Influence of Topography on the Colonization of Subalpine Grasslands by the Thorny Cushion Dwarf Echinospartum horridum

Komac, Benjamín; Alados, Concepción L.; Camarero, J. Julio

doi:10.1657/1938-4246-43.4.601

Cited by 30 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…In addition, the extent of woody plant encroachment and distance to the nearest 305 passable road or building were negatively correlated. In sparse grasslands, the distance to the where there is competition with grassland species (Komac et al, 2011;Guerrero et al, 1999 …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data

Gartzia

Alados

Pérez‐Cabello

2014

Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment

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102

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data

Gartzia

Alados

Pérez‐Cabello

2014

Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment

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102

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“…), as it increases the colonization of grasslands by cushion plants (Komac et al. , b). In addition, an increase in bare soil areas creates gaps in the thick layer of subalpine perennial grasses and provides an opportunity for colonization by species dispersed by seed (Pakeman and Field ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, facilitation is still of critical importance on semiarid landscapes. However, in subalpine habitats, an increase in bare soil area has been reported to favor aggregated spatial patterns , as it increases the colonization of grasslands by cushion plants (Komac et al 2011a, b). In addition, an increase in bare soil areas creates gaps in the thick layer of subalpine perennial grasses and provides an opportunity for colonization by species dispersed by seed (Pakeman and Field 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant–plant interactions scale up to produce vegetation spatial patterns: the influence of long‐ and short‐term process

et al. 2017

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Vegetation spatial patterns emerge in response to feedback interactions between organisms and their environment, because of the redistribution of water and nutrients around the plant canopy or as a consequence of facilitation/competition interactions at the plant level, even in the absence of pre‐existing substratum heterogeneities. It has been suggested that changes in vegetation spatial patterns are a signal of transition shift in ecosystems. Understanding the factors that lead to aggregated spatial patterns and control the transition to random distributions requires that environmental and species information is taken into account. In this study, we investigated the relative contributions of aridity (a long‐term process), to which vegetation is adapted, and the area covered by bare soil (short‐term process) to plant–plant associations and their contribution to aggregated spatial patterns. The study was conducted in a gradient of aridity ranging from that in subalpine grassland habitats in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada mountains to that in the semiarid steppes of Cabo de Gata and the middle Ebro Valley in Spain. We compared sites that differed in aridity and a geophysical feature (north‐ vs. south‐facing slope). We observed that the relative contribution of aridity and bare soil to plant–plant facilitation and vegetation aggregation differed in subalpine and semiarid areas. Facilitation in subalpine habitats had a marked effect on aggregated spatial patterns, while aridity contributed to disruption of these patterns. Conversely, in semiarid habitats, the disruption of aggregated patterns was mainly promoted by an increase in bare soil area rather than in aridity. In semiarid habitats, the higher level of stress on south‐facing slopes increased facilitation interactions relative to north‐facing slopes, although this did not enhance the persistence of aggregated spatial patterns. We conclude that the use of aggregated spatial patterns as an indicator of ecosystem shift must distinguish and separately take account of long‐term processes to which vegetation adapt, and short‐term process.

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“…However, prescribed fires proved to be insufficient in controlling the spread of shrubland. Komac et al (2011), in a study carried out in sub-alpine pastures in the central Spanish Pyrenees, highlight the fact that Echinospartum horridum grows back two or three years following fires, and is fully revitalised and widespread after four or five years. Badía et al (2017) concluded that burning E. horridum rejuvenates the community which, far from being eliminated, undergoes self-succession in time.…”

Section: Combining Extensive Livestock Grazing With Prescribed Fires mentioning

confidence: 98%

Gestión activa frente a matorralización: buscando el equilibrio entre conservación y explotación en montaña

Lasanta

2019

CIG

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The mountains of Europe, especially in the Mediterranean, have undergone a significant process of revegetation since the mid-20 th century with the spread of shrublands and forests in succession stages. This leads to negative effects (degradation of pasture, accumulation of biomass with the subsequent increase in fire risk, loss or trivialized of cultural landscapes, etc.) and other positive ones (greater rewilding of landscapes, recovery of forest life, more CO 2 fixation, less soil erosion, etc.). Thus, two alternatives must be put forward: either allow the rewilding process to continue, or intervene in the region to reduce the negative effects of revegetation.In this paper, the literature forms the base for a discussion on the main interventions in the territory: extensive livestock grazing, combined with prescribed fires and shrub clearing. Prescribed fires are found to be insufficient to control the spread of shrublands, and in some cases promotes its regrowth (Echinospartum horridum), as well as degrading the pasture land and increasing soil erosion. On the other hand, clearing shrubland has positive effects: a reduction in wildfires, increased livestock numbers, and improved indicators of heterogeneity and fragmentation of the landscape. Gestión activa frente a matorralización: buscando el equilibrio entre conservación y explotación en montañaRESUMEN. Las montañas europeas, especialmente las mediterráneas, experimentan un importante proceso de revegetación desde mediados del siglo XX, con el avance de matorrales y bosques de sucesión. Ello implica unos efectos negativos (degradación de pastos, acumulación de biomasa, con el incremento del riesgo de incendios, pérdida o banalización de paisajes cul-turales…) y positivos (mayor naturalización del paisaje, recuperación de la vida silvestre, mayor fijación de CO 2 , disminución de la erosión del suelo…). De ahí, que se planteen dos alternativas: dejar que el proceso de revegetación continúe o intervenir en el territorio para disminuir los efectos negativos de la revegetación. Lasanta 424 Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica 45 (2), 2019, pp. 423-440En este trabajo se discute, a partir de la literatura, sobre las principales intervenciones en el territorio: ganadería extensiva en combinación con quemas prescritas y desbroce de matorrales. Se señala que las quemas prescritas resultan insuficientes para controlar la expansión de matorrales, favoreciendo en algunos casos (Echinospartum horridum) su rejuvenecimiento, además de degradar la comunidad de pastos e incrementar la erosión del suelo. El desbroce de matorrales, por el contrario, muestra efectos positivos: disminución de incendios, aumento de los censos ganaderos e incremento en los índices de heterogeneidad y fragmentación del paisaje.

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Influence of Topography on the Colonization of Subalpine Grasslands by the Thorny Cushion Dwarf Echinospartum horridum

Cited by 30 publications

References 80 publications

Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data

Assessment of the effects of biophysical and anthropogenic factors on woody plant encroachment in dense and sparse mountain grasslands based on remote sensing data

Plant–plant interactions scale up to produce vegetation spatial patterns: the influence of long‐ and short‐term process

Gestión activa frente a matorralización: buscando el equilibrio entre conservación y explotación en montaña

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