Across and within-forest effects on breeding success in Mediterranean Great Tits Parus major - Atiénzar, Francisco; Visser, M. E.; Greño, J. L. (Ardea, 2010)
Forest type and habitat structure can have profound effects on different aspects of avian life histories. These effects may, however, strongly differ across and within forests that vary in vegetation composition and structure, especially when an ancient forest has been replaced by a new forest. To test for these dif- ferences in effect, we studied Great Tit Parus major life-history traits (280 first clutches) in two Mediterranean evergreen forests during 2005–07: an ancient Holm Oak Quercus ilex and a reforested pine forest. A comparison between forests revealed that females breeding in the Holm Oak forest started laying one week later, and produced larger clutches and broods both at hatching and at fledging. Chicks raised in the Holm Oak forest also fledged in better condition. Within forests, however, the reproductive success was not higher for pairs breeding in nestboxes surrounded by oaks within the pine forest, and also re- productive success was not lower in nestboxes surrounded by pines within oak forest. Instead, vegetation maturity around nestboxes, rather than tree species composition, affected hatching success. Surprisingly, hatching success was higher in nestboxes surrounded by immature vegetation. We suggest that this may be due to a lower nest predation rate in nestboxes surrounded by imma- ture vegetation, compared to nestboxes surrounded by mature vegetation. We suggest that different factors appear to affect variation in breeding success in Mediterranean Great Tits comparing across forests (e.g. food availability) vs. within a forest (e.g. nest predation).
Keywords: hatching success; Mediterranean forests; nest predation; Parus major; territory vegetation maturity

Activated Carbons Prepared from Natural and Synthetic Raw Materials with Potential Applications in Gas Separations - Cansado, Isabel P. P.; Mourao, Paulo A. M.; Ribeiro Carrott, Manuela L.; Carrott, Peter J. M. (ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT, 2010)
A carbon molecular sieve for the purification of a gas mixtures containing O(2), N(2) and CO(2), CH(4) was produced from a waste granulated PET by means of a single carbonisation step at 973 K. Activated carbon materials presenting good adsorption capacity and some selectivity for O(2)/N(2) and CO(2)/CH(4) were prepared from granulated PET and cork oak with pore mouth narrowing using CVD from benzene. The diffusion coefficients of O(2), N(2), CO(2) and CH(4) in these materials were calculated and are comparable to published values determined on Takeda 3A and on a carbon molecular sieve prepared from PET textile fibres by means of carbonisation and subsequent CVD with benzene. However, the selectivities were not quite as good as those given by Takeda 3A. However, taking into account that this is a first attempt at producing CMS from PET, the results are encouraging, and it is to be expected that further development of the experimental procedure will result in new materials with improved performance.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT pub-location: LAUBLSRUTISTR 24, CH-8717 STAFA-ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Keywords: Carbon Molecular Sieve; Cork; CVD; Methane; PET

Adsorption equilibria of water vapor on cork. - Lequin, Sonia; Chassagne, David; Karbowiak, Thomas; Gougeon, Régis; Brachais, Laurent; Bellat, Jean-Pierre (Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 2010)
We report here for the first time a complete thermodynamic study of water vapor adsorption on crude cork powder and plate. Adsorption-desorption isotherms were accurately measured by thermogravimetry at 283, 298, and 313 K in a large range of relative pressure. Adsorption enthalpies were determined by calorimetry as a function of loading. Adsorption-desorption isotherms exhibit a hysteresis due to the swelling of the material. The influence of the presence of lenticels on the adsorption properties of cork is found to be negligible. A detailed analysis and interpretation of adsorption data allow proposal of an adsorption mechanism in two steps. (i) First, water adsorbs on hydrophilic sites constituted by hydroxyl and methoxyl groups. (ii) Then water adsorption continues by clusters formation around the hydrophilic sites.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20192215
Keywords: Adsorption; Plant Bark; Plant Bark: chemistry; Quercus; Quercus: chemistry; Thermodynamics; water; Water: chemistry

Airborne pollen records and status of the anemophilous flora in arid areas of the Iberian Peninsula - Carinanos, P.; Galan, C.; Alcazar, R.; Dominguez, E. (JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS, 2010)
This paper reports on the relationship between the airborne pollen spectrum and the status of anemophilous flora in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Variations in pollen counts with respect to data for a previous sampling period were also examined. The key finding was that the spectrum contained pollen from the most characteristic local species, such as xerophytes adapted to arid conditions, ruderal and nitrophilous species, sclerophyllous Mediterranean pine and holm-oak forest and vegetation in dry watercourses. The main variations with respect to earlier data were attributable to changes in land use, with increasing production of certain crops and a growing trend towards ecological agriculture, the introduction of allochthonous species and the recovery of local flora in dry watercourses. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 24-28 OVAL RD, LONDON NW1 7DX, ENGLAND publisher: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Keywords: Aerobiology; Airborne pollen records; Arid areas; Phytogeography; Pollen spectrum

Amido resistente em diversas fontes não convencionais de amido - Fontinha, C.; Correia, Paula (RE, 2010)
Resistant starch is not degraded in the small intestine, leading to a beneficial health effect like the dietetic fibre has. In this work resistant starch content was determined on flours and starches extracted from two varieties of chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill), Longal and Martainha, and two acorn species (Quercus rotundifolia, Quercus suber). Flours were produced by milling the fruits after drying at different temperatures, 40º C, 50º C, 60ºC e 70ºC. After, starch was isolated from flours by two different extraction methods: physicochemical and enzymatic. Resistant starch content was higher on the flours obtained from the fruits dried at 60ºC, with values of 46,8%, 36,5%, 39,9% e 43,9%, respectively for Longal and Martainha chestnuts, and acorns Quercus rotundifolia, Quercus suber. The physicochemical method presented higher content of resistant starch for all the materials. It seems that drying fruits at 60ºC and the use of the physicochemical isolation method for starch from flours obtained from fruits dried at this temperature preserved better the starch integrity.
Keywords: acorns; Chestnuts; resistant starch

Analisi strutturale e caratterizzazione della necromassa in sugherete della Calabria - Barreca, L.; Marziliano, P. A.; Menguzzato, G.; Scuderi, A. (iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, 2010)
The cork forests are one the most interesting forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean area. Their distribution and ecological characteristics have undergone a significant transformation after the significant changes following the development and establishment of agricultural crops. Currently, only a few stands, which survive in hard to reach places, prove the wide spread distribution of this species was also in the recent past. This study describes the stand structure of some cork forests in Calabria region (southern Italy). In order, to characterize the vertical structure Latham index has been applied, while for the description of the horizontal distribution NBSI group indices has been used. Detailed surveys on dead wood were also conducted determining the occurring volume and its decay stage according to the decay classes system proposed by Hunter. The aim of this study is to provide guidelines for sustainable management of cork forests, improving and promoting the structural complexity and functional efficiency of these forest stands.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: Dipartimento Gestione dei Sistemi Agrari e Forestali (GESAF), Universit degli studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Localit Feo di Vito, I-89060 Reggio Calabria (Italia) publisher: SISEF - Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology
Keywords: Dead Wood; Quercus Suber L; Stand Structure; Structural Index; Sustainable Forest Management

Analysis of spatial patterns of oak decline in cork oak woodlands in Mediterranean conditions - Costa, Augusta; Pereira, Helena; Madeira, Manuel (Annals of Forest Science, 2010)
• Cork oak mortality is a recurrent problem in southwestern Portugal. Despite the perception of increasingly visible damage in oak woodlands on drought-prone sites, the role of the various environmental factors in their decline is not clear. • To describe the spatial patterns of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) mortality, a cork oak mortality index (MI) was determined for each landscape feature (agroforestry system, soil type, slope and aspect) using a GIS approach. To achieve this goal, a logistic regression model was formulated analyzing interactions between landscape attributes and allowing a prediction of cork oak mortality. • Maximum values of MI were found in (i) shrublands and open woodlands with shrub encroachment (MI 6 and 3, respectively), where competition for soil water between tree and understory increases; and (ii) on lower slopes in the rounded hilltops and smooth hillsides or shallow soils where access to groundwater resources during summer drought is diﬃcult. • The model highlighted the importance of the agroforestry systems on cork oak mortality and may be used to identify sensitive areas where mitigation actions should be employed in a scenario of increasing drought severity in these Mediterranean ecosystems.
Keywords: Logistic regression; Oak decline; oak mortality; Quercus suber L.; Remote sensing

The ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Reserve (Rome, Italy) as a model for the analysis of ant community structure in relation to environmental variation in Mediterranean ecosystems - Castracani, Cristina; Grasso, Donato a; Fanfani, Alberto; Mori, Alessandra (Journal of Insect Conservation, 2010)
Ants are often used as ecological indicators in environmental monitoring programs, but rarely in Europe, probably because of a lack of baseline knowledge on the relationship between ant community structure and environmental variation. We present this baseline knowledge for Italian ecosystems that are typical of the Mediterranean climate, in order to assess the value of ants as ecological indicators in this biogeographic zone. Sampling areas were selected inside the Castelporziano Natural Reserve (Rome, Italy). The elevated variety of habitats and diverse ecological conditions, as well as the different levels of human impact in the Reserve, make this area a suitable location to develop and test biological indicators of environmental quality. The ant community structure was compared among several Mediterranean ecosystems using pitfall trapping, multidimensional scaling, the indicator species analysis and the Functional Groups Approach. Key factors for differences in ant community structure seem to be the presence/absence of water, the level of light and microhabitat diversity. Our results suggest that Castelporziano is an informative area in order to develop a study model for the Italian ant fauna and the Functional Group Approach is a promising procedure to associate differences in ant community structures with differences in habitat stress and disturbance.
Keywords: Ant community structure; Castelporziano reserve; Ecological indicators; Functional groups

Anthropogenic disturbance of natural forest vegetation on calcareous soils alters soil organic matter composition and natural abundance of 13C and 15N in density fractions - Llorente, Mireia; Glaser, Bruno; Turrión, María-Belén (European Journal of Forest Research, 2010)
In the last century, many calcareous soils in Castilla Leo´n (northwestern Spain) have been transformed from natural Quercus ilex forest to cropped land. Reforestation with Pinus halepensis has been taking place during the past 40 years. In order to obtain a better understanding of how these disturbances affect ecosystem functioning, we studied the quantity and quality of soil organic matter (SOM) in natural forest ecosystems, cropland and Pinus plantations. Density fractionation combined with ultrasonic dispersion enables separation and study of SOM fractions: free organic matter (OM), OM occluded into aggregates and OM stabilized in organo-mineral complexes, considered on the basis of the type of physical protection provided. We separated SOM density fractions and determined the concentrations of C and N, C/N ratios and the natural isotopic abundance (d 13 C and d 15 N values). Transformation of Quercus forest to cropland resulted in major losses of SOC and N, as expected. However, subsequent reforestation with Pinus resulted in good recovery of the original SOC and soil N pools. This indicates the potential for enhanced C storage in agricultural soils by their reversion to a forested state. Study of the density fractions and their 13 C and 15 N signatures enabled better understanding of the high stability of OM in calcareous soils, and analysis of d 13 C variations throughout the proﬁle also enabled identiﬁcation of past C3/C4 vegetation change. Despite the different OC contents of soils under different land use, OM stabilization mechanisms were not signiﬁcantly different. In calcareous soils, accumulation of SOC and N is mainly due to organo-mineral associations, resulting in physicochemical stabilization against further decomposition.
Keywords: 13C; 15N; density fractions; Land use change

Assessing impacts of Common Agricultural Policy changes on regional land use patterns with a decision support system - Borges, P. J.; Fragoso, R.; Garcia-Gonzalo, J.; Borges, J. G.; Marques, S.; Lucas, M. R. (Forest Policy and Economics, 2010)
This paper discusses research aiming at assessing Common Agricultural Policy impacts on agriculture and forestry. For this purpose an approach is developed that includes a linear programming model to estimate the Positive Mathematical Programming production cost function coefﬁcients of current agricultural– forestry activities. It further includes a heuristic — simulated annealing — to generate solutions for each policy scenario. This model base approach is integrated within a decision support system (DSS) for testing purposes. The DSS further encompasses a relational database that stores agricultural–forestry technical and economic data and a geographic information system that stores topological data of regional farm-type land units. The DSS Graphical User Interface provides tabular and geographical reporting capabilities. Results are discussed for an application to the Alentejo region in Southern Portugal. Results demonstrate the usefulness and relevance of the proposed approach to assess the impact of changes in prices and in agricultural policy on land use patterns and on forestry
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Agricultural policy; decision support system; Land use pattern; mathematical programming; Simulation

Assessment of mycorrhizal colonisation and soil nutrients in unmanaged fire-impacted soils from two target restoration sites - Dias, J. M.; Oliveira, R. S.; Franco, A. R.; Ritz, K.; Nunan, N.; Castro, P. M. L. (Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research;, 2010)
The mycorrhizal colonisation of plants grown in unmanaged soils from two restoration sites with a fire history in Northern Portugal was evaluated from the perspective of supporting restoration programmes. To promote restoration of original tree stands, Quercus ilex L. and Pinus pinaster Ait. were used as target species on two sites, denoted Site 1 and 2 respectively. The aim of the study was to assess whether mycorrhizal propagules that survived fire episodes could serve as in situ inoculum sources, and to analyse the spatial distribution of soil nutrients and mycorrhizal parameters. In a laboratory bioassay, P. pinaster and Q. ilex seedlings were grown on soils from the target sites and root colonisation by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi was determined. The ECM root colonisation levels found indicated that soil from Site 2 contained sufficient ECM propagules to serve as a primary source of inoculum for P. pinaster. The low levels of ECM and AM colonisation obtained on the roots of plants grown in soil from Site 1 indicated that the existing mycorrhizal propagules might be insufficient for effective root colonisation of Q. ilex. Different ECM morphotypes were found in plants grown in soil from the two sites. At Site 2 mycorrhizal parameters were found to be spatially structured, with signif icant differences in ECM colonisation and soil P concentrations between regions of either side of an existing watercourse. The spatial distribution of mycorrhizal propagules was related to edaphic parameters (total C and extractable P), and correlations between soil nutrients and mycorrhizal parameters were found.
Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhiza; ectomycorrhiza; Pinus pinaster; post fire; Quercus ilex; soil restoration; spatial variation

Carbon sequestration with reforestations and biodiversity-scenic values - Caparros, A.; Cerdá, E.; Ovando, P.; Campos, P. (Environmental and Resource Economics, 2010)
This paper presents an optimal control model to analyze reforestations with two different species, including commercial values, carbon sequestration and biodiversity or scenic values. We solve the model qualitatively with general functions and discuss the implications of partial or total internalization of environmental values, showing that internalizing only carbon sequestration may have negative impacts on biodiversityscenic values. To evaluate the practical relevance, we compare reforestations in the South-west of Spain with cork-oaks (a slow growing native species) and with eucalyptus (a fast growing alien species). We do the analysis with two different carbon crediting methods: the Carbon Flow Method and the Ton Year Accounting Method. With the .first method forest surface increases more, but using mainly eucalyptus. With the second, additional reforestations are done mainly using cork-oaks. We value the impact on visitors of these reforestations using stated preferences methods, showing that when these values are internalized cork-oaks are favored.
Keywords: Biodiversity; Carbon Accounting; Carbon Sequestration; Forests; Optimal Control; Scenic; Stated Preferences

Characterisation of PM10 emissions from woodstove combustion of common woods grown in Portugal - Gonçalves, Cátia; Alves, Célia; Evtyugina, Margarita; Mirante, Fátima; Pio, Casimiro; Caseiro, Alexandre; Schmidl, Christoph; Bauer, Heidi; Carvalho, Fernando (Atmospheric Environment, 2010)
A series of source tests was performed to evaluate the chemical composition of particle emissions from the woodstove combustion of four prevalent Portuguese species of woods: Pinus pinaster (maritime pine), Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus), Quercus suber (cork oak) and Acacia longifolia (golden wattle). Analyses included water-soluble ions, metals, radionuclides, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), humic-like substances (HULIS), cellulose and approximately l80 organic compounds. Particle (PM10) emission factors from eucalyptus and oak were higher than those from pine and acacia. The carbonaceous matter represented 44e63% of the particulate mass emitted during the combustion process, regardless of species burned. The major organic components of smoke particles, for all the wood species studied, with the exception of the golden wattle (0.07e1.9% w/w), were anhydrosugars (0.2e17% w/w). Conﬂicting with what was expected, only small amounts of cellulose were found in wood smoke. As for HULIS, average particle mass concentrations ranged from 1.5% to 3.0%. The golden wattle wood smoke presented much higher concentrations of ions and metal species than the emissions from the other wood types. The results of the analysis of radionuclides revealed that the 226 Ra was the naturally occurring radionuclide more enriched in PM10. The chromatographically resolved organics included n-alkanes, nalkenes, PAH, oxygenated PAH, n-alkanals, ketones, n-alkanols, terpenoids, triterpenoids, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, alcohols, n-alkanoic acids, n-di-acids, unsaturated acids and alkyl ester acids.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Biomass burning; Emissions; GC-MS; Organic tracers; PM10; Woodstove

Characterization of Sardinian cork oak (Quercus suber L.) genetic resources for economically important traits - Bullitta, Simonetta; Dettori, Sandro; Manchinu, Manuela; Filigheddu, Maria Rosaria; Piluzza, Giovanna (Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 2010)
Considering the very high socio economic value of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) in Mediterranean areas, a better knowledge of local genetic resources is necessary in order to reach a good balance between the conservation issues and the need of an efﬁcient cork production network. In such frame, local germplasm of Q. suber from the main cork production areas of Sardinia was analysed for DNA and isozyme polymorphisms and for cork quality in relation to some environmental parameters. A total number of 24 sample stands of cork oak were selected, representing typical vegetation, sylvicultural and cork quality features within the eight identiﬁed cork growing areas in Sardinia. Considerable variation was found between cork oak stands of the different areas. Results of the principal component analysis performed on the cork quality data and environmental characters of the eight areas, showed that the ﬁrst three components explain 72.2% of the variation. The major characters involved in this differentiation were cork quality characters such as dimensional recover, moisture and Mg content of the cork and also elevation of stands m a.s.l. for the ﬁrst component. The second component appears to be determined by some climatic parameters (average annual temperature and average of the minimum temperatures of coldest month) and by the Fe and Zn in the cork. For the third component, major characters involved in differentiation are average annual rainfall, bark thickness and Ca content in the cork.
Keywords: cluster analysis; Cork quality; DNA polymorphisms; Principal component analysis; Quercus suber L.

Chestnut and acorn starch properties affected by isolation methods - Correia, Paula Reis; Beirão-da-Costa, Maria Luísa (Starch - Stärke, 2010)
Starches from chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) and acorns (Quercus suber Lam. and Q. rotundifolia Lam.) were isolated from dried fruits using four different methods. These involved a physicochemical and/or an enzymatic treatment followed by centrifugation and sieving: (i) low shear at alkaline pH – LSA, (ii) high shear in water – HSW, (iii) enzymatic treatment at low shear – LSE, (iv) LSA and using successively three sieves – LSA3S. Raw yield, purity, colour parameters, morphology, protein, fat, ash, reducing sugars and amylose contents, damaged starch content and viscoamylographic proﬁles were studied in isolated starches, presenting different properties through different methods. In general, chestnut starch seems to be poorly resistant to extraction methodologies as shown by the damaged starch content and viscoamylographic properties encountered during this study. Moreover, acorn starches exhibited cross-linked amylographic patterns. For all the tested raw materials, the LSA3S isolation method always higher yield and purity of starches. Gelatinization temperature and peak consistency were also higher than those shown by starches produced by the other methods, a less damaged structure was also evident. In conclusion, it seems that this method is the most suitable to produce starch for food ingredient usage.
Keywords: acorn; chestnut; morphology; physicochemical properties; starch isolation methods

Color texture feature selection by MIFS for image classification - Maia, H. E.; Hammouch, A.; Bakrim, M. (2010)
The work presented in this article consists in evaluating the contribution of the use of a texture-color combination in forest mapping. We transform a Spot image into different color spaces, then we extract nine parameters using Laws filter. The resulting set of parameters is reduced using MIFS algorithm based on mutual information. The results are promising and give satisfying classification results.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: secondary-title: I/V Communications and Mobile Network (ISVC), 2010 5th International Symposium on periodical: I/V Communications and Mobile Network (ISVC), 2010 5th International Symposium on pages: 1-4 isbn: VO - electronic-resource-num: 10.1109/ISVC.2010.5656251
Keywords: Classification; Color; Laws filter; MIFS; Texture

Conservation value of linear woody remnants for two forest carnivores in a Mediterranean agricultural landscape - Pereira, Marian; Rodríguez, Alejandro (Journal of Applied Ecology, 2010)
1. The loss of biodiversity caused by agricultural expansion can be countered by adopting wildlifefriendly farming strategies and by expanding the network of nature reserves. The potential beneﬁts of agricultural extensiﬁcation, represented in Europe by agri-environmental schemes, still remain unclear. In particular, the eﬀectiveness of preserving linear woody vegetation to retain forest carnivores in farmland has received limited attention. We document the value of hedgerows and narrow strips of riparian forest for the Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon and the common genet Genetta genetta. 2. In an agricultural mosaic of southern Spain containing 4Æ7% of woody vegetation, we tested hypotheses about the role of linear elements and three farmland types diﬀering in the amount, quality and structure of woody cover. We analysed the inﬂuence of linear elements on the placement and utilization of home ranges by combining compositional analysis and numerical methods. 3. Mongooses and genets strongly selected linear woody vegetation. All types of farmland, including open ﬁelds, dehesa (savanna-like pastureland or arable land rich in oak trees Quercus ilex and Q. suber) and olive Olea europaea groves, were avoided, suggesting that both species strictly depend upon native woody cover. 4. Most individuals made regular use of hedgerows and some individuals used hedgerows as the only source of woody cover in their home ranges. 5. The distribution of home ranges suggested that individuals made up a continuous, rather than discrete, population in a spatially structured habitat. An evenly distributed hedgerow network across the intervening agricultural matrix could prevent population fragmentation. 6. Synthesis and applications. A suitable network of linear cover allows some forest carnivores to survive in agricultural landscapes containing a low proportion (<10%) of native woody vegetation. Length (>0Æ5 km), width (4–10 m), quality (continuous native shrubs, scattered native trees, low levels of human disturbance), density (10–50 m ha )1 ) and a regular distribution of linear features are key elements in the conservation or restoration of agricultural landscapes where the preservation of small forest carnivores is an objective.
Keywords: agri-environmental schemes; agroecosystems; Biodiversity conservation; Connectivity; farmland; genetta genetta; habitat selection; hedgerows; Herpestes ichneumon; landscape restoration

A contribute to the knowledge of the climatophilous cork-oak woodlands from Iberian southwest - Quinto-Canas, Ricardo; Vila-Vicosa, Carlos; Meireles, Catarina; Paiva-Ferreira, Rodrigo; Martinez-Lombardo, Maria; Cano, Ana; Pinto-Gomes, Carlos (ACTA BOTANICA GALLICA, 2010)
This work results as an in-depth study of climatophilous cork-oak woodlands from Iberian southwest, by the necessity to profound the knowledge of this West-Mediterrenean vegetal formations, particularly in the most atlantic territories. Accordingly, we describe a new cork-oak forest association subhumid to humid, thermomediterranean, siliceous, from ``Marianico-Monchiquense{''} sector as a climatophilous serie, named Lavandulo viridis-Quercetum suberis new ass. Their floristic, ecologic and dynamic particularities are exposed. It's also presented a comparison with the rest of the cork-oak communities described to the Querco rotundifoliae-Oleion sylvestris Barbero, Quezel & Rivas-Martinez in Rivas-Martinez, Costa & Izco 1986 alliance. Finally, some considerations are made about the conservation status of these sclerophyllous formations and highlighted the most important management policies that aim to protect, recover and increase the value of cork-oak forests.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: FACULTE DE PHARMACIE, BP 83, F-59006 LILLE-CEDEX, FRANCE publisher: SOC BOTANIQUE FRANCE
Keywords: climatophilous vegetation; cork-oak woodlands; Iberian Southwest; Marianic-Monchiquensean Sector; phytosociology

Cork based composites using polyolefin’s as matrix: Morphology and mechanical performance - Fernandes, Emanuel M.; Correlo, Vitor M.; a. M. Chagas, José; Mano, João F.; Reis, Rui L. (Composites Science and Technology, 2010)
The cork industry produces high amounts of cork powders resulting from the ﬁnal stages of cork processing or resulting from existing cork products. Usually these powders are burned and served to boilers in industrial processes. The main goal of this work is to transform this cork sub-product into a highly value composite product. The real value is dependent on the mechanical performance of this product. Thus the mixture between cork and thermoplastics, particularly the improvement of interfacial bonding, is an important topic, which needs to be developed. The interfacial afﬁnity can be greatly increased, applying superﬁcial modiﬁcation of one of the components, or by the use of coupling agents. In this work, a high amount of cork powder (50 wt.%) from different origins combined with different thermoplastic materials using melt based processes has been examined. Pultrusion was used to produce pellets and compression moulding to obtain boards to determine its properties. Coupling agents based on maleic anhydride (2 wt.%) improved the tensile strength successfully, while the cork powder has an a important role in the stiffness. The morphology of the surface fractures indicated a good dispersion of the cork and a good adhesion between both phases. Thermal properties of the composites disclosed a nucleating effect promoted by cork
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: cork and thermoplastic; Coupling agents; mechanical properties; Pultrusion; thermal properties

THE CORK OAK FORESTS OF AQUITAINE: CONSERVATION VERSUS ECONOMIC REVIVAL - Puyo, Jean-Yves (SUD-OUEST EUROPEEN, 2010)
THE CORK OAK FORESTS OF AQUITAINE: CONSERVATION VERSUS ECONOMIC REVIVAL. The cork oak forests and plantations of Aquitaine were once the source of important communities of craftsmen devoted to cork processing. Two areas, le Marensin in the department of Landes and le Neracais in Lot-et-Garonne, have been enjoying renewed attention for the last decade. This paper aims at showing how these groves now become major stakes all the more since there ate so few of them left worldwide and are targeted by multiple projects aiming at either promoting the value of the landscape, sustaining biodiversity, or supporting traditional knowledge (from raising the cork to transforming it) as well as economic worth. Indeed, production has started anew on a few groves, after it came to a standstill more than forty years ago.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 5 ALLEES ANTONIO MACHADO, F-31058 TOULOUSE, FRANCE publisher: PRESSES UNIV MIRAIL
Keywords: Cork oak; Cork oak forests; HERTIAGE-MAKING PROCESS; MARENSIN; NERACAIS

Development of a system to predict the evolution of individual tree mature cork caliber over time - Almeida, Alice M.; Tomé, José; Tomé, Margarida (Forest Ecology and Management, 2010)
The development of a model for the prediction of the evolution of individual tree cork caliber over time, from a measurement taken at a certain point in time, was the main objective of this work. The model includes three sub-models: a model to predict the thickness of complete rings from cork caliber at tc years; a cork growth model (for complete rings) and a model to predict cork caliber at age tc from the corresponding thickness of (tc − 1) complete rings. The algebraic difference approach (ADA) as well as the generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) were used in modeling cork growth. Several base models with one or two site-tree-speciﬁc parameters were ﬁtted to the data using the dummy variable approach. The selection of the cork growth model was based on several criteria: ﬁtting ability, prediction performance evaluated through the PRESS residuals and behaviour screened with available knowledge on the cork growth process. The ADA model derived from the log-logistic function with the asymptote as free parameter was selected. The models developed to predict cork caliber and the corresponding thickness of complete rings were based in the linear relationship between the two variables. The two models were simultaneously ﬁtted using two stage least squares approach. The predicted thickness of cork complete rings in a 9-year old cork is proposed as a cork growth index. The distribution of this index can be used to characterize the potential of a site for cork production.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Cork caliber; Cork growth index; Cork growth models; Cork thickness of complete rings

On the differential advantages of evergreenness and deciduousness in mediterranean oak woodlands: a flux perspective - Baldocchi, Dennis D.; Ma, Siyan; Rambal, Serge; Misson, Laurent; OURCIVAL, JEAN-MARC; Limousin, Jean-Marc; Pereira, João; Papale, Dario (ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, 2010)
We assessed the differential advantages of deciduousness and evergreenness by examining 26 site-years of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy flux measurements from five comparable oak woodlands in France, Italy, Portugal, and California (USA). On average, the evergreen and deciduous oak woodlands assimilated and respired similar amounts of carbon while using similar amounts of water. These results suggest that evergreen and deciduous woodlands have specific, and similar, ecological costs in mediterranean climates, and that both leaf habits are able to meet these costs. What are the mechanisms behind these findings? Deciduous oaks compensated for having a shorter growing season by attaining a greater capacity to assimilate carbon for a given amount of intercepted solar radiation during the well-watered spring period; at saturating light levels, deciduous oaks gained carbon at six times the rate of evergreen oaks. Otherwise, the two leaf habits experienced similar efficiencies in carbon use (the change in carbon respired per change in carbon assimilated), water use (the change in carbon assimilation per change in water evaporated), and rainfall use (the change in evaporation per change in rainfall). Overall, leaf area index, rather than leaf habit, was the significant factor in determining the absolute magnitude of carbon gained and water lost by each evergreen and deciduous oak woodland over an annual interval; the closed canopies assimilated and respired more carbon and transpired more water than the open canopies. Both deciduous and evergreen mediterranean oaks survive in their seasonally hot/dry, wet/cool native range by ensuring that actual evaporation is less than the supply of water. This feat is accomplished by adjusting the leaf area index to reduce total water loss at the landscape scale, by down-regulating photosynthesis, respiration, and stomatal conductance with progressive seasonal soil water deficits, and by extending their root systems to tap groundwater.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 1990 M STREET NW, STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA publisher: ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER
Keywords: carbon dioxide exchange; deciduousness vs. evergreen

Discrimination of vegetation strata in a multi-layered Mediterranean forest ecosystem using height and intensity information derived from airborne laser scanning - Morsdorf, Felix; Mårell, Anders; Koetz, Benjamin; Cassagne, Nathalie; Pimont, Francois; Rigolot, Eric; Allgöwer, Britta (Remote Sensing of Environment, 2010)
Height and intensity information derived from Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) was used to obtain a quantitative vertical stratiﬁcation of vegetation in a multi-layered Mediterranean ecosystem. A new methodology for the separation of different vegetation strata was implemented using supervised classiﬁcation of a twodimensional feature space spanned by ALS return height (terrain corrected) and intensity. The classiﬁcation was carried out using Gaussian mixture models tuned on a control plot. The approach was validated using extensive ﬁeld measurements from treated plots, ranging from single vegetation strata to a more complex multi-layered ecosystem. Plot-level canopy proﬁles derived from ALS and from a geometric reconstruction based on ﬁeld measurements were in very good agreement, with correlation coefﬁcients ranging from 0.73 (for complex, 3-layered) to 0.96 (simple, single-layered). In addition, it was possible to derive plot-level information on layer height, vertical extent and coverage with absolute accuracies of some decimetres (simple plots) to a meter (complex plots) for both height and vertical extent and about 10 to 15% for layer coverage. The approach was then used to derive maps of the layer height, vertical extent and percentage of ground cover for a larger area, and classiﬁcation accuracy was evaluated on a per-pixel basis. The method performed best for single-layered plots or dominant layers on multi-layered plots, obtaining an overall accuracy of 80 to 90%. For subdominant layers in the more complex plots, accuracies obtained were as low as 48%. Our results demonstrate the possibility of deriving qualitative (presence and absence of speciﬁc vegetation layers) and quantitative, physical data (height, vertical extent and ground cover) describing the vertical structure of complex multi-layered forest ecosystems using ALS-based height and intensity information
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Inc.
Keywords: airborne laser scanning; Canopy proﬁle; cluster analysis; Gaussian mixture models; LiDAR; Multi-layered ecosystems; Shrubland; Supervised classiﬁcation; Vertical stratiﬁcation; Wildland ﬁres

Dissolution of cork biopolymers in biocompatible ionic liquids - Garcia, Helga; Ferreira, Rui; Petkovic, Marija; Ferguson, Jamie L.; Leitão, Maria C.; Gunaratne, H. Q. Nimal; Seddon, Kenneth R.; Rebelo, Luís Paulo N. Luis Paulo N.; Silva Pereira, Cristina; Leitão, Maria C. (Green Chemistry, 2010)
Classically, the best attempts to separate suberin from cork biopolymers have resulted in low efficiency; here, we report a class of biocompatible and biodegradable cholinium-based ionic liquids, the cholinium alkanoates, which show a highly efficient and specific dissolution of the suberin domains from cork biopolymers.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: The Royal Society of Chemistry
Keywords: Cork; cork biopolymers dissolution; ionic liquids; suberin (voyant)

Distribución espacial de la lluvia sobre el suelo en la dehesa: influencia de la poda del arbolado - Mateos Rodriguez, A. B.; Leco, F. (Cuaternario y Geomorfología, 2010)
Dehesas are dominant ecosystems in the region of Extremadura (SW Spain), being Quercus species, main- ly holm and cork oaks the dominant tree species. Those species undertake a very important role on the dehesa land- scapes as essential elements for the adequate functioning of the systems. Among other issues, tree cover affects the spatial distribution of rainfall. Tree crowns intercept rainfall leading to an irregular distribution of the water over the soil surface. Tree pruning, for regeneration or production, represents an activity which is carried out periodically over the dehesa trees, causing changes on tree crown architecture, and considerably reducing foliar biomass. In this work there is quantified the volume of rain to the surface of the soil under different coverage, analyzing the effects that prun- ing techniques can have of over the whole water resources and the possible repercussions on the soil system, in a zone of dehesa of the Cáceres province (Extremadura).
Keywords: Dehesa; quercíneas; throufall; tree pruning

Diversification of Pinus halepensis forests by sowing Quercus ilex and Quercus pubescens acorns: testing the effects of different vegetation and soil treatments - Prévosto, Bernard; Monnier, Yogan; Ripert, Christian; Fernandez, Catherine (European Journal of Forest Research, 2010)
The goal of this study was to develop management strategies favouring establishment and survival of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) and downy oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.)—two species co-occurring in Southern France—in mature Allepo pine forests (Pinus halepensis Mill subsp. halepensis). An experimental design was assessed in a partially cut mature stand of Aleppo pine in which ﬁve soil and vegetation treatments—chopping, chopping followed by scariﬁcation in one or two directions, prescribed burning, control—and two slash treatments (presence/absence) were applied. A total of 1,600 sowing points, each composed of 3 Q. ilex or Q. pubescens acorns, were installed in the different treatments in November of two consecutive years at 6 and 18 months, after the end of treatments. Survival was monitored 3 and 2 years after sowing, soil surface at the sowing points was characterized at different dates, and predawn leaf water potentials were measured during the dry season. High mortality occurred after the ﬁrst summer, but survival after 1 year was 2.3–5.2 higher in Q. ilex than in Q. pubescens, conﬁrming that Q. ilex was better adapted to the drier parts of the Mediterranean area. Survival was signiﬁcantly inﬂuenced by the treatments, but there was a variable response between the two sowing years under most of the treatments. Only intense ﬁre proved the most beneﬁcial treatment for seedling survival in both years. The micro-local soil cover conditions induced by the treatments played a major role in explaining oak survival. In particular, grass cover (mainly Brachypodium retusum) proved to be largely unfavourable to seedling survival and growth, and this detrimental effect was also conﬁrmed by lower predawn leaf water potential values with increasing grass cover. Acorn introduction designed to diversify mature Aleppo pine forest after soil and vegetation treatments therefore has to be considered for treatments that most efﬁciently impair the pre-existing competing grass cover such as prescribed high-intensity ﬁre treatment.
Keywords: mediterranean oaks; Prescribed burning; seedling growth; seedling survival; Stand regeneration; Vegetation control

Diversity of soil basidiomycete communities associated with Quercus suber L. in Portuguese montados - Barrico, Lurdes; Rodríguez-Echeverría, Susana; Freitas, Helena (European Journal of Soil Biology, 2010)
The montado is an agro-silvo pastoral system characterized by an open oak formation combined with shrubs or a rotation of cultures/pastures/fallow. A key, but frequently overlooked, component of these systems is the fungal community associated with the dominant oaks. We present a study of the basidiomycete community in montado areas of Quercus suber L. from Central-Western Portugal, based on fruiting body assessment and PCR-DGGE of soil mycelium. Soil available phosphorus and organic matter content were also determined. The most frequent fruiting body found in the cork oak montados belonged to Lactarius, Clitocybe, Russula and Cortinarius species. Lactarius chrysorrheus was the most widely distributed species. Soil management practices cause a temporal increase in soil available phosphorus, and harrowing and fertilizer application also result in an increase in soil organic matter content. Mechanical clearing with recent soil disturbance had a negative effect on the richness and diversity of the basidiomycete community assessed using fruiting body. The molecular analysis of the basidiomycete community separated the sites with recent shrub-removal from the others sites. Our results show that soil management techniques that avoid disturbance of the top-soil layers are the best way to preserve the structure and diversity of the soil fungal community in the montado.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS
Keywords: Basidiomycete; Dehesa; dgge; diversity; montado

Drought-Induced Multifactor Decline of Scots Pine in the Pyrenees and Potential Vegetation Change by the Expansion of Co-occurring Oak Species - Galiano, L.; Martínez-Vilalta, J.; Lloret, F. (Ecosystems, 2010)
Episodes of drought-induced tree dieback have been recently observed in many forest areas of the world, particularly at the dry edge of species distributions. Under climate change, those effects could signal potential vegetation shifts occurring over large geographical areas, with major impacts on ecosystem form and function. In this article, we studied the effect of a single drought episode, which occurred in summer 2005, on a Scots pine population in central Pyrenees (NE Spain). Our main objective was to study the environmental correlates of forest decline and vegetation change at the plot level. General and generalized linear models were used to study the relationship between canopy defoliation, mortality and recruitment, and plot characteristics. A droughtdriven multifactor dieback was observed in the study forest. Defoliation and mortality were associated with the local level of drought stress estimated at each plot. In addition, stand structure, soil properties, and mistletoe infection were also associated with the observed pattern of defoliation, presumably acting as long-term predisposing factors. Recruitment of Scots pine was low in all plots. In contrast, we observed abundant recruitment of other tree species, mostlyQuercus ilexand Q. humilis, particularly in plots where Scots pine showed high defoliation and mortality. These results suggest that an altitudinal upwards migration of Quercusspecies, mediated by the dieback of the currently dominant species, may take place in the studied slopes. Many rear-edge populations of Scots pine sheltered in the mountain environments of the Iberian Peninsula could be at risk under future climate scenarios.
Keywords: canopy defoliation; Drought; mistletoe; mortality; pinus sylvestris l; Recruitment; scots pine; scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.); soil properties; Stand Structure; summer; summer water availability; Water availability

Drying–rewetting cycles and γ-irradiation effects on enzyme activities of distinct layers from a Quercus ilex L. litter - Alarcón-Gutiérrez, Enrique; Floch, Carine; Ziarelli, Fabio; Augur, Christopher; Criquet, Stéven (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2010)
In a Mediterranean climate, water stress is one of the principal constraints on proper forest ecosystem functioning. Drought influences rates of organic matter degradation by affecting microbial growth and enzyme activities. The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate the effect of repeated dryingerewetting cycles on cellulase, alkaline phosphatase and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolase activities of three distinct Quercus ilex L. litter layers, and (ii) to investigate the effect of these cycles on γ-irradiated litters in order to distinguish the abiotic influence on the fluctuations observed. Results, for all three layers, showed high correlations between litter water content and enzyme activities. Under mesocosm conditions, and using non-sterilized litter samples, cellulase, alkaline phosphatase, and FDA activities significantly decreased or increased during drying or rewetting cycles respectively. Significant differences were also found when evaluating the effect of litter depth on enzyme activities, the intermediate depth (OLv layer) generally being the most active. For γ-sterilized samples, FDA activity still fluctuated with dryingerewetting cycles. Assays showed that pre-humidification of γ-irradiated litter increased FDA activity two-fold in the first 30 min. All these results have shown that, following dryingerewetting cycles, some of the fluctuations occur independently of microbial growth, suggesting abiotic interactions, such as desorption, in combination with both solvatation status and conformational changes of enzymes.
Keywords: abiotic fluctuations; Drying-rewetting; Enzyme activities; Moisture; γ-Irradiation

ECONOMIA DA MONTANHEIRA , MULTIFUNCIONALIDADE DOS SISTEMAS E SUSTENTABILIDADE DOS MONTADOS - COELHO, INOCÊNCIO SEITA (PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes, 2010)
In this paper we demonstrate how important the economics of the Black Pig Alentejano race is in “montanheira” production system to the conservation of the cork oak and holm oak “montados”. We demonstrate also that the “montado” system is essential to assure the high quality and high prices of the goods provided by Black Pig extensive production system
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes pub-location: Zamora
Keywords: Alentejana Race Pigs; economics potential; environmental goods; high quality products; natural resources

The ectomycorrhizal community in natural Tuber borchii grounds - Iotti, Mirco; Lancellotti, Enrico; Hall, Ian; Zambonelli, Alessandra (FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, 2010)
Although Tuber borchii is a commercially valuable truffle, its habitat has been virtually ignored. Here, we examine the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in natural T. borchii grounds. Ectomycorrhizas under T. borchii ascomata and up to 1 m away were collected and morphologically assigned to pine or oak host plants. They were then morphotyped and molecular typed using internal transcribed spacer regions. Seventy ectomycorrhizal taxa were identified, many of which were rare. Tuber borchii dominated, forming 20% of ectomycorrhizas, with Thelephoraceae, Inocybaceae and Sebacinaceae being the other main species. Species composition was markedly affected by the host plant, although community structure and composition was also influenced by the location from which the soil cores were collected. Tuber dryophilum, an edible truffle, but without commercial value, shared the habitat with T. borchii. Its mycorrhizas were never found together with those of T. borchii. Tuber borchii was present on both oaks and pines, but was more abundant in soil cores where the roots of both hosts were present. It is suggested that the presence of young oaks contributed to the maintenance of T. borchii colonization on pines.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL
Keywords: bianchetto; ectomycorrhizal diversity; ITS-rDNA; mixed forest; morphotyping; truffiere

Ectomycorrhizal status of a mature productive black truffle plantation - Agueda, Beatriz; Fernández-Toirán, Luz Marina; de Miguel, Ana María; Martínez Peña, Fernando (Forest Systems; Vol 19, No 1 (2010), 2010)
The truffle-plantation “Los Quejigares” was planted in 1971 by AROTZ-CATESA company. It is a 600 ha plot of Quercus ilex mycorrhizated with Tuber melanosporum at 1250 m a.s.l. on calcareous soil. This plantation is the largest of the world and one of the eldest truffle-plantations of Spain and it is in full production. Knowledge of the mycorrhizal status of a mature black truffle plantation is significant for the improvement of truffle cultivation. Ectomycorrhizae were studied for knowing T. melanosporum persistence and diversity and abundance of other ectomycorrhizal types. Roots of 16 holmoaks were sampled, 12 trees produce truffle sporocarps and four did not. It was found a mean of about 70% of T. melanosporum ectomycorrhizae in all the studied trees, independently of their capacity to produce or not sporocarps. Also, 105 more different ectomycorrhizal types were found. In spite of the high number of morphotypes found, it seems that they do not replace T. melanosporum, showing that there is a coexistence between species in the fungal community associated to the roots.
Keywords: AROTZ-CATESA company; characterization of ectomycorrhizae; fungal diversity; Quercus ilex; truffle plantations; Tuber melanosporum

EFECTO DE FERTILIZANTES SOBRE LA PRODUCCIÓN DE BIOMASA Y PARÁMETROS DE CALIDAD EN PASTOS HERBÁCEOS DE DEHESA DESPUÉS DE TRES AÑOS CONTINUADOS DE APLICACIÓN - SANTAMARÍA, O.; Poblaciones, M. J.; Olea, L.; Rodrigo, S.; VIGUERA, F. J.; GARCÍA-WHITE, T. (PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes, 2010)
Dehesa is an agrosilvopastoral system widespread in southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Natural pastures, which are the main source, could be improved by using a proper fertilization, among other practices. With the aim of evaluating the effect of different fertilizers on biomass production and sev- eral nutritive value parameters (crude protein, fiber and lignin) of the pasture in comparison with the traditionally used superphosphate, a study was initiated in 2006/07. In the present communication, the third-year-results (2008/09) are presented. The study was carried out in a dehesa located in Extre- madura, in two areas: one with natural pastures and other with sown pastures. Eight surface-broadcast fertilization treatments were done in autumn. Two grazing periods were simulated by cutting the pas- ture in middle-spring and late-spring. Although no statistical differences were found among treat- ments, fertilizers tended to increase biomass production in comparison to the non-fertilized control; in some cases (treatment M1in the sown pasture) increments were close to 50%. Regarding the nutritive value, treatment T2 (the highest doses of Thomaskali fertilizer, 300 kg·ha-1) produced biomass with the significant highest protein content
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes pub-location: Zamora
Keywords: crude protein; fiber; Lignin; natural pasture; sown pasture

Effectiveness of the Miyawaki method in Mediterranean forest restoration programs - Schirone, Bartolomeo; Salis, Antonello; Vessella, Federico (Landscape and Ecological Engineering, 2010)
In the 1980s, Professor Akira Miyawaki introduced a new and innovative reforestation approach in Japan with the challenge to restore indigenous ecosystems, and maintaining global environments, including disaster prevention and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) mitigation. Here, natural vegetation successional stages (from bare soil to mature forest) are practically forced and reproduced, accelerating natural successional times. The Miyawaki method has been applied in the Far East, Malaysia, and South America; results have been very impressive, allowing quick environmental restorations of strongly degraded areas. However, these applications have always been made on sites characterized by high precipitation. The same method has never been used in a Mediterranean context distinguished by summer aridity and risk of desertiﬁcation. A ﬁrst test was carried out by the University of Tuscia, Department of Forest and Environment (DAF), 11 years ago in Sardinia (Italy) on an area where traditional reforestation methods had failed. For an appropriate Miyawaki application on this site, the original method was modiﬁed while maintaining its theoretical principles. Results obtained 2 and 11 years after planting are positive: having compared the traditional reforestation techniques, plant biodiversity using the Miyawaki method appears very high, and the new coenosis (plant community) was able to evolve without further operative support after planting. Therefore, the implementation of supplementary technique along with cost reduction might provide a new and innovative tool to foresters and ecological engineering experts for Mediterranean environmental reforestation program.
Keywords: ecological restoration; ecotechnology; mediterranean environment; potential natural vegetation; reforestation practices comparison

Effects of forest management on epiphytic lichen diversity in Mediterranean forests - Aragón, Gregorio; Martinez, I.; Izquierdo, P.; Belinchon, R.; Escudero, A. (APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, 2010)
Question What are the responses of epiphytic lichens to the intensity of management along a large environmental gradient in Mediterranean Quercus forests? Location Central Spain. Methods This study was carried out on 4590 trees located in 306 forest stands dominated by Quercus faginea or Quercus ilex ssp. ballota. The effect of forest management and other predictor variables on several species diversity indicators were studied. Variables modelled were total species richness, cyanolichen richness and community composition. A large number of predictor variables were included: forest fragmentation (patch size, stand variability), climate and topographic (altitude, slope, sun radiation, annual rainfall and mean annual temperature) and intensity of management. General linear models and constrained ordination techniques were used to model community traits and species composition, respectively. Results Total richness and especially cyanolichens richness were significantly and negatively affected by the intensity of management. Lichen composition was influenced by management intensity, climatic and topographic variables and stand variability. Conclusions In Mediterranean forests, human activities related to forestry, agricultural and livestock use cause impoverishment of lichen communities, including the local disappearance of the most demanding species. The conservation of unmanaged forests with a dense canopy is crucial for lichen diversity.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Keywords: Community traits; Cyanolichens; Drivers of composition; fragmentation; land use; oak forests; Spain; Variation partitioning

Effects of herbage ingestion upon ileal digestibility of amino acids in heavy Iberian pigs fed on an acorn-based diet - Garcia-Valverde, R.; Nieto, R.; Aguilera, J. F. (JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION, 2010)
P>We conducted two experiments with heavy Iberian pigs to determine the ileal digestibility of amino acids (AA) in acorns and freshly cut herbage, and the effects of adding fresh herbage upon the supply of ileal digestible AA when pigs were fed on holm-oak acorns. In Experiment 1, carried out in cannulated pigs of 107 kg bodyweight (BW), daily intake of acorns reached 44.9 g DM/kg0.75 BW. Arg, His and Thr showed the lowest apparent ileal digestibility (AID) values, whereas Met, the branched-chain AA and Phe had the highest coefficients. The AID of total EAA was 0.716 but only 0.222 for NEAA. Most of the digestive and absorptive processes of acorn protein occurred before the hindgut. Acorn provides (per kg DM) 2.27 g apparent ileal digestible Lys and 22.7 g apparent total digestible AA. Standardized ileal digestibility (SID) values for EAA, NEAA and total AA were 0.924 +/- 0.020, 0.784 +/- 0.041 and 0.860 +/- 0.029. In Experiment 2 fresh herbage was given to six cannulated Iberian pigs of 140 kg either as a single feed (13.7 g DM/kg0.75 BW) or as a supplement to acorns (28.4 g DM/kg0.75 BW). When only freshly cut forage was offered the AID of the EAA, NEAA and total AA was close to 0.65 and supplied (per kg DM ingested) 5.61 g AID Lys and 91.7 g digestible AA. Standardized ileal values were 0.744 +/- 0.023, 0.912 +/- 0.038 and 0.831 +/- 0.030 respectively. The addition of fresh forage to the acorns led to a significant decrease in AID of AA in acorn due to digesta transfer to the hindgut: His (p < 0.01), Met (p < 0.001), Phe (p = 0.092), Thr (p < 0.05) and Val (p < 0.05), but Arg, Lys and the branched-chain AA remained unaffected. The main contribution of herbage to AA nutrition of the grazing Iberian pig relies mainly on increasing the supply of digestible AA for pig tissues.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Keywords: acorns; amino acids; digestibility; herbage; iberian pig

Effects of land abandonment on plant litter decomposition in a Montado system: relation to litter chemistry and community functional parameters - Castro, Helena; Fortunel, Claire; Freitas, Helena (Plant and Soil, 2010)
Changes in land use and subsequent shifts in vegetation can influence decomposition through changes in litter quality (chemistry and structure) and alterations of soil temperature and moisture. Our aim was to study the effects of land abandonment on litter decomposition in a Mediterranean area of Montado, South Portugal. We tested the hypothesis that decomposition tends to slow down with abandonment, as woody species, richer in lignified structures, replace herbaceous species. We assessed the decomposition of community litter in situ using litterbag technique. To test the influence of local conditions, we simultaneously incubated a standard litter in situ. Our results showed that the shift from herbaceous to shrubdominated communities lead to decreased decomposition rates. Changes in litter decomposition were primarily driven by changes in litter quality, even though the uneven pattern of litter mass loss over the experiment might reveal an effect from possible differences in microclimate. Shrub litter had higher nutrient content than herbaceous litter, which seemed to favour higher initial decomposition rates, but lower decomposition rate in the longer term. Shrubs also contribute to woody litter, richer in lignin, and secondary compounds that retard decomposition, and may play a role in increasing pools of slowly decomposing organic matter.
Keywords: ecosystem processes; Land use change; leaf dry matter content; Life form; litter quality; Mediterranean

Effects of Mediterranean dehesa management on epiphytic lichens. - Aragón, Gregorio; López, Rubén; Martínez, Isabel (The Science of the total environment, 2010)
Spanish holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota) open woodlands (dehesas) maintain a high diversity of plants and animals compared to other forested Mediterranean habits, but little is known about the responses of epiphytic lichens to different management regimes that are applied to this woodland type. The present study was carried out in central-southern Spain and included four management regimes: agriculture, grazing of sheep, grassland grazed by wild ungulates (deer), and abandoned dehesas covered by shrubs. Total species richness and cover exhibited considerable variation among management regimes. Both parameters tended to decrease with the intensity of management, abandoned dehesas maintaining a higher number of species than more intensively managed habitats. Lichen composition also significantly differed among the four regimes. Nitrophytic species were clearly associated with more intensive management regimes (farming or livestock management), whereas non-nitrophytic species favored abandoned dehesas.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V. accession-num: 20937519
Keywords: Lichen composition; Mediterranean Spain; Nitrophytic specie; Open woodlands; quercus ilex subsp. ballota; s Management regime

ESTADO NUTRITIVO DE LA ENCINA EN LAS DEHESAS Y SU RELACIÓN CON LA PRODUCCIÓN DE BELLOTA Y CON EL ESTADO DE VIGOR DEL ÁRBOL - GARCÍA MORENO, A. M.; LEAL MURILLO, J. R.; CARBONERO MUÑOZM. D; Fernández Rebollo, P. (PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes, 2010)
The present work tries to characterize the nutritional status of the holm oak, and analyzes the relations between nutrient content of the leaf with acorn production and tree health in dehesa farms from Los Pedroches. In October 2007, 126 leaf samples were collected from trees in nine different dehesa farms. These leaf samples were analyzed by means of conventional chemical methods to get macronutrients contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and micronutrients contents (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn). In addi- tion, acorn production and tree health (measured by defoliation rate) were estimated in each tree. The results show that the nutritional state of holm oak in dehesas gets acceptable levels. There are correla- tions between health tree and some nutrients (P, Mg and Mn), moreover, there are correlations be- tween K content and acorn production, and K content and relative water content of the leaf.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes pub-location: Zamora
Keywords: defoliation; nutrient content; water content

Estimating biomass carbon stocks for a Mediterranean forest in central Spain using LiDAR height and intensity data - García, Mariano; Riaño, David; Chuvieco, Emilio; Danson, F. Mark; García, Mariano; Riaño, David; Chuvieco, Emilio; Danson, F. Mark (REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, 2010)
Biomass fractions (total aboveground, branches and foliage) were estimated from a small footprint discrete-return LiDAR system in an unmanaged Mediterranean forest in central Spain. Several biomass estimation models based on LiDAR height, intensity or height combined with intensity data were explored. Raw intensity data were normalized to a standard range in order to remove the range dependence of the intensity signal. In general terms, intensity-based models provided more accurate predictions of the biomass fractions. Height models selected were mainly based on a percentile of the height distribution. Intensity models selected included variables that consider the percentage of the intensity accumulated at different height percentiles, which implicitly take into account the height distribution. The general models derived considering all species together were based on height combined with intensity data. These models yielded R(2) values greater than 0.58 for the different biomass fractions considered and RMSE values of 28.89, 18.28 and 1.51 Mg ha(-1) for aboveground, branch and foliage biomass, respectively. Results greatly improved for species-specific models using the main species present in each plot, with R(2) values greater than 0.85, 0.70 and 0.90 for black pine, Spanish juniper and Holm oak, respectively, and with lower RMSE for the biomass fractions. Reductions in WAR point density had only a small effect on the results obtained, except for those models based on a variation of the Canopy Reflection Sum, which was weighted by the mean point density. Based on the species-specific equations derived, Holm oak dominated plots showed the highest average carbon contained by aboveground biomass and branch biomass 44.66 and 31.42 Mg ha(-1) respectively, while for foliage biomass carbon, Spanish juniper showed the highest average value (3.04 Mg ha(-1)). (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 360 PARK AVE SOUTH, NEW YORK, NY 10010-1710 USA publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Keywords: Biomass fractions; Carbon content; Intensity; LiDAR

Estimation of the organic carbon stock in the ecosystem of the Middle Atlas Moroccan Quercus ilex forest - Boulmane, Mohamed; Makhloufi, Mohamed; Bouillet, Jean-Pierre; Saint-Andre, Laurent; Satrani, Badr; Halim, Mohamed; Elantry-Tazi, Salwa (ACTA BOTANICA GALLICA, 2010)
The present study was carried out in Quercus ilex forest of the Middle Moroccan Central Atlas (Tafachna and Reggada). It aims at the determination of the organic carbon stock in the various layers of the soils, the litter and the various components of the tree (wood of the trunk, bark, branches, smal branches and leaves). It comes out from this study that the stock of total carbon (SCOT) in the ecosystem of the holm oak is of 145 t C/ha for Tafachna and 114 t C/ha for Reggada. The organic carbon stock of soils (SCOS) represents more than 50% of the SCT. This stock varies considerably with the density of peuplement with 80 t C/ha for Tafachna (5192 species/ha) and 56 t C/ha for Reggada (1584 species/ha). Contrary to the carbon stock in the phytomass which is equal 64 t C/ha for Tafachna and 58 t C/ha for Reggada. More than 80% of the organic carbon stock of the soils is stored in the first 30 centimeters, that is about 63 t/ha (43% of the SCOT) for Tafachna and 47 t/ha (41% of the SCOT) for Reggada.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: FACULTE DE PHARMACIE, BP 83, F-59006 LILLE-CEDEX, FRANCE publisher: SOC BOTANIQUE FRANCE
Keywords: biomass; mineralisation; organic carbon; Soil

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants traditionally used in the Arribes del Duero, western Spain. - González, José a; García-Barriuso, Mónica; Amich, Francisco (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2010)
Aim of the study: We studied traditional knowledge (TK) and current uses of medicinal plants among the inhabitants of the Arribes del Duero–ARD–(Spain), documenting traditional medical practices. Materials and methods:We interviewed 80 key informants (44 men and 36 women). Their average age was 72 years (range 48–98 years). We calculated the cultural importance for each species cited. To analyze how TK varies with the characteristics of the different informants, we performed an ANCOVA, taking the number of use-reports (URs) provided by each informant as a variable to model, and age and gender as explanatory variables. Results and conclusions: 156 medicinal remedies were recorded; they were based on a single species and were cited by at least three independent informants, and half of them are still in use today. These remedies are related to nine major organ systems and 54 therapeutic uses, and 70 species (belonging to 39 families) are used, most of which are herbs (64%). The most relevant family is the Lamiaceae (23 remedies, 8 species) and the species employed in the greatest number of remedies (8) is Urtica dioica L. However, the taxon with the greatest cultural value is Hypericum perforatum L. (CI = 0.71). 31% of the variability of the TK can be explained in terms of the age and gender of the informants (R 2 = 0.315), the age factor having a positive effect. Most of the remedies are related to the treatment of unimportant ailments, referring to disorders of the skin, and the respiratory and digestive systems. The leaves and fruits are the most frequently sought plant parts (40 and 17% of the plants mentioned, respectively), and infusions (34%) and decoctions (28%) are the main methods used for preparing the remedies. Likewise, we recorded remedies based on plant mixtures and ethnomedicinal novelties or rare uses, and comment on the inﬂuence exerted by superstition. Currently, many people preserve a rich TK about medicinal plants, and it may be afﬁrmed that the folk medicine is still very much alive in the ARD, above all as regards the treatment of certain common afﬂictions or unimportant ailments.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20643201
Keywords: Ethnobotany; Medicinal plants; Quantitative analysis; Traditional remedies

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity, Antimicrobial and Fungicidal Effect of Organic Extracts of Cork Oak Acorns Infested by Carpophagous Insects - Adjami, Y.; Ouakid, M. L.; Saouli, A.; Bensafi, H.; Soltani, N.; Hayouni, E. A.; Everarts, C. (INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS - SIPAM2009, 2010)
The Algerian cork oak forest is constituted with numerous essences(Quercus faginea, Quercus coccifera, Quercus suber). This last one establishes an essential element of the physical, climatic and especially socioeconomic balance of the populations of the rural zones and the country in general. An appeal to the regeneration would be indispensable for the rehabilitation of these forests, where from the importance of acorns, which play a major role in the regeneration of this essence. The purpose of this work is to estimate antioxidant activity, antimicrobial and fungicidal effect of the essential oil of organic extracts of the cork oak acorns attacked with the procession of insects called Carpophagous Insects. We extracted acorns of cork oak infested with insects by using organic solvents as the acetone, the chloroform, the ethanol and also extract of water. We measured at first the total lipids according to Goldsworthy's method (1972). The antioxidant activity of samples was determined by two methods, the one based on the discoloration of a solution of cation ABTSo +. The original product, ABTS is going to generate cations ABTSo + which are free radicals and the other one based on the discoloration of a solution of beta-carotene (beta-carotene bleaching method). Extracts, obtained were individually estimated against some phytopathogenes: Penicillium digitalum, Penicillium italicum, Botrytis fabae, Botrytis cinera, Ascophyta fabae, Fusarium oxysporum, as well as against pathogenic microorganisms such as Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus, Candida galbrata, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Extracts were so individually estimated against a sample group of 4 bacteria including: Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. Results show that all the extracts stemming from attacked acorns contain less lipids than the extracts of the healthy acorns. These same extracts present an antioxidant activity, a significant antimicrobial and fungicidal effect. This biologic activity is a function of various used solvents.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS - SIPAM2009 pub-location: PO BOX 500, 3001 LEUVEN 1, BELGIUM
Keywords: acorns; antimicrobial and fungicidal effect; antio

Evolution of annual rainfall irregularity in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula - García-Barrón, L.; Aguilar, M.; Sousa, a (Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 2010)
The areas of the Iberian Peninsula with Mediterranean climate are characterised by rainfall irregularity. Standard statistical estimation methods provide a limited insight of all the dimensions of such irregularity. Based on different techniques to describe the inter-annual irregularity of rainfall, the authors develop a new method: the disparity indices. These indices are then applied to several historical rainfall series (dating from the end of the nineteenth century up to the present) from the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Similar rainfall irregularity patterns are found in all weather stations in the studied area, confirming their belonging to the same climatic region. The results indicate a relative stability during the first third of the twentieth century, coinciding with a period of low precipitation and a progressive increase during the last three decades. The use of a new index named specific disparity index has proven be useful in highlighting the irregularity within the rainfall series at each meteorological station. This new index could contribute to monitor future changes in precipitation within the general framework of research on climate change. Although Mediterranean ecosystems are adapted to important fluctuations in the rainfall regime, this increase in irregularity may affect rivers, wetlands and the hygrophytic vegetation.
Keywords: climatic series; disparity index; Iberian Peninsula (voyant); rainfall variability

Expected trends and surprises in the Lateglacial and Holocene vegetation history of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands - Carrión, José S.; Fernández, Santiago; González-Sampériz, Penélope; Gil-Romera, Graciela; Badal, Ernestina; Carrión-Marco, Yolanda; López-Merino, Lourdes; López-Sáez, José a; Fierro, Elena; Burjachs, Francesc (Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 2010)
Recent, high-resolution palaeoecological records are changing the traditional picture of post-glacial vegetation succession in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition to the inﬂuence of Lateglacial and Early Holocene climatic changes, other factors are critical in the course of vegetation development and we observe strong regional differences. The ﬂoristic composition, location and structure of glacial tree populations and communities may have been primary causes of vegetation development. Refugial populations in the Baetic cordilleras would have been a source, but not the only one, for the early Lateglacial oak expansions. From Mid to Late Holocene, inertial, resilient, and rapid responses of vegetation to climatic change are described, and regional differences in the response are stressed. The role of ﬁre, pastoralism, agriculture, and other anthropogenic disturbances (such as mining), during the Copper, Bronze, Iberian, and Roman times, is analysed. The implications of ecological transitions in cultural changes, especially when they occur as societal collapses, are discussed.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Holocene; iberia; palaeobotany; palaeoecology; palaeogeography; quaternary

Facilitation of Quercus ilex in Mediterranean shrubland is explained by both direct and indirect interactions mediated by herbs - Cuesta, Bárbara; Villar-Salvador, Pedro; Puértolas, Jaime; Rey Benayas, José M.; Michalet, Richard (Journal of Ecology, 2010)
1. Competitive and facilitative interactions shape plant communities. Whereas a number of studies have addressed competition and direct facilitation among plants in dry ecosystems, indirect facilitation has received little attention. 2. We investigated the relative importance of direct and indirect facilitation by the nurse plant Retama sphaerocarpa on late-successional Quercus ilex seedlings mediated by herb suppression in a Mediterranean shrubland in 2006 and 2007. We also studied whether facilitation outcome depended on the size of the facilitated seedlings. 3. A field experiment was carried out to test the effect of (i) position of Q. ilex seedling with respect to shrub canopy (under shrubs or in gaps), (ii) herb competition (presence or absence), and (iii) seedling size. 2006 was an average rainfall year while 2007 had a much more humid spring and a dryer summer than 2006. 4. In both years, nurse shrubs reduced seedling mortality whereas herbs increased it. In the average rainfall year, seedling mortality under shrubs was unaffected by herbs whereas in gaps it was significantly higher in presence of herbs. This showed that the nurse shrub indirectly facilitated the seedlings by reducing the competitive capacity of herbs. Conversely, facilitation was predominately direct during the humid spring and dry summer year since herbs hindered seedling survival similarly under the nurse shrub and in gaps. The nurse shrub directly facilitated the seedlings by reducing seedling photoinhibition and water stress. 5. Improvement of environmental conditions by Retama benefited smaller seedlings but not larger seedlings since the nurse shrub reduced mortality of smaller seedlings relative to that in gaps, but this effect was not observed for larger seedlings. This indicates that individuals within a seedling population may not have the same response to facilitation. 6. Synthesis. Both indirect and direct facilitation are important mechanisms for Q. ilex regeneration in Retama shrubland and their importance seems to vary with climatic conditions. Indirect facilitation by release of herb competition under nurse shrubs is important in years of dry springs when competition between nurse shrubs and herbs is high, whereas direct facilitation mediated by microclimate amelioration increases with summer aridity.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: chlorophyll fluorescence; herb competition; Quercus ilex; retama sphaerocarpa; seedling size; water potential

Forest humus forms as potential indicators of soil carbon storage in Mediterranean environments - Andreetta, Anna; Ciampalini, Rossano; Moretti, Pierpaolo; Vingiani, Simona; Poggio, Giorgio; Matteucci, Giorgio; Tescari, Francesca; Carnicelli, Stefano (Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2010)
The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of forest humus forms as indicators of soil C storage. To this purpose, Mediterranean forest soils in Southern and Central Italy were examined. Sites differed for elevation, climate, parent material and vegetation conditions, while summer drought was the common ecological factor. A morpho-functional criterion, based on holorganic layers thickness and A horizon properties, was used to classify humus forms, which ranged from Dysmoder to Eumull. Such variability allowed understanding of factors influencing organic matter storage. The relations between carbon stock and humus form were investigated for the topsoil layer (0–20 cm), which was supposed to contain the soil C pools most sensitive to climate change. We found that humus forms can be grouped in statistically different populations, with respect to topsoil C stocks. The use of A horizon structure was the main diagnostic criterion and represented the most effective approach to humus classification in Mediterranean conditions. It appears that humus forms have a clear potential as indicators of organic carbon status in Mediterranean forest soils.
Keywords: carbon pools; Carbon Sequestration; humus forms; Mediterranean forests; stabilization

Fragmentation, habitat composition and the dispersal/predation balance in interactions between the Mediterranean myrtle and avian frugivores - González-Varo, Juan P. (Ecography, 2010)
Human-induced fragmentation and disturbance of natural habitats can shift abundance and composition of frugivore assemblages, which may alter patterns of frugivory and seed dispersal. However, despite their relevance to the functioning of ecosystems, plant-frugivore interactions in fragmented areas have been to date poorly studied. I investigated spatial variation of avian frugivore assemblages and fruit removal by dispersers and predators from Mediterranean myrtle shrubs (Myrtus communis) in relation to the degree of fragmentation and habitat features of nine woodland patches (72 plants). The study was conducted within the chronically fragmented landscape of the Guadalquivir Valley (SW Spain), characterized by 1% of woodland cover. Results showed that the abundance and composition of the disperser guild was not affected by fragmentation, habitat features or geographical location. However, individual species and groups of resident/migrant birds responded differently: whereas resident dispersers were more abundant in large patches, wintering dispersers were more abundant in fruit-rich patches. Predator abundances were similar between patches, although the guild composition shifted with fragmentation. The proportion of myrtle fruits consumed by dispersers and predators varied greatly between patches, but did not depend on bird abundances. The geographical location of patches determined the presence or absence of interactions between myrtles and seed predators (six predated and three non-predated patches), a fact that greatly influenced fruit dispersal success. Moreover, predation rates were lower (and dispersal rates higher) in large patches with fruit-poor heterospecific environments (i.e. dominated by myrtle). Predator satiation and a higher preference for heterospecific fruits by dispersers may explain these patterns. These results show that 1) the frugivore assemblage in warm Mediterranean lowlands is mostly composed of fragmentation-tolerant species that respond differently to landscape changes; and 2) that the feeding behaviour of both dispersers and predators influenced by local fruit availability may be of great importance for interpreting patterns of frugivory throughout the study area.
Keywords: Dispersers; fragmentation; patches (voyant); predators; seed dispersal

Functional response traits in relation to land use change in the Montado - Castro, Helena; Lehsten, Veiko; Lavorel, Sandra; Freitas, Helena (Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2010)
The socio-economic changes of the last decades have resulted in changes in traditional land uses with consequent abandonment of large farmland areas in the Mediterranean region. We assessed the response of species richness and composition, and species functional traits to decreasing land use intensity in a Montado system, an agro-pastoral system characteristic of the Alentejo, Southern Portugal. Additionally, we investigated whether plant functional types can be established based on the response to decreasing land use intensity in these systems. Consistent with previous studies, species richness decreased sharply after land abandonment, and this was associated with a strong turnover in species composition from grazed to abandoned sites as the vegetation changed from herbaceous to shrub dominated communities. Pronounced differences in functional traits were found for different successional stages. Therophyte life form, short plant height, high speciﬁc leaf area (SLA), low leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and small seeds with dispersal structures were dominant in grazed plots. Within abandoned plots, chamaephytes dominated in plots abandoned for 10–15 years and decreased in favour of nanophanerophytes in plots abandoned for 20–30 years. Plant height, LDMC and seed mass increased with abandonment time while SLA decreased. Functional response groups sufﬁcient to describe vegetation change were identiﬁed combining life form and SLA. Therophytes with medium SLA were the dominant functional group in grazed areas, while nanophanerophytes with medium or low SLA were associated with later phases of abandonment. At intermediate stages of succession the dominant group was chamaephytes with medium SLA but functional diversity was highest as all the groups, except hemicryptophytes with medium SLA, were represented. These changes in functional composition can be translated into effects on key ecosystem properties. The increase in LDMC indicates an increase in ﬂammability while trends in both LDMC and SLA suggest decreased decomposition, and thereby carbon and nutrient cycling. These will need to be considered in combination with consequences for other ecosystem properties for future management.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Fourth-corner method; Functional groups; functional traits; Mediterranean; Null model; Plant; Secondary succession

Genetic variation and evolutionary history of holly oak: a circum-Mediterranean species-complex [Quercus coccifera L./Q. calliprinos (Webb) Holmboe, Fagaceae] - Toumi, Lamjed; Lumaret, Roselyne (Plant Systematics and Evolution, 2010)
Holly oak is the only evergreen oak possessing a circum-Mediterranean range; it has two predominant morphological forms, calliprinos and coccifera, described in the eastern and western Mediterranean Basin respectively. The concordance of allozyme and morphotype variation was analysed in the whole holly oak range, and the most plausible historical events responsible for the current geographic pattern of genetic variation were investigated. Individuals from 24 populations were scored for allozyme variation at seven polymorphic loci. Multilocus genotypes were analysed by using a correspondence analysis (CA) and a Bayesian clustering approach. The relative positions of the populations were obtained from multi-dimensional scaling coupled with UPGMA treatment. A continuous genotype distribution was observed in the CA, and two groups were identiﬁed using the Bayesian approach. With a 0.95 threshold, 66 and 69% of the individuals showing the calliprinos and the coccifera morphotypes respectively were assigned to the corresponding genetic groups, which differed by private alleles. As compared to coccifera, the genetic group calliprinos was characterized by higher allelic richness and a strong geographical genetic structure. In agreement with fossil records, the most parsimonious explanation for lack of geographical structure in coccifera is a substantial regression of holly oak in the western Mediterranean Basin during the glaciations and a fast westward post-glacial expansion of coccifera populations, probably from Greece. Two population groups were obtained from the scaling/ UPGMA treatment. One included all of the calliprinos populations and a Greek coccifera population, suggesting that the two morphotypes are closely related genetically and constitute two components of the same species.
Keywords: Allozyme variation; Evergreen Mediterranean oaks; Evolutionary history; Morphotype variation; Quercus coccifera L./Q. calliprinos (Webb) Holmboe

Geobotanical survey of wood-pasture habitats in Europe: diversity, threats and conservation - Bergmeier, Erwin; Petermann, Jörg; Schröder, Eckhard (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2010)
Agro-silvopastoral land-use has a long tradition throughout Europe. Depending on the region, wood-pasture occurs as vanishing relic of historical land-use, or still more or less widespread as multiple-use rangeland. A new development is that former intensively managed land is being left to evolve towards wood-pasture as an economically and ecologically favourable alternative. In a review of European wood-pasture habitats we distinguish 24 types based on the geobotanical criteria of region, structure, land-use and tree species composition. The European wood-pasture types may be classiﬁed as hemiboreal and boreal (4 types), nemoral old-growth (7), nemoral scrub and coppice (5), meridional old-growth (2), meridional scrub and coppice (4), and grazed orchards (2). Wood-pasture forms part of the cultural heritage of Europe, and may add signiﬁcantly to the preservation of regional biodiversity. The role of wood-pasture in ecological restoration planning and the possibilities of maintaining or enhancing features of wood-pasture deserve more recognition. Many wood-pastures suffer from regeneration failure and are over-mature. Other threats to wood-pasture include abandonment, intensiﬁcation, oak disease, overgrazing and clearance. In the European Union Habitats Directive, woodpasture habitats are represented but rather inconsistently. We suggest neglected woodpasture habitat types to be considered for inclusion. Wood-pasture may form an important element for the economic integrity of rural areas aiming to improve ecological quality‚ provided they are managed sustainably
Keywords: Agroforestry; Dehesa; Habitats directive; Hudewald; Pasture-woodland; Silvopastoralism; Traditional land-use

Geoderma Assessment of the effects of environmental factors on humi fi cation processes by derivative infrared spectroscopy and discriminant analysis - Fernández-getino, A. P.; Hernández, Z.; Buena, A. Piedra; ALMENDROS, G. (Geoderma, 2010)
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.

Growth performances , carcasses parameters and meat fatty acid composition of lamb fed green oak acorns ( Quercus ilex ) based diet - Keddam, Ramdane; Bouderoua, Kaddour; El-affifi, Mohamed; Attou, Ghalem Selselet- (African Journal of Biotechnology, 2010)
The aim of this experiment is to compare the effects of diets containing green oak acorns (GO) and barley (BL) on the growth performances, carcasses parameters and the composition in fatty acids of lambs. Two groups of five lambs each were fed, respectively, during 105 days with diets containing 50% of oaks acorns and 50% of barley. At the end of the test, the animals of the two diets expressed comparable body weights and weight gain. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed for the thickness of fat cover which is 3 mm for the BL group against 1.6 mm for GO group even if no significant difference was revealed concerning the output with slaughtering. The intramuscular lipids were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the group of animals fed with GO diet compared to the BL diet (3.88 vs 2.83 g.100-1 g of muscle). Among the saturated fatty acids (SFA), the stearic acid significantly appeared in higher proportion (P < 0.05) in GO diet (20.8 vs 18.1%) whereas the palmitic acid is prevalent in the group of animals fed with the BL diet (25 vs 30%). For the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The linoleic acid is prevalent among the PUFA of two groups without significant difference. The linolenic acid is higher in the animal fed BL. The n-6: n-3 ratio is higher in the BL group (8.9 vs 7.3). At the end, the low level of incorporation of PUFA in muscle of the lamb because of biohydrogenation, suggests us supplementing the diet by green grass.
Keywords: barley; fatty acid; lamb; meat; oak acorn

The historical origins of aridity and vegetation degradation in southeastern Spain - Carrión, J. S. S.; Fernández, S.; Jiménez-Moreno, G.; Fauquette, S.; Gil-Romera, G.; González-Sampériz, P.; Finlayson, C. (Journal of Arid Environments, 2010)
The complex relationships within modern landscapes cannot be understood without the beneﬁt of retrospective studies. We review palaeoenvironmental data for southeastern Spain, a landscape vulnerable to desertiﬁcation and with antiquity of human pressure on the landscape. A xerophytic component is discernible in the pollen diagrams of the southeastern peninsula ever since the Middle Miocene. During glacial stages of the Pleistocene, mountain grasslands and lowland steppes expanded, but tree vegetation, although episodically contracted, was ever present across the region, explaining part of the modern plant-species diversity. The magnitude of human impacts on vegetation during the Holocene has been highly variable, starting earlier (e.g. after c. 5000 cal years BP) in low-elevation areas and river basins. Forest degradation of the mountains started rather late during the Argaric period, and reached its maximum during the Roman occupation. Over the last millennia, natural and/or human-set ﬁres, combined with overgrazing, probably have pushed forests over a threshold leading to the spread of grassland, thorny scrub, junipers, and nitrophilous communities. The high degree of xerophytization observed today in southeastern Spain results from the long-term determinism of the Mid to Late Holocene climate aridiﬁcation, and the contingency of historical factors like ﬁre events and changes in prehistoric local economies involving resource exhaustion.
Keywords: historical biogeography; Holocene; palaeoecology; quaternary; Spain; Tertiary

Holocene environmental instability in the wetland north of the Tiber delta (Rome, Italy): sea-lake-man interactions - Di Rita, Federico; Celant, Alessandra; Magri, Donatella (JOURNAL OF PALEOLIMNOLOGY, 2010)
Combined analyses of pollen, seeds, woods, micro-charcoal and non-pollen palynomorphs from Stagno di Maccarese, an artificially dried out coastal basin north of the Tiber delta now occupied by the Fiumicino Airport (Rome, Italy), document marked vegetation and environmental changes during the last 8300 years. Between 8300 and 5400 cal. a BP dense mixed deciduous and evergreen forests surrounded a eutrophic freshwater basin. An abrupt change around 5400 cal. a BP marks the transition to a marshy environment, due to a lowering of the water table. An increase of cereals and micro-charcoals matches the presence of a nearby Eneolithic settlement. Between 5100 and 2900 cal. a BP there is a remarkable expansion of riparian trees, indicating an increase of the water level. Between 2900 and 2000 cal. a BP, a new development of marshlands points to a progressive lowering of the lake. After 2000 cal. a BP, during the Roman exploitation of the area, an expansion of arboreal vegetation is recorded, characterized by evergreen and deciduous oak-dominated forests, while an extensive chenopods marshland matches the presence of saltworks. On the whole, the Stagno di Maccarese area appears very unstable, due to changes in lake level, introgression of marine water, eutrophic phases, flood events, desiccations and openings of the forest vegetation.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: VAN GODEWIJCKSTRAAT 30, 3311 GZ DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS publisher: SPRINGER
Keywords: Hydrological changes; Plant macrofossils; Pollen analysis; Saltworks; Tiber delta

Impact of short-term climatic events on latest Pliocene land settings and communities in Central Italy (Upper Valdarno basin) - Bertini, Adele; Magi, Maurizio; Mazza, Paul P. a; Fauquette, Séverine (Quaternary International, 2010)
The Upper Valdarno (Italy) Plio-Pleistocene continental deposits record the latest uniform subtropical humid conditions and the successive climatic signature of glacial/interglacial cycling. The palynological and sedimentological analyses on the Poggio Rosso alluvial plain sediments reveal two major climatic ﬂuctuations correlated to a glacial/interglacial cycle just before the Plio-Pleistocene boundary. The glacial phase, indicated by the expansion of herbs as well as by ephemeral streams associated with calcareous palaeosols, extends from the base of the succession and culminates close to an impressive mammalian bone accumulation dated at 1.87 Ma. The associated increasing aridity had severe consequences on the faunal communities, inducing the migration of open plain dwellers and the trapping of other residents around a few residual shrinking water bodies. A cooperative Pachycrocuta brevirostris clan acted as regulator of game populations debilitated by drought. Previous research indicates that hyenas were also the major bone accumulators. The following moister and warmer interglacial phase ca 1.83 Ma is documented by arboreal taxa and hydromorphic palaeosols in a ﬂoodplain crossed by migrating, perennial, sinuous streams. The Climatic Amplitude Method calculated mean annual temperatures around 12.5–14 C and mean annual precipitation around 800 mm, with a minimum of 400 mm during the glacial phase and 15/16–19 C and 750–1200 mm during the interglacial phase. The reconstruction reveals higher mean annual temperatures and precipitation during the interglacial as compared to the present-day climate. During the glacial, conditions were similar to today’s in all but lower precipitation values were reached during the acme drought phase just above the fossiliferous bed. Poggio Rosso documents the ecological consequences the buildup of the Apennine chain had under the effects of the latest Pliocene global climatic changes. It therefore represents one of the ﬁrst signals of the patchiness that, since then, gradually increased leading to the eventual habitat fragmentation typical of the late Pleistocene landscapes.
Keywords: climatic fluctuations; patchiness; Pleistocene landscapes (PG); Pollen analysis; sediment analysis

Impact of wildfire return interval on the ectomycorrhizal resistant propagules communities of a Mediterranean open forest. - Buscardo, Erika; Rodríguez-Echeverría, Susana; Martín, María P.; De Angelis, Paolo; Pereira, João Santos; Freitas, Helena (Fungal biology, 2010)
Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, in particular their spores and other resistant propagules, play an important role in secondary succession processes that facilitate regeneration after disturbance events. In this study, the effects of high and low wildfire frequencies (respectively short and long fire return intervals) on the resistant propagules communities (RPCs) of a Mediterranean open pine forest were compared. Soil samples were collected in four mountain sites with different fire return intervals and used to test ectomycorrhiza development in two hosts, Pinus pinaster and Quercus suber. RPCs were characterized by direct sequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions from individual ECM root tips. Eighteen ECM species were detected in the bioassay. The most frequently found fungi were Cenococcum geophilum, Inocybe jacobi, Thelephora terrestris, Tomentella ellisii on both hosts and Rhizopogon luteolus and R. roseolus on maritime pine. A short fire return interval reduced the species richness of the ECM community found on Q. suber, promoted species like R. roseolus and reduced the abundance of other species (e.g. R. luteolus). The abundance of I. jacobi was positively affected by long fire return interval, but decreased significantly with recurrent fires. These results indicate that changes in fire frequency can alter the structure, composition and diversity of ECM communities, which could compromise the resilience of the ecosystem in highly disturbed areas.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20943174
Keywords: Ectomycorrhizal resistant propagules community; Fire return interval; Mediterranean ecosystem; Pinus pinaster (maritime pine); Quercus suber (cork oak); succession

Impacts of orographical and anthropic factors on the natural regeneration of Cork Oak (Quercus suber) in Kroumiria, Tunisia. - Boussaidi, Naceur; Ncibi, Rabeh; Hasnaoui, Ibrahim; Gammar, Zeineb Ghrabi (REVUE D ECOLOGIE-LA TERRE ET LA VIE, 2010)
Impacts of orographical and anthropic factors on the natural regeneration of Cork Oak (Quercus suber) in Kroumiria, Tunisia. Cork Oak occupies a particular place within the Mediterranean forest. In Tunisia, it is rather well represented in Kroumiria (70 000 ha), particularly in the areas of Ain Braham and Tabarka. Confined to acid environments with moderate climate, it plays a very important ecological role, supporting a rather diversified floristic and faunal assemblage. In the same way it plays a considerable socio-economic role in the life of the rural population of the area and largely contributes to the national economy through production and export of cork. Enduring a very strong anthropic pressure and an important degradation of the environment, with the direct effect of the climatic change, Cork Oak forests are unable to regenerate naturally. Thus, and according to the results of the present study, it appears that the further away the Cork Oak settlements are from human population, the more opportunities there are to find young seedlings resulting from regeneration and vice-versa. It is the same for the orographical (slope, exposure and altitude) and coverage factors which can directly or indirectly induce Cork Oak natural regeneration.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 57 RUE CUVIER, 75005 PARIS 5, FRANCE publisher: SOC NATL PROTECTION NATURE ACCLIMATATION FRANCE
Keywords: Anthropogenic factor (citation); Quercus suber; Regeneration; Tunisia

The importance of mesophyll conductance in regulating forest ecosystem productivity during drought periods - KEENAN, Trevor; Sabaté, Santi; Gracia, Carlos (Global Change Biology, 2010)
Water availability is the most limiting factor to global plant productivity, yet photosynthetic responses to seasonal drought cycles are poorly understood, with conflicting reports on which limiting process is the most important during drought. We address the problem using a model-data synthesis approach to look at canopy level fluxes, integrating twenty years of half hour data gathered by the FLUXNET network across six Mediterranean sites. The measured canopy level, water and carbon fluxes were used, together with an inverse canopy ecophysiological model, to estimate the bulk canopy conductance, bulk mesophyll conductance, and the canopy scale carbon pools in both the intercellular spaces and at the site of carboxylation in the chloroplasts. Thus the roles of stomatal and mesophyll conductance in the regulation of internal carbon pools and photosynthesis could be separated. A quantitative limitation analysis allowed for the relative seasonal responses of stomatal, mesophyll, and biochemical limitations to be gauged. The concentration of carbon in the chloroplast was shown to be a potentially more reliable estimator of assimilation rates than the intercellular carbon concentration. Both stomatal conductance limitations and mesophyll conductance limitations were observed to regulate the response of photosynthesis to water stress in each of the six species studied. The results suggest that mesophyll conductance could bridge the gap between conflicting reports on plant responses to soil water stress, and that the inclusion of mesophyll conductance in biosphere–atmosphere transfer models may improve their performance, in particular their ability to accurately capture the response of terrestrial vegetation productivity to drought.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: 16 june 2009; conductance limitations; Drought; FLUXNET; june 2009 and accepted; Mediterranean climate; mesophyll conduc-; mesophyll conductance; photosynthesis; received 12 march 2009; revised version received 2; tance; water stress

An increase in canopy cover leads to masting in Quercus ilex - Camarero, J. Julio; Albuixech, Jorge; López-Lozano, Raúl; Casterad, M. Auxiliadora; Montserrat-Martí, Gabriel (Trees, 2010)
Masting is the intermittent and synchronous production of large crops, but its relation to tree growth remains elusive despite the ecological relevance of mast seeding. The production of huge fruit crops has been linked to the accumulation and consumption of resources as nutrients and carbohydrates, but no conclusive assessment has supported this assumption. To evaluate if masting takes place once trees’ canopies reach maximum foliage, changes in canopy cover were measured in Quercus ilex susbp. ballota stands before and after a masting event using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results on the whole underline that masting in Q. ilex occurred once maximum levels of NDVI and canopy cover were reached. After the masting event, NDVI dropped, leaf shedding increased and trees produced shorter shoots, narrower tree rings and fewer acorns than before the masting event. These ﬁndings support our contention that an increase in canopy cover precedes masting.
Keywords: acorn; canopy cover; Mast seeding; quercus ilex subsp. ballota; Remote sensing

Increase in the fructooligosaccharides yield and productivity by solid-state fermentation with Aspergillus japonicus using agro-industrial residues as support and nutrient source - Mussatto, Solange I.; Teixeira, José a (Biochemical Engineering Journal, 2010)
Corn cobs, coffee silverskin, and cork oak were used as support and nutrient source during the fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production by Aspergillus japonicus, under solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions. The objectives of this study consisted in evaluating the possibility of improving the FOS yield and productivity, besides to ﬁnding an alternative to reduce the production costs, and add value to these agro-industrial residues. Fermentation assays were performed by using the materials as solid support, supplemented or not with nutrients. For comparison, assays were also performed using a synthetic material as solid support, under the same operational conditions. All the material residues acted as nutrient source for the microorganism, since FOS production occurred when all of them were used without nutrient supplementation, but not when the synthetic material was used. Among the evaluated materials, coffee silverskin gave the most interesting fermentation results, with a FOS production similar in both supplemented and non-supplemented media. The elevated FOS production (128.7 g/l) and -fructofuranosidase activity (71.3 U/ml) obtained by using this material suggest SSF of coffee silverskin with A. japonicus as an interesting and promising strategy to synthesize both products at the industrial level.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Aspergillus japonicus; b-Fructofuranosidase; fructooligosaccharides; Nutrient; solid-state fermentation

The influence of precipitation pulses on soil respiration – Assessing the “Birch effect” by stable carbon isotopes - Unger, Stephan; Máguas, Cristina; Pereira, João S.; David, Teresa S.; Werner, Christiane (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2010)
Sudden pulse-like events of rapidly increasing CO2-efﬂux occur in soils under seasonally dry climates in response to rewetting after drought. These occurrences, termed “Birch effect”, can have a marked inﬂuence on the ecosystem carbon balance. Current hypotheses indicate that the “Birch” pulse is caused by rapidly increased respiration and mineralization rates in response to changing moisture conditions but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we present data from an experimental ﬁeld study using straight-forward stable isotope methodology to gather new insights into the processes induced by rewetting of dried soils and evaluate current hypotheses for the “Birch“-CO2-pulse. Two irrigation experiments were conducted on bare soil, root-free soil and intact vegetation during May and August 2005 in a semi-arid Mediterranean holm oak forest in southern Portugal. We continuously monitored CO2-ﬂuxes along with their isotopic compositions before, during and after the irrigation. d 13 C signatures of the ﬁrst CO2-efﬂux burst, occurring immediately after rewetting, ﬁt the hypothesis that the “Birch” pulse is caused by the rapid mineralization of either dead microbial biomass or osmoregulatory substances released by soil microorganisms in response to hypo-osmotic stress in order to avoid cell lyses. The response of soil CO2-efﬂux to rewetting was smaller under mild (May) than under severe drought (August) and isotopic compositions indicated a larger contribution of anaplerotic carbon uptake with increasing soil desiccation. Both length and severity of drought periods probably play a key role for the microbial response to the rewetting of soils and thus for ecosystem carbon sequestration.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Birch effect; d13C; Irrigation experiment; Mediterranean woodland; Soil respiration; Stable isotopes

Insulation capability of the bark of trees with different fire adaptation - Bauer, Georg; Speck, Thomas; Blömer, Jan; Bertling, Jürgen; Speck, Olga (Journal of Materials Science, 2010)
When exposed to a surface ﬁre, the probability of a tree to survive widely varies, depending on its capability to protect the cambium from lethal temperatures above 60 C. Thereby, the bark, the entirety of all tissues outside the cambium, serves as an insulation layer. In laboratory experiments, the heat production of a surface ﬁre was simulated and the time span s60 until the temperature of 60 C is reached in the inner bark surface was measured. Thereby, s60—as a measure of the ﬁre resistance—was quantitatively determined for seven tree species. In addition, the inﬂuence of bark thickness and moisture content on bark heat insulation capacities was examined. Independent of the tree species and bark moisture content a power function correlation between bark thickness and s60 was found. Our results also show that ﬁre resistance increases with decreasing bark density. The seven tree species examined can be classiﬁed in two groups differing highly signiﬁcant in their bark structure: (1) tree species with a faintly structured bark, which show a low ﬁre resistance, and (2) tree species with an intensely structured bark, showing a high ﬁre resistance. Furthermore a mathematical model simulating heat conduction was applied to describe the experimental results, and some ideas for a transfer into biomimetic materials are presented.
Keywords: bark moisture; bark structure; bark thickness; fire resistance (voyant); surface fires

An integrated method to create habitat suitability models for fragmented landscapes - Amici, Valerio; Geri, Francesco; Battisti, Corrado (Journal for Nature Conservation, 2010)
Given the pervasive inﬂuence of human induced habitat fragmentation in ecological processes, landscape models are a welcome advance. The development of GIS software has allowed a greater use of these models and of analyses of the relationship between species and habitat variables. Habitat suitability models are thus theoretical concepts that can be used for planning in fragmented landscapes and habitat conservation. The most commonly used models are based on single species and on the assignment of suitability values for some environmental variables. Generally the cartographic basis for modeling suitability are thematic maps produced by a Boolean logic. In this paper we propose a model based on a set of focal species and on maps produced by a fuzzy classiﬁcation method. Focal species, selected by an expert-based approach, provide a practical way of extending the scope of habitat suitability models to the conservation of biodiversity at landscape scale. The utilisation of a classiﬁcation method that applies a continuity criterion may allow more consideration of the connectivity of an area because it allows a better detection of ecological gradients within a landscape. We applied this methodology to the Tuscany region focusing on terrestrial mammals. Performing a fuzzy classiﬁcation we produced ﬁve land cover maps and through image processing operations we obtained a suitability model which applies a continuity criterion. The resulting suitability fuzzy model seems better for the study of connectivity and fragmentation, especially in areas with high spatial complexity
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier
Keywords: Connectivity; Focal species; Fuzzy set; Habitat conservation; Landscape planning

Interannual variability and evolution during the montanera period of Holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia Lam.) acorns - Tejerina, D.; García-Torres, S.; Cabeza de Vaca, M.; Cava, R.; Vázquez, F. M. (Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 2010)
Eighty-eight samples of Quercus rotundifolia acorns were analyzed during three consecutive years (2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08) to determine variations in their morphology, sanitary condition, and nutritional composition throughout the same period of montanera (free-range swine-raising system of SW Iberia) and between different years of study. Results showed that morphological characteristics remained constant throughout montanera season. Fungal damage increased, and Curculio sp. and Cydia sp. pests decreased over the course of the montanera season. Dry matter content decreased in both kernel and pericarp (P < 0.001), while the crude fiber and protein contents were not modified. The ash, nitrogen-free extract, and fat contents, however, were also affected by sampling date within a montanera season. With respect to the interannual variability, variations (P < 0.05) were observed in all the variables studied. It is therefore confirmed that there is variability in the sanitary condition and nutritional composition of acorns within the same montanera season and between different years of study. These could explain the differences in the chemical characteristics of Iberian pig tissues from animals raised in different montanera seasons, and even during the same montanera season.
Keywords: acorn sanitary condition; Dehesa; feeding; Iberian pigs; proximate composition

Irrigation regime as a key factor to improve growth performance of Quercus suber L. - Vessella, F.; Parlante, A.; Schirone, A.; Sandoletti, G.; Bellarosa, R.; Piovesan, G.; Santi, L.; Schirone, B. (Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 2010)
Abstract Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a Mediterranean evergreen tree species which plays a key economic role due to its precious bark. Cork oak stands start to become productive 30?40 years after planting, i.e. when commercial cork can be removed every 10 years after the first bark stripping, according to the laws in force. Forcing plant growth with appropriate irrigation, fertilization, top-dressing and stand density minimizes the time between cork oak planting and first bark stripping and makes commercial cork available earlier. In this study, the objective was to determine the influence of different irrigation regimes on cork oak growth. An experimental field was established near Tarquinia (Tuscia District, North Latium, Italy), within the natural cork oak range, to test the effects of irrigation regime on growth performance of cork oak. Three treatments were applied that differed in the amount and timing of water supplied. Treatments were replicated three times. Dendrometric and biomass parameters were measured at three different times for 2 years after planting and statistical descriptive analysis, as well as anova, were used to evaluate the benefits of irrigation. Irrigation with 4 l m?2 three times per week for 2 years improved diameter growth by 33% and shortened the time to first bark stripping by 6?10 years, thus producing substantial economic benefits.
doi: 10.1080/02827581.2010.485819doi: 10.1080/02827581.2010.485819The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: growth performance; irrigation inﬂuence; maximized production; Quercus suber

La quercia da sughero (Quercus suber L.) nel Salento: analisi diacronica e sinfitosociologica (Adriatico Meridionale, Italia) - Beccarisi, L.; Biondi, E.; Casavecchia, S. (Fitosociologia, 2010)
Subject of this article is the study of the residual woods of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) in the southern part of the Puglia region, which in the area find their eastern distribution limit in Europe. They are survivors of a more extensive forest formations occupying the plain near the city of Brindisi and some areas in the territory of Ostuni. Of these are presented the environmental conditions in which they are and the historical analysis of their variation in the time, deduced by analyzing literature from the early nineteenth century. The diachronic analysis of their distribution is presented in maps at 1:25000 scale. The analysis of plant communities present in the investigated area, were carried out by the sinphytosociological method that led to recognize the communities that are connected in relation to the serial dynamics, to these forests belonging to the association of Carici halleranae-Quercetum suberis of which the new subassociation arbutetosum unedonis is described and the subassociation typus is explained. This is a post- fire shrub attributed to the new association Calicotomo infestae-Phillyreetum mediae characterized by Phillyrea media, Calicotome infesta and Pyrus amygdaliformis which are in dynamic relationship with the forest subassociation of arbutetosum unedonis of Carici halleranaeQuercetum suberis while to the subassociation caricetosum halleranae binds the more mesophilous shrub described with the new association Rhamno alaterni-Pyretum amygdaliformis.
Keywords: diachronic analysis; Quercus suber; southern italy; synphytosociology

The Ladybeetle Community (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Southern Olive Agroecosystems of Spain - Cotes, B.; Campos, M.; Pascual, F.; Ruano, F. (ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY, 2010)
The aim of this survey is to faunistically describe ladybeetle assemblages from the canopies of olive orchards in southern Spain (Cordoba and Granada) and determine the indicator ladybeetle species that are representative of each region, taking into account (1) the ecological importance of predatory ladybeetle species in olive orchards and (2) the variability of ladybeetle community composition in relation to landscape configuration and different fanning systems (organic, integrated, and conventional), using ordination and classification methods. The total number of coccinellids collected was 481; they belonged to 9 genera and 13 species. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed a clear separation between orchards from Granada and orchards from Cordoba, taking into account ladybeetle species, environmental variables, and sampled orchards. The land use types and geographical locations showed that Scymnus mediterraneus lablokoff-Khnzorian 1972 and Platynaspis luteorubra (Goeze, 1777) captured at higher latitudes benefited more from a larger organic olive area and from the presence of holm oak forests in the surrounding area. Coccinella septempunctata L., 1758 and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze, 1777) were found at lower latitudes and at higher longitudes. Ladybeetle assemblages can vary in response to the type of farming system, especially with regard to pesticide use and landscape configuration. Nevertheless, evaluation of species composition might help identify the state of conservation of these agroecosystems. This knowledge could be used to improve the sustainability of agricultural landscapes to increase the presence of coccinellids and their ecological function in olive pest control.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 10001 DEREKWOOD LANE, STE 100, LANHAM, MD 20706-4876 USA publisher: ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER
Keywords: Coccinellidae; Cordoba and Granada provinces

Land use practices and ectomycorrhizal fungal communities from oak woodlands dominated by Quercus suber L. considering drought scenarios. - Azul, Anabela Marisa; Sousa, João Paulo; Agerer, Reinhard; Martín, María P.; Freitas, Helena (Mycorrhiza, 2010)
Oak woodlands in the Mediterranean basin have been traditionally converted into agro-silvo-pastoral systems and exemplified sustainable land use in Europe. In Portugal, in line with the trend of other European countries, profound changes in management options during the twentieth century have led to landscape simplification. Landscapes are dynamic and the knowledge of future management planning combining biological conservation and soil productivity is needed, especially under the actual scenarios of drought and increasing evidence of heavy oak mortality. We examined the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal community associated with cork oak in managed oak woodlands (called montado) under different land use practices, during summer. ECM fungal richness and abundance were assessed in 15 stands established in nine montados located in the Alentejo region (southern Portugal), using morphotyping and ITS rDNA analysis. Parameters related to the montados landscape characteristics, land use history over the last 25 years, climatic and edaphic conditions were taken into account. Fifty-five ECM fungal taxa corresponding to the most abundant fungal symbionts were distinguished on cork oak roots. Cenococcum geophilum and the families Russulaceae and Thelephoraceae explained 56% of the whole ECM fungal community; other groups were represented among the community: Cortinariaceae, Boletaceae, Amanita, Genea, Pisolithus, Scleroderma, and Tuber. There were pronounced differences in ECM fungal community structure among the 15 montados stands: C. geophilum was the only species common to all stands, tomentelloid and russuloid species were detected in 87-93% of the stands, Cortinariaceae was detected in 60% of the stands, and the other groups were more unequally distributed. Ordination analysis revealed that ECM fungal richness was positively correlated with the silvo-pastoral exploitation regime and low mortality of cork oak, while ECM fungal abundance was positively correlated with extensive agro-silvo-pastoral exploitation under a traditional 9-year rotation cultivation system and recent soil tillage. The effects of land use on the ECM fungal community and its implications in different scenarios of landscape management options, oak mortality, and global warming are discussed.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 19575241
Keywords: Ectomycorrhizal fungal community; land use; Mediterranean ecosystems; Quercus suber; Soil diversity

Land-cover classification with an expert classification algorithm using digital aerial photographs - Perea, Alberto J.; Meroño, José E.; Aguilera, María J.; De la Cruz, José L. (South African Journal of Science, 2010)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the spectral information of digital aerial sensors in determining land-cover classification using new digital techniques. The land covers that have been evaluated are the following, (1) bare soil, (2) cereals, including maize (Zea mays L.), oats (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeun vulgare L.), (3) high protein crops, such as peas (Pisum sativum L.) and beans (Vicia faba L.), (4) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), (5) woodlands and scrublands, including holly oak (Quercus ilex L.) and common retama (Retama sphaerocarpa L.), (6) urban soil, (7) olive groves (Olea europaea L.) and (8) burnt crop stubble. The best result was obtained using an expert classification algorithm, achieving a reliability rate of 95%. This result showed that the images of digital airborne sensors hold considerable promise for the future in the field of digital classifications because these images contain valuable information that takes advantage of the geometric viewpoint. Moreover, new classification techniques reduce problems encountered using high-resolution images; while reliabilities are achieved that are better than those achieved with traditional methods.
Keywords: Algorithm; digital aerial photography; expert classification; land-cover classification; object- oriented classification; UltracamD

Leaves of Quercus ilex as Indicators of Airborne Trace Element Distribution in Lucca (Central Italy) - Francini, A.; Lorenzini, G.; Nali, C.; Loppi, S. (II INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LANDSCAPE AND URBAN HORTICULTURE, 2010)
Ambient air has always contained particles, ranging from sub-micrometric aerosols to clearly visible dust and sand grains. Plants have evolved to maximise light interception and CO2 assimilation and, as a consequence, they are also highly efficient receptors of airborne pollutants. The use of plant tissues has since long been shown to be an effective indicator of metal air pollution. Leaves of the evergreen species Quercus ilex were used as a passive sampler to describe the distribution of selected elements in the area around the walls of Lucca (Central Italy). Unwashed healthy mature leaves collected in June 2006 from 16 sampling sites were analysed by ICP-MS for Al, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Si, Ti, V and Zn. Values were normalised by subtracting baseline concentrations of biologically essential elements coming from Q. ilex plants collected into Botanical Garden of Lucca. Enrichment factors (EF) were calculated taking Al as crustal reference element. Cd, Cu and Zn exhibited the highest EF, with values ranging between 100 and 1000. Varimax rotated factor analysis allowed identifying three main source groups of elements, namely crustal components, sea-salt spray and anthropogenic sources (vehicular traffic, industrial activities). The factor one (crustal components) explained 48.3% of the total variance. Common high loadings for this factor were Al, Bi, Br, Co, Cu, Fe, Si, V, and Zn, which indicate a predominant soil contribution. Results are discussed with emphasis on the potential role of vegetation for the removal of particulate pollution.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: II INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LANDSCAPE AND URBAN HORTICULTURE pub-location: 999 RIVERVIEW DR, STE 208, TOTOWA, NJ 07512-1165 USA
Keywords: enrichment factor; factor analysis; ICP-MS; pollution

Local coexistence and niche differences between the Lusitanian and Mediterranean pine voles (Microtus lusitanicus and M. duodecimcostatus) - Santos, Sara M.; Mathias, Maria Da Luz; Mira, António P. (Ecological Research, 2010)
In the present study, we analyzed the coexistence pattern of the Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus) and the Mediterranean pine vole (Microtus duodecimcostatus) in a potential area of sympatry in a Mediterranean landscape (Portugal). We also determined the relative contribution of local, landscape, and spatial factors explaining the diﬀerences in the distribution patterns of the two species in the region. Using a kriging interpolation method, we obtained a map of sympatric and allopatric areas of species occurrence. The estimated sympatry area corresponded to a northwest–southeast belt representing 11.3% of the study area. Habitat niche diﬀerences were assessed with binomial GLMs followed by a variance partitioning. At a local scale, higher altitude, higher cover of shrubs, lower clay content in the soil, and lower cover of tree canopy were the most important factors distinguishing M. lusitanicus presence sites from those with M. duodecimcostatus. At a larger scale, the presence of forest landscape units and the low abundance of ‘‘montado’’ units were the most inﬂuencing landscape factors in the identiﬁcation of M. lusitanicus occurrence sites when compared to M. duodecimcostatus. Our results suggested that local coexistence of M. lusitanicus and M. duodecimcostatus in the ﬁeld is a rare event. The diﬀerences in distribution patterns of the two pine vole species were mostly explained by ﬁne-scale environmental factors and by shared spatial eﬀects.
Keywords: kriging; microtus duodecimcostatus; microtus lusitanicus; niche differences; sympatry

Mesophyll conductance to CO2 and leaf morphological characteristics under drought stress during Quercus ilex L. resprouting - Fleck, Isabel; Peña-Rojas, Karen; Aranda, Xavier (Annals of Forest Science, 2010)
• Quercus ilex L., the dominant species in Mediterranean forests and one with a great capacity for resprouting after disturbances, is threatened by the expected increase in ﬁre frequency and drought associated with climate change. • The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of photosynthesis limitants, especially mesophyll conductance (gmes ) during this species’ resprouting and under summer drought. • Resprouts showed 5.3-fold increased gmes and 3.8-fold increased stomatal conductance (gs ) at midday with respect to leaves of undisturbed individuals. With increased drought, structural changes (decreased density and increased thickness) in resprouts contributed to the observed higher photosynthesis and increased gmes . However, gmes only partially depended on leaf structure, and was also under physiological control. Resprouts also showed lower non-stomatal limitations (around 50% higher carboxylation velocity (Vc,max) and capacity for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate regeneration (Jmax)). A signiﬁcant contribution of gmes to leaf carbon isotope discrimination values was observed. • gmes exhibits a dominant role in photosynthesis limitation in Q. ilex and is regulated by factors other than morphology. During resprouting after disturbances, greater capacity to withstand drought, as evidenced by higher gmes , gs and lower non-stomatal limitants, enables increased photosynthesis and rapid growth.
Keywords: carbon isotopic composition; leaf structure; mesophyll conductance; photosynthesis limitants; Quercus ilex

Microbial C, N and P in soils of Mediterranean oak forests: influence of season, canopy cover and soil depth - Aponte, Cristina; Marañón, Teodoro; García, Luis V. (Biogeochemistry, 2010)
In Mediterranean ecosystems the effect of aboveground and belowground environmental factors on soil microbial biomass and nutrient immobilization-release cycles may be conditioned by the distinctive seasonal pattern of the Mediterraneantype climates. We studied the effects of season, canopy cover and soil depth on microbial C, N and P in soils of two Mediterranean forests using the fumigation-extraction procedure. Average microbial values recorded were 820 lg C g -1 , 115 lg N g -1 and 19 lg P g -1 , which accounted for 2.7, 4.7 and 8.8% of the total pools in the surface soil, respectively. Microbial N and P pools were about 10 times higher than the inorganic N and P fractions available for plants. Microbial C values differed between forest sites but in each site they were similar across seasons. Both microbial and inorganic N and P showed maximum values in spring and minimum values in summer, which were positively correlated with soil moisture. Signiﬁcant differences in soil microbial properties among canopy cover types were observed in the surface soil but only under favourable environmental conditions (spring) and not during summer. Soil depth affected microbial contents which decreased twofold from surface to subsurface soil. Microbial nutrient ratios (C/N, C/P and N/P) varied with seasons and soil depth. Soil moisture regime, which was intimately related to seasonality, emerged as a potential key factor for microbial biomass growth in the studied forests. Our research shows that under a Mediterranean-type climate the interaction among season, vegetation type and structure and soil properties affect microbial nutrient immobilization and thus could inﬂuence the biogeochemical cycles of C, N and P in Mediterranean forest ecosystems.
Keywords: á; dynamics á; Microbial biomass; microbial biomass á nitrogen; nitrogen; Nutrient immobilization; nutrient immobilization á phosphorus; phosphorus; Plant; Plant–soil interactions; seasonal dynamics; soil interactions á seasonal; vegetation cover

Millennial-scale variability during the last glacial in vegetation records from Europe - Fletcher, William J.; Sánchez Goñi, Maria Fernanda; Allen, Judy R. M.; Cheddadi, Rachid; Combourieu-Nebout, Nathalie; Huntley, Brian; Lawson, Ian; Londeix, Laurent; Magri, Donatella; Margari, Vasiliki; Müller, Ulrich C.; Naughton, Filipa; et al. (Quaternary Science Reviews, 2010)

Mismatch between the timing of oviposition and the seasonal optimum. The stochastic phenology of Mediterranean acorn weevils - Bonal, Raul; Muñoz, Alberto; MARÍA ESPELTA, JOSEP (Ecological Entomology, 2010)
1. The timing of reproduction is predicted to match the period of maximum food availability. In this sense, the case of many phytophagous insects in temperate regions is very illustrative, as their larvae usually depend on a resource only available for a limited period of time each year. 2. For 3 years the interactions between the weevil Curculio elephas and the Mediterranean Holm oak Quercus ilex were studied. Weevil larvae grow within the acorns, feeding on the cotyledons. The timing of oviposition will determine food availability for the larvae, as acorns stop growing once they are attacked. 3. Acorn temporal growing patterns did not change between years and food availability for larvae was at its highest in October, when temperature was still suitable for larval development. However, oviposition phenology did change between years. In 2002 females oviposited later, larvae grew within larger acorns, and their body mass was significantly higher than in 2003 or 2004, when females oviposited into early acorns. 4. Thus, weevils do not always adjust oviposition to the best possible feeding conditions for their offspring. Rather, they seem to maximise their own lifetime fitness, ovipositing as soon as they emerge in late summer. Emergence, in turn, depends strongly on stochastic events such as summer storms in the Mediterranean region. 5. Under a climate change perspective, the trend towards higher August rainfall recorded in our study area may alter oviposition phenology, with the subsequent cascade effects on weevil body size and fitness
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: acorn; adult emergence; Curculio; oviposition; Phenology; stochastic events; Temperature; timing of reproduction

Modelización de la producción de pastos herbáceos en una dehesa del centro peninsular - Benavides, R.; ROIG, S.; Ponce, R. Alonso; López-Carrasco, C. (PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes, 2010)
Modelling pasture production and dynamics is a key objective for agroforestry systems man- agement for economic and conservation purposes. However, this is a complex task due to the large number of influencing factors and the characteristic diversity and heterogeneity of this production. The objective of this work is to analyze and model the pasture production in a dehesa of Central Spain. The study site is located in the Dehesón del Encinar (Toledo) state, in a low density dehesa (17 trees/ha). A first geostatistical approximation is used with data from two contrasted sampling years: 2008 and 2009. Sampling data include zones under tree influence and pasture without any canopy cover. Geostatistical techniques and GIS result to be efficient tools for analyzing and predicting pas- ture production as well as for agroforestry systems management. Key
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: PASTOS: FUENTE NATURAL DE ENERGÍA 4ª Reunión Ibérica de Pastos y Forrajes pub-location: Zamora
Keywords: agro- forestry systems; geostatistical; herbaceous pastures; Mediterranean pastures; tree-pasture interaction

Mycorrhizal macrofungi diversity (Agaricomycetes) from Mediterranean Quercus forests; a compilation for the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) - Ortega, Antonio; Lorite, Juan; Valle, Francisco (Nova Hedwigia, 2010)
A compilation study has been made of the mycorrhizal Agaricomycetes from several sclerophyllous and deciduous Mediterranean Quercus woodlands from Iberian Peninsula. Firstly, we selected eight Mediterranean taxa of the genus Quercus, which were well sampled in terms of macrofungi. Afterwards, we performed a database containing a large amount of data about mycorrhizal biota of Quercus. We have defined and/or used a series of indexes (occurrence, affinity, proportionality, heterogeneity, similarity, and taxonomic diversity) in order to establish the differences between the mycorrhizal biota of the selected woodlands. The 605 taxa compiled here represent an important amount of the total mycorrhizal diversity from all the vegetation types of the studied area, estimated at 1,500-1,600 taxa, with Q. ilex subsp. ballota (416 taxa) and Q. suber (411) being the richest. We also analysed their quantitative and qualitative mycorrhizal flora and their relative richness in different ways: woodland types, substrates and species composition. The results highlight the large amount of mycorrhizal macrofungi species occurring in these mediterranean Quercus woodlands, the data are comparable with other woodland types, thought to be the richest forest types in the world. We point out that the presence of genera that are very well adapted to sclerophyllous Mediterranean woodlands with a potential use in afforestation or recovery programs, or being rare species, are listed in the Regional Red List of Endangered Macromycetes. Since, these woodlands suffer heavy environmental pressure, human and climate mediated, we conclude many species are approaching a high extinction risk, and it is urgent to apply legal and management measures, both, of national (Spain and Portugal) and European governments.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: Stuttgart publisher: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
Keywords: affinity; conservation; diversity; mycorrhizal macrofungi; quercus woodlands

N2O and CH4 fluxes in undisturbed and burned holm oak, scots pine and pyrenean oak forests in central Spain - Inclán, Rosa; Uribe, Carla; Sánchez, Laura; Sánchez, Dolores M.; Clavero, Ángeles; Fernández, Ana María; Morante, Ramón; Blanco, Alfredo; Jandl, Robert (Biogeochemistry, 2010)
We investigated N2O and CH4 ﬂuxes from soils of Quercus ilex, Quercus pyrenaica and Pinus sylvestris stands located in the surrounding area of Madrid (Spain). The ﬂuxes were measured for 18 months from both mature stands and post ﬁre stands using the static chamber technique. Simultaneously with gas ﬂuxes, soil temperature, soil water content, soil C and soil N were measured in the stands. Nitrous oxide ﬂuxes ranged from -11.43 to 8.34 lg N2O–N m -2 h -1 in Q.ilex, -7.74 to 13.52 lg N2O–N m -2 h -1 in Q. pyrenaica and -28.17 to 21.89 lg N2O–N m -2 h -1 in P. sylvestris. Fluxes of CH4 ranged from -8.12 to 4.11 lg CH4– C m -2 h -1 in Q.ilex, -7.74 to 3.0 lg CH4 –C m -2 h -1 in Q. pyrenaica and -24.46 to 6.07 lg CH4–C m -2 h -1 in P. sylvestris. Seasonal differences were detected; N2O ﬂuxes being higher in wet months whereas N2O ﬂuxes declined in dry months. Net consumption of N2O was related to low N availability, high soil C contents, high soil temperatures and low moisture content. Fire decreased N2O ﬂuxes in spring. N2O emissions were closely correlated with previous day’s rainfall and soil moisture. Our ecosystems generally were a sink for methane in the dry season and a source of CH4 during wet months. The available water in the soil inﬂuenced the observed seasonal trend. The burned sites showed higher CH4 oxidation rates in Q. ilex, and lower rates in P. sylvestris. Overall, the data suggest that ﬁre alters both N2O and CH4 ﬂuxes. However, the magnitude of such variation depends on the site, soil characteristics and seasonal climatic conditions.
Keywords: á; fire; greenhouse flux á fire; Greenhouse ﬂux; Pinus sylvestris; Quercus ilex; Quercus pyrenaica; quercus pyrenaica á pinus; Soil temperature; soil temperature á; Soil water content; soil water content á; sylvestris á

Natural, human and spatial constraints to expanding populations of otters in the Iberian Peninsula - Clavero, Miguel; Hermoso, Virgilio; Brotons, Lluís; Delibes, Miguel (Journal of Biogeography, 2010)
Aim To determine the relationships between otter (Lutra lutra) distribution dynamics and environmental and spatial constraints over a 20-year period. Location Andalusia, southern Iberian Peninsula. Methods We synthesized otter distribution data from three otter surveys (1985, 1995 and 2005) using subcatchment areas defined by hydrological barriers. Subcatchments were characterized by two ‘natural’ (climatic and orographic variables) and two ‘human’ (land use and population density) gradients. In addition, we calculated two contagion variables (the distance to previously occupied subcatchments and the percentage of occupied subcatchments within a 50 km buffer) for consecutively surveyed subcatchments. Results Between 1985 and 2005 the percentage of subcatchments with otters present increased from 42% to 72%. Otters tended to be rare or absent from human-dominated areas. Anthropogenic gradients were better predictors of otter distribution than natural ones. Human and natural gradients showed strong covariation, but for any value of the natural gradients otters tended to be present in subcatchments with lower human impacts. Colonization of new subcatchments was found to be strongly related to contagion variables and expansion rates were slower than those estimated in other studies. Newly colonized areas tended to be located in areas with intermediate human influence, while repeated absences occurred mainly in areas where human impact was most severe. Main conclusions Our results suggest that recent otter expansion across Andalusia is a reflection of large-scale improvement in environmental conditions. Otter populations that survived the period of strong and generalized declines appear to be acting as sources from which neighbouring areas are colonized, probably aided by improved water quality and increases in food availability. However, the further expansion of otters into their full original range is likely to be constrained by human-impacted landscapes.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: Andalusia; freshwater environments; landscape gradients; Lutra lutra; mammals; Mediterranean streams; otter surveys; recolonization; recovering species

Natural selection on cork oak: allele frequency reveals divergent selection in cork oak populations along a temperature cline - Ramírez-Valiente, J. a; Lorenzo, Z.; Soto, A.; Valladares, F.; Gil, L.; Aranda, I. (Evolutionary Ecology, 2010)
A recent study of population divergence at neutral markers and adaptive traits in cork oak has observed an association between genetic distances at locus QpZAG46 and genetic distances for leaf size and growth. In that study it was proposed that certain loci could be linked to genes encoding for adaptive traits in cork oak and, thus, could be used in adaptation studies. In order to investigate this hypothesis, here we (1) looked for associations between molecular markers and a set of adaptive traits in cork oak, and (2) explored the effects of the climate on among-population patterns in adaptive traits and molecular markers. For this purpose, we chose 9-year-old plants originating from thirteen populations spanning a broad range of climatic conditions. Plants established in a common garden site were genotyped at six nuclear microsatellites and phenotypically characterized for six functional traits potentially related to plant performance. Our results supported the proposed linkage between locus QpZAG46 and genes encoding for leaf size and growth. Temperature caused adaptive population divergence in leaf size and growth, which was expressed as differences in the frequencies of the alleles at locus QpZAG46.
Keywords: Adaptation; Additive effects; Dominance; Natural selection; Overdominance; Quercus suber

Nutrients return from leaves and litterfall in a mediterranean cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forest in southwestern Spain - Andivia, Enrique; FERNÁNDEZ, MANUEL; VÁZQUEZ-PIQUÉ, JAVIER; González-Pérez, Aranzazu; TAPIAS, RAÚL (European Journal of Forest Research, 2010)
The knowledge of the cycle of nutrients is fundamental for the correct comprehension of the tree–soil relationship and for an adequate forest management. In order to analyse the nutrients return from leaves and litterfall in a Mediterranean cork oak forest in southwestern Spain, 12 trees were randomly selected and litterfall collected for 2 years. Samples were taken monthly and separated in different fractions (leaves, twigs, catkins, acorns and mis- cellaneous), then leaves nutrients were analyzed. Simulta- neously, we analyzed the nutrient content of living leaves from the same trees in each season during 1 year. The ana- lyzed nutrients were C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, S, Cu, Zn and Mo. Annual patterns of each nutrient in fallen leaves were characterized and compared with seasonal values of these nutrients in living leaves. Leaves fall has two annual maximum, first and most important in spring around April coinciding with renewal of foliar cover and second around October. Main concentration patterns of N, P and K are related with phenological patterns, in consequence mini- mumconcentration in leaves fall were obtained in periods of growing and maximum litterfall. Concentrations of Ca, Fe and Mn increase with the age of the leaves and maximum concentrations were obtained before periods of maximum litterfall while concentrations of Cu, Mo and Mg stay stable. Communicated by A. Merino. A. Gonza This article belongs to the special issue ‘‘Plant–soil relationships in Southern European forests’’. E. Andivia (&)  M. Ferna ´lez-Pe Department of Forest Sciences, University of Huelva, Ctra. Palos–La Ra ´rez  R. Tapias Huelva, Spain e-mail: enrique.andivia@dcaf.uhu.es ´ndez  J. Va ´zquez-Pique ´  ´bida, s/n. 21819 Palos de la Frontera, Seasonal analysis of nutrients in living leaves collected from the same trees in four different periods of the year allowed to corroborate the patterns of leaves fall and the probable osmotic function of K.
Keywords: litterfall; Nutrients cycling; Nutrients return; Quercus suber

Nutritional analysis of six forest species grown in two different edaphological conditions in a Mediterranean environment: II. Do pigments serve as a non-destructive diagnostic method? - Blasco, Begona; Rubio-Wilhelmi, Maria M.; Sanchez-Rodriguez, Eva; Chirosa, Manuel; Ruiz, Juan M.; Rosua, Jose L.; Romero, Luis; Serrano, Francisco; Ruiz, Juan M.; Rosua, Jose L.; Romero, Luis (JOURNAL OF FOOD AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT, 2010)
The species studied were Quercus rotundifolia,Juniperus oxycedrus,Retama sphaerocarpa, Cistus albidus, Phlomis lychnitis and Daphne gnidium, which were grown in two different soils that differed in pH 6.0 (Llano de la Perdiz) and 8.0 (Sierra Elvira), both zones in Granada (Spain) and under analogous environmental conditions (1). The chlorophyll content in its different forms showed that in the Llano de la Perdiz C. albidus presented a greater content than did Q. rotundifolia. Comparable behaviour was found in the area of Sierra Elvira. In the case of the carotenoids, Q. rotundifolia presented the lowest values in both zones. For lycopene, great differences were found between species but not between zones. The lowest content was found in J. oxycedrus and Q. rotundifolia, and the highest one was registered by C. albidus and R. sphaerocarpa, with a content of 40% more than the others. In the case of anthocyanins, Q. rotundifolia and R lychnitis were notable for their low content in Llano de la Perdiz. This same phenomenon was repeated in Sierra Elvira. This clearly indicates a direct relationship between the chlorophyll level and the nutrient content, as well as the relationship of the environmental conditions with respect to the content of non-photosynthetic pigments. The high content of pigments, photosynthetic or not, in these plants makes them capable of resisting such extreme environmental conditions in which they grow.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: MERI-RASTILANTIE 3 C, HELSINKI, FI-00980, FINLAND publisher: WFL PUBL
Keywords: forest species; mediterranean environment; nitrogen metabolism; pigment

Nutritional Status of Mediterranean Trees Growing in a Contaminated and Remediated Area - Domínguez, MaríaT; Marañón, Teodoro; Murillo, JoséM; Schulin, Rainer; Robinson, BrettH (Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 2010)
t Soil contamination may contribute to forest decline, by altering nutrient cycling and acquisition by plants. This may hamper the establishment of a woody plant cover in contaminated areas, thus limiting the success of a restoration program. We studied the nutritional status of planted saplings of Holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), and wild olive tree (Olea europaea var. sylvestris Brot.) in the Guadiamar Green Corridor (SW Spain) and compared it with established adult trees. Soils in this area were affected by a mine-spill in 1998 and a subsequent restoration program. The spill resulted in soil acidification, due to pyrite oxidation, and deposited high concentrations of some trace elements. In some sites, we detected a phosphorus deficiency in the leaves of Q. ilex and O. europaea saplings, as indicated by a high N:P ratio (>16). For O. europaea, soil contamination explained 40% of the variability in leaf P and was negatively related to chlorophyll content. Soil pH was a significant factor predicting the variability of several nutrients, including Mg, P, and S. The uptake of Mg and S by P. alba was greater in acidic soils. The monitoring of soil pH is recommended since long-term effects of soil acidification may negatively affect the nutritional status of the trees
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Springer Netherlands
Keywords: Heavy metal; Olea europaea; phosphorus; Populus alba; Quercus ilex; soil remediation; Tree nutrition

Oak persistence in Mediterranean landscapes: the combined role of management, topography, and wildfires - Acácio, Vanda; Holmgren, Milena (Ecology and society, 2010)
Mediterranean ecosystems have been shaped by a history of human and ecological disturbances. Understanding the dynamics of these social-ecological systems requires an understanding of how human and ecological factors interact. In this study, we assess the combined role of management practices and biophysical variables, i.e., wildfire and topography, to explain patterns of tree persistence in a cork oak (Quercus suber L.) landscape of southern Portugal. We used face-to-face interviews with landowners to identify the management practices and the incentives that motivated them. We used aerial photographs and a Geographic Information System (GIS) to classify vegetation patch-type transitions over a period of 45 years (1958-2002) and logistic regression to explain such changes based on management and biophysical factors. The best model explaining vegetation transitions leading to cork oak persistence in the landscape included both biophysical and management variables. Tree persistence was more likely to occur on steeper slopes, in the absence of wildfires, and in the absence of understory management. We identified ecological, ideological, and economical barriers that preclude oak persistence and that are important to consider in implementing efficient environmental policies for adequate conservation and reforestation programs of Mediterranean cork oak landscapes.
Keywords: agroforestry system; alternative ecosystem state; Cistus ladanifer; Land degradation; Mediterranean; Portugal; Quercus suber; Shrub encroachment; succession; vegetation transition

Oak somatic and gametic embryos maturation is affected by charcoal and specific aminoacids mixture - Pintos, Beatriz; Manzanera, Jose a; Bueno, M. Angeles (Annals of Forest Science, 2010)
• Development of both somatic and gametic embryogenesis has many applications in clonal forestry and genetic improvement, for instance as mass-propagation of genetically improved plants and production of pure lines through doubled-haploid plant regeneration from gametic embryos. • The goal of this work was to improve growth, maturation and plantlet regeneration of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) embryos from both somatic and gametic origin. • Activated charcoal promoted a signiﬁcant increase in growth in terms of relative size and weight of both somatic and doubled-haploid embryos, as well as a more eﬃcient control of secondary somatic embryogenesis during development. A signiﬁcant interaction was also observed with amino acid nutrition. While some amino acids (i.e., glutamine, arginine or asparagine) did not show signiﬁcant diﬀerences with the controls, a mixture of these three amino acids or gamma amino butyric acid stimulated embryo growth. The highest survival rate during acclimation of plantlets from both somatic and doubled-haploid origin was obtained when the embryos had been previously cultured on basal medium with 3% sucrose and 1% activated charcoal for two months at 4 ◦ C and germinated on medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine and indole-3-butyric acid. • We obtained more than 900 cork oak plantlets acclimated from several embryogenic lines, with a high survival rate, demonstrating that this methodology is applicable for large scale plantlet production. We also report the ﬁrst regeneration of doubled-haploid plantlets in cork oak.
Keywords: activated charcoal; amino acids; Cork oak; gametic embryo; plantlet acclimation

Occurrence of Reticulitermes grassei (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) on Cork Oaks in the Southern Iberian Peninsula: Identification, Description and Incidence of the Damage - Gallardo, Patricia; Cardenas, Ana M.; Gaju, Miguel (SOCIOBIOLOGY, 2010)
This paper describes a new type of damage that affects cork oaks (Quercus suber L.) in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. The shape of the damage suggests that it could be caused by termites. The main aim of this research was to identify the causal agent of the damage, to describe it and to assess its presence and incidence in the area. Several field experiments were carried out in which specific baited-traps for termites were used. At the end of the sampling period, termites (identified as Reticulitermes c.f.grassei Clement) were found in most of the traps located under damaged trees. Descriptions related to the appearance, form and sizes of the galleries made by the termites are provided, as well as data on the infestation level and damage intensity. Differences with damage caused by other woodborer insects are also discussed.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: DEPT BIOL SCI, CHICO, CA 95929 USA publisher: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV
Keywords: cork damage; iberian peninsula; Quercus suber; Reticulitermes grassei; Rhinotermitidae

Origin and Incidence of 2-Methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, a Compound with a ``Fungal'' and ``Corky'' Aroma Found in Cork Stoppers and Oak Chips in Contact with Wines - Chatonnet, Pascal; Fleury, Antoine; Boutou, Stephane (JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY, 2010)
This study identifies a previously isolated bacterium as Rhizobium excellensis, a new species of proteobacteria able to form a large quantity of 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine (MDMP). R. excellensis actively synthesizes MDMP from L-alanine and L-leucine and, to a lesser extent, from L-phenylalanine and L-valine. MDMP is a volatile, strong-smelling substance detected in wines with cork stoppers that have an unpleasant ``corky{''}, ``herbaceous{''} (potato, green hazelnut), or ``dusty{''} odor that is very different from the typical ``fungal{''} nose of a ``corked{''} wine that is generally due to 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). The contamination of cork by MDMP is not correlated with the presence of TCA. It appears possible that R. excellensis is the microorganism mainly responsible for the presence of this molecule in cork bark. However, other observations suggest that MDMP might taint wine through other ways. Oak wood can also be contaminated and affect wines with which it comes into contact. Nevertheless, because 93% of the MDMP content in wood is destroyed after 10 min at 220 degrees C, sufficiently toasted oak barrels or alternatives probably do not represent a major source of MDMP in most of the cases. Due to MDMP's relatively low detection threshold estimated at 2.1 ng/L, its presence in about 40% of the untreated natural cork stoppers sampled at concentrations above 10 ng/cork suggests that this compound, if extracted from the stoppers, may pose a risk for wine producers.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 1155 16TH ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
Keywords: 2-Methoxy-3; 5-dimethylpyrazine; Cork; cork stopper; oak wood; Rhizobium excellensis; wine

Parsons on Pigs and Acorns* - Gade, Daniel W. (Geographical Review, 2010)
Many articles in the Geographical Review hold stories that resonate in the history of geography only when the passage of time provides the necessary detachment to put these accounts into a context of larger signiﬁcance. The circumstances behind the selection of a particular topic, vicissitudes of the research phase, personality of the author, and exchanges during the editorial process that bring it to publication together provide insight into the diﬀerent layers of geographical scholarship. To all that can be added another dimension: explaining the impact that the piece of writing has had on individuals who have read it. One article in the Geographical Review profoundly aﬀected the formation of my geographical imagination. It did so without appealing to any theory, showcasing some dazzling new technique, harboring an advocacy agenda, or exhorting the reader in any way. Now, nearly half a century after its publication, this text opened another level of reﬂection about its content, author, journal, editor, and changes in the place that was under study.
Keywords: acorns; Dehesa; Iberian ham (voyant); Oak woodland; pigs

Past tree range dynamics in the Iberian Peninsula inferred through phylogeography and palaeodistribution modelling: A review - Rodríguez-Sánchez, Francisco; Hampe, Arndt; Jordano, Pedro; Arroyo, Juan (Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 2010)
The forests in the Iberian Peninsula have been strongly inﬂuenced by past climatic changes, but reconstructing their historical distributions and dynamics is very difﬁcult due to the complex climatic characteristics and relief of the region. Research disciplines such as phylogeography and species distribution modelling can describe the past range dynamics of individual tree species in relatively great detail and help elucidate how these species have reacted to climatic changes. Here we review phylogeographical and modelling studies from species representative of the major Iberian forest types and attempt to extract general trends from the diversity of individual species histories in the Peninsula. To date most studies focus on geographical range dynamics during the Pleistocene, but an increasing body of evidence shows that some species have also retained the genetic imprints of much more ancient processes. Many widespread Iberian species show a deep and often remarkably clear-cut divide between populations from the Mediterranean and from the Atlantic regions of the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting that both areas have independently sustained viable populations over extended periods. In fact, phylogeographical studies commonly ﬁnd that species had several glacial refugia across the Iberian Peninsula. On the other hand, distribution models help identifying further suitable areas that could have sustained so far undetected refugia. Such studies are of interest for species conservation, because refugium populations are high-priority targets due to their longterm persistence and unique evolutionary trajectory. Overall, we conclude that palaeoecology, phylogeography and species distribution modelling have a great potential to inform each other because of their complementary perspectives and results. A true integration of these approaches is therefore fundamental for further progress in our understanding of past Iberian environments and the organisms they harboured.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: genetic diversity; glacial refugia; hindcasting; palaeobiogeography; Spain; species distribution modelling

Pharmaceutical ethnobotany in the western part of Granada province (southern Spain): ethnopharmacological synthesis. - Benítez, G.; González-Tejero, M. R.; Molero-Mesa, J. (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2010)
The aim of this work is to catalogue, document, and make known the uses of plants for folk medicine in the western part of the province of Granada (southern Spain). An analysis was made of the species used, parts of the plant employed, preparation methods, administration means, and the ailments treated in relation to pathological groups. Materials and methods: The work was performed in 16 municipalities within the study zone. The partici- pants were located mainly by questionnaires distributed in public and private centres. The information, gathered through semi-structured open interviews of a total of 279 people, was included in a database for subsequent analysis.Afloristic catalogue of the territorywascompiled, enabling analyses of the relevance of certain botanical families in popular medicine. Results and conclusions: Great diversity was established among medicinal species in the region. A total of 229 species of plants were catalogued for use in human medicine to prevent or treat 100 different health problems covering 14 different pathological groups. The number of references reached 1963. The popular pharmacopoeia of this area relies primarily on plants to treat digestive, respiratory, and circulatory problems, using mainly the soft parts of the plant (leavesandflowers)prepared in simpleways (decoction, infusion). An analysis of the medicinal ritual uses of 34 species and the different symptoms reflected a certain acculturation in relation to ethnobotanical knowledge in the last 20 years. Ethnopharmacological relevance: The traditional knowledge of plants was shown in relation to medicinal use, reflecting a striking diversity of species and uses, as well as their importance in popular plant therapy in the study zone. These traditions could pave the way for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies and thereby give rise to new medicinal resources.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20226847
Keywords: Acculturation; Ethnopharmacology; Folk medicine; Granada; Medicinal plants; Spain

Phenological trends in southern Spain: A response to climate change - García-Mozo, H.; Mestre, a; Galan, C. (Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2010)
The impact of climate change, and particularly of climate warming, is being tracked in many physical and biological systems. Plant phenology is seen as one of the most important bio-indicators, since trends can provide considerable temporal and spatial information regarding ongoing changes. Analyses performed at six sites in southern Spain from 1986 to the present have focused on vegetative and overall reproductive phenology in Olea europaea L., and Vitis vinifera L. and in various species of Quercus spp. and Poaceae. Early results suggest that trends in ﬂowering patterns derived from ﬁeld phenological observations were similar to trends in aerobiological data for most study species, and indicate a trend towards earlier foliation, ﬂowering and fruit ripening. This advance is more evident in arboreal than in herbaceous species. Statistical analysis showed temperature increase was the major factor affecting earlier foliation, ﬂowering and fruit ripening, as well as prompting delayed leaf fall. Herbaceous species were more affected than trees by changes in rainfall records
Keywords: Aerobiology; climate change; Phenology; pollen

Phenology of two syntopic Eukoenenia species in a northern Italian forest soil (Arachnida: Palpigradi) - Christian, Erhard; Capurro, Matteo; Galli, Loris (REVUE SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE, 2010)
Phenology of two syntopic Eukoenenia species in a northern Italianforest soil (Arachnida: Palpigradi). - The present paper provides evidence for the co-occurrence of edaphic palpigrade species in Europe. Eukoenenia mirabilis and E. gallii coexist in the soil of a cork oak plantation on the Ligurian coast in northwestern Italy. Year-round sampling there produced, for the first time in a temperate zone, complete annual cycles of palpigrade populations. In the study area E. mirabilis and E. gallii are univoltine. Both species reproduce in summer and overwinter predominantly in the adult stage. The balanced sex-ratio of the resident E. mirabilis population is remarkable, because males of this widespread species are usually rare or absent.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: CASE POSTALE 6434, ATTN:DENISE MAIER ADMN REV SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE, CH-L211 GENEVA 6, SWITZERLAND publisher: MUSEUM HISTOIRE NATURELLE
Keywords: Palpigrades; edaphic; life cycle; sex ratio; Roman

Pollen analysis from two littoral marshes (Bourdim and Garaat El-Ouez) in the El-Kala wet complex (North-East Algeria). Lateglacial and Holocene history of Algerian vegetation. - Benslama, Mohamed; Andrieu-Ponel, Valérie; Guiter, Frédéric; Reille, Maurice; de Beaulieu, Jacques-Louis; Migliore, Jérémy; Djamali, Morteza (Comptes rendus biologies, 2010)
The study of two pollen sequences from El-Kala marshes allowed the reconstruction of the regional vegetation history supported by eight radiocarbon dates. Pollen assemblages from Bourdim site were dominated by local input of Alnus and Salix, while regional vegetation was characterized by scattered Quercus suber forests with a well-developed Erica arborea matorral. While the vegetation dynamics recorded at Bourdim is recent (Late Holocene), the majority of the pollen diagram from Garaat El-Ouez is contemporaneous to the Late Pleniglacial and is characterized by open woodlands with Pinus, Poaceae and several heliophilous herbs. The significant values of Cedrus pollen identified in this period indicate that the region of El-Kala most probably played the role of a refugium for this tree.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20965444
Keywords: Afrique du Nord; Analyse pollinique; Cedrus; Histoire de la végétation; Refuges

Post-fire tree mortality in mixed forests of central Portugal - Catry, F. X.; Rego, F.; Moreira, F.; Fernandes, P. M.; Pausas, J. G. (Forest Ecology and Management, 2010)
Wildﬁres are a recurrent disturbance in the Mediterranean Basin. However, managers from this region are confronted with a lack of information on the effects of ﬁre on most woody species, which is required for deﬁning sustainable forest management strategies. Following a large wildﬁre in central Portugal (2003), we surveyed the area during the ﬁrst year and assessed the vegetative condition of 1040 burned trees from 11 different species. Among those trees, 755 individuals were selected and monitored annually for 4 years. At the end of the study, almost all the broadleaved trees survived, while most coniferous died. In spite of the low mortality observed in broadleaves, most were top-killed and regenerated only from basal resprouts, which implies a slow recovering process. Quercus suber, however, showed vigorous post-ﬁre crown resprouting and was the most resilient species. We ﬁtted logistic regression models to predict the probability of individual tree mortality and top-kill from ﬁre injury indicators and tree characteristics. Besides the differences between the two main functional groups (coniferous, broadleaved), bole char height and crown volume scorched or consumed were important predictors of tree responses. Additionally, the main factor determining crown mortality on broadleaved species was bark thickness. The selected models performed well when tested with independent data obtained on four other wild- ﬁres. These models have several potential applications and can be useful to managers making pre-ﬁre or post-ﬁre decisions in mixed forest stands in the western Mediterranean Basin.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Fire effects; Mediterranean ecosystems; Modelling; resprouting; Tree survival; Wildﬁres

Potential gene exchange between Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki and Bacillus spp. in soil in situ - Donnarumma, Francesca; Paffetti, Donatella; Stotzky, Guenther; Giannini, Raffaello; Vettori, Cristina (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2010)
The possible transfer of genes from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk) to indigenous Bacillus spp. was investigated in soil samples from stands of cork oak in Orotelli (Sardinia, Italy) collected 5 years after spraying of the stands with a commercial insecticidal preparation (FORAY 48B) of Btk. Two colonies with a morphology different from that of Btk were isolated and identiﬁed as Bacillus mycoides by morphological and physiological characteristics and by 16S rDNA analysis. Ampliﬁcation by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the DNA of the two isolated B. mycoides colonies with primers used for the identiﬁ- cation of the Btk cry genes showed the presence of a fragment of 238 bp of the cry1Ab9 gene that had a similarity of 100% with the sequence of the cry1Ab9 gene present in GenBank, indicating that the isolates of B. mycoides acquired part of the sequence of this gene from Btk. No cells of Btk or B. mycoides carrying the 238-bp fragment of the cry1Ab9 gene were isolated from samples of unsprayed control soil. However, the isolates of B. mycoides were not able to express the partial Cry1Ab protein. Hybridization with probes for IS231 and the cry1Ab9 gene suggested that the inverted repeated sequence, IS231, was probably involved in the transfer of the 238-bp fragment from Btk to B. mycoides. These results indicate that transfer of genes between introduced Btk and indigenous Bacillus spp. can occur in soil under ﬁeld conditions.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Bacillus mycoides; Bacillus spp; bacillus thuringiensis subsp; Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki; cry genes; Horizontal gene transfer; kurstaki; Natural soil environment

Potential of biomass residues for energy production and utilization in a region of Portugal - Fernandes, U.; Costa, M. (Biomass and Bioenergy, 2010)
This article concentrates on the evaluation of the potential of biomass residues, both forest and agricultural residues, for energy production and utilization in a region of Portugal (Marva˜o). Marva˜o has been identiﬁed as an excellent region for the installation of smallscale biomass plants for heating purposes given the relatively high potential of biomass residues that it presents. The assessment of the potential of the biomass residues was carried out using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) database and statistical analysis. It was concluded that the annual biomass residues potential for Marva˜o is about 10,600 tonnes, which corresponds to an energy production potential of about 106,000 GJ per annum. In addition, to illustrate the potential of biomass residues for energy utilization in the region of Marva˜o, the heating system of a hotel located in Marva˜o village has been analyzed as a case study. It was concluded that the conversion of the existing fossil fuelbased heating system to a biomass-based system would have economical and environmental advantages for local investors.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Biomass residues; Energy potential; GIS; Pellets boiler

Predicting understory maximum shrubs cover using altitude and overstory basal area in different Mediterranean forests - Coll, Lluís; González-Olabarria, José Ramón; Mola-Yudego, Blas; Pukkala, Timo; Messier, Christian (European Journal of Forest Research, 2010)
In some areas of the Mediterranean basin where the understory stratum represents a critical ﬁre hazard, managing the canopy cover to control the understory shrubby vegetation is an ecological alternative to the current mechanical management techniques. In this study, we determine the relationship between the overstory basal area and the cover of the understory shrubby vegetation for different dominant canopy species (Pinaceae and Fagaceae species) along a wide altitudinal gradient in the province of Catalonia (Spain). Analyses were conducted using data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory. At the regional scale, when all stands are analysed together, a strong negative relationship between mean shrub cover and site elevation was found. Among the Pinaceae species, we found fairly good relationships between stand basal area and the maximum development of the shrub stratum for species located at intermediate elevations (Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris). However, at the extremes of the elevationclimatic gradient (Pinus halepensis and Pinus uncinata stands), stand basal area explained very little of the shrub cover variation probably because microsite and topographic factors override its effect. Among the Fagaceae species, a negative relationship between basal area and the maximum development of the shrub stratum was found in Quercus humilis and Fagus sylvatica dominated stands but not in Quercus ilex. This can be due to the particular canopy structure and management history of Q. ilex stands. In conclusion, our study revealed a marked effect of the tree layer composition and the environment on the relationship between the development of the understory and overstory tree structure. More ﬁne-grained studies are needed to provide forest managers with more detailed information about the relationship between these two forest strata.
Keywords: á altitude á; á fagaceae; Altitude; Basal area; e47; european network for forest; Fagaceae; Overstory; overstory á basal area; Pinaceae; Shrub cover; shrub cover á pinaceae; the cost action; the final conference of; this article originates from; vegetation management

Presence of env-like sequences in Quercus suber retrotransposons - Carvalho, M.; Ribeiro, T.; Viegas, W.; Morais-Cecílio, L.; Rocheta, M. (Journal of Applied Genetics, 2010)
The main difference between LTR retrotransposons and retroviruses is the presence of theenvelope (env) gene in the latter, downstream of thepol gene. Theenv gene is involved in their infectious capacity. Here we report the presence ofenv-like sequences in the genome ofQuercus suber (cork oak), one of the most economically important Portuguese species. These gene sequences were isolated through DNA amplification betweenRNaseH conserved motifs and 3’ LTR, based on the structure ofcopia retrotransposons. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that almost all the clones isolated are clustered withCyclops-2, aTy3-gypsy element identified inPisum sativum, except one clustered withgypsy andcopia retroelements found in different species. This suggests the existence of a potential ancestral sequence of theenv gene, prior to the separation ofTy3-gypsy andTy1-copia retrotransposons. Additionally, the isolatedenv-like sequences showed 26–39% of homology withenv-like sequences characterized in viruses. The origin ofenv-like sequences in retrotransposons from host plant taxa is discussed.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Springer-Verlag
Keywords: copia retroelements; Cork oak; envelope-like gene; retrotransposons; retrovirus

Private Net Benefits from Afforesting Marginal Cropland and Shrubland with Cork Oaks in Spain - Ovando, Paola; Campos, Pablo; Oviedo, José L.; Montero, Gregorio (Forest Science, 2010)
We estimate the private net benefits from afforesting marginal shrubland and cropland with cork oaks at two Spanish cork oak sites, Aljibe and Gavarres, in different time horizon frames. The analysis integrates market and nonmarket (landowner amenity) private capital incomes, including government afforestation grants. We apply cost-benefit analysis techniques for estimating the investment present value in the periods analyzed, taking residual values of cork oak woodland into account. The results show that the profitability rate of cork oak afforestation strongly depends on government subsidies. The value of private amenities, at least in Aljibe, seems to be positively affected by the forest area's share of the total estate surface. Thus, an increase in the afforested area would enhance the private amenity annual income with respect to maintaining the original property land's treeless uses. A higher level of private amenities attached to the forest area may imply a reduction in government grants for encouraging cork oak afforestation.
Keywords: cost-benefit analysis; government grants; market incomes; private amenity

Quantitative and enantioselective analysis of monoterpenes from plant chambers and in ambient air using SPME - Yassaa, N.; Custer, T.; Song, W.; Pech, F.; Kesselmeier, J.; Williams, J. (ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES, 2010)
A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system has been developed for quantifying enantiomeric and nonenantiomeric monoterpenes in plant chamber studies and ambient air. Performance of this system was checked using a capillary diffusion system to produce monoterpene standards. The adsorption efficiency, competitive adsorption and chromatographic peak resolution of monoterpene enantiomer pairs were compared for three SPME fibre coatings: 75 mu m Carboxen-PDMS (CAR-PDMS), 50/30 mu m divinylbenzene-carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-CAR-PDMS) and 65 mu m divinylbenzene-polydimethylsiloxane (DVB-PDMS). Key parameters such as the linearity and reproducibility of the SPME system have been investigated in this work. The best compromise between the enantiomeric separation of monoterpenes and competitive adsorption of the isoprenoids on the solid SPME fibre coating was found for DVB-PDMS fibres. The optimum conditions using DVB-PDMS fibres were applied to measure the exchange rates of monoterpenes in the emission of Quercus ilex using a laboratory whole plant enclosure under light and dark conditions, as well as in ambient air. With 592 and 223 ng m(-2) s(-1) respectively, beta-myrcene and limonene were the predominant monoterpenes in the emission of Q. ilex. These values were closely comparable to those obtained using a zNose and cartridge GC-FID systems.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: BAHNHOFSALLEE 1E, GOTTINGEN, 37081, GERMANY publisher: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Keywords: GC/MS; Quercus ilex

Quantitatively defining the conservation status of Natura 2000 forest habitats and improving management options for enhancing biodiversity - Hernando, Ana; Tejera, Rosario; Velazquez, Javier; Núñez, María Victoria (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2010)
The main goal of Natura 2000 network is to guarantee the favourable conservation status of habitats and species ensuring European biodiversity. As a result, certain forest areas have been included in this network listed as 9230-Quercus pyrenaica habitat and 9340-Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia forest habitat. These areas were previously used for ﬁrewood extraction or livestock grazing and browsing. Nowadays these habitats are coppice forests with asexual regeneration, which is far from the desired conservation status. Traditional timber harvesting plans do not take account of the new objectives required for these Natura sites, which attempt to ensure biodiversity and recreational uses instead of simply focusing on timber production. This paper proposes a ﬂexible methodology (applied to the study area ‘‘Dehesa Boyal’’ in A´ vila, Spain) for managing Natura 2000 forest sites by stands for sustainable forest management and the new requirements. The methodology has two phases. The ﬁrst, ‘‘Division of the forest area into stands’’, deﬁnes homogeneous patches of vegetation distinct in species composition, physiognomic structure and future management. The second, ‘‘Conservation status assessment of stands’’, quantiﬁes the conservation status of each previously classiﬁed stand considering a series of factors such as: functional health, restoration, ﬂoral richness and structure. A total value integrating the conservation status of stands is then calculated for the habitat. Both phases use Geographic Information System tools for managing information and visualizing results. The proposed methodology provides forest managers with a good knowledge of the territory and subsequently enables them to take appropriate conservation measures to maintain biodiversity.
Keywords: Adaptive management; Asexual regeneration; Cattle; Coppice forest; GIS; Mediterranean biogeographic region; oak; Quercus pyrenaica; Spain; Stand

Reconstructing past cultural landscape and human impact using pollen and plant macroremains - Sadori, L.; MERCURI, A. M.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M. (Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2010)
Abstract Three examples of plant landscape shaping, carried out by Iron Age populations living in different geographical areas, are presented. The examples differ in population type (Garamantes, Etruscans, and Romans), archaeological context (settlement, necropolis, furnace, port), and area of plant exploitation (respectively, Fezzan ? Libyan Sahara and Tuscany, Latium ? central Italy). The leitmotiv of the three parallel investigations highlighted that humans induced clear changes in plant cover modifying the quantitative ratio among native elements and spreading the plants of economic interest even outside of their natural habitats. Micro- and macroremain analyses once more enhanced that landscape reconstruction depends on both wild and cultivated plants, and that the cultural plant landscape is composed of a complex mixture of indigenous and exotic elements. Archaeobotany results in great help in reviewing ancient prejudices, rewriting history in a modern ecological view, also discovering a different role in the landscape evolution of past civilizations. In this light, the Garamantes deeply transformed the oases in agrarian producer sites, and the Etruscans, in the area of the Gulf of Follonica, modified the previous forest vegetation, probably enhancing the xeric features. The Romans, believed as the main creators of the environmental changes in the Mediterranean basin, surprisingly did not produce consistent plant changes in the area of the Tiber delta, in the surroundings of the imperial port of Rome, during the first century AD.
doi: 10.1080/11263504.2010.491982doi: 10.1080/11263504.2010.491982The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: Archaeobotany; cultural landscape; Etruscans; Garamantes; Iron Age; macroremains; pollen; Romans

Regeneration niche of the Canarian juniper: the role of adults, shrubs and environmental conditions - Otto, Rüdiger; Krüsi, Bertil O.; Delgado, Juan D.; Fernández-Palacios, José María; García-Del-Rey, Eduardo; Arévalo, José Ramón (Annals of Forest Science, 2010)
• Canarian Juniper woodlands, now very scarce, are rich in endemic and endangered plants. However, many aspects of juniper regeneration are almost unknown. • This paper relates occurrence and abundance of recruits of Juniperus turbinata ssp. canariensis to (1) small-scale soil characteristics; (2) vegetation cover; and (3) distance to conspeciﬁc adults in two contrasting juniper stands in the eastern mountains of Tenerife. We used non-parametric classiﬁcation trees and generalised linear models (GLM) to evaluate the eﬀect and importance of each explanatory variable on the occurrence of juniper saplings. • Sapling density, vitality and growth rate, as well as fruit production by adult trees, but neither cone density on the ground nor sapling size, varied signiﬁcantly with respect to slope orientation, representing environmental stress. Within each stand, distance to nearest adult tree was the most important variable explaining the spatial distribution of juniper saplings and availability of seeds in cones. Additionally, saplings were positively associated with shrub cover at the microsite-level, but not with spiny shrub cover. Soil depth and rock cover had a weak negative eﬀect on sapling establishment, but only at the south-facing site and in the open space microhabitat. • Results suggest that recruitment of Canarian juniper is facilitated by microhabitats oﬀered by adults and shrubs. The key factors aﬀecting recruitment are thought to be (1) favourable microenvironmental conditions and (2) high ambient seed availability. Browsing intensity in recent decades was very low. The presence of spiny shrubs did not favour juniper establishment. Facilitation therefore appears to result from amelioration of abiotic conditions rather than from protection against herbivory.
Keywords: Canary Islands; GLM; juniperus turbinata ssp canariensis; microhabitat; Regeneration

Relationships of Selected Soil Parameters and Natural Pastures Yield in the Montado Ecosystem of the Mediterranean Area Using Multivariate Analysis - Ferreira, Eugénio Mendes; Simões, Nuno; Castro, Isabel Videira e; Carneiro, Luís (Silva Lusitana, 2010)
Chemical, physical and biological soil parameters (OM, total N, pH, P2O5, K2O, Mg, B, WHC, free–living nitrogen fixing and rhizobial microflora properties) and pastures yield were characterized and used to determine relationships in 40 locations covering different growth conditions of the "montado" ecosystem. Soil samples were collected in Spring. Reasonable soil fertility was found. The soils presented, in general, intermediate values for OM, K2O, Mg, and Bo and low values for pH and P2O5. Populations of free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria were high, with an average of 4.2 x 107 CFU g-1 of soil, being nitrogenase activity highly variable, with an average of 34 nmoles of C2H4 g-1 of soil h-1. Rhizobial population associated to Trifolium subterraneum was high, with an average of 106 bacteria g-1 of soil, having adequate nitrogen fixing potential for the majority of the soils. Rhizobial population associated to Medicago polymorpha was low, with an average of 6.5 x 104 bacteria g-1 of soil, an insufficient value for a good nodulation, having low nitrogen fixing potential for the majority of the soils. Annual yield of natural pastures varied highly among locals, with an average of 3245 kg ha-1, a usual value for this ecosystem. In general, soil properties were independent of the soil samples. The chemical parameters OM, P2O5, K2O and total N were important factors to pasture yield. A great variability, even in soil samples collected within a short distance, was observed. A relationship between geological origin and productivity was found, being the granitic soils more productive in non-legume plants
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: scielopt
Keywords: Montado ecosystem; pasture yield; soil parameters; sustainable agriculture

Relative Effect of Food Supplementation and Natural Resources on Female Red Deer Distribution in a Mediterranean Ecosystem - Pérez-González, Javier; Barbosa, a Márcia; Carranza, Juan; Torres-Porras, Jerónimo (Journal of Wildlife Management, 2010)
Supplementary feeding is a widespread game management practice in several red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations, with important potential consequences on the biology of this species. In Mediterranean ecosystems food supplementation occurs in the rutting period, when it may change mating system characteristics. We studied the role of food supplementation relative to natural resources in the spatial distribution, aggregation, and mean harem size of females in Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) during the rut. We studied 30 red deer populations of southwestern Spain, 63% of which experienced supplementary feeding. Using multivariate spatial analyses we found that food supplementation affected distribution of females in 95% of the populations in which it occurred. Green meadows present during the mating season acted as an important natural resource influencing female distribution. Additionally, the level of female aggregation and mean harem size were significantly higher in those populations in which food supplementation determined female distribution than in populations in which female distribution did not depend on supplementary feeding. Because female aggregation and mean harem size are key elements in sexual selection, supplementary feeding may constitute an important anthropogenic element with potential evolutionary implications for populations of Iberian red deer.
Keywords: cervus elaphus; environmental resources; female aggregation; mating system; Mediterranean ecosystems; spatial analyses

Retention of native vegetation within the plantation matrix improves its conservation value for a generalist woodpecker - Barrientos, Rafael (Forest Ecology and Management, 2010)
The suitability of plantation monocultures for the conservation of forest animals is an issue under continous debate. The adaptability of forest dwellers and the forest management regime seem to play key roles. In this study, I investigated the habitat selection of a generalist bird, the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), within a pine (Pine spp.) monoculture, as well as the importance of the native habitat features within the pine matrix for the species’ conservation. I compared 52 plots with woodpecker presence against 121 plots where the species was absent, as well as 68 nest-trees against 90 random ones. Regression analyses were used to investigate the habitat attributes involved in the habitat selection. Although the great spotted woodpecker is considered a generalist forest dweller, it shows a marked habitat selection. Based on presence/absence records, the woodpecker prefers wellforested patches with high levels of tree diversity and with good coverage of a secondary species such as the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). To excavate their nests, woodpeckers select large trees in patches where other trees are also larger, rejecting patches with a high number of small trees. The most striking conclusion from this work is the preference shown for native trees, especially Portuguese oaks (Quercus faginea), as nest-trees. This is noteworthy because native trees are smaller and they are surrounded by smaller trees than pines. These ﬁndings support that woodpecker conservation beneﬁts from an increase of habitat heterogeneity, particularly by the retention of native woodland patches within the plantation matrix.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Afforestation; Biodiversity conservation; Forest management; Forest policy; landscape ecology; Plantation design

Root decomposition in grazed and abandoned dry Mediterranean dehesa and mesic mountain grasslands estimated by standard labelled roots - Casals, Pere; Garcia-Pausas, Jordi; Montané, Francesc; Romanyà, Joan; Rovira, Pere (Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2010)
Because root turnover represents the major source for building up soil organic matter in ecosystems with high belowground allocation, like grasslands, sensitive analyses on root decomposition rates may contribute to point out the effect of grazing abandonment on soil C and N dynamics. The objective was to detect changes in root C and N mineralization due to pasture abandonment in Mediterranean dehesa mountain grasslands. Root decomposition was estimated by ﬁeld incubation of 13 C- and 15 N-labelled wheat roots mixed with unlabelled soil over one year at 5 cm depth in grazed and short-term excluded grasslands in three contrasting situations: (i) a Mediterranean dehesa, (ii) altimontane and (iii) subalpine sites. In addition, the long-term effect of grazing abandonment was estimated in a subalpine shrub encroached site. Overall, root decomposition rates decrease from Mediterranean to mountain sites. Moreover, on mountain sites, either grazing exclusion or shrub encroachment reduced 13 C losses from root–soil bags in about four to seven percentage units; in contrast, such an effect was not detected in the Mediterranean grassland. The dynamics of 15 N derived from root–soil bags was site-dependent without a clear pattern related to site climate or grazing abandonment. In general, the fate of mineralized root-N, leached or immobilized in the surrounding soil, seems to be related to soil variables such as the C:N ratio.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: 13C; 15N; Grazing exclusion; Shrub encroachment; Subalpine grasslands; Tracer techniques

RUNOFF PRODUCTION AND EROSION PROCESSES ON A DEHESA IN WESTERN SPAIN* - Ceballos, Antonio; Cerdà, A.; Schnabel, Susanne (Geographical Review, 2010)
Runoff generation and soil erosion were investigated at the Guadalperal6n ex- perimental watershed (western Spain), within the land-use system known as dehesa, or open, managed evergreen forests. Season and type of surface were found to control runoff and soil- loss rates. Five soil units were selected as representative of surface types found in the study area: hillslope grass, bottom grass, tree cover, sheep trails, and shrub cover. Measurements were made in various conditions with simulated rainfall to gain an idea of the annual varia- tion in runoff and soil loss. Important seasonal differences were noted due to surface cover and moisture content of soil, but erosion rates were determined primarily by runoff. Surfaces covered with grass and shrubs always showed less erosion; surfaces covered with holm oaks showed higher runoff rates, due to the hydrophobic character of the soils. Concentrations of runoff sediment during the siniulations confirmed that erosion rates at the study site de- pended directly on the sediment available on the soil surface
Keywords: Dehesa; erosion; land use; rainfall simulation; runoff; Spain

Seasonal physiological responses of Argania spinosa tree from Mediterranean to semi-arid climate - Díaz-Barradas, Mari Cruz; Zunzunegui, María; Ain-Lhout, Fatima; Jáuregui, Juan; Boutaleb, Said; Álvarez-Cansino, Leonor; Esquivias, Mari Paz (Plant and Soil, 2010)
Argania spinosa (the argan tree) is a slowgrowing tree endemic of Morocco, growing on semiarid areas where no other tree species can live. With the aim of predicting temporal changes in A. spinosa woodlands under a probable increase in aridity, we set off to investigate these questions: how do A. spinosa physiological attributes respond to variations in climatic conditions and seasonality, and which is the set of attributes that most affects tree response to environmental conditions? In three study sites, Beni Snassen (North), High-Atlas (Mountain) and Admine Forest in Agadir (Coastal), gas exchange measurements, photochemical efficiency, leaf water potential and different leaf attributes were monitored in February, July and November of 2006. The Mountain site presents the most continental climate. Trees in this site were the most stressed in summer, having the lowest midday leaf water potential values, photochemical efficiency and assimilation rates. We found a Ψmd threshold around -4 MPa, below which stomatal conductance responds linearly to Ψmd . Plants from the North area never reached this threshold during the study period. Although leaf pigments presented a clear seasonal pattern, leaves from Coastal trees exhibit the highest content for each season. The three study sites were separated by two discriminate functions obtained by canonical discriminant analysis. In summer, the Mountain population is separated from the other sites mainly by assimilation rate and Fv /Fm, while in winter transpiration rates and chlorophyll content are the main discriminant variables. Our study shows that A. spinosa trees adjust their physiological status and leaf attributes to environmental conditions allowing plants to thrive under a dry climate. Under a scenario of global change, the distribution of the argan tree likely shifts to milder areas.
Keywords: Browsing; Drought; leaf traits; photochemical efficiency; Stomatal conductance; water relations

Seasonal trends and spatial relations between environmental/meteorological factors and leishmaniosis sand fly vector abundances in Central Spain - Galvez, R.; Descalzo, M. A.; Miro, G.; Jimenez, M. I.; Martin, O.; Dos Santos-Brandao, F.; Guerrero, I.; Cubero, E.; Molina, R. (ACTA TROPICA, 2010)
This paper reports on an entomological survey performed over the period 2006-2008 in Central Spain (mainly in the Madrid province) where canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is endemic. The study area was selected on the grounds of its wide altitude range, which determines both broad climate and vegetation ranges that could affect sand fly distributions. This area was surveyed from NE to SW across its mountain range (Sistema Central) and plateau area using sticky traps mainly on embankments. In 2006 and 2007, 123 sites were sampled (9557 sand flies captured) to establish possible relations between environmental or meteorological factors and vector densities (Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus ariasi). The factors correlated with higher vector densities were: a sample site between villages or at the edge of a village, the lack of a paved road, a rural habitat, an east or south-facing wall or wall sheltered from the wind, the presence of livestock or birds, a holm-oak wood vegetation, a lower summer mean temperature and lower annual mean precipitation. This study was followed by a seasonal survey conducted at 16 selected sites (14,353 sand flies) sampled them monthly from May to November 2008. P. perniciosus showed a diphasic seasonal trend with two abundance peaks in July and September whereas P. ariasi showed a monophasic trend with one peak in August. Comparing with data from studies performed in 1991 in the same area, vector densities are significantly higher. A possible explanation for this is that the vectors (mainly P. ariasi) are moving towards higher altitudes perhaps because of global change. This increasing trend could have an impact on CanL and its geographical distribution. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Keywords: Canine leishmaniosis; Environmental and meteorological factors; Phlebotomus ariasi; Phlebotomus perniciosus; Sand fly vector; Spain

Self-shading in cork oak seedlings: Functional implications in heterogeneous light environments - Esteso-Martínez, Jordán; Peguero-Pina, José Javier; Valladares, Fernando; Morales, Fermín; Gil-Pelegrín, Eustaquio (Acta Oecologica, 2010)
The high self-shading found in Quercus suber seedlings has been interpreted as a feature common for plants growing in high light environments. But many studies reveal that Q. suber has high survival rates under low-light conditions, so a high degree of self-shading could be the consequence of a foliage composed of many small leaves, with no drawbacks for coping with low light. A characterization of the light environment in a Q. suber stand together with a study of photosynthetic parameters of full sunlightexposed (FSLE) and self-shaded (SS) leaves were carried out to tackle this apparent contradiction. Although the number of sunﬂecks longer than 120 min during the 3 months of measurements was low, the occurrence of at least one sunﬂeck longer than 120 min per day in the understory of the forest studied was very common. Sunﬂecks shorter than 30 min promoted an increase in net photosynthesis (A) in FSLE leaves, but not in SS leaves. However, sunﬂecks longer than 60 min led to a very strong decrease in A and in actual photosystem II efﬁciency (FPSII ) in FSLE leaves, when compared to sunﬂecks shorter than 30 min. In SS leaves, changes were, again, negligible. The multi-layered foliage of Q. suber seedlings allowed i) FSLE leaves to obtain the maximum photosynthetic yield for short sunﬂecks, and ii) SS leaves to increase their contribution to the photosynthesis of the whole plant for long sunﬂecks, thus, optimizing the use of light by FSLE and SS leaves during short and long sunﬂecks respectively. Therefore, shoot architecture of Q. suber seedlings involving high levels of self-shading allows to adequately cope with the low but highly heterogeneous light conditions of the understory, particularly when sunﬂecks of contrasting durations take place as it is frequently the case for evergreen Mediterranean forests
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS
Keywords: Canopy structure; Light stress; Mediterranean; Quercus suber; Self-shading

Short-term effects on sheep pastureland due to grazing abandonment in a Western Mediterranean island ecosystem: A multidisciplinary approach - Farris, Emmanuele; Filigheddu, Rossella; Deiana, Pietrino; Farris, Giovanni a; Garau, Giovanni (Journal for Nature Conservation, 2010)
Changes of pasture communities consequent to management practices resulting from land abandonment considerably affect the structure and function of the ecosystem. This study analyses the consequences of grazing abandonment in terms of plant and soil microbial diversity and fertility, on a Mediterranean upland sheep pasture, over a short period (ﬁve years). Grazing was experimentally excluded by fencing ten 10 10 m permanent plots within an area that had supported grazing until 2000, by 0.23 sheep ha 1 . Plant and soil microbial communities and physicochemical parameters were monitored within the fenced and unfenced control plots, during three sampling times from 2000 (before the fencing) to 2005. Grazing cessation notably altered the ﬂoral composition, with an average dissimilarity of 96.7% between the vegetation communities, over ﬁve years. No signiﬁcant change occurred in the control plots that were grazed throughout the sampling period. This work highlighted that, over a short term, the structural change in the speciﬁc plant composition affected only the grass species, conﬁrming that grazing favours the small-sized species over the annual species. Further, it was evident that species groups of conservational and phytogeographic interest, like the endemic and Mediterranean-Atlantic species, tended to disappear with pasture abandonment and were substituted by more widespread species throughout the Mediterranean or even the world. Pasture abandonment was accompanied by an increase of soil pH and a decrease in soil organic matter and soil nitrogen. The microbial parameters recorded at three different sampling times revealed a substantial effect of the plant community, or the time of grazing abandonment, on soil microbial abundance and diversity. Considerable importance is given to the consequences of pasture abandonment on the conservation of plant and microbial diversity and on soil fertility.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier
Keywords: animal-plant interactions; Habitat directive; Land-use change; Mediterranean basin; Microbial community; plant diversity; Poetea bulbosae; Soil fertility

Snail and millipede complementarity in decomposing Mediterranean forest leaf litter mixtures - De Oliveira, Tatiana; Hättenschwiler, Stephan; Tanya Handa, Ira (Functional Ecology, 2010)
1. The projected increase in loss of biodiversity worldwide has prompted the need to understand the role that diversity plays in key ecosystem functions such as litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. Here we asked how two contrasting species of saprophagous macrofauna and four Mediterranean forest leaf litter species interactively affect decomposition in a 6-week microcosm study. 2. Litter mass loss and macrofauna relative consumption rates (RCR) were measured on treatments with freshly fallen or partially decomposed leaf litter of Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus angustifolia, Pistacia terebinthus and Quercus ilex as single-species or mixtures in absence and presence of the gastropod, Pomatias elegans, the diplopod, Glomeris marginata, or both macrofauna species. 3. Macrofauna consumed all litter substrates except freshly fallen P. terebinthus as a single-species litter that was fatal to both animals, although its presence in litter mixtures increased overall RCR. Consumption was higher in partially decomposed than freshly fallen litter, and higher in litter mixtures than in single-species litter. Both litter state and mixing interacted significantly with macrofauna treatment where generally, RCR by P. elegans alone was inferior to that of G. marginata alone or in combination with P. elegans. 4. An overall positive complementarity effect on litter RCR between G. marginata and P. elegans was observed in freshly fallen litter. Particularly strong complementarity was observed in two mixtures of freshly fallen litter and also in one mixture of partially decomposed litter. 5. There were no non-additive effects of litter mixing on litter mass loss in the absence of animals, indicating no interactions among litter substrates during decomposition. However, in the presence of either G. marginata and/or P. elegans, positive and negative interactions among litter substrates occurred and were enhanced or reversed by the addition of the second macrofauna species. 6. We conclude that saprophagous macrofauna play a critical role in the decomposition dynamics of Mediterranean forest litter by interacting with each other and by driving interactions among litter substrates.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: Biodiversity; diplopod; gastropod; litter consumption; non-additive effects; synergy

Spatial analysis of gypsy moth populations in Sardinia using geostatistical and climate models - Cocco, Arturo; Cossu, Antonio Q.; Erre, Patrizia; Nieddu, Giovanni; Luciano, Pietro (Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 2010)
1 Spatial ﬂuctuations of the Sardinian population of the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) were characterized using geostatistical and climate models. Data on gypsy moth egg mass abundance recorded at 282 permanent monitoring sites from 1980 to 2004 were incorporated in a geographic information system with the vegetational, geomorphological and pedological features of the sites. 2 Statistical analyses revealed that the relative outbreak frequency was related to the predominant host tree, slope and elevation of the monitoring sites, whereas there was no correlation between outbreak frequency and exposure and soil type. 3 By using bioclimatic modelling, probability maps of gypsy moth outbreaks were generated. The model identiﬁed a probability surface with climatic conditions favourable to gypsy moth outbreaks and thus potentially subject to defoliation. The maps included 92 sites where outbreaks never occurred, suggesting that the Sardinian climate may not be a determinant factor for gypsy moth outbreaks. 4 The geostatistical method cokriging with outbreak frequency as a covariate was found to be the most suitable technique to estimate gypsy moth egg mass abundance. Semivariograms showed spatial correlation of egg mass abundance within the range 18.5–53 km. The results obtained were used to create regional gypsy moth distribution maps by cokriging, which demonstrated the outbreak foci and different infestation levels at each monitoring area. These results can help to delim
Keywords: floramap; geographic information system; kriging; Lymantria dispar; probability map; spatial distribution

Spatial pattern of adult trees and the mammal-generated seed rain in the Iberian pear - Fedriani, Jose M.; Wiegand, Thorsten; Delibes, Miguel (Ecography, 2010)

Species-Specific Responses of Tree Saplings to Herbivory in Contrasting Light Environments: An Experimental Approach - Baraza, Elena; Zamora, Regino; Hódar, José a (Ecoscience, 2010)
Light availability and herbivory are 2 major factors affecting the regeneration of woody species, and thus a better perception of how light and herbivory interact to shape the sapling performance of cohabitant tree species emerges as a key issue. The purpose of this work is to experimentally analyze the influence of light conditions on tree responses to browsing. We evaluated the responses to browsing (simulated by mechanical clipping of 50% of current-year shoots) of saplings from 2 deciduous (Acer opalus ssp. granatense and Quercus pyrenaica) and 2 evergreen (Quercus ilex and Pinus nigra ssp. salzmannii) late-successional tree species, measuring an array of morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits. The experiment was performed with saplings grown for 2 y under 3 experimental light environments emulating natural microhabitats: full (open microhabitats), 80% (below pioneer shrub canopy), and 13% (below tree canopy) sunlight. Clipping affected biomass distribution, growth, and sapling size, while only slight physiological and biochemical effects were detected. Species characteristics and the light environment in which saplings grow determine their capacity to recover biomass lost after herbivore damage. Black pine was found to be the least tolerant species to clipping, whereas the broadleaf species displayed greater recovery after clipping. Light scarcity increased the nutritional quality of plants and negatively affected herbivory tolerance of 3 of the 4 species.
Keywords: ainsi; analyser; arbres ressort comme un; clipping; compensation capacity; d; élément clé; espèces; espèces coexistantes d; herbivorie interagissent pour modeler; herbivorie sont 2 facteurs; la; la disponibilité de la; la façon dont la; le but de ce; light availability; ligneuses; lumière et l; performance des gaules d; principaux influençant la régénération; regeneration niche; résumé; sapling; travail est d; une meilleure compréhension de

Structural characterizarion of extensive farms in Andalusian dehesas - García, A.; Perea, J.; Acero, R.; Angón, E. (Arch. Zoot, 2010)
Three types of livestock farming systems are identified in Andalusian dehesas using multivariate analysis. One of two conservationist systems, both applying sustainable management criteria, was detected in most of farms: dehesa farming system (49% of farms): small extensive cattle and sheep farms, which adapt stocking rates to the availability of the land's natural resources, and occasional use of strategic food supplementation; mountain farming system (21%) also relative to small farms, with mainly small ruminants and limited use of technology. The third system was a yield targeted system (30%), corresponding mainly to large cattle farms, with greater use of technology and high levels of food supplementation caused by stocking rates that exceed the land's carrying capacity. Typology defined can be used as starting point to base technical and economic characterization of farming systems taking into consideration their current and future viability
Keywords: Factorial analysis; Farm typology; Livestock farming systems

Suberized Cell Walls of Cork from Cork Oak Differ from Other Species - Teixeira, Rita Teresa; Pereira, Helena (Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2010)
Plants have suberized cells that act as protective interfaces with the environment or between different plant tissues. A lamellar structure of alternating dark and light bands has been found upon transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation of cork cells and considered a typical feature of the suberized secondary wall. We observed cork cells from periderms of Quercus suber, Quercus cerris, Solanum tuberosum, and Calotropis procera by TEM after uranyl acetate and lead citrate staining. A lamellated structure was observed in S. tuberosum and C. procera but not in Q. suber and Q. cerris where the suberized cell wall showed a predominantly hyaline aspect with only a dark dotted staining. Removal of suberin from Q. suber cells left a thinner secondary wall that lost the translucent aspect. We hypothesize that the species' specific chemical composition of suberin will result in different three-dimensional macromolecular development and in a different spatial location of lignin and other aromatics. A lamellated ultrastructure is therefore not a general feature of suberized cells.
Keywords: cell wall; Cork; lamellae; Quercus suber; suberin; ultrastructure

On sweet acorn (Quercus spp.) cake tradition in Italian cultural and ethnic islands - Pignone, Domenico; Laghetti, Gaetano (Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 2010)
The CNR-IGV, over the last 15 years, has organized and performed expeditions aimed at collecting germplasm and local knowledge on plants used by local populations in isolated areas, such as geographical islands, or local communities that for ethnic or cultural reasons have maintained to a certain degree their isolation from surrounding populations (cultural islands). In two such cultural islands (Bovesia, Calabria region, south-west mainland Italy, and Ogliastra, Sardinia island, Italy) a tradition regarding the use of acorns for preparing a cake was recorded. In Ogliastra, an elder lady still retains the knowledge regarding the collections, maintenance and utilization of acorns for preparing a cake, a knowledge once common and now quite completely disappeared. The present paper reports on the culture associated to acorn used as a food for humans.
Keywords: acorn; Cultural islands; Ethnobotany; Neglected food; Quercus spp.

Tensile properties of cork in axial stress and influence of porosity, density, quality and radial position in the plank - Anjos, Ofélia; Pereira, Helena; Rosa, M. Emília (European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2010)
The behaviour of cork under tensile stress in the axial direction was studied for samples taken from cork planks of good (class 1) and poor (class 4) quality grades and at three radial positions within the plank (inner, mid and outer positions). The effect of cork density (ranging from 0.123 to 0.203 g cm−3 ) and porosity (ranging from 2.8 to 9.6% in the tangential surface) on Young’s modulus and fracture stress and strain was studied. The tensile stress-strain curves of cork showed an elastic deformation up to 2% strain with a Young’s modulus of 30.8 MPa, and a fracture stress of 1.05 MPa at a strain of 7.1% for class 1, and Young’s modulus of 26.1 MPa, and a fracture stress of 0.77 MPa at a strain of 5.5% for class 4. Fracture always started at a pore. The quality class and the radial position in the plank were highly signiﬁcant factors of the tensile properties variation with good quality cork in the inner part of the plank showing the highest strength. Density inﬂuenced the elastic behaviour of cork with a highly signiﬁcant correlation of increasing E with density,but not so clearly the fracture stress and strain. The variability of tensile properties with porosity was large and although signiﬁcant, the correlations were lower in spite of a decreasing trend of E with porosity. Fracture depended on the type of defects in cork.
Keywords: Cork; Density; Porosity (voyant); Quality; Stress; Tensile

Transfer of 238U, 230Th, 226Ra, and 210Pb from soils to tree and shrub species in a Mediterranean area. - Blanco Rodríguez, P.; Vera Tomé, F.; Lozano, J. C.; Pérez Fernández, M. a (Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine, 2010)
The soil-to-plant transfer factors of natural uranium isotopes ((238)U and (234)U), (230)Th, (226)Ra, and (210)Pb were studied in a disused uranium mine located in the Extremadura region in the south-west of Spain. The plant samples included trees (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Eucalyptus cameldulensis) and one shrub (Cytisus multiflorus). All of them are characteristic of Mediterranean environments. The activity concentrations in leaves and fruit were determined for the tree species at different stages of growth. For the shrub, the total above-ground fraction was considered in three seasons. For old leaves and fruit, the highest activity concentrations were found in Eucalyptus cameldulensis for all the radionuclides studied, except in the case of (230)Th that presented similar activity concentrations in all of the tree species studied. In every case, the transfer to fruit was less than the transfer to leaves. In the shrub, the results depended on the season of sampling, with the highest value obtained in spring and the lowest in autumn. Important correlations were obtained for (238)U and (226)Ra between the activity ratio in soils with that in leaves or fruit.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 20153657
Keywords: Arboreal species; Fruit; leaves; Natural radionuclides; Soil-to-plant transfer factors

Vessel features of Quercus ilex L. growing under Mediterranean climate have a better climatic signal than tree-ring width - Campelo, Filipe; Nabais, Cristina; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Freitas, Helena; García-González, Ignacio (Trees, 2010)
We investigated whether vessel time series of Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), a diffuse to semi-ring-porous species, can record a climatic signal which differs from the signal encoded in tree-ring width (TRW). The study was conducted in ten Q. ilex trees from a coppice stand in northeast Spain. Chronologies of TRW, mean vessel area (MVA) and maximum vessel area (MAX) were developed and correlated with climate data, for the period 1985–2004 (20 years). Our results indicate that vessel features contain environmental information that is different from that stored in TRW. MAX chronologies correlate better to early spring precipitation (April–May) than TRW chronologies, and so does MVA of the largest 20–25 vessels from the ﬁrst third of the ring with late spring precipitation (May–June). Also, the combination of MVA and TRW is a better predictor of summer precipitation. This explorative study clearly shows that vessel features can complement the climatic signal of TRW increasing the resolution of the climate reconstructions for the Mediterranean region.
Keywords: Dendrochronology; Holm oak; Mediterranean climate; Tree ring; Vessel features

Why do large, nitrogen rich seedlings better resist stressful transplanting conditions? A physiological analysis in two functionally contrasting Mediterranean forest species - Cuesta, Bárbara; Villar-Salvador, Pedro; Puértolas, Jaime; Jacobs, Douglass F.; Rey Benayas, José M. (Forest Ecology and Management, 2010)
We analysed the physiological bases that explain why large and high nitrogen (N) concentration seedlings frequently have improved survival and growth relative to small seedlings in Mediterranean woodland plantations. Large seedlings of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensisMill.) and holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) with high N concentration (L+), and small seedlings with either high (S+) or low (S−) N concentration, were planted on two sites of different weed competition intensity that created contrasting stress conditions. Seedling survival, growth, gas exchange, N remobilization (NR) and uptake (NU), and water potential were assessed through the ﬁrst growing season. Weeds reduced survival and growth, but seedling response to weed competition varied among phenotypes and between species. At the end of the ﬁrst growing season, L+ Aleppo pine seedlings had higher survival than both small seedling types in presence of weeds but no differences were observed in absence of weeds. Mortality differences among phenotypes occurred in spring but not in summer. L+ Aleppo pines grew more than small Aleppo pines independently of weed competition. No holm oak seedling type survived in presence of weeds and no mortality differences among phenotypes where observed in absence of weeds, although L+ holm oak seedlings grew more than small seedlings. Mortality and growth differences in Aleppo pine were linked to marked physiological differences among phenotypes while physiological differences were small among holm oak phenotypes. L+ Aleppo pines had greater root growth, gas exchange, NR, and NU than small seedlings, irrespective of their N concentration. Seedling size in Aleppo pine had a greater role in the performance of transplanted seedlings than N concentration. The functional differences among oak phenotypes were small whereas they were large in pine seedlings, which led to smaller differences in transplanting performance in holm oak than in pine. This suggests that the nursery seedling quality improvement for planting in dry sites could depend on the species-speciﬁc phenotypic plasticity and functional strategy. Improved transplanting performance in large Aleppo pine seedlings relative to small seedlings was linked to greater gas exchange, root growth and N cycling.
Keywords: competition; Nitrogen remobilization; photosynthesis; Pinus halepensis; Quercus ilex; Root growth; Stomatal conductance; Survival; water potential

Above-ground biomass and productivity in the Montado: From herbaceous to shrub dominated communities - Castro, H.; Freitas, H. (Journal of Arid Environments, 2009)
Our study was focused on the effect of abandonment on above-ground biomass and net primary productivity (ANPP) in a Montado in Southern Portugal. The Montado has a long history of human management and control of invasion by shrubs is achieved by clearing, ploughing and grazing. When these cease, it is invaded by Mediterranean matorral species. We hypothesized that the change in life form dominance would affect both biomass and productivity, but while the total biomass was expected to increase, the effects on ANPP were less clear. We tested our hypothesis by determining above-ground biomass and ANPP along a gradient of decreasing land use intensity, ranging from extensive grazing to 20 years of abandonment. Above-ground biomass increased with abandonment, which was related with the increase in shrub cover. In addition, we found a decrease in herbaceous ANPP that was more than compensated by an increase in shrub ANPP in plots abandoned for longer time, resulting in a signiﬁcant increase in total ANPP. This increase was strongly related with the increase in the cover of Cistus ladanifer, a pioneer species that colonises degraded areas and forms one of the ﬁrst stages of succession of woody communities.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Land use change; Life form; Mediterranean; Secondary succession; semi-arid

The ACCENT-VOCBAS field campaign on biosphere-atmosphere interactions in a Mediterranean ecosystem of Castelporziano (Rome): site characteristics, climatic and meteorological conditions, and eco-physiology of vegetation - Fares, S.; Mereu, S.; Scarascia Mugnozza, G.; Vitale, M.; Manes, F.; Frattoni, M.; Ciccioli, P.; Gerosa, G.; Loreto, F. (Biogeosciences, 2009)
Biosphere-atmosphere interactions were investigated on a sandy dune Mediterranean ecosystem in a ﬁeld campaign held in 2007 within the frame of the European Projects ACCENT and VOCBAS. The campaign was carried out in the Presidential estate of Castelporziano, a periurban park close to Rome. Former campaigns (e.g. BEMA) performed in Castelporziano investigated the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC). These campaigns focused on pseudosteppe and evergreen oak groves whereas the contribution of the largely biodiverse dune vegetation, a prominent component of the Mediterranean ecosystem, was overlooked. While speciﬁc aspects of the campaign will be discussed in companion papers, the general climatic and physiological aspects are presented here, together with information regarding BVOC emission from the most common plant species of the dune ecosystem. During the campaign regular air movements were observed, dominated by moderate nocturnal land breeze and diurnal sea breeze. A regular daily increase of ozone concentration in the air was also observed, but daily peaks of ozone were lower than those measured in summer on the same site. The site was ideal as a natural photochemical reactor to observe reaction, transport and deposition processes occurring in the Mediterranean basin, since the sea-land breeze circulation allowed a strong mixing between biogenic and anthropogenic emissions and secondary pollutants. Measurements were run in May, when plant physiological conditions were optimal, in absence of severe drought and heat stress. Foliar rates of photosynthesis and transpiration were as high as generally recorded in unstressed Mediterranean sclerophyllous plants. Most of the plant species emitted high level of monoterpenes, despite measurements being made in a period in which emissions of volatile isoprenoids could be restrained by developmental and environmental factors, such as leaf age and relatively low air temperature. Emission of isoprene was generally low. Accounting for the high monoterpene spring emission of the dune ecosystem may be important to correct algorithms at regional and ecosystem levels, and to interpret measurements of ﬂuxes of volatile isoprenoids and secondary pollutants.
Keywords: BVOC emission; Castelporziano; Mediterranean ecosystem; stress (voyant); Water availability

Acorn crop size and pre-dispersal predation determine inter-specific differences in the recruitment of co-occurring oaks. - Espelta, Josep Maria; Cortes, P.; Molowny-Horas, R.; Retana, J. (Oecologia, 2009)
The contribution of pre-dispersal seed predation to inter-specific differences in recruitment remains elusive. In species with no resistance mechanisms, differences in pre-dispersal predation may arise from differences in seed abundance (plant satiation) or in the ability of seeds to survive insect infestation (seed satiation). This study aimed to analyse the impact of pre-dispersal acorn predation by weevils in two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks (Quercus ilex and Quercus humilis) and to compare its relevance with other processes involved in recruitment. We monitored the patterns of acorn production and acorn infestation by weevils and we conducted experimental tests of acorn germination after weevil infestation, post-dispersal predation and seedling establishment in mixed forests. Monitoring and experimental data were integrated in a simulation model to test for the effects of pre-dispersal predation in recruitment. In both oaks pre-dispersal acorn infestation decreased with increasing acorn crop size (plant satiation). This benefited Q. ilex which exhibited stronger masting behaviour than Q. humilis, with almost a single and outstanding reproductive event in 6 years. Acorn infestation was more than twice as high in Q. humilis (47.0%) as in Q. ilex (20.0%) irrespective of the number of seeds produced by each species. Although germination of infested acorns (seed satiation) was higher in Q. humilis (60%) than in Q. ilex (21%), this could barely mitigate the higher infestation rate in the former species, to reduce seed loss. Conversely to pre-dispersal predation, no inter-specific differences were observed either in post-dispersal predation or seedling establishment. Our results indicate that pre-dispersal predation may contribute to differences in seed supply, and ultimately in recruitment, between co-existing oaks. Moreover, they suggest that seed satiation can barely offset differences in seed infestation rates. This serves as a warning against overemphasising seed satiation as a mechanism to overcome seed predation by insects.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 19544074
Keywords: Animals; Feeding Behavior; Feeding Behavior: physiology; germination; Germination: physiology; Models, Biological; Quercus; Quercus: physiology; Seeds; Seeds: growth & development; Spain; Species Specificity; weevils; Weevils: physiology

Análise Espacial da Mortalidade do Sobreiro em S. Bartolomeu da Serra (Santiago do Cacém) - Costa, Augusta; Pereira, Helena; Madeira, Manuel (Congresso Florestal Nacional, 6º, Ponta Delgada, 2009 - A floresta num mundo globalizado, 2009)
Avaliou-se a distribuição espacial da mortalidade do sobreiro (Quercus suber L.) na área da freguesia de S. Bartolomeu da Serra (Santiago do Cacém), integrada numa região em que ela ocorre com elevada incidência, através de técnicas de detecção remota (SIG), e determinou-se a probabilidade de ocorrência de mortalidade através da aplicação de um modelo de regressão logística. Determinou-se um índice de mortalidade e identificaram-se as unidades fisiográficas com maior probabilidade de mortalidade em três sistemas agroflorestais distintos: floresta de sobreiro (florestas densas), montado de sobro tradicional (florestas abertas em sistemas dominantemente agrícolas, com culturas arvenses sob coberto) e incultos (florestas abertas em sistemas dominantemente incultos, com matos sob coberto). A mortalidade do sobreiro é significativamente diferente para os três tipos de sistemas agro-florestais. A mortalidade é influenciada por características físicas da paisagem como o solo, o declive e a exposição. Em solos pouco profundos ou em solos mais compactos, a mortalidade é mais frequente, mostrando a importância do desenvolvimento radicular em profundidade do sobreiro em regiões susceptíveis a extensos períodos de secura.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: Congresso Florestal Nacional, 6º, Ponta Delgada, 2009 - A floresta num mundo globalizado
Keywords: declínio do montado de sobro; detecção remota; mortalidade do sobreiro; Quercus suber L.; regressão logística

Analysis of holm oak intraspecific competition using Gamma regression - Gea-Izquierdo, G.; Cañellas, I. (Forest Science, 2009)
Analysis of plant competition is a major issue in ecology and forestry, as it influences plant growth and plant-environment interactions. Competition is expected to be lower in the sparse tree stratum of open woodlands and agroforestry systems than in closed forests. We have analyzed competition in open woodlands of Quercus ilex in the Iberian Peninsula by studying a 10-year diameter growth increment from collected samples and from consecutive National Forest Inventories. Density was the competition index selected in all models, outperforming more complex distance-dependent indices. The models showed that competition is playing a role in growth but that the covariate most correlated with growth is age or dbh as a surrogate of age. Therefore, below-ground competition is likely to be limiting tree growth, but below-ground competition is lower in open woodlands compared with that in denser forests and thus potential growth (which is strongly linked to age) is almost expressed. Model behavior was improved when data were fitted directly using generalized linear models, which do not require transforming of the dependent variable. Our results showed that modeling growth with the gamma probability distribution resulted in better models compared with Gaussian linear models. Gamma regression offers a great potential for many forestry applications.
Keywords: Dehesa; diameter increment growth; generalized linear model; Quercus ilex

Antioxidant and Biological Properties of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Quercus suber L. - Fernandes, Ana; Fernandes, Iva; Cruz, Luís Luís; Mateus, Nuno; Cabral, Miguel; de Freitas, Victor (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009)
Phenolic compounds, namely, hydrolyzable tannins and low molecular weight phenolic compounds, were isolated and purified from Portuguese cork from Quercus suber L. Some of these compounds were studied to evaluate their antioxidant activity, including free-radical scavenging capacity (DPPH method) and reducing capacity (FRAP method). All compounds tested showed significant antioxidant activity, namely, antiradical and reducing properties. The antiradical capacity seemed to increase with the presence of galloyl groups. Regarding the reducing capacity, this structure-activity relationship was not so clear. These compounds were also studied to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect on the estrogen responsive human breast cancer cell line (ERþ) MCF-7 and two other colon cancer cell lines (Caco-2 and HT-29). Generally, all the compounds tested exhibited, after a continuous exposure during a 48 h period, a dose-dependent growth inhibitory effect. Relative inhibitory activity was primarily related to the number of phenolic hydroxyl groups (galloyl and HHDP moieties) found in the active structures, with more groups generally conferring increased effects, except for HHDP-di-galloyl-glucose. Mongolicain B showed a greater potential to inhibit the growth of the three cell lines tested, identical to the effect observed with castalagin. Since these compounds are structurally related with each other, this activity might be based within the C-glycosidic ellagitannin moiety.
From Duplicate 2 (Antioxidant and Biological Properties of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Quercus suber L. - Fernandes, Ana; Fernandes, Iva; Cruz, Luís; Mateus, Nuno; Cabral, Miguel; de Freitas, Victor)From Duplicate 2 (Antioxidant and Biological Properties of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Quercus suber L. - Fernandes, Ana; Fernandes, Iva; Cruz, Luís; Mateus, Nuno; Cabral, Miguel; de Freitas, Victor)The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: American Chemical Society accession-num: 19888728
Keywords: antioxidants; Antioxidants: chemistry; Antioxidants: isolation & purification; Antioxidants: pharmacology; Antitumor activity; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Cell Proliferation: drug effects; Cork; Humans; Hydrolyzable Tannins; Hydrolyzable Tannins: chemistry; Hydrolyzable Tannins: isolation & purification; Hydrolyzable Tannins: pharmacology; phenolic compounds; Plant Extracts; Plant Extracts: chemistry; Plant Extracts: isolation & purification; Plant Extracts: pharmacology; Quercus; Quercus suber L.; Quercus: chemistry; Tumor

Aporte hídrico adicional al suelo derivado del uso de tubos protectores - CEACERO RUIZ, C. J.; DÍAZ HERNÁNDEZ, J. L.; NAVARRO CERRILLO, R. M. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Son numerosos los estudios que, en el ámbito de las repoblaciones forestales mediterráneas, investigan la influencia que los tubos protectores ejercen en las plantas a través de las condiciones microclimáticas que se generan en el interior del mismo. Sin embargo, son menos frecuentes los trabajos que estudian el efecto que ejercen en posibles aportes hídricos adicionales para la planta, bien por condensación de la humedad ambiental en sus paredes, bien por intercepción del agua de lluvia. En este trabajo se analiza la respuesta diferencial del contenido hídrico del suelo asociado a la presencia o no de tubo invernadero en dos periodos anuales diferentes: periodo seco y periodo de recarga hídrica del suelo. El análisis del contenido de agua de diferentes horizontes del suelo durante ambos períodos mostró que en determinados tratamientos de conservación del suelo, el tubo modificó el contenido de agua del mismo.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: agua en el suelo; perfil hídrico; Quercus ilex; repoblaciones; sonda de neutrones

Application of indicator kriging to the complementary use of bioindicators at three trophic levels. - Figueira, Rui; Tavares, Paula C.; Palma, Luís; Beja, Pedro; Sérgio, Cecília (Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 2009)
The use of biological indicators is widespread in environmental monitoring, although it has long been recognised that each bioindicator is generally associated with a range of potential limitations and shortcomings. To circumvent this problem, this study adopted the complementary use of bioindicators representing different trophic levels and providing different type of information, in an innovative approach to integrate knowledge and to estimate the overall health state of ecosystems. The approach is illustrated using mercury contamination in primary producers (mosses), primary consumers (domestic pigeons and red-legged partridges) and top predators (Bonelli's eagles) in southern Portugal. Indicator kriging geostatistics was used to identify the areas where mercury concentration was higher than the median for each species, and to produce an index that combines mercury contamination across trophic levels. Spatial patterns of mercury contamination were consistent across species. The combined index provided a new level of information useful in incorporating measures of overall environmental contamination into pollution studies.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 19477568
Keywords: Animals; Bioindicators; birds; Birds: metabolism; Bryophyta; Bryophyta: chemistry; Bryophyta: metabolism; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Monitoring: instrumentation; Environmental Monitoring: methods; Environmental Monitoring: statistics & numerical d; Environmental Pollutants; Environmental Pollutants: analysis; Environmental Pollutants: metabolism; Feathers; Feathers: chemistry; Feathers: metabolism; Indicator kriging; Indices; Mercury; Mercury: analysis; Mercury: metabolism; Models; Mosses; Portugal; Statistical

An approach to cork oak forest management planning: a case study in southwestern Portugal - Costa, A.; Oliveira, A. C.; Vidas, F.; Borges, J. G. (European Journal of Forest Research, 2009)
This paper presents results of research aiming at the development of tools that may enhance cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forest management planning. Speciﬁ- cally, it proposes an hierarchical approach that encompasses the spatial classiﬁcation of a cork oak forest and the temporal scheduling of cork harvests. The use of both geographical information systems and operations research techniques is addressed. Emphasis is on the achievement of cork even ﬂow objectives. Results from an application to a case study in the Charneca Plioce´nica of Ribatejo in southern Portugal encompassing a cork oak forest extending over 4.8 thousand ha are discussed. They suggest that the proposed approach is capable of effective spatial classiﬁcation of cork oak management units. They further suggest that it may be used to select optimal cork even ﬂow scheduling strategies. Results also show that the proposed approach may lead to a substantial increase in net present value when compared to traditional approaches to cork oak forest management planning.
Keywords: cork harvesting; Cork oak forest management; Harvest scheduling; Linear programming; Quercus suber L.

Are Oaks Locally Adapted to Serpentine Soils? - Branco, Sara (Northeastern Naturalist, 2009)
Serpentine soils are extreme habitats known to be involved in processes of local adaptation and speciation of plants. Here I use a greenhouse reciprocal-transplant experiment to compile baseline data for describing patterns of serpentine local adaptation in Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Holm Oak). I also tested the role of mycorrhizal fungi on the establishment and growth of seedlings on serpentine and non-serpentine soil. Non-serpentine seedlings grew more than serpentine seedlings in all treatments. Plants grew more on non-serpentine soil and mycorrhizal fungi positively influenced seedling growth. I did not find evidence of better seedling performance in their home environment, suggesting the absence of local adaptation. However, I document significant growth differences between serpentine and non-serpentine seedlings, which suggest physiological differences between seedlings from these two soil origins.
doi: 10.1656/045.016.0524doi: 10.1656/045.016.0524The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Eagle Hill Institute
Keywords: Mycorrhizal fungi; seedling growth (PG); serpentine

Are pine plantations valid tools for restoring Mediterranean forests? An assessment along abiotic and biotic gradients - Gómez-Aparicio, LORENA; Zavala, Miguel A.; Bonet, Francisco J.; Zamora, Regino (ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, 2009)
The ecological impacts of forest plantations are a focus of intense debate, from studies that consider plantations as ``biological deserts{''} to studies showing positive effects on plant diversity and dynamics. This lack of consensus might be influenced by the scarcity of studies that examine how the ecological characteristics of plantations vary along abiotic and biotic gradients. Here we conducted a large-scale assessment of plant regeneration and diversity in plantations of southern Spain. Tree seedling and sapling density, plant species richness, and Shannon's (H') diversity index were analyzed in 442 pine plantation plots covering a wide gradient of climatic conditions, stand density, and distance to natural forests that act as seed sources. Pronounced variation in regeneration and diversity was found in plantation understories along the gradients explored. Low-to mid-altitude plantations showed a diverse and abundant seedling bank dominated by Quercus ilex, whereas high-altitude plantations showed a virtually monospecific seeding bank of Pinus sylvestris. Regeneration was null in plantations with stand densities exceeding 1500 pines/ha. Moderate plantation densities (500-1000 pines/ha) promoted recruitment in comparison to low or null canopy cover, suggesting the existence of facilitative interactions. Quercus ilex recruitment diminished exponentially with distance to the nearest Q. ilex forest. Richness and H' index values showed a hump-shaped distribution along the altitudinal and radiation gradients and decreased monotonically along the stand density gradient. From a management perspective, different strategies will be necessary depending on where a plantation lies along the gradients explored. Active management will be required in high-density plantations with arrested succession and low diversity. Thinning could redirect plantations toward more natural densities where facilitation predominates. Passive management might be recommended for low-to moderate-density plantations with active successional dynamics (e. g., toward oak or pine-oak forests at low to mid altitudes). Enrichment planting will be required to overcome seed limitation, especially in plantations far from natural forests. We conclude that plantations should be perceived as dynamic systems where successional trajectories and diversity levels are determined by abiotic constraints, complex balances of competitive and facilitative interactions, the spatial configuration of native seed sources, and species life-history traits.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 1990 M STREET NW, STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA publisher: ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER
Keywords: competition; environmental gradients; Facilitation; management strategy; Mediterranean forests; pine plantations; Regeneration; seed dispersal; species diversity; stand density

Assessing the resilience of Mediterranean holm oaks to disturbances using selective thinning - López, Bernat C.; Gracia, Carlos a; SABATE, Santiago; KEENAN, Trevor (Acta Oecologica, 2009)
Climate change will increase the frequency and the intensity of droughts in the Mediterranean region, likely reducing growth and increasing mortality of holm oaks (Quercus ilex), one of the most abundant species of Mediterranean forests. In water-limited systems such as those of the Mediterranean, carbon allocation patterns strongly favour belowground accumulation, especially in large subterranean structures called lignotubers. The resilience of these forests depends largely on the replenishment rate of these carbon reserves after disturbances. An experimental thinning, with two intensities (removal of 40% and 80% of basal area), was performed in 1992 in a holm oak forest at the Prades Experimental Complex of Catchments (NE Spain). In 2002, a second thinning was carried out in subplots within the former experimental 0.5 ha plots. Samples from the lignotubers of holm oak trees were analyzed for starch, and both mobile and immobile chemical components, in order to assess the resilience of holm oaks to repeated disturbances. Our results show that after 10 years, starch stocks in the lignotubers have only recovered to half their former values. Removing 40% of the basal area instead of 80% is suggested to be the better managing option for this kind of forests.
Keywords: mediterranean forest; NIRS; Quercus ilex; resilience; resprouting; starch; thinning

Assessing the technical efficiency of extensive livestock farming systems in Extremadura, Spain - Gaspar, P.; Mesías, F. J.; Escribano, M.; Pulido, F. (Livestock Science, 2009)
The technical efficiencies of a sample of extensive dehesa farms were analyzed using a nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. This technique creates efficiency indices by comparing the performance of each farm with the best production practices observed, which define the efficiency or production frontier. The influence of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies (taken as an output) on the farms' efficiency was determined. The measurement of the efficiency has taken place from inputs per hectare thus allowing to make a different interpretation from the scale efficiency that, instead of referring to the dimension of the farm, is referred to the intensification. Thanks to the input-oriented analysis it can be established that the farms could maintain similar production levels by introducing a 30% reduction of their inputs (e.g. with breeds better adapted to the environment, a better use of the own produced pastures to reduce the amount of feedstuff to be bought, reductions in manpower…). Those highly intensified dehesas have shown decreasing inefficiencies of scale, whereas the least intensified have shown increasing inefficiencies. With a second stage analysis, different types of farms were identified as corresponding to greater or lesser efficiencies. It has been identified that the group of farms with high stocking rates have the greatest efficiencies indices. With respect to the livestock orientation, the farms with a livestock mix including pig were the most efficient. Modifications in the stocking rate, allowing an adequate use of the natural resources available, can be a solution to improve the efficiency of dehesa farms. In addition mixed livestock farming is another useful tool towards achieving increased efficiency, and a reduced dependence on subsidies.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Data envelopment analysis; Dehesa; Extensive livestock farming; Technical efficiency

Assessment of the sustainability in dehesa farms according to size and livestock prevalence - Gaspar García, P.; Mesias Diaz, F. J.; Escribano Sanchez, M.; Pulido Garcia, F. (ITEA-INFORMACION TECNICA ECONOMICA AGRARIA, 2009)
Assessment of the sustainability in dehesa farms according to size and livestock prevalence This paper presents an evaluation of the sustainability of the dehesa livestock systems located in Extremadura (SW Spain). We apply a methodological adaptation of the framework known as MESMIS (Framework for the Evaluation of Management Systems incorporating Sustainability Index). This method is based on the valuation of basic attributes of sustainability using indicators and indices that allow simultaneous and comparative analyses of farms based on their size and productive orientation. A global value of sustainability for each typology present in dehesa is obtained from a fundamentally technical-economic perspective, taking into account some environmental and social aspects. The dimension of the operation influences the capacity of adaptation of operations, with bigger farms showing better adaptability. The smaller farms compensate their management by improving productivity levels. We also observe that the presence of Iberian pig improves the sustainability index of the operations.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: AVDA MONTANANA 930, APARTADO 727, ZARAGOZA, 50080, SPAIN publisher: ASOCIACION INTERPROFESIONAL DESARROLLO AGARIO
Keywords: Dehesa; extensive livestock; farm management; Sustainability indicators

Avaliação da competitividade da agricultura do Alentejo no âmbito do ecossistema montado - Fragoso, Rui; Lucas, Raquel (Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural, 2009)
This paper makes a socio-economic evaluation of the “Montado” ecosystem in Alentejo. It is study the viability of the agricultural systems and the effects of agricultural policy in their competitiveness and sustainability. It is used a Policy Analysis Matrix to evaluate the agricultural systems competitiveness and their economic efficiency. The agricultural systems are classified concerning their contribution for the economic growth, in function of income levels and policy effects.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: scielo
Keywords: Alentejo; common agricultural policy; competitiveness; Policy Analysis Matrix; “Montado”

Caracterización ecológica y selvícola de la población marginal de alcornoque (Quercus suber L.) de los Montes Obarenes (Burgos) - CÓZAR CASTAÑEDA, A.; AVILÉS RODRIGÁLVAREZ, C.; GARCÍA COLINAS, C.; GARCÍA BLANCO, C.; ALLUÉ CAMACHO, C. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
En el corazón del Parque Natural “Montes Obarenes – San Zadornil”, bisagra estructural que enlaza la Cordillera Cantábrica con los Pirineos, se encuentra una muestra valiosa y representativa de vegetación de transición atlántico-mediterránea de enorme diversidad y originalidad botánica excepcional. El pequeño alcornocal (Quercus suber L.) de la localidad burgalesa de Bozoó es por su contexto ambiental, por su aislamiento geográfico respecto de otras poblaciones y por su reducido tamaño, una población atípica, dudándo incluso de su carácter natural. Con el objeto de articular una gestión eficaz orientada a la conservación del alcornocal, actualmente en una situación crítica respecto a su pervivencia, se procedió al estudio y caracterización tanto de sus individuos como de su hábitat. En esta comunicación se recogen los parámetros básicos que describen y caracterizan la población (número total de individuos, densidad, distribución espacial, regeneración o estado sanitario) en relación con parámetros de estación (orientación, altitud, pendiente o naturaleza del sustrato), a partir de un muestreo en campo apoyado en una delimitación previa de unidades homogéneas de vegetación. Con los resultados del estudio se contribuye a incrementar el conocimiento de la autoecología de la especie.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: aislamiento; Alcornoque; autoecología; estación; montes obarenes

Changes in limiting resources determine spatio-temporal variability in tree–grass interactions - Gea-Izquierdo, G.; Montero, G.; Cañellas, I. (Agroforestry Systems, 2009)
Changing biotic and abiotic stress mediate in plant–plant interactions resulting in positive to neutral or negative effects, and these effects can change with gradients of stress or through plant dynamics. Here we studied the variability in annual grass production and composition induced by gradients of intercepted light by trees in years of contrasting precipitation in Mediterranean holm oak open woodlands. Although trees reduce the light radiance received by the pasture community, the presence of trees generally had a positive effect on pasture production in average climatic years where soil fertility was low. However, the interaction changed with increasing abiotic water stress. In a dry year, the increase in fertility could not be utilized and the effect of the crown was neutral. The effect of shade turned out to be beneﬁcial for growth, contrary to the situation in an average climatic year. Light insolation was positive for legume biomass. There was high variability in functional components over the course of the growing period and from 1 year to another. Under low levels of other biotic stresses such as livestock grazing or root competition, the limiting factor among light, soil moisture or soil nutrients may determine whether facilitation or competition occurs.
Keywords: Abiotic stress; competition; Dehesa; Facilitation; Grass production; Mediterranean

Changes in the protein profile of Quercus ilex leaves in response to drought stress and recovery. - Echevarría-Zomeño, Sira; Ariza, David; Jorge, Inmaculada; Lenz, Christof; Del Campo, Antonio; Jorrín, Jesús V.; Navarro, Rafael M. (Journal of plant physiology, 2009)
To characterize the molecular response of holm oak to drought stress and its capacity to recover 9-month-old Quercus ilex seedlings were subjected to three treatments for a 14-d period: (i) continuous watering to field capacity (control plants, W), (ii) no irrigation (drought treatment, D), and (iii) no irrigation for 7d followed by a watering period of 7d (recovery treatment, R). In drought plants, leaf water potential decreased from -0.72 (day 0) to -0.99MPa (day 7), and -1.50MPa (day 14). Shoot relative water content decreased from 49.3% (day 0) to 47.7% (day 7) and 40.8% (day 14). Photosystem II quantum yield decreased from 0.80 (day 0) to 0.72 (day 7) and 0.73 (day 14). Plants subjected to water withholding for 7d reached, after a 7-d rewatering period, values similar to those of continuously irrigated control plants. Changes in the leaf protein pattern in response to drought and recovery treatments were analyzed by using a proteomic approach. Twenty-three different spots were observed when comparing the two-dimensional electrophoresis profile of control to both drought and recovered plants. From these, 14 proteins were identified from tryptic peptides tandem mass spectra by using the new Paragon algorithm present in the ProteinPilot software. The proteins identified belong to the photosynthesis, carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, and stress-related protein functional categories.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 18778874
Keywords: Drought stress; Holm oak proteome; Mass spectrometry; Quercus ilex

Color-texture analysis by mutual information for multispectral image classification - El Maia, H.; Hammouch, A.; Aboutajdine, D. (2009)
In this paper, we propose a new approach for the construction of a hybrid color-texture space by using mutual information. Feature extraction is done by the co-occurrence matrix with SVM (support vectors machine) as a classifier. We apply our approach to the VisTex database and to the classification of a SPOT HRV (XS) image representing two forest areas in the region of Rabat in Morocco. We compare the result of classification obtained in this hybrid space with the one in the RGB color space.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: secondary-title: Communications, Computers and Signal Processing, 2009. PacRim 2009. IEEE Pacific Rim Conference on periodical: Communications, Computers and Signal Processing, 2009. PacRim 2009. IEEE Pacific Rim Conference on pages: 359-364 isbn: VO - electronic-resource-num: 10.1109/PACRIM.2009.5291344
Keywords: co-occurrence matrix; feature extraction; forest areas; hybrid color texture space; image analysis; image classification; Image color analysis; image colour analysis; Image databases; image texture; Information analysis; Morocco; multispectral image classification; Multispectral imaging; mutual information; Rabat; RGB color space; Spatial databases; SPOT HRV (XS); Support vector machine classification; support vector machines; support vectors machine (citation); VisTex database

Combining forest structure data and fuel modelling to classify fire hazard in Portugal - Fernandes, Paulo M. (Annals of Forest Science, 2009)
• Fire management activities can greatly beneﬁt from the description of wildland fuel to assess ﬁre hazard. • A forest typology developed from the Portuguese National Forest Inventory that combines cover type (the dominant overstorey species) and forest structure deﬁned as a combination of generic stand density (closed or open) and height (low or tall) is translated into fuel models. Fire behaviour simulations that accounted for the ﬁre environment modiﬁcation induced by stand structure resulted in an objective and quantitative assessment of ﬁre hazard for 19 forest types. • The range of ﬁre risk is similar between and within cover types. Stand structure, rather than cover type, is the major determinant of ﬁre vulnerability. This indicates a potentially prominent role of stand and fuel management in wildﬁre mitigation. Four ﬁre hazard groups are deﬁned: (1) open and tall forest types, and closed and tall Quercus suber and diverse forests; (2) closed, low woodlands of deciduous oaks, Q. suber and diverse forests, closed and tall Pinus pinaster woodland and tall Eucalyptus globulus plantations; (3) open and low forest types; (4) dense low stands of P. pinaster, E. globulus and Acacia. Potential ﬁre risk increases from (1) to (4).
Keywords: fuel modelling; Mediterranean-type ecosystems; ﬁre behaviour simulation; ﬁre hazard

Concentrations and fluxes of biogenic volatile organic compounds above a Mediterranean macchia ecosystem in western Italy - Davison, B.; Taipale, R.; Langford, B.; Misztal, P.; Fares, S.; Matteucci, G.; Loreto, F.; Cape, J. N.; Rinne, J.; Hewitt, C. N. (BIOGEOSCIENCES, 2009)
Emission rates and concentrations of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) were measured at a Mediterranean coastal site at Castelporziano, approximately 25 km south-west of Rome, between 7 May and 3 June 2007, as part of the ACCENT-VOCBAS field campaign on biosphere-atmosphere interactions. Concentrations and emission rates were measured using the disjunct eddy covariance (DEC) method utilizing three different proton transfer reaction mass spectrometers (PTR-MS) so allowing a comparison between the instruments. The high resolution data from the PTR-MS instruments considerably enhances the original BEMA measurements of the mid 1990s. Depending on the measurement period, the volume mixing ratios were in the range 1.6-3.5 ppbv for methanol, 0.44-1.3 ppbv for acetaldehyde, 0.96-2.1 ppbv for acetone, 0.10-0.14 ppbv for isoprene, and 0.13-0.30 ppbv for monoterpenes. A diurnal cycle in mixing ratios was apparent with daytime maxima for methanol, acetaldehyde, acetone, and isoprene. The fluxes ranged from 370-440 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for methanol, 180-360 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for acetaldehyde, 180-450 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for acetone, 71-290 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for isoprene, and 240-860 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for monoterpenes. From the measured flux data (7 May-3 June) an average basal emission rate for the Macchia vegetation was calculated of 430 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for isoprene and 1100 mu g m(-2) h(-1) for monoterpenes.
APSAPSThe following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: BAHNHOFSALLEE 1E, GOTTINGEN, 37081, GERMANY publisher: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Keywords: BVOCS; Emission rates; Mediterranean; Monoterpenes

Consistent pattern of habitat and species selection by post-dispersal seed predators in a Mediterranean mosaic landscape - Matías, Luis; Mendoza, Irene; Zamora, Regino; Mat, Luis (Plant Ecology, 2009)
There is still little information on effects of habitat degradation on post-dispersal seed predation at the landscape scale. The aim of this study was to determine the inﬂuence of habitat degradation and seed species on the variability of post-dispersal seedpredation rate. Experimental seed removal was investigated in six Mediterranean woody plant species, four trees (Pinus sylvestris, Quercus ilex, Acer opalus ssp. granatense, and Sorbus aria) and two shrubs (Berberis vulgaris and Crataegus monogyna), in an extensively used mosaic landscape on the Sierra Nevada massif (SE Spain). Seed depots were distributed over 2 years in ﬁve differently degraded landscape units, each one with three plots: shrubland; native forest; and dense, cleared and fenced reforestation stands. Predation was the highest in native forest, shrubland, and fenced reforestation, and the lowest in dense and cleared reforestation stands, being partially due to a positive correlation between shrub cover and post-dispersal seed predation. However, the main factors driving post-dispersal seed predation were intrinsic to seeds, as species preference explained most of the variance in our model for predation. The plant-species ranking was Quercus[ Pinus[Sorbus[Berberis[Acer[Crataegus, the dominant tree species being the most depredated. These ﬁndings are novel because they suggest for the ﬁrst time that species-selection patterns by postdispersal seed predators tended to remain constant through both study years in all habitats comprising a mosaic landscape, whether native forest, reforestation stands or successional shrubland.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Springer Netherlands
Keywords: Degraded habitats; Field experiment; Land use change; Logistic regression; Predator preference; Sierra Nevada

Contingent Valuation of Woodland-Owner Private Amenities in Spain, Portugal, and California. - Campos, Pablo; Oviedo, José L.; Caparros, Alejandro; Huntsinger, Lynn; Coelho, Inocencio (Rangeland Ecology & Management, 2009)
Most of the Mediterranean woodlands in Spain, Portugal, and California are managed as agrosilvopastoral enterprises, producing some combination of livestock, wood, cork products, and crops, as well as wildlife habitat and diverse environmental services. Private amenity benefits to landowners have been suggested as an explanation for high land prices and the persistence of such rangeland enterprises despite apparently marginal cash returns. In this study, private amenity values are estimated using a contingent valuation technique in surveys of private woodland owners as part of five case studies, using a design developed to separate landowner amenity income and capital values. Nonindustrial private landowners were asked about the maximum amount of money that they were willing to give up (to pay) before selling their property to invest in more commercially profitable assets, and the proportion of the market price of their woodland that they think is explained by privately consumed amenities. Amenity values were found to be relevant because, in all cases, landowners were willing to pay > €120 · ha−1 · yr−1, at 2002 prices, and attributed > 30% of land market price to amenities. These values represent an amenity profitability rate > 2% in all case studies. The data analysis shows some similarities, but mostly divergences, in the different land-simulated and amenity-simulated markets.
Keywords: agroforestry systems; environmental economics; environmental services; Mediterranean woodlands; private ownership; Stated Preferences

Cork and metals: a review - C. C. da Ponte-e-Sousa, João Carlos a; Neto-Vaz, António Manuel; de C. C. da Ponte-e-Sousa, João Carlos a; Neto-Vaz, António Manuel (Wood Science and Technology, 2009)
All published results available regarding ash content and 21 chemical elements were chronologically compiled. The evolution of analytical methodologies, the rising interest in the knowledge of certain elements at a certain time, and the relation between concentrations and time, are among the gathered information within a period of 221 years, starting with the ﬁrst published study from the year 1787. Rather than establish a correlation between the inorganic content of cork and its quality, the aim of this data collection is to remove all doubts regarding what is already known on the inorganic content of cork.
Keywords: ash content; cork (voyant); metals; mineral elements

Crioconservación de genotipos adultos de castaño y alcornoque seleccionados en campo - VIDAL, N.; BALLESTER, A.; FERNÁNDEZ, M. R.; Cuenca, B.; Ocaña, L. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
La entrada en vigor del Real Decreto 289/2003 sobre Comercialización de materiales Forestales de reproducción puso de manifiesto la carencia de materiales genéticos de calidad de muchas especies de frondosas forestales de alto valor económico, como el castaño y el alcornoque. Desde el año 2000, la empresa pública TRAGSA trabaja en la selección y desarrollo de materiales cualificados de ambas especies para su propuesta al Catálogo Nacional de Materiales de Base. En la actualidad, en los laboratorios de la empresa se micropropagan 129 genotipos adultos de castaños y 29 de alcornoque, todos ellos seleccionados como árboles plus, así como varios cientos de progenies de esta última especie. Las vitroplantas aclimatadas se emplean en la realización de los ensayos necesarios para la propuesta de estos materiales al CNMB pero al mismo tiempo, es necesario conservar los cultivos de yemas axilares en el caso del castaño, y las líneas embriogénicas, en el caso del alcornoque en las mejores condiciones, que aseguren el mantenimiento de su tasa de multiplicación y de su identidad clonal durante todo el tiempo que se prolonguen los ensayos. Por este motivo, para ambas especies se han adaptado protocolos de crioconservación desarrollados en el IIAG-CSIC que están permitiendo el desarrollo de bancos de germoplasma estables para el mantenimiento a largo plazo de ambas especies. Hasta el momento se han crioconservado 22 genotipos de alcornoque y 39 de castaño. En alcornoque el porcentaje de explantos reactivos tras la crioconservación es siempre superior al 65% asegurando la adecuada recuperación de la línea embriogénica. En castaño, algunos genotipos presentan recuperaciones muy bajas, por lo que en la actualidad se ensayan diferentes sistemas que mejoren la viabilidad de los ápices tras la descongelación. Palabras
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: Alcornoque; bancos de germoplasma; Castaño; CNMB; cultivo in vitro; nitrógeno líquido

Dendrochronology of Quercus ilex L. and its potential use for climate reconstruction in the Mediterranean region - Campelo, F.; Nabais, C.; García-González, I.; Cherubini, P.; GUTIÉRREZ, E.; Freitas, H. (Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2009)
Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) is a long-lived species widely distributed across the Mediterranean Basin, with potential value for dendrochronology and dendroclimatology. However, tree-ring dating in Q. ilex is a complex task that has limited the number of dendrochronological studies using this evergreen species. In the present work, it was investigated if old Q. ilex trees showed annual tree rings and whether they can be used as climate proxies. A long tree-ring chronology (126 years) of Q. ilex was developed using cross sections of 20 trees from the Guadiana river basin (Portugal). The high correlation among tree-ring series suggested that tree growth was controlled mainly by climate. Response function analysis showed a positive correlation between tree-ring width and precipitation from October(t–1) of the previous year to January(t) of the current year and in May(t). Tree-ring width was negatively correlated with the North Atlantic oscillation that exerts a strong influence on the precipitation over Iberia. Negative pointer years were triggered by dry years and became more frequent during the last decade of the 20th century. In conclusion, it is possible to accurately date old Q. ilex trees, and their tree rings could be used for climate reconstructions across the Mediterranean.
doi: 10.1139/X09-163doi: 10.1139/X09-163The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: NRC Research Press
Keywords: climate reconstruction (PG); Dendrochronology; dendroclimatology; Quercus ilex

Detection of hybrids in nature: application to oaks (Quercus suber and Q. ilex). - Burgarella, C.; Lorenzo, Z.; Jabbour-Zahab, R.; Lumaret, R.; Guichoux, E.; Petit, R. J.; Soto, A.; Gil, L. (Heredity, 2009)
Powerful and accurate detection of first-generation (F1) hybrids and backcrosses in nature is needed to achieve a better understanding of the function and dynamics of introgression. To document the frequency of ongoing interspecific gene exchange between two Mediterranean evergreen oaks, the cork oak (Quercus suber) and the holm oak (Q. ilex), we analyzed 1487 individuals originating from across the range of the two species using eight microsatellite loci and two Bayesian clustering approaches (implemented in the programs STRUCTURE and NEWHYBRIDS). Simulated data were used to assess the differences between the two clustering methods and to back up the choice of the threshold value for the posterior probability to discriminate admixed from pure individuals. We found that the use of STRUCTURE resulted in the highest power to detect hybrids, whereas NEWHYBRIDS provided the highest accuracy. Irrespective of the approach, the two species were clearly distinguished as independent genetic entities without any prior information. In contrast with previous reports, we found no evidence for unidirectional introgression. The overall hybridization rate was very low (<2% of introgressed individuals). Only two individuals were identified as F1 hybrids and five as early backcrosses. This work shows that the combined application of the two complementary Bayesian approaches and their systematic validation with simulations, fit for the case at hand, helps gain resolution in the identification of admixed individuals.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 19240752
Keywords: clustering analysis; introgressive hybridization; microsatellites; Q. ilex; Quercus suber; Simulation

Differential and interactive effects of temperature and photoperiod on budburst and carbon reserves in two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks - Sanz-Pérez, V.; Castro-Díez, P.; Valladares, F. (Plant Biology, 2009)
Effects of temperature and photoperiod and their interactions on budburst and on the use of carbon reserves were examined in two Mediterranean oaks differing in wood anatomy and leaf habit. Seedlings of Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (evergreen and diffuse-porous wood) and Q. faginea (semi-deciduous and ring-porous wood) were grown under two temperatures (12 and 19 °C) and two photoperiods (10 and 16 h) in a factorial experiment. In the 16 h photoperiod at 19 °C, photosynthesis was suppressed in half of the seedlings by covering leaves with aluminium foil. The concentration of soluble sugars, starch and lipids in leaves, stems and roots was assessed before and after budburst. Under the 12 °C treatment (mean current temperature in early spring in the Iberian Peninsula), budburst in Q. faginea occurred earlier than in Q. ilex. Higher temperature promoted earlier budburst in both species, mostly under the 16 h photoperiod. This response was less pronounced in Q. faginea because its budburst was also controlled by photoperiod, and because this species needs to construct a new ring of xylem before budburst to supply its growth demands. Therefore, dates of budburst of the two species became closer to each other in the warmer treatment, which might alter competitive relations between the species with changing climate. While Q. ilex relied on carbon reserves for budburst, Q. faginea relied on both carbon reserves and current photoassimilates. The different responses of the two Quercus species to temperature and photoperiod related more to xylem structure than to the source of carbon used for budburst.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: Global warming; Lipids; Phenology; Quercus faginea; Quercus ilex; soluble sugars; starch; wood anatomy

Diversity and fruiting patterns of ectomycorrhizal and saprobic fungi as indicators of land-use severity in managed woodlands dominated by Quercus suber — a case study from southern Portugal - Azul, Anabela Marisa; Castro, Paula; Sousa, José Paulo; Freitas, Helena (Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2009)
We assessed the impacts of current management practices used to control shrub strata in Portuguese oak woodlands dominated by Quercus suber L. (montado) on fruiting diversity and abundance of ectomycorrhizal-forming fungi (ECMF) and saprobic fungi. Fruit bodies were collected over four fruiting seasons in 16 plots (20 m × 20 m) selected in a montado landscape with extensive silvopastoral exploitation. A total of 9484 fruit bodies were found in 171 taxa (74 ECMF, 96 saprobic, and 1 parasitic). Our results show that shrub density control by permanent grazing or by cutting practices followed by soil tillage leads to lower fruiting production and greater changes in taxa composition, particularly for ECMF fruit bodies, than cutting practices without soil tillage. Principal response curve analysis showed that ECMF reacted more sensitively to these practices, in particular Laccaria laccata, Hebeloma cistophilum, Russula cyanoxantha, Cortinarius trivialis, and Lactarius volemus. We also observed that shrub cutting without soil tillage allowed ECMF fruiting to recover to predisturbance levels after 3 years. Our data imply that fruit bodies were useful indicators for assessing the severity of the effects of different land-use practices applied in montado areas on soil fungal populations.
doi: 10.1139/X09-148doi: 10.1139/X09-148The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: NRC Research Press
Keywords: diversity; fruiting patterns; fungi; montado (voyant); shrub management; Tillage

Does Argentine ant invasion affect prey availability for foliage-gleaning birds? - Estany-Tigerström, David; Bas, Josep Maria; Pons, Pere (Biological Invasions, 2009)
Food availability during the breeding season plays a critical role in reproductive success of insectivorous birds. Given that the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is known to alter arthropod communities, we predicted that its invasion may affect the availability of food resources for coexisting foliage-gleaning birds. With this aim we studied, for 3 years, foliage arthropods occurring on cork oaks (Quercus suber) and tree heaths (Erica arborea) in invaded and non-invaded secondary forests of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Our results show that Argentine ants interact with arboreal foliage arthropods in a different manner than the native ants they displace do. The invasive ant impacted the arthropod community by reducing order diversity and ant species richness and by causing extirpation of most native ant species. Arthropod availability for foliage gleaners’ nestlings diminished in invaded cork oaks, mainly responding to the abundance and biomass depletion of caterpillars. Results suggest that the reproduction of canopyforaging foliage-gleaning species that mostly rely on caterpillars to feed their young could be compromised by the Argentine ant invasion. Thus, the Argentine ant could be promoting bottom-up effects in the trophic web through its effects on the availability of arthropod preys for insectivorous birds.
Keywords: arborea á; Biological invasion; biological invasion á erica; birds á; Erica arborea; Foliage arthropods; foliage arthropods á insectivorous; Insectivorous birds; Linepithema humile; linepithema humile á quercus; Quercus suber; suber

Drought reduced monoterpene emissions from the evergreen Mediterranean oak Quercus ilex: results from a throughfall displacement experiment - a. -V. Lavoir; Staudt, M.; Schnitzler, J. P.; Landais, D.; Massol, F.; Rocheteau, A.; Rodriguez, R.; Zimmer, I.; Rambal, S. (Biogeosciences, 2009)
The effects of water limitations on the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds are not well understood. Experimental approaches studying drought effects in natural conditions are still missing. To address this question, a throughfall displacement experiment was set up in a natural forest of Quercus ilex, an evergreen Mediterranean oak emitting monoterpenes. Mature trees were exposed in 2005 and 2006 either to an additional drought, to irrigation or to natural drought (untreated control). In both years, absolute monoterpene emission rates as well as the respective standard factors of the trees exposed to normal and additional drought strongly declined during the drought periods. Monoterpene emissions were lower in year 2006 than in year 2005 (factor 2) due to a more pronounced summer drought period in this respective year. We observed a signiﬁcant difference between the irrigation and additional drought or control treatment: irrigated trees emitted 82% more monoterpenes during the drought period 2006 than the trees of the other treatments. However, no signiﬁcant effect on monoterpene emission was observed between normal and additional drought treatments, despite a signiﬁcant effect on leaf water potential and photochemical efﬁciency. During the development of drought, monoterpene emissions responded exponentially rather than linearly to decreasing leaf water potential. Emissions rapidly declined when the water potential dropped below −2 MPa and photosynthesis was persistently inhibited. Monoterpene synthase activities measured in vitro showed no clear reduction during the same period. From our results we conclude that drought signiﬁcantly reduces monoterpene ﬂuxes of Mediterranean Holm oak forest into the atmosphere due to a lack of primary substrates coming from photosynthetic processes
Keywords: BVOC emission; Drought; Quercus ilex (voyant); Water availability

Dynamics in the trophic structure of the macroinvertebrate community in a Mediterranean, temporary stream - Alvarez, Maruxa; Pardo, Isabel (AQUATIC SCIENCES, 2009)
Studies on the ecology of resource availability and its relation to hydrological regime are essential for aiding the understanding of stream functioning. This paper assesses the intrinsic role of potential food resources and hydrological variables in determining the functional structure of the macroinvertebrate community in a temporary, spring-fed stream. Quantitative estimates of food resources and aquatic macroinvertebrates, together with estimates of the hydrological variables, were collected during an annual surficial flow period. Standing stocks of benthic organic matter were moderately high (annual mean of 157.7 g AFDM m(-2)) and remained relatively constant over time. Moreover, allochthonous material was dominated by coarse material, reflecting the high retention but slow decomposition rates of Holm oak leaves, the major constituent of allochthonous inputs. Mean levels of periphyton biomass were high and decreased over the flow period (annual mean of 17 mg chl a m(-2)). The functional structure of the benthic macroinvertebrate community varied little over the study period and was consistently dominated by grazers and collectors. Conversely, predators and shredders were poorly represented and increased over the flow period. These observations were attributed to the impoverished invertebrate community that frequently characterizes temporary streams and the poor food quality associated with sclerophyllous leaf inputs at the beginning of the flow period. The small amplitude in discharge during most of the annual flow period and the high temperatures that distinguish the Mediterranean climate might allow algal food to be always available for consumers. This result may explain why autochthonous material was the most important food resource controlling food web dynamics in the studied temporary stream.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: PICASSOPLATZ 4, BASEL, 4052, SWITZERLAND publisher: SPRINGER BASEL AG
Keywords: detritus; flow; functional feeding group; Mediterranean stream; periphyton

Efecto de la compactación del suelo y de la disponibilidad de agua sobre la regeneración sexual de la encina en diferentes ambientes lumínicos - MANCILLA-LEYTÓN, J. M.; LEIVA MORALES, M. J.; MARTÍN VICENTE, A. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
La encina, por su distribución mediterránea, debe afrontar hábitats altamente heterogéneos tanto en el espacio como en el tiempo. Esta heterogeneidad está muy marcada por el conjunto de factores abióticos y bióticos que definen la calidad de un micrositio. Dos factores muy estudiados son la disponibilidad hídrica y la radiación fotosintéticamente activa (PAR), pero son muy pocos los trabajos que además tienen en cuenta el medio de sustentación principal de la planta, el suelo. El suelo es un factor muy heterogéneo (varia en escala desde milímetros a metros) además de ser determinante en los primeros estadios de reclutamiento. Por ello se ha estudiado el efecto de la compactación del suelo junto a la disponibilidad hídrica y la radiación PAR sobre la germinación, supervivencia y crecimiento de las plántulas de encina, en las instalaciones experimentales de la Facultad de Biología (Sevilla). La tasa de emergencia y la supervivencia se vieron afectadas significativamente por los tres factores. Por lo que respecta a la biomasa total, aérea y radical de las plántulas, se vieron significativamente afectadas por radiación lumínica y grado de compactación del suelo. Estos resultados apoyan la necesidad de estudiar la variabilidad ambiental de los hábitats a escalas más pequeñas, pudiendo resultar una herramienta muy eficaz de cara a la restauración y gestión de los ecosistemas mediterráneos.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español
Keywords: compactación del suelo; encina; regeneración sexual

Efectos combinados de la fertilización con nitrógeno y fósforo en vivero sobre la respuesta post-trasplante de Quercus ilex L. - OLIET PALÁ, JUAN A.; TORRES SÁNCHEZ, JORGE; CUADROS TAVIRA, SIMÓN; ABELLANAS OAR, BEGOÑA (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Con objeto de profundizar en las relaciones entre fertilización en vivero y resultados de plantación, en este trabajo se contrasta la aplicación factorial de 3 niveles de nitrógeno (50, 150 y 250 mg por planta) y 2 de fósforo (10 y 50 mg por planta) más un control no fertilizado, mediante una plantación experimental en la que se evalúa el crecimiento, la supervivencia y la conductancia estomática de plantas de encina durante el primer año. Las plantas respondieron significativamente en sus atributos de vivero a la fertilización, siendo las encinas más fertilizadas con N y P las de mayor parte aérea y concentración de nutrientes. En plantación, las medidas de conductancia realizadas durante el verano indican una respuesta positiva y significativa de la misma a la fertilización nitrogenada, pero no a la fosfórica. Los datos de supervivencia indican que no existen diferencias significativas entre tratamientos, siendo muy baja la mortalidad en todos ellos. El crecimiento en altura post-trasplante sólo se vio afectado por la fertilización nitrogenada. En biomasa sólo se ha detectado un efecto significativo de la fertilización en general (comparada con el testigo no fertilizado) sobre el crecimiento de tallos nuevos y raíces, si bien el patrón del efecto del N es muy similar al correspondiente al de la altura.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: calidad de planta; forestación; métodos de repoblación; restauración de la diversidad y del paisaje; Viveros

Effect of drying temperatures on chemical and morphological properties of acorn flours - Correia, Paula R.; Leitão, António E.; Beirão-da-Costa, Maria L. (International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 2009)
Drying curves at diﬀerent temperatures were established for Quercus suber and Quercus rotundifolia fruits. Flours produced by milling fruits dried at diﬀerent conditions were evaluated for colour, starch granules morphology, amylose and sugars content. The drying temperature was positively related to the reducing sugar content and negatively to starch content. The amilose content generally increased with drying temperature and the eﬀect was more evident for the Q. rotundifolia. Results showed that ﬂour colour parameters generally decreased with increased drying temperature. However, the drying temperature does not seem to aﬀect starch morphology. It can also be stated that Q. suber produced darker ﬂours, higher amylose and reducing sugar content, and bigger starch granules. Q. rotundifolia showed a lower level of damaged starch and higher fat and disaccharides content. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that drying temperature exerted marked eﬀects on the properties of acorn ﬂours in both studied species.
Keywords: Acorn (Quercus suber and Quercus rotundifolia); chemical properties; drying; morphology

Effect of surface treatment in cork reinforced composites - Ben Abdallah, Faiza; Ben Cheikh, Ridha; Baklouti, Mohamed; Denchev, Zlatan; Cunha, Antonio M. (Journal of Polymer Research, 2009)
This work explores the possibility of using cork for reinforcing of polypropylene (PP). The cork granules were mixed with PP by extrusion and the mixture was then injected. The hydrophilic character of cork and the hydrophobic character of PP influence negatively the adhesion at the interface between the reinforcement and the matrix. In order to improve it, several chemical modifications of the cork reinforcements were used in this work: treatment with silane, with sodium hydroxide and with a compatibilizing agent MAPP. The interface modifications were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Goniometry analysis and infrared spectroscopy analysis (IR). The improvement of the mechanical properties was demonstrated by tensile tests. On their basis it was demonstrated that the best interfacial adhesion between cork and PP is achieved by the silane chemical modification (silanization).
Keywords: composite; Cork; interface adhesion; mechanical properties; silanization

Effects of some ecological variables on carabid communities in native and non native forests in the Ibaizabal basin (Basque Country: Spain) - Martínez, Adoración; Iturrondobeitia Carlos, Juan; Goldarazena, Arturo (Ann. For. Sci., 2009)
• Carabid beetles were investigated at five different forest types in the Ibaizabal basin (northern Spain). The landscape is characterized by the presence of remnants of native forest surrounded by conifer plantations. • Carabids were trapped in 52 stands of mixed forest, beech forest, holm oak forest, mixed pine and Monterey pine plantations in 2005 and 2006. The main objectives of the study were: compare carabid diversity, recognise the characteristic species, and study the effects of ecological variables on carabid assemblages in the different forest types. • No significative differences in species abundance, richness and diversity were found among the studied forests. Most of the trapped beetles were identified as forest generalists, nevertheless some native and non-native forest specialist species were also found. Distribution of carabid communities overlapped and, except for beech forest, no specific communities were distinguished. Altitude, percentage of grass coverage and temperature were the main variables influencing species distribution. • The results suggest high habitat homogeneity, caused by regeneration in pine plantations of the indigenous understorey, and by poor habitat quality in native forest (patchy remnants enclosed in conifer plantations). This situation could explain the similar carabid diversity.
Keywords: Biodiversity; carabid beetles; ecological variables; forest habitats; Forest management

El declive del alcornocal en la Vera del Parque Nacional de Doñana: el papel de las colonias de aves nidificantes - RAMO HERRERO, C.; GARCÍA FERNÁNDEZ, L. V.; DÍAZ DELGADO, R.; MARAÑON, T.; SILJESTRÖM, P.; RODRÍGUEZ OLIVARES, R.; GARRIDO GUIL, H.; URDIALES ALONSO, C.; LAFFITE ALAMINOS, R.; IBÁÑEZ FERNÁNDEZ DE ANGULO, F. CALDERÓN RUBIALES (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Desde principios del siglo XVIII y hasta mediados del siglo pasado el alcornocal de Doñana sufrió la pérdida de gran parte de sus efectivos por la acción humana. La instauración de figuras de protección a partir de 1969 minimizó esta causa de mortalidad y posibilitó la protección integral de los ecosistemas, así como el marcaje y seguimiento de más de 400 alcornoques centenarios. Por otra parte, desde mediados del siglo pasado una importante colonia de aves zancudas viene nidificando en los alcornoques centenarios situados en la Vera (ecotono entre las arenas y las marismas) de la Reserva Biológica, constituyendo la denominada “Pajarera” considerada una figura emblemática del Parque Nacional de Doñana. En este trabajo se analiza el impacto de la colonia sobre el estado de los alcornoques centenarios de la Vera. El análisis conjunto de los datos de mortalidad y de cobertura foliar, apunta a que existe una relación altamente significativa entre la presencia de la colonia y los signos de decaimiento observados en los alcornoques.La amenaza que supone, por un lado, la intensa presión de la fauna herbívora sobre las bellotas y plántulas -que impide la regeneración natural- y, por otro, el efecto deletéreo de la proliferación de las aves nidificantes ha obligado a considerar actuaciones urgentes de gestión e investigación, para garantizar la supervivencia del alcornocal en la Vera de la Reserva Biológica de Doñana.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español
Keywords: decaimiento; interacciones árbol-ave; Quercus suber; regeneración

El rozamiento en el proceso de encorchado como medida del tratamiento de superficie de los tapones de corcho. - GONZÁLEZ HERNÁNDEZ, F.; González Adrados, J. R.; GARCÍA DE CECA VALERO, J. L.; CÁCERES ESTEBAN, M. J.; GONZÁLEZ HERNÁNDEZ, M. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Se han realizado dos tipos de ensayos, uno de fricción tapón-mordaza, con medida de las fuerzas de compresión y expulsión del tapón y un segundo ensayo siguiendo el protocolo de las normas UNE para tapones de corcho, con medida de las fuerzas de introducción y de extracción del tapón de la botella. Para ello se ha partido de tapones aglomerados de 24x44 mm., con cinco tratamientos diferentes; un tratamiento T1 correspondiente a tapones no tratados, dos tratamientos T2 y T3 a base de un polímetro de dimetilsiloxano más pigmento blanco en dosis de 5 y 7,5 g/500 tapones respectivamente y otros dos tratamientos T4 y T5 a base de una mezcla de parafinas más ceras, más siliconas, más disolvente alifático, en dosis de 7,5 y 12,5 g/500 tapones respectivamente. Se han seleccionado un total de diez muestras de 20 tapones para los dos ensayos y los cinco tratamientos, con el criterio, que todas ellas presentaran la misma distribución en cuanto a la densidad. Se han definido cinco índices de fricción y obtenido los correspondientes valores. Finalmente se hace una propuesta de ensayo de fricción para tapones de corcho tratados, para su discusión en el Comité 56 de AENOR
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: Fuerza de compresión; Fuerza de extracción; Fuerza de introducción; Fuerza de relajación; Mordaza; Tapón

Environment and landscape management during the Middle Neolithic in Southern France: Evidence for agro-sylvo-pastoral systems in the Middle Rhone Valley - Delhon, Claire; Thiébault, Stéphanie; Berger, Jean-François (Quaternary International, 2009)
Rescue excavations in the Middle Rhone Valley have provided opportunities to develop innovative strategies for the study of palaeoenvironments. These strategies involve sampling and analysis of botanical remains, recovered not only from archaeological sites but also in ‘‘off-site’’ pedosedimentary sequences thought to be poor in botanical remains. Thus, these remains (phytoliths, pedocharcoal) give access to unexplored depositional contexts, such as alluvial plains. Moreover, off-site data are useful because they minimise the hazard of cultural bias (e.g., selection of species during wood gathering). Comparison of data collected in the alluvial plain with data obtained via anthracological analyses of karstic caves and rock-shelters in the hinterland suggests a complex agro-sylvopastoral management of the landscape during the Middle Neolithic. We propose a pattern that supposes considerable specialization in use of plains vs. slopes in the landscape, and a strong and continuous human pressure on the vegetation and soils between 4500 and 3500 cal BC. Nevertheless, these constraints are not sufﬁcient to explain the persistence of such a system for more than a millennium. Favourable climatic conditions are thought to have been a determining factor in the persistence of an ecologically meta-stable relationship between human societies and their natural environment.
Keywords: CHARCOAL ANALYSIS; Middle Neolithic; Middle Rhone; oak; vegetation dynamics (citation)

Epigeous macrofungi of the Parque de Natureza de Noudar in Alentejo (Portugal) - Louro, R.; Calado, M.; Pinto, B.; Santos-Silva, C. (Mycotaxon, 2009)
This inventory represents the first list of the epigeous macrofungi collected in Parque de Natureza de Noudar (Barrancos, Alentejo, Portugal). Throughout 3 years 162 taxa were registered, from which 8 are new species for Portugal and 77 for Alentejo. Some of them are considered rare species whereas others have been suggested to acquire a conservation status.
Keywords: fungi; Holm oak; iberian peninsula; Mediterranean ecosystem; sporocarps

Establishment limitation of holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.) in a Mediterranean savanna — forest ecosystem - Smit, Christian; Díaz, Mario; Jansen, Patrick (Annals of Forest Science, 2009)
• Tree recruitment in Mediterranean savannas is generally hampered, in contrast with the original oak forests where these savannas are derived from. We asked whether this diﬀerence in recruitment success can be explained by diﬀerential post-dispersal survival. For one year we monitored experimentally cached holm oak acorns in a savanna – forest ecosystem in Central Spain, and recorded cache pilferage, type of pilferer, boar rooting, seedling emergence, seedling survival and the cause of mortality. • Cache pilferage was signiﬁcantly lower in savanna (8%) than in forest (21%). However, the higher cache survival was more than oﬀset by lower seedling emergence and, particularly, by nine times higher seedling mortality in savanna, mainly due to desiccation. Wild boar rooting did not diﬀer between experimental caches and controls without acorns, indicating that individual cached acorns do not trigger rooting activity. • Our results indicate that the diﬀerence in post-dispersal survival between savanna and forest is due to lower emergence and, primarily, higher seedling mortality in savanna, not to higher cache pilferage. Absence of safe sites such as shrubs, abundantly present in the forest, may well explain the lack of recruitment in the savanna. Management measures appear necessary for long-term persistence of Mediterranean savannas in general.
Keywords: Dehesa; seed predation; seedling establishment; tree recruitment

Estimación del precio de indiferencia del carbono con la regeneración natural facilitada y la forestación de la encina y el alcornoque en montes mediterráneos - Campos Palacín, P.; Caparrós Gass, A.; OVANDO POL, P. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
En este estudio se comparan los costes de mitigar emisiones de carbono con la regeneración natural facilitada y la reforestación de dos especies típicas del monte mediterráneo: la encina y el alcornoque en cuatro sitios representativos de estos montes en España y Túnez. Se estiman los precios de indiferencia del carbono (en € tCO2 -1), incluyendo en el análisis costes y beneficios comerciales ligados a las dos inversiones forestales analizadas, y de forma adicional las actuales subvenciones a la gestión forestal. Los precios de indiferencia determinan el umbral mínimo de la compensación que requeriría un propietario forestal para aceptar llevar a cabo inversiones en la extensión y renovación del encinar o alcornocal. Los resultados de este análisis aportan nuevos argumentos para justificar un cambio en la actual preeminencia que las ayudas europeas dan al establecimiento de plantaciones forestales por mayores ayudas dirigidas a facilitar la regeneración natural de las masas forestales existentes que se encuentran proceso de degradación por envejecimiento. Palabras
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: España; fijación de carbono; monte mediterráneo; subvenciones netas; Túnez

Estudio del turno óptimo de descorche en alcornocales andaluces - ALAEJOS GUTIÉRREZ, J.; TORRES ÁLVAREZ, E.; SÁNCHEZ AUNIÓN, M. F. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
El calibre del corcho tiene una gran influencia sobre la calidad final del producto. La selvicultura de alcornocales permite obtener un determinado calibre del corcho alargando o acortando el turno de descorche. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar el turno óptimo de descorche para alcanzar la mejor calidad de corcho posible en un alcornocal determinado. Para alcanzar este objetivo, se ha medido el crecimiento anual de corcho en muestras procedentes de la colección de corcho, o suberoteca, del Plan de Calas de la Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía. Las muestras fueron seleccionadas aleatoriamente en proporción a los porcentajes de las diferentes calidades y calibres de cada monte descorchado. El espesor de los anillos de crecimiento se realizó mediante análisis de la imagen escaneada del corte transversal de las piezas de corcho. Se realizó un análisis de regresión entre la edad del corcho, como variable independiente, y el calibre como variable dependiente. La ecuación parabólica resultó ser el mejor modelo. Se determinaron los coeficientes del modelo para cada región de procedencia y clase de calibre final del corcho. Estos modelos permiten realizar proyecciones en el tiempo del calibre final del corcho y predicciones de del calibre del corcho a diferentes edades. La proyección del calibre del corcho a los 9, 10, 11 y 12 años permite estimar y comparar la calidad final del corcho en un mismo monte con diferentes turnos de descorche. En tales condiciones, es posible calcular el turno óptimo de descorche utilizando métodos de análisis financiero. En contra de una idea frecuentemente generalizada, en un porcentaje apreciable de montes no es necesario un alargamiento del turno de descorche para obtener un corcho de mayor calidad.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: Alcornoque; Andalucía; Corcho; crecimiento

Estudio y caracterización de las masas de alcornoque de la provincia de León - FERNÁNDEZ-MANSO, A. A.; SARMIENTO MAILLO, L. A.; EZQUERRA BOTICARIO, F. J.; COBOS MIGUEL, T.; GARCÍA FERNÁNDEZ-MIRANDA, M. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
La falta de estudios sobre los alcornocales de la provincia de León hace que se desconozcan aspectos tan relevantes para su gestión sostenible como su distribución espacial, su estructura y dinámica o su estado de regeneración. A pesar de que algunos de los alcornocales leoneses son periódicamente descorchados no podemos hablar de una producción importante en términos económicos. Su importancia radica en sus valores ecológicos y culturales. El presente trabajo inventaría y analiza las 1.945,09 ha de alcornocal presente en la provincia de León localizados en su totalidad entre las comarcas de El Bierzo y la Cabrera. El objetivo del trabajo es obtener la información relevante de cara a la toma de decisiones en relación con las medidas de gestión más adecuadas para la especie. El trabajo presenta la localización geográfica y descripción ecológica de las masas de alcornocal, analiza su estructura y dinámica y estudia los usos actuales para prever su viabilidad futura.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: el bierzo; estructura y dinámica forestal; Quercus Suber L

Evaluación de diferentes alternativas de forestación y agricultura como sumideros de carbono en Castilla y León - CISNEROS, O.; MODREGO, P.; RUEDA, J.; ÁGREDA, T.; ÁGUEDA, B.; Alonso, R.; J., GORDO; SOMBRERO, A.; DE BENITO, A.; TENORIO, J. L.; ZAMBRANA, E.; WALTER, I.; et al. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
El proyecto SUM2006-00023-C05 plantea el análisis de diferentes alternativas agrícolas y forestales como herramienta para mejorar el efecto de sumidero de carbono en terrenos agrícolas de Castilla y León. Se materializa en una evaluación económica de las distintas alternativas por parte de una empresa afectada por el Plan Nacional de Asignación de Emisiones. Para ello se compara mediante el software CO2FIX el flujo de carbono en fincas de agricultura tradicional frente a diferentes alternativas (populicultura, truficultura, pino piñonero, cerezo y nogal para madera, laboreo mínimo, siembra directa, leguminosas arbustivas silvestres y cultivos agroenergéticos). También se analiza la aceptación de este tipo de proyecto por parte de los propietarios forestales de la región. En este artículo se desarrollan las principales aspectos prácticos que debería incluir un proyecto de “Uso de la Tierra, Cambio de Uso de la Tierra y Selvicultura” como sumidero de carbono (proyecto LULUCF según la terminología del Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos Sobre el Cambio Climático –IPCC-); así como los problemas y limitaciones que existen en su aplicación práctica. Como ejemplo se exponen resultados parciales del proyecto, correspondientes a la comparación de fincas de cereal en Zamadueñas (Valladolid) y Valdegeña (Soria) con plantaciones forestales (de chopo y de encina trufera respectivamente) y distintos sistemas de laboreo
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: chopo; CO2FIX; encina trufera; laboreo de conservación; Sumideros agroforestales

Evaluación de la capacidad de adaptación al estrés climático en Quercus mediterráneos: ¿plasticidad fenotípica o variación genotípica? - FERNÁNDEZ-MARÍN, B.; Camarero, J. J.; Olano, J. M.; ESTEBAN, R.; S. J., ARROYO; BECERRIL, J. M.; García-Plazaola, J. I. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Los factores de estrés asociados al clima representan el principal factor limitante en el crecimiento de las plantas. Muchos de ellos se traducen en la generación de daños fotooxidativos. Para evitarlos, las plantas presentan un conjunto de mecanismos denominados de fotoprotección que se inducen en respuesta a factores estresantes ambientales. Sin embargo, no está claro si la potencialidad de expresión del sistema fotoprotector depende exclusivamente de la plasticidad fenotípica de cada especie o de su procedencia (genotipo). En el presente trabajo, se estudió la respuesta fotoprotectora en varias poblaciones ibéricas de encina (Quercus ilex L.). Se muestrearon tres localidades con tres tipos de climas mediterráneos muy contrastados: Alcubierre en Huesca (semiárido-continental); Soria (continental) y Tertanga en Álava (oceánico). A lo largo del año 2008 se estimó el crecimiento secundario de 10 árboles adultos por localidad y se muestrearon hojas del año, en primavera, verano e invierno. Estos resultados se compararon con los obtenidos en plántulas de bellotas procedentes de las tres localidades. Se determinaron diversos parámetros indicativos del nivel de fotoprotección y funcionamiento fotosintético: contenidos de pigmentos fotosintéticos y tocoferoles, pubescencia foliar, y eficiencia fotosintética. En el campo, las encinas de Tertanga presentaron el máximo crecimiento secundario y los menores niveles de tocoferoles, pubescencia y reflectancia foliar. El menor crecimiento se registró en Soria, donde se observó un proceso de fotoinhibición invernal que también se dio en Alcubierre en menor medida. En el invernadero, las plántulas de Alcubierre mostraron los mayores niveles en el ratio xantofilas del ciclo VAZ respecto a clorofila (VAZ/cl), pubescencia, y reflectancia foliar. Estos resultados sugieren la coexistencia de mecanismos fotoprotectores fisiológicos de gran plasticidad en Q. ilex, en parte dependientes de la procedencia de las poblaciones, con otros intrínsecos de tipo morfológico determinados genotípicamente. Palabras
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: crecimiento secundario; encina; fotoprotección; plasticidad fenotípica

Evaluación de la sostenibilidad en exploraciones de dehesa en función de su tamaño y orientación ganadera - Gaspar García, P.; Mesías Díaz, Francisco Javier; Escribano Sánchez, Miguel; Pulido, F. (ITEA, información técnica económica agraria, 2009)
Keywords: dehsa; extensive livestock; farm management; Sustainability indicators

Evolución del crecimiento radial de Quercus ilex L. ssp. ballota (Desf.) Samp) y Quercus suber L.) en la provincia de Huelva. Influencia de parámetros climáticos, selvícolas y humedad de suelo. - MARTIN PEREZ, D.; ALEJANO MONGE, R.; VAZQUEZ PIQUE, J.; Tapias, R. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
El objetivo de este estudio es describir la evolución del crecimiento diametral del fuste de Quercus ilex L. ssp ballota (Desf.) Samp y Quercus suber L. a escala inter e intranual, y estudiar la influencia de diferentes tratamientos selvícolas (podas y tratamientos de suelo) y de factores climáticos y edáficos, con el fin de disponer en posteriores estudios de modelos de crecimiento para estas dos especies y prever su comportamiento ante la variación de estos factores, así como para profundizar en la función de estos Quercus mediterráneos como sumideros de carbono atmosférico y predecir los cambios en su distribución futura en función de los posibles escenarios de cambio climático existentes. Para este estudio se han establecido tres parcelas experimentales en diferentes localizaciones de la provincia de Huelva (Hinojos, San Bartolomé de la Torre y Huerto Ramírez), donde se han aplicado tratamientos de poda y suelo y medido los parámetros edafoclimáticos. El crecimiento diametral de fuste se ha estimado usando dendrómetros de banda, realizando mediciones mensuales entre los años 2003 y 2008. Con el volumen de datos recogidos en la fase de campo se ha elaborado una base de datos que se ha utilizado para describir la evolución mensual del crecimiento de Quercus ilex y Quercus suber a lo largo de 6 años, analizando la influencia de parámetros climáticos, humedad del suelo y parámetros selvícolas (tratamientos de poda y suelo) sobre el mismo. Este trabajo es la base para la elaboración de un modelo de crecimiento de esta especie.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: cambio climático y gestión forestal; Sistemas agrosilvopastorales; sostenibilidad.; tratamientos selvícolas

Exceptional carbon uptake in European forests during the warm spring of 2007: a data–model analysis - DELPIERRE, N.; SOUDANI, K.; François, C.; Köstner, B.; Pontailler, J.-Y.; NIKINMAA, E.; Misson, L.; Aubinet, M.; BERNHOFER, C.; GRANIER, a; GRÜNWALD, T.; HEINESCH, B.; et al. (Global Change Biology, 2009)
Temperate and boreal forests undergo drastic functional changes in the springtime, shifting within a few weeks from net carbon (C) sources to net C sinks. Most of these changes are mediated by temperature. The autumn 2006–winter 2007 record warm period was followed by an exceptionally warm spring in Europe, making spring 2007 a good candidate for advances in the onset of the photosynthetically active period. An analysis of a decade of eddy covariance data from six European forests stands, which encompass a wide range of functional types (broadleaf evergreen, broadleaf deciduous, needleleaf evergreen) and a wide latitudinal band (from 44° to 62°N), revealed exceptional fluxes during spring 2007. Gross primary productivity (GPP) of spring 2007 was the maximum recorded in the decade examined for all sites but a Mediterranean evergreen forest (with a +40 to +130 gC m−2 anomaly compared with the decadal mean over the January–May period). Total ecosystem respiration (TER) was also promoted during spring 2007, though less anomalous than GPP (with a +17 to +93 gC m−2 anomaly over 5 months), leading to higher net uptake than the long-term mean at all sites (+12 to +79 gC m−2 anomaly over 5 months). A correlative analysis relating springtime C fluxes to simple phenological indices suggested spring C uptake and temperatures to be related. The CASTANEA process-based model was used to disentangle the seasonality of climatic drivers (incoming radiation, air and soil temperatures) and biological drivers (canopy dynamics, thermal acclimation of photosynthesis to low temperatures) on spring C fluxes along the latitudinal gradient. A sensitivity analysis of model simulations evidenced the roles of (i) an exceptional early budburst combined with elevated air temperature in deciduous sites, and (ii) an early relief of winter thermal acclimation in coniferous sites for the promotion of 2007 spring assimilation.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: 13 october 2008; august 2008 and accepted; European forests; functional drivers; net carbon uptake; process-based model; received 30 may 2008; revised version received 30; spring

Exchange Complex Composition in Mediterranean Ultisols Under Various Types of Vegetation and Soil Uses - Mariscal-Sancho, Ignacio; Peregrina, Fernando; Mendiola, Maria A.; Santano, Jesus; Espejo, Rafael (SOIL SCIENCE, 2009)
We studied the dynamics of texture, bulk density, exchangeable bases, acidity, and aluminum in the uppermost Surface 50 con of Mediterranean Ultisols under natural vegetation at variable degradation stages and tinder different soil uses in the Canamero's rana formation (southwest Spain). The areas studied included a cork oak grove (the climax vegetation in the area), a field densely covered by Cistus ladaniferus L., a field with 55% covered by Cistus crispus L. and C. ladaniferus, a field with 10% covered by bushes of the same type as the previous one, and a field with grass and occasional Cistus bushes. All of these fields with bushes were extensively cultivated with rye (Secale. cereale L.) and then abandoned 45, 35, 12, and 6 years, respectively, before the study. Finally, we selected an olive grove that had been under continuous tillage for the previous 65 years. The total organic matter content decreased, starting from the virgin soil, under cork oaks, to the most heavily degraded soil (that under olive trees), whereas the bulk density increased. The total contents of exchangeable Ca, Mg, Na, and K significantly decreased in the same trend as organic matter. In contrast, the amount of aluminum extracted by 1N KCl, Al(K), remained essentially constant or even increased with increasing soil degradation. This resulted in a markedly decreased Ca/Al(K) ratio in the topmost 5 cm of soil, which had a strong adverse effect on crop productivity and natural plant recovery after the soils were abandoned.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 530 WALNUT ST, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106-3621 USA publisher: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
Keywords: organic carbon; Soil degradation; soil quality; storage bases

Factors affecting bird richness in a fragmented cork oak forest in Morocco - Cherkaoui, Imad; Selmi, Slaheddine; Boukhriss, Jihen; Hamid, Rguibi-Idrissi; Mohammed, Dakki (Acta Oecologica, 2009)
The cork oak forest of Ma’amora in north-western Morocco was the largest cork oak forest in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. Due to growing land use for agriculture and urbanization, however, this forest has become fragmented into relatively small and isolated patches. The effects of this fragmentation on the diversity of wild animal communities have never been investigated despite the importance of such investigations in elaborating longterm conservation plans of the biodiversity of this forest system. In this study of a sample of 44 forest patches we assessed the relationships between species numbers of wintering, breeding and spring migrant birds and patch size, shape, isolation and vegetation structure. We found that species richnesses of the three studied bird assemblages were strongly related to local vegetation structure, namely to the diversity and abundance of trees and bushes. Patches with higher diversity and cover of trees and bushes support higher numbers of bird species. However, patch size, shape and isolation were not signiﬁcant predictors of bird richness. These results suggest that bird communities in the studied forest patches were more likely shaped by local habitat suitability rather than the amount of habitat or patch isolation. The results also demonstrate negative effects of current human pressures, namely logging, grazing and disturbance, on the diversity of bird communities in this forest system. This emphasizes the need for urgent management efforts aiming at reducing the negative impacts of forest use by humans on bird diversity in this forest system
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS
Keywords: birds; Cork Oak Forest; fragmentation; Morocco

Factors affecting post-fire crown regeneration in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) trees - Catry, Filipe Xavier; Moreira, Francisco; Duarte, Inês; Acácio, Vanda (European Journal of Forest Research, 2009)
Cork oak (Quercus suber) forests are acknowledged for their biodiversity and economic (mainly cork production) values. WildWres are one of the main threats contributing to cork oak decline in the Mediterranean Basin, and one major question that managers face after Wre in cork oak stands is whether the burned trees should be coppiced or not. This decision can be based on the degree of expected crown regeneration assessed immediately after Wre. In this study we carried out a post-Wre assessment of the degree of crown recovery in 858 trees being exploited for cork production in southern Portugal, 1.5 years after a wildWre. Using logistic regression, we modelled good or poor crown recovery probability as a function of tree and stand variables. The main variables inXuencing the likelihood of good or poor crown regeneration were bark thickness, charring height, aspect and tree diameter. We also developed management models, including simpler but easier to measure variables, which had a lower predictive power but can be used to help managers to identify, immediately after Wre, trees that will likely show good crown regeneration, and trees that will likely die or show poor regeneration (and thus, potential candidates for trunk coppicing).
Keywords: Cork oak; crown regeneration; Forest management; wild w res; wildfires

Farmer-specific relationships between land use change and landscape factors: Introducing agents in empirical land use modelling - Bakker, Martha M.; van Doorn, Anne M. (Land Use Policy, 2009)
Traditional empirical land use change models generally assume one average land use decision-maker. Multi-Agent System (MAS) models, on the other hand, acknowledge existence of different types of agents, but their poor empirical embedding remains a serious handicap. This paper demonstrates how agent information can also be incorporated into empirical, biophysical land use models. Agent (farmer) information was captured in four farmer types by means of cluster analysis. The types were distinguished by age, education, property size, distance from residence, and the number of animals owned. This information was made spatially explicit as each ﬁeld in the study area is related to a farmer, based on cadastral information. Statistical interaction terms between farmer type and landscape factors such as remoteness, soil quality, slope and aspect, were tested for signiﬁcance in describing the observed occurrence of three land use changes: afforestation of arable land, abandonment of arable land, and restoration of the traditional Montado system. Results showed that each farmer type uses different criteria for selecting land for a certain land use change. For example, absentee farmers abandon the most remote areas while other farmer types do not use remoteness as a criterion for abandonment; active farmers select the most accessible ﬁelds for afforestation while other farmer types do not; absentee farmers select their best soils for restoration of the traditional Montado system, while active farmers tend to select poor soils. It is demonstrated that each farmer type shows a different relationship between landscape factors and land use changes. Hence, farmer-speciﬁc relationships between landscape and land use contribute signiﬁcantly to the explanation of land use change.
Keywords: Agent-based modelling; Alentejo; farmers; Land abandonment; Land use change; Marginal areas; Portugal; Regression

The fate of condensed tannins during litter consumption by soil animals - Coulis, Mathieu; Hättenschwiler, Stephan; Rapior, Sylvie; Coq, Sylvain (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2009)
Condensed tannins (CT) can strongly affect litter decomposition, but their fate during the decomposition process, in particular as inﬂuenced by detritivore consumption, is not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that litter CT are reduced by the gut passage of two functionally distinct detritivores of Mediterranean forests, the millipede Glomeris marginata, and the land snail Pomatias elegans, as a ﬁxed proportion of initial litter CT, but more so in Pomatias since snails are known to have a more efﬁcient enzymatic capacity. Contrary to our hypothesis, both detritivore species reduced litter CT to near zero in their faecal pellets irrespective of the wide range in initial leaf litter CT concentrations of 9–188 mg g 1 d m among three Mediterranean tree species (Pistacia terebinthus, Quercus ilex, Alnus glutinosa) and different decomposition stages of their litter. The almost complete disappearance of CT even from some litter types highly concentrated in CT, due to either degradation by gut microorganism or complexation of CT into insoluble high molecular weight structures, suggests a high ‘‘de-tanning’’ efﬁciency across functionally distinct detritivore species. The transformation of CT-rich litter into virtually CT-free faecal pellets by detritivores might be highly relevant for the subsequent decomposition process in ecosystems with a high macrofauna abundance and CT-rich plant species such as Mediterranean forests.
Keywords: decomposition; Glomeris marginata; Macrofauna; mediterranean forest; polyphenols; Pomatias elegans; Tree leaf litter

Fertilización tardía y establecimiento de Quercus ilex subsp. ballota 2/11 - CORTINA, J.; MONERRIS, J.; DISANTE, K.; FUENTES, D.; VALDECANTOS, A. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
La restauración de ecosistemas mediterráneos con frecuencia requiere la reintroducción de especies leñosas. Pero existe una gran incertidumbre sobre las características que debe reunir un brinzal para aumentar sus probabilidades de éxito en el campo. Algunos estudios han mostrado que la fertilización en vivero permite una mayor supervivencia y crecimiento en campo. Sin embargo, en estos experimentos, las variaciones en el estado nutricional no se pueden desligar de los cambios morfológicos que promueve la fertilización. Para evaluar la importancia del estado nutricional, frente a las variaciones morfológicas inducidas por éste, hemos evaluado el comportamiento en el campo de brinzales de una savia de Quercus ilex subsp. ballota no fertilizados y brinzales a los que se aplicó fertilización tardía (posterior a la parada otoñal de crecimiento de la parte aérea). Nuestras hipótesis son: (i) la fertilización tardía permite mejorar el estado nutricional de los brinzales sin variar su tamaño y (ii) con ello, se aumenta la supervivencia y el crecimiento de los brinzales en el campo. La fertilización tardía no afectó al tamaño de los brinzales, pero mejoró su estado nutricional. En campo, la supervivencia fue muy elevada antes del primer verano (>98%), disminuyendo después del mismo hasta un rango de valores de 65-100%. En ningún caso la supervivencia estuvo relacionada con la fertilización en vivero. Por el contrario, la tasa de crecimiento antes del verano fue inferior en plantas no fertilizadas, invirtiéndose esta tendencia durante el verano. La tasa anual de crecimiento fue superior en las plantas fertilizadas, confirmando parcialmente nuestra hipótesis. La fertilización tardía representa una técnica sencilla para reducir el uso de fertilizantes en vivero, produciendo brinzales de pequeño tamaño pero elevada capacidad de respuesta en campo. Palabras
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: cultivo en vivero; encinares; estado nutricional; Quercus rotundifolia; restauración forestal

Field sampling of cork value before extraction in Portuguese ‘montados’ - Almeida, Alice M.; Tomé, Margarida (Agroforestry Systems, 2009)
The assessment of cork quality and the estimation of cork value are very important to forest landowners, for management purposes and for cork commercialisation. The Forest Producers Associations have been using a sampling scheme with the objective of estimating cork value (price per unit of weight, usually kg) before extraction, based on the sampling of individual trees along a zigzag transect that covers the entire stand. The sampling error is usually too high, but, from a practical standpoint, it is difﬁcult to increase the sampling intensity if it would imply an increase in sampling costs. The aim of this work was to propose, from data collected in six stands representative of the cork oak stands in Portugal, an alternative sampling methodology with a more efﬁcient precision/ cost ratio. Precision and costs of alternative sampling designs based on clusters of different sizes, complemented with analysis of the intracluster correlation coefﬁcient, were studied in order to propose the most adequate sampling strategy. Single-stage cluster sampling with clusters of 5–7 trees guarantees a reasonable sampling error (10–15%) and can be conducted without a large increase in cost.
Keywords: Cork oak; Cork quality; Cork thickness; Cork value; Intracluster correlation coefﬁcient; Single-stage cluster sampling

Food supplementation in distinct Corsican oak habitats and the timing of egg laying by Blue Tits - Bourgault, Patrice; Perret, Philippe; Lambrechts, Marcel M. (JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY, 2009)
Resource constraints may impose physiological limitations on egg production and influence the timing of breeding in seasonally breeding birds. Food-supplementation experiments have demonstrated that food availability may influence the timing of egg laying, but the moderate response of birds in most studies suggests that the effect of food availability may be apparent only under certain ecological conditions. Experiments conducted in habitats that differ in ecological characteristics and natural availability of food sources are, therefore, needed to effectively examine the possible role of habitat-specific physiological constraints on the timing of breeding. We compared the response of Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to supplemental feeding in four oak woodlands that differed in elevation, forest type, and food availability on the island of Corsica. We found that supplemental feeding advanced the date of egg laying (by about 1 week) at only one of four sites; a site dominated by evergreen holm oak where the availability of natural food was likely lower than at the other sites. Our results suggest that the response of Blue Tits to supplemental food depends on the natural level of resource abundance, but, in addition, that the effect of supplemental feeding on the timing of breeding appears to be small compared to the typical and, for our study sites, great (> 1.5 mo) between-population variation in clutch initiation dates. Physiological limitations related to the acquisition of nutrients and energy may exert only a limited effect on the onset of breeding, and behavioral flexibility in the integration of fine-scale environmental signals (e.g., temperature and phenology) that predict future breeding conditions may be more important in explaining variation among populations in the timing of breeding.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Keywords: Blue tit; food constraints; food supplementation; proximate factors; timing of breeding

Generation of a Species-Specific Look-Up Table for Fuel Moisture Content Assessment - Yebra, M.; Chuvieco, E. (Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, IEEE Journal of, 2009)
This study involved the generation of a species-specific Look-Up Table (LUT) for the retrieval of Fuel Moisture Content (FMC) in natural areas dominated by Quercus ilex (Holm oak). Parameter combinations observed in drying Q. ilex samples were used as inputs into the linked PROSPECT and SAILH Radiative Transfer Models (RTM) to avoid unrealistic simulated spectra in the LUT. Terra/MODIS reflectance data, extracted over five plots dominated by Q. ilex, were used to carry out the LUT inversion. This inversion was based on the search for the minimum relative root mean square error (RMSErho*) between observed and simulated reflectance found in the LUT. Different inversion options were tested in order to search for the optimal spectral sampling necessary for accurately estimating FMC. The minimum number of solutions required for the calculation of the estimated FMC was also investigated. The retrieval performance was evaluated with FMC values measured at the five study plots. The most accurate FMC estimation was obtained when using the normalized difference infrared index (NDII6 ) and selecting the ten best cases as the solution (RMSE=26.28%). Finally, a non-oak-specific LUT (generic LUT) was used in the same way to evaluate whether or not the species-specific LUT retrieved FMC more accurately. The results showed that the species-specific LUT provided more accurate FMC estimations than the generic LUT. Only when the number of solutions was higher than 35 was the accuracy of the two LUT similar. Future work will focus on the possibility of generating a LUT adapted to a wider range of species based on data extracted from field measurements and literature.
Keywords: Fuel moisture content (FMC); Holm oak; MODIS; Quercus ilex; Radiative Transfer Models (RTM)

Genetic transformation of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) for herbicide resistance. - Alvarez, Rubén; Alvarez, José M.; Humara, Jaime M.; Revilla, Angeles; Ordás, Ricardo J. (Biotechnology letters, 2009)
The bar gene was introduced into the cork oak genome. Cork oak embryogenic masses were transformed using the Agrobacterium strain AGL1 which carried the plasmid pBINUbiBar. This vector harbours the genes, nptII and bar, the latter under control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. The transgenic embryogenic lines were cryopreserved. Varying activities of phosphinothricin acetyl transferase were detected among the lines, which carried 1-4 copies of the insert. Molecular and biochemical assays confirmed the stability and expression of the transgenes 3 months after thawing the cultures. These results demonstrate genetic engineering of herbicide tolerance in Quercus spp.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 19543858
Keywords: Acetyltransferases; Acetyltransferases: genetics; Acetyltransferases: metabolism; Gene Dosage; Genomic Instability; Herbicide Resistance; Herbicides; Herbicides: toxicity; Plant Proteins; Plant Proteins: genetics; Plant Proteins: metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plants, Genetically Modified: drug effects; Plants, Genetically Modified: genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified: physiology; Plasmids; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Quercus; Quercus: drug effects; Quercus: genetics; Quercus: physiology; Rhizobium; Rhizobium: genetics; Transformation, Genetic; Zea mays; Zea mays: genetics

Gestión de la competencia para la conservación de una población marginal de alcornoque (Quercus suber L.) en los Montes Obarenes (Burgos) - AVILÉS RODRIGÁLVAREZ, C.; CÓZAR CASTAÑEDA, A.; ALLUÉ CAMACHO, C. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
El objetivo de este trabajo es la caracterización selvícola de una población marginal de alcornoque (Quercus suber L.) en los Montes Obarenes, al norte de la provincia de Burgos (N España), en relación con los tipos de masa a los que aparece asociada en la zona de estudio, generalmente pinares de repoblación con aprovechamiento maderable, de modo que pueda establecerse un modelo de gestión que integre la conservación de un bosque de alcornoque de excepcional valor natural con los aprovechamientos tradicionales. Sobre unidades homogéneas de vegetación que se definieron en función de la presencia de alcornoque, se realizó un muestreo de campo por transectos para comparar la situación del alcornocal ante distintos grados de cobertura y competencia. Se obtuvieron valores dasométricos y cualitativos con el fin de definir el estado actual de conservación del alcornocal, sus perspectivas de futuro y los posibles modelos de gestión a considerar para garantizar su persistencia manteniendo la componente del aprovechamiento maderable. Se constató, a partir de la definición de una tipología de pies de alcornoque en función del grado de dominancia a que se encuentran sometidos, que el modelo de gestión actual de las masas de repoblación pone en grave riesgo la pervivencia del alcornocal que se desarrolla bajo su cubierta, realizándose en base al muestreo una aproximación a los umbrales de ciertas variables selvícolas que garanticen la continuidad del bosque mixto.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: alcornocal; Bosque mixto; competencia; dominancia; pinar

Growth data from a field trial of Quercus suber plants regenerated from selected trees and from their half-sib progenies by somatic embryogenesis - Celestino, Cristina; Fernandez-Guijarro, B.; Hernández, Inmaculada; López Vela, Dolores; Carneros, Elena; Jiménez García, Jesús; Cardo, L.; Alegre, Jesús; Toribio, Mariano (Acta Horticulturae, 2009)
The development of reliable clonal propagation technologies is a requisite for performing Multi-Varietal Forestry (MVF). Somatic embryogenesis is considered the tissue culture based method more suitable for operational breeding of forest trees. Vegetative propagation is very difficult when tissues are taken from mature donors, making clonal propagation of selected trees almost impossible. We have been able to induce somatic embryogenesis in leaves taken from mature oak trees, including cork oak (Quercus suber). This important species of the Mediterranean ecosystem produces cork regularly, conferring to this species a significant economic value. In a previous paper we reported the establishment of a field trial to compare the growth of plants of somatic origin vs zygotic origin, and somatic plants from mature trees vs somatic plants from juvenile seedlings. For that purpose somatic seedlings were regenerated from five selected cork oak trees and from young plants of their half-sib progenies by somatic embryogenesis. They were planted in the field together with acorn-derived plants of the same families. After the first growth period, seedlings of zygotic origin doubled the height of somatic seedlings, showing somatic plants of adult and juvenile origin similar growth. Here we provide data on height and diameter increases after two additional growth periods. In the second one, growth parameters of zygotic seedlings were also significantly higher than those of somatic ones, but there were not significant differences in height increase between seedlings and somatic plants of mature origin. In the third growth period, height and diameter increases of somatic seedlings cloned from the selected trees did not differ from those of zygotic seedlings, which were still higher than data from plants obtained from somatic embryos from the sexual progeny. Therefore, somatic seedlings from mature origin seem not to be influenced by a possible ageing effect, and plants from somatic embryos tend to minimize the initial advantage of plants from acorns.
Keywords: Cork oak; field establishment; forest improvement; rejuvenation; vegetative propagation; woody plant micropropagation

Growth response of mixed mediterranean oak coppices to rainfall reduction - Cotillas, Miriam; Sabaté, Santi; Gracia, Carlos; Espelta, Josep Mª (Forest Ecology and Management, 2009)
Climate change is one of the major challenges for ecosystem conservation. One of the most vulnerable areas to climate change is the Mediterranean Basin which is expected to suffer important changes in temperature and precipitation in the next few decades, leading to a warmer and dryer climate. Therefore, it is necessary to determine species-speciﬁc responses to increased drought to predict possible future changes in the structure and composition of Mediterranean forests, as well as to identify appropriate management strategies to mitigate these effects. The main aim of this study has been to experimentally simulate the effects of a 15% reduction in annual rainfall on the survival and growth of two co-occurring Mediterranean oaks with contrasting leafhabit (the evergreen Quercus ilex spp. ilex and the winter-deciduous Quercus cerrioides) and, to assess whether traditional selective thinning carried out in these mixed oak coppices (i.e. selection of one to few stems per stump) can modify the consequences of rainfall reduction. Soil moisture decreased under the rainfall reduction level while it increased in the thinned plots. Reduced rainfall did not inﬂuence tree mortality, but did lead to species-speciﬁc effects on height growth: no changes were observed in Q. ilex while height growth rate of Q. cerrioides decreased (c.a. 20%). Selective thinning improved tree growth (c.a. 50%) in stands both under natural and, and to a lesser extent, under reduced rainfall conditions. Nevertheless, the positive effects of thinning rapidly declined during our three years experiment, probably because the vigorous resprouting of thinned stumps. Our results show that the forecasted reduction in annual rainfall for the Western Mediterranean Basin can constrain the growth of some deciduous oaks in mixed oak coppices. Traditional selective thinning can increase soil moisture and encourage tree growth, thus partially mitigating this effect. However, the transient results observed in this experiment suggest the need to reconsider the intensity and the frequency of this traditional management practice in light of new climatic scenarios
Keywords: climate change; Drought; Forest management; Quercus cerrioides; Quercus ilex; resprouting

Harvester ants (Messor barbarus) as disturbance agents in Mediterranean grasslands - Azcárate, F. M.; Peco, B. (Journal of Vegetation Science, 2009)
Questions: 1. Do disturbances by harvester ants (Messor barbarus L.) affect soil properties? 2. Do they alter seed distribution? 3. Do they show a different species composition? 4 Are these changes related to seed size (length and weight)? Location: Mediterranean grasslands in central Spain, near Madrid. Methods: We recorded autumn seed banks and spring vegetation in middens, trunk trails and controls. Soil properties were also measured in middens and controls. The effect of seed weight and length was analysed after transforming data into phylogenetically independent contrasts. Results: Soil under middens is more silty and higher in potassium, organic matter and pH. Seed density and seed bank species richness increased greatly in middens, while vegetation species richness was signiﬁcantly lower in comparison to control samples. Abundance changes in this disturbance type were positively correlated with seed weight, both in seed bank and vegetation. In contrast, we only detected a slight increase in bare ground on foraging trunk trails, with no clear effects on seed bank and vegetation composition. Conclusions: Midden development is a mechanism that generates heterogeneity which favours the survival of certain large-seeded species mainly predated by ants in Mediterranean grasslands. This effect may partially neutralize the dominance of small seeded species expected from the seed predation process.
Keywords: midden; seed bank; Seed size; soil property; Trunk trail

Holocene circum-Mediterranean vegetation changes: Climate forcing and human impact - Jalut, Guy; Dedoubat, Jean Jacques; Fontugne, Michel; Otto, Thierry (Quaternary International, 2009)
The Mediterranean climate and its variability depend on global-scale climate patterns. Close correlations appear when comparing Holocene palaeoenvironmental data (lake levels, ﬂuvial activity, Mediterranean surface temperature and salinity, marine sedimentation) with the main stages of the history of the circum-Mediterranean vegetation. They indicate an evolution of the Mediterranean biome controlled by the climate and emphasize the teleconnections between the climate of the Mediterranean area and the global climatic system. In the circum-Mediterranean area, the Holocene can be divided into three periods: a lower humid Holocene (11 500–7000 cal BP) interrupted by dry episodes; a transition phase (7000–5500 cal BP) during which occurred a decrease in insolation as well as the installation of the present atmosphere circulation in the northern hemisphere; and an upper Holocene (5500 cal BP—present) characterized by an aridiﬁcation process. Throughout the Holocene, humans used and modiﬁed more or less strongly the environment but the climatic changes were the determining factors of the evolution of the Mediterranean biome. Societies had to adapt to natural environmental variations, their impact on the environment increasing the ecological consequences of the global changes.
Keywords: climate; climatic changes; Holocene; Mediterranean area; pollen data; vegetation dynamics (voyant)

Identificación y marcaje de alcornoques plus seleccionados por calidad de corcho - CUENCA VALERA, B.; SANTOS MARTÍN, I.; LUQUERO RAMOS, L.; IBÁÑEZ MORENO, B.; OCAÑA BUENO, L.; DÍAZ, A.; ACEDO, A. (V Congreso Forestal Español, 2009)
Durante el año 2002 TRAGSA, con el apoyo del ICMC, realizó una selección de alcornoques productores de corcho de alta calidad en diferentes rodales selectos de 4 regiones de procedencia extremeñas. Inicialmente, los árboles seleccionados fueron etiquetados colocando un fleje con una etiqueta en una rama por encima de la altura de saca y se registraron las coordenadas de su localización. En visitas posteriores se constató que en muchos casos las etiquetas habían desaparecido e incluso los flejes se habían roto. En estos casos la identificación del árbol tuvo que hacerse aproximándose al mismo con las coordenadas UTM obtenidas con GPS y confirmando con la ayuda de una foto, lo que resultaba un sistema lento y sujeto a las dudas y posibles errores derivadas de cambios en el árbol. Por este motivo, en 2007, tanto los árboles seleccionados en 2002, como las nuevas selecciones de 2007, fueron marcados con un sistema electrónico permanente e inalterable (Identificación por Radio Frecuencia, RFID Transponder (Tag)). Dentro del duramen del árbol, se insertó un RFID Tag chip con un código único que puede ser leído a una distancia corta del árbol (unos 40-50 cm) mediante un lector. La inserción del chip no parece causar daño en el árbol puesto que, para colocarlo, sólo se levanta una pequeña porción de súber (2 x 2 cm) y, en ese espacio, se practica un taladro con una broca de madera de unos 15 cm de profundidad. En el fondo del taladro se deposita el tag (etiqueta) con la antena hacia fuera. El resto del espacio se rellena con silicota neutra y, posteriormente, se vuelve a colocar el trocito de súber retirado. En 2008 se han visitado de nuevo los árboles etiquetados en 2007 con este sistema obteniendo una certeza en la localización de los mismos del 100%. Palabras
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: V Congreso Forestal Español pub-location: Avila
Keywords: Alcornoque; árboles plus; calidad de corcho; RFID; selección; tag

Impact of Instant Controlled Pressure Drop Treatment on Moisture Adsorption Isotherm of Cork Granules - Abdulla, Galal; Belghit, Abdelhamid; Allaf, Karim (Drying Technology, 2009)
Some special thermal and mechanical treatments may completely modify the composition, and the structure of organic material changes its interaction with water. In the case of the instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) technique, the main modification, which is structure expansion and high porosity, allows the product to generally reduce moisture activity. In the special case of cork granules, the impact of DIC in terms of porosity is completely absent and expansion is linked to a tear effect obtained from only the large size granules. In order to characterize this type of treatment, we considered natural and DIC-treated cork granules and determined moisture adsorption isotherms at three different temperatures (25, 40, and 60°C) and different water activity levels ranging from 0.05 to 0.9 using the static gravimetric method. We used three samples of the same cork variety with 0.5?1 mm, 2?4 mm, and 4?6 mm as granule diameter. The adsorption isotherms of both natural untreated and DIC-treated cork whatever granules display a sigmoid form type II isotherm, with equilibrium moisture contents at constant water activity decreasing when temperature increases. The impact of DIC treatment depends of cork shape; the larger the shape, the lower the water activity for the same water content. Such a result is linked to the modification of structure. Thus, for the smallest shape, DIC implying only low thermal effect without any structure modification allows cork to lightly increase its water activity compared to the untreated samples. With higher shape cork granules, as DIC treatment induces a tear effect and some expansion, activity of water is lower for the same water content. For describing the experimental data of adsorption isotherms, we used GAB, BET, and Henderson models. We found the GAB to be the most suitable model with predicted values higher than those obtained using the BET model. We note that monolayer moisture content values increase in the case of big shape cork granules after having been treated by DIC.
doi: 10.1080/07373930802605990doi: 10.1080/07373930802605990The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: Adsorption isotherm; Cork granules; moisture contents; Monolayer; Surface area; Water activity

Improved understanding of drought controls on seasonal variation in Mediterranean forest canopy CO2 and water fluxes through combined in situ measurements and ecosystem modelling - Keenan, T.; Garcia, R.; Friend, A. D.; Zaehle, S.; Gracia, C.; Sabate, S. (BIOGEOSCIENCES, 2009)
Water stress is a defining characteristic of Mediterranean ecosystems, and is likely to become more severe in the coming decades. Simulation models are key tools for making predictions, but our current understanding of how soil moisture controls ecosystem functioning is not sufficient to adequately constrain parameterisations. Canopy-scale flux data from four forest ecosystems with Mediterranean-type climates were used in order to analyse the physiological controls on carbon and water flues through the year. Significant non-stomatal limitations on photosynthesis were detected, along with lesser changes in the conductance-assimilation relationship. New model parameterisations were derived and implemented in two contrasting modelling approaches. The effectiveness of two models, one a dynamic global vegetation model ({''}ORCHIDEE{''}), and the other a forest growth model particularly developed for Mediterranean simulations ({''}GOTILWA+{''}), was assessed and modelled canopy responses to seasonal changes in soil moisture were analysed in comparison with in situ flux measurements. In contrast to commonly held assumptions, we find that changing the ratio of conductance to assimilation under natural, seasonally-developing, soil moisture stress is not sufficient to reproduce forest canopy CO2 and water fluxes. However, accurate predictions of both CO2 and water fluxes under all soil moisture levels encountered in the field are obtained if photosynthetic capacity is assumed to vary with soil moisture. This new parameterisation has important consequences for simulated responses of carbon and water fluxes to seasonal soil moisture stress, and should greatly improve our ability to anticipate future impacts of climate changes on the functioning of ecosystems in Mediterranean-type climates.
APSAPSThe following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: BAHNHOFSALLEE 1E, GOTTINGEN, 37081, GERMANY publisher: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Keywords: ecosystem functioning; forest ecosystems; Mediterranean; water stress

In Situ Investigation of Leaf Water Status by Portable Unilateral Nuclear Magnetic Resonance - Capitani, Donatella; Brilli, Federico; Mannina, Luisa; Proietti, Noemi; Loreto, Francesco (PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, 2009)
A portable unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) instrument was used to detect in field conditions the water status of leaves of herbaceous crops (Zea mays, Phaseolus vulgaris), mesophyllous trees (Populus nigra), and natural Mediterranean vegetation characterized by water-spending shrubs (Cistus incanus) and water-saving sclerophyllous trees (Quercus ilex). A good relationship was observed between NMR signal, leaf relative water content, and leaf transpiration in herbaceous leaves undergoing fast dehydration or slowly developing a drought stress. A relationship was also observed between NMR signal and water potential of Populus leaves during the development of a water stress and when leaves recovered from the stress. In the natural vegetation, the relationship between NMR signal and water status was found in Cistus, the species characterized by high transpiration rates, when measured during a drought stress period and after a rainfall. In the case of the sclerophyllous Quercus, the NMR signal, the relative water content, and the transpiration rate did not change at different leaf water status, possibly because a large amount of water is compartmentalized in cellular structures and macromolecules. The good association between NMR signal and relative water content was lost in leaves exposed for 24 h to dehydration or to an osmotic stress caused by polyethylene glycol feeding. At this time, the transverse relaxation time became longer than in leaves maintained under optimal water conditions, and two indicators of membrane damage, the ion leakage and the emission of products of membrane lipoxygenation \{[\}(Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, and (E)-2-hexenol], increased. These results taken all together give information on the physiological state of a leaf under a developing stress and show the usefulness of the NMR instrumentation for screening vegetation health and fitness in natural and cultivated conditions. It is concluded that the portable unilateral NMR instrument may be usefully employed in field conditions to monitor nondestructively the water status of plants and to assist agricultural practices, such as irrigation scheduling, to minimize stomatal closure and the consequent limitation to plant production.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 15501 MONONA DRIVE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20855 USA publisher: AMER SOC PLANT BIOLOGISTS
Keywords: Drought stress; Mediterranean vegetation; natural vegetation; nuclear magnetic resonance; Quercus ilex

Influence of Climate on Radial Growth of Holm Oaks (Quercus Ilex Subsp. Ballota Desf) from SW Spain - Patón, Daniel; García-Herrera, Ricardo; Cuenca, Javier; Galavis, Mamen; Roig, Fidel (Geochronometria, 2009)
A total of 47 trunk sections from Holm Oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota Desf) trees growing at two different sites at the Extremadura region (SW Spain) were considered in the computation of a regional tree-ring chronology useful to interpret the tree-ring/Mediterranean climate relationships. This is the first dendroclimatological research of Holm Oaks conducted to reveal its potential use as a climatic proxy. The obtained tree-ring chronologies were compared with climatic parameters based on monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall, and monthly maximum, minimum and average temperature. The best correlations were obtained with maximum temperatures during the period between previous winter and early spring. Influence of rainfall was less relevant. Growth of this species indicates a typical bimodal (spring and autumn) strategy that avoids low winter temperatures and summer drought. Despite some technical difficulties recognizing tree rings in Holm Oaks, its good sensitivity to climate variability and its wide distribution and longevity (~800 years), allow us to consider this species as a good candidate for temperature reconstructions in the Mediterranean Basin.
Keywords: climatic change; Dendrochronology; dendroclimatology; Extremadura; maximum temperature; Quercus ilex; Spain; tree rings

THE INFLUENCE OF FERTILISATION ON SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE) DAMAGE IN TRANSPLANTED SCOTS PINE (PINUS SYLVESTRIS) AND EVERGREEN OAK (QUERCUS ILEX) - Beis, Vassilios K.; Percival, Glynn C. (Arboricultural Journal, 2009)
Summary The aim of this study was to determine the influence of a range of commercially available fertilisers on tree responses following salt (sodium chloride) damage to foliar tissue of containerized evergreen oak (Quercus ilex) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Evergreen oak proved to be more salt tolerant than Scots pine. Tree responses to fertilisation following 6% foliar salt spray were measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic rates, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf necrosis and leaf sodium and chloride concentrations over a nine week period. Tree responses were 20?300% higher in fertilised compared to nonfertilised trees, irrespective of species. In all cases non-fertilised trees had the least capacity to respond positively following salt damage. In addition leaf area, shoot, root, total plant dry weight was higher in fertilised trees compared to non-fertilised ones at the end of a nineweek period. Results of this investigation indicate applications of commercially available fertilisers would be of benefit to induce positive tree response rates and subsequent growth following sodium chloride damage to foliar tissue. Selection of an appropriate fertiliser, however, is important as effects on growth and vitality varied widely depending on the type of fertiliser applied.
doi: 10.1080/03071375.2009.9747582doi: 10.1080/03071375.2009.9747582The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: chlorophyll fluorescence; Chlorophylls; photosynthesis; physiogenic stress; plant health care; stress tolerance

The influence of leaf water content and isoprenoids on flammability of some Mediterranean woody species - De Lillis, Manuela; Bianco, Pietro Massimiliano; Loreto, Francesco (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE, 2009)
The impact of water content and isoprenoids on leaf flammability was studied. Field and laboratory experiments were carried out on monoterpene-emitting evergreen broad-leaved species (Quercus ilex, Quercus suber); a needle-leaved species (Pinus halepensis) that emits and stores monoterpenes; an evergreen species (Myrtus communis) that emits isoprene but stores monoterpenes; and a deciduous species (Quercus pubescens) that emits isoprene. Photosynthesis, leaf water content (LWC) and isoprenoid emission were measured. Isoprenoid content was calculated. Temperatures of visible smoke, incandescence and flame appearance were recorded. The LWC significantly correlated with both photosynthesis and isoprenoid emissions. Linear correlation and factorial analysis revealed a positive correlation between temperature of flame appearance and LWC and a negative relationship between temperature of flame appearance and isoprenoid emission. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the temperature of flame appearance was reduced in broadleaved monoterpene-emitting species. In monoterpene emitters, the temperature of flame appearance depended for similar to 65% on LWC, whereas monoterpene emissions explained similar to 35% of the dependency. P. halepensis and M. communis, storing high levels of isoprenoids, ignited at high humidity. The results may be explained if isoprenoids indeed facilitate leaf ignition but, being dissolved in water, isoprenoids are also an indicator of a high water content that decreases flammability.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: 150 OXFORD ST, PO BOX 1139, COLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA 3066, AUSTRALIA publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
Keywords: fire; flammability phases; Monoterpenes; photosynthesis

Influence of Quercus ilex trees on herbaceous production and nutrient concentrations in southern Portugal - Cubera, Elena; Manuel Nunes, Jorge; Madeira, Manuel; Gazarini, Luíz (Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 2009)
In an open woodland in Portugal, the nature of interactions between Quercus ilex trees and herbaceous plants was assessed during 2 years by studying how manipulation of incident solar radiation, water and nutrient supply affect the herbaceous biomass and N, K, P, Ca, Mg, and Mn concentrations. Measurements were carried out in three environments consisting of (1) open grassland, (2) beneath the tree canopy, and (3) under artificial shade. Each of these environments was subjected to two regimes of fertilization and two water levels in a factorial design. The fertilizer treatment consisted of application of no fertilizer or a combination of 200 kg calcium ammonium nitrate ha–1 (26% N) and 350 kg superphosphate ha–1 (8% P), while the water-supply treatment consisted of either no irrigation or irrigation fortnightly from February 1 to April 30. Grasses showed significantly lower nutrient concentrations than forbs. However, nutrient concentrations of the whole herbaceous community were within the recommended ranges for cattle nutrition. A negative effect of shade on herbaceous biomass production was observed. The effect of watering on herbaceous biomass was less prominent than the effect of fertilization, irrespective of the environment, suggesting that Q. ilex does not compete for soil-water resources with herbaceous biomass in this ecosystem. Fertilization increased total biomass by 106%, 49%, and 97% in the open grassland, beneath the tree canopy, and under artificial shade, respectively. During the first and second year, fertilization increased herbaceous P concentrations by 24% and 83%, respectively, if compared with concentrations obtained at the unfertilized plots. Higher K and Mg concentrations were observed in herbaceous plants beneath the tree canopy than in the open areas, indicating a positive effect of trees on pasture quality. The positive and negative effects of trees on understory forage are discussed.
Keywords: fertilization; herbaceous biomass; irrigation; shade

INFLUENCIA DEL CULTIVO DE LUPINUS LUTEUS L. EN LA DENSIDAD DE INÓCULO DE PHYTOPHTHORA CINNAMOMI EN SUELOS DE DEHESA - Serrano, M. S.; Sanchez, M. E.; De Vita, P.; CARBONERO, M. D.; Trapero, A.; FERNÁNDEZ-REBOLLO, P. (Actas de la XLVIII RC de la SEEP. Huesca La multifuncionalidad de los pastos: producción ganadera sostenible y gestión de los ecosistemas, 2009)
Phytophthora cinnamomi is a pathogen causing root rot in oak trees growing in dehesa sys- tems and also in yellow lupine, a common pasture crop in western Andalusia. In dehesas show- ing different situations in terms of tree decline and disease severity in the lupines, isolation and counting of colonies of P. cinnamomi from soil samples has shown the ability of the herbaceous crop to maintain or increase the inoculum density and thus may enhance oak infections. The obtained results discourage the cultivation of this legume in dehesas with known presence of the pathogen in the soil, whether the trees are suffering the root disease or not.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: Actas de la XLVIII RC de la SEEP. Huesca La multifuncionalidad de los pastos: producción ganadera sostenible y gestión de los ecosistemas pub-location: Huesca
Keywords: decline; Holm oak; root rot; yellow lupine

Intensity and persistence of water repellency in relation to vegetation types and soil parameters in Mediterranean SW Spain - Zavala, Lorena M.; González, Félix a; Jordán, Antonio (Geoderma, 2009)
The objectives of this research are the following: [1] to study the persistence and intensity of water repellency in soil samples (0–5 cm deep) collected under different plant species, [2] to analyze the relationships between soil water repellency and environmental factors including soil organic matter content, soil acidity, and texture, and [3] to study the variations of soil water repellency measured on soil samples collected in winter (2007) and summer (2008) in the studied area. Soil water repellency has been studied in Mediterranean coniferous and eucalyptus forests, particularly after burning, but the number of studies concerning other Mediterranean forest systems is still very low. In this paper, soil water repellency was measured by using the water drop penetration time test and the ethanol percentage test on samples collected during the winter of 2007 and the summer of 2008 under different land uses (pines, cork oaks, eucalyptus, heathland and olive trees) in a Mediterranean subhumid forested area (Los Alcornocales Natural Park, Cádiz and Málaga, Spain). Most of the soil samples collected under heathland showed extreme water repellency, whereas soils under olive trees showed low or inexistent water repellency. The organic matter content and acidity were highly correlated with water repellency in soils under pines, cork oaks and eucalyptus, while soils under heathland or olive trees showed poorer correlations. The average soil moisture content of samples collected during winter (2007) was 20.7± 7.9%, and it decreased in samples collected during summer (2008) to 1.1± 0.6%. The persistence and intensity of water repellency varied slightly between samples collected in winter and summer in soils under all species except under heathland. Water repellency persisted in most cases during the wet and dry season, and many soils showed strong water repellency even during winter. The patchy patterns of persistence and intensity of soil water repellency are conditioned by the spatial distribution of the studied land uses, which dictate the intensity and persistence of soil water repellency, and modulated by other environmental factors. The vegetation effects on soil hydrology should be considered for afforestation work and ﬂooding control.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: land use; mediterranean forest soils; Soil acidity; Soil organic carbon; soil water repellency; water content

Intra- and inter-annual variability of VOC emissions from natural and semi-natural vegetation in Europe and neighbouring countries - Steinbrecher, Rainer; Smiatek, Gerhard; Köble, Renate; Seufert, Günther; Theloke, Jochen; Hauff, Karin; Ciccioli, Paolo; Vautard, Robert; Curci, Gabriele (Atmospheric Environment, 2009)
Biogenic VOC emission estimates from the earth’s surface are crucial input parameters in air quality models. Knowledge accumulated in the last years about BVOC source distributions and chemical compound species emission proﬁles in Europe as well as the demand of air quality modellers for a ﬁner resolution in space and time of BVOC estimates have led to the set-up of new emission modelling systems. An updated fast BVOC emission modelling platform explicitly considering the seasonality of emission potentials and leaf temperature gradients in forest canopies by the semi-empirical emission module (seBVOC) will be proposed and used for estimating hourly values of chemical compound-speciﬁc emissions in Europe (33–68 north; 10 west to 40 east) in the years 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2003. Spatial resolution will be 10 km by 10 km. The database used contains latest land and forest distributions, updated foliar biomass densities, leaf area indices (LAI), and plant as well as chemical compound-speciﬁc emission potentials, if available. Meteorological input parameters for the respective years will be generated using the non-hydrostatic meteorological model MM5. Highest BVOC emissions occur in daytime hours around noon from the end of May to mid-August in the Mediterranean area and from the mid of June to the end of July in the boreal forests. Comparison of 3 BVOC model approaches will reveal that for July 2003, the European isoprene and monoterpene totals range from 1124 Gg to 1446 Gg and from 338 Gg to 1112 Gg, respectively. Small-scale deviations may be as high as 0.6 Mg km2 for July 2003, reﬂecting the current uncertainty range for BVOC estimates. Key sources of errors in inventories are still insufﬁciently detailed land use data for some areas and lacking chemically speciated plantspeciﬁc emission potentials in particular in boreal, south-eastern, and northern African landscapes. The hourly emissions of isoprene, speciated terpenes, and oxyVOC have been made available by the NatAir database.
Keywords: BVOC; Emission modelling; Inventory; Isoprenoids; oxyVOC; Sequiterpenes