Disentangling the effects of temperature and rainfall on the population dynamics of Kalahari meerkats

Oikos, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 7, 2025

In arid habitats, recent increases in summer temperatures associated with global warming are adversely affecting many animal populations. However, annual rainfall also varies widely of these areas, and we do not yet fully understand the relative impact variation temperature on demography arid‐zone species. Here, examine effects meerkats Suricata suricatta southern Kalahari over last 25 years. During this period, average maximum monthly air at our study site increased by around 1.5°C to 3.2°C, while fluctuated without a consistent trend. We show that changes female fecundity recruitment were more closely correlated rainfall. Increasing reductions pups survival some age classes but, most cases, demographic consequences high modest compared low rainfall, which years led near cessation successful reproduction extinction smaller groups. For instance, exceptionally 2012–2013 was declines group size population density, fell 50%. Unusually hot did have similar consequences. Following drought, intermittent frequent droughts continued suppress slowed population's recovery. Future may affect dynamics meerkat population, but work suggests years, exerted stronger influence demography. Our demonstrates importance long‐term, individual‐based data for determining how climate populations, especially environments where bottom–up processes often dominate.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation priorities in mitigating agricultural threats to China’s vertebrates

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 171, P. 113186 - 113186

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Large herbivore functional guilds and soil carbon storage in a semi-arid southern African landscape

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 20, 2025

Soils store approximately 75% of the global terrestrial carbon pool and can sequester varying levels organic depending on wildlife, livestock, human activity landscape. Large-bodied herbivores (LH) are hypothesized to influence soil dynamics through a variety biogeochemical processes that vary in direction magnitude their effects storage. Because these across ecosystems remain unacknowledged, estimates ecosystem budgets may be inaccurate. Here, we explored how functional traits multi-species domesticated wild LH assemblages storage, semi-arid landscape north-central Botswana. We examined spatial occurrence patterns with an existing livestock-wildlife gradient ranges from national park adjacent community rangelands. Weselected dominant ecological, behavioral, morphological, physiological characterize diversity. Our results identify key groups influencing measures landscape, different contexts biophysical conditions. Livestock wildlife generally have positive carbon, but effect varies context exact species occupying location.

Language: Английский

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A sociohydrological model for evaluating the drought resilience of indigenous and modern dryland irrigation systems in Sri Lanka

Frontiers in Environmental Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: March 26, 2025

Over the millennia, indigenous small tanks (small reservoirs or ponds) have served to store rainwater and surface runoff irrigate drylands. However, despite their significance, been gradually abandoned in drylands over past decades expand cultivable areas under modern agricultural interventions, such as dam canal systems. Sole reliance on water interventions has intensified freshwater stress rendered dryland agriculture vulnerable droughts. Herein, we present a sociohydrological model incorporating concept of human salience (i.e., attention accorded by farmers based actual perceived reservoir availability rainfall) access simulate farmer decisions cultivation area. By applying centrally managed irrigation system quasi-decentralized Mahaweli H scheme Sri Lankan dry zone for 2010–2020 period, calibrated perception levels show that perceive significantly low rainfall threshold indicating greater adaptability conditions. Sensitivity area demonstrate an 18% higher dependency compared when deciding This stark is rooted lack accessibility tanks, feature enhance drought resilience system. While providing quantifiable insights, this comparative assessment underscores importance critically evaluating efficacy decentralized current resource investments.

Language: Английский

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Nitrogen Availability and Changes in Precipitation Alter Microbially Mediated NO and N₂O Emissions From a Pinyon–Juniper Dryland

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Climate change is altering precipitation regimes that control nitrogen (N) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. In ecosystems exposed to frequent drought, N can accumulate soils as they dry, stimulating the emission of both nitric oxide (NO; an air pollutant at high concentrations) and nitrous (N 2 O; a powerful greenhouse gas) when dry wet up. Because changes availability soil moisture alter capacity nitrifying organisms such ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) archaea (AOA) process emit gases, predicting whether shifts may NO O emissions requires understanding how AOA AOB respond. Thus, we ask: How does summer winter affect nitrifier‐derived trace gas dryland ecosystem? To answer this question, manipulated measured AOA‐ AOB‐derived emissions, abundance, concentrations. We found excluding increased consistent with increase availability, increasing amount promoted activity. Excluding (the most extreme water limitation imposed) did not despite accumulating soils. Instead, nitrate accumulated under drought correlated via denitrification upon wetting Increases timing intensity are forecasted climate may, therefore, influence gases according magnitude season during which occur.

Language: Английский

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Integrating key species distribution and ecosystem service flows to build directed ecological network: Evidence from the Shiyang River Basin, China

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 381, P. 125183 - 125183

Published: April 9, 2025

Language: Английский

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The importance of biome in shaping urban biodiversity

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 1, 2025

Humanity is urbanizing, with vast implications on natural systems. To date, most research urban biodiversity has centered temperate biomes. Conversely, drylands, collectively the largest terrestrial global biome, remain understudied. Here, we synthesize key mechanistic differences of urbanization's impacts across these Irrigation shapes dryland ecology, and can lead to greener, sometimes more biodiverse, landscapes than local wildlands. These green patches in drylands often have a different species composition, including many non-native human-commensal species. Socioeconomic factors - locally globally mediate how biomes shape patterns through effects irrigation, greening, invasive We advocate for low-income cities, implementing biome-specific, scientifically grounded management policies.

Language: Английский

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The value of human resources changes with season for a social desert passerine bird

npj Biodiversity, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 4(1)

Published: April 23, 2025

For desert species, human development may buffer against resource scarcity by providing reliable resources in an otherwise stark environment. We used high-throughput tracking technology to explore the movement patterns of a social passerine bird (the Arabian babbler-Argya quadriceps, Leiothrichidae) mosaic human-modified and semi-natural habitats. From late summer early winter, as natural food water increase, we tracked 21 individuals representing 10 groups. Toward groups spent less time within villages, had smaller home ranges, were territorial. In general, birds showed preference for spending vegetated habitat. further found that even small section uncultivated agricultural land (~2 km stretch mostly bare dirt) can act barrier babblers. Altogether, highlight how complex interaction between availability anthropogenic changes habitats, shape animals' responses our changing planet.

Language: Английский

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Vehicle-induced fugitive particulate matter emissions in arid environments

Advances in chemical pollution, environmental management and protection, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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