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Analysis of rapid snow and ice cover loss in mountain glaciers of arid and semi-arid regions using remote sensing data J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Soroush Motiee, Homayoun Motiee, Azadeh Ahmadi
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Groundwater abstraction and woodland mortality: Lessons from Namibia J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-26 Elbe Brunette, Lixin Wang, Theo D. Wassenaar
In response to escalating worldwide groundwater dependence amid climate change, accurate estimation of sustainable groundwater yield becomes crucial. This study investigated the impact of groundwater abstraction on tree mortality in Namibia. We compared tree mortality around production boreholes with monitoring boreholes and we correlated groundwater decline rates with tree mortality, establishing
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A data-driven approach for assessing the wind-induced erodible fractions of soil J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Sahand Motameni, Abbas Soroush, S. Mohammad Fattahi, Abolfazl Eslami
To develop an effective strategy for controlling wind erosion and soil degradation, it is necessary to identify the regions with the greatest wind erosion potential. In this regard, many wind erosion models are available that can be used to estimate the rate of wind erosion, allowing erosion control strategies to be assessed. A major factor in all wind erosion models is the inherent erodibility of
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Understanding the rapid increase in drought stress and its connections with climate desertification since the early 1990s over the Brazilian semi-arid region J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 H.A. Barbosa
The aridity-related drought studies have been carried out extensively in Brazilian semi-arid ecosystems, although there is no report on relating aridity with different drought indices over the recent decades. Due to drought impact on agriculture and natural ecosystems, it has attracted extensive attention in the academic community. In this study, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index
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Assessment of flood risk using Hierarchical Analysis Process method and Remote Sensing systems through arid catchment in southeastern Tunisia J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Sabrine Jemai, Abdeldjalil Belkendil, Amjad Kallel, Imen Ayadi
Flood hazard mapping is a fundamental tool for estimating vulnerability in flood-prone areas and assessing flood risk in arid areas, enabling better management. This study specifically focuses on analyzing flood risk in the Gabes catchment, South-Tunisia, which is marked by exceptional flash floods attributed to climate change, notably in the past fifty years. For this aim, a combination of Geographic
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Shrub encroachment in semi-arid rangelands of southwestern Buenos Aires, Argentina does not affect plant diversity and composition J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Yanina A. Torres, Leticia S. Ithurrart, Mariela L. Ambrosino, Andrea S. Brendel, Francisco R. Blázquez, Lorena V. Armando, Alejandro Pezzola
Shrub encroachment in semi-arid rangelands is a phenomenon associated with changes in floristic composition, loss of diversity and ecosystem degradation, enhanced by inappropriate grazing practices. However, the outcome depends on the species' identity and the management carried out. The objective of this study was to evaluate shrub species dynamics and their effect on plant community composition in
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Modeling past, present and future: Species-specific responses to climate changes in three shrub congeners from south American drylands J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Cintia P. Souto, Laura P. Zalazar, Mariana Tadey, Andrea C. Premoli
40% of the land global surface and deliver significant ecosystem services. These regions are the most sensitive, prone to suffer the effects of climate and distribution changes, so estimates on projected range shifts are crucial to complement traditional approaches to biodiversity conservation and sustainability. Shrubs of the Monte Desert dominate the largest temperate dryland in South America. Our
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Exploring the cultural ecosystem services of arid watersheds: A social media analysis J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Antonio Vidal-Llamas, Néstor Nicolás-Ruiz, María Luisa Suárez Alonso, María Rosario Vidal-Abarca Gutiérrez
This study explores cultural ecosystem services (CES) provided by five arid watersheds of south-eastern Spain using the image social network Flickr. A total of 652 georeferenced photos were selected, uploaded by 174 authors. The most representative CES in each photo was identified. The relationships between the identified CES and the landscape elements and land uses represented by photos, as well as
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Impact of vineyards on habitat's thermal conditions and functional traits of a lizard in the central Monte Desert, Argentina J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Yamila Méndez Osorio, Rodrigo Gómez Alés, Elín Avellá Machado, Juan Carlos Acosta
Vegetation modulates the spatial arrangement of microclimates and changes in land cover due to agricultural activities alter thermal landscapes. Lizard body temperature is strongly influenced by the thermal quality of the environment at the microhabitat level and land management for agriculture in arid environments can reduce the thermal quality of a species' habitat. Our objective was to evaluate
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Reduced moisture caused by short-term grazing prohibition results in a significant decrease of fungi abundance J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-25 Hongbin Zhao, Xiaofu Zhang, Huiyan Liu, Xue Bai, Jiaming Nie, Guodong Han, Bing Han
The grassland ecosystem is an integral component of the global ecosystem. However, the changes in soil and soil microbial communities during the transition from natural grazing to grazing prohibition period in the steppe, along with the driving factors behind the differences in soil microbial communities, remain unclear. In this study, soil characteristics and the fungal community diversity were measured
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Where could they go? Potential distribution of small mammals in the Caatinga under climate change scenarios J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Anna Ludmilla da Costa-Pinto, Ricardo S. Bovendorp, Neander M. Heming, Ana Cláudia Malhado, Richard James Ladle
Many organisms will respond to climate change by shifting their ranges while pursuing potential climatically suitable areas. Predicting these area changes is important especially in dry areas such as the Brazilian semiarid biome, the Caatinga. Here we identified which Caatinga areas would be climatically suitable for small mammal species under different climate change scenarios; and quantified how
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Trade-off dynamics in a rare cactus: What are the demographic consequences of temporal variation in fitness? J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Tania Fernández-Muñiz, María C. Mandujano, Alberto Búrquez
Cacti usually grow in areas with severe resource limitations, making them vulnerable to local extinction. To ensure their survival, cacti have evolved a differential allocation of resources that is reflected in trade-offs among vital rates. In this study, we assess the effect of interannual climatic variation on resource allocation to vital rates in a cactus with biogeographical rarity ( ssp. ). Eight-year
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Adaptation to seasonal change in osmotic stressors in the Souss Valley tortoise Testudo graeca graeca, in an arid steppe-land of west-central Morocco: allostasis vs. homeostasis J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Mohammed Znari, Nawal Hichami
We investigated for the first time, the seasonal patterns of iono- and osmotic responses of the Souss Valley tortoises, , in an arid steppe-land of west-central Morocco, a year-round (2011–2012). The mean body mass condition index varied significantly over time, with significantly higher values in males in summer and autumn 2011. All the plasma variables (osmolality and sodium, potassium, chloride
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Blanford's fox (Vulpes cana) habitat suitability in Saudi Arabia: Insights from camera trapping and ensemble species distribution modelling J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-31 J. Philip B. Faure, Marine Drouilly, Alexander E. Botha, Michael D. Ross, J. Andrew Spalton, Mesfer AlHlafi, Carolyn E. Dunford, David R. Mills, Ross De Bruin, Emma Gallacher, Gareth K.H. Mann
The Blanford's fox () is a small canid species classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. They predominantly inhabit mountainous regions in arid ecosystems across the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and North Africa. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the species has been recorded only in limited localities and its population is believed to be in decline. We present data from camera trapping
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Climate change, the Arab spring, and COVID-19 - Impacts on landcover transformations in the Levant J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Michael Kempf
The Levant is a climatically sensitive region that suffers from prolonged heat waves contributing to societal crisis and massive population displacements. At least since 2010 and the so-called Arab Spring, the region has experienced recurring socio-political turmoil and the Syrian civil war, which amplified economic and ecological pressure on the neighbouring countries. Particularly in Jordan, the
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Black-legged seriema (Chunga burmeisteri): A new unsuspected tree disperser in the Dry Chaco J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-26 Francis Merlo, Ramiro Aguilar, Ana A. Calviño, Ricardo Torres
The study was conducted in the Dry Chaco of central Argentina, assessing the seed dispersal role of Black-legged seriemas (). We collected 42 faeces of and found that all of them contained seeds from at least three woody plant species: algarrobo dulce (), tintitaco () and mistol (). We were able to compare the germination rates of seeds found in the faeces of with control seeds that did not undergo
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Climate change impacts the distribution and suitability of two wild species of the genus Stylosanthes J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Fernando Bonifácio-Anacleto, Dora Yovana Barrios-Leal, Thadeu Sobral-Souza, Ana Lilia Alzate-Marin
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Understanding inland fog and dew dynamics for assessing potential non-rainfall water use in the Atacama J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-14 F. Lobos-Roco, F. Suárez, F. Aguirre-Correa, K. Keim, I. Aguirre, C. Vargas, F. Abarca, C. Ramírez, R. Escobar, P. Osses, C. del Río
In (semi-)arid regions, harvesting fog and dew can become a complementary solution to traditional water supply. In the Atacama region, a territory of key and water-dependent economic activities, both fog and dew are driven by the advection of marine moisture from the Pacific. Still, little is described regarding the dynamics and water potential of these events. In this study, we analyze the spatiotemporal
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The V-shaped desert kites and their contribution to the Timnian economy J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Dani Nadel, Guy Bar-Oz, Avi Perevolotsky, Dan Malkinson
Desert kites are communal game traps that were used to harvest herds of ungulates, and there are more than 6000 in the arid zones of southwestern Asia. The oldest were dated to the 9th millennium cal B.C. and some were reused until the beginning of the 20th century. A wide range of types and dimensions is found throughout the region, but only the small V-shaped type is found in the cultural landscape
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Optimizing silage quality in drylands: Corn stover and forage cactus mixture on nutritive value, microbial activity, and aerobic stability J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Gilberto de Carvalho Sobral, Juliana Silva de Oliveira, Edson Mauro Santos, Gherman Garcia Leal de Araújo, Francisco Naysson de Sousa Santos, Fleming Sena Campos, Hactus Souto Cavalcanti, Diego de Souza Vieira, Guilherme Medeiros Leite, Diego Francisco Oliveira Coelho, Liliane Pereira Santana, Paloma Gabriela Batista Gomes, Paulo da Cunha Torres Júnior, Maria Alyne Coutinho Santos, Nelquides Braz Viana
The study aimed to determine the optimal ratio for the mixture of forage cactus and corn stover silage, emphasizing the evaluation of fermentative profile, microbial populations, dry matter losses, chemical composition, and aerobic stability. A completely randomized design with four treatments and five replications was employed in this study. Treatments included varying proportions of forage cactus
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Contributions of the vegetation index (NDVI) in water quality prediction models in a semi-arid tropical watershed J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Fabianna Resende Vieira, Cristiano Christofaro
In this work, a new approach to using NDVI as a predictor of water quality parameters in arid environments is proposed. Our focus was the Araçuaí river basin, which has a predominance of native cerrado vegetation and is subject to seasonal variations in rainfall and vegetation cover. MODIS images (MOD13Q1) from 2000 to 2018 were used to calculate the NDVI of the contributing areas of the water quality
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Phenological development, growth, and fecundity of Vicia narbonensis and Vicia hyrcanica under rain-fed conditions J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-06 Shapour Ahmadi, Iraj Nosratti, Pardis Bromandan, Alireza Bagheri
Vicia narbonensis and Vicia hyrcanica as newly emerged weeds represent a great constraint for agricultural production due to their remarkable adaptability and their ability to compete with rain-fed crops. Generally, information on weed biology is crucial for their effective management. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the phenological development, growth, and fecundity of V. narbonensis
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Climate change in open environments: Revisiting the current distribution to understand and safeguard the future of psammophilous squamates of the Diagonal of Open Formations of South America J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Júlia S. Oliveira, Diego J. Santana, Davi L. Pantoja, Karoline Ceron, Thaís B. Guedes
To identify regions that contribute to the persistence of biodiversity, we (1) predict the potential distribution of the psammophilous squamate species endemic of the Diagonal of Open Formations (DOF) in the current climate, (2) identify survey priority areas, (3) estimate the impacts of climate change in two future CO2 emission scenarios, and (4) discuss strategies to safeguard these target species
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Native versus non-native dominance after disturbance varies with environmental context J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-21 Leandro G. Ramírez-Brumatti, Walter A. Muiño, José L. Hierro
Conditional responses of the abundance of native and non-native plants to processes controlling community dominance remain little explored. Here, we studied how the environmental context alters relative abundances of those species in communities growing after disturbance. We addressed that question by conducting field sampling, where we seasonally estimated species cover and soil moisture in dunes
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Vegetation change on mine sites in the most arid part of the Succulent Karoo Biome and their implications for mine closure J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 Antje Burke
Restoring biodiversity is an important component of mine site rehabilitation. It needs to be evaluated regularly to assess success or failure of restoration methods and compliance with mine closure completion criteria. Yet vegetation dynamics in the driest part of the Succulent Karoo Biome are poorly understood. This study contributes to the question whether succession theory applies in this ecosystem
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Hopping from the heat: The locomotory activity patterns of the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus) J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 N.C. Bennett, D.W. Hart, S. Munro, N. Amor, O.B. Mohammed, A.N. Alagaili
Arid-dwelling mammals are exposed to extreme daily temperatures, which puts these mammals at risk of overheating and dehydration, particularly while active, these risks are increased as the body size is reduced. Consequently, these small mammals often show strict nocturnality, confining their locomotor activity to the dark period of the day. One such animal is the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus)
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Devices to measure the impacts on groundwater salinity from irrigating halophytic crops with brackish waters in a hyper-arid environment J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Mansoor Al-Tamimi, Steve Green, Wasel Abou Dahr, Ahmed Al-Muaini, Dionysia Lyra, Khalil Ammar, Mohamed Dawoud, Paul Kenyon, Peter Kemp, Lesley Kennedy, Brent Clothier
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Assessing success in attempts to eradicate an emerging invader plant: Tephrocactus articulatus (Pfeiff.) Backeb in arid areas of South Africa J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-09 Thabiso M. Mokotjomela, Loyd R. Vukeya, Danni Guo, Thembelihle J. Mbele, Travor Xivuri, Anesu G. Kuhudzai
Tephrocactus articulatus (Pfeiff.) Backeb (family: Cactaceae) is an emerging invader plant that is native to Argentina and was introduced as an ornamental plant in South Africa. The South African national regulations and legislation for controlling biological invasions dictate that emerging alien species must be eradicated. We evaluated the effectiveness of foliar spray in clearing the populations
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The evolution of “Hot” droughts in Southern California, USA from the 20th to the 21st century J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Peter T. Soulé, Paul A. Knapp
Drought intensity and duration in southern California, USA during the 21st century has been exceptional, and the changing climate dynamics of drought in this arid and semiarid region have been linked to anthropogenic warming. We examine the frequency, intensity, and persistence of drought in southern California's two climatic divisions during 1900–2022 and use the monthly instrumental record of the
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First measurements of electric field variability during fog events in the United Arab Emirates J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-26 Narendra Nelli, Diana Francis, Ricardo Fonseca, Olivier Masson, Mamadou Sow, Emmanuel Bosc
For the first time, the changes in the atmospheric electric field (Ez) during foggy conditions is studied in a hyper-arid region; the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using comprehensive measurements during the Wind-blown Sand Experiment (WISE)-UAE. The longer the fog persists, the more variable Ez becomes, primarily due to the fog’s ability to absorb and redistribute the charges of the atmospheric small
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The quality of endozoochorous depositions: Effect of dung on seed germination and seedling growth of Neltuma flexuosa (DC.) C.E. Hughes & G.P. Lewis J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Liliana C. Ramos, Claudia M. Campos, Mónica I. Cona, Carla V. Giordano
The qualitative component of the effectiveness of seed dispersal by endozoochory encompasses seed deposition. Neltuma flexuosa, a keystone tree of the Monte biome, is dispersed by several animals and in this paper we aimed to study the qualitative aspect of its dispersal. We studied the effect of the dung of Bos taurus (cow), Equus ferus caballus (horse) and Dolichotis patagonum (mara) on seed germination
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Neo-taphonomy of striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Israel J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-24 Ezra Hadad, Amir Balaban, Jakub Z. Kosicki, Reuven Yosef
Humans increase the limited number of daylight hours available to them by using artificial light at night (ALAN) to improve their ability to continue functioning under light conditions. Several studies found that ALAN has multiple impacts on wildlife, and even humans. We examined whether the prey of striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena), a commensal of human-altered areas, has adapted to this change in the
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Evaluation of IMERG precipitation product over various temporal scales in a semi-arid region of southern Iran J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 Rahim Najafi Tireh Shabankareh, Pardis Ziaee, Mohammad Javad Abedini
In the recent decades, poor spatial coverage of rain gauges and weather radars, mostly in less developed countries, has caused satellite-based precipitation products to gain more popularity. However, they are considered less precise compared to traditional rain gauges and weather radars. Therefore, their thorough evaluations are essential before implementing these products in practice. In this study
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Vegetation reduces the foraging efficiency of desert ants Cataglyphis urens, and they prefer unvegetated microhabitats J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-22 Meera Bin Kalban, Aisha Al Hammadi, Aaron Bartholomew
Cataglyphis urens desert ants use olfaction to locate their dead arthropod food, and we conducted trials to determine if vegetation interfered with their foraging ability. In each trial, two dead crickets were placed 1m apart and 1m upwind of the entrance to an ant colony. One cricket had a ring of dead vegetation, 40 cm in diameter, placed around it and the other did not (open). We traced 50 cm diameter
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Estimation of bark water storage capacity of broad- and needle-leaved trees planted in a semi-arid climate zone J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Ali Norozi, Pedram Attarod, Thomas Grant Pypker, Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi, Vahid Etemad
In forest ecosystems, measurement of bark water storage capacity (BWSC) is required for determining the amount of rainfall interception and understanding throughfall and stemflow processes. We compared the bark roughness coefficient (BRC) and BWSC of even-aged, widely-planted, broad-leaved and needle-leaved species in the Chitgar Forest Park, near Tehran, Iran. Bark samples (n = 10 per species) were
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The black-backed jackal as a seed disperser J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-18 Bianca S. Favaretto, Craig J. Tambling, Graham I.H. Kerley
Black-backed jackal Lupulella mesomelas consume fruits and their seeds, yet their seed dispersing ability is poorly understood. We extracted, identified and counted seeds from 150 jackal scat samples, and quantified the viability and germination capacity of ingested seeds, using tetrazolium viability tests and germination trials. We recovered 336 seeds of Grewia occidentalis, 1025 seeds of Pappea capensis
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Coyotes in the Great Basin desert do not exhibit a spatial response following the removal of anthropogenic water sources J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-19 Nadine A. Pershyn, Eric M. Gese, Erica F. Stuber, Bryan M. Kluever
Coyote (Canis latrans) range expansion into desert ecosystems has highlighted the role of anthropogenic water sources in arid ecosystems. Despite hypotheses that additional water facilitated this expansion, previous studies reported that coyotes did not exhibit a spatial or dietary response to removal of anthropogenic water. We used GPS data to examine if coyotes responded to water removal at a finer
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Cues of uncommon food habits within dung beetles: Notes from a seasonally dry tropical forest in South America J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Luis Javier Fuentes-Jacques, Renato Portela Salomão, Jose D. Rivera-Duarte, Leonardo Vilas-Bôas M.P. De Cerqueira, Mario E. Favila
The assessment of species’ diet and trophic plasticity serve as key elements to understand their adaptations to harsh ecosystems, such as deserts and dry forests. Among dung beetles, coprophagy is the main feeding habit, which may be substituted or complemented by other unusual diets, such as granivory and necrophagy. This study presents new records of dung beetle uncommon diets in Caatinga, the largest
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Karoo dwarf tortoises (Chersobius boulengeri) prefer and disperse doll's roses (Hermannia spp.) J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-10 Victor J.T. Loehr, Toby Keswick, Nicole Barten
Tortoises inhabit arid regions where they may represent a significant herbivorous component, but are among the most threatened of tetrapod groups. Studying tortoise diets can help predict potential trophic disruptions following extinctions of tortoise populations, and inform conservation. We studied the diet of Karoo dwarf tortoises (Chersobius boulengeri), an endangered endemic of the arid Nama and
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Habemus seeds but they are non-viable: The importance of assessing seed viability in seed rain J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-08 Jakelyne S. Bezerra, Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez, Jonathan M. Tavares, Mauro G. Santos, Jorge A. Meave, Inara R. Leal, Marcelo Tabarelli
Seed rain is critical for forest recovery, especially in abandoned lands that have been converted to agriculture. However, such a critical role depends on seed viability, which has been largely overlooked in most seed rain studies. We assessed the viability of seeds in the seed rain falling into 12 plots from a Brazilian tropical dry forest: six plots exposed to slash-and-burn agriculture (‘burned
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Soil seed banks in tropical drylands: The impact of rainfed agriculture and firewood extraction on species richness, composition, and density J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-10 Lorena Miranda-Carbajal, Lilia García-Rojas, Isela Rodríguez-Arévalo, Héctor Godínez-Alvarez
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Characterizing fungal communities on Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in Arizona to uncover potential pathogens J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-07 Daniel R. Kollath, Greer A. Dolby, Timothy H. Webster, Bridget M. Barker
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Germination enhancement, antioxidant enzyme activity, and metabolite changes in late Argania spinosa kernels under salinity J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-03 Rachid Ait Hammou, Mohamed Ben El Caid, Cherif Harrouni, Salma Daoud
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Modelling land condition to augment Land Degradation Neutrality assessments - The succulent Karoo biome of South Africa as a case study J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-03 Wesley Bell, M Timm Hoffman, Vernon Visser, Tim Kirsten
Land degradation is a threat to ecosystems and to already vulnerable people who live in dryland environments. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has been tasked with addressing the global challenges posed by land degradation. Although the complexities around land degradation have more recently been acknowledged, spatial modelling of this phenomenon remains a global challenge
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Vegetation response to grazing and drought (13 yr) in a conservation area in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-04 Conrad Geldenhuys, Helga van der Merwe, Margaretha W. van Rooyen
Rangelands of arid ecosystems are driven by internal and external environmental controls. Grazing pressure is an important anthropogenic driver, but stochastic environmental events such as rainfall variability and prolonged drought can have profound effects on arid vegetation. We investigated the effect of a prolonged drought and initial high grazing pressure on range condition, perennial vegetation
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The role of ancient human settlements in creating nutrient hotspots in a savanna ecosystem, central Zimbabwe J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-29 Allan Sebata, Richard W.S. Fynn, Tshephang Keemekae, Sally Reynolds, Rangarirai Huruba, Karin Murwira, Divine Mubaira, Moses Kamanda, John Vengani Muzvondiwa, Duncan N. MacFadyen
Ancient human settlements play an important role in creating heterogeneous African savanna ecosystems through forming nutrient hotspots with increased biodiversity and improved forage quality. However, plant community development and herbivore utilization of these sites after abandonment remain poorly understood. We compared plant and soil parameters in ancient human settlements with off-sites locations
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Vegetation dynamics over 18 years in response to seasonal climatic conditions and land use in the Kamiesberg mountains of the succulent Karoo, South Africa J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-31 Ute Schmiedel, Wiebke Hanke, Carolin Mayer, Jens Oldeland, M. Timm Hoffman
Projections of vegetation change in response to future global change conditions are challenged by the lack of long-term, empirical data on how vegetation responds to the variability in climatic conditions. This is particularly true for biodiverse systems that are threatened by climate change such as the winter-rainfall Succulent Karoo biome of southern Africa. In this study we analyse long-term data
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Rapid assessment of elemental concentrations using pXRF and remote sensing on a dried lakebed J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-31 Gafur Gozukara, Orhan Dengiz, Farzin Shahbazi, Huseyin Senol, Ekrem Ozlu, Sérgio Henrique Godinho Silva, Emre Babur
This study aimed to i) explore the land-use effect (former lakebed, pasture, and agricultural areas) on elemental concentrations, enrichment factors (EFs), and geo-accumulation indices (Igeos), ii) provide X-ray diffractograms of the primary minerals and identify the clay minerals dominant in each land-use scenario, iii) map the spatial distribution of elemental concentration, EFs, and Igeos using
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Factors shaping a lizard community structure in a semiarid region of north-eastern Brazil J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-27 Lucas Barbosa de Queiroga Cavalcanti, Adrian Antonio Garda, Taís Borges Costa, Anaïs Savaugere, Giselle Pessoa, Guarino Rinaldi Colli, Marília Bruzzi Lion, Daniel Oliveira Mesquita
We assessed the roles of historical and recent factors on the structure of a Neotropical lizard community from Serra da Capivara, in the semiarid Caatinga of north-eastern Brazil. We found no phylogenetic structure in community composition. Spatial niche overlap was high for most species pairwise comparisons. Null model analyses indicated that mean spatial and trophic niche overlaps did not differ
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Trajectory analysis of central Sonoran Desert dust storms J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Joshua R. White, Robert C. Balling, Randall S. Cerveny
Dust storms are a major cause of central Sonoran Desert weather fatalities. Through back-trajectory analysis of North American Monsoon dust storms in central Sonoran Desert of the United States. This study is specific to central Arizona (USA) from 2009 to 2022 using the HYSPLIT model. Our findings have shown that dust storms originate from southerly or near-southerly regions. The dust storms displaying
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Fertility islands, keys to the establishment of plant and microbial diversity in a highly alkaline hot desert J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Kenji Maurice, Liam Laurent-Webb, Adeline Dehail, Amélia Bourceret, Stéphane Boivin, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-André Selosse, Marc Ducousso
The distribution of plant communities in hot desert ecosystems is discontinuous and resembles the pattern of heterogeneous resource patches, known as “fertility islands”. Understanding the key factors that allow plants to establish in these conditions, as well as their associated microbial diversity, is crucial to the comprehension and preservation of these ecosystems. Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Peninsula
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The influence of initial phenolic content and UV-screening effectiveness on abiotic photodegradation of Wyoming big sagebrush litter collected along an elevation gradient J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-20 Christopher T. Ruhland, Philip T. Fraley
Photodegradation of plant litter exposed to solar radiation appears to be important for carbon cycling in arid ecosystems. We measured how initial concentrations of ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing phenolics and epidermal UV-transmittance influenced abiotic photodecomposition of Artemisia tridentata ssp. Wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) leaves exposed to ultraviolet radiation in a laboratory setting
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A 19th century hydroclimate chronology for the semi-arid Karoo, South Africa: Droughts and dry periods in perspective J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-21 Stefan Grab
The semi-arid central Karoo of South Africa is an important livestock farming region, oftentimes characterized by water scarcity and limited grazing resources. This paper builds on previous research that has predominantly focused on post 19th century Karoo rainfall characteristics. The paper aims to: 1) establish the long-term frequency and longevity of droughts or dry periods; 2) explore spatial hydroclimatic
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Evolution of social-ecological system and the hydrological linkages in oasis area, northwestern China J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Yu Zhang, Xiaoming Feng, Chuanlian Sun, Xuejing Leng, Chaowei Zhou, Yunqiang Wang, Bojie Fu
Oases provide the most important support to human livelihood and economic activities in drylands. In recent decades, nature and humanity in oases areas have been increasingly integrated, and it is necessary to coordinate the development of the two. This study quantitatively defined the evolutionary phases of the social-ecological system based on varying correlations among agricultural, socioeconomic
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Climatological trends of mean and extreme daily precipitation in Arizona (USA) J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 A. Brandi, R.C. Balling, P. Iñiguez, M. Georgescu
Precipitation in Arizona, USA, represents a fundamental resource for the needs of agriculture, people, and the environment. However, due to the risk associated with flash flooding, extreme precipitation also constitutes a natural hazard. Available research on precipitation in Arizona has been limited in scope and focus and there currently exists no comprehensive assessment of statewide, historical
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Desertification simulation using wavelet and box-jenkins time series analysis based on TGSI and albedo remote sensing indices J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Sareh Hashem Geloogerdi, Abbasali Vali, Mohammad Reza Sharifi
Desertification has been listed as one of the most critical global environmental issues, posing a significant threat to life, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Therefore, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the present and future desertification trends becomes imperative. This study employs a feature space model, which effectively captures land surface changes related to desertification
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Unraveling the defensive strategies of camel thorn Alhagi maurorum medik. For thriving in arid and semi-arid environments J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Ummar Iqbal, Ahmad Ali, Ali Daad, Muhammad Usama Aslam, Fahad Ur Rehman, Umar Farooq, Muhammad Faisal Gul
The study aimed to evaluate the role of morpho-physiological and anatomical attributes of Alhagi maurorum Medik. Populations from five water deficit regions in Punjab province, Pakistan, namely, Cholistan desert (KHP), Rajanpur (DGK), Thal (LYH), Patisar Lake (LAS), and Salt Range (WSM), in their adaptability to arid and semi-arid regions. The study sheds light on the adaptive components of various
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Historical changes in bird communities at Quitobaquito Springs, Arizona and impacts of climate, spring flow, and shift from Indigenous to federal-agency management J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-12 Aaron D. Flesch, Gary P. Nabhan, Peter Holm
For nearly a century, bird communities at the oasis of Quitobaquito Springs in the Sonoran Desert have attracted desert ecologists. This spring-fed oasis is among the most biologically and culturally significant sites in arid southwestern North America, but has experienced marked changes in management and is threatened by climate change, border, and other development. We assembled data on birds at
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Potentiality of goats and sheep on the survival and germination of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir. seeds from the Caatinga J. Arid Environ. (IF 2.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-11 Jackson Silva Nóbrega, Riselane de Lucena Alcântara Bruno, Lucy Gleide da Silva, Robervânia da Silva Alves Almeida, Karialane da Silva Berlamino, Lucas Kennedy Silva Lima, Ariosvaldo Nunes de Medeiros, Alberício Pereira de Andrade
Mimosa tenuiflora is a species widely distributed in the Caatinga biome as forage for herds. Goats and sheep are efficient seed dispersers and can improve seed germination. This study aimed to evaluate the passage through the digestive system of goats and sheep at different ingestion periods, and its effect on recovery, quality and anatomical aspects of M. tenuiflora seeds. For this experiment, 24