Filtyp
Ridge-furrow mulching system is widely used for improving soil hydrothermal conditions and crop productivity in semiarid and arid rainfed areas. The response of crop productivity to resource capture and utilization is crucial for agricultural field management and sustainable development. However, few have simultaneously investigated the coupling effect of plastic film mulching (PM) types and plant
The ratio of leaf carotenoid to chlorophyll (Car/Chl) is an indicator of vegetation photosynthesis, development and responses to stress. However, the correlation between Car and Chl, and their overlapping absorption in the visible spectral domain pose a challenge for optical remote sensing of their ratio. This study aims to investigate combinations of vegetation indices (VIs) to minimize the influ
Aquatic and terrestrial habitats are interdependent components of the boreal forest landscape involving multiple dynamic interactions; these are manifested particularly in riparian areas, which are key components in the forest landscape. However, this interdependence between aquatic and terrestrial habitats is not adequately accounted for in the current management of forest ecosystems. Here we rev
Background: Herbivores modify the structure and function of tundra ecosystems. Understanding their impacts is necessary to assess the responses of these ecosystems to ongoing environmental changes. However, the effects of herbivores on plants and ecosystem structure and function vary across the Arctic. Strong spatial variation in herbivore effects implies that the results of individual studies on
Since 1750, land-use change and fossil fuel combustion has led to a 46% increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, causing global warming with substantial societal consequences. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature increases to well below 2C above preindustrial levels. Increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as methane (CH4) and nitrou
A robust water supply system is significant to the local ecosystem of riparian vegetation in the arid basin. Considering the elasticity and relative importance of ecological water use in different regions of the basin, this study defines the ecological water rights on a multi-year scale, divides the priority of those rights based on the ecological network, and proposes a rights allocation method.
Feedbacks between the intertwined water and carbon cycles in semi-arid mountain ecosystems can introduce large uncertainties into projections of carbon storage. In this study, we sought to understand the influence of key mechanisms on carbon balances, focusing on an ecosystem whose complex terrain and large interannual variability in precipitation adds to its vulnerability to warming. We applied a
Climate change is generally expected to have a positive effect on weathering rates, due to the strong temperature dependence of the weathering process. Important feedback mechanisms such as changes in soil moisture, tree growth and organic matter decomposition can affect the response of weathering rates to climate change. In this study, the dynamic forest ecosystem model ForSAFE, with mechanistic
Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) flux dynamics during the subarctic autumn are largely unexplored and have been considered insignificant due to the relatively low biological activity expected during autumn. Here, we exposed subarctic heath ecosystems to predicted future autumn climate scenarios (ambient, warming, and colder, dark conditions), changes in light availability, and flooding, t
The boreal forest landscape covers approximately 10% of the earth's land area and accounts for almost 30 % of the global annual terrestrial sink of carbon (C). Increased emissions due to climate-change-amplified fire frequency, size, and intensity threaten to remove elements such as C and nitrogen (N) from forest soil and vegetation at rates faster than they accumulate. This may result in large ar
Incomplete wildfire combustion in boreal forests leaves behind legacy plant-soil feedbacks known to restrict plant biodiversity. These restrictions can inhibit carbon recapture after fire by limiting ecosystem transition to vegetation growth patterns that are capable of offsetting warmth-enhanced soil decomposition under climate change. Here, we field-surveyed plant regrowth conditions 2 years aft
Worldwide, there is conversion of natural habitats to other land cover types. These are explained by changes in land use and climate change. In Tanzania, environmental degradation happens also within and around protected areas. To mitigate the effects, wildlife management areas (WMAs) surrounding the borders of protected areas in Tanzania have been promoted. They are based on the concept of commun
The study of atmospheric processes related to climate requires a multidisciplinary approach, encompassing physics, chemistry, meteorology, forest science, and environmental science. The Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in atmospheric sciences (CoE ATM) responded to that need for 18 years and produced extensive research and eloquent results, which are summarized in this review. The work in t
Production forests are faced with the challenge of adapting to environmental change and simultaneously helping mitigate it and host rich biodiversity. This leads to new conflicts and trade-offs for forest management. Many management options have been proposed to achieve these goals while minimizing the loss of timber production. In this thesis, I explore the status and future of forest landscapes
To assess the extent to which trees in a semi-arid silvopastoral system (SPS) can offset the greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions of the system's livestock, this study used two process-based models (STEP-GENDEC-N2O and DynACof) to simulate 9 years of agricultural activity and resulting emissions in a SPS that has been operating in sahelian Senegal. STEP-GENDEC-N2O simulated soil N2O and CO2 fluxes, plus
Background: The savannah ecosystems of Sahel have experienced continuous and heavy grazing of livestock for centuries but still, their vegetation response to grazing pressure remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the herbaceous plant dynamics, measured by species diversity, composition, cover, and biomass in response to grazing pressure in the savannah ecosystems of Sahel. In Seneg
Termites play an essential role in decomposing dead plant material in tropical ecosystems and are thus major sources of gaseous C emissions in many environments. In African savannas, fungus-growing termites are among the ecologically most influential termite species. We studied the gas exchange from mounds of two closely related fungus-growing species (Macrotermes subhyalinus and M. michaelseni, r
