Mediterranean Ecosystems and Vegetation Types in California and Israel Ecology 48: 445–459.

Author(s):  
Z. Naveh
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Krich ◽  
Mirco Migliavacca ◽  
Diego G. Miralles ◽  
Guido Kraemer ◽  
Tarek S. El-Madany ◽  
...  

Abstract. Understanding the dependencies of the terrestrial carbon and water cycle is a prerequisite to anticipate their behaviour under climate change conditions. However, terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere interact via a multitude of variables, time- and space scales. Additionally the interactions might differ among vegetation types or climatic regions. Today, novel algorithms aim to disentangle the causal structure behind such interaction from empirical data. Visualising the estimated structure in networks, the nodes represent relevant meteorological determinants and land-surface fluxes, and the links dependencies among them possibly including their lag and strength. Here we show that biosphere–atmosphere interactions are strongly shaped by meteorological conditions. For example, we find that temperate and high latitude ecosystems during peak productivity exhibit very similar biosphere–atmosphere interaction networks as tropical forests. In times of anomalous conditions like drought though, both ecosystems behave more like Mediterranean ecosystems during their dry season. Our results demonstrate that ecosystems from different climate or vegetation types have similar biosphere–atmosphere interactions if their meteorological conditions are similar. We anticipate our analysis to foster the use of network approaches as they allow a more comprehensive understanding of the state of ecosystem functioning. Long term or even irreversible changes in network structure are rare and thus can be indicators of fundamental functional ecosystem shifts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 2379-2404
Author(s):  
Christopher Krich ◽  
Mirco Migliavacca ◽  
Diego G. Miralles ◽  
Guido Kraemer ◽  
Tarek S. El-Madany ◽  
...  

Abstract. Understanding the dependencies of the terrestrial carbon and water cycle with meteorological conditions is a prerequisite to anticipate their behaviour under climate change conditions. However, terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere interact via a multitude of variables across temporal and spatial scales. Additionally these interactions might differ among vegetation types or climatic regions. Today, novel algorithms aim to disentangle the causal structure behind such interactions from empirical data. The estimated causal structures can be interpreted as networks, where nodes represent relevant meteorological variables or land-surface fluxes and the links represent the dependencies among them (possibly including time lags and link strength). Here we derived causal networks for different seasons at 119 eddy covariance flux tower observations in the FLUXNET network. We show that the networks of biosphere–atmosphere interactions are strongly shaped by meteorological conditions. For example, we find that temperate and high-latitude ecosystems during peak productivity exhibit biosphere–atmosphere interaction networks very similar to tropical forests. In times of anomalous conditions like droughts though, both ecosystems behave more like typical Mediterranean ecosystems during their dry season. Our results demonstrate that ecosystems from different climate zones or vegetation types have similar biosphere–atmosphere interactions if their meteorological conditions are similar. We anticipate our analysis to foster the use of network approaches, as they allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the state of ecosystem functioning. Long-term or even irreversible changes in network structure are rare and thus can be indicators of fundamental functional ecosystem shifts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-543
Author(s):  
Karinne Sampaio Valdemarin ◽  
Jair Eustáquio Quintino Faria ◽  
Fiorella Fernanda Mazine ◽  
Vinicius Castro Souza

Abstract—A new species of Eugenia from the Atlantic forest of Brazil is described and illustrated. Eugenia flavicarpa is restricted to the Floresta de Tabuleiro (lowland forests) of Espírito Santo state and is nested in Eugenia subg. Pseudeugenia. Considering all other species of the subgenus that occur in forest vegetation types of the Atlantic forest phytogeographic domain, Eugenia flavicarpa can be distinguished mainly by the combination of smooth leaves with indumentum on both surfaces, with two marginal veins, usually ramiflorous inflorescences, pedicels 4.5‐9.7 mm long, flower buds 3.5‐4 mm in diameter, and by the calyx lobes that are 2‐3 mm long with rounded to obtuse apices. Morphological analyses were performed to explore the significance of quantitative diagnostic features between the new species and the closely related species, Eugenia farneyi. Notes on the habitat, distribution, phenology, and conservation status of Eugenia flavicarpa are provided, as well as a key for all species of Eugenia subg. Pseudeugenia from forest vegetation of the Atlantic forest phytogeographic domain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Chen ◽  
Xue-wen Lei ◽  
Han-lin Zhang ◽  
Zhi Lin ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractThe problems caused by the interaction between slopes and hydrologic environment in traffic civil engineering are very serious in the granite residual soil area of China, especially in Guangdong Province. Against the background of two heavy rainfall events occurring during a short period due to a typhoon making landfall twice or even two typhoons consecutively making landfall, laboratory model tests were carried out on the hydrological effects of the granite residual soil slope considering three vegetation types under artificial rainfall. The variation in slope surface runoff, soil moisture content and rain seepage over time was recorded during the tests. The results indicate that surface vegetation first effectively reduces the splash erosion impact of rainwater on slopes and then influences the slope hydrological effect through rainwater forms adjustment. (1) The exposed slope has weak resistance to two consecutive heavy rains, the degree of slope scouring and soil erosion damage will increase greatly during the second rainfall. (2) The multiple hindrances of the stem leaf of Zoysia japonica plays a leading role in regulating the hydrological effect of slope, the root system has little effect on the permeability and water storage capacity of slope soil, but improves the erosion resistance of it. (3) Both the stem leaf and root system of Nephrolepis cordifolia have important roles on the hydrological effect. The stem leaf can stabilize the infiltration of rainwater, and successfully inhibit the surface runoff under continuous secondary heavy rainfall. The root system significantly enhances the water storage capacity of the slope, and greatly increases the permeability of the slope soil in the second rainfall, which is totally different from that of the exposed and Zoysia japonica slopes. (4) Zoysia is a suitable vegetation species in terms of slope protection because of its comprehensive slope protection effect. Nephrolepis cordifolia should be cautiously planted as slope protection vegetation. Only on slopes with no stability issues should Nephrolepis cordifolia be considered to preserve soil and water.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florentine Riquet ◽  
Christiane-Arnilda De Kuyper ◽  
Cécile Fauvelot ◽  
Laura Airoldi ◽  
Serge Planes ◽  
...  

AbstractCystoseira sensu lato (Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Sargassaceae) forests play a central role in marine Mediterranean ecosystems. Over the last decades, Cystoseira s.l. suffered from a severe loss as a result of multiple anthropogenic stressors. In particular, Gongolaria barbata has faced multiple human-induced threats, and, despite its ecological importance in structuring rocky communities and hosting a large number of species, the natural recovery of G. barbata depleted populations is uncertain. Here, we used nine microsatellite loci specifically developed for G. barbata to assess the genetic diversity of this species and its genetic connectivity among fifteen sites located in the Ionian, the Adriatic and the Black Seas. In line with strong and significant heterozygosity deficiencies across loci, likely explained by Wahlund effect, high genetic structure was observed among the three seas (ENA corrected FST = 0.355, IC = [0.283, 0.440]), with an estimated dispersal distance per generation smaller than 600 m, both in the Adriatic and Black Sea. This strong genetic structure likely results from restricted gene flow driven by geographic distances and limited dispersal abilities, along with genetic drift within isolated populations. The presence of genetically disconnected populations at small spatial scales (< 10 km) has important implications for the identification of relevant conservation and management measures for G. barbata: each population should be considered as separated evolutionary units with dedicated conservation efforts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Iván Barbero-Bermejo ◽  
Gabriela Crespo-Luengo ◽  
Ricardo Enrique Hernández-Lambraño ◽  
David Rodríguez de la Cruz ◽  
José Ángel Sánchez-Agudo

The design of conservation plans for the improvement of habitats of threatened species constitutes one of the most plausible possibilities of intervention in the structure and composition of the landscape of a large territory. In this work we focus on the Iberian lynx in order to establish potential ecological corridors using ecoinformatic tools from the GIS environment to improve connectivity between the existing natural spaces within the scope of its historical distribution. We processed 669 records of the presence of the lynx and six predictor variables linked to the habitat of the species. With this, corridors have been generated between natural areas. The determination of possible bottlenecks or dangerous areas (e.g., hitches on highways) allows for focusing efforts on their conservation. This type of approach seeks to improve efficiency in the design of measures aimed at expanding the territory’s capacity to host its populations, improving both its viability and that of all the other species that are linked to it. The proposals for action on the specific areas defined by the models elaborated in this work would imply interventions on the land uses and existing vegetation types in order to improve connectivity throughout the territory and increase the resilience of its ecosystems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1192-1207
Author(s):  
Marcelo Leandro Bueno ◽  
Vanessa Leite Rezende ◽  
Luiza Fonseca A. De Paula ◽  
João Augusto Alves Meira-Neto ◽  
José Roberto Rodrigues Pinto ◽  
...  

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