Aquifers in mountain areas are a strategic resource for the people who live there. To optimise future management, it is vital to understand hydrogeological systems from both geological and ...hydrogeological perspectives. Historically, methods such as hydrograph and time series analyses have been applied to characterise large karst systems. The aim of this paper was to apply these methods to small mountain springs supplied by porous and shallow aquifers. Specifically were made: (1) a comparison to understand which method better fits the depletion curve of the aquifers and (2) an application of time series analysis both by auto-correlation (analysis of individual series) and by cross-correlation methods (analysis of interrelationships between time series) on all the three parameters monitored from the probe (discharge Q, temperature T, electrical conductivity EC). These techniques were applied on four mountain springs located in the Italy North-Western Alps in the Aosta Valley Region. The results suggested that spring hydrograph and time series analyses on Q, T and EC parameters are useful tools for understanding the hydrodynamic behaviour of porous and shallow aquifers and how to make a proper management of the resource.
"The text traces the history of Aosta Valley architecture from the Second World War to the present day. The first part focuses on the evolution of architecture in the fifties and sixties, on modern ...architecture and on the international influences in a long phase of great economic growth. In the central part it focuses rather on the regionalist and sometimes folkloristic evolution of the following decades. He then tried to analyse, starting from the 2000s, the profound transformations generated by the economic crisis but also by the extraordinary occupation of land that over the course of about 50 years has saturated most of the territory of a small Alpine region. Finally, it attempts an analysis of the most recent development, of relations with the rest of the Alpine world and of the not easy attempt to combine history, environment, aesthetics and rationality. The text is accompanied by the choice of eight architectures from 2010 in the last eight years. As you can see only two are public works, two of collective interest and four are private homes and this choice wants to focus your attention to the fact that in the near future, in all likelihood, will no longer be the public commission to be at the center of possible experiments with new architectural languages."
Land cover (LC) maps are crucial to environmental modeling and define sustainable management and planning policies. The development of a land cover mapping continuous service according to the new ...EAGLE legend criteria has become of great interest to the public sector. In this work, a tentative approach to map land cover overcoming remote sensing (RS) limitations in the mountains according to the newest EAGLE guidelines was proposed. In order to reach this goal, the methodology has been developed in Aosta Valley, NW of Italy, due to its higher degree of geomorphological complexity. Copernicus Sentinel-1 and 2 data were adopted, exploiting the maximum potentialities and limits of both, and processed in Google Earth Engine and SNAP. Due to SAR geometrical distortions, these data were used only to refine the mapping of urban and water surfaces, while for other classes, composite and timeseries filtered and regularized stack from Sentinel-2 were used. GNSS ground truth data were adopted, with training and validation sets. Results showed that K-Nearest-Neighbor and Minimum Distance classification permit maximizing the accuracy and reducing errors. Therefore, a mixed hierarchical approach seems to be the best solution to create LC in mountain areas and strengthen local environmental modeling concerning land cover mapping.
Satellite remote sensing is a power tool for the long-term monitoring of vegetation. This work, with reference to a regional case study, investigates remote sensing potentialities for describing the ...annual phenology of rangelands and broad-leaved forests at the landscape level with the aim of detecting eventual effects of climate change in the Alpine region of the Aosta Valley (Northwest (NW) Italy). A first analysis was aimed at estimating phenological metrics (PMs) from satellite images time series and testing the presence of trends along time. A further investigation concerned evapotranspiration from vegetation (ET) and its variation along the years. Additionally, in both the cases the following meteorological patterns were considered: air temperature anomalies, precipitation trends and the timing of yearly seasonal snow melt. The analysis was based on the time series (TS) of different MODIS collections datasets together with Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) collection obtained through Google Earth Engine. Ground weather stations data from the Centro Funzionale VdA ranging from 2000 to 2019 were used. In particular, the MOD13Q1 v.6, MOD16A2 and MOD10A1 v.6 collections were used to derive PMs, ET and snow cover maps. The SRTM (shuttle radar topography mission) DTM (digital terrain model) was also used to describe local topography while the Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) land cover map was adopted to investigate land use classes. Averagely in the area, rangelands and broad-leaved forests showed that the length of season is getting longer, with a general advance of the SOS (start of the season) and a delay in the EOS (end of the season). With reference to ET, significant increasing trends were generally observed. The water requirement from vegetation appeared to have averagely risen about 0.05 Kg·m−2 (about 0.5%) per year in the period 2000–2019, for a total increase of about 1 Kg·m−2 in 20 years (corresponding to a percentage difference in water requirement from vegetation of about 8%). This aspect can be particularly relevant in the bottom of the central valley, where the precipitations have shown a statistically significant decreasing trend in the period 2000–2019 (conversely, no significant variation was found in the whole territory). Additionally, the snowpack timing persistence showed a general reduction trend. PMs and ET and air temperature anomalies, as well as snow cover melting, proved to have significantly changed their values in the last 20 years, with a continuous progressive trend. The results encourage the adoption of remote sensing to monitor climate change effects on alpine vegetation, with particular focus on the relationship between phenology and other abiotic factors permitting an effective technological transfer.
Earth observation data have assumed a key role in environmental monitoring, as well as in risk assessment. Rising temperatures and consequently heat waves due to ongoing climate change represent an ...important risk considering the population, as well as animals, exposed. This study was focused on the Aosta Valley Region in NW Italy. To assess population exposure to these patterns, the following datasets have been considered: (1) HDX Meta population dataset refined and updated in order to map population distribution and its features; (2) Landsat collection (missions 4 to 9) from 1984 to 2022 obtained and calibrated in Google Earth Engine to model LST trends. A pixel-based analysis was performed considering Aosta Valley settlements and relative population distribution according to the Meta population dataset. From Landsat data, LST trends were modelled. The LST gains computed were used to produce risk exposure maps considering the population distribution and structure (such as ages, gender, etc.). To check the consistency and quality of the HDX population dataset, MAE was computed considering the ISTAT population dataset at the municipality level. Exposure-risk maps were finally realized adopting two different approaches. The first one considers only LST gain maximum by performing an ISODATA unsupervised classification clustering in which the separability of each class obtained and was checked by computing the Jeffries–Matusita (J-M) distances. The second one was to map the rising temperature exposure by developing and performing a risk geo-analysis. In this last case the input parameters considered were defined after performing a multivariate regression in which LST maximum was correlated and tested considering (a) Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC), (b) Quote, (c) Slope, (d) Aspect, (e) Potential Incoming Solar Radiation (mean sunlight duration in the meteorological summer season), and (f) LST gain mean. Results show a steeper increase in LST maximum trend, especially in the bottom valley municipalities, and especially in new built-up areas, where more than 60% of the Aosta Valley population and domestic animals live and where a high exposure has been detected and mapped with both approaches performed. Maps produced may help the local planners and the civil protection services to face global warming from a One Health perspective.
Denudation processes affecting mountain slopes may vary according to different factors (e.g., lithology and structural setting of bedrock, climate, relief features), which may be very diverse at the ...local scale. Gully complex systems, characterised by morphological features similar to those developing in other climate contexts (i.e., pseudo-badlands) are also becoming common at higher altitudes and latitudes. The selected study cases of Gran Gorgia (Susa Valley) and Saint Nicolas (Aosta Valley), in the Western Italian Alps, are sites of geomorphological interest as they are specifically relevant for their scientific features. The aims of this work are (i) reconstructing the morphometric evolution of gully systems and vegetation colonisation time by means of multitemporal spatial analysis on surface morphological changes under water erosion; (ii) reconstructing in detail, through dendrogeomorphological analysis, the progressive spatial surface denudation and changes in erosion rates, by analysing trees and exposed roots and using different indicators (i.e., compression wood, traumatic resin ducts); (iii) obtaining data on successive aggradation/degradation episodes along slopes surrounding such hotspots through geopedological investigations; and (iv) identifying which control factors exert a predominant role on denudation patterns in such contexts. Multidisciplinary analyses regarding the study sites allowed for detailing of erosional history of the studied slopes detecting the prevailing drivers of their evolution. According to the results and considering the common climate and bedrock conditions, the structural background seems to have more influence on slope evolution at the Saint Nicolas site, while superficial geomorphic processes seem to be more relevant at the Gran Gorgia site. Because the sites have already been recognised as part of geoheritage by local authorities, the data obtained in the present research on their genesis, evolution, and local drivers affecting the rates of denudation (i.e., scientific relevance of the site) suggests that description of the sites for dissemination purposes should include links to the entire slope history.
•Multidisciplinary analyses allowed detailing erosional history of studied slopes.•Specific indicators of geomorphic disturbance were individuated for the study sites.•Weakly developed soils and buried surfaces testify diverse geomorphic contexts.•Erosion rates in study sites are higher than in analogous geomorphological contexts.•The local drivers of denudation were identified as both structural and geomorphic features.
This paper explores the value of landscape and topographical art for understanding contemporary landscapes of the Val d'Aosta, northwest Italy. The region became very popular with British tourists ...in the early nineteenth century and several amateur and professional artists depicted its landscapes. The paper focuses on the case study of Saint-Pierre, its castle and the surrounding landscapes, examining views by amateur artists like Henrietta Fortescue and professionals such as John Brett. The examination of art, alongside written accounts, historical cartography and field data, provides insights into the landscape history of the Val d'Aosta. The analysis of the artists' representations raises questions of landscape identity and characterisation and provides evidence for subtle changes in local landuse practices which have had a significant impact on land use change. We suggest that this artistic heritage should be recognised as a source to help improve sustainable tourism in the area and to assist in the development of current land management policies.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main cause of community-acquired pneumonia worldwide; pneumonia occurs sporadically in most cases, but rare outbreaks have been reported. We describe an outbreak ...occurred in a 21-guests nursing home for elders in Aosta (Italy); outbreak occurred in april 2014 over a 2 weeks period, resulting in 12 out 20 guests affected (all with high fever and respiratory symptoms), two deaths (at home), nine patients referred to Hospital Emergency Room, and eight admissions. Urinary streptococcus antigen was positive in seven out of eight patient tested. None of the nursing home guests were vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae The Hospital Medical Direction and Public Health Service gave support and adopted strategies to contain the outbreak spread. We underline the need for pneumococcal vaccination in nursing homes/ Long-term care facilities; accurate check of hygiene behaviours in those setting is also mandatory.
The Lac Fallère area in the upper Clusellaz Valley (tributary of the middle Aosta Valley) is shaped in micaschist and gneiss (Mont Fort Unit, Middle Penninic) and in calcschist and marble (Aouilletta ...Unit, Combin Zone). Lac Fallère exhibits an elongated shape and is hosted in a WSW–ENE-trending depression, according to the slope direction. This lake also shows a semi-submerged WSW–ENE rocky ridge that longitudinally divides the lake. This evidence, in addition to the extremely fractured rocks, indicates a wide, deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD), even if this area is not yet included within the regional landslide inventory of the Aosta Valley Region. The Lac Fallère area also shows reliefs involved in glacial erosion (roches moutonnée), an extensive cover of subglacial sediments, and many moraines essentially referred to as Lateglacial. The DSGSD evolution in a glacial environment produced, as observed in other areas, effects on the facies of Quaternary sediments and the formation of a lot of wide moraines. Glacial slope sectors and lateral moraines displaced by minor scarps and counterscarps, and glaciers using trenches forming several arched moraines, suggest an interplay between glacial and gravitational processes, which share part of their evolution history.
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