Article
Agronomy
Rong Hui, Xinrong Li, Ruiming Zhao, Huijuan Tan, Rongliang Jia
Summary: Desert regions are highly sensitive to climatic changes, especially in terms of precipitation. The study found that physiological properties of biocrusts, such as photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzyme activities, are significantly influenced by the amount of annual precipitation. Both moss and cyanobacteria crusts exhibit strong adaptability to changes in precipitation, indicating their potential resilience in the face of climate change.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Howard E. Epstein, Donald A. Walker, Gerald Frost, Martha K. Raynolds, Uma Bhatt, Ronald Daanen, Bruce Forbes, Jozsef Geml, Elina Kaarlejarvi, Olga Khitun, Artem Khomutov, Patrick Kuss, Marina Leibman, Georgy Matyshak, Nataliya Moskalenko, Pavel Orekhov, Vladimir E. Romanovsky, Ina Timling
Summary: Field sampling along the Eurasia Arctic Transect in northwestern Siberia showed that aboveground vegetation biomass, NDVI, and LAI all increased with the summer warmth index. Different soil types influenced the spatial patterns of these vegetation properties. Shrub biomass increased non-linearly with summer warmth index, while moss and lichen biomass responded differently to the increase in temperature.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
James H. Richards, Jason K. Smesrud, Dane L. Williams, Brian M. Schmid, John B. Dickey, Maarten D. Schreuder
Summary: This study characterized the relationships among hydrology, sand movement, and vegetation community dynamics in the Slate Canyon alluvial fan and Keeler Dunes Complex in Owens (dry) Lake, California. The construction of flood control berms resulted in low plant cover and significant sand movement. The findings highlight the importance of hydrology and sand movement interactions in destabilizing sand dunes.
Article
Ecology
Nina L. Bingham, Eric W. Slessarev, Peter M. Homyak, Oliver A. Chadwick
Summary: The study found that while there are distinct and traceable pools of nitrogen in soil and bedrock, slow chemical weathering and landscape denudation limit the influence of rock-derived nitrogen. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition and nitrogen fixation dominate nitrogen inputs to the grassland ecosystem, despite the relatively large nitrogen pools in the saprolite and bedrock.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Magdalena Opala-Owczarek, Piotr Owczarek, Oimahmad Rahmonov, Lukasz Malarzewski, Feng Chen, Tadeusz Niedzwiedz
Summary: This study focuses on the dendrochronological and dendroclimatological characteristics of juniper trees in the Pamir-Alay mountains in Tajikistan. The results demonstrate that precipitation variability is the main climate factor affecting radial growth in this semi-arid region. However, the study also reveals divergent dendroclimatic responses between low- and high-elevation sites, where different limiting factors have a dominant role. The findings highlight the importance of selecting topographically differentiated sites for the reconstruction of climatic elements in Central Asia.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Law
Alyse Bertenthal
Summary: This article examines how regulators and regulated parties create and utilize baselines to define and protect natural conditions in environmental regulation. Using the case study of Owens Lake in California, it illustrates how legal standards are established and implemented in environmental governance.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaojuan Li, Tinghui Yang, Lettice C. Hicks, Bin Hu, Xin Liu, Dandan Wei, Zilong Wang, Weikai Bao
Summary: The variation of organic matter fractions in arid and semi-arid regions along latitudinal gradients is influenced by climate and soil physicochemical factors.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Christoph Haggi, B. David A. Naafs, Daniele Silvestro, Dailson J. Bertassoli Jr, Thomas K. Akabane, Vinicius R. Mendes, Andre O. Sawakuchi, Cristiano M. Chiessi, Carlos A. Jaramillo, Sarah J. Feakins
Summary: This study surveys the distribution of brGDGT and isoGDGT in tropical South America and establishes new brGDGT-based temperature models. The results show variations in the distribution of these lipids in different soil types and profiles, and provide insights for paleoclimatic reconstructions.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiefei Mao, Yaoming Li, Junfeng Zhang, Kun Zhang, Xuexi Ma, Guangyu Wang, Lianlian Fan
Summary: Soil water repellency has a significant impact on water use of plants in arid regions. This study found that soil organic carbon and silt content are critical factors affecting the occurrence and persistence of soil water repellency.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Siwei An, Nantao Liu, Xianming Li, Shufang Zeng, Xun Wang, Dingyong Wang
Summary: The study suggests that the heavy metal concentration in the roadside soils of the Tibet Plateau is not significantly impacted by traffic activities, but there may be pollution risks at specific sites. Additionally, it highlights that forest cover at altitudes of 3700-4100 meters shows the highest mercury accumulation due to vegetation and climatic factors.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yonathan Redel, Jonathan Suazo-Hernandez, Barbara Fuentes, Maria de la Luz Mora, Nicolas Arancibia-Miranda, Nina Siebers, Roland Bol
Summary: The concentrations of organic carbon (Corg) and inorganic elements in the water-dispersible colloid (WDC) fraction of volcanic (WDC-V) and arid (WDC-A) Chilean soils were determined in this study. The WDC fractions were isolated according to Stokes' Law using Milli-Q water and were analyzed using flow field-flow fractionation. The concentrations of Fe, Al, Si, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Zn in the WDC-A fractions were higher than in WDC-V, while Corg concentrations in WDC-A were higher than in WDC-V, except for certain soils.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Z. Azhdari, J. Bazrafshan
Summary: A hybrid drought index called Entropy-based Drought Index (EnDI) was proposed to assess the joint effects of precipitation and streamflow on vegetation cover in coastal sub-basins in southern Iran. The EnDI showed stronger associations with the Normalized Vegetation Difference Index compared to another hybrid index called Copula-based Drought Index (CoDI), suggesting that EnDI is a superior index for assessing vegetation droughts in the research region.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Z. Azhdari, J. Bazrafshan
Summary: This study presents a novel hybrid drought index to assess the joint effects of precipitation and streamflow on vegetation cover in southern Iran. The entropy-based drought index (EnDI) outperforms the copula-based drought index (CoDI) in capturing vegetation droughts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jose J. Hernandez Ayala, Jenna Mann, Elisabeth Grosvenor
Summary: The study found that in most wildfire seasons in California, precipitation and vegetation growth before the wildfires were generally above average, and in seasons with more wildfire activities, there were high positive correlations between precipitation and vegetation. This suggests that antecedent rainfall fueled vegetation growth, leading to significant impacts on wildfire burned areas.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Zhaoqi Wang, Xiang Liu, Hao Wang, Kai Zheng, Honglin Li, Gaini Wang, Zhifang An
Summary: The study utilized remote sensing and digital model data to investigate the changes of vegetation greenness along the elevation gradient in the Three-River Source Region. The findings revealed a positive correlation between elevation and vegetation greenness, with variations across regions and different impacts of temperature and precipitation on vegetation indices at different altitudes.
ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jing Zhao, Janice Ser Huay Lee, Andrew J. Elmore, Yuti Ariani Fatimah, Izaya Numata, Xin Zhang, Mark A. Cochrane
Summary: Protecting Southeast Asia's tropical peat swamp forests is crucial for addressing global sustainability challenges. However, more than half of these forests have been lost due to agricultural and forestry expansion. A study found that smallholder oil palm plantings on peat soils are influenced by roads and mills, and their spatial distribution differs from industrial plantations. Understanding these drivers is essential for tackling these challenges at a local and global scale.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gregory S. Okin
Summary: The purpose of this study was to calculate the probability of precipitation influencing high wind events that could lead to dust emissions. The results suggest that the regional climate plays a more significant role than soil texture in determining this probability. More than 30%-40% of the global drylands have a higher probability of precipitation affecting dust emissions, indicating that rain-derived soil moisture should not be ignored in models worldwide.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sujith Ravi, Darin J. Law, Joshua S. Caplan, Greg A. Barron-Gafford, Katerina M. Dontsova, Javier F. Espeleta, Juan C. Villegas, Gregory S. Okin, David D. Breshears, Travis E. Huxman
Summary: Climate models predict increasingly hot conditions and more frequent droughts in arid regions. Rapid vegetation change, particularly invasive grasses, is occurring. Experimental results showed invasive grasses have higher tolerance to drought and warming compared to native grasses, indicating a potential impact of climate change and biological invasion on ecosystem degradation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachel E. Mason, Joseph M. Craine, Nina K. Lany, Mathieu Jonard, Scott Ollinger, Peter M. Groffman, Robinson W. Fulweiler, Jay Angerer, Quentin D. Read, Peter B. Reich, Pamela H. Templer, Andrew J. Elmore
Summary: The productivity and life-supporting capacity of ecosystems depend on access to reactive nitrogen. However, long-term records show that nitrogen availability is declining in many regions of the world. Global changes, such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and rising temperatures, are affecting the balance between ecosystem nitrogen supply and demand. This decline in nitrogen availability is limiting primary productivity and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining nitrogen availability and propose actions to address this emerging challenge.
Article
Geography, Physical
Cangjiao Wang, Andrew J. Elmore, Izaya Numata, Mark A. Cochrane, Lei Shaogang, Jiu Huang, Yibo Zhao, Yuanyuan Li
Summary: The study evaluated the performance of NASA's GEDI spaceborne LiDAR system in different forest types and identified factors influencing its performance. The results showed that GEDI achieved accurate measurements of ground elevation and forest height, with variations observed among different forest profiles. Land surface attributes, observing sensor system characteristics, and collection time differences were found to be important factors affecting GEDI performance, with geolocation error being particularly influential for canopy height estimation.
GISCIENCE & REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachel E. Mason, Joseph M. Craine, Nina K. Lany, Mathieu Jonard, Scott V. Ollinger, Peter M. Groffman, Robinson W. Fulweiler, Jay Angerer, Quentin D. Read, Peter B. Reich, Pamela H. Templer, Andrew J. Elmore
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cangjiao Wang, Andrew J. Elmore, Izaya Numata, Mark A. Cochrane, Shaogang Lei, Christopher R. Hakkenberg, Yuanyuan Li, Yibo Zhao, Yu Tian
Summary: This study proposes a point-surface fusion framework (FPSF-CH) for canopy height mapping using GEDI data. The effectiveness of FPSF-CH was validated, showing improved accuracy compared to other methods. The integration of GEDI data provides a new avenue for accurate wall-to-wall canopy height mapping.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Izaya Numata, Andrew J. Elmore, Mark A. Cochrane, Cangjiao Wang, Jing Zhao, Xin Zhang
Summary: The expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia has caused large-scale deforestation and carbon emissions. Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of plantation expansion and the age structure of plantations is crucial for reducing deforestation and improving management strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachel H. Swanwick, Quentin D. Read, Steven M. Guinn, Matthew A. Williamson, Kelly L. Hondula, Andrew J. Elmore
Summary: This study provides a 30-m resolution population estimate for the contiguous United States, distributing Census block level population estimates across all non-transportation impervious surfaces within each Census block. The methodology allows for updates using the most recent Census data and remote sensing-based observations of impervious surface area, creating a useful balance between resolution and complexity.
Article
Ecology
Brenden E. McNeil, Robert T. Fahey, Christopher J. King, Dara A. Erazo, Ty Z. Heimerl, Andrew J. Elmore
Summary: Trees respond to global change and their adaptations in tree crown architecture play an important role. However, predicting the adaptive importance and dynamics of crown architecture is challenging due to the difficulties in measuring the three-dimensional arrangement and orientation of tree leaves. This study proposes a theory of tree crown economics and uses lidar instruments, UAVs, and time-lapse camera imagery to support the theory's predictions. This theory can help ecologists map and model forest ecosystem responses to global change, complementing leaf economic theory.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Elizabeth A. LaRue, Robert T. Fahey, Brandon C. Alveshere, Jeff W. Atkins, Parth Bhatt, Brian Buma, Anping Chen, Stella Cousins, Jessica M. Elliott, Andrew J. Elmore, Christopher R. Hakkenberg, Brady S. Hardiman, Jeremy S. Johnson, Daniel M. Kashian, Anil Koirala, Monica Papes, Jamille B. St Hilaire, Thilina D. Surasinghe, Jenny Zambrano, Lu Zhai, Songlin Fei
Summary: The 3D physical aspects of ecosystems are linked to ecological processes. Structural diversity, defined as the volumetric capacity, physical arrangement, and identity/traits of biotic components, has been overlooked due to a lack of theoretical foundation and measurement tools. A framework is proposed to conceptualize and incorporate structural diversity into ecological theory and practice, considering the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. A practical approach is suggested to test the ecological role of structural diversity and integrate it into ecological theory and management across scales.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sarah A. R. Payne, Gregory S. Okin, Abinash Bhattachan, Michael R. Fischella
Summary: In drylands, wind erosion and vegetation interaction form an important feedback that encourages grass-to-shrub state transitions. Wind can also act as a forcing, directly reducing grass cover. This study examines the responses of a grass-shrub community after two extreme wind events, and finds that extreme events lead to increased root exposure and reduced greenness, particularly in areas with low grass cover. The difference between extreme wind events and common winds allows extreme winds to behave as endogenous forcings while common winds participate in an endogenous stabilizing feedback.
Article
Plant Sciences
Furong Niu, Nathan A. Pierce, Gregory S. Okin, Steven R. Archer, Michael R. Fischella, Shereen Nadoum
Summary: Shrub encroachment is a common ecological state transition in global drylands with negative impacts on grasslands and their services. While changes in climate and disturbances are often attributed to this transition, the potential role of aeolian processes, such as sandblasting, has been overlooked. This study found that grasses are more susceptible to sandblasting than shrubs, which could contribute to the dominance of shrubs in wind-erodible grasslands.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danny M. Leung, Jasper F. Kok, Longlei Li, Gregory S. Okin, Catherine Prigent, Martina Klose, Carlos Perez Garcia-Pando, Laurent Menut, Natalie M. Mahowald, David M. Lawrence, Marcelo Chamecki
Summary: Desert dust is a major component of the atmosphere's aerosol burden and has significant impacts on the Earth system. However, current global climate models and land-surface models struggle to accurately represent dust emission processes due to inadequate representations of soil particle sizes, surface roughness elements, and boundary-layer characteristics. In this study, we address these issues by developing improved descriptions of these factors and propose a methodology to rescale lower-resolution dust emission simulations. Our revised dust emission parameterization shows substantial improvement in simulating dust emissions in both models.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sandra L. LeGrand, Theodore W. Letcher, Gregory S. Okin, Nicholas P. Webb, Alex R. Gallagher, Saroj Dhital, Taylor S. Hodgdon, Nancy P. Ziegler, Michelle L. Michaels
Summary: Roughness features such as rocks, vegetation, and furrows significantly impact sediment transport in aeolian environments. Existing models often simplify the sheltering effects of these features, leading to inaccuracies in simulated particle mobilization. In this study, we propose a novel albedo-based sheltering parameterization to improve dust transport modeling in vegetated drylands.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
