1,721,002 research outputs found
Anthropogenic impact assessment in show caves through environmental parameters monitoring
Full text linkAs part of the national project PRIN SHOWCAVE, aimed at the study of the anthropogenic impact in show caves, environmental parameters were monitored in three important cavities (Toirano and Borgio Verezzi caves in Liguria, and Bossea cave in Piedmont, Italy). Air-water-rock temperatures and CO2 air concentrations were detected every 10 minutes, groundwater level variations with hourly intervals.
Air temperature variations are significant not only to assess the tourist passage and light impacts, but also because they allow to understand the air circulation in the cavities. By placing temperature probes outside and at the entrances of the caves it is easy to observe periods with evident variations related to daily thermal fluctuations (intake phase). In the blowing phase, air temperature values remain rather constant over time, flowing air coming from deep areas of the cavity, characterized by a remarkable constant thermal values.
The three examined caves showed different situations. Bossea cave has a unique entrance (one-entrance circulation), and is characterized by several convective cells related to the cave morphology and the air cooling due to the inner collector. Toirano caves are two cavities (Bàsura and S. Lucia Inf. caves) connected through an artificial tunnel. The difference between the high and low entrances is about 20 m with a mild air circulation (multi-entrance cave), highlighted by the different temperature values detected at the two entrances. Borgio Verezzi cave has four entrances with an elevation gain of few meters which guarantees a mild air circulation (multi-entrance cave).
The monitoring of the CO2 values carried out in the cavities showed a daily impact linked to the tourist passage, with an obvious temporary increases related to the number of visitors. However, the air circulation inside all monitored cavities allowes a decrease in CO2 concentrations. Moreover, collected data highlighted a significant CO2 air concentration of natural origin in each monitored cave. In Toirano caves, about 8,000 ppm of CO2 were detected in a not-touristic area, coming from the deep karst networks. In the other two cavities, part of the CO2 come from the depressurization of the waters circulating in the saturated network of the karst system, near the tourist paths.
Thanks to the data collected in three consecutive years, it was possible to evaluate a rather reduced anthropogenic impact in the three show caves
Microplastic pollution in show cave sediments: First evidence and detection technique
Full text linkMicroplastic particles are a global problem, which has been widely found in marine and terrestrial environments. However, microplastic pollution in caves and karst aquifers is still poorly studied. To improve the current knowledge of microplastic pollution, we investigated the sediments of a show cave in Italy. We developed a methodology based on a cave-adapted version of the methods used in several studies to detect microplastics from sediments of different environments and with various laboratory tests. The microplastics were extracted from sediments via density separation and subjected to organic matter removal. Filters were observed with and without UV light under a microscope, before and after organic matter removal, and the microplastics were characterised according to shape, colour, and size, with visual identification. About 55% of the fibres observed under the microscope on filters were removed via organic matter removal. An average of 4390 items/kg dry weight was calculated for the touristic zone and 1600 items/kg dry weight for the speleological/research section. Fibre (84.9%) was the most abundant shape, and most microplastics were smaller than 1 mm, accounting for 85.4%, of which 58.4% were shorter than 0.5 mm. The highest microplastic abundance was fluorescent under UV light (87.7%); however, 12.3% of the microplastics observed on filters were not fluorescent. Most fluorescent fibres were transparent (84%), whereas blue (46.1%) and black (22.4%) fibres were more common for the non-fluorescent ones. Our results highlight the presence of microplastics in show caves, and we provide a valid non-invasive and non-expensive analytical technique for the preparation and isolation of microplastics from cave sediments, giving useful information for evaluating the environmental risks posed by microplastics in show caves
Relationship between air-rock-water temperatures in karst caves and surface temperatures
Full text linkIn karst caves air-rock-water temperatures are rather constant over time compared to the surface considerable thermal variations. The significant differences between the outside air temperatures and the in-depth ones, environmental parameters and karst system morphology, trigger the air circulation in the fracture networks. Air has a very low thermal inertia, therefore, if still, it quickly reaches a sort of equilibrium condition with the rock, assuming the rock temperature in absence of significant circulations. The greater thermal exchanges take place near the cave entrances, conditioned mainly by the speed of the incoming air flows. Into depth, temperature of the infiltration waters plays a dominant role in subtracting heat from the limestone masses, which have a lower temperature than the other rocks (Badino 1995).
To better understand these processes, the Paleolab of Politecnico di Torino began a series of research through the installation of data loggers for air-rock-water temperatures monitoring in karst caves of southern Piedmont, Italy, characterized by very different environmental conditions. In collaboration with Arpa Piemonte, part of the project concerned the monitoring of cavities characterized by the presence of underground glaciers showed a rapid reduction in the last decade, linked to the increase in surface temperatures (Vigna & Paro 2019). In collaboration with S.O. Bossea C.A.I., another part of the project involved the installation of over 50 air-rock-water temperature probes at the "Giovanni Badino" Climatological Research Centre to examine the relationships between surface and in-depth temperature variations. Finally, in collaboration with the Speleo Club Tanaro, the third project concerns the temperatures monitoring of caves characterized by considerable air flows, for examine at different distances from the entrances the relationships between the air and the rock temperatures induced by these air circulations.
Badino G. (1995). Fisica del clima sotterraneo. Istituto Italiano di Speleologia, 137 pp.
Vigna B. & Paro L. (2019)
Andamento del pescato della tonnarella di Camogli dal 1950 al 1974. Valutazioni bio-statistiche.
No full textObservations on the habitat and feeding behaviour of the hypogean genus Eukoenenia (Palpigradi, Eukoeneniidae) in the Western Italian Alps
No full textThe order Palpigradi includes species characterized by millimetric size and a characteristic flagellum with bristles at the end of the opisthosoma. They represent one of the less well-known and obscure arachnidorders. In this paper, observations were made on the ecology and feeding behavior of species belonging tothe genus Eukoenenia Börner, 1901, from the Western Italian Alps. Direct observations and photographicdocumentation of 141 individuals in their cave habitat, allowed the recording of data on the physical andtrophic conditions such as the presence/absence of trophic resources, temperature and relative humidity,of the underground environment in which they were found. Results showed that the species of thistaxon are not as rare as previously reported and that their presence is mainly influenced by temperature,relative humidity, trophic resources and the presence of two speleothems: rimstone dams and rafts. Thecombination of our observations as well as data previously published highlights that the taxon can havepredatory and saprophagous feeding behavior depending on the availability of the food resources. Thiswork represents the starting point for a further investigation of the taxo
The invisible environmental impact of tourism in show caves: microplastic pollution in three Italian show caves
Full text linkShow caves are the most important geological heritage in the world, a significant economic resource and unique ecosystems characterized by speleothems, particular species and important drinking water reserves, however, microplastic (MP) pollution in caves is poorly studied. The deposits of three NW Italian show caves were investigated: for each cave, six sediment samples were collected along the tourist paths and one in a non-touristic area. MPs were identified and characterized using MUPL automated software, observed with and without UV light under a microscope, and verified under μFTIR-ATR. MPs were present in sediments of all examined caves: an average of 4300 MPs/kg were found along the tourist paths and of 2570 MPs/kg in the speleological zones. MPs less than 1 mm, fibre-shaped, polyesters and polyolefins dominated the samples suggesting that synthetic clothes are the main source of pollution in show caves. Our results highlight a high pollution of MPs in the examined show caves, despite the different touristic and environmental characteristics. The subterranean environment monitoring gives useful information to assess risks posed by MPs in show caves and consequently define strategies for the conservation and management of caves and natural resources
A research to study the unstoppable subterranean journey of microplastics
Full text linkMicroplastics (MPs) are a global problem, contaminating remote areas too. However, different environments are poorly studied, such as subterranean ones and karst areas, despite the global drinking water sources and the environmental heritages. MPs can endanger the fragile subterranean ecosystems, be consumed or assimilated by animals, damage speleothems, and pollute karst aquifers.
The aim of this multidisciplinary research is to investigate MP pollution in waters and sediments in karst surface and subterranean environments from a geological, biological and environmental point of view, in order to monitor the state of ecosystems.
Samples from different European karst areas were collected and investigated, from show caves to unexplored caves, from surface watercourses to groundwaters. The sediments of three Italian show caves (Bossea, Borgio Verezzi and Toirano caves, Piedmont and Liguria. Italy) were analyzed, highlighting the presence of high amount of MPs along tourist paths and in speleological areas. Surface and subterranean waters of Bossea karst system showed MP pollution in all examined samples, underlining the importance of the entire aquifer karst systems monitoring, even susceptible to contamination by surface pollutants. Different protected aquatic surface (spring) and subterranean (caves) environments of the Classical Karst were analyzed in order to verify micropollution in habitats hosting particularly protected species such as the olm Proteus anguinus. All samples highlighted high values of MPs and anthropogenic microfibers. Sediment samples in not jet explored caves of Abruzzo region, Italy, were collected to verify MPs pollution even in underground environments not directly affected by human presence, showing still little threatened habitats by MP pollution. Samples from different caves in Herzegovina and Slovenia, and from Italian springs with different karst characterizations will be analyzed too, in order to understand MP transport in active karst systems and deposition in vadose zones. Other micropollutants linked to MPs will be analyzed too. Alongside, specialized hypogean crustaceans from Bossea karst system were analyzed in order to understand micropollutants ingestion even in subterranean habitats (Sforzi et al., 2024).
Karst areas and caves are one of the most important and well-known geological features in the world, fragile and unique ecosystems with an exceptional scientific, cultural and environmental value, as well as an important economic resource. Monitoring of these environments is fundamental for their conservation and to propose new strategies for the protection and conservation of karst habitats.
Sforzi L. et al. (2021) - (Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats. Sustainability, 2024, 16(6), 2532, https://doi.org/10.3390/su1606253
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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