Francisco Bruno Navarro

Andalusian Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IFAPA)

Key message Crown area, sapling height, and biovolume extracted from UAV-acquired RGB images provided accurate estimates of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in a 5-year-old holm oak ( Quercus ilex L.) plantation. Our models regressing UAV-derived sapling variables against ground-based measurements exhibited high R ² values (0.78–0.89), thereby...

Linaria sagrensis , from the south‐eastern Iberian Peninsula, is here newly described, illustrated, and compared with its morphologically closest relatives from L. sect. Supinae : L. pruinosa , L. nevadensis , L. glacialis and L. alpina subsp. alpina . The species is characterized by being perennial, entirely glandular‐hairy, with inflorescence den...

The effects of the farming system (conventional-organic-abandoned) and soil management (native cover crop vs tillage) on vascular plant species were analyzed in sloping olive groves (>20%) in 20 different locations in Andalusia, SE Spain. The soil management techniques included Organic Tillage (OT), Organic Cover Crops (OC), Conventional Tillage (C...

En el término municipal de Guadahortuna (Granada), hemos localizado una población de Juniperus thurifera L. (sabina albar) de 34 individuos, especie relicta de la flora terciaria asociada al clima mediterráneo continentalizado. La sabina albar goza de poblaciones extensas y numerosas en el centro peninsular y el Sistema Ibérico; en cambio, en el Su...

Purpose Soil pollution is a major problem worldwide. Some anthropogenic activities, such as mining, may exceed soil capacity, causing relevant health and ecosystem hazards. The use of mineral amendments can help reduce soil pollution. Gypsum mining spoil (GS) is a waste material highly produced in gypsum mining industry, which has never been used i...

Proactive silviculture treatments (e.g., thinning) may increase C sequestration contributing to climate change mitigation, although, there are still questions about this effect in Mediterranean pine forests. The aim of this research was to quantify the storage of biomass and soil organic carbon in Pinus forests along a climatic gradient from North...

Se presentan 21 citas pertenecientes a 14 taxones herborizados en Andalucía, aportando nuevos datos corológicos y de especial interés. 21 citations belonging to 14 herborized taxa are recorded from Andalusia, providing new chorological data of special interest.

Adaptive forest management (AFM) is an urgent need because of the uncertainty regarding how changes in the climate will affect the structure, composition and function of forests during the next decades. Current research initiatives for the long-term monitoring of impacts of silviculture are scattered and not integrated into research networks, with...

Farmland afforestation has been promoted in recent decades and is one of the main strategies included in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration to recover degraded areas. However, the impacts of afforestation on plant diversity and soil quality indicators are still not well-understood in semiarid environments. In this study, we assessed the relatio...

The poplar wood industry chain from planted forests takes a strategic position for the creation of a competitive, profitable, and highly technological bioeconomy in the world. Niche sectors such as buildings can find in poplar wood an effective ally to reduce its carbon footprint and ecological backpack. For the poplar wood, it is important to unde...

Aims of the study: To characterize the southernmost Spanish Juniper (Juniperus thurifera L.) population in Europe, a relict species of the tertiary flora. Area of study: El Peñón de Alamedilla, Los Montes region (Granada, Spain). Material and Methods: A census and geo-referencing of the individuals in the population was carried out, together with...

Forest restoration is currently a primary objective in environmental management policies at a global scale, to the extent that impressive initiatives and commitments have been launched to plant billions of trees. However, resources are limited and the success of any restoration effort should be maximized. Thus, restoration programs should seek to g...

One of the most important worldwide environmental challenges is the alteration of the biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus (P). P is globally exported from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems, causing the eutrophication of the receiving waters. In this context, magnetic microparticles (MPs) have been recently proposed for trapping P in natural eutrophi...

Revegetation is key to achieve the goals of the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. For many situations and plant species, selecting direct seeding or planting can define revegetation success. However, there is no clarity about when one method should be preferred over the other, partly driven by methodological difficulties that preclude avoiding b...

The use of plant species to stabilize and accumulate trace elements in contaminated soils is considered of great usefulness given the difficulty of decontaminating large areas subjected to mining for long periods. In this work, the bioaccumulation of trace elements is studied by relating the concentrations in leaves and roots of three plants of Med...

Se presentan 2 nuevos taxones herborizados en Andalucía, más concretamente en la parte noroccidental de Sierra Nevada (Granada), aportando nuevos datos corológicos destacables y de especial interés.

• Olive groves on steep slopes with a low yield account for 29.6% of the total olive growing area in Andalusia, Spain. This type of olive grove is at high risk of abandonment. Thus, apart from their productive function, we should also take into consideration the ecosystem services that they provide. • The diversity of Lepidoptera Rhopalocera was st...

La industria basada en el cáñamo y el esparto durante el siglo pasado tuvo una considerable importancia, llegando a ser muy próspera durante los años 50 y 60. A partir de los años 70 su cultivo comienza a declinar por una diversa casuística. El resurgimiento del interés por las fibras naturales como materiales de refuerzo en las dos últimas décadas...

Litterfall evaluation and the effects caused by forestry practices provide valuable information on nutrient-cycle dynamics in managed forests. So far, most of the studies have focused on leaf-fall, omitting other litterfall fractions that can be also relevant for forest and soil modelling in a global change context. With this aim the miscellaneous...

Thinning is a forestry technique that can improve growth in the remaining trees and make them less vulnerable to water stress, buffering the imminent climatic changes. However, thinning effects have not been thoroughly explored using high-resolution measurements of stem-diameter variation in natural ecosystems, which can provide valuable informatio...

Although olive groves on steep slope and less favored land are typically found in Andalusia and occupy large areas of land, they present a high risk of abandonment due to low profitability. They could be made viable through the provision of ecosystem services demanded by society, such as the introduction of derivatives in order to increase biodiver...

Acequias are historical community-operated water channels used for irrigating of traditional farming areas(vegas). They have been traditionally managed by local inhabitants, either by clearing weeds or by burning them in winter, in order to keep the channels clean of vegetation, thus avoiding their clogging. The impact of these cultural practices o...

This species endemic to the Baetic Mountains in Southern Spain has a restricted distribution, with an Area of Occupancy (AOO) estimated at 132 km2. Continuing decline on the extent and quality of the habitat has been observed, especially for Narcissus nevadensis subsp. enemeritoi, due to changes in hydrological regimes, specimen collection, trampli...

El laboreo agrícola continuado realizado a lo largo de la historia en los suelos mediterráneos ha dado lugar a una degradación generalizada, con fuerte empobrecimiento en el contenido de materia orgánica y de nutrientes. Este hecho dificulta el establecimiento de la vegetación natural tras el abandono agrícola, pudiéndose llegar a procesos irrevers...

For a determination of the impact of silvicultural practices on the biogeochemical cycle, it is crucial to address the forest management in a global-change context, especially in semiarid areas where there is lack of data. In this sense, thinning intensity applied on a Pinus halepensis Mill. afforestation was analyzed in the SE of the Iberian Penin...

Planted seedlings and saplings usually exh\ibit low survival and growth rates under dry Mediterranean environments, especially late-successional species such as Quercus. In this work, we studied the effects of straw and rock-fragment mulches on the establishment conditions of holm oak (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Def.) Samp.) in SE Spain. Soil...

El reto de este proyecto, que cuenta con financiación de los fondos FEDER 2014-2020 ("Programa Operativo de Crecimiento Inteligente") y cuya fecha de ejecución está prevista en el periodo 2016-2019, es contribuir a racionalizar la planificación pública y privada para fomentar un uso sostenible del suelo para el caso concreto del olivar en pendiente...

The total concentration of trace elements in soils does not always represent the fraction available for organisms and/or plants because they accumulate in several geochemical forms. The bioavailable concentration of Zn and Pb in mine tailing soils and its relation to the concentration in the leaves of plants growing there are analysed.

In Mediterranean coastal dune habitats, the facilitative mechanisms among plants could be crucial for the persistence of several plants for which survival is linked to a fragile equilibrium with the surrounding microenvironment. The aim of this study was to verify whether there exists a facilitative effect on Dianthus morisianus Vals., a narrow end...

This work evaluated how pine plantations established on old fields and degraded lands influence soil properties in comparison with adjacent unplanted areas that undergo into secondary succession, and native forests, analysing the effects of abiotic variables and stand characteristics in the afforestation process. Thirty-two paired sites (pine plant...

An overview of the evolution of the main soil features, in the context of recent land use changes undergone by different climatic regions of Spain, is presented. Intensive agriculture, overexploitation, and mismanagement of soils in Spain have led to serious degradation, such as erosion, low SOM content, or salinization. In many cases, restoration...

Gypsum habitats are widespread globally and are important for biological conservation. Nevertheless, they are often affected by human disturbances and thus require restoration. Sowing and planting have shown positive results, but these actions are usually limited by the lack of native plant material in commercial nurseries, and very little informat...

QuestionsHow do thinning and understorey management practices (ploughing, clearing) to reduce fire risk affect plant species composition, diversity and biomass within pine plantations on previous croplands? Do managed pine plantations promote changes in plant succession compared to unplanted areas (old fields) towards restoration goals including ho...

In Southwestern Spain, multifunctional silvopastoral systems consisting of pastureland and open oak woodlands are known as Dehesas. These, and other similar systems of the Mediterranean basin, are currently threatened by increasing intensive land use. As a consequence, oak regeneration is declining and is in need of adequate management and active r...

Here it is presented the results of growth of 8 micropropagated clones from the walnut hybrid progeny Mj209xRa. These clones were selected from seed trials by their vigour, DBH, height, and growth habit, and then micropropagated. This trial belongs to a net formed by other 2 trials established in Spain between 2013 and 2014. It is the first known w...

This work studies the influence of two mulching treatments on soil properties and the field performance of afforested holm-oak seedlings (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.) nine years after outplanting. Mulching treatments composed of stones, forest debris, and an untreated control were randomly applied to 180 seedlings (n = 60) in Janua...

Trace elements in soils exist as components of several different fractions. We have analyzed the correlation between total and extractable (EDTA, calcium chloride and deionized water) Zn, Pb and Cu concentrations in soils and the concentration of these elements in plant leaves. Soil and plant samples have been taken from Sulcis-Iglesiente (Sardinia...

Little is known about the litterfall dynamics and the effects of stand-management practices under semi- arid Mediterranean conditions. Our aim was to provide data on the annual amount and the seasonal dis- tribution of litterfall in a 15-year-old afforestation area of Aleppo pine under three different intensities of thinning applied 5 years before...

Thymus × pseudogranatensis Vizoso, F.B. Navarro & Lorite, a new spontaneous hybrid of Th. granatensis Boiss. subsp. granatensis and Th. zygis L. subsp. gracilis (Boiss.) R. Morales, collected in the dolomitic areas of Sierra Nevada (SE Spain), is described. Morphological characters of the new nothospecies are analysed and its distribution and ecolo...

We have analyzed the relationship between total Zn, Pb and Cu concentrations in the soil and the capacity of three plant species to accumulate these elements in their leaves. The study was carried out in a highly contaminated area at Sulcis-Iglesiente (SW-Sardinia, Italy). We took samples of the leaves of Dittrichia viscosa, Cistus salviifolius and...

It is becoming more and more common in the Mediterranean basin to guard against forest fires by creating wooded firebreak areas by reducing the overstory density, pruning the remaining trees and slash mulching. Nevertheless, very few attempts have been made to analyse the effect of this practice upon tree growth and the productivity of the understo...

In recent decades a large proportion of agricultural lands have been abandoned in European countries, mainly in semi-arid or mountain Mediterranean areas. Environmental processes in old fi elds have attracted the attention of many scientists, but several issues remain unanswered. This study seeks to identify the edaphic factors determining changes...

In the 20th century, in the Mediterranean area, many extensive afforestation efforts were made with the primary objective of protecting soils from erosion and improving their fertility. This study evaluates the effects of the afforestation undertaken in the Guadalentín basin (SE Spain) with respect to the organic and inorganic soil constituents and...

The short-term effects of forest overstory reduction and slash mulching on ground vegetation were analysed in a Mediterranean Aleppo pine reforested wood land on degraded agricultural land in south-east Spain. This sort of practice is becoming common in the Mediterranean basin to guard against forest fires, but very few attempts have been made to a...

Approximation to the Iberian gypsophytes checklist. The close relationship between some kinds of soils and the flora growing on them has been long known. Gypsum soils stand as a prominent example of this relationship, since some plants exclusively grow on gypsum outcrops. Nowadays this close relationship is known as gypsophily and the plant species...

La estrecha relación que existe entre determinados tipos de suelo y la flora que crece sobre ellos es conocida como gipsofilia y las especies vegetales en que es patente son las denominadas gipsófitas. Este estudio valora el grado de gipsofilia de 140 especies mediante una escala del 1 al 5, de manera que éste último valor expresa la preferencia ab...

The vegetation growing on special types of rocks has long attracted the attention of botanists and ecologists. In this respect, interest in serpentine soils has led to the publication of a number of monographs on their flora and vegetation. The high levels of heavy metals, in particular of Ni, and the low proportion of Ca/Mg are generally held resp...

Question: What is the role of Stipa tenacissima as a nurse plant of the rare and threatened endemic species Haplophyllum bastetanum? Location: Semi-arid steppe of the Guadix-Baza basin (SE Spain). Methods: In the two H. bastetanum populations known, we (1) estimated the number of individuals and (2) analysed the influence of the factors ‘site’ (S1...

This work examines the influence of different post-planting treatments in the development of afforested Holm oak, Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp., in an abandoned agricultural field in SE Spain. A total of nine post-planting treatments were carried out: tilling spring and autumn in different years, spreading of organic and inor- ganic...

The Baetic range (SE Spain) constitutes an important centre of diversity and speciation in the Mediterranean Basin. However, numerous species are threatened by different human activities and by global climatic change. In this work, we provide data on the conservational state of orophilous plants of the Baetic range and propose priorities for their...

A nursery experiment under optimal controlled conditions and a parallel field trial under conditions of severe water stress were conducted to test the influence that acorn size and soil preparation (only in field) exert on the survival and development of this species. The soil preparation consisted of preparing seed beds with a backhoe. The size an...

This study analyses the Andalusian mycobiota (Agaricales, Boletales, Russulales) from a biogeographical standpoint. For this, the best-represented groups of macrofungi have been selected, including ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic species, to discover whether their chorological behaviour is different or similar. Locations in a number of important c...

We have conducted a taxonomic study of Cortinarius belleri, C. cistohelvelloides, C. impolitus and C. scobinaceus from material collected in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Morocco. Based on anatomy, morphology, ecology and distribution (geographical data) we recognize two species, C. impolitus and C. scobinaceus, and the new combination C. scob...

We have conducted a taxonomic study of Cortinarius belleri, C. cistohelvelloides, C. impolitus and C. scobinaceus from material collected in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Morocco. Based on anatomy, morphology, ecology and distribution (geographical data) we recognize two species, C. impolitus and C. scobinaceus, and the new combination C. scob...