Climate Change-Induced Decline in Succulent Euphorbia in Namibia’s Arid Regions DOI Creative Commons
J.J.M. Meyer,

Marnie Potgieter,

N. Meyer

et al.

Plants, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 14(2), P. 190 - 190

Published: Jan. 11, 2025

The global rise in temperatures due to climate change has made it difficult even for specialised desert-adapted plant species survive on sandy desert soils. Two of Namibia’s iconic species, Welwitschia mirabilis and the quiver tree Aloidendron dichotomum, have recently been shown be under threat because change. In current study, three ecologically important Namibian Euphorbia milk bushes were evaluated their response. By comparing good-quality aerial photographs from 1960s recent 2020s high-resolution satellite images, was determined by QGIS remote sensing techniques that very high percentages large succulents E. damarana, gummifera, gregaria died during last 50 years arid areas Namibia. Areas like Brandberg (northern Namibia), Klein Karas (south-east), Garub (south-west), with a sandy-textured ground cover, seen loss around 90% damarana about 61% gummifera this period. This is alarming, as could threaten survival several animal adapted feed them, especially droughts. study focused succulent euphorbias, distinguishable images historical photographs. It observed many other are also severely stressed areas. obtained results ground-truthed identification confirmed chemical analysis remaining dead twigs using GC-MS metabolomics. ERA5 satellite’s 2 m above-ground temperature data show °C annual average noon since 1950 at locations analysed. Annual daily increased 1.3 1950, exceeding 1.0 1900. suggests euphorbias plants low-water-capacity soils Namibia face greater pressure than globally.

Language: Английский

Climate Change-Induced Decline in Succulent Euphorbia in Namibia’s Arid Regions DOI Creative Commons
J.J.M. Meyer,

Marnie Potgieter,

N. Meyer

et al.

Plants, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 14(2), P. 190 - 190

Published: Jan. 11, 2025

The global rise in temperatures due to climate change has made it difficult even for specialised desert-adapted plant species survive on sandy desert soils. Two of Namibia’s iconic species, Welwitschia mirabilis and the quiver tree Aloidendron dichotomum, have recently been shown be under threat because change. In current study, three ecologically important Namibian Euphorbia milk bushes were evaluated their response. By comparing good-quality aerial photographs from 1960s recent 2020s high-resolution satellite images, was determined by QGIS remote sensing techniques that very high percentages large succulents E. damarana, gummifera, gregaria died during last 50 years arid areas Namibia. Areas like Brandberg (northern Namibia), Klein Karas (south-east), Garub (south-west), with a sandy-textured ground cover, seen loss around 90% damarana about 61% gummifera this period. This is alarming, as could threaten survival several animal adapted feed them, especially droughts. study focused succulent euphorbias, distinguishable images historical photographs. It observed many other are also severely stressed areas. obtained results ground-truthed identification confirmed chemical analysis remaining dead twigs using GC-MS metabolomics. ERA5 satellite’s 2 m above-ground temperature data show °C annual average noon since 1950 at locations analysed. Annual daily increased 1.3 1950, exceeding 1.0 1900. suggests euphorbias plants low-water-capacity soils Namibia face greater pressure than globally.

Language: Английский

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