2024-01-30 15:16:52
An international study, in which the Laboratory of Arid Zone Ecology and Global Change of the University of Alicante (UA) participates, has shown that the way in which the vegetation that covers the earth’s surface is organized influences the functioning and recovery capacity of arid ecosystems.
The results, published in the prestigious journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’, also known by its acronym PNAS, represent a ““significant advance” in understanding the relationship between spatial patterns of vegetation and resilience in the most arid regions of the world, as indicated by the Alicante academic institution in a statement.
Analysis and research
The research team has analyzed 115 arid ecosystems in 13 countries using remote sensing data, field information and mathematical models. The researcher from the Laboratory of Arid Zone Ecology and Global Change of the UA Emilio Guirado has explained that, with these studies, experts have shown that “the mechanisms responsible for the spatial patterns of vegetation allow healthy arid ecosystems adapt to changing environmental conditionssuch as water scarcity, adjusting its spatial structure.” “On the contrary, degraded ecosystems lack this capacity,” he specified.
These findings reveal that the spatial pattern of vegetation allows increasing resilience of arid ecosystems as aridity increases, which allows them to maintain their functioning under conditions of greater environmental stress.
The results of this study show that the spatial patterns of vegetation they are not only formed in response to stressful environmental conditionsbut also give arid territories the ability to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
Indicators of ecosystem health
The professor at the University of Alicante and director of the Laboratory of Arid Zone Ecology and Global Change, Fernando T. Maestre, has pointed out that the patterns found “could serve as valuable indicators of ecosystem healthopening important perspectives for future research in this field.”
“Understanding the role of spatial patterns of vegetation offers us a unique window to preserve these vital ecosystems in a world that faces increasing climate challenges,” Maestre highlighted.
Los spatial patternslike those of the vegetation of the arid ecosystems, are a common feature shared by many complex systems, from microbial communities to mussel beds. However, although the theoretical implications of these patterns for maintaining the ecosystem functioning and resilience have been widely studied, “the empirical evidence of their importance for these aspects of ecosystems is very scarce,” according to the UA researchers.
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