1,720,977 research outputs found
Fragmented Landscape, Fragmented Knowledge: A Synthesis of Renosterveld Ecology and Conservation
No full textLocal and landscape level variables influence butterfly diversity in critically endangered South African renosterveld
No full textInforming adaptive governance of agricultural heritage landscapes under structural changes: the role of values, rules and knowledge
No full textParticipatory mapping of degradation and restoration processes in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem
No full texthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004049 Catholic Academic Exchange Servic
Farmers' perceptions of climate change and adaptation strategies in South Africa's Western Cape
No full textFire and landscape context shape plant and butterfly diversity in a South African shrubland
No full textAbstract Aim To understand effects of fire history and landscape composition on butterfly diversity in a fragmented agricultural landscape. Location We studied critically endangered renosterveld remnants within the fynbos biome in the Swartland municipality, Western Cape, South Africa, a global biodiversity hotspot. Method We selected survey sites on renosterveld fragments in the agricultural landscape along a gradient of fire history to test the response of biodiversity patterns to fire and landscape composition. We surveyed butterfly species richness, abundance and community composition as well as vegetation structure in five survey rounds on 58 sites between August 2018 and April 2019. We analysed data through linear modelling and multidimensional scaling. Results Fire was associated with reduced shrub and understorey plant cover and with increased plant species richness. Butterfly species richness was three to four times higher when natural habitat increased in the surrounding landscape (within a 2 km radius), while butterfly abundance was negatively associated with increasing time since fire, with approximately 50% fewer individuals after 9 years. Fire was indirectly associated with increased butterfly species richness and abundance through the alteration of vegetation structure, particularly through removal of shrubs and enhanced plant diversity. Low‐mobility butterfly species were more positively associated with less vegetation cover than were high‐mobility species, which were more associated with sites characterized by long absence of fire. Main conclusions Our findings suggest that species respond differently to fire, so a diversity of fire frequencies is recommended. Partially burning areas approximately every 10 years may benefit particularly low‐mobility butterfly species through gap creation and fostering plant diversity. Hence, including fire into management activities can benefit butterfly and plant populations alike in critically endangered renosterveld.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659Robert‐Bosch FoundationOpen-Access-Publikationsfonds 202
Diverging values and development options for agroforestry in a metropolitan area of North Africa
No full textThe use of large green infrastructures in peri-urban areas, such as urban forests, has become one of the most relevant tools to mitigate some of the negative impacts of urbanization while providing multiple benefits to city dwellers. However, these peri-urban forests are often highly contested spaces. Agroforestry offers a promising solution to reconcile diverging interests in the peri-urban context. In this study, we look at the Maâmora cork oak forest in Morocco, which exemplifies some of the challenges faced by large-scale green infrastructures that become enmeshed in rapid urbanization. We explore these dynamics and (1) map how local residents perceive a peri-urban agroforest, (2) characterize groups of residents according to their perceptions, and (3) disentangle preferences for the development of green infrastructure. To do this, we conducted 278 participatory mapping interviews in three urban and three rural settlements around Maâmora, mapping urban and rural residents’ uses, values, disvalues, and development preferences. Our results show how urban agroforestry could reconcile multiple demands in peri-urban green spaces. However, our analysis reveals contrasting development preferences between rural and urban residents and points to a growing disconnection from nature among urban dwellers, which risks marginalizing diverse perspectives from those residents more closely connected to the landscape. Our analysis also highlights the importance of exploring disvalues for a better recognition of the plural values of nature and to identify potential conflicts in the context of urban and rural planning.</p
Limited knowledge flow among stakeholders of critically endangered renosterveld in South Africa
No full textDespite its status as a biodiversity hotspot, the renosterveld ecosystem within the Greater Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, widely lacks the implementation of measures for biodiversity conservation in the Swartland, even though management plans exist. Though formally protected by law, most renosterveld remnants occur on privately owned agricultural land and therefore depend on private land management. Effective measures, and therefore, effective management of renosterveld for conservation, require various forms of knowledge, including scientific and technical knowledge. Knowledge flows through networks among various stakeholders connected through social relationships and enables individuals to acquire, transmit, and create understanding. We assessed the flow of knowledge and advice through a social network of renosterveld stakeholders. We interviewed 53 individuals, of which 32 were renosterveld private land managers, to determine participants' knowledge sources and network connections. The resulting information and advice networks suggest that land managers are relatively isolated from renosterveld-related knowledge. Of the interviewed land managers, 19% did not identify any knowledge sources, and 91% stated they did not receive any advice. Members of academia provided most of the received knowledge (29%). Seventeen percent of all exchanged knowledge stemmed from governmental organizations, and 5% from land managers. The findings suggest that renosterveld land managers have limited access to biodiversity knowledge, and there are limited numbers of connections between land managers and external parties (e.g., researchers, conservationists). Thus, the current knowledge sharing structures are insufficient to inform conservation management of critically endangered renosterveld in the Swartland. In this context, bridging organizations and knowledge brokers are crucial components for biodiversity conservation
Expansion of subalpine woody vegetation over 40 years on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
No full textClimate change is leading to the global loss of open montane meadows by facilitating tree and shrub encroachment at high elevations. North America’s coastal mountains are particularly vulnerable to these changes, as they are relatively low elevation compared to interior mountains and contain only small areas of alpine tundra. We compared aerial photographs from 1962 with photos from 2005 covering three subalpine regions on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in order to document the extent of changes in woody vegetation and investigate associations between vegetation change and topography. Mean proportional woody vegetation cover increased significantly from 0.75 (± 0.03) to 0.81 (± 0.03) between 1962 and 2005 (p < 0.0001). Relative increase in woody vegetation cover was greater at higher elevations and on northerly aspects. These findings confirm an upward expansion and infilling of trees and shrubs and a reduction of the area encompassed by open alpine tundra on Vancouver Island. Loss of open meadow conditions at high elevations in this region will likely have consequences for alpine plant and animal communities
“It keeps eating at you, little by little”: a photo essay on drought experiences across Morocco's agro-pastoral landscapes
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