Empirical assessment of adaptation to climate change impacts of mountain households: development and application of an Adaptation Capability Index

The present study proposes an index to assess the potential for adaptation to climate change for households in the mountainous regions. The index provides a realistic approach to recognize social and natural factors which contribute to successful adaptation and addresses several household functions, such as social networking, livelihood strategy, adjustment strategies, resource availability and accessibility. The proposed Adaptation Capability Index (ACI) is analytically defined, mathematically formulated and field tested on mountainous households in urban and semi-urban regions of the Uttarakhand Himalaya in India. To gather data on the topic relevant to the ACI, a household scale questionnaire was developed and administered to 120 heads of households through face-to-face interviews. The results highlight higher adaptive capability of urban households and low adaptation capacity of rural households due to poor farm productivity, low accessibility and availability of resources and technological input. Future programs and policies must include and implement regulations to remedy attributive factors responsible for higher adaptation. This paper may be applicable to other mountainous regions and may provide insights for effective adaptation strategies to climate change.     

Studio macrosismico del terremoto del Cansiglio (Friuli) del 18 Ottobre 1936

Riassunto È un terremoto già studiato su dati sismografici daP. Caloi che ha ottenuto una profondità ipocentrale di 18 Km. in disaccordo con i 37–51 calcolati con analoghi metodi per altri terremoti precedenti pure del Veneto. L'A. ha rideterminato la profondità ip. per il terremoto in questione con procedimento macrosismico, deducendo soltanto 4–5 Km. D'altra parte riesaminando i metodi delCaloi si è convinto che i suoi 18 Km. sono quanto mai incerti ed anche in forte contrasto col valore ottenuto pure microsismograficamente dalloSchmerwitz di 43 Km. Al riguardo l'A. ricorda e discute altre notevoli contraddizioni che intervengono in importanti questioni sismologiche.

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Summary The above mentioned earthquake was already investigated byP. Caloi only by seismographic data obtaining a depth of 18 Km., while others shocks in the same zone, investigated with similar methods, should have been originated in depths of 37–51 Km. Therefore, the A. has undertake a new determination using a macroseismic method and became a value of only 4–5 Km. The discrepance is particularly great on account of the value of 43 Km. obtained bySchmerwitz also with microseismic methods. The unreliability of similar results for the solution of some important seismologic problem is analised.

     

Sulle correnti di marea nello stretto di messina

Riassunto Riferendosi ad un recente studio di A. Defant pubblicato su questa Rivista, l'A. svolge alcune osservazioni sui contributi precedentemente apportati nell'indagine dei processi relativi alle correnti di marea nello Stretto di Messina.

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Zusammenfassung Bezugnehmend auf eine Arbeit von A. Defant, der Verf. macht einige Bemerkungen über die früheren Beiträge zur Erklärung der Erscheinungen der Gezeitenströmungen in der Strasse von Messina.

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Résumé En rapport avec une étude précédente de M. A. Defant, l'Auteur fait quelques remarques à propos des recherches antérieures sur les courants de marée dans le détroit de Messine.

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La presente Nota venne inviata come «Lettera al Direttore».     

Evaluation of ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters during a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

In this project we investigated the ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters in a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius). In the Mediterranean environment, top predators, such as swordfish, accumulate high concentrations of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and toxic metals, potentially incurring high toxicological risk. The effects of organochlorines and trace elements (Hg, Cd and Pb) in 192 swordfish specimens, caught in the Strait of Messina, Sicily, Italy, were investigated using vitellogenin (Vtg), zona radiata proteins (Zrp) and CYP1A (BPMO, EROD) activities. Vtg and Zrp were found to be dramatically induced in some adult male specimens, suggesting that this species is highly exposed to estrogens in the Mediterranean Sea. A role of organochlorines in this induction phenomenon is suggested by the statistically significant correlations between Zrp in plasma and PCB concentrations in muscle (p<0.032) and Vtg in plasma and PCB concentrations in liver (p<0.034) of male specimens. Levels of trace elements in liver were in the following ranges: Hg 1-22, Cd 1-28 and Pb 0-1.6 ppm d.w. These data indicate potential reproductive alterations in large pelagic fish and suggest the need for continuous monitoring to avoid reductions in the population of this fish species of high commercial and ecological interest.