In recent years, global climate change has been shown to detrimentally affect many biological and environmental factors, including those of marine ecosystems. In particular, global climate change has been linked to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, UV irradiation, and ocean temperatures, resulting in decreased marine phytoplankton growth and reduced synthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Marine phytoplankton are the primary producers of omega-3 PUFAs, which are essential nutrients for normal human growth and development and have many beneficial effects on human health. Thus, these detrimental effects of climate change on the oceans may reduce the availability of omega-3 PUFAs in our diets, exacerbating the modern deficiency of omega-3 PUFAs and imbalance of the tissue omega-6/omega-3 PUFA ratio, which have been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease. This article provides new insight into the relationship between global climate change and human health by identifying omega-3 PUFA availability as a potentially important link, and proposes a biotechnological strategy for addressing the potential shortage of omega-3 PUFAs in human diets resulting from global climate change.

This study was aimed at evaluating dus t distributions pred icted by modified DREAM model with a more detailed set of ei ght dust particle size classes, in order to better understand the model’s ca pabilities for providing re liable dust forecasts. Provided by the Israeli Mini stry of Environment Protec tion, the PM10 measurements for three different sites in Israel (Bee r-Sheva (31.3N, 34.8E), Tel-Aviv University (32.1N, 34.9E) and Carmiel (32.9N, 35.3E) were used for model evaluation. The period under investigation was that of maximum dust activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, from February to May 2006.

As a result of predicted regional climatic changes the need to select for the more drought-tolerant genotypes (ecotypes) among Mediterranean conifers has become clear. Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensisMill.) seems to be one of the most drought-tolerant pine species. Nevertheless, the existence of geographical trends in their genetic differentiation indicates potentially large differences in drought-tolerance among provenances. This assumption was verified by the finding of large variation among provenances in their internal water relations. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare the ecophysiological behaviour of several Aleppo pine provenances under contrasting climatic conditions. Growth parameters (height and diameter) and survival rate were measured in two provenance trials, one planted under sub-desertic conditions at the northern edge of the Negev desert, and the second under thermo-Mediterranean climatic conditions in the central coastal plains, Israel. Ecophysiological parameters such as: predawn needle water potential, sap flow in the xylem (i.e. transpiration), photosynthesis and water-use efficiency were measured in trees of selected provenances. The results suggest that it is not possible to predict provenance performance under harsh conditions from their performance under more favourable ones. Therefore, selection must be carried out under the exact conditions in which the trees from the resultant selection will be planted. The present study clearly emphasises the need for broad selection programs of P. halepensis.