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© iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry IntroductionThe assessment of the agroenergy chain is a fundamental issue in the field of renewable energies, in particular for the substitution of alternative energy sources for fossil fuels in rural areas (Fiorese & Guariso 2010). In this framework, the relevant topics are the evaluation of the bioenergy demand/supply ratio and the quantification of the impact of biomass on ecological and socio-economic parameters (Steubing et al. 2010). Furthermore, the evaluation of the agroenergy chain must consider policy directives and the presence of fundings and regulation that can cause market distortion (Sonneborn 2004).The analysis of the biomass sector in holistic terms is quite complex given the proposed objectives and scale of results (Cornelissen et al. 2012). Territorial and technological characteristics can be highly differentiated among study areas and could introduce variation into assessments of agroenergy (Freppaz et al. 2004, Vettorato et al. 2011. The characteristics of the European region, particularly those of the Italian territorial area, coupled with the present forest landscape dynamics (Tattoni et al. , 2011 have suggested how the exploitation of wood-energy sources can achieve a high level of importance for bioenergy production in these areas (e.g., for a widespread relationship linking the agroforestry environment with the local population -Ramachandra 2009, Notaro & Paletto 2011). The variability of national forest areas in terms of geomorphology, species composition, facilities and socio-economic issues requires the use of flexible tools and Decision Support Systems (DSSs) to quantify the resources and to facilitate the communication between researchers, local stakeholders and policy makers in woodenergy planning activities as applied to the forest sector. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach appears to represent an appropriate tool for attaining this goal.Several studies have analysed GIS and spatial analysis instruments as tools for biomass chain evaluation at the European, national and local levels. Angelis-Dimakis et al. (2011) classify energy availability in terms of potential availability (according to the gross energy of the source), theoretical availability (the harvestable fraction) and exploitable availability (based on ecological and economic sustainability criteria). A state-of-the-art treatment of the topic of forest biomass availability at the European level was developed by Rettenmaier et al. (2008) who analysed the methodological approaches and input datasets used for bioenergy estimation. These authors classified the analytic process according to biomass typology (ecological, technical, economical, sustainable), biomass sources (e.g., residues, stem, stumps) and spatial-temporal variables (e.g., scale of analysis, time frame). Geomatic applications for biomass resource evaluation have been implemented by different authors (Chirici et al. 2007, Lasserre et al. 2011, Kotamaa et al. 2010). For example, Gallaun et al. (2010) have com...

The negative effects of climate change are predicted to impact the agricultural sector in coming decades. Economic losses and modifications of production processes are fundamental issues to consider in coping with the harmful consequences of climate variability. The literature and empirical evidence show that the wine sector is extremely vulnerable to this risk. These studies show that this sector lacks appropriate adaptation strategies due to the complexity of the analysed systems and interrelations between a number of socioeconomic and environmental variables. The present study designed a decision support system to identify adaptation strategies for wine farms undergoing climate change. The tool allows for the analysis of a wine farm's economic performance when it adopts measures to cope with climatic variability. Average values for climate change and extreme events were considered to assess different scenarios. A mix-method approach was applied to integrate probability calculations, complex system analyses and operational research (a metaheuristic approach). The model was tested on a case study located in central Italy (Chianti Classico). To maintain and improve future financial performance, organic farming and adjustments to procedural guidelines were recommended as key strategies. Economic variables, such as the average price of wine, seem to have a strong influence on farms' implementation of adaptive measures. An additional result seems to suggest that insurance schemes in areas producing high quality wine are only suitable when low-level deductibles and public funding are available. The present work shows that the decision support system favours analytical sensitivity to different scenarios and variables related to climate change as well as to socioeconomic shifts in the viticulture sector.

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The aim of the study is the elicitation of the consumer's semantic perception of different alcoholic beverages in order to provide information for the definition of communication strategies for both the private sector (and specifically the wine industry) and the public decision maker. Such information can be seen as the basis of a wider social marketing construct aimed at the promotion of responsible drinking among young consumers. The semantic differential approach was used in this study. The data collection was based on a survey to 430 consumers between 18 and 35years old in Tuscany, Italy. The database was organized in a three-way structure, indexing the data in a multiway matrix. The data were processed using a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Moreover, homogeneous clusters of consumers were identified using a Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC) approach. The results of the study highlight that beer and spirits are mainly perceived as "Young", "Social", "Euphoric", "Happy", "Appealing" and "Trendy" beverages, while wine is associated mostly with terms such as "Pleasure", "Quality" and "Comfortable". Furthermore, the cluster analysis allowed for the identification of three groups of individuals with different approaches to alcohol drinking. The results of the study supply a useful information framework for the elaboration of specific communication strategies that, based on the drinking habits of young consumers and their perception of different beverages, can use a language that is very close to the consumer typologies. Such information can be helpful for both private and public communication strategies.

The paper introduces and discusses an open-source spatial-based model (called r.green.solar) able to quantify the energy production from solar photovoltaic (PV) ground-mounted panels. Socio-economic and environmental impacts can be evaluated by the model. The model starts from the theoretical quantity of solar PV potential energy and estimates a reduction of total amount of energy based on legal, technical, recommended and economic constraints. Model outputs were used for a trade-off analysis between energy production and traditional crops for food/feed cultivation on not irrigated arable land. The model was tested at regional level for a Mediterranean context (Italy). The results confirm that the economic profitability of PV systems follows a north-south gradient, but the main impacts are related to local peculiaritiessuch as the disposal of not irrigated arable land and the presence of constraints, in particular the landscape maintenance, the morphological variables and the specialization indexand crop yields.

The paper presents an integrated methodology to assess psychological and physiological responses of people when exposed to forests, with the main objective of assessing the suitability of different stands for stress recovery on the basis of tree species and density. From the methodological viewpoint, the study applies both a Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS) questionnaire and a neuroscientific technique grounded on electro-encephalographic (EEG) measurement. Results show different outcomes for conifers and broadleaves as well as a statistical significance of density in the evaluation of an individual’s emotional state. A forest with a high density of conifers and low density of broadleaves seems to be the proper combination for stress recovery. The differences among psychological stated preferences and EEG trends highlights potential conflict among “needs” and “wants” of people in the topic of stress relief. Potential applications of the research for health care and territorial marketing operations are suggested.