Pub Date : 2024-10-19DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105268
Wendy Ludewig, Cletah Shoko
Climatic extremes remain serious threats to various processes of the hydrological cycle including evapotranspiration (ET). This study determined the spatial and temporal variations of ET for different land use land cover (LULC) types and the influence of certain climatic phenomena Western Cape. The study used Landsat 8 images, for ET estimation (with the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) and to map the various LULC types using Support Vector Machine during El Nino in 2015–2016, normal year in 2019–2020, and La Nina in 2020–2021. The results show an increase in ET during La Nina (2.39 mm/day) and El Nino (2.36 mm/day) years compared to the normal year (1.62 mm/day). The increase in ET during El Nino and La Nina years could be caused by the increased temperature and rainfall. Agriculture was the most prominent LULC type covering 62.87% and bare land was the least covering 0.64%. For the whole study period, water had the lowest ET (average of 2.72 mm/day in summer and 1.87 mm/day in winter), whereas agricultural land had the highest ET (average ET of 3.74 mm/day in summer and 2.17 mm/day in winter). These results highlight the effect of climatic events on water loss for water resources allocation especially during extreme climatic events.
{"title":"The effect of climatic events and land-use land-cover changes on evapotranspiration in a semiarid region of South Africa","authors":"Wendy Ludewig, Cletah Shoko","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climatic extremes remain serious threats to various processes of the hydrological cycle including evapotranspiration (ET). This study determined the spatial and temporal variations of ET for different land use land cover (LULC) types and the influence of certain climatic phenomena Western Cape. The study used Landsat 8 images, for ET estimation (with the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) and to map the various LULC types using Support Vector Machine during El Nino in 2015–2016, normal year in 2019–2020, and La Nina in 2020–2021. The results show an increase in ET during La Nina (2.39 mm/day) and El Nino (2.36 mm/day) years compared to the normal year (1.62 mm/day). The increase in ET during El Nino and La Nina years could be caused by the increased temperature and rainfall. Agriculture was the most prominent LULC type covering 62.87% and bare land was the least covering 0.64%. For the whole study period, water had the lowest ET (average of 2.72 mm/day in summer and 1.87 mm/day in winter), whereas agricultural land had the highest ET (average ET of 3.74 mm/day in summer and 2.17 mm/day in winter). These results highlight the effect of climatic events on water loss for water resources allocation especially during extreme climatic events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105268"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105265
Diana Cárdenas-Ramos , Vinicio J. Sosa , Pedro Luis Valverde , María C. Mandujano
Nurse plants modify environments conditions under their canopies, facilitating recruitment and benefiting protected plant. This effect varies with the life cycle stages and characteristics of interacting plants. We conducted a demographic study to understand the impacts of nurse plants on the vital rates of Ariocarpus retusus (Cactaceae) during two years. We identified the location of the cacti (open space, biotic nurse or abiotic nurse) and calculated their relative growth rates (RGRs). The population is numerically stable, with a tendency for growth in both years of study (λ = 1.008 and λ = 1.044). The highest sensitivity was in stasis, and the greatest vulnerability was in the seed to seedling transition. The RGR depends more on life stage than on microhabitat, it is high in seedlings and juveniles but drops below zero in adults. The association with biotic nurses is rare but reduces mortality and favors stasis. Fouquieria splendens, Hechtia sanchezii and Jatropha dioica supports many established cacti under its canopy, although they are not dominant species. Nurse plants' effects on fecundity vary and there is high fecundity in cacti associated with Turnera diffusa. Leaf phenology of this species may determine soil nutrient availability through leaf litter, providing resources for reproduction.
{"title":"Facilitation and its effect on vital rates of the living rock cactus Ariocarpus retusus","authors":"Diana Cárdenas-Ramos , Vinicio J. Sosa , Pedro Luis Valverde , María C. Mandujano","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nurse plants modify environments conditions under their canopies, facilitating recruitment and benefiting protected plant. This effect varies with the life cycle stages and characteristics of interacting plants. We conducted a demographic study to understand the impacts of nurse plants on the vital rates of <em>Ariocarpus retusus</em> (Cactaceae) during two years. We identified the location of the cacti (open space, biotic nurse or abiotic nurse) and calculated their relative growth rates (RGRs). The population is numerically stable, with a tendency for growth in both years of study (λ = 1.008 and λ = 1.044). The highest sensitivity was in stasis, and the greatest vulnerability was in the seed to seedling transition. The RGR depends more on life stage than on microhabitat, it is high in seedlings and juveniles but drops below zero in adults. The association with biotic nurses is rare but reduces mortality and favors stasis. <em>Fouquieria splendens</em>, <em>Hechtia sanchezii</em> and <em>Jatropha dioica</em> supports many established cacti under its canopy, although they are not dominant species. Nurse plants' effects on fecundity vary and there is high fecundity in cacti associated with <em>Turnera diffusa</em>. Leaf phenology of this species may determine soil nutrient availability through leaf litter, providing resources for reproduction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105265"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105269
Pouyan Dehghan Rahimabadi , Bing Liu , Hossein Azarnivand , Arash Malekian , Hadi Eskandari Damaneh
The use of Remote Sensing (RS) data is crucial for promptly detecting and monitoring changes in both short and long term, providing real time information on Land Use/Cover (LULC), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), adapting spatio-temporal variations. The primary focus of this study is to assess the effect of LULC changes on LST in Tashk-Bakhtegan and Maharloo (TBM) lakes basin, Iran, within 2001, 2011, and 2021, using MODIS data. Specifically, five main LULC classes involving: water body, rangeland, cropland, urban area, and bareland were identified. Beside accuracy and transition of LULC maps using User Accuracy (UA), Producer Accuracy (PA), and Kappa Coefficient (KC), the analysis included changes in LULC, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and LST, as well as the relationship among them when vegetation cover was at its peak. Moreover, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed to group these variables using Duncan's test. The results showed that the accuracy of LULC maps were more than 84% for all the years. Furthermore, the conversion of croplands to rangelands showed the most significant changes, with a total of 1311.38 km2 during 2001–2021. Average EVI remained almost stable across the total area, whereas average LST generally increased by 0.65 °C. Barelands consistently exhibited the highest temperatures in all the years, followed by urban areas. While no significant changes were observed in the EVI averages, significant changes were observed in the LST across all LULC classes in different years. The results also indicated a consistent negative correlation between LST and EVI, stronger in croplands than rangelands, with Spearman's correlation coefficient of −0.714, −0.674, and −0.623 over the total area in 2001, 2011, and 2021, respectively. The findings are crucial for land planners to comprehend the effects of LULC changes on LST to adopt appropriate strategies in the TBM lakes basin.
{"title":"The Nexus between Land Use/Cover changes and Land Surface Temperature: Remote sensing based Two-Decadal Analysis","authors":"Pouyan Dehghan Rahimabadi , Bing Liu , Hossein Azarnivand , Arash Malekian , Hadi Eskandari Damaneh","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of Remote Sensing (RS) data is crucial for promptly detecting and monitoring changes in both short and long term, providing real time information on Land Use/Cover (LULC), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), adapting spatio-temporal variations. The primary focus of this study is to assess the effect of LULC changes on LST in Tashk-Bakhtegan and Maharloo (TBM) lakes basin, Iran, within 2001, 2011, and 2021, using MODIS data. Specifically, five main LULC classes involving: water body, rangeland, cropland, urban area, and bareland were identified. Beside accuracy and transition of LULC maps using User Accuracy (UA), Producer Accuracy (PA), and Kappa Coefficient (KC), the analysis included changes in LULC, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and LST, as well as the relationship among them when vegetation cover was at its peak. Moreover, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed to group these variables using Duncan's test. The results showed that the accuracy of LULC maps were more than 84% for all the years. Furthermore, the conversion of croplands to rangelands showed the most significant changes, with a total of 1311.38 km<sup>2</sup> during 2001–2021. Average EVI remained almost stable across the total area, whereas average LST generally increased by 0.65 °C. Barelands consistently exhibited the highest temperatures in all the years, followed by urban areas. While no significant changes were observed in the EVI averages, significant changes were observed in the LST across all LULC classes in different years. The results also indicated a consistent negative correlation between LST and EVI, stronger in croplands than rangelands, with Spearman's correlation coefficient of −0.714, −0.674, and −0.623 over the total area in 2001, 2011, and 2021, respectively. The findings are crucial for land planners to comprehend the effects of LULC changes on LST to adopt appropriate strategies in the TBM lakes basin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142534158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105267
Michael D. Voysey , Sally Archibald , Mathew A. Harris , Gareth P. Hempson , Michelle Greve
Replacement of diverse wild herbivore assemblages by livestock across expansive regions of African savanna grassland is predicted to modify tree-grass interactions. Yet, despite the ubiquity of this herbivore regime change, consequences of shifting from wildlife to livestock for savanna ecosystems are poorly resolved. We assessed the effects of livestock grazing on the herbaceous community of a nutrient rich, semi-arid savanna. Direct and indirect impacts - moderated via differences in tree cover - of intensive cattle grazing in communal rangelands, on the herbaceous community were contrasted with heavily utilized wild herbivore grazing systems. Communal rangelands showed a more than two-fold increase in woody cover compared to wildlife areas. Herbaceous differences between wildlife and livestock areas were driven primarily by changes in the area beneath trees, and differences in how densely wooded areas are used by wildlife and livestock. In wildlife systems, grazing intensity was much lower below than away from tree canopies, whereas in livestock systems grazing intensity was high irrespective of tree canopy presence. Away from trees, structure and functional traits of herbaceous vegetation were markedly similar between the two herbivory systems. In our study area, communal rangelands used by livestock, predominantly cattle, are not a degraded subset of wildlife areas but support near equivalent diversity, although with different grass and forb species, and warrants consideration when evaluating their contribution to biodiversity conservation in the region. Nonetheless, higher bare ground cover and the lack of tall-grass reserves mean that communally managed rangelands with low grazer diversity might be more sensitive to intra- and inter-annual climate variability since they are associated with lower forage variability.
{"title":"Ecosystems managed for wildlife and livestock: Contrasting herbivore impacts in a heavily grazed African savanna","authors":"Michael D. Voysey , Sally Archibald , Mathew A. Harris , Gareth P. Hempson , Michelle Greve","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Replacement of diverse wild herbivore assemblages by livestock across expansive regions of African savanna grassland is predicted to modify tree-grass interactions. Yet, despite the ubiquity of this herbivore regime change, consequences of shifting from wildlife to livestock for savanna ecosystems are poorly resolved. We assessed the effects of livestock grazing on the herbaceous community of a nutrient rich, semi-arid savanna. Direct and indirect impacts - moderated <em>via</em> differences in tree cover - of intensive cattle grazing in communal rangelands, on the herbaceous community were contrasted with heavily utilized wild herbivore grazing systems. Communal rangelands showed a more than two-fold increase in woody cover compared to wildlife areas. Herbaceous differences between wildlife and livestock areas were driven primarily by changes in the area beneath trees, and differences in how densely wooded areas are used by wildlife and livestock. In wildlife systems, grazing intensity was much lower below than away from tree canopies, whereas in livestock systems grazing intensity was high irrespective of tree canopy presence. Away from trees, structure and functional traits of herbaceous vegetation were markedly similar between the two herbivory systems. In our study area, communal rangelands used by livestock, predominantly cattle, are not a degraded subset of wildlife areas but support near equivalent diversity, although with different grass and forb species, and warrants consideration when evaluating their contribution to biodiversity conservation in the region. Nonetheless, higher bare ground cover and the lack of tall-grass reserves mean that communally managed rangelands with low grazer diversity might be more sensitive to intra- and inter-annual climate variability since they are associated with lower forage variability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105267"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142433219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105266
Marcela Alejandra De Paul , Raquel M. Gleiser , Juan Pablo Villafañe
Andean macroinvertebrate diversity, habitat association and trophic structure. The Central Andes harbour globally unique species due to its complex topography, altitude gradients, and mountain orientations. Puna and High-Andean ecoregions of Argentina, part of the Central Andes, are among the world's driest areas. Despite the recognized importance for biodiversity of the scarce Andean aquatic ecosystems, knowledge about their invertebrate fauna remains limited. The objective of this study was to identify the benthic macroinvertebrate diversity associated with the diverse types of water bodies and their water quality characteristics in high altitude environments. Four aquatic habitat types were defined based on characteristics of their water flow: rivers and streams (RS, lotic), peatlands (P, minimum current flow), shallow salty pool (SSP, lentic) and shallow brackish lagoons (L, lentic). Significant differences were detected in conductivity (EC), and dissolved oxygen (DO) between aquatic habitat types. Ninety-five taxa and 4 phyla were registered: Arthropoda, Nematoda, Mollusca and Annelida. Insecta class represented 83% of the total richness of arthropods, being Diptera dominant with 47 taxa, followed by Coleoptera and Ephemeroptera. Richness was explained by water flow, DO and EC. Taxonomic composition differed between aquatic habitat types. Collector-gatherers and predators were dominant, indicating a dependence on the shore vegetation and hydrophytes.
{"title":"Macroinvertebrate assemblage variations among aquatic habitat types across the arid Central Andes (Northwest Argentina)","authors":"Marcela Alejandra De Paul , Raquel M. Gleiser , Juan Pablo Villafañe","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><strong>Andean macroinvertebrate diversity, habitat association and trophic structure</strong>. The Central Andes harbour globally unique species due to its complex topography, altitude gradients, and mountain orientations. Puna and High-Andean ecoregions of Argentina, part of the Central Andes, are among the world's driest areas. Despite the recognized importance for biodiversity of the scarce Andean aquatic ecosystems, knowledge about their invertebrate fauna remains limited. The objective of this study was to identify the benthic macroinvertebrate diversity associated with the diverse types of water bodies and their water quality characteristics in high altitude environments. Four aquatic habitat types were defined based on characteristics of their water flow: rivers and streams (RS, lotic), peatlands (P, minimum current flow), shallow salty pool (SSP, lentic) and shallow brackish lagoons (L, lentic). Significant differences were detected in conductivity (EC), and dissolved oxygen (DO) between aquatic habitat types. Ninety-five taxa and 4 phyla were registered: Arthropoda, Nematoda, Mollusca and Annelida. Insecta class represented 83% of the total richness of arthropods, being Diptera dominant with 47 taxa, followed by Coleoptera and Ephemeroptera. Richness was explained by water flow, DO and EC. Taxonomic composition differed between aquatic habitat types. Collector-gatherers and predators were dominant, indicating a dependence on the shore vegetation and hydrophytes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105266"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142422595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
To utilize limited nitrogen (N) in terrestrial ecosystems, different plant types may employ different N uptake strategies to avoid and reduce competition for resources and thus complete their life cycles. It is helpful to study whether there is niche separation in the use of N by different plant types in desert ecosystems, for gaining insights into the survival strategies of desert plants and for better understanding the effects of N on their survival. Centaurea pulchella, Lactuca undulata (both ephemeral plants), Ceratocarpus arenarius, and Suaeda glauca (both annual plants) are four widely distributed plant species in the Gurbantunggut Desert in northwest China. We conducted an experimental field study employing the 15N labeling technique to study the uptake strategy of different N forms by these two types of plants in different months and different soil layers. The results indicated that the N uptake rates during the maximum biomass period of the two plant types were higher than those during the fastest growth period in different soil depths. Although all four plants could absorb various common forms of N, inorganic N was still the major form of N absorbed by them. Ephemeral plants preferred to absorb nitrate, with the highest uptake rate reaching 5.74 μg h−1. However, annual plants preferred to absorb ammonium at a maximum uptake rate of 4.74 μg h−1. According to the contribution rate of different N forms to total N uptake, nitrate was the most favorable form for ephemeral plants (contribution rate 36.98%–48.13%), whereas ammonium was the most favorable form for annual plants with the highest and lowest contribution rates of 48.3% and 30.47%, respectively. Furthermore, rather than the plants’ growth characteristics, factors such as month, soil depth, and plant life-form were the key drivers influencing the preferences for different forms of 15N. The research revealed that ephemeral and annual desert plants exhibit diversity in their utilization and recovery of N, and all of them could also absorb the soluble organic N source in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Our study contributed to a better understanding of plasticity of nutrient utilization by different plant species under N constraints in desert ecosystems.
{"title":"Preferences of annual and ephemeral plants for inorganic N versus organic N at different growth stages in a temperate desert ecosystem","authors":"Yuxin Xiao , Baolin Hou , Boyi Song , Xinyu Zhang , Weiwei Zhuang","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To utilize limited nitrogen (N) in terrestrial ecosystems, different plant types may employ different N uptake strategies to avoid and reduce competition for resources and thus complete their life cycles. It is helpful to study whether there is niche separation in the use of N by different plant types in desert ecosystems, for gaining insights into the survival strategies of desert plants and for better understanding the effects of N on their survival. <em>Centaurea pulchella</em>, <em>Lactuca undulata</em> (both ephemeral plants), <em>Ceratocarpus arenarius</em>, and <em>Suaeda glauca</em> (both annual plants) are four widely distributed plant species in the Gurbantunggut Desert in northwest China. We conducted an experimental field study employing the <sup>15</sup>N labeling technique to study the uptake strategy of different N forms by these two types of plants in different months and different soil layers. The results indicated that the N uptake rates during the maximum biomass period of the two plant types were higher than those during the fastest growth period in different soil depths. Although all four plants could absorb various common forms of N, inorganic N was still the major form of N absorbed by them. Ephemeral plants preferred to absorb nitrate, with the highest uptake rate reaching 5.74 μg h<sup>−1</sup>. However, annual plants preferred to absorb ammonium at a maximum uptake rate of 4.74 μg h<sup>−1</sup>. According to the contribution rate of different N forms to total N uptake, nitrate was the most favorable form for ephemeral plants (contribution rate 36.98%–48.13%), whereas ammonium was the most favorable form for annual plants with the highest and lowest contribution rates of 48.3% and 30.47%, respectively. Furthermore, rather than the plants’ growth characteristics, factors such as month, soil depth, and plant life-form were the key drivers influencing the preferences for different forms of <sup>15</sup>N. The research revealed that ephemeral and annual desert plants exhibit diversity in their utilization and recovery of N, and all of them could also absorb the soluble organic N source in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Our study contributed to a better understanding of plasticity of nutrient utilization by different plant species under N constraints in desert ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105264"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142422574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105244
Tali Erickson-Gini, Yoram Haimi, Jacob Vardi
For well over a century, researchers exploring the Negev Highlands have noted the remains of large, impressive rectangular monuments dotting the landscape between the western border of Israel and the central Arava Valley. Archaeological surveys carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority along the western border between 2010 and 2012 revealed a narrow corridor of these platforms, situated on the main road between Quseima (ancient Kadesh Barnea) in northern Sinai and the site of Be'erotayim / Mizpe Ezuz. A number of these were excavated as well as platforms in the site of Rosh Maʽale Zadok (the head of the Zadok Ascent) in Mizpe Ramon in 2007. The results of these excavations point to their construction in the Early Bronze Age, possibly the Early Bronze Age IB or II/III period and we interpret their function as navigation platforms on trails connecting the Nile Delta in Egypt and the copper mines of Faynan in the central Arava as suggested by M. Haiman in 2006.
{"title":"Navigating the Wilderness: Early Bronze Age rectangular platforms in the central Negev Highlands","authors":"Tali Erickson-Gini, Yoram Haimi, Jacob Vardi","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For well over a century, researchers exploring the Negev Highlands have noted the remains of large, impressive rectangular monuments dotting the landscape between the western border of Israel and the central Arava Valley. Archaeological surveys carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority along the western border between 2010 and 2012 revealed a narrow corridor of these platforms, situated on the main road between Quseima (ancient Kadesh Barnea) in northern Sinai and the site of Be'erotayim / Mizpe Ezuz. A number of these were excavated as well as platforms in the site of <em>Rosh Maʽale Zadok</em> (the head of the Zadok Ascent) in Mizpe Ramon in 2007. The results of these excavations point to their construction in the Early Bronze Age, possibly the Early Bronze Age IB or II/III period and we interpret their function as navigation platforms on trails connecting the Nile Delta in Egypt and the copper mines of Faynan in the central Arava as suggested by M. Haiman in 2006.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105244"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142422594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105255
Iris Groman-Yaroslavski , Naomi Porat , Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer
The stone beads assemblage of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Israel, was analyzed to reconstruct the technology applied by artisans during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (9900–9400 BP). The analysis highlights three main inter-related aspects: broad range of raw materials used, bead production in accordance with types and mechanical properties of the minerals, and fashioning of beads into types suitable for specific use. Raw materials were identified with SEM-EDS analyses, and in one instance by using portable XRF. Eleven minerals indicate a vast geographical range of sources. Use-wear analysis of microscopic wear patterns revealed the application of production procedures that indicate an intimate acquaintance with the properties of the minerals, including abrasion and polishing strategies and selective methods of drilling and binding. It is shown that bead production followed decision-making processes dependent upon constraints imposed by the properties of the stone and by the tools used for manipulating them.
{"title":"A Neolithic technological approach to the production of stone beads: Insights from the analysis of the Nahal Hemar cave assemblage","authors":"Iris Groman-Yaroslavski , Naomi Porat , Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The stone beads assemblage of Nahal Hemar Cave, southern Israel, was analyzed to reconstruct the technology applied by artisans during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (9900–9400 BP). The analysis highlights three main inter-related aspects: broad range of raw materials used, bead production in accordance with types and mechanical properties of the minerals, and fashioning of beads into types suitable for specific use. Raw materials were identified with SEM-EDS analyses, and in one instance by using portable XRF. Eleven minerals indicate a vast geographical range of sources. Use-wear analysis of microscopic wear patterns revealed the application of production procedures that indicate an intimate acquaintance with the properties of the minerals, including abrasion and polishing strategies and selective methods of drilling and binding. It is shown that bead production followed decision-making processes dependent upon constraints imposed by the properties of the stone and by the tools used for manipulating them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105255"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142422573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105263
Dotun Arije , Rajan Ghimire , Prakriti Bista , Sangamesh V. Angadi , Charlotte C. Gard
Semi-arid drylands face unique challenges for sustainable land management and soil carbon (C) sequestration due to significant depletion in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, increasing water scarcity, and climate change. Restoring perennial grasses could regenerate these lands, enhancing SOC storage and soil health. This study investigated the SOC recovery potential, C saturation limit, and time required for the saturation in semi-arid drylands with perennial grass sequences. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 and 15–30 cm depths of an annual winter wheat system (AWWS) and three perennial grass sequences, i.e., 3-years of perennial grass (3YPG), 6-years of perennial grass (6YPG), and 20-years of perennial grass (20YPG), each replicated four times. Results reveal significant depth-dependent variations in soil parameters while maintaining the ranking of 20YPG > 6YPG > AWWS > 3YPG in SOC storage at 0–15 cm soil depth. Linear regression analysis showed a SOC sequestration rate of 0.46 Mg ha−1 yr−1 across grass sequences. Total nitrogen (TN), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and particulate organic carbon (POC) accumulated at rates of 0.04 Mg ha−1 yr−1, 0.34 kg ha−1 yr−1, 0.24 Mg ha−1 yr−1, and 0.22 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively, across all treatments in the surface soil layer. A regression model predicted that the 20YPG field would reach MAOC saturation in approximately 80 years at the 0–15 cm depth and 230 years at the 15–30 cm depth if the current condition persists. This research shows the enormous potential of SOC sequestration in arid and semi-arid drylands with grassland restoration. It also underscores the significance of perennial grass systems in enhancing soil health and SOC sequestration. Identifying grass species producing high, economically useful biomass in water-limited semi-arid environments may provide agricultural sustainability and climate change solutions for dry regions.
{"title":"Soil organic carbon recovery and soil health in semi-arid drylands with years of transition to perennial grasses","authors":"Dotun Arije , Rajan Ghimire , Prakriti Bista , Sangamesh V. Angadi , Charlotte C. Gard","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Semi-arid drylands face unique challenges for sustainable land management and soil carbon (C) sequestration due to significant depletion in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, increasing water scarcity, and climate change. Restoring perennial grasses could regenerate these lands, enhancing SOC storage and soil health. This study investigated the SOC recovery potential, C saturation limit, and time required for the saturation in semi-arid drylands with perennial grass sequences. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 and 15–30 cm depths of an annual winter wheat system (AWWS) and three perennial grass sequences, i.e., 3-years of perennial grass (3YPG), 6-years of perennial grass (6YPG), and 20-years of perennial grass (20YPG), each replicated four times. Results reveal significant depth-dependent variations in soil parameters while maintaining the ranking of 20YPG > 6YPG > AWWS > 3YPG in SOC storage at 0–15 cm soil depth. Linear regression analysis showed a SOC sequestration rate of 0.46 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup> across grass sequences. Total nitrogen (TN), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and particulate organic carbon (POC) accumulated at rates of 0.04 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, 0.34 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, 0.24 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, and 0.22 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, across all treatments in the surface soil layer. A regression model predicted that the 20YPG field would reach MAOC saturation in approximately 80 years at the 0–15 cm depth and 230 years at the 15–30 cm depth if the current condition persists. This research shows the enormous potential of SOC sequestration in arid and semi-arid drylands with grassland restoration. It also underscores the significance of perennial grass systems in enhancing soil health and SOC sequestration. Identifying grass species producing high, economically useful biomass in water-limited semi-arid environments may provide agricultural sustainability and climate change solutions for dry regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105263"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142422572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-28DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105261
O.E. Curtis , W.J. Bond , S. Chimphango
{"title":"Diversity and fire responses in Renosterveld, the forgotten relation of fynbos, in southernmost Africa","authors":"O.E. Curtis , W.J. Bond , S. Chimphango","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105261","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 105261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142358532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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