Search results for " Mediterranean basin"
showing 10 items of 30 documents
An updated overview of invasive Caulerpa taxa in Sicily and circum- Sicilian Islands, strategic zones within the NW Mediterranean Sea
2017
The spread dynamics of invasive Caulerpa taxa (i.e. Caulerpa cylindracea, C. taxifolia var. taxi- folia and C. taxifolia var. distichophylla) in Sicily and circum-Sicilian Islands, based on relevant publications, grey literature, unpublished data and in situ observations during the last 23 years, is presented here and discussed. Their known distribution is mapped. New records are also reported. Transport-stowaway is considered the most plausible vector of introduction of invasive Caulerpa in the area. The three invasive taxa showed different spread dynamics. Caulerpa cylindracea and C. taxifolia var. distichophylla, behaved as highly successful and fast-spreading taxa, i.e. as true invasive…
First record of a representative of the subfamily Paradiaptominae (Copepoda Calanoida Diaptomidae) in Italy: Metadiaptomus chevreuxi (Guerne & Richar…
2005
Metadiaptomus chevreuxi (Guerne & Richard 1894), a diaptomid calanoid copepod belonging to the subfamily Paradiaptominae, has been found in two neighbouring temporary pools in the Egadi Archipelago (Sicily, southern Italy). This finding constitutes the first record of a representative of this subfamily in Italy and the second known European record for this species. M. chevreuxi, commonly found in the arid areas of Maghreb, has already been reported to occur in Mallorca Island (Balearic Archipelago, Spain), while it seems to be rare in the eastern quadrants of the Mediterranean basin. The characteristics of the new Italian site are briefly described and drawings of morphological details …
Climate Change in the Mediterranean Basin (Part I): Induced Alterations on Climate Forcings and Hydrological Processes
2022
In the last years, the Mediterranean basin has been widely recognized as one of the most vulnerable areas in the world to climate change; because of its high concentration of urban and industrial settlements, it is one of the most impacted areas of the world in terms of water scarcity. The present paper aims at reviewing the main observed and predicted effects of climate change on hydrological processes directly related to water availability in the Mediterranean Basin, mainly focusing on the last ten years of research. While an in-depth discussion about possible future water scarcity problem in the Mediterranean area and the sources of uncertainty affecting future climate projections and im…
La strategia europea delle macroregioni. Opportunità e criticità
2018
Le politiche regionali europee hanno offerto nuovi spazi per promuovere l’azione ai livelli subnazionali di governo, nonché la possibilità di sperimentare nuove strategie per lo sviluppo territoriale. In questo lavoro prenderemo in considerazione la strategia macroregionale dell’Unione Europea al fine di identificare opportunità e aspetti critici delle esperienze già maturate (macroregioni del Mar Baltico, del Danubio, Adriatico-Ionica e Alpina), con particolare attenzione alla possibilità di istituire una macroregione del Mediterraneo occidentale. Alcune riflessioni e questioni critiche vengono proposte nella parte finale del contributo. European regional policies have offered new spaces t…
Criteria to Develop the Historical Centre of Malta, Open Air Museum
2009
The paper shows the results achieved during a research developed during the Community Program called INTERREG IIIA ITALIA-MALTA (2004-2006) - METIC – Mediterranean Trading and Innovation Centre. The research has been organized around the theme of a new kind of tourism were the tourists wont to become part of the daily life of the places they visit, and want their journey to be an occasion of knowledge of new place, new culture but, in particular, of the common life of the local people. Malta and its Historical centre have a tourist vocation, this aspect is very important to put in action new development strategies to recover a Mediterranean landscape destined to a slow decay. Malta is one o…
The vegetation for mitigating the microclimate and designing livable and healthy public spaces in Palermo City Centre
2018
Urban morphology and increasing building density play a key role in the overall heat and energy balance of our cities. The urban environment and CO2 emissions resulting from human activities cause a local increase of temperature, a phenomenon known as Urban Heat Island (UHI). This is also due to the reduction of vegetation in urban areas. The benefits that green spaces have in urban planning have been widely acknowledged. In particular, in temperate and hot contexts, plants help to reduce the extreme summer temperatures, improving people’s outdoor and indoor thermal comfort and, at the same time, reducing the buildings’ energy demand for cooling. The way plants affect urban climates is gene…
Lectotypification of the Linnaean name Dianthus virgineus (Caryophyllaceae) and its taxonomic consequences
2021
A lectotype is designated for the name Dianthus virgineus. The relationships between D. virgineus, D. caryophyllus var. caryophyllus, and D. caryophyllus var. inodorus are analyzed. Dianthus virgineus is the oldest available name that applies to a species complex that is often referred to as D. sylvestris or a broad circumscription of the cultivated ornamental D. caryophyllus. The taxonomic consequences are discussed, and the need for further studies is highlighted.
WATER MASSES EXCHANGE THROUGH THE STRAIT OF SICILY DURING THE LAST DEGLACIAL PERIOD AND THE HOLOCENE
2022
The main goal of this thesis is to explore the inter-basin connection between the eastern and the western Mediterranean (E- and W-Med, respectively) during the last deglacial and Holocene periods (last 15 kyr). The thesis is based on the study of a sediment core recovered at the west flank of Sicily channel (W-Sicily), strategically located under the current path of the surface Atlantic waters and directly below the present-day hydrographic boundary layer between the Eastern Mediterranean Sourced Water (EMSW) and the Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW). This key location allow to explore past changes in both surface and deep water exchange between the E and the W-Med. In this thesis, a …
Priorities and gaps in Mediterranean bat research evidence: a systematic review for the early twenty-first century
2022
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…
Red list of threatened vascular plants in Italy
2021
Italy has a rich natural heritage, which is dangerously under pressure. In recent years, there is an increased awareness of the crucial role of plants in ecosystem functioning and in providing ecosystem services. Consequently, an updated Red List of the Italian vascular flora was compiled in this work, at the request of the Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea Protection, with the scientific support of the Italian Botanical Society. The IUCN Red List criteria were applied to 2,430 Italian native vascular plant taxa to assess their current extinction risk and to highlight the major threats affecting the Italian flora. Our results revealed that 54 taxa (2.2% of the assessed taxa) are extinc…