Vegetation secondary succession and restoration in the...
Transcript of Vegetation secondary succession and restoration in the...
Vegetation secondary succession and
restoration in the Lafarge quarry
(Yepes, Toledo, Spain)
Area of Botany, Dep. of Environmental Sciences University of Castilla-La Mancha
Dr. Santiago Sardinero
Dr. Federico Fernández
María Lorente Pulgar
Study of the vegetation secondarysuccession
Environmental educationprogram
Supervision of the restoration tasks
1. Studing the process of natural plant recolonization in the quarry along time.
Lafarge limestone quarry in Yepes: long exploitation period, with areas altered along time.
2. Determining both natural-seminatural vegetation in the surroundings of the quarry.
The existence of natural-seminatural habitats in the surroundings of the quarry, can be used as a reference for the restoration tasks.
3. Evaluating the rate of convergence of the natural successional recolonization and the natural-seminatural vegetation.
4. Determining which plant species belonging to the natural-seminatural vegetation demand restoration tasks in the areas altered by the extractive activities.
The restoration tasks must be focused principally to facilitate the accessof the plant species existing in the natural-seminatural area of the quarry.
Nature is to be imitated for restoring the well functioning of the ecosystem,
instead of making up a “green” landscape.
Visitor Center and environmental education activities at the quarry.
4 POINTS
THE QUARRY: history of the quarry, productive proccess, measures for environmental correction, etc.PLANT SUCCESSION ALONG TIME: Vegetation types.THE SIGN OF THE LANDSCAPE: plants from which honney is obtained,biological crust, orchids, plant of the month, endemic plants, etc.THE RESTORATION: To make known the restoration activities.
Geographical situation, climate and lithology
YEPES
Pliocene Sandsotones and Conglomerates
Sandy Clays and Loamy Clays
Limestones and Loamy Limestones Pontian
Sandstones Loamy Limestones Loams and Gypsum
Neó
gen
e
Mio
cene
Vindobonian
Red clays with Gypsum Red Sandy Clays
The Ocaña mesa (tableland, plateau)Stratigraphic lay-out (IGME 1982)
Yepes (Toledo, Spain), 700 m
• Climate:
mesomediterranean(T=13.9 ºC),
semicontinental (Ic = 19.1), semiarid (P = 320 mm)
Methods
4
5
3
2
1
109 8 6
7
12
11 13 14
15
17 1918
2016
2524
23
22 21
Sampling inside the quarry
• Delimitation of the exploitation front on aerial
photos at different ages.
• Selection of five sampling points in each area
determined by the alteration age and
abandonment:
� 2003
� 1998
� 1989
� 1978
� <1978
• Exclusion of the humid depressions, areas with
evidences of posterior alteration, or areas which
where not submitted to extraction.
• Field sampling: july-september of 2003 and
may-july of 2007
Methods
Sampling in the surrounding of the
quarry:
• Three types of natural-seminatural vegetation:
- Thyme fields (T)(Thymus sp. pl.)
- Alfa-grass fields (E)
(Stipa tenacissima)
- Kermes-oak fields (C)
(Quercus coccifera)
• 5 samples for every vegetation type
• Groups of three samples (focused replicas)
separated approximately 500 m and scattered
along the exterior edge of the quarry.
• Sampling field: July-September of 2003
T1T1
C2
E1
E2
C2T2
C3
E3T3
E4
C4
T4
E5
T5
C5
Vegetation types
1. Asparago acutifolii-Quercetum rotundifoliae: encinares manchegos
2. Daphno gnidii-Quercetum cocciferae: coscojares manchegos
3. Genisto scorpii-Retametum sphaerocarpae: retamares manchegos
4. Arrhenathero erianthi-Stipetum tenacissimae: espartales
5. Lino differentis-Salvietum lavandulifoliae: matorrales (tomillares, salviares, esplegueras)
6. Trachynion distachyae: pastizales anuales
Thyme field
Methods
Kermes-oak field
Quercus coccifera
Thymus vulgaris, Th. zygis
Methods
Alfa grass field
Stipa tenacissima
Data Classification• Sequential, Agglomerative, Hierarchical and Non-overlapping (SAHN methods)
Data Ordination• DCA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis) (CANOCO; ter Braak 1995)
Analysis on the overall species richness and the species richness
according to their biological attributes:• Plant form
• Biogeographical distribution
Methods: data analysis
Results: classification
• Identification of 8 successive vegetation types along time after exploitation
• Predominance of herbaceous plants during the first 15 years after the alteration, with predominance of annual arvenses (WEEDS) in the soil most recently altered.
• Predominance of short shrubs since 20-25 years after the exploitation.
• Convergence between the older communities in the quarry and the most degraded of the exterior.
??????>25>25252514145500AgeAge
??????<1978<197819781978198919891998199820032003Year of perturbationYear of perturbation
Kermes Kermes fieldfield
Alfa Alfa grass grass
fieldfield
Exterior Exterior Thyme Thyme
fieldfield
Inter ior Inter ior Thyme Thyme
fieldfield
HelichrysumHelichrysum
Mediterranean Mediterranean scrubscrub
CentaureaCentaurea
Thistle This tle fieldsfields
CarduusCarduus
Thistle This tle fieldsfields
CruciferaeCruciferae
RuderalRuderal & & weedsweeds
Plant community:Plant community:
Euclidean Distance + Minimum VarianceD
issi
mila
rity
6,000
5,500
5,000
4,500
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Crucifera
eCar
duus
Centau
rea
Helichr
ysum Interi
or
Thyme
fieldExter
ior
Thyme
fieldAlfa
a grass
fieldKer
mesfield
Perennial
herb. com.
Annual
herb. com.
Shrubby short
com.
Fuera de la
cantera
Seminatural
Thyme com.
Alfa grass
comm.
Kermes com.
2003 1998 1989 1978 <1978
Herbaceous
communities
Shrubbycom. + Alfa
grass
Results: classification
Results: Ordination
�� The temporal tendency in the change of flora (axis 1 of DCA) The temporal tendency in the change of flora (axis 1 of DCA) follows a pattern of convergence towards the naturalfollows a pattern of convergence towards the natural--seminaturalseminatural vegetation of the natural environment.vegetation of the natural environment.
�� The The successionalsuccessional change of flora is very slow, and only the change of flora is very slow, and only the communities which have been abandoned for longest period communities which have been abandoned for longest period of time (internal thyme communities), start to look like the of time (internal thyme communities), start to look like the external thyme communities (the most simple of the external external thyme communities (the most simple of the external communities), after at least 25 years.communities), after at least 25 years.
DCA
Axis 1
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Axi
s 2
-0,5
0,0
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
4
10
1112 18
9
7
8
6
3
5
2
1
20
2114
1615
17
19
22
13 23
24 25
26
272829
30
31
32
3334
35
36
37
38
39
40
Axes 1 y 2 of the DCA for samples
Cruciferae
Carduus
Centaurea
Helichrysum
Internalthymes
Externalthymes
Alfa grass
Kermes
2003 1998
1989
1978 <1978
Results: Ordination
Axes 1 y 2 of the DCA for species
DCA
Axis 1
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Axi
s 2
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
CnicBene
SisyIrio
Sals
Kali
VaccHisp
LoliR
igi
Brom
DianNeslT
hra
MattFrutBromMatrTrigPoly
GypsPilo
DiplEruc
GaliTric
BromT ect
DiplVirgCap
sBur
sBu
glArve
ErucVesi
Sca
bSim
p
HeliSqua
ThymLacaThym
Sylv
PolyMons
LactSerrPapaRhoe
HirsInca
XeraInap
TeucGnap
AspaAcut
PhloLych
CistAlbi
HeliHirt
PolyA
vic
SisyOrie Cre
pTar
aBr
omR
ube
Ech
iVul
g
PicnAc
ar
DaphG
nid
RhamAlat
RhamLyciJasm
F rut
Car
lHis
p
Sile
Vulg
Bisc
Aur i
CoroS
cor
SisyHisp
AnacClavHo
rdLep
o
ViciP
ere
CentM
eli
ChonJunc
BromHord BromS
qua
ThymM
astA
traCanc
CardBour
ToriLept
Vulp
Cili
Card
Pycn
TragPorr Man
tSal
m
OnopIlly
SoncOler
Con
vArv
e
La ctRam
o
RostC
ris
Eph
eNeb
r
LepiSubu
TeucP
seu
Fum
aThym
Sta
eDub
iTh
esD
iva
IberCineL av a
L ati
Eup
hNic
a
Pla
nSem
p
Fum
aEr ic
CentOrna
ErynCam
p
ThymV
ulg
KoelVall
AsphRamo
QuerCocc
Atr aH
umi
Hel
iRot
u
Stip
Tena
TeucCapi
BuplFrut
H eliV iol
Bel
lTrix
LithFrutSe r
rPi n
nA
risP
ist
SalvLava
ScorLaci
GypsT
ome
Ce r
aSem
i
Lim
o To l
e
Ana
gLin
i
Ave
nBro
m
AvenSter
CareHallCe ntraC
a
Cor
iMon
s
CrepCapi
Dac
tHi s
p
FilaLute Gal
iPar
i
GeniScor
Hel
iSto
e
Gyp
sStru
Iber
Cre
n
Ver
oArv
e
Stip Pa rv
SantSqua
SangVerru
Results: sorting
Results: Species Richness/ Biogeographical distribution
�� The species most widely distributed (The species most widely distributed (SCosmSCosm, , PaleoTPaleoT, , MedEurMedEur, , TetTet) are ) are predominating in the those areas which have been more recently predominating in the those areas which have been more recently exploited (1exploited (1--15 years).15 years).
�� The plants of western Mediterranean distribution (The plants of western Mediterranean distribution (WMedWMed, , WMedWEurWMedWEur) ) increase their frequency along the secondary succession.increase their frequency along the secondary succession.
�� The endemic plants of the Iberian peninsula (The endemic plants of the Iberian peninsula ( IberIber) are most frequent at ) are most frequent at the middle of the succession ages. They are herbs and woody planthe middle of the succession ages. They are herbs and woody plants ts inside of the quarry.inside of the quarry.
�� Two protected endemic plants (Two protected endemic plants (LimoniumLimonium toletanumtoletanum and and Gypsophila Gypsophila bermejoibermejoi) are most frequent at intermediate ages (15) are most frequent at intermediate ages (15--25 years) after 25 years) after exploitation.exploitation.
�� Gypsum flora (Gypsum flora (prioritaryprioritary in Habitat UE Directive) is most frequent also in Habitat UE Directive) is most frequent also
at intermediate ages (15at intermediate ages (15--25 years)25 years)..
Frequency of species according to the biogeographical distribution
Fig 00
Vegetation types
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Fre
quen
cy
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Scosm PaleoT MedWEur MedEur Tet TetEur Iber Med IbNAfr W Med W MedWEur
Cruciferae Carduus
Centaure
a
Heli chrysum
Internal Thymes
External T
hymes
Alfa grass
Kermes
Results: Species richness / biogeographic distribution
Results: especies not recolonizing the perturbed areas
�� ImportantImportant speciesspecies in in thethe naturalnatural--seminaturalseminatural vegetationvegetation ofof thetheexternalexternal borderborder whichwhich do do notnot colonizecolonize thethe oldestoldest alteredalteredareasareas are:are:
�� TheThe talltall shrubsshrubs ofof kermeskermes fieldsfields: : Quercus Quercus cocciferacoccifera, , RhamnusRhamnus lycioideslycioides, , R. R. alaternusalaternus, , JasminumJasminum fruticansfruticans, , DaphneDaphne gnidiumgnidium, , EphedraEphedra nebrodensisnebrodensis, E. , E. fragilisfragilis, , AsparagusAsparagus acutifoliusacutifolius. . TheyThey are are disperseddispersed by by animalsanimals, , andandtheythey havehave thethe mostmost demandingdemanding germinationgermination requirementsrequirements..
�� SomeSome speciesspecies ofof externalexternal thymethyme fieldsfields: : Salvia Salvia lavandulifolialavandulifolia, , Genista Genista scorpiusscorpius, , LithodoraLithodora fruticosafruticosa, , BupleurumBupleurumfruticescensfruticescens, etc., , etc., sspeciespecies somewhatsomewhat bigger than bigger than thosethosepredominatingpredominating in the in the internalinternal thymethyme fieldsfields..
�� TheThe colonizationcolonization ofof thethe alfa alfa grassgrass ((StipaStipa tenacissimatenacissima) ) startsstartsbutbut seemsseems toto progressprogress veryvery slowlyslowly. .