Seedling emergence, survival and early growth of the Mediterranean conifer P. pinaster were studied under closed canopy and open canopy (gaps) cover conditions in a Mediterranean forest of central Spain during two consecutive years (March 2008 to January 2010). Our main objective was to understand how overstorey structure, shrubs and soil properties influence recruitment in this species. Natura...

abstract. rangeland vegetation dynamics encompass all processes of changes in vegetation composition and structure over time. investigating the rangeland ecosystem dynamics makes it possible to determine the effects of climatic and management conditions on qualitative and quantitative changes of the vegetation in a specific period of time. accordingly, data collection and measurements for evalu...

tragacanth gum is one of the most important medicinal and industrial productsof rangelands and is obtained from the incision of gum tragacanth-producing astragalusincluding astragalus keyserlingii. the conservation of astragalus species in rangelandshas a special place in terms of economic profit and soil conservation. the increase in priceof gum tragacanth in recent years and more attention of...

In many parts of the world, urban planning has a renewed focus on addressing the multiple challenges associated with population growth and climate change. Focused on local needs and priorities, these planning processes are raising tensions between more compact and dense urban form to reduce energy use and associated emissions and the provision of urban green infrastructure for ecosystem service...

Many species use coarse woody debris (CWD) and are disadvantaged by the forestry-induced loss of this resource. A neglected process affecting CWD is the covering of the surfaces of downed logs caused by sinking into the ground (increasing soil contact, mostly covering the underside of the log), and dense overgrowth by ground vegetation. Such cover is likely to profoundly influence the quality a...

Mangrove forests are one of the most productive and carbon dense ecosystems that are only found at tidally inundated coastal areas. Forest canopy height is an important measure for modeling carbon and biomass dynamics, as well as land cover change. By taking advantage of the flat terrain and dense canopy cover, the present study derived digital surface models (DSMs) using stereo-photogrammetric...