Applying ecological concepts to the management of widespread ...
Changes in concepts and tools in dryland ecological ...
Transcript of Changes in concepts and tools in dryland ecological ...
Changes in concepts and tools in dryland ecological restoration: A review
Alejandro Valdecantos, Teresa Mexia, Cristina Branquinho
COST ES1104 - WG Meeting 29-30 April 2015, Thessaloniki, Greece
Introduction
Drylands
• Dry-subhumid, semi-arid and arid
• 41% continental earth surface
• ≈ 1/3 world population
• annual mean potential evapotranspiration > annual mean precipitation (0,05 < Aridity Index < 0,65)
(MEA 2005)
Major constraints to restoration: high seedling mortality due to drought, inconstant climatic conditions and landscape heterogeneity
Our aim:
Introduction
How did dryland reforestation changed over the last twenty years? • How the restoration goals changed? • How the ecotechnology changed? • What are the differences (if any) between dryland areas all over the world?
Introduction
Our approach:
Bibliographic search: • Period 1995 and 2015 • IsiWeb search keywords:
planting AND plant establishment AND seedling survival
• Total: 205 papers 107 from drylands
• Main goals
• Techniques • Site physical alterations
• Nursery
• Limiting resources and conditions:
• Water and nutrients
• Temperature and radiation
• Biotic interactions
• Planting (without any treatment)
Work in progress: nº publications / dryland area
Introduction
Traditional objectives: • Hydrology regulation • Sand dune fixation • Improving forest productivity • Improving rural economies
Changes in dryland reforestation objectives
SIERRA ESPUÑA 1885
SIERRA ESPUÑA 2004
Large afforestations since the end of XIX century
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Watershed protection
Conifers / Total Reforested Surface (h
a x
10
00
)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Conifers Total
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestation in the Mediterranean Basin
3,8 millions ha (1945-1986)
1 million ha (>1970)
AFFORESTATION STRATEGY
The traditional approach:
THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN APPLIED BY DEFAULT TO RESTORE DEGRADED LANDS FOR DECADES
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
FOREST PLANTATIONS VS. UNEMPLOYMENTBADAJOZ PROVINCE (SPAIN)
REFORESTATION GENERAL PLAN (1939)
YEAR
1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962
PL
AN
TE
D A
RE
A (
Ha)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
UN
EM
PL
OY
ED
PE
OP
LE
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
Planted area (Ha)
Unemployment r = -0.528
Effects of the Spanish National Reforestation Plan (1939-1986) on employment
(Pemán et al. 2010; Sierra-Vigil, 2010)
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestations with Pinus halepensis (Elche, Alicante, Spain)
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestations with Pinus halepensis – processionary caterpillar infestation
Orihuela, Alicante, Spain (January 2015)
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestations with Pinus halepensis – Tomicus sp. infestation
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
Reforestations with Pinus halepensis – mortality due to drought
HAUTE PROVENCE (1850)
Photo taken from D. Vallauri, REACTION project (http://portales.gva.es/ceam/reaction/Advanced.htm)
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
New objectives: • Biodiversity • Combating desertification • Mitigating (and adapting to) climate change • Fire prevention • Recreational and cultural use
Traditional objectives: • Hydrology regulation • Sand dune fixation • Improving forest productivity • Improving rural economies
Changes in dryland reforestation objectives
Pistacia lentiscus Arbutus unedo Rhamnus alaternus
Species diversification
Reforestation objectives – new approach
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Quercus coccifera
Rhamnus alaternus
Phyllirea angustifolia
Quercus ilex
Olea europaea
Lavandula latifolia
Myrtus communis
Pistacia lentiscus
Cistus clusii
Ceratonia siliqua
Arbutus unedo
Pinus halepensis
Rhamnus lycioides
Pinus nigra
Cistus albidus
Rosmarinus officinalis
Pistacia terebinthus
Cistus monspeliensis
Leaf water deficit at turgor loss (1-RWC, %)
Importance of life traits to species selection
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Pistacia terebinthus
Phyllirea angustifolia
Rhamnus alaternus
Arbutus unedo
Myrtus communis
Anthyllis cytisoides
Quercus coccifera
Pinus halepensis
Olea europaea
Pistacia lentiscus
Genista scorpius
Rhamnus lycioides
Ceratonia siliqua
Quercus ilex
Rosmarinus officinalis
Cistus clusii
Cistus monspeliensis
Lavandula latifolia
Cistus albidus
Stomatal conductance (mmol-1
m-2
s-1
)
Vilagrosa et al., 2009; Hernández, 2010
Reforestation objectives – new approach
Water-use strategies and response to drought
Adaptation to drought, fire prone habitats
End XX century: a new paradigm
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
• Increase of species diversity (native)
• Less agressive planting techniques
• Considering biotic interactions
• Genetic restoration
SEEDLING PRODUCTIONGuardamar Public Nursery (Alicante, SE SPain)
NURSERY YEAR
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Nu
mb
er
of
sp
ec
ies
pro
du
ce
d
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Native and Naturalised
Alien
n.d. n.d.
4452
61
55
39
46
F. Gil (comun. pers.)
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Increase of nursery production of native species
EU-CAP OLD-FIELD FORESTATIONANDALUCÍA 1994-2006
SPECIES
Q. ilex
P. halepensis
O. europaea
Q. suber
P. pinea
C. siliq
uaOther
J. regia
SU
RF
AC
E A
RE
A (
Ha x
10
00
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
MAPA, 2006
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Increase of the proportion of non-conifers species in plantations
Trubat et al. (2008)
STANDARD FERTILIZATION -N AUTUMN
Improvement of nursery procedures: Effect of nutritional hardening on seedling establishment
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Improving ecotechnologies in forest plantations (Valencia Region)
1st year seedling mortality
Drought period (days)
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Se
ed
ling M
ort
alit
y (
%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
1992-1993 r2=0.4122
0
20
40
60
80
100
2003-2011 r2=0.3111
Future challenges in dryland restoration
• Little knowledge on the causes of the success of plantations
• Participative and integrative management
• Monitoring – adaptive management
• Funding
Oq Qc Ph Rl Ch Pl Cs Taf Ta Sg Jo Oe Ef No So Ls St
Su
rviv
al(
%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Plantation success:
Different survival four years after outplanting - Albatera project , P 280 mm
Abbreviations: Qc: Quercus coccifera, Cs: Ceratonia siliqua, Pl: Pistacia lentiscus, Ta: Tetraclinis articulata, Ef: Ephedra fragilis, Rl: Rhamnus lycioides, Oe: Olea europaea sylvestris, Ph Pinus halepensis, Oq: Osyris quadripartita, Jo: Juniperus oxycedrus, Sg: Salsola genistoides, No: Nerium oleander, Taf: Tamarix africana, Ch : Chamaerops humilis, So: Salsola oppositifolia, Ls: Lygeum spartum, St: Stipa tenacissima.
Reforestation objectives – new approach
Cortina et al. J. Arid. Environ. 2011
Plantation success: Treatment vs. Site effect on establishment
Current challenges
Reforestation projects Popular actions
Participative and Integrated management
Current challenges
- Network of pilot projects
- Network of demonstration projects
Work in progress...
• Conclude collected papers review
• Reinforce search, if necessary
• Establish connections with researchers from less documented
areas (e.g. Africa, South America)
Thank you for your attention
FOREST PLANTATIONS VS. UNEMPLOYMENTBADAJOZ PROVINCE (SPAIN)
REFORESTATION GENERAL PLAN (1939)
YEAR
1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962
PL
AN
TE
D A
RE
A (
Ha
)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
UN
EM
PL
OY
ED
PE
OP
LE
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
Planted area (Ha)
Unemployment r = -0.528
OBJECTIVES OF THE SPANISH NATIONAL REFORESTATION PLAN (1939-1986)
• Timber production
• Hydrologic control, soil protection
• Employment
• Fight against guerrillas after Civil War
(Pemán et al. 2010; Sierra-Vigil, 2010)
Reforestation objectives - traditional approach
AN
NU
AL
RA
TE
OF
RE
FO
RE
ST
AT
ION
(X1
00
0 h
a)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
RE
FO
RE
ST
ED
SU
RF
AC
E A
RE
A
(X 1
00
0 h
a)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000ANNUAL
ACCUMULATED
(Ortuño 1990)
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Afforestation of agricultural land in Spain
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
ha
Broadleaves Conifers Mixture
Common agricultural policy afforestation
EU COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY : AFFORESTATION
OF MARGINAL AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Integration of afforestation in rural planning & rural economies
Towards an ecosystemic perspective
Bakkenes et al. (2002)
Stability of vascular plant sp
2050
New vascular plant sp
2050
Species selection: Species pool and climate change
Current challenges
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
0
1
2
3
4
5
510
1520
2530R
ICH
NE
SS
VA
SC
UL
AR
PL
AN
TS
(N
º O
F S
PE
CIE
S)
SOIL
ORG
ANIC C
ARBON (%
)
WATER PRODUCTION (%)
ECOSYSTEM SERVICESSEMI-ARID LANDSCAPE (VENTÓS EXP. AREA, SE SPAIN)
Pinushalepensisplantation
Drylandcrop
Shrubland
Pasture
Stipatenacissimasteppe
M. Derak (unpubl.)
Tools for an Integrated management
Current challenges
REFORESTATION PROJECTS
• Forest Services
• Rigorous
• Tecnichal
• Quality
• Establishment of plant cover
POPULAR ACTIONS
• Participative
• Enjoyable
• Motivating
Participative and Integrated management
Current challenges
- Network of pilot projects
- Network of demonstration projects
The best project is not the one that achieve the initial goals by chance but the one that improve the efficiency of future actions
Tools for an Integrated management
Current challenges