Perception of Forest Values in the Alpine Community of Trentino Region (Italy)

Values are generally defined as social facts that orientate individual and collective actions, and consequently influence political, economic and social systems. The evaluation of natural resource values is considered an important instrument to support decision making in environmental policy. The forest is an important renewable resource that provides a mix of social, economic and environmental values for society. The paper presents a survey method to collect and analyse individual preferences relating to three macro-categories of forest values. The survey method was tested in the Trentino region (north-east of the Italian Alps) and will soon be extended to other areas. The results of the questionnaires provided evidence that the forest economic value is perceived as least important, while the environmental values were appreciated the most. Regarding the principle social variables, males tended to give higher scores to all three macro-categories compared to females. Moreover, people with a low education also gave higher scores to all three categories in comparison to the more educated individuals.     

Environmental photochemistry of fluoroquinolones in soil and in aqueous soil suspensions under solar light

The photodegradation fate of widely used fluoroquinolone (FQ) drugs has been studied both at the water–soil interface and in soil at actual concentrations (500 ng g^?1) under natural solar light. Both human and veterinary drugs have been examined, namely ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, marbofloxacin and moxifloxacin. After spiking and irradiation, samples were submitted to microwave-assisted extraction and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection (HPLC–FD). FQs degradation was faster in aqueous soil suspension than in neat soil (but lower than in “clean” water). A number of byproducts were identified by HPLC electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after a post-extraction cleanup based on a molecularly imprinted polymer phase, for a more accurate detection. The distribution in the suspension was intermediate between those observed in soils and in aqueous solutions.     

Glacier response to current climate change and future scenarios in the northwestern Italian Alps

We analyze longtime series of annual snout positions of several valley glaciers in the northwestern Italian Alps, together with a high-resolution gridded dataset of temperature and precipitation available for the last 50 years. Glacier snout fluctuations are on average negative during this time span, albeit with a period of glacier advance between about 1970 and 1990. To determine which climatic variables best correlate with glacier snout fluctuations, we consider a large set of seasonal predictors, based on our climatic dataset, and determine the most significant drivers by a stepwise regression technique. This in-depth screening indicates that the average glacier snout fluctuations strongly respond to summer temperature and winter precipitation variations, with a delay of 5 and 10 year, respectively. Snout fluctuations display also a significant (albeit weak) response to concurrent (same year) spring temperature and precipitation conditions. A linear regressive model based on these four climatic variables explains up to 93 % of the variance, which becomes 89 % when only the two delayed variables are taken into account. When employed for out-of-sample projections, the empirical model displays high prediction skill, and it is thus used to estimate the average glacier response to different climate change scenarios (RCP4.5, RCP8.5, A1B), using both global and regional climate models. In all cases, glacier snout fluctuations display a negative trend, and the glaciers of this region display an accelerated retreat, leading to a further regression of the snout position. By 2050, the retreat is estimated to be between about 300 and 400 m with respect to the current position. Glacier regression is more intense for the RCP8.5 and A1B scenarios, as it could be expected from the higher severity of these emission pathways.     

Developing an integrated framework to assess agri-food systems and its application in the Ecuadorian Andes

Agri-food systems assessment can be performed following official and alternative framings, each linked to different objects of study, methods of analysis, and policy responses. Alternative frames conceptualize agri-food systems as the integration and interaction of humans and the agro-environment (i.e., as socio-ecological systems). This conceptualization allows studying the cross-level, cross-scale, and nonlinear interactions within and between the components of the system and help assess policy proposals, such as food sovereignty, in a more systemic way. To facilitate this, we link reflections and methodologies from complex system thinking and vulnerability studies applied to agri-food systems to propose an integrated framework of assessment, which links the agroecological context and the social function of agriculture, considering actor’s agency and institutional processes. This framework is suitable to analyze agri-food systems in fragile and marginal environments such as the Andean region. We apply the framework to assess vulnerability of local agri-food systems to global change in the southern Ecuadorian Andes, taking into account the role of peasant institutions (agroecological associations, comunas) and indigenous culture. The framework also allows understanding how agri-food policies change the configuration of agri-food systems and determines whether these changes are consistent with communities’ livelihoods reproduction.     

Food web of a confined and anthropogenically affected coastal basin (the Mar Piccolo of Taranto) revealed by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analyses

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was used to examine the food web of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, a coastal basin experiencing several anthropogenic impacts. Main food sources (algal detritus, seaweeds, particulate organic matter (POM) and sediment organic matter (SOM)) and benthic and pelagic consumers were collected during two contrasting seasons (June and April), at four sites distributed over two inlets, and characterized by different level of confinements, anthropogenic inputs and the presence of mussels farming. δ¹³C values of organic sources revealed an important contribution of POM to both planktonic and benthic pathways, as well as the influence of terrigenous inputs within both inlets, probably due to high seasonal land runoff. Although δ¹³C of both sources and consumers varied little between sampling sites and dates, δ¹⁵N spatial variability was higher and clearly reflected the organic enrichment in the second inlet as well as the uptake of anthropogenically derived material by benthic consumers. On the other hand, within the first inlet, the isotopic composition of consumers did not change in response to chemical contamination. However, the impact of polluted sediments near the Navy Arsenal in the first inlet was detectable at the level of the macrobenthic trophic structure, showing high dominance of motile, upper level consumers capable to face transient conditions and the reduction of the more resident deposit feeders. We therefore underline the great potential of matching stable isotope analysis with quantitative studies of community structure to assess the effects of multiple anthropogenic stressors.     

The Food Allergy Risk Management in the EU Labelling Legislation

Food allergy represents an increasing public health issue, and a large number of food control authorities have provided regulations aimed to minimize the risk of allergic reaction for sensitized consumers. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations together with the World Health Organization established the Codex Alimentarius Commission whose main goal is to protect the consumers’ health. To purse this task the Commission listed the foods and ingredients causing the most severe allergic reactions that should be labelled. It has been reported that some cases of specific foods hypersensitivity display a different prevalence among different Countries. Thus, the European Union drew up a list of mandatory allergens (that must be labelled) longer than that provided by Codex Alimentarius. As a consequence of the complexity of the legal phraseology of the European Union (EU) and/or European Community (EC) the Regulations and/or Directives were differently translated in all EC/EU official languages determining possible misinterpretations of the legislation. Moreover, food labelling regulations were also established with the goal to promote the consumers’ conscious choice about what they eat. Starting from the case of the fermented beverages, we analysed the European legislative scenario concerning the allergen labelling of the last fifteen years, highlighting that mistranslations, misinterpretations and lack of information in the EU Regulations might lead to health and ethical issues.     

Air pollutants and the characterization of the organic content of aerosol particles in a mixed industrial/semi-rural area in central Italy

Both regulated and unregulated air pollutants were detected during an intensive seasonal sampling campaign in a mixed industrial/semi-rural area on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, at two sites located opposite a hospital waste incinerator, downwind according to the direction of the prevailing local winds. Concentrations of pollutants were significantly lower than in urban atmospheres. The composition of particulate organic material indicated a heavy biogenic impact, accompanied by a lower contribution from petroleum-related processes. Both PAH and nitro-PAH group compositions of particulates were used to assess the nature and relative importance of sources. Both sites showed that different and diffuse sources contributed to local pollution with a significant contribution from traffic, proving that the hospital waste incinerator was not the main pollution source in this area. Among unregulated compounds, a series of positional isomers of nitro-PAHs and other organic compounds associated with particulate matter were investigated. In particular, 1- and 3-nitrophenanthrene identification was carried out, and they proved to be the most abundant nitro-PAHs.     

Essential and toxic elements in meat of wild and bred animals

Essential and toxic elements were determined by Energy Dispersive Polarized X-Rays Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDPXRF) in the meat of 145 wild and bred animals to provide the baseline data regarding meat of wild and bred animals consumed in central Italy. As far as K, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cu are concerned, no significant differences resulted between young and adults and between males and females for farmed and wild animals. No marked differences were found between hunted and non-hunted animals groups. In all samples analyzed, Mn, Cr, and Mo were below the detection limit. As far as the non-essential or toxic elements are concerned, As, Cd, V, and Hg concentrations in muscle from wild and bred animals were low and always below the detection limits. Among the wild animals killed with lead (Pb) bullets, elevated Pb concentrations in tissues were detected. This finding may result in elevated Pb levels in meat ingested by humans.