Shrub expansion raises both aboveground and underground multifunctionality on a subtropical plateau grassland: coupling multitrophic community assembly to multifunctionality and functional trade-off

Frontiers in Microbiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14

Published: Jan. 11, 2024

Shrubs have expanded into grasslands globally. However, the relative importance of aboveground and underground diversity community assembly in shaping multifunctionality functional trade-offs over shrub expansion remains unknown.

Language: Английский

---

Do we need post-tree thinning management? Prescribed fire and goat browsing to control woody encroacher species in an Ethiopian savanna

Deleted Journal, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14

Published: July 9, 2024

Worldwide, bush encroachment threatens rangeland ecosystem services, including plant biodiversity and forage for livestock. Various control methods encroaching woody species restoring herbaceous vegetation exist but have rarely been explored experimentally. We assessed the impact of post-tree thinning management on tree mortality, community, overall condition in Borana, an Ethiopian savanna ecosystem. At two 1.4 ha areas encroached mono-specific Vachellia drepanolobium (whistling thorn) stands, we set up twenty-four 20 × 10 m experimental plots with four post-tree-thinning treatments (goat browsing only (1), prescribed fire (2), goat (3), (4) (i.e., no after cutting), three replications a complete block design. Over growing periods, monitored resulting coppicing, seedling mortality recruitment, as well layer attributes (diversity, biomass) condition. All scenarios significantly enhanced mortalities, reduced recruitment increased abundance dominant desirable grass species. Prescribed goat-browsing resulted greater forb richness, diversity, biomass, compared to treatment. However, diversity did not respond treatments. Post-tree Our findings strongly suggest that post-thinning management, particularly or combination browsing, is highly effective suppressing improving biomass

Language: Английский

---

Ecosystem service trade‐offs resulting from woody plant removal vary with biome, encroachment stage and removal method

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 61(2), P. 236 - 248

Published: Dec. 7, 2023

Abstract Plant removal is used widely to restore systems encroached by woody plants and improve ecosystem health human well‐being. However, the effects of are rarely consistent, with a mixture positive negative outcomes for ecosystems, making it difficult develop consistent prescriptions achieving sustainable management dominated systems. We complied global database 5086 records on impacts plant from 204 studies explore where (biome; grassland, savanna, shrubland, woodland), when (encroachment stage; low, medium, high encroachment) how (removal method; physical, chemical, browsing, burning, multiple techniques) would affect eight services (forage value, soil stability, hydrological regulation, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, animal diversity, diversity primary productivity). Removing in grasslands enhanced forage but shrublands reduced regulation. Conversely, chemical regulation at expense diversity. In grasslands, interactions between encroachment stage method also regulated service responses, burning enhancing cycling under low encroachment, reducing heavily stands. The effectiveness promoting varied method, suppressing long‐term browsing exacerbating effect stability. Synthesis applications . Our study demonstrates that, overall, different conditions (biome, stage, method) result trade‐offs services, no condition maximising all services. results highlights importance designing specific plan target It provides basis sound decisions about optimise benefits programmes critical

Language: Английский

---

Mountain greening and rising temperatures erode habitats of ironwort (Sideritis), an important natural medicinal resource

Plants People Planet, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 6(4), P. 862 - 874

Published: Feb. 20, 2024

Societal Impact Statement Native medicinal plants contribute essential health benefits to populations globally, constituting a major natural resource that human societies rely on. Being an integral part of terrestrial biodiversity, are detrimentally affected by ongoing climate and land‐use change, yet comprehensive studies on the risk extinction will pose biodiversity lacking. Responding scientific calls for conserving this study provides integrated assessment impacts environmental change ironwort ( Sideritis ), group closely related endemic great cultural significance as local resources in Balkan Mountains. Summary Mountain habitats harbour unique provide vital well‐being, including resources, they amongst environments most impacted global change. While there is ample evidence recent rapid mountain ecosystems, these processes culturally important still poorly understood. Here, we assess potential loss plant over past four decades using ironwort, Mountains extensively used pharmaceutical industry treating cough cold gastrointestinal disorders. We information collected from European history museums guide extensive field campaigns across 15 separate ranges. integrate data with thousands satellite images, station‐validated reanalysis habitat suitability modelling. finally machine learning relative roles vegetation rates driving show rising temperatures ‘mountain greening’ erode at alarming rates. About 50% total area all considered ranges shows significant decline suitability. These trends likely continue future could lead widespread species other share similar ecological preferences, threatening their contributions societal well‐being.

Language: Английский

---

Slope aspect of a mountainous grassland landscape shapes the structure of an encroaching shrub (Euryops floribundus N.E. Br): insights from communal grazing sites located at varying distances from rural homesteads

Community Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 25(2), P. 127 - 143

Published: March 24, 2024

Abstract Mountainous grassland landscapes are severely threatened by the proliferation of shrub encroachment. So far, it remains unclear though how slope aspect coupled with land disturbances linked to proximity homesteads communal grazing sites affects distribution, density and structure encroaching shrubs in these ecosystems. In this study, we investigated role that plays determining an species Euryops floribundus N.E. Br three located at varying distances from rural a semi-arid mountainous Eastern Cape Province South Africa. Three were strategically chosen Cala lands encroached landscape depicted north south-facing aspects. The selected Tsengiwe; site close distance less than 100 m, Upper Mnxe situated intermediate ranging 200 800 m away Manzimdaka, which was furthest greater 1600 m. each corresponding aspect, E. evaluated on 36 randomly distributed plots, yielding total 108 plots across all sites. We found significantly higher (50%) north-facing compared Tsengiwe, near homesteads. Shrub height (53 17%) Notably, lower (37%) Tsengiwe. Following similar pattern height, stem number (20 85%) respectively. crown area (33 11%) A strong positive relationship established between their longest diameter, shortest diameter sites, suggesting employs its structural characteristics survive, thrive more evident slope. results highlight importance considering into account ecological studies, puts emphasis improved understanding vegetation patterns shaped encroachment grasslands, is crucial development effective management strategies.

Language: Английский

---