Search results for "mediterranean"
showing 10 items of 3196 documents
Phytoplankton dynamics in permanent and temporary Mediterranean waters: is the game hard to play because of hydrological disturbance?
2012
Only few scientific investigations have been carried out, to our knowledge, on phytoplankton in Mediterranean temporary ponds. To test the hypothesis that climate forcing is the main factor affecting dynamics and structure of planktic algae in these peculiar ecosystems, and to assess the importance of human impacts on this basic component of the aquatic biota, phytoplankton structure and dynamics were analysed in two temporary, long lasting (9 months), ponds, and in a permanent one. The three studied water bodies can be classified as mesoeutrophic, which show extended macrophyte beds and are subjected to one or more human impacts, such as eutrophication, fish and plant introduction, and gar…
New data on Calomera panormitana panormitana (Ragusa, 1906) in Sicily (Coleoptera Cicindelidae)
2021
Calomera panormitana panormitana (Ragusa, 1906) (Coleoptera Cicindelidae) is an endemic species of Sicily, of remarkable biogeographic and ecological importance. It belongs to a small group of species of eastern Mediterranean distribution and it is peculiar for living on the low rocky coasts, near the sea. In this paper we provide new and summarized data on the presence of this species in Sicily. We examined its habitat, ecology and phenology in detail, and we provide useful elements for a better protection. In particular, the presence of this species also in some small islands, located at a short distance from the coast, highlights the presence of important refuge areas to be protected and…
Causes of cetacean stranding and death on the Catalonian coast (western Mediterranean Sea), 2012-2019
2020
The causes of cetacean stranding and death along the Catalan coast between 2012 and 2019 were systematically investigated. Necropsies and detailed pathological investigations were performed on 89 well-preserved stranded cetaceans, including 72 striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba, 9 Risso’s dolphins Grampus griseus, 5 bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, 1 common dolphin Delphinus delphis, 1 Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris and 1 fin whale Balaenoptera physalus. The cause of death was determined for 89.9% of the stranded cetaceans. Fisheries interaction was the most frequent cause of death in striped dolphins (27.8%) and bottlenose dolphins (60%). Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV)…
Host specificity ofOschmarinella rochebruniandBrachycladium atlanticum(Digenea: Brachycladiidae) in five cetacean species from western Mediterranean …
2010
AbstractWe investigated patterns of specificity of liver flukes (fam. Brachycladiidae) in a community of cetaceans from the western Mediterranean. The liver and pancreas of 103 striped dolphins,Stenella coeruleoalba, 18 Risso's dolphins,Grampus griseus, 14 bottlenose dolphins,Tursiops truncatus, 8 common dolphins,Delphinus delphis, and 5 long-finned pilot whales,Globicephala melas, were analysed for brachycladiid species. Two species were found:Oschmarinella rochebruniin striped dolphins (prevalence (P): 61.2%; mean intensity (MI) (95% CI): 34.2 (25.7–45.6)), andBrachycladium atlanticumin striped dolphins (P: 39.8%; MI: 7.1 (4.8–13.1)) and a single individual of common dolphin (P: 12.5%; in…
Prove di coltivazione di Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) in ambiente semi-arido
2008
Inside the family Asteraceae, Marigold is one of the most relevant species bearing some herbal interest. The evaluation of the bio-agronomical and yield response of the species to the field cropping conditions, especially when a low input cropping technique is applied, is the base for its full exploitation. With this objective, a long-term research activity has been started out by the DAAT (Department of Environmental and Land Agronomy) of the University of Palermo in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata – AG – Sicily), performing observations on Marigold plants managed with a minimum recourse to external technical inputs (nor pesticides neither chemical weeding, and a light (50 kg h…
The Hydraulic space of the Conca d'Oro of Palermo as a paradigm of the Mediterranean water sensitive city.
2016
The orchards TAL on Palermo periurban countryside follows the Arab conception of hydraulic space. The concept of Hydraulic space combines several technologies to achieve the best use of water resources by differentiating agricultural productions in time and space and by connecting different functions (hydraulic, climatic and aesthetic) in a homogeneous system. This conception of space extends to the whole Conca d’Oro across the countryside to the heart of the historical town to the intimate domestic space in the end. During the Norman age the Zisa source used to refresh and embellish the interior of the castle before water slides towards the gardens; on the surface of Fawara-Maredolce lake …
Functional consequences of prey acclimation to ocean acidification for the prey and its predator
2016
Ocean acidification is the suite of chemical changes to the carbonate system of seawater as a consequence of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Despite a growing body of evidences demonstrating the negative effects of ocean acidification on marine species, the consequences at the ecosystem level are still unclear. One factor limiting our ability to upscale from species to ecosystem is the poor mechanistic understanding of the functional consequences of the observed effects on organisms. This is particularly true in the context of species interactions. The aim of this work was to investigate the functional consequence of the exposure of a prey (the mussel Brachidontes pharaonis) t…
Confin(at)i Mediterranei e Afroamericani. Una performance geografica sulla disumanizzazione
2020
Studiare la questione mediterranea soltanto dentro le aule universitarie non ci permette di restituire una realtà sfaccettata che viene proposta all’opinione pubblica con un’unica parola d’ordine: invasione. La performance E l’Europa disumanizzò se stessa mi ha permesso di presentare la storia di schiavi e fuggitivi per un’audience più vasta. Incentrata sul libro di Toni Morrison, Beloved, rimbalza tra gli effetti delle storie dell’Atlantico Nero e quelli dell’odierno Mediterraneo. Il saggio si propone di tracciare alcune direzioni che possano aiutare a indagare le diverse linee di confine che segnano la rugosità della modernità del nostro globo. Per fare questo, si prova a rispondere a tre…
The mediterranean diet and menopausal health: An EMAS position statement
2020
Introduction: Globally, 985 million women are aged 50 and over, leading to increasing concerns about chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, dementia, and cognitive decline, which can adversely affect quality of life and independent living.Aim: To evaluate the evidence from observational studies and randomized trials on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on short- and long-term menopausal health: estrogen deficiency symptoms, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cognitive and mental health, breast cancer, and all-cause mortality.Materials and methods: Literature review and consensus of expert opinion.Summary recommendations: The Mediterranean diet is a non-restr…
Conservation genetics of an endemic from the Mediterranean Basin: high genetic differentiation but no genetic diversity loss from the last population…
2013
The Mediterranean Basin is a biodiversity hotspot, housing > 11.000 narrowly endemic plant species, many of which are declining due to mass tourism and agricultural intensification. To investigate the genetic resource impacts of ongoing habitat loss and degradation, we characterized the genetic variation in the last known populations of Leopoldia gussonei, a self-compatible endangered Sicilian Grape Hyacinth numbering less than 3,000 remaining individuals, using AFLP. Results demonstrated significant genome-wide genetic differentiation among all extant populations (I broken vertical bar(ST) = 0.05-0.56), and genetic clustering according to geographic location. Gene diversity was fairly c…