Clima, variabilità meteorologica e popolazioni storiche. Introduzione al numero tematico.

This special issue investigates the relationship between meteorological variability and demographic dynamics in historical populations, focusing on short- to medium-term responses to climatic shocks. The contributions examine how weather and environmental factors interact with social, economic, and territorial contexts, generating differential effects on mortality, fertility, and demographic behavior. Framed within the PRIN 2022 project ‘Weather and Climate Vulnerability in Italian Demographic History’, the issue adopts an integrated approach combining micro- and macro-level analyses, individual longitudinal data, and monthly demographic time series. Particular attention is paid to epidemics and demographic seasonality as key lenses through which vulnerability and adaptive responses can be observed. The issue also highlights the importance of research infrastructure, emphasizing open data and FAIR principles as essential conditions for replicable and comparative research in historical demography.