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Alonzo M, Baker ME, Caplan JS, Williams A, Elmore AJ. Canopy composition drives variability in urban growing season length more than the heat island effect. Sci Total Environ 2023; 884:163818. [PMID: 37121316 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The elevated heat of urban areas compared to their surroundings makes humid temperate cities a useful preview of future climate effects on natural forest phenology. The utility of this proxy rests on the expectation that trees in urban areas alter their phenology in response to warmer site conditions in spring and fall. However, it is possible that apparent lengthening of the growing season is instead governed by human-driven tree species selection and plant functional type (PFT; trees, shrubs, turfgrass) heterogeneity typical of managed landscapes. Without the use of highly spatially and temporally resolved remote sensing data, the roles of tree taxonomy and local site characteristics (e.g., impervious cover) in controlling phenology remain confounded. To understand the drivers of earlier start of season (SOS) and later end of season (EOS) among urban trees, we estimated individual tree phenology using >130 high-resolution satellite images per year (2018-2020) for ~10,000 species-labeled trees in Washington, DC. We found that species identity alone accounted for 4× more variability in the timing of SOS and EOS compared with a tree's planting location characteristics. Additionally, the urban mix of PFTs may be more responsible for apparent advances in SOS (by between 1.8 ± 1.3 and 3.5 ± 1.3 days) than heat per se. The results of this study caution against associating longer growing seasons in cities-observed in moderate to coarse resolution remote sensing imagery-to within-species phenological plasticity and demonstrate the power of high-resolution satellite data for tracking tree phenology in biodiverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Alonzo
- Department of Environmental Science, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA.
| | - Matthew E Baker
- Department of Geography & Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Joshua S Caplan
- Department of Architecture and Environmental Design, Temple University, Ambler, PA 19002, USA
| | - Avery Williams
- Department of Environmental Science, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Andrew J Elmore
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA
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2
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Atkins JW, Costanza J, Dahlin KM, Dannenberg MP, Elmore AJ, Fitzpatrick MC, Hakkenberg CR, Hardiman BS, Kamoske A, LaRue EA, Silva CA, Stovall AEL, Tielens EK. Scale dependency of lidar‐derived forest structural diversity. Methods Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.14040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff W. Atkins
- Southern Research Station USDA Forest Service New Ellenton South Carolina USA
| | - Jennifer Costanza
- Southern Research Station USDA Forest Service Research Triangle Park North Carolina USA
| | - Kyla M. Dahlin
- Department of Geography, Environment & Spatial Sciences Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Matthew P. Dannenberg
- Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Andrew J. Elmore
- National Socio‐Environmental Synthesis Center Annapolis Maryland USA
- Appalachian Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Frostburg Maryland USA
| | - Matthew C. Fitzpatrick
- Appalachian Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Frostburg Maryland USA
| | | | - Brady S. Hardiman
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
| | - Aaron Kamoske
- Ecosystem Management Coordination USDA Forest Service Saint Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Elizabeth A. LaRue
- Department of Biological Sciences The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas USA
| | - Carlos Alberto Silva
- Forest Biometrics and Remote Sensing Lab, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Atticus E. L. Stovall
- Department of Geographical Sciences University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt Maryland USA
| | - Elske K. Tielens
- Corix Plains Institute University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
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3
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Swanwick RH, Read QD, Guinn SM, Williamson MA, Hondula KL, Elmore AJ. Dasymetric population mapping based on US census data and 30-m gridded estimates of impervious surface. Sci Data 2022; 9:523. [PMID: 36030258 PMCID: PMC9422266 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01603-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of socio-environmental problems and the search for solutions often require intersecting geospatial data on environmental factors and human population densities. In the United States, Census data is the most common source for information on population. However, timely acquisition of such data at sufficient spatial resolution can be problematic, especially in cases where the analysis area spans urban-rural gradients. With this data release, we provide a 30-m resolution population estimate for the contiguous United States. The workflow dasymetrically distributes Census block level population estimates across all non-transportation impervious surfaces within each Census block. The methodology is updatable using the most recent Census data and remote sensing-based observations of impervious surface area. The dataset, known as the U.G.L.I (updatable gridded lightweight impervious) population dataset, compares favorably against other population data sources, and provides a useful balance between resolution and complexity. Measurement(s) | Population Density | Technology Type(s) | satellite imaging | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Homo sapiens | Sample Characteristic - Environment | populated place | Sample Characteristic - Location | contiguous United States of America |
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel H Swanwick
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA. .,Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Quentin D Read
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA.,Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA
| | - Steven M Guinn
- Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA.,Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
| | | | - Kelly L Hondula
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA.,Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Andrew J Elmore
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA. .,Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA. .,Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA.
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4
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Mason RE, Craine JM, Lany NK, Jonard M, Ollinger SV, Groffman PM, Fulweiler RW, Angerer J, Read QD, Reich PB, Templer PH, Elmore AJ. Explanations for nitrogen decline-Response. Science 2022; 376:1170. [PMID: 35679414 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq8690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Mason
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - Nina K Lany
- US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northern Research Station, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Mathieu Jonard
- Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Scott V Ollinger
- Earth Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Peter M Groffman
- City University of New York Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, NY 10031, USA.,Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Robinson W Fulweiler
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.,Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jay Angerer
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT 59301, USA
| | - Quentin D Read
- US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.,Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Andrew J Elmore
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA.,National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD 21401, USA
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5
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Mason RE, Craine JM, Lany NK, Jonard M, Ollinger SV, Groffman PM, Fulweiler RW, Angerer J, Read QD, Reich PB, Templer PH, Elmore AJ. Evidence, causes, and consequences of declining nitrogen availability in terrestrial ecosystems. Science 2022; 376:eabh3767. [PMID: 35420945 DOI: 10.1126/science.abh3767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The productivity of ecosystems and their capacity to support life depends on access to reactive nitrogen (N). Over the past century, humans have more than doubled the global supply of reactive N through industrial and agricultural activities. However, long-term records demonstrate that N availability is declining in many regions of the world. Reactive N inputs are not evenly distributed, and global changes-including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and rising temperatures-are affecting ecosystem N supply relative to demand. Declining N availability is constraining primary productivity, contributing to lower leaf N concentrations, and reducing the quality of herbivore diets in many ecosystems. We outline the current state of knowledge about declining N availability and propose actions aimed at characterizing and responding to this emerging challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Mason
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, USA
| | | | - Nina K Lany
- Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Mathieu Jonard
- Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Scott V Ollinger
- Earth Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Peter M Groffman
- Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA
| | - Robinson W Fulweiler
- Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jay Angerer
- Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Miles City, MT, USA
| | - Quentin D Read
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, USA
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.,Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Andrew J Elmore
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, USA.,Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, USA
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6
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Hood RR, Shenk GW, Dixon RL, Smith SMC, Ball WP, Bash JO, Batiuk R, Boomer K, Brady DC, Cerco C, Claggett P, de Mutsert K, Easton ZM, Elmore AJ, Friedrichs MAM, Harris LA, Ihde TF, Lacher I, Li L, Linker LC, Miller A, Moriarty J, Noe GB, Onyullo G, Rose K, Skalak K, Tian R, Veith TL, Wainger L, Weller D, Zhang YJ. The Chesapeake Bay Program Modeling System: Overview and Recommendations for Future Development. Ecol Modell 2021; 465:1-109635. [PMID: 34675451 PMCID: PMC8525429 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest, most productive, and most biologically diverse estuary in the continental United States providing crucial habitat and natural resources for culturally and economically important species. Pressures from human population growth and associated development and agricultural intensification have led to excessive nutrient and sediment inputs entering the Bay, negatively affecting the health of the Bay ecosystem and the economic services it provides. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) is a unique program formally created in 1983 as a multi-stakeholder partnership to guide and foster restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Since its inception, the CBP Partnership has been developing, updating, and applying a complex linked modeling system of watershed, airshed, and estuary models as a planning tool to inform strategic management decisions and Bay restoration efforts. This paper provides a description of the 2017 CBP Modeling System and the higher trophic level models developed by the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, along with specific recommendations that emerged from a 2018 workshop designed to inform future model development. Recommendations highlight the need for simulation of watershed inputs, conditions, processes, and practices at higher resolution to provide improved information to guide local nutrient and sediment management plans. More explicit and extensive modeling of connectivity between watershed landforms and estuary sub-areas, estuarine hydrodynamics, watershed and estuarine water quality, the estuarine-watershed socioecological system, and living resources will be important to broaden and improve characterization of responses to targeted nutrient and sediment load reductions. Finally, the value and importance of maintaining effective collaborations among jurisdictional managers, scientists, modelers, support staff, and stakeholder communities is emphasized. An open collaborative and transparent process has been a key element of successes to date and is vitally important as the CBP Partnership moves forward with modeling system improvements that help stakeholders evolve new knowledge, improve management strategies, and better communicate outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raleigh R Hood
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA
| | - Gary W Shenk
- USGS Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - Rachel L Dixon
- Chesapeake Research Consortium, 645 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
| | - Sean M C Smith
- University of Maine, School of Earth and Climate Sciences, Bryand Global Science Center, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - William P Ball
- Chesapeake Research Consortium, 645 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
| | - Jesse O Bash
- Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Rich Batiuk
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - Kathy Boomer
- The Nature Conservancy, 114 South Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601, USA
| | - Damian C Brady
- Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, 193 Clarks Cove Rd, Walpole, ME 04573, USA
| | - Carl Cerco
- #U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, P.O. Box 631, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA
| | - Peter Claggett
- USGS Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - Kim de Mutsert
- University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA
| | | | - Andrew J Elmore
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 301 Braddock Rd, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA
| | - Marjorie A M Friedrichs
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, 1375 Greate Rd, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
| | - Lora A Harris
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, MD 20688, USA
| | - Thomas F Ihde
- Patuxent Environmental & Aquatic Research Laboratory, Morgan State University, 10545 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685, USA
| | - Iara Lacher
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630 USA
| | - Li Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lewis C Linker
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - Andrew Miller
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Julia Moriarty
- Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder CO 80309, USA
| | - Gregory B Noe
- Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS926A, Reston, VA 20192, USA
| | - George Onyullo
- District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment, 1200 First Street NE, Washington DC 20002, USA
| | - Kenneth Rose
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA
| | - Katie Skalak
- National Research Program, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, USA
| | - Richard Tian
- USGS Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA
| | - Tamie L Veith
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, Building 3702, Curtin Road, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lisa Wainger
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, MD 20688, USA
| | - Donald Weller
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
| | - Yinglong Joseph Zhang
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, 1375 Greate Rd, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
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7
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Ordway EM, Elmore AJ, Kolstoe S, Quinn JE, Swanwick R, Cattau M, Taillie D, Guinn SM, Chadwick KD, Atkins JW, Blake RE, Chapman M, Cobourn K, Goulden T, Helmus MR, Hondula K, Hritz C, Jensen J, Julian JP, Kuwayama Y, Lulla V, O’Leary D, Nelson DR, Ocón JP, Pau S, Ponce‐Campos GE, Portillo‐Quintero C, Pricope NG, Rivero RG, Schneider L, Steele M, Tulbure MG, Williamson MA, Wilson C. Leveraging the NEON Airborne Observation Platform for socio‐environmental systems research. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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8
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Sabo RD, Elmore AJ, Nelson DM, Clark CM, Fisher T, Eshleman KN. Positive correlation between wood δ 15N and stream nitrate concentrations in two temperate deciduous forests. Environ Res Commun 2020; 2:1-17. [PMID: 36313933 PMCID: PMC9610404 DOI: 10.1088/2515-7620/ab77f8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
A limitation to understanding drivers of long-term trends in terrestrial nitrogen (N) availability in forests and its subsequent influence on stream nitrate export is a general lack of integrated analyses using long-term data on terrestrial and aquatic N cycling at comparable spatial scales. Here we analyze relationships between stream nitrate concentrations and wood δ 15N records (n = 96 trees) across five neighboring headwater catchments in the Blue Ridge physiographic province and within a single catchment in the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province in the eastern United States. Climatic, acidic deposition, and forest disturbance datasets were developed to elucidate the influence of these factors on terrestrial N availability through time. We hypothesized that spatial and temporal variation of terrestrial N availability, for which tree-ring δ 15N records serve as a proxy, affects the variation of stream nitrate concentration across space and time. Across space at the Blue Ridge study sites, stream nitrate concentration increased linearly with increasing catchment mean wood δ 15N. Over time, stream nitrate concentrations decreased with decreasing wood δ 15N in five of the six catchments. Wood δ 15N showed a significant negative relationship with disturbance and acidic deposition. Disturbance likely exacerbated N limitation by inducing nitrate leaching and ultimately enhancing vegetative uptake. As observed elsewhere, lower rates of acidic deposition and subsequent deacidification of soils may increase terrestrial N availability. Despite the ephemeral modifications of terrestrial N availability by these two drivers and climate, long-term declines in terrestrial N availability were robust and have likely driven much of the declines in stream nitrate concentration throughout the central Appalachians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Sabo
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Assessment, US EPA (8623-P),1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW; Washington, DC 20460, United States of America
| | - Andrew J Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, United States of America
| | - David M Nelson
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Clark
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Assessment, US EPA (8623-P),1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW; Washington, DC 20460, United States of America
| | - Thomas Fisher
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, United States of America
| | - Keith N Eshleman
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, United States of America
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9
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Craine JM, Elmore AJ, Wang L, Boeckx P, Delzon S, Fang Y, Gray A, Guerrieri R, Gundale MJ, Hietz P, Nelson DM, Peri PL, Templer PH, Werner C. Reply to: Data do not support large-scale oligotrophication of terrestrial ecosystems. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:1287-1288. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0949-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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10
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Johnston MR, Elmore AJ, Mokany K, Lisk M, Fitzpatrick MC. Field-measured variables outperform derived alternatives in Maryland stream biodiversity models. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam R. Johnston
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Appalachian Lab; Frostburg MD USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge MA USA
| | - Andrew J. Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Appalachian Lab; Frostburg MD USA
| | | | - Matthew Lisk
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Appalachian Lab; Frostburg MD USA
| | - Matthew C. Fitzpatrick
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Appalachian Lab; Frostburg MD USA
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11
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Elmore AJ, Craine JM, Nelson DM, Guinn SM. Continental scale variability of foliar nitrogen and carbon isotopes in Populus balsamifera and their relationships with climate. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7759. [PMID: 28798483 PMCID: PMC5552813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08156-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation across climate gradients in the isotopic composition of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in foliar tissues has the potential to reveal ecological processes related to N and water availability. However, it has been a challenge to separate spatial patterns related to direct effects of climate from effects that manifest indirectly through species turnover across climate gradients. Here we compare variation along environmental gradients in foliar N isotope (δ15N) and C isotopic discrimination (Δ13C) measured in 755 specimens of a single widely distributed tree species, Populus balsamifera, with variation represented in global databases of foliar isotopes. After accounting for mycorrhizal association, sample size, and climatic range, foliar δ15N in P. balsamifera was more weakly related to mean annual precipitation and foliar N concentration than when measured across species, yet exhibited a stronger negative effect of mean annual temperature. Similarly, the effect of precipitation and elevation on Δ13C were stronger in a global data base of foliar Δ13C samples than observed in P. balsamifera. These results suggest that processes influencing foliar δ15N and Δ13C in P. balsamifera are partially normalized across its climatic range by the habitat it occupies or by the physiology of the species itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA.
| | | | - David M Nelson
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
| | - Steven M Guinn
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
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12
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McLauchlan KK, Gerhart LM, Battles JJ, Craine JM, Elmore AJ, Higuera PE, Mack MC, McNeil BE, Nelson DM, Pederson N, Perakis SS. Centennial-scale reductions in nitrogen availability in temperate forests of the United States. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7856. [PMID: 28798386 PMCID: PMC5552780 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08170-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Forests cover 30% of the terrestrial Earth surface and are a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Humans have doubled the amount of global reactive nitrogen (N), increasing deposition of N onto forests worldwide. However, other global changes-especially climate change and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations-are increasing demand for N, the element limiting primary productivity in temperate forests, which could be reducing N availability. To determine the long-term, integrated effects of global changes on forest N cycling, we measured stable N isotopes in wood, a proxy for N supply relative to demand, on large spatial and temporal scales across the continental U.S.A. Here, we show that forest N availability has generally declined across much of the U.S. since at least 1850 C.E. with cool, wet forests demonstrating the greatest declines. Across sites, recent trajectories of N availability were independent of recent atmospheric N deposition rates, implying a minor role for modern N deposition on the trajectory of N status of North American forests. Our results demonstrate that current trends of global changes are likely to be consistent with forest oligotrophication into the foreseeable future, further constraining forest C fixation and potentially storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- K K McLauchlan
- Department of Geography, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 66506, USA.
| | - L M Gerhart
- Department of Geography, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 66506, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i, Mānoa, Honolulu HI, 96822, USA
| | - J J Battles
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - J M Craine
- Jonah Ventures, LLC, Manhattan, Kansas, 66502, USA
| | - A J Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, 21532, USA
| | - P E Higuera
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812, USA
| | - M C Mack
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - B E McNeil
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 26506, USA
| | - D M Nelson
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, 21532, USA
| | - N Pederson
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, Massachusetts, 01366, USA
| | - S S Perakis
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
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13
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Cadol D, Elmore AJ, Guinn SM, Engelhardt KAM, Sanders G. Modeled Tradeoffs between Developed Land Protection and Tidal Habitat Maintenance during Rising Sea Levels. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164875. [PMID: 27788209 PMCID: PMC5082943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tidal habitats host a diversity of species and provide hydrological services such as shoreline protection and nutrient attenuation. Accretion of sediment and biomass enables tidal marshes and swamps to grow vertically, providing a degree of resilience to rising sea levels. Even if accelerating sea level rise overcomes this vertical resilience, tidal habitats have the potential to migrate inland as they continue to occupy land that falls within the new tide range elevations. The existence of developed land inland of tidal habitats, however, may prevent this migration as efforts are often made to dyke and protect developments. To test the importance of inland migration to maintaining tidal habitat abundance under a range of potential rates of sea level rise, we developed a spatially explicit elevation tracking and habitat switching model, dubbed the Marsh Accretion and Inundation Model (MAIM), which incorporates elevation-dependent net land surface elevation gain functions. We applied the model to the metropolitan Washington, DC region, finding that the abundance of small National Park Service units and other public open space along the tidal Potomac River system provides a refuge to which tidal habitats may retreat to maintain total habitat area even under moderate sea level rise scenarios (0.7 m and 1.1 m rise by 2100). Under a severe sea level rise scenario associated with ice sheet collapse (1.7 m by 2100) habitat area is maintained only if no development is protected from rising water. If all existing development is protected, then 5%, 10%, and 40% of the total tidal habitat area is lost by 2100 for the three sea level rise scenarios tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Cadol
- Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 87801, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew J. Elmore
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, United States of America
| | - Steven M. Guinn
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, United States of America
| | - Katharina A. M. Engelhardt
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, United States of America
| | - Geoffrey Sanders
- Center for Urban Ecology, National Park Service, Washington, DC, United States of America
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14
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Elmore AJ, Nelson DM, Craine JM. Earlier springs are causing reduced nitrogen availability in North American eastern deciduous forests. Nat Plants 2016; 2:16133. [PMID: 27618399 DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2016.133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is wide agreement that anthropogenic climate warming has influenced the phenology of forests during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries(1,2). Longer growing seasons can lead to increased photosynthesis and productivity(3), which would represent a negative feedback to rising CO2 and consequently warming(4,5). Alternatively, increased demand for soil resources because of a longer photosynthetically active period in conjunction with other global change factors might exacerbate resource limitation(6,7), restricting forest productivity response to a longer growing season(8,9). In this case, increased springtime productivity has the potential to increase plant nitrogen limitation by increasing plant demand for nitrogen more than nitrogen supplies, or increasing early-season ecosystem nitrogen losses(10,11). Here we show that for 222 trees representing three species in eastern North America earlier spring phenology during the past 30 years has caused declines in nitrogen availability to trees by increasing demand for nitrogen relative to supply. The observed decline in nitrogen availability is not associated with reduced wood production, suggesting that other environmental changes such as increased atmospheric CO2 and water availability are likely to have overwhelmed reduced nitrogen availability. Given current trajectories of environmental changes, nitrogen limitation is likely to continue to increase for these forests, possibly further limiting carbon sequestration potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Elmore
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, Maryland, 21532, USA
| | - David M Nelson
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, Maryland, 21532, USA
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15
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Elmore AJ, Engelhardt KAM, Cadol D, Palinkas CM. Spatial patterns of plant litter in a tidal freshwater marsh and implications for marsh persistence. Ecol Appl 2016; 26:846-860. [PMID: 27411255 DOI: 10.1890/14-1970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The maintenance of marsh platform elevation under conditions of sea level rise is dependent on mineral sediment supply to marsh surfaces and conversion of above- and belowground plant biomass to soil organic material. These physical and biological processes interact within the tidal zone, resulting in elevation-dependent processes contributing to marsh accretion. Here, we explore spatial pattern in a variable related to aboveground biomass, plant litter, to reveal its role in the maintenance of marsh surfaces. Plant litter persisting through the dormant season represents the more recalcitrant portion of plant biomass, and as such has an extended period of influence on ecosystem processes. We conducted a field and remote sensing analysis of plant litter height, aboveground biomass, vertical cover, and stem density (collectively termed plant litter structure) at a tidal freshwater marsh located within the Potomac River estuary, USA. LiDAR and field observations show that plant litter structure becomes more prominent with increasing elevation. Spatial patterns in litter structure exhibit stability from year to year and correlate with patterns in soil organic matter content, revealed by measuring the loss on ignition of surface sediments. The amount of mineral material embedded within plant litter decreases with increasing elevation, representing an important tradeoff with litter structure. Therefore, at low elevations where litter structure is short and sparse, the role of plant litter is to capture sediment; at high elevations where litter structure is tall and dense, aboveground litter contributes organic matter to soil development. This organic matter contribution has the potential to eclipse that of belowground biomass as the root:shoot ratio of dominant species at high elevations is low compared to that of dominant species at low elevations. Because of these tradeoffs in mineral and organic matter incorporation into soil across elevation gradients, the rate of marsh surface elevation change is remarkably consistent across elevation. Because of the role of plant litter in marsh ecosystem processes, monitoring and assessment of these dynamic geomorphic marsh landscapes might be streamlined through the measurement of plant litter structure, either via LiDAR technologies or field observation.
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16
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Abstract
Stream network density exerts a strong influence on ecohydrologic processes in watersheds, yet existing stream maps fail to capture most headwater streams and therefore underestimate stream density. Furthermore, discrepancies between mapped and actual stream length vary between watersheds, confounding efforts to understand the impacts of land use on stream ecosystems. Here we report on research that predicts stream presence from coupled field observations of headwater stream channels and terrain variables that were calculated both locally and as an average across the watershed upstream of any location on the landscape. Our approach used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt), a robust method commonly implemented to model species distributions that requires information only on the presence of the entity of interest. In validation, the method correctly predicts the presence of 86% of all 10-m stream segments and errors are low (<1%) for catchments larger than 10 ha. We apply this model to the entire Potomac River watershed (37,800 km2) and several adjacent watersheds to map stream density and compare our results with the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). We find that NHD underestimates stream density by up to 250%, with errors being greatest in the densely urbanized cities of Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD and in regions where the NHD has never been updated from its original, coarse-grain mapping. This work is the most ambitious attempt yet to map stream networks over a large region and will have lasting implications for modeling and conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jason P. Julian
- Department of Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Steven M. Guinn
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthew C. Fitzpatrick
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, United States of America
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17
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Craine JM, Elmore AJ, Aidar MPM, Bustamante M, Dawson TE, Hobbie EA, Kahmen A, Mack MC, McLauchlan KK, Michelsen A, Nardoto GB, Pardo LH, Peñuelas J, Reich PB, Schuur EAG, Stock WD, Templer PH, Virginia RA, Welker JM, Wright IJ. Global patterns of foliar nitrogen isotopes and their relationships with climate, mycorrhizal fungi, foliar nutrient concentrations, and nitrogen availability. New Phytol 2009; 183:980-992. [PMID: 19563444 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02917.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Ratios of nitrogen (N) isotopes in leaves could elucidate underlying patterns of N cycling across ecological gradients. To better understand global-scale patterns of N cycling, we compiled data on foliar N isotope ratios (delta(15)N), foliar N concentrations, mycorrhizal type and climate for over 11,000 plants worldwide. Arbuscular mycorrhizal, ectomycorrhizal, and ericoid mycorrhizal plants were depleted in foliar delta(15)N by 2 per thousand, 3.2 per thousand, 5.9 per thousand, respectively, relative to nonmycorrhizal plants. Foliar delta(15)N increased with decreasing mean annual precipitation and with increasing mean annual temperature (MAT) across sites with MAT >or= -0.5 degrees C, but was invariant with MAT across sites with MAT < -0.5 degrees C. In independent landscape-level to regional-level studies, foliar delta(15)N increased with increasing N availability; at the global scale, foliar delta(15)N increased with increasing foliar N concentrations and decreasing foliar phosphorus (P) concentrations. Together, these results suggest that warm, dry ecosystems have the highest N availability, while plants with high N concentrations, on average, occupy sites with higher N availability than plants with low N concentrations. Global-scale comparisons of other components of the N cycle are still required for better mechanistic understanding of the determinants of variation in foliar delta(15)N and ultimately global patterns in N cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Craine
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Andrew J Elmore
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA
| | - Marcos P M Aidar
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute of Botany, PB 4005 CEP 01061-970 São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Todd E Dawson
- Division of Ecosystem Sciences, Mulford Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Erik A Hobbie
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire, 39 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Ansgar Kahmen
- Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michelle C Mack
- Department of Botany, University of Florida, PO Box 118526, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Anders Michelsen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Biology, Oester Farimagsgade 2D, DK-1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Gabriela B Nardoto
- Lab. Ecologia Isotópica - CENA/USP, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Centenário, 303, Piracicaba SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Linda H Pardo
- USDA Forest Service, PO Box 968, Burlington, VT 05402, USA
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- Unitat d'Ecofisiologia CSIC-CREAF-CEAB, Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Edward A G Schuur
- Department of Botany, University of Florida, PO Box 118526, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - William D Stock
- Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Pamela H Templer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ross A Virginia
- Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Welker
- Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska, 707 A Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
| | - Ian J Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University 2109, Sydney, Australia
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18
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Craine JM, Battersby J, Elmore AJ, Jones AW. Building EDENs: The Rise of Environmentally Distributed Ecological Networks. Bioscience 2007. [DOI: 10.1641/b570108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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