstructing the maternal ancestry has often highlighted genetic continuity over several millennia, but almost always in isolated areas. Here we analyze North-western Tuscany, a region that was a corridor of exchanges between Central Italy and the Western Mediterranean coast. We newly obtained mitochondrial HVRI sequences from 28 individuals, and after gathering published data, we collected genetic information for 119 individuals from the region. Those span five periods during the last 5,000 years: Prehistory, Etruscan age, Roman age, Renaissance, and Present-day. We used serial coalescent simulations in an approximate Bayesian computation framework to test for continuity between the mentioned groups. Our analyses always favor continuity over discontinuity for all groups considered, with the Etruscans being part of the genealogy. Moreover, the posterior distributions of the parameters support very small female effective population sizes. The observed signals of long-term genetic continuity and isolation are in contrast with the history of the region, conquered several times (Etruscans, Romans, Lombards, and French). While the Etruscans appear as a local population, intermediate between the prehistoric and the other samples, we suggest that the other conquerors-arriving from far-had a consistent social or sex bias, hence only marginally affecting the maternal lineages. At the same time, our results show that long-term genealogical continuity is not necessarily linked to geographical isolation.

Comparison between direct measurements and indirect estimations of hydraulic conductivity for slope deposits of the North-Western Tuscany, Italy

Comparison between direct measurements and indirect estimations of hydraulic conductivity for slope deposits of the North-Western Tuscany, Italy

The influence of geological–morphological and land use settings on shallow landslides in the Pogliaschina T. basin (northern Apennines, Italy)

ABSTRACTOn 25 October 2011, the eastern Liguria (Vara Valley and Cinque Terre area) and northwestern Tuscany (Magra Valley) were affected by an extreme rainstorm (almost 600 mm/24 h) that caused floods, thousands of shallow landslides, 13 casualties and damage to villages and infrastructure. This study aims at analysing the main features of the 25 October 2011 shallow landslides occurred in the Pogliaschina Torrent basin (25 km2 wide, Vara Valley), in order to investigate the influence of specific predisposing factors (land use, geological and structural setting, plan and profile curvature, slope angle and aspect) on landslide occurrence. For this purpose, both a landslide inventory map and a geology map (scale 1:10,000) were prepared. In addition, a database including the main geological, geomorphological, structural and land use features of the landslide source areas was implemented. The relationship between landslide source areas and the main predisposing factors was evaluated through spatial and statistical analysis.

Hydrogeological and geochemical overview of the karst aquifers in the Apuan Alps (Northwestern Tuscany, Italy)

Apuan Alps, in north-western Tuscany (Italy), have a very complex geological structure. For this reason karst springs show very different behaviours according to the geological setting of aquifer systems. More than 80 springs are fed by carbonate aquifers; flow rates (Q) range from 10 to 1600 L/s, in average, temperatures range from 8 to 15 °C. Deep and very slow groundwater flow feed some low-thermal springs (20-30 °C). Major karst springs (Q &gt; 100 L/s) are concentrated in two altimetry ranges, one from 200 to 300 m a.s.l. in the seaward side (SW-NW) and a second one from 500 to 600 m a.s.l. on the inner (NE-SE) side of the mountain range. Most of the springs are the final destination of large karst systems developed in meta-dolomite and marbles characterized by a very rapid flow. Some springs have a regular regime and are fed by bathyphreatic systems in metamorphic rocks or by carbonate aquifers with a major contribution of fissured drainage in non-metamorphic rocks. Large physical-chemical variations, both in space and time, are observed as a consequence of lithological heterogeneity, mixing processes and hydrodynamic conditions. Most waters are of the Ca-HCO3 type, but Ca-SO4 and Na-Cl facies are also present. A wide range of electrical conductivity is recorded, with values between 0.1 μS/cm and 10 μS/cm. Significant differences in the average isotopic signature (e.g. δ18O from -5.5 to -8.5‰) of the “base-flow” are registered due to the variability of hydrogeological basins dimension and their distribution in terms of altitude range and side. In some cases, springs with similar chemical features and located close to each other, point out very different isotopes signature, thus highlighting complicated flow path of groundwater. Furthermore, different seasonal evolutions of isotopic signatures are registered.

Assessing shallow landslide susceptibility by using the SHALSTAB model in Eastern Liguria (Italy)

On 25 October 2011 a heavy rainstorm hit Eastern Liguria (Vara Valley and Cinque Terre) and North-western Tuscany (Magra Valley), causing floods and hundreds of shallow landslides.This study aims at assessing the shallow landslide susceptibility using the physically based model SHALSTAB (Shallow Landslide Stability Model) in the Pogliaschina Torrent basin (Vara Valley). The susceptibility map elaborated with SHALSTAB was compared with the landslide inventory map, which confirmed the good performance of this model for the study area.The implementation of the SHALSTAB model provided a preliminary shallow landslide susceptibility map of the Pogliaschina T. basin and quite promising results on the shallow landslide spatial prediction.