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We investigated the paraglacial evolution and permafrost degradation of Val Viola (Upper Valtellina, Central Italian Alps) through a geomorphologic survey, cosmogenic dating, Schmidt's Hammer, and surface roughness measurements. Our results reveal that the previously mapped Val Viola rock avalanche is probably derived by three different events that occurred 7.7 ± 0.2 ka (Orthogneiss_ 1), 7.0 ± 0.2 ka (Paragneiss), and 5.0 ± 0.3 ka (Orthogneiss_2). Because the main valley bottom has been ice free since at least 12.6 ka, it is unlikely that the triggering factor of these events was the debutressing stress caused by the melting of local valley glaciers. Therefore, permafrost that formed in this area down to 2525 m a.s.l. at 9.3–8 ka and degraded successively between 7.8 and 6.5 ka was likely the main triggering factor of the first two rock avalanche events, as well as for the third event that happened during the warm and wet period of the Holocene Thermal Maximum around 5 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally from Southeast Asia, the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is now found almost everywhere in the world. Additionally, it spread throughout all of Northeastern Italy's cities, including Trento, and settled in the Alpine regions. The invasion of mountain regions in the Alps above 600 meters, which is generally thought to be the upper limit of Ae. Albopictus's range, is confirmed for the first time in this note. We observed it in the summer of 2023 between 615 and 708 meters above sea level in the Trento region's surrounding mountains, specifically in the Montevaccino and Sopramonte localities. The mosquito was caught using ovitraps, and by raising the eggs to adulthood in a lab, the species identification was verified. This finding heightens worries about how tropical insect species, which are favored by global warming, may invade the mountains and affect tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally from Southeast Asia, the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is now found almost everywhere in the world. Additionally, it spread throughout all of Northeastern Italy’s cities, including Trento, and settled in the Alpine regions. The invasion of mountain regions in the Alps above 600 meters, which is generally thought to be the upper limit of Ae. Albopictus’s range, is confirmed for the first time in this note. We observed it in the summer of 2023 between 615 and 708 meters above sea level in the Trento region’s surrounding mountains, specifically in the Montevaccino and Sopramonte localities. The mosquito was caught using ovitraps, and by raising the eggs to adulthood in a lab, the species identification was verified. This finding heightens worries about how tropical insect species, which are favored by global warming, may invade the mountains and affect tourism.

Pesticides, synthetic fragrances and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated two glacier-fed streams (Amola, Mandrone) and one spring (Grostè) in the Italian Alps. Ten compounds (chlorpyrifos (CPY), chlorpyrifos-methyl (CPY-m), galaxolide (HHCB), tonalide (AHTN), fluorene (Flu), phenanthrene (Phen), anthracene (Ant), fluoranthene (Fl), pyrene (Pyr), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA)) accumulated in aquatic larvae of chironomids (Diamesa steinboecki, D. latitarsis, D. bertrami, D. tonsa, D. zernyi, Pseudokiefferiella parva, Orthocladiinae) and tipulids. Their tissue concentrations (detected by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry) ranged from 1.1 ± 0.1 ng/g d.w. (= dry weight) (CPY-m in D. tonsa from Amola) to 68.0 ± 9.1 ng/g d.w. (Pyr in D. steinboecki from Mandrone). HHCB, AHTN, and CPY, with one exception, were accumulated by all aquatic insects. Six compounds (CPY, CPY-m, HHCB, AHTN, Fl, Pyr) also contaminated carabids (Nebria germarii, N. castanea, N. jockischii) predating adults of merolimnic insects. Their tissue concentrations ranged from 1.1 ± 0.3 ng/g d.w. (CPY-m in N. germarii from Mandrone) to 84.6 ± 0.3 ng/g d.w. (HHCB in N. castanea from Grostè). HHCB and AHTN were accumulated by all Nebria species. Intersite and interspecies differences were observed, which might be attributed to different environmental contamination levels. There was a stronger similarity between species from the same site than among the same species from different sites, suggesting that uptake is not species specific. At all sites, the concentration of xenobiotics was higher in larvae than in water and comparable or higher in carabids than in larvae from the same site, suggesting trophic transfer by emerging aquatic insects to their riparian predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree rings are widely used for climatic reconstructions and for improving our understanding of ongoing climate change in high-altitude sensitive areas. X-ray maximum latewood density is a very powerful parameter to reconstruct past climatic variations, especially if compared to tree-ring width, but this method is neither inexpensive nor timesaving. However, blue intensity (BI) has resulted in an excellent maximum wood density surrogate that measures the intensity of reflected light from latewood in the blue spectra. This methodology is still considered a prototype parameter, and more data are needed for validation of the method. We present the first BI values coming from Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) collected on the southern margin of the Alps. Analyses were performed by testing different solvents and polishing techniques, as well as different CooRecorder pixel percentage settings. The results demonstrate that solvents and software parameters have little influence on the final chronologies. Dendroclimatic analyses demonstrate that Swiss stone pine BI can be a useful tool to extract at least the high-frequency variations in July–August temperatures with a correlation coefficient of up to 0.6 (over the 1800–2017 time period). The immunity of Swiss stone pine to insect defoliator outbreaks further enhances the reliability of the BI values of this species in reconstructing past high-frequency temperature variations in high-altitude sensitive areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine freshwater biodiversity is at risk of extinction due to climate change and some species could remain undescribed before they go extinct. These species are not yet included in red lists of protection by law, such as annelids in alpine habitats. Within this context, we studied the annelid fauna in 20 sites located between 1223 and 2703 m asl, belonging to different habitat types (kryal, glacio-rhithral, non-glacial streams, springs, littoral lake zone), in three glaciated catchments of the Italian Alps (Noce Bianco, Careser and Conca-Carè Alto; Trentino Province). The aim of this study was to describe the annelid communities of the different habitat types collected with different sampling methods (kick sampling and drift) and investigate the relationships between species richness and abundance with altitude. Between the years 2000 and 2005, we collected 4,765 individuals in 418 samples. One genus of Polychaeta (Aeolosoma) and 36 species of Oligochaeta were identified, distributed in four families: Enchytraeidae (28), Lumbriculidae (4), Naididae (3 and Tubificinae juveniles) and Haplotaxidae (1). Five species were new to Italy: Cernosvitoviella carpatica, Cernosvitoviella cf. crassoductus, Henlea brucei, Henlea glandulifera and Mesenchytraeus sanguineus. As expected, Enchytraeidae prevailed in all sites with the genera Cernosvitoviella and Cognettia the most abundant and frequent. The regression and cluster analyses and the generalized linear mixed models we performed, highlighted that the differences in species richness and abundance among sites are explainable partly by altitude but mainly by habitat type. A clear longitudinal species turnover was evident only in the Noce Bianco and Careser glacier-fed streams, where taxonomic diversity (tested by Seriation analysis) and abundance increased with increasing distance from the glacier front and decreasing altitude. Also expected, the harsh kryal habitat was the poorest in species and individuals, with a dominance of semi-aquatic and terrestrial enchytraeid taxa. Drift was found to be more effective than kick sampling in collecting oligochaetes, especially in glacier-fed streams where the use of the pond net is generally hindered by their high and highly variable discharge. In conclusion, this study provides new data on oligochaete fauna in alpine freshwaters, useful to implement the prevision models for Alpine biodiversity up to date not including annelid fauna.

Large-scale slow-moving deep-seated landslides are complex and potentially highly damaging phenomena. The detection of their dynamics in terms of displacement rate distribution is therefore a key point to achieve a better understanding of their behavior and support risk management. Due to their large dimensions, ranging from 1.5 to almost 4 km2, in situ monitoring is generally integrated using satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques. In the framework of the EFRE-FESR SoLoMon project, three test-sites located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy) were selected for testing the possibility of retrieving significant slope displacement data from the analysis of multi-temporal airborne optic and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys with digital image correlation (DIC) algorithms such as normalized cross-correlation (NCC) and phase correlation (PC). The test-sites were selected for a number of reasons: they are relevant in terms of hazard and risk; they are representative of different type of slope movements (earth-slides, deep seated gravitational slope Deformation and rockslides), and different rates of displacement (from few cm/years to some m/years); and they have been mapped and monitored with ground-based systems for many years (DIC results can be validated both qualitatively and quantitatively). Specifically, NCC and PC algorithms were applied to high-resolution (5 to 25 cm/px) airborne optic and LiDAR-derived datasets (such as hillshade and slope maps computed from digital terrain models) acquired during the 2019–2021 period. Qualitative and quantitative validation was performed based on periodic GNSS surveys as well as on manual homologous point tracking. The displacement maps highlight that both DIC algorithms succeed in identifying and quantifying slope movements of multi-pixel magnitude in non-densely vegetated areas, while they struggle to quantify displacement patterns in areas characterized by movements of sub-pixel magnitude, especially if densely vegetated. Nonetheless, in all three landslides, they proved to be able to differentiate stable and active parts at the slope scale, thus representing a useful integration of punctual ground-based monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ice fly Diamesa steinboecki Goetghebuer, 1933 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae) is exclusive to glacier-fed streams in the East Palaearctic region and is threatened by extinction due to global warming and glacier retreat. To date, no data are available on its thermal tolerance or ability to develop a heat shock response (HSR) or involve other biomarkers when exposed to higher-than-natural temperatures (i.e., >4–6 °C). Our study aimed to investigate the warmth resistance of IV-instar larvae of D. steinboecki in terms of (1) ability to survive heat shock and (2) gene expression of four genes known to be involved in the detoxification/stress response (cytochrome p450 (Cyp450), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), hsp70 with intron and heat shock protein cognate 70 (hsc70)). Larvae were exposed to short-term shocks for 1 h at increasing temperatures (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40 °C) to estimate the lethal temperature, obtaining high values (LT10 = 38.1 °C, LT50 = 39.2 °C, LT99 = 40.3 °C), suggesting a strong heat resistance up to 38 °C and a very rapid decline in survival thereafter. Moreover, gene expression analysis by real-time PCR was performed on larvae from the control (at 2 °C) and larvae found alive after the previous treatment at 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38 °C. Modulation of the expression was observed only for hsc70 and hsp70 genes. Specifically, hsc70 resulted in constitutive overexpression, even at 26 °C when all larvae were found alive without evidence of suffering. By contrast, hsp70 showed up and downregulation according to the specific temperature, suggesting the activation of an HSR at 28 °C, when some larvae were found alive but suffering (almost paralyzed). The results suggest that, based on LTs, D. steinboecki is more thermally tolerant than other Diamesa species (e.g., D. tonsa) from cold freshwaters, but, as in these, hsp70 and hsc70 are involved in surviving short-term heat shock. This makes the ice fly from the Alps different from Belgica antarctica and other cold-adapted organisms living in extremely cold habitats that, constantly exposed to cold, have lost the ability to develop an HSR. Further research is needed to investigate the response to prolonged exposure to temperatures higher that the natural one, giving new insights into the biological response to climate change of alpine species threatened by extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents palynological data obtained from a trench excavated at the Neolithic pile-dwelling archaeological site of Palù di Livenza (northeastern Italy). The site is in a wetland located in a tectonic basin at the foot of the Cansiglio plateau, crossed by the Livenza river. Environmental conditions have made this wetland a suitable area for settlements since prehistoric times. Thanks to the peaty sediments that characterise the area, archaeological materials and botanical remains have been exceptionally well preserved. Their study has shed light on a Neolithic pile-dwelling settlement that developed in various phases between c. 6350 and 5600 cal BP (c. 4400 and 3650 BC), and has also allowed for a detailed environmental reconstruction of the surrounding environment. A vertical sequence of 20 samples was analysed to study pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and microcharcoals. An age-depth model was performed based on three radiocarbon dates. The palynological analysis provided insight into the response of vegetation to environmental changes caused by both climatic fluctuations and human pressure. In this sense, it was possible to highlight differences in vegetation cover, some fires, the use of woody resources, the spread of cereal fields, as well as the presence of other cultivated plants and plant processing by the people within the village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study centennial trends of climate and snow cover within the Ossola valley, in the Western Italian Alps. We pursue different tests (Mann Kendall MK, bulk, and sequential/progressive MKprog, Linear Regression, also with change point detection, and moving window average MW) on two datasets, namely (i) dataset1, daily temperature, precipitation, snow depth for 9 stations in the area, during 1930–2018, and (ii) dataset2, snow depth and density, measured twice a month (from February 1st to June 1st) for 47 stations during 2007–2023. We also verify correlation with glacier retreat nearby. In dataset1, we highlight a positive trend for minimum temperature with MK, and Linear Regression. Using MKprog/MW, a negative change of snow cover depth, and duration starting from the late 1980s is found. In dataset2, despite the annual variability in snow cover and 2022–2023 winter drought, we assess the maximum snow water equivalent (SWE) to be delayed with respect to maximum snow depth at high altitude (over a month above 2.700 m a.s.l.), highlighting the effect of settling in decreasing snow depth during spring. We also present a formula linking through Linear Regression the Day of the Year of SWE peak to altitude, relevant to assess the onset of thaw season. Due to the high altitude of the stations, and the paradigmatic nature of the Ossola Valley, hosting Toce River, a main contributor to the Lake Maggiore of Italy, our results are of interest, and can be used as a benchmark for the Italian Alps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rye is a secondary crop that is characterized by a higher tolerance to climatically less favorable conditions than other cereal species. For this reason, rye was historically used as a fundamental raw material for bread production and as a supply of straw in northern parts of Europe as well as in mountain environments, such as Alpine valleys, where locally adapted landraces have continued to be cultivated over the years. In this study, rye landraces collected in different valleys in the Northwest Italian Alps have been selected as the most genetically isolated within their geographical contexts and cultivated in two different marginal Alpine environments. The traits concerning their agronomy, mycotoxin contamination, bioactive content, as well as their technological and baking quality were assessed to characterize and compare rye landraces with commercial wheat and rye cultivars. Rye cultivars showed the same grain yield level as wheat in both environments. Only the genotype selected from the Maira Valley was characterized by tall and thin culms and a proneness to lodging, thereby resulting in a lower yield capacity. Among the rye cultivars, the hybrid one presented the highest yield potential, but also the highest susceptibility to the occurrence of ergot sclerotia. However, the rye cultivars, especially the landraces, were characterized by higher concentrations of minerals, soluble fibers, and soluble phenolic acids, and thus both their flours and breads had superior antioxidant properties. A 40% substitution of refined wheat flour with whole-grain rye flour led to a higher dough water absorption and a lower stability, thereby resulting in lower loaf volumes and darker products. Agronomically and qualitatively speaking, the rye landraces diverged significantly from the conventional rye cultivars, thus reflecting their genetic distinctiveness. The landrace from the Maira Valley shared a high content in phenolic acids and good antioxidant properties with the one from the Susa Valley and, when combined with wheat flour, turned out to be the most suitable for bread making. Overall, the results have highlighted the suitability of reintroducing historic rye supply chains, based on the cultivation of local landraces in marginal environments and the production of value-added bakery goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author analyses positionings in space, time and society that inhabitants of Sauris and Timau, German language pockets in Friuli, construct in qualitative interviews about food. Positionings of the self are immanent when interviewees speak about, represent and relate to times they, their parents or grandparents have experienced, as well as frequented localities and known persons. Relations, which outreach the places, are established through the preparation and consumption of specific foods because it evokes memories, emotions, feelings, and transmits values. Dishes with dialectal German names that are associated with the place and food, which had been consumed daily in the agrarian past became particular. In order to negotiate meanings and to identify with places and people, common food preparation, consumption and reflections are necessary, and individual interpretations need to be accepted.

Rye is a secondary crop that is characterized by a higher tolerance to climatically less favorable conditions than other cereal species. For this reason, rye was historically used as a fundamental raw material for bread production and as a supply of straw in northern parts of Europe as well as in mountain environments, such as Alpine valleys, where locally adapted landraces have continued to be cultivated over the years. In this study, rye landraces collected in different valleys in the Northwest Italian Alps have been selected as the most genetically isolated within their geographical contexts and cultivated in two different marginal Alpine environments. The traits concerning their agronomy, mycotoxin contamination, bioactive content, as well as their technological and baking quality were assessed to characterize and compare rye landraces with commercial wheat and rye cultivars. Rye cultivars showed the same grain yield level as wheat in both environments. Only the genotype selected from the Maira Valley was characterized by tall and thin culms and a proneness to lodging, thereby resulting in a lower yield capacity. Among the rye cultivars, the hybrid one presented the highest yield potential, but also the highest susceptibility to the occurrence of ergot sclerotia. However, the rye cultivars, especially the landraces, were characterized by higher concentrations of minerals, soluble fibers, and soluble phenolic acids, and thus both their flours and breads had superior antioxidant properties. A 40% substitution of refined wheat flour with whole-grain rye flour led to a higher dough water absorption and a lower stability, thereby resulting in lower loaf volumes and darker products. Agronomically and qualitatively speaking, the rye landraces diverged significantly from the conventional rye cultivars, thus reflecting their genetic distinctiveness. The landrace from the Maira Valley shared a high content in phenolic acids and good antioxidant properties with the one from the Susa Valley and, when combined with wheat flour, turned out to be the most suitable for bread making. Overall, the results have highlighted the suitability of reintroducing historic rye supply chains, based on the cultivation of local landraces in marginal environments and the production of value-added bakery goods.

In this study, we assessed the potential effects of climate change upon the productivity of mountain pastures in the Valtellina valley of Italy. Two species, Trisetum flavescens and Nardus stricta, among the most abundant in Italian pastures, were chosen for the simulation of low- and high-altitude pastures, respectively. We introduced some agroclimatic indices, related to growing season parameters, climate, and water availability, to evaluate the impacts of climate change upon pasture production. First, the dynamic of the pasture species was evaluated for the present period using the climate-driven, hydrologically based model Poli-Hydro, nesting the Poli-Pasture module simulating plants growth. Poli-Pasture was validated against yield data, at province scale, and at local scale. Then, agroclimatic indices were calculated. Subsequently, IPCC scenarios of the Fifth and Sixth Assessment Reports (AR5 and AR6) were used to project species production and agroclimatic indices until the end of the 21st century. In response to increased temperature under all scenarios, a large potential for an increased growing season length and species yield overall (between +30% and +180% for AR5 at 2100) was found. Potential for decreased yield (until −31% for AR5) is seen below 1100 m asl in response to heat stress; however, it is compensated by a large increase higher up (between +50% and +140% for AR5 above 2000 m asl). Larger evapotranspiration is foreseen and larger water demand expected. However, specific (for hectares of pasture) water use would decrease visibly, and no significant water limitations would be seen. Results provide preliminary evidence of potential livestock, and thereby economic development in the valley at higher altitudes than now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of the valley glaciers of the Italian Alps as a result of the climate changes expected for the 21st century has been investigated. From 1980 to 2017 the average length reduction of these glaciers has been 13% and their average areal reduction was around 22%. The mean climate sensitivity of the considered glaciers is 410 mK−1 and their mean observed shortening was about 500 m for a temperature increase of 1.4°C. To quantify the valley glacier life expectancy, a model estimating their length variations from the air temperature variations of the EuroCordex climatological projections of six different models under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios has been used. The ensemble mean temperatures in the Italian Alps region under these scenarios indicate increases in the temperature of ∼2°C and ∼4°C from 2018 to 2100 respectively. The glacier projections are mean values, taking into account the errors due to the model (6–16%) and the different climatological forcings (up to 20–30%). Under the RCP4.5 scenario, the glacier model projections show a constant retreat until the 2080s, with a weakening around 2090s and the 87% of glaciers surviving. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, only three glaciers could reach the end of the century, while 80% of them will probably disappear between the 2060s and the 2080s.

The energy and mass balance of mountain glaciers translate into volume changes that play out as area changes over time. From this, together with former moraines during maximum advances, information on past climate conditions and the climatic drivers behind during glacier advances can be obtained. Here, we use the distributed COupled Snowpack and Ice surface energy and mass balance model in PYthon (COSIPY) to simulate the present state of an Italian glacier, named Fürkeleferner, for the mass balance years 2013–2017. Next, we investigate the local climate during the time of the last “Little Ice Age” (LIA) maximum glacier advance using COSIPY together with the LIA glacier outline retrieved from moraine mapping and a digital elevation model (DEM) adapted for the glacier’s geometry at the time of the LIA as a benchmark. Furthermore, the glacier’s sensitivity to future air temperature increase of +1 K and +2 K is investigated using the same model. For all simulations, meteorological data of closely located climate stations are used to force the model. We show the individual monthly contribution of individual energy and mass balance components. Refreezing during the summer months is an important component of the energy and mass balance, on average about 9 % relative to total annual ablation. The results from simulating past climate show a 2.8 times larger glacier area for Fürkeleferner during the LIA than today. This further implies a 2.5 K colder climate, assuming that the amount of precipitation was 10 %–20 % in excess of today’s value. Concerning further temperature increase of 2 K, the glacier would only consist of the ablation area implying sustained mass loss and eventual total mass loss. Even under current climatic conditions, the glacier area would have to decrease to 17 % of its current area to be in a steady state. We discuss the reliability of the results by comparing simulated present mass balance to measured mass balances of neighboring glaciers in the European Alps and with short-term measurements on Fürkeleferner itself. In conclusion, we are able to show how the glacier responds to past and future climate change and determine the climatic drivers behind.

A study on tourists' preferences for wildlife conservation in the Italian Alps using a choice experiment is presented. The study focuses on wolves, lynx and salamanders, which are in danger of extinction. Welfare analysis suggests that WTP for varying sizes of animal population increases up to 45–55 animals and then decreases. This indicates that tourists are willing to financially contribute to an increase in the number of animals, but they do not want too many individuals, probably due to the impacts that large populations of carnivores may have. Estimated consumer surplus confirms a larger positive welfare change for the scenario with 50 animals. A population of 50 animals is considered a viable population for the survival of wolves and lynx; therefore results indicate that tourists are willing to contribute for sustainable wolf and lynx conservation. The analysis also indicates that the places of residence and where respondents grew up influence preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale slow-moving deep-seated landslides are complex and potentially highly damaging phenomena. The detection of their dynamics in terms of displacement rate distribution is therefore a key point to achieve a better understanding of their behavior and support risk management. Due to their large dimensions, ranging from 1.5 to almost 4 km2, in situ monitoring is generally integrated using satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques. In the framework of the EFRE-FESR SoLoMon project, three test-sites located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy) were selected for testing the possibility of retrieving significant slope displacement data from the analysis of multi-temporal airborne optic and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys with digital image correlation (DIC) algorithms such as normalized cross-correlation (NCC) and phase correlation (PC). The test-sites were selected for a number of reasons: they are relevant in terms of hazard and risk; they are representative of different type of slope movements (earth-slides, deep seated gravitational slope Deformation and rockslides), and different rates of displacement (from few cm/years to some m/years); and they have been mapped and monitored with ground-based systems for many years (DIC results can be validated both qualitatively and quantitatively). Specifically, NCC and PC algorithms were applied to high-resolution (5 to 25 cm/px) airborne optic and LiDAR-derived datasets (such as hillshade and slope maps computed from digital terrain models) acquired during the 2019–2021 period. Qualitative and quantitative validation was performed based on periodic GNSS surveys as well as on manual homologous point tracking. The displacement maps highlight that both DIC algorithms succeed in identifying and quantifying slope movements of multi-pixel magnitude in non-densely vegetated areas, while they struggle to quantify displacement patterns in areas characterized by movements of sub-pixel magnitude, especially if densely vegetated. Nonetheless, in all three landslides, they proved to be able to differentiate stable and active parts at the slope scale, thus representing a useful integration of punctual ground-based monitoring systems.

This article discusses how to sustainably manage and protect the Alpine landscape from the risk of extreme weather events due to climate change. The authors present the results achieved by applying the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) method in the case of a large terraced healing park built in the Central Alps in the 1930s and damaged in 2018 by the effects of Storm Adrian (also known as Vaia). We thoroughly analysed the state of preservation through historical documentation, aerial shooting with a drone, a tree-by-tree evaluation, and a GIS platform for integrated information management. Such a CMP approach is usually applied to assess the state of decay and plan for the sustainable conservation of historic buildings and gardens. The method of analysis and the performed activities allowed us to evaluate the park's landscape values and identify the elements of risk, leading to the drafting of a monitoring map and guidelines of intervention. This experience made it possible to test its effectiveness in protecting the Alpine landscape and its specific fragility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-membrane fluidity is a fundamental parameter in cold resistance. It is regulated by a fine tuning of lipid composition, usually involving a great chemical diversity among head-groups, chain lengths, and degree of unsaturation. To give new insights on Alpine chironomid cold adaptation, we analysed the lipid membrane composition of Diamesa tonsa and Pseudodiamesa branickii , two species known to have different cold-tolerance, stronger in the former. Membrane lipid composition was analysed by NMR and HPLC-MS in larvae under natural (4 °C) and laboratory conditions (30 min at - 4 °C). In both species the major class of membrane lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), reaching 93% in D. tonsa and 80% in P. branickii , followed by a minor relative amount of phosphatidylcholine (PC). Phospholipids (PL) acyl chains were highly unsaturated given the presence of a relevant amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), among which a high proportion of ω-3 chains. This study demonstrated that these species have a similar lipidome (e.g. relevant amount of PUFA and predominance of PE), but with relevant differences on which to base different membrane fluidity: (i) a higher unsaturation index and chain length of both PE and PC and a higher ratio PE/PC ratio in D. tonsa than in P. branickii ; (ii) the absence of modifications in the lipid composition in D. tonsa under sub-zero temperature. These differences might support the different cold-tolerance of the two species. In fact, we suggest that the high PE/PC ratio and the low sterols content (as in D. tonsa) could be involved in the formation of highly deformable membranes increasing their capacity to survive freezing. Interestingly, LC-MS analysis of D. tonsa lipidome revealed a new class of lipids that we named 'PpC', absent in P. branickii , that is worth investigating. [Display omitted] • In both species, acyl chains were highly unsaturated. • In D. tonsa , the most cold-adapted species, a lower sterols content was detected. • In both species, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) prevailed on phosphatidylcholine (PC). • In D. tonsa , PE/PC ratio, chain length (CL) and unsaturation index (UI) of PE and PC were higher. • High PE/PC ratio, CL and UI form high deformable membranes increasing cold-tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilderness is an important concept in the discourses and policies concerning contemporary European protected areas, inherently challenging in terms of sustainability. Since its designation in 1992, the Val Grande National Park, located in northwest Italy, has been portrayed and promoted as a wilderness area, thereby enhancing tourism, whilst disregarding the historical signs of human activity. In this paper we explore the wilderness concept, focusing on the narratives developed in the area, that changed from a strict conservationist approach to a more utilitarian one, influencing the National Park's policy-making. The research is based mainly on the content analysis of several literary texts. We conclude that wildernessneeds to be reconceptualized so that contemporary European protection policies might become more effective, and we may use our knowledge of nature to promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine pastures generate important ecosystem services, some closely related to the environment, others to historical and cultural aspects. The economic valuation of these services helps their recognition in public policies, thus encouraging their conservation and improvement. Discrete Choice Experiments are particularly useful in estimating ecosystem services as they allow the evaluation of each individual ecosystem service, allowing for policy modulation. However, preferences and willingness to pay may be influenced by some heuristics that respondents adopt when making their choices. The present study contributes to the Attribute-Non-Attendance (ANA) literature by analyzing the effect of serial ANA on WTP for the improvement of the ecosystem services of an Alpine pasture, the Entrelor pasture located in Val d'Aosta (North-West Italy). The novelty of this study is that we investigated ANA by asking a first group of respondents which attributes were ignored during choices, and a second group which attributes they considered. Our results show that considering ANA matters in DCE. In particular, framing the question positively (which attributes were attended) yields differences in marginal WTPs that are significantly and systematically higher for all the attributes. Conversely, with negative framing, differences in marginal WTP seem to be insignificant and unstable both in terms of magnitude and sign. Moreover, positively framing the ANA question can be more informative, as ANA appears more frequently. These results suggest that respondents probably do not feel judged for not having adopted the expected degree of attention with a positively framed ANA question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the Apicomplexa parasites, Hepatozoon spp. have been mainly studied in domestic animals and peri-urban areas. The epidemiology of Hepatozoon spp. is poorly investigated in natural systems and wild hosts because of their scarce veterinary and economic relevance. For most habitats, the occurrence of these parasites is unknown, despite their high ecosystemic role. To fill this gap for alpine small mammals, we applied molecular PCR-based methods and sequencing to determine the Hepatozoon spp. in 830 ear samples from 11 small mammal species (i.e., Apodemus, Myodes, Chionomys, Microtus, Crocidura and Sorex genera) live-trapped during a cross-sectional study along an altitudinal gradient in the North-Eastern Italian Alps. We detected Hepatozoon spp. with an overall prevalence of 35.9%. Two species ranging from 500 m a.s.l. to 2500 m a.s.l. were the most infected: My. glareolus, followed by Apodemus spp. Additionally, we detected the parasite for the first time in another alpine species: C. nivalis at 2000–2500 m a.s.l. Our findings suggest that several rodent species maintain Hepatozoon spp. along the alpine altitudinal gradient of habitats. The transmission pathway of this group of parasites and their role within the alpine mammal community need further investigation, especially in consideration of the rapidly occurring environmental and climatic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming and the associated glacier retreat recently revealed the entrance to an ice–rock tunnel, at an altitude of ~3600 m a.s.l., in the uppermost portion of the Forni Glacier in the Central Italian Alps. The tunnel served as an entrance to an Austro-Hungarian cableway station excavated in the rocks during the Great War just behind the frontline. A comprehensive geophysical survey, based on seismic and ground-penetrating radar profiling, was then undertaken to map other possible World War I (WWI) remains still embedded in the ice. The ice–rock interface was reconstructed over the entire saddle and in the uppermost portion of the glacier. A prominent linear reflector was surprisingly similar to the common response of buried pipes. The reflector orientation, almost longitudinal to the slope, does not seem to be compatible with a glacial conduit or with other natural features. Numerical simulations of a series of possible targets constrained interpretation to a partly water-filled rounded shape cavity. The presence of a preserved WWI tunnel connecting Mount Vioz and Punta Linke could be considered a realistic hypothesis. The Forni glacier could be still considered polythermal and comprised of cold ice without basal sliding in its top portion.

In this study, we assessed the potential effects of climate change upon the productivity of mountain pastures in the Valtellina valley of Italy. Two species, Trisetum flavescens and Nardus stricta, among the most abundant in Italian pastures, were chosen for the simulation of low- and high-altitude pastures, respectively. We introduced some agroclimatic indices, related to growing season parameters, climate, and water availability, to evaluate the impacts of climate change upon pasture production. First, the dynamic of the pasture species was evaluated for the present period using the climate-driven, hydrologically based model Poli-Hydro, nesting the Poli-Pasture module simulating plants growth. Poli-Pasture was validated against yield data, at province scale, and at local scale. Then, agroclimatic indices were calculated. Subsequently, IPCC scenarios of the Fifth and Sixth Assessment Reports (AR5 and AR6) were used to project species production and agroclimatic indices until the end of the 21st century. In response to increased temperature under all scenarios, a large potential for an increased growing season length and species yield overall (between +30% and +180% for AR5 at 2100) was found. Potential for decreased yield (until −31% for AR5) is seen below 1100 m asl in response to heat stress; however, it is compensated by a large increase higher up (between +50% and +140% for AR5 above 2000 m asl). Larger evapotranspiration is foreseen and larger water demand expected. However, specific (for hectares of pasture) water use would decrease visibly, and no significant water limitations would be seen. Results provide preliminary evidence of potential livestock, and thereby economic development in the valley at higher altitudes than now.

In the Early Middle Ages (fifth to 11th centuries AD), central Europe was marked by geo‐political instabilities and important socio‐cultural changes that led to the admixture of different cultures named barbari by the Romans, whose demographic impact is still not fully understood. These events also involved the populations settled in modern day South Tyrol, a region in the north‐eastern Italian Alps. In this context, the early medieval site of Säben‐Sabiona (Eisack‐Isarco valley, Province of Bozen‐Bolzano) had a relevant political role, and particularly due to its geographical location and religious importance, it was a prestigious burial site for individuals of different cultural and social backgrounds. This study aims to gain novel insights into the possible effects of these instabilities on daily life and general health of the people buried in Säben‐Sabiona, based on a thorough analysis of accident and violence‐related trauma. A total number of 226 individuals underwent a detailed osteological analysis to establish the number of individuals affected by trauma and to reconstruct the distribution, timing and type of injury. Trauma was assessed through macroscopic and metric analyses. Both crude, injuries per individual, and true prevalence rates, trauma per bone, were calculated. Signs of trauma were found on 37/226 individuals, whereby males exhibited more trauma than females and subadults. Most injuries were identified as antemortem fractures on the appendicular skeleton or perimortem sharp force trauma that was predominantly found on the skull. Most individuals featured less than five trauma; however, seven individuals account for more than half of the observed lesions. The trauma investigation suggests that most of the injured experienced skeletal injuries associated with labour‐related accidents and only a few, all of which were males, displayed signs of contemplated violence. Hence, it appears that the lives of the studied individuals were largely non‐violent, yet, sporadic situations of hostility and interpersonal conflict were also common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mountain regions, climate change is resulting in glacial retreat, causing biodiversity loss in glacial‐fed streams (kryal habitat). Diamesa species (Diptera Chironomidae), the main colonizers of the kryal in the Alps, are the aquatic insects more threatened by extinction. In recent years, DNA barcoding was successfully adopted to delimit species of chironomids and provided species identification. We highlighted that for the Diamesa genus, inconsistencies remain between identification on a morphological and molecular basis, mainly within cinerella and zernyi groups, raising doubts about the validity of head colour as a good diagnostic taxonomic character. Molecular phylogeny reconstruction based on mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II) and one nuclear (ribosomal 18S rRNA) markers revealed that D. bohemani and D. zernyi on one hand, and D. cinerella and D. tonsa on the other hand, represent populations of the same species. Divergence times suggested that the radiation of these alpine species seems to have been driven by the climatic events with the alternation of glacial periods that happened in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. The initial separation of the oriental species D. steinboecki seems to be due to the tectonic movements of the Periadriatic fault system that probably favoured the emergence of lakes and streams, successively colonized by D. steinboecki. This study raises important concerns, from the validity of diagnostic characters used today to identify larval types up to the uncertainty about how many species of Diamesa inhabit the European Alps and what their fate will be within the scenario of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable isotopic data (δ13C; δ15N) were obtained from Mesolithic human and faunal remains from north- eastern Italy in order to document the human diet and provide information on the relationship between landscape use and subsistence strategies. The bone samples were from an adult female individual (Early Mesolithic, Late Sauveterrian) buried at Vatte di Zambana (Trento), an adult male (Late Mesolithic, Castelnovian) buried at Mondeval de Sora (Belluno), and an adult female from Mezzocorona Borgonuovo (Trento). For the latter, the stratigraphic position of the burial pit and evidence of the associated ritual suggest a Mesolithic attribution. Carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) stable isotope compositions of human bone collagen were compared with those of animal remains from different taxa found in stratigraphic association with the burial. The isotopic data and the Bayesian model developed from the latter and from data in the literature indicate a very significant proportion of terrestrial resources in the protein fraction of the human diet, particularly from red deer compared to other ungulates and potentially from freshwater fish and small mammals. These results add to the information provided by zooarchaeological studies and reopen the debate on the role of secondary resources such as chamois, ibex, small mammals and fish, such as pike, in the diet of these mobile human societies. However, as this is a preliminary study based on a very small sample size, interpretations should be considered with caution.

This study evaluated the trend and spatial distribution of wild boar population harvested in the Alpine hunting district C.A. CN1 (Piedmont, Italy) from 1996 to 2018, and its relation with hunting effort. Protected areas were found to shape the distribution of the harvested wild boars, which decreased in number as the distance from those zones increased. The hunting bag data presented large yearly fluctuation, with a trend in line with the hunting effort until 2007 when the maximum capacity of the population to cope with the hunting pressure was reached. The variation of reproductive parameters (percentage of piglets in the hunted population and piglets to sexually matured female ratio) showed a decreasing trend in both time series. Conversely, hunting effort increased over the years, with significant trend changes in 2000 and 2015, probably associated with the increased preference for hunting activity on wild boars, and the parallel reduction of the extension of hunting areas. Predation, hunting activity, and environment could have modulated the wild boar population dynamics in the study area. Decrease in chestnut Castanea sativa production, due to the gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, were reported during the period of study. This might be the main factor determining the downtrend of piglets in 2003. In addition, predation by wolves Canis lupus, whose population has sharply increased in the southwestern Alps in the last decades, might have contributed to the decline since 2010. This work outlines the importance of a proper management of protected areas, which influence the density and distribution of wild boars. In this context, hunting bags analysis is of pivotal importance to monitor population dynamics and develop proper wildlife policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of external morphological characters and of male genitalia of numerous individuals distributed across the entire range, Pterostichus pinguis is recognized as a valid species, distinct from P flavofemoratus, in accordance with the original descriptions by Dejean (1828). P flavofemoratus is distributed to the right of the Dora Baltea river, from Canavese to Val Grande di Lanzo (Graian Alps), while P pinguis is present to the left of the Dora Baltea river, in the Mount Rosa/Biellese district up to Val Formazza (Pennine and W-Lepontine Alps). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An application of the Complete Automatic Seismic Processor (CASP) for seismic monitoring is presented. Its integrated and iterative fully automatic procedure is able to achieve complete data analysis and significantly rapid elaborations. Its performance in real-time seismic monitoring and alerting is tested in the Trentino region (NE Italy) for the period 1st March 2018 – 31st August 2019. CASP precisely and accurately located 386 seismic events, with local magnitudes in the -0.8–3.4 range, and produced a seismic catalogue with a magnitude of completeness around 1.1. Automatic earthquake solutions, with average horizontal and vertical errors of 1.1 and 1.5 km, are very similar to those included in a manually revised reference catalogue. In addition, 146 detected events are located in the area of the local porphyry quarries. CASP alerts are delivered as Short Message Service (SMS), Telegram and e-mail messages within an average time of just over two minutes from the earthquake origin time. These alerts contain earthquake source parameters, ground shaking levels and instrumental intensities. CASP reliability, promptness and robustness permit to civil protection and decision makers to perform a monitoring primarily dedicated to emergency management, in order to evaluate both seismic sources and their effects (peak ground acceleration) at local targets, such as more inhabited territories and critical infrastructures (dams and hydropower plants). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconversion of raw lands into productive areas through cultivation may be considered as a practice of resistance toward territorial policies dictated from outside. So, marginal areas are taking new meaning in the eyes of their inhabitants or of the people who decide to settle here from the city. This attitude has triggered virtuous processes of development that are part of a general rethinking of mountains, in large part characterized by new creative ways of dealing with them, in terms of living and doing business in accordance to the local resources. In the following contribution will be analysed the recovery of two crops – lavender and rye – in the Susa Valley. They were studied in the research project MA.S.K.A. (Marginal Areas and Know-how in the Alps), funded by Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation and University of Turin in 2015 and 2016.

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Among the Apicomplexa parasites, Hepatozoon spp. have been mainly studied in domestic animals and peri-urban areas. The epidemiology of Hepatozoon spp. is poorly investigated in natural systems and wild hosts because of their scarce veterinary and economic relevance. For most habitats, the occurrence of these parasites is unknown, despite their high ecosystemic role. To fill this gap for alpine small mammals, we applied molecular PCR-based methods and sequencing to determine the Hepatozoon spp. in 830 ear samples from 11 small mammal species (i.e., Apodemus, Myodes, Chionomys, Microtus, Crocidura and Sorex genera) live-trapped during a cross-sectional study along an altitudinal gradient in the North-Eastern Italian Alps. We detected Hepatozoon spp. with an overall prevalence of 35.9%. Two species ranging from 500 m a.s.l. to 2500 m a.s.l. were the most infected: My. glareolus, followed by Apodemus spp. Additionally, we detected the parasite for the first time in another alpine species: C. nivalis at 2000–2500 m a.s.l. Our findings suggest that several rodent species maintain Hepatozoon spp. along the alpine altitudinal gradient of habitats. The transmission pathway of this group of parasites and their role within the alpine mammal community need further investigation, especially in consideration of the rapidly occurring environmental and climatic changes.

Flow velocities were measured on the Plator rock glacier in the Central Italian Alps using a correlation image analysis algorithm on orthophotos acquired by drones between the years 2016 and 2020. The spatial patterns of surface creep were then compared to the Bulk Creep Factor (BCF) spatial variability to interpret the rock glacier dynamics as a function of material properties and geometry. The rock glacier showed different creep rates in the rooting zone (0.40–0.90 m/y) and in the frontal zone (>4.0 m/y). Close to the rock glacier front, the BCF assumed the highest values, reaching values typical of rock glaciers experiencing destabilisation. Conversely, in the rooting zone the small rates corresponded to lowest BCFs, about five times smaller than in the frontal zone. The Plator rock glacier revealed a substantial advancement from 1981 to 2020 and distinct geomorphological features typical of rock glaciers exhibiting destabilising processes. Given the fast-moving phase, the advancement of both the front line and the front toe of the rock glacier, and the contrasting spatial distribution in the BCFs, the Plator could be considered a destabilised rock glacier.

Podzols that have developed on glacial and periglacial features provide the opportunity to reconstruct glacial evolution after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using different soil indices. Analysing 17 soils classified as podzol, we used the crystallinity ratio of free iron oxides (CRF) on both the A and Bs horizons, and absolute ages for the same landforms containing the soil profile, to create dating curves. Two equations were generated: age = 4566.9 × ln (CRF) + 1760 (1), and age = 3907 × ln (CRF) + 3508.2 (2). The reliability of the curves was evaluated with the Feo/Fed ratio, and with the difference of ages calculated using both equations. Equation (2) is considered more reliable because the A horizon may be influenced by new pedogenesis on the pre‐existing podzol, leading to the development of a new type of soil. By dating the soils, we reconstructed the glacial history of the three main upper branches of the LGM Adda Glacier in the Central Italian Alps, specifically the Stelvio Pass area (ST), Gavia Pass area (GV), and the Val Viola valley (VV). Seven glacial advances were identified at 16.7–14.7 ka (phase I), 12.3 ka (phase II), 11 ka (phase III), 10–9.7 ka (phase IV), 9 ka (phase V), 7.5 ka (phase VI) and 5.3 ka (phase VII). The first five phases are chronologically similar to the main Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene phases recorded in the Central European Alps. The last two Holocene phases, which are both longer in duration than the Little Ice Age, are recorded in ST and GV. Interestingly, these phases generally are not recorded in the rest of the Central European Alps, where the late Holocene glaciers were smaller than their present size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on new pressures on water resources in relation to the production of renewable energy in Italy. In particular, I considered the conflicts that have emerged in the Trentino region around mini-hydroelectric power production. Literature critiquing the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) approach provided the basis for analyzing the characteristics of this opposition movement. I argue that the anti-mini-hydro movements only partially challenge the NIMBY definition. At the discursive level, such mobilizations articulate a broader discourse opposing mini-hydroelectric production as a climate change mitigation strategy and promoting a vision of the river as biodiversity to be protected. Moreover, at the sociospatial level, the anti-mini-hydro movements reveal an ability to forge alliances among different sectors of broader society. However, no broader discourse is articulated on the energy transition. The anti-mini-hydro movement can therefore be characterized as a form of “localist environmentalism” combining place attachment and nature conservation.

Ergatandromorphism is the result of an aberrant development in which part of the body of a social insect shows the traits of the worker caste, while the other resembles a male. It is considered a specific case of gynandromorphism. Specimens with these characteristics have rarely been collected in different ant lineages across the world. Here, we provide the first description of ergatandromorphism in the ant Myrmica lobulicornis Nylander, 1857: an ergatandromorphous specimen was recovered during an arthropod sampling campaign across altitudinal and ecological gradients on the Italian Alps (Stelvio National Park), together with 480 workers and 4 queens of the same species, which expressed the normal phenotype.

This study investigates variations in pasture lease rents during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in a sector of the Italian Alps and how these correlate with climate changes. Analysis of the rents in the three data sets clearly demonstrates a sharp increase over the period considered, which can generally be ascribed to increased human pressure following population growth during the same period. Oscillations in the values obtained for fifty-year periods between the last half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth suggest a strong connection with environmental and climatic factors. Increases or decreases in temperature seem to have a less marked and less direct effect on the values of grazing lands close to the upper limit of vegetation, while socio-economic and infrastructural signals impinge significantly on climate signals on the grazing lands at lower altitudes.

The study of plant phenology has frequently been used to link phenological events to various factors, such as temperature or photoperiod. In the high-alpine environment, proper timing of the phenological cycle has always been crucial to overcome harsh conditions and potential extreme events (i.e. spring frosts) but little is known about the response dynamics of the vegetation, which could shape the alpine landscape in a future of changing climate. Alpine tundra vegetation is composed by an array of species belonging to different phytosociological optima and with various survival strategies, and snowbed communities are a relevant expression of such an extreme-climate adapted flora. We set eight permanent plots with each one in a snowbed located on the Cimalegna plateau in Northwestern Italy and then we selected 10 most recurring species among our plots, all typical of the alpine tundra environment and classified in 3 different pools: snowbed specialists, grassland species and rocky debris species. For 3 years we registered the phenophases of each species during the whole growing season using an adaptation of the BBCH scale. We later focused on the three most biologically relevant phenophases, i.e., flower buds visible, full flowering, and beginning of seed dispersion. Three important season-related variables were chosen to investigate their relationship with the phenological cycle of the studied species: (i) the Day Of Year (DOY), the progressive number of days starting from the 1st of January, used as a proxy of photoperiod, (ii) Days From Snow Melt (DFSM), selected to include the relevance of the snow dynamics, and (iii) Growing Degree Days (GDD), computed as a thermal sum. Our analysis highlighted that phenological development correlated better with DFSM and GDD than with DOY. Indeed, models showed that DOY was always a worse predictor since it failed to overcome interannual variations, while DFSM and marginally GDD were better suited to predict the phenological development of most of the species, despite differences in temperature and snowmelt date among the three years. Even if the response pattern to the three variables was mainly consistent for all the species, the timing of their phenological response was different. Indeed, species such as Salix herbacea and Ranunculus glacialis were always earlier in the achievement of the phenophases, while Agrostis rupestris and Euphrasia minima developed later and the remaining species showed an intermediate behavior. However, we did not detect significant differences among the three functional pools of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Estimation of the relative intensity of different cold periods occurring during the Late Quaternary is a difficult task, particularly in non-glaciated mountain landscapes and where high- to medium-resolution archives for proxy data are lacking. In this paper, we study a Holocene polycyclic soil sequence in the central Alps (Val Cavargna, Northern Italy) to estimate climatic parameters (specifically Temperature) changes in non-glaciated, high altitude environments. We investigate this key site through palaeopedological and micromorphological analyses in order to understand phases of soil development and detect hidden evidence of cold conditions during its formation. Three phases of pedogenesis can be recognized and attributed in time to different periods during the Holocene. Pedogenetic phases were separated by two truncation and deposition episodes related to the reactivation of slope processes under cold conditions at the onset of the Neoglacial and the Iron Age Cold Epoch, respectively. Micromorphological evidence of frost action in the soil can instead relate to pedogenetic processes acting in the Little Ice Age. The different expression of these three cold periods corresponds to changes in climatic conditions, pointing to the Little Ice Age as a cooler/drier period in comparison to the preceding ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on new pressures on water resources in relation to the production of renewable energy in Italy. In particular, I considered the conflicts that have emerged in the Trentino region around mini-hydroelectric power production. Literature critiquing the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) approach provided the basis for analyzing the characteristics of this opposition movement. I argue that the anti-mini-hydro movements only partially challenge the NIMBY definition. At the discursive level, such mobilizations articulate a broader discourse opposing mini-hydroelectric production as a climate change mitigation strategy and promoting a vision of the river as biodiversity to be protected. Moreover, at the sociospatial level, the anti-mini-hydro movements reveal an ability to forge alliances among different sectors of broader society. However, no broader discourse is articulated on the energy transition. The anti-mini-hydro movement can therefore be characterized as a form of "localist environmentalism" combining place attachment and nature conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: How does small‐scale soil disturbance influence establishment dynamics of native and exotic species along roadsides? Does soil disturbance provide potential opportunities to exotic invasions along elevational gradients? Does the established plant community after disturbance reflect the surrounding vegetation? Location: Prealps, Italy. Methods: To disentangle the role of elevation and soil disturbance in promoting exotic invasions, we performed a manipulative experiment along 12 roads spanning an elevational gradient of ca. 1,200 m. Additionally, we sampled species richness of native and exotic plants in the surroundings of the experimental plots. Results: Soil disturbance reduced species richness of native plants, total plant biomass and vegetation cover compared to the undisturbed plots. The decrease in species richness of natives and plant biomass was stronger at higher than lower elevations, suggesting higher colonization opportunities for exotics. However, exotic species richness did not increase with disturbance, probably due to a low propagule and colonization pressure. We observed strong species replacement between control and disturbed plots, indicating that plant communities established after disturbance were not a subset of species communities already occurring in the surrounding vegetation. Conclusions: With increasing elevation, disturbance had a stronger negative effect on native than on exotic species. Higher elevations, hitherto considered to have low invasibility, may provide new potential colonization opportunities for exotics but only if disturbance is coupled with an increased propagule pressure. Disturbance along roadsides promoted the establishment of species that did not occur in the surrounding vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Early Middle Ages (sixth–eleventh centuries AD), South Tyrol (Italian Alps) played a key role for geographical and military reasons. Historical sources document that allochthonous groups (germani) entered the territory, and the material culture shows mutual cultural exchanges between autochthonous and germani. Besides the nature of the migration, the demographic and socio-cultural impacts on the local population are still unknown. Stable isotope analyses were performed to provide insights into dietary patterns, subsistence strategies, changes in socio-economic structures, and mobility, according to spatial (e.g. valleys, altitudes) and chronological (centuries) parameters. Bone collagen of 32 faunal and 91 human bone samples from nine sites, located at different altitudes, was extracted for stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur isotope analyses. In total, 94% (30/32) of the faunal remains were of good quality, while the humans displayed 93% (85/91) of good quality samples for δ13C and δ15N and 44% (40/91) for δ34S stable isotopes. The isotopic results of the animals reflected a terrestrial-based diet. Statistical differences were observed within and among the humans of the different valleys. The δ13C values of individuals sampled from higher altitudes indicated a mainly C3 plant-based diet compared to areas at lower altitudes, where more positive δ13C values showed an intake of C4 plants. The δ15N values suggested a terrestrial-based diet with a greater consumption of animal proteins at higher altitudes. The data revealed higher variability in δ34S values in the Adige valley, with individuals probably migrating and/or changing dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severely affected during the twentieth century by depopulation and neglect, the Alps also suffered an erosion of their cultural heritage. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, however, population has begun to grow in many areas, mainly due to the settlement in the uplands of both “highlanders by choice” (largely youth dissatisfied with city life) and “highlanders by necessity” (economic migrants). In recent years, however, the Alps have been increasingly hosting also asylum-seekers and refugees (“highlanders by force”). This article concentrates on the Italian Alps and on the number and distribution of foreign migrants. It provides quantitative and qualitative data, also considering some specific local cases of immigration, and addresses the following questions: What are the effects of Alpine repopulation, and notably the impact of foreign inhabitants, on local cultures? Should repopulation be seen as an opportunity for social innovation and cultural creativity or rather as a threat to “indigenous” cultures? Is demographic discontinuity precluding cultural continuity? Will foreign immigration, especially if directed to demographically depleted areas, favour over time the emergence of new forms of identity and “tradition,” as a result of the re-invention of the territory? We argue that the “new peopling” of the Alps should not be considered a priori as a threat nor as an enrichment, and that the interactions and negotiations between the locals and the migrants should be studied in-depth and with attention to the local contexts.

To provide a detailed analysis and interpretation of cranial and postcranial lesions noted on an early medieval skeleton from the Italian Alps. Individual (SK63) was buried within the early Christian church (5th-8th centuries AD) of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol (Italy). The skeleton underwent macroscopic, microscopic and metric analyses. SK63 was a 19–25 year old male, the analysis identified at least 29 lesions, consisting of three possible antemortem injuries and 26 perimortem sharp force injuries on the cranium (n = 4) and postcranium (n = 22). The trauma pattern observed indicates that different bladed weapons were used and interpersonal violence rather than a large-scale conflict led to the death of SK63. The present findings provide novel information on violent interpersonal interactions in early medieval Säben-Sabiona, Italy. The sequence of the inflicted injuries was not reconstructed. Future interdisciplinary investigations (i.e., 3D imaging and reconstructions) will provide a better understanding of the possible types of weapons used to inflict injuries, the required forces to create the lesions, as well as the directions of impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]