Manuela Andrés Abellán

• PhD
• University of Castilla-La Mancha

El cambio climático ha incrementado la frecuencia y severidad de las sequías, afectando negativamente a los bosques. Para mitigar estos efectos, se han propuesto tratamientos como los clareos, que reducen la competencia por recursos hídricos y mejoran la resiliencia de los árboles. Este estudio se llevó a cabo en los montes “Grajas” (MUP-AB83) y “L...

In this study, the effects of different stocking rates were quantified in three study areas in a Mediterranean forest (Cuenca, Spain) by applying a multiparametric soil quality index (SQI) developed from undisturbed forest soils (>40 years). The main objective was to advance the development and application of multiparametric indices that allow for...

Macrochloa tenacissima (M. tenacissima), or esparto, is a perennial tussock grass that coexists with Pinus halepensis (P. halepensis) in semi-arid Mediterranean woodlands. This research was carried out to explore diurnal transpiration at leaf level in esparto grass under different levels of pine–esparto competition and in contrasting environmental...

Quantifying different stocking rates effects in three study areas placed at Mediterranean forest (Cuenca, Spain) was conducted by applying a multiparametric soil quality index, SQI, developed in undisturbed forest soils (> 40 years). The main objective is to advance in the development and application of multiparametric indexes which allow for soil...

Stipa tenacissima (S. tenacissima), or esparto, is a perennial tussock grass that coexists with Pinus halepensis (P. halepensis) in semi-arid mediterranean woodlands. This research was carried out to explore diurnal transpiration at leaf level in esparto grass under different levels of pine-esparto competition and in contrasting environmental condi...

This research analyzes how enzymatic and microbiological soil properties relate to site index (SI) and forest maturity (stand age) in Pinus nigra (P. nigra) even-aged forests. The soil parameters selected for multivariate analysis were four enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, urease, dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase), two microbiological pr...

In Mediterranean areas, fire has increased soil degradation and erosion. For this reason, the application of soil quality indices can help to determine soil recovery and degradation levels. By using a multiparameter soil quality index fitted to undisturbed forest soils, we can show the right information on soil functionality. In this study, the obj...

Forest inventories are essential to accurately estimate different dendrometric and forest stand parameters. However, classical forest inventories are time consuming, slow to conduct, sometimes inaccurate and costly. To address this problem, an efficient alternative approach has been sought and designed that will make this type of field work cheaper...

We analyzed the relationship between forest productivity (joint effect of forest maturity and soil quality) and total soil respiration (µmol CO2 m−2 s−1) in semi-arid juniper woodlands (young woodlands growing in abandoned farmlands with deeper soils, and mature woodlands in lithic soils), and investigated the seasonal variation in soil CO2 efflux...

Solar energy is in high demand due to its environmental benefits and economic potential; however, concerns remain about the total impact it holds. In 2020, for Spain, Castilla-La Mancha was the second autonomous community with the highest photovoltaic energy production. Thus, a systematic review on 15 large-scale PV solar energy projects was carrie...

There are considerable uncertainties about the C cycle in semi-arid ecosystems. Hence, studies that have focused on Juniperus in Mediterranean woodlands are non-existent. This study provides a survey of the effect of the juniper woodland type (young and mature woodlands; joint effect of maturity and forest productivity) on stem respiration. We chec...

Treatments involving vegetation thinning have become more frequent in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. Under extreme climate conditions, this practice can affect the balance between physicochemical, microbiological and biochemical soil properties, modifying the soil quality and the ability of these forest ecosystems to regenerate. The aim of this s...

The growth and survival of plants in semiarid Mediterranean forests can be improved through the benefits conferred by thinning, a forest management practice that removes trees and reduces the competition between the remaining ones. Here, we evaluate the impacts of induced drought (the exclusion of 25% of the natural rainfall for 5 years) and thinni...

Estudio sobre efectos constatados y percepción del Cambio Climático en el medio rural de Castilla-La Mancha, con el objeto de disponer de una base sólida y rigurosa, construida con la opinión de expertos en diferentes campos, que aportando su visión cualificada sobre este suceso, constituyan la base sobre la que construir las decisiones políticas f...

The natural regeneration of non-serotinous Spanish black pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii) is known to be null or limited after severe wildfires. However, it remains challenging to define efficient management strategies within the burnt area, which can help to increase the post-fire resilience of this species. We conducted a direct seeding ex...

Many studies have examined post-fire net ecosystem production (NEP), however, the CO2 dynamics in Mediterranean mountain ecosystems after low burn-severity fires are poorly understood. To fill this gap, we used biometric and flux chamber-based methods to assess the NEP in a mature Spanish black pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii) forest at an u...

Background: In order to maximize the resiliency of Pinus halepensis in semiarid forests, we analyzed direct seeding methods to recover burned stands by simulating post-fire soil treatments. Methods: Seeding was done by installing spot seeding (100 seeds in a 50 × 50 cm plot), using five methods: (1) covering seeding with wood chips; (2) seeding in...

Climate change will affect semiarid ecosystems through severe droughts that increase the competition for resources in plant and microbial communities. In these habitats, adaptations to climate change may consist of thinning - that reduces competition for resources through a decrease in tree density and the promotion of plant survival. We deciphered...

Short-rotation plantations for biomass production are wood systems in which fast growing tree species are grown under intensive agricultural practices to achieve high biomass yields. Paulownia sp. is an extremely fast-growing tree species which is commonly used to produce biomass for energetic purposes. This tree species has a great nutrient and wa...

Total wood CO2 efflux (Rw) varies vertically within individual trees, and leaves experience large variations in foliar respiration (Rf) rates over their life spans and during daily periods. Therefore, accurate sampling approaches are required to improve aboveground autotrophic respiration (RAa) estimations in stand-scale carbon cycling studies. We...

The interaction between burn severity and subsequent post-fire logging practices may exert a direct effect on soil respiration (SR) in recently burnt stands. This effect is associated with the modification of microclimatic conditions, soil carbon inputs, and the decay rates of woody detritus. In addition, slope aspect may determine SR rates by modi...

The ecosystem recovery after wildfire and thinning practices are both key processes that have great potential to influence fluxes and storage of carbon within Mediterranean semiarid ecosystems. In this study, started 7 years after a wildfire, soil respiration (SR) patterns measured from 2008 to 2010 were compared between an unmanaged-undisturbed ma...

Thousands of tourists visit certain Antarctic sites each year, generating a wide variety of environmental impacts. Scientific knowledge of human activities and their impacts can help in the effective design of management measures and impact mitigation. We present a case study from Barrientos Island in which a management measure was originally put i...

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of experimental site, season and canopy coverage on soil microbial and biochemical properties in Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis M.) forest stands. Two experimental sites were chosen (dry and semiarid climate). Twelve subplots were selected at each site, six under pine cover orthogonal projection and...

Wildfires affecting forest ecosystems and post-fire silvicultural treatments may cause considerable changes in soil properties. The capacity of different microbial groups to recolonise soil after disturbances is crucial for proper soil functioning. The aim of this work was to investigate some microbial soil properties and enzyme activities in semia...

Soil properties and plant species diversity are key elements of forest ecosystem functioning, and are affected directly by climate change. The aim of this work was to study plant species diversity, physicochemical and soil microbiological properties and enzymatic activities after induced drought conditions and thinning at semiarid (Calasparra) and...

Two eddy covariance systems were installed in a high-severity burned zone (BZ) and an adjacent unburned (UNB) zone to monitor water vapour and carbon dioxide fluxes for 21 months (from June 2011 to February 2013) at a Spanish black pine forest affected by a stand-replacing wildfire and located in a mountainous area of central-eastern Spain. The dif...

In semi-arid regions, afforestation with fast-growing species cultured with low irrigation can be an effective approach for environmental protection. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the stem biomass production of Paulownia in a semi-arid climate and clay soils under contrasting low-irrigation and fertilization treatments. The stem biomass a...

This work intends to check the efficiency of the 3-PG model (Physiological Principles in Predicting Growth) (Landsberg and Waring in For Ecol Manag 95:209-228, 1997) in the simulation of biomass growth for a natural Mediterranean maritime pine forest with two canopy layers comprising different species (Pinus pinaster Ait. subsp. mesogeensis and Que...

Thinning effects on soil microbial activity and biomass in two sites of a Mediterranean forest, in Cuenca Mountain (South-eastern of Spain), were compared 2–6 years following treatments. In order to study changes in these properties, five plots were established; three plots in mature natural site dominated by Pinus pinaster and Quercus ilex and two...

En este estudio se analiza el fenómeno de la afluencia turística en las áreas recreativas del término de Calasparra (Murcia), y la relación existente entre el uso público y los impactos ambientales generados por los visitantes. También se propone un escenario de gestión del turismo, basado en un desarrollo sostenible y ecológico que podría plantear...

Information on plant seed dispersal, natural loss dynamics of seeds and germination are critical for understanding natural regeneration mechanisms. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different forest stand densities on seedfall, seed predation, and seedling germination of two populations of the endan-gered Spanish black Pine forests...

There are still considerable uncertainties about soil functioning in semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystems. Hence, studies that have focused on Juniperus species in thermophilic Mediterranean woodlands are practically non-existent. This study provides a survey of the effects of (i) woodland maturity (mature and young woodlands), (ii) vegetation cover...

The aim of this work was to examine the effect of pine forests on the soil microbial community along an altitudinal gradient in the Cuenca Mountains, Spain. Six experimental forest areas and two tree diversity levels (monospecific and mixed pine forest) were selected according to the following types: (i) at lower altitudes (up to 960 m above sea le...

The principal objective of this study was to investigate the variations of allometric relationships, biomass stocks and biomass allocation in a Spanish juniper thermophilic community (Juniperus thurifera var. hispanica Mill.) in response to two levels of woodland maturity: mature woodlands, which are situated in shallow stony soils with trees over...

Aims We investigated the link between tree community composition and soil microbial community biomass and structure in central-eastern Spain. Methods The effects of the forest stand composition on the soil organic matter dynamics and on the structure and activity of the soil microbial community have been determined using phospholipid fatty acid pr...

Most agroforestry projects and plantations for biomass production may affect soil properties and status. The objective of this work was to know the effects of paulownia (Paulownia ssp.) plantation on the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of soils in Mediterranean agricultural areas. Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis L.) forestations, ma...

Soil storage method may alter enzymatic activity being storage conditions of the soil samples prior to analysis decisive for the results. Studies made on freshly collected soils are generally preferred. However it is always not possible due to practical reasons since for example sampling is often restricted to short period of the year or because a...

Increased tourist activity and recreational use of wilderness and other protected areas has endangered zones of high environmental value. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of trampling intensity (low, high use trails and untrampled trails) and distance from the trails (on the trails, at 10 and 20 m from the trails) on the vegetation,...

A comprehensive knowledge of species ecology and ecosystem dynamics is required when regenerating stands, either naturally or artificially. Silvicultural practices based on forester´s ecperiencies and applied forestry studies had ensured successful forest growth and regeneration over large periods for pine species in the Mediterranean areas. Nevert...

The effects of different Mediterranean vegetation cover on the biological and biochemical quality of soil is not well understood. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects that different types of vegetation (forestry plots, mainly dominated by Spanish black pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp salzmannii) and herbaceous plots, where overstorey density...

Satisfactory results relating to the natural regeneration of the Spanish black pine (Pinus nigra Arn ssp. salzmannii) is generally difficult to achieve. The natural regeneration of this pine was studied comparing two types of soil treatment and various overstory densities in six experimental forests. These studies were conducted from 1999 to 2002 a...

El monte de Utilidad Pública nº 106 "Los Palancares y Agregados" (CU) está localizado en la Serranía Baja de Cuenca (dentro del Monumento Natural de "Los Palancares y Tierra Muerta") y cuenta con proyecto de ordenación forestal desde el año 1894. La especie principal es el pino laricio (Pinus nigra Arn. spp salzmannii (Dunal) Franco) junto al que a...

This study examines the effects of visitors on vegetation of natural semi-arid areas of Mediterranean basin using controlled experimental trampling. Impacts were assessed on days 1, 5, 15 and 30 examining presence of plant species, their cover and height in linear transects suffering a constant trampling intensity (25, 75, 100 and 200 passes/day)....

Allometric relationships allow estimation of forest stand variables (volume, biomass, leaf area), which are very important in forest management and in key ecosystem processes. However, these relationships are very costly to obtain, as the data on which they are based require laborious destructive sampling. In addition, allometric coefficients appea...

This study examines the effects of recreational use on the soil and vegetation at a site of ecological importance (Nacimiento del Río Mundo, Albacete, Spain). The most visited sites showed increased soil compaction of approximately 50%, bare ground increase to 61 +/- 10% and a decrease in richness (from 25 +/- 2 to 15 +/- 2 species), diversity (fro...

The increased recreational use of wildernesses and other protected areas has endangered areas of great ecological interest due to the negative effect of trampling on local ecosystems. This article describes the effect of trampling by humans at two different intensities (75 and 200 passes day for 29 days) on the plant cover and on biological and bio...

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a preventive system which serves for ensuring consumer’s food safety by identifying the hazards associated to a food or drink. In this work, the specific hazards found in a bottling line of virgin olive oil are described, as well as the preventive measures which should be taken in the plant,...

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a preventive system which tries to ensure the food safety and wholesomeness and allows us product protection and flaw correction. Quality control costs are therefore reduced, since final super-control becomes almost unnecessary. In this work the hazards that can be found in a processing line...

The distribution and population parameters of the Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae), was assessed through live trapping in its first recorded distribution area (Sierra de Alcaraz, Albacete, Spain). Most sites sampled did not show the presence of M. cabrerae, although a number of other rodents and shrews were captured. In the only area where a stable...

En este trabajo se propone un modelo para predecir y estimar de forma cualitativa los impactos ambientales que los visitantes de un área recreativa provocan, dependiendo del tipo de actividades que realizan y de las características del paraje. Este método podría servir como herramienta para gestionar el turismo y planificar las áreas recreativas de...

RESUMEN En este trabajo se propone un modelo para predecir y estimar de forma cualitativa los impactos ambientales que los visitantes de un área recreativa provocan, dependiendo del tipo de actividades que realizan y de las características del paraje. Este método podría servir como herramienta para gestionar el turismo y planificar las áreas recrea...