Vegetation Response to Climatic Change in a Dune Ecosystem in Southern Spain

Merino, O.; Villar, Rafael; Martín, Ángel Puerto; García, Diego Fabián Lozano; Merino, J.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-4186-7_11

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Several studies suggest that the role of proline could be to abate dehydration damage (AinLhout et al 2001;Lansac et al 1994, Rhizopoulou et al 1991Zunzunegui et al 2005;Sánchez et al 1998;Wang et al 1999). In our study, the accumulation of proline in summer is correlated with the decrease in leaf water potential, except in the case of J. phoenicea, although it has been shown that J. phoenicea loses turgor during the summer (Merino et al 1995). In accordance with this finding, Medrano and Flexas (2004) described that seeder species present some drought tolerant traits, such as cellular characteristics that permit elasticity and osmotic adjustments.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…They neither suffer severe water stress, especially in the case of M. communis, nor did proline accumulation occur in summer. Merino et al (1995) have shown that E. scoparia retains turgid leaves throughout the year.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Three main types of scrub communities with different species composition are found in the stabilized sands, depending on soil water table depth: ''Monte Blanco'' (Xerophytic sites), on the crests of ancient dunes where the water table in summer is deeper than 4 m, and is always greater than 3 m below the soil surface; ''Monte Negro'' (Hygrophytic sites) located in depressions, where water table in summer rarely lies more than 1 m below the soil surface and where temporary flooding occurs in winter; and ''Monte Intermedio'', which is located on the slopes of the dune ridges with transitional water table depth and no surface flooding (González Bernáldez et al 1975;Merino et al 1995).…”

Section: Study Area and Plant Materialsmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Seasonal physiological plasticity and recovery capacity after summer stress in Mediterranean scrub communities

et al. 2010

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Under natural conditions the overlapping of multiple stressors may initiate coordinated ecophysiological responses in Mediterranean species. Seasonal plasticity may enable plants to better cope with adverse environmental conditions and/or resource variability. In this article, we study the seasonal responses of 12 woody species in two sites of differing water availability, in a Mediterranean-type climate. Plants were measured for water potential, photochemical efficiency, photosynthetic pigments and leaf proline content throughout the year. The results revealed that species presented different ecophysiological strategies, even when sharing the same area. In the xerophytic site, some species suffered severe water stress (-12 MPa and F v /F m lower than 0.3), while others exhibited optimal values of F v /F m and only moderate water stress. All the plants recovered after the first autumn rains. In the hygrophytic site, some sclerophyll species did not exhibit signs of water stress, but did suffer photoinhibition in clear winter days. A plasticity index was calculated to provide an integrated value of species plasticity. In summer, plasticity was higher in the xerophytic site, while in winter it was higher in the hygrophytic site. Ordination analysis of the physiological traits supports the traditional gradient of Mediterranean strategies from drought semideciduous to evergreen sclerophyll species, although spiny legume species formed an independent functional group. The functional responses of species clearly differ among plant communities according to the prevailing site stressors, but no unique pattern emerges. Species combine traits in broader strategies according to previous evolutionary story exhibiting a certain amount of trade among traits, each contributing to alleviate a part of the plant stress.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Study Area and Plant Materialsmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Seasonal physiological plasticity and recovery capacity after summer stress in Mediterranean scrub communities

et al. 2010

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“…PFT A: Large shrubs, with a high number of small leaves per stem unit of length, fibrous bark, moderately negative leaf water potentials, high costs of leaf growth and low cost of leaf maintenance, generally with the capacity to sprout after a fire (Vilà 1997 along the water table depth gradient, and keeps an adequate water status throughout the year. They have been considered as water stress avoiders by Merino et al (1995). They are very sensitive to unusual changes in soil water accessibility, like severe periods of drought typical of Mediterranean climate (field observations).…”

Section: Pft-analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant functional types and ecosystem function in Mediterranean shrubland

Barradas

Zunzunegui

Tirado

et al. 1999

J Vegetation Science

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Abstract. This study attempts to identify Plant Functional Types (PFTs) within the scrub vegetation of the stabilized sand dunes of the Doñana National Park (southwestern Spain) and to explore possible links with ecosystem function. Two 10‐km long transects were sampled along a gradient of water table depth from elevated and dry dunes to a border area close to the salt marsh. A matrix of cover values for 20 woody species × 58 plots and a matrix of 24 morphological and physiological traits × 20 species were analysed by means of DCA and TWINSPAN to identify the main vegetation types and PFTs. In order to know the predominant plant traits, the matrix of 20 species × 58 plots was multiplied by the 24 traits × 20 species matrix. The resulting 24 traits × 58 plots matrix was analysed by means of DCA. The main vegetation types coincide with the previous descriptions of the Park with Juniperus phoenicea woodland and xerophytic species dominating the top of the dunes and hygrophytic species with isolated Quercus suber trees in the depressions. Previous classifications of Mediterranean woody plants resulted in two main PFTs. The present analysis confirmed these two groups: maquis versus garrigue, but added four new groups. The analysis of the traits × plots matrix revealed that the main trend of variation is related to the water table gradient, while the traits related to the species of mature plant communities had little weight in the analysis because these communities are restricted to isolated patches.

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“…The distribution of plant communities is related to the geomorphology of the recent aeolic mantle. Vegetation studies carried out so far at Doñana (Ramírez Díaz & Torres Martínez 1977;García Novo 1979;García Novo & Merino 1993, 1997García Novo et al 1996 andMerino et al 1996) have shown that water table depth and its fluctuations are the factors determining the distribution of hygrophytic vegetation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation fluctuation in mediterranean dune ponds in relation to rainfall variation and water extraction

Zunzunegui¹,

Barradas²,

Novo³

1998

Applied Vegetation Science

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The structure of dune ponds hygrophytic vegetation has a spatial organisation in belts around the pond basin, closely related to water level and flooding regime. Doñana National Park has an important representation of temporal dune ponds, which are subjected to rainfall fluctuations and may be suffering the impact of water extraction from the neighbouring tourist resort.Permanent transects in a vegetation complex of five dune ponds have been monitored during a eight year period (1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997). This period was characterised by a number of dry years (annual rainfall around 300 mm), located between two wet cycles (800 -900 mm). Transects were analysed in 1990 (wet period), 1994 (dry) and 1997 (wet) by hierarchical agglomerative clustering.During the dry period hygrophytic species showed regression, with a high mortality of some species like Ulex minor, while the xerophytic species advanced to lower areas. Seedlings of some xerophytic species colonised the dry surface of the pond basin. The lowering of the water table varied in the different ponds, ranging from 312 to 190 cm depending on topography and the distance to the pumping area. The new period of flooding during 1995-96 and 1996-97 cycles provided the opportunity for hygrophytic spe cies to re-establish themselves in their original places.This study suggest that changes in vegetation are caused by the interaction between weather conditions and human disturbance (water extractions). In our example man-made disturbance is more marked during the dry periods while wet periods tend to obscure the effects of water extractions. From a management perspective, long-term monitoring of water table and vegetation structure is revealed as a key procedure to the management of land-water ecotones on pressured areas and threatened habitats.

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Vegetation Response to Climatic Change in a Dune Ecosystem in Southern Spain

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Seasonal physiological plasticity and recovery capacity after summer stress in Mediterranean scrub communities

Seasonal physiological plasticity and recovery capacity after summer stress in Mediterranean scrub communities

Plant functional types and ecosystem function in Mediterranean shrubland

Vegetation fluctuation in mediterranean dune ponds in relation to rainfall variation and water extraction

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