A phenology-based vegetation index for improving ratoon rice mapping using harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data

Ratoon rice,which refers to a second harvest of rice obtained from the regenerated tillers originating from the stubble of the first harvested crop,plays an important role in both food security and agroecology while requiring minimal agricultural inputs.However,accurately identifying ratoon rice crops is challenging due to the similarity of its spectral features with other rice cropping systems(e.g.,double rice).Moreover,images with a high spatiotemporal resolution are essential since ratoon rice is generally cultivated in fragmented croplands within regions that frequently exhibit cloudy and rainy weather.In this study,taking Qichun County in Hubei Province,China as an example,we developed a new phenology-based ratoon rice vegetation index(PRVI)for the purpose of ratoon rice mapping at a 30 m spatial resolution using a robust time series generated from Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2(HLS)images.The PRVI that incorporated the red,near-infrared,and shortwave infrared 1 bands was developed based on the analysis of spectro-phenological separability and feature selection.Based on actual field samples,the performance of the PRVI for ratoon rice mapping was carefully evaluated by comparing it to several vegetation indices,including normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),enhanced vegetation index(EVI)and land surface water index(LSWI).The results suggested that the PRVI could sufficiently capture the specific characteristics of ratoon rice,leading to a favorable separability between ratoon rice and other land cover types.Furthermore,the PRVI showed the best performance for identifying ratoon rice in the phenological phases characterized by grain filling and harvesting to tillering of the ratoon crop(GHS-TS2),indicating that only several images are required to obtain an accurate ratoon rice map.Finally,the PRVI performed better than NDVI,EVI,LSWI and their combination at the GHS-TS2 stages,with producer's accuracy and user's accuracy of 92.22 and 89.30%,respectively.These results demonstrate that the proposed PRVI based on HLS data can effectively identify ratoon rice in fragmented croplands at crucial phenological stages,which is promising for identifying the earliest timing of ratoon rice planting and can provide a fundamental dataset for crop management activities.

Modelling analysis embodies drastic transition among global potential natural vegetations in face of changing climate

Potential natural vegetation(PNV)is a valuable reference for ecosystem renovation and has garnered increasing attention worldwide.However,there is limited knowledge on the spatio-temporal distributions,transitional processes,and underlying mechanisms of global natural vegetation,particularly in the case of ongoing climate warming.In this study,we visualize the spatio-temporal pattern and inter-transition procedure of global PNV,analyse the shifting distances and directions of global PNV under the influence of climatic disturbance,and explore the mechanisms of global PNV in response to temperature and precipitation fluctuations.To achieve this,we utilize meteorological data,mainly temperature and precipitation,from six phases:the Last Inter-Glacial(LIG),the Last Glacial Maximum(LGM),the Mid Holocene(MH),the Present Day(PD),2030(20212040)and 2090(2081–2100),and employ a widely-accepted comprehensive and sequential classification sy–stem(CSCS)for global PNV classification.We find that the spatial patterns of five PNV groups(forest,shrubland,savanna,grassland and tundra)generally align with their respective ecotopes,although their distributions have shifted due to fluctuating temperature and precipitation.Notably,we observe an unexpected transition between tundra and savanna despite their geographical distance.The shifts in distance and direction of five PNV groups are mainly driven by temperature and precipitation,although there is heterogeneity among these shifts for each group.Indeed,the heterogeneity observed among different global PNV groups suggests that they may possess varying capacities to adjust to and withstand the impacts of changing climate.The spatio-temporal distributions,mutual transitions and shift tendencies of global PNV and its underlying mechanism in face of changing climate,as revealed in this study,can significantly contribute to the development of strategies for mitigating warming and promoting re-vegetation in degraded regions worldwide.

Taxonomic Study of Five Parasitic Polypores of the Hymenochaetaceae Family of TIN Vegetation in Western Burkina Faso

The aim of this work is to inventory and study the lignicolous parasitic macrofungi of the Tin plant formation. The mycological outings from July to September 2018 and 2019, collected forty-four (44) basidiomes through a random sampling device over an area of 40,000 m2 including 1000 m long by 40 m2 wide. The standard methods and techniques used in mycology for taxonomic studies were used to describe and classify the carpophores collected in three families: Hymenochaetaceae, Ganodermataceae and Polyporaceae, into eight genera: Onnia (4.55%), Amauroderma (4.55%), Ganoderma (20.45%), Phellinus (52.27%), Inonotus (4.55%), Phellinopsis (6.82%), Grammothele (2.27%) and Trametes (4.55%). The genera Phellinus and Ganoderma were the most abundant. Finally, eight species were identified: Inonotus cf. ochroporus, Inonotus cf. pachyphloeus, Phellinus cf. cryptarum, Phellinus cf. hartigii, Phellinus cf. hippophaecola;Phellinus cf. robustus, Phellinus cf. igniarius, et Amauroderma cf. fasciculatum. Seven fungal species belong to the family Hymenochaetaceae and only the species Amauroderma cf. fasciculatum is a Ganodermataceae. However, all these fungal species are shown to be parasites of trunks and/or branches of the following woody: Parkia biglobosa (50%), Anogeissus leiocarpus (25%), Annona senegalensis (12.5%) and Mangifera indica (12.5%). Authors attest that the presence of phytoparasitic polypores in a plant formation is an indicator of aging hence the urgency to put in place the appropriate measures to safeguard and restore Tin’s plant formation.

Response of vegetation variation to climate change and human activities in the Shiyang River Basin of China during 2001-2022

Understanding the response of vegetation variation to climate change and human activities is critical for addressing future conflicts between humans and the environment,and maintaining ecosystem stability.Here,we aimed to identify the determining factors of vegetation variation and explore the sensitivity of vegetation to temperature(SVT)and the sensitivity of vegetation to precipitation(SVP)in the Shiyang River Basin(SYRB)of China during 2001-2022.The climate data from climatic research unit(CRU),vegetation index data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS),and land use data from Landsat images were used to analyze the spatial-temporal changes in vegetation indices,climate,and land use in the SYRB and its sub-basins(i.e.,upstream,midstream,and downstream basins)during 2001-2022.Linear regression analysis and correlation analysis were used to explore the SVT and SVP,revealing the driving factors of vegetation variation.Significant increasing trends(P<0.05)were detected for the enhanced vegetation index(EVI)and normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)in the SYRB during 2001-2022,with most regions(84%)experiencing significant variation in vegetation,and land use change was determined as the dominant factor of vegetation variation.Non-significant decreasing trends were detected in the SVT and SVP of the SYRB during 2001-2022.There were spatial differences in vegetation variation,SVT,and SVP.Although NDVI and EVI exhibited increasing trends in the upstream,midstream,and downstream basins,the change slope in the downstream basin was lower than those in the upstream and midstream basins,the SVT in the upstream basin was higher than those in the midstream and downstream basins,and the SVP in the downstream basin was lower than those in the upstream and midstream basins.Temperature and precipitation changes controlled vegetation variation in the upstream and midstream basins while human activities(land use change)dominated vegetation variation in the downstream basin.We concluded that there is a spatial heterogeneity in the response of vegetation variation to climate change and human activities across different sub-basins of the SYRB.These findings can enhance our understanding of the relationship among vegetation variation,climate change,and human activities,and provide a reference for addressing future conflicts between humans and the environment in the arid inland river basins.

Impact of climate and human activity on NDVI of various vegetation types in the Three-River Source Region, China

The Three-River Source Region(TRSR)in China holds a vital position and exhibits an irreplaceable strategic importance in ecological preservation at the national level.On the basis of an in-depth study of the vegetation evolution in the TRSR from 2000 to 2022,we conducted a detailed analysis of the feedback mechanism of vegetation growth to climate change and human activity for different vegetation types.During the growing season,the spatiotemporal variations of normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)for different vegetation types in the TRSR were analyzed using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)-NDVI data and meteorological data from 2000 to 2022.In addition,the response characteristics of vegetation to temperature,precipitation,and human activity were assessed using trend analysis,partial correlation analysis,and residual analysis.Results indicated that,after in-depth research,from 2000 to 2022,the TRSR's average NDVI during the growing season was 0.3482.The preliminary ranking of the average NDVI for different vegetation types was as follows:shrubland(0.5762)>forest(0.5443)>meadow(0.4219)>highland vegetation(0.2223)>steppe(0.2159).The NDVI during the growing season exhibited a fluctuating growth trend,with an average growth rate of 0.0018/10a(P<0.01).Notably,forests displayed a significant development trend throughout the growing season,possessing the fastest rate of change in NDVI(0.0028/10a).Moreover,the upward trends in NDVI for forests and steppes exhibited extensive spatial distributions,with significant increases accounting for 95.23%and 93.80%,respectively.The sensitivity to precipitation was significantly enhanced in other vegetation types other than highland vegetation.By contrast,steppes,meadows,and highland vegetation demonstrated relatively high vulnerability to temperature fluctuations.A further detailed analysis revealed that climate change had a significant positive impact on the TRSR from 2000 to 2022,particularly in its northwestern areas,accounting for 85.05%of the total area.Meanwhile,human activity played a notable positive role in the southwestern and southeastern areas of the TRSR,covering 62.65%of the total area.Therefore,climate change had a significantly higher impact on NDVI during the growing season in the TRSR than human activity.

Can urban forests provide acoustic refuges for birds?Investigating the influence of vegetation structure and anthropogenic noise on bird sound diversity

As a crucial component of terrestrial ecosystems,urban forests play a pivotal role in protecting urban biodiversity by providing suitable habitats for acoustic spaces.Previous studies note that vegetation structure is a key factor influencing bird sounds in urban forests;hence,adjusting the frequency composition may be a strategy for birds to avoid anthropogenic noise to mask their songs.However,it is unknown whether the response mechanisms of bird vocalizations to vegetation structure remain consistent despite being impacted by anthropogenic noise.It was hypothesized that anthropogenic noise in urban forests occupies the low-frequency space of bird songs,leading to a possible reshaping of the acoustic niches of forests,and the vegetation structure of urban forests is the critical factor that shapes the acoustic space for bird vocalization.Passive acoustic monitoring in various urban forests was used to monitor natural and anthropogenic noises,and sounds were classified into three acoustic scenes(bird sounds,human sounds,and bird-human sounds)to determine interconnections between bird sounds,anthropogenic noise,and vegetation structure.Anthropogenic noise altered the acoustic niche of urban forests by intruding into the low-frequency space used by birds,and vegetation structures related to volume(trunk volume and branch volume)and density(number of branches and leaf area index)significantly impact the diversity of bird sounds.Our findings indicate that the response to low and high frequency signals to vegetation structure is distinct.By clarifying this relationship,our results contribute to understanding of how vegetation structure influences bird sounds in urban forests impacted by anthropogenic noise.

Echocardiographic predictors and associated outcomes of multiple vegetations in infective endocarditis:A pilot study

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis(IE)is a life-threatening infection with an annual mortality of 40%.Embolic events reported in up to 80%of patients.Vegetations of>10 mm size are associated with increased embolic events and poor prognosis.There is a paucity of literature on the association of multiple vegetations with outcome.AIM To study the echocardiographic(ECHO)features and outcomes associated with the presence of multiple vegetations.METHODS In this retrospective,single-center,cohort study patients diagnosed with IE were recruited from June 2017 to June 2019.A total of 84 patients were diagnosed to have IE,of whom 67 with vegetation were identified.Baseline demographic,clinical,laboratory,and ECHO parameters were reviewed.Outcomes that were studied included recurrent admission,embolic phenomenon,and mortality.RESULTS Twenty-three(34%)patients were noted to have multiple vegetations,13(56.5%)were male and 10(43.5%)were female.The mean age of these patients was 50.Eight(35%)had a prior episode of IE.ECHO features of moderate to severe valvular regurgitation[odds ratio(OR)=4],presence of pacemaker lead(OR=4.8),impaired left ventricle(LV)relaxation(OR=4),and elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure(PASP)(OR=2.2)are associated with higher odds of multiple vegetations.Of these moderate to severe valvular regurgitation(P=0.028),pacemaker lead(P=0.039)and impaired relaxation(P=0.028)were statistically significant.These patients were noted to have an increased association of recurrent admissions(OR=3.6),recurrent bacteremia(OR=2.4),embolic phenomenon(OR=2.5),intensive care unit stay(OR=2.8),hypotension(OR=2.1),surgical intervention(OR=2.8)and device removal(OR=4.8).Of this device removal(P=0.039)and recurrent admissions(P=0.017)were statistically significant.CONCLUSION This study highlights the associations of ECHO predictors and outcomes in patients with IE having multiple vegetations.ECHO features of moderate to severe regurgitation,presence of pacemaker lead,impaired LV relaxation,and elevated PASP and outcomes including recurrent admissions and device removal were found to be associated with multiple vegetations.

Phenology of different types of vegetation and their response to climate change in the Qilian Mountains,China

The Qilian Mountains(QM)possess a delicate vegetation ecosystem,amplifying the evident response of vegetation phenology to climate change.The relationship between changes in vegetation growth and climate remains complex.To this end,we used MODIS NDVI data to extract the phenological parameters of the vegetation including meadow(MDW),grassland(GSD),and alpine vegetation(ALV))in the QM from 2002 to 2021.Then,we employed path analysis to reveal the direct and indirect impacts of seasonal climate change on vegetation phenology.Additionally,we decomposed the vegetation phenology in a time series using the trigonometric seasonality,Box-Cox transformation,ARMA errors,and Trend Seasonal components model(TBATS).The findings showed a distinct pattern in the vegetation phenology of the QM,characterized by a progressive shift towards an earlier start of the growing season(SOS),a delayed end of the growing season(EOS),and an extended length of the growing season(LOS).The growth cycle of MDW,GSD,and ALV in the QM species is clearly defined.The SOS for MDW and GSD occurred earlier,mainly between late April and August,while the SOS for ALVs occurred between mid-May and mid-August,a one-month delay compared to the other vegetation.The EOS in MDW and GSD were concentrated between late August and April and early September and early January,respectively.Vegetation phenology exhibits distinct responses to seasonal temperature and precipitation patterns.The advancement and delay of SOS were mainly influenced by the direct effect of spring temperatures and precipitation,which affected 19.59%and 22.17%of the study area,respectively.The advancement and delay of EOS were mainly influenced by the direct effect of fall temperatures and precipitation,which affected 30.18%and 21.17%of the area,respectively.On the contrary,the direct effects of temperature and precipitation in summer and winter on vegetation phenology seem less noticeable and were mainly influenced by indirect effects.The indirect effect of winter precipitation is the main factor affecting the advance or delay of SOS,and the area proportions were 16.29%and 23.42%,respectively.The indirect effects of fall temperatures and precipitation were the main factors affecting the delay and advancement of EOS,respectively,with an area share of 15.80%and 21.60%.This study provides valuable insight into the relationship between vegetation phenology and climate change,which can be of great practical value for the ecological protection of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as well as for the development of GSD ecological animal husbandry in the QM alpine pastoral area.

Terrain or climate factor dominates vegetation resilience?Evidence from three national parks across different climatic zones in China

Vegetation resilience(VR),providing an objective measure of ecosystem health,has received considerable attention,however,there is still limited understanding of whether the dominant factors differ across different climate zones.We took the three national parks(Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park,HTR;Wuyishan National Park,WYS;and Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park,NTL)of China with less human interference as cases,which are distributed in different climatic zones,including tropical,subtropical and temperate monsoon climates,respectively.Then,we employed the probabilistic decay method to explore the spatio-temporal changes in the VR and their natural driving patterns using Geographically Weighted Regression(GWR)model as well.The results revealed that:(1)from 2000 to 2020,the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)of the three national parks fluctuated between 0.800 and 0.960,exhibiting an overall upward trend,with the mean NDVI of NTL(0.923)>HTR(0.899)>WYS(0.823);(2)the positive trend decay time of vegetation exceeded that of negative trend,indicating vegetation gradual recovery of the three national parks since 2012;(3)the VR of HTR was primarily influenced by elevation,aspect,average annual temperature change(AATC),and average annual precipitation change(AAPC);the WYS'VR was mainly affected by elevation,average annual precipitation(AAP),and AAPC;while the terrain factors(elevation and slope)were the main driving factors of VR in NTL;(4)among the main factors influencing the VR changes,the AAPC had the highest proportion in HTR(66.7%),and the AAP occupied the largest area proportion in WYS(80.4%).While in NTL,elevation served as the main driving factor for the VR,encompassing 64.2%of its area.Consequently,our findings indicated that precipitation factors were the main driving force for the VR changes in HTR and WYS national parks,while elevation was the main factors that drove the VR in NTL.Our research has promoted a deeper understanding of the driving mechanism behind the VR.

Assessment of vegetation cover changes and the contributing factors in the Al-Ahsa Oasis using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)

The abandonment of date palm grove of the former Al-Ahsa Oasis in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia has resulted in the conversion of delicate agricultural area into urban area.The current state of the oasis is influenced by both expansion and degradation factors.Therefore,it is important to study the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation cover for the sustainable management of oasis resources.This study used Landsat satellite images in 1987,2002,and 2021 to monitor the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation cover in the Al-Ahsa Oasis,applied multi-temporal Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)data spanning from 1987 to 2021 to assess environmental and spatiotemporal variations that have occurred in the Al-Ahsa Oasis,and investigated the factors influencing these variation.This study reveals that there is a significant improvement in the ecological environment of the oasis during 1987–2021,with increase of NDVI values being higher than 0.10.In 2021,the highest NDVI value is generally above 0.70,while the lowest value remains largely unchanged.However,there is a remarkable increase in NDVI values between 0.20 and 0.30.The area of low NDVI values(0.00–0.20)has remained almost stable,but the region with high NDVI values(above 0.70)expands during 1987–2021.Furthermore,this study finds that in 1987–2002,the increase of vegetation cover is most notable in the northern region of the study area,whereas from 2002 to 2021,the increase of vegetation cover is mainly concentrated in the northern and southern regions of the study area.From 1987 to 2021,NDVI values exhibit the most pronounced variation,with a significant increase in the“green”zone(characterized by NDVI values exceeding 0.40),indicating a substantial enhancement in the ecological environment of the oasis.The NDVI classification is validated through 50 ground validation points in the study area,demonstrating a mean accuracy of 92.00%in the detection of vegetation cover.In general,both the user’s and producer’s accuracies of NDVI classification are extremely high in 1987,2002,and 2021.Finally,this study suggests that environmental authorities should strengthen their overall forestry project arrangements to combat sand encroachment and enhance the ecological environment of the Al-Ahsa Oasis.

Numerical study of submerged bending vegetation under unidirectional flow

Submerged vegetation commonly grows and plays a vital role in aquatic ecosystems,but it is also regarded as a barrier to the passing flow.Numerical simulations of flow through and over submerged vegetation were carried out to investigate the effect of vegetation density on flow field.Numerical simulations were computationally set up to replicate flume experiments,in which vegetation was mimicked with flexible plastic strips.The fluid-structure interaction between flow and flexible vegetation was solved by coupling the two modules of the COMSOL packages.Two cases with different vegetation densities were simulated,and the results were successfully validated against the experimental data.The contours of the simulated time-averaged streamwise velocity and Reynolds stress were extracted to highlight the differences in mean and turbulent flow statistics.The turbulence intensity was found to be more sensitive to vegetation density than the time-averaged velocity.The developing length increased with the spacing between plants.The snapshots of the bending vegetation under instantaneous velocity and vorticity revealed that flexible vegetation responded to the effects of eddies in the shear layer by swaying periodically.The first two rows of vegetation suffered stronger approaching flow and were prone to more streamlined postures.In addition,the origin of tip vortices was investigated via the distribution of vorticity.The results reveal the variation of flow properties with bending submerged vegetation and provide useful reference for optimizationofrestorationprojects.

Wave Attenuation and Turbulence Driven by Submerged Vegetation Under Current-Wave Flow

A set of laboratory experiments are carried out to investigate the effect of following/opposing currents on wave attenuation.Rigid vegetation canopies with aligned and staggered configurations were tested under the condition of various regular wave heights and current velocities,with the constant water depth being 0.60 m to create the desired submerged scenarios.Results show that the vegetation-induced wave dissipation is enhanced with the increasing incident wave height.A larger velocity magnititude leads to a greater wave height attenuation for both following and opposing current conditions.Moreover,there is a strong positive linear correlation between the damping coefficientβand the relative wave height H_(0)/h,especially for pure wave conditions.For the velocity profile,the distributions of U_(min)and U_(max)show different patterns under combined wave and current.The time-averaged turbulent kinetic energy(TKE)vary little under pure wave and U_(c)=±0.05 m/s conditions.With the increase of flow velocity amplitude,the time-averaged TKE shows a particularly pronounced increase trend at the top of the canopy.The vegetation drag coefficients are obtained by a calibration approach.The empirical relations of drag coefficient with Reynolds and Keulegane-Carpenter numbers are proposed to further understand the wave-current-vegetation interaction mechanism.

Improving the Accuracy of Vegetation Index Retrieval for Biomass by Combining Ground-UAV Hyperspectral Data-A New Method for Inner Mongolia Typical Grasslands

Grassland biomass is an important parameter of grassland ecosystems.The complexity of the grassland canopy vegetation spectrum makes the long-term assessment of grassland growth a challenge.Few studies have explored the original spectral information of typical grasslands in Inner Mongolia and examined the influence of spectral information on aboveground biomass(AGB)estimation.In order to improve the accuracy of vegetation index inversion of grassland AGB,this study combined ground and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)remote sensing technology and screened sensitive bands through ground hyperspectral data transformation and correlation analysis.The narrow band vegetation indices were calculated,and ground and airborne hyperspectral inversion models were established.Finally,the accuracy of the model was verified.The results showed that:(1)The vegetation indices constructed based on the ASD FieldSpec 4 and the UAV were significantly correlated with the dry and fresh weight of AGB.(2)The comparison between measured R^(2) with the prediction R^(2) indicated that the accuracy of the model was the best when using the Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index(SAVI)as the independent variable in the analysis of AGB(fresh weight/dry weight)and four narrow-band vegetation indices.The SAVI vegetation index showed better applicability for biomass monitoring in typical grassland areas of Inner Mongolia.(3)The obtained ground and airborne hyperspectral data with the optimal vegetation index suggested that the dry weight of AGB has the best fitting effect with airborne hyperspectral data,where y=17.962e^(4.672x),the fitting R^(2) was 0.542,the prediction R^(2)was 0.424,and RMSE and REE were 57.03 and 0.65,respectively.Therefore,established vegetation indices by screening sensitive bands through hyperspectral feature analysis can significantly improve the inversion accuracy of typical grassland biomass in Inner Mongolia.Compared with ground monitoring,airborne hyperspectral monitoring better reflects the inversion of actual surface biomass.It provides a reliable modeling framework for grassland AGB monitoring and scientific and technological support for grazing management.

Emission-side drivers affecting carbon neutrality based on vegetation carbon sequestration:Evidence from China

To address climate change,the world needs deep decarbonization to achieve carbon neutrality(CN),which implies net-zero human-caused CO_(2) emissions in the atmosphere.This study used emission-side drivers,including socioeconomic and net primary productivity(NPP)-based factors,to determine the changes in CN based on vegetation carbon sequestration in the case of China during 2001-2015.Spatial exploratory analysis as well as the combined use of production-theoretical decomposition analysis(PDA)and an econometric model were also utilized.We showed that CN was significantly spatially correlated over the study period;Yunnan,Heilongjiang,and Jilin presented positive spatial autocorrelations,whereas Guizhou showed a negative spatial autocorrelation.More than half of CN declined over the period during which potential energy intensity(PEIE)and energy usage technological change were the largest negative and positive drivers for increasing CN.PEIE played a significantly negative role in increasing CN.We advise policymakers to focus more on emission-side drivers(e.g.,energy intensity)in addition to strengthening NPP management to achieve CN.

Climate-Vegetation Coverage Interactions in the Hengduan Mountains Area, Southeastern Tibetan Plateau, and Their Downstream Effects

Little is known about the mechanism of climate-vegetation coverage coupled changes in the Tibetan Plateau(TP)region,which is the most climatically sensitive and ecologically fragile region with the highest terrain in the world.This study,using multisource datasets(including satellite data and meteorological observations and reanalysis data)revealed the mutual feedback mechanisms between changes in climate(temperature and precipitation)and vegetation coverage in recent decades in the Hengduan Mountains Area(HMA)of the southeastern TP and their influences on climate in the downstream region,the Sichuan Basin(SCB).There is mutual facilitation between rising air temperature and increasing vegetation coverage in the HMA,which is most significant during winter,and then during spring,but insignificant during summer and autumn.Rising temperature significantly enhances local vegetation coverage,and vegetation greening in turn heats the atmosphere via enhancing net heat flux from the surface to the atmosphere.The atmospheric heating anomaly over the HMA thickens the atmospheric column and increases upper air pressure.The high pressure anomaly disperses downstream via the westerly flow,expands across the SCB,and eventually increases the SCB temperature.This effect lasts from winter to the following spring,which may cause the maximum increasing trend of the SCB temperature and vegetation coverage in spring.These results are helpful for estimating future trends in climate and eco-environmental variations in the HMA and SCB under warming scenarios,as well as seasonal forecasting based on the connection between the HMA eco-environment and SCB climate.

Early response of understory vegetation to the mass dieback of Norway spruce in the European lowland temperate forest

Spruce-dominated forests are commonly exposed to disturbances associated with mass occurrences of bark beetles.The dieback of trees triggers many physical and chemical processes in the ecosystem resulting in rapid changes in the vegetation of the lower forest layers.We aimed to determine the response of non-tree understory vegetation to the mass dieback of Norway spruce(Picea abies)in the first years after the disturbance caused by the European spruce bark beetle(Ips typographus)outbreak.Our study area was the Białowieża Biosphere Reserve covering the Polish part of the emblematic Białowieża Forest,in total 597km^(2).The main data source comprised 3,900 phytosociological relevés(combined spring and summer campaigns)collected from 1,300 systematically distributed forest sites in 2016–2018–the peak years of the bark beetle outbreak.We found that the understory responded immediately to mass spruce dieback,with the most pronounced changes observed in the year of the disturbance and the subsequent year.Shade-tolerant forest species declined in the initial years following the mass spruce dieback,while hemicryptophytes,therophytes,light-demanding species associated with non-forest seminatural communities,as well as water-demanding forest species,expanded.Oxalis acetosella,the most common understory species in the Białowieża Forest,showed a distinct fluctuation pattern,with strong short-term expansion right after spruce dieback,followed by a gradual decline over the next 3–4 years to a cover level 5 percentage points lower than before the disturbance.Thus,our study revealed that mass spruce dieback selectively affects individual herb species,and their responses can be directional and non-directional(fluctuation).Furthermore,we demonstrated that the mass dieback of spruce temporarily increases plant species diversity(α-diversity).

Drivers,Trends,and Patterns of Changing Vegetation-greenness in Nansha Islands,China from 2016 to 2022

Changes in vegetation status generally also represents changes in the ecological health of islands and reefs(IRs).However,studies are limited of drivers and trends of vegetation change of Nansha Islands,China and how they relate to climate change and human activities.To resolve this limitation,we studied changes to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)vegetation-greenness index for 22 IRs of Nansha Islands during normal and extreme conditions.Trends of vegetation greenness were analyzed using Sen's slope and Mann-Kendall test at two spatial scales(pixel and island),and driving factor analyses were performed by time-lagged partial correlation analyses.These were related to impacts from human activities and climatic factors under normal(temperature,precipitation,radiation,and Normalized Difference Built-up Index(NDBI))and extreme conditions(wind speed and latitude of IRs)from 2016 to 2022.Results showed:1)among the 22 IRs,NDVI increased/decreased significantly in 15/4 IRs,respectively.Huayang Reef had the highest NDVI change-rate(0.48%/mon),and Zhongye Island had the lowest(–0.29%/mon).Local spatial patterns were in one of two forms:dotted-form,and degradation in banded-form.2)Under normal conditions,human activities(characterized by NDBI)had higher impacts on vegetation-greenness than other factors.3)Under extreme conditions,wind speed(R^(2)=0.2337,P<0.05)and latitude(R^(2)=0.2769,P<0.05)provided limited explanation for changes from typhoon events.Our results provide scientific support for the sustainable development of Nansha Islands and the United Nations‘Ocean Decade’initiative.

Impacts of climate change and human activities on vegetation dynamics on the Mongolian Plateau, East Asia from 2000 to 2023

The Mongolian Plateau in East Asia is one of the largest contingent arid and semi-arid areas of the world.Under the impacts of climate change and human activities,desertification is becoming increasingly severe on the Mongolian Plateau.Understanding the vegetation dynamics in this region can better characterize its ecological changes.In this study,based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)images,we calculated the kernel normalized difference vegetation index(kNDVI)on the Mongolian Plateau from 2000 to 2023,and analyzed the changes in kNDVI using the Theil-Sen median trend analysis and Mann-Kendall significance test.We further investigated the impact of climate change on kNDVI change using partial correlation analysis and composite correlation analysis,and quantified the effects of climate change and human activities on kNDVI change by residual analysis.The results showed that kNDVI on the Mongolian Plateau was increasing overall,and the vegetation recovery area in the southern region was significantly larger than that in the northern region.About 50.99%of the plateau showed dominant climate-driven effects of temperature,precipitation,and wind speed on kNDVI change.Residual analysis showed that climate change and human activities together contributed to 94.79%of the areas with vegetation improvement.Appropriate human activities promoted the recovery of local vegetation,and climate change inhibited vegetation growth in the northern part of the Mongolian Plateau.This study provides scientific data for understanding the regional ecological environment status and future changes and developing effective ecological protection measures on the Mongolian Plateau.

Impact of Vegetation Restoration on Soil Fungal Community Structure in Karst Rocky Desertification Areas

In this paper,managed forest(MF)and natural forest(NF)in the Huajiang Demonstration Zone of Guanling,Guizhou were selected as research objects,and cropland(CL)was taken as control.High-throughput sequencing technology was used to study the characteristics of fungal community composition and species diversity in the surface(0-10 cm)soil of each restoration measure,in order to reveal the dominant soil fungal groups and fungal community composition in karst rocky desertification areas,which was conducive to a more comprehensive understanding of the soil conditions of different vegetation restoration measures.Research has shown that vegetation restoration significantly affected the diversity of soil fungal community,with significant increases in Sob index,Ace index,and Chao index.The vegetation restoration has significantly changed the composition of fungal community.The dominant fungi in the CL topsoil are Sordariomycetes(62.28%),Dothideomycetes(12.34%),and Eurotiomycetes(9.12%);the dominant fungi in the MF soil are Sordariomycetes(45.05%),Dothideomycetes(14.74%),and Mortierellomycetes(10.40%);the dominant fungi in the NF soil are unclassified fungal community(26.38%),Sordariomycetes(19.78%),and Agaricomycetes(13.82%).Vegetation restoration has changed the key fungal groups in the soil.Sordariomycetes,Fusarium,and Setophoma are the key dominant fungal groups in CL soil;Dioszegia is key dominant fungal group in MF soil;c_unclassified_k_Fungi,p_unclassified_k_Fungi,o_unclassified_k_Fungi,f_unclassified_k_Fungi,g_unclassified_k_Fungi,Teichospora,and Diaporthe are key dominant fungal groups in NF soil.

Influence of vapor pressure deficit on vegetation growth in China

Vapor pressure deficit(VPD)plays a crucial role in determining plant physiological functions and exerts a substantial influence on vegetation,second only to carbon dioxide(CO_(2)).As a robust indicator of atmospheric water demand,VPD has implications for global water resources,and its significance extends to the structure and functioning of ecosystems.However,the influence of VPD on vegetation growth under climate change remains unclear in China.This study employed empirical equations to estimate the VPD in China from 2000 to 2020 based on meteorological reanalysis data of the Climatic Research Unit(CRU)Time-Series version 4.06(TS4.06)and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)Reanalysis 5(ERA-5).Vegetation growth status was characterized using three vegetation indices,namely gross primary productivity(GPP),leaf area index(LAI),and near-infrared reflectance of vegetation(NIRv).The spatiotemporal dynamics of VPD and vegetation indices were analyzed using the Theil-Sen median trend analysis and Mann-Kendall test.Furthermore,the influence of VPD on vegetation growth and its relative contribution were assessed using a multiple linear regression model.The results indicated an overall negative correlation between VPD and vegetation indices.Three VPD intervals for the correlations between VPD and vegetation indices were identified:a significant positive correlation at VPD below 4.820 hPa,a significant negative correlation at VPD within 4.820–9.000 hPa,and a notable weakening of negative correlation at VPD above 9.000 hPa.VPD exhibited a pronounced negative impact on vegetation growth,surpassing those of temperature,precipitation,and solar radiation in absolute magnitude.CO_(2) contributed most positively to vegetation growth,with VPD offsetting approximately 30.00%of the positive effect of CO_(2).As the rise of VPD decelerated,its relative contribution to vegetation growth diminished.Additionally,the intensification of spatial variations in temperature and precipitation accentuated the spatial heterogeneity in the impact of VPD on vegetation growth in China.This research provides a theoretical foundation for addressing climate change in China,especially regarding the challenges posed by increasing VPD.