The task of the Authority in the food sector need to implement programmed adaptation actions to be taken to face thepossible adverse impacts of climate change through strategies based on community involvement. In addition, it isincreasingly necessary a way of action that could be called at regional level for the emerging need to create and promoteadaptation strategies able to overcome any local conflicts and to promote the adaptive capacity of the food sector as a whole.In this direction, and on the basis of the needs expressed by the Apulian Region, the CNR - Institute of Water Research andSYSMAN Projects & Services Srl have created a system of e-government for the food sector able to represent complexinformation arising from environmental variables in the form of synthetic indexes in order to promote a better understandingof the trends and changes in climate aspects facilitating the activities of PA . The system, tried by the dall'AssessoratoRegionale alle Risorse Agroalimentari e dall'Associazione regionale Consorzi di Difesa Puglia (ASSOCODIPUGLIA)concerning action to battle the spread of the Complesso del disseccamento rapido dell'Olivo (CoDiRO) caused by Xylellafastidiosa, has led to significant advantages: the greater sharing and usability of data (meteorological, agricultural, planthealth, land use, etc.), to the management of an operational workflow can enhance cooperation between institutions andstakeholders.

With the Counei! Direetive 91/676/EEC of 12 Deeember1991 coneerning the proteetion of waters against pollution eaused by nitrates from agrieultural sourees, the European Community has adopted measures to ensure that Member States have predisposed aetions for the proteetion of water qua/ity. Italy has comp/ied with the European direetive promulgating a legislative deeree (D.Lgs) n.152 in 1999 "Pravisions on the proteetion of waters against pollution and transposition of Direetive 91/271/EEC eoneerning the treatment urban wastewater and Direetive 91/676/EEC eoneerning the proteetion of waters against pollution eaused by nitrates fram agricultural sources". Subsequently, this deeree has been repealed and replaeed by D.Lgs.3 Aprii 2006, n.152. Apulia Region worked following the European and national direetions and has identified Vulnerable Zones to Nitrates (NVZ) from agricultural sourees (D.G.R.n.2036/2005). In 2011, it has been called to revise this areas designation and update it with the results of the monitoring aetivities condueted during the last four years (2008-2011) on the regional territory. In this work we propose the applieation of an integrated monitoring system of water resourees in Apulia land aimed to overhaul regional vulnerable areas to nitrates pollution (NVZ), caused by agricultural sources. Furthermore, the aetivities of identification and designation of the NVZ have allowed to identify suitable aetions aimed to optimize monitoring system of surfaee water and groundwater, and also to mitigate the pollution phenomenon by the reduction of nitrogen use in agriculture

Rapid, precise and quantitative assessment of soil quality is crucial for sustainable evaluation andmonitoring of the effects of management on soil resource under agricultural systems and for thecharacterization and monitoring of land degradation processes. Over the past three decades, Visible (VIS)and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have been shown to be an effective alternative to conventionallaboratory analysis, and can provide time and cost effective approaches for the prediction of several soilproperties related to soil quality indicators. For this study, VIS-NIR spectroscopic and chemometricanalysis were employed for the assessment of soil quality indicators in three degraded areas (two surveysites depleted in organic carbon and one polluted by organic and inorganic compounds) located inSouthern Italy (Apulia Region). The soil reflectance properties in the wavelengths range between350-2500 nm were measured in three experimental sites(fields) selected for the project, before and after arecovery treatment by using compost (organic fertilizer). The objectives was to evaluate the efficiency ofsoil VIS-NIR spectra for prediction of selected soil indicators closely related to soil quality inMediterranean areas, such as those investigated in this study, affected by land degradation processes(contamination and/or organic carbon impoverishment).

Many studies demonstrate the impact of the temperature increase on cardiovascular diseases, highlighting how thisclimatic effect represents an important risk for human health."Internet Platform fOr Characterizing the PathologyResearch Atmospheric Technology in health Environment-IPPOCRATE" is an innovative alert system whose purposeis to assess climate risk through the use of an integrated system based on the use of data from meteorological stations inPuglia regional councillorship to the agrifood resources of associations of defence of Apuli a(ASSOCODIPUGLIA) andto dispatch the computed informations to the interested population, suggesting prevention and mitigation actions. Ehealthsystem IPPOCRATE uses mobile technologies and cloud to acquire and share information about different datachannels:"WeHeart", a collection of wearable devices used to monitor health and environment in which people live;Smart Application, the mobile application; Easy Box, a VoIP telephone device. These channels enable the systemIPPOCRATE to reach a large part of the population, including the elderly. IPPOCRATE is the first e-Health systemfocused on prevention of climatic risks.

Hydro-geological instability is an important problem for Italy due to damage to private properties and publicinfrastructure and to the considerable loss of life. Therefore it is important that a culture of prevention and predictionarises, based on identification of risk conditions and adoption of measures aimed to minimize environmental impacts. Itis not easy to define precursors and thresholds: this is the goal of project "Smart Multichannel Open Standard DataSystem Platform to Natural Risk Assessment-MODS". MODS is an innovative vigil and pre-alert system for hydrogeologicalwarning; applied for the first time in Apulia, it collects data from weather stations, processing them in orderto elaborate maps of territorial rain distribution. MODS is able to manage a huge quantity of data using a spatialdatawarehouse and the subsystem of Recording Weather Alert and Relevant Events - ReWARE. The application ofMODS allows continuous monitoring of the 94% of the Apulia region.

Nowadays due to the worldwide increase of environmental contaminations, the characterization of polluted sites has become very important. In light of this/As a consequence, the development of new methodologies, able to quickly and cheaply evaluate contamination is an arduous challenge but necessary. The use of geophysical techniques combined with the direct measurement techniques (such as groundwater and soil analysis) can be useful adopted as an integrated approach for a rapid pollution detection and assessment. In this work, a PCB historically contaminated area located close to Taranto city (Southern Italy) was investigated by chemical pollutant analyses and geophysical surveys in order to characterize and evaluate the pollution, which is occurring since years. Particularly, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) profiles were carried out close to the soil sampling points to image electrical structures in the upper part of the soil, severely contaminated by organic pollutants. The obtained results evidenced that geophysical surveys can efficiently support soil contamination assessment in an area of Southern Italy severally affected by high recalcitrant organic contaminants (PCB).

Information describing the hydrological regime is likely to play a major role in the implementation of the WFD across the EU. In fact, the flow regime is one of the drivers of the ecological status of a stream. The analysis of the hydrological regime is particularly important to understand the ecological status in intermittent rivers since the flow varies on spatial and temporal scale depending on precipitation patterns. A method for analysing the flow regime for intermittent rivers is proposed in order to help in the design of the schedule for biological samplings. Climatic data were used as a guide to hydrological regime and an analysis of daily flow data was done to define low flow and dry periods, extreme flow conditions and response to rainfall events.

Le scoperte della biologia molecolare negli ultimi 20 anni hanno portato allo sviluppo di nuovi metodi di ri?cerca di microrganismi basati sull'identificazione di sequenze di geni specifici. La diagnosi molecolare si èrivelata, in generale, più sensibile e più specifica rispetto ai metodi di coltura tradizionali richiedendo menotempo per l'identificazione. Il sequenziamento genico dei frammenti amplificati consente, inoltre, di identifi?care i tipi batterici presenti e di eseguire studi epidemiologici molecolari e analisi filogenetiche. L'azione pi?lota svolta sul territorio della regione Puglia è stata finalizzata all'individuazione delle potenziali fonti dicontaminazione di nitrati, distinguendo l'origine da concimi minerali, letame, rifiuti urbani, fanghi di depu?razione, ecc. Utilizzando l'approccio biomolecolare, le indagini sono state condotte su 23 pozzi identificatinella regione sulla base dei risultati del monitoraggio della concentrazione di nitrati condotta nel periodo2008-2014. In tali pozzi, infatti, erano stati registrati superamenti dei limiti normativi (50 mg/L, D.Lgs.n.152/06).

The Celone River Basin (Puglia, Italy) is characterized by a diffuse pollution from agricultural sources. Like most intermittent rivers in the Mediterranean area, this stream is not well monitored; only few water quality data are available. Thus, due to high variability in streamflow and nutrient concentrations, which characterizes this type of rivers, it is difficult to estimate accurately nutrient loads from point and non point sources and consequently anthropogenic activities impact on the river. In this work, a detailed study was carried out on the Celone river to identify the chemical characteristics of the water and to quantify the annual nutrient loads delivered to the downstream reservoir. An automatic sampler and a flow module were set up in a section of the river. Continuous measures of flow were carried out using a different frequency for water sampling when floods occurred and during normal or low flow state. Nutrient concentrations in the water samples were accurately determined in laboratory. Water quality of the river was found to vary considerably along the year in,terms of nutrient concentration. Nitrate and total phosphorus are the main cause of water pollution. Nutrient losses by surface runoff were essentially a winter process. The contribution per hectare of non point sources can be estimate at about 39 kg/ha of total nitrogen and 2.4 kg/ha of total phosphorus. Estimates of loads in terms of TN and TP for the 21-day period of flood were calculated in 55 and 81% of annual loads, respectively. This study clearly demonstrates the importance of flood event contribution to the annual nutrient load.

in this work, a detailed study was carried out on the Celone river to quantify the nutrient loads delivered to the downstream reservoir on seasonal and annual time scale. An automatic sampler and a flow module were set up in a section of the river. Continuous measures of flow were carried out using a different frequency for water sampling when floods occurred and during normal or low flow state. Nutrient concentrations in the water samples were occurately determined in laboratory. Water quality of the river was found to vary considerably along the year in terms of nufrient concentration. Nitrate and total phosphorus are the moin cause of water pollution. Nutrient losses by surface runoff were essentially a winter process. The contribution per hectare of non poini sources can be estimoted at about 39 kg/ha of total nitrogen and 2.4 kg/ha of total phosphorus. Estimates of loads in terms of TN ond TP for the 21-day period of flood were calculated in 55 and 81 % of annual load, respectively.

The assessment of aquifer vulnerability to agricultural nitrates pollution plays a particularly important role for waterresource management and territorial planning. As well know, nitrates are a major cause of pollution affecting surfacewater bodies and groundwater. The European Directive 91/676/EC (groundwaters protection against contaminationcaused by nitrates from agricultural sources), provides a guidance with the actions/measures to be put in place to reducecontamination caused by inadequate management of manure and/or for the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers. In thepresent work, the data obtained from the activities of apulian groundwater monitoring, conducted by the WaterResearch Institute of the Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), in collaboration with the "Associazione deiConsorzi di Difesa della Puglia" (ASSOCODIPUGLIA), were used to achieve, through modeling approach, a timelyassessment of the potential risk of nitrate pollution on regional scale. In particular, the integration of appropriateinvestigative models, such as DRASTIC to assess the vulnerability of aquifers and, the IPNOA index to estimate thehazard ratios caused by contamination due to agricultural activities, is efficient in mapping the potential risk ofcontamination from nitrates.

This work shows the results of a research project "Monitoraggio continuo per le Acque reflue Urbane ed Industriali per l'ecoindustria" (MAUI). Innovative methods for real-time monitoring of urban and industrial wastewater, along with new data management techniques, have been applied to manage the data acquired by a vapour phase e-nose system. The system is based on a semiconductor sensor array, which was used to get real-time monitoring data, tested at labour scale on synthetic solutions for setting it. Actually the system is installed on the wastewater treatment plant of Vimercate (Milan, Italy) for a real time detection and early warning of anomalous influent composition.

Research findings of microbial monitoring at the archaeological site of Monte Sannace have indicated high levels of bacteria, especially on the inner walls of the painted tombs, as tomb no. 8. Tomb no. 105 was rich in organic matter, organic carbon and biological growth was not very high. Research findings have demonstrated that deterioration in each kind of tomb was very different. In no. 8 deterioration was caused by natural agents and, at the same time, by anthropogenic factors: the roof as well as chemical products used for conservation has helped speed microorganism growth. Principal aim of this study was to provide information on the degradation processes and to predict areas at risk in conservation. We also studied potential risk of biological colonisation of newly exposed rock samples. Surveys were performed in three stages: before, during and after restoration.

This study represents the first investigation of microbiological groundwater pollution as a function of aquifer type and season for the Apulia region of southern Italy. Two hundred and seven wells were randomly selected from those monitored by the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection for emergency use. Both compulsory (Escherichia coli, Total Coliform, and Enterococci) and optional (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., Heterotrophic Plate Count at 37 and 22 degrees C) microbiological parameters were assessed regularly at these wells. Groundwater from only 18 of the 207 (8.7 %) wells was potable; these all draw from karst-fissured aquifers. The remaining 189 wells draw from karst-fissured (66.1 %) or porous (33.9 %) aquifers. Of these, 82 (43.4 %) tested negative for Salmonella spp. and P. aeruginosa, while 107 (56.6 %) tested positive for P. aeruginosa (75.7 %), Salmonella spp. (10.3 %), or for both Salmonella spp. and P. aeruginosa (14 %). A logistic regression model shows that the probability of potable groundwater depends on both season and aquifer type. Typically, water samples were more likely to be potable in autumn-winter than in spring-summer periods (odds ratio, OR = 2.1; 95 % confidence interval, 95 % CI = 1.6-2.7) and from karst-fissured rather than porous aquifers (OR = 5.8; 95 % CI = 4.4-7.8). Optional parameters only showed a seasonal pattern (OR = 2.6; 95 % CI = 1.7-3.9). Clearly, further investigation of groundwater microbiological aspects should be carried out to identify the risks of fecal contamination and to establish appropriate protection methods, which take into account the hydrogeological and climatic characteristics of this region.

Research Institute, Rome, ItalySoil quality is defined as the capacity of a soil to function as a vital system, within natural or managed ecosystemboundaries, sustain plant and animal health and productivity, maintain or enhance air and water environmentquality and support human health and habitation. Soil organisms are extremely diverse and contribute to a widerange of ecosystem services that are essential to the sustainable functioning of natural and managed ecosystems.In particular, microbial communities provide several ecosystem services, which ensure soil quality and fertility. Infact, they adapt promptly to environmental changes by varying their activity and by increasing the reproduction ofpopulations that have favourable skills.The structure (e.g. cell abundance) and functioning (e.g. viability and activity) of natural microbial communitiesand changes in them under different environmental conditions can be considered useful indicators of soil qualitystate.In this work we studied the quality state of three different soils, located in Taranto Province (Southern Italy),affected by land degradation processes, such as organic matter depletion, desertification and contamination (PCBand metals). Moreover, compost, produced from selected organic waste, was added to the soils studied in order toimprove their quality state.Soil samples were collected before and after compost addition and both microbial and chemical analyses were performedin order to evaluate the soil quality state at each site at different times. For this purpose, the microbiologicalindicators evaluated were bacterial abundance (DAPI counts), cell viability (Live/Dead method), dehydrogenaseactivity (DHA) and soil respiration. At the same time, the main physico-chemical soil characteristics (organiccarbon, available phosphorous, total nitrogen, carbonate and water content, texture and pH) were also measured.Moreover, in the contaminated soil samples PCB and inorganic (e.g. Pb, Se, Sn, Zn) contaminants were analysedrespectively by GC-MS and ICP-MS.The overall results showed that the bacterial structure and functioning were affected in different ways by theorganic carbon availability and quality, and contaminant occurrence (organic or inorganic compounds). Thecompost treatment contributed to improve soil fertility and to increase cell number and activity after 7 months inthe two low organic carbon content soils. At the polluted site a general increase in bacterial activity after compostaddition was also observed and this might be related to a decrease in inorganic and organic contamination levels.

Soil quality represents an integral value of the compositional structures and natural functions of soil inrelation to soil use and environmental conditions on site. Among the main soil components, differentorganisms and in particular microorganisms play a key role in ecologically biogeochemical processes. Inthis way, soil microorganisms contribute to the maintenance of the matter and energy transfer interrestrial environments. Under anthropogenic stress conditions such as intensive agriculture anddiffusion of pollutants, biochemical activities of soil microorganisms can be differently affected. Severalmicrobiologically-related parameters contribute to provide an ecological evaluation of soil statetherefore, they can be considered as indicators of soil quality.In this regard, we report some preliminary results of a Research Project dealing with three sites, locatedclose to Taranto City, in the South of Apulia Region (Italy), affected by land degradation processes suchas soil organic matter decline and/or organic (PCB) and inorganic contamination. Soil samples werecollected and both chemical and microbial analyses were performed in order to evaluate the quality ofthe soils and to compare the three sites.For this purpose, the main physico-chemical soil characteristics (organic carbon, available phosphorous,total nitrogen, carbonate and water content, texture and pH) were determined. Moreover, somesamples have been analysed by GC-MS and ICP-MS in order to identify organic (PCB) and inorganic(e.g. Pb, Se, Sn, Zn) contaminants, respectively. Finally, the structure and functioning of the bacterialcommunity was studied by evaluating the bacterial abundance (DAPI counts), the cell viability(Live/Dead method), the dehydrogenase activity (DHA), and the Microbial Community Composition byFluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). The overall results showed that the bacterial structure andfunctioning were affected in different way by the organic carbon availability and contaminant occurrence(organic or inorganic compounds), showing how land degradation processes can affect ecosystem soilbiodiversity and functioning.

This work shows the results of a research project "Monitoraggio continuo per le Acque reflue Urbane ed Industriali perl'ecoindustria" (MAUI). Innovative methods for real-time monitoring of urban and industrial wastewater, along with new datamanagement techniques, have been applied to manage the data acquired by a vapour phase e-nose system. The system is based on asemiconductor sensor array, which was used to get real-time monitoring data, tested at labour scale on synthetic solutions for setting it.Actually the system is installed on the wastewater treatment plant of Vimercate (Milan, Italy) for a real time detection and earlywarning of anomalous influent composition.

In 2005 Apulia Region approved the first Nitrates Action Plan (D.G.R. n° 2036) proposing the designation of regional NitratesVulnerable Zones (NVZs) caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, as required by the European Directive "91/676/CEE" and theNational one's (D.Lgs 152/06). These polluted areas were confirmed in 2010 (D.G.R. n. 1317). Successively, in 2012, all the Italianregions have been called to update Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) designation. Therefore, a detailed study has been carried outin order to investigate what has been change during the last four-year period (2008-2011) in which an elaborate regional waterresources monitoring has been conducted.Data analyses and elaboration of all available monitoring results allowed to: (i) identify the main pollution sources emerging in theregion, (ii) analyze the influence of previous policy actions evaluating their efficiency on the regional land, and last (iii) draft newsuitable policies aimed to reduce the actual nitrates pollution evidenced during the last examined four years. In particular, it wasfound that a positive effect of the previous policy actions occurred in the reduction of some of the regional NVZs and, at the sametime, new opportune mitigation strategies to control and manage nitrates pollution in the updated NVZs have been identified andproposed to improve regional environmental sustainability.

A plant-assisted bioremediation strategy was applied in an area located in Southern Italy, close to the city of Taranto, historically contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals. A specific poplar clone (Monviso) was selected for its ability to promote organic pollutant degradation in the rhizosphere, as demonstrated elsewhere. Chemical and microbiological analyses were performed at the time of poplar planting in selected plots at different distances from the trunk (0.25-1m) and at different soil depths (0-20 and 20-40cm), at day 420. A significant decrease in PCB congeners and a reduction in all heavy metals was observed where the poplar trees were present. No evidence of PCB and heavy metal reduction was observed in the non poplar-vegetated soil. Microbial analyses (dehydrogenase activity, cell viability, microbial abundance) of the autochthonous microbial community showed an improvement in soil quality. In particular, microbial activity generally increased in the poplar-rhizosphere and a positive effect was observed in some cases at up to 1m distance from the trunk and up to 40cm depth. The Monviso clone was effective in promoting both a general decrease in contaminant occurrence and an increase in microbial activity in the chronically polluted area a little more than one year after planting.

In Italy the water collected is distributed through the aqueducts, composed by a collection and a treatment systems for thepotabilization. Apulia belongs to the Southern Apennines District. This paper describes a research activity on the territory of theTaranto province to identify the water supply trough the analysis of the main sources, distribution channels and different endusers;to analyze the potential sources of drinking water pollution [1, 2, 3]; the monitoring of the main tanks of drinking waterdistribution in Taranto. It permit to identify the situation of Taranto drinking water and to evaluate new kind of source of water.

Sulphide was adopted as odorous compound in a simulation of AS Diffusion, aninteresting process to treat odors at wastewater treatment plants by diffusing odorous air intoaerobic basins. Its behaviour were experimentally evaluated along with its effects on the biomassand the biological processes supposed by some author in an AS diffusion test. Two bench scalesequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were fed in parallel on real primary sewage and monitored afteradding increasing concentrations of sulphide to one of them. In this reactor, an average sulphideremoval of 94% was measured. Microbial biochemical activity and composition did not showrelevant variations after the addition of sulphide, and the good features of activated sludge flocswere maintained also in terms of sludge settleability.

Hydro-geological instability represents a problem of considerable importance for our country, given the extensive damage caused to property and, most importantly, for the loss of many human lives. Continued occurrences of these events suggest us about the need to enforce risk management policy related to the prediction of the event and the mitigation of his effects. Consequently, a basic approach focused on damage repairing and on the provision of benefits, has to be overcome toward a culture of prevention and prediction, spread out at various levels, based on the identification of risk conditions and on the adoption of measures aimed to minimize environmental impacts. For the prevention, problem resolution is not easy to define the precursors and thresholds. To this scope it is focused the project «Smart Multichannel Open Standard Data System Platform to Natural Risk Assessment-MODS» with a collaboration between three companies, Sysman, Servizi di Informazione Territoriale S.r.l. and Ingloba360 srl, the National Research Council - Institute of Water Research and the Department of Agriculture with the Associazione dei Consorzi di Difesa della Puglia (ASSOCODIPUGLIA, Consortium Association of Apulia protection). In the project, there is the direct involvement of Civil Protection. This collaboration has created an innovative vigil and pre-alert system as regards hydro-geological danger. System is able to manage in an interoperable way a huge quantity of data based on a data warehouse with a subsystem of Recording Weather Alert and Relevant Events - ReWARE. The application of this system allows a continuous monitoring with an automatic upgrade in real time, it is constituted by a telemetry network with coverage rising of the 94% of the Apulia region. At the same time it creates a vigil on the level of criticality much more efficient of the currently systems operating on the territory with a more sudden intervention not only in the areas constantly monitored, but through the new mobile network it is possible also a sudden intervention or a predictive analysis. The system, that is applied for the first time, fully automated, permitted to collect the date directly from the station, to process them, elaborate the status, identified the result on the regional territory using the GIS technology, and create a series of map that identified the status of the territory © 2014 IEEE.

In the Mediterranean region, suspended sediment transport is the predominant process of material removaland sediment transport. The aim of this paper is to analyze the sediment dynamics and to compare differentcalculation methods in order to identify the most suitable for temporary rivers. At this purpose, continuousmeasurements of the flow and discrete values of sediment concentrations recorded from 2010 to 2011 havebeen used. Sampling was carried out with different frequencies as a function of the flow conditions. Severalcalculation methods were compared: Averaging Estimator Methods, Ratio Estimator Methods e RegressionEstimator Methods. The suspended sediment load was estimated in the range of 141-1123 tkm-2yr-1. Applyinga flow regime Stratification based on a flow exceeded frequency (f1<20%; 20%<f2<80%; f3>80%),the range of values was found in a restricted interval 298-595 tkm-2yr-1. Results show that the stratificationapproach is necessary methodology in load fluxes estimation in temporary rivers.

Soil pollution is one of the most soil relevant threats recognized in the world. Contamination affects soil qualityand soil capacity to react against several land degradation processes (erosion, organic depletion, desertification,etc.). The identification of opportune strategies to hinder pollution is a fundamental requirement to restore soilquality. In particular, large attentions have got the techniques, which promote the decontamination, and at thesame time, improve fertility allowing a new use of a soil restored.In this work we present a preliminary study to assess the use of compost (an organic fertilizer produced througha process of transformation and controlled stabilization of selected organic waste at the source) in remediating aheavily polluted soil in southern Italy. The study site is located in Taranto city (Apulia Region) and is contaminatedpredominantly by heavy metals and lightly by organic toxic compounds such us polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).An exhaustive chemical characterization has been carried out on soil samples and then, a treatment with compostwas applied on the study site. Successively, two data acquisition campaigns have been realized (after 4 and 7months by compost treatment, respectively).Soil chemical analyses of texture, electrical conductivity, pH, organic carbon content, total nitrogen, availablephosphorous, carbonate and water content have been carried out to investigate soil properties.In the polluted site chemical analyses of characterization showed low content of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous)and high level of carbonate. Heavy metals screenings, carried out through ICP-MS equipment, evidenceda massive contamination by Be, Se, Sn, Pb, Cr, Zn, while GC-MS investigations revealed a lower pollution byPCBs.The results of the monitoring campaigns showed a consistent reduction of the heavy metals concentrations: ahigher decrease is observed after 7 months by compost treatment. At the same time, a considerable increase oforganic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus is also registered.The overall results suggest that the use of compost contributed to improve soil physico-chemical properties andpromote a relevant decrease of pollution suggesting that a process of soil quality restoration is performing.

Land degradation processes like organic matter impoverishment and contamination are growing increasingly allover the world due to a non-rational and often sustainable spread of human activities on the territory. Consequentlythe need to characterize and monitor degraded sites is becoming very important, with the aim to hinder such mainthreats, which could compromise drastically, soil quality.Visible and infrared spectroscopy is a well-known technique/tool to study soil properties. Vis-NIR spectralreflectance, in fact, can be used to characterize spatial and temporal variation in soil constituents (Brown et al.,2006; Viscarra Rossel et al., 2006), and potentially its surface structure (Chappell et al., 2006, 2007). It is a rapid,non-destructive, reproducible and cost-effective analytical method to analyse soil properties and therefore, it canbe a useful method to study land degradation phenomena.In this work, we present the results of proximal sensing investigations of three degraded sites (one affected byorganic and inorganic contamination and two affected by soil organic matter decline) situated southern Italyclose to Taranto city (in Apulia Region). A portable spectroradiometer (ASD-FieldSpec) was used to measure thereflectance properties in the spectral range between 350-2500 nm of the soil, in the selected sites, before and aftera recovery treatment by using compost (organic fertilizer). For each measurement point the soil was sampled inorder to perform chemical analyses to evaluate soil quality status.Three in-situ campaigns have been carried out (September 2012, June 2013, and September 2013), collectingabout 20 soil samples for each site and for each campaign.Chemical and spectral analyses have been focused on investigating soil organic carbon, carbonate content, textureand, in the case of polluted site, heavy metals and organic toxic compounds.Statistical analyses have been carried out to test a prediction model of different soil quality indicators based on thespectral signatures behaviour of each sample ranging.