0000000001315662
AUTHOR
Scalenghe Riccardo
The ecology of the cork-oark (Quercus suber L.) stands in NW Sicily
The uneven presence of the cork oak (Quercus suber L.) within its distribution range seems to be affected not only by its climatic requirements but also by rather specific edaphic needs. In fact, most of the known populations throughout the Mediterranean area thrive on acidic soils deriving from metamorphic or volcanic rock outcrops. However, some Italian populations of this species behave as if they were independent on the chemical and physical characteristics of the substrate, e.g. growing on calcareous soils, which are considered less suitable. This is the case of some populations in central Italy (Latium) and NW Sicily (Trapani Mts. and Palermo Mts.). A multidisciplinary investigation c…
Strawberry fields forever: that is, how many grams of plastics are used to grow a strawberry?
In the agricultural sector, plastic is one of the most important tools for improving the managerial and economic performance of companies. The horticultural production under protected cultivation, in particular, makes abundant use of plastic polymers. Polymers that mostly turn into waste. This study aims to identify the main characteristics and factors affecting the decision of farmers operating in the strawberry production sector to recycle the plastic material used on-farm and quantify the plastic used in relation to the different types of materials used. Data come from one of the Italian most specialized areas in the strawberry sector, Marsala. Main findings show that behind a typical 25…