scholarly journals Progress in Grassland Cover Conservation in Southern European Mountains by 2020: A Transboundary Assessment in the Iberian Peninsula with Satellite Observations (2002–2019)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3019
Author(s):  
Antonio T. Monteiro ◽  
Cláudia Carvalho-Santos ◽  
Richard Lucas ◽  
Jorge Rocha ◽  
Nuno Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Shannon Entropy ◽  
Policy Action ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Multiple Classifier ◽  
Mountain Grasslands ◽  
Policy Agendas ◽  
European Mountains ◽  
Landsat Satellite ◽  
Thematic Accuracy

Conservation and policy agendas, such as the European Biodiversity strategy, Aichi biodiversity (target 5) and Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), are overlooking the progress made in mountain grassland cover conservation by 2020, which has significant socio-ecological implications to Europe. However, because the existing data near 2020 is scarce, the shifting character of mountain grasslands remains poorly characterized, and even less is known about the conservation outcomes because of different governance regimes and map uncertainty. Our study used Landsat satellite imagery over a transboundary mountain region in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula (Peneda-Gerês) to shed light on these aspects. Supervised classifications with a multiple classifier ensemble approach (MCE) were performed, with post classification comparison of maps established and bias-corrected to identify the trajectory in grassland cover, including protected and unprotected governance regimes. By analysing class-allocation (Shannon entropy), creating 95% confidence intervals for the area estimates, and evaluating the class-allocation thematic accuracy relationship, we characterized uncertainty in the findings. The bias-corrected estimates suggest that the positive progress claimed internationally by 2020 was not achieved. Our null hypothesis to declare a positive progress (at least equality in the proportion of grassland cover of 2019 and 2002) was rejected (X2 = 1972.1, df = 1, p < 0.001). The majority of grassland cover remained stable (67.1 ± 10.1 relative to 2002), but loss (−32.8 ± 7.1% relative to 2002 grasslands cover) overcame gain areas (+11.4 ± 6.6%), indicating net loss as the prevailing pattern over the transboundary study area (−21.4%). This feature prevailed at all extents of analysis (lowlands, −22.9%; mountains, −17.9%; mountains protected, −14.4%; mountains unprotected, −19.7%). The results also evidenced that mountain protected governance regimes experienced a lower decline in grassland extent compared to unprotected. Shannon entropy values were also significantly lower in correctly classified validation sites (z = −5.69, p = 0.0001, n = 708) suggesting a relationship between the quality of pixel assignment and thematic accuracy. We therefore encourage a post-2020 conservation and policy action to safeguard mountain grasslands by enhancing the role of protected governance regimes. To reduce uncertainty, grassland gain mapping requires additional remote sensing research to find the most adequate spatial and temporal data resolution to retrieve this process.

scholarly journals SIVIM Alpine – Database of high-mountain grasslands in the Iberian Peninsula

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 219-220
Author(s):  
Borja Jiménez-Alfaro ◽  
Xavier Font
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Plant Taxonomy ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Alpine Grasslands ◽  
Grassland Vegetation ◽  
Plot Size ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Mountain Grasslands ◽  
Serra Da Estrela

SIVIM Alpine (GIVD ID: EU-00-034) is a thematic database focused on vegetation plots from alpine grasslands of the Iberian Peninsula. The main aim of the database is to centralize historical and new vegetation plots of grassland-like communities above the treeline from Spanish mountains, the Pyrenees (including France and Andorra) and Serra da Estrela (Portugal). The database was registered in GIVD in December 2020, and it is currently available in EVA under semi-restricted regime. SIVIM Alpine includes both digitized relevés from the literature and unpublished data. Most of digitized relevés overlap with SIVIM (GIVD ID EU-00-004) but the header data and the geographical coordinates of SIVIM Alpine have been improved when possible. The database is routinely updated with new surveys conducted with GPS and detailed ecological data. Nowadays, SIVIM Alpine contains 6,420 vegetation plots corresponding to all phytosociological alliances described in the Iberian Peninsula for high-mountain grassland vegetation, 85% of them also classified at the association level. Plot size is available for 80% of the relevés. Plant taxonomy keeps the names provided by the original authors of the relevés, with an additional correspondence to Euro+Med and The Plant List, when possible. The database is continuously updated by revisiting the original sources. Different versions of the database have been used to vegetation analysis at national at continental scales. Abbreviations: EVA = European Vegeation Archive; GIVD = Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases; SIVIM = Iberian and Macaronesian Vegetation Information System.

scholarly journals Land use affects the net ecosystem CO<sub>2</sub> exchange and its components in mountain grasslands

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 2297-2309 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Schmitt ◽  
M. Bahn ◽  
G. Wohlfahrt ◽  
U. Tappeiner ◽  
A. Cernusca
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Growing Season Length ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Mountain Grasslands ◽  
Land Use And Management

Abstract. Changes in land use and management have been strongly affecting mountain grassland, however, their effects on the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) and its components have not yet been well documented. We analysed chamber-based estimates of NEE, gross primary productivity (GPP), ecosystem respiration (R) and light use efficiency (LUE) of six mountain grasslands differing in land use and management, and thus site fertility, for the growing seasons of 2002 to 2008. The main findings of the study are that: (1) land use and management affected seasonal NEE, GPP and R, which all decreased from managed to unmanaged grasslands; (2) these changes were explained by differences in leaf area index (LAI), biomass and leaf-area-independent changes that were likely related to photosynthetic physiology; (3) diurnal variations of NEE were primarily controlled by photosynthetically active photon flux density and soil and air temperature; seasonal variations were associated with changes in LAI; (4) parameters of light response curves were generally closely related to each other, and the ratio of R at a reference temperature/ maximum GPP was nearly constant across the sites; (5) similarly to our study, maximum GPP and R for other grasslands on the globe decreased with decreasing land use intensity, while their ratio remained remarkably constant. We conclude that decreasing intensity of management and, in particular, abandonment of mountain grassland lead to a decrease in NEE and its component processes. While GPP and R are generally closely coupled during most of the growing season, GPP is more immediately and strongly affected by land management (mowing, grazing) and season. This suggests that management and growing season length, as well as their possible future changes, may play an important role for the annual C balance of mountain grassland.

scholarly journals Atmospheric dry and wet nitrogen deposition in agro-pastoral catchments of the China and Mongolia Altay

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Ling Lv ◽  
Andreas Buerkert ◽  
Guo Jun Liu ◽  
Chao Yan Lv ◽  
Xi Ming Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wet Deposition ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
N Deposition ◽  
Passive Samplers ◽  
Total N ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Total Suspended Particulates ◽  
Altay Mountains ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Mountain Grasslands

Abstract. Very few comparative studies of nitrogen (N) deposition in agroecosystems have been conducted along landuse and altitude gradients. In an effort to fill this gap of knowledge we selected three typical, interconnected landuse systems (cropland, mountain grassland and plain grassland)at six sampling sites in the transboundary Altay Mountains of NW China and SW Mongolia to compare the dynamics and amounts of wet and dry N deposition. During 12 months from June 2014 to May 2015 dry and wet N deposition through middle volume total suspended particulates (TSP), passive samplers and precipitation collectors were monitored. The croplands had the highest concentrations of NH4+-N (1.6 mg N L−1 in China and 2.0 mg N L−1 in Mongolia) and of NO3−-N (1.0 mg N L−1 in China and 1.2 mg N L−1 in Mongolia) in precipitation compared with the other land use types for wet deposition. In contrast, the Mongolian mountain grasslands experienced the highest wet deposition (3.2 kg N ha−1 yr−1) which was at least partly due to higher summer precipitation (161 mm), the second highest wet deposition occurred on Chinese cropland with 3.1 kg N ha−1 yr−1 while wet deposition in other landuse types ranged from 1.8 to 2.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Chinese cropland had the highest NH3 (3.1 μg N m−3) and NO2 (3.8 μg N m−3) concentrations and dry N deposition (15.3 kg N ha−1 yr−1) among all landuse types while Mongolian cropland had dry N deposition of 8.9 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Chinese cropland (18.4 kg N ha−1 yr−1) had the highest total N deposition, followed by the Mongolian cropland with 10.7 kg N ha−1 yr−1 and the Mongolian mountain grassland with 10.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1. NH4+-N concentration were negatively correlated with precipitation (P 

scholarly journals Mycorrhizal Patterns in the Roots of Dominant Festuca rubra in a High-Natural-Value Grassland

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Larisa Corcoz ◽  
Florin Păcurar ◽  
Victoria Pop-Moldovan ◽  
Ioana Vaida ◽  
Vlad Stoian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Rubra ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Fungal Structure ◽  
Mountain Grasslands ◽  
Colonization Frequency ◽  
Best Parameter ◽  
The Stability ◽  
General Regression

Grassland ecosystems occupy significant areas worldwide and represent a reservoir for biodiversity. These areas are characterized by oligotrophic conditions that stimulate mycorrhizal symbiotic partnerships to meet nutritional requirements. In this study, we selected Festuca rubra for its dominance in the studied mountain grassland, based on the fact that grasses more easily accept a symbiotic partner. Quantification of the entire symbiosis process, both the degree of colonization and the presence of a fungal structure, was performed using the root mycorrhizal pattern method. Analysis of data normality indicated colonization frequency as the best parameter for assessing the entire mycorrhizal mechanism, with five equal levels, each of 20%. Most of the root samples showed an intensity of colonization between 0 and 20% and a maximum of arbuscules of about 5%. The colonization degree had an average value of 35%, which indicated a medium permissiveness of roots for mycorrhizal partners. Based on frequency regression models, the intensity of colonization presented high fluctuations at 50% frequency, while the arbuscule development potential was set to a maximum of 5% in mycorrhized areas. Arbuscules were limited due to the unbalanced and unequal root development and their colonizing hyphal networks. The general regression model indicated that only 20% of intra-radicular hyphae have the potential to form arbuscules. The colonization patterns of dominant species in mountain grasslands represent a necessary step for improved understanding of the symbiont strategies that sustain the stability and persistence of these species.

Spiders as potential bioindicators of mountain grasslands health: the Argentine tarantula Grammostola vachoni (Araneae, Theraphosidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonela Schwerdt ◽  
Ana Elena de Villalobos ◽  
Fernando Pérez Miles
Keyword(s):  
Red List ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Ecosystem Recovery ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Mountain Grassland ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Mountain Grasslands ◽  
New Research ◽  
A Site ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Context Bioindicators are used for conservation prioritisation by means of spatial comparisons of a site value, or monitoring of ecosystem recovery or response to management. Spiders are characterised by their selection of quality habitats and guild responses to environmental change. However, they have only occasionally been used as bioindicators. Grammostola vachoni is an endemic tarantula that only occurs in the grasslands of the mountainous system in central Argentina and it is included in the Red List of the IUCN as Vulnerable. Aims In this study, we performed a characterisation of the microhabitat of G. vachoni at sites with different disturbance regimes and we analysed the potential use of this species as a bioindicator of mountain grassland health. Methods We determined the microhabitat characteristics around their refuges by mean of the soil parameters, as well as the composition and structure of vegetation and amount of refuge available. Key results We found significant differences in the number of individuals and the percentage of occupation between sites. No significant differences were recorded in the soil characteristics and occupation of G. vachoni but we found that the composition of vegetation, and the heterogeneity and diversity of plants are influenced by different disturbance regimes, altering the distribution of spiders. Conclusions Our results are consistent with those of other studies where the spiders have proved to be good bioindicators of different disturbances and we propose for the first time a Theraphosidae species for evaluating the state or health of a natural grassland. Implications The information reported in this study is very important to provide data for a future re-categorisation of G. vachoni for the Red List of IUCN. Also, we add new component of ecosystems for to use as indicator, open up the possibility for new research for the same and other species of a grasslands of the mountainous system.

Policy Action on Obesity Mostly at State Level

2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (16) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
MARY ELLEN SCHNEIDER
Keyword(s):  
State Level ◽  
Policy Action

Multitemporal distribution analysis of Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. by remote sensing in Durango, Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco, A. Márquez-Linares ◽  
Jonathan G. Escobar--Flores ◽  
Sarahi Sandoval- Espinosa ◽  
Gustavo Pérez-Verdín
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Artificial Neural Network ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Supervised Classification ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Dodonaea Viscosa ◽  
Artificial Neural ◽  
Landsat Satellite

Objective: to determine the distribution of D. viscosa in the vicinity of the Guadalupe Victoria Dam in Durango, Mexico, for the years 1990, 2010 and 2017.Design/Methodology/Approach: Landsat satellite images were processed in order to carry out supervised classifications using an artificial neural network. Images from the years 1990, 2010 and 2017 were used to estimate ground cover of D. viscosa, pastures, crops, shrubs, and oak forest. This data was used to calculate the expansion of D. viscosa in the study area.Results/Study Limitations/Implications: the supervised classification with the artificial neural network was optimal after 400 iterations, obtaining the best overall precision of 84.5 % for 2017. This contrasted with the year 1990, when overall accuracy was low at 45 % due to less training sites (fewer than 100) recorded for each of the land cover classes.Findings/Conclusions: in 1990, D. viscosa was found on only five hectares, while by 2017 it had increased to 147 hectares. If the disturbance caused by overgrazing continues, and based on the distribution of D. viscosa, it is likely that in a few years it will have the ability to invade half the study area, occupying agricultural, forested, and shrub areas

Unseen Laws- A Quantitative Approach to Developments in North Korea’s Legal System

2018 ◽  
pp. 22-62
Author(s):  
Martin Weiser
Keyword(s):  
North Korea ◽  
Legal Rules ◽  
The North ◽  
Legal Texts ◽  
Policy Fields ◽  
Policy Agendas ◽  
Broad Policy ◽  
Sophisticated Analysis ◽  
Detailed Picture ◽  
Law Making

The position of law in North Korean politics and society has been a long concern of scholars as well as politicians and activists. Some argue it would be more important to understand the extra-legal rules that run North Korea like the Ten Principles on the leadership cult as they supersede any formal laws or the constitution.1 But the actual legal developments in North Korea, which eventually also mediate those leading principles and might even limit their reach, has so far been insufficiently explored. It is easy to point to North Korean secrecy as a main reason for this lacuna. But the numerous available materials and references on North Korean legislation available today have, however, not been fully explored yet, which has severely impeded progress in the field. Even publications officially released by North Korea to foreigners offer surprisingly detailed information on legal changes and the evolution of the law-making institutions. This larger picture of legal developments already draws a more detailed picture of the institutional developments in North Korean law and the broad policy fields that had been regulated from early on in contrast to the often-assumed absence of legislation in important fields like copyright, civil law or investment. It also shows that different to a monolithic system, various law-making institutions exist and fulfil discernably different legal responsibilities. Next to this limitation in content, scholars in the field currently also have not used all approaches legal developments in the North Korea could be analysed and interpreted with. Going beyond the reading of legal texts or speculating about known titles of still unavailable legislation, quantitative approaches can be applied ranging from the simple counting of laws to more sophisticated analysis of legislative numbering often provided with legislation. Understanding the various institutions as flexible in their roles and hence adoptable to shifts in leadership and policy agendas can also provide a more realistic picture of legal practices in North Korea.

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