Sustainability of Mediterranean Ecosystems. Ecosystem Research Report 19

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19 ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH REPORT
SUSTAINABILITY OF MEDITERRANEAN
ECOSYSTEMS
CASE STUDY OF THE CHESTNUT FOREST
Edited by F. Romane
EUR 15727 EN
Free from: P. MATHY
CCE - DG XII
SDME 3/64
ISBN 92-826-9076-8
// f/l/fil' '
EUR 15727 EN
EUROPEAN COMMISSION European Commission
SUSTAINABILITY OF MEDITERRANEAN
ECOSYSTEMS
CASE STUDY OF THE CHESTNUT FOREST
Ecosystem Research
Report 19
Edited by
F. Romane
1995 EUR 15727 EN Published by the
European Commission
Directorate-General XII
Sciente, Research and Development
Environment Research Programme
L-2920 Luxembourg
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behåll of the Commission is
responsible lor the use which might he made of the following information.
Cataloguing data can he found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 1995
ISBN 92-K26-9076-8
© ECSC-EC EAEC. Brussels · Luxembourg. 1995 CONTENTS
Foreword iii
Summaryν
1. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
F. Romane
PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES AND
C02 CHANGES
2.1. Nutrient cycling in chestnut groves in the Trás-os-Montes region 9
A.L. Pires, E. Portela & A. Martins
12. Nutrient cycles in chestnut ecosystems of Sierra de Gata
(Western-Central Spain) 23
J.F. Gallardo, J.A. Egido, M.I. Gonzalez, M. Rico, I. Santa Regina, et al
23. Chestnutecosystemfunction:Nutrient cycle processes
within severalstandsinrelationto age and altitude
on the EtnaVolcano45
S. Leonardi,M.Rapp,R.Izzo,M. Fatila, D. Guarnaccia &C.DeSantis
2.4. Biomass,litterfaUandnutrientcontent in Castanea sativa 63
coppice standsofsouthernEurope: A first synthesis
M. Rapp
2.5. Effect of elevated C02 on carbon and nitrogen distribution
within a tree-soil system: i*C studies on sweet chestnut trees
(Castanea sativa Mill.) 71
H. Rouhier,G.Billes,A.ElKohen, M. Mousseau & P. Bottner
ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS,BIODIVERSITY AND MANAGEMENT
3.1. Comparison of chestnut genetics in France and Italy 89
F. Vülani, M. Cherubini & F. Cannata
3.2. Factors affecting biodiversity in chestnut (Castaneasativa Miller)
ecosystems along a gradient from coppice to orchard
in the Cevennes mountains (Southern France) 103
F. Romane, S. Hauter & L. Valerino
3 J. Dynamics and structure of dung beetlecommunities
(Coleóptera, Searabaeoidea) in chestnutareasoftheCevennes
(Southern France) 109
J.P.Lumaret&J.C.Claus
I — STUDY OF SOME MANAGEMENT CONSTRAINTS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
4.1. Chestnut woods undergoing marginalization
in Piedmont mountain areas - Interactions with ungulates
with particular respect to the wild boar 123
P. Durio, I. Boni, E. Macchi&Α.Perrone
42. Interactions between wildungulatesandMediterranean
degenerate forests: localandglobalapproachin the South of France135
M. Dubois, J. Joachim, M.-L.Maublanc,F.Spitz & G. Valet
43. Phytosanitary investigations on some chestnut forests
in the South of France and Italy: Preliminary results 149
T. Turchetti, G. Maresi, G. Casula & P. Gemignani
4.4. Consequences of some chestnut silviculturalmanagementpractices
in the Cevennes for sustainable development 165
P. Aumasson & J.L. Guérin
5. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES
The sustainability of chestnut ecosystems 173
F. Romane & C. Houssard
PUBLICATIONS FROM THE PROJECT177 FOREWORD
Some parts of this report have already been published, but due to the size restrictions in
scientific reviews it is generally difficult to publish all available research data and results even
if they appear interesting.
This report gave us the opportunity to publish some basic results which could not be
taken into account in previously published papers or which have not yet been published for
various reasons, often ongoing research. We thank the Commission of the European
Communities for this opportunity.
Nevertheless only the most significant results are explained, and to reduce the volume
this report only reflects a part of the total activity of participants in the programme (STEP PL
900257, CT 90-0049).
We also thank the French Ministère de l'Environnement (SRETIE-EGPN) and the
Région Languedoc-Roussillon for funding a part of the research in the Cevennes and the
Institut des Aménagements Régionaux et det (Montpellier) which helps us in
writing and editing this report.
Furthermore, all participants speak Mediterranean Romance languages. Nevertheless
this report is written in English. We apologize for any possible language mistakes.
NOMENCLATURE
For vascular plants: Tutin, T.G. et al. 1964-1980. Flora Europaea. Vol. 1-5. Cambridge Univ.
Press, Cambridge.
For fungi: Barr, M.E. 1978. The diaporthales in North America. Cramer, Lehre.
For mammals: Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D. 1982. Mammals species of the world. Smithsonian
Inst. Press, Washington & London.
For dung beetles: Baraud, J. 1992. Coléoptères Scrarabaeoidea d'Europe. Faune de France 78.
Fédération Fr. Soc. Sci. Nat., Paris, & Soc. linn. Lyon, (eds.).
— m SUMMARY
The objectives of this STEP project, which began in 1991, were to detect biological
criteria for sustainable development in natural degenerate forests of Mediterranean Europe.
The model was applied to the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa). Four countries were involved
in this study, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, where chestnut stands cover large areas and
represent different ecological or economical situations of this resource related to current
changing land-uses.
It was undertaken by different teams to better define the ecological conditions of this
natural resource in terms of growth, productivity, nutrient balance, physiology, genetic
diversity, biological diversity of its communities and phytosanitary situations, in relation to the
conditions of its exploitation and land-use changes, for the characterization of chestnut
sustainable ecological systems. Most of the investigations were carried out in the field, except
in one case where chestnut seedlings were submitted to a doubling atmospheric C02. The
purpose of this experimental study was to extrapolate results in the framework of global
change so as to propose areas where chestnut could be kept as a sustainable development
component.
Preliminary results to date are summarized.
Growth and nutrient cycles
The effects of different management practices, fertilization and pruning, in groves on
nutrient inputs and outputs were examined in Portugal. Intense management practices
leading to increased production are largely justified by resulting substantial increases in
economic profits. However, attention must be paid to the long-term maintenance of soil
fertility, as these practices may also decrease soil organic matter if adverse weather conditions
occur or if pruned biomass is removed from the site.
In Sicily, chestnut has been largely expanded by man and exploited in coppice stands
for timber production. There was a growth optimum at medium altitudes like in the Cevennes
(France). Beyond this range, chestnut stands were submitted to ecological constraints which
limit their growth and productivity.
In a coppice stand in Western Central Spain, it was observed that summer drought
could stop the litter decomposition process and growth of chestnut trees. Moreover, it
appears that nutrient inputs from atmospheric sources are low in comparison to Central and
Northern European forests. In deep soils and higher rainfall climatic conditions, chestnut can
economically and ecologically replace oak forests.
In experimental conditions, the effect of C02 enrichment on below ground carbon and
nitrogen exchange on chestnut seedlings, resulted in a decrease in total nitrogen
concentration with acceleration of environmental impoverishment with time. These responses
have to be considered in the context of the Mediterranean climate with water and nutrient
availability as limiting factors of coppice growth and productivity, since these lower N concentrations could lead to nutrient deficiencies. However, they may be compensated by
an observed increase in the amount of fine roots and mycorrhiza which could enhance soil
microbial activity, and by a substantial increase in water use efficiency due to a reduction in
transpiration through stomatal closure.
Genetic variability
The results of sampling chestnut populations for genetic variability in Turkey, Italy
and France support the general contention that Turkey is closest to the centre of origin of the
species and has maintained the highest level of genetic diversity. A high degree of geographic
differentiation across its range in Europe and the Near East was observed and differentiation
between populations cannot be excluded. Historical and anthropogenic effects appear to be
causes of chestnut evolution and dispersal.
Dung beetle diversity
Dung beetle communities were sampled in the Cevennes (South of France) along an
altitude gradient. They represent very important ecological indicators of sustainability, as they
are very sensitive, in terms of sp