Sardinia Research Articles

Variability of beetle assemblages in Mediterranean cork oak woodlands: does the higher taxa approach reliably characterize a specific response to grazing?

Studying macroarthropod community responses to different land uses is particularly interesting in agroforestry for the conservation of Mediterranean landscapes, which need to be managed in terms of ecological and functional sustainability. Because of the sensitivity of many taxa to human impacts, we assessed the response of beetle assemblages at low taxonomic resolution (i.e. family level) to grazing in Mediterranean cork oak woodlands in northern Sardinia (Italy). Scarab assemblages were also analysed at the species level because of their ecological role in grazed areas. Cork oak woodland descriptors were also recorded in order to relate beetle assemblages to the forest structure. Over the entire sampling period, 4550 beetles belonging to 47 families were captured using pitfall traps. Multivariate analyses performed on ground-dwelling beetle data showed a distinct separation in terms of assemblages between grazed and ungrazed sites. The average diameter of cork oak trees and the degree of shrub cover were significantly linked to the beetle family assemblages. Constrained multivariate analyses indicated the significance of grazing, by both large and small domestic herbivores, and altitude, as variables determining the pattern of scarab beetle assemblages. Mantel test showed a significant correlation between the beetle and scarab dissimilarity matrices indicating a similar pattern for the two levels of identification. Our results show the predictive power of beetles at the family taxonomic level, as well as scarab beetles at the species level. These turned out to be valuable indicators in biomonitoring programmes in Mediterranean cork oak woodlands in order to increase the resilience of cork oak agroforestry systems under future global change scenarios.

The effect of disease burden on the speed of aging: an analysis of the Sardinian mortality transition

According to the constant senescence hypothesis, senescence cannot be accelerated or decelerated by exogenous factors. Two contrasting theories have been proposed in the literature. According to the inflammaging theory, those individuals who have experienced a higher antigenic load will experience more rapid senescence. Instead, the calorie restriction theory stresses that excessive daily calorie intake can produce an acceleration in senescence.To test these theories, this paper analyzes the evolution of the rate of aging in Sardinia (Italy). In this population, the epidemiological transition started without any substantial modification in nutritional levels. This allows us to test the constant senescence hypothesis against the inflammaging theory, without the possible confounding effect produced by the nutrition transition.To accomplish this aim, the longitudinal life tables from 80 years onwards for Sardinian cohorts born between 1866 and 1908 were reconstituted. They were then used to estimate the rate of aging by means of the Gamma-Gompertz model. Coherently with the inflammaging theory, the results show that the Sardinian population experienced a dramatic decrease in the rate of aging that coincided with the onset of the epidemiological transition.

Temporal and geographical variations of mercury and selenium in eggs of Larus michahellis and Larus audouinii from central Mediterranean islands

ABSTRACTIn this study, we determined mercury and selenium levels in abandoned unhatched eggs of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) and Audouin’s gull (Larus audouinii) collected during 2004–2005 from the Tuscan archipelago and Sardinia (Italy). The different feeding habits of the two species probably determine the different uptakes of trace elements, as the study shows highly significant differences for selenium and mercury levels as well as shell thickness and Hg:Se molar ratio values. Audouin’s gulls nesting on the coasts of the Tuscan archipelago showed significantly higher selenium levels than did gulls from colonies from the islands around Sardinia. Comparisons with a similar investigation previously conducted in the same area suggested that mercury and selenium concentrations, although in line with reports in the literature, were significantly lower than levels encountered in gulls in the early 1980s. Mercury (mg/kg d.w.) dropped from 8.631 to 5.030 in Audouin’s gulls and from 2.509 to 0.828 in yellow-legged gulls. The regional decline in mercury levels following reduced use of the metal in industry and the probable food depletion effects linked to the overfishing of fish prey of these two gull species are discussed as hypotheses that could explain the decrease in mercury levels found in eggs.

Combining water supply and flood control purposes in the Coghinas Basin (Sardinia, Italy)

ABSTRACTThe increased level of impact on life and infrastructure and the environment caused by flooding in Sardinia (Italy) has resulted in the need for the Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP). The FRMP has been developed by Sardinian Region Administration that selected the Coghinas Basin (North Sardinia) as a pilot basin in according with the EU and National legislation. Recently, the European Flood Directive 2007/60/CE has stated that the flood-risk evaluation should include a cost–benefit analysis and an integrated decision-making tool should help optimize operating rules for multipurpose reservoirs, primarily with regard to the mitigation of flood risks and high priority demand supplies, and selected flood control works. The main purpose of this study was to develop an integrated flood management model to predict flood inundation in the flood-prone areas for various probabilities of occurrence, identify the flood operating rules in a multipurpose reservoir which accomplish a reduction in flood risk, and assess the total damage due to flooding. The FRMP is currently assessing the impacts of new reservoir operating rules reservoir and new works for flood damage mitigation. Based on a calibrated benefit–cost analysis, the proposed model suggested the best scenario of reservoir operating rules and flood control works with a significant saving of money compared to the actual scenario in the FRMP.

Sardinia: Mycovisions from a Charming Land

Sardinia: Mycovisions from a Charming Land

Autonomy and rebirth. Velio Spano and Renzo Laconi in Sardinia after World War II

Autonomy and rebirth. Velio Spano and Renzo Laconi in Sardinia after World War II

Minor Structures for the Improvement of Wave Disturbance in a Small Harbor

A very important aspect in the planning, design, and maintenance of a harbor is to determine the response of the harbor basin to incident waves. The Saras harbor in South Sardinia (Italy) has been experiencing significant wave disturbance that affects the safety of mooring and operational activities. In the framework of a large research, this paper summarises a comprehensive description of new energy absorbing structures that can be seen as an efficient alternative to more traditional structures when limited by economic or technical constraints. Specifically, the paper presents the results of a graphical preliminary approach and a numerical modelling that solves the enhanced Boussinesq equations in two horizontal dimensions.

From Plastic Waste to Building Material: Mechanical Properties of Recycled Thermoplastic Timber

The present paper illustrates the mechanical properties of a new structural product called Recycled Thermoplastic Timber (RTT), manufactured in Sardinia (Italy) and made of recycled plastics. The preliminary results of an experimental campaign aimed at assessing the main mechanical and physical properties of RTT are presented and discussed. Unreinforced and steel-reinforced thermoplastic timber profiles have been tested in laboratory and some mechanical and physical properties have been evaluated also varying the climatic conditions. Furthermore, weathering properties have been checked by testing the resistance to freezing and thawing. In light of the results since now achieved the prospect of using RTT as an eco-friendly alternative to wood and other building materials is discussed.

FIRST REPORT OF TOMATO INFECTIOUS CHLOROSIS VIRUS IN GLOBE ARTICHOKE ECOTYPES IN APULIA, SOUTHERN ITALY

Apulia (southern Italy) hosts a rich variety of globe artichoke ecotypes of high interest for breeding programs and industrial production. Most of the ecotypes are at risk of genetic erosion because of the high incidence of plant pathogens, which include infections from taxonomically different viruses. In the early autumn of 2014 and 2016 five samples were collected from each of the early-flowering ecotypes, Brindisino, Carciofo di Lucera, Francesina di Brindisi, Francesina di Trinitapoli, Locale di Mola, Nero di Ostuni, Tricasino, Troianella, Verde di Putignano, Violetto di Putignano and the late-flowering ecotypes Bianco di Taranto and Locale di Mola tardivo, and tested for viral infections by dot blot hybridization with Dig-labeled DNA probes and RT-PCR (Minutillo et al., 2012). In the five samples of the ecotypes Verde di Putignano, Violetto di Putignano, Nero di Ostuni and Troianella the hybridization signal revealed the presence of tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) that in the ecotype Troianella was in mixed infection with artichoke Italian latent virus and turnip mosaic virus. TICV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR with TICV-specific primer pair for 5'- TCAGTGCGTACGTTAATGGG-3' and rev 5'-CACAGTATACAGCAGCGGCAG-3' (Minutillo et al. 2012). Amplicons from the ecotypes Verde di Putignano and Troianella were sequenced. Nucleotide sequence analyses revealed 99% identity with a TICV isolate from USA (accession No. FJ542306). Previous surveys detected TICV in globe artichoke in Liguria, Sardinia, Latium, Campania and Sicily but this is the first report of TICV in artichoke in Apulia and in the ecotypes Verde di Putignano, Violetto di Putignano, Nero di Ostuni and Troianella. Artichoke plants infected by TICV did not show symptoms and thus may act as perennial TICV reservoirs.

Mapping wildfire vulnerability in Mediterranean Europe. Testing a stepwise approach for operational purposes

Vulnerability assessment is a vital component of wildfire management. This research focused on the development of a framework to measure and map vulnerability levels in several areas within Mediterranean Europe, where wildfires are a major concern. The framework followed a stepwise approach to evaluate its main components, expressed by exposure, sensitivity and coping capacity. Data on population density, fuel types, protected areas location, roads infrastructure and surveillance activities, among others, were integrated to create composite indices, representing each component and articulated in multiple dimensions. Maps were created for several test areas, in northwest Portugal, southwest Sardinia in Italy and northeast Corsica in France, with the contribution of local participants from civil protection institutions and forest services. Results showed the influence of fuel sensitivity levels, population distribution and protected areas coverage for the overall vulnerability classes. Reasonable levels of accuracy were found on the maps provided through the validation procedure, with an overall match above 72% for the several sites.The systematic and flexible approach applied allowed for adjustments to local circumstances with regards to data availability and fire management procedures, without compromising its consistency and with substantial operational capabilities. The results obtained and the positive feedback of end-users encourage its further application, as a means to improve wildfire management strategies at multiple levels with the latest scientific outputs.

Investigating alternative methods for enhancing the establishment of the zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) in greenhouse tomato crops

The zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Heteroptera: Miridae) is an effective natural enemy of some major pests of tomatoes in the Mediterranean region. In this area the colonization of protected tomato crops by this biocontrol agent may be hampered by the application of measures aimed at avoiding the transmission to tomato plants of insect-vectored diseases (e.g. TYLCD). Furthermore, various factors, such as the scarce availability of preys on crop plants and the severe deleafing of tomato plants, may affect the population build-up of artificially introduced predatory mirids. Since these natural antagonists have become commercially available in Europe, several methods have been explored to enhance their establishment on greenhouse tomatoes. This work reports the results of experiments carried out to investigate the effects of different release methods on the establishment of N. tenuis in commercial greenhouse tomato crops grown in southern Sardinia (Italy). The techniques tested can be summarized as follows: a) release of mirids before transplanting; b) introduction into release points covered by non-woven films; c) introduction into uncovered feeding points; d) traditional release method. N. tenuis was introduced at a rate of 0.8 individuals per stem grown (2.4-3.2 mirids plant-1) in crops planted during late summer. All methods except the traditional one envisaged the distribution of 0.01 g plant-1 of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs, supplied three times at two-week intervals, as an alternative food source. Two months after planting, pre-plant release and the introduction into covered or uncovered release points allowed the predatory mirid to reach significantly higher densities in comparison with the traditional release method. Under the conditions tested, the anticipation of release and the supply of an artificial food source appear to be decisive factors for enhancing the establishment of N. tenuis in greenhouse tomato crops.

IDENTIFICATION OF GRAPEVINE PINOT GRIS VIRUS IN SARDINIA AND LAZIO (SOUTH AND CENTRAL ITALY)

Grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV) was identified in several grapevine cultivars, particularly in cv 'Vermentino' showing leaf mottling and deformation, in the Sardinia and Lazio regions of Italy. The majority of GPGV-infected cultivars were asymptomatic but the virus was not detected in samples from vineyards older than 10 years and/or planted with local cultivars, confirming the recent introduction of the virus in these two regions likely through the distribution and use of infected propagation material. Similar to reports from other regions, the high incidence of GPGV in asymptomatic vines is creating challenges with regard to control.

I Vandali: isolazionismo integralista o logica imprenditoriale? Riflessioni sul Mediterraneo di V-VI secolo

The paper aims to focus some of the main features of the economic management of the Vandal Kingdom, from Africa to Sardinia. By beginning from the awareness of the modern historians to reconsider the Vandals peculiarities, and the interpretation of the ancient sources not damaged by a compromised historical perspective, the paper tries to enlight the business implications of the political economy pursued by the Vandals, from their aggressive maritime policy to the role of coinage and products like the African Red Slip Wares and the amphorae in their trade system.

The future (?) of effective protection

This paper aims at a comparative reading of some archaeological remains in the island of Sardinia, starting from a reflection on the UNESCO discipline, which introduces a hierarchy of cultural heritage based on the level of worthiness of protection and provides enhanced protection for the goods that are on its list. The main goal of the study is to investigate in parallel the application of this ‘selective appreciation’ on the actual context of the protection of the so-called ‘real cultural heritage’ (article 9 of the Italian Constitution). The study proceeds by comparing some important sites on the island having similar contextualization, but different strategies for protection: the Archaeological Park of Porto Torres, Su Nuraxi in Barumini, registered since 1997 in the World Heritage List of UNESCO, and the archaeological area of Neapolis (Oristano). From comparisons and analysis carried out in selected areas it was possible to focus attention on some critical aspects of the UNESCO rules and on contradictions between the operational guidelines and the objectives that the organization provides for the protection of property. In the wake of new reforms for the reorganization of the Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Tourism, the critical issues discussed in this paper appear even more evident in Sardinia. The idea of a ‘protection of the exceptional’ appears to reduce the opportunities of intervention, by isolating the evidence from its context and making the action of protection inadequate for the territory and for the same items contained therein.

EARLY MIOCENE INSULAR VERTEBRATES FROM LAERRU (SARDINIA, ITALY): PRELIMINARY NOTE

A new vertebrate assemblage was discovered in an Early Miocene lacustrine deposit near the village of Laerru (northern Sardinia, Italy). The assemblage is composed by mammals, reptiles and a bird. The mammals are represented by three ruminants (cf. Sardomeryx oschiriensis , Pecora indet. small size and Pecora indet. very small size) and one dormouse ( Peridyromys aff. murinus ) while reptiles are represented by turtles (Trionychidae?) and crocodiles (cf. Diplocynodon sp.). A bird bone fragment is also reported and referred to Palaeortyx cf. brevipes (Galliformes). The assemblage can be related to the “Oschiri fauna”, one of the oldest endemic insular fauna known in the Mediterranean. The age of the Laerru vertebrates is early-middle Burdigalian, between 18.8 and 18.3 Ma, corresponding to the mammal unit of the main land MN3. The predominance of ruminants confirms the good capacity of these mammals to colonize insular environments.

Documentazione e ricostruzione 3D di un menhir inedito rinvenuto in località “Sa Perda Fitta”, Sant’Anna Arresi (Sardegna sud-occidentale)

The authors illustrate the documentation process of a menhir not recorded in earlier studies, which was fortuitously discovered in Sa Perda Fitta, in the western landscape of Sant’Anna Arresi, a small municipality of Sulcis (south-western Sardinia). This area was the subject of a detailed study by the Authors for their PhD dissertation at the Universidad de Granada, whose purpose was the detection and analysis of settlement patterns of human communities from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. This territory, bounded on the East by the Sulcis massif and on the West by the Gulf of Palmas, is characterized by the presence of coastal ponds which have fostered the presence and the settlement of human groups since the Neolithic. The place name Sa Perda Fitta (in the Sardinian language ‘stone fixed into the ground’) has aroused a great deal of interest as it suggests the presence of at least one menhir, a widespread prehistoric monument on the island from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic age. Morphology and typology of the monument was examined and a 3D model created by the photogrammetric processing of a digital photo dataset using Agisoft Photoscan 3D Pro, an automatic 3D reconstruction Structure from Motion (SfM) based software offering a significant and innovative contribution to the recording and dissemination of archaeological data.

The Nora Virtual Tour: an immersive visit in the ancient city

The ancient city of Nora was a Phoenician, Punic and Roman settlement rising on a peninsula in the south-western coast of Sardinia. Since 1990, the University of Padova has been carrying on an interdisciplinary research project of excavation, architectural analysis, historical reconstruction and cultural promotion of tourism in this site. The excavations allow us to increase our knowledge of Middle Imperial Roman urban planning and to get a better understanding of the whole city and its history; the restoration of excavated monuments using gravels with different colours helps more than 60,000 tourists every year to recognize the function of different areas. In spite of this, visitors experience difficulty in understanding a landscape of ruins with barely visible evidence. Thus, a complete virtual reconstruction of the ancient city has become essential. 3D models of the Phoenician and Roman settlement have been developed, reshaping archaeological plans produced in 25 years by Universities that work in the site. The main monuments of the Roman city and the major crossroads have been rendered in greater detail, using sample-based textures that give a photorealistic effect and implementing the models with furniture and decorations selected through reliable sources of information. 3D reconstructions are now available for tourist groups led by a guide in the Nora Virtual Tour: stereoscopic images have been rendered and uploaded in an app for mobile headsets that provides immersive virtual reality for the users. The guide controls the devices with a tablet using a Bluetooth connection: at the beginning of the visit, the tourists can view equirectangular panoramas of the ruins taken from a helicopter, then they are accompanied to hot-spots where the ancient monuments are shown in an evocative Roman reconstruction.

Sardinia to the movies between the island and the mainland Film adaptation and narrative elements in L'edera of the writer Grazia Deledda

italianoL'autrice Grazia Deledda, firma tra le piu autorevoli del panorama letterario sardo, ha da sempre ispirato l'ambiente audiovisivo, cinematografico e televisivo, con alcune delle sue opere piu famose. L'edera (1908) e l'esempio perfetto per descrivere in che maniera gli autori continentali si siano immersi nelle sue pagine, scoprendo in che maniera abbiano riadattato, anche se sarebbe piu giusto scrivere re-inventato, la scena isolana e le sue tradizioni che da sempre li avevano affascinati. Augusto Genina e Giuseppe Fina, autori rispettivamente di due elaborati trasmessi al pubblico nel 1950 e nel 1974, hanno svolto un lavoro che va ben al di la della semplice rilettura del testo scritto, attuando un processo che per molti versi si puo definire pedagogico nei confronti di un pubblico che negli Sessanta e Settanta stava iniziando a scoprire la Sardegna non piu solamente come meta turistica. EnglishThe sardinian author Grazia Deledda, one of the most important italian writer of the century, inspired the world of cinema and television many times during her career. One of her most celebrated work, L'edera (1908) was adapted by two italian directors, Augusto Genina and Giuseppe Fina, who acted the novel almost fifty years on. Theese directors have done a lot more than just a simple adaptation because in their works you can read the story of a lost island, its tradictions especially in a time when audience was changing his mentality and way to comment a movie.

Morphological study of a mummified heart dated back to 1829: preliminary results

In May 2016, a cylindrical lead container was found in the chapel of the Seminary of Sassari. Based on the archive documents, the cylinder should have contained the heart of Tommaso Arnosio, Archbishop of Torres and Primate of Sardinia and Corsica from 1822 to 1829, who died in 1829 at 54 years, in Turin, his home city. The Archbishop died in the midst of the most atrocious sorrows caused by a large purulent pocket near the heart. After the autopsy and according to his will, the heart was shipped to Sassari, where the heart was buried in the chapel of the Seminary and forgotten for about 186 years. After the discovery, the container was brought for study to our CSAPS laboratory of the Department of Biomedical Sciences. A multidisciplinary team of experts hypothesized as cause of death a suppurative pleuritis or a para-cardiac lung abscess. To verify this hypothesis the cylinder was opened in a laminar flow hood, avoiding any contamination, and a mummified organ immersed in cotton wadding was found. The organ, typically heart shaped, appeared 13 x 9 cm sized, with a thickness of 1.5 cm, a weight of 80.5 g, a dark brown colour and a hard consistency. Few fragments of tissue were collected for analysis; then the organ, closed in the lead container, was returned to the chapel of the seminary. Histological analysis required a rehydration using the Sandison Solution (1); the samples were treated for light microscopy and stained with HE, PAS and Gram’s method. The first results have shown a morphology of cardiac and pericardial tissues partially preserved, and the banding and the intercalated disks appeared just in small portions. The Gram’s method was negative till now. Further histological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and, molecular investigations are in progress.

UPPER PLEISTOCENE MAMMAL ASSEMBLAGE FROM SU CONCALI QUARRY (SAMATZAI, SOUTHERN SARDINIA, ITALY)

A mammal assemblage discovered in a fissure filling located in a quarry near the village of Samatzai (Campidano, southern Sardinia, Italy) is described herein. The following taxa are reported: Microtus ( Tyrrhenicola ) henseli , Rhagamys orthodon , Prolagus sardus , Asoriculus sp., Cynotherium sardous and Praemegaceros ( Nesoleipoceros ) cazioti . The assemblage (“ Microtus ( Tyrrhenicola )” Faunal Complex, Dragonara Faunal Subcomplex) infers a Late Pleistocene age and represents the richest deposit of Quaternary mammals reported in the central Campidano area.