Article
Plant Sciences
Monique Caumo, Elisete Maria de Freitas, Vinicius Leao da Silva, Maicon Toldi, Luciano da Silva Alves, Carla Roberta Orlandi, Claudimar Sidnei Fior
Summary: The study characterized the structure of grassland fragments in the Pampa ecosystem with and without cattle grazing, revealing that grazing areas had more diversity while enclosed areas had more dry plant material.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael Ulyshen, Katherine Elliott, Joel Scott, Scott Horn, Patsy Clinton, Ning Liu, Chelcy F. Miniat, Peter Caldwell, Chris Oishi, Jennifer Knoepp, Paul Bolstad
Summary: The study examined the impact of experimental removal of Rhododendron maximum and prescribed fire on bees and plants in two watersheds. Bee richness, Shannon's diversity, and Simpson's diversity were significantly higher in the removal watershed in the second year, following the prescribed fire, and remained higher in the third year. Community composition differed significantly between watersheds for both bees and plants, with indicator taxa mostly associated with the removal watershed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Edith Villa-Galaviz, Simon M. Smart, Susan E. Ward, Mariecia D. Fraser, Jane Memmott
Summary: A common practice to restore and maintain biodiversity in grasslands is to reduce or stop the use of fertilizers, but this poses challenges for farmers who need fertilizers for forage and livestock nutrition. This study evaluated the impact of different fertilizer regimes on biodiversity and forage production. The results showed trade-offs between biodiversity and forage production, with farmyard manure being the fertilizer that optimized both. Forage from areas without fertilizer for 27 years did not meet the nutritional needs of cattle but did for sheep.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miranda Brooke Rose, Mystyn Mills, Janet Franklin, Loralee Larios
Summary: This study evaluated the potential and accuracy of using UAVs and multispectral data for vegetation monitoring in ecological restoration. The results showed that SVM and RF classifiers performed well in estimating shrub cover, and aggregating data to larger resolutions resulted in more accurate estimates.
Article
Zoology
Ana Paula S. Carvalho, Ryan A. St Laurent, Helena P. Romanowski
Summary: This study reports on the Bombycoidea and Mimallonoidea (Lepidoptera) observed at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul's (UFRGS) Agronomic Research Station in Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil from September 7th to November 6th, 2018. The first inventory of moths from this location, it represents one of the few studies conducted in the Campos Sulinos.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Isley Cristiellem Bicalho da Silva, Andre Somavilla, Vanessa Marques Soares, Camila Peligrinotti Tarouco, Raissa Schwalbert, Edicarla Trentin, Fernando Luiz Ferreira de Quadros, Fernando Teixeira Nicoloso, Paulo Ademar Avelar Ferreira, Gustavo Brunetto
Summary: The study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of four grass species in the Pampa biome for soil contaminated with copper, with C. dactylon showing the best performance. High Cu concentrations had a more severe impact on A. affinis, while other species experienced decreased growth and photosynthetic rates. The findings suggest that C. dactylon is more efficient in the phytoremediation process compared to other species.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aline F. Martini, Nerilde Favaretto, Fabiano D. De Bona, Matheus F. Duraes, Luiz C. de Paula Souza, Gabriel D. Goularte
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of soil use and management on water quality in a small watershed in Southern Brazil, highlighting the importance of best management practices such as terracing, riparian vegetation, and crop rotation even with no-tillage to avoid water resource degradation.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Laura L. Strachan, Richard J. Lilley, Sebastian J. Hennige
Summary: Seagrass meadows provide important ecosystem services and their protection is becoming increasingly important. This study evaluates seagrass management and conservation approaches in different regions and highlights potential areas for improvement in Scotland, such as increased research, long-term monitoring, improved protection areas, and habitat restoration schemes.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shamik Bose, Michael Sullivan
Summary: The study reveals the salt deformation mechanisms and flow characteristics in the Santos and Campos basins offshore Brazil. The results show that changes in paleo-topography play a key role in the overall salt flow, and gravity-driven mobilization of salt occurred early. Additionally, the mechanical stratigraphy within the LES has a significant impact on salt structural styles.
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Carolina Oyarzo-Miranda, Ricardo Otaiza, Alexis Bellorin, J. M. Alonso Vega, Fadia Tala, Nelson A. Lagos, Fernanda X. Oyarzun, Rodrigo A. Estevez, Nicolas Latorre-Padilla, Ana Maria Mora Tapia, Luis Figueroa-Fabrega, Roddy Jara-Yanez, Cristian Bulboa, Loretto Contreras-Porcia
Summary: Several seaweed species are widely commercialized globally due to their demand in food, feed, and the extraction of phycocolloids. Chile is the leading producer, but overexploitation has caused a decrease in natural stocks. Various strategies have been implemented to restore seaweed stocks, with varying success rates. However, technological improvements are needed to develop cost-effective restocking strategies that are scalable, transferable, and socio-ecologically sustainable.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pedro F. Fruet, Luciana M. Moller, Eduardo R. Secchi
Summary: Identifying and quantifying the vulnerability of threatened populations is crucial for conservation prioritization. The Lahille's bottlenose dolphin population in southern Brazil, particularly in the Patos Lagoon estuary, faces threats from by-catch mortality. Demographic analysis and simulations show high probabilities of viability in the next 60 years under current conditions, with potential decline with removal of mature females. Protection areas and increasing survival rates of juveniles/sub-adults can significantly improve population viability and conservation goals.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Luana Portz, Rogerio Portantiolo Manzolli, Javier Alcantara-Carrio, Gabriela Camboim Rockett, Eduardo Guimaraes Barboza
Summary: The study analyzed the disturbances in the dunefield of the Lagoa do Peixe Natural Park due to pine tree plantation and subsequent deforestation, finding that the planting of pine trees and expansion of degraded areas have significantly impacted the geomorphological evolution of the dunes.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Bruna de Castro Mendes, Airton Jose Cavenaghi, Roseane Barcellos Marques
Summary: This study analyzed hospitality experience management in Campos do Jordao, Brazil, using the general theory of systems and a lens of hospitality. The aim was to build the institutionality of 'being welcome' in the city. The research adopted an exploratory design based on qualitative perspective and literature reviews.
CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaozhen Wang, Jianzhao Wu, Yulin Liu, Xuying Hai, Zhouping Shanguan, Lei Deng
Summary: A study assessed the carbon sequestration, water yield, and soil conservation in the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2018. The results showed an increase in these ecosystem services during the study period. Precipitation was identified as the main driving factor for water yield, while vegetation index and slope played significant roles in carbon sequestration and soil conservation. The study highlighted the importance of land use in influencing the ecosystem services in different climatic zones.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Xiaojun Liu, Yi Zhang, Tingqi Xiao, Peng Li, Ling Zhang, Yuanqiu Liu, Wenping Deng
Summary: A quantitative analysis of vegetation-soil relationships in a subtropical forest in southern China revealed significant differences in nitrogen (N) leaching across different vegetation types, with Pinus elliottii identified as an important plant for reducing N leaching and water pollution.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fernando A. O. Silveira, Davi R. Rossatto, Hermann Heilmeier, Gerhard E. Overbeck
Summary: The special issue focuses on the impact of fires on vegetation and ecosystems and provides suggestions for improving fire management practices to enhance human well-being, ensure sustainable resource use, and promote biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Filipe Ferreira da Silveira, Luciana da Silva Menezes, Ana Boeira Porto, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck
Summary: Small-scale variables, both biotic and abiotic, can affect species composition at a specific location, while environmental heterogeneity can lead to the development of vegetation mosaics. Understanding the influence of these variables on plant communities is crucial for developing effective strategies for biodiversity conservation and management.
Article
Ecology
Caio Graco-Roza, Sonja Aarnio, Nerea Abrego, Alicia T. R. Acosta, Janne Alahuhta, Jan Altman, Claudia Angiolini, Jukka Aroviita, Fabio Attorre, Lars Baastrup-Spohr, Jose J. Barrera-Alba, Jonathan Belmaker, Idoia Biurrun, Gianmaria Bonari, Helge Bruelheide, Sabina Burrascano, Marta Carboni, Pedro Cardoso, Jose C. Carvalho, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Morten Christensen, Gilsineia Correa, Iwona Dembicz, Jurgen Dengler, Jiri Dolezal, Patricia Domingos, Tibor Eros, Carlos E. L. Ferreira, Goffredo Filibeck, Sergio R. Floeter, Alan M. Friedlander, Johanna Gammal, Anna Gavioli, Martin M. Gossner, Itai Granot, Riccardo Guarino, Camilla Gustafsson, Brian Hayden, Siwen He, Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, Jani Heino, John T. Hunter, Vera L. M. Huszar, Monika Janisova, Jenny Jyrkankallio-Mikkola, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Julia Kemppinen, Lukasz Kozub, Carla Kruk, Michel Kulbiki, Anna Kuzemko, Peter Christiaan le Roux, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Domenica Teixeira de Lima, Angel Lopez-Urrutia, Balazs A. Lukacs, Miska Luoto, Stefano Mammola, Marcelo M. Marinho, Luciana S. Menezes, Marco Milardi, Marcela Miranda, Gleyci A. O. Moser, Joerg Mueller, Pekka Niittynen, Alf Norkko, Arkadiusz Nowak, Jean P. Ometto, Otso Ovaskainen, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Felipe S. Pacheco, Virpi Pajunen, Salza Palpurina, Felix Picazo, Juan A. C. Prieto, Ivan F. Rodil, Francesco M. Sabatini, Shira Salingre, Michele De Sanctis, Angel M. Segura, Lucia H. S. da Silva, Zora D. Stevanovic, Grzegorz Swacha, Anette Teittinen, Kimmo T. Tolonen, Ioannis Tsiripidis, Leena Virta, Beixin Wang, Jianjun Wang, Wolfgang Weisser, Yuan Xu, Janne Soininen
Summary: This study provides the first global synthesis of taxonomic and functional distance decay along spatial and environmental distance. The results demonstrate that taxonomic distance decay is stronger than functional distance decay, with the fastest decay rates observed in datasets from mid-latitudes. Overall, taxonomic distance decay is a useful tool for biogeographical research, while functional distance decay may be a cost-effective option for investigating community changes in heterogeneous environments.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Helena Streit, Luciana S. Menezes, Valerio D. Pillar, Gerhard E. Overbeck
Summary: Grazing is an important disturbance factor for maintaining structure and functioning of plant communities in grassy ecosystems, with intraspecific trait variation accounting for up to 37% of total variation. The effect of grazing management on intraspecific trait variation is more prevalent in species displaying a conservative resource acquisition strategy.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rodrigo Scarton Bergamin, Fernando Ascensao, Cesar Capinha, Vinicius Augusto Galvao Bastazini, Bianca Ott Andrade, Ilsi Iob Boldrini, Felipe Lezama, Alice Altesor, Susana Perelman, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck
Summary: This study aims to identify the environmental and anthropogenic drivers of alpha- and beta-diversity for native and alien plant species in the Rio de la Plata grasslands. The results showed that native species richness is primarily influenced by environmental factors, while alien species richness is influenced by both environmental and human factors. The compositional dissimilarity of native and alien species assemblages was similar and areas with similar climates and close geographic proximity had more taxonomically similar assemblages. The compositional dissimilarity of alien plants decreased with increasing road density.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Melinda D. Smith, Sally E. Koerner, Meghan L. Avolio, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Stephanie Eby, Elisabeth J. Forrestel, Scott L. Collins, Kevin R. Wilcox, Rodrigo Ahumada, John W. Morgan, Gabriel Oliva, Gaston R. Onatibia, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Guadalupe Peter, Emiliano Quiroga, Mahesh Sankaran, Jianshuang Wu, Laura Yahdjian, Qiang Yu
Summary: This study aimed to understand the impact of water availability on richness and evenness and found different relationships between water availability and richness/evenness at regional and global scales. The results suggest that different factors determine patterns of richness and evenness in grassy biomes, leading to varying relationships between richness and evenness at different scales. These findings have implications for understanding how grassy ecosystems may respond to anthropogenic changes such as climate change.
Article
Ecology
Ana Boeira Porto, Rosangela Goncalves Rolim, Luciana da Silva Menezes, Pedro Augusto Thomas, Guilherme Dubal dos Santos Seger, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of physical barriers on vegetation recovery in subtropical Brazilian grasslands and found that the barriers can act as seed traps, favoring the occurrence of well-dispersed species. The study also found that species richness and diversity values were higher near logs, but Simpson values were higher with greater distance from logs.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thore Engel, Helge Bruelheide, Daniela Hoss, Francesco M. Sabatini, Jan Altman, Mohammed A. S. Arfin-Khan, Erwin Bergmeier, Tomas Cerny, Milan Chytry, Matteo Dainese, Juergen Dengler, Jiri Dolezal, Richard Field, Felicia M. Fischer, Dries Huygens, Ute Jandt, Florian Jansen, Anke Jentsch, Dirk N. Karger, Jens Kattge, Jonathan Lenoir, Frederic Lens, Jaqueline Loos, Ulo Niinemets, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Wim A. Ozinga, Josep Penuelas, Gwendolyn Peyre, Oliver Phillips, Peter B. Reich, Christine Roemermann, Brody Sandel, Marco Schmidt, Franziska Schrodt, Eduardo Velez-Martin, Cyrille Violle, Valerio Pillar
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of dominance and niche partitioning on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships in grassland systems worldwide. The results indicate that dominance effects, related to the traits of the dominant species, have a significant impact on BEF relationships, while functional diversity (FD) does not affect primary productivity (NDVI).
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ingmar R. Staude, Josiane Segar, Vicky M. Temperton, Bianca O. Andrade, Michele de Sa Dechoum, Emanuela W. A. Weidlich, Gerhard E. Overbeck
Summary: In the era of unprecedented climate change, ecological restoration efforts primarily focus on forests for carbon sequestration, while grasslands are comparatively overlooked in global restoration policies. However, analyses from central Europe and southern Brazil reveal that a majority of endangered plant species are actually found in open ecosystems. By restoring open, grassy ecosystems, plant extinction risk could be reduced by up to 82%. Moreover, ramping up grassland restoration efforts not only bends the curve of biodiversity loss, but also contributes to the resilience of ecosystems and mitigates climate change impacts.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Stephen M. G. Gillanders, Luciana R. Podgaiski, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Alessandra Santos, Bruna Winck, George G. Brown, Marie L. C. Bartz
Summary: In the highly diverse Brazilian Pampa region, we sampled grazed natural grassland and agropastoral systems in two regions (Alegrete and Acegua) and identified a total of five species of earthworms, including four native-new to science species and one exotic species. Differences in earthworm species richness and abundance were observed between regions and land-use systems. Agropastoral systems had higher abundance and species richness than natural grasslands, but these differences varied by location. Conversion from natural grassland to agropastoral systems can maintain native earthworms and enhance ecosystem services, but the presence of an exotic species in agropastoral systems raises concerns about the impacts of land use changes in the Brazilian Pampa region.
Article
Plant Sciences
Pedro Augusto Thomas, Ana Boeira Porto, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck, Sandra Cristina Muller
Summary: This study evaluated the potential of hay transfer for the restoration of subtropical grasslands in Southern Brazil. The results showed that hay harvested in mid-Spring and early-Summer resulted in more seedling emergence. Using a larger amount of hay also increased species richness, regardless of the harvest date.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kelly G. Lyons, Peter Torok, Julia-Maria Hermann, Kathrin Kiehl, Anita Kirmer, Johannes Kollmann, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Sabine Tischew, Edith B. Allen, Jonathan D. Bakker, Christy Brigham, Elise Buisson, Kerri Crawford, Peter Dunwiddie, Jennifer Firn, Devin Grobert, Karen Hickman, Soizig L. E. Stradic, Vicky M. Temperton
Summary: Grasslands are crucial for combating biodiversity and climate crises, and their restoration is essential. Multifunctional grassland restoration can restore biodiversity while also sequestering carbon. However, the importance of grassland preservation and restoration has been overlooked compared to forests, despite their contributions to human well-being and the environment.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tiago Shizen Pacheco Toma, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck, Milton de Souza Mendonca, G. Wilson Fernandes
Summary: Restoration and conservation are interconnected as restoration can assist in enhancing, expanding, or linking protected areas. The authors argue that conservation can support restoration by identifying optimal references, which are areas representative of the range of habitats to be restored. Given the high rates of habitat loss and ambitious restoration goals, the availability of suitable references is crucial. However, the utilization and prioritization of these references in conservation efforts are not always optimal. The authors emphasize the need for defining, prioritizing, and protecting optimal references as a strategic approach to effectively address current and future challenges in conservation and restoration.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rosangela Goncalves Rolim, Milena Fermina Rosenfield, Gerhard Ernst Overbeck
Summary: The need for grassland restoration is evident in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, but there is a limited availability of native grassland species seedlings and seeds in the local market. Furthermore, there are no clear criteria and procedures established in legal norms for grassland conversion and restoration in the region.
ACTA BOTANICA BRASILICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luciana S. Menezes, Cleusa Ely, Diober B. Lucas, Graziela H. Minervini-Silva, Eduardo Velez-Martin, Heinrich Hasenack, Rafael Trevisan, Ilsi Iob Boldrini, Valerio D. Pillar, Gerhard E. Overbeck
Summary: This study provides a detailed description of plant communities in the South Brazilian grasslands and identifies clear differences in community composition across different regions. By investigating the relationship between plant communities and environmental features, reference values for richness and diversity are established, suggesting the best strategy for protecting plant diversity in the region.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2022)