TY - JOUR
T1 - Patch structure, dynamics and implications for the functioning of arid ecosystems
AU - Aguiar, Martín R.
AU - Sala, Osvaldo E.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Amy Austin for carefully reviewing the manuscript and David Tongway for suggesting the writing of an earlier version of this review. Anonymous reviewers made useful suggestions about the manuscript. Financial support was provided by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, FONCYT, Fundación Antorchas, Inter-American Institute for the Study of Global Change and National Science Foundation through a cross-site comparison project.
PY - 1999/7/1
Y1 - 1999/7/1
N2 - Arid ecosystems present a two-phase mosaic structure of high- and low- cover patches. Vegetation patches differ among ecosystems in size and shape. However, recent studies indicate striking similarities in patch dynamics and in mechanisms explaining their origin and maintenance. Two major types of system, banded and spotted vegetation, which are characterized by patch shape, both originate from common mechanisms, although each is dominated by a different driver. Banded vegetation occurs when water is the dominant driver of the redistribution of materials and propagules, whereas spotted vegetation results when wind is the major redistribution driver. Model analysis indicates that patchy vegetation structure enhances primary production.
AB - Arid ecosystems present a two-phase mosaic structure of high- and low- cover patches. Vegetation patches differ among ecosystems in size and shape. However, recent studies indicate striking similarities in patch dynamics and in mechanisms explaining their origin and maintenance. Two major types of system, banded and spotted vegetation, which are characterized by patch shape, both originate from common mechanisms, although each is dominated by a different driver. Banded vegetation occurs when water is the dominant driver of the redistribution of materials and propagules, whereas spotted vegetation results when wind is the major redistribution driver. Model analysis indicates that patchy vegetation structure enhances primary production.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0169-5347(99)01612-2
DO - 10.1016/S0169-5347(99)01612-2
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:0033168083
SN - 0169-5347
VL - 14
SP - 273
EP - 277
JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution
IS - 7
ER -