Search

Sustainable forest management (SFM) is crucial for forest ecosystem productivity and conservation, especially in systems such as cork oak (Quercus suber L.) threatened by human activities and biotic and abiotic factors. In this study SFM indicators with particular reference to cork oak forests in the region of Sardinia (Italy) are proposed and tested. Sustainable and responsible management options specifically aimed at cork oak forest management and chain of custody certification are also provided. A set of ten indicators was proposed and assessed by an expert panel in cork oak management. Five indicators were also tested against data on structure, origin, health condition and management in 285 forest compartments managed by FoReSTAS (Regional Forest Agency for Land and Environment of Sardinia, Italy), including 361 sampling plots and 5345 trees. In order to investigate the priorities and perceptions of SFM experts and stakeholders, a survey was also carried out by completion of a questionnaire on the technical issues of cork oak woodland management. The survey results highlighted a need to improve environmental and economic performance by means of SFM and certification. The indicators tested in Sardinian cork oak woodlands showed that about 80% of the stands fulfilled management sustainability requirements. The suggested SFM indicators can effectively support proactive management and conservation measures, representing a valuable tool in the current context of growing environmental and socioeconomic awareness.

Coppice silviculture: are laws and regulations in line with current conditions in Italy? Despite a less intensive management in the recent decades, coppices still cover a large part of Italian woodlands. Currently, they are characterized by relatively large wood volumes, especially with respect of those stands classified as “aged”. The current European and national strategies to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the related increasing demand of renewable bio-energy sources are giving a new boost to the coppice system, so that the need for an improved management of these stands is emerging. Under this perspective, this note highlights the opportunity for an overall revision of current forest laws and regulations at regional level in Italy, in order to embed recent scientific achievements and harmonize some aspects such as definitions, rotation, conversion to high stands, standards, cut size and administrative procedures.

We propose several guidelines for sustainable forest management of the main regional forest types based on literature review on silviculture and forest management and taking into account the results from surveys carried out in four test sites located in Calabria (Southern Italy) within the framework of ALForLAB project. The four test sites cover 16% of regional forested area, which included ten of the main silvicultural types. Results highlighted a high variability in stand structure of high forests, while coppice woods were characterised by low structural variablity. The different silvicultural treatments proposed for high forests focused on the maintenance of stand structure complexity where it is already high, and to enhance it where the past management options simplified stand structure. The proposed silvicultural treatments for conifer plantations aimed at progressive renaturalisation. In the regional context coppice management, especially simple coppice with standards, still maintains an important role for fuelwood and charcoal production, poles and posts (chestnut coppice) production, and more recently for forest biomass for energy use. Coppice management, with exception for beech stands and stands within protected areas, can still be maintained with the adoption of suitable tending and thinnings interventions and rotation periods. The management guidelines here proposed for both high forests and coppices represent an important tool for sustainable forest management in Calabria. In addition, they can be an useful and complementary tool for spatial decision support system aimed to Precision Forestry issues.

The economical-social change, the competitiveness and “modernity” of fossil fuels, their prompt diffusion are the concurrent factors that heavily reduced the use of coppice firewood and charcoal since the fifties of the last century. Therefore, a shift took place in the last 60 years from the homogeneous area made of intensively managed, young stands to the more and more differentiated standing crops, as for structural features, growing stocks and growth dynamics, even though all of them originated from a common matrix. Nowadays, the former coppice area includes stands managed under lengthened rotations, outgrown coppices, the coppice conversion into high forest. The 2005 National Forest Inventory reported that 87% of standing crops was included in the age-classes 20-40 and over 40 years, with variable percentages according to tree species, from beech up to thermophilous oaks. Here, the basis of historical judgment on the coppice system, the reasons underlying the outgrown coppice establishment, the current standards of cultivation under even doubled rotations, are critically analyzed. The current demand to reduce the use of fossil fuels by renewable bio-energy sources and to face up the effects of climate change (unpredictability, rainfall reduction, higher air temperature, prolonged droughts, water stress, fire risk) give a new boost to the coppice system. Main goals today are to: (i) optimize the capacity of firewood production to reduce the heavy deficit at the country level; (ii) make the best use of the regeneration ability inherent to the system against the more sensitive regeneration from seed in the changing environment. The positive growth trend, the maintenance of resprouting ability as well as of vital stools density in the outgrown coppice area, address to a sustainable increase of rotations up to the age of 50 years, as already highlighted by a few regional regulations. It would allow the recovery of a current volume increment of 1-1.5 M m3 to internal firewood production. Unsuitable stand locations or bio-ecological conditions as well as stands already under conversion into high forest are obviously excluded. The approach to coppice system maintenance within the variable territorial context, the possible innovation and the definition of flexible silvicultural models are then outlined. The useful updating and harmonization of forest regulations are finally recalled.

Based on LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data, estimates of volume and biomass potentially available from coppice and high forest stands under different silvicultural options were estimated in a case study located in the Pollino National Park (Calabria - Southern Italy) within the framework of the ALForLAB project. Estimates of volume and biomass potentially available were elaborated separately for the main silvicultural types: beech, Calabrian pine and Mediterranean pines high forest stands on one hand, and for traditional coppices, outgrown coppice and coppice in conversion to high forest on the other. The estimates were performed taking into duly account both of the forest regional law and the restrictions due to the protected area (Natural Park). The overall standing volume ranged from 4.8 up to 7.7 M m3, while the volume potentially available ranged from 3.7 up to 6 M m3. Estimates of mass potentially available under the the adoption of different silvicultural system and options, in a sustainable forest management context, and according to the main stand structure types were analysed and discussed.

The “Bosco Fontana” natural reserve includes the last remaining mixed floodplain forest in northern Italy and one of the most endangered ecosystems in Europe. Its effective management is hindered by the complexity of interactions of mixed-tree species and the influence of environmental factors on understory plant diversity. In this study we analyzed the patterns of natural evolution in semi-natural floodplain forest stands at Bosco Fontana with the aim of better understanding its current natural processes and dynamics. Stand structure, taxonomic and functional diversity, species composition, and leaf area index (LAI) of overstory and understory layers were surveyed in permanent plots over two inventory years (1995, 2005). The influence of environmental factors on understory plant diversity was assessed using Ellenberg’s indices for light, soil moisture, soil nutrient and soil reaction. Results indicated that overstory species composition varies according to the soil moisture, with hornbeam prevailing in xeric sites and deciduous oak species in mesic sites. Xeric sites showed high functional dispersion in both drought and shade tolerant traits, while it was significantly lower in both overstory and understory in the moist site. Functional dispersion of drought tolerance in the overstory and understory layers was positively correlated, while species richness was negatively correlated between the two layers. Diversity in the understory was mainly correlated with soil conditions. Understory LAI was positively correlated with overstory LAI in xeric and mesic plots, while no correlations were found in the moist plot. Overall, our results suggest that site conditions (soil conditions and water availability) are the major drivers of understory and overstory dynamics in the study forest. Hence, local site conditions and the understory should be carefully considered in the management of mixed floodplain forests.

Andrea Perdicchi,1 Solmaz Abdolrahimzadeh,2 Alessandro Cutini,1 Angela Ciarnella,1 Gian Luca Scuderi1 1Ophthalmology Unit, Facoltà Medicina e Psicologia, Ospedale Sant’Andrea, 2Ophthalmology Unit, DAI Testa/Collo Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Background: This retrospective study aimed to determine how often a perimetric examination should be carried out in order to identify visual field (VF) changes in patients with relatively early manifestation glaucoma.Materials and methods: Patients included had a relatively recent manifestation of primary open-angle glaucoma. Patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years and a minimum of seven VF tests were included. Statistical analysis was performed to verify the trend of variations in mean defect (MD) over time (PeriData). The results were subjected to a t-test for a comparative analysis of progression of VF changes over time. The annual rate of progression provided by PeriData considering all the VFs analyzed was compared with that obtained on half of the VF examinations during the same follow-up period. An analysis of the MD trend over time was also carried out in relationship to the number of VF tests done and by dividing the sample into a high-frequency group (more than eight VFs) and a low-frequency group (fewer than eight VFs) in the follow-up period.Results: A total of 96 eyes of 96 patients were included, and overall 846 VFs were examined. The paired t-test performed comparing the MD index of all the VFs against half of them did not show statistical significance (P=0.537). The high-frequency group comprised 39 eyes (average VF 11.05±1.91, average time interval 0.76 years) while the low-frequency group comprised 57 eyes (average VF 6.95±0.6, average time interval 1.21 years). The analysis of the MD trend in the high-frequency patients showed significance (P=0.017); the low-frequency group did not show statistical significance (P=0.08).Conclusion: The number of VFs in a determined time interval was not significant. However, a greater frequency of tests provides a predictive evaluation of the rate of progression of early manifestation open-angle glaucoma. Keywords: open-angle glaucoma, visual field, progression, ocular hypertension

In view of the projected increases in the frequency and duration of drought events in the Mediterranean basin, a better understanding how differences in stand structure influence climate-growth relationships can improve and drive the conservation and management strategies for marginal forests in mountain areas. In this study, we examined the intra-annual variability of growth patterns and responses to climate of two maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands growing at contrasting tree densities at low elevation in northern Sardinia. A dendroclimatic analysis was used to assess the climate-growth relationships of these trees on monthly, seasonal and annual scales. The late spring and summer precipitations of the current year appeared to be the crucial climatic driver that encouraged the radial growth of the species in this mountain stand. However, summer drought was the primary climate constraint, exerting negative effects on P. pinaster growth. Summer Palmer drought severity index showed contrasting influence on latewood growth responses to drought conditions related to stand density, remaining significant also during the autumn months in the stand with the highest tree density. Our findings indicate that stands growing at high tree densities may experience more prolonged water shortages, especially during the late summer and early autumn months. Additionally, since the early 1980s, as precipitation has decreased, the influence of previous rainy years on radial growth has been highly significant in the stand with the lowest tree density. This result might suggests that these trees are able to utilize a greater amount of water reaching deeper soil horizons stored due to the previous rainy years, especially during periods of low precipitation.

Forest understory may be strongly affected by silvicultural practices such as thinning, which simultaneously modulates the overstory canopy cover and influences the availability of light. However, the understory layer is rarely considered in management decisions, partly because methods to estimate understory leaf area index are poorly developed. In this study we used two different restricted view angle photographic methods to estimate overstory plant area index LO (zenith cover photography), understory leaf area index LU (nadir cover photography) and their related canopy attributes (foliage clumping, foliage cover, crown cover, crown porosity). These measurements were performed in beech stands under different management regime. Results from photography indicated that not only overstory but also understory canopy attributes were significantly influenced by forest management. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between LO and LU. We conclude that the photographic methods are effective for monitoring (overstory and understory) canopy status in managed stands, on account of their rapid and not destructive procedures, which allows large scale implementation of the methods.

Proximal sensing methods using digital photography have gained wide acceptance for describing and quantifying canopy properties. Digital hemispherical photography (DHP) is the most widely used photographic technique for canopy description. However, the main drawbacks of DHP have been the tedious and time-consuming image processing required and the sensitivity of the results to the image analysis methods. Recently, an alternative approach using vertical photography has been proposed, namely, digital cover photography (DCP). The method captures detailed vertical canopy gaps and performs canopy analysis by dividing gap fractions into large between-crown gaps and small within- crown gaps. Although DCP is a rapid, simple and readily available method, the processing steps involved in gap fraction analysis have a large subjective component by default. In this contribution, we propose an alternative simple, more objective and easily implemented procedure to perform gap fraction analysis of DCP images. We compared the performance of the two image analysis methods in dense deciduous forests. Leaf area index (LAI) estimates from the two image analysis methods were compared with reference LAI measurements obtained through the use of litter traps to measure leaf fall. Both methods provided accurate estimates of the total gap fraction and, thus, accurate estimates of the LAI. The new proposed procedure is recommended for dense canopies because the subjective classification of large gaps is most error-prone in stands with dense canopy cover.

Tree biomass plays a key role in sustainable forest management and in determining forest carbon stocks. Accurate estimates based on species-specific empirical data are necessary for regional and national inventories and forest carbon management. In this study, we obtained allometric relationships for volume and aboveground biomass for stone pine (Pinus pinea) based on empirical data collected in four coastal stands in Italy. Root sampling was also performed. The results enabled generalized equations for volume and aboveground biomass to be developed. However, an analysis also showed several differences in biomass allocation in stone pine resulting from different stand characteristics, emphasizing the importance of stand-dependent factors for adjusting regional or national biomass calculations. Biomass expansion factors were also provided. This study provides tools to help forest managers in quantifying volume and biomass, thereby contributing to the accurate estimation of carbon sequestration and stocks in stone pine stands in Italy.

The asymmetrical process of industrial development tends to increase regional disparities and result in different patterns of territorial exposure: the amount of support given to activities placed within industrial agglomerates. Spatial Attractiveness towards industrial placement tends to follow such patterns, as places with lower exposure tend to be more attractive, providing more support to productive activities. Spatial models based in economic methods have issues in precising the nature of Spatial Attractiveness disparities, as their interpretation of space as an abstracted parameter, provides insufficient locational precision to demonstrate these patterns and how those are dependent on relations between production, territorial endowments, and industrial agglomerates’ internal organization. Novel spatial-economic models ought to consider and incorporate spatial units reflecting the microfoundations of space while providing an accurate spatialization, crucial aspects to create knowledge useful for decision-making. Hence, the paper showcases spatial models tailored to address the differences in Spatial Attractiveness, based in spatial and economic territorial exposure indexes, to unveil the territorial-imbalances’ spatial logics. Organized in a GIS-based environment and using Tuscany as a proof-of-concept, the index-models identified factors of sensitivity or support to firms placed within industrial agglomerates providing an overview of spatial attractiveness within the territory, useful for supporting decision-making practices.

Hemispherical photography has been used since the 1960s in forest ecology. Nevertheless, specific constraints related to film cameras have progressively prevented widespread adoption of this photographic method. Advances in digital photographic technology hold great promise to overcome the major drawbacks of hemispherical photography, particularly regarding field techniques and image processing aspects. This contribution is aimed to: (i) provide a basic foreground of digital hemispherical photography; (ii) illustrate the major strengths and weakness of the method; (iii) provide an reliable protocol for image acquisition and analysis, to get the most out of using hemispherical photography for canopy properties extraction.

Results about the effects of thinning and mixed plantations with Italian alder (Alnus cordata Loisel.) on growth and efficiency of common walnut (Juglans regia L.) plantations for wood production are reported. The study, carried out for six years on sixteen year old plantations, compared three theses: pure common walnut plantation (pure common walnut); 50% common walnut - 50% Italian alder plantation; 25% common walnut - 75% Italian alder plantation. Beyond annual surveys of girth at breast height, total height, stem volume and biomass, several variables, useful to describe canopy and foliage characteristics such as leaf area index (LAI), leaf biomass and photosynthetic active radiation below the canopy, were recorded. Data collected allowed to compare growth at individual and whole stand level, to calculate the net assimilation rate (NAR) and to compare the growth efficiency of the three theses. Mixed plantations performed results significantly higher than the pure plantation in terms of growth, LAI and leaf biomass both before and after experimental thinning. With reference only to common walnut, growth in mixed plantations was higher than the pure plantation with differences ranging from +40% to +100%. More relevant differences among pure common walnut, 50% common walnut and 25% common walnut at canopy and foliage characteristics were observed, with LAI values of 1.07, 3.96 e 4.35 m2 m-2 respectively. Results accounted for a general positive effect of Italian alder as accessory tree species on growth and efficiency of mixed plantations, mainly due to the good performances induced in common walnut trees. Such performances were enabled by the good ecological integration between the two species and by the positive effects of N-fixing activity of Italian alder. Experimental thinning applied, although heavy, did not biased the dynamics observed before thinning both in pure and mixed plantations. In addition, they had positive effects on common walnut growth and especially on radial increment, a very important matter being common walnut the target species with a very appreciated and valuable wood.

Pan European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) recognized dead wood as an indicator in the assessment of the biodiversity and naturalness of forests ecosystems. Dead wood plays an important role in limiting atmospheric CO2 levels as well. The aim of this work was to produce data about the quantities and the quality of dead wood. In this context investigations have been carried out in Quercus frainetto stands in two protected areas in southern Italy. Dead wood was divided into: coarse woody debris (CWD), standing dead trees (SDT), litter and stumps. The average volume of CWD was 5.3 m3 ha-1 while the average volume of SDT was 3.6 m3 ha-1. Average total litter production was 4.6 Mg ha-1 and stumps average volume was 0.4 m3 ha-1. Total carbon stored in dead wood was 3.1 Mg C ha-1. Observations and comments on the dead wood management in Quercus frainetto stands in Mediterranean area are reported.

A five-year study (2000-2005) was established in a part of Castel Fusano (Rome) pinewood burned in 2000. The aims of the research were: i) to analyse the behaviour of the coenoses after fire; ii) to verify the post-fire growth and canopy recovery of the Mediterranean maquis; iii) to evaluate natural regeneration of italian stone pine (Pinus pinea L.); iv) to verify the effectiveness of italian stone pine plantation in enhancing the establishment of the forest cover. Permanent research plots were established to evaluate features and dynamics of the Mediterranean maquis as well as mortality and development of 1-year-old italian stone pine (ca.500 ha-1) seedlings. Two different plantation systems were applied: blocks of three seedlings at 8x8 m distance; one seedling at 5x5 m distance. After five growing seasons from the fire, only 700 stools ha-1 have resprouted, mainly holm oak (48%), whose only 38% of good vigour. Canopy cover of the broad-leaved species is not enough to assure a quick forest establishment. Combined pine plantation with the maquis species, has given satisfactory results, though the mortality was quite high because of the game damages. The block planting performed better for growth and survival of seedlings. This last plantation system could be a rational choice to assure, in a relative short time, forest recovery and mixed stands characterised by a considerable presence of natural vegetation.

Abstract Background Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) represent an innovation but raise issues for healthcare payers because of the uncertainty on impact at market launch, high cost and important organisational impact. The literature has focused on their assessment, appraisal and market access solutions. No evidence on the costs sustained to implement CAR-T is available and a few studies reported the cost of the CAR-T clinical pathway, including the activities that are remunerated through inpatient or outpatient fee-for-service/episode. This paper aims at filling the information gap, assessing the cost of implementing CAR-T activity and the full cost of managing the CAR-T clinical pathway. Methods Cost analysis relied on the Activity Based Costing approach, which was applied to two Italian healthcare organisations, both CAR-T Centres authorized by the regional governments with a minimum of 20 patients treated with the first two CAR-T therapies launched on the market. Results The cost of implementing CAR-T was estimated at €1.31 million (calculated for one of the organizations with complete data). Most of these costs (77%) were generated by quality assurance activity. The mean cost per patient entering the CAR-T pathway (59 and 27) and surviving at follow-up (21 and 5) ranges from €48K to €57K and from €96K to €106K, respectively. Fees for hospitalization and infusion of gene therapy accounts for more than 70% of these costs. The actual hospitalisation cost varies greatly across patients and is in general lower than the fee-for-episode paid by the region to the hospital. Conclusions Despite its limitations (exploratory nature; the time spent by staff on activities which are not remunerated through fees was estimated through interviews with the CAR-T coordinators; cost items are not fully comparable), this research highlighted the relevant organisational and economic impact of CAR-T and provided important insights for policy makers and healthcare managers: the necessity to invest resources in CAR-T implementation; the need for assessing activities which are not remunerated through fees for service / episode; the opportunity to shift from fee-for-episode / service to bundled payments for CAR-T clinical pathway.

Last summer, a claim on the Italian mass-media was raised following the decision of the Piedmont region to authorize a selective hunting on 600 roe deers. Almost everyone participated in the debate, in most cases with emotional considerations, overwhelming the opinions of experts. Unfortunately, the only “absents” have been the representatives of foresters. On the contrary, foresters could have brought important arguments and data to contribute in the debate, considering the impact of deer on the forest environment. An integrated management of wildlife and forest resources is possible, but it is necessary to contribute with real arguments in a debate, in which foresters do have the knowledge, the capacities and the duty to raise their voice.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications.