Southeastern Sicily Research Articles

What is deemed to be "fake"? The case of "fake agricultural workers" in South Eastern Sicily

Throughout this article, the author deals with the topic of the economy of the informal labor market, focusing on the greenhouses' sector in the province of Ragusa (Sicily). The ethnographic experience as a participant observer in one of the richest districts of South Italian agriculture, helped to reconstruct the interplay emerging between the State, the entrepreneurs and the Italian and migrants laborers, harnessed in this quasi-informal system of production. The case of fake agricultural workers, namely of people fictitiously hired in agriculture in to receive the unemployment subsidy, represents an interesting example, since it allowed to scrutinize some of the categories, both cognitive and normative, that constitute the moral order of the agricultural local labor market. The author, thus, through several empirical examples, tried to rep to some relevant questions, like what is deem to be legitimate or illegitimate in the economic realm, what is constructed as convenient or valuable and how does ethnicity play a role in defining the appropriateness of individuals’ coping strategies. Nel corso dell'articolo, l'autrice affronta il tema dell'economia nel mercato del lavoro informale, concentrandosi sul settore serricolo in provincia di Ragusa (Sicilia). L'esperienza etnografica da osservatrice partecipante in uno dei distretti piu produttivi dell'agricoltura meridionale, ha aiutato a ricostruire le interazioni che emergono tra lo Stato, gli imprenditori e i lavoratori italiani e migranti, imbrigliati in questo sistema di produzione semi-informale. Il caso dei falsi braccianti, ovvero di persone ingaggiate in maniera fittizia al fine di ricevere il sussidio di disoccupazione agricola, rappresenta un esempio interessante, poiche consente di indagare alcune categorie, di tipo sia cognitivo che normativo, che costituiscono l'ordine morale del mercato del lavoro agricolo locale. L'autrice, dunque, attraverso diversi esempi empirici, cerca di rispondere ad alcune domande rilevanti, come ad esempio cosa e ritenuto legittimo o illegittimo nell'ambito economico, cosa e costruito come conveniente o valido, e in che modo l'etnicita gioca un ruolo nel definire le strategie d'azione piu appropriate.

Petro-archaeometric characterization of potteries from a kiln in Adrano, Sicily

AbstractBackgroundThis work is part of a wide scientific project finalized to characterize the Sicilian pottery productions from Greek to Roman Age. In this prospective, local reference groups have been analysed in order to create a database of the circulation and production centres in Sicily during this period. In this framework, a set of 28 waste pottery fragments (III-II century B.C.) from a pit found during excavations at the fortification of Adrano (Sicily) have been studied.Characterization of the samples has been obtained by macroscopic, petrographic (OM), mineralogical (XRD) and chemical (XRF) analyses.ResultsMacroscopic analysis of the studied potteries has allowed to distinguish four groups on the basis of grain size, porosity and clay paste color. Petrographic and mineralogical analysis, carried out on a selection of representative samples have allowed us to obtain useful information on the production technology of the studied samples. Moreover, information about raw materials and provenance of clay sediments has been obtained by comparing chemical data of the analysed samples with locally outcropping clay sediments reference data. Finally, chemical results on Adrano potteries have been compared with kiln wastes from Siracusa and Gela.ConclusionsThe aim of the present work is to obtain fabric characterizations and technological information on a local reference group of ceramic specimens manufactured in Adrano (Sicily). Petrographic and mineralogical results allow us to esteem high firing temperature suggesting a good technological level of local production; in addition, chemical data suggest a local provenance of raw materials used in the production of the studied samples. The comparison with local production from Siracusa and Gela highlights several differences in the use of raw material and in the technological levels achieved in the different sites, over time. Therefore, this work provides a valuable contribution in defining the local scenario of ceramic production in South-Eastern Sicily during the Hellenistic Age and in producing local reference groups in the petro-archaeometric studies of archaeological potteries.

From Planning to Management of Cultural Heritage Sites: Controversies and Conflicts Between Unesco WHL Management Plans and Local Spatial Planning in South-Eastern Sicily

The paper investigates the relationship between the preservation of cultural heritage and planning in UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL) sites, with special reference to the relation between Management Plans and other (local and regional) planning instruments and policies able to influence the promotion of sustainable and responsible development. This will be explored through a case study related to South-Eastern Sicilian UNESCO sites (in particular Syracuse). The analysis of this case study will point out the challenge of integrating different management and planning regimes - which mainly refer to a performative model - in a (still) very conformative planning system. The paper will show how supranational protection tools and models often lose their efficacy in relation to local planning systems.

Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis: could it be influenced by a petrochemical complex? Data from a cytological study in South-Eastern Sicily.

In genetically predisposed individuals, exogenous factors (including pollution) influence the development of Hashimoto's thyroiditis/chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT). CLT may also be a risk factor for associated thyroid cancer. Few data are available on the role of pollution from petrochemical complexes, one of which is located in the Siracusa province (South-Eastern Sicily), in the pathogenesis of CLT. i) To study the frequency of CLT in fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)-interrogated thyroid nodules from patients who were stably resident in their zones, comparing it in patients living in the petrochemical complex area (zone A) with that of patients from a control area (zone B). ii) To study the frequency of CLT in the FNAC categories of malignancy risk, comparing the two zones. We retrospectively evaluated cytologically adequate slides of 1323 nodules in 1013 outpatients who underwent ultrasound-guided FNAC from 2006 to 2012. We stratified by area of residence, gender, and FNAC categories of malignancy risk. CLT was detected with significantly greater frequency in either patients or nodules from zone A compared with zone B (32.0% vs 23.1%, P=0.002 or 28.2% vs 18.8%, P=0.0001), with a female preponderance (F=35.2% vs M=21.1% or 30.4% vs 20.4%, zone A and F=26.5% vs 12.3% or 21.6% vs 9.5%, zone B). Regardless of zone, CLT was approximately twofold more frequent in the suspiciously malignant+malignant classes (TH4+THY5=47.6%, zone A and 32.4%, zone B) compared with the benign+intermediate classes (THY2+THY3=27.3%, zone A and 18.2%, zone B), but with a clear stepwise THY2 through THY5 increase only in zone A (THY2=25.3%, THY5=66.7%; THY2=18.6%, THY5=28.6% in zone B). The petrochemical complex-related pollution is an environmental factor involved in the development of CLT and, likely, in the CLT association with thyroid neoplasms.

Seed yield and oil quality of perennial castor bean in a Mediterranean environment

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed species, which in southern Italy is cultivated as annual during the spring-summer period under irrigation, but in most temperate areas such as those of eastern coast of Sicily, it could be grown as semiperennial with no irrigation, by the adoption of autumnal sowings. A field experiment was conducted in southeastern Sicily with the aim of assessing plant surviving, seed yield and oil quality of four castor genotypes originating from different geographical areas (two Sicilian, one Tunisian and one Brazilian). The favorable climatic conditions allowed the plant to survive during the fall-winter period. Seed yield reached 3.45 t ha -1 on average of the two years and seed oil content ranged from 45% (Tunisian cultivar) to 48% (‘Local RG 2’ Sicilian genotype). Oil yield reflected the variation in seed yield. Genetic diversity for fatty acid composition and saponification number, iodine value and cetane number was evidenced. When ricinoleic acid is not taken into account, the oil of all genotypes satisfied the EU standards for biodiesel. The ricinoleic acid was the lowest (79%) in the Sicilian ‘Local RG 2’ and the highest (89%) in the Tunisian one, revealing a greater suitability of oil of the first genotype for biodiesel. In turn, the oil of Tunisian genotype could be exploited in other bio-based industrial sectors. The study also demonstrated that in the southeastern coast of Sicily autumnal sowings might be advantageous for castor grown as semi-perennial crop, mainly since they allow saving irrigation water.

The behaviour to weathering of the Hyblean limestone in the Baroque architecture of the Val di Noto (SE Sicily): An experimental study on the “calcare a lumachella” stone

This work focuses on the study of the “calcare a lumachella” stone (Mt. Carrubba Fm.), a carbonate rock widely used as building and decorative material in the Baroque architecture of the Val di Noto (south-eastern Sicily). Among all types of limestone outcropping in the area, this lithotype shows higher resistance to weathering. In such a context, the main goal of this study is to correlate the mineralogical–petrographic and physical-mechanical features of the “calcare a lumachella” stone with its excellent response to weathering. For such a purpose, all obtained data were also compared with those from literature concerning other local limestones whose behaviour with respect to weathering is rather different.

Tracing the Sources of Pollution of Wells and Karst springs Supplying Water to the City of Ragusa, South-Eastern Sicily

Published by: National Cave Research and Protection Organization, India Vol. 1(2): 26-35 Year 2014 Study Area: Ragusa, Italy Coordinates: 36°56'N 14°45'E

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF EARLY POTATO PRODUCTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA

The interactions between a given commercial enterprise, its territory and development, have become a key issue in recent years. Theories of economic development tell us that a territory may undergo development provided viable, economically sustainable commercial activities exist. Based on the latter postulate, the present paper analyzes the economic sustainability of farming enterprises growing early potatoes in a Mediterranean setting. In particular, the study was conducted in south-eastern Sicily, island in the centre of the Mediterranean. The results underscore their modest profitability, mainly due to a lack of entrepreneurial strategies aimed at enhancing production. This situation leads to shortcomings in terms of economic viability of the considered activities, which according to economic theory underlie an ultimate impoverishment of the territory.

Fast geodetic strain-rates in eastern Sicily (southern Italy): New insights into block tectonics and seismic potential in the area of the great 1693 earthquake

Along the ∼500 km long Sicily–Calabria segment of the Nubia–Eurasia plate boundary GPS data highlight a complex, and debated, kinematic pattern. We focus on eastern Sicily, where the style of crustal deformation rapidly changes in the space of few tens of kilometers. In southeastern Sicily, struck by the 1693 MW∼7.4 earthquake, GPS measurements highlight a steep velocity gradient, with ∼2.4 mm/yr of ∼N–S shortening in ∼10 km, changing to broader extension (∼3 mm/yr in ∼60 km) in northern Sicily and shortening in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. GPS data and kinematic elastic block models highlight a complex fragmentation of the Sicilian domain into three tectonic blocks, which move independently from Nubia, describing an overall clockwise rotation of this crustal domain with respect to Eurasia. Shortening in southeastern Sicily is associated with a system of high-angle reverse faults resulting from tectonic inversion of extensional faults at the northern tip of the Hyblean plateau. Extension in northern Sicily occurs on a broader deformation belt, developed on the former Kumeta–Alcantara line, extending west of Mount Etna toward the southwestern Tyrrhenian Sea, accommodating the faster rotation of the northeastern Sicily block with respect to central Sicily. Although the seismic potential of inland faults is not negligible, our results strengthen the hypothesis that the Malta escarpment is the likely source of the large 1693 earthquake and tsunami. The observed kinematics appears only subordinately driven by the Nubia–Eurasia convergence and the dynamics of the Mediterranean subduction system is likely playing a major role in governing block motions and active tectonics in Sicily.

Geological map of the Tellaro River Valley (Hyblean Foreland, southeastern Sicily, Italy)

The Geological map of the Tellaro River Valley, at the 1:25.000 scale, portrays the main stratigraphic and structural features that developed in a 300 km2 wide area of the African foreland in southeastern Sicily (Hyblean Foreland). The NW-SE-oriented Tellaro River Valley marks the transition between the eastern (Siracusa Plateau) and western (Ragusa Plateau) domains of the foreland, where a post-Tortonian structural depression, here designated as Tellaro Basin, originated. The map pictures the geometry and kinematics of the border faults and the structure affecting the basin infilling. The mapped structural pattern denounces a poliphase tectonic evolution of the region, suggesting the occurrence of a major NW-SE-oriented crustal discontinuity that, being active during the different periods of the post-Tortonian evolution of the area, could play a primary role also in the present seismotectonic picture.

The first colonization of the Genus Amphistegina and other exotic benthic foraminifera of the Pelagian Islands and south-eastern Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract A detailed study of the marine sediments collected on the inner shelf of some of the selected areas of the central Mediterranean Sea has been carried out in order to verify the presence of exotic benthic foraminiferal species. Since 2000, the coastal marine environments of the Pelagian Islands and of Sicily (central Mediterranean) have been increasingly colonized by exotic species (i.e. fishes and algae) originating both from the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. The studied areas (Pelagian Islands and SE Sicily) are located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, they represent an ideal place to understand how exotic species, coming from different Oceans, may have colonized ecological niches in the Mediterranean Sea. The objective of this study is to evaluate the colonization of benthic foraminiferal species which have migrated from the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea into the Mediterranean. The study shows that two species of Amphistegina ( lessonii and lobifera ) have massively colonized the Pelagian Islands. Furthermore, two ecomorphotypes of Amphistegina ( A . cf. lessonii and A . cf. papillos a), never described up to now, have been found attached to exotic green algae, of Indo-Pacific origin. In the study area, Amphisteginids are so abundant that they can account for up to 90% of the total assemblage. In addition to Amphistegina , other exotic benthic foraminifera, such as Amphisorus hemprichii , have colonized the central Mediterranean Sea. The migration might have been through the Suez Canal, as a Lessepsian invasion. Alternatively, other species, such as Sorites orbiculus might have colonized the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, migrating through the Gibraltar gateway and/or from the Red Sea, via the Suez Canal.

Foreland segmentation along an active convergent margin: New constraints in southeastern Sicily (Italy) from seismic and geodetic observations

We performed an in-depth analysis of the ongoing tectonics of a large sector of southern Sicily, including the Hyblean Foreland and the front of the Maghrebian Chain, as well as the Ionian Sea offshore, through the integration of seismic and GPS observations collected in the nearly two decades. In particular, a dataset consisting of more than 1100 small-to moderate-magnitude earthquakes (1.0≤ML≤4.6) has been used for local earthquake tomography in order to trace the characteristics of the faulting systems, and for focal mechanisms computation to resolve the current local stress field and to characterise the faulting regime of the investigated area. In addition, GPS measurements, carried out on both episodic and continuous stations, allowed us to infer the main features of the current crustal deformation pattern. Main results evidence that the Hyblean Plateau is subject to a general strike–slip faulting regime, with a maximum horizontal stress axis NW–SE to NNW–SSE oriented, in agreement with the Eurasia–Nubia direction of convergence. The Plateau is separated into two different tectonic crustal blocks by the left-lateral strike–slip Scicli–Ragusa Fault System. The western block moves in agreement with central Sicily while the eastern one accommodates part of the contraction arising from the main Eurasia–Nubia convergence. Furthermore, we provided evidences leading to consider the Hyblean–Maltese Escarpment Fault System as an active boundary characterised by a left-lateral strike–slip motion, separating the eastern block of the Plateau from the Ionian basin. All these evidences lend credit to a crustal segmentation of the southeastern Sicily.

Neutron radiography for the characterization of porous structure in degraded building stones

As it is well known, the porous structure of stones canchange due to different degradation processes that modify thecharacteristics of freshly quarried blocks. Their knowledge is fundamentalfor predicting the behavior of stones and the efficacy of conservativetreatments.In this context, neutron radiography is a useful tool not only to visualizethe structure of porous materials, but also to evaluate the degree ofdegradation and surface modifications resulting from weathering processes.Furthermore, since thermal neutrons suffer a strong attenuation by hydrogen,this technique is effective in order to investigate the amount of absorbedwater in building materials.In the present work, we report a neutron radiography investigation oflimestones cropping out in the South-Eastern Sicily and widely used asbuilding stones in Baroque monuments of the Noto Valley. The analyzedsamples have been submitted to cyclic salt crystallization that simulatedegradation processes acting in exposed stones of buildings.The obtained results demonstrate the interest of neutron radiography tobetter understand deterioration processes in limestones and to acquireinformation useful for restoration projects.

Spatial patterns and floristic composition of plant communities in coastal salt marshes of southeastern Sicily (Italy)

The results of a study on the spatial patterns, composition and structure of coastal salt marsh plant communities of a central Mediterranean area are presented. Eleven transects perpendicular to the salt marsh shore were selected in southeastern Sicily. For each transect, the floristic composition and cover were determined using standard relevé methods, collecting 220 plots. The plot data were analysed using classification (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean, similarity ratio) and ordination methods (Detrended Correspondence Analysis). A total of 15 plant communities with specific floristic compositions were recognized, mainly distributed in two different habitats: a regularly flooded lower zone and an irregularly flooded upper zone. According to detrended correspondence analysis, the spatial patterns of plots follow an ecological gradient that can be related to flooding time, the main ecological factor affecting the distribution of communities in the salt marshes. Moreover, floristic richness and diversity index increased from the lower zone towards the upper zone. The regularly flooded soils contain the lowest shrub abundance and the lowest diversity, whereas the irregularly flooded soils have the highest shrub abundance and the highest diversity.

A multi-technique approach for the determination of the porous structure of building stone

The complete knowledge of the porous structure of rocks is necessarily requested for the prediction of the damages induced by salt crystallization. Nevertheless, the geometric description of the porous structure is usually very difficult because of the variability of the size distribution of voids, ranging from nanometers to millimeters, which generally is not accessible by a single methodology. For this reason, a multi-technique approach was used here: the investigation at sub-micrometric dimensional scale (> 0.004 μm) was carried out by Hg intrusion porosimetry (MIP), whereas the study at the nanoscale required Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) analysis. All the results were interpreted in the framework of a fractal model. The analyses were performed on limestones of different geological formations, cropping out in south-eastern Sicily and largely used as building stones in Baroque monuments of the Noto Valley (belonging to the UNESCO Heritage List).

Volatile profile differences between spontaneous and cultivated Hyblean pasture

The Hyblean area is the major dairy producer of southeastern Sicily. This current study was undertaken to investigate the aroma-active compounds in order to detect any differences in the flavor profiles of two Hyblean pasture types of forage: cultivated vs. spontaneous. Forage samples were collected twice, at the beginning (Period I) and at the end (Period II) of April. Odor-Active Compounds (OACs) were extracted from the samples using a steam distillation technique. OACs were then detected and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/olfactometry (GC/MS/O) and grouped into 7 chemical classes: alcohol, aldehyde, ester, ketone, pyrazine, sulfur and terpene. The data was subsequently analyzed statistically by applying the Chi-square test, using a significant level of α=0.05. Overall, forage samples from spontaneous pasture showed a significant difference higher (P<0.01) in the number of OACs compared to those from cultivated pasture. Reflecting the growth trend in natural forage, OACs were higher in Period I compared to Period II in each pasture type, but was only significantly higher (P<0.05) in the spontaneous pasture samples. In both pasture types, the chemical classes of OACs found were of significant difference, (P<0.0001): alcohol, aldehyde, ketone and terpene classes presented a higher number of OACs compared to pyrazine, sulfur and not identified (NI) classes similar to esters. In conclusion, analysis of samples collected from spontaneous pasture revealed a richer odor profile than those from cultivated pasture, confirming that this type of forage is an important marker tied to the high Hyblean production area and possible influence on the aroma properties of milk and dairy products.

Geological and geophysical evidences for mud diapirism in south-eastern Sicily (Italy) and geodynamic implications

A recent investigation on the northern margin of the Hyblean Plateau in south-eastern Sicily highlights the occurrence of a clayey diapiric intrusion into the foreland carbonate series. The piercing body, exposed along a ∼270 long and ∼30m deep NE-SW elongated quarry, consists of serpentinite-bearing clayey material. As suggested by the internal contractional features and by its geometric relations with the adjacent rocks, the clayey body intruded in the foreland series producing on its flanks a set of domino-arranged normal faults which nucleated as a result of gravitative collapse. Taking into account previous petrological studies, which provided information about the origin of the mud, a deep geodynamic model for the northern part of the Hyblean Plateau is here presented. The mud diapirs originated from the uprising of pre-existing serpentinite bodies and others products of alteration probably developed along an ancient ridge-transform intersection where a hydrothermally altered mantle wedge occurred. This interpretation is supported by seismic, magnetic and gravimetric anomalies beneath the analyzed area and has implications on its geodynamic evolution.

Plant communities preferences of terrestrial crustaceans (Isopoda: Oniscidea) in a protected coastal area of southeastern Sicily (Italy)

We studied the plant communities preferences of oniscidean isopods in a protected coastal area in southeastern Sicily that is characterized by ponds, dunes and rocky coast. In total, five sites were sampled between March 2003 and February 2004 using pitfall traps. A total of 7,326 specimens were found, belonging to 23 species. The vegetation analysis, using the phytosociological method, recognized a total of 11 types of plant communities, with specific ecological features. Measuring the species richness, diversity and annual activity density (aAD) values of the terrestrial isopod communities from each sampling site revealed differences among the various plant communities. PCA analysis confirmed the correlation between isopods species and specific plant communities. Moreover our results show that the high species richness is associated with a high vegetation cover and number of plants.

Characterization of Decay in the Wooden Roof of the S. Agata Church of Ragusa Ibla (Southeastern Sicily) by Means of Sonic Tomography and Resistograph Penetration Tests

This article describes the results of a sonic tomography survey and penetration tests carried out inside the S. Agata Church of Ragusa Ibla, in southeastern Sicily (Italy). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the extent of decay in some of the ancient wooden trusses of the nave's roof, in view of possible strengthening interventions. Sonic tomography is entirely noninvasive and is suitable to investigate large portions of a structure, although qualitatively, whereas penetration tests are slighlty invasive as point measurements that enable high-resolution detection of wood decay and cracks. This study combined the two techniques to investigate the internal condition of four trusses that looked most deteriorated at a preliminary visual inspection. Results showed that decays occur mainly next to the walls, due to rainwater infiltration, and on the side of the timbers facing the rear of the nave, possibly for the higher level of moisture caused by lack of ventilation from that direction. In general, chords have worse mechanical properties than rafters.

Reply to “Comments on the paper “A crustal-upper mantle model for southeastern Sicily (Italy) from the integration of petrologic and geophysical data” by ”

We reply to the comments of Beccaluva et al. (2013) on the paper “A crustal-upper mantle model for southeastern Sicily (Italy) from the integration of petrologic and geophysical data” by Manuella et al. (2013). We entirely reject their speculative comments and strongly confirm our viewpoint on the aged oceanic nature of the lithospheric basement of southeastern Sicily and its offshore area.