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Wine and dairy chains rapresent of the agri-foof leading sectors in Sicily. Composting residues from these two chains would contribute to increase the environmental sustainability of the production with additional advantages represented by the reduction the costs recover soil fertility. This work represents the first attempt to combine the green of the vine cultivation as well as wine and dairy by-products. Raw materials provided potential bioactivators identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus velezensis and Kocuria rhizophila which showed cellulolytic activity. The strain were inocultated in the mass to be composted in order to accelerate the process. Four compost trials were performed: (i) absence of boactivators and mainteinace of umidity with deproteinized whey; (ii) presence of bioactivators and mainteinace of umidity with deproteinized whey; (iii) absence of boactivators and mainteinance of umidity with water; (iv) presence of bioactivators and mainteinace of umidity with water. The experiment lasted 105 days, during which environmental parameters, such as temperature and umidity were monitored. Growth dynamics of the principal functional groups of mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms were followed. The composting process was monitored during the entire period through the detection of physical-chemical (pH, humidity, TOC, humic acid + fulvic acid, TN, Org-N, C/N, S, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn) and microbiological parameters (Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli). The characteristics of all composts fulfilled the requirements of the Italian legislation for ther use to amendt soil. Furthemore, germination tests demonstrated the absence of phytotoxicity against Lepidium sativum L..

Environmental constraints of crop production systems have stimulated interest in alternative weed management strategies. In fact, the continued use of synthetic herbicides may threaten sustainable agricultural production and result in serious ecological and environmental problems, such as the increased incidence of resistance in weeds to important herbicides and increased environmental pollution and health hazards. Public awareness and demand for environmentally safer herbicides with less persistence and less contaminating potential make searches for new weed control strategies. Citrus Essential oils are generally used in the cosmetic, medicinal, and food industries, and are thought to be safe compounds for humans, animals, and the environment. EOs can be extracted by hydro distillation and cold pressing. The two methods are based on different procedures. Hydro distillation is carried out with a Clevenger-apparatus that conducts the distillation process by boiling, condensing and decantation to separate the EOs. The cold pressing consist of crushing and pressing the peels thus leading to the formation of a watery emulsion. Then, the emulsion is centrifuged to separate out the EOs. Since no external substance are needed, this process ensures that the resulting EOs retains all their properties. The allelopathic and phytotoxic effects of EOs obtained from other species and their potential use for weed management has been well documented. The objectives of this study were to evaluate in vitro the phytotoxic effects of Citrus EOs (Citrus sinensis, Citrus limon and Citrus reticulata) extracted by hydro distillation and cold pressing on main weed species (Amaranthus retroflexus, Portulaca oleracea., Echinochloa crus-galli, Avena sativa). For all EOs six concentrations were tested (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12) μl/ml and 5 repetitions with 20 seeds each (for dicotyledons) or 10 repetitions with 10 seeds each (for monocotyledons) were performed. They were applied for one hundred seeds for concentration. Twenty seeds were placed into 9 cm diameter Petri dishes for Amarantus and Portulaca. In each Petri dish, 5 ml of distilled water were added. This volume kept the filter papers uniformly soaked-wet without flooding. For Avena and Echinocloa ten seeds were placed into petri dishes and 6 ml of distilled water was added. The essential oil was placed in a sheet of filter papers in contact with the seeds. The controls were prepared with the same quantities of distilled water. Petri dishes were incubated in the room germination (EQUITEC) at 20/30 °C (±1 °C), alternating temperature (6/18 h dark and light (cool white Radium NL 36W/840; 3100 lm)). Dishes were sealed to reduce evaporation, and no more additional water was supplied during the tests. To evaluate the possible phytotoxic effects of the essential oils and their main compounds on seed germination and seedling growth data were registered by taking photos after 3,5, 7, 10 and 14 days after incubation and will be processed using Digimizer. Then data will be analysed and discussed.

The present paper reports the results of a nitrous oxide production investigation in a moving bed based integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) membrane bioreactor (MBR) pilot plant designed in accordance with the UCT layout for biological phosphorous removal. Samples of gas and liquid were collected in order to measure the gaseous, as well as the dissolved concentration of N2O. Furthermore, the gas flow rate from each reactor was measured and the gas flux was estimated. The results confirmed that the anoxic reactor represents the main source of nitrous oxide production. A significant production of N2O was, however, also found in the anaerobic reactor, thus indicating a probable occurrence of the DPAOs activity.

The widespread use of synthetic herbicides has resulted in herbicide-resistant weeds, altered ecological balance and negative effects on human health. To overcome these problems, efforts are being made to reduce the reliance on synthetic herbicides and shift to natural products. Essential oils (EOs) extracted from plants have been demonstrated to have potential herbicide activity. EOs, composed by volatile organic compounds and characterized by a strong odor, are used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries as they are thought to be safe compounds for humans, animals, and the environment. EOs extracted from Eucalyptus leaves have antimicrobial, antiviral, fungicidal, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive and anti-oxidant effects. Moreover, in vitro studies have demonstrated that they have inhibitory effects on germination of seeds of many crops and weeds. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vivo effects of EOs extracted from Eucalyptus leaves on both weed emergence and biochemical soil properties. Furthermore, since the diverse species of Eucalyptus have shown to have different biological activities, EOs were extracted from three Eucalyptus species (E. camaldulensis, E. globulus, E. occidentalis). Fresh leaves were collected from an afforested area near Piazza Armerina (province of Enna, Italy) and their EOs extracted by hydrodistillation. Soil samples were collected from the topsoil (

L'uso diffuso di erbicidi sintetici ha un impatto negativo sulla salute umana e sull’ecosistema. Per il superamento di questi problemi, si stanno valutando soluzioni alternative per ridurre l’utilizzo di erbicidi sintetici. Molti studi hanno dimostrato che gli oli essenziali (EO) estratti da alcune piante hanno un'attività erbicida. Gli EO, sono costituiti da composti organici volatili e caratterizzati da un forte odore; vengono utilizzati dalle industrie cosmetiche, farmaceutiche e alimentari in quanto sono considerati composti sicuri per l’uomo, gli animali e l'ambiente. Diversi studi hanno dimostrato che gli EO estratti dalle foglie di eucalipto hanno effetti antimicrobici, antivirali, fungicidi, insetticidi, antinfiammatori e antiossidanti. Inoltre, studi in vitro hanno comprovato che essi possono inibire la germinazione di alcune specie vegetali. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato quello di valutare gli effetti in vivo degli EO estratti dalle foglie di Eucalipto sul controllo post emergenza delle infestanti, sul carbonio della biomassa microbica, sulla respirazione del suolo e sui principali gruppi microbici (batteri e funghi). Gli EO utilizzati sono stati estratti tramite idrodistillazione da foglie di Eucalyptus camalsulensis, E. occidentalis ed E. globulus. Tre diverse specie di eucalipto sono state utilizzate perché, come riportato in letteratura, ciascuna di esse è caratterizzata da una diversa attività biologica. Il suolo utilizzato per la prova è stato prelevato all’interno del campus dell'Università degli Studi di Palermo. Dopo il prelievo, il suolo è stato essiccato all'aria e setacciato ad un centimetro. Successivamente, 500 grammi di suolo sono stati posti in 20 vaschette di alluminio (10 × 20 cm) ed incubati in condizioni naturali. Durante l’incubazione il suolo è stato mantenuto al 50% della sua capacità idrica di campo. Dopo l’emergenza delle piantine, ovvero alla comparsa della terza foglia (ventesimo giorno dall’inizio dell’incubazione), ciascun olio essenziale è stato applicato nebulizzandolo sulle piantine, a giorni alterni per una settimana (tre applicazioni in totale). Per ogni vaso e per ogni trattamento, sono stati applicati 5 mL di una soluzione contenente 1 L di acqua, 10 mL di olio essenziale e 1 mL di emulsionante. Nel suolo di controllo la soluzione applicata alle piantine non conteneva olio essenziale. Dopo 15 giorni dall’ultima applicazione dei trattamenti, i suoli sono stati campionati in modo totale, setacciati ed analizzati per la determinazione del carbonio della biomassa microbica (metodo fumigazione-estrazione), respirazione basale (emissione di CO2) e struttura della comunità microbica (analisi degli acidi grassi dei fosfolipidi). Inoltre, per ogni trattamento sono stati determinati alcuni parametri delle piante come peso secco e fresco totale, numero di specie e numero di piante per specie. In questo lavoro vengono riportati e discussi i principali risultati.

Eucalyptus stands in semi-arid areas may contribute to enhance carbon (C) stocks in both biomass and soil. However, the limited information available is mainly focused on short-rotation plantations. In this study, the aboveand below-ground C pools in five 50-year-old Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. stands planted on Miocenic evaporitic deposits in Sicily, Italy, with a xeric and thermic pedoclimate, were measured. Above-ground biomass was determined by partitioning and weighing branches, stem and leaves. Below-ground C pools included the determination of litter, root biomass, and soil organic and inorganic C. In terms of the above-ground biomass, the E. camaldulensis stand accumulated on average 116 Mg ha−1 corresponding to 55 Mg C ha−1. Below-ground biomass consisted mainly of larger roots, followed by fine and medium roots (33 Mg ha−1 corresponding to 14 Mg C ha−1). Litter accumulation on the soil surface accounted for 13 Mg ha−1 corresponding to 5 Mg C ha−1. The amount of C stored in soil was 554 Mg C ha−1, of which 75% was in organic form. Although E. camaldulensis is planted extensively throughout the Southern Hemisphere and tropics where it is managed over short rotations (c. 2–4 years), the results obtained from this study make this species important in terms of future afforestation planning for longer rotations due to its potential to sequester C, particularly in the below-ground components.Keywords: above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, evaporitic deposits, litter, roots, semi-arid Mediterranean climate, soil

The hydrolates result from the industrial extraction process of the essential oils through cold pressing of the citrus peels. Today, they are considered a waste to be disposed of. However, due to the presence of water soluble compounds (sugars, polyphenols, acids), hydrolates could be reused instead of being, due to the high economic burden, a problem in the disposal of the same, charged to the company.The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of citrus hydrolate when directly applied as irrigation water on soil microbial biomass, activity and structure community. The soil used for the experiment was collected from the topsoil (0-10 cm) of a citrus orchard, air-dried and sieved at 2 mm. Then, 450 g of soil were placed in 1L plastic bottles and moistened up to 50% of the water holding capacity (WHC) by applying hydrolates and/or water. The tested hydrolates were obtained from three citrus species: Citrus Sinensis, Citrus Limon and Citrus Reticulata. The hydrolates were applied at three different doses to reach 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3 of the 50% of soil WHC. Respectively, 35, 70 and 105 mL of hydrolate were added to 450 g of air-dried soil. Distilled water was added when necessary to complement the 50% of WHC. Control soil was moistened up to 50% of its WHC with distilled water only. At the same time, 20 g of soil per each treatment were similarly incubated in 200 mL jars, sealed with rubber stopper holding silicon septa to monitor the emission of CO2. Four replicates per treatment were run. Soil samples were incubated in the dark at constant temperature (23.0 ± 0.5°C) and their humidity weekly adjusted up to 50% of WHC by adding distilled water. Microbial biomass C was determined according to the fumigation-extraction method after 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of incubation. At the same time, soil fatty acid methyl esters were determined and used as indicators of the main microbial groups. The CO2 accumulated in the headspace of the jars was measured at days 2, 5, 7 during the first week, then weekly for the following month and finally bi-weekly until day 112. The preliminary results provided evidence that the three hydrolates, at different extent, stimulated the activity of soil microorganisms and affected soil microbial biomass and community structure.

There is great interest in understanding the factors that drive soil microbial activity and community composition in upland grassland ecosystems. We investigated the role of vertical gradients of chemical properties and various soluble C and N pools on soil microbial community structure by using a combination of chemical and biochemical methods coupled with PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) community fingerprinting and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling. Soil samples were collected at increasing depth from a temperate upland grassland. Soil organic matter-related pools (total organic C and total Kjeldahl N) and functionally related active pools (microbial biomass C and N, K2SO4-extractable C and N, extractable organic N) markedly decreased with soil depth and were positively related to each other. The microbial community deep in the soil profile appeared neither C- nor N-limited. Conversely, DGGE community fingerprinting of bacteria, α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria revealed that each soil horizon was conducive to the dominance of particular ribotypes thus confirming links between soluble nutrients gradients and community structure. Soil microbial biomass C assessed by PLFA content decreased with soil depth less steeply than when estimated by the chloroform fumigation-extraction method. This suggests that chloroform fumigation efficiency in lysing microbial cells varied with soil depth with the varying amount and distribution of total and soluble C. The PLFA biomarker for fungal biomass markedly decreased throughout the three upper horizons, whereas that for arbuscular mycorrhizae strongly decreased in the deeper AB horizon only. Taken together with the increase across soil profile of total saturated-to-total monounsaturated fatty acids ratio, the PLFA data suggest that a compositional shift from fungal to bacterial dominance has taken place throughout the grassland layers.

Fire-induced soil heating deeply affects soil organic C pools and their dynamics. The objective of this study was to investigate, in a soil covered with different forest tree species (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. occidentalis, Pinus halepensis, and Cupressus sempervirens), the effect of controlled heating on C pools and C mineralization dynamics. Soil samples were heated under controlled condition in laboratory (160 and 380°C) and then wetted with distilled or sea water to simulate the extinction of wildfires. Soil organic C pools react to heating in different way depending on forest tree species. Total organic C was almost halved following the heating of soils at 380°C. Soil covered with Pinus halepensis showed the greater decrease in organic C. Heating increased the amount of the labile C pool, promoted a direct emission of CO2 from soil during the combustion phase and an indirect emission by increasing the substrates readily available for microbial respiration. Sea water applied after heating has generally reduced CO2 emission.

Cytisus aeolicus is a narrow endemic species restricted to the Aeolian archipelago (SE Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) and it is one of the most evolutionarily isolated plants in the Mediterranean flora. Historical and literature data suggest that both metapopulations and isolated individuals of C. aeolicus are gradually shrinking. Field investigations and drone images demonstrate that the C. aeolicus metapopulation from Stromboli experienced a strikingly fast increase during the last decades. As of 2019, more than 7000 ± 3000 mature individuals occur on Stromboli, i.e. 14 to 20 times more than those counted during the last census, 25 years ago. The diachronic analysis of aerial photos concerning last 80 years and the analysis of the growth rings of some selected plants pointed out that the surface occupied, the demographic structure and the distribution pattern of the subpopulations of Stromboli has been highly fluctuating during last decades. Moreover, data issuing from field observations in permanent plots placed in a transect between two isolated mature individuals showed that, under natural conditions, the germination rate of the seedlings of C. aeolicus can be very high and their establishment rate may exceed 40%. By contrast, seedlings mortality is subject to strong annual fluctuations. Additionally, the pollen morphology of the Strombolian metapopulation of this rare and isolated species is studied here for the first time. Contrary to what is stated in recent literature, the C. aeolicus metapopulation from Stromboli is healthy and very dynamic, albeit frequently damaged by the volcanic activity. Regular and repeated field surveys carried out during 3 years (2017–2019) allowed improving our knowledge on the life cycle of C. aeolicus and a new extinction risk assessment of the species, according to IUCN criteria, is presented.

The super high density (SHD) model is a new olive growing system characterized by earlier and higher yields, fully mechanized harvesting and reduced orchard management costs. Until recently all commercial SHD orchards were planted primarily with three varieties: ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’. To increase variety diversity, broaden available olive oil chemical and organoleptic profiles, and olive oils for marketing, minor local varieties should be evaluated for adaptability to the SHD system. This study compares multiple Sicilian native genotypes to the three current cultivars ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’. The cumulative fruit and oil production, trunk-cross section area, canopy volume, alternate bearing behavior and oil quality were evaluated in a SHD system. Among the standard cultivars ‘Koroneiki’ had significantly higher and ‘Arbequina’ average productivity respectively compared to earlier reports and was chosen as the reference for evaluating the performance of the Sicilian genotypes. Many of the genotypes investigated had olive and oil yields equal to or higher than ‘Arbequina’; ‘Abunara’ and ‘ADE’ had very high productivity. ‘Abunara’ produced a medium-high quality oil. The ‘KALAT’ selection had high productivity and low vigor, and therefore high productive efficiency. However, the oil polyphenols were low. The ‘Cerasuola’ and ‘Piricuddara’ cultivars had good productivity and a very high quality oils. These results confirm the need to evaluate and preserve local genetic resources as a strategy for improving SHD olive management and increasing olive cultivar and oil diversity.

We investigated the effects of land levelling followed by deep tillage, thus inducing a drastic dismantlement of soil profile, on both soil functioning and quality by monitoring various bioindicators (microbial biomass and community structure, basal respiration, enzyme activities) expressed on either whole soil and TOC mass units, respectively. As expected, in disturbed soils all measured properties had much higher coefficients of variation (CVs), regardless of either whole soil or TOC mass basis, due to the induced spatial variability. The amount of total organic C in the first cubic meter of soil profile was of one order of magnitude greater in undisturbed soils compared to disturbed ones. Soil bioindicators monitored on whole soil mass basis appeared greatly worsened while unchanged or even improved under TOC mass basis. This was essentially due to a couple of reasons: (1) soil bioindicators are constitutively dependent on soil TOC content; (2) soil spatial rearrangement may have made some organic C available to microbial biomass, otherwise unreachable when allocated throughout the undisturbed soil profile. Concluding, our work highlighted the need of expressing soil biondicators on soil mass basis when the response of the whole agrosystem to soil deep spatial rearrangement has to be assessed, while on TOC mass basis if the soil biological features are the major concerns.

This 2-year study aimed to verify whether the continuous application of no tillage (NT) for over 20 years, in comparison with conventional tillage (CT), affects nitrous oxide (NO) and ammonia (NH) emissions from a Vertisol and, if so, whether such an effect varies with crop sequence (continuous wheat, WW and wheat after faba bean, FW). To shed light on the mechanisms involved in determining N-gas emissions, soil bulk density, water filled pore space (WFPS), some carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools, denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA), and nitrous oxide reductase gene abundance (nosZ gene) were also assessed at 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depth. Tillage system had no significant effect on total NH emissions. On average, total NO emissions were higher under NT (2.45 kg NO-N ha) than CT (1.72 kg NO-N ha), being the differences between the two tillage systems greater in FW than WW. The higher NO emissions in NT treatments were ascribed to the increased bulk density, WFPS, and extractable organic C under NT compared to CT, all factors that generally promote the production of NO. Moreover, compared to CT, NT enhanced the potential DEA (114 vs 16 μg N kg h) and nosZ gene abundance (116 vs 69 copy number mg dry soil) in the topsoil. Finally, NT compared to CT led to an average annual increase in C stock of 0.70 Mg C ha year. Though NT can increase the amount os soil organic matter so storing CO into soil, some criticisms related to the increase of NO emission arise, thereby suggesting the need for defining management strategies to mitigate such a negative effect., We thank Beatriz Moreno (CSIC-EEZ) and Vincenzo Cannella(Università degli Studi di Palermo) for technical advice and support.This work was funded by the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research (MIUR) to Fondazione Angelo e Salvatore Lima Mancuso (Università degli Studi di Palermo)–PON/01_01145 Project–ISCOCEM

Understanding relationships between environmental changes and soil microbial respiration is critical for predicting changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) fluxes and content. The maritime Antarctic is experiencing one of the fastest rates of warming in the world and is therefore a key location to examine the effect of temperature on SOC mineralization by the respiration of soil micro-organisms. However, depletion of the labile substrates at higher temperatures relative to the total SOC and greater temperature sensitivity of recalcitrant components of the SOC confound simple interpretations of the effects of warming. We have addressed these issues by testing the hypothesis that respiration by heterotrophic soil micro-organisms is not down-regulated with increasing temperature by comparing the increase in biomass-specific respiration rate with temperature to the increase in respiration rate per unit SOC. We used five soils from the maritime Antarctic ranging in latitude and SOC content and measured the soil respiratory responses to temperatures ranging from 2 to 50 °C in laboratory incubations lasting up to 31 days. In all cases, soil respiration increased with temperature up to 50 °C, even though this exceeds the temperatures normally be experienced, indicating that the community contained sufficient physiological diversity to be able to respire over large temperature ranges. Both the biomass-specific respiration rate and the overall rate of SOC mineralization increased with temperature, which we interpret as respiration by soil micro-organisms not down-regulating relative to temperature.

Within the Mediterranean basin, soil tillage enhances the mineralisation of soil organic matter. We assessed the short-term impact of shallow tillage [field cultivator (FC), rotary tiller (RT) and spading machine (SM)] on some soil quality indicators [bulk density, water-stable aggregates, total and labile organic C pools (microbial biomass and extractable organic C), soil respiration and related eco-physiological indexes] in a Sicilian vineyard. Also no tillage was included. We hypothesized that (i) RT and FC worsened soil quality indicators more than SM, and (ii) within the same tillage system, labile C pools, soil respiration and eco-physiological indexes will respond more efficiently than chemical and physical soil properties since the tillage starts. The experiment started at March 2009, and each tillage type was applied three times per year (March or April, May and June), with soil tilled up to 15-cm depth. Soil was sampled (0–15 and 15–30-cm depth) in March 2009, April 2010, May 2012 and June 2014. SM was very effective in preserving soil organic matter pool and in improving any monitored soil quality indicator, similarly to no tillage. By contrast, RT was the most deleterious machine as it worsened most investigated indicators. Such deleterious effects were due to drastic disruption of soil aggregates and consequent exposition of protected soil organic matter to further microbial mineralization. Labile organic C pools and microbial quotients were the most responsive soil parameters for assessing the impact of shallow tillage on soil quality, even in the short term (

The aim of the present study was to investigate the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from a moving bed based Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) - membrane bioreactor (MBR) pilot plant, designed according to the University of Cape Town (UCT) layout. The experimental campaign had a duration of 110 days and was characterized by three different sludge retention time (SRT) values (∞, 30 d and 15 d). Results highlighted that N2O concentrations decreased when the biofilm concentrations increased within the aerobic reactor. Results have shown an increase of N2O with the decrease of SRT. Specifically, an increase of N2O-N emission factor occurred with the decrease of the SRT (0.13%, 0.21% and 0.76% of influent nitrogen for SRT = ∞, SRT = 30 d and SRT = 15 d, respectively). Moreover, the MBR tank resulted the key emission source (up to 70% of the total N2O emission during SRT = ∞ period) whereas the highest N2O production occurred in the anoxic reactor. Moreover, N2O concentrations measured in the permeate flow were not negligible, thus highlighting its potential detrimental contribution for the receiving water body. The role of each plant reactor as N2O-N producer/consumer varies with the SRT variation, indeed the aerobic reactor was a N2O consumer at SRT = ∞ and a producer at SRT = 30 d.

The emissions of the major greenhouse gases (GHGs), i.e. carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) from water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) are of increasing concern in the water industry. In order to produce useful and comparable information for monitoring, assessing, and reporting GHG emissions from WRRFs, there is a need for a generally accepted methodology for their quantification. This paper aims at proposing the first protocol for monitoring and accounting for GHG emissions from WRRFs, taking into account both direct and indirect internal emissions and focusing the attention on plant sections known to be primarily responsible for GHG emissions (i.e. oxidation tanks and sludge digestors). The main novelties of the proposed protocol are: (i) measurement of direct internal emissions ascribed to aeration devices; (ii) estimation of indirect internal emissions derived from field measurement; (iii) GHG emission offset due to biogas energy recovery quantified by monitoring biogas composition in case of anaerobic digestion. Finally, the proposed methodology enables and allows the gathering of useful information on plants (e.g. energetic efficiency of the aeration device system and composition of biogas produced in anaerobic digestion) to address potential strategies for improving the plants’ performance.

Head Space-Solid Phase Micro Extraction (HS-SPME) extractions and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis allowed the identification of 72 different compounds isolated from 7 different wild inedible fungi collected in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. The VOCs reported in this study, including a total of 5 esters, 17 alcohols, 14 aldehydes, 9 ketones, 18 terpenes and 9 other compounds, have been never characterized before for Tricholoma ustaloides, Hygrophorus cossus, Russula foetens and Mycena pura.

The present paper reports the results of a nitrous oxide (N 2 O) production investigation in a moving bed based integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) membrane bioreactor (MBR) pilot plant designed in accordance with the University of Cape Town layout for biological phosphorous removal. Gaseous and liquid samples were collected in order to measure the gaseous as well as the dissolved concentration of N 2 O. Furthermore, the gas flow rate from each reactor was measured and the gas flux was estimated. The results confirmed that the anoxic reactor represents the main source of nitrous oxide production. A significant production of N 2 O was, however, also found in the anaerobic reactor, thus indicating a probable occurrence of the denitrifying phosphate accumulating organism activity. The highest N 2 O fluxes were emitted from the aerated reactors (3.09 g N 2 O N m −2 h −1 and 9.87 g N 2 O N m −2 h −1 , aerobic and MBR tank, respectively). The emission factor highlighted that only 1% of the total treated nitrogen was emitted from the pilot plant. Furthermore, the measured N 2 O concentrations in the permeate flow were comparable with other reactors. Nitrous oxide mass balances outlined a moderate production also in the MBR reactor despite the low hydraulic retention time. On the other hand, the mass balance showed that in the aerobic reactor a constant consumption of nitrous oxide (up to almost 15 mg N 2 O h −1 ) took place, due to the high amount of stripped gas.

Fire may cause significant alterations in soil properties. Post-fire soil dynamics can vary depending, among other factors, on rainfall patterns. However, little is known regarding variations in response to post-fire drought. This is relevant in arid and semiarid areas with poor soils, like much of the western Mediterranean. Furthermore, climate change projections in such areas anticipate reduced precipitation and longer annual drought periods, together with an increase in fire severity and frequency. This research evaluates the effects of experimental drought after fire on soil dynamics of a Cistus-Erica shrubland (Central Spain). A replicated (n = 4) field experiment was conducted in which the total rainfall and its patterns were manipulated by means of a rain-out shelters and irrigation system. The treatments were: environmental control (natural rainfall), historical control (average rainfall, 2. months drought), moderate drought (25% reduction of historical control, 5. months drought) and severe drought (45% reduction, 7. months drought). After one growing season under these rainfall treatments, the plots were burned. One set of unburned plots under natural rainfall served as an additional control. Soils were collected seasonally. Fire increased soil P and N availability. Post-fire drought treatments reduced available soil P but increased N concentration (mainly nitrate). Fire reduced available K irrespective of drought treatments. Fire reduced enzyme activities and carbon mineralization rate, a reduction that was higher in post-fire drought-treated soils. Fire decreased soil microbial biomass and the proportion of fungi, while that of actinomycetes increased. Post-fire drought decreased soil total microbial biomass and fungi, with bacteria becoming more abundant. Our results support that increasing drought after fire could compromise the resilience of Mediterranean ecosystems to fire.

In a coastal Mediterranean area, the effects of two native [Quercus ilex (Holm), Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus oxycarpa (Hygro)] and one planted [Pinus pinaster (Pine)] forest species on both content and quality of organic C and total N pools in Arenosols was assessed. Three soil profiles per each forest cover were opened and sampled. Total N in the organic layers was not affected by forest covers, whereas total organic C ranged from 36.1 to 63.2 Mg ha−1, being organic layers under Hygro those with the highest contents. Total organic C in the first 50 cm of mineral soil was 64 Mg ha−1 under Holm and 36.7 and 37.6 Mg ha−1 under Pine and Hygro, respectively. Soil covered by Holm and Hygro stored, respectively, 5.2 and 3.2 Mg ha−1 of total N. Soils under Pine showed the lowest values of total N, extractable C and N, microbial biomass C and N and microbial quotient. Also the quality of the organic layers was lowest under Pine, as evidenced by the highest values of TOC/TN ratio. Forest covers affected size and quality of organic C and total N pools in Arenosols. Arenosols stored from 73.7 to 127.2 Mg ha−1 of organic C and from 3.9 to 7.1 Mg ha−1 of total N. The organic layers could accumulate even the same amount of organic C and up to 50 % of the total N stored in the first 50 cm of mineral soils. Pine cover worsened the quality of soil organic matter.

The joint effect of wastewater salinity and hydrocarbons on nitrous oxide emission was investigated. The membrane bioreactor pilot plant was operated with two phases: i. biomass acclimation by increasing salinity from 10gNaClL−1 to 20gNaClL−1 (Phase I); ii. hydrocarbons dosing at 20mgL−1 with a constant salt concentration of 20gNaClL−1 (Phase II). The Phase I revealed a relationship between nitrous oxide emissions and salinity. During the end of the Phase I, the activity of nitrifiers started to recover, indicating a partial acclimatization. During the Phase II, the hydrocarbon shock induced a temporary inhibition of the biomass with the suppression of nitrous oxide emissions. The results revealed that the oxic tank was the major source of nitrous oxide emission, likely due to the gas stripping by aeration. The joint effect of salinity and hydrocarbons was found to be crucial for the production of nitrous oxide

Eggplant berries are a source of health-promoting metabolites including antioxidant and nutraceutical compounds, mainly anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid; however, they also contain some anti-nutritional compounds such as steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGA) and saponins, which are responsible for the bitter taste of the flesh and with potential toxic effects on humans. Up to now, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for the metabolic content are far from being characterized in eggplant, thus hampering the application of breeding programs aimed at improving its fruit quality. Here we report on the identification of some QTL for the fruit metabolic content in an F2 intraspecific mapping population of 156 individuals, obtained by crossing the eggplant breeding lines “305E40” × “67/3.” The same population was previously employed for the development of a RAD-tag based linkage map and the identification of QTL associated to morphological and physiological traits. The mapping population was biochemically characterized for both fruit basic qualitative data, like dry matter, °Brix, sugars, and organic acids, as well as for health-related compounds such chlorogenic acid, (the main flesh monomeric phenol), the two peel anthocyanins [i.e., delphinidin-3-rutinoside (D3R) and delphinidin-3-(p- coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside (nasunin)] and the two main steroidal glycoalkaloids, solasonine, and solamargine. For most of the traits, one major QTL (PVE ≥10%) was spotted and putative orthologies with other Solanaceae crops are discussed. The present results supply valuable information to eggplant breeders on the inheritance of key fruit quality traits, thus providing potential tools to assist future breeding programs.

Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) of soil is an important ecological indicator of nutrient cycling and soil fertility. In addition, it responds to the changes of soil fertility more rapidly than soil organic matter. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of a long-term implementation of a conservative soil management strategy (No Tillage [NT]) compared to the inversion tillage (conventional tillage [CT]) on the soil MBC in a range of crops - continuous durum wheat (WW), wheat after fababean (FW) and faba bean after wheat (WF). MBC of NT plots was higher than CT. In addition, the content of MBC varied with sampling time during the growing season; this variation did not show a consistent pattern with tillage techniques or the crop species. Further research is needed to elucidate the effects of tillage and crop on the MBC dynamics within the soil profile in the semi-arid Mediterranean environment.

Nature-based solutions are defined as living solutions inspired by, continuously supported by and using nature (Final Report of the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities'). In line with this statement and according to the European research and innovation policy agenda, green roofs (GRs) represent a fundamental requisite for urban sustainable development, being potential stepping stones for plants and animals, including those characterizing habitats of Community interest. In our work, we tested the suitability of green roofs in hosting Mediterranean annual dry grassland of the 92/43 ECC Habitat 6220* (pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea). The two investigated GRs respectively of 400 and 500 m2, are located 35 m above ground level and were built in the early 90s in Palermo on two different buildings. The growing medium used on the roofs was the typical Mediterranean red soil (Alfisol), common to the neighboring agricultural land. A total of 26 vegetation plots and 15 substrate samples were collected from the two GRs and, for comparison, in one neighboring orange grove and in four Natura 2000 sites of North-West Sicily (Mt. Pellegrino, Mt. Cofano, Cape Gallo and Cape St. Vito). In order to assess the potentiality of the GRs to host the target plant communities and the quality of the roof substrate, chemical and physical properties, as well as, some quality bioindicators (soil macro- and microarthropods, microbial biomass and activity) were determined for all the soil samples. Differences and similarities of the roof substrate with respect to its original milieu and that of the Habitat 6220* were then assessed by means of a multivariate statistical analysis and generalized linear regression models.

We investigated the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) diversity and enzyme activities in soils from the volcano, Mt. Etna (Sicily). The soils were at sites which have been developing for different periods of time and have formed in volcanic lava of differing ages that have been supplemented with volcanic ejecta from subsequent eruptions. However, the plant communities indicated a marked successional difference between the sites and we have used this as a proxy for developmental stage. We have compared the structural and functional properties of the microbial communities in soils from the two sites and tested experimentally the hypothesis that the more diverse community was more resistant and resilient to disturbance. The experimental disturbance imposed was heating (60 °C for 48 h) and the recovery of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase) and structural properties (PLFA profiles) were then followed over six months. The microbial community in the soil from the older site was more structurally diverse and had a larger total PLFA concentration before disturbance than that of the soil from the younger site. The older soil community was not more resistant and resilient following an environmental disturbance as the younger soil community was equally or more resistant and resilient for all parameters. Changes in enzyme activities following disturbance were almost entirely attributable to changes in biomass (total PLFA).

La salinizzazione del suolo interessa un’area di circa 830 milioni di ettari. Le principali conseguenze nelle aree coltivate sono una graduale perdita di fertilità dei suoli, con conseguente diminuzione o perdita dei raccolti. In Spagna, dove oltre 100 mila ettari di terre irrigate è affetto da salinità e un altro 15% è a rischio, la bonifica a scopo agricolo è una pratica comune. Obiettivo della presente ricerca è stato quello di investigare le variazioni della biomassa e dell’attività microbica in suoli paludoso-salmastri bonificati e non. L’area di studio è la Marisma di Lebrija, nell’estuario del fiume Guadalquivir, nel sud-ovest della Spagna. Sono stati presi in esame due parcelle di terreno bonificato (suolo drenato e suolo drenato ed ammendato) ed una parcella di controllo (suolo naturale salmastro non bonificato). Sui campioni di suolo sono stati determinati: tessitura apparente, pH, conducibilità elettrica, sali solubili, C organico, N totale, capacità di scambio cationico e cationi di scambio, calcare totale, C della biomassa microbica, CO2 basale e cinque diverse attività enzimatiche. I suoli bonificati presentano una conducibilità elettrica ed un SAR più bassi rispetto al suolo non bonificato. Ciò è da attribuire principalmente ad un minor contenuto in sali di Na+ nei suoli bonificati. Anche il Na+ di scambio, come atteso, risulta più basso nei suoli bonificati. Per quanto concerne i bioindicatori della qualità del suolo, è da evidenziare come sia il C della biomassa microbica che la sua attività risultano più elevate nel suolo di controllo rispetto a quelli bonificati. Inoltre, considerando il quoziente metabolico, parametro che dovrebbe indicare lo stato di stress/disturbo dell’ecosistema suolo, i suoli bonificati risultano “più stressati”. I risultati della presente ricerca indicano che nello studio dell’ecosistema suolo, i parametri chimici devono essere necessariamente integrati da quelli biologici, poiché il loro andamento può essere del tutto contrastante. Infatti, anche se i risultati delle analisi chimiche suggeriscono che i suoli recuperati sono migliori, da quelle biochimiche si evince che la fertilità biochimica è migliore nella marisma vergine con condizioni chimiche peggiori.