Austerity, the state and common sense in Europe: A comparative perspective on Italy and Portugal

In this article, we examine the making of austerity as common sense, located at the intersection of state interventions and the everyday practices and moral logics through which austerity emerges as an acceptable livelihood possibility for individuals, households and communities. Our argument is based on the comparative analysis of austerity in Italy and Portugal, with a focus on popular austerities among working-class households in two post-industrial towns. With the aim of addressing the conundrum of the pervasiveness of austerity, we emphasize the relevance of Gramsci’s notion of common sense to expand the anthropological theorization of austerity as a hegemonic project combining coercion and consent, capable of reconfiguring the state, and as a field of contradictions endemic to the very making of common sense. We argue that austerity regimes become operative through the deployment of institutional coercive practices, moral arguments and the ideological co-optation of historical legacies of austerity embodied by ordinary people in their livelihood praxis.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The everyday states of austerity: Politics and livelihoods in Europe

This special issue addresses how working people in Southern Europe engage with austerity state formations. We argue that in order to look at people’s responses to austerity, one cannot avoid delving into the ways people engage with state formations and the co-production of state functions, material relations and ideological configurations. Whether imposed by supranation-al institutions or voluntarily endorsed by a national elite, austerity politics were concretely implemented and legitimated by state institutions, making the austerity–state nexus a “critical junction” of social reproduction (Kalb and Tak 2006).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Small-scale distribution of metazoan meiofauna and sedimentary organic matter in subtidal sandy sediments (Mediterranean Sea)

While variations in sedimentary organic matter (OM) quantity, biochemical composition and nutritional quality as well as in meiofaunal abundance and assemblage composition at the macro- and mesoscale are relatively well known, information about variations at the microscale is much scarcer. To shed some light on this issue, we tested the null hypothesis by which abundance and composition of the meiofaunal assemblages, and the quantity, biochemical composition and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter in coastal shallow environments do not vary within a frame of 1 m2. No significant variation within the frame emerged for OM quantity, nutritional quality, biochemical composition and the abundance of meiofaunal assemblages. On the other hand, the composition of meiofaunal assemblages varied significantly within the frame and exhibited a clear segregation of assemblages farther to the shore, as a likely result of local micro-hydrodynamic conditions. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that lipid and protein sedimentary contents had a random distribution, whereas carbohydrate and biopolymeric C contents and meiofaunal total abundance were characterized by a patchy distribution, with discrete peaks within the sub-frame squares (ca. 0.1 m2). Phytopigments showed a spatial positive autocorrelation distribution, following the micro-hydrodynamic pattern, with patches larger than the sub-frame square, but smaller than the entire one (1 m2). Overall, our results suggest that, within 1 m2 of subtidal sandy sediments, three replicates could be sufficient to assess correctly OM attributes and the abundance of meiofauna, but could be possibly inadequate for assessing meiofaunal assemblages’ composition at a finer scale (<1 m2)

Seafloor heterogeneity influences the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships in the deep sea

Theoretical ecology predicts that heterogeneous habitats allow more species to co-exist in a given area. In the deep sea, biodiversity is positively linked with ecosystem functioning, suggesting that deep-seabed heterogeneity could influence ecosystem functions and the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF). To shed light on the BEF relationships in a heterogeneous deep seabed, we investigated variations in meiofaunal biodiversity, biomass and ecosystem efficiency within and among different seabed morphologies (e.g., furrows, erosional troughs, sediment waves and other depositional structures, landslide scars and deposits) in a narrow geo-morphologically articulated sector of the Adriatic Sea. We show that distinct seafloor morphologies are characterized by highly diverse nematode assemblages, whereas areas sharing similar seabed morphologies host similar nematode assemblages. BEF relationships are consistently positive across the entire region, but different seabed morphologies are characterised by different slope coefficients of the relationship. Our results suggest that seafloor heterogeneity, allowing diversified assemblages across different habitats, increases diversity and influence ecosystem processes at the regional scale, and BEF relationships at smaller spatial scales. We conclude that high-resolution seabed mapping and a detailed analysis of the species distribution at the habitat scale are crucial for improving management of goods and services delivered by deep-sea ecosystem

Soft x-rays absorption and high-resolution powder x-ray diffraction study of superconducting CaxLa(1-x)Ba(1.75-x)La(0.25+x)Cu3Oy system

We have studied the electronic structure of unoccupied states measured by O K-edge and Cu L-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), combined with crystal structure studied by high resolution powder x-ray diffraction (HRPXRD), of charge-compensated layered superconducting CaxLa(1-x)Ba(1.75-x)La(0.25+x)Cu3Oy (0<x<0.4, 6.4<y<7.3) cuprate. A detailed analysis shows that, apart from hole doping, chemical pressure on the electronically active CuO2 plane due to the lattice mismatch with the spacer layers greatly influences the superconducting properties of this system. The results suggest chemical pressure to be the most plausible parameter to control the maximum critical temperatures (Tcmax) in different cuprate families at optimum hole density.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solid

Relationships between Meiofaunal Biodiversity and Prokaryotic Heterotrophic Production in Different Tropical Habitats and Oceanic Regions

Tropical marine ecosystems are among the most diverse of the world oceans, so that assessing the linkages between biodiversity and ecosystem functions (BEF) is a crucial step to predict consequences of biodiversity loss. Most BEF studies in marine ecosystems have been carried out on macrobenthic diversity, whereas the influence of the meiofauna on ecosystem functioning has received much less attention. We compared meiofaunal and nematode biodiversity and prokaryotic heterotrophic production across seagrass, mangrove and reef sediments in the Caribbean, Celebes and Red Seas. For all variables we report the presence of differences among habitats within the same region, and among regions within the same habitat. In all regions, the richness of meiofaunal taxa in reef and seagrass sediments is higher than in mangrove sediments. The sediments of the Celebes Sea show the highest meiofaunal biodiversity. The composition of meiofaunal assemblages varies significantly among habitats in the same region. The nematode beta diversity among habitats within the same region is higher than the beta diversity among regions. Although one site per habitat was considered in each region, these results suggest that the composition of meiofaunal assemblages varies primarily among biogeographic regions, whereas the composition of nematode assemblages varies more considerably among habitats. Meiofauna and nematode biodiversity and prokaryotic heterotrophic production, even after the removal of covariate effects linked with longitude and the quantity and nutritional quality of organic matter, are positively and linearly linked both across regions and within each habitat type. Our results confirm that meiofauna and nematode biodiversity may influence benthic prokaryotic activity, which, in turn, implies that diversity loss could have negative impacts on ecosystem functioning in these systems

Outcomes of feeding activity of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa on quantity, biochemical composition, and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter

Introduction: Holothuria tubulosa is one of the most common sea cucumbers in the Mediterranean Sea, generally associated with organically enriched coastal sediments and seagrass beds. As a deposit-feeder, it is responsible for strong bioturbation processes and plays a putative key role in sedimentary carbon cycling and benthic trophodynamics. With the aim of exploring the potential use of holothuroids as a tool for remediating eutrophicated sediments, we investigated the effects of H. tubulosa on sedimentary organic matter quantity, biochemical composition, and nutritional quality. Methods: Holothuroids and associated samples of ambient sediments were collected in two sites located in the Central-Western Mediterranean Sea (Sardinia, Italy) and characterized by different trophic status backgrounds: the site of Oristano characterized by sandy-muddy sediments and the presence of mariculture plants (ranked as meso-eutrophic) and the site of Teulada characterized by sandy sediments and Posidonia oceanica meadows (ranked as oligo-mesotrophic). We compared the biochemical composition (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) of ambient sediment vs sea cucumbers feces and the sedimentary protein content vs protein content in the sediments retrieved in different gut sections (esophagus, mid gut, end gut) of the holothuroid. Results: Our results reveal that holothuroids feeding on meso-eutrophic sediments can increase protein (1.5 times) and lipid (1.3 times) content through their defecation, thus making these substrates a more labile food source for other benthic organisms. We report here that H. tubulosa feeding on meso-eutrophic sediment is most likely able to actively select particles rich in labile organic matter with buccal tentacles, as revealed by the protein content in the esophagus that is up to 2-folds higher than that in the source sediment. According to the inverse relationship between assimilation rates and availability of organic substrates and the optimal foraging theory, H. tubulosa feeding on oligo-mesotrophic sediments showed potential assimilation of proteins ca. 25% higher than that of specimens feeding on meso-eutrophic sediments. Discussion: Our results reveal that H. tubulosa feeding on meso-eutrophic sediments can profoundly influence the benthic trophic status, specifically modifying the biochemical composition and nutritional quality of organic matter, thus paving the way to its possible use in bioremediation actions of eutrophicated sediments and in Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture systems

High Meiofaunal and Nematodes Diversity around Mesophotic Coral Oases in the Mediterranean Sea

Although the mesophotic zone of the Mediterranean Sea has been poorly investigated, there is an increasing awareness about its ecological importance for its biodiversity, as fish nursery and for the recruitment of shallow water species. Along with coastal rocky cliffs, isolated coralligenous concretions emerging from muddy bottoms are typical structures of the Mediterranean Sea mesophotic zone. Coralligenous concretions at mesophotic depths in the South Tyrrhenian Sea were investigated to assess the role of these coralligenous oases in relation to the biodiversity of surrounding soft sediments. We show here that the complex structures of the coralligenous concretions at ca. 110 m depth influence the trophic conditions, the biodiversity and assemblage composition in the surrounding sediments even at considerable distances. Coral concretions not only represent deep oases of coral biodiversity but they also promote a higher biodiversity of the fauna inhabiting the surrounding soft sediments. Using the biodiversity of nematodes as a proxy of the total benthic biodiversity, a high turnover biodiversity within a 200 m distance from the coralligenous concretions was observed. Such turnover is even more evident when only rare taxa are considered and seems related to specific trophic conditions, which are influenced by the presence of the coralligenous structures. The presence of a high topographic complexity and the trophic enrichment make these habitats highly biodiverse, nowadays endangered by human activities (such as exploitation of commercial species such as Corallium rubrum, or trawling fisheries, which directly causes habitat destruction or indirectly causes modification in the sedimentation and re-suspension rates). We stress that the protection of the coralligenous sea concretions is a priority for future conservation policies at the scale of large marine ecosystems and that a complete census of these mesophotic oases of biodiversity should be a priority for future investigations in the Mediterranean Sea

Stato, volontariato e carità: Concezioni e pratiche redistributive in una città del Mezzogiorno

Questo articolo esamina la tensione tra una concezione ideale dello stato come garante del benessere sociale e la sua problematica, incompiuta e parziale realizzazione, così come si manifesta tra i volontari Caritas in una città del Mezzogiorno. Le politiche austeritarie dell’ultimo decennio hanno indebolito la rete di protezioni sociali del welfare nazionale, delegando ampi settori dell’assistenza sociale ad associazioni di volontariato e organizzazioni del Terzo settore. Attraverso l’etnografia del volontariato Caritas, l’articolo analizza l’interazione tra circuiti formali e informali di distribuzione alimentare nel contesto di trasformazione del welfare. Prendendo in esame il processo di burocratizzazione della distribuzione alimentare, dovuto alla gestione di risorse pubbliche, l’articolo propone di leggere la coesistenza di diverse concezioni redistributive attraverso il concetto di economia morale. I volontari reagiscono ai processi di delega che hanno caratterizzato la decentralizzazione del welfare e il graduale approfondirsi delle diseguaglianze nel contesto della crisi, operando distinzioni tra diversi piani morali delle pratiche redistributive che convivono nella loro azione di volontariato. In tal modo, il coinvolgimento dello stato nelle iniziative caritatevoli e il coinvolgimento dei volontari nella burocrazia dell’assistenza sociale alimentano le contraddizioni tra l’impegno etico dei volontari e le loro aspettative intorno al ruolo dello stato.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nematode diversity patterns at different spatial scales in bathyal sediments of the Mediterranean Sea

Understanding biodiversity patterns and how they are driven at different spatial scales is a crucial issue in eco- logical studies. This is particularly evident for the deep sea, the largest biome of the biosphere, where information on the scales of spatial variation is very scant. Here, we investigated deep-sea nematodes species richness, turnover and func- tional diversity, and life strategies at different spatial scales (from local to macro-regional) to identify the factors that shape regional (γ) and macro-regional (ε) deep-sea diver- sity. This study was conducted in several deep-sea habitats (canyons, open slopes, deep-water corals, and bathyal plains) over > 2000 km across the whole Mediterranean Basin, at a bathymetric range comprised between ca. 600 and 1300 m. Our results indicate that the patterns of local (α) diversity across the deep Mediterranean follow the gradients of the trophic conditions, which decrease from the western to the eastern basins. For all of the sites and habitats, the α diversity is generally low. Conversely, the turnover diversity changes significantly among habitats (β diversity) and between re- gions (δ diversity), showing values of dissimilarity (based on species presence/absence matrixes) between 59 and 90 % for β diversity and between 81 and 89 % for δ diversity. This suggests that patterns and values of γ and ε diversities in the deep Mediterranean Sea are related to turnover diversity among habitats and between regions (β and δ diversities), rather than to the local biodiversity (α diversity). These re- sults indicate also that the differences in β and δ diversi- ties are even more important than those in α diversity for the comprehension of the drivers of biodiversity in the deep Mediterranean Sea. We conclude that the presence of differ- ent habitats and gradients in environmental conditions, by promoting a high turnover diversity across the Mediterranean Sea, may play a crucial role in the levels of γ diversity of deep-sea nematodes