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Jin H, Zhang K, Zhang P, Liu G, Liu M, Chen X, Willems P. Spatiotemporal evolution of drought status and its driving factors attribution in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2025; 958:178131. [PMID: 39705960 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2024] [Revised: 11/24/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2024] [Indexed: 12/23/2024]
Abstract
Drought has intensified in China in recent years, and it is urgent to clarify the characteristics of drought evolutions in different regions and its influencing factors. To this end, we selected six main influencing factors and analyzed their impact on drought patterns. The results show that drought is increasing in 78.4 % of China, and more severe droughts have occurred since 2000. From the perspective of drought change distribution, the wet areas in China are getting wetter, and the dry areas are getting drier. The partial correlation coefficient (PACC) between precipitation and standard precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) is the largest in South China (SC), and the PACC between temperature and SPEI is the largest in Northwest China (NWC). Precipitation and temperature have the greatest correlation with drought, accounting for 45.7 % and 30.8 % of China. In 49.9 % of China, temperature contributes the most to the drought trend changes, and in 16.6 % of China, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) contributes the most to the drought trend changes. Geographical detector model (GDM) shows temperature has the greatest driving force on SPEI, followed by surface solar radiation (SSR). Principal component analysis (PCA) shows temperature has the greatest positive impact on drought, while soil moisture has the greatest negative impact on drought. This study is helpful to increase the understanding of the diversities in drought drivers in different regions of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Jin
- National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; Department of Civil Engineering, Hydraulics and Geotechnics Section, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ke Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; China Meteorological Administration Hydro-Meteorology Key Laboratory, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; Key Laboratory of Water Big Data Technology of Ministry of Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China.
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China
| | - Guoyan Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China
| | - Moyang Liu
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Xiaohong Chen
- School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Patrick Willems
- Department of Civil Engineering, Hydraulics and Geotechnics Section, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Pineda-Sánchez G, Vázquez-Domínguez E. Desert landscape features influencing the microgeographic genetic structure of Nelson's pocket mouse Chaetodipus nelsoni. Heredity (Edinb) 2025; 134:21-32. [PMID: 39488628 PMCID: PMC11723970 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00732-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 10/22/2024] [Accepted: 10/24/2024] [Indexed: 11/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the factors that drive the genetic patterns of natural populations is key in evolutionary biology, ecology and conservation. Hence, it is crucial to understand the role that environmental features play in species genetic diversity and structure. Landscape genetics measures functional connectivity and evaluates the effects of landscape composition, configuration, and heterogeneity on microevolutionary processes. Deserts constitute one of the world's most widespread biomes and exhibit a striking heterogeneity of microhabitats, yet few landscape genetics studies have been performed with rodents in deserts. We evaluated the relationship between landscape and functional connectivity, at a microgeographic scale, of the Nelson's pocket mouse Chaetodipus nelsoni in the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve (Chihuahuan desert). We used single-nucleotide polymorphisms and characterized the landscape based on on-site environmental data and from Landsat satellite images. We identified two distinct genetic clusters shaped by elevation, vegetation and soil. High elevation group showed higher connectivity in the elevated zones (1250-1350 m), with scarce vegetation and predominantly rocky soils; whereas that of Low elevation group was at <1200 m, with denser vegetation and sandy soils. These genetic patterns are likely associated with the species' locomotion type, feeding strategy and building of burrows. Interestingly, we also identified morphological differences, where hind foot size was significantly smaller in individuals from High elevation compared to Low elevation, suggesting the possibility of ecomorphs associated with habitat differences and potential local adaptation processes, which should be explored further. These findings improve our understanding of the genetics and ecology of C. nelsoni and other desert rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gissella Pineda-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Edificio D, 1er Piso, Unidad de Posgrado, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ella Vázquez-Domínguez
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, México.
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092, Sevilla, España.
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Ding Y, Feng Y, Chen K, Zhang X. Analysis of spatial and temporal changes in vegetation cover and its drivers in the Aksu River Basin, China. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10165. [PMID: 38702367 PMCID: PMC11068797 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60575-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Exploring vegetation dynamics in arid areas and their responses to different natural and anthropogenic factors is critical for understanding ecosystems. Based on the monthly MOD13Q1 (250 m) remote sensing data from 2000 to 2019, this study analyzed spatio-temporal changes in vegetation cover in the Aksu River Basin and predicted future change trends using one-dimensional linear regression, the Mann-Kendall test, and the Hurst index. Quantitative assessment of the magnitude of anthropogenic and natural drivers was performed using the Geodetector model. Eleven natural and anthropogenic factors were quantified and analyzed within five time periods. The influence of the driving factors on the changes in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in each period was calculated and analyzed. Four main results were found. (1) The overall vegetation cover in the region significantly grew from 2000 to 2019. The vegetation cover changes were dominated by expected future improvements, with a Hurst index average of 0.45. (2) Land use type, soil moisture, surface temperature, and potential vapor dispersion were the main drivers of NDVI changes, with annual average q-values above 0.2. (3) The driving effect of two-factor interactions was significantly greater than that of single factors, especially land use type interacts with other factors to a greater extent on vegetation cover. (4) The magnitude of the interaction between soil moisture and potential vapor dispersion and the magnitude of the interaction between anthropogenic factors and other factors showed an obvious increasing trend. Current soil moisture and human activities had a positive influence on the growth of vegetation in the area. The findings of this study are important for ecological monitoring and security as well as land desertification control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Ding
- School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Sustained Utilization and Development of Water Resources, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Collaborative Innovation Center for Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources and Optimization of Industrial Structure, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Yuqing Feng
- School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Sustained Utilization and Development of Water Resources, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Collaborative Innovation Center for Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources and Optimization of Industrial Structure, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
| | - Kang Chen
- School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.
- Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Sustained Utilization and Development of Water Resources, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.
- Hebei Province Collaborative Innovation Center for Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources and Optimization of Industrial Structure, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.
- School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Huai'an East Road No. 136, Shijiazhuang, 050031, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- School of Water Resources and Environment, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Sustained Utilization and Development of Water Resources, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Province Collaborative Innovation Center for Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources and Optimization of Industrial Structure, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
- Hebei Center for Ecological and Environmental Geology Research, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China
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Watchorn DJ, Doherty TS, Wilson BA, Garkaklis MJ, Driscoll DA. How do invasive predators and their native prey respond to prescribed fire? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11450. [PMID: 38783847 PMCID: PMC11112300 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fire shapes animal communities by altering resource availability and species interactions, including between predators and prey. In Australia, there is particular concern that two highly damaging invasive predators, the feral cat (Felis catus) and European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), increase their activity in recently burnt areas and exert greater predation pressure on the native prey due to their increased exposure. We tested how prescribed fire occurrence and extent, along with fire history, vegetation, topography, and distance to anthropogenic features (towns and farms), affected the activity (detection frequency) of cats, foxes, and the native mammal community in south-eastern Australia. We used camera traps to quantify mammal activity before and after a prescribed burn and statistically tested how the fire interacted with these habitat variables to affect mammal activity. We found little evidence that the prescribed fire influenced the activity of cats and foxes and no evidence of an effect on kangaroo or small mammal (<800 g) activity. Medium-sized mammals (800-2000 g) were negatively associated with prescribed fire extent, suggesting that prescribed fire has a negative impact on these species in the short term. The lack of a clear activity increase from cats and foxes is likely a positive outcome from a fire management perspective. However, we highlight that their response is likely dependent upon factors like fire size, severity, and prey availability. Future experiments should incorporate GPS-trackers to record fine-scale movements of cats and foxes in temperate ecosystems immediately before and after prescribed fire to best inform management within protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcy J. Watchorn
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsWoodvaleWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Barbara A. Wilson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Don A. Driscoll
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
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Löffler F, Brüggeshemke J, Freienstein FM, Kämpfer S, Fartmann T. Urban rooftops near sports pitches provide a safe haven for a declining shorebird. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9248. [PMID: 38649736 PMCID: PMC11035604 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59693-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation has contributed to a severe decline in biodiversity worldwide. However, urban ecosystems can also play an important role in the conservation of threatened species, including ground-nesting birds such as the Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). While the coastal populations of this shorebird have declined sharply, there is growing evidence that pairs nesting on urban flat roofs have high reproductive success. However, the reasons for rooftop nesting and the species' habitat use in urban areas remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the territory selection and foraging behaviour of the Eurasian Oystercatcher in the city of Münster (NW Germany). All nesting sites were located on flat roofs (N = 24), most of which were covered with gravel. Overall, reproductive success was high. This was mainly because the roofs provided protection from mammalian predators, leading to increased nest and chick survival. Moreover, breeding performance in the study area was favoured by the proximity of sports pitches. According to our observations, they provided a large amount of easily accessible prey throughout the breeding season. Overall, our study highlights that the reproductive success of the Eurasian Oystercatcher in urban environments is highly dependent on both safe nesting sites on flat roofs and the availability of suitable foraging habitats. Although our study suggests that breeding in urban areas can be beneficial for the model organism, the species' strong territory fidelity makes it very sensitive to the rapid environmental changes occurring in cities. The value of urban ecosystems for bird conservation should therefore be better integrated into urban planning and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Löffler
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - Jonas Brüggeshemke
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Felix Maximilian Freienstein
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Steffen Kämpfer
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Thomas Fartmann
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology (IBL), An der Kleimannbrücke 98, 48157, Münster, Germany
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Bardales R, Boron V, Passos Viana DF, Sousa LL, Dröge E, Porfirio G, Jaramillo M, Payán E, Sillero-Zubiri C, Hyde M. Neotropical mammal responses to megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17278. [PMID: 38655695 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The increasing frequency and severity of human-caused fires likely have deleterious effects on species distribution and persistence. In 2020, megafires in the Brazilian Pantanal burned 43% of the biome's unburned area and resulted in mass mortality of wildlife. We investigated changes in habitat use or occupancy for an assemblage of eight mammal species in Serra do Amolar, Brazil, following the 2020 fires using a pre- and post-fire camera trap dataset. Additionally, we estimated the density for two naturally marked species, jaguars Panthera onca and ocelots Leopardus pardalis. Of the eight species, six (ocelots, collared peccaries Dicotyles tajacu, giant armadillos Priodontes maximus, Azara's agouti Dasyprocta azarae, red brocket deer Mazama americana, and tapirs Tapirus terrestris) had declining occupancy following fires, and one had stable habitat use (pumas Puma concolor). Giant armadillo experienced the most precipitous decline in occupancy from 0.431 ± 0.171 to 0.077 ± 0.044 after the fires. Jaguars were the only species with increasing habitat use, from 0.393 ± 0.127 to 0.753 ± 0.085. Jaguar density remained stable across years (2.8 ± 1.3, 3.7 ± 1.3, 2.6 ± 0.85/100 km2), while ocelot density increased from 13.9 ± 3.2 to 16.1 ± 5.2/100 km2. However, the low number of both jaguars and ocelots recaptured after the fire period suggests that immigration may have sustained the population. Our results indicate that the megafires will have significant consequences for species occupancy and fitness in fire-affected areas. The scale of megafires may inhibit successful recolonization, thus wider studies are needed to investigate population trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Bardales
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
| | - Valeria Boron
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- The Living Planet Centre, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) UK, Woking, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Lara L Sousa
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Egil Dröge
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
- Zambian Carnivore Programme, Mfuwe, Zambia
| | | | | | - Esteban Payán
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, New York, USA
| | - Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Matthew Hyde
- Panthera Cooperation, New York, New York, USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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Zhao Y, Liu S, Liu H, Wang F, Dong Y, Wu G, Li Y, Wang W, Phan Tran LS, Li W. Multi-objective ecological restoration priority in China: Cost-benefit optimization in different ecological performance regimes based on planetary boundaries. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120701. [PMID: 38531134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
In the context of the "United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration", optimizing spatiotemporal arrangements for ecological restoration is an important approach to enhancing overall socioecological benefits for sustainable development. However, against the background of ecological degradation caused by the human use of most natural resources at levels that have approached or exceeded the safe and sustainable boundaries of ecosystems, it is key to explain how to optimize ecological restoration by classified management and optimal total benefits. In response to these issues, we combined spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics at the national scale in China to construct five ecological performance regimes defined by indicators that use planetary boundaries and ecological pressures which served as the basis for prioritizing ecological restoration areas and implementing zoning control. By integrating habitat conservation, biodiversity, water supply, and restoration cost constraints, seven ecological restoration scenarios were simulated to optimize the spatial layout of ecological restoration projects (ERPs). The results indicated that the provinces with unsustainable freshwater use, climate change, and land use accounted for more than 25%, 66.7%, and 25%, respectively, of the total area. Only 30% of the provinces experienced a decrease in environmental pressure. Based on the ecological performance regimes, ERP sites spanning the past 20 years were identified, and more than 50% of the priority areas were clustered in regime areas with increased ecological stress. As the restoration area targets doubled (40%) from the baseline (20%), a multi-objective scenario presents a trade-off between expanded ERPs in areas with highly beneficial effects and minimal restoration costs. In conclusion, a reasonable classification and management regime is the basis for targeted restoration. Coordinating multiple objectives and costs in ecological restoration is the key to maximizing socio-ecological benefits. Our study offered new perspectives on systematic and sustainable planning for ecological restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yuhong Dong
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, China
| | - Yetong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wanting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Lam-Son Phan Tran
- Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Weiqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Mollisols Agroecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
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Hillman A, Nielsen SE. Lake Superior's summer cooling of shorelines and adjacent inland forests: Implications for refugia of boreal forests and disjunct arctic-alpine plants. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10833. [PMID: 38155816 PMCID: PMC10753639 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate refugia can serve as remnant habitat for cold-adapted species and delay forest transitions. The world's largest freshwater lake by surface area, Lake Superior, serves as a model system for understanding cooling-mediated refugia effects, as its cool summer water temperatures have maintained disjunct populations of arctic-alpine plants on its shoreline since deglaciation. It is known to affect local inland climates by providing a summer cooling effect; however, the inland temperature gradient and spatial patterns of cooling have not been well quantified. Here, we describe the extent, degree, and patterns of temperature buffering and examine drivers of buffering and disjunct plant occurrence for Lake Superior's north shore over a 3-year period at distances of 10, 100 m, 1, 10, and 100 km inland. We analyzed temperature data by year, month, summer maximum (July), and growing degree days (GDD0) for each site. Average summertime cooling at shore sites (10 m) was ~5°C cooler than reference sites (100 km inland), with a maximum difference of -19.2°C. The magnitude of cooling varied geographically, with sites further west and southeast showing little to no cooling effect, while the exposed north-central shore showed the highest degree of buffering (5.8°C cooler) and had a shorter growing season than reference sites. Finally, north-central shorelines had fewer days above 16°C, a threshold above which disjunct plants are unlikely to grow. These sites also showed the highest proportion of disjunct arctic-alpine species, reflecting the highest buffering from inland sites. On north-central shores, sites up to 10 km inland had less than 10 days per year warmer than 20°C, a threshold identified for boreal forest transition. An understanding of the extent of lake-mediated cooling on adjacent forests can better inform the risk to disjunct species, inland forests, and vegetation transition models on Lake Superior's north shore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Hillman
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Scott E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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