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More than two decades ago, in the central-eastern region of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, a mountain area was identified where the population displays exceptional longevity, especially among men (the Longevity Blue Zone, LBZ). This community was thoroughly investigated to understand the underlying causes of the phenomenon. The present study analyzed 11 genetic markers previously associated with increased survival in several long-lived populations. APOE (rs429358 and rs7412), APOE promoter (rs449647, rs769446, and rs405509), ACE1 (rs1799752), IL6 ‒174G/C (rs1800795), TNFα ‒308G/A (rs1800629), FOXO3A (rs2802292), KLOTHO (rs9536314) and G6PD (rs5030868) polymorphisms were investigated. PCR-based genotyping was performed following genomic DNA extraction from 150 nonagenarians living in the LBZ and 150 controls from a nearby area. No significant deviation in the frequency of the analyzed markers was detected between the two subgroups except for a weak association with the − 174G > C gene variant in the IL-6 gene (p = 0.040), which codes for a major modulator of the inflammatory response. Overall, the findings of this study do not support a significant association of known genetic variants on survival in the population of the Sardinian LBZ, suggesting that other genetic or epigenetic traits not yet identified might play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to investigate the feeding behavior of Sardinian deer roaming within a site of community interest (SCI, ITB042250), on Sardinian Island (39° 51' N 8° 45' E). Crop fields bordering the natural environment (wood forest and Mediterranean macchia, where the reserve of Sardinian deer partly overlaps) were monitored and turned into a living lab. The interest on wildlife-related crop damage poses a significant economic challenge, while anthropogenic pressures, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, increasingly impact wildlife by limiting habitat, feeding source diversity and access, and space distribution. In view of this, dietary habits of a group of 25 Sardinian deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus Erxleben, 1777) were studied over an area of 45 hectares, in spring and autumn over two consecutive years. Within six representative sites (habitats) of investigation (SOI = 3 ha), two transects of 20 × 10 m per SOI, amounting to 240 m², served as parts of these sites, respectively, and were analyzed as to floristic composition and dominating plants. The number of freshly browsed/grazed plants by missing shoots was counted and assumed as signs of foraging activity of the Sardinian deer. The evenness of the dietary preference per habitat was calculated with the number of missing shoots and the number of plant species selected. The Mediterranean macchia accounted for the highest species (n = 76); crop field the fewest species (n = 19). Plants showing foraging signs by Sardinian deer ranged between n. 5 out of 46 species (10.9%) in the fallow and n. 6 out of 19 species (31.6%) in the crop field. Complementary feeding based on the availability of floristic diversity revealed to align to the typical foraging behavior of intermediate feeder in all SOIs: the higher the species, the higher the number of foraged species (ρ = 0.86). Sardinian deer foraged on n. 35 out of 129 plant species present (27.1%) within the whole transect area. Data highlight two feeding behavior: 1)high evenness-feeding (less foraging on high number of plant species, respectively: fallow, crop field, macchia border); 2) low evenness-feeding (large foraging on few species, Avena or Cytisus: field, bordering both macchia and fallow, macchia).The Sardinian deer fed on every SOI, with highest consumption in the macchia and least in oat open field. The feeding behavior of Sardinian deer confirms the ability to adapt to the varying vegetation in each habitat, respectively, by seeking energy and nutrients on the one hand and shelter on the other, by limiting the preference for crop field center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of biodiversity is of fundamental importance in the context of environmental protection and eco-sustainable agriculture management. Its preservation has a key role and an extraordinary importance not only for the protection of potential gene pools, which is essential for selection and breeding programs, but also because local varieties are the expression of a territory and therefore reflect culture, knowledge, and tradition heritage. In this paper, 27 local cherry varieties collected in different areas of Sardinia were characterized and described from different perspectives, including pomology and genetics, using SSR markers. A complete framework on the biodiversity of cherry trees in Sardinia is presented, in order to support an objective assessment of different cultivar traits, namely those of agronomical interest, and to support the dissemination and conservation of the historical fruit tree cultivation heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on extensive fieldwork in southwest Sardinia focused on the memories of former miners, this article explores the dialectic of temporalities within post-mining communities. Through the perspectives of former miners and individuals involved in heritage-making, the article examines different pathways emerging from the decline of the mining industry and the resulting material and social remnants. This framework relates to the material and social aspects of ruins and ruination, as Ann Stoler discusses. I analyse the closure of mines through De Martino’s concepts of cultural apocalypse and crisis of presence. The article explores how the crisis, triggered by mine closures, leads to various forms of engaging with the mining past. Different subjects interpret and use ruins and ruinations, revitalizing mining history differently. While heritage-makers view ruins as monuments to be promoted for tourism, they also perceive environmental degradation as active ruination requiring remediation. Conversely, former miners see remnants of mining as ongoing ruination, symbolizing decay and the risk of a crisis of presence. The social relations forged within the mining community are seen as a form of mythical ruin that can be employed to revive social relations, primarily those of class, which have faded over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practices of social movements during the pandemic show how severe limitations on political and social organization have been turned into opportunities by increasing the focus on social justice and care-based initiatives, building trust and solidarity. This case study explores how the urban militants of the anti-military occupation movement A Foras (Out) maintained visibility during the pandemic. Besides calling attention to the unethical growth of military spending concurrent with the lack of investment in public health during the COVID-19 crisis, the movement engaged in mutualistic action against pandemic-related issues, such as isolation, and social exclusion. We examine ethnographically this hybridized mobilization, which is grounded on the significance of solidarity, community, and the nature of public life. By making social inequality, exclusion and isolation more visible, mutualistic practices act in the social justice arena as a 'purposive orientation'. This case study offers an example of a grassroots social movement renewing its space of knowledge production by widening its agency and reconfiguring care as an action for political change, adding to the notion of caring democracy by giving rise to a mutualist initiative based on horizontality and potential reciprocity. The article provides an up-to-date understanding of how imaginaries and care practices activated around solidarity, security, and safety are recasting society in southern Europe in the wake of COVID-19. It contributes to the debate around caring democracy in social movements studies by rethinking the significance of caring infrastructures and, ultimately, the meaning of solidarity and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the feeding behavior of Sardinian deer roaming within a site of community interest (SCI, ITB042250), on Sardinian Island (39° 51’ N 8° 45’ E). Crop fields bordering the natural environment (wood forest and Mediterranean macchia, where the reserve of Sardinian deer partly overlaps) were monitored and turned into a living lab. The interest on wildlife-related crop damage poses a significant economic challenge, while anthropogenic pressures, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, increasingly impact wildlife by limiting habitat, feeding source diversity and access, and space distribution. In view of this, dietary habits of a group of 25 Sardinian deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus Erxleben, 1777) were studied over an area of 45 hectares, in spring and autumn over two consecutive years. Within six representative sites (habitats) of investigation (SOI = 3 ha), two transects of 20 × 10 m per SOI, amounting to 240 m², served as parts of these sites, respectively, and were analyzed as to floristic composition and dominating plants. The number of freshly browsed/grazed plants by missing shoots was counted and assumed as signs of foraging activity of the Sardinian deer. The evenness of the dietary preference per habitat was calculated with the number of missing shoots and the number of plant species selected. The Mediterranean macchia accounted for the highest species (n = 76); crop field the fewest species (n = 19). Plants showing foraging signs by Sardinian deer ranged between n. 5 out of 46 species (10.9%) in the fallow and n. 6 out of 19 species (31.6%) in the crop field. Complementary feeding based on the availability of floristic diversity revealed to align to the typical foraging behavior of intermediate feeder in all SOIs: the higher the species, the higher the number of foraged species (ρ = 0.86). Sardinian deer foraged on n. 35 out of 129 plant species present (27.1%) within the whole transect area. Data highlight two feeding behavior: 1)high evenness-feeding (less foraging on high number of plant species, respectively: fallow, crop field, macchia border); 2) low evenness-feeding (large foraging on few species, Avena or Cytisus: field, bordering both macchia and fallow, macchia).The Sardinian deer fed on every SOI, with highest consumption in the macchia and least in oat open field. The feeding behavior of Sardinian deer confirms the ability to adapt to the varying vegetation in each habitat, respectively, by seeking energy and nutrients on the one hand and shelter on the other, by limiting the preference for crop field center.

Abstract More than two decades ago, in the central-eastern region of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, a mountain area was identified where the population displays exceptional longevity, especially among men (the Longevity Blue Zone, LBZ). This community was thoroughly investigated to understand the underlying causes of the phenomenon. The present study analyzed 11 genetic markers previously associated with increased survival in several long-lived populations. APOE (rs429358 and rs7412), APOE promoter (rs449647, rs769446, and rs405509), ACE1 (rs1799752), IL6 ‒174G/C (rs1800795), TNFα ‒308G/A (rs1800629), FOXO3A (rs2802292), KLOTHO (rs9536314) and G6PD (rs5030868) polymorphisms were investigated. PCR-based genotyping was performed following genomic DNA extraction from 150 nonagenarians living in the LBZ and 150 controls from a nearby area. No significant deviation in the frequency of the analyzed markers was detected between the two subgroups except for a weak association with the − 174G > C gene variant in the IL-6 gene (p = 0.040), which codes for a major modulator of the inflammatory response. Overall, the findings of this study do not support a significant association of known genetic variants on survival in the population of the Sardinian LBZ, suggesting that other genetic or epigenetic traits not yet identified might play a role.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of tourist and economic interest in transhumance in Sardinia and more generally Italy. Previously viewed as a hindrance to sheep farming development and associated with isolation, sacrifice, and uncertainty for the people involved, transhumance is now being reconsidered. This study aims to explore the impact of this renewed attention by examining the new transhumance routes, identifying its advocates, and understanding why pastoral mobility was once deemed as a sign of cultural backwardness but is now celebrated as a heritage object and identity trait. The paper also investigates how transhumance has been integrated into territorial marketing efforts, often through rhetorical appeals to pastoral identity and authenticity and nostalgic and poetical depictions of a mythologized past. In fact, the emotional peak following UNESCO’s recognition of transhumance as intangible heritage is not the sole driver of this trend, as Sardinia has been focusing on the heritage value of pastoral mobility since the early 2000s. This paper emphasizes the role that rural space and landscape revaluation, sustainable tourism promotion, new pastoralism models, and local agri-food production revitalization play in driving this shift, aligning with current environmental and cultural heritage conservation and enhancement policies.

The finding of animal and plant fossils in archaeological contexts raises the question of their importance in prehistoric times. Fossils have often been interpreted as supernatural objects and could have given rise legends and myths. They can inadvertently introduced along with building materials but the interest in fossil collection by inhabitants of prehistoric settlements responded to reasons that are still not fully clear today. Some hypotheses include the possibility that fossils were pierced to be used as pendants and ornaments, and in funerary contexts that they could have a role in the afterlife. This work presents the exceptional discovery of a large fossil of a Mesozoic marine mollusk exhibited in a building stone of a Sardinian Bronze Age sanctuary (Nuragic culture, XII-IX century BC) located in the central-eastern Sardinia (Italy). The use of this fossil as a rock block for the construction of a wall was not accidental as it was specially placed so that it was exposed to the visitor who walked the access path to the sanctuary. Interestingly, the spiral shape of this fossil suggests a similarity to the ovine horns carved in the near roundhouse of the sanctuary. The aim of the work is to use the discovery of a fossil to raise awareness among researchers of an aspect that can have great cultural implications. Indeed, although this work describes a single fossil found in an archaeological context, it is the first time that it has been done in Sardinia, an island rich in paleontological and archaeological evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As European colonialism has had an impact both on the territories and populations that have undergone European occupation, and on Europe itself, decolonization must also be investigated by taking into consideration the so-called "motherland" as well, to verify whether, and in what way, Europeans have come to terms with that past. Studying the presences and the permanencies in the public space which shows signs of the colonial past offers an essential perspective from which to answer these questions. At the same time, conducting this analysis on a local scale allows us to investigate the meanings of these presences and legacies in depth. From this perspective, the essay investigates the case of Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean that occupies a peripheral position in the Italian state. It aims to understand, on the one hand, the role colonialism played in the island's "nationalization". On the other hand, the island has faced its colonial past from the fall of the Italian empire until now. The essay first retraces the position of Sardinia and Sardinians within the colonial project, then analyses the presence of different types of colonial signs (toponymy, commemorative plaques, commercial activities) in the public space. It identifies them not just in space but also in time, historicizing their presence and, therefore, their meaning. The study demonstrates that the island was crossed by an intense process of "colonization", which ran parallel to the process of urbanization and modernization; at the same time, it has not only not questioned those signs, but in several cases they were presented again, demonstrating the absence not only of material decolonization but also, above all, of cultural decolonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an updated interpretation of geological data collected between 1984 and 2022. The area under consideration holds significant regional importance as it is located between the Internal Nappe Zone (INZ) and the Regional Mylonitic Complex (RMC). Re-evaluation of the geological data has highlighted a more intricate structural framework than what is currently documented in the existing literature. This paper aims to illustrate, through structural analysis, that the Posada Valley Shear Zone (PVSZ) does not serve as the transitional boundary between the Inner Nappe Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex or High-Grade Metamorphic Complex (HGMC) as traditionally thought. Instead, the authors' findings indicate that the transition boundary is confined to a shear band with a variable thickness ranging from 10 to 70 m at its widest points. The development of the Posada Valley Shear Zone is characterized by a series of transitions from mylonite I S-C to mylonite II S-C, extending over approximately 5 km. The formation of the Posada Valley Shear Zone is chronologically confined between the development of the East Variscan Shear Zone (EVSZ) and the emplacement of the Late Variscan granites. The differing orientations of Sm and S3 observed in the mylonitic events of the Posada Valley Shear Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex, respectively, are likely attributable to an anticlockwise rotation of the shortening directions during the upper Carboniferous period. Furthermore, this study proposes that the Condensed Isogrades Zone (CIZ), despite its unclear formation mechanism, should be recognized as the true transition zone between the Inner Nappe Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex or High-Grade Metamorphic Complex. This new interpretation challenges the previously accepted notion of increasing Variscan metamorphic zonation toward the northeast. This conclusion is supported by the identification of the same NE–SW orientation of the D2 tectonic event in both the Old Gneiss Complex (OGC in the Regional Mylonitic Complex) and the lithologies of the Inner Nappe Zone and the Condensed Isogrades Zone. The comprehensive analysis and new insights provided in this paper contribute to a refined understanding of the geological relationships and processes within this region, offering significant implications for future geological studies and interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The SMARTerra decision support system provides high-resolution risk maps related to plant diseases and pests, enabling prompt and targeted intervention that minimizes environmental impact while minimizing economic losses. The prediction and monitoring of plant diseases and pests are key activities in agriculture. These activities enable growers to take preventive measures to reduce the spread of diseases and harmful insects. Consequently, they reduce crop loss, make pesticide and resource use more efficient, and preserve plant health, contributing to environmental sustainability. We illustrate the SMARTerra decision support system, which processes daily measured and predicted weather data, spatially interpolating them at high resolution across the entire Sardinia region. From these data, SMARTerra generates risk predictions for plant pests and diseases. Currently, models for predicting the risk of rice blast disease and the hatching of locust eggs are implemented in the infrastructure. The web interface of the SMARTerra platform allows users to visualize detailed risk maps and promptly take preventive measures. A simple notification system is also implemented to directly alert emergency responders. Model outputs by the SMARTerra infrastructure are comparable with results from in-field observations produced by the LAORE Regional Agency. The infrastructure provides a database for storing the time series and risk maps generated, which can be used by agencies and researchers to conduct further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Overweight and obesity are generally considered risk factors for premature mortality. However, scientific evidence suggests that among older populations, mild conditions of overweight might be associated with reduced comorbidity and longer survival. This study investigates the potential association between anthropometric parameters and survival among a cohort of nonagenarians in Sardinia, Italy. Methods: This study included 200 subjects (50% females) aged 89 and older, enrolled in 2018 in the Sardinian Blue Zone—a population known for longevity—and followed for up to six years. Anthropometric variables such as body height, weight, age, sex, comorbidity, disability, and food group intake were collected using validated questionnaires and analyzed through multivariable analysis. Results: Out of 200 participants at baseline, 28 (14%) were still alive after six years of follow-up (females 10%, males 18%). Mean survival was 3.36 years (range 0.1–6.9 years) for males and 3.03 years (range 0.2–6.6 years) for females. Participants with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the range of 25.0–27.0 kg/m2 among males and 25.0–27.2 kg/m2 among females had longer survival compared to those who were underweight (p = 0.002) or obese (p < 0.0001). The Cox proportional hazards regression model, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidity, revealed a statistically significant association between the BMI and survival, demonstrating an inverted–U relationship. This indicates that mild overweight was associated with a survival advantage compared to both normal weight and obesity. Conclusions: Our study indicates that mild, but not severe, overweight in nonagenarians is associated with extended lifespan. Therefore, primary care physicians and geriatricians should exercise caution before recommending calorie-restricted diets for mildly overweight elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across research on incarceration and insularity, recent trajectories have challenged conventional understandings of islands and prisons as isolated, autonomous units. Instead, they have directed attention toward their capacity to establish relations, circuits and routes. Beyond the focus on mobility and exchanges, this literature criticised the association between insularity, incarceration and confinement as the outcome of specific colonial epistemologies. This article builds on these literatures to investigate the case of Sardinia, a large Mediterranean island that plays a key role in the Italian carceral regime by providing a destination for thousands of Italian convicts. Despite being an Italian and European region, Sardinia's past and present exhibit distinct colonial qualities, which are visible in the structure of its carceral estate. The case study exemplifies how islands can hardly be interpreted as isolated units, given that their histories and geographies have implications that extend far beyond their coasts. In the case of Sardinia, the island combines modern penitentiaries with dynamics reminiscent of previous periods in the history of punishment, specifically penal colonies and convict transportation. This case study illustrates the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach that is willing to question the conceptual categories adopted, particularly those of island, prison and colony. The article examines how research on incarceration and insularity has moved beyond previous paradigms that focused on confinement and isolation. It then applies the insights from the literature to the case study of Sardinia, a large Mediterranean island that has historically served a key role in the Italian prison system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While lead isotopes serve to determine potential ore provenance, silver isotopes help evaluate if a specific ore flagged by Pb isotopes has actually been exploited as a silver source of bullion in antiquity. The combination of Ag and Pb isotopes thus constitutes a powerful tool to address provenance and identify potential ore sources. It has recently been observed that the vast majority of silver isotopic abundances in hundreds of silver coins from different historical periods (pre-Roman and Roman, Middle Ages, early modern times) and different localities (Persia, Greece, Rome, Western Europe, England, Spanish Americas) falls in a remarkably narrow interval (± 0.1 permil, or ± 1 on the epsilon scale used by geochemists to enhance the visibility of small isotopic differences, group 1). Five Greek coins and some pieces from Levantine hacksilber hoards dated to the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages have isotopic abundances somewhat below the range of group 1 (–0.2 to –0.1 permil, or -2 to -1 on the epsilon scale, group 2). The coverage of Ag isotopes in ores from the western Mediterranean, with the exception of Iberia, is inexistant. Here the above-mentioned approach is illustrated with new Pb and Ag isotopic analyses of samples from southern Sardinia and southern France. The majority of Ag isotope compositions of galena samples from Sardinia belongs to group 2 and none to group 1. While scholarly works imply that Sardinia may have provided silver to the Levant during the Iron Age, the exact location of the Sardinian ores that contributed to classical and archaic Greek coins is still unknown. Galena samples from southern France (the Pyrenees, Montagne Noire, Cévennes) are characterized by Ag isotope compositions from both groups 1 and 2, indicating that silver-bearing ore deposits in Gaul could be considered a potential source for silver bullion, both before and during the Roman era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coming from an occasional observation in Sardinia, this has been an unusual attempt to identify an insect taxon in images of falcon predatory actions in the air and has resulted in the first report of Scarabaeus sp. in the diet of Falco eleonorae. Provided this is confirmed as a recurrent food choice, Eleonora’s Falcons and elsewhere declining dung beetles would share enough distribution and phenology to form a predator-prey relationship worthy of further investigation.

The paper presents and discusses two recently discovered fragments of wheel-made clay figurines recovered during the renewed investigations conducted by the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in the Tophet of Bithia, situated on the islet of Su Cardolinu. These two specimens, representing the first instances of wheel-made clay figurines found in Bithia outside of the well-known batch of “suffering devotees”, hold significant implications for our understanding of the history of the Tophet of Su Cardolinu and, more generally, the settlement of Bithia.

Holiday camps represent a significant example of the architecture for mass tourism in Sardinia after the Second world war, and a concrete example of the health and recreational function of local welfare state policies and religious pedagogical activities. Although marked by simple and sometimes questionable formal solutions – often far from relevant architectural experimentation – holiday camps are now characteristic elements of many Sardinian coastal landscapes, as well as examples of architectural and building articulations which were functional to the pedagogical conceptions of the time. Prominent among these cases are a seaside colony and an accommodation facility for social tourism in the picturesque bay of Solanas (hamlet of Sinnai) in southern Sardinia, both run by religious organizations and located just two hundred meters apart from each other. The first is the “Colonia Salesiana Don Bosco,” built between 1956–58, the second is the “Casa La Scogliera,” completed in 1971. The reconstruction of the design and construction history of the “Casa La Scogliera,” through unpublished original plans, documents, and memories, allows this article to assess the relationship that this building had both with the specific pedagogy developed in the context of religious organizations and with the tumultuous tourist development of Sardinia during the 1960s. This paper aims at revealing the history, values and critical issues of this architecture and the cultural context in which it is embedded, thus contributing to the current debate on the conservation and transformation of holiday camps.

The Mediterranean flora is characterized by a high number of narrow endemic plant species that are often restricted to a few small populations. One of these species, Valeriana amazonum, a perennial plant occurring only in the Supramontes region of central eastern Sardinia, is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its restricted range, small population size and an inferred decline caused by several threats. During 2007–2022, we monitored all mature individuals of this plant annually and surveyed ecologically suitable sites for the species. We identified two previously unknown populations and also learnt of two successful translocations carried out independently by an unknown local citizen. As our monitoring data indicate there has been no decline in the number of mature individuals over the period of monitoring, the species’ conservation status requires reassessment. We recommend that V. amazonum should be recategorized as Near Threatened as it seems to be poorly known rather than highly threatened. This could also be the case with other narrow Mediterranean endemics, especially those that grow in inaccessible habitats for which long-term studies are needed to assess conservation status.

Wildfires have a significant influence on ecosystems globally, shaping vegetation, biodiversity, landscapes, soil properties, and other ecosystem processes. Despite extensive research on different aspects of wildfires, the edges of burned areas remain understudied, even though they involve complex dynamics. In this study, we analyzed the post-fire vegetation recovery across the edges of a large wildfire in a Mediterranean area. The investigations were focused on patches of woodlands that, in a previous study, showed a normalized burn ratio (NBR) decline one year after the fire. Field vegetation surveys were carried out in areas characterized by different NBR recovery rates and in areas outside the burned area as controls. Five hypotheses were tested, identifying delayed tree mortality as a key factor linked to NBR decline, particularly in low-severity fire zones in proximity to the fire edges. Delayed mortality, observed predominantly near the edges, may also affect unburned or less severely burned patches within the main fire perimeter, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring. As these areas play a crucial role in the post-fire succession and vegetation dynamics, understanding the second-order effects of a fire is imperative for effective ecosystem management. This study underscores the importance of the long-term assessment of fire impacts, emphasizing the necessity of field surveys alongside remote sensing. Continued observation is essential to elucidate the enduring impacts of wildfires and to facilitate informed restoration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dugesia hepta and D. benazzii are two species found in Sardinia and Corsica. Previous studies have been unable to resolve their evolutionary relationships and there was doubt about the monophyly of D. benazzii. This study used molecular and morphological data to develop a rigorous species-delimitation procedure within an integrative framework. Three different species discovery methods (ABGD, GMYC, and mPTP) were applied on single-locus data to formulate primary species hypotheses. Secondary species hypotheses were proposed based on two Bayesian species-validation methods (BPP and BFD), morphological, and karyological traits. This study presents evidence supporting the recognition of two new species: Dugesia mariae from Corsica and Dugesia hoidi from Sardinia. A redescription of D. benazzii is also reported. The phylogenetic relationships between these four species were resolved with high support, except for D. hoidi. The performance of the different molecular-delimitation methodologies is discussed, as well as the presence of ciliate parasites in D. benazzii and D. mariae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corsica and Sardinia are two Mediterranean islands, belonging to two different mainland countries: France and Italy. The islands are separated by the Strait of Bonifacio, which at its narrow point is 13 km wide. This has enabled a bond between the population living on both sides. However, this relationship has progressively been disrupted since the 19th century. The islands can be described as an 'impeded archipelago', an island group where existing links were not only removed but also potential new relations have been discouraged. Nevertheless, since the second half of the 20th century, Sardinian and Corsican political and economic elites have tried to establish an island-to-island cooperation. Despite their attempts, it was just in 2016 that the Corsican and Sardinian local governments signed an agreement. This article aims to explore the concept of an impeded archipelago through a detailed analysis of the attempts made to establish an island-to-island relationship, and of the elements that have disrupted this relation, from 1948 to 2020. In doing so, it also provides some reflections on the implications and challenges of a fragmented geography and economy for Island Studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes practices among a group of permaculturists in Sardinia, Italy. Their daily choices emerge as rooted in a specific understanding of the world that gives great value to their social and environmental relations. The ethnography carried out about fermentation of foods and soil compounds offers an entry point to this world ontologically founded on a particular way of budgeting costs and benefits between human and non-human elements. Microbes and their symbiotic colonies emerge not only as allies in designing a healthier world for future generations, but also as reference models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid mine drainage (AMD) prevention or remediation is a major issue of the environmental management of sulfide-bearing active and abandoned mining sites, the main sources of acidic waters being wastes and tailings. The present work intends to check a circular economy approach to such issues in the mining region of Sardinia, where environmental pollution, due to AMD, is a major concern. Tests were conducted on basic drainage-producing feldspar mining wastes that could be recycled as buffering agents of sulfide-bearing tailings. Among the sulfide-bearing abandoned mining sites investigated, Furtei epithermal gold deposit tailings are the most polluting and those that can better test the buffering agent efficacy. Buffering test results show that buffering to near-neutral conditions can be attained following steps similar to those of pure calcite buffer. The buffering potential of the recycled waste is due to both the buffer calcite content, which provides short-term buffering, enhanced by feldspar content that can provide long-term buffering. Buffered waters show a dramatic decrease in the concentration of most of the metals present in the leachate, down to conditions that meet the requirements for the discharge of industrial waters according to Italian legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1986, a Strophingia sp. (Hemiptera Psylloidea Liviidae) was found in Sardinia whose collected material consisted exclusively of juvenile stages, which was the main reason why it was never identified to specific level. Following the recent collection of adults (both males and females) on the same host plant in a nearby location, the presence of Strophingia fallax Loginova is reported for the first time in Italy, previously known only from Madeira. In addition to brief information both on this species and the genus it is ascribed to, brief notes are provided on the identification history of this material. The need to improve taxonomic knowledge on this insect group through appropriate integration of molecular data is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geophilid centipede Endogeophilus alberti sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on a single specimen collected from Provence, southern France. It is very similar to E. ichnusae Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016, which is known only from three specimens from south-western Sardinia, and was the only species in the genus Endogeophilus Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016. Both species share a remarkably narrow body, very short setae, and an unusually high number of legs, which are relatively stout. All these traits are rare among geophilids and suggest an endogeic life style. Despite of the very few specimens available for comparison and the difficulties to distinguish inter-specific differences from intra-specific variation, the two species differ at least in the shape of the pretarsi of the second maxillae and the shape of the forcipules. A revised diagnosis of the genus Endogeophilus is also provided, with an identification key to all genera of Geophilidae s.l. recorded so far in Europe, based on selected characters to evaluate without anatomical dissection and illustrated with original pictures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the first Council of Nicaea, the criterion according to which what is not assumed by the humanized Logos in Christ Jesus is not even redeemed, is definitively affirmed in christian theology. It follows that it is necessary that everything is assumed and that nothing remains excluded, in order to realize the warning given by Christ to his disciples in Mt 18.14. By virtue of this incarnational logic, an uninterrupted process of inculturation of the evangelical message and of the christian faith develops in the various cultural and religious contexts in which christianity is being grafted, initially throughout the Mediterranean basin and over the centuries elsewhere. Thus the "pagan" cults are - case by case - dropped or taken on and given new meaning. This historical process can also be found in the case of the so-called Mamuthones, enigmatic masked characters, protagonists of the Mamoiada Carnival, in Sardinia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, large wildfires are becoming increasingly common, leading to economic damages and threatening ecosystems and human health. Under future climate change, more frequent fire disturbance may push ecosystems into non‐forested alternative stable states. Fire‐prone ecosystems such as those in the Mediterranean Basin are expected to be particularly vulnerable, but the position of tipping points is unclear.We compare long‐term palaeoecological data from Sardinia with output from a process‐based dynamic vegetation model to investigate the mechanisms controlling the complex interactions between fire, climate, and vegetation in the past and the future.Our results show that past vegetation changes from Erica‐shrublands to mixed evergreen‐broadleaved Quercus ilex‐dominated forests were driven by a climate‐induced fire regime shift. By simulating vegetation dynamics under varying fire regimes, we could reproduce Holocene vegetation trajectories and mechanistically identify tipping points.Without an immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, we simulate future expansion of fire‐prone Mediterranean maquis and increasing fire occurrence. Similarly, high anthropogenic ignition frequencies and plantations of non‐native, highly flammable trees could induce a shift to fire‐adapted Erica shrublands. However, our simulations indicate that if global warming can be kept below 2°C, Quercus ilex forests will be able to persist and effectively reduce fire occurrences and impacts, making them a valuable restoration target in Mediterranean ecosystems.Synthesis. By combining long‐term records of ecosystem change with a dynamic vegetation model, we show that past climate‐driven fire regime shifts were the main driver of vegetation change, creating alternative stable states that persisted over centuries. Projected future climate change exceeding Holocene variability leads to pronounced vegetation changes and increased fire risks in our simulations, requiring new fire management strategies to maintain current ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossils provide an excellent opportunity to study and understand the evolution of insular environments free of human-made perturbations. Here, we evaluated the life-history traits and strategy of the extinct insular giant Prolagus sardus (Mammalia: Lagomorpha) by examining microscopically its fossilized bone tissues (osteohistology, skeletochronology, and quantitative geometry). For this task, a complete ontogenetic series of femora retrieved from the Late Pleistocene Grotta della Medusa (NW Sardinia, Italy) were analysed. Our results reveal that: (i) P. sardus ' pups were weaned at large size; (ii) the species' maturation was delayed in its life cycle; and (iii) P. sardus lived longer than expected for its size. Hence, the giant P. sardus should have a slow pace of life triggered by the low levels of extrinsic mortality of the insular habitat. On the other hand, bone tissue differences between P. sardus and Ochotona were found in the vascularization, slow- growing bone presence, and cortical and medullary growth trajectories. The results obtained in this study concur with the eco-evolutionary responses described to date in extinct insular lagomorphs, as well as provide new empirical evidence about the phenomenon known as 'insular gigantism' as a pattern of evolution of small-sized mammals in genuine insular ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean flora is characterized by a high number of narrow endemic plant species that are often restricted to a few small populations. One of these species, Valeriana amazonum , a perennial plant occurring only in the Supramontes region of central eastern Sardinia, is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its restricted range, small population size and an inferred decline caused by several threats. During 2007–2022, we monitored all mature individuals of this plant annually and surveyed ecologically suitable sites for the species. We identified two previously unknown populations and also learnt of two successful translocations carried out independently by an unknown local citizen. As our monitoring data indicate there has been no decline in the number of mature individuals over the period of monitoring, the species' conservation status requires reassessment. We recommend that V. amazonum should be recategorized as Near Threatened as it seems to be poorly known rather than highly threatened. This could also be the case with other narrow Mediterranean endemics, especially those that grow in inaccessible habitats for which long-term studies are needed to assess conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sardinia (Italy) represents one of the most comprehensive cross-sections of the Variscan orogen. The metamorphic and structural complexity characterizing its axial zone still presents many unresolved issues in the current state of knowledge. The data presented from the structural study of the entire axial zone of this area have allowed the authors to propose a subdivision into two new structural complexes. In particular, a younger complex is identified as the New Gneiss Complex, containing remnants of an older and higher-grade metamorphic complex defined as the Old Gneiss Complex. The structural and geometric relationships between the two complexes suggest the redefinition of the axial zone of Sardinia as part of the intracontinental East Variscan Shear Zone/medium-temperature Regional Mylonitic Complex. Comparable relationships are also highlighted in many other areas of the Variscan chain (e.g., Morocco, Corsica, Maures Massif, and Argentera Massif). Extending this new structural interpretation to other axial zones of the South European Variscan orogen could provide new hints for reconstructing the collision boundaries between Gondwana and Laurussia in the late Carboniferous to the early Permian periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European cave salamanders, classified under the genus Speleomantes, are primarily endemic to Italy, with one sub-endemic species also occurring in southeast France. These terrestrial salamanders seek refuge in subterranean habitats with stable, humid, and cool microclimates, especially during periods of high heat or dryness. Above-ground sightings mostly occur during cooler, damp periods, either at night or on very humid days. Many studies have explored their diet, but information on predators is limited. This work presents the first documented evidence of predation on adult Sette Fratelli cave salamander S. sarrabusensis by the Sardinian grass snake Natrix helvetica cetti. During a field survey in the Sette Fratelli forest complex, South Sardinia, three adult cave salamanders were regurgitated by a captured grass snake, indicating predation. Notably, the observation suggests nocturnal activity of the grass snake in early spring despite low temperatures. This finding underscores significant gaps in our understanding of the Sardinian grass snake's ecology and the predation risks faced by European cave salamanders, highlighting the need for further field research.

Background: Italy has been the first European Country dealing with SARS-CoV-2, whose diffusion on the territory has not been homogeneous. Among Italian regions, Sardinia represented one of the lowest incidence areas, likely due to its insular nature. Despite this, the impact of insularity on SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity has not been comprehensively described. Methods: In the present study, we performed the high throughput sequencing of 888 SARS-CoV-2 genomes collected in Sardinia during the first 23 months of pandemics. In addition, 1439 high-coverage SARS-CoV-2 genomes circulating in Sardinia along three years (December 2019 – January 2023) were downloaded from GISAID, for a total of 2327 viral sequences that were characterized in terms of phylogeny and genomic diversity. Results: Overall, COVID-19 pandemic in Sardinia showed substantial differences with respect to the national panorama, with additional peaks of infections and uncommon lineages that reflects the national and regional policies of re-opening and the subsequent touristic arrivals. Sardinia has been interested by the circulation of at least 87 SARS-CoV-2 lineages, including some that were poorly represented at national and European level, likely linked to multiple importation events. The relative frequency of Sardinian SARS-CoV-2 lineages has been compared to other Mediterranean Islands, revealing a unique composition. Conclusions: The genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Sardinia has been shaped by a complex interplay of insular geography, low population density, and touristic arrivals, leading on the one side to the importation of lineages remaining rare at the national level, and resulting on the other side in the delayed entry of otherwise common variants.

Bronze Age sites in the coastal area of Sarrala, in Eastern Sardinia, have been subjected to survey and excavation over the last half-century. The study area, whose social and economic evolution and changing scales of interactions are traced through settlement patterns and building analysis, is interpreted in light of more general trends suggested by stable isotopes, archaeogenetics, and paleoclimatology. The local picture of progressive demographic growth and infilling of the landscape, with a subsequent concentration of population and labor, follows a sequence widely detected in Sardinia. More specific identifiable aspects include a comparatively higher fragmentation/competition (ratio of complex vs simple nuraghes; ratio of tombs vs nuraghes) and a consistent pattern in the distribution of non-local building materials in the latest phase at the sites showing archaic features, taken as a clue of a long-lasting authority at select sites. These elements are compatible with organized pastoral exploitation of the available territory, structured according to patrilocality and closeness to ancestral lineages and residences. The interplay of internal dynamics relative to constraints and opportunities is discussed, such as climate change and long-distance trade connections, with possible implications for interpreting Nuragic society.

The study of biodiversity is of fundamental importance in the context of environmental protection and eco-sustainable agriculture management. Its preservation has a key role and an extraordinary importance not only for the protection of potential gene pools, which is essential for selection and breeding programs, but also because local varieties are the expression of a territory and therefore reflect culture, knowledge, and tradition heritage. In this paper, 27 local cherry varieties collected in different areas of Sardinia were characterized and described from different perspectives, including pomology and genetics, using SSR markers. A complete framework on the biodiversity of cherry trees in Sardinia is presented, in order to support an objective assessment of different cultivar traits, namely those of agronomical interest, and to support the dissemination and conservation of the historical fruit tree cultivation heritage.

One of the crucial challenges of our time is climate change. The consequences of rising sea levels and drought greatly impact water resources, potentially worsening seawater intrusion. Characterizing coastal aquifers is an essential step in devising strategies to address these phenomena. Seawater intrusion poses a critical socio-economic and environmental issue in the coastal plain of Muravera, southeastern Sardinia (Italy). This coastal plain is an important agricultural area in Sardinia, and the health of the crops is compromised by the increasing salinization of shallow groundwater. To enhance our understanding of the hydrogeological conceptual model, which is essential for a sustainable resource management system, hydrogeological investigations were conducted and complemented by the chemical and multi-isotopic analyses of groundwater. The main objectives of this study were to identify groundwater recharge areas, understand salinization mechanisms and trace the evolution of water chemistry. Within this framework, a monthly survey monitoring piezometric level and electrical conductivity was carried out for one year. This survey was integrated with chemical and isotope analyses, including δ18OH2O and δ2HH2O, δ11B, δ18OSO4, δ34SSO4, and 87Sr/86Sr. Hydrochemistry analysis results revealed the occurrence of seawater–freshwater mixing, extending up to 4 km inland. H2O isotope analysis confirmed the mixing processes and indicated the meteoric origin of recharge waters for both shallow and semi-confined aquifers. The strontium isotopes ratio facilitated the identification of four main groundwater flow paths, confirmed by the SIAR model. The results of this combined hydrogeological–geochemical–isotopic survey provide essential elements for the future implementation of an integrated and sustainable management system. These findings enable interventions to slow the process of seawater intrusion and meet the economic needs for the development of local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is common among the elderly, resulting in poor quality of life and elevated healthcare expenditure. Among other factors, dietary habits could also affect this condition, although the specific food patterns involved remain to be established. The present study aimed to assess the role of plant-versus animal-dominant foods consumption on the affective state of nonagenarians from a Sardinian population, Italy, well known for its longevity (Blue Zone). Methods: Data, including demographic, education, anthropometric parameters, monthly income, and comorbidity were recorded and analyzed. Symptomatic depression was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) during a comprehensive home geriatric assessment; nutritional status was evaluated by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: A total of 200 elderly subjects living in the Sardinian Blue Zone (mean age 93.9 ± 3.9 years) participated in the study; symptomatic depression was present in 51% of the whole cohort and was more common among women. Multivariable logistic regression showed a significantly greater risk of depression in people consuming plantbased foods (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.93), whereas moderate animal-derived foods consumption was associated with a better affective state (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.62-0.98). Conclusions: These findings indicate that a more balanced diet, including animal-derived foods, instead of an exclusive plant-dominant diet, may be more appropriate in the elderly, and abstention from animal-based food intake should not be recommended in advanced age to prevent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1960s in Italy saw an explosion in mass tourism but also the development of contested forms of luxury tourism. This article deals with the building of one of the most iconic luxury resorts of the era, the Costa Smeralda on the island of Sardinia, and with the political controversies it raised. Within a few years, the resort put Sardinia on the map of world tourism, drawing the attention of conservationists, who chose it as a symbol of environmental and cultural degradation. In the early 1970s the Aga Kahn, the resort's main promoter, sued some of the conservationists for defamation. The resulting trials, which the Aga Kahn won, became a venue in which the myths of the developers and those of the conservationists clashed in front of witnesses and judges. The trial's records revealed the compromises and negotiations on which luxury tourism is founded, but such demythologisation benefited the developers, at least in the short run. The Costa Smeralda remained an iconic brand and a contested symbol, but above all it spurred a transition from large-scale manufacturing to tourism as Sardinia's main economic vocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban natural areas provide important ecological services such as biodiversity conservation, as well as opportunities for people to connect with nature and preserve cultural heritage. However, the increasing demand for access to natural areas and the expansion of human recreational activities, such as hiking and biking, pose threats to these ecosystems, especially for animal and plant species, finally resulting in biodiversity loss. This study explores the intricate link between human trampling, plant density, and the morphological and reproductive characteristics of Globularia alypum L., a plant with a peripheral population in Sardinia restricted to a natural area within an urban context. The study examined trampling effects on 75 plots along a frequently used path crossing the plant's core population. Similar environmental conditions were assumed, with differences attributed to human trampling intensity and plant density, and morphological and reproductive traits were measured within each plot. Our results showed that human trampling caused differences in the morphological traits of plants, whereas, in contrast, reproductive traits are less vulnerable to human trampling than morphological ones. As a result, trampled areas may experience decreased plant recruitment, which can have long-term implications for plant population dynamics. Understanding the relationship between trampling effects and the sensitivity of peripheral plant populations is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following recent developments in the scholarship on premodern racial formation, the present article examines Cicero's racializing representations of Sardinian provincials in the Pro Scauro (54 b.c.e.). In this speech, Cicero defends Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, former governor of Sardinia, against charges of provincial mismanagement. In order to secure Scaurus's acquittal, Cicero portrays the Sardi as a distinct and "deficient" genus , characterized by innate and homogenous somatic, cognitive, and "genetic" qualities. At the same time, Cicero also disparages the Sardinians as a "mixture" of the Africans and the Carthaginians who occupied Sardinia prior to Roman conquest. The result is a juxtaposition between racialized Sardinians and "pure" Romans that is designed to convince the jurors to side with Scaurus, whose participation in the provincials' dehumanization, murder, and exploitation Cicero presents as morally unproblematic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Euro–Mediterranean regions are expected to undergo a climate-induced exacerbation of fire activity in the upcoming decades. Reliable predictions of fire behaviour represent an essential instrument for planning and optimising fire management actions and strategies. Aims: The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the performance of an agent-based spatial simulation model for predicting wildland surface fire spread and growth. Methods: The model integrates Rothermel's equations to obtain fire spread metrics and uses a hybrid raster–vector implementation to predict patterns of fire growth. The model performance is evaluated in quantitative terms of spatiotemporal agreement between predicted patterns of fire growth and reference patterns, under both ideal and real-world environmental conditions, using case studies in Sardinia, Italy. Key results: Predicted patterns of fire growth demonstrate negligible distortions under ideal conditions when compared with circular or elliptical reference patterns. In real-world heterogeneous conditions, a substantial agreement between observed and predicted patterns is achieved, resulting in a similarity coefficient of up to 0.76. Conclusions: Outcomes suggest that the model exhibits promising performance with low computational requirements. Implications: Assuming that parametric uncertainty is effectively managed and a rigorous validation encompassing additional case studies from Euro–Mediterranean regions is conducted, the model has the potential to provide a valuable contribution to operational fire management applications. A spatial simulation model for predicting wildland surface fire behaviour is described. The model is tested under idealised environmental conditions and validated with real-world case studies in Sardinia, Italy. Results are promising in terms of model performance, suggesting its potential to provide a valuable contribution in operational fire management applications. This article belongs to the Collection ICFFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The typification of the name Atriplex mollis, validly published by R. L. Desfontaines in Flora Atlantica, is discussed. A specimen deposited at G (barcode G00386803) is designated as the lectotype of the name. The distribution in Europe of the species is also discussed. It was indicated for Sardinia only (Italy, Southern Europe) in a single locality (San Paolo pond, Cagliari Province). No specimen that proves the occurrence of the species in Sardinia is in extant. Moreover, the overlapping of a map published in 1912 and the current satellite images, allowed to verify that the area in which A. mollis grew up, including wetlands at the beginning of the XX century, is currently almost totally covered by buildings and commercial/industrial sites. In other words, the habitat where the species occurred was destroyed. As a consequence, at the current state of knowledge, the species is here assessed as extinct (EX) at national level according to the IUCN categories.

ABSTRACTBetween 2019 and 2021, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation (FEEM) developed and applied a sustainability assessment model of the investments within the regional operational programmes (ROPs), with specific reference to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That same methodology is used here for the assessment of the sustainability of the ROPs co-financed by the European Union with specific reference to Italy’s National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS). In particular, the analysis is done by looking at the contribution of the 182 intervention fields to the NSDS’ strategic goals. Throughout the paper the importance of defining implementation strategies of the NSDS’ National strategic goals through the integration of the indicators, goals and choices of the national strategy into local or regional development plans is emphasized. Finally, the work suggests this methodology as a reference point to ensure careful monitoring of the sustainability of the investments of various European Union policies, in consideration of the importance that the strategy assumes for both Italy and the Italian regions.

This study presents an updated interpretation of geological data collected between 1984 and 2022. The area under consideration holds significant regional importance as it is located between the Internal Nappe Zone (INZ) and the Regional Mylonitic Complex (RMC). Re-evaluation of the geological data has highlighted a more intricate structural framework than what is currently documented in the existing literature. This paper aims to illustrate, through structural analysis, that the Posada Valley Shear Zone (PVSZ) does not serve as the transitional boundary between the Inner Nappe Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex or High-Grade Metamorphic Complex (HGMC) as traditionally thought. Instead, the authors’ findings indicate that the transition boundary is confined to a shear band with a variable thickness ranging from 10 to 70 m at its widest points. The development of the Posada Valley Shear Zone is characterized by a series of transitions from mylonite I S-C to mylonite II S-C, extending over approximately 5 km. The formation of the Posada Valley Shear Zone is chronologically confined between the development of the East Variscan Shear Zone (EVSZ) and the emplacement of the Late Variscan granites. The differing orientations of Sm and S3 observed in the mylonitic events of the Posada Valley Shear Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex, respectively, are likely attributable to an anticlockwise rotation of the shortening directions during the upper Carboniferous period. Furthermore, this study proposes that the Condensed Isogrades Zone (CIZ), despite its unclear formation mechanism, should be recognized as the true transition zone between the Inner Nappe Zone and the Regional Mylonitic Complex or High-Grade Metamorphic Complex. This new interpretation challenges the previously accepted notion of increasing Variscan metamorphic zonation toward the northeast. This conclusion is supported by the identification of the same NE–SW orientation of the D2 tectonic event in both the Old Gneiss Complex (OGC in the Regional Mylonitic Complex) and the lithologies of the Inner Nappe Zone and the Condensed Isogrades Zone. The comprehensive analysis and new insights provided in this paper contribute to a refined understanding of the geological relationships and processes within this region, offering significant implications for future geological studies and interpretations.

Dehesas (i.e., substeppic prairies with Quercus suber) represent a poorly studied Mediterranean habitat type of high eco-biogeographic interest. Here, we applied a point-transect method along a yearly cycle (from spring to autumn), to focus on seasonal differences in bird assemblages inhabiting a Dehesas landscape in north-western Sardinia (Italy). We confirmed the presence of Mediterranean species with restricted ranges (e.g. Sturnus unicolor, Sylvia sarda). At the community level, seasonal patterns show significant differences among mean abundance, with a maximum in autumn and a minimum in summer. The highest values in autumn may be explained by the aggregations of wintering small passerines. Considering the univariate metrics of diversity, the number of species significantly differs among seasons, with the richest community in spring. Shannon-Wiener diversity and Margalef (normalized richness) were higher in spring and summer compared to autumn. Habitat heterogeneity of these landscape mosaics, driven by historical agro-pastoral practices (fires and pastures), together with the presence of patchy 'key structures', positively affects bird species richness and abundance, improving, respectively, the number of niches and resources. More resource effort should be devoted to study these habitat types recently interested in an increased anthropogenic pressure (urban sprawl and road infrastructures, location of wind power plants, etc.).

Using west-central Sardinia as a case study, this article explores how multi-scalar survey archaeology can be used to address questions of the intensity, nature, and scale of interaction in the Iron Age central Mediterranean. This large island played an important role in Mediterranean trade networks and was frequented and settled by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans, among others over the course of the first millennium BCE. These foreign groups interacted with local Nuragic people through trade, the exchange of ideas, and genetic admixing, which led to increasing connectivity over time. Large excavations at major colonial sites and genetic studies have reinforced the perception that interactions were felt most strongly in coastal regions, while inland communities remained more isolated. Our multi-scalar survey data, drawn from site-based survey at the inland nuraghe S’Urachi and regional survey in its surrounding territory (the Sinis Archaeological Project), supply information concerning how Iron Age interactions impacted inland rural communities. These data show how interaction transformed over time, as trade increased and agriculture intensified in response to external demands. Ultimately, we suggest that survey archaeology is an important tool for illuminating multi-scalar interaction in Sardinia and elsewhere.

This short note reports the first documented case of cannibalism in the Purple Heron performed by an adult bird.