Floristic diversity and its relationships with human land use varied regionally during the Holocene

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(8), P. 1459 - 1471

Published: July 8, 2024

Humans have caused growing levels of ecosystem and diversity changes at a global scale in recent centuries but longer-term trends how they are affected by human impacts less well understood. Analysing data from 64,305 pollen samples 1,763 records revealed substantial community (turnover) reductions (richness evenness) the first ~1,500 to ~4,000 years Holocene epoch (starting 11,700 ago). Turnover generally increased thereafter, starting ~6,000 ~1,000 ago, although timings, magnitudes even directions these varied among continents, biomes sites. Here, modelling changes, we find that most metrics biodiversity change associated with (anthropogenic land-cover estimates for last 8,000 years), often positively magnitudes, timings sometimes associations differed continents sites also varied. Once-forested parts world tended exhibit increases while open areas decline. These regionally specific relationships between humans floristic highlight human-biodiversity generated positive responses some locations negative others, over years.

Language: Английский

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Floristic homogenization of South Pacific islands commenced with human arrival

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(3), P. 511 - 518

Published: Jan. 15, 2024

Abstract The increasing similarity of plant species composition among distinct areas is leading to the homogenization ecosystems globally. Human actions such as ecosystem modification, introduction non-native and extinction or extirpation endemic native are considered main drivers this trend. However, little known about when floristic began pre-human patterns similarity. Here we investigate vegetation trends during past 5,000 years across tropical, sub-tropical warm temperate South Pacific using fossil pollen records from 15 sites on 13 islands within biogeographical realm Oceania. site comparisons show that has increased over years. Pairwise Bray–Curtis results also two were settled by people in a given time interval, their greater than one neither settled. Importantly, higher elevation sites, which less likely have experienced human impacts, tended homogenization. While biotic often referred contemporary issue, identified much earlier trend, driven colonization subsequent impacts.

Language: Английский

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The Indo–Pacific Pollen Database – a Neotoma constituent database

Climate of the past, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(11), P. 2473 - 2485

Published: Nov. 11, 2024

Abstract. The Indo–Pacific Pollen Database (IPPD) is the brainchild of late professor Geoffrey Hope, who gathered pollen records from across region to ensure their preservation for future generations palaeoecologists. This noble aim now being fulfilled by integrating IPPD into online Neotoma Paleoecology Database, making this compilation available public use. Here we explore database in depth and suggest directions research. comprises 226 fossil records, most postdating 20 ka but with some extending as far back 50 or further. Over 80 % are Australian, a fairly even distribution between different Australian geographical regions, notable exception Western Australia, which only represented three records. also well distributed modern climate space, largest gap drier regions due issues. However, many contain few samples have fewer than five chronology control points, such radiocarbon, luminescence Pb-210, younger sequences. Average deposition time whole database, counted years per centimetre, 64.8 yr cm−1, 61 having shorter cm−1. slowest occurs on Australia's east coast, while fastest times western Pacific. Overall, Australia has slower rest region. offers exciting research opportunities investigate past regional vegetation changes associated drivers, including contrasting impact first human arrival European colonisation vegetation. Examining spatiotemporal patterns diversity compositional turnover/rate change, land cover reconstructions, plant functional trait other avenues potential research, amongst others. Merging facilitates inclusion data global syntheses.

Language: Английский

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rmacrostrat : An R package for accessing and retrieving data from the Macrostrat geological database

Geosphere, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(6), P. 1456 - 1467

Published: Oct. 30, 2024

Abstract The geological record is a vast archive of information that provides the only empirical data about evolution Earth. In recent years, concentrated efforts have been made to compile macrostratigraphic into online centralized database Macrostrat. Macrostrat global stratigraphic containing regarding surface and subsurface rock units their respective ages, lithologies, geographic extents, various other associated metadata. However, these raw are currently directly accessible through application programming interface, which barrier potential users less familiar with such services. This accessibility hurdle prevents full capitalization value offered by Macrostrat, particularly its improve understanding biological Here, we introduce rmacrostrat, an R package interfaces access retrieve variety geological, paleontological, economic environment. this article, provide details how can be installed, implementation, use cases. For latter, showcase rmacrostrat used visualize regional columns, produce geologic outcrop maps, investigate temporal trends in units. We hope will make more readily turn facilitate new research utilizing Earth system data.

Language: Английский

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rmacrostrat: An R package for accessing and retrieving data from the Macrostrat geological database

EarthArXiv (California Digital Library), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 25, 2024

The geological record is a vast archive of information that provides the only empirical data about evolution Earth. In recent years, concentrated efforts have been made to compile macrostratigraphic into online centralized database Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org). global stratigraphic containing regarding surface and subsurface rock units their respective ages, lithologies, geographic extents, various other associated metadata. However, these are currently accessible through application programming interface (API), which barrier potential users less familiar with such services. This accessibility hurdle prevents full capitalization value offered by Macrostrat, particularly its improve understanding biological Here, we introduce rmacrostrat, an R package interfaces database, access retrieve variety geological, paleontological, economic directly environment. this article, provide details how can be installed, implementation, use cases. For latter, showcase rmacrostrat used estimate proportion North American carbonate siliciclastic sediments time, produce regional geologic outcrop maps, visualize columns. We hope will make more readily accessible, in turn facilitate new research utilizing Earth System data.

Language: Английский

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User-centered design and evaluation of the neotoma paleoecology open software ecosystem

International Journal of Digital Earth, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(1)

Published: July 24, 2024

Making paleoecological data accessible, usable, and useful to a global diverse community of researchers, educators, students across Earth sciences is an essential yet challenging task. Multiple access discovery tools must co-evolve with ever-changing user needs through iterative, open-ecosystem software development approach. We employ user-centered design study evaluate one such ecosystem, the Neotoma Paleoecology Database, whose mission advance understanding global-change processes by providing expert-curated resource. contains over 11 million observations from 30,000 + datasets 20,000 sites, representing proxies environmental ecological conditions past. comprises three interrelated components – interactive web mapping application, statistical programming package, API that provide different levels functionality audiences. Although efforts these have involved community, lacks systematic evaluation process, which important for informing gap between perceived potential actual utility. address this knowledge using scenario-based exercises usability/utility assessment. Major contributions include actionable insights enhancing Neotoma's experience model can be adapted other science ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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An adaptive strategy for current afforestation in the forest-steppe ecotone, north China, inferred from the Holocene geo-ecology dynamics

CATENA, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 247, P. 108533 - 108533

Published: Nov. 16, 2024

Language: Английский

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