Reference Gene Selection for Quantitative Real-time PCR Normalization in Quercus suber - Marum, Liliana; Miguel, Andreia; Ricardo, Cândido P.; Miguel, Célia (PLoS ONE, 2012)
The use of reverse transcription quantitative PCR technology to assess gene expression levels requires an accurate normalization of data in order to avoid misinterpretation of experimental results and erroneous analyses. Despite being the focus of several transcriptomics projects, oaks, and particularly cork oak (Quercus suber), have not been investigated regarding the identification of reference genes suitable for the normalization of real-time quantitative PCR data. In this study, ten candidate reference genes (Act, CACs, EF-1α, GAPDH, His3, PsaH, Sand, PP2A, ß-Tub and Ubq) were evaluated to determine the most stable internal reference for quantitative PCR normalization in cork oak. The transcript abundance of these genes was analysed in several tissues of cork oak, including leaves, reproduction cork, and periderm from branches at different developmental stages (1-, 2-, and 3-year old) or collected in different dates (active growth period versus dormancy). The three statistical methods (geNorm, NormFinder, and CV method) used in the evaluation of the most suitable combination of reference genes identified Act and CACs as the most stable candidates when all the samples were analysed together, while ß-Tub and PsaH showed the lowest expression stability. However, when different tissues, developmental stages, and collection dates were analysed separately, the reference genes exhibited some variation in their expression levels. In this study, and for the first time, we have identified and validated reference genes in cork oak that can be used for quantification of target gene expression in different tissues and experimental conditions and will be useful as a starting point for gene expression studies in other oaks.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Public Library of Science
Keywords: Cork oak; Gene expression; reference genes; RT-qPCR (voyant)

Relationships between leaf morphological traits, nutrient concentrations and isotopic signatures for Mediterranean woody plant species and communities - Domínguez, María T.; Aponte, Cristina; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M.; García, Luis V.; Villar, Rafael; Marañón, Teodoro (Plant and Soil, 2012)
Background and aims Soil factors are driving forces that influence spatial distribution and functional traits of plant species. We test whether two anchor morphological traits—leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC)—are significantly related to a broad range of leaf nutrient concentrations in Mediterranean woody plant species. We also explore the main environmental filters (light availability, soil moisture and soil nutrients) that determine the patterns of these functional traits in a forest stand. Methods Four morphological and 19 chemical leaf traits (macronutrients and trace elements and δ 13 C and δ 15 N signatures) were analysed in 17 woody plant species. Community-weighted leaf traits were calculated for 57 plots within the forest. Links between LMA, LDMC and other leaf traits were analysed at the species and the community level using standardised major axis (SMA) regressions Results LMA and LDMC were significantly related to many leaf nutrient concentrations, but only when using abundance-weighted values at community level. Among-traits links were much weaker for the crossspecies analysis. Nitrogen isotopic signatures were useful to understand different resource-use strategies. Community-weighted LMA and LDMC were negatively related to light availability, contrary to what was expected. Conclusion Community leaf traits have parallel shifts along the environmental factors that determine the community assembly, even though they are weakly related across individual taxa. Light availability is the main environmental factor determining this convergence of the community leaf traits.
Keywords: Community weighted means; functional traits; isotopes; leaf dry matter content; Leaf mass per area; macronutrients; Specific leaf area

Responses of a scatter-hoarding rodent to seed morphology: links between seed choices and seed variability - Muñoz, Alberto; Bonal, Raul; Espelta, Josep Maria (Animal Behaviour, 2012)
Seed preferences of scatter-hoarding granivores may inﬂuence the evolution of seed traits in plants. However, there is little evidence linking the granivores’ responses to speciﬁc seed traits to the variability of seeds in a single plant species. This information is essential for understanding how the decisions of granivores can shape plant life histories. We analysed how seed morphology (size and shape) of the Holm oak, Quercus ilex, inﬂuences seed choices of the seed-disperser, the Algerian mouse, Mus spretus. We studied the seed variability of the oak and whether the frequency of seed phenotypes matched the seed choices of the disperser. The probabilities of seed removal decreased as the seeds became larger and more bullet-shaped, so that seeds that were simultaneously large and bullet-shaped had the lowest probabilities of being dispersed. These seeds are probably refused by rodents because they impose higher handling and transport costs. The size and shape of the Holm oak seeds were highly variable between trees, but extraordinarily consistent within a single tree over different years. However, the analysis of seed variability revealed a disproportionately low frequency of large bullet-shaped phenotypes, which are those barely removed by rodents. Seed preferences of dispersers of species with high seed variability between trees can lead to differences in the chances of seeds produced by different trees being dispersed. Those seed phenotypes preferred by dispersers could make a higher contribution to the next generation, which could inﬂuence the evolution and variability of seeds in a plant species
Keywords: acorn; Algerian mouse; animal-plant interaction; handling cost; hoarding behaviour; Holm oak; Mus spretus; Quercus ilex; seed caching; small rodent

A review of 2000 years of paleoclimatic evidence in the Mediterranean - Luterbacher, Jürg (The Climate of the Mediterranean Region, 2012)
The integration of climate information from instrumental data and documentary and natural archives; evidence of past human activity derived from historical, paleoecological, and archaeological records; and new climate modeling techniques promises major breakthroughs for our understanding of climate sensitivity, ecological processes, environmental response, and human impact. In this chapter, we review the availability and potential of instrumental data, less well-known written records, and terrestrial and marine natural proxy archives for climate in the Mediterranean region over the last 2000 years. We highlight the need to integrate these different proxy archives and the importance for multiproxy studies of disentangling complex relationships among climate, sea-level changes, fire, vegetation, and forests, as well as land use and other human impacts. Focusing on dating uncertainties, we address seasonality effects and other uncertainties in the different proxy records. We describe known and anticipated challenges posed by integrating multiple diverse proxies in high-resolution climate-variation reconstructions, including proxy limitations to robust reconstruction of the natural range of climate variability and problems specific to temporal scales from interannual to multicentennial. Finally, we highlight the potential of paleo models to contribute to climate reconstructions in the Mediterranean, by narrowing the range of climate-sensitivity estimates and by assimilating multiple proxies.
Keywords: climate reconstruction; climate variability; human impact (PG); land use; Mediterranean

Rewilding Abandoned Landscapes in Europe - Navarro, Laetitia M; Pereira, Henrique M (Ecosystems, 2012)
For millennia, mankind has shaped landscapes, particularly through agriculture. In Europe, the age-old interaction between humans and ecosystems strongly inﬂuenced the cultural heritage. Yet European farmland is now being abandoned, especially in remote areas. The loss of the traditional agricultural landscapes and its consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services is generating concerns in both the scientiﬁc community and the public. Here we ask to what extent farmland abandonment can be considered as an opportunity for rewilding ecosystems. We analyze the perceptions of traditional agriculture in Europe and their inﬂuence in land management policies. We argue that, contrary to the common perception, traditional agriculture practices were not environmentally friendly and that the standards of living of rural populations were low. We suggest that current policies to maintain extensive farming landscapes underestimate the human labor needed to sustain these landscapes and the recent and future dynamics of the socio-economic drivers behind abandonment. We examine the potential beneﬁts for ecosystems and people from rewilding. We identify species that could beneﬁt from land abandonment and forest regeneration and the ecosystem services that could be provided such as carbon sequestration and recreation. Finally, we discuss the challenges associated with rewilding, including the need to maintain open areas, the ﬁre risks, and the conﬂicts between people and wildlife. Despite these challenges, we argue that rewilding should be recognized by policy-makers as one of the possible land management options in Europe, particularly on marginal areas.
Keywords: ecosystem services; farmland abandonment; land sharing; land sparing; Land-use change; passive management

The role of multi-functionality in social preferences toward semi-arid rural landscapes: An ecosystem service approach - García-Llorente, Marina; Martín-López, Berta; Iniesta-Arandia, Irene; López-Santiago, César a; Aguilera, Pedro a; Montes, Carlos (Environmental Science & Policy, 2012)
The present study analyzes the relationship between landscape multi-functionality and social preferences toward Mediterranean landscapes in terms of monetary and nonmonetary techniques. Twenty landscape views were selected as representative of the landscape units characterizing Nacimiento and Adra semi-arid watersheds (southeastern Spain). Face-to-face questionnaires were used to assess social factors that inﬂuence willingness to pay for aesthetic landscape enjoyment (use value) and landscape conservation (non-use value). Meanwhile, an expert focus group analyzed the capacity of the selected semi-arid ecosystems for supplying services to society. The favorite landscape views mainly contained steeper reliefs, water ﬂows, and traditional human activities. Our results suggest a strong positive effect between respondents’ place attachment and the level of support for landscape conservation. Respondents were more willing to pay for the conservation of semiarid rural landscapes when their sense of belonging was greater. We also found that multifunctional landscapes, which provide higher numbers of regulating and cultural services, were also preferred in terms of their visual quality (use value). Additionally, they had more social support for their conservation (non-use value). The conversion of multi-functional landscapes to mono-functional ones disturbs the stability of rural areas, their capacity to provide other ecosystem services, and the social support toward their preservation. To reverse this tendency, two major ideas should be emphasized. The ﬁrst is the necessity of considering the ecological components and processes behind landscapes, and the second is the role of the local population on rural landscape conservation
Keywords: Contingent valuation; Expert focus group; Landscape aesthetic; Mediterranean; Social–ecological system; Value

Root system of Quercus suber L. seedlings in response to herbaceous competition and different watering and fertilisation regimes - Cubera, Elena; Moreno, Gerardo; Solla, Alejandro; Madeira, Manuel (Agroforestry Systems, 2012)
Different management practices are commonly applied to increase pasture yield of Mediterranean open woodlands, but the consequences of increasing competition for soil resources with these practices on tree recruitment are still unknown. In a greenhouse study, belowground competition of Quercus suber L. seedlings growing together with natural (OakNP) or improved pasture (OakIP) was evaluated, and their root systems compared with those of seedlings growing in bare soil (OakBS). Two watering levels and two regimes of P2O5 fertilisation were also tested. Because of competition, the OakIP seedlings had their ﬁne root mass density, coarse root length, and shoot mass reduced by up to 40, 36, and 39%, respectively, when compared to OakNP seedlings. OakNP and OakBS seedlings showed similar average root density parameters and shoot mass values, indicating that Q. suber seedlings growing with natural pasture is a low competitive system. High availability of water and phosphorus did not mitigate the strength of competition between herbaceous plants and oak seedlings, and favoured the pasture to the detriment of the trees. Our ﬁndings suggest that P2O5 fertilisation and irrigation practices performed to improve herbaceous productivity will negatively inﬂuence recruitment of Q. suber seedlings.
Keywords: Cork oak; Dehesa; Improved pasture; Root density; Seedling recruitment

Sap flux density measurements based on the heat field deformation method - Nadezhdina, Nadezhda; Vandegehuchte, Maurits W; Steppe, Kathy (Trees, 2012)
Accurate measurements of whole tree water use are needed in many scientiﬁc disciplines such as hydrology, ecophysiology, ecology, forestry, agronomy and climatology. Several techniques based on heat dissipation have been developed for this purpose. One of the latest developed techniques is the heat ﬁeld deformation (HFD) method, which relies on continuous heating and the combination of a symmetrical and an asymmetrical temperature measurement. However, thus far the development of this method has not been fully described in the scientiﬁc literature. An understanding of its underlying principles is nevertheless essential to fully exploit the potential of this method as well as to better understand the results. This paper therefore structures the existing, but dispersed, data on the HFD method and explains its evolution from an initial ratio of temperature differences proportional to vapor pressure deﬁcit to a fully operational and practically applicable sap ﬂux density measurement system. It stresses the importance of HFD as a method that is capable of measuring low, high and reverse ﬂows without necessitating zero ﬂow conditions and on several sapwood depths to establish a radial proﬁle. The combination of these features has not been included yet in other heat-based sap ﬂow measurement systems, making the HFD method unique of its kind.
Keywords: Flow direction; Radial proﬁle; Sensor; Thermal gradient; tree water use

Sarcosaprophagous Diptera assemblages in natural habitats in central Spain: spatial and seasonal changes in composition - MARTÍN-VEGA, D; Baz, A (Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2012)
The composition and spatial distribution of sarcosaprophagous Diptera assemblages were studied using carrion-baited traps along a bioclimatic gradient of natural habitats in central Spain throughout the different seasons during 1 year. Calliphoridae and Muscidae were the most abundant families, accounting for, respectively, 41.9% and 35.1% of all Diptera specimens collected. Other abundant families were Heleomyzidae (8.4%), Sarcophagidae (6.9%) and Piophilidae (5.1%). Fly assemblage compositions differed among bioclimatic levels, with Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) being the dominant species in mesomediterranean habitats, Muscina levida (Harris) (Diptera: Muscidae) the dominant species in supramediterranean habitats, and Prochyliza nigrimana (Meigen) (Diptera: Piophilidae) the dominant species in oromediterranean habitats. Differences in assemblage composition were also found among seasons. Thermophobic species such as Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and some species of Heleomyzidae were well represented during autumn, winter and spring in the three bioclimatic levels sampled. By contrast, thermophilic species such as Ch. albiceps and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and most Muscidae and Sarcophagidae species were more abundant during summer and in mesomediterranean habitats located at lower elevations. Knowledge of the preferences of some species for certain habitats may be of ecological and forensic value and may establish a starting point for further research.
Keywords: Animals; Biota; climate; Diptera; Diptera: classification; Diptera: physiology; Ecosystem; Forensic entomology; habitat association; sarcosaprophagous Diptera; Seasons; Spain

Scale-dependent segregation of seeders and resprouters in cork oak (Quercus suber) forests. - Coca, M.; Pausas, J. G. (Oecologia, 2012)
Recent studies showed that disturbances and water availability determine the richness among plants with different post-fire strategies of Mediterranean-type ecosystems. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the scale of analysis has an influence on the effects of these factors and, therefore, on the segregation of the dominant post-fire strategies, obligate seeders and obligate resprouters, and facultative species. We recorded all woody species and geographical features on 94 (75 m(2)) plots of cork oak woodlands in the southern Iberian Peninsula. For each regenerative type (resprouters, seeders and species with both traits--facultative species), we tested the relationship between the number of species and the predictors using a generalised linear mixed model. The fixed predictor considered at the large scale was altitude, and fixed predictors considered at the local scale were aspect (north/south) and disturbance (fire and clearing by heavy machinery; yes/no). The random predictor was the factor of site. When this factor did not have significant effect for some regenerative types, these relationships was tested using a generalised linear model. Resprouting species were most represented at lower altitudes and in undisturbed sites, while seeders were also at lower altitudes but mostly on south-facing slopes, especially south-facing disturbed sites. For facultative species, site is the most important variable. The proportion of seeders from the total species is not related to altitude, but it is related to disturbance and aspect. These results suggest that there is no segregation of the richness of seeders and resprouters at the large scale (altitudinal gradient). Differences appeared at the local scale (aspect and disturbance).
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 21863245
Keywords: Cork oak forests; disturbance; Mediterranean vegetation; Moisture regime; Post-fire strategies

Scaling local abundance determinants in mediterranean dung beetles - NUMA, CATHERINE; LOBO, Jorge M.; VERDÚ, JOSÉ R.; Uma, Catherine N. (Insect Conservation and Diversity, 2012)
Abstract. 1. We study the factors that contribute to the variation in the local abundance of dung beetle species inhabiting Cabañeros National Park, a Mediterranean reserve in Central Spain. The relative roles of five different groups of explanatory variables (climatic, local-scale vegetation, landscape-scale vegetation, landscape connectivity and trophic resources) were assessed for 27 sampling sites established by a nested hierarchical sampling design that considered three regional landscapes (woodland, scrubland, grassland) and three local habitat types (forest, scrub, pasture) within each landscape. 2. Connectivity variables related to the spatial configuration of closed vegetation and distance to patches of open or closed vegetation were the best predictors of the species abundance. Precipitation was the most important climatic variable, whereas grassland area at the local- or landscape-scale and woodland area at the landscape-scale were the most important vegetation variables. Dung resources variables had the lowest explanatory ability. 3. More than 60% of the models explained more than 70% of the total variability. Observed and predicted abundance were highly and positively correlated and the mean percentage of absolute predictive errors was approximately 50%. Low-abundance observations had higher predictive errors and model accuracies seemed to be lower for species with narrow distributional ranges and presence in a high number of sampling localities. 4. Mediterranean ecosystems contain a diverse assemblage of dung beetle species whose composition and abundance are influenced by a variety of factors operating across different spatial scales. The most important variables are the spatial configuration and the habitat connectivity around each locality.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: Abundance models; Cabañeros National Park; landscape connectivity; landscape scale; Scarabaeoidea; species traits

Seasonal changes in the daily emission rates of terpenes by Quercus ilex and the atmospheric concentrations of terpenes in the natural park of Montseny, NE Spain - Llusia, Joan; Penuelas, Josep; Seco, Roger; Filella, Iolanda (Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 2012)
We studied the daily patterns in the rates of terpene emissions by the montane holm oak, Quercus ilex, in three typical days of winter and three typical days of summer in Montseny, a natural park near Barcelona, and related them to the air concentrations of terpenes, ozone and NO2 . Terpene emission rates were about 10 times higher in summer than in winter. Emissions virtually stopped in the dark. In both seasons, rates of terpene emissions were well correlated with light, air temperature and relative humidity. Rates of emissions were also correlated with stomatal conductance and the rates of transpiration and photosynthesis. Almost all the individual terpenes identified followed the same pattern as total terpenes. The most abundant terpene was α-pinene, followed by sabinene + β-pinene, limonene, myrcene, camphene and α- phellandrene. Atmospheric terpene concentrations were also about 10 times higher in summer than in winter. A significant diurnal pattern with maxima at midday was observed, especially in summer. The increase by one order of magnitude in the concentrations of these volatile isoprenoids highlights the importance of local biogenic summer emissions in these Mediterranean forested areas which also receive polluted air masses from nearby or distant anthropic sources. Atmospheric concentrations of O3 and NO2 were also significantly higher in summer and at midday hours. In both seasons, concentrations of O3 were significantly correlated with concentrations of terpenes and NO2 in the air and with rates of terpene emission.
Keywords: montseny; Quercus ilex; Seasonality; Terpene air concentrations; Terpene emission rates; VOC

Seasonal changes in the daily emission rates of terpenes by Quercus ilex and the atmospheric concentrations of terpenes in the natural park of Montseny, NE Spain - Llusia, Joan; Penuelas, Josep; Seco, Roger; Filella, Iolanda (Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 2012)
We studied the daily patterns in the rates of terpene emissions by the montane holm oak, Quercus ilex, in three typical days of winter and three typical days of summer in Montseny, a natural park near Barcelona, and related them to the air concentrations of terpenes, ozone and NO2 . Terpene emission rates were about 10 times higher in summer than in winter. Emissions virtually stopped in the dark. In both seasons, rates of terpene emissions were well correlated with light, air temperature and relative humidity. Rates of emissions were also correlated with stomatal conductance and the rates of transpiration and photosynthesis. Almost all the individual terpenes identified followed the same pattern as total terpenes. The most abundant terpene was α-pinene, followed by sabinene + β-pinene, limonene, myrcene, camphene and α- phellandrene. Atmospheric terpene concentrations were also about 10 times higher in summer than in winter. A significant diurnal pattern with maxima at midday was observed, especially in summer. The increase by one order of magnitude in the concentrations of these volatile isoprenoids highlights the importance of local biogenic summer emissions in these Mediterranean forested areas which also receive polluted air masses from nearby or distant anthropic sources. Atmospheric concentrations of O3 and NO2 were also significantly higher in summer and at midday hours. In both seasons, concentrations of O3 were significantly correlated with concentrations of terpenes and NO2 in the air and with rates of terpene emission.
Keywords: montseny; Quercus ilex; Seasonality; Terpene air concentrations; Terpene emission rates; VOC

Seasonal evolution of water status after outplanting of two provenances of Holm oak nursery seedlings - Andivia, Enrique; Carevic, Felipe; FERNÁNDEZ, MANUEL; Alejano, Reyes; VÁZQUEZ-PIQUÉ, JAVIER; TAPIAS, RAÚL (New Forests, 2012)
Forest restoration programs using Holm oak (Quercus ilex ssp. ballota [Desf.] Samp.) have had limited success. The effect of plant provenance on plantation success is uncertain, although some previous studies suggest that some provenances may be better able to tolerate stress. We studied the tolerance to drought in seedlings from two Spanish provenances of Holm oak before and after outplanting. One provenance was from a continental climate with cold winters (GR) and the other was from a xeric climate (HU). Seedlings were subjected to a water stress test in the nursery during the summer and survival was visually assessed after 2 weeks. In addition, 35 healthy seedlings of each provenance that were not subjected to the water stress tests were used for outplanting experiment. In these plants the seasonal changes in water potential at dawn (W), speciﬁc leaf area (SLA), cuticular transpiration (Ec ), and loss of xylem hydraulic conductance of twigs (PLC) were measured over 18 months. After the water stress test in summer, mortality was 44.3 % for GR seedlings and 12.6 % for HU seedlings. In addition there were differences between the two provenances in plant water status after planting. The HU provenance had a better water status and was more water conservative in the summer (higher W, lower Ec , lower PLC), but not in the winter. The different drought tolerance and water relations parameters of these two provenances indicate that provenance should be considered in forest restoration and conservation programs involving Holm oak.
Keywords: Adaptation; Drought; Field performance; Physiological traits; water stress

Seed storage in polyethylene bags of a recalcitrant species (Quercus ilex): analysis of some bio-energetic and oxidative parameters - Pasquini, Sergio; Mizzau, Michela; Petrussa, Elisa; Braidot, Enrico; Patui, Sonia; Gorian, Fabio; Lambardi, Maurizio; Vianello, Angelo (Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 2012)
Some technological and physiological aspects were analysed during seed storage of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), a typical Mediterranean recalcitrant species. Considering the mild dormancy and desiccation sensitivity of these seeds, the inﬂuence of the storage environment on viability was examined. Acorns were maintained at low temperature and at high moisture content either inside thin polyethylene bags or mixed with peat in a bin. Storage in polyethylene bags, if compared with peat treatment, maintained optimal seed quality parameters. The effects of the two treatments on some physiological parameters were analysed during 1-year seed storage. Acorns stored in a bin with peat started to germinate early and exhibited a more rapid seed deterioration caused by metabolism-linked oxidative damage. The latter phenomenon was linked to a higher respiration and H2O2 level, induction of catalase activity, as well as lowered glutathione pool and ATP content. In addition, a more oxidized redox poise was observed. On the contrary, the plastic ﬁlm of polyethylene, limiting gaseous exchanges, maintained acorn metabolic activity at low levels and allowed the accumulation of ethylene inside the storage atmosphere. These factors, inducing a dormant-like state, could have played a crucial role in prolonging seed storage.
Keywords: antioxidant; ethylene; Holm oak; storage

Seedling emergence and growth of Quercus spp. following severe drought effects on a Pinus sylvestris canopy - Galiano, Lucía; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi; Eugenio, Màrcia; Granzow-de la Cerda, Íñigo; Lloret, Francisco (Journal of Vegetation Science, 2012)
Questions We addressed the following questions: (1) did defoliation and die-off of the dominant Pinus sylvestris, induced by an extreme drought episode, favour emergence of other tree species; (2) did the defoliated canopies of P. sylvestris resulting from drought promote radial growth among other pre-existing tree species seedlings under them? Location P. sylvestris forest in Central Pyrenees (NE Spain) affected by a severe drought in 2004–2005. Methods Despite increased focus on climate-related forest die-off, studies of the effects on regeneration processes following extreme drought remain scarce. We analysed whether an episode of drought-induced mortality on the dominant P. sylvestris L. may act as a driver of vegetation shift. Seedlings of Quercus humilis Mill. and Q. ilex L. from 27 plots were sampled under P. sylvestris canopies with <50% and ≥50% defoliation (standing dead trees included) to determine age distribution and radial growth using a retrospective, dendrochronological approach. Results Drought-induced canopy losses appear not to be compensated by regeneration of P. sylvestris. Recruitment of below-canopy tree species (specifically Q. humilis and Q. ilex) that could potentially become dominant was high in the entire studied area. However, the spatial patterns of Quercus spp. regeneration following the 2004–2005 drought were complex. While the emergence of new Quercus spp. seedlings was reduced under open, drought-induced canopies, growth of seedlings already established was favoured in open-canopy conditions. Conclusions Although the effects of extreme drought events may disfavour the establishment of new recruits, enhanced growth responses of a pre-established seedling bank could still contribute to accelerate forest dynamics under drier conditions. Because of the predicted increases in intensity and frequency of extreme droughts, monitoring studies are key to elucidate whether the initial patterns observed will be maintained in the long term, eventually leading to a vegetation shift.
Keywords: Canopy gap; Extreme climatic episode; Pinus sylvestris; Quercus humilis; Quercus ilex; seedling growth; Seedling recruitment; tree mortality; Vegetation shift

Short communication. Isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila in piglets - Queiroga, M. C.; Amaral, A. S. P.; Branco, S. M. (SPANISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, 2012)
The production of Alentejano breed pig started a recovery two decades ago due to increasing demand for gourmet products. These pigs are raised in rotational semi-extensive or extensive outdoor production systems in the ``Montado{''} (green and cork oak forest), grazing and feeding acorns and other associated food resources. Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas are considered as emerging pathogens of importance for man and,animals, but its involvement in swine is not well documented. In the context of a study made at the University of Evora to assess the specific diseases of Alentejano swine, diseased piglets from two farms were submitted for pathological and bacteriological examinations. Pathological examinations revealed changes characteristic of septicemia, and Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated in pure culture from multiple organs of piglets from both farms. Antibiotic sensitivity tests showed that the isolates from one of the farms were susceptible to gentamicin, oxitetracycline, neomycin, enrofloxacin, colistin sulfate, trimethoprim, ceftiofur, and amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. In contrast, the A. hydrophila isolated in the other farm was resistant to all drugs tested but enrofloxacin. This is the first report in the world showing the relationship between septicemia and A. hydrophila infection in piglets. The importance of this finding is further reinforced by the fact that these bacteria can be highly resistant to antimicrobial agents.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: AUTOPISTA A-6, KM 7 5, MADRID, 28040, SPAIN publisher: SPANISH NATL INST AGRICULTURAL & FOOD RESEARCH & TECHNOLO
Keywords: Alentejano swine breed; emerging pathogens; Iberian swine; resistance to antibiotics

Soil carbon stocks and soil solution chemistry in Quercus ilex stands in Mainland Spain - González González, I.; Grau Corbí, J. M.; Fernández Cancio, a; Jiménez Ballesta, R.; González Cascón, M. R. (European Journal of Forest Research, 2012)
The quantiﬁcation of terrestrial carbon pools is important for the modeling of carbon ﬂuxes in forest ecosystems. As a contribution to the understanding of the factors that inﬂuence the carbon sequestration capacity of Mediterranean forest soils, the present study focuses on the quantiﬁcation of the superﬁcial soil carbon stocks in evergreen oak stands (Quercus ilex L.) representative of its distribution area in Mainland Spain and to analyze the inﬂuence of site factors (climate and topography) and the soil chemical properties in the topsoil carbon storage capacity. For that purpose, 103 Quercus ilex stands were studied grouped in four main formations: 40 wooded grassland ecosystems with scattered oak trees (dehesas), 14 open Holm oak stands, 28 mixed Holm oak forests and 21 dense Holm oak forests. The soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) in the upper organo-mineral soil layer ranged between 1.4–15.6 kg m -2 and total soil carbon stocks (TSCS) between 1.4–17.9 kg m -2 . Tree density was a signiﬁcant factor for SOC storage in the soil. The wooded grassland dehesas presented the minimum superﬁcial SOC stocks (3.6 kg m -2 ), while dense Holm oak forests reached the maximum average values (7.6 kg m -2 ). Maximum SOCS ([10 kg m -2 ) were measured in the mixed and dense Holm oak forests over soils with calcareous substrates. Summer mean temperature (R = -0.46; P\0.001) was the climatic variable that most inﬂuenced the SOCS. Soil properties had stronger positive correlations with SOCS than site factors: nitrogen concentrations (R = 0.70; P\0.001), clay content (R = 0.62; P\0.001), soluble calcium (R = 0.60; P\0.001) and magnesium (R = 0.42; P\0.001). Climatic and topographic variables together explained 30 % of the SOCS variability. An increase up to 63 % was obtained by including soil variables. Under Mediterranean climate conditions, the soil properties that enhance the organic matter protection achieve a notable relevance. The soil carbon storage is favored by large organic matter inputs, high soil clay contents, a calcium-saturated soil matrix and reduced summer aridity.
Keywords: Dehesa; Mediterranean ecosystems; mediterranean ecosystems á soil; Quercus ilex; quercus ilex á; soil carbon stocks; soil carbon stocks á; soil solution; solution á dehesa

Soil chemical properties in abandoned Mediterranean cropland after succession and oak reforestation - Cuesta, B.; Rey Benayas, J. M.; Gallardo, A.; Villar-Salvador, P.; González-Espinosa, M. (Acta Oecologica, 2012)
Large extents of cropland have been abandoned in recent decades and more may be abandoned in the near future. These may undergo secondary succession or reforestation. We experimentally tested the response of soil chemical properties to secondary succession (old ﬁeld) and to Quercus ilex plantation (reforested cropland) in a Mediterranean cropland that was abandoned 13 years ago. We also evaluated the relevance of previous reforestation management (four combinations of presence and absence of irrigation and shading) in addition to current environmental conditions (herbaceous community and cover of oak canopy) on soil chemistry in the reforested cropland. Carbon and NH4 þ eN concentrations and availability of mineral N were higher in the reforested cropland than in the old ﬁeld. However, soil pH, total N, P, K and NO3 eN concentrations, mineralization rates, and available PO4 3 eP were similar in the reforested cropland as well as in the old ﬁeld. Previous reforestation management practices, particularly irrigation, and current environmental conditions, mostly biomass and composition of the herbaceous community, affected soil chemistry. Irrigation increased K and P concentrations and NH4 þ eN availability. This study highlights the overall slow dynamics of soil chemistry in Mediterranean ecosystems, which has resulted in little variation of soil properties in reforested cropland after more than a decade. Reforestation can accelerate the recovery of some soil properties of abandoned cropland in comparison with secondary succession, but these effects will be more noticeable in longer time periods.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS
Keywords: ammonium; Inorganic nitrogen; nitrate; Old ﬁelds; Quercus ilex; Soil fertility; Tree planting

Soil Gypsum and Increased Penetration Resistance Restrict Early Growth of Quercus ilex Plantations - Olarieta, J. R.; Rodríguez-Ochoa, R.; Ascaso, E. (Arid Land Research and Management, 2012)
The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of soil characteristics on the early growth of Quercus ilex in order to support planning of future plantations. We studied 31 200-m2-plots on 10-year-old plantations in fields that were set-aside from agriculture in a semiarid area in northeast Spain. Tree height and diameter, slope, geomorphic position, and various soil characteristics were measured. On north-facing slopes height and diameter of trees were significantly greater (150?200%) in soils without gypsum than in soils with gypsum. In soils without gypsum, increased penetration resistance in the upper 50 cm of soil (from 4.4 MPa to more than 7.0 MPa) decreased dominant height of trees to 40% of the maximum. While plantations of Quercus ilex can achieve satisfactory growth in semiarid conditions, detailed field studies of soil and site conditions are required for successful plantation establishment. The actual need for soil preparation treatments should be carefully evaluated considering species response and soil penetration resistance.
doi: 10.1080/15324982.2012.680654doi: 10.1080/15324982.2012.680654The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: Afforestation; calcareous soils; land evaluation; soil rootable depth

Soil microarthropod communities from Mediterranean forest ecosystems in Central Italy under different disturbances. - Blasi, Silvia; Menta, Cristina; Balducci, Lorena; Conti, Federica Delia; Petrini, Enrico; Piovesan, Gianluca (Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2012)
The aim of this study is to assess soil quality in Mediterranean forests of Central Italy, from evergreen to deciduous, with different types of management (coppice vs. high forest vs. secondary old growth) and compaction impacts (machinery vs. recreational). Soil quality was evaluated studying soil microarthropod communities and applying a biological index (QBS-ar) based on the concept that the higher is the soil quality, the higher will be the number of microarthropod groups well adapted to the soil habitat. Our results confirm that hardwood soils are characterised by the highest biodiversity level among terrestrial communities and by a well-structured and mature microarthropod community, which is typical of stable ecosystems (QBS value, >200). While silvicultural practices and forest composition do not seem to influence QBS-ar values or microarthropod community structure, the index is very efficient in detecting soil impacts (soil compaction due to logging activities). Several taxa (Protura, Diplura, Coleoptera adults, Pauropoda, Diplopoda, Symphyla, Chilopoda, Diptera larvae and Opiliones) react negatively to soil compaction and degradation (QBS value, <150). In particular, Protura, Diplura, Symphyla and Pauropoda, are taxonomic groups linked to undisturbed soil. This index could also be a useful tool in monitoring soil biodiversity in protected areas and in urban forestry to prevent the negative effects of trampling. QBS-ar is a candidate index for biomonitoring of soil microarthropod biodiversity across the landscape to provide guidance for the sustainable management of renewable resource and nature conservation.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 22585401
Keywords: Biological index; Forest management; microarthropods; Soil disturbance; Soil fauna; Soil monitoring

Soil organic matter characteristics, biochemical activity and antioxidant capacity in Mediterranean land use systems - Cardelli, R.; Marchini, F.; Saviozzi, A. (Soil and Tillage Research, 2012)
The characteristics of soil quality were measured in adjacent agricultural (horticultural cropping sequence, HC), native grassland (naturally grazed, NG) and forest (indigenous wood of holm-oak, F) soils. The objective of the research was to assess the inﬂuence of different land uses on soil organic matter characteristics, biochemical activity and antioxidant capacity in selected ﬁelds of the Mediterranean environment in central Italy under a speciﬁc climatic regime. Land use induced signiﬁcant changes in the content and quality of soil organic matter, biochemical activity and antioxidant capacity, with more pronounced differences between soils under HC and F than soils under HC and NG. The HC soil showed the lowest amounts of total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass C (MB-C), water-soluble organic C (WSOC), water- and alkali-soluble phenols. The organic matter of HC was characterized by the lowest percentage of MB-C and of light fraction carbon (LF-C). The dehydrogenase activity (DH-ase), metabolic potential (MP), hydrolyzing coefﬁcient (HyC), potentially mineralizable C (C0) and C mineralized (Cm) were clearly lower in HC. The speciﬁc respiration activity of biomass (qCO2) was the highest in HC soil (1.3 mg CO2–C mg biomass C 1 ) and lowest in F soil (0.5 mg CO2–C mg biomass C 1 ) and was inversely related with pH, TOC and MB-C contents. The antioxidant capacity of soils (TEAC) was the highest in NG and related to the amount of alkali-soluble phenols. The rate constant of organic matter mineralization (k) appeared to depend on TEAC rather than the relative amounts of the labile C pools. These results seem to explain the role of phenols as controller of the mineralization rate of organic matter.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: C mineralization; land use; mediterranean environment; Soil antioxidant capacity; Soil quality indices

Soil water availability strongly modulates soil CO2 efflux in different Mediterranean ecosystems: Model calibration using the Bayesian approach - Correia, a C. C.; Minunno, F.; Caldeira, M. C. C.; Banza, J.; Mateus, J.; Carneiro, M.; Wingate, L.; Shvaleva, a; Ramos, a; Jongen, M.; Bugalho, M. N. N.; Nogueira, C.; et al. (Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2012)
Soil respiration in drought prone regions is highly dependent on the precipitation regime and soil moisture conditions, which are expected to change in a global warming context. In the present study we used an extensive collection of ﬁeld chamber measurements of soil respiration (Rs ) from forest and grassland sites of centre and south of Portugal distributed over a 10 year period. This data were summarized and analysed with the objective to describe seasonal variability of Rs as affected by soil moisture (Hs ) and soil temperature (Ts ). A Bayesian framework was used to test the effectiveness of soil bioclimatic models in estimating Rs on a daily and monthly time step. Rs seasonality was similar between sites, reaching a maximum in spring and autumn and a minimum in the dry season (July–September). No differences were observed for Rs between sites with different standing biomass or soil carbon stocks either on an annual or seasonal timescale. Hs , and not Ts , was the driving factor of Rs during most of the year. Ts drove Rs response only above certain Hs limits: 10% for forest sites and 15% for grassland sites leading to a Q10 of 2.01, 1.61 and 1.31 for closed forests, open forests and grasslands, respectively. The Bayesian analysis showed that models using Hs as an independent variable performed better than models driven by Ts alone. Monthly estimates of Rs in grasslands can be predicted by simple climatic models based on Hs but none of them was suitable for forest ecosystems, stressing the need for a process-based approach. This study adds to the evidence that Hs controls Rs ﬂuxes for Mediterranean ecosystems and should always be taken into account for extrapolation purposes.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Bayesian calibration; Empirical model; Mediterranean; Soil CO2 efﬂux; Soil moisture; Soil respiration; Soil temperature

Spatial distribution of the soil organic carbon pool in a Holm oak dehesa in Spain - Simón, Nuria; Montes, Fernando; Díaz-Pinés, Eugenio; Benavides, Raquel; Roig, Sonia; Rubio, Agustín (Plant and Soil, 2012)
Aims Dehesas are agroforestry systems characterized by scattered trees among pastures, crops and/or fallows. A study at a Spanish dehesa has been carried out to estimate the spatial distribution of the soil organic carbon stock and to assess the influence of the tree cover. Methods The soil organic carbon stock was estimated from the five uppermost cm of the mineral soil with high spatial resolution at two plots with different grazing intensities. The Universal Kriging technique was used to assess the spatial distribution of the soil organic carbon stocks, using tree coverage within a buffering area as an auxiliary variable. Results A significant positive correlation between tree presence and soil organic carbon stocks up to distances of around 8 m from the trees was found. The tree crown cover within a buffer up to a distance similar to the crown radius around the point absorbed 30 % of the variance in the model for both grazing intensities, but residual variance showed stronger spatial autocorrelation under regular grazing conditions. Conclusions Tree cover increases soil organic carbon stocks, and can be satisfactorily estimated by means of crown parameters. However, other factors are involved in the spatial pattern of the soil organic carbon distribution. Livestock plays an interactive role together
Keywords: agroforestry systems; Soil C; Spatial variance partition; Tree effect; Universal Kriging

Spatial pattern of soil compaction: Trees’ footprint on soil physical properties - Alameda, David; Villar, Rafael; Iriondo, José M. (Forest Ecology and Management, 2012)
Soil compaction, a determinant of forest regeneration and ecosystem functioning (e.g., biomass production), can show an aggregated spatial pattern which can be shaped by the effect of tree canopy. This work studies the inﬂuence of tree canopy type (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota, and Pinus pinaster) on the spatial distribution of variables related to soil compaction in a Mediterranean forest in southern Spain. The spatial structure of this plant-soil interaction was analyzed using the spatial analysis by distance indices methodology (SADIE). Our results showed that variables related to soil compaction, such as bulk density, penetration resistance, water content and organic matter, showed an aggregated spatial pattern which was associated to the species’ tree canopy and presence of open sites. Thus, high organic matter content and low bulk density were found under the Quercus canopy, whereas the contrary was observed under the Pinus canopy. Open sites showed similar soil properties to those than under the Pinus canopy. Soil compaction pattern and tree canopy had a clear effect on herbaceous production. In two consecutive years (2007 and 2008), herbaceous production was higher under the Quercus canopy than under the Pinus canopy. Mean values of herbaceous production in open sites were similar to those under the Quercus canopy, and no spatial association was found between open sites and herbaceous production. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to describe the causal relationships between tree canopy types, soil compaction related variables and herbaceous production. Results showed that tree canopy affects soil compaction variables and its effects on herbaceous production are mainly produced by a positive effect of organic matter (at 2–7 cm depth) and a negative effect of penetration resistance (at 9–14 cm depth). Therefore, forest management should consider that the replacement of one species for another or changes in tree density are likely to have important consequences in soil compaction and ecosystem functioning.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Bulk density; Herbaceous production; organic matter; Penetration resistance; Pinus pinaster; Quercus ilex

Spatial Patterns and Predictors of Forest Carbon Stocks in Western Mediterranean - Vayreda, Jordi; Gracia, Marc; Canadell, Josep G; Retana, Javier (Ecosystems, 2012)
Mediterranean semi-arid forest ecosystems are especially sensitive to external forcing. An understanding of the relationship between forest carbon (C) stock, and environmental conditions and forest structure enable prediction of the impacts of climate change on C stocks and help to deﬁne management strategies that maximize the value of forests for C mitigation. Based on the national forest inventory of Spain (1997–2008 with 70,912 plots), we estimated the forest C stock and spatial variability in Peninsular Spain and, we determined the extent to which the observed patterns of stand C stock can be explained by structural and species richness, climate and disturbances. Spain has an average stand C stock of 45.1 Mg C/ha. Total C stock in living biomass is 621 Tg C (7.8% of the C stock of European forests). The statistical models show that structural richness, which is driven by past land use and life forest history including age, development stage, management activities, and disturbance regime, is the main predictor of stand tree C stock with larger C stocks in structurally richer stands. Richness of broadleaf species has a positive effect on both conifer and broadleaf forests, whereas richness of conifer species shows no signiﬁcant or even a negative effect on C stock. Climate variables have mainly an indirect effect through structural richness but a smaller direct predictive ability when all predictors are considered. To achieve a greater standing C stock, our results suggest promoting high structural richness by managing for uneven-aged stands and favoring broadleaf over conifer species.
Keywords: conifer and broadleaf forests; fire disturbance; Forest management; national forest inventory; Peninsular Spain; structural richness; tree carbon stock; Tree species richness; understory carbon stock; Water availability

Spatial patterns of soil pathogens in declining Mediterranean forests: implications for tree species regeneration. - Gómez-Aparicio, LORENA; Ibáñez, Beatriz; Serrano, María S.; De Vita, Paolo; Avila, José M.; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M.; García, Luis V.; Esperanza Sánchez, M.; Marañón, Teodoro (The New phytologist, 2012)
Soil-borne pathogens are a key component of the belowground community because of the significance of their ecological and socio-economic impacts. However, very little is known about the complexity of their distribution patterns in natural systems. Here, we explored the patterns, causes and ecological consequences of spatial variability in pathogen abundance in Mediterranean forests affected by oak decline. We used spatially explicit neighborhood models to predict the abundance of soil-borne pathogen species (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Pythium spiculum and Pythium spp.) as a function of local abiotic conditions (soil texture) and the characteristics of the tree and shrub neighborhoods (species composition, size and health status). The implications of pathogen abundance for tree seedling performance were explored by conducting a sowing experiment in the same locations in which pathogen abundance was quantified. Pathogen abundance in the forest soil was not randomly distributed, but exhibited spatially predictable patterns influenced by both abiotic and, particularly, biotic factors (tree and shrub species). Pathogen abundance reduced seedling emergence and survival, but not in all sites or tree species. Our findings suggest that heterogeneous spatial patterns of pathogen abundance at fine spatial scale can be important for the dynamics and restoration of declining Mediterranean forests.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 22428751
Keywords: Biological; Forest decline; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Mediterranean Region; Models; neighborhood models; Phytophthora; Phytophthora: physiology; Pythium; Pythium: physiology; Quercus; Quercus suber; Quercus: microbiology; regeneration dynamics; Seedling; Seedling: microbiology; Soil Microbiology; soil texture; soil-borne pathogens; species coexistence

Spatio-temporal patterns of Holocene environmental change in southern Sicily - Calò, Camilla; Henne, Paul D.; Curry, Brandon; Magny, Michel; Vescovi, Elisa; La Mantia, Tommaso; Pasta, Salvatore; Vannière, Boris; Tinner, Willy (Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2012)
Few examples of natural forest remain near the Mediterranean coast. Therefore, it is difﬁcult to study how coastal forests respond to climatic change or their resilience to human impact. We developed new sedimentary record of Holocene vegetation and ﬁre history at Lago Preola, a coastal lake in southwestern Sicily (Italy). In order to verify the existence of forest at large scale on the coast, we compare pollen from Lago Preola, a medium-sized lake (33 ha), to Gorgo Basso, a small lake (3 ha) located nearby with the aim of separating local from extra-local vegetation dynamics through time using pollen percentages and inﬂux. We then compare Lago Preola pollen to the record from Biviere di Gela, a large lagoon (120 ha) situated 160 km to the east in southern Sicily, to examine differences in vegetation dynamics between the two coastal areas during the Holocene. Lake-level reconstructions and ostracode analyses from Lago Preola provide vegetation-independent evidence of climate change, and help to disentangle human and climatic impacts on vegetation. Pollen data indicate Pistacia-dominated shrublands replaced open grasslands in the region surrounding Lago Preola by 9500 cal yr BP. This change coincided with rising lake levels and the development of an ostracode fauna typical of fresh waters. Evergreen forest dominated by Quercus ilex and Olea europaea started to expand by 7000 cal BP and consolidated at 6500 cal yr BP, when lake levels were near their Holocene high. Similarities between pollen from Lago Preola and Gorgo Basso demonstrate that forest was the dominant vegetation type in coastal Sicily during the middle Holocene at both regional and local scales, and even developed in the drier climatic setting around Biviere di Gela. Lake levels fell at Lago Preola after 7000 cal yr BP, with a strong decline accompanied by increasing salinity after 4500 cal yr BP. However, no transition in vegetation matched these inferred hydrological changes. Instead, forests persisted in the surrounding region until 2200 cal BP when human disturbance intensiﬁed. We propose that different climatic factors control lake levels and vegetation in coastal Mediterranean ecosystems. Whereas lake levels are most sensitive to the abundance of winter precipitation, coastal forests depend on spring precipitation and are limited by the length of summer drought. Moisture availability remained suitable for evergreen forests in coastal Sicily during the late Holocene, and humans, not a drier climate drove the regional forest decline.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: climate change; Holocene; Mediterranean; paleoecology; Paleohydrology; Sicily

Sporadic rainy events are more critical than increasing of drought intensity for woody species recruitment in a Mediterranean community. - Matías, Luis; Zamora, Regino; Castro, Jorge (Oecologia, 2012)
The understanding of the impact of extreme climatic events under a global climate change scenario is crucial for the accurate forecast of future plant community dynamics. We have experimentally assessed the effect of drier and wetter summer conditions on the recruitment probabilities and the growth of seedlings from eight woody species representative of the most important functional groups in the community, pioneer shrubs, mid-successional shrubs and trees, across the main habitats in the study area (open habitat, shrubland, and forest). Our hypothesis proposes that wet summer conditions would represent a good opportunity for tree species regeneration, enhancing both forest maintenance and expansion. A drier summer scenario, on the other hand, would limit forest regeneration, and probably hinder the colonization of nearby habitats. We found a habitat effect on the emergence, survival, and final biomass, whereas different climate scenarios affected seedling survival and biomass. A wet summer boosted growth and survival, whereas greater drought reduced survival only in some cases. These results were modulated by the habitat type. Overall, shrub species presented higher survival and growth and were less affected by more severe drought, whereas some tree species proved to be extremely dependent on wet summer conditions. We conclude that the reduction in frequency of wet summers predicted for the coming decades in Mediterranean areas will have greater consequences for species recruitment than will increased drought. The different response of the species from the various functional groups has the potential to alter the composition and dominance of future plant communities.
Keywords: Angiosperms; Angiosperms: growth & development; climate change; Droughts; Ecosystem; Mediterranean Region; Rain; rainfall variability; Recruitment; Seedling; Seedling: growth & development; Spain; summer drought; Vegetation dynamics

Starch isolation from chestnut and acorn flours through alkaline and enzymatic methods - Correia, Paula Reis; Beirão-da-Costa, Maria Luísa (Food and Bioproducts Processing, 2012)
Two different procedures were used to isolate chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) and acorn (Quercus suber) starch. Starch was extracted from the ﬂour of these dried fruits by: (i) low shear at alkaline pH and successively using three sieves (A3S) at different centrifugation conditions (velocity and time) and (ii) enzymatic treatment at low shear (ENZ) at a different amount/digestion time of protease. In both cases a Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) was used as an experimental design. Results were treated through the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Based on maximum yield values and the degree of purity, the best modiﬁed conditions encountered were applied in a new trial and mass balance was established for both isolation procedures. The best centrifugation conditions encountered for the A3S isolation method were 800 × g during 15min, and for the ENZ method 900 units of protease despite the incubation time, for the same centrifugation terms. The yields reached with these experimental conditions for the A3S and ENZ methods were 83.9% and 79.9% for chestnut and 88.5% and 86.9% for acorn, respectively. Isolated starches shown to be higher in purity, presented values of 98.3% and 96.3% for chestnut and 98.1% and 97.6% for acorn, respectively for the A3S and ENZ methods
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Institution of Chemical Engineers
Keywords: acorn; chestnut; composition; isolation method; starch; yield

Study of Mechanical and Hygrothermal Properties of Agglomerated Cork - Mir, a.; Bezzazi, B; Zitoune, R; Collombet, F (Mechanika, 2012)
The mode of development of sandwich panels with cork core by the method infusion cannot prevent the resin from penetrating inside cork. This study characterizes white cork agglomerated before and after the development of sandwich panels to see the influence of the resin on the mechanical and hygrothermic characteristics of cork. Two types of cork are considered, they are characterized by their density of 270 kg/m3 (C270) and of 190 kg/m3 (C190). One notes that the modulus of rigidity of C270 cork is 20% larger than that of C190.The presence of resin increases also the module of shearing 47% for C270, 64% for C190. The hygrothermic analysis out of drying oven at 100°C shows a fall of significant mass in the first 7 hours. The analysis thermogravimetry at 220°C, the fall of significant mass is recorded in the first 5 minutes.
Keywords: agglomerated cork; mechanical and hygrothermal properties

Study of thermochemical treatments of cork in the 150–400°C range using colour analysis and FTIR spectroscopy - Şen, Ali; Marques, António Velez; Gominho, Jorge; Pereira, Helena (Industrial Crops and Products, 2012)
A study of chemical transformations of cork during heat treatments was made using colour variation and FTIR analysis. The cork enriched fractions from Quercus cerris bark were subjected to isothermal heating in the temperature range 150–400 ◦ C and treatment time from 5 to 90min. Mass loss ranged from 3% (90min at 150 ◦ C) to 71% (60min at 350 ◦ C). FTIR showed that hemicelluloses were thermally degraded ﬁrst while suberin remained as the most heat resistant component. The change of CIE-Lab parameters was rapid for low intensity treatments where no signiﬁcant mass loss occurred (at 150 ◦ C L* decreased from the initial 51.5 to 37.3 after 20min). The decrease in all colour parameters continued with temperature until they remained substantially constant with over 40% mass loss. Modelling of the thermally induced mass loss could be made using colour analysis. This is applicable to monitoring the production of heat expanded insulation agglomerates.
Keywords: Colour analysis; Cork; FTIR; Heat treatment; Quercus cerris

Study of variability in antioxidant composition and fatty acids profile of Longissimus dorsi and Serratus ventralis muscles from Iberian pigs reared in two different Montanera seasons. - Tejerina, D; García-Torres, S; de Vaca, M Cabeza; Vázquez, F M; Cava, R (Meat science, 2012)
This investigation was designed to evaluate the effects of variations in antioxidant and fatty acids composition of acorns and grass from two Montanera (free-range system and feeding based on acorns and grass) seasons (2006/07 and 2007/08) on the antioxidant composition and fatty acids profile of m. Longissimus dorsi (LD) and m. Serratus ventralis (SV) from Iberian pigs reared under these Montanera seasons. Acorn and grass composition was affected by Montanera season and consequently, LD and SV muscles showed different contents of α-tocopherol, total phenols, hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant activity and fatty acid profile, according with the composition of acorns and grass ingested. Results suggest a lack of uniformity in meat quality between different seasons. This could be due to the variable nature of extensive pig production as reflected in the variability in the composition of the diet (acorns and grass).
Keywords: acorns; diet composition; Grass; Iberian pigs; meat; Montanera

Subcutaneous Fat Triacylglycerols Profile from Iberian Pigs as a Tool To Differentiate between Intensive and Extensive Fattening Systems - Gallardo, Emerenciana; Narváez-Rivas, Monica; Pablos, Fernando; Jurado, J. Marcos; León-Camacho, Manuel (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012)
Triacylglycerols of subcutaneous fat of Iberian pigs reared on two different feeding systems, extensive and intensive, have been determined by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. Analyses were performed on a column coated with a bonded stationary phase (50% phenyl?50% methylpolysiloxane) with hydrogen as the carrier gas. Lipids were extracted by melting the subcutaneous fat in a microwave oven and then filtering and dissolving in hexane. A total amount of 1995 samples from several campaigns were considered. Palmitoyl-stearyl-oleoyl glycerol and palmitoyl-dioleoyl glycerol were the most abundant triacylglycerols found in the samples. A study on the discriminating power of the triacylglycerols to differentiate samples according to the pig feeding system was performed. By using the triacylglycerols as chemical descriptors, principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, and soft independent modeling of class analogy were applied. Dioleoyl-linoleoyl glycerol and oleoyl-dilinoleoyl glycerol were the most discriminating variables. Variable?variable plots of these two glycerols allow separation of the samples according to their content.
doi: 10.1021/jf2045312doi: 10.1021/jf2045312The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: American Chemical Society
Keywords: gas chromatography; iberian pig; pattern recognition; subcutaneous fat; triacylglycerols

Suberin isolation from cork using ionic liquids: characterisation of ensuing products - Ferreira, Rui; Garcia, Helga; Sousa, Andreia F.; Petkovic, Marija; Lamosa, Pedro; Freire, Carmen S. R.; Silvestre, Armando J. D.; Rebelo, Luís Paulo N. Luis Paulo N.; Pereira, Cristina Silva (New Journal of Chemistry, 2012)
Cholinium alkanoates, a class of benign ionic liquids, were demonstrated to efficiently extract suberin domains from cork. A detailed characterisation of the extracted material has yet to be attained. In the present study the significance of the alkylic chain length of the anion and the ionic liquid's basicity was investigated. The results obtained emphasise cholinium hexanoate's selection; it proved to be a straightforward process, also ensuring the recyclability and reusability of the ionic liquid. The extracted suberinic material has been thoroughly characterised for the first time by ATR-FTIR, NMR, GC-MS and thermal analyses. Data showed that it is mainly composed of oligomeric or polymeric aliphatic esterified structures, resulting from suberin partial cleavage. More than 40 wt% of the extracted suberinic material was found to be cross-linked. Even though, the composing monomeric units were similar to those usually identified in suberin samples obtained by the conventional extraction processes. These data pave the way for advanced studies of suberin monomers/oligomers as building-blocks for the development of novel biopolymers and biomaterials.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: The Royal Society of Chemistry
Keywords: Cholinium alkanoates; Cork; Extraction; suberin; suberinic materials (voyant)

Summer season and long-term drought increase the richness of bacteria and fungi in the foliar phyllosphere of Quercus ilex in a mixed Mediterranean forest - Penuelas, J; Rico, L; Ogaya, R; Jump, A S; Terradas, J (Plant Biology, 2012)
We explored the changes in richness, diversity and evenness of epiphytic (on the leaf surface) and endophytic (within leaf tissues) bacteria and fungi in the foliar phyllosphere of Quercus ilex, the dominant tree species of Mediterranean forests. Bacteria and fungi were assessed during ontogenic development of the leaves, from the wet spring to the dry summer season in control plots and in plots subjected to drought conditions mimicking those projected for future decades. Our aim was to monitor succession in microbiota during the colonisation of plant leaves and its response to climate change. Ontogeny and seasonality exerted a strong influence on richness and diversity of the microbial phyllosphere community, which decreased in summer in the whole leaf and increased in summer in the epiphytic phyllosphere. Drought precluded the decrease in whole leaf phyllosphere diversity and increased the rise in the epiphytic phyllosphere. Both whole leaf bacterial and fungal richness decreased with the decrease in physiological activity and productivity of the summer season in control trees. As expected, the richness of epiphytic bacteria and fungi increased in summer after increasing time of colonisation. Under summer dry conditions, there was a positive relationship between TRF (terminal restriction fragments) richness and drought, both for whole leaf and epiphytic phyllosphere, and especially for fungal communities. These results demonstrate that changes in climate are likely to significantly alter microbial abundance and composition of the phyllosphere. Given the diverse functions and large number of phyllospheric microbes, the potential functional implications of such community shifts warrant exploration.
Keywords: Bacteria; Bacteria: genetics; Bacteria: growth & development; Bacterial; Bacterial TRF richness; Bacterial: genetics; Biodiversity; colonisation time; DNA; Drought; Droughts; endophytes; epiphytes; foliar and epiphytic microbial diversity; foliar phyllosphere; Fungal; fungal TRF richness; Fungal: genetics; fungi; Fungi: genetics; Fungi: growth & development; Mediterranean Region; Plant Leaves; Plant Leaves: microbiology; Polymorphism; Quercus; Quercus: microbiology; Restriction Fragment Length; Seasonality; Seasons; Trees; Trees: microbiology

Surveying an endangered saproxylic beetle, Osmoderma eremita, in Mediterranean woodlands: a comparison between different capture methods - Chiari, Stefano; Zauli, Agnese; Mazziotta, Adriano; Luiselli, Luca; Audisio, Paolo; Carpaneto, Giuseppe M. (Journal of Insect Conservation, 2012)
Measuring population size is riddled with dif- ﬁculties for wildlife biologists and managers, and in the case of rare species, it is sometimes practically impossible to estimate abundance, whereas estimation of occupancy is possible. Furthermore, obtaining reliable population size estimates is not straightforward, as different sampling techniques can give misleading results. A mark-recapture study of the endangered saproxylic beetle Osmoderma eremita was performed in central Italy by applying four independent capture methods within a study area where 116 hollow trees were randomly selected to set traps. Detection probability and population size estimates were drawn from each of these four capture methods. There were strong differences in detection probability among methods. Despite using pheromone and beetle manipulation, capture histories were not affected by trap-happiness or trapshyness. Population size estimates varied considerably in both abundance and precision by capture method. A number of 0.5 and 0.2 adult beetles per tree was estimated using the whole data set by closed and open population models, respectively. Pitfall trap appeared the optimal method to detect the occurrence of this species. Since in the southern part of its distribution range, a single population of O. eremita is widespread in the landscape, and includes beetles from more than one hollow tree, conservation efforts should focus not only on preserving few and isolated monumental hollow trees, but should be extended to large stands.
Keywords: Coleoptera Scarabaeidae; conservation; Dead Wood; occupancy; Population size estimates; Sex pheromone

Susceptibility of common herbaceous crops to Phytophthora cinnamomi and its influence on Quercus root rot in rangelands - Serrano, María S; Fernández-Rebollo, Pilar; Vita, Paolo; Sánchez, M Esperanza (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 2012)
The susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi of four crops (wheat, oat, vetch, and yellow lupin) commonly planted in rangeland ecosystems in southern Spain was evaluated. By means of in vitro infection experiments, the presence of the pathogen into the roots of yellow lupin (symptomatic) and vetch (asymptomatic) was observed, but never into wheat and oat roots (asymptomatic). It was also demonstrated that yellow lupin stimulated the production of zoospores of P. cinnamomi. Vetch, wheat and oat did not stimulate zoospore production. Under controlled conditions, only yellow lupin induced an increase in the number of viable chlamydospores in the soil. We concluded that the culture of wheat, oat, and vetch in rangelands did not influence the epidemiology of the Quercus root disease, even when asymptomatically-infected vetch is grown, and these crops can constitute an alternative to the culture of yellow lupin in rangeland ecosystems affected by Quercus root rot.
Keywords: Dehesa; Holm oak; oat; vetch; wheat; yellow lupin

Susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi of the commonest morphotypes of Holm oak in southern Spain - SERRANO, M S; DE VITA, P; CARBONERO, M D; Fernández, F; FERNÁNDEZ-REBOLLO, P; SÁNCHEZ, M E (Forest Pathology, 2012)
The four main morphotypes of Holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota) present in Andalusia (expansa, macrocarpa, microcarpa and rotundifolia) were infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi to determine their susceptibility to the root pathogen. No large differences were found among the four morphotypes in the infection of roots, which always showed a high degree of necrosis. However, the different responses of the foliage to infection separated the four morphotypes of Holm oak into three groups: very susceptible (microcarpa), susceptible (expansa) and moderately susceptible (rotundifolia and macrocarpa). The natural hybrid Q. ilex ballota–Q. faginea exhibited a low level of root and foliar symptoms when infected with P. cinnamomi. Quercus faginea could be considered as a source of resistance to P. cinnamomi in future breeding programmes.
Keywords: holm oak morphotypes (voyant); phytophthora cinnamomi; root symptoms; susceptibility

Temperature-induced structural and chemical changes in cork from Quercus cerris - Şen, Ali; Miranda, Isabel; Pereira, Helena (Industrial Crops and Products, 2012)
The effects of temperature on anatomical and chemical characteristics of Quercus cerris cork were examined. Cork samples were subjected to isothermal air heating between 150 ◦ C and 400 ◦ C and analyzed for mass loss, cellular structure and chemical composition. The thermal decomposition of Q. cerris cork is similar to that of Q. suber cork. Cork is thermally stable below 200 ◦ C and after that degradation depended on temperature and heating time with increasing mass loss, i.e. 3% at 200 ◦ C 10min and 46% at 350 ◦ C 60min.With temperature and starting at 200 ◦ C, cells expanded, cell wall thickness was reduced and corrugations were lost. Extractives degraded at lower temperatures, although aliphatic extractives were found to be more stable. Suberin from Q. cerris was more heat resistant than Q. suber suberin, while lignin showed similar resistance. These results provide a basis for studies on the production of Q. cerris bark expanded cork agglomerates for insulation purposes.
Keywords: Cellular structure; Cork; Quercus cerris; suberin; Temperature

Testing the role of seed size in annual legume seedling performance under experimental autumn moisture conditions - Arellano, Gabriel; Peco, Begoña (Journal of Vegetation Science, 2012)
Question: Previous studies show that large-seeded species increase their abundance in Mediterranean annual grasslands in growing seasons with dry autumns. One possible explanation is that large-seeded species have larger seedlings, which provide an advantage under drier conditions. We address the following questions: is seed mass correlated with seedling survival in annual legumes? Is this correlation inﬂuenced by the watering regime? Can seedling growth characteristics explain the differential survival of small- and large-seeded species? Location: Annual Mediterranean grassland, Central Spain. Methods: An experiment was conducted with six grassland legume species of different seed sizes, subjected to six different watering regimes, monitoring survival and morphological variables (shoot and root growth) for 40 d. Results: Large seeds provide an advantage for seedling survival, but in extreme drought conditions, seedling survival in small-seeded species equals that of seedlings from large-seeded species. Seedlings from larger seeds are larger than those of small-seeded species, but have a lower root/shoot biomass ratio, leading to greater potential evapotranspiration, which could explain their loss of relative advantage under extreme droughts. Conclusion: The hypothesis that seedlings from large-seeded species survive better than small-seeded species under drought conditions was not supported. Germination behaviour seems to be a more plausible explanation for the increased abundance in the ﬁeld of large-seeded species in growing seasons with dry autumns.
Keywords: autumn drought; mediterranean therophytes; Pasture legumes; seed mass; seedling survival

Time to rethink the management intensity in a Mediterranean oak woodland: the response of insectivorous birds and leaf-chewing defoliators as key groups in the forest ecosystem - Pereira, Pedro; Godinho, Carlos; Roque, Inês; Marques, Ana; Branco, Manuela; Rabaça, João Eduardo (Annals of Forest Science, 2012)
Context The Iberian cork oak Quercus suber montados are dynamic agro-silvo-pastoral systems, contrasting with the abandonment trend of other Mediterranean forested areas. & Aims We aimed to identify the effect of management type and vegetation features on breeding insectivorous birds and leaf-chewing defoliator insects. & Methods In central Portugal, we selected two groups of 20 sites: dense montados (DM, high cover of cork oaks and low cattle impact) and sparse montados (SM, low cover of oaks and high cattle impact). We collected variables associated with vegetation features, bird community and chewing defoliators. & Results The two systems differed significantly in oak trunk diameter, oak and shrub cover, tree and shrub diversity. Ground bird densities were higher in SM with fragmented shrub cover. In DM, higher woody vegetation cover and diversity can promote shrub birds and leaf warblers. Oak defoliation was mainly attributed to the sawfly Periclista andrei. Sawfly defoliation was significantly higher in SM and negatively correlated with shrub cover. & Conclusions Our results highlight (1) the relevance of management activities conducted at the shrubby layer, (2) the need of an increase in tree diversity and density and (3) the maintenance of a mosaic landscape in order to improve the bird community richness and reduce the defoliation impact in montado system.
Keywords: birds; Cork oak; defoliators; management; mediterranean forest; montados

Trace metals, peroxidase activity, PAHs contents and ecophysiological changes in Quercus ilex leaves in the urban area of Caserta (Italy). - Papa, S; Bartoli, G; Nacca, F; D'Abrosca, B; Cembrola, E; Pellegrino, a; Fiorentino, a; Fuggi, A; Fioretto, a (Journal of environmental management, 2012)
Trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, severely affecting human, animal and plants health, highly contribute to the air pollution in urban areas mainly due to car traffic. In this study the air biomonitoring of the city of Caserta (South Italy) has been performed by using Quercus ilex L., a widespread ornamental plant in parks, gardens and avenues. The plant leaves from different sites within the urban area were collected and used to determine the concentrations of V, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, and PAHs as well as the free amino acid content and peroxidase enzyme activity as indices of the leaf physiological conditions. All the tested trace metals showed concentrations higher than the control site. Lead was positively correlated to Cd and Cr and showed, also, a positive trend with Ni and Cu that, in their turn, were highly correlated between them. Positive and significant correlations were evidenced between total PAHs and carcinogenic PAHs and negative correlations between those and all trace metals assayed except V. Cu and Cd contents evidence negative correlations with peroxidase activity, and the free amino acid contents. The PAHs, in particular Carc-PAHs, were negatively correlated to the tested heavy metals. POD was positively correlated only with V and negatively correlated with Cu and Cd.
Keywords: Amino acid contents; PAHs; peroxidase; Quercus ilex leaves; Trace Elements; Urban area

Traditional plant use in the National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano, Campania, Southern, Italy. - Di Novella, Riccardo; Di Novella, Nicola; De Martino, Laura; Mancini, Emilia; De Feo, Vincenzo (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2012)
AIM OF STUDY: This paper reports an ethobotanical survey of the traditional uses of medicinal and useful plants in an area of the National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano, Campania, Southern Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study conducted between 2009 and 2011, gathered information on the medicinal plants traditionally used in Southern Italy (Campania Region). In all, we interviewed 70 key informants, whose age ranged between 50 and 85 years. This people belonged to families which had strong links with traditional activities of the area. RESULTS: The research resulted to the identification of 192 plants belonging to 64 families. Among the species reported, 86 are used in human medicine, 15 in veterinary medicine, 69 as human foods, 18 as animal feed, 61 for domestic and 8 for agricultural uses. CONCLUSION: A survey of the available literature on Southern Italy ethnobotany reveals that some species have been never reported and about 10% of cited uses are new. Data obtained show that in the studied area the folk use of plants is alive and still derives from daily practice.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier accession-num: 23159473
Keywords: Agriculture; Agriculture: methods; Animal Feed; Animal Feed: utilization; Data Collection; Ethnobotany; Ethnobotany: methods; Ethnobotany: statistics & numerical data; Ethnomedicine; Food; Humans; Italy; Medicinal; Medicine; National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano; plant traditional uses; Plants; Traditional; Traditional: utilization; Veterinary medicine; Veterinary Medicine: methods

Tree biomass and deadwood density into aged holm oak (Sardinia) and beech coppices (Tuscany) - Bertini, G.; Fabbio, G.; Piovosi, M.; Calderisi, M. (Forest@ - Rivista di Selvicoltura ed Ecologia Forestale, 2012)
Keywords: 108-129; 2011; 2012; 9; accepted; aged coppice forest; beech; bertini g; calderisi m; citation; deadwood; densità di biomassa e; fabbio g; FOREST; Holm oak; http; in toscana; invecchiati di leccio in; it; jul 21; living woody biomass; mar 19; may 07; necromassa legnosa in cedui; online 2012-05-07; piovosi m; published online; received; sardegna e di faggio; sisef; url; wood decay; www

Tree Species Effect on Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Release in Mediterranean Oak Forests Changes Over Time - Aponte, Cristina; García, Luis V.; Marañón, Teodoro (Ecosystems, 2012)
ree species can affect the decomposition process through the quality of their leaf fall and through the species-speciﬁc conditions that they generate in their environment. We compared the relative importance of these effects in a 2-year experiment. Litterbags containing leaf litter of the winter-deciduous Quercus canariensis, the evergreen Q. suber and mixed litter were incubated beneath distinct plant covers. We measured litter carbon loss, 9 macro- and micronutrients and 18 soil chemical, physical and biological parameters of the incubation environment. Tree species affected decay dynamics through their litter quality and, to a lesser extent, through the induced environmental conditions. The deciduous litter showed a faster initial decomposition but left a larger fraction of slow decomposable biomass compared with the perennial litter; in contrast the deciduous environment impeded early decomposition while promoting further carbon loss in the latter decay stages. The interaction of these effects led to a negative litter–environment interaction contradicting the home-ﬁeld advantage hypothesis. Leaf litter N, Ca and Mn as well as soil N, P and soil moisture were the best predictors for decomposition rates. Litter N and Ca exerted counteractive effects in early versus late decay stages; Mn was the best predictor for the decomposition limit value, that is, the fraction of slowly decomposable biomass at the later stage of decomposition; P and soil moisture showed a constant and positive relation with carbon loss. The deciduous oak litter had a higher initial nutrient content and released its nutrients faster and in a higher proportion than the perennial oak litter, signiﬁcantly increasing soil fertility beneath its canopy. Our ﬁndings provide further insights into the factors that control the early and late stages of the decomposition process and reveal potential mechanisms underlying tree species inﬂuence on litter decay rate, carbon accumulation and nutrient cycling.
Keywords: decomposition limit value; Lignin; litter chemistry; litterbag; Plant–soil interactions; Quercus; Soil fertility

Unravelling Soil Fungal Communities from Different Mediterranean Land-Use Backgrounds - Orgiazzi, Alberto; Lumini, Erica; Nilsson, R Henrik; Girlanda, Mariangela; Vizzini, Alfredo; Bonfante, Paola; Bianciotto, Valeria (PLoS ONE, 2012)
Background Fungi strongly influence ecosystem structure and functioning, playing a key role in many ecological services as decomposers, plant mutualists and pathogens. The Mediterranean area is a biodiversity hotspot that is increasingly threatened by intense land use. Therefore, to achieve a balance between conservation and human development, a better understanding of the impact of land use on the underlying fungal communities is needed. Methodology/Principal Findings We used parallel pyrosequencing of the nuclear ribosomal ITS regions to characterize the fungal communities in five soils subjected to different anthropogenic impact in a typical Mediterranean landscape: a natural cork-oak forest, a pasture, a managed meadow, and two vineyards. Marked differences in the distribution of taxon assemblages among the different sites and communities were found. Data analyses consistently indicated a sharp distinction of the fungal community of the cork oak forest soil from those described in the other soils. Each soil showed features of the fungal assemblages retrieved which can be easily related to the above-ground settings: ectomycorrhizal phylotypes were numerous in natural sites covered by trees, but were nearly completely missing from the anthropogenic and grass-covered sites; similarly, coprophilous fungi were common in grazed sites. Conclusions/Significance Data suggest that investigation on the below-ground fungal community may provide useful elements on the above-ground features such as vegetation coverage and agronomic procedures, allowing to assess the cost of anthropogenic land use to hidden diversity in soil. Datasets provided in this study may contribute to future searches for fungal bio-indicators as biodiversity markers of a specific site or a land-use degree.
Keywords: air pollution; ecosystem services; ecosystems; Forests; Grazing Lands (citation); Italy; land use; Micro Organisms; Soil Capability

Unveiling the fungal mycobiota present throughout the cork stopper manufacturing process - Barreto, Maria C; Houbraken, Jos; Samson, Robert A; Brito, Dulce; Gadanho, Mário; San Romão, Maria V (FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2012)
A particular fungal population is present in the main stages of the manufacturing process of cork discs. Its diversity was studied using both dependent (isolation) and independent culture methods (denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis and cloning of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region). The mycobiota in the samples taken in the stages before and after the first boiling seems to be distinct from the population in the subsequent manufacturing stages. Most isolated fungi belong to the genera Penicillium, Eurotium and Cladosporium. The presence of uncultivable fungi, Ascomycota and endophytes in raw cork was confirmed by sequencing. The samples taken after the first boiling contained uncultivable fungi, but in a few samples some isolated fungi were also detected. The main taxa present in the following stages were Chrysonilia sitophila, Penicillium glabrum and Penicillium spp. All applied techniques had complementary outcomes. The main factors driving the shift in cork fungal colonization seem to be the high levels of humidity and temperature to which the slabs are subjected during the boiling process.
Keywords: Biodiversity; cloning; Cork; denaturing gel electrophoresis; Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; DNA; Fungal; Fungal: genetics; fungi; Fungi: classification; Fungi: isolation & purification; humidity; Industry; Metagenome; mycobiota diversity; Penicillium; Penicillium: classification; Penicillium: isolation & purification; phylogeny; Plant Bark; Plant Bark: microbiology; Portugal; Quercus; Quercus: microbiology; Ribosomal Spacer; Ribosomal Spacer: genetics; Spain; Temperature; uncultivable fungal species

Use of an airborne lidar system to model plant species composition and diversity of Mediterranean oak forests. - Simonson, William D; Allen, Harriet D; Coomes, David A (Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, 2012)
Airborne lidar is a remote-sensing tool of increasing importance in ecological and conservation research due to its ability to characterize three-dimensional vegetation structure. If different aspects of plant species diversity and composition can be related to vegetation structure, landscape-level assessments of plant communities may be possible. We examined this possibility for Mediterranean oak forests in southern Portugal, which are rich in biological diversity but also threatened. We compared data from a discrete, first-and-last return lidar data set collected for 31 plots of cork oak (Quercus suber) and Algerian oak (Quercus canariensis) forest with field data to test whether lidar can be used to predict the vertical structure of vegetation, diversity of plant species, and community type. Lidar- and field-measured structural data were significantly correlated (up to r= 0.85). Diversity of forest species was significantly associated with lidar-measured vegetation height (R(2) = 0.50, p < 0.001). Clustering and ordination of the species data pointed to the presence of 2 main forest classes that could be discriminated with an accuracy of 89% on the basis of lidar data. Lidar can be applied widely for mapping of habitat and assessments of habitat condition (e.g., in support of the European Species and Habitats Directive [92/43/EEC]). However, particular attention needs to be paid to issues of survey design: density of lidar points and geospatial accuracy of ground-truthing and its timing relative to acquisition of lidar data.
Keywords: Biodiversity; Biological; cluster analysis; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conservation of Natural Resources: methods; Ecosystem; mediterranean oak forest; Models; Portugal; predictive modeling; Quercus; Remote sensing; Remote Sensing Technology; Remote Sensing Technology: methods; Species Specificity; vascular plants

Use of cork powder and granules for the adsorption of pollutants: a review. - Pintor, Ariana M A; Ferreira, Catarina I A; Pereira, Joana C; Correia, Patrícia; Silva, Susana P; Vilar, Vítor J P; Botelho, Cidália M S; Boaventura, Rui A R (Water research, 2012)
Cork powder and granules are the major subproducts of the cork industry, one of the leading economic activities in Portugal and other Mediterranean countries. Many applications have been envisaged for this product, from cork stoppers passing through the incorporation in agglomerates and briquettes to the use as an adsorbent in the treatment of gaseous emissions, waters and wastewaters. This paper aims at reviewing the state of the art on the properties of cork and cork powder and their application in adsorption technologies. Cork biomass has been used on its original form as biosorbent for heavy metals and oils, and is also a precursor of activated carbons for the removal of emerging organic pollutants in water and VOCs in the gas phase. Through this literature review, different potential lines of research not yet explored can be more easily identified.
Keywords: activated carbon; Adsorption; Cork granules; cork powder; Heavy metals; Pollutants

Validación de productos MODIS relacionados con la estimación de flujos de carbono en una dehesa - Durá, E.; Mendiguren, G.; Pacheco, J.; Martín, M. P.; Riaño, D.; Iturrate, M.; Gimeno, C.; Carrara, A. (XV Congreso Nacional de Tecnologías de la Información Geográfica, Madrid, AGE-CSIC, 19-21 de Septiembre de 2012, 2012)
Several studies have demonstrated the potential of the images obtained by MODIS TERRA and AQUA platforms for global analysis of parameters related to the structure and functioning of vegetation critical for estimating and modeling the water and carbon exchanges between the biosphere and atmosphere at a global scale. However, recent works have revealed the existence of large errors (Pisek et al., 2007, Sea et al., 2011) showing that some products lack the robustness and consistency required, particularly for drought prone ecosystems with a complex structure of vegetation, such as Mediterranean ecosystems The main objective of this study is the validation of MODIS TERRA and AQUA products using field measurements in order to quantify the possible differences and analyze their potential causes. We have analysed a series of MOD/MYD13, MOD/MYD15, MOD/MYD17products acquired between 2009 and 2011 in a “dehesa” located in Caceres province which has an "eddy covariance" tower included in the FLUXNET international network. These results show low correlation for LAI (Leaf Area Index) (r2 = 0.67), but high correlation for NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) (r2 = 0.92) and gross primary productivity or GPP (r2 = 0.80). However, although MODIS collects fine temporal dynamics of flows and structural changes in the ecosystem, there are some important differences between MODIS products, including NDVI and GPP, and terrain data
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: XV Congreso Nacional de Tecnologías de la Información Geográfica, Madrid, AGE-CSIC, 19-21 de Septiembre de 2012
Keywords: carbon fluxes; Dehesa; MODIS products; validation

Variability of relationships between soil organic carbon and some soil properties in Mediterranean rangelands under different climatic conditions (South of Spain) - Ruiz Sinoga, Jose Damian; Pariente, Sarah; Diaz, Asuncion Romero; Martinez Murillo, Juan Francisco (Catena, 2012)
Changes in land use and vegetation cover affect various soil properties, including the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and the transfer of atmospheric CO2 to terrestrial landscapes. In natural or quasi-natural conditions a reduction in biomass increases the risk of erosion, and can reduce the stored soil organic matter content. This can cause (i) consolidation of low levels of organic carbon stored in the soil; (ii) reduction in the levels of organic carbon because of the onset of erosion processes; and (iii) differing rates of recovery of the soil in response to environmental factors including precipitation, which is a principal agent of indirect recharge of soil organic matter. Few comparable studies have analyzed the reduction of SOC because of erosion, and assessed how this contributes to the loss of soil as vegetation cover decreases. This is particularly the case in semiarid Mediterranean environments, where erosion is one of the main causes of soil degradation. This study presents the results of an experiment carried out along a pluviometric gradient from humid to semiarid Mediterranean conditions, in southern Spain. The study involved two soil depths at ﬁve ﬁeld sites having similar lithology, slope and aspect, but differ in vegetation cover and composition related to their location along the gradient. We used soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) as an indicator of soil degradation. The results showed that: a) SOC decreased with decreasing rainfall; b) SOC is greater at the soil surface than at depth; c) CEC is a good indicator of the degradation of soil surface formations, as it is directly related to the SOC storage capacity; and d) the so-called “Mediterranean mountain” landscape, with sparse and mixed vegetation composed of scrubland and woodland species, is a good organic carbon sink with direct implications in relation to climate change.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Cation exchange capacity; climate change; desertification; Pluviometric gradient; Soil degradation; Soil organic carbon

Vegetation and soil seed bank relationships across microhabitats in an abandoned Quercus suber parkland under simulated fire - Torres, Ivan; Urbieta, Itziar R; Moreno, Jose M (Ecoscience, 2012)
Mediterranean agro-forestry systems are undergoing rapid change due to abandonment. This turns formerly cultivated or grazed oak-tree parklands (i.e., savanna-type formations called “dehesas”) into flammable formations of scattered trees within a matrix of shrubs with open spaces. Wildfires can now occur, threatening the persistence of these formations. Fire-prone shrublands commonly regenerate after fire from seeds stored in the soil. Understanding the relationships between standing vegetation and the soil seed bank across microhabitats can help predict the response of the system in case of fire. Here we investigated these relationships in an abandoned Quercus suber (cork oak) dehesa in central Spain. Vegetation and soil were sampled and assigned to different microhabitats: under the trees (TRC), in dense shrub cover (DSC), and in low shrub cover (LSC). A heat shock was applied to half of each sample to simulate fire; the other half served as control. Both sets of samples were then germinated in a greenhouse. Almost 90% of the species were herbs, while the rest were woody shrubs. The number of species recorded in TRC and DSC was lower than in LSC, in which species richness, particularly herbs, was maximal. Heating increased the total number of species that germinated, but mean species richness per sample was not altered. Heating markedly increased the number of germinations in all microhabitats, particularly those of woody species. Furthermore, the germination of shrubby species increased in the 3 microhabitats, notably in TRC. While the standing plant community was well differentiated among microhabitats, this was not the case for the soil seed bank, which was homogeneous across microhabitats, with or without heating. We conclude that the high density of shrubby seeds found in TRC or in the other microhabitats presents substantial threats to the persistence of Q. suber parklands in case of fire.
Keywords: cistus; Cork oak; Dehesa; Encroachment; Erica; Mediterranean shrublands

Vegetation dynamics during the early to mid-Holocene transition in NW Malta, human impact versus climatic forcing - Djamali, Morteza; Gambin, Belinda; Marriner, Nick; Andrieu-Ponel, Valérie; Gambin, Timmy; Gandouin, Emmanuel; Lanfranco, Sandro; Médail, Frédéric; Pavon, Daniel; Ponel, Philippe; Morhange, Christophe (Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2012)
A pollen diagram was constructed for the earlyto mid-Holocene transition (ca. 7350–5600 cal. B.P./5400– 3650 B.C.) from the Burmarrad ria located in NW Malta. The vegetation at ca. 7350–6960 cal. B.P./5400–5010 B.C. was characterized by an almost tree-less steppe-like open landscape. Early Holocene dry climatic conditions were most probably due to intensiﬁcation of the subtropical monsoon circulation that strengthened the subtropical anticyclonic descent over the central Mediterranean and blocked the penetration of humid air masses from the North Atlantic Ocean. At ca. 6950 cal. B.P./5000 B.C., the steppe-like vegetation was suddenly replaced by a Mediterranean evergreen forest or dense scrub dominated by Pistacia cf. lentiscus trees. This event, which has simultaneously been recorded in southern Sicily, was most probably caused by the southward shift of the ITCZ permitting the eastward movement of the North Atlantic cyclonic systems. Traces of human activities are evident in the pollen diagram since the beginning of the record but become more pronounced from the onset of the Temple Cultural Phase at ca. 6050 cal. B.P./4100 B.C. with a gradual decline of tree pollen. We suggest that the early- to mid-Holocene vegetation transformation was mainly controlled by a regional climatic change that occurred in a landscape only slightly impacted by human activities.
Keywords: Evergreen Pistacia; Mediterranean; Monsoon intensiﬁcation; Neolithic; Pollen analysis; Temple cultural phase

Vegetation, fire, climate and human disturbance history in the southwestern Mediterranean area during the late Holocene - Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; García-Alix, Antonio; Hernández-Corbalán, María Dolores; Anderson, R. Scott; Delgado-Huertas, Antonio (Quaternary Research, 2012)
Detailed pollen, charcoal, isotope and magnetic susceptibility data from an alpine lake sediment core from Sierra Nevada, southern Spain record changes in vegetation, ﬁre history and lake sedimentation since ca. 4100 cal yr BP. The proxies studied record an arid period from ca. 3800 to 3100 cal yr BP characterized by more xerophytic vegetation and lower lake levels. A humid period is recorded between ca. 3100 and 1850 cal yr BP, which occurred in two steps: (1) an increase in evergreen Quercus between 3100 and 2500 cal yr BP, indicating milder conditions than previously and (2) an increase in deciduous Quercus and higher lake levels, between ca. 2500 and 1850 cal yr BP, indicating a further increase in humidity and reduction in seasonal contrast. Humid maxima occurred during the Roman Humid Period, previously identiﬁed in other studies in the Mediterranean region. Intensiﬁed ﬁre activity at this time could be related to an increase in fuel load and/or in human disturbance. An arid period subsequently occurred between 1850 and 650 cal yr BP, though a decrease in Quercus and an increase in xerophytes. The alternation of persistent North Atlantic Oscillation modes probably played an important role in controlling these humid–arid cycles
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: University of Washington
Keywords: climate; Fire history; Late Holocene; Roman Humid Period; Sierra Nevada; southern Spain

Water stress assessment of cork oak leaves and maritime pine needles based on LIF spectra - Lavrov, a; Utkin, a B.; Marques da Silva, J.; Vilar, Rui; Santos, N. M.; Alves, B. (Optics and Spectroscopy, 2012)
The aim of the present work was to develop a method for the remote assessment of the impact of fire and drought stress on Mediterranean forest species such as the cork oak (Quercus suber) and maritime pine (Pinus pinaster). The proposed method is based on laser induced fluorescence (LIF): chlorophyll fluo rescence is remotely excited by frequencydoubled YAG:Nd laser radiation pulses and collected and analyzed using a telescope and a gated high sensitivity spectrometer. The plant health criterion used is based on the I685 /I740 ratio value, calculated from the fluorescence spectra. The method was benchmarked by comparing the results achieved with those obtained by conventional, continuous excitation fluorometric method and water loss gravimetric measurements. The results obtained with both methods show a strong correlation between them and with the weightloss measurements, showing that the proposed method is suitable for fire and drought impact assessment on these two species
Keywords: Cork oak; laser induced fluorescence (LIF); maritime pine (voyant); water stress

Water-holding capacity and instrumental texture properties of m. Longissimus dorsi and m. Serratus ventralis from Iberian pigs as affected by the production system - Tejerina, D; García-Torres, S; Cava, R (Livestock Science, 2012)
Meat from Iberian pigs had a high quality and an important acceptance for consumers, but is affected enormously by production conditions. So, in this study, ninety Iberian pigs were randomly allotted into three batches – Montanera (free-range rearing and fed on acorns and grass), Intensive (conﬁnement rearing and fed on concentrate) and Recebo (free-range rearing fed on acorn, grass and concentrate) – in order to characterize the inﬂuence of the production system on water holding capacity (WHC), drip loss, thaw loss and cook loss and instrumental texture traits of m. Longissimus dorsi and m. Serratus ventralis. Muscles from pigs raised in Montanera had greater WHC and lower water losses after thawing than those from Intensive system. Instrumental texture analysis showed that muscles from Montanera pigs had different characteristics as determined by instrumental Texture proﬁle analysis (TPA) and with most resistance to cutting of the muscle ﬁbres Warner–Bratzler (W–B). In all the cases, however, the type of muscle showed a different behaviour on water loss and rheological properties. So, these results suggest that meat quality of Iberian pig is highly inﬂuenced by the production system and type of muscle studied.
Keywords: iberian pig; Instrumental texture; Muscle; Production system; Water-holding capacity

Why only some plants emit isoprene. - Monson, Russell K.; Jones, Ryan T.; Rosenstiel, Todd N.; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter (Plant, cell & environment, 2012)
Isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is emitted from many plants and it appears to have an adaptive role in protecting leaves from abiotic stress. However, only some species emit isoprene. Isoprene emission has appeared and been lost many times independently during the evolution of plants. As an example, our phylogenetic analysis shows that isoprene emission is likely ancestral within the family Fabaceae (= Leguminosae), but that it has been lost at least 16 times and secondarily gained at least 10 times through independent evolutionary events. Within the division Pteridophyta (ferns), we conservatively estimate that isoprene emissions have been gained five times and lost two times through independent evolutionary events. Within the genus Quercus (oaks), isoprene emissions have been lost from one clade, but replaced by a novel type of light-dependent monoterpene emissions that uses the same metabolic pathways and substrates as isoprene emissions. This novel type of monoterpene emissions has appeared at least twice independently within Quercus, and has been lost from 9% of the individuals within a single population of Quercus suber. Gain and loss of gene function for isoprene synthase is possible through relatively few mutations. Thus, this trait appears frequently in lineages; but, once it appears, the time available for evolutionary radiation into environments that select for the trait is short relative to the time required for mutations capable of producing a non-functional isoprene synthase gene. The high frequency of gains and losses of the trait and its heterogeneous taxonomic distribution in plants may be explained by the relatively few mutations necessary to produce or lose the isoprene synthase gene combined with the assumption that isoprene emission is advantageous in a narrow range of environments and phenotypes.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 22998549
Keywords: Drought; ferns; phloem; phylogeny; substrate; Temperature; thermotolerance; ﬁtness

Wood provisioning in Mediterranean forests: A bottom-up spatial valuation approach - Ojea, Elena; Ruíz-Benito, PALOMA; Markandya, Anil; Zavala, MIGUEL a (Forest Policy and Economics, 2012)
The science of ecosystem services has evolved signiﬁcantly in the last decade following an increase in interest in the understanding and valuation of these services. Forests provide important ecosystem services that supply societal needs, such as timber, but this provision is not free of conﬂicts derived from the intensive management of forests. A GIS based approach using data from national forest inventories allows us to identify the provision of timber services and to conduct its valuation. The analysis includes a sample of 37,761 plots for 38 commercial tree species in the Spanish Mediterranean region, where we identify sustainable and nonsustainable forests in terms of harvesting intensities and value both the ﬂow of beneﬁts and their net present value. From the analysis we conclude that non-sustainable forests are providing higher economic returns than sustainable forests for most abundant tree species. However, when analysing long term trends, results show that sustainable forests yield higher economic beneﬁts. This latter perspective is preferred when looking at the value of timber as a provisioning service of forests. According to our results, if we wish to encourage sustainability we need to (a) get lower discount rates adopted for the private sector and (b) ensure longer time horizons.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Economic valuation; GIS; mediterranean forest; Non-sustainable harvest; Sustainable harvest; Timber provisioning

Wrinkling of sandwich wide panels/beams based on the extended high-order sandwich panel theory: formulation, comparison with elasticity and experiments - Phan, Catherine N; Bailey, Nathan W; Kardomateas, George a.; Battley, Mark a. (Archive of Applied Mechanics, 2012)
There exist several high-order sandwich panel theories, most notably, the ﬁrst to be introduced highorder sandwich panel theory (HSAPT) assumes a constant shear stress in the core. Recently, the extended highorder sandwich panel theory (EHSAPT) was introduced, its novelty being that it allows for three generalized coordinates in the core (the axial and transverse displacements at the centroid of the core, and the rotation at the centroid of the core) instead of just one (shear stress in the core) of the earlier theory. In this paper, the EHSAPT formulation for predicting the critical wrinkling load is presented for a simply supported sandwich of general asymmetric construction. The cases of (i) applying the loading just on the face sheets with a linear core assumption and (ii) applying uniform strain loading throughout the thickness of the panel and a nonlinear core assumption are examined. The results are compared with a benchmark elasticity solution. In addition, edgewise compression experiments were conducted on glass face/Nomex honeycomb core and the ensuing wrinkling point is compared with the theoretical predictions. A comparison is also made with earlier edgewise compression experiments on aluminum face/granulated-cork core reported in literature. Other wrinkling formulas that are included in the comparison are: Hoff–Mautner and the HSAPT.
Keywords: beam; buckling; Compression; elasticity; experiments; high order; sandwich; wrinkling

Aboveground tree volume and phytomass prediction equations for forest species in Italy - Tabacchi, Giovanni; Di Cosmo, Lucio; Gasparini, Patrizia (European Journal of Forest Research, 2011)
In this article, we present equations derived for the prediction of the aboveground tree volume and phytomass for twenty-ﬁve of the most important forest species growing in Italy. These equations result from ongoing research aiming to ﬁll a gap in the models available at the national scale. With regard to volume, the results are particularly important for thirteen species or groups of species that were once scaled with models, conventionally assumed as reference models, available for other species. In Italy, phytomass models had never been constructed at the national level before. For any single tree, speciﬁc equations allow estimations of the following tree components to be made: stem and large branches (for either volume or phytomass), small branches (phytomass), stump (phytomass) and the whole tree phytomass. The models have been constructed on the basis of nearly 1,300 sampling units (sample trees). Although these equations must be considered intermediate results of the ongoing research because only half the scheduled number of samples has been collected, they have already been used in the practice, for example in the estimates reported in the recently published second national forest inventory.
Keywords: Aboveground tree phytomass; Phytomass prediction equations; Tree biomass; Volume functions; Volume prediction equations

Acorn production is linked to secondary growth but not to declining carbohydrate concentrations in current-year shoots of two oak species - Alla, Arben Q.; Camarero, J. Julio; Maestro-Martínez, Melchor; Montserrat-Martí, Gabriel (Trees, 2011)
In trees, reproduction constitutes an important resource investment which may compete with growth for resources. However, detailed analyses on how growth and fruit production interact at the shoot level are scarce. Primary canopy growth depends on the development of current-year shoots and their secondary growth might also inﬂuence the number and size of fruits supported by them. We hypothesise that an enhanced thickening of currentyear shoots is linked positively to acorn production in oaks. We analysed the effect of acorn production on shoot growth of two co-occurring Mediterranean oak species with contrasting leaf habit (Quercus ilex, Quercus faginea). Length and cross-sectional area of current-year shoots, apical bud mass, number of leaves and acorns, xylem and conductive area, number of vessels of acorn-bearing and non-bearing shoots were measured in summer and autumn. Nitrogen and carbohydrates analyses were also performed in stems and leaves of both shoot types. Stem cross-sectional area increased in acorn-bearing shoots when compared with non-bearing shoots for both species and such surplus secondary growth was observed since summer. In bearing shoots, the total transversal area occupied by vessels decreased signiﬁcantly from basal to apical positions along the stem as did the xylem area and the number of vessels. Leaves of bearing shoots showed lower nitrogen concentration than those of non-bearing shoots. Carbohydrate concentrations did not differ in stems and leaves as a function of the presence of acorns. Such results suggest that carbohydrates may preferentially be allocated towards reproductive shoots, possibly through enhanced secondary growth, satisfying all their carbon demands for growth and reproduction. Our ﬁndings indicate that acorn production in the two studied oaks depends on shoot secondary growth.
Keywords: acorns; Mediterranean climate; nitrogen; non-structural carbohydrates; Quercus faginea; quercus ilex subsp. ballota; Stem diameter; Xylem

Acorns (Quercus rotundifolia Lam.) and grass as natural sources of antioxidants and fatty acids in the “montanera” feeding of Iberian pig: Intra- and inter-annual variations - Tejerina, D.; García-Torres, S.; Cabeza de Vaca, M.; Vázquez, F. M.; Cava, R. (Food Chemistry, 2011)
In two consecutive years (2006/2007 and 2007/2008), fortnightly samples were taken to characterise the antioxidant composition and fatty acid proﬁle of acorns and grass on which Iberian pigs feed during the period of ‘‘montanera” (free-range rearing system of the south-western of Iberian Peninsula). The antioxidant parameters analysed were: a- and c-tocopherol, total phenolics compounds (TPC), lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant activities (LAA, HAA) (acorn and grass) and condensed and hydrolysable tannins (CT, HT) and protein precipitating capacity (PP) (acorns). To characterise the fatty acid proﬁles, the thirteen major fatty acids were assayed. For the acorns, it was found that there was intra-annual variability in all the antioxidants studied except a-tocopherol, and inter-annual variability in all except the protein precipitating capacity. The fatty acid proﬁle also varied depending on the sampling date and the study year, especially in the saturated fatty acids (SFA) and C18:1 n-9 content. For the grass, there was intraand inter-annual variability in all the antioxidant parameters studied, and in the proportions of the fatty acids C18:0, and C18:1. It could explain variations in the antioxidant and fatty acids composition of Iberian pig tissues from animals raised in different ‘‘montanera” seasons and even in the same ‘‘montanera” season.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: acorn; antioxidant; fatty acid; Grass; iberian pig; ‘‘Montanera”

Agro-silvo-pastoral systems in Italy: integration and diversification - Pardini, Andrea; Nori, Michele (Pastoralism, 2011)
The paper describes recent changes in pastoral systems in Italy and provides an assessment of current farming systems in marginal areas of the country, where extensive livestock rearing still represents an option. Despite public financial support, rural farming in marginal areas increasingly has to find its place within the wider society, integrate into wider markets, support employment and diversify income generation. Provision of environmental as well as recreational services is increasingly complementing quality food production. The heterogeneous Italian landscape provides important opportunities to better integrate crops, trees and livestock into increasingly sustainable agro-silvo-pastoral systems.
Keywords: agro-silvo-pastoralism; Mediterranean; multi-functionality; rural employment; rural out-migration

Analysis of phenolic compounds in cork from Quercus suber L. by HPLC–DAD/ESI–MS - Fernandes, Ana; Sousa, André; Mateus, Nuno; Cabral, Miguel; de Freitas, Victor (Food Chemistry, 2011)
The aim of the present work was to identify the extractable phenolic compounds present in cork from Quercus suber L. The structures of thirty three compounds were tentatively identiﬁed by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD/ESI–MS). The majority of those compounds were gallic acid derivatives, in the form of either galloyl esters of glucose (gallotannins), combinations of galloyl and hexahydroxydiphenoyl esters of glucose (ellagitannins), dehydrated tergallic-C-glucosides or ellagic acid derivatives. Others were found to correspond to low molecular weight phenolic compounds, like acids and aldehydes. Mongolicain, a ﬂavanoellagitannin in which hydrolysable tannin and ﬂavan-3-ol moieties are connected through a carbon–carbon linkage, was also detected in cork from Q. suber L. The results illustrate the rich array of phenolic compounds present in cork.
Keywords: Cork; ellagitannins; Flavanoellagitannins; LC-DAD/ESI-MS; phenolic compounds; Quercus suber L.

Aperçu biologique du Platypus cylindrus (Fabricius, 1792) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae : Platypodinae) dans les galeries du bois de chêne-liège (Quercus suber L.) - Belhoucine, Latifa; Bouhraoua, Rachid Tarik; Dahane, Belkheir; PUJADE-VILLAR, JULI; Tarik Bouhraoua, Rachid (Orsis: organismes i sistemes, 2011)
The study of the biology of the insect Platypus cylindrus (Fabricius, 1792) in the galleries of the wood of cork oak was studied on the level of the national forest of M’Sila, littoral Oranian with semi arid climate. For that, 3 trees strongly infested by the pest were cut down between December 2007 and July 2008. The dissection of the 14 wood discs having a volume of 53 dm3 , enabled us to count 2920 individuals with an average density of 55 individuals/dm3 . At any time of the year, at least two stages of each population coexist together with fluctuating rates. The adult insects as well as the larvae are present throughout the period of experimentation. These last constitute the majority of the taken population (78%). The eggs and the nymphs, almost absent for wintry time appear in spring. Some morphological characteristics of larvae and eggs are set.
Keywords: Algeria.; biology; Cork oak; forest of M’Sila; Platypus cylindrus

Artificial regeneration with Quercus ilex L. and Quercus suber L. by direct seeding and planting in southern Spain - González-Rodríguez, Victoria; Navarro-Cerrillo, Rafael M.; Villar, Rafael (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
& Introduction The limited ability of Quercus species to regenerate naturally in Mediterranean forests has led to the development of various artificial regeneration methods; however, there is no general consensus as to what specific method is the best one for this purpose. & Material and methods In this work, we assessed morphology, growth and survival of two Quercus species (Quercus ilex ssp. ballota and Quercus suber) using two different methods of artificial regeneration (viz. direct seeding and planting) and two seedling ages (1-year-old seedlings and 3-year-old seedlings) in southern Spain. & Results and discussion The 1-year-old seedlings of both species were found to exhibit the highest survival percentages and direct-seeded plants intermediate survival values. For direct-seeded plants, seed mass was found to have a significantly positive effect on the establishment success in both species. No clear-cut trend in survival was detected in the 3- year-old seedlings. The survival of the 3-year-old Q. suber seedlings and the direct-seeded plants was similar, but not in Q. ilex, where the survival of the 3-year-old seedlings was the lowest. The latter result may have been a consequence of cultivation in smaller containers leading to root deformation and limiting plant access to water. Differences in survival could not be ascribed to morphological and growth variables or stomatal conductance. & Conclusion Based on the results, all three artificial regeneration methods can be similarly effective provided appropriate nursery cultivation conditions are used and seeds are protected against predators, the best choice in each case being dictated by the particular restoration goals.
Keywords: artificial regeneration; Nursery; oak; Seedling; sowing

Assessing the effects of vegetation type on hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) diversity in a Mediterranean landscape: implications for conservation - Ricarte, Antonio; Ángeles Marcos-García, M; Moreno, Claudia E (Journal of Insect Conservation, 2011)
Understanding the responses of insects to ecological variables provides information that is fundamental for their conservation. The present study took place in three different landscapes (three plots of 10 9 10 km each) in a typical Mediterranean ecosystem of a Spanish national park. Each landscape included three vegetation types, grasslands, scrublands, and woodlands, and was characterised by a dominant vegetation type. Our objectives were: (1) to assess how important the inﬂuence of the dominant vegetation type and the vegetation type of sites are on hoverﬂy (Diptera: Syrphidae) diversity at landscape scale; (2) to assess whether scrublands are contributing to the loss of hoverﬂy diversity in an ecosystem with a long history of human use. In order to achieve these goals, we compared hoverﬂy diversity among sampling sites by prospecting all three diversity levels, alpha, beta and gamma, at each landscape. We sampled adult hoverﬂies at 18 sites located in different vegetation types within the three landscapes. No evidence was found that demonstrated an effect of the dominant vegetation type on alpha or beta diversity of sites, but the vegetation type of sites did have an affect. The highest species richness was found in woodland sites, particularly in the grassland-dominated landscape. At each landscape, beta diversity among sampling sites contributed more to gamma diversity than alpha diversity did. Our results highlight the need to focus on the conservation of woodland remnants of grassland-dominated landscape and scrubland-dominated landscape in order to preserve a large proportion of the biodiversity of Caban˜eros hoverﬂies, as well as on the maintenance of the mosaic landscape, which is linked to high beta diversity, typical in many Mediterranean ecosystems. We emphasise the importance of open clearings in the vast mass of scrubland in the scrubland-dominated landscape in order to provide extra resources for the hoverﬂies.
Keywords: alpha beta and gamma diversity; grassland; national park; scrubland; Spain; woodland

Assessing the impact of understory vegetation cut on soil epigeic macrofauna from a cork-oak Montado in South Portugal - Mendes, Sara Margarida; Santos, Joaquim; Freitas, Helena; Sousa, José Paulo (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
Cork oak ‘‘Montados’’ are a particular Mediterranean ecosystem, which can be found in Southern Portugal. Portuguese ‘‘Montados’’ are manmade ecosystems, mainly used for cork production and cattle farming, that support a high biological diversity. Current sustainable management techniques imply a shrub clearing with heavy machinery, which can be highly disruptive for soil biota. In order to evaluate the effects of understory vegetation management on soil epigeic macrofauna, ﬁve zones were deﬁned along a chronosequence of shrub clearing: a non-disturbed zone (zone 5) and zones where understory vegetation was cut at 4–5 years (zone 4), at 3–4 years (zone 3), at 2 years (zone 2) and at 1 year (zone 1). A sixth zone (zone 6) was selected in a pasture, where cattle are occasionally present. Soil fauna was sampled using ‘‘pitfall’’ traps and sampling took place in autumn 2003. A total of 2,677 individuals, separated into 152 species and morphospecies, were caught in the traps. With the exception of zone 6, that presented a lower number of species, all the other zones from the chronosequence presented, in most cases, a similar number of taxa, species diversity (Shannon) and species richness (Margalef). Multivariate analysis separated recently disturbed zones (plus zone 6) from those intervened at longer time; groups like Formicidae, Scydmaenidae, most families from Araneae and insect larvae appeared closely associated to zones 3–5 (with a higher shrub cover and thick litter layers), whereas, other Hymenoptera, Gastropda and most Coleoptera families, appeared associated to recently disturbed zones (zones 1 and 2) and to zone 6, characterized by a lower shrub cover and a lower accumulation of litter. This separation indicates that effects of the intervention can endure for 2 or 3 years. After that time, the normal natural regeneration of the understory vegetation seems to support the restoration of the macrofauna community, thus indicating that the sustainable management strategy adopted, i.e., making a shrub cut every 5–6 years, seems not induce a signiﬁcant effect on local species richness of soil epigeic macrofauna.
Keywords: Biodiversity; cork-oak forests; soil macrofauna; sustainable management; understory management

Association Scolytus intricatus - Bursaphelenchus eremus on Oak in Italy - Marianelli, Leonardo; Marziali, Lorenzo; Carletti, Beatrice; Pennacchio, Fabrizio; Cotroneo, Alba; Roversi, Pio Federico (Silva Lusitana, 2011)
Recent zoological research carried out in several regions of northern and central Italy has revealed a remarkable occurrence of Nematodes inside the tissues of trunks and branches of various oak species, i.e., Quercus cerris, Q. robur and Q. suber. Taxonomic studies of samples collected from the natural Parks of Ticino Valley, Stupinigi, Groane and Sesia (Lombardia and Piemonte regions) and from Montefalcone and Maremma areas (Tuscany) have always led to detection of the presence of Bursaphelenchus eremus Rühm (Goodey) which had so far only been recorded from Germany, the Czech Republic and Georgia. Plenty of individuals of the nematode were always found inside the samples and a high reproduction rate of that species was confirmed in the laboratory. The nematode was seen to be massively transported by the scolytid insect Scolytus intricatus Ratz. so that where high population levels of that bark beetle are present, the nematode/beetle association can become very harmful to the host oaks.
Keywords: Bursaphelenchus eremus; nematode/beetle association; Scolitus intricatus

Authentication of fattening diet of Iberian pigs according to their volatile compounds profile from raw subcutaneous fat. - Narváez-Rivas, M; Pablos, F; Jurado, J M; León-Camacho, M (Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 2011)
The composition of volatile components of subcutaneous fat from Iberian pig has been studied. Purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been used. The composition of the volatile fraction of subcutaneous fat has been used for authentication purposes of different types of Iberian pig fat. Three types of this product have been considered, montanera, extensive cebo and intensive cebo. With classification purposes, several pattern recognition techniques have been applied. In order to find out possible tendencies in the sample distribution as well as the discriminant power of the variables, principal component analysis was applied as visualisation technique. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and soft independent modelling by class analogy (SIMCA) were used to obtain suitable classification models. LDA and SIMCA allowed the differentiation of three fattening diets by using the contents in 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl-heptane, m-xylene, 2,4-dimethyl-heptane, 6-methyl-tridecane, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol, o-xylene, 3-ethyl-2,2-dimethyl-oxirane, 2,6-dimethyl-undecane, 3-methyl-3-pentanol and limonene.
Keywords: Gas chromatography−mass spectrometry; iberian pig; pattern recognition; subcutaneous fat; volatile compounds

Autotrophic and heterotrophic contributions to short-term soil CO 2 efflux following simulated summer precipitation pulses in a Mediterranean dehesa - Casals, Pere; Lopez-Sangil, Luis; Carrara, Arnaud; Gimeno, Cristina; Nogués, Salvador (Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 2011)
Autotrophic and heterotrophic components of soil CO2 efflux may have differential responses to environmental factors, so estimating the relative contribution of each component during summer precipitation pulses is essential to predict C balance in soils experiencing regular drought conditions. As even small summer rains induced high instantaneous soil respiration rates in Mediterranean wooded grasslands, we hypothesized that standing dead mass, surface litter, and topsoil layer could play a dominant role in the initial flush of CO2 produced immediately after soil rewetting; in contrast, soil CO2 effluxes during drought periods should be mostly derived from tree root activity. In a grazed dehesa, we simulated four summer rain events and measured soil CO2 efflux discontinuously, estimating its d 13 C through a Keeling plot nonsteady state static chamber approach. In addition, we estimated litter contribution to soil CO2 efflux and extracted soil available C fractions (K2SO4‐extracted C and chloroform‐fumigated extracted C). The d 13 C‐CO2 from in‐tube incubated excised tree roots and rewetted root‐free soil was −25.0‰ (±0.2) and −28.4‰ (±0.2), respectively. Assuming those values as end‐members’ sources, the autotrophic component of soil CO2 efflux was dominant during the severe drought, whereas the heterotrophic contribution dominated from the very beginning of precipitation pulses. As standing dead mass and fresh litter contribution was low (<25%) in the first day and negligible after, we concluded that CO2 efflux after rewetting was mostly derived from microbial mineralization of available soil organic C fractions.
Keywords: d13C; Drought; precipitation manipulation (voyant); Soil CO2 efflux

Autumn fertilization of Quercus ilex ssp. ballota (Desf.) Samp. nursery seedlings: effects on morpho-physiology and field performance - Andivia, Enrique; FERNÁNDEZ, MANUEL; VÁZQUEZ-PIQUÉ, JAVIER (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
& Background The Holm oak (Quercus ilex ssp. ballota [Desf.] Samp.) is an evergreen tree widely distributed in the western Mediterranean Basin. Forest restoration programs using this species have enjoyed only limited success, and knowledge concerning the effect of fertilization on plant quality and post-transplantation response is sparse. & Methods We assessed the effect of autumn fertilization using different doses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (70.0 mg N, 30.5 mg P and 58.1 mg K during the growing phase for all plants; and 30.0 vs 1.5 mg N, 13.1 vs 0.3 mg P and 24.9 vs 0.5 mg K during the hardening phase, depending on the fertilization treatment) on the seedling characteristics and field performance of Holm oak. & Results and Conclusions Autumn fertilization, especially with N, did not decrease plant quality but improved overall growth, root growth capacity, cold hardiness, and the nutritional content of nursery-grown seedlings. However, autumn fertilization had only a small effect on field performance, which was affected only by K fertilization, probably because of the adequate N and P nutrient status of all the plants and the mild weather conditions of the field plot. In our site, which had a mild winter climate, late autumn out-planting was more successful than was midwinter out-planting.
Keywords: Cold hardiness; Field performance; Holm oak; Nursery fertilization; Nutritional status

Autumn fertilization with nitrogen improves nutritional status, cold hardiness and the oxidative stress response of Holm oak (Quercus ilex ssp. ballota [Desf.] Samp) nursery seedlings - Andivia, Enrique; Márquez-García, Belén; VÁZQUEZ-PIQUÉ, JAVIER; Córdoba, Francisco; FERNÁNDEZ, MANUEL (Trees, 2011)
Holm oak (Quercus ilex ssp. ballota [Desf.] Samp) is one of the most important species in forest communities of the western Mediterranean Basin, but is very vulnerable to environmental stress during the ﬁrst years of its life. In particular, summer drought and winter frosts limit the distribution, survival, and growth of Holm oak. These two stress factors can lead to plasmolysis and/or oxidative stress. We hypothesized that autumn fertilization with nitrogen (N) can improve plant tolerance to these abiotic stress factors and improve plant quality and therefore reforestation success. A 12-week autumn application of 30 or 60 mg N (plus 70 mg N applied to both treatments during the previous 28 weeks in the nursery, i.e. 100 and 130 mg N in total, respectively) improved overall growth, root growth capacity, frost tolerance, and nutritional status of plants relative to plants given 0.0 and 1.5 mg autumnal N, and had no negative effect on seedling response to water stress. A very small increment in N doses during the autumn (1.5 vs. 0.0 mg N) improved some morphological parameters, such as stem diameter (D) and shoot dry weight, and physiological parameters, such as total antioxidant activity. The highest autumnal N dose (60 mg) increased leaf nutrient content without decreasing the concentration, but had a tendency to reduce frost tolerance relative to seedlings given a lower autumnal N dose (30 mg).
Keywords: Frost tolerance; Holm oak; Mineral nutrients; Oxidative stress; water stress

Average daily weight gain of Iberian fattening pigs when grazing natural resources - Rodríguez-Estévez, Vicente; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Manuel; García, Antón R.; Gómez-Castro, a Gustavo (Livestock Science, 2011)
In spite of the growing interest in organic farming and sustainable production, there is a lack of information about the performance of pigs when they feed only on natural resources. This research studied the fattening pattern during the montanera (free-range grazing on acorns and grass during autumn and winter, without any supplementary feed or mineral complement) of the Iberian pig in the dehesa (Quercus ilex open woodlands) in order to know the average daily gain (ADG) and to analyze the inﬂuence of three factors: year of montanera, age and sex of pigs. The fattening data were obtained from two ﬂocks of castrated pigs during the ﬁrst two months (from November the ﬁrst) of two consecutive montaneras (2003 and 2004) on the same farm. Pigs (from 111.8± 0.9 kg BW at introduction) were individually weighed every 15 days in the early morning, with no food intake since the previous evening. The ADG for all pigs was 0.76± 0.01 kg/day; however, some variations were observed according to the year (0.74±0.02 kg/day in 2003 vs. 0.78±0.02 kg/day in 2004; pb0.05), the sex (0.78±0.02 kg/day for males vs. 0.72± 0.02 kg/day for females; pb0.01) and the age (0.71±0.02 kg/day for pigs younger than a year vs. 0.83±0.02 kg/day for pigs older than a year; pb0.001); however a factorial 3-way ANOVA does not show signiﬁcant interaction between factors. Comparing the fortnights periods, the lowest ADG was measured in the ﬁrst 15 days of montanera (0.60±0.02 kg/day), and the highest ADG occurred in the second one (0.85±0.02 kg/day). Later on, the datasets were adjusted with the GLM procedure for the fixed effects of the year of the montanera, the age and the sex. With the adjusted datasets, different regression models for the fattening in montanera were established; the best adjusted of those was the potential model (Y= 0.32*X 1.22 ; X= days of montanera; and Y= kg life weight gained during the montanera). According with this model pigs would need an average of 58 d to fatten 46 kg, as the Iberian Breed Quality Standards demand. Finally, the results show that the age and sex, as factors that inﬂuence the ADG, should be taken into close account to choose pigs and that it is possible to reach a high ADG grazing only with natural resources, following appropriate management strategies such as rationing in order to obtain the beneﬁts of compensatory growth.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: acorn; Compensatory growth; Extensive farming; Free ranging; Grass; Organic farming; Sustainable production

Azimuthal variations in xylem structure and water relations in cork oak (Quercus suber) - Čermák, Jan; Barij, Nadia; Stokes, Alexia (IAWA Journal, 2011)
Keywords: hydraulic conductivity; sap; vessel lumina; wood anatomy

Belowground competition for nutrients in shrub-encroached Mediterranean dehesas - Rivest, David; Rolo, Víctor; López-Díaz, M Lourdes; Moreno, Gerardo (Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 2011)
Managing multilayered silvopastoral systems such as Mediterranean dehesas requires the study of nutrient resource partitioning among coexisting species and determination to what extent soil nutrients are limiting plant growth. We determined the effects of NPK fertilisation maintained over two consecutive years on dry matter production and nutritional status of pasture (herbaceous) species, two shrub species and Quercus ilex L. in two silvopastoral sites with different shrub-layer species. We selected two prominent Mediterranean shrub species that vary in their speciﬁc ecological strategies: a N2-ﬁxing and sparse deep-rooting shrub (Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boiss, Retama site), and a dense shallow-rooting shrub (Cistus ladanifer L., Cistus site). Fertilisation signiﬁcantly (P B 0.05) increased pasture dry mass by 460% and 1,090% in the Retama and Cistus sites, respectively. Nitrogen uptake by pasture species was most stimulated in both sites, and was the major limiting nutrient for this group. At the Cistus site, fertilisation signiﬁcantly increased leaf dry mass of Q. ilex by 53%, but no signiﬁcant effect was found at the Retama site. There were no signiﬁcant effects of fertilisation treatments on dry mass and nutrient status of Retama cladodes and Cistus leaves. Vector analysis revealed that the magnitude of relative changes in nutrient uptake and dry matter production of pasture in response to fertilisation was markedly higher than that of Q. ilex, R. sphaerocarpa and C. ladanifer, suggesting high competitive ability of pasture species for soil nutrients. Results suggest that patterns of soil nutrient partitioning are site-speciﬁc and, thus, likely depend on the dominant species in the shrub layer
Keywords: Cistus ladanifer; Dry matter production; Native pasture; Nutrient uptake; Quercus ilex; retama sphaerocarpa; Silvopastoral systems

Biodiversity of wood-decay fungi in Italy - Saitta, A.; Bernicchia, A.; Gorjón, S. P.; Altobelli, E.; Granito, V. M.; Losi, C.; Lunghini, D.; Maggi, O.; Medardi, G.; Padovan, F.; Pecoraro, L.; Vizzini, A.; et al. (Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 2011)
Abstract Current knowledge about Italian wood-decay fungi (Basidiomycota and Ascomycota) is surveyed: 1582 taxa belonging to Ascomycota (341) and Basidiomycota (1241) have been reported, including 23 species new to science of Basidiomycota described from Italy within the last five years. Evaluating diversity of wood-decay fungi can provide a more accurate estimation of species richness for fungi which are an important functional component of ecosystems. Aphyllophoroid and Ascomycota species play an important role in habitat conservation and management. Sardinia, Sicily, the Alps and the Apennines are ?hot spots? for wood-decay Basidiomycota in Italy.
doi: 10.1080/11263504.2011.633114doi: 10.1080/11263504.2011.633114The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: Ascomycota; Basidiomycota; Biodiversity; Italy; wood-decay fungi

Biological and physico-chemical processes influence cutin and suberin biomarker distribution in two Mediterranean forest soil profiles - Andreetta, Anna; Dignac, Marie-France; Carnicelli, Stefano (Biogeochemistry, 2011)
Recent investigations have shown macromolecules, such as cutins, and suberins as effective markers for above and belowground plant tissues. These biopolyesters contain structural units speciﬁc for different litter components and for root biomass. The aim of this work was to understand the fate of plant organic matter (OM) in Mediterranean forest soils by evaluating the incorporation of cutin and suberin by measuring speciﬁc biomarkers. Soil and plant tissue (leaves, woods and roots) samples were collected in two mixed Mediterranean forests of Quercus ilex (holm oak) in costal stands in Tuscany (central Italy), which have different ecological and edaphic features. Ester-bound lipids of mineral and organic horizons and the overlying vegetation were analysed using the saponiﬁcation method in order to depolymerise cutins and suberins and release their speciﬁc structural units. Cutin and suberin speciﬁc aliphatic monomers were identiﬁed and quantiﬁed by gas chromatographic techniques. The distribution of cutin and suberin speciﬁc monomers in plant tissue suggested that mid-chain hydroxy acids can be used as leaf-speciﬁc markers and a,x-alkanedioic acids and xC18:1 as root-speciﬁc markers. Differences in the distributions of biomarkers speciﬁc for above and belowground plant-derived OM was observed in the two types of soils, suggesting contrasted degradation, stabilisation and transport mechanisms that may be related to soil physico-chemical properties. The acidic and dry soil appeared to inhibit microbial activity, favouring stabilization of leaf-derived compounds, while, in the more fertile soil, protection within aggregates appeared to better preserve root-derived compounds.
Keywords: Cutins; Forest soils; Mediterranean; Soil organic matter; Suberins

Biomonitoring of PAHs by using Quercus ilex leaves: Source diagnostic and toxicity assessment - De Nicola, Flavia; Claudia, Lancellotti; MariaVittoria, Prati; Giulia, Maisto; Anna, Alfani (Atmospheric Environment, 2011)
Quercus ilex L. leaves were sampled at nineteen urban sites and two remote sites in order to evaluate PAH contamination degree. One-, two- and three-year-old leaves were collected and leaf lipid content was measured to investigate the inﬂuence of leaf age and lipids in PAH accumulation. Some PAH diagnostic ratios, such as Ant/Ant þ Phen, Flt/Flt þ Pyr, B[a]A/B[a]A þ Crys and IP/IP þ B[g,h,i]P, were calculated. The results suggest that Q. ilex leaves are effective biomonitors of PAH air contamination: in fact, a great PAH accumulation in leaves from the urban areas, until 30-time higher compared to those from the remote sites, has been observed. At each site, the similar total PAH concentrations in leaves of different age, probably due to a canopy effect, indicate an ability of all leaf age classes to monitor local PAH concentrations in air, remarking practical implications for air biomonitoring. The ﬁndings suggest that PAH adsorption in Q. ilex leaves does not result limited by leaf lipid content. Moreover, this study demonstrates the source-diagnostic potential of Q. ilex leaves, because, in particular, the Flt/Flt þ Pyr and IP/ IP þ B[g,h,i]P ratios indicate vehicular trafﬁc as the main source of PAHs in the urban areas and wood combustion in the remote areas. Moreover, to distinguish biomass combustion source, a promising tracer PAH as DB[a,h]A could be used. The high contribution of DB[a,h]A to total PAH concentrations at the remote sites determines a high carcinogenic potential in this area, similar to that calculated for the urban area where the carcinogenic PAH concentrations in absolute values are often higher.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Carcinogenic PAH; leaf age; Leaf dry weight; Leaf lipid; PAH diagnostic ratio; Toxic equivalent factor

Bird community responses to vegetation heterogeneity following non-direct regeneration of Mediterranean forests after fire - Zozaya, Elena L; Brotons, Lluís; Vallecillo, Sara (ARDEA, 2011)
Mediterranean forests are highly resilient to fires, showing a rapid recovery after disturbance. However, in some cases direct tree regeneration fails leading to radical changes in landscape composition. In this study, we evaluated the impact of landscape changes on the conservation value of bird species using the new landscape mosaic arising from non-direct regeneration after a fire. We used data from a large fire that occurred in central Catalonia (NE Spain) in 1998. The fire affected about 26,000 ha of a land mosaic mainly covered by Black Pine Pinus nigra forests and farmland dominated by cereal crops. We used line transects to estimate bird abundance and gathered information on dominant vegetation covers and landscape variables. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and generalized linear models were used to explore how the measured environmental variables explain bird species abundance and to analyze how post-fire heterogeneity in vegetation affected the conservation value of the bird community. Factors describing the main patterns in the post-fire landscape explained up to 31.2% of the total variability in bird community composition and described three main groups of bird species sharing similar ecological requirements. Additionally, 71% of the studied species significantly responded to one of the first three vegetation gradients distinguished in the study area. Finally, the conservation value of the bird community significantly decreased in areas dominated by Q. humilis resprouters and significantly increased in shrubland areas. Overall, our results suggest that large fires affecting non-direct regenerating forest types lead to a new and radically different mosaic landscape offering new opportunities to species with unfavourable European conservation status.
Keywords: conservation value; large fires; open-habitat bird species; Pinus nigra; regeneration patterns; Shrubland

Calcium fertilizers induce soil suppressiveness to Phytophthora cinnamomi root rot of Quercus ilex - Serrano, María Socorro; Vita, Paolo; Fernández-Rebollo, Pilar; Sánchez Hernández, María Esperanza (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 2011)
t Based on the observation that the root disease caused by P. cinnamomi on Q. ilex has a low incidence and severity in soils with medium-high Ca 2+ content, we studied the ability of Ca 2+ fertilizers to induce soil suppressiveness to the pathogen. Studies on cultures of P. cinnamomi exposed to different Ca 2+ fertilizers in vitro showed significant inhibition of sporangial, chlamydospore and zoospore production at millimolar concentrations while mycelial growth was mainly unaffected. Experiments performed with artificially infested soil showed that some Ca 2+ fertilizers induce a significant decrease on chlamydospore viability. Additionally, greenhouse experiments using artificially infested soils showed a significant reduction of foliar and root symptom severities in Holm oak seedlings growing in soils amended with Ca 2+ fertilizers. We suggest that limestone amendments in oak rangelands could enhance the suppressiveness of soils to P. cinnamomi, and it is likely that the inhibition of sporangial production was the main mechanism involved.
Keywords: fertilization; limestone; Oak decline; Rangelands

Can net photosynthesis and water relations provide a clue on the forest decline of Quercus suber in North Tunisia? - Lee, S. H.; Woo, S. Y.; Nasr, Z. (African Journal of f Biotechnology, 2011)
Net photosynthesis, sap flow density (SFD) and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured in a Quercus suber forest in north Tunisia in an attempt to explain the forest decline. In general, sap flow was positively related to light intensity and water loss, indicating that high light intensities can increase the SFD up to the saturation point in the cork oak. CO2 assimilation of cork oak in this region was light intensity-dependent. Cork oak showed a general increase in photosynthetic rates with increasing light intensity up to the light saturation point. Increased radiation probably increased the photosynthesis and growth above ground in this area, whereas the below-ground soil had insufficient moisture for uptake through the roots because the high light intensity and temperature induced high evapotranspiration.
Keywords: decline; evaportranspiration; light intensity; Quercus suber; sap flow density; water use efficiency

Canopy cover influence on macrofungal richness and sporocarp production in montado ecosystems - Santos-Silva, C.; Gonçalves, A.; Louro, R. (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
In this study we aimed to ﬁnd out how macrofungi richness and sporocarp production varies in relation to both canopy cover and proximity of crown projection area, in order to discuss strategies and point out management actions that ensure macrofungal communities sustainability in montado ecosystems. The sporocarp survey was conducted once every two weeks, from October to February, between 2007 and 2009 in two representative sites of the most common (cork and holm oak) open montado ecosystems in southern Portugal. Results showed that canopy cover strongly shaped macrofungal communities composition and yield. Denser canopy cover enhanced mycorrhizal richness and reduced saprotrophic yield. Furthermore, mycorrhizal richness and yield increased with tree proximity. Finally some forest management strategies are suggested in order to enhance macrofungal richness and productivity, in montado ecosystems.
Keywords: Cork oak; crown influence; Holm oak; macrofungal communities; Mediterranean ecosystem; montado; Portugal

Is cellular automata algorithm able to predict the future dynamical shifts of tree species in Italy under climate change scenarios? A methodological approach - Di Traglia, Mario; Attorre, Fabio; Francesconi, Fabio; Valenti, Roberto; Vitale, Marcello (Ecological Modelling, 2011)
In this paper is presented a methodological approach which integrates statistic modelling and 2-D cellular automata (CA) in order to describe tree species shifts responding to the climate changes foreseen for Italy in the 21st century. Five Italian tree species populations of Abies alba, Pinus sylvestris, Fagus sylvatica, Acer campestris and Quercus suber and their actual potential distributions (PDs) – represented by Importance Value (IV), have been considered. Environmental and climatic relationships have been modelled through application of a new statistical methodology called extreme discretization, where the PD of a species was considered as a random ﬁeld. The IV-based PD has been spatialized through a probability function (A,S), which represented the spatio-temporal relationships between IV values and climatic (A) and geomorphological (S) variables. For each tree species = (A,S) has been estimated and inserted as rule in the 2-D cellular automata. The latter, acting by a Moore neighbouring, took in consideration also the suitability map for tree species, which has been obtained by land cover map. Two time frames (2050 and 2080) and two climatic scenarios (A2 and B1) have been considered. Results described a general reduction of the IV values and their distribution for A. alba, P. sylvestris and F. sylvatica, in both climatic scenarios, whereas an increase of IVs and distribution for Q. suber and only a slight increment of distribution for A. campestris was mainly observed under the B1 scenario, but not for the more limiting A2 scenario. Convergent results have been obtained with respect to other simulation systems concerning the shift of tree species responding to different climatic change scenarios but lacking of the description of dynamical paths. Our approach seems natural and practical to describe such phenomena. The transition rules for the CA and the parameters taken into account for the construction of the probabilistic models can be surely improved to obtain a more realistic pattern of tree species shifts. Future efforts should be made to take in account the inter-speciﬁc relationships inside the Italian forest ecosystems, in order to also consider the competiveness for resources that exert some effects on the plant distribution both in time and space.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: 2-d cellular automata; climate change; Importance Value; Logistic analysis; Mediterranean basin; Potential tree species shift

The cellular structure of cork from Quercus cerris var. cerris bark in a materials’ perspective - Şen, Ali; Quilhó, Teresa; Pereira, Helena (Industrial Crops and Products, 2011)
Cork in the outer bark of trees is among the valuable raw materials of biological origin due to properties that result mainly from its cellular structure. Large scale commercial utilization of cork has been only achieved with cork from Quercus suber. Another oak species, Quercus cerris, also contains substantial, albeit not continuous, regions of cork that are clearly visible to the naked eye but are so far considered as a waste material. Bark samples of Q. cerris var. cerris trees were collected from the Andırın province, Turkey. Cork portions were separated and their cellular structure was investigated with optical and electron scanning microscopy observations. The results were compared with Q. suber cork. Q. cerris cork has the typical features of cork tissues with a regular and radially aligned structure of suberized cells without intercellular voids, showing a ring structure and a distinction of earlycork and latecork cells. Solid volume fraction was estimated at 25% (22% in earlycork, 36% in latecork). In Q. cerris cork cells are smaller, cell wall thickness and solid volume fraction are higher, and the tissue is less homogeneous with a higher content of ligniﬁed inclusions than in Q. suber cork. These factors will negatively inﬂuence quality in regard to density and mechanical properties associated to elasticity. However, this does not impair its use for production of granulates and agglomerates, e.g. for insulation and energy absorption. Separation of the cork fraction from the bark is a step required before further processing and use.
Keywords: Bark; Cellular structure; Cork; Quercus cerris; Quercus suber

Change and dynamics in Mediterranean evergreen oak woodlands landscapes of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula - Costa, Augusta; Madeira, Manuel; Lima Santos, José; Oliveira, Ângelo (Landscape and Urban Planning, 2011)
Landscapes with open evergreen oak woodlands in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula have been subjected to a consistent oak forest loss. In these landscapes, the abandonment of traditional land management activities have been associated with major land use transformations, such as the replacement of agricultural land uses and native oakwoodlands by both shrublands and fast-growing Eucalyptus and pine (Pinus pinea L.) plantations. In this study a spatially explicit approach, combining aerial photographs, geographical information systems and land covermetrics, was used to assess long-termlandscape dynamics over a 50-year period. The aim was to provide interpreted quantitative information on the landscape dynamics and to determine the key roles of open farmland, shrubland and new forest plantations on the ongoing loss and fragmentation of oak woodlands. Different trends of land abandonment and intensiﬁcation of land uses were found across the study areas mainly related to combination of particular socioeconomic and biophysical conditions, resulting in different types of evergreen oak forest conservation and restoration issues. A comprehensive assessment ofthese (biophysical and socioeconomic) change driving forces is, therefore, presented and discussed, as a baseline for future planning by setting of appropriate management, restoration and conservation strategies for oak woodlands in the studied landscapes. Although this study focused on a speciﬁc system of Southwestern Mediterranean, the methodology applied herein can be extrapolated to other comparable human-driven scattered tree systems, within cultural landscapes.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: land use; Mediterranean evergreen oak woodlands; Quercus ilex; Quercus suber; Socioeconomic driving forces; Vegetation cover metrics

Changes in land cover and vegetation carbon stocks in Andalusia, Southern Spain (1956-2007). - Muñoz-Rojas, M; De la Rosa, D; Zavala, L M; JORDÁN, A; Anaya-Romero, M (The Science of the total environment, 2011)
Land use has significantly changed during the recent decades at global and local scale, while the importance of ecosystems as sources/sinks of C has been highlighted, emphasizing the global impact of land use changes. Land use changes can increase C loss rates which are extremely difficult to reverse, in the short term, opposite to organic carbon (OC) which accumulates in soil in the long-term. The aim of this research is to improve and test methodologies to assess land cover change (LCC) dynamics and temporal and spatial variability in C stored in vegetation at a wide scale. LCCs between 1956 and 2007 in Andalusia (Southern Spain) were selected for this pilot study, assessed by comparison of spatial data from 1956 to 2007 and were reclassified following land cover flows (LCFs) reported in major areas in Europe. Carbon vegetation densities were related to land cover, and C vegetation stocks for 1956 and 2007 were calculated by multiplying C density for each land cover class with land cover areas. The study area has supported important changes during the studied period with significant consequences for vegetation C stocks, mainly due to afforestation and intensification of agriculture, resulting in a total vegetation C stock of 156.08Tg in 2007, with an increase of 17.24Tg since 1956. This study demonstrates the importance of LCC for C sequestration in vegetation from Mediterranean areas, highlighting possible directions for management policies in order to mitigate climate change as well as promoting land conservation. The methodologies and information generated in this project will be a useful basis for designing land management strategies helpful for decision makers.
Keywords: Agriculture; Agriculture: statistics & numerical data; Carbon; Carbon Sequestration; Carbon: analysis; Carbon: metabolism; Cities; Cities: statistics & numerical data; climate change; Conservation of Natural Resources; CORINE Land Cover; Environment; Environmental Monitoring; Land use planning; Plant Development; Plants; Plants: chemistry; Plants: metabolism; Soil Pollutants; Soil Pollutants: analysis; Soil Pollutants: metabolism; Spain; Sustainable land management

Characterization of radial bending properties of cork - Anjos, Ofélia; Pereira, Helena; Rosa, Maria Emília (European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2011)
The behaviour of cork under three point bending stress in the radial direction was evaluated in relation to porosity (range 2.0–15.4%) and density (range 0.160– 0.220 g cm−3 ). The study was made using water-boiled cork planks of two commercial quality classes (good and poor quality) collected at an industrial mill. Cork samples were cut with the largest dimension in two directions, axial and tangential, and with the load zone in the inner part and the outer part of the plank. The stress-strain curves obtained in bending were similar for the different test specimens and similar to those observed for tensile tests in cork but the mechanical resistance of cork in bending was higher than in tension and lower than in compression. The direction of the internal stress in samples submitted to bending was a highly signiﬁcant factor of variation. The curves showed an initial linear elastic region with a mean Young’s modulus of 14 MPa for the tangential direction and 21 MPa for the axial direction, followed by a region of a gradual cork yielding up to a peak load, and failure at an average stress of 1.2 MPa and a strain of 14%. There was signiﬁcant difference in the bending properties of cork samples obtained from cork planks of different quality classes. Density and porosity were not individually well correlated with the mechanical parameters. It was however possible to model Young’s modulus by combining porosity and density.
Keywords: Bending; Compression; Cork; Density (voyant); Fracture; Quality; Stress

Chlorophyll fluorescence responses to temperature and water availability in two co-dominant Mediterranean shrub and tree species in a long-term field experiment simulating climate change - Ogaya, Romà; Penuelas, Josep; Asensio, Dolores; Llusia, Joan (Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2011)
A rain exclusion experiment simulating drought conditions expected in Mediterranean areas for the following decades (15% decrease in soil moisture) is being conducted since 1999 in a Mediterranean holm oak forest to study its response to the forecasted climatic changes for the coming decades. The maximum PSII quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) was measured in Quercus ilex, and Phillyrea latifolia, the co-dominant species of the studied forest, from 1999 to 2009 in four plots: two of them were control plots and the other two plots received the rain exclusion treatment. In both species, the Fv/Fm values were highly dependent on air temperatures, and in a second term, in water availability. P. latifolia was the species with the larger decrease in Fv/Fm values induced by low air temperatures, while in hot seasons, the Fv/Fm values in P. latifolia were even higher than in Q. ilex. Rainfall exclusion decrease Fv/Fm values signiﬁcantly only in few monitoring dates. The most drought resistant species P. latifolia was more affected by the experimental rainfall exclusion than Q. ilex that instead lost number of leaves per tree. There was a synergic effect of drought stress and winter cold in P. latifolia not observed in Q. ilex, but a more conservative strategy in P. latifolia maintaining leaves with a down-regulation of the linear photosynthetic electron transport. These results indicate that, although other physiological and reproductive strategies at whole plant level must be also taken into account, the warmer and drier environment expected for the following decades could favour the species more sensitive to cold and more resistant to drought, the shrub P. latifolia, in detriment of the tree Q. ilex as already observed in the ﬁeld after severe heat-drought episodes.
Keywords: Chlorophyll ﬂuorescence; climate change; Cold; Drought; evergreen leaves; Fv/Fm; Heat; mediterranean forest; phillyrea latifolia; Quercus ilex

Combined use of LC–ESI-MS and antifungal tests for rapid identification of bioactive lipopeptides produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CCMI 1051 - Caldeira, Ana Teresa; Santos Arteiro, J. M. M. M.; Coelho, Ana V.; Roseiro, J. Carlos (Process Biochemistry, 2011)
The strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CCMI 1051 used in this study has been isolated in our laboratory from healthy Quercus suber in the south of Portugal and shows high levels of antagonistic properties against filamentous fungi that attack forest products industry due to the production of bioactive peptides. A combined use of LC–ESI-MS and antifungal tests allowed a rapid identification of lipopeptides as active compounds produced. Applying autobiographic methods it was possible to obtain active compounds. LC–ESI-MS, a powerful tool for rapid identification, indicates the presence of lipopeptides and MS2 electrospray ionization showed the partial sequence Tyr–Asn–Pro–Glu in the peptidic portion of some compounds produced. The association of mass spectrometry and chromatography, used in parallel with antifungal tests proved to be an efficient approach for the characterization of active lipopeptides without the need of previous total isolation. This methodology can be employed for screening and optimization the production of antifungal iturinic lipopeptides, showing a great potential for future application.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: antimicrobial activity; bacillus amyloliquefaciens; Biosurfactants; Cyclic lipopeptides; Iturin

A comparative study of quality properties of pelletized agricultural and forestry lopping residues - Zamorano, M; Popov, V; Rodriguez, M L; Garcia-Maraver, A (RENEWABLE ENERGY, 2011)
Biomass is an abundant renewable energy source; however, because of its characteristics it is not easily used in its original form. Pelletization technology represents mass and energy densification that provides easier biomass fuel handling and feeding. A privately owned pelletization industrial plant has been set up to produce pellets from agricultural and forestry lopping residues. The plant has produced so far pellets made of leaves of olive tree, a mixture of different parts of olive trees, almond trees, black poplar and holm oak trees. The characteristics of the resulting products have been analyzed in this research to foresee their behaviour in the combustion process. Parameters analyzed included particle and bulk density, moisture content, crushing resistance or hardness, number of particles of pellets per unit volume, size (including diameter, length and ratio of both values), percentage of carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and hydrogen, additives and ash content, and finally heating value. Relationships between various parameters and a comparison with guidelines established by some European norms have been also investigated in order to determine possible restrictions on the use of the pellets. Results have shown that the use of different types of raw materials from agricultural and forestry lopping residues results in different physical and chemical properties of the pellets defining their possible application. Relationships between several parameters of pellets and a comparison with some European norms guidelines were also investigated and different guidelines fulfilment were detected; however no pellets tested fulfilled all parameters from guidelines established in the norms considered. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Agricultural waste; Lopping residues; Norms; Pellets; Properties; Quality properties

Comparing annual vertebrate road kills over two time periods, 9 years apart: a case study in Mediterranean farmland - Carvalho, Filipe; Mira, António (European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2011)
We surveyed road kills occurring along a 26-km stretch of a major national road (Portugal) in two different years: 1996 and 2005. For analysis purposes, we divided the data into seven vertebrate groups: amphibians, reptiles, carnivores, prey mammals (shrews, moles, rodents, rabbits and hares), hedgehogs, owls and passerines. Main factors influencing vertebrate road casualties were evaluated using redundancy analysis and variance partitioning techniques, focusing on three sets of variables: land cover, landscape metrics and spatial location. We also took into account meteorological conditions and changes in traffic intensity specific to each of the surveyed years. The percentage of variance explained by the explanatory variables was greater in 1996 (67.5%) than in 2005 (48.1%). Many variables influencing road kill incidence were common to both years. The most significantly associated factor was the distance to the Natural Park of Serra de São Mamede (NPSSM): road kills decreased steadily as our survey moved south, away from the NPSSM border. Moreover, an increased incidence of road losses occurred in forested areas, such as montado and traditional olive groves. As 2005 was a climatically drier year, additional variance factors became prominent, including the distance to water reservoirs, suggesting a greater influence of water availability. Traffic flow increased by almost 150% from 1996 to 2005, which may explain the overall increase in road kills, with the notable exception of the amphibian group, whose road fatalities incidences decreased approximately sixfold. We expect that our survey will provide a comprehensive understanding of the most critical factors currently influencing vertebrate road fatalities and aid in improving the effectiveness of mitigation measures to reduce them.
Keywords: mediterranean farmland; redundancy analysis; variance partitioning; Vertebrates

Complex selection on life-history traits and the maintenance of variation in exaggerated rostrum length in acorn weevils. - Bonal, Raul; Espelta, Josep Maria; Vogler, Alfried P. (Oecologia, 2011)
Trophic interactions can trigger the development of exaggerated specialized characters and promote morphological diversification. For example, acorn weevils (genus Curculio) present strikingly long rostrums, which are used by females to perforate oviposition holes through the seed coat. Species exhibiting longer rostrums are known to exploit larger acorns, and therefore rostrum length is thought to be subject to selection to match the preferred acorn type. However, rostrum length is strongly correlated with body size, and morphological divergence could result from either selection on rostrum length for optimal food exploitation or from other pressures acting on body size. We collected infested acorns at oak forests where the large Curculio elephas and the small-bodied Curculio glandium co-occur. There were no interspecific differences in adult female body size to rostrum length allometric relationships, and rostrum length is equally correlated with body size in either species. MtDNA-based species identification showed that C. glandium larvae were present within acorns of all sizes, whereas C. elephas larvae were restricted to acorns above a minimum size, irrespective of oak species. Hence, exploitation of large acorns can hardly have triggered rostrum enlargement, as the small sized C. glandium adults (with short rostrums) could perforate and oviposit in both small and large acorns. Rather, increased rostrum length is probably a by-product of the larger body sizes of individuals emerging from bigger acorns, which allow increased larval size and enhance larval survival likelihood. Summarizing, when exaggerated feeding traits co-vary with other body features, interspecific morphological variability may result from contrasting selective pressures acting on these correlated characters.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 21674207
Keywords: Body size; Curculio; Ecomorphological diversification; Quercus; Seed size; Trophic segregation

Composition and structure of natural mixed-oak stands in northern and central Portugal - Carvalho, João P. F. (Forest Ecology and Management, 2011)
Stand composition and structure of natural mixed-oak stands of common-oak (Quercus robur L.) and pyrenean-oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) were studied. Diverse compositional and structural elements in early and late successional stand stages were analysed. The study was conducted in north and central Portugal where different naturalmixed oak forests types are located. The followingmixed-oak forest types involving common-oak and pyrenean-oak were studied: common-oak & other hardwoods; commonoak & cork-oak (Quercus suber L.); ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl) & pyrenean-oak; and pyrenean-oak & madrone (Arbutus unedo L.). Measurements were made in early and late successional stand stages on the different mixed oak forest types. Different stand characteristics and indices were used to describe and compare stand structure and composition. The study showed changes in species diversity and stand structure. Most tree species in mature stands are present in early stages but with higher abundance. Shannon diversity index may change between 0.798 and 1.915. Signiﬁcant differences on species diversity and abundance were found depending on the forest type and successional stage. Mature mixed-oak forests have high species diversity with an abundance of small to medium tree size species. Species distribution and diameter differentiation indices range from 0.30 to 0.70 and 0.52 to 0.82, respectively, revealing signiﬁcant structural complexity. The average number of standing and downed dead trees was 265 and 83 trees ha−1 for early and late stage, respectively, with 6.9 and 65.4 m3 ha−1 . Higher values of stand diversity index were 41 and 53 in more complex and developed forests. Later stand stages have complex structure, with a wider range of tree diameter distribution and higher degree of irregularity.
Keywords: Quercus pyrenaica Willd.; Quercus robur L.; Stand composition; Stand Structure

Conservation of Mediterranean oak woodlands: understorey dynamics under different shrub management - Canteiro, Cátia; Pinto-Cruz, Carla; Simões, M. Paula; Gazarini, Luíz (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
The effect of experimental disturbances on the dynamics of a shrub community was studied on a ‘Montado’ ecosystem, in southern Portugal. The evolution of the community physiognomy, composition and diversity were monitored after shrub clearing followed by biomass removal, deposition on soil surface and incorporation with the soil, over a 9-year period. Maximum shrub density was recorded in the ﬁrst year after the disturbances, excepting in mulched plots which showed the greatest number of individuals 1 year later. The increment of shrub leaf biomass was very fast in the ﬁrst 3 years, whereas wood production was slower but occurred along the whole study period. At the end of the study, leaf and wood biomass was still signiﬁcantly lower than in the predisturbance situation. The variation pattern of leaf area index was similar to that of leaf biomass. The evolution of total plant cover and diversity was similar across treatments. The highest species richness and diversity were recorded 2 years after cutting, decreasing afterwards with the increasing dominance of shrubs. Thus it seems likely that, although a 9 year period is too short for these communities to reach steady equilibrium, they are very resistant and resilient to disturbances, as regeneration was fast and vegetation dynamics was not inﬂuenced by differences among treatments. We can conclude that shrub clearing promotes biodiversity and the time of permanence of shrub patches depends on the particular goal we want to achieve.
Keywords: agroecosystems; Biodiversity; cistus salviifolius; Regeneration; shrub clearing

Conservation planning of vertebrate diversity in a Mediterranean agricultural-dominant landscape - de la Montaña, Enrique; Rey Benayas, José M.; Vasques, Ana; Razola, Irene; Cayuela, Luis (Biological Conservation, 2011)
To improve effectiveness of protected areas, selection of priority areas should include consideration of three main components, namely special conservation elements, focal species and representation. We present a three-track approach related to these components for vertebrate conservation planning in Castilla-La Mancha, central Spain. As special conservation elements, we identiﬁed Priority Areas for Conservation of species using ﬁve criteria: species richness, geographic rarity, species vulnerability, a Combined Index of these three criteria, and a Standardised Biodiversity Index (SBI) that integrate the three criteria and four studied taxa. The Natura 2000 Network was used to include conservation areas for focal species. We evaluated the representation of every landscape type in the existing conservation areas. To delineate the spatial conﬁguration for vertebrate conservation, we combined the identiﬁed Priority Areas for Conservation, existing conservation areas and connectivity areas by cost–distance analysis. The Combined Index was the most efﬁcient criterion analyzed to identify Priority Areas for Conservation. The Natura 2000 Network showed a high percentage of coincidence with identiﬁed Priority Areas for Conservation, whereas the natural protected areas network had a low percentage of coincidence. Six agricultural landscapes were inadequately represented in the current conservation network. According to our multitrack approach, 29% of study area was required to capture 100% of vertebrate species and all landscape types. Our results show that the existing conservation areas are insufﬁcient to guarantee the conservation of biodiversity in the study region. Additional areas with outstanding features of diversity, connectivity areas, and establishment of targets for off-reserve conservation are of fundamental importance for strengthening biodiversity conservation.
Keywords: Agroecosystem; Combined Index of biodiversity; Gap analysis; Landscape representation; Least-cost path analysis; Natura 2000 Network

A Contribution to the Knowledge of Composition and Classification of Holm Oak Forests in Istria - Baricevic, D.; Šapic, I. (Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering, 2011)
{{The forest vegetation of Istria is considered one of the most interesting vegetation types in the Republic of Croatia. This is confirmed by the presence of a large number of highly diverse forest communities occurring on the border between two completely different plant-geographical regions: theMediterranean region and the Euro-Sibe- rian – North American region. As climazonal vegetation, forests of holm oak in the Eu-Mediterranean represent special value and a particular asset. Owing to systematic research during the past fifty or more years, the general distribution of holm oak in Istria is well known; however, data on forest communities of holm oak and their phytocoenologcal characteristics are much less known. This means that until the present research, only about forty phytocoenological relevés of the forest stands of holm oak in Istria had been released, which clearly demonstrates that these stands have been insufficiently studied and that further detailed research is required. Synecological-veg- etation research was undertaken in 12 localities in the coastal part of Istria, startingwith the surroundings of Pore~ in the north-west, across the western and southern parts, to the surroundings of Pula (Fig. 1). Phytocoenological research of forest vegetationwas based on the principles of the Zurich-Montpellier School (Braun-Blanquet 1964). Our own phytocoenological relevés were entered into the Turboveg database (Hennekens and Schaminee 2001), to- gether with 30 published phytocoenological relevés of forests of holm oak and manna ash, taken in a broader re- search area and described as the subassociations typicum and cotinetosum. Atotal of 42 phytocoenological relevés were statistically processed. In addition to classical analysis, numerical analysis by means of SYN-TAX 2000 (Podani 2001) software was also conducted. Eco-indicator values according to Pignatti (2005) were applied to de- scribe the ecological conditions using the floral composition, while themean values for particular relevés and forest communities were calculated by means of the JUICE 6.3 programme (Tischy 2002). The applied cluster methods showed very similar results and the same general patterns. Accordingly, the ma- jority of the relevés are clearly divided into three groups, while only three relevés make up a separate group (Fig. 2). Further detailed analysis of the floral composition showed that the studied forest stands of holm oak belong to the first group of relevés, typical stands of holm oak andmanna ash to the second group, while stands of holm oak and manna ash with smoke tree (Table 1) belong to the third group, and so do the three separate relevés. The analysis also showed that all the analyzed phytocoenological relevés belong to the same association Fraxino orni-Quercetumilicis (Horvati} (1956) 1958, with all the floristic and ecological differences that indicate the affiliation to the three subassociations. Thus, the first group of relevés is represented by stands of holm oak andmanna ash with a signifi- cant amount of deciduous elements, the second group is represented by typical stands of holm oak andmanna ash, and the third includes stands in the form of maquis and less well developed forests, containing, apart from the spe- cies Cotinus coggygria, species of more open sites. This is presented in more detail in Table 1. Based on the comparisons of the floral composition in our own relevés with the stands of holm oak and manna ash in the Republic of Croatia described earlier, it can be concluded that our stands, in addition to the characteristic and differentiating species of the association Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis and the appertaining alliance, order and class, are strongly characterized by the elements from the neighbouring forests of pubescent oak with oriental horn- beam (Querco-Carpinetum orientalis Horvati} 1939). In the tree and shrub layers, these include the deciduous Quercus pubescens, Carpinus orientalis, Quercus cerris, Acer monspessulanum, Coronilla emerus ssp. emeroides, Ligustrum vulgare, Cornus mas, Ulmus minor, Sorbus domestica, Euonymus europaea and others, and in the ground layer the grasses Sesleria autumnalis, Carex halleriana, Brachypodium sylvaticum and Carex flacca. Such a large participation of these species, as well as the affiliation of our relevés to the association Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis, indicate the different nature and specific features that place it into a separate subassociation. Differences in the floral composition in relation to the subassociations typicum and cotinetosum can primarily be attributed to different synecological growth conditions, as seen from the analysis of ecoindicator values according to Pignatti (2005) (Table 2). The studied holm oak forests are characterized by the best synecological conditions and by species that indicatemore sciophylic, colder,more continental, more humid and richer sites than those of typical holm oak forests. It should be pointed out that, in relation to the previously described subassociation typicum, our phytocoenological relevés differ statistically in all ecological indicators, whereas in relation to the relevés of the subassociation cotinetosum, they differ inmost of the ecological indicators. These results confirm the earlier under- standing on the need to form a special, new subassociation within the forest of holm oak with manna ash. In order to make the final decision on the accurate nomination and systematic affiliation of the analyzed stands of holm oak, in addition to the conducted analyses, we should also take into account past descriptions of holm oak forests both from the area of Istria and from the entire distribution range of this species. As evident from all these works, only the subassociations typicum and cotinetosum are accompanied by phytocoenological relevés, whereas the others are only furnished with textual descriptions without any concrete phytocoenological relevés or a list of differentiating species. This prevented us from making a more accurate and better comparison and clear determination. However, taking into consideration the floral composition, the synecological conditions of its occurrence and past descriptions of the subassociations, variants and facies of the association Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis, it may be claimed that the studied stands belong to the subassociation carpinetosum orientalis subass. nova hoc loco. This is in accordance with the valid Code of Phytocoenological Nomenclature (see article 7). Hence, relevé 4 in Table 1 is taken as the nomenclatural type. Species Carpinus orientalis, Quercus pubescens, Acer monspessulanum, Ligustrumvulgare, Cornus mas, Celtis australis, Carex flacca i Carex halleriana have been determined as dif- ferentiating species. In order to reach the final solution to the problem of forests of holm oak with manna ash, both in Istria and in the overall distribution range of this community, we should conduct our own research over a broader area. By doing so we would obtain more comparable data and more specific conclusions on the systematic classifica- tion of this association into lower systematic units. Moreover, the newly studied sites provide an excellent basis for further monitoring of syndynamic processes in holm oak forests in Istria.
Keywords: carpinetosum orientalis; Classification; ecoindicator values; floral composition; Forests of holm oak; Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis; Istria

Cork composites and their role in sustainable development - Soares, B.; Reis, L.; Sousa, L. (Procedia Engineering, 2011)
With the current challenges that the industrial world faces regarding the unavoidable environmental impact of manufacturing goods, companies have been turning to sustainable design in order to reduce this impact and to minimize the damage to the environment while at the same time reaping the marketing bonus that is the claim of a greener product. This reduction of environmental impact is being done at multiple levels and especially at the design stage and one of the ways taken by companies to reduce this impact is to replace fuel-based materials such as polymers with natural materials. But in order for this replacement to take place, engineers and designers need to know the behavior of these materials. With that idea a set of mechanical tests and studies, namely bending and compression tests, have been performed on cork composites. Those composites were chosen for its importance to the Portuguese economy and its peculiar growth cycle and harvesting techniques, in order to ascertain the mechanical properties of cork composites and how it stands against polymers.
Keywords: cork composites; Environmental impact; experimental tests; sustainability design

Cryphonectria naterciae: a new species in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex and diagnostic molecular markers based on microsatellite-primed PCR. - Bragança, Helena; Rigling, Daniel; Diogo, Eugénio; Capelo, Jorge; Phillips, Alan; Tenreiro, Rogério (Fungal biology, 2011)
In a recent study intended to assess the distribution of Cryphonectria parasitica in Portugal, 22 morphologically atypical orange isolates were collected in the Midwestern regions. Eleven isolates were recovered from Castanea sativa, in areas severely affected by chestnut blight and eleven isolates from Quercus suber in areas with cork oak decline. These isolates were compared with known C. parasitica and Cryphonectria radicalis isolates using an integrated approach comprising morphological and molecular methods. Morphologically the atypical isolates were more similar to C. radicalis than to C. parasitica. Phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and β-tubulin sequence data grouped the isolates in a well-supported clade separate from C. radicalis. Combining morphological, cultural, and molecular data Cryphonectria naterciae is newly described in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex. Microsatellite-primed PCR fingerprinting with (GACA)(4) primer discriminated between C. naterciae, C. radicalis, and C. parasitica.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 21872182
Keywords: Ascomycota; Ascomycota: classification; Ascomycota: genetics; Ascomycota: isolation & purification; Chestnut tree; Cork oak tree; Cryphonectria parasitica; Cryphonectria radicalis (GACA)4; DNA; DNA Primers; DNA Primers: genetics; Endothiella gyrosa; Fagaceae; Fagaceae: microbiology; Fungal; Fungal Proteins; Fungal Proteins: genetics; Fungal: genetics; Microsatellite Repeats; Molecular Sequence Data; MSP-PCR; Mycological Typing Techniques; Mycological Typing Techniques: methods; phylogeny; Plant Diseases; Plant Diseases: microbiology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction: methods; Quercus; Quercus: microbiology; RFLP-PCR; Tubulin; Tubulin: genetics

Cytogenetic studies on Quercus L. (Fagaceae) species belonging to Ilex and Cerris section in Turkey - Yilmaz, Aykut; Uslu, Emel; Babac, M Tekin (CARYOLOGIA, 2011)
A detailed karyotype analyses of the five species of Quercus L. (Q. coccifera L., Q. ilex L., Q. aucheri Taub. & Spach, Q. cerris L. and Q. ithaburensis Decne subsp. macrolepsis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yak.) belonging to Ilex and Cerris section were examined. The somatic chromosome number of all studied taxa 2n=24 was found. The karyotypes of investigated species showed the great similarity with the chromosome length and the position of centromere. Chromosome number and detailed karyotype of these species were first time counted from Turkey.
Keywords: Cerris; ilex; Karyotype analyses; Quercus; Turkey

Dealing with vagueness in complex forest landscapes: A soft classification approach through a niche-based distribution model - Amici, Valerio (Ecological Informatics, 2011)
The increasing interest in biodiversity conservation has led to the development of new approaches to facilitate ecologically based conservation policies and management plans. In this context, the development of effective methods for the classiﬁcation of forest types constitutes a crucial issue as forests represent the most widespread vegetation structure and play a key role in ecosystem functioning. In this study a maximum entropy approach (Maxent) to forest type classiﬁcation in a complex Mediterranean area, has been investigated. Maxent, a niche-based model of species/habitat distribution, allowed researchers to estimate the potential distribution of four forest types: Holm oak, Mixed oak, Mixed broadleaved and Riparian forests. The Maxent model's internal tests have proved a powerful tool for estimating the model's accuracy and analyzing the effects of the most important variables in the produced models. Moreover the comparison with a spectral response-based fuzzy classiﬁcation, showed a higher accuracy in the Maxent outputs, demonstrating how the use of environmental variables, combined with spectral information in the classiﬁcation of natural or seminatural land cover classes, improves map accuracies. The modeling approach followed by this study, taking into account the uncertainty proper of the natural ecosystems and the use of environmental variables in land cover classiﬁcation, can represent a useful approach to making more efﬁcient and effective ﬁeld inventories and to developing effective conservation policies.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: classification uncertainty; Forecasting forests; Forest cover map; Fuzzy set; Maxent; Remote sensing

The decreased competition in expanding versus mature juniper woodlands is counteracted by adverse climatic effects on growth - Gimeno, Teresa E.; Pías, Beatriz; Martínez-Fernández, Jesús; Quiroga, David L.; Escudero, Adrián; Valladares, Fernando (European Journal of Forest Research, 2011)
World-wide deforestation is being reversed in Mediterranean continental areas, where abandonment of traditional practises favours the expansion of valuable habitats, like Juniperus thurifera woodlands. We hypothesised that pre-existing trees facilitate establishment in expanding woodlands, whereas in mature woodlands, competition leads to patch disaggregation. We compared the imprint of these processes on growth, demographic and spatial structure of expanding and mature J. thurifera woodlands. We selected plots where we geopositioned, aged and quantiﬁed the morphological characteristics of all trees. In the mature woodland, trees arranged in clumps and randomly in the expanding woodland. Competition negatively affected growth, was greater in the mature woodland and led to disaggregation of juvenile clumps. Differences in growth between the mature and the expanding woodland disappeared in climatically unfavourable years, suggesting that adverse climate constrains growth more in expanding than in mature woodlands. We suggest that change in the dispersal agents and a decrease of facilitation underlay differences in spatial patters between the expanding and the mature woodland. Observed effective recruitment in less than 30 years into the expanding woodland evidenced that propagule arrival and sapling survival do not constrain woodland expansion. Furthermore, growth of juveniles established in these new areas is favoured by reduced intraspeciﬁc competition. However, we expect growth in expanding woodlands to be negatively impacted by climate change. We conclude that under current global change scenario, conservation of J. thurifera woodlands is favoured by changes in land use, but greater frequency and severity of drier than usual episodes could hamper natural reforestation.
Keywords: Juniperus thurifera; Plant–plant interactions; Radial growth; Spatial pattern; Woodland expansion; Woodlandisation

Depolymerization and mineralization rates at 12 Mediterranean sites with varying soil N availability. A test for the Schimel and Bennett model - Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Gallardo, Antonio (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2011)
It has been suggested that the relative abundance of soil nitrogen forms should change along an N availability gradient. This model was originally described at a biome scale, and few studies have tested it at other scales. Moreover, none of them has examined whether changes in the relative rates of ammoniﬁcation, nitriﬁcation and depolymerization rates also occurs. Our goal was to test whether these N transformation rates change along an N availability gradient which is likely to exist between forest, shrubs and grasses. We used three N availability indexes (total K2SO4-extractable N, ion exchange membrane N and the sum of N mineralization and depolymerization rates). Depolymerization dominated over mineralization in the two poorest plant communities, while ammoniﬁcation and nitriﬁcation rates dominated in intermediate and nutrient rich plant communities respectively. These results conﬁrm that the Schimel and Bennett model can be applied at a regional scale, and that N availability may be modulating not only the dominant N form, but also the relative abundance of a particular N transformation rate.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Ammoniﬁcation rate; Nitriﬁcation rate; nitrogen cycle; soil ammonium; Soil DON; Soil nitrate

Déprédation des glands de chêne liège par les insectes et possibilités de germination et de croissance des semis - BOUCHAOUR-DJABEUR, Sabéha; BENABDELI, Khéloufi; Bejamaa, Mohamed Lahbib; Stiti, Boutheina (Geo-Eco-Trop, 2011)
Depredation of the acorns cork oak by the insects and its impact on the potential of germination and seedling growth were studied in a mountain cork oak forest in northwestern Algerian. The rate of pre-germinated acorns on the ground is higher than for other acorns. The weight is the most distinctive variable for all the acorns; whatever their condition and provenance, it varies significantly from 0.76 to 6.76 g. Regarding the damage to acorns, statistical tests show no significant difference in the length and weight, it is not very significant for the width.The infestation of acorns is independent of their size. The acorns attacked by beetles are clearly dominant (72%) compared with those attacked by moths (28%). 20% severely damaged acorns germinate and produce viable seedlings. But the germination rate decreases with the increase of injuries. Growth is strongly affected by the rate of damage to acorns. One therefore concludes that a major attack in the cotyledons certainly does not act on germination, but can affect the strength of the resulting plant and its survival.
Keywords: aspects of the acorns; Growth; infest by the insects; period of harvest; Quercus suber L.; resistance

Determination of potential sources of Quercus airborne pollen in Córdoba city (southern Spain) using back-trajectory analysis - Hernández-Ceballos, M. a.; García-Mozo, H.; Adame, J. a.; Domínguez-Vilches, E.; Bolívar, J. P.; De la Morena, B. a.; Pérez-Badía, R.; Galan, C.; la Morena, B a.; Pérez-Badía, R.; Galan, C. (Aerobiologia, 2011)
The northern area of Co´rdoba province (southern Spain) is characterised by a high spatial distribution of Quercus species. In Co´rdoba city, high airborne Quercus pollen counts are detected during spring despite the low presence of Quercus populations in the Guadalquivir Valley, where this city is located. This study sought to clarify and identify the potential origin of the different Quercus peaks detected in this city and chart the possible relationship between Quercus pollen curves and air-mass movements. For this purpose, an integrated study of daily and intra-diurnal Quercus pollen counts and back-trajectory analysis was performed over the March–June period of the years 2006–2008. The application of cluster techniques to back trajectory enabled the identiﬁcation of six different types of air-mass movement. As a function of frequency, two different air-mass groups were identi- ﬁed: the main group comprised Local, Slower Northwest and Mediterranean movements, characterised by higher frequencies; a second group consisting of North, Faster Northwest and Southwest trajectories occurred less frequently over the study period. Although a signiﬁcant correlation was observed between Quercus airborne pollen counts recorded in Co´rdoba city and the inﬂuence of the Mediterranean air-mass movements, the strongest positive correlation was found between North and Northwest air-mass movements and daily Quercus pollen counts. These results would conﬁrm both that the major Quercus pollen sources are located at different distances north of the city and a new pollen source is also located south of the province, beyond the Guadalquivir valley, related to the arrival of Mediterranean air masses. The northern source appears to be linked to regional transport and the southern source to long-range transport.
Keywords: HYSPLIT; Mediterranean; Oak pollen; Synoptic conditions; Transport

Development of a cellular biosensor for the detection of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) - Varelas, Vassileios; Sanvicens, Nuria; M-Pilar-Marco; Kintzios, Spiridon (Talanta, 2011)
2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) is a microbial metabolite formed from chlorophenols through the activity of several natural fungal strains present on the cork oak bark. TCA is the primary compound responsible for the mousty/mould off-odour known as “cork taint” present in cork stoppers, wine, water and alcoholic beverages. Chromatographic and electrochemical methods are currently used for the determination of TCA, however its detection at low concentrations remains a technical challenge. The aim of this study was the development of a rapid novel biosensor system based on the Bioelectric Recognition Assay (BERA). The sensor measured the electric response of cultured membrane-engineered fibroblast cells suspended in an alginate gel matrix due to the change of their membrane potential in the presence of the analyte. Membrane-engineered cells were prepared by osmotic insertion of 0.5 μg/l of specific TCA antibodies into the membrane of the cells. The BERA-based sensor was able to detect TCA in a few minutes (3–5 min) at extremely low concentrations (10−1 ppt), thus demonstrating higher sensitivity than the human sensory threshold. In addition, the assay was quite selective against other haloanisoles and halophenols structurally related to or co-occurring with TCA. Finally the sensor was tested against real white wine samples from cork soaks. At this real test, the BERA sensor was able to detect TCA from cork soaks rapidly (3–5 min) at very low concentrations (1.02–12 ng/l), covering the whole range for the detection threshold for wines (1.4–10 ng/l). Therefore, this novel biosensor offers new perspectives for ultra-rapid, ultra-sensitive and low-cost monitoring of TCA presence in cork and wine and possibly also other food commodities.
Keywords: 2 4 6-trichloroanisole (TCA); Bioelectric recognition assay (BERA); Cellular biosensor; Cork taint; Membrane-engineering

Differential field response of two Mediterranean tree species to inputs of sewage sludge at the seedling stage - Valdecantos, Alejandro; Cortina, Jordi; Vallejo, V Ramón (Ecological Engineering, 2011)
Land degradation and desertiﬁcation is a common feature in Mediterranean landscapes due to extensive and intensive land use and natural orman induced disturbances. The ecosystemmay need external inputs to recover its composition and function as soils are often impoverished and vegetal key stone species lost. We evaluated the effects of the application of fresh and air-dried biosolids in the establishment and morphological and physiological performance of seedlings of Pinus halepensis and Quercus ilex under dry Mediterranean ﬁeld conditions. Seedling survival was not affected by biosolid treatments in any of the studied species both two and ten years after planting. During the ﬁrst two years, growth was enhanced by the two biosolid treatments in relation to control, although the change in the biomass allocation pattern differed between species. Rooting depthwas signiﬁcantly enhanced by liquid biosolid in Q. ilex and marginally reduced in P. halepensis as well as the exploration of soil. As a consequence, root-to-shoot ratio reduced signiﬁcantly with dry and liquid sludge due to promoted aboveground growth whilemaintaining and even reducing belowground fractions.An improvement ofthe nutritional status, offertilized seedlings especially of phosphorus, is the explanation for the better ﬁeld performance. Vector analysis revealed an important phosphorus limitation for both species that was overcome with the application of liquid (both species) and air-dried biosolid (pine). The higher growth of pine seedlings attained in the liquid biosolid treatment was coupled with a signiﬁcant decrease in foliar 13 C, suggesting lower water use efﬁciency. The signiﬁcant increase in foliar 15 N in the biosolid treatments in both species suggested that a large proportion of the total nitrogen uptake came from the applied biosolids. Instead, with regard to the low biosolid application rate used in the study, treatments had an overall positive effect as a restoration tool by improving nutritional status and promoting growth of planted seedlings.
Keywords: Biomass allocation pattern; Biosolids; Foliar isotopic composition; Pinus halepensis; Quercus ilex; Restoration; Vector diagnose

Disentangling the relative importance of climate, size and competition on tree growth in Iberian forests: implications for forest management under global change - Gómez-Aparicio, LORENA; GARCÍA-VALDÉS, Raúl; Ruíz-Benito, PALOMA; Zavala, MIGUEL a (Global Change Biology, 2011)
Most large-scale multispecies studies of tree growth have been conducted in tropical and cool temperate forests, whereas Mediterranean water-limited ecosystems have received much less attention. This limits our understanding of how growth of coexisting tree species varies along environmental gradients in these forests, and the implications for species interactions and community assembly under current and future climatic conditions. Here, we quantify the absolute effect and relative importance of climate, tree size and competition as determinants of tree growth patterns in Iberian forests, and explore interspecific differences in the two components of competitive ability (competitive response and effect) along climatic and size gradients. Spatially explicit neighborhood models were developed to predict tree growth for the 15 most abundant Iberian tree species using permanent-plot data from the Spanish Second and Third National Forest Inventory (IFN). Our neighborhood analyses showed a climatic and size effect on tree growth, but also revealed that competition from neighbors has a comparatively much larger impact on growth in Iberian forests. Moreover, the sensitivity to competition (i.e. competitive response) of target trees varied markedly along climatic gradients causing significant rank reversals in species performance, particularly under xeric conditions. We also found compelling evidence for strong species-specific competitive effects in these forests. Altogether, these results constitute critical new information which not only furthers our understanding of important theoretical questions about the assembly of Mediterranean forests, but will also be of help in developing new guidelines for adapting forests in this climatic boundary to global change. If we consider the climatic gradients of this study as a surrogate for future climatic conditions, then we should expect absolute growth rates to decrease and sensitivity to competition to increase in most forests of the Iberian Peninsula (in all but the northern Atlantic forests), making these management considerations even more important in the future.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: 2 march 2011; climate change; competitive effect; competitive response; Forests; iberian peninsula; march 2011 and accepted; maximum likelihood; Mediterranean; Mediterranean forests; neighhorbood models; received 21 october 2010; revised version received 1; species rank reversals; tree coexistence

Dissolved Organic Nitrogen in Mediterranean Ecosystems - Delgado-Baquerizo, M.; Covelo, F.; Gallardo, A. (Pedosphere, 2011)
Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in soils has recently gained increasing interest because it may be both a direct N source for plants and the dominant available N form in nutrient-poor soils, however, its prevalence in Mediterranean ecosystems remains unclear. The aims of this study were to i) estimate soil DON in a wide set of Mediterranean ecosystems and compare this levels with those for other ecosystems; ii) describe temporal changes in DON and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) forms (NH+ 4 and NO− 3 ), and characterize spatial heterogeneity within plant communities; and iii) study the relative proportion of soil DON and DIN forms as a test of Schimel and Bennett’s hypothesis that the prevalence of diﬀerent N forms follows a gradient of nutrient availability. The study was carried out in eleven plant communities chosen to represent a wide spectrum of Mediterranean vegetation types, ranging from early to late successional status. DON concentrations in the studied Mediterranean plant communities (0–18.2 mg N kg−1 ) were consistently lower than those found in the literature for other ecosystems. We found high temporal and spatial variability in soil DON for all plant communities. As predicted by the Schimel and Bennett model for nutrient-poor ecosystems, DON dominance over ammonium and nitrate was observed for most plant communities in winter and spring soil samples. However, mineral-N dominated over DON in summer and autumn. Thus, soil water content may have an important eﬀect on DON versus mineral N dominance in Mediterranean ecosystems.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Soil Science Society of China
Keywords: dissolved inorganic nitrogen; nitrogen cycle; soil ammonium; soil N availability; soil nitrat

Do ecological and silvicultural factors influence acorn mass in Holm Oak (southwestern Spain)? - Alejano, R.; Vázquez-Piqué, J.; Carevic, F.; Fernández, M. (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
The effect of orientation, location, year, and pruning treatment on mean acorn mass in two open woodland experimental locations (Huelva, South-Western Spain) of Holm Oak (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota [Desf.] Samp.) was analyzed during 2001–2006. Data were analyzed by using a mixed linear model, where the covariates were tree size parameters (circumference at 80 cm height, crown size), topographic position (wet index and ﬂow length), intraspeciﬁc competition, total acorn crops per tree (weight and number), and climatic parameters. Average estimated acorn mass was 3.17 g acorn -1 in the Calan˜as location and 4.12 g acorn -1 in the San Bartolome´ location, with signiﬁcant differences between locations, among individual trees and across years. Acorns from the south sides of trees were signiﬁcantly heavier than those at other positions. The effect of pruning treatment and the interactions location 9 treatment and treatment 9 year were not signiﬁcant. Our study provides no evidence that pruning affects acorn mass. None of the analyzed covariates related to tree size, topographic position and intraspeciﬁc competition explained the difference among trees, suggesting that heritable factors play an important role. Speciﬁc climatic parameters during September, the most important month for acorn growth, may explain the effects of year and location 9 year on acorn mass. In addition, there appeared to be a ‘‘trade-off’’ between acorn mass and number of acorns.
Keywords: acorn production; Dehesa; Quercus ilex

Does shelter enhance early seedling survival in dry environments? A test with eight Mediterranean species - Padilla, Francisco M; Miranda, Juan de Dios; Ortega, Rafael; Hervás, Manuel; Sánchez, Joaquín; Pugnaire, Francisco I (Applied Vegetation Science, 2011)
Question: Do solid-walled polyethylene tubes and mesh fabric tubes improve the short-term survival of eight Mediterranean tree and shrub species often used in the restoration of arid environments? Location: We conducted two experimental plantations in degraded field sites in the province of Almería (SE Spain), under arid Mediterranean conditions. Methods: One-year-old seedlings of Ceratonia siliqua, Juniperus phoenicea, Olea europaea, Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster, Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex and Tetraclinis articulata were planted either sheltered by one of the above shelter tubes, or by being left unsheltered. Survival was recorded the first growing season after planting, which was a very dry season. Results: Overall, seedling survival ranged from as little as 0% to 24%, and tree shelters consistently enhanced survival in Quercus species only, ranging from 16% in walled shelters to 8% in mesh shelters. Shelters failed to boost survival in the six remaining species. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both walled and mesh shelters were mostly ineffective at increasing seedling survival for the Mediterranean species used in this experiment; these species coincide with those used in restoration programs. The use of shelters in restoration programs conducted in arid environments should be reconsidered, while walled shelters might be advisable for Mediterranean Quercus species only. Further research is necessary to develop and assess improved types of shelters for arid environments.
Keywords: Arid environments; Drought; Forest restoration; tree shelters; woody seedlings

The economic effects of common agricultural policy on Mediterranean montado/dehesa ecosystem - Fragoso, R; Marques, C; Lucas, M R; Martins, M B; Jorge, R (Journal of Policy Modeling, 2011)
The decoupling of CAP payments leads production decisions and resources allocation to be more dependent on market prices and competitive advantages. The objective of this paper is to assess the effects of CAP trends on the montado/dehesa traditional ecosystem of Mediterranean regions in terms of farm income, land, labour and capital. A positive mathematical supply model disaggregated by the montado agro-forestry production systems of the Alentejo region in southern Portugal is developed. The results show that decoupling payments of CAP have negative economic effects on agricultural activities and resource use. Agricultural income increases with single farm payments but the foreseen increases in prices do not compensate the loss of the Agenda 2000 area payments in terms of competitiveness. These results reinforce the need to promote alternative agricultural and non-agricultural activities and policies in Mediterranean rural European areas and regions.
Keywords: common agricultural policy; decoupling; Montado ecosystem; positive mathematical programming

Ectomycorrhizal communities in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem dominated by Quercus ilex: seasonal dynamics and response to drought in the surface organic horizon - Richard, Franck; Roy, Melanie; Shahin, Oula; Sthultz, Christopher; Duchemin, Myriam; Joffre, Richard; Selosse, Marc-André (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
• Introduction Millions of hectares of Quercus ilex forests dominate disturbed landscapes in the western part of the Mediterranean basin. Although these forests are very widespread, little is known about the composition and structure of their associated ectomycorrhizal fungal communities. • Results and discussion We examined seasonal patterns in ectomycorrhizal communities and their response to increased drought using a rainfall exclusion experiment established in a Q. ilex coppice since 2003. Ectomycorrhizae were sampled four times in 2007–2009. By sequencing fungal ITS, we identified 129 species in 1,147 sequenced ectomycorrhizal root tips. The fungal community in the surface organic horizon was well described by the logseries theoretical model, with 47.9% of singleton species. The composition of the community was strongly dominated by Basidiomycetes, with three families (Thelephoraceae, Russulaceae and Cortinariaceae) accounting for 72.9% of the root tips. Relative abundance of Russulaceae and Thelephoraceae showed pronounced seasonal shifts. Experimental reduction of rainfall resulted in significant shifts in community composition and seasonal fluctuations but had no effect on global richness of the community. • Conclusions Together, these results suggest that the predicted rainfall reduction in this region due to climate change will lead to shifts
Keywords: Drought; ectomycorrhizal communities; Global change; Mediterranean forests

Effect of different storage conditions in recalcitrant seeds of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) during germination - Pasquini, S; Braidot, E; Petrussa, E; Vianello, A (Seed Science and Technology, 2011)
The effect of three different storage treatments on holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) acorns was examined over a period of twelve months. Acorns from two seed lots were stored at 3°C with three different treatments: acorns mixed with peat inside a can with a pierced pipe through the middle, acorns mixed in moistened sand, or acorns inside polyethylene bags without medium. Samples were collected every two months and were analyzed for moisture content, germination and electrolyte leakage. Storage of acorns in polyethylene bags maintained the high seedling percentage usually observed after harvest in germination tests. The acorns stored mixed with peat or sand failed to maintain the germination vigour observed at harvest. Electrolyte leakage was significantly higher for acorns stored in peat rather than for the other two treatments. However, acorns stored in sand and in peat had a higher level of moisture content than those kept in polyethylene bags. These results suggest that storage of acorns from the recalcitrant holm oak in polyethylene bags could preserve the acorn germination over a longer period of time with respect to the usual methods.
Keywords: acorn storage conditions; electrolyte leakage; germination; Holm oak; Moisture content; recalcitrant seed (voyant)

Effect of Drying Temperatures on Starch-Related Functional and Thermal Properties of Acorn Flours - Correia, P R; Beirão-da-Costa, M L (Journal of Food Science, 2011)
Abstract: The application of starchy flours from different origins in food systems depends greatly on information about the chemical and functional properties of such food materials. Acorns are important forestry resources in the central and southern regions of Portugal. To preserve these fruits and to optimize their use, techniques like drying are needed. The effects of different drying temperatures on starch-related functional properties of acorn flours obtained from dried fruits of Quercus rotundifolia (QR) and Quercus suber (QS) were evaluated. Flours were characterized for amylose and resistant starch (RS) contents, swelling ability, and gelatinization properties. Drying temperature mainly affected amylose content and viscoamylographic properties. Amylograms of flours from fruits dried at 60 °C displayed higher consistency (2102 B.U. and 1560 B.U., respectively, for QR and QS). The transition temperatures and enthalpy were less affected by drying temperature, suggesting few modifications in starch structure during drying. QR flours presented different functional properties to those obtained from QS acorn flours. The effect of drying temperatures were more evident in QR.
Keywords: acorn flours; drying; Functional properties; starch; thermal analysis

Effect of elevated CO2 on carbon partitioning in young Quercus ilex L. during resprouting - Aranjuelo, Iker; Pintó-Marijuan, Marta; Avice, Jean Christophe; Fleck, Isabel (Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2011)
Stored carbon (C) represents a very important C pool with residence times of years to decades in tree organic matter. With the objective of understanding C assimilation, partitioning and remobilization in 2-year-old Quercus ilex L., those trees were exposed for 7 months to different [CO2] (elevated: 700 µmol mol−1; and ambient: 350 µmol mol−1 CO2). The 13C-isotopic composition of the ambient CO2 (ca. −12.8‰) was modified (to ca. −19.2‰) under the elevated CO2 conditions in order to analyze C allocation and partitioning before aerial biomass excision, and during the following regrowth (resprouting). Although after 7 months of growth under elevated [CO2], Q. ilex plants increased dry matter production, the absence of significant differences in photosynthetic activity suggests that such an increase was lower than expected. Nitrogen availability was not involved in photosynthetic acclimation. The removal of aboveground organs did not enable the balance between C availability and C requirements to be achieved. The isotopic characterization revealed that before the cutting, C partitioning to the stem (main C sink) prevented leaf C accumulation. During regrowth the roots were the organ with more of the labelled C. Furthermore, developing leaves had more C sink strength than shoots during this period. After the cutting, the amount of C delivered from the root to the development of aboveground organs exceeded the requirements of leaves, with the consequent carbohydrate accumulation. These findings demonstrate that, despite having a new C sink, the responsiveness of those resprouts under elevated [CO2] conditions will be strongly conditioned by the plant's capacity to use the extra C present in leaves through its allocation to other organs (roots) and processes (respiration). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Keywords: carbon allocation; Cutting; Elevated CO2; leaves; Photosynthetic activity (voyant); Regrowth; roots

Effect of supplementation with barley and calcium hydroxide on intake of Mediterranean shrubs by goats - Rogosic, Jozo; Saric, Tomislav; Herceg, Nevenko; Zjalic, Slaven; Stanic, Svjetlana; Skobic, Dragan (ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, 2011)
Maquis plant communities are one of the most varied vegetation types in the Mediterranean region and an important habitat for wild and domestic herbivores. Although the majority of these shrubs are nutritious, the secondary compounds are the main impediments that reduce their forage value. In five experiments, we determined the effect of supplementing the diets of goats with calcium hydroxide plus barley and with barley alone on their intake of five dominant shrubs (Quercus ilex, Erica multiflora, Arbutus unedo, Viburnum tinus and Pistacia lentiscus) of the Mediterranean maquis community. The combination of calcium hydroxide plus barley and barley alone increased the utilisation of Q. ilex, E. multiflora and P. lentiscus, while the intake of A. unedo and V. tinus was not statistically significantly different. Calcium hydroxide and barley (energy) enhance the use of secondary compound-containing plants, which may increase the production of alternate forages and create a more diverse mix of plant species in the Mediterranean maquis plant community.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: MEDITGROUP, VIA G BELLI, 4, PAVIA, 27100, ITALY publisher: PAGEPRESS PUBL
Keywords: barley; Calcium hydroxide; Food preference; Goat; Secondary compound

Effects of a low severity prescribed fire on water-soluble elements in ash from a cork oak (Quercus suber) forest located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. - Pereira, Paulo; Úbeda, Xavier; Martin, Deborah; Mataix-Solera, Jorge; Guerrero, César (Environmental research, 2011)
Wildfire is the major disturbance in Mediterranean forests. Prescribed fire can be an alternative to reduce the amount of fuel and hence decrease the wildfire risk. However the effects of prescribed fire must be studied, especially on ash properties, because ash is an important nutrient source for ecosystem recovery. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a low severity prescribed fire on water-soluble elements in ash including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), silica (SiO(2)) and total sulphur (TS). A prescribed fire was conducted in a cork oak (Quercus suber) (Q.S) forest located in the northeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Samples were collected from a flat plot of 40×70m mainly composed of Q.S and Quercus robur (Q.R) trees. In order to understand the effects of the prescribed fire on the soluble elements in ash, we conducted our data analysis on three data groups: all samples, only Q.S samples and only Q.R samples. All three sample groups exhibited a significant increase in pH, EC (p<0.001), water-soluble Ca, Mg, Na, SiO(2) and TS and a decrease in water-soluble Mn, Fe and Zn. Differences were identified between oak species for water-soluble K, Al and Fe. In Q.S samples we registered a significant increase in the first two elements p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively, and a non-significant impact in the third, at p<0.05. In Q.R data we identified a non-significant impact on water-soluble K and Al and a significant decrease in water-soluble Fe (p<0.05). These differences are probably due to vegetation characteristics and burn severity. The fire induced a higher variability in the ash soluble elements, especially in Q.S samples, that at some points burned with higher severity. The increase of pH, EC, Ca, Mg, Na and K will improve soil fertility, mainly in the study area where soils are acidic. The application of this low severity prescribed fire will improve soil nutrient status without causing soil degradation and thus is considered to be a good management strategy.
Keywords: Ash; iberian peninsula; Prescribed fire; Quercus robur; Quercus suber

Effects of lossy compression on remote sensing image classification of forest areas - Zabala, a; Pons, X. (International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 2011)
Lossy compression is being increasingly used in remote sensing; however, its effects on classiﬁcation have scarcely been studied. This paper studies the implications of JPEG (JPG) and JPEG 2000 (J2K) lossy compression for image classiﬁcation of forests in Mediterranean areas. Results explore the impact of the compression on the images themselves as well as on the obtained classiﬁcation. The results indicate that classiﬁcations made with previously compressed radiometrically corrected images and topoclimatic variables are not negatively affected by compression, even at quite high compression ratios. Indeed, JPG compression can be applied to images at a compression ratio (CR, ratio between the size of the original ﬁle and the size of the compressed ﬁle) of 10:1 or even 20:1 (for both JPG and J2K). Nevertheless, the fragmentation of the study area must be taken into account: in less fragmented zones, high CR are possible for both JPG and J2K, but in fragmented zones, JPG is not advisable, and when J2K is used, only a medium CR is recommended (3.33:1 to 5:1). Taking into account that J2K produces fewer artefacts at higher CR, the study not only contributes with optimum CR recommendations, but also found that the J2K compression standard (ISO 15444-1) is better than the JPG (ISO 10918-1) when applied to image classiﬁcation. Although J2K is computationally more expensive, this is no longer a critical issue with current computer technology.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Forestry management; Image classiﬁcation; Image compression; JPEG; JPEG 2000

Effects of soil management on structure and activity of denitrifying bacterial communities - Pastorelli, Roberta; Landi, Silvia; Trabelsi, Darine; Piccolo, Raimondo; Mengoni, Alessio; Bazzicalupo, Marco; Pagliai, Marcello (Applied Soil Ecology, 2011)
The inﬂux of carbon sources and energy into the grossly oligotrophic soil system is a major driving force in biogeochemical cycles. Differences in these inputs due to the ground-covering plants and agriculture practices, likely inﬂuence the activity of the microbial communities. Previously, we have shown that the extent and degree of active bacterial diversity in soils are clearly affected by the type of management. In the present study we have evaluated the effects of different soil managements (tilled vineyard, grass-covered vineyard, temporary grassland, pasture, cork oak forest) on the diversity and activity of denitrifying bacterial species. Total DNA and RNA were directly extracted from soil sampled in two different seasons, spring and autumn. Genes and transcripts for two nitrite reductases (nirS and nirK), nitric oxide reductases (qnorB) and nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) were used as PCR targets of denitrifying bacteria. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) results showed a high abundance and wide distribution of bacterial denitriﬁers in soil,while denitrifying gene expressionwas detected in fewspecies or groups of species. A distinct seasonal shift was evident in denitrifying active communities, that also showed a signiﬁcant variation depending on soil variables such as texture, pH and organic carbon. DGGE band sequence analysis revealed similarities between sequences found in our soil and those belonging mainly to and -Protebacteria division. However, several sequences were not related to any known denitrifying species. The applied RT-nested PCR approach has proven to have the potential to provide information on diversity of active denitrifying bacterial communities and on where and when these bacteria express their ability within the soil.
Keywords: Bacterial community; Denitriﬁcation; dgge; Managements; mRNA; Sardinia

Emission factors from residential combustion appliances burning Portuguese biomass fuels - Fernandes, A. P.; Alves, C. A.; Goncalves, C.; Tarelho, L.; Pio, C.; Schimdl, C.; Bauer, H. (Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2011)
Smoke from residential wood burning has been identified as a major contributor to air pollution, motivating detailed emission measurements under controlled conditions. A series of experiments were performed to compare the emission levels from two types of wood-stoves to those of fireplaces. Eight types of biomass were burned in the laboratory: wood from seven species of trees grown in the Portuguese forest (Pinus pinaster, Eucalyptus globulus, Quercus suber, Acacia longifolia, Quercus faginea, Olea europaea and Quercus ilex rotundifolia) and briquettes produced from forest biomass waste. Average emission factors were in the ranges 27.5-99.2 g CO kg-1, 552-1660 g CO2 kg-1, 0.66-1.34 g NO kg-1, and 0.82-4.94 g hydrocarbons kg-1 of biomass burned (dry basis). Average particle emission factors varied between 1.12 and 20.06 g kg-1 biomass burned (dry basis), with higher burn rates producing significantly less particle mass per kg wood burned than the low burn rates. Particle mass emission factors from wood-stoves were lower than those from the fireplace. The average emission factors for organic and elemental carbon were in the intervals 0.24-10.1 and 0.18-0.68 g kg-1 biomass burned (dry basis), respectively. The elemental carbon content of particles emitted from the energy-efficient "chimney type" logwood stove was substantially higher than in the conventional cast iron stove and fireplace, whereas the opposite was observed for the organic carbon fraction. Pinus pinaster, the only softwood species among all, was the biofuel with the lowest emissions of particles, CO, NO and hydrocarbons.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: The Royal Society of Chemistry
Keywords: Biomass combustion; Emission factors; Wood stove (voyant)

Environmental analysis of the production of natural cork stoppers in southern Europe (Catalonia – Spain) - Rives, Jesús; Fernandez-Rodriguez, Ivan; Rieradevall, Joan; Gabarrell, Xavier (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2011)
The wine industry has developed greatly over recent years, and it could be stated that what was once a traditional industry has become a very productive and technical sector. One aspect that has not been studied until now is the cork stopper, despite the fact that most wine bottles are sealed with this product, and practically all corks are produced in the Iberian Peninsula. This study presents the environmental analysis of the production of natural cork stoppers, using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The research was supported by data from four Catalan representative companies and all the stages involved in the production after the forest management have been taken into account. The purpose of this research was to provide reference data for the Catalan cork industrial sector (Northeast Spain), and also contribute to deciding which aspects of natural cork stopper production must be improved and further researched. Another objective of this research was to emphasise and demonstrate that LCA methodology could be an interesting tool for improving traditional industry, from a cleaner production perspective. Results could be used by other sector companies to analyse and compare themselves with in order to know if they could improve their production with the current available technology. Impact assessment results indicate that the manufacturing stage was the stage causing the greatest impact, but also an evaluation of the inﬂuence of the initial transport from the forest reveals that this stage could notably increase the impact when raw cork was moved from distant forests.
Keywords: Cork sector; Eco-efﬁciency; Ecomaterial; Environmental impact; LCA; LCI; Mediterranean; Stopper; wine

Ephemeral Wetland Vegetation in Mediterranean Heathland and Maquis Communities - Rudner, Michael (Wetlands, 2011)
Ephemeral wetland vegetation in shallow depressions in gaps of woody vegetation is less prominent than vernal pool vegetation and thus often disregarded despite its protection by EU habitat directive. Depending on the variability of precipitation in the Mediterranean zone, ephemeral species vary considerably from year to year. My study examined whether the occurrence of ephemeral wetland vegetation in Mediterranean heathland and maquis (shrubland) communities is associated with certain scrub types. I also investigated whether the cover of dwarf rush communities can be quantified by dependence on topographic parameters on a landscape scale. The study area, chosen as a typical heath-maquis example, lies in Southern Spain. I analyzed the vegetation complexes using classification by floristic similarity and indirect and direct ordination techniques. Habitat suitability modelling was made using generalized linear models. The results show that ephemeral wetland vegetation was associated with maquis communities dominated by Pistacia lentiscus. Atlantic heathlands did not co-occur with ephemeral wetlands. Ephemeral wetland species were rare in scrub communities on clayey soils. The cover of ephemeral wetland vegetation in shallow depressions could be well predicted with topographic variables at a 10 m×10 m resolution. The inclusion of soil moisture, a variable only available for the sampling sites, enhanced model predictions remarkably. Modelling of the cover of ephemeral wetlands is crucial for the consideration of these communities in conservation planning.
Keywords: correspondence analysis; generalized linear models; isoeto-nanojuncetea; spatially explicit prediction; vegetation complex

Equilibrium of vegetation and climate at the European rear edge. A reference for climate change planning in mountainous Mediterranean regions. - Ruiz-Labourdette, Diego; Martínez, Felipe; Martín-López, Berta; Montes, Carlos; Pineda, Francisco D (International journal of biometeorology, 2011)
Mediterranean mountains harbour some of Europe's highest floristic richness. This is accounted for largely by the mesoclimatic variety in these areas, along with the co-occurrence of a small area of Eurosiberian, Boreal and Mediterranean species, and those of Tertiary Subtropical origin. Throughout the twenty-first century, we are likely to witness a climate change-related modification of the biogeographic scenario in these mountains, and there is therefore a need for accurate climate regionalisations to serve as a reference of the abundance and distribution of species and communities, particularly those of a relictic nature. This paper presents an objective mapping method focussing on climate regions in a mountain range. The procedure was tested in the Cordillera Central Mountains of the Iberian Peninsula, in the western Mediterranean, one of the ranges occupying the largest area of the Mediterranean Basin. This regionalisation is based upon multivariate analyses and upon detailed cartography employing 27 climatic variables. We used spatial interpolation of data based on geographic information. We detected high climatic diversity in the mountain range studied. We identified 13 climatic regions, all of which form a varying mosaic throughout the annual temperature and rainfall cycle. This heterogeneity results from two geographically opposed gradients. The first one is the Mediterranean-Euro-Siberian variation of the mountain range. The second gradient involves the degree of oceanicity, which is negatively related to distance from the Atlantic Ocean. The existing correlation between the climatic regions detected and the flora existing therein enables the results to be situated within the projected trends of global warming, and their biogeographic and ecological consequences to be analysed.
Keywords: climate; Cordillera Central Mountains of the Iberian Penins; Geographic factors; Global warming; Mediterranean flora; Multivariate regression with climatic data

Erinea formation on Quercus ilex leaves: anatomical, physiological and chemical responses of leaf trichomes against mite attack. - Karioti, Anastasia; Tooulakou, Georgia; Bilia, Anna Rita; Psaras, George K.; Karabourniotis, George; Skaltsa, Helen (Phytochemistry, 2011)
Structures on the surfaces of leaves, such as dense layers of non-glandular trichomes, strongly affect phylloplane mite activities. On the other hand the feeding of eriophyoid mites on leaf surfaces can cause hyperplasia of leaf trichomes (erinea formation). In many cases the hyperplasia is accompanied by the accumulation of pigments within trichome cells, causing an impressive red-brown colouration of the erineum. There is no information, however, on the structure of these pigments as well as on the chemical alterations in the phenolic content of plant trichomes in response to mite attack. Erinea formation on the abaxial surface of Quercus ilex leaves upon Aceria ilicis (Acari: Eriophyoidea) attack provides an excellent model on this topic. Differences in the structure and chemical composition of isolated trichomes derived either from healthy (normal trichomes) or mite attacked (hypertrophic trichomes) leaves were examined. Carbon investment was comparable between the two different trichome types, but the cell walls of the hypertrophic trichomes appeared thinner and did not contain microcrystalline cellulose. Observations under the fluorescence microscope showed that the emitted fluorescence was different between the two trichome types, indicating a different composition in fluorescencing phenolic compounds. The chemical analyses confirmed that hypertrophic trichomes contained higher concentrations of the feeding deterrents proanthocyanidin B3 and catechin, as well as of quercetin-3-O-glucoside, but lower concentrations of acylated flavonoid glycosides, than the normal ones. The results showed that the structural and functional changes in leaf trichomes upon mite attack may be an effort of the leaf to compensate the damage caused by the pest.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd accession-num: 21131012
Keywords: Fagaceae; Leaf trichomes; Mites; phenolics; Quercus ilex

Establishing grazing and grazing-excluded patches increases plant and invertebrate diversity in a Mediterranean oak woodland - Bugalho, Miguel N; Lecomte, Xavier; Gonçalves, Merícia; Caldeira, Maria C; Branco, Manuela (Forest Ecology and Management, 2011)
Grazing is a global, dominant land use affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes. In Mediterranean ecosystems grazing is a major ecological and evolutionary driver but, surprisingly, there is little information on the use of grazing as a tool to manage biodiversity in these ecosystems. We conducted an experiment to assess if establishing grazing and small scale grazing-excluded areas would increase plant and invertebrate diversity in a Mediterranean evergreen oak woodland. Plant community traits were different between treatments. Biomass of herbs (176.7±18.3 gm−2 vs 100.4±10.6 gm−2) and litter (291.0±38.3 gm−2 vs 186.8±26.4 gm−2), as well as the total cover of legumes (0.83±0.05 vs 0.91±0.03) were higher, and the proportion of bare ground (0.83±0.05 vs 0.91±0.03) was lower, in ungrazed plots. There were no differences in the number of plant species between treatments. Some plant species and invertebrate taxa were recorded exclusively in grazed or ungrazed plots. Invertebrate detritivores and sap sucking insects were more abundant in ungrazed plots. Ant assemblages were functionally different between treatments: Honeydew-gatherer ants were associated with ungrazed and higher plant biomass plots, and seed-eaters as well as aggressive predator ant species were associated with grazed, open habitat, plots. Management practices that maintain grazing and small scale grazing-excluded areas can increase habitat heterogeneity and promote herbaceous plant and invertebrate diversity at the local level.
Keywords: Cork oak; Deer; Grazing management; Holm oak; Land-use; montados

European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) engineering effects promote plant heterogeneity in Mediterranean dehesa pastures - Gálvez-Bravo, L.; López-Pintor, A.; Rebollo, S.; Gómez-Sal, A. (Journal of Arid Environments, 2011)
Mammalian herbivores can have dramatic effects on the vegetation through different mechanisms, and may therefore modify resource distribution or create habitat for other species. Organisms that cause such changes are classiﬁed as ecosystem engineers. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a semifossorial mammal native to the Iberian Peninsula and a keystone species in Mediterranean foodwebs. Rabbits are central-place foragers, but few studies have analysed their ecosystem engineering effects in the vicinity of warrens. Here, we explored the role of rabbits as ecosystem engineers in Mediterranean pastures in central Spain. We studied the spatial patterns and internal heterogeneity in the vegetation community of different spatial subunits created by rabbits (warrens, the warren inﬂuence area, and latrines). Within the different subunits, rabbit activities gave rise to patches and gradients with different plant species richness, diversity and height, and a high internal heterogeneity (dissimilarity) in ﬂoristic composition. Through different mechanisms, they have a signiﬁcant effect on species coexistence and competitive interactions, and increase the number of available niches for plants which otherwise would not be able to establish. In conclusion, rabbits can act as allogenic ecosystem engineers in Mediterranean pastures, increasing heterogeneity and contributing to the high biodiversity of Mediterranean annual pastures.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Beta diversity; Biodiversity; Burrowing mammals; Floristic composition; latrines; Warrens

Evaluating the effects of climate change on tree species abundance and distribution in the Italian peninsula - Attorre, Fabio; Alfò, Marco; De Sanctis, Michele; Francesconi, Fabio; Valenti, Roberto; Vitale, Marcello; Bruno, Franco (Applied Vegetation Science, 2011)
Question: What is the effect of climate change on tree species abundance and distribution in the Italian peninsula? Location: Italian peninsula. Methods: Regression tree analysis, Random Forest, generalized additive model and geostatistical methods were compared to identify the best model for quantifying the effect of climate change on tree species distribution and abundance. Future potential species distribution, richness, local colonization, local extinction and species turnover were modelled according to two scenarios (A2 and B1) for 2050 and 2080. Results: Robust Random Forest proved to be the best statistical model to predict the potential distribution of tree species abundance. Climate change could lead to a shift in tree species distribution towards higher altitudes and a reduction of forest cover. Pinus sylvestris and Tilia cordata may be considered at risk of local extinction, while the other species could ﬁnd potential suitable areas at the cost of a rearrangement of forest community composition and increasing competition. Conclusions: Geographical and topographical regional characteristics can have a noticeable inﬂuence on the impact of predicted climate change on forest ecosystems within the Mediterranean basin. It would be highly beneﬁcial to create a standardized and harmonized European forest inventory in order to evaluate, at high resolution, the effect of climate change on forest ecosystems, identify regional differences and develop speciﬁc adaptive management strategies and plans.
Keywords: generalized additive model; geostatistical; geostatistical methods; italian peninsula; methods; random forest; regression tree analysis

Evolution of rDNA FISH patterns in the Fagaceae - Ribeiro, Teresa; Loureiro, João; Santos, Conceição; Morais-Cecílio, Leonor (Tree Genetics & Genomes, 2011)
The Fagaceae is one of the most important plant families in European forest ecosystems, and it includes several genera distributed in the Northern hemisphere. In this work we studied the genome organization and evolution within the family, by karyotyping and physically mapping rDNA in ten European and Asian species of the genera Fagus, Quercus, and Castanea. All of the species studied had a chromosome number of 2n=2x=24, except for the first report of a single individual of Quercus suber which proved to be triploid (2n=3x=36). The rDNA physical mapping revealed several patterns: the dominant one is present in European and Asian Quercus subgenus Quercus, and in Castanea sativa and Castanea crenata, consisting of two 18S–25S rDNA loci (one subterminal major and one pericentromeric minor) and one 5S rDNA pericentromeric locus. In Fagus sylvatica and in Quercus sessilifolia, different patterns were observed: four terminal 18S–25S rDNA loci and two 5S rDNA pericentromeric loci in the former, and five 18S–25S rDNA loci (three terminal and two intercalary) and one 5S rDNA pericentromeric locus in the latter. In Castanea mollissima a distinct rDNA distribution pattern with two intercalary 18S–25S rDNA loci and two 5S rDNA was found. These findings suggest rDNA loci restructuring during Castanea evolution, and variability of 18S–25S loci between Quercus and Cyclobalanopsis subgenera.
Keywords: Castanea; fagaceae karyotype; Fagus; Quercus; rDNA; triploid quercus suber

Factors affecting nutrient concentration and stoichiometry of forest trees in Catalonia (NE Spain) - Sardans, J.; Rivas-Ubach, A.; Penuelas, J. (Forest Ecology and Management, 2011)
Although some studies have observed signiﬁcant correlations between latitude and climate gradients and tree leaf nutrient concentration and stoichiometry, others have not. This study examined the nutrient concentrations of tree leaves in 3530 plots of the Catalonian Forest Inventory. Catalonia is a Mediterranean region located in NE Iberian Peninsula. It has a long land-use history and includes the large industrial-urban area of Barcelona but still contains a large forest area (42%). In the forests of Catalonia, leaf nutrient concentration increased and leaf C:nutrient ratios decreased from south to north, which paralleled the increase in MAP (mean annual precipitation) and the decrease in MAT (mean annual temperature), which was expected in a Mediterranean climate where the availability of water is the most limiting factor for plant nutrient uptake. In addition, the availability of water, which inﬂuences productivity, was associated with low leaf N:P content ratios, which is consistent with the Growth Rate Hypothesis. At a regional scale, the results support the Soil-Age Hypothesis because the youngest soils in the Pyrenees had the lowest leaf N:P ratios. Furthermore, the type of forest (evergreen, deciduous, or coniferous) explained some of the variation in leaf nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry. Nutrient concentrations were highest in deciduous trees and lowest in coniferous trees. Leaf nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry were mainly correlated with climate, but other factors such as the chemical properties of soil and rock, phylogenetics, and different ecological histories and anthropogenic factors such as pollution, had an effect.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: ecological stoichiometry; forest climate influence; mediterranean forest; Tree nutrient relationships

Fall fertilization of Holm oak affects N and P dynamics, root growth potential, and post-planting phenology and growth - Oliet, Juan a; Salazar, José M.; Villar, Rafael; Robredo, Eduardo; Valladares, Fernando (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
& Introduction For Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), a flush growing species, nutrient loading during the growing season is difficult and can lead to a low nutrient status of the seedlings. To provide insights about Holm oak nutrient dynamics during fall in the nursery and subsequent planting performance, a factorial nursery experiment was conducted in a mild fall–winter area testing the effects of timing of fertilization (early and late fall) and rate (two doses of a NPK fertilizer that applied 28 and 56 mg N per seedling), followed by an experimental plantation. & Results Biomass, allocation pattern, shoot N and K, and root K were unaffected by both rate and timing of fall fertilization. However, shoot P concentration of fall fertilized plants was significantly increased, and root P concentration was enhanced by applying fertilizer at either the highest rate or during early fall. This revealed a different nutrient dynamics during fall that was dependent on the specific nutrient and plant component. & Discussion Root growth potential was positively correlated to nursery root P concentration. Six months after planting, fall fertilized plants showed higher shoot biomass, higher proportion of new leaves, and faster development, producing leaves earlier compared with unfertilized plants. & Conclusion It is concluded that early fall fertilization promotes nutrient loading of P in Holm oak, with significant effects on root growth potential and field growth by means of a phenologically earlier development and a higher aboveground biomass
Keywords: late season fertilization; Nutrient loading; phosphorus; Quercus ilex; root growth potential

Fireplace and woodstove fine particle emissions from combustion of western Mediterranean wood types - Alves, Célia; Gonçalves, Cátia; Fernandes, Ana Patrícia; Tarelho, Luís; Pio, Casimiro (Atmospheric Research, 2011)
Wood from seven species of trees grown in the Portuguese forest (Pinus pinaster, Eucalyptus globulus, Quercus suber, Acacia longifolia, Quercus faginea, Olea europea and Quercus ilex rotundifolia), and briquettes produced from forest biomass waste were burned in a ﬁreplace and in a woodstove to determine the chemical composition of ﬁne particle (PM2.5) emissions. Samples were analysed for organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC), water soluble ions (Na+ , NH4 + , K+ , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cl− , NO3 − and SO4 2− ) and 67 elements. The PM2.5 emission factors (g kg−1 fuel burned, dry basis) were in the ranges 9.9–20.2 and 4.2–16.3, respectively, for the ﬁreplace and the woodstove. Organic carbon contributed to about 50% of the ﬁne particle mass in the emissions from every wood species studied in both burning appliances. The carbonaceous component of PM2.5 was dominated by organic carbon, accounting for more than 85% of the total carbon (TC): OC/TC ranged from 0.85 to 0.96 (avg. 0.92) for the ﬁreplace and from 0.86 to 0.97 (avg. 0.93) for the woodstove. The water-soluble ions accounted for 0.64 to 11.3% of the PM2.5 mass emitted from the ﬁreplace, whereas mass fractions between 0.53 and 13.6% were obtained for the woodstove. The golden wattle wood smoke showed a much higher ionic content than the emissions from the other wood types. Trace elements represented 0.4 to 2.5% and 0.2 to 2.2% of the PM2.5 mass emitted, respectively, from the ﬁreplace and the woodstove, which corresponded to average total emissions of 132± 77.3 mg kg−1 and 93.4± 60.8 mg kg−1 of wood burned. Among these, K, Pb, Al, Mn and Sr were present in all samples. From the emission proﬁles of the individual experiments, composite wood combustion proﬁles are suggested with the aid of a cluster analysis.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Biomass burning; Fireplace; metals; OC/EC; PM2.5; Water-soluble ions; Woodstove

Fire-vegetation interplay in a mosaic structure of Quercus suber woodlands and Mediterranean maquis under recurrent fires - Schaffhauser, a.; Curt, T; Tatoni, T (Forest Ecology and Management, 2011)
We examined the effects of ﬁre recurrence on a mosaic structure of Quercus suber and Erica-Cistus shrubland communities of Southeastern France in order to improve the understanding of ﬁre-vegetation interplay. Plant communities that were similar in 1959 (woodlands on shrublands called maquis on acidic soils) were compared along a gradient of ﬁre recurrence, from 0 to 4 ﬁres, with different time intervals between ﬁres. The results showed that understory cover increased roughly with ﬁre recurrence, whereas tree height, cover, density, stand basal area and litter depth decreased. Different ﬁre recurrences along the past decades led to different vegetation types. High ﬁre recurrence corresponded to maquis and sparse cork-oak woodlands while pure oak woodlands established in the absence of ﬁre during the same period. In all, the diversity of tree diameter decreased with ﬁre recurrence. High ﬁre recurrence (3 or 4 ﬁres in 50 years) led to a simple vertical structure of vegetation with a mono-layered shrub cover and few Quercus suber trees. In contrast, spatial connections between plants were maximal at longer time intervals, leading to a multi-layered vegetation. We ﬁnally discuss the potential implications of past ﬁres on the behavior of future ﬁres in the perspective of a sustainable management of these Mediterranean ecosystems.
Keywords: Acidic soils; Cork oak woodlands (Quercus suber L.); Fire recurrence; Maquis; Structural diversity

Folk phytotherapy of the Amalfi Coast (Campania, Southern Italy). - Savo, Valentina; Giulia, Caneva; Maria, Guarrera Paolo; David, Reedy (Journal of ethnopharmacology, 2011)
Ethnopharmacological relevance: In the Amalﬁ Coast, Campania (Southern Italy) a total number of 102 plant species are used for medicinal purposes, with a total of 276 different uses, among which, 183 are new for the area and 34 are new for Italy. Materials and methods: Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 214 inhabitants of the study area. Results: Folk phytotherapy is intended mainly as a mode of primary health care in order to heal minor illnesses, and especially disease related to the respiratory, urogenital, skeletal and gastrointestinal systems and skin problems. Among the new uses, interesting are those of Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. subsp. maritima against abdominal pains and in case of cold and coughs; of Calystegia sylvatica (Kit. in Schrad) Griseb as resolvent for pimples and of Santolina neapolitana Jourdan & Fourr., against cough. The knowledge of medicinal plants is mainly retained by middle aged housewives, even though, it is declining. Many remedies are shared in other Italian regions or Mediterranean countries, while some uses seem to be speciﬁc to the area. Conclusions: In the study area, the ethnobotanical medicinal knowledge seems to have many elements in common with other areas, but also many unique features. This rich tradition competes with modern ways of life: plants still play an important role in the health care practices, even if the related knowledge is disappearing.
Keywords: Amalﬁ Coast; Campania; Cultural connection; Folk remedies; southern italy

Forest vegetation on sacred sites of the Tangier Peninsula (NW Morocco) - discussed in a SW-Mediterranean context - Frosch, Birgit; Deil, Ulrich; Freiburg (Phytocoenologia, 2011)
Forest stands on sacred sites can document climax or preclimax vegetation. However, little is known about the potential climax character of sacred sites in Morocco. We studied the vegetation of Muslim sacred sites and graveyards in rural regions of the Tangier Peninsula in Northwest Morocco. Sacred sites were chosen according to a pre-stratified random sampling method, taking climatic and edaphic patterns into account. In tree stands of 68 sacred sites 140 phytosociological relevés were sampled and classified. In an attempt to evaluate their degree of preservation, the best preserved holy forests were compared with reference data of similar forest communities, recorded mainly on non-sacred sites in southern Spain and Portugal, and northern Morocco and Algeria. The forested vegetation of sacred sites shows a great variety. Abiotic factors, such as substrate and bioclimate, and human interventions (grazing, fire, a.o.) were found to be important differentiating factors. Besides well-conserved forests, a broad spectrum of degradation stages was documented. Most stands still shelter the original tree species combination, but vertical structure and floristic composition of the herb layer are strongly modified. Processes related to anthropo-zoogenic pressure, like therophytization, ruderalisation and overaging of the tree layer occur despite religious taboos. Near-natural holy forests belong to various subtypes of the Teucrio baetici-Quercetum suberis and the Rusco hypophylli-Quercetum cocciferae. In comparison to forests on non-sacred sites, these holy forests are very well preserved, as is indicated by the presence of strict forest species of the Quercetalia ilicis and the Querco-Oleion sylvestris, by transgressives of the Quercetalia pubescentis, and by a high constancy and abundance of ombro- and mesophilous taxa. Moreover, the comparison of phytosociological data from Morocco and Spain indicated an Ibero-Mauretanian distribution of several Quercus suber communities. In conclusion, sacred groves often seem to represent the potential natural vegetation. Exceptions are sacred groves with Wild Olive, which occur in an ecoregion where a thermomediterranean Quercus suber forest is considered to be the climax.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: Stuttgart publisher: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
Keywords: climax; degradation; Evergreen mediterranean forest; holy forest; maghreb; marabout; quercetea ilicis; sacred grove

Forty-four years of land use changes in a Sardinian cork oak agro-silvopastoral system: a qualitative analysis - Sedda, Luigi; Delogu, Giuseppe; Dettori, Sandro (The Open Forest Science Journal, 2011)
The island of Sardinia is the biggest producer of natural cork in Italy. In this study, cork oak cover change is investigated in a typical agro-silvopastoral system where the main activities are cereal fodder and wheat cultivation, sheep rearing and cork exploitation. The research method is based on the comparison of two land use maps produced by photo-interpretation of digitised aerial photographs taken in 1954 and 1998, combined with interviews with local farmers, field surveys, and data collected from literature, administrative documentation and decadal censuses (at council level). The results show that the cork oak woodland surface decreased (-29%). It was substituted by other forest, ploughed land, and mixed grassland and shrubland. Apart from the transformation of the cork oak woodland to other forest, other changes have happened probably because of an increase in agricultural and pastoral activities as described by the documental material available for the same area
Keywords: aerial photography classification; agro-forestry; Cork oak; forest cover; land use; multi-temporal analysis; Sardinia

Fungal fruitbodies and soil macrofauna as indicators of land use practices on soil biodiversity in Montado - Azul, Anabela Marisa; Mendes, Sara Margarida; Sousa, José Paulo; Freitas, Helena (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
The impacts of land use on soil biodiversity are still poorly understood, although soil fungi and macrofauna are recognized to provide beneÞts to ecosystems. Here, we tested whether land use practices used to control shrub density inßuences the fruiting macromycetes (ectomycorrhizal-forming fungiÑ ECMFÑand saprobes) and soil macrofauna diversity and abundance in Montado ecosystems. To address this inßuence, we conducted a 2-yearsÕ period monitoring of fungi fruitbodies and macrofauna in sixteen experimental plots in Montado landscape in southern Portugal. A total of 4,881 frutibodies (57 taxa of ECMF and 64 taxa of saprobic fungi) and 3,667 soil invertebrates (73 species and morphospecies) were monitored in the experimental plots. There was greater losses in sporocarps production and taxa composition, particularly the ECMF, in plots where shrub density was controlled by permanent grazing (Ca) or involving cutting practices followed by soil tillage (M), in comparison with cutting practices with no soil tillage (Cu) and the control (C). The ECMFLaccaria laccata and Xerocomus subtomentosus exhibited a close relation with C and Cu plots while the saprobes, e.g., Entoloma conferendum, were associated to Ca and M plots. Most species associated to Cu plots were present in C plots during the 2 years, but not in Cu after the cutting practices (in the second year of sampling). Regarding soil macrofauna, higher values of taxa and species richness were observed in C and Cu plots in the Þrst year of sampling. The ant species Aphaenogaster senilis and several Staphylinid morphospecies exhibited a close relation with M plots, whilst most spider families were directly associated to C and Cu plots. After the shrub cutting practices, higher values of taxa and species richness of soil macrofauna were observed in M and Ca plots; the presence of species with a high competitive ability to colonize disturbed areas faster might explain the results. Contrary to the frutibodies production and diversity, species richness and abundance within soil macrofauna were identical between Cu and C in 2004. Thus, fruiting macromycetes and soil macrofauna diversity and abundance in MontadoÕs, appear highly sensitive to land use and somewhat reßected a trend of severity to the current shrub management practices.
Keywords: Ecosystems monitoring; Fungal fruit-body; fungal fruit-body á soil; land use; macrofauna á; montado; Quercus suber L.; soil macrofauna

Gas exchange and JIP-test parameters of two Mediterranean maquis species are affected by sea spray and ozone interaction - Mereu, Simone; Gerosa, Giacomo; Marzuoli, Riccardo; Fusaro, Lina; Salvatori, Elisabetta; Finco, Angelo; Spano, Donatella; Manes, Fausto (Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2011)
Mediterranean maquis coastal ecosystems are subject to multiple oxidative stresses of both natural and anthropic origin, as sea spray, drought, high irradiance and ozone. In this article it is hypothesized that the interaction of ozone and sea spray is additive as a consequence of a higher reactive oxigen species accumulation. To test the hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in an Open Top Chambers facility where plants of Quercus ilex L. and Arbutus unedo L. were exposed to two levels of ozone and two levels of sea spray. The response of the species was evaluated by measurements of structural parameters (shoot growth and leaf biomass) and physiological parameters (leaf level gas exchange and chlorophyll a ﬂuorescence). The results contradict the hypothesis as the interaction of the two stresses is antagonistic on both species. The structure of both species was negatively affected by sea spray, however the two stresses combined allowed a higher growth and leaf area in A. unedo. The leaf level physiology of A. unedo was only moderately affected by the two stresses alone and in combined, while that of Q. ilex was altered to a further extent by sea spray and by its combination with ozone: photosynthesis and efﬁciency of the PSII was reduced by sea spray while the ratio of PSII to PSI was increased; the two stresses combined, instead, decreased the PSII to PSI ratio allowing for a higher photosynthesis. It is concluded that A. unedo is more resistant than Q. ilex to the two stresses alone and in combination, that ozone and sea spray interact antagonistically, and that the activity of PSI has a key role in the stress response
Keywords: Antagonistic interaction; dark respiration; JIP-test; OTC; Oxidative stress; PSI

Genetic divergence in Cork Oak based on cpDNA sequence data - Costa, Joana; Miguel, Célia; Almeida, Helena; Oliveira, Margarida M.; Matos, José a; Simões, Fernanda; Veloso, Manuela; Ricardo, Pinto C.; Paulo, Octávio S.; Batista, Dora (BMC Proceedings, 2011)
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: BMC Proceedings issue: Suppl 7
Keywords: Cork oak; cpDNA (voyant); genetic diversity; Populations

GENETIC STABILITY EVALUATION OF QUERCUS SUBER L . SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS BY RAPD ANALYSIS - Fernandes, Pedro; Costa, Armando; Rocha, Cristina; Santos, Conceição; Al, E. T. (Pakistan Journal of Botany, 2011)
A reliable protocol for adult Quercus suber L. somatic embryogenesis (SE) was developed recently. To evaluate the potential use of this protocol in cork oak forest breeding programs, it is essential to guarantee somatic embryos/emblings genetic stability. Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is currently used to assess somaclonal variation providing information on genetic variability of the micropropagation process. In this work, SE was induced from adult trees by growing leaf explants on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D and zeatin. Embling conversion took place on MS medium without growth regulators. DNA from donor tree, somatic embryos and emblings was used to assess genetic variability by RAPD fingerprinting. Fourteen primers produced 165 genetic loci with high quality and reproducibility. Despite somatic embryos originated some poor quality PCR-profiles, replicable and excellent fingerprints were obtained for both donor plant and embling. Results presented no differences among regenerated emblings and donor plant. Hence, the SE protocol used did not induce, up to moment, any genetic variability, confirming data previously obtained with other molecular/genetic techniques, supporting that this protocol may be used to provide true-to-type plants from important forestry species.
Keywords: genetic stability; Quercus suber (voyant); RAPD; Somatic embryogenesis

Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus, preys preferentially on spiders in multistratified dense habitats: a study of foraging bats in the Mediterranean - GOITI, U.; AIHARTZA, J.; GUIU, M. (Folia Zoologica, 2011)
In a Geoffroy’s bat Myotis emarginatus colony in central Iberia, we investigated the foraging behaviour of six lactating females by means of radio-tracking and the diet of 23 individuals by faecal analysis. The bats preferred to forage mainly in pine plantations, riparian woodland, and scrubland, whereas native dehesa (a loose semi-natural oak Quercus rotundifolia and Q. suber woodland) was not exploited as expected. By far the most important prey type for this bat in the Mediterranean were spiders. We conclude that Geoffroy’s bat prefers to forage in multistratified dense habitats, even if these include nonnative plantations. The vertical structuring and especially high cover, along with the combination of both parameters are important for this highly manoeuvrable, clutter-tolerant bat. This is valid even when the vertical component is much reduced as occurs in scrubland, in the first succession steps to woodland creation, and in degraded conditions. Under such circumstances, aerial weaving spiders might be detected and captured when lying in their webs. It is likely that dehesa is too loosely wooded to offer suitable characteristics for orb-weaving aerial spiders to build webs, and thus it may not be as attractive for M. emarginatus as more dense habitats.
Keywords: araneae; chiroptera; Dehesa; foraging; iberia

Geographical cluster and performance: The case of Iberian ham - Diez-Vial, Isabel (Food Policy, 2011)
This research examined whether ﬁrms that concentrate geographically perform better or worse than their more dispersed counterparts. While belonging to a cluster may have positive externalities for proximate ﬁrms, there can also be congestion economies that counterbalance these advantages. Having identiﬁed existing ham-producing establishments in the Iberian ham cluster, a sample of 265 ﬁrms was selected and it was conﬁrmed that as the number of neighbouring ﬁrms increases performance increases. Also, the proximity to larger ﬁrms in the same province beneﬁt smaller ﬁrms. This positive effect that geographical concentration has on performance is explained by access to valuable natural resources, workers, higher demand, knowledge spillovers, and lower transaction costs, which may help managers and policy-makers in their investment decisions, as well as contributing to the dearth of existing research and its contradictory nature.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Congestion costs; geographical concentration; Ham producers; Local externalities

Goat systems of Villuercas-Ibores area in SW Spain: Problems and perspectives of traditional farming systems - Gaspar, P.; Escribano, A. J.; Mesías, F. J.; Escribano, M.; Pulido, A. F. (Small Ruminant Research, 2011)
A study of dairy goat systems was carried out in the “Villuercas-Ibores” region, a mountainous area located in the south-west of the Iberian Peninsula (Cáceres, Spain). This territory is characterized by difﬁcult orography and a fairly harsh climate, and has low indices of income and population density. Goat production in the area has contributed notably to its economic and social development historically, but there has been a marked recession in goat-based activities in recent decades, leading to changes in the type and intensity of land use. The purpose of the study is to analyze the main characteristics of the current goat farming systems in a zone in which goat milk production is possible under a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) brand “Ibores Cheese”, and to establish a farm classiﬁcation that will allow groups of holdings with common characteristics to be identiﬁed, so that they can be compared and their performance evaluated. The data were obtained through direct interviews to goat farmers (n = 61) within the geographical area of the PDO “Ibores Cheese”. Speciﬁc information on management was collected, together with data on family characteristics, labour, livestock numbers, land use, installations, continuity, recent changes in farming, and the farmer’s opinions. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the relationships among the quantitative variables, then a two-step cluster analysis was applied using the factors obtained in the PCA and categorical variables. This resulted in a farm typology of three groups distinguished by their land use, goat breed, and PDO membership. The best management practices and productivity results were obtained by the farms furthest removed from the traditional systems. The ﬁrst group of farms is characterized by small size ﬂocks. Many of these farms do not belong to the PDO and therefore they have chosen breeds that are not allowed by the PDO regulations. Most of them are semi-intensive or intensive farms. The second group consist of extensive farms with large size ﬂocks of goats complemented with sheep farming and, occasionally, with beef cattle or Iberian pig. They have got technically suitable milking rooms, although the availability of other infrastructure is poor. Finally, the third group identiﬁed includes extensive farms whose goat ﬂock size is very similar to that of group 1, but in 70% of the cases they are mixed farms, mainly combining goat with sheep ﬂocks. Most of them are producing milk that is sold to ﬁrms producing PDO cheese. It is the group closest to the traditional farming system and the farms have small ﬂocks of low productivity per goat, raising autochthonous breeds and their crossbreeds.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Farm typology; goat systems; Management practices; multivariate analysis; PDO “Ibores Cheese”

The herb layer restoration potential of the soil seed bank in an overgrazed oak forest - Chaideftou, Evgenia; Thanos, Costas A.; Bergmeier, Erwin; Kallimanis, Athanasios S.; Dimopoulos, Panayotis (JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH-THESSALONIKI, 2011)
We investigated the potential contribution of the persistent soil seed bank in post-disturbance restoration of the herb layer in a long-term overgrazed, mixed oak forest (NW Greece). We examined the impacts of grazing on plant richness and density in the soil seed bank in regard to the different dispersal and life strategy types of the herb layer taxa. Soil seed bank was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed and contrasting plant guilds were defined according to life strategy type and dispersal mode. Soil seed bank differences between a) the upper and lower soil layers and b) plant functional guild pairs (ruderals vs. non ruderals, including typical forest taxa, and physically-vs. animal-dispersed plants) were statistically tested in overgrazed and sporadically grazed plots. Moreover, correlations in soil seed bank species dominance between overgrazed and sporadically grazed plots were examined by Spearman's Rank correlation. The majority of seeds were found in the upper (0-5 cm) soil layer. Seed density in the deeper (5-10 cm) soil layer was rather poor and did not differ significantly between overgrazed and sporadically grazed plots. In the upper soil layer, both seed density and plant species richness were significantly lower in the overgrazed plots. Overgrazing reduced both species richness and seed density of non-ruderal species in general and typical forest herbs in particular, while it did not affect ruderal species richness and density. Plant species richness and seed density of animal-dispersed taxa were reduced by overgrazing while physically-dispersed species were not affected; it is therefore concluded that large herds of grazers fenced in relatively small areas cannot act as efficient dispersal vectors of the former species. Our findings suggest that, upon cessation of grazing, the soil seed bank is rather inadequate to restore the herb layer of overgrazed forest sites.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: ADMIN BLDG, 6TH FLOOR, THESSALONIKI, GR-540 06, GREECE publisher: ARISTOTLE UNIV THESSALONIKI
Keywords: dispersal mode; Grazing; herb layer restoration; life strategy type; sub Mediterranean forest; Wood pasture

Herbaceous layer development during spring does not deplete soil nitrogen in the Portuguese montado - Otieno, D. O.; Mirzaei, H.; Hussain, M. Z.; Li, Y. L.; Schmidt, M. W. T.; Wartinger, M.; Jung, E.; Ribeiro, N.; Pereira, J. S.; Tenhunen, J. (Journal of Arid Environments, 2011)
Nitrogen (N) content in the soil and in the herbaceous biomass were monitored during spring of 2004e2006 to determine how the herbaceous layer development inﬂuences soil N availability in the montado ecosystem of southern Portugal. Highest (246.6 52.7 g m2 ) and lowest (123.2 89.5 g m2 ) peak biomass occurred in 2006 and 2005 respectively. Total soil N within the top 20 cm soil proﬁle ranged between 0.2 0.1% in February and 0.41 0.2% in May, while available soil N was lowest (5 2 mg g 1 soil) in February but increased three-to-ﬁve fold in March and was >17.5 mg g 1 soil at senescence in May. Signiﬁcant (p < 0.001) increase in total N in the aboveground pool occurred between February and May. There was however, no decay in soil N content. Instead, the herbaceous vegetation enhanced soil N input and N retention in the ecosystem. Most of the herbaceous plants were annuals with large reserves of organic N at senescence, which returned to the soil as detritus. The herbaceous vegetation is a critical component of the montado that contributes to N recharge and cycling within the ecosystem
Keywords: Biomass development of the herbaceous vegetation; Mediterranean ecosystems; pasture; Plant and soil nitrogen pools; Portuguese montado; Root distribution and nutrient uptake; Soil moisture

Historical review of land use changes in Portugal (before and after EU integration in 1986) and their implications for land degradation and conservation, with a focus on Centro and Alentejo regions - Jones, Nádia; de Graaff, Jan; Rodrigo, Isabel; Duarte, Filomena (Applied Geography, 2011)
Changes in land use and production systems are to a large extent responsible for land degradation. In Portugal this process has been triggered mainly by socioeconomic drivers, such as agricultural technology, demography and policy changes. In this article land use changes in Portugal are discussed in terms of their main drivers and impacts, focussing on land degradation and conservation. The discussion includes a brief outline of historical land use changes in Portugal and a more detailed account of the changes in the period after 1986, when Portugal joined the European Union. An assessment of recent (1986e2006) land use changes and their impact was conducted for two selected research areas in the Centro and Alentejo regions. This assessment was based on information from the CORINE Land Cover programme (1985 and 2006) and the National Agricultural Census (1989 and 1999). In the Centro research area the land under forest declined from 52% to only 22% of the area, mainly as a result of forest ﬁres. In the Alentejo research area the major change was the decline of miscellaneous shrub, declining from 23% to 11%, to open forest land, increasing as a result of afforestation measures from 1% to 22%. These land use changes resulted in a signiﬁcant increase of soil loss estimates through RUSLE. In the Centro research area soil losses greater than 10 t ha 1 yr 1 were estimated to occur in 57% of the area in 1990, increasing as a result of land use change to 64% in 2006. In the Alentejo research area this change was from 65% in 1990 to 72% in 2006. The research raises questions regarding land use management, in relation to the Common Agriculture Policy support during the 1986e2006 period. Despite the increase in forest and permanent grassland areas, soil loss rates remain very high in the two research areas.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Afforestation; Agri-environmental policy; History; Land degradation; Land-use changes; Portugal

Hydrological and erosive consequences of farmland abandonment in Europe, with special reference to the Mediterranean region – A review - García-Ruiz, José M.; Lana-Renault, Noemí (Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2011)
Farmland abandonment is a major problem in parts of Europe, particularly in mountain areas and semiarid environments. In such places, farmland abandonment represents a signiﬁcant land use change from cropping to a complex of plant successions. The present study assesses the hydromorphological effects of land abandonment in Europe, and the consequences thereof with respect to water resource availability and soil erosion. The evolution of abandoned ﬁelds depends on (i) the time of abandonment; (ii) climatic conditions in the abandoned area; (iii) particular characteristics of the ﬁelds; (iv) the land management regimen following abandonment; and, (v) the role played by government policy. Throughout most of Europe, vegetation on abandoned farmland has evolved into dense forest or shrub. The expansion of vegetation explains, in part, the perceived decline in water resources, reductions in soil loss and sediment delivery, and the progressive improvement of soil characteristics. Such evolution has resulted in changing stream morphology, featuring narrowing and incision, and a decline in sedimentation level in Mediterranean reservoirs. The abandonment of bench terrace ﬁelds coincided with an increase in the occurrence of small landslides in the steps between terraces, as well as changes in the spatial organization of saturated areas. Plant colonization is slower in semiarid areas, increasing the development of soil crusts that reduce inﬁltration and increase overland ﬂow. Land policies with detailed capability are necessary to remediate the consequences of farmland abandonment in various European environments.
Keywords: Bench terrace ﬁelds; EUROPE; farmland abandonment; Runoff generation; Semiarid areas; soil erosion

Impact of the Mediterranean Urban Environment on Photosynthetic Efficiency of Quercus ilex Leaves - De Nicola, Flavia; Alfani, Anna; D’Ambrosio, Nicola (Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2011)
Environmental constrains and anthropogenic changes can contribute simultaneously to the limitation of plant performance in Mediterranean urban areas. Photosynthetic efficiency of Quercus ilex L. leaves from the urban area of Naples was evaluated by comparison with leaves from remote site (Vesuvius National Park). The photosynthetic performance of leaves with different age (current year [CY], 1- [1Y] and 2-year old [2Y]) was assessed by measurements of gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment contents. The photosynthetic activity at the urban site was higher than that at the remote site for the CY leaves, while the opposite was observed for the 1Y and 2Y leaves. The growth of Q. ilex trees was mainly sustained by the CY leaves at the urban site, whereas at the remote site the photosynthetic activity was not affected by leaf ageing. In the urban environment, Q. ilex leaves strongly decreased the photosynthetic performance with leaf ageing as highlighted by leaf gas exchanges, although the photochemistry did not show any significant change. The mature leaves of urban site drove the reductive power deriving from the photochemistry more in nonassimilative processes rather than in carbon assimilative ones, avoiding a strong decrease of PSII photochemical efficiency
Keywords: chlorophyll fluorescence; environmental stress; leaf ageing; leaf gas exchange; photosynthetic pigments; urban; urban environmental stress

Impacts of drought at different time scales on forest growth across a wide climatic gradient in north-eastern Spain - Pasho, Edmond; Camarero, J. Julio; de Luis, Martín; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M. (Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2011)
We analyzed the impact of drought measured on different time-scales on radial growth of eight tree species during the period 1950–2005 growing across a wide climatic gradient encompassing semiarid Mediterranean woodlands and wet mountain forests in north-eastern Spain. A drought index (standardized precipitation index, SPI) at different time scales (1–48 months) was correlated with chronologies of ring width to determine the signiﬁcant time scale at which drought affected most tree growth. The ﬁndings indicated that the impact of drought on growth varied noticeably among species and sites. Two distinct patterns were clearly observed considering spatial and temporal differences in the response of species to drought. Species growing in xeric sites (Pinus and Quercus species and Juniperus thurifera) showed the highest responses to SPI time-scales of 9–11 months while those located in mesic sites (Abies alba, Pinus sylvestris) did respond more to SPI time scales shorter than 5 months. The SPI-growth correlations were signiﬁcant, although weak, up to 30 months in xeric sites while no consistent association was observed at higher time scales. Important seasonal differences were noticed in the SPI-growth associations. Species growing in xeric areas responded to spring-summer SPI while those distributed in mesic sites responded more to summer SPI. Our ﬁndings should be useful to understand forest responses to climate change, including an increasing frequency of severe droughts, and to adapt appropriate management strategies to mitigate the impact of drought on tree growth.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Dendrochronology; Drought; Forest growth; Impacts; NE Spain; Standardized precipitation index (SPI)

Increased drought reduces acorn production in Quercus ilex coppices: thinning mitigates this effect but only in the short term - Sánchez-Humanes, Belén; Espelta, Josep Maria (Forestry, 2011)
In order to explore the effects of climate change on Mediterranean regenerating forests, we experimentally assessed the effects of increased drought on the reproductive attributes of Quercus ilex over a 4-year period (2005–2008). We also investigated whether traditional thinning (selection of one to a few stems per stump) could mitigate the consequences of increased drought in oak coppices. Increased drought reduced the number of reproductive trees, mean number of female flowers produced and acorn crop size, although most of these effects appeared only in the last 2 years of the experiment. In a different way, thinning enhanced all reproductive attributes, but its main effects were transient and covered only 1 or 2 years after the application of the treatments. Our results indicate that a moderate reduction in rainfall (15 per cent) reduces the reproductive ability of Q. ilex. This may have long-term negative consequences for recruitment as well as for the fauna feeding on acorns. Although traditional thinning may mitigate the consequences of increased drought, it has a remarkably short-term effect. This highlights the need to re-examine traditional forestry practices as potential adaptive strategies for coping with climate change in Mediterranean regenerating forests.
10.1093/forestry/cpq04510.1093/forestry/cpq045
Keywords: acorn production; Drought; Mediterranean forest (voyant); Quercus ilex; thinning

Increasing Drought Sensitivity and Decline of Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica) in the Moroccan Middle Atlas Forests - Linares, Juan C; Taiqui, Lahcen; Julio Camarero, Jesus (FORESTS, 2011)
An understanding of the interactions between climate change and forest structure on tree growth are needed for decision making in forest conservation and management. In this paper, we investigated the relative contribution of tree features and stand structure on Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) radial growth in forests that have experienced heavy grazing and logging in the past. Dendrochronological methods were applied to quantify patterns in basal-area increment and drought sensitivity of Atlas cedar in the Middle Atlas, northern Morocco. We estimated the tree-to-tree competition intensity and quantified the structure in Atlas cedar stands with contrasting tree density, age, and decline symptoms. The relative contribution of tree age and size and stand structure to Atlas cedar growth decline was estimated by variance partitioning using partial-redundancy analyses. Recurrent drought events and temperature increases have been identified from local climate records since the 1970s. We detected consistent growth declines and increased drought sensitivity in Atlas cedar across all sites since the early 1980s. Specifically, we determined that previous growth rates and tree age were the strongest tree features, while Quercus rotundifolia basal area was the strongest stand structure measure related to Atlas cedar decline. As a result, we suggest that Atlas cedar forests that have experienced severe drought in combination with grazing and logging may be in the process of shifting dominance toward more drought-tolerant species such as Q. rotundifolia.
Keywords: basal area increment; Cedrus atlantica; climate change; Dendroecology; Drought; Forest structure; partial redundancy analysis

Indirect effects of tending ants on holm oak volatiles and acorn quality - Paris, Carolina I; Llusia, Joan; Penuelas, Josep (Plant signaling & behavior, 2011)
The indirect effect of ants on plants through their mutualism with honeydew-producing insects has been extensively investigated. Honeydew-producing insects that are tended by ants impose a cost on plant fitness and health by reducing seed production and/or plant growth. This cost is associated with sap intake and virus transmissions but may be overcompesated by tending ants if they deter or prey on hebivorous insects. The balance between cost and benefits depends on the tending ant species. In this study we report other indirect effects on plants of the mutualism between aphids and ants. We have found that two Lasius ant species, one native and the other invasive, may change the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the holm oak (Quercus ilex) blend when they tend the aphid Lachnus roboris. The aphid regulation of its feeding and honeydew production according to the ant demands was proposed as a plausible mechanism that triggers changes in VOCs. Additionally, we now report here that aphid feeding, which is located most of the time on acorns cap or petiole, significantly increased the relative content of linolenic acid in acorns from holm oak colonized by the invasive ant. This acid is involved in the response of plants to insect herbivory as a precursor or jasmonic acid. No effect was found on acorn production, germination or seedlings quality. These results suggest that tending-ants may trigger the physiological response of holm oaks involved in plant resistance toward aphid herbivory and this response is ant species dependant
Keywords: invasive ants; jasmonic acid; linolenic acid; monoterpene emissions; tended aphid

Influence of habitat fragments on bird assemblages in Cork Oak woodlands - Leal, Ana I.; Martins, Ricardo C.; Palmeirim, Jorge M.; Granadeiro, José P. (Bird Study, 2011)
Capsule Fragments of olive groves and riparian galleries have a positive influence on bird assemblages in Cork Oak woodlands. Aims Assess the impact of fragments of olive groves and riparian vegetation on the birds of the matrix of Cork Oak woodland. Methods Bird point counts at increasing distances (0, 50, 150, 250 and 350 m) from 15 olive groves and 13 sectors of riparian vegetation embedded in a matrix of Cork Oak woodland to determine species assemblages and species abundance. Results A total of 72 bird species were recorded during the spring, and 61 in winter. The diversity of the bird assemblages of the Cork Oak matrix was somewhat greater near fragments. The density of six out of the 17 most abundant bird species varied due to the presence of olive groves or riparian vegetation. Of those, five were more abundant near the fragments and only one was less abundant. These effects could be mostly predicted from the species' density in the fragments of olive groves and riparian vegetation and depended on the season. Conclusions In Mediterranean landscapes dominated by Cork Oak woodlands, the maintenance of the existing networks of olive grove fragments and riparian galleries has a positive effect on the bird assemblages of the woodland matrix. The increase in abundance of birds near olive groves and riparian galleries is probably due to the additional fruit resources provided by the fragments, especially in winter. We conclude that active maintenance of the existing fragments should be included in the management of this valuable agricultural?silvicultural?pastoral system.
doi: 10.1080/00063657.2011.576235doi: 10.1080/00063657.2011.576235The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: cork oak woodlands; fragments; matrix (voyant); riparian galleries; Species composition

The influence of local, landscape and spatial factors on the distribution of the Lusitanian and the Mediterranean pine voles in a Mediterranean landscape - Santos, Sara M; Mathias, Maria Da Luz; Mira, António P (Mammalian Biology - Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 2011)
This study evaluated the relative contributions of local and landscape factors, and of spatial structure on the regional distribution of both the Lusitanian (Microtus lusitanicus Gerbe, 1879) and Mediterranean pine voles (Microtus duodecimcostatus de Selys-Longchamps, 1839) over an area of 1613 km2 within a Mediterranean landscape in central Portugal. Three sets of explanatory variables (20 local, 23 landscape, and 6 spatial) were analysed independently by means of a generalized linear model, followed by a variance partitioning procedure. Variance in the distribution patterns of M. lusitanicus and M. duodecimcostatus largely was explained by ﬁne-scale environmental factors but spatial effects also were important, especially for the distribution of M. duodecimcostatus. The close proximity of verges and the high abundance of humidity and coarse sand in the soil were the most inﬂuencing local-scale factors for the presence of M. lusitanicus; meanwhile on a larger scale, the high abundance of linear habitats was the main landscape feature determining its occurrence. Regarding the presence of M. duodecimcostatus, the close proximity of verges, high tree canopy cover and herbaceous vegetation biomass were the most inﬂuential local explanatory variables for its occurrence, while the absence of shrubs in the surrounding habitat was the main factor regulating species presence at a landscape scale. Similarities identiﬁed between the two species primarily were related to descriptors of cover, food and burrows, while differences were related to opposing spatial trends and coarse-scale descriptors.
Keywords: microtus duodecimcostatus; microtus lusitanicus; scale; Spatial effects; variance partitioning

Instantaneous and historical temperature effects on α -pinene emissions in Pinus halepensis and Quercus ilex - Blanch, Josep-salvador; Llusia, Joan; Niinemets, Ülo; Noe, Steffen M.; Penuelas, Josep (Journal of Environmental Biology, 2011)
We compared the role of instantaneous temperature and temperature history in the determination of α-pinene emissions in Mediterranean conifer Pinus halepensis that stores monoterpenes in resin ducts, and in Mediterranean broad-leaved evergreen Quercus ilex that lacks such specialized storage structures. In both species, α-pinene emission rates (E) exhibited a significant exponential correlation with leaf temperature and the rates of photosynthetic electron transport (JCO 2 +O 2 ) started to decrease after an optimum at approximately 35 o C. However, there was a higher dependence of E on mean temperature of previous days than on mean temperature of current day for P. halepensis but not for Q. ilex. JCO 2 +O 2 showed a maximum relationship to mean temperature of previous 3 and 5 days for P. halepensis and Q. ilex respectively. We conclude that although the best correlation of emission rates were found for instantaneous foliar temperatures, the effect of accumulated previous temperature conditions should also be considered in models of monoterpene emission, especially for terpene storing species.
Keywords: acclimation; emission model; Pinus halepensis; previous climate effects; Quercus ilex

Integration of ground and satellite data to model Mediterranean forest processes - Chiesi, M.; Fibbi, L.; Genesio, L.; Gioli, B.; Magno, R.; Maselli, F.; Moriondo, M.; Vaccari, F. P. (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION, 2011)
The current work presents the testing of a modeling strategy that has been recently developed to simulate the gross and net carbon fluxes of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. The strategy is based on the use of a NDVI-driven parametric model, C-Fix, and of a biogeochemical model, BIOME-BGC, whose outputs are combined to simulate the behavior of forest ecosystems at different development stages. The performances of the modeling strategy are evaluated in three Italian study sites (San Rossore, Lecceto and Pianosa), where carbon fluxes are being measured through the eddy correlation technique. These sites are characterized by variable Mediterranean climates and are covered by different types of forest vegetation (pine wood, Holm oak forest and Macchia, respectively). The results of the tests indicate that the modeling strategy is generally capable of reproducing monthly GPP and NEE patterns in all three study sites. The highest accuracy is obtained in the most mature, homogenous pine wood of San Rossore, while the worst results are found in the Lecceto forest, where there are the most heterogeneous terrain, soil and vegetation conditions. The main error sources are identified in the inaccurate definition of the model inputs, particularly those regulating the site water budgets, which exert a strong control on forest productivity during the Mediterranean summer dry season. In general, the incorporation of NDVI-derived fAPAR estimates corrects for most of these errors and renders the forest flux simulations more stable and accurate. (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: BIOME-BGC; C-Fix; ET; GPP; mediterranean forest; NEE

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation Integration of ground and satellite data to model Mediterranean forest processes - Chiesi, M.; Fibbi, L.; Genesio, L.; Gioli, B.; Magno, R.; Maselli, F.; Moriondo, M.; Vaccari, F. P. (International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation, 2011)
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: mediterranean forest

Interspecific differences in sapling performance with respect to light and aridity gradients in Mediterranean pine–oak forests: implications for species coexistence - Zavala, MIGUEL a; Espelta, Josep M; Caspersen, John; Retana, Javier (Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2011)
The relative abundance of two codominant Mediterranean tree species, shade-tolerant Quercus ilex L. and shade-intolerant Pinus halepensis Mill., is inversely correlated along aridity gradients, but this pattern is not explained by seedling responses to water or light availability, suggesting that subsequent life history stages may explain forest composition. To test this hypothesis, we calibrated statistical models of sapling growth and height–diameter allometry as functions of light availability and climatic variation as well as models of sapling mortality as a function of growth history. Contrary to the expectation of a sun–shade growth trade-off, P. halepensis grew faster than Q. ilex saplings at both low and high light levels. Low precipitation and aridity suppressed sapling growth rates, but no evidence of a shade–drought growth trade-off was found either. Pinus halepensis sapling mortality was strongly growth dependent, exhibiting high mortality rates at low growth, but the mortality of Q. ilex saplings was not. Height–diameter allometric variation was higher in low- than in high-light environments and was more pronounced with respect to changes in light than climatic water. Our results suggest that interspecific differences in sapling mortality and plasticity, rather than growth, may control species distributions at the mesic end of the aridity gradient.
doi: 10.1139/x11-050
Keywords: growth (voyant); light; Pinus halepensis; Quercus ilex; sapling mortality; Water availability

Intraspecific variability of Pisolithus spp. as a response to changes in soil characteristics in a Moroccan cork oak plantation - Bakkali Yakhlef, Salah Eddine; Abourouh, Mohamed; Ducousso, Marc; Duponnois, Robin; Delaruelle, Christine; Mousain, Daniel (Mycology, 2011)
Soil characteristics may be an important factor in structuring fungal communities. We relate the above- and below-ground distribution of the ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) Pisolithus spp. to changes in soil chemistry in a Quercus suber plantation located in the Maâmora forest (Morocco). Intrageneric variability of 115 fruit bodies was studied, using morphological characterization, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Two Pisolithus spp. genotypes were identified: 97% of the fruit bodies represent Pisolithus arhizus; the remaining 3% correspond to Pisolithus species 4, as previously described by Martin et al. [New Phytologist 153 (2002) 345-357]. Multivariate analysis (PCA) showed that species structure was strongly correlated with soil characteristics. P. arhizus fruit bodies were frequently found in the Eastern part of the plot at low molasic clay, N and P contents, while Pisolithus species 4 were collected only in the Western part at the high molasic clay, N and P contents. To determine whether this change in fruit body structure was expressed at the belowground level, we used morphological and molecular techniques to characterize the Pisolithus ectomycorrhizas. Only ectomycorrhizas of P. arhizus were identified at the low P?N?molasic clay site and disappeared completely at the high P?N?red clay site, where no Pisolithus species 4 mycorrhizas were found. However, autocorrelation among soil parameters makes it difficult to isolate the effects of individual parameters. These results show the local-scale impact of natural spatial heterogeneity on an ectomycorrhizal fungal genus.
doi: 10.1080/21501203.2011.592155doi: 10.1080/21501203.2011.592155The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Taylor & Francis
Keywords: Cork oak; ITS sequencing; Morocco; Pisolithus; soil parameters

Kinetic and diffusive data from batch combustion of wood chars in fluidized bed - Rangel, N; Pinho, C (Biomass and Bioenergy, 2011)
In this work it is studied the combustion of batches of wood char particles in a shallow ﬂuidized bed at laboratory scale. Commercial and recarbonized chars from nut pine and cork oak parent woods were burned for bed temperatures of 600e750 C and particle sizes range of 1.8e3.6 mm. A combustion model based on the two-phase theory of ﬂuidization is presented to evaluate the global combustion resistance. Sherwood numbers and kinetic constants for the heterogeneous phase reaction are also assessed. Through the comparison among theoretical and experimental results, conclusions are drawn on the combustion mechanism as well as on the combustion controlling resistance. The Arrhenius law is proposed to predict the kinetic constants for the studied chars
Keywords: Experimental data; Fluidized bed combustion; Kinetic constant; Modeling; Wood char

Laboratory characterization of firebrands involved in spot fires - Ganteaume, Anne; Guijarro, Mercedes; Jappiot, Marielle; Hernando, Carmen; Lampin-Maillet, Corinne; Pérez-Gorostiaga, Pedro; Vega, José a (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
& Introduction Wildfires are considered the most important disturbance in the Mediterranean Basin, and some are propagated over long distances due to lift-off and ignition of firebrands. & Objectives To improve our knowledge of firebrands involved in spotting fires, flammability characteristics of eight types of firebrands commonly generated by wildfires in Southern Europe were determined under laboratory conditions. & Results All the firebrands tested showed 100% ignition frequency but with a wide range of time to ignition and flaming duration. Weight loss during combustion was exponentially related to time, and there was a decrease in the ratio of the weight at temperature T to the initial weight with increasing temperatures. In our experimental conditions, there was a significant effect of fuel moisture content on time to ignition, flaming duration, combustion and thermal decomposition. On the basis of the characteristics analysed, three firebrand groups have been identified in relation to spotting: heavy firebrands with ability to sustain flames, efficient for long-distance spotting (pine cones); light firebrands with high surface-to-volume ratio, efficient for short-distance spotting (leaves and thin barks); and light firebrands with low surface-to-volume ratio, efficient for short and, occasionally, long-distance spotting (all the other types of firebands).
Keywords: ember; Fire behaviour; firebrand; flammability parameters; Wildfire

Land use and topography influences on wildfire occurrence in northern Portugal - Carmo, Miguel; Moreira, Francisco; Casimiro, Pedro; Vaz, Pedro (Landscape and Urban Planning, 2011)
Understanding the spatial patterns of wildﬁre ignition and spread has important implications for landscape planning for reducing ﬁre hazard. In this paper we characterise the patterns of wildﬁre occurrence in 3 regions of northern Portugal, using selection ratio functions to evaluate the ﬁre proneness of different land cover and topographic categories. For attaining this objective we characterised 1382 wildﬁres larger than 5 ha, which occurred in the years 1990–1991, according to land cover (10 categories), slope (5 categories) and aspect (5 categories) within which they occurred. For each ﬁre, the use of the different land cover and topographic categories was compared with availability in a surrounding buffer. For land cover, ﬁre proneness was much higher in shrublands, whereas agricultural areas and agro-forestry systems where less likely to burn. In terms of slope, steep slopes were more prone to ﬁre. Differences in land cover in the different slope categories contributed to this result, although there was an overall slope effect on the ﬁre proneness of all land cover types. In terms of aspect, only ﬂat areas were less ﬁre prone. Finally, there were regional variations in land cover susceptibility to ﬁre, but these did not occur for slope or aspect. In terms of landscape planning these results suggest that the more effective fuel breaks should be implemented in areas with agricultural crops in ﬂat slopes
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Fire risk; Landscape management; Mediterranean; Selection patterns

A landscape analysis of land cover change in the Municipality of Rome (Italy): Spatio-temporal characteristics and ecological implications of land cover transitions from 1954 to 2001 - Frondoni, Raffaella; Mollo, Barbara; Capotorti, Giulia (Landscape and Urban Planning, 2011)
This paper presents a landscape analysis of land cover change in the Municipality of Rome from 1954 to 2001. The overall objective of the analysis is to characterise the temporal and spatial pattern of change and to explore its potential ecological impact. We used three original land cover layers and a set of landscape metrics to describe variations in composition and pattern of land cover types. We then built change trajectories for patches derived from the spatial intersection of land cover data. These trajectories were ecologically assessed using expert judgement and indicators of naturalness such as deviation from potential natural vegetation. The results revealed that approximately 62% of the study area maintained the same land cover type from 1954 to 2001 as a result of composition continuity at the patch level. Urbanisation was by far the most important change process and the main cause of fragmentation of agricultural land and loss of coastal habitats, which imply possible negative effects for biodiversity and ecological processes. However, the star-shaped pattern of urbanisation favoured natural vegetation dynamics, marked persistence of woodlands, and signiﬁcant stability of agricultural land in peripheral areas, with positive effects in terms of ecological connectivity and vegetation recovery potential. Despite the general nature of land cover data, the spatially explicit ecological assessment of transitions provides a reference layer that can effectively address territorial policies towards urban sustainability and that helps stratiﬁcation for areas requiring direct investigation of impacts
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: change trajectory analysis; Spatial pattern; Urbanisation

Landscape vulnerability to wildfires at the forest-agriculture interface: half-century patterns in Spain assessed through the SISPARES monitoring framework - Ortega, M.; Saura, S.; González-Avila, S.; Gómez-Sanz, V.; Elena-Rosselló, R. (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
Large-scale socioeconomic changes in recent decades have driven shifts in the structure of Spanish rural landscapes, particularly in those located at the forest-agriculture interface (FAI), as well as in their wildﬁre regime. Using data from more than 200 16 km 2 landscape plots in Spain surveyed between 1956 and 2008 through the SISPARES monitoring framework, we assessed the FAI vulnerability to wildﬁres and identiﬁed the main landscape structural factors related to an increased number of wildﬁre events. We found that the most vulnerable landscapes were those with high road density, high diversity of land uses and, most importantly, with ﬁne-grained forest-agriculture mixtures. Ignition frequency was lower in those landscapes where crops and woodlands coexisted but distributed in large and well-separated patches, and much lower where both land uses were combined within an integrated production and management system (‘‘dehesas’’). We discuss the geographical distribution patterns and temporal trends of the different FAI types during recent decades. We conclude that such approach is useful to forecast the mutual interactions between land use pattern changes and wildﬁre regime in the Mediterranean agroforestry mosaics. This would also provide an ecological base for developing a complementary, cost-effective and durable passive strategy of wildﬁre management targeted to modify the inherent FAI susceptibility to ignition events.
Keywords: agroforestry mosaics; landscape dynamics; spatial pattern vulnerability; structural fire risk; wildfire occurrence

Is land-use change a cause of loss of pedodiversity? The case of the Mazzarrone study area, Sicily - Lo Papa, Giuseppe; Palermo, Vanessa; Dazzi, Carmelo (Geomorphology, 2011)
Anthropogenic soils created ex novo by land-use change in large scale farming are, from a pedogenetic point of view, catastrophic events that bring the soils to time zero and change the natural pattern of the soilscape, remarkably, in some cases. The quantitative aspects of pedodiversity of a soilscape in South-East Sicily, where some types of soils, in recent decades, have suffered a consistent reduction due to the transformations by large scale farming, are considered. The evolution of pedodiversity over a 53-year period (1955 to 2008) is examined using a dedicated statistical method and a space–time model based on Markov analysis and cellular automata in order to predict the evolution of the soilscape pattern in the next 42 years (i.e. until 2050). Soil subgroups, using the USDA Soil Taxonomy and a classiﬁcation proposal, were considered and the following indices were used: richness; Shannon's diversity index; Simpson diversity index; modiﬁed Simpson's diversity index; Shannon's evenness index; Simpson's evenness index and modiﬁed Simpson's evenness index. These indices measured over time, show, quantitatively, a decrease in pedodiversity that highlights the effect of the human intervention in modifying the natural order of the soilscape.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Anthropogenic soils; Cellular automata; Markov analysis; Pedodiversity; Soil space–time modeling

Leaf CO2 efflux is attenuated by acclimation of respiration to heat and drought in a Mediterranean tree - Rodriguez-Calcerrada, Jesus; Jaeger, Carsten; Limousin, Jean M; Ourcival, Jean M; Joffre, Richard; Rambal, Serge (Functional Ecology, 2011)
* 1Understanding the effect of water deficit on plant respiration and its temperature sensitivity at long time-scales is important for anticipating the shift in ecosystem dynamics that is expected to occur as a result of climate change. * 2We investigated seasonal variations of leaf dark respiration and sensitivity to temperature in the upper and lower canopy of Quercus ilex trees in a forest stand that had been exposed to either 33% throughfall reduction or normal rainfall for the preceding 6 years. * 3For upper and lower canopy leaves, light-saturated photosynthesis and respiration at a reference temperature of 15 °C (R15) had the lowest values in late summer, when both traits were lower in trees subjected to throughfall reduction than in those subject to control conditions. Respiration acclimated to seasonal shifts in temperature, more intensively through summer than winter and in throughfall-exclusion than control trees. Foliar concentration of soluble sugars was positively correlated with R15 across seasons. * 4As leaf respiration decreased with increasing water deficit, and the relationship between water status and respiration did not differ between trees that had been exposed to 7 years of enhanced drought when compared with controls, we suggest that drier conditions projected for the Mediterranean may attenuate the stimulation of leaf respiratory CO2 release by global warming in Q. ilex forests.
Keywords: abiotic factor; canopy depth; Carbon; drought acclimation; mediterranean habitat; nonstructural carbohydrates; thermal acclimation; throughfall exclusion

Linking seed dispersal to cache protection strategies. - Muñoz, Alberto; Bonal, Raul (Journal of Ecology, 2011)
The spatial distribution of dispersed seeds results from the combined action of the caching strategies followed by different granivores. Hence, it is essential to study the factors that influence seed predation and caching decisions to achieve a better understanding of the dispersal process. In this study, we document how seed dispersal and the spatial patterns of natural recruitment are linked to the strategies used by granivores to protect their cached seeds from pilferage. We present a theoretical model showing that those strategies may convey benefits for both seed cachers and plants. We studied the relationships among seed production, seed predation/caching, cache pilferage and plant recruitment in a savanna-like landscape of oaks dispersed by scatter-hoarding rodents. Our results show that acorn-dispersing rodents were concentrated under the canopies of scattered oaks, where the theft of cached acorns increased by 77% as compared to that of the surrounding open landscape. Acorns were thus cached selectively in the open areas to reduce pilferage; in fact, none of the few seeds cached beneath tree canopies survived predation by granivores (pilferage + recovery). Meanwhile, some acorns cached in the surrounding open areas were neither pilfered nor recovered and then recruited successfully. Accordingly, natural recruitment of newly emerged seedlings was higher outside than under canopies, suggesting that rodent caching strategies have direct implications for the directed dispersal of oaks. Synthesis. The spatial patterns of seed dispersal shape the fitness of both the plant because they influence dispersal and recruitment efficiency, and the granivores that cache and predate its seeds because they influence their foraging efficiency. Cache protection strategies reduce pilferage significantly and enhance seed recovery rates by the cache owner. At the same time, more seeds remain dispersed and unrecovered. Thus, cache protection strategies can provide net benefits to the plant in terms of effective directed dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Keywords: directed dispersal; granivores; plant recruitment; Quercus ilex; savanna-like landscapes; seed caching; seed predation; seedling emergence; small rodents

Linking stochasticity to determinism of woody plant recruitment in a mosaic landscape: A spatially explicit approach - Quero, José L; Herrero, Asier; Zamora, Regino (Basic and Applied Ecology, 2011)
Here, we investigate small-scale spatial variation of environmental factors potentially inﬂuencing woody-plant establishment for 3 years (2004, 2005 and 2006) along a heterogeneous landscape. Environmental variables of over 2883 potential microsites were sampled in different landscape units with a spatially explicit design, and seeds of four tree species were sown at the different microsites. We used spatial-analysis techniques to quantify spatial heterogeneity of the environment surrounding the seeds, and to relate seedling and sapling survival to the spatial structure of environmental factors studied. Most environmental variables showed aggregated spatial patterns among landscape units. However, survival showed random spatial patterns in most of the cases, although it may depend on year-to-year variation of precipitation. Thus, spatial patterns of survival were random under both wet and dry conditions, while aggregated patterns emerged under intermediate conditions. Aggregated survival, if detected, was better explained by the environmental variables studied as plant age increased. In addition, the spatial consistency found across demographic stages, represents hotspots of recruitment, for which direct identiﬁcation would be critical for restoration activities. Our results showed a balance between stochasticity at early stages and environmental determinism at later stages, showing, behind the idiosyncratic character of plant recruitment, stronger general rules at sapling stages.
Keywords: environmental determinism; mediterranean mountain forest; microsite; recruitment hotspot; sadie; spatial heterogeneity; spatio-temporal plant dynamics; stochasticity

Litter decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems: Modelling the controlling role of climatic conditions and litter quality - Incerti, Guido; Bonanomi, Giuliano; Giannino, Francesco; Rutigliano, Flora Angela; Piermatteo, Daniela; Castaldi, Simona; De Marco, Anna; Fierro, Angelo; Fioretto, Antonietta; Maggi, Oriana; Papa, Stefania; Persiani, Anna Maria; et al. (Applied Soil Ecology, 2011)
A new process-based model of litter decomposition, characterized by detailed climatic data input and simple litter quality parameters, is proposed. Compared to existing litter carbon models, speciﬁc implementations for temperature and moisture limiting effects have been adopted. The model is capable to represent decomposition processes in Mediterranean ecosystems, with summer drought slowing down, even at optimal temperatures, the litter decay rates of sclerophyll plants whose leaf masses are rich in structural compounds and low in N content. The model was calibrated by a best ﬁtting procedure of two different datasets. First, unpublished results of litterbag experiments on leaf litter of 9 Mediterranean species, decomposing under controlled and not limiting temperature and water conditions, have been used to estimate the decay rate dependency from litter quality that was deﬁned by only three initial C pools (labile, stable and recalcitrant compounds) instead of traditional N-based indices. Second, a set of published data from three medium-term ﬁeld experiments on a single species, Phillyrea angustifolia, decomposing under different climatic conditions, have been used to estimate the limiting effects of temperature and moisture. The model was then validated against published data on seven other species and showed a correct reproduction ofthemajor patterns of littermass loss during decomposition processes of other seven different Mediterranean species. The model simulations, satisfactory for different litter types under a wide range of climatic conditions, suggest that factors which were not taken into account, such as initial litter N contents, microclimatic variations related to stand structure, soil chemistry and texture, and microbial communities, are not very signiﬁcant for assessing decomposition dynamics in Mediterranean ecosystems. The minimal requirements of input data, the simple structure, and the easiness of parameterisation make our model, among the many other available litter carbon models, an attractive alternative for different research purposes, at least for Mediterranean ecosystems.
Keywords: C model; C/N ratio; Initial C pools; process-based model; Semi-arid ecosystems; System dynamics

Litter diversity, fungal decomposers and litter decomposition under simulated stream intermittency - Bruder, Andreas; Chauvet, Eric; Gessner, Mark O. (Functional Ecology, 2011)
1. The drying of stream channels resulting from flow interruption is expected to increase as a consequence of climate change. Implications for aquatic organisms and processes are profound. We assessed whether riparian diversity can partially buffer against consequences of drying on fungal decomposers and leaf litter decomposition, an important ecosystem process. 2. Our central hypothesis was that during dry periods recalcitrant leaf litter with high water-holding capacity would extend the window of opportunity for microbial activity in less recalcitrant litter when both litter types are mixed, and that this would lead to a positive litter diversity effect on decomposition. To test for such interactive effects, we conducted a diversity experiment in a Mediterranean stream, in which alder and oak litter, and a mixture of both, was subjected to various drying regimes differing in intensity and timing. 3. Drying regime affected both fungal decomposers and the decomposition rate of alder litter. Effects were observed both immediately and 3 weeks after stream flow resumed. Small differences in the timing of the dry period influenced both decomposition rate and measures of fungal performance (i.e. biomass and sporulation activity). Litter mixing, in contrast, had no effect on either decomposition or fungal decomposers, although mixing increased moisture retention in alder litter as required for the mechanism hypothesized to lead to a diversity effect. 4. Given the contrasting traits of the litter types used in the experiment, our results imply that riparian tree diversity is unlikely to buffer against increased frequencies of stream flow disruption expected in the face of climate change. It appears, however, that the precise timing of dry periods and high-flow events will strongly influence the extent to which stream food webs can exploit the resources supplied by riparian vegetation in the form of leaf litter.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Keywords: aquatic hyphomycetes; biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; decomposition; Drought; litter diversity; litter traits; stream intermittency

Litter flammability in oak woodlands and shrublands of southeastern France - Curt, Thomas; Schaffhauser, Alice; Borgniet, Laurent; Dumas, Claire; Estève, Roland; Ganteaume, Anne; Jappiot, Marielle; Martin, Willy; N’Diaye, Aminata; Poilvet, Benjamin (Forest Ecology and Management, 2011)
Characterizing the ﬂammability of litter fuels is of major importance for assessing wildland ﬁre ignition hazard. Here we compared the ﬂammability of litter within a mosaic of Quercus suber (cork oak) woodlands and shrublands in a Mediterranean ﬁre-prone area (Maures massif, southeastern France) to test whether the characteristics and the ﬂammability of litter vary with the vegetation types. We tested experimentally the ignitability, the sustainability, the combustibility and the consumability of undisturbed (=non-reconstructed) litter samples with a point-source mode of ignition. Although the frequency of ignition was similar between all the vegetation types, we distinguished four groups having litter of speciﬁc composition and ﬂammability: low and sparse shrublands dominated by Cistus species, medium shrublands with cork oak, high Erica shrublands with sparse cork oak woodlands, and mixed mature oak woodlands with Q. suber, Q. ilex and Q. pubescens. As these vegetation types corresponded to a speciﬁc range of past ﬁre recurrence, we also tested the effect of the number of ﬁres and the time since the last ﬁre on litter ﬂammability. Litters of plots recurrently burned had low ability to propagate ﬂames and low ﬂame sustainability. We discuss how the recent ﬁre history can modify vegetation and litter ﬂammability, and thus the ﬁre ignition hazard.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Fire ignition hazard; flammability; litter; Point-source ignition; Quercus suber; Shrubland

Long-term consequences of mechanical fuel management for the conservation of Mediterranean forest herb communities - Porto, Miguel; Correia, Otilia; Beja, Pedro (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2011)
Mechanical clearing of understory vegetation is increasingly used in EuroMediterranean forests to reduce ﬁre hazard, yet its long-term consequences for biodiversity remain poorly understood. This study analysed the inﬂuence of time since understory management and management frequency, on herbaceous species richness, cover and composition, functional richness and composition, and richness and cover within functional groups (life and growth forms, dispersal strategy, clonality, and plant height), using a chronosequence of cork oak (Quercus suber) stands spanning about 70 years. Overall species richness was virtually constant over time, but the richness of species with annual life form and plasticity in height was much higher in recently and recurrently treated stands; the opposite was found for perennial (mainly hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes), tussock-forming and clonal species richness, and functional richness. Overall herbaceous cover and that of annual, semi-basal, non-clonal and plastic species (in height) were favoured by recent and recurrent fuel treatments; cover by perennial (hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes), short basal, tussock-forming, and clonal species tended to increase for[10–20 years after management, and declined with management frequency. There was a marked shift in species and functional composition associated with time since understory management and management frequency. These ﬁndings suggest that widespread fuel management at\10 year intervals may shift understory herb communities to early-successional stages, impairing the persistence of species and functional groups recovering slowly after disturbance. Fuel management needs to balance the dual goals of ﬁre hazard reduction and biodiversity conservation, retaining undisturbed patches in landscapes otherwise managed to reduce fuel accumulation.
Keywords: Disturbance ecology; Ecological succession; Forest management; Landscape mosaics; Mediterranean plant communities

Loss of water availability and stream biodiversity under land abandonment and climate change in a Mediterranean catchment (Olzinelles, NE Spain) - Otero, Iago; Boada, Martí; Badia, Anna; Pla, Eduard; Vayreda, Jordi; Sabaté, Santi; Gracia, Carles a.; Penuelas, Josep (Land Use Policy, 2011)
In the north rim of the Mediterranean region, where forest cover is increasing as a result of land abandonment and temperatures are rising as a result of climate change, there is increasing interest for the effects of such changes on the runoff of water courses. This is a paramount issue for the conservation of many freshwater habitats and species. In this work we studied the effects of both an increase in forest cover after depopulation and land abandonment and an increase in temperature on the runoff of a Mediterranean catchment and on the aquatic and semi-aquatic fauna species of the stream (Olzinelles valley, NE Spain). Although in our simulation no decreasing trend in runoff is detected, the monthly runoff-rainfall ratio is now 15% lower than 30 years ago, a fact that may be attributed to a drier period rather than to the small afforestation experienced by the catchment in the last decades. Other factors such as increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increasing canopy cover are discussed. The observed decrease in the water ﬂow has caused the disappearance of white-clawed crayﬁsh (Austropotamobius pallipes), Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis), chub (Squalius cephalus), European eel (Anguilla anguilla), and southern water vole (Arvicola sapidus). Our results suggest that in a progressively warmer climate, and especially after land abandonment processes, management of Mediterranean mountain areas should be oriented towards an appropriate distribution of agrarian and forest land-covers in terms of water availability. Down to the stream scale, the pools that keep water throughout the year should be conserved and extended to enhance its potential to maintain aquatic and semi-aquatic species populations
Keywords: Aquatic fauna; Land-cover change; Mediterranean catchment; Warming; Water courses

Main landscape metrics affecting abundance and diversity of game species in a semi-arid agroecosystem in the Mediterranean region - Belda, A.; Martinez-Perez, J. E.; Peiro, V.; Seva, E.; Argues, J. (SPANISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, 2011)
Hunting bags provide important information for conservation measures and wildlife management. This study is to assess relationships between landscape structure and game species. The community parameters (abundance, richness and diversity) and landscape/land use indices have been related, using GIS and statistical analysis, in the South-East of Spain (Marina Baja, Alicante). Game species richness (S) is determined by the presence of fruit groves (p = 0.001, R = 0.714) and landscape shape. The total density of species (TD) is influenced positively by fruit groves (p = 0.001, R = 0.783) and wooded shrublands (p = 0.002, R = 0.911), but is influenced negatively by urban areas (p < 0.001, R = 0.844). Small game communities correlate to irrigated fruit (p = 0.002, R = 0.754) and dry vineyard (p = 0.021, R = 0.839) and also with the diversity landscape index (p = 0.029, R = 0.708). Big game density is positively related to holm oak (p = 0.018, R = 0.812) and dense pine forests (p = 0.001, R = 0.849) and also with the total area landscape index (p = 0.011, R = 0.921). Population control species prefer irrigated fruit (p < 0.001, R = 0.775), fruit groves (p < 0.001, R = 0.857) and irrigated vineyard (p = 0.017, R = 0.833) land uses. Our conclusion is that most game species presents a positive relation with landscape structure, such as fractal dimension and shape index, and traditional agriculture based on irrigated and dry fruit crops.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: AUTOPISTA A-6, KM 7 5, MADRID, 28040, SPAIN publisher: SPANISH NATL INST AGRICULTURAL & FOOD RESEARCH & TECHNOLO
Keywords: game community; GIS; hunting bags; Mediterranean agrosystem; semi-arid climate

Mediterranean cork oak savannas require human use to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services - Bugalho, Miguel N.; Caldeira, Maria C.; Pereira, João S.; Aronson, James; Pausas, Juli G. (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2011)
Mediterranean cork oak savannas, which are found only in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa, are ecosystems of high socioeconomic and conservation value. Characterized by sparse tree cover and a diversity of understory vegetation – ranging from shrub formations to grasslands – that support high levels of biodiversity, these ecosystems require active management and use by humans to ensure their continued existence. The most important product of these savannas is cork, a non-timber forest product that is periodically harvested without requiring tree felling. Market devaluation of, and lower demand for, cork are causing a decline in management, or even abandonment, of southwestern Europe’s cork oak savannas. Subsequent shrub encroachment into the savanna’s grassland components reduces biodiversity and degrades the services provided by these ecosystems. In contrast, poverty-driven overuse is degrading cork oak savannas in northwestern Africa. “Payment for ecosystem services” schemes, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+) programs, could produce novel economic incentives to promote sustainable use and conservation of Mediterranean cork oak savanna ecosystems in both Europe and Africa.
Keywords: Biodiversity conservation; Carbon storage; Cork oak savannas; ecosystem services; Management practices; Quercus suber; Shrub encroachment (voyant)

The Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex and the semi-deciduous Cistus albidus differ in their leaf gas exchange regulation and acclimation to repeated drought and re-watering cycles - Galle, Alexander; Florez-Sarasa, Igor; Aououad, Hanan El; Flexas, Jaume (Journal of Experimental Botany, 2011)
Plants may exhibit some degree of acclimation after experiencing drought, but physiological adjustments to consecutive cycles of drought and re-watering (recovery) have scarcely been studied. The Mediterranean evergreen holm oak (Q. ilex) and the semi-deciduous rockrose (C. albidus) showed some degree of acclimation after the first of three drought cycles (S1, S2, and S3). For instance, during S2 and S3 both species retained higher relative leaf water contents than during S1, despite reaching similar leaf water potentials. However, both species showed remarkable differences in their photosynthetic acclimation to repeated drought cycles. Both species decreased photosynthesis to a similar extent during the three cycles (20–40% of control values). However, after S1 and S2, photosynthesis recovered only to 80% of control values in holm oak, due to persistently low stomatal (gs) and mesophyll (gm) conductances to CO2. Moreover, leaf intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE) was kept almost constant in this species during the entire experiment. By contrast, photosynthesis of rockrose recovered almost completely after each drought cycle (90–100% of control values), while the WUE was largely and permanently increased (by 50–150%, depending on the day) after S1. This was due to a regulation which consisted in keeping gs low (recovering to 50–60% of control values after re-watering) while maintaining a high gm (even exceeding control values during re-watering). While the mechanisms to achieve such particular regulation of water and CO2 diffusion in leaves are unknown, it clearly represents a unique acclimation feature of this species after a drought cycle, which allows it a much better performance during successive drought events. Thus, differences in the photosynthetic acclimation to repeated drought cycles can have important consequences on the relative fitness of different Mediterranean species or growth forms within the frame of climate change scenarios.
10.1093/jxb/err23310.1093/jxb/err233
Keywords: acclimation; drought–recovery cycles; mesophyll and stomatal conductance; osmotic adjustment; photosynthetic limitation analysis; water use efﬁciency

Mediterranean pine and oak distribution in southern Spain: Is there a mismatch between regeneration and adult distribution? - Urbieta, Itziar R; Garcia, Luis V; Zavala, MIGUEL a; Marañón, Teodoro (Journal of Vegetation Science, 2011)
Questions: What is the current distribution of pine and oak species along environmental gradients in southern Spain? Do pine and oak regeneration niches differ from the environmental niches of adults? Is oak species regeneration favoured under the canopy of pine forests? Location: Forest areas of Andalusia (∼87 600 km2, southern Spain). Methods: We compiled extensive forest inventory data to explore differences in abundance (basal area, m2 ha−1) patterns of adults (dbh >7.4 cm) and regeneration (dbh ≤7.4 cm) of five pine and five oak species. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and generalized linear models were applied to explore species–environment relationships along climatic, edaphic, topographic and fire-frequency gradients. Results: Both pines and oaks segregated along complex environmental gradients, with pines generally dominating in more severe (colder and drier) environments, while oaks dominated in milder, wetter winter areas. In 40-55% of mature pine stands there was a lack of regeneration in the understorey, while in two oak species (Q. suber and Q. canariensis) 70% of stands did not show regeneration. Pine recruits were found at a higher frequency and abundance under the canopy of their congeners, whereas some oaks (Q. ilex) had greater regeneration under mixed pine–oak canopies. Conclusions: Climatic limitations and soil properties partly explained the regional distribution of pines and oaks. We found evidence for an upward shift of Q. ilex recruits towards areas with colder conditions in pine forests, which could be explained by a possible facilitative effect of the pine canopy on seedling establishment.
Keywords: Distribution range; Holm oak; mediterranean forest; Niche expansion; Pinus spp.; Quercus spp.; regeneration dynamics

Method for evaluation of coarse cork oak root system by means of digital imaging - SUROVY, P; Ribeiro, N a.; BRASIL, F; Pereira, J S; OLIVEIRA, M R G (Agroforestry Systems, 2011)
Digital imaging is becoming a powerful tool for data storage and information retrieval. Image comparison and similarity evaluation has become part of the information market and it is today a common part of, for example, web search engines. The cork oak tree (Quercus suberL.), the dominant species of the ‘montado’ woodland system is, due to its cultural and socio-economic value, protected by law that prevents extensive destructive studies on an essential part of the tree—the root. Especially in the Mediterranean zone, where the water is the limiting growth factor, the root development studies are of signicant interest. In this work we present a method of using digital images for cork oak coarse root systems-evaluation by means of digital imaging. Acquired images of structural roots are processed automatically to prevent subjective decisions by the human observer. The performance of the method, its potential for semantic retrieval and similarity assessment is demonstrated, having as example eight young cork oak root systems, and critical issues for evaluation and conclusion-making, are discussed.
Keywords: coarse root system; Cork oak; digital image; image similarity

Microbial dynamics in Mediterranean Moder humus - Andreetta, Anna; Macci, Cristina; Ceccherini, Maria Teresa; Cecchini, Guia; Masciandaro, Graziana; Pietramellara, Giacomo; Carnicelli, Stefano (Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2011)
There is a growing interest in the links between humus forms and soil biota, and little is known about these links in Mediterranean ecosystems. Culture-independent techniques, such as DNA extraction followed by DGGE and enzyme activities, allowed us to compare microbial communities in two horizons of a forest soil in different seasonal conditions. Direct in situ lysis was applied for extraction of DNA from soil; intracellular DNAwas separated from extracellular and used to represent the composition of microflora. The aims were to describe how biochemical and microbiological parameters correlate with topsoil properties in typical Mediterranean Moder humus. Changes in bacterial and fungal community composition were evident from DGGE profiles. Degrees of similarity and clustering correlation coefficients showed that the seasonal conditions may affect the composition and activity of bacterial and fungal communities in the OH horizon, while in the E horizon the two communities were hardly modified. In the same season, OH and E horizons showed a different composition of bacterial and fungal communities and different enzyme activities, suggesting similar behaviour of eubacteria and fungi relatively to all the variables analysed. Evidently, different organic carbon content in soil horizons influenced microflora composition and microbial activities involved in the P and N cycles.
Keywords: activities; dgge; enzyme; humus; mediterranean forest soils; soil microbial communities

Modelling phytoclimatic versatility as a large scale indicator of adaptive capacity to climate change in forest ecosystems - García-López, Javier M.; Allué, Carmen (Ecological Modelling, 2011)
CLIMPAIR is a new phytoclimatic model, correlative and niche-based, which simultaneously assesses non-linear, non-statistical and dual measurements of proximity/potentiality of a site with respect to a number of climatic ranges of species, deﬁned by convex hulls, within a suitability space. This set of phytoclimatic distances makes it possible to evaluate the degree to which each species is suitable for that site. Considering not only the number of species compatible (expected species richness), but also all those compatible covers presenting a high level of suitability evenness and ﬁnally applying an indicator derived from Shannon’s classic entropy index to the set of standardized phytoclimatic coordinates in the suitability hyperspace, we can evaluate the phytoclimatic entropy which may be considered as a means of estimating the phytoclimatic versatility of the site. A site with high phytoclimatic entropy would promise versatile future behaviour, characterized by a wide range of possibilities of adaptation to climate change, and hence versatility can be used as an index of resilience and ability of a forest ecosystem to adapt to climate change. The model has been applied to peninsular Spain for 18 forest tree species and 12 climatic variables between the current mean climate (period 1951–1999) and a future climatic scenario (period 2040–2069). The results generally point to a signiﬁcant decrease in the versatility of forest tree formations in the area studied, which is not homogeneous owing to a dual altitudinal/latitudinal decoupling. The decrease in versatility is greater in Mediterranean biogeographical areas than in Euro-Siberian ones, where in some cases it actually increases. In altitudinal terms, areas at elevations of less than 1500 m tend to become less versatile than areas situated at higher elevations, where versatility increases partly as a result of enrichment of alpine conifer forests with broadleaf species.
Keywords: Adaptive capacity; climate change; resilience; suitability; Tree species diversity; Versatility; vulnerability

Modelling the influence of peri-urban trees in the air quality of Madrid region (Spain). - Alonso, Rocío; Vivanco, Marta G; González-Fernández, Ignacio; Bermejo, Victoria; Palomino, Inmaculada; Garrido, Juan Luis; Elvira, Susana; Salvador, Pedro; Artíñano, Begoña (Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 2011)
Tropospheric ozone (O(3)) is considered one of the most important air pollutants affecting human health. The role of peri-urban vegetation in modifying O(3) concentrations has been analyzed in the Madrid region (Spain) using the V200603par-rc1 version of the CHIMERE air quality model. The 3.7 version of the MM5 meteorological model was used to provide meteorological input data to the CHIMERE. The emissions were derived from the EMEP database for 2003. Land use data and the stomatal conductance model included in CHIMERE were modified according to the latest information available for the study area. Two cases were considered for the period April-September 2003: (1) actual land use and (2) a fictitious scenario where El Pardo peri-urban forest was converted to bare-soil. The results show that El Pardo forest constitutes a sink of O(3) since removing this green area increased O(3) levels over the modified area and over down-wind surrounding areas.
Keywords: Air Pollutants; Air Pollutants: analysis; Air Pollutants: metabolism; air pollution; Air pollution removal; Air Pollution: statistics & numerical data; Air quality models; Chemical; Cities; Dry deposition; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Monitoring: methods; Models; Ozone; Ozone: analysis; Ozone: metabolism; Spain; Trees; Trees: classification; Trees: metabolism; Trees: physiology; Urban forest

Morphological and chemical leaf composition of Mediterranean evergreen tree species according to leaf age - Mediavilla, Sonia; Escudero, Alfonso; González-Zurdo, Patricia; García-Ciudad, Antonia (Trees, 2011)
Changes in morphology [leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA), thickness and density] and chemical composition (macronutrients and ﬁbres content) in different age leaves of eight evergreen Mediterranean woody species were investigated. LMA and leaf thickness increased with leaf age increasing. Young tissues possessed higher concentrations of N, P, K, and Mg and lower Ca concentrations on a dry mass basis. However, mineral content was independent of age on leaf area basis (except for Ca content) suggesting that the changes in mineral concentration with leaf ageing are due to dilution in the larger dry mass accumulated in the oldest leaves. Leaf tissue density (LTD) increased during the ﬁrst year of the leaf life. Lignin and hemicellulose concentrations did not vary along leaf life and the cellulose concentration increased with leaf age in most species between the current-year and the one-year old leaves. Our results suggested that physical leaf reinforcement with a higher cellulose concentration and density might be a leaf response to the unfavourable climatic conditions during the ﬁrst winter.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Springer-Verlag
Keywords: Fibre concentration; Leaf age class; Leaf mass per area; leaf thickness; Leaf tissue density; Mineral content

The mountain woodlands of western Crete - plant communities, forest goods, grazing impact and conservation - Bauer, Eva-Maria; Bergmeier, Erwin (Phytocoenologia, 2011)
The aim of this study is to classify and describe plant communities of mountain woodlands in the western half of Crete and to relate their species composition to environmental factors with particular reference to grazing. From a total of 232 original phytosociological relevés we classifi ed eight plant communities (plus several subunits). The plant communities were assigned to associations of the class Quercetea ilicis, herein specifi cally to the alliances Erico-Quercion ilicis, Quercion calliprini and Aceri-Cupression sempervirentis. Correspondence analysis revealed a separation of the chiefl y calcifuge Quercus ilex and Q. pubescens associations with more favourable water supply from the woodlands dominated by Q. coccifera, Acer sempervirens, Cupressus sempervirens and Pinus brutia, growing on hard limestone under drier conditions. Species composition in the latter group of woodlands follows an altitudinal gradient, expressing favourable moisture and, on Plattenkalk, nutrient supply at higher elevations. An ecogram was drawn displaying the relative ecological range of each community along moisture and temperature gradients. Silvopastoral impact was different at species response level, and 'tolerators', 'indicators', and 'avoiders' of grazing may be distinguished. Floristic differentiation related to wood-pasture within given associations was not found, indicating high grazing pressure throughout the stands. In most wood-pastures, especially broadleaved (semi-)evergreen, stands are structurally unbalanced, lack tree rejuvenation and require periods of regeneration from browsing. To allow regeneration and monitoring, we advocate sets of sizable exclosures in different areas and elevations, representing all relevant associations.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: pub-location: Stuttgart publisher: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
Keywords: greece; mediterranean forest; quercetea ilicis; Silvopastoralism; sustainable development; wood-pasture

A multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approach to monitor landscape dynamics: a case study in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees (Spain) - Cohen, M.; Varga, D.; Vila, J.; Barrassaud, E. (The Geographical Journal, 2011)
A multi-scale and multi-disciplinary method was tested in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees in order to understand the relationship between landscape change, landscape processes, and ecological and social characteristics of landscapes. The three scales, and their corresponding methods, help us understand the processes of landscape change: on a general scale, a standardisation due to forest spread; on a detailed scale, a fragmentation of non-forest habitats; and on a local scale, the regeneration and scattering of woody species. Major landscape alterations have been observed through remotely sensed data. Closed forest area grew 140% at the expense of non-forest habitats such as pastures (–75%) and cultivated lands (–95%) during the past 50 years. Ecological metrics show a landscape standardisation (SHDI divided by 3) and a fragmentation of farmed landscapes. These changes, following a spatial pattern based on topography, explain the dynamic of the woody species in residual pastures, despite the persistence of cattle grazing as observed during ﬁeld surveys. Yet, the forest, which constitutes the matrix of landscape, is not stable because of competition between species. The landscape change is related to the decline of the population (divided by 4.5 during the past 50 years) and the agricultural activities (number of farms divided by 2 or 3 during the past 20 years), and the favourable mild climate. The sustainable development of this territory should make the objectives of conservation, biodiversity and landscape protection and the preservation of their Mediterranean features compatible, and support agricultural activities that will contribute to this biological diversity and cultural identity
Keywords: integrated methodology; Land abandonment; landscape change; mediterranean mountain landscapes; sustainable development

Multispectral and LiDAR data fusion for fuel type mapping using Support Vector Machine and decision rules - García, Mariano; Riaño, David; Chuvieco, Emilio; Salas, Javier; Danson, F. Mark; García, Mariano; Riaño, David; Chuvieco, Emilio; Salas, Javier; Danson, F. Mark (REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, 2011)
This paper presents a method for mapping fuel types using LiDAR and multispectral data. A two-phase classification method is proposed to discriminate the fuel classes of the Prometheus classification system, which is adapted to the ecological characteristics of the European Mediterranean basin. The first step mapped the main fuel groups, namely grass, shrub and tree, as well as non-fuel classes. This phase was carried out using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification combining LiDAR and multispectral data. The overall accuracy of this classification was 92.8% with a kappa coefficient of 0.9. The second phase of the proposed method focused on discriminating additional fuel categories based on vertical information provided by the LiDAR measurements. Decision rules were applied to the output of the SVM classification based on the mean height of LiDAR returns and the vertical distribution of fuels, described by the relative LiDAR point density in different height intervals. The final fuel type classification yielded an overall accuracy of 88.24% with a kappa coefficient of 0.86. Some confusion was observed between fuel types 7 (dense tree cover presenting vertical continuity with understory vegetation) and 5 (trees with less than 30% of shrub cover) in some areas covered by Holm oak, which showed low LiDAR pulses penetration so that the understory vegetation was not correctly sampled. (C) 2011 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: Data fusion; Decision rules; Fuel types; LiDAR; Prometheus Classification System; Support Vector Machine

Mycobiota associated with Platypus cylindrus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Platypodidae) in cork oak stands of North West Algeria, Africa - Belhoucine, Latifa; Bouhraoua, Rachid T; Meijer, Martin; Houbraken, Jos; Harrak, M Jamal; Samson, Robert A; Equihua-Martinez, Armando; PUJADE-VILLAR, JULI (AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH, 2011)
Platypus cylindrus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Platypodidae) is an important insect pest of the cork oak. These beetles maintain symbiotic relationships with many fungi that serve especially as food for the adults and larvae but also intervene in the mechanisms of establishment of the insect by further weakening the host-tree. 270 samples were taken by 3 sources: Galleries (30), mycangia and intestinal contents of male and female insects and intestinal contents of mature larvae (60 each). The results show the presence of 42 species of ambrosia fungi among which 17 are new to this association. The mycetophagy of these beetles is very rich and consisted essentially of Ophiostomatales. Other groups of fungi playing different roles were also isolated: entomopathogenic, antagonistic, saprophytic but especially pathogenic for the tree host. This group consists of many species and their dissemination by the insect and the inoculation in trees may have fatal consequences by accelerating the cycle of declining affected trees. In the present paper, we discuss the fungal species associated to the beetle, identified on the basis of phenotypic characters and ribosomal DNA sequences analysis, and their relationship with P. cylindrus.
Keywords: Ambrosia fungi; Forest of M'sila (Oran-Algeria); Platypus cylindrus; Quercus suber

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science - Coelho, Ana Cristina; Ebadzad, Ghazal; Cravador, Alfredo (Fifth Meeting of the IUFRO Working Party S07-02-09, Phytophthora Diseases in Forests and Natural Ecosystems, 2011)
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: periodical: Fifth Meeting of the IUFRO Working Party S07-02-09, Phytophthora Diseases in Forests and Natural Ecosystems pub-location: Auckland and Rotorua, New Zealand
Keywords: cdna-aflp; defense-response pathways; oak/oomycete interaction; pathogenesis related proteins; phytophthora cinnamomi; Quercus suber

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) uptake by vegetation controlled by atmospheric concentrations and plant stomatal aperture - Chaparro-Suarez, I. G.; Meixner, F. X.; Kesselmeier, J. (Atmospheric Environment, 2011)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exchange between the atmosphere and ﬁve European tree species was investigated in the laboratory using a dynamic branch enclosure system (consisting of two cuvettes) and a highly speciﬁc NO2 analyzer. NO2 measurements were performed with a sensitive gas phase chemiluminescence NO detector combined with a NO2 speciﬁc (photolytic) converter, both from Eco-Physics (Switzerland). This highly speciﬁc detection system excluded bias from other nitrogen compounds. Investigations were performed at two light intensities (Photosynthetic Active Radiation, PAR, 450 and 900 mmol m2 s 1 ) and NO2 concentrations between 0 and 5 ppb. Ambient parameters (air temperature and relative humidity) were held constant. The data showed dominant NO2 uptake by the respective tree species under all conditions. The results did not conﬁrm the existence of a compensation point within a 95% conﬁdence level, though we cannot completely exclude emission of NO2 under very low atmospheric concentrations. Induced stomatal stricture, or total closure, by changing light conditions, as well as by application of the plant hormone ABA (Abscisic Acid) caused a corresponding decrease of NO2 uptake. No loss of NO2 to plant surfaces was observed under stomatal closure and species dependent differences in uptake rates could be clearly related to stomatal behavior
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Deposition; Gas exchange; Nitrogen dioxide; Stomatal uptake; Vegetation

Non-additive effects of litter mixtures on decomposition of leaf litters in a Mediterranean maquis - Marco, Anna; Meola, Angela; Maisto, Giulia; Giordano, Maria; Virzo De Santo, Amalia (Plant and Soil, 2011)
Many studies across a range of ecosystems have shown that decomposition in mixed litter is not predictable from single-species results due to synergistic or antagonistic interactions. Some studies also reveal that species composition and relative abundance may be more important than just richness in driving non-additive effects. Most studies on litter decomposition in Mediterranean maquis, an highdiversity shrubby ecosystem, have dealt exclusively with single species. In this study we investigated, at the individual-litter level, as well as at the littermixture level, the effect of litter mixing on decomposition of 3-species litter assemblages with different relative abundance of the component litters; we set up two types of litter assemblages that reflected the heterogeneity of bush cover in the inner maquis and at the edge maquis/gaps, as related to the leaf traits, i.e. sclerophylly vs mesophylly. We measured mass loss, decay of lignin, cellulose and ADSS (acid detergent soluble substances) and fungal mycelium ingrowth. The results show that over a 403-day incubation period, the decomposition of individual litters in mixtures deviated from that of monospecific litters and had different directions. In litter mixtures of the sclerophylls Phillyrea angustifolia and Pistacea lentiscus with the mesophyll Cistus, decomposition was lower than expected (antagonistic effect); in the mixtures of litters with similar physical structure (Ph. angustifolia and P. lentiscus with Quercus ilex) decomposition was faster than expected (synergistic effect). When considering the different decomposition phases, both negative and positive effects occurred in Quercus mixtures depending on the phase of decomposition. In both types of 3-species litter assemblages the greatest effect occurred in uneven mixtures rather than in even mixtures. Our results show that species composition drives the direction whilst the decomposability and the relative abundance drive the magnitude of non-additive effects of litter mixing on decomposition.
Keywords: decomposition phases; fungal mycelium; individual litter in mixture; litter evenness; monospecific litter; sclerophylls vs mesophylls

Non-Destructive Measurement of Water Diffusion in Natural Cork Enclosures Using Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging - Teti, Anthony J; Rodriguez, David E; Federici, John F; Brisson, Caroline (Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 2011)
Terahertz (THz) imaging enables non-destructive evaluation of many materials’ internal structures which could not be probed by visual analysis alone. In this paper, we apply THz imaging to non-destructively probe and image the diffusion of water through natural cork samples. The temporal and spatial distribution of water is analyzed as it diffuses throughout the cork structure. An average diffusion coefficient comparable to previous work in the field is extracted from this analysis. Data is also presented to show that the diffusion coefficient is not uniform throughout the cork but changes dramatically due to the local structure and composition of the cork.
Keywords: Cork; diffusion; non-destructive evaluation; terahertz; Wood

Nonlinear fixed and random generalized height–diameter models for Portuguese cork oak stands - Paulo, Joana Amaral; Tomé, José; Tomé, Margarida (Annals of Forest Science, 2011)
• Objective The objective of the research was to develop a generalized height–diameter model for Quercus suber L. in Portugal, which can be applied both to undebarked and debarked trees, with diameter at breast height over cork larger than 2.5 cm. • Methods A nonlinear fixed effects model (NLFEM) and a nonlinear mixed effects model (NLMEM) approaches were used. Parameters estimates were obtained using the SAS macro NLINMIX, which uses a linear approximation to the marginal likelihood function by expanding it with a first-order Taylor series on the random effects. The option of expanding on the random effects at their current empirical best linear unbiased predictors (EBLUP) was used. The fitted models were evaluated using an independent data set, together with an existing model specific for undebarked trees. To obtain subject specific predictions with the NLMEM, a conventional and an improved calibration procedures were applied, considering four different tree sub-sampling designs. Both proposed models included dominant height and stand density as covariates to explain plot variability. • Conclusions Validation indicated that, even in the situations where the NLMEM calibration is not possible, this model should be preferred. The differences between the validated models, which were more evident for young stands, were considered. No large differences in predictive accuracy were found between the calibrated NLMEM using the conventional or the improved calibration procedures, for all the considered sub-sampling designs.
Keywords: height-diameter relationship; model calibration; nonlinear fixed effects model; nonlinear mixed effects model; Quercus Suber L

Nutrient dynamics in litter mixtures of four Mediterranean maquis species decomposing in situ - Maisto, Giulia; De Marco, Anna; Meola, Angela; Sessa, Ludovica; Virzo De Santo, Amalia (Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2011)
In natural conditions, litters shed from different species become mixed with each other, and decompose together. Most studies deal with decomposition of individual species; few studies investigate the inﬂuence of litter mixing on decomposition and nutrient dynamics; the results are contradictory as positive, negative, or no effect, of litter mixing have been observed. In this study we test the hypothesis: i) that litter mixing in the Mediterranean maquis, a nutrient poor, high diversity ecosystem, produces non-additive effects on nutrient dynamics; ii) that the effects vary with the composition in species of the mixture and with the relative amount of the species component the mixture. Two types of 3-species mixtures were set up; one contained three sclerophylls, Phillyrea angustifolia, Pistacia lentiscus and Quercus ilex; the other contained the ﬁrst two species with the mesophyll Cistus. Litterbags, containing monospeciﬁc litters and even and uneven mixtures, were incubated under natural condition in situ; even mixtures had the 3 species in equal proportion, whereas uneven mixtures had one of the species as dominant (50%) and the other two species in equal proportion (25%:25%). Litterbags were retrieved after 92, 188 and 403 days; litters from the mixtures were separately analyzed for mass loss and content of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Results indicate that mixing inﬂuences the dynamics of N, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn, but scarcely affects the dynamics of K and Na. The comparison of observed to expected values for changes of nutrients in litterbags indicates the occurrence of non-additive effects of litter mixing on movements of N, Fe, Cu, and Zn to or from the litterbags containing the mixtures. The effects depend on the composition in species of the mixture, whereas the relative amount of the species component the mixture is not relevant.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Interactions among litters; Lignin; litter decomposition; Manganese; Non-additive effects of litter mixing

Nutrients and trace elements content of wood decay fungi isolated from oak (Quercus ilex). - Campos, Juan a (Biological trace element research, 2011)
The presence of chemical elements and the differences in their concentration in the fruiting bodies of wood decay fungi may reflect their activity either as saprobes or parasites and the intimate physiological relation with the substrate from which they extract their nutrients. In order to test this hypothesis, we carried out a systematic sampling of eight species of wood decay fungi on oak (Quercus ilex). The data show that the concentration of some elements exhibits a very wide range of values for the species tested, which could mean that the relative content of some elements may provide clues about the nature of the substrate and, moreover, about the nutritional physiology. The comparison between the foliar analysis (FA) and the elemental content of fungi may shed light on the specific physiological behaviour of the species. Potassium is an element accumulated in fungal biomass in higher quantities than in the FA. By contrast, calcium appears in foliar analysis in much higher quantities than in fungal fruiting bodies' biomass. Concerning this element, we have also found profound differences between the two species phylogenetic groups and lifestyle. Of all elements measured, we believe that the relative accumulation of K and Ca may be related to the close connection between fungi and the substrate on which they live and may also explain their physiological role as saprobes or parasites. When the lifestyle and the systematic position of the different species sampled were compared, differences also emerged in the content of Na and Ca.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: accession-num: 21748305
Keywords: Epiphytic fungi; Heavy metals; Nutrients; Nutrition physiology; Saprobe fungi; Trace Elements

Nutritional evaluation of the lipid fraction of feral wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) meat. - Quaresma, M a G; Alves, Susana P; Trigo-Rodrigues, I; Pereira-Silva, R; Santos, N; Lemos, J P C; Barreto, a S; Bessa, R J B (Meat science, 2011)
Consumer increasing demand for wild boar meat and scarceness of data on its lipid fraction justified this study. The psoas major muscle collected from 25 feral wild boars was used to quantify the total lipid, total cholesterol, fatty acid (FA) profile, and vitamin E homologues. Intramuscular fat and total cholesterol contents averaged 4.64 g/100g of meat and 56.9 mg/100g of meat, respectively. No differences were found in FA composition between groups, except for 20:5n-3 that was higher in youngsters. All groups presented small concentrations of rumenic acid in meat (CLA; 0.24% of total FA). FA profile showed considerable resemblance with pork, while the vitamin E profile is marked by high concentrations of both alpha- (17.4 ± 3.3 μg/g meat) and gamma-tocopherols (2.6 ± 1.3 μg/g meat) and by the presence of other vitamin E homologues not previously reported in wild boar meat.
Keywords: Cholesterol; fatty acids; meat quality; Vitamin E; Wild boar

O factor de coberto vegetal, para árvores e Arbustos, em modelos de erosão hídrica - Antunes, Carla Rolo; Coutinho, Miguel Azevedo (Revista de Ciências Agrárias, 2011)
The main objective of this work consists on the analyzes of tree and bush canopies behavior, in terms of the rainfall interception process, namely, leave retention, and dripping, and the establishment of a erosion model component to include in to quantify the cover factor (C) of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) for mixed land covered systems with arable crops, in association with trees and bushes. In the experimental work a rainfall simulator was used and the characteristic values for the diameter of the dripping drops and retention of the leaves from characteristic species of the more common mixed land-use systems in Southern of Portugal, particularly with Cork oak (Quercus suber L.), Holm or evergreen oak (Quercus ilex L. ssp. rotundifolia Lam) and Kermes or wild oak (Quercus coccifera L.), were obtained. From the obtained results the kinetic energy for different drop heights was estimated and, consequently, correction factors were calculated to be applied to the factor C.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field: publisher: scielopt
Keywords: Dripping; erosion models; interception; soil conservation; vegetation cover

Oak trees and soil interactions in Mediterranean forests: a positive feedback model - Aponte, Cristina; García, Luis V.; Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M.; Gutiérrez, Eduardo; Marañón, Teodoro (Journal of Vegetation Science, 2011)
Questions: What is the spectrum of variability of chemical elements in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem across the different compartments? Do coexisting tree species with different leaf chemical composition and nutrient cycling distinctly modify soil conditions? Could these species-speciﬁc, treegenerated soil changes create a potential positive feedback by affecting longterm species distribution? Location: Mixed oak forests of southern Spain, Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Methods: We sampled and chemically analysed ﬁve different ecosystem components: leaves, leaf fall, litter and superﬁcial (0–25 cm) and sub-superﬁcial (25–50 cm) soil beneath the canopies of evergreen Quercus suber and deciduous Q. canariensis trees. We used multiple co-inertia analysis (MCoA) to conjointly analyse the patterns of variability and covariation of eight macro- and micronutrients determined in each of the sampled ecological materials. We implemented a path analysis to investigate alternative causal models of relationships among the chemical properties of the different ecosystem components. Results: Variability in the concentration of chemical elements was related to the nature of their biogeochemical cycles. However, the rank of element concentration was consistent across ecosystem components. Analysis of coinertia (MCoA) revealed that there was a common underlying multivariate pattern of nutrient enrichment in the ecosystem, which supported the hypothesis of a separation in biogeochemical niches between the two co-existing oak species, with Q. canariensis having richer plant tissues and more fertile soil directly under each tree than Q. suber. The feasibility of a potential tree–soil positive feedback model was the only statistically validated among several alternative (non-feedback) models tested. Conclusions: In the studied Mediterranean forests, oak species distinctly modify soil fertility conditions through different nutrient return pathways. Further investigation is needed to address whether these tree-generated soil changes could affect seedling establishment and ultimately inﬂuence species distribution.
Keywords: Biogeochemical niche; ecological stoichiometry; ecosystem functioning; Foliar analysis; nutrient cycling; Quercus canariensis; Quercus suber; Soil fertility

Observations on natural regeneration in grazed Holm oak stands in the Ogliastra province (Sardinia, Italy) - Bianchi, L.; Calamini, G.; Sioni, S. (Forest@ - Rivista di Selvicoltura ed Ecologia Forestale, 2011)
: Observations on natural regeneration in grazed Holm oak stands in the Ogliastra province (Sardinia, Italy). This paper deals with the effects of grazing pressure in two Holm oak (Quercus ilex) stands in Ogliastra (cen tral-eastern Sardinia, Italy), with particular reference to the interactions with the natural regeneration proces ses. There is a positive interaction (facilitation) between shrubs and seedlings of tree species, as observed in other similar studies carried out by the same authors in other areas of Sardinia. Rubus ulmifolius proved to be the most efficient shrub for the protection and growth of saplings; the other shrub species play a less marked facilitating role. Although the density of shrubs hosting Holm oak seedlings is fairly high, their age and small size confirm that the current grazing pressure is incompatible with any chance of growth of the sa plings and success of the natural regeneration. The conservation of these stands must therefore rely on the rationalisation of human activities through the exploitation of a whole range of resources.
Keywords: 103-112; 2011; 665; 8; accepted; bianchi l; calamini g; citation; dell; Facilitation process; FOREST; Grazing in Forest; Holm oaks stands; http; id; in boschi di leccio; it; jan 13; jul 19; may 26; natural regeneration; ogliastra; online 2011-07-19; osservazioni sulla rinnovazione naturale; php; published online; received; sardegna; show; sioni s; sisef; soggetti a pascolo; url; www

Opportunities and Constraints for Climate Adaptation in Regional Water and Land Use Planning - Werners, S E; West, J; Leemans, R; Tabara, J D; Dai, X; Flachner, Z; Neufeldt, H; McEvoy, D; Cots, F; Trombi, G (The Economic, Social and Political Elements of Climate Change, 2011)
Whereas the literature on adaptation is rich in detail on the impacts of, vulnerability to, and constraints of climate adaptation, less is known about the conditions that facilitate adaptation in practice. We examined the constraints and opportunities for adaptation in water and land use planning in three regions: the Guadiana River Basin in Spain and Portugal, the Tisza River Basin in Hungary and western Inner Mongolia in China. We analysed the conditions that either facilitate or constrain adaptation in relation to (1) adaptation actors, (2) adaptation strategies, and (3) adaptation objectives. Many adaptation assessments concentrate on climate impacts and the potential of adaptation strategies. The conditions that enable people to act on adaptation are less studied. Yet these have been identified as particularly important for successfully implementing adaptation. We find that adaptation is enhanced by pilot projects that test and debate new ideas through collaboration between recognized actors from civil society, policy, and science. Promising for adaptation is the integration of (traditional) agro-environmental land use systems that regulate regional climate impacts with new technologies, organizational responsibilities and financial instruments. A key challenge is to create flexible and equitable financial instruments that facilitate benefit and burden sharing, social learning, and that support a diverse set of potentially better adapted new activities rather than compensate for climate impacts on existing activities
Keywords: Adaptation assessment; China; Climate adaptation; EUROPE; Hungary; Land use management; Portugal; Regional water and land use planning; Spain; Water management

Orchard and riparian habitats enhance ground dwelling beetle diversity in Mediterranean agro-forestry systems - da Silva, Pedro Martins; Aguiar, Carlos a S.; de Faria e Silva, Israel; Serrano, Artur R. M.; Faria e Silva, Israel; Serrano, Artur R. M. (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2011)
The relative contribution of mixed orchard and riparian vegetation patches to local and regional diversity of Mediterranean landscapes dominated by cork-oak woodlands was tested in 2006–2007 using ground, rove and darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Tenebrionidae). Mixed orchard and riparian gallery habitats recorded higher values of abundance and species richness for overall beetle species, although most darkling beetle species were associated with the sclerophyllous cork-oak woodlands. Ground and rove beetle community structure changed from the orchard and riparian habitats to samples placed 100 m away into the surrounding cork-oak woodland, i.e., non-cork-oak patches enhanced beta diversity within the landscape mosaic. Analysis of ground beetle traits concerning moisture preferences revealed a higher proportion of hygrophilous species in mixed orchard and riparian gallery habitats while xerophilous species were dominant within the cork-oak woodlands. The results of this study suggested that land-use management promoting the maintenance of habitat heterogeneity enhances biodiversity conservation of important hygrophilous and xerophilous species, and subsequently the sustainable use of Mediterranean agro-forest mosaics.
Keywords: 10; 1007; á land-use intensification á; á moisture traits; article; authorized users; Beta diversity; Coleoptera; coleoptera á beta diversity; contains supplementary material; doi; electronic supplementary material the; Land-use intensiﬁcation; Moisture traits; montado; mosaic á sclerophyllous woodland; online version of this; s10531-010-9987-6; Sclerophyllous woodland; which is available to; ‘‘Montado’’ mosaic