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The media coverage of natural disasters (hurricanes, fires, floods, ice storms, etc.) indicates the prevalence of natural disasters in most, if not all, ecosystems. In order for scientists to study, understand, and ultimately predict how these disturbances affect ecosystems, it is necessary for them to know more about the physical processes involved in these disturbances and to learn how to couple these processes to the ecological systems. Essential for all ecologists, forest researchers, and conservation biologists, this book includes chapters on the disturbance processes, how the disturbance causes necrosis or death to individuals, and their effects on population or community processes. In this book, physical scientists who study disturbances provide an introduction to the physical disturbance processes, while ecologists relate this information to the way the vegetation responds to the disturbances. This reference is also key for all researchers hydrology, geomorphology, and environmental management. * Includes coverage on six different disturbance processes: Wind, Gravity, Geomorphic, Hydrologic, Combustion, and Biotic* Provides a clear explanation of how some of the physical processes of disturbance affect plant ecological processes* Offers ecologists an up-to-date understanding of the physical processes and allows them to predict future affects of disturbances* Unites two related fields by linking the disturbance processes and ecological responses* Presents physical scientists with ideas of how they might usefully apply their knowledge to advance understanding of ecological systems

Small reservoirs (SRs) are essential water storage infrastructures for rural populations of Sub-Saharan West Africa. In recent years, rapid population increase has resulted in unprecedented land use and land cover (LULC) changes. Our study documents the impacts of such changes on the water quality of SRs in Burkina Faso. Multi-temporal Landsat images were analyzed to determine LULC evolutions at various scales between 2002 and 2014. Population densities were calculated from downloaded 2014 population data. In situ water samples collected in 2004/5 and 2014 from selected SRs were analyzed for Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) loads, an integrative proxy for water quality. The expansion of crop and artificial areas at the expense of natural covers controlled LULC changes over the period. We found a very significant correlation between SPM loads and population densities calculated at a watershed scale. A general increase between the two sampling dates in the inorganic component of SPM loads, concomitant with a clear expansion of cropland areas at a local scale, was evidenced. Results of the study suggest that two complementary but independent indicators (i.e., LULC changes within 5-km buffer areas around SRs and demographic changes at watershed scale), relevantly reflected the nature and intensity of overall pressures exerted by humans on their environment, and locally on aquatic ecosystems. Recommendations related to the re-greening of peripheral areas around SRs in order to protect water bodies are suggested.

A leaf-height-seed (LHS) plant ecology strategy scheme is proposed. The axes would be specific leaf area SLA (light-capturing area deployed per dry mass allocated), height of the plant's canopy at maturity, and seed mass. All axes would be log-scaled. The strategy of a species would be described by its position in the volume formed by the three axes. The advantages of the LHS scheme can be understood by comparing it to Grime's CSR scheme, which has Competitors, Stress-tolerators and Ruderals at the corners of a triangle. The CSR triangle is widely cited as expressing important strategic variation between species. The C-S axis reflects variation in responsiveness to opportunities for rapid growth; in the LHS scheme, SLA reflects the same type of variation. The R axis reflects coping with disturbance; in the LHS scheme, height and seed mass reflect separate aspects of coping with disturbance. A plant ecology strategy scheme that permitted any species worldwide to be readily positioned within the scheme could bring substantial benefits for improved meta-analysis of experimental results, for placing detailed ecophysiology in context, and for coping with questions posed by global change. In the CSR triangle the axes are defined by reference to concepts, there is no simple protocol for positioning species beyond the reference datasets within the scheme, and consequently benefits of worldwide comparison have not materialized. LHS does permit any vascular land plant species to be positioned within the scheme, without time-consuming measurement of metabolic rates or of field performance relative to other species. The merits of the LHS scheme reside (it is argued) in this potential for worldwide comparison, more than in superior explanatory power within any particular vegetation region. The LHS scheme avoids also two other difficulties with the CSR scheme: (a) It does not prejudge that there are no viable strategies under high stress and high disturbance (the missing quadrant in the CSR triangle compared to a two-axis rectangle); (b) It separates out two distinct aspects of the response to disturbance, height at maturity expressing the amount of growth attempted between disturbances, and seed mass (inverse of seed output per unit reproductive effort) expressing the capacity to colonize growth opportunities at a distance. The advantage of LHS axes defined through a single readily-measured variable needs to be weighed against the disadvantage that single plant traits may not capture as much strategy variation as CSR's multi-trait axes. It is argued that the benefits of potential worldwide comparison do actually outweigh any decrease in the proportion of meaningful variation between species that is captured. Further, the LHS scheme opens the path to quantifying what proportion of variation in any other ecologically-relevant trait is correlated with the LHS axes. This quantification could help us to move forward from unprofitable debates of the past 30 years, where CSR opponents have emphasized patterns that were not accommodated within the scheme, while CSR proponents have emphasized patterns that the scheme did account for.

Throughout much of the northern temperate and boreal forests of Canada, intensifying silviculture to enhance fibre production is of increasing interest. However, some oppose the application of intensive silviculture, citing possible negative effects on biodiversity. Using fifth-year post-harvest data from the NEBIE Plot Network in Ontario, Canada, we studied the relationship between plant diversity, silviculture intensity, and contemporary climate. Neutral, linear (positive and negative), exponential (positive and negative), quadratic (concave up and concave down), cubic, and higher-order models were fit to the data. Here we discuss the potential influence of climate and silviculture on observed biodiversity patterns. As well, we address their effects on regional species pools, succession, hierarchical structure, invasibility by exotic species, and species resilience.

The treetops of the world's forests are where discovery and opportunity abound, however they have been relatively inaccessible until recently. This book represents an authoritative synthesis of data, anecdotes, case studies, observations, and recommendations from researchers and educators who have risked life and limb in their advocacy of the High Frontier. With innovative rope techniques, cranes, walkways, dirigibles, and towers, they finally gained access to the rich biodiversity that lives far above the forest floor and the emerging science of canopy ecology. In this new edition of Forest Canopies, nearly 60 scientists and educators from around the world look at the biodiversity, ecology, evolution, and conservation of forest canopy ecosystems. -Comprehensive literature list-State-of-the-art results and data sets from current field work-Foremost scientists in the field of canopy ecology-Expanded collaboration of researchers and international projects-User-friendly format with sidebars and case studies-Keywords and outlines for each chapter

Chinese cordyceps (or caterpillar fungus, Cordyceps sinensis), an expensive medicinal organism, is collected intensively every spring. It is concluded that over-collection has caused vegetation and soil degradation. However, most descriptions of the ecological impact of collection were qualitative and the impact on plant communities has not been quantified precisely. Collection plots and control plots were established in three counties on the Tibetan Plateau in order to measure impacts of collection on plant community composition. The results showed that due to Chinese cordyceps collection, species diversity expressed as the Shannon—Wiener indices significantly decreased by 10–13%, community dominance expressed as the Berger—Parker indices significantly increased by 17–32%, vegetation cover significantly decreased by 11–19% and aboveground biomass significantly decreased by 21–46%. However, root biomass did not change significantly, and only a few soil physical and chemical indicators in some plots changed significantly. Although Chinese cordyceps collection caused ecological degradation, the undisturbed plant roots and soil guarantee vegetation recovery. Aboveground biomass was the most sensitive variable to Chinese cordyceps collection, and could be used as the evaluation indicator in efforts of ecological protection and recovery.

Introduction. Optimising agricultural water use implies the combination of physiological, technological and engineering techniques, especially those for continuously monitoring the water status of plants subjected to deficit irrigation. A methodology to estimate water stress of young almond trees from thermal images was developed based on assessing the physiological status of almond crops under limited water-supply conditions. Materials and methods. Two irrigation treatments were tested during the maximum evapotranspirative demand period (214th to the 243rd day of the year) in an experimental almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A. Webb, cv. Guara] orchard: a low-frequency deficit irrigation (LFDI) treatment, irrigated according to the plant-water status, and a fully irrigated treatment (C100) at 100% of crop evapotranspiration. Daily canopy temperature at midday (TC) was measured with an infrared camera, together with standard measurements of stem-water potential (ΨStem) and stomatal conductance (gS). The time course of these parameters and their relationships were analysed. Results and discussion. The time course of the parameters studied showed highly significant correlations among the differentials of canopy-air temperature (ΔT), ΨStem and gS. The methodological protocol for analysing thermal images allowed a time saving in processing information and additionally offered the possibility of estimating the ΨStem and gS values. Conclusion. Our results confirm that infrared thermography is a suitable technique for assessing the crop-water status and can be used as an important step towards automated plant-water stress management in almond orchards. Introduction. Optimiser l’utilisation de l’eau en agriculture implique de combiner des techniques physiologiques, technologiques et d’ingénierie, en particulier celles qui permettent de surveiller en permanence l’état hydrique de plantes soumises à un déficit d’irrigation. Une méthodologie pour estimer le stress hydrique de jeunes amandiers à partir d’images thermiques a été développée sur la base de l’évaluation de l’état physiologique d’arbres placés en conditions d’alimentation en eau limitée. Matériel et méthodes. Deux traitements d’irrigation ont été testés au cours de la période de demande evapotranspirative maximale (214e au 243e jour de l’année) dans un dispositif expérimental en verger d’amandiers [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb., cv. Guara] : un traitement avec une irrigation déficitaire à basse fréquence (LFDI), irrigué en fonction du statut hydrique des plants, et un traitement irrigué à 100 % de l’évapotranspiration des cultures (C100). La température quotidienne du couvert à midi (TC) a été mesurée à l’aide d’une caméra infrarouge, ainsi que des mesures standards du potentiel hydrique de la tige (ΨStem) et de la conductance stomatique (gS). L’évolution dans le temps de ces paramètres et leurs relations ont été analysées. Résultats et discussion. L’évolution dans le temps des paramètres mesurés et leurs relations ont mis en évidence des corrélations hautement significatives entre la différence de température canopie-air (ΔT), et les paramètres ΨStem, et gS. Le protocole méthodologique pour l’analyse des images thermiques a permis un gain de temps pour le traitement de l’information et a offert en plus la possibilité d’estimer les valeurs de ΨStem et de gS. Conclusion. Nos résultats confirment que la thermographie infrarouge est une technique appropriée pour l’évaluation de l’état hydrique des cultures et qu’elle peut être utilisée comme une technique adaptée à la gestion automatisée du stress hydrique des plants en vergers d’amandiers. Introducción. La optimización del uso del agua en la agricultura implica la combinación de técnicas fisiológicas, tecnológicas y de ingeniería, especialmente aquellas que permiten establecer un seguimiento en continuo del estado hídrico de plantas sometidas a riego deficitario. La metodología para estimar el estrés hídrico mediante el análisis de imágenes térmicas fue desarrollada a partir del seguimiento del estado fisiológico de un cultivo de almendros jóvenes bajo condiciones de aportes limitados de agua. Material y métodos. Se definieron dos tratamientos de riego durante el período de máxima demanda evapotranspirativa (214-243 día del año), en una parcela experimental de almendros [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) DA Webb., cv. Guara]: un tratamiento de riego deficitario de baja frecuencia (RDBF), que recibió dotaciones hídricas en función del estado hídrico del cultivo; y un tratamiento control (C100) que recibió el 100% de la demanda evapotranspirativa. Se realizaron medidas periódicas de la temperatura de la cubierta vegetal (TC) mediante una cámara de infrarrojos, junto con otras medidas tradicionalmente más usadas como son el potencial hídrico del tallo (ΨStem) y la conductancia estomática (gS). Se analizó la evolución temporal de los parámetros establecidos, así como las relaciones existentes entre ellos. Resultados y discusión. Se encontraron correlaciones altamente significativas en la evolución temporal de los parámetros estudiados. Por otra parte, la metodología empleada para al análisis y procesamiento de las imágenes térmicas permitió un ahorro importante de tiempo, ofreciéndonos además la posibilidad de realizar estimaciones significativas del potencial hídrico y la conductancia estomática. Conclusión. Los resultados obtenidos confirman que la termografía de infrarrojos es una técnica adecuada para evaluar el estado hídrico de los cultivos, y puede suponer un importante avance en la automatización del seguimiento del mismo en el cultivo de almendros.

We provide a study on long-term canopy gap dynamics in the Žofin Virgin Forest (total area 98 ha), which has been strictly protected since 1838. Our aims were i) to describe the size distribution of gaps at a given time; ii) to determine the area where dynamic processes occurred within a given period; and iii) to determine the role of deciduous versus coniferous trees in gap formation. The fate of individual gaps was followed in a 47-ha beech-dominated part of the reserve by analyzing aerial photographs taken in 1971, 1983, 1991, and 2004. The role of individual trees in canopy gap dynamics was studied by combining gap distribution maps with stem position maps of 1975 and 1997 for a 10-ha sample plot. We showed that i) total gap area (9–11%) and average gap size (88–99 m2) was stable during the 33-y study period; ii) canopy dynamics occurred in 0.1% of the area annually; iii) most gaps were created by the simultaneous death of 1–3 canopy trees; iv) death of deciduous trees played a more important role in the creation of gaps than their proportion among dead trees would suggest; and v) tree size and neighbourhood also determined if a dead tree became a gap maker. Nomenclature: Jalas & Suominen, 1988.

Drawn to the mysteries of tropical rain forests and fascinated by life in the treetops, Meg Lowman has pursued a life of scientific exploration while raising her two sons, Edward and James Burgess. This book recounts their family adventures in remote parts of the world (Samoa, West Africa, Peru, Panama, India, Biosphere 2, and others), from the perspectives of both kids and parent. Together they explore tropical rain forests, encounter anacondas and piranhas, eat crickets as hors d'oeuvres, discover new species, and nurture a family ethic for conservation.The chapters of the book focus on field biology questions, the canopy access methods developed to answer the questions, and conservation or education components of each expedition. Lowman enumerates the challenges and joys of juggling parenthood and career, and the children reflect on how their mom's work has affected their lives. A rollicking, inspiring book,It's a Jungle Up Thereis an upbeat portrayal of how a parent's career can imprint children, and how children in turn can influence the success and trajectory of their parent's career.