Geobotanical Study of the Microforests of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the Central and Southern Iberian Peninsula

Eusebio Cano, Carmelo M. Musarella, Ana Cano-Ortiz, José C. Piñar Fuentes, Alfonso Rodríguez Torres, Sara Del Río González, Carlos J. Pinto Gomes, Ricardo Quinto-Canas and Giovanni Spampinato
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Eusebio Cano: Department. of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Section of Botany, University of Jaén, Campus Universitario Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
Carmelo M. Musarella: Department. of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Section of Botany, University of Jaén, Campus Universitario Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
Ana Cano-Ortiz: Department. of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Section of Botany, University of Jaén, Campus Universitario Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
José C. Piñar Fuentes: Department. of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Section of Botany, University of Jaén, Campus Universitario Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
Alfonso Rodríguez Torres: Oficina del Cambio Climático, Consejería de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Rural, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, C/Quintanar de la Orden, s/n. 45071 Toledo, Spain
Sara Del Río González: Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), Mountain Livestock Institute (CSIC-ULE), Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
Carlos J. Pinto Gomes: Department of Landscape, Environment and Planning, Institute for Mediterranean Agrarian and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM), School of Science and Technology, University of Évora (Portugal), Rua Romão Ramalho, nº 59, 7000-671 Évora, Portugal
Ricardo Quinto-Canas: Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Giovanni Spampinato: Department of AGRARIA, “Mediterranea” University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-31

Abstract: We have studied Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. badia (H.Gay) Debeaux in the central and southern Iberian Peninsula, where the macrobioclimate ranges from Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-oceanic to Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-continental, and the thermotype from the thermo- to the supramediterranean. The relevés were taken following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. A statistical treatment was applied to establish a separation among Juniperus communities. To understand the presence of Juniperus communities in territories dominated by species in the Quercus genus, we applied Thornthwaite’s formula to calculate potential evapotranspiration. The general cluster analysis clearly distinguishes two groups of plant communities and separates the different associations in each group. All the plant communities growing on rocky crests and in extremely steep sloping areas are significantly influenced by the soil. The ombroclimatic index does not explain the presence of plant communities influenced by substrate, so we proposed a new ombroedaphoxeric index which explains the presence of Juniperus communities in territories with a thermotype between the thermo- and supramediterranean. The areas of distribution of Juniperus species are expanding due to the spread of rocky areas; this phenomenon causes an increase in edaphoxerophilous areas and a decrease in climatophilous ones. We propose four new plant associations, with updated structures and floristic compositions. Efficient conservation is possible in both the territories studied (Spain and Portugal) through the implementation of specific cross-border cooperation projects.

Keywords: Juniperion lagunae; cross-border cooperation; landscape evolution; cluster analysis; conservation; sustainable development; territorial cohesion; ombroedaphoxeric index; phytosociology; SCI areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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