Search results for "mediterranean area"
showing 10 items of 148 documents
Biomonitoring of heavy metal distribution in the Western Mediterranean area of Spain
1992
Cyclic influences on the heavy metal chronology in a Central Mediterranean area (Palermo Gulf, Italy)
2010
PurposeThe evaluation of long-term heavy metal concentrations in the Gulf of Palermo (Italy) has been carried out in order to investigate how changes of pollution levels in the last 50 years can be reflected in marine sediments. Measurements of Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations were performed on dated fractions of a sediment core. Time series analysis has allowed to obtain information on the chronology of the heavy metal pollution of the area and to identify seasonal components and trends.Materials and methodsHeavy metal concentrations in the <63 μm fraction of core sections were obtained by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, after wet sieving, drying, and digestion procedures. Dating…
Ecological role and exploitation of Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean area
2018
The paleoendemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (Posidoniaceae) represents a key species of the most important and productive ecosystem in subtidal habitats of the Mediterranean Sea. This species is the most common seagrass in Sicily where it forms dense and extensive beds, which are characterized by high coverage and primary production values, along the Western coasts. According to phenological processes, the beaching of P. oceanica residues (banquette) represents a great environmental, economic, social and, hygienic problem, conflicting with a number of activities (tourism, bathing establishments, etc.). Even though seagrasses play a fundamental ecological role in limiting coasta…
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the mediterranean area: Epidemiology and perspectives
2020
In December 2019, a disease caused by a novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2. At the end of May 2020, SARS-CoV-2 confirmed cases and deaths due to novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were about 6.5 million and 380,000, worldwide. In this commentary the authors argue on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in different epidemiological settings within the Mediterranean area, discussing any possible association with higher or lower virus spread according to climatic factors, pollutants, characteristics of general population, and organi…
Two similar new species of Alvania Risso,1826(Caenogastropoda: Rissoidae)from the late Cenozoic of Italy
2010
First results on the phenotypic analysis of wild and cultivated species of Pyrus in Sicily
2013
Phenotypic analysis of Pyrus in Sicily using a set of 19 characters on 71 accessions belonging to 7 species is here reported. Results show a high level of morphological variation in this genus. Cluster analysis of the morphological characters allows to identify two groups: the first closely related to wild pears and the latter related to P. communis s. l. and P. sicanorum. It is likely to think that many Ethno-Varieties, usually attributed to P. communis, on the contrary are attributable to wild Sicilian pears and belong to indigenous germplasm.
CURRENT ROOTSTOCK USE AND ROOTSTOCK NEEDS FOR THE FUTURE: SOUTHERN ITALY, SICILY AND ARID MEDITERRANEAN AREAS
2013
Grapevine rootstocks have been an essential component of grape growing for over 150 years as rootstocks can impart desirable characteristics for grapevine growth. This review examined Italian and Sicilian literature on rootstocks, focusing on key issues including updates on needs for the future. Other related issues include the performance of major selection traits associated with salinity, drought, potassium uptake, vegetative growth, grape and wine quality and the propagation of grafted vines. Research on rootstocks started in Italy, and of course in other European Countries, once phylloxera was imported. In Italy, phylloxera was detected in Agrate (north Italy) in August 1879, but it may…
SOFIA: a decision support System for the Optimization of the biomass supply chain and Forest Integrated management in protected areas
2019
A decision support System for the Optimization of the biomass supply chain and Forest Integrated Management in protected areas (SOFIA) is presented. All functionalities have been developed in Python language embedded in the open-source QGIS 3.6 software. Two models were implemented with an approach and methodology based on free and open source software (QGIS, GRASS, SAGA, GDAL). The main aim of SOFIA is to support the Madonie Regional Natural Park authority and forest managers in decision-making processes to assess the costs and benefits in the energy production from residual agro-forestry biomass, as well as for determining the optimum plant size (and power) for energy and heat production …
Monitoring the invasion of an exotic tree (Ailanthus altissima) (Mill.) Swingle with Landsat satellite time series imagery in urban forest.
2015
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…