TY - JOUR
T1 - Riparian vegetation research in Mediterranean-climate regions
T2 - Common patterns, ecological processes, and considerations for management
AU - Stella, John C.
AU - Rodríguez-González, Patricia M.
AU - Dufour, Simon
AU - Bendix, Jacob
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We thank J. Amigo Vázquez, M. Ater, and P Arsénio who provided valuable information about Chilean, North African, and South African riparian vegetation, respectively. The river channel migration image was provided by A. Fremier, and photographs were graciously contributed by B. Belletti, J. Kalwij, and R. L. Pettit. Funding was provided by CNRS/CNRST (S. Dufour), the CNRS PICS Program (S. Dufour and J.C. Stella), California’s Delta Science Program (J.C. Stella) and a post-doctoral grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology-FCT (SFRH/BPD/47140/2008, P. M. Rodríguez-González). Some of this research was conducted while J. Bendix was a visiting research fellow at the University of Macau.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Riparian corridors in Mediterranean-climate regions (med-regions) are resource-rich habitats within water-limited, larger landscapes. However, little is known about how their plant communities compare functionally and compositionally across med-regions. In recent decades, research on these ecosystems has expanded in both geographic scope and disciplinary depth. We reviewed 286 riparian-vegetation studies across the five med-regions, and identified common themes, including: (1) high levels of plant biodiversity, structural complexity, and cross-region species introductions; (2) strong physical controls on plant demographics and community structure; and (3) intensive human impacts. European and Californian ecosystems were the most represented among the studies reviewed, but Australia, South Africa, and Chile had the greatest proportional increases in articles published since 2000. All med-regions support distinct riparian flora, although many genera have invaded across regions. Plant species in all regions are adapted to multiple abiotic stressors, including dynamic flooding and sediment regimes, seasonal water shortage, and fire. The most severe human impacts are from land-use conversion to agriculture, streamflow regulation, nutrient enrichment, and climate change. Current knowledge gaps and subjects for future research include cumulative impacts to small, ephemeral streams and large, regulated rivers, as well as understudied ecosystems in North Africa, the western Mediterranean basin, and Chile.
AB - Riparian corridors in Mediterranean-climate regions (med-regions) are resource-rich habitats within water-limited, larger landscapes. However, little is known about how their plant communities compare functionally and compositionally across med-regions. In recent decades, research on these ecosystems has expanded in both geographic scope and disciplinary depth. We reviewed 286 riparian-vegetation studies across the five med-regions, and identified common themes, including: (1) high levels of plant biodiversity, structural complexity, and cross-region species introductions; (2) strong physical controls on plant demographics and community structure; and (3) intensive human impacts. European and Californian ecosystems were the most represented among the studies reviewed, but Australia, South Africa, and Chile had the greatest proportional increases in articles published since 2000. All med-regions support distinct riparian flora, although many genera have invaded across regions. Plant species in all regions are adapted to multiple abiotic stressors, including dynamic flooding and sediment regimes, seasonal water shortage, and fire. The most severe human impacts are from land-use conversion to agriculture, streamflow regulation, nutrient enrichment, and climate change. Current knowledge gaps and subjects for future research include cumulative impacts to small, ephemeral streams and large, regulated rivers, as well as understudied ecosystems in North Africa, the western Mediterranean basin, and Chile.
KW - Australia
KW - California
KW - Chile
KW - Mediterranean basin
KW - Riparian ecohydrology
KW - South Africa
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U2 - 10.1007/s10750-012-1304-9
DO - 10.1007/s10750-012-1304-9
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84885018682
SN - 0018-8158
VL - 719
SP - 291
EP - 315
JO - Hydrobiologia
JF - Hydrobiologia
IS - 1
ER -