Papers by Margherita Falcucci
Cardoon yields and quality under low input conditions (reduced nitrogen fertilization and rainfed... more Cardoon yields and quality under low input conditions (reduced nitrogen fertilization and rainfed conditions) in a marginal land of Central Italy are presented. During 2011-2013, two cultivated and two wild cardoons were compared for the lignocellulosic biomass production, grain yield, and their chemical composition. The results showed a 3-year average aboveground biomass and grain yield in the range 8-18 and 1.2-2.8 t ha-1 dry matter respectively, significantly higher in the cultivated genotypes. The grain lipid contents were not significantly different as average, but the wild genotype Tolfa achieved the highest content (20.3%) in the last year of research. Average oil yields were 0.45 and 0.23 t ha-1 in cultivated and wild genotypes respectively. ANOVA showed a general prevalent influence of the genotype factor (G) on crop yields, and grain lipid and protein contents; on the other hand, the nitrogen factor (N) never showed significant effects on the different parameters. The chemical composition of the lignocellulosic biomass showed slight differences among the genotypes, but not always significant. Cardoon cultivation improved soil fertility parameters, even if differences were not always statistically different. Considering the results, dedicated production chains could be implemented in many Italian Regions taking advantage also from the availability of wild cardoon genotypes. The production costs and revenues analysis of cardoon in comparison with other herbaceous annual crops, demonstrated the low cultivation costs per hectare, the higher total revenues deriving from the yield outcomes, and its suitability for the inclusion in arable cropping systems in marginal lands.
Web Ecology
The large shallow wetlands that dominate much of the South American continent are rich in biodive... more The large shallow wetlands that dominate much of the South American continent are rich in biodiversity and complexity. Many of these undamaged ecosystems are presently being examined for their potential economic utility, putting pressure on local authorities and the conservation community to find ways of correctly utilising the available natural resources without compromising the ecosystem functioning and overall integrity. Contrary to many northern hemisphere ecosystems, there have been little long term ecological studies of these systems, leading to a lack of quantitative data on which to construct ecological or resource use models. As a result, decision makers, even well meaning ones, have difficulty in determining if particular economic activities can potentially cause significant damage to the ecosystem and how one should go about monitoring the impacts of such activities. While the direct impact of many activities is often known, the secondary indirect impacts are usually less...
Risposte Vegetative DI Specie Test in Terreni Agricoli Irrigati Con Reflui Zootecnici DEPURATI1
Three different soils treated with zootechnic depurated wastes have been tested for the first gro... more Three different soils treated with zootechnic depurated wastes have been tested for the first growth stages of 7 agronomical species to evaluate phyto-toxicity and/or phyto-stimulation. The species were selected accounting for their sensitiveness to soil salinity, heavy metals content and several intermediate organic matter degradation compounds, parameters that can be altered by irriguous use of the wastes. The soils have been previuosly used for a three years long experiment with a repeated fodder mais coltivation; during the three production cycles the soils have been irrigated with end products of two different depuration processes coming from a suine zootechnic plant; the control soil has been fertilized before each cycles and irrigated with well water. The results of the experiments were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis; no evident events can be ascribed to phyto-toxicity of the soils, but both the substrates irrigated with the wastes supported the first growth s...
Soil, land-use and water quality in a coastal agro-system of Central Italy This study explores th... more Soil, land-use and water quality in a coastal agro-system of Central Italy This study explores the influence of different land uses (agricultural, animal husbandry, recreational, built-up areas) on the quality of subsurface waters in the area surrounding the coastal Lake of Fogliano (Central Italy). The reciprocal impact of the saline lake waters on the neighbouring soil quality was also examined. A network of 15 piezometers located along 6 transects were set up perpendicular to the lake. Periodic monitoring of water quality and ground water level to a maximum depth of 3 m was performed. Water samples (13) were collected from August 2009 to November 2010 and the temporal and spatial dynamics of the concentrations of N-NH 4 , N-NO 3 , N-NO 2 , P-PO 4 , electric conductivity (ECw), total dissolved salts (TDS), chlorides and sodium were determined. Spatial data were interpolated using the ArcGis extension Spatial Analyst and IDW (Inverse Distance Weighted). The results show the clear i...
Web Ecology, 2002
Loiselle, S., Hull, V., Permingeat, E., Falcucci, M. and Rossi, C. 2002. Qualitative models to pr... more Loiselle, S., Hull, V., Permingeat, E., Falcucci, M. and Rossi, C. 2002. Qualitative models to predict impacts of human interventions in a wetland ecosystem. -Web Ecol. 3: 56-69.
Controllo Dell’Erosione e Carbonio Organico Del Suolo
ABSTRACT Le lavorazioni profonde contribuiscono in modo significativo alla perdita di carbonio or... more ABSTRACT Le lavorazioni profonde contribuiscono in modo significativo alla perdita di carbonio organico del suolo e, sui terreni in pendenza, innescano importanti processi erosivi. Entrambi i fenomeni sono tra le tematiche fondamentali di conservazione dell'ambiente inserite nella Strategia Tematica per la Protezione del Suolo della UE e faranno parte della futura Direttiva Quadro Europea sul Suolo. Più recentemente, il mantenimento delle Buone Condizioni Agronomiche e Ambientali (BCAA) nell'ambito del regime di condizionalità previsto dalla PAC ha fissato alcuni standard per il controllo dell'erosione che gli agricoltori devono rispettare, tra cui: 1.1a solchi acquai temporanei, 1.2b discissura in luogo dell'aratura ordinaria. Il CRA-RPS partecipa al progetto MONACO (MOnitoraggio NAzionale della COndizionalità) finanziato dal MiPAAF e coordinato dal CRA-ABP. Nell'Azienda Sperimentale di Tor Mancina, su suolo vulcanico franco-limoso, a novembre 2011 sono state predisposte due parcelle per il monitoraggio dell'erosione: 1) trattamento fattuale in cui vengono applicati gli standard 1.1a e 1.2b (realizzazione dei solchi acquai e discissura a 50 cm); 2) trattamento controfattuale in cui gli standard non si applicano (lavorazione tradizionale a 40 cm senza solchi acquai). Le stesse parcelle sono state studiate anche nel biennio 2008-2010 nell'ambito del Progetto EFFICOND (EFFicacia delle norme di CONDizionalità) finanziato dal CRA e dal MiPAAF. Il trattamento fattuale prevedeva lavorazione a 20 cm in condizioni di tempera, il controfattuale lavorazione fuori tempera, sempre a 20 cm. I risultati indicano che l'obiettivo ambientale "controllo dell'erosione" esplica un effetto positivo anche in termini di incremento dei livelli di carbonio organico. Rispetto al 2008, nel trattamento fattuale si è avuto in media un aumento del 34%, nel controfattuale una perdita del 23%. Il valore dell'indicatore carbonio organico, dato dalla differenza tra fattuale e controfattuale, è 0.66 % (significativo a p < 0.05). Relativamente all'indicatore erosione, sono in corso le elaborazioni per il raffronto tra erosione calcolata con il modello RUSLE ed erosione misurata mediante rilievi aero-fotogrammetrici da drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle).
Competition for spectral irradiance between epilimnetic optically active dissolved and suspended matter and phytoplankton in the metalimnion. Consequences for limnology and chemistry
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 2011
In deep lakes, water column stratification isolates the surface water from the deeper bottom laye... more In deep lakes, water column stratification isolates the surface water from the deeper bottom layers, creating a three dimensional differentiation of the chemical, physical, biological and optical characteristics of the waters. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and total suspended solids (TSS) play an important role in the attenuation of ultraviolet and photosynthetically active radiation. In the present analysis of spectral irradiance, we show that the wavelength composition of the metalimnetic visible irradiance was influenced by epilimnetic spatial distribution of CDOM. We found a low occurrence of blue-green photons in the metalimnion where epilimnetic concentrations of CDOM are high. In this field study, the spatial variation of the spectral irradiance in the metalimnion correlates with the observed metalimnetic concentrations of chlorophyll a as well as chlorophyll a : chlorophyll b/c ratios. Dissolved oxygen, pH, and nutrients trends suggest that chlorophyll a concentrations were representative of the phytoplankton biomass and primary production. Thus, metalimnetic changes of spectral irradiance may have a direct impact on primary production and an indirect effect on the spatial trends of pH, dissolved oxygen, and inorganic nutrients in the metalimnion.
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 2005
Apparent and inherent optical properties in the coastal lagoon of Fogliano were measured in three... more Apparent and inherent optical properties in the coastal lagoon of Fogliano were measured in three seasonal surveys in 2002. Irradiance data from in situ measurements of ultraviolet and visible wavebands permitted to estimate the related attenuation coefficients. Laboratory extinction measurements on filtered (0.22 lm) and unfiltered water samples were also performed. The integrated approach between in situ and laboratory measurements allowed the determination of the role of the suspended and dissolved matter in the attenuation and extinction of ultraviolet and visible radiation within the water column.
Ecological Modelling, 2004
Dissolved oxygen evolution over time holds information about the recent and past history of the p... more Dissolved oxygen evolution over time holds information about the recent and past history of the physics, the chemistry and the biology of aquatic systems. On the daily time scale various phenomena seem to repeat with a sort of regularity, leaving a trace in the further trend of oxygen dynamics. These are the wind calm of nocturnal and early morning hours, the advent of the afternoon breezes, the micro-and macro-algae diurnal production, the chemical and biochemical processes. On the larger seasonal scale, dissolved oxygen shows an almost periodical trend. In this case, a greater dependency on the climatic events leads to the colder and windy season, while the warm and hot period is closely related to the vegetable production, which frees remarkable amounts of oxygen in the water through photosynthesis. Result of experimental measurements of dissolved oxygen, acquired with an automatic equipement on a very short time scale (30 s), are shown and discussed. The experiments were run to detect oscillating phenomena characterized by a period which is shorter than the daily occurrence, as well as stochastic phenomena, led by almost periodical drifts, which contribute substantially to the oxygen dynamics on the longer time scale. To determine these pseudo-periodicities, or time variation for the oscillation period, the analysis of the temporal distances between local maxima of oxygen concentrations has been performed. This kind of analysis is based on the hypothesis that we are dealing with a dissipative dynamical system whose evolution is similar to the behavior of some non linear oscillating systems with a control, where the control can be represented by a simple function of the temporal interval between two consecutive peaks. The result of the analysis suggests the existence of dynamics on a 6-8 h time scale.
Ecological Modelling, 2008
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in freshwater ecosystems, strongly influencing ... more Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in freshwater ecosystems, strongly influencing the optical, chemical and biological environment. The influence of the organic material on lake water depends on the molecular characteristics of the compounds. In the present study, the spatial distribution of dissolved organic matter and humic concentrations was determined together with the indices for optical colour (a 440 ) and the degradation of high molecular weight organic molecules. By considering these spatial and temporal variations, it was possible to determine the role of hydrological conditions of the lake basin on the lake water quality.
Ecological Modelling, 2005
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in freshwater ecosystems, strongly influencing ... more Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in freshwater ecosystems, strongly influencing the optical, chemical and biological environment. The influence of the organic material on lake water depends on the molecular characteristics of the compounds. In the present study, the spatial distribution of dissolved organic matter and humic concentrations was determined together with the indices for optical colour (a 440 ) and the degradation of high molecular weight organic molecules. By considering these spatial and temporal variations, it was possible to determine the role of hydrological conditions of the lake basin on the lake water quality.
Chemosphere, 2004
The extinction spectra in ultraviolet and visible radiation were analyzed using filtered and unfi... more The extinction spectra in ultraviolet and visible radiation were analyzed using filtered and unfiltered water samples obtained in 11 open water bodies in the Ñ eembucù (Paraguay) and Pantanal (Brazil) wetlands. The role of dissolved and suspended matter in the total extinction was analyzed between 260 nm and 700 nm. The chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) was the major component in extinction of considered ultraviolet radiation (260-400 nm). The differences in CDOM concentrations explained the main pattern of extinction of the ultraviolet radiation in the samples. Nevertheless, differences between the studied water bodies were found also to depend on the rate of photodegradation and photobleaching. The methodology developed in the present study was to distinguish ''humic optic waters'' according to quantity and quality of dissolved and suspended matter present. In the ''humic optic water'', the penetration of 10% of incident UV radiation and the photoactive layer are estimated. The influence of particulate matter increases in the total extinction of the wavelengths higher than 400 nm. The integral of the extinction curve of suspended matter in the visible wavelengths (400-700 nm) was found to relate with the total suspended solids and chlorophyll concentrations.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1999
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1999
Ecological Modelling, 183: 11-28 (2005)
""A continuous deterministic model is proposed for qualitatively simulating the dynamics of an ex... more ""A continuous deterministic model is proposed for qualitatively simulating the dynamics of an experimental aquaculture
plant. The governing equations are ordinary differential equations. The state variables are considered in terms of biomass or concentrations and the equations are built according to balance arguments. The aquaculture plant may be represented in terms of two main elements: the tanks, where different species of fish are grown, and a pond, that provides for phytodepuration of the waste water of the tanks. The main forcing functions are temperature and solar radiation. The state variables are fish, feed and detritus in the tanks, while nutrients, phytoplankton, macrophytes, bacterial pool and detritus are those considered in the pond. A daily exogeneous input of fish feed is also considered. The model takes into account for both diel and seasonal variability.""
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Papers by Margherita Falcucci
plant. The governing equations are ordinary differential equations. The state variables are considered in terms of biomass or concentrations and the equations are built according to balance arguments. The aquaculture plant may be represented in terms of two main elements: the tanks, where different species of fish are grown, and a pond, that provides for phytodepuration of the waste water of the tanks. The main forcing functions are temperature and solar radiation. The state variables are fish, feed and detritus in the tanks, while nutrients, phytoplankton, macrophytes, bacterial pool and detritus are those considered in the pond. A daily exogeneous input of fish feed is also considered. The model takes into account for both diel and seasonal variability.""
plant. The governing equations are ordinary differential equations. The state variables are considered in terms of biomass or concentrations and the equations are built according to balance arguments. The aquaculture plant may be represented in terms of two main elements: the tanks, where different species of fish are grown, and a pond, that provides for phytodepuration of the waste water of the tanks. The main forcing functions are temperature and solar radiation. The state variables are fish, feed and detritus in the tanks, while nutrients, phytoplankton, macrophytes, bacterial pool and detritus are those considered in the pond. A daily exogeneous input of fish feed is also considered. The model takes into account for both diel and seasonal variability.""