Mediterranean Fringe Research Articles

The taxonomy of Leucanthemum ircutianum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) in the Apennine Peninsula based on AFLP fingerprinting, plastid DNA sequence variation and eco-climatological niche reconstruction

Abstract The tetraploid species Leucanthemum ircutianum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) is represented in the Apennine Peninsula by three infraspecific taxa, L. ircutianum subsp. ircutianum, L. ircutianum subsp. asperulum and L. ircutianum subsp. leucolepis. The present study uses AFLP fingerprinting and sequencing of the petN–psbM intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the plastid genome for inferring genetic relationships among these three subspecies and aims at the elaboration of an appropriate taxonomic treatment of these taxa. Due to the amphi-Adriatic distribution of these taxa, additional samples from the Balkan Peninsula and representatives of L. ircutianum subsp. ircutianum from north-western Italy, south-eastern France, Romania and southern Germany were included. Genetic analyses reveal that L. ircutianum subsp. asperulum from southern Italy and L. ircutianum subsp. leucolepis from the Balkan Peninsula and the northern and central Apennine Peninsula are identical and should be treated as a single taxon. The observation of genetically intermediate individuals throughout the overlapping distributional ranges of L. ircutianum subspp. ircutianum and leucolepis and in a surveyed mixed stand of the two taxa indicate that these are not reproductively isolated from each other. The analysis of eco-climatological niches of the two subspecies indicates that L. ircutianum subsp. ircutianum is found in more temperate regions, whereas L. ircutianum subsp. leucolepis prefers the Mediterranean fringe of the total distributional range of the species. A hybrid-zone analysis based on AFLP ‘allele frequency’ clines along a transect from Germany to southern Italy is interpreted as supporting a scenario of secondary contact of the two entities after some diversification in allopatry. On the basis of our results, we provide a taxonomic treatment of the species L. ircutianum for Italy, including the designation of three lectotypes.

Première mention de Nomada barcelonensis Cockerell, 1917 pour la France (Hymenoptera : Apidae : Nomadinae)

First mention of Nomada barcelonensis Cockerell, 1917 for France (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae) . - The authors relate here the discovery within Mediterranean fringe of metropolitan France, in the Var department, of a species of Nomada so far only known from Spain: Nomada barcelonensis Cockerell,1917. The ecology, biology and morphological description allowing its determination are presented as well as the conditions of capture of the specimen.

Early humans in northern Africa

Archaeology Evidence for the earliest stone tools produced by human ancestors (from ∼2.6 million years ago) has hitherto come from East Africa. Sahnouni et al. report the discovery of Oldowan stone artifacts and associated cutmarks on fossil bones excavated in Algeria, with the earliest dated to 2.4 million years ago. Thus, hominins inhabited the Mediterranean fringe in North Africa earlier than commonly believed. Furthermore, either stone tool manufacture and use dispersed early from East Africa or stone tool manufacture and use originated in both North and East Africa. Science , this issue p. [1297][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aau0008

1.9-million- and 2.4-million-year-old artifacts and stone tool-cutmarked bones from Ain Boucherit, Algeria.

East Africa has provided the earliest known evidence for Oldowan stone artifacts and hominin-induced stone tool cutmarks dated to ~2.6 million years (Ma) ago. The ~1.8-million-year-old stone artifacts from Ain Hanech (Algeria) were considered to represent the oldest archaeological materials in North Africa. Here we report older stone artifacts and cutmarked bones excavated from two nearby deposits at Ain Boucherit estimated to ~1.9 Ma ago, and the older to ~2.4 Ma ago. Hence, the Ain Boucherit evidence shows that ancestral hominins inhabited the Mediterranean fringe in northern Africa much earlier than previously thought. The evidence strongly argues for early dispersal of stone tool manufacture and use from East Africa or a possible multiple-origin scenario of stone technology in both East and North Africa.

Recent trends reveal decreasing intensity of daily precipitation in Spain

A comprehensive analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of daily precipitation in Spain in the period 1950–2012 was carried out based on the high‐resolution gridded data set SPREAD at a 5 × 5 km spatial resolution. Temporal trends of 12 daily precipitation indices were computed by application of the Sen's slope and the Mann–Kendall tests. The spatial distribution of the trends showed (a) a global slight increase in the duration of the precipitation events, especially along the Mediterranean fringe; (b) an increase of the frequency of low precipitation events and a decrease of the frequency of high and very high events (inverse in the Mediterranean coast); and (c) a slight decrease of the intensity when considering single events (1‐ or 5‐day duration), but a significant negative trend in mean and median precipitation when considering all the precipitation days (p > 0), especially in the Mediterranean coast.

Factors affecting forest dynamics in the Iberian Peninsula from 1987 to 2012. The role of topography and drought

Abstract In southern Europe, climate trends are expected to be characterized by an increase in temperatures and less water availability. Analyzing the role of structural factors and the influence of a changing climate provides insights into the evolution of forest ecosystems in regions with similar environmental conditions. The Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula is of particular interest due to its diverse topo climatic conditions and the increase in drought episodes during the last decades. This work studies forest dynamics in large areas of this geographical region by analyzing nine forest transitions. Vegetation covers were classified from three Landsat scenes for the period 1987–2012, and sub-periods 1987–2002 and 2002–2012. Conditions were described by topography derived variables, human factors and drought-occurrence variables. Boosted regression trees were used to identify the most important variables and describe the relationships between the forest dynamics and key factors. Variables such as solar radiation, topographic wetness index and tolerance to drought have been shown to be key factors in forest succession and when comparisons are made between vegetation groups. Main findings: The transition rate to Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean broadleaf forests has increased during the analyzed period, while the transition rate to coniferous forests has decreased; Transitions to Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean broadleaf forests are positively associated with drought occurrence while transitions to conifers are negatively affected by drought; Transitions from shrublands to forest stages are more vulnerable to factors controlling water availability; Important interactions between topography derived variables and drought have been found. The study provides robust evidence that drought occurrence plays an important role in the decline of conifers and the expansion of broadleaves, which could become the dominant species in many areas of the Mediterranean if climate model forecasts are met.

Forest transition and urban growth: exploring latent dynamics (1936–2006) in Rome, Italy, using a geographically weighted regression and implications for coastal forest conservation

Peri-urban Mediterranean landscapes preserve high-quality environments with biodiversity strictly dependent on relict forests and mixed agroforest systems. The assessment of long-term land-use changes at the urban-wildland interface is particularly interesting for policies coping with natural land conservation and man- agement. The dynamics of Mediterranean fringe forests were rather mixed over the last century alternating decline due to deforestation and clear-cutting up to World War II and a recovery afterwards. Forest transition theory (FTT) has been used to describe a turnaround in land-use trends for a given territory from a period of net forest area loss to a period of net forest area gain. The present paper analyses forest expansion in Rome's province in the light of the FTT using diachronic maps, which cover two time intervals (1936-1974 and 1974-2006) corresponding to distinct socioeconomic contexts at the local scale. Our results indicate a slight increase in forest areas along the whole study period owing to natural reforestation following the abandonment of agricultural land and the higher level of forest protection. Geographically weighted regression indicates the growing importance of the urban gradient in forest dynamics. This may reflect settlement dispersion and higher disturbance to forests due to soil sealing, wildland fires, habitat fragmentation, cropland abandonment, and invasive species increase. The tendency towards a more mixed and heterogeneous woodland structure at the urban- wildland interface, especially in coastal areas, should be contrasted through sustainable land management practices integrating urban planning and environmental policies into a unique strategy for the protection of relict agroforest systems.

Circulation weather types and spatial variability of daily precipitation in the Iberian Peninsula

The relationships between atmospheric circulation patterns and daily Iberian rainfall are here explored at high spatial resolution (0.2°) using the Jenkinson and Collison automated classification scheme with 26 Weather Types (WTs). The WTs were computed by means of the daily EMULATE Mean Sea Level Pressure dataset (EMSLP) while the high resolution precipitation database corresponds to the recent Iberia02 daily gridded precipitation dataset over the 1950-2003 period. Six monthly indexes relating the WTs and precipitation were analyzed: their Frequency, the Mean Precipitation, the Percentage Contribution, the Area of Influence, the Precipitation Intensity and Efficiency. Except for the Frequency of the WTs, all other indexes were evaluated studying their spatial distribution over the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on a WT and a month at time. A small number of WTs (7) was found to capture a high percentage (~70%) of monthly Iberian precipitation. The Westerly WT is the most influent one, followed by the Cyclonic, the Northwesterly and the Southwesterly WTs. Westerly flows, however, do not affect the Mediterranean fringe or the Cantabrian coast, which are dominated by the Easterly and Northerly WTs, respectively. Rainfall along the Mediterranean coastline and the Ebro basin depends on a variety of WTs, but their effects are confined to narrow areas and short temporal intervals, suggesting that local factors such as convective processes, orography and the proximity to a warm water body could play a major role in precipitation processes. We show that the use of daily gridded precipitation dataset holds the advantage of measuring the daily rainfall amount due to each WT directly instead to relying on the predicted values of the regression model as done in previous works.

Links between teleconnection patterns and mean temperature in Spain

This work describes the relationships between Spanish temperature and four teleconnection patterns with influence on the Iberian Peninsula on monthly, seasonal and annual time scales, using data from 144 meteorological stations. Partial correlation analyses were carried out using Spearman test, and spatial distribution maps of the correlation coefficients were produced with geostatistical interpolation techniques. We regionalize the study area based on homogeneous areas containing weather stations with a similar response of temperatures to the same patterns. The links between the temperature and the patterns are mainly positive; only the correlations with Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO) in the north and west are negative, indicating that WeMO plays an opposed role in temperature behaviour in Spain. In general terms, the four modes exert considerable influence on temperature in February, May and September. The East Atlantic (EA) is the pattern with the strongest influence on temperature in Spain—mainly in the north—except in June. Generally, on the seasonal and annual scales, large significant areas were only observed for the EA. EA and WeMO best account for the mean temperature on the Mediterranean fringe and in northern Spain, while EA and North Atlantic Oscillation largely explain the temperature in the rest of Spain.

Regional temperature and precipitation changes under high-end (≥4 ° C) global warming

Climate models vary widely in their projections of both global mean temperature rise and regional climate changes, but are there any systematic differences in regional changes associated with different levels of global climate sensitivity? This paper examines model projections of climate change over the twenty-first century from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report which used the A2 scenario from the IPCC Special Report on Emissions Scenarios, assessing whether different regional responses can be seen in models categorized as 'high-end' (those projecting 4°C or more by the end of the twenty-first century relative to the preindustrial). It also identifies regions where the largest climate changes are projected under high-end warming. The mean spatial patterns of change, normalized against the global rate of warming, are generally similar in high-end and 'non-high-end' simulations. The exception is the higher latitudes, where land areas warm relatively faster in boreal summer in high-end models, but sea ice areas show varying differences in boreal winter. Many continental interiors warm approximately twice as fast as the global average, with this being particularly accentuated in boreal summer, and the winter-time Arctic Ocean temperatures rise more than three times faster than the global average. Large temperature increases and precipitation decreases are projected in some of the regions that currently experience water resource pressures, including Mediterranean fringe regions, indicating enhanced pressure on water resources in these areas.

Is rainfall erosivity increasing in the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula?

AbstractThe risk of erosion and desertification is one of the main environmental concerns in the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula. Changes in precipitation are expected in Mediterranean areas because of climate change, but predictions are not certain. For this reason, dense precipitation databases are required to explore observed changes in the amount, concentration and variability of precipitation, to gain a clearer understanding of the dynamics involved in the main climatological agent of erosion. For this study, we took the recently developed MOPREDAMES dataset, which includes 1113 complete and homogeneous monthly rainfall series from the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula (IP) covering the period 1951–2000. These were used to calculate and analyse trends in Total Annual Precipitation (Pt), the Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) and Modified Fourier Index (MFI). Our results show that, although there were decreases in annual rainfall, increases in the concentration of precipitation also predominated in the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula during the period 1951–2000. However, spatial variability of these trends is high, and changes in rainfall erosivity exhibit a complex spatial pattern. Thus, decreases in rainfall erosivity are detected under semiarid conditions (Central Ebro basin and South East IP), while increases mainly occur in dry and sub‐humid areas. We present a detailed spatial description of the results and discuss their implication for the risk of erosion and desertification in different regions of the study area. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Monthly precipitation trends on the Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula during the second‐half of the twentieth century (1951–2000)

AbstractWe analysed monthly precipitation trends on the eastern Mediterranean fringe of the Iberian Peninsula (IP) by means of a new monthly precipitation database [Monthly Precipitation Dataset, Mediterranean Spain (MOPREDAMES)]. This database was created following an exhaustive quality control of the archives from the Meteorological Agency of Spain (Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, INM), and comprises 1113 complete and homogeneous monthly precipitation series (1951–2000), covering 180 000 km2 (one‐third of IP area). The new data set currently offers the highest spatial density of stations on the IP and around the Mediterranean Sea (1 station/150–200 km2), and includes available information at 1500 m asl.The analyses of monthly precipitation trends indicate high spatial and temporal variability. No global trend in the study area was found, except for March, when significant negative trends affect the whole study area. Trends for winter months (December–January–February) are dominated by an East–West gradient with a latitudinal temporal shift. Positive trends are mainly located in coastland areas and negatives ones predominate inland. April shows a North‐positive South‐negative gradient, and the reverse is true for June and September. Negative trends are dominant in October over most of the study area, except for the Pyrenees area. July and August show the most complex spatial distribution pattern, with well‐delimited areas of positive trends to the south and northwest. We generally detected no significant trends in May and November.In order to analyse the nature of rainfall variability in the study area, we also studied the synchronous influence of different low‐variability modes [the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Mediterranean Oscillation (MO) and the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO)]. On the Mediterranean fringe of the IP precipitation is mainly related to negative phases of the three low‐frequency variability patterns analysed, and the MO and the WeMO emerge as predominant teleconnection patterns. These results suggest that monthly variations in rainfall may result from the simultaneous effects of different atmospheric modes of low variability, especially those linked to the Mediterranean region.Studies making use of high‐density precipitation databases, as is the case in this paper, are useful for a better understanding of precipitation behaviour in a complex area like the Mediterranean fringe of the IP. The results also provide valuable information for downscaling and hydrological management. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society

The relationships between patch size and <i>Sarcopoterium spinosum</i> association properties at the Mediterranean fringe—Israel

Habitat loss and landscape fragmentation are considered factors that cause a significant decrease in biodiversity and changes in the community composition. The impact of fragmented natural patches of various sizes on plant species richness, plant composition, and soil properties were investigated in this study. The study area was located in a semiarid Mediterranean region (average annual rainfall 300 mm/ winter) and dominated by Sarcopoterium spinosum L. (SP) association. The results indicated that: (a) SP dwarf-shrubs were absent from patches of less than one hectare; (b) SP and other perennial coverage increased with patch size; however (c) herbaceous plants dominated the patches (70-100%); (d) the annual grasses Stipa capensis Thunb. and Avena sterilis L. were the dominant species and their coverage was significantly higher in the small patches; (e) species richness increased with patch size; (f) the total number of species for all the patches was almost two times higher than in the adjacent nature reserve; (g) native weeds such as Chrysanthemum coronarium L. and Centaurea hyalolepis Boiss. abounded in the patch edges; (h) the similarity between the patches and the adjacent nature reserve increased with patch size, but was less than 35%; and (i) rock fragments were almost absent from the small patches where the soil was shallower than in the large patches. In conclusion, on the patch scale, it is important to conserve larger patches. However, on the landscape scale, it is recommended to conserve the various patch sizes because of their high biodiversity.

The role of the stratosphere in Iberian Peninsula rainfall: A preliminary approach in February

This paper attempts to establish a connection between stratospheric anomalies in the North Pole and rainfall on the Iberian Peninsula through the occurrence of major midwinter warmings (MMWs) and cold events (CEs), taking February as a preliminary approach. We define the MMWs as the warmings which break down the polar vortex, whereas the CEs are the episodes in which the polar vortex remains cold and undisturbed. Both anomalies lead to a wind anomaly around the north polar stratosphere, which is connected with a shortly lagged tropospheric anomaly through a stratosphere–troposphere coupling in winter. A T-mode principal component analysis (PCA) was used as an objective pattern classification method for identifying the main daily surface-level pressure (SLP) patterns for February for the 1961–1990 reference period. Subsequently, those February months with an MMW or a CE influence in the troposphere are identified in the whole study period (1958–2000) by means of the Arctic Oscillation Index (AOI). Thus, performing the same analysis for the selected February months, new principal patterns for detecting changes in surface circulation structure and morphology are obtained. The results show a significant decrease in the westerlies and a southward shift of the storm tracks in Western Europe some weeks after an MMW occurrence, leading to an increase in precipitation in western Iberia and a slight decrease on the eastern Mediterranean fringe. The results are quite the opposite under a CE influence: the westerlies are strengthened and shifted northwards due to the displacement of the Atlantic anticyclone towards Central Europe; dry conditions are established throughout Iberia, except for the Mediterranean fringe, where precipitation shows a considerable increase due to the greater frequency of the northeasterly winds. Finally, an 11-year sunspot cycle–quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) modulation might be demonstrated in Iberian rainfall in February through the occurrence of these stratospheric anomalies.

Phenolics of Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae) Fruits: Identification of Anthocyanins and Gallic Acid Derivatives

Arbutus unedo L., the strawberry tree (Ericaceae family), is an evergreen shrub or small tree, typical of the Mediterranean fringe and climate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the profile of the phenolic constituents of A. unedo fruits. Seven compounds were purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography of the MeOH extract followed by HPLC and were characterized as arbutin, beta-D-glucogalline, gallic acid 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-galloylquinic acid, 5-O-galloylquinic acid, 3-O-galloylshikimic acid, and 5-O-galloylshikimic acid, by means of NMR and ESI-MS analyses. Moreover, LC-PDA-MS analysis of the red pigment of A. unedo fruits revealed the presence of three anthocyanins recognized as cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-arabinopyranoside. These pigments were also quantified.

Historical biogeography of Androcymbium Willd. (Colchicaceae) in Africa: evidence from cpDNA RFLPs

The cpDNA restriction variation in 39 populations representing a geographical sampling of 18 species ofAndrocymbium in southwestern and northern Africa was examined to assess the historical biogeography of the genus. The cpDNA phylogeny indicates that the disjunction between South and North Africa is best explained by the dispersal of southern African ancestors into North Africa. Divergence time estimates suggest that the geographic range of the genus may have extended considerably north (perhaps to Tanzania and Kenya) prior to the global desiccation of Africa in the Miocene. Further expansion of the genus northward was probably stalled until climatic changes in the late Miocene brought about the gradual replacement of a subtropical woodland savanna with the arid landscape that gave rise to the Sahara. Aridification of the northern quarter of the continent provided the ecological conditions for fostering the expansion of Androcymbium along the Mediterranean fringe (probably east to west) and its introduction into the Canary Islands. Unlike their South African congeners, the northern species have experienced expansions, fragmentations, and local extinctions in response to the severe climatic shifts in this area during the Pliocene-Pleistocene. According to our divergence time estimates, the arid track may have already existed as a continuous area connecting southern and northern Africa in the late Miocene.

Historical biogeography of Androcymbium Willd. (Colchicaceae) in Africa: evidence from cpDNA RFLPs

The cpDNA restriction variation in 39 populations representing a geographical sampling of 18 species ofAndrocymbium in southwestern and northern Africa was examined to assess the historical biogeography of the genus. The cpDNA phylogeny indicates that the disjunction between South and North Africa is best explained by the dispersal of southern African ancestors into North Africa. Divergence time estimates suggest that the geographic range of the genus may have extended considerably north (perhaps to Tanzania and Kenya) prior to the global desiccation of Africa in the Miocene. Further expansion of the genus northward was probably stalled until climatic changes in the late Miocene brought about the gradual replacement of a subtropical woodland savanna with the arid landscape that gave rise to the Sahara. Aridification of the northern quarter of the continent provided the ecological conditions for fostering the expansion of Androcymbium along the Mediterranean fringe (probably east to west) and its introduction into the Canary Islands. Unlike their South African congeners, the northern species have experienced expansions, fragmentations, and local extinctions in response to the severe climatic shifts in this area during the Pliocene-Pleistocene. According to our divergence time estimates, the arid track may have already existed as a continuous area connecting southern and northern Africa in the late Miocene.

Transformations récentes de la croissance régionale, urbaine et rurale en Espagne

Recent transformations in regional, urban and rural growth in Spain. The author dwells on a series of ruptures that have affected the distribution and character of the Spanish population since 1975 : a sudden fall in birth rates, a slowing down of the growth of large towns but diffusion into periurban areas, contradictory evolutions in medium-sized towns according to their regional economy, the decline of small towns in the old industrial regions of the north-west but a rapid growth along the Mediterranean fringe and rural revitalization marked by the return of emigrants. The situation is placed within the context of the reversal of demographic dynamics harming the old industrial centres. Patterns of change differ from one region to the next.

Kissinger's Missing Continent

To say that this is now Dr. Kissinger's world is more or less indisputable. But to say that his world includes the whole of the globe is inaccurate, In all Africa below the Mediterranean fringe there is not one leader who can refer to “our friend Henry.” As Dr. Kissinger admitted in his confirmation hearings as Secretary of State, he had, after a quarter century as one of our leading academic authorities on foreign policy, not yet formulated any “philosophy” of African-American relations. He spoke vaguely of calling some of our ambassadors to Africa back to Washington “to give me their judgment on what the best U.S. philosophy should be in that area.”