AIM: To investigate the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection among the healthy asymptomatic population in Iran and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Forest fires are frequent under a Mediterranean climate and have shaped the landscape of the region but are currently altered by human action and climate change.Fires have historically conditioned the presence of pine...Forest fires are frequent under a Mediterranean climate and have shaped the landscape of the region but are currently altered by human action and climate change.Fires have historically conditioned the presence of pine forests,depending on severity and forest regeneration.Regeneration of Mediterranean pine forests is not always successful,and a transition to shrublands or stands of resprouting species can occur,even after reforestation.This study analyses vegetation changes in two Mediterranean pine forests after severe fires and both reforested.The pines had difficulty to regenerate,even despite post-fire reforestation.The problem is the difficulty of young seedlings to survive,possibly due to increased summer drought.Problems are greater in pine species at the limit of their ecological tolerance:Pinus pinea had a much better recovery success while P.sylvestris and P.nigra virtually disappeared.Pinus pinaster had intermediate results but recovery was generally poor.A transition has taken place in many burnt areas to scrubland or to thickets of the resprouting Quercus rotundifolia,although it is not possible to know whether they will evolve into forests or remain in a sub climatic state.Resprouting species may increase fire severity but facilitates post-fire colonisation.Post-fire recovery difficulties are closely linked to issues of natural regeneration.Fire could initiate the disappearance of pine forests,but even in the absence of fire they may disappear in the long-term due to the lack of regeneration.Action is needed to increase the resilience of these forests,ensuring natural regeneration,and incorporating resprouting species in the understorey.展开更多
Intensive agricultural and industrial activities are often considered major sources of water contamina-tion.Currently,riparian vegetation(RV)is increasingly being promoted as a solution to balance the potentially adve...Intensive agricultural and industrial activities are often considered major sources of water contamina-tion.Currently,riparian vegetation(RV)is increasingly being promoted as a solution to balance the potentially adverse effects that agriculture may have on water quality.Nonetheless,existing RV is often overlook in recent modelling efforts,failing to capture the current amount of ecosystem services provide.Here,we used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool ecohydrological model to simulate the influence of ground-true RV on i)nutrient(nitrate and total phosphorus)and sediment exports from agricultural areas and ii)its effect for in-stream concentrations.These results are further compared against a set of hypothetical scenarios of different RV widths and different land-uses.Our results point to a great rele-vance of existing RV in controlling in-stream concentration of sediments and nutrients where pressure from agriculture is highest,preventing them to surpass limits set in the EU Water Framework Directive.On the other hand,in areas with industry discharges,the role of RV is limited and model results suggest that restoring RV would have limited impacts.We illustrate how existing RV may already provide strong but not acknowledged water quality regulation services,how these services can differ substantially between nearby streams,and that effective strategies to improve water quality using RV must acknowledge existing patterns of vegetation,land use and contamination sources.展开更多
Use of district heating and cooling systems has many environmental advantages compared to individual heating and cooling. Recent advances in solar energy technologies for heat and power generation have reduced their c...Use of district heating and cooling systems has many environmental advantages compared to individual heating and cooling. Recent advances in solar energy technologies for heat and power generation have reduced their cost and promoted their use instead of fossil fuels. Solar-PV energy for electricity generation and solar thermal energy for hot water production are broadly used today. Solar energy resources in the Mediterranean region are abundant while space cooling in buildings is required when solar irradiance is high. The possibility of using solar energy for fuelling water chillers providing cold water in district cooling systems in the Mediterranean basin has been investigated. Existing literature and studies concerning the use of district cooling systems globally as well as the energy sources used in them have been examined. Solar-PV energy combined with compression chillers and solar thermal energy combined with thermally driven chillers can be used for cold water production. Their overall efficiencies, converting solar energy to cold water, vary between 22% and 56% compared with 45% for compression chillers using grid electricity. It is concluded that various solar energy technologies could be used with different types of water chillers for fuelling district cooling networks in the future in the Mediterranean region.展开更多
The present study analyzes the structure and dynamics of the forest landscape in a peri-urban area （Rome, Italy） during the city＇s expansion from 1949 to 2008 using landscape metrics and change detection anal- ysis...The present study analyzes the structure and dynamics of the forest landscape in a peri-urban area （Rome, Italy） during the city＇s expansion from 1949 to 2008 using landscape metrics and change detection anal- ysis of digital maps of the area （1500 km2）. While urban settlements increased continuously from 6.5 to 27.5 % of the study area, woodlands changed less clearly, with a moderate increase （from 11.2 to 11.9 % of the total area） and a higher fragmentation as a consequence of Rome＇s expansion. The structure of forest landscape changed along the urban-to-rural gradient with patch size increasing with the distance to the inner city in 1949 and substantial landscape homogeneity in 2008. The indicators proposed in this study inform dedicated measures for conserving forest and maintaining landscape diversity. Measures adopted in Rome＇s forestation plan to counteract woodlandfragmentation were analyzed and discussed. Based on the complex landscape dynamics found for Rome, an inte- grated multiscale planning approach targeting forest con- servation is considered a key contribution to urban sustainability.展开更多
The decomposition of plant litter is a major process of equivalent status to primary production in ecosystem functioning.The spatiotemporal changes in the composition and dynamics of litter fungal community along a cl...The decomposition of plant litter is a major process of equivalent status to primary production in ecosystem functioning.The spatiotemporal changes in the composition and dynamics of litter fungal community along a climate gradient ranging from arid desert to humid-Mediterranean regions in Israel was examined using wheat straw litter bags placed at four selected sites along the climate gradient,arid,semi-arid,Mediterranean,and humid-Mediterranean sites.Litter samples were collected over a two-year decomposition period to evaluate litter weight loss,moisture,C:N ratio,fungal composition,and isolate density.The litter decomposition rate was found to be the highest during the first year of the study at the Mediterranean and arid sites.Although the Shannon-Wiener index values of the fungal communities in the litter samples were the highest at the humid-Mediterranean site,the number of fungal species was not significantly different between the four study sites.Different fungal groups were found to be related to different study sites:Basidiomycota,Mucoromycotina,and teleomorphic Ascomycota were associated with the humid-Mediterranean site,while Coelomycetes were mostly affected by the arid site.Our results indicate that climate factors play an important role in determining the structure of saprotrophic fungal communities in the decomposing litter and in mediating plant litter decomposition processes.展开更多
Background: Tree species represent 20% of the vascular plant species worldwide and they play a crucial role in the global functioning of the biosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 world biodiversity hotsp...Background: Tree species represent 20% of the vascular plant species worldwide and they play a crucial role in the global functioning of the biosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 world biodiversity hotspots, and it is estimated that forests covered 82% of the landscape before the first human impacts, thousands of years ago. However, the spatial distribution of the Mediterranean biodiversity is still imperfectly known, and a focus on tree species constitutes a key issue for understanding forest functioning and develop conservation strategies. Methods: We provide the first comprehensive checklist of all native tree taxa (species and subspecies) present in the Mediterranean-European region (from Portugal to Cyprus). We identified some cases of woody species difficult to categorize as trees that we further called "cryptic trees". We collected the occurrences of tree taxa by"administrative regions", i.e. country or large island, and by biogeographical provinces. We studied the species-area relationship, and evaluated the conservation issues for threatened taxa following IUCN criteria. Results: We identified 245 tree taxa that included 210 species and 35 subspecies, belonging to 33 families and 64 genera. It included 46 endemic tree taxa (30 species and 16 subspecies), mainly distributed within a single biogeographical unit. The countries with the highest tree richness are Greece (146 taxa), Italy (133), Albania (122), Spain (155), Macedonia (116), and Croatia (110). The species-area relationship clearly discriminated the richest central-eastern (Balkans) and northern (Alpine and Cevenno-Pyrenean) biogeographical provinces, against the five western provinces in the Iberian Peninsula. We identified 44 unrecognized "cryptic trees", representing 21% of the total trees. Among the 245 taxa identified, 19 are considered to be threatened (15 CR+EN+VU) or near threatened (4 NT) by IUCN. Conclusions: The Mediterranean-European region includes an unsuspectedly high number of tree taxa, almost 200 tree taxa more tha展开更多
In this study, loss estimation models were developed for reasonably accurate assessment of economic and human losses from seismic events in the Mediterranean region, based on damage assessment at an urban scale.Data w...In this study, loss estimation models were developed for reasonably accurate assessment of economic and human losses from seismic events in the Mediterranean region, based on damage assessment at an urban scale.Data were compiled from existing worldwide databases,and completed with earthquake information from regional studies. Economic data were converted to a single common currency unit(2015 USD value) and the wealth of the areas affected by 65 earthquakes of the region from 1900 to 2015 was assessed. Reduced-form models were used to determine economic and human losses, with earthquake magnitude and intensity as hazard-related variables, and gross domestic product of the affected area and the affected population as exposure-related variables. Damage to buildings was also used as a hazard-related variable to predict economic and human losses. Finally, site-specific regression models were proposed for economic and human losses due to earthquakes in the Mediterranean region, and more specifically, in Algeria. We show that by introducing the damage variable into the models, prediction error can be reduced, and that accuracy of loss model estimation is site dependent and requires regional data on earthquake losses to improve. A case study for Constantine, Algeria shows the improvements needed for increased accuracy.展开更多
Background:The recent rise in temperature and shifting precipitation regimes threaten ecosystems around the globe to different degrees.Treelines are expected to respond to climate warming by shifting to higher elevati...Background:The recent rise in temperature and shifting precipitation regimes threaten ecosystems around the globe to different degrees.Treelines are expected to respond to climate warming by shifting to higher elevations,but it is unclear whether they can track temperature changes.Here,we integrated high-resolution aerial imagery with local climatic and topographic characteristics to study the treeline dynamic from 1945 to 2015 on the semiarid Mediterranean island of Crete,Greece.Results:During the study period,the mean annual temperature at the treeline increased by 0.81℃,while the average precipitation decreased by 170 mm.The treeline is characterized by a diffuse form,with trees growing on steep limestone slopes(>50°)and shallow soils.Moreover,the treeline elevation decreases with increasing distance from the coast and with aspect(south>north).Yet,we found no shift in the treeline over the past 70 years,despite an increase in temperature in all four study sites.However,the treeline elevation correlated strongly with topographic exposure to wind(R^(2)=0.74,p<0.001).Therefore,the temporal lag in treeline response to warming could be explained by a combination of topographic and microclimatic factors,such as the absence of a shelter effect and a decrease in moisture.Conclusion:Although there was no treeline shift over the last 70 years,climate change has already started shifting the treeline altitudinal optimum.Consequently,the lack of climate-mediated migration at the treeline should raise concerns about the threats posed by warming,such as drought damages,and wildfire,especially in the Mediterranean region.Therefore,conservation management should discuss options and needs to support adaptive management.展开更多
BACKGROUND The presence of hepatitis C virus(HCV)RNA in liver tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells with no identified virus genome in the serum has been reported worldwide among patients with either normal or ...BACKGROUND The presence of hepatitis C virus(HCV)RNA in liver tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells with no identified virus genome in the serum has been reported worldwide among patients with either normal or elevated serum liver enzymes.The characterization of occult HCV infection(OCI)epidemiology in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean(M and E)countries,a region with the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HCV infection in the world,would be effective for more appropriate control of the infection.AIM To estimate the pooled prevalence of OCI in M and E countries using a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using international,regional and local electronic databases.Some conference proceedings and references from bibliographies were also reviewed manually.The search was carried out during May and June 2020.Original observational surveys were considered if they assessed the prevalence of OCI among the population of M and E countries by examination of HCV nucleic acid in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in at least 30 cases selected by random or non-random sampling methods.The meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software based on heterogeneity assessed by Cochran’s Q test and I-square statistics.Data were considered statistically significant at a P value<0.05.RESULTS A total of 116 non-duplicated citations were found in electronic sources and grey literature.A total of 51 non-overlapping original surveys were appraised,of which 37 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.Data were available from 5 of 26 countries including Egypt,Iran,Pakistan,Saudi Arabia,and Turkey.The overall prevalence rate of OCI was estimated at 10.04%(95%CI:7.66%-13.05%).The lowest OCI rate was observed among healthy subjects(4.79%,95%CI:2.86%-7.93%).The higher rates were estimated for patients suffering from chronic liver diseases(12.04%,95%CI:5.87%-23.10%),and multi-transfused patients(8.71%,95%CI:6.05%-12.39%).Subgroup a展开更多
The Mediterranean region is characterized by hot and humid summers and,humid and cool winters.Small ruminants(sheep and goats)play a significant economic,social and environmental role providing income and ensuring foo...The Mediterranean region is characterized by hot and humid summers and,humid and cool winters.Small ruminants(sheep and goats)play a significant economic,social and environmental role providing income and ensuring food for local population.Despite their critical importance,small ruminant’s production is threatened by several factor notably climatic,nutritional,healthy and breeding systems.To ensure a sustainability of goat and sheep production,these last decades,several studies have been achieved in order to improve livestock feeding and breeding systems and animal health protection.However,sheep and goat sectors show an important delay.In order to increase the profitability and ensure sustainability of small ruminant production,innovative political,specific managerial strategies and practices have to develop.展开更多
Soil erosion is one of the main environmental problems in the Mediterranean area.This problem is becoming even more important especially in Italy,in the Apennines,where severe erosive processes occur due to the action...Soil erosion is one of the main environmental problems in the Mediterranean area.This problem is becoming even more important especially in Italy,in the Apennines,where severe erosive processes occur due to the action of concentrated running water.The erodibility(K-Factor)of a soil,estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE),is a measure of its susceptibility to erosion and depends on several soil properties such as organic matter,texture and permeability and structure.To assess the spatial variability of soil properties and soil erodibility in hilly agricultural areas and to investigate the relationships between soil features and landscape morphodynamics,a detailed study in Molise region(southern Italy),in a small drainange basin located along its hilly Adriatic flank,was carried out.In this catchment,63 topsoil samples(A horizons)were collected and 10 soil profiles,forming a catena crossing 3 land units,were sampled.The calculated K-Factors ranges between 0.012 and 0.048 t ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1 indicating a complex spatial distribution,due to the several local pedological and geomorphological factors affecting soil erodibility.The results give clear evidence about the relationships among soil characteristics,soil erodibility and landscape morpho-dynamics(land units).Comparing the soil loss rates estimated for the study area with those reported in literature,a good correspondence can be observed only for the more stable land unit,not characterized by intense erosive processes.The proposed methodology is suitable to highlight areas characterized by similar morphodynamics features,and comparable soil erodibility,for a more effective spatialization of K factor.展开更多
The value of crop wild relatives has long been acknowledged and this wild resource has been used to improve crop performance with clear economic benefits. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is the most economi...The value of crop wild relatives has long been acknowledged and this wild resource has been used to improve crop performance with clear economic benefits. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is the most economically valuable crop species in the order Caryophyllales, B. vulgaris subsp. maritima being the ancestor of the cultivated beets. The wild species of the genus Beta s.l. are commonly found in coastal areas of Europe and Mediterranean Region, where a rich genetic heritage still exists. Broadening the genetic base of sugar beet by introgression with wild relatives is a growing need regarding the maintenance of ecologically important traits. Since wild relatives have adapted to specific habitats, they constitute an important source of novel traits for the beet breeding pool. So, we conducted a broader research project aiming to delimit taxa and identify priority locations to establish genetic reserves of the wild Beta species occurring in Portugal (Western Iberian Peninsula). The aim of this study was: 1) to identify and characterize the main habitats of these wild Beta species;and 2) to present a review of some genetic tools available for future application in sugar beet breeding. In this review, we have focused on EcoTILLING as a molecular tool to assess DNA polymerphisms in wild populations of Beta and identify candidate genes related to drought and salt tolerance, as well as addressed some issues related to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as a new molecular tool to assess adaptive genetic variation on the wild relatives of sugar beet.展开更多
Southern Europe is a highly fire-prone region where extreme fires have often disastrous consequences on both structures and people.Human activities and fire weather conditions favouring ignitions and propagation have ...Southern Europe is a highly fire-prone region where extreme fires have often disastrous consequences on both structures and people.Human activities and fire weather conditions favouring ignitions and propagation have always been the drivers of such fires but anthropogenic climate change alongside the extension of wildland-urban interface(WUI)that concentrates both assets and fire ignitions have the compounding effect of exacerbating fire risk.WUI are currently not adequately prepared to sustain events whose frequency and intensity are foreseen to increase in the future as shown during the extreme fires that occurred recently in Euro-Mediterranean countries.This work presents the context of WUI fires in the Euro-Mediterranean region,their driving forces and their impacts on society,with insights from three recent catastrophic fires that drew much attention.In this context,we propose a conceptual framework for understanding the WUI issue assessing the implications for fire risk and providing some guidance to mitigate this risk,updated management strategies as well as comments about gaps in our current knowledge and how we might address this problem in the future.A successful approach to reduce fire risk in the future will require building resilient landscapes and communities better prepared to face these extreme fire events in which WUI population,forest managers,land planners,civil protection,and policy-makers need to work together to improve the safety and resilience of these fire-prone areas.展开更多
文摘AIM: To investigate the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection among the healthy asymptomatic population in Iran and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
文摘Forest fires are frequent under a Mediterranean climate and have shaped the landscape of the region but are currently altered by human action and climate change.Fires have historically conditioned the presence of pine forests,depending on severity and forest regeneration.Regeneration of Mediterranean pine forests is not always successful,and a transition to shrublands or stands of resprouting species can occur,even after reforestation.This study analyses vegetation changes in two Mediterranean pine forests after severe fires and both reforested.The pines had difficulty to regenerate,even despite post-fire reforestation.The problem is the difficulty of young seedlings to survive,possibly due to increased summer drought.Problems are greater in pine species at the limit of their ecological tolerance:Pinus pinea had a much better recovery success while P.sylvestris and P.nigra virtually disappeared.Pinus pinaster had intermediate results but recovery was generally poor.A transition has taken place in many burnt areas to scrubland or to thickets of the resprouting Quercus rotundifolia,although it is not possible to know whether they will evolve into forests or remain in a sub climatic state.Resprouting species may increase fire severity but facilitates post-fire colonisation.Post-fire recovery difficulties are closely linked to issues of natural regeneration.Fire could initiate the disappearance of pine forests,but even in the absence of fire they may disappear in the long-term due to the lack of regeneration.Action is needed to increase the resilience of these forests,ensuring natural regeneration,and incorporating resprouting species in the understorey.
基金supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology(FCT),under the project Optimal Greening of Irrigated farmland to achieve a prime environment(OPTIMUS PRIME-PTDC/ASP-AGR/29771/2017)supported through the funding of the cE3c Research Centre(Ref:UIDB/00329/2020)+2 种基金Forest Research Centre(Ref:UIDB/00239/2020)by FCTthe individual research grant attributed to JP Nunes(Ref:IF/00586/2015)to AndréFonseca(Ref:PD/BD/142884/2018).
文摘Intensive agricultural and industrial activities are often considered major sources of water contamina-tion.Currently,riparian vegetation(RV)is increasingly being promoted as a solution to balance the potentially adverse effects that agriculture may have on water quality.Nonetheless,existing RV is often overlook in recent modelling efforts,failing to capture the current amount of ecosystem services provide.Here,we used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool ecohydrological model to simulate the influence of ground-true RV on i)nutrient(nitrate and total phosphorus)and sediment exports from agricultural areas and ii)its effect for in-stream concentrations.These results are further compared against a set of hypothetical scenarios of different RV widths and different land-uses.Our results point to a great rele-vance of existing RV in controlling in-stream concentration of sediments and nutrients where pressure from agriculture is highest,preventing them to surpass limits set in the EU Water Framework Directive.On the other hand,in areas with industry discharges,the role of RV is limited and model results suggest that restoring RV would have limited impacts.We illustrate how existing RV may already provide strong but not acknowledged water quality regulation services,how these services can differ substantially between nearby streams,and that effective strategies to improve water quality using RV must acknowledge existing patterns of vegetation,land use and contamination sources.
文摘Use of district heating and cooling systems has many environmental advantages compared to individual heating and cooling. Recent advances in solar energy technologies for heat and power generation have reduced their cost and promoted their use instead of fossil fuels. Solar-PV energy for electricity generation and solar thermal energy for hot water production are broadly used today. Solar energy resources in the Mediterranean region are abundant while space cooling in buildings is required when solar irradiance is high. The possibility of using solar energy for fuelling water chillers providing cold water in district cooling systems in the Mediterranean basin has been investigated. Existing literature and studies concerning the use of district cooling systems globally as well as the energy sources used in them have been examined. Solar-PV energy combined with compression chillers and solar thermal energy combined with thermally driven chillers can be used for cold water production. Their overall efficiencies, converting solar energy to cold water, vary between 22% and 56% compared with 45% for compression chillers using grid electricity. It is concluded that various solar energy technologies could be used with different types of water chillers for fuelling district cooling networks in the future in the Mediterranean region.
文摘The present study analyzes the structure and dynamics of the forest landscape in a peri-urban area （Rome, Italy） during the city＇s expansion from 1949 to 2008 using landscape metrics and change detection anal- ysis of digital maps of the area （1500 km2）. While urban settlements increased continuously from 6.5 to 27.5 % of the study area, woodlands changed less clearly, with a moderate increase （from 11.2 to 11.9 % of the total area） and a higher fragmentation as a consequence of Rome＇s expansion. The structure of forest landscape changed along the urban-to-rural gradient with patch size increasing with the distance to the inner city in 1949 and substantial landscape homogeneity in 2008. The indicators proposed in this study inform dedicated measures for conserving forest and maintaining landscape diversity. Measures adopted in Rome＇s forestation plan to counteract woodlandfragmentation were analyzed and discussed. Based on the complex landscape dynamics found for Rome, an inte- grated multiscale planning approach targeting forest con- servation is considered a key contribution to urban sustainability.
文摘The decomposition of plant litter is a major process of equivalent status to primary production in ecosystem functioning.The spatiotemporal changes in the composition and dynamics of litter fungal community along a climate gradient ranging from arid desert to humid-Mediterranean regions in Israel was examined using wheat straw litter bags placed at four selected sites along the climate gradient,arid,semi-arid,Mediterranean,and humid-Mediterranean sites.Litter samples were collected over a two-year decomposition period to evaluate litter weight loss,moisture,C:N ratio,fungal composition,and isolate density.The litter decomposition rate was found to be the highest during the first year of the study at the Mediterranean and arid sites.Although the Shannon-Wiener index values of the fungal communities in the litter samples were the highest at the humid-Mediterranean site,the number of fungal species was not significantly different between the four study sites.Different fungal groups were found to be related to different study sites:Basidiomycota,Mucoromycotina,and teleomorphic Ascomycota were associated with the humid-Mediterranean site,while Coelomycetes were mostly affected by the arid site.Our results indicate that climate factors play an important role in determining the structure of saprotrophic fungal communities in the decomposing litter and in mediating plant litter decomposition processes.
基金funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity(FRB)through its Centre for SynthesisAnalysis of Biodiversity data(CESAB)programme,as part of the WOODIV research project.ACM and MCB were funded by Labex OT-Med(n°ANR-11-LABX-0061)
文摘Background: Tree species represent 20% of the vascular plant species worldwide and they play a crucial role in the global functioning of the biosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 world biodiversity hotspots, and it is estimated that forests covered 82% of the landscape before the first human impacts, thousands of years ago. However, the spatial distribution of the Mediterranean biodiversity is still imperfectly known, and a focus on tree species constitutes a key issue for understanding forest functioning and develop conservation strategies. Methods: We provide the first comprehensive checklist of all native tree taxa (species and subspecies) present in the Mediterranean-European region (from Portugal to Cyprus). We identified some cases of woody species difficult to categorize as trees that we further called "cryptic trees". We collected the occurrences of tree taxa by"administrative regions", i.e. country or large island, and by biogeographical provinces. We studied the species-area relationship, and evaluated the conservation issues for threatened taxa following IUCN criteria. Results: We identified 245 tree taxa that included 210 species and 35 subspecies, belonging to 33 families and 64 genera. It included 46 endemic tree taxa (30 species and 16 subspecies), mainly distributed within a single biogeographical unit. The countries with the highest tree richness are Greece (146 taxa), Italy (133), Albania (122), Spain (155), Macedonia (116), and Croatia (110). The species-area relationship clearly discriminated the richest central-eastern (Balkans) and northern (Alpine and Cevenno-Pyrenean) biogeographical provinces, against the five western provinces in the Iberian Peninsula. We identified 44 unrecognized "cryptic trees", representing 21% of the total trees. Among the 245 taxa identified, 19 are considered to be threatened (15 CR+EN+VU) or near threatened (4 NT) by IUCN. Conclusions: The Mediterranean-European region includes an unsuspectedly high number of tree taxa, almost 200 tree taxa more tha
基金The MAIF Foundationsponsored by the Urban Seismology project at the Institute of Earth Science ISTerre of the University of Grenoble-Alpes Observatoire des Sciences de Univers de Grenoble (The Grenoble Observatory for Sciences of the Universe-Labex OSUG@2020) (Investissements d’avenir, ANR10LABX56)
文摘In this study, loss estimation models were developed for reasonably accurate assessment of economic and human losses from seismic events in the Mediterranean region, based on damage assessment at an urban scale.Data were compiled from existing worldwide databases,and completed with earthquake information from regional studies. Economic data were converted to a single common currency unit(2015 USD value) and the wealth of the areas affected by 65 earthquakes of the region from 1900 to 2015 was assessed. Reduced-form models were used to determine economic and human losses, with earthquake magnitude and intensity as hazard-related variables, and gross domestic product of the affected area and the affected population as exposure-related variables. Damage to buildings was also used as a hazard-related variable to predict economic and human losses. Finally, site-specific regression models were proposed for economic and human losses due to earthquakes in the Mediterranean region, and more specifically, in Algeria. We show that by introducing the damage variable into the models, prediction error can be reduced, and that accuracy of loss model estimation is site dependent and requires regional data on earthquake losses to improve. A case study for Constantine, Algeria shows the improvements needed for increased accuracy.
基金We acknowledge support from the ECOPOTENTIAL project-EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation program,grant agreement no.641762.
文摘Background:The recent rise in temperature and shifting precipitation regimes threaten ecosystems around the globe to different degrees.Treelines are expected to respond to climate warming by shifting to higher elevations,but it is unclear whether they can track temperature changes.Here,we integrated high-resolution aerial imagery with local climatic and topographic characteristics to study the treeline dynamic from 1945 to 2015 on the semiarid Mediterranean island of Crete,Greece.Results:During the study period,the mean annual temperature at the treeline increased by 0.81℃,while the average precipitation decreased by 170 mm.The treeline is characterized by a diffuse form,with trees growing on steep limestone slopes(>50°)and shallow soils.Moreover,the treeline elevation decreases with increasing distance from the coast and with aspect(south>north).Yet,we found no shift in the treeline over the past 70 years,despite an increase in temperature in all four study sites.However,the treeline elevation correlated strongly with topographic exposure to wind(R^(2)=0.74,p<0.001).Therefore,the temporal lag in treeline response to warming could be explained by a combination of topographic and microclimatic factors,such as the absence of a shelter effect and a decrease in moisture.Conclusion:Although there was no treeline shift over the last 70 years,climate change has already started shifting the treeline altitudinal optimum.Consequently,the lack of climate-mediated migration at the treeline should raise concerns about the threats posed by warming,such as drought damages,and wildfire,especially in the Mediterranean region.Therefore,conservation management should discuss options and needs to support adaptive management.
文摘BACKGROUND The presence of hepatitis C virus(HCV)RNA in liver tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells with no identified virus genome in the serum has been reported worldwide among patients with either normal or elevated serum liver enzymes.The characterization of occult HCV infection(OCI)epidemiology in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean(M and E)countries,a region with the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HCV infection in the world,would be effective for more appropriate control of the infection.AIM To estimate the pooled prevalence of OCI in M and E countries using a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using international,regional and local electronic databases.Some conference proceedings and references from bibliographies were also reviewed manually.The search was carried out during May and June 2020.Original observational surveys were considered if they assessed the prevalence of OCI among the population of M and E countries by examination of HCV nucleic acid in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in at least 30 cases selected by random or non-random sampling methods.The meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software based on heterogeneity assessed by Cochran’s Q test and I-square statistics.Data were considered statistically significant at a P value<0.05.RESULTS A total of 116 non-duplicated citations were found in electronic sources and grey literature.A total of 51 non-overlapping original surveys were appraised,of which 37 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.Data were available from 5 of 26 countries including Egypt,Iran,Pakistan,Saudi Arabia,and Turkey.The overall prevalence rate of OCI was estimated at 10.04%(95%CI:7.66%-13.05%).The lowest OCI rate was observed among healthy subjects(4.79%,95%CI:2.86%-7.93%).The higher rates were estimated for patients suffering from chronic liver diseases(12.04%,95%CI:5.87%-23.10%),and multi-transfused patients(8.71%,95%CI:6.05%-12.39%).Subgroup a
文摘The Mediterranean region is characterized by hot and humid summers and,humid and cool winters.Small ruminants(sheep and goats)play a significant economic,social and environmental role providing income and ensuring food for local population.Despite their critical importance,small ruminant’s production is threatened by several factor notably climatic,nutritional,healthy and breeding systems.To ensure a sustainability of goat and sheep production,these last decades,several studies have been achieved in order to improve livestock feeding and breeding systems and animal health protection.However,sheep and goat sectors show an important delay.In order to increase the profitability and ensure sustainability of small ruminant production,innovative political,specific managerial strategies and practices have to develop.
文摘Soil erosion is one of the main environmental problems in the Mediterranean area.This problem is becoming even more important especially in Italy,in the Apennines,where severe erosive processes occur due to the action of concentrated running water.The erodibility(K-Factor)of a soil,estimated using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE),is a measure of its susceptibility to erosion and depends on several soil properties such as organic matter,texture and permeability and structure.To assess the spatial variability of soil properties and soil erodibility in hilly agricultural areas and to investigate the relationships between soil features and landscape morphodynamics,a detailed study in Molise region(southern Italy),in a small drainange basin located along its hilly Adriatic flank,was carried out.In this catchment,63 topsoil samples(A horizons)were collected and 10 soil profiles,forming a catena crossing 3 land units,were sampled.The calculated K-Factors ranges between 0.012 and 0.048 t ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1 indicating a complex spatial distribution,due to the several local pedological and geomorphological factors affecting soil erodibility.The results give clear evidence about the relationships among soil characteristics,soil erodibility and landscape morpho-dynamics(land units).Comparing the soil loss rates estimated for the study area with those reported in literature,a good correspondence can be observed only for the more stable land unit,not characterized by intense erosive processes.The proposed methodology is suitable to highlight areas characterized by similar morphodynamics features,and comparable soil erodibility,for a more effective spatialization of K factor.
基金supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology with the FCT/Ciência 2008 to DB and MMREcologi-cal data presented is an output from the project PTDC/AGR-AAM/73144/2006 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.
文摘The value of crop wild relatives has long been acknowledged and this wild resource has been used to improve crop performance with clear economic benefits. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is the most economically valuable crop species in the order Caryophyllales, B. vulgaris subsp. maritima being the ancestor of the cultivated beets. The wild species of the genus Beta s.l. are commonly found in coastal areas of Europe and Mediterranean Region, where a rich genetic heritage still exists. Broadening the genetic base of sugar beet by introgression with wild relatives is a growing need regarding the maintenance of ecologically important traits. Since wild relatives have adapted to specific habitats, they constitute an important source of novel traits for the beet breeding pool. So, we conducted a broader research project aiming to delimit taxa and identify priority locations to establish genetic reserves of the wild Beta species occurring in Portugal (Western Iberian Peninsula). The aim of this study was: 1) to identify and characterize the main habitats of these wild Beta species;and 2) to present a review of some genetic tools available for future application in sugar beet breeding. In this review, we have focused on EcoTILLING as a molecular tool to assess DNA polymerphisms in wild populations of Beta and identify candidate genes related to drought and salt tolerance, as well as addressed some issues related to next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies as a new molecular tool to assess adaptive genetic variation on the wild relatives of sugar beet.
文摘Southern Europe is a highly fire-prone region where extreme fires have often disastrous consequences on both structures and people.Human activities and fire weather conditions favouring ignitions and propagation have always been the drivers of such fires but anthropogenic climate change alongside the extension of wildland-urban interface(WUI)that concentrates both assets and fire ignitions have the compounding effect of exacerbating fire risk.WUI are currently not adequately prepared to sustain events whose frequency and intensity are foreseen to increase in the future as shown during the extreme fires that occurred recently in Euro-Mediterranean countries.This work presents the context of WUI fires in the Euro-Mediterranean region,their driving forces and their impacts on society,with insights from three recent catastrophic fires that drew much attention.In this context,we propose a conceptual framework for understanding the WUI issue assessing the implications for fire risk and providing some guidance to mitigate this risk,updated management strategies as well as comments about gaps in our current knowledge and how we might address this problem in the future.A successful approach to reduce fire risk in the future will require building resilient landscapes and communities better prepared to face these extreme fire events in which WUI population,forest managers,land planners,civil protection,and policy-makers need to work together to improve the safety and resilience of these fire-prone areas.
基金This research was funded by a MEC Project(CGL2004-04309)This research was funded by a Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales/C.S.I.C./Comunidad de Madrid PhDgrant
