24 research outputs found
Relationships between geo-hydrological processes induced by heavy rainfall and land-use: the case of 25 October 2011 in the Vernazza catchment (Cinque Terre, NW Italy)
No full textOn 25 October 2011, heavy rainfall affected an area of ca. 1000 km2 between eastern Liguria and northern Tuscany (northwest Italy). The event caused floods, hundreds of shallow landslides, four casualties and severe structural and economic damage in Monterosso and Vernazza villages. The distribution of geo-hydrological processes triggered by rainfall in relation to land-use was analyzed in the Vernazza catchment. Both, an inventory map of geo-hydrological processes and a land-use map were prepared through air photo-analysis and field surveys; a derivative map combining these two outputs provides insight into the relationships between geo-hydrological processes and land-use. The density of shallow landslides (n/km2) and the frequency of erosional processes (%) are higher in terraced areas compared to other land-use classes. The study highlights the high vulnerability of agricultural terraces which, over the centuries, have been a fundamental tool for the prevention and control of erosional processes and slope instability
Valutazione della vulnerabilità intrinseca dell’acquifero carsico nel Bric Tampa (Alpi Liguri): risultati preliminari
No full textUse of Remote Sensing data, terrain analysis and stochastic modeling to predict current and future flood risk in a small Mediterranean catchment (T. Teiro, Italy)
No full textTHE SOILS OF PORTOFINO PROMONTORY (NW ITALY): DISTRIBUTION, GENESIS AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS.
No full textThe coverage of detailed soil maps is commonly limited in Italy, and the available regional soil inventories are obviously not adequate for local land planning strategies. The aim of this research is to map soil units using a Geographical Information System (GIS) approach in the Portofino regional park. Soil micromorphology has been selected as support to the laboratory routine analyses for studying some representative benchmark profiles in order to explain their genesis and to assess their palaeoclimatic significance. The spatial distribution and variability of the most extensive soil types were analysed using a GIS approach and are presented in a 1:10,000-scale soil map with a descriptive legend. We identified six RSGs: Cambisol, Regosol, Leptosol, Luvisol, Acrisol, and Umbrisol. This GIS database was then used to produce three derived maps: soil erodibility factor, spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil hydrological groups. Deep and highly weathered soils were identified on an ancient erosional surface. These soils are relict palaeosols, products of longer pedogenesis, and are no longer affected by active processes. Polygenetic development of these palaeosols was underlined by micromorphological studies showing relict features reflect climate conditions typical of past interglacial periods which were warmer and more humid than today
Matsucoccus bast scale in Pinus pinaster forests: a comparison of two systems by means of emergy analysis
No full textThe bast scale (Matsucoccus feytaudi) is responsible for the destruction of most of the Pinus pinaster
forests in the Mediterranean area, causing resination, defoliation and subsequent death of the trees. This
study was carried out in Cinque Terre National Park (Italy), in which pinewood are partially affected by
the bast scale M. feytaudi. A whole system evaluation is here proposed aiming at the assessment of the
impacts, both on the environmental and economic side, arising from the P. pinaster losses in a certain
territory. To this aim we compared a pinewood without visible damages from bast scale with a clearly
damaged pinewood by means of emergy analysis. Bast scale reduced the arboreal composition of the
stand favouring understorey species sprouting, which benefitted of increasing sunlight level caused by
affected tree crowns reduction or trees fall. As a consequence of the changed forest’s condition the
system suffered an ecosystem services provision loss equal to 2250 EmV ha À1 year À1 that, if extended to
the entire surface of the Cinque Terre National Park lead to a total loss of a million of Euro per year
Applicazioni GIS per lo studio dell’erodibilità dei suoli nel Parco Naturale di Portofino (Liguria, Italia)
No full text
