Search results for "mediterranean"

Nouvelles données sur le genre Bragasellus (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellidae

1996

From now on, the genus Bragasellus Henry & Magniez, 1968 includes 2 oculated and 17 stygobiotic species. As a natural and monophyletic taxonomic unit, we consider it a good genus. Its original area corresponds to the north-west quarter of the Iberian Peninsula. Secondarily, this area has extended eastward, using mainly the alluvial channels of hydrographic systems (Ríos Douro + Ebro and tributaries), finally reaching the underground waters of several Mediterranean rivers. This active expansion is exclusively due to the migration of two stygobiotic sibling species: B. lagari Henry & Magniez, 1973 towards the high basin of the Río Tajo, then downstream to the basins of the Ríos Jucar and Turi…

HEALTHY LONGEVITY THANKS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

2009

Mediterranean Diet, Sustainability, and Tourism—A Study of the Market’s Demand and Knowledge

2023

Globalization intensified competitiveness among agribusinesses worldwide in recent years. The European Commission focused on enhancing sustainable agriculture and food products’ territorial uniqueness for competing in the international market. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a model of feeding and lifestyle belonging to the ancient Mediterranean culture, which also embodies a sustainable food system. Therefore, in 2010, UNESCO recognized the MD as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and Sicily (southern Italy) is its official physical site. Despite its worldwide fame, the notion of the MD runs the risk of being mystified because it is described most often as something that does not cor…

Vulnerability of algae and seagrasses to climate change

2013

Biodiversity is undergoing rapid and worrying changes, partially driven by anthropogenic activities. Human impacts and climate change (e.g. increasing temperature and ocean acidification) represent the most serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Aim of this study was to assess, analysing the scientific literature and published data, how climate change can affect algae and seagrasses, evaluating their vulnerability and the possibility to use these organisms as indicators. Algae and seagrasses have a central role for several important ecological processes in aquatic ecosystems, and their loss can lead repercussions for the ecological function. Climate stressors affected ac…

Forest accessibility, Madonie mountains (northern Sicily, Italy): implementing a GIS decision support system

2021

Valorisation and sustainable exploitation of woody biomass from cultivation interventions might be an important opportunity to track alternative development trails for rural communities in natural protected areas. The governance of Mediterranean protected areas is characterized by overlapping, sometimes conflicting institutions, stakeholders and regulations, causing negative impacts on decision-making processes. We present an open source GIS-based decision support system tool for mapping forest accessibility and optimizing woody biomass extraction. Two models were implemented to support forest managers during the decision-making process in designing and managing wood-energy supply chains. T…

Stazioni nuove di Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) e di Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae) in Sicilia

2017

New localities for Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) and Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae) in Sicily – Two new adventive plants, Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) and Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae), are reported in the Palermo’s urban area. These two taxa belonging to closely related families were both already known from the province of Messina (E. Sicily), the first one near the Messina town, the second near Taormina. The new localities expand toward west the Sicilian distribution of the two taxa, so that these appear to likely occur in other urban contexts of the island. Finally, as far as the accession road to the island is concerned, the- se two aliens – that have…

Vascular flora evolution in the major Mediterranean islands

2012

Characteristics of Mediterranean island floras are analyzed with stress on endemic units. On these bases the main relationships between the major Mediterranean areas and the inland territories with the strongest floristic affinities are analyzed. Finally the role of aliens in Mediterranean island floras and threats are discussed.

The role of Marine Protected Areas in influencing the invasion success of the alien crab Percnon gibbesi

2018

The biotic resistance hypothesis states that pristine communities, with high species richness and functional diversity, are less prone to biological invasions than species-poor areas either this is natural or it is a result of human activities. Complex communities with high levels of biodiversity, such as those hosted by Marine Protected Areas, should offer fewer niche opportunities (e.g. resources and space) to invasive species thereby reducing both their establishment possibilities and success (i.e. settlement and/or expansion). The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of marine protected communities to provide a buffer against the establishment of one of the most invasive species…

Diversity and Distribution of the Inland Water Decapods of Sicily (Crustacea, Malacostraca)

2022

The current knowledge of Sicilian inland water decapod malacostracans is scarce and an updated synopsis on species distribution is lacking. Therefore, we reviewed the checklist and recent distribution of Sicilian inland water decapods based on published and unpublished records and novel observations with the aim of providing an exhaustive repository, also to be used as a sound baseline for future surveys. Overall, five native decapod species occur in the study area, i.e., the atyid shrimp Atyaephyra desmarestii, the palaemonid shrimps Palaemon adspersus, P. antennarius, and P. elegans, and the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile, and their current local distributions are described. In additi…

Ca-rich carbonates associated with ultrabasic-ultramafic melts. Carbonatite or limestone xenoliths? A case study from the late Miocene Morron de Vill…

2016

The volcanic products of the late Miocene Morron de Villamayor volcano (Calatrava Volcanic Field, central Spain) are known for being one of the few outcrops of leucitites in the entire circum-Mediterranean area. These rocks are important because aragonite of mantle origin has been reported as inclusion in olivine macrocrysts. We use petrographic observations, mineral compositions, as well as oxygen and carbon isotope ratios coupled with experimental petrology to understand the origin of carbonate phase in these olivine-phyric rocks. Groundmass and macrocryst olivines range from δ18OVSMOW of +4.8‰, typical of mantle olivine values, to +7.4‰, indicating contamination by sedimentary carbonate.…