Due to possible species complementarity, mixed stands are reported to be more productive and less vulnerable than pure stands for many forest biomes. Under the increased intensity and frequency of drought events predicted by IPCC... more
Due to possible species complementarity, mixed stands are reported to be more productive and less vulnerable than pure stands for many forest biomes. Under the increased intensity and frequency of drought events predicted by IPCC scenarios, mixing would be a sound management strategy to increase the resistance and resilience of forests. However, only a limited number of species combinations have been studied in detail, revealing variable mixing effects. In this study, we analysed how tree resistance, recovery and resilience to specific drought events are modulated by species mixture. We test whether the relationship between drought stress and tree diversity would be consistent across a range of climatic and ecological conditions. We hypothesize that the reduced risks in mixed stands arising from drought events will be determined by species mixture. We focused on tree species of four different forest types found across Europe: (1)hemiboreal forests and broadleaved-coniferous forests,...
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Deux provenances (64 plants) de Chêne-liège (Quercus suber L.) originaires de l’Espagne et de la Tunisie ont été élevées sous deux niveaux d’intensité lumineuse (15 % (ombre modérée) et 5 % (ombre profonde) de pleine lumière) et deux... more
Deux provenances (64 plants) de Chêne-liège (Quercus suber L.) originaires de l’Espagne et de la Tunisie ont été élevées sous deux niveaux d’intensité lumineuse (15 % (ombre modérée) et 5 % (ombre profonde) de pleine lumière) et deux régimes hydriques (plants irrigués à 100 % de la capacité au champ et plants soumis à un stress hydrique modéré) dans une pépinière en Espagne. Dix variables comprenant la survie des plants, la hauteur, le diamètre, le rapport hauteur/diamètre, les biomasses aérienne, souterraine et totale, le rapport biomasse tige/racine, le nombre et la longueur des unités de croissance ont été mesurées pour chaque provenance. Le taux de survie des plants a été de 89 % indépendamment des facteurs étudiés (provenance, lumière, régime hydrique). La hauteur des plants a été similaire pour les deux provenances, alors que leur diamètre a été significativement plus grand pour la provenance Espagnole. Le stress hydrique a affecté l’équilibre de croissance entre la hauteur et...
International audienceIn order to analyze the growth dynamics of beech seedlings growing under contrasting canopy conditions, a beech stand in which two types of canopy opening (canopy release or gap creation) had been applied in 1995 was... more
International audienceIn order to analyze the growth dynamics of beech seedlings growing under contrasting canopy conditions, a beech stand in which two types of canopy opening (canopy release or gap creation) had been applied in 1995 was selected. Three and four years after the canopy had been opened, 113 naturally regenerated seedlings were sampled in gaps or under the canopy. The effects of canopy opening and seedling age on annual height and diameter growth were analyzed using mixed models. Under closed canopy, average annual seedling height and diameter increments were 1.2 cm and 0.18 mm, respectively. Diameter growth increased in the first year after the canopy had been opened, and exhibited considerable inter-annual variation related to climatic conditions. Conversely, height growth did not increase immediately after canopy opening, but increased regularly in the following years. Four years after the gap had been created, annual seedling height and diameter growth were 9.5 cm...
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The correct aggregation of stakeholders’ preferences is a vital aspect of solving problems associated with natural resources. In fact, there is no one solution that permits the incorporation of those preferences into techniques that, in... more
The correct aggregation of stakeholders’ preferences is a vital aspect of solving problems associated with natural resources. In fact, there is no one solution that permits the incorporation of those preferences into techniques that, in turn, address multiple objectives in the management of those resources. In this context, this work aims to assign, analyse, and compare the weights of importance to groups of stakeholders (representativity) starting from different approaches and methodologies: pairwise comparison matrices (using a subjective approach) and the voting power notion (when an objective approach is deployed). For the latter, a variant of the extended goal programming model is employed. The results show different weight values and, therefore, scenarios, in which the social groups defined acquire diverse importance. It is also observed that there are scenarios determined by different values of the control parameter, in which the results of the two above-mentioned approaches ...
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We assess how the age of Pinus sylvestris mother trees influences seed size, seed viability, germination capacity and later offspring seedling survival under greenhouse conditions. Thirty trees ranging from 30 to 219 years old were... more
We assess how the age of Pinus sylvestris mother trees influences seed size, seed viability, germination capacity and later offspring seedling survival under greenhouse conditions. Thirty trees ranging from 30 to 219 years old were selected in the north facing slopes in the Sierra de Guadarrama, where we could find the oldest Pinus sylvestris trees in central Spain. Forty cones per tree were harvested to study cone and seed characteristics (size and weight), seed viability and germination capacity related to the mother tree age. In addition, 25 germinated seeds per tree were grown in a greenhouse to assess offspring seedling survival during a death trial, where watering was stopped. Significant differences between trees in cone and seed morphological traits were observed. The age of the mother tree had a significant effect on cone size, seed size, and seed weight, but there was no effect on seed germination capacity and seed viability. Seedling survival was mainly affected by the de...
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ABSTRACT Individual seedlings were mapped on eight 5 m × 5 m plots between 2003 and 2006, in two differently managed Pinus sylvestris forests in Spain (group shelterwood system in Valsaín forest versus uniform system followed by soil... more
ABSTRACT Individual seedlings were mapped on eight 5 m × 5 m plots between 2003 and 2006, in two differently managed Pinus sylvestris forests in Spain (group shelterwood system in Valsaín forest versus uniform system followed by soil preparation in Navafría forest). The spatial pattern of the seedlings was analyzed through the L(d) function. The spatial relationship between seedlings before and after the regeneration felling was analyzed using the intertype L rs (d) function. To study the spatial relationship between seedling distribution and either light availability or organic matter depth, the K rx (d) function was used. A practical method is proposed for obtaining the group-specific mean for several replicates: L std(d), based on the standardization of the L(d) function by the quantile bounds of the null model, which, once attained, is compared with the sum, weighted by the number of points in each replicate. Both the L std(d) group means and the point number weighted mean showed a cluster pattern for seedlings from germination to 6 years old, peaking at short scales (15-100 cm), before and after the cutting. After the cutting, the co-occurrence between germinants and older seedlings was not significant, although the L rs (d) function was positive and presented a peak (50-100 cm). Seedling emergence was positively associated with organic matter depth after the cutting. The association between seedling distribution and light was modified when the cutting was severe (>60% of tree basal area).
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El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la influencia de la cobertura vegetal y la luz en la regeneracion natural del pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.). Para ello se han localizado 9 situaciones comunes de cobertura de suelo en las... more
El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la influencia de la cobertura vegetal y la luz en la regeneracion natural del pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.). Para ello se han localizado 9 situaciones comunes de cobertura de suelo en las masas de esta especie: tres diferentes espesores de aciculas del desfronde, dominancia de musgo, helechos (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Jun subsp. aquilinum) y herbaceas, quemas de restos de corta y dos tipos de preparacion del suelo (decapado profundo y somero). Se consideraron 2 situaciones de luz: luz solar directa y sombra artificial con una malla de sombreo del 50%. La unidad experimental ha sido la maceta de 20 *20 cm2 y 20 cm de profundidad sobre la que se han reproducido las nueve situaciones de cobertura. En cada maceta se colocaron 100 y 250 semillas de pino silvestre durante 2002 y 2003 respectivamente. La germinacion fue evaluada semanalmente. Los datos se analizaron a traves de tecnicas de analisis de varianza. Los resultados mostraron que el ...
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Se estudió la actividad radical desde noviembre a marzo en tres procedencias ibéricas de Quercus suber L. (Sierra Morena occidentalLlanuras pacenses [BDJ], Sierra de San Pedro [SSP] y Parque de los Alcornocales-Serranía de Ronda [MLG]).... more
Se estudió la actividad radical desde noviembre a marzo en tres procedencias ibéricas de Quercus suber L. (Sierra Morena occidentalLlanuras pacenses [BDJ], Sierra de San Pedro [SSP] y Parque de los Alcornocales-Serranía de Ronda [MLG]). La evolución del no y longitud de raíces blancas antes -Ni, Li -y después del repicado -PRR y Lmfue similar en MLG y BDJ. Ni descendió a partir de diciembre, recuperándose a mediados de enero; pero tras quince días en marzo con las temperaturas medias de las mínimas más bajas del ensayo, descendió de nuevo. El patrón de PRR para MLG y BDJ fue común y similar al descrito en otras especies. Las plantas de SSP entraron en reposo más tarde y alcanzaron el máximo PRR un mes antes. En las tres procedencias, la evolución de Li y Lm está en concordancia con las respectivas curvas de Ni y PRR, coincidiendo las fechas de mayor actividad radical con las de mayor longitud de raíces. Las diferencias entre procedencias en la evolución de los distintos parámetros s...
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& Context Although drought is generally considered the main environmental constraint in Mediterranean environments, the abilitytoacclimate toand toleratefrost inearly developmental stages can be a determinant for seedling survival of... more
& Context Although drought is generally considered the main environmental constraint in Mediterranean environments, the abilitytoacclimate toand toleratefrost inearly developmental stages can be a determinant for seedling survival of many Mediterranean tree species like stone pine (Pinus pinea L.). & Aims The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the developmental stage of naturally regenerated stone pine individuals on tolerance to low temperature (LT) from summer to lateautumnandinspring,atahighlycontinental siteincentral Spain. Specifically, we tested to what extent the differences in tolerance are related to shoot heteroblasty. & Methods We assessed LT tolerance of needles from individuals at three age classes (class C1: seedlings, class C2: 4- to 8year-old saplings and class C3: >9-year-old saplings) over nine dates from summer to spring. & Results LT tolerance displayed severe seasonal trends and differed between age classes. It usually increased with sapling age. Such differences were tightly related to heteroblasty of the shoots. Our results point to a higher LT tolerance associated with larger leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA) values. No impact of late frosts on shoot growth rates was detected during this study. & Conclusions Developmental changes during early plant growth seem to play a role in frost tolerance of stone pine seedlings, a finding which furthers our understanding of regeneration dynamics in this species in areas with continental influence.
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El interes ambiental, ecologico, paisajistico y productivo de las masas mixtas de Pinus pinea-Juniperus oxycedrus- Quercus ilex en el Sistema Central, y la dificultad para la regeneracion natural de las dos primeras especies, requiere del... more
El interes ambiental, ecologico, paisajistico y productivo de las masas mixtas de Pinus pinea-Juniperus oxycedrus- Quercus ilex en el Sistema Central, y la dificultad para la regeneracion natural de las dos primeras especies, requiere del conocimiento de los mecanismos implicados en la regeneracion natural de las mismas. En el presente trabajo se avanzan los resultados de un estudio orientado a identificar las condiciones optimas para conseguir la instalacion y desarrollo de regenerado de P. pinea y J. oxycedrus en este tipo masas donde ambas especies aparecen mezcladas con mata de Q. ilex procedente de rebrote. Para ello se han utilizado los datos procedentes de tres parcelas de gran tamano (0.32 – 0.45 ha) instaladas en 2010, donde se ha procedido a muestrear con distintos niveles de intensidad el arbolado adulto y regenerado de las tres especies de estudio. Estos datos se han utilizado para desarrollar un modelo de celda (patch model) que permite predecir la probabilidad de ocurr...
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Our modelling approach shows the predominance of the facilitative over the competition effects in controlling the regeneration of the studied species, thus pointing out to intra- and inter-specific coexistence mechanisms. Natural... more
Our modelling approach shows the predominance of the facilitative over the competition effects in controlling the regeneration of the studied species, thus pointing out to intra- and inter-specific coexistence mechanisms. Natural regeneration is a main issue in the management of continental Mediterranean forests. Ensuring natural forest regeneration is therefore vital for preserving ecosystem function under climate warming and increased frequency and intensity of extreme droughts. In this study, we evaluated intraspecific and inter-specific relationships between saplings and adult trees in mixed Pinus pinea-Quercus ilex-Juniperus stands in the Spanish Northern Plateau. Data were gathered from five 50 m × 60 m plots that covered different stand densities. Adult trees, saplings, and stumps were positioned, and height and diameter were measured. We developed a patch model to predict the probability of occurrence and abundance of saplings of the three species in 2.5 m × 2.5 m patches using a zero-inflated model. We considered as predictive variables abundance of adult trees, stumps, and saplings of each species, both in a patch and in its adjacent patches. Saplings of the three species showed a cluster pattern. The abundance of saplings of the three species was positively related with the current or past presence of their conspecific adult trees. The presence of adult trees of Pinus pinea plays a main role in both Quercus ilex and Juniperus dissemination. Our modelling approach shows the predominance of the facilitative effects over the competition effects in controlling the regeneration of the three species, pointing out to intra- and inter-specific coexistence mechanisms. The simulations suggested that to perpetuate the mixture, it is necessary to apply intense release cuttings in Pinus pinea trees once seedlings have been successfully established.
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Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings of two Iberian provenances (PA-SR and SM-Lp) were grown for one growing season in non-treated containers or in containers treated on their interior surfaces with white exterior latex paint containing... more
Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings of two Iberian provenances (PA-SR and SM-Lp) were grown for one growing season in non-treated containers or in containers treated on their interior surfaces with white exterior latex paint containing 80 g CuCO3/liter. Copper carbonate-treated containers effectively prevented root deformation and decreased the amount of circled, kinked and matted roots formed at the container wall-medium interface. Root morphology was altered by the copper coating, so elongation of lateral roots contacting CuCO3-treated surfaces was more reduced than that of the tap root (82.7% vs 1.5%). These lateral roots showed higher branching frequency than roots contacting untreated container walls. CuCO3 treatment decreased root collar diameter, but did not influence seedling height, leaf area and tap root length. No sign of copper toxicity was observed in any seedling treated with CuCO3. Provenance had a significant effect on height, root collar diameter, tap root length ...
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While the effects of seed size on survival and early seedling growth have been demonstrated in Quercus spp., there is a knowledge gap regarding these effects under water limiting conditions. To address this need, we studied cork oak (... more
While the effects of seed size on survival and early seedling growth have been demonstrated in Quercus spp., there is a knowledge gap regarding these effects under water limiting conditions. To address this need, we studied cork oak ( Quercus suber L.) seedling development among treatments including three acorn classes (small: < 4 g, intermediate: 4–6 g), and large: ≥ 6 g) and two water regimes (well-watered versus water stressed). The following hypotheses were proposed: the reserve effect (larger seeds retain a larger proportion of reserves after germinating), the metabolic effect (seedlings from larger seeds have slower relative growth rates), the seedling-size effect (larger seeds produce larger seedlings), and that plant tolerance to water stress increases with increasing seed size. Acorn size had no effect on duration and rate of acorn germination nor on seedling survival, but it significantly affected almost all growth parameters, excepting the number of growth unit and leaves and leaf area. Seedlings coming from large acorns always showed the highest values for the affected growth parameters, followed by those coming from acorns of intermediate size; seedlings coming from small acorns always exhibited the lowest values. Water stress significantly affected survival rate (88.2% for well-watered seedlings versus 64.7% for water stressed seedlings) and biomass of fine roots and stems, but independently of acorn size. Our results are in line with both hypothesizes of the reserve effect and seedling-size effect, but not for the metabolic effect nor the plant tolerance to water stress increases with increasing seed size hypotheses. In general, our results show that large acorns had no advantage in survival or seedling growth under water stress comparatively to intermediate or small acorns, at least under the conditions of our experiment.
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Soil moisture heterogeneity in the root-zone is common during both the establishment of tree seedlings and in experiments aiming to impose semi-constant soil moisture deficits, but its effects on regulating plant water use compared to... more
Soil moisture heterogeneity in the root-zone is common during both the establishment of tree seedlings and in experiments aiming to impose semi-constant soil moisture deficits, but its effects on regulating plant water use compared to homogenous soil drying are not well known in trees. Pronounced vertical soil moisture heterogeneity was imposed on black poplar (Populus nigra L.) grown in soil columns by altering irrigation frequency, to test whether plant water use, hydraulic responses, root phytohormone concentrations, and root xylem sap chemical composition differed between wet (well-watered, WW), homogeneously (infrequent deficit irrigation, IDI) and heterogeneously dry soil (frequent deficit irrigation, FDI). At the same bulk soil water content, FDI plants had greater water use than IDI plants, probably because root abscisic acid (ABA) concentration was low in the upper wetter layer of FDI plants, which maintained root xylem sap ABA concentration at basal levels in contrast with...
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We assessed the effect of mulching and tree shelters on the establishment and early growth of zeen oak (Quercus canariensis Willd.) during the first 4 years after planting in Northwestern Tunisia. Five mulch types (Italian Stone Pine... more
We assessed the effect of mulching and tree shelters on the establishment and early growth of zeen oak (Quercus canariensis Willd.) during the first 4 years after planting in Northwestern Tunisia. Five mulch types (Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.), Lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus L.), and a combination of Italian Stone Pine and Lentisk (organic mulches), gravel (inorganic mulch) and control), and three tree shelter types (non-vented and vented tree shelters, and control) were tested. An increase in the number of internodes occurred under the gravel mulch, while a reduction in survival was found for the lentisk mulch. Tree shelters had no effect on survival, but increased mean height growth and reduced mean diameter growth during the 4 years (excepting a non-significant effect for vented tree shelter at year four). Comparison of the annual shoots and growth units (GU) between sheltered and unsheltered plants according to year of formation revealed two growth phases. In first phase, shoots were totally or partially inside the shelters; mean length of annual shoots and GU were greater for sheltered plants. The second phase was characterized by shoots emerging from shelters; mean length of annual shoots and GU were similar for all plants, with or without tree shelters. Results suggest that the use of tree shelters, particularly vented shelters, could contribute to the improvement of the artificial regeneration of zeen oak. The use of mulching alone or in combination with tree shelters did not improve zeen oak performance in the field.
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Abstract For the past few decades, the integration of biodiversity conservation into forest management has constituted an important challenge, since the new forest management models should make conservation objectives compatible with... more
Abstract For the past few decades, the integration of biodiversity conservation into forest management has constituted an important challenge, since the new forest management models should make conservation objectives compatible with production issues. In many countries, timber production is no longer the main ecosystem service provided, thus other aspects such as biodiversity conservation are taken into account. One of the strategies developed to do so is to define, at the stand level, areas where final cuttings are not allowed. These areas can be found dispersed or aggregated (comprised of multiple stands) throughout the forest, helping to maintain a percentage of mature forest that fulfils conservation goals. In this study, we have developed a strategic forest planning model that allows us to integrate several retention systems compared to the business-as-usual treatment traditionally used. Production, technical and environmental criteria have been considered in order to analyse the degree of conflict between them by designing a pay-off matrix. Using multicriteria techniques conflicting objectives were assessed, and decision makers’ interactions have been introduced. These interactions range from criteria selection to the allocation of preferential weights to each criterion until the best solution among a set of possible alternatives is identified. The presented analytical procedure is based on the extended goal programming method applied in an exemplary forest in central Spain. Our results show that the proposed methodology allows deriving solutions that are acceptable for decision makers while estimating physical and economic opportunity costs of conservation measures in timber volume and Euros respectively.
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Aim of study: Designing adequate silvicultural systems for natural regeneration of a forest species requires sound knowledge of the underlying ecological subprocesses: flowering and fruiting, seed dispersal and predation, seed... more
Aim of study: Designing adequate silvicultural systems for natural regeneration of a forest species requires sound knowledge of the underlying ecological subprocesses: flowering and fruiting, seed dispersal and predation, seed germination, seedling emergence and seedling survival. The main objective of the present work is to carry out a review on the current knowledge about the different subprocesses governing the regeneration process for the main Iberian Pinus species, in order to propose scientifically based management schedules.Area of study: The review focuses on the five main native Pinus species within their most representative areas in the Iberian Peninsula: Pinus nigra in Cuenca mountains, Pinus sylvestris in Sierra de Guadarrama, Pinus pinaster and Pinus pinea in the Northern Plateau and Pinus halepensis in CataloniaMaterial and methods: Firstly, currently available information on spatiotemporal dynamics and influential factors is introduced for each subprocess and species....
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Research Interests: Plant Biology and Biology
Aim of the study: To present a new spatiotemporal model for Pinus pinea L. annual cone production with validity for Spanish Northen Plateau and Central Range regions. The new model aims to deal with detected deficiencies in previous... more
Aim of the study: To present a new spatiotemporal model for Pinus pinea L. annual cone production with validity for Spanish Northen Plateau and Central Range regions. The new model aims to deal with detected deficiencies in previous models: temporal shortage, overestimation of cone production on recent years, incompatibility with data from National Forest Inventory, difficulty for upscaling and ignorance of the inhibitory process due to resource depletion.Area of study: Spanish Northern Plateau and Central Range regions, covering an area where stone pine occupies more than 90,000 haMaterial and methods: Fitting data set include 190 plots and more than 1000 trees were cone production has been annually collected from 1996 to 2014. Models were fitted independently for each region, by means of zero-inflated log normal techniques. Validation of the models was carried out over the annual series of cone production at forest scale.Results: The spatial and temporal factors influencing cone p...
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Abstract The ability of trees to grow and survive during periods of water scarcity is determined by the water use strategy of each individual. In this study we evaluated how water use strategies can influence the establishment phase of... more
Abstract The ability of trees to grow and survive during periods of water scarcity is determined by the water use strategy of each individual. In this study we evaluated how water use strategies can influence the establishment phase of three coexisting species in forests where harvesting intensity and silvicultural interventions have been reduced over recent decades. We conducted a greenhouse experiment between February and July, applying two watering regimes (moist and dry) to current year seedlings in 1.5 m high pots to avoid root growth constraint. At the same time, the physiological performance of seedlings of the same species was monitored under natural conditions in the field over a period of decreasing soil moisture. Our results indicated that resprouter species allocated more than 40% of total biomass to roots whereas the non-resprouter P. pinea allocated only 26%. The plasticity index for the root traits was highest in Q. ilex, in which the highest stomatal conductance was measured in early summer. The slowest growth and lowest root plasticity, root hydraulic conductance and leaf water potential were measured in J. oxycedrus. The three species exhibited a positive carbon balance under low water availability. Coexisting species displayed a continuum in the water use strategies adopted. P. pinea would be the least competitive species under the forecasted increasing drought conditions in contrast to J. oxycedrus, which presents traits more suited to coping with droughts.
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Insect predation on seeds of forests species during the predispersal phase is a special case of plant-pest interaction in which, while plant survival and growth is not threatened, natural regeneration can be negatively affected. In the... more
Insect predation on seeds of forests species during the predispersal phase is a special case of plant-pest interaction in which, while plant survival and growth is not threatened, natural regeneration can be negatively affected. In the case of seeds with a high economic value, as is the case of "nuts from the Mediterranean stone pine (Pinus pinea L), predispersal predation can also result in severe economic losses. The insect-seed relationship shows complex spatiotemporal dynamics, including patterns of dependency between fruit availability and fluctuations in insect population, occurrence of insect outbreaks, spatial contagion and masting habit. In the present study, we focus on the damage caused by a native pest, the Dioryctria mendacella Stgr. moth, to cones and seeds of P. pinea, a forest species showing a marked masting habit. We firstly identified those environmental and stand-level factors controlling the spatiotemporal pattern of damage by D. mendacella, as well as the self-regulatory effect that interannual variability in seed production could have on the population dynamics of the moth. In a second phase, we constructed a predictive phenomenological model to forecast the probability of cone damage in a given location, as well as the expected patterns of spatiotemporal spread and dispersion. Our results revealed a strong correlation between the probability of damage and crop size in a given year, pointing to a dependency between feeding resources and predator population. Additionally, the probability of damage is affected by the number of damaged cones observed in the previous year, indicating temporal contagion. Cone and seed damage is also affected by the temperature during different phases of the complex life-cycle of D. mendacella, which suggests that breakout processes are synchronized within the territory and linked to the occurrence of bumper crops and favorable climatic conditions. We detected that the level of infestation at a given location is related to site and environmental conditions, with no significant pattern of contagion/spreading from stands with high resource availability to those with low availability. Damage prediction under warmer climate scenarios reveals a counterbalance among favorable/unfavorable conditions for insect expansion and expected decline in cone production, resulting in only slight changes.
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Summary 1.Ecosystem services (ES) from mountain forests are highly relevant for human societies. ES with a direct economic support function (e.g. timber production), regulatory services (e.g. protection from natural hazards) and cultural... more
Summary 1.Ecosystem services (ES) from mountain forests are highly relevant for human societies. ES with a direct economic support function (e.g. timber production), regulatory services (e.g. protection from natural hazards) and cultural services (e.g. recreation) are likely to be affected strongly by a rapidly changing climate. To evaluate whether adverse climate change effects on ES can be counteracted by adapting management, dynamic models and indicator-based assessments are needed. 2.We applied a forest dynamic model in case study areas of four European mountain regions and evaluated the future supply of four ES - timber production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and protection against natural hazards - using state-of-the-art ES indicators. Forest dynamics were simulated under three management scenarios (no management, business-as-usual, and alternative management) and five climate change projections for selected representative stand types in each region. We analysed potential trade-offs and synergies between ES, and evaluated future changes among regions, forest stands, climate and management scenarios. 3.Impacts of climate change on the provision of multiple ES were found to be highly heterogeneous and to depend on the region, site, and future climate. In the absence of large-scale natural disturbance (not considered), protection services, carbon stock and deadwood abundance (proxy for biodiversity) benefitted from no management in all regions. Negative impacts of climate change were evident for the provision of multiple ES but limited to the most severe climate scenarios and low-elevation stands. Synergies and trade-offs between the majority of ES were found to be sensitive to the choice of management strategy and – in some regions – to climate change. 4.Synthesis and applications. Management regimes in European mountain forests should be regionally adapted to stand and site conditions. Although in some cases alternative management regimes may be more suitable than current management for supporting multiple ecosystem services, adaptation options should be evaluated carefully at the local scale due to the highly different magnitude of the impacts of climate change in different regions and along elevation gradients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Abstract The management of species composition and competition are two of the main adaptive options that forest managers propose to cope with the expected negative impacts of climate change on forest growth in the Mediterranean basin.... more
Abstract The management of species composition and competition are two of the main adaptive options that forest managers propose to cope with the expected negative impacts of climate change on forest growth in the Mediterranean basin. Species mixture can improve the resistance and resilience of forest ecosystems to face up global change. However, it seems likely that global change will modify mixed stands dynamics. Thus, studying inter-tree relationships on an annual basis is key to understanding ecosystem dynamics in the region. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of tree species composition and competition on Pinus pinea annual secondary growth in mixed vs. monospecific stands over a period of 15 years with contrasting climatic conditions. We obtained basal area growth data from tree ring measurement on cores and cross section slices from 372 trees of P. pinea L . , Juniperus thurifera L., Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.)) Samp. and Quercus faginea Lam., in the Spanish Northern plateau, approximately half of which were in monospecific stands and half in mixed stands. We analysed the effect of intra and interspecific competition on P. pinea secondary growth comparing the performance of several distance dependent competition indexes through linear mixed models. These competition indices were calculated for all trees within each plot for each year of study. The results showed competitive reduction and tree growth amelioration in mixed vs. monospecific stands of P. pinea indicating a spatial and temporal niche separation between species and size-symmetric effects for interspecific competition. Size-asymmetric results obtained for competition within pines indicated that the largest individuals obtain the majority of the contested resources suppressing the growth of their smaller pine neighbours. Intraspecific interactions were more negative than interspecific interactions. And we finally provide evidence of a growth enhancement in mixed vs. monospecific stands in water stressed years indicating that the promotion of mixtures in P. pinea stands is a powerful management tool to buffer the effects of climate change in the region.
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Key messageSeedling survival inPinus pineais controlled by both water status and photosynthetic performance. Optimal regeneration niche for the species is found at mid-shaded sites.AbstractSummer survival has been identified as the main... more
Key messageSeedling survival inPinus pineais controlled by both water status and photosynthetic performance. Optimal regeneration niche for the species is found at mid-shaded sites.AbstractSummer survival has been identified as the main bottleneck preventing natural regeneration in Mediterranean forests, although the physiological processes resulting in seedling mortality are not sufficiently known. In the present work, the effect of water status and photosynthetic performance on seedling survival and regeneration niche in a Mediterranean pine (Pinus pinea L.) was analyzed by means of a modeling approach. Midday water potential was modeled as a nonlinear function of environmental factors, and this model was coupled with an existing model for carbon assimilation. A model for seedling survival was then constructed using lifetime analysis techniques, including predicted values of daily and cumulative net assimilation and probability for critical midday water potentials as predictors. The model was applied over a wide range of irradiance environments in order to identify the optimal regeneration niche for the species. Results indicate that midday water potential for P. Pinea seedlings is affected by relative soil water content, leaf temperature, and irradiance, with younger seedlings being more likely to reach critical values. Seedling survival in P. pinea is controlled by both water status and photosynthetic performance, with mortality being triggered by the joint occurrence of low water potentials and negative assimilation rates, although photoassimilates stored during the spring season increase survival in older seedlings. Simulations indicated that seedling survival is optimized in shaded environments, while carbon assimilation reaches maximum values on more open sites, thus the optimal regeneration niche for the species is found on mid-shaded locations.
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Pinus species show remarkable ontogenetic differences in needle morphology (heterophylly) between juvenile and adult vegetative phases. This developmental shift may play an adaptative role in their success under diverse habitats. As a... more
Pinus species show remarkable ontogenetic differences in needle morphology (heterophylly) between juvenile and adult vegetative phases. This developmental shift may play an adaptative role in their success under diverse habitats. As a first step to know the functional differences between each vegetative phase, we compared water loss through the cuticles of juvenile and adult needles of 21-month-old nursery-grown seedlings of