Arid Dune Ecosystems The Nizzana Sands in the Negev Desert

About this book

Sand dune dynamics plays a key role in many arid deserts. This volume provides a synthesis of a specific sand dune ecosystem, the Nizzana site in the Negev Desert. Describing its climate and geophysical/geochemical properties of soils, geological history, flora and fauna, and past/present land-use patterns, it elucidates ecological and geomorphological processes and their interrelations, based on long-term monitoring, in situ experiments and satellite imagery. Particular attention is drawn to the impact of the topsoil biological crust in controlling water availability at local/regional scales.

The interdisciplinary approach adopted in this case study offers a good example of a highly complex and dynamic system, which could easily be applied to other sandy ecosystems. This is a valuable source of information for soil ecologists and microbiologists, conservation biologists, desert ecologists and geographers, geomorphologists, soil scientists and climatologists, lecturers, policy makers and others interested in deserts and desertification.

Contents

General Introduction: Desert Sand Dunes and Aims of the Book - Special Characteristics of the Nizzana Research Site Breckle S-W, Yair A, Veste M Part A: The NW Negev 1 Geological Background of the Nizzana Area David B, A.Yair, A. 2 Geo-Ecology of the NW Negev Sand Field Yair A, Veste M, Breckle S-W 3 Formation and Geomorphology of the NW Negev Sand Dunes Tsoar H, Blumberg DG, Wenkart R 4 The Regional Climatic Setting Littmann T, Berkowicz SM 5 Soil Characteristics and Pattern of the Nizzana Research Site Blume H-P, Beyer L, Pfisterer U, Felix-Henningsen P 6 Land Use and its Effect on the Mobilization and Stabilization of the NW Negev Sand Dunes Tsoar H Part B: Ecosystem Patterns 7 The Flora of the Nizzana Research Site Tielborger K, Prasse R, Leschner H 8 The Vegetation of the Nizzana Research Site Tielborger K, Prasse R, Bornkamm R 9 A Glance on the Fauna of Nizzana Filser J, Prasse R 10 Biological Crusts Budel B, Veste M 11 Land Cover in the Nizzana Sandy Arid Ecosystem. Mapping Surface Properties with Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing Data Hill J, Ulelhoven T, Jarmer T, Yair A Part C: Ecosystem Processes 12 Topoclimate and Microclimate Littmann T 13 Evaporation, Transpiration and Dew Littmann T, Veste M 14 Sand Movement and Dune Stability - Morphological Changes at Active Dune Crests Allgaier A 15 Aeolian Sand Transport and Vegetation Cover Allgaier A 16 Soil Processes and Salt Dynamics in Dune Soils Felix-Henningsen P, Rummel B, Blume H-P 17 Run-off and Erosion Processes within a Dune System Kidron GJ, Yair A 18 Effects of Surface Runoff and Subsurface Flow on the Spatial Variability of Water Resources in Longitudinal Dunes Yair A 19 Atmospheric Input of Nutrient Elements and Dust into the Sand Dune Field of the NW Negev Littmann T, Schultz A 20 Succession Stages in the Recovery Processes of the Topsoil Crust in a Disturbed Sandy Arid Area Yair A 21 Dew Formation and Activity of Biological Soil Crusts Veste M, Heusinkveld BG, Berkowicz SM, Breckle S-W, Littmann T, Jacobs AFG 22 Nitrogen Input Pathways into the Sand Dunes: Biological Fixation and Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Russow R, Veste M, Breckle S-W, Littmann T, Bohme F 23 Vascular Plant Response to Microbiotic Soil Surface Crusts Prasse R, Bornkamm R 24 Ion and Salt Relations of Plants and Soil Pattern Veste M, Sartorius U, Breckle S-W 25 Temporal and Spatial Variability of Plant Water Status and Leaf Gas Exchange Veste M 26 Standing Biomass Distribution and its Modelling Veste M, Sommer C, Breckle S-W, Littmann T 27 Effects of Perennials on Annual Plant Populations Tielborger K, Kadmon R 28 Demography of Annual Plants: the Role of Habitat Heterogeneity and Competition Kadmon R Part D: Research Perspectives / Synthesis and General Conclusions 29 Sensitivity of a Sandy Area to Climate Change along a Rainfall Gradient at a Desert Fringe Yair A, Veste M, Almog R, Breckle S-W 30 General Conclusions -- Sand Dune Deserts, Desertification, Rehabilitation and Conservation Veste M, Breckle S-W, Yair A

Customer Reviews