Chapter 1 : the geology, soils and present-day environment of Gozo and Malta ; Temple landscapes : fragility, change and resilience of Holocene environments in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

This chapter sets the scene in terms of the geology and present-day climate, vegetation and soils of the Maltese Islands. Geology and faulting has had a huge influence on topography, soils and vegetation, and in turn on the nature of human use and exploitation of the islands. All of these themes are further developed below (and in FRAGSUS Volumes 2 and 3), giving time-depth to the sequences of climatic, environmental and landscape changes throughout the Holocene. ; This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-2007-2013) (Grant agreement No. 323727). ; peer-reviewed