Community Types Research Articles

Investigating green hydrogen production operated by redundant energy on a solar PV mini-grid through matlab simulation and artificial neural network

Green hydrogen is an important part of the transition to a net zero economy, due to its potential to deliver high amounts of energy without pollution. One important opportunity to produce green hydrogen is the use of redundant energy on solar PV mini-grids. Redundant energy is the potential generation of a mini-grid that is never utilized due to low demand and the mismatch of peak solar PV generation and peak demand. In this study, a typical rural community solar PV mini-grid is simulated using Matlab Simulink and incorporated with a water electrolyser for hydrogen production. Having run the simulation for 365 days of the year, it was revealed that the mini-grid can produce a daily average of 1.18–2.16 kg, a monthly average of 36.59–64.84 kg and a yearly total of 609.26 kg of hydrogen. Subsequently, an artificial neuron network was trained with data acquired from the simulation. With varying configurations of the number of neurons and hidden layers, it was found that the model successfully predicts hydrogen production on the mini-grid with the highest performance (RMSE = 39.85 g and R2 = 0.9979) seen when the number of hidden layers is 40 and the number of neurons per hidden layer is 3.

Niche of woody plant populations in Picea purpurea community in the upper Taohe River

The niche of plant populations is affected by the environment, species characteristics and anthropogenic disturbance. Picea purpurea, as a major constructive species in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, had been severely damaged. Although the national project for the protection of natural forests has promoted the recovery of its community, its structure, survival status, development trend, and the factors affecting it are still unclear. We selected P. purpurea communities in Zecha, Dayugou and Yeliguan forest zones at different altitudes and disturbance levels. We analyzed niche characteristics of the woody plants and the relationship between niche and altitude, and disturbance. P. purpurea has absolute advantages as a constructive species, and its population dominance and niche width in the tree layer show a decreasing trend with decreasing altitude, there is niche overlap between all species pairs. In the shrub layer, the dominant species are mostly Caprifoliaceae and Rosaceae besides P. purpurea seedlings, the proportion of species pairs with niche overlap is YLG>ZC>DYG, and all appeared niche divergence and convergence species pairs. In addition, P. purpurea seedlings had niche overlap with most woody species, and this overlap index was the highest. The mean values of the niche overlap index between species in the tree and shrub layers were all YLG>DYG>ZC. The niche overlap index between species in the tree layer was greater than that in the shrub layer in the same forest zones, indicating that the tree layer is more stable than the shrub layer, providing evidence that niche overlap maintains community stability. Regression analyses showed that minimum temperature was the main factor affecting dominance, niche, niche overlap and shrub layer species richness of the P. purpurea population. Disturbance did not significantly affect dominance and niche of P. purpurea seedling populations, but promoted niche differentiation of shrub layer species. We conclude that the P. purpurea community is mainly influenced by altitude and anthropogenic disturbance. Altitude-induced climatic variation fundamentally determines the distinct community composition and population niche. Anthropogenic disturbance has altered habitat heterogeneity and enriched community structure. Furthermore, the P. purpurea populations show a trend towards expansion. Understanding the structure and niche characteristics of P. purpurea communities on different environmental gradients enriches our ideas for implementing vegetation restoration and sustainable forest management in subalpine zones in the context of climate change, and is conducive to improving the conservation capacity of this population or community type.

A Plein Air Painting Event as a Liminal Experience Building the Artists’ Community

The subject of the article is a plein air painting event, considered as a liminal experience that is widely practiced by traditional artists to create and maintain communities in the local and supra-local art fields. The interest in organizing this kind of meetings among artists, modern art galleries, and art schools is not decreasing, and one can talk about the exceptionally long duration of the phenomenon. This article discusses the experience of participants for whom these joint meetings have a metaphysical dimension. The descriptions and expressions used by the artists have become the inspiration to use Victor W. Turner’s concept in the analysis. That is why this practice is discussed as a liminal experience and a rite of passage, whereas the relations between its participants are understood in terms of a specific type of community that is called by Turner ‘spontaneous communitas’. All the considerations and conclusions included in this text are based on qualitative research conducted among visual artists.

Leaf Functional Traits and Their Influencing Factors in Six Typical Vegetation Communities.

Leaf functional traits (LFTs) have become a popular topic in ecological research in recent years. Here, we measured eight LFTs, namely leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf thickness (LT), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf carbon content (LCC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), leaf phosphorus content (LPC), and leaf potassium content (LKC), in six typical vegetation communities (sclerophyllous evergreen broad-leaved forests, temperate evergreen coniferous forests, cold-temperate evergreen coniferous forests, alpine deciduous broad-leaved shrubs, alpine meadows, and alpine scree sparse vegetation) in the Chayu River Basin, southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Our aim was to explore their relationships with evolutionary history and environmental factors by combining the RLQ and the fourth-corner method, and the method of testing phylogenetic signal. The results showed that (i) there were significant differences in the eight LFTs among the six vegetation communities; (ii) the K values of the eight LFTs were less than 1; and (iii) except for LCC, all other LFTs were more sensitive to environmental changes. Among these traits, LA was the most affected by the environmental factors, followed by LNC. It showed that the LFTs in the study were minimally influenced by phylogenetic development but significantly by environmental changes. This study further verified the ecological adaptability of plants to changes in environmental factors and provides a scientific basis for predicting the distribution and diffusion direction of plants under global change conditions.

Exploring drivers of self-treatment with antibiotics in three agricultural communities of northern Tanzania

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Self-treatment with antibiotics, the practice of using antibiotics without professional guidance, is often considered an important contributor to the emergence and spread of AMR.MethodThis study investigated the drivers of self-treatment in three common types of agricultural communities in northern Tanzania. The research employed a comprehensive array of methods, including cross-sectional surveys (n = 790), interviews (n = 30) and observations (n = 178) targeting both antibiotic (human and animal) providers and users (patients and farmers). Qualitative interview data were analysed using a coding and association matrix, while descriptive analyses were performed on survey and observation data.ResultsSelf-treatment with antibiotics was highly prevalent in all communities. Between 41.0% (self-reported) and 60.3% (observed) of human antibiotics were obtained without a prescription and we observed that veterinary antibiotics were regularly purchased in retail shops without referral by a professional. Structural deficiencies in the healthcare system drove this practice: limited access to healthcare facilities, medication stockouts and prolonged waiting times were identified as key factors. The absence of safety nets like insurance schemes further contributed to self-medication. Retail shops offered a convenient and cost-effective alternative when antibiotics were inaccessible or unaffordable. Notably, informal networks comprising treatment vendors, friends or neighbours, as well as personal experiences played a crucial role in guiding individuals in their self-treatment decisions by providing advice on treatment choice and modalities.ConclusionsAddressing self-treatment requires a multi-faceted approach. Improving the availability and accessibility of antibiotics, enhancing healthcare services and involving retail vendors in antibiotic stewardship are essential. Structural issues like access to diagnostics and medicines must be tackled, alongside reducing barriers and incentivising individuals to use professional healthcare services. Training retail vendors to sell specific first-line antibiotics over the counter with guidance on appropriate usage should be considered. Such bottom-up interventions will enable sustainable promotion of responsible antibiotic use, mitigating AMR emergence and securing a healthier future for all.

Типология педагогических общностей и их включенность в непрерывное педагогическое образование: социологический подход

The article examines pedagogical communities and their typology through the lens of their inclusion in the process of continuous pedagogical education. The analysis of the works of Russian scientists dealing with the typologization of schoolchildren, students and teaching staff on various grounds allowed us to propose our own typology, uniting pedagogical communities included in the process of continuous pedagogical education. As the basis of the typology of pedagogical communities, the position to continuous pedagogical education as a necessary condition of pedagogical skill or a formal condition for the teaching profession and educational and professional strategies are highlighted. The author identifies four types of pedagogical communities: “Devotion to the Teaching Profession”, “Selection of Alternative Professional Pathways Related to Education”, “Retirement from the Teaching Profession” and “Uncertainty in Professional Strategy”. Each type possesses specific characteristics that differentiate one from another. Particular attention is given to the pedagogical community characterized by “Uncertainty in Professional Strategy”, which illustrates the issue of the outflow of young professionals from the educational sector in Russian pedagogical education.

NosZ II/nosZ I ratio regulates the N2O reduction rates in the eutrophic lake sediments

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a more potent greenhouse gas with an atmospheric lifetime of 121 years, contributing significantly to climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion. Lakes are hotspots for N2O release due to the imbalance between N2O sources and sinks. N2O-reducing bacteria are the only biological means to mitigate N2O emission, yet their roles in lakes are not well studied. This study investigated the potential for N2O reduction, keystones of typical and atypical N2O-reducing bacterial communities, and their correlations with environmental factors in the sediments of Lake Taihu through microcosm experiments, high-throughput sequencing of the nosZ gene, and statistical modeling. The results showed that potential N2O reduction rates in sediments ranged from 13.71 to 76.95 μg N2O g−1 d−1, with lower rates in December compared to March and July. Correlation analysis indicated that the nosZ II/nosZ I ratio and the trophic lake index (TLI) were the primary factors influencing N2O reduction rates and N2O-reducing bacterial community structures. The genera Pseudogulbenkiania and Ardenticatena were identified as the most abundant typical and atypical N2O-reducing bacteria, respectively, and were also recognized as the keystone taxa. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results revealed that nosZ II was more abundant than nosZ I in the sediments. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) further demonstrated that atypical N2O-reducing bacteria had significant positive effects on N2O reduction process in the sediments (p < 0.05). Overall, this study highlights the crucial ecological roles of atypical N2O-reducing bacteria in the sediments of the eutrophic lake of Taihu, underscoring their potential in mitigating N2O emissions.

Impact of social and environmental factors on child safety in gated vs. conventional areas

Gated communities are perceived as safer for children, yet they still raise concerns among parents regarding safety, security measures, play areas, and social cohesion. Developing a truly child-friendly environment requires creating safe and well-maintained spaces, but empirical research on these issues remains limited. This study investigates factors influencing parents’ perceptions of child safety, focusing on social cohesion, disorder, territoriality, and natural surveillance in both gated and conventional communities. Structured interviews were conducted with 118 residents from Al-Mafraq, Jordan, comparing perceptions in a gated community and a conventional district. The methodology combined quantitative analysis of survey data with qualitative insights from interviews. The results revealed that perceived social cohesion and disorder significantly affect parents’ perceptions of child safety in both types of communities (p &lt; 0.05). Conversely, territoriality showed no significant relationship (p &gt; 0.05), while natural surveillance significantly influenced perceptions in conventional communities but not in gated communities (p &lt; 0.05). These findings underscore the importance of social and environmental factors in shaping safety perceptions and highlight the need for urban planning strategies to enhance child safety across different community settings.

The effectiveness of installing playful learning landscapes in everyday urban spaces

ABSTRACT How can city planners, developmental scientists, designers, architects, and public/private institutions come together to leverage the 80% of children’s waking time spent outside of school to benefit their development? One answer is the Playful Learning Landscapes (PLL) initiative, which marries the learning sciences with urban revitalization to craft carefully planned playful learning experiences that focus on learning outcomes. Playful Learning Landscapes installations placed in high traffic environments in cities ensure maximal exposure, aligning with best practices in the field of prevention science. Results of this meta-analysis provide initial evidence that PLL installations demonstrate large effects on caregiver behavior and caregiver-child interaction, and medium effects on child behavior, in comparison to either control sites or pre-PLL installation. Results also suggest the presence of two significant moderators: the presence of community involvement and type of PLL (permanent physical installations versus pop-ups). While the number of studies included here is small, these findings are encouraging and suggest that continued investment in creating and evaluating new PLL installations is appropriate.

Evaluation of perceived value and behavioral intentions of citizens in Chinese commercially open communities: A case study of Liuyun Community

As urban development shifts from the incremental era to the stock era, urban design is becoming increasingly focused on high-quality living and human needs. However, the opening of traditional communities has been insufficiently examined. This study took Liuyun Community, a typical open community in Guangzhou (China) that has undergone a transformation from residential to commercial use, as its research object. First, more than 300 residents, tourists, and merchants were surveyed via questionnaires administered in field investigations and interviews. Next, the data from the completed questionnaires were used to construct a structural equation model consisting of five dimensions, namely commercial service value, cost value, risk value, perceptual value, and social value. The data were then analyzed to determine the correlations between perceived value and behavioral intention, satisfaction, and other psychological attributes. The following results were obtained: (1) As commercial activities in the community increased, the influence of social value, cost value, and commercial service value on behavioral intention decreased. (2) The open community inevitably had negative impacts on its citizens. However, these negative impacts were mitigated to some extent by high levels of social value. (3) Perceptions of commercial service value varied between groups.

Reproductive Tract Microbial Transitions from Late Gestation to Early Postpartum Using 16S rRNA Metagenetic Profiling in First-Pregnancy Heifers.

Studies in recent years indicate that reproductive tract microbial communities are crucial for shaping mammals' health and reproductive outcomes. Following parturition, uterine bacterial contamination often occurs due to the open cervix, which may lead to postpartum uterine inflammatory diseases, especially in primiparous individuals. However, investigations into spatio-temporal microbial transitions in the reproductive tract of primigravid females remain limited. Our objective was to describe and compare the microbial community compositions in the vagina at late gestation and in the vagina and uterus at early postpartum in first-pregnancy heifers. Three swab samples were collected from 33 first-pregnancy Holstein Friesian heifers: one vaginal sample at gestation day 258 ± 4, and vaginal and uterine samples at postpartum day 7 ± 2. Each sample underwent 16S rRNA V4 region metagenetic analysis via Illumina MiSeq, with bioinformatics following Mothur MiSeq SOP. The reproductive tract bacterial communities were assigned to 1255 genus-level OTUs across 30 phyla. Dominant phyla, accounting for approximately 90% of the communities, included Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Fusobacteria. However, the results revealed distinct shifts in microbial composition between the prepartum vagina (Vag-pre), postpartum vagina (Vag-post), and postpartum uterus (Utr-post). The Vag-pre and Utr-post microbial profiles were the most distinct. The Utr-post group had lower relative abundances of Proteobacteria but higher abundances of Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Tenericutes compared to Vag-pre, while Vag-post displayed intermediate values for these phyla, suggesting a transitional profile. Additionally, the Utr-post group exhibited lower bacterial richness and diversity compared to both Vag-pre and Vag-post. The unsupervised probabilistic Dirichlet Multinomial Mixtures model identified two distinct community types: most Vag-pre samples clustered into one type and Utr-post samples into another, while Vag-post samples were distributed evenly between the two. LEfSe analysis revealed distinct microbial profiles at the genus level. Overall, specific microbial markers were associated with anatomical and temporal transitions, revealing a dynamic microbial landscape during the first pregnancy and parturition. These differences highlight the complexity of these ecosystems and open new avenues for research in reproductive biology and microbial ecology.

Vitality behind desolation: Characteristics and succession process of plant communities in the Chongqing special steel plant brownfield

Phytoremediation is a sustainable way to clean contaminated urban soil, but selecting the right plants and designing communities is crucial. This study focuses on the vegetation in a disused steel plant in Chongqing, China, abandoned for nearly two decades. The goal is to reveal the plant community and succession patterns to inform the restoration of brownfield sites. This study combined the sample line and plot to investigate the vegetation and its growth environment in the Steel Plant. Information was recorded, including plant species, quantity, distribution, soil nutrients, humidity, and light. Cluster analysis categorized plant community types, and redundancy analysis examined the link between environmental conditions and plant types. The study found that: 1) There are 65 plant species (including 13 native trees) in the steel plant’s brownfield area, with Broussonetia papyrifera, Pteris vittata, and Debregeasia orientalis being the most abundant. The plants inside the plant were divided into seven groups based on species composition. 2) Soil moisture showed a significant positive correlation (Pearson index of 0.628) with plant survival, followed by a notable correlation with light intensity. 3) Environmental conditions partly influenced plant species composition and abundance variations. 4) 11 hyper-accumulating plant species were identified, focusing on three: the As hyper-accumulator Pteris vittata and the Cd hyper-accumulators Solanum nigrum and Debregeasia orientalis. The findings of this research will offer valuable insights for applying phytoremediation techniques in addressing contamination issues in brownfields within steel plants.

Changes in bumblebee queen gut microbiotas during and after overwintering diapause.

Bumblebees are key pollinators with gut microbiotas that support host health. After bumblebee queens undergo winter diapause, which occurs before spring colony establishment, their gut microbiotas are disturbed, but little is known about community dynamics during diapause itself. Queen gut microbiotas also help seed worker microbiotas, so it is important that they recover post-diapause to a typical community structure, a process that may be impeded by pesticide exposure. We examined how bumblebee queen gut microbiota community structure and metabolic potential shift during and after winter diapause, and whether post-diapause recovery is affected by pesticide exposure. To do so, we placed commercial Bombus impatiens queens into diapause, euthanizing them at 0, 2 and 4 months of diapause. Additionally, we allowed some queens to recover from diapause for 1 week before euthanasia, exposing half to the common herbicide glyphosate. Using whole-community, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we found that core bee gut phylotypes dominated queen gut microbiotas before, during and after diapause, but that two phylotypes, Schmidhempelia and Snodgrassella, ceased to be detected during late diapause and recovery. Despite fluctuations in taxonomic community structure, metabolic potential remained constant through diapause and recovery. Also, glyphosate exposure did not affect post-diapause microbiota recovery. However, metagenomic assembly quality and our ability to detect microbial taxa and metabolic pathways declined alongside microbial abundance, which was substantially reduced during diapause. Our study offers new insights into how bumblebee queen gut microbiotas change taxonomically and functionally during a key life stage and provides guidance for future microbiota studies in diapausing bumblebees.

Exploring Architectural Space Optimization Aimed at Enhancing the Resilience of Campus Food Security in Higher Education Institutions —Case Study of Nan'an Campus, Chongqing Jiaotong University

Compared to typical urban communities, university campuses have unique characteristics such as a dense transient population and a lack of self-sufficiency. In emergency situations, such as lockdowns, the food supply for students on campus can be significantly impacted. Addressing this practical issue, the research team focused on the operational status of university campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a survey of nearly 100 students and an inspection of over 5,000 square meters of campus space, the study proposes a dining space solution based on a pre-packaged meal product system that includes "ready-to-distribute," "ready-to-cook," "ready-to-eat," and "ready-to-heat" categories. Following design principles of non-congregation, timeliness, flexibility, and standardization, and targeting dormitory living areas or other underutilized campus spaces, the project employs BIM modular design techniques and prefabricated construction concepts. The aim is to create an automated and shared dining space that can operate 24 hours a day, even during lockdowns, thereby enhancing the resilience of campus food security.

Defining Vaginal Community Dynamics: daily microbiome transitions, the role of menstruation, bacteriophages, and bacterial genes

BackgroundThe composition of the vaginal microbiota during the menstrual cycle is dynamic, with some women remaining eu- or dysbiotic and others transitioning between these states. What defines these dynamics, and whether these differences are microbiome-intrinsic or mostly driven by the host is unknown. To address this, we characterized 49 healthy, young women by metagenomic sequencing of daily vaginal swabs during a menstrual cycle. We classified the dynamics of the vaginal microbiome and assessed the impact of host behavior as well as microbiome differences at the species, strain, gene, and phage levels.ResultsBased on the daily shifts in community state types (CSTs) during a menstrual cycle, the vaginal microbiome was classified into four Vaginal Community Dynamics (VCDs) and reported in a classification tool, named VALODY: constant eubiotic, constant dysbiotic, menses-related, and unstable dysbiotic. The abundance of bacteria, phages, and bacterial gene content was compared between the four VCDs. Women with different VCDs showed significant differences in relative phage abundance and bacterial composition even when assigned to the same CST. Women with unstable VCDs had higher phage counts and were more likely dominated by L. iners. Their Gardnerella spp. strains were also more likely to harbor bacteriocin-coding genes.ConclusionsThe VCDs present a novel time series classification that highlights the complexity of varying degrees of vaginal dysbiosis. Knowing the differences in phage gene abundances and the genomic strains present allows a deeper understanding of the initiation and maintenance of permanent dysbiosis. Applying the VCDs to further characterize the different types of microbiome dynamics qualifies the investigation of disease and enables comparisons at individual and population levels. Based on our data, to be able to classify a dysbiotic sample into the accurate VCD, clinicians would need two to three mid-cycle samples and two samples during menses. In the future, it will be important to address whether transient VCDs pose a similar risk profile to persistent dysbiosis with similar clinical outcomes. This framework may aid interdisciplinary translational teams in deciphering the role of the vaginal microbiome in women’s health and reproduction.9k3PVfrRnyX1V_8jfg2U5DVideo

Comparison of shipping versus immediate freezer storage of vaginal samples for vaginal microbiota assessment

ObjectivesWe evaluated how storing vaginal samples at room temperature in stabilising solutions versus immediate freezing affects 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing-based microbiota studies, aiming to simplify home and field collection.MethodsTwenty...

Construction of Urban Spatial Intelligent Planning and Design System Under the Background of Big Data

Based on the induction of potentially utilisable micro-spaces in typical old residential communities, this study selects the communities located at 19 and 22 Yuhe Street, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, as typical research objects. By employing space syntax analysis, the spatial properties of these micro-spaces are examined and matched with the activity needs of various age groups within the community. By leveraging the characteristics of activity periods for all age groups, the study also proposes a composite design for less disruptive activity spaces. Consequently, optimisation suggestions for the renovation of public spaces in these two communities are presented, aiming to specifically meet the activity needs of residents of all ages within the limited space of the community. This research provides an analytical framework and methodological approach for the renovation strategies of old residential communities.

Identifying the Drivers Related to Animal Reservoirs, Environment, and Socio-Demography of Human Leptospirosis in Different Community Types of Southern Chile: An Application of Machine Learning Algorithm in One Health Perspective.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with global public health impact, particularly in poor socio-economic settings in tropical regions. Transmitted through urine-contaminated water or soil from rodents, dogs, and livestock, leptospirosis causes over a million clinical cases annually. Risk factors include outdoor activities, livestock production, and substandard housing that foster high densities of animal reservoirs. This One Health study in southern Chile examined Leptospira serological evidence of exposure in people from urban slums, semi-rural settings, and farm settings, using the Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm to identify key influencing factors. In urban slums, age, shrub terrain, distance to Leptospira-positive households, and neighborhood housing density were contributing factors. Human exposure in semi-rural communities was linked to environmental factors (trees, shrubs, and lower vegetation terrain) and animal variables (Leptospira-positive dogs and rodents and proximity to Leptospira-positive households). On farms, dog counts, animal Leptospira prevalence, and proximity to Leptospira-contaminated water samples were significant drivers. The study underscores that disease dynamics vary across landscapes, with distinct drivers in each community setting. This case study demonstrates how the integration of machine learning with comprehensive cross-sectional epidemiological and geospatial data provides valuable insights into leptospirosis eco-epidemiology. These insights are crucial for informing targeted public health strategies and generating hypotheses for future research.

Grime’s ecological strategies reveal contrasting patterns in alkaline and loess grasslands

Studying the relationship between biodiversity patterns and processes in vegetation has been at the centre of interest in vegetation ecology for several decades. By studying the biomass of loess and alkaline grasslands along a water and salinity gradient, we aimed to analyse species diversity and Grime’s competitor-stress tolerator-ruderal (CSR) functional strategy patterns. We aimed to test the following hypotheses: i) The biomass and species richness scores and the species composition are significantly different between the sampled grassland community types. ii) The sampled communities are well separated based on the CSR strategy spectrum. iii) The amount of green biomass and litter are positively correlated with competitiveness and negatively with stress tolerance. The biomass and species richness scores and the species composition of the sampled communities along the sampled gradients were significantly different; the highest species richness, evenness and Shannon diversity values were found in loess grasslands. The highest level of litter accumulation was found in alkaline meadows. The communities were well separated in the ordinations but surprisingly, calculation of coordinates for CSR strategy types have not shown clear separation of the grassland community types. All the communities were proven to be characterised by a high level of stress (located in the right corner of the CSR ternary diagram), but they markedly differed in the magnitude of competition and levels of disturbance expressed in the differences of ruderality. These results might suggest that even in highly stressed communities the community composition is strongly dependent on the differences in disturbance intensity (e.g., intensity and duration of grazing) and it is also strongly influenced by the competitive ability of constituting species.

Fire effects on plant communities in Ozark woodlands and glades

BackgroundDecades of fire suppression caused drastic changes to community structure and composition across ecosystems, including in Ozark woodlands in Missouri, USA. Reintroducing fire can restore ground flora by reducing midstory tree density, increasing ground layer light, and reducing leaf litter accumulation, but we lack a clear understanding of how these effects vary across time and space. We investigated the effects of repeated prescribed fire on ground flora species richness, floristic quality, abundance, community composition, and stand structure over 20 years in a landscape matrix of dry-mesic woodlands, dry woodlands, and glades using data collected from the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Fire Effects Monitoring program in the Current River Watershed in the Missouri Ozarks.ResultsWe found that fire plays a key role in driving community structure and dynamics across community types, although with varying levels of intensity. Herbaceous species richness, abundance, and floristic quality index increased across all community types, while mean coefficient of conservatism decreased. Abundance and floristic quality effects were stronger in drier sites. Community composition changed with successive burns, resulting in several indicator species for post burn treatments. The density of midstory trees declined across community types with repeated fire. The number of burns significantly affected overstory tree density overall, but overstory tree density only declined in dry woodlands and glades and not in dry-mesic woodlands.ConclusionsOur results suggest that landscape fire shapes plant community structure and dynamics. Specifically, these findings show that fire effects vary among community types and suggest that land managers should consider landscape heterogeneity in fire application for restoration. Separate community types imbedded in the same landscape may respond to fire differently. Understanding repeated fire effects over several decades across multiple community types is critical to informing fire-driven woodland restoration across landscape scales.