Background: The occurrence of shrub patches, alternating with either bare soil or low herbaceous cover, is a common feature in arid and semi-arid shrublands throughout the world. This patchy pattern of vegetation may result ...

In this paper, optimal foraging theory is used to interpret wild plant collecting behaviors using experimental data and remains recovered from eleven archaeological sites in the Argentine Andes. Using simple techniques ...

Patch‐size distribution and plant cover are strongly associated to arid ecosystem functioning and may be a warning signal for the onset of desertification under changes in disturbance regimes. However, the interaction ...

In this review, we compiled published results on biological interactions at different spatial scales in the Monte desert of Argentina and identified gaps in current knowledge. We presented evidence of competitive and ...

We examined the effect of environmental patchiness on the spatial segregation of the sexes in the dioecious anemophilus grass Poa ligularis. Because the species is sensitive to grazing, a better understanding of environmental ...

Light is a critical source of information for plants. Plants use the phytochromes (particularly phyB) to detect light signals associated with the proximity of competitors. A low ratio of red (R) to far-red (FR) radiation ...

In patchy environments of arid Patagonia, males of the dioecious grass Poa ligularis dominate in N-poor microsites, while females are more common in N-rich microsites. In order to explore functional differences related to ...

Aims: In arid communities, it has been proposed that individual plants can extend their roots beyond their canopy exploring neighbouring bare ground areas. This becomes relevant in systems where the vegetation is distributed ...