34 Results Found

In this study, we examined the fate and future of sewage irrigation fields; historic urban wetlands that served as sewer drainage before modern sewage treatment plants were built. Our aim in this study was to reappraise sewage irrigation fields in th...

The role of heritage sites as a shelter for biodiversity is overlooked. Eight archeological sites representing different landscapes in Alexandria City were surveyed, from which 59 stands were sampled between April 2019 and March 2021. The archeologic...

Ceratozamia chinantlensis sp. nov., a new cliff-dwelling cycad species from Sierra de La Chinantla, Oaxaca, Mexico, is described and compared with its congeners. The species is morphologically similar to Ceratozamia zoquorum and Ceratozamia santillan...

Many landscapes are the result of interactions between ecological processes, economic activities, and the administrative and political organisation of society. Therefore, as a consequence of human transformations over time, some landscapes may contai...

To understand the factors that make certain areas especially prone to landslides, statistical approaches are typically used. The interpretation of statistical results in areas characterised by complex geological and geomorphological patterns can be c...

Mediterranean relict forests, including Laurisilva and other humid forest refugia, are rare and ecologically distinctive habitats often embedded in fire-prone landscapes. Understanding how these ecosystems respond to disturbance is essential for biod...

Beavers have lived in the territory of Poland since the beginning of the Holocene, as testified by bone remains found in archaeological sites of different ages. The area inhabited by these animals has experienced continuing transformations of terrain...

Metropolitan fringes in Southern Europe preserve, under different territorial contexts, natural habitats, relict woodlands, and mixed agro-forest systems acting as a sink of biodiversity and ecosystem services in ecologically vulnerable landscapes. C...

Extensive areas with low-relief surfaces that are almost flat surfaces high in the mountain ranges constitute the dominant geomorphic feature of the Three Gorges area. However, their origin remains a matter of debate, and has been interpreted previou...

Maytenus senegalensis subsp. europaea is a shrub belonging to the Celastraceae family, whose only European populations are distributed discontinuously along the south-eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, forming plant communities with great ecolog...

In this study, we documented two relict traditional Palestinian orchards; one was abandoned following the 1948 war when the farmers were exiled to Lebanon and the second was tended by farmers up until the early 1970s. The orchards examined are locate...

Morphostratigraphy is a useful tool to reconstruct the sequence of processes responsible for shaping the landscape. In marine and coastal areas, where landforms are only seldom directly recognizable given the difficulty to have eyewitness of sea-floo...

All wars, large and small scale, have had impacts on the built environments enmeshed in the conflict. This is almost always an adverse reaction, often involving destruction, but can also include the construction of defensive or other features. Damage...

Land degradation has expanded in the Mediterranean region as a result of a variety of factors, including economic and population growth, land-use changes and climate variations. The level of land vulnerability to degradation and its growth over time...

Holm oak groves of Quercus ilex subsp. ilex are one of the most characteristic environmental elements of the Cantabrian strip of the Iberian Peninsula. The Cantabrian holm oak forest does not have a clear origin. There is a possibility that it has a...

High elevation sites in the low mountain ranges in Germany are naturally covered by Norway spruce (Picea abies (Karst.) L.) stands. Historically, large scale anthropogenic range expansion starting in the mid to late 18th century had a huge impact on...

While displaying diversified economic values, agro-ecosystems remain a relevant component of rural landscapes in Southern Europe. Coupled with the expansion of ecologically fragile areas because of climate warming, intensification and simplification...

The common oak (Quercus robur L.), though ecologically important and long-lived, has declined in Northern Europe due to historical land use and conifer-dominated forestry. In Latvia, where its distribution is limited, oaks support a rich biodiversity...

Salento Peninsula (Apulia, southern Italy) is characterised by many active sinkholes, which represent the main geological hazard. The stretch of coastline between the village of Casalabate and Le Cesine wildlife reserve is highly affected, with a sys...

Human-carnivore conflicts are a major conservation issue. As bears are expanding their range in Europe’s human-modified landscapes, it is increasingly important to understand, prevent, and address human-bear conflicts and evaluate mitigation strategi...

Understanding of complex sedimentary records formed by transgressive systems is critical because they provide information on sea level changes which control the evolution of the coastal environment. This paper discusses the preservation of the Transg...

Although peri-urban landscapes in Southern Europe still preserve a relatively high level of biodiversity in relict natural places, urban expansion is progressively consuming agricultural land and, in some cases, forest cover. This phenomenon has (dir...

During the lowstand sea-level phase of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a large part of the current Mediterranean continental shelf emerged. Erosional and depositional processes shaped the coastal strips, while inland areas were affected by aeolian an...

The dehesa is a traditional agrosilvopastoral ecosystem characterized by a savanna-like structure. It has been in decline since the middle of the last century, in particular in agricultural environments where it has been relegated to isolated forests...

Remote sensing has considerable potential to contribute to the identification and reconstruction of lost hydrological systems and networks. Remote sensing-based reconstructions of palaeo-river networks have commonly employed single or limited time-sp...

Liriodendron chinense is a tree species of the Magnoliaceae family, an ancient relict plant mainly used for landscaping and timber production due to its excellent material properties and ornamental value. The cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) enz...

Prunus tenella is a rare and precious relict plant in China. It is an important genetic resource for almond improvement and an indispensable material in ecological protection and landscaping. However, the research into molecular breeding and genetic...

Urban green spaces, such as parks, cemeteries, and allotment gardens provide important cooling functions for mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In the densely populated Ruhr Area (Germany), rehabilitated tailing piles (TPs), as relicts of...

Collisional mountain belts commonly develop intramontane basins from mechanical and isostatic subsidence during orogenic development. These frequently display a relict top surface, evidencing a change interval from basin infilling to erosion often vi...

Karst dolines, as geomorphologically diverse natural landforms, usually exhibit more or less steep microclimatic gradients that provide a mosaic of diverse microhabitat conditions, resulting in a high diversity of soil biota with numerous rare endemi...

Climate change is altering the geographical distribution and abundance of species. Abundant genetic variation generally indicates a stronger adaptability and evolutionary potentiality, especially in case of sharply changing climates or environments....

The lower reaches of the River Ure, on the flanks of the Pennine Hills in northern England, contain sedimentary and erosional landforms that are a record of fluvial activity during deglaciation and valley-glacier retreat at the end of the last (Deven...

Soajo Mountain is located in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula near the border between Portugal and Spain. Its highest elevation is 1416 m at the Pedrada summit. During the Pleistocene, the cascade cirques on the east flank and the icefield that cov...

This study examines ground surface and air temperatures and their implications for periglacial activity in the Țarcu Massif, Southern Carpathians, where data on current dynamics and climate responses remain scarce despite widespread periglacial...