Journal of Arid Environments最新文献

{"title":"Petroglyphs as a paleobiogeographic guide for Arabian ostrich ecology and reintroduction","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Arabian ostrich (<em>Struthio camelus syriacus</em>) was an integral element in the wildlife of the Middle East until its extinction in the mid-20th century. Here we discuss the historic and archaeological record that provides baseline information on the past distribution of ostriches in the Negev Desert (Israel). Specifically, we focus on survey data of ancient petroglyph depictions of ostriches and examine their spatial distribution. Through the application of models of optimal habitat reconstruction using data on the houbara bustard as a proxy species for the ostrich, correlated with the spatial distribution of the ostrich petroglyphs and ecological data on the region, we identified the optimal areas that the Syrian ostrich could have inhabited in the past. Finally, we applied our model to examine reintroduction programs of a closely related ostrich subspecies, <em>S</em>. <em>c</em>. <em>camelus</em>, that have been carried out in the Negev to date.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141978913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seed hydration memory in the invasive alien species Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Fabaceae) in the Caatinga","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Seed hydration memory is an adaptive strategy for plants in semiarid environments where water availability is irregular and unpredictable. Species native to these environments that have memory benefit from discontinuous hydration during their germination process and acquire tolerance to environmental stresses. The guiding question of this study is \"does an alien species that invades a semiarid ecosystem also have seed hydration memory and benefit from discontinuous hydration?\" To answer this question, we collected seeds of <em>Leucaena leucocephala</em> (Lam.) de Wit, an alien species that invades a Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest. We subjected the seeds to 0, 1, 2 and 3 hydration/dehydration cycles (HD cycles) at three different time intervals and, subsequently, to water, saline and thermal stresses. In addition, we used modeling to define the osmotic and thermal limits for occurrence of <em>L. leucocephala</em> and evaluated whether these limits increase after discontinuous hydration of seeds. The cycles of HD positively influenced the germination of seeds submitted to all stresses evaluated, increasing seed tolerance to treatments of water, saline, and thermal stresses. Discontinuous hydration increased the osmotic limits of salinity and thermal tolerance, although not increasing the osmotic limit of water deficit. Our results show that HD cycles also change the patterns of germinative responses of an invasive species to the environmental stresses of the invaded ecosystem.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141964269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subterranean termite nests in residential and open crop fields in central Ethiopia: Knowledge and perception of farmers on causes and effects","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to assess subterranean termite nests in residential and open crop fields in Central Ethiopia: knowledge and perception of farmers on causes and effects. A descriptive research design was used for primary data collection from the selected district of central Ethiopia. Termite nests were counted from each kebele after clustered into local division called Gox. A total of 72 sampling frames with a 1 km² were used for termite nests count. In addition, 190 household heads were selected at random from each kebele for questionnaires survey. Termite nests were abundant in Warabo (7.251.71 per 1000 m²), but scarce in Warke Walensu Kebele (2.250.50 per 1000 m²). Teff (49.5%) and wheat (32.6%) were the crops most severely affected by termites. The mean annual hectares of land and quintals of teff and wheat damaged per household were higher in Warabo Kebele (<em>p</em> = 0.000) and lowest in Warke Walensu Kebele. The annual economic loss from crops loss due to termite's effect was greater in Warabo Kebele (4722.23 ± 869.67 ETB and 4396.43 ± 852.65 ETB from teff and wheat per household, respectively). Agroecology, deforestation, grazing, and crop type were the factors that determine termite abundance and its impact on farmers' livelihoods. Mound opening and smoking were the traditional management methods used, but there was no government support. Therefore, integrated and effective termite pest management is critical for long-term food security in the study area.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141979205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying areas of conservation importance based on spatial patterns of evolutionary diversity for non-volant small mammals in the Andean Puna","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ecosystems around the world face a variety of threats from anthropogenic activities and drylands are among the most affected due to their unique environmental characteristics. To maintain phylogenetic history and ecological functionality in these areas, it is imperative to preserve community structure and composition by identifying and protecting key conservation areas. Various methods have been used to define these areas in need of protection; in this study, we used patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in the arid lands of the Altiplano-Puna Bioregion of South America, using non-volant small mammal communities as a model system. Based on detailed records of species presence in the study area we estimated indices of species richness and phylogenetic redundancy. The geographic distribution of these indices was then compared to the distribution of protected areas in the region. These analyses identified areas around Lake Titicaca as being of exceptional conservation importance and in need of protection efforts. We propose a network of interconnected areas that together would provide high conservation value while allowing genetic exchange and facilitating ecological processes across landscapes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141934189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical and ecological allopatry effects on niche change in two sister species pairs of hummingbirds in western North America","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105236","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105236","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Here, we explored how variations in the allopatric speciation scenario, specifically ecological vs. vicariant allopatry, relate to climatic niche change in sister species. We selected two sister species pairs of North American hummingbirds (<em>Calypte anna, C. costae</em>, <em>Basilinna leucotis, B. xantusii</em>) that diverged 2.5 and 3.6 million years ago, under ecological (arid climate tendency during Pliocene) and vicariant (Baja California peninsula separation) allopatric processes, respectively. We constructed the climatic niche of each species using occurrence records and estimated the distance, similarity, and unique fraction of climatic niche between sister species. <em>Calypte</em> species showed moderate niche divergence (Euclidean distance between centroids = 1.94, Sørensen index of similarity = 0.080, unique fraction of hypervolume in <em>C</em>. <em>costae</em> = 0.57, and <em>C</em>. <em>anna</em> = 0.95). However, contrary to expectations, <em>Basilinna</em> species, which diverged under a vicariant scenario, displayed clear niche divergence (Euclidean distance between centroids = 3.78, Sørensen index of similarity = 0.0001, and unique fraction of hypervolume in <em>B</em>. <em>xantusii</em> = 0.98, and <em>B</em>. <em>leucotis</em> = 0.99). We explained dissimilarity in climatic niches between <em>Basilinna</em> species by the ecological divergence between habitats of disjunct populations, which would have also been associated with increased aridity during the Pliocene.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Topographic shielding and funneling for dust events associated with the North American Monsoon in the Sonoran Desert, central Arizona, USA","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dust storms are linked to large scale accidents and fatalities in the Central Sonoran Desert, specifically in the central Gila River Valley of the United States during the North American Monsoon. This study analyzes three events where the underlying topography impacts large summertime dust storms and their movement. All three examples demonstrate the shielding or, conversely, funneling effects associated the underlying terrain. The funneling between isolated mountain complexes, such as White Tank Mountains, the Sierra Estrella, the Sacaton Mountains, the San Tan Mountains, and the South Mountain Complex can combine to create substantially higher dust concentrations. Conversely, dust flow into these isolated mountain complexes can also lead to shielding, or blocking, of the dust such that area behind the topographic features experiences less dust while the windward side of the barriers have accented dust concentrations. These dust storm/topography studies provide a first opportunity to identify topographic influences on central Arizona dust storms.</p></div><div><h3>Significance statement</h3><p>The purpose of this study is to identify Topographic elements of the central Sonoran Desert located in the Arizona region of the Southwestern United States that impact the movement of dust storms. Using IDW interpolation to analyze PM10 concentration levels and wind speeds, we find that stand-alone mountain complexes can provide significant dust shielding and funneling that effect the overall trajectory of a dust storm in this region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Eltonian proxy for restoring a lost browser-tree interaction","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Many South American dry woodlands lack good historical or paleoecological baseline data to inform restoration and conservation. However, functionalist approaches such as those popularized by rewilding suggest that functional interactions producing target ecosystem processes are valid even without data confirming compositionalist values such as a long coevolutionary histories or known historical range overlaps of target species. In central Chile, the guanaco (<em>Lama guanicoe</em>) has been extirpated but is known to browse trees in other regions of South America, and the tree <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> shows adaptations to browsing but has no extant browsers within its Chilean range. Both species are native to Chile but there are no data to assess their historical levels of interaction. Here we test the hypothesis that they can act as mutual “Eltonian proxy” species: interacting species for which we lack sufficient data (the Eltonian shortfall) to prove they are not proxies. Specifically we predict that they have complementary adaptations such that guanacos will browse <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> and the latter will show adaptive responses to their browsing. We introduced five guanacos into an enclosure of <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> “espinal” woodland, and over two years measured the growth responses of individual branches, compared to branches of trees in an area without browsing. We predicted that <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> would show compensatory growth in response to guanaco browsing resulting in an increase in branching. Guanacos browsed throughout the two years. In the presence of guanaco browsing, <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> branches grew longer, grew more sub-branches, and showed more densely streamlined branch architectures. These results indicate that guanacos could be used to substitute anthropogenic pruning as a restoration and management technique in <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> “espinal” woodlands. However, other extinct megaherbivores or extirpated deer may also be key components of a past herbivore community to which <em>Vachellia [Acacia] caven</em> was adapted. Further attention to a network of multiple interacting browsers, and their indirect and nontrophic effects, is an area for further research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196324001083/pdfft?md5=d194f849f0ee203d43cce345b26b0a68&pid=1-s2.0-S0140196324001083-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil basal respiration and nitrogen mineralization from C3 and C4 grass dominated plant communities respond differently to temperature and soil water variation","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Key environmental influences on soil basal respiration (Rs) and nitrogen mineralization (ΔIN) are temperature and soil water content (SWC) and both are being altered by climate change. Yet we cannot expect that variation in temperature and SWC will equally affect all ecosystems. We examine the influences of temperature and SWC on R_s and ΔIN in two grassland plant communities dominated by C3 or C4 species. We collected soil samples from these communities and incubated them at temperatures (5 °C, 10 °C, 15 °C, and 25 °C) and four SWC (10%, 20%, 30% and 40% by weight). After four one-month incubation experiments, we found that (1) plant communities, temperature, and SWC significantly influenced R_s and ΔIN; (2) the highest R_s and ΔIN occurred at 25 °C and 30% SWC in the C4 plant community; (3) in the driest soils, N was immobilized in both communities regardless of temperature. We suggest that there is a greater limitation to C and N mineralization in the C3 plant community than in the C4 plant community making the C3 community less sensitive to variation in temperature and SWC.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selection of progenies of forage cacti (Opuntia undulata Griffiths) in the semiarid region of Brazil","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The objective of this study was to select progenies of <em>Opuntia undulata</em> Griffiths cv. African Elephant Ear (AEE) through morphological, productive, and nutritional traits, and also evaluate the repeatability and selection gain. The experiment was carried out between 2018 and 2020, in the semiarid region of Brazil. A completely randomized design was used, with ten replications. The treatments consisted of 12 progenies of <em>Opuntia undulata</em> cv. AEE. Morphological, productive, and nutritional characteristics were evaluated, also the selection gain and repeatability were estimated. There was a variation in the productivity of up to 11.2 t DM ha⁻¹. Progenies number 6 and 7 stood out in terms of selection gain. Progenies 6, 7, 9, and 12 were the most productive. Progeny 6 stood out in terms of dry matter production and minor presence of spines; both traits are of great interest in breeding programs of forage cacti. Based on the repeatability analysis, fewer evaluations were enough to predict with confidence morphological traits and dry matter production in different progenies of <em>Opuntia undulata</em> Griffiths.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141770515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does the desert adapted Grey Falcon rely on food for water more than its congeners?","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To understand the various adaptations of endothermic desert adapted species to their hot arid environment it is crucial to understand their drinking habits. Birds of prey, including the species of the genus <em>Falco</em>, are said to be able to survive without drinking even in hot arid environments, and acquire the water they require (for evaporative cooling, for example) through their food. The Grey Falcon (<em>Falco hypoleucos</em>), a rare Australian endemic, stands out among its congeners in that its entire population is absolutely restricted to a hot arid environment. These birds have fewer and less reliable surface water sources than congeners in more mesic environments. Surprisingly, we have only two observations of Grey Falcons drinking in the wild. We describe these here, the first such records, and relate them to the extended periods spent observing these birds. We propose that water intake through food plays a greater role in the biology of the desert adapted Grey Falcon than in any other species of the genus <em>Falco</em>. Further investigations into the dependency of the Grey Falcon on food for its water will help to understand the complex interplay of physical, physiological, behavioural and environmental characteristics that allow these and other animals to persist in extreme desert environments. The issue appears relevant to many desert-living animal species because frequency and severity of weather extremes are predicted to increase under a changing climate.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196324001113/pdfft?md5=0f23d22d1e47f24ec0397b45c3983b1c&pid=1-s2.0-S0140196324001113-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141729731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}