Résumé
In drylands, vegetation is spatially aggregated in so called patches, separated by bare soil areas. So far, research on vegetation spatial patterns mainly focused on the effect of current climates and herbivory pressure. Yet, past climates and human activities might leave traces (called legacies) that affect present-day spatial vegetation patterns. Here, we joined two datasets on plant spatial patterns and information about past climates during the mid-Holocene and the last glacial maximum to investigate the effects of past and current climates on plant spatial patterns. We show that past climates have effects of similar magnitude as current climate, with an important and stronger imprint on the spatial aggregation of vegetation in drylands. Furthermore, we show that such climate legacies on plant spatial patterns might be explained by their effect on soil functioning and composition. This study paves the way for assessing legacies from human activities and past climate on ecosystems.