Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Urban Ecosystems, cilt.29, sa.3, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Land-use change is a critical driver reshaping aeroecological patterns in semiarid ecotones worldwide. Understanding these dynamics is essential as global biodiversity loss projections suggest that Mediterranean ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable. This study comparatively analyses the aeroecological signatures of two contrasting land-use models (urban and agricultural) within a semiarid ecotone in Southeastern Türkiye. We propose the “Aeroecological Paradox” as a conceptual framework to describe the structural divergence between these landscape types. Atmospheric pollen data from Gaziantep (2010–2011; urban) and Kilis (2018–2019; agricultural) were analysed using a space-for-time substitution approach to assess land-use effects within comparable ecological settings. Moving from the urban landscape (Gaziantep) to the agricultural landscape (Kilis), total pollen load decreased by 76%, while taxonomic diversity increased. Urban Platanus dominance was replaced by agricultural Olea europaea dominance. Key herbaceous taxa in agricultural areas exhibited longer pollen seasons (e.g., Gramineae) compared to the urban site. High-intensity peak days became less frequent, indicating a contrast in the exposure regime. Land use shapes distinct pollen dynamics, generating a “high-load, short-season” regime in urban landscapes and a “low-load, long-season, high-diversity” regime in agricultural landscapes. These findings suggest that ecological monitoring and urban–regional planning strategies in drylands should consider long-term landscape structure and land-use patterns, rather than focusing solely on short-term pollen peaks.