Heat-cold dialectic in the activity of Proformica longiseta , a thermophilous ant inhabiting a high mountain (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 175-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Fernández-Escudero ◽  
Alberto Tinaut
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Proformica Longiseta

scholarly journals Formation Patterns of Mediterranean High-Mountain Water-Bodies in Sierra-Nevada, SE Spain

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 438
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Diaz-Hernandez ◽  
Antonio Jose Herrera-Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Slope Instability ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Glacial Processes ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Water Volumes

At present, there is a lack of detailed understanding on how the factors converging on water variables from mountain areas modify the quantity and quality of their watercourses, which are features determining these areas’ hydrological contribution to downstream regions. In order to remedy this situation to some extent, we studied the water-bodies of the western sector of the Sierra Nevada massif (Spain). Since thaw is a necessary but not sufficient contributor to the formation of these fragile water-bodies, we carried out field visits to identify their number, size and spatial distribution as well as their different modelling processes. The best-defined water-bodies were the result of glacial processes, such as overdeepening and moraine dams. These water-bodies are the highest in the massif (2918 m mean altitude), the largest and the deepest, making up 72% of the total. Another group is formed by hillside instability phenomena, which are very dynamic and are related to a variety of processes. The resulting water-bodies are irregular and located at lower altitudes (2842 m mean altitude), representing 25% of the total. The third group is the smallest (3%), with one subgroup formed by anthropic causes and another formed from unknown origin. It has recently been found that the Mediterranean and Atlantic watersheds of this massif are somewhat paradoxical in behaviour, since, despite its higher xericity, the Mediterranean watershed generally has higher water contents than the Atlantic. The overall cause of these discrepancies between watersheds is not connected to their formation processes. However, we found that the classification of water volumes by the manners of formation of their water-bodies is not coherent with the associated green fringes because of the anomalous behaviour of the water-bodies formed by moraine dams. This discrepancy is largely due to the passive role of the water retained in this type of water-body as it depends on the characteristics of its hollows. The water-bodies of Sierra Nevada close to the peak line (2918 m mean altitude) are therefore highly dependent on the glacial processes that created the hollows in which they are located. Slope instability created water-bodies mainly located at lower altitudes (2842 m mean altitude), representing tectonic weak zones or accumulation of debris, which are influenced by intense slope dynamics. These water-bodies are therefore more fragile, and their existence is probably more short-lived than that of bodies created under glacial conditions.

The Landfall and Inland Penetration of a Flood-Producing Atmospheric River in Arizona. Part I: Observed Synoptic-Scale, Orographic, and Hydrometeorological Characteristics

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 460-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Neiman ◽  
F. Martin Ralph ◽  
Benjamin J. Moore ◽  
Mimi Hughes ◽  
Kelly M. Mahoney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Back Trajectory ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Wind Profiler ◽  
Plan View ◽  
Atmospheric Rivers ◽  
Tropical Water ◽  
Northeastern Pacific ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are a dominant mechanism for generating intense wintertime precipitation along the U.S. West Coast. While studies over the past 10 years have explored the impact of ARs in, and west of, California’s Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade Mountains, their influence on the weather across the intermountain west remains an open question. This study utilizes gridded atmospheric datasets, satellite imagery, rawinsonde soundings, a 449-MHz wind profiler and global positioning system (GPS) receiver, and operational hydrometeorological observing networks to explore the dynamics and inland impacts of a landfalling, flood-producing AR across Arizona in January 2010. Plan-view, cross-section, and back-trajectory analyses quantify the synoptic and mesoscale forcing that led to widespread precipitation across the state. The analyses show that a strong AR formed in the lower midlatitudes over the northeastern Pacific Ocean via frontogenetic processes and sea surface latent-heat fluxes but without tapping into the adjacent tropical water vapor reservoir to the south. The wind profiler, GPS, and rawinsonde observations document strong orographic forcing in a moist neutral environment within the AR that led to extreme, orographically enhanced precipitation. The AR was oriented nearly orthogonal to the Mogollon Rim, a major escarpment crossing much of central Arizona, and was positioned between the high mountain ranges of northern Mexico. High melting levels during the heaviest precipitation contributed to region-wide flooding, while the high-altitude snowpack increased substantially. The characteristics of the AR that impacted Arizona in January 2010, and the resulting heavy orographic precipitation, are comparable to those of landfalling ARs and their impacts along the west coasts of midlatitude continents.

Photoreactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter from High-Mountain Lakes of Sierra Nevada, Spain

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 426 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Reche ◽  
E. Pulido-Villena ◽  
J. M. Conde-Porcuna ◽  
P. Carrillo
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Mountain Lakes ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
High Mountain Lakes

scholarly journals Dataset of Passerine bird communities in a Mediterranean high mountain (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

ZooKeys ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 552 ◽  
pp. 137-154
Author(s):  
Antonio Jesús Pérez-Luque ◽  
José Miguel Barea-Azcón ◽  
Lola Álvarez-Ruiz ◽  
Francisco Javier Bonet-García ◽  
Regino Zamora
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
High Mountain

scholarly journals Changes in plant diversity in a water-limited and isolated high-mountain range (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

Alpine Botany ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Lamprecht ◽  
Harald Pauli ◽  
Maria Rosa Fernández Calzado ◽  
Juan Lorite ◽  
Joaquín Molero Mesa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Range

AbstractClimate change impacts are of a particular concern in small mountain ranges, where cold-adapted plant species have their optimum zone in the upper bioclimatic belts. This is commonly the case in Mediterranean mountains, which often harbour high numbers of endemic species, enhancing the risk of biodiversity losses. This study deals with shifts in vascular plant diversity in the upper zones of the Sierra Nevada, Spain, in relation with climatic parameters during the past two decades. We used vegetation data from permanent plots of three surveys of two GLORIA study regions, spanning a period of 18 years (2001–2019); ERA5 temperature and precipitation data; and snow cover durations, derived from on-site soil temperature data. Relationships between diversity patterns and climate factors were analysed using GLMMs. Species richness showed a decline between 2001 and 2008, and increased thereafter. Species cover increased slightly but significantly, although not for endemic species. While endemics underwent cover losses proportional to non-endemics, more widespread shrub species increased. Precipitation tended to increase during the last decade, after a downward trend since 1960. Precipitation was positively related to species richness, colonisation events, and cover, and negatively to disappearance events. Longer snow cover duration and rising temperatures were also related to increasing species numbers, but not to cover changes. The rapid biotic responses of Mediterranean alpine plants indicate a tight synchronisation with climate fluctuations, especially with water availability. Thus, it rather confirms concerns about biodiversity losses, if projections of increasing temperature in combination with decreasing precipitation hold true.

The size-abundance distribution and taxonomic composition of plankton in an oligotrophic, high mountain lake (La Caldera, Sierra Nevada, Spain)

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fidel Echevarría ◽  
Presentación Carrillo ◽  
Francisco Jimenez ◽  
Pedro Sanchez-Castillo ◽  
Luis Cruz-Pizarro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Mountain Lake ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Abundance Distribution ◽  
High Mountain Lake

scholarly journals Effect of Ph and vegetation cover in soil organic matter structure at a high-mountain ecosystem (Sierra Nevada National Park, Granada, Spain)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
José A. González-Pérez ◽  
Gael Bárcenas.Moreno ◽  
Nicasio T Jiménez-Morillo ◽  
María Colchero-Asensio ◽  
Layla M. San Emeterio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
National Park ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Analytical Pyrolysis ◽  
Organic Matter Dynamics

<p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Soil reaction, analytical pyrolysis, soil respiration, carbon stabilization</p><p>During the last decade, soil organic matter dynamics and its determining factors have received increased attention, mainly due to the evident implication of these parameters in climate change understanding, predictions and possible management. High-mountain soil could be considered as hotspot of climate change dynamic since its high carbon accumulation and low organic matter degradation rates could be seriously altered by slight changes in temperature and rainfall regimes associated to climate change effects. In the particular case of Sierra Nevada National Park, this threat could be even stronger due to its Southern character, although its elevated biodiversity could shed some light on how could we predict and manage climate change in the future.</p><p>In this study, a quantitative and qualitative organic matter characterization was performed and soil microbial activity measured to evaluate the implication of pH and vegetation in soil organic matter dynamics.</p><p>The sampling areas were selected according to vegetation and soil pH; with distinct soil pH (area A with pH<7 and area B with pH>7) and vegetation (high-mountain shrubs and pine reforested area). Soil samples were collected under the influence of several plant species representatives of each vegetation series. Six samples were finally obtained (five replicates each); three were collected in area A under<em> Juniperus communis</em> ssp. Nana (ENE), <em>Genista versicolor</em> (PIO) and <em>Pinus sylvestris</em> (PSI) and other three were collected in area B under<em> Juniperus Sabina</em> (SAB), <em>Astragalus nevadensis</em> (AST) and <em>Pinus sylvestris</em> (PCA).</p><p>Qualitative and quantitative analyses of soil organic matter were made to establish a possible relationship with microbial activity estimated by respiration rate (alkali trap) and fungi-to-bacteria ratio using a plate count method. Soil easily oxidizable organic carbon content was determined by the Walkley-Black method (SOC %) and organic matter amount was estimated by weight loss on ignition (LOI %). Analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS) was used to analyse in detail the soil organic carbon composition.</p><p>Our results showed that the microbial and therefore the dynamics of organic matter is influenced by both, soil pH and soil of organic matter. So that the pH in acidic media prevail as a determining factor of microbial growth over soil organic matter composition conditioned by vegetation.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgement</strong>: Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades (MICIU) for INTERCARBON project (CGL2016-78937-R). N.T. Jiménez-Morillo and L. San Emeterio also thanks MICIU for funding FPI research grants (BES-2013-062573 and Ref. BES-2017-07968). Mrs Desiré Monis is acknowledged for technical assistance.</p><p> </p>

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