Soils and Soilscapes of the Upper Volturno Basin: a Detailed Survey Of

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Soils and Soilscapes of the Upper Volturno Basin: a Detailed Survey Of UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy van Otterloo, R.H.; Sevink, J. DOI 10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 Publication date 2021 Document Version Final published version Published in Journal of Maps License CC BY Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): van Otterloo, R. H., & Sevink, J. (2021). Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy. Journal of Maps, 17(2), 63-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (https://dare.uva.nl) Download date:25 Sep 2021 Journal of Maps ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tjom20 Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy R. H. van Otterloo & J. Sevink To cite this article: R. H. van Otterloo & J. Sevink (2021) Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy, Journal of Maps, 17:2, 63-72, DOI: 10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of Journal of Maps View supplementary material Published online: 11 Feb 2021. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 312 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tjom20 JOURNAL OF MAPS 2021, VOL. 17, NO. 2, 63–72 https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 SCIENCE Soils and soilscapes of the Upper Volturno basin: a detailed survey of a large intermontane basin in the Central-Southern Apennines, Italy R. H. van Otterloo and J. Sevink Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY Soils of the Upper Volturno basin in the Central-Southern Apennines (Molise, Italy) were Received 14 August 2020 surveyed in detail. Trends in development are described with focus on the contrast between Revised 8 January 2021 the mountain soils and the soils of the basin. Mountain soils are shallow and poorly Accepted 8 January 2021 developed. Topsoils in the central and eastern areas and on N-facing slopes have a large KEYWORDS Late Pleistocene tephra component (Campi Flegrei) and are Andic. Basin soils from a distinct Soil survey; soil chronosequence: early Mid-Pleistocene deep highly weathered Chromic Luvisols/Nitosols in chronosequence; tephra; old surfaces of the fluvio-lacustrine fill, less developed soils in Late Pleistocene terraces and intermontane basin; Italy fans, and recent Fluvisols in the Holocene sediments of the Volturno River and tributaries. In the basin, Mid-Pleistocene Roccamonfina tephra play an important role. In the SW, it occurs as thick layers, blanketing the fluvio-lacustrine/fan deposits. The soil pattern clearly reflects the complex geological history of the basin, with prominent subsidence in the SW. Introduction and landscape in the area concerned, with emphasis In the 1970s, physical geographers from the University on the important role played by the Campanian of Amsterdam (the Netherlands) executed a large volcanism. A full set of basic background data and series of soil surveys in Central Italy. For the Upper extensive reviews of the current state of knowledge Volturno basin several soil maps were produced (see in relevant topics is available as a set of 9 appendices Figure 1). Some results were published in connection Supplementary Material. The topics include the with the discovery by the Dutch team of the famous geology, the history of the Campanian volcanoes Isernia La Pineta site, described in Coltorti (1983). and their tephrochronology, and soil formation These include the first K-Ar datings for its tephra and weathering in the Central Mediterranean. It (Sevink et al., 1981) and a concise description of the also contains a full set of all references cited.1 Quaternary evolution of the Upper Volturno basin, This study is one of a small number of detailed with soil data and a generalized soil map (Van Otter- studies of soils and soilscapes in the Apennine range loo & Sevink, 1983). and its intermontane basins in Central/Southern A recent impulse for integration of the several Italy. It illustrates the complex soil patterns that are unpublished soil maps into a single map and expla- encountered in Mediterranean mountain ranges natory report was generated by the archaeological where the basins were beyond the reach of periglacial studies executed in the Molise region by the Leiden denudation and mass wasting during the colder phases University (The Netherlands). This is exemplified by of the Quaternary. They hold soil chronosequences recent papers in which soil maps of the Isernia area that reach far back into that period and reflect the play an important role (Casarotto, 2018; Casarotto important role of parent material in the so-called et al., 2018; Stek et al., 2015). For these publications long cycles of soil development (Duchaufour, 2012). we reviewed the existing earlier maps and integrated Our study also contributes to knowledge of Quatern- the soil maps mentioned above into one single soil ary landscape genesis of the Upper Volturno Basin, map (at scale 1:25.000) that covers a major part of which holds major archaeological sites amongst the Upper Volturno basin (‘Main Map’). Addition- which the well-known and famous Lower Palaeolithic ally, we assembled the existing soil data and relevant Isernia La Pineta site (Coltorti, 1983), and the Lower/ literature and translated these into a concise descrip- Middle Palaeolithic key site at Guado San Nicola (Per- tion of the genesis and characteristics of the soils eira et al., 2016; Peretto et al., 2016). CONTACT J. Sevink [email protected] Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2021.1875064 This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of Journal of Maps This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrest- ricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 64 R. H. VAN OTTERLOO AND J. SEVINK Figure 1. Overview of the topography of the Upper Volturno basin, also showing the delineation of the area surveyed and of the individual earlier soil maps. A = R. van Otterloo; B = T. Koopmans; C = J. Tak. Materials Figure 2 provides a general picture of the geological The Upper Volturno basin is mountainous and structure of the area, which forms part of the Apen- includes major peaks and ranges reaching to between nines. Meso–Cenozoic carbonate platform and 1800 and 2000m asl. In addition to a large central slope-basin units, which include the Matese and Mon- basin, which is drained by the Volturno river and its tagnola di Frosolone units, dominate the SW sector of tributaries and runs from Isernia in the NE to Venafro the Molise region. Less common are upper Miocene in the SW. There are several smaller intermontane siliciclastic foredeep deposits (Molise Flysch; e.g. Sper- basins between 300 and 700 m asl (see Figure 1). anza et al., 1998) overlying the older carbonate units. Within this area, because of its strong relief, tempera- In Figure 2, Plio-Quaternary deposits are indicated ture and precipitation vary considerably. The basins as a single unit, composed of continental, marine and adjacent lower terrains have a distinctly Mediter- and volcanic deposits and dated as Middle Pleistocene ranean Cfa climate (Köppen, 1936) with a mean pp – Holocene. In the area concerned (Isernia pro- annual temperature between 16°C and 14°C and a vince) these are predominantly continental deposits. mean annual precipitation between 800 and 900 The earliest Pleistocene deposits and associated land mm, whereas higher parts have a Cfb climate, with surfaces date back to the early Middle Pleistocene, mean annual temperatures of 12°C and lower, and while the youngest are of Holocene age. A series of mean annual precipitation increases to over 1000 intermediate phases can be distinguished, resulting mm (Aucelli et al., 2007). in a complex soil pattern and gradational history. JOURNAL OF MAPS 65 Figure 2. Geological sketch map showing the distribution of the main tectonic units and Pliocene – Quaternary deposits in the Campania–Molise portion of the central-southern Apennines (Source: Amato et al., 2017).
Recommended publications
  • The Unification of Italy
    New Dorp High School Social Studies Department AP Global Mr. Hubbs & Mrs. Zoleo The Unification of Italy While nationalism destroyed empires, it also built nations. Italy was one of the countries to form from the territories of the crumbling empires. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Austria ruled the Italian provinces of Venetia and Lombardy in the north, and several small states. In the south, the Spanish Bourbon family ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Nevertheless, between 1815 and 1848, increasing numbers of Italians were no longer content to live under foreign rulers. Amid growing discontent, two leaders appeared—one was idealistic, the other practical. They had different personalities and pursued different goals. But each contributed to the Unification of Italy. The Movement for Unity Begins In 1832, an idealistic 26-year-old Italian named Guiseppe Mazzini organized a nationalist group called, Young Italy. Similarly, youth were the leaders and custodians of the nineteenth century nationalist movements. The Napoleonic Wars were lead principally by younger men. Napoleon was 35 years of age when crowned Emperor. As nationalism spread across Europe the pattern continued. People over 40 were excluded from Mazzini's organization. During the violent year of 1848, revolts broke out in eight states on the Italian Peninsula. Mazzini briefly headed a republican government in Rome. He believed that nation-states were the best hope for social justice, democracy, and peace in Europe. However, the 1848 rebellions failed in Italy as they did elsewhere in Europe. The foreign rulers of the Italian states drove Mazzini and other nationalist leaders into exile.
    [Show full text]
  • Unification of Italy 1792 to 1925 French Revolutionary Wars to Mussolini
    UNIFICATION OF ITALY 1792 TO 1925 FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY WARS TO MUSSOLINI ERA SUMMARY – UNIFICATION OF ITALY Divided Italy—From the Age of Charlemagne to the 19th century, Italy was divided into northern, central and, southern kingdoms. Northern Italy was composed of independent duchies and city-states that were part of the Holy Roman Empire; the Papal States of central Italy were ruled by the Pope; and southern Italy had been ruled as an independent Kingdom since the Norman conquest of 1059. The language, culture, and government of each region developed independently so the idea of a united Italy did not gain popularity until the 19th century, after the Napoleonic Wars wreaked havoc on the traditional order. Italian Unification, also known as "Risorgimento", refers to the period between 1848 and 1870 during which all the kingdoms on the Italian Peninsula were united under a single ruler. The most well-known character associated with the unification of Italy is Garibaldi, an Italian hero who fought dozens of battles for Italy and overthrew the kingdom of Sicily with a small band of patriots, but this romantic story obscures a much more complicated history. The real masterminds of Italian unity were not revolutionaries, but a group of ministers from the kingdom of Sardinia who managed to bring about an Italian political union governed by ITALY BEFORE UNIFICATION, 1792 B.C. themselves. Military expeditions played an important role in the creation of a United Italy, but so did secret societies, bribery, back-room agreements, foreign alliances, and financial opportunism. Italy and the French Revolution—The real story of the Unification of Italy began with the French conquest of Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars.
    [Show full text]
  • Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) – 2006 Version
    Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) – 2006 version Available for download from http://www.ramsar.org/ris/key_ris_index.htm. Categories approved by Recommendation 4.7 (1990), as amended by Resolution VIII.13 of the 8 th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2002) and Resolutions IX.1 Annex B, IX.6, IX.21 and IX. 22 of the 9 th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2005). Notes for compilers: 1. The RIS should be completed in accordance with the attached Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for completing the Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands . Compilers are strongly advised to read this guidance before filling in the RIS. 2. Further information and guidance in support of Ramsar site designations are provided in the Strategic Framework for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Wise Use Handbook 7, 2 nd edition, as amended by COP9 Resolution IX.1 Annex B). A 3 rd edition of the Handbook, incorporating these amendments, is in preparation and will be available in 2006. 3. Once completed, the RIS (and accompanying map(s)) should be submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat. Compilers should provide an electronic (MS Word) copy of the RIS and, where possible, digital copies of all maps. 1. Name and address of the compiler of this form: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY . Directorate General for Nature Protection - Ministry o DD MM YY Environment and Nature Protection – Via Capitan Bavastro 174 – I-00100 ROMA [email protected] Designation date Site Reference Number 2. Date this sheet was completed/updated: 12 June 2006 3. Country: Italy 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Integrazione Dati
    Area delle MAINARDE Verso una strategia nazionale per le aree interne – Regione Molise AREA DELLE MAINARDE 1M. Trend della popolazione 1991-2011 (Area delle Mainarde, 13 comuni) ............................................................................................................................................. 2 2M. Indici demografici: indice di vecchiaia, di dipendenza dei giovani e degli anziani per l’area delle Mainarde .................................................................................... 3 3M. Analisi della struttura demografica Area delle Mainarde ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 4M. Comuni delle province di Campobasso ed Isernia rientranti nel Patto Trigno Sinello. ....................................................................................................................... 6 5M. Sovrapposizione Area delle Mainarde con macro aree PSR 2007-13, Unione dei comini del Molise ed ATS .................................................................................... 7 6M. Servizi Scolastici Area delle Mainarde .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 7M. Servizi per Anziani Area delle Mainarde ...........................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • MOLISE Shorter Travelling Time to Rome the New Railway Lines
    MOLISE Shorter travelling time to Rome The new railway lines passing through the Molise region will be faster and, above all, safer. The new line, 49 km long, currently under construction between the stations of Rocca d’Evandro and Vairano, could reduce travelling time between Rome and Campobasso by about 20 minutes. Passengers arriving from Termoli on the Adriatic line could go through Venafro to reach the high-speed Rome-Naples line, which is also under construction, more quickly. The Venafro-Vairano stretch, on the other hand, is in need of technological upgrading. Centralised traffic control (CTC) is being installed on the Molise part of the Adriatic line. This is indispensable for railway safety given that double tracking on parts of the line will increase train speeds. Cleaner water A number of schemes have been promoted in an effort to improve water and sewage networks and upgrade the water purification system. As regards water networks, new equipment has been installed and some existing plant improved. This involved 109 projects spread over 136 municipalities in the region. In addition, 108 km of sewer trunk lines and collectors were laid and 74 new sewage plants put into operation, serving a population of 250,000 out of a total of about 330,000. The Pompei of the Dark Ages In the province of Isernia, major rehabilitation has been carried out in the San Vincenzo al Volturno area, an abbatial settlement founded in the Dark Ages and one of the most important monastic institutions of the Carolingian period, described by some as the Pompei of the Dark Ages.
    [Show full text]
  • The Case Study of San Vincenzo Al Volturno (Molise, Italy)
    remote sensing Article Multitemporal–Multispectral UAS Surveys for Archaeological Research: The Case Study of San Vincenzo Al Volturno (Molise, Italy) Nicodemo Abate 1,* , Alessia Frisetti 2, Federico Marazzi 2, Nicola Masini 3 and Rosa Lasaponara 1 1 Istituto di Metodologie per l’Analisi Ambientale (IMAA), National Research Council (CNR), C.da Santa Loja, 85050 Tito Scalo, Italy; [email protected] 2 Department of Humanities, Univerity of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 292, 80132 Napoli, Italy; [email protected] (A.F.); [email protected] (F.M.) 3 Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC), National Research Council (CNR), C.da Santa Loja, 85050 Tito Scalo, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +39-33-3336-6056 Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles are currently the most used solution for cultural heritage in the field of close range and low altitude acquisitions. This work shows data acquired by multitemporal and multispectral aerial surveys in the archaeological site of San Vincenzo al Volturno (Molise, Italy). The site is one of the most important medieval archaeological sites in the world. It is a monastic settlement that was particularly rich during the early Middle Ages, and is famous for its two full- frescoed crypts which represent a milestone in the history of medieval art. Thanks to the use of multispectral aerial photography at different times of the year, an area not accessible to archaeological Citation: Abate, N.; Frisetti, A.; excavation has been investigated. To avoid redundancy of information and reduce the number of Marazzi, F.; Masini, N.; Lasaponara, data to be analysed, a method based on spectral and radiometric enhancement techniques combined R.
    [Show full text]
  • The Walled Town of Alife and the Solstices Amelia Carolina Sparavigna
    The Walled Town of Alife and the Solstices Amelia Carolina Sparavigna To cite this version: Amelia Carolina Sparavigna. The Walled Town of Alife and the Solstices. Philica, Philica, 2017. hal-01464777 HAL Id: hal-01464777 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01464777 Submitted on 10 Feb 2017 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. PHILICA, Article number 962, 10 February 2017. The Walled Town of Alife and the Solstices Amelia Carolina Sparavigna Politecnico di Torino, Italy Abstract: Here we consider an astronomical orientation of the walled town of Alife, in Campania. This town has maintained its Roman original layout and the walls of that period. We will show, by means of SunCalc software, that the main street of Alife, its Decumanus, is aligned along the sunrise/sunset on solstices. Keywords: Italic Towns, Archaeology, Solstices, Saturnalia, Archaeoastronomy, SunCalc. Introduction Alife is a town in the province of Caserta, Campania, located in the Volturno valley. The settlement had a Samnite origin. The Romans rebuilt it as an oppidum, Allifae, with the typical layout based on two mains roads at right angles, that divided it in four parts [1].
    [Show full text]
  • US Fifth Army History
    FIFTH ARMY HISTORY 7 OCTOBER - 15 NOVEMBER 1943 Classification changed to hf autfaqwiy of AC of S, G-2, by --JtA»MJU-liS fcAY MSTROUPE 1st Lt Inf Ass't Custodian FTH ARMY STORY * * * " • * * * * PAfvrn Across theUolturno to thfWinter^ine ************ IAL ************* Registered Copy No. O»>O Lieutenant General MARK W. CLARK * , * commanding CONTENTS page CHAPTER I. APPROACH TO THE VOLTURNO i A. Terrain Before Fifth Army 2 B. Bnemy Use of Terrain 4 CHAPTER II. PLANS FOR THE CAMPAIGN 7 A. Enemy Forces and Their Positions 7 B. Allied Forces and. their Positions 10 1. British Forces 10 2. American Forces 10 C. Plans for Continuing the Campaign 10 1. 15th Army Group Strategy 10 2. Fifth Army Operations Instruction No. 5, 2 October .. 11 3. Fifth Army Operations Instruction No. 6, 7 October ... 12 4. Fifth Army Operations Instruction No. 7, 14 October ... 13 5. Fifth Army Operations Instruction No. 8, 20 October .. 14 CHAPTER III. THE FIRST VOLTURNO CROSSING 15 A. Plans for the Crossing 15 B. The Crossing of VI Corps, 13-14 October 16 1. Plans and Terrain 16 2. The Crossing of the 3d Division 17­ 3. The Crossing of the 34th Division 19 4. The Advance of the 45th Division 21 C. The Crossing of 10 Corps, 12-14 October 21 1. Plans and Terrain 21 2. The Assault of the 56 Division 23 3. The Crossing of the 7 Armoured Division 24 4. The Crossing of the 46 Division 24 D. Summary of the First Volturno Crossing 26 VII CHAPTER IV. CONSOLIDATING THE BRIDGEHEAD ....
    [Show full text]
  • Glass Making in the Greco-Roman World Studies in Archaeological Sciences 4
    Glass Making in the Greco-Roman World Studies in Archaeological Sciences 4 The series Studies in Archaeological Sciences presents state-of-the-art methodological, technical or material science contributions to Archaeological Sciences. The series aims to reconstruct the integrated story of human and material culture through time and testifies to the necessity of inter- and multidisciplinary research in cultural heritage studies. Editor-in-Chief Prof. Patrick Degryse, Centre for Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium Editorial Board Prof. Ian Freestone, Cardiff Department of Archaeology, Cardiff University, United Kingdom Prof. Carl Knappett, Department of Art, University of Toronto, Canada Prof. Andrew Shortland, Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis, Cranfield University, United Kingdom Prof. Manuel Sintubin, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium Prof. Marc Waelkens, Centre for Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium Glass Making in the Greco-Roman World Results of the ARCHGLASS Project Edited by Patrick Degryse Leuven University Press Published with support of © 2014 by Leuven University Press / Presses Universitaires de Louvain / Universitaire Pers Leuven. Minderbroedersstraat 4, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium). All rights reserved. Except in those cases expressly determined by law, no part of this publication may be multiplied, saved in an automated datafile or made public in any way whatsoever without the express prior written consent of the publishers. ISBN 978 94 6270 007 9 D / 2014 / 1869 / 86 NUR: 682/933 Lay-out: Friedemann Vervoort Cover: Jurgen Leemans 5 Preface The ARCHGLASS “Archaeometry and Archaeology of Ancient Glass Production as a Source for Ancient Technology and Trade of Raw Materials” project, is a Seventh Framework Programme “Ideas” project funded under the European Research Council Starting Grant scheme.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide-The-Monumental-Complex-Of-San-Vincenzo-Al-Volturno-.Pdf
    © Regional Secretariat of Molise 2019 Regional Secretary: Prof. Leandro Ventura http://www.molise.beniculturali.it "Perspectives - The cultural heritage of Molise" comprises a series of booklets to support tourists during their visit to the cultural places of Molise. THE MONUMENTAL COMPLEX OF SAN VINCENZO AL VOLTURNO It is not the first time that the Polo Museale del Molise, under Photos and graphics the Italian Ministry of Culture, has published material about © Soprintendenza per l’archeologia, le belle arti e il paesaggio del Molise its museums, but this time, it was decided to publish individual volumes, each dedicated to specific cultural Texts edited by the University of Suor Orsola Benincasa - Laboratorio di Archeologia realities. Tardoantica e Medievale (L.a.T.e.m.), directed by prof. Federico Marazzi Another pioneering aspect of this initiative is that there will Editorial Supervision: Susanne Meurer be volumes dedicated to some local museums (non-state museums) and to some old traditions such as the procession of the so-called Mysteries of Campobasso during the Corpus Christi celebrations. The series of booklets, which is expected to be progressively expanded, intends to start a reflection on the integrated regional museum system in which the State museums will collaborate with non-state museums, in the attempt to define common cultural tours and give a support to the local communities. It is therefore a publishing series that will facilitate the collaboration among local institutions, almost a sort of pilot project which will allow Molise to be presented to its visitors in its most significant cultural aspects. Printed: Poligrafica Terenzi snc Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Survey of an Isolated Population of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra Lutra)
    IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 21A 2004 SURVEY AND HABITAT EVALUATION FOR A PERIPHERAL POPULATION OF THE EURASIAN OTTER IN ITALY ANNA LOY, Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone–86090, Pesche (IS), Italy LUCIANO BUCCI, Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone–86090, Pesche (IS), Italy MARIA LAURA CARRANZA, Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone–86090, Pesche (IS), Italy GIUSEPPINA DE CASTRO, Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone–86090, Pesche (IS), Italy PIERA DI MARZIO, Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone–86090, Pesche (IS), Italy GABRIELLA REGGIANI, Via Archimede 141/A–00197, Roma, Italy ABSTRACT: The Eurasian otter has declined sharply in Italy in recent decades, now surviving only in the southern regions. Knowledge of the species’ range and environmental factors affecting its distribution is limited. From 2000 to 2002, we conducted a field survey in the Molise region of Italy, an area of formerly known to be occupied by the Eurasian otter. The survey followed the “standard method” for monitoring otter presence used in other European countries. The area was searched for sign of otter, with 6 habitat structure parameters recorded at the 191 sites. Multivariate ordination and hierarchic classification were used to find environmental similarities between sites where otters were present or absent.
    [Show full text]
  • The Complex and Multidimensional Representation of the Landscape on the Volturno River Between Capua and Castel Volturno
    The complex and multidimensional representation of the landscape on the Volturno River between Capua and Castel Volturno Alessandro CIAMBRONE1 (1) Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, Second University of Naples, Aversa (CE); Italy E-mail [email protected] Abstract The Volturno River – one of the main waterways of Southern Italy due to both its length and water flow – was the forced crossroad to many who, coming from the sea, wanted to reach the Port of Casilinum (today known as Capua). The reference territory for the analysis concerns the fluvial axis between Capua and Castel Volturno, which also includes the towns of Santa Maria La Fossa, Grazzanise and Cancello Arnone. The multi-disciplinary investigation, and the photographic report, focus on a landscape analysis related to the history, traditions, agricultural production as well as archaeological, natural, and cultural assets of the area. Furthermore, elements of degradation were considered, such as landfills and illegal constructions that have contributed, over the years, to undermining this part of the Ager Campanus defined the “Garden of Europe” by 18th century travellers. Nevertheless, the landscapes of the Volturno remain beautiful and can become a resource, not only aesthetic, but also for the area’s economic development, for example, through the creation of cultural and tourist routes. Thematic maps were developed by analyzing the historic, rural, flooded, urban and contemporary landscapes. From the analysis comes out the project for the establishment of a network between the fluvial axis and the cultural and landscape heritage of Campania, including the six World Heritage properties of the region [Caserta, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi, Cilento, and Benevento (Italy Langobardorum)] as well as the emblematic places of the region: Mt.
    [Show full text]