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1.4 Options to optimize water use in plantations

Water and Land

1. Land Use Planning, Forest Cover and Afforestation

Jordi Cortina University of Alicante Spain

Zaragoza, June 17, 2008


Options to optimize water use in plantations

• Improved knowledge on ecosystem dynamics in drylands

• Knowledge applied to develop techniques to enhance seedling resistance to stress and improve its establishment

- Genotype - Species selection

- Seedling production - Microhabitat amelioration

- Interspecific interactions - Landscape spatial patterns

PLAN



ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION: assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed.

Society for Ecological Restoration International, 2004

www.ser.org



• P.R. China, Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) including the restoration of natural forests in ecologically sensitive areas 1998-2000 (Li, 2004)

15

44

180

2,125

• W Cape Province (South Africa) working for Water invasive alien plant control program 2002-2003 (Holmes et al., 2007).

• Rooibos Bushveld area of Kruger Nat. Park (South Africa) after restoration (increased value) (Blignaut & Loxton, 2007).

• New York city Cat-Del watershed >1997 (Elliman & Berry, 2007).

Restoration: increasing and expensive demand

US$ (106)


Ricote Valley (Murcia, SE Spain)


Ricote Valley (Murcia, SE Spain) 100 years ago

What is a reference ecosystem?

FIRE



Baeza et al. 2006

Species richness (100 m2) 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

Bio

mas

s (g

m2 )

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Open shrubland

Shrubland + Pine

Reference Ecosystems?

SUCCESSION?



Cortina et al.,2006,

Species richness (100 m2) 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

Bio

mas

s (g

m2 )

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Open shrubland

Kermes oak

Mixed rosemary

Gorseland

Shrubland + Pine

Rosemary

WATER PRODUCTION

FLOOD CONTROL

WATER QUALITY

Reference Ecosystems?



Bakkenes et al., (2002)

Higher plants

Species stability

2050

Higher plants

New species

2050

Models to define current and future species distribution



Restoration should integrate changes

(Pinyon-Juniper) x 2003 = Juniper



FAMILIES

E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 T1 T2 T4 T5

Wa

ter

Use

Eff

icie

ncy

(um

ol C

O2

mm

ol H

2 O-1

)

0

2

4

6

8

10

CONTROL DROUGHT

T. Bitinas (unpubl.)

Beginning to understand intraspecific diversity

Quercus suber seedlings



MORTALITY NURSERY 2

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

MO

RT

AL

ITY

N

UR

SE

RY

1

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

P. pinaster Q. ilex P. halepensis

Same plantation site Same plantation year

but...

Nursery 1Nursery 1 –– 20%20%

Nursery 2Nursery 2 –– 80%80%

Cortina et al., (2006)

Significant advances in seedling quality

Sin relación Relaciónpositiva

Relaciónnegativa

Cas

os

est

udi

ado

s (%

)onas con precipitación < 400 m m

onas con precipitación > 400 m m



Navarro et al., (2006)

62.5

25.0

12.5

54.5

36.4

9.1

0

20

40

60

80

100 Z

Z N

umbe

r of

cas

es (

%)

Annual Precipitation < 400 mm

Annual Precipitation > 400 mm

No relation Positive relation

Negative relation

Still uncertainties on seedling quality Relationship seedling stem height vs. field survival



Efficient soil preparation techniques

DIÁMETRO

Dosis (Mg ha 1)

Incr

emen

to a

bso

luto

(mm

)ControlCompostLodo



Fuentes et al., (2007)

Organic amendments = higher growth, not survival

-

0 15 30 45 60

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

b

a

ab ab

ab

Pinus halepensis

Roo

t Col

lar

Dia

met

er in

cre

men

t (m

m)

Application dose (t ha-1)

Control Compost S. sludge



>40.000 toneladas de N y P anuales

583,000.000-3.420,000.000 €

Improving soil fertility + recycling organic amendments

SEWAGE SLUDGE PRODUCTION SPAIN

Se

wa

ge S

lud

ge

Pro

du

ctio

n (1

06

Tm

ye

ar-1

)



Using positive interactions to establish target species

Stipa

tenacissima

(nurse) Pinus

halepensis

(protégé)



POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

Maestre & Cortina (2004)

Using positive interactions to establish target species

Stipa tenacissima effect on Pistacia lentiscus



Vallejo & Alloza, unpubl.

Time with no significant rainfall (days)

180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20

Mo

rtali

ty r

ate

(12

mo

nth

s, %

)

100

80

60

40

20

0

1992-1994 R² = 0,6727

2003-2004 R² = 0,8098

Restoration techniques greatly improved

Landscape Leakiness Index (DLI)



+ -

Plant Cover ca. 40%

Sed

imen

t yie

ld (

g m

-2)

DLI

Bautista et al., (2007)

Spatial pattern and ecosystem function



Thanks for your attention!

• Improved knowledge on ecosystem dynamics and traits

• Knowledge applied to develop techniques to enhance seedling resistance to stress and improve its establishment

• From genotype to landscape scales

CONCLUSIONS

water and land - zaragozazaragoza.es/contenidos/medioambiente/cajaazul/s4-p... · fuentes et al.,...

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