Activity report - Free University of Bozen · Bolzano

Faculty of Science and Technology
Activity Report
First issue
2009-2012

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Faculty of Science and Technology
Activity Report
First issue
2009-2012

Contents
Welcome
message
The Faculty of Science and Technology
of the Free University of
Bozen-Bolzano was founded in
2007 ...
People
at the
faculty
Laboratories
An area of 500 m 2 in the main building of the University is equipped
with modern analytical facilities ...
teaching
The Faculty offers undergraduate and postgraduate
study programmes in the agriculture and
agriculture-related environmental area and in the
industrial engineering ...
7

agriculTure
and Food
research Focus 1
enVironmenT
research Focus 2
9
18
reSearch
This section describes the
research activities focusing on
four major thematic areas.
in addition, fundamental research
in chemistry, mathematics
and statistics is also ...
induSTrial
producTion
research Focus 3
energy
research Focus 4
26
33
42
FundamenTal
ScienceS
research Focus 5
38
FacTS
currently, there are 72 research
projects running amounting to
a total research budget of ...
SelecTed
publicaTionS
For a complete list visit
www.unibz.it/en/sciencetechnology/
research/publications/default.html
45
activity report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 1

Welcome
message
The Faculty of Science and Technology of the Free
University of Bozen-Bolzano was founded in 2007.
It started its activities under the aegis of an external
Coordination Committee by offering a Bachelor
degree in Agricultural Science and Agricultural
Economics, formerly offered by the School of
Economics of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
and a Bachelor degree in Logistics and Production
Engineering, in cooperation with the Politecnico di
Torino (Turin, Italy). In 2008 with the appointment
of the first Faculty Council, the Faculty started its
activities autonomously.
As a young scientific institution, we have grown
rapidly by recruiting highly skilled scientific staff
from abroad and from Italy, expanded our teaching
offer to the Master and PhD levels, developed a
range of local, national and international scientific
collaborations, and enlarged our research facilities.
A wide range of scientific expertise in the agricultural,
environmental and industrial engineering
areas as well as in the basic disciplines are available
at our institution. We see ourselves as a multidisciplinary
“ideas factory” where we think about
tomorrow today. Our main distinguishing feature is
our interdisciplinary approach, essential for solving
complex problems, such as the management of
alpine areas, energy efficiency, food production
and quality, and process and product innovation for
industry.
The intensity of the research undertaken, the quality
of our publications and the international profile
of our academic staff all contribute decisively to
the quality of our teaching and allow the Faculty to
attract significant research funding from national
and international agencies. We are also deeply
rooted in the local social community, are attached
to the local economic sector and intend to contribute
to local progress by creating and transferring new
scientific and technological knowledge.
I like to think that our students are people who believe
in the importance of the role of science in society’s
progress; they are curious and use rigorous
scientific methodologies; they think critically; they
love to reason, using their own ideas and knowledge;
they do not take anything for granted; they
believe that when a decision is taken, not only are
the financial implications taken into consideration,
but also the social and ecological consequences.
Our commitment for an excellent education and
high-quality interdisciplinary research intends to
meet the real needs of the economy and allow our
students to successfully enter the job market to
the advantage of our society.
Prof. Massimo Tagliavini,
Dean
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 3

People
at the faculty
Contact
Faculty of Science and Technology
Universitätsplatz 5 – piazza Università, 5
39100 Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
Telephone +39 0471 01 70 00; Fax: +39 0471 01 70 09
science.technology@unibz.it
www.unibz.it/en/sciencetechnology
Full professors
Prof. Massimo Tagliavini (1)
(Dean)
Prof. Stefano Cesco (2)
(Vice Dean)
Prof. Cristina Benedetti (3)
(retired from January 2013)
Prof. Maria Letizia Bertotti (4)
Prof. Dominik Matt (5)
Prof. Fabrizio Mazzetto (6)
Prof. Stefan Zerbe (7)
Fruit tree production, tree ecosystems
Agricultural chemistry, soil fertility and plant nutrition, plant biochemistry
Environmental design, timber construction
Mathematical physics, dynamical systems, ordinary differential equations,
qualitative analysis
Industrial production systems
Agricultural machinery and plants, information technologies for farm mechanisation
and precision farming, life-cycle assessments.
Applied botany, restoration ecology, landscape ecology and history
Associate processors
Prof. Filippo Ciarapica
(moved to the Polytechnic
University of Ancona in 2012)
Prof. Christian Fischer (8)
Prof. Andrea Gasparella (9)
Prof. Matteo Mario Scampicchio (10)
Prof. Giustino Tonon (11)
Industrial plants, life cycle assessments
Agri-food economics, management and marketing
Applied thermodynamics, heat transfer, building physics energy
management, acoustics, lighting
Food science, sensors and biosensors, nanotechnology
Forest ecology, forestry, biogeochemistry, forest ecosystems
Assistant professors
Dr. Carlo Andreotti (12)
Dr. Sergio Angeli (13)
Dr. Marco Baratieri (14)
Dr. Stefano Benini (15)
Dr. Lorenzo Brusetti (16)
Dr. Francesco Comiti (17)
Dr. Laura Levaggi (18)
Dr. Pasquale Russo Spena (19)
Dr. Armin Otto Schmitt (20)
Pomology, viticulture, quality and biochemistry of fruits
Entomology, chemical ecology, insect-plant interactions
Thermodynamics and heat transfer, renewable energy, energy
efficiency and green buildings
Organic chemistry, structure and function of proteins, protein crystallography
Agricultural and environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, bacterial
genomics
Watershed management, agricultural hydrology, river morphology and restoration
Mathematical analysis
Production systems, processing and characterisation of metallic materials,
fracture mechanics
Applied statistics, bioinformatics, molecular evolution

UNtenured assistant professors
Dr. Luigi Alberti (21)
Dr. Calogero Capici (22)
Dr. Tanja Mimmo (23)
Dr. Massimiliano Renzi (24)
Dr. Francesca Scandellari (25)
Dr. Renato Vidoni (26)
Dr. Silvana Revellino
(moved to Copenhagen Business
School, Denmark from October 2012)
Electrical machines and drives, electrical engineering applications
Agricultural chemistry, analytical chemistry, plant biochemistry,
organic chemistry
Agricultural chemistry, soil fertility and plant nutrition, biogeochemical
cycles of soil nutrients, analytical methods in agriculture
Fluid machinery, cogeneration systems
Tree ecosystems, cycle of nutrients in ecosystems, agroecology
Applied mechanics for machinery, mechatronics and robotics
Business economics
Administration
Dr. Wilhelm Sapelza (27)
Victoria Angerer (28)
Michela Beraldin (29)
Stefania Falconi (30)
Renate Folie (31)
Margareth Lercher
Carola Mutschlechner
Claudia Rossi
Head of Faculty administration
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Administrative staff
Laboratory Technicians
Dr. Christian Ceccon (32)
Dott. Elisa Poznanski (33)
Laboratory technician
Laboratory technician
Research assistants (as of 1 January 2013)
Dott. Daniela Campana
Dr. Lorenzo Caputi
Dr. Claudia Dadea
Dott. Patrick Dallasega
Ing. Rebeka Fijan
Dr. Liping Li
Dott. Ana Lucia Vela
Dott. Enrico Marchese
Dr. Leonardo Montagnani
Dr. Daniele Penna
Ing. Alessandro Prada
Julia Ratajczak
Dr. Marco Salomone-Stagni
Dr. Maurizio Ventura
Dr. Silvia Vitagliano
Dr. Damiano Zanotelli
Ph.D. Students (XXVII and XXVIII cycles)
John Abraham (Ghana), Dimitrios Andreopoulos
(Greece), Rigoberto Arambula Lara (Mexico), Luigimaria
Borruso (Italy), Martina Boschiero (Italy),
Valerie Bossi Fedrigotti (Italy), Daniela Campana
(Italy), Andrea Dell’Agnese (Italy) , Michael Engel
(Germany), Alfonso Esposito (Italy), Maria Celeste
Fernandez Ferrari (Argentina), Valentino Floreancig
(Italy), Raimondo Gallo (Italy), Marinus Gebhardt
(Germany), Francesco Giammarchi (Italy), Guillermo
Chavez Guerrero (Mexico), Solomon Lemma Mengistu
(Etiopia), Martin Luccarelli (Italy), Marianna
Marchesi (Italy), Francesco Patuzzi (Italy), Paola
Penna (Italy), Leonardo Postacchini (Italy), Dario
Prando (Italy), Anna Radtke (Germany), Nuerjimali
Shaerbayi (China), André Terwei (Germany), Elisabetta
Tomé (Italy), Cicik Udayana (Indonesia), Fabio
Valentinuzzi (Italy), Elisa Varolo (Italy).
We acknowledge the contribution of a number of excellent contract professors in our teaching
programs in addition to our permanent staff. Special thanks also to the local experts, in particular
Wolfgang Drahorad, that have supported and helped us in developing cooperation with local
agricultural and industrial sectors.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 5

Laboratories
An area of 500 m 2 in the main building of the University is equipped with modern analytical facilities in
the form of research and teaching labs built around a multidisciplinary design. As of 1 January 2013, the
Faculty’s laboratories include:
Analytical Chemistry Lab
Laboratory facilities are available for the chemical
and physical characterisation of soil, fruit and
vegetables and processed foods by the combination
of isolation, separation and identification, reaction
mechanisms. The laboratory instrumentations
include: gas and liquid chromatography (GC-MS,
HPLC), static and dynamic headspace analyzer
(HS-GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical
emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), UV, VIS and
FT-IR and fluorescence spectrometer and an
electroanalytical unit.
Biochemical and Molecular Biology Labs
Two labs are equipped with facilities certified with
biosafety level II. Among the facilities available:
quantitative real-time PCR, thermal cycler (for
PCR), gel electrophoresis system and protein
purification system (Äkta purifier).
Stable Isotope Lab
The lab is equipped with an isotopic mass spectrometer
coupled with several peripherals. This
setting allows for the analysis of the isotopic
signature of H, C, N, O, and S, in solid, liquid
and gaseous samples.
Technical Physics Laboratories
Dedicated to the study of the thermo-physical
properties of materials, energy production and
energy saving, equipped with facilities such as: differential
scanning calorimeter, thermogravimetric
analyzer with evolved gas analysis unit (TGA-DSC-
FT-IR-GC-MS), light/laser flash analyzer.
Universal testing machine to perform the main
mechanical testing of materials (e.g., compression,
tensile, and bending tests), hardness tester, equipment
for metallographic analysis.
“Mini-Factory”
Laboratory for lean and agile production. The aim
of the "mini-factory" lab is to simulate and to study
different concepts of agility in a manufacturing
and assembly environment, by means of a realistic
design of a production. Main elements of this
mini-factory are: a lean kanban flow rack, manual
and flexible assembly stations, a SCARA robot
(4 axis) for pick-and-place operations and a 6-axis
industrial robot for manufacturing tasks as well
as for handling assembly parts.
Field equipment for ecological research: measurements
of hydrological and sediment transport
processes, root growth and soil-plant interactions,
topographic surveys, field equipment for monitoring
greenhouse gases coupled with GC-MS for the
analysis of atmospheric gas such as methane and
nitrous oxide.
A Faculty asset is also represented by the laboratories
designed to support the teaching activities for
industrial engineering and agricultural-environmental
subjects.

Teaching
The Faculty offers undergraduate and postgraduate
study programmes in the agriculture and agriculture-related
environmental area and in the industrial
engineering sector. Bachelor programmes
are entirely offered by the Faculty following the
trilingual (English, German and Italian) teaching
approach of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.
Master courses are usually offered as joint programmes
in cooperation with Italian and foreign
universities and their core subjects are normally
taught in English. Ph.D. courses are offered in English
and benefit from a large range of international
cooperation with partner universities, especially for
student exchanges.
Also thanks to the excellent ratio between students
and teaching staff, the learning process takes place
in an active learning environment.
Small group sizes provide open and supportive
working and studying conditions and allow students
to participate in research. The courses
include classic lectures, exercise classes and lab
work. International summer schools are also regularly
organised. Students, trained with a strong
scientific and technological background, develop
the skills necessary to face and solve new problems.
Agriculture and Environment
• Bachelor degree in Agricultural and Agro-Environmental
Sciences (study course director:
Prof. Stefano Cesco).
• International Master of Fruit Science (in cooperation
with the Universities of Ljubljana, Slovenia,
and Brno, Czech Republic).
• Master programme of International Horticultural
Science (in cooperation with the University
of Bologna, Italy; Centre International d'Études
Supérieures en Sciences Agronomiques – Montpellier,
France; AGROCAMPUS Ouest – Rennes,
France; Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem – Budapest,
Hungary; Universität für Bodenkultur – Vienna,
Austria; Technische Universität München – Munich,
Germany; Humboldt Universität – Berlin,
Germany) (in preparation).
• Master programme in Environmental Management
of Mountain Areas (in cooperation with the
Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Austria).
• Master programme in Food Technology and Food
Chain Innovation (in preparation).
• Ph.D. programme in Mountain Environment and
Agriculture (doctoral course director Prof. Stefan
Zerbe).
Industrial Engineering
• Bachelor degree in Industrial and Mechanical
Engineering (study course director: Prof. Maria
Letizia Bertotti). In addition to the standard
three-year programme for full-time students,
the course offers a four-year study option for
students that alternate their time at university
with periods of paid work in local companies.
• Master degree in Energy Engineering (in cooperation
with the University of Trento, Italy).
• Master degree in Mechanical Engineering and
Management (in preparation).
• Ph.D. programme in Sustainable Energy and
Technologies (doctoral course director Prof. Andrea
Gasparella).
Executive Master Programmes
• “CasaClima – KlimaHaus” aimed to complete architects’
and engineers’ training in sustainable construction
(course director: Prof. Cristina Benedetti).
• "Innovation Engineering" aimed at providing
training and education needed for professionals
and managers working in small and mediumsized
businesses (course director: Prof. Dominik
Matt).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 7

Research
This section describes the research activities focusing on four major thematic areas.
In addition, fundamental research in chemistry, mathematics and statistics is also
conducted. The description includes selected “Highlights” for some research topics.
Faculty research areas:
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD
ENVIRONMENT
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
ENERGY
FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCES

Research
Focus
1
AGRICULTURE
AND FOOD
Agricultural production and food technologies
Aims
The focus encompasses studies along the food chain from primary production via processing technologies,
logistics and distribution, food conservation to consumer behaviour, following a farm-to-fork
approach. The studies in this research area emphasise advances and innovation concerning agricultural
practices and novel processing technologies which will enhance the quality, traceability, sustainability and
safety of food from alpine regions.
Covered topics
1. Soil fertility, plant nutrition and root physiology
2. Insect-plant and microbe-plant interactions
3. Carbon flux and C-footprint in agricultural systems
4. Advances in farm mechanisation, precision agriculture and information management
5. Quality and traceability of mountain food products
6. Food processing and nanotechnology
7. Food marketing and consumer behaviour
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 9

1. soil Fertility, plAnt nutrition AnD root physioloGy
technical background
The importance of preserving soil fertility for present and future generations’ food production cannot be
underestimated. an adequate plant nutrient status is a requisite for increasing plant productivity
and quality of agricultural products. however, fertilisers are a cost for farmers, so excessive nutrient
supply should be avoided, also because of the risks of water and atmosphere pollution. The development
of sustainable agricultural techniques requires the enhancement of the use efficiency of resources like
water and fertilisers, and the ability of agricultural systems to temporarily store carbon in the soil. These
aims can be achieved by improving our understanding of the root system, the “dark side of the plant”, and
of the interactions occurring at the soil-root interface, the rhizosphere. This research topic benefits from
interactive competences in agronomy, microbiology, physiology, ecology, biochemistry and soil science.
Aims
our goal is to provide scientific knowledge for maintaining and increasing soil fertility and nutrient use in
agricultural systems, with special emphasis on the crops of interest for mountain areas. This highly
multidisciplinary topic addresses several processes implicated in the mineral nutrition of plants, from
mineral nutrient mobilisation processes in the soil to the quantitative assessment of the absorbed nutrients
and their distribution in the plant. The effects of environmental, genetic and cultural factors on root
growth and physiology, and on the biological and chemical composition of the rhizosphere and associated
microorganisms, with particular regard to crops like apple trees and pasture grasses, are also investigated.
due to the complexity of the root environment, several experimental techniques are adopted, including
stable isotopes, rhizotrones and root image analyses.
Main reference people
Stefano cesco, Tanja mimmo, massimo Tagliavini, Francesca Scandellari, giustino Tonon and lorenzo brusetti
highlight
role oF MAGnesiuM (MG) in leAF necrosis AnD eArly leAF ABscission in
cultivAr “nicoter” Apple trees
d. Zanotelli, m. Tagliavini
Fluxes rates [mg/(shoot*day), bottom of the figure] and partitioning of Mg
(mg/shoot) within four organs of the bourse shoot: 4 basal leaves, median
and apical leaves, shoot axe and fruit.
Trees of the apple cultivar ”nicoter” (Kanzi ©)
often show leaf necrosis in summer as well as
early drop of basal and median leaves, a
phenomenon that may depress tree productivity
as well as fruit quality. in cooperation with the
laimburg research centre, we have investigated
the role of mg in this syndrome in South
Tyrol. mg salts have been sprayed in contrasting
periods of the season and we studied the
dynamics of accumulation of mg and other
nutrients in the bourse shoots of trees and their
internal partitioning. mg sprays to the canopy
have significantly reduced the number of leaves
affected by necrosis as well as the degree of
severity of the symptoms, also enhancing the
mg concentration of leaves. unsprayed, control
trees often had leaf mg concentration below
0.15% while leaves with severe necrosis
symptoms had an average mg concentration of 0.08%. magnesium, calcium (ca), nitrogen (n) and potassium (K)
influx to the bourse shoot occurred at the highest rates in a period of about 50 days starting one month after
blossoming. later, ca and mg fluxes to the apple fruit strongly decreased, a fact that occurred only partially in the
case of n, p and K. magnesium content in old leaves, differently from that of other nutrients, significantly decreased
in summer, suggesting a net flux of mg from these leaves to other sinks like fruits and new leaves. We conclude
that temporary mg deficiency of old leaves is responsible for leaf necrosis and early leaf drop in trees of cultivar
nicoter. leaf spray of mg salt are effective in reducing the symptom intensity.

Highlight
Rhizosphere management for sustainable crop production:
Iron mobilization from mineral soil constituents driven by Root exudates
T. Mimmo, S. Cesco
Most of the mineral nutrients present in the soil are in unavailable forms,
plants have to mobilize them, for instance by actively releasing organic
and inorganic compounds (root exudates) which can alter the chemical,
physical and biological characteristics of the soil around the roots, the
so-called rhizosphere, favouring the nutrient acquisition. Among these
exudates organic acids (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid), phenolic
compounds (e.g., flavonoids), amino acids and siderophores of microbial
and/or plant origin can strongly influence and modify the biogeochemical
cycles of sparingly soluble nutrients, thus causing changes in their
availability for plant uptake. Chlorosis induced by Fe deficiency is a major
nutritional disorder in crops and fruit trees, particularly when grown on
calcareous soils. Plants react to iron deficiency stress adopting different
kinds of adaptive responses, including the release of protons, organic
acids and phenolic compounds or phytosiderophores, non-proteinogenic
amino acids, highly efficient in binding Fe.
In collaboration with partners of the University of Udine and Bari we
study the influence of several types of root exudates (citric acid, malic
acid, oxalic acid, genistein, quercetin and phytosiderophores) on the
mineralogy of different soils and evaluate possible synergic or competitive
behaviours. X-ray diffraction (XRD) coupled with Electron Probe Micro
Analysis (EPMA) is used to identify the crystalline and amorphous phases, which are subjected to mineral alteration
when exposed to the action of root exudates. Solubilisation of Fe and trace metals such as Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd as
well as of major elements such as Si, Al, Fe and Mn are assessed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission
Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). First results showed that soil microorganisms decrease the active fraction of root exudates
due to degradation processes. In some cases, exudates were completely degraded within 24 hours. It seems
that the exudate/soil interaction induces mainly a solubilisation of amorphous mineral phases. Automated EPMA
analyses on individual soil particles will give further details on the identification of the mineral phases involved in
the weathering process. Results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the biogeochemical cycles
of Fe within the rhizosphere which play an important role in its availability for plant uptake. In addition, the information
concerning the functionality of mechanisms involved in root exudate release obtained from soil-grown plants
could allow to evaluate the efficiency of these mobilization processes in real field conditions.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 11

2. Insect-plant and microbe-plant interactions
Technical background
Increasing demand for an adequate and safe
food supply has led to the expansion of intensive
agriculture worldwide. Intensive farming in Europe
is one of the causes of the dramatic increase of
pest insects. Chemical ecology identifies chemical
signals and determines how they affect behaviour
and physiology of organisms, and the interactions
between them. It mainly studies volatile organic
compounds released by insects or plants. Insects
strongly rely on their olfactory system for their
dispersal, host plant finding and mate location. Unravelling
the chemistry and the functions of these
compounds may strongly contribute to the understanding
of nature as well as to find new environmentally-friendly
pest control strategies.
The study of pathogen-plant interactions involves
elucidating the role of proteins involved in the pathogenesis.
The research is focused on the bacterium
Erwinia amylovora, causing fire blight in apple
and pear. The pathogen is studied at the molecular
level to discover how its proteins interact with the
host to cause the disease. The purified proteins are
characterised by X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic
techniques. The study of plant-insect and
pathogen-plant interactions will provide new tools
to increase food safety as well as a more environmentally-friendly
agriculture.
Aims
The principal goal in insect chemical ecology
and pest management is to find out how insects
communicate in order to develop safer pest control
strategies.
The aim of the plant-pathogen interaction is to
better understand the mechanism determining
Erwinia amylovora pathogenicity towards apple
plants by studying proteins that are essential for
the pathogenicity.
In summary, the 'insect- and microbe-plant interactions'
topic deals with:
• characterisation of volatile compounds released
by herbivore-injured plants for the recruitment of
predators and parasitoids;
• characterisation of pheromone compounds and
pheromone communication in insect species;
• development of new strategies in organic farming;
• development of new pesticides with low toxicity;
• bio-molecular characterisation of plant-pathogen
interaction.
Main reference people
Sergio Angeli and Stefano Benini

3. Carbon flux and C-footprint in agricultural systems
Technical background
The rising interest in carbon (C) budgets on a global scale
results from the effects of the increase of carbon dioxide
concentration in the atmosphere on global warming.
Terrestrial ecosystems, exploiting the capacity of green
plants to use CO 2 , are theoretically capable of fixing C,
accumulating it, at least temporarily, in the biomass and/or
in the soil. While natural ecosystems are regarded as a net
sink for atmospheric CO 2 , agricultural systems are often
a source of C and/or other greenhouse gases. Besides the
biological C fluxes between plant/soil and the atmosphere,
a comprehensive C budget should also take into account the amounts of CO 2 that are directly or indirectly
released as a consequence of the cultural practices adopted in the field, the storage and transport of the
food products, that all together determine their carbon footprint.
Aims
The major aims of this research topic are (1) to study ecological parameters like the net ecosystems
productivity and primary productivity of agricultural systems, with special emphasis on fruit trees ecosystems,
and (2) to assess the C-footprint of agricultural products. Experimental techniques include
micro-meteorological (eddy covariance) and eco-physiological approaches and life cycle assessment
(LCA). LCA is also used to determine the amount of energy used along the food chain.
Main reference people
Massimo Tagliavini, Fabrizio Mazzetto and Francesca Scandellari
Highlight
Carbon fluxes and allocation pattern in an apple orchard
D. Zanotellli, L. Montagnani, M. Tagliavini
Agro-ecosystems may assume great importance in land cover
especially at regional scale. Their ability to continuously exchange
carbon, water and energy with the atmosphere, less investigated with
respect to natural ecosystems, is still uncertain. Under debate is the
capacity of this intensively managed ecosystem to behave as a sink
or source of carbon to the atmosphere. An apple orchard located in
the Province of Bolzano was investigated with ecophysiological and
micrometeorological approaches: eddy covariance measurements
were carried out over three years and were integrated by soil respiration
and biometric measurements. The objectives of this work were to
quantitatively assess the carbon exchange fluxes of an apple orchard
at different time scales (daily, seasonal and inter-annual) and to partition
the measured net carbon exchange, NEE, between its downward
(Gross photosynthesis, Gp) and upward (Ecosystem Respiration, Reco)
components. The measurements allowed to characterise the whole
carbon cycle of the agro-ecosystem (see figure) and to assess quantitatively
its cumulated net ecosystem production over three seasons,
which was found to be about 400 g C m -2 y -1 , approximately balancing
the amount of carbon annually exported with the harvested apples.
The data support the hypothesis that if we do not consider the direct
or indirect C emissions due to orchard management, the production
of apple fruits implies a minimal or null impact on net CO 2 emissions
to the atmosphere from the orchard ecosystem.
Main C fluxes:
GPP = gross primary production
NPP = net primary production
Reco = ecosystem respiration
NEP = net ecosystem production
Ra = autotrophic respiration
Rh = heterotrophic respiration
Allocation pattern of C
NPPw_AG = NPP wood
aboveground
NPPl = NPP leaves
NPPf = NPP fruits
NPPu = NPP understory
NPPw_BG = NPP wood
belowground
NPPfr = NPP fine roots
Lateral transport of C
OC_fert = organic carbon
in fertilisers
Fruit Harvest = exported
apples
Complete carbon cycle of the apple orchard.
Arrow’s width reflects the size of the flux. Data are
expressed in g C m -2 y -1 .
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 13

4. Advances in farm mechanisation, precision agriculture and information management
Technical background
The topic deals with issues related to the design,
planning and use of farm and forestry machinery,
including the applications of Information Technologies
(IT) and Farm Information Systems (FIS) within
the agri-environmental context to provide innovative
tools for carrying out advanced approaches in
tactical and operational tasks on farms.
Both the operational and informational components
of a FIS are here considered (both OLTP and
OLAP devices – i.e., On Line Transaction and Analytical
Processes). The former typically deal with
the treatment of timely information for performing
real-time controls, automation and monitoring
tasks, whereas the latter are mainly focused on
data storage, processing, analysis and evaluations
of aggregate information.
In such a context, farm and forestry machinery is
changing its original role and also acts as information
carriers (it both collects and uses information,
with strong interactions with FIS), thus satisfying
emerging needs such as site-specific land controls,
environmental protection and traceability
tasks. The concepts of safety and ergonomics are
fundamental aspects of the whole process of designing
and using the machines.
Aims
The purpose of the topic is twofold:
• to propose and test innovations in the field of
farm and forestry machinery, including the design
and the development of prototypes able to
satisfy specific mechanisation requirements; and
• to provide both farm-suitable technologies and
methods for applying a FIS-based management
strategy to collect data from multiple sources
and for using them to take proper decisions related
to farm activities. These decisions can refer
to more targeted management strategies and
high-precision real-time control of field processes
to perform more profitable and sustainable
treatments of land variability.
In this regard, automation solutions are applied
to both monitoring and process control activities,
through systems that typically can include GNSS
devices, sensors and actuators, identification
systems and ad-hoc software tools to be used both
on the machines and in the central management
office.
Main reference people
Fabrizio Mazzetto and Renato Vidoni
Highlight
A tractor prototype for mountain agriculture
F. Mazzetto
A tractor prototype suitable to be used in extreme slope conditions of hilly and mountain areas has been developed
to address the problem of working in vineyards trained with the so-called “pergola” system. “Pergola” involves
many mechanization problems mainly due to need to deal with limited transit widths and heights (

5. Quality and traceability of mountain food products
Technical background
There is an increasing demand for high-quality food products with a definite and recognizable geographical
origin. Alto Adige is rich in such typical foods, especially those with a mountain origin such as fruits,
beverages and animal products. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop suitable techniques able to
understand and characterise the intrinsic quality of such typical mountain foods.
Aims
To develop innovative methods, tools and approaches able to characterise, monitor and trace food quality
changes of mountain food products during their processing and along their food chain, from farm to fork.
This study in turn will valorise these foods, enhance their traceability and protect them against fraud.
Main reference people
Carlo Andreotti, Sergio Angeli, Lorenzo Brusetti, Stefano Cesco, Tanja Mimmo and Matteo Scampicchio
Highlight
Effects of the mountain cultural and environmental conditions on strawberry quality
C. Andreotti
The quality of strawberry fruits is known to be influenced by cultural and environmental conditions. This study focused
on the effects of different site environments (especially altitude) on strawberries’ main quality traits (sugars,
acidity, dry matter percentage) as well as on the final accumulation of bioactive molecules such as the phenolic
compounds. The trial was conducted in South Tyrol, in an Alpine valley (Val Martello/Martelltal) characterised by a
strawberry cultivation area that ranged in altitude from approximately 900 to 1,500 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.).
Four different plantation sites were selected at different altitude and exposition (1,100-1,.300-1,500 m. a.s.l. south
exposed and 1.200 m.a.s.l. north exposed) and strawberry quality compared. The ripening process of strawberries
harvested at higher altitudes were delayed by approximately 10 days and shortened by around four days. Fruits
collected from the field at 1,500 m.a.s.l. were characterised by a significantly higher percentage of dry matter compared
to the ones sampled at 1,100 m.a.s.l. (10.7 and 9.6% respectively), whereas the effects of altitude on soluble
solids content and acidity was not clearly evidenced. Site altitude significantly affected the final accumulation of
phenolic compounds in fruits. As the single classes of phenolic compounds are concerned, the hydroxybenzoic
acids and the flavanols were found generally higher at the highest altitude, whereas anthocyanins (known for their
important role for strawberry red coloration and antioxidant potential) were found not to be significantly affected by
the site altitude. Experiments conducted in the same cultural sites are presently under evaluation to gain knowledge
on strawberry quality traits as a result of different seasonal climatic condition.
Highlight
Identification of origin and process-induced changes in foods by stable
isotope ratio mass spectrometry
M. Scampicchio, C. Capici, T. Mimmo, S. Cesco
The ability to identify food products according to their geographical origin has always attracted considerable interest
in the scientific landscape, as it has the main effect of improving the geographic discrimination and quality of
food products. Among different analytical techniques used for this purpose, isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS)
is a technique which finds increasingly widespread use in various disciplines such as food authenticity. It is based
on the determination of the fractionation of stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen and carbon in a
given sample. This technique is particularly helpful to characterise the geographical origin of food products, and to
identify some specific agronomic practices such as the use of fertilisers, compost, etc. In our labs, we are currently
establishing the authenticity of food products such as milk, dairy products, apples, meat, plums, eggs, etc. by
isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Our goals are, first, to distinguish food products originating from South
Tyrol from those produced outside this region. Second, we also aim to discriminate between different types of food
processing. For example, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values have been successfully used to discriminate
between samples of milk coming from defined geographical areas of South Tyrol compared to the ones coming
from other Italian regions. Furthermore, the same protocol developed by the FUB has also been used successfully
to identify the type of treatments applied to produce the milk samples (such as HTST vs UHT).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 15

6. Food processing and nanotechnology
Technical background
Research in food technology aims to optimise the way food is processed to obtain safer products with the
highest nutritional and organoleptic content. Either traditional or novel technologies will be investigated.
Aims
To develop novel ways to protect bioactives (such as antioxidants, vitamins, polyphenols, colorants, aromatics
etc.) and contrast their natural degradation. To understand the correlation between the processing
variables and the quality of food.
Main reference people
Matteo Scampicchio, Carlo Andreotti, Sergio Angeli, Lorenzo Brusetti, Stefano Cesco and Tanja Mimmo
Highlight
Electronic tongue design
M. Scampicchio
A system to evaluate bitterness and sweetness of beverages has been developed. The system is a continuous flow
system apparatus equipped with electrochemical and optical sensors (see scheme on the left), able to provide a
pattern of signals which correlate with the sensory characteristic of food beverages. The system, called e-tongue
(see picture), is fast, simple and reproducible, requires minimal maintenance and it allows high throughput of samples
to be analyzed (60-90 sample/h), without suffering from the typical drawbacks of human sensory analysis. The
system was successfully implemented in the quality control of beverage manufacturing as well as in the design of
new formulations even those fortified with bitter bioactive, such as epigallocatechin gallate (see PCA plot, right).

7. Food marketing and consumer behaviour
Technical background
At the core of the current EU agri-food policy, aiming at building the “knowledge-based bio economy”, is
“consumer-driven agriculture” and the implementation and strengthening of the “fork-to-farm” approach
to agricultural sector development. Implementing this approach requires in-depth knowledge of market
requirements and consumer needs and wants.
Aims
To generate relevant market insights for the local agri-food sector in order to better understand customer
and consumer requirements which serve as vital inputs for market-driven innovation and product and
process optimisation.
Main reference people
Christian Fischer
Highlight
Local agricultural development of the Ega valley near Bolzano
C. Fischer
The Val d’Ega, situated to the south-east of Bolzano, is characterised by a large number of farms (335, most of
them at higher altitudes) which represent a third of all registered valley enterprises. A local
agricultural development project, in collaboration with the municipalities of Nova Ponente, Nova Levante and
Cornedo all'Isarco, has been initiated to identify possibilities for increasing the value adding, competiveness and
economic viability of the local agri-food sector. The project builds on two axes. First, on the production side, the
identification and eventual production of a handful of typical food products or crops, in the future potentially
carrying PDO or PGI geographic denomination labels, helping to secure farming and food processing jobs and to increase
agricultural-sector value adding in the valley. In addition, by creating a food identity for the area, sustainable
tourism and thus local income generation could be increased as well as income from agriculture. Second, on the
marketing side, the creation of a new local marketing channel in addition to the existing farmers’ markets: a wooden
subscription box filled with local fresh produce and food products which can be sold weekly to valley inhabitants,
consumers in Bolzano and tourists to the area.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 17

Research
Focus
2
ENVIRONMENT
Management and technologies for mountain environments
Aims
The mountain environment is sensitive and vulnerable
to natural or anthropogenic ecological imbalances. The
ecological management of the mountain environment
is based on the understanding of the vulnerability and
adaptation potential of mountain ecosystems with regard
to both natural and socio-economic changes. We
aim to understand the effects of natural and anthropogenic
disturbances on the functioning of terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems at both local and global level.
Basic and applied aspects of the ecosystems restoration
and sustainable use of resources are also studied.
Covered topics
1. Ecosystem functioning and climate change
2. Basic and applied aspects of mountain ecosystem
restoration
3. Services of mountain ecosystems and
environmental economics
4. River basin dynamics and natural hazards
mitigation
5. Management of microbial and insect
communities in mountain land-use systems
6. Mountain forest productivity and management

1. Ecosystem functioning and climate change
Technical background
The interactions between terrestrial ecosystems
and the atmosphere are extremely important in the
framework of issues connected to global change.
We aim at improving the understanding of the
effect of climate change on forest, agricultural and
fluvial ecosystems. The effect of ecosystem manipulation,
land use and land use change on biogeochemical
and water cycles at a plot and regional
scale is assessed.
The feasibility of different climate change mitigation
strategies, with special emphasis on the “biochar
option” is an important part of this research area.
Aims
To study the functioning of semi-natural and managed
ecosystems as affected by climate changes
and to develop management systems that maximise
the potential of climate change mitigation, without
compromising other fundamental roles of ecosystems,
such as protection of natural resources, food
security and recreation.
Main reference people
Giustino Tonon, Massimo Tagliavini, Stefan Zerbe,
Francesco Comiti, Lorenzo Brusetti, Francesca
Scandellari, Tanja Mimmo
Highlight
Biochar: a new and simple strategy to mitigate climate change and
increase food security
G. Tonon
Biochar is a product of the thermal
decomposition of different organic sources
under limited oxygen concentration at
relatively low temperatures (pyrolysis)
aimed at producing energy by syngas
combustion. Soil biochar application has
been proposed as a powerful means to
incorporate carbon (C) in a stable form,
avoiding or slowing its return to the
atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO 2). Other
than increasing soil C storage, the
incorporation of biochar into the soil has
been shown to improve soil fertility in
many agricultural contexts. However,
uncertainties exist concerning the impact
and environmental sustainability of soil
biochar application at the global scale.
Part of these uncertainties are related to the insufficiency of information about the biochar stability against microbial
decomposition in real soil conditions. Although studies of natural-fire charcoal and ancient anthropogenic
activity suggests millennial-scale stability, it is still a challenging issue to establish the half-life of fresh biochar.
Since the beginning of 2011 the Faculty of Science and Technology is a scientific partner of the EuroChar Project ,
the first European Project on Biochar. The principal aim of EuroChar is to investigate carbon sequestration potential
of soil biochar incorporation, assessing the stability of the char after field application and identifying the mechanisms
underlying increased crop yield. Three large-scale field experiments have been set up in Italy, France and the
UK to analyse the fate of carbon in biochar and the effect of biochar on native soil organic matter decomposition
and greenhouse gasses emissions. The first findings confirm the high potential of this geoengineering technology
to store a large amount of carbon in agricultural soils without compromising ecosystem services and functioning.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 19

2. Ecosystem restoration
Technical background
More than 40% of the terrestrial land surface is considered to be degraded or not suitable any more for
land use after a long period of overutilisation. Consequently, the restoration of ecosystems and related
services is one of the main challenges for our century.
Aims
On the basis of an understanding of ecosystem functioning and natural as well as anthropogenic processes,
we address the concepts and approaches to the management of ecosystem restoration through botanical
and microbial points of view. We deal hereby with a broad range of ecosystem and land-use types,
respectively, including coastal ecosystems, peatlands, forests, and grasslands.
Main reference people
Stefan Zerbe, Marco Baratieri, Lorenzo Brusetti, Francesco Comiti, Giustino Tonon
Highlight
Do native or non-native plants do better? The impact of the non native tree species
Robinia pseudoacacia and Prunus serotina on the tree and herb layer diversity
of floodplain forests in the Biosphere Reserve Valle del Ticino (NW Italy)
A. Terwei and S. Zerbe in cooperation with the University of Göttingen
Non native and invasive plant species are becoming an increasing problem for habitat and species conservation,
changing ecosystems worldwide by replacing native flora and alternating key ecological processes. The negative
impact on ecosystem structure, processes, and services are particularly relevant in nature conservation areas, e.g.
in the Biosphere Reserve Valle del Ticino in NW Italy. Today being one of the largest remnants of native oak (Quercus
robur L.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) hardwood forests in the highly urbanised and industrialised Po Plain,
the Ticino Biosphere Reserve represents an important ecological corridor, linking the Alps and the Apennines. As
early as the end of the 19th century, non-native, invasive species, such as Black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.),
Black locust (Robinia pseudacacia L.), Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle), and Red oak (Quercus
rubra L.) were introduced into the reserve. Today, these species are widespread and have contributed to significant
ecological problems because of their impact on biodiversity and forest–ecosystem functioning. In cooperation with
the University of Göttingen, we are focusing on these non-native tree species in the reserve that have been known
for their negative impact on forest ecosystems also in other parts of Europe. The goal of the project is to analyse
effects of these species on the biodiversity and also on the dynamics of the floodplain forests. The first results of
the investigations on the vegetation, tree rejuvenation, and the soil seed bank show that management against the
non-natives has an adverse effect, i.e. it even favours the establishment and dispersal of those species.

3. Ecosystem services and environmental economics
Technical background
After the Millennium Assessment Report, ecosystem
services related to functioning ecosystems are
increasingly gaining importance in science and
industry. Land-use systems as well as nature conservation
areas provide a set of ecosystem services.
Some of these services are characterised by
the existence of underlying market mechanisms.
The economic evaluation of market-supported
ecosystem services is different to the one of nonmarket-based
services in that only for the former
is price information usually available. Nevertheless,
different evaluation methods have been
developed to estimate the willingness to pay for
public goods such as non-market-supported ecosystem
services.
Aims
We investigate modern and traditional land-use
systems, natural and anthropogenic ecosystems
with regard to the services they provide for human
society. We always chose an interdisciplinary
approach, e.g. including landscape ecology, environmental
economics and environmental ethics
in order to derive management recommendations
on the regional and national level. In this way, we
can support the public policy-making process in
particular for agro-environmental issues by generating
relevant information on majority preferences
for public goods such as non-market-based
ecosystem services.
Main reference people
Stefan Zerbe, Christian Fischer, Marco Baratieri,
Lorenzo Brusetti, Giustino Tonon
Highlight
What do larch meadows, coppice forests, and chestnut orchards have in common?
Project EcoRAlps, S. Zerbe in cooperation with the University of Innsbruck
All three land-use systems have a long tradition in mountainous areas. Due to the often steep terrain, their maintenance
requires a lot of manual labour, so that the revenues gained are rather low. However, the extensive way in
which they have been managed by humans for hundreds of years has preserved a high level of biodiversity. It means
that many plants and animals find room to live in this ecosystems since they are less disturbed here than on more
intensively used land. Furthermore, all of these systems are part of the cultural heritage of the region: people enjoy
the larch meadows in autumn when the needles of the larches turn yellow, they collect their firewood from the
coppice forests of their municipality and locals and tourists alike enjoy walking through the chestnut orchards after
having enjoyed chestnuts for lunch. Assessing all the benefits that people can gain from this ecosystem, or in other
words assessing the ecosystem services that these land-use systems provide, helps develop strategies to maintain
or restore these systems. The comparison to alternative, more modern land uses shows how people’s benefits can
be maximised not only in economic terms for the owner, but for society as a whole. Quantifying the ecosystem services
facilitates the formulation of supporting tools (financial and political) to conserve traditional ecosystems.
Highlight
Ecosystem services of urban green spaces and human well-being in South Tyrol
A. Russo and S. Zerbe
Population growth in urban areas is a world-wide phenomenon. Numerous health and environmental issues arise
from this unprecedented urbanisation. Urban green spaces play a role in improving both the aesthetics and the
quality of life of residents. In particular, urban green spaces provide ecosystem services such as: urban air quality
improvement by removing pollutants that can cause serious health problems, carbon storage, carbon sequestration
and climate regulation through shading and evapotranspiration. Furthermore, epidemiological studies with
controlled age, sex, marital and socio-economic status, have provided evidence of a positive relationship between
green space and the life expectancy of senior citizens. We assess the ecosystem services and disservices of urban
green spaces in the city of Bolzano. In particular, we quantified the cooling effect of urban trees, the hourly amount
of pollution removed by the urban forest, and associated percentage of air quality improvement throughout the year.
The information was gathered using field data collected through local hourly air pollution readings, tree inventory
and meteorological and mathematical models. During the study, pollution removal for ozone, nitrogen dioxide,
carbon monoxide and particulate matter (

4. River basin dynamics and natural hazards mitigation
Technical background
A sound management of river basins is crucial to mitigate adverse effects stemming from natural hazards
such as floods, debris flows and landslides. At the same time, the re-establishment of natural geomorphic
processes (including erosion and deposition of both sediment and large wood) is now widely recognised
as necessary to achieve sustainable and ecologically meaningful river restoration goals.
We investigate the interactions between water, sediment and wood in the field, in the lab and by numerical
and conceptual modelling. The research activities deploy a suite of hydraulic, geomorphological and
biological methods, taking advantage of several joint ventures with other research centres and public
agencies. Experimental basins where water and sediment fluxes are continuously monitored have been
established over the past years in South Tyrol, including high-elevation catchments providing the possibility
to assess the effect of global warming on hydrological and sediment transport processes.
Aims
• To quantify the processes at play in river basins and their potential hazard in terms of sediment and
in-channel wood transport, at different spatial and temporal scales.
• To understand the interactions between physical and biological processes in river ecosystems.
• To develop integrated strategies for river management and restoration complying with risk mitigation
and ecological amelioration.
• To provide scientifically-based guidelines for effective river management regulations and actions.
Main reference people
Francesco Comiti, Giustino Tonon
Highlight
A new monitoring station for debris flows in the upper Vinschgau valley
F. Comiti
Debris flows are a type of mass movement consisting of highly concentrated dispersions of poorly sorted sediment
in water that may move at high speeds and have great destructive power. In South Tyrol, debris flows represent the
most relevant natural hazard, as they have caused 5 million euros of damage and management costs over the past
5 years. Between 2011 and 2012, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, in collaboration with a scientific consortium
led by the Faculty of Science and Technology of the FUB, has installed a new monitoring station for debris flows in
the Gadria basin (upper Vinschgau valley, above Laas-Lasa). The station consists of rain gauges, radar sensors,
geophones, and video cameras. In addition, water pore pressure is measured on three steep channel heads in the
upper part of the watershed. In August 2011, a small magnitude debris flow occurred in the Gadria channel. Sediment
deposition (

5. Management of microbial and insect communities
Technical background
The management of microbial and insect resources deals with the interaction of insects and microbes
with the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of their environment, allowing a deeper knowledge
of the presence of microbial and insect resources, with special reference to the alpine environment. The
main challenge at present is to understand, maintain and manage the insect and the microbial resources
to address particular technological issues in a more efficient and sustainable way. To do that, we firstly
need to address the questions of who is there, who is doing what with whom and how can we modify,
direct and drive these microbial and insect communities and consortia.
Aims
• Raising the awareness of the importance of insects and microbes in every-day life;
• Microbial studies:
--
Understanding gene flow, microbial adaptation, nutrient cycling and plant growth promotion at high
altitude and in cold environments.
--
Search for innovative techniques of bioremediation, by-product transformation, detoxification and
biogas production.
--
Assessment of artworks and material biodeterioration and biorestoration.
--
Assessment of environmental safety linked to the antibiotic resistance gene spread in pristine
mountain environments.
• Insect studies:
--
Definition of human impact on natural ecosystems by studying insect conservation programmes in
alpine environments.
--
Insect biodiversity conservation and selection of the most deserving populations (taxa) or conservation
targets.
--
Development of innovative forest protection strategies against forest pest insects.
--
Increasing fundamental documentation of patterns of insect species distribution on a geographical
scale.
Main reference people
Lorenzo Brusetti, Sergio Angeli
SEM of a beetle:
The head of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Colepotera: Tenebrionidae), taken with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the image has
been artificially coloured.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 23

Highlight
Bacterial community structure as promising bioindicators
for local catchment management
L. Brusetti
In the last years several bioindicators of freshwater environments have been studied. To study the impact of pollutants
on the freshwater sediments, the analysis of microbial community’s structure can be considered a promising
instrument to assess the quality and health of a water body. Microbial communities are sensitive descriptors of
ecological conditions because of their ubiquity and their rapid response to any environmental change. We analysed
as case of study the city of Zhangye (Gansu province, China), with a population of 1-2 million inhabitants, located
within a big oasis surrounded by the Gobi desert and the Qilianshan Mountains. Like many other Chinese cities,
Zhangye is growing in various aspects including mining, the production of building materials, electric power, metallurgy,
machinery assembly, transportation and agriculture. In recent years, environmental pollution has caused
a decrease in water quality. The city area is also characterised by the widespread presence of Phragmites australis
(Cav.) Trin (common reed), that covers virtually all the channels and the ponds within the urban area, the industrial
zone and the surrounding agricultural area. Microbial communities strictly associated to Phragmites australis roots
are thought to be crucial in the degradation, immobilisation and reduction of bioavailability of contaminants and
therefore these communities may be considered promising candidates as bioindicators, due to their ubiquity and
the direct interaction with the water chemical microenvironment.
Samples of Phragmites australis root-associated sediments were carefully chosen from the flowing water of waste
water treatment channels, as well as from industrial, urban and agricultural drainage channels. Microbiological
analyses have been assessed by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer
Analysis (ARISA). Chemical analyses of the concentration of heavy metals and nutrients were undertaken. Highly
polluted sediments were found in the industrial area, where abnormal concentrations of zinc, arsenic, cadmium
and lead, in particular, were monitored. A total of 50,000 bacterial DNA sequences were identified and used for the
correlation analysis with the chemical and environmental data.
Canonical Correspondence Analysis of the ARISA fingerprinting bacterial community showed a high similarity of
the replicated samples within the same sample site. Pyrosequencing showed that most of the agricultural area,
as well as single occasional points in the urban and in the industrial zone of the city were characterised by quite a
clean environment. Most of the urban area and the industrial zone was highly polluted: industrial areas were mostly
affected by some heavy metals, while the urban area suffers from an extended organic pollution and an abnormal
arsenic concentration.

6. Forest productivity and management
Technical background
In spite of scientific advancements in forest management,
most forestry practices are still based
on empirical approaches. The knowledge of longterm
forest dynamics in response to natural and
human-induced perturbations is the scientific basis
to develop modern forest management systems
oriented to maximise multi-functionality of forests
in the face of new environmental challenges. Both
retrospective studies and long-term monitoring
approaches can be used in this context. The use of
modern remote and proximal sensing technologies
aimed at assessing forest biomass and structure
is an important aspect of the technological background
of this research area.
Aims
To study long-term forest dynamics in response to
human-induced and natural perturbations in order
to develop approaches and methods oriented to
multi-objective forest management.
Main reference people
Giustino Tonon, Fabrizio Mazzetto, Francesco
Comiti, Sergio Angeli, Stefan Zerbe
Highlight
The Project Centre on Mountain Forests (MOUNTFOR)
G. Tonon
A new Project Centre of the European Forest Institute (EFI) dealing with sustainable management of mountain forests
will start its activity in 2013. MOUNTFOR has been built upon the experience and structures of a core network
of research institutes, which are Associate Members of EFI: the Agricultural Research Council of Italy (CRA), the
University of Molise, the University of Tuscia, the Centre for Research and Innovation of Edmund Mach Foundation
(CRI-FEM), and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The main goals of MOUNTFOR are:
• monitoring and inventorying size and quality of forest ecosystem services (sensu Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,
2005, and Mountain Forests in a Changing World, 2011), for a better understanding of the interactions
between forests and water in mountain environments of Europe and overseas;
• identifying tools and criteria to forecast the effects of global change on mountain forests and the water cycle,
integrating research infrastructures in forested catchments and agroforestry systems, transferring experimental
results into technical recommendations;
• assessing the potential impacts of forest management and land use and land-use changes on mountain hydrology
and the availability/quality of water resources, implementing long-term experimental and demonstration sites,
and developing site-specific adaptation strategies;
• incorporating applied research and governance analysis to disseminate the benefits of forest ecosystem services
to stakeholders, finding equilibrium between economic development (e.g., innovative wood technology and
renewable energy sector) and environmental conservation (e.g., reduction of soil erosion and control of invasive
species).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 25

Research
Focus
3
INDUSTRIAL
PRODUCTIOn
Engineering methods and technologies for
product and process innovation
Aims
The focus studies the technical and organisational optimisation of production
technologies and processes with the objective of quality and ergonomic
improvements as well as cost and lead time reduction. Attention is
given to the design and use of management technologies especially in the
context of small and medium-sized industrial, construction and agricultural
businesses.
Major topics
1. Innovation management and methods
2. Design for environment and life cycle assessment of
industrial processes
3. Lean and changeable production systems
4. Mechatronics and intelligent techniques for industrial production
5. Materials and manufacturing engineering
6. Industrial engineering approaches to collaborative networks in the
construction industry
1. Innovation management and methods
Technical background
Innovation is one of the most important factors for a firm’s long-term success. Due to increasing customer
expectations and growing international competition, companies are forced to offer a huge product
variety and at the same time reduce the product life cycles. On the one hand, the market success rate of
new products or services is strongly determined by creativity and a strict orientation towards value for the
customer. On the other hand, a successful market introduction of a new product needs efficient innovation
processes and management systems. This poses a controversial research question: the creative world of
innovation and marketing meets management and control systems which by nature belong to the world
of rationality and measurement. The challenge of this research topic lies in the identification of a holistic
approach which combines management and innovation methods in order to accelerate a firm’s innovation
processes and to maximise the innovation success rate.
Aims
This research topic aims to develop a holistic innovation management approach which builds on the principles
of axiomatic design and a set of management and control methods and extends these concepts to
the cyclic model “from market to market”. It starts from a new approach in the customer domain which
helps to predict new market trends, systematically identifies customer needs, shows how, on this basis,
to define a consistent vision and strategy for the company (from the high-level targets to the lower-level
strategies) and finally helps to successfully manage and control the phase of product realisation and
market launch.
Main reference people
Dominik Matt, Silvana Revellino

2. Design for environment – and life cycle – assessment of industrial processes
Technical background
The concept of ‘design for environment’ (DfE) can
be summarised in the principle of “do more, using
less”, which is the incentive for reducing the quantity
of energy and material used to provide goods
and services. Problems regarding the use of scarce
raw materials and the emission of substances that
are harmful for the environment and for humans
will also be taken into consideration.
This research topic deals with issues related to the
application of the ‘life cycle assessment’ methodology
(LCA) to determine the carbon footprint and
environmental emissions of different players involved
in a supply chain.
In the past decade, environmental design (‘eco design’
or ‘design for environment’) has become one
of the most significant agendas for many manufacturing
companies. Yet, there is a wide variety
in their approaches, strategies and in levels of
execution. In this topic, DfE concepts have been enlarged;
the objective is not only to evaluate in which
way the product design phase could influence environmental
performances of a supply chain but also
how a re-design of the supply chain could provide a
reduction of environmental impacts.
Aims
This research topic aims at setting target specifications
for the product and its life cycle, and to
establish eco-design concepts. This emerged from
the idea that DfE methodologies could be used as
a tool for the development of a more sustainable
supply chain. This idea led the researchers to focus
their activities on the development of new procedures
and techniques that allowed the designers to
integrate DfE methods and ‘environmental supply
chain management’.
LCA techniques will be used to design more sustainable
industrial products. This technique allows
the researchers to reduce the environmental
impact of products beginning at the design stage.
During the early design stages of a product even
a small environmental consideration can have a
large effect on the environmental impact of a product
throughout its life cycle.
Main reference people
Filippo Ciarapica, Fabrizio Mazzetto
3. Lean and changeable production systems
Technical background
Globalisation of markets has driven industry to
leave the security of mass production in favour of
lean and flexible manufacturing models. However,
these concepts have already become state of the
art in modern production system design. Their
implementation is no longer a unique competitive
advantage, but has become a vital prerequisite in
global competition. Today’s challenges for manufacturing
go beyond these concepts. Since sales
figures are difficult to forecast, it is necessary to
conceptualise not only flexible but highly adaptable
systems which can be upgraded by more
scale-economic solutions during the product’s life
cycle, even under extremely difficult forecasting
conditions. Unlike flexible systems, changeable
ones are expected to be capable of actively varying
their own structure.
Lean "tools" can be used in order to assist in the
identification and steady elimination of waste.
Principles of waste elimination include: pull
processing, perfect first-time quality, continuous
improvement, agile material handling, building and
maintaining a long-term relationship with suppliers,
automation, load levelling and production flow and
visual control.
Aims
The purpose is to investigate the mechanisms of
dynamic complexity in terms of internal and/or external
drivers and the impact on a flexible production
system’s performance. As a result, a framework
for the monitoring and controlling of dynamic
complexity can be derived that helps to anticipate
operational performance losses by a timely definition
and implementation of measures for a focused
system redesign.
Therefore, this research topic retraces a series
of real-life production system redesign initiatives
in order to identify the mechanisms that help to
maintain and improve a firm’s production system’s
competitiveness in terms of time, cost and quality
even in turbulent environmental conditions.
Main reference people
Filippo Ciarapica, Dominik Matt
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 27

Highlight
Mini-factory laboratory for agile production
D. Matt
Increasing customer expectations and turbulent global
markets place high demands particularly on small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The competitive
pressure in volume markets increases and forces many
SMEs to retreat into niche markets. Thus, producers are
often faced with the necessity to handle higher product
complexity and smaller lot sizes within shortening
product life cycles. As a consequence, manufacturing
unit costs and investment risks increase, causing losses
in profitability and liquidity that in the long run can even
endanger the existence of the company. In order to
reduce these risks, many SMEs have started to outsource
manufacturing operations to highly specialised
suppliers, concentrating their forces and competences
on product design and assembly. Assembly is one of the most cost-effective approaches to high product variety.
However, today’s assembly systems are increasingly required to quickly adapt to changing market requirements.
The design of scalable assembly systems enables management to increase or decrease production capacity quickly
and cost-effectively in response to market demand. However, a responsive assembly system is not only able to
adjust its production capacity to demand variations but whose functionality is adaptable to new products and/or
variants. One of the major challenges in assembly system design is thus to select a configuration that both satisfies
the production of functional requirements and is easy and cost-efficient to operate, especially in terms of its
adaptability to changing product and volume requirements triggered by a turbulent market environment.
The “Industrial Production” focus area at the Faculty of Science and Technology studies the technical and organisational
optimisation of production technologies and processes with the objective of quality and ergonomic improvements
as well as cost and lead time reductions. Attention is given to the design and use of management technologies
especially in the context of small and medium-sized industrial, construction and agricultural enterprises.
In this context, the industrial production research group around Professor Dominik Matt has set up the “Mini-Factory”
laboratory in order to develop and test innovative assembly system design approaches. These approaches
are based on the investigation of the sensitivity of assembly systems to volume fluctuations as part of the selection
process of alternative design solutions for scalable assembly systems on the basis of a real industrial environment.
Methods and best practice guidelines for the (re-)design of a scalable assembly system are developed on the basis
of applied industrial research using Axiomatic Design (AD) for the top level structuring of the framework incorporating
useful methods and insights from previous research work.
In contrast to most research, this laboratory deals with varying configurations of assembly systems highlighting
the significance of considering an assembly system design’s sensitivity to volume fluctuations. The results obtained
are important to industry as they can serve as a guideline for the design of cost-efficient scalable assembly system
configurations.
So far, most attention has been given to manual assembly systems. In future research, special attention will be given
to hybrid assembly systems and to systems with a higher degree of automation. Moreover, the impact of buffers
and handling systems on the design of scalable assembly systems must be analysed in more detail; also for this
AD is considered to be a helpful methodological support. Furthermore, the “mini factory” is used to teach student
different approaches of assembly system design and optimisation within the lecture course “Production Systems
and Industrial Logistics”.

4. Mechatronics and intelligent techniques for industrial production
Technical background
Nowadays, industrial research is heavily oriented
towards system performance optimisation. This
mainly concerns dynamic performances and productivity
and cost-saving increases.
The technological level that has been reached in
the last years has allowed for the exploitation, in
the design and management of products and manufacturing
processes, the synergistic combination
of industrial engineering principles and technologies.
These include precision mechanical engineering,
advanced materials and electronic components
and also cover advanced and intelligent
algorithms and techniques. The results are the use
of ‘mechatronics’ and the application of intelligent
techniques for manufacturing processes.
Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field of engineering
that deals with the design of products by
means of the integration of precision mechanical
engineering, electronic components and control
systems in the design of products and manufacturing
processes, and the use of advanced and intelligent
robots able to interact with the environment.
In contrast, the application of intelligent techniques
for manufacturing processes and industrial automated
systems is a growing research area that
aims at answering the challenges of flexible and
adaptive manufacturing, which requires mass
customisation instead of mass production.
Thus, this research topic, taking into account
recent developments in industrial mechanical
plants, applied mechanics and manufacturing
technologies, deals with issues related to the
design and/or optimisation of:
• intelligent techniques for flexible and adaptive
manufacturing processes and industrial automated
systems. Special focus is given to on-line
diagnostics and automatic supply management
issues for managing products and processes
quality and reliability;
• high-performance automatic machines. Special
focus is given to the improvement of machines’
and robots’ dynamic performances into industrial
environments such as packaging, food processing,
machine tools;
• green mechatronic systems. Special focus is
given on the energy efficiency improvements of
mechatronic and robotic systems and devices.
Aims
This research topic aims at the improvement of the
performances of industrial and production systems
taking into account different and even conflicting
demands, i.e., productivity, precision, dynamic
performances, optimal management of resources,
resources and energy efficiency, re-configurability.
These aims may be achieved by means of analysis,
design and application, on one hand of mechatronic
and robotic concepts and systems and,
on the other hand, of intelligent algorithms and
techniques.
Main reference people
Renato Vidoni, Pasquale Russo Spena
Highlight
Mimicking the climbing plants: a new robotic-grasping system
R. Vidoni, T. Mimmo, S. Cesco
Climbing plants, capable of grasping objects by coiling around them to achieve maximum vertical height to increase
sun exposure while minimizing energy expenditure, have fascinated since Darwin’s time.
The project, developed in cooperation with the Ariadna team of the European Space Agency (ESA), attempts to find
and design innovative concepts and solutions to mimic the grasping and pulling behaviour of tendrils.
Based on biological and chemical studies, we highlighted the main characteristics of Passiflora tendrils. Then,
experimental evaluations allowed us to understand the plants’ climbing behaviour and to transpose them into an
engineering language. A bio-inspired approach combining plant-based observations, robotic concepts and shape
memory alloys will allow the creation of new effective bio-mimetic grasping systems.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 29

5. Materials and manufacturing engineering
Technical background
Manufacturing engineering and technology is
related to the application of engineering principles
to produce high-quality goods efficiently that meet
market demands and specifications, by using the
most cost-effective methods while ensuring environmental
sustainability.
Manufacturing engineering covers the entire field
of manufacturing processing such as forming
and shaping processes, metal casting, machining
processes, machine tools, advanced machining
processes and equipment, joining processes,
surface technology, sintering processes and rapid
prototyping.
Computer-based programs can also be used
throughout industry to optimise operations, improve
product quality and reduce costs, including
simulation of manufacturing operations and processes
(e.g., machining, forming, metal casting).
The field also integrates knowledge from materials
(structure, properties, processing and performance)
with manufacturing processes to solve materials
selection and design problems to meet the
needs of modern industrial technology in construction,
energy production, food processing, transportation
and so on.
Manufacturing engineering and technology also
covers the improved and novel mechanical processing
of materials configured to explore near net
shape and zero-waste manufacturing processes
and to develop new or improved materials with
superior performance. Recycling, reprocessing and
disposal of materials are also considered.
Aims
• Meet all design requirements, product specifications,
and relevant national and international
product standards.
• Build quality into the product at each stage of its
production.
• Implement the most economical, timely and
environmentally friendly (green) manufacturing
methods.
• Adopt production methods that are sufficiently
flexible in order to respond rapidly to changing
global market demands and to provide on-time
delivery to the customer.
• Undertake efforts aimed at achieving higher
levels of productivity and eliminating or minimizing
waste with optimum use of an organisation’s
resources.
• Continually evaluate advances in materials, production,
methods and computer integration while
realizing their appropriate, timely, and economical
implementation.
Main reference people
Pasquale Russo Spena
Highlight
Arc and laser welding of innovative steels for automotive sheet components
P. Russo Spena
Along with the intensifying of environmental pollution problems and energy crises, energy saving has become the
most important issue for automotive manufacturers. Among the many measures to reduce fuel consumption and
CO 2 emissions, reducing the weight has been the most effective. A study has demonstrated that 10% of weight
reduction leads to a 3-7% reduction in fuel consumption. Another important goal for manufacturers is to increase
passenger safety, thus body car structures should have energy absorption capacities to improve frontal and side
impacts and roof crash performances. To address both these aspects, the amount of high-strength steels (HSSs)
used in the automotive industry to manufacture sheet components is gradually increasing and new advanced highstrength
steels (AHSSs) are under development. Research activity is focused on an increase in the mechanical
strengths along with the preservation, or improvement, of ductility. The increase of material strength enables car
manufacturers to reduce the overall weight of vehicles, while improved ductility allows for increased energy absorption
during a crash as well as to produce components with more complex geometry.
In the last years, new AHSS such as TRIP, USIBOR, and TWIP steels have recently received attention in the automotive
industry on account of their high strength and ductility. Structural sheet components in HSSs lighten vehicles
and therefore reduce fuel consumption, while ductility increases energy absorption during car accidents, thus
improving passenger safety. Since many of the automotive structural sheet components (such as pillar reinforcements,
front door panels, etc.) are traditionally assembled by welding before and/or after forming operations (tailor
welded blanks), the evaluation of the mechanical and microstructural response of dissimilar joints of AHSSs is
of primary importance for their full exploitation in the automotive industry. For this reason, a research activity, in
collaboration with the Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. - Group Materials Labs, aims at investigating the response of
dissimilar joints of HSSs and AHSSs sheets after arc and laser welding. The welded joints are studied from a mechanical
(e.g., tensile, micro-hardness, formability tests) and micro-structural (e.g., EDX, SEM, optical microscopy,
residual stress analysis) standpoint, as a function of the involved welding process parameters.

6. Industrial engineering approaches to collaborative networks
in the construction industry
Technical background
The sustainability of the building environment is
affected by many factors including the construction
materials chosen and the arrangement of living
and working spaces. However, each building project
is unique, with different requirements, constraints
and client personalities. Thus, combined
with the fact that building planning is not integrated
with production, construction results in a loss
of efficiency unknown in any other industrial sector.
Therefore, we must consider both the environmental
and economic sustainability of construction
projects and learn how to apply lessons learned
from successful projects within the construction
industry and beyond on a larger scale.
Aims
The aim of this research topic is to apply innovative
approaches like mass customisation to construction
and integrate the concept of value stream engineering
into the process. This will allow a highly
efficient way of construction for highly sustainable
buildings.
Main reference people
Dominik Matt, Cristina Benedetti
Highlight
Re-engineering of a hotel building in South Tyrol
D. Matt
To develop a methodology (production method) which solves the previous mentioned problems a process re-engineering
of an existing building was done in collaboration with the participating key-players (architect, construction
manager, foreman of the masons, and so on).
The analysed case is a hotel building with an overall cost of 3 million euros in South Tyrol.
In a first step the design and planning process was strengthened by using the expertise of the mentioned participating
stakeholders in a structured and iterative manner leading to an improved product design.
On this basis a general process map was elaborated, visualized and optimized using an adapted value stream
engineering methodology. Then the mentioned building was subdivided into specific work sections to balance the
workload of craftsman teams on the construction site. In these sections the workload was subdivided into construction
pitches which have a work content of one week or one day per craftsman teams like electricians or masons. As
a result, an optimized construction schedule was elaborated (figure) which incorporates different “lean construction”
strategies.
In the on-going research field a real construction prototype will be realised using the developed methodology and
integrating an information management system to support the coordination process for the involved crafts.
Lean construction schedule
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 31

Research
Focus
4
ENERGY
Energy resources and energy efficiency
Aims
The challenge of introducing a sustainable lifestyle combining environmental protection and social and economic
improvement is directly connected with a better exploitation of energy resources. In strict contact with the local
reality of the mountain territory of South Tyrol, the two classical paradigms of energy efficiency in energy production,
distribution and utilisation and of replacement of traditional fuels with renewable energy sources are considered
here. Accordingly, research activities cover, on the side of energy production, the management of renewable
energy resources and energy production technology, and, on the side of energy efficiency, energy efficiency in
buildings and energy efficiency in production systems.
Covered topics
1. Analysis of the energy performance of the building envelope and HVAC systems
2. Renewable energy resources management
3. Energy production technology
4. Energy efficiency in production processes
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 33

1. Analysis of the energy performance of the building envelope and HVAC systems
Technical background
The energy use of buildings accounts for 35-40%
of final consumption in Europe and requires in
particular thermal energy for heating (70%) and
hot water production (20%). A major concern is the
increasing summer energy consumption and the
passive behaviour of the building envelope to limit
this growth.
European policies are oriented towards energy
saving. For new buildings, the aim is to obtain
near-zero energy or passive buildings able to efficiently
use renewable sources (solar, geothermal,
...) available on site. For existing buildings,
energy diagnosis and refurbishment measures are
the most important actions to save at least one
third of the final uses.
In the international context, the research on building
energy performance is oriented towards:
• solutions for new near-zero energy buildings:
• opaque and transparent envelope behaviour
(with numerical and experimental analyses)
in steady state and in dynamic evolution;
• passive and active use of renewable energy
sources (geothermal, solar, …);
• thermal comfort and relative energy costs in
particular for ventilation;
• solution for existing buildings renovation:
• on-site energy diagnosis;
• new material and plant systems for
retrofitting.
Aims
This topic deals with the evaluation of the energy
performance of the envelope components, of the
Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Systems and of the whole building system, both
from an experimental and a theoretical point of
view. The activity deals with the definition and
application of innovative experimental investigation
methods to characterise both the stationary and
the dynamic behaviour of the building envelope.
The research also aims to find the definition and
application of experimental investigation procedures
to characterise both the nominal and the
exercise behaviour of the HVAC systems. In particular
the analysis considers generation systems
exploiting renewable sources (solar energy, geothermal
energy, biomasses) such as conventional
and sorption heat pumps and the systems for
energy efficiency in ventilation, which represent the
main areas of future equipment development for
near-zero energy and zero emission buildings.
The methodologies will be used for single component
lab evaluation, and for on-site energy auditing
of whole building systems and results will be used
for the validation of simulation instruments.
The energy evaluation will be extended from operational
needs to the consumption linked to the
whole life cycle of the building.
Main reference people
Andrea Gasparella, Marco Baratieri

highlight
BuilDinGs AnD BioMAss coGenerAtion systeMs: inteGrAteD siMulAtion ApproAch
a. gasparella and m. baratieri
combined heat and power production (chp) systems based on biomass gasification represent a promising technological
solution and a feasible alternative to biomass combustion, especially for small-scale applications. in this
perspective, the integration of biomass gasification with high efficiency power generation systems is able to define
competitive scenarios if compared with conventional biomass cogeneration systems.
The aim of this study is the energy efficiency assessment of cogeneration systems based on biomass gasification
for residential application, using a coupled multistage modelling approach. The gasification stage has been
modelled through a thermodynamic approach and the efficiency of the whole chp system has been evaluated
supplementing the simulation of the gasification stage with the energy balance of the cogeneration set (i.e., internal
combustion engine). The chp plant supplies thermal energy to residential buildings considering different plant
size and operational times. dynamic simulations were performed concerning three main building configurations.
The building-system interactions were analysed for a southern european climate considering three different
thermal resistances for the opaque building envelope and also considering the domestic hot water consumption.
The resulting building-system scenarios were also compared with a conventional scenario of separated production
by means of peS (primary energy saving). The results show the optimal operating conditions and the system size
range for the chosen residential applications. The economical return of such a power plant was also assessed. The
gasification-based chp technology represents a field of study of great interest, as it can have substantial room for
improvement with respect to conventional separated generation systems at the same size. Further developments of
this study foresee an experimental campaign already planned for 2013 on real size chp gasification plants.
activity report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 35

2. Renewable energy resources management
Technical background
Scientific research in energy production aims to improve energy efficiency in energy conversion, both from
fossil and renewable energy sources, and to diversify the sources so as to obtain a larger use of renewable
energy sources.
The final energy consumption in South Tyrol comprises electrical energy at 29% and thermal energy at
71%. The renewable energy sources cover around 54% of the overall energy consumption but only around
one third of the thermal energy needs. Two thirds of the South Tyrol heat consumption still depends on
fossil fuels.
The region is oriented towards renewable energy sources (biomasses, hydroelectric, solar, geothermal,
wind) both for developing new technologies and to enhance the exploitation of natural resources for
traditional plane and fossil fuels substitution.
Aims
This topic deals with:
• Analysis of energy generation chains from renewable sources. The availability and the potential of
each resource is contrasted with the sustainability of its utilisation.
• The processes connected with the technological availability of the resources (biomass extraction,
hydraulic works, etc.).
• The study of the processes is supplemented with the analysis of the systems for the combined heat and
power generation, also considering the integration of different generation technologies from renewable
sources.
• Identification of the main sources of energy waste in production devices and processes, the relevant
energy saving potentials and the design and development of methodologies and technologies for
energy saving.
• The definition of development models and tools capable to support the design and decision procedures.
Main reference people
Marco Baratieri, Andrea Gasparella, Fabrizio Mazzetto, Giustino Tonon

3. Energy production technologies
Technical background
Scientific research in energy production aims to improve energy efficiency in energy conversion, both from
fossil and renewable energy sources, and to diversify the sources so as to obtain a larger use of renewable
energy sources. The final energy consumption in South Tyrol comprises electrical energy at 29% and
thermal energy at 71%. The renewable energy sources cover around 54% of the overall energy consumption
but only around one third of the thermal energy needs. Two thirds of the South Tyrol heat consumption
still depends on fossil fuels. The region is oriented towards renewable energy sources (biomasses, hydroelectric,
solar, geothermal, wind) both for developing new technologies and to enhance the exploitation of
natural resources for traditional plane and fossil fuels substitution.
Aims
This topic deals with different resources (hydropower, solar, wind and biomass). As far as biomass is
concerned, specific targets are:
• Theoretical and experimental analysis of innovative thermochemical energy conversion processes of
biomass.
• Fuel upgrading paths – to reduce the environmental impact of traditional thermal processes – which is
crucial for solid biomass energy exploitation.
• Transformation of biomass into intermediate fuels (solid, liquid and gaseous), in order to enhance the
efficiency of the energy generation processes.
• Complete plant chain, including the process residues and by products management and valorisation
and the impact assessment of the different processes on the environmental components.
As regards solar energy, the target is to study and design high performance solar concentration energy
conversion systems for thermal and electrical power production.
As far as the electrical energy is concerned, the target is to analyse and to design high performance electrical
machine and drives so as to optimise global system efficiency.
Main reference people
Marco Baratieri, Andrea Gasparella, Luigi Alberti, Massimiliano Renzi
4. Energy efficiency in production processes
Technical background
For decades energy efficiency in industrial systems
has involved factory energy audits and retrofits
on industrial energy services (lighting, heating,
compress air, and so on). A large amount of the
saving potential by sizing, replacing and optimising
those services has already been realised as they
could be implemented by the people working in
the industrial plants. The next step in industrial
energy saving necessarily involves the new design
of production systems including energy efficiency
concepts and requirements. This can be accomplished
in cooperation with the manufacturers of
the production plants, moving the energy saving
responsibility from the final users of those systems
to their suppliers.
Energy efficiency in production processes is also
involved in the primary sector (agriculture and
forestry) and food production processes. In both
sectors, the analysis of energy efficiency is connected
with the mitigation of environmental impact
through life cycle assessment techniques.
Aims
This topic deals with the energy efficiency in the
industrial processes. Starting from the definition
of an energy audit approach at district, factory and
single plant level, this topic aims to analyse the
energy saving potential. This can be achieved both
by using more efficient production systems or by
adopting distributed generation and combined heat
and power systems. Moreover, the redesign the
production systems is considered to be in synergy
with the green-mechatronics concepts. Similar
targets can apply to the agriculture and forestry
sector.
Main reference people
Marco Baratieri, Andrea Gasparella, Renato Vidoni,
Fabrizio Mazzetto
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 37

Research
Focus
5
FUNDAMENTAL
SCIENCES
Covered topics
1. Mathematical models and methods for complex systems
2. Variable structure control: theory and applications
3. Biostatistics and bioinformatics
4. Bioorganic chemistry and crystallography

1. Mathematical models and methods for complex systems
Technical background
Broadly speaking, complex system science designates
a new approach to research concerning a
variety of disciplines. Some of the main features of
complex systems are that (i) they are composed by
a high number of different units (e.g. individuals,
animals, particles) which are nonlinearly interacting,
(ii) they exhibit a self-organizing behaviour which
does not result from the existence of a central
controller, (iii) the collective properties are not obvious
from those of the constituent entities. Examples
of complex systems are given by bird swarms,
ant colonies, markets and human economies, social
structures, living cells and so on. The study of
similar systems is currently receiving a renewed, fast
growing interest all over the world. This is partly
due to the power of modern computers, which allows
us to undertake simulations that were simply
unthinkable a few decades ago. In studying these
systems, a main goal is to understand and explain
the emergence of the macro-level properties and
patterns as a result of the micro-level interactions
taking place between single components. Methods
inspired to statistical physics and kinetic gas theory
provide some suggestion as to how to try and
tackle the problem. In the available literature,
typically agent-based methods, Montecarlo simulations
and network theory are employed, combined
with phenomenological information. The attempt
to construct a mathematical framework, based on
rigorous grounds, suitable for a general approach
to complex systems dynamics is a challenging and
fascinating one and provides the motivation for the
present investigations. It may be that new tools
will be necessary for the mathematical kit for the
study of complex systems. A possible technical
background comprises competencies ranging in
the fields of dynamic system theory, of the qualitative
theory of nonlinear differential equations, of
elements of probability and statistics, of stochastic
game theory, of kinetic gas theory and, of course,
of some computational software programs.
Aims
Among the major goals in the study of a complex
system, a special role is played by the identification
of the mechanisms and the processes occurring
at the micro-level, which determine the properties
and behaviours which are observed at the macrolevel
and characterise the system as a whole.
In this connection, models have to be formulated,
and this may require having a general suitable
framework. The behaviours of the single elements
of the complex system cannot be forecast, in view
of their huge number. Accordingly, a natural idea
is to replace the deterministic description of their
dynamics by an essentially probabilistic one at the
microscopic scale. Then, the evolution of some
probability distribution over a suitable (scalar or
vectorial) variable which characterises the elements
of the system becomes the object to be investigated.
The description of such evolution can be expressed
for example by an integro-differential equation or
by a system of differential equations with stochasticity
elements. Typically, a great deal of parameters
enters in the general abstract equation systems,
related e.g. to probability transition rates. This provides
a high flexibility for the modelling of different
specific systems. Having formulated a precise
model, its dynamics has to be analyzed: this typically
means to try and identify dynamic equilibrium
or periodic solutions, to investigate their stability
and attractivity properties, to check whether there
exists a particular asymptotic trend.
Main reference people
Maria Letizia Bertotti
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 39

2. Variable structure control: theory and applications
Technical background
Variable Structure Systems are systems characterised
by the presence of switching manifolds: these
define regions of the state space where the system
dynamics evolve according to different nonlinear
differential equations. When the boundaries of
these regions are reached, the system switches
from one structure to the other. By exploiting this
feature is thus possible to design systems whose
trajectories are created by piecewise pasting those
of different systems and belonging to none of them.
In control theory these ideas have been exploited
to create the so-called 'sliding mode controls': the
aim is to deliberately create a variable structure
by using a discontinuous controller in order to
constrain in finite-time the motion on a prescribed
sliding manifold. This surface has to be defined in
order to fulfil the given control goal. This method
has two main advantages: 1) once in sliding (i.e.
when evolving on the manifold), the system is of
reduced order and 2) the evolution is independent
of matched external disturbances.
Aims
To provide a sound mathematical background for
the application of VSC techniques to both finite and
infinite dimensional systems. The use of discontinuous
controllers poses in fact several problems
from the point of view of the well-posedness of the
closed loop system.
To explore the possibility and potential advantages
of extending SMC methods outside the classical
areas of application. These techniques are in fact
relatively simple to implement, while being very
robust with respect to unmodeled dynamics and
external disturbances, an appealing feature for
their application to complex systems.
Main reference people
Laura Levaggi
3. Biostatistics and bioinformatics
Technical background
The physical appearance of living beings, i.e. the phenotype, is shaped by the genotype and the environment,
including nutrition. Depending on the phenotypic trait, the contributions of these two sources can
vary enormously. There is significant interest in many scientific fields to quantify precisely the impact of
the genotype on the one hand and of the environment on the other hand. In the medical and pharmaceutical
sciences, for example, it is of importance to know if, and if yes, to what extent, an unfavourable phenotpye
can be improved by a medical treatment or by a change in the environment. Another example is
the agricultural sciences. Knowing the genetic basis of a trait of interest, e.g. milk quality or yield, would
mean to apply more efficient breeding schemes. The exact biological mechanisms as to how a genotype
affects a phenotype are typically unknown, but biotechnologically high throughput methods have been
developed during the past two decades that make a better understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship
tangible. The most influential of these methods include genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
and next generation sequencing (NGS).
Aims
The output that is generated by the aforementioned high throughput techniques consists of a tremendous
amount of data stored in flat files. The interpretation of these raw data constitutes a major challenge to
the “life scientist”. A serious of successive steps is necessary to achieve manageable lists of biological entities,
for instance genes or polymorphisms. The aim is to extract the essential features of such data and
at the same time to control the reliability of this analysis procedure. Furthermore, various public databases
have been set up that permit to extract the information that is necessary to understand the impact
of polymorphisms, like single nucleotide polymorphisms or genomic insertions or deletions.
Main reference people
Armin Schmitt

4. Bioorganic chemistry and crystallography
Technical background
The research on structure and function of proteins
is focused on the study of those important for the
pathogenesis or survival of plant pathogens during
their interaction with the plant host. The following
techniques are employed in our laboratory: gene
cloning, expression and purification of proteins.
The purified proteins are crystallised and subsequently
characterised by X-ray crystallography.
In parallel the proteins under investigation are
studied in solution by spectroscopic techniques
in collaboration with other research institutions.
The main line of research is the study of Erwinia
amylovora, the bacterial pathogen causing fire
blight in some fruit species . This bacterial disease
still represents a threat to intensive fruit farming
worldwide and is characterised by high virulence
with deadly consequences for the plants affected.
The pathogen is studied at the molecular level to
discover how its proteins interact with the host to
cause the disease.
Aims
This study is aimed at investigating virulence and
pathogenicity of E. amylovora at the molecular
level starting from the information contained in
its genome. We study the proteins essential to
the bacteria to better understand the mechanism
determining E. amylovora pathogenicity. Analysing
the sequence of the genome we selected proteins
like the enzymes involved the biosynthesis of amilovoran,
the proteins involved in the regulation of
the production of amylovoran, the Hrp proteins and
other secreted proteins. In a second phase, we will
study proteins involved in desferrioxamine biosynthesis.
Main reference people
Stefano Benini
Highlight
Biomolecular characterisation of Erwinia amylovora Levansucrase –
How to coat yourself to survive!
S. Benini
Erwinia amylovora is the bacterial agent of fire blight in apple and pear. The infection begins in the flowers where
the bacterium finds, in the nectar, a high concentration of sucrose, mainly used to produce a polysaccharide called
levan. Erwinia amylovora escapes the first host defences by coating itself with levan. Levan is a polymer of fructose
produced by the enzyme levansucrase. This enzyme carries out two types of reactions: first sucrose hydrolysis to
yield glucose and fructose, and second the polymerisation of fructose to give levan. We overexpressed Erwinia amylovora
levansucrase in Escherichia coli and purified it. We carried out the functional characterisation of the enzyme
in collaboration with Professor Robert Field at the John Innes Centre (Norwich, United Kingdom). We grew crystals
of levansucrase and collected X-ray data to 3 Å resolution at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory synchrotron
beamlines c/o PETRA III (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Hamburg, Germany). The structure has been
solved by Molecular Replacement using the structure of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus levansucrase as a model
and refinement is underway. With the results provided by this study we aim to learn more about the reaction mechanism
carried out by this enzyme. The final goal is to be able to inhibit the enzyme and prevent Erwinia amylovora infection.
Moreover a second goal is the exploitation of the enzyme for biotechnological purposes, i.e., the production
of oligo-fructoses and levan to be used in the food industry as a source of natural fibers (e.g., in yogurt).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 41

facts
Funds
Currently, there are 72 research
projects running amounting to a
total research budget of almost
¤ 4 million (¤ 3,974,428).
More than 73% of these projects
are funded through external
sources.
27%
INTERNAL
73%
EXTERNAL
events
We regularly organise events for students, members of the public, for the national and international
scientific community, local industry and agricultural sector, policymakers, and land users. A special
mentioning is also deserved for our activities in the “Junior University” project to stimulate the interest of
children in science and technology. In addition to the events listed below, in the 2009-2012 period, we have
organised 49 scientific seminars, presented by scientists coming from all the world.
2009
• Pappeln und Schilf im Wüstensand – Pioppi e canne nella sabbia del deserto – exhibition.
• Technology Workshop: I materiali: Asso nella manica nella progettazione – Proprietà ingegneristiche
e percettive nei prodotti.
• Certified Sustainability in Soy Cultivation, workshop, in cooperation with WWF Austria and South Tyrol.
2010
• Il terremoto in Abruzzo: La gestione dell’emergenza e il miglioramento sismico degli edifici vincolati,
Workshop, in cooperation with Ordine degli architetti, LVH-APA, Costruttori Casaclima SüdTirol, Tassullo
costruire coltura.
• Adaption strategies to climate change and sustainable land use in Central Asia, workshop.
• Zootecnica e montagna: quali strategie per il futuro? Viehwirtschaft im Berggebiet: wie sieht die
Zukunft aus? – workshop, in cooperation with the società per lo studio e la valorizzazione dei sistemi
zootecnici alpini.
• Fraunhofer Truck- Roadshow, Exibition, in cooperation with Fraunhofer Italia.
• Invasive Exotic Species: insects, plants and other organisms – workshop.
• L’idroelettrico che rispetta i fiumi. La certificazione CH2OICE in Italia, workshop, in cooperation with
EAWAG (Swiss) and the association for environmental sound electricity (VUE).

2011
• Die Gemeinsame Agrarpolitik nach 2013, workshop, in cooperation with the Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• A Thai-Italian Symposium on Food Quality, Innovation and Sustainability in Agriculture, workshop.
• MONITOR II Workshop, in cooperation with Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• Practical Use of MONITORing in Natural Disaster Management, MONITOR II project – mid-term conference,
in cooperation with Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• Pericolositá idraulica nel territorio montano italiano ed applicazione della direttiva europea “alluvioni”,
workshop in cooperation with Autonome Provinz Bozen and ISPRA.
• Training on Forest Simulation Models, Workshop in cooperation with SISEF, Autonome Provinz Bozen,
Agroselviter.
• Non-native tree species and diversity – A problem for floodplain forests in northern Italy?, workshop in
cooperation with Georg-August-University Göttingen and TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Multivariate Analysis of Vegetation Data, workshop in cooperation with Ernst Moritz Arndt Universität
Greifswald.
• Sustainable water management and wetland restoration in settlements of continental-arid Central Asia,
workshop.
• Tecnologie informatiche per un'agricoltura efficiente e sostenibile, conference.
2012
• Mineral nutrition of crops in mountain areas, conference in collaboration with Centro di Sperimentazione
agraria e forestale Laimburg, il Centro di Consulenza per la frutti-viticoltura dell’Alto Adige and SOI.
• Valutazione del rischio idraulico in ambito montano ed applicazione della direttiva europea “ALLUVIONI”,
2nd workshop in cooperation with Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• ICA - week of conferences, including the ICA-Edu (ECHAE) Conference Educating the Net Generation
in the Life Sciences, and the several of ICA’s Standing Committees with their annual meetings: AGRIM-
BA Board Meeting – International Network for the MBA in Agribusiness and Commerce; Annual Board
meeting, AGRINATURA Board Meeting and General Assembly – The European Alliance on Agricultural
Knowledge for Development, IROICA Conference and General Assembly – the International Relations
Officers’ Network of the Association of European Life Science Universities. Conference – IRO Communication
and Management in the NET Generation.
• Expertenworkshop lokale Landwirtschaftsentwicklung “Typische Lebensmittel für das Eggental”, workshop.
• Monitoring bedload and debris flows in mountain basins, international workshop, in cooperation with
Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• World food day 2012 at the Faculty of Science and Technology, workshop
• Ausstellung: Hands-on urbanism 1850 - 2012 Vom Recht auf Grün, exhibition.
• Stadt der Zukunft: grün, gesund und lebenswert, conference.
• Riqualificazione fluviale e gestione del territorio, 2° Convegno italiano sulla riqualificazione fluviale,
Conference in collaboration with CIRF and Autonome Provinz Bozen.
• EcoRAlps: Haben traditionell bewirtschaftete Landnutzungssysteme eine Zukunft? – workshop in cooperation
with Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck.
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 43

Partners
Over the past years, the Faculty has established research agreements with the following institutions:
International
• Chang Mai University (Thailand)
• Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald (Germany)
• Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Germany)
• Ilia University Tbilisi (Georgia)
• Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck (Austria)
• Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation (Germany)
• Martin Luther Universität Halle Wittenberg (Germany)
• Rural Sciences Center of Federal University of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)
National
• Accademia Europea “EURAC” (Bolzano)
• Fraunhofer Italia Research (Bolzano)
• Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all’Adige (Trento)
• Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry “Laimburg“, Ora (Bolzano)
• TIS Bolzano
• Università degli Studi di Trento
• Università di Verona
• Università degli Studi di Udine
• Università di Bologna
• Università di Milano
EDItorial board membership
Journal Person Role
Tree Physiology M. Tagliavini Editorial board member
European Journal of Agronomy M. Tagliavini Editorial board member
Italus Hortus M. Tagliavini Editor in chief
Open journal of forestry G. Tonon Editorial board member
iForest G. Tonon Associate editor
Water Resources Research F. Comiti Associate editor
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry T. Mimmo Editorial board member
International Journal of Applied Chemical Sciences Research T. Mimmo Editorial board member
Frontiers in Plant Nutrition S. Cesco Editorial board member
International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology M. Baratieri Editorial board member
Economia Agro-Alimentare C. Fischer Editorial board member
Food and Applied Bioscience Journal C. Fischer Editorial board member
Dataset Papers in Zoology S. Angeli Editorial board member
Food and Applied Bioscience Journal S. Angeli Editorial board member
Forest Ecology S. Zerbe Editorial board member
Landscape Research and Nature Conservation S. Zerbe Editorial board member
Guests
The following people have been hosted by the Faculty during the 2009 to 2012 period:
• George Wellington Melo, EMBRAPA, Brazil: 17.01.2009 to 01.02.2010
• Prof. Paulo Cassol, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Brazil: 04.10.2010 to 29.07.2011
• Prof. Markus Hofreither, Universität für Bodenkultur, Vienna, Austria: 27.02.2012 to 30.05.2012
• Dr. Prodpran Thakeow, Chiang Mai University, Thailand: 26.04.2011 to 31.07.2011

Selected
publications (2010-2012)
For a complete list visit http://www.unibz.it/en/sciencetechnology/research/publications/default.html
ARTICLES IN INTERNATIONAL PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS
2012
Annighöfer P., Mölder I., Zerbe, S., et.al., Biomass functions for the two alien tree species Prunus serotina Ehrh. and
Robinia pseudoacacia L. in floodplain forests of Northern Italy. European Journal of Forest Research 131. 1619-1635, (2012).
Astolfi S., Zuchi S., Neumann G., Cesco S., Sanità di Toppi L., Pinton R., Response of barley plants to Fe deficiency and
Cd contamination as affected by S starvation. Journal of Experimental Botany, vol. 63,pp. 1241-1250, doi: 10.1093/jxb/
err344, (2012)
Benedetti S., Cosio M.S., Scampicchio M., Mannino S., Nanoemulsions for the Determination of the Antioxidant Capacity
of Oils by an Electrochemical Method, Electroanalysis, vol. 24, nr. 6, pp. 1356-1361 (10.1002/elan.201200063),
(2012)
Bertotti M.L., Modanese G., Exploiting the flexibility of a family of models of taxation and redistribution, European
Physical Journal B, Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, vol. 85, nr. 8, p. 261, (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Giacchetta G., Marchetti B., Development and test of a new fuzzy-qfd approach for
characterizing customers rating of extra virgin olive oil. Food Quality and Preference, vol. 24, pp. 75-84 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Giacchetta G., Marchetti B., Development of an innovative criticality index for
turnaround management in an oil refinery. Int. Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, vol. 9, nr. 4,
pp. 519-544 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Mazzuto G., Supply chain modelling and managing, using timed colored petri nets:
a case study. International Journal of Production Research. vol. 50, nr. 16, pp. 4718-4733 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Mazzuto M., Modelling and performance analysis of a supply chain using timed coloured
petri nets. Int. J. Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling, vol. 4, Nos. 3/4 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Paciarotti C., Business process reengineering of emergency management procedures:
a case study. Safety Science, vol. 50, nr. 5, pp. 1368–1376 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Paciarotti C., Supply chain integration in an Italian automotive company: the case of a
kitting system implementation. Int. Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 428-446 (2012)
Bevilacqua, M., Ciarapica F.E., Mazzuto, G., Analysis of injury events with fuzzy cognitive maps. Journal of Loss
Prevention in the Process Industries, vol. 25, nr. 4, pp. 677-685 (2012)
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Polonara F., Design and optimization of a new experimental blancher“. Food Control,
vol. 28, pp. 122-130 (2012)
Büttner C. R., Chechik M., Ortiz-Lombardía M., …., Benini S., ..., Structural basis for DNA recognition and loading into
a viral packaging motor. PNAS., 109, 811-816, (2012)
Bulbarello A., Cuenca M., Schweikert L., Mannino S., Scampicchio M., Hybrid E-Tongue for the Evaluation of Sweetness
and Bitterness of Soft Drinks Fortified with Epigallocatechin Gallate, Electroanalysis, vol. 24, nr. 10, pp. 1989-
1994 (10.1002/elan.201200232), (2012)
Buras A., Wucherer W., Zerbe S., …., Allometric variability of Haloxylon species in Central Asia. Forest Ecology and
Management, vol. 274, pp. 1-9, (2012).
Calcante A, Mena A, Mazzetto F., Evaluation of „ground sensing“ optical sensors for diagnosis of plasmopara viticola
on vines. [Evaluación de sensores ópticos para el diagnóstico de Plasmopara viticola en vides] Spanish Journal Of
Agricultural Research, vol. 10, nr. 3, pp. 619-630, (2012)
Cesco S., Mimmo T., Tonon G., Tomasi N., Pinton R., Terzano R., Neumann G., Weisskopf L., Renella G., Landi L.,
Nannipieri P., Plant-borne flavonoids released into the rhizosphere: impact on soil bio-activities related to plant
nutrition. A review. Biology and Fertility of Soils, vol. 48, nr. 2, pp. 123-149, DOI: 10.1007/s00374-011-0653-2, (2012)
Chevallier F., Wang T., Ciais Ph., Maignan F., Bocquet M., Arain A., Cescatti A., Chen J., Dolman A., Law B., Margolis
H., Montagnani L., Moors E. What eddy-covariance measurements tell us about prior land flux errors in CO2-flux
inversion schemes, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, vol. 26, GB1021, (2012).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 45

Chouaia B., Crotti E., Brusetti L., Daffonchio D., Essoussi I., Nouioui I., Sbissi I., Ghodhbane-Gtari F., Gtari M., Vacherie
B., Barbe V., Médigue C., Gury J., Pujic P., Normand P. Genome sequence of Blastococcus saxobsidens DD2, a
stone inhabiting bacterium. Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 194, p. 2752, (2012).
Colombo C., Palumbo G., Sellitto V.M., Rizzardo C., Tomasi N., Pinton R., Cesco S., Characteristics of insoluble, high
molecular weight Fe-humic substances used as plant Fe sources. Soil Science Society of America Journal, vol. 76, nr.
4, pp. 1246-1256, doi:10.2136/sssaj2011.0393, (2012).
Comiti F., How natural are Alpine mountain rivers? Evidence from the Italian Alps, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms,
vol. 37, nr.7, pp. 693-707, (2012).
De Benedictis L., Schmutzler M., Karer R., ..., Mimmo T., Capici C., Scampicchio M., Cesco S., ..., Near infrared spectroscopy
as a tool for quality control of food of the alpine region - A short report about a cross-border project. NIR
news, vol. 23, nr. 8, pp. 11-14, doi: 10.1255/nirn.1339, (2012).
Ford C.R., McGee J., Scandellari F., Hobbie E.A., Mitchell R.J., Long- and short-term precipitation effects on soil CO 2
efflux and total belowground carbon allocation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, vol. 156, pp. 54–64, (2012).
Fumagalli M., Acutis M., Mazzetto F., Vidotto F., Sali G., Bechini L., A methodology for designing and evaluating alternative
cropping systems: Application on dairy and arable farms. Ecological Indicators, vol. 23, pp. 189-201, (2012)
Gasparetto A.., Lanzutti A., Vidoni R., Zanotto V., Experimental validation and comparative analysis of optimal timejerk
algorithms for trajectory planning, Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Volume 28, Issue 2, April
2012, pp. 164-181, DOI: 10.1016/j.rcim.2011.08.003, (2012).
Gasparetto A., Boscariol P., Lanzutti A., Vidoni R., Trajectory Planning in Robotics, Mathematics in Computer Science,
Volume 6, Issue 3, September 2012, DOI: 10.1007/s11786-012-0123-8, (2012).
Gottardi S., Iacuzzo F., Tomasi N., ..., Mimmo T., Scampicchio M., Dalla Costa L., Cesco S., Beneficial effects of Silicon
on hydroponically grown corn salad (Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr) plants. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, vol.
56, pp. 14-23, doi 10.1016/j.plaphy.2012.04.002, (2012).
Gtari M., Essoussi I., Maaoui R., ..., Brusetti L., ..., Normand P. Contrasted resistance of stone-dwelling Geodermatophilaceae
to stresses generating reactive oxygen species. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, vol. 80, pp. 566–577,
(2012).
Hantschel C., Wagener A., Neuschl C., Schmitt A.O., Brockmann G.A., Age and depot-specific adipokine responses to
obesity in mice. Health, vol.4, nr. 12A, pp. 1522-1529 doi:10.4236/health.2012.412A218 (2012).
Levaggi L., R. Levaggi, Rent Extraction through Alternative Forms of Competition in the Provision of Paternalistic
Goods, ISRN Economics, vol. 2012, Article ID 703541, 15 pages, (doi:10.5402/2012/703541) (2012).
Longo G. A., Gasparella A., Comparative experimental analysis and modelling of a flower greenhouse equipped with a
desiccant system. Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 47, pp. 54-62, (2012).
Matt D. T., Application of Axiomatic Design principles to control complexity dynamics in a mixed-model assembly
system: a case analysis. International Journal of Production Research, vol. 50, nr. 7, pp. 1850-1861 (2012).
Matt D. T., Rauch E., Design of a Scalable Modular Production System for a Two-stage Food Service Franchise System,
International Journal of Engineering Business Management, vol. 4 nr. 32, doi: 10.5772/51648, (2012).
Mazzetto F., Sacco P., Calcante A., Algorithms for the interpretation of continuous measurement of the slurry level in
storage tanks. J. Agr. Engng. XLIII:e6, pp. 36-42, (2012).
Mazzorana B., Comiti F., Scherer C., Fuchs S., Developing consistent scenarios to assess flood hazards in mountain
streams, Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 94, pp. 112-124, (2012).
Mazzorana B., Levaggi, L., Formaggioni, O., Volcan, C., Physical Vulnerability Assessment Based on Fluid and Classical
Mechanics to Support Cost-Benefit Analysis of Flood Risk Mitigation Strategies, Water, vol. 4, pp. 196-218, (2012)
Mazzorana B., Levaggi, L., Keiler, M., Fuchs, S., Towards Dynamics in Flood Risk Assessment, Natural Hazards and
Earth System Sciences, vol. 12, n. 11, pp. 3571–3587, (2012).
Nikolic M., Cesco S., Monte R., Tomasi N., Gottardi S., Zamboni A., Pinton R. and Varanini Z., Nitrate transport in
cucumber leaves is an inducible process involving an increase in plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity and abundance.
BMC Plant Biology, vol. 12, p. 66, doi:10.1186/1471-2229-12-66, (2012).
Niu S., Luo Y., Fei S., …, Montagnani L., …, Thermal Optimality of Net Ecosystem Exchange of Carbon Dioxide and
Underlying Mechanisms. New Phytologist, vol. 194, nr. 3, pp. 775-783, (2012).
Nordgård L., Brusetti L., Raddadi N., Traavik T., Averhoff B., Nielsen K. M. An investigation of horizontal transfer of
feed introduced DNA to the aerobic microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract of rats. BMC Research Notes, vol. 5, nr.
170, (2012).
Normand P., Gury J., Pujic P., ...., Brusetti L., ..., Genome sequence of radiation-resistant Modestobacter marinus
strain BC501, a representative Actinobacterium that thrives on calcareous stone surfaces. Journal of Bacteriology,
vol. 194, pp. 4773–4774, (2012).
Panzacchi P., Tonon G., Ceccon C., F. Scandellari F, Ventura M., Tagliavini M., Belowground carbon allocation and net
primary and ecosystem productivities in apple trees (Malus domestica) as affected by soil water availability. Plant
and Soil, vol. 360, pp. 229-241, (2012).

Patuzzi F., Mimmo T., Cesco S., Gasparella A., Baratieri M., Common reeds (Phragmites australis) as sustainable
energy source: experimental and modelling analysis of torrefaction and pyrolysis processes. GCB Bioenergy, doi:
10.1111/gcbb.12000, (2012).
Peltoniemi M., Pulkkinen M., Kolari P., ..., Montagnani L., ...., Does canopy mean N concentration explain differences
in light use efficiencies of canopies in 14 contrasting forest sites? Tree Physiology, vol. 32, nr. 2, pp. 200-218
doi:10.1093/treephys/tpr140, (2012).
Rigon E., Comiti F., Lenzi M.A., Large wood storage in streams of the Eastern Italian Alps and the relevance of
hillslope processes, Water Resources Research, vol. 48, pp. 1-18, (2012).
Rizzardo C., Tomasi N., Monte R., Varanini Z., Nocito F.F., Cesco S., Pinton R., Cadmium inhibits the induction of
high-affinity nitrate uptake in maize (Zea mays L.) roots. Planta vol. 236, pp.1701-1712, doi: 10.1007/s00425-012-
1729-4, (2012).
Roccuzzo G., Zanotelli D., Allegra M., Giuffrida A., Torrisi B., Leonardi A., Quiñones A., Intrigliolo F., Tagliavini M.,
Assessing nutrient uptake by field-grown orange trees. Europ. J. Agronomy, vol. 41, pp. 73-80, (2012).
Scampicchio M., Bulbarello A., Arecchi A., Cosio M.S., Benedetti S., Mannino S., Electrospun Nonwoven Nanofibrous
Membranes for Sensors and Biosensors, Electroanalysis, vol. 24, nr. 4, pp. 719-725 (10.1002/elan.201200005), (2012)
Scampicchio M., Mimmo T., Capici C., Huck C.W., Innocente N., Drusch S., Cesco S., Identification of Milk Origin and
Process-Induced Changes in Milk by Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural and Food chemistry,
vol. 60, nr. 45, pp. 11268-11273, doi: 10.1021/jf302846j, (2012).
Sriwattana S., Utama-ang N., Thakeow P., …, Angeli S. Physical, chemical and sensory characterization of the Thaicrispy
pork rind ‘Kaeb Moo’. CMU Journal of Natural Science, vol. 11 (1): 181-191, (2012).
Tamm F., Sauer G., Scampicchio M., Drusch S., Pendant drop tensiometry for the evaluation of the foaming properties
of milk-derived proteins, Food Hydrocolloids, vol. 27, nr. 2, pp. 371-377 (10.1016/j.foodhyd.2011.10.013), (2012).
Thaa, B., Tielesch, C., Möller, L., Schmitt, A. O., Wolff, T., Bannert, N., Herrmann, A., and Veit, M. Growth of influenza
A virus is not impeded by simultaneous removal of the cholesterol-binding and acylation sites in the M2 protein. J.
Gen. Virol., vol. 93, nr. 2, pp. 282–292, (2012).
Tomasi N., De Nobili M., Gottardi S., Zanin L., Mimmo T., Varanini Z., Römheld V., Pinton R. and Cesco S., Physiological
and molecular aspects of Fe acquisition by tomato plants from natural Fe-complexes. Biology and Fertility of Soils,
pp. 1-14, doi: 10.1007/s00374-012-0706-1, (2012).
Ventura M., Sorrenti G., Panzacchi P., George E. Tonon G. (2012) Biochar reduces short-term nitrate leaching from A
horizon in an apple orchard. Journal of Environmental Quality doi:10.2134/jeq2012.0250 (2012).
Wagener, A., Schmitt A. O., and Brockmann, G. A. Early and Late Onset of Voluntary Exercise Have Differential Effects
on the Metabolic Syndrome in an Obese Mouse Model. Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. Diabetes, vol. 120, nr. 10, pp. 591-597,
(2012).
Wang T, Brender P, Ciais P., …, Montagnani L., ..., State-dependent errors in a land surface model across biomes
inferred from eddy covariance observations on multiple timescales, Ecological Modelling, vol. 246, pp. 11-25, (2012).
Wohl E.E., Bolton S., Cadol D., Comiti F., Goode J.R., Mao L. A two end-member model of wood dynamics in headwater
neotropical rivers, Journal of Hydrology, vol. 462-463, pp. 67-76, (2012).
Zamboni A., Zanin L., Tomasi N., Pezzotti M., Pinton R., Varanini Z. and Cesco S., Genome-wide microarray analysis
of tomato roots showed defined responses to iron deficiency. BMC Genomics, vol. 13, p. 101, doi:10.1186/1471-2164-
13-101, (2012).
Zuchi S., Cesco S., Astolfi S., High S supply improves Fe accumulation in durum wheat plants grown under Fe limitation.
Environmental and Experimental Botany, vol. 77, pp. 25-32, doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2011.11.001, (2012).
2011
Aßmus J., Schmitt A. O., Bortfeldt R., Brockmann G.A., NovelSNPer: a Fast Tool for the Identification and Characterization
of Novel SNPs and Indels. Advances in Bioinformatics, ISSN: 1687-8027, doi: 10.1155/2011/657341, (2011).
Balzarolo M., Anderson K., Nichol C., ..., Montagnani L., ..., Ground-based optical measurements at European flux
sites: a review of methods, instruments and current controversies, Sensors, 11,7954-7981, doi:10.3390/s11087954,
(2011).
Benini S., Cianci M., Ciurli S., Holo-Ni2+ Helicobacter pylori NikR contains four square-planar nickel-binding sites at
physiological pH. Dalton Trans., 40, 7831-7833, (2011).
Benini S., Wilson K. S., Structure of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase Rv3628 at pH
7.0. Acta Cryst. F67, 866–870, (2011).
Bertotti M.L., From individual interactions to collective patterns. A mathematical approach, Advances and Applications
in Statistical Sciences, vol. 6, nr. 6, pp. 507-524 (2011), (2011).
Bertotti M.L., Modanese G., From microscopic taxation and redistribution models to macroscopic income distributions,
Physica A, vol. 390, pp. 3782-3793 (2011).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 47

Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Giacchetta G., Marchetti B., Implementation of a quality procedure based on delphi
method and the iso/ts 16949:2009 in the production of stainless steel tubes for automotive exhaust systems. International
Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. Vol. 28 No. 8, (2011) pp. 841-866, (2011).
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Giacchetta G., Marchetti B., Overview on the application of iso/ts 16949:2009, in a
worldwide leader company in the production of stainless steel tubes for automotive exhaust systems. Int. J. Productivity
and Quality Management, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp.410-439, (2011).
Bevilacqua M., Ciarapica F.E., Marchetti B., Integration of bpr and rfid technology in a process industry: spare parts
warehouse management analysis. International Journal of RF Technologies: Research and Applications. Vol. 2, 205-
223, (2011).
Brunetto G., Ventura M., Scandellari F., Ceretta C.A., Kaminski J., Wellington de Melo G., Tagliavini M., Nutrient
release during the decomposition of mowed perennial ryegrass and white clover and its contribution to nitrogen
nutrition of grapevine. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst., vol. 90, pp. 299-308, (2011).
Brusetti L., Crotti E., Tamburini A., Cittaro D., Garavaglia V., Rolli E., Sorlini C., Daffonchio D., Borin S., Influence of
transgenic Bt176 and non-transgenic corn silage on the structure of rumen bacterial communities. Annals of Microbiology,
vol. 61, pp. 925–930, (2011).
Bulgari D., Casati P., Crepaldi P., Daffonchio D., Quaglino F., Brusetti L., Bianco P.A., Restructuring of endophytic bacterial
communities in grapevine yellows-diseased and recovered Vitis vinifera L. plants. Applied and Environmental
Microbiology, vol. 77, pp. 5018-5022, (2011).
Calcante A., Mena A., Mazzetto F., Optical device evaluation for diagnosis of Plasmapora viticola on Vine. Agricultural
Engineering International, vol. 13, ISSN: 1682-1130, (2011).
Cappelletti F., Gasparella A., Romagnoni P., Baggio P., Analysis of the influence of installation thermal bridges on
windows performance: the case of clay block walls, Energy and Buildings, Vol. 43 (6), 1435-1442, (2011).
Ceccon C., Panzacchi P., Scandellari F., Prandi L., Ventura M., Russo B., Millard P. and Tagliavini M.. Spatial and
temporal effects of soil temperature and moisture and the relation to fine root density on root and soil respiration in
a mature apple orchard, Plant and Soil, vol. 432, pp.195-206, (2011).
Comiti F., Da Canal M., Surian N., Mao L., Picco L., Lenzi, M.A., Channel adjustments and vegetation cover dynamics
in a large gravel bed river over the last 200 years, Geomorphology, 125, pp. 147-159, (2011).
Dalla Costa L., Tomasi N., Gottardi S., Iacuzzo F., Cortella G., Manzocco L., Pinton R., Mimmo T., Cesco S., The Effect
of Growth Medium Temperature on Corn Salad [Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr] Baby Leaf Yield and Quality. Hortscience,
vol. 46 (12), pp 1619-1625, (2011).
Frick, A., Steffenhagen, P., Zerbe, S., Timmermann, T., Schulz, K., Monitoring of the vegetation composition in rewetted
peatland with iterative decision tree classification of satellite imagery. Photogrammetrie Fernerkundung Geoinformation
vol. 3: 109-122, (2011).
Gasparella A., Pernigotto G., Baratieri M., Baggio P., Thermal dynamic transfer properties of the opaque envelope:
Analytical and numerical tools for the assessment of the response to summer outdoor conditions, Energy and Buildings,
Vol. 43 (9), 2509-2517, (2011).
Gasparella A., Pernigotto G., Cappelletti F., Baggio P., Romagnoni P., Analysis and modeling of window and glazing
systems energy performance for a well-insulated residential building, Energy and Buildings, Vol. 43 (4), 1030-1037,
(2011).
Groenendijk M., Dolman A.J., Ammann C., ..., Montagnani L., ..., Seasonal variation of photosynthetic model parameters
and leaf area index from global Fluxnet eddy covariance data, J. Geophys. Res., 116, G04027, doi:10.1029/
2011JG001742. , (2011).
Ischia M., Dal Maschio R., Grigiante M., Baratieri M., Clay–sewage sludge co-pyrolysis. A TG–MS and Py–GC study on
potential advantages afforded by the presence of clay in the pyrolysis of wastewater sewage sludge. Waste Management,
Vol. 31, p. 71–77, (2011).
Jansen F., Ewald J., Zerbe S., Ecological preferences of alien plant species in North-Eastern Germany. Biological
Invasions 13: 2691-2701, (2011).
Jung M., Reichstein M., Margolis H., ...., Montagnani L., ..., Global patterns of land-atmosphere fluxes of carbon
dioxide, latent heat, and sensible heat derived from eddy covariance, satellite, and meteorological observations, J.
Geophys. Res. 116, G00J07,doi:10.1029/2010JG001566, (2011).
Kärst S., Cheng R., Schmitt A. O., Yang H., De Villena F. P., Palmer A. A., Brockmann G. A., Genetic determinants for
intramuscular fat content and water-holding capacity in mice selected for high muscle mass. Mammalian Genome,
vol. 9-10, pp. 530-543, ISSN: 0938-8990, doi: 10.1007/s00335-011-9342-6, (2011).
Levaggi L., Levaggi R., Welfare properties of restrictions to health care based on cost effectiveness, Health Economics,
vol. 20, n. 1, pp. 101-110, (2011).
Li F.; Scampicchio M., Mannino S., Carbon Nanotube-Adsorbed Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes as Coating for
Electrochemical Sensors for Sulfhydryl Compounds, Electroanalysis, vol.: 23 pp. 1773-1775, (2011).

Li L., Wang X., Zerbe S., Zhang L., Fang J., Altitudinal patterns of stand structure and herb layer diversity of Picea
schrenkiana forests in the central Tianshan Mountains, Northwest China. Journal of Arid Land, vol. 3 (4), pp. 254-260,
(2011).
Mahecha M.D., Reichstein M., Carvalhais N., ...., Montagnani L., ..., Response to Comment on „Global Convergence
in the Temperature Sensitivity of Respiration at Ecosystem Level“, Science, 331, 1265-1266. doi:10.1126/science.1197033,
(2011).
Mantilla-Contreras J., Schirmel J., Zerbe S., Influence of soil and microclimate on species composition and grass
encroachment in heath succession. Journal of Plant Ecology DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtr031, (2011).
Manzocco L., Foschia M., Tomasi N., Maifreni M., Dalla Costa L., Marino M., Cortella G., Cesco S., Influence of hydroponic
and soil cultivation on quality and shelf life of ready-to-eat lamb‘s lettuce (Valerianella locusta L. Laterr).
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, ISSN: 0022-5142, 91: 1373–1380, doi: 10.1002/jsfa.4313, (2011).
Matt D. T., Application of Axiomatic Design principles to control complexity dynamics in a mixed-model assembly
system: a case analysis, International Journal of Production Research, (Available online: 29 Jun 2011), doi:
10.1080/00207543.2011.565086. (2011).
Matt D. T., Rauch E., Continuous Improvement of Manufacturing Systems with the Concept of Functional Periodicity,
Key Engineering Materials, vol. 473, pp. 783-790, (2011).
Mazzetto F., Calcante A, Mena A, Sacco P., Test of ground-sensing devices for monitoring canopy vigour and downy
mildew presence in vineyeards: first qualitative results. Journal Of Agricultural Engineering, vol. 2; p. 1-9, ISSN:
1974-7071, (2011).
Mazzetto F., Calcante A, Orsi E., Design, development, and evaluation of a device for the monitoring of liquid manure
distribution using big gun sprinkler distribution systems. Applied Engineering In Agriculture, vol. 27; p. 569-576,
ISSN: 0883-8542, (2011).
Mazzetto F., Calcante A., Higly automated vine cutting transplanter based on DGNSS-RTK technology integrated
witrh hydraulics devices. Computers And Electronics In Agriculture, vol. 79; p. 20-29, ISSN: 0168-1699, doi: 10.1016/j.
compag.2011.08.007, (2011).
Mazzorana B., Comiti F., Volcan C., Scherer C., Determining flood hazard patterns through a combined stochastic–deterministic
approach, Natural Hazards, 59(1), pp. 301-316, (2011).
Migliavacca M., Reichstein M., Richardson A.D., Colombo R., Sutton M.A., Lasslop G., Tomelleri E., Wohlfahrt G., Carvalhais
N., Cescatti A., Mahecha M.D., Montagnani L., Papale D., Zaehle S., Arain A., Arneth A., Black T.A., Carrara
A., Dore S., Gianelle D., Helfter C., Hollinger D., Kutsch W.L., Lafleur P-M., Nouvellon Y., Rebmann C., Humberto
R., Rodeghiero M., Roupsard O., Sebastià M., Seufert G., Soussana J., Michiel K., Semiempirical modeling of abiotic
and biotic factors controlling ecosystem respiration across eddy covariance sites. Global Change Biology, 17(1), 390-
409, (2011).
Mimmo T., Hann S., Jaitz L., Cesco S., Gessa C., Puschenreiter M., Time and substrate dependent exudation of carboxylates
by Lupinus albus L. and Brassica napus L. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, vol. 49, p. 1272-1278, (2011).
Mirschel F., Zerbe S., Jansen F., Driving factors for natural tree rejuvenation in anthropogenic pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)
forests of NE Germany. Forest Ecology & Management 261: 683-694, (2011).
Niu S., Luo Y., Fei S., Montagnani L., Bohrer G., Janssens I.A., Gielen B., Rambal S., Moors E., Matteucci G., Seasonal
hysteresis of net ecosystem exchange in response to temperature change: patterns and causes. Global Change
Biology, 17, 3102-3114, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02459.x, (2011).
Pieratti E., Baratieri M., Ceschini S., Tognana L., Baggio P., Syngas suitability for SOFCs applications produced via
biomass steam gasification process: experimental and modeling analysis. Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 196, N. 23,
p. 10038-10049, (2011).
Pieri L., Ventura F., Ventura M., Tagliavini M., Ponti M., Pistocchi R., Albertazzi S., Vignudelli M., Rossi Pisa P., Chemical
and biological indicators of water quality in three agricultural watersheds of the Po valley, Italy. Italian Journal of
Agronomy, vol 36, pp.29-38 (2011).
Rinaldi M., Surian N., Comiti F., Bussettini M., The morphological quality index (IQM) for stream evaluation and hydromorphological
classification, Italian Journal of Engineering Geology and Environment, 11(1), pp. 17-36, (2011).
Schulz K., Timmermann T., Steffenhagen P., Zerbe S., Succow M., The effect of flooding on carbon and nutrient standing
stocks of helophyte biomass in rewetted fens. Hydrobiologia DOI 10.1007/s10750-011-0782-5, (2011).
Steffenhagen P., Zak D., Schulz K., Timmermann T., Zerbe S., Biomass and nutrient stock of submersed and floating
macrophytes in shallow lakes formed by rewetting of degraded fens. Hydrobiologia DOI 10.1007/s10750-011-0833-y,
(2011).
Thevs N., Buras A., Zerbe S., Kühnel E., Abdusalih N., Ovezberdyyeva A., Structure and wood biomass of near-natural
floodplain forests along the Central Asian rivers Tarim and Amu Darya. Forestry doi: 10.1093/forestry/cpr056,
(2011).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 49

Thevs, N., Zerbe, S., Wucherer, W., Buras, A., Bo Tang, Ecology and utilization of salt-tolerant plants in the river basins
of Central Asia. Ecological Questions vol. 14: 19-20, (2011).
Wang T., Ciais P., Piao S. L., …, Montagnani L., ..., Controls on winter ecosystem respiration in temperate and boreal
ecosystems, Biogeosciences, 8, 2009-2025, (2011).
Wilcox A., Wohl E.E., Comiti F., Mao L., Hydraulics, morphology, and energy dissipation in an alpine step-pool channel,
Water Resources Research, 47, W07514, (2011).
Yuan W., Luo Y., Li X., …, Montagnani L., …, Redefinition and global estimation of basal ecosystem respiration rate.
Global Biogeochem. Cycles, GB4002, doi:10.1029/2011GB004150, (2011).
Zambelli B., Musiani F., Benini S., Ciurli S., Chemistry of ni(2+) in urease: sensing, trafficking, and catalysis. Accounts
of chemical research Volume: 44 Issue: 7 Pages: 520-30, (2011).
Zuchi S., Cesco S., Gottardi S., Pinton R., Römheld V., Astolfi S., The root-hairless barley mutant brb used as model
for assessment of role of root hairs in iron accumulation. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, ISSN: 0981-9428, 49(5):
506-512, doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2010.12.005, (2011).
2010
Andreotti C., Ravaglia D. and Costa G., Effects of fruit load and reflective mulch on phenolic compounds accumulation
in nectarine fruit. European Journal of Horticultural Science 75 (2), 53-59 (2010).
Aubinet M., Feigenwinter Ch., Bernhofer Ch., Canepa E., Lindroth A., Montagnani L., Baratieri M., Pieratti E., Nordgreen
T., Grigiante M., Biomass Gasification with Dolomite as Catalyst in a small fluidized bed Experimental and
Modelling Analysis. Waste and Biomass Valorization, Vol. 1 (3), 283-291, (2010).
Bertotti M. L., Delitala M., Cluster formation in opinion dynamics: a qualitative analysis, Zeitschrift für Angewandte
Mathematik und Physik (ZAMP), vol. 61, pp. 583-602, (2010).
Bertotti M. L., Modelling taxation and redistribution: a discrete active particle kinetic approach, Applied Mathematics
and Computation, vol. 217, pp. 752-762, (2010).
Bertotti M. L., On a class of dynamical systems with emerging cluster structure, Journal of Differential Equations, vol.
249, pp. 2757-2770, (2010).
Carvalhais N., Reichstein M., Ciais Ph., Collatz G.J., Mahecha M., Montagnani L., Papale D., Rambal S., Seixas J.,
Identification of vegetation and soil carbon pools out of equilibrium in a process model via eddy covariance and
biometric constraints. Global Change Biology. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02174.x., (2010).
Comiti F., Cadol D., Wohl E.E., Reply to comment by Keith Richardson on “Flow regimes, bed morphology, and flow
resistance in self-formed step-pool channels”, Water Resources Research, 46, W12804, (2010).
Feigenwinter Ch., Montagnani L. and Aubinet M., Plot-scale vertical and horizontal transport of CO2 modified by a
persistent slope wind system in and above an alpine forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. doi:10.1016/j.agrformet.2009.05.009,
(2010).
Fischer C., Food quality and product export performance – an empirical investigation of the EU situation, Journal of
International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, vol. 22, no 2/3, pp. 210-233, (2010).
Glad T., Bernhardsen P., Nielsen K.M., Brusetti L., Andersen M., Aars J., Sundset M.A., Bacterial diversity in faeces
from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in Arctic Svalbard. BMC Microbiology, vol. 10, page 10, http://www.biomedcentral.
com/1471-2180/10/10, (2010).
Glad T., Kristiansen V.F., Nielsen K.M., Brusetti L., Wright A.-D.G., Sundset M.A., Ecological characterization of the
colonic microbiota in Arctic and sub-Arctic seals. Microbial Ecology, vol. 60, pp. 320-330, (2010).
Grigiante M., Ischia M., Baratieri M., Dal Maschio R., Ragazzi M., Pyrolysis analysis and solid residue stabilization of
polymers, waste tyres and sewage sludge. Waste and Biomass Valorization, vol. 1 (4), 381-393, (2010).
Iroumè A., Andreoli A., Comiti F., Ulloa H., Huber A.. Large wood abundance, distribution and mobilization in a third
order Coastal mountain range river system, southern Chile. Forest Ecology and Management, 260 (4), 480-490,
(2010).
Lasch U., Zerbe S., Lenk M. Electrocution of raptors at power lines in Central Kazakhstan, Forest Ecology, Landscape
Research and Nature Conservation . Vol. 9, pp. 95-100, (2010).
Levaggi L., Levaggi R.. Welfare properties of restrictions to health care based on cost effectiveness, Health Economics,
vol. 20, n. 1, 2011, pp. 101-110, (2010).
Levaggi R., Levaggi L. Strategic costs and preferences revelation in the allocation of resources for health care, International
Journal of Heath Care Finance and Economics, Vol. 10, n. 3, pp. 239-256, (2010).
Lüderitz V., Zerbe S., Jüpner R., Arevalo J.R.. Ecosystem restoration and sustainable management of rivers and wetlands
– Introduction to the special issue, Forest Ecology, Landscape Research and Nature Conservation . Vol. 10, pp.
5-6, (2010).
Mahecha M.D., Reichstein M., Carvalhais N., …, Montagnani L., ..., Global convergence in the temperature sensitivity
of respiration at ecosystem level. Science, 329 (5993) 838 – 840, doi: 10.1126/science.1189587, (2010).

Matt D. T., Functional periodicity as a concept for the (re-)design to agility of production systems. Production Engineering
- Research & Development, Special Issue: Part I: Changeable, Agile, Reconfigurable and Virtual Production,
Guest Editors: Michael F. Zaeh, Gunther Reinhart, Springer, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 363-369 (DOI: 10.1007/s11740-010-
0247-0), (2010).
Mazzetto F., Calcante A., Mena A., Vercesi A., 2010, Integration of optical and analogue sensors for monitoring canopy
health and vigour in precision viticulture, Precision Agriculture, vol.11, pp. 636–649, (2010).
Mirschel F., Zerbe S., Jansen F.. Driving factors for natural tree rejuvenation in anthropogenic pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)
forests of NE Germany. Forest Ecology & Management, DOI 10.1016/j.foreco.2010.11.025, (2010).
Montagnani L., Manca G., Canepa E., Georgieva E., Assessing the method-specific differences in quantification of
CO2 advection at three forest sites during the ADVEX campaign. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. doi: 10.1016/j.
agrformet.2010.01.013, (2010).
Polo A., Cappitelli F., Brusetti L., Principi P., Villa F., Giacomucci L., Ranalli G., Sorlini C., Feasibility of removing
surface deposits on stone using biological and chemical remediation methods. Microbial Ecology, vol. 60, pp. 1-14,
(2010).
Richardson A.D., Black T.A., Ciais Ph., …, Montagnani L., …, Influence of spring and autumn phenological switches on
forest ecosystem productivity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B., 2010 365:3227-3246; doi:10.1098/
rstb.2010.0102, (2010).
Scandellari F., Ventura M., Gioacchini P., Vittori Antisari L. and Tagliavini M. Seasonal pattern of net nitrogen rhizodeposition
from peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) trees in soils with different textures. Agriculture, Ecosystems &
Environment. Vol. 136, pp. 162-168, (2010).
Teuling A.J., Seneviratne S.I., Stöckli R., ..., Montagnani L., ..., Contrasting response of European forest and grassland
energy exchange to heatwaves, Nature Geoscience, 3, 722–727, doi:10.1038/ngeo950, (2010).
Tonon G., Sohi S., Francioso O., Ferrari E., Montecchio D., Gioacchini P., Ciavatta C., Poulson D., Effect of soil pH on
the chemical composition of organic matter in physically separated soil fractions in two broadleaf woodland sites at
Rothamsted, UK. Journal of European Soil Science, Vol. 61, pp. 970–979, (2010).
Vargas R., Baldocchi D.D., Querejeta J.I., Curtis P.S., Hasselquist N.J., Janssens I.A., Allen M.F, Montagnani L., Ecosystem
CO2 fluxes of arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal dominated vegetation types are differentially influenced by
precipitation and temperature. New Phytologist. 185: 226–236, doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03040.x, (2010).
Ventura M., Scandellari F., Bonora E. and Tagliavini M., Nutrient release during decomposition of leaf litter in a peach
(Prunus persica L.) orchard. Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. Vol. 87 (1), pp. 115-123, (2010).
Yi C., Ricciuto D., Li R., …, Montagnani L., …, Climate control of terrestrial carbon exchange across biomes and continents,
Environmental Research Letters, 5, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/5/3/034007, (2010).
Zemmrich A., Manthey M., Zerbe S., O. Damdinsürengiyn. Driving environmental factors and the role of grazing in
grassland communities: A comparative study along an altitudinal gradient in Western Mongolia, J. Arid Environm.
Vol. 74, pp. 1271-1280, (2010).
Zerbe S., Thevs N., Kühnel E.. Vegetation, ecosystem dynamics, and restoration of floodplains in Central Asia – the
Tarim River (Xinjiang, NW China) as an example, Forest Ecology, Landscape Research and Nature Conservation . Vol.
10, pp. 85-89, (2010).
Lasch U., Zerbe S., Lenk M.: Electrocution of raptors at power lines in Central Kazakhstan. Forest Ecology, Landscape
Research and Nature Conservation 9 (online preview: http://www.afsv.de/download/literatur/waldoekologie-online/
waldoekologie-online_heft-9-2.pdf) (2010).
BOOKS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOOKS
2012
Comiti F., Mao L., Recent advances in the dynamics of steep channels. In: Gravel-bed rivers: processes, tools, environments.
Chichester, West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., ISBN: 978-0-470-68890-8, (2012).
Cosio M. S., Benedetti S., Scampicchio M., Chemical analysis of food: techniques and applications. In: “Electronic
Noses and Tongues”, Y. Picó ed., Waltham (MA)/USA:Academic Press, ISBN 978-0-12-384862-8, p. 219-248, (2012).
Fischer, C., Sustainable Inter-organizational Relationships in Regional and Non-regional Agri-food Supply Chains. In:
“Local Agri-food Systems in a Global World: Market, Social and Environmental Challenges”, Arfini, F., Mancini, M.
C., Donati, M. (eds.), Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, UK, ISBN: 978-1-4438-3664-7, pp. 29-48, (2012)
Gucci R., Corelli Grappadelli L., Tagliavini M., Dichio B., Masia A., Funzionalità dell’albero. In Sansavini et al. (curatori),
Arboricoltura generale. Pp. 73-116. Patron Editore. Bologna, (2012).
Krause D., Karrer S., Matt D. T., Build4Future – Chancen und Herausforderungen für die Bauwirtschaft. Fraunhofer
Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8396-0450-2, (2012).
Activity Report of the Faculty of Science and Technology 51

Krause D., Matt D. T., Bullinger S., Rauch R., Procedure snelle in reti edili – studio programmatico per l’alto Adige,
rete di innovazione build4future, Fraunhofer Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8396-0456-4, (2012).
Matt D. T., Weiss A., Promotion of productivity and innovation by organizational changes considering an ageing workforce:
the example of workplace health promotion for SME. In: Demographischer Wandel - Herausforderung für die
Arbeits- und Betriebsorganisation der Zukunft, Schriftenreihe der Hochschulgruppe für Arbeits- und Betriebsorganisation
e.V. (HAB), Egon Müller (ed.), ISBN 978-3-942183-74-1, GITO-Verlag GmbH, Berlin, pp. 81-104, (2012).
Tagliavini M., Failla O., Xiloyannis C., La fertilizzazione nell’arboreto. In Sansavini et al. (curatori), Arboricoltura generale.
Pp. 425-443. Patron Editore. Bologna, (2012).
Trentini G., Monaci M., Goltara A., Comiti F., Gallmetzer W., Mazzorana B. (eds), Riqualificazione fluviale e gestione del
territorio. Bozen-Bolzano University Press. ISBN 978-88-6046-054-7, (2012).
2011
Benedetti C. (a cura di), Erlacher P., Baratieri M., Alati M.C., Demattio M., Girasoli M.T., Marchesi M., Rondoni M.,
Risanare l’esistente. Soluzioni per il comfort e l’efficienza energetica, pp. 375, University Press, Bolzano,
ISBN 978-88-6046-042-4
Benedetti C. (a cura di), G. Leone, G. Pasetti Monizza, Ventilazione naturale, Le guide pratiche del Master Casaclima,
pp. 201, University Press, Bolzano, (2011).
Matt D. T., Enhanced Survivability- a Framework of Self-Healing Mechanisms’ Installation Using Axiomatic Design
in Agile Manufacturing Systems. In: “Enabling Manufacturing Competitiveness and Economic Sustainability”, H. A.
ElMaraghy ed., London/UK: Springer, ISBN: 978-3-642-23859-8, p. 154-160 (2011).
Matt D. T., Ohlhausen P., Organization in SME networks. In: “Managing Cooperation in Supply Network Structures and
SMEs – EVI Instant Book”, A. Villa ed., London/UK:Springer, ISBN: 978-0-85729-242-1, p. 1-18 (2011).
Rinaldi M., Surian N., Comiti F., Bussettini M., Guidebook for the evaluation of stream morphological conditions by the
Morphological Quality Index (IQM). Version 1. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Roma, 85
pp, ISBN 978-88-448-0487-9 (2011).
Tagliavini M., Andreotti C., La concimazione della fragola. In “La Fragola”, pag. 186-199. ART Servizi Editoriali S.p.A.,
Bologna. Collana “Coltura e Cultura” (2011).
Tonon G., Dezi S., Ventura M. and Scandellari F., The Effect of Forest Management on Soil Organic Carbon. In: “Sustaining
Soil Productivity in Response to Global Climate Change: Science, Policy, and Ethics”, T. J. Sauer, J. M. Eiler,
M. V. K. Sivakumar, ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 225-238. ISBN: 978-0-4709-5857-5 (2011).
Zerbe S., Thevs N., Restoring Central Asian floodplain ecosystems as natural capital and cultural heritage in a continental
desert environment. In: Hong, S.-K., Wu., J., Kim, J.-E., Nakagoshi, N. (eds.): Landscape Ecology in Asian
Cultures. Ecological Research Monographs, Springer: 277-297 (2011).
2010
Benedetti C. (a cura di), Girasoli M.T., Marchesi M., Demattio M., Rondoni M., Appunti di fisica tecnica, Le guide pratiche
del Master Casaclima, University Press, Bolzano (2010).
Benedetti C. (a cura di), Lotto V., Coperture a verde, Le guide pratiche del Master Casaclima, University Press,
Bolzano (2010).
Benedetti C. (a cura di), Mosconi G., Appunti di cantiere, Le guide pratiche del Master Casaclima, University Press,
Bolzano (2010).
Benedetti C. (a cura di), Pasetti Monizza G., Ratajczak J., Patz C., Materiali isolanti, Le guide pratiche del Master Casaclima,
University Press, Bolzano (2010).
Benini S., Structure and function of urease and cytochrome c-553. Saarbruecken, DE: ed. LAP Lambert Academic
Publishing, ISBN: 978-3-8383-6498-8 (2010).
Chaddad F., Fischer C. and Hartmann M., Lessons Learned: Recommendations for Future Research on Agri-food
Relationships, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International,
ISBN: 978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 267-280 (2010).
Comiti F., Lenzi M.A., Mao L., Local scouring at check dams in mountain rivers. In: Conesa-Garcia M., Lenzi M.A. (eds)
Check Dams, Morphological Adjustments and Erosion Control in Torrential Streams. ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-60876-146-
3 (2010).
Fischer C. and Hartmann M., Agri-food Chain Relationships, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International, ISBN: 978-1-84593-
642-6 (2010).
Fischer C. and Hartmann M., Introduction and Overview: Analysing Inter-organizational Relationships in Agri-food
Chains, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International, ISBN:
978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 11-21 (2010).

Fischer C. and Reynolds N., Collaborative Advantage, Relational Risks and Sustainable Relationships: a Literature
Review and Definition, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International,
ISBN: 978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 74-89 (2010).
Fischer C., Hartmann M., Reynolds N., Leat P., Revoredo-Giha C., Henchion M., Gracia A. and Albisu L.M., Determinants
of Sustainable Agri-food Chain Relationships in Europe, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and
M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International, ISBN: 978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 119-134 (2010).
Hartmann M., Frohberg K. and Fischer C., Building Sustainable Relationships in Agri-food Chains: Challenges from
Farm to Retail, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International,
ISBN: 978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 25-44 (2010).
Leat P., Henchion M., Albisu L.M. and Fischer C., Trust and Relationships in Selected European Agri-food Chains, In:
“Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International, ISBN: 978-1-
84593-642-6. Pages 91-104 (2010).
Lu H., Batt P.and Fischer C., Best Practice in Relationship Management: Recommendations for Farmers, Processors
and Retailers, In: “Agri-food Chain Relationships”, C. Fischer and M. Hartmann, Oxford, UK: eds. CAB International,
ISBN: 978-1-84593-642-6. Pages 237-249 (2010).
Mao L., Comiti F., Lenzi M.A. , Bedload Dynamics in Steep Mountain Rivers: Insights from the Rio Cordon Experimental
Station (Italian Alps). In: Gray, J.R., Laronne, J.B., and Marr, J.D.G. (eds) Bedload-surrogate monitoring technologies,
U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5091, 253-265 (available online from http://pubs.
usgs.gov/sir/2010/5091/papers/listofpapers.html) (2010).
Matt D. T., Axiomatic Design of Agile Manufacturing Systems. In: T. Aized, ed. Future Manufacturing Systems. Rijeka:
Sciyo, pp. 179-194, ISBN: 978-953-307-128-2 (2010).
Matt D. T., Beherrschung der zeitabhängigen Komplexitätszunahme als Schlüssel zur Sicherstellung der Wandlungsfähigkeit
von Produktionssystemen – ein systemtheoretischer Ansatz. In: P. Nyhuis, ed. Wandlungsfähige Produktionssysteme-
Schriftenreihe der Hochschulgruppe für Arbeits- und Betriebsorganisation e.V. (HAB). Berlin: GITO-Verlag
GmbH, pp. 237-257, ISBN 978-3-942183-15-4 (2010).
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