Luis Merino-Martín

Rey Juan Carlos University | URJC · Biology and Geology

Demand for restoration of resilient, self-sustaining, and biodiverse natural ecosystems as a conservation measure is increasing globally; however, restoration efforts frequently fail to meet standards appropriate for this objective. Achieving these standards requires management underpinned by input from diverse scientific disciplines including ecol...

AimsHeterogeneous canopies in temperate montane forests affect microclimate and soil characteristics, with important effects on soil microbial communities and related processes. Here, we studied the interactions between plant root traits and soil bacterial and fungal communities in closed forest and open gaps in a mixed forest along an elevational...

Soil aggregates are critical to soil functionality, but there remain many uncertainties with respect to the role of biotic factors in forming aggregates. Understanding the interacting effects of soil, land use type, vegetation and microbial communities is a major challenge that needs assessment in both field and controlled laboratory conditions, as...

Within a landscape, multiple habitats exist for soil microbial communities. But how these habitats shape community composition requires an understanding of the way in which microbial diversity is impacted across a broad range of spatial scales. Mountain ecosystems are excellent systems to study microbial communities, because a multitude of climate...

Global biodiversity is negatively affected by anthropogenic climate change. As species distributions shift due to increasing temperatures and precipitation fluctuations, many species face the risk of extinction. In this study, we explore the expected trend for plant species distributions in Central America and southern Mexico under two alternative...

Abstract Elevational gradients are characterized by major shifts in environmental conditions, reflected through changes in climatic and soil variables. These shifts strongly impact the composition, community structure and specific functional traits of vegetation. Vegetation, in turn, influences soil properties through litter input, root growth and...

Plant root traits are diverse and variable, and the way in which they interact has consequences for fundamental functions such as anchorage, or services such as soil fixation. Here, we characterize mechanical traits related to anchorage (tensile strength, strain, stiffness and toughness) at both intra‐ and inter‐specific levels and examine how they...

Connecting scientific research and government policy is essential for conserving biodiversity and sustaining the economy. Ecological restoration requires the application of ecological theory and practice to biodiverse ecosystems, and tests current understandings of natural systems. The intersection between ecological restoration and complex regulat...

Connecting scientific research and government policy is essential for achieving objectives in sustaining biodiversity in an economic context. Our approach to connecting theoretical ecology, applied ecology, and policy was devised using principles of restoration ecology and the requisite methodology to restore biodiverse ecosystems. Using a threaten...

The use of ecohydrologically suitable microsites, such as sink patches (i.e. zones intercepting and infiltrating runoff) and nurse shrubs, have largely been proposed as tools to improve the establishment of late-successional trees in Mediterranean reclaimed landscapes. Nonetheless, this technique needs to be accurately tested along with the influen...

Soil microbial communities are responsive to abiotic and biotic conditions within the heterogeneous soil environment. In montane plant communities, vegetation can create distinctive microenvironments that have unique microbial responses. Here, we ask how soil microbial activity and functional diversity were influenced by the type and diversity of m...

In order to contribute to a minimum impact on soil biocenosis during the application of in-situ bioremediation techniques, this work assessed the efficiency of a scarcely used combination of biochar and a bioaugmentation based on an autochthonous bacterial consortium. Bioaugmentation-biochar combination was assessed by using soil samples from a pol...

Restoration of degraded drylands is urgently needed to mitigate climate change, reverse desertification and secure livelihoods for the two billion people who live in these areas. Bold global targets have been set for dryland restoration to restore millions of hectares of degraded land. These targets have been questioned as overly ambitious, but wit...

A full list of affiliations appears at the end of the paper. R estoration ecology is rapidly advancing in response to the ever-expanding global decline in ecosystem integrity and its associated socioeconomic repercussions 1-4. Nowhere are these dynamics more evident than in drylands, which help sustain 39% of the world's human population 5 but rema...

Objectives Altitude integrates changes in environmental conditions that determine shifts in vegetation, including temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and edaphogenetic processes. In turn, vegetation alters soil biophysical properties through litter input, root growth, microbial and macrofaunal interactions. The belowground traits of plant c...

Letter to the Editor of the European Journal of Soil Science as a reaction to the Russell Review by Phillipe Baveye “Bypass and hyperbole in soil research: worrisome practices critically reviewed through examples” and to his follow‐up Invited Opinion paper “Bypass and hyperbole in soil research: a personal view on plausible causes and possible reme...

Aims Understanding limitations to plant recruitment is a key element in devising effective restoration of semi-arid ecosystems: only when these limitations are identified can management interventions be effectively targeted. This study investigated demographic, seed and microsite limitations to establishing native plant species in a semi-arid, post...

Soil moisture and physical characteristics strongly influence plant-available water and surface crust strength, which affect seedling emergence. We test interactions between rainfall amount and topsoil and waste rock blends and their impact on restoration outcomes in a semi-arid environment. Seedling emergence was evaluated in eight species across...

Aims Mineral-associated organic matter, mainly derived from microbial by-products, persists longer in soil compared to particulate organic matter (POM). POM is highly recalcitrant and originates largely from decomposing root and shoot litter. Theory suggests that root traits and growth dynamics should affect carbon (C) accumulation into these diffe...

Connectivity has emerged as a useful concept for exploring the movement of water and sediments between landscape locations and across spatial scales. In this study, we examine the structural and functional controls of surface-patch to hillslope runoff and sediment connectivity in three Mediterranean dry reclaimed mining slope systems that have diff...

Aims Understanding how soil aggregate stability (MWD) is influenced by microbial diversity and abundance can be crucial for ecological restoration in severely disturbed areas. We investigated the relationships between plant and soil microbial diversity and MWD of an ultramafic Ferralsol along a vegetational succession gradient in New Caledonia, whe...

Rainfall is the key factor to understand soil erosion processes, mechanisms, and rates. Most research was conducted to determine rainfall characteristics and their relationship with soil erosion (erosivity) but there is little information about how atmospheric patterns control soil losses, and this is important to enable sustainable environmental p...

Abstract. Runoff and soil erosion in Mediterranean landscapes are affected by multiple factors that interact at a variety of spatial scales with variable degrees of connection. In these systems, connectivity has emerged as a useful concept for exploring the movement of runoff and sediments between landscape locations and across spatial scales. In t...

Iron ore mining results in waste rock, which is discarded to form ‘waste rock dumps’. These waste rock dumps are required to be restored with local vegetation. Waste rock may not be ideal for seed germination and plant growth. Plant growth may be better in topsoil. In this study, topsoil was removed and stockpiled prior to mining, but there is not...

Geotechnical operations such as embankments construction influence soil carbon (C) storage since massive amounts of C-poor subsoil are brought to the surface. We hypothesize that subsoil can sequester relatively more C than C-rich topsoil due to its lower C-saturation. We excavated topsoil (0.0 to 0.3 m) and subsoil (1.1 to 1.4 m) from the same pro...

Biodiversity of ecosystems is an important driver for the supply of ecosystem services to people. Soils often have a larger biodiversity per unit surface area than what can be observed aboveground. Here, we present what is to our knowledge the most extensive literature-based key-word assessment of the existing information about the relationships be...

Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall e...

Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall e...

New Caledonia, an archipelago located in the South West Pacific, is renowned for its exceptional flora and considered one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspot. The flora of New Caledonia is characterized by the occurrence of ultramafic outcrops that disproportionally contributes to the high levels of plant diversity and endemism. Howe...

Vegetation actively affects different components of the water budget in multiple spatial and temporal scales. Changes in vegetation cover and structure—such as those resulting from land use—alter natural ecohydrological dynamics, leading to changes in natural hydrologic regimes. In tropical mountain ecosystems, such as the Colombian Andes, signific...

This contribution results from international collaborative efforts of different research groups around the Mediterranean basin focusing on soil conservation and water management. We will present the most complete database of runoff and soil erosion information and analyze the records from 68 locations, including more than 22458 detail events betwee...

Translocation of threatened species is challenging in semiarid environments, especially when seeds are the principal means of in situ establishment. Worldwide, the overall success of translocations using seeds is highly variable and generally unpredictable. Most seed-based translocations are embarked upon with limited understanding of the species’...

This poster aims to describe the aims and methodology implemented at Ecotron (Montpellier) to study differences in carbon sequestration between top organic soil and deep mineral soils

Topsoil replacement is a standard procedure in restoration of mined landscapes as it provides a source of propagules via the soil seed bank, as well as provides favourable physical, chemical and microbiological properties for plant establishment. With the availability of topsoil frequently limited in mining, soil cover designs that maximise the use...

This restoration manual is largely a synthesis of research findings from a five year research program agreed to by the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) and Sinosteel Midwest Corporation (SMC) and undertaken from March 2012 to March 2017 in Threatened Ecological Communities on banded ironstone formations in the mid-west region of Wester...

Topsoil in post mining restoration is vital not only to provide seed diversity and density required for restoration, but also to provide a suitable growth medium for seed germination, seedling emergence and vegetation establishment. However, the deficit of topsoil in post-mining restoration is remarkably common across many restoration projects. Thi...

Restoring post-mining landscapes is a complex activity that requires a holistic approach combining soil and plant sciences. Ideally in the restoration process, landform restoration is followed by soil or growth media reposition providing the basis for establishing the plant community and finally, the revegetation is undertaken. Landform restoration...

The arid zone of Western Australia is an area of both fascinating biodiversity and great economic importance. The Workshop, organised by the Kwongan Foundation, aims to enhance awareness of Western Australia’s arid zone biodiversity by creating a forum to communicate research outcomes, policy and environmental management practices related to this r...

Hydrological connectivity has emerged in recent years as a critical factor for understanding the transference of runoff, sediments and nutrients across scales. Here we examine its relevance for the successful reclamation of water-limited environments in which vegetation stability largely depends on optimal redistribution of water and soil resources...

It is well known that overland flow plays a major role in the functioning of natural ecosystems in drylands, where water is the main limiting factor. However, in reclaimed ecosystems its role is not so well understood. This study shows a synthesis of the research conducted in constructed slopes from coal mining reclamation at El Moral field site (T...

Este capítulo aborda un aspecto de la restauración ecológica en minería que tiene que ver con el necesario ajuste entre lo abiótico y lo biótico, con las interacciones entre procesos hidrológicos, geomorfológicos, edáficos y de las comunidades biológicas. Se trata de los procesos eco-hidrológicos, cuyo conocimiento y buen manejo son una parte esenc...

Mining restoration is a complex activity with natural abiotic processes developing interactively with ecological succession within newly constructed environments. Ecohydrological processes are imperative for the functioning of such ecosystems, with the behaviour of slopes in particular playing a significant role in the evolution of restored landsca...

Despite our best efforts to restore cleared or reconstructed areas using topsoil and seed, certain species may be absent, or present in low density. A problem-solving approach to determine the causes of recruitment failure will be presented, using examples from across Western Australia. One company, Sinosteel Midwest Corporation, aims to restore 70...

We have conducted a field experiment to ascertain the role of ecohydrological interactions between run-off source areas and sink patches in the dynamics of artificial slopes derived from open cast coal mining in central-eastern Spain. We analysed the effects of run-off interruption on soil moisture, on the leaf water potential of woody species and...

Vegetation, soil, and hydrology in drylands often collec-tively exhibit strong ecohydrological interrelationships in which vegetation both influences and is influenced by runoff, particularly on sites with more gradual slopes. These two-way relationships have important implica-tions for ecological restoration of disturbed sites, such as those being...

Hydrological heterogeneity is recognized as a fundamental ecosystem attribute in drylands controlling the flux of water and energy through landscapes. Therefore, mosaics of runoff and sediment source patches and sinks are frequently identified in these dry environments. There is a remarkable scarcity of studies about hydrological spatial heterogene...

Hydrological heterogeneity is recognized as a fundamental ecosystem attribute in drylands controlling the flux of water and energy through landscapes. Therefore, mosaics of runoff and sediment sinks and source patches are frequently identified in these dry environments. There is a remarkable scarcity of studies about hydrological spatial heterogene...

Semiarid and arid environments are frequently structured in different vegetation patches that heterogeneously distribute water resources. The existence of hydrological heterogeneity has been studied in Mediterranean restored rilled slopes from opencast coal mining, where reclamation is especially complex because they are a special case of primary e...

Too often, ecological restoration is conceived as a set of manipulative activities on the landscape, rather than a negotiation of interests between diverse parties over ecosystem goods and services. These negotiations are particularly important and challenging where historical social conflict has caused the mistrust of outsiders. We present a conce...

Soil moisture is considered the main limiting factor governing the structure and dynamics of vegetation in drylands. Soil erosion is perceived as a critical process affecting these systems, especially when rill formation occurs, as rill networks can condition the availability and spatial distribution of soil moisture. To assess the impact of soil e...

Como se ha señalado en varios apartados de este manual, la inestabilidad geomorfológica tiene efectos negativos sobre el éxito de la restauración de las laderas construidas. En efecto, la erosión hídrica condiciona los procesos ecológicos que conducen al establecimiento y desarrollo de la vegetación, así como la edafogénesis. Se ha indicado que el...

Coal mining restoration is a complex activity. The construction of these new environments includes the natural processes framed within ecological succession. Ecohydrological processes are key for the functioning of these new ecosystems. The key factors of the ecohydrological dynamics in rilled restored slopes, characterized by "arrested succession"...

Background/Question/Methods Emission and redistribution of dust in drylands drive major ecosystem dynamics and provides important biogeochemical connectivity across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Wind erosion and dust emissions from drylands are highly variable both spatially and temporally, yet most aeolian transport studies focus on...

1] In Earth and ecological sciences, an important, crosscutting issue is the relationship between scale and the processes of runoff and erosion. In drylands, understanding this relationship is critical for understanding ecosystem functionality and degradation processes. Recent work has suggested that the effects of scale may differ depending on the...

Objetivos: Determinar si el patrón de manchas y claros observado en laderas restauradas responde a una relación funcional en la que los claros aportan una cantidad de agua necesaria para el mantenimiento de las manchas de vegetación (control abiótico). Nuestra hipótesis es que la importancia del control abiótico sobre la disponibilidad de agua depe...

Vegetation cover plays a major role in the restoration and stabilization of disturbed systems. The analysis of relationships between restored vegetation and soil hydrology has special relevance for the evaluation and operation of mining reclamation, particularly in Mediterranean-Continental environments, where climatic conditions restrict the devel...

Dust emission rates vary temporally and with particle size. Many studies of dust emission focus on a particular temporal scale and the portion of the particle-size spectrum associated with a single instrument; fewer studies have assessed dust emission across the particle-size spectrum and associated temporal scales using multiple instruments. Parti...

La minería del carbon a cielo abierto se inició en Teruel en 1976. En estos más de treinta años de actividad se han abierto 24 explotaciones, ocupándose una superficie en torno a las 3.000 has. Tras tres décadas, se puede considerar que la actividad se encuentra actualmente en una etapa de madurez/senectud, con pocas, pero estables, empresas y expl...

Rill erosion impact upon water availability for vegetation in reclaimed mining slopes (Utrillas coalfield, Teruel). Water deficit is the main limiting factor for mining restoration success in Mediterranean environments. Soil moisture in these systems is highly controlled by soil erosion processes. Soil water content has been monitored during the 20...

Different types of plant communities coupled with overland flow (OF) have been described in semiarid ecosystems (Wilcox et al. 1988, Dunne et al. 1991). The amount of OF is key in the early phases of the primary ecological succession on constructed slopes coming from surface coal mining reclamation (Haigh 1992, Loch 1997, Nicolau and Asensio 2000,...

Numerous works have revealed strong links between hydrological processes, soil moisture, and the structure and function of biological communities. Nevertheless, the influence of soil erosion on soil-water-plant interactions has been poorly documented, particularly on constructed slopes, wherein soil erosion has a key role for restoration success. T...

The relationships between vegetation patterns and water and sediment fluxes are well known in semiarid climate, where water is the major limiting factor for plant growth. Coupled vegetation-runoff systems where runoff is redistributed from source areas (bare patches) to sink areas (vegetation patches) have been described (Puigdefábregas et al, 2005...

Numerous works have revealed difficulties to characterize the hydrological response of soils from single season experiments. While insights of seasonal changes have been documented on natural soils, the hydrological behaviour of soils on reclaimed slopes has been poorly studied. The main objective of this work is to investigate the seasonal changes...

Erosion is an abiotic exploitation mechanism that delays ecological succession and limits the success of revegetation. One of its main effects on the slopes of reclaimed opencast mining areas subject to Mediterranean-continental conditions is the intensification of the water deficit owed to reduced soil infiltration and water storage capacities. Im...