Climatology, Bioclimatology and Vegetation Cover: Tools to Mitigate Climate Change in Olive Groves

Abstract

This work establishes the relationship between bioclimatology and agronomy. Bioclimatic indices are obtained for several areas under olive cultivation and correlated with olive yields. Due to the effect of climate change on cultivation and the high economic losses it produces, we propose a sustainable development model for the territorial classification of crops based on bioclimatic knowledge. Bioclimatic diagrams are prepared to provide information on water stress in crops so that irrigation can be carried out at the most effective time, a measure that has been shown to lead to water and energy savings for growers. In addition to this development model, we propose the application of non-aggressive cultivation techniques such as the use of living plant cover to ensure the protection of the soil and avoid losses due to climate irregularities. Studies conducted up to the present on applied bioclimatology have yielded promising results in the fields of farming and forestry. The maps and bioclimatic indices of Professor Rivas-Martínez, Ic, Io and It/Itc, are essential for bioclimatic classification. The agricultural development model with a bioclimatic basis ensures economic savings for growers and minimizes the environmental impact of cultivation. In the case of olive cultivation we detected that in 2005 all the cultivated areas that were not in their thermoclimatic optimum were damaged by frost. The widespread cultivation of olive groves in the Mediterranean basin, and mainly in the south of Spain, is reason enough to establish a relationship between its production and its bioclimatic environment. The ombroclimatic study in certain localities under olive cultivation shows that areas with Io <2.5 are unproductive (Jodar, Tabernas), and that their low Io value needs to be supplemented with irrigation water. This means extracting water from aquifers for agricultural use, when the current climate irregularities do not allow the excessive use of subsoil water. For the time being the only way of mitigating this situation is with sustainable development, which requires a bioclimatic understanding of the territory; and the use of appropriate cultivation techniques, including herbaceous plant covers. In this last case a knowledge of the plant associations in the phytosociological class Stellarietea mediae constitutes the basis for establishing either natural or sown vegetation cover.

Revitalization Potential of Marginal Areas for Sustainable Rural Development in the Puglia Region, Southern Italy: Part I: A Review

“…The physical continent or bioclimatic belts as well as the biological plant content or vegetation series can be recognized as a function of these changes using the concept of universal vegetation series jurisdiction. Therefore, this concept can be applied to any place on the planet [118]. Recent research findings highlight the significance of climatology and bioclimatology in comprehending the impact of climate on crops, such as grapevines and olive trees.…”

How Can a Changing Climate Influence the Productivity of Traditional Olive Orchards? Regression Analysis Applied to a Local Case Study in Portugal

“…Thanks to the June rains, this compensation was seen when Ios3/Ios2 were greater than 1. Nevertheless, a high Ios3/Ios2 quotient does not imply that the summer water stress disappears, since it is also dependent on the winter and spring rainfall regime and the amount of water accumulated in the soil [33]. When adding the month immediately preceding to the summer trimester (Ios4), the aridity was substantially reduced in most years.…”

“…Although the climate-olive framework has been extensively investigated, the vast majority of experimental and modeling studies are restricted to outlining adaptation strategies oriented towards crop sustainability under future climates on global to regional scales. Efficient land and water management, suitable olive cultivation areas and cultivars, and olive yield predictions are some of the topics explored [1,2,4,5,17,18,25,32,33]. However, since the phenological characteristics of any olive cultivation area depend on the local climate, which is governed by both the macroscale atmospheric circulation and topography, a broad knowledge of the microscale conditions is essential for an accurate assessment of the different olive phenological stages and subsequent final yield.…”

Analysis of Toxic Contaminants in Agriculture: Educational Strategies to Avoid Their Influence on Food

“…2 of 15 dioxide) sinks, according to Cano-Ortiz et al and Spampinato et al [2][3][4] and for its floristic diversity, even for its use as fodder for livestock. However, at this time the grasslands or "weeds" have been and are heavily attacked by farmers [1].…”

“…However, at this time the grasslands or "weeds" have been and are heavily attacked by farmers [1]. In the case of olive cultivation in Spain, Italy and Portugal, grasslands are studied by Cano-Ortiz in successive publications [1,2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11], which analyses the plant communities present in olive cultivation from the floristic point of view, dynamic, ecological and its use as bioindicators.…”