scholarly journals Modelling Mediterranean agro-ecosystems by including agricultural trees in the LPJmL model

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 4997-5040 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fader ◽  
W. von Bloh ◽  
S. Shi ◽  
A. Bondeau ◽  
W. Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Olive Trees ◽  
Agricultural Yields ◽  
Fodder Grasses

Abstract. Climate and land use change in the Mediterranean region is expected to affect natural and agricultural ecosystems by decreases in precipitation, increases in temperature as well as biodiversity loss and anthropogenic degradation of natural resources. Demographic growth in the Eastern and Southern shores will require increases in food production and put additional pressure on agro-ecosystems and water resources. Coping with these challenges requires informed decisions that, in turn, require assessments by means of a comprehensive agro-ecosystem and hydrological model. This study presents the inclusion of 10 Mediterranean agricultural plants, mainly perennial crops, in an agro-ecosystem model (LPJmL): nut trees, date palms, citrus trees, orchards, olive trees, grapes, cotton, potatoes, vegetables and fodder grasses. The model was successfully tested in three model outputs: agricultural yields, irrigation requirements and soil carbon density. With the development presented in this study, LPJmL is now able to simulate in good detail and mechanistically the functioning of Mediterranean agriculture with a comprehensive representation of ecophysiological processes for all vegetation types (natural and agricultural) and in a consistent framework that produces estimates of carbon, agricultural and hydrological variables for the entire Mediterranean basin. This development pave the way for further model extensions aiming at the representation of alternative agro-ecosystems (e.g. agroforestry), and opens the door for a large number of applications in the Mediterranean region, for example assessments on the consequences of land use transitions, the influence of management practices and climate change impacts.

scholarly journals Modelling Mediterranean agro-ecosystems by including agricultural trees in the LPJmL model

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 3545-3561 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fader ◽  
W. von Bloh ◽  
S. Shi ◽  
A. Bondeau ◽  
W. Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
Socioeconomic Changes ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Olive Trees ◽  
Agricultural Yields

Abstract. In the Mediterranean region, climate and land use change are expected to impact on natural and agricultural ecosystems by warming, reduced rainfall, direct degradation of ecosystems and biodiversity loss. Human population growth and socioeconomic changes, notably on the eastern and southern shores, will require increases in food production and put additional pressure on agro-ecosystems and water resources. Coping with these challenges requires informed decisions that, in turn, require assessments by means of a comprehensive agro-ecosystem and hydrological model. This study presents the inclusion of 10 Mediterranean agricultural plants, mainly perennial crops, in an agro-ecosystem model (Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land – LPJmL): nut trees, date palms, citrus trees, orchards, olive trees, grapes, cotton, potatoes, vegetables and fodder grasses. The model was successfully tested in three model outputs: agricultural yields, irrigation requirements and soil carbon density. With the development presented in this study, LPJmL is now able to simulate in good detail and mechanistically the functioning of Mediterranean agriculture with a comprehensive representation of ecophysiological processes for all vegetation types (natural and agricultural) and in a consistent framework that produces estimates of carbon, agricultural and hydrological variables for the entire Mediterranean basin. This development paves the way for further model extensions aiming at the representation of alternative agro-ecosystems (e.g. agroforestry), and opens the door for a large number of applications in the Mediterranean region, for example assessments of the consequences of land use transitions, the influence of management practices and climate change impacts.

scholarly journals Twenty-Three Years of Land-Use Changes Induced Considerable Threats to the Main Wetlands of Sardinia and Sicily (Italy) along the Mediterranean Bird Flyways

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ferrarini ◽  
Marco Gustin ◽  
Claudio Celada
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Natura 2000 Network ◽  
Stopover Sites ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Agricultural Areas

Biodiversity loss has multiple causes, but habitat degradation through land-use change is the predominant driver. We investigated the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in preserving the main wetlands of the two largest islands of the Mediterranean region, whose conservation is critical for many avian species at European and global level, in a 23-year period (1990–2012). In Sardinia, the surroundings of 22 wetlands were affected by an increase in artificial areas (+64 ha/year) and decrease in agricultural (−54 ha/year) and natural (−17 ha/year) ones. In Sicily, the surroundings of 16 wetlands were impacted by an increase in agricultural areas (+50 ha/year) and decrease in natural and semi-natural ones (−62 ha/year). Results show that the Natura 2000 policies were effective in preserving wetlands (no shrinkages detected in both regions), but their surroundings experienced intense processes of degradation and artificialization in all the sub-periods considered (1990–2000, 2000–2006, 2006–2012), whose effects are now threatening waterbirds and wetland integrity. The enlargement of the existing Natura 2000 sites, the creation of new ones and the speedup of the application of the rules of the Habitats and Birds Directives seem necessary to counteract the rapid land-use changes around these important stopover sites.

scholarly journals Water-Sediment Physicochemical Dynamics in a Large Reservoir in the Mediterranean Region under Multiple Stressors

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 707
Author(s):  
Patrícia Palma ◽  
Alexandra Marchã Penha ◽  
Maria Helena Novais ◽  
Sofia Fialho ◽  
Ana Lima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Potentially Toxic Metals ◽  
Large Reservoir ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Mediterranean

Nowadays, the Mediterranean freshwater systems face the threat of water scarcity, along with multiple other stressors (e.g., organic and inorganic contamination, geomorphological alterations, invasive species), leading to the impairment of their ecosystem services. All these stressors have been speeding up, due to climate variability and land cover/ land use changes, turning them into a big challenge for the water management plans. The present study analyses the physicochemical and phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a) dynamics of a large reservoir, in the Mediterranean region (Alqueva reservoir, Southern Portugal), under diverse meteorological conditions and land cover/land use real scenarios (2017 and 2018). The most important stressors were identified and the necessary tools and information for a more effective management plan were provided. Changes in these parameters were further related to the observed variations in the meteorological conditions and in the land cover/land use. The increase in nutrients and ions in the water column, and of potentially toxic metals in the sediment, were more obvious in periods of severe drought. Further, the enhancement of nutrients concentrations, potentially caused by the intensification of agricultural activities, may indicate an increased risk of water eutrophication. The results highlight that a holistic approach is essential for a better water resources management strategy.

scholarly journals The climate of the Mediterranean region: research progress and climate change impacts

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1679-1684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piero Lionello ◽  
Fatima Abrantes ◽  
Miroslav Gacic ◽  
Serge Planton ◽  
Ricardo Trigo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
The Mediterranean

scholarly journals Erosion Modelling In A Mediterranean Subcatchment Under Climate Change Scenarios Using Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA)

2015 ◽  
Vol XL-7/W3 ◽  
pp. 359-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Cilek ◽  
S. Berberoglu ◽  
M. Kirkby ◽  
B. Irvine ◽  
C. Donmez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Erosion Risk ◽  
Soil Erosion Risk ◽  
The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean region is particularly prone to erosion. This is because it is subject to long dry periods followed by heavy bursts of erosive rainfall, falling on steep slopes with fragile soils, resulting in considerable amounts of erosion. In parts of the Mediterranean region, erosion has reached a stage of irreversibility and in some places erosion has practically ceased because there is no more soil left. With a very slow rate of soil formation, any soil loss of more than 1 t ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> can be considered as irreversible within a time span of 50-100 years. The objectives of this study were i) to estimate the temporal and spatial distribution of soil erosion under climate change scenarios in study area ii) to assess the hydrological runoff processes. <br><br> In this study, climate data, land use, topographic and physiographic properties were assembled for Egribuk Subcatchment at Seyhan River Basin in Turkey and used in a process-based Geographical Information System (GIS) to determine the hydrological sediment potential and quantify reservoir sedimentation. The estimated amount of sediment transported downstream is potentially large based on hydrological runoff processes using the Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk Assessment (PESERA) model. The detailed model inputs included 128 variables derived mainly from, soil, climate, land use/cover, topography data sets. The outcomes of this research were spatial and temporal distribution of erosion amount in t ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> or month<sup>−1</sup>.

scholarly journals Assessing Ecosystem Services Supplied by Agroecosystems in Mediterranean Europe: A Literature Review

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario V. Balzan ◽  
Renata Sadula ◽  
Laura Scalvenzi
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Mediterranean

Agricultural landscapes in the Mediterranean region may be considered as social-ecological systems that are important for biodiversity conservation whilst contributing to a wide range of ecosystem services. This literature review aims to identify the current state and biases of ecosystem service assessment in agroecosystems within the Mediterranean region, evaluate pressures impacting on agroecosystems and their services, and practices that promote ecosystem service synergies in Mediterranean agroecosystems. A total of 41 papers were selected for analysis from a set of 573 potentially relevant papers. Most of the selected papers focused on supporting, regulating and provisioning services, and mostly assessed ecosystem structure or services in the European Mediterranean context. Literature about benefits and values ascribed to by communities and stakeholders remain limited. Results presented here support the notion of multifunctional Mediterranean agroecosystems and multiple synergies were recorded in this review. Publications dealing with pressures that related to agricultural practices and demographic changes were in the majority and impact on different cropping systems. This review highlights the need to carry out integrated ecosystem service assessments that consider the multiple benefits derived from agroecosystems and which may be used to identify management practices that lead to the improvement of ecosystem services capacities and flows.

scholarly journals Adapting viticulture to climate change in the Mediterranean region: Evaluations accounting for spatial differences in the producers-climate interactions

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 01001 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Santillán ◽  
V. Sotés ◽  
A. Iglesias ◽  
L. Garrote
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Spatially Explicit ◽  
Climate Scenarios ◽  
Adaptation Policy ◽  
Spatial Differences ◽  
Climate Interactions ◽  
Climate Vulnerability ◽  
The Mediterranean

Effective adaptation of viticulture to climate change requires impact and response scenarios. Although climate and production impact scenarios are based on the evaluation of a spatially heterogeneous system, conventional response scenarios do not take into account the variation of the producers-climate interactions. These interactions are often extremely heterogeneous and unevenly distributed in space, leading to errors in the needs and adaptation plans, especially in large areas. Here we develop a novel framework for adaptation that considers the heterogeneity of the responses given by producers to climate, and applies the concept to adaptation of viticulture to climate change in the Mediterranean region. We use future climate scenarios at 0.5 ∘ resolution to estimate the adaptation of viticulture by the end of the 21st century. Results suggest that most of the Mediterranean region may urgently need adaptation plans, leading to potential opportunities. By incorporating spatially explicit information on the diversity of viticulture systems, management practices, and climate vulnerability, this approach may contribute to adaptation policy.

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