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Biotic and abiotic factors can act as filters for determining the species composition of biological communities. We aimed to identify abiotic factors driving the assembly of bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations along a north–south climatic gradient, as they are crucial forest habitats for the assessment and conservation of these communities. We expected that bat communities are predominantly shaped by environmental filtering. We conducted acoustic sampling in 35 pine plantations in Israel and analyzed recordings for species identification. We used the ESLTP analysis, an extension of the three‐table ordination (RLQ analysis), to explore relationships between environmental characteristics, species occurrences, and functional traits of species while accounting for phylogenetic relationships between species and spatial distribution of the communities. Communities showed phylogenetic and trait clustering. Climatic conditions and forest vegetation composition shaped communities of bats, affecting the distribution of traits related to foraging behaviors, vegetation clutter, and the ability of bats to maneuver in it. Maneuverable species were associated with the northern Mediterranean climatic zone, with a scarce cover of drought‐tolerant small shrubs and grassland. Fast flyers were associated with the center‐south semi‐arid area, with abundant drought‐tolerant small shrubs and grassland. These forces might have a predominant role in the assembly of these communities, presumably due to the stressful climatic conditions of the study area. The ESLTP approach can be extended to other taxa and environments to predict species responses to disturbance and environmental changes and give insights into environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a common and frequent disturbance in Mediterranean ecosystems, affecting the diversity and dynamics of native bee communities by modifying the distribution and availability of the resources that bees require to forage and nest. Previous studies have found changes in bee diversity depending on the time since the last fire, with increases in species diversity in the early stages postburn.Using a chronosequence of plots with different times since the last fire in the Mediterranean‐climate chaparral of Baja California, Mexico, we estimated changes in overall abundance, richness, diversity and species composition of the native bee community.Bee abundance and richness were higher at recently burned plots and gradually decreased, but Hill–Shannon and Hill–Simpson diversities did not change over the chronosequences. Nearby plots (in the same locality) of different stages were more similar in composition than distant plots (in different localities) of a similar stage, suggesting a spatial correlation. Plant species richness increased after fires. Bare soil was also greater on recently burned patches and may facilitate nesting resources. The number of bees was positively correlated to plant richness.Our results highlight the importance of fire as a natural disturbance structuring the bee community in the Mediterranean chaparral of Baja California.Furthermore, our results are relevant for future conservation plans since fire management (i.e., prescribed fires) could improve conditions for sustaining greater bee richness and abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescribed burns have recently become a widespread environmental management practice for biodiversity restoration to reduce fuel load, to provide forest fire suppression operational opportunities, to favor plant recruitment or to manage wild species. Prescribed fires were again applied in Doñana National Park (southern Spain) after decades of non-intervention regarding fire use. Here, we assessed their impacts on the soil CO2 effluxes over two years after burning to test the hypothesis that if the ecosystem is resilient, soil respiration will have a rapid recovery to the conditions previous to the fire. Using soil automated CO2 flux chambers to continuously measure respiration in burned and unburned sites, we showed that soil respiration varies among seasons but only showed significant differences between burned and unburned plots in the fall season one year after fire, which corresponded with the end of the dry season. Comparing soil respiration values from the burned plots in the three fall seasons studied, soil respiration increased significantly in the fall one year after fire, but decreased in the following fall to the values of the control plots. This study highlights the resilience of soil respiration after prescribed fire, showing the potential benefits of prescribed fire to reduce catastrophic wildfires, especially in protected areas subjected to non-intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Determining the density of mammalian wildlife in an ecosystem is very important for the ecosystem conservation. The aim of this study is to reveal mammalian wildlife density and compare the effect human footprint index (HFI) on the Mediterranean ecosystems. The mammalian wildlife surveys were conducted between August 2013 and December 2013, using 21 camera traps with 2175 camera trap days in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem in İzmir, Türkiye. We used random encounter model (REM) method to estimate densities. Results The population density for 5 mammals were; for red fox 7.89 ind./km2 (± 0.82 SE), wild boar 4.36 ind./km2 (± 0.46 SE), European hare 15.33 ind./km2 (± 03.37 SE), beech marten 0.99 ind./km2 (± 0.10 SE) and golden jackal 0.50 ind./km2 (± 0.05 SE). These results were compared with mammal community which was previously studied in another Mediterranean ecosystem in Muğla, Türkiye, includes caracal and has a lower human footprint index. Conclusions According to results of this study human activity which can be revealed by Human footprint index (HFI) is one of the main parameter on Mediterranean ecosystem and it is effecting the density and occurence of species in mammal community. Both a higher human footprint index and the absence of caracal might cause higher density of red fox and European hare in İzmir, Türkiye. This study also suggests that caracal might be a serious suppressor on red fox which could be explained by competition. Caracal may also control the European hare in Mediterranean forest ecosystem of Anatolia. Thus, decreasing human footprint index and maintaining caracal suppressor effect are crucial for the conservation of the whole Mediterranean ecosystem.

Background: Determining the density of mammalian wildlife in an ecosystem is very important for the ecosystem conservation. The aim of this study is to reveal mammalian wildlife density and compare the effect human footprint index (HFI) on the Mediterranean ecosystems. The mammalian wildlife surveys were conducted between August 2013 and December 2013, using 21 camera traps with 2175 camera trap days in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem in İzmir, Türkiye. We used random encounter model (REM) method to estimate densities. Results: The population density for 5 mammals were; for red fox 7.89 ind./km2 (± 0.82 SE), wild boar 4.36 ind./km2 (± 0.46 SE), European hare 15.33 ind./km2 (± 03.37 SE), beech marten 0.99 ind./km2 (± 0.10 SE) and golden jackal 0.50 ind./km2 (± 0.05 SE). These results were compared with mammal community which was previously studied in another Mediterranean ecosystem in Muğla, Türkiye, includes caracal and has a lower human footprint index. Conclusions: According to results of this study human activity which can be revealed by Human footprint index (HFI) is one of the main parameter on Mediterranean ecosystem and it is effecting the density and occurence of species in mammal community. Both a higher human footprint index and the absence of caracal might cause higher density of red fox and European hare in İzmir, Türkiye. This study also suggests that caracal might be a serious suppressor on red fox which could be explained by competition. Caracal may also control the European hare in Mediterranean forest ecosystem of Anatolia. Thus, decreasing human footprint index and maintaining caracal suppressor effect are crucial for the conservation of the whole Mediterranean ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radionuclide concentration of man-made radionuclides on non-human biota in freshwater ecosystems has been extensively studied in environments affected by the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents, in both humid continental and subtropical climates, respectively. However, there are very few studies that assess the long-term effects of operating nuclear facilities in Mediterranean environments. In the present study, a temporal analysis of the impact on carp, cattail, and bulrushes in the cooling pond of the currently operating Almaraz nuclear power plant was investigated for the period 2000–2020. The results do not show a general trend in man-made radionuclide concentrations. Instead, depending on their availability and the type of organism, trends decrease over time. This is also reflected in the effective half-lives obtained, which are lower than the physical half-life for some radionuclides. Transfer coefficients for the main man-made radionuclides detected were obtained, and it was found that these were significantly lower than the typical ranges found for benthic fish and vascular plants in freshwater ecosystems. Finally, the internal and external doses received by the carp have been evaluated using ERICA tool, and it has been observed that the main contribution to the total dose is due to the internal dose (0.65–7.04) × 10−4 µGy/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing dryness of the environment is due to the rapid rise in temperature and changes in precipitation patterns. This has made it even harder for the soil to retain moisture, causing greater water stress in terrestrial ecosystems. Mediterranean ecosystems are especially vulnerable to this problem because they face a higher risk of heat waves and prolonged droughts during summer. This has far-reaching ecological consequences, such as changing the composition of plant communities and impacting ecosystem functionality. To understand the impact of aridity on vegetation, it is crucial to consider the broader context. This work aims to propose an integrated analysis using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) to characterize the influence of aridity on three vegetation types (trees, shrubland, grassland) at the following study sites within the NL4DL project (LIFE 20/PRE/IT/000007): Palo Laziale wood (Italy), Alta Murgia National Park (Italy), Delta of the Nestos River (Greece). This study compares SPEI based on potential evapotranspiration (Et0) and SPAEI based on actual evapotranspiration (Eta). Actual evapotranspiration is computed using the NDVI-cws model, which combines meteorological data from weather stations and satellite-derived NDVI vegetation data. The respective SPEI/SPAEI values are aggregated on a monthly (SPEI1/SPAEI1) and quarterly (SPEI3/SPAEI3) basis to observe seasonal variability over the considered period (2000–2022). The results show that in Palo Laziale wood, no increase in aridity is observed, as confirmed by both SPEI3 based on Et0 (slope = 0.16 Qrt−1) and SPAEI3 based on vegetation types. In contrast, for the Alta Murgia National Park, SPEI3 indicates an intensification of aridity (slope = −7.00E−4 Qtr−1), which is not in agreement with SPAEI3 based on Eta for shrubland (slope = 3.20E−4 Qtr−1). A similar pattern is observed for the Delta of the Nestos River, where a negative SPEI3 value is recorded (slope = −1.90E−4 Qtr−1), while the SPAEI3 for shrubland is positive (slope = 3.50E−4 Qtr−1). These observations provide insight into the impact of aridity on Mediterranean vegetation composition. The response of shrubland in comparison to trees and grassland types affirms its better adaptability to drought.

Prescribed burns have recently become a widespread environmental management practice for biodiversity restoration to reduce fuel load, to provide forest fire suppression operational opportunities, to favor plant recruitment or to manage wild species. Prescribed fires were again applied in Doñana National Park (southern Spain) after decades of non-intervention regarding fire use. Here, we assessed their impacts on the soil CO2 effluxes over two years after burning to test the hypothesis that if the ecosystem is resilient, soil respiration will have a rapid recovery to the conditions previous to the fire. Using soil automated CO2 flux chambers to continuously measure respiration in burned and unburned sites, we showed that soil respiration varies among seasons but only showed significant differences between burned and unburned plots in the fall season one year after fire, which corresponded with the end of the dry season. Comparing soil respiration values from the burned plots in the three fall seasons studied, soil respiration increased significantly in the fall one year after fire, but decreased in the following fall to the values of the control plots. This study highlights the resilience of soil respiration after prescribed fire, showing the potential benefits of prescribed fire to reduce catastrophic wildfires, especially in protected areas subjected to non-intervention.

The interception of rainfall by plant canopies alters the depth and spatial distribution of water arriving at the soil surface, and thus the location, volume, and depth of infiltration. Mechanisms like stemflow are known to concentrate rainfall and route it deep into the soil, yet other mechanisms of flow concentration are poorly understood. This study characterizes pour points, formed by the detachment of water flowing under a branch, using a combination of field observations in Western Australian banksia woodlands and rainfall simulation experiments on Banksia menziesii branches. We aim to establish the hydrological significance of pour points in a water‐limited woodland ecosystem, along with the features of the canopy structure and rainfall that influence pour point formation and fluxes. Pour points were common in the woodland and could be identified by visually inspecting trees. Throughfall depths at pour points were up to 15 times greater than rainfall and generally comparable to or greater than stemflow. Soil water content beneath pour points was greater than in adjacent controls, with 20%–30% of the seasonal rainfall volume infiltrated into the top 1 m of soil beneath pour points, compared to 5% in controls. Rainfall simulations showed that pour points amplified the spatial heterogeneity of throughfall, violating assumptions used to close the water balance. The simulation experiments demonstrated that pour point fluxes depend on the interaction of branch angle and foliation for a given branch architecture. Pour points can play a significant part in the water balance, depending on their density and rainfall concentration ability. Plain Language Summary: When rain hits a tree canopy, it either wets the canopy, falls off, or flows along the tree's surfaces (leaves, branches, and trunk). This interaction changes the amount and location of water arriving at the ground. The water flowing underneath branches is may eventually reach the ground by flowing along the tree trunk as stemflow. Using a combination of field observations in seasonally dry Banksia woodlands and rainfall simulation experiments on tree branches, we show that this water may, alternatively, peel off the branch and reach the ground at a "pour point." Rain gauges placed under pour points recorded 1.5–15 times the water recorded at rain gauges under the open sky. We showed that the quantity of water arriving at the pour points varies with the rain volume, and with branch properties including the upstream leaf area, angle, and shape of the branch. The changes in the distribution of water received beneath tree canopies and deeper infiltration into the soil due to pour points proved their hydrological significance. Understanding pour points represents one path toward an improved characterization of the complex processes occurring when rain hits a tree canopy. Key Points: Pour points occur when intercepted rain flowing under tree branches detach and their depths were 1.5–15 times the rainfallPour points increase spatial heterogeneity of throughfall and enhance infiltration into the soilRainfall simulation showed branch structure, foliation, and angle impose unclear controls on the volume of water received at the pour point [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The easy implementation of a nature-based solution (NBS) to address a prompt stabilisation of burnt areas may be crucial in the Mediterranean forest environment. A plot scale hydrological and ecological survey was conducted in a pine forest of the Aspromonte Massif (southern Italy) affected by a high fire severity in summer 2021. The hydrological response to 30 rainfall event groups is analysed by monitoring nine sloping plots distributed into three plot blocks (forested according to the pre-fire situation, burnt with randomly directed felled logs and burnt with manually felled logs redirected along contour lines). The hydrological response of bare soil is mitigated by about 30% through the combined effects of the NBS and the vegetation cover by pioneer species. Although the regeneration of Pinus radiata is scarcer in the arranged plots, the spontaneous vegetation, once gone, prepares better edaphic conditions for the triggering of forest dynamics assured by the auto-succession of Pinus radiata. In terms of woody mechanical resistance, NBS durability is compatible with the time required for seedlings to regenerate the forest ecosystem. The results achieved so far encourage further research on higher slopes and complementary aspects (vegetal and animal biodiversity, economic factors, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak species exhibits extreme, rapid population fluctuations that can be qualified as discrete events within a continuous dynamic. When outbreaks occur they may appear novel and disconcerting because the limiting factors of their dynamics are not readily identifiable. We present the first population hybrid dynamic model that combines continuous and discrete processes, designed to simulate marine species outbreaks. The deterministic framework was tested using the case of an unexploited benthic invertebrate species: the small, serpulid polychaete Ditrupa arietina. This species is distributed throughout the northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; it has a life cycle characterised by a pelagic dispersive larval stage, while juveniles and adults are sedentary. Sporadic reports of extremely high, variable densities (from <10 to >10,000 i n d. m − 2 ) have attracted attention from marine ecologists for a century. However, except for one decade-long field study from the Bay of Banyuls (France, Gulf of Lions, Mediterranean Sea), observations are sparse. Minimal formulations quantified the processes governing the population dynamics. Local population continuous dynamics were simulated from a size-structured model with a null immigration–emigration flux balance. The mathematical properties, based on the derived hybrid model, demonstrated the possibilities of reaching an equilibrium for the population using a single number of recruits per reproducer. Two extrapolations were made: (1) local population dynamics were simulated over 180 years using North Atlantic Oscillation indices to force recruitment variability and (2) steady-state population densities over the Gulf of Lions were calculated from a connectivity matrix in a metapopulation. The dynamics reach a macroscopic stability in both extrapolations, despite the absence of density regulating mechanisms. This ensures the persistence of D. arietina, even when strong, irregular oscillations characteristic of an outbreak species are observed. The hybrid model suggests that a macroscopic equilibrium for a population with variable recruitment conditions can only be characterised for time periods which contain several outbreak occurrences distributed over a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global changes such as increased drought and atmospheric nitrogen deposition perturb both the microbial and plant communities that mediate terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, few studies consider how microbial responses to global changes may be influenced by interactions with plant communities. To begin to address the role of microbial–plant interactions, we tested the hypothesis that the response of microbial communities to global change depends on the plant community. We characterized bacterial and fungal communities from 395 plant litter samples taken from the Loma Ridge Global Change Experiment, a decade-long global change experiment in Southern California that manipulates rainfall and nitrogen levels across two adjacent ecosystems, a grassland and a coastal sage scrubland. The differences in bacterial and fungal composition between ecosystems paralleled distinctions in plant community composition. In addition to the direct main effects, the global change treatments altered microbial composition in an ecosystem-dependent manner, in support of our hypothesis. The interaction between the drought treatment and ecosystem explained nearly 5% of the variation in bacterial community composition, similar to the variation explained by the ecosystem-independent effects of drought. Unexpectedly, we found that the main effect of drought was approximately four times as strong on bacterial composition as that of nitrogen addition, which did not alter fungal or plant composition. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of considering plant–microbe interactions when considering the transferability of the results of global change experiments across ecosystems.

Nutritional ecology seeks to unravel the extensive web of nutritional links that directs animals in their interactions with their ecological and social environments. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations its endemic locations are declining and it is considered a keystone species of the Mediterranean ecosystem prompteing the interest in its conservation. The main aim of this study was to determine the nutritional composition of the diet of European rabbits through the relative and absolute chemical composition of the gastric content. To address this objective, gastric content was collected from 80 European rabbits in a Mediterranean area for the analysis of its chemical composition. To this end, gastric content was analyzed for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ash, crude protein (CP), highly digestible nonnitrogenous nutrients (HDNN), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin. The rabbits were divided into two groups: EMPTY and FULL, depending on the level of stomach filling, directly related to food intake. Our results revealed a positive correlation between the rabbits weight with DM in the gastric content, total gastric content with DM in the gastric content, and DM in gastric content with all chemical parameters analysed. The mean relative values obtained were 8.8%, 25.5%, 40.4% and 25.4%, for ash, CP, NDF and HDNN, respectively. Moreover, EMPTY rabbits had both a proportional (+19%, p = 0.002 and –40%; p = 0.004, on NDF and HDNN, respectively) and absolute (−38%, p = 0.014, –52%; p = 0.012, −52%; p = 0.011 and +83%; p = 0.008 for OM, ash, HDNN, and lignin, respectively) different proportion of nutrients in gastric contents than FULL animals. Since there is a connection between this availability and the fitness of this species, understanding the chemical composition of the rabbit's diet can be utilised to delve into its biology. Our study provides information that will help elucidate the factors affecting the chemical composition of the gastric content of European rabbits to assist land use planners and conservationists in identifying sites for conservation in Mediterranean ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the research issues considered in landscape ecology is the fragmentation of landscapes, which is characterised by a great heterogeneity of land uses and shapes. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in landscape fragmentation and connectivity associated with the afforestation on agricultural land in two locations in southern Spain that was promoted by an EU scheme between 1990 and 2018. This was done using the Andalusia Land Cover Databases (1990 and 2018), along with the combination of two approaches with which to determinate the variation of fragmentation (Patch Analyst-ARCgis and LDTtool) and ecosystem connectivity (Graphab software). Afforestation on agricultural land represented significant change in land use in the two locations (Andevalo, Quercus ilex and Q. suber, 22,313.25 ha) and Guadix (Pinus halepensis, 2532.68 ha). Changes in fragmentation metrics reflected that landscape fragmentation increased as a consequence of afforestation, and a significate decrease in mean patch size (MPS) and mean patch edge (MPE) was observed over time in both locations in most land uses. Furthermore, afforestation increased connectivity for forest species, which was reflected in higher values of connectivity metrics (probability of connectivity and flux). The presence of low-cost pathways connecting patches suggested a reduction in the gap-crossing distance between forests, although the increase on fragmentation of forest patches there where an increase in forest connectivity that revealed favourable relationship between afforestation and landscape connectivity functions. The European Community policies aimed at the afforestation of marginal agricultural land could, therefore, play an important role in improving the ecological functions of agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, climate change affects all living things on earth. It also leads to serious losses in terms of biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human welfare. In this context, Laurus nobilis L. is a very important species for Turkey, and the Mediterranean countries. This research aimed to simulate the current distribution of the suitable habitat for L. nobilis in Turkey and to predict its possible range shifts in future climate scenarios. To predict the geographical distribution of L. nobilis, the study used the maximum-entropy algorithm-based MaxEnt 3.4.1 with seven bioclimatic variables created using the Community Climate System Model 4.0 (CCSM4) and the prediction models RCP4.5–8.5 for the years 2050–2070. The results indicated that the most important bioclimatic variables that shape the distribution of L. nobilis are BIO11-mean temperature of coldest quarter, and BIO7-annual temperature range. Two climate change scenarios predicted that the geographical distribution of L. nobilis would increase slightly and then decrease in the future. However, the spatial change analysis showed that the general geographical distribution area of L. nobilis did not change significantly, but the "moderate," "high," and "very high" suitable habitats changed towards "low" suitable habitats. These changes were particularly effective in Turkey's Mediterranean region, which shows that climate change is instrumental in determining the future of the Mediterranean ecosystem. Therefore, suitability mapping and change analysis of potential future bioclimatic habitats can help in planning for land use, conservation, and ecological restoration of L. nobilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak species exhibits extreme, rapid population fluctuations that can be qualified as discrete events within a continuous dynamic. When outbreaks occur they may appear novel and disconcerting because the limiting factors of their dynamics are not readily identifiable. We present the first population hybrid dynamic model that combines continuous and discrete processes, designed to simulate marine species outbreaks. The deterministic framework was tested using the case of an unexploited benthic invertebrate species: the small, serpulid polychaete Ditrupa arietina. This species is distributed throughout the northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; it has a life cycle characterised by a pelagic dispersive larval stage, while juveniles and adults are sedentary. Sporadic reports of extremely high, variable densities (from 10,000 ind.m−2) have attracted attention from marine ecologists for a century. However, except for one decade-long field study from the Bay of Banyuls (France, Gulf of Lions, Mediterranean Sea), observations are sparse. Minimal formulations quantified the processes governing the population dynamics. Local population continuous dynamics were simulated from a size-structured model with a null immigration–emigration flux balance. The mathematical properties, based on the derived hybrid model, demonstrated the possibilities of reaching an equilibrium for the population using a single number of recruits per reproducer. Two extrapolations were made: (1) local population dynamics were simulated over 180 years using North Atlantic Oscillation indices to force recruitment variability and (2) steady-state population densities over the Gulf of Lions were calculated from a connectivity matrix in a metapopulation. The dynamics reach a macroscopic stability in both extrapolations, despite the absence of density regulating mechanisms. This ensures the persistence of D. arietina, even when strong, irregular oscillations characteristic of an outbreak species are observed. The hybrid model suggests that a macroscopic equilibrium for a population with variable recruitment conditions can only be characterised for time periods which contain several outbreak occurrences distributed over a regional scale.

The easy implementation of a nature-based solution (NBS) to address a prompt stabilisation of burnt areas may be crucial in the Mediterranean forest environment. A plot scale hydrological and ecological survey was conducted in a pine forest of the Aspromonte Massif (southern Italy) affected by a high fire severity in summer 2021. The hydrological response to 30 rainfall event groups is analysed by monitoring nine sloping plots distributed into three plot blocks (forested according to the pre-fire situation, burnt with randomly directed felled logs and burnt with manually felled logs redirected along contour lines). The hydrological response of bare soil is mitigated by about 30% through the combined effects of the NBS and the vegetation cover by pioneer species. Although the regeneration of Pinus radiata is scarcer in the arranged plots, the spontaneous vegetation, once gone, prepares better edaphic conditions for the triggering of forest dynamics assured by the auto-succession of Pinus radiata. In terms of woody mechanical resistance, NBS durability is compatible with the time required for seedlings to regenerate the forest ecosystem. The results achieved so far encourage further research on higher slopes and complementary aspects (vegetal and animal biodiversity, economic factors, etc.).

The Mediterranean ecosystem exhibits a particular geology and climate, which is characterized by mild, rainy winters and long, very hot summers with low precipitation; it has led to the emergence of resilient plant species. Such habitats contain a preponderance of shrubs, and collectively harbor 10% of the Earth's species, thus containing some of the most unique shrubby formations protecting against environmental natural degradation. Due to shrub species diversity, initial phases of forestland, heterogenous grasses, bare ground and stones, the monitoring of such areas is difficult. For this reason, the aim of this paper is to assess semi-automatic classifications of the shrubby formations based on multispectral Sentinel-2 and visible and near infrared (VINR) AISA-EAGLE II hyperspectral airborne images with a support of Canopy High Model (CHM) as a three-dimensional information and field-verified patterns, based on Match-T/DSM and aerial photos. Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) classifiers have been tested on a few scenarios featuring different combinations of spectral and Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) transformed bands and vegetation indices. Referring to the results, the average overall accuracy for the SVM and AISA images (all tested data sets) was 78.23%, and for the RF: 79.85%. In the case of Sentinel-2, the SVM classifier obtained an average value of 83.63%, while RF: 85.32%; however, in the case of the shrubland, we would like to recommend the RF classifier, because the highest mean value of F1-score achieved was 91.86% (SVM offered few-percent-point worse results), and the required training time was quicker than SVM. Commonly available Sentinel-2 data offered higher accuracies for shrubland monitoring than did the airborne VNIR data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Bonifacio Straits Natural Reserve (BSNR) is a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (MPA) located in Corsica, characterized by rocky coasts, steep bathymetry, and regulated exploitation of marine resources. In this study, we updated the BSNR Ecopath model from 2010, providing a re-evaluation of the MPA's impact 13 years after the reserve's establishment and incorporating improved catch estimates, particularly for recreational fisheries. The model encompassed four primary producer groups, fourteen invertebrate groups, two Chondrichthyes groups, sixteen teleost groups, one seabird group, and one cetacean group. The BSNR model depicted a Mediterranean ecosystem where piscivorous fishes and cephalopods link primary producers to top predators (Tursiops truncatus , Dentex dentex and Epinephelus marginatus), emphasizing complex trophic relationships. Although the ecosystem faced moderate fishing pressure, the model revealed uneven pressure among groups, with rays, for example, being particularly vulnerable to fishing nets. Additionally, a mixed trophic impact analysis revealed an absence of competition among fishing fleets for resources, suggesting that, overall, recreational and artisanal fisheries do not impact each other. By comparing MPA models across the Mediterranean Sea, our research suggests that MPA establishment might enhance the overall biomass of ecosystems within their boundaries. This abundance can spill over into adjacent areas, thereby increasing biomass and diversity in those regions. In more exploited MPAs, higher values for the Finn cycling index and the consumption to total system throughput ratio indicated that fishing activities increased pressure on prey resources by diminishing the system's energy, pushing the ecosystem to optimize recycling. • The modelled Bonifacio MPA showed a high degree of development as a mature system. • Fishing pressure, though low, disproportionately affected different functional groups. • The protection level of MPAs impacted biomass fluxes being recycled in the ecosystem. • Our study emphasizes the role of strictly regulated areas in coastal strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal dune landscapes are subject to morphological and ecological changes. In many parts of the world, coastal dunes are under severe pressure. The present study illustrates an integrated remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) approach, i.e., geospatial techniques for assessing land-cover dynamics in Zouaraa coastal dunes, located in northwest Tunisia. As a main result, the analysis of the situation in the past six decades indicates that the dune area showed a decreasing trend with up to 31% (i.e., 6198 ha) in favour of forest area, which has increased by up to 6485 ha. The geo-spatial analysis revealed that restoration works have positively contributed to stabilize coastal dune systems with a substantial increase in vegetation cover. An increase in drought frequency and intensity was detected during the 1952-2017 period using the SPEI index, which enhanced the vegetation activity and growth in the study area. The SPEI significantly correlated with vegetation greenness on the 12- and 24-months' time scales. The croplands, water and buildings in the study area have increased respectively by 6% (i.e., 1256 ha), 13% (i.e., 3073 ha) and 3% (i.e., 719 ha). In contrast, land cover like shrub and bare soil has decreased respectively by 13% (i.e., 3073 ha) and 2% (i.e., 1831 ha) during the same period. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of the revegetation techniques undertaken for conserving coastal dune systems. The findings of this study allow land-use planning decision makers to manage and improve situations in similar coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retama sphaerocarpa shrubs form populations that can be an important forage resource during the dry season when pasture shortages are common in certain arid and semi-arid Mediterranean basin regions. The leaves of R. sphaerocarpa were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) contents. Leaves were also analyzed for the concentration of macro- (P, K, Ca and Mg) and microelements (Mn, Zn, Fe, and Na). According to the contents of CP, NDF, ADF and ADL in the leaves examined, this species could strike an appropriate balance between available feed ingredients for daily nutritional needs of animals. The contents of Ca, K, Na, P, Fe, Mg, and Zn in Retama sphaerocarpa shrubs were found to be high, compared to a number of other forage shrub species. Conversely, the rate of natural regeneration of this shrub in situ was estimated at 2-5%. R. sphaerocarpa seeds are affected by seed coat dormancy that prevents seed germination under natural conditions. The seed germination was assessed at a laboratory after the chemical scarification of seeds by concentrated sulphuric acid in the duration range of 0 min and 240 min. The principal component analysis of data related to the germination ability and seedling emergence showed that the best pretreatment was 120 min immersion in sulphuric acid at 25°C (± 2°C), resulting in 86% of the final germination percentage (FGP) and 14.6 cm of the seedling length (SL). According to the results obtained, this species could be considered a ruminant feed of great nutritive value when drought decreases grazing herbaceous biomass yields. These results should encourage farmers and foresters to integrate R. sphaerocarpa into their planting programs.

Aim: Climatic extremes and fire affect ecosystems across the globe, yet our understanding of how species are influenced by the interaction of these broadscale ecological drivers is poorly understood. Using a ten‐year dataset, we tested how extreme drought and rainfall interacted with time since fire (TSF) to shape bird species' distributions. Location: Semi‐arid mallee woodlands of south‐eastern Australia. Methods: We quantified the effects of climatic extremes on bird species' occurrence, species richness and incidence at 180 sites across three climatic periods—an El Niño‐associated drought (the "Big Dry"), immediately after La Niña drought‐breaking rainfall ("Big Wet") and three years following the La Niña event ("Post‐Big Wet"). We then compared species' responses with TSF across the three climatic periods using a chronosequence of sites from 1 to 117 years post‐fire. Results: La Niña rainfall had sustained impacts on species' occurrence. Over half of species increased significantly during the Big Wet. Despite three intervening years of below‐average rainfall, three quarters of these species remained comparably high, Post‐Big Wet. By contrast, less than half of threatened and declining species benefited from high rainfall. Responses of species to TSF were found to differ contingent on climatic conditions: almost twice as many species responded to TSF during the Big Wet and almost three times as many Post‐Big Wet, compared with the Big Dry. Across climatic periods, a majority of species showed preference for mid to older post‐fire vegetation. Main conclusions: Variation in responses to TSF is likely due to the effect of climatic variation on resources. We suggest that, at sites of different post‐fire age, interactions between TSF and climate may differentially influence both the availability and longevity of resources. Given climatic extremes are predicted to become increasingly severe with climate change, accounting for their influence on fauna–fire dynamics will require careful management of fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Quercus pyrenaica-dominated forests are very widely distributed in Mediterranean ecosystems. Traditional forest use, such as coppicing to obtain firewood or livestock grazing under silvopastoral systems, and the current social abandonment of the rural environment have given rise to forest structures of different ages and at different stages of development. Thus, on the one hand, there are large areas of Q. pyrenaica coppice systems that produce a large amount of biomass that have a very high risk of driving forest fires. On the other hand, dehesas, which have very low tree density and are composed of very old trees that are susceptible to different types of environmental stress and have serious regeneration problems and a weak phytosanitary status. In addition, previous studies have suggested that the production of economically valuable edible mushrooms is negatively impacted by silvicultural management. To determine the effects of land management on these ecosystems, we analyzed the soil fungal communities associated with coppice stands (i.e., high-density coppice), high forest stands (i.e., low-density coppice that received silvicultural management 15 years ago to reduce the risk of wildfire), and old stands (i.e., dehesas) to assess their potential ecological roles in their conservation and the diversity of edible mushrooms. We also analyzed the edaphic variables associated with these systems (carbon, pH and the carbon/nitrogen ratio) to understand the dynamics of these fungal communities. We observed two distinguishable communities: pathogen-, parasite-, and endophyte-dominated dehesas and saprotroph- and ectomycorrhizal (ECM)-dominated coppice stands, with a mixed composition in high forest stands. ECM fungi correlated with stand age and structure, showing higher richness levels in high forest stands, particularly ECM fungi with short hyphal exploration type. Finally, the influence of stand age and structure due to land management significantly affected the variety of some edible genera, such as Boletus, Tuber or Terfezia.

Estimating evapotranspiration (ET) is a primary challenge in modern hydrology. Hydrogravimetry is an integrative approach providing highly precise continuous measurement of gravity acceleration. However, large‐scale effects (e.g., tides, polar motion, atmospheric loading) limit the fine time‐scale interpretation of the gravity data and processing leads to residual signal noise. To circumvent this limitation, we exploited the difference between two superconducting gravimeters (SGs) vertically spaced by 512 m. The gravity difference allows to remove common large‐scale effects. Daily variation of the gravity difference is significantly correlated with daily evapotranspiration as estimated using the water balance model SimpKcET (p‐value = 4.10−10). However, this approach is effective only during rain‐free periods. In the future, comparison with direct ET measurements (e.g., eddy‐covariance, scintillometer) may confirm and strengthen our interpretation. Improved hydrogravimetric data processing could extend the proposed approach to other experimental sites equipped with a single SG. Plain Language Summary: Land evaporation and vegetation transpiration are crucial parameters in ecohydrology because evapotranspiration constitutes more than two‐thirds of precipitated water at the continental scale. However, this invisible flux is difficult to characterize, especially at kilometric scale, and its quantification is challenging for the hydrologist community. Continuous gravity monitoring using a superconducting gravimeter is a direct estimation of the mass change of lands with high precision. At a mountain site in southern France, we highlight a significant association between evapotranspiration calculated by a numerical model and the mass loss of the mountain. This approach provides a novel way to monitor evapotranspiration that will reinforce traditionally used methods. Key Points: For the first time, two vertically spaced gravimeters allow to interpret small gravity hydrologically induced signal (<5 nm/s²)Superconducting gravimetric signal are correlated with evapotranspiration at daily time stepGravimetry enables an integrative estimate of evapotranspiration particularly relevant for hydrology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the diversity spatial organization in plant communities provides essential information for management and conservation planning. In this study we investigated, using a multi-species approach, how plant–plant interactions determine the local structure and composition of diversity in a set of Mediterranean plant communities, ranging from semi-arid to subalpine habitats. Specifically, we evaluated the spatial pattern of diversity (i.e., diversity aggregation or segregation) in the local neighborhood of perennial plant species using the ISAR (individual species–area relationship) method. We also assessed the local pattern of beta-diversity (i.e., the spatial heterogeneity in species composition among local assemblages), including the contribution of species turnover (i.e., species replacement) and nestedness (i.e., differences in species richness) to the overall local beta-diversity. Our results showed that local diversity segregation decreased in the less productive plant communities. Also, we found that graminoids largely acted as diversity segregators, while forbs showed more diverse neighborhoods than expected in less productive study sites. Interestingly, not all shrub and dwarf shrub species aggregated diversity in their surroundings. Finally, an increase in nestedness was associated with less segregated diversity patterns in the local neighborhood of shrub species, underlining their role in creating diversity islands in less productive environmental conditions. Our results provide further insights into the effect of plant–plant interactions in shaping the structure and composition of diversity in Mediterranean plant communities, and highlight the species and groups of species that management and conservation strategies should focus on in order to prevent a loss of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High rates of climate change are currently exceeding many plant species' capacity to keep up with climate, leading to mismatches between climatic conditions and climatic preferences of the species present in a community. This disequilibrium between climate and community composition could diminish, however, when critical climate thresholds are exceeded, due to population declines or losses among the more mismatched species. Here, we assessed the effect of an extreme drought event on rich semiarid shrubland communities in the south‐eastern Iberian Peninsula. Using a community climate framework, we compared the community climatic disequilibrium before and after the drought episode on three study sites with different levels of precipitation. Disequilibrium was estimated as the difference between observed reference climate and community‐inferred climate, calculated as the mean climatic optimum for the species present, weighted by their abundances. We found that extreme drought embedded within a decadal trend of increasing aridity led to a significant reduction in community climatic disequilibrium, and that this reduction was positively related to water deficit (low P/PET values). In contrast, microhabitat variables such as vegetation cover or slope, did not emerge as significant predictors of changes in community climatic disequilibrium. Our study highlights that extreme drought events pushing communities in the same direction as climate trends may decrease community climatic mismatch, leading to communities more adapted to aridity through loss of drought‐sensitive species. These findings underscore that extreme events will play a crucial role in speeding up climate‐induced community transformations and biodiversity losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract 1. Globally, soil water repellency is a major constraint to plant establishment, restricting water infiltration and moisture retention in the seed zone which results in poor germination and seedling emergence. 2. To address this problem within an ecosystem restoration context, we investigated the use of a surfactant in extruded seed pellets to improve native plant recruitment in water‐repellent topsoils of two proteaceous woodland species, Banksia menziesii R.Br (glasshouse trial) and Lambertia inermis R.Br (field trial). In this two‐part study, we first examined B. menziesii seedling performance in detail under glasshouse conditions for differences in survival between the extruded pelleting formulations after an induced drought at 12 weeks. 3. We demonstrated that there was no difference in seedling emergence amongst control seed and pellet treatments in B. menziesii. Initially, B. menziesii seedlings emerged faster in the control treatment (non‐pelleted control seeds) and had greater initial plant growth (leaf and root production), however by Week 12, seedlings generated from pellets were not significantly different from the control seeds and pellets + surfactant had the greatest number of leaf establishment. 4. Survival after drought of B. menziesii seedlings ranged from 14 to 31 days with pellet + surfactant surviving approximately 2.6 days (11.8%) longer than the control seeds. For the second species, L. inermis, seedling emergence under field conditions was approximately 24% greater in seedlings derived from extruded pellets; however, there was no difference in overall survival due to post‐emergence predation. 5. This study provides a proof of concept that seedling emergence in water‐repellent soils can be enhanced with extruded pellets containing surfactants. Our demonstration under in situ and ex situ conditions confirms the prospective use of seed enhancement technologies with future development and field‐testing warranted.

Aboveground plant activity influences fine roots and rhizosphere activity, which is reflected on soil respiration (SR). However, it is still unclear and poorly understood the nature of plant activity control over SR, especially under drought conditions. We studied the plant activity-SR relationship at different timescales in a water-limited mixed Mediterranean forest where Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) are undergoing drought-induced die-off and are being replaced by the more drought-resistant Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.). Half-hourly sap flow (SF), as a proxy of photosynthesis, coupled with measures of SR using solid-state CO2 sensors, were monitored during nine months in four different trees, representative of the diversity and health condition of the forest. SF was strongly associated with SR at both daily and seasonal timescales. At daily timescales, almost no lags were found between SF and SR, indicating a fast control of photosynthesis on SR. However, the association between SF and SR weakened during the summer drought. These temporal patterns were not constant across the trees representing the die-off and replacement processes. SR beneath living pines was highly controlled by SF at daily scale, whereas Holm oak seemed to be more controlled by SF at seasonal scale. The relationship between SF and SR measured beneath dead pine and Holm oak at the daily and seasonal scales was consistent with the colonization of soil gaps by holm oak roots following Scots pine death and suggests that surviving Scots pines are unable to expand their root system in these gaps. Our results collectively show how drought modulates the link between canopy photosynthesis and soil respiration, and increase our understanding on how belowground processes may be affected by the successional dynamics following drought-induced forest mortality.

Microbial biogeographical patterns in Mediterranean ecosystems are becoming widely documented; however, the influences of slope aspect on the microbial community composition and structure are poorly understood. This study tested the hypotheses that slope aspect and organic matter content would influence microbial diversity patterns and distribution. Sets of five soil samples were collected from different slope aspects (north slope, south slopes, and valley bottom) and bacterial and fungal communities were examined using the 16S rRNA gene and ITS1 region sequencing, respectively, on the Illumina HiSeq platform. Organic matter and soil moisture varied significantly across all sites but did not influence microbial diversity patterns. Community structure (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) indicated that each site had a distinct microbial community, and soil moisture along with organic matter modulated the community structure. Relative abundance of key bacterial taxa (Actinobacteria and Bacteriodetes) and fungal taxa (Ascomycota was significantly influenced by slope aspect. Our results show, for the first time, that the often reported slope aspect dynamics of the soil microbiomes do in fact influence bacterial and fungal community composition and structure. Overall, taken together with previous studies from the region, this study provides novel insight on the physio-chemical properties that modulate the biogeographical patterns of soil microbes and contributes to our knowledge of factors that mediate microbial ecology in Mediterranean ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the distributions of Caracal Caracal caracal and Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in the central part of southwestern Turkey. It was conducted using a camera trap survey in 9 km2 gird cells of 280 km2 study area between March 2014 and April 2015. During the 7776 camera trap day survey, we obtained 5964 wildlife records from 31 different camera trap stations. While eight camera trap stations are positive for caracal (n = 48) and four camera trap stations are positive for lynx (n = 22), five camera trap stations are positive both for caracal and lynx. These results indicate the first evidence on sympatric occurrence of caracal and Eurasian lynx in Anatolia. The area in which caracal and eurasian lynx were recorded together is located at the transition of two eco-regions. High habitat diversity of this area have allowed these two species to be present in the area with suitable habitat and abundant prey (European hare) availability. Maintaining high habitat diversity is very important for preserving the existence of these two felid species in that area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term ecological monitoring provides valuable and objective scientific information to inform management and decision‐making. In this article, we analyze 22 years of herpetofauna monitoring data from the Point Loma Ecological Conservation Area (PLECA), an insular urban reserve near San Diego, CA. Our analysis showed that counts of individuals for one of the four most common terrestrial vertebrates declined, whereas counts for other common species increased or remained stable. Two species exhibited declines in adult body length, whereas biomass pooled over the five most common species increased over time and was associated with higher wet season precipitation. Although the habitat and vegetation at PLECA have remained protected and intact, we suspect that changes in arthropod communities may be driving changes in the abundance, growth, and development of insectivorous lizards. This study underscores the value of long‐term monitoring for establishing quantitative baselines to assess biological changes that would otherwise go undetected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In stressful environments, a nurse plant can ameliorate harsh biotic and abiotic conditions for another plant species that grows within its canopy. This canopy can act as a barrier for herbivores, reducing damage to the protected plants inside, but it can also reduce access to pollinators possibly resulting in a tradeoff between survival and reproductive output. In a semi‐arid ecosystem, the shrub Porlieria chilensis acts as a nurse, increasing soil moisture, nutrients and reducing temperature inside its canopy compared to open areas. Flourensia thurifera is one of the beneficiary shrubs that can grow inside P. chilensis, where it shows increased survival and performance compared to open areas. However, growing inside P. chilensis' canopy may reduce pollinator visit. We aim to evaluate the possible tradeoff between survival and reproduction in F. thurifera individuals growing inside and outside the canopy of P. chilensis. This was achieved through a field experiment were we measured survival, pollinator visits and seed output of F. thurifera plants growing inside and outside the canopy of P. chilensis. Flourensia thurifera individuals had a higher survival when growing within the canopy of P. chilensis and had lower pollinator visits and seed output compared to plants growing in open areas. Thus, we found a significant negative correlation between plant survival and seed output considering both conditions (inside or outside nurses), evidencing a tradeoff between these traits. The tradeoff evidenced here could have large impact at the population and community level. On one hand, this tradeoff could mask possible nurse effects in other species, since they could show a similar net fitness in both microhabitat (inside or outside nurses). Finally, we propose a theoretical model to assess the change in the shape of this tradeoff under future climatic conditions where temperature and precipitation are predicted to vary due to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions are one of the most relevant factors of biodiversity loss, especially after fire disturbances. Wildfires can accelerate invasions of fire-prone species, like Pinus radiata, and dramatically alter ecosystems. However, how to assess the main impacts of this invasion process on the composition, structure, and functionality of ecosystems, including the post-fire revegetation processes, has not been fully resolved. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of P. radiata invasion on fire-damaged forest ecosystems using combined remote sensing and in situ data, focusing particularly on changes in biodiversity, ecosystem structure, and functionality. The recovery of forest leaf area index (LAI) and the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) were monitored using Sentinel-2 time series products. Then the pre- and post-fire native community composition and the relationships of invasion and biodiversity with biotic and abiotic components were characterized using structural equation modeling (SEM). The postfire P. radiata density was mapped to quantify invasion intensity in three burned native forest fragments using generalized additive modeling (GAM) regressions based on UAS multispectral data. Biophysical metrics indicate that all forest fragments impacted by high, medium-high, and medium-low severity fires achieved a partial recovery of their canopy. The SEM model showed that microtopographic features and vegetation height explain native species diversity under pre-fire conditions due to their close relationship with favorable microclimatic conditions for species establishment. Vegetation height determined the abundance of P. radiata in post-fire conditions, and it negatively impacted diversity by promoting the homogenization of vegetation cover and altering diversity patterns. The general composition and abundance metrics also showed a substantial modification associated with the heavy (significant) invasion of P. radiata species. Predictive mapping of P. radiata density showed high accuracies (R2 =0.73 and explained deviation of 80%). The maps depicted an intense concentration of the invasive tree with a mean density of 76,217 individuals per ha−1 and high invasion spots with more than 176,000 individuals per ha−1. The quantification of invasion and mapping is a fundamental input for prioritizing areas and resources for a large-scale restoration program, and is a priority to avoid the loss of these highly threatened forest ecosystems. • Multiscale remote sensing allows understanding post-fire pine invasion. • Post-fire pine invasion alters forest ecosystem attributes. • UAV data can be used to predict pine invasion in burned forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of helminths of the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, as biological indicators of the post-fire regeneration process in Serra Calderona Natural Park, a Mediterranean forest ecosystem located between the provinces of València and Castelló (Valencian Country, Spain), has been analysed for almost twenty years. The helminth ecological analysis of 917 A. sylvaticus (675 originating from the burned area and 242 originating from the control area) has been carried out between the 2nd and 18th post-fire years. The influence of intrinsic (host population density, sex and age) and extrinsic (site, period and year of capture, climate variables) factors on the post-fire evolution of the helminth community of the wood mouse, and the biodiversity, species richness and life cycle of the helminth species was studied. Taking into account the most important results obtained, various aspects of the helminth community dynamics of the wood mouse are confirmed as biological indicators of the post-fire regeneration process in Mediterranean ecosystems. The still existing differences between the two areas are mainly related to the influence of climate variables on the post-fire regeneration process. Moreover, the important role that helminth parasites of the wood mouse play as biological indicators of this process in Mediterranean ecosystems is demonstrated.

Diverse information about the Chilean palm Jubaea chilensis, an endemic species to the Chilean Mediterranean ecosystem, has been generated along the two last centuries. The objective of this review is to bring together in a single document all the information to date on this species. Diverse sources of information were considered, from where the information gathered was systematized and analyzed to be presented in five broad themes. J. chilensis belongs to the Arecaceae family, and can reach 33 m height and two m in diameter, making it one of the most massive palms. Is the southernmost palm in the Americas, and because of its massiveness, it can resist prolonged periods of drought and low temperatures. Therefore, the species is used ornamentally in many countries. Its original population has decreased dramatically in recent centuries due to land use conversion and harvesting. Although it is now a protected species, the Chilean palm is classified as having vulnerable preservation status. Its principal threats, as indiscriminate fruit harvesting and the decreased of vegetal cover, have led to the aging of the palm population without proper regeneration. More research at the species level is highly recommended. Three broad thematic areas should be the focus for deepening the knowledge about the species: biology, specifically in terms of ecophysiology and reproduction; determine its environmental requirements; and, resulting from the application of the knowledge of the first two themes, the reconstruction of its natural populations.

Photoprotection strategies in a Pinus halepensis Mill. forest at the dry timberline that shows sustained photosynthetic activity during 6–7 month summer drought were characterized and quantified under field conditions. Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf-level gas exchange and pigment concentrations were made in both control and summer-irrigated plots, providing the opportunity to separate the effects of atmospheric from soil water stress on the photoprotection responses. The proportion of light energy incident on the leaf surface ultimately being used for carbon assimilation was 18% under stress-free conditions (irrigated, winter), declining to 4% under maximal stress (control, summer). Allocation of absorbed light energy to photochemistry decreased from 25 to 15% (control) and from 50% to 30% (irrigated) between winter and summer, highlighting the important role of pigment-mediated energy dissipation processes. Photorespiration or other non-assimilatory electron flow accounted for 15–20% and ~10% of incident light energy during periods of high and low carbon fixation, respectively, representing a proportional increase in photochemical energy going to photorespiration in summer but a decrease in the absolute amount of photorespiratory CO2 loss. Resilience of the leaf photochemical apparatus was expressed in the complete recovery of photosystem II (PSII) efficiency (ΦPSII) and relaxation of the xanthophyll de-epoxidation state on the diurnal cycle throughout the year, and no seasonal decrease in pre-dawn maximal PSII efficiency (F v/ F m). The response of CO2 assimilation and photoprotection strategies to stomatal conductance and leaf water potential appeared independent of whether stress was due to atmospheric or soil water deficits across seasons and treatments. The range of protection characteristics identified provides insights into the relatively high carbon economy under these dry conditions, conditions that are predicted for extended areas in the Mediterranean and other regions due to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichens and mosses represent the macroscopic components of biological soil crusts (biocrusts). Their ability to exploit short periods of water availability and reversibly deactivate metabolism is crucial for their growth and survival. In this work we investigated photosynthesis reactivation, respectively after long (65–66 days) and short (15 days) dry periods, in lichen and moss species widespread in two Mediterranean environments (Portugal and Italy). Chlorophyll a fluorescence emission of the samples was investigated and the parameter Fv/Fm, an indicator of vitality of photosynthetic organisms, was used as a proxy for photosynthesis reactivation. The fruticose lichens Cladonia convoluta and C. rangiformis , and the moss Pleurochaete squarrosa , typical of Mediterranean environments, showed a significantly slower reactivation of photosynthetic activity when subjected to a longer period of drought. Conversely, the alien invasive moss Campylopus introflexus was not affected by prolonged dry conditions. The study showed that drought duration influences the reactivation of photosynthetic activity in terricolous lichens and mosses forming biocrusts in re-hydration cycles. These results indicate the likelihood of a reduction in biocrust productivity as a consequence of climate change in Mediterranean drylands. • Longer dry periods increase photosynthesis reactivation time in lichens and mosses. • Prolonged drought didn't affect photosynthesis reactivation in an alien invasive moss. • Climate change in Mediterranean environment can compromise biocrusts' productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plant traits and extrinsic factors determine spatial variation in seed predation. • Seed translocation experiments dissect their relative contribution to seed predation. • Seed removal intensity strongly varied among offering localities. • No evidence of seed predator preference for particular seed traits was found. • Extrinsic factors mediated among population variation in seed predation strength. Seed predation is a key demographic process for plant population dynamics and community structure. The strength of seed predation for a given plant species often varies among populations depending on both plant traits (e.g. seed size) and extrinsic factors (e.g. seed predator abundance). Because both types of factors tend to covary spatially, identifying their relative contribution to changes in seed predation through observational approaches is challenging. During two consecutive years, we reciprocally translocated seeds of Iberian pear (Pyrus bourgaeana) from five localities in SW Spain to estimate changes in interaction strength between the tree and its seed-eaters (mostly rodents). We also measured relevant seed traits, the abundance of granivore rodents, and the density of fruiting-shrubs in the same five populations. Both seed traits and extrinsic factors varied among the five studied populations. As predicted, we found significant spatial covariance between some extrinsic factors (i.e. rodent abundance and fruiting-shrub density) as well as between extrinsic factors and plant traits (seed size). Seed removal likelihood varied highly among offering localities, with differences up to 11.6-fold. However, and despite differences in seed traits among populations, no evidence of seed predator preference for seeds from any locality was found in any of the five local experiments. Our study indicated that extrinsic factors (e.g. seed predator abundance) rather than measured seed traits mediated among-population variation in seed predation. Selection pressures exerted by seed predators on seed traits could thus be less pervasive than previously thought. Our experimental approach can help to better understand the potential of different functional animal groups (pollinators, herbivores, granivores, frugivores) to exert selection pressures on plant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Knowledge of ecological patterns and processes is key to effective conservation of biodiversity hotspots under threat. Renosterveld is one of the most critically endangered habitats in the biologically unique Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. For the first time, we map and synthesize the current state of knowledge on renosterveld ecology and conservation. We investigated 132 studies for the themes, locations and taxa of renosterveld research and the fragmentation, threats, recommendations and barriers to renosterveld conservation. More studies focused on plants than any other taxa (48% of articles) and are conducted mostly in larger, intact renosterveld fragments. The most commonly identified threat to renosterveld was agricultural intensification; conservation recommendations spanned improved farming practices, formal protection and local patch management. Conservation implementation has been piecemeal and has depended largely on the goodwill of landowners, which can be constrained by costs of conservation measures and a lack of suitable restoration means. Citizen science is a promising potential solution to some barriers. Fragmented knowledge in such a transformed and relatively densely populated region highlights the scale of knowledge gaps for other biodiversity hotspots and has implications for ongoing conservation work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prescribed (or "planned") burning is used by land managers to reduce fuel-loads in order to mitigate the spread of wildfire, thereby protecting life and property, and to promote environmental heterogeneity to enhance biodiversity. Globally, many fire management agencies focus on increasing extent and frequency of prescribed burning. There is a need to assess how high levels of prescribed burning may affect the long-term, landscape-level persistence of ecological communities. We forward projected management scenarios over 21 years to explore how the operationally realistic implementation of four different prescribed burn targets, covering 5, 3, 1.5 and 0% of a large reserve per annum (p.a.) might affect provision and removal of fire-mediated habitat of 11 rare and threatened bird species. Sustained implementation of high targets (5 and 3% p.a.) homogenised the landscape toward young vegetation, substantially reducing highly suitable habitat for species requiring intermediate (20–60 years post-fire) and older (60+ years) age classes. In contrast, no prescribed burning generated insufficient habitat for species with early (<20 years) and intermediate seral requirements. Strategies reliant upon persistently high levels of prescribed burning are likely to have negative effects on a number of threatened species already considered vulnerable due to their low populations and restricted ranges. In contrast, management processes that allow for periodic evaluation and flexibility in how strategies are implemented would better enable practitioners to tailor fire management to individual ecosystems. Carefully targeting key areas for wildfire prevention, and promoting some successional changes through application of fire in other areas, will help to maintain and improve suitable habitat for species of conservation concern. Highlights • Managing for multiple species of conservation concern is highly challenging. • Burning ≥3% of landscape p.a. negatively affects mid-older age successional species. • Burning 0% p.a. generates insufficient habitat for early-mid successional species. • Effect of fire management decisions on species' habitat will be evident for decades. • To benefit biodiversity, fire management must be tailored to individual ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]