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This study analyzes the impact of containment due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the vegetation cover of the Korifla sub-watershed, based on remote sensing data and spatial analysis. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the containment imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the vegetation cover and to highlight significant changes in the distribution of NDVI before and after the containment period, as well as to identify the areas most affected by these changes. The results highlight significant fluctuations in the distribution of vegetation cover, including a decrease in water area and variations in the categories of bare soil, sparse, medium-dense and dense vegetation. Using NDVI as an indicator of vegetation health, changes before and after the confinement period are highlighted. These results highlight the impact of anthropogenic disturbances such as confinement on plant ecosystems, and underline the importance of continuously monitoring vegetation cover for sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity preservation. With climatic conditions in Morocco stagnating in the two years following containment, the climatic factor is now set aside, and the focus shifts to the impact of reduced human activity.

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) play a significant role in the modification of their habitat, foremost by decreasing woody vegetation cover and density. Little is known regarding the effects of elephant habitat disturbance (EHD) on medium-to-large mammal and bird communities. While the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) predicts species richness and diversity will be maximised in areas of moderate EHD, high levels of EHD could result in habitat degradation and negatively impact certain wildlife communities. To examine this relationship, we compared mammal and avian community assemblages, richness, and diversity across differing severities (low, medium, high) of elephant disturbed habitats (woodland, shrubland, and mixed wood/shrubland) within Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) in south-eastern Kenya. From June–November 2022, we collected wildlife detection data via driving transects and surveyed EHD through observation of elephant tree damage. While EHD level did impact community assemblage, possibly through vegetation modification and/or increased habitat heterogeneity, EHD had no negative impacts on species richness and diversity in the three habitat types. In contrast to our IDH prediction, richness and diversity were highest in high EHD areas within shrubland habitat and showed no difference across EHD levels for the other two habitats. Overall, this study provides evidence that elephants in RWS are not disturbing habitats to an extent that negatively impacts sanctuary viability, and at least for shrub habitat appear to enhance it. Additionally, smaller wildlife habitats may be able to mitigate lasting elephant overpopulation damages through increased connectivity to other protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, a severe drought and heatwave occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. Previous studies have highlighted the severity of this event, yet the relevance of soil moisture (SM), as well as vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and vegetation damage, remained unclear. Here, we utilized solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and various flux data to monitor the impact of drought on vegetation and analyze the influence of different environmental factors. The results indicated a severe situation of drought and heatwave in the Yangtze River Basin in 2022 that significantly affected vegetation growth and the ecosystem carbon balance. SIF and NDVI have respective advantages in reflecting damage to vegetation under drought and heatwave conditions; SIF is more capable of capturing the weakening of vegetation photosynthesis, while NDVI can more rapidly indicate vegetation damage. Additionally, the correlation of SM and SIF are comparable to that of VPD and SIF. By contrast, the differentiation in the severity of vegetation damage among different types of vegetation is evident; cropland is more vulnerable compared to forest ecosystems and is more severely affected by drought and heatwave. These findings provided important insights for assessing the impact of compound drought and heatwave events on vegetation growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change, it is essential for sustainable development to assess the risks associated with climate change and human-induced vegetation degradation. The Hunshandake Sandy Land provides a variety of ecosystem services and is a substantial ecological security barrier in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei area of China. This study used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to analyze the spatiotemporal variation trend in vegetation in the Dabusennur Watershed using linear trend analysis and the GeoDetector model to identify the main drivers of vegetation change in the watershed. Finally, the study assessed the risk of ecological degradation in the vegetation of the watershed. The results show that the NDVI in the study area has had a fluctuating trend in the last 22 years, and the change has been small. Precipitation and groundwater depth are the key factors affecting vegetation change. The NDVI reaches its maximum value when the groundwater depth is at 2.75 m. The vegetation ecology of the basin is relatively fragile, mainly with medium risk and large risk. To cope with the ecological risk of vegetation degradation caused by climate change, appropriate water use strategies should be formulated to ensure ecological water use. The present study's outcomes provide the basis for developing ecological engineering solutions in the arid and semi-arid parts of northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of economy and society, various types of infrastructures have produced many high and steep slopes in Loess Plateau areas. In order to provide references for the restoration of loess steep slopes and soil erosion control, based on the results of field insitu plot observation and artificial simulated rainfall tests, the erosion control effects and mechanisms of the new organic material crosslinked polystyrene (CLPs) is the plant joint slope protection technology on the loess steep slopes were analyzed. The results show that a) the runoff depth of the loess slope treated with CLPs is larger than that of the bare slope under the same rainfall condition, and the sand production was comparable with that of the bare slope under the same rainfall conditions, there is basically no erosion-control effect of treating loess slopes only with CLPs; b) The CLPs-grass and shrub slopes and CLPs-turf slopes using CLPs-vegetation co-remediation technology, the runoff depth and soil erosion modulus were much smaller than that of traditional grass-shrub slopes and fish-scale pits planted shrub slopes, and the annual average soil erosion modulus is only 0.9%-3.2% of that of traditional grass-shrub slopes and fish-scale pits planted shrub slopes, this means that the erosion control effect of CLPs and plants on loess slopes is remarkable; e) Compared with the CLPs protection slopes without vegetation cover, the CLPs-grass and shrub joint restoration slopes with 100% vegetation coverage show a significant decrease in runoff flow rate, Reynolds number, Rroude number, shear force, and power, and a significant increase in slope resistance coefficient and roughness coefficient, which is the hydrodynamic mechanism of the CLPs-grass and shrub joint slope restoration technology for erosion control; d) Using CLPs-vegetation slope protection technology, an effective soil reinforcement system, erosion control system and water retention system can be formed on the loess steep slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the complex influencing factors of soil erosion is critical for maintaining regional ecological security. The revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) model were used to reveal the primary factors affecting soil erosion. Based on the results of the RWEQ model, the wind erosion area was 8,439.3 km2 in 2018, accounting for 54.3% of the total planning area, and mild erosion, moderate erosion, intense erosion, very intense erosion, and fierce erosion accounted for 18.22%, 11.43%, 11.78%, 10.16%, and 2.74% of the total planning area, respectively. Based on the results of the PLSR model, the results indicate that the proportion of mining land, meteorological indicators, and mean square deviation of slope difference were positively correlated with the soil erosion area, intensity, and severity, respectively. The proportion of grassland and forest land was negatively correlated with the soil erosion area, intensity, and severity. The mean square deviation of slope difference, the mean square deviation of difference in elevation, and the proportion of urban land use contributed the most to the soil erosion severity index, with variable importance in projection (VIP) scores of 1.55, 1.44 and 1.43, respectively. The mean square deviation of slope difference, the proportion of urban land, and the mean square deviation of difference in elevation contributed the most to the soil erosion area, with VIP scores of 1.53, 1.26 and 1.24, respectively. The results provide new insights into wind erosion and the influences of weather conditions and human influences, which can guide regional soil and water conservation planning in wind erosion regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A work on the flora and vegetation of Milos, a small island in the southwest Kiklades, Greece is planned. Progress and a summary of results so far, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted tree migration has been proposed as a conceptual solution to mitigate lags in biotic responses to anthropogenic climate change. The rationale behind this concept is that tree species currently growing under warmer and drier climates will be more resistant and resilient to the new climatic conditions than tree species naturally growing in currently wetter and colder climates. However, we hypothesize that, by being more stress‐tolerant to warmer and drier conditions, translocated species should exhibit different functional attributes, which could induce important ecological and societal costs and overcome the desired benefits of maintaining wood production and other ecosystem services. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze variation in seven traits of 106 tree and tall shrub species from contrasting latitudinal distributions in western North America and Europe to predict the potential functional changes of forest ecosystems due to the translocation of tree species from low to high latitudes. We show that species from both continents differed primarily by their position on the leaf economy spectrum (LES) and their size traits. Even though, in Europe, differences in LES were significantly correlated to species southern latitudinal positions, in both continents differences in size traits were significantly correlated to latitude. These results suggest that assisted migration by translocating more conservative species of shorter stature in currently cooler climates should decrease the buffering capacity of forest canopies, decrease facilitation for understory species, and increase wildfire risks, whose effects have the potential to accelerate climate warming through negative atmospheric feedback processes. As an alternative solution to assisted migration that may accelerate rather than mitigate climate change, we recommend that foresters gradually diversify the vertical structure and layering of the existing forest canopy to maintain a sustainable water cycle and energy balance between the soil, the tree and the atmosphere without increasing the wildfire risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northwest China has undergone notable alterations in climate and vegetation growth in recent decades. Nevertheless, uncertainties persist concerning the response of different vegetation types to climate change and the underlying mechanisms. This study utilized the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and three sets of meteorological data to investigate the interannual variations in the association between vegetation and climate (specifically precipitation and temperature) from 1982 to 2015. Several conclusions were drawn. (1) RNDVI-GP (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and precipitation) decreased significantly across all vegetation, while RNDVI-GT (relationship between Growing Season NDVI and temperature) showed an insignificant increase. (2) Trends of RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT exhibited great variations across various types of vegetation, with forests displaying notable downward trends in both indices. The grassland exhibited a declining trend in RNDVI-GP but an insignificant increase in RNDVI-GT, while no significant temporal changes in RNDVI-GP or RNDVI-GT were observed in the barren land. (3) The fluctuations in RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT closely aligned with variations in drought conditions. Specifically, in regions characterized by VPD (vapor pressure deficit) trends less than 0.02 hpa/yr, which are predominantly grasslands, a rise in SWV (soil water volume) tended to cause a reduction in RNDVI-GP but an increase in RNDVI-GT. However, a more negative trend in SWV was associated with a more negative trend in both RNDVI-GP and RNDVI-GT when the VPD trend exceeded 0.02 hPa/yr, primarily in forests. Our results underscore the variability in the relationship between climate change and vegetation across different vegetation types, as well as the role of drought in modulating these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomes are large‐scale ecosystems occupying large spaces. The biome concept should theoretically facilitate scientific synthesis of global‐scale studies of the past, present, and future biosphere. However, there is neither a consensus biome map nor universally accepted definition of terrestrial biomes, making joint interpretation and comparison of biome‐related studies difficult. "Desert," "rainforest," "tundra," "grassland," or "savanna," while widely used terms in common language, have multiple definitions and no universally accepted spatial distribution. Fit‐for‐purpose classification schemes are necessary, so multiple biome‐mapping methods should for now co‐exist. In this review, we compare biome‐mapping methods, first conceptually, then quantitatively. To facilitate the description of the diversity of approaches, we group the extant diversity of past, present, and future global‐scale biome‐mapping methods into three main families that differ by the feature captured, the mapping technique, and the nature of observation used: (1) compilation biome maps from expert elicitation, (2) functional biome maps from vegetation physiognomy, and (3) simulated biome maps from vegetation modeling. We design a protocol to measure and quantify spatially the pairwise agreement between biome maps. We then illustrate the use of such a protocol with a real‐world application by investigating the potential ecological drivers of disagreement between four broadly used, modern global biome maps. In this example, we quantify that the strongest disagreement among biome maps generally occurs in landscapes altered by human activities and moderately covered by vegetation. Such disagreements are sources of bias when combining several biome classifications. When aiming to produce realistic biome maps, biases could be minimized by promoting schemes using observations rather than predictions, while simultaneously considering the effect of humans and other ecosystem engineers in the definition. Throughout this review, we provide comparison and decision tools to navigate the diversity of approaches to encourage a more effective use of the biome concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of a combined dendrological, macrobotanical, and dung spherulite analysis of flotation samples collected from Bronze Age, Late Assyrian, and post-Assyrian contexts at the site of Ziyaret Tepe, located on the southern bank of the Tigris River in southeastern Anatolia. The results of this study show shifting fuel resource exploitation between pre-urbanized phases of the site (ca. 3000–1600 BCE), the urbanized Late Assyrian occupation (882–611 BCE), and the ruralized post-Assyrian (ca. 611 BCE–1500 CE) re-occupations of the site. During the Late Assyrian period, Ziyaret Tepe is thought to have been the location of the city of Tušhan, an important provincial capital of the Neo-Assyrian empire. Evidence for local deforestation near the Tigris River and expanding reliance on dung fuel use during this period indicate overexploitation of fuel resources as larger populations and extractive imperial economic policies placed heavier pressure on local land use. Qualitative dendrological data provides evidence for the intensification of fuelwood harvesting during this period, while textual evidence documented an expansive program of timbering to the north of the site intended to fuel imperial construction projects in the Assyrian heartland. Following the abandonment of Tušhan and the collapse of the Neo-Assyrian empire, local fuel resource exploitation during subsequent occupations of the site shifted towards the direct management of wood fuel resources and increasing reliance on rural pastoralism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How terrestrial ecosystems will accumulate carbon as the climate continues to change is a major source of uncertainty in projections of future climate. Under growth‐stimulating environmental change, time lags inherent in population and community dynamic processes have been posed to dampen, or alternatively amplify, short‐term carbon gain in terrestrial vegetation, but these outcomes can be difficult to predict. To theoretically frame this problem, we developed a simple model of vegetation dynamics that identifies the stage‐structured demographic and competitive processes that could govern the timescales of carbon storage and loss. We show that demographic lags associated with growth‐stimulating environmental change can allow a rapid increase in population‐level carbon storage that is lost back to the atmosphere in later years. However, this transient carbon storage only emerges when environmental change increases the transition of adult individuals into a larger size class that suffers markedly higher mortality. Otherwise, demographic lags simply slow carbon accumulation. Counterintuitively, an analogous tradeoff between maximum adult size and survivorship in two‐species models, coupled with environmental change‐driven replacement, does not generate the transient carbon gain seen in the single‐species models. Instead lags in competitive replacement slow the approach to the eventual carbon trajectory. Together, our results suggest that time lags inherent in demographic and compositional turnover tend to slow carbon accumulation in systems responding to growth‐stimulating environmental change. Only under specific conditions will lagged demographic processes in such systems drive transient carbon accumulation, conditions that investigators can examine in nature to help project future carbon trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of tis paper was to identify groundwater-dependent wetlands physical and hydrological characteristics and ecosystem relationship in Nun River, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria using appropriate techniques of involving groundwater monitoring of wells and meteorological stations and interpreting satellite data. Findings showed high levels of association between environmental variables and wetland variables existed--the relationship we found was positive between rainfall metrics and vegetation, with a ratio exceeding 12. The vegetation density ranged from 66.987% to 68.215%, with precipitation ranging from 8.921 mm to 21.895 mm. It ranged from 2.145 m to 2.609 m, depending on the occurrence of rain. Therefore, the hydraulic conductivity recorded the soil's moisture content between 22.896% and 24.325%, and the KGE ranged from 0 to 1.002-0.003 m/s. The analysis acknowledges that the perception of the connections between the branches of groundwater and wetlands in LSMs is critical for Niger Delta ecosystems. This illustrates the importance of considering hydrological processes and the environment in large-scale modelling. His research findings contribute to the advancement of wetland management methods and enhance our understanding of the changes in coastal wetland ecosystems in response to environmental shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine tailings are generated during mineral extraction that greatly influence soil properties and provide a least opportunity for vegetation. In current study, accumulation of available nutrients and their effect on concentration of heavy metals were assessed from a chronosequence of manganese mine spoil (MBO0, MBO2, MBO4, MBO6, MBO8, MBO10) and compared it with native forest soil. In mine spoil, required level of nutrients were less than those in native forest soil. Heavy metal content was found to be high in fresh overburden spoil as compared to native forest soil. Fresh overburden mine spoil id acidic in nature due to high accumulation of Mn and Fe metals. However, in course of time, the acidic nature of mine spoil turns into basic due to the improvement in the soil physico-chemical characters. In chronosequence overburden spoil shows increasing trend in soil organic carbon, electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity leading towards rapid reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives Environmental and edaphic conditions influence the distribution. One of the important goals of this research is to identify relationships between soil and vegetation factors and the kind of soil characteristics in which these species are scattered. Taking a step in this direction will prevent habitat destruction and help to repair damaged areas. Materials and methods In this way, three representative areas were determined by the physiognomic-systematic method of selected representative areas. They were found in the Ferula's habitat. Then, the area with less than 15% coverage was considered the least dense area, the area between 15-30% coverage of the average representative area, and the vegetation percentage of more than 30% was also considered the high-density representative area. In each representative area, eight transects of 1000 meters were considered in a systematic random method and vertical to each other. Since the area had a slope due to the inclusion of slope changes in sampling, quadrat sampling with transect was used in each representative area. Plot size was determined by the minimum level method. Species density was measured in three areas with 2 x 2 square meter plots and 240 plots. In order to prepare soil samples, two soil profiles were dug on each transect at a distance of 500 meters; a total of 48 profiles were dug, and soil samples were taken from a depth of 0 to 30 cm. In each representative area, three transects of 1000 meters were placed perpendicular to each other, and in each transect, ten bases with a distance of 100 meters, their gum was taken, and after collection, it was transferred to the water and soil laboratory of Hormozgan University. The amount of gum in each base was measured with a digital scale with an accuracy of 0.001. A comparison of the production of Anguza gum was made in the habitats. The changes of edaphic factors in representative areas with a low density of 15.8, medium density of 27.8, and high density of 46.9 bases per hectare of Anguze were analyzed by SPSS software by GLM test. Results In areas with low density, the level of acidity was 7.4; in the area with medium density, it was 7.8; and in the dense area, it was 8. According to the results, soil acidity is high in the areas where the soil is dense, and soil acidity is low in the areas with low density. This indicates that this plant was more compatible with alkaline soils, and its density decreased with soil acidification. The process of changing the percentage of density under the influence of the percentage of organic matter showed that organic matter directly affects the plant's density. With the increase of organic matter, the density of this plant will also increase. When the soil is weak in organic matter, this plant's density will also decrease. According to the difference in the averages, the less dense area has the lowest amount of potassium, and the area with high density also has the highest amount of potassium. The calcium + magnesium content results were the lowest in the area with low density, and the highest amount was in the dense area of the ferula habitat. The number of bases per unit area increased in areas with higher sand content, and the number of bases decreased in clay soils. This plant is not compatible with salty and acidic soil. Conclusion Knowing plant species' ecological needs and performance is necessary to carry out remedial activities in dry and desert ecosystems. Bestak City has many ferula plantations in Hormozgan province, and these plantations can produce gum, exchange currency, and have high economic value for local communities. The height of 1900 to 2500 meters is one of the characteristics of the ferula habitat in Bastak. This species has a more excellent geographical distribution in areas with sand, silt, and high acidity, and its density has increased, and its distribution has decreased in clay areas. According to the findings, this plant seems to grow in light soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives Various environmental and management stresses are severely threatening Iran's wetland ecosystems. As one of the most significant and strategic wetlands in the central plateau of Iran, Gavkhoni Wetland is facing various problems. Considering its particular ecological position and the diverse plant habitats around this wetland, it is essential to investigate the vegetation of this area. Knowing the different conditions of the plants, including dominant genera, geographical distribution, biological form, and conservation status, is necessary for any conservation, management, or ecological studies in these areas to be possible. Methodology The study area encompasses the upper reaches of the Zayandehrud River in Isfahan Province, covering 50,000 hectares with elevations ranging from 1,470 to 2,533 meters above sea level. This region has an arid climate characterized by saline soils, including solonchaks, marshy areas, and sandy soils. The average annual temperature at Gavkhuni Wetland is 17.6 degrees Celsius, with total annual precipitation measuring 91 millimeters. According to the Ambrothermic curve, the area experiences a prolonged dry period from April to November. Field surveys were conducted using 1:25,000 scale topographic maps from early October to November 2021. During these surveys, plant samples were collected, pressed, dried, and identified at the herbarium of the Natural Resources Department of the Isfahan University of Technology, with consultation from experts and reliable scientific sources. This research resulted in a comprehensive list of plant species detailing their scientific names, families, genera, life forms, geographical distribution, and conservation statuses. The study area of this research is located at the end of the Zayandehroud basin in Isfahan province, with an area of 500 thousand hectares and an altitude range of 1470 to 2533 meters above sea level. The region's climate is desert and dry, and saline lands with Solonchak and marshy and sandy soils are observed. The average annual temperature of Gavkhoni Lagoon is 17.6 degrees Celsius, and the average annual rainfall is 91 mm. The average annual temperature of Gavkhoni Lagoon is 17.6 degrees Celsius, and the average annual rainfall is 91 mm. According to the embrothermic curve, this region has a very long dry period from April to November. The field survey method was used to identify the area's vegetation, and maps with a 1:25000 scale were used. Field surveys and sampling were done from early October to November 1400, according to the vegetation type. After being transferred to the herbarium of the Faculty of Natural Resources of the Isfahan University of Technology, the collected plant samples were pressed, dried, identified with informed people's advice, and referred to reliable scientific sources. In this research, in addition to preparing a complete list of the plants of the Gavkhoni wetland area, the exact and new scientific names of the dominant species and genera of the area were also separated and examined. Various factors such as biological form, geographical distribution, medicinal, industrial or commercial species, and conservation status of species were investigated using reliable sources. Results This research showed that despite various environmental and management stresses, 100 plant species belonging to 16 families and 65 genera were identified in the region, of which 27 species have medicinal and industrial properties. The results indicate that Amaranthaceae, with 31 species, and Asteraceae, with 14 species, comprise 45% of the region's vegetation. Poaceae and Fabaceae families are essential in the region, with 10 and 9 species, respectively. The results of biological form showed that trophytes are the most dominant biological form, with 40%, and hemi-cryptophyte species are the most abundant at 23%. The study of the geographical distribution of plants showed that 71% of the plants in the region belong to the Iranian-Turanian vegetation zone. Different edaphic, topographical, and, to some extent, climatic conditions in this region have caused a suitable species diversity despite the harsh living conditions. Applying incorrect management measures regarding wetland water rights, climate changes, and lowering the level of underground water tables have caused environmental tensions and the drying up of some plant species in the region. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, one species is endangered, and three species are vulnerable. With the continuation of unfavorable conditions imposed on the region's ecosystems (continuation of the water rights of the wetland), many existing species will suffer serious problems. Conclusion The flora at the border of Gavkhoni Lagoon is highly dependent on climate and management conditions. Despite the severe biological limitations, relatively favorable diversity was observed. Improper management in the Zayandeh Rood watershed, especially in the Gavkhoni wetland area, has caused a decrease in underground water and increased drought. Many plants in the region face drying, pest infestation, bush cutting, and overgrazing, which will be a severe threat to the plants in the region if these conditions continue and the impact of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Svalbards permafrost is thawing as a direct consequence of climate change. In the Low Arctic, vegetation has been shown to slow down and reduce the active layer thaw, yet it is unknown whether this also applies to High Arctic regions like Svalbard where vegetation is smaller, sparser, and thus likely less able to insulate the soil. Therefore, it remains unknown which components of High Arctic vegetation impact active layer thaw and at which temporal scale this insulation could be effective. Such knowledge is necessary to predict and understand future changes in active layer in a changing Arctic. In this study we used frost tubes placed in study grids located in Svalbard with known vegetation composition, to monitor the progression of active layer thaw and analyze the relationship between vegetation composition, vegetation structure and snow conditions, and active layer thaw early in summer. We found that moss thickness, shrub and forb height, and vascular vegetation cover delayed soil thaw immediately after snow melt. These insulating effects attenuated as thaw progressed, until no effect on thaw depth was present after 8 weeks. High Arctic mosses are expected to decline due to climate change, which could lead to a loss in insulating capacity, potentially accelerating early summer active layer thaw. This may have important repercussions for a wide range of ecosystem functions such as plant phenology and decomposition processes. Plain Language Summary: Temperatures are rising in the Arctic, causing increased thaw of the layer of soil located above the permanently frozen ground. In Low Arctic regions vegetation cools the soil, which reduces the thawing. So far, we do not know whether the small plants growing in the High Arctic may be able to slow or reduce thaw. We measured soil thaw throughout the summer in High Arctic Svalbard in locations where vegetation composition is known. We also measured thickness of the moss layer, height of plants and snow depth. We found that moss thickness was the strongest factor in insulating the soil. Also the cover of plants, height of shrubs and forbs, and height of grass‐like plants slowed soil thaw in the early summer. The insulating effects became less over time and no effects were found 8 weeks after onset of thaw. As climate change is causing changes in the Arctic vegetation, mosses and small shrubs are expected to decrease. As we found these to be the most important factors in insulating the soil, a future decrease in mosses and small shrubs may cause accelerated soil thaw at the start of summer. Key Points: High Arctic vegetation slows active layer thaw in early summer after snow meltMosses show a stronger negative relation with thaw depth than vascular vegetationFactors influencing active layer thaw change over time in early summer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in precipitation due to climate change has given rise to the number of landslide occurrences. Vetiver, which is a perennial grass, is becoming increasingly popular all over the world as a vegetation-based soil bioengineering tool for preventing landslides. Sunshine Vetiver grass, also known as Chrysopogon zizanioides is noninvasive and does not compete with other indigenous plants growing in the area. Even though it is a tropical grass, Vetiver can grow in a wide range of climate conditions, including those that are quite harsh in terms of both soil and climate. The roots can grow up to 3 m in length in a dense bushy root network under optimal conditions. In this review, the authors have studied the impact of Vetiver on landslide mitigation as a climate-adaptive slope repair tool based on the research undertaken so far. Furthermore, the authors have addressed the future potential and constraints associated with the use of Vetiver for landslide mitigation. It is seen that the use of Vetiver reduces pore water pressure. The high tensile strength of Vetiver roots provides reinforcement for slopes and enhances soil shear strength. Vetiver increases saturated hydraulic conductivity and reduces surface runoff and slip surface depth. Being a vegetation-based climate-adaptive technology, this grass exhibits great promise in its ability to effectively address landslide problems. However, the magnitude of the root impact diminishes as the depth increases, rendering Vetiver a more promising remedy for shallow landslide occurrences. In addition, Vetiver grass has a wide range of practical uses due to its unique characteristics, which provide additional benefits. Employment of Vetiver is cost-effective compared with traditional engineering methods, and it requires less initial maintenance, which implies that community-based initiatives can effectively address landslide prevention through Vetiver implementation. Practical Applications: Vetiver grass has a long bushy network of roots that can grow up to 3 m in length. The Sunshine Vetiver grass is not invasive and does not compete with indigenous plants. Although Vetiver is a tropical grass, this grass can survive in various climates and soil conditions. Vetiver is a vegetation-based climate-adaptive technology that can prevent slope failure and reduce surface runoff. Additionally, growing Vetiver can generate income for local communities because the fragrant roots can be utilized in the extraction of essential oils for the perfume industry and from the manufacture and trade of other commodities derived from Vetiver. The grass's green leaves contribute to the aesthetic appeal of the landscape. Implementing Vetiver on slopes does not require heavy machinery and is cost-effective compared with traditional engineering methods. It also requires less initial maintenance, making it an ideal solution for community-based initiatives aiming to address slope failure prevention through Vetiver implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests play an important role in ecosystem services, yet anthropological activities have changed the ecological conditions. Thus, this research was designed to reveal the species richness and diversity in secondary forests, including the lifeform alteration. The 50 perpendicular plots were placed in both forests and distributed 25 for each. The study revealed that the secondary forest represents a stage of ecological succession in which species richness and diversity decreased. Additionally, the composition of life forms in the secondary forest changed, with dominant herbs indicating more dynamic vegetation due to shifting ecological conditions. Species classified as Threatened have disappeared due to human activities in the forest. However, the secondary forest has provided a habitat for certain species, including those with conservation status, such as Threatened or Extinct, to thrive and colonize, where approximately 15.7% of species exclusively thrive in secondary forests, including Antiaropsis uniflora C.C.Berg. Therefore, to promote sustainable forest management, this study suggests monitoring the species in secondary forests, particularly since the use of forests has traditionally been determined by local communities, including in restricted forest areas. Moreover, the local government could officially designate traditional forest use, thereby allowing restricted forests to be conserved as old-growth forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research highlights that street layouts, including the vegetation ratio, street orientation, and aspect ratio, are key in diminishing urban heat islands (UHIs), building energy use, and carbon emissions. The optimal street layout for minimal building energy consumption, carbon emissions, and maximal outdoor thermal comfort in Tianjin was established via field measurements, ENVI-met 5.6.1, Energy Plus simulations, and correlation analysis. The findings indicate the following: (1) The carbon emissions of winter residential heating energy consumption are 2.9–3.2 times higher than those for summer cooling. Urban design should thus prioritize winter energy efficiency and summer thermal comfort outdoors. (2) The summer street PET (physiological equivalent temperature) inversely correlates with the vegetation ratio and aspect ratio. Winter heating energy use inversely correlates with the street orientation and directly correlates with the aspect ratio. Adequate vegetation and proper orientation can decrease energy and carbon output while enhancing summer outdoor comfort. (3) Streets with an NW–SE orientation, H/W = 0.9, and 50% trees in summer yield the best thermal comfort, while those with an NE–SW orientation, H/W = 0.3, and 50% vegetative trees in winter produce the lowest carbon emissions. These insights are instrumental in refining urban streets and building designs in cold zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment of the Marseille basin in the Early Pleistocene was reconstructed through a multiproxy study of fluvial tufa deposits. Palaeomagnetic measurements revealed the Jaramillo subchron and dated the tufa to within the 0.8–1.5 Ma interval, probably between 0.9 and1.2 Ma. Sedimentological studies show varied depositional environments comprising natural dams formed by accumulations of plants promoting the development of upstream water bodies. The very negative δ13C values indicate that the Marseille tufa is not travertine sensu stricto but tufa deposited by local cold-water rivers. Palynological analyses indicate a semi-forested, diverse, mosaic vegetation landscape dominated by a Mediterranean pine and oak forest. Along the streams, the riparian forest was diverse and included Juglans, Castanea, Platanus and Vitis. The potential diet reconstructed from pollen was varied. The most surprising discovery was the presence of proto-cereals, which could potentially enrich the diet with carbohydrates. The identification of spores of coprophilous fungi seems to indicate the presence in situ of large herbivore herds. It is possible that, as in Anatolia, the disturbance of ecosystems by large herbivores was responsible for the genetic mutation of Poaceae and the appearance of proto-cereals. Climatic reconstructions indicate a slightly cooler and wetter climate than the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of escalating global energy demands, urban areas, specifically the building sector, contribute to the largest energy consumption, with urban overheating exacerbating this issue. Utilizing urban modelling for heat-mitigation and reduction of energy demand is crucial steps towards a sustainable built-environment, complementing onsite energy generation in the design and development of Net-zero Energy (NZE) Settlement, especially in the context of Australian weather conditions. Addressing a significant gap in existing literature, this study offers empirical analysis on the climate and energy efficacy of integrated heat mitigation strategies applied in 14 neighbourhood typologies located in Sydney, Australia. Examining the application of cool materials on roads, pavements, and rooftops, alongside urban vegetation enhancement, the analysis demonstrates scenario effectiveness on heat mitigation that leads to reduce ambient temperature and energy demands along with CO2 emissions within the neighbourhoods. Considering building arrangement, built-area ratio, building height, and locations, ENVI-met and CitySim are utilized to assess the heat-mitigation and the energy demand of neighbourhoods, respectively. Results indicate that mitigation measures can lead up to a 2.71 °C reduction in ambient temperature and over 25% reduction in Cooling Degree Hours, with a 34.34% reduction in cooling energy demand and overall energy savings of up to 12.49%. In addition, the annual energy-saving yields a CO2 reduction of approximately 141.12 tonnes, where additional vegetation further amplifies these reductions by enhancing CO2 absorption. This study showcases the pathway towards achieving NZE goals in climates similar to that of Australia, highlighting significant benefits in heat-mitigation, environmental impact, and energy-savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mountain Research (10082786) is the property of Mountain Research Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Insects and arachnids are abundant and diverse, respond to key human impacts and support a diversity of key ecological functions. They are therefore widely recognised as effective surrogates for ecosystem condition. Their efficacy as indicators and surrogates in coastal dunes has, however, rarely been quantified, but might be instructive in guiding management in these often highly impacted coastal ecosystems. In this study, we (1) tested the effects of spatial and habitat drivers on the abundance of key insect and arachnid groups, and (2) used these patterns to identify viable management surrogates for impacts and management actions. We surveyed insect, arachnid and plant assemblages in coastal dunes at 20 sites on the Sunshine Coast in central eastern Australia. We have identified indicators for habitat condition and indicators for impact, and taxa that could be used to measure restoration outcomes. Crucially, five indicator groups also met criteria for being umbrella species, as management actions that increase their abundance would confer benefits to most other insect and arachnid taxonomic groups. We identified seven indicator groups (five insect and two arachnid), and each were affected by multiple spatial and habitat metrics, with metrics quantifying the composition and structure of vegetation communities being the most important predictors of most indicator's distributions. Implications for insect conservation: We highlight the importance of understanding subtleties in spatial patterns and the unique set of spatial and environmental conditions that each group requires when identifying suitable indicator taxa for use in the conservation and management of coastal dunes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ecosystem services comprise all the benefits that humanity obtains from ecosystems. Within the regulation services, wetlands soils have an important role in regulating the water cycle through water retention and the climate through carbon storage and sequestration. The objective of this research was to estimate the water retention capacity and the soil organic carbon content in the superficial portion of Ramsar wetlands soils in Quintana Roo, Mexico, to provide elements to the ecologic and economic valuation of regulation ecosystem services. A total of 268 soil samples were collected from the upper 20 cm soil layer, soil samples were processed and analyzed to obtain edaphic properties and organic carbon. We assessed the effect of 1) seasonality, 2) vegetation structure, and 3) soil type in the response variables water retention and organic carbon storage. The results indicate that the volumetric content and saturation degree were different among wetlands. Seasonality was not a significant factor in the assessment of these two regulation ecosystem services. The mean water storage capacity was 0.65 g water/cm3 of soil, representing from 500 to 1000 L water/m3 soil. The greatest carbon storage values were associated with mangroves established on Solonchak, with values between 5 and 8 Mg C/ha. The type of soil is the grouping variable that reported differences in water and carbon content in the soil, with Histosols retaining more water, but Solonchacks storing more carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Carpathian region, to which the research area belongs, is one of the most forested areas of Ukraine, and at the same time the most anthropogenically loaded. Studying the vegetation cover of the territories is currently one of the most important parameters that allows us to assess the state of the environment. The paper analyzes the change in the state of vegetation based on the NDVI index using Google Earth Engine (GEE) for the period between 2018 and 2023, with the construction of a difference index. The satellite image interpretation data allowed us to summarise the dynamics of the vegetation index change for two similar periods, in particular, for 2018 it is 0.464, for 2023 it is 0.330. The average difference value for the study area is 0.229. Taking into account dynamic climate change and its parameters such as precipitation, air temperature, surface temperature, wind speed, NDVI and NDWI indices, a correlation analysis was performed to identify the relationship between changes in vegetation cover and weather conditions. Statistical analysis of the data allowed us to identify the main groups of factors that have the greatest impact on the NDVI index, namely temperature and precipitation. However, the NDWI moisture index is in a clear inverse correlation, which confirms the significant impact of global temperatures on the unevenness of precipitation, especially during the 2018 floods. It is worth noting that the movement of air masses, which was determined through the average annual wind speed, gives an understanding of how changes in temperature above the ground affect the moisture content of vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, under Sect. 404 of the Clean Water Act, requires that development projects that discharge fill to Waters of the United States, including wetlands, must provide compensation through the wetland mitigation process. The Army Corps prefers that compensation is provided through purchase of credits from wetland mitigation banks, which are large wetland restoration projects constructed by third-party bank sponsors for the purpose of selling wetland mitigation credits for a profit. We assessed the regulatory outcomes of banks in the Chicago, USA, region, which possesses one of the country’s most well-developed banking markets. We used data from 22 wetland mitigation banks in the Chicago District of the Army Corps to determine how successful banks were at meeting mandatory ecological performance standards by the end of a required monitoring period. We found that banks typically struggled to meet performance standards limiting dominance by non-native species, although they often met standards related to native species richness and dominance. Perennial plant species richness and floristic quality metrics generally increased during the banks’ five-year monitoring period. The results of this study can serve as a useful resource for the continued adaptation and improvement of performance standards and mitigation assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the increasing fire events in addition to climate change due to the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as other greenhouse gases exerts huge pressure on natural resources and their management. This phenomenon is more severe in the tropical region due to increasing population, urbanization, industrialization, existing pressures, and limiting conditions. In the present study, carbon (C) stock, carbon sequestration (Cseq), CO2 mitigation potential, C budget, and C flux of the seasonally dry forest ecosystem of Chhattisgarh under the influence of wildfire in the protected area and its proximity were evaluated. Four sites namely, high fire zone (HFZ), medium fire zone (MFZ), low fire zone (LFZ), and non‐fire zone (NFZ) were selected and marked based on fire return intervals (frequency) and extent of damage. The present work is a novel approach that assesses the impact of different fire frequencies on C dynamics of fire‐affected zones. The stratified sampling technique was used within a permanent plot of 1 hectare. Forest stands on each site were analyzed using 10 randomly placed quadrats (each 10 × 10 m in size) and data were collected from each site. Across the sites higher tree density was observed at NFZ and the lowest at HFZ.Total tree biomass ranged between 116.0 and 358.4 t ha−1 across the fire regimes. Total vegetation C stock ranged between 59.1 and 169.5 t ha−1 in different sites. The C mitigation and Cseq potential ranged between 186.2 and 575.3 t ha−1, and 7.1 and 15.9 t ha−1, respectively being highest in NFZ and lowest in HFZ. The species such as Anogeissus latifolia, Buchanania lanzan, Shorea robusta, Lannea coromandelica, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Ougeinia oojeinensis, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia tomentosa are the major contributor in biomass, C stock, C mitigation, and Cseq potential in different fire regimes. Thus, our findings would be highly useful in the restoration process of fire‐affected zones through the plantation of selective plant species. Therefore, the aforementioned species could be effectively utilized while going for an afforestation/reforestation program, and will be helpful in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies under different fire zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire plays a key role in grasslands, determining the distribution and evolution of species and boundaries with neighboring ecosystems. Evidence of community-wide responses to fire is largely based on taxonomic and functional descriptors, while the phylogenetic dimension is overlooked. Here we evaluated how the taxonomic and phylogenetic structure of grassland plant communities responded to a time since fire (TSF) gradient. We sampled 12 communities in Southern Brazil under varying TSF and calculated taxonomic species richness (S) and dominance (D), phylogenetic diversity (PD), and mean phylogenetic distances (MPD). We used Structural Equation Models to test the relationships between the environmental gradient and community descriptors. Communities with longer TSF presented higher PD and MPD but lower species richness and increased taxonomic dominance. These sites were dominated by monocots, specifically C4 grasses, but also presented exclusive clades, whereas recently-burned sites presented lower taxonomic dominance and more species distributed in a wider variety of clades. Our results indicate that these scenarios are interchangeable and dependent on fire management. Fire adaptation was not constrained by phylogenetic relatedness, contrasting with previous findings for tropical savannahs and indicating that temperate and tropical non-forest ecosystems from South America respond differently to fire, possibly due to different evolutionary histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) based structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry surveys are becoming a standard tool for ecologists to measure plant structure and biomass in non-forest ecosystems. The reproducibility of SfM survey results under different operational conditions, namely wind speed, sun elevation, and cloud condition, is poorly understood. It is also unclear to what extent commonly applied point-to-grid interpolation of derived point clouds affects inference of vegetation structure. These knowledge gaps limit the use of these methods for measuring and monitoring detection. We captured 61 UAV SfM surveys at the same study area under a range of wind/sun/cloud conditions over a 24-day period during 2021 and used generalized linear mixed effects models to test how the structural reconstructions varied with environmental conditions. Wind speed significantly influenced the canopy height reconstructions, with greater wind speeds reducing mean canopy height. Different plant species exhibited varying sensitivities to wind that are likely related to leaf attributes (size, structure, and density), growth form of the canopy, and physical properties such as limb flexibility. The movement of plants can reduce canopy height estimates derived from photogrammetric surveys, even under relatively low wind speeds. Reconstructed canopy heights were comparatively insensitive to solar elevation variations. Cloud conditions and illumination by direct sunlight had a weak, non-significant effect on reconstructed canopy height, with sunny conditions (generating shadows) resulting in a measurable but marginal reduction in mean canopy heights. When comparing canopy heights of interpolated and discontinuous derived canopy height models the results highlighted that these were insensitive to interpolation in this specific setting. We recommend measuring mean wind speeds throughout surveys where comparisons are to be made between different drone-based SfM surveys of vegetation over either time or space. Care should be taken to ensure that the effects of wind are controlled for so that inferences are valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In river research, forecasting flow velocity accurately in vegetated channels is a significant challenge. The forecasting performance of various independent and hybrid machine learning (ML) models are thus quantified for the first time in this work. Utilizing flow velocity measurements in both natural and laboratory flume experiments, we assess the efficacy of four distinct standalone machine learning techniques—Kstar, M5P, reduced error pruning tree (REPT) and random forest (RF) models. In addition, we also test for eight types of hybrid ML algorithms trained with an Additive Regression (AR) and Bagging (BA) (AR-Kstar, AR-M5P, AR-REPT, AR-RF, BA-Kstar, BA-M5P, BA-REPT and BA-RF). Findings from a comparison of their predictive capabilities, along with a sensitivity analysis of the influencing factors, indicated: (1) Vegetation height emerged as the most sensitive parameter for determining the flow velocity; (2) all ML models displayed outperforming empirical equations; (3) nearly all ML algorithms worked optimal when the model was built using all of the input parameters. Overall, the findings showed that hybrid ML algorithms outperform regular ML algorithms and empirical equations at forecasting flow velocity. AR-M5P (R2 = 0.954, R = 0.977, NSE = 0.954, MAE = 0.042, MSE = 0.003, and PBias = 1.466) turned out to be the optimal model for forecasting of flow velocity in vegetated-rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau has experienced profound climate change with significant implication for spatial vegetation greenness. However, the spatiotemporal disparities of long-term vegetation trends in response to observed climate change remain unclear. Based on remote-sensing vegetation images indicated by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from two long-term combined datasets, GIMMS and MODIS, we identified two spatiotemporal evolution patterns (SEPs) in long-term vegetation anomalies across the Tibetan Plateau. This new perspective integrates spatial and temporal NDVI changes during the growing seasons over the past four decades. Notably, the dipole evolution pattern that rotates counterclockwise from May to September accounted for 62.8% of the spatial mean amplitude of vegetation trends, dominating the spatiotemporal disparities. This dominant pattern trend is attributed to simultaneous effects of spatial warming and rising CO2, which accounted for 75% and 15%, respectively, along with a lagged effect of dipole precipitation, accounting for 6%. Overall, wetting and warming promote greening evolution in the northern Tibetan Plateau, while slight drying and warming favor browning evolution in the southern Tibetan Plateau. These findings provide insights into the combined effects of climate change on spatiotemporal vegetation trends and inform future adaptive strategies in fragile regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, most parts of the world experienced exceptional heat. In particular, anomalous warm temperatures and heatwave events were evidenced across South America during the second half of the year. The situation was particularly critical in the Amazon region in terms of not only hydrometeorological drought but also ecological and socioeconomic impacts. In this study, remote-sensing data collected from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were used to observe the changes in temperature and vegetation across Amazonia during the exceptional drought of 2023. This analysis was based on anomalies in the land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation indices: the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The amplitude of the LST (AMP-LST), an indicator of the energy partitioning between the latent and sensible heat flux, and fire counts were also considered. The results show widespread and extreme warming across Amazonia during the austral spring in 2023, accompanied by a decline in vegetation greenness, water stress conditions across northern Amazonia, and an enhanced fire occurrence across central and northern Amazonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the effects of global warming, the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) will inevitably and continuously rise in future, which is a fact that must be faced when discussing the sustainable development of vegetation ecosystems. Understanding the response of vegetation to changes in the atmospheric moisture state is necessary for minimizing the adverse effects of climate change. Using the leaf area index (LAI) and meteorological data in the Yellow River Basin collected over nearly 40 years, we explore the spatiotemporal variations in VPD and vegetation within the growing season and the differences in the effects of VPD on vegetation in different climatic zones. The results show the following: (1) both VPD and LAI in the Yellow River Basin show an increasing trend, in which VPD increases radially outward centered on the arid regions, while the vegetation develops favorably over almost the whole basin; (2) at the whole-basin scale, the area of VPD positively correlated with vegetation growth is greater than the area of negative correlation, and this overall trend is increasing significantly; (3) the VPD exerts heterogeneous effects on different vegetation in different climatic zones, and these heterogeneity findings suggest that the effects of VPD on vegetation are more influenced by differences among the climatic zones of the vegetation than by differences in the vegetation types themselves. Our results provide insights into the effects of atmospheric moisture on vegetation growth and provide references for the sustainable development of vegetation ecosystems and future safeguarding strategies of vegetation over large spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the current state of the vegetation cover of the Irtysh River floodplain within its flat steppe section (Pavlodar Priirtyshye) under the conditions of anthropogenic transformation of the hydrological regime. A description of the landscape confinement of the main classes of floodplain vegetation formations is given. The main factors of anthropogenic impact on the vegetation cover in the form of grazing, recreation, haymaking, fires, littering with solid household waste, etc. Criteria and indicators of disturbance are developed. A description of the botanical biodiversity with an analysis of the economic spectrum of the flora (forage, medicinal, food, honey plants, poisonous, ornamental, technical plant species) is provided. The territory's flora contains 9 species listed in the Red Book, however, during the field survey, only Stipa pennata L. was noted. The eight main threats to botanical biodiversity are described: changes in the hydrological regime of the river; cattle grazing on the floodplain meadows; spring burning of dry grass; grazing and watering of cattle on the river bank; creation dams; illegal collection of ornamental red-listed plants; plowing of steppe landscapes on floodplain terraces; anthropogenic invasion of alien flora. Based on the analysis of geobotanical descriptions, phytoindicators of environmental conditions (moisture, salinization, chemical and mechanical composition of the soil, grazing load, etc.) for this region were identified. Recommendations are proposed to reduce the negative anthropogenic impact, preserve species and coenotic biodiversity, and methods for restoring disturbed areas in the context of climate change and modern transboundary use of the Irtysh River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Trends in the extent of habitat types and species frequencies might not follow a simple pattern. However, data that are able to link those trends are scarce. Here, we use data from a repeated habitat mapping program to test consistency between habitat type and species change. Location: Federal state of Baden‐Württemberg, Germany. Methods: We derived temporal trends over several decades concerning: (a) the extent of all protected habitat types across the state, (b) plant species across the state, and (c) plant species within habitat types. We tested the consistency between trends in the extent of every protected habitat type with trends of those species that prefer that particular habitat type, as well as with mean trends of all species that occur within that particular habitat type. Results: We found that, on average, most protected habitat types decreased in area, with the exception of forests, which showed positive trends. Species analysis showed positive trends for species preferring the habitat types scrubs, copses and field hedges, as well as bog, carr, swamp and alluvial forests. By contrast, negative trends were found for species preferring the habitat types heaths and semi‐natural grasslands, meadows and pastures. While non‐native species increased, species that were considered endangered decreased. A species' trend across Baden‐Württemberg mostly followed the trend of the species' preferred habitat type. However, within some habitat types, the mean species' trend did not follow the trend of those habitat types' extent. Decreasing species within habitat types were especially those that preferred each particular habitat type. Conclusions: Our results point to an ongoing turnover of floristic composition, and thus to changes in habitat quality within habitat types. This implies that future monitoring programs should track temporal trends of both habitat types and the species occurring in these habitat types as a measure of habitat quality, because they can show diverging trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This research investigates vegetation dynamics in the Gavkhouni catchment from 2001 to 2021, focusing on the spring season. The aim is to analyse the relationship between aridity, vegetation, and rainfall. Moreover, additional emphasis was placed on exploring the impact of these dynamics on agricultural land cover thereby contributing to our understanding of the environmental dynamics in the Gavkhouni catchment. Methods: The study made use of MODIS data, including the Enhanced Vegetation Index and Vegetation Condition Index, along with monthly rainfall statistics from Chirps. Analytical methods include time series analyses using correlation and regression analysis. Results: Throughout the study period, the average spring vegetation cover was 9276.33 km². The years 2001 and 2018 had the lowest degree of vegetation (15.53, and 17.3% of the watershed area). Conversely, 2013, 2019, and 2020 had the most coverage (27.4, 26.8, and 26.3%). The Enhanced Vegetation Index highlighted the arid years (2001, 2008, 2011, and 2018) and the years with the lowest drought prevalence (2006, 2007, 2010, 2013). Enhanced Vegetation Index correlated with spring rainfall. Cropland cover declined over the study period, and a close cor- relation was found between winter rainfall and spring agricultural coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation is a worldwide problem in watersheds, caused by anthropogenic activities that have been developed since colonization until today, producing large areas of deforested forests. The objective of this research was to determine deforestation through remote sensing in the hydrographic basins of the Portoviejo - Chone River. The geographic information system and the remote sensing technique with Landsat and Spot satellite images with a spatial resolution of 30 meters available for the study were used as an analysis tool. Finally, a total deforestation rate of the basins was obtained from 1998 to 2014 with a deforested forest area of 16,55% in the 16 years evaluated. The land use coverage classification of the basins was carried out using supervised classification where field verification was carried out for the identification of land cover and corroboration in satellite images. Subsequently, it was determined that the vegetation cover of the hydrographic basins for the period 1998-2000 is 332 782 ha, while for the period 2000-2008 a forest area of 241 167 ha was obtained, while for the period 2008-2014 is 331 728 ha. Furthermore, it was possible to obtain an overall reliability of the real and deduced coverage of 61,81%, which indicates that the land use classification of the hydrographic basins is admissible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green areas and trees are an essential part of the ecological, social, environmental and economic dimensions of urban sustainability. The objective of the research was to evaluate the coverage in the urban area the Sucre canton, with a green area 36 628,27 m2, where a census of existing parks was conducted, an inventory of forest species in the Bahía de Caráquez and Leonidas Plaza parishes was compiled. For this purpose, parks were considered clearly delimited public spaces, dominated by arboreal vegetation destined as public green areas; the research gathered dasometric information on trees from 18 locations including parks and road safety elements (avenues) in the canton; it also determined the areas, along with the total green area surface and the total urban population; according to the urban green index (IVU) it was 1,85 m2/hab. In order to get to know the trees in each park in depth, cartographic analysis was used in the preparation of maps and the georeferencing of green spaces. The ecological importance value index where the Azadirachta Indica species was the most representative species with 28,49% and the Tecoma stans with 1,03% the least representative, Margalef (2,85) reflected with medium diversity of species, Simpson (0,82) represented medium diversity and Shannon-Wiener (2,98) represented medium diversity. Concluding, that urban trees consist mainly of introduced species, with a low green index and a medium diversity according to the Margalef, Simpson and Shannon-Wiener indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which weeds in arable land are useful to pollinators depends in part on the temporal pattern of flowering and insect flight activity. We compiled citizen science data on 54 bees and hoverflies typical of agricultural areas in southern Sweden, as well as 24 flowering weed species classified as pollinator‐friendly in the sense that they provide nectar and/or pollen to pollinators. The flight periods of the bees and hoverflies varied greatly, but there were also some consistent differences between the four groups studied. The first group to fly were the early flying solitary bees (7 species), followed by the social bees (18 species). In contrast, other solitary bees (11 species) and hoverflies (22 species) flew later in the summer. Solitary bees had the shortest flight periods, while social bees and hoverflies had longer flight periods. Flowering of weed species also varied greatly between species, with weeds classified as winter annuals (e.g., germinating in autumn) starting early together with germination generalists (species that can germinate in both autumn and spring). Summer annuals (spring germinators) and perennials started flowering about a month later. Germination generalists had a much longer flowering period than the others. Weekly pollinator records were in most cases significantly explained by weed records. Apart from early flying solitary bees, all models showed strong positive relationships. The overall best explanatory variable was the total number of weeds, with a weight assigned to each species based on its potential as a nectar/pollen source. This suggests that agricultural weeds in Sweden provide a continuous potential supply of nectar and pollen throughout the flight season of most pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visual characteristics of roadside landscapes affect road safety. To evaluate the influence of road landscape on safety, the focus of this study was on the landscape greening of highway roadsides based on the characteristics of secondary roads without a central divider. Using expert scoring, various indicators were statistically analysed. Then, multi-level grey correlation analysis was performed to calculate the weights of each index in an evaluation index system and establish a comprehensive evaluation model. The effects of various vegetation heights, spacings and colours on safety were quantified. Empirical analysis of three road sections of highways S319 and S246 in Hubei province, China revealed that highway safety is high when the vegetation height is 6 m, the plant spacing is 8 m and planting was coloured. The conclusions of this study provide a theoretical basis for establishing the roadside landscape along secondary roads and a preliminary theoretical reference for road design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical satellite data products (e.g., Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, Landsat) require proper validation across diverse ecosystems. This has conventionally been achieved using airborne and more recently unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based hyperspectral sensors which constrain operations by both their cost and complexity of use. The MicaSense Altum is an accessible multispectral sensor that integrates a radiometric thermal camera with 5 bands (475 nm–840 nm). In this work we assess the spectral reflectance accuracy of a UAV-mounted MicaSense Altum at 25, 50, 75, and 100 m AGL flight altitudes using the manufacturer provided panel-based reflectance conversion technique for atmospheric correction at the Mer Bleue peatland supersite near Ottawa, Canada. Altum derived spectral reflectance was evaluated through comparison of measurements of six known nominal reflectance calibration panels to in situ spectroradiometer and hyperspectral UAV reflectance products. We found that the Altum sensor saturates in the 475 nm band viewing the 18% reflectance panel, and for all brighter panels for the 475, 560, and 668 nm bands. The Altum was assessed against pre-classified hummock-hollow-lawn microtopographic features using band level pair-wise comparisons and common vegetation indices to investigate the sensor's viability as a validation tool of PlanetScope Dove 8 band and Sentinel-2A satellite products. We conclude that the use of the Altum needs careful consideration, and its field deployment and reflectance output does not meet the necessary cal/val requirements in the peatland site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring inundation in flow-dependent floodplain wetlands is important for understanding the outcomes of environmental water deliveries that aim to inundate different floodplain wetland vegetation types. The most effective way to monitor inundation across large landscapes is with remote sensing. Spectral water indices are often used to detect water in the landscape, but there are challenges in using them to map inundation within the complex vegetated floodplain wetlands. The current method used for monitoring inundation in the large floodplain wetlands that are targets for environmental water delivery in the New South Wales portion of the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in eastern Australia considers the complex mixing of water with vegetation and soil, but it is a time-consuming process focused on individual wetlands. In this study, we developed the automated inundation monitoring (AIM) method to enable an efficient process to map inundation in floodplain wetlands with a focus on the lower Lachlan floodplain utilising 25 Sentinel-2 image dates spanning from 2019 to 2023. A local adaptive thresholding (ATH) approach of a suite of spectral indices combined with best available DEM and a cropping layer were integrated into the AIM method. The resulting AIM maps were validated against high-resolution drone images, and vertical and oblique aerial images. Although instances of omission and commission errors were identified in dense vegetation and narrow creek lines, the AIM method showcased high mapping accuracy with overall accuracy of 0.8 measured. The AIM method could be adapted to other MDB wetlands that would further support the inundation monitoring across the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most rapid climate warming is occurring in northern, permafrost environments. Peatlands of these regions are particularly sensitive to climate warming, with the high ground ice content of peat plateaux resulting in the formation of collapse scars as ground temperatures warm.To quantify the rates of permafrost thaw and associated vegetation changes, we sampled the plant and lichen communities in transects spanning actively thawing collapse scar margins at sites from mid‐Boreal to Low Subarctic conditions, within Canada's Northwest Territories. Seventeen transects were sampled in 2007/08 and 14 of these were resampled 10 years later.The rate of lateral permafrost thaw of collapse scar margins ranged from −6 to 63 cm year−1 (mean: 22.0 cm ± 4.7 cm year−1 (SE)); variability was high and no trends with respect to latitude or temperature gradients were detected.Plant communities displayed a clear gradient from lichen‐ and ericaceous shrub‐dominated peat plateaux, to collapse scars primarily characterized by Sphagnum mosses and graminoids. Both space‐for‐time (distance from collapsing margin) and direct measurement of 10‐year changes showed a successional sequence following permafrost thaw; floating mat communities characterized by Sphagnum riparium or S. balticum proceeded to lawn communities of S. angustifolium and, finally, to hummock communities with Mylia anomala or S. fuscum. This successional sequence was associated with increased water table depth and lower soil water content in plant communities farther from the actively collapsing front, illustrating that peat growth above the water table was driving plant community successional changes.The most rapid plant community succession occurred in recently thawed environments as peat growth propelled the ground surface above the water table while the slowest succession occurred in the collapse scar hummock communities located farthest from the actively collapsing peat plateau margin.Synthesis. In just 10 years, significant vegetation change was detected, in association with both permafrost thaw and subsequent plant community succession. These changes occurred across a broad climatic and latitudinal gradient, from mid‐Boreal to Low Subarctic and have implications for wildlife, global C cycle and indigenous communities who depend on this landscape for harvesting, spiritual and cultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern African grasslands with a rich flora, shaped by fire, grazing, climate and geology, as well as playing a role in carbon sequestration, are becoming more important in conservation. Fire is often used as a management tool to improve vegetation and to protect property against uncontrolled fire. We therefore attempt to determine the effect consecutive burning has on vegetation. Paired plots along firebreaks were used to collect vegetation data using the Braun-Blanquet cover abundance scale. Soil samples were also collected to determine the impact of fire on below-ground nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) stocks and ratios. The results indicate that there is no difference between the plant communities of the firebreaks and the adjacent grassland; however, there are certain species that are favoured by firebreaks and others by the adjacent grassland. There is also no difference in diversity between the firebreaks and adjacent grassland areas. Carbon and nitrogen stocks as well as C:N ratios did not differ significantly between the firebreaks and the adjacent grassland plots although trends indicate a decline in both C and N with repeated burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aalenian–Bajocian (early Middle Jurassic) cooling event (ABCE) was a significant global climate disturbance during the Jurassic. Our analysis of sporopollen fossils from 18 mudstone and silty mudstone samples, collected from the lacustrine-terrestrial succession Xishanyao Formation in the Santanghu Basin, Northwest China, revealed a total of 191 species belonging to 53 genera. We identified an assemblage, the Cyathidites–Deltoidospora–Osmundacidites–Cycadopites assemblage, which dates to the Aalenian–Bajocian (early Middle Jurassic). This assemblage can be further divided into three subassemblages in stratigraphic order: the Cyathidites–Osmundacidites–Cycadopites subassemblage, the Cyathidites–Cycadopites–Psophosphaera subassemblage, and the Cyathidites–Deltoidospora–Osmundacidites subassemblage. We applied the Sporomorph EcoGroup (SEG) model to interpret the paleoclimate features. The sporopollen fossils indicate that the Santanghu Basin underwent a shift in vegetation types, from ground cover vegetation as the dominant form to canopy trees and then back to ground cover vegetation as the primary vegetation during the Aalenian–Bajocian. The SEG model analysis demonstrates that the CCP subassemblage is characterized by a low lowland SEG/upland SEG ratio, low wetter/drier ratio within the lowland SEG, and a low warmer/cooler ratio within the lowland SEG. These characteristics reflect the vegetation's response to the ABCE in the Santanghu Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Areas that have been considered as cultural environments since ancient times have been under the influence of anthropogenic activities. That's why vegetation; It has been destroyed as a result of field clearing, grazing, fire, cutting and recently increasing mining activities. Studies carried out to reduce the impact of destruction may cause the vegetation to diversify or the presence of alien species in the field. Studies conducted in these areas, especially pollen analyses, reveal the vegetation transformation that the areas have undergone. In order to reveal the causes, results and interaction of these transformations, the results of the study were shared as a result of the research in the sample of the Gökyurt (Kilistra) ancient settlement area and its surroundings, located within the borders of Meram district of Konya province. In order to achieve the aim of the study, studies on the vegetation characteristics of the field were evaluated and the vegetation map of the field was prepared and the evaluations in the conclusion were reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding fire and large herbivore interactions in interior western forests is critical, owing to the extensive and widespread co‐occurrence of these two disturbance types and multiple present and future implications for forest resilience, conservation and restoration. However, manipulative studies focused on interactions and outcomes associated with these two disturbances are rare in forested rangelands. We investigated understory vegetation response to 5‐year spring and fall prescribed fire and domestic cattle grazing exclusion in ponderosa pine stands and reported long‐term responses, almost two decades after the first entry fires. In fall burn areas open to cattle grazing, total understory cover prior to utilization was about 12% lower compared with fall burn areas where cattle were experimentally excluded. This response was not strongly driven by a particular palatable or unpalatable plant functional group. Fire and grazing are likely interacting in a numerically mediated process, as we found little evidence to support a functionally moderated pathway. Post‐fire green‐up may equalize forage to a certain extent and concentrate herbivores in the smaller burned areas within pastures, constraining a positive understory response to burning. Fall fire and grazing also increased annual forbs and resprouting shrubs. The effects of spring burning were relatively minor, and we found no interaction with grazing. The nonnative annual grass Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) remains a problematic invader linked to fall burning but not grazing in stands that had higher propagule pressure when the experiment was initiated. At these sites, exotic grass was a major component of the vegetation by 2015, and invasion was also increasing in spring burn and unburned areas. Information from our study suggests that frequent fall fires and cattle grazing combined may reduce understory resilience in similar dry ponderosa pine forests. Consideration of longer fire return intervals, resting areas after fire, virtual fencing, or burning entire pastures may help to mitigate the effects noted in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vineyards provide space for microhabitats and require a very specific way of management. Vineyard vegetation undergoes succession over time, which affects insect communities. The selected vineyards are located in Moravia in the Czech Republic. The vegetation of the vineyards consisted of 48 species of annual dicotyledons, 63 species of perennial dicotyledons, 9 species of annual grasses, and 10 species of perennial grasses. During the observation, 9 species of carabid beetles were recorded in the monitored vineyards. The composition of the vegetation in the vineyards changes with the age of the vineyard. Over time, representatives of the perennial dicotyledons, perennial grasses groups increase and representatives of the group annual dicotyledons decrease. The age of the vineyards also changed the carabid beetle community - the Anchomenus dorsalis species was more common in older vineyards. The Dolichus halensis, Leistus ferrugineus and Platynus assimilis species were more frequently recorded in summer and fall in older vineyards. The other species preferred younger vineyards. A higher abundance was recorded in summer and fall, which may be due to a higher food supply and sufficient amount of microhabitats for hibernation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]