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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Understanding the role of ecohydrological feedbacks in ecosystem state change in drylands
Ecohydrology, Volume 5, No. 2, Year 2012
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Description
Ecohydrological feedbacks are likely to be critical for understanding the mechanisms by which changes in exogenous forces result in ecosystem state change. We propose that in drylands, the dynamics of ecosystem state change are determined by changes in the type (stabilizing vs amplifying) and strength of ecohydrological feedbacks following a change in exogenous forces. Using a selection of five case studies from drylands, we explore the characteristics of ecohydrological feedbacks and resulting dynamics of ecosystem state change. We surmise that stabilizing feedbacks are critical for the provision of plant-essential resources in drylands. Exogenous forces that break these stabilizing feedbacks can alter the state of the system, although such changes are potentially reversible if strong amplifying ecohydrological feedbacks do not develop. The case studies indicate that if amplifying ecohydrological feedbacks do develop, they are typically associated with abiotic processes such as runoff, erosion (by wind and water), and fire. These amplifying ecohydrological feedbacks progressively modify the system in ways that are long-lasting and possibly irreversible on human timescales. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Turnbull, Laura
United States, Tempe
Arizona State University
Wilcox, Bradford Paul
United States, College Station
Texas A&m University
Belnap, Jayne
Unknown Affiliation
Ravi, Sujith
United States, Tucson
The University of Arizona
D'Odorico, Paolo
United States, Charlottesville
University of Virginia
Childers, Daniel L.
United States, Tempe
Arizona State University
Gwenzi, Willis
Australia, Perth
The University of Western Australia
Okin, Gregory Stewart
United States, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
Wainwright, John
United Kingdom, Sheffield
The University of Sheffield
United Kingdom, Durham
Durham University
Caylor, Kelly Krispin
United States, Princeton
Princeton University
Statistics
Citations: 115
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 10
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1002/eco.265
ISSN:
19360592
Research Areas
Environmental