Diversity and conservation status of mangrove communities in two areas of Mesocaribea biogeographic region

The study of mangrove communities (Avicennia germinans, Conocarpus erectus, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhyzophora mangle) in Central America reveals a total diversity of 121 species included in 7 plant communities, of which 15 are characteristic of mangroves and 31 of flooded areas with less pronounced salinity, while 75 are invasive species belonging to neighbouring communities. Frequent fires in the dry forest have caused intense erosion, leading to the silting of the lake basin. As a result, the first belt of Rhizophora vegetation is extremely rare. In contrast, there is a predominance of Laguncularia and Conocarpus mangrove plants, in addition to a belt of Phragmito Magnocaricetea with a high incidence of Phragmites australis, which acts as an indicator of sediment silting due to its shallowness

Forests and Landscapes of Dominican Republic

Aims: This, in conjunction with the diversity of the substrates and the fact that the island is home to the highest mountains in the Caribbean and with a high rate of endemic species, allows them to be differentiated into three major groups –dry forest, cloud forest and the transition between dry and cloud forests. The forests in the Dominican Republic grow in a tropical climate with ombrotypes ranging from arid to humid-hyperhumid due to the moisture-laden Atlantic winds; and infra-, thermo-, meso- and supratropical thermotypes. Establish the diversity, ecology and forest types in Dominican Republic. Methods: We identified all species through field surveys and comparative analyzes of how forest types, structure, diversity and ecology.Results: We consided these forests to be endemic to the island of Hispaniola, as the dry forest presents 81 endemic species, of which 10 are trees, 65 shrubs, 5 creepers, and 1 herbaceous species; while the cloud forest has 19 trees, 20 shrubs, 8 creepers, 4 epiphytes and 6 herbaceous species. Conclusions: We highlight the absence of endemic epiphytes in the dry forests, which are in a poor state of conservation and subject to greater human pressure than the cloud forest

Morphometric analysis and bioclimatic distribution of Glebionis coronaria s.l. (Asteraceae) in the Mediterranean area

We present a revision of Glebionis coronaria in the Mediterranean area based on: a) micro-morphology of the disc floret cypselas observed with a high-resolution confocal microscopy; b) measurements of the disc cypsela with a stereoscopic microscope – duly scaled; c) its distribution in several bioclimatic belts; d) field observations; e) comparisons of herbarium samples. Because of this study, we propose the elevation of Glebionis coronaria var. discolor to the rank of species, as Glebionis discolor comb. & stat. nov., based on morphological and ecological characteristics such as the disposition of the intercostal glands, the size of the disc cypsela wings and its distribution according to the bioclimatic belts. Glebionis coronaria, with totally yellow ray florets and intercostal glands aligned, is exclusive to the thermo-Mediterranean bioclimatic belt, while Glebionis discolor, with white ray florets on a yellow base and intercostal glands arranged randomly, is found in the thermo- and meso-Mediterranean belt. Illustrations of micromorphological characteristics of the cypselas, an identification key, a taxonomic synopsis including information on nomenclatural types, synonyms, descriptions of the taxa, and, as supplementary information, a list of the specimens examined and bioclimatic classification of samples localities are also presented

New Method for Increasing Sustainable Agricultural Yield

The main objective of this study is to look for a new method, to obtain the maximum production, and the minimum economic and environmental cost. Scientific advances in bioclimatology have brought a greater understanding of the functioning of plant individuals, populations and communities, and the study and interpretation of bioclimatic indices reveals the close relationship between the values of these indices and crop yields. In cases where insufficient meteorological data are available to allow the various formulas to be applied, thermoclimatic and ombroclimatic bioindicators must be used, some of which have been collected by us in previous works. This paper contains a bioclimatic study of the southern Iberian Peninsula in relation to the main olive varieties grown in these territories. We establish the values of some key indices for cultivation: continentality index (Ic), which determines the annual thermal range and allows us to establish the period of vegetative activity (PAV); the ombrothermic index (Io), which measures the ombrotype in the different sites; and the thermicity and compensated thermicity index, which denote the thermotype in the territory (It/Itc). In the relationship between the value of the bioclimatic indices and olive production, good fits are obtained in the regression analysis with R2> 0.90, and is very positive influence of the different parameters used. In conclusion the greatest influence on the production of Ic is between 18.5-19.5, Io 3.5-4.5 and It / Itc 320-350. This allows to obtain areas of maximum production with a lower economic cost

Geobotanical aspects of Cytisus oromediterraneus and Genista cinerascens in Serra da Estrela (Portugal)

In this paper we present the results of a geobotanical study carried out on the communities of Cytisus oromediterraneus and Genista cinerascens in Serra da Estrela, two species that in the Central Iberian Peninsula lead the associations Cytiso oromediterranei-Genistetum cinerascentis and Pteridio aquilini-Cytisetum oromediterranei. The prime objective was to describe their geographical and main ecological features, floristic structure and composition, as well as local dynamics. The sampling analyses were carried out using Braun–Blanquet’s methodology, and respective outcomes were studied using the phytosociological methodology, combined with a statistic analysis performed through the Vegana package. The results indicate that the Portuguese community of Cytisus oromediterraneus and Genista cinerascens represents a new association, that we called Teucrio salviastri-Cytisetum oromediterranei. This is an association endemic from the Estrelensean territories, siliceous, hyperhumid to ultrahyperhumid, present in supra-orotemperate territories with evident Mediterranean influence

Similarity analysis between species of the genus Quercus L. (Fagaceae) in southern Italy based on the fractal dimension

The fractal dimension (FD) is calculated for seven species of the genus Quercus L. in Calabria region (southern Italy), five of which have a marcescent-deciduous and two a sclerophyllous character. The fractal analysis applied to the leaves reveals different FD values for the two groups. The difference between the means and medians is very small in the case of the marcescent-deciduous group and very large when these differences are established between both groups: all this highlights the distance between the two groups in terms of similarity. Specifically, Q. crenata, which is hybridogenic in origin and whose parental species are Q. cerris and Q. suber, is more closely related to Q. cerris than to Q. suber, as also expressed in the molecular analysis. We consider that, in combination with other morphological, physiological and genetic parameters, the fractal dimension is a useful tool for studying similarities amongst species

New Contributions to the Ericion umbellatae Alliance in the Central Iberian Peninsula

The study of heathlands dominated by Erica australis, E. umbellata and Cistus populifolius in the centre and west of the Iberian Peninsula allows us to separate the eight shrubland communities. The taxonomic analysis of E. australis distinguishes two subspecies: E. australis subsp. australis and E. australis subsp. aragonensis. The statistical treatment confirms the differences between the subal liances Ericenion aragonensis and Ericenion umbellatae. This ecological, bioclimatic, biogeographical and floristic study has allowed us to differentiate three new associations from the remaining five: TCp = Teucrio oxylepis-Cistetum populifolii nova. HEau = Halimio ocymoidis-Ericetum australis nova. DEu = Drosophyllo lusitanicae-Ericetum umbellatae nova. ECp = Erico australis-Cistetum populifolii Ri vas Goday 1964. PCp = Polygalo microphyllae-Cistetum populifolii Rivas Goday 1964. HEa = Halimio ocymoidis-Ericetum aragonensis Rivas-Martínez 1979. HEu = Halimio ocymoidis-Ericetum umbellatae Rivas Goday 1964. UEu = Ulici eriocladi-Ericetum umbellatae

Rupicolous habitats of interest for conservation in the central-southern Iberian peninsula

We studied the Quercus rotundifolia Lam. formations in the central-southern Iberian Peninsula, working particularly in areas in the Rondeño and Subbético biogeographical sectors. As a result we propose two new plant associations with an edaphoxeric character: Bupleuro gibraltarici-Quercetum rotundifoliae; and Junipero phoeniceae-Quercetum rotundifoliae included in habitat 9340. In both formations there is a high number of endemic plants often found in habitat 8210 "Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation" like Antirrhinum graniticum, Antirrhinum onubense, Saxifraga reuteriana, Cerastium gibraltaricum

Climatology, Bioclimatology and Vegetation Cover: Tools to Mitigate Climate Change in Olive Groves

This work establishes the relationship between bioclimatology and agronomy. Bioclimatic indices are obtained for several areas under olive cultivation and correlated with olive yields. Due to the effect of climate change on cultivation and the high economic losses it produces, we propose a sustainable development model for the territorial classification of crops based on bioclimatic knowledge. Bioclimatic diagrams are prepared to provide information on water stress in crops so that irrigation can be carried out at the most effective time, a measure that has been shown to lead to water and energy savings for growers. In addition to this development model, we propose the application of non-aggressive cultivation techniques such as the use of living plant cover to ensure the protection of the soil and avoid losses due to climate irregularities. Studies conducted up to the present on applied bioclimatology have yielded promising results in the fields of farming and forestry. The maps and bioclimatic indices of Professor Rivas-Martínez, Ic, Io and It/Itc, are essential for bioclimatic classification. The agricultural development model with a bioclimatic basis ensures economic savings for growers and minimizes the environmental impact of cultivation. In the case of olive cultivation we detected that in 2005 all the cultivated areas that were not in their thermoclimatic optimum were damaged by frost. The widespread cultivation of olive groves in the Mediterranean basin, and mainly in the south of Spain, is reason enough to establish a relationship between its production and its bioclimatic environment. The ombroclimatic study in certain localities under olive cultivation shows that areas with Io <2.5 are unproductive (Jodar, Tabernas), and that their low Io value needs to be supplemented with irrigation water. This means extracting water from aquifers for agricultural use, when the current climate irregularities do not allow the excessive use of subsoil water. For the time being the only way of mitigating this situation is with sustainable development, which requires a bioclimatic understanding of the territory; and the use of appropriate cultivation techniques, including herbaceous plant covers. In this last case a knowledge of the plant associations in the phytosociological class Stellarietea mediae constitutes the basis for establishing either natural or sown vegetation cover

XI International Meeting of Phytosociology - Natural and semi-natural habitats of the Natura 2000 Network: Improving knowledge to support conservation measures

Livro de resumos do XI International Meeting of Phytosociology - Natural and semi-natural habitats of the Natura 2000 Network, que decorreu em Faro em Setembro de 201