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Feedbacks between the intertwined water and carbon cycles in semi-arid mountain ecosystems can introduce large uncertainties into projections of carbon storage. In this study, we sought to understand the influence of key mechanisms on carbon balances, focusing on an ecosystem whose complex terrain and large interannual variability in precipitation adds to its vulnerability to warming. We applied a
We investigated how legacies of land use and climate affected the microbial use of organic matter (OM) along a tropical climate gradient in Ethiopia. Four levels of land-use intensity ranging from croplands to pristine forests were assessed along a gradient from cool and moist high altitude (MAT = 16°C, MAP = 2,200 mm) to hot and dry lowland sites (MAT = 20°C, MAP = 1,050 mm). We resolved the biom
Wetland area in agricultural landscapes has been heavily reduced to gain land for crop production, but in recent years there is increased societal recognition of the negative consequences from wetland loss on nutrient retention, biodiversity and a range of other benefits to humans. The current trend is therefore to re-establish wetlands, often with an aim to achieve the simultaneous delivery of mu
Håkan Wallander is a professor in Soil Biology and the reader is guided through the fascinating world below ground. The book has a free form and the author mixes scientific facts with personal stories from active research experiences and everyday life. The main focus is to make the reader aware of the vast biodiversity that exists in the soil, and to describe the important processes provided by th
To date, most studies on coupled-water-and-heat processes in frozen soils haves focused on the mechanism of changes in frozen soil and the contribution of climate change, hydrological processes, and ecosystems in cold regions. Several studies have demonstrated considerable improvements in the accuracy of simulating water and heat transfer processes in cold regions. However, substantial differences
Coastal eutrophication due to excessive anthropogenic nutrient loading is a major threat worldwide, and especially in estuaries and semi-enclosed waterbodies, like the brackish Baltic Sea. In addition, coastal waters may become darker (coastal darkening) due to increased input of colored compounds from terrestrial run-off and sediment resuspension. Still, the effects of darkening on coastal food w
Boreal forests and peatlands store over 30% of the global terrestrial carbon in their vegetation and soil. but changing climate can compromise the current carbon stock. Rising air temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and increased risk of natural disturbances can impact the ability of the boreal ecosystems to absorb and store carbon, reducing their effectiveness as carbon sinks. Reliable
Vassiliki “Betty” Smocovitis has done a thorough and admirable job in highlighting the complex history the Modern Synthesis (MS) or the Evolutionary Synthesis (ES) as she prefers to call it. Her interesting contribution should hopefully increase awareness that the history of evolutionary biology is important even for researchers today who are mainly interested in solving practical questions of mor
Aquatic and terrestrial habitats are interdependent components of the boreal forest landscape involving multiple dynamic interactions; these are manifested particularly in riparian areas, which are key components in the forest landscape. However, this interdependence between aquatic and terrestrial habitats is not adequately accounted for in the current management of forest ecosystems. Here we rev
Modeling inland water quality by remote sensing has already demonstrated its capacity to make accurate predictions. However, limitations still exist for applicability in diverse regions, as well as to retrieve non-optically active parameters (nOAC). Models are usually trained only with water samples from individual or local groups of waterbodies, which limits their capacity and accuracy in predict
Fragmentation of habitat, for example by intensive agricultural practices, can be detrimental to local biodiversity. However, it often remains unclear whether such biodiversity declines are caused by loss of habitat area or increased fragmentation, and how habitat quality factors into it. In our study system, vegetated vineyards are typically small, and isolated from one another, potentially limit
Health care is moving toward integrated services where care and rehabilitation are provided at home rather than in institutions. This, together with the requirement that care must be person-centered, has proven to be a considerable challenge. Older adults living with complex health conditions such as stroke are vulnerable to change when their responsibility for care and rehabilitation becomes exte
This paper discusses the relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the long-standing human rights system of the United Nations. Thematically, these two modes of global governance strongly overlap. Several SDGs are in line with human rights obligations. At the same time, the SDGs and human rights are based on divergent logics and constructed very differently. After capturing
Selection leading to adaptation to interactions may generate rapid evolutionary feedbacks and drive diversification of species interactions. The challenge is to understand how the many traits of interacting species combine to shape local adaptation in ways directly or indirectly resulting in diversification. We used the well-studied interactions between Lithophragma plants (Saxifragaceae) and Grey
Energy balance closure is an important feature in studies of ecosystem exchanges of energy and greenhouse gases using the eddy covariance method. Previous analyses show that this is still a problem with imbalances in the order of 0.6–0.7 to full closure (for only a few sites). It has been suggested that mesoscale transport processes that are not captured by the eddy covariance measurements are the
The theory of capitalist urbanization posits that the built form serves as a crucial sink through which overaccumulated capital is ‘switched' from industrial production into long-term investment in urban infrastructure. Since Harvey's (1978) deployment of the theory, researchers have attempted to empirically substantiate the switching thesis with limited success. Christophers (2011) revisited the
Extreme environmental conditions make soils of the hyper-arid Atacama Desert one of the most hostile habitats for life on the planet. During the short intervals of moisture availability that occur, it remains unresolved how soil microorganisms physiologically respond to such dramatic environmental changes. Therefore, we simulated a precipitation event – without (H2O) and with (H2O + C) labile carb
Aquatic microbial responses to changes in the amount and composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are of fundamental ecological and biogeochemical importance. Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis of excitation–emission fluorescence spectra is a common tool to characterize DOC, yet its ability to predict bacterial production (BP), bacterial respiration (BR), and bacterial growth efficiency (BGE)
