Conservation of isolated Atlantic heathlands in the Mediterranean region: effects of land-use changes in the Montseny biosphere reserve (Spain)

Bartolomé, Jordi; Plaixats, J.; Fanlo, Rosario; Boada, Martí

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.05.024

Cited by 55 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Land abandonment in marginal and lessproductive regions has become the most remarkable trend in land-use and land-cover change in Europe (Baldock et al, 1996;Ilbery, 1998;Moyano & Paniagua, 1998;Ramankutty & Foley, 1999). The shortage in semi-natural grasslands due to land abandonment is also being enhanced by displacements due to infra-2 preservation, organic fertilization, clearing of scrubs or moderate grazing (Baldock et al, 1996;Cernusca et al, 1996;MacDonald et al, 2000;Bartolomé et al, 2005;Pykälä et al, 2005;Hopkins & Holz, 2006;Gellrich et al, 2007Gellrich et al, , 2008Lomba et al, 2013;López-i-Gelats, 2013), which are essential for the preservation of these semi-natural grasslands. It is well known the fact that the entire cessation of pastoral practices triggers changes in the species' composition and structure of semi-natural grasslands, becoming shrubland and ultimately forest with time (Kahmen & Poschlod, 2004;de Bello et al, 2006;Lomba et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is multifunctionality the future of mountain pastoralism? Lessons from the management of semi-natural grasslands in the Pyrenees

López‐i‐Gelats

Rivera-Ferré

Madruga-Andreu

et al. 2015

Span. j. agric. res.

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Land abandonment is pervasive in mountainous Europe. In the present situation of price-cost squeeze on pastoral households and general shift in the role of farming, the development of farming abandonment risk regions is generally associated with adoption of new multifunctional rural development strategies, such as farm tourism, which in the end entail less time being devoted to farming practices. We explored the effects of such developmental scheme on the preservation of semi-natural grasslands, in particular, and on the sustainability of mountain pastoralism, in general. While the effects on the preservation of semi-natural grasslands of full abandonment have been extensively explored, this is not the case of partial abandonment. Results showed that the adoption of simplified and low-cost management regimes, associated with partial abandonment and the increased adoption of part-time farming, immerses semi-natural grasslands in processes of secondary succession that undermine both their conservation and pastoral functions. This points the need for caution when endorsing multifunctional developmental schemes in farming abandonment risk regions, particularly when those imply less labor being devoted to pastoral practices. In conclusion, we stress that in farming abandonment risk regions it is possible to guarantee both viable pastoralism and diversified rural economy. However, it is necessary to implement developmental strategies that are centered on stimulating synergies between pastoralism and other economic activities, rather than promoting activities that depend on additional farmers' polyvalence.Additional key words: land abandonment; diversification; rural development; Arrhenatherion elatioris. Abbreviations used: CCA (canonical correspondence analysis). Citation: López-i-Gelats, F.; Rivera-Ferre, M. G.; Madruga-Andreu, C.; Bartolomé Filella, J. (2015). Is multifunctionality the future of mountain pastoralism? Lessons from the management of semi-natural grasslands in the Pyrenees.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is multifunctionality the future of mountain pastoralism? Lessons from the management of semi-natural grasslands in the Pyrenees

López‐i‐Gelats

Rivera-Ferré

Madruga-Andreu

et al. 2015

Span. j. agric. res.

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“…In southern Europe, few studies have addressed this issue (Bartolomé et al 2005, Borghesio 2009), despite a range of concerns regarding tree encroachment. First, Calluna vulgaris reaches its ecological and geographical limits and its competitiveness is limited when faced with encroachment (Gimingham 1960, Gimingham 1972.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, Calluna vulgaris reaches its ecological and geographical limits and its competitiveness is limited when faced with encroachment (Gimingham 1960, Gimingham 1972. Second, the encroachment process occurs faster than in Atlantic regions , Bartolomé et al 2005, Borghesio 2009), and, lastly, Calluna-heathlands are fragmented in vulnerable and restricted areas of high ecological value (Bartolomé et al 2005, Poldini et al 2004, Angiolini et al 2007, Borghesio 2009). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree encroachment dynamics in heathlands of north-west Italy: the fire regime hypothesis

Ascoli¹,

Bovio²

2010

iForest

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Tree encroachment is one of the primary conservation issues in Calluna-heathlands, a priority habitat in Europe. Improving understanding of the ecological factors that trigger transitions to woodlands is key to developing strategies for heathlands management. The irrational use of fire has been recognized as one of the key factors that drives the loss of heathlands of north-west Italy. The effect of high frequency pastoral burning on the replacement of heathlands by grasslands has been documented by several studies. The relationship between fire and tree encroachment is less clear. The paper examines the effect of the fire regime on the encroachment of Populus tremula L. and Betula pendula Roth. in the heathland. The study was carried out at the Managed Nature Reserve of Vauda (7° 41’ E, 45° 13’ N), which includes one of the most valuable heathlands of north-western Italy. The experimental design consisted of analysing the age structure, dendrometric variables and the species composition of three aspen and birch stands, circular-shaped and isolated within the heathland matrix. From 1986 to 2009 all stands experienced the same fire regime due to pastoral burning. Wildfires of similar behaviour occurred in 1998, 2003 and 2008 and determined the stand structure observed in 2009. The results evidenced that fire acts as a catalyst not only for seedlings establishment, as previously documented, but also for woodland expansion in the heathland. After initial establishment, stands showed a concentric encroachment dynamic, mainly due to aspen root suckering after post-fire stem mortality, whose steps of expansion coincided with the return interval of wildfires. Moreover, aspen determined the loss of heathland characteristic species, whose relative abundances were inversely correlated to aspen density along a gradient from the stands centre to the surrounding heathland. The regulation of current burning practices by prescribed burning, integrated with rational grazing, presents the next research questions to be addressed

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“…According to the same authors, recovery of threatened species and ecosystems will be more difficult to achieve in the future. Therefore, we used plants that can cope with the altered climate conditions (Hughes 2003, Ogaya et al 2003, Bartolomè et al 2005. Experimental evidence showed that once established, those species have the ability to recover rapidly after sever drought effects (Hastings et al 2005, Luo et al 2007, Pereira et al 2007, and to sustain elevated Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), comparable to forests, as a consequence of the relative low C loss via respiration.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment of a planted field with Mediterranean shrubs in Sardinia and its evaluation for climate mitigation and to combat desertification in semi-arid regions

Dato¹,

Loperfido²,

Angelis³

et al. 2009

iForest

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Conservation of isolated Atlantic heathlands in the Mediterranean region: effects of land-use changes in the Montseny biosphere reserve (Spain)

Cited by 55 publications

References 12 publications

Is multifunctionality the future of mountain pastoralism? Lessons from the management of semi-natural grasslands in the Pyrenees

Is multifunctionality the future of mountain pastoralism? Lessons from the management of semi-natural grasslands in the Pyrenees

Tree encroachment dynamics in heathlands of north-west Italy: the fire regime hypothesis

Establishment of a planted field with Mediterranean shrubs in Sardinia and its evaluation for climate mitigation and to combat desertification in semi-arid regions

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