A prototype regional early warning system for the prediction of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in Sicily, Italy, is presented. The system is prepared in collaboration with the Regional Civil Protection Department of Sicily. Rainfall thresholds and soil moisture indexes are used for the definition of the predictive tool. In particular, soil moisture indexes derived in a continuous form are used to define a first alert phase. Then, rainfall thresholds, derived as a function of the soil moisture conditions at the beginning of the day, are employed for the subsequent activation of alarm phases. Daily soil moisture indexes, representative of the moisture condition of the catchment, were derived by using a parsimonious and simply to use approach based on the IHACRES model application in a modified form developed by the authors. It is a simple, spatially-lumped rainfall-streamflow model, based on the SCS-CN method and on the unit hydrograph approach that requires, as input data, only rainfall, streamflow and air temperature data (Brigandì and Aronica, 2015). It consists of two modules. In the first a non linear loss model, based on the SCS-CN method, was used to transform total rainfall into effective rainfall. In the second, a linear convolution of effective rainfall was performed using a total unit hydrograph with a configuration of one parallel channel and reservoir, thereby corresponding to 'quick' and 'slow' components of runoff. In the non linear model a wetness/soil moisture index, varying from 0 to 1, has derived to define daily soil moisture catchment conditions. A catalogue of 229 rainfall conditions that have resulted in 265 shallow landslides in Sicily in the period 2002-2012 (Gariano et al., 2015) is used to define rainfall thresholds at different exceeding probabilities and at different soil moisture conditions, for the prediction of slope failures and the activation of the first alert level is based on soil moisture condition analysis. The system can be applied at regional and sub-regional scale (e.g., considering one or more alert zones defined by Civil Protection Department), and can be validated and updated with recent data.

Lake Trasimeno, located in Umbria (central Italy), is a shallow lake of a remarkable naturalistic interest and a sig-nificant resource for the economy of the region (Ludovisi and Gaino, 2010; ragoni, 2004). The Lake Trasimenohas an average area of about 124 km2 with a maximum depth of approximately 5.5 m, has no natural outlet andthe volume of water stored is strictly linked to rainfall. In order to limit water level variations in 1898 an efficientoutlet was built. At present the water exits from the Lake only when the level reaches a fixed threshold above theoutlet channel, so during periods with low precipitation the evaporation becomes the most relevant output fromthe lake. For instance, between 1989 and 2013 the outlet did not work, and the maximum depth of the lake wasreduced to little more than three meters. In the framework of climate change, it is important to understand thechanges that could affect Lake Trasimeno in the near future. To this aim it is necessary to individuate the long termtrends of the hydrologic, chemical and physical characteristics of the Trasimeno water and distinguish them fromthe short term variations. At the present it is available a long record of hydrologic data allowing reliable studieson quantitative variations at Lake Trasimeno (Dragoni et al., 2015; Dragoni et al., 2012; udovisi and Gaino,2010), but the definition of the chemical and isotopic trends of lake water it is still a problematic task. On the basisof new chemical and isotopic data, collected from 2006 to 2015, it is possible to observe (i) short term and/orvery short (seasonal) variations in temperature, salinity and saturation state with respect to carbonate mineralsand a long term trends in isotopic composition of water and total load of mobile species (Cl, Na). The short termvariations readily respond to the precipitation regime and are strongly related to lake level; the long term trendis probably related to the progressive increase of near-surface atmospheric temperature observed in the last decades.

Landslides are widespread phenomena that contribute to shape the landscape. Assessing the time sequence of landslide activity during the Holocene can help (i) better frame the present day landslide distribution in the wider context of climate change and (ii) better define landslide hazard to take adequate mitigation measures to preserve the elements at risk such as archaeological heritage and currently used structures and infrastructures. Rigorous image interpretation criteria applied to the interpretation of remote sensing images can be a valuable tool to derive information on landslide spatial and temporal distribution. However, it only allows to broadly estimate the relative age of landslides based on their morphologic signature. In this work, we investigate the topological relations between landslides and archaeological sites for nine selected settlements in the Moldavian Plateau, situated on ridges and hillslopes. Landslides and sites were mapped using high resolution LIDAR DEMs and extensive field validation activities. Landslides were classified as very old (relict), old, and recent, according to their morphologic appearance. We argue the possibility of (i) assigning a relative age to the three main classes of landslides as they appear on the present day topography, and (ii) assessing the landslide activity during the Holocene. Using this information, we set up a model of landslide evolution during the Holocene for the Moldavian Plateau, NE Romania. Analysis of the landslide inventories revealed decreasing landslide size over time, and newer landslides tend to occur as reactivations of older landslides, partly remobilizing their deposits, and mostly causing retreat of their escarpments. Analysis of the spatial relationships of the archaeological sites with the landslide inventories revealed that the settlers exploited the natural inaccessible decametric escarpments of very old landslides as defensive measures, whereas retrogressive reactivation of such older landslides partly destroyed the fortresses. Spatial interaction between landslides and sites allowed reconstruction of a first coarse resolution time sequence for landslide occurrence in the Moldavian Plateau. In particular, very old landslides seem to have occurred between the Upper Pleistocene (~12 ka BP) and 6 ka BP, old landslides occurred not earlier than 6 ka BP, and not later than a few centuries ago. More recent landslides occurred at most during the last centuries. Acknowledging the coarse resolution of this study, we maintain that it underlines a clear spatial and dimensional evolutionary trend of Holocene landslide activity in response to climate changes. We think this approach can be extended to other archaeologic sites of the study area, and to other areas. Furthermore, similar studies can prove useful for landslide hazard analyses, helping to adopt adequate protection and mitigation measures, framed in a climate change scenario.

Between 2013 and 2014, a network funded by MISTRALS-ENVIMED institution, was born around some instrumented catchments developing a badland-type morphology. This network has grouped 3 countries (France, Spain and Italy) with 12 scientific labs. RESOBAM has concerned two sites in France (Draix-Ble?one and Vaches Noires), three in Spain (Vallcebre, Araguas and El Cautivo) and some sites in Italy (Tuscany, Basilicata). Main goal of this network was to federate the research around badlands at the European scale, by proposing some scientific topics as_ sediment and water transports / budget, (bio)geochemical cycles, agricultural (farming), education, restoration, cultural heritage, soil conservation / biodiversity, climatic change etc. Other main interests were also to propose some common scientific projects and the development of students exchanges. This communication presents the synthesis of our four meetings held at Draix, Zaragoza, Almeria? and Rouen and some perspectives to continue this network.