The RIPARI project: a vegetated Buffer Zone and its effect upon a groundwater biocoenosis

"Buffer Zones" are widely utilised to reduce the pollution along rivers, since several year in different parts of Europe, and their effect upon the control of various polluting agents is recognised. The RIPARI project is a POR-FESR project of Tuscany Region (Italy), financed by EU and operated by three partners. CNR-ISE, ETG a SME producing instruments and Hydrogea Vision,, a company specialised in environmental studies. The main objective of the project was to evaluate the fine-scale effects on groundwater biome of a Buffer Zone installation along a small channel, in an agricultural area at risk for nitrate and pesticides pollution. In particular, the project was aimed at assessing likely effects of pollution remediation upon the presence and diversity of stygobiotic community. Herein, the first results of the project, concerning the characterisation of groundwater ecosystem, are presented.