scholarly journals Toxoplasma gondii in sympatric domestic and wild ungulates in the Mediterranean ecosystem

2018 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Almería ◽  
O. Cabezón ◽  
J. Paniagua ◽  
D. Cano-Terriza ◽  
S. Jiménez-Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Wild Ungulates ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals Jelly surge in the Mediterranean Sea: threat or opportunity?

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
CINZIA GRAVILI
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Marine Biota ◽  
Fish Farms ◽  
Commercial Fish ◽  
The Mediterranean

  The rise in water temperature in the Mediterranean Sea, and associated migrations of temperate marine biota, are occurring in the context of a global warming causing an expansion of the tropical jellyfish range, exacerbating jellyfish outbreaks linked to coastal development, nutrient loading, and overfishing. The gelatinous component of plankton is considered as ‘the dark side of ecology’ capable of appearing and disappearing at unpredictable times. In the last decade an increasingly high number of gelatinous plankton blooms are occurring and this makes us wonder if ‘a Mediterranean Sea full of jellyfish is a probable future’. The reasons for rising jellyfish blooms are, probably, manifold. Current studies are aimed to highlight how climatic change is interacting with the Mediterranean ecosystem favouring entrance, abundances and success of alien species and triggering ‘regime shifts’ such as from fish to jellyfish. Jellyfish damage the economic success of power plants, fish farms, tourism, and affect fisheries consuming larvae of commercial fish species. On the other hand, several studies were also taken into account on uses for jellyfish as biofuels and foods but more experimentation is needed to improve the first encouraging results.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) hunted in central Germany

Parasite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Heddergott ◽  
Natalia Osten-Sacken ◽  
Peter Steinbach ◽  
Alain C. Frantz
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Wild Ungulates ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Despite increasing consumption of mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) meat in Germany, there is currently no surveillance of Toxoplasma gondii infection in populations of these animals and generally little knowledge about the prevalence of this protozoan in German wild ungulates. Between 2011 and 2015, we collected 138 blood samples from a free-living mouflon population in central German and tested sera for the presence of T. gondii antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:20). Antibodies were detected in 31 of the 138 samples (22.46%). There was a significant difference in seroprevalence between the different age classes, with antibodies to T. gondii more frequent in adults. In contrast, there was no significant difference in seroprevalence depending on sex and year of sample collection. Game meat is frequently consumed as raw or undercooked meat and may therefore represent a potential source of human infection with T. gondii.

Basin scale dissolved oxygen interannual variability of the Mediterranean Sea: Analysis of long-term observations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apostolia-Maria Mavropoulou ◽  
Vassilios Vervatis ◽  
Sarantis Sofianos
Keyword(s):  
Dissolved Oxygen ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Biogeochemical Processes ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p>The Mediterranean Sea is characterized by a combination of long-term trends and climatic shifts known in the literature as “transients”, that impact the biogeochemical processes.  We focus on the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, as it is an essential oceanic parameter for the marine ecosystem functioning. Dissolved oxygen distribution in the ocean interior is controlled by air-sea interaction processes, ocean circulation patterns, and biological effects. Understanding the related mechanisms and the variability of the above processes requires systematic oceanographic measurements over long periods and at high spatial resolution. Taking advantage of the Mediterranean monitoring systems, we can examine the sensitive physical and biogeochemical processes in the Mediterranean ecosystem. In this study, we investigate and combine all available data of temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen over the period 1960-2011 (taking into consideration the scarcity of the available DO observations during the last years). In order to receive a direct and accurate evaluation of the interannual changes in the Mediterranean Sea, we constructed a gridded dataset interpolated into 1/8<sup>ο</sup> x 1/8<sup>ο</sup> grid using Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis (DIVA). At the surface layer, the solubility-driven changes determine the dissolved oxygen concentration. In deeper layers, the interannual variability is more related to dynamical processes that may involve dense-water convection, biological consumption or mixing, rather than temperature trends. The observed changes in minimum/maximum oxygen zones are mostly related to abrupt shifts. The attribution of the observed variability involves complex physical and biogeochemical processes as well as anthropogenic activities and requires further analysis using modeling techniques and available operational tools.</p>

Identification of favourable local-scale weather forcing conditions to Iberia’s largest fires

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Vieira ◽  
Ana Russo ◽  
Ricardo M. Trigo
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Positive Temperature ◽  
Weather Types ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p>The Mediterranean region is characterized by frequent summer wildfires, which represent an environmental and socioeconomic burden [1]. Some Mediterranean countries (or provinces) are particularly prone to Large Fires (LF), namely Portugal, Galicia (Spain), Greece, and southern France [1,2]. Moreover, the Mediterranean basin corresponds to a major hotspot of climate change, and anthropogenic warming is expected to increase the total burned area due to wildfires in Iberian Peninsula (IP) [3].</p><p>Here, we propose to classify summer LF (June-September) for fifty-four provinces of the IIP according to their local-scale weather conditions (i.e. temperature, relative humidity, wind speed) and to fire danger weather conditions as measured by two fire weather indices (Duff Moisture Code and Drought Code). A cluster analysis was applied to identify a limited set of Fire Weather Types (FWT), each characterized by a combination of meteorological conditions leading to a better understanding of the relationship between meteorological drivers and fire occurrence. For each of the provinces, two significant FWT were identified with different characteristics, one dominated by high positive temperature anomalies and negative humidity anomalies (FWT1), and the other by intense zonal wind anomalies (FWT2) with two distinct subtypes in Iberia (FWT2_E and FWT2_W). Consequently, three distinct regions in the IP are identified: 1) dominated by FWT1, which is responsible for the largest amount of area burned in most of central-West provinces of Iberia; 2) the regions where the FWT2_E, associated with east winds is predominant, which are concentrated in the Northwest regions of the IP and the 3) regions where second subtype dominates, related with west winds (FWT2_W) in the easternmost provinces of the peninsula. Additionally, it was possible to verify that for each of the three regions the influence of the variables under study varies at different timescales. We reinforce the importance of studying the problem associated with LF for regions where similar conditions were verified regardless national borders.</p><p> </p><p>[1] Trigo, R. M., Sousa, P. M., Pereira, M. G., Rasilla, D., & Gouveia, C. M. (2013). “Modelling wildfire activity in Iberia with different atmospheric circulation weather types”. International Journal of Climatology 36(7), 2761–2778. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3749.</p><p>[2] Ruffault, J., Moron, V., Trigo, R. M., & Curt, T. (2016). “Objective identification of multiple large fire climatologies: An application to a Mediterranean ecosystem”. Environmental Research Letters 11(7). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/7/075006.</p><p>[3] Sousa, P. M., Trigo, R. M., Pereira, M. G., Bedia, J., & Gutiérrez, J. M. (2015).”Different approaches to model future burnt area in the Iberian Peninsula”. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 202, 11–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2014.11.018.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Acknowledgements:</strong> This work was supported by national funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal) under project IMPECAF (PTDC/CTA-CLI/28902/2017). The authors also thank Miguel M. Pinto for extracting the ERA-Interim reanalysis, the MSG and the FWI data used in this study.</p>

Multiscale analysis of evapotranspiration and carbon assimilation for a long time series of micrometeorological observation in a typical semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Corona ◽  
Nicola Montaldo ◽  
Gabriel G. Katul
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Vapor Pressure ◽  
Spectral Density ◽  
Time Scales ◽  
Vapor Pressure Deficit ◽  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Annual Time ◽  
Semi Arid

<p>The evapotranspiration (<em>ET</em>) process is a key term of soil water balance. In the Mediterranean climates <em>ET </em>represents the main loss term, that could return up to 70% of annual precipitation to the atmosphere. Due to the high seasonal and annual variability of precipitation typical of this this ecosystems, <em>ET</em>may be 90% of annual precipitation. Considering that in the Mediterranean areas most of the available water for drinking purpose and for agriculture depends on the water stored in the artificial basins during the rainy period, the quantification of <em>ET </em>and its dynamics is of great importance.</p><p><em>ET </em>exhibits a temporal pattern that varies from seconds to decades, and it is mainly dependent as well as by precipitation, also by its guiding factors (e.g. soil water moisture, solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit). Hence, identify the main factors that influence <em>ET  </em>becomes fundamental to understand its temporal variability, and is needed when modeling <em>ET </em>over different timescales.</p><p>The case study is the Orroli site in Sardinia (Italy), a typical semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem, for which are available eddy covariance measurements of sensible heat (<em>H</em>), latent heat (<em>LE</em>) fluxes, and soil moisture, radiation, air temperature and air humidity measurements, over 15 years. The Mediterranean site is typically characterized by strong interannual variability of meteorological conditions, which can drastically impacts water resources variability during spring and summers, the key seasons for the water resources planning and management of the region.</p><p>Based on the half-hour time series, the meteorological measurements were considered into investigation, and their variability has been detected at different time scale, from seconds to year. The conventional Pearson correlation coefficient between <em>ET</em> and its guiding factors has been estimated, and showed the main influence of soil moisture and vapor pressure deficit on <em>ET</em> process, and suggested that the their control on <em>ET</em> vary with timescale.</p><p>Furthermore, the orthonormal wavelet transformation (a spectral analysis methodology), was used to investigate the time scale variability of <em>ET</em> in the frequency domain, and identify the role of its guiding factors for different time scales. The <em>ET</em> spectral density has significant peaks at the daily, seasonal and annual time-scales. In particular, the variability of the <em>ET</em> spectral density exhibits two order magnitude more than the daily variability. The wavelet cospectra of <em>ET</em> and its guiding factors showed that the interaction is strongest for the seasonal and the annual time scales.</p>

scholarly journals Analysis of the floristic diversity in a southern Mediterranean ecosystem. Case of Bissa forest, Chlef (Algeria)

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Nabila Zemmar ◽  
Mahfoud M’hammedi Bouzina ◽  
Adda Ababou ◽  
Fatima Belhacini ◽  
Djahida Hadidi
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽  
Floristic Diversity ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
The Mediterranean

The forest of Bissa is a Mediterranean ecosystem, characterized by a high floristic diversity. In order to assess the floristic diversity in this forest, 133 floristic readings were conducted in this area between 2013 and 2017. As a result, it was possible to identify 151 species, 125 genus and 54 botanical families, with a clear dominance of Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae.  Biologically, this ecosystem was mainly dominated by therophytes (37%). Physiognomically, the phanerophytes were the most dominant types, whereas in term of phytogeography this forest was dominated by the Mediterranean type (50%). According to Shannon-Winner index, this area was characterized by a relatively low diversity (1.3 bit / ind), with a clear dominance of a few species. Finally this forest was relatively disturbed (42%) and under a strong anthropozoic influence.

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