•Analysis of 1930–2020 variability of Italian Alps Standardised SWE Index (SSWEI)•SSWEI shows large variability, with lowermost values in 1991–2020.•Change in relation between SSWEI and ...teleconnection indices after the 1980s.•Negative SSWEI is driven by increasing air temperature from the 1990s.•The last decades experienced unprecedented and persistent snow-drought conditions.
Snow stores a significant amount of water in mountain regions. The decrease of water storage in the snowpack can have relevant impacts on water supply for mountain and lowland areas that rely on snow melting. In this work, we modelled the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) using daily snow depth (HS) data obtained from 19 historical HS measurement stations located in the southern European Alps (Italy). Then, we analysed the long-term (1930–2020) variability of the monthly Standardised SWE Index (SSWEI) and its links with climate change and large-scale atmospheric forcings (teleconnection indices). We found a marked variability in monthly SSWEI, with the lowermost values generally occurring in the last few decades (1991–2020), irrespective of elevation. In this recent period, highly negative values occurred at the snow season tails, mostly in spring. We found large-scale atmospheric patterns (North Atlantic Oscillation, Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation, and Artic Oscillation) and precipitation to be interconnected with SSWEI oscillations, although this relation changed after the 1980s, especially at low and medium elevations. This change occurred in correspondence of highly positive air temperature anomalies. In the last decades, we found increasing air temperature to be the main driver for the pronounced snow mass loss and persistent snow-drought conditions.
High mountains have sensitive social-ecological systems (SESs) characterized by fragility, complexity, and marginality. The local economies of these environments mainly rely on primary production, ...tourism, and leisure activities; thus human–ecosystem interactions are intricately linked. Many authors stress that this strict relationship must be assisted with a participatory approach involving interested stakeholders in the conceptualization, specification, and synthesis of knowledge and experience into useable information for the express purpose of addressing a problem complex. This paper presents experience garnered with a participatory modeling framework combining hard and soft methodology in 2 case studies: the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (Nepal) and the Central Karakoram National Park (Pakistan). The modeling framework was developed based on local stakeholders' demands and needs; it consists of 5 modules, briefly presented here along with their conceptual background. In developing the framework, particular emphasis was given to considering the needs of decision-makers at the local level, rather than simply providing technical solutions to abstract problems. From the development of this modeling process, a need emerged to structure a management-oriented research module in order to generate management knowledge that is both stakeholder-relevant and evidence-based. The application of the framework in the 2 cases studies showed that the modeling can trigger valuable discussion among stakeholders as well as guidance for management-oriented research and feedback loops ensuring validation of knowledge. In addition, the resulting scenarios can help decision-makers in defining pathways for sustainable development in mountain areas, where people's livelihoods are closely dependent on ecosystems. The framework was developed in such a way that it can be replicated in other mountain areas with similar challenges.
The planning and sustainable management of complex social-ecological systems (SESs) in high mountain areas such as the Hindu Kush–Karakoram–Himalaya (HKKH) region requires an approach that takes ...account of both environmental issues and local population needs. The HKKH Partnership Project developed methodologies and tools for systemic planning and management of social-ecological systems at local, regional, and national levels in the HKKH region, with a special focus on 3 protected areas in Nepal, Pakistan, and China. The adopted approach brought together researchers, policy-makers, and managers; it bridged the gap between research and management priorities and enabled communication to address the needs of communities while promoting conservation. Lessons learned are described and conclusions made on appropriate methods for the management of SESs in other regions.
This study presents the findings from several field campaigns carried out in Lake Idro (Northern Italy), a deep (124 m) meromictic-subalpine lake, whose water column is subdivided in a mixolimnion ...(~0–40 m) and a monimolimnion (~40–124 m). Hydrochemical data highlight two main peculiarities characterizing the Lake Idro meromixis: a) presence of a high manganese/iron ratio (up to 20 mol/mol), b) absence of a clear chemocline between the two main layers. The high manganese content contributed to the formation of a stable manganese dominated deep turbid stratum (40–65 m), enveloping the redoxcline (~45–55 m) in the upper monimolimnion. The presence of this turbid stratum in Lake Idro is described for the first time in this study. The paper examines the distribution of dissolved and particulate forms of transition metals (Mn and Fe), alkaline earth metals (Ca and Mg), and other macro-constituents or nutrients (S, P, NO3-N, NH4-N), discussing their behavior over the redoxcline, where the main transition processes occur. Field measurements and theoretical considerations suggest that the deep turbid stratum is formed by a complex mixture of manganese and iron compounds with a prevalence of Mn(II)/Mn(III) in different forms including dissolved, colloidal, and fine particles, that give to the turbid stratum a white-pink opalescent coloration. The bacteria populations show a clear stratification with the upper aerobic layer dominated by the heterotrophic Flavobacterium sp., the turbid stratum hosting a specific microbiological pool, dominated by Caldimonas sp., and the deeper anaerobic layer dominated by the sulfur-oxidizing and denitrifier Sulfuricurvum sp. The occurrence in August 2010 of an anomalous lake surface coloration lasting about four weeks and developing from milky white-green to red-brown suggests that the upper zone of the turbid stratum could be eroded during intense weather-hydrological conditions with the final red-brown coloration resulting from the oxidation of Mn(II)/Mn(III) to Mn(IV) compounds.
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•A manganese dominated turbid stratum is described in a meromictic lake.•Turbid stratus envelops the redoxcline between mixolimnion and monimolimnion.•Turbid stratus is composed by a MnFe blend having a peculiarly high Mn/Fe ratio.•The high Mn/Fe ratio affects the microbial composition in the turbid stratus.•Mn recycling in the mixolimnion was likely responsible of a marked lake coloring.
The Biobank was established in 1986 as part of the routine diagnostic activity of the Division of Neuromuscular Diseases and Neuroimmunology, of the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute. It stores ...muscle tissue, cells and DNA from patients with neuromuscular diseases. The biobank provides samples as a service to the scientific community conducting research on neuromuscular disorders. Samples are from patients affected by different forms of muscular dystrophy, including the severe congenital and Duchenne muscular dystrophies, as well as limb girdle muscular dystrophies, congenital myopathies, distal and myofibrillar myopathies, inflammatory myopathies, and metabolic myopathies. Different types of biomaterials are frequently available from a single patient. The Biobank is founding partner of the EuroBioBank network, the first operating network of biobanks for rare diseases in Europe, and of the Italian Telethon Network of Genetic Biobanks. The involvement of the biobank into both networks has been instrumental for standardization of procedures and activities, implementation of sample access policies, and compliance with ELSI requirements. The biobank, with about 13000 biospecimens stored in total at the time of writing, constitutes a key source of biological samples for researchers worldwide. Keywords: Biobank, neuromuscular diseases, muscle tissue, cell cultures, DNA
Three hypotheses exist to explain how meteorological variables drive the amount and concentration of solute-enriched water from rock glaciers: (1) Warm periods cause increased subsurface ice melt, ...which releases solutes; (2) rain periods and the melt of long-lasting snow enhance dilution of rock-glacier outflows; and (3) percolation of rain through rock glaciers facilitates the export of solutes, causing an opposite effect as that described in hypothesis (2). This lack of detailed understanding likely exists because suitable studies of meteorological variables, hydrologic processes and chemical characteristics of water bodies downstream from rock glaciers are unavailable. In this study, a rock-glacier pond in the North-Western Italian Alps was studied on a weekly basis for the ice-free seasons 2014 and 2015 by observing the meteorological variables (air temperature, snowmelt, rainfall) assumed to drive the export of solute-enriched waters from the rock glacier and the hydrochemical response of the pond (water temperature as a proxy of rock-glacier discharge, stable water isotopes, major ions and selected trace elements). An intra-seasonal pattern of increasing solute export associated with higher rock-glacier discharge was found. Specifically, rainfall, after the winter snowpack depletion and prolonged periods of atmospheric temperature above 0 °C, was found to be the primary driver of solute export from the rock glacier during the ice-free season. This occurs likely through the flushing of isotopically- and geochemically-enriched icemelt, causing concomitant increases in the rock-glacier discharge and the solute export (SO42−, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ni, Mn, Co). Moreover, flushing of microbially-active sediments can cause increases in NO3− export.
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•An intra-seasonal pattern of solute export from a rock glacier is described.•Rain is the primary driver of rock-glacier discharge after snowmelt depletion.•Increasing solute export is associated with higher rock-glacier discharge.
We aimed to verify whether the immune system may represent a source of potential biomarkers for the stratification of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathies (IMNMs) subtypes. A group of 22 patients ...diagnosed with IMNM 7 with autoantibodies against signal recognition particle (SRP) and 15 against 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and 12 controls, were included. A significant preponderance of M1 macrophages was observed in both SRP+ and HMGCR+ muscle samples (p < 0.0001 in SRP+ and p = 0.0316 for HMGCR+), with higher values for SRP+ (p = 0.01). Despite the significant increase observed in the expression of TLR4 and all endosomal TLRs at protein level in IMNM muscle tissue, only TLR7 has been shown considerably up-regulated compared to controls at transcript level (p = 0.0026), whereas TLR9 was even decreased. (p = 0.0223). Within IMNM subgroups, TLR4 (p = 0.0116) mRNA was significantly increased in SRP+ compared to HMGCR+ patients. Within IMNM group, only IL-7 was differentially expressed between SRP+ and HMGCR+ patients, with higher values in SRP+ patients (p = 0.0468). Overall, innate immunity represents a key player in pathological mechanisms of IMNM. TLR4 and the inflammatory cytokine IL-7 represent potential immune biomarkers able to differentiate between SRP+ and HMGCR+ patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This paper presents the results of management-oriented research on energy, forest, and human health issues in a remote mountain area, the Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ), Nepal. The ...research was based on a broader, integrated participatory framework ultimately intended for use in adaptive management. The present study focused on the application of a participatory modeling framework to address problems related to energy demand and consumption, forest condition, and indoor air pollution, which were defined by the stakeholders as important issues to be addressed. The models were developed using a generalizing design that allows for user-friendly adaptation to other contexts (free download at http://hkkhpartnership.org). Moreover, we simulated management scenarios in collaboration with all modeling actors with the aim of building consensus on the understanding of the system as well as supporting decision-makers' capacity not only to respond to changes, but also to anticipate them. Importantly, the system dynamics assessment found that the SNPBZ forests are affected by an increasing demand for fuelwood (occurring due to tourism growth), as one of the main sources of energy. Selected forests show an average reduction of 38% in forest biomass from 1992 to 2008. This shows that the business-as-usual scenario is unlikely to result in the preservation of the current forest status; in fact, such preservation would require 75% of fuelwood to be replaced with alternative energy sources. At the same time, a 75% reduction of fuelwood use (and an 80% reduction of dung use) would reduce indoor carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations to the standard limits for CO exposure set by the World Health Organization.
The absence of significant local inputs of pollution makes remote mountain ecosystems suitable to assess the atmospheric deposition of contaminants, such as trace elements, which can derive from both ...natural and anthropogenic sources. The Himalayan range is a potential target for the atmospheric deposition of pollutants because of the regional monsoon climate and the presence of contaminant source regions in its vicinity (e.g. Kathmandu Valley). Studies of elevation gradients of trace elements in topsoils and soil profiles in the Himalaya are very limited. The main goal of this study was to determine the distribution of trace elements (Co, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Mn) in soils on the southern slope of Mt. Everest as a function of elevation, soil depth, and pedogenic properties. Trace elements were measured in 30 topsoils along an altitudinal gradient (3570–5320 m a.s.l.) and in 11 different soil profiles opened under different land uses and topographical settings. The contents of Co, Zn, Cr, and Ni in the topsoil were found positively correlated with the altitude, and on average reached a peak at 4900–5000 m a.s.l.. The results showed a limited contamination, similar to the one measured in soils from other high mountain regions. Differently from the expectations, both soil depth and organic carbon, which significantly decreased with the altitude, were not found significant factors controlling the altitudinal distribution of trace elements. Pedogenic processes were associated with different depth trends of trace metals along the elevation gradient, with depletion in surface and accumulation in illuvial horizons where podzolization was active; at higher altitude, a weaker leaching resulted in higher surface concentrations.
•Most soils were characterized by loess-like material almost free of coarse fragments.•Soil C was not a significant factor controlling the distribution of trace elements.•Topsoil Co, Zn, Cr, and Ni contents increased significantly with the altitude.•Trace elements at all sites were below USEPA (2006) limits for contaminated soils.•Trace elements surface/subsurface differences were more remarkable at low altitudes.
Assessment of future water resources under climate change is required in the Himalayas, where hydrological cycle is poorly studied and little understood. This study focuses on the upper Dudh Koshi ...river of Nepal (151km2, 4200–8848ma.s.l.) at the toe of Mt. Everest, nesting the debris covered Khumbu, and Khangri Nup glaciers (62km2). New data gathered during three years of field campaigns (2012–2014) were used to set up a glacio-hydrological model describing stream flows, snow and ice melt, ice cover thickness and glaciers' flow dynamics. The model was validated, and used to assess changes of the hydrological cycle until 2100. Climate projections are used from three Global Climate Models used in the recent IPCC AR5 under RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Flow statistics are estimated for two reference decades 2045–2054, and 2090–2099, and compared against control run CR, 2012–2014. During CR we found a contribution of ice melt to stream flows of 55% yearly, with snow melt contributing for 19%. Future flows are predicted to increase in monsoon season, but to decrease yearly (−4% vs CR on average) at 2045–2054. At the end of century large reduction would occur in all seasons, i.e. −26% vs CR on average at 2090–2099. At half century yearly contribution of ice melt would be on average 45%, and snow melt 28%. At the end of century ice melt would be 31%, and snow contribution 39%. Glaciers in the area are projected to thin largely up to 6500ma.s.l. until 2100, reducing their volume by −50% or more, and their ice covered area by −30% or more. According to our results, in the future water resources in the upper Dudh Koshi would decrease, and depend largely upon snow melt and rainfall, so that adaptation measures to modified water availability will be required.
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•We pursued glacio-hydrological modeling of the Dudh Koshi river of Nepal.•We used in situ data gathered during 2012–2014, historical ground and satellite data.•We investigated the impact of climate change until 2100 using IPCC AR5 scenarios.•Stream flows will be largely reduced (−30% or so) until 2100.•Ice volume in the catchment will largely decrease (−50% or so) until 2100.
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