Arid ecosystems usually present emergent tree species interspersed within a shrubby matrix, forming patches, known as “fertile islands” and result from the ecosystem dynamics in degraded environments where a major soil ...

In arid environments, soil fertility exhibits a high degree of spatial and temporal heterogeneity, which results from high climatic variability seasonally and heterogeneous plant distribution. However, because most desert ...

The Malvinas Islands Shelf (MIS) encompasses one of the most productive portions of the southwestern Atlantic. Large phytoplankton blooms, which constitute the base of the marine food web, emerge from the northern sector ...

Fertile islands are an important determinant of ecosystem functioning in drylands. These resourcerich patches are maintained by complex interactions among biotic and abiotic factors. Soil microorganisms are responsible for ...