Search Results (64)

Water from mountain regions is a crucial natural resource because of its major economic, social, and environmental significance. Wildfires may disrupt the normal functioning of the hydrological cycle, limiting water resources for nearby areas and degrading water quality in mountainous regions as contaminants enter water systems from the burning of vegetation and soil. In August 2022, the Serra da Estrela mountain, situated in the Mediterranean biogeographical region, was affected by a large wildfire that consumed 270 km² of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, often resulting in severe vegetation burn, although the soil burn severity was low to moderate in most of the area. The research objective is to assess the impact of this wildfire on the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and surface water in the Manteigas-Covão da Ametade sector of Serra da Estrela in the context of a wildfire with limited soil burn severity. Groundwater and surface water samples were collected from October 2022 to September 2023 and were analyzed for pH, Total Organic Carbon, electrical conductivity, major ions, potentially toxic elements, iron (Fe), and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. A stormy event in mid-September 2022, occurring before the first sampling campaign, removed most of the ash layer and likely caused transient hydrogeochemical changes in streams. However, the analytical results from the sampled waters revealed that the post-wildfire hydrogeochemical effects are not evident. In fact, the hydrogeochemical changes observed in groundwater and surface water appear to be primarily influenced by the regular hydrological behaviour of aquifers and streams. The low to moderate soil burn severity, the high soil hydrophobicity, and the temporal distribution of precipitation explain why the hydrogeochemistry was primarily influenced by groundwater flow paths, the types and weathering of local lithologies, soil types, dilution effects following wet periods, and seasonal changes in the tributaries feeding into streams, rather than by post-wildfire effects. These outcomes provide valuable insights for water resource management and for developing strategies to mitigate wildfire impacts in mountainous environments. Full article

Projected climate changes in the Mediterranean exceed those in most European regions, yet their effects on vegetation remain uncertain. We investigated vegetation changes in the Agri Valley (Basilicata, Italy) using 318 plots, including 40 resurveys. Community-weighted Ellenberg indicator values (EIVs) and plant ecological groups were combined with long-term hydroclimatic anomalies reconstructed via the BIGBANG model (1951–2024), providing a long-term climatic baseline for interpretation. Significant shifts emerged in several EIVs, with clear habitat-specific patterns. Forests showed decreasing light and increasing moisture values, reflecting a higher presence of forest-associated species, though some diagnostic taxa declined. Grasslands exhibited increasing aridity, with a growing contribution of dry-grassland species and a decline in winter therophytes. Climatic analyses revealed pronounced long-term warming, accelerating after the 1980s, while annual precipitation remained highly variable without a monotonic trend. Recent years were marked by intensified drought, evidenced by declining SPEI values (2013–2022) and a higher frequency of dry months (SPEI ≤ −1). The convergence of vegetation responses, species turnover, and climatic anomalies supports climate-driven community trajectories. Despite limited land-use data, this multi-indicator framework effectively detects early ecological responses and identifies vulnerable habitats, providing valuable insights for the conservation and management of Mediterranean mountain ecosystems under ongoing climate change. Full article

Pines are edifying woody species for forest habitats, having crucial importance for ecosystems in both cold (boreal or mountainous) and warm (Mediterranean and tropical) areas. Pine trees include about 120 species, many of which have had an important ornamental role. Despite their ecological importance, many pine forests are threatened by increasing deforestation and habitat degradation, leading to progressive declines in species distribution and genetic diversity worldwide. Humans have used pine wood since the Stone Age, gradually discovering their outstanding medical properties. This review synthesizes global knowledge on the medicinal potential of pines. Using a comprehensive literature survey of major international scientific databases, we evaluated documented traditional and modern medical applications across all regions where pines naturally occur. The vast majority (86) of pine species were described as having medicinal properties, and the uses of the main pine species in representative regions of all continents supporting forest vegetation were examined. Various organs or secretions (needles, branches, bark, buds, cones, seeds, pollen, roots, wood, sap, resin, pitch, etc.) have been used to prevent or treat numerous diseases or to strengthen the organism. Their reported therapeutic activities include antioxidant, antimutagenic, antitumor, antimicrobial, skin-protective, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antiallergenic, laxative, circulatory-enhancing, antihypertensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-aging, and antithrombotic effects. Given the remarkable phytochemical diversity and broad pharmacological value of these species, the conservation of pine genetic resources and natural habitats is urgent. Protecting these species is essential not only for maintaining ecosystem resilience but also for preserving their substantial pharmaceutical and industrial potential. Full article

This study analyzes the spatial and temporal dynamics of Regional Ecosystem Health (REH) in the province of Aydın, located in western Türkiye, using the Vigor–Organization–Resilience (VOR) framework. Ecosystem conditions between 1995 and 2020 were assessed by integrating remote sensing-based vitality indicators, landscape metrics, and habitat quality modeling. Vigor (V) increased across most land use/land cover (LULC) types, whereas Resilience (R) remained generally stable but showed slight declines in natural and semi-natural areas affected by intensive human activities and climatic stressors. This divergence mainly reflects the combined effects of agricultural intensification and the expansion of urban green areas, both of which enhance vegetation vitality and productivity (V), while ongoing habitat fragmentation and land use pressure in natural and semi-natural landscapes reduce ecological resilience (R). Conversely, the weakening of the Organization (O) component in coastal and peri-urban areas is associated with increased fragmentation and low connectivity. This situation clearly suggests the pressure exerted on ecological integrity by tourism infrastructure, second home developments, and intensive agricultural activities. The study’s findings confirm, in line with the literature on the Mediterranean region, that topographic diversity, land use intensity, and socio-economic processes are key factors determining spatial differences in ecosystem health. Furthermore, it was observed that the low REH values concentrated in coastal areas in 1995 had shifted to hotspots in higher elevations by 2020; this spatial shift suggests that the continuity of natural cover in mountainous areas enhances ecological conditions. Consequently, this study, with its VOR-based integrated approach, provides an applicable, replicable, and policy-informative framework for the long-term monitoring of ecosystem health and sustainable land use planning in climate-sensitive and rapidly changing Mediterranean landscapes. Full article

Rockfalls represent a widespread natural hazard that threatens infrastructures and settlements in mountainous and coastal areas. In Baunei (Sardinia, Italy), steep carbonate cliffs above the SS125 road frequently generate block detachments that endanger traffic and nearby urban areas. The present work adopts a quantitative risk assessment framework, consistent with the Swiss PLANAT guidelines, to evaluate the protective effectiveness of direct-protection forests in combination with engineered barriers. The framework integrates the key components of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability to quantify direct-impact risk and associated economic loss. Using Rockyfor3D simulations, three scenarios were analysed: bare slope, forest only, and forest plus protective works. The results demonstrate that vegetation markedly reduces both runout distance and kinetic energy of falling blocks, halving the direct-impact risk compared to bare-slope conditions. The addition of barriers further decreases residual exposure, with most trajectories intercepted and remaining impacts limited to low-energy classes. Monetised risk estimates confirm an 84% reduction with forest cover alone and near-complete mitigation when complemented by fences, except in short discontinuous segments. The proposed approach offers a replicable and cost-effective tool for rockfall risk management and sustainable protection forest planning in Mediterranean settings. Full article

Soil erosion is a key factor in land degradation across Mediterranean mountain regions, yet comprehensive assessments at the national scale are still uncommon. In this study, the Erosion Potential Method (EPM, Gavrilović method) was applied to 1127 mountainous watersheds of Greece in order to classify their erosion severity through the erosion coefficient (Z). Information on relief, geology and vegetation was combined so that each watershed could be assigned to one of five erosion severity classes. The classification revealed that 53.2% of the watersheds fall into the slight category, while 26.0% are moderate and 16.3% are very slight. Severe cases account for 3.9%, and only 0.5% are classified as excessive, though these few basins are locally very important. The distribution is far from uniform: severe watersheds occur more often in North Peloponnese (EL02), Thessaly (EL08), and the Western Sterea Ellada (EL04). By contrast, Crete (EL13) and the Aegean Islands (EL14) include a relatively greater proportion of watersheds in the moderate category. This variation indicates that erosion risk should not be considered a uniform condition across the country. Even watersheds with low overall Z may contain steep or degraded slopes that act as local hotspots. Consequently, effective management should move beyond country-wide averages and instead focus on the sub-areas that are most exposed and susceptible to erosion. Full article

Upland mires in Italy, excluding the Alps, have a fragmentary distribution, and most of them persist in climatically optimal mountain refugia. Based on the literature data, we assessed that the state of knowledge of Italian upland mires distributed in the Apennines, Sicily, and Sardinia is outdated. We analyzed 54 publications, and 220 peatland sites were found. Only a few publications were published in the last ten years, and most of the peat bogs described in the past have not been resurveyed. The largest number of sites is concentrated in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (60), followed by Sicily (51 sites) and Calabria (42). The vegetation belongs to 38 phytosociological associations, 19 sub-associations and variants, and 54 communities of 6 different classes; the most represented class is Scheuchzerio palustris-Caricetea fuscae. The most widespread disturbances are uncontrolled grazing by domestic livestock and wild fauna, groundwater extraction, and road construction. New investigations are urgently needed to update the state of Italian upland mires knowledge, which is the basis for all conservation strategies prescribed by national, European, and international policies. Full article

The Palearctic region is characterised by high endemism in the west and east, and a low endemism centre. The endemic lineages occurring at the two ends are largely distinct, and eastern endemics are typically associated with humid climates and forests, representing the start of a continuum from temperate to tropical forest groups and leading to Indo-Malay endemics. In contrast, western Palearctic endemics are typically associated with arid or seasonally dry (Mediterranean) climates and vegetation. Those lineages occurring in the central Palearctic are typically of western origin. Here, we use phylogenetic age (older than 34 million years (My)) to define a list of tetrapod and vascular plant lineages endemic to the western and central Palearctic, map their distributions at the ecoregion scale, and combine these maps to illustrate and understand lineage richness and endemism patterns. Sixty-three ancient lineages were recovered, approximately half of them reptiles, with several herbaceous and shrubby angiosperms, amphibians, and rodents, and single lineages of woody conifers, insectivores, and birds. Overall, we show high lineage richness in the western Mediterranean, eastern Mediterranean, and Iran, with the highest endemism values recorded in the western Mediterranean (southern Iberian Peninsula, southern France). This paints a picture of ancient lineage survival in areas of consistently dry climate since the Eocene, but also in association with persistent water availability (amphibians in the western Mediterranean). The almost complete absence of ancient endemic bird lineages is unusual and perhaps unique among the world’s biogeographic regions. The factors accounting for these patterns include climate since the end of the Eocene, micro-habitats and micro-climates (of mountain terrain), refugia, and patchiness and isolation (of forests). Despite their aridity adaptations, some of the lineages listed here may be tested under anthropogenic climatic change, although some may extend into the eastern Palearctic. We recommend using these lineages as flagships for conservation in the study region, where their uniqueness and antiquity deserve greater recognition. Full article

This feasibility study investigates the relationship between functional food consumption and mental well-being, focusing on natural foods traditionally linked to mental health benefits. This research also examines consumer preferences to identify key characteristics that novel functional foods designed to enhance mental well-being should possess. Additionally, this study lays the groundwork for a clinical trial exploring the effects of a novel functional food on mental health and well-being. Data were collected through an online bilingual survey (Greek/English) from 362 participants across Greece and Cyprus, using an adapted Functional Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFFQ) featuring 30 foods with documented effects on cognitive function and mood regulation. The survey included validated scales measuring mental well-being, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), sleep quality, and food choice motives, along with demographic and anthropometric data. Analysis revealed significant associations between functional food consumption and mental health outcomes, particularly in HRQoL, sleep quality, and body mass index (BMI). Most functional foods consumed were natural and aligned with the Mediterranean dietary pattern, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbal infusions, and honey, all demonstrating positive effects on mental and physical health. Consumer preferences showed a strong inclination toward functional foods that balance sensory appeal with health benefits, including milk-based and plant-based beverages, protein bars, and granola bars. Ingredients like St. John’s wort and Greek mountain tea were identified as potentially beneficial for mental well-being, consistent with their established efficacy in psychological health. A significant majority of participants (66.9%) expressed interest in participating in clinical trials, highlighting the need for further research into the efficacy of functional food components. This study provides a foundation for future clinical trials examining the impact of novel functional food formulations on mental and physical health, addressing the growing consumer demand for products that enhance psychological resilience and well-being. Full article

Moroccan vegetation faces significant pressure particularly from human activities and climate change, while most ecosystems lack detailed assessments. Phytoecological studies and species assessments are implemented using vegetation sampling, analysis of climate data, geological substrate maps, and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The study area hosts 565 plant species distributed into 74 families, with Asteraceae being the most abundant family, representing 17.7%. In addition, the correspondence analysis test demonstrates that species are grouped into six distinct blocks. Block 1 comprises a set of Quercus ilex forests. Block 2 encompasses Juniperus phoenicea lands and transition zones between Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea. Block 3 represents Pinus halepensis forests and pine occurrences within Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea stands. Block 4 indicates the emergence of xerophytic species alongside the aforementioned species; it forms the upper limits of Blocks 1, 2, and 3. Block 5 corresponds to formations dominated by Juniperus thurifera in association with xerophytes. Block 6 groups together a set of xerophytic species characteristic of high mountain environments. Additionally, Quercus ilex colonizes the subhumid zones and prefers limestone substrates, Juniperus phoenicea and Tetraclinis articulata, and Pinus halepensis occupies the hot part of the semi-arid in limestone, clays, and conglomerates, while the Juniperus thurifera and xerophytes inhabit the cold parts and limestone substrates. The thermo-Mediterranean vegetation level occupies low altitudes, dominated by Tetraclinis articulata, Juniperus phoenicea, and Olea europaea. The meso-Mediterranean level extends to intermediate altitudes, dominated by Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea. While the supra-Mediterranean level is dominated by Quercus ilex, Arbutus unedo, and Cistus creticus. The mountain Mediterranean level, located in the high mountains, is dominated by Juniperus thurifera associated with xerophytes. Finally, the oro-Mediterranean level, found at extreme altitudes, is dominated by xerophytes. Some species within this region are endemic, rare, and threatened. Consequently, the implementation of effective conservation and protection policies is recommended. Full article

Accurate, real-time, and multi-scale soil water content (SWC) monitoring is crucial for understanding terrestrial energy, water, and nutrient cycles. This study assesses the potential of a portable cosmic-ray neutron sensor (CRNS) backpack for measuring SWC in a Mediterranean mountain agroforestry system. Seven field surveys were conducted in northern Spain, covering nine control points under woodland and cropland. CRNS data were compared with in situ SWC measurements from an SM-200 field probe and the NDMI index derived from Sentinel-2 imagery. The results show that the CRNS backpack effectively captures spatial and temporal SWC variations. The CRNS method demonstrated advantages over point-scale sensors by providing integrated measurements at an intermediate scale, while Sentinel-2 data offered valuable insights into moisture variability through vegetation response. The moderate correlations observed among the three methods highlight the complementarity of these approaches for soil moisture monitoring in heterogeneous landscapes. This work underscores the potential of mobile CRNS sensor as a practical tool for field-scale SWC assessment in Mediterranean mountain agroforestry systems, offering new opportunities for cropland and water management in similar landscapes. Full article

The forests and grasslands in the U.S. are vulnerable to global warming and extreme weather events. Current satellites do not provide historical vegetation density images over the long term (more than 50 years), which has restricted the documentation of key ecological processes and their resultant responses over decades due to the absence of large-scale and long-term monitoring studies. We performed point-by-point regression and collected data from 391 tree-ring plots to reconstruct the annual normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time-series maps for the contiguous U.S. from 1850 to 2010. Among three machine learning approaches for regressions—Support Vector Machine (SVM), General Regression Neural Network (GRNN), and Random Forest (RF)—we chose GRNN regression to simulate the annual NDVI with lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and highest adjusted R2. From the Little Ice Age to the present, the NDVI increased by 6.73% across the contiguous U.S., except during some extreme events such as the Dust Bowl drought, during which the averaged NDVI decreased, particularly in New Mexico. The NDVI trend was positive in the Northern Forest, Tropical Humid Forest, Northern West Forest Mountains, Marin West Coast Forests, and Mediterranean California, while other ecoregions showed a negative trend. At the state level, Washington and Louisiana had significantly positive correlations with temperature (p < 0.05). Washington had a significantly negative correlation with precipitation (p < 0.05), whereas Oklahoma had a significantly positive correlation (p < 0.05) with precipitation. This study provides insights into the spatial distribution of paleo-vegetation and its climate drivers. This study is the first to attempt a national-scale reconstruction of the NDVI over such a long period (151 years) using tree rings and machine learning. Full article

As atmospheric CO₂ emissions and the trend of urbanization both increase, the ability to accurately assess the CO₂ budget from urban environments becomes more important for effective CO₂ mitigation efforts. This task can be difficult for complex areas such as the urban–coastal Mediterranean region near Marseille, France, which contains the second most populous city in France as well as a broad coastline and nearby mountainous terrain. In this study, we establish a CO₂ modeling framework for this region for the first time using WRF-Chem and demonstrate its efficacy through comparisons against cavity-ringdown spectrometer measurements recorded at three sites: one 75 km north of the city in a forested area, one in the city center, and one at the urban/coastal border. A seasonal CO₂ analysis compares Summertime 2016 and Wintertime 2017, to which Springtime 2017 is also added due to its noticeably larger vegetation uptake values compared to Summertime. We find that there is a large biogenic signal, even in and around Marseille itself, though this may be a consequence of having limited fine-scale information on vegetation parameterization in the region. We further find that simulations without the urban heat island module had total CO₂ values 0.46 ppm closer to the measured enhancement value at the coastal Endoume site during the Summertime 2016 period than with the module turned on. This may indicate that the boundary layer on the coast is less sensitive to urban influences than it is to sea-breeze interactions, which is consistent with previous studies of the region. A back-trajectory analysis with the Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model found 99.83% of emissions above 100 mol km⁻² month⁻¹ captured in Summer 2016 by the three measurement towers, providing evidence of the receptors’ ability to constrain the domain. Finally, a case study showcases the model’s ability to capture the rapid change in CO₂ when transitioning between land-breeze and sea-breeze conditions as well as the recirculation of air from the industrial Fos region towards the Marseille metroplex. In total, the presented modeling framework should open the door to future CO₂ investigations in the region, which can inform policymakers carrying out CO₂ mitigation strategies. Full article

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) is a crucial parameter for forest development, having an important role in ecological, biometeorological, and hydrological assessments. Accurate estimations of PET using the FAO–56 Penman–Monteith (FAO–56 PM) benchmark method require a wide range of data parameters, which are not typically available at meteorological stations installed in forest environments. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of various methods with low data requirements for assessing PET in a Mediterranean forest environment and propose appropriate alternatives for accurate PET estimation. Specifically, 50 temperature-based methods were evaluated against the FAO–56 PM method in a sub-humid forest in northern Greece, using high-quality daily meteorological data. The outcomes indicate that temperature-based methods offer a viable alternative for PET estimation when data availability is limited, with a considerable number of methods (22) presenting low deviations (up to 10%) compared to the benchmark method. Temperature-based models outperformed those incorporating water-related parameters (as relative humidity or precipitation) in Mediterranean forest environments. The top performing methods in the study site, based on several statistical indices, were the equations of Ravazzani et al., proposed in 2012, followed by Hargreaves–Samani in 1985 and Heydari and Heydari in 2014. Full article

Grasslands differ in many types depending on the diversity of climatic conditions and substrates. Due to the great wealth of species found in semi-natural grasslands, they conserve an essential part of the biodiversity of the European Union (EEC 43/92), defined as habitats of community interest. Using the region of Calabria (southern Italy) as a case study, this study aims to evaluate how species assemblages and a set of indicators applied to them can be used to analyse and characterize the diversity, ecological features and conservation status of grassland habitats. Vegetation analysis was carried out using the phytosociological method, and habitat ecological characteristics were defined by Ellenberg’s ecological indicator adapted to the Italian flora. Multivariate analysis of the surveys by means of cluster analysis and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) made it possible to define eight habitat groups according to EEC Directive 43/92: 6110 Rocky or basophilous calcareous grasslands of the Alysso-Sedion albi, 6170 Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands, 6220*a Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea dominated by a Lygeum spartum, 6220*b Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea dominated by Hyparrhenia hirta, 6210* Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrub facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Bromometalia) (*important orchid sites), 6230* Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on siliceous substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas, in Continental Europe), 6410 Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-siltladen soils (Molinion caeruleae), 6420 Mediterranean tall humid herb grasslands of the Molinio-Holoschoenion, 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels. Temperature (T) and oisture (U) are the most statistically significant ecological factors in differentiating different habitat types. Analysis of diversity, assessed through Shannon and Evenness indices, showed that it is strongly correlated with habitat diversity as soil moisture increases. The study of ecological characteristics, correlated with biodiversity indices, helps to characterize grassland habitats, providing guidance for the implementation of active conservation policies for these habitats. Full article