Mémoire
Résumé : Edge effects —changes in ecological conditions at habitat boundaries— are aconsequence of forest fragmentation, influencing microclimate, community composition,productivity, and ecosystem services. While the effects of anthropogenic fragmentation onformerly large, contiguous habitats are well documented, edge effects in naturallyfragmented ecosystems are less well understood. This study investigates the magnitude ofedge effects in mangroves, which are naturally fragmented ecosystems, within the semiaridColombian Caribbean. We first assessed trends in vegetation greenness (NDVI andNIRv) from 2000 to 2024 along an edge-interior gradient. Second, we analyzed howproximity to the edge impacts forest structure, including canopy cover, density, proportionof dead stems, and basal area, through field sampling. Our analysis of Landsat imageryrevealed that over 75% of the mangrove area maintained a stable trend in greenness,indicating decadal vegetation stability. However, mangrove forest edges exhibited highervariability in greenness trends and, on average, a higher greening trend. We found noconsistent evidence of edge effects on mangrove vegetation structure. Overall, our studyhighlights the ecological importance of both forest edges and interiors, suggesting thatsite-specific characteristics and disturbances, rather than position along the edge-interiorgradient, influence vegetation conditions in this naturally fragmented area. Understandingedge influences across different landscapes and variables are crucial for guidingmanagement and conservation efforts, especially in the context of increasingfragmentation and ongoing global change.

Documents en relation

DI-fusion

Cannot find similar records