scholarly journals Bryophyte diversity hotspot: the Marmore Waterfalls Regional Park (Umbria, central Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 33-45
Author(s):  
Silvia Poponessi ◽  
Michele Aleffi ◽  
Marko S. Sabovljević ◽  
Roberto Venanzoni

A study of the bryophyte of Marmore Waterfall Natural Park a very peculiar territory for its geological, biogeographical and bioclimatic traits, was carried out. The reported data were collected in the valley area of ‘Parco Fluviale del Nera’ Regional Park, where the waters are flowing and the humidity of the rocks is oozing. Research led to the identification of 101 taxa of bryophytes (21 liverworts and 80 mosses), among which two liverwort and 10 moss species are new records for the Umbria region, while four are confirmed. The study offers new outcomes on neglected aspects of the flora of central Italy and represents a considerable improvement of the floristic, biogeographical and ecological understanding of its bryophytic component. Additionally, the area turn out to be significant from the conservation point of view both nationally and internationally considering that it harbours high diversity of bryophytes species among which many rare, threatened and interesting species occur. Eighteen species of conservation interest in Italy are recorded during the latest investigation (all in category NT – near threatened). Additionally two species that are considered data deficient in Italy are present in the researched area (Conocephalum salebrosum and Fissidens curvatus). Also, there is a small populations of a species vulnerable (Marchantia paleacea), endangered (Bryum calophyllum) and data deficient (Fissidens curvatus and Barbula bolleana) in European scale.

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Francesco Falcinelli ◽  
Fabio Conti ◽  
Domizia Donnini

In this work 13 new floristic records for Umbria region (central Italy) are reported. The survey was carried out from 2009 to 2015. Some species are of particular interest from a phytogeographical or conservational point of view.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Falcinelli ◽  
Fabio Conti ◽  
Domizia Donnini

In this work 21 new floristic records for Umbria region (central Italy) are reported. Particularly 19 are new and 2 are confirmed for the Umbria region. The survey was carried out from 2010 to 2014 some species are of particular interest from a phytogeographical or conservational point of view, as they are very rare in central Italy.<br /><br /><em>In questo contributo vengono riportate note floristiche per 21 entità rilevate in Umbria (Italia Centrale). In particolare, 19 sono risultate essere nuove e 2 sono confermate per l’Umbria. La ricerca, condotta mediante erborizzazioni effettuate nel periodo 2010-2014, ha consentito il ritrovamento di alcune specie di particolare interesse fitogeografico o rare nell’Italia centrale.</em>


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2012
Author(s):  
Samantha Jo Grimes ◽  
Filippo Capezzone ◽  
Peteh Mehdi Nkebiwe ◽  
Simone Graeff-Hönninger

Rising consumer attraction towards superfoods and the steadily increasing demand for healthy, environmentally sustainable, and regionally produced food products has sharpened the demand for chia. Over the course of 4 years, two early flowering chia varieties belonging to Salvia hispanica L., and Salvia columbariae Benth. Species were identified to complete their phenological development and, therefore, able to reach maturity under a photoperiod >12 h, thus enabling the cultivation of chia in central Europe—more specifically, in southwestern Germany—consistently for the first time. Results obtained by the conducted field trial in 2018 showed that chia seed yields and thousand-seed mass ranged from 284.13 to 643.99 kg ha−1 and 0.92 to 1.36 g, respectively. Further, the statistical analyses showed that the protein content of the cultivated chia varieties ranged from 22.14 to 27.78%, the mucilage content varied from 10.35 to 20.66%, and the crude oil content amounted up to 28.00 and 31.73%. Fatty acid profiles were similar to previously reported data with α-Linolenic acid being the most prominent one, ranging from 60.40 to 65.87%, and we obtained ω6:ω3 ratios between 0.2 and 0.3. In conclusion, chia could represent a promising raw material from a nutritional point of view, while being able to diversify the local food basis of southwestern Germany.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 322
Author(s):  
Evelina Volpe ◽  
Luca Ciabatta ◽  
Diana Salciarini ◽  
Stefania Camici ◽  
Elisabetta Cattoni ◽  
...  

The development of forecasting models for the evaluation of potential slope instability after rainfall events represents an important issue for the scientific community. This topic has received considerable impetus due to the climate change effect on territories, as several studies demonstrate that an increase in global warming can significantly influence the landslide activity and stability conditions of natural and artificial slopes. A consolidated approach in evaluating rainfall-induced landslide hazard is based on the integration of rainfall forecasts and physically based (PB) predictive models through deterministic laws. However, considering the complex nature of the processes and the high variability of the random quantities involved, probabilistic approaches are recommended in order to obtain reliable predictions. A crucial aspect of the stochastic approach is represented by the definition of appropriate probability density functions (pdfs) to model the uncertainty of the input variables as this may have an important effect on the evaluation of the probability of failure (PoF). The role of the pdf definition on reliability analysis is discussed through a comparison of PoF maps generated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations performed over a study area located in the Umbria region of central Italy. The study revealed that the use of uniform pdfs for the random input variables, often considered when a detailed geotechnical characterization for the soil is not available, could be inappropriate.


Author(s):  
Iunio Iervolino ◽  
Pasquale Cito ◽  
Chiara Felicetta ◽  
Giovanni Lanzano ◽  
Antonio Vitale

AbstractShakeMap is the tool to evaluate the ground motion effect of earthquakes in vast areas. It is useful to delimit the zones where the shaking is expected to have been most significant, for civil defense rapid response. From the earthquake engineering point of view, it can be used to infer the seismic actions on the built environment to calibrate vulnerability models or to define the reconstruction policies based on observed damage vs shaking. In the case of long-lasting seismic sequences, it can be useful to develop ShakeMap envelopes, that is, maps of the largest ground intensity among those from the ShakeMap of (selected) events of a seismic sequence, to delimit areas where the effects of the whole sequence have been of structural engineering relevance. This study introduces ShakeMap envelopes and discusses them for the central Italy 2016–2017 seismic sequence. The specific goals of the study are: (i) to compare the envelopes and the ShakeMap of the main events of the sequence to make the case for sequence-based maps; (ii) to quantify the exceedance of design seismic actions based on the envelopes; (iii) to make envelopes available for further studies and the reconstruction planning; (iv) to gather insights on the (repeated) exceedance of design seismic actions at some sites. Results, which include considerations of uncertainty in ShakeMap, show that the sequence caused exceedance of design hazard in thousands of square kilometers. The most relevant effects of the sequence are, as expected, due to the mainshock, yet seismic actions larger than those enforced by the code for structural design are found also around the epicenters of the smaller magnitude events. At some locations, the succession of ground-shaking that has excited structures, provides insights on structural damage accumulation that has likely taken place; something that is not accounted for explicitly in modern seismic design. The envelopes developed are available as supplemental material.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo De Santis ◽  
Gianfranco Cianchini ◽  
Rita Di Giovambattista ◽  
Cristoforo Abbattista ◽  
Lucilla Alfonsi ◽  
...  

Abstract. Geosystemics (De Santis 2009, 2014) studies the Earth system as a whole focusing on the possible coupling among the Earth layers (the so called geo-layers), and using universal tools to integrate different methods that can be applied to multi-parameter data, often taken on different platforms. Its main objective is to understand the particular phenomenon of interest from a holistic point of view. In this paper we will deal with earthquakes, considered as a long term chain of processes involving, not only the interaction between different components of the Earth’s interior, but also the coupling of the solid earth with the above neutral and ionized atmosphere, and finally culminating with the main rupture along the fault of concern (De Santis et al., 2015a). Some case studies (particular emphasis is given to recent central Italy earthquakes) will be discussed in the frame of the geosystemic approach for better understanding the physics of the underlying complex dynamical system.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-82
Author(s):  
Holmurod Akimovich Zhalov

From bryological point of view Zeravshan mountain range remains one of the least studied region. Identification of species composition of true mosses and their ecological-biological peculiarities were not earlier aimed for this region. In the territory of Agalyk basin Karatepa mountains can be divided into four types of substrates where moss species occur: soil, bark of living trees, decayed wood, stones. Characteristics of substrate groups become complicated due to wide range of ecological valency of moss species. Most species select not only one, but several substrates for their settling. During the research period in the soils of Agaliksay basin 20 species were recorded belonging to 13 genera and 10 family. On decayed wood 9 species were recorded belonging to 7 genera and 5 family. On the bark of living trees 15 moss species were recorded belonging to 8 genera and 6 family. Epilyte bryophytes occurred on rocky substrates. On rocky substrates of Agaliksay basin 34 moss species were recorded from 16 genera and 13 family. On the basis of results obtained during the study of substrate groups of mosses in Agaliksay basin, we have conducted comparative analyses of studied substrate groups with the purpose of determining their characteristic features.


Author(s):  
C. Pezzica ◽  
A. Piemonte ◽  
C. Bleil de Souza ◽  
V. Cutini

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> This paper identifies the application domain, context of use, processes and goals of low-cost street-level photogrammetry after urban disasters. The proposal seeks a synergy between top-down and bottom-up initiatives carried out by different actors during the humanitarian response phase in data scarce contexts. By focusing on the self-organisation capacities of local people, this paper suggests using collaborative photogrammetry to empower communities hit by disasters and foster their active participation in recovery and reconstruction planning. It shows that this task may prove technically challenging depending on the specifics of the collected imagery and develops a grounded framework to produce user-centred image acquisition guidelines and fit-for-purpose photogrammetric reconstruction workflows, useful in future post-disaster scenarios. To this end, it presents an in-depth analysis of a collaborative photographic mapping initiative undergone by a group of citizen-scientists after the 2016 Central Italy earthquake, followed by the explorative processing of some sample datasets. Specifically, the paper firstly presents a visual ethnographic study of the photographic material uploaded by participants from September 2016 to November 2018 in the two Italian municipalities of Arquata del Tronto and Norcia. Secondly, it illustrates from a technical point of view issues concerning the processing of crowdsourced data (e.g. image filtering, selection, quality, semantic content and 3D model scaling) and discusses the viability of using it to enrich the pool of geo-information available to stakeholders and decision-makers. Final considerations are discussed as part of a grounded framework for future guidelines tailored to multiple goals and data processing scenarios.</p>


Author(s):  
C. Braucher ◽  
E. Currà

Abstract. This research aims to propose a classification of masonry typologies in Central Italy after the earthquakes that in 2016 involved about 120 municipalities. This territory, since several decades, presents high fragility features due to the depopulation process that increase the vulnerability and risk degree. This condition affects even the maintenance practices of traditional buildings by the inhabitants and the extraordinary post-traumatic situation acts as an accelerating factor of the abandonment. In this article we will explain deeply the first part of the research, focusing in particular on methods and tools that were defined and used to carry out this study. The research highlights the need of a specific comparative tool for masonry facades classification. This was elaborated through the comparison of existed bibliography as the EMS-98, the Aedes schedules and the local classification by Umbria Region and the De Meo book. The result then is the production of another synoptic map that would simplifies the correlation between different approaches to classification and the censed facades. Moreover, it was elaborated a second synoptic map moving from the analyses of many survey forms already discuss in literature. The result of this comparison is a new survey form to carry out the field research on vernacular masonry buildings. This new form focuses on the characteristics of the buildings that the research aims to study in Central Italy. The two tools that are illustrate in the following paper were applied on one hundred survey of masonry buildings carried out during August 2018. The last part of this paper proposes a statistical analysis of the results of the field research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 1929-1933
Author(s):  
ROBERTO CONDOLEO ◽  
GILBERTO GIANGOLINI ◽  
ALEXANDRA CHIAVERINI ◽  
DANIELA PATRIARCA ◽  
PAOLA SCARAMOZZINO ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT For milk hygiene and safety, the milking phase is a critical moment because it is a probable pathway for the introduction of unwanted microorganisms in the dairy chain. In particular, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli are known as possible microbial contaminants of raw sheep's milk, although extensive knowledge regarding their contamination dynamics on sheep farms is still lacking. This study aimed to examine the occurrence and concentration of these microorganisms in milk samples collected from farm bulk tanks in the region of Lazio (Central Italy) and to investigate the related risk factors. Over a period of 1 year, we collected 372 milk samples from 87 sheep farms and administered a questionnaire to acquire information regarding relevant farm management variables. L. monocytogenes was not found in any of the samples, which indicates a low occurrence of this pathogen in sheep's bulk tank milk. In contrast, E. coli was found in almost two-thirds of milk samples (61%) but at levels below 102 CFU/mL in most of them (approximately 75%). Statistical analysis indicated that, during the warmest seasons, E. coli presence is more probable and counts are significantly higher. Unexpectedly, milk collected by hand milking had a lower level of contamination. Although further studies are necessary to clarify some aspects, the reported data add to the knowledge about the occurrence of L. monocytogenes and E. coli in raw sheep's milk and will be useful for future risk assessments. HIGHLIGHTS


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