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The main geomorphological, geological, and climatic features of the mountains of the Italian Peninsula are discussed. The Apennines are the dominated mountain range and given their arch-like shape represents the backbone of the peninsula, which has its southern termination in the mountains of Sicily. After briefly commenting on the general geology, the variability of the climatic condition is illustrated, reporting annual average values of air temperature and precipitation. The geographical definition of the main mountain ranges, their altimetric variability, and the distance from the coasts complete this description. The main geomorphological landforms in the various mountain sectors are also commented, also providing relations with the regional geological characteristics. Among the several landforms, particular care is dedicated to the traces of past glaciations that have led to the discovery that glaciations affected the Italian Peninsula also before the Last Glacial Cycle. Finally, the history of research on Apennine glaciations is briefly summarised starting from the first pioneering studies of the end of the 19th century. The controversies and the investigation criteria evolution are illustrated, along with the research difficulties imposed by the regional tectonics.

The relationships between structural complexity, deadwood abundance, microhabitat type and species-diversity indicators are excellent tools to monitor biodiversity in forest ecosystems. In spite of their importance, correlations between structural traits and Coleoptera communities in Mediterranean mountain forests have only rarely been investigated. Consequently, the magnitude and direction of the relationships between forest traits and biodiversity indicators remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed whether biodiversity indices of saproxylic and non-saproxylic beetle communities could be influenced by stand structure, microhabitat type, and deadwood abundance in two protected beech forests located in the central and southern Apennines (namely Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, GSML, and Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni National Park, CVDA). Standard measurements of forest structural traits and quantitative assessment of tree microhabitats and deadwood were carried out. Adult beetles were collected using window flight traps and emergence traps on decaying deadwood. The two beech forests were different in terms of both beetle communities and structural traits. A two-block partial least squares analysis 2B-PLS highlighted differences in biodiversity indices and structural traits between the two forest ecosystems. In GSML, we observed that biodiversity indices were positively correlated with the volume of coarse woody debris and the presence fungal infections, clefts into the sapwood, and woodpecker cavities, while more dominant beetle communities were found under denser canopy cover. In CVDA, Coleoptera abundance was positively correlated with the basal area and crown broken microhabitats. Our results point toward the relevance of ecological attributes in tracking changes in beetle biodiversity in specific forest contexts. In these protected Mediterranean mountain beech stands, in which the main forest management strategies have the primary objective of biodiversity conservation, we suggest to progressively increase the structural diversity and canopy dynamics, as well as the volume of coarse woody debris.

This dataset article contains petrographic and mineral-glass chemical data of igneous rock clasts from Early Oligocene Aveto-Petrignacola Formation (APF; Northern Italy). Methods for obtaining the dataset include optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The APF volcanic rocks are basalts, basaltic andesites, andesites, dacites and rhyolites. Rare gabbroic cumulate nodules complete the dataset. Basalts are porphyritic, with calcic plagioclase (An72–92Ab7–27Or0–1), ferroan enstatite (En59–68Fs29–37Wo3–4) and augite (En38–39Fs18–20Wo41–44) phenocrysts, in a hypocrystalline groundmass made up of bytownite (An71–85Ab14–28Or1), augite (En37–38Fs19Wo43–44), ferroan enstatite (En62–68Fs30–35Wo1–4) and rare pigeonite (En46–50Fs37–42Wo7–17). The basaltic andesites are porphyritic to glomeroporphyritic with phenocrysts of zoned plagioclase (An44–67Ab32–55Or1), orthopyroxene, Mg-rich augite (En38–42Fs15–17Wo43–45), rare pargasite to edenite amphibole (Mg# 69–59) and very rare biotite in a hypocrystalline to holohyaline groundmass. Andesites are highly porphyritic with phenocrysts of plagioclase (An47–79Ab20–52Or0–1), pargasite to magnesio-hornblende (Mg# 72–67), Mg-rich augite (En43–46Fs12–17Wo41–43), subordinate ferroan enstatite (En68–74Fs23–29Wo3–4), biotite (Mg# 53) and Ti-magnetite (Usp29–41). Dacites (massive lavas and ignimbrites) are porphyritic, with phenocrysts and phenoclasts of plagioclase (An33–79Ab20–62Or0–4), calcic amphibole (Ti-pargasite, Mg-hornblende and edenite; Mg# 81–46), biotite (Mg# 67–56), very rare Mg-rich augite (En41–42Fs16–18Wo40–43) and resorbed quartz in hypohyaline to holohyaline groundmass with a dense mat of anhedral quartz, labradorite-andesine (An36–66Ab33–61Or1–4) and rare anorthoclase (An22Ab66Or12). Rhyolitic compositions have been found both as volcanic clasts (massive lava and ignimbrites) with andesine to oligoclase phenoclasts (An25–38Ab61–71Or1–4), quartz, biotite (Mg# 55–53) and Ti-magnetite (Usp18–77), and as interstitial glasses (residual melt drops) in other APF volcanic rocks. The cumulate nodules are olivine-gabbro and amphibole-gabbro/gabbronorite with a mineral paragenesis dominated by plagioclase (An41–73Ab26–57Or1–3), olivine (Fo68–72), Mg-rich augite to ferroan diopside (En41–45Fs12–15Wo42–45; Mg# 79–74), ferroan enstatite (En65–74Fs24–33Wo2–3; Mg# 76–68), magnetite (Usp15–28) and titanian pargasite (Mg# 67–65). The main cumulus phases are plagioclase, olivine and pyroxene, while intercumulus/postcumulus phases are titanian pargasite and magnetite. The dataset can be used to compare petrographic features and chemical compositions of calc-alkaline rocks emplaced in other subduction-related settings. Above all, it can represent a useful contribution in solving the problem linked to the identification of a hidden Early-Oligocene source of the thick volcaniclastic APF succession in the Alpine-Apennine belt geodynamic evolution.

Quaternary carbonate-seated maar-diatremes in the Volsci Range are one of the most intriguing products of the west-directed subduction of the Adriatic slab that drove the development of the Apennine mountain belt in Central Italy. The Volsci Volcanic Field is characterized by phreatomagmatic surge deposits, rich in accidental carbonate lithics, and subordinate Strombolian scoria fall deposits and lava flows, locally sourced from some tens of monogenetic eruptive centers (at least fifty tuff rings and scoria cones). We investigate the subsurface maar-diatreme processes in terms of relationships between faulting and explosive magma-water interaction, as well as the distribution pattern of the eruptive centers. With this aim, we present the following new data: i) description of the fold-and-thrust belt structure and associated eruptive centers, ii) componentry of volcanic rock-types, iii) determination of grain-size, degrees of whiteness and roundness of carbonate lithic inclusions, iv) micropaleontological analysis of carbonate lithics. We show that the clustering of eruptive centers is controlled by tectonic features. A first order control is tentatively related to crustal laceration and deep magma injection along a ENE-trending Quaternary lateral tear in the slab and to Mesozoic rift-related normal faults. A second-order control is provided by orogenic structures (mainly thrust and extensional faults). In particular, magma-water explosive interaction occurred at multiple levels (

Woody encroachment is a widespread phenomenon resulting from the abandonment of mountain agricultural andpastoral practices during the last century. As a result, forests have expanded, increasing biomass and necromass car-bon(C) pools. However,the impact on soil organic carbon(SOC) isless clear.The main aim of this study wasto in-vestigate the effect of woody encroachment on SOC stocks and ecosystem C pools in six chronosequences located along the Italian peninsula, three in the Alps and three in the Apennines. Five stages along the chronosequences were identified in each site. Considering the topsoil (0–30 cm), subsoil (30 cm-bedrock) and whole soil profile, the temporal trend in SOC stocks was similar in all sites, with an initial increment and subsequent decrement inthe intermediate phase. However, thefinal phase of the woody encroachment differed significantly between the Alps (mainly conifers) and the Apennines (broadleaf forests) sites, with a much more pronounced increment inthe latter case. Compared to the previous pastures, after mature forest (N62 years old) establishment, SOC stocksincreased by: 2.1(mean) ± 18.1(sd) and 50.1 ± 25.2 Mg C·ha−1in the topsoil, 7.3 ± 17.4 and 93.2 ±29.7 Mg C·ha−1in the subsoil, and 9.4 ± 24.4 and 143.3 ± 51.0 Mg C·ha−1in the whole soil profile in Alps and Apennines, respectively. Changes in SOC stocks increased with mean annual air temperature and average minimum winter temperature, and were negatively correlated with the sum of summer precipitation. At the same time, all other C pools (biomass and necromass) increased by 179.1 ± 51.3 and 304.2 ± 67.6 Mg C·ha−1in the Alps and theApennines sites, respectively. This study highlights the importance of considering both the subsoil, since deep soillayers contributed 38% to the observed variations in carbon stocks after land use change, and the possible repercussions for the carbon balance of large areas where forestsare expanding, especially under pressing global warming scenarios., The project of this work is part of the research activities of the PhD in science, technology and biotechnology for sustainability. The first author received a fully founded scholarship partially by the University of Tuscia (Viterbo - Italy) and partially by the University of Molise. Tommaso Chiti participated in the project by conducting his work with the funding obtained through the LIFE MediNet project (grant number LIFE15 PRE IT/732295). Jorge Curiel Yuste was financed in part by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 (grant code) program and by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through BC3 María de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714. I.C (grant code).

An integrated investigation including geological, geomorphological, geophysical and structural survey, tephra analyses, 14C and 40Ar/39Ar dating, as well as paleoseismic trenching along the N-Matese fault system is presented. The study allowed the characterization of the tectonic mobility of this structure as well as the associated Bojano basin sedimentary-tectonic evolution since the early Middle Pleistocene, providing also new clues concerning the fault historical activity and the associated Mw > 6.5 earthquakes. We have found lines of evidence for > 1 mm/yr slip rate along the presently buried Bojano fault during the mid Middle Pleistocene, and similar rates for the main fault segments paralleling the Matese flanks. The buried Bojano fault significantly slowed down during the last 300 kyr, ceasing its activity before the Holocene. In turn, the segments outcropping along the Matese flanks reactivated at the onset of Late Pleistocene, after a long period of quiescence (480–110 ka), with robust slip rates that would seem even accelerating in post LGM times. Paleoseismic data suggest the occurrence of four Mw > 6.6 earthquakes in the past 3 ka, three of which match the little known 280 BC event, and the devastating 1456 and 1805 earthquakes. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.