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Zhang Y, Tariq A, Hughes AC, Hong D, Wei F, Sun H, Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Perry G, Qiao J, Kurban A, Jia X, Raimondo D, Pan B, Yang W, Zhang D, Li W, Ahmed Z, Beierkuhnlein C, Lazkov G, Toderich K, Karryeva S, Dehkonov D, Hisoriev H, Dimeyeva L, Milko D, Soule A, Suska-Malawska M, Saparmuradov J, Bekzod A, Allin P, Dieye S, Cissse B, Whibesilassie W, Ma K. Challenges and solutions to biodiversity conservation in arid lands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159695. [PMID: 36302433 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The strategic goals of the United Nations and the Aichi Targets for biodiversity conservation have not been met. Instead, biodiversity has continued to rapidly decrease, especially in developing countries. Setting a new global biodiversity framework requires clarifying future priorities and strategies to bridge challenges and provide representative solutions. Hyper-arid, arid, and semi-arid lands (herein, arid lands) form about one third of the Earth's terrestrial surface. Arid lands contain unique biological and cultural diversity, and biodiversity loss in arid lands can have a disproportionate impact on these ecosystems due to low redundancy and a high risk of trophic cascades. They contain unique biological and cultural diversity and host many endemic species, including wild relatives of key crop plants. Yet extensive agriculture, unsustainable use, and global climate change are causing an irrecoverable damage to arid lands, with far-reaching consequences to the species, ground-water resources, ecosystem productivity, and ultimately the communities' dependant on these systems. However, adequate research and effective policies to protect arid land biodiversity and sustainability are lacking because a large proportion of arid areas are in developing countries, and the unique diversity in these systems is frequently overlooked. Developing new priorities for global arid lands and mechanisms to prevent unsustainable development must become part of public discourse and form the basis for conservation efforts. The current situation demands the combined efforts of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and local communities to adopt a socio-ecological approach for achieving sustainable development (SDGs) in arid lands. Applying these initiatives globally is imperative to conserve arid lands biodiversity and the critical ecological services they provide for future generations. This perspective provides a framework for conserving biodiversity in arid lands for all stakeholders that will have a tangible impact on sustainable development, nature, and human well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanming Zhang
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
| | - Alice C Hughes
- Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
| | - Deyuan Hong
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fuwen Wei
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Gad Perry
- Department of Natural Resource Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA
| | - Jianfang Qiao
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Alishir Kurban
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China; Sino-Belgian Joint Laboratory for Geo-Information, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Xiaoxia Jia
- Science Technology Innovation Unit, Secretariat of the UNCCD, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Borong Pan
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Weikang Yang
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Daoyuan Zhang
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Wenjun Li
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Zeeshan Ahmed
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | | | - Georgy Lazkov
- Institute of Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Kristina Toderich
- International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, University of Tottori, Tottori, Japan
| | | | - Davron Dehkonov
- Institute of Botany, Academy Sciences of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
| | - Hikmat Hisoriev
- Flora and Systematic Botany Department Institute of Botany, Plant Physiology and Genetics, Tajikistan National Academy of Sciences, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Liliya Dimeyeva
- Laboratory of Geobotany, Institute of Botany & Phytointroduction, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Dmitry Milko
- Institute of Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Ahmedou Soule
- Research Center for the Valorization of Biodiversity, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Malgozhata Suska-Malawska
- International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, University of Tottori, Tottori, Japan; Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jumamurat Saparmuradov
- Department of Environmental Protection and Hydrometeorology, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
| | - Alilov Bekzod
- Institute of Botany, Academy Sciences of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
| | - Paul Allin
- Transfrontier Africa, Hoedspruit, South Africa
| | - Sidy Dieye
- Transfrontier Africa, Hoedspruit, South Africa
| | - Birane Cissse
- Cheikh Anta DIOP University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Keping Ma
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Christmann T, Menor IO. A synthesis and future research directions for tropical mountain ecosystem restoration. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23948. [PMID: 34907235 PMCID: PMC8671388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03205-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many tropical mountain ecosystems (TME) are severely disturbed, requiring ecological restoration to recover biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, the extent of restoration efforts across TMEs is not known due to the lack of syntheses on ecological restoration research. Here, based on a systematic review, we identify geographical and thematic research gaps, compare restoration interventions, and consolidate enabling factors and barriers of restoration success. We find that restoration research outside Latin-America, in non-forested ecosystems, and on socio-ecological questions is scarce. For most restoration interventions success is mixed and generally limited by dispersal and microhabitat conditions. Finally, we propose five directions for future research on tropical mountain restoration in the UN decade of restoration, ranging from scaling up restoration across mountain ranges, investigating restoration in mountain grasslands, to incorporating socio-economic and technological dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Christmann
- School of Geography and the Environment, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK. .,Worcester College, 1 Walton Street, Oxford, OX12HB, UK.
| | - Imma Oliveras Menor
- School of Geography and the Environment, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
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Yunus AP, Fan X, Subramanian SS, Jie D, Xu Q. Unraveling the drivers of intensified landslide regimes in Western Ghats, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 770:145357. [PMID: 33736370 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Western Ghats (WG) mountain range in the Indian sub-continent is a biodiversity hotspot, now faces a severe threat to the valley population and ecosystem because of changing rainfall patterns and land-use changes. Here, we use the 2018-2019 landslide inventory data together with various geo-environmental factors and show that the landslide activity in the WG region is amplified by anthropogenic disturbances. We applied a generalized feature selection algorithm and a random forest susceptibility model to demonstrate the major topographic controls of landslides and the risk associated with them in the WG region. Our results show that road cutting and slopes modified to plantations are the strongest environmental variable (50% - 73% within 300 m buffer distance) related to the landslide patterns, whereas short-duration intense precipitation in the high elevated terrain, profile concavity, and stream power contributed to the initiation of landslides. The susceptibility models made for the present, and Global Climate Models (GCM) under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario predicts the vulnerable nature of WG for future climate extremes. Our results highlight the impacts of Anthropocene hazards and sensitivity of the WG ecosystem, and a greater focus therefore should be placed to reduce the vulnerability and increase preparedness for future events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali P Yunus
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuanmei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China.
| | - Srikrishnan Siva Subramanian
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
| | - Dou Jie
- Three Gorges Research Center for Geohazards, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
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Arasumani M, Bunyan M, Robin VV. Opportunities and challenges in using remote sensing for invasive tree species management, and in the identification of restoration sites in tropical montane grasslands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 280:111759. [PMID: 33298397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Tropical montane grasslands (TMG) support biodiverse and endemic taxa and provide vital ecosystem services to downstream communities. Nevertheless, invasive alien tree species across the world have threatened tropical grasslands and grassland endemic species. In India, TMG in the Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats have been reduced due to exotic tree invasions (Acacias, Pines, and Eucalyptus species). The loss of grassland habitat has, in turn, reduced the range sizes of species endemic to grasslands (plants, birds, amphibians, and mammals), driving some populations to local extinction. Grassland conversion to exotic trees has also impacted ecosystem services in the Western Ghats. Conserving existing grassland and restoring invaded habitat is critical to reverse these losses. This research focused on identifying grassland restoration sites using satellite images with a high spatial resolution (RapidEye). We used an object-oriented Random Forest classification to map the area for grassland restoration. We identified an area of 254 sq. km. as suitable for grassland restoration and an area of 362 sq. km. for grassland conservation and preventing invasion by exotic tree species. For restoration, we recommend careful removal of young and isolated exotic trees at the invasion front and restoring grasslands, instead of removing dense stands of mature exotic trees. Although our limited data indicate that areas with low fire frequency tend to be invaded, and areas invaded by exotic trees tend to burn at higher intensities, we recommend a broader investigation of these patterns to critically examine a potential role for the use of fire in invasive species management. We assume that removing exotic tree species in the identified restoration sites and restoring the grassland will help recover lost habitat and ensure the viability of indigenous and endemic species and increase streamflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Arasumani
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Transit Campus, Karakambadi Road, Andhra Pradesh, 517507, India.
| | - Milind Bunyan
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Sriramapura, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560064, India
| | - V V Robin
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Transit Campus, Karakambadi Road, Andhra Pradesh, 517507, India
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Lele A, Arasumani M, Vishnudas CK, Joshi V, Jathanna D, Robin VV. Elevation and landscape change drive the distribution of a montane, endemic grassland bird. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7755-7767. [PMID: 32760562 PMCID: PMC7391316 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Tropical montane habitats support high biodiversity and are hotspots of endemism, with grasslands being integral components of many such landscapes. The montane grasslands of the Western Ghats have seen extensive land-use change over anthropogenic timescales. The factors influencing the ability of grassland-dependent species to persist in habitats experiencing loss and fragmentation, particularly in montane grasslands, are poorly known. OBJECTIVES We studied the relationship between the Nilgiri pipit Anthus nilghiriensis, a threatened endemic bird that typifies these montane grasslands, and its habitat, across most of its global distribution. We examined what habitat features make remnant grasslands viable, which is necessary for their effective management. METHODS We conducted 663 surveys in 170 sites and used both single-season occupancy modeling and N-mixture modeling to account for processes influencing detection, presence, and abundance. RESULTS Elevation had a positive influence on species presence, patch size had a moderate positive influence, and patch isolation had a moderate negative influence. Species abundance was positively influenced by elevation and characteristics related to habitat structure, and negatively influenced by the presence of invasive woody vegetation. CONCLUSIONS The strong effect of elevation on the highly range-restricted Nilgiri pipit is likely to make it vulnerable to climate change. This highly range-restricted species is locally extinct at several locations, and persists at low densities in remnants of its habitat left by recent fragmentation. Our findings indicate a need to control and reverse the spread of exotic woody invasives to preserve the grasslands themselves and the specialist species dependent upon them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhimanyu Lele
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TirupatiTirupatiAndhra PradeshIndia
- Present address:
Committee on Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Present address:
Negaunee Integrative Research CenterField Museum of Natural HistoryChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - M. Arasumani
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TirupatiTirupatiAndhra PradeshIndia
- Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife BiologyKalpettaKeralaIndia
- The Gandhigram Rural InstituteGandhigramTamil NaduIndia
| | - C. K. Vishnudas
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TirupatiTirupatiAndhra PradeshIndia
- Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife BiologyKalpettaKeralaIndia
| | - Viral Joshi
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TirupatiTirupatiAndhra PradeshIndia
| | | | - V. V. Robin
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research TirupatiTirupatiAndhra PradeshIndia
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