Plant functional diversity, species diversity and climate in arid and semi-arid southern Africa

Cowling, Richard M.; Esler, Karen J.; Midgley, Guy F.; Honig, Maryke

doi:10.1006/jare.1994.1054

Cited by 96 publications

(69 citation statements)

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“…The composition of the Fn-LSav can be similar to that of the Nama-karoo, with dominance of C4 grasses (Poaceae) and succulent plants, but it differs in having scattered trees ( Fig. 2b) (Cowling et al, 1994). The Bd-LSav is characterised by broad-leaved trees from the Caesalpiniaceae and Combretaceae families and an understory dominated by grasses (Scholes, 1997).…”

Section: H Urrego Et Al: Increased Interglacial Aridity In Southmentioning

confidence: 87%

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Increased aridity in southwestern Africa during the warmest periods of the last interglacial

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Terrestrial and marine climatic tracers from marine core MD96-2098 were used to reconstruct glacialinterglacial climate variability in southwestern Africa between 194 and 24 thousand years before present. The pollen record documented three pronounced expansions of Namakaroo and fine-leaved savanna during the last interglacial (Marine Isotopic Stage 5 -MIS 5). These Nama-karoo and fine-leaved savanna expansions were linked to increased aridity during the three warmest substadials of MIS 5. Enhanced aridity potentially resulted from a combination of reduced Benguela Upwelling, expanded subtropical highpressure cells, and reduced austral-summer precipitation due to a northward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Decreased austral-winter precipitation was likely linked to a southern displacement of the westerlies. In contrast, during glacial isotopic stages MIS 6, 4 and 3, fynbos expanded at the expense of Nama-karoo and fine-leaved savanna indicating a relative increase in precipitation probably concentrated during the austral winter months. Our record also suggested that warm-cold or cold-warm transitions between isotopic stages and substages were punctuated by short increases in humidity. Increased aridity during MIS 5e, 5c and 5a warm substages coincided with minima in both precessional index and global ice volume. On the other hand, austral-winter precipitation increases were associated with precession maxima at the time of well-developed Northern Hemisphere ice caps.

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Section: H Urrego Et Al: Increased Interglacial Aridity In Southmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…1d). The desert reaches 300 km inland and its low precipitation input is linked to the intensity of BUS (Cowling et al, 1994).…”

Section: Modern Environmental Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased aridity in southwestern Africa during the warmest periods of the last interglacial

et al. 2015

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“…Cowling et al, 1994;Kadmon & Danin, 1999;Kutiel et al, 2000) showing that patterns in species diversity depend on functional group. Perennial species richness at the local scales (alpha diversity) were related to a long-term aridity gradient where richness was higher at the semi-arid SGS compared to the more arid CD and SGS/CD sites.…”

Section: Patterns Of Species Richness and Functional Group Abundancementioning

confidence: 98%

“…We also characterized climatic variability because of its importance to local and regional patterns in vegetation (Conley et al, 1992). The coefficient of variation is often used to describe variability in precipitation since it standardizes for the amount received (Conley et al, 1992;Cowling et al, 1994). Daily precipitation data were used to characterize the distribution of rainfall and drought events within each year because small rainfall events and drought are important to vegetation responses in arid and semi-arid ecosystems (Albertson & Weaver, 1944;Herbel et al, 1972;Sala et al, 1992).…”

Section: Climatic Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation and climate characteristics of arid and semi-arid grasslands in North America and their biome transition zone

Hochstrasser

Kröel-Dulay

Peters

et al. 2002

Journal of Arid Environments

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“…Many studies suggest that the measurement of biodiversity should include functional features or functional types as well as species (Fosberg 1967, Linder and Campbell 1979, Box 1981a, b, Gillison 1981, Nix and Gillison 1985, Cowling et al 1994a,b, Huston 1994, Collins and Benning 1996, Martinez 1996, Campbell et al 1999. Although definitions of functional types vary (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Generic, Computer-assisted Method for Rapid Vegetation Classification and Survey: Tropical and Temperate Case Studies

Gillison¹

2002

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ABSTRACT. Standard methods of vegetation classification and survey tend to be either too broad for management purposes or too reliant on local species to support inter-regional comparisons. A new approach to this problem uses species-independent plant functional types with a wide spectrum of environmental sensitivity. By means of a rule set, plant functional types can be constructed according to specific combinations from within a generic set of 35 adaptive, morphological plant functional attributes. Each combination assumes that a vascular plant individual can be described as a "coherent" functional unit. When used together with vegetation structure, plant functional types facilitate rapid vegetation assessment that complements species-based data and makes possible uniform comparisons of vegetation response to environmental change within and between countries. Recently developed user-friendly software (VegClass) facilitates data entry and the analysis of biophysical field records from a standardized, rapid, survey pro forma. Case studies are presented at a variety of spatial scales and for vegetation types ranging from species-poor arctic tundra to intensive, multitaxa, baseline biodiversity assessments in complex, humid tropical forests. These demonstrate how such data can be rapidly acquired, analyzed, and communicated to conservation managers. Sample databases are linked to downloadable software and a training manual.

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Plant functional diversity, species diversity and climate in arid and semi-arid southern Africa

Cited by 96 publications

References 0 publications

Increased aridity in southwestern Africa during the warmest periods of the last interglacial

Increased aridity in southwestern Africa during the warmest periods of the last interglacial

Vegetation and climate characteristics of arid and semi-arid grasslands in North America and their biome transition zone

A Generic, Computer-assisted Method for Rapid Vegetation Classification and Survey: Tropical and Temperate Case Studies

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