Search Results (5)

Drought and high evapotranspiration demands can jeopardise trees and shrubs in windbreaks and habitat corridors, where they are more exposed to the effects of extreme weather than in the forest. This study utilised chlorophyll fluorescence to assess how the leaf-level physiological processes of 13 woody species typically planted in Czech habitat corridors responded to the effects of naturally occurring drought and their ability to recover after rain. Linear electron flow (LEF) responded only weakly to the drought, indicating high levels of photorespiration. Trees and shrubs increased the proportion of energy which was dissipated in a harmless way (Φ_NPQ) during drought and decreased the proportion of energy dissipated through non-regulated processes (Φ_NO). In this way, they reduced processes potentially leading to the production of reactive oxygen species. All species except Tilia cordata Mill. maintained high Φ_NPQ even after its release from drought. Tilia cordata was potentially the most susceptible tree to drought due to its low LEF and high Φ_NO. The most drought-resistant tree species appeared to be Acer campestre L. and shrubs such as Prunus spinosa L., Viburnum lantana L, and Crataegus monogyna L. These shrubs may be planted at the sunny edges of habitat corridors. The woody species identified as resistant to drought in habitat corridors may also be considered resistant in a warming climate or suitable for planting in the urban environment which is generally warmer and drier than in a forest. Full article

Fragments of woodland represent important natural and semi-natural elements that contribute to ecological stability and biodiversity in a landscape. In the Czech Republic, they are part of the Territorial System of Ecological Stability (TSES), which consists of bio-centers, bio-corridors, and interaction elements. The presence of fragments of woodland is of growing importance in the agricultural landscape, where they provide effective protection against soil erosion and serve as a refuge for many animals, whose presence is crucial in maintaining essential ecosystem functions. A functioning ecosystem is especially important in intensively farmed landscapes, which are exposed to frequent and heavy disturbance. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of certain habitat characteristics of fragments of woodland on the activity-density and species richness of selected groups of soil invertebrates (ground beetles, spiders, harvestmen, centipedes, millipedes, and isopods). The research was conducted in the agricultural landscape of South Moravia (Czech Republic) in the summers of 2016–2017, for which we used pitfall traps to collect soil invertebrates on preselected fragments of woodland. The results highlight a wide range of habitat preferences of individual groups of invertebrates, wherein it is not possible to clearly determine the most favorable environmental conditions for all organisms. Consequently, the priority should be to maintain the highest possible degree of heterogeneity among natural and semi-natural features, including with respect to their surrounding landscape. In addition, we found that due to their small size and width, fragments of woodland that are not included in the concept of bio-centers and bio-corridors can similarly support the activity-density and diversity of soil fauna. Full article

Smallholder farmers in developing countries such as Ecuador have contributed widely to ecosystem conservation. Although they have been affected by the consequences of climate change, the synergy of Pachamama care and technical knowledge has become key to sustaining dynamics in their local territories. This paper presents a combined methodology approach based on fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to capture perceptions of ecosystem conservation. The purpose was to assess the impact of the “Biocorridors for Living Well” program on the application of local knowledge by smallholder farmers. The findings showed that program managers had a limited narrow focus based on the general program ideology, whereas peasants’ perceptions revealed a more complex map, highlighting the importance of building capacities beyond sustainable agricultural techniques. Also, both groups were aware of the contribution of ecosystem conservation to rural development. However, it is essential to stress that the contribution of smallholder farmers to conservation was critical, and most of the time, their efforts were not valued. Therefore, to scale up program outcomes, national and international institutions require an understanding of local peasants’ perceptions to guarantee action sustainability and to avoid repetitive actions in their local territories. Full article

Urbanization, increasing road networks, agricultural intensification, and land abandonment are widespread land change processes found in most European landscapes. As land changes affect animal species and their populations, there is a need to evaluate the effects of future developments on the viability of protected species. In this paper, we model population size and viability of selected indicator species for a selected area in Slovakia. Our results indicate that selected species are viable in the current landscape composition. However, the expected spread of settlement and the increase of road density in this area would likely lead to decline and loss of viability of species. Similarly, continuous land abandonment followed with spontaneous reforestation would likely trigger a decline of grassland species. In contrast, developing a biocorridor and restoration of existing green elements as modeled in our conservation scenario would strongly improve the viability of all species and avoid the impact of the expected developments. Our results underline the actions that prevent further loss of biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes and, thus, have particular importance for landscape planning and decision-making processes. Full article

The Andes of northern Peru are still widely covered with forests, but increasingly suffer from habitat fragmentation. Subsequent soil degradation often leads to the abandonment of overused forests and pastures. Ecological knowledge on the restoration potential, e.g., on dependencies of soil conditions and altitude, is scarce. Therefore, we compared soil and vegetation patterns along nine transects within the upper Pomacochas Basin, which is an important biodiversity corridor along the Andes, between remaining forests, succession sites and pastures. Anthropogenic successional and disturbance levels, geological substrate, and altitude have the most important ecological impacts on vegetation and tree species composition. Species responded to sandstone versus calcareous substrates, but also to depths of the organic soil layer, and light conditions. The absence of organic layers under pastures contrasted with the accumulation of thick organic layers under forest cover. Vegetation composition at succession sites revealed certain starting points (herbal stage, bush stage, or secondary forest) for restoration that will determine the length of regeneration paths. Pre-forest patches of Alchornea sp. and Parathesis sp. may act as habitat stepping stones for expeditiously restoring biocorridors for wildlife. The key findings can contribute to the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity in a fragile ecoregion. Full article