Integrating theory and experiments to link local mechanisms and ecosystem-level consequences of vegetation patterns in drylands

Chaos Solitons & Fractals, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 166, С. 112881 - 112881

Опубликована: Ноя. 22, 2022

Язык: Английский

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Self-organized sulfide-driven traveling pulses shape seagrass meadows

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 120(3)

Опубликована: Янв. 9, 2023

Seagrasses provide multiple ecosystem services and act as intense carbon sinks in coastal regions around the globe but are threatened by anthropogenic pressures, leading to enhanced seagrass mortality that reflects spatial self-organization of meadows. Spontaneous vegetation patterns appear such different ecosystems drylands, peatlands, salt marshes, or meadows, mechanisms behind this phenomenon still an open question many cases. Here, we report on formation traveling pulses creating complex spatiotemporal rings Mediterranean We show these structures emerge due excitable behavior resulting from coupled dynamics porewater hydrogen sulfide, toxic seagrass, sediment. The resemble those formed other physical, chemical, biological media, a much larger scale. Based theory, derive model reproduces observed seascapes predicts annihilation circular they collide, distinctive feature pulses. also field images empirically resolved radial profiles density sediment sulfide concentration across consistent with predictions theoretical model, which shows have diagnostic value, acting harbinger terminal state meadows prior their collapse.

Язык: Английский

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Multi-Trophic Species Interactions Shape Seascape-Scale Coral Reef Vegetation Patterns

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 7

Опубликована: Апрель 24, 2019

How species interactions shape habitat structure is a longstanding question in ecology. A curious phenomenon reflecting ecological self-organization around reef structures exists on coral reefs: large-scale (hundreds to hundreds of thousands m2) halo-like patterns surrounding patch reefs, i.e., individual reefs that are often separated by seagrass or macroalgal meadows. These 'halos', long known occur various locations worldwide, reflect distinct band unvegetated sediments reefs. However, the full suite mechanisms controlling them have never been rigorously explored, perhaps due common assumption dating back nearly fifty years they arise solely from reef-based herbivory shaped anti-predator behavior. Here we provide empirical evidence set halos within Australia's Great Barrier Reef risk-averse foraging and previously unrecognized functional group contribute halo formation, demonstrating these cannot be explained any one mechanism isolation. Our results show more complex than assumed majority studies halos. Specifically, grazing herbivores likely key behind formation halos, as generally assumed, but bioturbators also play central role. This knowledge furthers our understanding how small-scale can at landscape scales. features important because affect least ecosystem function, carbon storage, potentially others (e.g., biological nutrient transfer). raise whether other self-organized may nuanced currently assumed. study capitalizes recent advances high resolution satellite imagery accessibility allow ecologists measure landscape-scale everywhere land shallow seas. suggest hold potential basis for tool remotely observing measuring change

Язык: Английский

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Phenotypic plasticity: A missing element in the theory of vegetation pattern formation

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 120(50)

Опубликована: Дек. 7, 2023

Regular spatial patterns of vegetation are a common sight in drylands. Their formation is population-level response to water stress that increases availability for the few via partial plant mortality. At individual level, plants can also adapt by changing their phenotype. Phenotypic plasticity and patterning populations have extensively been studied independently, but likely interplay between two robust mechanisms has remained unexplored. In this paper, we incorporate phenotypic into multi-level theory pattern use fascinating ecological phenomenon, Namibian “fairy circles,” demonstrate need such theory. We show changes root structure plants, coupled with pattern-forming feedback within soil layers, resolve puzzles current fails explain: observations multi-scale absence theoretically predicted large-scale stripe spot along rainfall gradient. Importantly, find responses unveil wide variety more effective stress-relaxation pathways, compared single-level responses, implying previously underestimated resilience dryland ecosystems.

Язык: Английский

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Physical drivers of seagrass spatial configuration: the role of thresholds

Landscape Ecology, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 33(12), С. 2253 - 2272

Опубликована: Ноя. 13, 2018

Язык: Английский

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Localized structures in dispersive and doubly resonant optical parametric oscillators

Physical review. E, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 100(3)

Опубликована: Сен. 25, 2019

We study temporally localized structures in doubly resonant degenerate optical parametric oscillators the absence of temporal walk-off. focus on states formed through locking domain walls between zero and a nonzero continuous-wave solution. show that these undergo collapsed snaking we characterize their dynamics parameter space.

Язык: Английский

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Decoding the interaction mediators from landscape-induced spatial patterns

Physical review. E, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 111(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 2, 2025

Interactions between organisms are mediated by an intricate network of physico-chemical substances and other organisms. Understanding the dynamics mediators how they shape population spatial distribution is key to predict ecological outcomes would be transformed changes in environmental constraints. However, due inherent complexity involved, this task often unfeasible, from empirical theoretical perspectives. In paper, we make progress addressing central issue, creating a bridge that provides two-way connection features ensemble underlying wrinkles density induced landscape defect (or perturbation). The constructed applying Feynman-Vernon decomposition, which disentangles influences among focal compact way. This achieved through interaction kernel, effectively incorporates mediators' degrees freedom, explaining emergence nonlocal influence individuals, ad hoc assumption modeling dynamics. Concrete examples worked out reveal behind possible top-down inference procedure. locked icon Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)Ecological pattern formationPattern formation

Язык: Английский

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Fairy circle research: Status, controversies and the way forward

Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown, С. 125851 - 125851

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2025

Язык: Английский

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Carbon storage of seagrass ecosystems may experience tipping points in response to anthropogenic stress - a modeling perspective

Frontiers in Complex Systems, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 3

Опубликована: Март 18, 2025

Coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems like seagrass meadows are foundation habitats with a capacity to sequester and store organic carbon in their sediments, protection restoration may thereby support climate change mitigation while also supporting biodiversity many other ecosystem functions. However, being lost due human activities, disease and, some regions, change, which trigger the release of stored into atmosphere. Yet, we do not fully understand how global change-induced loss influences sedimentary dynamics. What is even less clear whether result tipping points, i.e. , abrupt difficult-to-reverse shifts, flux dynamics turning from net sinks sources. Here, propose that conceptual mechanistic models coupled ecological biogeochemical can help study effects major stressors on associated fluxes. We then illustrate one case such model focuses anthropogenic induced mortality by physical stress as an example. Our perspective highlights modeling approach for understanding response fluxes be useful informing coastal management towards actions.

Язык: Английский

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Bridging ecology and physics: Australian fairy circles regenerate following model assumptions on ecohydrological feedbacks

Journal of Ecology, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 109(1), С. 399 - 416

Опубликована: Сен. 21, 2020

Abstract So‐called fairy circles (FCs) comprise a spatially periodic gap pattern in arid grasslands of Namibia and north‐west Western Australia. This has been explained with scale‐dependent ecohydrological feedbacks the reaction‐diffusion, or Turing mechanism, used process‐based models that are rooted physics pattern‐formation theory. However, detailed ecological test validity modelled processes is still lacking. Here, we spinifex‐grassland ecosystem Australia presence spatial at multiple scales. Drone‐based multispectral analysis explicit statistics were to if grass vitality within five 1‐ha plots depends on FCs thought be critical extra source water for surrounding matrix vegetation. We then examined high‐ low‐vitality grasses show being indicative facilitation competition. Additionally, assessed plants different successional stages after fire fine scales 1‐m 2 quadrats. Finally, placed soil moisture sensors under bare inside FC increasing distances from there evidence ‘infiltration feedback’ as theoretical modelling. found high‐vitality systematically more strongly associated than grasses. High‐vitality also had highly aggregated patterns short positive while negative occurred larger Within quadrats, cover mutual was greater near edge further away matrix. Soil rainfall lowest its weathered surface crust but highest edge, declined towards matrix, which confirms infiltration feedback. Synthesis . The study shows dryland vegetation, predicted by act ‘ecosystem engineers’ modify their hostile, abiotic environment, leading vegetation self‐organization. Overall, our findings highlight central explain this emergent grassland via reaction‐diffusion Turing‐instability mechanism.

Язык: Английский

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