Wild Species from the Family Apiaceae, Traditionally Used as Food in Some Mediterranean Countries.

Mediterranean countries are a cauldron of cultural exchange, with a strong emphasis on wild plants in cuisine traditions. Many of these plants belong to the family Apiaceae. The common climate determines the common range of distribution.

Vertebrate Pollination of Angiosperms in the Mediterranean Area: A Review.

For a long time, it was considered that entomogamy was the only pollination mechanism in the Mediterranean area. However, data recorded in this review prove that ornithogamy and saurogamy also take place. With the exception of the nectarivorous (Nectariniidae) which pollinates the mistletoe in Israel, all birds responsible for the pollination of several plant species in this area are primarily insectivorous, sedentary, or migrating passerine birds, particularly and .

PESI - a taxonomic backbone for Europe.

Background: Reliable taxonomy underpins communication in all of biology, not least nature conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem resources. The flexibility of taxonomic interpretations, however, presents a serious challenge for end-users of taxonomic concepts. Users need standardised and continuously harmonised taxonomic reference systems, as well as high-quality and complete taxonomic data sets, but these are generally lacking for non-specialists.

Protecting effect of recycled urban wastes (sewage sludge and wastewater) on ryegrass against the toxicity of pesticides at high concentrations.

Degraded landscapes, like those from abandoned mine areas, could be restored by revegetating them with appropriate plant species, after correction for acidity and improvement by adding exogenous organic material. Application of urban wastes to large areas of derelict land helps in the sustainable development of this landscape. However, the development of plant species in these soils could require in the future the management of possible pests or diseases by pesticide applications which could also affect plant yield.

Disentangling environmental correlates of vascular plant biodiversity in a Mediterranean hotspot.

We determined the environmental correlates of vascular plant biodiversity in the Baetic-Rifan region, a plant biodiversity hotspot in the western Mediterranean. A catalog of the whole flora of Andalusia and northern Morocco, the region that includes most of the Baetic-Rifan complex, was compiled using recent comprehensive floristic catalogs. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of the different ecoregions of Andalusia and northern Morocco were conducted to determine their floristic affinities.

Selective uptake of major and trace elements in Erica andevalensis, an endemic species to extreme habitats in the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

To assess the ecophysiological traits and the phytoremediation potential of the endemic heather Erica andevalensis, we determined the concentrations of major and trace elements in different plant parts and in rizosphere soils from Riotinto mining district (Huelva, Spain). The results showed that E. andevalensis may grow on substrates with very high As, Cu, Fe and Pb concentrations (up to 4114, 1050, 71900 and 15614 microg/g dry weight, respectively), very low availability of macro- and micronutrients and with pH values ranging from 3.

Evaluation of some pollutant levels in bitter orange trees: implications for human health.

Unlabelled: Samples of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) fruits (epicarp and mesocarp), leaves and its fruit marmalade from sites in Seville (Andalucia, Spain) with different levels of traffic were analysed for Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations by ICP/AES. Comparative values are given from a background area.