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Publications (257)
We explore changes in agricultural practices on Pantelleria, a small volcanic island off Sicily, and connections among humans, barley, grapevines, and animals using anthropological and sociolinguistic approaches. We analyse key features of the decline and recent revitalization of Pantescan agriculture focussing on the intercropping of barley cultiv...
Intercropping landscapes characterised by the presence of certain plant features are usually considered traditional landscapes, important for their biocultural heritage. In recent decades, olive agroforestry systems previously widespread throughout Sicily have transitioned to monocultures alongside the disappearance of other tree species. To analys...
Introduction
The Mediterranean is the European region with the lowest woody cover and the highest level of habitat degradation, being highly susceptible to climate change effects and desertification risk. In such worrying conditions, increasing woody cover and restoring forests is a major goal established in several international commitments. Howev...
It is unquestionable that some alien woody plant species are a major issue for biodiversity conservation. However, being alien species generally adapted to warmer conditions than natives, they could be particularly suited to cope with the new environmental and climatic conditions that are also forecasted in the coming decades in Sicily. This poses...
A large portion of the Mediterranean basin suffers from a lack of organic carbon in the soil and low woody cover percentages, resulting in a very high risk of desertification. In such conditions, knowing the effects on below and above ground carbon sequestration of pioneer woody species is of great importance, although barely assessed at the indivi...
Background
Today, old citrus fruit varieties with traits suited to a market more attentive to a limited territorial distribution of certain species and the preservation of biodiversity are being promoted. One of these is the Portugal orange. The name 'Portugal' disappeared from the writings on citrus fruit growing in the first half of the last cent...
Insular bat communities are a preeminent conservation taxon due to their ecological role and intriguing and unique species composition. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. However, research on Sicilian bats is still scattered, with substantial information being overlooked. Here we present a systematic review of all available bibliogr...
Sambucus nigra, the elderberry, has long been used for its medicinal properties in treating numerous diseases. Based on this traditional knowledge, its different pharmacological activities have been the focus of active research. All parts of the tree have long been used in traditional medicine, that is, the bark, the leaves, the flowers and the fru...
Pantelleria is a volcanic island located in the Sicily Channel (Italy), between Sicily and Tunisia. The island, designated a National Park in 2016, hosts an interesting vascular flora of over 600 species including 9 narrow endemics. The island's incredible biodiversity is, however, at risk due to anthropogenic influences, climate change, and, recen...
Groves with ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.) could be considered remnants of old agroforestry systems. Anything but static, these agro-ecosystems have undergone drastic transformational processes in Mediterranean countries, where abandonment or intensification have been observed far more than continuity, expansion or renaissance, leading to e...
Soil functionality is strongly dependent on the soil microbiota, which in turn is affected by soil quality and
climate. Among global change factors, desertification is the most threatening ecosystem change affecting
southern Europe, but the effects on the soil microbiota are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated soil
microbial biomass and...
The authors provide an updated overview of the past and present regional distribution of the two-tailed Pasha Charaxes jasius jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae) and its host plant, the strawberry tree Arbutus unedo L. Most of the occurrence data reported in the entomological literature was confirmed, and several new populations have...
Soil functionality is strongly dependent on the soil microbiota, which in turn is affected by soil quality and climate. Among global change factors, desertification is the most threatening ecosystem change affecting southern Europe, but the effects on the soil microbiota are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated soil microbial biomass and...
Introduction
Forests have provided human societies with essential ecosystem services and great economic values for centuries. Particularly, forests play a key role in mitigating greenhouse gases and fighting climate change. However, several environmental stressors threaten the integrity and ecological functionalities of forests. In recent decades,...
Many forest tree species have been moved outside their native range to provide goods and services elsewhere, but some of them have become invasive, causing negative impacts on biodiversity and human activities. The assessment and knowledge on the degree and scale to which forest ecosystems are invaded by non-native trees is of paramount importance...
Although Prunus dulcis has been frequently listed in non-native floras all around the world, its naturalization has been rarely studied in the field. Probably, because this species has generally invaded synanthropic habitats. We assessed the density of natural regeneration of almond, biometric parameters (height and basal stem diameter), and the di...
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 attempts. Here we conduct a c...
Mediterranean Crossbills are as much differentiated as L. scotica and L. pytyopsittacus. They are sedentary, linked to pine trees and have evolved a thicker bill to extract the seeds from Pine cones. Their decolorization could be due to dietary causes. The authors studied biometrics, breeding phenology, and primary food of Italian populations livin...
Leucaena leucocephala is worldwide used for wood production, reforestation and for feeding livestock. To assess the potential use of leucaena for animal nutrition, we analysed the composition
of methanolic extracts of leaf samples of two varieties occurring in Sicily (Mediterranean area), also determining the presence of mimosine.
Soil functionality is strongly dependent on the soil microbiota, which in turn is affected by soil quality and climate. Among global change factors, desertification is the most threatening ecosystem change affecting southern Europe, but the effects on the soil microbiota are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated soil microbial biomass and...
RIASSUNTO Questo lavoro fornisce un resoconto preliminare degli ambienti umidi (aree lacustri, stagni per-manenti e temporanei, pantani salmastri o d'acqua dolce, spesso indicati coi nomi vernacolari "gorgo", "biviere", ecc.) presenti in Sicilia fino a pochi secoli o decenni fa. I dati di questa ricerca-desunti sia da resoconti sulle bonifiche a sc...
AGGIORNAMENTO SULLA DISTRIBUZIONE DEL SUCCIACAPRE CAPRIMULGUS EUROPAEUS (Aves Caprimulgidae) IN SICILIA RIASSUNTO In questi ultimi anni sono state compiute numerose osservazioni di Succiacapre in aree dove in precedenza non era mai stato osservato. In qualche caso può trattarsi di una maggiore esplorazione ma in altri casi certamente ha avuto luogo...
ESPANSIONE DELLA RONDINE MONTANA PTYONOPROGNE RUPESTRIS (SCOPOLI) IN SICILIA (Aves Hirundinidae) RIASSUNTO I dati raccolti durante gli ultimi quindici anni sulla distribuzione della Rondine montana in Sicilia e il loro confronto con quelli riportati in letteratura mostrano una chiara espansione territoriale. Nelle aree di recente colonizzazione la...
Betula aetnensis is an endemic tree of high conservation value, which thrives on the nutrient-poor volcanic soils of Mount Etna. Since plant–microbe interactions could play a crucial role in plant growth, resource uptake, and resistance to abiotic stresses, we aimed to characterize the root and rhizosphere microbial communities. Individuals from na...
Most earth surfaces have undergone intensive land-use changes, creating habitat mosaics. Seed dispersal by animals is a crucial process in such mosaics, but community-wide studies comparing the functional complementarity and response to man-imposed habitat heterogeneity are rare. Here, we investigate the trophic and spatial seed dispersal networks...
Pruning is an important horticultural practice for the management of olive orchards ( Olea europaea L.) that generates a considerable amount of residues every year. Olive orchards are increasingly expanding beyond the Mediterranean Basin to new growing Countries (Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and this will certainly lead to l...
Background
The Aegadian Islands are located west of Trapani, Sicily. Once the site of bountiful tuna fisheries and fruit orchards (plums, peaches, apricots), grapevines, prickly pears, and grains, the local economy is now based on tourism, and many traditional agricultural and maritime practices have been abandoned. In this study, we aimed to evalu...
Precision forestry is becoming a key sector for forest planning because it allows complex analyses of forest data to be carried out simply and economically. It contributes to the integration between technicians and operators in the sector by guaranteeing the transparency of the forest management operations (Corona et al., 2017). In the context of t...
The use of natural fibers in cement composites is a widening research field as their application can enhance the mechanical and thermal behavior of cement mortars and limit their carbon footprint. In this paper, two different wild grasses, i.e., Ampelodesmos Mauritanicus, also called diss, and Pennisetum Setaceum, also known as crimson fountaingras...
Soil quality is fundamental for ecosystem long term functionality, productivity and resilience to current climatic changes. Despite its importance, soil is lost and degraded at dramatic rates worldwide. In Europe, the Mediterranean areas are a hotspot for soil erosion and land degradation due to a combination of climatic conditions, soils, geomorph...
With this contribution, an updated picture of the rapid expansion of Leucaena leu-cocephala subsp. glabrata in Sicily is provided. On the one hand, this is a quite worrying sign, as this woody species figures among the world's worst invasive alien species. On the other hand, the species shows interesting potential for production purposes (for wood,...
Large old trees are extraordinary organisms. They not only represent a historical, landscape and environmental heritage of inestimable value, but they also witness a long history of environmental changes and human interventions, and constitute an as yet poorly known reserve of genetic variability which can be considered a great resource for managem...
The uneven presence of the cork oak (Quercus suber L.) within its distribution range is not only determined by its climatic requirements but also by specific edaphic needs. Although most of the natural populations thrive in acidic soils deriving from metamorphic or volcanic rock outcrops, some cork oak populations are found growing in soils derivin...
Although the expression "fast-growing species" (FGS) referred to tree species has been since long time used, a clear definition has not been adopted for decades. Starting from the Italian historical background, we searched for the definitions of FGS formulated over time at a national and international level. The mean annual increment (MAI) of 10 m...
Fast growing tree species can generate high wood production in a short time frame. However, maximum productivity is dependent on environmental and management conditions as well as intrinsic plant traits. Within this framework, our research was into tree species with the highest Mean Annual Increments (MAIs) in southern Italy, particularly in Sicily...
Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.), which is native to Central Asia, has been widely cultivated throughout Europe over millennia as a multipurpose tree. However, only recently the naturalization process outside cultivation has been studied, mostly in temperate Europe, with no information regarding the Mediterranean region. Here we provide the first...
The present study provides a critical review of the available historical data on the distribution of Abies nebrodensis, a fir tree endemic to Sicily. The only (somewhat ambiguous) references to its occurrence on Mount Etna date back to the 1st century bc and refer back to the 3rd century bc. Although the botanical and forestry literature and the ve...
Currently, the genus Mauritanica O. Boettger, 1879 (Gastropoda Stylommatophora Clausiliidae) is widespread in north-eastern Algeria and central-northern Tunisia with six taxa. The taxonomic position of this genus has often been interpreted differently and the relationship with other similar genera, in particular with Siciliaria Vest, 1867, still re...
Soil is a key component of ecosystems as it provides fundamental ecosystem functions and services, first of all supporting primary productivity, by physical, chemical and biological interaction with plants. However, soil loss and degradation are at present two of the most critical environmental issues. This phenomenon is particularly critical in Me...
Vegetation natural regeneration after agricultural abandonment is changing the landscape patterns in many areas worldwide. However, the expansion rate, spatio-temporal dynamics, and the role of past vegetation cover in shaping such patterns are still barely quantified in fine and meso scales. Here, we aim to quantify the expansion rate and assess t...
The wildcat (Felis silvestris), the pine marten (Martes martes) and the weasel (Mustela nivalis) are key
members of the mammalian community in Sicily, actually performing the role of top predators and consequently
influencing the trophic chain both in natural and agricultural areas. However, despite their protected status, very
little information i...
The 12th national congress of the Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF) has been held in Palermo from Novembre 12th to 14th, 2019; hereafter a short picture of congress subjects, participation and comments are reported.
Book Poster Abstract-Book Poster (A CURA DI: Maetzke FG, Sferlazza S, Badalamenti E, Fretto S, da Silveira Buento R, La Mantia T, La Mela Veca DS, Bucci G)
The study conducted seeks to understand the interactions and the role of spiders in agroecosystem through a checklist of Arachnidae species present in the area.
Fondo Micciulla is one of the few rooms belonging to the original Conca d'Oro of Palermo.
Dopo le opere di "bonifica" operate nei secoli scorsi che hanno interessato le zone umide siciliane, nella metà del secolo scorso sono stati realizzati numerosi invasi artificiali, nonché piccoli laghetti per uso irriguo. I censimenti compiuti con regolarità in queste zone umide definite "artificiali" del Trapanese e del Palermitano hanno consentit...
In Sicilia in due aree studio caratterizzate da sistemi agricoli estensivi sono stati condotti dei censimenti per valutare lo status della popolazione di Gheppio Falco tinnunculus e Barbagianni Tyto alba confrontandola con la situazione rilevata oltre venti anni prima. I rilievi mostrano un crollo della popolazione dei nidificanti, pur in presenza...
The agricultural areas, especialy the orchards, of more ancient cultivation, are characterized by having plant and animal communities of great interest. Plant and vertebrate communities are well studied in theese agroecosystems, but the same cannot be said for invertebrates. Among these are generally known taxonomic groups of agricultural interest,...
The occurrence of old-growth forests is quite limited in Mediterranean islands, which have been subject to particularly pronounced human impacts. Little is known about the carbon stocks of such peculiar ecosystems compared with different stages of secondary succession. We investigated the carbon variation in aboveground woody biomass, in litter and...
Natural regeneration of vegetation is a frequent outcome of land abandonment, although the rate and diversity of such regeneration may be severely restricted by seed dispersal limitation, amongst other factors. In spite of this, studies aiming to quantify seed rain and test methods to enhance it, such as artificial perches, are still underrepresent...
Questo documento si inserisce nel contesto delle attività previste
dalla Scheda Foreste n. 22.2 del programma Rete Rurale Nazionale
2014-2020, volte a supportare e favorire la politica di sviluppo
rurale attraverso:
• supporto alla partecipazione del partenariato, delle organizzazioni
e delle amministrazioni all’attuazione della politica di
svilupp...
Badalamenti, E. & La Mantia, T.: Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae) in Sicily: a new casual alien to Italy and Europe.-Fl. Medit. 28: 331-338. 2018.-ISSN: 1120-4052 printed, 2240-4538 online. Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae) is an ornamental tree native to different regions of South America (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay)....
New biologic and geonemic data on Lehmannia melitensis
(Lessona & Pollonera, 1882) and Ambigolimax valentianus
(A. Férussac, 1823) (Gastropoda: Limacidae) from Sardinia,
Sicily and Gozo (Maltese islands). New records from Sicily
are provided for Lehmannia melitensis (Lessona & Pollonera,
1882). Ambigolimax valentianus (A. Férussac, 1823)
is recorde...
Effect of hedgerows-windbreaks on birds population and benefit for agriculture
The genus Eucalyptus has been widely introduced into many regions of the world outside its native range and has become invasive in some Mediterranean biomes (e.g. in southern Africa and California). In the Mediterranean Basin and Europe, eucalypts were introduced at the end of the 18th century. However, natural regeneration events in these regions...
Protaetia (Potosia) opaca (Fabricius 1787) (Coleoptera Scarabaeoidea Cetoniidae) is here being reported for the first time from the island of Pantelleria (Sicilian Channel, Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy). Taxonomic, distribution and biological data on this species are presented. RIASSUNTO Nuovi dati su Protaetia (Potosia) opaca (Coleoptera Ceton...
In order to invade new ecosystems, invasive alien plants need to cope with different microbial communities. Whilst the ability to avoid antagonists is well recognized, the opportunity to establish mutualistic associations is less known, even in widespread invasive species such as Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. We sought to evaluate whether th...
Mediterranean plantations are the most suitable areas to assess vegetation dynamics and competitive interactions between native and exotic woody species. Our research was carried out in a coastal pine plantation (Sicily) where renaturalization by native species (Pistacia lentiscus L. and Olea europaea var. sylvestris) and invasion by Acacia saligna...
Fire is one of the major disturbance factors in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, where since long time man has deeply modified the natural fire regime. To know how woody species recover after fire is of prominent importance for understanding vegetation dynamics, as well as for the management of Mediterranean plantations, especially where broadleaved...
Old growth forests are increasingly considered and studied all around the world. However, the knowledge of such important forest systems is still limited in some bioclimatic regions, such as in the Mediterranean Basin. Starting from the knowledge acquired elsewhere, our research was carried out with the aim to select the most effective criteria to...
The main hypothesis of this work was that Sicilian forestry resources aresuitable for the production of equipment to be used in cheese making and indige-nous milk lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are able to develop stable biofilms providingstarter and nonstarter cultures necessary for curd fermentation and cheese ripening,respectively. Hence, the presen...