scholarly journals Euphorbia duvalii (Euphorbiaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 073
Author(s):  
Jordi Bou ◽  
Josep Bou i Tomàs

Euphorbia duvalii Lecoq & Lamotte is an endemic species from the Catalan-Occitan territory -western Mediterranean area- and is usually found in the south of France. Euphorbia duvalii has been cited from some localities of the Iberian Peninsula, but in later reviews all of these citations were finally identified as other species of Euphorbia L. One of these citations, from the Alt Empordà -Girona, Spain-, was of specific interest because not all the sources agreed on what the species was. To clarify whether or not this species is really present in the Iberian Peninsula, we examined new material from this population in order to establish whether the species is in fact E. duvalii. Once the morphology of the specimens from the Serra de Bac Grillera population had been analysed, we were able to confirm that they were indeed E. duvalii. This means that this is the only area on the Iberian Peninsula where this endemic species has been identified. The population is located in a rocky meadow that contains some scrub and is surrounded by pinewoods. Because this is the one and only Iberian population, a management and conservation plan needs to be drawn up to ensure its preservation.

2014 ◽  
Vol 1073-1076 ◽  
pp. 1418-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Calabrò ◽  
Daniele Campolo ◽  
Giuseppina Cassalia ◽  
Carmela Tramontana

Calabria region (Southern Italy) has become the nerve center of historical events, decisive for the Mediterranean sea destiny, because of its geographical position, its centrality in the Mediterranean area, the peculiarities of the district and the wealth of natural resources. The effects of its role in the Mediterranean history are still visible in its natural, urban and social structure, thus giving the region a large number of cultural and environmental values, which find root in the three preceding millennia. The paper, starting from the most historic routes that have affected the Calabrian coast, aims to highlight the one that has the greatest impact on the culture of the region trying to figure out if it is possible to identify, protect and promote a cultural route according to the ICOMOS Charter of Cultural Routes criteria, devised by the ICOMOS’ international Scientific Committee of Cultural Routes (CIIC) and ratified by the 16th General Assembly of ICOMOS, in Quebec (Canada), October 4, 2008.


2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Filippi ◽  
Luca Luiselli ◽  
Massimo Capula ◽  
Claudia Corti

AbstractAbstract. The horseshoe snake (Coluber hippocrepis) is one of the most threatened Italian snakes, especially in Sardinia where its present occurrence was unclear. This paper reviews the current distribution of C. hippocrepis in Sardinia, and confirms that this species is still found in a limited number of sites of Cagliari province. Its actual presence in Oristano province, on the contrary, is still in doubt. Statistical analyses on several morphometric measurements taken from museum specimens suggest that snakes from the central Mediterranean area (Sardinia, Pantelleria, and Tunisia) are distinguished from those of the western Mediterranean area (Portugal and Morocco) by having significantly higher numbers of ventrals. A few natural-history notes on Sardinian specimens are presented, and a rationale for an urgent conservation plan is given.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 233 (1) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
PEDRO PABLO FERRER-GALLEGO ◽  
Ángel Romo ◽  
Roberto Roselló ◽  
Emilio Laguna ◽  
Juan Bautista Peris

The genus Jasione Linnaeus (1753: 163) (Campanulaceae Juss.) is represented by ca. 16 species distributed throughout Europe and the Mediterranean Region, from coastal dunes to alpine zones, and growing on a wide variety of substrates as well (Sales & Hedge 2001b). The genus shows a high degree of polymorphism, which can be partially caused by its representation accross a wide range of ecological niches. This variability reaches its maximum expression within the Iberian Peninsula (Bokhari & Sales 2001).


Author(s):  
M. Millán ◽  
B. Artíñano ◽  
I. Palomino ◽  
J. C. Bezares ◽  
M. Martín ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 1041-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candela L Hernández ◽  
Guillermo Pita ◽  
Bruno Cavadas ◽  
Saioa López ◽  
Luis J Sánchez-Martínez ◽  
...  

Abstract Throughout the past few years, a lively debate emerged about the timing and magnitude of the human migrations between the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb. Several pieces of evidence, including archaeological, anthropological, historical, and genetic data, have pointed to a complex and intermingled evolutionary history in the western Mediterranean area. To study to what extent connections across the Strait of Gibraltar and surrounding areas have shaped the present-day genomic diversity of its populations, we have performed a screening of 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 142 samples from southern Spain, southern Portugal, and Morocco. We built comprehensive data sets of the studied area and we implemented multistep bioinformatic approaches to assess population structure, demographic histories, and admixture dynamics. Both local and global ancestry inference showed an internal substructure in the Iberian Peninsula, mainly linked to a differential African ancestry. Western Iberia, from southern Portugal to Galicia, constituted an independent cluster within Iberia characterized by an enriched African genomic input. Migration time modeling showed recent historic dates for the admixture events occurring both in Iberia and in the North of Africa. However, an integrative vision of both paleogenomic and modern DNA data allowed us to detect chronological transitions and population turnovers that could be the result of transcontinental migrations dating back from Neolithic times. The present contribution aimed to fill the gaps in the modern human genomic record of a key geographic area, where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic come together.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1989
Author(s):  
Federico Marrone ◽  
Fernando Ortega ◽  
Francesc Mesquita-Joanes ◽  
Francisco Guerrero

Temporary ponds are one of the most peculiar ecosystems in the world, being characterized by an extraordinarily rich crustacean fauna, with a high degree of endemism. Among them, diaptomid copepods are among the most biogeographically interesting taxa. However, the present knowledge on diaptomid distribution is still far from being exhaustive, even in the relatively well-studied western European countries. In this study, we report the first record of the diaptomid calanoid copepod Metadiaptomus chevreuxi for the Iberian Peninsula, where it was collected in five temporary ponds in Andalusia (Spain). The characteristics of the new sites are described, the literature dealing with the European localities of the species is reviewed, and a molecular phylogenetic tree has been built, based on new and previously available mitochondrial DNA sequences, thus expanding the knowledge on the ecology and phylogeography of this rare species. The species mainly occupies small isolated temporary ponds in (semi-)arid regions, suggesting adaptations to unpredictable aquatic habitats. The existence of two molecular clades separating the Iberian from the Sicilian and Tunisian populations supports the existence of a longitudinal long-term disjunction, whereas the north-south flow is probably facilitated by migrating birds. Further research on the biota of the small water bodies of the western Mediterranean area may help to expand our knowledge on rare aquatic species, such as M. chevreuxi, and to better interpret their natural history.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 741
Author(s):  
Javier Plaza ◽  
M. Remedios Morales-Corts ◽  
Rodrigo Pérez-Sánchez ◽  
Isabel Revilla ◽  
Ana M. Vivar-Quintana

Nowadays, there is a growing demand for high-quality vegetal protein food products, such as pulses and lentils in particular. However, there is no scientific evidence on the nutritional and morphometric characterization of the main lentil cultivars in the Western Mediterranean area. For this reason, the aim of this work is to carry out a morphometric and nutritional characterization of the main Spanish lentil cultivars. Nutrient content assessment was performed on dry matter. The results showed that all studied cultivars are large and heavy lentils, except for the cultivar “Pardina”. They have high protein levels, ranging from 21% to 25%, which is higher than those found in any other pulse, as well as a high carbohydrate content, greater than 59% in all cases. Fiber content was higher than expected in “Armuña” and “Rubia Castellana” cultivars, ranging from 6% to 6.6%, and exceptionally high in the case of the cultivar “Pardina”, which reached 7.8%. Conversely, very low values were found for fat content, varying between 0.5% and 0.9%. Ca, Fe and Mg levels were remarkably higher (from 550 ppm to 851 ppm, from 98 ppm to 139 ppm and from 790 ppm to 989 ppm, respectively) than those found for other lentil cultivars, especially the high Mg content in the cultivars “Jaspeada” and “Microjaspeada”, both above 955 ppm. Clear differentiation was found between the cultivars “Rubia Castellana”, “Pardina” and those included in the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Lenteja de la Armuña”. Overall, lentil cultivars included in the PGI “Lenteja de la Armuña” showed better morphometric and nutritional characteristics than cultivars “Pardina” or “Rubia Castellana”.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 678
Author(s):  
Kamel Atrouz ◽  
Ratiba Bousba ◽  
Francesco Paolo Marra ◽  
Annalisa Marchese ◽  
Francesca Luisa Conforti ◽  
...  

Olive tree with its main final product, olive oil, is an important element of Mediterranean history, considered the emblematic fruit of a civilization. Despite its wide diffusion and economic and cultural importance, its evolutionary and phylogenetic history is still difficult to clarify. As part of the Mediterranean basin, Algeria was indicated as a secondary diversification center. However, genetic characterization studies from Maghreb area, are currently underrepresented. In this context, we characterized 119 endemic Algerian accessions by using 12 microsatellite markers with the main goal to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure. In order to provide new insights about the history of olive diversification events in the Central-Western Mediterranean basin, we included and analyzed a sample of 103 Italian accessions from Sicily and, a set of molecular profiles of cultivars from the Central-Western Mediterranean area. The phylogenetic investigation let us to evaluate genetic relationships among Central-Mediterranean basin olive germplasm, highlight new synonymy cases to support the importance of vegetative propagation in the cultivated olive diffusion and consolidate the hypothesis of more recent admixture events occurrence. This work provided new information about Algerian germplasm biodiversity and contributed to clarify olive diversification process.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Esther Borrás ◽  
Luis Antonio Tortajada-Genaro ◽  
Francisco Sanz ◽  
Amalia Muñoz

The chemical characterization of aerosols, especially fine organic fraction, is a relevant atmospheric challenge because their composition highly depends on localization. Herein, we studied the concentration of multi-oxygenated organic compounds in the western Mediterranean area, focusing on sources and the effect of air patterns. The organic aerosol fraction ranged 3–22% of the total organic mass in particulate matter (PM)2.5. Seventy multi-oxygenated organic pollutants were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including n-alkanones, n-alcohols, anhydrosugars, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and keto-derivatives. The highest concentrations were found for carboxylic acids, such as linoleic acid, tetradecanoic acid and, palmitic acid. Biomarkers for vegetation sources, such as levoglucosan and some fatty acids were detected at most locations. In addition, carboxylic acids from anthropogenic sources—mainly traffic and cooking—have been identified. The results indicate that the organic PM fraction in this region is formed mainly from biogenic pollutants, emitted directly by vegetation, and from the degradation products of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic pollutants. Moreover, the chemical profile suggested that this area is interesting for aerosol studies because several processes such as local costal breezes, industrial emissions, and desert intrusions affect fine PM composition.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Héla Mekki

Abstract The mountain range formed by Jebels Matmata, Demmer and Nefoussa which links the two countries, Tunisia and Libya, is strewn with archaeological remains that are little known today, due in part to the rugged terrain which makes it difficult to see them. This issue has been helped by the use of new technologies, in this case remote sensing and QGIS software. Archaeological evidence has been uncovered and more than 3,900 sites and monuments have been detected on the sides of these mountains. In addition to the inventory of unknown archaeological sites, the main aim of the work was to draw up a management and conservation plan to provide, with an order of priority, a strategy for the safeguard and conservation of the mountain heritage. This management plan was only possible through a correlation of three data: assessment of values, identification of threats, and study of the state of conservation. These components were studied using an indirect evaluation based on satellite imagery and direct evaluation through field visits.


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