Plant Landscape and Models of French Atlantic Estuarine Systems. Extended Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

The present study proposes a theoretical common model of environmental gradients and functioning of vegetation and Plant Landscape of the French Atlantic estuarine systems. This model offers a basis to improve classification and ecological studies of estuarine systems, and to helps the monitoring and assessment of land uses, land forms transformation and human impacts, thanks to the develop of a spatio-temporal predictive model based on actual and potential vegetation following a dynamico-catenal approach. In eight selected estuaries, fieldworks was undertook for a total of 98,315 ha highlighting two vegetation series and four geopermaseries, corresponding to 131 plant associations, 60 alliances, 43 orders, and 28 classes. The vegetation of three representative estuaries was mapped, for a total of 74,433 ha. A synthetic scheme of estuary vegetation landscape is proposed, integrating geographical and ecological gradients as well as geomorphologic forms.

Multi-Interacting Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors on Freshwater Ecosystems: Their Current Status and Future Prospects for 21st Century

“…This ends up negatively influencing the stability of the banks of waterways, destroying very important environments and their ecotones, undermining biodiversity, destroying ecological continuity and functionality, increasing land and water management costs, increasing environmental risks, etc. The artificialization of riverine habitats represents a significant degradation of the natural vegetation types, plants aging, fluctuation, regeneration, biological successions, and dead wood cycle, and it influences feeding, nesting, refuge, roost, passage habitats for insects, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals [307,308].…”

Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran

“…Some of the described impacts of altered environmental conditions with consequences on fish community composition could be alleviated by the designation and effective management of protected areas. Based on our findings, we propose the following conservation measures to protect and sustainably use fish biodiversity in the Karun River basin: (1)…”

“…Large river basins have been inhabited by humans for more than five millennia and have contributed to the success of some of the most important human culture and civilization centers in human history [1][2][3][4][5]. However, human presence in the watersheds resulted in complex and highly variable impacts on lotic ecosystems.…”

Freshwater as a Sustainable Resource and Generator of Secondary Resources in the 21st Century: Stressors, Threats, Risks, Management and Protection Strategies, and Conservation Approaches

“…Riparian ligneous vegetation formations have a high value in respect to their diversity and abundance of invertebrate and vertebrate species, which is often higher than the surrounding habitats [ 222 , 223 , 224 ]. Riparian vegetation is naturally subjected to continuous natural multiple stressors (permanently unstable environments) and to very fast dynamics [ 225 , 226 ] and human impacts [ 227 ].…”