Consumer interest in medicinal and aromatic herbs is on the rise, with buyers increasingly concerned about the microbiological quality of nutraceutical and aromatic plants. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and sensor technology allows for high-resolution crop monitoring, particularly in the production of rosemary and sage in Grotte (Italy), Agrigento District. The aim of…
NPR’s Scott Simon talks with journalist Jeanne Carstensen about her new book, “Greek Tragedy,” about the wreck of a ship filled with refugees off the Greek coast in 2015. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Almost 10 years ago, a horrific boat accident was in world news, briefly. An old wooden boat built to hold just a few…
Artisanal fishers can be almost as accurate as satellite data when it comes to their awareness of features that can be found in the marine environment, a new study has shown. Published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management, the research set out to establish the value of local ecological knowledge (LEK) and its ability to…
The Strait of Sicily, a vital marine passage with diverse fauna, is seeing a steep rise in the planning of offshore wind farm projects. This study assesses the acoustic impact of these wind farms on local marine species. Underwater propagation was modeled for three proposed floating wind farms using JASCO’s Marine Operations Noise Model (MONM),…
The spatial configuration of urban landscapes, characterized by complex mosaics of fragmented patches subjected to different land uses, shapes biodiversity and, therefore, affects ecosystem stability and functioning. The present study focuses on evaluating the small scale variations of vegetation structural and functional biodiversity in Mediterranean urban ecosystems, in relation to land use and fragmentation. For…
In the current climate change scenario, Mediterranean cities face heatwaves and reduced availability of freshwater alternated with intense precipitation events in short periods. The demand for water, especially for urban and tourism purposes, is rising, particularly in coastal cities. The importance of integrating nature into cities, particularly trees, has been studied for its benefits in…
The Mediterranean Basin is a critical biodiversity hotspot hosting numerous bird species that are likely to be sensitive to climatic changes. This study integrates ecological niche modeling and Bayesian skyline plot analyses to assess the historical, current, and future geographic distributions, and population dynamics of 45 endemic bird species in the region. Using occurrence data…
The paper explores the production of a digital archive of migration memories, solidarity, border violence and resistance between the Horn of Africa, the Mediterranean space and Europe. Under an ongoing multidisciplinary project started in 2022, scholars from Europe and North Africa are applying ethnographic methodology and participatory approaches to co-construct with migrants an archival representation…
Several ornamental species have demonstrated adaptive features that could increase their resilience to the current climate emergency but could also be linked to invasiveness in non-native environments. The present review examines the responses of ornamental plants’ grown in the Mediterranean region to relevant abiotic stress conditions such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metal toxicity,…
Mediterranean agroecosystems are under increasing pressures by extreme weather events, which together with poor livestock grazing management bring the already degraded lands closer to desertification. To address these challenges, we develop a decision support manual for sustainable management of degraded lands based on local plant and animal resources. We present a conceptual approach to quantify…