Silvicultural management in maintaining biodiversity and resistance of forests in Europe-the Mediterranean region

Outstanding features of Mediterranean forest area are highlighted with a special reference to biodiversity and connections with forest management. The naturally originated and anthropogenic progress of the mosaic-like evolution, as well as the man-induced factors and natural constraints are described. The past and present close linkages between management and biodiversity are then analysed by means of a few, outstanding cases typical of the geographical region. The management shift on increasing economically marginal forest area (abandonment) appears to be the major force currently driving connections with inherent and associated biodiversity. The goals following the new-established environmental roles of forests have shifted towards adaptive management, namely the implementation of locally tailored rules in accordance with prominent forest functions. Key priorities to face up to the new scenarios are then discussed.Economic and policy implications are addressed with reference to multipurpose forestry and the related annual flow of outputs. It is shown the role of water-related services, as well the provision of various non-wood forest products and public goods in addition to wood and other traditional forest outputs. Reference is also made to the dualism between the Northern and the South-Eastern Mediterranean countries due to different level of economic development (and pressure of forest resources) together with very different institutional structures, i.e. public ownership in Southern and South-Eastern Mediterranean countries. Nevertheless, the situation is going to become more harmonious in the medium run by growing economic development, the affirmation of local rights on forest resources, globalisation and, above all, rural out migration and exchanges of peoples confirming the traditional role of the Mediterranean Region at cross road of South-North and Eastern-Western cultures.     

Occurrence of potential bacterial pathogens in coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea

A monitoring program was carried out in bathing waters along the sea-coast of the Adriatic Sea. The investigation was aimedat obtaining a quali-quantitative picture of microorganisms ofanthropic origin and of a more strictly autochthonous origin and at verifying the existence of possible reciprocal correlations and combinations of relationship between them. Results showed that the concentrations of indicators of faecal contamination, whether within or over the values established by legislation, are not always related to the presence and density of microorganisms of environmental origin but the regression modelsused can help to describe how these latter microorganisms can bein relation to levels of the other parameters. The difficultyis evident of the predictability of health effects swimming-associated; for this reason more complex models that are currently used should be taken into account for minimising the risk for bathers.     

Postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polyolefin blends through reactive processing

Increasing awareness of environmental and energy problems has promoted greater governmental interest in selected waste collection and consequently has attracted the interest of several research groups to the challenge of converting recovered plastics into useful materials. The reactive blending of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with different polyolefins (PO) was studied in attempts to obtain a new material with enhanced properties with respect to the starting materials. The success of the project depends mainly on the possibility of obtaining a compatibilized blend between two starting polymers that, from chemical and thermomechanical viewpoints, are very different. This was approached by employing polyolefins bearing functional groups capable of specific interaction or chemical reaction with PET end groups. Ternary blends of very low density polyethylene (VLDPE)/PET/functionalized polyolefin (FPO) in a weight composition of 70/20/10 and binary blends of FPO/PET in a weight composition of 90/10 were prepared and studied to obtain reinforced polyolefin thermoplastic materials. Reactive blending was achieved in a Brabender Plastograph with a mixing chamber of 30 or 50cm³, at 250°C, and 40rpm for 10min. Differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile tests were used to investigate the phase behavior, the efficiency of compatibilization, and the mechanical properties of the blends.     

Estimating the magnitude of morphoscapes: how to measure the morphological component of biodiversity in relation to habitats using geometric morphometrics

Ecological indicators are currently developed to account for the different facets of loss of biological diversity due to direct or indirect effects of human activities. Most ecological indicators include species richness as a metric. Others, such as functional traits and phylogenetic diversity, account for differences in species, even when species richness is the same. Here, we describe and apply a different indicator, called morphoscape dimension, accounting for morphological variability across habitats in a geographical region. We use the case of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in four different habitats in the Po Plain in Northern Italy to exemplify how to quantify the magnitude of the morphological space (i.e. the dimension of the morphoscape) occupied by the species in each habitat using geometric morphometrics. To this aim, we employed a variety of metrics of morphological disparity related to univariate size, and more complex multivariate shape and form. Our ‘proof of concept’ suggests that metrics assessing size and form might largely tend to simply mirror the information provided by species richness, whereas shape morphoscape disparity may be able to account for non-trivial differences in species traits amongst habitats. This is indicated by the woodland morphoscape being on average bigger than that of crops, the most species-rich habitat, despite having almost 20% less species. We conclude suggesting that the analysis of morphoscape dimension has the potential to become a new additional and complimentary tool in the hands of conservation biologists and ecologists to explore and quantify habitat complexity and inform decisions on management and conservation based on a wide set of ecological indicators.     

A 13C NMR investigation of CO2 absorption and desorption in aqueous 2,2′-iminodiethanol and N-methyl-2,2′-iminodiethanol

The carbon dioxide capture and release from aqueous 2,2′-iminodiethanol (DEA) and N-methyl-2,2′-iminodiethanol (MDEA) have been investigated by means of ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. We have designed two experimental procedures using a gas mixture containing 12% (v/v) CO₂ in N₂ or air and 0.667 M aqueous solutions of DEA and MDEA. To understand the CO₂–amine reaction equilibria, separate experiments of CO₂ absorption (at 293, 313 and 333 K) and desorption (at boiling temperature, room pressure) were carried out. The ¹³C NMR analysis has allowed us to establish: (1) the percentage of CO₂ stored in solution as HCO₃^?, CO₃^2? and DEA carbamate; (2) the formation of DEA carbamate as a function of absorption temperature and time; (3) the slower decomposition of DEA carbamate than that of bicarbonate. In the experiments planned to test the reuse of the regenerated amines, the absorbent solution was continuously circulated in a closed cycle while it was absorbing CO₂ in the absorber (set at 293 K) and simultaneously regenerating amine in the desorber (set at 388 K). After the equilibrium has been reached (13 h), the CO₂ absorption efficiency is comprised between 84.0% (DEA) and 82.6% (MDEA) and the average amine regeneration efficiency ranges between 69.6% (DEA) and 78.2% (MDEA). Additionally, MDEA is more stable towards thermal degradation than DEA.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls in two salt marsh sediments of the Venice Lagoon

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in two dated salt marsh cores of the Venice Lagoon to assess their input chronology and to evaluate the importance of atmospheric deposition as a source. Sampling sites were chosen in order to evidence the differences between areas located leeward and windward with respect to inputs originating in both the city of Venice and the industrial area. Concentrations of PCB indicators (0.13-15.6 ng g?1) increased gradually from the 1930s, reached maxima from the 1950s to the late 1970s, and then decreased. PCB loadings to marshes are driven by both the atmospheric deposition and the resuspension of subtidal sediments, this latter being more important for heavier congeners. The downwind marsh recorded higher fluxes (0.06-9.72 ng cm?2 year?1) than the upwind one (0.01-0.53 ng cm?2 year?1). Recent fluxes are rather consistent with bulk deposition measurements. A higher contribution of CB-101 and CB-118 was detected in the intermediate layers of the downwind site, suggesting a different PCB source for the corresponding time interval. In the other marsh, PCBs showed a rather constant composition at all levels (mostly CB-153, CB-138 and CB-180), accounting for a regional influence. Deep layers showed an enrichment of higher chlorinated congeners at both sites, whereas recent samples conserve the patterns typical of surficial and subsurficial subtidal sediments. The scientific approach adopted in this research can be considered as a sort of methodological procedure for the determination of fluxes and pathways of PCBs through the study of marsh cores.     

Tire debris organic extract affects Xenopus development

Tire debris (TD) and its organic components were identified as a main source of PM10 atmospheric and water pollution. Because few data are available on the embryotoxic effects of TD organic components, the lethal and teratogenic potential of tire debris organic extract (TDOE) was evaluated using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX), coupled with a histopathological screening of the survived larvae. From stage 8 to stage 47, Xenopus laevis embryos were exposed to TDOE at concentrations of 50, 80, 100, 120 and 140 mg/L. The results showed 50 mg/L TDOE to be the non-observable effect concentration (NOEC). TDOE mortality at 80 mg/L was significantly higher than the control, but did not increase further with higher concentrations. A good concentration-response was observed for percentages of malformed larva and from 80 mg/L on these percentages were significantly higher than the control. Therefore, probit analysis gave a 144.6 mg/L TC50. At 120 and 140 mg/L, many larvae were plurimalformed. The most frequent alterations observed were abnormal gut coiling, microphthalmia, monolateral anophthalmia, and narrowing eyes. The histological screening mainly revealed ocular malformations such as double retina, retina nervous cell layer coiling, and altered lens. Moreover severe vacuolisation and necrosis were scored in liver and axial musculature. These results strongly support the assumption that TDOE is a powerful teratogen for X. laevis.     

Dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide: so similar yet so different in evoking biological responses in saprophilous flies

Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) are used by saprophilous insects to locate breeding sites (decaying organic matter), and by brood-site deceptive flowers to attract such insects. However, little is known about the relative importance of these two compounds in eliciting electrophysiological and behavioral responses in the insects. Here, we compared the relative attractiveness of DMDS and DMTS to saprophilous flies in field choice experiments and tested whether potential differences in field responses can be explained by differences in electrophysiological antennal responses to these compounds. Field experiments revealed that the attractiveness of a mixture of these compounds is due to DMTS alone. This result was confirmed by electroantennographic recordings in which flies of four tested species of Calliphoridae (Lucilia sericata, L. caesar, Calliphora vicina, Protocalliphora azurea) and one Muscidae (Musca domestica) respond clearly to DMTS, but not to DMDS. In house flies, however, DMTS elicited electrophysiological responses only, not reflected in behavioral assays. Despite the fact that DMTS and DMDS exhibit similar chemical structures, both the electroantennographic and field responses from saprophilous flies to these two compounds strongly differed. Our study suggests that oligosulfide-responsive saprophilous flies rely on DMTS and not DMDS for finding appropriate breeding sites and that DMTS and not DMDS could act as a key mediator for pollinator attraction in brood-site deceptive plants.     

Increasingly warm summers in the Euro–Mediterranean zone: mean temperatures and extremes

The recent increase in European temperatures led to a strong enhancement in the occurrence of extremely warm events, with relevant consequences for environment and everyday life. Here, we investigate the evolution of very intense warm and cold events in a south-western European zone during 1961–2007 at a seasonal level. Special attention is given to summertime when warming is the most pronounced. Using a previously developed theoretical model, we discuss how the average properties and long-term trends observed in probability density functions of daily temperatures can explain changes in the frequency of severe, isolated events. In this perspective, the recent intensification of extremely warm events, especially experienced by the Mediterranean zone, is proved to be well consistent with a pure shift of seasonal mean temperatures. On the other hand, any change in the second and higher distributional moments of daily temperatures is ruled out by the data, whereas the average values of these properties, that is, variability and asymmetry, do play a role by shaping the temporal behavior of very intense events.