The Urdaibai estuary is a natural region and a Biosphere Reserve of Biscay , Basque Country , Spain . It is also referred as Mundaka or Gernika estuary.
77-531: Urdaibai is located on the Bay of Biscay coast, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula . Urdaibai covers an area of 220 km (85 sq mi) with some 45,000 inhabitants, most of them concentrated in the towns of Bermeo and Gernika . The territory is characterized by a hydrographic basin of small streams that merge in a great salt marsh surrounded by high sheer cliffs. The surrounding countryside
154-428: A few forests with local trees, such as Oak ; and near the coast are plantations of Eucalyptus . On the central area, the land becomes flat and it is used in agriculture. This landscape is supported by livestock and agricultural development. The estuary extends from Guernica to Busturia , and a 5 km canal has been made in order not to dry up. The slopes of the mountains are covered by forests of Holm Oaks down to
231-508: A few. All of the changes that a plant or an animal may go through are depending in habitat's topography, altitude, and latitude of a specific organism. It is important to monitor properly the plants because they are one of the best bioindicators of how climate change is affecting the planet. Flowering phenology is one of the most important features of plant in order to survive any type of adversity. Thanks to different modern techniques and constant monitoring we can assure which ecological strategy
308-458: A fishing origin although the current economic engine is tourism. The village is the residential unit and farming and ranching in which has traditionally been the livelihood of the region of Busturialdea. This type of interaction between man and the environment has produced the landscape of Atlantic countryside which makes up much of the area of Urdaibai. Within the territory of the Urdaibai there
385-455: A group, are characterized as "semi-natural grasslands", meaning that they are largely composed of species native to the region, with only limited human intervention. Meadows attract a multitude of wildlife , and support flora and fauna that could not thrive in other habitats. They are ecologically important as they provide areas for animal courtship displays , nesting , food gathering, pollinating insects, and sometimes sheltering, if
462-421: A high grade of diversity originated by the salinity. The area of Urdaibai is composed by different environments, each of which has its own vegetation and animals that create their own ecosystem. The big variety of ecosystems that can be found in the Urdaibai make possible the faunistic wealth, with 318 species of vertebrates , apart from the amount of different birds. There are four distinct areas of interest in
539-454: A mine. All hands were lost. On 12 April 1970, Soviet submarine K-8 sank in the Bay of Biscay due to a fire that crippled the submarine's nuclear reactors. An attempt to save the sub failed, resulting in the death of forty sailors and the loss of four nuclear torpedoes. Due to the great depth (15,000 ft or 4,600 m), no salvage operation was attempted. The Plaiaundi Ecology Park
616-429: A moderate increase or decrease in precipitation does not radically alter their character. Meanwhile, mesic meadows, with a moderate supply of water do change their character as it is easier to tip them into a different regime. Dry meadows in particular are threatened by the invasion of shrubs and other woody plants and a decreasing prevalence of flowering forbs , whereas hydric sites tend to lose woody species. Due to
693-407: A natural meadow, is one in which environmental factors , such as climatic and soil conditions , are favorable to perennial grasses and restrict the growth of woody plants indefinitely. Types of perpetual meadows may include: Recently, urban areas have been thought of as potential biodiversity conservation sites. The shift from urban lawns, that are widely spread habitats in cities, to urban meadows
770-510: A substantial amount of carbon in soil . In agriculture , a meadow is grassland which is not regularly grazed by domestic livestock, but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to produce hay . Their roots extend back to the Iron Age, when appropriate tools for the hay harvest emerged. The ability to produce livestock fodder on meadows had a significant advantage for livestock production, as animals could be kept in enclosures, simplifying
847-407: A warmer climate for a reasonable time period. However, plants that suffer changes of any kind (not only temperature rising and falling) in a short period of time are more likely to die because they did not have enough time to reach thermal acclimation. Meadows can act as substantial sinks and sources of organic carbon, holding vast quantities of it in the soil. The fluxes of carbon depend mainly on
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#1732772063340924-668: A whaling company and another one seen off the Iberian Peninsula. The best areas to see the larger cetaceans are in the deep waters beyond the continental shelf , particularly over the Santander Canyon and Torrelavega Canyon in the south of the Bay. The alga Colpomenia peregrina was introduced and first noticed in 1906 by oyster fishermen in the Bay of Biscay. Grammatostomias flagellibarba (scaleless dragonfish) are native to these waters. Meadows A meadow ( / ˈ m ɛ d oʊ / MED -oh )
1001-606: Is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea . It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc'h to the Spanish border, and along the northern coast of Spain, extending westward to Cape Ortegal . The southern area of the Bay of Biscay that washes over the northern coast of Spain is known locally as the Cantabrian Sea . The average depth is 1,744 m (5,722 ft) and
1078-621: Is a 24 -hectare coastal wetland lying where the Bidasoa River meets the sea in the Bay of Biscay.The nature of Plaiaundi consists of a wide variety of flora (visitors view them mainly in the spring) and fauna (visitors with binoculars arrive all during the year, because of the birds' migratory habits). This nature park contains a variety of birds , reptiles , mammals and insects . The car ferries from Gijón to Nantes / Saint-Nazaire , Portsmouth to Bilbao and from Plymouth , Portsmouth and Poole to Santander provide one of
1155-589: Is a great variety and richness of villages, all of them examples of rural Architecture and of great ethnographic value. The economy is based on metallurgy, fishing, agriculture and forestry. There is also a tourism sector, focusing mainly on local beaches and natural values of the reserve. Mundaca is especially attractive for surfers from around the world. 43°19′56″N 2°40′19″W / 43.33222°N 2.67194°W / 43.33222; -2.67194 Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay ( / ˈ b ɪ s k eɪ , - k i / BISS -kay, -kee )
1232-560: Is a habitat for a wide variety of migratory and resident birds. As regards migrating birds, the attractions of the biosphere reserve, and in particular the Urdaibai Bird Center in Gautegiz Arteaga , are promoted to birdwatchers as part of the international "Bird Flyway" project. The interior is defined by the mountains, and on their slopes are forest plantations of Monterey Pine used to make wood. There also are
1309-594: Is also famous worldwide for the bombing suffered in the Spanish Civil War of 1936, the subject of Picasso's painting 'Guernica'. The remaining populations are small centers that cater to the historical political demarcation of the Lordship of Biscay in which the call Level Earth was organized porches. Mundaca and Elanchove are coastal populations, the first of which is at the mouth of the Oka. Both populations have
1386-425: Is also the lack of the insulating snow cover, springtime frost events might have a larger negative impact. All the drivers mentioned above give rise to complex, non-linear community responses. These responses can be disentangled by looking at multiple climate drivers and species together. As different species show varying degrees of phenological responses, the consequence is a so-called phenological reassembly, where
1463-400: Is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses , herbs , and other non- woody plants . Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable conditions, but are often artificially created from cleared shrub or woodland for the production of hay , fodder , or livestock . Meadow habitats, as
1540-416: Is covered by cantabrian forests. The vegetable world that can be found here, is formed by 615 species of plants. Human activity has substantially modified the space, but the agricultural works have allowed the recuperation of original vegetation. The vegetation has, mainly in the marsh, a degree of singularity because of the specialization and also and its particular appearance. However, at the same time it has
1617-411: Is crucial to keep in mind that these plants are usually sharing the space and constantly interacting with bryophytes, lichens, arthropods, animals and many other organisms. The result was a clear adaptation of a constant pattern that plants recognized and had time to reach thermal acclimation meaning that they got a net carbon gain by intensifying photosynthesis and slightly increasing respiration thanks to
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#17327720633401694-467: Is occupied by meadowland, oak groves, leafy woods and specially by plantations of fast-growing conifers ( Pinus radiata ). The coastal landscape is covered with Cantabrian woods of Holm Oak and Strawberry Trees . In Urdaibai have been described 615 species of vascular plants and 318 species of vertebrates , 245 of which are birds. The area contains remnants of the Prehistoric , Roman and
1771-420: Is the Cantabrian Sea . The main rivers that empty into the Bay of Biscay are Loire , Charente , Garonne , Dordogne , Adour , Nivelle , Bidasoa , Oiartzun , Urumea , Oria , Urola , Deba , Artibai , Lea , Oka , Nervión , Agüera , Asón , Miera , Pas , Saja , Nansa , Deva , Sella , Nalón , Navia , Esva , Eo , Landro and Sor . In late spring and early summer a large fog triangle fills
1848-420: Is thought to promote greater refuges for plant and animal communities. Urban lawns require intensive management that puts the life there at risk of losing their habitat, especially due to the mowing frequency. Cutting that mowing frequency has demonstrated to induce a clear positive effect on the plant community's diversity, which allows the switch from urban lawns to urban meadows. Due to increased urbanization,
1925-776: The Cantabri ) and also, Mare Gallaecum (the Sea of the Galicians ). On some medieval maps, the Bay of Biscay is marked as El Mar del los Vascos (the Basque Sea). The Bay of Biscay has been the site of many famous naval engagements over the centuries. In 1592 the Spanish defeated an English fleet during the Battle of the Bay of Biscay . The Biscay campaign of June 1795 consisted of a series of manoeuvres and two battles fought between
2002-640: The Middle Ages . Particularly notable is the Santimamiñe cave, which has yielded archeological artifacts from the Mousterian (Middle Paleolithic Age) to the Iron Age . The economy is based on metallurgy , fishing, farming and forestry. An important tourist sector is based on the quality of the local beaches. Mundaka is especially appealing for surfers around the world. The Oca river rises in
2079-568: The Oiz mountain and finishes in the Cantabric sea. The coast is rugged and with high cliffs and some islands, of which the most important is Izaro Island . The development of forests reserves have allowed a degree of environmental conservation, which gives this area the most diverse landscape of the Basque Country. The area of Urdaibai has an Atlantic climate, wet and warm and regulated by
2156-500: The pasture , which differs from the meadow in that it is grazed through the summer, rather than being allowed to grow out and periodically be cut for hay. A pasture can also refer to any land used for grazing, and in this wider sense the term refers not only to grass pasture but also to non-grassland habitats such as heathland , moorland and wood pasture . The term, grassland , is used to describe both hay meadows and grass pastures. The specific agricultural practices in relation to
2233-649: The 1850s. The eastern population of this species are considered to be almost extinct, and there has been no record of right whales in the Bay of Biscay except for a pair in 1977 (possibly a mother and calf) at 43°00′N 10°30′W / 43.000°N 10.500°W / 43.000; -10.500 , and another pair in June 1980. Other records in the late 20th century include one off Galicia at 43°00′N 10°30′W / 43.000°N 10.500°W / 43.000; -10.500 in September 1977 reported by
2310-545: The Bay of Biscay are Bordeaux , Bayonne , Biarritz , Nantes , La Rochelle , Donostia-San Sebastián , Bilbao , Santander , Gijón and Avilés . The southern end of the gulf is also called "Mar Cantábrico" in Spanish ( Cantabrian Sea ), from the Estaca de Bares , as far as the mouth of Adour river, but this name is not generally used in English. It was named by Romans in the 1st century BC as Sinus Cantabrorum (Bay of
2387-692: The British Channel Fleet and the French Atlantic Fleet off the southern coast of Brittany during the second year of the French Revolutionary Wars . The USS Californian sank here after striking a naval mine on 22 June 1918. In 1920 the SS ; Afrique sank after losing power and drifting into a reef in a storm with the loss of 575 lives. On 28 December 1943, the Battle of the Bay of Biscay
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2464-561: The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2017 decreed that there is a need to protect all ecosystems due to climate change. The majority of the people that live in the urban regions of any country usually get their plant knowledge from visiting parks and or public green infrastructure. Local authorities have the duty of providing the green spaces for the public, but these departments are constantly suffering major budget cuts, making it more difficult for people to admire natural wildlife in
2541-563: The European Union's Common Agricultural Policy subsidizes their management, mostly through grazing. A transitional meadow occurs when a field , pasture , farmland , or other cleared land is no longer cut or grazed and starts to display luxuriant growth, extending to the flowering and self-seeding of its grass and wildflower species. The condition is however only temporary, because the grasses eventually become shaded out when scrub and woody plants become well-established, being
2618-477: The area since prehistoric times, having testimonies based on findings from the Upper Paleolithic. Notable Roman remains, especially disrupted the necropolis with burials from the first century until the nineteenth century found in the church of San Martin de Tours of Forua. The two largest centres of population are the municipalities of Bermeo and Guernica. Bermeo is a village founded in 1236 and one of
2695-553: The cap-and-trade program in California is looking at how meadow restorations can be incorporated into their system of reducing carbon emissions. Audubon's preliminary studies point to the potential of storing a substantially increased amount of soil carbon compared to degraded meadows while boosting the local biodiversity. Most recently though, during the COVID-19 pandemic, difficulties with restoration are beginning to show: During
2772-480: The carbon dioxide efflux during the non-growing season may take place. Both climate change and overgrazing factor into the degradation. As exemplified by the alpine wetland meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, there is the potential of being a moderate source of CO 2 and a carbon sink, due to high soil organic content and low decomposition. The more the dynamics have been quantified, however,
2849-467: The case for multiyear species, which were previously considered to have a buffering effect on extreme weather events. There is a variety of hydrological regimes for meadows, ranging from dry to humid, each yielding different plant communities adapted to the respective provider of water. A shift in precipitation patterns has very different effects, depending on the type of meadow. Meadows that are either dry or wet appear to be rather resilient to change, as
2926-529: The cliffs of Talape and Tonpoi. In the flysch that is made at the foot of the cliff can be found the " Arribolak", large stones which have been released from the wall and later rounded by the sea. To the east the sea stops being rough. The biosphere reserve was designated in 1984. The flora that is developed in Urdabai, is clearly an atlantic base. There are a lot of meadows , oak groves , lush forests and especially plenty of Monterey pines . The coastal area
3003-761: The control over breeding. Surpluses in biomass production during the summer could be stored for the winter, preventing damages to forests and grasslands as there was no longer the need for livestock grazing during the winter. Especially in the United Kingdom and Ireland , the term meadow is commonly used in its original sense to mean a hay meadow , signifying grassland mown annually in the summer for making hay . Agricultural meadows are typically lowland or upland fields upon which hay or pasture grasses grow from self-sown or hand-sown seed. Traditional hay meadows were once common in rural Britain, but are now in decline. Ecologist Professor John Rodwell states that over
3080-449: The dryer upper soil layers, forbs with shallow roots have difficulties obtaining enough water. Woody plants in contrast with their lower-reaching root systems can still extract water stored in lower soil layers and are able to sustain themselves through longer drought periods with their stored water reserves. In the longer term, changing hydrologic regimes may also facilitate the establishment of invasive species that may be better adapted to
3157-416: The ecology and the landscape for millennia in many parts of the world, so it can sometimes be difficult to discern what is natural and what is cultural. Meadows are one example. However, meadows seem to have been sustained historically by naturally occurring large grazers, which kept plant growth in checked and maintained the cleared space. As extensive farming like grazing is diminishing in some parts of
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3234-473: The effects of degradation become more tangible. A strong connection between grass land degradation and soil carbon loss has been seen, pinpointing that carbon dioxide release is being stimulated by this event. This subsequently indicates a climate change mitigation potential by restoring degraded grassland. Being a market-based regulation of emissions, the cap-and-trade system can sometimes incorporate restoration projects for climate mitigation. For example,
3311-484: The environment to survive. Climate change is increasing temperatures all over the world, and boreal regions are more susceptible to suffer noticeable changes. An experiment was conducted to monitor the reaction of alpine arctic meadow plants to different patterns of increased temperatures. This experiment was based on vascular plants that live in arctic and subarctic environments within three different levels of vegetation: canopy layer, bottom layer and functional groups. It
3388-527: The estimated overall effect results in an offset of the total emission. Meanwhile, a usual driver of meadow loss (except for direct alterations due to human development) is climate change , consequently increasing carbon emissions and bringing up the topic of restoration projects which in some cases have prompted initiated meadow restorations (e.g. Zostera marina meadow in Virginia U.S.A). Where grassland degradation has occurred, significant alterations to
3465-623: The forerunners of the return to a fully wooded state. A transitional state can be artificially-maintained through a double-field system, in which cultivated soil and meadows are alternated for a period of 10 to 12 years each. In North America prior to European colonization , Algonquians , Iroquois and other Native Americans peoples regularly cleared areas of forest to create transitional meadows where deer and game could find food and be hunted . For example, some of today's meadows originated thousands of years ago, due to regular burnings by Native Americans. A perpetual meadow, also called
3542-573: The greatest depth is 4,735 m (15,535 ft). The Bay of Biscay is known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( Spanish : Golfo de Vizcaya ; Basque : Bizkaiko Golkoa ), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony ( French : Golfe de Gascogne [ɡɔl.f(ə) də ɡas.kɔɲ] ; Occitan : Golf de Gasconha ; Breton : Pleg-mor Gwaskogn ). Its English name comes from Biscay on
3619-597: The meadow can take on various expressions. As mentioned, this could be hay production or providing food for grazing cattle and livestock but also to give room for orchards or honey production. Meadows are embedded and dependent on a complex web of socio-cultural conditions for their maintenance. Historically, they emerged to increase agricultural efficiency when the necessary tools became available. Today, agricultural practices have shifted and meadows have largely lost their original purpose. Yet, they are appreciated today for their aesthetics and ecological functions. Consequently,
3696-791: The meadows of the town of Zakopane, Poland, were noted to have altered soil compositions. The soil's organic material had faded away and was affected due to the chemicals from the artificial melting water from the snow and skiing machinery. Climate changes impact temperature precipitation patterns worldwide. The effects are regionally very different but generally, temperatures tend to increase, snowpacks tend to melt earlier and many places tend to become drier. Many species respond to these changes by slowly moving their habitat upwards. The increased elevation decreases mean temperatures and thus allows for species to largely maintain their original habitat. Another common response to changed environmental conditions are phenological adaptations. These include shifts in
3773-470: The most convenient ways to see cetaceans in European waters. Often specialist groups take the ferries to collect more information. Volunteers and employees of ORCA regularly observe and monitor cetacean activity from the bridge of the ships on Brittany Ferries ' Portsmouth to Santander route. Many species of whales and dolphins can be seen in this area. Most importantly, it is one of the few places in
3850-536: The most important fishing ports of Biscay. It is the most populous town in the region and was the capital of the Lordship of Biscay from 1476 until 1602. Guernica is formed by the union of the historical town of Guernica with Porch of Luno. Guernica, founded in 1366, is the historical seat of the General Assembly of Vizcaya and it is the House of Meetings with Tree of Guernica , a symbol of Basque privileges. It
3927-500: The natural cycle of carbon uptake and efflux, which interplays with seasonal variations (e.g. non-growing vs growing season). The wide range of meadow subtypes have in turn differing attributes (like plant configurations) affecting the area's ability to act as sinks; seagrass meadows are for instant identified as some of the more important sinks in the global carbon cycle . In the instance of seagrass meadows, enhanced production of other greenhouse gases (CH 4 and N 2 O) does occur but
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#17327720633404004-408: The natural, pristine populations of free-roaming large grazers are either extinct or very limited due to human activities. This reduces or removes their natural influence on the surrounding ecology and results in meadows only being created or maintained by human intervention. Existing meadows could potentially and gradually decline, if unmaintained by agricultural practices. Humankind has influenced
4081-597: The new conditions. The effects are already quite visible, an example is the substitution of Alpine meadows in the southern Himalayas through shrubland. Climate change appears to be an important driver of this process. Wetter winters in contrast might increase total biomass, but favour already competitive species. By harming specialised plants and promoting the prevalence of more generalist species, more unstable precipitation patterns could also reduce ecological biodiversity. Snow covers are directly related to changes in temperature, precipitation and cloud cover. Still, changes in
4158-557: The northern Spanish coast, probably standing for the western Basque districts ( Biscay up to the early 19th century). Parts of the continental shelf extend far into the bay, resulting in fairly shallow waters in many areas and thus the rough seas for which the region is known. Heavy storms occur in the bay, especially during the winter months. The Bay of Biscay is home to some of the Atlantic Ocean 's fiercest weather ; abnormally high waves occur there. Up until recent years it
4235-595: The past century, England and Wales have lost about 97% of their hay meadows. Fewer than 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of lowland meadows remain in the UK and most sites are relatively small and fragmented. 25% of the UK's meadows are found in Worcestershire , with Foster's Green Meadow managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust being a major site. A similar concept to the hay meadow is
4312-422: The plants are using in order to multiply their species. In alpine meadow of the eastern Tibet notorious variances and similarities were observed between annual and perennial plants. Where perennial plants flowering peak date was directly proportional to the duration and inversely proportional in annuals plants. This is just a limited quantity of many relationships on phenology and functional traits interacting with
4389-409: The plants could influence population of buffalo just as numerous other more creatures, including bugs and insects. In response to temperature changes, flowering plants can respond through either spatial or temporal shifts. A spatial shift refers to the migration towards colder areas, often on higher altitudes. A temporal shift means that a plant may alter its phenology to blossom at a different time of
4466-583: The pressure falls rapidly ( galerna ), traveling along the Gulf Stream at great speed, resembling a hurricane and finally crashing in this bay with their maximum power, such as the Klaus storm . The Gulf Stream enters the bay following the continental shelf's border anti-clockwise (the Rennell Current ), keeping temperatures moderate all year long. The main cities on the shores (or close to) of
4543-462: The reserve: Geographically three distinct areas can be distinguished: The mountains, the marshes and the coast with its cliffs and beaches. The population of the Busturialdea, which practically coincides with that of the protected Biosphere Reserve of Uradibai area is about 45,000 inhabitants are mainly located (80%), in the towns of Guernica Luno and Bermeo. Human presence has been ongoing in
4620-412: The sea (with temperature between 9-19 degrees C.) The annual rainfall is heavy; the rainiest months are November and December, although it is distributed during all the year. Precipitation is generally rain. Because of the influence of the sea, the temperature is moderate during the year (the average temperature is 13/14 degrees). The landscape is formed with mountains, sea and sands, which are produced by
4697-478: The sea's edge. The limestone nature of the bedrock has led to a kast system, where numerous caves and galleries may be found. To the north, at the mouth of the estuary, the sands of Sukarrieta and Laida line the shore of the Oka River . To the west are the sands of Santa Katalina, Murgoa and Lamera. The Murgoa has a slope of a hundred meters, forming places like Trankilpunta and Kargaderua. After Bermeo are found
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#17327720633404774-587: The sediments of the estuary, where marshes are flooded by the tides. The rivers Laga and Artigas go directly to the sea. The first ends in Laga's beach, and the second one creates a small valley between the Sollube mountain and Bermeo . The estuary, together with Santoña's natural park, is arguably the most important wetland in the Iberian Peninsula. The estuary is the heart of the Biosphere Reserve, which
4851-446: The short-term changes observed on meadows "as a shift in the mosaic of the landscape composition". Therefore, it is important to monitor not only how specific species respond to climate change, but to also investigate them in the context of different habitats they occur in. Animals as well as plants are changing rapidly to the anthropogenic global warming, and the number of individuals, habitat occupancy, changing reproductive cycles are
4928-767: The southwestern half of the bay, covering just a few kilometres inland. As winter begins, weather becomes severe. Depressions enter from the west very frequently and they either bounce north to the British Isles or they enter the Ebro Valley , dry out, and are finally reborn in the form of powerful thunderstorms as they reach the Mediterranean Sea . These depressions cause severe weather at sea and bring light though very constant rain to its shores (known as orballo , sirimiri , morrina , orbayu , orpin or calabobos ). Sometimes powerful windstorms form if
5005-438: The strategies to adapt to this severe and unpredictable environment alterations. The different types of meadows all around the planet are different communities of plants (perennial and annual plants) that constantly are interacting with each other to stay alive and reproduce. Timing and duration of flowering is one of the phenological reassembly driven by many different factors like snow melt, temperature and soil moisture to mention
5082-466: The structure of the ecosystem changes fundamentally. Phenological responses in blossoming periods of certain plants may not coincide with the phenological shifts of their pollinators or growing periods of plant communities relying on each other may start to diverge. A study of meadows in the Rocky Mountains revealed the emergence of a mid-season period with little floral activity. Specifically,
5159-491: The study identified that the typical mid-summer floral peak was composed out of several consecutive peaks in dry, mesic and wet meadow systems. Phenological responses to climate change let these distinct peaks diverge, leading to a gap during mid-summer. This poses a threat to pollinators relying on a continuous supply of floral resources. As ecological communities are often highly adapted to local circumstances which can not be reproduced at higher elevations, Debinski et al. describe
5236-408: The timing of germination or blossoming. Other examples include for example changing migration patterns of birds of passage. These adaptations are primarily influenced by three drivers: In the meadows, as water turned out to be all the more scant, that implies less dampness for the plants. The blooming plants do not develop too and hence do not give much food to the creatures. These kinds of changes in
5313-429: The timing of the snowmelt seem to be, particularly in alpine regions, an important determinant for phenological responses. There is even data suggesting that the impact of snowmelt is even higher than the warming alone. Earlier are not uniformly positive for plants though, as moisture injected through snow-melt might be missing later in the year. Additionally, it might allow for longer periods of seed predation. Problematic
5390-491: The urban sectors and also impairing the local ecosystem. In line with the increasing acceptance of a "messier urban aesthetic", the perennial meadows can be seen as a more realistic alternative to the classic urban lawns as they would also be more cost-efficient to maintain. Factors that managers of urban spaces list as important to regard are: Artificially or culturally conceived meadows emerge from and continually require human intervention to persist and flourish. In many places,
5467-847: The use of fertilizers. For example, in 2018 environmental organizations with the support of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs of England, concerned by the decline in the number of bees worldwide, in the first day of Bees' Needs Week 2018 (9–15 July) give some recommendation how to preserve bees. The recommendations include 1) growing flowers, shrubs, and trees, 2) letting the garden grow wild, 3) cutting grass less often, 4) leaving insect nest and hibernation spots alone, and 5) using careful consideration with pesticides. The impact of human activity has been noted to increase degradation of meadow soil. This has contributed to landslides in Sholas . E.g. due to skiing activities and urbanization,
5544-698: The vegetation is high enough. Intensified agricultural practices (too frequent mowing, use of mineral fertilizers, manure and insecticides), may lead to declines in the abundance of organisms and species diversity. There are multiple types of meadows, including agricultural, transitional, and perpetual – each playing a unique and important part of the ecosystem . Like other biomes , meadows will experience increased pressure (including on their biodiversity ) due to climate change , especially as precipitation and weather conditions change. However, grasslands and meadows also have an important climate change mitigation potential as carbon sinks ; deep-rooted grasses store
5621-653: The world where the beaked whales , such as the Cuvier's beaked whale , have been observed relatively frequently. Biscay Dolphin Research monitored cetacean activity from the P&;O Ferries cruise ferry Pride of Bilbao , on voyages from Portsmouth to Bilbao. North Atlantic right whales , one of the most endangered species of whales, once came to the bay for feeding and probably for calving as well, but whaling activities by Basque people almost wiped them out sometime prior to
5698-586: The world, the meadow is endangered as a habitat. A number of research projects attempt to restore natural meadow habitats by reintroducing natural, large grazers. These include deer , elk , goat , wild horse , etc. depending on the location. A more exotic example with a wider scope is the European Tauros Programme . Some environmental organization recommend converting lawns to meadows by stopping or reducing mowing. They claim that meadows can better preserve biodiversity , water, reduce
5775-494: The year. By moving towards the early spring or late autumn they can restore their previous temperature conditions. These adaptations are limited through. Spatial shifts may be difficult if the areas are already inhabited by other species, or when the plant is reliant on specific hydrology or soil type. Other authors have shown that higher temperatures can increase total biomass, but temperature shocks and instability seem to have negative impacts on biodiversity. This even appears to be
5852-496: Was a regular occurrence for merchant vessels to founder in Biscay storms. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bay of Biscay as "a line joining Cap Ortegal ( 43°46′N 7°52′W / 43.767°N 7.867°W / 43.767; -7.867 ) to Penmarch Point ( 47°48′N 4°22′W / 47.800°N 4.367°W / 47.800; -4.367 )". The southernmost portion
5929-491: Was fought between HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise , and a group of German destroyers as part of Operation Stonewall during World War II . The area became known as the "Valley of Death" by U-boat crews following a series of repeated losses from RAF attacks on U-boats from 1943 until the end of the war. The U-667 sank on 25 August 1944 in position 46°00′N 01°30′W / 46.000°N 1.500°W / 46.000; -1.500 , when she struck
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