Systems In Central Italy Research Articles

Assessing Mediterranean agroforestry systems: Agro-economic impacts of olive wild asparagus in central Italy

The intensification of Mediterranean farming systems has adversely affected the environment. As a result, climate change, soil and land degradation, and biodiversity loss have been exacerbated. A potential solution for addressing these challenges and enhancing farm sustainability is diversification, such as implementing agroforestry systems. Specific indicators are commonly used to evaluate the potential of diversification practices. However, agreement on a common set of assessment indicators is rarely reached. Moreover, the different biophysical and socio-economic conditions between regions make it difficult to adopt practices based on standardized assessments. This study aims at developing a practical methodology to assess the sustainability of Mediterranean agroforestry systems, using a three-dimensional evaluation concept for agro-environmental, economic and social performances. The steps in this study were, (i) define a set of relevant indicators and selection criteria, (ii) validate and select indicators through a participatory approach and (iii) apply the indicators to assess the performance of olive-wild asparagus agroforestry systems in central Italy. Expert opinions and stakeholders’ participation were found to play an important role in identifying relevant indicators for assessing farming systems. The results showed that intercropping wild asparagus within olive orchards provides agro-environmental benefits and economic profitability, but also causes a higher workload. With a land equivalent ratio above one, the agroforestry system is more productive and results in a 50% higher income than olive sole cropping. With similar management practices, both systems had a comparable energy use efficiency and pesticide load index value. However, the annual workload, during the full production phase, increases by 75% in the agroforestry system mainly due to manual labor required for asparagus harvest. Furthermore, the agroforestry system had better economic resilience (positive net present value) in the face of drops in crop prices and rising production costs by up to 15%, whereas olive sole cropping generated negative net present value if costs increased by 10% or prices fell by 5%.

Microbiological Safety and Quality of Meals and Work Surfaces in Collective Catering Systems in Central Italy: A Five-Year Monitoring Study.

Ready-to-eat (RTE) meals produced and served by the catering system still represent one of the major causes of foodborne outbreaks, especially for susceptible consumers. Despite the great progress in food hygiene and safety, the systematic monitoring of microbial contamination of foodstuff is the most effective tool to ensure food safety and protect consumers' health. The aim of this study was to perform a thorough assessment of the microbial safety and quality of meals and work surfaces of collective catering systems in central Italy, over a five-year period (2014-2018). In total 11,012 microbiological analytical determinations were performed in food matrices (80.1%) and environmental samples (19.9%). The results obtained show a low level of non-conformities ranging from 2.2% to 6.3% of total samples, concerning both hygiene and safety parameters. A decreasing trend of non-conformities during the years was also highlighted (p-value < 0.05), especially for environmental samples. This study suggests that the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and the proper definition of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, combined with a thorough evaluation of microbiological monitoring, are able to ensure high levels of food safety and hygiene.

Lithospheric double shear zone unveiled by microseismicity in a region of slow deformation

The deformation style of the continental lithosphere is a relevant issue for geodynamics and seismic hazard perspectives. Here we show the first evidence of two well-distinct low-angle and SW-dipping individual reverse shear zones of the Italian Outer Thrust System in Central Italy. One corresponds to the down-dip prosecution of the Adriatic Basal Thrust with its major splay and the other to a hidden independent structure, illuminated at a depth between 25 and 60 km, for an along-strike extent of ~ 150 km. Combining geological information with high-quality seismological data, we unveil this novel configuration and reconstruct a detailed 3D geometric and kinematic fault model of the compressional system, active at upper crust to upper mantle depths. In addition, we report evidence of coexisting deformation volumes undergoing well-distinguished stress fields at different lithospheric depths. These results provide fundamental constraints for a forthcoming discussion on the Apennine fold-and-thrust system's geodynamic context as a shallow subduction zone or an intra-continental lithosphere shear zone.

Pollen record of the Late Pleistocene-Holocene stratigraphic sequence and current plant biodiversity from Grotta Mora Cavorso (Simbruini Mountains, Central Italy).

Grotta Mora Cavorso (Jenne, Latium), a complex karstic system in Central Italy, has returned one of the most precious Prehistoric palaeontological and anthropological heritage. Through the analysis of pollen spectra and charcoals from cave stratigraphic levels (Late Pleistocene final phases-Holocene), the overall vegetation trend of the site was pointed out. Although taphonomy and palynology of cave deposits are complex, pollen assemblage represents a reliable source for inferring past vegetation; indeed, climatic, environmental, and cultural interactions determine fossil pollen record. Site formation processes and postdepositional bias should be generally considered in the analysis of stratigraphic sequences used to define paleoenvironmental conditions. The sediment deposits from Grotta Mora Cavorso showed a vegetation pattern point in out a progressive increase in woody plants from lower levels upward. Palynological investigations highlighted a changing environment predominantly characterized by cooler and perhaps more humid conditions than today, with plant subalpine and marsh communities nearby the cave. The ecological requirements of the identified plant taxa supplied useful indications to reconstruct ancient and modern environments of the Simbruini Mounts and the Upper Aniene River valley. This scenario, in accordance with previous faunistic and carpological findings and palynological analyses from Latium, provided a further perspective on the vegetation history, biodiversity, and climate of an important crossroads between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian coasts.

Detection of hidden faults within the Fucino basin from single-station ambient noise measurements: The case study of the Trasacco fault system

The presence of normal fault systems in central Italy, outcropping or hidden below Quaternary covers in intra-mountain basins, is the expression of the Neogene–Quaternary evolution of the area, characterized by an extensional tectonic regime following the fold and thrust structuring of the Apennine orogen. Italian urban settlements of central Italy are developed on hills or mountains but also in lowland areas, which are often set up in sedimentary basins. In this framework, urban centers found close to fault lines are common, with strong implications on the seismic risk of the area. In this work, we performed a dense seismological passive survey (88 single-station ambient noise measurements) and used the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVNSR) technique to investigate hidden faults in the Trasacco municipality located in the southern part of the Fucino Basin (central Italy), where microzonation studies pointed out hypothetical fault lines crossing the urban area with the Apennine orientation. These hidden structures were only suggested by previous studies based on commercial seismic lines and aerial photogrammetry; their presence in the basin area is confirmed by our measurements. This case study shows the potentiality of using the HVNSR technique in fault areas to have a preliminary indication of anomalous behaviors, to be investigated later with specific geophysical techniques. Our approach can support microzonation studies whenever fault zones are involved, especially in urban areas or in places designated for future developments.

Effect of coppice conversion into high forest on soil organic C and nutrients stock in a Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) forest in Italy

In forest ecosystems, a variety of abiotic and biotic soil forming factors drives soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrients cycling with a profitable outcome on climate change mitigation. As a consequence, type and intensity of forest management, through its impact on carbon (C) and nutrient soil stocks, can be considered as an additional soil forming force. In this study, we investigated the influence of the coppice conversion into high forest on pedogenesis and on soil C and nutrient (N, P, Ca, Mg, and K) stocks, fifty years later the beginning of the conversion-cycle. The trial was established in a Turkey oak forest historically managed under the coppice system in central Italy. Specifically, we considered tree population density (natural evolution – control, moderate thinning, heavy thinning) where soil samples were collected according to genetic horizon to estimate C, N, and P stocks both in the forest floor and at fixed depth intervals (0–30, 30–50 and 50–75 cm). Further, the stocks of exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K were also assessed for the mineral layers. The results showed that litter and the upper layer of mineral soil (0–30 cm) contained a similar quantity of C (about 74–83 Mg ha-1), independently of the trials and no differences were observed also in the whole soil stocks (about 192–213 Mg ha−1). The comparison of the mean stocks calculated per 1-cm of thickness of organic (O), organo-mineral (OM), and mineral (M) layers, although it did not display any difference among trials (excepted for P and Mg), showed a similar capability of the organo-mineral horizons to store C and nutrients compared with the organic ones (e.g., about 6–12 Mg ha−1, 0.3–0.5 Mg ha−1 and 0.5–1.5 kg ha−1 for C, N and P, respectively). Our findings showed that thinning operated on Turkey oak coppice did not affect soil capacity to store C and nutrients. These results suggested that the forest ecosystem itself is the main soil forming force and this is consistent with the target of adopting forest management able to control the global C cycle through the storage of SOM in the mineral soil rather than in forest floor, where SOM turnover is faster.

Comparative life cycle assessment of conventional and organic hazelnuts production systems in Central Italy

Agricultural activity is responsible of considerable negative effects on the environment. In this context, in the last years, organic cultivation is increasing being perceived as more sustainable for the environmental. Nevertheless, this higher sustainability compared to conventional agricultural systems is debated. This applied for crops but also for livestock systems.For some of the main crops (i.e., cereals, soybean) comparative analysis were carried out but for most of the other annual and perennial crops there is a lack of information about the environmental impact related to conventional and organic cultivation In this study, the environmental impact of the conventional and organic farming systems of hazelnuts production in Viterbo province in Italy was evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. Even if originally developed for industrial processes, LCA is more and more applied also to agriculture systems to quantify the environmental impact.Primary data were collected by the main Producer Organization and elaborated considering 1 kg of hazelnuts as functional unit and a from cradle to gate approach considering the 50-years as life cycle duration of the crop. Finally, using the Recipe characterization method, 15 midpoint impact categories were evaluated.The results show how, except than for ecotoxicity related impact categories, organic cultivation practice shows higher impact (from +5% to +285%) respect to the conventional production. For ecotoxicity related impact categories, organic hazelnut production performs better (from −42% to −81%) than the conventional one because no synthetic pesticides are applied. The sensitivity analysis carried shows how yield is the main driver of the environmental results while the uncertainty analysis performed with the Monte Carlo technique shows that the to the selection of the data source, model imprecision and data variability does not significantly affect the environmental results for the evaluated impact categories.

A NEW REGIONAL PETROLEUM SYSTEMS MODEL FOR CENTRAL ITALY AND THE CENTRAL ADRIATIC SEA SUPPORTED BY BASIN MODELLING AND AN ANALYSIS OF HYDROCARBON OCCURRENCES

The petroleum system in Central Italy and the Adriatic Sea is of great interest for future hydrocarbon exploration. However, major uncertainties remain about key risk elements such as source rock spatial distribution and maturation history, the timing of hydrocarbon migration, and the nature of migration pathways. This paper presents a new regional‐scale petroleum systems model based on an integrated inter‐disciplinary study which includes public‐domain subsurface data on key petroleum systems elements, heat‐flow and petroleum geochemical data, and an extensive set of 1D basin models.Results show the importance of the Mesozoic palaeogeographic and stratigraphic setting which was characterized by the presence of platform and basinal domains. Thermal data highlight an overall higher basal heat flow in platform domains which persist at the present‐day. Considering the geochemical and thermal characteristics of possible source rocks in the study area, the Upper Triassic Burano Formation appears to be the most likely active source rock but only in those geological domains where it has been deeply buried. In particular, source rocks reached maturity only during the most recent Apennine deformation phase in the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene, i.e. after the deposition of regional seals such as the Messinian Gessoso‐Solfifera Formation. Lateral migration is suggested to have occurred to explain most of the known oil accumulations. The margin of the Apulia Platform could have acted as a migration pathway for hydrocarbons, connecting basinal kitchens to the carbonate reservoir units at the top of the platform succession within which oil and gas accumulations have been proven. Heavy oils could represent early expulsion products from the source rock, but may also locally be a result of biodegradation due to recent partial exhumation of the traps and the loss of lighter components.The results of this study may support ongoing and future exploration efforts over other carbonate platforms in the study area, and more widely on carbonate targets elsewhere in the Mediterranean region.

Life Cycle Assessment of Protected Strawberry Productions in Central Italy

Agricultural activities in Europe cover half of the total area of the continent and are simultaneously a cause of environmental impact and victims of the same impact. Horticultural or fruit crops are considered highly intensive and often employ many crop inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and various materials. Strawberry falls into this group, and it has grown in acreage and production more than others globally. The aim of this study is to compare the environmental impact of two strawberry cultivation systems in central Italy, a mulched soil tunnel and a soilless tunnel system. The method used to assess the impact is LCA, widely applied in agriculture and supported by international standards. The data used are mainly primary, related to 2018, and representative of the cultivation systems of central Italy. For impact assessment, the method selected was the CML_IA baseline version. From the results obtained, the two systems show a similar impact per kg of strawberries produced (e.g., for global warming: 0.785 kg CO2 eq for soilless, 0.778 kg CO2 eq for mulched soil tunnel). Reduced differences can be observed for the use of crop inputs (greater for the tunnel) and the use of materials and technology (greater for soilless). The mitigation measures considered concern the replacement of the packaging (excluding plastic) and the growing medium of the soilless using perlite and compost from insect breeding.

Benthic invertebrate assemblages and leaf‐litter breakdown along the eucrenal–hypocrenal ecotone of a rheocrene spring in Central Italy: Are there spatial and seasonal differences?

AbstractTo better understand the pattern of variation in biocomplexity of springs and first‐order streams, it is essential to explore how the characteristics of spring communities may vary from the spring source (eucrenal) to the first reach of the originating springbrook (hypocrenal). For these reasons, we assessed spatial and temporal variation of crenic assemblages and leaf‐litter breakdown along a 45‐m reach of a spring–springbrook system in Central Italy. We found that physicochemical and hydrological parameters of Vera Spring did not vary significantly along the 45‐m reach investigated. In contrast, total richness of assemblages was significantly higher at 20 and 45 m from the spring source, while abundances were more variable and did not show significant differences between seasons and among sites. The composition of assemblages did not show significant temporal trends in all sites investigated, while spatial differences along the eucrenal–hypocrenal ecotone were more prominent. The functional organization of assemblages was relatively stable in both space and time, and no spatial differences were observed in the rate of leaf‐litter breakdown, though the dry mass loss of poplar leaves was slightly higher at the most downstream site. We conclude that immediately after groundwater emergence, spring communities are less stable and more variable while they tend to be better organized at short distance downstream. Small and gradual spatial changes in the strength of competitive interactions and predation pressures may have a fundamental role in structuring spring communities more than variation in abiotic parameters and/or differences in quantity and quality of food resources.

Ontogenetic shift in the trophic role of the invasive killer shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus: a stable isotope study

The introduction of the amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus in European fresh waters is to date recognized as a threat to the integrity of invaded communities. Predation by D. villosus on native benthic invertebrates is assumed as the key determinant of its ecological impact, yet available information describe the species as a primary consumer as well as a carnivore depending on local conditions. Here, we assessed the trophic position (TP) of D. villosus in Lake Trasimeno, a recently invaded lentic system in central Italy, using the CN isotopic signatures of individuals captured in winter spanning two orders of magnitude in body size. TP estimations were compared with those characterizing the native amphipod Echinogammarus veneris and other representative invertebrate predators. On average, D. villosus showed a trophic position higher than E. veneris, and comparable with that of odonate nymphs. An in-depth analysis revealed that large-sized individuals had a trophic position of 3.07, higher than odonates and close to that of the hirudinean predator Erpobdella octoculata, while small-sized specimens had a trophic position of 2.57, similar to that of E. veneris (2.41). These findings indicate that size-related ontogenetic shifts in dietary habits may per se vary the nature of the interaction between Dikerogammarus villosus and native invertebrates from competition to predation. Information collated from published isotopic studies corroborated the generality of our results. We conclude that intra-specific trophic flexibility may potentially amplify and make more multifaceted the impact of the species on other invertebrate species in invaded food webs.

Effect of Breed on Fatty Acid Composition of Meat and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Light Lambs.

Simple SummaryThe recognition of the role of food in the improvement and preservation of health is receiving more and more attention among consumers, especially in developed countries. Fats from red meats are considered quite unhealthy because of their high levels of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. Healthier lipid profiles of red meats can be achieved by a proper feed composition of animals, but other factors, such as breed, sex, and live weight, are able to affect the nutritional properties of meats. This investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of breed (Bergamasca, Italian Merino, and Sopravissana) on the fatty acid composition of invisible (intramuscular) and visible (subcutaneous) fats of light lambs reared in Central Italy transhumant farms. They recently gained a Protected Geographical Indication label (European Union, Commission Implementing Regulation No. 475/2013), as ”Agnello del Centro Italia”. It is an income opportunity for local farms that passes through the nutritional valorization of lamb meat. The indices of nutritional quality of fats have showed that the meat of Italian Merino and Sopravissana lambs had better nutritional quality than the Bergamasca breed.Lamb meat is the main product of Central Italy transhumant farms, where lambs are traditionally reared with their mothers on pastures and are supplemented with concentrates and/or hay from day 20–30 until slaughter. However, few data are available on the fatty acid (FA) composition of unweaned lambs reared by extensive systems in Central Italy. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of breed (Bergamasca, Italian Merino, and Sopravissana) on the FA composition of intramuscular (longissimus lumborum, LL) and subcutaneous (SC) fats of light lambs. Statistical analysis showed that breed had effect only on some FAs in LL muscle fat (C18:0, C20:0, C14:1, C16:1, C17:1, C18:3 n-3, trans and conjugated linoleic acid isomers) and in SC adipose tissue (C21:0, C16:1, C18:1, C20:4 n-6, C20:5 n-3, C18:1 trans isomers). Gas chromatography data in combination with a chemometric approach could have some potential to discriminate among breeds. Indices of nutritional quality of the lipids suggested that the meat of Italian Merino and Sopravissana lambs might have better nutritional quality than Bergamasca; further studies, involving a greater number of animals, are needed to confirm these early results.

Climate Change and Sustaining Heritage Resources: A Framework for Boosting Cultural and Natural Heritage Conservation in Central Italy

Climate change has dramatically affected the rainfall patterns and water systems in Central Italy. The vulnerability of this area to climate change and natural hazards necessitates that appropriate adaptation policies be put in place to protect heritage sites. This study aims to develop a cultural and natural heritage conservation framework for Central Italy that enhances the capacity of climate change adaptation for heritage resources. For this purpose, a comparison was made between the UNESCO (United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Convention of 1972 and the European Landscape Convention of the Council of Europe to achieve a coherent vision for the protection of heritage resources in Europe. After describing the impacts of climate change on heritage resources in Central Italy, we analyze and suggest improvements to the conservation framework for wisely protecting heritage resources in a changing climate. The findings reveal that conservation sectors require assessments of the value of heritage resources at the territorial scale to effectively define conservation priorities, assess the vulnerabilities, and more precisely direct funding. In this respect, the integration of the European Landscape Convention with territorial planning may boost the unity of a conservation framework in terms of climate change while providing new opportunities for conservation authorities to develop adaptation policies.

Assessing the Resilience and Sustainability of a Hazelnut Farming System in Central Italy with a Participatory Approach

European agriculture is facing increasing economic, environmental, institutional, and social challenges, from changes in demographic trends to the effects of climate change. In this context of high instability, the agricultural sector in Europe needs to improve its resilience and sustainability. Local assessments and strategies at the farming system level are needed, and this paper focuses on a hazelnut farming system in central Italy. For the assessment, a participatory approach was used, based on a stakeholder workshop. The results depicted a system with a strong economic and productive role, but which seems to overlook natural resources. This would suggest a relatively low environmental sustainability of the system, although the actual environmental impact of hazelnut farming is controversial. In terms of resilience, we assessed it by looking at the perceived level of three capacities: robustness, adaptability, and transformability. The results portrayed a highly robust system, but with relatively lower adaptability and transformability. Taking the farming system as the focal level was important to consider the role of different actors. While mechanisation has played a central role in enhancing past and present system resilience, future improvements can be achieved through collective strategies and system diversification, and by strengthening the local hazelnut value chain.

Cross-sectional serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in healthy cattle and sheep from extensive grazing system in central Italy.

A cross-sectional survey was carried out to estimate the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in extensively grazed cattle and sheep from central Italy and to identify the related risk factors. Data on notified human Q fever cases in the area were also collected and described. A two-stage cluster sampling was performed. A total of 5083 animals (2210 cattle; 2873 sheep) belonging to 186 farms (92 herds; 94 flocks) were tested for the presence of antibodies against C. burnetii using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. The prevalence at the animal-level resulted three times higher in sheep compared to cattle (37.8% vs. 12.0%; χ2 = 270.10, P < 0.001). The prevalence at the herd-level was also higher in sheep than in cattle (87.2% vs. 68.5%; χ2 = 9.52, P < 0.01). The multivariate analysis showed a higher risk of seropositivity for cattle aged 67-107 months (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.86-4.18), cattle >107 months of age (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.36-3.14) and mixed breed cattle (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.11-2.72). A herd size >92 animals was recognized as herd-level risk factor in cattle (OR 6.88, 95% CI 1.67-28.37). The risk of being seropositive was double in sheep belonging to flocks >600 animals (odds ratio (OR) 2.04, 95% CI 1.63-2.56). Sheep were confirmed to be the most exposed species. Nevertheless, the prevalence observed in cattle also suggests the potential involvement of this species in the circulation of the pathogen in the area. Seven confirmed human Q fever cases were reported. In five out of seven cases there was at least one exposed herd within a 5 km buffer. Even though the source of the infection was not identified, the possibility of C. burnetii circulating in the livestock and human population in the study area cannot be overlooked. The integration between veterinary and human surveillance will be crucial to understand the spread of this zoonosis and to support the adoption of appropriate control measures.

Soil respiration dynamics in forage-based and cereal-based cropping systems in central Italy

ABSTRACT: Studies that have investigated soil carbon dynamics under Mediterranean conditions are scarce and fragmented and contrasting results have often been reported. This study aimed to fill some gaps in our knowledge by: (i) determining annual dynamics of total (RS) and heterotrophic (RH) soil respiration; (ii) estimating annual cumulative RS and RH; and (iii) investigating the relationships between RS and RH and soil temperature and water content. The study was carried out in central Italy, for a plain and a hilly site, with the focus on two main cropping systems: an alfalfa-based forage system and a wheat-based rotation system. RS and RH showed different dynamics, with spatial and temporal variability across these sites. Estimated annual cumulative RS fluxes were 8.97 and 7.43 t C ha–1 yr–1 for the plain and hilly alfalfa-based sites, respectively, and 4.67 and 5.22 t C ha–1 yr–1 for the plain and hilly wheat-based sites, respectively. The RH components of RS were 4.26 and 3.52 t C ha–1 yr–1 for the plain and hilly alfalfa-based sites, respectively, and 3.89 and 2.45 t C ha–1 yr–1 for the plain and hilly wheat-based sites, respectively. A model with a combination of soil temperature and soil water content explained 43 % to 49 % and 33 % to 67 % of the annual variation of RS and RH, respectively. These findings help to extend our knowledge of Mediterranean cropping systems, although further studies are needed to clarify the effects of management practices on the modelling of soil respiration efflux.

Water energy food nexus approach for sustainability assessment at farm level: An experience from an intensive agricultural area in central Italy

Sustainable management of natural resources under economic, environmental and social perspective, needs to consider a fair balance between its uses and availability. Sustainable agriculture goal is to establish innovative and new farm tools and service capacities that help the intensive farm sector to optimize input management (energy, nutrients and water) and productivity. The main objective of this paper was to investigate, in a durum wheat production system in central Italy under Mediterranean conditions, the following aspects: (i) environmental sustainability of fertilization treatments through the energy inputs/outputs analysis and reduction of Nitrate (N-NO3) in water cycle; (ii) agricultural system agronomic and economic performance and (iii) to identify regulatory and economic instruments actually in place to promote sustainable fertilization. To describe and address the sustainability assessment of durum wheat production system we adopt the “Water Energy Food nexus” (WEF) as conceptual framework. The findings of this research showed that there is a great difference between the marketable yields obtained with mineral fertilization strategies and those by organic fertilizer, while considering the environmental sustainability, our results provide evidences of the significance of the reduction of energy use and the high value of renewable energies and the decreasing of non-renewable one. At the same time the reduced impact of groundwater quality due to the organic fertilizer seems to be an interesting result to be analyzed in the long-term perspective. The contraposition between economy and environment is one of the main challenges to be solved through adequate policy instruments.

3D VIRTUALIZATION OF AN UNDERGROUND SEMI-SUBMERGED CAVE SYSTEM

Abstract. Underwater caves represent the most challenging scenario for exploration, mapping and 3D modelling. In such complex environment, unsuitable to humans, highly specialized skills and expensive equipment are normally required. Technological progress and scientific innovation attempt, nowadays, to develop safer and more automatic approaches for the virtualization of these complex and not easily accessible environments, which constitute a unique natural, biological and cultural heritage. This paper presents a pilot study realised for the virtualization of 'Grotta Giusti' (Fig. 1), an underground semi-submerged cave system in central Italy. After an introduction on the virtualization process in the cultural heritage domain and a review of techniques and experiences for the virtualization of underground and submerged environments, the paper will focus on the employed virtualization techniques. In particular, the developed approach to simultaneously survey the semi-submersed areas of the cave relying on a stereo camera system and the virtualization of the virtual cave will be discussed.

A Place-based Turn in Multifunctional Agriculture: The Case of Italy's Garfagnana Region

The Garfagnana region of Tuscany has witnessed a resurgence in the small-scale farming sector. Rooted in a historical practice of multifunctional agriculture, over the last decade family farmers and local institutions have increasingly focused on place-based development initiatives, such as reval­orizing native livestock breeds and promoting agroecological practices, as ways to strengthen small-scale agriculture and the local rural economy. This place-based turn is now reshaping the devel­opment trajectories of many family farms and communities in Garfagnana. Drawing on qualitative field research con­ducted in 2015, this paper utilizes the sociological conceptual lenses of multifunctional agriculture and place-based development to analyze three case-study farms, each with different production sys­tems and territorial relations. Multifunctional agri­culture theory is used to analyze how farming prac­tices in the three case-studies represent a range of adaptive shifts away from productionist trends and toward a more diversified farming approach. Then place-based theory is used to demonstrate how these multifunctional agriculture practices relate to the distinct socio-ecological landscape of Gar­fagnana, uniquely rooting these farms in the terri­tory. This article ultimately examines how new forms of multifunctional agriculture are fostering a place-based food and agriculture system in central Italy and how this approach can strengthen family farming and rural communities. See the press release for this article.

The snow and rainfall impact on the Verde spring behavior: A statistical approach on hydrodynamic and hydrochemical daily time-series

The wide regional aquifer system springs are one of the most important sources of freshwater, especially because of the ever-increasing global water demand. Thus, these springs must be protected and managed in a sustainable manner. To this purpose, a detailed knowledge about the corresponding aquifer systems hydrodynamic is vital.In this general framework, the Majella carbonate aquifer is one of the most important as well as heterogenous aquifer systems in Central Italy. It is characterized by high elevation, a heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity distribution and groundwater flow, and its recharge is mainly due to both rainfall and snowmelt. Its most important spring is the Verde spring, located in the eastern side, exploited for drinking and hydroelectric purposes.The main objectives of this research are (1) to get a deeper insight into the hydrogeological conceptual model of the Verde spring, combining multiparameter input and output time-series, and (2) to quantify each inflow effect on the Verde spring parameters by a methodological approach that is quite uncommon in literature: comparing univariate and bivariate statistical analyses of both raw and residual (non-systematic component) time-series.The results obtained highlighted that the snowmelt is the most important inflow of the Majella aquifer system. The snow cover melting leaks slowly large amount of water into the aquifer and creates smoothly significative modifications to the spring discharge, electrical conductivity and temperature, in terms of groundwater volume increase and dilution. Contrariwise, although the rainfall inflow volume and the corresponding spring parameters changes are very limited, the transient behavior of the rainfall inflow allowed identifying different recharge modes. These recharge modes depend on several flow paths in the unsaturated zone, characterized by different water volumes brought toward the saturated zone, sizes, hydraulic conductivities, and distances from the Verde spring.