Temperature dependence of emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from litters collected in two Mediterranean ecosystems determined before the flaming phase of biomass burning.

Fire represents a major threat to Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems because of the high temperatures reached during summer. While massive loads of organic, inorganic compounds and particulate matter are known to be emitted into the atmosphere from forest wildfires, less is known about the emission from vegetation surrounding fires where air temperatures higher than 100 °C can be reached. Little information exists on the emission from dead vegetation accumulated as litter over forest soils, from which fires often starts.

Cultivation of as a source of bioactive compounds in association with soil recovery practices.

Introduction: is a Leguminosae with relevant applications in medicine and soil recovery. This study reports the application of plants in soil recovery and as a source of bioactive compounds.

Methods: Plants were cultivated in semiarid soil under four different fertilizer treatments, urban waste compost at 10 t/ha and 20 t/ha, inorganic fertilizer and a control (no fertilizer).

Comparing i-Tree Eco Estimates of Particulate Matter Deposition with Leaf and Canopy Measurements in an Urban Mediterranean Holm Oak Forest.

Trees and urban forests remove particulate matter (PM) from the air through the deposition of particles on the leaf surface, thus helping to improve air quality and reduce respiratory problems in urban areas. Leaf deposited PM, in turn, is either resuspended back into the atmosphere, washed off during rain events or transported to the ground with litterfall. The net amount of PM removed depends on crown and leaf characteristics, air pollution concentration, and weather conditions, such as wind speed and precipitation.

Particulate matter concentrations and fluxes within an urban park in Naples.

Airborne particulate matter can represent a serious issue for human health, especially in densely populated urban areas. Moreover, the inhalation of particulate can be more harmful with decreasing particles diameter. Vegetation can provide many ecosystem services to the citizens, including the removal of many different pollutants in the air, but while the effect on many gaseous compounds has already been widely proved, the capability of particulate matter (PM) sequestration driven by vegetation and its resulting benefit on air quality has not been deeply investigated yet at larger spatial scale, especially in Mediterranean environment.