Search results for " Mediterranea"

Analisi della variazione del contenuto in polifenoli totali del succo dei frutti di tre varietà di limone (Citrus limon L. Burm) coltivate in Sicilia

2013

The size and shape of shells used by hermit crabs: A multivariate analysis of Clibanarius erythropus

2009

Shell attributes such as weight and shape affect the reproduction, growth, predator avoidance and behaviour of several hermit crab species. Although the importance of these attributes has been extensively investigated, it is still difficult to assess the relative role of size and shape. Multivariate techniques allow concise and efficient quantitative analysis of these multidimensional properties, and this paper aims to understand their role in determining patterns of hermit crab shell use. To this end, a multivariate approach based on a combination of size-unconstrained (shape) PCA and RDA ordination was used to model the biometrics of southern Mediterranean Clibanarius erythropus populatio…

Spatial analysis of lanner falcon habitat preferences: Implications for agro-ecosystems management at landscape scale and raptor conservation

2014

Abstract Sicily hosts the largest European population of the endangered lanner falcon, a poorly known species which needs conservation planning based on habitat preferences. A distribution model on 10 × 10 km cells of Sicily was described using Generalized Linear Models and variation partitioning methods. This modelling approach extracted explanatory factors, pure and joint effects of greatest influence from subsets of variables controlled for multi-collinearity and spatial autocorrelation. Analytical cartography used the environmental favourability function to assess habitat preferences, and the insecurity index estimated the degree to which lanner falcon occupancy is represented in the Na…

Taxonomy and evolution of the Convolvulus sabatius complex (Convolvulaceae)

2010

A revision of the Convolvulus sabatius complex is presented and five taxa are now recognised. Convolvulus valentinus is re-circumscribed to comprise only blue-flowered individuals. Yellow-flowered plants previously referred to this species are transferred to C. supinus where they are recognised as a distinct variety: C. supinus var. melliflorus, comb nov. Variation in intensity of flower colour, pubescence and leaf shape among blue-flowered C. valentinus is highly variable within populations and in contrast to earlier treatments, no infraspecific taxa based on these traits are recognised. Despite suggestions to the contrary, the delimitation of the cultivated ornamental C. sabatius and its …

Origination and extinction patterns of mammals in three central Western Mediterranean islands from the Late Miocene to Quaternary

2008

Abstract An overview of the population histories of three insular realms (Gargano palaeo-archipelago, Sardinia–Maritime Tuscany palaeo-bioprovince and the Sicilian insular complex) during the Late Miocene and Quaternary are here presented. The complexity of biodiversity changes in the islands is analysed to propose an interpretation of origination and extinction patterns. The study highlighted several important aspects of insular faunas. Evolutionary radiations were found to contribute significantly only to the Gargano faunal diversity, likely because the area was an archipelago at the time. Another interesting result is that large and small mammals do not disperse and become extinct all at…

Prevention of 7-Ketocholesterol-Induced Overproduction of Reactive Oxygen Species, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Cell Death with Major Nutrients (Pol…

2020

The brain, which is a cholesterol-rich organ, can be subject to oxidative stress in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, age-related diseases and some rare pathologies. This can lead to the formation of 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), a toxic derivative of cholesterol mainly produced by auto-oxidation. So, preventing the neuronal toxicity of 7KC is an important issue to avoid brain damage. As there are numerous data in favor of the prevention of neurodegeneration by the Mediterranean diet, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of a series of polyphenols (resveratrol, RSV

A Nomenclatural and Taxonomic Revision of the Senecio squalidus Group (Asteraceae)

2022

Senecio squalidus (Asteraceae) currently includes nine subspecies distributed in North and Central Europe and in the Mediterranean basin. Within this taxonomic aggregate, many species have been described, but research on their nomenclatural types is incomplete. A complete nomenclatural survey of 19 names belonging to this taxonomically critical group was carried out. Fourteen lectotypes are here designated. The nomenclatural analysis, complemented by field investigations in the type localities of the taxa described in the Central Mediterranean, allowed us to accept 10 species. Accordingly, we proposed here a new name and a new missing combination at a specific level: S. aknoulensis and S. c…

Assessment of the Sabellaria alveolata reefs’ structural features along the Southern coast of Sicily (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea)

2022

The honeycomb worm Sabellaria alveolata is a gregarious tube-dwelling polychaete that builds remarkable biogenic reefs in marine coastal waters. Sabellaria alveolata reefs are considered valuable marine habitats requiring protection measures for their conservation, as they play a key role in the functioning of coastal ecosystems. Sabellarid reefs are extensively developed along the Atlantic coasts of Europe and reported for the Mediterranean Sea and the Italian coasts, where large reefs have been recorded in several localities. Fragmentary information is available on their health status, Sabellaria reefs thus being listed as “Data Deficient” in the Red List of Marine Habitats. To fill this …

DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF TWO LABRID SPECIES IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN: IS WATER WARMING AFFECTING THEIR ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS?

2009

Climate warming should favor ‘warm water’ species over ‘cold water’ species at the same site. Regional warming in the Western Mediterranean has allowed the documented northward expansion of southern marine species. Conversely, very little is known on the response of cold loving species to temperature variations. We propose to work with two common coastal fishes: the rainbow wrasse Coris julis and the ornate wrasse Thalassoma pavo, with the general objective to exploring patterns of distribution and their potential to interact under warming conditions. Large scale quantitative observations revealed: (1) opposing trends in abundance along latitudinal (35o − 45oN) and depth gradients (0-36m), …

A review of methods to assess connectivity and dispersal between fish populations in the Mediterranean Sea

2013

Fish populations are linked to each other via dispersal of individuals as eggs, larvae, juveniles or adults. The understanding of this process, known as connectivity, has a pivotal role for the management of overexploited fish stocks and the development of accurate conservation strategies. Knowledge on connectivity and fish movements is considered fundamental toward the correct design of marine protected area (MPA) networks for the achievement of the benefits of protection. Connectivity patterns are still largely unknown worldwide. A general lack of knowledge is particularly evident for the Mediterranean Sea where few studies dealing with this topic have been carried out and some methods, c…