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query=vcollection:50000578 year:[2004 TO 2024] &institution=lirias&from=1&step=20&sort=scdate
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  • journal-article
    Kollert, Andreas; Mayr, Andreas; Dullinger, Stefan; Hülber, Karl; Moser, Dietmar; Lhermitte, Stefaan; Gascoin, Simon; Rutzinger, Martin; 2024. Downscaling MODIS NDSI to Sentinel-2 fractional snow cover by random forest regression. Remote Sensing Letters; 2024; Vol. 15; iss. 4; pp. 363 - 372
    LIRIAS4149029
    description

    Publisher: Taylor & Francis
    Published
  • journal-article
    Vermeulen, Liezl Mari; Van Meerbeek, Koenraad; Somers, Ben; Verbist, Bruno; Slingsby, Jasper; Negri Bernardino, Paulo; 2024. Wetness severity increases abrupt shifts in ecosystem functioning in arid savannas. Global Change Biology; 2024; Vol. 30; iss. 13; pp.
    LIRIAS4148902
    description
    The accelerating pace of climate change has led to unprecedented shifts in surface temperature and precipitation patterns worldwide, with African savannas being among the most vulnerable regions. Understanding the impacts of these extreme changes on ecosystem health, functioning and stability is crucial. This paper focuses on the detection of breakpoints, indicative of shifts in ecosystem functioning, while also determining relevant ecosystem characteristics and climatic drivers that increase susceptibility to these shifts within the semi-arid to arid savanna biome. Utilising a remote sensing change detection approach and rain use efficiency (RaUE) as a proxy for ecosystem functioning, spatial and temporal patterns of breakpoints in the savanna biome were identified. We then employed a novel combination of survival analysis and remote sensing time series analysis to compare ecosystem characteristics and climatic drivers in areas experiencing breakpoints versus areas with stable ecosystem functioning. Key ecosystem factors increasing savanna breakpoint susceptibility were identified, namely higher soil sand content, flatter terrain and a cooler long-term mean temperature during the wet summer season. Moreover, the primary driver of changes in ecosystem functioning in arid savannas, as opposed to wetter tropical savannas, was found to be the increased frequency and severity of rainfall events, rather than drought pressures. This research highlights the importance of incorporating wetness severity metrics alongside drought metrics to comprehensively understand climate–ecosystem interactions leading to abrupt shifts in ecosystem functioning in arid biomes. The findings also emphasise the need to consider the underlying ecosystem characteristics, including soil, topography and vegetation composition, in assessing ecosystem responses to climate change. While this research primarily concentrated on the southern African savanna as a case study, the methodological robustness of this approach enables its application to diverse arid and semi-arid biomes for the assessment of climate–ecosystem interactions that contribute to abrupt shifts.
    Publisher: Wiley
    Published online
  • Aerts, Raf; 2024. Natuur is gezond!.
    LIRIAS4148686
    description
    Avontuurlijke ontdekkers gezocht! Hoe voel jij je na een avontuurlijke boswandeling of een verfrissende dag aan zee? En wat dacht je van spelen in de tuin of het park? Voel je je dan niet lekker moe maar stiekem ook een beetje blij? Absoluut! En wist je dat wetenschappers steeds meer bewijs vinden dat de natuur supergoed is voor onze gezondheid? Wel, we hebben goed nieuws voor jou! Dit kindercollege gaat helemaal over dat fascinerende verband tussen natuur, biodiversiteit en onze gezondheid. En raad eens? We gaan niet alleen praten, maar ook experimenteren. Ontdek waarom de natuur zo geweldig is en waarom het overal om ons heen, zelfs in de stad, belangrijk is. Ben jij er klaar voor?

    Published online
  • journal-article
    Rosier, Ine; Diels, Jan; Somers, Ben; Van Orshoven, Jos; 2024. Maximising runoff retention by vegetated landscape elements positioned through spatial optimisation. Landscape And Urban Planning; 2024; Vol. 243C; pp.
    LIRIAS4128066
    description
    Ecosystem services provided by vegetated landscape elements (vLEs) are increasingly recognised. One of the services provided is the mitigation of downstream flood risk. Obviously, the type and spatial configuration of vLEs impact the magnitude and timing of the runoff retention. Hence policy programs focused on the conservation and restoration of vLEs would benefit from a capability to determine the optimal spatial configuration of vLEs leading to maximum impact for minimal cost. We integrated the Landlab rainfall-runoff model in an iterative spatial optimisation framework to deal with rasterised linear parcel boundaries whereby the cumulative capability to reduce discharge through the installation of vLEs is the ranking criterion. We applied the procedure to a 191 ha agricultural watershed situated in the Belgian Loess belt encompassing 34 km parcel boundaries. Our results demonstrated that discharge volume can be more effectively reduced when vLEs are implemented based on the priority ranking obtained through our approach compared to both a random positioning of vLEs of the same length and type and the existing vLE configuration. The priority parcel boundaries are mainly located along preferential flow paths, highlighting the importance of the upslope area associated with vLEs and the infiltration enhancement they provoke. The application potential of the optimisation approach is not limited to the topic of finding priority locations for vLEs to reduce discharge but can be applied in a variety of disciplines that require answering questions about the optimal spatial configuration of interventions.
    Publisher: Elsevier
    Published online
  • journal-article
    Kimaro, Oforo D; Desie, Ellen; Verbist, bruno; Kimaro, Didas Nahum; Vancampenhout, Karen; Feger, Karl-Heinz; 2024. Soil organic carbon stocks and fertility in smallholder indigenous agroforestry systems of the north-eastern mountains, Tanzania. Geoderma Regional; 2024; Vol. 36; pp.
    LIRIAS4136074
    description

    Publisher: Elsevier
    Accepted
  • journal-article
    Arts, Wouter; Storms, Ilie; Van Aelst, Joost; Lagrain, Bert; Verbist, Bruno; Van Orshoven, Jos; Verkerk, Pieter Johannes; Vermeiren, Walter; Lange, Jean-Paul; Muys, Bart; Sels, Bert F; 2024. Feasibility of wood as a renewable carbon feedstock for the production of chemicals in Europe. Biofuels Bioproducts & Biorefining-Biofpr; 2024; Vol. 18; iss. 2; pp.
    LIRIAS4143856
    description
    In transitioning to a carbon- neutral chemical industry, the intake of fossil feedstocks will have to be reduced by maximizing end- of- life product recycling and introducing alternative feedstocks based on renewable carbon. This perspective article analyses the potential of domestically grown and sourced woody biomass for the supply of renewable carbon for chemicals in Europe. The European chemical industry can become a major consumer of woody biomass in a context where burning wood for energy production is viewed as an unsustainable practice. © 2024 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
    Publisher: Wiley
    Published online
  • journal-article
    Negri Bernardino, Paulo; Oliveira, Rafael S; Van Meerbeek, Koenraad; Hirota, Marina; Furtado, Mariana N; Sanches, Isabela A; Somers, Ben; 2024. Estimating vegetation water content from Sentinel-1 C-band SAR data over savanna and grassland ecosystems. Environmental Research Letters; 2024; Vol. 19; iss. 3; pp.
    LIRIAS4143868
    description
    Studying vegetation water content (VWC) dynamics is essential for understanding plant growth, water and carbon cycles, and ecosystem stability. However, acquiring field-based VWC estimates, consistently through space and time, is challenging due to time and resource constraints. This study investigates the potential of Sentinel-1 C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for estimating VWC in natural ecosystems in central Brazil. We assessed (i) how well Sentinel-1 SAR data can capture variations in VWC over three different vegetation types (i.e. dry and waterlogged grasslands, and savannas) and (ii) how the studied vegetation types respond to seasonal dry periods in terms of water content. Field data from 82 plots, distributed across the three vegetation types and revisited in four different seasons, were used to calibrate and validate a model for VWC estimation. The calibrated model, with an R2 of 0.52 and RMSE of 0.465 kg m−2, was then applied to Sentinel-1 SAR backscatter data to generate monthly VWC maps for grassland and savanna ecosystems at 30 m spatial resolution between April 2015 and September 2023. These maps, combined with rainfall and potential evapotranspiration data, provided insights into how the studied vegetation types respond to water shortage during the dry season at the community scale. More specifically, savannas showed to be better able to retain higher levels of water content during the dry season, probably due to a higher water holding capacity of the woody component together with its deep-root system ability to access deeper groundwater. This research demonstrates the potential of Sentinel-1 SAR data for monitoring VWC in natural ecosystems, allowing for future studies to assess ecosystems' response to drought events and changes in their functioning, ultimately supporting land management decisions.
    Publisher: IOP Publishing
    Published
  • presentation
    Haesen, Stef; Lembrechts, Jonas J; De Frenne, Pieter; Lenoir, Jonathan; SoilTemp consortium, ; Van Meerbeek, Koenraad; 2024. ForestClim: A novel set of bioclimatic temperature variables for European forests.
    LIRIAS4144334
    description


    Published
  • presentation
    Beele, Eva; Aerts, Raf; Reyniers, Maarten; Somers, Ben; 2024. Uran forests or urban savannas? Tailoring cooling strategies to spatial and temporal variability in urban environments.
    LIRIAS4143986
    description
    Outstanding poster award for PhD students

    Published
  • journal-article
    Tollenaar, Veronica; Zekollari, Harry; Pattyn, Frank; Russwurm, Marc; Kellenberger, Benjamin; Lhermitte, Stef; Izeboud, Maaike; Tuia, Devis; 2024. Where the White Continent Is Blue: Deep Learning Locates Bare Ice in Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters; 2024; Vol. 51; iss. 3; pp.
    LIRIAS4143784
    description

    Publisher: American Geophysical Union
    Published
  • journal-article
    Wang, Mengxi; Calders, Kim; Verbeeck, Hans; Verheyen, Kris; Baeten, Lander; Blondeel, Haben; Muys, Bart; Ponette, Quentin; Armston, John; Van Coillie, Frieke; 2024. Exploring the influence of tree species richness on vertical structure variability in young plantations using terrestrial laser scanning. Forest Ecology And Management; 2024; Vol. 554; pp.
    LIRIAS4142548
    description

    Publisher: Elsevier
    Published
  • journal-article
    Depauw, Leen; De Lombaerde, Emiel; Dhiedt, Els; Blondeel, Haben; Abdala-Roberts, Luis; Auge, Harald; Barsoum, Nadia; Bauhus, Juergen; Chu, Chengjin; Damtew, Abebe; Eisenhauer, Nico; Fagundes, Marina V; Ganade, Gislene; Gendreau-Berthiaume, Benoit; Godbold, Douglas; Gravel, Dominique; Guillemot, Joannes; Hajek, Peter; Hector, Andrew; Herault, Bruno; Jactel, Herve; Koricheva, Julia; Kreft, Holger; Liu, Xiaojuan; Mereu, Simone; Messier, Christian; Muys, Bart; Nock, Charles A; Paquette, Alain; Parker, John D; Parker, William C; Paterno, Gustavo B; Perring, Michael P; Ponette, Quentin; Potvin, Catherine; Reich, Peter B; Rewald, Boris; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael; Schnabel, Florian; Sousa-Silva, Rita; Weih, Martin; Zemp, Delphine Clara; Verheyen, Kris; Baeten, Lander; 2024. Enhancing Tree Performance Through Species Mixing: Review of a Quarter-Century of TreeDivNet Experiments Reveals Research Gaps and Practical Insights. Current Forestry Reports; 2024; Vol. 10; iss. 1; pp. 1 - 20
    LIRIAS4142547
    description

    Publisher: SpringerLink
    Published
  • journal-article
    Casier, Margaux; Aelyn, Van Diest; Aerts, Raf; Peeters, Gerrit; Van Acker, Kasper; Hellemans, Bart; Honnay, Olivier; Muys, Bart; 2024. Genetic diversity and structure of endangered native yew Taxus baccata in remnant populations in Belgium. Forest Ecology And Management; 2024; Vol. 553; pp.
    LIRIAS4130340
    description

    Publisher: Elsevier
    Published
  • journal-article
    Amory, Charles; Buizert, Christo; Buzzard, Sammie; Case, Elizabeth; Clerx, Nicole; Culberg, Riley; Datta, Rajashree Tri; Dey, Rahul; Drews, Reinhard; Dunmire, Devon; Eayrs, Clare; Hansen, Nicolaj; Humbert, Angelika; Kaitheri, Athul; Keegan, Kaitlin; Kuipers Munneke, Peter; Lenaerts, Jan TM; Lhermitte, Stef; Mair, Doug; Mcdowell, Ian; Mejia, Jessica; Meyer, Colin R; Morris, Elizabeth; Moser, Dorothea; Oraschewski, Falk M; Pearce, Emma; de Roda Husman, Sophie; Schlegel, Nicole-Jeanne; Schultz, Timm; Simonsen, Sebastian B; Stevens, C Max; Thomas, Elizabeth R; Thompson-Munson, Megan; Wever, Nander; Wouters, Bert; 2024. Firn on ice sheets. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment; 2024; Vol. 5; iss. 2; pp. 79 - 99
    LIRIAS4141721
    description

    Publisher: Springer Nature
    Published
  • journal-article
    Husman, Sophie de Roda; Lhermitte, Stef; Bolibar, Jordi; Izeboud, Maaike; Hu, Zhongyang; Shukla, Shashwat; van der Meer, Marijn; Long, David; Wouters, Bert; 2024. A high-resolution record of surface melt on Antarctic ice shelves using multi-source remote sensing data and deep learning. Remote Sensing Of Environment; 2024; Vol. 301; pp.
    LIRIAS4138321
    description

    Publisher: American Elsevier Pub. Co.
    Published
  • journal-article
    Gillerot, Loïc; Rozario, Kevin; De Frenne, Pieter; Oh, Rachel; Ponette, Quentin; Bonn, Aletta; Chow, Winston; Godbold, Douglas; Steinparzer, Matthias; Haluza, Daniela; Landuyt, Dries; Muys, Bart; Verheyen, Kris; 2024. Forests are chill: The interplay between thermal comfort and mental wellbeing. Landscape And Urban Planning; 2024; Vol. 242; pp.
    LIRIAS4135419
    description

    Publisher: Elsevier
    Published online
  • journal-article
    Kangi, Gladys; Dondeyne, Stefaan; Kleinschroth, Fritz; Van Orshoven, Jos; 2024. Variation of the Omo Delta between 1990 and 2018: What remote sensing data reveal and models explain. Land Degradation & Development; 2024; Vol. 35; iss. 2023; pp. 1 - 17
    LIRIAS4119371
    description
    Deltas, being areas where river sediments accumulate, are sensitive to changes in climate and anthropogenic processes that affect sediment generation. The Omo Delta, on the Ethiopia–Kenya border, is constantly changing due to fluctuating lake levels, a variable climate, and rapidly changing land use. Due to field data scarcity and the region's limited accessibility, we relied on remote sensing (RS) data to investigate delta extent between 1990 and 2018 and attempted to disentangle the effect of climatic from anthropogenic variables. We obtained a time series of delta extent from Landsat imagery using Random Forest (RF) classification. Using parametric and nonparametric regression techniques, we regressed the delta extent on Lake Turkana levels, Omo River discharges, Omo-Gibe Basin rainfall, tree cover loss, and irrigation extent. The RF algorithm distinguished water from land with high (>90%) accuracies and revealed Omo Delta extent fluctuations ranging from 949 km2 in 1993 to 651 km2 in 2000. Lake water level, which depends on the rainfall over the Omo-Turkana Basin, emerged as the best predictor of delta extent. However, the annual rainfall over the Omo-Gibe Basin showed no correlation with delta extent. The regression models further show a connection between delta extent, irrigation extent, and tree cover loss. We conclude that rainfall indirectly influences delta extent across the Omo-Turkana Basin. Regression models indicate additional cumulative effects of human activity in the Omo-Gibe Basin but fall short in explaining delta dynamics.
    Publisher: Wiley
    Published online
  • journal-article
    Maes, Sybryn; Negri Bernardino, Paulo; 2024. Explore Before You Restore: Incorporating Complex Systems thinking in Ecosystem Restoration. Journal Of Applied Ecology; 2024
    LIRIAS4139776
    description

    Publisher: Wiley
    Accepted
  • journal-article
    Damtew, Abebe; Birhane, Emiru; Messier, Christian; Paquette, Alain; Muys, Bart; 2024. Shading and species diversity act as safety nets for seedling survival and vitality of native trees in dryland forests: Implications for restoration. Forest Ecology And Management; 2024; Vol. 552; pp.
    LIRIAS4132092
    description

    Publisher: Elsevier
    Published
  • journal-article
    Landuyt, Dries; Maes, Sybryn L; Verheyen, Kris; 2024. Combining multiple investigative approaches to unravel functional responses to global change in the understorey of temperate forests. Global Change Biology; 2024; Vol. 30; iss. 1; pp. e17086 - ...
    LIRIAS4123186
    description
    Plant communities are being exposed to changing environmental conditions all around the globe, leading to alterations in plant diversity, community composition, and ecosystem functioning. For herbaceous understorey communities in temperate forests, responses to global change are postulated to be complex, due to the presence of a tree layer that modulates understorey responses to external pressures such as climate change and changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition rates. Multiple investigative approaches have been put forward as tools to detect, quantify and predict understorey responses to these global-change drivers, including, among others, distributed resurvey studies and manipulative experiments. These investigative approaches are generally designed and reported upon in isolation, while integration across investigative approaches is rarely considered. In this study, we integrate three investigative approaches (two complementary resurvey approaches and one experimental approach) to investigate how climate warming and changes in nitrogen deposition affect the functional composition of the understorey and how functional responses in the understorey are modulated by canopy disturbance, that is, changes in overstorey canopy openness over time. Our resurvey data reveal that most changes in understorey functional characteristics represent responses to changes in canopy openness with shifts in macroclimate temperature and aerial nitrogen deposition playing secondary roles. Contrary to expectations, we found little evidence that these drivers interact. In addition, experimental findings deviated from the observational findings, suggesting that the forces driving understorey change at the regional scale differ from those driving change at the forest floor (i.e., the experimental treatments). Our study demonstrates that different approaches need to be integrated to acquire a full picture of how understorey communities respond to global change.
    Publisher: Wiley
    Accepted