En: P. Madejón y T. Marañón (eds.), Recuperación de suelos y provisión de servicios ecosistémicos en el Corredor Verde del Guadiamar, Editorial CSIC, Madrid, 2020
La catástrofe ambiental provocada por la rotura de la balsa de residuos mineros de Aznalcóllar fu... more La catástrofe ambiental provocada por la rotura de la balsa de residuos mineros de Aznalcóllar fue un gran reto para el medio natural de la cuenca del río Guadiamar y para la economía de la zona. La recuperación del accidente también ofreció nuevas oportunidades. En este capítulo se han recogido los principales retos y oportunidades que se discutieron en la mesa redonda final de la jornada del 26 de abril 2018. Entre los retos a corto plazo destacó la recuperación de los suelos contaminados; a largo plazo, se consideró fundamental mantener la vigilancia y el monitoreo de la zona contaminada. Un reto importante es transmitir a los habitantes de la zona afectada que los riesgos de toxicidad, aunque reducidos, siguen presentes. La consolidación del corredor ecológico que conecte Doñana y Sierra Morena es un reto a medio y largo plazo; esta función ecológica debe ser compatible con el uso múltiple del Corredor. Un reto preocupante es la reapertura de la mina, que debe ser compatible con el mantenimiento de la calidad ambiental y el estado favorable de los ecosistemas. Se recordó el reto pendiente: el que ha contaminado, que pague.
La oportunidad más relevante surgida después del accidente minero fue el impulso enorme de la investigación ambiental relacionada con la recuperación de los suelos contaminados por elementos traza, y la evaluación de los efectos de estos elementos sobre plantas y animales. El Corredor Verde del Guadiamar ha sido un gran laboratorio natural donde ensayar diversas medidas de recuperación y seguir la dinámica de los contaminantes. La localización privilegiada del río Guadiamar brindó la gran oportunidad de conectar las poblaciones aisladas de Doñana con el gran territorio natural de Sierra Morena. Al mismo tiempo, se ha abierto un nuevo espacio natural para actividades recreativas y de ecoturismo. Una oportunidad futura para el complejo minero de Aznalcóllar es el desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías más limpias y sistemas más fiables.
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We analysed soil fungal diversity and functional guilds by high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA in a trace element contaminated area, part of a large scale phytoremediation project running for 20 years. We selected five habitats for comparison purposes: three under the canopy of selected tree species (wild olive, white poplar and stone pine), adjacent treeless areas (grassland) and non-remediated areas (bare soil).
Soil fungal diversity and richness seemed to be enhanced by phytoremediation. White poplar soil had the highest diversity and richness compared to wild olive and stone pine. Fungal communities were especially different between stone pine, with soils rich in organic C and high C:N ratio, and grassland soils.
We identified 9,428 fungal OTUs from which 1,283 were assigned to a unique functional guild; the most abundant belonging to saprotrophic, plant pathogenic and ectomycorrhizal functional guilds. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were more abundant in soils under ectomycorrhizal host trees. Saprotrophs were abundant in grassland and wild olive soils, while plant pathogens were abundant in non-remediated soils.
The remediation of soils (clean-up and amendment addition) allowed the natural establishment of grassland habitats throughout the study area, increasing fungal diversity, richness, taxonomy and functionality, when compared to non-remediated soils. Tree afforestation allowed the establishment of a forest type community bringing a further recruitment of fungal taxa, mainly the ectomycorrhizal fungal guild. Afforestation with different tree species showed species-specific effects on soil N, organic C, Ca and C:N ratio which led to increased spatial heterogeneity in areas with potential to recruit a wider diversity of fungi.
Root traits play a critical role in plant resource-use strategies and ecosystem functioning, but there is great controversy regarding their identity and functionality in different dimensions of below-ground functional variation. Here, we explored the level of covariation among a suite of key root traits (i.e. specific root length, root dry matter content, diameter and density) as well as between them and two above-ground traits related with plant function (leaf nutrient concentration and specific leaf area). We also evaluated whether these patterns of trait covariation were consistent at different spatial scales and organisational levels.
Methods
We collected fine root (< 2 mm) samples of 534 individuals (of 80 woody species) along a wide regional range of environmental conditions in southern Spain.
Results
In general, strong correlations among most of the root morphological traits were found, supporting the existence of a ‘root economics spectrum’, as well as between root traits and the aboveground traits. However, root diameter was not completely aligned along this ecological axis, supporting the idea of a multidimensional spectrum of root traits. The main syndrome of root trait covariation was consistent at the different spatial scales and organisational levels. Soil nutrients and water availability were the main drivers of root trait variation.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that root trait variation is primarily aligned along a leading dimension related to resource economics. However, the distinct pattern of root diameter may indicate a multidimensionality of belowground traits that needs to be explored in greater depth.
Methods: Mycorrhizal and plant traits were weighted by the abundance of con-stitutive plant species to calculate community-weighted means (CWM). Maximum likelihood techniques were used to analyse how variation in these functional community traits was driven by soil abiotic factors.
Results: The degree of ECM colonization was positively related to the abundance of evergreen species and to tissue dry matter content (in leaves and roots), but negatively to specific root length and specific leaf area. The best abiotic pre-dictor of ECM colonization was soil moisture, with higher ECM colonization in drier sites. However, AM colonization was not related to any of the plant traits studied, and was positively related to soil Cu and other physico-chemical soil properties. Changes in community mycorrhization of both types were primarily due to plant species turnover (mainly species occurrence), with a remarkable importance of plant intraspecific variability in the case of AM colonization (especially in the percentage of vesicles).
Conclusions: The degrees of colonization by ECM and AM at the community level exhibited different patterns, influenced by both biotic factors (plant functional structure) and abiotic conditions (soil moisture and chemical composition). The proposed mycorrhizal trait-based approach can help to better understand the role of these symbioses on plant community functioning.
patterns of soil microbial and available nutrient pools
hold across different Mediterranean forest types is
unclear impeding the generalization needed to consolidate
our understanding on Mediterranean ecosystems
functioning. Methods We explored the response of soil microbial,
total, organic and inorganic extractable nutrient pools
(C,Nand P) to common sources of variability, namely
habitat (tree cover), soil depth and season (summer
drought), in three contrasting Mediterranean forest
types: a Quercus ilex open woodland, a mixed
Q. suber and Q. canariensis woodland and a Pinus
sylvestris forest.
Results Soil microbial and available nutrient pools
were larger beneath tree cover than in open areas in
both oak woodlands whereas the opposite trend was
found in the pine forest. The greatest differences in
soil properties between habitat types were found in
the open woodland. Season (drought effect) was the
main driver of variability in the pine forest and was
related to a loss of microbial nutrients (up to 75 %
loss of Nmic and Pmic) and an increase in microbial
ratios (Cmic/Nmic, Cmic/Pmic) from Spring to Summer
in all sites. Nutrient pools consistently decreased
with soil depth, with microbial C, N and P in the
top soil being up to 208 %, 215 % and 274 % larger
than in the deeper soil respectively.
Conclusions Similar patterns of variation emerged in
relation to season and soil depth across the three forest
types whereas the direction and magnitude of the habitat
(tree cover) effect was site-dependent, possibly related
to the differences in tree species composition and forest
structure, and thus in the quality and distribution of the
litter input.
de investigación, donde reunimos decenas de investigadores relacionados
con el mundo de los Quercus: (1) el simposio titulado
“Quercus: decaimiento, regeneración y gestión frente al cambio global”,
que tuvo lugar en el marco del XI Congreso Nacional de la
AEET (Pamplona, Mayo 2013); y (2) el encuentro internacional titulado
“Oak forests coping with global change: ecology and management”,
que fue financiado por la Universidad Internacional de
Andalucía (Baeza, Octubre 2013; para más detalles ver Pérez-
Ramos et al. 2013). Aunque en el presente monográfico no han tenido
cabida todos los trabajos presentados en ambos foros, los
artículos que lo componen reflejan la alta variedad de temas que
actualmente ocupan a los investigadores y gestores de los bosques
y sabanas dominados por especies de Quercus. Los artículos del
monográfico han sido estructurados en diferentes bloques temáticos
(Ecología de Regeneración, Fisiología y Ecología Funcional,
Biología Molecular, Distribución de especies, y Tendencias en Investigación)
geográfica como por su gran importancia ecológica y económica. Algunas de estas especies han sido y continúan siendo foco central en numerosos
estudios científicos relacionados con la ecología y gestión de ecosistemas forestales. Los objetivos de este artículo son: 1) conocer la evolución del
número de artículos relacionados con Quercus, así como los países y autores con mayor producción científica en este campo, 2) identificar los principales
temas de investigación sobre las especies de Quercus de España y 3) discutir los huecos en el conocimiento y proponer algunas líneas
futuras de investigación. Según la base de datos ISI Web of Science se han publicado 13 469 artículos relacionados con las especies de Quercus,
con un crecimiento exponencial a lo largo del tiempo. España ocupa el segundo lugar en cuanto a número de artículos publicados (11.6 % del total),
después de los Estados Unidos. Entre los 24 090 autores de artículos relacionados con Quercus, cinco españoles se encuentran entre los 20
primeros en número de publicaciones. Dentro de las publicaciones sobre Quercus en España, la especie con mayor interés es la encina (Q. ilex,
46.5 % de los artículos) y los temas a los que se ha prestado más atención son: el cambio climático, la regeneración, los efectos de la sequía, las
perturbaciones y la riqueza de especies. Se discuten los huecos de conocimiento detectados (en base a encuestas de expertos) y se proponen
líneas de investigación futuras relacionadas con el cambio global, la demografía, la ecofisiología, las interacciones bióticas y la gestión.
We analysed soil fungal diversity and functional guilds by high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA in a trace element contaminated area, part of a large scale phytoremediation project running for 20 years. We selected five habitats for comparison purposes: three under the canopy of selected tree species (wild olive, white poplar and stone pine), adjacent treeless areas (grassland) and non-remediated areas (bare soil).
Soil fungal diversity and richness seemed to be enhanced by phytoremediation. White poplar soil had the highest diversity and richness compared to wild olive and stone pine. Fungal communities were especially different between stone pine, with soils rich in organic C and high C:N ratio, and grassland soils.
We identified 9,428 fungal OTUs from which 1,283 were assigned to a unique functional guild; the most abundant belonging to saprotrophic, plant pathogenic and ectomycorrhizal functional guilds. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were more abundant in soils under ectomycorrhizal host trees. Saprotrophs were abundant in grassland and wild olive soils, while plant pathogens were abundant in non-remediated soils.
The remediation of soils (clean-up and amendment addition) allowed the natural establishment of grassland habitats throughout the study area, increasing fungal diversity, richness, taxonomy and functionality, when compared to non-remediated soils. Tree afforestation allowed the establishment of a forest type community bringing a further recruitment of fungal taxa, mainly the ectomycorrhizal fungal guild. Afforestation with different tree species showed species-specific effects on soil N, organic C, Ca and C:N ratio which led to increased spatial heterogeneity in areas with potential to recruit a wider diversity of fungi.
Root traits play a critical role in plant resource-use strategies and ecosystem functioning, but there is great controversy regarding their identity and functionality in different dimensions of below-ground functional variation. Here, we explored the level of covariation among a suite of key root traits (i.e. specific root length, root dry matter content, diameter and density) as well as between them and two above-ground traits related with plant function (leaf nutrient concentration and specific leaf area). We also evaluated whether these patterns of trait covariation were consistent at different spatial scales and organisational levels.
Methods
We collected fine root (< 2 mm) samples of 534 individuals (of 80 woody species) along a wide regional range of environmental conditions in southern Spain.
Results
In general, strong correlations among most of the root morphological traits were found, supporting the existence of a ‘root economics spectrum’, as well as between root traits and the aboveground traits. However, root diameter was not completely aligned along this ecological axis, supporting the idea of a multidimensional spectrum of root traits. The main syndrome of root trait covariation was consistent at the different spatial scales and organisational levels. Soil nutrients and water availability were the main drivers of root trait variation.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that root trait variation is primarily aligned along a leading dimension related to resource economics. However, the distinct pattern of root diameter may indicate a multidimensionality of belowground traits that needs to be explored in greater depth.
Methods: Mycorrhizal and plant traits were weighted by the abundance of con-stitutive plant species to calculate community-weighted means (CWM). Maximum likelihood techniques were used to analyse how variation in these functional community traits was driven by soil abiotic factors.
Results: The degree of ECM colonization was positively related to the abundance of evergreen species and to tissue dry matter content (in leaves and roots), but negatively to specific root length and specific leaf area. The best abiotic pre-dictor of ECM colonization was soil moisture, with higher ECM colonization in drier sites. However, AM colonization was not related to any of the plant traits studied, and was positively related to soil Cu and other physico-chemical soil properties. Changes in community mycorrhization of both types were primarily due to plant species turnover (mainly species occurrence), with a remarkable importance of plant intraspecific variability in the case of AM colonization (especially in the percentage of vesicles).
Conclusions: The degrees of colonization by ECM and AM at the community level exhibited different patterns, influenced by both biotic factors (plant functional structure) and abiotic conditions (soil moisture and chemical composition). The proposed mycorrhizal trait-based approach can help to better understand the role of these symbioses on plant community functioning.
patterns of soil microbial and available nutrient pools
hold across different Mediterranean forest types is
unclear impeding the generalization needed to consolidate
our understanding on Mediterranean ecosystems
functioning. Methods We explored the response of soil microbial,
total, organic and inorganic extractable nutrient pools
(C,Nand P) to common sources of variability, namely
habitat (tree cover), soil depth and season (summer
drought), in three contrasting Mediterranean forest
types: a Quercus ilex open woodland, a mixed
Q. suber and Q. canariensis woodland and a Pinus
sylvestris forest.
Results Soil microbial and available nutrient pools
were larger beneath tree cover than in open areas in
both oak woodlands whereas the opposite trend was
found in the pine forest. The greatest differences in
soil properties between habitat types were found in
the open woodland. Season (drought effect) was the
main driver of variability in the pine forest and was
related to a loss of microbial nutrients (up to 75 %
loss of Nmic and Pmic) and an increase in microbial
ratios (Cmic/Nmic, Cmic/Pmic) from Spring to Summer
in all sites. Nutrient pools consistently decreased
with soil depth, with microbial C, N and P in the
top soil being up to 208 %, 215 % and 274 % larger
than in the deeper soil respectively.
Conclusions Similar patterns of variation emerged in
relation to season and soil depth across the three forest
types whereas the direction and magnitude of the habitat
(tree cover) effect was site-dependent, possibly related
to the differences in tree species composition and forest
structure, and thus in the quality and distribution of the
litter input.
de investigación, donde reunimos decenas de investigadores relacionados
con el mundo de los Quercus: (1) el simposio titulado
“Quercus: decaimiento, regeneración y gestión frente al cambio global”,
que tuvo lugar en el marco del XI Congreso Nacional de la
AEET (Pamplona, Mayo 2013); y (2) el encuentro internacional titulado
“Oak forests coping with global change: ecology and management”,
que fue financiado por la Universidad Internacional de
Andalucía (Baeza, Octubre 2013; para más detalles ver Pérez-
Ramos et al. 2013). Aunque en el presente monográfico no han tenido
cabida todos los trabajos presentados en ambos foros, los
artículos que lo componen reflejan la alta variedad de temas que
actualmente ocupan a los investigadores y gestores de los bosques
y sabanas dominados por especies de Quercus. Los artículos del
monográfico han sido estructurados en diferentes bloques temáticos
(Ecología de Regeneración, Fisiología y Ecología Funcional,
Biología Molecular, Distribución de especies, y Tendencias en Investigación)
geográfica como por su gran importancia ecológica y económica. Algunas de estas especies han sido y continúan siendo foco central en numerosos
estudios científicos relacionados con la ecología y gestión de ecosistemas forestales. Los objetivos de este artículo son: 1) conocer la evolución del
número de artículos relacionados con Quercus, así como los países y autores con mayor producción científica en este campo, 2) identificar los principales
temas de investigación sobre las especies de Quercus de España y 3) discutir los huecos en el conocimiento y proponer algunas líneas
futuras de investigación. Según la base de datos ISI Web of Science se han publicado 13 469 artículos relacionados con las especies de Quercus,
con un crecimiento exponencial a lo largo del tiempo. España ocupa el segundo lugar en cuanto a número de artículos publicados (11.6 % del total),
después de los Estados Unidos. Entre los 24 090 autores de artículos relacionados con Quercus, cinco españoles se encuentran entre los 20
primeros en número de publicaciones. Dentro de las publicaciones sobre Quercus en España, la especie con mayor interés es la encina (Q. ilex,
46.5 % de los artículos) y los temas a los que se ha prestado más atención son: el cambio climático, la regeneración, los efectos de la sequía, las
perturbaciones y la riqueza de especies. Se discuten los huecos de conocimiento detectados (en base a encuestas de expertos) y se proponen
líneas de investigación futuras relacionadas con el cambio global, la demografía, la ecofisiología, las interacciones bióticas y la gestión.
La oportunidad más relevante surgida después del accidente minero fue el impulso enorme de la investigación ambiental relacionada con la recuperación de los suelos contaminados por elementos traza, y la evaluación de los efectos de estos elementos sobre plantas y animales. El Corredor Verde del Guadiamar ha sido un gran laboratorio natural donde ensayar diversas medidas de recuperación y seguir la dinámica de los contaminantes. La localización privilegiada del río Guadiamar brindó la gran oportunidad de conectar las poblaciones aisladas de Doñana con el gran territorio natural de Sierra Morena. Al mismo tiempo, se ha abierto un nuevo espacio natural para actividades recreativas y de ecoturismo. Una oportunidad futura para el complejo minero de Aznalcóllar es el desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías más limpias y sistemas más fiables.