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

[email protected]; [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




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 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


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)


Reforestations with Pinus halepensis (Elche, Alicante, Spain)



Reforestations with Pinus halepensis – processionary caterpillar infestation

Orihuela, Alicante, Spain (January 2015)


Reforestations with Pinus halepensis – Tomicus sp. infestation


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)


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


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.)


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


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



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.


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)


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)


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


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

Documents

Changes in concepts and tools in dryland ecological