Sustainability of Small Ruminant Production in Mediterranean Region

The Mediterranean region is characterized by hot and humid summers and,humid and cool winters.Small ruminants(sheep and goats)play a significant economic,social and environmental role providing income and ensuring food for local population.Despite their critical importance,small ruminant’s production is threatened by several factor notably climatic,nutritional,healthy and breeding systems.To ensure a sustainability of goat and sheep production,these last decades,several studies have been achieved in order to improve livestock feeding and breeding systems and animal health protection.However,sheep and goat sectors show an important delay.In order to increase the profitability and ensure sustainability of small ruminant production,innovative political,specific managerial strategies and practices have to develop.

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection among the healthy population in Iran and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region:A systematic review of prevalence and risk factors

AIM:To investigate the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection among the healthy asymptomatic population in Iran and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.METHODS:A computerized English language literature search of Pub Med,ISI Web of Science,Scopus,and Google Scholar was performed in September 2013.The terms,"Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office(EMRO)"and"Helicobacter pylori","H.pylori"and"prevalence"were used as key words in titles and/or abstracts.A complementary literature search was also performed in the following countries:Afghanistan,Bahrain,Djibouti,Egypt,Iran,Iraq,Jordan,Kuwait,Lebanon,Libya,Morocco,Oman,Pakistan,Palestine,Qatar,Saudi Arabia,Somalia,Sudan,Syria,Tunisia,The United Arab Emirates,and Yemen.RESULTS:In the electronic search,a total of 308 articles were initially identified.Of these articles,26 relevant articles were identified and included in the study.There were 10 studies from Iran,5 studies from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,4 studies from Egypt,2 from the United Arab Emirates,and one study from Libya,Oman,Tunisia,and Lebanon,respectively.The overall prevalence of H.pylori infection in Iran,irrespective of time and age group,ranged from 30.6%to 82%.The overall prevalence of H.pylori infection,irrespective of time and age group,in other EMRO countries ranged from 22%to 87.6%.CONCLUSION:The prevalence of H.pylori in EMRO countries is still high in the healthy asymptomatic population.Strategies to improve sanitary facilities,educational status,and socioeconomic status should be implemented to minimize H.pylori infection.

Possibilities of Using Solar Energy in District Cooling Systems in the Mediterranean Region

Use of district heating and cooling systems has many environmental advantages compared to individual heating and cooling. Recent advances in solar energy technologies for heat and power generation have reduced their cost and promoted their use instead of fossil fuels. Solar-PV energy for electricity generation and solar thermal energy for hot water production are broadly used today. Solar energy resources in the Mediterranean region are abundant while space cooling in buildings is required when solar irradiance is high. The possibility of using solar energy for fuelling water chillers providing cold water in district cooling systems in the Mediterranean basin has been investigated. Existing literature and studies concerning the use of district cooling systems globally as well as the energy sources used in them have been examined. Solar-PV energy combined with compression chillers and solar thermal energy combined with thermally driven chillers can be used for cold water production. Their overall efficiencies, converting solar energy to cold water, vary between 22% and 56% compared with 45% for compression chillers using grid electricity. It is concluded that various solar energy technologies could be used with different types of water chillers for fuelling district cooling networks in the future in the Mediterranean region.

Dynamics of mediterranean pine forests reforested after fires

Forest fires are frequent under a Mediterranean climate and have shaped the landscape of the region but are currently altered by human action and climate change.Fires have historically conditioned the presence of pine forests,depending on severity and forest regeneration.Regeneration of Mediterranean pine forests is not always successful,and a transition to shrublands or stands of resprouting species can occur,even after reforestation.This study analyses vegetation changes in two Mediterranean pine forests after severe fires and both reforested.The pines had difficulty to regenerate,even despite post-fire reforestation.The problem is the difficulty of young seedlings to survive,possibly due to increased summer drought.Problems are greater in pine species at the limit of their ecological tolerance:Pinus pinea had a much better recovery success while P.sylvestris and P.nigra virtually disappeared.Pinus pinaster had intermediate results but recovery was generally poor.A transition has taken place in many burnt areas to scrubland or to thickets of the resprouting Quercus rotundifolia,although it is not possible to know whether they will evolve into forests or remain in a sub climatic state.Resprouting species may increase fire severity but facilitates post-fire colonisation.Post-fire recovery difficulties are closely linked to issues of natural regeneration.Fire could initiate the disappearance of pine forests,but even in the absence of fire they may disappear in the long-term due to the lack of regeneration.Action is needed to increase the resilience of these forests,ensuring natural regeneration,and incorporating resprouting species in the understorey.

Economic and Human Loss Empirical Models for Earthquakes in the Mediterranean Region, with Particular Focus on Algeria

In this study, loss estimation models were developed for reasonably accurate assessment of economic and human losses from seismic events in the Mediterranean region, based on damage assessment at an urban scale.Data were compiled from existing worldwide databases,and completed with earthquake information from regional studies. Economic data were converted to a single common currency unit(2015 USD value) and the wealth of the areas affected by 65 earthquakes of the region from 1900 to 2015 was assessed. Reduced-form models were used to determine economic and human losses, with earthquake magnitude and intensity as hazard-related variables, and gross domestic product of the affected area and the affected population as exposure-related variables. Damage to buildings was also used as a hazard-related variable to predict economic and human losses. Finally, site-specific regression models were proposed for economic and human losses due to earthquakes in the Mediterranean region, and more specifically, in Algeria. We show that by introducing the damage variable into the models, prediction error can be reduced, and that accuracy of loss model estimation is site dependent and requires regional data on earthquake losses to improve. A case study for Constantine, Algeria shows the improvements needed for increased accuracy.

南海渔业资源可持续发展的中国方案建构

有效治理南海渔业资源问题,应以现实需求为导向探寻南海渔业资源可持续发展的总基调,这是建构中国特色治理方案的根本前提。同时,要不失时机地从立法、执法、司法角度深刻反思现有治理措施的缺陷,紧追全球海洋治理大势,借鉴地中海渔业合作治理经验,形成符合南海海洋治理需求的体系化方案。该方案需具有吸引力、感召力与引导力且全面展示中国在南海问题上的基本立场。中国可通过加强科学管理与法规建设、注重生态修复与增殖养护、推动国际合作与区域治理等可行途径实现南海渔业资源的可持续发展。

Occult hepatitis C virus infection in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean countries:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The presence of hepatitis C virus(HCV)RNA in liver tissue or peripheral blood mononuclear cells with no identified virus genome in the serum has been reported worldwide among patients with either normal or elevated serum liver enzymes.The characterization of occult HCV infection(OCI)epidemiology in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean(M and E)countries,a region with the highest incidence and prevalence rates of HCV infection in the world,would be effective for more appropriate control of the infection.AIM To estimate the pooled prevalence of OCI in M and E countries using a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using international,regional and local electronic databases.Some conference proceedings and references from bibliographies were also reviewed manually.The search was carried out during May and June 2020.Original observational surveys were considered if they assessed the prevalence of OCI among the population of M and E countries by examination of HCV nucleic acid in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in at least 30 cases selected by random or non-random sampling methods.The meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software based on heterogeneity assessed by Cochran’s Q test and I-square statistics.Data were considered statistically significant at a P value<0.05.RESULTS A total of 116 non-duplicated citations were found in electronic sources and grey literature.A total of 51 non-overlapping original surveys were appraised,of which 37 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.Data were available from 5 of 26 countries including Egypt,Iran,Pakistan,Saudi Arabia,and Turkey.The overall prevalence rate of OCI was estimated at 10.04%(95%CI:7.66%-13.05%).The lowest OCI rate was observed among healthy subjects(4.79%,95%CI:2.86%-7.93%).The higher rates were estimated for patients suffering from chronic liver diseases(12.04%,95%CI:5.87%-23.10%),and multi-transfused patients(8.71%,95%CI:6.05%-12.39%).Subgroup analysis indicated that the OCI rates were probably not associated with the studied subpopulations,country,year of study,the detection method of HCV RNA,sample size,patients’HCV serostatus,and sex(all P>0.05).Meta-regression analyses showed no significant time trends in OCI rates among different groups.CONCLUSION This review estimated high rates of OCI prevalence in M and E countries,especially among multi-transfused patients as well as patients with chronic liver diseases.

What is a tree in the Mediterranean Basin hotspot?A critical analysis

Background: Tree species represent 20% of the vascular plant species worldwide and they play a crucial role in the global functioning of the biosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 world biodiversity hotspots, and it is estimated that forests covered 82% of the landscape before the first human impacts, thousands of years ago. However, the spatial distribution of the Mediterranean biodiversity is still imperfectly known, and a focus on tree species constitutes a key issue for understanding forest functioning and develop conservation strategies. Methods: We provide the first comprehensive checklist of all native tree taxa (species and subspecies) present in the Mediterranean-European region (from Portugal to Cyprus). We identified some cases of woody species difficult to categorize as trees that we further called "cryptic trees". We collected the occurrences of tree taxa by"administrative regions", i.e. country or large island, and by biogeographical provinces. We studied the species-area relationship, and evaluated the conservation issues for threatened taxa following IUCN criteria. Results: We identified 245 tree taxa that included 210 species and 35 subspecies, belonging to 33 families and 64 genera. It included 46 endemic tree taxa (30 species and 16 subspecies), mainly distributed within a single biogeographical unit. The countries with the highest tree richness are Greece (146 taxa), Italy (133), Albania (122), Spain (155), Macedonia (116), and Croatia (110). The species-area relationship clearly discriminated the richest central-eastern (Balkans) and northern (Alpine and Cevenno-Pyrenean) biogeographical provinces, against the five western provinces in the Iberian Peninsula. We identified 44 unrecognized "cryptic trees", representing 21% of the total trees. Among the 245 taxa identified, 19 are considered to be threatened (15 CR+EN+VU) or near threatened (4 NT) by IUCN. Conclusions: The Mediterranean-European region includes an unsuspectedly high number of tree taxa, almost 200 tree taxa more than in the central European region. This tree diversity is not distributed evenly and culminates in the central-eastern part of the Mediterranean region, whereas some large Tyrrhenian islands shelter several narrow endemic tree taxa. Few taxa are recognized as threatened in the IUCN Red list, and the vulnerability of these species is probably underestimated.

日本对东地中海地区外交:表现、原因、挑战及走向

鉴于东地中海地区地缘战略位置非常重要,日本近年来不失时机强化对东地中海地区的外交。日本的东地中海地区外交,着重聚焦于推动解决该地区热点难点问题、海洋合作、能源合作、难民救助与非传统安全等领域问题。在继续巩固深化与东地中海地区重要国家关系的同时,日本近年来也逐步拓展对突尼斯、利比亚与叙利亚等影响力较小国家的外交。日本不断加强对东地中海地区外交,可以从谋求地缘战略利益与彰显全球影响力等多方面来分析与解读。日本的东地中海地区外交,由于受限于各种因素的制约,今后将会面临着一些挑战与问题。

区域海洋治理的生成逻辑与善治条件:以地中海治理为例

区域海洋治理是在区域层面应对不同地区海洋多样性的治理行动。以区域主义为方法,区域海洋治理依据治理客体而生成治理逻辑,依据治理主体而具备善治条件。具体而言,区域海洋治理在低敏感领域易于达成合作,而在高敏感领域更倾向于导向冲突与争端,善治需要满足区域内国家互信、国家利益和区域利益协调、拒绝域外破坏性力量三大治理条件。由于地理条件和国际法规则的适用性,区域海洋治理面临困境和挑战。地中海治理实践在长期演进中构建了渔业资源养护领域的多利益攸关方参与模式、海洋环境保护领域的多层联动模式和专属经济区制度替代性方案的创新模式。通过对地中海治理经验的分析可以发现,积极满足善治条件达成低敏感领域的合作,并采取将高敏感领域降为低敏感领域继而进行合作的路径能够有效实现区域海洋的善治。

地中海模式对构建南海海域环境合作保护机制的启示

地中海环境保护合作模式是区域海洋环境保护中的成功范例之一,南海与地中海在地理环境以及人文政治环境方面有较多相似之处,借鉴其成功经验,有助于推动南海海域环境保护合作机制的建立。南海海域因缺乏具有法律约束力的区域性公约、组织机构重叠以及周边各国合作意愿不强导致的海洋环境保护合作效果不佳的问题,可借鉴地中海模式,通过设立“综合-分立”的法律框架,建立科学合理的组织机构,在贯彻“认知共同体”理念下吸引各方广泛参与,保障南海海域环境保护合作的顺利开展。

Q型烟粉虱东地中海种群遗传多样性的mtCOI与SSR分析

前期研究表明入侵我国山东的Q型烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci(Genn.)种群来源于西地中海地区而非来源于东地中海地区。为了揭示Q型烟粉虱的入侵遗传机制,本研究进一步利用线粒体COI(mtCOI)基因与6个具有多态性的微卫星位点(SSR)分析了东地中海Q型烟粉虱(Q1支系与Q2支系)种群的遗传多样性,并与西地中海种群遗传多样性的前期研究结果进行了比较分析。基于mtCOI基因与微卫星标记分析结果表明,东地中海种群与西地中海种群一样也具有较高的遗传多样性,然而两个地区种群存在着遗传异质性。不同入侵性种群遗传结构的比较研究将为进一步解析外来种群的入侵生理生态机制奠定基础。

“一带一路”经济植物应用与开发(欧洲与地中海地区篇)

本文报道了"一带一路"欧洲和地中海地区与我国在经济植物方面的交流历史,介绍了这一地区重要的经济植物。

东地中海地区天然气开发现状与前景

东地中海地区包括8个具备成油条件的重要盆地,由于在黎凡特盆地和尼罗河三角洲盆地中发现了许多海上气田,这两个盆地日益成为该地区的核心。过去几年,这两个盆地中发现的主要气田几乎全部位于以色列和埃及两国水域内,塞浦路斯境内也有一定规模的气田被发现。这三国水域内天然气田的勘探开发,对改变该地区能源供应格局有潜在的重大意义。东地中海地区国家间关系错综复杂,但是近年来该地区内天然气开发并未引起地区武装冲突,总体形势朝着"搁置争议,共同开发"的局面演化。东地中海地区的天然气勘探、开发乃至运输与出口等环节,吸引了包括寻找进口天然气新目标气源地的欧盟国家、密切关注并积极介入该地区天然气资源开发进程的美国、逐渐介入东地中海盆地天然气开发过程的俄罗斯等大国的关注。这些国家对该地区的关注和介入,对该地区天然气资源的开发进程有着深远的影响。

Toward forest ‘‘sprawl'':monitoring and planning a changing landscape for urban sustainability

The present study analyzes the structure and dynamics of the forest landscape in a peri-urban area （Rome, Italy） during the city＇s expansion from 1949 to 2008 using landscape metrics and change detection anal- ysis of digital maps of the area （1500 km2）. While urban settlements increased continuously from 6.5 to 27.5 % of the study area, woodlands changed less clearly, with a moderate increase （from 11.2 to 11.9 % of the total area） and a higher fragmentation as a consequence of Rome＇s expansion. The structure of forest landscape changed along the urban-to-rural gradient with patch size increasing with the distance to the inner city in 1949 and substantial landscape homogeneity in 2008. The indicators proposed in this study inform dedicated measures for conserving forest and maintaining landscape diversity. Measures adopted in Rome＇s forestation plan to counteract woodlandfragmentation were analyzed and discussed. Based on the complex landscape dynamics found for Rome, an inte- grated multiscale planning approach targeting forest con- servation is considered a key contribution to urban sustainability.

简论以色列的区域环境合作开发战略

随着经济发展和人口增加 ,环境与资源问题在中东国家日益普遍和突出。环境问题的根源及其影响超越了国界 ,环境问题也必须国际合作才能解决 ,这对以色列所在的东地中海地区特别重要。东地中海国家开展环境治理和管理的合作不但符合该地区社会经济的可持续发展要求 ,也是促进和巩固中东政治和平的重要手段。本文分析了以色列政府 1996年 1月提出的《区域环境合作和发展选择》文件的基本框架和内容 ,指出 :这个规划对区域经济合作具有宏观指导意义和操作意义 ,更是新时期以色列抢占中东经济高地的一个前瞻性战略 ,将对中东的政治经济新格局产生深远影响。

欧盟-地中海伙伴关系发展研究——基于欧盟周边治理的视角

欧盟对地中海区域的治理,长期以来一直秉持着价值观和制度输出理念,经济援助、贸易优惠等都与政治改革进程相联系。但是从巴塞罗那进程到欧洲睦邻政策和地中海联盟,欧盟多次变换治理手段都不能全面落实既有的治理目标。对地中海区域国家来说,他们希望利用欧盟推进欧盟一地中海伙伴关系所带来的机遇,探索自身的发展道路,但排斥欧盟所谓共享价值观的政策前提。里斯本条约后,欧盟努力协调内部对此区域外交的分歧立场,并继续推进与这一地区国家建立大自由贸易区的进程。但欧盟期望中的政治改革、民主进程等既有治理目标仍难以推进。

东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区地震活动性异同的初步综述

本文初步综述了东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地震区地震活动性异同。地震活动性的含义不仅指地震的时空强图像,也包括地震的构造和动力学背景分析。结果表明,总体上东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区的地震活动性和变形,都和欧亚板块与周边(北美、太平洋、菲律宾海、印度、阿拉伯和非洲等)板块等相互作用(汇聚、碰撞、俯冲和速度)密切相关。宏观上,东亚大陆、西亚大陆和东地中海地区的地震活动性都表现为疏密相间的震中分布图像以及断裂走向的对称性等。然而,在这些大陆地震区相关的板块相互作用的边界上以及内部的地震活动、构造和动力学背景等方面仍存在不少差异。

内外之间环地中海建筑的地域性特征

环地中海区域独特的地理特征使得当地建筑拥有一种"间性"特点。这种"间性"在物理层面上描述的是山海相携的地理环境;在精神层面上,它表达的是在文化中心从海洋向欧洲内陆偏移的过程中,当地建筑师在设计手法上摇摆于内(精神中心与主流)外(物质环境与现实)之间的折中性。文中分析的三个案例,从巴洛克时期到21世纪初,它们分别从原型与地貌、域外的中心、个体中的城市三个角度描述了个体理想原型与场地具体环境之间的角力与平衡。正是这种内外之间的相互作用,孕育了地中海建筑的地域性特征。

No treeline shift despite climate change over the last 70 years

Background:The recent rise in temperature and shifting precipitation regimes threaten ecosystems around the globe to different degrees.Treelines are expected to respond to climate warming by shifting to higher elevations,but it is unclear whether they can track temperature changes.Here,we integrated high-resolution aerial imagery with local climatic and topographic characteristics to study the treeline dynamic from 1945 to 2015 on the semiarid Mediterranean island of Crete,Greece.Results:During the study period,the mean annual temperature at the treeline increased by 0.81℃,while the average precipitation decreased by 170 mm.The treeline is characterized by a diffuse form,with trees growing on steep limestone slopes(>50°)and shallow soils.Moreover,the treeline elevation decreases with increasing distance from the coast and with aspect(south>north).Yet,we found no shift in the treeline over the past 70 years,despite an increase in temperature in all four study sites.However,the treeline elevation correlated strongly with topographic exposure to wind(R^(2)=0.74,p<0.001).Therefore,the temporal lag in treeline response to warming could be explained by a combination of topographic and microclimatic factors,such as the absence of a shelter effect and a decrease in moisture.Conclusion:Although there was no treeline shift over the last 70 years,climate change has already started shifting the treeline altitudinal optimum.Consequently,the lack of climate-mediated migration at the treeline should raise concerns about the threats posed by warming,such as drought damages,and wildfire,especially in the Mediterranean region.Therefore,conservation management should discuss options and needs to support adaptive management.