life+arcos: coastal dune habitat restoration in northern spain

LIFE+ARCOS Coastal dune habitat restoration in

northern Spain

THE EX SITU CONSERVATION SCOPE

J.I. Alonso Felpete

INDUROT – UNIVERSITY OF OVIEDO

LIFE13 NAT/ES/000883 LIFE-ARCOS 1

www.arcoslife.eu @infoarcoslife

Overview of the Cantabrian dunes

(Distribution of main dune systems in Europe © Doody, 2001)

1. Dunes are scarce and irregularly distributed

2. Dunes are among the most threatened habitats in terms of surface lost

3. They are included in Prioritised Action Plans for Spain

How scarce are grey dunes on the Cantabrian coast? Working area: 380 km long

Grey dunes surface: 290 ha

The Netherlands: 290 km of dunes Grey dunes surface: 15660 ha

Some in situ actions in progress

1. Elimination of AIS 2. Protection of dunes 3. Dynamics (sand traps) 4. Dynamics (pines removal) 5. Assessment coastal drift

trends 6. Plantation of structural and

non structural species

Main threat: abiotic natural processes

1. The quick evolution of the front dune backwards (specially in the last 4 years) explains how urgent is to take measures against loss of biodiversity

Front dune movement Period Avge movement (m) Avge Speed (m/year)

1956-2007 33.25 0.65

2007-2011 -15.13 -3.78

2011-2014 -11.85 -3.95

2014-2015 2.66 2.66

Studies on the evolution of the front dune have been carried out for the 10 sites

When do ex situ conservation comes in?

Prior to any restoration action we make ourselves some questions

• How do we increase the biodiversity in areas where no nurse plants are present?

• Are we prepared against the loss of biodiversity in the future?

• By conserving seeds we are able to anticipate the loss of biodiversity if dune surface decreases due to catastrophic events that jeopardize the survival of species (many of them protected)

Short and long term benefits of seed conservation

• Have we got enough plants for restabilising the original biodiversity and richness, specially on grey dunes? (in the context of the project)

25/07/2016 LIFE13 NAT/ES/000883 LIFE-ARCOS 6

The ex situ - in situ perspective

IMPROVE THE EXPERTISE ON COSTAL RESTORATION FROM A BIOGEOGRAPHIC POINT OF VIEW

ARCOS promotes the use of combined ex situ and in situ conservation techniques on the proposed dune conservation actions

1. Ex situ conservation techniques are deployed in order to:

• Evaluate how resistant are seeds of dune species to storage conditions • Provide information about possible taxonomic differences • Provide information about seed dormancy • Ensure that genetic diversity preserved and that plants introduced come from a

well known origin

2. Culture essays are deployed for drawing up the best culture protocol for dune plant species production (nursery or in the wild)

3. Contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and enables post LIFE actions to be carried out


Ex situ conservation makes sense on protected species

Glaucium flavum Otanthus maritimus Medicago marina Chamaesyce peplis

Halting against the loss of biodiversity also means fighting against the loss of genetic diversity


Importance of genetic diversity

Climate change effects may result on the loss of natural populations of these species

Alyssum loiseleurii ssp. loisseleurii Alyssum loiseleurii ssp. gallaecica

Galium arenarium

Crucianella maritima

NARROW ENDEMIC SPECIES

LIMIT OF DISTRIBUTION

LIMIT OF DISTRIBUTION

Importance of non structural species on grey dunes

NON STRUCTURAL SPECIES (working with 28 species)

STRUCTURAL SPECIES

Ammophila arenaria Elymus farctus boreoatlanicus

Many of them on prioritized habitat 2130* grey dunes

• Beta maritima • Cakile maritima • Calystegia soldanella • Crucianella maritima • Dianthus hyssopifolius • Eryngium maritimum • Festuca rubra var. littoralis • Glaucium flavum • Helichrysum stoechas • Honckenya peploides • Iberis procumbens • Medicago marina • Otanthus maritimus • Pancratium maritimum

• Alyssum loiseleurii subsp loiseleurii • Dianthus hyssopifolius • Galium arenarium • Euphorbia paralias • Festuca vasconcensis • Helichrysum stoechas • Herniaria ciliolata • Koeleria albescens • Linaria supina subsp. maritima • Solidago virgaurea subsp macrorhiza

Bolded species are present in Regional Protection Cataloges

High diversity

Low diversity

Non Prioritized habitats: embrionic and white dunes


Ex situ conservation into practice

Seeds from 28 non structural species were collected in the 10 targeted sites 125 distinct accessions (average rate 10.2 accessions / site)


Seed characterization

Seed morphometric characterization of dune species In absence of genetic studies, analysis of morphometric parameters can help on defining if there are differences between populations


Are these seeds useful for restoration?

We have to ensure that seeds being conserved still retain the

capacity to germinate

OTHERWISE CONSERVATION OF SEEDS MAKES NOSENSE


Culture protocols

Variables considered: - Pot volume root development - Substrate mix effects on germination


Field essays: transplanting

Seedlings are transplanted into the dune and survival rates are

measured

Conclusions

1. In the Cantabrian coast where dunes are small, scarce and they are irregularly distributed, loss of dune surface may arise to irreversible consequences in terms of loss of biodiversity.

2. Ex situ conservation actions should also be considered in dune restoration projects as they provide mechanisms to fight against climate change effects and eases post LIFE actions.

3. More information on dune species culture protocols should be discussed in knowledge exchange networks. Best practice guides and a European database of seed banks conserving dune species should be created.

4. Ensure an optimal conservation of dune species can highly contribute to the reestablishment of good conservation status of dune habitats in the future

LIFE+ARCOS team

T.E. Díaz A. Bueno

C. Ley

J.I. Felpete

J. Varas

L. Oreja

E. Iglesias

L. García

THANKS FOR YOUR

ATTENTION!!

J.L. Tejerina

J. Marquínez

J. Zulaika

R. Menendez S. Fernández

Botanists

Geomorphologist

Public bodies

Restoration expert

life+arcos: coastal dune habitat restoration in northern spain

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