Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jakub D. Wieczorkowski, Caroline E. R. Lehmann
Summary: Woody encroachment is widespread in grassy ecosystems worldwide and negatively impacts the diversity of herbaceous plants. The extent of encroachment is a key factor affecting plant diversity, with continued encroachment resulting in substantial loss of herbaceous diversity that cannot be replaced.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriella Ferreira de Souza, Raphael Ferreira Almeida, Natalia Rodrigues Bijos, Christopher William Fagg, Cassia Beatriz R. Munhoz
Summary: The study revealed that soil organic matter content and clay particle proportion in different vegetation types of the Cerrado biome influence species composition and richness in the herbaceous-shrub layer. The results showed distinct differences in herbaceous-shrub species composition and cover between moist grassland and other vegetation types.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaowei Liu, Youqi Wang, Wenhui Fu, Zhiyou Yuan, Qiang Yu, Changhui Peng, Sally E. Koerner, Liang Guo
Summary: Through an eight-year field survey in a semi-arid grassland in the Loess Plateau, China, this study found that climatic factors had a stronger impact on foliar nutrient resorption efficiency (NuRE) than soil nutrients. Climatic factors influenced NuRE by regulating the nitrogen-phosphorus ratio in the leaves, and this effect was more significant in graminoids (the dominant group). This suggests that graminoids have more flexibility and positive responses to climatic factors, allowing them to dominate in this grassland.
Article
Environmental Sciences
An Hu, James Millner, Fujiang Hou
Summary: The introduction of Caragana korshinskii on the Loess Plateau grassland can increase vegetation cover, soil nutrient content, and grassland productivity, while also maintaining species richness and evenness. This suggests that C. korshinskii is the preferred legume species for grassland restoration in the area.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaoan Zuo, Wei Mao, Hao Qu, Min Chen, Shenglong Zhao, Lianxu Liu, Shaokun Wang, Ping Yue, Xujun Ma, Xueyong Zhao, Eduardo Medina-Roldan, Ginger R. H. Allington
Summary: Spatial heterogeneity plays a crucial role in affecting the ecological processes in natural ecosystems. We studied how spatial heterogeneity of herbaceous vegetation in desert-grassland transitional zone varies with increased spatial scale. Our results showed differences in plant height, density, species richness, and aboveground plant biomass between shrub- and grass-dominated communities at different spatial scales. Shrub encroachment can simplify community composition and amplify spatial heterogeneity of herbaceous vegetation at multiple scales.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Reza Erfanzadeh, Ali Ansari, Mohammad Jafari, Peter Torok
Summary: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of burning savin shrubs on the soil seed bank, microbial respiration, and organic matter. The immediate effects of burning were found to be significantly negative, particularly in terms of soil seed bank density, microbial respiration magnitude, and organic matter amount in the top 0-5 cm of soil. Additionally, savin burning caused soil alkalization and decreased soil quality, potentially hindering vegetation recovery in the long term.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Milene Dick, Marcelo Abreu da Silva, Rickiel Rodrigues Franklin da Silva, Otoniel Geter Lauz Ferreira, Manoel de Souza Maia, Sebastiao Ferreira de Lima, Vespasiano Borges de Paiva Neto, Homero Dewes
Summary: This study assessed the environmental impacts of beef production systems characteristic of different Brazilian biomes to provide baselines for the development of differentiated mitigation alternatives. The analysis identified main environmental impacts and components of four defined systems, showing the need for sustainable practices in Brazilian livestock production.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Paul van Els, Eugenia Zarza, Lucas Rocha Moreira, Valentina Gomez-Bahamon, Antonita Santana, Alexandre Aleixo, Camila C. Ribas, Perices Sena do Rego, Marcos Persio Dantas Santos, Kristof Zyskowski, Richard O. Prum, Jacob Berv
Summary: Through studying the phylogeography of 23 taxa of Neotropical savanna birds, it was found that although these species do not generally share similar diversification patterns geographically, many have at least two distinct genetic groups, one north and one south of the Amazon Basin, that have only recently diverged.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Xianbin Liu, Yun Li, Lingqian Kong, D. Jean Lodge, J. Aaron Hogan, Chao Wang
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of plant roots, forest litter, and seasonal drought on the survival, growth, and production of herbaceous layer seedlings. The findings demonstrate that plant roots, forest litter, and seasonal drought synergistically inhibit the growth of the herbaceous layer. This synergistic regulation alters plant physiological responses and forest evolution by controlling plant diversity and the individual richness of the herbaceous layer.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Wei Wei, Xindong Peng, Yanluan Lin, Jianduo Li, Guo Zhang, Yang Yang, Jingchao Long
Summary: The new scale-aware algorithm (SA-UW) developed based on the University of Washington Moist Turbulence scheme adequately reproduces sub-grid turbulence transport at gray-zone scales, vastly improving the distribution and intensity of coherent structures. This new method demonstrates its scale-aware capability by recovering the conventional UW scheme when grid spacing is larger than the turbulence length scale.
JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN MODELING EARTH SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
U. Mumcu, H. Korkmaz, A. Durmaz
Summary: In this study, the communities of Juncus acutus and Salicornia perennans in the Yesilirmak Delta were examined. The communities had different plant compositions and developed on soils with varying salinity levels. The phytosociological properties of the communities were analyzed using the Braun-Blanquet method, and the impact of edaphic parameters on the communities was determined through ordination techniques (CCA). It was found that the distribution of plant communities in the Yesilirmak coastal wetland sites was influenced by edaphic factors that varied based on microtopography.
RENDICONTI LINCEI-SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Sonisa Sharma, J. D. Carlson, Erik S. Krueger, David M. Engle, Dirac Twidwell, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Andres Patrignani, Lei Feng, Tyson E. Ochsner
Summary: The study revealed that soil moisture significantly affects grassland fuel moisture and curing rate, with an FAW threshold below 0.59 leading to decreased fuel moisture. The outbreak of a large wildfire near the study site during a severe drought in 2012 highlighted the need for fire danger models to more accurately consider soil moisture factors in order to reduce losses from wildfire outbreaks.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2021)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jia-Cheng Feng, Hong Xia
Summary: The consumption of energy is a crucial resource in modern society, and there is a pressing need for green renewable energy sources. The moist-electric generator (MEG), as an emerging green energy source, has the potential to be utilized in daily life. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the fundamentals of MEG from the perspective of different material classifications and discusses various parameters, structural designs, liquid-solid interactions, application status, and potential of MEG devices.
BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Cheng You, Michael Tjernstrom, Abhay Devasthale
Summary: This study identifies warm and moist air intrusions over specific sea sectors from 1979 to 2018, and analyzes their impact on surface warming and sea ice melt. The analysis shows that these intrusions induce surface warming and sea ice melt through a variety of energy transfers, despite some negative anomalies in net shortwave radiation.
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cristina Pornaro, Franco Meggio, Fulvio Tonon, Luca Mazzon, Luigi Sartori, Antonio Berti, Stefano Macolino
Summary: Inter-row vegetation management in vineyards is crucial for mitigating environmental impacts. The choice of species or mixtures plays a significant role in the success of the vegetation. The S. arundinaceus blend showed high persistence and provided effective protection against soil erosion.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paulo S. Morandi, Beatriz Schwantes Marimon, Ben Hur Marimon-Junior, James A. Ratter, Ted R. Feldpausch, Guarino Rinaldi Colli, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Manoel Claudio da Silva Junior, Edson de Souza Lima, Ricardo Flores Haidar, Luzmila Arroyo, Alejandro Araujo Murakami, Fabiana de Gois Aquino, Bruno Machado Teles Walter, Jose Felipe Ribeiro, Renata Francoso, Fernando Elias, Edmar Almeida de Oliveira, Simone Matias Reis, Bianca de Oliveira, Eder Carvalho das Neves, Denis Silva Nogueira, Herson Souza Lima, Tatiane Pires de Carvalho, Silvo Alves Rodrigues, Daniel Villarroel, Jeanine M. Felfili, Oliver L. Phillips
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Alexander Paulo do Carmo Balduino, Rodrigo StudartCorrea, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Jair Eustaquio Quintino de Faria Junior, Joao Bernardo de Azevedo Bringel, Leticia dos Santos Barros, Pietro Matheus Pereira Santos
Article
Ecology
Eliel J. Amaral, Augusto C. Franco, Vanessa L. Rivera, Cassia B. R. Munhoz
Summary: Leaf traits in graminoid species are influenced by the environment, with differences in leaf traits between forest and savanna environments suggesting habitat specialization. Phylogenetic relationships have a minor influence on leaf traits, indicating that functional similarity between gallery forest and cerrado graminoid species is independent of phylogenetic proximity. Environmental filters result in functional structure differences, with cerrado communities showing functional dispersion and gallery forest communities exhibiting functional convergence.
Article
Plant Sciences
Aryanne Goncalves Amaral, Natalia Rodrigues Bijos, Pamela Moser, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz
Summary: The study evaluated the influence of soil properties, climate, and space on the distribution of herbaceous-shrub species in the Cerrado biome. High species richness was observed, primarily influenced by soil physicochemical properties and climate.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriella Ferreira de Souza, Maxmiller Cardoso Ferreira, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz
Summary: This study investigated changes in grassland communities in the Cerrado region over a period of 20 years. The results showed that grasslands under high anthropogenic pressure had reduced species richness and diversity, with cover dominated by a few shrub species and large tussock grasses. Encroachment of native shrubs led to a significant loss of diversity, while encroachment of both native shrubs and exotic grasses resulted in reduced species richness. In grasslands with low anthropogenic pressure, there was a reordering of species cover over time but a decrease in species richness.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Milton Omar Cordova, Josiane Fernandes Keffer, Dienefe Rafaela Giacoppini, Vali Joana Pott, Arnildo Pott, Edson Gomes de Moura, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz
Summary: The study found a high diversity of aquatic macrophytes in southern Amazonia, including species endemic to Brazil and the Brazilian Amazonia. The macrophyte species list in southern Amazonia showed less than 25% similarity to inventories in other regions of Brazil, highlighting the unique species composition in the area.
Article
Plant Sciences
Eloisa Nogueira, Natalia R. Bijos, Vinicius L. Trindade, Gilson P. Heusi, Pedro H. B. Togni, Cassia B. R. Munhoz
Summary: This study investigated the impact of key physicochemical soil factors on the species composition of Brazilian savanna palm swamps (veredas). The results showed that soil properties had significant effects on species richness and cover, especially for graminoids and subshrubs.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giselda Durigan, Cassia Beatriz Munhoz, Maria Jose Brito Zakia, Rafael S. Oliveira, Natashi A. L. Pilon, Raul Silva Telles do Valle, Bruno M. T. Walter, Eliane A. Honda, Arnildo Pott
Summary: Wetlands are ecosystems that exist between land and water, and are susceptible to flooding and waterlogged soils. In Brazil, wetlands, especially the Cerrado wetlands, have not been effectively protected due to their unique hydrological functions, imprecise mapping, and complex vegetation types. The naming of these wetlands also poses challenges in differentiation. However, all Cerrado wetlands have the ability to store and filter water.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Ana Carolina Tavora, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Eliel de Jesus Amaral, Monica A. Cupertino-Eisenlohr, Eloisa Nogueira, Cassia Beatriz R. Munhoz
Summary: The understories of tropical forests can be classified into permanent and transient understory, with the latter being more diverse. This study examined the composition, structure, diversity, and the relative contribution of growth forms in the permanent and transient understories of gallery forests in the Brazilian Cerrado. Tree seedlings were the most common growth form, followed by shrubs and lianas. This study provides valuable information for the ecological restoration and conservation of gallery forests in the Cerrado.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucas Silva Costa, Edson Eyji Sano, Manuel Eduardo Ferreira, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Joao Vitor Silva Costa, Leomar Rufino Alves Junior, Thiago Roure Bandeira de Mello, Mercedes Maria da Cunha Bustamante
Summary: This study evaluated the accuracy of woody encroachment classification in the Brazilian Cerrado using UAV images and field surveys. The results showed that the wet season RGB images processed by the random forest algorithm had the highest accuracy in identifying Baccharis retusa and Trembleya parviflora, with an overall accuracy of 92.7%. The in situ method for validation assessment was more susceptible to underfitting scenarios, especially when using random forest algorithm. The accuracy was higher in grassland than in woodland formations. The findings contribute to the development of tools for monitoring and managing woody encroachment in tropical savannas, in order to optimize time and cost.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Aline Lopes, Layon Orestes Demarchi, Maria Teresa Fernandez Piedade, Jochen Schongart, Florian Wittmann, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Cristiane Silva Ferreira, Augusto Cesar Franco
Summary: A group of invasive grasses from Africa and Asia has spread in the Neotropics. The future distribution patterns of these grasses under climate change have been poorly studied. Ecological niche modeling was used to project the distribution of ten invasive grass species under different climate scenarios. The results showed that the current suitable areas for these species accounted for 51.3% of the Neotropics, and the projected future suitable areas ranged from 47.0% to 57.6% depending on the scenario. Some species are expected to expand their range while others will retract. Currently, these invasive species overlap in dry regions of the Neotropics, but this is expected to change under different climate scenarios.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sandra Cristina Gallo, Monica A. Cupertino-Eisenlohr, Dennis Rodrigues da Silva, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Pedro Eisenkhr
Summary: The study investigated the herbaceous component of a gelisonal deciduous forest associated with granitic rock outcrops in the key biodiversity conservation area of the Cristalino Region in the Brazilian Amazon. It recorded new species, including some endangered species, and found that the understory vegetation is mainly composed of species from the Amazon and/or Cerrado biomes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adriano Antonio Brito Darosci, Frederico Scherr Caldeira Takahashi, Carolyn Elinore Barnes Proenca, Lucia Helena Soares-Silva, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz
Summary: Forest stands in seasonal environments show spatial and seasonal variation in the diversity of fleshy fruits available for fauna. The most abundant fleshy-fruited tree species differ among the stands, with dry season fruiting species being less common than wet season fruiting species. Fleshy fruits are available year-round, with highly synchronized periods of high fruit availability and less synchronized periods of low fruit availability.
ACTA BOTANICA BRASILICA
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriella Ferreira de Souza, Raphael Ferreira Almeida, Natalia Rodrigues Bijos, Christopher William Fagg, Cassia Beatriz R. Munhoz
Summary: The study revealed that soil organic matter content and clay particle proportion in different vegetation types of the Cerrado biome influence species composition and richness in the herbaceous-shrub layer. The results showed distinct differences in herbaceous-shrub species composition and cover between moist grassland and other vegetation types.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Alexander Balduino, Rodrigo Correa, Cassia Beatriz Rodrigues Munhoz, Roberta Chacon, Jose Roberto Rodrigues Pinto
FLORESTA E AMBIENTE
(2019)
