olive groves
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2022 ◽  
Vol 324 ◽  
pp. 107708
Author(s):  
Vicente García-Navas ◽  
Carlos Martínez-Núñez ◽  
Rubén Tarifa ◽  
Antonio J. Manzaneda ◽  
Francisco Valera ◽  
...  

Conservation ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Isabel Barão ◽  
João Queirós ◽  
Hélia Vale-Gonçalves ◽  
Joana Paupério ◽  
Ricardo Pita

Understanding how small mammals (SM) are associated with environmental characteristics in olive groves is important to identify potential threats to agriculture and assess the overall conservation value and functioning of agro-ecosystems. Here, we provide first insights on this topic applied to traditional olive groves in northeast (NE) Portugal by assessing the landscape attributes that determine SM occurrence, focusing on one species of conservation concern (Microtus cabrerae Thomas 1906) and one species often perceived as a potential pest of olives (Microtus lusitanicus Gerbe 1879). Based on SM genetic non-invasive sampling in 51 olive groves and surrounding habitats, we identified seven rodent species and one insectivore. Occupancy modelling indicated that SM were generally less detected within olive groves than in surrounding habitats. The vulnerable M. cabrerae reached a mean occupancy (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.61–0.87), while M. lusitanicus stood at 0.37 (0.24–0.52). M. cabrerae was more likely to occur in land mosaics with high density of agricultural field edges, while M. lusitanicus was more associated with high density of pastureland patches. Overall, our study suggests that the complex structure and spatial heterogeneity of traditionally managed olive grove agro-ecosystems may favor the occurrence of species-rich SM communities, possibly including well-established populations of species of conservation importance, while keeping potential pest species at relatively low occupancy rates.


Agronomy ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Teresa Batista ◽  
Isabel Pestana da Paixão Cansado ◽  
Barbara Tita ◽  
Ana Ilhéu ◽  
Luis Metrogos ◽  
...  

The increase in agricultural production and food quality has forced the growing use of plastics in various activities. The plastic wastes are partially recycled in or outside Portugal; nevertheless, the contaminated wastes are sent to landfill. It is crucial to consider new models for their valorization at a regional level and from a circular economy perspective. In the scope of the Placarvões project, a study was elaborated, which included the types and quantities of plastics used in the irrigation area of the Alqueva Dam, in southern Portugal. The crops that use the most plastic are intensive olive groves, almonds, and table grapes, which represent more than 91% of total plastic waste. The production of activated carbons (ACs) is a solution to avoid plastics landfill. ACs were produced from plastic used on food packaging (PB-Samples) and sheeting film (PS-Samples) by activation with K2CO3. ACs presented well-developed textural properties (PB-K2CO3-1:1–700 and PS-K2CO3-1:1–700 exhibited a volume of 0.32 and 0.25 cm3 g−1 and an apparent surface area of 723 and 623 m2 g−1, respectively). Both ACs performed very well concerning four pesticide removals from the liquid phase. This solution is very promising, such these ACs could be applied in effluent treatments on a large scale.


The Holocene ◽  
2022 ◽  
pp. 095968362110665
Author(s):  
Ana Ejarque ◽  
Ramon Julià ◽  
Pere Castanyer ◽  
Hector A Orengo ◽  
Josep Maria Palet ◽  
...  

The Empordà plain attests to a remarkable mixture of Late-Holocene cultural exchanges and colonial processes. This includes the founding of Emporion, the earliest Greek colony in Iberia, and of the Roman city of Emporiae. This study aims at assessing landscape changes related to indigenous and colonial settlement in this unique scenario where the shaping of cultural landscapes occurred within a dynamic coastal ecosystem. We carried out a high-temporal resolution palaeoenvironmental study in Els Estanys, a palaeowetland located in the vicinity of Emporion-Emporiae. Palynological, sedimentological and geochemical indicators were coupled with available archaeological and archaeobotanical data-sets. Between 1100 and 800 cal BC, the settling of Urnfield Late Bronze societies resulted in the sustained clearance of woodlands and moderate agropastoral exploitation of coastal ranges. During this period, marine-influenced lagoonal areas were poorly exploited. During the Iron Age (800–450 cal BC), a threshold in the landscape construction of the area occurred with the first pastoral exploitation of lagoonal areas, intensified cereal cultivation, controlled burning, and enhanced deforestation following the settlement of Iberian groups. Greek colonisation (580–200 cal BC), did not trigger intensified farming exploitation or landscape clearance, nor did it imply the introduction of new land uses or crops in the hinterland. Exploitation of the latter continued relying on cereal cultivation and grazing, as before, suggesting the permanence of indigenous landscapes and practices in the hinterland. To the contrary, urban and periurban landscapes played a significant role in the construction of the colonial landscape with the introduction of olive groves likely as ornamental trees. Roman conquest and colonisation of the area constituted a new threshold in the occupation and management of the hinterland with (1) intensified rural settlement; (2) expansion of wet pastures and removal of littoral woodlands; (3) development of diversified cropping activities; and (4) development of mining and smelting activities.


Pathogens ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Angela Brunetti ◽  
Antonio Matere ◽  
Valentina Lumia ◽  
Vittorio Pasciuta ◽  
Valeria Fusco ◽  
...  

Olive trees are infected and damaged by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi in various countries. The botryosphaeriaceous fungus Neofusicoccum mediterraneum is highly aggressive and is a major concern for olive groves in Spain and California (USA), where it causes ‘branch and twig dieback’ characterized by wood discoloration, bark canker, and canopy blight. During surveys of olive groves in Apulia (southern Italy), we noticed that—in some areas—trees were heavily affected by severe branch and twig dieback. In addition, chlorosis and the appearance of red-bronze patches on the leaf preceded the wilting of the foliage, with necrotic leaves persisting on the twigs. Given the severity of the manifestation in zones also subject to olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca, we investigated the etiology and provide indications for differentiating the symptoms from OQDS. Isolation from diseased wood samples revealed a mycete, which was morphologically and molecularly identified as N. mediterraneum. The pathogenicity tests clearly showed that this fungus is able to cause the natural symptoms. Therefore, also considering the low number of tested samples, N. mediterraneum is a potential causal agent of the observed disease. Specifically, inoculation of the twigs caused complete wilting in two to three weeks, while inoculation at the base of the stem caused severe girdling wedge-shaped cankers. The growth rate of the fungus in in vitro tests was progressively higher from 10 to 30 °C, failing to grow at higher temperatures, but keeping its viability even after prolonged exposure at 50 °C. The capacity of the isolate to produce catenulate chlamydospores, which is novel for the species, highlights the possibility of a new morphological strain within N. mediterraneum. Further investigations are ongoing to verify whether additional fungal species are involved in this symptomatology.


Insects ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Víctor de Paz ◽  
Estefanía Tobajas ◽  
Natalia Rosas-Ramos ◽  
José Tormos ◽  
Josep Daniel Asís ◽  
...  

Agricultural abandonment and intensification are among the main land-use changes in Europe. Along with these processes, different proposals have been developed to counteract the negative effects derived from agricultural intensification, including organic management. In this context, we aimed to determine how organic management and farmland abandonment affect Bactrocera oleae and its main groups of natural enemies: hymenopteran parasitoids, spiders, ants, carabids, and staphylinids. Between May and October 2018, four samplings were carried out in nine olive groves (three under organic management, three under traditional management, and three abandoned) in a rural area on the border between Spain and Portugal (Salamanca, Western Spain). Our results suggested differences between the natural enemy community composition of abandoned and organic groves, with slightly higher levels of richness and abundance in abandoned groves. We found no differences between organic and traditional groves. The managed olive groves sustained a different natural enemy community but were similarly rich and diverse compared with the more complex abandoned groves, with the latter not acting as a reservoir of B. oleae in our study area. Both systems may provide complementary habitats; however, further abandonment could cause a reduction in heterogeneity at the landscape scale and, consequently, a biodiversity loss.


2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-118
Author(s):  
Simona Casavecchia ◽  
Marina Allegrezza ◽  
Claudia Angiolini ◽  
Edoardo Biondi ◽  
Federica Bonini ◽  
...  

The main purpose of the 92/43/EEC Habitats Directive is to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, understood as habitat types and species of the flora and fauna of the European Union. To achieve this goal, natural and semi-natural biodiversity as a whole must be recognized and included in its annexes. As for the conservation of biotopes, named habitat types, Italy is unfortunately lacking as it the Annex I does not include important ecosystems that are typical of its territory, rare for biogeographical reasons or threatened. Therefore, the opportunity to identify a first list of significant habitats for central Italy is discussed here. For each of the new proposed types (new habitats or new subtypes) a sheet has been prepared to highlight their salient characteristics. The new proposals concern seven habitat types and one subtype: sedge and reeds formations (Freshwater large sedge and reed beds), willow shrublands (Shrubby willow formations of river banks and fens), Apennine garrigues (Apennine hilly and montane garrigues), a new subtype of Annex I Habitat 6130 (Communities of herbaceous and dwarf shrub-suffrutescent plants of Italian ultramafic substrates), ancient olive groves ("Centuries-old olive groves" with evergreen Quercus spp. and arborescent matorral), secondary meadows (Italian submontane and montane pastured meadows dominated by Cynosurus cristatus), badlands (Pioneer halophilous and sub-halophilous communities of “calanchi” and “biancane” badlands) and hop-hornbeam woods (Italian-Balkan hop-hornbeam woods).


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 391
Author(s):  
Yiannis G. Zevgolis ◽  
Efstratios Kamatsos ◽  
Triantaphyllos Akriotis ◽  
Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos ◽  
Andreas Y. Troumbis

Conservation of traditional olive groves through effective monitoring of their health state is crucial both at a tree and at a population level. In this study, we introduce a comprehensive methodological framework for estimating the traditional olive grove health state, by considering the fundamental phenotypic, spectral, and thermal traits of the olive trees. We obtained phenotypic information from olive trees on the Greek island of Lesvos by combining this with in situ measurement of spectral reflectance and thermal indices to investigate the effect of the olive tree traits on productivity, the presence of the olive leaf spot disease (OLS), and olive tree classification based on their health state. In this context, we identified a suite of important features, derived from linear and logistic regression models, which can explain productivity and accurately evaluate infected and noninfected trees. The results indicated that either specific traits or combinations of them are statistically significant predictors of productivity, while the occurrence of OLS symptoms can be identified by both the olives’ vitality traits and by the thermal variables. Finally, the classification of olive trees into different health states possibly offers significant information to explain traditional olive grove dynamics for their sustainable management.


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