483 research outputs found
A new Erica lusitanica Rudolphi heathland association to the Iberian south-west
As result of several field trips following doctoral research in Marianic-Monchiquensean Sector, we describe a
new heathland named Lavandulo viridis-Ericetum lusitanici ass nova hoc loco (Genistion micrantho-anglicae, Rivas-
Martínez 1979) as a thermomediterranean to lower mesomediterranean, upper dry to humid, schistose association. The
analysis of 11 relevés, following Braun-Blanquet methodology shows the floristic identity of this new association as well
as the chorological segregation of its area of occurrence. Finally, despite these communities already being relatively well
known and although they are poor in species number, such heathlands show floristic singularity and own sinecology,
with a large and distinct geographical area of distribution, so we emphasized its integration within Atlantic wet heaths
priority habitat (⁄4020 – Annex B-I from Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992)
The Impact of Tourism Activity on Coastal Biodiversity: A Case Study at Praia da Cova Redonda (Algarve—Portugal)
Tourism activity has a very significant weight in the world economy, even being the main
activity responsible for the export of many countries, in the form of providing services to foreign
citizens. In mainland Portugal, the main tourist region is the Algarve, where beach tourism, known as
sun and sea tourism, plays a decisive role. However, this activity also has its negative impacts.
In the present work, a case study was analyzed, at Praia da Cova Redonda, located in the parish of
Porches, in the municipality of Lagoa. Negative impacts on land use and occupation were identified,
caused by the excessive presence of people, the introduction of invasive species and the artificial
filling of beaches. At the end, a set of mitigating measures are presented that aim to ensure that the
exploitation of natural resources can be maintained, but in a perspective of preservation and recovery
of natural resources and biodiversity
Comparative analysis of ephemeral river ecosystem services in agricultural and natural landscapes in mediterranean environments. A practical approach to Caia River (Portugal)
Mediterranean landscapes present a large amount of biodiversity and ecosystems leading to
their unique identity. In fact, it is increasingly acknowledged that these ecosystems provide a
large range of benefits, not only for the area where they are located but also for their
surroundings. Benefits that may vary from aesthetical values to socioeconomic aspects that
might influence territorial development, including also the preservation of those ecosystems.
The ephemeral and intermittent rivers provide several and pivotal ecosystem services within to
the environment. However, these services differ a lot from agricultural to natural landscapes –
e.g. agricultural landscapes structure ́ is susceptible to dramatic changes through the seasons
and water cycles.
Thus, a comparison study between agricultural and natural Mediterranean environments
landscapes have been carried out – allowing to deeply understand ephemeral rivers ecosystems
systems and their dynamics. Considering the purpose of the study - a comparison analysis
between river ecosystem services in agricultural and natural landscapes in Mediterranean
environments have been conducted. Therefore, a Cross-Border ephemeral river – Caia River
(Portugal-Spain) have been selected as a case study. The comparison has covered cultural,
aesthetic, functional and socio-economic ecosystem services; showing the relevance of the functions granted by the river
Contribution to Local Landscape Units definition in OTALEX II
OTALEX II is the Territorial and Environmental Observatory of Alentejo (Portugal) and Extremadura (Spain),
co-financed by POCTEP, developed with the cross-border collaboration of several Portuguese and Spanish bodies. It is
composed of a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) created in 2007, SDI-OTALEX (www.ideotalex.eu), which is an
exchange platform for geographic information and Webmapping services among project partners. The integration of environmental
indicators such as landscape indicators, for the characterization and monitoring of the Alentejo Extremadura
area is one of the most relevant components of the project. This paper reports the achievements in defining Local Landscape
Units (LLU) for a pilot area of Central Alentejo – the Pardiela river basin. The methodological approach applied
Geographic Information System tools to integrate soils, geomorphology and land cover. The land cover map applies the
CORINE Land Cover Legend Level 5 to Central Alentejo at a scale of 1 : 10,000. This map contains variables related to
vegetation, hydrology (streams and water bodies) and human settlements (buildings, equipment, roads). The validation
of the results obtained for LLU with previously defined Landscape Units and potential vegetation mapping confirm the
reliability and replicability of the present methodology for similar territories
Unidades locais de Paisagem aplicadas à escala regional: área Alentejo, Centro e Extremadura
El presente artículo ofrece una visión general de los estudios realizados en la elaboración de
las Unidades Locales de Paisaje (LLU) integrando los componentes de la litología, formas de relieve
(TPI- Topographic Position Index) y ocupación/uso del suelo aplicada en el área OTALEX C. Los
resultados indican que las LLUs más representativas son los "Cultivos temporales sobre Aluviales y
coluviales en Llanura" (7,8%) y "Cultivos temporales sobre Pizarras en Llanura" (2,6%). Las "Zonas agroforestales
- Dehesas sobre Pizarras en Llanura" y "Zonas agro-forestales - Dehesas sobre Aluviales y
coluviales en Llanura" representan en conjunto el 8% de la superficie (748000 ha). También la zona de
"Los Pastizales sobre Pizarras en Llanura", que representan el 2,6% y los matorrales densos en zonas de
pendiente, valles aplanados y en zonas de llanura que ocupan aproximadamente el 14% de la superficie
OTALEX C
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
Knowledge for a Better Conservation: Syntaxonomic Review of Caribbean Pine Forests (Cuba, Hispaniola)
A phytosociological review is carried out of the pine forest formations on the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola (Caribbean), due to the diversity of soils and environments. We collected 10 plant associations belonging to the class Byrsonimo-Pinetea caribaea growing on siliceous, calcareous and sandy substrates and 21 associations on special, serpentine and ophite substrates and on ultramafic rocks belonging to the class Caseario crassinervis-Pinetea cubensis, exclusive to Cuba; while the association of pine forests on serpentines in Hispaniola is included in the class Phyllantho orbicularis-Neobracetea valenzuelanae with a Caribbean distribution. The comparative phytosociological and statistical study reveals phytosociological anomalies in the inclusion of various syntaxa, and in the description of other syntaxa according to the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature (ICPN). We therefore propose a change in status for several of the subassociations described: subass. ilicetosum repandae: syn. var. con Ilex repanda; subass. schmidtottietosum shaferi: syn. var. with Schmidtottia shaferi; subass. acrosynanthetosum trachyphylli: syn. var. with Acrosynanthus trachyphyllus; subass. psychotrietosum grandis: var. con Psychotria grandis; subass. notodonetosum roigii: syn. var. with Notodon roigii. We also propose a nomen novum: jaquinietosum oxhyphyllae Reyes & Acosta 2012 ex Cano et al. hoc loco
Phytosociological study, diversity and conservation status of the cloud forest in the Dominican Republic
The study of the forest in rainy environments of the Dominican Republic reveals the presence of four types of vegetation formations, clearly differentiated from each other in terms of their floristic and biogeographical composition, and also significantly different from the rainforests of Cuba. This leads us to propose two new alliances and four plant associations located in northern mountain areas exposed to moisture-laden winds from the Atlantic: All. Rondeletio ochraceae-Clusion roseae (Ass. Cyatheo furfuracei-Prestoetum motanae; Ass. Ormosio krugii-Prestoetum montanae); and All. Rondeletio ochraceae-Didymopanion tremuli (Ass. Hyeronimo montanae-Magnolietum pallescentis; Hyeronimo dominguensis-Magnolietum hamorii). We pay special attention to the description of cloud forest types, since they have a high rate of endemic species, and therefore there are endemic habitats, which need special protective actions. Therefore, we apply the Shannon diversity index to characteristic, companion, non-endemic, and endemic species. As result, the association Ormosio krugii-Prestoetum montanae has a Shannon_T = 2.4 and a value of Shannon_E = 0, whereas the other 3 associations have a better conservation status with Shannon values in all cases > 0: This is due to a worse conservation status of the Eastern Cordillera, in comparison with the Central Cordillera and Sierra de Bhaoruco. Due to human activity, some areas are very poorly conserved, as evidenced by the diversity index and the presence of endemic tree and plant elements. The worst conserved in terms of the relationship between characteristic plants vegetation (cloud forest) in areas with high rainfall are in the Dominican Republic, along with its floristic diversity and state of conservation. This study has made it possible to significantly increase the botanical knowledge of this important habitat.Research group RNM: 211 of the Junta de Andalucia (Spain) and AECI projectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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