scholarly journals Cyperus-dominated vegetation in the eastern Po river

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Mauro Pellizzari
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Po River ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
New Association ◽  
Amaranthus Tuberculatus ◽  
Ephemeral Vegetation ◽  
River Po

The ephemeral vegetation dominated by Cyperus sp. pl. was surveyed and analyzed along the eastern trait of the Po River (Po Plain, Italy). Two formerly described communities were recognized: Cyperetum esculenti and Amaranthus tuberculatus-phytocoenon. A third greater cluster is assigned to a new association: Cyperetum micheliano-glomerati. It is characterized by Cyperus glomeratus, C. michelianus, C. odoratus and C. squarrosus, that have been detected on over 75 % of the relevés. The main floristic and ecological traits of these detected vegetation types are discussed.

scholarly journals Late Glacial and Holocene buried black soils in Emilia (northern Italy): genetic and paleoenvironmental insights

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Bianchini ◽  
C. A. Accorsi ◽  
S. Cremonini ◽  
M. De Feudis ◽  
L. Forlani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Po River ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
Mineralization Processes ◽  
Late Glacial And Holocene ◽  
River Plain ◽  
The Last Glacial

Abstract Purpose The existence of black horizons (BHs) is often highlighted in European soils, and in the Po River plain of northern Italy. Nevertheless, BH chronological frameworks and genetic models are still debated. The present study investigated the genesis of BHs in the eastern Po Plain where they are buried at various depths. Materials and methods Soil sequences were investigated with a multidisciplinary approach integrating geomorphologic, stratigraphic, pedologic, geochemical, isotopic, palynological, and radiometric analyses. Results and discussion The formation of the studied BHs was scattered over time from the Last Glacial Maximum to at least the middle Holocene. The new data indicate that BHs developed when the landscape was dominated by coniferous forest during conditions that were totally different from the current pedoclimatic setting. The recurrent presence of black particles indicates that this vegetation cover was systematically affected by fire episodes that induced soil degradation and mineralization processes of the original organic compounds, thus contributing to darkening of the upper soil horizons. Conclusions BH formation clearly coincided with cold time lapses. Evidence for repeated fire events (natural or human-induced?) provides insights for the controversial debate on early anthropogenic impacts on the environment.

scholarly journals Waterborne GPR survey for estimating bottom-sediment variability: A survey on the Po River, Turin, Italy

Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. B95-B102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Sambuelli ◽  
Corrado Calzoni ◽  
Manuele Pesenti
Keyword(s):  
Geophysical Survey ◽  
Amplitude Ratios ◽  
Water Conductivity ◽  
Po River ◽  
Sampling Campaign ◽  
Riverbed Sediments ◽  
Direct Sampling ◽  
Integrated Geophysical Survey ◽  
River Po ◽  
Sediment Variability

We conducted an integrated geophysical survey on a stretch of the river Po in order to check the GPR ability to discriminate the variability of riverbed sediments through an analysis of the bottom reflection amplitudes. We conducted continuous profiles with a [Formula: see text] GPR system and a handheld broadband EM sensor. A conductivity meter and a TDR provided punctual measurements of water conductivity, permittivity, and temperature. The processing and interpretation of the GEM-2 and GPR data were enhanced by reciprocal results and by integration with the punctual measurements of the EM properties of the water. We used a processing flow that improved the radargram images and preserved the amplitude ratios among the different profiles and the frequency content at the bottom reflection signal. We derived the water attenuation coefficient both from the punctual measurements using the Maxwell formulas and from the interpretation of the GPR data, finding an optimal matching between the two values. The GPR measurements provided maps of the bathymetry and of the bottom reflection amplitude. The high reflectivity of the riverbed, derived from the GPR interpretation, agreed with the results of the direct sampling campaign that followed the geophysical survey. The variability of the bottom-reflection-amplitudes map, which was not confirmed by the direct sampling, could also have been caused by scattering phenomena due to the riverbed clasts which are dimensionally comparable to the wavelength of the radar pulse.

scholarly journals A novel insight into the remnants of hygrophilous forests and scrubs of the Po Plain biogeographical transition area (Northern Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-69
Author(s):  
Livio Poldini ◽  
Marisa Vidali ◽  
Miris Castello ◽  
Giovanni Sburlino
Keyword(s):  
Salix Alba ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
New Associations ◽  
High Plain ◽  
New Association ◽  
Threatened Habitats ◽  
First Time ◽  
Detailed Picture ◽  
Insight Into

Hygrophilous forests and scrubs are ecotonal habitats providing essential ecosystem services, especially in human-modified landscapes; nevertheless, they are among the most threatened habitats worldwide. A sound knowledge of waterside woody vegetation provides a valuable basis for interventions of renaturation of waterbodies. This paper focuses on peculiar communities that occur in riparian and swamp areas of the Po Plain, a broad ecotonal area between the Mediterranean and Temperate regions. The study allowed the description of six new associations. Moreover, it provides a detailed picture of Dioscoreo communis-Populetum nigrae (Populetalia albae) and Amorpho fruticosae-Salicetum albae (Salicetalia purpureae), an overview of Salicetum triandrae (Salicetalia purpureae) at the national and European level, and an update of the alliance Dioscoreo-Ulmion minoris, which is better characterized, classified in Populetalia albae and enlarged to include five associations of elm-oak-rich forests of the Po Plain lowlands and the Karst. Dioscoreo-Ulmion includes, besides Lamio orvalae-Ulmetum minoris, also Polygonato-Quercetum roboris and three new associations: Vinco minoris-Ulmetum minoris and Salvio glutinosae-Quercetum roboris from Po Plain rivers and the karstic lakeshore Rhamno catharticae-Ulmetum minoris. The new arrangement of Dioscoreo-Ulmion results from an analysis of Po Plain elm-rich forests including stands so far attributed to the critical alliance Alnion incanae; the presence of Querco-Ulmetum minoris in Italy is discussed. Two new associations are attributed to Prunetalia spinosae: Salici eleagni-Juniperetum communis and Ulmo minoris-Paliuretum spinae-christi. Stands from the Rivers Isonzo and Tagliamento referred to Veratro nigri-Fraxinetum excelsioris and to the new association Carici albae-Fraxinetum excelsioris represent the outermost expressions of the Ostryo-Tilion ravine forests extending towards the High Plain. A Salix alba swamp forest, Galio palustris-Salicetum albae, is reported for the first time in Italy and attributed to Alnetea glutinosae.

scholarly journals Features of Roman plaster aggregates in Lombardy, Italy

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Roberto Bugini ◽  
Luisa Folli
Keyword(s):  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
River Sand ◽  
Quartz Crystals ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
Lake Garda ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Petrographic Analyses ◽  
Crushed Brick ◽  
Size And Morphology ◽  
River Po

Plaster making was reported in the seventh book of Vitruvius’ On Architecture describing two mortar coats: harenatum with sand for the bottom (render coat) and marmoratum with crushed marble for the top (finish coat). Petrographic analyses, with optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction, were made on plasters (2nd century BC - 4th century AD) coming from different roman sites of Lombardy: Milan, Brescia, Camonica valley, lake Garda, river Po plain. The analyses identified the plaster aggregates on the basis of composition, grain size and morphology. The render coats generally show river sand and/or crushed brick with some mineralogical differences due to the different supply areas. The finish coats show different types of aggregate: i) carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite); ii) quartz crystals; iii) calcite crystals; iv) sand (quartz and silicates crystals and/or limestone clasts); v) sand and crushed brick. These differences can be useful to discriminate the changes among the time periods and among the sites.

scholarly journals Environmental conditions of alpine springs of the upper Po River (NW Italy) on the basis of their epilithic diatom communities

2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Maurizio Battegazzore
Keyword(s):  
Dissolved Oxygen ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Diatom Species ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Po River ◽  
Arctic Regions ◽  
Nw Italy ◽  
First Time ◽  
River Po ◽  
Epilithic Diatom

Diatom (Bacillariophyceae) assemblages were sampled in 7 springs in the upper part of the River Po basin in the summer of 2010. Four springs are situated in the mountainous part of the study area while three are in the lowland plain. Chemical-physical variables were measured and analyzed in water samples of 6 springs. 101 diatom species were identified in the surveyed springs, with species richness ranging from 12 to 52. <em>Gomphonema nathorstii</em>, described for arctic regions, was found in Italy for the first time. Multivariate statistical analysis was undertaken to link taxonomical and environmental data, and indicated the existence of three distinct environmental features, each one characterized by prevalent diatom species: 1) low pH and high dissolved oxygen, 2) both high pH and dissolved oxygen and 3) high levels of silica and conductivity.

Magnetostratigraphic dating of an intensification of glacial activity in the southern Italian Alps during Marine Isotope Stage 22

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Muttoni ◽  
Cesare Ravazzi ◽  
Marzia Breda ◽  
Roberta Pini ◽  
Carlo Laj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Southern Alps ◽  
Marine Isotope Stage ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Po River ◽  
Po Plain ◽  
Alpine Valley ◽  
Lithostratigraphic Units ◽  
Physical Erosion ◽  
Warm Temperate

AbstractWe applied magnetostratigraphy and mammal biostratigraphy to date climate-sensitive pollen cycles and lithostratigraphic units of the Pliocene–Pleistocene Leffe sedimentary succession from the Southern Alps, Italy. The Leffe section was correlated to additional sections (Casnigo, Fornaci di Ranica, and Pianengo) to construct a stratigraphic network along a common fluviatile system (the Serio River) sourced in the Southern Alps and flowing southward into the Po River Basin. We obtained a coherent scenario of climate variability for the last ∼ 2 Myr. At Leffe, lacustrine deposition commenced during the Olduvai Normal Subchron (1.94–1.78 Ma) and lasted up to a chronologic level compatible with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 22 (0.87 Ma). Pollen analysis revealed that climate varied cyclically from warm-temperate to cool during this time interval, but never as cold as during glacial intervals. At around MIS 22, climate cooled globally. Gravels, attributed to high-energy braided river systems fed locally by alluvial fans, prograded from the Serio River catchment area over the Leffe Basin and toward the Po Plain in response to a generalized event of vegetation withdrawal and enhanced physical erosion. At this time, Alpine valley glaciers reached their first maximum southward expansion with glacier fronts located at only ∼ 5 km upstream from Leffe.

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