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This study was conducted in the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon and aimed to assess the effects of human activities on woody vegetation in gallery forests, based on floristic inventories and observations made by the government. Firstly, the inventories were carried out in 150 plots of 1000 m2 each, installed on the banks of watercourses following the band of plant formations. In each plot, woody species were counted and those showing at least one sign of degradation were noted. Secondly, the survey was conducted in 18 administrative structures made up of delegations (MINFOF, MINADER, MINEPDED, and MINEPIA) and town halls. One hundred woody species, grouped into 63 genera and 30 families, have been inventoried, in which 45 species showed at least one sign of damage caused by human being. The species most affected are Anogeissus leiocarpus (67 stems), Azadirachta indica (46 stems), Diospyros mespiliformis (43 stems), Acacia albida (42 stems), Andira inermis (30 stems), Acacia sieberiana (23 stems), Khaya senegalensis (19 stems), Ficus sycomorus (13 stems), and Acacia polyacantha (10 stems). The most recurrent activity in the gallery forests is pruning (212 stems), followed by cutting (93 stumps), then picking (71 individuals). However, there are fewer debarked trees (11) and trees with fire trail (6). According to the responses provided, logging (77.78%), agriculture (72.22%), population growth (44.44%), grazing (33.33%), and bush fires (33.33%) are the main causes of the degradation of plant formations in the Mandara Mountains. These main factors could have a negative impact on biodiversity if appropriate integrated management measures are not taken. To maintain these vital ecosystems, an integrated management plan must be put in place, limiting human activities to a minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destruction of vegetation and land use change can have significant effects on the variability of soil characteristics. Based on this, the present research was conducted to study the change of land covers on the characteristics of the soil surface layer in Kohpar Nowshahr, Mazandaran province. For this purpose, different soil characteristics in land cover (Carpinus orientalis Miller.), Crataegus (Crataegus microphylla C. Koch.) and barberry (Berberis integerrima Bunge.), Rangeland with the dominance of Agropyrom longyaristatum species, Rangeland with The dominance of Cousinia commutate species, has been studied in Kohper research station. Therefore, three plots of one hectare (100 m x 100 m) were selected in each of the studied habitats. In each of the plots, 4 samples were taken from the surface layer of the soil (surface 30 cm x 30 cm, 10 cm depth) and a total of 12 soil samples from each of the studied habitats were taken to the laboratory for analysis. The results indicated the significant effects of different land uses on most physical, chemical and biological characteristics of soil; So that the highest values of the characteristics of soil stability, clay content, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, fine-root and corse-root biomass, fulvic and humic acids and earthworms, acarina, nematodes, protozoa, fungi and bacterial populations and microbial characteristics were observed in the soil of Carpinus, Crataegus and barberry vegetation.The results of this research confirm that land cover Carpinus, Crataegus and barberry vegetation can lead to the maintenance of soil quality indicators in the semi-arid mountainous regions of the north of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring regeneration in woody communities and understanding the drivers of its success is crucial for gaining insight into the long-term persistence of trees in African drylands, where they play key socio-ecological roles. While fire, grazing and water availability are key factors for regeneration in these ecosystems, seed arrival, germination and seedling recruitment are still poorly documented under natural conditions in the West African Sahel. Tree planting is commonly carried out in West Africa to promote regeneration. The cost is considerable, the success is variable and its influence on spontaneous regeneration is unknown. We conducted a field inventory to ascertain the regeneration ability of woody communities in a Sahelian savanna in three land management types (plantations, communal grazing, old enclosures) to determine (i) the proportion of the different regeneration mechanisms; (ii) the influence of adult trees; (iii) the influence of management type and topography and (iv) their temporal dynamics. We first showed that regeneration diversity was poor, with half of the adult species not recorded in the regeneration phase. Secondly, regeneration mostly came from true seedlings compared to resprouting. Thirdly, adult communities were found to greatly influence regeneration density and composition. Fourthly, topography proved to influence regeneration density, whereas we observed little effect of the land management type. Lastly, historical data highlighted a steep decline in regeneration density over recent decades. These results raise questions about the persistence of woody vegetation in Sahelian savannas and highlight the need to protect large trees in suitable microsites, such as topographic depressions, to promote regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian vegetation plays a fundamental role in alluvial channel evolution by modifying flow and sedimentation dynamics. To elucidate the roles of sediment supply, flow‐dependent transport capacity, and morphodynamic feedbacks on the evolution of emergent vegetation patches over a single hydrograph, we conducted two experiments with different reach‐scale sediment supplies: a high‐supply experiment (HSE) and low‐supply experiment (LSE). We measured flow velocities, bedload transport, and topographic changes around a full‐scale patch of live emergent willows in an outdoor laboratory flume. Erosion occurred in the patch‐adjacent channel areas irrespective of the sediment supply, whereas deposition within the patch interior was suppressed in the LSE and enhanced in the HSE. The magnitude of patch deposition in each experiment was controlled by the local sediment supply to the patch and local sediment mobility during each discharge in the hydrograph. The local sediment supply was affected by bed morphodynamics at the patch head, which modulated the reach‐scale sediment supply by redistributing the bedload in the channel. Sediment mobility within the patch was flow‐dependent and a function of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy. For different discharges, the velocity in the patch changed proportionally with the freestream velocity; however, the turbulent kinetic energy was more sensitive, being elevated compared with the freestream during high flows and inhibited at low flows. Therefore, deposition and erosion within vegetation patches are not simply functions of the reach‐scale sediment supply or patch flow characteristics, as is often assumed, but additionally depend on the local sediment supply to the patch interior. Plain Language Summary: Riparian vegetation in rivers and deltas is considered a primary cause of sediment deposition and channel stabilization. However, in the laboratory, we identified the physical mechanisms influencing sediment deposition and erosion and their change over a natural flow regime to illustrate that the same full‐sized willow patch can either enhance or reduce sediment deposition within the patch interior relative to the same channel without vegetation. The amount of sediment deposited in the vegetation patch depended on the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy of the water, which changed as the flow decreased. Additionally, the presence of a single vegetation patch fundamentally changed the character of the channel from depositional to erosional near the patch, indicating that more erosion occurred in adjacent channels than deposition within the patch. Deposition and erosion of the bed were also influenced by the amount of sediment supplied to the channel from upstream. This reach‐scale sediment supply was modified by a sediment mound that formed at the upstream end of the patch during high sediment supply to the channel. The mound redistributed the sediment transport within the channel and vegetation patch, revealing another physical mechanism influencing the spatial and temporal variability of bedload transport in vegetated channels. Key Points: Relative to the open depositional channel located upstream, a single vegetation patch caused channel erosion that lowered the median bed elevations by up to 640%The same vegetation patch can both inhibit and enhance interior sediment deposition depending on the flow‐dependent transport capacity and local sediment supplyMorphodynamic bed changes modulated the reach‐scale sediment supply in and around the patch by spatially redistributing bedload within the channel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation is the main challenge that forests in Ethiopia are currently facing. Identifying the factors that have the most significant impact on woody vegetation coverage will help sustain the remaining forests and increase woody vegetation coverage in severely degraded landscapes. Therefore, this study was conducted in the Mugulat area of northern Ethiopia to determine the magnitude of woody vegetation cover change and quantify the vulnerability of woody vegetation to disturbances using GIS techniques. Landsat images from 1984, 2000, and 2017 were used for this study. Multi-criteria evaluation through the overlay weight analysis of ArcGIS 10.5 was used to evaluate the vulnerability of woody vegetation to disturbance risk. Cultivated land increased by 35.04 % from 28.51 km2 in 1984 to 38.51 km2 in 2017. Shrubland alarmingly almost reduced by half (47.49 % %) from 24.44 km2 in 1984 to 12.83 km2 in 2017. Over the last 30 years, forest land increased from 4.70 km2 in 2017 to 3.71 km2 in 1984. Along with a forest cover increase of 26.64 %, the results show that woody vegetation cover declined from 48.35 % in 1984 to 32.95 % in 2017, corresponding to an annual loss of 27.42 ha. The significant decline in shrublands is an indicator of the vulnerability of the woody vegetation cover in the study area. Over 50 % and 25 % of the vegetation cover range from very high to high vulnerability, respectively, and are susceptible to disturbance. Restoration measures must be implemented to reduce the vulnerability of the woody vegetation cover. Policymakers and decision-makers should focus on nature-based solutions and climate-smart agriculture, which can contribute to increasing woody vegetation cover.

The article discusses the results of a comprehensive analysis of the ecological state and environment-stabilizing functions of woody vegetation species composition in the urban green space. The work is based on a large amount of factual material obtained during the course of a long-term monitoring of Vladivostok's urban vegetation. A methodological substantiation for a comprehensive qualitative-quantitative assessment of species has been developed using the applied qualimetry techniques. An integral indicator, termed the species functional efficiency coefficient (SFEC) has been proposed as the main evaluation unit. It is a relative-quantitative characteristic of plant quality that is based on the vegetation's functional efficiency and significance in urban ecosystems: prevalence in greenery planting, vitality, ability for accumulation of the pollutant metals in the urban environments, their concentration relative to the local environment background, and the capability for accumulating metals from the soil. Comparative analysis of the functional efficiency of 80 species of trees and shrubs of the urban vegetation of Vladivostok has been carried out on the basis of the proposed coefficient. Among the compared sample of plants, the SFEC decreases from 3.70 (Crataegus pinnatifida) to 1.13 (Malus mandshurica (Maxim.) Kom.). These values correspond to 74 and 23% of the conventional quality standard (QS) of the species. The groups of species with different functional significance in the urban green space structure have been identified. The best efficiency in creating the comfortable environmental conditions in the city has been demonstrated by the widespread species: Fraxinus mandshurica, Ulmus japonica, Betulaplatyphylla, Physocarpusopulifolia, etc. They are of the maximum level of participation in the formation of the urban vegetation structure and a high ability to absorb the main pollutants of the urban environments. The SFEC values for these species are within 3.26–2.61, which corresponds to 65–52% of the QS. Also, some suggestions on a rational use of species for the formation of a comfortable urban environment and the introduction of the results into the practice of managing the urban green fund have been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a common disturbance in the Brazilian savanna (the cerrado), wherein high-frequency fires drive the vegetation structure, composition, function, and dynamics of savanna ecosystems. Under climate change pressure, further understanding of fire–vegetation relationships and interactions can provide new approaches for establishing integrated fire management strategies and can promote post-fire savanna vegetation recovery. To understand how 15 years of annually manipulated burning has affected vertical and horizontal structures of the vegetation, species composition and diversity metrics (species richness, Shannon's diversity, and Pielou's evenness), and aboveground carbon stocks, we surveyed all woody plant species with a diameter greater than three centimeters, in 15 plots of a typical Brazilian savanna (cerrado stricto sensu) at an experimental research station in central Brazil (the cerrado biome). The 15 plots (five plots per treatment) had been differently affected by fire events over a decade, and comprised three treatments: (i) annual fire, (ii) legacy fire (>15 years since the last fire event), and (iii) control (not burned in the past 30 years). A non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis indicated that fire had a significant effect on the species composition among the treatments; some species benefited from fire, such as Erythroxylum suberosum, whereas other species propagated better without fire, such as Roupala montana and Dalbergia miscolobium. Over a decade of annual fire events have led to decreases in Shannon's diversity, species richness, and stem density, which were significantly lower in the annual fire treatment than in the control and legacy fire treatments. Stem density by diameter and height size classes (except for the 1–2 m class and above 8 m class) was higher in the control than that in the annual fire treatment, but the number of dead trees did not differ between the control and the annual fire treatment. Our results also showed that fire was a factor in changes in the evaluated parameters, such as in the annual fire treatment, where fire reduced the amount of biomass, and therefore the carbon stocks. This study suggests that, if burned yearly, typical Brazilian savannas can become less biodiverse in terms of woody plant species which negatively affects their fire resilience. Therefore, fire management practices should focus on determining the frequency of fire disturbances from which these ecosystems may benefit the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Five woody and 42 herbaceous species were found in the sampled plots at Benfontein. • Four of five woody species follow a Type IIIa population structure with Ziziphus mucronata the exception. • Vachellia erioloba and Schmidtia pappophoroides dominate the landscape. • Herbaceous vegetation biomass is approximately two times that of woody vegetation. • The eddy covariance system is located in a sparsely wooded grassland savanna. A flux tower with eddy covariance instruments was recently erected at Benfontein Nature Reserve (BNR) outside of Kimberley. An understanding of the landscape within the flux tower footprint, in this case natural vegetation, is necessary to interpret the data collected by the eddy covariance instruments. The tower was erected as part of the Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) infrastructure initiative to establish long-term monitoring platforms focused on socially relevant terrestrial landscapes and their coupled hydrological systems. We sought to describe the vegetation within the flux tower footprint to set a baseline of the vegetation in the landscape at the inception of the long-term monitoring of flux measurements at BNR. Woody vegetation was surveyed in five square 1 ha plots while the herbaceous layer was sampled across 105 circular plots following the Socio-Ecological Observatory for Southern African Woodland (SEOSAW) protocol. Woody vegetation was quantified in terms of abundance, diversity and biomass, together with Size Class Distribution (SCD) methods to describe the woody vegetation structure. The herbaceous layer was described by species count, basal cover, biomass, and diversity which was assessed using the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index. Five tree species, dominated by Vachellia erioloba , were found in the plots. Recruits (0 and 1 m tall) were significantly more abundant than large trees (1.2–9.5 m high). The SCD for the woody vegetation yielded a Type IIIa curve i.e. populations missing one or more size classes, for all tree species except Ziziphus mucronata which yielded a Type IIIb curve representing a population missing small sized trees. The herbaceous layer was diverse, consisting of 10 grass and 32 forb species. Schmidtia pappophoroides was the dominant grass species in terms of count, basal cover and aboveground biomass. Herbaceous biomass was two times higher than that of woody vegetation, with the North plot contributing the highest biomass for herbaceous and woody vegetation. The results indicate that the vegetation around the flux tower represents a wooded grassland, which is a type of a savanna. These vegetation data will contribute to the interpretation of data collected by the flux tower instruments now and in the future. Furthermore, long-term data collection in this reserve is needed to capture the woody vegetation dynamics and its interaction with the herbaceous layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Shrub encroachment is a major challenge for livestock and wildlife management in semi‐arid savannas. Shrub removal by land managers is widespread, but the long‐term effects on vegetation structure and composition, which determine carrying capacity for herbivores, are poorly documented. This study aims to examine the effects of selective shrub removal to guide vegetation management in key land uses of semi‐arid African savannas. Questions: Vegetation responses were assessed across land uses and treatments to answer the following questions: (1) does shrub removal increase the frequency of palatable plants and therefore herbivore‐carrying capacity; (2) does selective shrub removal decrease woody vegetation structure 15 years after application; and (3) how do these effects differ between cattle and wildlife ranching? Location: Molopo region of the North West Province, South Africa. Methods: Herbaceous and woody vegetations were sampled within six transects each of three wildlife ranches and three cattle ranches in areas that had either been selectively shrub‐controlled with herbicides 10–15 years previously or left untreated. To quantify effects of woody shrub control on herbaceous functional‐group abundances and assemblages, tree equivalents, regrowth rate, and shrub abundance, we compared these variables across two treatments (treated and untreated) and land uses. Data were analysed using GLMMs, NMDS ordinations, PERMANOVA, and SIMPER. Results: Selective shrub control effectively improved palatable herbaceous vegetation, especially on cattle ranches. Especially abundance of perennial grass was higher on wildlife ranches compared to cattle ranches. Tree equivalent was higher in untreated compared to treated plots, and these differences were more pronounced on wildlife ranches than on cattle ranches. Conclusionss: Selective shrub removal improved the palatable herbaceous layer for both wildlife and cattle ranching and can be considered an effective management strategy in semi‐arid rangelands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful wetland restoration depends on the development of the vegetation community post-restoration. Woody vegetation provides functional and structural support to the wetland ecosystem and community development post-restoration dictates restoration outcomes. We investigated basal area, stem density, and species richness of woody vegetation in 40 restored wetlands across West Virginia, USA, ranging in age from 1 to 29 years post-restoration. We aggregated field-collected data into eight indicators at the site scale and investigated stem size distribution to describe the overall woody vegetation community. Generalized linear regression shows native species richness slightly declined as wetland site age increased. In contrast, the total basal area increased over time since restoration. Total stem density did not vary by age. Regardless of age, all sites were dominated by woody vegetation with a stem diameter < 9.1 cm, whereas the frequency of stems > 9.1 cm increased as wetland age increased. This study demonstrates that the development of woody vegetation post-restoration occurs over decades in central Appalachian wetlands and shows the diverse conditions between restoration sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The re-integration of native woody vegetation within agricultural areas has the potential to support multifunctional productive landscapes that enhance livestock welfare and restore habitat for native wildlife. As there is minimal research on this issue in Aotearoa New Zealand, this study aimed to identify species of native woody vegetation and propose spatial configurations and site designs to increase multifunctionality on a case study site. The three components of a multifunctional agricultural landscape focused on in this study were (1) enhancing foraging opportunities for livestock, (2) optimizing shade and shelter, and (3) establishing native bush bird habitat. During the first phase, sixty-three suitable species were identified and assigned scores based on the primary objectives and site constraints. This produced four optimized plant lists, one each for the three multifunctional components identified above and one combined multifunctional list incorporating those scores with additional environment and soil scores. The second phase used design thinking methodology to strategically locate these plants within an established case study site. Nine different planting configurations (three for each multifunctional component) were proposed and then, informed by site-specific opportunities and constraints, located on the case study site to produce three individual site designs. Finally, these three site designs were combined to propose an exemplar of a multifunctional agricultural landscape. The results indicate that reintegrating native woody vegetation has the potential to contribute toward multifunctional agricultural landscapes, proposing species and spatial layouts from which further investigation into livestock foraging, increased shade and shelter, and restoration of bush bird habitat can follow. This research advances sustainable land management practices by offering valuable insights into future agricultural landscape design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian zones and the streams they border provide vital habitat for organisms, water quality protection, and other important ecosystem services. These areas are under pressure from local (land use/land cover change) to global (climate change) processes. Woody vegetation is expanding in grassland riparian zones worldwide. Here we report on a decade‐long watershed‐scale mechanical removal of woody riparian vegetation along 4.5 km of stream channel in a before–after control impact experiment. Prior to this removal, woody plants had expanded into grassy riparian areas, associated with a decline in streamflow, loss of grassy plant species, and other ecosystem‐scale impacts. We confirmed some expected responses, including rapid increases in stream nutrients and sediments, disappearance of stream mosses, and decreased organic inputs to streams via riparian leaves. We were surprised that nutrient and sediment increases were transient for 3 years, that there was no recovery of stream discharge, and that areas with woody removal did not shift back to a grassland state, even when reseeded with grassland species. Rapid expansion of shrubs (Cornus drummondii, Prunus americana) in the areas where trees were removed allowed woody vegetation to remain dominant despite repeating the cutting every 2 years. Our results suggest woody expansion can fundamentally alter terrestrial and aquatic habitat connections in grasslands, resulting in inexorable movement toward a new ecosystem state. Human pressures, such as climate change, atmospheric CO2 increases, and elevated atmospheric nitrogen deposition, could continue to push the ecosystem along a trajectory that is difficult to change. Our results suggest that predicting relationships between riparian zones and the streams they border could be difficult in the face of global change in all biomes, even in well‐studied sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating woody vegetation structure and composition in relation to surface water availability in Mana Pools National Park (MPNP). Two study sites, namely the Zambezi River floodplain and seasonal water pans were selected. Sampling plots were systematically placed along transects from water pans at 100 m, 200 m and 500 m and thirty (30) different sampling plots of size 600 m2 were used. Statistical analysis was done using STATISTICA 7. A total of 192 woody plants from 18 woody species were recorded. More woody tree species (n = 13) were recorded around seasonal water pans as compared to the Zambezi River zone (n = 5). Results obtained from Kruskal Wallis H test showed no significant difference in height, basal area and tree density along a distance gradient from the Zambezi River to the interior (inland). Stem density and diversity showed a significant difference along a distance gradient from the Zambezi River to the interior (p < 0.05). Woody species density and diversity increased as a function of distance from the Zambezi River channel, with species diversity higher around seasonal water pans. A comparison obtained from the Mann Whitney U test between the two sampling sites showed significant difference in all structural variables. Findings of this study showed that the woodlands along the Zambezi River were more degraded as compared to those around seasonal water pans. It is an indication that the concentration of herbivores is impacting woodlands along the Zambezi River. Management should consider establishing artificial water pans around the park to minimise herbivore pressure along the Zambezi River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplain characteristics contribute to the natural regeneration of vegetation and help facilitate their ecosystem recovery but vary within and between river systems and more so in a river system recovering from anthropogenic disturbances. Here, we explored the floodplain characteristics that contribute to the woody vegetation regeneration on point bars of the middle reach of the Apalachicola River in Florida, USA, which has been passively recovering for over two decades after dredging and disposal activities ended. Woody vegetation regeneration on point bars was analysed using 1999 and 2019 aerial imagery and divided into zones and sections. Data were extracted from a digitized geodatabase regarding several floodplain characteristics with potential to influence vegetation regenetation. Later, we analysed noncollinear floodplain characteristics using a random forest (RF) regression model. The top characteristics that contributed to the RF model include vegetation density, distance‐to‐seeding source and bend curvature. Findings suggest that high vegetation density contributes substantially to woody vegetation regeneration. The negative relationship between distance‐to‐seeding source and vegetation regeneration shows the importance of seeding availability. The bend curvature corresponds with the highest regeneration in the lowermost section of point bars. Our results signify the importance of maintaining healthy vegetated corridors as a buffer to reinforce the vegetation community and potential seed source for passive recovery. These findings regarding floodplain characteristics can be applied to future active restoration of anthropogenically disturbed floodplains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistence of the woody vegetation of the Sahelian savannas, and their supported ecosystem functions, have been questioned since the great drought of 1970s–1980s. To assess the resilience of this vegetation to drought and grazing, we undertook a trait-based approach using field inventory, historical survey databases, and traits data literature. Using a hierarchical clustering approach, we gathered the species present from 1970 to 2015 into functional groups according to their effect traits related to primary productivity and biogeochemical cycles. First, we studied the evolution of functional redundancy (FRe) and response diversity (RDiv) of the functional effect groups to drought and grazing, two indicators of resilience, since the 1970s. Second, we looked at the spatial variation of these two indices in 2015, according to local topography. FRe and RDiv of 80% of the functional groups examined declined since 1970, endangering the persistence of the studied functions. Local topography strongly influenced current FRe and RDiv, with depressions presenting higher values. Finally, by examining species' abundances, their regeneration, and the functional group to which they belong, we determined some key species that could benefit from protection to ensure the persistence of the ecosystem functions supported by the woody vegetation. This study has expanded knowledge about the savanna's response to pressures and has shown how a functional traits-based approach could be an effective tool to guide the management of tropical savannas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diversity is lower in arid regions around the world. However, semi-arid regions have very high species richness and are notable in terms of vegetation structure and plant diversity. The major goal of this study was to assess the composition and diversity of woody species with respect to edaphic properties in semi-arid lowlands of Kasur, Punjab Pakistan. Comprehensive field surveys were conducted to study the botanical diversity of woody vegetation in Kasur district (Punjab) during 2020–2022. Based on geography and vegetation richness, 120 sampling sites were selected, with each site comprising 05 transects of 500 m2 randomly. Therefore, from each sampling site, 25 quadrats were taken for exploring the biological assortment of woody vegetation. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 9 to 12 cm and placed in a polythene bag. The soil samples were tested for soil pH, EC, OM, macronutrients (N, P, and K), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). A total of 86 woody species belonging to 61 genera and 26 families were documented from diverse habitats of semi-arid lowland of Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. The leading family was Leguminosae having 13 genera and 21 species, followed by Moraceae, including four genera and nine species, and Bignoniaceae with seven genera and 09 species. Overall, five woody plant communities were renamed by means of the maximum indictor-valued plant species, such as those listed below; 1. EDM: Eucalyptus-Dalbergia-Morus community; 2. PBM: Populus-Bombax-Morus community; 3. ZTZ: Ziziphus-Tamarix- Ziziphus community; 4. PAP: Prosopis-Acacia-Prosopis community, and 5. BCR: Broussonetia-Conocarpus-Ricinus community. The CCA ordination makes it apparent that appropriate edaphic aspects, such as pH, organic matter, N, P, K, soil texture (silt, sand, and clay), and cation exchange capacity (CEC), have a significant influence on how woody species are distributed. The current effort provides a fundamental layout to realize the influences of environmental variables on the arrangement, variety, and relations of woody vegetation, which is useful to improve the conservation and management events for the ecological restoration of degraded habitation in the studied district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of restoration of degraded lands on soils physicochemical properties and adaptability of planted woody species over a period of 4–6 years. It is based on: (1) Physicochemical analyses of soils (granulometry, calcimetry, and organic matter); (2) measures carried out for the dimensioning of anti‐erosion structures; (3) dendrometric measurements on planted woody species on a density from 96 to 625 plants/ha, and the excavations of their root systems. The soils are characterized by low levels of organic matter (<1%), and no calcium carbonate. Soil tillage through deep sub‐soiling resulted in an improvement in soils quality marked by average proportions of clay (28.3%), silt (27.3%) on the anti‐erosion structures, whereas the control sites are dominated by sand particles (64%) on average. The degradation mechanism of anti‐erosion structures is mainly controlled by natural factors including topography, rainfall, and sand content of the soils with strong positive correlations (r=0.84; r=0.79; r=0.63 respectively). Restoration activities have led to the reconstitution of vegetation cover on degraded soils. Eucalyptus camaldulensis groups showed better adaptation as evidenced by their high structural shape parametres including Lorey's mean height (5.16–8.03 m), and mean crown diameter (1.66–3.3 m) with a tracer‐type root system and high root density (74–88 roots) observed at 30 cm from the main stem. This study provides substantial information on the contribution of erosion control measures and their interactions with soil and vegetation resources. It constitutes a scientific tool that is well‐adapted to the Sahelian (Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Senegal) context indispensable for the implementation of sustainable development strategies. The results thus obtained can be used as a reference for the choice of woody species to be planted according to the toposequence and the nature of the anti‐erosion structures made, with a good control of their durability while taking into account the productivity of the soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of rangelands requires knowledge of forage species that are preferred or avoided by wildlife and livestock. A recent expansion of woody vegetation into previously open grasslands in African savanna ecosystems negatively impacts many mammalian grazers. Nevertheless, the ecological role of bush encroacher plant species as food may present a benefit for browsing species. We quantified diet selection by Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) through foraging observations and vegetation sampling in the Tarangire Ecosystem of Tanzania, which includes large areas of a native shrub that livestock managers have classified as an encroacher species (Dichrostachys cinerea). We compared woody plant species used by giraffes for foraging with availability at two different spatial scales during the wet and dry seasons. Giraffes selected some woody plants such as Vachellia species while significantly avoiding others, both at the local and landscape scales. Giraffes preferred foraging on D. cinerea at both spatial scales and in both the wet and dry seasons. Management that has focused on benefiting grazing livestock by removal of encroaching species (e.g., D. cinerea) may have unintended consequences for wildlife, especially for browsing species like giraffes that feed extensively on the expanding bush species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of four Coriaria nepalensis (hereafter Coriaria) dominated sites has been conducted to evaluate the facilitation effects on tree and shrub characteristics and soil nutrients. A gradient of Coriaria abundance (level 1–4) has been established and the sites have been arranged in order of increasing abundance of Coriaria. In this study, compared to the lowest abundance level, the tree species richness increased by 43% and the shrub species richness increased by 25% at the highest abundance level of Coriaria, indicating that the effects of Coriaria have been consistent and strongly positive on the species richness. The tree and the shrub density have also been increased along with increasing abundance of Coriaria while the tree and the shrub basal area have been decreased. The population structure and the regeneration status have suggested that regeneration of tree species has been facilitated by Coriaria in low abundance sites and inhibited in high abundance sites. These findings suggest that changes in soil characteristics that occur after the Coriaria colonization facilitate growth and regeneration of the associated woody vegetation. However, with increasing abundance of Coriaria, there is a shift from facilitation to inhibition, thus the changes in dominance of species and species composition of the vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragments of birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa (Ledeb.) Nyman) and spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) trunks with traces of gnawing by the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758) were found in the modern tundra zone on the Yamal Peninsula. Tree fragments were dated by the radiocarbon and tree-ring methods. At the beginning of the Middle Holocene, the northern boundary of the beaver's range was at 68°39′ N. At the end of the Middle Holocene, it was at 67°33′ N. At the beginning of the Late Holocene, it was 66°33′ N. Changes of the boundary followed the formation of closed forests on the Yamal Peninsula. As they became established, the beaver's range moved northward. As the woody vegetation boundary retreated to the south, the beaver's range also retreated to the south. Stabilization of the northern boundary of the beaver range took place at the beginning of the Subatlantic climatic stage of the Late Holocene following the stabilization of the southern boundary of the forest–tundra zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Bush encroachment, (i.e. disproportionate woody vegetation increase at the cost of grassland) has negative impacts for biodiversity conservation and tourism by homogenising habitat structure and decreasing grazing and game‐viewing. While herbivory, rainfall, and CO2 all influence changes in woody vegetation cover, fire has the best potential for vegetation management. Changes in fire management can either encourage or suppress bush encroachment and a better understanding of how changes in fire regime affect vegetation structure is needed. Therefore, this study addressed three questions: (a) how has woody cover changed over two decades (1999–2019); (b) what is the role of land use, rainfall, and fire in influencing woody cover change; and (c) what are the management implications? Location: Bwabwata National Park (BNP), Namibia. Methods: The study used a novel combination of repeat ground photography and satellite‐based remote‐sensing products to explore the change in woody vegetation in relation to rainfall, land use, and fire seasonality. Results: Woody vegetation has increased by 13% since 1999 in BNP. Change in vegetation structure differed in the east and west of the park. Early‐season burns in the east of the park were associated with an increase in trees over 3 m tall consisting primarily of Dialium englerianum, Terminalia sericea and Burkea africana. Repetitive late dry‐season fires in the west of the park were associated with an increase in shrubs under 3 m dominated by Baphia massaiensis and Terminalia sericea. Conclusions: Both early‐ and late‐season fires are of value in management of bush encroachment. Early dry‐season fires appear to reduce the rate of bush encroachment and contribute to maintaining a heterogeneous vegetation structure. This fire management strategy reduces wildfire risk, conserves biodiversity, and promotes tourism and is, therefore, recommended for the park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon and aimed to assess the effects of human activities on woody vegetation in gallery forests, based on floristic inventories and observations made by the government. Firstly, the inventories were carried out in 150 plots of 1000 m 2 each, installed on the banks of watercourses following the band of plant formations. In each plot, woody species were counted and those showing at least one sign of degradation were noted. Secondly, the survey was conducted in 18 administrative structures made up of delegations (MINFOF, MINADER, MINEPDED, and MINEPIA) and town halls. One hundred woody species, grouped into 63 genera and 30 families, have been inventoried, in which 45 species showed at least one sign of damage caused by human being. The species most affected are Anogeissus leiocarpus (67 stems), Azadirachta indica (46 stems), Diospyros mespiliformis (43 stems), Acacia albida (42 stems), Andira inermis (30 stems), Acacia sieberiana (23 stems), Khaya senegalensis (19 stems), Ficus sycomorus (13 stems), and Acacia polyacantha (10 stems). The most recurrent activity in the gallery forests is pruning (212 stems), followed by cutting (93 stumps), then picking (71 individuals). However, there are fewer debarked trees (11) and trees with fire trail (6). According to the responses provided, logging (77.78%), agriculture (72.22%), population growth (44.44%), grazing (33.33%), and bush fires (33.33%) are the main causes of the degradation of plant formations in the Mandara Mountains. These main factors could have a negative impact on biodiversity if appropriate integrated management measures are not taken. To maintain these vital ecosystems, an integrated management plan must be put in place, limiting human activities to a minimum., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hinémé Fanday and Tchobsala.)

The use of modern drugs to manage hypertension and diabetes is enough expensive and requires constant monitoring of the patient due to the chronicity and complications of these diseases. Thus, the populations of southern Burkina Faso have opted for the use of plants, including Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R.Br. ex G. Don, Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst, Lannea acida A. Rich, Lannea microcarpa Engl. & K. Krause and Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile. To better contribute to preserving these five target species, the present study analyses the floristic diversity of the different vegetation types in which they occur, assesses their availability and determines the health status of their stands. To achieve this, a floristic inventory was conducted in 109 plots, including 26 plots of 500 m2 in riparian forests, 22 of 2500 m2 in fallows 31, 18 and 12 of 1000 m2 in tree savannahs, shrub savannahs and fenced areas, respectively. The diameter at breast height (dbh) of each individual of the target species was measured in each plot and its health status assessed. Results showed that species diversity varied significantly among vegetation types. According to the Shannon index, riparian forests were the most diversified (H = 2.62 ± 0.02 bits). Lannea microcarpa, Lannea acida, Sclerocarya birrea, and Balanites aegyptiaca were very frequent (Ri ≤ 60) to moderately frequent (60 < Ri < 80) within vegetation types. The vitality of their stands was independent of vegetation types. However, their individuals were weakly attacked in the fenced areas indicating that local people control these ecosystems. Fenced areas strategies appear to be alternative solutions to preserve stands of species that are an mostly high priority for populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diversity is lower in arid regions around the world. However, semi-arid regions have very high species richness and are notable in terms of vegetation structure and plant diversity. The major goal of this study was to assess the composition and diversity of woody species with respect to edaphic properties in semi-arid lowlands of Kasur, Punjab Pakistan. Comprehensive field surveys were conducted to study the botanical diversity of woody vegetation in Kasur district (Punjab) during 2020–2022. Based on geography and vegetation richness, 120 sampling sites were selected, with each site comprising 05 transects of 500 m2 randomly. Therefore, from each sampling site, 25 quadrats were taken for exploring the biological assortment of woody vegetation. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 9 to 12 cm and placed in a polythene bag. The soil samples were tested for soil pH, EC, OM, macronutrients (N, P, and K), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). A total of 86 woody species belonging to 61 genera and 26 families were documented from diverse habitats of semi-arid lowland of Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. The leading family was Leguminosae having 13 genera and 21 species, followed by Moraceae, including four genera and nine species, and Bignoniaceae with seven genera and 09 species. Overall, five woody plant communities were renamed by means of the maximum indictor-valued plant species, such as those listed below; 1. EDM: Eucalyptus-Dalbergia-Morus community; 2. PBM: Populus-Bombax-Morus community; 3. ZTZ: Ziziphus-Tamarix- Ziziphus community; 4. PAP: Prosopis-Acacia-Prosopis community, and 5. BCR: Broussonetia-Conocarpus-Ricinus community. The CCA ordination makes it apparent that appropriate edaphic aspects, such as pH, organic matter, N, P, K, soil texture (silt, sand, and clay), and cation exchange capacity (CEC), have a significant influence on how woody species are distributed. The current effort provides a fundamental layout to realize the influences of environmental variables on the arrangement, variety, and relations of woody vegetation, which is useful to improve the conservation and management events for the ecological restoration of degraded habitation in the studied district.

Relaxing in the shade of a tree, enjoying its fragrance, the oxygen offered as a gift, the refuge it offers, gives all the measure of the wealth of trees. An individual good, a collective wealth, the tree has a value attributable to the functions it performs. Whether the tree is young or centuries-old, it is directly or indirectly influenced by people, which is why it is important to appreciate its value. This is why it is necessary to assess the financial value of ornamental trees and estimate the amount of compensation in the event of damage. The chosen research topic is carried out in Buzău, on the domain of Alexandru Marghiloman. He built for his wife a wonderful tree park, which has become public today, on an area of 16,000 square meters. To date, there is no single reference assessment scale unanimously recognized by communities, experts, insurance companies and the judiciary. The B.E.V.A. method - the Tree Value Assessment Scale created in France (Barème dEvaluation de la Valeur dun Arbre) (or the method of large cities in France) - was used to evaluate the trees in Marghiloman Park. B.E.V.A. is used to calculate the value of a tree in an urban landscape or road alignment based on 4 criteria (species, girth, health, aesthetic value). The results have been registered and are part of the green inventory of this park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; bobwhite) exists at the edge of its thermal tolerance in southern Texas, USA, a region characterized by extreme heat and periodic drought. Extreme heat and drought events are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity in semi‐arid regions, leading biologists to emphasize management of thermal cover. The degree to which temperatures within patches of woody vegetation vary and the specific vegetation structural characteristics that create cooler microclimates within these patches are unknown. We evaluated temperature variation between selected and available sites, vegetation characteristics facilitating cooler microsites, and whether these characteristics in addition to temperature were important predictors of microsite selection within woody patches. We radio‐tracked 83 bobwhites 2–3 times/week during April–August 2017–2018. We recorded operative and ground surface temperatures and measured woody and herbaceous vegetation height, canopy density, and overlapping woody and herbaceous cover at used and paired random locations. Within the same woody patch, 80% of used locations contained operative temperatures lower than or equal to random locations. There was a weak relationship between the vegetation variables we measured and temperature at paired locations, indicating that none of the vegetation variables alone can effectively reduce temperatures. Temperatures within woody patches are likely strongly tied to diurnal variation in solar angle and ability to create shade. Cooler temperatures, dense canopies, and overlapping woody vegetation had the greatest effects on relative probability of microsite use during the middle of the day, whereas warmer temperatures and taller woody vegetation had the greatest relative effects during the morning and evening. Our results suggest that temperature was influential across diurnal periods but foraging and predation avoidance may have also been important. Maintenance and preservation of dense woody vegetation and diverse shrub understories must be prioritized in habitat management for bobwhites in semi‐arid regions. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. Our study examined the vegetation characteristics creating suitable thermal refugia for northern bobwhites in southern Texas. Our results suggest that not all woody cover can serve as thermal cover, and managers must prioritize the preservation of microsites containing dense overhead canopies and overlap between woody plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody vegetation dynamics in the Sahel have been debated since the great droughts of the 1970s–1980s. Here, we combined high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery, field inventory, and historical botanical records to study woody vegetation trends over the years 1965, 1980, 2008, and 2018 in the Ferlo, the Sahelian sylvo-pastoral zone of Senegal. While tree density has decreased from 1965 (14.8 trees ha−1) to 1980 (13.4 trees ha−1) and 2008 (11.9 trees ha−1), tree density has stabilized in 2018 (12.2 trees ha−1). The relatively moderate decrease in tree density over 50 years characterized by extensive human pressure and droughts, as well as the rather stable woody cover following the drought years after the 1980s, do not support narratives of widespread desertification in this region. However, we observed a shift in the composition of species. While the drought-resistant tree Balanites aegyptiaca showed a stable abundance, Acacia tortilis showed strong increases and other species like Sclerocarya birrea and Combretum glutinosum decreased. In addition, recent field surveys show that the ratio between shrubs and trees has increased towards more shrubs. The observed loss of species diversity combined with the increase of drought-resistant species is in line with current observations for savanna ecosystems in the context of an increased aridity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: It is frequently reported that overstocking of camels, cattle and goats is degrading the Anogeissus cloud forest, which is endemic to a 200‐km stretch of coastal mountains in southern Arabia. However, livestock impacts on the vegetation have not been assessed. Furthermore, we have a limited understanding of the impacts of large‐bodied browsing livestock, such as camels, in woodland and forest rangelands. Therefore, in this study, we examine the effects of livestock browsing on the species composition, density, and phytomorphology of woody vegetation in the Anogeissus cloud forests in the Dhofar Mountains of Oman. Location: Data were collected at 30 sites in the Jabal Qamar mountain range in western Dhofar, Oman. Methods: The point‐centred quarter method was used to sample the composition, density and structure of woody vegetation. Constrained correspondence analysis was used to quantify the effects of livestock browsing on woody plant species composition, whilst effects on plant density were analysed using mixed‐effects models. Standardised major axis regression was used to examine differences in height–diameter allometry (stunting) under different stocking rates. Results: Fog density, topographic position and long‐term stocking rates were found to be important factors affecting woody species composition. We found lower species diversity and plant density, and higher frequencies of unpalatable species, under higher stocking rates. Juveniles showed a stronger response to stocking rates than adults, and several common species exhibited stunted morphology under high stocking rates. Conclusions: Browsing by large‐bodied livestock, such as camels and cattle, can substantially alter the species composition, structure, and phytomorphology of woody vegetation in semi‐arid woodlands and forests. Juveniles are particularly susceptible to browsing which alters woody vegetation demography and inhibits regeneration potential. Our results support previous suggestions of overstocking in Dhofar and highlight the importance of swift measures to reduce livestock browsing pressure in the Anogeissus cloud forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disturbances associated with intensive agriculture facilitate the spread of invasive plants that become dominant along habitat edges in fragmented landscapes. Many invasive woody plants offer large quantities of floral resources to bees, but little is known about how invasive plants affect the use of flowering resources in the forest canopy and understory by native bee communities. We sampled the bee community at vertical strata along forest-agriculture edges that varied in density of a dominant invasive shrub Lonicera maackii before, during, and after the flowering period. We also recorded diameters and species identities of woody stems. Bee and woody plant abundance, diversity, and life-history traits were then spatially and temporally compared in response to L. maackii density. Overall, we found that L. maackii structured bee communities through its floral resources by altering bee species composition and supporting greater abundances and species richness of bees during and after its flowering period. We also demonstrated a diverse and abundant bee community up to 16 m high in the forest canopy that is supported by floral resources of native shrubs and trees but sensitive to woody shrub invasion. These findings collectively suggest that this invasive shrub structures the bee community in favor of species that use its own flowers and competes with co-flowering woody species at different vertical strata. Our study emphasizes the importance of forest trees and shrubs for bees in agricultural landscapes and demonstrates potential risks for early-season bees as well as those that cannot use floral resources of this invasive shrub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In precipitation‐limited regions, where water availability is a key driver of vegetation patterns, altered hydrology in urban areas may have a particularly strong effect on riparian plant communities. Urban water inputs can create perennial flows in formerly intermittent streams, potentially providing a water subsidy to riparian plants during dry seasons. However, during rainy seasons, increased storm flow magnitudes in urban areas can cause stream channel incision and associated lowered water tables. Channel incision may reduce riparian soil moisture throughout the year and limit the effect of dry‐season stream flow.We investigated whether channel incision and dry‐season stream flow were related to the composition of riparian vegetation communities along small streams in Sacramento, California, United States, and whether these two factors interacted. Sacramento has a Mediterranean climate with a long summer dry season. We sampled the riparian woody plant community along 66 stream reaches that created a gradient of channel incision severity across sites with and without dry‐season flow.The riparian vegetation community was more strongly related to channel incision than dry‐season flow. The two factors did interact in relation to the overall community composition based on multivariate analyses, but we did not detect interactions in univariate generalized linear mixed models predicting specific components of the woody vegetation community, with the exception of large native oak trees. We found that wetland‐associated species and non‐native species both became less prevalent with increasing channel incision. Conversely, native upland oak trees became more prevalent with increasing incision, although large oak trees only showed this pattern along flowing streams. Wetland‐associated seedlings were almost exclusively found along flowing streams.Synthesis. Our findings suggest that channel incision is a key driver of riparian woody vegetation composition. Although the effects of dry‐season flow were less pronounced, urban water subsidies may be essential for the establishment of wetland‐associated trees along historically intermittent streams. Varied hydrological conditions in precipitation‐limited cities are associated with divergent assemblages of woody species in riparian zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study measured within- and cross-taxon congruence in the diversity of epigeal invertebrates (spiders, beetles and millipedes) and woody vegetation sampled at small spatial grains (0.25 ha) across a large area (30 000 km2) within the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve (VBR) in South Africa. Beetle, spider, millipede and woody plant diversity was recorded at 160 point localities in 20 sites stratified across the dominant vegetation types of the VBR. Surrogacy relationships were explored using multiple linear regression (species richness) and Mantel tests (composition), while complementarity was analysed using the species accumulation index (SAI). Very little (< 10%) of the variation in invertebrate species richness was explained by woody vegetation richness alone, but the relationship improved when vegetation type was added to the regression, especially for beetles. Woody vegetation assemblages showed a positive but weak congruence with beetle assemblages, especially Tenebrionidae. Woody vegetation assemblage showed poor congruence for spider communities in general, with the exception of Lycosidae. Although cross-taxonomic congruence was observed between woody vegetation and invertebrate taxa, the relations based on SAI were stronger than expected for Coleoptera (Carabidae, Scarabaeidae and Tenebrionidae), positive but weak for spiders (all families), and weak for millipedes which had several localised endemics. Tests of higher taxonomic categories as surrogates were shown to have much greater potential than cross-taxon surrogacy. Genera in particular are excellent surrogates for species. Tribal- or generic-level determinations can be a cost-efficient approach for regional conservation planning exercises which aim to represent smaller scale variations in invertebrate diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important process regulating the water cycle, forest evapotranspiration (ET) also reflects vegetation and moisture conditions in response to a changing environment. For mountains in a Mediterranean climate and precipitation largely in winter, inconsistent seasonal variations between water stress and forest growth complicate remote-sensing-based ET modeling. Focusing on the Mediterranean-climate forests of California's Sierra Nevada, this regional study presents an NDWI-CWS (Normalized Difference Water Index-Canopy Water Stress) model to estimate daily ET in a globally important, representative region using MODIS NDWI and NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) data, plus ground-based meteorological data. Specifically, to account for the important yet less-studied role of root-zone water storage in supporting the growth of deep-rooted woody vegetation (i.e. forest tree and shrub) during dry seasons and droughts, we proposed to use water availability based on NDWI in modeling woody ET. In contrast, given the predominant role of surface soil moisture for non-woody vegetation (e.g. grass) with shallow roots, the model calculated non-woody ET using water availability based on the ratio of cumulative precipitation to potential ET (denoted as P/PET). With ET measurements from 18 flux towers and long-term water-balance measurements at 58 catchments in the relatively data-rich California study area, we compared ET estimates from four modeling experiments with different water availability combinations, and six global and regional ET products. Overall, our NDWI-CWS ET estimates generally agreed best with field measurements, with R2 of 0.74 for point-scale woody-ET comparison and R2 of 0.42 for catchment-scale comparison. The mean annual woody ET (634 mm) during water year 2003–2020 was larger than that (353 mm) in non-woody areas. Further, with NDWI-CWS ET estimates and snow data, we estimated that the mean root-zone water storage capacity (601 mm) in forests is double that (285 mm) in non-woody (e.g. grassland) vegetated areas in the Sierra Nevada. We found that remote-sensing NDWI-based water availability is highly correlated with deep root-zone water storage, and much so (correlation R of 0.74) during dry summers. However, P/PET-based water availability reflects surface soil moisture (R of 0.66) modulated by short-term precipitation. Together, explicitly accounting for the distinct roles of root-zone water storage and soil moisture for woody versus non-woody vegetated areas improves MODIS-based ET estimation, which is critical for regional water resources and forest management, in addressing water cycle in a warming climate. [Display omitted] • An ET model accounts for distinct water stresses in Mediterranean vegetation • NDWI is used to estimate woody-vegetation ET supported by root-zone water storage • Non-woody ET relies on surface soil moisture regulated by short-term precipitation • Model was evaluated against flux-tower ET and catchment water-balance measurements • NDWI-based water availability is highly correlated with root-zone water storage [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive area of frequently mowed open grassy roadsides is designed for highway safety, yet paradoxically, in many locations woody vegetation of various types may make safer highways, and additionally provide diverse valuable benefits for society. Therefore our objective is to identify the goals of greatly increasing woody vegetation, consider the pros and cons, and identify the especially desirable and undesirable locations for it. Today, frequent costly roadside mowing favors many non-native species including invasives. Rare species also live on roadsides, including nearly a quarter of the U.S. federally listed threatened-and-endangered plant species with at least one roadside population. The prime goals of greatly increasing woody roadside vegetation are to: (1) increase wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and landscape connectivity; (2) increase highway safety and driver experience; and (3) decrease pollut¬ant and peak-water-flow inputs to nearby water-bodies. The first goal has few disadvantages and also accomplishes diverse societal benefits. The second goal emerges from a modest decrease in vehicle speed in appropriate areas, plus the use of visually diverse types of roadside woody vegetation. An entrée into the travel-behavior and wildlife literature indicates that drivers drive more slowly on narrow than wide two-lane highways, and suggests that a sharp drop in wildlife/vehicle crashes appears between a posted speed limit of 90 and 70 km/hr (55 and 45 mph). The third goal enhances nearby streams, ponds, and other water bodies, mainly by significantly improving conditions in roadside ditches. Tall shrubs or natural forest/woodland are especially desirable vegetation types for >50% of the 35 situations common along road networks. Mowed grass is especially desirable on 17% of the situations, essentially the most risky driving locations. Meadow/low shrubs and small trees with herbaceous layer are intermediate in overall roadside value. We conclude that a massive increase in woody roadside vegetation offers numerous transportation, environmental, and societal benefits with minor disadvantages. Evaluation by a blue-ribbon panel of diverse experts and widespread pilot projects with research and monitoring are valuable next steps.

Aims: The native woody vegetation from the Espinal phytogeographic province in central Argentina, found in subtropical-warm temperate climates, represents part of the southernmost seasonally dry forest in South America. Although this vegetation has been studied for over a century, a complete phytosociological survey is still needed. This lack of knowledge makes its spatial delimitation and the establishment of efficient conservation strategies particularly difficult. The main goals of this study were to classify these forests and assess their current forest cover and to better define the extent of the Espinal phytogeographic province in Córdoba region, central Argentina. Study area: Espinal Phytogeographic Province in Córdoba region, central Argentina (ca. 101,500 km2). Methods: We sampled 122 stands following the principles of the Zürich-Montpellier School of phytosociology; relevés were classified through the ISOPAM hierarchical analysis. The extent of the Espinal phytogeographic province was established by overlaying previous vegetation maps, and a map showing the current distribution of forest patches was constructed based on a supervised classification of Landsat images. Results: Four woody vegetation types of seasonally dry subtropical forest were identified based on the fidelity and the abundance of diagnostic species: (1) Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco forest; (2) Zanthoxylum coco forest; (3) Geoffroea decorticans forest; and (4) Prosopis caldenia forest. These vegetation types were segregated along gradients of temperature and precipitation seasonality and soil-texture and sodium content. The remaining forest patches represent 3.43% of the extent of the Espinal province in Córdoba region of which only 1.05% is represented in protected areas. Conclusions: We present a classification of the Espinal forest based on a complete floristic survey. Despite the dramatic forest loss reported, our results show that some forest patches representative of the Espinal are still likely to be found in the area. However, urgent measures should be taken to establish new protected natural areas in order to preserve the last remaining forest patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bush thickening (shrub encroachment) is a major ecological and economic threat in southern African savannas. Different types and intensities of bush control (BC) are applied to counteract and mitigate bush thickening. However, woody vegetation response to BC and possible ecological side effects can be manifold. Land users therefore require solid knowledge about the associated structural and compositional changes, helping to apply an informed BC strategy that preserves multiple ecosystem services and functions. The present study addresses this need in a South African thornbush-type savanna. We sampled 41 rangeland sites with a known history of BC in comparison to benchmark conditions. The BC treatments included a selective and non-selective arboricide application and a selective stem burning. We identified each woody species in belt transects and measured the size and canopy of all individuals. The data were used to calculate measures of diversity, cover and density and to describe the population structure of key species. Marked differences in woody species composition and abundance patterns as well as significant alterations of the horizontal and vertical woody vegetation structure clearly reflected the intensity and level of selectivity with which BC had been conducted. While population trends displayed regeneration of key species, important structural elements (large mature trees) were often at risk of being lost from the savanna ecosystem. Results suggest varying degrees of ecosystem functional integrity following the BC treatments. It is concluded that selective BC treatments should be preferred as they allow to create open and well-structured savannas in benefit of the stability and biodiversity of the system. Yet, for improved predictions further research is needed into species-specific population dynamics and trait-related plant–plant interactions. In addition, there is still uncertainty about possible long-term ecological effects associated with the use of arboricides in this type of savanna, which should receive special attention in future research. • Bush control (BC) can predetermine Kalahari vegetation development. • BC requires solid knowledge about woody vegetation response. • Non-selectiveBC favors the development of a species diverse recruitment layer. • Selective BC can create well-structured and species diverse savannas. • BC can threaten the abundance of large keystone tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Soil indicators of agroecosystem multi-functionality vary spatially at different scales. • Soil variability is driven by land use legacy effects, soils, and vegetation type. • Woody vegetation elements differ from fields and induce fine-scale soil variability. • Pilot studies are essential for quantifying variability a priori to inform power analyses. • Power analyses can result in cost-effective sampling designs to optimise confidence. Abstract There is a need for accurate and easily-measured indicators suitable for characterising and monitoring agroecosystem multi-functionality. This is particularly true in intensively-farmed landscapes where it is of interest to quantify the role of small, woody vegetation features in providing ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration. However, soil variability introduced by natural and management processes can interact with sampling designs to result in inappropriate sampling intensities and high levels of uncertainty in measured indicators. This can have consequences for upscaling of ecosystem quantities and decision making. Here, we present results from a pilot study aimed at quantifying and understanding variation in ten common indicators of soil condition and function, within shelterbelt and adjacent field soils, at four dryland sheep farms in Canterbury, New Zealand. Our results demonstrate a high level of spatially-structured soil variability, driven by (1) the effects of woody vegetation on shelterbelt soils relative to field soils, (2) differences in underlying soil types among sites, and (3) possible effects of grazing animals within fields. This soil variability had clear knock-on impacts for appropriate sampling effort, depending on the soil indicator in question, the original soil sampling density, and whether the aim was to estimate population mean values or to detect differences among sites with confidence. On the whole, confidence in soil indicator estimates was highest for soil condition indicators (pH, soil moisture, bulk density), variable for carbon quantities, depending on the measure used, and lowest for soil biological process indicators (tea bag index decomposition rate, bait lamina probe micro-invertebrate activity, and dehydrogenase enzyme activity); estimation confidence was also mostly lower for shelterbelt soils due to the effect of woody roots and inputs on soil variability. Based on our results, we present indicative sample size requirements to estimate population means for these different soil indicators. Ultimately, we advocate for the use of pilot studies, such as the one presented here, to facilitate understanding of variability in soil function indicators within different agroecosystems, and how this variability is partitioned spatially within and among vegetated features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital to study seasonal variations in dielectric properties of woody tundra vegetation for the development of algorithms for satellite data interpretation and for the accuracy improvement of microwave methods for remote tundra sensing. This paper presents the measurement results of dielectric characteristics of dwarf birch (Betula nana) and willow (Salicaceae) at a frequency of 1.41 GHz. Vegetation samples were taken in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in different seasons (April, August, and November). Dielectric properties were measured by means of a bridge-type setup in the temperature range from 263 to 293 K at different water content in plant samples. Seasonal differences in temperature dependences of the real and imaginary parts of complex permittivity (CP), the loss-angle tangent were established for the studied tree species. These variations were caused by the water amount change in plants, the formation of ice in plant cells, the difference in dielectric properties of dry wood, cell sap, and ice. For branches and leaves, empirical dependences of CP on volume moisture were established. CP is higher in branch wood than that of in leaves due to greater volume of free water in the intercellular space of branch wood. Significant seasonal differences in woody tundra CP are indicative of the need for consideration of such seasonal changes under tundra remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: West African savanna ecosystems are affected by increasing land use intensity (e.g., agriculture and livestock herds) due to a growing human population. To understand the impact of land use intensification on savanna vegetation, we aim to answer the following questions: How do savanna species composition, diversity and structure change with increasing land use pressure? Are the impacts of land use change different in the woody and the herbaceous layers? Do the effects of land use change differ between vegetation types? Location: Southeastern Burkina Faso, West Africa. Methods: Vegetation plots from the early 1990s representing vegetation types occurring in fallows of different age and in uncultivated pasturing zones were resurveyed. We distinguished between woody (tree and shrub layer) and herbaceous vegetation types. Species composition changes were analyzed using ordination techniques (detrended correspondence analysis, DCA) and indicator species analysis (IndVal). Species turnover and plant diversity as represented by species richness and evenness were compared between the baseline survey and the resurvey. Results: In most woody vegetation types, we found no change in species composition and richness over the past two decades. However, some highly valued woody species decreased in abundance. In contrast, in most herbaceous vegetation types, species composition changed considerably and species richness increased. The proportion of wide‐ranging, ruderal herbaceous species increased, indicating a homogenization of herbaceous vegetation types, while preferred fodder herbaceous species decreased. We assume that the increased grazing intensity over the past two decades is the driver of these changes in the herbaceous layer. Conclusions: Our results show different reactions of vegetation types and layers to land use intensification and reinforce the need for studies on the basis of vegetation type that incorporate both the herbaceous and the woody layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bush encroachment is a highly relevant environmental issue in South African savannas, influencing ecological processes as well as the grazing capacity of the land. However the drivers of bush encroachment are not yet fully revealed which can partly be attributed to the problem that large-scale data of woody vegetation cover are missing. Using a multi-scale and a multi-sensor approach, this study aimed at providing the status of woody vegetation cover for the Molopo Area in South Africa. Training data for woody vegetation was derived from unsupervised classification of high-resolution aerial image tiles. To derive spatially continuous estimates of fractional woody cover for the entire Molopo Area, Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data were applied in a machine learning based modelling approach. Therefore, a database of training samples was generated by aggregating the classified aerial image tiles to the geometry of the Sentinel data. A Random Forest algorithm with a forward feature variable selection was then trained to relate the spectral and radar information to fractional woody cover. The model was applied to make spatial predictions of fractional woody cover at 10 m resolution for the entire Molopo Area for the year 2016. Spatial cross-validation revealed a prediction error in fractional cover of 12%. The derived model and cover data show the potential for upcoming time series analysis of Sentinel-based woody cover estimates which can serve as a basis to bring new insights into the drivers of bush encroachment. Highlights • Multi-scale and multi-sensor approach to map woody vegetation in South Africa • Integration of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 data and aerial images via machine learning • Feature selection and spatial cross validation led to reliable error estimates. • A fractional woody cover map for 2016 was created for the entire Molopo Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inventory of woody vegetation is of great importance for good forest management. Advancements of remote sensing techniques have provided excellent tools for such purposes, reducing the required amount of time and labor, yet with high accuracy and the information richness. Sentinel-2 is one of the relatively new satellite missions, whose 13 spectral bands and short revisit time proved to be very useful when it comes to forest monitoring. In this study, the novel spatio-temporal classification framework for mapping woody vegetation from Sentinel-2 multitemporal data has been proposed. The used framework is based on the probability random forest classification, where temporal information is explicitly defined in the model. Because of this, several predictions are made for each pixel of the study area, which allow for specific spatio-temporal aggregation to be performed. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied for mapping eight potential forest and shrubby vegetation types over the study area of Serbia. Several spatio-temporal aggregation approaches have been tested, divided into two main groups: pixel-based and neighborhood-based. The validation metrics show that determining the most common vegetation type classes in the neighborhood of 5 × 5 pixels provides the best results. The overall accuracy and kappa coefficient obtained from five-fold cross validation of the results are 82.97% and 0.75, respectively. The corresponding producer’s accuracies range from 36.74% to 97.99% and user’s accuracies range from 46.31% to 98.43%. The proposed methodology proved to be applicable for mapping woody vegetation in Serbia and shows a potential to be implemented in other areas as well. Further testing is necessary to confirm such assumptions.

A method of processing and presentation of the repeated landscape photographs for analysis of spatio-temporal dynamics of woody vegetation in tree line ecotone the Polar Urals (mountain Rai-Iz) was developed. It is intended to solve problems with the use of such photographs so as to help the researcher to gain an integral representation of the space under study, obtain additional information about the region of interest, create and update annotation to photographs, and develop thematic maps using repeated landscape photography.