University of Sassari

The provision of accessible tourism services continues to evolve, ranging from city tours and cultural trips to sports and outdoor leisure holidays. However, the persistent lack of accessible sport and outdoor tourism facilities, together with the difficulty of obtaining relevant information about this specific tourism sub-sector, remains a significant barrier to the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in sport and leisure tourism. To better understand this less tangible dimension of communicative inaccessibility, the present research investigates the linguistic and contextual features of a specialized corpus of tourist texts dedicated to the promotion of accessible sports and outdoor leisure activities. The aim is to identify the main communicative and semantic strategies used in promoting sports and outdoor activities in accessible tourism discourse and to reflect on the positive implications associated with promoting and providing engaging and adventurous tourism experiences for people with disabilities.

Mentalising skills may be conceptualised as composed by both personal and interpersonal competencies, in turn shaped by early adverse experiences and coping strategies. Although cross-sectional observations described a role for mentalising skills in burnout development, large-scale longitudinal studies on the topic remain limited, especially in relation to psychiatry training. The primary aim was to investigate protective and risk factors for higher burnout scores across time. Secondary aims included testing whether psychiatry exhibited different burnout scores across time in comparison to other medical residents. A cohort of 1803 medical residents (1131 psychiatry residents) was assessed for mentalising skills, conceptualised as composed of emotional regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), interpersonal competencies (Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire), coping strategies (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) and burnout dimensions (Maslach Burnout Inventory). One-year follow-up was available for 520 psychiatry residents (73.03% response rate) and 234 other medical residents (35.94% response rate). Longitudinal mixed models and bivariate latent change models were employed. Across all residents, greater levels of burnout were associated with higher scores in insecure attachment, emotional dysregulation and maladaptive coping, as well as lower scores in interpersonal skills. Attending at least one supervision per month was associated with lower burnout scores across time. According to a bivariate latent change model, emotional regulation improvements through years were associated with lower burnout scores across time. In psychiatry residents, lower burnout scores across time were observed as compared to other medical residents. Psychiatry residents benefited from a higher protective effect of interpersonal competencies (group by moderator by time interaction) and coping strategies against burnout. Mentalising skills may mitigate burnout development. Training in psychiatry emerged as a potential mitigating factor against burnout increases. Structured supervisions may foster professional development and emotional resilience.

Eutrophication is a pervasive issue in Mediterranean reservoirs, where external nutrient inputs and internal sediment releases interact to impair water quality and ecological stability. This study assessed the trophic condition of the artificial lake Cuga in Sardinia (Italy), mainly used for irrigation and providing potable water, by integrating watershed nutrient load estimates, inter-lake transfers, and internal phosphorus release. Field campaigns between July 2022 and May 2023 provided bi-monthly measurements of physical, chemical, and biological parameters, complemented by GIS-based land cover analysis and export coefficient modeling to quantify spatial nutrient sources. Additional phosphorus inputs from water transfers with a nearby reservoir were calculated, while internal sediment release was estimated using a calibrated mass balance model. Results revealed high nutrient concentrations, with mean total phosphorus of 128 mg P m−3, chlorophyll a averaging 9.9 mg m−3, and Secchi depth below 1 m, classifying the reservoir as eutrophic to hypertrophic under OECD and Carlson indices. Spatial loads were dominated by agricultural areas, while inter-lake transfers and internal sediment release contributed substantially to the overall phosphorus budget. The predictive Vollenweider model closely matched the observed conditions, confirming the robustness of the combined approach. Maintaining good ecological status in Mediterranean reservoirs is essential for safeguarding human well-being, as eutrophication degrades drinking-water quality, increases treatment costs, and can promote toxin-producing algal blooms with direct implications for public health. These findings highlight the need for integrated management strategies addressing both external and internal nutrient sources to mitigate eutrophication in Mediterranean reservoirs, which affects the ecosystem functioning and the related human needs and well-being.

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is a high valued perennial crop, and its growth is highly controlled by agro climate especially by the temperature regimes, seasonal variation and water supply. The current climate change is likely to change these conditions in the Mediterranean region, and the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems, crop adaptation, and land-use planning are affected directly. Although the relevance of pistachio as a climate resistant crop is increasing, there is still limited basin scale evaluation of the suitability of this pistachio in Mediterranean. We evaluate the climate-driven land suitability of pistachio in the Mediterranean Basin under the current and future climate scenario by machine learning-driven modelling framework. Data on the occurrence of pistachios in the Mediterranean area were summarized and co-expressed with a collection of agro-climatic and topographic variables based on high-resolution climatic information. The screening of environmental indicators attempted to control multicollinearity and to eliminate a parsimonious, agronomically constructive set to reflect thermal conditions, seasonality of temperature variations, extremes of precipitation and terrain limitations that are pertinent to the cultivation of pistachio. The slope was added as an indicator of land suitability to show the possibility of management and the constraints of the terrain. The Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model used to assess the present and future suitability under climate change conditions. Model evaluation metrics suggest a strong predictive performance. Findings demonstrate temperature-related factors and dry-season precipitation as the dominant factors affecting the suitability of pistachio throughout the Mediterranean. The spatial distribution of present suitability indicates the existence of core climatic stable cultivation areas, and the future projections show that there will be significant spatial changes in suitability. Significantly, the findings indicate the development of new potentially appropriate areas where the pistachio can be grown in some parts of the Mediterranean that are marginal or unprofitable today, as well as those areas where suitability could decrease with rising climatic stress.

The tectonic evolution of continental palaeo-margins involved in the Variscan Orogeny remain debated. Along the northern Gondwana margin, contrasting Ordovician geodynamic settings have been proposed, including rifting, ocean spreading, passive margins, subduction–accretion complexes, non-collisional orogens, and volcanic arcs. Southern Sardinia represents a key area to investigate these processes, owing to the very low-grade Variscan metamorphic overprint and the limited post-Variscan deformation.Here we reconstruct the Ordovician tectonic evolution of the Variscan basement of southern Sardinia through the analysis of stratigraphic architectures and structural features of the External and Nappe zones, which record two distinct but partly coeval geodynamic scenarios.The External Zone is characterized by two main stratigraphic successions separated by the regional Sardic angular unconformity. The lower succession (Cambrian–Lower Ordovician) comprises a basal terrigenous unit with minor limestone intercalations, overlain by a thick carbonate platform and upper siliciclastic deposits. The overlying Upper Ordovician succession starts with coarse conglomerates that grade upward into finer-grained siliciclastic deposits.The Nappe Zone consists of three stratigraphic successions separated by the Sarrabese angular unconformity and the Katian nonconformity. These include: (i) a Cambrian–Lower Ordovician terrigenous succession with interlayered volcanic levels; (ii) a Middle–Upper Ordovician volcano-sedimentary succession; and (iii) an Upper Ordovician succession dominated by siliciclastic deposits. In both zones, Silurian–Devonian black shales and limestones are overlain by syn-orogenic Lower Carboniferous deposits.The Sardic and Sarrabese unconformities are interpreted as the result of folding events (Sardic and Sarrabese tectonic phases) affecting the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician successions. Their precise ages remain poorly constrained and are likely not synchronous, as suggested by the different durations of the associated stratigraphic gaps (ca. 17 Ma for the Sardic unconformity and ca. 6 Ma for the Sarrabese unconformity).The post-Sardic stratigraphic evolution of the External Zone is consistent with non-volcanic rifting, which initiated approximately 10 Ma after the onset of subduction-related volcanic arc activity recorded in the Nappe Zone. These contrasting geodynamic settings coexisted for at least ~8 Ma during the Sandbian to early Katian. During this interval, the External Zone evolved along a divergent margin, whereas the Nappe Zone was part of a convergent margin characterized by active arc magmatism. Volcanic activity ceased during the middle Katian, marking the transition to passive margin conditions above the former arc.The coexistence of contrasting tectonic evolutions in coeval stratigraphic successions suggests that the External and Nappe zones occupied distinct palaeogeographic positions along the same continental margin, likely separated by large distances along the northern Gondwana margin, without evidence for intervening oceanic basin closure. During the Early Carboniferous, Variscan tectonics ultimately assembled these domains into their present configuration, with the Nappe Zone thrust above the External Zone.

Mediterranean cork oak forests are increasingly threatened by abiotic and biotic stressors, with Phytophthora emerging as a major cause of tree decline. This study presents preliminary results from an ongoing monitoring experiment aimed at investigating the effects of Phytophthora infection on hydraulic functioning and growth dynamics of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) in a stand located in central Sardinia (Italy). Two experimental theses were considered: healthy trees and declining trees affected by Phytophthora.Ten trees were continuously monitored starting from May 2025 using TreeTalker®Cyber devices (five per thesis) to measure sap flow velocity, stem radial growth, and microclimatic variables, including air temperature, relative humidity, and vapour pressure deficit (VPD). High-frequency physiological data were integrated with atmospheric conditions to assess differences in tree water use and growth performance between the two theses.Preliminary results showed a substantial reduction in sap flow magnitude and altered diurnal patterns in declining trees compared to healthy individuals. In addition, declining trees exhibited a pronounced reduction in stem radial growth compared to healthy individuals, indicating a combined impairment of hydraulic functioning and growth processes associated with Phytophthora infection. These findings demonstrate the potential of IoT-based proximal sensing for detecting early physiological signals of tree decline and support its application in forest health monitoring.

Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems (MAEs) are increasingly affected by water scarcity, rising temperatures, drought, and land-use change, all of which reduce water availability and system resilience. These combined pressures threaten long-term ecological and economic sustainability by contributing to declining profitability, land abandonment, and land degradation. Collectively, these processes reduce ecosystem functions and the capacity for carbon sequestration.The Horizon Europe DRYAD project ("Demonstration and modelling of nature-based solutions to enhance the resilience of Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems and landscapes") advances current knowledge by designing and implementing evidence-based, scientifically validated, and community-tailored nature-based solutions (NbS) in selected Pilot Demonstration Areas. The project explicitly addresses the hydrological and socio-ecological complexity of MAEs under multiple risk conditions. DRYAD employs an expanded interpretation of NbS, conceptualizing them as an "ecosystem of NbS" that includes intervention-, protection-, management-, and planning-oriented actions functioning in systemic interaction.One of DRYAD’s tasks is to develop a novel, standardized framework addressing a key limitation in current NbS implementation in agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems: the lack of information, thereby enabling wider upscaling and mainstreaming. The framework, termed NbS Abacus, is implemented through the systematic documentation and evaluation of thirteen NbS using comprehensive fact sheets developed with stakeholder input. Each NbS is assessed against a set of characteristics, including implementation requirements, targeted ecosystem services (classified according to the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services), expected benefits, potential trade-offs, strengths, constraints, costs, policy relevance, and upscaling potential. While all NbS are multifunctional, they are classified according to their primary ecosystem service focus into water-, soil-, and biodiversity-related interventions.Water-related NbS address key hydrological constraints in MAEs, such as strong precipitation seasonality and prolonged summer droughts. Examples include contour-aligned drainage ditches, dry detention ponds, and artificial ponds. The framework explicitly captures associated risks. These include, e.g., substrate clogging and groundwater contamination from polluted runoff. This enables risk-informed NbS design, implementation, and the selection of appropriate monitoring protocols and indicator sets.MAEs have also experienced increasing degradation driven by contrasting land-use dynamics, notably land abandonment and intensification. Soil-related NbS aim to improve land management efficiency by enhancing soil water retention, fertility, and erosion regulation. Representative examples include adaptive grazing schemes, real-time livestock monitoring systems, and wildfire prevention measures.Climate-induced drought poses a major threat to biodiversity in MAEs. Biodiversity-related NbS aim to restore or conserve ecological functioning through measures such as strategic forestation, agropastoral system reforestation, habitat islands, and remote sensing-based detection of tree decline. The framework accounts for both long-term ecological benefits and short-term socio-economic constraints, including infrastructure requirements, site biophysical limitations, maintenance costs, forage yield reductions, and temporary impacts on livestock productivity.The NbS Abacus supports the uptake of NbS by providing harmonized, practice-oriented information on performance, costs, risks, and scalability. The framework and its NbS catalogue facilitate informed decision-making, replication, and mainstreaming across land management and climate adaptation strategies, with relevance for practitioners, advisors, policy-makers, and planners in Mediterranean and other drought-prone regions.Acknowledgements. This research has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101156076 (DRYAD).