Dispersal of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes by Ctenomys cf. knighti (Rodentia) in the northern Monte Desert of Argentina

In arid and semi-arid environments, root-associated fungi may play a key role in plant communities (e.g., seedling establishment, nutrient acquisition, plant survival and heat tolerance). Several studies have shown the importance of small mammals as consumers and dispersal agents of mycorrhizal fungi spores in tropical and temperate ecosystems. However, little is known about the dispersal of infective propagules of endophytic fungi in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. This study analyzed the potential role of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys cf. knighti as a dispersal agent of root-associated fungi. In order to demonstrate this role, we analyzed: (1) the incidence of colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizae and dark septate endophytes on representative plant species of the Monte Desert; (2) the presence of fungal structures of arbuscular mycorrhizae and dark septate endophytes in C. cf. knighti fecal samples; and (3) the infectivity of the fungal propagules contained in the scat and their growth effects on nine native plant species. Data strongly suggest that this South American subterranean rodent may play a key role as a dispersal agent of arbuscular mycorrhizae and dark septate endophytes fungi in the arid environment of the northern Monte Desert of Argentina.     

干扰对生物土壤结皮及其理化性质的影响

生物土壤结皮作为荒漠地区特殊环境的产物,具有较强的抗风蚀、水蚀功能,也是干旱荒漠地区植被演替的重要基础。随着人类活动的加剧,生物土壤结皮也受到不同类型和不同程度的干扰,主要包括放牧、火烧、车辆碾压等形式。干扰对生物土壤结皮的影响主要表现在生物土壤结皮结构及盖度的变化、土壤理化性质的改变、土壤微生物数量及活性的变化等几个方面。放牧对土壤物理性质的影响还没有一致的结论,除了干扰的程度还与土壤含水量有关系。火烧虽然改善了土壤结构,但是破坏了地表植被的盖度,而且恢复比较困难,也加速了外界侵蚀的力度,对土壤化学性质也有显著影响。机械碾压的破坏力最强,且没有任何的积极意义。     

Spatial and temporal patterns of wildfires in the Mojave Desert, 1980–2004

Fire has been historically infrequent in the Mojave Desert, and its increased prevalence caused by the invasion of non-native annual grasses is a major concern for land managers there. The most dramatic changes have occurred in middle elevation shrublands dominated by creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), and/or blackbrush (Coleogyne ramossissima), where most of the fires occurred between 1980 and 2004. This zone is more susceptible than other areas of the Mojave Desert to increased fire size following years of high rainfall. Increases in fire size are likely related to the flush of non-native annual grasses, Bromus rubens in particular, that produces continuous fuelbeds following years of high rainfall. This dynamic also has occurred to some degree at lower elevations, but the background cover of native perennial fuels there is already very low, muting the effects of the ephemeral fuels. At elevations above the middle elevation shrublands, fire size does not vary with rainfall, indicating that native woody fuels dictate fire regimes. These results suggest that an invasive plant/fire regime cycle is currently establishing in the middle and possibly the low elevation shrublands of the Mojave Desert, but not at higher elevations.     

Constancy of local spread rates for buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare L.) in the Arizona Upland of the Sonoran Desert

In North American deserts, grass invasions threaten native vegetation via competition and altered fire regimes. Accurate prediction and successful mitigation of these invasions hinge on estimation of spread rates and their degree of constancy in time and space. We used high-resolution aerial photographs from 11 sites in the Santa Catalina Mountains, southern Arizona to reconstruct the spread of buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), a C₄ perennial bunchgrass, since 1980. The total area infested was fit to a logistic model and residuals of the model were compared to climatic factors of the corresponding and lagged time periods. Infestations grew from small colonizing patches in the 1980s to 66 ha in 2008, doubling every 2.26–7.04 years since 1988. Although buffelgrass germination, establishment and distribution are favored by wet summers and warm winters, climate variables did not predict spread rates. Buffelgrass has grown at a constant rate, at least since 1988, when much of its expansion took place. In the study area, minimum requirements are met almost every year for germination and reproduction, establishing a consistent baseline for spread that manifests as a constant spread rate.     

Comparison of soil bacterial communities associated with actinorhizal, non-actinorhizal plants and the interspaces in the sclerophyllous matorral from Central Chile in two different seasons

The spatial heterogeneity of resources in desert and semi-arid shrubland appears to be important in determining higher soil bacteria abundance around plants than in soil without plant cover. Thus, these bacterial communities could be important contributors to nutrient cycling in arid ecosystems. Bacterial diversity from Chilean sclerophyllous matorral was determined by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP). Soil samples associated with the actinorhizal plant Colletia hystrix, non-actinorhizal plants and interspace soil without plant cover, were collected in May and October. The non-actinorhizal and interspace soil differed significantly in their potassium content in May and pH in October. The T-RFLP analysis revealed differences in the bacterial community structure from the different habitats. The soil bacterial communities associated with plants were the most similar, whereas the interspace soil community differed in both sampling times. The factors that best explained the groupings were potassium and pH. The greatest diversity was observed in the interspace soil. The Microbial Community Analysis showed a significant proportion of T-RFs identified as Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Likewise, spatial and temporal differences were observed in the main groups' abundance. The dominance of Firmicutes suggests that the sclerophyllous matorral could be a different ecosystem to other arid and semi-arid soils with respect to the bacterial community structure.     

Species diversity and regeneration of native species in Pennisetum ciliare (buffelgrass) pastures from the thornscrub of Sonora,México

To examine the influence of buffelgrass land conversion and pasture management on native species diversity and regeneration patterns, we describe community attributes and population structure in four different active pastures in thornscrub vegetation from eastern Sonora, Mexico. We compare a relatively undisturbed thornscrub community with a contiguous five years old active pasture, to identify species able to regenerate under current management practices. Buffelgrass conversion has a significant influence on species diversity and other community attributes. Active pastures have lower species diversity, crown cover and basal area of native species than the studied native thornscrub. An active pasture subjected to heavy grazing and without management of the thorny legume, Acacia cochliacantha, showed the lower species diversity and an almost monospecific stand of this legume. It is likely that the reduction in species diversity is caused by the conversion process, inadequate management and regeneration barriers that limit seedling establishment in active pastures. Our data recorded eight native species (13%) that were able to regenerate in active pastures. However, the great majority of native species were unable to regenerate under pastures. This study shows that under current management, active buffelgrass pastures maintain only a small fraction of native species with regenerating populations in the thornscrub.     

Seedbank responses to spring and fall prescribed fire in mountain big sagebrush ecosystems of differing ecological condition at Lava Beds National Monument,California

Land use change in the American West has altered sagebrush dominated ecosystems, facilitating exotic grass invasion, increased woody species, altered fire regimes, and native species losses. Restoring fire regimes may be integral to the restoration of sagebrush ecosystems. However, little is known about how the timing of prescribed fire differentially impacts the soil seedbank. Further, sites of different ecological condition may variably respond to fire. To address these uncertainties, we quantified germination of invasive cheatgrass and plant functional groups (native dicots, exotic dicots, native bunchgrasses, and native shrubs) following spring and fall prescribed burns in three mountain big sagebrush communities at Lava Beds National Monument, California. At cheatgrass and native-dominated sites, there were fewer cheatgrass seedlings (91% and 86%, respectively) immediately following spring fire than in unburned controls, but this reduction did not persist one year later. Fall burns did not significantly impact cheatgrass or exotic dicot germination. At a native dominated site, native dicots increased one year following spring (1620%) and fall burns (67%), suggesting adaptation to a natural fire regime. This research shows that the prefire condition of an ecosystem greatly influences the postfire germination response, and that fire-adapted ecosystems can benefit from the natural disturbance regime.     

Role of competition in restoring resource poor arid systems dominated by invasive grasses

Understanding the role competition intensity and importance play in directing vegetation dynamics is central to developing restoration strategies, especially in resource poor environments. We hypothesized 1) competition would be intense among invasive and native species, but 2) competition would be unimportant in explaining variation in target plant biomass and survivorship relative to other factors driving these variables. We performed a two year addition series field experiment to quantify competition intensity and importance. Densities of two invasive (cheatgrass and medusahead) and two native (Sandberg’s bluegrass and bluebunch wheatgrass) species were arranged in monocultures and mixtures of two, three and four species, producing varying total densities and species proportions. Multiple linear regression models predicting individual plant biomass and survivorship were developed. Based on biomass, competition intensity coefficients ranged from −0.38 to 0.63 with R² < 0.06. All survivorship data produced poor fitting regression models (R² < 0.05). Our results suggest neither competition intensity nor importance influenced plant dominance in resource poor environments during the two years of establishment. Land managers may be more successful at restoration of resource poor ecosystems by overcoming abiotic barriers to plant establishment rather than focusing on plant-plant interactions.     

Restoring habitat for riparian birds in the lower Colorado River watershed: An example from the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada

The success of riparian restoration projects in the arid southwestern U.S. is often measured in terms of vegetation characteristics such as growth, cover, and structure. Among low-elevation riverine environments within the Colorado River watershed, restoration is typically conducted to improve degraded habitats for birds of conservation concern by replacing the exotic tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) with native cottonwoods (Populus spp.) and willows (Salix spp.). The working assumption for many restoration practitioners is that replacing exotic plants with native plants will improve habitat quality and will, therefore, benefit birds. Based on data collected at exotic and restored (i.e., native) sites along the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, not all birds benefit from restoration. Broad measures of community benefit, including benefits to birds of conservation concern and riparian obligate/dependent birds, were not detected. There were, however, some species-specific benefits. Some environmental variables that were associated with exotic and native sites were significant in explaining the composition of the bird community. For example, the richness of forbs and grass-like plants (a proxy of soil moisture), invertebrate mass, and percent shade (a proxy for canopy characteristics) were important. Considering our results and depending on restoration goals, tamarisk replacement projects may not inherently provide benefits to birds.     

A comparison of methods to assess long-term changes in Sonoran Desert vegetation

Knowledge about the condition of vegetation cover and composition is critical for assessing the structure and function of ecosystems. To effectively quantify the impacts of a rapidly changing environment, methods to track long-term trends of vegetation must be precise, repeatable, and time- and cost-efficient. Measuring vegetation cover and composition in arid and semiarid regions is especially challenging because vegetation is typically sparse, discontinuous, and individual plants are widely spaced. To meet the goal of long-term vegetation monitoring in the Sonoran Desert and other arid and semiarid regions, we determined how estimates of plant species, total vegetation, and soil cover obtained using a widely-implemented monitoring protocol compared to a more time- and resource-intensive plant census. We also assessed how well this protocol tracked changes in cover through 82 years compared to the plant census. Results from the monitoring protocol were comparable to those from the plant census, despite low and variable plant species cover. Importantly, this monitoring protocol could be used as a rapid, “off-the shelf” tool for assessing land degradation (or desertification) in arid and semiarid ecosystems.     

Effects of overgrazing and rainfall variability on the dynamics of semiarid banded vegetation patterns: A simulation study with cellular automata

The effects of factors acting at small scale (grass/grass and grass/shrub biological interactions) and landscape scale (overgrazing and rainfall changes) on the development and permanence of banded vegetation patterns (VB) are assessed with a spatially explicit cellular automaton model. In particular, the influence of two environmental factors that are changing in many VB arid lands (rainfall and grazing pressures) is studied. Three rainfall regimes (representing 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 times the long-term rainfall average), five grazing intensities, two types (reversible and irreversible) of grazing disturbance, two grazing periodicities (chronic and pulse), two levels of grass colonization ability, positive and negative interactions between shrubs and grasses, and the efficiency of endozoochorous seed dispersal are simulated.The results show that the permanence of undisturbed VB depends on the interaction of two factors, rainfall regime and grass colonization ability. Type and intensity of grazing also modify VB cover and permanence; furthermore, long-term overgrazing may convert mixed grass/shrub plant communities to pure scrublands dominated by endozoochorous-dispersed shrubs due to competitive interactions between shrubs and grasses.Besides providing an adequate representation of the system’s dynamics, the model is a useful tool that may be used to explore the consequences of climate change on management scenarios.     

Long-distance transport of terrestrial plant material by convection resulting from forest fires

Paleoecologists widely accept macroscopic plant remains preserved in lake sediment as good indicators of the vegetation communities growing within and adjacent to the margin of a lake or mire. However, the study of ash fallout from a small to moderate size forest fire in a low elevation Pseudotsuga menziesii/Pinus contorta/Abies lasiocarpa stand near Bozeman, Montana suggests that certain macroscopic plant remains can be transported long distances through the atmosphere. Conifer needles, pollen cones, cone scales, bracts and wood fragments were transported via the atmosphere and subsequently deposited at least 20 km from the forest fire. The majority of the plant remains that were identified were A. lasiocarpa needles. Pseudotsuga menziesii and P. contorta needles were also identified, but both were less abundant than A. lasiocarpa. The plant material that was recovered exhibited varying degrees of charring suggesting that it may be difficult to distinguish plant material that has been transported long-distances by forest fires from that which has been derived locally. Severe convection and vortices associated with intense forest fires are believed to be the primary mechanisms responsible for transporting plant material via the atmosphere.     

The environmental envelope of fires in the Colombian Caribbean

Fire is an important disturbance agent for terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions where its occurrence is controlled by multiple biophysical and anthropogenic variables. We assessed the temporal and spatial patterns of active fire detections (MODIS product MCD14ML) in the Caribbean region of Colombia between 2003 and 2015, using time series, cross-correlation, hot spot and density techniques. We also assessed the environmental envelope of active fires by evaluating the effect of multiple biophysical and anthropogenic variables on fire presence/absence using generalized linear models (GLMs). Results show that fires follow a clear intra-annual cycle, with 86% of fire events taking place during the region's main dry season (December–March). There is also inter-annual variability related to the Tropical North Atlantic (TNA) quasi-decadal climatic oscillation. Active fires exhibit a distinctive spatial pattern, with regional hotspots. The set of variables that best explain fire presence/absence include biophysical (TNA, temperature annual range, dry quarter precipitation), anthropogenic (minimum distance to towns and roads) and composite (NDVI) variables. The extensive and ongoing land cover transformation of this region, from forest to pasture and agriculture, will likely increase the extent of burned areas and future carbon fire emissions to the atmosphere.     

Effects of fire, grazing, and the presence of shrubs on Chihuahuan desert grasslands

Responses of herbaceous and suffrutescent species to fire, grazing, and presence of Prosopis glandulosa were examined in a Chihuahuan desert grassland in south-central New Mexico. Treatments were assigned randomly to eight 12×8 m plots within each of two blocks. Following fires in June 1995, unfenced plots were exposed to livestock grazing over 4 years. Plots were established that either included or excluded P. glandulosa. Perennial grass cover, primarilyBouteloua eriopoda , decreased by 13% in burned plots but increased 5% in unburned areas. Conversely, perennial forb cover was 4% greater after fire. Perennial grass frequency decreased 30% more and perennial forb frequency increased 10% more following burning. Further, increases in evenness after fire resulted in a 225% increase in species diversity. Grazing also resulted in a decrease in perennial grass cover while frequency decreased 22% more in grazed than ungrazed plots. Only frequency and not cover of perennial forbs and annual grasses increased more following grazing. Presence of P. glandulosa had no differential effect on responses of non-shrub species. Fires were conducted during near drought conditions while grazing occurred during years of precipitation equivalent to the long-term average. Precipitation immediately following fire may be critical for recovery of B. eriopoda -dominated desert grasslands; relationships between fire and post-fire precipitation patterns require future investigation.     

The influence of plant removal on succession in Wyoming big sagebrush

Restoration treatments are based on the largely untested notion that desired recovery of plant communities following disturbance wouldn’t occur in the absence of active intervention. We identified rate of short-term (10 year) floristic changes following removal of plant functional groups in Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities in 1999-2005 and 2008. Treatments imposed on 6 × 6 m plots were: 1) removal of all plant functional groups, 2) perennial grass removal, 3) shrub removal and 4) control. Our data suggest recovery of the shrub component on shrub removal plots could take decades. Similarly, perennial grass cover and density on perennial grass removal plots was less than half that of unaltered plots 10 years after treatment. When all functional groups were removed, cover of annual forbs, annual grasses, and shrubs returned to unaltered levels within ten years or less. Perennial forbs were unaffected (p > 0.05) by treatment. The fact that natural recovery of some components occurred within a relatively short post-disturbance time interval (i.e. <10 years) suggests that intervention may not be necessary for some functional groups. Restoring shrubs in areas dominated by perennial grasses may require targeted reductions of competing perennial grasses. Conversely, shrub dominance may limit perennial grass re-establishment.     

The role of fire as a long-term landscape modifier: Evidence from long-term fire observations (1922–2000) in Greece

The objective of this paper is to document the role of fire in shaping the landscape by identifying links between historical fire records and the current landscape indicating that fire favors certain land use/land cover (LULC) types. We geo-referenced fire records taken from 1922 to 2000 in Aitoloakarnania, the largest prefecture -in terms of surface area- of Greece and compared the past LULC classes where fires burned to the present landscape. The outputs indicated a shift of the historic fire ignition points from natural to agricultural-related LULC classes since a significant proportion of fire incidents that, according to the fire records, burnt natural vegetation units is currently located in agricultural landscape units. Additionally, a significant proportion of the fire-affected land cover classes retain their character thus supporting the argument that these classes, especially fire-prone or fire-resistant, have developed mechanisms to cope with fire. In such ecosystems the role of fire is to maintain rather than transform land cover classes.The findings of this research lead us to conclude that fire can be perceived as a long-term landscape modifier in the Mediterranean, although its effects may vary from region to region because of differences in regeneration patterns among the main land cover types, topographic constraints and local fire histories. Historical fire records extending back to the early 20th century proved to provide valuable information that can reveal interesting patterns of fire burning history and explain present land cover and use patterns. This knowledge, documented from historical records, can be used to develop fire management and land cover/land use management planning.     

时空因素对中国城市火灾态势变化的影响

基于空间动态面板数据模型,对2000～2009年中国市域城市火灾数据进行分析,探讨经济发展与气候变化共同作用下时空因素对中国城市火灾态势变化的宏观影响。结果显示:气候变干促使火灾恶化,而经济发展扭转了这种趋势并促使火灾态势整体改善。时空因素对中国城市火灾态势变化具有显著影响,并可被引申为火灾同化效应、火灾惯性效应、火灾警示效应。火灾安全管理部门应该充分利用这些效应,采取积极措施改善火灾态势。本文补充了城市地理学在城市火灾领域的研究不足;将抽象的时空因素引申为具有实际物理含义的虚拟变量,对相关研究具有借鉴意义。     

Fuel and fire behavior analysis for early-season prescribed fire planning in Sudanian and Sahelian savannas

Early dry-season prescribed fires can reduce fuel loads and thus prevent or mitigate the severity of late, high-intensity fires that spread widely in savanna ecosystems and damage woody plants. However, due to the lack of scientific knowledge regarding fuel characteristics and fire behavior in West African savannas, this practice can have effects that are diametrically opposed to those desired and may threaten the environment. There are three crucial parameters that must be considered when planning early-season prescribed fires: the ignition probability, the rate of spread of a fire and the amount of fuel consumed. In this study, 231 early-season prescribed fires were conducted in three savanna ecosystems in Senegal in order to characterize these three fundamental parameters.Logistic regression analyses revealed that fuel moisture content and relative humidity are good predictors of ignition probability. Multiple linear regressions were used to investigate the relationships between fire rate of spread, fuel consumption or fire intensity and fuel and weather conditions. Readily usable nomographs for forest managers were created based on those relationships that proved to be significant. Kruskal–Wallis tests performed to compare the observed rates of fire propagation with those predicted using BehavePlus showed no statistically significant difference between them.     

Field growth comparisons of invasive alien annual and native perennial grasses in monocultures

Throughout the western United States, the invasive annual grass, medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae L. Nevski), is rapidly invading grasslands once dominated by native perennial grasses, such as bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A). It is also invading grasslands dominated by less undesirable invasive annual grasses, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.). Understanding medusahead growth dynamics relative to native perennial grasses and cheatgrass is central to predicting and managing medusahead invasion. We hypothesized that medusahead would have a higher relative growth rate (RGR), a longer period of growth, and as a consequence, more total biomass at the end of the growing season than the native perennial grass and cheatgrass. In 2008 (dry conditions), 250 seeds and in 2009 (wet conditions), 250 and 100 seeds of each species were sown in 1 m² plots with 5 replicates. Shoots were harvested on 3-25 day intervals throughout the growing season. The native perennial grass had more biomass and higher RGR than medusahead in the dry year, but the relationship was reversed in the wet year. Precipitation in 2008 was well-below average and this level of drought is very infrequent based on historical weather data. Medusahead had a longer period of growth and more total biomass than cheatgrass for both years. We expect that medusahead will continue to invade both native perennial and less undesirable invasive annual grasslands because of its higher RGR and extended period of growth.     

Effects of fire and environmental variables on plant structure and composition in grazed salt desert shrublands of the Great Basin (USA)

Fire in shrub-dominated portions of the Great Basin, largely fueled by non-native annuals such as Bromus tectorum, has become an important structuring force altering vegetation composition and soil characteristics. The extent to which fire affects native species in drier portions of the Great Basin, termed salt desert, is poorly documented. We conducted a survey of grazed salt desert habitat in northwestern Nevada 5 years after wildfires burned 650,000 ha, with the goal of investigating community response to fire and factors correlating with post-fire recovery. We found that recruitment of a dominant shrub, Artemisia spinescens, is severely restricted following fire: it occurred in only 2 of the 24 burned sites. The co-dominant shrub, Atriplex confertifolia, occurred in most burned sites although on average its percent cover was one-third lower than adjacent unburned sites. Biotic soil crust cover was four times lower, and non-native species cover 5 times higher, in burned sites compared to unburned. Ordination analyses confirmed differences among plant communities in burned versus unburned sites, with environmental variables soil conductivity, plant litter, soil potassium (K⁺) and pH explaining 38% of the variance in community composition. However, we found no environmental predictors of recovery for native species in burned sites. Future recruitment is likely to be further limited, as fire frequency in the salt desert is expected to increase with invasion by non-native annual grasses and with global climate change.