vii young researchers meeting on conservation and sustainable use
2015 Sustainable Forest Management Research IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Institute (University of Valladolid-INIA) VII YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OFIXFOREST YOUNGSYSTEMS RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain) 28-29st January 2015 1 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Editors: Elena Hidalgo Rodríguez, Sara Uzquiano Pérez, Jorge Valbuena Castro, Juan Asdrúbal Flores Pacheco & Nadia Campos Salas. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute (University of Valladolid-INIA) Avda. de Valladolid 44, 34071 Palencia (Spain) Telephone: +34 979108300 Fax: +34 979108301 Websites: http://sostenible.palencia.uva.es www.resarch4forestry.eu ISBN: Graphic designer: Mª Lucielle Silva Laurentino 2 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 SUMMARY PREFACE ............................................................................................................................. 9 WELCOME CONFERENCE .................................................................................. 11 HOW COOPERATION SHAPES THE WORLD: INSIGHTS FROM AN AVIAN SYSTEM .......... 11 INVITED CONFERENCE......................................................................................... 12 RPAS. THE NEW PERSPECTIVE IN GEO-SCIENCES.............................................................. 12 MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................. 13 SITE FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL. SITE INDEX IN NORTHERN SPAIN..................................................................................................................... 13 FUNGAL SUCCESSION ASSOCIATED TO VEGETATION REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING WILDFIRE IN A MEDITERRANEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEM DOMINATED BY PINUS NIGRA 13 EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON PINUS PINASTER AIT. SEED PRODUCTION AND DISPERSAL . 13 FOREST MANAGEMENT MODEL OF “PINAR GRANDE” FOREST (SPAIN) UNDER DIFFERENT RISK SCENARIOS USING MULTICRITERIO TECHNIQUES ............................... 14 TRENDS OF BIOMASS CARBON AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON UNDER TWO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN FORESTS .............................. 14 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE AND INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT: STUDY CASE VALE DO SOUZA, PORTUGAL ...... 14 RELATIVE INTERACTION INTENSITY IN MANAGED PINUS HALEPENSIS STANDS ALONG CLIMATIC AND TEMPORAL GRADIENTS ................................................................................ 15 COMPARING GROWTH AND YIELD IN MIXED CONIFER FOREST ........................................ 15 3 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 CROSS-DATING DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL SAMPLES WITH 'MEASURING': AN R PACKAGE TO MEASURE TREE-RING WIDTHS FROM SCANNED IMAGES ......................... 17 SITE FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL. SITE INDEX IN NORTHERN SPAIN..................................................................................................................... 18 FUNGAL SUCCESSION ASSOCIATED TO VEGETATION REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING WILDFIRE IN A MEDITERRANEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEM DOMINATED BY PINUS NIGRA 19 EMPIRICAL MODELS FOR MUSHROOM YIELDS AND DIVERSITY IN CISTUS LADANIFER SCRUBLANDS WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO BOLETUS EDULIS ...................................... 20 EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON PINUS PINASTER AIT. SEED PRODUCTION AND DISPERSAL . 21 VARIATION IN CARBON CONCENTRATION AND WOOD DENSITY FOR FIVE MOST COMMONLY GROWN TREE SPECIES IN CHILIMO DRY AFRO-MONTANE FOREST, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, ETHIOPIA........................................................................................... 22 FOREST MANAGEMENT MODEL OF “PINAR GRANDE” FOREST (SPAIN) UNDER DIFFERENT RISK SCENARIOS USING MULTICRITERIO TECHNIQUES ............................... 23 TRENDS OF BIOMASS CARBON AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON UNDER TWO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN FORESTS .............................. 24 TEAK PLANTATIONS MANAGEMENT USING DIAMETRIC DISTRIBUTION MODELS .......... 25 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE AND INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT: STUDY CASE VALE DO SOUZA, PORTUGAL ...... 26 RELATIVE INTERACTION INTENSITY IN MANAGED PINUS HALEPENSIS STANDS ALONG CLIMATIC AND TEMPORAL GRADIENTS ................................................................................ 27 COMPARING GROWTH AND YIELD IN MIXED CONIFER FOREST ........................................ 28 ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF DECISION MAKING METHODS AND COMPUTERIZED TOOLS TO ENHANCE CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN ISRAEL ............. 29 PROTECTION & GENETICS ............................................................................... 30 4 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 ANTAGONISTIC ACTIVITY OF FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE’S FILTRATES AGAINST GREMMENIELLA ABIETINA INFECTIONS ON ALEPPO PINE SEEDLINGS .......................... 30 NODULATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE OF ACACIA SALIGNA AND LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA SEEDLINGS GROWN IN THREE TYPES OF SOIL............................................................................................................. 30 DISENTAGLING THE CAUSES OF WITHIN-POPULATION SPATIAL GENETIC STRUCTURE IN A WIDESPREAD TROPICAL TREE SPECIES ...................................................................... 30 USE OF MYCOVIRUSES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS OF FOREST DISEASES: A REVIEW . 31 RE-GREENING ETHIOPIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES ......................................... 31 STUDY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF FUSARIUM CIRCINATUM MYCOVIRUSES THROUGH THE FUNGAL SPORES .............................................................................................................. 33 ANTAGONISTIC ACTIVITY OF FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE’S FILTRATES AGAINST GREMMENIELLA ABIETINA INFECTIONS ON ALEPPO PINE SEEDLINGS .......................... 34 NODULATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE OF ACACIA SALIGNA AND LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA SEEDLINGS GROWN IN THREE TYPES OF SOIL............................................................................................................. 35 GENETIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ALLOMETRIC EFFECTS ON CONE SEROTINY IN ALEPPO PINE (PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL.) ............................................................................ 36 DISENTAGLING THE CAUSES OF WITHIN-POPULATION SPATIAL GENETIC STRUCTURE IN A WIDESPREAD TROPICAL TREE SPECIES ...................................................................... 37 USE OF MYCOVIRUSES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS OF FOREST DISEASES: A REVIEW . 38 RE-GREENING ETHIOPIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES ......................................... 39 CONSERVATION.......................................................................................................... 40 HYDROLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE JUCAR RIVER BASIN (TOUS): ESCALONA TRIBUTARY ................................................................................................................................ 40 5 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN MIXED-SPECIES SPACING TRIAL IN CENTRAL OREGON ................................................................................................................... 40 ASSESSING POST-STORM FOREST DYNAMICS IN THE PYRENEES USING HIGHRESOLUTION LIDAR DATA AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................... 41 USE AND THREAT PERCEPTION OF HIGHLY VALUED INDIGENOUS EDIBLE WOODY SPECIES IN NIGER, FOR CONSIDERATION IN A PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION PROGRAM .................................................................................................................................. 43 HYDROLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE JUCAR RIVER BASIN (TOUS): ESCALONA TRIBUTARY ................................................................................................................................ 44 POPULATION STATUS AND GUM YIELD OF ACACIA SENEGAL (L) WILD IN NORTH WEST LOWLANDS OF ETHIOPIA ........................................................................................................ 45 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF “IZOTAL” AND “MEXICAL” OF THE TEHUACAN VALLEY, MEXICO ............................................................... 46 BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN MIXED-SPECIES SPACING TRIAL IN CENTRAL OREGON ................................................................................................................... 47 ASSESSMENT OF LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVITY OF FISH PASSES IN THE DUERO RIVER BASIN .............................................................................................................................. 48 ASSESSING POST-STORM FOREST DYNAMICS IN THE PYRENEES USING HIGHRESOLUTION LIDAR DATA AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................... 49 BIOMASS ESTIMATION OF JUNIPERUS THURIFERA FORESTS THROUGH NONDESTRUCTIVE METHODS ......................................................................................................... 50 MISCELLANY .................................................................................................................. 51 SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF FRUIT PREDATION IN TWO COEXISTING JUNIPERS SHARING FRUIT PREDATOR SPECIES ................................................................. 51 TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREST STAND MENSURATION........... 51 6 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 EVALUATION OF RISKS AT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED TO THE UTILIZATION OF PESTICIDES AT KUKRA HILL'S MUNICIPALITY, NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA .................................................................................................................................... 52 EVALUATION OF TOPOGRAPHICAL AND TRAPEZOIDAL MODELS TO ESTIMATE EROSION RATES APPLIED TO CHECK DAMS IN THE BADLANDS OF SALDAÑA, SPAIN . 52 INTRAANUAL DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS OF ARAUCARIA ANGUSTIFOLIA IN THE NEOTROPICAL WOODLANDS .................................................................................................. 52 A LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FUNCTIONAL TRAITS OF THE SAWMILLS OF SYLHET CITY CORPORATION, BANGLADESH ...................................................................................... 54 SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF FRUIT PREDATION IN TWO COEXISTING JUNIPERS SHARING FRUIT PREDATOR SPECIES................................................................. 55 LOCAL COMMUNITIES VIEWS TOWARDS CO-MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABILITY IN PROTECTED AREAS OF BANGLADESH ................................................................................. 56 TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREST STAND MENSURATION........... 57 EVALUATION OF RISKS AT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED TO THE UTILIZATION OF PESTICIDES AT KUKRA HILL'S MUNICIPALITY, NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA .................................................................................................................................... 58 EVALUATION OF TOPOGRAPHICAL AND TRAPEZOIDAL MODELS TO ESTIMATE EROSION RATES APPLIED TO CHECK DAMS IN THE BADLANDS OF SALDAÑA, SPAIN . 59 INTRAANUAL DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS OF ARAUCARIA ANGUSTIFOLIA IN THE NEOTROPICAL WOODLANDS .................................................................................................. 60 BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AS BIOINDICATOR OF WATER QUALITY OF THE HUMID TROPIC MICROBASINS PLACE SURROUNDINGS OF BLUEFIELDS, NICARAGUA 61 LARGE FIRES IN MEDITERRANEAN LANDSCAPES .............................................................. 62 7 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 8 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 PREFACE Since 2007 our Institute organizes the Annual Conference of Young Researchers on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Systems that in this opportunity reaches its ninth edition. Our Graduate students organize, manage and actively participate in the event that joint students from the Master and PhD programs on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Systems and Erasmus Mundus Master in Mediterranean Forestry and Natural Resources-MEDFOR. Academic and scientific excellence are at the core of our activities and in this meeting, that has become a reference for the dissemination of scientific work of our research students their main findings and research projects are presented. During our time in Valsaín researchers, whose are in their early stage but also senior scientists, found time and space to establish new synergies that will help their personal and scientific development. This year, 36 papers are presented as oral communications or posters showing the work of our students. Presentations cover different topics such as Management, Protection & Genetics and Conservation between others. As in previous years we have had the cooperation of the Director and staff of the National Environmental Education Center (CENEAM) in Valsaín which, again, hosted us in their facilities. The University of Valladolid, the Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA), and the Erasmus Mundus Action 1 (through the MEDFOR consortium) of European Commission have collaborated to make this event a success. It is important to highlight the hard work of professors and students who coordinated and managed the meeting and the presentations with a high standard both in organization and scientific quality. Hopefully this conference will serve to guide and enlighten our students (current and future) on the objectives of our research training programs. Prof. Dr. Felipe Bravo Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute Universidad de Valladolid-INIA 9 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 The Organization Committee of the IX Young Researchers Meeting on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Systems welcomes all the participants and authorities to this event. This book contains the abstracts of all the scientific contributions: posters, short talks and invited conferences. A digital edition of this Abstract Book will be available at the web page of the Institute (http://www.research4forestry.eu/). Once more, we show herewith a large reflection of the research developed within the Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute in a Scientific Meeting format presented by our Master and PhD. students. This Meeting is an academic activity in the frame of the Master and PhD degrees taught jointly by CIFOR-INIA and the School of Agricultural Engineering of the University of Valladolid in which the students following the Winter School from the MEDfOR Erasmus Mundus Program have been invited. One of the particularities of this Meeting is that the organization is carried out mostly by our Masters students, whose role is not only to present their current research, but also to act as chairperson and moderators of the scientific sessions. Some of the students form the Organization Committee and are also responsible for all logistic tasks, such as programming, editing of this book, accommodation, visits, etc. Here we want to emphasize the active and enriching participation of those students accepting to be Chairpersons and Poster Session organizers and helping in hall tasks. We also want to thank all the Professors of the different Masters for their guidance and supervision of the presentations and abstracts discussed in this Meeting. Finally, we are grateful for the effort, time, and availability of the students belonging to the Organization Committee who have worked very hard for the success of this Meeting. Prof. Dr. Elena Hidalgo Coordinator of the Organization Committee 10 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 WELCOME CONFERENCE HOW COOPERATION SHAPES THE WORLD: INSIGHTS FROM AN AVIAN SYSTEM Vittorio Baglione Dep. of Agroforestry, University of Valladolid Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute Evolutionary biology is a central discipline in life sciences. A strong evolutionary background is therefore most valuable for any researcher who deals with biological systems. The aim of this talk is to give an example of how evolutionary studies work, from hypotheses formulation to empirical testing. I will analyse the evolution of cooperation, as well as its role in shaping the biological world and the major transitions in the history of life. I will also present my own results on an avian system that represent an ideal model for studying cooperation and mutualism. 11 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 INVITED CONFERENCE RPAS. THE NEW PERSPECTIVE IN GEO-SCIENCES José Martínez Rubio Technical Director of the Laboratory of Architectural Photogrammetry School of Architecture. University of Valladolid Remotely Piloted Aircrafts technologies is today enveloped in an atmosphere where facts are often confused with desires and fables, but no one questions that the potential is enormous. There are a number of applications that have demonstrated their advantages and many others which are eying to small technological advances that are just necessary for the next step forward. Forest science, like many others, are also emerging as beneficiaries of the phenomenon. Think of something sensible ... and probably already exist or will soon be possible. This presentation will attempt to provide an overview of civilian small drones through some experiences, and will we bring up a discussion on the importance of embracing RPAS with respect. Otherwise the research world and even civilian society runs the risk of being alienated of arguably one of the most promissing recent technology advents today. The risk of over-regulation and banning. 12 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 MANAGEMENT Oral communications CROSS-DATING DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL SAMPLES WITH 'MEASURING': AN R PACKAGE TO MEASURE TREE-RING WIDTHS FROM SCANNED IMAGES Wilson Lara Henao SITE FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL. SITE INDEX IN NORTHERN SPAIN Teresa de los Bueis Mellado FUNGAL SUCCESSION ASSOCIATED TO VEGETATION REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING WILDFIRE IN A MEDITERRANEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEM DOMINATED BY PINUS NIGRA Olaya Mediavilla Santos EMPIRICAL MODELS FOR MUSHROOM YIELDS AND DIVERSITY IN CISTUS LADANIFER SCRUBLANDS WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO BOLETUS EDULIS María Hernández Rodríguez EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON PINUS PINASTER AIT. SEED PRODUCTION AND DISPERSAL Irene Ruano Benito VARIATION IN CARBON CONCENTRATION AND WOOD DENSITY FOR FIVE MOST COMMONLY GROWN TREE SPECIES IN CHILIMO DRY AFROMONTANE FOREST, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, ETHIOPIA Mehari Alebachew Tesfaye 13 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 FOREST MANAGEMENT MODEL OF “PINAR GRANDE” FOREST (SPAIN) UNDER DIFFERENT RISK SCENARIOS USING MULTICRITERIO TECHNIQUES Jorge Aldea Mallo TRENDS OF BIOMASS CARBON AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON UNDER TWO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN FORESTS Daniel Moreno Fernández TEAK PLANTATIONS MANAGEMENT USING DIAMETRIC DISTRIBUTION MODELS Juan Camilo Patiño Zabala DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE AND INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT: STUDY CASE VALE DO SOUZA, PORTUGAL Nathalia Formenton Cardoso 14 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Posters RELATIVE INTERACTION INTENSITY IN MANAGED PINUS HALEPENSIS STANDS ALONG CLIMATIC AND TEMPORAL GRADIENTS Nicolás Cattaneo COMPARING GROWTH AND YIELD IN MIXED CONIFER FOREST José Guillermo Riofrío Salazar ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF DECISION MAKING METHODS AND COMPUTERIZED TOOLS TO ENHANCE CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN ISRAEL Asaf Karavani 15 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 16 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 CROSS-DATING DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL SAMPLES WITH 'MEASURING': AN R PACKAGE TO MEASURE TREE-RING WIDTHS FROM SCANNED IMAGES Lara, W.1, Sierra, C.2, Bravo, F.1 1 Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute,UVA-INIA, Avenida Madrid, s/n 34071, Palencia, Spain. 2 Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, HansKnöll-Straße 10, 07745, Jena, Germany [email protected] Dendrochronological analysis of multiple samples with specialized software can be expensive, and subsequent statistical processing of outputs can be cumbersome. Package 'measuRing' is a free-cost software to measure and detect ring borders by processing Dendrochronological Image Samples (DIS) in the R environment. Initial version of the package, measuRing V0.1, was tested in Windows, Linux, and Mac, and the algorithm was freely shared in Comprehensive R Archive Network. Nevertheless, this old algorithm was actually improved in a more efficient and friendly version: measuRing V0.2. Previous version of the package, measuRing V0.1, only allowed analysis on individual DIS while users were required to combine several functions to process DIS. But, the newest implementation of the algorithm in measuRing V0.2 generalizes analysis to recursively cross-date multiple DIS. More over, this renewed version has been simplified for users to provide arguments in only one function. This more friendly version of measuRing brings additional graphical features to use markers (narrow rings, and decadal rings) in cross-dating of samples after ring borders has been automatically detected and/or visually controlled. Procedures to develop multiple detection and cross-dating with measuRing are described with an example from dendrochronological analysis of DIS of Pinus Pinaster from eastern portion on Iberean Peninsula. Keywords: gray matrix; ring borders; linear detection; low-frequency noise; red, green, and blue channels; smoothed grays. 17 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 SITE FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL. SITE INDEX IN NORTHERN SPAIN Bueis, T., Bravo, F., Pando, V., Turrión, M.B. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute. University of Valladolid [email protected] The estimation of forest site quality by means of site parameters constitutes a useful tool for decision making in sustainable forest management of stands. These relationships allow defining the most suitable species to be used in new afforestations and the most appropriate silviculture path to be applied for established stands. The aim of this study was to develop a model to predict site index for Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) plantations in calcareous soils in Castilla y León region (northern Spain) by using soil (physical, chemical and biochemical), climatic and physiographic parameters. To meet this objective, data from 32 stands classified into three different site index classes and 56 soil, climatic and physiographic parameters were studied to develop a discriminant model. After selecting 15 discriminant models which were biologically consistent and presented the higher correct classification cross-validated rate, a model including four parameters (carbonates, porosity, annual hydric index and amount of organic horizon material) as predictors was chosen. The discriminant model classified 59% stands correctly. No plot belonging to the lower quality class was misclassified into the higher quality class and no plot belonging to the higher quality class was misclassified into the lower quality class with this model. Soil and climatic parameters included in the model are easily obtainable in the field, through digital climatic atlas or by means of simple laboratory analysis so our results can be integrated in sustainable forest management decision making. Keywords: soil-site method, site productivity, environmental factor, discriminant analysis, principal component. 18 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 FUNGAL SUCCESSION ASSOCIATED TO VEGETATION REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING WILDFIRE IN A MEDITERRANEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEM DOMINATED BY PINUS NIGRA Mediavilla, O., Oria de Rueda, J.A., Martín-Pinto, P. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute. University of Valladolid-INIA [email protected] Mediterranean forests have been affected by wildfires since ancient times, altering vegetation and its fungal communities. Despite the great amount of researches conducted in order to study the plant communities affected by forest fires, our knowledge on the interactions between fire occurrence and development of fungal communities is still scarce. The aim of this work was to assess the changes in sporocarp production linked to vegetation succession under a Pinus nigra artificial stand in Northern Spain. Sporocarps were collected and identified from a set of three 100 m2 transects at each one and five year old burned areas and an unburned adjacent area. Then, fungal species richness, biomass production and species composition was analysed as dependent on time after fire, and also considering aspects as edibility and fungal life form. Sporocarp production and mycorrhizal and edible species richness were strongly affected just after fire, but a prompt recovery was noted since few differences respect to unburned areas were evidenced only five years after the disturbance. Also, specific fungal communities composition was correlated with successive stages after fire. This was likely because of the different vegetation composition found at different stages, with species typically connected to Pinus, Quercus and Cistus in the areas where each one of them predominated. Promoting a mixture of host species just following fire by leaving the pioneer species during the implantation of new forest stands, could result in a prompt recovery of the associated fungal community, adding extra ecological value to these forests. Keywords: fire effects, fungal production, fungal composition, host preference, richness 19 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 EMPIRICAL MODELS FOR MUSHROOM YIELDS AND DIVERSITY IN CISTUS LADANIFER SCRUBLANDS WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO BOLETUS EDULIS Hernández-Rodríguez, M.1, de-Miguel, S.2,3, Pukkala, T.2, Oria-de-Rueda, J.A.1, Martín Pinto, P.1 1 Research Institute of Sustainable Forest Management, University of Valladolid, Spain. 2 3 Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland. Departament de Producció Vegetal i Ciència Forestal, Universitat de Lleida-Agrotecnio Center,Spain. [email protected] Cistus species are distributed around the Mediterranean basin and constitute early successional stages in the Mediterranean ecosystems. This genus comprises several pyrophytic scrub species that are especially vulnerable to wildfires. Cistus scrublands are associated with a high diversity of fungal species and can provide can provide high production of edible mushroom species, such as Boletus edulis. An appropriate management of these ecosystems may help to prevent forest fires while providing economic benefits derived from mushroom production. The aim of this study was to develop predictive empirical models for mushroom yield and diversity in order to provide a useful tool for the optimal management of these areas. Data were collected in permanent sample plots which consisted of 2m x 50m transects. Separate equations were fitted for annual production and species diversity for the two main functional fungal groups (i.e., mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi). The yield of the most economically important species, B. edulis, was modelled separately. The predicted variable of the mushroom production models was the annual fresh weight yield (kg ha-1 yr-1) whereas in the diversity models the predicted variable was the annual Shannon index. The predictors considered in modelling included the treatment (i.e., cutting or burning the shrub vegetation), the time after treatment, climatic variables and mean height and canopy cover of the scrublands. These structural characteristics of C. ladanifer scrublands were also modelled as a function of treatment and time after treatment. The most significant climatic variable that affected fungal production and diversity was the minimum temperature of the autumn. Regarding the vegetation characteristics, mean height of the shrub vegetation was the most significant predictor of mushroom production and diversity. Mycorrhizal species yield showed a rapid increase after total clearing or burning, reaching its maximum 8 years after treatment. Saprotrophic species yield decreased during the development cycle of Cistus ladanifer scrublands. Keywords: modelling, fungi, production, shrub, rockroses. 20 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 EFFECT OF CLIMATE ON PINUS PINASTER AIT. SEED PRODUCTION AND DISPERSAL Ruano, I.1, Manso, R.2, Fortin, M.3, Bravo, F.1 1 Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute UVa-INIA, Palencia, Spain 2 INRA, 3 UMR 1092 LERFoB, Champenoux, France AgroParisTech, UMR 1092 LERFoB, Nancy, France [email protected] Natural regeneration is a complex process that comprises different subprocesses such as seed production, seed dispersal, ground seed bank, germination and establishment. Each of these subprocesses is driven by specific climatic and stand-related factors which, in turn, determine the success of natural regeneration. The effect of climate is particularly concerning, given current predictions on future climate. The main challenge is to identify these factors and quantify their effects. The objective of this study was to analyze the seed dispersal subprocess of Maritime pine. In order to do it, 10-year records on P. pinaster seed rain were used. Data were gathered from an experimental site aimed at studying the species’ natural regeneration dynamics, located in Cuéllar (central Spain). The experimental site consists of ten 70 x 70 m plots where four treatments were tested in a split-plot design: control and 3 harvest intensities (25%, 50% and 100% reduction of the original basal area). In each plot, nine seed traps (1m x 1m) aimed at monitoring seed rain were systematically deployed. A generalized mixed model was fitted to predict the number of collected seeds on a yearly basis as a function of climatic variables and tree density. The climatic covariates were chosen among those thought to affect the key-phases governing seed production and dispersal (flowering, cone maturation, seed release…). Tree density was considered defining a distance-dependent index for each seed trap as the sum of the inverse of the distances between the seed trap and the trees that are to a maximum 20 m distance. After several preliminary trials, the following explanatory variables were selected: minimum temperature during October two years before dispersal (cone growing), April precipitation one year before dispersal (cone growing) and October- November precipitation one year before dispersal (cone maturation). The distance-dependent index was considered too. The model allowed predicting seed rain in an average climatic year and when extreme climatic conditions occur. Our study could help managers to adequate silvicultural practices to climatic changing conditions. Our results suggest that seed-limitation problems may arise where 50% of harvest intensity was applied under extreme climatic scenarios, specifically with lower precipitations during spring and autumn. Finally seed dispersal could not be enough in any case in the case of clear-cuttings to obtain a successful regeneration. Keywords: climate change, generalized mixed model, Mediterranean ecosystem, natural regeneration, silviculture. 21 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 VARIATION IN CARBON CONCENTRATION AND WOOD DENSITY FOR FIVE MOST COMMONLY GROWN TREE SPECIES IN CHILIMO DRY AFRO-MONTANE FOREST, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, ETHIOPIA Alebachew, M.1,2, Bravo-Oviedo, A.2,3, Bravo, F.1,2, Herrero, C.1,2 1 University of Valladolid at Palencia (UVa), Avda. Madrid, 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain. 2 Sustainable 3 INIA-Forest Forest Management Research Institute, UVa-INIA, Research Center, Ctra A. Coruña, km. 7.5 Madrid, Spain. [email protected] Located in the central highland plateau of Ethiopia, the Chilimo forest is one of the few remaining dry afro-montane mixed forests and is composed of both broad-leaf and the more dominant coniferous species. However, information’s regarding carbon concentration and wood density for the existed tree species, its parts and stem position are lacking, thus the study was conducted with the objective to estimate carbon concentration and wood density for five most commonly grown native tree species: Allophyllus abyssinicus, Olea europaea ssp. cuspidiata, Olinia rochetiana, Rhus glutinosa, Scolopia theifolia in a tropical mixed forest, Ethiopia. A total of 105 wood samples 30-50 mm thickness were collected based on diameter distribution. Fresh weights of wood samples were taken in the field and oven dried at 102 ºC and 67 ºC to constant weight. The oven dried wood samples were weighed, splatted into pieces, chopped and finally grinded into 0.2 mm with a grinding mill. Carbon concentration was analysed using ash method while, wood density was determined using water displacement method. The data’s were analysed using SAS PROC GLM and PROC logistic model. The statistical analysis results revealed, both carbon concentration and wood density were highly significant among and within a tree species, plant parts (stem, branch and leave) and stem position. The highest carbon concentration (57.12 %) was found for O. rochetiana, however, the lowest carbon concentration (56.43 %) was found for A. abyssinicus. Stem parts had higher carbon concentration (56.98 %) than branch (56.74 %) and leave (54.53 %) parts. The maximum carbon concentration was also found at stump height (57.10 %) than commercial height (54.53 %). Wood density showed similar trends to carbon concentration. O. europaea ssp. cuspidiata exhibited the highest wood density (0.67 g cm-3) value than other tested species. However, the lowest wood density (0.42 g cm-3) was found for A. abyssinicus. Wood density was also showed a decreasing trend along with increasing in stem height and maximum wood density ( 0.62 g cm-3 ) was found under stump position, while, the minimum wood density (0.4 g cm-3) was found under tree commercial height (≤ 7 cm diamater) position. Estimation of carbon concentration and wood density is important to show the values of these tree species for climate change mitigation and adaptation, we suggest site and species specific carbon concentration and wood density estimation in similar Ethiopian mixed forests in particular and other tropical montane forests in general. Keywords: native trees species, Chilimo forest, stem position, plant parts and logistic model. 22 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 FOREST MANAGEMENT MODEL OF “PINAR GRANDE” FOREST (SPAIN) UNDER DIFFERENT RISK SCENARIOS USING MULTICRITERIO TECHNIQUES Aldea, J.1, Martínez-Peña, F.2, Romero C.3, Díaz-Balteiro, L.3 1 Sustainable 2 Forest 3 Department Forest Management Research Institute University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain Mycology and Trufficulture, Cesefor Foundation, 42005, Soria, Spain of Forestry Economics and Management, Technical University of Madrid, Spain [email protected] Non-wood forest products provide important recreational and commercial activities, so that forest management requires new and specific tools to integrate correctly these resources into forest management planning. This study is focused in a strategic forest management in "Pinar Grande" forest (Soria) to incorporate classic forestry objectives (timber yield from final fellings of Pinus sylvestris L., net present value) and non-wood forest products (carbon sequestration, mushrooms harvests and their net present value). In order to integrate all the criteria, a lexicographic goal programming model (LGP) was used, incorporating different weights for each of the criteria outlined above, according to the preferences of stakeholders. This multi-criteria decision making technique was used in two scenarios: a deterministic (business as usual) scenario and non deterministic scenario regarding some variables like timber prices, and yields and prices of Lactarius gr. deliciosus species. The preferences of different stakeholders were take into account to choice the goal programming model and to define some aspects of this technique. The results obtained in both scenarios reveal the existence of efficient solutions and very close to the stakeholders’ preferences. In the non-deterministic scenario high variation was found in the mushrooms harvest criteria and to a lesser extent in the net present value criteria (58% and 16% respectively compared to the deterministic scenario). These differences are basically caused by introducing the risk associated with the edible mushrooms yield and less due to the different prices considered in this study. Keywords: non-wood forest products, wild edible mushrooms, goal programming, participatory decision making, risk. 23 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 TRENDS OF BIOMASS CARBON AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON UNDER TWO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN FORESTS Moreno-Fernández, D., Díaz-Pinés, E., Barbeito, I., Sánchez-González, M., Montes, F., Rubio, A., Cañellas, I. INIA-CIFOR, Ctra. A Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, Universidad de Valladolid & INIA, Palencia, Spain [email protected] Forests play an important role in the mitigation of the global warming acting as carbon sinks. However, the knowledge of the effects of the forest management on the carbon pools along the rotation period in Mediterranean areas is scarce. The objective of this work is to assess how two different forest management systems affect the carbon stocks in the living tree biomass, forest floor and soil in Mediterranean areas. For this purpose, two chronosequences covering the whole rotation period in two Pinus sylvestris L. forests were installed in Iberian Central Range. The most intense management system comprises a heavy thinning regime, a 100-years rotation period; the regeneration method is the uniform shelterwood system, the regeneration period is 20 years and soil preparation takes place. In the moderate management system the rotation period is 120 years, the thinning regime and the fellings of the regeneration method (group shelterwood system) are lighter and sparser in time. We carried out four forests inventories, measuring the diameter at breast height and the height of all the trees higher than 1.30 m in order to estimate the carbon stored in the living parts of the tree. Soil pits were excavated and we collected soil samples to estimate the soil organic carbon. We used a semiparametric approach to describe the trends over the time of the carbon stored in the living parts of the tree in each forests and a nested analysis of variance to assess how the management and the age of the stand affect to the soil carbon pool. We found that the trends of carbon stored in the living tree biomass were similar in each forest but the total carbon at the end of the rotation age was larger in the forest with the moderate management system than in the one with more intense management system (345.5 and 223.8 Mg C ha-1, respectively). On average, the plots subjected to the most intensive management stored more carbon in the forest floor than those subjected to the moderate management system (14.2 and 9.2 Mg C ha-1, respectively) whereas the average soil organic carbon stocks of the first 20 cm were larger in the moderate management system than in the most intensive regime (74.7 and 51.2 Mg C ha-1, respectively). Nevertheless, the carbon stocks of the forest floor and the uppermost cm of the soil remained constant among the rotation period. A moderate forest management system is here suggested to increase carbon storage in Scots pine Mediterranean forests of Central Spain. Keywords: carbon stocks, climate change, adaptive forest management, silviculture, carbon dynamics. 24 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 TEAK PLANTATIONS MANAGEMENT USING DIAMETRIC DISTRIBUTION MODELS Patiño-Zabala, J.C. Posgrado en Bosques y Conservación Ambiental. Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín [email protected] Considering the main objective in forest plantation of fine wood, the production target can be not so much the amount of wood volume produced, but is much more related to achieving the larger per piece of wood, reflecting the thick diameters trees. Therefore, modelling diameter distribution is an important tool for evaluation, monitoring and scheduling schemes of forest management. During 11 years 173 plots were measured in teak plantations of different ages on the Ecuadorian coast. They could adjust and characterize models for the diameter distribution, using transition matrices and diffusion processes that allowed to simulate optimal scenarios for intervention and more accurately estimate future production by the defined diameter categories. These analyses include the calibration of a multinomial logistic model to determine the relative influence of interventions with plantation development in terms of the diameter distribution. Keywords: transition matrices, multinomial logistic model, diffusion processes, forest management, wood production estimate. 25 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR FUTURE AND INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT: STUDY CASE VALE DO SOUZA, PORTUGAL Cardoso, F.N. Forest Research Center of School of Agriculture - University of Lisbon [email protected] The recent enlargement of the EU to 25 Member States, together with the intensification of transboundry forest degradation caused by biotic and abiotic factors, increased the challenge to reduce the incompatible policies in the context of integrated forest management. The INTEGRAL project addresses this challenge by focusing on promoting transdisciplinary knowledge and on presenting functional tools for integrated forest management throughout Europe. This work is a study case of INTEGRAL project, with the main objective to present Decision Support Systems and scenarios development as tools for efficient optimization of integrated forest management for Vale do Souza area, in Portugal. Methods of scenario analysis will be developed to evaluate the area distribution by forest owner types and by forest management alternatives (behavioural model). Based on the area distribution method, projections of the provision of ecosystem services (wood, carbon stock and biomass) will be developed, for a planning horizon of 50 years. The projections and simulations for the provision of ecosystems services will be calculated by DSS SADfLOR. Thus, decision support systems and analysis of the developed scenarios will offer insight about future forest management based on how the different forest owner types and management alternatives can affect land use and, consequently, the provision of ecosystem services over the next 50 years. Keywords: sustainable forest management; Scenario development; Behavioural model; Decision support tools; Ecosystem services analysis. 26 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 RELATIVE INTERACTION INTENSITY IN MANAGED PINUS HALEPENSIS STANDS ALONG CLIMATIC AND TEMPORAL GRADIENTS Cattaneo, N.1, Bravo, F.1, Bravo-Oviedo, A.1,2 1Sustainable 2 Forest Management Research Institute University of Valladolid-INIA, 34004 Palencia, Spain Research Center Deparment of Silviculture and Forest Systems Management. Forest Research Center. INIACIFOR [email protected] Competition for resources is considered the main intraspecific interaction in plant populations and communities. Density control through thinning, a cultural treatment made to reduce stand density of trees primarily to improve growth of remnant trees by reducing competition, has been proposed as an valuable tool to mitigate the effects of climate change (increasing the intensity and duration of drought episodes in Mediterranean areas). However, in Mediterranean areas with summer droughts and high inter-annual variability in precipitation and temperature, live in association with neighbours may also provide advantages over solitary growth, through facilitation. One of the most used approaches to test changes in plant-plant interactions are removal experiments. Some of its weaknesses are the short time period to account for temporal environmental gradients, and that generally competition effects take longer in long lived individuals like trees. As thinning is a “sort” of removal experiment in mature trees, and there are large database of thinning experiments in Europe, they could be used to test shifts in plant-plant interactions. The objectives of this work are to determine whether climatic conditions and thinning determine the mode of competition, and to assess how relative interaction intensity changes along temporal and geographical climatic gradients. To test this, data from a multisite thinning experiment, with 4 levels of thinning (0, 15, 30 and 40 percent of the initial basal area removed), will be used. The experiment consists of twenty Pinus halepensis plots of 2000 m2, located at four different areas of the Spanish geography, along a 400 km north-south gradient. Size-growth analysis and comparison between individuals with similar dendrometric values of each level of crowed will be conducted. Dendrochronological analysis and the spatial distribution of the plots will allow us to cover a wide temporal/geographical climate gradient. Results will provide a better understanding of the plant-plant relationships aimed at developing practices to mitigate the effects of climate change. Keywords: removal-experiment, climate-change, competition, facilitation, thinning-experiment. 27 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 COMPARING GROWTH AND YIELD IN MIXED CONIFER FOREST Riofrío, J.1, del Río2, M., Bravo, F.1 1 Sustainable 2 Department Forest Management Research Institute UVa-INIA of Silviculture and Forest Management, INIA, Forest Research Centre [email protected] The structure, dynamics and management of mixed forests is a research topic of increasing relevance due to the potential benefits they can offer, such as increased production and growth rates relative to pure stands, greater diversity, improving nutrient cycles, reducing the risk of biotic and abiotic damage, diversification of products from different species and rotations and risk reduction due to changes in the market. Mixed forest of Pinus sylvestris L. and Pinus pinaster Ait. are mainly in the Iberian and Central Range, either naturally or resulting from the selection of species in reforestation. Analysis of mixed stands where these two species coexist has of particular interest especially in the limits of its distribution, where ecological conditions approach the limit of tolerance of species. In this study, data from the second and third Spanish National Inventory were used to determinate how the growth of both species is modified by the admixture of the other species and if the mixture effect depends on site or stand density. Preliminary results will be showed, from models were fitted for P. sylvestris and P. pinaster respectively, which relate the growth efficiency of the species, i.e. the volume increment of the species divided by the species proportion by area, with dominant height, quadratic mean diameter, stocking degree, and the species proportions by area of each species. Keywords: mixed stands, growth efficiency, stocking proportion, maximum basal area, admixture effects 28 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF DECISION MAKING METHODS AND COMPUTERIZED TOOLS TO ENHANCE CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN ISRAEL Karavani, A. University of Lisbon [email protected] Israel is a small country (22070 km²) located along the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean basin, consisting of arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean climatic zones. Approximately 7% (154000 ha) of the country’s area is covered by forests, mostly as a result of large afforestation efforts during the last century. Following the completion of the National Master Plan for Forests (NOP 22), an updated Forest Management Policy (FMP) was published by the Israeli Forest Service (KKL-JNF), strongly emphasizing the ecological and social components of forest management. Subsequently, nowadays, goal-oriented and sustainable management plans are being tailored to each of the forests in Israel, taking under consideration site-specific characteristics. Each management plan follows an extensive inventor survey and composed from a multi-layer GIS based map. The integration of three different layers; 1) units of existing vegetation cover 2) units of simulated future vegetation cover and 3) units of designated land use, results in a detailed map with new management units. Each new management unit share a similar vegetation cover, land designation and planning principles. Thus, the map is used by foresters and facilitates the design of the appropriate management activities in accordance to the desired function of each unit, while being guided by the principles of minimal intervention, sustainability of the ecosystem and recreational value. In this current work, I would like to explore the possibility of contributing to the forest management plans as a part of my thesis project. The project will thus encompass the assessment of the potential of decision making methods and computerized tools to address the specificity of forest management planning in Israel. Specifically, I will conduct research of methods and tools that may enhance current management planning processes and further explicit the preferences that underlie decision-making. Keywords: Israel, Forest management planning, Modelling, Decision making methods, Decision support tools. 29 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 PROTECTION & GENETICS Oral communications STUDY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF FUSARIUM CIRCINATUM MYCOVIRUSES THROUGH THE FUNGAL SPORES Diana Bezos García ANTAGONISTIC ACTIVITY OF FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE’S FILTRATES AGAINST GREMMENIELLA ABIETINA INFECTIONS ON ALEPPO PINE SEEDLINGS Carmen Romeralo Tapia NODULATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE OF ACACIA SALIGNA AND LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA SEEDLINGS GROWN IN THREE TYPES OF SOIL Sara Khamis Abd Alla Hassan GENETIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ALLOMETRIC EFFECTS ON CONE SEROTINY IN ALEPPO PINE (PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL.) Ruth Cristina Martín Sanz DISENTAGLING THE CAUSES OF WITHIN-POPULATION SPATIAL GENETIC STRUCTURE IN A WIDESPREAD TROPICAL TREE SPECIES María Torroba Balmori 30 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Posters USE OF MYCOVIRUSES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS OF FOREST DISEASES: A REVIEW Emigdio Jordán Muñoz Adalia RE-GREENING ETHIOPIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES A review by Tesfay-Gidey 31 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 32 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 STUDY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF FUSARIUM CIRCINATUM MYCOVIRUSES THROUGH THE FUNGAL SPORES Bezos, D., Martínez-Álvarez, P., Romeralo, C., Diez, J. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute (University of Valladolid-INIA) Madrid Avenue 44, Postal Code 34004 Palencia. Spain. [email protected] Fusarium circinatum is the causal agent of pitch canker disease (PCD) of pines which provokes the presence of pitch soaked cankers on trunks and tree death. Recently, several mycoviruses (i.e. viruses that infect fungi) from the genus Mitovirus have been detected in Spanish isolates of the pathogen. Mycoviruses may have an important role on biological control in forest diseases because some of them have the ability of causing a reduction of the virulence (hipovirulence) on several pathogen species e.g. the case of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV-1) which is inoculated on diseased chestnut trees trough both fungal mycelia and conidial solution. However, to be suitable for biological control, the viruses should be transmitted through hyphal anastomosis and/or fungal sporulation efficiently enough to be maintained in a large proportion of the pathogen population. The aim of this work was to study the transmission of F. circinatum viruses through the microconidia under laboratory conditions. Thus, ten virus positive F. circinatum samples were processed for obtaining a total of 100 single-spore isolates (ten replicates from each sample). Total RNA and cDNA were obtained from each single spore isolate and PCR amplification was conducted with specific primers for detecting F. circinatum viruses FcM 1 and FcM 2. The presence of mitoviruses on the single spore isolates was confirmed in a high percentage of samples although it varied from 70 to 100% depending on the isolate. These results highlight the need for further study of the role of mitoviruses on F. circinatum virulence and of the potential use of virus positive F. circinatum conidial solutions as a biological control tool of PCD. Keywords: pitch canker disease, hipovirulence, mitovirus, microconidia, biological control. 33 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 ANTAGONISTIC ACTIVITY OF FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE’S FILTRATES AGAINST GREMMENIELLA ABIETINA INFECTIONS ON ALEPPO PINE SEEDLINGS Romeralo, C.1,2, Witzell, J.3,4, Romeralo-Tapia, R.5, Botella, L.6, Diez, J.J.1,2 Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid-INIA, Avda. Madrid 44, Building E, 34004, Palencia, Spain. 2 Department of Vegetal Production and Forest Resources, Higher Technical School of Agrarian Engineering, University of Valladolid, Avda. Madrid, s/n, 34004 Palencia, Spain. 3 Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 49, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden. 4 University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Science and Forestry, School of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland. 5 BIOFORGE, University of Valladolid, Paseo del Cauce s/n, Valladolid, Spain. 6 Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic. 1 [email protected] Biological control agents (BCAs) and among them some species of fungal endophytes, are potential substitutes for chemical pesticides in the control of plant diseases, because of their lower toxicity to human beings and environment. One mode of action of fungal BCAs is through their bioactive, extracellular products, which can inhibit the growth of the pathogens. In this study, the effect of fungal filtrates from four isolates of endophytes (Trichoderma viride, Aureobasidium pullulans, Aureobasidium sp. and the unknown endophyte 20.1) was evaluated on the advance of the pathogen Gremmeniella abietina on two-year Pinus halepensis seedlings. Both the preventive and therapeutic treatments of the filtrates were studied by applying the filtrates before or after the pathogen inoculation, respectively. In order to verify the results, the experiment was repeated completely. Thus, there were two time points, December and January. Six months after the inoculations, the symptoms of the disease started to appear (i.e. chlorosis, cankers and death of the plants) and the seedlings were processed. Since G. abietina is a necrotrophic fungus, the length of the necrosis produced by the pathogen was used as response variable in our experiment and was measured on every seedling. As a first step to explore the chemical composition of the fungal filtrates, a simple HPLC screening of UV-absorbing components was conducted. The results of the study showed that all fungal filtrates were able to reduce the advance of the pathogen G. abietina as compared to the control seedlings, regardless of the time of inoculation and the treatment. Low-molecular weight phenolic substances could be detected in some but not all filtrates, warranting further studies on the possible role of these compounds in fungal filtrates. The antibiosis and production of secondary metabolites present in the fungal filtrates could be the mode of action of the endophytes in this study. Keywords: biological control agents, antibiosis, secondary metabolites, forest pathogens. 34 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 NODULATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON GROWTH PARAMETERS AND PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE OF ACACIA SALIGNA AND LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA SEEDLINGS GROWN IN THREE TYPES OF SOIL Hassan, S., Abou-Elkhir, Kh., Abou-Gazia, H., Amer, A. Forestry and Wood Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University [email protected] This work was aimed to study the effect of the inoculation of Acacia saligna and Leucaena leucocephala seedlings with Rhizobium grown in three types of soil (Sandy, calcareous and clayey soil) on nodulation characteristics and growth parameters (shoot height, shoot growth rate and stem diameter) and dry weight of seedlings as well as its nitrogen and phosphorus contents (%), chlorophyll content, specific gravity of stem wood and fiber length. The inoculation with Rhizobium inocula has resulted in nodule development on roots of both species studied, with different shapes (spherical, stalk-like and multi-loped nodules). Nodules number and nodule dry weight were affected by inoculation, fertilization and soil type in both seasons and both species as well as growth rate, stem diameter and total dry weight, whilst chlorophyll content in leaves was not affected. In addition, the same trend has been found in concentration of nitrogen in leaves except for the second season for A. saligna. However, the impacts of soil type and fertilization were erratic in phosphorus content in both species for both seasons. Generally, specific gravity neither affected by P-fertilization nor the inoculation, while fiber length of stems of both species was affected by the inoculation. Keywords: nodule, fertilization, inoculation, nitrogen, dry weight. 35 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 GENETIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ALLOMETRIC EFFECTS ON CONE SEROTINY IN ALEPPO PINE (PINUS HALEPENSIS MILL.) Martín-Sanz, R.C.1,2, Santos-del-Blanco, L.3, Chambel, R.1,2, Notivol, E.4, Climent, J.1,2 1 Dpt. of Forest Ecology and Genetics. Forest Research Centre (CIFOR-INIA). Madrid Forest Management Research Institute (UVa-INIA). Palencia 3 Dpt. of Ecology and Evolution. University of Lausanne. Switzerland 4 Forest Resources Unit (SIA-DGA). Zaragoza [email protected] 2 Sustainable In the Mediterranean basin, the increase of catastrophic wildfires combined with heat waves and severe droughts has raised concern about whether the high colonizing ability of Mediterranean pines will be enough to cope with these challenges. As a fire-related trait, (the adaptive role of) serotiny has been studied much lately. Aleppo pine seems to be a good model, probably because it shows a rather complex variation of cone serotiny affecting the dynamics of aerial seed banks. The variation of cone serotiny in Aleppo pine has been postulated to derive either from ontogeny (allometry), environment, genetic differences among and within populations and ecotypic effects (this species may reveal different degrees of serotiny with different reproduction rates). That is, individuals could perpetuate after a fire by having enough aerial seed bank, but trees can choose for having many or few female cones, most of them closed, or having many cones, the most open. Our objective was to separate these main causes of variation of cone serotiny in Aleppo pine. According to literature, we expected higher serotiny in small, young trees but at the same time higher serotiny under less stressful environmental conditions. We measured serotiny (estimated through the percentage of closed cones) at a large Aleppo pine common garden experiment replicated at three contrasted sites, with a comprehensive representation of the natural distribution range. Our analysis showed that tree size has indeed a key influence on serotiny, as predicted, serotiny decreased with tree size, but this effect is not easily detached from site effect shaping tree size as well. Our results also fulfill predictions: higher serotiny under more favourable conditions. As for ecotypic differentiation, we found that there are significant differences among provenances, being the ones from the most unfavourable places (most likely to fire or with hot and dry summers) those which have higher reproduction and serotiny, while the provenances that invest less in reproduction (investing more in growth or defences), too often have little serotiny. In addition, provenances with intermediate reproduction rates show a very variable behaviour with respect to the different combinations of reproduction and serotiny, finding a high influence of site and size per site interaction. These findings underline that serotiny in Aleppo pine is actually a complex trait and confirm that genotype, environment and allometry must be considered jointly to improve our understanding of its adaptive implications. Keywords: common garden experiment, Fire adaptive trait, Ontogeny, Provenance effect, Site effect. 36 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 DISENTAGLING THE CAUSES OF WITHIN-POPULATION SPATIAL GENETIC STRUCTURE IN A WIDESPREAD TROPICAL TREE SPECIES Torroba-Balmori, P., González-Martínez, S.C., Heuertz, M. Department of Ecology and Forest Genetics, Forest Research Centre, INIA-CIFOR, Carretera de La Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain [email protected] The spatial genetic structure (SGS) of wide-range species can be studied at different levels (global, regional, within population), each of those levels having different factors influencing SGS. The within population scale is appropriate to study demographic processes such as dispersal in interaction with genetic drift. Adaptive processes also occur to different microhabitats within populations, therefore the within-population scale can potentially unveil new perspectives about the structuring of genetic diversity of wide-range species. With this aim, we gathered information of nuclear (simple sequence repeats, SSRs) and chloroplast DNA markers (psbA-trnH sequences) of the tropical tree Symphonia globulifera L.f. (Clusiaceae) from seven populations in Africa and the Neotropics, and analyze markers for SGS. We detected higher inbreeding in African populations and also a slightly stronger SGS at both SSRs and sequences than in America, although the estimated pollen-seed dispersal ratio was similar in both continents. Moreover, we found spatial genetic clusters of both markers in several populations, along with haplotype-genotype association in Cameroonian populations and significant genetic differentiation among morphotypes in Paracou. The analysis suggests that spatial genetic structure is influenced by the behavior of seed dispersers and pollinators in different topographies. Bats, which have only been recorded as seed dispersers in America, could be promoting the observed differences of SGS between continents. In addition, the haplotypegenotype associations point to putative processes of adaptive differentiation within population. Keywords: gene flow, pollination, seed dispersal, adaptation, Symphonia globulifera L.f . 37 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 USE OF MYCOVIRUSES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS OF FOREST DISEASES: A REVIEW Muñoz-Adalia, E.J.1,2, Fernández, M.M.1,3, Díez, J.J.1,2 1 Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid – INIA, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain. 2 Plant Production and Forestry Resources Department. University of Valladolid. Avenida de Madrid 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain. 3 Agroforestry Sciences Department. University of Valladolid. Avenida de Madrid 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain. [email protected] About ten families of viruses that select fungus like host (mycoviruses) has been described but despite of this, nowadays around 20% of mycoviruses described has not been catalogued. Additionally, their evolutive relationship with fungi is yet unclear. Mycoviruses genome can be formed by single or double strains of RNA (ssRNA/dsRNA) or double strain of DNA (dsDNA). The use of mycoviruses in plant pathology has been frequently treated in agroforestry science, but the effects of mycoviruses in fungi can range from cryptic state (asymptomatic) to promoting hypervirulence. Only a few number of mycoviruses are useful in biocontrol due to their capacity to confer hypovirulence to the pathogen. Even in this case, transference of mycoviruses between fungus isolates may be difficulted by the presence of different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) or mating types. We perform a review about mycoviruses application and future use perspectives on forest diseases biological control. We sum up the advances in mycoviruses applied research for Fusarium graminearum, Botrytis cinerea and Chalara elegans in farmland productions and for Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, Heterobasidion annosum, Gremmeniella abietina and Cryphonectria parasitica phathologies in forest environment. Finnally, we discuss the potencial of mycoviruses in the management of pitch canker disease caused by Fusarium circinatum. Keywords: VCGs, Mitovirus, hypovirulence, biological control. 38 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 RE-GREENING ETHIOPIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES A review by Tesfay-Gidey University of Padova, Italy [email protected] In Ethiopia, deforestation rates high and its main causes are population growth, land conversion to agriculture, socio-political change and unsustainable use of natural resources. Even though the government re-greening efforts began over a century ago, significant rehabilitation results have achieved since 1990. Today, over 3 million hectares (ha) of degraded forest land are under area enclosure, smallholder plantations cover 0.8 million ha and, state-owned industrial plantations are 0.25 million ha. This review pointed out best achievements and challenges of different re-greening practices in Ethiopia, notably with regards to area enclosure and afforestation and reforestation. Data have used from various literatures, official reports and gray documents. According to findings, farmers and non-governmental organizations are the main players for re greening, while role of the private sector is small. The role of the government was mixed: supportive in some cases and hindering in others. The achievements includes: improved food security, forest coverage, increase supply of wood products, re-emergence of plant species, protected soil erosion and sediment deposition, increased crop and livestock productivity, increased rehabilitated land and reduced illegal cutting. In contrary, the overall challenges of regreening practices are: lack of ample involvement of the communities, poor application of government policy, lack of effective researches, not well defined aims of rehabilitation, lack of management plans, unclear responsibilities and benefit-sharing arrangements and poor silvicultural managements. To improving future re greening programs in the country need to be solved associate challenges. Keywords: area enclosure, community, NGOs, plantations, rehabilitation. 39 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 CONSERVATION Oral communications USE AND THREAT PERCEPTION OF HIGHLY VALUED INDIGENOUS EDIBLE WOODY SPECIES IN NIGER, FOR CONSIDERATION IN A PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION PROGRAM María Dolores Agúndez Leal HYDROLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE JUCAR RIVER BASIN (TOUS): ESCALONA TRIBUTARY Kawtar Bouassel POPULATION STATUS AND GUM YIELD OF ACACIA SENEGAL (L) WILD IN NORTH WEST LOWLANDS OF ETHIOPIA Tatek Dejene Bekele BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF “IZOTAL” AND “MEXICAL” OF THE TEHUACAN VALLEY, MEXICO Nadia Campos Salas BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN MIXED-SPECIES SPACING TRIAL IN CENTRAL OREGON Claudia Terroba Navajas 40 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Posters ASSESSMENT OF LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVITY OF FISH PASSES IN THE DUERO RIVER BASIN Jorge Valbuena Castro ASSESSING POST-STORM FOREST DYNAMICS IN THE PYRENEES USING HIGH-RESOLUTION LIDAR DATA AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS Ángela Blázquez Casado BIOMASS ESTIMATION OF JUNIPERUS THURIFERA FORESTS THROUGH NON-DESTRUCTIVE METHODS Eduardo Collado Coloma 41 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 42 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 USE AND THREAT PERCEPTION OF HIGHLY VALUED INDIGENOUS EDIBLE WOODY SPECIES IN NIGER, FOR CONSIDERATION IN A PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION PROGRAM Agúndez, D.1,2, Soumana, D.3, Madrigal, J.1,2, Gómez-Ramos, A.4, Vinceti, B.5, Alía, R.1,2, Mahamane, A.3 1 2 INIA-CIFOR (Madrid, Spain). Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute Universidad de Valladolid & INIA 3 Université de Maradi (Niger) 4 5 Universidad de Valladolid Bioversity International (Roma, Italy) [email protected] Food tree species in West Africa seem under pressure due to different factors, not always clear and highly variable from location to location. There is general perception of a progressive vegetation degradation process, with different impact on the Sahelian and Sudanian agroecological zones due to their different environmental conditions, ethnic composition, migration processes and re-greening efforts. Social participation is central to an effective conservation of natural resources, including forest genetic resources. A participatory conservation strategy means that people are involved and the chance of the implementation and success of the conservation activities increases. The results of this study form a solid basis for the design of a participatory conservation program for indigenous woody species valued for food in the arid areas of Niger. They confirm previous results on the role of food tree species in the diet of rural communities in arid lands and highlight the key role of some species highly consumed and valued for their input to the diet, especially during periods of food shortage. Keywords: food, forest resources, social participation, Sahel, Africa. 43 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 HYDROLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE JUCAR RIVER BASIN (TOUS): ESCALONA TRIBUTARY Bouassel, K. Research Center (Universidad Politécnica de Valencia) [email protected] Since the eighties there was already evidence of flooding due to the "cold drop" near the river Júcar located in "The community of Valencia” in Spain. In 1957 a swamp is Projected to regulate the course of Júcar River: "Tous Dam" Which has functioned well until the flooding that has-been produced on the 20th of October, 1982. This disaster has affected all the basin of the Jucar River, due to heavy rainfall. This caused a large influx of water, due to deficiency of the walls and the impossibility of opening the floodgates, due to human error, "Tous Dam" Began to overflow, causing a flood of 16,000 m³ / s, one of the largest Recorded in Spain, devastating the regions of Ribera Alta and Ribera Baja, and Causing prejudice to many human being. Due to erosion problems from large water flooding in the Júcar River and its tributaries located in "Tous", and all the fires that occurred over the years in this area, leaving parts of the basin devoid of vegetation, for all that it was necessary to develop the “Forest Hydrological Restoration Plan” (RHF). This plan has taken into account the damming of all critical points of the Júcar River and its tributaries including "Escalona" river. The purpose of this project is to show how to build a dike in a torrential river, particularly in the “Escalona” river located in the Jucar basin; in order to reduce erosion by stopping solid and liquid flows, and thus try to prevent flooding in case of heavy rains. It helps also to improve vegetation coverage. And to facilitate the hydraulic network operation current drain to prevent appreciable changes in the course of the river itself. Keywords: hydrological restoration, dike, flooding, erosion, basin. 44 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 POPULATION STATUS AND GUM YIELD OF ACACIA SENEGAL (L) WILD IN NORTH WEST LOWLANDS OF ETHIOPIA Dejene, T.1, Mohamed, U.2, Eshete, A.2, Martin-Pinto, P.1 1 University 2 Ethiopian of Valladolid at Palencia (UVa), Avda.Madrid, 44, 34071 Palencia, Spain. Institute of Agricultural Research, Forestry Research Center, P.o.Box 30708 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. [email protected] Ethiopian dry forests provide various non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as: frankincense, gum arabic and myrrh. These non-timber forest products can generate income for local community in particular and the whole country in general. Acacia senegal (L) Wild tree is native to Ethiopia, widely grown in dry lowland areas of the country and produce gum arabic that has high commercial value. Despite, the species is known for its gum arabic production, is constrained by lack of information on its population status, natural regeneration and yield potential. Thus the study was conducted with the purposes of (i) quantify the population structure and density of A.senegal; (ii) analyze the natural regeneration status of the species; and (iii) assess the possibility of commercial harvesting of gum arabic from the natural stand and see its economics. For the purpose, an inventory was conducted. Then a total of 52 temporary sampled plots, 20mX20m were lay out along elevation gradient in natural A.senegal stands. All trees were measured for its height and diameter in these plots. Smaller sample plots of size 5 x 5m nested in the center of each plot were used for measuring saplings and seedlings. Besides, the gum yield of A.senegal tree ha-1 year-1 was estimated by multiplying the mean A.senegal stem density ha-1 with the average gum arabic production per tree and year, as obtained from previous studies. The result revealed A.senegal was constituted 70.70% and the species was found to be the dominant tree species in the area. The population structure of the species showed an inverted J-shape implying the species has a stable and healthy population nature. Studies showed trees having a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 4cm bearing gum arabic (average 0.9 to 2 kg tree-1 year1).Considering only those trees that produced gum (211 stems ha-1), the maximum yield was 422Kg ha-1 year-1 while the lowest was 190 ha-1 year-1 that could worth $US ca 950 to 2110 ha-1 year-1. In addition, the regeneration status of the species under study showed a good opportunity for future gum Arabic production for the investors and creating job opportunity for the local community. Besides it showed continuity in productivity and good for sustainable utilization. Keywords: Acacia senegal, Population status, regeneration, lowlands and gum yield 45 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF “IZOTAL” AND “MEXICAL” OF THE TEHUACAN VALLEY, MEXICO Campos-Salas, N., Casas-Fernández, A. Investigation center of Ecosystems. National Autonomous University of Mexico. Campus Morelia. Z.C. 58190, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. [email protected] The Tehuacan valley it a very important arid zone in Mexico, is one of the main reservoirs of biological diversity of arid zones of Mexico. This region has been the scenario of human cultural history for nearly 12,000 years, which makes the area as one of the richest in Mexico, with regard to traditional ecological knowledge and management techniques of forest and agricultural systems. Here we study the capacity of the agroforestry systems of maintain the diversity from the forest that they came from. We found that the agroforestry systems hold nearly the 75% of the vegetation that they came from, that is why the SAF are an important issue for conservation. Keywords: agroecology, arid zones, agriculture, management, society. 46 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN MIXED-SPECIES SPACING TRIAL IN CENTRAL OREGON Terroba, C., Mainwaring, D., Bravo, F., Maguire, D. Center for Intensive Planted- Forest Silviculture. College of Forestry, Oregon State University [email protected] Mixed species plantations may offer one way to produce economic benefits from forest management while maintaining other important values expected from forest ecosystems. Society currently demands fiber production while conserving biodiversity, landscape aesthetics, and production of other non-timber forest products (i.e. mushrooms, etc.). Because society demands a multiple-use forest, particularly on publicly owned land, mixed species stands and associated silvicultural systems are receiving more attention. The objective of this study is to quantify the total biomass production in mixed plots (Pinus ponderosa and Abies grandis) in Lookout Mountain (Central Oregon). Some of the benefits produced by mixed species are presumed and have yet to be scientifically tested. For example, mixed-species stands have been claimed to experience less intense intertree competition, provide facilitation of one species by the other, and offer better landscape aesthetics, greater biodiversity, and enhanced resistance to speciesspecific pests and diseases. The spacing trial was established (1974) in a randomized split plot design where the whole plot factor was spacing and the split plot factor was species composition. Lookout Mountain includes three square spacings: 1.8, 3.7 and 5.5m ( 6, 12, and 18 feet). The species compositions of the subplots were: pure Pinus ponderosa, pure Abies grandis, and a 50:50 mix of Pinus ponderosa and Abies grandis. Each plot has three subplots but the size of each whole plot increases with increasing spacing. All the available data was used to fit different models in order to estimate the total biomass production, different levels were studied: branch mass, stem mass, tree mass, plot biomass and total biomass per hectare.In each of the levels of biomass estimation an ANOVA was performed to compare the differences between spacing, species composition and their interaction.Results obtained show that in narrower spacing higher biomass production in shade-tolerant species; as the trees age, the interaction between spacing and species composition become less significant; in the models it is necessary to use variables that are easy to measure in field: This study shows that production and biodiversity is possible, because productivity is not reduced by the mixture of species, instead of that it increases. Keywords: biomass, mixed-species, modelling, Pinus ponderosa, Abies grandis 47 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 ASSESSMENT OF LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVITY OF FISH PASSES IN THE DUERO RIVER BASIN Valbuena-Castro, J.1,2, Sanz-Ronda, F.J.1,2, Bravo-Córdoba, F.J.1,2, Ruiz-Legazpi, J.1,2 1 Technical 2 Ecohydraulic School of Agricultural Engineering. University of Valladolid. Palencia, Spain. Applied Group (GEA). Agrofood Agricultural and Technological Centre (itagra.ct) & University of Valladolid. Palencia, Spain [email protected] The obstacles on the rivers, such as weirs or dams, affect the regular movements, migration and life of fauna, especially of fishes. The options to mitigate the impacts for fish fauna caused by obstacles are: removing the obstacles, transporting the animals from one side to another, or installing structures that allow fishes to ascend without any assistance. Those structures, called fish passes, sometimes do not work properly and increase the damages produced by obstacle. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate their functionality. Acknowledge of this situation, the Duero River Authority (CHD), the Ecohydraulic Applied Group (GEA), the Itagra Foundation (itagra.ct) and the University of Valladolid (UVa) have signed up an agreement to develop and disclosure of technical information about fish passes on the Duero river basin. On the first place, a guide for the general public will be developed to assess fish passes. This document will serve as a practical tool for decision-making, and raise the awareness of the importance of the proper functionality of fish passes. On the second place, 67 fish passes related to hydroelectric power stations of the Duero river basin will be assessed to know about their functionality. For the assessments processes, hydraulic, topographical and constructive data will be collected and analyzed in accordance with bibliography and experiences of GEA. Finally, worked out information will be promoted through different ways: internet, congresses and other scientific communication media. Keywords: performance, evaluation, fish passes, fish ladders, river continuity. 48 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 ASSESSING POST-STORM FOREST DYNAMICS IN THE PYRENEES USING HIGH-RESOLUTION LIDAR DATA AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS Blázquez-Casado, A.1, González-Olabarria, J.R.1, Martín-Alcón, S.1, Just, A.2, Cabré, M.2, Coll, Ll.1 1 Forest 2 Institut Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Solsona Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC), Barcelona, Spain [email protected] We evaluated how historical storm events have shaped the current forest landscape in three Pyrenean subalpine forests (NE Spain). For this purpose we related forest damage estimations obtained from multi-temporal aerial photographic comparisons to the current forest typology generated from airborne LiDAR data, and we examined the role of past natural disturbance on the current spatial distribution of forest structural types. We found six forest structural types in the landscape: early regeneration (T1 and T2), young even-aged stands (T3), uneven-aged stands (T4) and adult stands (T5 and T6). All of the types were related to the timing and severity of past storms, with early-regeneration structures being found in areas markedly affected in recent times, and adult stands predominating in those areas that had suffered lowest damage levels within the study period. In general, landscapes where high or medium levels of damage were common also presented higher levels of spatial heterogeneity, whereas the opposite pattern was found in the less markedly affected landscape, characterized by the presence of large regular patches. Our results show the critical role that storm regimes can play in shaping current forest structure and future dynamics in subalpine forests. The knowledge gained could be used to help define alternative forest management strategies oriented toward the enhancement of landscape heterogeneity as a measure to face future environmental uncertainty. Keywords: storm regime, Forest succession, Forest structure, Airborne LiDAR, Spatial patterns. 49 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 BIOMASS ESTIMATION OF JUNIPERUS THURIFERA FORESTS THROUGH NON-DESTRUCTIVE METHODS Collado-Coloma, E. MEDfOR University of Lleida (UDL) [email protected] In forests located in areas of high site quality, application of regression models and allometric relationships is more than enough to get crown area or leaves area parametrics. However, degraded stands or whose quality site is medium-low, techniques to estimate the photosynthetically active area or crown volume always have been more complex, of which it can highlight: The area of the crown orthogonal projection and leaf area index (LAI). In this situation, it seems appropriate to find a methodology to estimate the volumes of each crown, quickly and easily, without high cost. Therefore, it proposes to improve the methodology of Montes et al. (2000) for determining biomass of Juniperus thurifera, using digital processing of images, transferring the essence of his work to the principles of remote sensing. The main objective can be summarized in obtaining the vertical surface of crown to estimate the biomass of leaves of each tree through two photographs taken orthogonally of 295 live Spanish Junipers inventoried in the stand I of Majadillas property in El Bonillo (Albacete, Spain). On the other hand, it estimated biomass of 42 characteristic Spanish Juniper (their leaves and trash) through classic methodology (allometric relationship). This was used to assess the results derived of images processing. Results revealed a large variation between the biomass obtained by the conventional method and the new method, since the characteristic trees selected by the classic method are not representative of the mass. Keywords: remote sensing, images processing, Southeastern Spain, allometric relationship, LAI. 50 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 MISCELLANY Oral communications A LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FUNCTIONAL TRAITS OF THE SAWMILLS OF SYLHET CITY CORPORATION, BANGLADESH Akbar Hossain Kanan SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF FRUIT PREDATION IN TWO COEXISTING JUNIPERS SHARING FRUIT PREDATOR SPECIES Erik Rodríguez García LOCAL COMMUNITIES VIEWS TOWARDS CO-MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABILITY IN PROTECTED AREAS OF BANGLADESH Bishwajit Roy TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREST STAND MENSURATION Sara Uzquiano Pérez 51 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 Posters EVALUATION OF RISKS AT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED TO THE UTILIZATION OF PESTICIDES AT KUKRA HILL'S MUNICIPALITY, NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA Juan Asdrúbal Flores Pacheco EVALUATION OF TOPOGRAPHICAL AND TRAPEZOIDAL MODELS TO ESTIMATE EROSION RATES APPLIED TO CHECK DAMS IN THE BADLANDS OF SALDAÑA, SPAIN Iván Ramos Diez INTRAANUAL DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS OF ARAUCARIA ANGUSTIFOLIA IN THE NEOTROPICAL WOODLANDS Marta Vergarechea Alegría BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AS BIOINDICATOR OF WATER QUALITY OF THE HUMID TROPIC MICROBASINS PLACE SURROUNDINGS OF BLUEFIELDS, NICARAGUA Néstor González Alemán LARGE FIRES IN MEDITERRANEAN LANDSCAPES Gonçalo Filipe Mateus Marques 52 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 53 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 A LEGAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FUNCTIONAL TRAITS OF THE SAWMILLS OF SYLHET CITY CORPORATION, BANGLADESH Kanan, A.H., Saha, N. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh [email protected] This study evaluates the functional traits of sawmill industry of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), Bangladesh from legal perspective. For field data collection, 43 sawmills were selected randomly from a total of 67 located in the SCC area. Sawmills of SCC were classified into small, medium and large categories on the basis of the total sawlog procurement status. Result showed that, most of these sawmills were of medium category. Average sawlog procurement and lumber production of all categories of sawmills per annum were 582m3 and 412m3 respectively. The average lumber production of the sawmillers from their own sources was 77% and from outer sources was 23%. Major source of sawlogs in the study area was imports (81.37%), though Bangladesh forest policy 1994 emphasizes attaining self-reliance in forest products including sawlogs. This study also revealed that 4% sawmills were located within 10 km radial distance from Khadimnagar National Park and Tilagor Eco-park, while 14% were located within 1 km radius of government offices. 30% sawmills stocked sawlogs on public infrastructures violating sawmill establishment and maintenance rules. Study also revealed that operation of 33% sawmills were absolutely inconsonant with the exiting transit rules. Violation of transit rules has prescribed penalties to impose, however, their effective implementation was not found satisfactory. Keywords: sawmiller, Sawlog, Forest Act, Environmental Policy, Transit Rules. 54 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF FRUIT PREDATION IN TWO COEXISTING JUNIPERS SHARING FRUIT PREDATOR SPECIES Rodríguez, E.1, Mezquida, E.T.2, Olano, J.M.1 1 Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Campus Duques de Soria, Universidad de Valladolid. 2 Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. [email protected] According to the predator satiation hypothesis, sharp changes in seed production reduce pre- and post-dispersal seed predation. Most studies have addressed this hypothesis at individual species, although different plant species may share pre-dispersal predators, leading to complex interspecific interactions. In the case of junipers three main pre-dispersal predators co-occur (chalcid wasps, moths and mites). Our aim was to examine the effect of interspecific interaction in predispersal fruit predation for two coexisting shrubby juniper species, Juniperus communis and J. sabina. Both species share at least two fruit predators, chalcid wasp Megastigmus bipunctatus (Swederus, 1795) (Hymenoptera, Torymidae) and mite Trisetacus quadrisetus (Thomas, 1889) (Acarina, Eriophyidae). We estimated fruit abundance, predation levels and plant position for both junipers in a 7.7 ha plot sited in the Alto Tajo Natural Park (Guadalajara, Spain). During OctoberNovember 2013 and 2014 we sampled 30 fruits per plant. Fruit crop was lower in 2013 than in 2014 for both species, with this difference being greater in J. sabina. Chalcid wasps were the main predator in both junipers, being higher in J. sabina (mean ± S.E. = 27.41 %± 2.21 in 2013 and 16.96 % ± 1.64 in 2014) than in J. communis (3.99 % ± 1.41 in 2013 and 5.11 % ± 1.56 in 2014). Predation was much lower for moths and mites. Chalcid wasps and moths selected the same plants in J. sabina but different individuals in J. communis. This suggests that the two predators prefer shrubs with similar characteristics in J. sabina but not in J. communis. During the high crop year 2014 chalcid wasps’ predation in J. sabina was negatively correlated with fruit abundance suggesting the existence of a predator satiation process. Contrastingly, mites showed a positive correlation with fruit abundance in J. communis in both years. Neighborhood affected predation rates: J. communis located in open areas had higher predation rates than those located inside of J. sabina. Keywords: interspecific interactions, Juniperus communis, Juniperus sabina, Megastigmus bipunctatus, predispersal predation. 55 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 LOCAL COMMUNITIES VIEWS TOWARDS CO-MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABILITY IN PROTECTED AREAS OF BANGLADESH Roy, B.1, Rahman, Md. H.2 1 MEDfORMAN 2 Bangladesh MSc Student, Universitat de Lleida, Spain Institute of Social Research-BISR, House no. 6/14, Block no. A, Lalmatia, Dhaka1207, Bangladesh [email protected] Protected area (PA) management involving local communities is now widely practiced mostly in developing countries. Bangladesh Forest Department developed co-management program in PAs with the financial support from USAID. It aims to promote and institutionalize co-management system for sustainable natural resources management and biodiversity conservation involving local communities. The present study was conducted in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary (RKWS) which is one of the pilot PA co-management sites. The objectives are to identify the local community’s attitude and perception on co-management, and the pattern and trends of benefits deriving from co-management. The study aims to look into the reciprocal services provided by the communities for forest conservation and co-management sustainability. Putting of some functional and policy recommendations is also a part of the study. Primary information was collected through local and focus group discussions, key informant interviews, household surveys by using a semi-structured questionnaire. Study results identified twenty-six local issues on four broad categories, viz., livelihood, AIG support, forest biodiversity conservation and management to explore the co-management sustainability in RKWS. Co-management has given different AIG supports to the community. These have added substantial benefits to his/her family income although AIG supports have some mentionable weaknesses. It was estimated that local community has positive responses on co-management. Some issues like unemployment, absence of established educational institutions, insufficient AIG supports, need for involving more Community Petrol Group (CPG) members for continuous forest patrolling with monthly salary, limited tourist facilities and awful road communication system are the burden for its sustainability. However, the communities are satisfied on forest management and biodiversity conservation, awareness raising activities and training, institutional arrangements and capacity development and reducing illegal logging and hunting. They opined that livelihood and AIG supports are not enough. Finally, the study concluded some recommendations for the continuity of comanagement to help taking policy decisions, implementing field activities and conducting research. Keywords: sustainable forest management, co-management, biodiversity conservation, AIG support, Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. 56 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREST STAND MENSURATION Uzquiano, S.1,2, Martínez, J.3, San Martín, R.1,4, Bravo, F.1,2 1 2 Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute UVa-INIA, Palencia, Spain. Department of Plant Production and Forestry Resources of Agrarian School of the University of Valladolid. 3 4 Laboratory of Architectural Photogrammetry. School of Architecture. University of Valladolid. Department of Statistics and Operative Investigation of Agrarian School of the University of Valladolid. [email protected] Terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) and Photogrammetry are modern technologies that are proving every day their enormous potential as the basis of modern forest stands measurement techniques. For this study, measurements were performed on three plots of pinus pinaster with a average of 40 individuals each. Diameter at breast height (DBH), total tree height, width and height tree crown and Basal Area (BA) have been measured, both by means of wellestablished traditional tools such as calliper and hypsometer, as with a laser scanner device. Additionally, total tree height was determined using photogrammetric techniques out from aerial imagery obtained by using a RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System). A statistical comparison of all data out of those sources has been made by simple linear regression analysis. Our results support the hypothesis that LiDAR technique allows a coherent estimation of parameters such as total height, canopy height and basal area, however, they have not been as good as it relates to the determination of the DBH. Furthermore, the analysis indicates that the photogrammetric technique used has not been able to provide good estimates of neither the total height nor of that of the canopy. What seems proven beyond doubt is that the terrestrial LiDAR provides optimum rendition in geo-positioning of individuals and faithful three-dimensional rendering of the tree. We consider, despite their high price, this new devices are profitable due to the big amount of data we can obtain from them. However it is necessary to improve the workflow in order to speed up the data processing. Keywords: forest mensuration, Pinus pinaster, RPAS, terrestrial LiDAR. 57 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 EVALUATION OF RISKS AT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED TO THE UTILIZATION OF PESTICIDES AT KUKRA HILL'S MUNICIPALITY, NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA Flores-Pacheco, A.1, Mairena, A.1, Espliga, j.2 1 Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University- BICU Post office box N 88, University Avenue, Bluefields, Nicaragua 2 Department of Sociology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain The UAB's campus; 08193 Bellaterra [email protected] The present reach’s is intended to identify and to categorize the human risks and acclimatize associates to the utilization of pesticides in the agricultural activities at Kukra Hill's municipality, South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS), Nicaragua. He was worked up from the evaluation of his concentrations at grounds and superficial waters in areas of agricultural use, what is complemented with a labor investigation of safeness’s, so much yellow light like corrective, than them agriculture the applicators accomplish in their daily works. The private and governmentalinstitutions agricultural technician have included technicians' testimonies themselves. Presence was possible to be determined that there exist and concentration of molecules of pesticide in concentrations underneath the levels of detection permissible according to values you drive Canadian of quality of ground of agricultural use for the environmental protection and human health. Results evidence a scarce use of personal protections and an important labor and extralabor exposure to pesticides. It has been managed to check than the unsuitable conditions storage, the incorrect techniques of manipulation and application, the erroneous tactics of elimination of physical residues (containers and mixtures), as well as decrease them teams' indexes of use of personal protection are combined with the minimization for part of the farmers of the risks that they and their families, with those who share work and spaces, latent victims of lofty risks are to your health and that in turn they raise the possibility of an increment in the environmental risks inside the Agroecosistema considerably, taking the pesticide molecules and their metabolites to different links of the trophic chain. They are these findings that lead to the need to accomplish investigations in animal and vegetable biota, superficial and subterranean water bodies and the execution of capacitation’s specialized to users, of every level, of the dangers that the unsuitable use of pesticides represents. Keywords: pesticides, human and environmental risks, job safety, analysis in soils and waters. 58 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 EVALUATION OF TOPOGRAPHICAL AND TRAPEZOIDAL MODELS TO ESTIMATE EROSION RATES APPLIED TO CHECK DAMS IN THE BADLANDS OF SALDAÑA, SPAIN Ramos, I.1, Navarro, J.1, San Martín, R.2, Díaz, V.3, Mongil, J.3 1 Department of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering. University of Valladolid. Palencia. Spain 2 Department of Statistics and Operations Research. University of Valladolid. Palencia. Spain 3 Hydrology and Conservation Research Group. Catholic University of Ávila. Ávila. Spain [email protected] Check dams are usual structures in hydrological and forest restoration projects, especially in Mediterranean environments where soil conservation is very important. These structures are frequently used to quantify erosion at catchment scale, through retained sediment from calculation performed by different models. These models calculate the sediment retained by check dams assuming that the sediment wedge is similar to a trapezoidal channel. This supposition doesn’t represent adequately the reality in V-shape gullies. Throughout this study, we have assessed the model of transversal sections based on a topographical survey and compared it with two simple trapezoidal models. We have studied if there are differences in estimating the volume of sediment retained by check dams between these models, using a statistical sample in the hydrological and forest restoration area of Saldaña (Palencia). The results show that there aren’t significant statistical differences (p-value>0.05) in volume estimation at 95% of confidence level between methodologies. However, there are significant statistical differences (p-value<0.05) in volume estimation when comparing small check dams (H=1.8-2m, V=36-102m3). This study shows that the adequate methodology depends on the check dam characteristics, degree of siltation, the shape of the sediment wedges and how the model represents the sedimentary reality in the study area. These factors have a great influence to estimate erosion rates truthfully as possible. Thus, check dams of the hydrological and forest restoration projects can provide erosion rates with great accuracy when selecting the best model to calculate the volume of sediment retained. Keywords: erosion, gullies, restoration, sediment retention structures, sediment yield. 59 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 INTRAANUAL DENSITY FLUCTUATIONS OF ARAUCARIA ANGUSTIFOLIA IN THE NEOTROPICAL WOODLANDS Vergarechea, M.1,2, Bogino, S.1, Leporati, J.1 1 University of San Luis, Villa Mercedes, Argentina. 2 University of Valladolid, Palencia, España. [email protected] Araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia (Bertoloni) O. Kuntze) is the main species of the subtropical woodlands in the southern Brazil, northwest of Argentina and southeast of Paraguay. Araucaria forms annual tree rings that allows to obtain ecological information. Dendrochronology, that studies dated tree rings, allows to determine the association between growth and climate in passed times. Previous studies pointed out the datation’s difficulties of araucaria due to the occurrence of anatomical anomalies as, for example: lenses, absent rings, picking rings and intraannual density fluctuations (IADF), however these anomalies may offer additional information about araucaria and its association with the environment. Anatomical anomalies of araucaria and their relationship with climate according to the sex were studied in its western edge distribution area. No significant differences were detected between sex and anatomical anomaly occurrence. A common occurrence of IADF throughout the first thirty years of age was detected in both sexes. A direct association was determined between the reduction in picking ring occurrence and the increase in mean temperature as well as a significant increase in IADF in male trees during drought periods. This study shows the sensitivity of araucaria to the environmental factors and the accuracy of anatomical studies for complement information about growth dynamics relate to sex based in the tree-ring analysis. Keywords: Angustifolia, tree rings, dendrochronology, anatomical anomalies. 60 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AS BIOINDICATOR OF WATER QUALITY OF THE HUMID TROPIC MICROBASINS PLACE SURROUNDINGS OF BLUEFIELDS, NICARAGUA González, N., Sánchez-Mateo, S., Mairena-Valdivia, Á. Bluefields Indians & Caribbean University- BICU. [email protected] From 2008 to dry season of 2012 was monitored the behaviour of macro invertebrate in 4 small basins placed around Bluefields city. To date a total of 36 samplings was completed inside the 4 basins which 8 study places each, accomplishing 20 samplings in the dry season (March to April from 2008 to 2012) and 16 at the rainy season (Julius to August from 2008 to 2011). Throughout the study 3683 individuals was captured corresponding to 73 families and 21 orders. The most important were Leptophlebiidae, Baetidae and Hydropsychidae with 421, 299 and 282 individuals captured respectively. The orders with higher number of individuals were Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Odonata with 752, 556 and 477 individuals. Key words: Benthic macroinvertebrates, bioindicator, water quality, humid tropic, microcuencas. 61 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 LARGE FIRES IN MEDITERRANEAN LANDSCAPES Marques, G. Erasmus Mundus MEDFOR - Mediterranean FORESTRY and Natural Resources Management, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain [email protected] In the past years, the Mediterranean zone, has been confronted by catastrophic fires that have burnt several thousand hectares under extreme Mediterranean weather conditions. These fires are namely called mega-fires, they are difficulty to control and impacts are very high, this can be related with human casualties and economic losses. Portugal in 2003 had 423.949 ha and only one fire consumed a total of 27.617 ha in Mochique, Algarve. Can this be a fire that shows the landscape management, climate change and increase of forest biomass has changed the severity and risk of fires. Mega-fires are usually related with critical weather conditions and a concentration of several other large fires at the same time, combining in one mega-fire. So we should look at if increasing suppression capabilities means, effectiveness and promptness, could it be capable of avoid the spread of small fires to develop in to mega-fires. We can also see the decisive role of land use policies reducing fire risk. Therefore we should indorse fire-prevention, promote forest management and increase social awareness. Keywords: Mega-fires; Risk assessment; Fire prevention; Fuel management; Mediterranean. 62 IX YOUNG RESEARCHERS MEETING ON CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST SYSTEMS CENEAM, Valsaín (Spain). 28-29st January 2015 63
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