(Recensione) – Dalla caverna alla casa ecologica. Storia del comfort e dell'energia. Di Butera F. Edizioni Ambiente

Un contributo alla conservazione della biodiversità in Sicilia

I pini monumentali della Fossa della Garofala.

In città è difficile rinvenire alberi monumentali a causa delle negative interazioni tra le attività antropiche e la vegetazione. Lo sviluppo delle piante arboree assume un aspetto notevolmente differente rispetto a quello che si potrebbe avere in un ecosistema naturale. In una città come Palermo in cui la forte espansione urbanistica ha sottratto aree verdi rimangono solo alcuni lembi sopravvissuti alla cementificazione. Un caso particolare è rappresentato dalla Fossa della Garofala che, pur essendo inclusa all’interno del tessuto urbano, ha elevati caratteri di naturalità. Ciò è dovuto alla storia passata e recente, l’area acquisita dall’Università di Palermo nel 1950, grazie all’apposizi…

Chamaerops humilis L.: variabilità ed ecologia delle popolazioni naturali in Sicilia. Prima parte.

Changes in Structure and Composition of the Loquat Orchards in the Conca d'Oro, Palermo.

Effetto di differenti sistemi di impianto sulo sviluppo e produttività del noce da legno in Sicilia

Monument trees as witnesses of local potential vegetation and landscape evolution

Solanum capsicastrum Schauer (Solanaceae) spontaneizzato nella piana di Palermo (Sicilia nord-occidentale)

Si riportano i primi casi di naturalizzazione nella piana di Palermo (Sicilia nord-occidentale) di Solanum capsicastrum Schauer, un piccolo arbusto di origine sudamericana della famiglia della Solanaceae.

Pine stand density influences the regeneration of Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. and native woody species in a mediterranean coastal pine plantation

Mediterranean plantations are the most suitable areas to assess vegetation dynamics and competitive interactions between native and exotic woody species. Our research was carried out in a coastal pine plantation (Sicily) where renaturalization by native species (Pistacia lentiscus L. and Olea europaea var. sylvestris) and invasion by Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. simultaneously occur. The regeneration pattern of woody species in the pine understory was evaluated in six experimental plots along a stand density gradient, from 200 to approximately 700 pines per hectare. Both pine stand density and regeneration by native species had a significant negative relationship with Acacia natural …

BRIGNONE F., 2012 – I giardini dell’isola di Pantelleria. Litotipografia “Nuova Stampa”, Trapani, 103 pp., € 25

The sedimentary and remote-sensing reflection of biomass burning in Europe

Aim: We provide the first European-scale geospatial training set relating the charcoal signal in surface lake sediments to fire parameters (number, intensity and area) recorded by satellite moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors. Our calibration is intended for quantitative reconstructions of key fire-regime parameters by using sediment sequences of microscopic (MIC from pollen slides, particles 10-500 µm) and macroscopic charcoal (MAC from sieves, particles > 100 µm). Location: North-south and east-west transects across Europe, covering the mediterranean, temperate, alpine, boreal and steppe biomes. Time period: Lake sediments and MODIS active fire and burned area…

L’agricoltura della Conca d’oro: funzioni e iniziative per la tutela e valorizzazione.

Il paesaggio agrario delle isole circumsiciliane.

Soil Quality Characterization of Mediterranean Areas under Desertification Risk for the Implementation of Management Schemes Aimed at Land Degradation Neutrality

Soil is a key component of ecosystems as it provides fundamental ecosystem functions and services, first of all supporting primary productivity, by physical, chemical and biological interaction with plants. However, soil loss and degradation are at present two of the most critical environmental issues. This phenomenon is particularly critical in Mediterranean areas, where inappropriate land management, in combination with the increasingly harshening of climatic conditions due to Climate Change, is leading to significant land degradation and desertification and is expected to worsen in the future, leading to economic and social crisis. In such areas, it is of fundamental importance to apply …

Le isole Eolie.

Tree invasions in Italian forests

Many forest tree species have been moved outside their native range to provide goods and services elsewhere, but some of them have become invasive, causing negative impacts on biodiversity and human activities. The assessment and knowledge on the degree and scale to which forest ecosystems are invaded by non-native trees is of paramount importance for tailored policies and strategies aiming at forest conservation. By analyzing main databases and literature and applying a four-level scale of invasion (not currently invaded and with low invasibility; potentially invasible; moderately invaded; massively invaded), we assessed the current and potential occurrence of twenty-five invasive non-nati…

Il Piano di Gestione della Riserva Naturale Integrale “Grotta Conza” (Palermo)

Management Plan of Nature Reserve “Grotta Conza”. Nature Reserve “Grotta Conza” was established on 1995 and since then it has been managed by Club Alpino Italiano – Sicily, in order to preserve the integrity of cave. The reserve, wide about 12 ha, is divided into two zones with different conservation aims: area “A” of “absolute protection” and the remaining part “B” of “pre-reserve”. Current measures of protection adhere to the Regulation. The Reserve is certainly very important from different points of view: natural, landscape, cultural, speleological, etc. The proximity of the reserve to the city of Palermomakes it an excellent tool to educate people to respect nature. The application of …

Hot dips and high temperature conditioning to improve shelf quality of late-crop cactus pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.)

Caratteristiche dei frutti di una popolazione di castagno (Castanea sativa Mill.) autoctona dell'Etna

The impact of Carpobrotus cfr. acinaciformis (L.) L. Bolus on soil nutrients, microbial communities structure and native plant communities in Mediterranean ecosystems

Background and aims: Carpobrotus spp. are amongst the most impactful and widespread plant invaders of Mediterranean habitats. Despite the negative ecological impacts on soil and vegetation that have been documented, information is still limited about the effect by Carpobrotus on soil microbial communities. We aimed to assess the changes in the floristic, soil and microbial parameters following the invasion by Carpobrotus cfr. acinaciformis within an insular Mediterranean ecosystem. Methods: Within three study areas a paired-site approach, comparing an invaded vs. a non-invaded plot, was established. Within each plot biodiversity indexes, C and N soil content, pH and microbial biomass and st…

Produzione e utilizzazione delle biomasse dei rimboschimenti in Sicilia

Per recepire l’orientamento di fondo dei principi di Kyoto e le seguenti azioni, e necessario verificare le fonti energetiche alternative, e tra queste ha rilevanza la biomassa forestale. L’utilizzo di questa e legato tuttavia alla disponibilita sul territorio e alla sua dispersione. Il lavoro presentato analizza le principali fonti di biomasse presenti sull’isola, la loro dispersione e entita di prelievo sostenibile, ipotizza la possibilita di recupero a fini energetici del materiale di scarsa qualita prodotto in impianti di arboricoltura da legno. Infine viene analizzato il contributo possibile degli impianti di eucalitto diffusamente presenti su parte del territorio siciliano, anche nell…

Improving local soil carbon inventories, IPCC coefficients tuning for vineyard improved management in semi-arid environment

Soil carbon accumulation after agricultural abandonment. A Mediterranean case study.

In the last decades, in Europe large agricultural areas have been abandoned. In absence of disturbance factors, renaturation of these areas is rapid due to secondary succession of vegetation communities. In the Mediterranean region, in the last years have been conducted studies on soil carbon accumulation after agricultural abandonment. Soil has to be regarded as the most considerable carbon (C) sink on a global level. CO2 emission compensation is guaranteed also by C uptake by plants and by organic matter accumulation in soils. The present study analyzes organic carbon stock in some soils of Southern Italy, in the Madonie Mountains in Sicily, where large areas are subject to secondary succ…

COMPARISON OF CRIMSON FOUNTAINGRASS AND DISS FIBRES AS AGGREGATES FOR CEMENT MORTARS

The use of natural fibres in cement composites is an expanding research field as their use can improve the mechanical and thermal behavior of cement mortars and reduce their carbon footprint. In this paper two different wild grasses, i.e. Pennisetum Setaceum, also known as crimson fountaingrass, and Ampelodesmos Mauritanicus, also called diss, are used as source of natural fibres for cement mortars. The principal aim is to evaluate the possibility of using the more invasive crimson fountaingrass in place of diss inside cement based vegetable concrete. The two plants’ fibres have been characterized by means of electron microscopy, helium picnometry; moreover, the thermal conductivity of fibr…

Lucertola maltese Podarcis filfolensis (Bedriaga, 1876).

Spatial variability of ecophysiological performances and invasive potential of alien acacias (Acacia spp.) in Sicily and Lampedusa island (Pelagie Archipelago)

Acacia spp. are among the most widespread and prominent invaders within Mediterranean-type ecosystems, where have already shown the capability to deeply change the characters and the functioning of invaded ecosystems (like in Portugal or S Africa: e.g. Holmes & Cowling, 1997; Hellmann et al., 2011). In Sicily, just in the last few years, two Australian Acacias, notably Acacia cylops A. Cunn. ex G. Don and A. saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl., started to regenerate abundantly within different areas (especially afforested sites). However their naturalization process has not been studied up to now.

Umanesimo della pietra/Humanism of the stone

I vertebrati della collezione A. Vencherutti. Museo naturalistico F. Minà Palumbo di Castelbuono.

Esperienze di monitoraggio a Salaparuta e nella R.N.O. “Grotta di Santa Ninfa” (TP, Sicilia Occidentale): effetto di pratiche di agricoltura sostenibile sulle componenti abiotiche e biotiche

ANDREA GIACOBBE, UN SELVICOLTORE CHE MERITA DI USCIRE DALL'OBLIO

Andrea Giacobbe, a forester who deserves to get out from oblivion. The scientific production of Andrea Giacobbe, a Sicilian forester who worked in central and northern Italy in the last century, has been revisited. The aim is to highlights how his contribution to botany, forest ecology and forestry has been largely overlooked. He was the protagonist of a lively debate with the greatest for est scientists of his time, he produced 64 papers and books, but above all he proposed many inno vative reforestation techniques that today should be rediscovered and applied.

The Root Mycobiota of Betula aetnensis Raf., an Endemic Tree Species Colonizing the Lavas of Mt. Etna (Italy)

Betula aetnensis is an endemic tree of high conservation value, which thrives on the nutrient-poor volcanic soils of Mount Etna. Since plant–microbe interactions could play a crucial role in plant growth, resource uptake, and resistance to abiotic stresses, we aimed to characterize the root and rhizosphere microbial communities. Individuals from natural habitat (NAT) and forest nursery (NURS) were surveyed through microscopy observations and molecular tools: bacterial and fungal automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), fungal denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). B. aetnensis was found to be simultaneously colonized by arbuscular (AM), ectomycorrhizal (ECM), ericoid…

(Recensione )– Il giardino naturale. Di Robinson W. Franco Muzzio Editore

Monitoring the invasion of an exotic tree (Ailanthus altissima) (Mill.) Swingle with Landsat satellite time series imagery in urban forest.

In the Mediterranean area, one the most threat tree to various ecosystems is Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. This is an aggressive invasive species common in natural and semi-natural habitat. Monitoring and mapping of invasive species is an important information for the conservation and management of ecosystems. The study of distribution and diffusion of invasive species are useful to assess their environmental impacts, formulate effective control strategies, and forecast potential spread. The main target of this work is to examine the feasibility of mapping the expansion of A. altissima using remote sensing techniques in a highly complex urban forest setting. Remote sensing has been a…

Plant-animal seed dispersal interactions as key drivers of ecological restoration in a changing world

Many global and European commitments state the need to plant billions of trees and restore millions of hectares of degraded ecosystems to contrast biodiversity loss, desertification and climate change. Seed dispersal is a crucial process promoting vegetation dynamics, and in the Mediterranean, up to 65% of woody plant species need animals for seed dispersal. Therefore, such mutualistic ecological interaction represents a key nature-based solution to help us reaching our commitments. In this presentation first we will report the strong expansion rate and correlated finescale spatio-temporal patterns of woody natural regeneration over a pastureland, using a spatially-explicit framework deploy…

The importance of Sicilian phanerophytes as wild relatives of crop woody plants

The role of traditional Erica arborea L. management practices in maintaining northeastern Sicily’s cultural landscape

The tree heath (Erica arborea L.), a small evergreen tree found in the Mediterranean region and parts of Eastern and Central Africa, produces lignotubers that are highly valued for making smoking pipes. The Peloritani Mountains of northeastern Sicily are historically one of the most important areas in Italy for the production of these high quality lignotubers, known as briar root wood. In the past, tree heath shrublands were also an important source of charcoal. Erica arborea utilisation has declined dramatically during the past century, mostly due to the decreasing demand for smoking pipes, as well as the increasing frequency of wildfires and large-scale afforestation activities in this re…

Il sito di "Castello della Pietra"e"Riserva Zangara"(Castelvetrano, Sicilia sud-occidentale):indagine multidisciplinare e proposte di tutela.

Qanat, gebbie and water sources: the last refuge for the malacologican freshwater fauna in Palermo (Sicily, Italy)

The surroundings of Palermo were characterized, over the centuries, by the presence of many natural environments of great ecological and faunal importance. These environments were placed in a context characterized by minimal and sustainable urban development and large agriculture areas, dedicated to the development of tree crops such as citrus and orchards. These crops were supported by an imposing irrigation system that, using natural resources such as watercourses, wells and springs, collected and distributed water in soils through tanks, gebbie, qanat, irrigation channels (saje), etc. Fresh water mollusks, like many other animal and vegetable organisms, spread from the natural freshwater…

La selvicoltura in Sicilia: problemi e prospettive

In spite of their little surface, natural sicilian forests and reforestation are strongly heterogeneous due to environmental factors and anthropic activities. In Sicily forest surface was enriched by forestation activities that have been largely widespreaded in the last century. Also reforestations are mixed in terms of species in forest plantation. However, forestry use had not clear and continuous addresses because of lack of policy forestry in the time. For example, executive forest planning was deficient and very little plans have been drawn up. According to EU and national legislation, forest may be seen not only such as an environmental resource but also as an economic opportunity. Re…

Which are Southern Italy’s fastest growing tree species? Lessons from the past for future perspectives, with a special focus on Sicily

Fast growing tree species can generate high wood production in a short time frame. However, maximum productivity is dependent on environmental and management conditions as well as intrinsic plant traits. Within this framework, our research was into tree species with the highest Mean Annual Increments (MAIs) in southern Italy, particularly in Sicily. Eucalyptus spp., Acacia saligna (Labill.) H. L. Wendl., Ailanthus altissima Mill. (Swingle), Pinus halepensis Mill. (including Pinus brutia Ten.), Pinus canariensis C.Sm. and Pinus radiata D. Don. were identified. In particularly suitable conditions, the MAI of eucalypt coppices ranged from 8 to 12 m3 ha-1, and from 13 to 19 m3 ha-1, in Eucalypt…

Forestry, pasture, agriculture and fauna correlated to recent changes in Sicily.

I nomi dialettali dei mammiferi in Sicilia.

Plant species richness, biogeographic and conservation interest of the vascular flora of the satellite islands of Sicily: patterns, driving forces and threats.

The vascular flora has been investigated on about 60 of the approximately 100 islands and islets of the Sicilian archipelago. This paper provides detailed information on the number of exclusive, rare, or threatened vascular plants living on these islands and islets. Focusing on the 18 most-investigated islets, we evaluate the extent to which species richness, rate of endemism, number of alien plants, and number of terrestrial habitats have been influenced by 1) geographical setting, 2) geological history, 3) geo-pedological variability, 4) bioclimate, 5) number and patchiness of local plant communities, and 6) natural and human disturbance history and regime. Special attention is directed t…

Corvi e frutta

Vertebrate-mediated seed rain and artificial perches contribute to overcome seed dispersal limitation in a Mediterranean old field

Natural regeneration of vegetation is a frequent outcome of land abandonment, although the rate and diversity of such regeneration may be severely restricted by seed dispersal limitation, among other factors. In spite of this, studies aiming to quantify seed rain and test methods to enhance it, such as artificial perches, are still underrepresented in the Mediterranean. In our study, we quantified seed rain density and richness and tested the effects of artificial perches on such rain over a distance gradient on seven Mediterranean island old fields. In each of the seven sites, we positioned three sampling stations, each consisting of 1 seed trap under an artificial perch and 1 as a control…

Lo status della castanicoltura da legno e possibili interventi per la salvaguardia: il caso studio dell’Etna

Recovery of cork forests and enhancement of by-products

Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a tree species native to the western Mediterranean Basin (EUFORGEN 2019). Cork oak forests are human-shaped ecosystems that have to be managed to be preserved in a long-term perspective. Cork oak stands range from closed forests to open woodlands, provide high ecosystem services, mainly through cork production, support high biodiversity and provide carbon storage and water regulation services. Due to their important ecological role, these ecosystems are listed in the European Habitats Directive (Habitat 9330: Quercus suber forests, EEC, 1992). In the last years, especially in Italy, cork oak stands are undergoing a relevant regression due to the decline of tra…

Risultati dell’indagine preliminare per l’individuazione dei boschi vetusti in Sicilia

La gran parte degli ecosistemi forestali del Mediterraneo è stata modificata ed utilizzata dall’uomo da millenni. I sistemi forestali più vicini alle condizioni di naturalità sono quelli non più gestiti e/o sottoposti ad un efficace regime di protezione e che tendono a recuperare caratteri strutturali e di funzionamento ecosistemico simili a quelli delle formazioni primarie originali. In Sicilia le conoscenze sulla presenza e diffusione dei boschi vetusti sono ad uno stadio preliminare. Nel più recente inventario forestale regionale è stata effettuata una prima selezione di 18 soprassuoli forestali considerati potenzialmente vetusti, che ricoprono 472 ettari di superficie. Sulla base dell’a…

Sultana J., Borg J.J., Gauci C. & Falzon V., (con la coll. di Cachia D., Coleiro C., Galea R. & Gauci M.) 2011. The Breeding Birds of Malta. BirdLife Malta, 380 pp., € 33

Recent changes in forest management policies and their consequences on silvopastoral practices: the study case of Ficuzza Forest (W Sicily; Italy

Carbon storage of Mediterranean grasslands

Secondary grasslands are one of the most common vegetation types worldwide. In Europe, and in the Mediterranean basin, human activities have transformed many woodlands into secondary grasslands. Despite their recognized role in the global carbon cycle, very few data are available for estimating the biomass of Mediterranean grasslands. We developed linear regression models in order to predict the biomass of two native Mediterranean grasses (Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and Hyparrhenia hirta) and an invasive alien grass (Pennisetum setaceum). Ampelodesmos mauritanicus is very common throughout the Mediterranean basin, mostly on north-facing slopes, H. hirta characterizes thermo-xeric grasslands,…

Primi casi di naturalizzazione del noce nero (Juglans nigra L.) (Juglandaceae) in Sicilia

Il presente studio riporta i primi casi di naturalizzazione del noce nero in Sicilia. Il possibile ruolo giocato dagli animali disseminatori e dalle condizioni climatiche locali sono stati discussi.

Distribuzione pregressa ed estinzione della Foca monaca (Monachus monachus) in Sicilia (Carnivora Phocidae)

<i>Acacia cyclops</i> A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Leguminosae) in Italy: first cases of naturalization

The first two cases of naturalization of <i>Acacia cyclops</i> are reported for Italy. Young trees were observed growing in the wild some 15 years ago on Linosa (Pelagie Islands, Strait of Sicily). A decade later, this alien plant should no longer be considered as a casual, since a very intensive process of self-sown regeneration has been observed in some plantations on Lampedusa, the major island of the same Archipelago. The available literature suggests the need for careful monitoring of the ongoing invasion process, as <i>A. cyclops</i> has already shown a very invasive behaviour elsewhere within Mediterranean-type biomes due to its ability to withstand high envir…

Nuovi dati sulla nidificazione del rigogolo Oriolus oriolus (L.) (Aves Oriolidae) in Sicilia

Ornithological communities as indicators of recent transformations on a regional scale: the case of the Sicily island.

A study on the Sicilian avifauna changes and its existing connections with the land use variations has been carried out from the 80s till today. We compared the Sicilian ornithological data acquired from the atlas maps with the regional land use maps data. We examined the land use variations and the distribution changes of some bird species on a regional level. To this aim, we analyzed the spatial distribution data of the birds in the period from 1984-1992 and 1993-2006. Moreover we examined the land use data of the period going from 1987-1988 and 1993-2000. After a preliminary analysis, we selected target species linked to different environments. Forest: Great spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopo…

The impact of Pinus halepensis mill. afforestation on mediterranean spontaneous vegetation: do soil treatment and canopy cover matter?

We investigated central Mediterranean Pinus halepensis plantations under semi-arid climate in order to evaluate the combined effect of soil treatment and afforestation practices on spontaneous plant species composition, richness and evenness, and on the trend and speed of vegetation dynamics. Phytosociological releves of three different plot typologies, i.e. (1) soil-treatment and plantation, (2) only soil-treatment, (3) no soil-treatment and no plantation, were compared by (a) multivariate analysis and (b) with reference to species richness and evenness. Moreover, in order to compare vegetation dynamics within the plantations with those ones ongoing in semi-natural garrigue communities, we…

Formation and Characterization of Early Bacterial Biofilms on Different Wood Typologies Applied in Dairy Production

ABSTRACT The main hypothesis of this work was that Sicilian forestry resources are suitable for the production of equipment to be used in cheese making and indigenous milk lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are able to develop stable biofilms providing starter and nonstarter cultures necessary for curd fermentation and cheese ripening, respectively. Hence, the present work was carried out with deproteinized whey to evaluate LAB biofilm formation on different woods derived from tree species grown in Sicily. Microbiological and scanning electron microscopy analyses showed minimal differences in microbial levels and compositions for the neoformed biofilms. The specific investigation of Salmonella spp.…

Cacciatori di piante

L'ambiente e il territorio

Effect of cactus pear cultivation after Mediterranean maquis on soil carbon stock, δ13C spatial distribution and root turnover

Abstract Mediterranean ecosystems are characterized by nearly complete replacement of natural vegetation by intensive croplands and orchards leading to strong soil degradation. Organic carbon is usually accumulated in soils under maquis leading to partial regeneration of fertility for future agricultural use. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of land use change from maquis to agriculture on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and its spatial distribution in a Mediterranean system. Three Mediterranean land use systems (seminatural vegetation, cactus pear crop and olive grove) were selected in Sicily and analysed for soil C stocks and their δ13C. Total SOC and δ13C were measured …

Piro-piro piccolo, Actitis hypoleucos Linnaeus 1758, che si alimenta in ambiente urbano a Pantelleria

The Breeding Birds of Malta

Sultana J., Borg J.J., Gauci C. & Falzon V. (con la coll. di Cachia D., Coleiro C., Galea R. & Gauci M.), 2011. The Breeding Birds of Malta. BirdLife Malta, 380 pp., € 33. Acquistabile tramite www.birdlifemalta.org o www.bdlbooks.com.

Soil microbial diversity has an impact on plant diversity and safeguard

Diversity of microbial plant symbionts has an impact on plant diversity. Examples are given for Mediterranean species.

Variazioni nella densità dei rapaci in due aree campione della Sicilia

Dinamica delle riserve di carbonio organico del suolo in ambiente mediterraneo

Land cover change in the Nature Reserve Sughereta di Niscemi (SE Sicily) in the 20th century

The agricultural heritage of Lampedusa (Pelagie Archipelago, South Italy) and its key role for cultivar and wildlife conservation

As occurred on many other little Mediterranean islands, agricultural activity at Lampedusa (Strait of Sicily) underwent a very strong decline in terms of surface area during the second half of the last century. In particular, cereal crops have ceased and horticulture is disappearing, while vineyards still occupy a reduced area but are quickly vanishing and currently survive thanks to a small number of old farmers. Here are presented the results of a research carried out by interviewing seven farmers in order to study not only the techniques and the germplasm used in local viticulture, but also the final use of grapes and an evaluation on the connection between traditional farming and agro-e…

I paesaggi dell’arboricoltura da frutto tradizionale: complessità sistemica e multifunzionalità.

La tecnica resinazione del pino laricio (Pinus nigra laricio (Poir.) Maire) in Sicilia: un progetto per la sua rivalutazione nell’ottica di una gestione sostenibile delle foreste mediterranee

In accordo con le moderne esigenze di sostenibilità e multifunzitonalità, è oggi utile prendere in considerazitone la possibilità di riattivare processi legati ad antichi usi del bosco, la cui memtoria rischia di essere persa per sempre insieme alle tradizioni e ai costumi di comunità nate e sviluppatesi proprio grazie a tali attività. Partendo da tali presupposti, si è condotto uno studio sulla attività di resinazione condotta in Sicilia, a carico del pino laricio, nella pineta di Linguaglossa ricadente nel comune omonimo (prtovincia di Catania) sino agli anni ‘50 del secolo scorso in Sicilia. L’indagine ha inoltre avuto lo scopo di vagliare l’opportunità di ripristinare l’attività resinaz…

Il Cappero assurgente di Lipari.

I cambiamenti nell’ecosistema della Riserva Naturale di Vendicari e gli effetti sull’avifauna

In difesa della biodiversità. Di Massa B. Alberto Perdisa Editore

Potenzialità economiche della sughericoltura.

Aggiornamento della check list degli uccelli della Riserva Naturale Orientata “Isole Dello Stagnone” (Sicilia)

17 years after the publication of LO VALVO & MASSA (1999) the Check List of birds of the “Stagnone Islands” has been updated. The latest observations highlight the importance of the Nature Reserve as Important Birds Area (IBA).

Aspetti agronomici della Favara e del suo contesto

Una sintesi della storia agronomica della Conca d'Oro e in particolare della zona della Favara.

BIOLOGY OF THE WREN, TROGLODYTES TROGLODYTES, IN A MEDITERRANEAN INSULAR AGROECOSYSTEM

In the last years many species of birds have exploited urban and suburban habitats, taking opportunistically advantage of human presence for their niche parameters. The Wren is one of them and shows a high variability in the choice of nesting sites in the gardens of the outskirts of Palermo (Sicily). For many years the authors studied the breeding habits of this small bird, and thanks to the video-tape recordings on the nests, they were able to gather new information on its feeding habits and parental care. They could establish the role played by both parents, the different prey types carried to the chicks, and other data, scarcely known in the southern part of distribution of this passerin…

Paesaggi degli agrumi in Italia: una ricerca

Status ed andamento delle specie d'uccelli nidificanti in Sicilia

La cancellazione della cultura agronomica nella Conca d’Oro

Seasonal effects on mortality rates and resprouting of stems treated with glyphosate in the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle)

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is regarded as invasive within urban and natural areas worldwide. Efficient methods to control it are significantly needed if we are to limit its well-known environmental and economic impacts. Up to now the use of herbicides has proven necessary since following mechanical damage, Ailanthus vigorously resprouts. However, the seasonal response of Ailanthus stems, treated with herbicides, has never been assessed. We compared the control efficacy recorded in autumn, winter and summer in an abandoned suburban citrus grove in Sicily, under Mediterranean-climate conditions. Glyphosate was injected within drill holes made in knee-high cut trees. Tree mortality a…

The alien vascular flora of Linosa (Pelagie Islands, Strait of Sicily): update and management proposals

This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the naturalized alien plants of Linosa (Pelagie Archipelago, Sicily), which includes 83 taxa and accounts for 29 % of the total island's flora. Among these plants, 6 are invasive, 49 are naturalized and 28 are casual. With respect to previous available data, our field investigations resulted in the addition of 31 new xenophytes (21 casual and 10 fully naturalized). One of these species is new to the whole European territory (Kleinia anteuphorbia), 6 of them are new to Sicily and 11 are recorded for the first time on circum-Sicilian islets. For each alien plant, we indicate the habitat where the naturalization has been observed by using the codes…

Variazione degli stock di carbonio in seguito ai processi di abbandono dei coltivi: il caso studio dell'isola di Pantelleria (Tp)

The recent abandonment of marginal agricultural areas in the Mediterranean has caused an increase of the surface occupied by pre-forest and forest formations. In order to study the carbon accumulation processes on Pantelleria Island was selected a North-facing area. This area includes 5 stages of succession (sds) that compose a chronosequence (from 0 to 30 years) to understand soil C accumulation processes after abandonment. These are abandoned vineyards or caperbushes, not disturbed (grazing, fire) since agricultural abandonment, and they are situated in thermomediterranean belt and on the same parent material and consequently considered in the same ecological conditions. Samples at 1 cm, …

Variazione degli stock di carbonio del suolo in seguito ai processi di abbandono dei coltivi: il caso studio dell’isola di Pantelleria (TP)

The recent abandonment of marginal agricultural areas in the Mediterranean has caused an increase of the surface occupied by pre-forest and forest formations. In order to study the carbon accumulation processes on Pantelleria Island was selected a North-facing area. This area includes 5 stages of succession (sds) that compose a chronosequence (from 0 to 30 years) to understand soil C accumulation processes after abandonment. These are abandoned vineyards or caperbushes, not disturbed (grazing, fire) since agricultural abandonment, and they are situated in thermomediterranean belt and on the same parent material and consequently considered in the same ecological conditions. Samples at 1 cm, …

Low mimosine content and nutrient-rich foliage of two Leucaena leucocephala varieties: a potential fodder resource in Mediterranean agroforestry systems

Leucaena leucocephala is worldwide used for wood production, reforestation and for feeding livestock. To assess the potential use of leucaena for animal nutrition, we analysed the composition of methanolic extracts of leaf samples of two varieties occurring in Sicily (Mediterranean area), also determining the presence of mimosine.

Agronomi e agronomia tra passato e presente

Liuzzi C., Mastropasqua F. & Todisco S., 2013. Avifauna pugliese… 130 anni dopo. Ed. Favia, Bari. pp. 322.

Elogio delle vagabonde. Erbe, arbusti e fiori alla conquista del mondo.

Recovery and valorisation of an historical fruit orchard: the Kolymbetra in the Temple Valley of Agrigento.

The green granary of the Empire? Insights into olive agroforestry in Sicily (Italy) from the Roman past and the present

Groves with ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.) could be considered remnants of old agroforestry systems. Anything but static, these agro-ecosystems have undergone drastic transformational processes in Mediterranean countries, where abandonment or intensification have been observed far more than continuity, expansion or renaissance, leading to environmental degradation of rural areas. Starting from this assumption and inspired by historical ecology and historical geography, we consider centuries-old olive trees as living archives of human-nature interactions and are thus proxies of past agroforestry. Our aim is to better understand what has driven dynamics of change and persistence, happ…

Primo caso di naturalizzazione di Pinus canariensis C. Sm.(Pinaceae) per la Sicilia e prima stazione di Acacia cyclops G. Don (Fabaceae) sull’isola maggiore

Nella Riserva Naturale Orientata “Foce del Fiume Platani” (Sicilia meridionale) sono stati registrati il primo caso di naturalizzazione di Pinus canariensis (Pinaceae) per il territorio regionale ed il primo di Acacia cyclops (Fabaceae) per l’isola maggiore. Vengono inoltre fornite informazioni supplementari sulla demografia e sulla distribuzione di entrambe le specie nei rimboschimenti dell’area protetta, nonché una previsione del loro grado di invasività alla luce dei dati scientifici già pubblicati. First case of naturalization of Pinus canariensis in Sicily and first population of Acacia cyclops on the main island. Both cases of naturalization have been recorded within the Nature Reserv…

Le specie vegetali aliene in alcuni SIC siciliani: analisi del grado di invasività e misure di controllo.

From the safeguard of Caretta caretta nesting sites to in-situ conservation of locally endangered plants: combined effects of the LIFE Project al Spiaggia dei Connigli (Lampedusa, Sicily).

La Mantia T. (2013) (Recensione) – Schenk H., 2012. Checklist degli uccelli di Molentargius (Sardegna, Italia) 1850-2010 (con fotografie di Melis F. & Perra S.). Molentargius-Saline, Parco Naturale Regionale. www.pacinieditore.it, 95 pp., € 6,50.

Pedrotti F. (a cura di), 2012. Gli animali di Fulco. Tipolitografia Editrice TEMI s.a.s., 283 pp. € 20.

Turnover and availability of soil organic carbon under different Mediterranean land-uses as estimated by 13C natural abundance

Summary Soil organic matter (SOM) is an important factor in ecosystem stability and productivity. This is especially the case for Mediterranean soils suffering from the impact of humans and degradation as well as harsh climatic conditions. We used the carbon (C) exchange resulting from C3-C4 and C4-C3 vegetation change under field conditions combined with incubations under controlled conditions to evaluate the turnover and availability of soil organic C under different land-uses. The 40-year succession of Hyparrenia hirta L. (C4 photosynthesis) after more than 85 years of olive (Olea europaea L.) tree (C3 photosynthesis) growth led to the exchange of 54% of soil organic C from C3 to C4 form…

Including the soil microbiota in the quality evaluation of soils vulnerable to desertification

The soil microbiota is recognized as key player in both diversity and productivity of terrestrial ecosystems and it is mandatory to include its role in soil quality evaluation. Drivers of below-ground diversity are still largely unknown and is still unclear if the main soil features (i.e. soil organic matter, nutrient and water availability) are potential drivers of microbial diversity or are regulated by it. Increasingly negative effects of climate change due to drought and extreme weather phenomena are causing Mediterranean soil degradation that rapidly degenerates to desertification. Within the LIFE Desert-Adapt project we investigated bacterial diversity in soils of southern Europe unde…

Paglia e sfalci, rimane il problema smaltimento

Azioni di contenimento dei fenomeni erosivi, di salvaguardia e restauro degli habitat nell’ambito del Progetto LIFE “MACALIFE - Preservation and extension of priority habitats damaged from agriculture activity”: un modello per le zone aride della Sicilia

In Sicilia, come del resto in gran parte del Mediterraneo, l’impatto millenario delle attività antropiche ha profondamente modificato la struttura e la funzione degli ecosistemi naturali, con evidenti ripercussioni sulla stabilità dei suoli e sull’andamento diffuso dei processi erosivi. L’accresciuta consapevolezza di que-sto rapporto causa-effetto ha posto sempre più in risalto la necessità di mettere in atto adeguati interventi di recupero e di ripristino ambientale, in particolare a favo-re di ecosistemi più esposti e vulnerabili, perlopiù concentrati in corrispondenza delle aree costiere e umide, spesso profondamente trasformati a seguito dell'azione combinata di diversi tipi di disturb…

The Embioptera from the Strait of Sicily Islands: first records from Pantelleria and Lampedusa and new data from Lampione (Sicily, Italy)

The occurrence of Embioptera in the Strait of Sicily islands was up to date known only from Lam pione (the smallest of the Pelagie islands), where the only species reported was provisionally assigned to Embia ramburi Rimski-Korsakow, 1905. Based on material recently collected by the authors, the presence of Embioptera is here reported for the first time in the Islands of Pantelleria (Sicily, Trapani) and Lampedusa (Sicily, Agrigento). In the Island of Pantelleria the occurrence of the typical small silky tunnels produced by Embioptera has been verified in many sites, from sea level to Montagna Grande (836 m). In many of these sites, several juveniles and some adult or subadult specimens wer…

Reviving extinct Mediterranean forest communities may improve ecosystem potential in a warmer future

The Mediterranean Basin is the region of Europe most vulnerable to negative climate-change impacts, including forest decline, increased wildfire, and biodiversity loss. Because humans have affected Mediterranean ecosystems for millennia, it is unclear whether the region's native ecosystems were more resilient to climate change than current ecosystems, and whether they would provide sustainable management options if restored. We simulated vegetation with the LandClim model, using present-day climate as well as future climate-change scenarios, in three representative areas that encompass a broad range of Mediterranean conditions and vegetation types. Sedimentary pollen records that document n…

Umanesimo della pietra. Le isole Eolie.

La biodiversità delle formazioni naturali e seminaturali in Sicilia: cambiamenti e ipotesi di gestione

A large part of the natural formations that occupied the surface of Sicily have disappeared because of heavy transformations beginning from the ancient time. These transformations have provoked the disappearance of entire communities plants and animals but the entity of these modifications can be only partially appreciated or assumed on the base of fragmentary data. Scope of this study is to evaluate changes in plant and animal communities in the course of the centuries. Until the end of the nineteenth century on the whole an equilibrium was established in the Island. The agricultural activity had surely changed the proportions of the habitats contributing to the spread of open spaces commu…

Il bosco alleato del clima

Metodologie per una tutela e valorizzazione dei sistemi agroforestali delle aree protette in Sicilia

Alcune precisazione su fonti energetiche alternative e biomasse.

Cenni storici sulla frutticoltura delle isole della Sicilia.

Flora e fauna a rischio, colpa di un'errata reintroduzione di suidi

Si compie una valutazione dei danni arrecati dalla reintroduzione degli ungulati in Sicilia.

Genchi M., 2012. Bibliografia dei lavori di Francesco Minà palumbo. Erre20 srl, Biblioteca centrale della Regione Siciliana “Alberto Bombace”, Palermo, 213 pp.

Bird conservation and agriculture.

Afforestation and reforestation: the Sicilian case study

In some regions of the world such as the Northern Hemisphere, the abandonment of agricultural land is one of the most widespread forms of land use change. In general, abandonment is followed by colonization by herbaceous and woody plants. Since the 1950s, wide areas of Southern Italy have been afforested for soil conservation improvement. In order to quantify the effects of agricultural abandonment and artificial afforestation on soil organic carbon (SOC), a dataset of 48 Sicilian sites has been analyzed. Because of their high environmental variability, these sites can be considered as representative of Southern Italy and in general of the Mediterranean basin. Soil samples were taken throug…

Barbera G., 2012. Conca d’oro. Sellerio editore, Palermo, 155 pp., € 12.

I cinghiali (Sus scrofa L.) come fattore di potenziale decremento della palma nana (Chamaerops humilis L.)

Limiti e prospettive dell'arboricoltura da legno in Sicilia

Lampedusa e la sua storia. Le esplorazioni botaniche dell’isola di Lampedusa e il patrimonio floristico superstite.

Anche se le trasformazioni che hanno interessato il paesaggio di Lampedusa sono il più delle volte considerate come un fatto recente, l’isola era abitata già nel Neolitico Medio, cioè oltre 6.500 anni fa. L'articolo individua l'evoluzione del paesaggio attraverso i dati storici.

Holocene environmental and climatic changes at Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in southern Sicily, Italy

Abstract We used a new sedimentary record to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation and fire history of Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in south-western Sicily (Italy). Pollen and charcoal data suggest a fire-prone open grassland near the site until ca 10,000 cal yr BP (8050 cal BC), when Pistacia shrubland expanded and fire activity declined, probably in response to increased moisture availability. Evergreen Olea europaea woods expanded ca 8400 to decline abruptly at 8200 cal yr BP, when climatic conditions became drier at other sites in the Mediterranean region. Around 7000 cal yr BP evergreen broadleaved forests ( Quercus ilex , Quercus suber and O. europaea ) expanded at the cost of open commu…

(Recensione) – Il nuovo giardino ecologico. Un approccio territoriale. Di Buczacki S. Franco Muzzio Editore

Nicodemia madagascariensis(Lam.) R. Parker (Family Scrophulariaceae), a casual alien plant new to Italy

In this note the authors report the first case of naturalization of the Malagasy smoke bush within Italian territory. Along with a description of the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the invaded site, the current demographic and dynamic trends of the detected population by means of growth-ring analysis was also assessed. Moreover, an overview on the history of its introduction in Europe is provided, underlining the key role played by the Mediterranean cities with respect to the acclimatization and spread of alien tropical and subtropical plants. Due to its low frequency under cultivation, the Malagasy smoke bush should not behave as an invader in the future; on the other hand, its abil…

Il paesaggio della Conca d’Oro

I fattori di rischio per la biodiversità forestale in Sicilia: il caso studio del cerro di Gussone

Il cerro di Gussone (Quercus Gussonei (Borzì) Brullo) è una specie endemica della Sicilia esclusiva della catena dei Nebrodi e del bosco della Ficuzza. Il presente studio ha esaminato la rinnovazione di questa pianta, nella Riserva Naturale Orientata “Bosco della Ficuzza, Rocca Busambra, Bosco del Cappelliere, Gorgo del Drago”. Si tratta di una formazione boschiva monoplana che mostra chiari segni di deperimento. Per isolare i fattori che influenzano la rinnovazione e la crescita delle giovani piantine è stato eseguito un piano di trattamenti. Il risultato dello studio ha confermato che la rinnovazione si afferma in parte e, soprattutto, le giovani piantine non si accrescono a causa della p…

LO CASCIO P., 2014 – > - Le Eolie dell’Ottocento esplorate da Mandralisca e altri naturalisti. 170 pp., € 15, Pungitopo.

Dalle stelle alle stalle il paesaggio dei pascoli - … Non solo prati per pascolare.

Biomassa, un modello energetico di hgestione sostenibile delle foreste

Estimating the genetic diversity and structure ofQuercus trojanaWebb populations in Italy by SSRs: implications for management and conservation

Studying the genetic diversity and structure of the current forest populations is essential for evaluating the ability to survive to future biotic and abiotic changes and planning conservation strategies. Quercus trojana is an eastern Mediterranean tree species with a fragmented distribution range, and its westernmost outposts are located in southern Italy. The demand for timber and cropland over the centuries has severely reduced it s occurrence in this part of the range. We assessed the genetic diversity and structure of the extant Italian populations of Q. trojana and derived conservation guidelines. A total of 322 samples were genotyped with six polymorphic nuclear microsatellite marker…

Pianificazione per la gestione delle risorse pastorali e interventi di miglioramento dei pascoli: strumenti per la salvaguardia dei boschi montani mediterranei

Umanesimo della pietra. Gli Iblei: terramenti e arboricoltura.

Monuments Unveiled: Genetic Characterization of Large Old Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Trees Using Comparative Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA Analysis

Large old trees are extraordinary organisms. They not only represent a historical, landscape and environmental heritage of inestimable value, but they also witness a long history of environmental changes and human interventions, and constitute an as yet poorly known reserve of genetic variability which can be considered a great resource for management programs of forest species. This is the first genetic study on Italian, large, old chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.). Ninety-nine trees were surveyed and analysed. For each tree, more than one sample from canopy and root suckers was collected to test for the genetic integrity of the individuals. All samples were genotyped using nine nucle…

Carbon stocks in a 50‑year‑oldEucalyptus camaldulensisstand in Sicily, Italy

Eucalyptus stands in semi-arid areas may contribute to enhance carbon (C) stocks in both biomass and soil. However, the limited information available is mainly focused on short-rotation plantations. In this study, the above- and below-ground C pools in five 50-year-old Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. stands planted on Miocenic evaporitic deposits in Sicily, Italy, with a xeric and thermic pedoclimate, were measured. Above-ground biomass was determined by partitioning and weighing branches, stem and leaves. Below-ground C pools included the determination of litter, root biomass, and soil organic and inorganic C. In terms of the above-ground biomass, the E. camaldulensis stand accumulated on …

The genus Mauritanica O. Boettger, 1879 (Gastropoda Stylommatophora Clausiliidae) in Tunisia

Currently, the genus Mauritanica O. Boettger, 1879 (Gastropoda Stylommatophora Clausiliidae) is widespread in north-eastern Algeria and central-northern Tunisia with six taxa. The taxonomic position of this genus has often been interpreted differently and the relationship with other similar genera, in particular with Siciliaria Vest, 1867, still remains to be clarified. In this paper, we provide a further contribution to the knowledge of Mauritanica by analyzing morphologically (shell, genitalia, and the type museum material) all the known Tunisian populations. In particular, the geographical spread and taxonomy of M. tristrami s.l. (L. Pfeiffer, 1861), M. philora s.l. (Letourneux, 1887), M…

Ecologia e distribuzione di Chamaerops humilis L. (Arecaceae) nella Sicilia nord-orientale

I settori costieri e collinari della Sicilia nord-orientale e delle Eolie sono stati esplorati ai fini della raccolta di informazioni aggiornate sulla distribuzione dei popolamenti di palma nana e sulle caratteristiche ecologiche delle stazioni che li ospitano. I risultati delle indagini di campo sono stati integrati dalla verifica dei toponimi locali legati ai nomi dialettali della specie. Si con- ferma la totale assenza della palma nana lungo l’intero settore costiero dei Nebrodi. Dei nove popolamenti accertati, quattro si trovano alle Eolie, due sul versante ionico e tre sul versante tir- renico dei Peloritani; uno di questi ultimi, localizzato su Capo Calavà, risulta inedito. La conco- …

Pachydema lopadusanorum n.sp. (Coleoptera Melolonthidae) from Lampedusa Island (Sicily Channel, Central Metditerranean Sea, Italy)

In this paper the populations of Pachydema Castelnau, 1832 (Coleoptera Melolonthidae) living in Lampedusa Island (Sicily Channel, Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy), so far attributed to P. hirticollis (Fabricius, 1787) of North Africa, are examined. The comparison of the main morphological characters between these two populations allowed to attribute those of Lampedusa to a new species that is described in the present work. Faunistic and biological observations on these species are provided.

Sgubbio Cytisus aeolicus Guss.

(Recensione) – FOUNTAINE M., 2012 — Lady Butterfly. Diario di una cacciatrice di farfalle. A cura di CarterW. F., traduzione di Isa Morgherini.—Lit Edizioni, 254

Dynamics of soil organic carbon pools after agricultural abandonment

Abandonment of agricultural land and the subsequent recolonization by natural vegetation is known to cause increases in C contents, contributing to reduction in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Assessment of the possible mitigation of CO2 excess requires understanding the SOC dynamics, the origin of C pools and the pathways of their transformation. The aims of this work were to assess, by using the δ13C signature, the changes of old and new organic C in total (soil organic carbon, SOC) and labile (microbial biomass C, MBC, dissolved organic C, DOC, CO2 efflux from soil) pools after vegetation change from vineyard (C3) to grassland (C4) under semiarid Mediterranean climate. Colonization of ab…

Past and current distribution of Charaxes jasius jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae) in Sicily in relation to its host plant, Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae)

The authors provide an updated overview of the past and present regional distribution of the two-tailed Pasha Charaxes jasius jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae) and its host plant, the strawberry tree Arbutus unedo L. Most of the occurrence data reported in the entomological literature was confirmed, and several new populations have been recently dis- covered. The distribution pattern of the insect and its host plant overlap almost perfectly. C. jasius jasius is more abundant and forms large and stable populations on the Peloritani Mts. and in some areas of the Madonie Mountains. The high number of new records of C. jasius jasius suggests that the species is experiencing a sp…

The recent spread of the invasive woody alien plant Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae) in Sicily

This paper aims at reporting the ongoing process of naturalization of Melia azedarach L. in Sicily. In fact, over half a century after the first detection of spontaneous self-sown seedlings, an abrupt increase of naturalization cases has been recorded by the authors during the last twenty years. More in detail, M. azedarach successfully colonized many suburban lowland areas along the coasts of the island which are characterised by thermo-Mediterranean bioclimate. According to both field and literature data, a gradual spread of M. azedarach in the island can be expected, although it is not possible to predict the speed with which this will occur. Historical information on its introduction at…

Caratteristiche dei frutti di una popolazione di castagno (Castanea sativa Mill)autoctona dell'Etna

Trying to link vegetation units with biomass data: the case study of Italian shrublands

Although their carbon stock is relevant in assessing the baseline for the negotiation of future agreements with respect to carbon balance, there still are few available studies concerning the biomass and the net ecosystem exchange capacity of Mediterranean shrublands. In this chapter a preliminary overview on the biomass values concerning Italian shrubland communities and/or their dominant/ characteristic woody species is provided. Many useful data on above- and belowground biomass issued from investigations carried out in other Mediterranean countries and concerning plant communities, which share the same ecological, floristic and structural traits of Italian shrublands. A preliminary find…

Inhibitory Activity and Chemical Characterization ofDaucus carotasubsp.maximusEssential Oils

The essential oils (EOs) of green seeds from Daucus carota subsp. maximus growing wild in Pantelleria Island (Sicily, Italy) were characterized. EOs were extracted by steam distillation, examined for their inhibitory properties against food-borne Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and analyzed for the chemical composition by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Undiluted EOs showed a large inhibition spectrum against Gram-positive strains and also vs. Acinetobacter spp. and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) was in the range 1.25 – 2.50 μl/ml for the most sensitive strains. The chemical analysis indicated that D. carota subsp…

Agricultural land abandonment in Mediterranean environment provides ecosystem services via soil carbon sequestration

Abandonment of agricultural land leads to several consequences for ecosystem functions. Agricultural abandonment may be a significant and low cost strategy for carbon sequestration and mitigation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions due to the vegetation recovery and increase in soil organic matter. The aim of this study was to: (i) estimate the influence of different Soil Regions (areas characterized by a typical climate and parent material association) and Bioclimates (zones with homogeneous climatic regions and thermotype indices) on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics after agricultural land abandonment; and (ii) to analyse the efficiency of the agri-environment policy (agri-environment measur…

Gli impatti degli impianti eolici sulla componente biotica e le misure di mitigazione

DRIFTS Sensor: Soil Carbon Validation at Large Scale (Pantelleria, Italy)

A fast and accurate measurement of soil carbon is needed in current scientific issues. Today there are many sensors suitable for these purposes, but choosing the appropriate sensor depends on the spatial scale at which the studies are conducted. There are few detailed studies that validate these types of measures allowing their immediate use. Here it is validated the quick use of a sensor in execution at Pantelleria, chosen for size, use and variability of the parameter measured, to give an operational tool for carbon stocks studies. The DRIFT sensor used here has been validated in the first 60 cm of the soil of the whole island, and it has shown predictivity higher than 90%.

Carbon dynamics of soil organic matter in bulk soil and aggregate fraction during secondary succession in a Mediterranean environment.

Clarifying which factors cause an increase or decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) after agricultural abandonment requires integration of data on the temporal dynamics of the plant community and SOC. A chronosequence of abandoned vineyards was studied on a volcanic island (Pantelleria, Italy). Vegetation in the abandoned fields was initially dominated by annual and perennial herbs, then by Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf, and finally by woody communities. As a consequence, the dominant photosynthetic pathway changed from C3 to C4 and then back to C3. Conversion of a plant community dominated by one photosynthetic pathway to another changes the 13C/12C ratio of inputs to SOC. Using the time si…

Attacks of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus on natural specimens of dwarf fan palm Chamaerops humilis in Sicily.

The red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was recently introduced into Europe where it has destroyed many Phoenix canariensis palms. This weevil attacks different species of palms in different countries, mainly cultivated date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) in Egypt and cultivated Canary palms (Phoenix canariensis) in Europe. In Europe, sporadic attacks of the weevil to native dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) have been reported. The current paper reports attacks of R. ferrugineus on dwarf fan palms in natural environments of Sicily. This insect represents an important threat to dwarf palms and to the complex ecosystem where they live.

Produttività di impianti di noce da legno realizzati in Sicilia.

Holocene vegetation and fire dynamics in the supra-mediterranean belt of the Nebrodi Mountains (Sicily, Italy).

High-resolution pollen, macrofossil and charcoal data, combined with accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dating and multivariate analysis, were used to reconstruct Holocene vegetation and fire dynamics at Urio Quattrocchi, a small lake in the supra-mediterranean belt in the Nebrodi Mountains of Sicily (Italy). The data suggest that after 10 000 cal a BP increasing moisture availability supported closed forests with deciduous (Quercus cerris, Fagus sylvatica and Fraxinus spp.) and evergreen (Quercus ilex) species. Species-rich closed forest persisted until 6850 cal a BP, when Neolithic activities caused a forest decline and affected plant diversity. Secondary forest with abundant Ilex aquifoli…

The role of loquat to maintain entomological diversity in the Conca d'Oro orchards

The loquat [Eriobotryo japonica (Thumb.) Lindl.] is an allochthonous species long cultivated in Sicily. In some parts of Sicily such as the Siracusa province, the loquat is cultivated in mono-specific orchards. In other sites, like Conca d'Oro and other places near the town of Palermo, loquat is intercropped with other tree species such as citrus, apricot, peach, mulberry, walnut, Mediterranean hackberry. The loquat plays an important role in order to increase biodiversity within these orchards. The old or dead loquat trees host a variety of xylophagous insects and more in particular Coleoptera: Cerambycidae beetles Dynastidae, and Cetoniidae. Longhorn beetles, rhinoceros beetles and flower…

(Recensione) – Mazzola P. & Raimondo F.M. (a cura di), 2011. Iconografia della Storia Naturale delle Madonie di Francesco Minà Palumbo. 4 volumi. Volume I: Guida alla lettura, 139 pp.; Volume II: Piante (red. P. Mazzola & F.M. Raimondo), 387 pp.; Volume III: Funghi, piante, animali (red. A. Carapezza, B. Massa, P. Mazzola, F.M. Raimondo, R. Schicchi & G. Venturella), 305 pp.; Volume IV: Uccelli (red. B. Massa & M. Sarà), 378 pp. Enzo Sellerio Editore, Palermo. 360

Paesaggio culturale dei sistemi tradizionali: l'olivo in Italia

We used a new sedimentary record to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation and fire history of Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in south-western Sicily (Italy). Pollen and charcoal data suggest a fire-prone open grassland near the site until ca 10,000 cal yr BP (8050 cal BC), when Pistacia shrubland expanded and fire activity declined, probably in response to increased moisture availability. Evergreen Olea europaea woods expanded ca 8400 to decline abruptly at 8200 cal yr BP, when climatic conditions became drier at other sites in the Mediterranean region. Around 7000 cal yr BP evergreen broadleaved forests (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber and O. europaeo) expanded at the cost of open communities. The …

Carbon stock increases up to old growth forest along a secondary succession in Mediterranean island ecosystems.

The occurrence of old-growth forests is quite limited in Mediterranean islands, which have been subject to particularly pronounced human impacts. Little is known about the carbon stocks of such peculiar ecosystems compared with different stages of secondary succession. We investigated the carbon variation in aboveground woody biomass, in litter and soil, and the nitrogen variation in litter and soil, in a 100 years long secondary succession in Mediterranean ecosystems. A vineyard, three stages of plant succession (high maquis, maquis-forest, and forest-maquis), and an old growth forest were compared. Soil samples at two soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm), and two litter types, relatively undec…

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Vegetative Vigor of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle Seedlings under Sustained Pot Limitation

In order to invade new ecosystems, invasive alien plants need to cope with different microbial communities. Whilst the ability to avoid antagonists is well recognized, the opportunity to establish mutualistic associations is less known, even in widespread invasive species such as Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. We sought to evaluate whether the beneficial effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on Ailanthus seedlings are maintained over time, under prolonged pot limitation. We compared three-month-, three-year- and four-year-old mycorrhizal seedlings grown in natural forest soil (NT) with seedlings grown in sterilized (ST) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) soils, in pots of 3.4 L (22 &tim…

LA DIRETTIVA 92/43/CEE ED IL PATRIMONIO AGRO-FORESTALE, PRE-FORESTALE E FORESTALE SICILIANO: ALCUNE NOTE CRITICHE

The 92/43/EEC Directive and the Sicilian agro-forest, pre-forest and forest heritage: some critical remarks – In order to redact the management criteria for the agro-forest and the autochthonous pre-forest and forest heritage within the Sicilian CSI Management Plans, during 2008 a critique analysis of the Interpretation Manual of European Union Habitats “Eur27” has been carried out. This manual treats quite adequately the mesophilous coenoses, the sclerophyllous forests and the conifer ones; on the other hand, some discrepancies need to be pointed out: for instance, some habitats quoted for Sicily (e.g. “matorral with Juniperus phoenicea” and “with Zizyphus lotus”) actually correspond to ve…

Storia dell’eucalitticoltura in Sicilia.

Eucalyptus, Italia, paesaggio, rimboschimento, selvicoltura, storia Gli eucalitti vantano una lunga storia nel nostro paese; erano già presenti infatti in Campania all’inizio dell’800 nel giardino botanico annesso alla regia di Caserta e fu proprio l’Hortus Camaldulensis a dare il nome all’Eucalyptus camaldulensis una delle specie più diffuse in Italia e nel Mondo. I primi impianti in Italia vanno fatti risalire al 1869 ad opera dei monaci della “Abbazia delle Tre Fontane” a Roma. Le ragioni iniziali della diffusione degli eucalitti vanno legate alla convinzione che potessero rendere salubre l’aria e contrastare la diffusione della malaria, effetto dovuto alla capacità dell’eucalipto di pro…

The cessation of utilization of Erica arborea: an example of cancellation of a cultural landscape and its naturalistic value

The use of species in plantations: renaturalisation and reforestation in Sicily

Afforestation and reforestation activities in Sicily have been widespread in the last century, in order to increase the forest cover that was seriously reduced in the former centuries. Notwithstanding this, Sicily is still characterized by only the 12% of the regional surface covered by woods and forest. The reforestation in the last century was carried out using conifers and eucalypts, just in order to ensure a quick protection of slopes and pastureland, coping diffuse erosion events, and those intervention had a remarkable success. Nowadays, the target of enlarging the forest areas in the island is still compulsive, but the use of species, considering the actual knowledge and nature consc…

Storie di uccelli

not available

Holocene vegetation and fire history of the mountains of Northern Sicily (Italy)

Knowledge about vegetation and fire history of the mountains of Northern Sicily is scanty. We analysed five sites to fill this gap and used terrestrial plant macrofossils to establish robust radiocarbon chronologies. Palynological records from Gorgo Tondo, Gorgo Lungo, Marcato Cixé, Urgo Pietra Giordano and Gorgo Pollicino show that under natural or near natural conditions, deciduous forests (Quercus pubescens, Q. cerris, Fraxinus ornus, Ulmus), that included a substantial portion of evergreen broadleaved species (Q. suber, Q. ilex, Hedera helix), prevailed in the upper meso- mediterranean belt. Mesophilous deciduous and evergreen broadleaved trees (Fagus sylvatica, Ilex aquifolium) dominat…

Probabili impatti del cambiamento climatico sulla biodiversità delle foreste italiane

The likely impact of climate change on the biodiversity of Italian forests. Based on literature results and our expert evaluation, we report some likely impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of forest communities in Italy by the end of this century. In the Mediterranean region and on the Apennines: at low altitudes, vulnerability of Pinus sp. and Quercus ilex forests, with loss of intraspecific genetic variability; transition from Mediterranean closed-canopy macchia to scattered shrublands; risk of local extinction for coastal populations of mesic/relic hardwood species (e.g., Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Zelkova sicula, Fraxinus sp.); ’eastern’ relic species like Quercus troian…

Introduzione all’edizione italiana

Green Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Linnaeus 1758, feeding in an urban site in Pantelleria.

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Analisi del dinamismo della vegetazione in un'area di saggio permanente negli ex-pascoli dell'isola di Lampedusa (Canale di Sicilia

Protected forest areas in Europe – analysis and harmonisation: Country Report Italy.

La biodiversità dei rizobi simbionti delle leguminose legnose mediterranee come risorsa finalizzata al recupero degli ecosistemi degradati.

Longhorn beetles of the Ficuzza woods (W Sicily, Italy) and their relationship with plant diversity (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae

The woods in Sicily are the result of centuries of anthropogenic activities that have reduced the surface of wood and changed the original composition even with the introduction of alien species to native flora. The value in terms of biodiversity of these forests remains, however, high for they are the last refuge areas for many animals and plant species. This study was conducted within the Ficuzza woods (West Sicily), extended about 5,000 hectares on the slopes of limestone-dolomite rock of Busambra (1615 m asl), within which lies the largest remaining forest area in western Sicily. It is an area with a wide diversity of vegetation, represented mainly by native forests (holm oak, cork oak,…

I pantani di Anguillara (Calatafimi Segesta, Trapani): dati preliminari sulla biodiversità a supporto della tutela del biotopo

Vengono presentati i risultati preliminari di una indagine multidisciplinare condotta in una zona umida nel territorio di Calatafimi Segesta in provincia di Trapani. L'area è di grande interesse per la presenza di rare specie animali e vegetali, di habitat minacciati tutelati da normative nazionali ed internazionali, ma anche perché è una delle ultime zone umide superstiti dell'entroterra trapanese. L'area ha subito in tempi recenti un pesante disturbo antropico che rischia di portare alla distruzione questo ambiente e il suo biota di pregio. Con questo contributo gli autori intendono supportare la richiesta di adeguata e urgente tutela del sito. Anguillara Ponds (Calatafimi Segesta, Trapan…

Forest and seminatural plant communities of Sicily

Il ruolo delle aree protette siciliane nella conservazione del patrimonio delle specie legnose d’interesse forestale ed agrario

Grassland fire effect on soil organic carbon reservoirs in semiarid environment.

The effect of fire on soil organic matter content is highly variable and depends on several factors including fire intensity, soil type and nature of burned material. Grassland in semiarid environment are often managed by shepherds with annual burning in order to enhance pasture recovery. The aim of this work was investigating the effect of fire as grassland management tool on soil organic carbon (SOC) reservoirs and on post-fire plant recovery. The study was conducted on Hyparrenia hirta grassland and Ampelodesma mauritanicus grassland, located in the Province of Palermo, in the north of Sicily. Soil samples were collected at two depth (0-5 and 5-20 cm) before and after experimental fire a…

Foreste siciliane e rinaturalizzazione dell'isola di Pantelleria

The decline of the cork oak growing in Sicily is accompanied by the loss of the functions proper to agroforestry systems

The cork oak is one of the most important tree species in the Mediterranean basin, where it covers more than 2 million hectares. Among evergreen oaks, Quercus suber stands out for the variety of cultural systems in which it has been successfully employed, including typical agroforestry systems. Accordingly, a wide range of ecosystem services may be associated to cork oak, including the preservation of biodiversity, carbon sequestration and forage production. In the Mediterranean, the cork oak represents a key species for many natural and seminatural landscapes and habitats, as well as playing a prominent role for the economic and social development of local communities. However, there is in…

Il paesaggio agrario della biodiversità/Agricultural landscape of biodiversity

PLUMBAGO AURICULATA LAM. (Plumbaginaceae) IN SICILIA OCCIDENTALE: NUOVI DATI SULLA SUA DIFFUSIONE COME ESOTICA CASUALE

Plumbago auriculata Lam. (Plumbaginaceae) in western Sicily: new data on its spread as casual alien. In questa nota si fornisce un quadro aggiornato sui casi di naturalizzazione di Plumbago auriculata Lam. (Plumbaginaceae) nella Sicilia occidentale e sul suo status invasivo a livello nazionale ed internazionale. Questa xenofita viene segnalata per la prima volta in diverse aree delle province di Agrigento, Palermo e Trapani, dopo essere stata segnalata per la prima volta presso l'isola di Linosa, nell'arcipelago delle Pelagie.

La riduzione delle emissioni e il ruolo degli ecosistemi terrestri

Vegetation dynamics within afforested coastal areas: regeneration by native species or invasion by alien species?

During the last century, massive reforestation projects along the dunes of the southern Sicily have been carried out. Such interventions, far from being in line with the current trends of close-to-nature silviculture, are, however, particularly interesting to assess the vegetation dynamics in afforestation areas. Furthermore, these kind of interventions may determine two opposite effects, that is renaturalization by native woody species or invasion by alien species. Acacia spp. are among the most widespread and prominent invaders within Mediterranean-climate areas, where they have already shown the capability to deeply change the characters and the functioning of native ecosystems. For inst…

I nomi dialettali dei vertebrati in Sicilia.

Elementi di selvicoltura mediterranea.

per una "naturaliste oubliée". Jeannette Villepreux Power tra storia, scienza e cultura nella Sicilia dell'800

Recensione) – Cecere J.G., Brunelli M., Sarrocco S. (a cura di) – La conservazione degli uccelli nei monti della Tolfa. Belvedere Ed., 127 pp., 16 €. Avocetta 36

Urgent need for preservation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. Subsp. vinifera) germplasm from small circum-Sicilian islands as revealed by SSR markers and traditional use investigations

Since the last decades grapevine germplasm is undergoing a process of rapid genetic erosion. This process is of particular concern in minor circum-Sicilian islands, because of the sharp reduction of the cultivated surfaces and the shift of their economy from agriculture to tourism. Aiming at valorising and preserving the surviving varieties we collected 185 accessions during several surveys since 2007. Six nuclear microsatellite markers were used for germplasm characterization, yielding 75 different genetic profiles. We found out that most genetic profiles (39) were not listed in national and international grapevine databases, confirming that the Sicilian minor islands represent underexplor…

Chamaerops humilis L.: variabilità ed ecologia delle popolazioni naturali in Sicilia. Seconda parte.

ESPANSIONE DELLA RONDINE MONTANA PTYONOPROGNE RUPESTRIS (SCOPOLI) IN SICILIA (Aves Hirundinidae)

Expansion of the Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris (Scopoli) in Sicily (Aves Hirun dinidae). Data collected during the last fifteen years on the distribution of the Eurasian Crag Martin in Sicily and the comparison with those recorded in literature show an expansion trend for this species. While in the newly colonized areas the nesting sites have been observed mainly on natural habitats, where its occurrence was previously recorded the species shows and adaptation to exploit also anthropogenic habitats, such as buildings or other infrastructures.

Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean

Abstract Background The Aegadian Islands are located west of Trapani, Sicily. Once the site of bountiful tuna fisheries and fruit orchards (plums, peaches, apricots), grapevines, prickly pears, and grains, the local economy is now based on tourism, and many traditional agricultural and maritime practices have been abandoned. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the state of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) concerning the use of wild and cultivated plants and fungi for human health, food, maritime, and agricultural purposes on the islands of Levanzo, Favignana, and Marettimo and compare present-day practices with those documented in the past. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews …

Piccole isole, l’agricoltura che fa bene all’ambiente, da Lampedusa a Lipari, presentiamo un diverso modello di sviluppo economico sostenibile che tiene conto del paesaggio e della tradizione

Laudato si’ - Enciclica sulla cura della casa comune

<p>Laudato si’<br />Enciclica sulla cura della casa comune<br />Papa Francesco (Jorge Mario Bergoglio)</p><p><br />Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 2015<br />233 pagine<br />ISBN 978-88-209-9578-2<br />€ 2,50</p>

Il ruolo degli uccelli come vettori di dispersione durante le successioni secondarie

Effect of Afforestation on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Content on a Mediterranean Island (Lampedusa, Italy)

During the 20th century, large surfaces in the Mediterranean countries were subject to afforestation activities, mostly affecting abandoned agricultural lands. Under semi-arid climate conditions, Pinus spp. were the most frequently used species for these activities. The effect of pine plantations on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) content in Lampedusa Island (South Italy) was investigated. SOC and soil N content under pine plantations of different ages (14, 24 and 43 years since plantation) were compared with SOC and soil N content in garrigue communities, which were dominated by shrubs, subshrubs and perennial herbs. The results showed that SOC content is affected by plantation …

Il virus del benessere. Ambiente, salute, sviluppo nell’Italia repubblicana.

Trophic and spatial complementarity on seed dispersal services by birds, wild mammals, and cattle in a Mediterranean woodland pasture

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T09:47:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-11-01 Università degli Studi di Palermo CYTED Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo Federación Española de Enfermedades Raras Most earth surfaces have undergone intensive land-use changes, creating habitat mosaics. Seed dispersal by animals is a crucial process in such mosaics, but community-wide studies comparing the functional complementarity and response to man-imposed habitat heterogeneity are rare. Here, we investigate the trophic and spatial seed dispersal networks underpinning a strong, woody vegetation expansion over a pastureland inside the largest forest remnant in western Sici…

Prime valutazioni delle caratteristiche tecnologiche del legno di castagno siciliano

Strategies for the re-naturalization of reforestation: the case study of the Sicilian clay hills

Over the last decades many areas have been reforested along Europe, with great proportion been made with exotic species. Very often these reforestations do not evolve in more diverse configurations, where some kind of management can be necessary to try to enhance this evolution. The hole is a silvicultural technique consisting in open small gaps to create favourable conditions for the establishment of other species changing the former structure, microclimate and competitive conditions mirroring this natural processes that occurs in structured and mature forests. The best size of the hole seems to be around 500 m², as small holes may not change significantly the conditions and larger holes s…

Il paesaggio agrario della biodiversità. - Rinaturalizzazione a Pantelleria.

Note sulla presenza storica dei grossi mammiferi in Sicilia.

I cambiamenti d'uso del suolo nella Conca d'Oro dal “secolo degli agrumi” a oggi.

Indagine sul cane di mannara

Ecologia e agricoltura nel parco della Favorita

Possibile origine e consistenza di un popolamento di Quercus trojana Webb subsp. trojana (Fagaceae) nel Bosco della Ficuzza (Palermo, Sicilia

Possible origin and demographic asset of a population of Quercus trojana Webb subsp. trojana (Fagaceae) in the wood of Ficuzza (Palermo, Sicily). The first record of Macedonian oak in Sicily is reported. The finding consists of 73 adult and 4 young individuals. A morphometric analysis of all of them, along with an assessment of their phytosanitary status was carried out. They all grow between 700 and 850 m a.s.l. on a 2,30 ha area, characterized by a land mosaic of shrubland and forest patches. Notwithstanding two years of researches, no ultimate proof has been found on their alien status. On this purpose, several alternative hypothesis are formulated and their strengths and weaknesses are …

Data analysis on extinct and living Picidae in Sicily and Calabria (Southern Italy).

Some species of animals related to forest habitats have disappeared or greatly decreased in the first half of the last century. However, during the second half of the last century the forest areas have increased and many forests have been protected. This produced conditions for a re-colonization or reintroduction of extinct forest animal species. The present study is a complete overview of records of extinct and still living Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, European green Woodpecker Picus viridis, Middle spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius and Lesser spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor in Sicily and Calabria (Southern Italy). This study was carried out to show that these woodpeckers, …

Sistemi di tariffe di cubatura per le fustaie di pino d'Aleppo, pino laricio e pino domestico della Sicilia

Obiettivo del presente lavoro e la messa a punto di sistemi di tariffe validi per la cubatura delle masse legnose dei principali soprassuoli di conifere della Sicilia: in particolare, i sistemi proposti si basano sull’elaborazione delle serie di inquadramento delle relazioni ipsodiametriche per il pino domestico, il pino d’Aleppo e il pino laricio. Per ciascuna specie e stato studiato l’andamento della distribuzione dei valori ipsodiametrici, risultato ben rappresentato da una forma funzionale di tipo semilogaritmico utilizzabile come «curva guida» delle serie di inquadramento delle relazioni ipsodiametriche. Adottando l’inclinazione stimata in base alla curva guida e adattando le singole s…

Schede

Le scelte compiute

In observance of the criteria stated in the previous section > and the studies carried out on the natural and agriculture heritage the intervention consistend on the plaintinf of some Lampedusa's spontaneous shrubs propagated by Lagambiente or by the nursery of the Regional Rural and Territorial Department of the Sicilian Region (formerly Regional Forestry Office Department). The plants that were planted were: Mastic (60), Periploca (36), Juniper (20), Myrtle (24), Olivastro (5), Carob (10), Caper (10). More complex is what has been done for the realization of the orchard. On the basis of investigations carried out as part of a research project of the RDP 2007/2013, Measure 214/2 Action A >…

Metodologia per lo studio delle successioni secondarie in ex-coltivi terrazzati: il caso studio di Pantelleria (Canale di Sicilia)

Even if the abandonment of agricultural areas and the resulting processes of renaturation are a widespread phenomenon in the West-European countries, considerations about adeguate evaluation methods to study these processes are lacking. In detail, there is no standard method to study terraced areas, which are common in many parts of Europe and the Mediterranean region and which are frequently object to abandonment. In this study are presented the methodological aspects of a study on vegetation dynamics on abandoned terraces on Pantelleria Island. In order to answer the research questions, the first step was to choose area where many abandoned fields are present. Then, inside of these areas …

FRAISSNET M., RUSSO D. (a cura di), 2013 – Lista rossa dei vertebrati terrestri e dulciacquicoli della Campania. Regione Campania. Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli, Federico II.

Holocene vegetation and fire dynamics in the supra-mediterranean belt of the Nebrodi Mountains (Sicily, Italy)

High-resolution pollen, macrofossil and charcoal data, combined with accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dating and multivariate analysis, were used to reconstruct Holocene vegetation and fire dynamics at Urio Quattrocchi, a small lake in the supra-mediterranean belt in the Nebrodi Mountains of Sicily (Italy). The data suggest that after 10 000 cal a BP increasing moisture availability supported closed forests with deciduous (Quercus cerris, Fagus sylvatica and Fraxinus spp.) and evergreen (Quercus ilex) species. Species-rich closed forest persisted until 6850 cal a BP, when Neolithic activities caused a forest decline and affected plant diversity. Secondary forest with abundant Ilex aquifoli…

Sistemi agrari

I Lepidotteri Ropaloceri (Insecta Lepidoptera) del bosco della Ficuzza: stato delle conoscenze e possibili relazioni tra il loro status e i cambiamenti nell’uso del suolo.

Biomass and volume modeling in Olea europaea L. cv "Leccino"

Key message: This work demonstrates that the Olive tree, which is managed and pruned as a fruit tree, can be treated as a forest tree using allometric equations, to estimate both biomass production and volumes. Abstract: The Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree that can grow and accumulate a relatively high amount of dry matter, even in dry environmental conditions common in the Mediterranean basin and typical of traditional rain-fed agriculture. The objective of this research was to develop a tool to predict woody biomass and tree component volume for the olive tree, to be used for different agricultural and environmental purposes. The study was carried out in six olive grove…

Storia dei rimboschimenti di Monte Pellegrino (Palermo)

È stata compiuta una ricerca storica sulla attività di rimboschimento a Monte Pellegrino. Le vicende legate alla gestione del territorio e alle vicissitudini che hanno portato a rimboschire il Monte sono paradigmatiche del modo di concepire la gestione del territorio in Sicilia. L’incendio che il 16 giugno del 2016 ha interessato Monte Pellegrino ha riacceso i riflettori sul bosco e su quel che rimane dei rimboschimenti. Le pubblicazioni individuate attraverso questa ricerca, se adeguatamente studiate, possono essere una buona base di partenza per evitare di compiere gli errori del passato e fare tesoro di questa lunga esperienza. Historical research was carried out on reforestation activit…

SCHENK H., 2012 – Checklist degli uccelli di Molentargius (Sardegna, Italia) 1850-2010. Con fotografie di Melis F., Perra S.. Molentargius Saline – parco naturale regionale. www.pacinieditore.it, 95 pp., € 6,50

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Insulating Sustainable Mortars with Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and Pennisetum setaceum Plants as Aggregates

The use of natural fibers in cement composites is a widening research field as their application can enhance the mechanical and thermal behavior of cement mortars and limit their carbon footprint. In this paper, two different wild grasses, i.e., Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, also called diss, and Pennisetum setaceum, also known as crimson fountaingrass, are used as a source of natural aggregates for cement mortars. The main purpose is to assess the possibility of using the more invasive crimson fountaingrass in place of diss in cement-based vegetable concrete. The two plant fibers have been characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), helium picnometry and thermogravimetric an…

Mid- and late-Holocene vegetation and fire history at Biviere di Gela, a coastal lake in southern Sicily, Italy

The vegetation and fire history of few coastal sites has been investigated in the Mediterranean region so far. We present the first paleoecological reconstruction from coastal Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. We analysed pollen and charcoal in the sediments of Biviere di Gela, a lake (lagoon) on the south coast of Sicily. Our data suggest that the area became afforested after a marine transgression at ca. 7200 cal b.p. (5250 b.c.). Build-up of forest and shrublands took ca. 200–300 years, mainly with the deciduous trees Quercus, Ostrya and Fraxinus. Juniperus expanded ca. 6900 cal b.p. (4950 b.c.), but declined again 6600 cal b.p. (4650 b.c.). Afterwards, evergreen trees…

RAVENNA C., 2013 – Circeo. Il parco nazionale, natura, storia, itinerari guidati 183 pp., € 20, Edizioni Belvedere.

Holocene interactions between climate, vegetation, land-use and the fire regime in coastal Southern Sicily: evidences from new sedimentary records

We used a new sedimentary record to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation and fire history of Gorgo Basso, a coastal lake in south-western Sicily (Italy). Pollen and charcoal data suggest a fire-prone open grassland near the site until ca 10,000 cal yr BP (8050 cal BC), when Pistacia shrubland expanded and fire activity declined, probably in response to increased moisture availability. Evergreen Olea europaea woods expanded ca 8400 to decline abruptly at 8200 cal yr BP, when climatic conditions became drier at other sites in the Mediterranean region. Around 7000 cal yr BP evergreen broadleaved forests (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber and O. europaea) expanded at the cost of open communities. The …

Interazione fra funghi micorrizici e piante pioniere in ambienti aridi e degradati: il caso di Lampedusa

I microrganismi del suolo sono una componente dominante in diversi ecosistemi sia in termini di diversità che di funzioni. Le simbiosi microbiche radicali in particolare sono state studiate più in dettaglio negli ambienti forestali, dove si è accertato il loro ruolo nell’aumentare la capacità degli alberi di accedere ai nutrienti, sequestrare C dall’atmosfera e resistere agli effetti del cambiamento climatico. Ancora poche informazioni esistono riguardo a queste interazioni in ambienti più aridi e degradati e per le specie pioniere che innescano i processi di successione secondaria. Nell’ambito di un Progetto LIFE finalizzato a mettere a punto tecniche di adattamento al cambiamento climatic…

AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA (MILL.) SWINGLE (Simaroubaceae) IN SICILIA E CENNI STORICI SULLA SUA INTRODUZIONE IN ITALIA

Nonostante la diffusa presenza dell’ailanto in Sicilia, mancavano sino ad oggi studi specifici a carattere regionale su questa specie arborea esotica invasiva. Allo scopo di colmare alcune di queste lacune, il presente lavoro si è posto cinque obiettivi: 1) ripercorrere la storia della diffusione globale dell’ailanto, prestando particolare attenzione all’Italia ed alla Sicilia; 2) analizzare le cause (antropiche e biologiche) della sua spiccata invasività a livello globale e locale; 3) fornire un primo quadro della sua distribuzione e della sua auto- e sinecologia sul territorio regionale; 4) stabilire i metodi più idonei ed efficaci per contenerne la diffusione e ridurne l’impatto ecologic…

The ecological role of Pyrus Spinosa Forssk. in the ecosystem recovery and land restoration of Mediterranean woodlands

In the Mediterranean basin, large areas still call for active reforestation, having a very low woody cover, thus resulting less resistant and resilient to climate change and suffering from a higher risk of soil degradation processes. Knowing the effects on soil fertility and carbon sequestration of single woody species can be of great practical importance, although being rarely tested. We aimed to assess the effect of Pyrus spinosa on soil fertility (soil carbon and nitrogen), microbial biomass and carbon sequestration (in aboveground stems) of Mediterranean pasturelands. The research was carried out in Ficuzza Nature Reserve (NW Sicily), where large areas are composed of extensive pasturel…

Primi dati sugli alberi monumentali di Pantelleria

Poche o nulla sono le informazioni sugli alberi monumentali delle piccole isole che circondano la Sicilia. Ciò è dovuto innanzitutto alla rarità di alberi definibili monumentali, le piccole isole hanno subito infatti una trasformazione ancora più profonda della Sicilia, ma anche ad un difetto di conoscenza. Il nostro vuole essere un primo contributo alla conoscenza degli alberi monumentali nell’isola di Pantelleria. Gli alberi censiti appartengono a due specie, il pino marittimo (Pinus pinaster subsp. hamiltonii) e il leccio (Quercus ilex). In realtà nel caso del pino marittimo possiamo parlare di un “popolamento monumentale” corrispondente alla pineta a pino marittimo presso la località Mo…

(Recensione) - La terra è finita. Breve storia dell'ambiente. Di Bevilacqua P., Edizioni Laterza

Individuazione di aree ecologicamente omogenee e di un sistema di aree a priorità di intervento per l’ampliamento della superficie forestale in Sicilia

Living and Dead Aboveground Biomass in Mediterranean Forests: Evidence of Old-Growth Traits in a Quercus pubescens Willd. s.l. Stand

For a long time, human impact has deeply simplified most of the forest ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin. Here, forests have seldom had the chance to naturally develop a complex and multilayered structure, to host large and old trees and rich biological communities, approaching old-growth conditions. Also for this reason, limited information is currently available about Mediterranean old-growth forests, particularly with regard to deadwood. The main aim of this work is to help fill this critical knowledge gap. In Sicily (Italy), we identified a Quercus pubescens forest that seemed to show some typical old-growth features. Total living volume (360 m3 ha−1) and basal area (34 m2 ha−1) wer…

Metodologia per lo studio delle successioni secondarie in ex coltivi terrazzati: il caso di studio delle terrazze di Pantelleria (Canale di Sicilia

Dalla parte del paesaggio. In “Speciale eolico”

Il ruolo della macchia mediterranea nello stoccaggio del carbonio atmosferico

La tecnica di innesto delle radici nell’olivo: tecnica per la costituzione dei sistemi agroforestali olivicoli

Report on medium-term effects of the habitat protection and restoration activities of the LIFE Project “Maintenance of the habitats of the Macalube of Aragona” (Sicily, S Italy)

The Site of Community Importance (SCI) “Macalube di Aragona” is prone to severe desertification risk. In fact, its vegetation is disturbed not only by cyclic soil movements resulting from sedimentary volcanism, but it is strongly influenced by the hostile properties of the clayey substratum (prone to intense linear erosion, badly aired, rich in salts, etc.), the long drought period (ca. 4 months) and by the long-lasting history of human pressure. Both stress and disturbance factors influence progressive succession processes, so that the most “mature” local plant communities are () the chenopod shrublands referred to Salsolo-Peganion (habitat 1430 according to 92/43 EU Directive) and the hal…

Pantelleria – Emozioni di colori natura storia.

Le leguminose arbustive della macchia mediterranea per la rinaturalizzazione delle discariche

The naturalization of the almond Prunus dulcis in different ecological contexts in the Mediterranean: An underestimated process?

Although Prunus dulcis has been frequently listed in non-native floras all around the world, its naturalization has been rarely studied in the field. Probably, because this species has generally invaded synanthropic habitats. We assessed the density of natural regeneration of almond, biometric parameters (height and basal stem diameter), and the distribution in life stage classes in three different ecological contexts in Sicily (Mediterranean Italy): one natural habitat (maquis), one pine afforestation and two prickly pear orchards. We recorded 236 naturally regenerating almond individuals, with density ranging from 140 individuals per hectare (prickly pear orchard 1) up to 2,400 individual…

Il futuro della nostra montagna

Il Tetrops starkii chevrolat, 1859 in Sicilia (Coleoptera Cerambycidae)

First report of Cerambicide Tetrops starkii Chevrolat, 1859 (Coleoptera Cerambycidae) in Sicily. Is reported the presence in Sicily of the new Beetle Cerambycidae Tetrops starki Chevrolat, 1859 found on Fraxinus angustifolia larval stage and carried out some observations of biological and forestry on the host plants.

On the Rock Partridge in the painting “Saint Jerome in the study” by Antonello da Messina.

Pictorial work of Antonello da Messina during the Sicilian period (1455-60) is considered less fruitful and less mature than during his stay in Venice (ca 1474-1476). While some art critics consider the painting “Saint Jerome in the study” a work of the first period, others believe that it was produced during the Venice period. The Authors analysed the plumage characters of the Rock Partridge, Alectoris graeca, depicted with symbolic significance in the painting, to try the identification of the population which the subject used as model could belong to. However, they conclude that the identification as a Sicilian as well as an Alpine Rock Partridge is doubtful and in this case the plumage …

I cumuli di pietre denominati “Chirchiari” in Sicilia, tra ecologia e storia.

I boschi in Sicilia: paesaggio, biodiversità, cultura materiale

Polyphenols pattern and correlation with antioxidant activities of berries extracts from four different populations of SicilianSambucus nigraL.

Sambucus nigra L. (Caprifoliaceae) is wide spread in temperate and sub-tropical zones. The consumption of its berries has been associated with health benefits especially for its high content of natural antioxidants such as polyphenols, in particular anthocyanins. In this work we investigated the polyphenolic composition and the in vitro antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH, BCB and FRAP-ferrozine (FRAP-FZ) assays) of S. nigra berries, collected in four different Sicilian areas (Italy). Elderberries are considered one of the fruits with highest anthocyanins content, the amount of phenolic compounds, other than anthocyanins, is approximately 1.5 times greater than the latter. The LC–MS analyses…

Quality of cactus pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] fruit in relation to ripening time, CaCl2 pre-harvest sprays and storage conditions

Abstract Post-harvest behaviour of summer and autumn ripening cactus pear ( Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cactaceae) fruit cv. Gialla was investigated in relation to pre-harvest growing conditions, and CaCl 2 applications. Summer ripening cactus pear fruit were stored for 5 weeks at 6°C and 90–95% relative humidity (RH), and 3 days at 20°C, 75% RH to simulate a marketing period (SMP). Autumn ripening fruits were kept under the same conditions for 7 weeks plus a SMP. Summer ripening cactus pear fruit were more susceptible to chilling injury and to weight loss, but less sensitive to decay than autumn fruit. CaCl 2 delayed rind colour development and increased fruit resistance to decay but p…

Miseria dello sviluppo

La coltivazione del nespolo del Giappone (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl) IN Sicilia: da un lontano passato a un incerto futuro.

Il nespolo del Giappone (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl) si è diffuso in Sicilia nella metà del XIX secolo a partire dalla conca d’Oro, la piana che circonda la città di Palermo, oggi in buona parte urbanizzata. I frutteti tradizionali della conca d’Oro sono caratterizzati da una forte promiscuità e da una stratificazione in più strati delle chiome delle diverse specie di alberi. Questa stratificazione è il risultato della sovrapposizione di più colture e in particolare è dipesa dalla diffusione dei nespoli del Giappone tra gli agrumi, spesso decimati dalle fitopatie. Inoltre, il nespolo si diffonde da seme e in genere le piante cresciute vengono lasciate crescere liberamente. Il risultato final…

FORMULATION OF LIME MORTARS BASED ON NATURAL FIBERS AND WASTE MATERIALS FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Nowadays sustainability is one of the main concept in building construction, both considering energy saving buildings and life cycle assessment of building materials. According to these considerations, in this work the use of recycled and waste materials to produce a binder and the use of a natural fiber as reinforcement are investigated to obtain a sustainable mortar. Particularly, lime is obtained by kilning waste marble slurry from marbles quarries in western Sicily; pozzolanic aggregate is obtained by grinding glass powder from urban waste collection; natural fibers come from a widespread grass: Ampelodesmos Mauritanicus also known as diss. Scanning electron microscopy and helium picnom…

The ancient irrigation system of the Palermo Plain (Sicily, Italy) as a substitute ecosystem: preliminary investigations on its aquatic flora

Many cities around the world are expanding, including in their perimeters green and blues spaces that could be crucial for the maintaining of biodiversity. Urban waterbodies are generally created to provide other services, but correctly managed they can provide also relevant ecosystem services. The Palermo Plain was characterized, in the past centuries, by several wetlands that were progressively destroyed (or “reclaimed”). The ancient irrigation system, probably set during the Arab domination (IX-XI century A.D.), became a substitute ecosystem able to host a significant biodiversity. Our research focused on the remains of this system, scattered in the relictual green areas of the Plain, an…

I rimboschimenti delle dune

The Italian TREETALKER NETWORK (ITT-Net): continuous large scale monitoring of tree functional traits and vulnerabilities to climate change

<p>The  <strong>Italian TREETALKER NETWORK (ITT-Net) </strong>aims to respond to one of the grand societal challenges: the impact of climate changes on forests ecosystem services and forest dieback. The comprehension of the link between these phenomena requires to complement the most classical approaches with a new monitoring paradigm based on large scale, single tree, high frequency and long-term monitoring tree physiology, which, at present, is limited by the still elevated costs of multi-sensor devices, their energy demand and maintenance not always suitable for monitoring in remote areas. The ITT-Net network will be a unique and un…

Past cover modulates the intense and spatially structured natural regeneration of woody vegetation in a pastureland

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:34:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-03-01 Università degli Studi di Palermo Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca Vegetation natural regeneration after agricultural abandonment is changing the landscape patterns in many areas worldwide. However, the expansion rate, spatio-temporal dynamics, and the role of past vegetation cover in shaping such patterns are still barely quantified in fine and meso scales. Here, we aim to quantify the expansion rate and assess the spatio-temporal patterns and the effects of past cover on natural woody vegetation cover increase. We sampled woodland and shrubland cover from …

The Viticulture of Lampedusa, a heritage which is disappearing before being known.

The study is focused on the viticulture of the island of Lampedusa, located in the strait of Sicily 113 km from the African coast and 205 km from the Sicilian coasts. It is a study that has no previous recorded documentations. The research was conducted on the island to a various number of vineyard farmers in order to describe cultivation techniques and the grape germplasm utilized. Viticulture is present on several tens of hectares but in recent years is vanishing quickly and currently survives thanks to a small number of old farmers who still practice agriculture. Moreover, the strong competition for land use strongly linked to tourism, makes the survival of farming in general even more p…

An analysis of carbon storage protected areas with relation to agroforestry management and biodiversity

This work investigated the role of land cover and land use change (LUC) as a soil ability to store carbon and reduce carbon dioxide emission in a Mediterranean area. Using a paired site approach we estimated the effect of land cover change on the carbon stock from 1972 to 2008 in a natural reserve (Grotta di S. Ninfa) in the West of Sicily. Fifteen paired sites representative of five land use change were selected. We studied the effect of land use on soil organic carbon (SOC) content in bulk soil and 2000-1000 µm, 1000-500 µm, 500-250 µm, 250-63 µm, 63-25 µm and <25 µm size fractions. Furthermore, laboratory incubation of the soil samples was conducted to measure carbon dioxide evolution in…

Relationship between recruitment and mother plant vitality in the alien species Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don

Acacia cyclops is a widespread invader in Mediterranean-climate regions. However, although its naturalization in the Mediterranean Basin dates back only a few years ago, and the invasion process has not been studied hitherto. We investigated seedlings recruitment strategy adopted by A. cyclops in a small island (Lampedusa, Italy) where its natural regeneration was strictly confined under mother plants canopy. Healthy plants (DCP), plants at incipient senescence (SCP) and dead plants (DP) were distinguished according to vitality and canopy status. Living plants were also characterized in relation to leaf C and N isotope composition. Regeneration pattern (seedlings and saplings abundance) was…

L’importanza delle zone umide artificiali della Sicilia occidentale per la conservazione degli uccelli acquatici in Sicilia

Biodiversità: manuale per l’uso. Illustrato con 100 foto di Toni Puma.

Anfibi e Rettili siciliani: tra storia, leggenda e folklore

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi positively affect growth of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle seedlings and show a strong association with this invasive species in Mediterranean woodlands

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may promote plant invasion by enhancing plant performance and competitiveness. However, only a small number of studies have considered the interactions between local soil microbial communities and invasive plants, and even fewer have focused on alien trees. Ailanthus altissima is a serious problem in the Mediterranean Basin, where it has invaded many habitats. We investigated the symbiosis between A. altissima and indigenous AMF in two invaded, ecologically different Mediterranean woodlands. Mycorrhizal infection was high at both sites (> 60% of the root fragments were mycorrhizal), indicating that A. altissima roots may be infected by AMF under different …

Riserva Naturale Integrale “Grotta di Santa Ninfa”

The Sicilian phanerophytes: still a noteworthy patrimony, soon a lost resource? IUFRO Conference “Monitoring and indicators of forest biodiversity in Europe - from ideas to operationality” 12 - 15 November 2003, Firenze

Seedling growth of a native ( Ampelodesmos mauritanicus ) and an exotic ( Pennisetum setaceum ) grass

Scarce information is available on the biological reasons why a small subset of introduced species can effectively establish within novel ecosystems. A comparison of early growth traits can help to explain the better performance of alien invasive species versus native co-occurring species. In one year-long experiment, we compared the early life stages of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Poir.) Dur. &amp; Schinz (Amp), a native perennial Mediterranean grass, and Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov (Penn), an emerging invader grass in sub-arid and Mediterranean-climate areas. The Penn seedlings grew significantly faster and were approximately 2.5 times taller than the Amp seedlings, reaching a fina…

Dynamics of soil organic matter pools after agricultural abandonment

Changes of land use from croplands to natural vegetation usually increase Carbon (C) stocks in soil. However, the contribution of old and new C to various pools still is not clearly analyzed.We measured the 13C signature of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools after vegetation change from vineyard (C3) to grassland (C4) under Mediterranean climate to assess the changes of old and new C in total SOC, microbial biomass (MB), dissolved organic C (DOC), and CO2 efflux from soil. Development of the perennial grass Hyparrhenia hirta (C4) on vineyard abandoned for 15 or 35 years ago increased C stocks for 13% and 16%, respectively (in the upper 15 cm). This increase was linked to the incorporation of n…

Analysis of carbon storage in agricultural and forestry protected areas and relation with management system.

Additional file 1 of Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean

Additional file 1. Ethnobiological uses of local taxa. Data table reporting the specific uses of local taxa documented in the present work and comparison to prior publications in the region. (.pdf file format).

The evolution in time of the concept of fast growing tree species: is it possible to use a definition applicable to all environmental conditions?

Although the expression “fast-growing species” (FGS) referred to tree species has been since long time used, a clear definition has not been adopted for decades. Starting from the Italian historical background, we searched for the definitions of FGS formulated over time at a national and international level. The mean annual increment (MAI) of 10 m3 ha-1, identified by the FAO, has been the most commonly considered threshold until recently. Subsequently, experimental activities and research efforts have consistently enhanced the productivity of FGS, and other definitions have been proposed accordingly. Hence, FGS should provide annual wood yields of 15-25 m3 ha-1 with rotations of less than …

Programmazione Sviluppo Rurale 2007-2013 - Piano Strategico Nazionale. Documento tematico del Gruppo di lavoro “Paesaggio”

Holocene hydrological changes in south-western mediterranean as recorded by lake-level fluctuations at lago Preola, a coastal lake in southern Sicily, Italy. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(19-20), 2459-2475.

This paper presents a high-resolution lake-level record for the Holocene at Lago Preola (Sicily, southern Italy) based on a specific sedimentological approach, with a chronology derived from AMS radiocarbon dates. It gives evidence of three major successive palaeohydrological periods, with (1) a pronounced dryness during the early Holocene until ca 10300 cal BP, (2) a highstand from ca 10300 to 4500 cal BP, and (3) a marked lowstand from 4500 cal BP to present. Large amplitude lake-level fluctuations characterise two transition phases at ca 10300e9000 and 6400e4500 cal BP. Period 2 was interrupted between 8300 and 7000 cal BP by a dry phase that was punctuated to ca 7300 cal BP by the depos…

1200-yr high-resolution terrestrial climate archive from the middle of the Mediterranean: The sedimentary record from Lake “Specchio di Venere” on Pantelleria Island, Italy.

The special location of Lake "Specchio di Venere" on Pantelleria Island in the Sicily Channel (Mediterranean Sea) between Tunisia and Sicily offers a unique terrestrial archive recording atmospheric changes, which are otherwise difficult to decipher in the marine records from this area. The lake is an endorheic saline basin with a maximum depth of 12.5 m. As the water input depends on rainfall, precipitation variations influence changes of the lake's water chemistry. In summer 2008, Lake Venere was cored with a modified Livingstone corer revealing a composite sedimentary sequence of 10.29 m length. Two radiocarbon dates form a preliminary age model indicating a very high sedimentation rate …

Holocene paleoclimate inferred from salinity histories of adjacent lakes in southwestern Sicily (Italy)

Marked uncertainties persist regarding the climatic evolution of the Mediterranean region during the Holocene. For instance, whether moisture availability gradually decreased, remained relatively constant, or increased during the last 7000 years remains a matter of debate. To assess Holocene limnology, hydrology and moisture dynamics, the coastal lakes Lago Preola and Gorgo Basso, located in southwestern Sicily, were investigated through several stratigraphic analyses of ostracodes, including multivariate analyses of assemblages, transfer functions of salinity, and biochemical analyses of valves (Sr/Ca, δ18O and δ13C). During the early Holocene, the Gorgo Basso and Lago Preola ostracode rec…

Tempi e modi di un’invasione incontrastata: Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. (Poaceae) in Sicilia.

Circa 50 anni fa venivano segnalati a Catania e a Palermo i primi due casi di spontaneizza-zione di Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. sul territorio siciliano. Dopo un breve periodo di latenza, questa pianta paleotropicale ha cominciato a diffondersi sempre più rapidamente, tanto che oggi l'adozione di scelte d'intervento assume carattere d'urgenza per via del pesante impatto che essa ha sia sulle comunità pre-forestali (macchie degradate e garighe) sia sulle praterie perenni e annue locali. Dopo aver fornito una panoramica sul comportamento di questa xeno-fita, viene analizzato il suo processo di espansione in Sicilia e viene comparata l'ampiezza della sua nicchia ecologica con quella d…

Critical range of soil organic carbon in southern Europe lands under desertification risk.

Soil quality is fundamental for ecosystem long term functionality, productivity and resilience to current climatic changes. Despite its importance, soil is lost and degraded at dramatic rates worldwide. In Europe, the Mediterranean areas are a hotspot for soil erosion and land degradation due to a combination of climatic conditions, soils, geomorphology and anthropic pressure. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is considered a key indicator of soil quality as it relates to other fundamental soil functions supporting crucial ecosystem services. In the present study, the functional relationships among SOC and other important soil properties were investigated in the topsoil of 38 sites under different …

Patterns of soil microbial biomass and diversity across Mediterranean agroecosystems in areas under desertification risk

Tra le onde di un mare asciutto – Un mare di frumento.

Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Leguminosae) in Italy: first cases of naturalization

The first two cases of naturalization of Acacia cyclops are reported for Italy. Young trees were observed growing in the wild some 15 years ago on Linosa (Pelagie Islands, Strait of Sicily). A decade later, this alien plant should no longer be considered as a casual, since a very intensive process of self-sown regeneration has been observed in some plantations on Lampedusa, the major island of the same Archipelago. The available literature suggests the need for careful monitoring of the ongoing invasion process, as A. cyclops has already shown a very invasive behaviour elsewhere within Mediterranean-type biomes due to its ability to withstand high environmental stresses. As migrating birds …

Conservazione della biodiversità e tutela dei valori eco sistemici nelle piccole isole circumsiciliane.

DIVERSITÀ BATTERICA DI SUOLI MEDITERRANEI SOGGETTI A DESERTIFICAZIONE

Siccità e fenomeni meteorologici estremi contribuiscono al degrado dei suoli mediterranei semi-aridi causando erosione, compattazione, salinizzazione, riduzione della sostanza organica e perdita di biodiversità, con conseguenze negative per l’agricoltura e l’ambiente. Gli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici in atto sono esacerbati da pratiche agronomiche insostenibili e pascolo incontrollato che concorrono alla desertificazione dei suoli. E’ fondamentale monitorare la qualità dei suoli semi-aridi per prevenirne il degrado irreversibile. Tale monitoraggio viene usualmente condotto mediante i tradizionali indicatori chimico-fisici di qualità del suolo. Ancora raramente vengono utilizzati indica…

L’impiego della ginestra di Spagna (Spartium Junceum L.) in interventi di forestazione di aree marginali: il caso studio dei Monti Sicani (AG)

La frutticoltura delle isole circumsiciliane.

Effetto dell’abbandono e del re-impianto dei vigneti sullo stock del carbonio organico nei suoli della Sicilia occidentale

Battisti C. & Guidi A., 2012. Gli uccelli nidificanti della Riserva Naturale di Monte Catillo. Check-list, distribuzione locale e status di conservazione. Provincia di Roma, Assessorato alle Politiche dell’agricoltura, 144 pp.

UN CASO SINGOLARE DI CRESCITA DI KALANCHOË DAIGREMONTIANA RAYM.-HAMET & H. PERRIER (Crassulaceae) SU PLUMERIA RUBRA L. (Apocynaceae)

Si riporta un caso singolare di crescita di Kalanchoë daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet &amp; H. Perrier (Crassulaceae) su Plumeria rubra L. (Apocynaceae).

List of scientific publications by Bruno Massa

The scientific articles (including abstracts and books) published by Bruno Massa are listed according to years. The numerous reviews Bruno has written in recent years, greatly contributing to the dissemination of scientific knowledge, are excluded.

The role of native flower visitors in pollinating Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., naturalized in Sicily

Abstract The role of insects in pollination and consequently in fruit set and quality was assessed in two commercial orchards of the cactus pear, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., in Agrigento Province, Sicily. In 1997, insects visiting flowers were sampled during May–June (the first bloom) and July (the second bloom, induced by the “scozzolatura” practise). More than 50 insect species belonging to 10 orders were collected in May–June, while only five species of Hymenoptera Apoidea were collected in July. The quality of fruits arising from the second bloom showed that Hymenoptera alone were able to guarantee effective pollination. To verify the role of insects in pollination in 1996 (during …

Il contributo di Jeannette Villepreux Power alla conoscenza e agli zoologici del paesaggio della Sicilia dell’800.

The indigenous germplasm of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in Sicily: ecophysiological aspects and variability of fruits traits

Emergenze vegetali dell'Isola di Lampedusa

Per la peculiarità storica, geografica ed ambientale l’Isola di Lampedusa, e vista l’estrema frammentarietà delle formazioni preforestali, l’esiguità dei popolamenti (e degli individui) delle specie legnose assumono un valore scientifico e conservazionistico particolarmente elevato. Per queste ragioni è stato fatto un censimento eseguito con strumentazione GPS. Sull’isola crescono diverse specie di rilevante interesse conservazionistico, numerose sono infatti le specie endemiche, esclusive, rare e/o a rischio di estinzione perché legate a habitat molto vulnerabili e localizzati. A questa ragione d’interesse generale per questi taxa si somma il fatto che buona parte delle specie arboree tipi…

ROMANO A., 2014 – La salvaguardia degli anfibi nei siti acquatici artificiali dell’Appennino. Linee guida per la costruzione, manutenzione e gestione. 142 pp., € 18, Edizioni Belvedere.

1200 years of decadal-scale variability of Mediterranean vegetation and climate at Pantelleria Island, Italy.

A new sedimentary sequence from Lago di Venere on Pantelleria Island, located in the Strait of Sicily between Tunisia and Sicily was recovered. The lake is located in the coastal infra-Mediterranean vegetation belt at 2 m a.s.l. Pollen, charcoal and sedimentological analyses are used to explore linkages among vegetation, fire and climate at a decadal scale over the past 1200 years. A dry period from ad 800 to 1000 that corresponds to the 'Medieval Warm Period' (WMP) is inferred from sedimentological analysis. The high content of carbonate recorded in this period suggests a dry phase, when the ratio of evaporation/precipitation was high. During this period the island was dominated by thermop…

The role of vineyards in the carbon balance throughout Italy

A common belief is that agricultural fields cannot be net carbon sinks, but perennial tree crops, growing a permanent woody structure with a life cycle of decades could act as carbon sink. Vineyards are good candidates to test this hypothesis, because they are often grown with limited soil cultivation and produce plenty of woody pruning material that can be left on the ground. Three Eddy Covariance sites were established in different vineyards, along a north-south transect, in Italy, to study the role of vine cultivation in the carbon balance of the Italian penisula. The year 2009 was chosen as a reference year for the three sites, in order to compare carbon budget estimates in areas charac…

The past distribution of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei: results of a multidisciplinary study

The present study provides a critical review of the available historical data on the distribution of Abies nebrodensis, a fir tree endemic to Sicily. The only (somewhat ambiguous) references to its occurrence on Mount Etna date back to the 1st century bc and refer back to the 3rd century bc. Although the botanical and forestry literature and the very few surviving herbarium specimens do not prove that A. nebrodensis grew outside the Madonie mountain range, several indications suggest its past occurrence on other Sicilian mountain ranges such as the Erei, Nebrodi, and probably also Sicani mountains. The results of the most recent pollen investigations (still ongoing) point to the disappearan…

La qualità del sughero: metodologie di valutazione e norme tecniche per il sughero grezzo e per i prodotti derivati.

La possibilità di ritrarre dal sughero prodotti derivati dipende fortemente dalla sua qualità. Il termine «qualità» del sughero non è sostenuto da chiari riferimenti normativi e non esiste, allo stato attuale, una metodologia oggettiva per la sua valutazione univocamente accettata. In questi ultimi anni si sta producendo uno sforzo teso all’oggettivazione di metodologie di valutazione della qualità del sughero attraverso la definizione di norme di classificazione e standardizzazione dei prodotti ritraibili e/o attraverso sperimentazioni concernenti l’applicazione sul sughero grezzo o sui prodotti derivati di particolari tecniche utilizzate in altri campi scientifici e/o su altri materiali. …

A casual alien plant new to Mediterranean Europe: Ceiba speciosa (Malvaceae) in the suburban area of Palermo (NW Sicily, Italy)

The abiotic and biotic characteristics of the first sites where floss silk tree behaves as a casual alien plant in the Mediterranean Europe are described. The species was probably first planted in botanical gardens of southern France few decades before mid XIX century. It was introduced in Palermo in 1896, a city which appears to match very well its climatic requirements. According to the available information on its biology and ecology in both its original and secondary range, the floss silk tree should not become an invasive alien plant in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, several gaps need to be filled in order to increase our understanding of future trends of Ceiba speciosa in southern E…

Soil carbon in Mediterranean ecosystems and related management problems

Le siepi e la biodiversità dei sistemi agrari e agroforestali.

SIMBIONTI RADICALI DI ASTRAGALUS NEBRODENSIS (GUSS.) STROBL.

Le leguminose spontanee mediterranee hanno un elevato potenziale nei processi di rinaturalizzazione di ecosistemi degradati o semiaridi poiché stabiliscono simbiosi radicali con batteri azoto-fissatori e funghi micorrizici i quali, agendo sinergicamente, avvantaggiano la pianta per la nutrizione e la resistenza agli stress. Astragalus nebrodensis è un arbusto perenne appartenente alla famiglia delle Fabaceae, endemico in Sicilia; i simbionti radicali di questa specie non sono noti. Gli obiettivi di questo studio sono stati: 1) l’analisi della diversità dei rizobi simbionti di Astragalus nebrodensis; 2) la valutazione dell’effetto dell’inoculo di rizobi da collezione e di funghi micorrizici …

Le formazioni preforestali e i processi di successione secondaria in atto nei coltivi abbandonati della Sicilia.

Combining ecological engineering and plant conservation on a Mediterranean islet

This paper reports the results of a bioengineering intervention within the Mediterranean Basin carried out at Lampedusa Island (Strait of Sicily) on the “Spiaggia dei Conigli”, the only sand shore of all Sicilian territory where the sea turtle Caretta caretta lays its eggs every year. The erosion of the steep slope over the beach itself caused sensitive changes in the grain size of shore’s sediment and reduced the area of the beach with fine sand suitable for C. caretta oviposition. In order to reduce surface water flow and to stop erosion, several bioengineering options were adopted using only native plant species to preserve local botanical heritage and to prevent the local extinction of …

La dinamica degli incendi in un comprensorio boscato mediterraneo (Sicilia Nord-occidentale) e l’effetto degli interventi selvicolturali sui soprassuoli a pino d’Aleppo e domestico percorsi da incendio

The effect of grazing in Forests: the case study of Ficuzza (W Sicily)

Studio del turnover della sostanza organica e del carbonio radicale in una successione secondaria attraverso isotopi stabili di C

Lo studio ha analizzato gli effetti del cambio d’uso del suolo sulle riserve e sulla distribuzione del carbonio organico in una successione secondaria. E’ stata selezionata nel territorio di Montevago, nella provincia di Agrigento, una successione secondaria costituita da macchia mediterranea, impianto a ficodindia e oliveto. Il cambio d’uso del suolo da vegetazione naturale a impianto di ficodindia ha comportato dopo 28 anni una riduzione del 65% di C organico, seguita da un’ulteriore riduzione del 14% dopo 7 anni dall’impianto dell’oliveto. Sfruttando le differenze nel 13C tra le piante a ciclo fotosintetico C3 e C4 è stato stimato il turnover della sostanza organica derivata dalla biomas…

L’aquila reale. Di Borlenghi F., Edizioni Belvedere.

Tra utilità e bellezza:il giardino di agrumi della Kolymbetra nella Valle dei Templi

Le isole Pelagie: un luogo straordinario anche per la fauna.

Lampedusa e Linosa sono isole molto diverse fra loro, una calcarea, l’altra vulcanica; quindi è comprensibile che la fauna sia in buona parte differente. Tuttavia la maggioranza delle specie vi sono migrate attivamente o, nel caso di Lampedusa, rappresentano la testimonianza di un antico collegamento con la Tunisia. L’importanza faunistica delle Pelagie è dovuta ai taxa endemici ma anche alla presenza di specie africane al limite geografico della loro distribuzione (Lampedusa, di natura calcarea, si trova infatti sulla piattaforma continentale africana).

Orti comunitari: l’agricoltura torna protagonista a Lampedusa.

Il ruolo che riveste, o che potrebbe rivestire, l’agricoltura nelle piccole isole è un tema di notevole importanza se pensiamo alla fragilità di questi agroecosistemi e ai tanti valori ad essi connessi: la conservazione di specie e varietà selezionate nei secoli in contesti ambientali estremi, la conservazione della cultura materiale, l’effetto positivo sulla biodiversità ”selvatica” cioè delle piante e animali ad essa legati, i valori paesaggistici. In un contesto come Lampedusa in cui l’agricoltura sembra destinata a scomparire, un progetto di orti comunitari può avere un ruolo centrale, funzionare cioè da innesco per rilanciare l’agricoltura locale, per ripensarla coniugando tradizione c…

La Conca d’oro: trasformazione di un paesaggio agrario e riflessi sulla sostenibilità.

I nomi dialettali degli uccelli in Sicilia.

Paired-site approach for studying soil organic carbon dynamics in a Mediterranean semiarid environment

This work investigated the effects of land cover and land-use change (LUC) on the ability of a soil to store carbon (C) and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, in a Mediterranean area. Using a paired-site approach, we estimated the effect of land-cover change on the C stock from 1972 to 2008 in a natural reserve (Grotta di Santa Ninfa) in western Sicily. We selected 15 paired sites representative of five LUCs. We studied the effect of land use on soil organic C (SOC) content in bulk soil and in different particle-size fractions (2000–1000 µm, 1000–500 µm, 500–250 µm, 250–63 µm, 63–25 µm, and <25 µm). Laboratory incubation of the soil samples was conducted to measure CO2 evolution in bulk…

Priorities and gaps in Mediterranean bat research evidence: a systematic review for the early twenty-first century

Bat conservation is one of the top global concerns for research today; however, conservation efforts may still be limited and impotent due to inadequacy and scarcity of data. Hence, identifying research trends, threatening factors, species status, and geographical priorities is an essential tool for future conservation, protection and prioritization. Here we conduct a comprehensive systematic review to identify current research priorities, trends, general patterns and gaps regarding Mediterranean bat researches. A total of 97 studies were found in the years spanning between 2000 and 2021. There were 18 studies with sufficient data for qualitative statistical analysis to investigate the impa…

Umanesimo della pietra. I terrazzamenti delle isole del Canale di Sicilia: Tra calcare e vulcanico.

Evaluation of benefits and limitations of a Desertification Adaptation Model framework for sustainable land management in areas under desertification risk

The LIFE project Desert-Adapt (LIFE16 CCA/IT/000011) has designed a Desertification Adaptation Model (DAM) framework of land management to respond to two of the most critical problems experienced by farmers, public land and communities of the Mediterranean Basin, given the need to adapt to current Climate Change and reduce or counteract the increasing phenomenon of land degradation and desertification risk. These two issues are interrelated, as land degradation often characterizes fragile areas where the co-occurrence of climatically unfavourable conditions, mostly prolonged aridity and high temperatures, and inappropriate land management, leads to loss of ecosystem quality, biodiversity, p…

È possibile tracciare un bilancio sull’eucalitticoltura in Sicilia e sulle sue prospettive?

La storia dell’eucalitticoltura in Sicilia è ormai una storia di mezzo secolo. La diffusione dell’eucalitticoltura in Sicilia e nelle regioni meridionali in genere ha corrisposto alla diffusione di un modello nuovo per queste realtà. Diversi errori sono stati compiuti soprattutto con riferimento alle scelte tecniche compiute a posteriori (scelta delle stazioni, assenza di cure colturali, utilizzazioni improprie). Un rinnovato interesse per questi popolamenti è derivato dalle opportunità offerte per l’utilizzazione energetica. Tuttavia anche questo approccio mostra i suoi limiti legati alla necessità di ricorrere a grossi volumi di legname e ad un utilizzo delle risorse legnose forestali sic…

Dal coltivo ai boschi vetusti in ambienti mediterranei: l’accumulo di carbonio e azoto in suolo e lettiera durante i primi 120 anni dall’abbandono.

Soil microbial biomass and bacterial diversity in southern European regions vulnerable to desertification

Abstract Soil functionality is strongly dependent on the soil microbiota, which in turn is affected by soil quality and climate. Among global change factors, desertification is the most threatening ecosystem change affecting southern Europe, but the effects on the soil microbiota are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated soil microbial biomass and bacterial diversity in regions of southern European countries (Spain, Portugal and Italy), most under desertification risk, and related to key soil chemical-physical indicators and land use. Soil microbial biomass was positively related, to soil organic carbon (SOC) but bacterial diversity was negatively correlated with it. pH was the mo…

Iconografia della Storia Naturale delle Madonie di Francesco Minà Palumbo. Mazzola P e Raimondo F.M. (A cura di). Enzo Sellerio Editore

I nomi dialettali degli anfibi e dei rettili in Sicilia.

Rimboschimenti e lotta alla desertificazione In Italia

Questa monografia propone una lettura critica sul ruolo attuale del rimboschimento nella prevenzione e mitigazione dei processi di desertificazione in Italia. Le potenzialità del rimboschimento sono inquadrate in una prospettiva multifunzionale e sinergica che comprende le ricadute ambientali di questa attività anche in termini di assorbimento del carbonio atmosferico e potenziamento della biodiversità, oltre che di conservazione del suolo e recupero e riqualificazione di paesaggi degradati. L’obiettivo è delineare una strategia di lotta alla desertificazione applicabile a livello regionale, nel quadro degli strumenti programmatici e di governo del territorio rurale e fornire orientamenti t…

AGGIORNAMENTO SULLA DISTRIBUZIONE DEL SUCCIACAPRE Caprimulgidae) IN SICILIA CAPRIMULGUS EUROPAEUS (Aves

Caprimulgus europaeus In recent years Update on the distribution of breeding Nightjar in Sicily. there have been numerous observations of Nightjar in areas where it had never previously been observed. In some cases the reason may be a deeper exploration, but in other cases the possible explanation is the expansion of the species. However, it is quite interesting the change in the habitat by this species. The present paper provides an update of its status based on data collected in the fifteen years following the publication of the last Sicilian Atlas of breeding birds.

The paradox of the alien plant Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata (Rose) S. Zárate in Sicily: another threat for the native flora or a valuable resource?

With this contribution, an updated picture of the rapid expansion of Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata in Sicily is provided. On the one hand, this is a quite worrying sign, as this woody species figures among the world’s worst invasive alien species. On the other hand, the species shows interesting potential for production purposes (for wood, biomass and for feeding livestock), also considering its nitrogen fixation ability. Consequently, the two opposite options to cope with this species, i.e. cultivation and control/eradication, should accurately take into account the possible uses as well as its invasive behaviou.

Beavan C., 2010 - Un anno a impatto zero. Cairo Editore

Monumental chestnut trees: source of genetic diversity, cultural and landscape value

The mtonumental trees are unique individuals tof venerable age and ctonsiderable size, which represent a heritage tof inestimable histtorical, cultural, landscape, and scientific value ftor the territtory. They alsto ctonstitute a stource tof genetic diversity which ctonfers them ltongevity and ability tto adapt tto climate and envirtonmental changes. In this ctontext, studies ton centennial trees can be useful ftor interpretatiton tof species histtory as migratiton events, selectiton and anthrtoptogenic actiton. The aim tof this research was tto evaluate the genetic variability tof ancient Castanea sativa trees and relate them tto actual natural/naturalized ptopulatitons and varieties in t…

Data from: Do island plant populations really have lower genetic variation than mainland populations? Effects of selection and distribution range on genetic diversity estimates

Ecological and evolutionary studies largely assume that island populations display low levels of neutral genetic variation. However, this notion has only been formally tested in a few cases involving plant taxa, and the confounding effect of selection on genetic diversity (GD) estimates based on putatively neutral markers has typically been overlooked. Here, we generated nuclear microsatellite and plastid DNA sequence data in Periploca laevigata, a plant taxon with an island-mainland distribution area, to (i) investigate whether selection affects GD estimates of populations across contrasting habitats and (ii) test the long-standing idea that island populations have lower GD than their main…

Soil carbon and soil physical properties under land use change in a protected area of Sicily

This work investigated the role of land cover and land use change as a soil’s ability to store carbon and reduce carbon dioxide emission in a Mediterranean area. Using both historic records and land cover crop maps we estimated the effect of land cover change on the carbon stock from 1972 to 2008 in a natural reserve (Grotta di S. Ninfa) in the West of Sicily. Five paired sites in different soil types were selected and five land use classes (arable land, vineyard, olivegrove, gariga, eucalyptus afforestation) were analyzed. We studied the effect of land use on soil organic carbon (SOC) content in bulk soil and 1000-2000 m, 500-1000 m, 250-500 m, 63-250 m, 25-63 m and <25 m size fractions. F…