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Monitoring ecosystem functions in forests is a priority in a climate change scenario, as climate‐induced events may initially alter the functions more than slow‐changing attributes, such as biomass. The ecosystem functional properties (EFPs) are quantities that characterize key ecosystem processes. They can be derived by point observations of gas and energy exchanges between the ecosystems and the atmosphere that are collected globally at FLUXNET flux tower sites and upscaled at ecosystem level. The properties here considered describe the ability of ecosystems to optimize the use of resources for carbon uptake. They represent functional forest information, are dependent on environmental drivers, linked to leaf traits and forest structure, and influenced by climate change effects. The ability of vegetation optical depth (VOD) to provide forest functional information is investigated using 2011–2014 satellite data collected by the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission and using the EFPs as reference dataset. Tropical forests in Africa and South America were analyzed, also according to ecological homogeneous units. VOD jointly with water deficit information explained 93% and 87% of the yearly variability in both flux upscaled maximum gross primary productivity and light use efficiency functional properties, in Africa and South America forests respectively. Maps of the retrieved properties evidenced changes in forest functional responses linked to anomalous climate‐induced events during the study period. The findings indicate that VOD can support the flux upscaling process in the tropical range, affected by high uncertainty, and the detection of forest anomalous functional responses. Preliminary temporal analysis of VOD and EFP signals showed fine‐grained variability in periodicity, in signal dephasing, and in the strength of the relationships. In selected drier forest types, these satellite data could also support the monitoring of functional dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • L-VOD retrieved by SMOS shows an increasing relation with forest AGB, reaching saturation at about 350 Mg ha−1 in Africa and South America Forests. • The saturation level of 350 Mg ha−1 found in this study includes most of the forested areas in the tropical range. • L-band VOD added to climate variables is useful to retrieve forest AGB at continental and regional scales using machine learning methods. • VOD - AGB scatterplots for ecoregions display some clear data clusters for those units encompassing large amounts of biomass in both continents. Abstract The relationship between vegetation optical depth (VOD) retrieved by L-band SMOS radiometer and forest above ground biomass (AGB) was investigated in tropical areas of Africa and South America. VOD was retrieved from the latest version of level 2 SMOS algorithm, while reference AGB was obtained from a pantropical database, encompassing a large number of ground plot data derived from field surveys conducted on both continents. In Africa and South-America, VOD increased with AGB, reaching saturation at about 350 Mg ha−1. The strength of the relation was improved selecting VOD data in appropriate seasons, characterized by a higher dynamic range of values. The capability of VOD data to estimate AGB was further investigated using Random Forest decision trees, adding to VOD selected climate variables from the Climatic Research Unit (temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and precipitation) and water deficit data, and validating regression tests with ground data from the reference AGB database. The results for the five analyzed years indicate that the best estimates of AGB are obtained by the joined use of VOD and potential evapotranspiration input data, but all climate variables brought an improvement in AGB estimates. AGB estimates were relatively stable for the considered period, with limited variations possibly due to changes in biomass and to data quality of VOD and of climate variables. The VOD signal and estimated AGB were also analyzed according to ecological homogeneous units (ecoregions), evidencing data clusters, partially overlapped to each other, in the VOD - AGB plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparison of the stratigraphic record between two different branches of the Tethys is attempted for the first time. This study concerns the main Oligocene-Miocene tectono-sedimentary events in the Cenozoic units of the Moldavidian Basin (Romanian Eastern Carpathians) and the Maghrebian Flysch Basin (Maghrebian Chain and its lateral extension in the Betic and Southern Apennine Chains). Both basins are characterized by three main general Oligo-Miocene successions (internal, mixed, and external) corresponding to three subdomains controlled by the geological evolution of opposite plate (or microplate) margins and affected by a similar tectonic evolution. The successions of the three subdomains of the two basins show very similar features regarding stratigraphic records (lithofacies and petrofacies associations, unconformities, marker-levels, age), and the space-time sediment supply diversification (i.e., immature and super-mature arenites coming from opposite margins). Furthermore, pre-, syn- and post-orogenic successions have been identified in the geological reconstructions of both basins. The tectonic control on depositional processes (i.e., a large amount of siliciclastic supply confined in restricted time ranges, widespread volcaniclastites linked to acid-intermediate penecontemporaneous volcanic activity), and the appearance of indicators of syn-sedimentary tectonic activity (turbidites, slumps, and olistostromes) result in correlable events related to deformation phases that in turn are indicative of a similar evolution. Also, the basinal evolutionary stages (i.e., beginning of terrigenous supply, thrust-top basin formation and gravitational sliding, molassic and/or intramontane sedimentary cycles), the timing of deformation phases (drifting, foredeep), and geotectonic events (from extension to compression and post-orogenic deformation) seem to be similar. All results are encompassed in an evolutionary geodynamic model considered in the context of the Africa-Europe convergence where intermediate microplates are involved. This complex framework implies a progressive reorientation of convergence direction of these microplates that occurs during similar geodynamic events leading to the closure of the western Tethys Ocean and its related late-Alpine branches. This comparative approach, if applied to similar evolutionary phases of other mountain chains, can be useful for different geological contexts of other orogenic belts, especially to check the major general geological constraints for their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]