the significance of spatial heterogeneity in understanding ecological processes has been recognized long ago. one of the earliest expressions of this recognition is the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis that links spatial  heterogeneity to niche vegetation patterns formation and species coexistence. yet, an  important if not crucial  aspect of landscape heterogeneity has escaped deep considerati...

Many previous studies have shown that land use patterns are the main factors influencing soil infiltration. Thus, increasing soil infiltration and reducing runoff are crucial for soil and water conservation, especially in semi-arid environments. To explore the effects of agroforestry systems on soil infiltration and associated properties in a semi-arid area of the Loess Plateau in China, we com...

carbon and sulfur isotopic data are helpful in understanding environmental conditions under which soils are formed. soils from 18 sampling sites along a climotoposequence from higher laleh zar mountains (4,351 m above sea level with xeric-mesic soil moisture-temperature regimes) to shahdad depression (250 m above sea level with arid-hyperthermic soil moisture-temperature regimes) in kerman prov...

Soil hydrau-physical data are important for many hydrological modelings. They are the main variables controllingthe key processes such as water and chemicals movement and transport in the soil profiles. This study was conductedin order to analyze the spatial distribution of selected soil hydrau-physcial characteristics including infiltration rate(IR), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), bulk...

Satellite soil moisture products, such as those from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR), require diverse landscapes for validation. Semi-arid landscapes present a particular challenge to satellite remote sensing validation using traditional techniques because of the high spatial variability and potentially rapid rates of temporal change in moisture conditions. In this study, temporal...

Approximately 70,150 dry Mg of biosolids from over 450 wastewater treatment facilities are applied to the semi-arid rangelands of Colorado every year. Research on semi-arid grassland responses to biosolids has become vital to better understand ecosystem dynamics and develop effective biosolids management strategies. The objectives of this study were to determine the long-term (w12 years) effect...

Understanding nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes from agricultural soils in semi-arid regions is required to better understand global terrestrial N2O losses. Nitrous oxide fluxes were measured from three rain-fed, cropped soils in a semi-arid region of south-western Australia on a sub-daily basis from 1995 to 2014 using automated chambers. Western Australia’s grain-belt includes 7 million hectares of a...

Soil moisture is a key limiting resource in arid and semi-arid environments for woody shrub species. We assessed if three arid communities differed in their level of dry season soil moisture content and if the dominant species in these communities differed in their ability to use soil moisture. Water potential of all of the dominant woody plant species occurring in chaparral, coastal sage, and ...

Many plant species from Brazilian semi-arid present arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in their rhizosphere. These microorganisms play a key role in the establishment, growth, survival of plants and protection against drought, pathogenic fungi and nematodes. This study presents a quantitative analysis of the AMF species associated with Mimosa tenuiflora, an important native plant of the Caating...