Earthworms as ecological engineers enhancing the physico-chemical soil properties

Earthworms represent the most relevant component of the soil macrofauna for their capacity to improve the soil fertility and quality, playing a crucial ecological role in maintaining its health through the bioturbation and microbial interactions processes, which increase the porosity and aeration, as well as the nutrients availability. This work aims to shed light on the epigeic earthworms (Eisenia sp.) effects on the development of two plant species (Brassica oleracea, broccoli; Vicia faba; faba bean), by changes in the soil chemico-physical properties induced by them. Using mesocosm techniques, plants were grown outdoors for four months with or without earthworms. Earthworms abundance and soil chemico-physical properties (temperature and water content throughout the experiment; macroporosity, water holding capacity, pH, organic carbon and total nitrogen at the beginning and at the end of the trial; bioturbation) were determined. Plants morphometric parameters were also measured at the end of the experiment. Earthworms’ number and total weight doubled during the trial. They induced changes in the soil chemico-physical properties. Their presence increased the soil macroporosity (+16%, mean value) and water holding capacity (+9%, mean value), as well as the bioturbation level. A significant decrease of soil organic carbon in presence of earthworms on both species were detected at the end of experiment, probably related to the higher organic matter mineralization processes; whereas the significantly higher total nitrogen in the controls of both species compared to the treatments with earthworms suggested that they can promote the readily available N uptake by roots. Finally, earthworms significantly improved the shoots and roots growth of both species. These results confirm earthworms soil enhancing and plant growth supporting action, useful to make more sustainable the soil management in agroecosystems

Gas exchanges and root morphology of lettuce plants grown with insect-treated bio-compost

Composted organic material is usually applied onto agricultural fields for soil fertility restoration, but in a broader prospective it represents an environmentally friendly strategy for the ecosystem management and the integrated in situ/ex situ conservation practices. Indeed, compost enhances the natural revegetation of degraded soils, increases the carbon storage and the plant diversity in grassland ecosystems, and is used in peat-free growing media for the ex situ conservation of rare, endangered and medicinal plant species. As an objective of a regional project, a bio-compost was obtained by an insect-assisted composting of different agro-industrial biowastes using black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) (BSF) larvae (Fig. 1). According to the Italian Legislation (D. Lgs 75/2010), this bio-compost meets the limit values of several chemical, physical and microbiological parameters so that it can be used in agriculture as an organic amendment. However, agronomic tests are also needed before its use as a plant-conditioner. In this respect, the morpho-physiological responses of Lactuca sativa L. plants to bio-compost derived from an insect-based bioconversion of dry olive cake (DOC) mixed with poultry manure (CM) and olive leaves (OL) (CM:DOC:OL, 45%:45%:10%, w/w) were evaluated. The lettuce plants were cultivated in pots filled with soil:sand ratio (50/50, v/v) and fertilized with different bio-compost rates (1, 2 and 3 kg m-2) (Fig. 2). The control plants were not treated with bio-compost fertilized. Biometric parameters were evaluated as plant performance. The gas exchanges (photosynthetic and transpiration rates, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency intrinsic) were measured by LICOR 6400XT. The root morphological parameters (length, surface area, root length of different diameter classes, root length ratio, root mass ratio, root fineness and root tissue density) were analyzed by WINRHIZO system. The results pointed out 1) an increase varying between 13.3-16.5% of plant fresh weight in all compost treatments, 2) an enhancement of the root length, surface area and fine root length at 2 kg m-2 of compost rate and 3) the improvement of the root length was determined by an increase of the biomass allocation, 4) these morphological performances were sustained by higher levels of photosynthetic rates although an increase of water losses by higher transpiration rates was observed

Characterization of biogas and syngas obtained from pellets of grape vine and sun flower husk using a pyrolysis system

Biochar produced from pellet obtained from grapevine (GV) and sunflower husk (SFH) at different temperature (400 and 500 °C) were studied by pyrolysis batch reactor. Chemical and physical evolution of biomass under pyrolysis conditions was determined and products characterization was evaluated, including main organic components in gaseous stream. The Biochar is a “porous carbonaceous solid” produced by thermochemical conversion of organic materials in an oxygen depleted atmosphere, which has physiochemical properties suitable for the safe and long-term storage of carbon in the environment and, potentially, soil improvement. Results have shown a decrease in yield as an increase in temperature. The objective of this work is to improve the acknowledgment for the alternative use of the biochar gained from agro-forestry biomass residuals grapevine and sunflower husks by means of modern chemical and physical characterization tools

Characterization of Biochar and Syngas Obtained from Pellets of Grape Vine and Sun Flower Husk Using A Pyrolysis System

Abstract Biochar produced from pellet obtained from grapevine (GV) and sunflower husk (SFH) at different temperature (400 and 500 °C) were studied by pyrolysis batch reactor. Chemical and physical evolution of biomass under pyrolysis conditions was determined and products characterization was evaluated, including main organic components in gaseous stream. The Biochar is a "porous carbonaceous solid" produced by thermochemical conversion of organic materials in an oxygen depleted atmosphere, which has physiochemical properties suitable for the safe and long-term storage of carbon in the environment and, potentially, soil improvement. Results have shown a decrease in yield as an increase in temperature. The objective of this work is to improve the acknowledgment for the alternative use of the biochar gained from agro-forestry biomass residuals grapevine and sunflower husks by means of modern chemical and physical characterization tools

Sans recourir à la violence»: la société italienne face aux terrorismes et aux mafias (1969-1992)

Questo numero di Laboratoire italien intende analizzare le reazioni della società civile italiana di fronte alle violenze terroriste e poi mafiose, dal 1969 al 1992. Queste violenze sono, in un primo momento, provocate dal terrorismo neofascista e successivamente da gruppi di estrema sinistra che scelgono la lotta armata, facendo numerose vittime. Nel corso degli anni Ottanta, i terrorismi e la violenza politica diffusa sono progressivamente sconfitti dalla reazione delle istituzioni democratiche e da diverse forme di mobilitazione della società civile. Parallelamente, tuttavia, già alla fine degli anni Settanta, il Sud del paese deve affrontare l’emergenza mafiosa. Al di là della diversità tra i due fenomeni e delle realtà territoriali diverse, queste violenze suscitano in seno alla società civile italiana delle forme di resistenza con caratteristiche comuni che si inscrivono all’interno di una tradizione di contestazione ma «senza far ricorso alla violenza». Nell’analisi dei momenti in cui la società italiana ha dovuto affrontare queste offensive di violenza e nella ricostruzione delle modalità con cui la democrazia ha fronteggiato la sfida terroristica e mafiosa, le reazioni della società civile sono state raramente oggetto di studio: intendiamo, con questo numero della rivista, colmare questo vuoto storiografico.This issue of Laboratoire italien aims to analyse the reactions of Italian civil society to terrorist and then mafia violence from 1969 to 1992. These violent episodes were initially caused by far-right terrorism and later by far-left radical groups which followed the path of armed struggle. During the 1980s, terrorism and widespread political violence were progressively defeated by the reaction of democratic institutions and the various forms of mobilization coming from civil society. In the meantime, however, since the late 1970s, the South of the country had to face mafia violence. Despite the two phenomena being different and pertaining to different territories, these expressions of violence provoked similar forms of resistance among Italian civil society. They belonged to a tradition of protest but “didn’t resort to violence”. These moments when Italian society had to face violence and when democracy withstood were often studied but the reactions of civil society have never been analysed in depth: this issue aims at filling this historiographic gap.Ce numéro de Laboratoire italien entend analyser les réactions de la société civile italienne face aux violences terroristes puis mafieuses de 1969 à 1992. Ces violences sont d’abord provoquées par les terroristes d’extrême droite puis par certains groupes d’extrême gauche qui choisissent la lutte armée et mènent de nombreuses actions sanglantes. Au cours des années 1980, les terrorismes et les formes de violence politique diffuses sont peu à peu défaits par la réaction des institutions démocratiques et diverses formes de mobilisation venant de la société civile. Mais parallèlement, dès la fin des années 1970, le sud du pays est aux prises avec la violence mafieuse. Au-delà de la diversité des phénomènes et des différentes réalités territoriales, ces violences ont suscité au sein de la société civile italienne des formes de résistances aux caractéristiques communes, qui s’inscrivent dans une tradition de contestation, mais « sans recourir à la violence ». Dans l’analyse de ces moments où la société italienne a dû faire face à ces offensives violentes et où la démocratie a tenu, les réactions de la société civile n’ont que trop rarement été considérées : c’est à combler ce vide historiographique que ce numéro est consacré

Sans recourir à la violence»: la société italienne face aux terrorismes et aux mafias (1969-1992)

Questo numero di Laboratoire italien intende analizzare le reazioni della societ\ue0 civile italiana di fronte alle violenze terroriste e poi mafiose, dal 1969 al 1992. Queste violenze sono, in un primo momento, provocate dal terrorismo neofascista e successivamente da gruppi di estrema sinistra che scelgono la lotta armata, facendo numerose vittime. Nel corso degli anni Ottanta, i terrorismi e la violenza politica diffusa sono progressivamente sconfitti dalla reazione delle istituzioni democratiche e da diverse forme di mobilitazione della societ\ue0 civile. Parallelamente, tuttavia, gi\ue0 alla fine degli anni Settanta, il Sud del paese deve affrontare l\u2019emergenza mafiosa. Al di l\ue0 della diversit\ue0 tra i due fenomeni e delle realt\ue0 territoriali diverse, queste violenze suscitano in seno alla societ\ue0 civile italiana delle forme di resistenza con caratteristiche comuni che si inscrivono all\u2019interno di una tradizione di contestazione ma \uabsenza far ricorso alla violenza\ubb. Nell\u2019analisi dei momenti in cui la societ\ue0 italiana ha dovuto affrontare queste offensive di violenza e nella ricostruzione delle modalit\ue0 con cui la democrazia ha fronteggiato la sfida terroristica e mafiosa, le reazioni della societ\ue0 civile sono state raramente oggetto di studio: intendiamo, con questo numero della rivista, colmare questo vuoto storiografico.This issue of Laboratoire italien aims to analyse the reactions of Italian civil society to terrorist and then mafia violence from 1969 to 1992. These violent episodes were initially caused by far-right terrorism and later by far-left radical groups which followed the path of armed struggle. During the 1980s, terrorism and widespread political violence were progressively defeated by the reaction of democratic institutions and the various forms of mobilization coming from civil society. In the meantime, however, since the late 1970s, the South of the country had to face mafia violence. Despite the two phenomena being different and pertaining to different territories, these expressions of violence provoked similar forms of resistance among Italian civil society. They belonged to a tradition of protest but \u201cdidn\u2019t resort to violence\u201d. These moments when Italian society had to face violence and when democracy withstood were often studied but the reactions of civil society have never been analysed in depth: this issue aims at filling this historiographic gap.Ce num\ue9ro de Laboratoire italien entend analyser les r\ue9actions de la soci\ue9t\ue9 civile italienne face aux violences terroristes puis mafieuses de 1969 \ue0 1992. Ces violences sont d\u2019abord provoqu\ue9es par les terroristes d\u2019extr\ueame droite puis par certains groupes d\u2019extr\ueame gauche qui choisissent la lutte arm\ue9e et m\ue8nent de nombreuses actions sanglantes. Au cours des ann\ue9es 1980, les terrorismes et les formes de violence politique diffuses sont peu \ue0 peu d\ue9faits par la r\ue9action des institutions d\ue9mocratiques et diverses formes de mobilisation venant de la soci\ue9t\ue9 civile. Mais parall\ue8lement, d\ue8s la fin des ann\ue9es 1970, le sud du pays est aux prises avec la violence mafieuse. Au-del\ue0 de la diversit\ue9 des ph\ue9nom\ue8nes et des diff\ue9rentes r\ue9alit\ue9s territoriales, ces violences ont suscit\ue9 au sein de la soci\ue9t\ue9 civile italienne des formes de r\ue9sistances aux caract\ue9ristiques communes, qui s\u2019inscrivent dans une tradition de contestation, mais \uab sans recourir \ue0 la violence \ubb. Dans l\u2019analyse de ces moments o\uf9 la soci\ue9t\ue9 italienne a d\ufb faire face \ue0 ces offensives violentes et o\uf9 la d\ue9mocratie a tenu, les r\ue9actions de la soci\ue9t\ue9 civile n\u2019ont que trop rarement \ue9t\ue9 consid\ue9r\ue9es : c\u2019est \ue0 combler ce vide historiographique que ce num\ue9ro est consacr\ue9