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Biodiversity of the ecotone pine forest-mediterranean shrubland as a tool against erosion in Mediterranean areas

Cel

To measure the biodiversity across the ecotone pine
forest-Mediterranean open shrubland in degraded Mediterranean
areas, and to understand the changes across the ecotone. To
determine the role of soil organisms in soil creation in the
specified ecotone. Subsequently, to understand the relation
between the soil macromorphological units of organic matter and
their associated organisms; and to determine how the soil
organisms from the ecotone can contribute to the soil creation
and to erosion reduction, thus assessing the useability of
ecotone effect to reduce erosion.


Two selected, similar areas meeting the following conditions: (i)
be located in different geographical areas subject to soil
degradation and erosion subsequent to land abandonment and/or
former management; and (ii) include the transition between
mature, reafforested pine stand and open Mediterranean shrubland,
will be integrally studied. The primary data obtained from the
sites will be: (i) soil type and composition; (ii)
macromorphological soil units (MUs) characterization; (iii)
phytosociological and ecological characterization of the
ecotones; and (iv) MUs' taxocenoses of edaphic microarthropods
(Acari and Collembola) and Nematoda.

The sampling of soil organisms will be made by a non-disruptive
method (Kubiena boxes) with in-situ instant preservation that
will allow their exact location within the soil units. The MUs
will be separated and their fauna extracted by a chain of manual
scan/heptane flotation/saccharose centrifugation. The animals
will be classified by taxonomists to species level whenever
possible. Some animal groups will be extracted by
Berlesse-Tullgren method. The gut contents of Collembola will be
analyzed after animal classification.

The organic matter of the MUs will be analyzed for carbon,
nitrogen, and humic and fulvic acids. The soil will be
pedologically profiled and chemically analyzed. The vegetation
will be taxonomically and phytosociologically analyzed across the
transects and within the defined areas of pine and shrubland,
including cartography.

All generated bionomical data will be managed by a
special-purpose faunistic/ecological database (ZOOTRON 4). The
biodiversity profiles and other ecological data will be
calculated across the ecotone for all groups. The relation
between MUs, organic matter, vegetation, soil type and soil
organisms will be statistically calculated and functionally
determined from affinity or association matrixes. The possible
role of the ecotone in the soil creation/regeneration will be
estimated from these analyses. If results are positive, the
ecotone width will be determined in order to provide forestry
management recommendations for erosion reduction.

Zaproszenie do składania wniosków

Data not available

System finansowania

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Koordynator

Universidad de Navarra
Wkład UE
Brak danych
Adres
273,Irunlarrea
31080 Pamplona
Hiszpania

Zobacz na mapie

Koszt całkowity
Brak danych

Uczestnicy (3)