Elementome of Endemic Dolomitic Flora: Pterocephalus spathulatus (Lag.) Coult

Unusual dolomite substrates present a phenomenon known as dolomitophily, which refers to the specificity of the flora that grows on them. Within the dolomitic flora, one of the most widespread plants in Spain is the characteristic species Pterocephalus spathulatus (Lag.) Coult., which forms whitish prostrate thymes. The present study focused on the knowledge about the ionome (or elementome) of a characteristic dolomite species and some of its applications, both in terms of its nutritional behaviour and in determining the factors that favour the rich and rare flora growing on dolomitic soils. Soil, foliar, stem and root samples of the species studied were collected from different locations in the south of Spain. The samples were analysed to determine their mineral composition. The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and the Translocation Factor (TF) were calculated, relating the values of the mineral contents in the soil, both total and phytoavailable, to the values from the foliar, root and stem samples. It was found that this species was able to accumulate some elements, including B, Cr, Cu, Ni, Ti, Tl and Zn, which can be phytotoxic in high concentrations, and are considered to be some of the main toxic metals in soils. In addition, it was observed that the plant can accumulate metals in the stem and leaves (TF), thus proving that it is capable of transporting them from the root to the aerial part of the plant. The data obtained may indicate that other species in the plant community may possess this bioindicator or even phytoremediation capacity

Plants on Rich-Magnesium Dolomite Barrens: A Global Phenomenon

For botanists and ecologists, the close link between some plants and substrates, such as serpentine or gypsum, is well known. However, the relationship between dolomite and its flora has been much less studied, due to various causes. Its diffuse separation from limestone and the use of a vague approach and terminology that, until now, no one has tried to harmonize are among these reasons. After carrying out an extensive review, completed with data on the distribution of plants linked to dolomite, the territories in which this type of flora appears at a global level were mapped using a geographic information system software. In addition, data on soils were collected, as well as on their influence on the ionomic profile of the flora. These data were completed with the authors’ own information from previous research, which also served to assess these communities’ degree of conservation and the genetic diversity of some of their characteristic species. The results showed that the so-called “dolomite phenomenon” is widely represented and is clearly manifested in the appearance of a peculiar flora, very rich in endemisms, on dry soils, poor in nutrients, and with a high Mg level. Although dolomite habitats cause adaptations in plants which are even more recognizable than those of other rock types, they have not been widely studied from an ecological, evolutionary, and conservation point of view because, so far, neither their characteristics nor their universal demarcation have been precisely defined

Spontaneous primary succession and vascular plant recovery in the Iberian gypsum quarries: insights for ecological restoration in an EU priority habitat

Gypsum covers a vast area of the Iberian Peninsula, making Spain a leader in its production. Gypsum is a fundamental raw material for modern societies. However, gypsum quarries have an obvious impact on the landscape and biodiversity. Gypsum outcrops host a high percentage of endemic plants and unique vegetation, considered a priority by the EU. Restoring gypsum areas after mining is a key strategy to prevent biodiversity loss. For the implementation of restoration approaches, understanding vegetation’s successional processes can be of invaluable help. To fully document the spontaneous succession in gypsum quarries and to evaluate its interest for restoration, 10 permanent plots of 20 × 50 m were proposed, with nested subplots, in which vegetation change was recorded for 13 years in Almeria (Spain). Through Species-Area Relationships (SARs), these plots’ floristic changes were monitored and compared to others in which an active restoration was carried out, as well as others with natural vegetation. Furthermore, the successional pattern found was compared to those recorded in 28 quarries distributed throughout the Spanish territory. The results show that an ecological pattern of spontaneous primary auto-succession is widely recurring in Iberian gypsum quarries, which is capable of regenerating the pre-existing natural vegetation

The Relict Ecosystem of Maytenus senegalensis subsp. europaea in an Agricultural Landscape: Past, Present and Future Scenarios

Maytenus senegalensis subsp. europaea is a shrub belonging to the Celastraceae family, whose only European populations are distributed discontinuously along the south-eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, forming plant communities with great ecological value, unique in Europe. As it is an endangered species that makes up plant communities with great palaeoecological significance, the development of species distribution models is of major interest under different climatic scenarios, past, present and future, based on the fact that the climate could play a relevant role in the distribution of this species, as well as in the conformation of the communities in which it is integrated. Palaeoecological models were generated for the Maximum Interglacial, Last Maximum Glacial and Middle Holocene periods. The results obtained showed that the widest distribution of this species, and the maximum suitability of its habitat, occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum, when the temperatures of the peninsular southeast were not as contrasting as those of the rest of the European continent and were favored by higher rainfall. Under these conditions, large territories could act as shelters during the glacial period, a hypothesis reflected in the model’s results for this period, which exhibit a further expansion of M. europaea’s ecological niche. The future projection of models in around 2070, for four Representative Concentration Pathways according to the fifth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, showed that the most favorable areas for this species would be Campo de Dalías (southern portion of Almería province) as it presents the bioclimatic characteristics of greater adjustment to M. europaea’s ecological niche model. Currently, some of the largest specimens of the species survive in the agricultural landscapes in the southern Spain. These areas are almost totally destroyed and heavily altered by intensive agriculture greenhouses, also causing a severe fragmentation of the habitat, which implies a prospective extinction scenario in the near future

Aproximación a la checklist de los gipsófitos ibéricos

Approximation to the Iberian gypsophytes checklist. The close relationship between some kinds of soils and the flora growing on them has been long known. Gypsum soils stand as a prominent example of this relationship, since some plants exclusively grow on gypsum outcrops. Nowadays this close relationship is known as gypsophily and the plant species exhibiting it are called gypsophytes. As Cavanilles already found out in the 18th century, the Iberian flora is rich in gypsophytes. From then on many botanists have considerably enlarged the list of gypsophytes. However we still lack a more or less conclusive catalogue of the Iberian gypsophytes. Only some publications dealing with the gypsum flora or vegetation may serve as references for the drafting of a preliminary catalogue. This idea has recently inspired a preliminary list of gypsophytes which has been later enlarged with the addition of new species recorded now and then in a number of specific Floras and other works of a general scope. On the basis of this list, 12 botanists adept at gypsum flora have been asked to rank the liking of these species for gypsum soils. The gypsophilous character of 140 species have been thus ranked on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 (with 5 representing an absolute liking for gypsum soils). According to the median values, some 50 species can be considered as either absolute or preferent gypsophytes

Microsatellite Loci in the Gypsophyte Lepidium subulatum (Brassicaceae), and Transferability to Other Lepidieae

Polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the Ibero-North African, strict gypsophyte Lepidium subulatum to unravel the effects of habitat fragmentation in levels of genetic diversity, genetic structure and gene flow among its populations. Using 454 pyrosequencing 12 microsatellite loci including di- and tri-nucleotide repeats were characterized in L. subulatum. They amplified a total of 80 alleles (2–12 alleles per locus) in a sample of 35 individuals of L. subulatum, showing relatively high levels of genetic diversity, HO = 0.645, HE = 0.627. Cross-species transferability of all 12 loci was successful for the Iberian endemics Lepidium cardamines, Lepidium stylatum, and the widespread, Lepidium graminifolium and one species each of two related genera, Cardaria draba and Coronopus didymus. These microsatellite primers will be useful to investigate genetic diversity, population structure and to address conservation genetics in species of Lepidium

Approximation to the Iberian gypsóphytes checklist.

La estrecha relación que existe entre determinados tipos de suelo y la flora que crece sobre ellos es conocida como gipsofilia y las especies vegetales en que es patente son las denominadas gipsófitas. Este estudio valora el grado de gipsofilia de 140 especies mediante una escala del 1 al 5, de manera que éste último valor expresa la preferencia absoluta por el yeso. Atendiendo a los valores de la mediana, unas 50 especies pueden considerarse gipsófitos o gipsófitos preferentes