Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Multi-scale factors revealed contrasting impacts on Waterbird composition and Beta diversity across wetlands in an Afrotropical landscape","authors":"Michael C. Ekwemuka ,&nbsp;Francis O. Arimoro ,&nbsp;Victoria I. Chukwuemeka ,&nbsp;Mairo Muhammed ,&nbsp;Unique N. Keke","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03438","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03438","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global loss and human-induced degradation of wetlands are presumed to impact waterbirds. To understand how human activities and habitat features drive waterbird species composition, there is need to understand beta-diversity and its components of turnover and nestedness. We identified and evaluated some potential drivers of waterbird beta-diversity across limnetic habitats domiciled within the catchment of the Warri River in southern Nigeria. First, we tested the prediction that beta-diversity would be driven by nestedness and turnover components. Second, we evaluated the impacts of habitat attributes on variations in waterbird beta-diversity. Linear models were used to assess the variation of waterbird abundance across season, pollution status and habitat types. We used Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA), redundancy analysis and variation partitioning to evaluate patterns of waterbird beta-diversity across season, pollution status and habitat types to see which factors influenced beta-diversity. A total of 2946 individuals belonging to 43 species of waterbirds were recorded, while the mean abundance of waterbirds across predictors showed significant variations (p &lt; 0.05). Overall waterbird diversity was influenced by the turnover component of beta-diversity, while the nestedness component was negligible. PERMANOVA models associated with indices of turnover were very robust as they accounted for most variations in the configuration of waterbird community. Variations in seasonality, habitat type and pollution status generated species turnover within the habitat and as such increased spatial diversity. These predictors are important drivers of waterbird communities at this scale. Thus, management plans that integrate protection of wetland networks and aim at biodiversity conservation must be implemented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03438"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Forest fire impacts plant community assemblage in different ecological zones of central Himalaya, Nepal","authors":"Ramesh Prasad Sapkota ,&nbsp;Narayan Babu Dhital ,&nbsp;Ananda Kumar Shrestha ,&nbsp;Udhab Raj Khadka ,&nbsp;Chandra Prasad Pokhrel ,&nbsp;Ganesh Raj Joshi ,&nbsp;Kedar Rijal","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest fire frequency in Nepal has increased in recent years. Field-level assessments of fire impacts on plant community assemblage and postfire recovery dynamics across different ecological zones are limited in Nepal, creating a research gap in understanding the ecological processes affected due to wildfires. This study investigates the impacts of forest fire on woody species composition, diversity and regeneration potential in forest stands of central Himalaya, Nepal. Field assessments were carried out in Terai (Nawalpur), Mid-hill (Lamjung) and Mountain (Manang) ecological zones. Trees were sampled in 20 m × 20 m plots, whereas saplings and seedlings were sampled in two nested sub-plots of dimensions 5 m × 5 m and 1 m × 1 m, respectively. A total of 183 plots were laid for sampling trees, of which 89 plots were in the non-fire stands (no fire event in the past 15 years) and 94 plots in the fire stands (at least one fire event in the past 3 years). Similarly, each 183 sub-plots were used for saplings and seedlings assessment. We observed variability in the results caused by fire in the tree stratum. Considering the sapling and seedling layers, significantly higher densities were observed in the non-fire stands of Terai, Mid-hill and Mountain compared to the fire stands, except for the seedling density in Terai. Permutational MANOVA showed a difference in the woody plant species composition between the fire and non-fire stands, except the sapling and seedling composition in the fire and non-fire stands of Terai. We observed a higher diversity of trees in the non-fire sites of Terai compared to the fire sites. However, in Mid-hill and Mountain, significant differences were not observed for the tree species diversity. Woody species sapling diversity in non-fire sites was higher compared to fire sites across the studied ecological zones. Similarly, woody plant seedling diversity showed that non-fire sites of Mid-hill and Mountain have higher diversity compared to the fire sites, but not observed in Terai sites. This study highlights the importance of fire control in shaping plant community assemblage and recovery. Understanding the species-specific impact of forest fires and regional differences in such impacts is essential for developing successful fire management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03443"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Temporal variations and the impact of regional climate on earthworm fauna in sub-tropical forest ecosystems","authors":"Lirikum Jing ,&nbsp;Bendang Ao ,&nbsp;L.N. Kakati ,&nbsp;Khikeya Semy","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Constituting about 80 % of the soil invertebrate biomass earthworms are important drivers of soil fertility. Analyzing and understanding the factors such as regional climate and soil properties that shape earthworm diversity and population dynamics is essential to understanding the role of earthworms in enhancing soil fertility, supporting plant growth across varied habitats, and promoting ecological sustainability and conservation. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the earthworm fauna in a mixed forest (MF) and mono plantation (PF) in Northeast India and identified factors that affect temporal variations of their density and biomass. Twelve earthworm species belonging to three ecological categories (epigeic, epianecic, and endogeic) were recorded. The endogeic earthworms such as <em>Drawida nepalensis</em> Michaelsen and <em>Eutyphoeus festivus</em> Gates were dominant in both the study areas. Seasonal variations revealed that, with the onset of the monsoon, total earthworm density (51.95 ± 2.04 in MF; 36.07 ± 7.42 in PF) and biomass (70.41 ± 23.63 in MF; 40.85 ± 17.15 in PF) increased significantly at both study sites. Multiple linear regression analysis specified that regional climate and soil physico-chemical factors contributed to 63 % and 66 % of the variations in density and biomass, respectively. In MF, the species with high relative abundance (RA) include <em>D. assamensis</em>, <em>D. nepalensis</em>, <em>Drawida</em> sp., and <em>E. festivus</em>. Similarly, in PF, species with high RA were <em>D. assamensis</em>, <em>D. nepalensis</em>, <em>Drawida</em> sp., and <em>E. festivus</em>. The present study highlighted a high diversity of earthworm species in sub-tropical forest ecosystems with a wide range of variations in density and biomass throughout the seasons. The dominance of endogeic earthworms indicates that the study areas (MF and PF) have a conducive habitat for these groups of earthworm species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03442"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Developing local-driven adaptive management for coexistence between humans and leopard cats","authors":"Linh Bao Nguyen ,&nbsp;Timothy Bernd Wallace Seekings ,&nbsp;Chun-Hung Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03436","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03436","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coexistence between humans and wildlife is the ultimate conservation goal. However, management approaches often centre on protecting species and their habitats rather than considering the perspectives of impacted communities. Working towards sustainable solutions, this study aimed to develop local-driven adaptive management plans that maximise conservation success without sacrificing local well-being, using a case study of the endangered leopard cat in Taiwan. We integrated the adaptation framework for human–wildlife coexistence into a choice experiment to examine farmers’ preferences for various adaptation strategies to identify optimal conservation efforts for social welfare. In addition, we explored the determinants of their willingness to participate in different management alternatives. Our results confirmed the existence of heterogeneity in farmers’ preferences and heterogeneity factors were subsequently identified. Behaviour change interventions should be carefully customised for specific social groups, considering their distinct perspectives. Findings also reveal the most preferred strategies: ‘Installation of appropriate fencing system to protect poultry’ and ‘Alternative non-invasive methods to control rodents to reduce secondary poisoning of wildlife’. The maximum willingness to participate in these two strategies was 11.058 and 9.267 hours/month/household, respectively. We then developed three future scenarios for coexistence in accordance with respondents’ favoured strategies, serving as guidelines for effective and adaptive conservation programmes. Our empirical evidence provides insights into local preferences for wildlife management, specifically leopard cats, as well as practical recommendations for policymakers and conservation professionals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03436"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Vanishing ecosystems: The looming threat of climate change on an iconic genus Vellozia in the Brazilian campos rupestres","authors":"Rain E. Bugado ,&nbsp;Nawal Shrestha ,&nbsp;Renato A. Magri ,&nbsp;Jefferson Prado ,&nbsp;Jenifer C. Lopes","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity and habitats worldwide, with mountainous regions and endemic species particularly vulnerable. One such ecosystem is the <em>campos rupestres,</em> a mountainous environment in the highlands of central-eastern Brazil, characterized by high species richness and endemism. Among this ecosystem's most diverse and abundant endemic genera is <em>Vellozia</em> (Velloziaceae), comprising 127 species. Using species distribution modeling, we assessed how climate change will likely affect suitable habitats for the genus. Additionally, we conducted IUCN extinction risk assessments and applied the EDGE2 method, incorporating a phylogenetic framework to identify species that should be prioritized for conservation. Our findings indicate that, on average, each species of <em>Vellozia</em> is expected to lose 84.26 % of its suitable habitat by 2060, with 13 species projected to lose 100 % of their habitat. Over half of the genus is projected to lose over 92 % of its suitable habitat. The species richness and endemism of <em>Vellozia</em> in the <em>campos rupestres</em> will diminish substantially in both geographic extent and species count. This decline is particularly concerning given that nearly half of the genus is microendemic, with 16 species occurring entirely outside protected areas. These findings highlight the potential for climate change to drastically reduce the habitat size and species richness of <em>Vellozia</em> and overall biodiversity within the <em>campos rupestres</em> ecosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03439"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Tracing five decades of junipers’ responses to global changes in Mediterranean high mountains","authors":"José Carlos Pérez-Girón ,&nbsp;Sergio Puertas-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Regino Zamora ,&nbsp;Domingo Alcaraz-Segura","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Persistent and long-lived species, such as <em>Juniperus communis</em> and <em>Juniperus sabina</em>, base their population survival strategy on a great individual longevity under extreme environmental conditions. In the high Mediterranean mountain, global change stressors may challenge such persistence strategy by reducing growth and survival. This study identifies how global change is affecting the growth of juniper shrubs over five decades in Sierra Nevada (southern Spain). For this, we analysed the growth rates and foliage damages of 900 juniper shrubs by manual digitalization of their crowns in historical orthoimages from 1970’s to 2020’s. Almost all small junipers (96 %) and most larger junipers (86 %) increased their size, particularly at lower elevations, favoured by the lengthening of the growing season and by the abandonment of traditional land uses. Such finding supports the persistence strategy hypothesis, highlighting not only junipers’ survival, but also the maintenance of growth even under harshening conditions. Despite the loss of snow cover protection, we also found good juniper foliage health, with a low proportion (∼12 %) of damaged shrubs. Damages only occurred at the highest elevations, particularly on larger shrubs (&gt; 7 m²). However, these findings should be seen as an early warning of increasing risks associated with ongoing climate change, such as heightened exposure to mechanical damage due to the increased wind speeds at high elevations and severe droughts affecting species recruitment. Using historical aerial and satellite orthoimages, we have been able for the first time to track the fate of hundreds of juniper individuals over the last 50 years.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03426"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Incorporating food plant distributions as important predictors in the habitat suitability model of sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) in Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia","authors":"Salmah Widyastuti ,&nbsp;Wanda Kuswanda ,&nbsp;M. Hadi Saputra ,&nbsp;Hendra Helmanto ,&nbsp;Nunu Anugrah ,&nbsp;U. Mamat Rahmat ,&nbsp;Rudianto Saragih Napitu ,&nbsp;Andrinaldi Adnan ,&nbsp;Iskandarrudin","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03434","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03434","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is a vital habitat for the Sumatran orangutan. This study enhances habitat suitability models (HSM) for Sumatran orangutans by incorporating the predictive distributions for 21 key orangutan food plants, which had not been previously explored. Using machine learning algorithms—support vector machine, random forest, boosted regression trees, and maximum entropy—along with an ensemble model, seven important food plants, including Ixora insularum and Calamus manan, were identified as critical predictors of habitat suitability. The ensemble model revealed that 70.29 % (5834.84 km²) of GLNP is suitable for Sumatran orangutans, with the key influencing factors being land cover, distance to settlements, and temperature seasonality or annual variation of temperature. As this study only successfully incorporated a few food plant species, future research should include a wider range of food plant species, especially preferred fruits like figs, to improve Sumatran orangutan HSM predictions. The Sumatran orangutan faces significant habitat challenges in GLNP due to habitat fragmentation, and limited monitoring coverage. To address these issues, conservation strategies should prioritize restoring connectivity between forest blocks, particularly through canopy corridors. Expanding monitoring efforts with advanced technologies, such as thermal drones, can improve data collection in remote areas. Additionally, enhancing habitat quality by restoring and protecting key food plant species will ensure sustainable orangutan populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03434"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Converse effects of warming and reclamation on methane uptake in alpine meadows","authors":"Jing Huang ,&nbsp;Guozheng Hu ,&nbsp;Hasbagan Ganjurjav ,&nbsp;Qingzhu Gao ,&nbsp;Yubao Sha ,&nbsp;Zheng Li ,&nbsp;Guoxu Ji ,&nbsp;Huihui Liu ,&nbsp;Ling Han ,&nbsp;Shicheng He ,&nbsp;Jun Yan ,&nbsp;Youxia Wang ,&nbsp;Wendong Xie ,&nbsp;Elise S. Gornish","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming will lead to changes in soil properties, which in turn will affect the uptake of methane (CH₄) in meadows. Currently there is artificial reclamation of alpine meadows, and the effect of reclamation on CH₄ uptake in alpine meadow ecosystems is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of warming, reclamation and their interactions on soil CH₄ uptake in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. From May to December 2021 and from March to May 2022, CH₄ uptake was determined under four treatments: control (CK), warming, reclamation and warming under reclamation. Soil C and N nutrient contents and three enzyme activities were determined in 2021, and their effects on CH₄ uptake were elucidated using the Mantel test as well as structural equation modelling. The results showed that warming significantly increased CH₄ uptake by 23.84 %, reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 58.64 %, warming interacted with reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 33.45 % in growing season, and warming interacted with reclamation significantly reduced CH₄ uptake by 21.46 % in the non-growing season, as compared to CK. Warming promoted CH₄ uptake by increasing soil nutrient content and increasing the activities of methane monooxygenase and soil sucrase. Reclamation reduced the content of soil soluble carbon and nitrogen and inhibited the uptake of CH₄. Therefore, in the context of global warming, the destruction of natural grassland should be avoided as far as possible and the area of cultivated land should be rationally planned, so as to maintain the higher CH₄ uptake capacity of grassland.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03429"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Restoration patterns and influencing factors for the vegetation structure and carbon storage in mangroves converted from abandoned ponds","authors":"Fang Yang ,&nbsp;Ruili Li ,&nbsp;Mao Wang ,&nbsp;Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenqing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Afforestation of mangroves in abandoned ponds is considered an effective approach for global mangrove restoration. Although several studies have assessed recovery outcomes of reforested mangroves, the studies about the synergistic recovery of mangrove vegetation and ecosystem carbon stocks in abandoned ponds are still limited. The present study compared the vegetation structure and carbon stocks of pond-to-mangrove sites with different restored methods in Dongzhaigang Bay, Hainan Province, China. We found that the vegetation structure (tree density and Shannon diversity) had no significant differences between afforestation sites and natural mangroves. The total ecosystem carbon stocks of all the sample sites ranged from 64.07 to 224.91 (mean ± SD: 114.82 ± 49.30) Mg C ha⁻¹, while there were no significant variations between restoration sites in 2014 (p &gt; 0.05). In addition, 85.44 % of the total carbon stocks were stored in the soil among the study sites. The soil physicochemical properties such as soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen had effects on tree height, diameter at breast height and carbon stocks composition. Meanwhile, in-situ soil redox potentials, Shannon diversity, tree height, density and diameter at breast height affected carbon stock. Moreover, the soil physicochemical properties, absolute elevation and vegetation structural variables could explain 76.83 % of the carbon stock variance. This study demonstrated that artificial planting had no superiority in vegetation restoration and carbon sequestration over natural regeneration. Under appropriate environmental conditions, natural regeneration is an economically effective way to restore mangroves from abandoned ponds to realize the co-benefits of biodiversity and carbon storage restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03430"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}

{"title":"Drought and bush encroachment threaten dry rangeland sustainability in Northeastern Ethiopia","authors":"Minyahel Tilahun ,&nbsp;Zenghui Liu ,&nbsp;Ayana Angassa ,&nbsp;Zhipeng Wang ,&nbsp;Meng Li ,&nbsp;Jianshuang Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change and the spread of invasive bush species significantly threaten global rangeland health. However, the effects of different land use intensities and timings on vegetation health are still poorly understood. This study evaluated the sustainability of vegetation health in grazing lands of the Afar region of Ethiopia, using a community-based classification that includes three categories: dry season grazing land, wet season grazing land, and wildlife reserves. We assessed the combined impacts of drought and bush invasion on vegetation health, employing the standardized precipitation index (SPI), vegetation health index (VHI), and field measurements of invasive bush thickets, native herbaceous density, and the functional traits of <em>Prosopis juliflora</em> (Sw.) DC as indicators. Our results indicated that SPI and thicket explained 44 % and 16 % of the variance in VHI, respectively. Using structural equation modeling, we demonstrated both direct and indirect effects of the functional traits of <em>Prosopis juliflora</em> on the relationship between SPI, thicket, and VHI in dry rangeland ecosystems. Notably, VHI, as an indicator of vegetation health, decreased with increased bush encroachment and positively correlated with higher herbaceous density across the grazing lands. These findings highlight the complex interplay of physiographic, environmental, and botanical factors amid the challenges posed by invasive plant species and severe drought. They also underscore critical implications for managing and restoring dry rangeland ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainability into land-use practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03425"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}