Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry Through In Situ Nutrient Manipulations in Stream Ecosystems
Published on: October 29, 2016
Ecological patterns and comparative nutrient dynamics of natural and agricultural mediterranean-type ecosystems
G Arhonditsis1, C Giourga, A Loumou
1Department of Environmental Studies, University of the Aegean, 17, Karadoni Str., 81100 Mytilene, Greece, Greece.
Abstract:
An agricultural watershed, situated on an island of the Aegean archipelago, was studied in order to gain insight into the structure and the design of a typical terrestrial ecosystem of the Mediterranean region. Fieldwork was focused on the comparative study of seasonal patterns of inorganic nutrients, organic nitrogen, and erosion over the most abundant vegetation types of the area, such as olive groves, maquis, and wetlands. Nutrient losses via the pathway of erosion were provided by the determination of nutrient concentrations in runoff sediments. Results showed that nutrient levels are higher and more susceptible to rapid changes in the zones that host agricultural activities and animal husbandry. The behavior of nitrogen and phosphorus showed remarkable stability in the maquis, where dynamic processes were mainly affected by soil erosion, which led gradually to land degradation, especially on sloping terrains. The aim of this study was to form the basis for the quantification of the interconnections within the Mediterranean-type ecosystems and to conceptualize their operational properties.
More Related Videos
08:09Measuring and Mapping Patterns of Soil Erosion and Deposition Related to Soil Carbonate Concentrations Under Agricultural Management
Published on: September 12, 2017
05:04Visualization of Productivity Zones Based on Nitrogen Mass Balance Model in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
Published on: July 14, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Introduction to Microbial Ecology
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Marine Microbial Ecology
Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Soil Microbial Ecology