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The present study aims to analyse the land market trend with particular reference to the main typologies of crop in Sicily (1992-2010). More specifically, after examining the trend in agricultural land average prices, both in current and constant terms, the dynamic formulation of Shift and Share Analysis (DSSA) was carried out, in order to check the growth gap between the average prices in the Sicilian provinces and the correspondent regional ones over the period, and trying to identify its causes also on the basis of the relationship between land values and the agro-food markets dynamics in the investigated period. The analysis of average land values shows a positive trend in current terms, but a steady erosion in constant values. The application of DSSA highlights that the average land values expressed in current prices have a positive market dynamics (except for the province of Palermo), but lower than the overall regional trend, whereas Agrigento and Ragusa growth rates are higher than the regional one. On the contrary, the analysis in real terms shows a heavily erosive dynamics of provincial average prices which is more marked than the overall regional one, with the exception of Agrigento where the negative growth rate is lower than the overall trend. The analysis also measured the growth differential between the dynamics of the average values for each crop typology and the overall regional trend. More specifically, the study pointed out the dichotomy characterising the Sicilian land market in the period 1992-2010: on the one hand, the positive data of arable and horticultural crops and, to a lesser extent, permanent grassland due to a good structural framework capable of absorbing the shortcomings at local level, on the other hand, negative growth differential recorded for tree crops, due almost exclusively to substantial structural weaknesses.

The present study aims to analyse the land market trend with particular reference to the main typologies of crop in Sicily (1992-2010). More specifically, after examining the trend in agricultural land average prices, both in current and constant terms, the dynamic formulation of Shift and Share Analysis (DSSA) was carried out, in order to check the growth gap between the average prices in the Sicilian provinces and the correspondent regional ones over the period, and trying to identify its causes also on the basis of the relationship between land values and the agro-food markets dynamics in the investigated period. The analysis of average land values shows a positive trend in current terms, but a steady erosion in constant values. The application of DSSA highlights that the average land values expressed in current prices have a positive market dynamics (except for the province of Palermo), but lower than the overall regional trend, whereas Agrigento and Ragusa growth rates are higher than the regional one. On the contrary, the analysis in real terms shows a heavily erosive dynamics of provincial average prices which is more marked than the overall regional one, with the exception of Agrigento where the negative growth rate is lower than the overall trend. The analysis also measured the growth differential between the dynamics of the average values for each crop typology and the overall regional trend. More specifically, the study pointed out the dichotomy characterising the Sicilian land market in the period 1992-2010: on the one hand, the positive data of arable and horticultural crops and, to a lesser extent, permanent grassland due to a good structural framework capable of absorbing the shortcomings at local level, on the other hand, negative growth differential recorded for tree crops, due almost exclusively to substantial structural weaknesses.

The limited scientific knowledge on relationship between exposure and health effects in relation to geothermal activity motivated an epidemiologic investigation in Tuscan geothermal area. The study aims to describe the health status of populations living in Tuscany municipalities where concessions for exploitation of geothermal resources were granted.This is an ecological study, so it is not useful to produce evidence to sustain a judgment on the cause-effect link. The major limits of this type of study are the use of the residence at municipal level as a proxy of exposure to both environmental and socioeconomic factors and the use of aggregated data of health outcomes that can lead to the well-known ecological fallacy.Sixteen municipalities were included in the study area: eight are part of the so-called "traditional" geothermal area, defined as Northern Geothermal Area (NGA) and eight located in the Amiata Mountain defined as Southern Geothermal Area (SGA). In 2000-2006, the average resident population in the overall area was approximately 43,000 inhabitants. Thirty-one geothermal power plants were active, with a production capacity of 811 MW, 5 of them with 88 MW located in the SGA. Statistical analyses on the entire geothermal area, NGA and SGA subareas, and the sixteen municipalities were performed.Mortality data were obtained from Tuscany Regional Mortality Registry for the 1971-2006 period, analysing 60 causes of death, of interest for population health status or consistent with "Project SENTIERI" criteria. Hospital discharge records of residents in Tuscany Region in 2004-2006, anywhere admitted to hospital, were analyzed considering only the main diagnosis, excluding repeated admissions for the same cause. The causes taken into account are the same analysed for mortality were considered. Age-standardized mortality rates (TSDM) and the temporal trends of TSDM for four periods (1971-1979, 1980-1989, 1990-1999, 2000-2006) were computed. Age-standardized mortality/hospitalization ratios (SMR/SHR), with and without adjustment for the deprivation index based on 2001 census data, were calculated: mortality in the years 2000-2006 and hospitalization in 2004-2006. The expected number of events were computed using rates of residents in neighbouring municipalities (municipalities included in 50 km radius circle centred on the study area). Bayesian estimates of mortality/hospitalization ratios (BMR/BHR) at municipal level only and relating maps of the Bayesian risk estimators were elaborated. Congenital malformations (MC) were analysed using data from Tuscan Registry of Birth Defect in 1992-2006 period, relative to outcomes of pregnancies in women resident in the municipalities of study area, wherever the birth or termination of pregnancy occurred. The ratio between observed and expected cases (O/A), with expected defined according to regional rate, were calculated and O/A Bayesian estimates (BMR) are showed only at municipal level. The low weight and the males/females ratio at birth were analysed using data from Tuscany Birth Certificates, covering period 2001-2007, excluding births occurred in facilities outside Tuscany Region. For Low birth weight ( 64 years). Among females resident in SGA a mortality excess from digestive system diseases was observed (72 observed, 55 expected). The hospitalization in the overall Geothermal Area did not show any excess for all causes and all tumours in both genders. Statistically significant excesses for hospital admission from stomach cancer among males (49 observed, 38 expected) and females (42 observed, 28 expected), and from lymphohematopoietic tumours among females, particularly from lymphatic leukaemia (15 observed, 5 expected), were observed. As mortality analysis highlighted, also hospital admissions by geothermal areas and gender showed a worst picture in SGA than in NGA. In the latter, a significant excess of hospital admissions from all causes among females (1,357 observed, 1,284 expected) but not among males (1,193 observed, 1,141 expected) and an excess - close to statistical significance - from all tumours only among females (297 observed; 272 expected) were observed. Furthermore, statistically significant excesses of hospital admissions from digestive system diseases in both genders (M: 392 observed, 350 expected; F: 300 observed, 268 expected), from dementias (16 observed, 8 expected) and from lympho hematopoietic cancers among females, particularly from lymphatic leukaemia (9 observed, 2 expected), were observed. In the SGA, statistically significant excesses of hospital admissions for stomach cancer (M: 32 observed, 21 expected, not significant after adjusting by DI; F: 29 observed, 18 expected), for respiratory diseases (M: 408 observed, 351 expected; F: 339 observed, 277 expected) and for renal failure (M: 61 observed, 41 expected; F: 52 observed, 34 expected) were observed in both genders. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

The limited scientific knowledge on relationship between exposure and health effects in relation to geothermal activity motivated an epidemiologic investigation in Tuscan geothermal area. The study aims to describe the health status of populations living in Tuscany municipalities where concessions for exploitation of geothermal resources were granted.This is an ecological study, so it is not useful to produce evidence to sustain a judgment on the cause-effect link. The major limits of this type of study are the use of the residence at municipal level as a proxy of exposure to both environmental and socioeconomic factors and the use of aggregated data of health outcomes that can lead to the well-known ecological fallacy.Sixteen municipalities were included in the study area: eight are part of the so-called "traditional" geothermal area, defined as Northern Geothermal Area (NGA) and eight located in the Amiata Mountain defined as Southern Geothermal Area (SGA). In 2000-2006, the average resident population in the overall area was approximately 43,000 inhabitants. Thirty-one geothermal power plants were active, with a production capacity of 811 MW, 5 of them with 88 MW located in the SGA. Statistical analyses on the entire geothermal area, NGA and SGA subareas, and the sixteen municipalities were performed.Mortality data were obtained from Tuscany Regional Mortality Registry for the 1971-2006 period, analysing 60 causes of death, of interest for population health status or consistent with "Project SENTIERI" criteria. Hospital discharge records of residents in Tuscany Region in 2004-2006, anywhere admitted to hospital, were analyzed considering only the main diagnosis, excluding repeated admissions for the same cause. The causes taken into account are the same analysed for mortality were considered. Age-standardized mortality rates (TSDM) and the temporal trends of TSDM for four periods (1971-1979, 1980-1989, 1990-1999, 2000-2006) were computed. Age-standardized mortality/hospitalization ratios (SMR/SHR), with and without adjustment for the deprivation index based on 2001 census data, were calculated: mortality in the years 2000-2006 and hospitalization in 2004-2006. The expected number of events were computed using rates of residents in neighbouring municipalities (municipalities included in 50 km radius circle centred on the study area). Bayesian estimates of mortality/hospitalization ratios (BMR/BHR) at municipal level only and relating maps of the Bayesian risk estimators were elaborated. Congenital malformations (MC) were analysed using data from Tuscan Registry of Birth Defect in 1992-2006 period, relative to outcomes of pregnancies in women resident in the municipalities of study area, wherever the birth or termination of pregnancy occurred. The ratio between observed and expected cases (O/A), with expected defined according to regional rate, were calculated and O/A Bayesian estimates (BMR) are showed only at municipal level. The low weight and the males/females ratio at birth were analysed using data from Tuscany Birth Certificates, covering period 2001-2007, excluding births occurred in facilities outside Tuscany Region. For Low birth weight ( 64 years). Among females resident in SGA a mortality excess from digestive system diseases was observed (72 observed, 55 expected). The hospitalization in the overall Geothermal Area did not show any excess for all causes and all tumours in both genders. Statistically significant excesses for hospital admission from stomach cancer among males (49 observed, 38 expected) and females (42 observed, 28 expected), and from lymphohematopoietic tumours among females, particularly from lymphatic leukaemia (15 observed, 5 expected), were observed. As mortality analysis highlighted, also hospital admissions by geothermal areas and gender showed a worst picture in SGA than in NGA. In the latter, a significant excess of hospital admissions from all causes among females (1,357 observed, 1,284 expected) but not among males (1,193 observed, 1,141 expected) and an excess - close to statistical significance - from all tumours only among females (297 observed; 272 expected) were observed. Furthermore, statistically significant excesses of hospital admissions from digestive system diseases in both genders (M: 392 observed, 350 expected; F: 300 observed, 268 expected), from dementias (16 observed, 8 expected) and from lympho hematopoietic cancers among females, particularly from lymphatic leukaemia (9 observed, 2 expected), were observed. In the SGA, statistically significant excesses of hospital admissions for stomach cancer (M: 32 observed, 21 expected, not significant after adjusting by DI; F: 29 observed, 18 expected), for respiratory diseases (M: 408 observed, 351 expected; F: 339 observed, 277 expected) and for renal failure (M: 61 observed, 41 expected; F: 52 observed, 34 expected) were observed in both genders. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Il macrosito “IT08 Laghi Sudalpini” comprende un gruppo di laghi localizzato al margine meridionale della catena alpina. Le tipologie lacustri sono rappresentate da laghi estesi e profondi (Orta, Garda, Maggiore, Como e Iseo) e da un lago di minori dimensioni e bassa profondità (Candia). Le tematiche comuni a tutti i siti di ricerca comprendono: composizione, struttura e dinamica delle comunità biologiche (plancton, necton e comunità litorali) e loro risposte all’eutrofizzazione e ai cambiamenti climatici; le reti trofiche; la paleolimnologia; l’ecotossicologia; la qualità ecologica; il telerilevamento. Le attività di ricerca sono supportate da una ricca disponibilità di laboratori localizzati nelle differenti sedi e da un’ampia dotazione di apparecchiature tecnologiche. Queste infrastrutture, finanziate nell’ambito dei singoli istituti coinvolti nella ricerca, hanno permesso non solo di mantenere, ma anche di aggiornare i classici approcci utilizzati nel monitoraggio scientifico, aprendo, nel contempo, nuovi indirizzi di ricerca: ne sono esempi gli sviluppi nel campo dell’ecologia molecolare e microbica, il profiling metabolomico, la ricerca di geni di resistenza agli antibiotici, la sperimentazione di sistemi di monitoraggio ad alta frequenza mediante l’utilizzo di sensori. Nel corso dell’ultimo decennio, la regolarità nelle attività di ricerca nei laghi di maggiori dimensioni è stata favorita dalla disponibilità di finanziamenti esterni (progetti competitivi o previsti nell’ambito di cooperazioni transfrontaliere) e ordinari (progetti definiti nei singoli istituti o attività istituzionali nel caso delle ARPA). La varietà delle attività di ricerca svolte nei laghi sudalpini è testimoniata dalla pubblicazione di numerosi articoli scientifici e divulgativi, dai contributi presentati in congressi nazionali e internazionali, dall’organizzazione di convegni, seminari e attività e di formazione e divulgazione, oltre che dalla presenza nei media giornalistici. La collaborazione tra i siti di ricerca appartenenti al macrosito Laghi Sudalpini vanta una lunga tradizione. Seppur regolate nell’ambito di progetti e accordi informali, numerose forme di collaborazione tra tutti gli attuali siti di ricerca erano infatti già attive ancor prima dell’istituzione della rete LTER-Italia. Nell’ambito di queste collaborazioni va inserito anche il Lago di Lugano che, pur non incluso nell’attuale network, rimane largamente coinvolto nelle attività di collaborazione scientifica con il supporto attivo della Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI, Canobbio). Le collaborazioni riguardano attività di supporto logistico reciproco (raccolta di campioni e analisi di laboratorio, intercalibrazioni), campagne di indagine focalizzate su argomenti specifici (tra cui ricerca di specie tossigeniche, zooplancton, reti trofiche, ecologia microbica, evoluzione a lungo termine dello stato trofico e dinamiche di mescolamento in relazione alle fluttuazioni climatiche, telerilevamento, microplastiche). I numerosi risultati ottenuti nell’ambito delle collaborazioni hanno permesso di produrre un elevato numero di articoli scientifici e contributi sinottici a livello congressuale e seminariale. In particolare, numerosi lavori di carattere sinottico sono stati recentemente pubblicati in un numero speciale della rivista Hydrobiologia dedicato ai grandi laghi perialpini (2018, volume 824, Issue 1). Riassumendo, l’elemento chiave delle ricerche LTER nei laghi a sud delle Alpi è il loro approccio a lungo termine, su scale temporali che vanno ben oltre la durata tipica dei progetti di ricerca. Il monitoraggio scientifico costituisce un elemento centrale delle ricerche LTER, comprendendo non solo la raccolta di dati (monitoraggio di base), ma anche la loro interpretazione, modellizzazione e manipolazione sperimentale, con particolare attenzione a gruppi chiave di variabili selezionate al fine di individuare gli stressori ambientali più significativi e il grado di cambiamento a livello di ecosistema, comunità, specie e popolazioni. Tale approccio richiede necessariamente di essere implementato in un contesto di ricerca scientifica in grado di mantenere un elevato livello di qualità sia nei dati raccolti sia nella loro elaborazione, interpretazione, diffusione e valorizzazione, non solo a livello di singolo lago o macrosito, ma anche in più ampi contesti nazionali ed internazionali. The Macrosite "IT08 Subalpine Lakes" includes a group of lakes located at the southern border of the Alps. The lake typologies are represented by large and deep lakes (Orta, Garda, Maggiore, Como and Iseo) and by a lake of smaller size and shallow depth (Candia). Topics common to all the research sites include the impact of eutrophication and climate change, the composition, structure and dynamics of biological communities (plankton, necton and littoral communities), trophic webs, paleolimnology, ecotoxicology, ecological status and remote sensing. Scientific investigations are supported by a wide availability of technological infrastructures and laboratories located in the reference institutions, and by a wide range of technological equipment for fieldwork. These facilities, funded within the individual institutes involved in the research, have allowed not only to maintain, but also to update the classical approaches used in scientific monitoring, while opening up new research fields (especially molecular ecology, microbial ecology, metabolomic profiling, antibiotic resistance genes, high frequency monitoring by sensor technology). Over the last decade, the continuity and regularity of investigations have been facilitated by the availability of both external and ordinary funds. The variety of research activities carried out on the IT08 macrosite is evidenced by the publication of numerous scientific papers, as well as contributions (oral or poster) presented at national and international conferences, and by the presence in the mass media. In this context, the scientific monitoring is a key element of LTER research, including not only data collection (basic monitoring), but also data interpretation, modeling, and experimental manipulation, with particular attention to key groups of selected variables in order to identify the most significant environmental stressors and the degree of change at the level of ecosystems, communities, species and populations.

Il macrosito “IT08 Laghi Sudalpini” comprende un gruppo di laghi localizzato al margine meridionale della catena alpina. Le tipologie lacustri sono rappresentate da laghi estesi e profondi (Orta, Garda, Maggiore, Como e Iseo) e da un lago di minori dimensioni e bassa profondità (Candia). Le tematiche comuni a tutti i siti di ricerca comprendono: composizione, struttura e dinamica delle comunità biologiche (plancton, necton e comunità litorali) e loro risposte all’eutrofizzazione e ai cambiamenti climatici; le reti trofiche; la paleolimnologia; l’ecotossicologia; la qualità ecologica; il telerilevamento. Le attività di ricerca sono supportate da una ricca disponibilità di laboratori localizzati nelle differenti sedi e da un’ampia dotazione di apparecchiature tecnologiche. Queste infrastrutture, finanziate nell’ambito dei singoli istituti coinvolti nella ricerca, hanno permesso non solo di mantenere, ma anche di aggiornare i classici approcci utilizzati nel monitoraggio scientifico, aprendo, nel contempo, nuovi indirizzi di ricerca: ne sono esempi gli sviluppi nel campo dell’ecologia molecolare e microbica, il profiling metabolomico, la ricerca di geni di resistenza agli antibiotici, la sperimentazione di sistemi di monitoraggio ad alta frequenza mediante l’utilizzo di sensori. Nel corso dell’ultimo decennio, la regolarità nelle attività di ricerca nei laghi di maggiori dimensioni è stata favorita dalla disponibilità di finanziamenti esterni (progetti competitivi o previsti nell’ambito di cooperazioni transfrontaliere) e ordinari (progetti definiti nei singoli istituti o attività istituzionali nel caso delle ARPA). La varietà delle attività di ricerca svolte nei laghi sudalpini è testimoniata dalla pubblicazione di numerosi articoli scientifici e divulgativi, dai contributi presentati in congressi nazionali e internazionali, dall’organizzazione di convegni, seminari e attività e di formazione e divulgazione, oltre che dalla presenza nei media giornalistici. La collaborazione tra i siti di ricerca appartenenti al macrosito Laghi Sudalpini vanta una lunga tradizione. Seppur regolate nell’ambito di progetti e accordi informali, numerose forme di collaborazione tra tutti gli attuali siti di ricerca erano infatti già attive ancor prima dell’istituzione della rete LTER-Italia. Nell’ambito di queste collaborazioni va inserito anche il Lago di Lugano che, pur non incluso nell’attuale network, rimane largamente coinvolto nelle attività di collaborazione scientifica con il supporto attivo della Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI, Canobbio). Le collaborazioni riguardano attività di supporto logistico reciproco (raccolta di campioni e analisi di laboratorio, intercalibrazioni), campagne di indagine focalizzate su argomenti specifici (tra cui ricerca di specie tossigeniche, zooplancton, reti trofiche, ecologia microbica, evoluzione a lungo termine dello stato trofico e dinamiche di mescolamento in relazione alle fluttuazioni climatiche, telerilevamento, microplastiche). I numerosi risultati ottenuti nell’ambito delle collaborazioni hanno permesso di produrre un elevato numero di articoli scientifici e contributi sinottici a livello congressuale e seminariale. In particolare, numerosi lavori di carattere sinottico sono stati recentemente pubblicati in un numero speciale della rivista Hydrobiologia dedicato ai grandi laghi perialpini (2018, volume 824, Issue 1). Riassumendo, l’elemento chiave delle ricerche LTER nei laghi a sud delle Alpi è il loro approccio a lungo termine, su scale temporali che vanno ben oltre la durata tipica dei progetti di ricerca. Il monitoraggio scientifico costituisce un elemento centrale delle ricerche LTER, comprendendo non solo la raccolta di dati (monitoraggio di base), ma anche la loro interpretazione, modellizzazione e manipolazione sperimentale, con particolare attenzione a gruppi chiave di variabili selezionate al fine di individuare gli stressori ambientali più significativi e il grado di cambiamento a livello di ecosistema, comunità, specie e popolazioni. Tale approccio richiede necessariamente di essere implementato in un contesto di ricerca scientifica in grado di mantenere un elevato livello di qualità sia nei dati raccolti sia nella loro elaborazione, interpretazione, diffusione e valorizzazione, non solo a livello di singolo lago o macrosito, ma anche in più ampi contesti nazionali ed internazionali. The Macrosite "IT08 Subalpine Lakes" includes a group of lakes located at the southern border of the Alps. The lake typologies are represented by large and deep lakes (Orta, Garda, Maggiore, Como and Iseo) and by a lake of smaller size and shallow depth (Candia). Topics common to all the research sites include the impact of eutrophication and climate change, the composition, structure and dynamics of biological communities (plankton, necton and littoral communities), trophic webs, paleolimnology, ecotoxicology, ecological status and remote sensing. Scientific investigations are supported by a wide availability of technological infrastructures and laboratories located in the reference institutions, and by a wide range of technological equipment for fieldwork. These facilities, funded within the individual institutes involved in the research, have allowed not only to maintain, but also to update the classical approaches used in scientific monitoring, while opening up new research fields (especially molecular ecology, microbial ecology, metabolomic profiling, antibiotic resistance genes, high frequency monitoring by sensor technology). Over the last decade, the continuity and regularity of investigations have been facilitated by the availability of both external and ordinary funds. The variety of research activities carried out on the IT08 macrosite is evidenced by the publication of numerous scientific papers, as well as contributions (oral or poster) presented at national and international conferences, and by the presence in the mass media. In this context, the scientific monitoring is a key element of LTER research, including not only data collection (basic monitoring), but also data interpretation, modeling, and experimental manipulation, with particular attention to key groups of selected variables in order to identify the most significant environmental stressors and the degree of change at the level of ecosystems, communities, species and populations.

This work was carried out by a consortium of agencies and research institutes, in order to obtain indications on water demand and adaptation of irrigation management of important Italian crops in the coming decades, in the light of climatic scenarios provided by the Agroscenari project. The main results obtained regard integration and improvement of the Criteria crop water balance model and its use to evaluate future irrigation needs of crops like permanent meadows, maize, wheat, tomato, kiwifruit and citrus crops in diverse northern and southern Italy environments. We also developed and implemented an example of "climate service" for early crop classification and seasonal summer irrigation need forecasting in Emilia-Romagna.

This work was carried out by a consortium of agencies and research institutes, in order to obtain indications on water demand and adaptation of irrigation management of important Italian crops in the coming decades, in the light of climatic scenarios provided by the Agroscenari project. The main results obtained regard integration and improvement of the Criteria crop water balance model and its use to evaluate future irrigation needs of crops like permanent meadows, maize, wheat, tomato, kiwifruit and citrus crops in diverse northern and southern Italy environments. We also developed and implemented an example of "climate service" for early crop classification and seasonal summer irrigation need forecasting in Emilia-Romagna.