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Persistence of desertified ecosystems: Explanations and implications.

W G Whitford¹, G Martinez-Turanzas, E Martinez-Meza

¹US-EPA, Environmental Monitoring Research Laboratory, PO Box 93478, 89193, Las Vegas, NV, USA.

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|November 8, 2013

Summary

Shrub-dominated ecosystems resist and recover from disturbances like drought and herbicide treatment. These resilient systems maintain their structure and function against environmental and human-induced stresses.

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Environmental Science

Background:

Desert grasslands are increasingly being replaced by shrub-dominated ecosystems.
Understanding the resilience and resistance of these shrub ecosystems to disturbance is crucial for predicting future ecological changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To test the hypothesis that shrub-dominated ecosystems are resistant and resilient to disturbance.
To investigate the impact of rainfall partitioning, drought, and herbicide treatment on these ecosystems.

Main Methods:

Studied rainfall partitioning by shrubs, including stemflow and root channelization.
Conducted drought and supplemental rainfall experiments over five consecutive years.
Applied herbicide treatment to kill mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) in coppice dunes.

Main Results:

Shrub growth (creosotebushes, Larrea tridentata) was unaffected by drought.
Perennial grasses and forbs declined under drought conditions.
Stemflow enriched soil with nutrients, creating "islands of fertility."
Drought increased nitrogen mineralization and the abundance of spring annual plants.
Herbicide treatment did not significantly alter shrub (mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa) frequency over 14 years.

Conclusions:

Shrub-dominated ecosystems exhibit high resistance and resilience to climatic and anthropogenic disturbances.
These ecosystems effectively retain water and nutrients, supporting their persistence.
The findings highlight the stability of shrublands in arid and semi-arid environments.