Past and recent studies show that increased loads of nutrients and heavy metals, the discharge of xenobiotic compounds (i.e., pesticides, endocrine disrupters) and the alteration of river flow regimes and sediment discharges are primarily due to land-based activities located throughout river catchments. The external forcing of the continuum catchment-coast by its biophysical properties and its socio-economic drivers vary across Europe because of differences in geography as well as in economic conditions. Hence, the costs of abatement, their temporal delays in impact and spatial distribution will differ at the European scale. The Po catchment, covering an area of approximately 71000 km²- corresponding to 24% of the total Italian territory - is the most urbanised and productive area of Italy, representing therefore the most important basin in the country. Due to the high levels of urbanisation, industrial, agriculture and livestock activities, the area is characterised by significant anthropic pressures that are responsible for water quality impairment. Water quality decline is evident not only along the river, but also in the Adriatic Sea, with the phenomenon of eutrophication affecting all the Northwestern coast. Therefore the development and operation of optimal environmental protection and strategies to reduce or/and control the load of a harmful substance have to be on the same spatial scale. Integrated catchment analysis and management strategies is needed in order to support the implementation of European environmental policies. The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary results obtained for the Po catchment-Adriatic Sea continuum in the framework of the EUROCAT project.
The DPSIR Framework for the Po Catchment-Adriatic Sea Continuum: Preliminary Results
Pirrone N;Cinnirella S;
2003
Abstract
Past and recent studies show that increased loads of nutrients and heavy metals, the discharge of xenobiotic compounds (i.e., pesticides, endocrine disrupters) and the alteration of river flow regimes and sediment discharges are primarily due to land-based activities located throughout river catchments. The external forcing of the continuum catchment-coast by its biophysical properties and its socio-economic drivers vary across Europe because of differences in geography as well as in economic conditions. Hence, the costs of abatement, their temporal delays in impact and spatial distribution will differ at the European scale. The Po catchment, covering an area of approximately 71000 km²- corresponding to 24% of the total Italian territory - is the most urbanised and productive area of Italy, representing therefore the most important basin in the country. Due to the high levels of urbanisation, industrial, agriculture and livestock activities, the area is characterised by significant anthropic pressures that are responsible for water quality impairment. Water quality decline is evident not only along the river, but also in the Adriatic Sea, with the phenomenon of eutrophication affecting all the Northwestern coast. Therefore the development and operation of optimal environmental protection and strategies to reduce or/and control the load of a harmful substance have to be on the same spatial scale. Integrated catchment analysis and management strategies is needed in order to support the implementation of European environmental policies. The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary results obtained for the Po catchment-Adriatic Sea continuum in the framework of the EUROCAT project.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
