Introducing a Mechanistic Model in Digital Soil Mapping to Predict Soil Organic Matter Stocks in the Cantabrian Region (Spain)

ABSTRACT: Digital soil mapping (DSM) is an effective mapping technique that supports the increased need for quantitative soil data. In DSM, soil properties are correlated with environmental characteristics using statistical models such as regression. However, many of these relationships are explicitly described in mechanistic simulation models. Therefore, the mechanistic relationships can, in theory, replace the statistical relationships in DSM. This study aims to develop a mechanistic model to predict soil organic matter (SOM) stocks in Natura2000 areas of the Cantabria region (Spain). The mechanistic model is established in four steps: (a) identify major processes that influence SOM stocks, (b) review existing models describing the major processes and the respective environmental data that they require, (c) establish a database with the required input data, and (d) calibrate the model with field observations. The SOM stocks map resulting from the mechanistic model had a mean error (ME) of -2 t SOM ha−1 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 66t SOM ha-1. The Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was 0.47 and the amount of variance explained (AVE) was 0.21. The results of the mechanistic model were compared to the results of a statistical model. It turned out that the correlation coefficient between the two SOM stock maps was 0.8. This study illustrated that mechanistic soil models can be used for DSM, which brings new opportunities. Mechanistic models for DSM should be considered for mapping soil characteristics that are difficult to predict by statistical models, and for extrapolation purposes.This research was financially supported by the Environmental Hydraulics Institute ‘IH Cantabria of Universidad de Cantabria’ and the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The CCAFS project is carried out with support from CGIAR Fund Donors and through bilateral funding agreements. Besides the financial support, we would like to thank Sara Alcalde Aparicio for collaboration in the collection and analyses of soil samples

Espectrofenología con datos Sentinel 2: definición de curvas de referencia para la caracterización de ecosistemas forestales

El seguimiento de la respuesta espectral obtenida por sensores remotos de media resolución relativo a formaciones vegetales puede proporcionar información muy relevante para el estudio de su distribución y dinámica a lo largo de gradientes ambientales y escalas geográficas. La combinación del ciclo orbital y el ancho de barrido de Sentinel 2 proporciona datos cada 5 días en latitudes medias, lo que permite realizar un seguimiento temporal de alta resolución relacionado con etapas o fases fenológicas de los ecosistemas en las que varían su composición, estructura o funcionamiento. En este contexto, el objetivo del presente estudio consiste en la obtención de curvas espectrofenológicas promedio para algunas de las principales formaciones arbóreas presentes en Cantabria, así como el análisis y la caracterización de métricas fenológicas espaciales que permitirán caracterizar el funcionamiento diferencial de la vegetación en el continuo del paisaje. Para la definición de las curvas se han empleado todos los datos históricos disponibles del sensor MSI, a bordo de los satélites Sentinel 2 A y B, con los que se ha generado una serie temporal de alta resolución del índice NDVI. Los datos se han agregado temporalmente a nivel mensual tras aplicar un filtro de nubes y sombras que maximiza la calidad del dato a nivel de pixel y un suavizado temporal de la serie para eliminar valores anómalos y perdidos. Los valores del índice han sido extraídos para una muestra de 230 puntos localizados con precisión GPS y cuya composición florística ha sido caracterizada por botánicos en campo. Se han obtenido curvas espectrofenológicas estacionales para los años del 2017 al 2020 y las curvas promedio anual, determinando su variabilidad y el grado de representatividad para las formaciones estudiadas. Finalmente se han obtenido las ecuaciones de las funciones ajustadas a las curvas promedio por formación vegetal aplicando análisis de Fourier. Los resultados muestran rasgos diferenciales para cada una de las tipologías forestales analizadas debido, principalmente, a la existencia de variaciones fenológicas intra e interanuales. Estos resultados demuestran el interés de emplear series temporales de datos para la determinación de curvas de referencia para diferentes tipologías forestales que permitan identificar su distribución espacial y otros rasgos relativos a su estructura y funcionamiento. Potencialmente, estas series de datos podrían ser utilizadas para la detección temprana de anomalías funcionales relacionadas con efectos derivados de perturbaciones naturales o antrópicas en un contexto de Cambio Global.Proyecto WATERLANDS", código PID2019-107085RB-I00, financiado por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ y por FEDER; “A way of making Europe, that seeks to understand the linkages between water (river) and land cover (forest) dynamics in mountain systems” https://waterlands.ihcantabria.com/

Renaturalización pasiva en la Cordillera Cantábrica: bases y retos científicos para una sostenibilidad socio-ecológica

La renaturalización pasiva, o recuperación de los ecosistemas tras el abandono del uso humano del territorio, representa una oportunidad para restaurar biodiversidad y servicios ecosistémicos en un contexto de crisis ambiental global. No obstante, también puede provocar declive de determinadas especies, cambios en los regímenes de perturbación o pérdidas de valores culturales. Esta revisión integra el conocimiento actual sobre patrones y procesos ecológicos de renaturalización pasiva en la Cordillera Cantábrica (NO España) para generar una primera base de evidencia sobre la que apoyar la gestión ambiental. Se observa un patrón de recuperación de bosques y matorrales en áreas anteriormente ocupadas por pastizales ganaderos y campos agrícolas, que implica cambios en la estructura del paisaje, la riqueza y la composición de las comunidades ecológicas, la acumulación de carbono en biomasa y suelos, y la provisión de diferentes servicios ecosistémicos. Los procesos que modulan la renaturalización son: 1) la dispersión de organismos, que condiciona la sucesión ecológica y la persistencia de especies a escala regional; 2) las dinámicas tróficas, cuyo funcionamiento depende de la presencia de grandes depredadores apicales y de la estructura del paisaje; y 3) los regímenes de perturbaciones ecológicas, actualmente dominados por la ganadería y los incendios antropogénicos. Por sus efectos ecológicos, la renaturalización pasiva representa una estrategia efectiva de restauración de ecosistemas y sus funciones clave en la Cordillera Cantábrica. Su aceptación social dependerá de la compatibilización de este proceso con el uso ganadero y ecoturístico del territorio, así como de la eficacia de las políticas conservacionistas, agrarias y forestales.Este trabajo recibe apoyo de los proyectos AYUD/2021/51261 (FICYT, Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, FEDER) y PID2019-107085RB-I00 (MCIN/AEI, FEDER). Rocío Rosa García proporcionó valiosa información sobre agroganadería y renaturalización. Mercedes Molina y dos revisores anónimos revisaron el manuscrito original

Towards dynamic and integrative landscape management in mountain catchments: definition of an adaptive strategy to global change challenges

Tesis doctoral en período de exposición públicaIngeniería De Costas, Hidrobiología y Gestión de Sistemas Acuático

From Forest Dynamics to Wetland Siltation in Mountainous Landscapes: A RS-Based Framework for enhancing Erosion Control

ABSTRACT: Human activities have caused a significant change in the function and services that ecosystems have provided to society since historical times. In mountainous landscapes, the regulation of services such as water quality or erosion control has been impacted by land use and land cover (LULC) changes, especially the loss and fragmentation of forest patches. In this work, we develop a Remote Sensing (RS)-based modelling approach to identify areas for the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS) (i.e., natural forest conservation and restoration) that allow reducing the vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to siltation in mountainous regions. We used time series Landsat 5TM, 7ETM+, 8OLI and Sentinel 2A/2B MSI (S2) imagery to map forest dynamics and wetland distribution in Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain). We fed RS-based models with detailed in situ information based on photo-interpretation and fieldwork completed from 2017 to 2021. We estimated a forest cover increase rate of 2 ha/year comparing current and past LULC maps against external validation data. We applied this forest gain to a scenario generator model to derive a 30-year future LULC map that defines the potential forest extent for the study area in 2049. We then modelled the distribution of wetlands to identify the areas with the greatest potential for moisture accumulation. We used an S2 mosaic and topography-derived data such as the slope and topographic wetness index (TWI), which indicate terrain water accumulation. Overall accuracy scores reached values of 86% for LULC classification and 61% for wetland mapping. At the same time, we obtained the potential erosion using the NetMap software to identify potential sediment production, transport and deposition areas. Finally, forest dynamics, wetland distribution and potential erosion were combined in a multi-criteria analysis aiming to reduce the amount of sediment reaching selected wetlands. We achieved this by identifying the most suitable locations for the conservation and restoration of natural forests on slopes and in riparian areas, which may reduce the risk of soil erosion and maximise sediment filtering, respectively. The results show a network pattern for forest management that would allow for controlling erosion effects across space and time at three levels: one, by reducing the load that originates upslope in the absence of forest cover; two, by intersecting runoff at watercourses related to sediment transport; and three, by a lack of former barriers, by trapping erosion near to the receiving wetland systems, main river axes and contributing streams. In conclusion, the proposed methodology, which could be transferred to other mountain regions, allows to optimise investment for erosion prevention and wetland conservation by using only very specific areas of the landscape for habitat management (e.g., for NBS implementation).This article has been funded by “WATERLANDS Project”, code PID2019-107085RB-I00, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and by ERDF “A way of making Europe“ that “seeks to understand the linkages between water (river) and land cover (forest) dynamics in mountain systems” , and by “LIFE DIVAQUA” Project, code LIFE18 NAT/ES/000121, entitled “Improving Aquatic Diversity in Picos de Europa” <https://lifedivaqua. com/en/>

Forest Green Infrastructure to Protect Water Quality: A Step-by-Step Guide for Payment Schemes

Member States continue to develop and invest in best practice farming measures to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture, such as farm-level nutrient planning, reduced tillage and the use of catch crops. These have improved water quality but in most cases by an insufficient margin to meet environmental quality standards. Notably, there has been limited improvement in the proportion of water bodies achieving good ecological status since the first River Basin Management Plans were published in 2009. While there is scope for further improvement in the effectiveness and uptake of farm measures, there is growing recognition that wider delivery of good ecological status will only be achieved by a significant degree of land-use change. This chapter focuses on the water benefits of Forest Green Infrastructure (FGI), although it is recognised that the use of tree-based measures such as tree planting and management should be part of a wider framework of integrated catchment management (e.g. including opportunities for peatland and wetland restoration) and associated strategies and plans

Forests for Water Services: A Step-by-Step Guide for Payment Schemes

The aim of this document is to provide guidance on designing appropriate and cost-effective forests for water payment schemes that support tree planting and forest management to protect and improve water quality. The guide is structured by the main steps involved in establishing a payment scheme, starting with identifying the water issues and how tree planting and forest management can help, managing potential disbenefits, exploring multiple benefits, followed by scheme design, monitoring and communication. It is applicable to all actors involved in sustainable water management, farming and forestry, from policy makers, catchment planners and land managers, to private investors, practitioners and local communities. Applying this guidance will provide a common language and framework to help ensure schemes are successful in delivering water and other ecosystem services, while minimising possible trade-offs (such as the potential for tree planting to reduce water resources)

Impacts of diffuse urban stressors on stream benthic communities and ecosystem functioning: A review

Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing 92 articles. Based on the search criteria, the number of articles dealing with diffuse urban stressors in streams has been increasing, and most of them focused on North America, Europe, and China. Land use was the most common measure used to characterize diffuse stressor sources in urban streams (70.7 % of the articles characterised land use), and chemical stressors (inorganic nutrients, xenobiotics, metals, and water properties, including pH and conductivity) were more frequently reported than physical or biological stressors. A total of 53.3 % of the articles addressed the impact of urban stressors on macroinvertebrates, while 35.9 % focused on bacteria, 9.8 % on fungi, and 8.7 % on algae. Regarding ecosystem functions, almost half of the articles (43.5 %) addressed changes in community dynamics, 40.3 % addressed organic matter decomposition, and 33.9 % addressed nutrient cycling. When comparing urban and non-urban streams, the reviewed studies suggest that urbanisation negatively impacts the diversity of benthic organisms, leading to shifts in community composition. These changes imply functional degradation of streams. The results of the present review summarise the knowledge gained to date and identify its main gaps to help improve our understanding of urban streams.This study has received funding from the Iberian Association of Limnology (AIL) through the project URBIFUN (Urbanization effects on the relationship between microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning), awarded to Míriam Colls and Ferran Romero. Authors thank as well the Basque Government (Consolidated Research Group IT951-16) and the MERLIN project 101036337 – H2020-LC-GD-2020/H2020-LC-GD-2020-3.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data