How Does Forwarding of Pinus pinea Plantations Affect the Recovery of Plant Assemblages of Stabilised Dunes?

  1. Juan García-de-Lomas 1
  2. Laura Fernández-Carrillo 1
  3. María D Cobo 2
  4. Ildefonso Martín 1
  5. Concepción Saavedra 1
  6. Santiago Pérez 2
  7. Tomás Ponce 2
  8. Carmen Rodríguez 3
  1. 1 Environment and Water Agency of Andalusia, Seville, Spain
  2. 2 Conservation Department, Doñana Natural Area, Centro Administrativo El Acebuche s/n, 21760 Matalascañas, Huelva, Spain
  3. 3 Department of Flora and Fungi, Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable development, Avda Manuel Siurot s/n, 41071, Seville, Spain
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Revista:
Journal of Biodiversity Management and Forestry

ISSN: 2327-4417

Año de publicación: 2019

Volumen: 8

Número: 1

Tipo: Artículo

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Otras publicaciones en: Journal of Biodiversity Management and Forestry

Resumen

Management of forest plantations towards biodiversity conservationposes a challenge of increasing importance. Felling and subsequentlogging have been traditionally used in forest plantations, however,their suitability to restore preexisting habitats has been scarcelystudied. This paper reports the effect of felling and forwarding of stonepine (Pinus pinea) plantations on soil disturbance and recovery ofnative xerophytic community typical of stabilised dunes in the DoñanaProtected Area (southern Spain). Soil disturbance was assessed justafter forwarding whereas recovery of plant assemblages was evaluated27 months after the action by comparing species richness and diversityindices and Raunkiaer´s life functional types among four plot types: (i)plots with P. pinea that were not felled or forwarded, (ii) plots with P.pinea that were felled and forwarded, (iii) open areas without P. pineaaffected by the forwarder and (iv) well-preserved open areas without P.pinea. Also, plant composition similarities between pairs of plots wereevaluated with multivariate tests SIMPER and one-way ANOSIM. Theforwarder provoked a shallow disturbance (litter and topsoil mixed)in areas of bare soil ≤ 20% and beside the Dorset heath, but deepdisturbance (topsoil removed, subsoil exposed; and ruts) occurred inareas of bare soil>20% and on repeatedly used tracks. Non-forestedareas affected by deep disturbance showed a significantly higherrecovery of the xerophytic community than areas affected by shallowdisturbance but previously occupied by a high cover of P. pinea. Ourresults provide novel evidence that a high cover of P. pinea slows downthe recovery of native plant assemblages to a greater extent than themere physical disturbance caused by the forwarder in areas without anypines. These results may guide future management actions aimed atenhancing biodiversity in natural areas affected by Pinus plantations andthe adoption of responsible forestrypractices.