Positive interactions between nurse plants and their facilitated species are most notable in dry/high-elevation habitats. Plants that modify limiting resources or constraining variables creating an even stronger positive impact on the community are considered ecosystem engineers. Ziziphus lotus, a dominant deep-rooted shrub of arid/semi-arid Mediterranean habitats, can create fertile islets; most likely acting as a nurse plant. To further investigate its role as an ecosystem engineer, we assessed for Thymbra capitata the density of 1377 individuals and the night time-dehydration of 66 individuals, growing around 11 Z.lotus plants for three successive zones (0–5m, 5–10m and 10–15m) and for wetter and drier habitats created by topography in Cyprus. We discovered that T. capitata significantly increases in density (by c. 2.5 times) and can improve its night-time rehydration in mid-summer (by c. 60 times) when growing up to 5m around Z.lotus compared to thymes growing 10–15m away. Density and stem moisture for thymes growing near Z.lotus do not seem to be significantly affected by topography. Hence, Z.lotus may have properties to be classified as an ecosystem engineer and the potential to boost semiarid ecosystem productivity in the battle against desertification under global climatic change.

在干旱/高海拔栖息地，护士植物与其促进物种之间的积极相互作用最为显着。改变有限资源或约束变量对社区产生更大积极影响的植物被认为是生态系统工程师。Ziziphus lotus是干旱/半干旱地中海栖息地的主要深根灌木，可以创造肥沃的小岛；最有可能充当护士植物。为了进一步研究其作为生态系统工程师的作用，我们评估了Thymbra capitalata的 1377 只个体的密度和 66 只个体的夜间脱水，生长在 11 Z.lotus 附近用于三个连续区域（0-5m、5-10m 和 10-15m）以及由塞浦路斯地形造成的更潮湿和更干燥的栖息地的植物。我们发现，T.实蝇密度显著上升（由角2.5倍），并且可以在盛夏提高其夜间补液（用C 60次）成长到大约Z.5米当荷花相比thymes增长10 –15m 远。生长在Z.lotus附近的百里香的密度和茎水分似乎不受地形的显着影响。因此，荷花可能具有被归类为生态系统工程师的特性，以及在全球气候变化下对抗荒漠化的斗争中提高半干旱生态系统生产力的潜力。