Journal of Arid Environments最新文献

{"title":"The impact of weather variation on the body condition of cape cobras (Naja nivea) in the Kalahari — implications for climate change","authors":"Kim J. Scholtz ,&nbsp;Graham J. Alexander ,&nbsp;Thilo F. Beck ,&nbsp;Robin A. Maritz ,&nbsp;Bryan Maritz","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hot and dry weather conditions are known to impact the body condition and the fitness of many organisms. However, this relationship has not been extensively studied in snakes. We examined the impact of variation in rainfall and temperature on body condition for a population of cape cobras (<em>Naja nivea</em>) at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (Northern Cape Province, South Africa) over a period of five years during which time environmental conditions fluctuated substantially. We measured the mass and body length of 105 cobras, 58 from which we collected repeat measures, and calculated a body condition index (BCI) for each observation. We tested whether BCI was impacted by season, sex, and/or differences from expected mean monthly rainfall (during the preceding four-, 12-, and 24-week periods) and mean daily maximum temperature (during the preceding four-, 12-, and 24-week periods). Secondly, we tested whether BCI measures of cobras during the mating-season (September–November) were different between sexes and impacted by an index of environmental conditions (PC1 of rainfall and temperature) in the preceding summer. For our initial analysis, we found that the best-fitting model included season, sex, the relative amount of rain in the preceding twelve weeks (positive relationship), and the temperature in the preceding twelve weeks (negative relationship). Moreover, the BCI of cobras during the mating season was correlated with environmental conditions during the previous summer, with mating cobras exhibiting lower BCI measures following hot and dry summers. Our study reveals detrimental impacts of hot and dry conditions on cape cobra body condition, including measurable effects on body condition of mate-searching animals, following hot and dry summers. Taken together, we predict that prolonged hot dry periods, or increased frequency of hot dry periods in the future, might have detrimental effects on cape cobra populations in the Kalahari.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105398"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143907722","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":"Resilience through Relationships: Evaluating rangeland governance structures in semi-arid Tafresh county","authors":"Leila Shariatyniya ,&nbsp;Mehdi Ghorbani ,&nbsp;Hossein Azarnivand ,&nbsp;Majid Rahimi","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangelands represent significant reservoirs of plant and animal genetic resources, yet they have been largely degraded due to various natural and anthropogenic factors. Understanding the impacts of human exploitation and management on these ecosystems is crucial for their sustainable use. This study examines the structure and governance regime of rangelands in Tafresh County using a comprehensive network analysis, with a focus on organizational and local community networks. Relationships between the organizational network and the local community were assessed across three categories: financial support, educational initiatives, and voluntary participation. The social network analysis revealed that the current governance regime in Tafresh County, Iran is fragmented, characterized by low cohesion and adaptability. Strengthening the local community network is crucial for enhancing social capital, decentralization, and the sustainability of the socio-ecological rangeland system. Employing social network analysis facilitates the evaluation of governance structures' effectiveness and adaptability, promoting collaboration among stakeholders and actors. This approach aids in developing strategies aimed at bolstering the resilience of socio-ecological rangeland systems. Leveraging the capabilities and resources within the local community network is essential for strengthening the governance regime and ensuring the adaptability and sustainability of the integrated organizational-community network.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105397"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898986","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":"Increasing influence of compound dry-hot events on vegetation in northern China in recent years","authors":"Xuxu Gao ,&nbsp;Fengjin Xiao ,&nbsp;Qiufeng Liu ,&nbsp;Changwen Yu ,&nbsp;Dapeng Huang ,&nbsp;Yonglin Chi ,&nbsp;XinYi Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Based on the Copula function in combination with the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and the standardized temperature index (STI), the compound dry-hot index (CDHI) was developed to evaluate the compound dry-hot events (CDHEs) in northern China. The spatiotemporal variations in CDHEs during summer from 1982 to 2020 were investigated to explore the response of vegetation to CDHEs. The results revealed that under the influence of global warming, the CDHEs intensified markedly in eastern Xinjiang, Gansu, southern Qinghai, central and eastern Inner Mongolia, northern Hebei and Beijing. The extent of areas where STI contributes more than 50 % to CDHEs is significantly greater than SPI. In most regions, detrended and standardized normalized different vegetation index (SNDVI) and SPI are positively correlated, with grasslands exhibiting the highest correlation, followed by farmlands and forest. However, the relationship between SNDVI and STI exhibits spatial heterogeneity, which is possibly affected by altitude. Different vegetation types have varying loss to CDHEs, 0.51 (farmlands) &gt; 0.50 (grasslands) &gt; 0.31 (forest). The rate of vegetation loss in arid and semi-arid regions is significantly higher than humid and semi-humid areas. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of vegetation responses to climate extreme events, providing critical scientific support for ecosystem risk management under climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887824","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":"Multi-step evaluation framework for analyzing mineral dust transport and meteorological impacts over northern India","authors":"Sachin Budakoti","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105389","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105389","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dust burden during the dust storms events imparts an adverse effect on human health and environment. The aim of this research is to provide a deeper understanding about the atmospheric dynamics of long-range transport of mineral dust for 8 severe dust storm events over the Indian region during the period 2008–2022. Transport of mineral dust analyzed based on MERRA-2 Dust column mass density, following a multistep evaluation process with individual datasets. Synoptic conditions inferred based on wind circulations patterns (200hpa and 850hpa) and mean sea level pressure. Semi-Direct effect of dust aerosol inferred based on the metrological conditions. Low pressure system and prevalence of stronger winds (&gt;15 m/s) results in long-range transport of mineral dust. HYSPLIT Back-trajectory analysis and upper tropospheric circulations states the propagation of mineral dust from the dust prone regions. Enhanced dust loading (&gt;0.89 × 10⁻³ kg/m²) is associated with reduced mid-tropospheric relative humidity and surface temperature. Higher aerosol loading (&gt;1.0) combined with a low Ångström exponent (&lt;0.6) values indicate the presence of coarse-mode dust particles in the atmosphere. The presence of elevated absorbing aerosols leads to atmospheric heating and moisture suppression in the mid-troposphere, reflecting the semi-direct effect of dust aerosols over Northern India.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105389"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143881592","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":"Shrubs lower construction and maintenance costs for burrowing central-place rodent foragers in a sandy habitat","authors":"Arik Dorfman,&nbsp;Aziz Subach,&nbsp;Inon Scharf","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Choosing a location for building a home base is an important decision for central-place foragers – animals that return to a fixed location after each foraging bout to feed, store their food, or raise their offspring. Factors influencing the decision of where to place the home base include the energetic costs for its construction and maintenance. Here, we examined the factors influencing this decision in a group of burrow-dwelling, central-place foraging desert rodents (gerbils). We focused on shrubs, the most prominent environmental feature in dune habitats, and the maintenance and construction costs of burrows by rodents inhabiting dunes. Based on a field experiment and a model, we found that shrubs moderate these costs, providing a favorable microhabitat for burrows. We further conducted a field survey to assess whether rodents prefer to build burrows near shrubs. This preference was confirmed, supporting our conclusion. Our study emphasizes the role of shrubs in the economics of constructing and maintaining a burrow, an effect that may influence the distribution of many burrow-dwelling animals. We also discuss other factors that may influence burrowing, generalizing the results for sand-dwelling burrowing animals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105392"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887823","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":"Influence of ENSO on moisture provenance and stable isotope dynamics during the North American Monsoon","authors":"Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo ,&nbsp;Omar A. López-Mireles ,&nbsp;Felipe A. Vázquez-Gálvez ,&nbsp;Enrico A. Yépez ,&nbsp;Kritan Subedi ,&nbsp;Mark Stone ,&nbsp;Elí R. Pérez-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Yazmin G. Hernández-García ,&nbsp;Juan Camacho-Puerto ,&nbsp;David K. Adams","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The North American Monsoon (NAM) moisture sources have long been debated. This study explores moisture sources and precipitation isotope variability across the North American Monsoon (NAM) region during La Niña (2022) and El Niño (2023). By integrating isotope data with meteorological conditions, air mass back trajectories, and atmospheric profiles at Ciudad Obregón, Ciudad Juárez, and Albuquerque, we identified clear differences in moisture provenance and isotopic response between years. During La Niña, inland and Gulf of Mexico-derived moisture played a larger role northeast of the Sierra Madre Occidental. In contrast, El Niño conditions favored westerly, Gulf of California, and nearby Pacific Ocean sources. The isotopic values reflected these changes, particularly in <em>d</em>-excess, which differentiated coastal and continental influences. Coastal sites were more sensitive to radiation and convective factors, whereas inland sites showed stronger control by air mass transport history. Multivariate and Random Forest analyses confirmed that isotopic variability was more predictable at inland locations, suggesting greater sensitivity to large-scale atmospheric dynamics. Our results highlight the dynamic interplay between oceanic and continental moisture pathways in shaping NAM precipitation. They also demonstrate how ENSO phases alter the dominant controls on precipitation isotopes, offering new insight into hydroclimatic variability in this critical monsoonal region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105395"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143863938","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":"Monitoring desertification in Ordos City using integrated vegetation and soil indicators","authors":"Jinting Zhang,&nbsp;Lu Hu,&nbsp;Kui Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Desertification is a major environmental challenge in arid and semi-arid regions. This study examines the spatiotemporal evolution of desertification in Ordos City, China (2001–2020) using long-term remote sensing monitoring and the Geographical Detector Model (GDM). To improve classification accuracy, we developed a multi-indicator framework integrating Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC), Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI), and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). Results indicate an overall decline in desertification, with severely desertified land (SED) decreasing from 32.65 % in 2001 to 18.48 % in 2020, while moderately desertified land (MD) increased by 15.81 %. The most significant improvements occurred between 2015 and 2020, particularly in northwestern and central Ordos, including Hanggin Banner, Otog Banner, and Dalad Banner. Analysis of climate driving factors identified land surface temperature (LST) (q = 0.26), wind speed (WS) (q = 0.24), and precipitation (PRE) (q = 0.20) as the primary contributors, while topographic factors (elevation and slope) had minimal influence. LST and WS had the strongest impacts, positively correlating with desertification, whereas PRE exhibited a negative correlation. Interaction analysis revealed LST and WS had the most significant combined effect, followed by PRE and LST, while SLO and DEM interactions had the weakest influence. Those findings, combined with environmental policy analysis, provide a deeper understanding of desertification processes and highlight the need for continuous monitoring and targeted measures in vulnerable regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105391"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143859898","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":"The function of plants collected by bush Karoo rats (Otomys unisulcatus): Do dried up food plants represent stored food?","authors":"S.P. Sangweni ,&nbsp;N. Pillay ,&nbsp;J. Ganzhorn ,&nbsp;R. Rimbach ,&nbsp;C. Schradin ,&nbsp;L. Makuya","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food storing to cope with food reduction during winter has been observed in many rodents in the northern hemisphere. Food storing could also be adaptive in semi-deserts of the southern hemisphere, which experience food-restricted dry seasons. We studied the function of dried food plants found at the stick lodges of bush Karoo rats in a semi-desert in South Africa. We performed 998 focal animal observations and monitored 12 lodges to record the fate of plant pieces carried back to the lodges. Collected plant species were eaten green (68 %), eaten as plantong (12 %), incorporated into the structure of the lodge (11 %), or their fate was unknown (9 %). Especially succulents carried back to the lodge dried out, forming what we refer to as plantong. This happened mainly in the food rich moist season. However, plantong was not stored from the moist to the dry season but was consumed within 6 ± 5 days. Bush Karoo rats readily ate plantong presented to them experimentally. We regard plantong as leftover from food freshly consumed at the lodge, but not as food collected in the moist season to be stored for later consumption during the dry season.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105385"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143859821","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":"Asymmetric effects of daytime and nighttime warming on vegetation greenness in the Mongolian Plateau","authors":"Jiale Xu ,&nbsp;Xingchuan Yang ,&nbsp;Leyan Shi ,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Yang ,&nbsp;Yixue Zhong ,&nbsp;Pengfei Ma ,&nbsp;Zhuowei Hu ,&nbsp;Pengcheng Wang ,&nbsp;Wenji Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Asymmetric warming of land surface temperatures during the daytime and nighttime has significantly influenced global vegetation growth. This study examines the spatio-temporal patterns of daytime and nighttime temperatures, as well as vegetation growth, in the Mongolian Plateau using ERA-5 data and GIMMS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from 1982 to 2022. Through partial correlation and multiple regression analyses, the study further investigates the asymmetric responses of vegetation growth to variations in daytime and nighttime temperatures across the region. The key findings of the study are as follows: (1) Between 1982 and 2022, both daytime and nighttime temperatures in the Mongolian Plateau showed an increasing trend. The rate of increase in daytime temperature (0.44 °C/decade) was 1.22 times that of nighttime temperature (0.36 °C/decade). NDVI values generally exhibited an upward trend, with a growth rate of approximately 0.004/decade. (2) Vegetation growth responses to daytime and nighttime temperatures were asymmetric across the Mongolian Plateau. In 77.95 % of the region, increases in nighttime temperatures were positively correlated with vegetation growth, while 86.46 % of the same regions showed a negative correlation between daytime temperature increases and vegetation growth. (3) Over time, the correlation and sensitivity of NDVI to both daytime and nighttime temperatures have weakened. The inverse responses of NDVI to daytime and nighttime temperature variations may be attributed to the arid climatic conditions of the Mongolian Plateau. Additionally, the weakening of these responses over time may reflect an increasing adaptability of vegetation to the region's climate aridity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105394"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143854799","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":"Evaluation of machine-learning algorithms in estimation of relative water content of sorghum under different irrigated environments","authors":"S. Divya Dharshini ,&nbsp;Anurag ,&nbsp;Anil Kumar ,&nbsp;Satpal ,&nbsp;Manoj Kumar ,&nbsp;P. Priyanka ,&nbsp;K. Pugazenthi","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105390","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105390","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sorghum, a climate-resilient crop widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, is crucial for food and feed security in India. Its ability to tolerate water stress makes it essential for sustainable agriculture under future climatic scenarios. However, the inherent delay in water stress symptom expression in sorghum poses challenges for timely intervention, necessitating precise monitoring methods for assessing crop water status. This study evaluates the performance of different ML algorithms in estimating the relative water content of the sorghum under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The results showed that the distinct spectral curves obtained under the two different irrigated condition. The four different ML algorithms such as RF, XGboost, SVM, PLS were trained with spectral reflectance data covering 320–1100 nm to estimate the RWC of the sorghum. Among the models, SVM (R² = 0.94, RMSE = 1.457, MSE = 2.123) demonstrated the highest accuracy followed by XGboost, RF, and PLS. Under rainfed conditions, all models exhibited reduced performance, with XGboost performing relatively better (R² = 0.70, low RMSE value of 3.707, and MSE of 13.741), while PLS performed the least (R² = 0.60, RMSE = 5.523, MSE = 30.505). This study demonstrates the potential of ML algorithms, particularly SVM and XGBoost, for precise RWC estimation and also highlighted the limitations of models under limited water condition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"229 ","pages":"Article 105390"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844233","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}