The concept of soil quality gives rise to more controversy than that of water or air quality.
However, despite the difficulty in providing a definition, the maintenance of soil quality is …

The impact on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles of human activity is a growing
concern and has several causes and consequences (MacDonald et al., 2011; Peñuelas et …

Longer and more severe drought periods are expected in the near future for Mediterranean
ecosystems. Soil enzymes play an essential role in the nutrient mineralization and their …

Forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin are mostly situated in the north of the Basin
(mesic). In the most southern and dry areas, the forest can only exist where topography …

Abstract Background In the Mediterranean climate, plants have evolved under conditions of
low soil-water and nutrient availabilities and have acquired a series of adaptive traits that, in …

In a Mediterranean shrubland, we investigated the effects of the projected warming and
drought on soil urease, protease and β-glucosidase activities and the relation of the possible …

Soil degradation and desertification affect many areas of the planet. One such area is the
Mediterranean region of SE Spain, where the climatological and lithological conditions …

Although the application of organic amendments is considered a suitable tool for improving
soil fertility, few studies have been conducted in semiarid climates to evaluate the joint effect …

The increase in aridity, mainly by decreases in precipitation but also by higher temperatures,
is likely the main threat to the diversity and survival of Mediterranean forests. Changes in …

Soil microorganisms and their extracellular enzymes are key factors determining the
biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Relevant studies …