Evaluation of the potential index model to predict habitat suitability of forest species: the potential distribution of mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) in the Iberian peninsula

Characterization of the suitability or potentiality of a territory for forest tree species is an important source of information for forest planning and managing. In this study, we compared a relatively simple methodology to generate potential habitat distribution areas that has been traditionally used in Spain (the potential index model) with a statistical modelling approach (generalized linear model). We modelled the potential distribution of mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) in the Iberian peninsula as a working example. The potential index model generated a map of habitat suitability according to the values of an index of potentiality, whose distribution has usually divided into four categories based on quartiles (from optimum to low suitability). Considering all values of the index of potentiality as presences of mountain pine resulted in a low to moderate degree of agreement between the potential index model and the generalized linear model according to the kappa coefficient. Using the cut-off value of the index of potentiality that maximized the degree of agreement between both modelling approaches resulted in a substantial similarity between the maps of the predicted distribution of mountain pine. This cut-off value did lie in the upper-third quartile of the potential index distribution (high suitability category), and roughly coincided with the upper 30th percentile. The use of statistical techniques, which have proved to be powerful and versatile for species distribution modelling, is recommended. However, the potential index model, together with the adjustments proposed here, could be a reasonably simple methodology to predict the potential distribution of forest tree species that forest managers should take into account when evaluating forestation and afforestation projects

Resistance levels of Spanish conifers against Fusarium circinatum

Pitch canker, caused by Fusarium circinatum, and Diplodia shoot blight, caused by Diplodia pinea, are both damaging to pines (Pinus spp.) grown in plantations throughout the world, including Spain. To assess the potential for interspecific differences in susceptibility to contribute to the management of pitch canker and Diplodia shoot blight in the Atlantic region of Spain, the present study was undertaken to characterize the susceptibility of six pine species (P. sylvestris, P. nigra, P. pinaster, P. radiata, P. halepensis and P. pinea) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) to F. circinatum and D. pinea. Based on inoculations of 2-year-old trees, Ps. menziesii, P. pinea and P. nigra were the most resistant to F. circinatum, with lesion lengths ranging from 3.7 to 21.5 mm, 2.2 to 12.6 mm and 2.8 to 30.9 mm, respectively. At the other extreme, Pinus radiata was the most susceptible, sustaining lesions that ranged from 8.5 to 74.8 mm in length. Pinus sylvestris, P. pinaster and P. halepensis showed an intermediate response to F. circinatum. Broadly similar results were observed in inoculations with D. pinea, with Ps. menziesii being relatively resistant and P. radiata being highly susceptible. Consistent with these results, field surveys revealed no pitch canker in stands of Ps. menziesii and low severity of Diplodia shoot blight, whereas P. radiata was severely affected by both diseases. Our findings suggest that selection of appropriate species can greatly reduce the risk of damage from two important canker diseases affecting pine plantations in the Atlantic region of Spain. Furthermore, intraspecific variation in susceptibility implies that selection may allow for the enhancement of resistance in otherwise susceptible species. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

The impact of land use change and check-dams on catchment sediment yield

Extensive land use changes have occurred in many areas of SE Spain as a result of reforestation and the abandonment of agricultural activities. Parallel to this the Spanish Administration spends large funds on hydrological control works to reduce erosion and sediment transport. However, it remains untested how these large land use changes affect the erosion processes at the catchment scale and if the hydrological control works efficiently reduce sediment export. A combination of field work, mapping and modelling was used to test the influence of land use scenarios with and without sediment control structures (check-dams) on sediment yield at the catchment scale. The study catchment is located in SE Spain and suffered important land use changes, increasing the forest cover 3-fold and decreasing the agricultural land 2·5-fold from 1956 to 1997. In addition 58 check-dams were constructed in the catchment in the 1970s accompanying reforestation works. The erosion model WATEM-SEDEM was applied using six land use scenarios: land use in 1956, 1981 and 1997, each with and without check-dams. Calibration of the model provided a model efficiency of 0·84 for absolute sediment yield. Model application showed that in a scenario without check dams, the land use changes between 1956 and 1997 caused a progressive decrease in sediment yield of 54%. In a scenario without land use changes but with check-dams, about 77% of the sediment yield was retained behind the dams. Check-dams can be efficient sediment control measures, but with a short-lived effect. They have important side-effects, such as inducing channel erosion downstream. While also having side-effects, land use changes can have important long-term effects on sediment yield. The application of either land use changes (i.e. reforestation) or check-dams to control sediment yield depends on the objective of the management and the specific environmental conditions of each area.This work was financially supported by a research project of the Fundación Instituto Euromediterráneo del Agua (CE) and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education through the projects CANOA CGL2004- 04 949-C02-01; PROBASE CGL2006-11 619 and ERCO CGL2007-62 590/BTE. The first author was financially supported by an I3P postdoc contract CSIC-CE and a “Ramón y Cajal” contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education. Gonzalo G. Barberá also was supported by I3P postdoc contract. Joris de Vente was supported by a Seneca (Region of Murcia Government) foreign researchers grant and through a contract in the integrated project DESIRE of the EU FP6 037 046 (GOCE).Peer reviewe