Phytogeographic divisions, climate change and plant dieback along the coastal desert of northern Chile

Schulz, Natalie; Gutiérrez, Patricio Aceituno; Richter, Michael

doi:10.3112/erdkunde.2011.02.05

Cited by 53 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…Consequently, the positive effect of fog water on vegetation growth in space and time is also complex and non-linear (Borthagaray et al, 2010, Muenchow et al, 2013. The highest fog frequencies occur in austral winter when the eastern Pacific stratus deck is well-developed, intruding into the coastal areas where the availability of fog water depends on the advection process and the height of the stratus base relative to the altitude (Cereceda et al, 2008a;Schulz et al, 2011). In the other seasons, fog is less frequent and patchier, partly related to nocturnal radiation and orographic fog formation in specific topographic situations Sträter et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case Study on Fog/Low Stratus Occurrence at Las Lomitas, Atacama Desert (Chile) as a Water Source for Biological Soil Crusts

Lehnert

Thies

Trachte

et al. 2018

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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The Atacama Desert is well known for the high occurrence of large-scale fog (spatial extents: hundreds of kilometers) emerging as low stratus (LST) decks over the Pacific Ocean. By contrast, the small-scale and heterogeneous occurrence of small-scale fog (hundreds of meters) particularly during summers is widely unconsidered. However, these events are important for the local vegetation and particularly for the biological soil crusts (BSC) that are widely distributed in this extreme ecosystem. Consequently, a case study in a typical fog oasis in the Pan de Azúcar National Park was conducted to test the feasibility combining field measurements, drone profiling, remote sensing and numerical modeling (i) to investigate fog-type specific differences regarding dynamics, physical properties and formation, (ii) to test the applicability of remote sensing technology for fog monitoring based on existing low-resolution and a proposed new high-resolution product and (iii) to estimate the related fog water input to BSCs. Two types of fog were observed. The well-known fog/LST deck emerging from the Pacific Ocean with high water path and large spatial extent was the first type. Fog of the second type was patchier, small-scale and not necessarily connected to the LST over the ocean. Instead, fog formation of the second type was related to thermal breeze systems, which produced shallow clouds containing less water than those of type 1. In general, such small-scale fog events were not captured well by existing remote sensing products but could be detected with the proposed new high-resolution product which provided promising results. Both fog types were important water resources for the BSCs, with approximately 8% to 24% of the fog water flux available to the BSCs at the surface. The results indicated the feasibility of the proposed methods' pool to estimate the water budget of BSCs with a high spatial resolution in the future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case Study on Fog/Low Stratus Occurrence at Las Lomitas, Atacama Desert (Chile) as a Water Source for Biological Soil Crusts

Lehnert

Thies

Trachte

et al. 2018

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

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“…Problemas similares han sido también reportado para algunas localidades de Chile donde se indica de el grave peligro que corren estos ecosistemas debido por ejemplo al uso excesivo para deportes de aventura (Pinto et al, 2006). Estos ecosistemas son también afectados por una tendencia de disminución de la DENSIDAD Y DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL DE Tillandsia latifolia Enero -Agosto 2013 __________________________________________________________________________________________ cantidad de neblina en algunas regiones de la costa Peruano-Chilena, cambio climático que afecta no solo a los tillandsiales sino también a otras formaciones dependientes de la neblina como las lomas (Schulz et al, 2011), efecto que al mismo tiempo convierte a estas poblacionales en indicadores de los cambios climáticos de esta región geográfica (Rundel et al, 1997). Un servicio ecosistémico que brindan los tillandsiales, muy importante a considerar, es el servicio de captación de agua de neblina, componente vital en ambientes desérticos (entre 2.5 y 3.7 l/m 2 /día tillandsiales con Tillandsia landbeckii de Perú y Chile) (Westbeld et al, 2009;Cereceda et al, 1999) por lo que es de vital importancia conocerlos y conservarlos.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

DENSIDAD Y DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL DE Tillandsia latifolia EN EL TILLANDSIAL DE PIEDRA CAMPANA (LIMA, PERÚ)

Aponte

Flores

2013

Ecol. apl.

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ResumenLos tillandsiales (formaciones vegetales dominadas por plantas del género Tillandsia) son ecosistemas permanentes que se encuentran en la costa peruana y chilena. Con el objetivo de estudiar la densidad y distribución espacial de Tillandsia latifolia en el Cerro Piedra Campana (Lima, Perú) y su relación con la topografía y el sustrato, fueron realizadas 72 parcelas cuadrangulares de 100 m 2 , donde se contabilizaron el número de rametos y genetos; en los rametos se anotó el estadio fenológico. La densidad promedio de genetos, de rametos y la cobertura promedio fueron de 60.58 genetos/parcela, 235.03 rametos/parcela y 9.60% respectivamente; estos valores fueron más altos en las parcelas con orientación al mar, en las quebradas y en zonas arenosas en comparación con aquellos que tenían orientación noroeste y noreste, que se encontraban en laderas y que se situaban en zonas rocosas (p<0.05 en todos los casos). La proporción rametos/geneto fue de 3.71 rametos/geneto, encontrándose promedios más altos en las zonas que tenían orientación suroeste y noreste. La proporción de rametos en estadío de inflorescencia fue mayor en las parcelas de la zona oeste al igual que los individuos en floración (sobre todo en zonas arenosas); los individuos en fructificación fueron más abundantes en la zona este, lo que revela asincronía demográfica en la población estudiada. Se discute el rol de la topografía y el sustrato en la distribución espacial de esta especie en el área evaluada. Palabras clave Tillandsial, densidad poblacional, desierto, asíncronía demográfica, distribución espacial, Tillandsia latifolia. AbstractTillandsial lomas (vegetal communities dominated by plants of the genera Tillandsia) are ecosystems distributed in the coast of Peru and Chile. In order to study the density and spatial distribution of Tillandsia latifolia in Cerro Piedra Campana (Lima, Perú) and its relation to the topography and substrate, 72 plots of 100m 2 were placed in the area. The number of ramets (and its phenological stage) and genets were counted in each plot. The mean density of genets, ramets and the mean coverage was 60.58 genets/plot, 235.03 ramets/plot and 9.60% respectively; these values were the highest in plots facing the sea, in streams, and in sandy areas compared to those with northwest and northeast orientation, that were on hillsides and in rocky areas (p <0.05 in all cases). The proportion ramets/genet was 3.71 with the highest mean values obtained in plots facing southwest and northeast. The proportion of ramets in stage of inflorescence was the highest in the plots facing the sea, the highest proportion of flowering individuals were found in the west side of the study area (specially in sandy areas); fruiting individuals were more abundant in the east side (p<0.05 in all cases) revealing demographic asynchrony in the population. The role of topography and substrate on the spatial distribution of this species in the area are discussed.

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“…In this context, several authors constitute the particular sensitivity of Tillandsia spp. to changing environmental conditions at different spatial and time scales and highlight their potential value as bioindicator of climate change (Rundel et al, 1997;Latorre et al, 2011;Schulz et al, 2011). In fact, in the recent decades the Chilean fog ecosystems have shown increasing signs of decline, which might be linked to abrupt mesoscale climate shifts since the mid-1970s (Schulz et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…to changing environmental conditions at different spatial and time scales and highlight their potential value as bioindicator of climate change (Rundel et al, 1997;Latorre et al, 2011;Schulz et al, 2011). In fact, in the recent decades the Chilean fog ecosystems have shown increasing signs of decline, which might be linked to abrupt mesoscale climate shifts since the mid-1970s (Schulz et al, 2011). However, the magnitude of the decline and the underlying causal biosphere-atmosphere relationships are yet to be investigated to enable the implementation of more effective conservation strategies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote Sensing-Based Detection and Spatial Pattern Analysis for Geo-Ecological Niche Modeling of Tillandsia Spp. in the Atacama, Chile

Wolf¹,

Siegmund²,

Río³

et al. 2016

Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci.

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ABSTRACT:In the coastal Atacama Desert in Northern Chile plant growth is constrained to so-called 'fog oases' dominated by monospecific stands of the genus Tillandsia. Adapted to the hyperarid environmental conditions, these plants specialize on the foliar uptake of fog as main water and nutrient source. It is this characteristic that leads to distinctive macro-and micro-scale distribution patterns, reflecting complex geo-ecological gradients, mainly affected by the spatiotemporal occurrence of coastal fog respectively the South Pacific Stratocumulus clouds reaching inlands. The current work employs remote sensing, machine learning and spatial pattern/GIS analysis techniques to acquire detailed information on the presence and state of Tillandsia spp. in the Tarapacá region as a base to better understand the bioclimatic and topographic constraints determining the distribution patterns of Tillandsia spp. Spatial and spectral predictors extracted from WorldView-3 satellite data are used to map present Tillandsia vegetation in the Tarapaca region. Regression models on Vegetation Cover Fraction (VCF) are generated combining satellite-based as well as topographic variables and using aggregated high spatial resolution information on vegetation cover derived from UAV flight campaigns as a reference. The results are a first step towards mapping and modelling the topographic as well as bioclimatic factors explaining the spatial distribution patterns of Tillandsia fog oases in the Atacama, Chile.

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Phytogeographic divisions, climate change and plant dieback along the coastal desert of northern Chile

Cited by 53 publications

References 23 publications

A Case Study on Fog/Low Stratus Occurrence at Las Lomitas, Atacama Desert (Chile) as a Water Source for Biological Soil Crusts

A Case Study on Fog/Low Stratus Occurrence at Las Lomitas, Atacama Desert (Chile) as a Water Source for Biological Soil Crusts

DENSIDAD Y DISTRIBUCIÓN ESPACIAL DE Tillandsia latifolia EN EL TILLANDSIAL DE PIEDRA CAMPANA (LIMA, PERÚ)

Remote Sensing-Based Detection and Spatial Pattern Analysis for Geo-Ecological Niche Modeling of Tillandsia Spp. in the Atacama, Chile

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