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32-789: A summer and winter resort, it is also the location of the Abruzzo National Park , nestled in the heart of the Monti Marsicani . In 1866, the philosopher Benedetto Croce was born there. The domain of the Borrello Family in the 11th century, Pescasseroli passed as a 'sub-fief' of the Di Sangro family. After the fall of the Swabians, it came under the Aquinas family. In 1349, when Adenolfo II Aquinas died under

64-585: A 1 mm mesh also depends upon whether it is alive or dead at the time of sorting. Mesofauna are macroscopic soil animals such as arthropods or nematodes . Mesofauna are extremely diverse; considering just the springtails ( Collembola ), as of 1998, approximately 6,500 species had been identified. Microfauna are microscopic or very small animals (usually including protozoans and very small animals such as rotifers ). To qualify as microfauna, an organism must exhibit animal-like characteristics, as opposed to microflora , which are more plant-like. Stygofauna

96-453: A group of organisms by their size, larger than microfauna but smaller than macrofauna, rather than a taxonomic grouping. One environment for meiofauna is between grains of damp sand (see Mystacocarida ). In practice these are metazoan animals that can pass unharmed through a 0.5–1 mm mesh but will be retained by a 30–45 μm mesh, but the exact dimensions will vary from researcher to researcher. Whether an organism passes through

128-408: A typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the " Sonoran Desert fauna" or the " Burgess Shale fauna". Paleontologists sometimes refer to a sequence of faunal stages , which is a series of rocks all containing similar fossils. The study of animals of a particular region is called faunistics . Fauna comes from the name Fauna , a Roman goddess of earth and fertility,

160-523: A water body, especially within the bottom-most oceanic sediments, the layer of small particles at the bottom of a body of water, rather than on its surface. Bacteria and microalgae may also live in the interstices of bottom sediments. In general, infaunal animals become progressively smaller and less abundant with increasing water depth and distance from shore, whereas bacteria show more constancy in abundance, tending toward one million cells per milliliter of interstitial seawater. Such creatures are found in

192-508: Is twinned with: This Abruzzo location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Abruzzo National Park Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park ( Italian : Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise ) is an Italian national park established in 1923. The majority of the park is located in the Abruzzo region, with smaller parts in Lazio and Molise . It

224-408: Is any fauna that lives in groundwater systems or aquifers, such as caves , fissures and vugs . Stygofauna and troglofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna (based on life-history). Both are associated with subterranean environments – stygofauna is associated with water, and troglofauna with caves and spaces above the water table . Stygofauna can live within freshwater aquifers and within

256-494: Is associated with caves and spaces above the water table and stygofauna with water. Troglofaunal species include spiders , insects , myriapods and others. Some troglofauna live permanently underground and cannot survive outside the cave environment. Troglofauna adaptations and characteristics include a heightened sense of hearing, touch and smell. Loss of under-used senses is apparent in the lack of pigmentation as well as eyesight in most troglofauna. Troglofauna insects may exhibit

288-733: Is sometimes called by its former name Abruzzo National Park . The park headquarters are in Pescasseroli in the Province of L'Aquila . The park's area is 496.80 km (191.82 sq mi). It is the oldest park in the Apennine Mountains , and the second oldest in Italy, with an important role in the preservation of species such as the Italian wolf , Abruzzo chamois and Marsican brown bear . Other characteristic fauna of

320-531: The Eurasian lynx in the park is still controversial, and there are no scientific studies that prove it; however, there are some unconfirmed sightings. In greater numbers, in the thicker areas of the forest, are red deer and roe deer , reintroduced in the seventies, and the wild boar . Other reclusive inhabitants of the forest include European polecat , Eurasian badger , Eurasian otter and two species of marten; pine marten and beech marten . Higher, above

352-578: The Garden dormouse . Many birds of prey inhabit the park. Most notable amongst them is the golden eagle , represented by six breeding couples, which, despite living in the more inaccessible regions, can often be seen soaring over central areas of the park in search of prey such as small mammals or even sick, young chamois. Other raptors that reside within the park include goshawks , peregrine falcons , Eurasian buzzards , Eurasian kestrels and Eurasian sparrowhawks . Less visible, but perhaps more audible, to

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384-527: The Monti della Meta . The Sangro River rises near Pescasseroli and runs south-east through the artificial Lago di Barrea before leaving the park and turning to the north-east. Other rivers in the park are the Giovenco , Malfa and Volturno . Other lakes are Vivo, Pantaniello, Scanno , Montagna Spaccata, Castel San Vincenzo, Grottacampanaro, and Selva di Cardito. In wildlife terms, the main attractions of

416-520: The pore spaces of limestone , calcrete or laterite , whilst larger animals can be found in cave waters and wells. Stygofaunal animals, like troglofauna, are divided into three groups based on their life history - stygophiles, stygoxenes, and stygobites. Troglofauna are small cave -dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglofauna and stygofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna (based on life-history). Both are associated with subterranean environments – troglofauna

448-588: The Roman god Faunus , and the related forest spirits called Fauns . All three words are cognates of the name of the Greek god Pan , and panis is the Modern Greek equivalent of fauna (πανίς or rather πανίδα). Fauna is also the word for a book that catalogues the animals in such a manner. The term was first used by Carl Linnaeus from Sweden in the title of his 1745 work Fauna Suecica . Cryofauna refers to

480-423: The animals that live in, or very close to, cold areas. Cryptofauna is the fauna that exists in protected or concealed microhabitats . Epifauna, also called epibenthos , are aquatic animals that live on the bottom substratum as opposed to within it, that is, the benthic fauna that live on top of the sediment surface at the seafloor. Infauna are benthic organisms that live within the bottom substratum of

512-467: The forest, Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata) live alone or in small groups. Animals that are easier to see include red fox , the European hare , the least weasel , the European mole , and the western European hedgehog . Dormice and red squirrel s are also quite frequently seen. Other mammals recorded in the park are the snow vole , the edible dormouse , the European wildcat and

544-407: The fossil record and include lingulata , trilobites and worms . They made burrows in the sediment as protection and may also have fed upon detritus or the mat of microbes which tended to grow on the surface of the sediment. Today, a variety of organisms live in and disturb the sediment . The deepest burrowers are the ghost shrimps ( Thalassinidea ), which go as deep as 3 metres (10 ft) into

576-506: The lower pastures of Puglia. With a distance of 211 kilometres (131 miles) it is the third longest "tratturo" in southern Italy. Tourism is today's economic resource. Pescasseroli is considered the most important center of the Abruzzo National Park. At the center of the most interesting natural itineraries, the town offers a range of services and facilities that meet the demands of tourists and vacationers all year round in

608-601: The months of October and November 1921, the municipality of Opi leased 5 square kilometres of land to a private federation with the aim of protecting flora and fauna and Sipari founded in Rome an organization to administer the reserve. So the Park was founded in September 1922. Over the next few years the territory of the park expanded into neighbouring municipalities until it covered around 120 km by 1923, when protection

640-430: The nighttime visitor are several species of owl, the little owl , the barn owl and the tawny owl . Woodland birds include the European green woodpecker and the rare white-backed woodpecker , cliffs harbor the red-billed chough and alpine chough and bare mountain birds include the rock partridge and white-winged snowfinch . Streams provide habitat for the grey wagtail and white-throated dipper . The flora of

672-467: The park are red deer and roe deer , wild boar and the white-backed woodpecker . The protected area is around two thirds beech forest , though many other tree species grow in the area, including silver birch and black and mountain pines . The idea for the Abruzzo National Park arose in the years following World War I thanks to the work of Erminio Sipari , environmentalist, member of Italian Parliament and cousin of Benedetto Croce . Between

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704-597: The park are the Marsican brown bear and Italian wolf . While official figures report 50-70 bears in this genetically isolated population, the declining population is actually estimated at closer to 30. The shift from local agriculture to development in Abruzzo (including a controversial proposed ski resort) and poaching , threaten this remaining small population. While Wolves were once rarer (as low as 40), numbers have reportedly rebounded in recent years. The presence of

736-495: The park including, 41°45′51″N 13°52′08″E  /  41.76417°N 13.86889°E  / 41.76417; 13.86889 Fauna Fauna ( pl. : faunae or faunas ) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are flora and funga , respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as biota . Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to

768-437: The park is rich and interesting. A comprehensive list of plants would extend to more than 2,000 species without including lichens , algae or fungi . Flowers present in the area include Marsican Iris ( Iris marsica ), gentian , primrose , cyclamen , violets and the lily . The most well-known flower of the park is the rare lady's slipper ( Cypripedium calceolus ), a yellow and black orchid . The predominant tree of

800-537: The park is the beech which covers 60% of the area, generally grows at 900–1800 m altitude and provides a stunning display of color throughout the whole year. Notable also the presence of some old-growth beech forests in the northern part of the park. Other trees are the black pine , the mountain pine and the silver birch . The park covers 25 municipalities, distributed across 3 provinces. Province of L'Aquila : Province of Frosinone : Provincia of Isernia : Many outdoor activities are possible within

832-462: The park management at the end of the 1960s heralded better times and by 1976, further expansion to 400 km , followed at the request of villages in neighbouring Molise , that were convinced by the economic benefits of the park. Today, at 500 km , the area of the park is 100 times larger than the original reserve. However, the park's role in the marsican bear conservation program is now strongly debated; while every year there are monitoring actions of

864-470: The protected area: a visitor center of the park, nature museum, wildlife area, botanical garden, the ski slopes of the mountain of Vitelle, equipped with parking. Foremost is protected wild life and untouched nature that offers an important variety of flora and fauna along with all the related services and hospitality. All this, along with its hospitable inhabitants, makes Pescasseroli a favorite destination for summer holidays and for winter sports. Pescasseroli

896-462: The ruins of the castle of Alvito, it passed to a branch of the Counts of Loreto. In 1461, the barony of Pescasseroli was inherited by Antonella d'Aquino, Marquise of Pescara. At the end of the sixteenth century, the estate was sold to Giovan Giacomo di Sangro, who died in 1607. Put up for auction, it is recorded as having a succession of different owners until 1705, when for the price of 15,770 ducats, it

928-577: The sediment at the bottom of the ocean. Limnofauna refers to the animals that live in fresh water. Macrofauna are benthic or soil organisms which are retained on a 0.5 mm sieve. Studies in the deep sea define macrofauna as animals retained on a 0.3 mm sieve to account for the small size of many of the taxa. Megafauna are large animals of any particular region or time. For example, Australian megafauna . Meiofauna are small benthic invertebrates that live in both marine and freshwater environments . The term meiofauna loosely defines

960-507: The total bear's population there have been recently some problems related to the pave actions carried out inside the park's boundaries and the building projects to connect the only ski track of the park to the opposite valley, which is a delicate spot for the bear's movements. The mountains within the park are Petroso (2,249 metres), Marsicano (2,245 metres), Meta (2,242 metres), Tartaro (2,191 metres), Jamiccio (2,074 metres), Cavallo (2,039 metres), Palombo (2,013 metres). These are included in

992-603: Was acquired by the Massa family of Sorrento. They were the last barons of Pescasseroli before the advent of the new nineteenth-century bourgeoisie, in this case exemplified by the Sipari family. The Pescasseroli-Candela sheep route or "tratturo" started in imperial times as a military route used by the Roman legions. In the Middle Ages it became a route for sheep grazing migration from the higher and colder mountains of Abruzzo to

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1024-461: Was enshrined in law. A period of intense activity followed and the park had further expanded to around 300 km when it was abolished by the Fascist government in 1933. Re-establishment of the park in 1950 coincided with a period of financial difficulty, followed by a building boom which saw more than 12,000 trees felled for the construction of houses, roads and ski tracks. A reorganization of

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