Mediterranean Climate Zone Research Articles

Anatomical Responses of Two Species under Controlled Water Restriction.

Quillay (Quillaja saponaria Molina) and peumo (Cryptocarya alba [Molina] Looser) are two tree species endemic to Chile that grow in Mediterranean climate zones, characterized by a summer season with high temperatures, high solar radiation, and low soil water availability. A study was conducted with 2-year-old Q. saponaria and C. alba plants and two substrate water conditions: well-watered and controlled water restriction. At the end of the study, anatomical leaf modifications were analyzed. The tissues were anatomically described in transverse sections of juvenile and adult leaves, measuring leaf thickness, cuticle thickness, and cell density of the mesophyll parenchymal tissues. In the young leaves of Q. saponaria plants undergoing water restriction treatment, an increase in cuticle and leaf thickness and a decrease in the density of the palisade and spongy parenchyma were observed. In contrast, a significant reduction in leaf thickness was observed in adult leaves of both species with water restriction treatment. The anatomical changes in the leaves of Q. saponaria and C. alba suggest an adaptation to adverse environmental conditions, such as water restriction.

Dune elongation and hunting strategy during the Terminal Pleistocene (Ramonian): Insights from Mizpor Ashalim, northwestern Negev dunefield margins, Israel

The Middle Epipalaeolithic Ramonian culture, endemic to the Negev-Sinai desert, incorporates highland occupations alongside lowland dune-associated localities. The lowland sites, dominated by microlithic tools, have been hypothesized to be prime hunting settings. Here we investigate this hypothesis based on the data from Mizpor Ashalim - a new Ramonian site located upon a falling dune overlooking the central Besor Valley. The study incorporates analysis of projectile damage on microlithic tools, geomorphology, portable OSL profiling, and OSL ages of the dune deposits, as well as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) investigation. GIS mapping of relevant sites alongside the ancient dune-dammed water bodies constitutes an additional methodological tool newly applied in the current study.The results support the hypothesis and suggest that Ramonian hunting strategy was associated with dune-dammed, medium-sized basins that formed ecological niches following winter floods. The study sheds new light on adaptations developed by different cultural entities occupying the region during the Terminal Pleistocene and their connection with changing environmental settings. At the same time, it emphasizes technological continuity throughout the cultural sequence in the arid environments of the Southern Levant, expressed in microliths production and projectile design. This continuity, not observed in the Mediterranean climate zone, underscores the importance of understanding the social and economic dynamics in the desert areas of the Southern Levant to comprehend the processes that led to sedentism and food production in the region.

Comparison of the Energy Contributions of Different Types of Ground Heat Exchangers Related to Cost in a Working Ground Source Heat Pump System

Geothermal systems face adoption challenges due to their high initial investment cost. Accurate cost analyses and a more precise understanding of updated prices could assist geothermal industry projects in obtaining investment financing and better money management with the right equipment. As the cost of geothermal installations can vary widely depending on case and location, it seems essential to clarify the factors and parameters that determine the cost of the system. These include the type of loop system, the ground conditions, the type of heat pump, the system size, and the geographical location. The scope of this study is to compare the operation of various types of ground heat exchangers (GHEs) present in a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system installed in the coastal area of the Mediterranean climate zone of Cyprus. The highlight of this work is that it presents real installation cost data as well as recorded total energy contributed by the GHEs to the GSHP system of a HP cooling and heating capacities of 101 kW and 117 kW, respectively. The input contribution from the GHEs to the HP is 85,650 kWh (308,340 MJ) in summer and 25,880 kWh (93,168 MJ) in winter. It is shown that, among the three groups of GHEs investigated, the open-well GHE complex has the lowest cost per kWh ratio (0.32 EUR/kWh), followed by the vertical GHE complex (1.05 EUR/kWh), and lastly by the helical coil GHE (2.77 EUR/kWh). This clearly suggests that when underground water is available, the open-well GHE is much more favorable than other GHE types.

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Bosnia and Herzegovina: distribution, ecology and environmental preferences

Sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) are the principal vectors for the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. and for phleboviruses. The sand fly fauna on the Balkan Peninsula, including Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), is diverse and the circulation of Leishmania infantum as well as phleboviruses has been proven. However, recent data on the sand fly fauna in BIH are scarce. In this study, we surveyed understudied regions in central and northeastern BIH to update the sand fly distribution and gain insights into the ecological and environmental factors shaping their appearance. CDC light trapping was conducted in 2022 and 2023 and a combination of morphological and molecular methods (cytochrome oxidase I barcoding) was performed for species identifications. We mapped the currently known distribution, modelled climatic suitability patterns and performed environmental analyses by applying machine learning methods. In addition, we analyzed blood meals by host gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF peptide mass mapping and screened for Leishmania spp. DNA and Phlebovirus RNA.Altogether, 591 sand flies of four species were trapped, predominantly Phlebotomus neglectus (97 %), but also Ph. balcanicus, Ph. mascittii, and Ph. papatasi. Records of seven sand fly species known to be endemic were plotted onto distribution maps based on 101 datapoints, identifying Ph. neglectus as the overall predominant species. The environmental analyses of sand fly species indicated variation in altitudinal, thermal, and precipitation conditions across the sand fly-positive sites. Phlebotomus simici, Phlebotomus tobbi, and Sergentomyia minuta are typically found exclusively in Mediterranean and subtropical climate zones, whereas other species typically inhabit continental regions. The Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation of sand fly species numbers and Shannon entropy values suggested the southeastern coastal region of BIH as a primary focus for sand fly occurrence. This finding was corroborated by modeled average climatic suitability patterns for sand flies, depicting four distinct meso-regions for sand fly occurrence. The results of the ensemble method highlight the importance of annual precipitation to distinguish between positive and negative sand fly trapping sites in BIH. In total, 55 blood meals of two sand fly species, Ph. neglectus and Ph. balcanicus, were analyzed and five host species identified.Our comprehensive assessment of ecological and environmental preferences of sand flies in BIH may support further entomological surveys and help to better understand and evaluate potential hot spots of disease transmission in the country.

Changes in erosion susceptibility of a Chromic Haplustert pasture soil by some polymers under simulated rainfall

Due to the climate change that has become evident especially in the last ten years, ecosystems such as forests and pastures in the Mediterranean climate zone have become even more vulnerable to degradation. High erosive precipitation increases the amount of erosion in these soils with increasing their erodibility. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent some polymers, such as polyacrylamide and polyvinylalcohol, can prevent runoff and soil loss from erosion pans where a pasture soil was placed. For this purpose, aggregates of soil samples <8 mm from the A horizon of a Chromic Haplustert were used. Polyacrylamide and polyvinylalcohol solutions at different doses (0, 3.5, 7.0 and 14.0 kg ha-1) were applied to the aggregates by spraying. Erosion pans with slopes of 9% and 15% were exposed to simulated rainfall produced by a drop former rainfall simulator for one hour. The simulation trial was planned as 2 replications according to the randomized plots trial design. During simulated rainfall, runoff water and sediment from pans were collected at 10-minute intervals. Transported soils were expressed as dry weight, and runoff waters were expressed as volumetric. According to the results obtained, the highest runoff occurred from a 15% inclined soil pan (11.06 mm) without polymer applied (control). After one hour of simulated rainfall, runoff did not occur from some pans with high-doses of applied polymer. The amount of soil transported from the control pan by runoff and by splashing to the sides is 362 and 4241 kg ha-1, respectively. The pan, in which the least soil is carried by splashing, was the one with a 9% slope and the highest dose of polyacrylamide (97 kg ha-1). Statistical results show that polyvinylalcohol was  more successful than polyacrylamide in reducing soil and water losses especially on 15% slope. These results indicate that the application of polymer to pasture soils can be a valid way to combat erosion, but the treatments should be carried out by choosing the right dose, taking into account factors such as the slope of the land, the erodibility of the soil and the erosivity of rainfall. 

Drought and Wildfire Trends in Native Forests of South-Central Chile in the 21st Century

Over the last decades, Chile has experienced a long-term drought with significant consequences for water availability, forest productivity, and soil degradation, ultimately dramatically increasing the surface of burned area. Here, we quantify the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) to ascertain the extent of “moisture deficiency” across the central-southern region of Chile from 2000 to 2023 to assess the drought’s relationship with the frequency of wildfires focusing on the impact of native forests. Our methodology quantifies the PDSI from the burned area data using MODIS MCD64A1 satellite imagery, validated by in situ wildfire occurrence records. The findings indicate that 85.2% of fires occurred under moderate to severe drought conditions. We identified 407,561 ha showing varying degrees of degradation due to wildfires, highlighting the critical areas for targeted conservation efforts. A significant increase in both the frequency of wildfires and the extent of the affected area in native forests was observed with the intensification of drought conditions in the 21st century within mesic to humid Mediterranean climatic zones where drought explains up to 41% of the variability in the burned area (r2 = 0.41; p < 0.05). This study highlights the relationship between drought conditions and wildfire frequency, showing the paramount need to adopt comprehensive wildfire mitigation management in native forests.

The Results of a Pre-study to Determine The Effects of Zinc and Iron Foliar Fertilizer on Canola (Brassica napus L.)

Increasing canola yield, a winter oil crop, is important for its cultivation in the product pattern of the Mediterranean climate zone. Therefore, a study was planned to determine the impact of foliar application zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and Zn + Fe combination on the yield and quality of canola. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. Zinc (3.0% v/v), iron (7.5% w/w), and their combination were foliar sprayed at rosette and flowering stages. The highest number of siliques per plant, number of seeds per silique, seed index, and seed yield were recorded in the Fe application. Zn + Fe combination significantly increased the oil and protein content, whereas Zn application exhibited higher oil and protein yield performance. It was concluded that using iron and zinc separately regarding yield and quality is economically beneficial.

Adaptation of rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change: A case study of La Rioja (Spain)

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the building sector and rural areas in particular should be prioritised due to their special characteristics. In this work, ways to adapt rural residential buildings in a Mediterranean climate to climate change via energy renovation were studied, taking La Rioja (Spain) as a case study. Different energy renovation solutions were evaluated under different climate change scenarios considering the possible evolution of the climate zones. The energy and economic impacts of these energy-renovated buildings were compared to those of existing buildings. Nearly zero-energy buildings were achieved by changing the thermal envelopes and their corresponding interior partitions. The study discovered that, on the one hand, the heating energy demand was reduced while the cooling energy demand was increased, thus reducing the total energy demand; on the other hand, the best energy renovation solution entails compliance by nearly zero-energy buildings with current building thermal regulation for the current climate zone. This work can serve as a guide to establish and promote energy renovation policies that are effective in addressing climate change and are economically viable. Furthermore, the methodology developed and the results obtained can be extrapolated to other cold Mediterranean climate zones.

Life-history evolution in the orange-tailed skink populations living in different climates.

The life-history traits of ectothermic animals can be influenced by many abiotic factors, including climate. As an ectothermic species, we questioned whether the life-history characteristics of the orange-tailed skink (Eumeces schneiderii) populations differ between two different environments/climates. Our findings showed that the average body size of lizards living in the Mediterranean climate zone was higher than those in the continental climate zone. However, although Mediterranean population had higher mean values regarding average age, there was no discernible difference between the two climate zone populations. When considering all populations collectively, it has been discovered that the species' maximum lifespan is 18 years. Body size notably increased with age in both populations. Through the utilization of the von Bertalanffy equation, the anticipated growth parameters portrayed a highly accurate connection between age and snout-vent length. In conclusion, lizards living in habitats characterized by milder Mediterranean climates were found to have larger body sizes than continental populations, but both populations were comparable in terms of mean age. This difference can be explained by several factors, including activation time, temperature, precipitation, food abundance, and the presence of predators.

Changes in extreme precipitation indices across Algeria climate zones

AbstractExtreme precipitation events can have a significant impact on the environment, agriculture, economy and safety, making close monitoring of their short‐ and long‐term trends essential for the development of effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. In this study, we analysed 16 in situ observation datasets from four different climate zones in Algeria, spanning from 1969 to 2021. The trend analysis was conducted using the original Mann–Kendall test and seven modified tests to eliminate the effects of short‐term persistence. Our findings reveal a significant increasing trend of extreme precipitation variability for most stations in the Warm Mediterranean climate zone, except for the Consecutive dry days index, which showed a negative trend for the same zone, while stations in the Cold/Warm semi‐arid climate and Cold desert climate (Bwk) zones showed a decreasing trend. Additionally, all index series with significant long‐term trends were affected by a significant shift in their means, which was confirmed by both the Lombard and Pettitt tests. However, when we used the modified MPT and the test eliminating the effects of long‐term persistence, the significance of the shifts and the trend decreased. Our results suggest that while extreme precipitation events have been increasing in some parts of Algeria; the trend may not be statistically significant in the long‐run, indicating the necessity of revisiting and refreshing the findings of previous studies for a more current perspective.

Global evapotranspiration simulation research using a coupled deep learning algorithm with physical mechanisms

AbstractEvapotranspiration (ET) and actual evapotranspiration (AET) serve as critical parameters in the water vapour exchange between terrestrial surfaces and the atmosphere. ET denotes the theoretical maximum evapotranspiration achievable under ideal conditions, whereas AET represents the actual evapotranspiration observed, factoring in the constraints imposed by available water resources. Precise estimation of AET is imperative for the optimization of water resource management and the advancement of sustainable development initiatives. In recent years, deep learning techniques have been extensively utilized in AET estimation. However, traditional deep learning models often lack the incorporation of essential physical constraints. We proceeded to enhance the loss function of the temporal convolutional network (TCN) by taking into account the physical relationships that exist among soil water content (SWC), potential evapotranspiration (PET) and AET, thereby introducing a novel physically coupled deep learning model (AET, SWC after kernel principal component analysis, PET, TCN and AKP‐TCN), and checked the rationality of the model with the FLUXNET 2015 dataset. These findings underscore that the AKP‐TCN model exhibits heightened sensitivity to peak fluctuations in AET under the imposition of physical constraints. This approach notably enhances the precision of AET simulations in areas marked by complex and variable climatic conditions, such as the Mediterranean climate zone and Oceania, achieving determination coefficient (R2) values surpassing the threshold of 0.900. Compared to traditional models, which include long short‐term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural networks (CNN) and TCN, the AKP‐TCN delivers substantial R2 improvements of 16%, 16% and 9%, respectively. This advancement offers a novel perspective for coupling deep learning with physical mechanisms.

Advances in Quercus ilex L. breeding: the CRISPR/Cas9 technology via ribonucleoproteins.

The CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated technology represents a fascinating tool for modifying gene expression or mutagenesis as this system allows for obtaining transgene-free plants, avoiding exogenous DNA integration. Holm oak (Quercus ilex) has an important social, economic, and ecological role in the Mediterranean climate zones of Western Europe and North Africa and is severely affected by oak decline syndrome. Here we report the first example of the application of the CRISPR/Cas9-RNP technology in holm oak. Firstly, we evaluated the protoplast isolation from both in vitro leaves and proembryogenic masses. Proembryogenic masses represented the best material to get high protoplast yield (11 x 106 protoplasts/ml) and viability. Secondly, the protoplast transfection ability was evaluated through a vector expressing green fluorescence protein as marker gene of transfection, reaching a transfection percentage of 62% after 24 hours. CRISPR/Cas9 RNPs were successfully delivered into protoplasts resulting in 5.6% ± 0.5% editing efficiency at phytoene desaturase (pds) target genomic region. Protoplasts were then cultured in semisolid media and, after 45 days in culture, developed embryogenic calli were observed in a Murashige and Skoog media with half concentration of NH4NO3 and KNO3 supplemented with 0.1 mg/L benzylaminopurine and 0.1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Phenotypic variability for early drought stress resistance in tetraploid wheat accessions correlates with terminal drought performance

AbstractDurum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is a fundamental staple food for the countries of the Mediterranean basin. Climate change is predicted to cause a trend of increasing drought severity in this region in the near future, necessitating the improvement of durum wheat's resilience to drought stress. Using polyethylene glycol to simulate water scarcity, early vigour parameters in germinating seeds are quickly, easily and affordably assessed. Many screenings, however, only consider the seedling stage; consequently, genotypes identified as promising for cultivation in drought scenarios, may not show such features if drought appears in later phenological phases, as happens in Mediterranean climatic areas, generally prone to terminal drought. The correlation between drought stress resistance during the seedling stage (early vigour) and later stages in the life cycle is elusive due to the lack of scientific efforts. Here we used polyethylene glycol screening to classify fifty‐five tetraploid wheat accessions into three clusters (susceptible, medium resistant and highly resistant to drought), based on morpho‐physiological traits. These accessions included durum wheat cultivars and landraces, as well as ancestors like durum emmer wheat and wild emmer wheat. The results of the screenings were combined with subsequent pot experiments using nine randomly selected accessions, imposing terminal drought, and evaluating their performance. Principal component analysis was performed on data for net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and grain yield. Notably, the genotypes that performed best in the pot experiments were also those that performed well in the screening. Highly resistant candidates had in fact higher physiological and performance parameters than susceptible candidates. In summary, polyethylene glycol screening of germinating seeds resulted to be suitable to predictively evaluate drought resistance in tetraploid wheat accessions under terminal drought conditions, typical of Mediterranean climate zones. The reported data, thus evidence of how this inexpensive and simple method might be efficiently applied for large‐scale phenotyping.

Climatic gradients and forest composition shape bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations.

Biotic and abiotic factors can act as filters for determining the species composition of biological communities. We aimed to identify abiotic factors driving the assembly of bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations along a north-south climatic gradient, as they are crucial forest habitats for the assessment and conservation of these communities. We expected that bat communities are predominantly shaped by environmental filtering. We conducted acoustic sampling in 35 pine plantations in Israel and analyzed recordings for species identification. We used the ESLTP analysis, an extension of the three-table ordination (RLQ analysis), to explore relationships between environmental characteristics, species occurrences, and functional traits of species while accounting for phylogenetic relationships between species and spatial distribution of the communities. Communities showed phylogenetic and trait clustering. Climatic conditions and forest vegetation composition shaped communities of bats, affecting the distribution of traits related to foraging behaviors, vegetation clutter, and the ability of bats to maneuver in it. Maneuverable species were associated with the northern Mediterranean climatic zone, with a scarce cover of drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. Fast flyers were associated with the center-south semi-arid area, with abundant drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. These forces might have a predominant role in the assembly of these communities, presumably due to the stressful climatic conditions of the study area. The ESLTP approach can be extended to other taxa and environments to predict species responses to disturbance and environmental changes and give insights into environmental management.

Forest fire risk mapping with Landsat 8 OLI images: Evaluation of the potential use of vegetation indices

Fire is one of the most important natural catastrophes threatening the forest ecosystem. The severity and frequency of forest fires are increasing daily due to the increase in population in vulnerable areas and the effects of global climate change. Creating fire risk maps and using them to take the required protective actions to prevent fires will decrease the adverse effects of forest fires. This study focused on producing and comparing fire risk maps based on four vegetation indices, the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) index, Normalized Burn Ratio Thermal (NBRT) index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and data gathered with the use of remote sensing devices. The Muğla Regional Directorate of Forestry, which is in the Mediterranean climate zone and has experienced mega-fires, was selected as the case study area. Fire risk maps were prepared for the four vegetation indices from Landsat 8 OLI satellite images. Receiver operating characteristic curves and 195 fire ignition points that occurred in 2021 from July 5 to the end of the year were used to assess the accuracy of fire risk maps. Most fire ignition locations (>90%) were in high- and extremely high-risk fire areas on the maps prepared according to the NBR, NDWI, and NDVI. The fact that almost all of the fires occurred in high-risk areas revealed that the study area was sensitive to fire and that the vegetation indices used to draw up the risk maps were highly accurate in predicting where fires might occur. The accuracy results showed that the area under the curve was 0.842 for the NBR, 0.835 for the NDWI, 0.812 for the NBRT, and 0.810 for the NDVI. The NBR approach was more precise than the other models in providing information for fire risk maps. Risk maps created with the NBR could help decision-makers to take precautions and minimize fire damage.

Characteristics of annual and seasonal precipitation in North Macedonia: change analysis and correlation with the North Atlantic Oscillation (1951–2010)

Studying the spatiotemporal precipitation characteristics in North Macedonia (1951–2010) is important as no spatially concurrent precipitation changes across the Balkan Peninsula have been identified. North Macedonia lies at the intersection between Mediterranean and continental climate zones and an improved understanding might help to better understand the regional precipitation patterns. The analysis shows a spatially consistent, high inter-annual variability, which makes trend detection difficult. Statistically significant decreasing trends were only found in seasonal precipitation at three stations. Changes in all other precipitation series were non-significant. Trends in winter, spring, and at annual scale are generally decreasing, whereas in summer are increasing. To better understand possible mechanisms behind the observed variability and change, correlations with the North Atlantic Ocsillation (NAO) were assessed. Significant and regionally concurrent correlations were detected. A strong correlation of the previous winter NAO-index with spring precipitation was found, which is valuable information for anticipatory water resources management in the region.

Trends in the decapod crustacean community at the southernmost estuary of the Atlantic coast of Europe

Climate change may enhance the establishment of introduced species, as well as the poleward shift in distribution of numerous species over decades. Long-term research and monitoring of an ecosystem at the southernmost point of the Atlantic coast of Europe should be an important priority in order to detect and understand trends in species composition and the related environmental changes. The Guadalquivir estuary (South West Spain) is more likely to suffer the exacerbated effects of climate change due to its location in the Mediterranean-climate zone. The long-term data set between 1997 and 2006 has allowed us to analyse the variability of the natural and anthropogenic stressors. The mean interannual dissimilarity of the estuarine fauna (Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index) has showed important differences throughout the years, and the species that most contributed to these differences were the exotic species capable of completing their life cycles. This long-term monitoring of the estuarine community has allowed us to anticipate future events and ecological risk assessment in European waters.

A hybrid modelling approach for detecting seasonal variations in inland Green-Blue Ecosystems

Deforestation, environmental pollution, and the overexploitation of resources, in addition to the Earth's natural cycles, are scaling up the impacts of climate change in the provision of Ecosystem Services (ES). Green-Blue Ecosystems (GBE) are impacted by climatic conditions, topography, and water presence. Data-driven modelling techniques may effectively capture the effects of seasonal variations while modelling natural ecosystems. This research proposes a hybrid modelling approach that combines Deep Learning and traditional Machine Learning, Sensitivity Analysis and Feature Importance Evaluation (FIE) to investigate seasonality effects on mapping GBE. The models, built using satellite imagery from the Spring and Summer seasons of the Mediterranean climate zone, included spectral indices, topography (DEM), and groundwater depth (GD). The model that best suited the analysis was selected using sensitivity tests and hyperparameter optimization. The study shows that land cover classes of transitional woodland shrubs, inland marshes, cultivated land parcels, and watercourses are better classified in the Spring, with an accuracy of 0.814. FIE indicates that spectral indices are the most important predictors for detecting green ecosystems in both seasons. Additionally, DEM and GD are the most relevant predictors to classify watercourses in the Summer. An analytical examination of the input data and hyperparameter settings facilitates understanding of models' behaviour while improving models' prediction. This research provides an advanced understanding of the effects of seasonal variations on the status of GBE and enhances understanding of modelling ES in areas with a growing need for changes in land use and high water supply demand.

Analyzing the Economic Viability and Energy Requirements of Soilless Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation in the Context of Climate Change in the Mediterranean Basin

Controlling environmental conditions in agricultural production has a direct influence on the yield. In vegetative production, the most common and effective implementation of environmentally controlled production is in greenhouses. In the event that the daily average temperature drops below 12oC, greenhouses should be heated. Heating in greenhouses has a significant share in production costs. While overall production costs in high technology greenhouses depend on the size of the greenhouse and the length of the production period, the heating costs vary depending on the greenhouse equipment and external climatic conditions.
 In this study, the costs of inputs used in the production of truss tomatoes in the great majority of high technology greenhouses in the Mediterranean climate zone were determined, their share in the total cost was calculated and a comparison with the costs of truss tomato production in Southeastern European countries was made.
 The calculations show that among the production costs under Mediterranean climate conditions, cost of labor is the highest with a ratio of 37% while energy (heat + electricity) cost is the second highest. While the unit cost of truss tomatoes in Southeastern Europe is 0.51 €.kg-1, the production cost under Mediterranean climate conditions is 0.59€.kg-1.

Early Flood Monitoring and Forecasting System Using a Hybrid Machine Learning-Based Approach

The occurrence of flash floods in urban catchments within the Mediterranean climate zone has witnessed a substantial rise due to climate change, underscoring the urgent need for early-warning systems. This paper examines the implementation of an early flood monitoring and forecasting system (EMFS) to predict the critical overflow level of a small urban stream on Lesvos Island, Greece, which has a history of severe flash flood incidents requiring rapid response. The system is supported by a network of telemetric stations that measure meteorological and hydrometric parameters in real time, with a time step accuracy of 15 min. The collected data are fed into the physical Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS), which simulates the stream’s discharge. Considering the HEC-HMS’s estimated outflow and other hydro-meteorological parameters, the EMFS uses long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks to enhance the accuracy of flood prediction. In particular, LSTMs are employed to analyze the real-time data from the telemetric stations and make multi-step predictions of the critical water level. Hydrological time series data are utilized to train and validate the LSTM models for short-term leading times of 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, and 1 h. By combining the predictions obtained by the HEC-HMS with those of the LSTMs, the EMFS can produce accurate flood forecasts. The results indicate that the proposed methodology yields trustworthy behavior in enhancing the overall resilience of the area against flash floods.