Modelización del ciclo fenológico reproductor del olivo (Olea europaea L.)

El olivo (Olea europaea L.) es la principal especie arbórea con interés agronómico en el área Mediterránea. Esta especie posee un ciclo reproductor que muestra variaciones que responden tanto a su propia genética como al clima. La presente tesis tiene como objetivo el análisis detallado y modelización del ciclo reproductor del olivo y su respuesta a diferentes variables ambientales en el Sur de la Península Ibérica. Para ello este trabajo se basa en el estudio de una base de datos fenológicos, aerobiológicos y meteorológicos que abarcan 30 años en la provincia de Córdoba (Andalucía, España), que es la segunda provincia productora de aceite de oliva de Andalucía, principal región productora en el mundo. Un conocimiento más profundo sobre los principales factores que controlan las variaciones anuales de la floración y producción de fruto de esta especie es de gran interés no sólo a nivel agronómico, sino también médico, dado el carácter alergógeno de sus granos de polen, y ecológico, ya que el acebuche, Olea europaea var. sylvestris Brot., es un arbusto característico y bioindicador del ecosistema mediterráneo. Aunque gran parte de la tesis se centra en el comportamiento y respuesta fenológica del olivo en la provincia de Córdoba, el capítulo IV de esta tesis aborda un estudio global sobre la producción de aceituna en el área Mediterránea, analizando datos de Andalucía (España), Italia y Túnez. Se han analizado estadísticamente las relaciones que mantienen diferentes factores ambientales con los aspectos más críticos del ciclo reproductor del olivo (la intensidad de la floración, la fenología floral y la producción de fruto). A partir de éste análisis se han desarrollado modelos descriptivos y predictivos del ciclo reproductor, estudiando desde sus primeras fases hasta la producción final de cosecha, con un gran interés científico y una alta aplicabilidad y transferencia a la sociedad, ya que permite la predicción de importantes eventos biológicos, como fechas, duración e intensidad de la floración, así como la producción de fruto con varios meses de antelación. En los capítulos I y II, “Biometeorological and autoregressive indices for predicting olive pollen intensity” y “Year clustering analysis for modelling olive flowering phenology”, se analizan las características de la intensidad de la floración,...The olive (Olea europaea L.) is the leading commercial tree crop in the Mediterranean area. Its reproductive cycle displays considerable variations due to inherent genetic factors but also to climate response. This thesis provides a detailed analysis and modelling of the olive reproductive cycle and its response to a range of environmental variables in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Analysis was based on phenological, aerobiological and meteorological data recorded over the last 30 years in the province of Córdoba (Andalusia, Spain), the second-largest olive-oil-producing province in Andalusia, which is in turn the world’s largest producing region. A more thorough knowledge of the factors governing year-on-year changes in olive flowering and fruit production is clearly of agricultural interest. It is also useful for medical purposes—since olive pollen is highly allergenic—and for ecological reasons, given that the wild olive Olea europaea var. sylvestris Brot., is a characteristic shrub used as a bioindicator for Mediterranean ecosystem. Although the thesis focuses mainly on the behaviour and phenological response of the olive tree in the province of Córdoba, Chapter IV offers an overview of olive production in the Mediterranean area, drawing on data for Andalusia (Spain), Italy and Tunisia. A statistical analysis is made of the correlations between various environmental factors and critical features of the olive reproductive cycle (flowering intensity, floral phenology and fruit production). The results are used in the construction of models to describe and predict the reproductive cycle, from the earliest phases through to harvest. These models are of considerable scientific interest and can readily be transferred for social applications, since they enable the prediction—several months in advance—of major biological events such as the timing, duration and intensity of flowering and the volume of fruit production. Chapters I and II “Biometeorological and autoregressive indices for predicting olive pollen intensity” and “Year clustering analysis for modelling olive flowering phenology” analyse variables relating to flowering intensity, expressed in this anemophilous species by the Pollen Index. The first chapter focuses specifically on the construction of indices to account for year-on-year variations in olive flowering intensity, while in the second chapter a cluster analysis is used to group years with..

AeRobiology: the computational tool for biological data in the air

Aerobiology databases are constantly growing. Managing these extensive datasets requires large amounts of time and effort. Nevertheless, publication and dissemination of the scientific findings demand quick and elaborated results, which have led to integrate computational techniques in almost all scientific fields. ”AeRobiology” is a new computational package implemented for R software which has been designed to automatically manage and visualise aerobiological data. It is an open access package and completely free to use. ”AeRobiology” package has 14 different functions which can be structured according to their utility: (1) checking the quality of the data, (2) data analysis and (3) visualization of results. Some of these functions allows to: interpolate missing gaps within the database with different techniques, calculate the main parameters of the pollen season according to all the existing Main Pollen Season definitions, elaborate pollen calendars, detect and measure trends in the main seasonal indexes, visualise the relative abundance of the different particles detected in the air, compare different years or different types of aerosols, visualise phenological parameters, and elaborate interactive plots for interpreting results on real time. More detailed information about each function can be consulted at: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/AeRobiology/AeRobiology.pdf This new computational tool, which is already available at CRAN repository, could constitute a useful tool to the scientific field of aerobiology. It can reduce the time and effort of the data analysis even for researches who are not very familiar with programming languages. Furthermore, it could be a necessary tool to manage the real-time data from the new automatic sampling devices.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Factores que afectan a la abundancia de la perdiz roja Alectoris rufa en cotos de caza mayor: implicaciones para la gestión y conservación

[EN]: The red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa is not only the most important bird game species but also an important prey species for many predators in Iberia. However, its populations have significantly declined in recent decades, principally as the result of agricultural intensification on arable land. Its abundance has also undergone a significant decline in forested areas over the last few decades, where wild ungulate management and abundance have increased. In this scenario, we aimed to test the factors that affect red-legged partridge abundance in relation to high wild ungulate (wild boar and red deer) abundance in south-central Spain. The factors included as predictors were carnivore, wild boar and red deer abundances, vegetation features, nest predation rate and invertebrate availability. Red deer abundance showed a negative relationship with partridge abundance in spring (non-significant negative trends were also evident for carnivore and wild boar), whereas variables related to food availability (grass biomass, Hemipteran abundance and total invertebrate mass) had a positive effect in the same season. Moreover, deer and carnivore abundances and spring nest predation rate were negatively associated with partridge abundance in autumn. Plant biomass and Hemipteran abundance were negatively correlated with wild boar abundance, whereas maximum pasture height was negatively related to red deer and wild boar abundance. Overall, our results show that high ungulate densities may negatively affect partridge abundance, which may be mediated by (i) a reduction in food availability (invertebrate and herbaceous plant biomass) and (ii) nest predation by wild boar. This research has shown that current intensive big-game hunting management schemes in south-central Spain are often incompatible with red-legged partridge conservation, and that these effects should be taken into account when defining big-game management and conservation policies.[ES]: La perdiz roja Alectoris rufa no solo es el ave de caza más importante, sino que también es una importante presa para muchos depredadores en Iberia. Sin embargo, sus poblaciones han disminuido significativamente en las últimas décadas, principalmente como resultado de la intensificación de la agricultura en zonas agrícolas. Sus abundancias también han sufrido un descenso significativo en zonas forestales durante los últimos decenios donde la gestión de ungulados silvestres y sus abundancias se han incrementado. En este escenario, nuestro objetivo ha sido evaluar los factores que afectan a la abundancia de perdiz roja en un contexto de alta abundancia de ungulados silvestres (jabalí y ciervo) en el centro-sur de España. Los factores incluidos como predictores fueron la abundancia de carnívoros, jabalí y ciervo, las características de la vegetación, la proporción de nidos depredados y la disponibilidad de invertebrados. La abundancia de ciervo mostró una relación negativa con la abundancia de perdiz en primavera (también se evidenciaron tendencias negativas no significativas para carnívoros y jabalí), mientras que las variables relativas a la disponibilidad de alimento (biomasa herbácea, abundancia de hemípteros y el peso total de los invertebrados) tuvieron un efecto positivo en la misma estación. Por otra parte, en otoño, la abundancia de ciervos y carnívoros, y la tasa de depredación de nidos en primavera se asociaron negativamente con la abundancia de perdiz. La biomasa de herbáceas y la abundancia de hemípteros se correlacionaron negativamente con la abundancia de jabalíes, mientras que la altura máxima del pasto estuvo negativamente asociada con la abundancia de ciervo y jabalí. En general, nuestros resultados muestran que las altas densidades de ungulados podrían afectar negativamente a la abundancia de perdiz mediado por (i) una reducción en la disponibilidad de alimento (invertebrados y biomasa de herbáceas) y (ii) la depredación de nidos por el jabalí. Esta investigación ha puesto de manifiesto que los actuales sistemas intensivos de gestión de la caza mayor en el centro-sur de España no son compatibles con la conservación de la perdiz roja, y que por lo tanto, estos efectos deben ser considerados a la hora de definir las políticas para la gestión de la caza mayor y la conservación.To the Environmental Council of the Andalusian Autonomous Government for financing this work via a project to improve the habitat of the black vulture Aegypius monachus in Córdoba province.Peer Reviewe

Long-term trends in atmospheric Quercus pollen related to climate change in southern Spain: A 25-year perspective

Long-term trends of atmospheric Quercus pollen recorded for 25 years (1995–2019) in southern Spain (Cordoba city, Andalusia region) have been studied to determine the influence of climate fluctuations and other anthropogenic factors on Mediterranean oak vegetation areas. Atmospheric pollen analysis revealed different changes on reproductive Quercus phenology through the study period. Pollination intensity showed an average cumulated value of the Main Pollen Season Integral of 12,832 Pollen * day/m3, with a high variability among years (±SD 8,048) and a significant rising trend of 771 pollen grains per year, being stronger in recent years (2014–2019). It was remarkable the high quantity of Quercus pollen grains detected out of the Main Pollen Season (703 Pollen * day/m3 ± SD 431), also increasing in recent years. Regarding Quercus phenology, results indicated as the main Quercus species in the area, Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (holm oak), Q. coccifera, Q. faginea and Q. suber, presented a gradually pollination during spring (from mid-March to early June), although a lengthening of the pollination season is observed in recent years. This phenomenon could be explained by the progressive delay in the pollination of Q. suber. Regarding climate factors, a decrease in rainfall, especially during winter and autumn was recorded, along with colder winters but warmer springs, summers, and autumns. These changes were significantly correlated with pollination timing and intensity. The climate parameters most affecting were those related to temperature and sunshine. However, the total annual pollen showed a significant negative correlation with the annual recorded rainfall. Results show that recent climatic change, among other factors, are leading to changes in the timing and intensity of the Quercus pollen season in the Mediterranean area

Factors Driving Autumn Quercus Flowering in a Thermo-Mediterranean Area

The flowering period of plants is a critical time since it determines their reproductive success. Flowering is controlled by different factors including genetic regulation and environmental conditions. In the Mediterranean area, favourable conditions usually occur in spring, when most plant species flower including those of the Mediterranean Quercus genus. This paper reveals and analyses an unusual and lesser-known phenomenon occurring in the two main Mediterranean agroforestry ecosystems of South Europe, the Mediterranean forest and “dehesa”, that is, a second flowering occurring in autumn for the species Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (holm oak). The continuous pollen monitoring of the atmosphere in the city of Cordoba (southern Spain) for 25 years, together with field phenological observations in the area, has indicated that, apart from the main pollination period in spring, secondary flowerings also occasionally occur in this area, specifically in autumn. The present work examines these uncommon pollination events detected in the autumns of certain years with the aim of determining the main environmental factors that influence and control them. During the 25-year study period, there were 7 years in which a secondary Quercus flowering was detected in the area from the second half of October until the end of November. The univariate statistical analysis of the influence of environmental variables determined that the meteorological conditions in September were the most influential. Low mean temperatures, together with record rainfall in that month, led to autumn flowering events. The phenological characteristics of the spring pollen season were also influential. In the years with a shorter spring, the Quercus pollen season tended to present autumn flowerings. A multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model was built to explain the effects of the different variables on the occurrence of autumn pollination. The results indicated that the combined effect of three predicting variables, September rainfall, the length of the spring pollen season, and the end of the spring pollen season, explained 92% of the variance. The validation showed a strong relationship between the expected and the observed autumn pollen concentrations. Therefore, the present analysis of a long-term pollen database revealed that the main causes of this unusual second flowering in autumn were strongly related to climate change, i.e., strong dry summers and warm autumns. In addition, the results showed that the phenomenon was more frequent in the years with low pollination during spring due to different meteorological events potentiated by climate change, such as dryness or heavy rain episodes, as a way of ensuring acorn crops. The results explain how this unusual and lesser-known phenomenon in agroforestry dynamics is related to the adaptation to climate change and the main factors that are driving it, as well as the potential consequences for these important and endangered Mediterranean ecosystems

Los servicios de los ecosistemas de la Reserva de Biosfera Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta

La Reserva de Biosfera Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (RB-CGSM) es un complejo sistema de humedales marino costeros que presenta una marcada interdependencia en su funcionamiento. Estos ecosistemas interactúan con varias poblaciones humanas asentadas en el territorio mediante el suministro de servicios de los ecosistemas. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar los servicios de los ecosistemas de la RB-CGSM que son percibidos por diferentes actores. Se realizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas para conocer la percepción del suministro de servicios de los ecosistemas, sus tendencias de cambio y cómo son valorados. Se obtuvieron 777 respuestas que fueron tipificadas en 34 categorías de las cuales el 55% corresponden a servicios de abastecimiento, 43% a servicios culturales y el 2% fueron servicios de regulación. Se determinó que la oferta de aproximadamente la mitad de ellos ha disminuido (43,9%) o desaparecido (4,6%) y tres cuartas partes de los servicios percibidos tienen gran importancia al ser considerados como esenciales (46,8%) o muy importantes (28,5%) para los entrevistados. Los resultados constituyen una base de conocimiento necesaria para el análisis de las implicaciones del uso de los servicios, así como para establecer directrices de gestión orientadas a mantener un flujo sostenible de servicios esenciales para el bienestar humano.The Biosphere Reserve Ciénaga Grande of Santa Marta (RBCGSM) is a complex coastal and marine wetland system with a strong functioning interdependency. These ecosystems interact with several local communities through the supply of ecosystem services. The aim of this paper was to identify ecosystem services of RBCGSM that are perceived by different actors. We carried out semi-structured interviews in order to analyze the social perception, the trends of changes and a social valuation of ecosystem services. We obtained 777 responses which were typified in 34 categories, from which 55% were provisioning services, 43% cultural services, and 2% were regulating services. The supply of approximately half of them has decreased (43,9%) or disappeared (4,6%) and three-quarters of perceived services were considered as essential (46,8%) or very important (28,5%) for interviewees. The results provide a base of knowledge required for the analysis of the implications of ecosystem services use, as well as for the proposal and implementation of management guidelines aimed at maintaining a sustainable flow of ecosystem services essential for human wellbeing