An hourly ground temperature dataset for 16 high-elevation sites (3493–4377 m a.s.l.) in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia (2017–2020)

Tropical mountains and highlands in Africa are under pressure because of anthropogenic climate and land-use change. To determine the impacts on the afro-alpine environment and to assess the potential socio-economic consequences, the monitoring of essential climate and environmental variables at high elevation is fundamental. However, long-term temperature observations on the African continent above 3000 m are very rare. Here we present a consistent multiannual dataset of hourly ground temperatures for the Bale Mountains in the southern Ethiopian Highlands, which comprise Africa's largest tropical alpine area. The dataset covers the period from January 2017 to January 2020. To characterise and continuously monitor the mountain climate and ecosystem of the Bale Mountains along an elevation gradient from 3493 to 4377 m, ground temperature data loggers have been installed at seven sites at 2 cm depth; at four sites at 10 cm depth; and at five sites at 2, 10, and 50 cm depth. The statistical analysis of the generated time series reveals that ground temperatures in the Bale Mountains are subject to large daily fluctuations of up to 40 ∘C and minor seasonal variations on the order of 5 to 10 ∘C. Besides incoming short-wave radiation, ground moisture, and clouds at night, slope orientation and the type of vegetation coverage seem to be the main factors controlling daily and seasonal ground temperature variations. On the central Sanetti Plateau above 3800–4000 m, the mean annual ground temperature ranges from 9 to 11 ∘C. However, nocturnal ground frost down to a depth of 5 cm occurs frequently during the dry season from November to February. At the five sites where ground temperature is measured at three depths, the monitoring will be continued to trace long-term changes. To promote the further use of the ground temperature dataset by the wider research community dealing with the climate and geo-ecology of tropical mountains in eastern Africa, it is made freely available via the open-access repository Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6047457 (Groos et al., 2022)

Quality Assessment of Photogrammetric Methods—A Workflow for Reproducible UAS Orthomosaics

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are cost-effective, flexible and offer a wide range of applications. If equipped with optical sensors, orthophotos with very high spatial resolution can be retrieved using photogrammetric processing. The use of these images in multi-temporal analysis and the combination with spatial data imposes high demands on their spatial accuracy. This georeferencing accuracy of UAS orthomosaics is generally expressed as the checkpoint error. However, the checkpoint error alone gives no information about the reproducibility of the photogrammetrical compilation of orthomosaics. This study optimizes the geolocation of UAS orthomosaics time series and evaluates their reproducibility. A correlation analysis of repeatedly computed orthomosaics with identical parameters revealed a reproducibility of 99% in a grassland and 75% in a forest area. Between time steps, the corresponding positional errors of digitized objects lie between 0.07 m in the grassland and 0.3 m in the forest canopy. The novel methods were integrated into a processing workflow to enhance the traceability and increase the quality of UAS remote sensing.This research was funded by the Hessian State Ministry for Higher Education, Research and the Arts, Germany, as part of the LOEWE priority project Nature 4.0—Sensing Biodiversity. The grassland study was funded by the Spanish Science Foundation FECYT-MINECO through the BIOGEI (GL2013- 49142-C2-1-R) and IMAGINE (CGL2017-85490-R) projects, and by the University of Lleida; and supported by a FI Fellowship to C.M.R. (2019 FI_B 01167) by the Catalan Government

Remote sensing-supported mapping of the activity of asubterranean landscape engineer across an afro-alpineecosystem

Subterranean animals act as ecosystem engineers, for example, through soil per-turbation and herbivory, shaping their environments worldwide. As the occur-rence of animals is often linked to above-ground features such as plant speciescomposition or landscape textures, satellite-based remote sensing approaches canbe used to predict the distribution of subterranean species. Here, we combine in-situ collected vegetation composition data with remotely sensed data to improvethe prediction of a subterranean species across a large spatial scale. We comparedthree machine learning-based modeling strategies, including field and satellite-based remote sensing data to different extents, in order to predict the distributionof the subterranean giant root-rat GRR,Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, an endan-gered rodent species endemic to the Bale Mountains in southeast Ethiopia. Weincluded no, some and extensive fieldwork data in the modeling to test how thesedata improved prediction quality. We found prediction quality to be particularlydependent on the spatial coverage of the training data. Species distributions werebest predicted by using texture metrics and eyeball-selected data points of land-scape marks created by the GRR. Vegetation composition as a predictor showedthe lowest contribution to model performance and lacked spatial accuracy. Ourresults suggest that the time-consuming collection of vegetation data in the fieldis not necessarily required for the prediction of subterranean species that leavetraceable above-ground landscape marks like the GRR. Instead, remotely sensedand spatially eyeball-selected presence data of subterranean species could pro-foundly enhance predictions. The usage of remote sensing-derived texture metricshas great potential for improving the distribution modeling of subterranean spe-cies, especially in arid ecosystems

The enigma of relict large sorted stone stripes in the tropical Ethiopian Highlands

Large forms of sorted patterned ground belong to the most prominent geomorphic features of periglacial and permafrost environments of the mid-latitudes and polar regions, but they were hitherto unknown in the tropics. Here, we report on relict large sorted stone stripes (up to 1000 m long, 15 m wide, and 2 m deep) on the ca. 4000 m high central Sanetti Plateau of the tropical Bale Mountains in the southern Ethiopian Highlands. These geomorphic features are enigmatic since forms of patterned ground exceeding several metres are commonly associated with distinct seasonal ground temperatures, oscillating around 0 ◦ C. To systematically investigate present frost phenomena and relict periglacial landforms in the Bale Mountains, we conducted extensive geomorphological mapping. The sorted stone stripes were studied in more detail by applying aerial photogrammetry, ground-penetrating radar measurements, and 36 Cl surface exposure dating. In addition, we installed ground temperature data loggers between 3877 and 4377 m to analyse present frost occurrence and seasonal ground temperature variations. Superficial nocturnal ground frost was measured at 35–90 d per year, but the ground beneath the upper few centimetres remains unfrozen the entire year. Seasonal frost occurrence would require a mean annual ground temperature depression of about 11 ◦ C, corresponding to an air temperature decrease of about 6–8 ◦ C (relative to today) as inferred from a simple statistical ground temperature model experiment. Our results suggest the formation of the large sorted stone stripes under past periglacial conditions related to lateral and vertical frost sorting in the course of cyclic freezing and thawing of the ground. It is likely that the stone stripes formed either in proximity to a former ice cap on the Sanetti Plateau over the last glacial period due to seasonal frost heave and sorting or they developed over multiple cold phases during the Pleistocene. Although certain aspects of the genesis of the large sorted stone stripes remain unresolved, the presence of these geomorphic features provides independent evidence besides glacial landforms for unprecedented palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental changes in the tropical Bale Mountains during the (Late) Pleistocene

Implications of present ground temperatures and relict stone stripes in the Ethiopian Highlands for the palaeoclimate of the tropics

Large sorted patterned grounds are the most prominent features of periglacial and permafrost environments of the mid and high latitudes, but have not yet been verified for the tropics. Here, we report on relict large sorted polygons (up to 8 m in diameter) and large sorted stone stripes (up to 1000 m long, 15 m wide, and 2 m deep) on the ~ 4000 m high Sanetti Plateau in the Bale Mountains, southern Ethiopian Highlands. For a systematic investigation of past and present frost-related processes and landforms in the Bale Mountains, we conducted geomorphological mapping both in the field and on satellite images. The sorted stone stripes were studied in more detail by applying aerial photogrammetry, ground-penetrating radar measurements, and 36Cl surface exposure dating. In addition, we installed 29 ground temperature data loggers between 3493 and 4377 m to analyse present frost occurrence and seasonal temperature variations from 2017 to 2020. Finally, we ran a simple experiment and combined recent ground temperature measurements with meteorological data in a statistical model to assess the air temperature depression needed for the past formation of deep seasonal frost and cyclic freezing and thawing on the plateau. Our results show that relict and modern periglacial landforms are common in the Bale Mountains. Nocturnal superficial ground frost on the plateau occurs at 35–90 days per year, but the mean annual ground temperature (~ 11 °C) is far off from seasonal or permanent frost conditions. The modelling experiment suggests a minimum air temperature depression on the plateau of 7.6 ± 1.3 °C for the emergence of several decimetre deep seasonal frost. The stone stripes probably formed under periglacial conditions in proximity of a palaeo ice cap on the plateau during the coldest period(s) of the last glacial cycle. We hypothesise that the slightly inclined and unglaciated areas of the plateau, the coexistence of regolith and large blocks, the occurrence of deep seasonal frost, as well as relatively dry conditions beyond the ice cap provided ideal conditions for frost heave and sorting and the formation of large sorted patterned grounds. The presence of these landforms and the associated air temperature depression provide further evidence for an amplified cooling of high tropical mountains during the last glacial period that is yet not well captured in global climate models

High-resolution digital elevation models and orthomosaics generated from historical aerial photographs (since the 1960s) of the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia

The natural resources of Ethiopian high-altitude ecosystems are commonly perceived as increasingly threatened by devastating land-use practices owing to decreasing lowland resources. Quantified time-series data of the course of land-use cover changes are still needed. Very-high-resolution digital data on the historical landscape over recent decades are needed to determine the impacts of changes in afro-alpine ecosystems. However, digital elevation models (DEMs) and orthomosaics do not exist for most afro-alpine ecosystems of Africa. We processed the only available and oldest historical aerial photographs for Ethiopia and any afro-alpine ecosystem. Here, we provide a DEM and an orthomosaic image for the years 1967 and 1984 for the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, which comprise the largest afro-alpine ecosystem in Africa. We used 298 historical aerial photographs captured in 1967 and 1984 for generating DEMs and orthomosaics with a structure-from-motion multi-view stereo photogrammetry workflow along an elevation gradient from 977 to 4377 m above sea level (a.s.l.) at very high spatial resolutions of 0.84 m and 0.98 m for the years 1967 and 1984, respectively. The structure-from-motion multi-view stereo photogrammetry workflow, employed with Agisoft Metashape, represents a modern approach that combines computer vision and photogrammetry. This method proves useful for reconstructing DEMs and orthomosaics from historical aerial photographs, with a focus on high spatial resolution. To validate the accuracy of the reconstructed DEMs, ground control points gathered through GPS measurements were used, resulting in root mean square error (RMSE) values of 3.55 m for the year 1967 and 3.44 m for the year 1984. Our datasets can be used by researchers and policymakers for watershed management, as the area provides water for more than 30 million people, landscape management, detailed mapping, and analysis of geological and archaeological features as well as natural resources, analyses of geomorphological processes, and biodiversity research. All the datasets are available online at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7271617 (Muhammed et al., 2022a) for all the inputs used and at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7269999 (Muhammed et al., 2022b) for the results obtained (very-high-resolution DEMs and orthomosaics) for both the years 1967 and 1984.Peer reviewe

Long-Term Volumetric Change Estimation of Red Ash Quarry Sites in the Afro-Alpine Ecosystem of Bale Mountains National Park in Ethiopia

The Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) in Ethiopia comprises the largest fraction of the Afro-Alpine ecosystem in Africa, which provides vital mountain ecosystem services at local, regional, and global levels. However, the BMNP has been severely threatened by natural and anthropogenic disturbances in recent decades. In particular, landscape alteration due to human activities such as red ash quarrying has become a common practice in the BMNP, which poses a major environmental challenge by severely degrading the Afro-Alpine ecosystem. This study aims to quantify the long-term volumetric changes of two red ash quarry sites in the BMNP using historical aerial photographs and in situ data, and to assess their impact on the Afro-Alpine ecosystem. The Structure-from-Motion multi-view stereo photogrammetry algorithm was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional landscape for the year 1967 and 1984 while spatial interpolation techniques were applied to generate the current digital elevation models for 2023. To quantify the volumetric changes and landscape alteration of the quarry sites, differences in digital elevation models were computed. The result showed that the volume of resources extracted from the BMNP quarry sites increased significantly over the study period from 1984 to 2023 compared with the period from 1967 to 1984. In general, between 1967 and 2023, the total net surface volume of the quarry sites decreased by 503,721 ± 27,970 m3 and 368,523 ± 30,003 m3, respectively. The extent of the excavated area increased by 53,147 m2 and 45,297 m2 for Site 1 and 2, respectively. In terms of habitat loss, major gravel road construction inside the BMNP resulted in the reduction of Afro-Alpine vegetation by 476,860 m2, ericaceous vegetation by 403,806 m2 and Afromontane forest by 493,222 m2 with associated decline in species diversity and density. The excavation and gravel road construction have contributed to the degradation of the Afro-Alpine ecosystem, especially the endemic Lobelia rhynchopetalum on the quarry sites and roads. If excavation continues at the same rate as in the last half century, it can threaten the whole mountain ecosystem of the National Park and beyond, highlighting the importance of preventing these anthropogenic changes and conserving the remaining Afro-Alpine ecosystem

Desert breath—How fog promotes a novel type of soil biocenosis, forming the coastal Atacama Desert’s living skin

The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on Earth, presenting precarious conditions for biological activity. In the arid coastal belt, life is restricted to areas with fog events that cause almost daily wet–dry cycles. In such an area, we discovered a hitherto unknown and unique ground covering biocenosis dominated by lichens, fungi, and algae attached to grit-sized (~6 mm) quartz and granitoid stones. Comparable biocenosis forming a kind of a layer on top of soil and rock surfaces in general is summarized as cryptogamic ground covers (CGC) in literature. In contrast to known CGC from arid environments to which frequent cyclic wetting events are lethal, in the Atacama Desert every fog event is answered by photosynthetic activity of the soil community and thus considered as the desert's breath. Photosynthesis of the new CGC type is activated by the lowest amount of water known for such a community worldwide thus enabling the unique biocenosis to fulfill a variety of ecosystem services. In a considerable portion of the coastal Atacama Desert, it protects the soil from sporadically occurring splash erosion and contributes to the accumulation of soil carbon and nitrogen as well as soil formation through bio-weathering. The structure and function of the new CGC type are discussed, and we suggest the name grit–crust. We conclude that this type of CGC can be expected in all non-polar fog deserts of the world and may resemble the cryptogam communities that shaped ancient Earth. It may thus represent a relevant player in current and ancient biogeochemical cycling