Vegetation dynamics of the eastern Mediterranean region during the Holocene

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esmeralda Cruz-Silva ◽  
Sandy P. Harrison ◽  
Elena Marinova ◽  
I. Colin Prentice
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Likelihood Function ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Vegetation Changes ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns

<p>The circum-Mediterranean region is characterized by high climatic diversity derived from its orographic heterogeneity and the influence of global marine and atmospheric circulation patterns. The region also has a long and dynamic history of human occupation dating back to ~ 8000 years BP.  The complexity of this area is a challenge for reconstructing the dynamics of the vegetation through the Holocene. Rule-based approaches to reconstructing changing vegetation patterns through time are insufficient as they require the imposition of subjective boundaries between biomes and can be affected by known biases in pollen representation.  We have developed and tested a new method that characterises biomes as a function of observed pollen assemblages based on a similarity index, conceptually related to the likelihood function, which takes account of within-biome variability in taxon abundances. We use 1181 modern pollen samples from the EMBSeCBIO database and assign these samples to biomes as represented in a map of potential natural vegetation that was developed using machine learning. The method was applied down-core to reconstruct past vegetation changes. Preliminary results show that this new methodology produces more accurate biome assignments under modern conditions (<80% accuracy) and more stable down-core reconstructions, apparently reducing the "flickering switch" problem found when using the traditional biomisation method for this purpose. Climate-induced vegetation changes are observable on a sub-regional scale in the Eastern Mediterranean through the Holocene. Most of the records show a change from humid to more arid biomes between 4000 and 3000 years BP. However, they are distinct subregional patterns in the expression and timing of wetter conditions during the Holocene. Mountain regions appear to show more muted changes during the Holocene, although there are biome shifts everywhere across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.</p>

Assessing future temperature and humidity trends using an ensemble of high-resolution simulations for the eastern Mediterranean region

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Koutsogiannis ◽  
Chris G. Tzanis ◽  
Kostas Philippopoulos ◽  
Anastasios Alimissis
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Radiative Processes ◽  
Temperature And Humidity ◽  
Human Ecosystems

<p>Climate change is well-established as the major environmental issue of concern by the scientific community and the policy-makers around the globe. In order to examine climate variability both at a global and regional scale, key climatic variables such as temperature and humidity are examined in climate research. A significant temperature rise could lead to unsustainable conditions for the natural and human ecosystems. Additionally, water vapor is  recognized as the most important natural greenhouse gas, playing a principal role in the hydrological cycle. Specific and relative humidity are sensitive to temperature changes and therefore, examining temperature along with humidity variations is considered essential for the deeper understanding of the atmosphere’s thermodynamic and radiative processes. This study focuses on the analysis of future temperature, specific and relative humidity trends at different atmospheric pressure levels over the eastern Mediterranean region based on data from an ensemble of regional climate multi-model simulations for each of the Representative Concentration Pathways, namely RCP4.5, RCP8.5 and RCP2.6. The main purpose of this study is to examine whether statistically significant changes in the climate of the eastern Mediterranean are likely to occur in the future and investigate the relationship between temperature and humidity variations. The results of the monthly, seasonal and annual trend analysis are discussed.</p>

scholarly journals A Regional Scale Evaluation of Conservation Status of Orchid Species Recorded in The Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 996
Author(s):  
Gülden Sandal Erzurumlu ◽  
Kemal Tuluhan Yılmaz ◽  
Zerrin Söğüt
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Orchid Species ◽  
Scale Evaluation ◽  
Montane Zone ◽  
Threat Categories ◽  
The Mediterranean

In this study, the threat categories of locally endangered orchid species were sampled over an area of covering 187 km2 in Mersin, Adana, Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces of Turkey. Periodic observations were carried out in 44 sampling plots specified within three bioclimatic belts, namely the Mediterranean-montane, the sub-Mediterranean and the Mediterranean. 34 orchid species were identified under the genera of Cephalanthera (L.), Comperia (Steven.), Dactylorhiza, Epipactis (L.), Himantaglossum (Boiss.), Limodorum (L.) Ophrys, Orchisand Serapias (Burm.fil). The results revealed that six orchid species were growing in the Mediterranean-montane zone, 20 species in the sub-Mediterranean zone and 23 species in the Mediterranean zone. According to the resources of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the threat categories were reported for only 12 out of 13 species. Local threat categories of this study showed some differences when IUCN data were considered. 34 orchid species identified in this study and 12 species were evaluated under Critically Endangered (CR) threat category. It was found that 11, 7, 2 and 2 species were under EN, VU, NT and LC respectively. Therefore, Orchid species sampled from the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey have been categorized on the basis of the threat categories identified by the IUCN.

scholarly journals Global Prevalence Estimates of Toxascaris leonina Infection in Dogs and Cats

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 503
Author(s):  
Ali Rostami ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Riahi ◽  
Vahid Fallah Omrani ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
Andreas Hofmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Global Prevalence ◽  
Stray Cats ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Meta Regression ◽  
Paratenic Hosts ◽  
Toxascaris Leonina

Toxascaris leonina is an ascaridoid nematode of dogs and cats; this parasite affects the health of these animals. This study estimated the global prevalence of Ta. leonina infection in dogs and cats using random effects meta-analysis as well as subgroup, meta-regression and heterogeneity analyses. The data were stratified according to geographical region, the type of dogs and cats and environmental variables. A quantitative analysis of 135 published studies, involving 119,317 dogs and 25,364 cats, estimated prevalence rates of Ta. leonina in dogs and cats at 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence was highest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (7.2% for dogs and 10.0% for cats) and was significantly higher in stray dogs (7.0% vs. 1.5%) and stray cats (7.5% vs. 1.8%) than in pets. The findings indicate that, worldwide, ~26 million dogs and ~23 million cats are infected with Ta. leonina; these animals would shed substantial numbers of Ta. leonina eggs into the environment each year and might represent reservoirs of infection to other accidental or paratenic hosts. It is important that populations of dogs and cats as well as other canids and felids be monitored and dewormed for Ta. leonina and (other) zoonotic helminths.

scholarly journals Primary care healthcare policy implementation in the Eastern Mediterranean region; experiences of six countries: Part II

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Nagwa Nashat ◽  
Redouane Hadjij ◽  
Abdul Munem Al Dabbagh ◽  
Mohammed Rasoul Tarawneh ◽  
Huda Alduwaisan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Healthcare Policy

scholarly journals Correction to: A systematic review on hospital inefficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: sources and solutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Ravaghi ◽  
Mahnaz Afshari ◽  
Parvaneh Isfahani ◽  
Victoria D. Bélorgeot
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Original Publication

In the original publication of this article [1], one author’s name needs to be revised from Pavaneh Isfahani to Parvaneh Isfahani.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Community Nutrition-Specific Interventions on Improving Malnutrition of Children under 5 Years of Age in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7844
Author(s):  
Delaram Ghodsi ◽  
Nasrin Omidvar ◽  
Bahareh Nikooyeh ◽  
Roshanak Roustaee ◽  
Elham Shakibazadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Child Malnutrition ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children ◽  
Children Under 5

Childhood malnutrition remains an important public health and development problem in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to systematically review the community-based nutrition-specific interventions and their effectiveness and/or cost-effectiveness on the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). A systematic literature search of the English electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, Ovid, EMBASE, as well as Persian databases (SID and Magiran) was performed up to May 2019. Studies regarding the effectiveness/cost-effectiveness of the community-based nutrition-specific programs and interventions targeted at under-five-year children in EMR countries were selected. The primary outcomes were mean of Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), Height-for-Age z-score (HAZ), and Weight-for-Height z-score (WHZ) of children or prevalence of wasting, stunting, and/or underweight among the children. Meta-analysis was also performed on the selected articles and intervention effects (mean differences) were calculated for each outcome for each study and pooled using a weighted random effects model. Risk of bias (ROB) of each included study was assessed based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020172643). Of 1036 identified studies, eight met the inclusion criteria. Amongst these, seven were from Pakistan and one from Iran. Only one study conducted in Pakistan reported the cost-effectiveness of nutrition-specific interventions in the region. Nutrition education/consultation and cash-based interventions were the most common nutrition-specific strategies used for management of child malnutrition in the EMR countries. Out of these eight studies, four were included in the meta-analysis. When different interventions were pooled, they had resulted in a significant improvement in WHZ of children (MD: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.46, three studies, I2 82.40%). Considering the high prevalence of child malnutrition in a number of countries in the region, capacity building and investigation regarding the implementation of new approaches to improve nutritional status of children and their effect(s) and cost-effectiveness assessment are highly recommended.

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