Universit� degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

A New Method for Environmental Care Emerges from the Study of Pollen

A team of Italian researchers, led by Anna Maria Mercuri and Assunta Florenzano from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and Andrea Zerboni from the University of Milan, has published a study in Scientific Reports that paves the way for a new form of environmental protection: Precision Land Knowledge of the Past (PLKP). This approach is based on a detailed study of a region’s ecological history, reconstructing environmental changes from prehistory onwards, with the aim of designing conservation measures tailored to each specific area—much like precision medicine, which provides personalised treatments for individual patients.

A striking parallel: environment and health. The idea underpinning PLKP is simple: every environment has a unique "clinical history" that must be carefully reconstructed in order to understand its origins and vulnerabilities, and to intervene effectively. Just as a doctor analyses a patient’s history to provide the best possible care, environmental scientists must consider millennia of human–nature interactions in order to protect today’s biodiversity.

“The study,” explain Mercuri and Florenzano from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, “was based on a detailed analysis of over 1,200 pollen spectra from archaeological sites across Italy.” The researchers demonstrated that, despite the long-standing influence of human activity, each location maintains a unique biological identity. “These traces from the past,” the researchers add, “are essential for understanding how landscapes have evolved, and for choosing sustainable, context-specific solutions.”

The study also introduces the concept of the Pro-Anthropocene, a term that more accurately describes the long period preceding the current era, which laid the groundwork for today’s situation in which human impact is dominant. Understanding this trajectory helps to reveal the deep roots of today’s “environmental diseases” – such as soil loss, deforestation, and biodiversity decline.

An Interdisciplinary Protocol. “PLKP is more than a theory: it is an operational method that integrates archaeology, palaeobotany, geomorphology, pollen analysis, and local knowledge to develop environmental diagnostics and bespoke interventions. The goal is to avoid ineffective actions and promote a more empathetic relationship between humans and nature,” says Zerboni of the University of Milan.

A Message for Citizens and Policymakers. This approach provides concrete tools for local authorities, natural parks, and public administrations, suggesting that effective and lasting conservation must be grounded in a deep understanding of the past that has shaped the present. At the same time, it promotes greater public awareness: caring for the environment is akin to caring for ourselves.

This research was carried out as part of the initiatives promoted by the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC – Spoke 3), funded by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
The full study is available in Scientific Reports: The precision land knowledge of the past enables tailor-made environment therapy and empathy for nature. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97372-x

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng