Advances in the systematics of the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, Linyphiidae)

With 128 described species and five subspecies, the spider genus Troglohyphantes (Araneae, Linyphiidae) is a remarkable example of species diversification in the subterranean environment. In this paper, we conducted a systematic revision of the Troglohyphantes species of the Italian Alps, with a special focus on the Lucifuga complex, including the description of two new species (T. lucifer sp. nov. and T. apenninicus n. sp.). In addition, we provided new diagnostic drawings of the holotype of T. henroti (Henroti complex) and established three new synonymies within the genus. The molecular analysis of the animal DNA barcode confirms the validity of this method of identification of the Alpine Troglohyphantes and provides additional support for the morphology based species complexes. Finally, we revised the known distribution range of additional Troglohyphantes species, as well as other poorly known alpine cave-dwelling spiders

Focusing on the role of abiotic and biotic drivers on cross-taxon congruence

Diversity patterns can show congruence across taxonomic groups. Consistent diversity patterns allow the identification of indicator surrogates potentially representative of unobserved taxa or the broader biodiversity patterns. However, the effective use of biodiversity surrogates depends on underlying mechanisms driving the strength of the relationship among taxonomic groups. Here, we explored congruence patterns in community composition among taxa occupying different trophic levels, accounting for abiotic and biotic factors: vascular plants and six groups of ground-dwelling arthropods (pseudoscorpions, spiders, darkling beetles, rove beetles, ground beetles and ants) were chosen as potential indicator surrogates. We evaluated the cross-taxon relationships using Mantel test; subsequently, we investigated if these relationships could partially depend on abiotic drivers, using partial Mantel tests; then, we evaluated the partial contributions of abiotic and biotic drivers in explaining these relationships through a series of variation partitioning analyses. Our results showed that a consistent cross-taxon congruence pattern was evident across almost all group pairs: pseudoscorpions, spiders, ground beetles and vascular plants showed the largest number of significant correlations with other taxa. Environmental gradients resulted as drivers of cross-taxon congruence, shaping composition patterns. However, they were not the only ones. Biotic drivers account for part of cross-taxon congruence among vascular plants and arthropod predators (i.e., pseudoscorpions and spiders, but also ground beetles), as well as among taxa at high trophic levels. Almost all strictly predatory taxa, known as biological control agents, emerged as the best predictors of plant community composition even when the role of environmental factors was considered. Spiders/ants and spiders/ground beetles showed close relationships and congruent composition patterns, irrespective of environmental parameters. Relationships among taxa might be driven by several complex biotic interactions (e.g., non-trophic and trophic interactions, direct and indirect interactions). Bottom-up and top-down forces, consumptive and non-consumptive interactions may play a role in influencing the community composition of taxa and driving the observed relationships. Future studies should broaden knowledge about the role of these forces and interactions in determining the congruence across taxa. The multi-trophic perspective in cross-taxon studies can be promising for identifying biodiversity surrogates and their application in conservation planning

Cross-taxon congruence between predatory arthropods and plants across Mediterranean agricultural landscapes

Although arthropods are among the most diverse, abundant and ecologically important animals in terrestrial ecosystems, they are generally neglected in most biodiversity inventories due to their complex systematics and overwhelming diversity, coupled with the current decline in the number of taxonomists. For this reason, several surrogate groups for arthropod diversity have been proposed, with plants being identified as a good putative cross-taxon indicator. By sampling plants and three groups of ground-dwelling arthropods (rove beetles, ground beetles and spiders) in 300 sites across 15 landscapes including multiple semi-natural and agricultural habitats, we tested for habitat-dependence and scale-dependence in the cross-taxon congruence. Plant species richness was a poor predictor of the species richness of predatory arthropods. Among the predator groups, ground beetles appeared as the best potential surrogate for the other ground-dwelling predators. This is backed by the fact that ground beetles were extremely diverse and abundant in all habitats and are usually easier to identify than both rove beetles and spiders. Decreasing the scale at which the cross-taxon congruence was tested improved the strength of the cross-taxon congruence. Although plant species richness was not a suitable indicator for the diversity of predatory arthropods, vegetation structure played a significant role in influencing cross-taxon congruence in both natural and agricultural habitats. Our results highlight the need to explore the cross-taxon relationships at a fine habitat resolution scale, as strong correlations were obtained only by taking into account habitat identity

Emissions from mechanically-biologically treated waste landfills at field scale

Modern waste management tends towards greater sustainability in landfilling, with the implementation of strategies such as the pretreatment of solid waste. This work assesses the behaviour of rejects from a refining stage of mechanically-biologically treated municipal solid waste at the landfill. The main results of 18 months' monitoring of an experimental pilot cell with waste from a full-scale plant are presented. This first stages are expected to be the most problematic period for this type of waste. The evolution of the temperature and the composition of leachate and gas at various points within the cell are included. During the first weeks, pollutant concentrations in the leachate exceeded the reference ranges in the literature, coinciding with a rapid onset of methanogenic conditions. However, there was a quick wash, reducing concentrations to below one third of the initial values before the first year. pH values influenced concentrations of some pollutants such as copper. These results indicate that, right from the beginning of disposal, such facilities should be prepared to treat a high pollution load in the leachate and install the gas emissions control elements due to the rapid onset of methanogenesis.This work is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness through the CTM2012-35055 project. The project is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund, FEDER (operational period 2007-2013). The authors wish to thank the Government of Cantabria, through the public company MARE, and TirCantabria, the landfill operator company, for their collaboration

Comparative LCA of concrete with recycled aggregates: a circular economy mindset in Europe

[EN] Purpose Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) is the largest waste stream in the European Union (EU) and all over the world. Proper management of C&DW and recycled materials¿including the correct handling of hazardous waste¿can have major benefits in terms of sustainability and the quality of life. The Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC aims to have 70% of C&DW recycled by 2020. However, except for a few EU countries, only about 50% of C&DW is currently being recycled. In the present research, the environmental impact of concrete with recycled aggregates and with geopolymer mixtures is analysed. The aim of the present research is to propose a comparative LCA of concrete with recycled aggregates in the context of European politics. Methods Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is applied using Simapro© software. A cradle to grave analysis is carried out. The results are analysed based on the database Ecoinvent 3.3 and Impact 2002+. Results Results show that the concrete with 25% recycled aggregates is the best solution from an environmental point of view. Furthermore, geopolymer mixtures could be a valid alternative to reduce the phenomenon of ¿global warming¿; however, the production of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide has a great environmental impact. Conclusions A possible future implementation of the present study is certainly to carry out an overall assessment and to determine the most cost-effective option among the different competing alternatives through the life cycle cost analysis.Colangelo, F.; Gómez-Navarro, T.; Farina, I.; Petrillo, A. (2020). Comparative LCA of concrete with recycled aggregates: a circular economy mindset in Europe. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 25(9):1790-1804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01798-6S17901804259Akhtar A, Sarmah (2018) Construction and demolition waste generation and properties of recycled aggregate concrete: a global perspective. 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