Work

Distribution and Dendrometry Evolution of Gall Oak (Quercus faginea Lam.) Forest Stands in the Region of Murcia (Southeastern Spain) as an Indicator of Climate Change

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The southeast of Spain is one of the most arid and desertification-prone areas in continental Europe, with climate change contributing to this situation. Climatic conditions affect the availability of water in the plant structures of wild species, facilitating the onset and/or spread of forest fires and increasing aridity. The Region of Murcia, in southeastern Spain, has small forest stands of gall oak (Quercus faginea) with relict value. It is of interest to investigate the situation of these stands, allowing us to know about their distribution and their evolution in the face of climate change. For this purpose, previous dasometric, available from a specific stand, studies are considered to be contrasted with current data, individual trees were geolocated, and distribution maps of contrasting environmental conditions were created. In general, gall oak has been observed to be distributed up to 1200 m altitude, especially in shady areas and embedded valleys and north-northeast orientations. Importantly, there was a positive evolution of the vegetative development, with increments in the number of trees during the study period, despite some negative affections in specific areas due to climate change.

Source: Forests

DOI: 10.3390/f16030494

Authors: Miguel Ángel Sánchez-Sánchez, Alfonso Albacete

Institutions: Centro de Estudos em Geografia e Ordenamento do Territorio, University of Coimbra, Universidad de Murcia, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental

Language: English

Topic: Forest ecology and management

Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137