Ecological Processes

Introduction: Land use/land cover change can affect the ecological processes of an area such as hydrological cycle. The change in the condition of water resources of an area could be a good indicator of changes in ecosystem function as a result of altered land use/land cover. Eucalyptus expansion in central Ethiopia is one of the recent land use/land cover changes causing controversy on its potential ecological effect. This study was designed to evaluate effects of three adjacent land uses/land covers, i.e. cultivated land, grassland and Eucalyptus woodlot on surface runoff in Meja River watershed, central Ethiopia. Methods: The rainfall amount at each study catchment was collected using the rain gauge installed to record daily rainfall amount. The three land use/land cover types in each study catchment were selected for comparison as treatments. Four replications of each land use/land cover were used forming a total of 12 runoff plots. The rainfall and runoff data were collected twice a day for 91 days. Results: The study found that land use/land cover significantly affects surface runoff generated from the plots. Higher runoff was recorded from cultivated land. There was no significant difference on runoff volume between grassland and Eucalyptus woodlot. Conclusions: This shows that expansion of Eucalyptus on grassland could not have significant impact on surface runoff generation but if planted on previously farmland could reduce surface runoff.

Background: Soil erosion is one of the major threats in the Ethiopian highlands. In this study, soil erosion in the Muga watershed of the Upper Blue Nile Basin (Abay) under historical and future climate and land use/land cover (LULC) change was assessed. Future LULC was predicted based on LULC map of 1985, 2002, and 2017. LULC maps of the historical periods were delineated from Landsat images, and future LULC was predicted using the CA-Markov chain model. Precipitation for the future period was projected from six regional circulation models. The RUSLE model was used to estimate the current and future soil erosion rate in Muga watershed. Results: The average annual rate of soil erosion in the study area was increased from about 15 t ha −1 year −1 in 1985 to 19 t ha −1 year −1 in 2002, and 19.7 t ha −1 year −1 in 2017. Expansion of crop cultivation and loss of vegetation caused an increase in soil erosion. Unless proper measure is taken against the LULC changes, the rate of soil loss is expected to increase and reach about 20.7 t ha −1 year −1 in 2033. In the 2050s, soil loss is projected to increase by 9.6% and 11.3% under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively, compared with the baseline period. Thus, the soil loss rate is expected to increase under both scenarios due to the higher erosive power of the future intense rainfall. When both LULC and climate changes act together, the mean annual soil loss rate shows a rise of 13.2% and 15.7% in the future under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively, which is due to synergistic effects. Conclusions: The results of this study can be useful for formulating proper land use planning and investments to mitigate the adverse effect of LULC on soil loss. Furthermore, climate change will exacerbate the existing soil erosion problem and would need for vigorous proper conservation policies and investments to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on soil loss.

Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) is an important tool for conservation planning and resource management. Invasive species represent a good opportunity to evaluate SDMs predictive accuracy with independent data as their invasive range can expand quickly. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between presence of Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. and environmental variables in Fandoghlou rangeland, Ardabil, Iran using logistic regression model. Sampling was conducted in six sites as presence/absence of L. vulgare by a systematic random method in 2016. Physiographic, climatic, surface coverage and density of L. vulgare were measured in sampling sites. In the beginning, middle and end of each transect, soil samples were taken from the depth of rootstock of range plants including L. vulgare. Soil attributes were measured in the laboratory. The maps of physiographic and climate were derived from digital elevation model, and selected soil attributes were derived using Kriging interpolation method. Derived regression equation from the presence of L. vulgare was applied to map the effective environmental variables, and a prediction map was produced for the study area. The comparison between the predicted and actual maps was assessed using the Kappa coefficient. Results showed that the presence of L. vulgare had a positive relationship with temperature and volumetric soil water content factors and had a negative relationship with electrical conductivity, sodium, diffusible clay factors. Therefore, L. vulgare type is significantly affected by the presence of these factors (p<0.01). The Kappa coefficient was 0.55 for derived predicted map. The evaluation of the model indicated that logistic regression was able to predict the distribution of L. vulgare habitats. The results of this study gave more insight and understanding from the habitats and effective environmental factors in L. vulgare distribution.

Background Iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) dynamics in sediments have direct and indirect impacts on water quality. However, the mobility of P and Fe in reservoir sediments in Eucalyptus plantation region remains unclear. This study examined P and Fe pollution in sediments in a Eucalyptus plantation region using the novel planar optode, the ZrO-Chelex DGT, and the DIFS model. Results Direct in situ investigations showed that the levels of labile P and Fe were smaller in the Eucalyptus species-dominated sediments (X2) compared to sediments without Eucalyptus species (X1). The mean concentration of labile P and Fe decreased by 25% and 42% from X1 to X2. The decrement was insignificant (p = 0.20) in the surface sediment concentration for labile P. The significant disparity for DGT-Fe (Fe2+) (p = 0.03) observed in the surface sediments could be attributed to the Eucalyptus species’ elevated organic matter (tannins) concentration at X2, which reacted and consumed labile Fe. For both regions...

Following two centuries of land clearing, the past two decades have seen growing efforts to reestablish forest on formerly-cleared sites. While the immediate goals of reforestation vary, there is also a widespread expectation that one of its effects will be an improvement in "biodiversity value". However, agreed standards concerning how this can be measured, and against what benchmarks it should be judged, are lacking. This paper describes a study of biodiversity development in different types of rainforest reforestation in tropical and subtropical eastern Australia. It provides information on the responses of rainforest fauna and also discusses key issues of survey design and methodology that, if ignored, may limit the effectiveness of monitoring programs. The nature of rainforest, its history within Australia, and its role as fauna habitat are briefly reviewed. Modern deforestation and human land use, and various reforestation pathways (including regrowth, timber plantation, and ecological restoration projects) are described. Then, design principles, biodiversity measurements, and issues relating to their choice are discussed. These include: spatial scale; site selection and replication in relation to environmental variation; reference sites; the array of potentially measurable biotic and process variables, and spatio-temporal measurement scales. Finally we explore analytical options and present selected findings, using univariate and multivariate approaches, and comparing simple species richness, functional groupings, and analyses of taxonomic composition. Rainforest biodiversity value is defined as the development of a rainforest-like set of biota and ecological processes. Reforested sites were generally intermediate between pasture and rainforest reference sites in the measured components of rainforest biodiversity value. Many components had been rapidly (by around 10 years) acquired by ecological restoration sites, although it is clear that some components will take decades or longer to develop. The results also show: (1) the existence of production/ biodiversity trade-offs, in that sites managed for timber production acquired less biodiversity value than those planted for ecological restoration; (2) moderate correspondence across different indicator taxa when they are analysed for assemblage composition; (3) very little agreement among indicator taxa when overall richness is used; (4) a likelihood of important landscape and context effects. Long-term conservation of rainforest fauna will require rainforest restoration over substantial areas of currently denuded land. However, although rainforest restoration may often show reasonable success, it should not be viewed as an alternative to conserving existing remnants and advanced regrowth.

In managed forests, leaving retention trees during final harvesting has globally become a common approach to reconciling the often conflicting goals of timber production and safeguarding biodiversity and delivery of several ecosystem services. In Finland, the dominant certification scheme requires leaving low levels of retention that can benefit some specific species. However, species responses are dependent on the level of retention and the current low amounts of retention clearly do not provide the habitat quality and continuity needed for declining and red-listed forest species which are dependent on old living trees and coarse woody debris. Several factors contribute to this situation. First, the ecological benefits of the current low retention levels are further diminished by monotonous standwise use of retention, resulting in low variability of retention habitat at the landscape scale. Second, the prevailing timber-oriented management thinking may regard retention trees as an ...

This study assesses watershed vulnerability to erosion and sedimentation in Guyana using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) classification. It aims to assess erosion risk by examining rainfall erosivity, soil types, and spatial variability. The integration of DEM-derived slope data with LULC and rainfall ero- sivity shows a strong correlation between high rainfall (20,809.02–31,262.35 mm) and erosivity (21,433.29– 32,200.22 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr−1), indicating increased erosion potential, particularly in southwestern regions. Soil analysis reveals Plinthic Acrisols, with high clay content, are more prone to erosion, whereas Orthic Ferralsols are less vulnerable. Slope analysis suggests flat terrain (89.16 %) has low erosion risk, but steeper slopes require interventions. Conservation strategies like reforestation, sustainable agriculture, contour plowing, and terracing are recommended to reduce erosion impacts. This integrated assessment provides insights for prioritizing soil conservation and adaptive management to address erosion risks in Guyana.

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BackgroundThe European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculusL. 1758) was introduced into different regions of the world, generating significant trade-offs that critically impacted native vegetation. Here, we evaluate the rabbit&#39;s forage intakes in three vegetation types (forests, shrublands, and grasslands) along the four seasons in a temperate forest landscape in Southern Patagonia and discuss the potential threats over native vegetation. We formulated the following questions: (i) what is the forage offer at each vegetation type? (ii) what is the rabbit&#39;s forage intake and how it varied across the seasons along the year? and (iii) which vegetation types and plant life forms were more used according to the rabbit&#39;s forage intakes?MethodsWe censused understory vegetation to characterize the forage offer at each vegetation type and determined seasonal dietary intakes using microhistological analysis of pellets. The plant species identified in the field were grouped according to li...

Background The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most iconic tree species of the Mediterranean region, with valuable economic, ecological and cultural value. Carob has been exploited around the Mediterranean region since antiquity and has been regarded as an important component of natural habitats and traditional agroecosystems. Several studies have focused on its morphological, biochemical, and genetic diversity. However, less is known about the intraspecific variation of seed traits. In this regard, and as an overall objective, we intend to evaluate the amplitude and the expression of intraspecific variations of carob seed traits at different ecological scales ranging from individual trees to different geographical landscapes. In addition, we investigated how the climate along the study area affects the extent of carob seed variability. Using image analysis techniques, we measured seven traits related to the size and the shape of 1740 seeds collected from 18 populati...

Background In ambrosia and bark beetles-fungi interaction, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play a central role in mediating various aspects of community dynamics of beetles and/or fungi. These functions include facilitating beetle habitat location, mate identification, and fungal partner differentiation. However, the understanding on this context remains limited, especially in the globally distributed subfamily Platypodinae, which comprises predominantly ambrosia beetles. There is a lack of chemical data on ambrosia fungi from native South American species. This study addresses this gap by characterizing VOCs from twelve fungal species associated with Megaplatypus mutatus and assessing species-specific behavioral responses during dispersal. Methods Fungal VOCs were collected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with solid-phase microextraction and Y-olfactometry assays of males and females were performed at dispersal stage. Statistical analyses involved: non-metric multidimensional scaling multivariate plot and PERMANOVA test, a cluster analysis through unweighted pair group method with Jaccard index, and finally, a chi-square goodness-of-fit test for beetle behavioral assays. Results We identified 72 VOCs from the fungal species isolated from M. mutatus galleries, exocuticle, and gut. The olfactory behavior of M. mutatus demonstrated its capacity to discriminate between volatile profiles, showing a preference for either the fungus or the control source. Our results also enhance the understanding in a chemotaxonomic context and in the behavioral responses of M. mutatus revealing the beetle's remarkable low temperature tolerance and its capability to maintain mobility and orientation toward volatile sources even after zero-degree Celsius exposure. Conclusion This study presents a comprehensive insight into fungal VOC profiles, emphasizing the sources of isolation within pest associated fungi, as well as its symbiotic species from the Raffaelea genus. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Megaplatypus mutatus exhibits a general aversion to its fungal VOCs symbiont. However, a notable exception arises when the beetles are pre-exposed for 48 h to freezing conditions, highlighting the beetles' ability

Introduction: Multi-temporal land-use and land-cover data provides a historical vehicle for determining and evaluating long-term trends in bio-physical landscapes. Land-use and land-cover assessment and mapping is one of the most useful applications of geographic information system (GIS) for planning, management, and development. This study analyses the spatio-temporal pattern of forest cover dynamics for three decades in Falgore Game Reserve in Kano, Nigeria. The dynamics of forest cover transition during 1985-2015 was analysed using multi-temporal Landsat imagery. Results: The spatio-temporal analysis shows that moderate woodland dominated in 1985 (46%) and 2005 (57%) but was replaced by open woodland in 2015 which accounts for 58% of the total area of Falgore Game Reserve (FGR) currently. Dense woodland occupied the least area of the total forest estate that varied between 17% in 1985 and 1% in 2015. The results indicate that dense woodland, moderate woodland, and very open woodland were decreased at annual average rate of 3, 1, and 0.4%. Open woodland had expanded from 21,127 ha in 1985 to 53,392 ha in 2015. The main drivers of forest resource degradation in the area were found to be excessive fuelwood collection, overgrazing, agricultural expansion, and forest fire. Conclusions: These findings suggest that protection strategies employed in FGR were not effective as deforestation is still evident in the reserve. Government and environmental based NGOs should therefore prioritize effective and efficient conservation strategy for present and future use of forest resources, in addition to the provision of alternative livelihood sources to communities proximate to the reserve. This will ensure the socioeconomic well-being of the locals and sustainable conservation of biological diversity in the area.

Visual impacts of alternative timber harvest practices are important to consider when developing timber harvest plans or undertaking ecosystem management operations. People's reaction to alternative timber management practices may be related to their level of confidence in the stewardship capabilities of forest management organizations. Determining visual preferences for alternative timber harvest practices is one way of identifying the visual effects of alternative patterns. Ongoing work at the Capitol State Forest, located near Olympia, Washington, has provided a comprehensive look at visual preferences for six alternative harvest patterns by various interest groups. These groups include foresters, recreationists, environmentalists, educators, and the general public. Groups tend to share a common preference for patterns showing minimal disturbance but are significantly different as the intensity of harvest practices increase. Foresters showed higher preferences for intensive forest management practices, whereas all other groups indicated a lower preference for intensive forest practices. Tree retention, harvest size, and residual material seem to be contributing factors related to preference ratings.

Visual impacts of alternative timber harvest practices are important to consider when developing timber harvest plans or undertaking ecosystem management operations. People's reaction to alternative timber management practices may be related to their level of confidence in the stewardship capabilities of forest management organizations. Determining visual preferences for alternative timber harvest practices is one way of identifying the visual effects of alternative patterns. Ongoing work at the Capitol State Forest, located near Olympia, Washington, has provided a comprehensive look at visual preferences for six alternative harvest patterns by various interest groups. These groups include foresters, recreationists, environmentalists, educators, and the general public. Groups tend to share a common preference for patterns showing minimal disturbance but are significantly different as the intensity of harvest practices increase. Foresters showed higher preferences for intensive forest management practices, whereas all other groups indicated a lower preference for intensive forest practices. Tree retention, harvest size, and residual material seem to be contributing factors related to preference ratings.

Land-use change influences biodiversity in non-random ways, affecting some species and functional groups more than others, with potential implications for the loss or degradation of important ecological processes, such as seed dispersal. Here we investigate the effect of patch-size reduction on the composition and functional richness (FRic) of avian communities in Atlantic Forest fragments, focusing on morphological traits associated with seed dispersal in frugivorous birds. We found that FRic of three key traits-hand-wing index, body mass and gape width-decreased with patch size reduction, because species with larger values for morphological traits were lost through local extinction. The relative absence of large-gaped and more-dispersive frugivores in small forest fragments has important implications because these species play a pivotal role in seed dispersal, carrying higher seed loads for longer distances, and consuming larger-sized seeds that cannot be dispersed by smaller-gaped frugivores. Our results highlight the importance of preserving large or interconnected habitat patches, and promoting habitat restoration of cleared areas, to ensure that sufficient avian functional diversity is maintained to supply the full range of seed dispersal services required by tropical forests, both currently and in future.

The study was carried out at Doprar Forest, Southwestern Ethiopia to determine floristic composition to identify community types in the study area. A total of 60 plots, 20 m x 20 m along horizontal gradient were laid to collect the data on cover-abundance, DBH, height, and density for trees and shrub. The data on herbaceous species were collected from five, 5 m x 5 m subplots laid at four corners each and one at the center of the large plot. A total of 79 plant species belonging to 32 families and 57genera were identified. The five most dominant families were: Fabaceae 21 species, Combretaceae and Vitaceae are each represented by 5 species Commelinaceae and Convolvulaceae are each by 4 species. Four communities were derived from the PC-ORD by clustering the plots into groups, based on the abundance of the species. The name for each community type was given based on high synoptic values of tree and/or shrub species. The study on vegetation and population structure showed that the density of tree species was high at the lower class levels. Tree density was 737.56 individuals per hectare and the basal area was 52.17m2/ha, frequency of all the tree species (762/ha) and the respective IVI values for each tree species were also calculated. The comparison of Doprar forest with other forests in Ethiopia with respect to tree densities, percentage distribution of tree species, and basal area was done. Two general patterns of population structure were recognized.

Introduction: In the Pacific Northwest of North America, research addressing lentic-breeding amphibian population vulnerability has emphasized aquatic habitats, frequently neglecting terrestrial habitats. Consequently, wetland protection and restoration often fails to preserve or restore adjacent uplands required by lentic-breeding amphibians. Inattention to the juxtaposition and connectivity of uplands to wetlands could locally extirpate lentic-breeding amphibians. The objective of this research is to identify the relative importance of juxtaposed terrestrial and aquatic habitats in a lentic-breeding amphibian, the northern red-legged frog (Rana aurora), by evaluating the relationship between its occurrence and abundance with its aquatic and terrestrial habitats. To accomplish this, egg mass counts were used to quantify R. aurora populations in 30 stillwater habitats across an urbanization gradient. Using a Geographic Information System, seven descriptors of aquatic and surrounding terrestrial habitats were measured to evaluate their relationships to R. aurora occurrence and abundance. Results: Rana aurora occurrence and breeding abundance both reflect the forested area around wetland breeding sites and forest connectivity to those sites. Rana aurora breeding abundance also strongly reflects the percent of forested perimeter around wetland breeding sites. The forest habitat most important for R. aurora breeding abundance seems to be > 200 m from the breeding wetlands. The American bullfrog presence and the two aquatic parameters measured, wetland area and vegetated area, were unrelated to R. aurora occurrence and breeding abundance. Conclusions: Area and connectivity of juxtaposed forested terrestrial habitat may represent a basic control on R. aurora presence and population size. Urban development policies should consider preservation and restoration of upland forest habitats beyond current fixed-width buffers and wetland habitat area at landscape scales.

BackgroundData on the impact of species diversity on biomass in the Central Himalayas, along with stand structural attributes is sparse and inconsistent. Moreover, few studies in the region have related population structure and the influence of large trees on biomass. Such data is crucial for maintaining Himalayan biodiversity and carbon stock. Therefore, we investigated these relationships in major Central Himalayan forest types using non-destructive methodologies to determine key factors and underlying mechanisms.ResultsTropicalShorea robustadominant forest has the highest total biomass density (1280.79 Mg ha−1) and total carbon density (577.77 Mg C ha−1) along with the highest total species richness (21 species). The stem density ranged between 153 and 457 trees ha−1with large trees (&gt; 70 cm diameter) contributing 0–22%. Conifer dominant forest types had higher median diameter andCedrus deodaraforest had the highest growing stock (718.87 m3ha−1); furthermore,C.deodaracontribut...

This study was conducted in a winter rangeland at Zarandieh, Markazi province. Firstly, property of rural rangelands including private and collective management were selected as three area levels of small (0-1000 hectares), medium (1000-2500 ha) and large (greater than 2500 hectares) were studied based on Range management Plans (RMP). A property without plan was also selected as control treatment. After determining the number and size of quadrats in each vegetation community, an area was selected as reference for data collection. Then, collected data were analyzed by nest design analysis using SAS soft ware. The results showed that the rangelands with RMP had a better condition than those without RMP. Also rangelands under private management showed a better condition in comparison with collective management. Meanwhile, range condition of large area property was better than that of medium and small ones. According to the results, range management based on private RMP in a large property was identified as the best management.

Background Wetlands provide diverse ecological services to sustain rich biodiversity, but they are recklessly exploited around the globe. East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW; Ramsar site No. 1208, ~ 125 km2) was once very rich in faunal diversity that declined over the years due to various anthropogenic pressures. In such scenarios, effective management plans need to contemplate local and landscape level initiatives and prioritize areas for conservation. Studying the foraging guild structure and spatial patterns of relationship between bird and its environment provides important insight of ecological processes of avifauna. Thus, we carried out extensive surveys in 142 point count stations to explore the diversity and foraging guild structure of birds in EKW. We addressed two important questions that how bird diversity varied from the outer periphery of the city towards the wetlands and how bird diversity is influenced by land cover features at local and landscape level in wetland complex. Th...

Background Few studies have incorporated the evolutionary insights provided by analysis of phylogenetic structure along with community composition to assess the effects of exotic invasion on freshwater wetlands. Here, we assess the taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among acid seep springs to investigate the potential homogenization or resistance of communities due to invasion of an exotic grass. Results Multivariate community analyses indicated differences in community and phylogenetic composition and dispersion among acid seep springs, associated with gradients in soil moisture, canopy cover, and phylogenetic diversity. By contrast, univariate analyses showed differences in taxonomic diversity but not phylogenetic diversity among acid seep springs. Conclusions Despite exotic invasion, individual acid seep springs remained taxonomically and phylogenetically distinct from each other. Taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity metrics revealed different aspects of composition, reinfo...

Background The conversion of forests into agricultural lands can be a threat because the forests carbon stored could be a source of emissions. The capacity to improve the predictions on the consequences of land use change depends on the identification of factors that influence carbon pools. We investigated the key driving factors of tree biomass and soil carbon pools in xerophytic forests in northeastern Argentina. Based on analyses of forest structure variables and abiotic factors (topography and soil properties) from 18 mature forests, we evaluated carbon pools using uniand multivariate (redundancy analysis) methods. Results The total carbon pool was estimated at 102.4 ± 24.0 Mg ha −1. Soil organic carbon storage is the single largest carbon pool relative to tree biomass, representing 73.1% of total carbon. Tree canopy cover and basal area were positively correlated with biomass carbon pool (r = 0.77 and r = 0.73, p < 0.001, respectively), proving to be significant drivers of carbon storage in this compartment. Slope, soil clay content and cation-exchange capacity had a better explanation for the variability in soil carbon pools, and all showed significant positive correlations with soil carbon pools (r = 0.64, 0.60 and 0.50; p < 0.05, respectively). The vertisols showed a 27.8% higher soil carbon stock than alfisols. Conclusions The relevance of our study stems from a dearth of information on carbon pools and their drivers in xerophytic forests, and in particular, the importance of this ecosystems' type for Argentina, because they cover 81.9% of native forest area. Basal area and tree canopy cover exert a strong effect on the carbon pool in tree biomass but not in the soil. The results suggests that there is a potentially major SOC accumulation in forests located in slightly sloping areas and soils with higher topsoil clay content, such as vertisols. This could provide an important reference for implementing forestry carbon sink projects.

Background Tree regeneration is a key component of resilience because it promotes post-disturbance recovery of forests. Northwestern Patagonia from Argentina is occupied by Nothofagus alpina (Na), N. obliqua (No), and N. dombeyi (Nd) forests that grow along an intense precipitation gradient, managed throughout shelterwood silvicultural system by technicians of the Lanin Natural Reserve. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of seeding cuttings over the dynamics of Nothofagus mixed forests across landscape (precipitation gradient) based mainly on the composition and abundance of tree regeneration, permanent sampling plots and generalized linear mixed models. In particular, we analysed: (i) the structure of sexual and asexual regeneration during < 10, 10-20 and > 20 years after harvest (the dynamics of managed forests), and (ii) the structure of sexual regeneration in primary and managed forests after > 20 years of harvest (the effect of silviculture). Results Nd was the most abundant species in the regeneration of managed forests during all periods in both sites despite its lower contribution to the adult cohort. During the 10-20 years period after harvest, the humid site exhibited higher regeneration density than the mesic site (120,000 and 6000 ind ha −1 , respectively), and it decreased afterwards. The number of established regeneration (> 2 m height) was lower for Na in the mesic site and for No in the humid site (0 and 57 ind ha −1 , respectively). However, in comparison to No, Na showed a higher number of sprouted stumps and sprouts per stump, and a higher sprout height in the mesic site. No exhibited higher sprout mortality in the humid site. Finally, the regeneration of primary forests showed lower density and height, and a more balanced composition than that of managed forests. Conclusions The silvicultural effects on the mixed forest regeneration dynamics was strongly influenced by the condition of sites. Therefore, management prescriptions should be adjusted in order to consider the environmental variation occurring through the entire landscape. An adaptive management that considers the pattern and process of sexual and asexual regeneration and disturbance will contribute to promote a greater resilience of mixed forest ecosystems.

Background: Land use/cover and management practices are widely known to influence soil organic matter (S OM) quality and quantity. The present study investigated the effect of different land use, i.e., forests viz. mixed forest cover (MFC), Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC-dominated forest cover (PFC), and cultivated sites viz. agriculture field (AF), vegetable field (VF), respectively, on soil parameter, microbial activity, and enzymes involved in soil nutrient cycle in a semiarid region of India. Results: The results showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in soil carbon (S C), soil nitrogen (S N) content (~30-80%) and consequently the soil microbial biomass carbon (S MBC) (~70-80%), soil basal respiration (S BR), soil substrate-induced respiration (S SIR), and soil enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and dehydrogenase) under cultivated sites in comparison with forest sites. Pearson's correlation showed that a positive correlation of S C with S MBC , S BR , S SIR (P < 0.01), and enzymatic activities (i.e., β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase) (P < 0.05) may imply the critical role of S C in regulating microbial and enzymatic activity. Also, a positive correlation of soil moisture with urease activity (P < 0.01) was found suggesting it as a significant abiotic factor for soil biological functions. Additionally, based on the PCA analysis, we observed the clustering of S MBC /S C ratio and qCO 2 nearby AF. Conclusion: Our study suggests that soil microbial parameters (S MBC , S BR , S SIR , S MBC /S C , qCO 2) and enzyme activity are key indicators of soil health and fertility. Land use/cover alters the S OM content and soil microbial functions. The management strategies focusing on the conservation of natural forest and minimizing the land disturbances will be effective in preventing soil carbon flux as CO 2 and maintaining the S C stock.

Background: Soil respiration (S R) is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. We measured the S R and soil environmental factors over 1 year in four land uses with varying levels of disturbance and different vegetation types viz., mixed forest cover (MFC), Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) forest cover (PFC), agricultural field (AF), and vegetable field (VF), in a semi-arid area of Delhi, India. Our primary aim was to assess the effects of soil moisture (S M), soil temperature (S T), and soil microbial activity (S MA) on the S R. Methods: The S R was measured monthly using an LI-6400 with an infrared gas analyser and a soil chamber. The S M was measured using the gravimetric method. The S T (10 cm) was measured with a probe attached to the LI-6400. The S MA was determined by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis. Results: The S R showed seasonal variations, with the mean annual S R ranging from 3.22 to 5.78 μmol m −2 s −1 and higher S R rates of~15-55% in the cultivated fields (AF, VF) than in the forest sites (MFC, PFC). The VF had significantly higher S R (P < 0.05) than the other land uses (AF, PFC, MFC), which did not vary significantly from one another in S R (P < 0.05). The repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the significant differences (P < 0.05) in the S R for high precipitation months (July, August, September, February). The S M as a single factor showed a strong significant relationship in all the land uses (R 2 = 0.67-0.91, P < 0.001). The effect of the S T on the S R was found to be weak and non-significant in the PFC, MFC, and AF (R 2 = 0.14-0.31; P > 0.05). Contrasting results were observed in the VF, which showed high S R during summer (May; 11.21 μmol m −2 s −1) and a significant exponential relationship with the S T (R 2 = 0.52; P < 0.05). The S R was positively related to the S MA (R 2 = 0.44-0.5; P < 0.001). The interactive equations based on the independent variables S M , S T , and S MA explained 91-95% of the seasonal variation in S R with better model performance in the cultivated land use sites (AF, VF). Conclusion: S M was the key determining factor of the S R in semi-arid ecosystems and explained~90% of the variation. Precipitation increased S R by optimizing the S M and microbial activity. The S MA , along with the other soil factors S M and S T , improved the correlation with S R. Furthermore, the degraded land uses will be more susceptible to temporal variations in S R under changing climatic scenarios, which may influence the carbon balance of these ecosystems.

Our civilization is fundamentally based on agriculture, which provides resources and food to an expanding population. But because of rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and a rise in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, climate change is endangering this industry. Our study aims to fill a significant gap in the existing literature by focusing on the effects of climate change on vegetable crops. It also highlights the need to address climate change in a differentiated
manner, taking into account the unique characteristics of each agricultural sector. By using the Web of Science and Scopus databases, 219 publications were carefully examined to see which ones fully addressed how climate change is affecting vegetable crops. Only 53 of the 219 publications that were reviewed were solely concerned with how climate change is affecting vegetable crops. This suggests that more specialised research is needed in this field, especially considering the complex issues that climate change raises regarding yield, non-trivial quality, and food safety. Future research in this area is therefore encouraged. Crop-based adaptation techniques are required, taking into account the crop's characteristics, degree of sensitivity, and agro-ecological zone. In addition, monitoring the ability of various horticulture crops to absorb carbon dioxide in comparison to annual field crops can help create a blueprint for addressing climate change-related problems.

Background Land-use change frequently affects faunistic populations and communities. To achieve successful conservation strategies, we need suitable information about species distribution and the causes of extinction risk. Many amphibian species depend on riparian vegetation to complete their life cycles. About 41% of amphibian species are globally threatened, and accurate estimations of population size, species richness and the identification of critical habitats are urgently needed worldwide. To evaluate the magnitude of changes in species richness and demography, estimations that include detection probability are necessary. In this study, we employed multi-species occupancy models to estimate detection probability and the effect of land cover type (i.e., cropland, artificial pasture, secondary and mature forest) in a 500-m radius on the occupancy probability and richness of diurnal amphibians in 60 riparian zones in the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. Furthermore, we evalua...

Protected areas are meant to preserve native local communities within their boundaries, but they are not independent from their surroundings. Impoverished habitat quality in the matrix might influence the species composition within the protected areas through biotic homogenization. The aim of this study was to determine the impacts of matrix quality on species richness and trait composition of bird communities from the Finnish reserve area network and whether the communities are being subject of biotic homogenization due to the lowered quality of the landscape matrix. We used joint species distribution modeling to study how characteristics of the Finnish forest reserves and the quality of their surrounding matrix alter species and trait compositions of forest birds. The proportion of old forest within the reserves was the main factor in explaining the bird community composition, and the bird communities within the reserves did not strongly depend on the quality of the matrix. Yet, i...

Background The aim of this study is to elucidate the potential risk zones prone to the invasion of perennial ornamental plant Lantana camara, which is native to South America and has invasive tendency in Jharkhand, eastern India, for present (2020) and the future (2050) climatic conditions under four different Representative Concentration Pathways scenarios (RCPs). We analysed the current distribution pattern of L. camara in the plateau region of eastern India and identified potentially suitable habitats prone to its further infestation in the future under the climate change scenario. Results Results showed the presence of L. camara invasion in ~ 13% of the geographical area of Jharkhand, Chotanagpur plateau which may expand up to 20–26% by 2050 depending upon emission scenarios as characterised by the four RCPs. Analysis for the current scenario suggests the dominance of L. camara in sub-zone V (12.77% under high risk zones (HRZ) and 9.5% under critical risk zones (CRZ)) followed b...

Background Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities, yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood. This study examined bird community changes from pre-logging to recovery over the course of habitat disturbance caused by the development of the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam Project in Peninsular Malaysia, between 2007 and 2018. Bird surveys were conducted using point count observations and mist netting in the dam area from the pre-logging phase until the operation phase. Results It was observed that while bird species significantly declined after large-scale habitat clearance between the pre-logging and construction phases, they showed positive signs of recovery from the inundation to operation phases. These findings indicate that the bird community is still recovering, and the permanent loss of habitat required by most of the original species has not occurred, as evidenced by recolonisation. Bird...

This study investigates the impact of fuel wood utilization on the Pandam Wildlife Park, employing a multi-stage sampling technique to administer 3,305 questionnaires across four surrounding communities. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were utilized for data analysis. Findings indicate a predominance of male fuel wood collectors, with 80% of respondents relying on firewood as their primary energy source. Approximately 83,000 metric tons of firewood are harvested and sold weekly in the study area, posing a substantial threat to the park's ecosystem integrity. Poverty and rapid population growth are identified as major drivers of unsustainable fuel wood harvesting. Addressing this issue necessitates comprehensive rural development policies and the provision of alternative energy sources. The study highlights the importance of mitigating fuel wood dependency to conserve biodiversity and foster sustainable development in protected areas.

Background Population growth and intensified human activities in conjunction with climate variability continue to affect the hydrologic cycle, aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. In this regard, understanding interactions among ecosystem functions, impacts of anthropogenic interventions and those of climate variability is vital for projecting future ecosystem responses to human activities and climate forcing. The objectives of this study are to determine the ecological flow state via eco-flow index based on discharge hydrograph, to model the ecological diversity through the Shannon diversity index, and to assess the degree of hydrologic alteration using indicators of hydrologic alteration and range of variability approach in six hydrometric stations along the Zayandeh-Rud River in central Iran. The river drains into Gavkhuni Marsh. Also, the streamflow-induced potential changes for Capoeta damascina (a cyprinid fish species of the genus Capoeta), Petroleuciscus esfahani (a smal...

Introduction: Whether invasive plants stimulate or inhibit the soil microbial diversity is still an open question. Despite large-scale invasion by Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. Walker in the urban ecosystems of the Srinagar city of the Kashmir Himalayan region, limited information exists on its impact, particularly, on the belowground microbial diversity. The present study was thus conducted to compare the soil microbial (bacterial and ascomycetous fungal) diversity between the sites invaded by C. sumatrensis and un-invaded (control) sites. Methods: Soil metagenome was extracted from C. sumatrensis invaded and un-invaded plots at the three study sites. A total of six plots (5 × 5 m each in size), including three invaded by C. sumatrensis and three un-invaded plots were nested within each study site. DNA after amplification was subject to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); the bands were extracted from the DGGE gel, re-amplified, and sequenced for identification of the species. Results: The number of bacterial species was reduced in the invaded plots at two out of the three sites while as it was relatively higher in the un-invaded plots with many species exclusively found in these plots. Fungal species richness was higher in the invaded plots compared to the un-invaded plots at all the three sites. Also, more fungal species were found to occur exclusively in the invaded plots without being represented in the un-invaded plots. Conclusions: Invasion by C. sumatrensis alters soil microbial community structure in the urban ecosystems in the Kashmir Himalaya. How this species does so and what benefits does it draw from such alteration promise to be an interesting future discourse.

Background Tropical forests have been experiencing remarkable rates of transformation over the past century as they are getting degraded or decimated to a great extent by anthropogenic activities. This study aims at investigating the long-term forest cover transformation in Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), Jharkhand, India, using Landsat TM, ETM+, and OLI satellite images during 1975–2015. The forest cover was delineated utilizing various keys of visual interpretation techniques. Results The forest cover was primarily decreased in the north-eastern and north-western parts in PTR. In order to identify the anthropogenic disturbance in the forest reserve, human settlement density was mapped using high-resolution Google Earth imagery. The results showed a positive correlation between human population density and settlement density. Five major affected sites with an outer buffer of 2 km were demarcated in order to deduce the anthropogenic influences in major non-forested sites in PTR. It was...

Introduction: Ecosystem goods and services (EGS) studies have had little impact on policy processes and real-world decision-making due to limited understanding of the interactions and feedbacks among ecological, social and economic processes. Here we present an inter-and transdisciplinary analysis of global change impacts on EGS provision in a European mountain region. Our aim is to evaluate the projected influence of ecological, economic and social drivers on future EGS provision and to show possible ways to address the predominant limitations of EGS studies. Methods: The integrated findings from ecological experiments, mechanistic models of landscape dynamics, socioeconomic land-use models, policy analysis and transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions are presented consecutively. Four regionally downscaled global change scenarios, for a case study region near Visp, Switzerland (350 km 2), were used to examine the impacts of climate and socioeconomic changes on four ecosystem services, i.e., food provision, timber production, net greenhouse gas emissions and protection from natural hazards. Results: Our simulation results reveal four key aspects that influence the future provision of mountain EGS. First, we show the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity of EGS provision even in a small case study region. Second, we find that climate change impacts are much more pronounced for forest EGS, while changes to agricultural EGS result primarily from shifts in economic conditions. Third, our modeling results reveal the complex trade-offs associated with the different scenarios. Fourth, simulations illustrate the importance of interactions between environmental shifts and economic decisions. We discuss our simulation results with respect to both existing policy networks and transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions. Conclusion: We describe a framework based on experiments and observations that effectively supports the integration of ecological processes into an integrative modeling chain of EGS provision in mountain regions, the political decision-making process and also transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions.

Spatiotemporal variation in rainfall erosivity resulting from changes in rainfall characteristics due to climate change has implications for soil erosion in developing countries. To promote soil and water conservation planning, it is essential to understand past and future changes in rainfall erosivity and their implications on a national scale. In this study, we present an approach that uses a Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method to merge multiple regional climate models (RCMs), thereby improving the reliability of climate-induced rainfall erosivity projections. Our multi-climate model and multi-emission scenario approach utilize five RCMs and two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) scenarios for the baseline period (1986–2005) and future periods (2071–2090) to characterize the spatiotemporal projection of rainfall erosivity and assess variations in China. Our results indicate that the two models outperform other models in reproducing the spatial distribution and annual cycle of rainfall erosivity in China. Moreover, we found an increasing trend in the annual rainfall erosivity from the baseline climate up to the RCMs for all models, with an average change in erosivity of approximately 10.9% and 14.6% under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively. Our BMA results showed an increase in the absolute value of rainfall erosivity by 463.3 and 677.0 MJ·mm·hm−2·h−1, respectively, in the South China red soil region and the Southwest China karst region under the RCP8.5 scenario. This increase indicates that climate warming will significantly enhance the potential erosion capacity of rainfall in these regions. Additionally, our study revealed that the Southwest China karst region and the Northwest China Loess Plateau region are more sensitive to radiation forcing. To mitigate the risk of soil erosion caused by climate change, it is necessary to consider changes in rainfall erosivity, local soil conditions, vegetation coverage, and other factors in different regions and take appropriate soil and water conservation measures.

Introduction: Damming is one of the dramatic impacts to river food webs due to habitat fragmentation and changes in the hydrological regimes. The world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), has been constructed in the middle of Yangtze River since 2003. The objective of this study was to understand the effects of altered hydrological regime on the trophic structure of fish food web along the hydrological gradient in the TGD. Methods: Fish samples were collected from an upstream, a midstream and a downstream site of the Yangtze River upstream of the TGD in May and September of 2004. Muscle tissue of each fish species was determined for stable isotopic compositions (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) which were used to calculate isotope-based Bayesian community-wide trophic metrics. Results: Stable isotope trophic niche analysis reveals reduced utilization of basal resource and trophic niche space at the midstream and downstream sites. By contrast, community trophic diversity and species redundancy were higher at the downstream than the upstream and midstream, likely as the result of reduced the spectrum of basal resources. These findings suggested that the negative impacts on the overall trophic niche space from reduced flow, increased water depth and stagnancy occurred only one year after the completion of the TGD. Conclusions: Altered hydrological regimes posed multiple impacts to the aquatic food web. Reduced flow and increased water depth within TGD has posed initial effects to the fish community trophic structure. Further collections ana analysis of ecological data to compare the fish trophic structure revealed in this study are needed to assess the long-term impacts of TGD on fish community structure and resources utilization.

Introduction: The Florida Everglades has undergone significant ecological change spanning the continuum of disturbance to restoration. While the restoration effort is not complete and the ecosystem continues to experience short duration perturbations, a better understanding of long-term C dynamics of the Everglades is needed to facilitate new restoration efforts. This study evaluated temporal trends of different aquatic carbon (C) pools of the northern Everglades Protection Area over a 20-year period to gauge historic C cycling patterns. Dissolved inorganic C (DIC), dissolved organic C (DOC), particulate organic C (POC), and surface water carbon dioxide (pCO 2(aq)) were investigated between May 1, 1994 and April 30, 2015. Results: Annual mean concentrations of DIC, DOC, POC, and pCO 2(aq) significantly decreased through time or remained constant across the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs). Overall, the magnitude of the different C pools in the water column significantly differed between regions. Outgassing of CO 2 was dynamic across the Everglades ranging from 420 to 2001 kg CO 2 year −1. Overall, the historic trend in CO 2 flux from the marsh declined across our study area while pCO 2(aq) largely remained somewhat constant with the exception of Water Conservation Area 2 which experienced significant declines in pCO 2(aq). Particulate OC concentrations were consistent between WCAs, but a significantly decreasing trend in annual POC concentrations was observed. Conclusions: Hydrologic condition and nutrient inputs significantly influenced the balance, speciation, and flux of C pools across WCAs suggesting a subsidy-stress response in C dynamics relative to landscape scale responses in nutrient availability. The interplay between nutrient inputs and hydrologic condition exert a driving force on the balance between DIC and DOC production via the metabolism of organic matter which forms the base of the aquatic food web. Along the restoration trajectory as water quality and hydrology continues to improve, it is expected that C pools will respond accordingly.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to assess enrichments in stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in brown-marbled groupers (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus), a marine fish that has been widely used in aquaculture. Stable isotope analysis has been used to evaluate dietary sources and the trophic position of fish. There is the need to better understand the pattern of isotope enrichment between consumers and diets under laboratory conditions. Methods We studied the changes in stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes of juvenile brown-marbled groupers during a feeding experiment in 2009. Fish were grown in aquaria and fed a sole source of protein for 56 days and analyzed for δ13C and δ15N ratios in whole fish, muscle, and liver tissues. Results At the end of the 56-day feeding experiment, fish grew to an average of 55.6 g from an average of 22.5 g. Compared to the dietary isotope compositions, whole fish and muscle tissues of the juvenile groupers were enriched in δ13C by 1....