Adattabilità antropica ed evoluzione dei sistemi fluviali nell’area del delta padano meridionale tra la tarda Età romana e l’inizio del Medioevo

Nonostante numerose siano le ricerche sulla ricostruzione dell’evoluzione paleogeografica del Delta del Po, i quesiti aperti restano ancora molti; non è infatti semplice collocare topograficamente i pochi dati noti dalle fonti antiche, mentre le trasformazioni avvenute in epoca medievale e moderna hanno spesso obliterato le tracce fluviali più antiche. Partendo da una disamina delle ipotesi paleogeografiche ricostruttive finora avanzate e delle conoscenze archeologiche note per l’area del delta meridionale, si è cercato di contestualizzare i nuovi dati geoarcheologici recentemente raccolti nell’area a nord di Ravenna. Attraverso l’interpretazione delle varie facies deposizionali riconoscibili all’interno del carotaggio PCR02 (svolto nei pressi del sito archeologico di Butrium), è stato possibile non solo ricostruire l’evoluzione del paesaggio a scala locale, ma anche ipotizzare cambiamenti a più ampio respiro. Ciò è stato possibile tramite analisi XRF mirati su campioni rappresentativi delle principali facies per determinare la provenienza dei sedimenti e datazione tramite 14C del cambiamento da ambiente lagunare a paludoso, riconosciuto nel carotaggio. Contestualizzando questi nuovi dati con le informazioni desunte da fonti scritte e letterarie e i dati geologici e archeologici pregressi, è stato ipotizzato un avanzamento della linea di costa entro il II/III secolo d.C., probabilmente a causa della possibile attivazione di un ramo del Po, passante non molto lontano da Ravenna, che però solo future indagini potrebbero eventualmente permettere di mappare.Human adaptability and river network evolution in the southern Po delta between the Roman period and the beginning of the Middle Ages. Despite several studies have already focused on the palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Po Delta, many questions remain unanswered. Indeed it is not easy to locate on the ground the few data known from ancient sources, while medieval and modern alluvial transformations hide previous landforms and fluvial traces. Starting from a reanalysis of existing palaeogeographical reconstructions and known archaeological data from the southern Delta, it was possible to frame the new geoarchaeological data collected north of Ravenna. Interpreting the different geological layers identified in coring PCR02, carried out near the archaeological site of Butrium, it was possible to reconstruct landscape changes at the local level and hypothesize ones occurred at a broader scale. Especially for the latter, this was possible thanks to XFR analysis on targeted samples and 14C dating of the change from lagoonal to marshy environment recognized in the core. Contextualizing these data with historical, archaeological and geological knowledge, it was possible to suggest a phase of coastline progradation that must have happened within the 2nd or 3rd century AD. This change may be linked to a new southern branch of the Po river, possibly flowing not so far from Ravenna, but that only future investigation may be able to map

Lettura di un territorio sepolto. La pianura lughese in età romana

International audienceLa pianura lughese si caratterizza oggi per un disegno estremamente regolare, comunemente fatto risalire alla persistenza della centuriazione romana.La presenza di diversi metri di depositi alluvionali che sigillano gli antichi livelli di frequentazione umana e le tracce di significative variazioni della rete idrografica suggeriscono però un quadro decisamente meno statico. Di qui l’idea di una rilettura puntuale del territorio, facendo ricorso, oltre alle metodologie tradizionali della Topografia Antica e della Geomorfologia, anche a un’estensiva indagine sul primo sottosuolo attraverso sondaggi meccanici e manuali, in base a canoni stratigrafici di tipo geologico.Ciò ha permesso di acquisire nuovi elementi sull’evoluzione di questa pianura nelle ultime migliaia di anni e, in particolare, di interpretare l’attuale disegno della campagna in chiave diacronica, in rapporto alle diverse fasi del popolamento e alle modifiche dell’assetto idrografico/ambientale

Adattabilità antropica ed evoluzione dei sistemi fluviali nell’area del delta padano meridionale tra la tarda Età romana e l’inizio del Medioevo

Despite several studies have already focused on the palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Po Delta, many questions remain unanswered. Indeed it is not easy to locate on the ground the few data known from ancient sources, while medieval and modern alluvial transformations hide previous landforms and fluvial traces. Starting from a reanalysis of existing palaeogeographical reconstructions and known archaeological data from the southern Delta, it was possible to frame the new geoarchaeological data collected north of Ravenna. Interpreting the different geological layers identified in coring PCR02, carried out near the archaeological site of Butrium, it was possible to reconstruct landscape changes at the local level and hypothesize ones occurred at a broader scale. Especially for the latter, this was possible thanks to XFR analysis on targeted samples and 14C dating of the change from lagoonal to marshy environment recognized in the core. Contextualizing these data with historical, archaeological and geological knowledge, it was possible to suggest a phase of coastline progradation that must have happened within the 2nd or 3rd century AD. This change may be linked to a new southern branch of the Po river, possibly flowing not so far from Ravenna, but that only future investigation may be able to ma

Adattabilità antropica ed evoluzione dei sistemi fluviali nell’area del delta padano meridionale tra la tarda Età romana e l’inizio del Medioevo

Despite several studies have already focused on the palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Po Delta, many questions remain unanswered. Indeed it is not easy to locate on the ground the few data known from ancient sources, while medieval and modern alluvial transformations hide previous landforms and fluvial traces. Starting from a reanalysis of existing palaeogeographical reconstructions and known archaeological data from the southern Delta, it was possible to frame the new geoarchaeological data collected north of Ravenna. Interpreting the different geological layers identified in coring PCR02, carried out near the archaeological site of Butrium, it was possible to reconstruct landscape changes at the local level and hypothesize ones occurred at a broader scale. Especially for the latter, this was possible thanks to XFR analysis on targeted samples and 14C dating of the change from lagoonal to marshy environment recognized in the core. Contextualizing these data with historical, archaeological and geological knowledge, it was possible to suggest a phase of coastline progradation that must have happened within the 2nd or 3rd century AD. This change may be linked to a new southern branch of the Po river, possibly flowing not so far from Ravenna, but that only future investigation may be able to ma

Evoluzione speleogenetica del sistema carsico del Re Tiberio (Vena del Gesso Romagnola)

Se l\u2019esplorazione dei fenomeni carsici profondi di Monte Tondo (Vena del Gesso Romagnola) pu\uf2 dirsi praticamente conclusa, poco invece \ue8 stato fatto per definirne globalmente l\u2019evoluzione speleogenetica nel tempo. La presenza di alcuni livelli suborizzontali ben sviluppati, non solo all\u2019interno della Grotta del Re Tiberio, ma anche in molte altre cavit\ue0 facenti parte dello stesso sistema, ha permesso, per la prima volta, di tentare la correlazione di questi livelli con i terrazzi fluviali della valle del Senio (corrispondenti ai livelli di base carsici del periodo) e quindi di definire a grandi linee l\u2019evoluzione temporale di questo carsico, che, se si tralasciano i piccoli e rari fenomeni intramessiniani, \ue8 di gran lunga con i suoi oltre 150.000 anni, la pi\uf9 antica cavit\ue0 nei gessi dell\u2019Emilia Romagna. Lo studio ha permesso anche di evidenziare come, nelle grotte in gesso, la velocit\ue0 di adattamento delle forme carsiche ipogee alle variazioni climatiche esterne sia molto rapido e in particolare le gallerie antigravitative si possano correlare con i periodi di aggradazione dei terrazzi nel periodo immediatamente successivo ad una fase fredda, di cui quindi possono essere considerati degli indicatori

Rhus coriaria L. Fruit Extract Prevents UV-A-Induced Genotoxicity and Oxidative Injury in Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) is a small plant widely diffused in the Mediterranean region. Its fruit are often consumed as a spice but are also present in traditional medicine of several countries. Recently, interest in this plant has increased and many scientific works reported its beneficial effects including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Plant extracts can be successfully used against ultraviolet rays, which are able to reach and damage the human skin; however, sumac extracts were never applied to this usage. Thus, in this study, we used a macerated ethanol extract of Rhus coriaria L. dried fruit (mERC) to demonstrate its preventive role against the damage induced by ultraviolet-A rays (UV-A) on microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). In vitro effects of the extract pre-treatment and UV-A exposure were evaluated in detail. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and cellular antioxidant activity measurement. Genoprotective effects of mERC were investigated as well. Our findings indicate that the extract acts as a cell cycle inhibitor or apoptosis inducer, according to the level of damage. The present work provides new insights into the usage of Rhus coriaria extracts against skin injuries

THE FRONTE CANDIDATE SECTION FOR THE UPPER PLEISTOCENE GSSP: A SHORT REPORT

ABSTRACT: We report new data regarding the environmental history of the Taranto Area since MIS 11, which possibly led to the peculiar sediment preservation characterizing the Fronte Section. This section is a very promising candidate for the Upper Pleistocene GSSP. Some preliminary results achieved after the multiple core drilling at the Fronte locality (Taranto, Italy) are reported as well

A new Late-glacial site with Picea abies in the northern Apennine foothills an exception to the model of glacial refugia of trees

We describe a new palaeobotanical site at Bubano quarry on the easternmost Po plain, northern Italy. Pollen and macrofossils from river and marsh sediments demonstrate the occurrence of Picea in a Pinus sylvestris forest growing in a radius of some tens of kilometres south of the sedimentation place, at the beginning of the Late-glacial interstadial. The Late-glacial and Holocene history of Picea in the northern Apennines is reconstructed on the basis of the palaeobotanical record. The sharp climatic continentality increase eastwards across the northern Apennines from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic coast is considered significant for the survival of Picea during the Late-glacial. The most critical phase of survival is related to the moisture changes and consequent Abies competition associated with the last glacial-interglacial transition and the early Holocene. The residual spruce populations expanded during the middle Holocene. The history of Picea in the northern Apennines is a case of ineffective interglacial spread of tree populations from pre-existing stands of LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) and Late-glacial age

The Search for a Stratotype Section for the Late Pleistocene: Progress from the Fronte Section (Taranto Area, Italy)STRATI 2013

We present the results of detailed litho-, bio-, and magnetostratigraphic investigations along the Fronte section (Taranto, Italy), where the facies distribution is interpreted using a combined palaeoecological and sequence-stratigraphic approach. The data obtained so far suggest a continuous sedimentary record at the Fronte site, where the MIS 5e peak and subsequent highstand are documented, thus providing robust evidence for the Last Interglacial sedimentary interval