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Global warming has become a critical environmental, social, and economic threat, with increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. This study aims to analyse temperature trends and climate indices in the Po Valley, a significant economic and agricultural region in Italy, by examining data from two historical stations: the urban Modena Observatory and the rural Mount Cimone Observatory. The analysis extends previous studies to 2018, assessing the magnitude of climate changes since the 1950s and isolating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in Modena. Significant warming trends were confirmed at both sites, with in maximum (TX) and minimum (TN) temperatures trends nearly doubling from 1981 to 2018 compared to 1951–2018. For example, TX trends reached 0.84°C·decade−1 in Modena and 0.62°C·decade−1 at Mount Cimone, while TN trends were 0.77 and 0.80°C·decade−1, respectively. Extreme climate indices showed a substantial increase in warm days and nights (TX90p and TN90p, respectively). Particularly we found TX90p of 27.5 days·decade−1 in Modena and 15 days·decade−1 at Mount Cimone while TN90p of 29.5 days·decade−1 in Modena, 22 days·decade−1 at Mount Cimone. The UHI effect significantly impacts Modena's temperature trends. Urbanization contributes up to 65% of the rise in warm nights. Specifically, frost days decreased by 1.88 days·decade−1 (37% of Urban Contribute, UC), tropical nights increased by 5.16 days·decade−1 (57% UC), warm nights increased by 12.7 days·decade−1 (65% UC), and cool nights decreased by 3.19 days·decade−1 (39% UC). Overall, the study underscores the importance of considering both global and local factors in regional climate trend analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Inner Northern Apennines (Italy) are a region with a dominant N-S to NNW-SSE fault system, but dissected and offset by several E-W to NE-SW trending structures and lineaments. The knowledge about the nature of these transverse structures, their origin, activity and role in current tectonic motions is limited and debated. To better establish the location, subsurface shape, and kinematics of faults related to the Livorno-Empoli lineament, one of the major transverse structures in the Northern Apennines, we analysed the seismicity in western Tuscany. In the Viareggio Basin we identified and relocated two distinct earthquake clusters as well as calculated 12 new focal mechanisms. The results show that the clusters consisted of several swarms from the years 2006, 2015, 2016 and 2021. The events had a depth between 2 and 15 km and were located along a NE-SW oriented, SE dipping fault system dissecting the Viareggio Basin. Focal mechanisms show oblique normal slip. We interpret the fault system to form a connection between the Viareggio Basin and the Lucca Basin to the east as well as continuing offshore. The results show that the transversal faults of the Inner Northern Apennines are seismogenic, with the length, position and onshore to offshore nature of the fault suggesting reactivation of pre-existing structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biscutella incana is endemic to the southern Apennine Peninsula (Italy) and was first described by Michele Tenore in 1826 from Calabria. It belongs to B. ser. Levigatae, the most morphologically diversified and critical series within the genus. In order to fix the application of this name, a lectotype housed in NAP was designated here. An updated and detailed morphological description, distribution and information about habitat and phenology are provided. Furthermore, a chromosome count made on a new population discovered in Dolomiti Lucane (Basilicata, southern Italy), confirmed that B. incana is diploid (2n = 18). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover changes in mountainous areas due to silvo-pastoral abandonment can affect soil stability, especially on steep slopes. In addition, the increase in rainfall intensity in recent decades requires re-assessing landslide susceptibility and vegetation management for soil protection. This study was carried out using the software SlideforMAP in the Mt. Nerone massif (central Italy) to assess (i) the effects of land cover changes on slope stability over the past 70 years (1954–2021) and (ii) the role of actual vegetation cover during intense rainfall events. The study area has undergone a significant change in vegetation cover over the years, with a reduction in mainly pastures (−80%) and croplands (−22%) land cover classes in favor of broadleaf forests (+64%). We simulated twelve scenarios, combining land cover conditions and rainfall intensities, and analyzed the landslide failure probability results. Vegetation cover significantly increased the slope stability, up to three to four times compared to the unvegetated areas (29%, 68%, and 89%, respectively, in the no cover, 1954, and 2021 scenarios). The current land cover provided protection against landslide susceptibility, even during extreme rainfall events, for different return periods. The 30-year return period was a critical condition for a significant stability reduction. In addition, forest species provide different mitigation effects due to their root system features. The results showed that species with deep root systems, such as oaks, provide more effective slope stability than other species, such as pines. This study helps to quantify the mitigation effects of vegetation cover and suggests that physically based probabilistic models can be used at the regional scale to detect the areas prone to failure and the triggering of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. This approach can be important in land planning and management to mitigate risks in mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Semi‐natural grasslands in Southern Europe are biodiversity hotspots, yet their patterns of plant species richness are less studied than in Central Europe. In the Central Apennines (Italy), there are large areas of dry calcareous grasslands, across a steep gradient of mean annual precipitation (from 650 to 1350 mm within c. 30 km). We asked: How do these grasslands compare to other Palaearctic grasslands in richness levels? How do the precipitation gradient and other environmental predictors influence species richness? Does this influence differ among taxonomic groups? Location: Submontane and lower‐montane belt of the Central Apennines (Abruzzo and Lazio, Italy). Methods: We recorded the species richness of vascular plants and (terricolous) bryophytes and lichens in 97 plots of 10 m2, aligning them with the precipitation gradient while maintaining geological substrate and elevation similar. Mean temperature and precipitation were estimated with a high‐resolution regional model. A wide array of environmental variables (including soil properties and grazing load) were measured for each plot. Multivariate relationships within and between response and predictor variables were studied with Canonical Correlation. The relative importance of predictors on response variables was modeled with Boosted Regression Trees. Results: The sampled grasslands were very species‐rich in the Palaearctic context. Vascular plant richness was negatively influenced by topographic heat load and soil sand content, but we did not detect a relationship with mean annual precipitation. Bryophyte richness was poorly modeled by the measured variables, although it was positively correlated with lichen richness. Lichen richness had a marked negative relationship with soil phosphorus and mean annual precipitation. Conclusions: In Southern European semi‐natural mountain grasslands, vascular plant richness is driven more by fine‐scale edaphic factors than by precipitation gradients. In contrast, bryophyte and lichen species richness is predicted by a mixture of climatic and edaphic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Inner Northern Apennines (Italy) are a region with a dominant N-S to NNW-SSE fault system, but dissected and offset by several E-W to NE-SW trending structures and lineaments. The knowledge about the nature of these transverse structures, their origin, activity and role in current tectonic motions is limited and debated. To better establish the location, subsurface shape, and kinematics of faults related to the Livorno-Empoli lineament, one of the major transverse structures in the Northern Apennines, we analysed the seismicity in western Tuscany. In the Viareggio Basin we identified and relocated two distinct earthquake clusters as well as calculated 12 new focal mechanisms. The results show that the clusters consisted of several swarms from the years 2006, 2015, 2016 and 2021. The events had a depth between 2 and 15 km and were located along a NE-SW oriented, SE dipping fault system dissecting the Viareggio Basin. Focal mechanisms show oblique normal slip. We interpret the fault system to form a connection between the Viareggio Basin and the Lucca Basin to the east as well as continuing offshore. The results show that the transversal faults of the Inner Northern Apennines are seismogenic, with the length, position and onshore to offshore nature of the fault suggesting reactivation of pre-existing structures.

The habitats protected by the European Union (EU) include most peat vegetation, such as mires, swamp mires, fens, and peat bogs—all belonging to the classes Oxycocco–Sphagnetea and Scheuchzerio–Caricetea fuscae and carrying the Habitat Codes 71xx and 72xx. These types of vegetation are typical of cold and cool temperate climates, while they become rarer in Southern Europe where Mediterranean influences prevail, representing relic fragments of the past glacial climatic conditions there. Because of their limited extension and the increasing warmth and drought due to climate change, they are seriously threatened. Even if many studies were performed, their richness and distribution across Europe are still not well–understood, and only a few examples are known from the Central and Southern Apennines to date. In order to provide the syntaxonomical classification of the alkaline fens referable to the EU Habitat 7230 found on the mountain plateaus of the Central Apennines, we analyzed their species structure and flora composition, together with their chorological and ecological characteristics. We also evaluated their conservation status, pressures, and threats. The alkaline fens of the Central Apennines are found to be poorer in diagnostic species when compared to similar communities of Central and Northern Europe. However, they are rich in the species of the surrounding meadows and pastures. Among them, the new subassociation Caricetum davallianae caricetosum hostianae is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The San Potito area in central Apennines (Italy), enclosed within the Latium‐Abruzzi carbonate platform, exposes anomalously pelagic carbonates filling an intraplatform basin formed during Jurassic rifting. Oriented obliquely to the regional NW‐SE trend of Cenozoic thrusts and extensional faults, the basin's eastern boundary fault system, striking N‐S, played a pivotal role in structuring orogenic and post‐orogenic features. Large tracts of the fault experienced double reactivation: positive inversion during Miocene shortening, and negative during post‐orogenic extension. Double reactivation is evidenced by older‐on‐younger extensional contacts, and by the change in orientation of thrusts and recent extensional faults from NW‐SE to NNW‐SSE, the latter being consistent with the trend of Jurassic rift‐related structures of the area. This structural interplay highlights the importance of Jurassic faults and their ability in forcing the structural trends, by surviving across multiple deformation stages, even controlling active extensional seismicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: There is increasing interest in the study of how the ongoing climate change is affecting insect populations. However, most research has been focused on a limited number of groups that are particularly charismatic or expected to respond more clearly to climate change. Moreover, most research has been developed in a few areas (especially northern and central European countries), while others (such as the Mediterranean basin) have been largely overlooked. Therefore, more empirical research is needed, particularly on less charismatic species, groups that are expected to react less dramatically to climatic change, and key areas that are still poorly investigated. This study investigates changes in distributional and activity patterns in a common, ecologically tolerant, forest tenebrionid beetle in a region (central Italy) within the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, an area strongly subjected to the ongoing climate change, but for which research is still limited. By analyzing changes in elevation, latitude, longitude, and seasonal activity between 1900–1980 and 1981–2022, the results provided insights into the potential effects of climate change on this species. The beetle's average values of elevation and latitude were found to have been increased in the second period. In response to rising temperatures, the species became more frequent at higher elevation and in northern places. No strong evidence was found for an earlier species seasonal activity, but this could be due to the inclusion in the analysis of likely overwintering individuals. The findings suggest that even thermally tolerant species can undergo distributional shifts in elevation and latitude, even at a relatively small scale. There is an increasing volume of literature on the impact of climate change on insects. However, there is an urgent need for more empirical research on underrepresented groups in key areas, including species for which the effects of climatic change may seem less evident. The present paper illustrates the results of a study on a common forest tenebrionid beetle, Accanthopus velikensis (Piller and Mitterpacher, 1783), at a regional scale within the Mediterranean basin. Using a large set of records from Latium (central Italy), changes in the median values of elevation, latitude, longitude, and phenology between two periods (1900–1980 vs. 1981–2022) were tested. Records of A. velikensis in the period 1981–2022 showed median values of elevation and latitude higher than those recorded in the first period. Thus, in response to rising temperatures, the species became more frequent at higher elevation and in northern places. By contrast, A. velikensis does not seem to have changed its activity pattern in response to increased temperatures, but this might be an artifact due to the inclusion of likely overwintering individuals. The results obtained for A. velikensis indicate that even thermally euryoecious species can show changes in their elevational and latitudinal distribution, and that poleward shifts can be apparent even within a small latitudinal gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover changes in mountainous areas due to silvo-pastoral abandonment can affect soil stability, especially on steep slopes. In addition, the increase in rainfall intensity in recent decades requires re-assessing landslide susceptibility and vegetation management for soil protection. This study was carried out using the software SlideforMAP in the Mt. Nerone massif (central Italy) to assess (i) the effects of land cover changes on slope stability over the past 70 years (1954–2021) and (ii) the role of actual vegetation cover during intense rainfall events. The study area has undergone a significant change in vegetation cover over the years, with a reduction in mainly pastures (−80%) and croplands (−22%) land cover classes in favor of broadleaf forests (+64%). We simulated twelve scenarios, combining land cover conditions and rainfall intensities, and analyzed the landslide failure probability results. Vegetation cover significantly increased the slope stability, up to three to four times compared to the unvegetated areas (29%, 68%, and 89%, respectively, in the no cover, 1954, and 2021 scenarios). The current land cover provided protection against landslide susceptibility, even during extreme rainfall events, for different return periods. The 30-year return period was a critical condition for a significant stability reduction. In addition, forest species provide different mitigation effects due to their root system features. The results showed that species with deep root systems, such as oaks, provide more effective slope stability than other species, such as pines. This study helps to quantify the mitigation effects of vegetation cover and suggests that physically based probabilistic models can be used at the regional scale to detect the areas prone to failure and the triggering of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. This approach can be important in land planning and management to mitigate risks in mountainous regions.

Vegetation tends to vary in a systematic fashion along elevational gradients, leading to the possibility of recognizing distinct vegetational belts, which are frequently used to describe and interpret elevational variations in biodiversity. However, anthropogenic changes can create landscapes dominated by secondary grasslands in areas formerly occupied by forests, thus altering the natural sequence of vegetation types. The present research illustrates how the distribution of tenebrionid beetles in central Italy is influenced by secondary vegetation. Classical schemes of vegetational belts were modified into a scheme of main vegetation types that include secondary vegetations. Tenebrionid species presence/absence in each vegetation type was then assessed. Species richness tended to decrease with elevation in both natural and secondary vegetations. Geophilous (ground-dwelling) species (which include many endemics) prevailed in natural and secondary grasslands, while xylophilous species (associated with trees) prevailed in the natural forests. Similarities in tenebrionid composition indicated the presence of two main groups: one associated with forests and the other with natural and secondary grasslands. Geophilous species prevailed among tenebrionids with Mediterranean distributions, whereas xylophilous species prevailed among species distributed mainly in Europe and the Palearctic. High values of richness, biogeographical complexity and proportion of endemics make secondary vegetations of high conservation concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines crosses and other religious symbols on summits in the Apennines and the Alps, mapped by altimetric bands. These anthropic signs have different causes and effects on the cultural and environmental levels. Using citizen science models, after mapping the 2,000-metre peaks in the Apennines, we conducted surveys of those of 3,000 metres in the Dolomites, and of 4,000 metres in Protected Areas within the Italian Alps. We suggest that our mapping of these cultural sites should be exported as a shared practice with other Italian and cross-border Alpine associations to preserve the historical memory of the signs on the peaks. In the light of the quantitative and qualitative results, and considering the impact of the symbols on the landscape and ecosystems, it is recommended that no new artefacts should be built, in order to transmit the concepts of restraint and naturalness to future generations; the sustainable use of stone cairns should be preferred. An ecological re-purposing of some summit crosses as temporary high-altitude meteorological stations is suggested, with the aim of collecting data and increasing our knowledge of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatio-temporal evolution of groundwater chemistry has seen an increase in interest over the last decade at a global level. Identifying and discerning the sources of the natural and anthropogenic compounds and the actual hydrochemical processes, as well as their evolution, is essential to support a sustainable planning for managing and protecting groundwater resources at the present time and in the future. The main objective of this study is the comparison of two study areas in Italy (Piedmont and Campania Regions), different in their geographical and geological contexts and climate conditions, to highlight the similarities and differences in the hydrogeochemical behavior in space and time. Three main ions were considered (NO3 –, SO4 2–, Na+) and analyzed to identify the sources and hydrochemical processes responsible for their spatial distribution in the 2015-2020 period and evaluate the existence and the potential causes of trends in their concentration for the 2000-2020 period. Results highlight specific factors and processes distinguishing the spatial distribution and temporal variability of ion concentrations in Piedmont and Campania study areas. These processes are mainly related to the geological and geographical features of the study areas. In both areas, a significant influence of anthropogenic pressures emerges for both spatial and temporal evolutions, with remarkably increasing trends in NO3 – concentrations. In conclusion, some factors and processes emerge as site-specific, mainly related to the geological aspects and natural hydrochemical processes, whereas others are in common (i.e., anthropogenic impacts); thus, reinforcing the advantage of making comparative studies.

A comparative analysis of environmental conditions between Alpine and Apennine lakes/ponds which represent different faces of European mountain regions was conducted. The data set was created on the basis of previous works carried out by national and international institutions including biological, physical–chemical, geographic, and precipitation data from 27 lakes/ponds placed at altitudes ranging from 2334 ± 294 m a.s.l. (in the Alps) and 1541 ± 154 m a.s.l. (in the Apennines), with mean maximum depths of about 5.5 ± 4.6 m. A specific focus was dedicated to chironomids as outstanding sentinels for local and global changes in habitat conditions. Species richness and Taxonomic Distinctness Indices were applied to lakes/ponds macroinvertebrates to highlight differences in the biodiversity of the two areas. Subsequently, associations between descriptors of the mountain region climate, lithology, water chemistry, lake morphology, geography, macroinvertebrate assemblage richness, and distinctness were examined through Principal Component Analysis, Analysis of Variance, and Non-metric Multi-dimensional Scaling. Results showed strong positive correlations between mean annual precipitation and temperature with lake macroinvertebrate biodiversity as a whole and with chironomid in particular. Thus, these shore habitats face a threat under climate change conditions (impacting thermal and precipitation regimes). These results are also central in showing that even small ecosystems are important sources of biodiversity for the lower altitudes, stressing the urgency of including them within targeted monitoring and action plans to preserve their peculiar habitat, flora, and fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The habitats protected by the European Union (EU) include most peat vegetation, such as mires, swamp mires, fens, and peat bogs—all belonging to the classes Oxycocco–Sphagnetea and Scheuchzerio–Caricetea fuscae and carrying the Habitat Codes 71xx and 72xx. These types of vegetation are typical of cold and cool temperate climates, while they become rarer in Southern Europe where Mediterranean influences prevail, representing relic fragments of the past glacial climatic conditions there. Because of their limited extension and the increasing warmth and drought due to climate change, they are seriously threatened. Even if many studies were performed, their richness and distribution across Europe are still not well–understood, and only a few examples are known from the Central and Southern Apennines to date. In order to provide the syntaxonomical classification of the alkaline fens referable to the EU Habitat 7230 found on the mountain plateaus of the Central Apennines, we analyzed their species structure and flora composition, together with their chorological and ecological characteristics. We also evaluated their conservation status, pressures, and threats. The alkaline fens of the Central Apennines are found to be poorer in diagnostic species when compared to similar communities of Central and Northern Europe. However, they are rich in the species of the surrounding meadows and pastures. Among them, the new subassociation Caricetum davallianae caricetosum hostianae is described.

There is an increasing volume of literature on the impact of climate change on insects. However, there is an urgent need for more empirical research on underrepresented groups in key areas, including species for which the effects of climatic change may seem less evident. The present paper illustrates the results of a study on a common forest tenebrionid beetle, Accanthopus velikensis (Piller and Mitterpacher, 1783), at a regional scale within the Mediterranean basin. Using a large set of records from Latium (central Italy), changes in the median values of elevation, latitude, longitude, and phenology between two periods (1900–1980 vs. 1981–2022) were tested. Records of A. velikensis in the period 1981–2022 showed median values of elevation and latitude higher than those recorded in the first period. Thus, in response to rising temperatures, the species became more frequent at higher elevation and in northern places. By contrast, A. velikensis does not seem to have changed its activity pattern in response to increased temperatures, but this might be an artifact due to the inclusion of likely overwintering individuals. The results obtained for A. velikensis indicate that even thermally euryoecious species can show changes in their elevational and latitudinal distribution, and that poleward shifts can be apparent even within a small latitudinal gradient.

The evolution of the Apennine wedge has seen the time‐space migration of the forebulge, foredeep, thrust wedge, and back‐arc extension phases in the wake of the Eastward rollback of the subducting Adria slab. In this framework, thrusting and post‐orogenic extensional faulting have occurred in two parallel forelandward‐migrating ribbons, with extensional deformation overprinting or partly exploiting anisotropies of the inherited thrust system. Here, we explore the tectonic framework and the timing of thrusting and subsequent negative inversion of the Circeo thrust, one of the major thrusts in the inner portion of the central Apennines, with the main aim to constrain the timing and mode of the compression to extension switch. Structural analysis, carbonate C and O and clumped isotopes analysis, X‐ray diffraction of clay minerals, and U‐Pb dating of calcite slickenfibers have been integrated with seismic interpretation, cross‐section balancing, and 1D burial and thermal modeling. We show that the Circeo thrust developed during Langhian‐Serravallian time. Its extensional reactivation is dated at the Serravallian, during the stacking of an underlying thrust slice, before the onset of Pliocene back‐arc extension in the area. Combination of our data with the age of thrusts, extensional basins, and base of the foredeep infill of the central Apennines, demonstrates that forelandward migration of the foredeep‐thrust system occurred at variable velocities. Accelerations and decelerations are synchronous, respectively, with the opening of the Liguro‐Provençal and Tyrrhenian back‐arc basins and with the interluding quiescent period. Key Points: We build a balanced cross section across the Circeo thin‐skinned thrust, one of the innermost structures of the central ApenninesThe section is validated by means of carbonate C and O and clumped isotopes, U‐Pb dating, seismic interpretation and burial modelingA regional synthesis of the age of foredeep infill, thrusts, and extensional basins for the central Apennines is presented [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Throughout their range, red deer are a well-studied species. In Italy, this species occupies two ecologically different ranges: the Alps and the Apennines. Although several studies have described the spatial behaviour of red deer in the Italian Alps, no data are available for the Apennine population. Results The spatial behaviours of 13 deer from the Northern Apennines range were analysed for the first time using GPS-GSM telemetry from 2011 to 2017. Red deer displayed two coexisting strategies, i.e., migratory and stationary. In our sample, females tended to migrate more than males. We found a high level of interindividual variability in the date of migration/return, while each migratory deer was very conservative during the study period. The migration ranges were on average 12 ± 4.2 km from the resident range. Both migratory and resident deer displayed high site fidelity. No switch from the migratory to stationary strategy was observed for any deer during the study period; however, the period could have been too short to detect any switch. At the management level, over 18 management cycles occurred during the study period, and a spatial mismatch was found between deer range and management units (districts) in 38.9% (7) of the cases. Merging the districts belonging to each province to obtain an area of approximately 1000 km2 would partially address such spatial mismatch, reducing its occurrence to 22%. Conclusions Despite the small sample size, these results can guide future management actions. However, an in-depth study with a larger sample size is required to better understand and manage the red deer Apennines population.

The present work provides new insights on some factors controlling the groundwater flow in low‐permeability media affected by deep Apennine landslide, involving several million cubic meters of soil and rock. Rainfall and groundwater circulation are among the major triggers of landslides. However, if the first factor is well studied, only few research deal with the hydrogeological processes in the landslide. Thus, in this study, combined hydrogeological, geochemical and isotopic investigation were performed in order to: (1) characterize infiltration and flow processes and (2) understand the role of sliding surface on groundwater circulation in a complex landslide that mainly involves sandstones and clay materials. Results indicate that at least two circuits coexist: a faster one, where rainfall preferentially infiltrates and flows in a well‐connected network of macropores, cracks and soil pipes, which mainly feeds the springs; a slower and a deeper one that flows in the soil matrix and fractures of the landslide body. Moreover, the investigated slip zones show an aquiclude characteristic in terms of groundwater circulation, where the flow is very slow and precipitation influence is negligible. These results could be helpful in an accurate slope stability considerations and to improve the reliability of landslide risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situla Art is an Iron Age artisanal tradition dated to c. 660/650–275 BC, corresponding to the Hallstatt C2 to the La Tène B2 phases. It is characterised by striking sheet-bronze objects with embossed and/or incised decoration in Orientalising taste with animals, plants and/or human figures generally distributed in friezes. Situla Art is documented between the Apennines and the eastern Alps, and Este is suggested as its key centre. This paper provides a long overdue literature review, a working definition for Situla Art and an updated catalogue with 306 objects. It also (re-)investigates the influences which may have led to the emergence of Situla Art, its development and decline. Hats and earrings depicted in Situla Art are investigated to highlight their identity valencies, and to provide socio-political insights on the Iron Age elite who used Situla Art as a non-linguistic symbol-based system to acquire, exhibit and legitimate power over time in the area of its distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation tends to vary in a systematic fashion along elevational gradients, leading to the possibility of recognizing distinct vegetational belts, which are frequently used to describe and interpret elevational variations in biodiversity. However, anthropogenic changes can create landscapes dominated by secondary grasslands in areas formerly occupied by forests, thus altering the natural sequence of vegetation types. The present research illustrates how the distribution of tenebrionid beetles in central Italy is influenced by secondary vegetation. Classical schemes of vegetational belts were modified into a scheme of main vegetation types that include secondary vegetations. Tenebrionid species presence/absence in each vegetation type was then assessed. Species richness tended to decrease with elevation in both natural and secondary vegetations. Geophilous (ground-dwelling) species (which include many endemics) prevailed in natural and secondary grasslands, while xylophilous species (associated with trees) prevailed in the natural forests. Similarities in tenebrionid composition indicated the presence of two main groups: one associated with forests and the other with natural and secondary grasslands. Geophilous species prevailed among tenebrionids with Mediterranean distributions, whereas xylophilous species prevailed among species distributed mainly in Europe and the Palearctic. High values of richness, biogeographical complexity and proportion of endemics make secondary vegetations of high conservation concern.

Simple Summary: Plant species of a regional flora have different ecological preferences, leading to the presence of different assemblages along environmental gradients. Botanists elaborated score systems to express species preferences for environmental factors, such as temperature, light, soil moisture, etc. The most popular system is that of the 'Ellenberg indicator values' (EIVs). EIVs have been largely applied to use plant species as indicators of environmental characteristics. In this research, we adopted a different perspective, and used EIVs to study how species are filtered by variations in ecological conditions along an elevational gradient. We used the flora of a small mountain in Central Italy as our case study. We found that heat-loving species are progressively replaced by cold-adapted ones at increasing elevations. Sunlight-adapted species prevail at low and high elevations (where open habitats occur), whereas in the middle of the gradient (occupied by the beech forest) shade-loving species predominate. Variation for moisture and soil nutrient preferences followed a similar pattern since humus abundance makes forest soils moister and richer in nutrients. Preferences for pH and continentality did not follow any clear pattern, since these factors are subject to more local variations. These results highlight the possible use of EIVs to study how plant communities respond to environmental gradients. Ellenberg indicator values (EIVs) express plant preferences for temperature, light, continentality, soil moisture, pH, and soil nutrients, and have been largely used to deduce environmental characteristics from plant communities. However, EIVs might also be used to investigate the importance of filtering mechanisms in shaping plant communities according to species ecological preferences, a so far overlooked use of EIVs. In this paper, we investigated how community-weighted means (CWM), calculated with EIVs, varied along an elevational gradient in a small mountain in Central Italy. We also tested if species abundances varied according to their ecological preferences. We found that the prevalence of thermophilous species declines with elevation, being progressively replaced by cold-adapted species. Heliophilous species prevail at low and high elevations (characterized by the presence of open habitats), whereas in the middle of the gradient (occupied by the beech forest), sciophilous species predominate. Variations for moisture and soil nutrient preferences followed a similar pattern, probably because of the high moisture and nutrient levels of forest soils with a lot of humus. No distinct pattern was detected for EIVs for pH and continentality since these factors are subject to more local variations. These results highlight the possible role of EIVs to investigate how environmental gradients shape plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper new floristic records for 41 taxa (species and subspecies) are reported. In particular, 30 taxa are natives and 11 aliens. Among the natives 1 is new for Veneto, 7 are new or confirmed for Marche, 1 is new for Lazio, 9 are new or confirmed for Abruzzo, 2 are new or confirmed for Molise; 13 aliens taxa are new for Abruzzo, Lazio and Marche. Some findings are very interesting from a phytogeographic and/or conservation point of view, such as Allium guttatum subsp. dalmaticum new for Italy, Astragalus austriacus and Myosotis minutiflora subsp. minutiflora new for the Apennines, and, a species deserving urgent conservation actions, of which we report the second location at national scale. Furthermore, we report some new locations for very rare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercus pubescens and Q. virgiliana are the most cited taxa in the Italian deciduous oak forests floristic and phytosociological literature. According to some authors, Q. pubescens is typical of inland areas and higher altitudes whereas Q. virgiliana restricted to the coastal plain and the hilly belt. Seven pubescent oak populations distributed along an altitudinal transect in central Italy have been analyzed from a coenological, morphological and molecular point of view. The vegetation sampling was carried out using the phytosociological approach. Morphological variation of tree individuals was analyzed using 14 leaf traits, while leaf shape variation was investigated using the Procrustes ANOVA. Genetic analyses were carried out through twelve EST-SSRs markers. Results: only the leaf pubescence exhibited discriminating power among all the leaf morphological traits considered. Very low differences in the leaf-shape emerged from geometric morphometric analysis. Genetic analyses did not evidence statistically significant clusters. Bayesian analyses including data from genetically pure populations of Q. pubescens, Q. petraea and Q. frainetto assigned all the seven populations investigated to Q. pubescens. Neither the morphological nor the genetic results allowed to identify specimens attributable to Q. pubescens or Q. virgiliana nor to highlight a possible ecological-altitudinal vicariance between these two species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change represents a threat to narrow-ranged mountain species living in low-altitude massifs. We studied the disjunct Apennine population of Lasiommata petropolitana (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. We quantified the altitudinal shifts undergone in the last decades (1964–2021) in the Alps and Apennines and estimated the local extinction risk due to climate change. We also sequenced the COI mitochondrial marker of seven Apennine specimens, comparing them with those available across the Palearctic. We projected the probability of presence for the species under a future climatic scenario using an ensemble forecasting approach. We found that, despite geographical isolation, the Apennine population of L. petropolitana displays a single widespread COI haplotype also occurring in most European populations. In the Alps and Apennines, this species has shifted uphill an average of 6.3 m per year since 1964. Accordingly, our model predicted a likely extinction in the Apennines by about 2060, due to a reduction of the climatic suitability in this region. Implications for insect conservation: Implications for insect conservation Despite its potential loss in the Apennines would not erode mitochondrial diversity, L. petropolitana characterises the butterfly community of the Gran Sasso massif as an alpine enclave. The loss of the Apennine population, together with those of other orophilous butterflies, could trigger a homogenization of alpha and beta diversity and induce a loss of functional diversity in the impoverished high-altitude biotas. As habitat heterogeneity is a key aspect for populations to endure climate change, the maintenance of varied microhabitats, mainly through grazing management, could address the decline of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims – The research aim was to investigate the relation between large-scale geographic factors and the functional structure of the herbaceous layer of calcareous beech forests in the Apennines, managed as high forest.Material and methods – We selected 163 plots (20 × 20 m), ranging from Central to South Italy, using a random stratified sampling design. We correlated the effect sizes of traits’ community-weighted means, functional richness, evenness, divergence, dispersion, and Rao’s quadratic entropy, with the main axes of variation in species composition.Key results – The geographical range played a weak role in shaping the species composition of the herbaceous layer. However, we found evidence of functional convergence towards the northern sectors of the study area, where traits linked to resource retention strategies and vegetative spread are filtered. We did not find any evidence of convergence northwards for leaf phenology and pollination types.Conclusion – The increase of the intensity in the environmental stress was associated with a decrease of diversity for traits related to resource conservation strategies and vegetative propagation. On the contrary, the lower cold stress intensity southwards fostered a better niche partitioning, ensuring the coexistence of species with different modalities of resource acquisition and conservation.

A comparative analysis of environmental conditions between Alpine and Apennine lakes/ponds which represent different faces of European mountain regions was conducted. The data set was created on the basis of previous works carried out by national and international institutions including biological, physical–chemical, geographic, and precipitation data from 27 lakes/ponds placed at altitudes ranging from 2334 ± 294 m a.s.l. (in the Alps) and 1541 ± 154 m a.s.l. (in the Apennines), with mean maximum depths of about 5.5 ± 4.6 m. A specific focus was dedicated to chironomids as outstanding sentinels for local and global changes in habitat conditions. Species richness and Taxonomic Distinctness Indices were applied to lakes/ponds macroinvertebrates to highlight differences in the biodiversity of the two areas. Subsequently, associations between descriptors of the mountain region climate, lithology, water chemistry, lake morphology, geography, macroinvertebrate assemblage richness, and distinctness were examined through Principal Component Analysis, Analysis of Variance, and Non-metric Multi-dimensional Scaling. Results showed strong positive correlations between mean annual precipitation and temperature with lake macroinvertebrate biodiversity as a whole and with chironomid in particular. Thus, these shore habitats face a threat under climate change conditions (impacting thermal and precipitation regimes). These results are also central in showing that even small ecosystems are important sources of biodiversity for the lower altitudes, stressing the urgency of including them within targeted monitoring and action plans to preserve their peculiar habitat, flora, and fauna.

Landslide inventories provide the knowledge basis for many geomorphological applications and also planning and emergency management. Detailed landslide inventories should also be prepared where pre-existing inventories are available, as knowledge updates. In this paper, we present a new geomorphological landslide inventory for an area of the High Agri Valley, Southern Italian Apennines. The map was prepared through systematic interpretation of historical aerial photographs testing extensive use of anaglyph glasses in StereoPhoto Maker freeware. A total of 2124 landslides were classified based on the type of movement, estimated depth, estimated relative age and three levels of uncertainty, providing landslide attributes and map constraints useful for land planning and hazard studies. The map also documents the relationships between landslides and fluvial landforms of different generations, recording important information to investigate the geomorphological evolution of the area further. We expect that landslide mapping in similar environments will benefit from the workflow here presented.

Fluvial terraces, longitudinal river profiles, and growth strata carry comparable records of the deformation history in tectonically active mountain belts. In the northern Apennines, these markers are preserved across an actively uplifting, steep mountain front. We take advantage of this setting to model base‐level fall histories reconstructed from a linear inversion of fluvial topography on six transverse catchments spanning 110 km along the strike from Bologna to Parma. We compare these histories to records of crustal shortening preserved in growth strata. The fluvial inversion model is based on the detachment‐limited stream‐power model and considers the variable erodibility of bedrock lithology. Uplift is assumed to be spatially uniform at the catchment scale and crudely in balance with long‐term 10Be terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) erosion rates that range from ∼0.3 to 0.7 mm yr−1. The model predicts rates of base‐level fall that are comparable with published rates of fault slip from growth strata and incision from terrace deposits. The modeling demonstrates how orogenic shortening and topographic growth are nonuniform and partitioned along the strike of the Apennine mountain front. Rivers record steady uplift in the last ∼1 Myrs, temporally coincident with overfilling of the Po Plain and reduction of shallow fault slip, supporting a proposed switch from thin‐to thick‐skinned crustal shortening. These results are a novel example of base‐level fall records assembled from both the erosional source and depositional sink and highlight the versatility and challenges of fluvial inversion modeling. Plain Language Summary: We use the longitudinal profiles of river channels—plots of channel elevation against streamwise distance—to model the history of base‐level fall at river mouths. Base‐level fall is compared to published fault slip and sediment deposition rates assembled from geologic data. Each data set shows generally consistent trends through time. A synchronous increase in base‐level fall rate within the last 1 Myr is observed ubiquitously across all six catchments. We interpret this as indicative of a change in the style of mountain building ∼1 Myr ago caused by the activation of a deep thrust fault that is uplifting most of the northern Apennine northeastern flank. An assessment of all the data sets indicates how the northern Apennine mountains were built over the past ∼3 Myr and allows for discussion on the versatility and challenges of our modeling approach. These results show that river profiles can be sensitive recorders of mountain building and, when interpreted alongside other complimentary records, can be used to critically evaluate model results in the context of landscape evolution. The approach used here can be applied to understand the history of mountain building in other settings across the globe. Key Points: Linear inversion of river longitudinal profiles is a versatile tool to restore base‐level fall histories from measured physical parametersWe compare base‐level fall histories from rivers to complimentary and independent records from growth strata and fluvial terracesResults add to the growing amount of data supporting out‐of‐sequence thick‐skinned deformation of the northern Apennines of Emilia Romagna [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exhumed fossil subduction zones are archives of the deformation conditions and mechanisms from depths not directly accessible. Microstructural analysis of samples exhumed therefrom offers insights into the micromechanics and deformation processes associated with subduction such as earthquakes, slow earthquakes, and aseismic creep. Subducted and exhumed continental metasediments of the Tuscan Metamorphic Units of the Italian Northern Apennines contain a mylonitic foliation and quartz and carpholite dilational hydroshear veins with crack‐and‐seal textures, both developed at blueschist facies conditions (350–400°C, ∼1 GPa). As shown by overprinting relationships and mineral assemblages, these two structure types formed broadly coeval within the stability field of carpholite. Metaconglomerates and metaquartzarenites deformed mainly by dissolution‐precipitation creep and secondary by dislocation creep. Microstructural and electron backscatter diffraction analyses of the veins suggest only limited recrystallization of quartz fibers by subgrain rotation recrystallization, with adjacent metapelite bands acting as decollement horizons, likely by slip on the basal plane of phyllosilicates. We estimated differential stresses of 43–55 MPa and strain rates between 10−13 and 10−14 s−1 from the vein recrystallized quartz fibers. We propose these microstructures and deformation mechanisms to represent a geological evidence of deep episodic tremor and slow slip events in subducted continental metasediments. Pore pressure cyclically reached supralithostatic values triggering tremors causing fracturing of all involved lithotypes. Likely, slow slip was accommodated preferentially by slip on phyllosilicate bands. Aseismic creep occurred mainly by dislocation creep with subgrain rotation recrystallization in vein quartz, slip on the basal plane of phyllosilicates, and dissolution and precipitation creep in the host rock. Plain Language Summary: Rocks exhumed from great depth can help us to investigate processes otherwise non directly accessible. The Italian Northern Apennines comprise exhumed continental sediments that were deformed and metamorphosed at depths of 30–40 km and temperatures of 350–400°C. Broadly coeval continuous and discontinuous deformation is documented as highly deformed zones (shear zones) and veins. We used microstructural analyses and electron microscopy techniques to reconstruct how these rocks deformed and the structures formed. Quartz‐rich metasediments deformed mainly by dissolution and precipitation processes. Weak phyllosilicate‐rich bands accommodated deformation likely by slip on their platy basal planes. Fluid pressure cyclically reached high values that caused failure of the metasediments, with subsequent migration of portion of the fluid and formation of the veins. Veins display only a limited amount of crystal plastic deformation. Quartz paleopiezometry and flow law suggest low differential stresses and average geological strain rates for the deformation of veins. We propose that these structures can be seen as a possible geological record of deep episodic tremor and slow slip events, low intensity and long lasting seismic events associated with slip transients faster than average plate motion. Key Points: Coeval dilational hydroshear veins and mylonites may shed light on deformation mechanisms of deep episodic tremor and slow slip eventsDilational hydroshear veins formed by incremental crack‐seal at supralithostatic pore pressure values and deformed by dislocation creepBlueschist facies mylonites formed mainly by a combination of dissolution‐precipitation creep and slip along phyllosilicate bands [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to biological invasions. After introduction, predicting the timing and magnitude of population growth and range expansion is critical to decision making on where management tactics will be most efficient. Yet, management is often hindered by the lack of knowledge on species‐specific attributes and the spatially complex structure of river networks that influences connectivity between sites. We analysed the population structure and predicted the range expansion of signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), an invasive species in North‐western Italy which was first recorded in the Valla Stream in 2009 and then spread to adjacent rivers including Erro Stream in 2020. A total of 1,284 individual P. leniusculus crayfish were collected in the Valla Stream. No significant difference was found in density or body condition along a downstream gradient for different sex and maturity classes. These empirical data were combined with the available scientific literature to obtain key life‐history information for P. leniusculus, including carrying capacity, downstream versus upstream dispersion and proliferation rate. We used the OCNet R package to simulate the Erro Stream network and applied a meta‐population model to predict the range expansion of this species over time. Results indicate P. leniusculus may completely invade the Erro Stream network in 30–40 years, depending on the proliferation rate and without additional introductions. These findings represent one of the first attempts to use optimal channel networks simulation in R to predict the meta‐population dynamics of aquatic invasive species, a potential key tool to prevent invasive species spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Throughout their range, red deer are a well-studied species. In Italy, this species occupies two ecologically different ranges: the Alps and the Apennines. Although several studies have described the spatial behaviour of red deer in the Italian Alps, no data are available for the Apennine population. Results: The spatial behaviours of 13 deer from the Northern Apennines range were analysed for the first time using GPS-GSM telemetry from 2011 to 2017. Red deer displayed two coexisting strategies, i.e., migratory and stationary. In our sample, females tended to migrate more than males. We found a high level of interindividual variability in the date of migration/return, while each migratory deer was very conservative during the study period. The migration ranges were on average 12 ± 4.2 km from the resident range. Both migratory and resident deer displayed high site fidelity. No switch from the migratory to stationary strategy was observed for any deer during the study period; however, the period could have been too short to detect any switch. At the management level, over 18 management cycles occurred during the study period, and a spatial mismatch was found between deer range and management units (districts) in 38.9% (7) of the cases. Merging the districts belonging to each province to obtain an area of approximately 1000 km2 would partially address such spatial mismatch, reducing its occurrence to 22%. Conclusions: Despite the small sample size, these results can guide future management actions. However, an in-depth study with a larger sample size is required to better understand and manage the red deer Apennines population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of the Alps and surrounding regions is still not completely understood, partly because of a non‐unique interpretation of its upper‐mantle architecture. In particular, it is unclear if interpreted slabs are consistent with the observed surface deformation and topography. We derive three end‐member scenarios of lithospheric thickness and slab geometries by clustering available shear‐wave tomography models into a statistical ensemble. We use these scenarios as input for geodynamic simulations and compare modeled topography, surface velocities and mantle flow to observations. We found that a slab detached beneath the Alps, but attached beneath the Northern Apennines captures first‐order patterns in topography and vertical surface velocities and can provide a causative explanation for the observed seismicity. Plain Language Summary: Present‐day surface deformation, including earthquakes, plate motion, and mass (re)distribution, results from processes operating at the surface and in the interior of the Earth. Understanding these processes and their coupling is of utmost importance in light of the hazard they pose to society. The Alps provide an excellent natural laboratory to understand such coupling. Here, we use seismic tomography models to constrain its upper‐mantle architecture. We further use these models to quantify forces originating from the resolved architecture and their effects on the present‐day surface deformation. The models can reproduce first‐order patterns in the observed topography and vertical surface motions. We found a causative correlation between the presence of a shallow slab attached to the overlying lithosphere in the Northern Apennines and the seismicity in the region. Our results allow us to better understand the transfer of internal forces to the surface, thereby helping to quantify the present‐day mechanical setup of the area. Key Points: Statistical ensemble of S‐wave tomography models is used to infer the Lithosphere‐Asthenosphere Boundary configuration and slab geometries in the AlpsThe 3‐D upper‐mantle architecture from the statistics reproduce first‐order patterns in observed topography and Global Navigation Satellite Systems vertical velocitiesA shallow/attached slab in the Northern Apennines is consistent with the mantle depth seismicity observed in this region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although habitat fragmentation is widely reported to affect species survival and distribution, its effect in terms of host-parasite interactions in small mammal communities is poorly studied yet. Using information collected from carcasses of 34 road-kill and two preyed-upon individuals, we present the first comprehensive study dealing with the relationship between habitat fragmentation and the presence of different ectoparasite species infecting a small Sciurus vulgaris population inhabiting the Apennine ridge. We predicted that the probability to find individuals infested by parasites would be lower in highly fragmented areas because of the trade-off effects over both mammal and ectoparasite communities. Our findings showed that the most frequent ectoparasites were the squirrel fleas Ceratophyllus sciurorum and hard ticks Ixodes ricinus. Males showed higher presence of ectoparasites than females, probably because of different behaviour in space use and higher hormone levels, which may compromise host's resistance to infection. As to the relationship with habitat fragmentation, we did not find support that individuals in highly fragmented areas would be less susceptible to C. sciurorum infestation because of lower red squirrel relative density. The presence of highly suitable habitat patches in fragmented habitats may have favoured the presence of squirrels, hence promoting C. sciurorum transmission among specimens. Similarly, we did not find support that habitat fragmentation would have reduced the likelihood of generalist ectoparasites transmission among squirrels. This finding may be explained by the increasing tolerance of generalist ectoparasites towards habitat fragmentation because of the presence of species (e.g., roe deer Capreolus capreolus) able to better exploit ecotonal areas. We believe that our research provides interesting preliminary results on ectoparasites infesting red squirrels in the Apennine area, and of the potential impact which habitat fragmentation may have on them. Nevertheless, the effect of habitat fragmentation over parasite communities is still poorly considered, and further researches are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an updated and expanded list of Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca) haplotypes found in wild animals throughout the Apennines of central Italy. Samples were collected and identified during a monitoring program of autochthonous Galliformes and from a private collection. The haplotypes were identified on a longer fragment of the mitochondrial control region (D-loop) based on previously reported haplotypes. This novel evidence, based on a wider sampling area and a higher number of analyzed specimens, will be of relevance in both conservation projects and gamebird breeding for restock, as imposed by the Italian Action Plan. Studying longer fragments can also be useful for phylogeographic analysis. Dataset: Molecular data on the NCBI web site (GenBank) are available at the link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Registration codes are ON086324, ON086325, ON086326, ON086327, ON086328, ON086329, ON086317, ON086318, ON086319, ON086320, ON086322, ON086323. Dataset License: CC0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores the possibility that the destructive earthquakes occurring along the Apennine Chain in Italy are systematically triggered by groundwater recharge. The focus is on multi-year transitions toward phases of wet climate rather than on short-term heavy rainfall occurring in a few days or seasonally. The analysis takes into consideration the earthquakes with a moment magnitude of Mw ≥5.8 that have occurred since 1901. Their time distribution is compared with the fluctuations of the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI), an indicator of soil moisture, here assumed to be a proxy for groundwater recharge. It is found that the scPDSI evolved through six main oscillations lasting from 11 to 25 years, and that, with one exception, the strongest earthquake in each phase is placed within 2 years from the maximum of soil moisture. Based on a statistical test for pairs of point processes, such a coincidence indicates a significant synchrony between the two phenomena. In particular, the two strongest earthquakes of the study period (the 1915 Marsica earthquake and the 1980 Irpinia–Basilicata earthquake, with moment magnitudes of Mw 7.1 and 6.8, respectively) occurred exactly in the year of two of the largest peaks of scPDSI. The connection between wet climate conditions and the occurrence of strong earthquakes is further investigated by comparing the time distribution of Mw ≥6.1 historical earthquakes that have occurred since 1200 AD with the evolution of the Great Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland, representative of water accumulation at the continental level. Even in this case, the earthquakes clustered during time periods of increased precipitation and lower water evaporation, corresponding to the extreme phases of the Little Ice Age. The agreement of the results at different time scales and using different climate indexes leads to postulate a significant and systematic role of groundwater recharge in the triggering of large earthquakes along the Apennines. It is also suggested that the earthquakes might be triggered by pore-pressure propagation, where the necessary hydraulic continuity is made possible by the intersection of the shallow karst structures with the seismogenic faults.

Abstract The dynamics of the Alps and surrounding regions is still not completely understood, partly because of a non‐unique interpretation of its upper‐mantle architecture. In particular, it is unclear if interpreted slabs are consistent with the observed surface deformation and topography. We derive three end‐member scenarios of lithospheric thickness and slab geometries by clustering available shear‐wave tomography models into a statistical ensemble. We use these scenarios as input for geodynamic simulations and compare modeled topography, surface velocities and mantle flow to observations. We found that a slab detached beneath the Alps, but attached beneath the Northern Apennines captures first‐order patterns in topography and vertical surface velocities and can provide a causative explanation for the observed seismicity.

Whereas deposits of extremely‐rapid, 'catastrophic' mass wastings >105 m3 in volume (for example, the Marocche di Dro rock avalanche in the Southern Alps and the Flims rockslide in the Western Alps) are easily recognized by their sheer mass and blocky surface, the identification of fossil catastrophic mass wastings partly removed by erosion must be based on deposit characteristics. Herein, a 'fossil' (pre‐last glacial) rock avalanche, previously interpreted as either a till or debris flow, is described. The deposit, informally called 'Rubble Breccia', is located in the intramontane Campo Imperatore halfgraben that is bounded by a master fault with up to ca 900 m topographic throw. Based on documentation from field to thin section, and by comparative analysis with post‐glacial rock avalanches, tills and debris flows, the Rubble Breccia is reinterpreted as a rock avalanche. The Rubble Breccia consists of an extremely‐poorly sorted, disordered mixture of angular clasts from sand to block size. Many clasts show fitted subclast boundaries in crackle, jigsaw and mosaic fabrics, as diagnostic of catastrophic mass wasting deposits. Intercalated layers of angular to well‐rounded clasts of coarse sand to fine pebble size, and deformed into open to recumbent folds, may represent shear belts folded during terminal avalanche propagation. The clast spectrum of the Rubble Breccia – mainly shallow‐water bioclastic limestones, Saccocoma wackestones and other deep‐water limestones and dolostones – is derived from the front range along the northern margin of the basin. Calcite cement found within the Rubble Breccia was dated with the U/Th disequilibrium method to 124.25 ± 2.76 ka bp, providing an ante‐quam age constraint to the rock avalanche event. Because catastrophic mass wasting is a common erosional process, fossil deposits thereof should be more widespread than have been identified to date, although this may be a consequence of misidentification. The criteria outlined here provide a template to identify fossil catastrophic mass wasting deposits of any age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐altitude insects are expected to be strongly affected by climate change because of their limited range. Phytophagous species will be subject to further threats because of their dependence on host plants.We investigated the impact of climate change on the distribution of Italian high‐altitude longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) using a maximum entropy approach based on bioclimatic variables. We used 510 presence records for 15 species distributed throughout the Italian Alps and Apennines. Then, we combined climate‐based predictions with vegetation data to predict the future changes in the extent of suitable areas.All species but two will move uphill to track suitable climates and will face a range contraction (with an average loss of 44%) under both climatic change scenarios considered. Suitable vegetation covers, on average, only 56% of the estimated current species ranges, which means that the future distribution will be even more limited. Given the importance of Italian mountains as hubs of diversity in the Mediterranean hotspot, these results are particularly alarming.Conservation actions that can mitigate the effects of climate change on high‐altitude cerambycids should be focused on contrasting habitat loss and degradation through land preservation and the adoption of appropriate forest management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Palliduphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 2001 is revised in the fauna of Italy. For each species, all known localities, new records, and remarks are provided. A synonymy of P. garganicus (Caporiacco, 1951) with P. istrianus (Kulczyński, 1914) syn. n. is proposed on the basis of a morphological comparison. Two new species, P. murphyisp. n. (♂♀) and P. robertsisp. n. (♂♀), are described from southern Italy. The new species are named after the prominent British arachnologists John Murphy and Mike Roberts, recently passed away. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet in skinks is known mainly for extra-European species, especially from Australian ones, where these lizards are represented by a great number of species, while, in comparison, data for species from other continents are scarce. The three-toed skink, Chalcides chalcides, is found in a restricted part of northern Africa and in Italy, where it is distributed almost uniformly throughout the peninsula and on the major islands. Although it is well studied for aspects such as morphology and ecology, data concerning trophic preferences are scarce, and available only for the populations of south-central Italy. In this note we report preliminary data about the diet of an Apennine population of the three-toed skink, Chalcides chalcides, at the northern boundary of its distribution area. Faecal contents from 20 individuals were collected in June 2015, obtaining an overall sample of 48 prey items. Araneae constituted the most preyed taxon (over 40%), followed by Hemiptera (35,4%) and other prey taxa (Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Dermaptera) in much lower percentages. We found no differences between smaller/younger and larger/older individuals in consumed preys. As well as confirming the general trophic predilection of this skink for spiders, we also found some interesting differences in preyed items with studied populations of south-central Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Classic" field mapping in sedimentary successions, where lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and sedimentology meet, still has potential for producing answers to long‐standing problems in basin analysis. In the Northern Apennines of Italy, constraints on the slip rates of Early Jurassic rift faults, related to the embryonic separation of Eurasia and Gondwana, are provided by sedimentology and ammonite biostratigraphy, coupled with the field mapping of exposed tracts of the submarine escarpments and of the clinoform slopes which bordered carbonate footwall blocks. Slip rates of 600–1,000 m/Myr are here computed for Tethyan rift faults, producing >1 km of palaeostructural relief in ~2 million years (earliest Sinemurian: Bucklandi p.p. – Semicostatum p.p. zones). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet in skinks is known mainly for extra-European species, especially from Australian ones, where these lizards are represented by a great number of species, while, in comparison, data for species from other continents are scarce. The three-toed skink, Chalcides chalcides, is found in a restricted part of northern Africa and in Italy, where it is distributed almost uniformly throughout the peninsula and on the major islands. Although it is well studied for aspects such as morphology and ecology, data concerning trophic preferences are scarce, and available only for the populations of south-central Italy. In this note we report preliminary data about the diet of an Apennine population of the three-toed skink, Chalcides chalcides, at the northern boundary of its distribution area. Faecal contents from 20 individuals were collected in June 2015, obtaining an overall sample of 48 prey items. Araneae constituted the most preyed taxon (over 40%), followed by Hemiptera (35,4%) and other prey taxa (Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Dermaptera) in much lower percentages. We found no differences between smaller/younger and larger/older individuals in consumed preys. As well as confirming the general trophic predilection of this skink for spiders, we also found some interesting differences in preyed items with studied populations of south-central Italy.

We announce the formation of the "GLORIA ITALIA NETWORK" and present an overview of the Italian alpine plant communities changes that have occurred in the last 20 years. This network will provide coordination between Italian GLORIA sites and enhance public awareness of changes in alpine plant diversity under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is causing shifts in the distribution of many species and populations inhabiting mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to these threats because they are constrained in altitudinal shifts. Apennines are a relatively narrow and low mountain chain located in Southern Europe, which hosts many isolated populations of mountain species. The butterfly Erebia pandrose was recorded for the last time in the Apennines in 1977, on the top of a single massif (Monti della Laga).We confirmed the presence of a small, isolated population of E. pandrose in the Apennines, at a distance of more than 400 km to any other known populations. Then, we examined the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial DNA marker of this species across the Palaearctic area and estimated the potential decline over the Alps and the Apennines due to future climatic changes.The Apennine population represents an endemic lineage characterised by eight mutations over the 658 bp analysed (1.2%). In the Alps and Apennines, this species has shifted uphill more than 3 m per year since the end of the 19th century and more than 22 m per year since 1995. Species distribution models suggested that these mountain populations will experience a generalised loss of climatic suitability, which, according to our projections, could lead to the extinction of the Apennine population in a few decades.Erebia pandrose has the potential to become a flagship species for advertising the risk of losing unique fractions of genetic diversity for mountain species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new records for 10 species of moth flies from central Italy are discussed in this paper. Three species, namely Sycorax similis (Müller, 1927), Pneumia sanae (Krek, 1990), and Jungiella (Jungiella) parvula (Vaillant, 1960), are new to the Italian fauna. Distribution of each species is provided, together with ecological and taxonomic remarks, where relevant. Diagnostic characters currently used to separate the taxa belonging to the Pericoma pannonica Szabó, 1960 species group are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims - The research aim was to investigate the relation between large-scale geographic factors and the functional structure of the herbaceous layer of calcareous beech forests in the Apennines, managed as high forest. Material and methods - We selected 163 plots (20 × 20 m), ranging from Central to South Italy, using a random stratified sampling design. We correlated the effect sizes of traits' community-weighted means, functional richness, evenness, divergence, dispersion, and Rao's quadratic entropy, with the main axes of variation in species composition. Key results - The geographical range played a weak role in shaping the species composition of the herbaceous layer. However, we found evidence of functional convergence towards the northern sectors of the study area, where traits linked to resource retention strategies and vegetative spread are filtered. We did not find any evidence of convergence northwards for leaf phenology and pollination types. Conclusion - The increase of the intensity in the environmental stress was associated with a decrease of diversity for traits related to resource conservation strategies and vegetative propagation. On the contrary, the lower cold stress intensity southwards fostered a better niche partitioning, ensuring the coexistence of species with different modalities of resource acquisition and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ellenberg indicator values (EIVs) express plant preferences for temperature, light, continentality, soil moisture, pH, and soil nutrients, and have been largely used to deduce environmental characteristics from plant communities. However, EIVs might also be used to investigate the importance of filtering mechanisms in shaping plant communities according to species ecological preferences, a so far overlooked use of EIVs. In this paper, we investigated how community-weighted means (CWM), calculated with EIVs, varied along an elevational gradient in a small mountain in Central Italy. We also tested if species abundances varied according to their ecological preferences. We found that the prevalence of thermophilous species declines with elevation, being progressively replaced by cold-adapted species. Heliophilous species prevail at low and high elevations (characterized by the presence of open habitats), whereas in the middle of the gradient (occupied by the beech forest), sciophilous species predominate. Variations for moisture and soil nutrient preferences followed a similar pattern, probably because of the high moisture and nutrient levels of forest soils with a lot of humus. No distinct pattern was detected for EIVs for pH and continentality since these factors are subject to more local variations. These results highlight the possible role of EIVs to investigate how environmental gradients shape plant communities.