Little is known about the impact of the Mediaeval Warm Period (MWP: 950-1250 CE) and the Little Ice Age (LIA: 1250-1850 CE) on high-altitude agro-pastoral practices and the vertical mobility of human communities in the mountain regions of interior Southwest Asia. Although the area experienced significant socio-political changes during the last millennium, the socio-environmental interactions during these climatic periods remain poorly understood. This study presents a geochronologically well-constrained, multi-proxy geochemical and palaeoecological record from a high-altitude (2500 m) wetland in the Karkas Mountains, located on the central Iranian desert plateau. All proxies, including bioindicators (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, fossil insects) and sedimentological and geochemical data (X-ray fluorescence intensity variations, Isothermal Remanent Magnetization measurements, and lithological changes), reveal two contrasting patterns of hydroclimatic conditions and agropastoral practices during the MWP and the LIA. Pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs show that the MWP was characterised by intensive cereal cultivation (mainly wheat) and the establishment of permanent agricultural communities, while the LIA was characterised by intensified grazing pressure on montane steppe vegetation, suggesting a shift towards a more mobile pastoral lifestyle-one that persisted into the 20th century. Interestingly, this shift coincides with the Mongol invasion of the Iranian plateau. Variations in lithology, XRF intensities, magnetic field as well as the insect faunal assemblages further provide insights into the wetland hydrological variations and erosional episodes related to land-use and hydroclimatic changes during the MWP and LIA. Based on the Gahak wetland record and regional palaeoclimatic data, we conclude that the MWP in the mountainous areas of central Iran was marked by milder winters and possibly shorter summer droughts, in contrast to the LIA, which had harsher winters and longer-lasting snow cover. Results of the spectral analysis on Gahak record compared to well-known solar cycles, suggest that the climate of the central Iranian highlands is highly sensitive to the variations in solar irradiance. Our findings highlight the significant role of high-altitude agro-pastoral communities in supplying food to the lowland urban centres of mediaeval Persia, at least during the MWP. Although socio-political changes (e.g. Mongol invasion) could affect the mediaeval societies, the impact of climatic shifts on socio-economic changes should not be underestimated.

In the Mediterranean, the dune–beach ecosystem is characterized by the presence of thick deposits of dead leaves of the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica, called banquettes (Dune–Beach–Banquette ecosystem—DBB). This ecosystem plays an important role in the coupling between sea and land. The banquettes provide important ecosystem services: protection of beaches against erosion, contribution to the building of the dune, and a source of nitrogen for coastal vegetation. They are home to a rich and diverse invertebrate fauna that are consumed by other predatory invertebrates and seabirds. A conceptual model of the functioning of the DBB ecosystem and its relation with adjacent ecosystems has been outlined. When dead P. oceanica leaves return to the sea, which is the fate of most of the banquette, they constitute an important source of carbon and nutrients for coastal ecosystems and fisheries. Beach management, with the removal of banquettes and driftwood to meet the supposed requirements of beach users and tourists, is an ecological disaster, in addition to being an economic burden for coastal municipalities. Beach management methods that respect the interactions between the marine and terrestrial realms, which preserve the beaches from erosion and allow the return of the banquettes to the sea, and which take into account the real perceptions of beach users are feasible in the framework of the concept of the ‘ecological beach’.

Eradication of invasive alien species (IAS) is often proposed to restore invaded ecosystems, with information on subsequent ecosystem recovery key to conservation policies. Although ants perform major ecological functions in the ecosystem, their response to IAS eradication has received relatively little monitoring. This study investigated ant response to iceplant (Carpobrotus spp.) and black rat (Rattus rattus) eradications on the small Mediterranean island of Bagaud (Var, France). Ant communities were monitored over a ten-year period, including two years before eradications, at six different sites: two invaded by iceplants, two under high rat pressure, and two native vegetation sites without intervention. We found inter-annual variations in ant communities but no before-after eradication trend at both native vegetation and rat eradication sites. However, there was a clear increase in ant species richness and abundance score after the iceplant eradication. A core of common Mediterranean species, including Pheidole pallidula, Messor bouvieri, and Plagiolepis pygmaea, increased their foraging activity after the removal. As xerophilous and thermophilous species they would benefit from the return of native vegetation with possibly warmer and dryer microclimatic conditions, but also from habitat and resource diversification. The trend was even stronger on the denser and thicker iceplant eradication patch. Our results emphasize the relevance of implementing ant monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of such restoration and conservation strategies.

Combined evidence from insect and plant remains was recovered from separate areas of a Roman brick works at the site of Pruniccia (Corsica), in an area adjacent to the Roman town of Mariana. Their interpretation helps us to reconstruct the specific activities undertaken and broaden our understanding of how human activities affected the composition of sub-fossil plant and insect assemblages. After including geomorphological evidence, we also assess the local environmental conditions of the site. In well PT20019, an unexpected abundance and diversity of insects characteristic of aquatic habitats contrasts with results from fruits and seeds, prompting questions on the taphonomic processes involved. The relatively small number of woody taxa identified from charcoal in kiln FR200002 and the related working area (FS20088) includes trees and shrubs that would have been easily accessible nearby. The detection of insect damage in Alnus wood is consistent with the repeated finds of insects which attack wood. This suggests that firewood may have been collected in advance and stored until needed. More generally, our work illustrates the variety of habitats in the area around the Roman town and helps us compensate for the shortage of palaeoenvironmental information available locally up to now.

The Gorgan Plain (NE Iran) is largely treeless today but it possibly was not in the past. We use palaeobotanical data from radiocarbon-dated sediments and archaeological excavations to investigate the extent and use of woodland under the Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE). Palynology, anatomical studies of charred and uncharred wood, insects and botanical macroremains have shed new light on this question. Palynological research points to natural origins of the open steppe vegetation in the Gorgan Plain contrasting to carpological and wood anatomy studies indicating wide use of trees and shrubs during the Sasanian period. As it shown by charcoal data, local sources provided enough firewood for kilns in short-term use, but were insufficient for supplying fortification garrisons which required additional supplies from the Hyrcanian forests. These forests provided the main source of firewood for sites located close to the Alborz Mountains. Cultivation of trees was widespread during the Sasanian era for fruits, shadow and possibly moriculture for silk production. Palaeobotanical records are still very rare in the Gorgan Plain. New data are a desideratum to gain further insights into woodland use before, during and after the Sasanian Empire.

Abstract Eradication of invasive alien species (IAS) is often proposed to restore invaded ecosystems, with information on subsequent ecosystem recovery key to conservation policies. Although ants perform major ecological functions in the ecosystem, their response to IAS eradication has received relatively little monitoring. This study investigated ant response to Carpobrotus spp. (iceplant) and R. rattus (black rat) eradications on the small Mediterranean island of Bagaud (Var, France). Ant assemblages were monitored over a ten-year period, including two years before eradications, at six different sites, two invaded by Carpobrotus spp., two under high R. rattus pressure, and two control sites. We found inter-annual variations in ant assemblages but no before-after eradication trend at both control and rat eradication sites. However, there was a clear increase in ant species richness and abundance after the Carpobrotus eradication. A trend toward more homogeneous assemblages was observed, with an enhanced core of common Mediterranean ant species. Xerophilous and thermophilous species such as Pheidole pallidula, Messor bouvieri, and Plagiolepis pygmaea were more abundant, consistent with the return of native vegetation communities and possibly warmer and dryer microclimatic conditions. The trend was even stronger on the denser and thicker Carpobrotus eradication patch. Increased ant foraging activity is a good sign of restoration success, influencing different functions of the ecosystem, such as seed dispersal or nutrient cycling.

The discovery of subfossil fragments of Canthydrus Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera, Noteridae) in Holocene sediments (c. 6 500 yrs BP) from the coastal retrodunal Greco pond, on Cavallo island (Lavezzi archipelago, Corse-du-Sud, France), is the first French citation for this thermophilous water beetle genus. This discovery raises issues about the factors that led to the probable extinction of this taxon at a local scale.

New investigations performed with a multi-proxy approach provide a robust climate reconstruction for the Late-Glacial in the Massif Central, France. The temperature reconstruction from Coleoptera is obtained from the Mutual Climatic Range Method, or "MCR" method, based on the range of climates corresponding to the area occupied today by the species identified in fossil assemblages. The Weighthed Averaging Partial Least Squared (WA-PLS) method is used to produce mean July temperature estimates from Chironomid assemblages. Climate reconstruction from pollen data is performed using an assemblage approach, the Modern Analogue Technique. During the Late-Glacial the July temperature (Tmax) reconstructed from beetles (Coleoptera) was lower than the current Tmax of 18.9 degrees C. Summer conditions were close to the present at the beginning of the Oldest Dryas (17400-14600 cal. BP), and during most of the Allerod (13900-12800 cal. BP). During the Younger Dryas (12800-11700 cal. BP) Tmax estimates ranged from 12 to 13 degrees C, much lower than today. The Tmax increased at the onset of the Holocene (11700 cal. BP), reaching values close to the modern conditions from the beginning of the period. Tmax reconstructed from chironomids shows an initial warming around 15000 cal. BP, with a Tmax rise from 7 degrees C to 11 degrees C. A maximum (13.5 degrees C) was reached around 13800 cal. BP. A second optimum of 16 degrees C occurred after 10800 cal. BP. The Late-Glacial Interstadial (LGI) is marked by temperature decreases (from 13 to 12 to 10-9 degrees C) around 13200-12900 cal. BP. A second climate minimum was reached around 12600 cal. BP, during the Younger Dryas (Tmax about 10 degrees C). The end of the Younger Dryas seems to have been warmer, with a Tmax of about 13 degrees C, just before the early Holocene climate improvement. Pollen-inferred results showed that the Late-Glacial climate at Roustieres was characterized by colder and drier winter and summer seasons than today, and by conditions close to the modern ones around 11700 cal. BP, at the onset of the Holocene. Climate conditions comparable to the modern ones were also evidenced at the end of the Allerod, with colder than today conditions evidenced from both Tmax and Tmin (January temperature). During the Oldest and Younger Dryas the coldest month showed a temperature of -13 degrees C, while summers appeared more moderate (warmest month around 16 degrees C). Cold conditions were also reconstructed during the Bolling, while temperatures comparable to present-day values were reached during the Allerod. A cold oscillation occurred around 13400 cal. BP. Particularly dry conditions were reconstructed during the Oldest Dryas (17000-15800 cal. BP). From 15800 to the end of the Younger Dryas, the precipitation oscillated around 750 mm, but increased during the Allerod and the Holocene periods. These climatic trends reconstructed by the three proxies allowed identifying the temperate periods (LGI and the Holocene) and the cold events (Younger Dryas) of the Late-Glacial period. However, difficulties due to different sampling resolutions emerged, and several discrepancies linked to the proxy or the methods used are discussed.

The decline of arthropod populations observed in many parts of the world is a major component of the sixth mass extinction with intensive agriculture being one of its main drivers. Biodiversity-friendly farming practices are taking centre stage in the recovery process. In vineyards, vegetation cover is commonly used for production purposes, to reduce soil compaction by machinery use and soil erosion. Here we examined the effects of vegetation cover and soil management on the abundance of ground- (spiders, beetles, Hemiptera and harvestmen) and canopy-dwelling (wild bees, green lacewings, beetles and Hemiptera) arthropods in three categories of vineyards: (i) vineyards with no vegetation, (ii) partially vegetated (every second inter-row is vegetated) and (iii) all inter-rows are vegetated. We recorded a general positive effect of a decrease in soil perturbation intensity and corresponding higher vegetation cover on arthropod abundance. Plant species richness was the most important vegetation parameter, with a positive effect on spiders, harvestmen, hemipterans and beetles (ground and canopy) abundances. Using a path analysis, we also highlighted the central role of inter-row vegetation management in trophic and non-trophic relationships between vegetation and arthropods, and between arthropod groups. Our results demonstrate the benefits of a softer soil management preserving a diverse vegetation cover for the conservation of arthropods in Mediterranean vineyards.

This paper presents an assessment of archaeoentomological activity in France over the last twenty-five years and then proposes guidelines for its development. It carries out an inventory of the applications of the discipline and its contributions (1), analyses current practices, the potential and the needs in archaeoentomology (2), defines the major priority themes (3) and makes 4) proposals for the implementation of a strategy of a national strategy (4).

This paper provides a faunal inventory of the Coleoptera of the Aeolian Islands, including both the list of 669 species so far recorded and its update with 192 new records for the archipelago.Sericoderus brevicornis Matthews, 1890 (Corylophidae) is new for Italy; for Anthicus crinitus La Ferté-Sénectère, 1849 (Anthicidae) the second record in Italy is given; Pangus scaritides (Sturm, 1818), Tachyura curvimana (Wollaston, 1854) (Carabidae), Arthrolips convexiuscula (Motschulsky, 1849) (Corylophidae), Dignomus irroratus (Kiesenwetter, 1851) (Ptinidae), Megaloscapa punctipennis (Kraatz, 1856) (Staphylinidae), Aclees taiwanensis Kôno, 1933, Cryphalus numidicus Eichhoff, 1878 and Hypothenemus leprieuri (Perris, 1866) (Curculionidae) are new for Sicily; Migneauxia crassiuscula (Aubé, 1850) (Latridiidae) and Phloeotribus cristatus (Fauvel, 1889) (Curculionidae) are confirmed for this region.For 193 species new distributional data are also given; among these latter, some concern the narrow endemics Firminus massai

Wetland ecosystems in water-limited environments locally boost biotic interactions, habitat diversity, and species concentrations, but little knowledge exists on their long-term functioning and susceptibility to regime shifts that might influence conservation and reclamation actions. Here we used a historical ecology approach on a rare Mediterranean peat-bog to reconstruct ecological successions for the last 4 millennia. The reconstruction is used to explore the role of geomorphic thresholds, climate changes, and anthropogenic perturbations as drivers of the ecosystem trajectory in the frame of the projected aridification of the climate. Our findings highlight how the superimposition of pastoral disturbances to river incision, has exacerbated ecosystem sensitivity to climate changes. Considering the long-term trajectory, the disappearance of the ecosystem might occur independently of changes in the precipitation regime. Insights given by Historical Ecology have implications for our understanding of ecosystem responses to perturbations, demonstrating that long-term dynamics must be considered before engaging in strict conservation action.

Cereals are a central resource for the human diet and are traditionally assumed to have evolved from wild grasses at the onset of the Neolithic under the pressure of agriculture. Here we demonstrate that cereals may have a significantly longer and more diverse lineage, based on the study of a 0–2.3 Ma, 601 m long sedimentary core from Lake Acıgöl (South-West Anatolia). Pollen characteristic of cereals is abundant throughout the sedimentary sequence. The presence of large lakes within this arid bioclimatic zone led to the concentration of large herbivore herds, as indicated by the continuous occurrence of coprophilous fungi spores in the record. Our hypothesis is that the effects of overgrazing on soils and herbaceous stratum, during this long period, led to genetic modifications of the Poaceae taxa and to the appearance of proto-cereals. The simultaneous presence of hominins is attested as early as about 1.4 Ma in the lake vicinity, and 1.8 Ma in Georgia and Levant. These ancient hominins probably benefited from the availability of these proto-cereals, rich in nutrients, as well as various other edible plants, opening the way, in this region of the Middle East, to a process of domestication, which reached its full development during the Neolithic.

La reprise des investigations sur le site de Saint-Pierre-les-Elbeuf des 2004 a permis, outre la reprise de l’analyse des coupes de reference de ce gisement majeur, le decapage d’une butte residuelle dans la propriete Gapenne/Michel en 2006 et la fouille d’un sol d’une occupation acheuleenne, dans cette meme propriete en 2005 et 2007. Ces travaux de terrain se sont accompagnes de l’etude des series lithiques collectees lors de l’extraction de la terre a brique et conservees au musee de l’Homm...

Biodiversity-friendly farming practices are taking centre stage, with herbicide use sparking major public debate on human health. Vegetation cover is increasingly used to enhance agroecosystem biodiversity and functions, providing important ecosystem services like biological pest control. However, further information is required on the relationship between vegetation cover, natural enemies, and pest predation. Using a sentinel prey experiment set up in 26 Mediterranean organic vineyards, we analysed the response of generalist predators, and the associated final predation and dynamics under three inter-row management types: bare soil, one out of two inter-rows vegetated and all inter-rows vegetated. Predation on sentinel prey was monitored on the ground and on the vine trunk throughout the daytime and after a night of exposure. Generalist predator abundance was quantified using pitfall traps. Final sentinel prey predation both on vine trunks and on the ground were significantly higher in fully vegetated vineyards, with a shorter prey survival time than in tilled vineyards. Both diurnal and nocturnal predation were significantly related to increased vegetation cover and richness. Moreover, 96 % of the identified predation events involved ants. We demonstrated the key role of vegetation cover in improving the predation function through a spill-over from the inter-row to the grapevine. Contrary to what is commonly observed in agrosystems, we clearly identified ants as the predominant predator both on the ground and on the vine trunk. Our study has important implications for Mediterranean vineyard management, promoting vegetation as a nature-based solution. Sustainable management of vineyard vegetation favouring the natural predator community may contribute to a reduction in pesticide use and fossil fuel consumption.

The Port-Cros National Park (PCNP), established in 1963, was one of the earliest terrestrial and marine parks in the Mediterranean Sea. From 2012, it engaged in a major redefinition and extension of its territory (N-PCNP-New Port-Cros National Park). This case is particularly interesting insofar as the protected area has been competently and efficiently managed since its creation, and protection and management measures have been strictly implemented: in the Mediterranean, the PCNP has often been considered as a benchmark. Here, we critically analyse almost 60 years of the management of the biodiversity and the human uses, with their share of successes and failures, certain operations which are today regarded as errors, and a doctrine today of a priori non-interventionism, in contrast to the doctrine in vogue in the early years. Of particular interest is the change in outlook with regard to actions favouring flagship species, such as building a tower for bats, setting up artificial nests for seabirds, and constructing an artificial reef at sea. The question of the natural arrival of the wild boar, a native species, and the hostility of the public and some species-centred scientists, is particularly instructive. We analyse these changes in the light of the ongoing trends in concepts in ecology and nature conservation, and the shift from a species-centred to an ecosystem-centred approach. It is worth emphasizing that a critical review of almost 60 years of management is a very rare exercise in a national park anywhere in the world.

The decline of arthropod populations observed in many parts of the world is a major component of the sixth mass extinction with intensive agriculture being one of its main drivers. Biodiversity-friendly farming practices are taking centre stage in the recovery process. In vineyards, vegetation cover is commonly used for production purposes, to reduce soil compaction by machinery use and soil erosion. Here we examined the effects of vegetation cover and soil management on the abundance of ground- (spiders, beetles, Hemiptera and harvestmen) and canopy-dwelling (wild bees, green lacewings, beetles and Hemiptera) arthropods in three categories of vineyards: (i) vineyards with no vegetation, (ii) partially vegetated (every second inter-row is vegetated) and (iii) all inter-rows are vegetated. We recorded a general positive effect of a decrease in soil perturbation intensity and corresponding higher vegetation cover on arthropod abundance. Plant species richness was the most important vegetation parameter, with a positive effect on spiders, harvestmen, hemipterans and beetles (ground and canopy) abundances. Using a path analysis, we also highlighted the central role of inter-row vegetation management in trophic and non-trophic relationships between vegetation and arthropods, and between arthropod groups. Our results demonstrate the benefits of a softer soil management preserving a diverse vegetation cover for the conservation of arthropods in Mediterranean vineyards.

Invasive plant species, such asCarpobrotusspecies, threaten the biodiversity of Mediterranean islands. Ecological restoration can include the control of invasive plants, but the effect ofCarpobrotusremoval on arthropods is understudied. Here, we evaluated the influence ofCarpobrotusremoval on beetle assemblages, on a Mediterranean island. Between November 2011 and February 2012, we manually removedCarpobrotusand its litter. A site composed of native shrubland vegetation located in the vicinity was studied to estimate the beetle assemblage natural variations. Two years before removal (2010–2011), and every 2 years following removal (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019), we sampled beetles with pitfall traps. Vegetation did not change at the shrubland site and beetle assemblages stayed relatively stable. After the removal ofCarpobrotusat theCarpobrotussite, a diverse halophilic grassland vegetation colonized as well as some chamaephytes. The taxonomic and functional richness of beetle species increased significantly following removal. Assemblage composition changed significantly between pre‐ and post‐removal years with a high taxonomic turnover rate. Predators (e.g. Staphylinidae, Carabidae) and detritivores (Tenebrionidae) most likely benefited from the vegetation opening, while the diversification of microhabitats led to the availability of a wider variety of prey. Large floricolous beetles (Scarabaeidae) were the most reduced byCarpobrotusremoval along with small non‐flying beetles. This rapid change in beetle assemblages occurred within 7 years. Future studies should be carried out in areas where reference ecosystems are available to meet the requirements of a Before‐After‐Control‐Impact approach.