Mapping data granularity: the case of FADN

The present analysis looks into the issue of mapping information contained in the FAdn database aimed at finding a methodology useful as a preliminary analysis to data extraction. To the purpose the concept of data granularity has been introduced. The method has been used to perform a farm-based analysis, revealing a wide heterogeneity of factors and levels that show the existence of specific data ‘patches’. The work proved to be able to increase awareness regarding effective data availability as a preliminary analysis to queries performed on relational data-bases which are not designed from a systems basis, and that can be considered valid for any survey-supplied data

Introduzione alla Fisica del Terreno

Dispense di Fisica del Terreno per i primi anni di universit

Introduzione alla Fisica Ambientale

L'introduzione alla Fisica Ambientale è scritta per studenti dei primi anni di università, scritto allo scopo di dare una linea di studio dei concetti chiave e cercando di stimolare approfondimenti. Si affrontano a livello elementare i concetti di base della fisica dell'atmosfera, meteorologia e climatologia, idrologia e fisica del suolo, privilegiando la descrizione dei processi che caratterizzano gli ambienti terrestri. Il testo inizia col descrivere gli aspetti strutturali dell'ambiente, diviso nei suoi elementi classici sole, aria, acqua e terra; nella seconda parte si affrontano gli aspetti dinamici e quindi i flussi all'interno e tra i vari comparti, assieme al fenomeno del trasporto; nella terza parte sono invece introdotti i concetti di base relativi alle principali trasformazioni fisiche e chimiche associate alle interazioni tra energia e materia; infine nella quarta parte si affrontano i processi associati agli organismi viventi, per concludere con una introduzione alla climatologia

Introduzione alla Fisica Ambientale

L'introduzione alla Fisica Ambientale è scritta per studenti dei primi anni di università, scritto allo scopo di dare una linea di studio dei concetti chiave e cercando di stimolare approfondimenti. Si affrontano a livello elementare i concetti di base della fisica dell'atmosfera, meteorologia e climatologia, idrologia e fisica del suolo, privilegiando la descrizione dei processi che caratterizzano gli ambienti terrestri. Il testo inizia col descrivere gli aspetti strutturali dell'ambiente, diviso nei suoi elementi classici sole, aria, acqua e terra; nella seconda parte si affrontano gli aspetti dinamici e quindi i flussi all'interno e tra i vari comparti, assieme al fenomeno del trasporto; nella terza parte sono invece introdotti i concetti di base relativi alle principali trasformazioni fisiche e chimiche associate alle interazioni tra energia e materia; infine nella quarta parte si affrontano i processi associati agli organismi viventi, per concludere con una introduzione alla climatologia

Use of dominance analysis in selecting the best cropping technique based on long term agronomic experiments

Yield averages and variability from three long-term agronomic experiments (LTAEs) have been used in a preference scheme for cropping system options by means of a dominance approach. Preference maps are obtained and include both parametric and stochastic dominance based on yield level and risk for wheat and maize crops grown in the Mediterranean area. Dominance method could add to classic ANOVA the direction of the effect of a treatment and a comparative approach. It allowed comparing technical options and practices on the basis of treatments explored in 3 still running LTAEs: rotation, tillage, mineral fertilisation level and organic amendment

Topography modelling and simulation of soil erosion by water, in a small agro-forestry basin

To simulate the impacts of agricultural activities on diffuse pollution at the basin scale, it is important to use adequate topographic data and understand its hydrological behaviour. In this study, the FlowNet Generator module, component of the AnnAGNPS (Annualized Agriculture Nonpoint Source) model, was used to evaluate the influence of the vertical resolution of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) on the topographic and hydrological configuration, and on runoff-erosion process, of a small agro-forestry basin (190 ha) located in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova. A georeferenced survey of the basin’s stable surface drainage network was carried out, and the results were compared with output network simulated by FlowNet Generator module for two DEMs with vertical resolutions of 1 m and 5 m. It was observed that the DEMs with a vertical resolution of 5m did not lead to satisfactory results, given that the simulated natural drainage network was significantly different from the one observed in the field. On the other hand, the natural drainage network generated with the 1m resolution DEM was very close to the observed network. The influence of the different topographic configuration of the basin in the simulation of soil erosion by water, using the RUSLE model, resulted in a significant difference considering the values of 5.85 and 4.17 ton/ha.year, respectively for the DEM with 1 m and 5 m vertical resolution

Crop Management with the IoT: an Interdisciplinary Survey

In this study we analyze how crop management is going to benefit from the Internet of Things providing an overview of its architecture and components from an agronomic and a technological perspective. The present analysis highlights that IoT is a mature enabling technology, with articulated hardware and software components. Cheap networked devices may sense crop fields at a finer grain, to give timeliness warnings on stress conditions and the presence of disease to a wider range of farmers. Cloud computing allows to reliably store and access heterogeneous data, developing and deploy farm services. From this study emerges that IoT is also going to increase attention to sensor quality and placement protocol, while Machine Learning should be oriented to produce understandable knowledge, which is also useful to enhance Cropping System Simulation systems