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showing 10 items of 10138 documents
Phenotypic variation across populations of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in different environments of the central Mediterranean
2020
Geometric morphometrics is an effective tool for quantifying intraspecific variations in fish body shape and differentiating populations and fisheries stocks. This study used geometric morphometrics to examine patterns of intraspecific morphological differentiation among four red mullet (Mullus barbatus) populations in the Strait of Sicily in the central Mediterranean Sea. We hypothesised that morphological differences among local populations were caused by the diverse hydrodynamic features characterising the sampled areas and maintained by geographical isolation. We also examined whether body shape homogeneity or variability within local populations was related to seabed rugosity as an in…
A ricardian analysis of the impact of climate change on permanent crops in a mediterranean region
2019
This is the first study which explores the impact of climate change in Sicily, a small Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. According to research, Mediterranean area has shown large climate shifts in the last century and it has been identified as one of the most prominent “Hot-Spots” in future climate change projections. Since agriculture is an economic activity which strongly depends on climate setting and is particularly responsive to climate changes, it is important to understand how such changes may affect agricultural profitability in the Mediterranean region. The aim of the present study is to assess the expected impact of climate change on permanent crops cultivated in Sicilian r…
Agronomic Evaluation and Chemical Characterization of Sicilian Salvia sclarea L. Accessions
2020
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.), known for its aromatic and medicinal properties, belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Although the species grows wild throughout Sicily, knowledge of its production and qualitative properties is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomic behavior of the species over two years of testing and to characterize the chemical properties of its wild counterparts in order to identify the most promising accessions for cropping or for use in breeding programs. Tests were carried out during 2008, 2009, and 2010. During the first year, the plot was established. Subsequently, the main parameters for bio-agronomic evaluation were taken in 2009 and 2010. Regard…
Jellyfish blooms perception in Mediterranean finfish aquaculture
2017
7 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, supplemental material https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.11.005
Genetic and morphometric variations of Mediterranean hake,Merluccius merluccius,in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean): Implications for sto…
2004
Allozyme, morphometric and growth analyses were applied to samples collected in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea) to test the hypothesis of the existence of a unique hake stock (Merluccius merluccius) in the study area. The level of genetic variation was detected from five polymorphic loci (ADH*, PGI-1; PGI-2*, PGM', SOD-1*). The average observed heterozygosity amounted to 0.421, while the average expected was 0.353. Weir & Cockerham statistics showed no heterogeneity, except for the single PGP locus (9 = 0.011; P 0.05). Morphometric analyses revealed some differentiation. Females showed different relationships in six out of eight morphometric indices with total length, while…
Grapes and vines of the Phoenicians: morphometric analyses of pips from modern varieties and Iron Age archaeological sites in the Western Mediterrane…
2021
The present study aims to contribute to the investigation of the role of Phoenicians in the spreading and trade of the grapevine through the morphometric analysis of grape pips. Waterlogged and charred samples were selected from three Iron Age sites in the Western Mediterranean: Motya (Sicily, Italy), Nuraghe S’Urachi (Sardinia, Italy) and Huelva (Andalusia, Spain). While only Motya is a Phoenician foundation, all three were nevertheless associated with Phoenician expansion and cultural interaction. Ten cultivars from the “Vivaio Federico Paulsen” in Marsala (western Sicily) were chosen as modern reference material. The key challenge was the comparison of archaeological pips preserved throu…
A revision of the rare genusCyclolampas(Echinoidea) using morphometrics with description of a new species from the upper Callovian of Burgundy (Franc…
2013
The discovery of a new species,Cyclolampas altusnew species in the upper Callovian of Burgundy (France) leads to the systematic revision of the rare echinoid genusCyclolampasPomel, 1883. Two morphometric approaches are used jointly to describe and quantify variations in test shape: the analysis of linear measurements and the Elliptic Fourier shape analysis. Both analyses yield congruent results that highlight the amplitude of within-species variations and quantify the part due to allometry. Along with the description ofC. altus, the systematic position of species formerly assigned to the generaPygorhytisPomel, 1883 andCyclolampasis amended. Previously attributed to the genusPygorhytis,Cyclo…
Mandible morphology, dental microwear, and diet of the extinct giant rats Canariomys (Rodentia: Murinae) of the Canary Islands (Spain)
2010
An ecomorphological approach of mandible shape through Fourier analyses combined with a paleodietary analysis of dental microwear patterns is used to reconstruct the diet of the extinct endemic Canariomys bravoi Crusafont, Pairo & Petter, 1964 and Canariomys tamarani Lopez-Martinez & Lopez-Jurado, 1987. These two large rodents, respectively, lived on Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the central islands of the Canarian Archipelago. Mandible shape and dental microwear respectively inform us on the volume of vegetal matter and on the presence of grass in the diet. Both Canariomys, which are of similar size, possess relatively similar mandible outlines and microwear patterns. For each species, a diet…
Bioluminescent-like squamation in the galeomorph shark Apristurus ampliceps (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii)
2018
Galeomorph sharks constitute the most taxonomically and ecologically diverse superorder of living selachians. Despite comprising several typically deep-water taxa, no bioluminescent species have been reported in this group so far. Interestingly, the study of shark squamation has been revealed in recent years to be a good proxy for inferring some ecological aspects of poorly known species. In particular, the high morphological specificity of the dermal denticles and the squamation patterns of all currently-known bioluminescent sharks could constitute a potential tool for predicting bioluminescence in both fossil and living taxa. Following this idea, we provide the first evidence supporting t…
How Long Is Too Long in Contemporary Peer Review? Perspectives from Authors Publishing in Conservation Biology Journals
2015
Delays in peer reviewed publication may have consequences for both assessment of scientific prowess in academics as well as communication of important information to the knowledge receptor community. We present an analysis on the perspectives of authors publishing in conservation biology journals regarding their opinions on the importance of speed in peer-review as well as how to improve review times. Authors were invited to take part in an online questionnaire, of which the data was subjected to both qualitative (open coding, categorizing) and quantitative analyses (generalized linear models). We received 637 responses to a total of 6,547 e-mail invitations sent. Peer-review speed was gene…