Influence of trees on landscape temperature in semi-arid agro-ecosystems of East Africa

Villani, Lorenzo; Castelli, Giulio; Sambalino, Francesco; Oliveira, Lucas Allan Almeida; Bresci, Elena

doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2021.10.007

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In Fig 3B, we show how tree shading was perceived to generate a cooling effect (service) which improved thermal comfort (benefit) and a reduction in adverse health effects such as dehydration (benefit). Previous work at the study sites found areas with a higher tree cover were markedly cooler [28].…”

Section: Plos Climatementioning

confidence: 75%

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: Perspectives from rural households

Murage,

Asenga,

Tarimo

et al. 2024

PLOS Clim

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Land degradation and climate change are intertwined global challenges, their implications on human health are driven by the unsustainable use of natural resources, resulting in the loss of vital ecosystem services that support human health. There are equity implications in that landscape degradation disproportionately affects vulnerable populations that live in the most fragile ecosystems. Solutions to reverse degradation are increasingly considered attractive because of their ability to meet multiple societal objectives, however, their implementation has outpaced research on impact; the research and evidence gaps are particularly acute in relation to quantifying the health and well-being impacts of nature-based solutions. This study documents the experiences of rural communities implementing Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) in Central Tanzanian drylands, which integrates trees in agricultural landscapes. FMNR technique has been hailed as the largest positive environmental transformation in African drylands due to its effectiveness in restoring landscapes at very low costs. Despite its success, the impact on human well-being is largely unquantified. We used in-depth group discussions across four villages to document how respondents perceive the health and well-being impacts of natural regeneration. We thereafter adapted the ecosystem services cascade model to conceptualise the pathways between natural regeneration and impact on health and well-being. Respondents across all study sites unanimously reported how FMNR implementation has reversed decades of land degradation, resulting in physical and mental health benefits that can be linked to food and nutritional security, improved air and water quality, income diversification, heat adaptation and gender equality. We demonstrate how the application of the cascade model can generate causal pathways that 1) map how changes in ecosystem structure, functions and services can result in measurable health outcomes, and, 2) support empirical investigation by defining concrete metrics for monitoring and evaluation of interventions.

show abstract

Section: Plos Climatementioning

confidence: 75%

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: Perspectives from rural households

Murage,

Asenga,

Tarimo

et al. 2024

PLOS Clim

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Another study on the biophysical effects of reforestation on the climate in the arid northwest of China showed how reforestation can produce changes in climatic conditions [68]. Research in Tanzania showed a decrease of 1.23 • C in the environment after reforestation [69].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Evolution of the Geographic System in the Regional Park “Carrascoy y El Valle” in the Region of Murcia (Southeast Spain)

Sánchez-Sánchez

Albacete

2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The region of Murcia, located in the southeast of Spain, has historically been affected by deforestation and desertification processes that favour natural risks, sometimes ending in tragic personal consequences. To address this, at the end of the 19th century an ambitious plan was launched to reforest the mountains in the most problematic river basins. This article aims to study the changes experienced in the geographic mountain system “Carrascoy y El Valle” after reforestation, and their effects on different environmental processes. Two areas were selected to compare the evolution of the tree cover, using photographs from 1928 and current satellite images, and small grids were designed to analyze the current herbaceous and shrub cover. The results show a significant increase in tree cover in parallel to the mulch cover, which was higher in the shady than in the sunny orientation. The distribution of the herbaceous and shrub cover was irregular and unexpectedly higher in the sunny than in the shady areas, probably due to intensive trampling in the shady areas. Overall, the evolution of the geographic system “Carrascoy y El Valle” has been sustainable, with favourable effects on the ecosystem, erosion, landscape, and climate conditions, thus slowing down desertification.

show abstract

“…Village 2: 'The air is a lot cleaner. I recall in the past during dry and hot seasons at this time of the year, people used to be taken to hospitals with cases of dehydration…since, FMNR this condition has reduced' Village 3: "During afternoon hours the weather is terrible due to heat…during the time of the year when we are preparing seeds for farming you nd people seating under the tree shade preparing their seeds" Previous work at the study sites showed that areas with high tree-cover were markedly cooler than those with low tree-cover 20 , con rming what the respondents' experienced.…”

Section: I) Simple Pathways To Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: perspectives from rural households

Murage

Asenga²,

Tarimo³

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Land degradation and climate change are intertwined global challenges, their implications on human health is driven by unsustainable use of natural resources which results to loss of vital ecosystem services. Although exploitation of natural resources has benefited human-wellbeing, this has also resulted to catastrophic degradation of landscapes, acutely affecting populations living in the most fragile ecosystems. Landscape restoration is widely advocated to reverse degradation, however, implementation has outpaced research on impact, particularly with regards to human-health outcomes. This study documents perspectives of rural communities living in East African drylands and applies ecosystem services framework to demonstrates the impact of natural regeneration. The group discussions show how Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) can reverse decades of land degradation with cascading benefits in climate change adaptation, physical and mental health outcomes linked to sustained food and nutritional security, improved air and water quality, income diversification and gender equality.

show abstract

Influence of trees on landscape temperature in semi-arid agro-ecosystems of East Africa

Cited by 7 publications

References 53 publications

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: Perspectives from rural households

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: Perspectives from rural households

Sustainable Evolution of the Geographic System in the Regional Park “Carrascoy y El Valle” in the Region of Murcia (Southeast Spain)

Natural regeneration of drylands and associated pathways to human health outcomes: perspectives from rural households

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About