Juan F. Mota

Gypsicolous flora, conservation and restoration of quarries in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula

The southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, more precisely, the province of Almería, has the most important gypsum quarries in Spain. Despite the severe environmental impact of these quarries, so far little attention has been paid to either the effect on the flora, especially on the more restricted endemic taxa, or to the restoration of the habitats after the end of exploitation. It is our view that restoration of gypsum quarries should aim not only at correcting the visual impact of mining on the landscape, but should also attend to the biological impact of the quarrying. Although the ‘cicatrising’ potential of gypsophytes is already well known, not all the species are able to recolonise worked-out quarries. Using species abundances, all analysis clearly show that artificial rehabilitation results in very altered communities. The preservation of the gypsum flora merits prioritary protective strategies which, at least to some extent, would make gypsum mining and nature conservation compatible.

Urban vegetation of Almerı́a City—a contribution to urban ecology in Spain

In this paper, we analyzed the vegetation of the city of Almeria (southeast of Spain) using numerical methods. We distinguished 16 communities. Although most of them had an eminent ruderal character, some phytocoenoses were typical from non-disturbed environments. These communities can be distinguished not only by means of the dominant species, but also by the abundance of different biological forms. Thus, they can be grouped into six phytosociological classes. It was not found that diversity and coverage values were related to the features of the different habitats, but woody and herbaceous communities tended to occupy different types of biotopes. From the ecological point of view, the communities can be included into five groups, the floristic composition of which is related to the frequency of disturbance events as well as to the water availability of soils. According to the species composition and to the ecological significance of the communities detected, the city can be subdivided into three zones. These areas match the three historical phases of the city development. Finally, the possible implications of the results obtained are discussed in the context of urban planning and development, taking into consideration the conservation of valuable rare species and plant communities.

Agricultural development vs biodiversity conservation: the Mediterranean semiarid vegetation in El Ejido (Almera, southeastern Spain)

The development of a greenhouse agriculture in the traditionally impoverished region of Poniente de Almería, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, has caused an enormous rise in living standards. However, the environmental impact of this badly-planned growth threatens the every dynamics of the exploitation system. A special examination must be made of the use of the three major resources responsible for the functioning of greenhouse production and its impact on the ecosystems and particularly on the vegetation. These resources are: clayey soils, sand from fossil dunes and ground water. While the use of the clayey soils and sand have negative effects on the conservation of ecologically valuable communities found nowhere else in Europe, ground water overexploitation has produced an increase in salinity in most of the aquifers. Of these, sand has been by far the best monitored resource and restoration programmes have been implemented in the extraction zones. This survey deals with the recent evolution of areas where the arto (Maytenus senegalensis subsp. europaeus) and the sabina (Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata) have long been the dominant species, although the presence of the former is nowadays notoriously diminished. The study is based on aerial photographs taken in 1957, 1977 and 1985, together with our own field work. Curiously enough, all this man-made process of degradation has stimulated ornithological diversity. Finally, we propose here some measures which aim to preserve the most important enclaves of these Mediterranean shrub formations, specially those of the arto, since sabina-dominated communities already belong to existing conservation areas.

Plant succession in abandoned gypsum quarries in SE Spain

Gypsum outcrops harbour a considerable number of rare species the presence of which is restricted to these soils. By the rarity and richness of their flora, gypsum soils of Almer‡a Province (SE Spain) are the most valuable in Spain from a conservation view- point, whereas at the same time the territory is being intensively exploited by quarrying and holds the most important production of gypsum rocks in Europe. It was hence con- sidered a priority to investigate the recovery patterns of gypsophilous species after quar- ries abandonment in order to seek for information that can help to develop restoration plans with an ecological basis. For this aim, chronosequences were established and the colonising flora (presence and abundance) in each successional state was recorded and compared to the non-disturbed communities. Data were mainly analysed by means of Frequency Diagrams and Multivariate Methods. Dendrograms resulting from the Cluster Analyses showed the existence of two well-defined groups of species that differed in their colonisation power. One of the groups harboured Gypsophila struthium subsp. struthium, the dominant gypsophyte in the early states (in quarries abandoned up to 25 years ago), which coexists with other less abundant ruderal species. The other group was character- ised by the presence of the remaining gypsophytes such as the endemisms Teucrium turredanum or Helianthemum alypoides , which show a low colonisation ability and ap- pear in the last stages (mainly in quarries abandoned more than 30 35 years ago). Ordina- tion Analyses separated the samples taken from the unaltered scrub from the others, which indicates that although there is a clear tendency towards the recovery of gypsum soils by the gypsophytes of the area, the primary succession does not lead to the re- establishment of the relative abundances of all the original species in the interval of time considered.

Dolomitic vegetation of South Spain

Large areas of rather sandy dolomites are to be found in the Betic ranges. In these soils appears a very specialized xerophilous vegetation with a high percentage of endemic species. These communities, grouped into a particular order, Convolvuletalia boissieri, are fully reviewed here and consist of the following syntaxa: ROSMARINETEA Br. Bl. 1947 em. Rivas et al. 1991 CONVOLVULETALIA BOISSIERI Rivas Martínez, Pérez Raya & Molero Mesa in Pérez Raya 1987 (syn. Pterocephaletalia spathulati Rivas Martínez, Pérez Raya & Molero Mesa in Rivas Martínez, A. Molina & G. Navarro 1988). Andryalion agardhii Rivas Martínez 1961 CONVOLVULETALIA BOISSIERI Rivas Martínez, Pérez Raya & Molero Mesa in Pérez Raya 1987 (syn. Pterocephaletalia spathulati Rivas Martínez, Pérez Raya & Molero Mesa in Rivas Martínez, A. Molina & G. Navarro 1988). Andryalion agardhii Rivas Martínez 1961 Andryalo agardhii-Convolvuletum boissieri Quézel 1953 nom. inv. convolvuletosum boissieri centaureetosum bombycinae subass. nova centaureetosum funkii subass. nova Hippocrepido eriocarpae-Pterocephaletum spathulati (Quézel 1953) Rivas Goday & Mayor 1966 em. Mota & Valle 1992 Arenario delaguardiae-Centaureetum bombycinae ass. nova Galio batici-Thymetum granatensis Mota & Valle 1992 Helianthemo frigiduli-Pterocephaletum spathulatae Martínez Parras & Peinado 1987 Scorzonero albicantis-Pterocephaletum spathulatae Martínez Parras & Peinado 1987 Com. de Jasione crispa subsp. segurensis Thymo granatensis-Arenarietum tomentosae Mota & Valle 1991 arenarietosum tomentosae pterocephaletosum-spathulatae Mota & Valle 1992 Com. of Brassica almeriensis and Pterocephalus spathulatus Las áreas de dolomías brechoides se encuentran ampliamente extendidas en las montañas béticas. Sobre ellas se desarrolla una vegetación xerófila muy especializada, en la que se concentra un alto porcentaje de endemismos. Estas comunidades han sido agrupadas en un orden particular, Convolvuletalia boissieri, cuya revisión completa abordamos en este trabajo.

Patterns of endemic plants and biogeography of the Baetic high mountains (south Spain)

Abstract The largest number of Iberian endemic plant species and indeed one of the largest in Europe is found in the Baetic Mountains in the south of Europe (Spain), with mountain peaks up to 1,800 m. Our aim is to analyze the endemic plants and biogeographic patterns as a base for establishing priority areas for conservation and management. We present the complete floristic list of the 237 narrow endemics that inhabit these mountain regions. Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae and Papilionaceae are families with the largest number of endemic species. The comparative analysis shows that the Baetic mountains are an important centre of endemism in the Mediterranean basin with a present degree of endemism of 28, 18%. Biogeographic patterns are first identified according to the development of the endemic plants on calcareous soils or siliceous soils, and next the phytogeographic subunits identified by different levels of endemism diversity. The abundance of endemic species in the Baetic mountains is explained by the geographical isolation together with its natural history.

Ecology, genetic diversity and phylogeography of the Iberian endemic plant Jurinea pinnata (Lag.) DC. (Compositae) on two special edaphic substrates: dolomite and gypsum

Background and aimsJurinea pinnata is an Iberian vascular plant which only grows on gypsum and dolomite, two types of rocks associated with their exclusive endemic floras. In addition, the plant has an island-like distribution which could affect the differentiation and the genetic variability of wild populations. Thus, the species provides a unique opportunity for comparing (bio)geographical and ecological (edaphic) differentiation by means of molecular markers.MethodsFor our investigation we took 24 soil samples paired with a similar number of foliar samples for nutritional analyses. Our molecular-marker approach (AFLPs) involved 16 populations.ResultsThe edaphic parameters revealed significant dissimilarities between dolomitic and gypsum soils. These differences are also found in the mineral composition of the leaves. However, molecular data revealed that the differentiation between populations correlates better with geographical isolation than with the substrate character.ConclusionsThe populations showing the greatest genetic diversity are those of the East Baetic territory where the species grow on both substrates and its populations are closer together. The plant tolerance to gypsum and dolomite can be explained either as a result of common adaptive mechanisms or of a more general adaptation to arid environments.

Selección de áreas prioritarias para la conservación de flora gipsícola en el sureste de la Península Ibérica

Recent studies have highlighted the gypsum outcrops of Almeria (southeast Spain) as the most outstanding for the conservation of Iberian gypsophilous flora. The need of preserving this natural heritage and the impossibility to protect all the outcrops present within the territory, led us to identify which areas should be considered as of priority for conservation. To this end, we establish as a priority that the proposed conservation network of sites should include all gypsophyte species at least once. Other possible conservation goals on which to base the area selection and the associated scenarios were also taken into account. We first elaborated a cartography for the gypsophytes based on 10 km sided-cells. Next, in order to rank the importance of each locality, several commonly employed conservation criteria (diversity, rarity of the flora, complementarity) were applied to the cartographic information, and the findings obtained by each procedure contrasted. The results showed that protecting the deposits found in three cells (Sorbas, already protected because of its geomorphological singularity, Venta de los Yesos and Topares) would allow the representation of each species at least once and to achieve several complementary conservation targets. The findings are discussed within the context of the social and administrative peculiarities of the area.

Iberian Baetic Endemic Flora and the Implications for a Conservation Policy

The Baetic ranges in the Iberian Peninsula are extremely rich and outstanding in biological terms. Based on the existing literature, herbarium sheets and our own field research, we provide a checklist of the endemic flora growing in the Baetic chorological province. The checklist includes 418 taxa belonging to 43 families, with the species pool concentrated within large families. The highest number of endemic species is recorded in the altitudinal range of 1300–1500 m a.s.l. Hemicryptophytes represent the most frequent life form (45.5%). Conservation priorities should concentrate on non-woody life forms (particularly on hemicryptophytes), and on high mountain areas. Most of the taxa can be ascribed to serial shrublands (36.87%), or rock- or scree-dwelling formations (26.25%), with climactic forest formations playing a minor role (3.24%). This successional position has important implications for conservation programmes. Therefore, a clear distinction should be made between serial or plagioclimactic formations (e.g. dolomite thyme-scrub communities) and degraded communities of little interest for the preservation of biodiversity (e.g. synanthropic vegetation). Astragalus nevadensis subsp. andresmolinae (Díez-Garretas & Asensi) Mota & F.J. Pérez-García is proposed as a new combination.

Gap Analysis and selection of reserves for the threatened flora of eastern Andalusia, a hot spot in the eastern Mediterranean region

Abstract The Betic ranges are recognised as one of the hot spots of biodiversity in the Mediterranean region. The greater part of this territory is in Andalusia and is very rich in vascular plants, some of them endemic. The territory exhibits enormous orographical and geological complexity. This is, in short, a mosaic, fragmented landscape with extremely high β-diversity. This scenario is ideal for monitoring the efficiency of reserve areas. The main aim of this research is to see whether the Network of Natural Protected Areas of Andalusia, extended with the SCIs, is sufficient to safeguard the plant biodiversity, represented in this case by the threatened vascular flora. The analysis includes also the areas corresponding to the priority habitats as defined in the Directive 92/43/EEC. Considering that the presence of priority habitats was a guideline in the drafting of the SCIs, this last inclusion is logical. The results reveal that SCIs are the most efficient strategy for the preservation of the flora, although almost 30% of the flora occur outside these sites. By contrast, the areas with priority habitats failed to cover over 70% of the threatened flora.