Decline in Pinus pinaster mixed forests in Central Spain

This work seeks to analyze the causes of the decay processes observed in mixed pine forests of Pinus pinaster in Central Spain at its dry limit. This decay process is not exclusive to the area studied. If the causes of this decline are identified, better informed decisions can be made that lead to more efficient and sustainable forest management.

Global change, manifested as increased warming and water stress in the Mediterranean, together with land use legacies (associated with fire, forest management, resin tapping, livestock) have transformed landscapes. The latter affect species dynamics and system sustainability, hence the need to study the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and their relationships with physiological processes to determine their influence on species decay and mortality. In this case, the phenomenon of Pinus pinaster decline in mixed stands located in the Central System is analyzed at its altitudinal limit (> 700 masl).

Guillermo Gea Izquierdo, gea.guillermo@inia.es