Chaparral Restoration Workshop, Angeles National Forest - Arcadia, June 17-21, 2013
Shrubland & woodland restoration in Spain and the Mediterranean
V. Ramón Vallejo & J.A. Alloza CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS:
fire hazard & restoration
• LONGER AND MORE SEVERE FIRE SEASON
• HEAT WAVES & DROUGHT
• LARGER EXPOSED AREAS
www.fumeproject.eu Changes in CDD interannual variability (standard deviation) in 20-year periods as compared to 1980-1999
IPCC SREX (SMP) 2012 CCD < 1mm SRES A2 17 GCMs
PLANTATIONS (1992) Post-fire, south-facing slopes, degraded soils
Pinus halepensis Quercus ilex ssp ballota 100 100 90 90 80
80 70 70 60 60 50 50 % Survival % 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 0 0 108 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102
Age (Months) Age (Months)
Marls: Limestones:
CEAM POST-FIRE SEEDLING PLANTATION
Dry subhumid and semiarid areas 100
R2 = 0.673 80
Pinus halepensis 60 Quercus ilex ssp. ballota
20 % 1st year seedling mortality seedling % year 1st
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Length of the largest drought period since planting (days)
(from Alloza & Vallejo, 1999)
Drought is the main cause of seedling mortality both for recruitment and in afforestation
CEAM CEAM
% Mortality the 1st post-plantation year 1 2 4 6 8 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
N
=
1 Consecutive days without any rainfall > 5 mm. *** Significant *** mm. Consecutive0.05any withoutrainfall5 differences days < > p at 4 < 60 8
Length of the maximun dry period (days) period dry maximun theof Length 1 2 60 -
2 90 4 8 90 -
120 1 1 1 > 120
6
Bedrock MARLS LIMESTONES
SMALL CHANGES IN SOIL MOISTURE (approx. - 10%) …. can produce increased seedling mortality and reduced growth
110 + compost -W - compost -W C C 100 W1 W1 W2 W2 90
Pinus pinaster 80 Survival(%)
70
60
100
90
Quercus ilex 80
Survival(%) -W -W C 70 C W1 W1 + compost - compost W2 W2 60
feb/07 abr/07 jun/07 ago/07 oct/07 dic/07 feb/08mar/07 may/07 jul/07 sep/07 nov/07 ene/08
CEAM TRANSPLANT SHOCK: ROOT GROWTH AFTER TRANSPLANTING
Soil moisture (%)
0 2 4 6 8 0
-2
-4
PWP (-MPa) 3 months LNR: length of new roots in the planting hole -6 6 months 12 months 1200 -8 1000
800
600 LRN (cm) LRN
400 LNR (cm)
200
0 Plot: Crevillente (Alicante). 3 6 12 Climate: Thermo-mediterranean semiarid Time after planting (months) Species: P. lentiscus, J. oxycedrus, Q. coccifera Fonseca 1999 CEAM TECHNICAL OPTIONS TO REDUCE WATER STRESS IN PLANTATIONS
Table 11.2 Mediterranean restoration techniques concerned with water Objective Technique Selection of drought-tolerant species and ecotypes Increase water-use efficiency Seedling preconditioning Improve below-ground performance Improve nutritional status Soil preparation and amendment Increase water supply Irrigation Microsite selection Tree shelters Mulching Reduce water losses Microsite selection Control of competing species
Vallejo et al 2012
CEAM Species survival four years after outplanting Albatera project , P 280 mm
100
80
60
40 Survival(%)
20
0 Oq Qc Ph Rl Ch Pl Cs Taf Ta Sg Jo Oe Ef No So Ls St
Abbreviations: Qc: Quercus coccifera, Cs: Ceratonia siliqua, Pl: Pistacia lentiscus, Ta: Tetraclinis articulata, Ef: Ephedra fragilis, Rl: Rhamnus lycioides, Oe: Olea europaea sylvestris, Ph Pinus halepensis, Oq: Osyris quadripartita, Jo: Juniperus oxycedrus, Sg: Salsola genistoides, No: Nerium oleander, Taf: Tamarix africana, Ch : Chamaerops humilis, So: Salsola oppositifolia, Ls: Lygeum spartum, St: Stipa tenacissima. CEAM SPECIES SELECTION Water-use strategiesSPECIES and SELECTION response to drought Water-use strategies and response to drought
At field capacity Leaf water deficit at turgor loss (1-RWC, %) Cistus albidus 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Lavandula latifolia Quercus coccifera Cistus monspeliensis Rhamnus alaternus Cistus clusii Phyllirea angustifolia Rosmarinus officinalis Quercus ilex Quercus ilex Olea europaea Ceratonia siliqua Lavandula latifolia Rhamnus lycioides Myrtus communis Genista scorpius Pistacia lentiscus Pistacia lentiscus Cistus clusii Olea europaea Ceratonia siliqua Pinus halepensis Arbutus unedo Quercus coccifera Pinus halepensis Anthyllis cytisoides Rhamnus lycioides Myrtus communis Pinus nigra Arbutus unedo Cistus albidus Rhamnus alaternus Rosmarinus officinalis Phyllirea angustifolia Pistacia terebinthus Pistacia terebinthus Cistus monspeliensis 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Stomatal conductance (mmol-1 m-2 s-1) obligate resprouter obligate seeder Vilagrosa et al., 2009; Hernández, 2010
CEAM Dynamics of total standing dead fuel after fire
obligate seeders
obligate resprouters
Baeza et al. 2011
CEAM EXPLORING PROVENANCES …
Quercus ilex: Risk of xylem cavitation among populations
b 8 ab 7.5 ab
7 ab ab a a (-MPa) 6.5 50
PLC 6
5.5
5 Veneto Lazio Cazorla Gerona Soria Sardinia Ciudad Real
Gil & Vilagrosa, unpublished
CEAM Quercus suber: Effect provenance and family/mother plant
8
NS Fprovenance=0,93 6
Ffamily =1,96 * ) b -1
) a -1 6 a 4 Fprovenance=4,87 *** mol mmol mol mol mmol mol µ
µ 4 2 WUE ( WUE ( 2 0
0 Espadá Toledo 3 12 16 23 66 81 Calderona 651 652 653 654 2941 2942 2943 2944 2945
Calderona Espadá Toledo
Morcillo 2006, unpublised
CEAM SPECIES DIVERSIFICATION
Planting woody resprouters
CEAM WOODY RESPROUERS RECOVER FASTER AFTER BURNING & ARE LESS FLAMMABLE DIVERSIFYINGSPECIES NATIVE DIVERSIFICATIONSPECIES IN AFFORESTATION Pistacia lentiscus Arbutus unedo Rhamnus alaternus
CEAM CONSTRAINTS FOR LAND RESTORATION IN DRY MEDITERRANEAN CONDITIONS
CLIMATE • PREDICTIBLE: SUMMER DROUGHT • LESS PREDICTIBLE: OUT-OF-SEASON DROUGHTS
SOIL • SHALLOW/STONY/DISCONTINUOUS • POOR STRUCTURE (PRONE TO SURFACE CRUSTING: SILTY SOILS) • POOR BIOLOGICAL FERTILITY AND SOM • LOW NUTRIENT CONTENT
DISTURBANCE REGIME • FIRE (RECURRENT) • GRAZING (FIRE-GRAZING CYCLES) • EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
CEAM TRYING TO IMPROVE SEEDLING PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Overcoming transplanting shock
CEAM SEEDLING QUALITY Biomass (g) -10 CEAM seedlings with higher R:S ratio. 10 -5 0 5 Nursery
DP(drought preconditioning)produced smaller
- F
CW + F + Drought preconditioning - F DP Quercus suber Fine roots Fine root Tap Leaves Stem + F +
Control
preconditioned Drought- Drought preconditioning Quercus suber
Field 100 Root colonization 0,25 80 DP: drought preconditioned 0,20 DP CW: control watering
60 0,15
0,10
Seedlings survival Seedlings (%) 40
Control 0,05
20 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0,00 Time outplanting (months) Biomassext. roots / Leaf+stem biomass DP - F DP + F CW - F CW + F
DP showed a tendency to improve survival.
DP increased the root colonization in the field, deeper in the soil and with greater root biomass.
CEAM Quercus spp USE OF DEEP CONTAINER FOR Quercus
18 cm 30 cm
CEAM ACCLIMATING ROOT SYSTEMS TO CC:
Use of deep container to improve New root biomass (g) A root colonization of seedlings 0,00 0,20 0,40 0,60 0,80 1,00 3 month
Quercus ilex -10 -20 -30 -40 ** -50 ** -60 Depth (cm) -70 -80 -90
Chirino et al., 2009
CCS -18 cm CCL -30 New root biomass (g) cm B 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 18 month
-10 -20 * -30 ** -40 * -50 ** -60 *
Depth (cm) Depth -70 -80 -90 -100 CEAM Water manipulation of growing medium: addition of hydrogel and clay in the substrate
HYDROGELS
CEAM IMPROVING NURSERY SUBSTRATE: Use of hydrogel in seedlings of Quercus suber (cork oak)
100
90 p = 0.049
80 p = 0.010
70
60 p = 0.040 Survival(%)
50% survival 50 CS ASG-10 40 HS-0.7 HS-1.5 12 months Drougth period 30 0 5 10 15 20 Time after outplanting (months)
Increase seedling survival in the field Chirino et al., 2010 (Q. suber; S. Espadán)
CEAM THE USE OF TREE-SHELTER
CEAM ↓ PREDATION ↓ PAR ↓ WIND ↓ TRANSP ↑ % RH ↑ TEMPERATURE
Olea europaea 2005, 2 year
Growth dynamics of Quercus ilex ssp ballota seedlings and acorns in relation to some field and nursery treatments
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 40 a a a 35 a 30 a a b b b 25 a a b b b 20 b b c 15
Shoot height (cm) c 10 Hydrogel 5 Control Treeshelter (TS) 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
Months since February 1997 CEAM Tree-shelters limitations • Inside the tube, temperature increases a few ºC with respect to ambient • for temperature > 40-45ºC PSII (Fv/Fm) efficiency decreases ⇒ stress in the photosynthetic system
• Slightly decreases R:S ratio
• In moist conditions, excessive stem elongation (etiolation) and weakening CEAM SOIL PREPARATION
Mechanical hole with backhoe Spider TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE WATER AVAILABILITY TO SEEDLING Increase Runoff
Enhance Infiltration Reduce Evaporation
CEAM water harvesting Mortality
60 Hole Water harvesting 50
40
30
% mortality 20
10
0 Quercus ilex spp. Ballota Pinus halepensis Species
CEAM Improved Microcatchment (IM)
Control
Dry well
Clay pot
Microcatchment (M) Dry well
CEAM IMPROVED MICROCATCHMENT RAIN WATER CAPTURE EFFICIENCY 7 6 F=1.97 P=0.147 5 4 3 2 Collected runoff (L) Collected 1 0 Control M IM Treatment Rain events < 10 mm
Low intensity (1-3 mm h-1) High intensity (7-8 mm h-1) 7 14 6 F=7.07 12 F=6.50 5 P=0.003 10 P=0.005 4 8 3 6 YData 2 4
Collected(L) runoff 1 2 0 0 Control M IM Control M IM Treatment Treatment CEAM EFFECT ON PLANTED SEEDLINGS
Crevillente Albatera
100 - C + C * 80
60
Survival (%) Survival 40
20
0 Control Control Clay Pot Clay Pot Clay Watering Watering DryWells DryWells Stone Mulch Stone Mulch Stone PlasticMulch PlasticMulch Microcatchment Microcatchment Improved Microcachment Improved Microcachment Improved
Survival of Olea europaea seedlings 2 years after planting in two experimental semiarid stations
CEAM Dry wells
Enhanced accumulation of roots, organic matter faunal activity Preferential water flow Soil amendments: Biosolids
Pinus halepensis (20 months after planting)
100 Control Composted Biosolid 80 Dehydrated Biosolid
60
40 Seedling Survival (%) Survival Seedling
20
0 0 15 30 45 60
Application Dose (Mg ha-1)
Fuentes et al 2010
CEAM Soil amendments: Biosolids
Pinus halepensis Pinus halepensis (20 months after planting) (20 months after planting) 25 7 Control Control Composted Biosolid Composted Biosolid Dehydrated Biosolid ) 6 Dehydrated Biosolid 20
5
15 4
3 10
2 Seedling Height (cm) Seedling Height
5 Seedling Basal Diameter (mm SeedlingBasal Diameter 1
0 0 0 15 30 45 60 0 15 30 45 60 Application Dose (Mg ha-1) Application Dose (Mg ha-1)
Fuentes et al. 2010
CEAM THE COST OF PLANTATION QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SEEDLING SURVIVAL VS DROUGHT DURATION 1st PLANTATION YEAR
2000s
x2$
1990s
Vallejo et al., 2012 CEAM MEDIUM-TERM EFFECTS OF PLANTATIONS
ALBATERA SITE (SE SPAIN) P ≈ 280 mm ALBATERA: Functional analysis Six years after afforestation
80 c 70
60 b a 50
40 Plant cover (%) cover Plant 30
20
10
0 Control Afforested Reference
CEAM ALBATERA: Functional analysis Six years after afforestation
40
30
20
10
Species (number) richness 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Surface area (m2) Control spot Restored spot
CEAM The role of extant vegetation: facilitation or competition?
CEAM Gómez-Aparicio et al 2004 Quercus suber, post-summer survival. S. Espadà (Castelló, Spain)
Pérez-Devesa et al. (2008). For. Ecol. Manage. 255: 374-386. PLANT-PLANT INTERACTIONS. ALPHA GRASS STEPPES Alpha grass steppe restoration
We carried out a PC manipulative experiment to evaluate the importance of PM competition by pines, OC competition by the herbaceous understorey, and all other factors pooled
PH
PC: pine control; OC: open control; PM: dead pine; PH: herbicide for grasses Alpha grass steppe restoration
P. lentiscus
Inv Pri Ver Oto Inv Pinus halepensis 100 90 80 b +
70 60 Brachypodium retusum 50 a 40 PH survival 30 PC -
Supervivencia (%) Supervivencia 20 PM c 10 OC Pistacia lentiscus 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 DaysDías trasafter la plantaciónplantation Competition by grasses seems to be the most limiting Maestre et al., 2004 factor for the establishment of woody resprouters PLANT-PLANT INTERACTIONS. ALPHA GRASS STEPPES
Which are the main drivers of alpha grass facilitation? Alpha grass steppe restoration
Alpha grass has a consistent positive effect on the establishment of woody seedlings
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6 Tussock
Predawn water potential (MPa) Open June -7 M. a. Q. c. P. l.
Maestre et al., 2001 Alpha grass steppe restoration Tussock control (ECO) Tussock no shadow (ESO)
P. lentiscus ECM 100
10
ECO
Tussock no runoff (ECH) Open control (BCO) 1 BCH
ESO
survival 0.1 Supervivencia (%) Inv Pri Ver Oto Inv 0.01 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Tussock nocompetition (ECM) Open no runoff (BCH) DaysDías after tras la plantation plantación Esparto control Esparto con exclusión de sombra Esparto con exclusión de competencia Esparto con exclusión de escorrentía
Shadow is the main control of facilitation Maestre et al., 2003 Field plantations 2011
La Hunde site (Ayora, Valencia, Spain)
Secondary pine woodlands. Stand densities: low, medium and high. Three replicates (zones): 9 plots and 60 seedlings/plot
TREATMENTS HIGH DENSITY (HD) MEDIUM DENSITY (MD) LOW DENSTITY (LD) Stand density: 600-900 Stand density: 500-700 Stand density:100-300 trees/ha trees/ha trees/ha GSF = 0.38 GSF = 0.44 GSF = 0.75
REINTRODUCING RESPROUTERS UNDER PINE CANOPY
A. unedo F. ornus A. granatense
Species Life form Leaf habit Arbutus unedo Shrub Evergreen Rhamnus alaternus Shrub Evergreen Quercus ilex Tree Evergreen Quercus faginea Tree Deciduous Fraxinus ornus Tree Deciduous Acer granatense Tree Deciduous
Q. ilex R. alaternus Q. faginea Results. Survival and RGR per treatment
SURVIVAL (%) post-transplanting shock HD MD LD 97.7 96.4 99.0
0,8 0,6
a ) ) a -1 a -1 a 0,5 a 0,6 0,4 b
0,4 0,3
0,2 0,2 0,1 RGR_Height(.year RGR_Diameter (.year RGR_Diameter 0,0 0,0 HD MD LD HD MD LD Treatment Treatment p = 0.805 ns p = 0.003 CONCLUSIONS
• Available ecological restoration technology allows for reintroducing native plants and recovery critical ecosystem functions for many Mediterranean lands • Higher inputs are required for highly degraded ecosystems, higher stress conditions
…but
• We need understanding the thresholds for cost- effective restoration, both in biophysical and socieconomic terms
CEAM