BioCultural Landscapes per la rigenerazione innovativa dei territori di montagna

Simplification of agricultural systems, farmland abandonment, uncontrolled urbanization, together with global scale drivers, determine fast and unpredictable phenomena of hydrogeological instability, biodiversity decline and identity loss. Men should hence promote socio-economic resilience and place identity, using biocultural landscapes as a resource. These landscapes are the outcome of the historical relationship between man and nature, resulting from complex interactions between biodiversity (at all levels, including species richness, ecosystem and biotope diversity) and cultural diversity, including material and immaterial aspects (architectural heritage, traditions, customs, local traditional agricultural practices, dialectal culture). Traditional water use is one of the main defining factors of traditional agricultural landscapes, characterized by significantly multiplied and enhanced functions and by the highest degree of biocultural diversity. The integrity of traditional agricultural landscapes is an indicator of environmental sustainability, socio-economic growth and habitat resilience. Land management and planning should promote the multi-functionality of biocultural landscapes through new interdisciplinary frameworks and innovative strategies, aimed at landscape conservation, enhancement and creative management

Archaeobotanical analysis from the long-term rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo): preliminary data

The project ¿Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes¿ aims to analyse the long-term relationship of landscape dynamics and settlement patterns in a Mediterranean inland of Central-Western Sicily. The project combined different interdisciplinary approaches of vegetation science, landscape ecology, history and archaeology in order to diachronically understand and reconstruct the human- society-environment interactions. From 2017 to 2019 a new rural settlement has been investigated in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo). The excavation in Contrada Castro showed a clear case of long-term occupation of an hill-top site during Late Archaic/Classical age (6 th -5 th c. BC) and the Byzantine and Islamic period (7 th -11 th c. AD). Soils from the archaeological excavation were sampled to obtain evidences about paleo-vegetation and vegetal paleo-diet. Archaeobotanical data (seeds and charcoal remains) represent an informative source in human-environmental dynamics to collect specific data on a small scale in terms of chronology and topography (Hastorf, Popper 1988; Pearsall 2009). Furthermore, presence of edible plants as cereals, pulses and fruit characterize their use as economical resources. Unfortunately, archaeobotanical analyses from archaeological sites in Sicily are still not very common (see http://brainplants.successoterra.net/sites.html). For the reconstruction of the paleo-environment and the use of arboreal resources from the three chronological phases of the site, a total of 239 liters of soils were analysed. Taxonomical identification was made by optical microscopy through the comparison with the reference collection and specific atlases (fig.). More than 400 wood charcoals were observed, about 80% of them was identified. Thanks to comparisons with the current vegetation, so far 8 species have been identified - Quercus cfr. ilex (fig.), Pistacia cfr. terebinthus, Rhamnus alathernus, Fraxinus ornus, Ulmus canescens, Acer cfr. campestris, Ostrya carpinifolia, Populus cf. nigra; identification reached the detail of genus or subfamily in 6 cases - Quercus cf. robur / pubescens, Phillyrea sp., Sorbus sp., Rosacea cfr. Pirus sp. and maybe Moracea. The arboreal vegetation is therefore represented by evergreen oaks, semi- and deciduous oaks, maples, ash trees, associated with riparian species such as elm, poplar and hornbeam, and shrub species such as backthorn, terebinth, sorb, plum. Cultivated species are mostly not represented. Despite the widespread presence of the evergreen oaks in the whole record, differences between the three chronological phases were identified, highlighting a selective use of the wild species present in the area and a specific collection of wood for the hearths. 1) Hastorf C.A., Popper V.F.1988, Current Paleoethnobotany. Analytical Methods and Cultural Interpretations of Archaeological Plant Remains, Chicago. ISBN: 978022631893 2) Pearsall D. M. 2009, Paleoethnobotany: A Handbook of Procedures, Second Edition, Walnut Creek. ISBN-10: 1598744720 3) BRAIN Network, http://brainplants.successoterra.net/sites.htmlFinanciación: beca "Juan de la Cierva-incorporación, IJCI-2017-31494, MINECO), IJCI-2017-31494" y proyecto "Harvesting Memories" de la Universidad de Palermo (financiado por Bona Furtuna LLC)

Le piante vascolari del litorale trapanese: da Ronciglio a Capo San Vito

Vascular flora of the Trapani littoral between Ronciglio and Capo San Vito (NW Sicily). – The list of the vascular plants observed and collected in the Trapani littoral between Ronciglio and Capo San Vito (NW Sicily) during the last 20 years is presented here and commented. In total, 541 specific and infraspecific taxa were recorded. This flora has marked Mediterranean characteristics as shown by the absolute prevalence of therophytes as well as Mediterranean chorotypes. Among the most interesting taxa belonging to this flora are some halophytes and rare endemics such as Biscutella maritima, Calendula maritima, Cynomorium coccineum, Erica sicula, Galium litorale, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Limonium bocco- nei, L. ponzoi, Limoniastrum monopetalum e Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia

ARCHITETTURA E BOTANICA DEL SACRO CALVARIO DI GANGI (SICILIA)

Il Calvario, dal latino Golgota che indica il luogo della Crocifissione di Cristo, è una tipologia di monumento di culto della religione cristiana la cui genesi si fa risalire al Medioevo, epoca dei lunghi pellegrinaggi di fedeli che, per tale ragione, sentivano l’esigenza di creare luoghi sostitutivi che richiamassero le mete Sante, troppo lontane. In Italia e, in particolare, in Piemonte e in Lombardia, l’edificazione di questi complessi prese inizio a seguito del Concilio di Trento soprattutto sotto forma di Sacri Monti che, per l’appunto, ne costituiscono la principale espressione. In Sicilia, la tradizione dei “Calvari” venne introdotta nel XVIII secolo dai Gesuiti che generalmente li costruivano su un’altura o, in alternativa, in presenza di un pianoro, utilizzando il mezzo scenico della scalinata, sia per simboleggiare la “via dolorosa” percorsa dal Nazareno sia per assolvere alla funzione di collegamento tra il luogo Sacro e l’abitato limitrofo. Se è vero che ciascun calvario possiede una sua unicità costruttiva, i diversi casi in Sicilia sono accomunati dalla presenza di tre elementi fondamentali: l’albero di cipresso; l’isolamento; l’orientamento a Nord, Nord-Est (Lima, 1984). Il Sacro Calvario di Gangi (Palermo) la cui realizzazione risale al 1826, anno in cui pervenne nel luogo una delle Missioni gesuite, fu completato e rifinito tra il 1843 ed il 1858. Oggi, esso si trova nel centro storico del paese delle basse Madonie, nel quartiere della chiesa di S. Maria di Gesù, e rappresenta il fulcro delle celebrazioni della Settimana Santa. L’indagine architettonica ha dimostrato l’esistenza di una rigorosissima e “colta” geometria che sottende l’intero impianto, sia per ciò che concerne la componente “minerale”, sia per quella “vegetale”. Anche le misure richiamno significati simbolici tutti riconducibili al senso del Lutto, come dimostra il lotto rettangolare entro cui insiste il giardino che contiene 4 cerchi del diametro di 10 m, per una lunghezza complessiva di 40 m. Inoltre, si individua un altro cerchio che, in parte materializzato nell’edicola centrale, si sviluppa fino a comprendere la scala esterna e il cui centro è perfettamente coincidente con l’asse orizzontale del giardino. Il complesso si sviluppa su un’area di 570 mq. La cancellata in ferro battuto, che si sviluppa sulla linea ideale posta tra la zona di mediazione e il giardino, sancisce la divisione tra l’ambito “celeste” del giardino e l’ambito “terreno” della città vera e propria. Tutto l’impianto è racchiuso su tre lati da alte mura, a formare uno spazio isolato. I viali sono ripartiti simmetricamente in due settori dall’asse centrale della scala e si sviluppa su tre livelli. I percorsi del giardino sono, quindi, strutturati per la rappresentazione della Via Crucis che si conclude con l’edicola della Madonna Addolorata, luogo delle tre croci. Lima A.I., 1984. La dimensione sacrale del paesaggio: ambiente e architettura popolare di Sicilia. Palermo. Flaccovio, Palermo

Nuovi dati sull’espansione di Parkinsonia aculeata (Caeasalpinaceae) in Sicilia

New data about the expansion of Parkinsonia aculeata L. (Caesalpinaceae) in Sicily are reported. The species, cultivated as ornamental, has known as a naturalized since 1977. Data on new finding localities, near Menfi, Sciacca, Canicattì (Agrigento), Misilmeri (Palermo) and Catania are given

Vascular flora evolution in the Soqotra Archipelago (Indian Ocean)

The main floristic and vegetational features of the Soqotra Archipelago are outlined. The theories of vicariance and dispersal are commented with the support of examples suggesting the idea that both are complementary in the establishment and evolution of the flora of Soqotra. Finally the relation of alien vs natural elements of the flora is analyzed

Ipotesi progettuale per un giardino pubblico “australiano” ai Danisinni, nella città di Palermo

It is presented a project aimed at achieving a public garden theme “Australia” to Danisinni, in Palermo. The idea is based mainly on the consideration that the image of Palermo, resulting from the urban climate and flora in its main public spaces and within private gardens; on the view that in Palermo has a garden to English G. B. F. Basile, the first and last example of a public garden designed as such from its inception; last but not least, the propulsive action of the Botanical garden, behind the idea of conceiving an urban design, structured by a system of theme parks, in order to affirm the cosmopolitan character of Palermo. The project of urban Danisinni depression shows an area, covering 12 hectares, which grows around the historic township of the same name that has always been characterized by a marked condition of marginality, combined with urban and social decay. The “Australian”, which symbolizes the species, more than any other in the city, became in time an emblem of urban beauty of he Sicilian capital

Ambienti umidi effimeri e naturalità del paesaggio in Sicilia

This paper analyzes the relationship between vegetal communities conservation state and surrounding landscape naturalness. Expert-based assessment, based on phytosociological releves, has been used to define the qualitative condition of vegetal coenoses. Landscape naturalness has been assessed using Naturalness Evaluation Index (NEI). Analysis showed strong correlation between landscape naturalness and assemblages conservation state. Ephemeral wetlands survival is tied to proper conservation of surrounding territory