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Wieczorkowski JD, Lehmann CER, Archibald S, Banda S, Goyder DJ, Kaluwe M, Kapinga K, Larridon I, Mashau AC, Phiri E, Syampungani S. Fire facilitates ground layer plant diversity in a Miombo ecosystem. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:743-756. [PMID: 38468311 PMCID: PMC11082521 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Little is known about the response of ground layer plant communities to fire in Miombo ecosystems, which is a global blind spot of ecological understanding. We aimed: (1) to assess the impact of three experimentally imposed fire treatments on ground layer species composition and compare it with patterns observed for trees; and (2) to analyse the effect of fire treatments on species richness to assess how responses differ among plant functional groups. METHODS At a 60-year-long fire experiment in Zambia, we quantified the richness and diversity of ground layer plants in terms of taxa and functional groups across three experimental fire treatments of late dry-season fire, early dry-season fire and fire exclusion. Data were collected in five repeat surveys from the onset of the wet season to the early dry season. KEY RESULTS Of the 140 ground layer species recorded across the three treatments, fire-maintained treatments contributed most of the richness and diversity, with the least number of unique species found in the no-fire treatment. The early-fire treatment was more similar in composition to the no-fire treatment than to the late-fire treatment. C4 grass and geoxyle richness were highest in the late-fire treatment, and there were no shared sedge species between the late-fire and other treatments. At a plot level, the average richness in the late-fire treatment was twice that of the fire exclusion treatment. CONCLUSIONS Heterogeneity in fire seasonality and intensity supports diversity of a unique flora by providing a diversity of local environments. African ecosystems face rapid expansion of land- and fire-management schemes for carbon offsetting and sequestration. We demonstrate that analyses of the impacts of such schemes predicated on the tree flora alone are highly likely to underestimate impacts on biodiversity. A research priority must be a new understanding of the Miombo ground layer flora integrated into policy and land management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub D Wieczorkowski
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
- Tropical Diversity, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Caroline E R Lehmann
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
- Tropical Diversity, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Sally Archibald
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Sarah Banda
- Herbarium, Division of Forest Research, Forestry Department, PO Box 22099, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - David J Goyder
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Mokwani Kaluwe
- Herbarium, Division of Forest Research, Forestry Department, PO Box 22099, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - Kondwani Kapinga
- Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies – Environment, Sustainable Development and Peace, Copperbelt University, PO Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia
| | | | - Aluoneswi C Mashau
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
- Foundational Research and Services, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Private Bag X101, Pretoria 0184, South Africa
| | - Elina Phiri
- Herbarium, Division of Forest Research, Forestry Department, PO Box 22099, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - Stephen Syampungani
- Oliver R Tambo Africa Research Chair Initiative for Environment and Development, Copperbelt University, PO Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
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Fleiss S, Parr CL, Platts PJ, McClean CJ, Beyer RM, King H, Lucey JM, Hill JK. Implications of zero-deforestation palm oil for tropical grassy and dry forest biodiversity. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:250-263. [PMID: 36443467 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01941-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many companies have made zero-deforestation commitments (ZDCs) to reduce carbon emissions and biodiversity losses linked to tropical commodities. However, ZDCs conserve areas primarily based on tree cover and aboveground carbon, potentially leading to the unintended consequence that agricultural expansion could be encouraged in biomes outside tropical rainforest, which also support important biodiversity. We examine locations suitable for zero-deforestation expansion of commercial oil palm, which is increasingly expanding outside the tropical rainforest biome, by generating empirical models of global suitability for rainfed and irrigated oil palm. We find that tropical grassy and dry forest biomes contain >50% of the total area of land climatically suitable for rainfed oil palm expansion in compliance with ZDCs (following the High Carbon Stock Approach; in locations outside urban areas and cropland), and that irrigation could double the area suitable for expansion in these biomes. Within these biomes, ZDCs fail to protect areas of high vertebrate richness from oil palm expansion. To prevent unintended consequences of ZDCs and minimize the environmental impacts of oil palm expansion, policies and governance for sustainable development and conservation must expand focus from rainforests to all tropical biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah Fleiss
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK.
| | - Catherine L Parr
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Philip J Platts
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
- BeZero Carbon Ltd, London, UK
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK
- Climate Change Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland
| | - Colin J McClean
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK
| | - Robert M Beyer
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Henry King
- Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever R&D, Sharnbrook, UK
| | | | - Jane K Hill
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
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Edrisi SA, Bundela AK, Verma V, Dubey PK, Abhilash PC. Assessing the impact of global initiatives on current and future land restoration scenarios in India. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114413. [PMID: 36206925 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Land degradation across the world has resulted in an unprecedented decline of ecosystem services, affecting the livelihood of 3.2 billion people globally. Sustainable land management is essential to protect our finite land resources from over-exploitation and degradation. Therefore, the present article was aimed to analyze the impacts of various national and international policies on current and future land restoration scenarios in India. A spatially explicit model (CLUMondo) was employed to predict scenarios, i.e., the 'business as usual' (BU) and 'sustainable restoration' (SR) by 2030. Though the results showed an increasing trend in land degradation , i.e., from 44.28 to 49.74 Mha during the period of 2005-15, a slight decrease was observed in 2019 (49.24 Mha), suggesting a net increase of 11.21% during the 2005-19 period. However, an increase in forest cover by 5.08% under existing policy targets overtook the degradation rate by restoration initiatives. The net decline in degraded land area by 1% with an increased forest cover by 1.83% observed during the 2015-19 periods reflected the positive impact of various national and global policies on existing restoration ventures in India. Our modeled results (weighted AUC = 0.87) also suggested an increase in forest cover by 6.9% and 9.9% under BU and SR scenarios, respectively. Under the BU scenario, degraded land will be restored up to 12.1 Mha; however, 6.27 Mha of these lands will be converted to cropland for food production. Importantly, a decrease in grasslands by 35.1% under the BU scenario warrants the urgency to maintain the integrity of such ecological systems. However, the SR scenario showed an increase in grasslands by 8.9%, with an overall restoration of degraded land up to 18.31 Mha. Moreover, a reduced cropland expansion rate of 1% suggested an effective land management response. While our results may have some uncertainties due to the model limitations, they can still be used for framing suitable land management policies to facilitate sustainable land restoration programs in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Adil Edrisi
- Thapar School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, 147004, Punjab, India
| | - Amit Kumar Bundela
- Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vivek Verma
- Thapar School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, 147004, Punjab, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Dubey
- Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Korasaki V, Carvalho SN, Correa CMA, Giestas PHC, Vaz‐de‐Mello F, Louzada J. Response of the dung beetle community to different climatic zones: Does the land use system matter? AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanesca Korasaki
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais Frutal Brazil
| | - Sabrina N. Carvalho
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
| | - César M. A. Correa
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
- Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul Aquidauana Brazil
| | - Pedro H. C. Giestas
- Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo Vitória Brazil
| | - Fernando Vaz‐de‐Mello
- Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
| | - Julio Louzada
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Brazil
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Demare G, Spieler M, Grabow K, Rödel MO. Savanna vegetation increase triggers freshwater community shifts. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:7023-7037. [PMID: 36172863 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tropical savannas are globally extensive and ecologically invaluable ecosystems. As most ecosystems however, they are subject to serious anthropogenic stress. Defaunation, and especially the loss of large mammals, is pervasive in tropical savannas and known to trigger wide-ranging ecological effects, from vegetation changes to the loss of ecosystem function. Despite what is currently known about the terrestrial consequences of defaunation, and the potential cross-ecosystem influence of large mammals, virtually no research has investigated associated effects on small adjacent water bodies. This research gap persists because (1) tropical savannas have been historically neglected, (2) the ecological value of small water bodies (e.g. ponds) is only recently being recognized, and (3) empirical baseline data are often lacking. In this paper, we compared a rare pre-change dataset with newly collected data on 213 freshwater assemblages, to investigate community structure and composition before and after a major defaunation event. Our research focused on a diverse species assemblage of amphibian larvae (i.e. tadpoles) in temporary savanna ponds. We found that pond vegetation cover increased from 16.0% to 45.6% post-defaunation, that is, a near three-fold increase. Such habitat changes seemed to have benefitted those species that use vegetation during reproduction (e.g. the leaf-folding Afrixalus spp.), while others have declined. Interestingly, we found a strong correlation between tadpole community shifts and other freshwater organisms, which indicates that habitat changes have affected a wide variety of aquatic organisms. Given that organisms inhabiting temporary aquatic habitats often have complex life histories with terrestrial adult life stages, we propose that the terrestrial effects of defaunation have indirectly led to distinct aquatic communities, in addition to direct habitat effects. These results shed new light on the potential role of large-bodied mammals in shaping adjacent ecosystems, and raise important questions concerning the functioning of temporary aquatic systems in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Demare
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marko Spieler
- Museumsschule Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
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Exploring the frontiers of sustainable livelihoods research within grassland ecosystem: A scientometric analysis. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10704. [PMID: 36203909 PMCID: PMC9529551 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Wieczorkowski JD, Lehmann CER. Encroachment diminishes herbaceous plant diversity in grassy ecosystems worldwide. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5532-5546. [PMID: 35815499 PMCID: PMC9544121 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Woody encroachment is ubiquitous in grassy ecosystems worldwide, but its global impacts on the diversity of herbaceous plants that characterise and define these ecosystems remain unquantified. The pervasiveness of encroachment is relatively easily observed via remote sensing, but its impacts on plant diversity and richness below the canopy can only be observed via field-based studies. Via a meta-analysis of 42 field studies across tropical to temperate grassy ecosystems, we quantified how encroachment altered herbaceous species richness, and the richness of forbs, C3 graminoids and C4 graminoids. Across studies, the natural logarithm of the response ratio (lnRR) of herbaceous species richness ranged from -3.33 to 0.34 with 87% of encroached ecosystems negatively impacted. Assessment of the extent of encroachment, duration of encroachment, mean annual rainfall, latitude, and continent demonstrated that only extent of encroachment had relevance in the data (univariate model including a random effect of study explained 45.4% of variance). The global weighted mean lnRR of species richness decreased from -0.245 at <33% of woody cover increase, to -0.562 at 33%-66%, and to -0.962 at >66%. Continued encroachment results in substantial loss of herbaceous diversity at medium and high extents, with a loss of richness that is not replaced. Although all functional groups are significantly negatively impacted by encroachment, forb richness is relatively more sensitive than graminoid richness, and C4 graminoid richness relatively more than C3 graminoid richness. Although no geographic or climatic correlates had relevance in the data, encroachment as an emergent product of global change coalesces to decrease ground layer light availability, lead to loss of fire and grazers, and alter hydrology and soils. Encroachment is accelerating and grassy ecosystems require urgent attention to determine critical woody cover thresholds that facilitate diverse and resilient grassy ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub D. Wieczorkowski
- School of GeoSciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Tropical DiversityRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Caroline E. R. Lehmann
- School of GeoSciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Tropical DiversityRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghEdinburghUK
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8
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Wieczorkowski JD, Lehmann CER. Encroachment diminishes herbaceous plant diversity in grassy ecosystems worldwide. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5532-5546. [PMID: 35815499 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19982180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Woody encroachment is ubiquitous in grassy ecosystems worldwide, but its global impacts on the diversity of herbaceous plants that characterise and define these ecosystems remain unquantified. The pervasiveness of encroachment is relatively easily observed via remote sensing, but its impacts on plant diversity and richness below the canopy can only be observed via field-based studies. Via a meta-analysis of 42 field studies across tropical to temperate grassy ecosystems, we quantified how encroachment altered herbaceous species richness, and the richness of forbs, C3 graminoids and C4 graminoids. Across studies, the natural logarithm of the response ratio (lnRR) of herbaceous species richness ranged from -3.33 to 0.34 with 87% of encroached ecosystems negatively impacted. Assessment of the extent of encroachment, duration of encroachment, mean annual rainfall, latitude, and continent demonstrated that only extent of encroachment had relevance in the data (univariate model including a random effect of study explained 45.4% of variance). The global weighted mean lnRR of species richness decreased from -0.245 at <33% of woody cover increase, to -0.562 at 33%-66%, and to -0.962 at >66%. Continued encroachment results in substantial loss of herbaceous diversity at medium and high extents, with a loss of richness that is not replaced. Although all functional groups are significantly negatively impacted by encroachment, forb richness is relatively more sensitive than graminoid richness, and C4 graminoid richness relatively more than C3 graminoid richness. Although no geographic or climatic correlates had relevance in the data, encroachment as an emergent product of global change coalesces to decrease ground layer light availability, lead to loss of fire and grazers, and alter hydrology and soils. Encroachment is accelerating and grassy ecosystems require urgent attention to determine critical woody cover thresholds that facilitate diverse and resilient grassy ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub D Wieczorkowski
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Tropical Diversity, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caroline E R Lehmann
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Tropical Diversity, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Rayment J, French K, Bedward M. Understanding patterns and pathways of exotic perennial grass invasion in South‐eastern Australian grassy communities. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Rayment
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Services School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong New South WalesAustralia
| | - Kris French
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Services School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong New South WalesAustralia
| | - Michael Bedward
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Services School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong New South WalesAustralia
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de Souza LC, Procópio L. The adaptations of the microbial communities of the savanna soil over a period of wildfire, after the first rains, and during the rainy season. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:14070-14082. [PMID: 34601674 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16731-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Annually, the Cerrado ecosystem alternates between dry periods and long rainy seasons. During the dry season, severe forest fires occur, consuming a considerable part of the native vegetation, which impacts directly on the microbiome of the soil. Evaluate the adaptations of the soil microbiome to drought, rain and wildfire. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was carried out for three significant conditions: drought and forest fires ("Fire"), after the first recorded rains ("First_Rain"), and during the rainy season ("Rainy"). It has been shown that under the "Fire" condition, there was a predominance of Phylum Actinobacteria, followed by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. With the advent of the rainy season, "First_Rain," there was a change in the predominant taxonomic groups, with a higher prevalence of members of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. During the rainy season, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes continued as the most prevalent groups. However, it was noted that in this period, there was an increase in bacterial diversity when compared with other periods analyzed. These results show how environmental factors influence adaptations in microbial communities. This allows for a better understanding of how to link the structure of the microbial community to the performance of ecosystems, and assist in preventing the consequences of increased frequency of wildfires, and long periods of drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Conceição de Souza
- Faculty of Geosciences (FAGEO), Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Luciano Procópio
- Industrial Microbiology and Bioremediation Department, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Silveira FAO, Ordóñez‐Parra CA, Moura LC, Schmidt IB, Andersen AN, Bond W, Buisson E, Durigan G, Fidelis A, Oliveira RS, Parr C, Rowland L, Veldman JW, Pennington RT. Biome Awareness Disparity is BAD for tropical ecosystem conservation and restoration. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando A. O. Silveira
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution Federal University of Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Carlos A. Ordóñez‐Parra
- Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution Federal University of Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Livia C. Moura
- Institute Society, Population and Nature Brasília Brazil
| | | | - Alan N. Andersen
- Research Institute for the Environment and LivelihoodsCharles Darwin University Darwin NT Australia
| | - William Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Elise Buisson
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'EcologieCNRSIRDAix Marseille UniversitéAvignon UniversitéIUT d'Avignon Avignon France
| | | | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | | | - Catherine Parr
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
- Department of Zoology & Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- School of Animal Plant & Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Wits South Africa
| | - Lucy Rowland
- Department of Geography College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | - Joseph W. Veldman
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station TX USA
| | - R. Toby Pennington
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
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12
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Baggio R, Overbeck GE, Durigan G, Pillar VD. To graze or not to graze: A core question for conservation and sustainable use of grassy ecosystems in Brazil. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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13
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Lehmann CER, Solofondranohatra CL, Vorontsova MS. Beyond ancient versus anthropogenic for Madagascar's grassy ecosystems. A Reply to: Crowley et al. (2021). Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210388. [PMID: 33978522 PMCID: PMC8115201 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. R. Lehmann
- Tropical Diversity, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cédrique L. Solofondranohatra
- Laboratoire de Botanique, Département de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Ambodivoanjo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
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Effects of Deforestation over the Cerrado Landscape: A Study in the Bahia Frontier. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10040352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The losses in the Brazilian Cerrado raise the need to understand the border regions between human activities and Cerrado remnants. This work aims to answer the questions: How does the landscape change in a deforestation area in the Brazilian Cerrado, and where do the losses of native Cerrado occur in the landscape context? We chose the Cerrado of Bahia, an area of the agricultural frontier, and used landscape metrics, and land use and land cover data from 2013 and 2020, to quantify the changes in the landscape. We built a typology of landscape patterns to classify and characterize the Cerrado landscapes, based on the landscape metrics, and land use and land cover data from TerraClass Cerrado 2013. From these parameters, a decision tree classifier enabled the classification of the landscape types. Then, we used the yearly deforestation data from PRODES Cerrado to obtain the native cover and the landscape metrics for 2020. The predominant landscape in 2013 was the Intermediate Stage of Fragmentation (32.53%), followed by the Initial Stage of Fragmentation (31.26%), Consolidated Pasture (16.4%), Consolidated Agriculture (9.78%), Mixed Landscapes (5.59%) and Native Cerrado (4.70%). The continuous Cerrado borders on areas in an initial and intermediate stage of fragmentation, putting pressure on the native area. The losses in native cover do not occur in consolidated landscapes or inside the continuous Cerrado. Instead, there is a process of vegetation conversion over the landscapes in the initial and intermediate stages of fragmentation, and landscapes where the matrix is heterogeneous. These factors signal the need to preserve the contiguous fragments of Cerrado.
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Stanton RA, Fletcher RJ, Sibiya M, Monadjem A, McCleery RA. The effects of shrub encroachment on bird occupancy vary with land use in an African savanna. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. A. Stanton
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - R. J. Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - M. Sibiya
- Biological Sciences University of Eswatini Kwaluseni Swaziland
| | | | - R. A. McCleery
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
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16
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Sriramamurthy RT, Bhalla RS, Sankaran M. Fire differentially affects mortality and seedling regeneration of three woody invaders in forest–grassland mosaics of the southern Western Ghats, India. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02207-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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17
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Archibald S, Hempson GP, Lehmann C. A unified framework for plant life-history strategies shaped by fire and herbivory. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 224:1490-1503. [PMID: 31177547 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Fire and herbivory both remove aboveground biomass. Environmental factors determine the type and intensity of these consumers globally, but the traits of plants can also alter their propensity to burn and the degree to which they are eaten. To understand plant life-history strategies associated with fire and herbivory we need to describe both response and effect functional traits, and how they sort within communities, along resource gradients, and across evolutionary timescales. Fire and herbivore functional traits are generally considered separately, but there are advances made in understanding fire that relate to herbivory, and vice versa. Moreover, fire and herbivory interact: the presence of one consumer affects the type and intensity of the other. Here, we present a unifying conceptual framework to understand plant strategies that enable tolerance and persistence to fire and herbivory. Using grasses as an example, we discuss how flammability and fire tolerance, palatability, and grazing tolerance traits might organize themselves in ecosystems exposed to these consumers, and how these traits might have evolved with reference to other strong selective processes, like aridity. Our framework can be used to predict both the diversity of life-history strategies and plant species diversity under different consumer regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Archibald
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
| | - Gareth P Hempson
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Ndlovu Node, Private Bag X1021, Phalaborwa, Kruger National Park, 1390, South Africa
| | - Caroline Lehmann
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
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18
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Abstract
In the tropics, research, conservation and public attention focus on rain forests, but this neglects that half of the global tropics have a seasonally dry climate. These regions are home to dry forests and savannas (Figures 1 and 2), and are the focus of this Primer. The attention given to rain forests is understandable. Their high species diversity, sheer stature and luxuriance thrill biologists today as much as they did the first explorers in the Age of Discovery. Although dry forest and savanna may make less of a first impression, they support a fascinating diversity of plant strategies to cope with stress and disturbance including fire, drought and herbivory. Savannas played a fundamental role in human evolution, and across Africa and India they support iconic megafauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Toby Pennington
- Geography, University of Exeter, Rennes Drive, Exeter, EX4 4RJ, UK; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK.
| | - Caroline E R Lehmann
- GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King's Buildings, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Lucy M Rowland
- Geography, University of Exeter, Rennes Drive, Exeter, EX4 4RJ, UK
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19
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Griffith DM, Still CJ, Osborne CP. Editorial: Revisiting the Biome Concept With A Functional Lens. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Ratnam J, Chengappa SK, Machado SJ, Nataraj N, Osuri AM, Sankaran M. Functional Traits of Trees From Dry Deciduous “Forests” of Southern India Suggest Seasonal Drought and Fire Are Important Drivers. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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21
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Pilon NAL, Assis GB, Souza FM, Durigan G. Native remnants can be sources of plants and topsoil to restore dry and wet cerrado grasslands. Restor Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natashi A. L. Pilon
- Instituto de BiologiaUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP PO Box 6109, 13083‐865 Campinas SP Brazil
| | - Geissianny B. Assis
- Escola Nacional de Botânica TropicalJardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro 22470‐180 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil
| | - Flaviana M. Souza
- Instituto Florestal do Estado de São Paulo, Seção de Ecologia Florestal R. do Horto 931, 02377‐000 São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - Giselda Durigan
- Instituto de BiologiaUniversidade Estadual de Campinas, UNICAMP PO Box 6109, 13083‐865 Campinas SP Brazil
- Floresta Estadual de AssisInstituto Florestal do Estado de São Paulo Caixa Postal 104, 19802‐300 Assis SP Brazil
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22
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Solofondranohatra CL, Vorontsova MS, Hackel J, Besnard G, Cable S, Williams J, Jeannoda V, Lehmann CER. Grass Functional Traits Differentiate Forest and Savanna in the Madagascar Central Highlands. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Buisson E, Le Stradic S, Silveira FAO, Durigan G, Overbeck GE, Fidelis A, Fernandes GW, Bond WJ, Hermann JM, Mahy G, Alvarado ST, Zaloumis NP, Veldman JW. Resilience and restoration of tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and grassy woodlands. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:590-609. [PMID: 30251329 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing recognition of the conservation values of grassy biomes, our understanding of how to maintain and restore biodiverse tropical grasslands (including savannas and open-canopy grassy woodlands) remains limited. To incorporate grasslands into large-scale restoration efforts, we synthesised existing ecological knowledge of tropical grassland resilience and approaches to plant community restoration. Tropical grassland plant communities are resilient to, and often dependent on, the endogenous disturbances with which they evolved - frequent fires and native megafaunal herbivory. In stark contrast, tropical grasslands are extremely vulnerable to human-caused exogenous disturbances, particularly those that alter soils and destroy belowground biomass (e.g. tillage agriculture, surface mining); tropical grassland restoration after severe soil disturbances is expensive and rarely achieves management targets. Where grasslands have been degraded by altered disturbance regimes (e.g. fire exclusion), exotic plant invasions, or afforestation, restoration efforts can recreate vegetation structure (i.e. historical tree density and herbaceous ground cover), but species-diverse plant communities, including endemic species, are slow to recover. Complicating plant-community restoration efforts, many tropical grassland species, particularly those that invest in underground storage organs, are difficult to propagate and re-establish. To guide restoration decisions, we draw on the old-growth grassland concept, the novel ecosystem concept, and theory regarding tree cover along resource gradients in savannas to propose a conceptual framework that classifies tropical grasslands into three broad ecosystem states. These states are: (1) old-growth grasslands (i.e. ancient, biodiverse grassy ecosystems), where management should focus on the maintenance of disturbance regimes; (2) hybrid grasslands, where restoration should emphasise a return towards the old-growth state; and (3) novel ecosystems, where the magnitude of environmental change (i.e. a shift to an alternative ecosystem state) or the socioecological context preclude a return to historical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Buisson
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse, CNRS, IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Agroparc BP61207, Avignon 84911 cedex 9, France
| | - Soizig Le Stradic
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Biodiversity and Landscape unit, University of Liege, Gembloux 5030, Belgium.,Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 30161-901, Brazil
| | - Giselda Durigan
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Hidrologia Florestal, Floresta Estadual de Assis, Instituto Florestal, PO box 104, Assis, SP 19802-970, Brazil
| | - Gerhard E Overbeck
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Av. 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - G Wilson Fernandes
- Ecologia Evolutiva e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 30161-901, Brazil
| | - William J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town and South African Environmental Observation Network, NRF, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Julia-Maria Hermann
- Restoration Ecology, Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München - TUM, Freising, Germany
| | - Gregory Mahy
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Biodiversity and Landscape unit, University of Liege, Gembloux 5030, Belgium
| | - Swanni T Alvarado
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Geografia, Ecosystem Dynamics Observatory, Av. 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Nicholas P Zaloumis
- Department of Botany, University of Cape Town, P/Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph W Veldman
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2138, U.S.A
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24
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Griffith DM, Lehmann CER, Strömberg CAE, Parr CL, Pennington RT, Sankaran M, Ratnam J, Still CJ, Powell RL, Hanan NP, Nippert JB, Osborne CP, Good SP, Anderson TM, Holdo RM, Veldman JW, Durigan G, Tomlinson KW, Hoffmann WA, Archibald S, Bond WJ. Comment on "The extent of forest in dryland biomes". Science 2017; 358:358/6365/eaao1309. [PMID: 29146777 DOI: 10.1126/science.aao1309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bastin et al (Reports, 12 May 2017, p. 635) infer forest as more globally extensive than previously estimated using tree cover data. However, their forest definition does not reflect ecosystem function or biotic composition. These structural and climatic definitions inflate forest estimates across the tropics and undermine conservation goals, leading to inappropriate management policies and practices in tropical grassy ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Griffith
- Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Caroline E R Lehmann
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 EFF, UK.,Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Caroline A E Strömberg
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Catherine L Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - R Toby Pennington
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK.,Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Mahesh Sankaran
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India.,School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jayashree Ratnam
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Rebecca L Powell
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Niall P Hanan
- Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Jesse B Nippert
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Colin P Osborne
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.,Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Stephen P Good
- Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | | | - Ricardo M Holdo
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Joseph W Veldman
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.,Instituto Boliviano de Investigación Forestal, Casilla 6204, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Giselda Durigan
- Assis State Forest, Forestry Institute of São Paulo State, Assis, SP, Brazil
| | - Kyle W Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - William A Hoffmann
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Sally Archibald
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - William J Bond
- South African Environmental Observation Network, National Research Foundation, Claremont, South Africa.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
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