File(s) under permanent embargo
Using hydrological connectivity to detect transitions and degradation thresholds: Applications to dryland systems
journal contribution
posted on 2023-03-31, 00:15 authored by Patricia M Saco, José F Rodríguez, Mariano Moreno-de las Heras, Saskia Keesstra, Samira Azadi, Steven Sandi Rojas, Jantiene Baartman, Jesús Rodrigo-Comino, María Julieta RossiIn arid and semi-arid ecosystems, shortage of water can trigger changes in landscapes’ structures and function leading to degradation and desertification. Hydrological connectivity is a useful framework for understanding water redistribution and scaling issues associated with runoff and sediment production, since human and/or natural disturbances alter surface water availability and pathways increasing/decreasing connectivity. In this paper, we illustrate the use of the connectivity framework for several examples of dryland systems that are analysed at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. In doing so, we draw particular attention to the analysis of coevolution of system structures and function, and how they may drive threshold behaviour leading to desertification and degradation. We first analyse the case of semi-arid rangelands, where feedbacks between the decline in vegetation density and landscape erosion reinforces degradation processes driven by changes in connectivity until a threshold is crossed above which the return to a functional system is unlikely. We then focus on semi-arid wetlands, where decreases in water volumes promote terrestrial vegetation encroachment that changes drainage conditions and connectivity, potentially reinforcing redistribution of flow paths to other wetland areas. The analysis of dryland wetlands is based on a novel hydrologic connectivity index derived using inundation requirements for wetland vegetation associations. The examples presented highlight the need to incorporate a coevolutionary framework for the analysis of changing connectivity patterns and the emergence of thresholds in arid and semi-arid systems.
History
Journal
CATENAVolume
186Article number
104354Pagination
1-14Location
Amsterdam, The NetherlandsPublisher DOI
ISSN
0341-8162eISSN
1872-6887Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalPublisher
ElsevierUsage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Science & TechnologyPhysical SciencesLife Sciences & BiomedicineGeosciences, MultidisciplinarySoil ScienceWater ResourcesGeologyAgricultureSemi-arid environmentsLandscape evolutionHydrological connectivityGeoecologyLand degradationVEGETATION PATTERNSSEDIMENT CONNECTIVITYCLIMATE-CHANGELAND-USEDESERTIFICATIONLANDSCAPESFEEDBACKSFRAMEWORKSCALEMANAGEMENT15 Life on LandPhysical Geography and Environmental Geoscience not elsewhere classifiedGeologySoil Sciences not elsewhere classified
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC